#theo ages up in a week i'm not READY

[buglaur]

roxy doesn’t really know what she wants to do career-wise yet, but who cares when you can just ask your rich dad for cash any time you need it

#theo ages up in a week i'm not READY #look how handsome he is #and roxy isn't going to start her career until.. certain events have taken place... #ts4 #sims 4 #ts4 legacy #ts4 gameplay #macmahonlegacy #macmahongen3

[btsgotjams27]

the back-up plan | jjk

summary: one drunken night leads to an agreement that if you and jungkook are still single by 30, you'd marry each other. the only thing is jungkook has been doing everything he can to keep you single.

💖 title: the back-up plan | one-shot 💖 pairing: jungkook x f!reader | 💖 genre/au: romance, fluff / friends to lovers(?) 💖 rating: SFW | 18+ | 💖 word count: 18.1k | 💖 playlist 💖 warnings: jungkook & reader are both 29, reader is a hopeless romantic (what else is new with my characters?), jungkook is always pining and head over heels in love, jungkook is sweet and in luvrrr but he’s bad at feelings and tells some terrible lies (don’t hate him—ok!!), reader has a skewed view of relationships and what's expected of her, jungkook calls her wifey, hot and seggsy neighbor!namjoon (yes, pls), shirtless namjoon (2x), kissing, hand-holding, some suggestive language, mentions of erotic art and positions, first dates, alcohol consumption, reader has her belly button pierced, talks of tattoos & getting them, mentions of needles, and idk some things may come off as cheesy??? but it's a romance story so idk take what you will, light angst (you should know me by now!!), jungkook gets a lil drunk (pls drink responsibly), jealous jk comes out, love confessions 💖 a/n: the plot is a bit ridiculous, but that's the point! it's fiction (lol), i hope y'all enjoy it for what it is. the idea came from a tweet I saw, but ofc, I can't find it! so thank you to whoever tweeted it! and, happy birthday to the loml, jeon jungkook (this was supposed to be out for his birthday, but my brain said no). i also have to thank holly (@alphabetboyluvr). i respect her so much as a writer and friend, and I was super scared to ask her to even look at my outline, but she's always so sweet and willing. i couldn't have done this without her help, her comments, and suggestions <3 (i'd also recommend listening to the playlist while reading :)) and as always, i'd love to hear your thoughts 💖

sunday.

Another day has passed, and it’s creeping closer to your birthday. They’re supposed to be joyous, celebratory occasions–and you love feeling special, showered with love and gifts. What more could a person want?

But you had a clear goal before hitting the big 3-0: get married–or at least be engaged to be married.

Most girlfriends your age were still having fun, enjoying life, and not ready to settle down. You’re unsure if your upbringing or society’s expectations distorted you, but you were fond of marriage and finding the one to spend your life with.

You also blamed the hopeless romantic in you when you dragged every one of your girlfriends with you to see the new romantic comedy, giggled, and kicked your feet when reading the latest best-selling romance novel.

The thing was, you were so close to getting engaged. You and your boyfriend, Theo, of eight months–well, ex-boyfriend–discussed it openly from the beginning of your relationship. And not even two weeks ago, he broke up with you out of the blue and gave no clear explanation.

You sat in bed debating whether to download your old dating apps again. Your birthday was in six days, and you knew you wouldn’t find a suitable mate before your birthday, but at least you could try, right?

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:27 PM Happy ‘almost 30th’ birthday.

You 11:28 PM 😭😭😭

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:28 PM Are you still crying over Theodore Boner?

You 11:29 PM It’s Bonner, not boner!

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:29 PM 🤣🤣🤣 You were saved from that one. Imagine having the last name Boner.

You rolled your eyes at the text from Jungkook, throwing your phone beside you as you curled under your duvet.

KooKoo-Ca-Choo Incoming Video Call

“What do you want, Kook?”

“You gotta admit, ____ Boner sounds awful,” Jungkook laughed as he pushed back in his recliner.

“I’m hanging up!” you threatened, getting ready to push the end button.

"No, no! I'm kidding. You would've made a great Mrs. Boner."

"Bye–Kook."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm done, I promise."

"I had a whole plan. What am I supposed to do now? My birthday is in six days," you groaned, covering your face with the duvet.

"You don't remember our agreement, do you?"

You brought the cover down. Curious about his comment. "What agreement?"

💖💖💖

Before this most recent one, your ex, Jimin, had broken up with you, and you were on the rebound, looking for a good time. Jungkook came to the rescue, saving you from your next mistake. He took you out for drinks, let you drown in your sorrows, and the two of you got pretty drunk. You could only remember bits and pieces of your conversation.

“Let’s get married if we’re still single by 30,” Jungkook suggests.

“You wanna marry me? But I’m such a mess.”

Your dating life, career, friends, and family were fine.

“Yeah, why not. We get along. You seem a little kinky in bed and make a mean spaghetti dish.”

“Is that all I’m good for? Sex and spaghetti?”

“That sounds like a bad porn film waiting to happen. No, but I'm serious. If we're still single, let’s get married.”

You wave him off. “Kook, you’re drunk. You’re just saying whatever.”

“Yeah, I'm drunk, but I'm serious about this.” 

He gets up, looks around, sees a straw wrapper, and ties it around your finger. He's on one knee before you.

“____, will you marry me? Hypothetically, of course, if we’re both still single by 30.”

You shake your head at your loveable friend. It was hard to say no. How could you?

“You’re so dumb.”

“See. You can write that in your vows,” Jungkook jokes, grinning from ear to ear.

“Well, you are pretty cute, and I can stand being around you,” you tease.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

You smack his arm. “Is this how you’re wooing your future wife?”

“Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I can’t believe how beautiful my future wife is.”

You’re unsure if it’s the alcohol making you susceptible and vulnerable to your good friend asking you to marry him or if it was because you were on the rebound. But what’s the harm? If you couldn’t find someone by 30, then you’d get to marry a good friend.

“That's more like it. Why yes, Jeon Jungkook. I will marry you if I'm still single by 30.”

💖💖💖

You let out a cackle. “Oh shit–I agreed to that?”

Jungkook pouts and nods. “Sure did.”

But Jungkook’s messing around, right? He was a good friend and comforted you in your time of need. There’s no way he’d want to spend the rest of his life with you. Plenty of suitable women were fawning over him, and now you’ve noticed you've never seen him with a girlfriend.

“You’re–you’re not serious, are you?” You stumble over your words, going into panic mode.

Why would Jeon Jungkook choose you, of all people, to want to marry? He could have anyone at any time.

No, you shook off the thought. You couldn’t lock him into a loveless marriage.

Jungkook licks his lips, tongue flicking his lip ring back and forth.

You shifted in bed and cleared your throat. “Aren’t you seeing that one girl?”

It wasn’t hard to notice when she practically hung onto him like a lovesick puppy.

Jungkook makes a face, shaking his head. “Nah, it’s nothing serious.”

You give him a blank expression. “Nothing serious? Kook, she’s practically foaming at the mouth and shooting heart eyes when you’re around.”

Jungkook chuckles. “That could be you, too.”

You narrow your eyes, glaring at him.

“Just saying,” he adds.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to get in the way if it is serious.” You surely didn’t want to become a homewrecker.

He waves his hand. “Oh, no, no, no. I don’t back down from promises I make.”

Your lips turn into a pout, and you tilt your head, wondering why he’d ditch Clingy Chloe and commit to a drunken promise. “What’s in it for you?”

He seems offended by your question, so he scoffs. “I mean, I’m just trying to save you from a future where you’re an old lady with 50 cats, collecting newspapers that pile up from the floor to the ceiling, and then you show up on an episode of Hoarders.”

You chuckle. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“You’re not?” he questions hesitantly.

“I mean, marriage is a pretty serious thing, and we’re friends getting married because we have no one else?” The sentiment seems ridiculous once you say it aloud.

“What? You don’t think I'll be a good husband?” 

“No, I didn't say that. I think you’d be a great one, actually.”

“Then, what’s the problem? Don’t think you can handle me?” Jungkook wiggles his eyebrows.

You roll your eyes at your cocky friend. “I don’t know, Kook. What if I meet someone, or what if you meet someone?”

“You don’t think I can make you fall in love with me?” he asks, ignoring your question.

Your nose scrunches, and you laugh. “No.”

“Oh, well, that sounds like a challenge, and you’re lucky I love a little competition.”

He’s not going to let this go, is he?

You settle into the plush of your pillows. “Okay–tell you what, if you can make me fall in love with you within the week, I’ll consider marrying you.”

What would you have to lose? Being wined and dined by a cute guy? What girl would pass up this opportunity?

“Deal.”

💖💖💖

monday.

Your everyday routine consists of rolling out of bed, logging into work, checking your emails, and then sitting on the couch until you get a support ticket from someone who forgot their password for the umpteenth time.

It’s a great gig, and now you’re glad you went into the right field of work.

You’re on your random binge of rewatching The Fast and the Furious saga. Your friends always make fun of you, but you can’t help it. It’s a guilty pleasure of yours.

“You got some sexy legs. When do they open?” Roman says with a grin.

You burst out laughing. The dialogue is so bad, yet somehow, these movies keep getting made. You must be the target audience.

The doorbell rings and it’s 8:30 AM. Who is here this early? You didn’t buy anything online while you were drunk, did you?

You peek through the viewfinder, and it’s blocked by something yellow. You can’t see the delivery person’s face when you open the door.

“Special delivery for ___,” the person says in a deep voice.

“That’s me.”

And out from behind the flowers, Jeon Jungkook pops out. “Happy birthday week,” he says in a sing-song voice.

Your heart settles when you realize it's your friend or future husband. “What are you doing here?”

You notice two grocery bags on the ground next to him. He hands you the flowers and picks them up.

“What do you think I’m doing here?” He raises his eyebrow, scanning you from head to toe.

Real clothes and makeup don’t exist when you're working from home.

“Cute slippers,” he points out as you stare at your fluffy white bunny slippers.

You sigh, grabbing his arm to drag him into your apartment. As you’re about to close the door, you notice moving boxes outside the apartment next to yours. Hmm, someone new must be moving in.

“Is this what you look like underneath all that makeup?” he asks, making himself comfortable in your kitchen. The two bags are on the counter, and he’s going through the cupboards to find a vase.

“Top left above the sink,” you say.

He opens the cupboard, retrieving a clear vase.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting company. Otherwise, I would’ve put on some decent clothing.”

And a bra, you think as you cross your arms, covering your chest.

Jungkook shakes his head. “You look good in anything, and with or without makeup. You’ll be my future wifey, so there’s no need to look for good me. We can just be comfortable with each other, right?”

You purse your lips and raise an eyebrow. He’s serious about this, isn’t he? You suppose you wouldn’t mind playing along to see how far he would go.

A man ready and willing to commit to marriage? You must be living in your romantic film.

You nod. “Right, we’re friends, possibly moving onto more than friends–well, actually, straight to marriage,” you chuckle, "but I’ve always felt comfortable around you, Kook.”

He flashes a warm smile. “Good, then everything will be easy, peasy lemon squeezy.”

He’s cute, you think.

“I hope you like mimosas,” he says as he unloads the groceries from the bags.

Bread, eggs, bacon, strawberries, orange juice, and champagne.

“Are you making me breakfast?” you question, narrowing your eyes at the man in the yellow beanie and white Nike shirt.

“Consider it your birthday breakfast, wifey,” he jokes, peering in your cupboards for a pan.

“Right side next to the oven.”

“Ah, I gotta remember this if I’m gonna be cooking here more often.” He whistles, setting the pan on the stove.

You roll your eyes and shake your head. “Don’t you have to work today?”

“Nah–called in sick. It’s my wife’s birthday week. I have to shower her with all the love.” He wiggles his eyebrows and puckers his lips.

It’s funny to see Jeon Jungkook act this way. He’s always been playful and flirty the two years you’ve known him, but this must’ve been his way of pulling out all his cards of wooing a woman.

💖💖💖

“Breakfast is ready,” Jungkook yells from the kitchen.

A support ticket from work came through, distracting you from your movie and Jungkook.

“‘Kay! Almost done.” You recheck your work emails, ensuring everything is complete.

This time, you put on a bra, change into a decent shirt, and put on a skin tint and blush to make yourself look alive.

You stroll into the kitchen, and Jungkook perfectly displays the sunflowers on the counter and two delicious breakfast plates. The champagne flutes are filled to the brim and topped off with a beautifully sliced strawberry.

“Thanks, Kook. This looks so yummy.”

He flashes a smile. “Anytime.”

The two of you sit beside each other, digging into the breakfast spread.

“What’s that one movie you wanted to watch again?” Jungkook asks before he sips his mimosa.

Your mouth is full, and you chew quickly to answer him. “The one on Netflix?” He hums. “Wedding Season.”

“Sounds like the perfect movie for us to watch this week.”

“You’re into rom-coms?”

“I love ‘em.”

“Shut up. You’re teasing me now.”

“I don’t know why you never ask me to watch them, but you’ll ask the girls.”

You look down at your food before catching his gaze. “I didn’t think you’d be into them, so I never asked. And you don’t seem like the hopeless romantic type.”

“I mean, growing up, I wasn’t. My parents didn’t have a fairytale romance, so I didn’t believe in love for a long time.”

You raise an eyebrow. “So, someone must’ve changed your mind then?”

He hums, not wanting to admit who made it an exception.

You nudge his arm. “Are you gonna tell me, or will I have to pry it out of you?”

He chuckles, not saying a word.

You scoff. “You’re not gonna tell me? Keeping secrets from your wife already? Rude,” you tut.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he replies.

The two of you finish breakfast, and Jungkook insists on doing the dishes. You set your plate in the sink and clutch onto his arm, tiptoeing to place a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.”

💖💖💖

tuesday.

You take the morning off to run errands for your upcoming birthday extravaganza. And you’re struggling to hit the lock button on your keypad while holding a heavy box of birthday decor.

When you finally hear the whirring of the lock and chime, you turn around, bumping into someone, dropping your box, and knocking over a handful of books.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there,” you say, quickly picking up as many books as possible, and he picks up your birthday decor.

The man reaches for the pink heart-shaped sunglasses and other pink-colored decor. “Someone must be celebrating big,” the man’s dimpled smile displayed.

Your fingers accidentally touch his when you switch his books for your decor. You clear your throat, trying not to ogle the man. “Um, yeah, it’s for my birthday.”

He perks up. “Oh?” He flashes a thin smile. “Happy birthday.”

A breath gets caught in your throat, and you struggle to get any words out. “Uh, my birthday is actually on Saturday,” you finally croak out. “But, you must be my new neighbor.”

“Yeah, I’m Namjoon. I just moved in this past weekend.”

Oh, this is bad. Really bad.

He’s tall, has beautiful tanned skin and blonde hair, and you could live in his dimples.

“It’s–it’s nice to meet you.”

“Sorry about bumping into you, and it’s nice to meet you too. I hope you have a good birthday,” he says before picking up one last book on the ground.

“Are you doing anything this weekend? You can come if you want.”

After you ask, you want to kick yourself in the bum. Inviting a man you just met. What if he’s a weirdo? But how can he be if he’s reading ‘A Bigger Message Conversations with David Hockney.’ You may have managed to peek at one of his books.

“Oh, no,” he shakes his head. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not intruding! I’m inviting you, and you can’t say no to the birthday girl,” you tease, adjusting the box in your arms.

A low chuckle escaped his lips. “You’re right. It’d be messed up to say no to the birthday girl.”

“So, you’ll come?” you ask, and a smile grows from ear to ear.

He nods. “Yeah, I’ll come.”

The two of you exchange information before you leave to finish your errands. You’re beaming down the street while carrying your box of decor.

You didn’t expect to find someone cute and endearing so quickly. And you’re surprised he said yes to your party. Maybe he’s new in town and wants to make friends. It would be a good way for him to get acquainted, and a part of you hoped you’d keep bumping into him in the halls.

💖💖💖

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:27 AM Wanna do a movie night today? We could watch Wedding Season.

You 11:30 AM Sounds like a date.

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:35 AM Is 6 okay? I can bring dinner too.

You 11:36 AM That sounds perfect.

It's six on the dot, and you hear a knock on your door. You suppose Jungkook is the type to show up right on time, which you greatly appreciate.

He holds a six-pack of beer and a pizza box when you open the door.

"Ready for movie night?"

It’s halfway through the film, and you’re enjoying it. You love the fake dating trope because you could always count on the two mains to fall for each other.

"Are you cold?" Jungkook asks when he sees you tuck your hands in between your thighs.

"Yeah, kind of."

"Come here."

He opens his arm to cuddle, and you blink expressionless at him. The most intimate thing you’ve done with him is hug him–a side hug.

He laughs when you don’t move. “What? Scared I’ll bite?”

“No—it’s just that cuddling is an intimate thing to do,” you admit.

Arms and legs become entangled. Bodies are warming up against each other. Possibilities of things progressing.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Do you have a throw blanket somewhere?” He looks around and sees a woven basket next to the couch. He grabs a white fluffy throw for you.

Jungkook gives you an out, and for that, you’re grateful.

“Thanks,” you say as you snuggle in the blanket.

He flashes a small smile. “No problem.”

Even though you rejected Jungkook’s invitation to cuddle, somehow, by the end of the movie, the two of you had fallen asleep—cuddling.

You didn’t pull away from him yet. You peered up at him, watching his chest rise and fall. Light snores escape his lips, and now and again, he puffs out a breath like a whale coming up for air, making you chuckle.

You rest your chin on his chest, giving yourself a few seconds to enjoy this before waking him up.

“Kook,” you whisper, gently shaking him. “Kook,” you repeat.

He hums, popping his head up while his eyes are still closed. He flutters them open and immediately sits up, wiping the drool that’s dried on his chin. He clears his throat. “Um—how long was I asleep for?”

You giggle. “We both fell asleep. I blame the beer,” you say, stretching your arms.

Jungkook can’t help but notice the shiny piece of jewelry hanging from your navel. “You have your belly button pierced?” he asks with a raised brow.

You quickly pull down your shirt. “It was a dumb thing I did when I turned 21.”

“It’s cute.”

You shy away from his comment. At times, you forget you have it.

“What else are you hiding, hm?” Jungkook asks.

You scoff. “Nothing. I only have my ears and my belly button pierced.”

“No tattoos?”

Tattoos are cool on other people, and you toyed with the idea of getting one. You were indecisive about what to get.

You shook your head no. “Maybe one day.”

“Get one for your 30th. I’ll go with you. I know a guy,” he teases, pointing out the ink on his skin.

“You gonna hold my hand the entire time?”

He grins. “Anything for the wifey.”

A tattoo, huh? You’ve always wanted to see how high your pain threshold was. “I’ll think about it.”

“Just let me know, and I’ll get an appointment with the guy I always go to. I only trust him.”

Jungkook stands, proceeding to clean up the mess you two made.

“Oh, no. Leave it. I’ll clean it up.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s late. We should get some sleep.”

He looks at the clock. It’s nearly midnight, and he still needs to wash up.

You walk him to the door, holding it open for him to leave. “Kook?”

Jungkook turns to you. “Yeah?”

You’re unsure what comes over you, but you pull him in for a hug. Only this time, it doesn’t feel like a friendly hug. It takes a moment for him to register what’s happening, then he wraps his arms around you. Every ounce of his body presses against yours, and you fit perfectly into him like a puzzle piece. His fresh, clean scent invades your nose, and you wish it could linger for a bit longer while his hand snakes to the nape of your neck, fingers curling in your hair.

Why do you feel more vulnerable when sleeping next to him now than earlier? Is it because you’re awake and aware of your intentions? The question was, what were your intentions? Did you want this? Did you really want him?

You withdrew from the embrace, bidding him farewell. He gives a small wave before disappearing into the elevator.

As you enter your apartment and shut the door, you repeatedly knocked the back of your head against it, muttering, ‘fuck.’ You were playing along to see how far Jungkook would go before calling it quits, but you failed to see that maybe—just maybe you could be falling too.

Hoseok’s minding his business, eating his ramen when he sees his roommate walk in. Jungkook looks like he’s floating on cloud nine, beaming from ear to ear. There’s even a hop in his step. He twirls around, daintily sitting beside Hoseok.

Hoseok scans his friend, watching him as he breathes a happy sigh and stares into the distance.

“What’s going on with you?” He raises a brow and narrows his eyes.

Jungkook giggles and scrunches his shoulders. “I just came back from cuddling with ___,” he says as he continues in his reveries.

“Oh, boy. Everyone, can I please have your attention,” Hoseok cups his mouth into a megaphone, “Jeon Jungkook has officially gone off the deep end. He thinks being delulu is the solulu.”

Jungkook glares at his friend and kicks him under the table. “Yah–aren’t you supposed to be rooting for me?”

Hoseok slurps his noodles. “Of course, I’m rooting for you. You’re my best bud,” he says as he places a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” he pats Hoseok’s hand. “Now–be an even better friend, and let me raid your closet for ___’s party.”

Jungkook lies in bed; his bicep flexes when he moves his hand behind his head. He’s watching an array of colors flash across the vastness of his room. The northern lights and stars twirl and sparkle like the movements of butterflies and the ones milling around his stomach for days.

Is this what being in love feels like, he thinks. It’s like he’s living in the romance movies he’s watched. Boy meets girl, boy, and girl fall in love, and they live happily ever after.

This is it. This must be it. His chance to be with you–the one he’s fallen completely head over heels for.

If the Jungkook from four years ago were to see him today, he’d laugh and call him a simp, especially with how he’s at your beck and call.

But the Jungkook, from four years ago, was a cynic. He had no healthy or loving relationships around him until he met you through Hoseok. And, even though you were with someone at the time, he saw how kind and wonderful you were to your friends and could only imagine the kind of love you’d show toward someone special.

There were only a few more days until your party, and he was determined to make each day count.

wednesday.

Since Monday, Jungkook has surprised you every day with a gift. They were his attempts to make you fall in love with you, along with his random trips to your place. 

Today’s gift was a pair of pink seashell earrings. Jungkook tells you he spent hours making it from clay, then baked them in the oven. You shook your head, wondering how he got an idea like this. Nonetheless, it was a sweet gift.

He texted throughout the day, leaving cute words of encouragement or sending TikToks of funny videos he’d find. Maybe this was his love language, taking the time out of his day to let you know he’s thinking about you.

As your day winds down, you’re scrolling through YouTube, and what catches your eye at 7 p.m.? Dessert videos.

And that’s your worst toxic trait—thinking you can bake. It always looks easy enough. If they can do it, so can you.

That is, until you’re in the kitchen, halfway through a recipe, and notice you’re out of sugar. The grocery store is too far and will close when you get there.

See what happens when you decide to bake? It always goes differently than you want.

You could call Jungkook to see if he has any or walk over to your new neighbor’s place. The latter was plausible since Namjoon was only a few feet away.

You shook off the nerves, flattened your apron, and lightly knocked on Namjoon’s door. You could hear shuffling as he unlocked it.

Your eyes widened, standing like a deer caught in headlights. Namjoon’s half-naked, black shorts hung dangerously low on his waist. His forehead is glistening with sweat.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” you ask while trying to keep your gaze in line with his and not ogling his chiseled body.

Shit—maybe he had company over.

He cards his hand through his platinum blonde hair, but a few pieces fall back, covering his eyes. “No, you’re good. I just finished working out. What’s up?” he asks. His hand holds the door open as he leans against it.

You’re dumbfounded, unable to form words again. It’s like a giant hairball stuck in your throat.

Namjoon’s brows raise, and he calls out to you.

“Oh, sorry!” you say. “I’m attempting to bake a cake but I'm out of sugar. I wanted to ask if you have any I can borrow.”

“I think I do,” he ponders as he steps back. “Come in. Come in.”

You step into a squeaky clean apartment. Didn’t he just move in? How does someone unpack so quickly? Or maybe he had little to begin with.

His apartment was like a museum, with pottery, sculptures, and art prints adorning his walls and shelves. But what catches your attention is the translucent, cylindrical coffee table. It doesn’t seem like anyone should be putting anything on it.

Namjoon stands beside you, holding a jar of sugar.

“Ah, thank you so much! Now my cake batter won’t go to waste.”

“Anything catch your fancy?” he asks.

Granted, this man is still half-naked, standing beside you. You’re trying not to go feral over how broad and built he is.

“This, actually,” you point to the glass coffee table.

“That’s probably one of my most prized possessions.”

“It looks expensive.” You’d later come to find out it was worth $1.2M after you did an internet search.

“It is,” he chuckles. “It’s on loan from a friend.”

“On loan?” you ask, turning to him. Your eyes narrow and lips thin. “Can I ask what you do for work?”

“I’m an art curator.”

That makes sense now, considering the expensive and extensive art collection.

“Oh—you’re so fancy,” you tease. “I don’t know shit about art.” You could stand before a painting and feel nothing while looking at it. Maybe you were just going in with the wrong mindset.

Namjoon chuckles. “You can always ask me questions,” he notes before walking away to put on a t-shirt.

You’re a bit disappointed that you can’t ogle him anymore.

“Well, I can’t ask you questions if you don’t take me to a museum,” you flirt, turning toward him.

He grins, showing off his pearly whites and dimple deeply etched into his left cheek. “Are you asking me to ask you out on a date?”

You can’t help but play dumb. “Oh no, of course not! I would like your expertise to guide me around a museum, and if we happen to eat afterward, then I don’t know—would you call that a date?”

Namjoon licks his lips and nods, impressed by your boldness. “Are you busy Friday night?”

The cake wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. You’d have to keep perfecting it and maybe keep asking to ‘borrow’ some sugar from your neighbor.

You debated whether you should tell Jungkook about your date with Namjoon. It’s a harmless date; Jungkook would be off the hook if it goes well. Besides, it’s a silly agreement you two made up while drunk.

But, you’d sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow. There was one more day before the date anyway.

As you were sitting in bed, doing your nightly scrolling through social media. A video call comes through.

KooKoo-Ca-Choo Incoming Video Call

You're on your side when you answer his call. “Hey, Kook,” you say before covering a yawn.

“Ready for bed?” he asks, shuffling underneath his duvet.

Your eyes scan the screen, and you notice his bare shoulders and collarbone on display. You never realized his tattooed sleeve reached so high on his arm, scantily kissing the top of his shoulder.

You cleared your throat. "Yeah, about to call it a night. What's up?"

"I just wanted to call and see how your day was. I was busy at work, so I didn't get to text you," he says.

Now that you think about it, the last text you received from him was this morning. And since the start of your little agreement, Jungkook has been texting and calling more than usual.

"I worked, then attempted to bake a cake."

He props the phone against something as he lies on his side, and parts of his hair still look damp from a shower. And you hate how cuddly he looks while he’s in bed and how you can see how much he works out just from the outline of his arms.

And no—you aren’t thinking about anything else. 

"How'd it turn out?"

You shook your head in disgust. "Not very good."

"Ah, I'm sure it was great."

"I'll stick to store-bought cake for now."

"Next time, we can do it together and fail."

He wants to do everything with you, huh?

You chuckle at his comment and then say what’s on your mind, "I never realized how far your tattoo sleeve went up."

He peers at his shoulder. "Oh yeah," he leans forward to show you, his bicep flexing as he moves.

"Cool guy."

He chuckles. "Hardly cool. Just bored," he says. "So, should I schedule you for your tattoo?"

Since the last conversation, you've been scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram to get some ideas.

"I think I want the birth flower for September."

Jungkook shows you his arm, pointing to his tiger lily tattoo. "This one is for the actual day of birth, but the flower for the month of September is pretty too. Have you thought about placement?"

"Mm, maybe on the back of my neck or the inside of my arm. What do you think?" You show him your arm, then the back of your neck.

"It would look great on the back of your neck. It could be a nice surprise when you have your hair up."

"Oh–I like that idea."

He props himself up on the side with a wide grin. "So, I'm booking your appointment?"

You chuckle. "Yeah, why not? We only live once, right?"

Turning 30 is making your confidence go up.

“Once you get one, you’ll want more. Trust me.”

“At least I’ll have a tattoo buddy for life,” you tease.

“Ah, see, I like the way you’re thinking. Well, I should let my wifey get to sleep,” he gives a small smile. He reaches for his phone, placing it on his chest. His other hand is behind his head as he watches you through the screen.

You hum in agreement. “Night.”

“Night.”

Daydreams are one thing, and when Jungkook lies in bed, he can't help but wonder.

Wonder how you’d look in his favorite t-shirt. Wonder which side of the bed you prefer. Wonder if you dream of him, too. Wonder what it’s like to be loved by you.

Jungkook doesn’t want to wonder anymore; he wants to make you his reality.

thursday.

The birthday festivities started early for you as you requested today and tomorrow off. There’s no way you’re spending your last few days of being 29 stuck at work.

Today’s agenda consisted of a pedicure. The toes have to look cute with your new heels, and as you’re ready to head out to your appointment, Jungkook is at your door when you open it.

You tilt your head, knitting your eyebrows together. “Did we have something planned?”

He shakes his head no and pouts. “No, I wanted to surprise you with another gift.”

He hands you a gift bag, and you take a small peek, reaching down to grab the gift. You pull out a peach-shaped heart bath bomb.

“Peach?” You raise a brow and give a smug grin. “What makes you think I like peach?”

Jungkook snorts. “Oh, pfft–I don’t know. Could it be all the candles or soap? Or how you always order any type of peach-flavored alcohol? Tea? Or–”

You suck in your lips, then give a thin smile. “Son of a peach.”

“Very cute. You’re also great at fruit puns. I’ll add that to the list of reasons why I like you,” he chuckles.

To be fair, everything in your apartment had a hint of peach–your candles, air freshener, hand soap, ChapStick, and not to mention a cupboard full of peach tea.

You chuckle. “Thanks, Kook. You didn’t have to.”

“I do if I’m trying to make you fall in love with me.”

You set the bath bomb back in its bag, then on the entryway table. You close the door behind you, forcing him to step back.

“You talk a lot about making me fall in love with you, but you’ve still failed to do so. It’s almost my birthday,” you tease.

What girl wouldn’t want gifts, but you thought he’d push a bit harder.

Jungkook smirks, his tongue poking the inside of his cheek. He steps closer to you–close enough for you to smell his cologne. It’s a fresh, clean scent.

He’s inches away from you. Warmth is radiating off of him. Your heart is practically beating out of your chest. Your eyes are on his, then focus on his lip ring, then the freckle underneath his bottom lip. It’s the first time you’ve been close enough to notice it.

His eyes dart back and forth between yours. His tongue wets his lips, then plays with his ring. “I’m just getting started,” he says.

You close your eyes, fluttering them back open. There’s relief escaping your body once he backs away.

“So, what are we doing today?” he asks, stepping out of the way to let you lead.

“I have a pedicure appointment. Wanna come?” you ask. You wouldn’t mind having company around, and you’re curious how he’ll continue to sweep you off your feet.

You feel bad for the poor woman who has Jungkook in her seat, and you’re trying your best not to laugh as he’s squirming, clutching onto the armrests.

You clear your throat. “Is this your first pedicure?”

“What? No,” he counters, but he’s giggling non-stop, holding on for dear life.

“Sir–I need you to stop moving,” the woman warns.

You cover your mouth. Your shoulders are bouncing due to your giggles. “Kook, she hasn’t even done anything to you yet.”

“How the hell do women do this? This is torture.”

“Can’t handle a little torture?”

He perks up, shaking off the chills. The woman continues to scrub his feet with a pumice stone. He’s sucking in his lips, trying not to laugh and smile when she gets to the underside of his foot. Then his reflexes get the best of him, and he almost kicks her.

The woman gives him a blank expression but is professional and continues as fast as possible.

An hour later, Jungkook is coming out of the nail salon, sweating bullets from the endless torture of a pedicure.

You look at him and then his toes. “At least your toes are cute.” He let you choose the color, and you had to choose hot pink to match your birthday theme for this weekend.

He does the walk of shame in a pair of yellow flimsy flip-flops because he wasn’t prepared for a pedicure. You’ve been there, done that.

You link your arms to him when you catch up to him. “Hungry?”

Jungkook groans in delight. “You have to try this.”

He leans forward. A piece of his roasted chicken ravioli covered in pink sauce looks delectable. You open your mouth, devouring the pasta. You close your eyes, savoring it.

“See, what did I tell you?” He smiles, going back to his bowl of food. “How’s yours?”

You didn’t want to say you didn’t like it–but you hate it. “It’s good,” you smile and lie through your teeth.

You begin moving the ravioli around, pretending to make it look like you'll eat it.

Jungkook sets his fork down, pushing his bowl toward you. “Here, take mine.”

You look up at him. “What? No–I like my food,” you lie again, grabbing your bowl and clutching it closer to you.

He deadpans. “I’ve known you long enough to know when you don’t like something. Come on, I’ll finish your food, and you can have mine.”

You let go of your bowl. “Are you sure?”

Jungkook smiles warmly, his small dimple on display as he nods. He grabs your bowl and begins to eat it.

Your heart softens, and you’re enchanted by your friend/potential future husband, so it pains you to have this conversation. You tossed and turned the night before because you couldn’t bear the thought of locking your friend into something he'll regret later on.

“So, you might not have to marry me,” you say.

Jungkook looks up at you, tilting his head in confusion. “Damn, someone beat me to it?” he jokes.

You flash a thin smile and shake your head no. “Well, I have a crush on my new neighbor.”

He raises an eyebrow. “New neighbor?”

You nod. “Yeah, he just moved in.”

Jungkook nibbles on the inside of his mouth then continues to eat. “You barely know the guy, and you’re already tossing me aside?” He tuts, shaking his head.

“I’m–I’m not tossing you aside. You’re still an option, but I’m just saying if it works out with the new neighbor, then you’re off the hook. I'm sure there are better girls out there than me, Kook. You don’t want to be married to me.”

He sets his fork down, pushing his bowl forward. “Well, what can I say? You can’t see the guy?”

“So, you’re okay if I see him?”

Jungkook hesitates to answer. “Mm,” he hums with a nod.

“Are you upset with me?”

“Why would I be upset?” He shrugs. “I’m only a back-up.”

His answer gives you a sense of relief, but you also feel guilty about everything. “Should we end our little deal? That way, you don’t have to be stuck with me for the rest of your life. It seems silly now that we’re both sober and not drunk making promises like this.”

He hums and nods again. “You’re right. It does seem foolish.” He wipes his mouth with a napkin. "I'll go pay while you finish up."

You watch him get up and walk to the register. His demeanor changes as soon as you mention ending the deal. 

Is he serious about this?

Honestly, you’re stumped by Jeon Jungkook and his intentions. If he did like you, why not ask you out like an average person? Why go through the trouble of marrying you? So that you could fulfill some silly goal you had for your life?

“I’ll walk you up,” Jungkook says as he turns off the car.

“It’s fine, Kook. You don’t have to,” you counter.

On the ride back, guilt has been eating you from the inside out. You’re unsure why you feel this way–maybe because you feel like a shitty friend. Saying one thing and then doing another.

But again, marriage is a serious thing for two people to consider.

Jungkook doesn’t waver in his decision and escorts you anyway. The silence is deafening in the elevator; the two of you stand at opposite sides, stealing glances. There’s an elephant in the room, but neither of you addresses it.

When the elevator doors open, you expel the caught breath in your throat. Jungkook follows a few steps behind you.

“Are we okay?” you ask, glancing at him before lowering your head.

He stuffs his hand in his pants pocket. “Yeah, why wouldn’t we be?”

“I don’t know. I feel like an ass because you’ve been such a good friend–especially after my breakups. And then this past week, you’ve been sweet and cute with all the little gifts and hangouts,” you pause to look at him.

His eyes are big and innocent, and his lips form a slight pout. He’s intently listening to your words.

“I’m trying to say I’ve enjoyed being with you this week, and I’m sorry how things turned out,” you manage to spit out.

Jungkook nibbles on his lip, showing off his pretty dimple. His eyes dart to yours as he flashes a thin smile. “Well, I’ll always be your back-up if this guy doesn’t work out.”

You breathe a sigh of relief that he can still joke about this situation. You close the distance between you, reaching up and draping your arms around his neck.

It takes a moment for him to return your hug, but he does–wrapping his arms around your waist, pressing you into him. He nuzzles in the crook of your shoulder, taking in your sweet scent and softness.

Your heart’s fluttering, your stomach is somersaulting and doing back-flips. Jungkook’s warmth is all-encompassing, encapsulating every fiber of your being. Neither of you let go, allowing this embrace to go longer than usual friends do.

When you pull away, your lips are so close to his. Close enough to explore what they taste like. Close enough to see how plush they are. Close enough to find out just how much you’d have to gasp for air afterward.

You almost want to give in. You almost want to see where this could go. You almost want him to make a move.

Jungkook whispers your name, and you hum, gazing into his eyes. “Are you sure about this? About the deal? You don’t want it anymore?”

You're becoming lost in the stars and galaxies contained in those doe eyes. Jungkook doesn’t lose focus, doesn’t break character, and doesn’t give you a chance to run away.

“This stops when you say so,” he utters softly.

He’s unrelenting, you think. He wants this, doesn’t he? He wants you.

So these next few words sting. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

Jungkook doesn’t even realize when he’s outside his apartment complex. He sits in his car, zoning out. He’s so close to finally getting you, but now there’s someone else?

For two years, he’s been trying to buck up the courage and finally ask you out, and when he finally gets an opportunity, someone always swoops in and steals you away.

When he proposed the agreement, it was more of a joke, that is, until you agreed, and that’s when he knew he’d try whatever it took to get you to the altar.

A knock on Jungkook’s window breaks him from deep thought. He looks up to see his roommate, Hoseok.

He gestures for Jungkook to roll his window down. “Why do you look like you're on the verge of crying? Why don’t you go up to the apartment?”

Jungkook holds onto the steering wheel and groans as his head hits it a few times, muttering, ‘Stupid.’

Hoseok knits his eyebrows in confusion as he rubs his friend’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go,” he says, opening the car door.

Jungkook drags his feet through the threshold and drops his backpack on the floor. He continues walking sluggishly, plopping on the couch, still in a daze.

Hoseok blinks at his friend. “What’s going on?”

“You know how I was trying to make ____ fall in love with me this week?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, she likes her new neighbor.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened. “There's a new guy already? I swear this girl must have some kind of bat signal that’s beaming up into the sky that attracts men the second she’s single.”

Jungkook drops his head back, then rubs his face. “What am I going to do?”

Hoseok shrugs. “Maybe tell her how serious you are about being with her.”

“Yeah, but what if she doesn’t want to be with me?”

“So, you’re going to trap her in a marriage instead?” Hoseok raises an eyebrow. “Make it make sense, my friend.”

Maybe that's what he wanted. It could be like an arranged marriage. Meet first, then fall in love.

“I know it sounds ridiculous!”

Hoseok rubs Jungkook’s shoulder. “This whole deal is ridiculous. Be honest with her, then she’ll have to choose between you and the new guy.”

He knows Hoseok is right. He should be honest and tell you how he feels.

Or he could get rid of the new guy, and the deal would be back on.

Decisions. Decisions.

friday.

Jungkook was determined to make this agreement work out in his favor. He wasn’t going to back down so easily.

He took off early from work, going straight to your favorite bakery to grab a cake. Thoughts are racing through his mind as he clutches the cake box and walks through the crowded street.

What if this was his last chance? What if this new guy was ‘the one’ for you? He couldn’t let you slip away again.

He’s even prepared a monologue. He’s mumbling it under his breath when he arrives at your door.

When the door opens, he doesn’t find you. Instead, he finds a half-naked man with broad shoulders and impeccable pecs.

Jungkook stands tall and puffs out his chest, back straight, when he sees this unknown man. His mouth is agape as he scans him from head to toe. Was this the guy you were talking about?

He clears his throat and stands his ground. “Oh, uh, who are you?”

“Hey, man. I’m Namjoon. ___’s neighbor,” he says.

“I’ll be right out!” you yell from the other room.

Jungkook clenches his jaw, and he’s trying to calm his nerves. There’s no way you were sleeping with this guy already, right? No, you can’t be, Jungkook shakes the thought from his head.

You sprint from the hallway, holding a shirt. With your clumsy ways, you spilled iced coffee on Namjoon’s shirt right before your date. You felt bad, so you offered to wash it for him.

“Namjoon, I’m so sorry! I’ve tried everything to get it out. I might have to buy you a new shirt–oh,” you gasp. “Hi, Jungkook.”

Jungkook walks in, setting the box down, and he doesn’t say anything else as he leans against the counter, watching you two.

Namjoon sucks in his lips, strolling to your side, looking at his stained shirt. “Don’t worry about it. It was time to get rid of that shirt anyway.” He gives a reassuring smile. “I’m gonna grab a new shirt, then we’ll be on our way?”

You hum. “See you soon.”

Jungkook’s eyes follow you and Namjoon as you bid him farewell. You lower your head and purse your lips when you approach Jungkook.

“Date night?” he asks, turning to you.

“Yeah,” you whisper.

“Well, I don’t want to keep you from your date. Just wanted to drop off a cake I picked up for you,” he points to the box on the counter.

You see the bakery's name on the box, and it’s from your favorite place. You undo the tabs and unfold the box to reveal a heart-shaped cake with various shades of baby pink and blue, then sitting prettily on top is one of your favorite Sanrio characters: Cinnamoroll.

“Kook–you didn’t just pick this up.” A cake like this was ordered well in advance.

His eyebrows rise, and he gives a half-smile. He walks beside you. “Happy early birthday,” he says as his eyes flick to yours. “See you tomorrow.”

When the door shuts, you wince.

Namjoon has a brilliant mind, and that intimidates you. He's far too intelligent and reasonable for a hopeless romantic who lives in their daydreams and wants a ring on their finger by tomorrow.

The two of you come to a crowded spot in the museum. You look back and smile at Namjoon. He puts his hands on your waist, guiding you from behind. Your stomach somersaults from the affection, but you continue leading the way through the sea of people, trying not to focus on it.

An announcement reminds museum go-ers that they’ll be closing in 15 minutes.

“Should we head out soon?” you ask with disappointment. You thoroughly enjoyed hearing Namjoon talk even though you had nothing insightful to say about the numerous art pieces.

The corners of his mouth curve up. “But we have one more exhibit to see,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows. He holds out his hand for yours.

You’re intrigued, so you don’t question and place your hand in his.

Everyone starts to file out toward the exit, but the two of you enter an exhibit hidden away in the back.

“Aren’t we going to get in trouble?” you ask.

He chuckles. “You’re cute,” he says before showing you his work ID and security badge.

“Oh,” you giggle. It makes sense. Namjoon did say he was an ‘art curator.’ He just never mentioned where he worked.

“Feel free to look around and tell me if anything catches your eye.”

You take your time, roaming around, going from piece to piece. Namjoon stays in place, waiting until you’ve found something. You tilt your head, examining the drawing.

[ frida castelli, milan ]

It's a woman. Her back is bare, and she's curling her hands into the bedsheets. The drawing is cut off right at the small of her back, and one can assume the rest. It's erotic–as this exhibit displays various works from modern artists.

Namjoon stands beside you. “Thoughts?”

Horny, you think, but considering this is your first date. You probably shouldn’t blurt it out.

“I like the position she's in,” you say, and Namjoon chokes on nothing. You cover your mouth and can’t help but laugh.

“I like that position too,” he adds.

You try to suppress your smile because now, you’re thinking about the two of you in that position.

"Should we keep looking?"

After a late-night dinner, you’re standing outside your door, not wanting to say goodbye to Namjoon. You’d invite him in, but tomorrow’s a big day, and you have an early wake-up call.

“I hope I was able to answer your questions,” Namjoon says, leaning his shoulder against the door, facing you.

You give him a small smile, looking at the floor, then back up at him. "I think you answered everything."

He hums and parts his lips. "Well, I have one question for you, if that's okay."

You nod.

"Can I give the birthday girl a kiss?"

You lick your lips. "It's not my birthday yet."

Namjoon steps forward, scanning your face. "You can consider it an early birthday present."

"Well, I won't say no to a birthday present."

Your heart is swooning over this tall, handsome man. He’s perfect. He's brilliant and well-spoken. Someone secure and confident, even emotionally available. You’d be a fool not to want this to go further.

Your gaze darts back and forth between his eyes and his lips, unsure how to respond. You've been wondering what they taste like all night and want to kiss the freckle underneath his lip. They look so rosy and pillowy, almost like kissing a cloud.

He softly presses his lips against yours. His big hands cup your face. His nose brushes against your cheek. His lips encapture your top lip, then your bottom. He lingers briefly before pulling away, his lips ghosting over yours, and you want to return for more–you’re not done.

“Do that again,” you whisper.

His breath is warm, and he smiles before going back in, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Your hands are placed on his taut chest, fingers curling and tugging on his shirt. The butterflies in your stomach are yearning for a way out. The desire in you grows deeper. You’re breathless at this point, but you don’t care if you never breathe again.

First kisses always make you go weak in the knees, and you wish you could experience them over and over.

“Your lips are stained,” you notice when you pull away. 

Namjoon chuckles; his thumb swipes at his bottom lip. “That’s okay.”

He moves in to kiss you again, but you stop him by putting your index finger to his lips. “The birthday girl should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

You render him speechless—he made the first move, but you’ll have the final say.

You bid goodbye to him, trying your best not to linger and give in to your urges. Peering through the viewfinder, you see him smiling and shaking his head before he closes the door to his place.

You’re grinning from ear to ear as your back is against the door. The date couldn’t have gone better–though you probably couldn’t write a dissertation on Modern Art in Korea, you appreciated that he took the time to explain what he loves and why he’s so passionate about it.

Maybe he could be the one.

It’s midnight when you’re under the covers and still glowing from your date with Namjoon.

You check your phone to see text messages from Jungkook.

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 9:22 PM Hey! I found some cool birth flowers. Do you like any of these? [ 5 images attached ]

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 9:27 PM And my tattoo guy had a last-minute cancellation for Monday at 6 p.m. I’m gonna book you for it, okay?

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 10:05 PM I can go to hold your hand if you’d like.

KooKoo-Ca-Choo 11:11 PM I hope you had a good day. See you tomorrow, birthday girl.

This differed from how you wanted to celebrate your birthday week, especially not how you envisioned your friendship with Jungkook. Did you ruin it?

And that’s when your heart aches as you reflect on this past week. Jungkook has been so sweet, and you feel like the worst friend. Could he be into you, and you’re blind to notice?

But what about Namjoon? He’s undoubtedly checked off all the boxes you could want in a partner.

Plus, Jungkook’s just a back-up.

saturday.

The sun is peeking through, and the birds are chirping away. You’ve slept through your alarm because you’re still in dreamland.

You’re unsure who’s in bed with you. All you hear is a groan and shuffling as they reposition themselves. You peer over your shoulder, quickly turning away when they pull themselves closer to you. Then, as an arm comes into view, draping over you, you recognize the inked skin.

It’s Jungkook.

A buzz from your phone and a bang at the door awakens you. Missed notifications of calls and texts from Jenn, your best friend, flood your screen.

You sprint to the door, unlocking and opening it for her.

“Jesus Christ—I thought you were dead,” Jenn says after she brushes past you, setting several bags on your kitchen counter.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine, babe,” she blinks, giving you the once-over. “You haven’t showered, have you?”

You shake your head no.

“Well, go! It’s your birthday, but we can’t wait all day for you.” She shoos you off to the bathroom.

When you’re out of the shower, Jenn’s sitting in front of your vanity, putting on her blush.

“So, how are you doing, babe? Still not over Theodore Boner?”

“Bonner,” you correct her.

You adjust your towel, tucking it securely. “There’s been some new developments,” you say, walking to your dresser.

Jenn slowly turns around. “Please don’t tell me you’re back with him? He was a walking red flag. Well, at the end of your relationship anyway.”

You press your lips together, shaking your head. “You know that time I was upset about my break-up with Jimin?”

Jenn hums and narrows her eyes.

“Jungkook and I went out and got pretty drunk.”

She leans forward. “Uh-huh.”

You cleared your throat. “I may have agreed that if Jungkook and I were still single by 30, we’d get married.” You turned around, opening the top drawer in search of cute underwear.

Jenn’s jaw drops. “You’re not going to marry Jeon Jungkook, are you?”

You laugh it off. “No, of course not! But he’s always been there for me after my break-ups.”

“Oh, how convenient that he also happens to be single by your 30th birthday,” she says dryly.

“Jungkook’s been a good friend, and if we were to get married, and that’s a big if, then honestly, I think we’d be pretty good together,” you explain.

You're not sure if you're attempting to persuade Jenn or yourself. You’re not going to lie. You’ve toyed with the idea this whole week.

“Why don’t you just date Jungkook then?” she asks, returning to add more blush to her cheeks.

You nibble on your bottom lip. “Err–well, because there’s a new guy.”

She whips her head back around. “I go on a solo trip, and you have not one but two guys who want to be with you?”

“Technically, I told Jungkook that if things work out with me and Namjoon, he doesn’t have to marry me.”

“Namjoon?”

“Yeah, he’s my new neighbor.”

“Shut up! Your neighbor?” Jenn stands, sprinting out your bedroom door. “Which apartment? I need to see this man.”

“Jenn!” You run after her, clutching her arm, trying to pull her back. “Stop it, will you? He’ll be at the party tonight.”

Jenn turns to you. “Babe–you have Jungkook and new neighbor guy vying for your attention? Sheesh. When can I be the main character?”

You grip your towel and drag her back to your room.

“At least tell me more juicy details,” she whines.

Jungkook checks himself out in the mirror. Hot pink usually is not part of his wardrobe color, but he does it in a heartbeat if it involves you and your silly antics.

He slips the hot pink denim jacket over his white shirt and matching pink cargo trousers. He adds a neon green necklace to finish off his look.

This outfit is Ken-esque, right? He sighs, wishing you could be the Barbie to his Ken.

His roommate, Hoseok, knocks on his door, breaking his focus. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do?”

Jungkook nibbles the inside of his cheek. This week’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for him. He was at an all-time high before you broke the news that you no longer need a back-up.

He’s gone back and forth, debating whether to fight for you or give up.

"I don't know yet," Jungkook responds. He glances at Hoseok through the mirror's reflection.

“Tell her how you feel. Be honest with her,” Hoseok says. He’s been telling Jungkook for two years now.

Jungkook turns around. “I can’t–” he pauses and huffs a breath, taking a seat on the bed.

Hoseok narrows his eyes and crosses his arms as he leans against the door frame. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve done too much shit by breaking up her relationships. She’ll never forgive me,” Jungkook explains.

Hoseok choked on nothing. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Remember Jimin and Theo?”

Hoseok hums.

Jungkook clears his throat. “I may or may not have told some harmless lies that ended up in them breaking up with her.”

Hoseok huffs out a breath and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know why you didn’t tell her right off the bat that you wanted to date her.”

“I’m an idiot, that’s why, and now it’s too late. She doesn’t want me. She wants the neighbor guy.”

Hoseok sits by his friend. “It’s either now or never. You can’t keep breaking up her relationships because you’re too scared to be in a real one with her. You don’t want to start it off that way.”

Jungkook flings himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. “I know! I’ve just never done this before. I don’t know how to act. She’s the first person I’ve had actual feelings for.”

Hoseok blinks at his friend, ready to say something, but Jungkook interrupts him. “Don’t say shit about that–many people don’t meet the right person until later in life.”

He holds his hands up in defeat. “There’s no judgment from me, my friend. Just consider my words before anyone gets hurt.”

You swipe the lip tint across your bottom lip and repeat with the top. Glancing in the mirror, you adjust your dusty rose dress and tie your matching ribbon in your hair.

The theme for tonight's party is Barbie core, and individuals are encouraged to wear any shade of pink. You’re ridiculous, but you only turn 30 once–why not go all out?

Buckets of bubbly are filled with rosé bottles and floral ice cubes. Barbie-esque props, including heart-shaped sunglasses and cut-out foam lips, are ready to be used at the photo booth. You’ve spent too much time on Pinterest planning the perfect celebration.

It’s ten to seven and still too early for people to show, so you order a Malibu Barbie cocktail at the bar. Jin, the bartender, even tops off your drink with pink sanding sugar for this special occasion and throws in a little peach schnapps.

“There’s the birthday girl.”

When you turn around, you see Jungkook in a bright pink attire. Not every day you see him dressed in anything other than black or white, so you consider this a rare treat.

He offers you a warm hug, and you both act as if nothing has changed. It’s not like you’ve seen him every day as he’s dropped off gifts for you, or he willingly watched a rom-com and definitely hadn’t cuddled.

It’s like you’ve gone back to being just friends.

As you withdraw, you give him the once-over. “You look great in hot pink. I wish I got to see your matching toes.”

Jungkook chuckles. “I don’t think sandals would go with this outfit.”

You shake your head no.

“You look amazing,” he adds, taking your hand and making you twirl for him.

“Thanks, Kook,” you grin. Your hand lingers in his as he delicately caresses your skin. The back of your neck is warming up, and you can’t help but wonder if you’ve made a mistake breaking off your deal.

“Ah, there’s our Barbie girl!” Jenn exclaims as she approaches you. Immediately, you let go of Jungkook’s hand.

“Hey!” you answer, rubbing the back of your neck. “What’s up? Did you need something?”

Jenn raises her brow at you and Jungkook. “I did, but you’re busy with Ken, so I’ll ask Hoseok to help me. Enjoy your night, babe.”

You take your drink and dash off with Jenn, telling Jungkook you’ll see him later. As you stroll behind her, you loop your arm around hers.

“Are you okay?” Jenn narrows her eyes, suppressing a smile.

You clear your throat. “Yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It looks like you and loverboy were having a moment there before I interrupted,” she says, setting down the flower vase on the dessert table.

“He’s not my loverboy. I’m gonna start seeing Namjoon, remember?”

“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. Look–all I’m saying is you should give Jungkook a chance. Anyone could tell he’s head over heels in love with you.”

You choke on your drink. “What? How come no one’s ever told me?”

Jenn laughs. “I never put two and two together until you mentioned your little agreement with him this morning,” she pauses, cupping your face. “And my sweet, innocent Barbie girl, he shoots heart eyes whenever you’re around.” She holds your chin, turning you in Jungkook’s direction.

Jungkook is leaning on the bar, attempting to find the perfect stance to appear cool, but he has no idea what to do with himself. He peers in your direction, catching your gaze, and quickly turns away, waving down the bartender.

She continues, “You’ve been with so many knockoff Kens that you were blind to the real one. He’s a bit of a goofball, but he seems sweet, and like you mentioned today, he’s always around when you’re in need.”

What if your decision was a mistake? Would it be too late to change your mind? You were sure Jungkook had already moved on after being rejected.

You watch while Jungkook drinks something–you figure it's vodka. A shot for yourself seems enticing, simply to settle your anxieties.

Your birthday is supposed to be filled with joy, laughter, and celebration, not you being torn between two great guys.

The party is in full swing–the music’s blaring, friends laughing, chattering, drinking away. Everyone has arrived except for the one person you've been looking for: Namjoon.

You giggle when you scan the room and see Hoseok and Jungkook dancing in the corner. When your eyes catch him, he gestures for you to come dance, but you haven’t had enough alcohol to make a fool of yourself.

He sprints to you, grabbing your hand and dragging you along. “You need a drink before you dance, huh?”

Your lips thin, and you think, how does he know you so well? 

You nod and follow him from behind. You stare blankly as his hands are loosely intertwined with yours. He’s leading you through the crowd, letting go once you’re at the bar’s counter.

“Do you still want that pink drink thingy you had earlier?”

“Surprise me,” you say.

“Two Pink Cadillacs, please,” he says to Jin.

As Jin gets to work on your drinks, Jungkook makes small talk to kill time.

“Are you having fun?” he asks, standing before you. He sways to the song's beat, grinning from ear to ear.

You’d have more fun if you weren’t thinking about him and Namjoon all night. Considering that Namjoon hasn’t even shown up yet, you appreciate that Jungkook’s a sweet and caring friend.

“I’ll be having more fun once I have this drink,” you say over the music.

“You’re not having fun with me?” he jokes, holding out his hand for yours, and of course, you take it.

He draws you to him, makes you twirl around, and then dips you. A slight squeal escapes your lips when you come back up.

Jungkook chuckles. “Sorry, I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“No, I’m–I’m having a good time,” you answer his previous question.

“Are you sure? It looks like something’s on your mind,” Jungkook notes. "You can always talk to me, you know."

Even after breaking off your agreement, he's still willing to be a good friend to you. How'd you get so lucky with someone like him?

"I know," you smile, draping your arms around his neck.

"Two Pink Cadillacs."

You break away from him, grabbing your drink. The two of you sip on them, watching the crowd.

"Jungkook, one. Hot sexy neighbor, zero," Jenn whispers in your ear before walking away.

You clench your jaw and narrow your eyes at her. It’s been an hour, and Namjoon is still nowhere to be seen. Maybe something came up. Things happen. You get it.

"What's going on with Jenn?" he asks.

"Nothing," you reply as you move to stand before him. "You know how she is."

Jungkook takes another sip of his drink. “Hey, can I talk to you about something?”

Your eyes widen and flick to him. Have you been obvious about what’s on your mind?

“Yeah, of course–” you say before a hand slides on the small of your back. You turn to see the man who’s been MIA, Namjoon.

“Hey, birthday girl. I’m sorry I’m late! It was a lot harder to find a pink outfit than I thought,” Namjoon chuckles, then he sees that he may have interrupted something. “Oh–hey, man! Jungkook, right?”

Jungkook gives a small smile, and you mouth, ‘Sorry.’

“Can I steal you away for a second?” Namjoon asks, and you oblige.

Namjoon takes your hand, ready to drag you off, but you stop and return to Jungkook. “Can we talk later?”

He nods. “Yeah, of course. It’s your birthday. Go have fun. I’ll talk to you later.”

Jungkook looks on as you and Namjoon disappear. You laugh when he says something, and Jungkook can hear it–you always let out a tiny squeak, your shoulders bounce, and you cover up your mouth because you don't like how your teeth show when you laugh.

He rubs the back of his neck. He’ll have to find time to talk to you later.

Hoseok nudges Jungkook. “Who’s that?”

Jungkook sips his drink and inhales sharply. “Her neighbor.”

“They look pretty cozy to me,” Hoseok remarks. “Go say something before it’s too late.”

It’s already too late, Jungkook thinks. He’s lost you again. What’s the point if he tried with you and you didn’t want him?

He chugs the drink and orders another round for him and Hoseok. He might as well enjoy the booze while he can–at least it would get you off his mind.

Jungkook's vision is blurred, speech slurred. Even though he sees double, his gaze is still fixed on you and Namjoon, following you wherever you go: the photo booth, the bar, the dance floor. Namjoon’s hands haven’t left you, whether holding your hand or soft touches on the small of your back.

It should be him, he thinks, but he’s been turned down before. He couldn't imagine being rejected twice.

He leans on a high-top table, rhythmically tapping his fingers against it. A few of your friends drag you off to the photo booth for the umpteenth time tonight, and Namjoon is left waiting for you.

Jungkook waits and observes Namjoon, wondering why you’d choose Namjoon over him. He thinks he could take the guy in the boxing ring. He’s too big and sluggish to move as fast as Jungkook. Indeed, he could knock Namjoon out with his right hook. But if it’s not a physical thing you’re looking for, then it’s an intellectual thing.

He shakes off the self-deprecating thoughts. Why doesn’t he go over and chat the guy up? Get to know him. It won’t hurt to find out what kind of guy he is.

There's a queue of friends waiting to take individual shots with you, and you look over to check whether Namjoon is all right. You notice Jungkook approaching and breathe a sigh of comfort, knowing he'll keep Namjoon company.

Jungkook stands up tall when he’s beside Namjoon. “Lavish party, huh?”

Namjoon turns to him and chuckles. “Yeah, she went all out for her 30th.” He cracks his neck and adjusts his bright pink blazer.

“Since you’ll be around, you should get used to it. ___ throws parties like this all the time.”

“She does?” Namjoon’s eyes widened with concern.

Jungkook pouts and nods. “You think this is bad? Last year, she rented a private island, and everyone who attended had to buy a plane ticket to her party.”

Namjoon gulps.

“Man–and now that you guys are together. I'm wishing nothing but the best for you," Jungkook shakes his head. "The last guy was going through it.”

“Last guy? What happened to the last guy?”

Jungkook glances in your direction, then back to Namjoon. “Oh, you guys haven’t had that conversation yet?”

“What conversation?”

“Let’s just say there was a restraining order involved.”

There’s a look of relief on Namjoon’s face. “Man, that guy must’ve been a psycho.”

Jungkook shakes his head. “Oh no, no, no. The restraining order was against her!”

Namjoon shifts his position, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Trust me, you don’t want to get on her bad side. Once, she took a bat to a neighbor’s car, thinking it was her boyfriend’s. Mind you, she was pretty drunk—and it was dark, but when she has an idea that you’re cheating on her, all hell breaks loose,” Jungkook tuts.

“Oh.”

Jungkook chuckles. “And don’t even get me started on her obsession with that one K-pop group, Seventeen. She practically has a shrine in her bedroom. Mingyu’s face is plastered on every square inch of her walls, and when they finally came on tour, she drained so much of her savings flying everywhere to see them—front row, I might add.”

Namjoon clears his throat. “I think I need a drink,” he says.

“But don’t worry, man, you’ll be fine!” Jungkook shouts as Namjoon walks away.

He lowers his head and rubs his face. He blames the alcohol for his stupidity. His string of lies is why you would never want to be with him.

Although Jungkook has spewed many lies to Namjoon, it doesn’t scare him off. The two of you are like two peas in a pod. And when he sees Namjoon jet off somewhere, Jungkook swoops in, hoping he’ll have a chance to talk to you before it’s too late.

“Hey!” Jungkook says out of breath. “Going home?”

“Yeah,” you beam a warm smile. “I’m pretty wiped.”

“I can take you home, and then maybe we can talk?”

You nod. “Mm, that sounds like a plan.”

You’ve always found it easy to talk to Jungkook. Even though he claims not to be good at chitchatting, he knows how to make you smile and laugh.

“Did you see Hoseok and Jenn trying to undress each other?” Jungkook chuckles.

“Jenn claims she thought Hoseok was a Ken doll,” you giggle. “I don’t know why they keep skirting around each other. They should date already.”

You two arrive outside your apartment. You unlock the keypad, leaving the door open. Turning back, you see Jungkook standing there. “Are you gonna come in or talk to me from out there?” you ask, shaking your head.

Jungkook walks through the door, closing it behind himself. He smooths down his pants and fixes the collar of his jacket. His gaze darts around the room as he prepares to say what’s on his mind.

“Can I change, and then we’ll talk?”

Jungkook nods, and you run off to your room.

With a heavy sigh, he takes a seat on the couch. He keeps shifting his weight, but nothing feels right. The sweat on his hands increases as the seconds pass by. He's never done it before, confessed his feelings.

Jungkook had rehearsed like he was up for a big audition but felt he’d stumble over his words and blurt out bleh-bleh-blahs.

You resurface a few seconds later, wearing an oversized t-shirt and what appears to be nothing underneath, but when you sit down, he catches a peek at your shorts.

“You wanted to talk?”

“Yeah, about us.”

You cocked your head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “Us?”

A knock on the door interrupts you. Your eyebrows knitted together, wondering who it could be this late at night. When you open it, you find Namjoon.

“Hey! You left your phone at the restaurant,” he says. He acknowledges Jungkook as he steps in.

“Oh, thank you! Ah–don’t leave yet! I have something to give to you, too.” You dash to your room, leaving Jungkook and Namjoon.

There’s a moment before Jungkook breaks the silence. He turns to Namjoon. “That shirt she’s wearing is from her ex-boyfriend. She sleeps in it every night because she misses him.”

Namjoon’s lips thin, and he nods.

“Trust me–you should run while you can,” Jungkook says, shaking his head.

He points to the small Seventeen merch collection sitting on a shelf in your living room. “See. It’s cute and innocent until it’s not.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Namjoon says reluctantly as he turns away, trying to focus on other things until you return.

You leave your room with a bag, handing it to Namjoon. “I washed your shirt and bought you a new one too.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” he reaches for the shirt, taking it out.

“I know, but I felt bad about ruining it.”

Namjoon chuckles. "I like how you're giving me a gift on your birthday."

You wave off his comment. "It's nothing. Thanks for returning my phone,” you say, walking him to the door. “I’ll see you later?”

He flashes a grin; his dimples etched deeply into those cheeks. You pull him down to kiss him on the cheek, barely catching the corner of his lips. You let it linger for a second longer, ensuring Jungkook can see it.

“Bye,” you whisper, closing the door behind him.

You stand with your back facing Jungkook. Clenching your jaw and your fists, you huff a breath. Turning around, you stare at the one person you thought was your friend.

“This is my ex-boyfriend’s shirt, and I sleep in it because I miss him?” you deadpan, folding your arms across your chest.

Your glare silences Jeon Jungkook, and his deer-in-the-headlights appearance implies guilt.

You scoff and shake your head in disbelief. “Have you been sabotaging all my relationships? Tell me the truth.”

You remember Jimin and Theo and how conveniently Jungkook had been there after each breakup.

There’s still no word from Jungkook. He’s playing with the invisible hair on his chin before he stands. “Yeah, but it’s only because—”

“Because what!” you exclaim. Never in a million years did you think you’d be yelling at a good friend. “Because you want to marry me? Why didn’t you just ask me out, Kook?”

The nickname causes his heart to ache. His eyes darted to the floor, then at you. “Because...”

You lean forward, waiting for his excuse, but he doesn’t give you one. You’re only met with silence.

“Because you’re the kind of guy who lies and manipulates to get what he wants? Didn’t really think you were that kind of person.”

“I’m not—”

“You are! If you cared about me, you wouldn’t go around spreading lies. And to think I was going to marry you? God–you must think I’m fucking stupid.”

"No, I don't think that at all—" he counters, taking a step toward you, and you take a step back.

Licking your lips, you play with your bottom lip. "I—I don't even know who you are anymore."

"I'm the same person you met two years ago," he says. Jungkook steps toward you again, reaching out for you.

"Don't touch me," you warn. "Don't you ever talk to me again," you say, avoiding his gaze. "You should go, Kook."

Jungkook walks past you. He makes his way to the door—and when it shuts, you flinch.

Approaching your 30s, you figured you’d be crying because you’re likely to have a mid-life crisis and not because one of your good friends has lied to you for the last couple of years.

Jungkook has misled you throughout the week. You don’t know what’s real and what’s not anymore.

Your heart aches from the pain. Why did this hurt more than a breakup? You trusted him, even considered marrying him and spending the rest of your life with him. How could you be so naive? Maybe it was your distorted perception of love and relationships, and that’s how you ended up in this situation.

Maybe it's your fault and no one else's.

sunday.

It’s early. Too early for Jungkook’s taste.

He’s been tossing and turning all night. Wishing he could redo the last two years. Wishing he could’ve been honest from the beginning. Wishing you didn’t hate him right now.

Picking up his phone, he grumbles after seeing the time—six in the morning. There’s no way you’re up, he thinks. And there’s no way you’ll pick up his call either.

He assumes you’ve blocked him—wants nothing to do with him and doesn’t blame you.

The expression on your face is ingrained in his memory, and the lies he told are on a continuous loop. How would he win you back—if you’d let him, that is.

It’s that point in the romantic movie where the love interest finds the courage to go for it. Jungkook has nothing else to lose at this point. It’s now or never.

With your favorite iced coffee and pastry in hand, he’s ready to beg for your forgiveness. Beg for another chance to make things right.

Three knocks strike your door. No answer.

He gives it another moment before doing it again.

And nothing.

He pulls out his phone, searching for your contact. It rings several times and goes to voicemail. At least you didn’t block him, he thinks.

Should he wait here all day? In hopes you’ll leave your apartment?

Unless Namjoon has seen you or knows your whereabouts.

Jungkook figures, why not? What does he have to lose? He’s already lost his dignity.

Another three knocks, only this time it’s on Namjoon’s door. A few moments later, the lock unlatches, and the door opens.

Namjoon’s eyes widened at the sight of Jungkook. “Oh, hey. What’s up?”

“Hey. Have you seen or heard from ___?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry, man. I haven’t.”

The corners of Jungkook’s lips turn down, and he nods. “Fuck,” he mumbles, lowering his head. He turns on his heel, ready to leave.

“Hey, Jungkook?”

He turns back and hums.

“If you like her, be honest with her,” Namjoon says.

Jungkook rubs the back of his neck. “Did ___ tell you?”

Namjoon chuckles and shakes his head no. “I figured you were lying when you said she made everyone fly to a private island. She mentioned that she’s never flown before. So I put two and two together, and it was hard to ignore all the glares you gave me at the party.”

Jungkook closes his eyes, lowering his head. “I’m so sorry about all the lies I told you. None of them were true—except maybe the Mingyu thing. She does have an obsession with that guy.”

He clears his throat. “I’m sorry about coming between you two. But it’s no wonder she likes you. You have your head on straight, unlike me.”

A grin sweeps across Namjoon’s face. “It’s okay. I get it, man. I’ve been there before—not the lying, but I’ve been head over heels for someone. ___ is cool, and you seem like a good guy. Just…don’t give up on her, okay?”

Jungkook’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What about you guys?”

“Huh? Me and ___?” Jungkook hums. “We’ve been out on one date, and you’ve known her for…?

“Two years.”

“You have more history with her than I do.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t tell lies.”

Namjoon steps forward, placing a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder. “You’d be a fool to give up now. Trust me, you don’t want to live with the what ifs and what could have been.”

“Um, here,” Jungkook says, handing Namjoon the iced coffee and pastry bag. “I don’t want it to go to waste.”

He bids Namjoon goodbye, and as he’s driving home, he stares off into space, pondering Namjoon’s words.

What if you never want to talk to him again? What if he loses you?

He only wanted his chance with you; whenever he gathered the courage to do so, someone always came into the picture before him. He’s realized how much his lies caused more harm than good. He was cheating his way into your heart, which is unfair to you and him.

You peek out when the elevator doors open, ensuring the coast is clear. You've seen the missed calls and texts but needed more time to be ready to face Jeon Jungkook. That's why you've been hiding out at Jenn's all day. But alas, you had to go home and face your fears.

Your door accidentally slams when you go in. Shit.

It’s not like Jungkook’s been waiting around for you, right? Though, you didn’t want to make it known that you were home.

Not even ten minutes after you’ve arrived, there’s a knock on your door. Peering through your viewfinder, you check if the coast is clear and unlock your door. You grab Namjoon's hand, pulling him into the apartment.

"Whoa–miss me that much?" he jokes, setting down the iced coffee and pastry bag.

"What's that?"

"Jungkook dropped it off this morning, but you weren't here. Have you been hiding?"

You lower your head. "Yes."

Namjoon licks his lips. “He’s in love with you, you know?”

You ignore the coffee and pastry bag and sit on the couch. “It’s a weird way to show that you like someone by lying and sabotage.”

“I think it’s cute,” Namjoon chuckles, sitting beside you.

Disbelief is written all over your face: eyes wide, brows lifted, jaw open, which only makes him laugh harder.

“You gotta give the guy some credit. He went out of his way to make sure you’d say single so he could finally have his chance with you. That sounds like dedication to me.”

“Is this a weird ‘guy code?’ Am I missing something?”

He shakes his head. “I get where he’s coming from. Does it suck that he lied instead of saying what he wanted? Yeah, but maybe he didn’t know how to say it because he feared he’d say nonsense in front of you. I know the feeling–where you like someone so much, you’re afraid of looking dumb.”

You ponder Namjoon’s words, sipping on your iced coffee. “You seem chatty. Does that mean you don’t go dumb around me?” you ask dryly.

Namjoon laughs. “I get butterflies and excitement every time I walk out my door, hoping I’d bump into you.”

“But?”

“But you should figure things out with Jungkook, and then we’ll go from there.”

It’s silly—the glow-in-the-dark stars that are plastered on your ceiling. Half of them threaten to fall, and the other half are stuck on so tight it’ll take off the paint.

“You’ve never had glow-in-the-dark stars before?” Jungkook asks. “Let’s get some.”

The only reason why they’re up there in the first place is because of him. Jungkook was comforting you after your breakup with Jimin.

You throw your duvet over your head, screaming into it. How could you have been so blind? So stupid? How are you supposed to face him again with your friend group? Or alone?

This past week was perfect—at least, you thought it was. But you’re second-guessing every interaction, every conversation, every laugh, every touch.

If you hadn’t met Namjoon, could you have fallen in love with Jungkook?

The more you thought about it, the more you hated that you were falling for him. Maybe Namjoon was just an excuse not to explore a relationship with Jungkook. Maybe you didn’t want to ruin your friendship, but then again, what did it matter because it’s been sabotaged by Jungkook himself?

How would you get out of this mess?

monday.

A notification ding shows up on your phone.

[ Tattoo appointment - 6 PM ]

Shit. You completely forgot about your tattoo.

You go through your text messages, finding the Instagram profile of Kai, who’s supposed to tattoo you. You frown when you see a cancellation fee and that the cancellation should’ve been done two days before the appointment. Now, you have to mentally prepare yourself for getting your first tattoo.

The recommendations on your YouTube only show videos of ‘how much does getting a tattoo hurt.’ You know the pain that goes into a needle puncturing your skin. The question was, how high was your pain threshold?

When you walk into the shop, a bell chimes. It’s in pristine condition, as one would expect from a tattoo parlor. You’re greeted by a girl dressed in a black latex v-neck top. A sunray heart tattoo sits right on her chest.

“Hi, I have an appointment with Kai.”

She clicks through her computer and beams a warm smile. “For ___?” You nod. “Is Jungkook coming too?” she asks.

“Oh no. I don’t think so.” Was he planning on getting something, too? You didn’t think he’d show after everything went down.

“Kai is finishing up with a client, and he’ll come get you when he’s ready.”

You flash a small smile, taking a seat in their lounge. You’re picking at your nail beds and bouncing your leg. You’re trying to focus on anything other than what will happen soon.

A light noise of whirring fills the room. You close your eyes, concentrating on your breathing. It’s a small tattoo. There’s nothing to be afraid of, you think.

A part of you wishes Jungkook was here to hold your hand like he said he would. It's dumb even to want him to be here. But after spending so much time with him this past week, you admit you miss him.

"I’m ready for you,” Kai says.

You take a deep breath and follow him to his workspace.

“Nervous?” he asks.

“Yeah, it’s my first tattoo.”

“You’ll do great. I know it,” Kai smiles, sitting at his desk. He grabs his iPad. “Okay, what are we getting today?” Kai asks.

“Um, I turned 30 yesterday, so I wanted to get the birth flower for September,” you say, showing him the inspiration photos.

“Ah, Happy Birthday,” Kai grins. “Birth flowers are a great choice. Any idea where you want it and the size?”

"On the back of my neck, I don't want anything too big. Two to three inches."

"Oh–a woman who knows what she wants. There was no hesitation," Kai teases. "Cool–so, I'll sketch out a few options, and then we'll go from there. Sound good?"

You press your lips together and nod. As Kai's working on your sketch, you stroll around his workspace, looking at the illustrations hung up. There's traditional and fine line art, and you recognize a drawing of a snake—it looks like the one Jungkook has on his arm.

“See anything else you like?”

“I, um, recognize some of your work. You’ve tattooed my friend, Jungkook,” you note, turning back to look through more of Kai’s sketches.

Somehow, your nerves have finally calmed down. The whirring noise from the tattoo gun is like white noise to you, drowning everything out. You’re lost in the intricate detailing of the drawings. Tattooing is true art, you think. But instead of a traditional canvas or paper, it’s forever inked on someone’s skin.

“Okay, let me know what you think of these.” Kai shows you the iPad with a few flowers drawn out.

“You’re so quick,” you comment as you review your options. “Let’s go with this one.” You love how delicate and dainty the tattoo looks.

“If you need a break at any time, just let me know,” Kai gives a warm smile. “I apologize for the weird positioning, but I’ll need you to lay on your stomach, and your head will hang off the table.”

Your lips thin when you catch his gaze. You remove your zip-up hoodie and place it on a chair with your bag. Kai prints the design on transfer paper, putting the placement on the back of your neck. He hands you a mirror, ensuring it’s in the correct spot.

“Alright, let’s do this,” he says.

Once you’re on the table, the once-soothing noise of the tattoo gun flips a switch, and sweat builds up in the palms of your hands. The blood rushes to your head as your head is hanging off the table. You can see Kai’s feet as he steps on the foot pedal, ensuring his equipment works correctly.

You take a deep breath, trying to exhale fear and anxiety, but nothing works. The tattoo gun sounds closer, and the needle inches away from you. Your fists clench up, and you close your eyes, hoping it’ll be over quickly.

You can feel the latex glove on your back as Kai’s ready to outline the design. You can do this, you think.

With eyes still closed, fists clenched—you’re ready.

The shop's bell chimes again, but you’re too focused on this needle about to prick your skin. You can feel another presence. Their warmth is radiating on you. You figure it’s just the girl from the front, so you don’t bother to open your eyes.

Your fist unclenches, and not because of your own doing. It’s whoever is beside you. Opening your eyes, you see a pair of black motorcycle denim tucked into leather stomper boots.

“Hey—my man,” Kai stops and acknowledges. “Good to see you, Jungkook.”

“Hey,” Jungkook replies. “Sorry, I’m late.”

“Nah, you’re right on time. We just started. I’m sure ___ appreciates you being here,” Kai notes, returning to tattooing you.

You didn’t want to admit it, but having Jungkook’s presence was comforting. A part of you wanted to be stubborn and pull your arm away, but considering that a needle was piercing your skin—it wasn’t a good idea.

Jungkook laces his hand with yours; his thumb lightly grazes over your skin. He leans forward, whispering, “Hi.”

You’re unsure if the shiver running through your spine is because of the needle or Jungkook.

While lying on this tattoo table, you’re at war with yourself. An angel on one shoulder tells you to stay strong and not give in because he’s holding your hand. The devil, on the other hand, is telling you you’re a simp and can’t resist when a man is fawning over you.

You hate that the devil is right, and you’re even considering Namjoon’s words, ‘You gotta give the guy some credit. He went out of his way to make sure you’d stay single so he could finally have his chance with you. That sounds like dedication to me.’

Was it dedication or delusion?

You won’t lie. You’ve done questionable things when it came to love, too, so you couldn’t blame Jungkook. Maybe you should hear him out and see what he says for himself.

You’re silent, letting Kai do his thing. He and Jungkook chit-chat about life and future tattoos. The buzzing mechanical hum from the tattoo gun is constant and annoying—you’re growing numb to it like you’re growing numb to the pain.

But Jungkook’s touch? It makes you tingle. You’re keenly aware of how his thumb strokes against your knuckle—the constant squeezes, reassuring your anxiety when the pain shoots down your spine.

Through the years, that’s what Jungkook’s always been—he soothes your pain.

Maybe he’s responsible for your current pain - the shattered relationships and this tattoo you’re getting, but he always has a back-up plan: himself. He’s the shoulder to cry on, the hand to hold—the constant, consistent one who shows up repeatedly.

He’s confusing but calming, and you’re annoyed at how much you don’t mind his touch. Your breathing slows, and your shoulders relax as you sink into the cushioned table.

“Almost done,” Kai notes.

That was fast. Fifteen minutes–tops.

Kai finishes cleaning the tattoo, and after you stand up from your awkward position, you’re face to face with Jungkook. Once again, Jungkook resorted back to his favorite color: black. He’s in an oversized long-sleeve shirt and jeans, and there’s a silver chain adorning his neck.

His doe eyes twinkle and the corners of his mouth curve up. “The tattoo looks good on you,” he says softly. “Do you wanna see?”

Even with a mirror, the placement makes it hard to see the finished product. You grab your phone, open the camera app, and hand it over to Jungkook. You turn around, facing the mirror, holding up your hair. You catch Jungkook’s gaze and look away. His hand gently touches the nape of your neck, removing a stray hair. He snaps a few photos, handing your phone back.

“It looks beautiful on you.”

You mumble a word of thanks, grabbing your things, attempting to flee from his presence.

Pulling out your wallet to pay for your tattoo, you head to the front, but the girl stops you.

“Jungkook already paid,” she says.

The nape of your neck warms up, and your nostrils flare. You nod at the girl. Bumping into Jungkook on the way out, you stuff your wallet back into your bag, and Jungkook follows you, catching up.

“Why did you do that?” you ask, glaring at Jungkook.

"Because it's your birthday present. I couldn't let you pay for it."

You narrow your eyes, giving him the once over. “Why? So you can tell the next guy I date how we have matching tattoos and scare him off?” you retort, brushing past him.

Jungkook cards his hand through his hair. “Come on, that’s not fair,” he shouts, running after you again.

He calls out to you, making you stop in your tracks. Turning around, you breathe a heavy sigh. “You’re right. It's not fair,” you give him a wry smile. “But doesn’t it sound like something you’d say? Mr. Liar Liar Pants on Fire.”

The third time must be the charm because he’s chasing after you again.

“Hey, can we talk, please?” he implores as his eyes scan your face.

You zig-zag around him.

He repeats by running and standing in front of you. “You can’t avoid me forever.”

“Watch me,” you retort, attempting to flee again.

Jungkook holds his hand up. “Just hear me out, and if you never want to talk to me again after that, then so be it."

You huff. “Only if you drop me off at home,” you say, crossing your arms. You don’t feel like taking the subway; it’s the least he could do.

With hands in your lap, you’re waiting for Jungkook to say something, but he’s as quiet as a mouse. He’s missed two exits and been driving in circles, going past your apartment complex for the fourth time. You wouldn’t be surprised if a police car starts following you, considering how suspicious the two of you look.

You can’t take it anymore—the endless dancing around this conversation. “I thought you wanted to talk?” you ask as your eyes flick in his direction for a moment.

He straightens his posture, gripping the steering wheel and focusing on the road. "I'm, uh, I’m sorry for telling all those lies. It was stupid of me. I should’ve been honest with you from the beginning.”

You bury your face in your hands before turning to him. “If you liked me, why didn’t you tell me?”

You had come up with many scenarios in your head and thought back to your conversations and interactions with him. Jungkook had so many chances to say something, but he never did.

Jungkook shrugs and looks at you briefly before returning to the road.

“It’s easy being your friend, but to be your boyfriend? That scares me.”

You get it. Opening your heart, being vulnerable, and giving your everything to one person is terrifying. Sometimes, it feels like days, months, and years are wasted with one person when it doesn’t work out.

“Scared you’d screw it up?” you ask, turning to him.

Jungkook hums as he pulls up to your apartment complex.

With a sigh, you admit, “You were on your way to being a pretty good boyfriend.”

You hate that you found him so sweet and cute, even after everything that’s happened.

“I was?” he questions with widened eyes and turns off the ignition. He shifts to face you.

“Yeah,” you chuckle. Your hand lingers on the door handle. “Walk me up?”

The two of you are on opposite sides of the elevator. Jungkook’s leaning on the metal bar behind himself with his legs crossed in front of him.

He hangs his head before looking up at you. "What if I had been truthful from the beginning? Do you think we would’ve been together?”

You press your lips together and shake your head. “I don’t know, Kook. I guess we’ll never know.”

When the elevator arrives at your floor, it chimes, and you exit, and Jungkook follows. You stop outside your door, watching as Jungkook leans his shoulder against the wall, facing you.

You can tell when something is brewing in Jungkook’s mind. You’ve been friends long enough for you to notice some tendencies.

With an eyebrow lifted and his tongue poking through the inside of his cheek, he’s ready to lay something on you. He licks his lips, eyes flick to yours.

“Tell me you don’t feel the same way,” he says.

You can feel your stomach somersaulting when he doesn’t break eye contact. Your heart rate rises as you work harder to pump more blood than usual.

There were small, fleeting moments where you could picture yourself with him: weekend mornings with breakfast in bed and late-night cuddles on the couch.

“I’m trying my hardest not to feel something,” you confess. As much as he was scared to screw it up, so were you. You’ve never dated a friend. You’ve met all your ex-boyfriends through mutual friends. You’ve built fantasies of what a perfect boyfriend and relationship should look like, and Jungkook wasn't perfect–but neither were you.

Jungkook moves closer. “So you like me too?” His eyes dart from your parted lips to your eyes.

“I don’t not like you,” you say softly, stepping forward as you play with his silver chain.

"So where does this leave us?" He’s searching your face for an answer.

As always, your heart is at war with your head. The sensible thing to do is to stay friends. The foolish thing is to see how this could pan out. What if you could get your happily ever after?

"What would you do if I was yours?" you ask.

"If you were mine?"

You hum.

"If you were mine, I'd spend every waking minute with you. Asking anything and everything that comes to mind. I want to know what makes you happy and sad. I want to know what you love and hate. I want to know everything your heart desires." Jungkook eliminates the distance. "I'd pepper you with kisses all day–on your neck, cheeks, forehead, lips–everywhere,” he says softly as his eyes never leave yours. "If you were mine, I'd never lie to you again. I'd love you with every breath and never let you go." He’s eye to eye with you, hands cupping your face. “I wanted you from the moment I saw you. I was an idiot for not saying anything sooner. But if this is the only time I could be with you, I'll take it."

You gulp. Jungkook’s saying all the right things, everything a girl could want. You hate it. You hate that you’re a sucker for heartfelt moments and love confessions. Neverending cartwheels occupy your stomach. The little gymnast in there is going for the gold–doing back flips and leaps; there’s no way to stop them. Your heart beats faster for him than for anyone else–even more than Namjoon.

All it took was a silly agreement and a few lies to make you realize you didn’t want a perfect boyfriend or relationship. Forget getting married by a certain age. Forget the expectations of you instilled by society. This boy was a bit messy, a bit ruined, but a beautiful disaster.

Whatever it looked like, you wanted him.

You take another second to look at him because what you want to say next will change your friendship.

“Kiss me,” you say softly, your gaze dropping to his lips.

“Are you sure you want me to kiss you?”

You nod.

If there’s one more thing to add to Jungkook’s list of fears—it’s ruining your friendship.

“I won’t be able to stop if I do,” he whispers.

Restless is how you would describe Jungkook. Restless when it came to telling your exes lies. Restless in his ability to sit still. Restless as he chews on his bottom lip–it could be how he incessantly licks his lips or just lacks hydration. You’ve never noticed before how badly he needs chapstick.

But Jungkook’s within touching distance of your lips, and all you can think about is how much he needs chapstick. Your sweet peach one, you think.

Maybe you should offer him some.

“Then don’t.”

It’s slow and gentle when he kisses you. He’s taking his time. There’s no urgency. No tongue, no hands beneath your shirt, or roaming your body. Nothing like that.

It’s like he’s been waiting so long to do this. It’s like he’s forgotten any other mouth existed but yours. You’ll forget your name or where you are when you finally break away from his lips.

He consumes every thought you have, and this is what you were afraid of–that you’ll become addicted to his kisses. You’re unsure how long you can stand before he has to carry you to bed.

His breath is warm and sweet. You love him breathing life into you and taking it away over and over. Your hands curl into his shirt, tugging him as close as possible. Tilting your head, you open your mouth to catch more air before kissing him again. Lips upon lips are discovering each other.

Jungkook pulls away, his nose nudging yours. He kisses the corner of your mouth and your cheek. He’s on his tippy toes, kissing your eyelids, then your forehead.

“Okay–don’t stop,” you say, breathless, reaching for another kiss. “It’s for scientific reasons.”

He chuckles. “Are you researching how long someone can go without breathing?”

“Mmhm.” You reach again, but he pulls back, making you pout.

“You didn’t answer my question from earlier, ‘Where does this leave us?’ he asks.

You realize he won’t kiss you until you answer him. You cock your head to the side. “I like you, but it will take a minute for me to trust you again.”

Jungkook nods. “Mm, I get that. So…?”

“So–we should take this slow and see where it goes.”

He sucks in his lips, trying to suppress a smile. “What about Namjoon?”

The two of you hear someone clearing their throat, and you look in their direction as they appear from the hallway. It’s Namjoon, giving you a quick wave.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt,” he says as he walks to his door. “I saw you guys when I turned the corner, but then I ducked back into the hallway, waiting for you to…finish.” Namjoon presses his lips together into a smile.

You turn to Jungkook. “I’ll be one second.”

With a sprint in your step, you head toward Namjoon. “I’m so sorry you saw that.”

Namjoon laughs. “Why are you sorry? I knew I didn’t have a chance against Jungkook. I was waiting for you to realize you wanted to be with him.”

Your eyes widened. “You knew?”

His eyebrows raise, and he nods. “Mmhm.” He leans forward. “We had fun, but look at the guy.” Namjoon glances at Jungkook. “I would’ve felt like the back-up until you two got your shit together. You don’t have to worry about me. Go–he’s waiting for you.”

“Thanks Namjoon.” A sense of relief rushes over you, and you’re thankful he understands.

Returning to Jungkook, you’re no longer looking at your back-up plan. He’s the one you want to wake up next to, the one you want to laugh with, smile with–he’s become your first choice.

He extends his hand for yours. “So, should I get my tux pressed?”

You deadpan.

“We’re practically engaged now, right?” he jokes before leaning in for a kiss.

You press your finger into his taut chest, pushing him away. “Be fucking for real, Jungkook. We’re going inside and watching my favorite rom-com–While You Were Sleeping, so you can see the consequences of how lying gets you in trouble.”

“Oh, I love that one! It's the one where she pretends to be engaged to the guy in a coma, but she falls for the brother?”

You slowly turn to him, mouth agape. “You really have seen a lot of rom-coms, haven’t you?”

“I may have learned a thing or two from them.”

“Yeah–lying!” You scold him as you enter the apartment. The two of you continue bickering back and forth.

Who knew you’d be living in a romantic film of your own?

#jungkook fanfic #jungkook fic #jungkook x you #jungkook fluff #jungkook #jeon jungkook

[scullymurphy]

I'm a HUGE fan of your Bending Light series because it painfully tugs my heart in the most satisfying way 💛

You've compared Bending Light to Italian Summer and Falling Dark to Scottish Winter. Can you explain what led to such different tones within the same series? I'm so curious about what inspired this choice. What do the two opposing tones mean to you, and how do they apply to the message you want to convey?

Thanks :))

Aww, thank you and I love this question! How lovely of you to come find me on tumblr and ask. 🥹

And I would say that the overall difference came from the idea of how going through a war would affect these characters. The lightness before contrasted with the darkness after. I love a good character arc, so I couldn't resist the idea of taking them through it and seeing how they changed.

When we first meet the group in Bending Light, they've been through some stuff, but nothing like what's to come. No torture or death, no real loss, no pain or deprivation. And they're teenagers -- delightfully self-focused and oblivious to what's going on around them. I loved that for them and wanted to enhance it, which is why I dropped them in their own little world in a tucked-away place. No adults or structure, a lot of independence and novelty. I wanted to convey a sense of being wrapped up in the wonder of daily life. When you're that age and having those kinds of intense experiences, every day is like a week and a month is a season. It really can't be replicated later. I was very inspired by the film Call Me By Your Name, which does this beautifully and in a similar setting.

And then about halfway through writing BL, I started thinking about how the characters would change based on what the war did to them. How would the trauma affect their personalities and actions and make them grow up? If it drove Draco and Hermione apart, how would they deal with that -- and how would other characters (especially Theo) come into play? I've always loved 8th year stories and it was obvious that I wasn't ready to be done with these characters. And then I also happen to be very familiar with the part of Scotland where Hogwarts is supposed to be located. Which, although incredibly beautiful, can be quite dreary and dark during the autumn and winter. So the dichotomy presented itself to me quite clearly with Falling Dark. The warm Italian summer before the war, the dark Scottish winter after.

Anyway, I hope this is illuminating! It was really fun for me to think about and write it out. Thanks again for asking. xoxo ~Scully

#i love asks #i love my readers #this is just lovely #falling dark #bending light #dramione

[baileys-3]

Sneak Peak Chapter 13 | Aching Pain - Longing Heart

Blyday hears someone banging an object against a glass. It's Grey. And standing next to him are Bradford and Chen. Bradford has Rosie in his arms and Theo is attached to Lucy. Literally. He has his arms wrapped around her neck and his head on her shoulder.

"I am proud to announce that the meat and sausages are ready. And all the vegetarian stuff too, which I was forced to grill." He looks at Bradford. "We were forced to grill." Bradford nods and has a look on his face as if he has suffered greatly in the process.

General laughter follows.

"But before we get started on the food, Tim has something he wants to share." With that, he nods to Tim. But before he can get a word in, Lopez ... no now yes Angela ... jumps up and shouts, "I knew it."

And bursts into cheers. Then she holds out her hand, looks at the others at the table and just says, "Give me the money."

A few seconds later she is holding some notes in her hand. Thorsen stands up too, shakes her hand and then looks at Bradford, "Really now Sarge. I thought you were waiting a few more weeks. After all, you didn't tell anyone for ages when you first started dating."

Angela replies with a, "And that's why I'm the better detective of the two of us."

#archive of our own #chenford #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #the rookie #tim bradford #tim bradford x lucy chen #chenford fic #tim x lucy #chenfordsource #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #fanfiction #rookie

[middleearthpixie]

2022 Fic Year in Review

Thank you for tagging me, @laurfilijames! I know I've been kind of MIA the last few weeks, so it's nice to be remembered. :)

This year ended on an utterly low note for me personally, with the loss of someone I loved very much, which is actually how I began 2022 as well. Hopefully, 2023 will be a much brighter, happier year in time.

Okay, now on to the good stuff...

Rules

post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year

and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

So, if you're ready... time to look back one last time at my 2022 in fic-dom.

**

Five Works I'm Most Proud Of

1. Where I Belong Thorin x ofc Noelle James (modern NYC/DoS/BOTFA AU. This fic took the greatest toll on me as a writer, it drained me beyond belief but at the same time, I loved writing it. It's the only one of my stories that follows movie canon (the second half) and the first half was fun to write, since it brought Thorin into our modern world.

2. Seven Days Modern!Frerin x ofc Syd Prescott - This was the first non-RA character I've written for and I've loved writing it. I find I really enjoy writing Tolkien's characters in modern settings and I'm developing a real soft spot for Frerin. Never mind it gives me an excuse to stare at pics of Gerard Butler for inspiration and who is going to complain about THAT????

3. Damaged Goods Ray Levine x ofc Theo Bailey (Stay Close AU) - This was my first non-Tolkien fic, and I fixed what Harlan Coben (in my humble opinion) got wrong. Theo was also the first heroine who wasn't a young, virginal type. She was nearly 50 and dealing with all of the issues and insecurities that come with being a middle aged woman.

4. After the Fire Thorin x ofc Jasna Stoneham (Post- BOTFA AU Where Everybody Lives) - In this story, my heroine has a speech impediment—she stutters—and it's been interesting to watch her overcome that hurdle, as well as a lot of other ones, as she and Thorin slowly fall in love with one another. She learns to believe in herself as she sees others believing in her. Oh, and she saves Thorin's ass as well, so there's that...

5. Miss Fortune - Modern!Thorin x ofc Alex Prescott - This one was the precursor to Seven Days, and it's the first Tolkien-AU fic that I wrote with supernatural themes woven into it as well. It deals with loss, and love, and the idea of an afterlife and what happens after we die. Also, Thorin is an alcoholic who manages to recover with Alex's help as well. It's darker than any of my other stories, and sad in spots, but is also (I think) hopeful as well.

Top 4 Current WIPS

I really only have 2 WIPs looming on the horizon. I'm in grad school now and the spring semester starts up in just a little over two weeks, so my time will be at a premium. But I have great hopes of being able to work on these to some extent... if not, they're coming Summer, 2023. :)

Tougher Than the Rest - This is the follow up to Playing with Fire and is also a Frerin-centric story. In Playing, Frerin has found out his wife was cheating on him, and this is his story about what happens after that. Like Playing, it will be a lot more erotic than most of my other work, as Frerin meets a single mother who just might be his soul mate, as they find their way to each other. Both Frerin and Elena will enjoy the steamy journey they find themselves on...

2. Brilliant Disguise - I'm going back to Middle Earth with this. It was inspired by a short I did Christmas 2021, where a speech therapist (Sophie) and her daughter (Heather) come to Erebor, where Sophie has been hired to work with Bifur in regaining his speech following the dislodgement of the axe in his head. Neither Sophie nor Thorin are looking for romance—both have past tragedies that they've yet to move beyond—but neither one can resist the pull of the other, though. Throw in an interested Dwalin, a smitten Bifur, and a little girl with the gift of wrapping dwarves about her little finger and who knows what could happen?

I will, of course, be continuing with Seven Days and After the Fire, so I guess they count, though. :)

3 Biggest Improvements

This is a tough one - i think I've gotten better with pacing, and keeping my characters from being too perfect. I hope I've given them enough flaws to make them real. And I think I've gotten better at pacing, but I need to work on keeping my hero and heroine apart for the slow burn... Is that three? Ah... close enough...

2 Resolutions

I'm going to try to update as regularly as possible. As I said, I'm in grad school and taking a full course load, so I'm going to be lucky if I see daylight much this semester.

I'm also going to make sure I don't repeat myself. I don't want to write the same story over and over with just a different title. I also hope to write more Frerin, because he's fun to write. :)

1 Favorite Line

This is from After the Fire

"No more words passed between them and the sounds of the river, of the party, of the ravens gathered at Ravenhill and the thrushes in the trees, tucked in for the night all faded into the darkness as she surrendered once more to the magic of her husband." 

I'm pretty sure anyone I'd tag has already been tagged, so I'm not adding to the pressure. Instead, anyone who wants to share should feel free.

Happy 2023!

#Richard Armitage #The Hobbit #Thorin Oakenshield #Hobbit Fic #Hobbit Fanfic #Fan fiction #The Hobbit fan fiction #Thorin x OC #AU #Thorin Fic #Is it hot in here? #Romance #Everybody Lives AU #The Hobbit BOTFA #2022 fic year in review #Gerard Butler #Frerin Durin #WIPs #coming soon #new fics

[mayasdeluca]

What exactly is wrong with Maya? I'm not trying to take sides but I'm generally curious what people are seeing in her.

Let's backtrack. She went to her superior and threatened to out her inappropriate relationship; the show/writers labeled it blackmail but it was Maya asserting her career and btw is was true.

Then the Beckett bullying started, which begs the question: if you were ever bullied in high school, did you run to immediately tell your parents or a teacher or did you live with it possibly in silence (this answer may depend on age)? That's the same thing Maya went through and I mean sure Carina probably suspected something was off with Maya coming home more exhausted in those 6 months but they had been doing IVF and seemed happy in episode 1, if a little stressed so it didn't seem like she was bringing it home with her. I actually believe Carina was her safe space in that time.

It wasn't until Carina witnessed for herself and confronted Beckett that she knew the extent of Maya's troubles and was mad at Maya for it. She "blackmailed" her boss; wanting her job back is not wrong and she wasn't wrong about the inappropriate relationship (she just doesn't know she's right yet). And it was Carina who turned away from Maya which caused Maya to start working overtime and staying at the station instead of going home.

Now it seems last weeks Theo rant caused Beckett to reevaluate his shit which even meant complimenting Maya possibly putting an end to the bullying, she reconnected with Carina (who again put them on ice to begin with) and Maya seems to be softening as a team player again.

So I ask again, what exactly is wrong with Maya that she needs to talk to someone? Something that is Maya's issue from the last 6 months that's not a reaction to what others have thrown at her? Like the Beckett bullying, she couldn't beat the shit out of him but she could beat the shit out of a heavy bag in the gym. Carina turned away from her in bed so her solution was to give Carina space and work more hours and stay at the station.

I just compare Maya from the "I just slept with Jack an hour ago" (I can't check what episode number that is) icing out Carina to this Maya and I don't see the same internalization she was going through back then.

Okay so I'm just curious...what do you think is the reason Carina "turned away" from Maya in the first place? Because it sounds like you think she did that out of nowhere and that was the reason Maya started acting cold towards her but that's not how I see it.

I also think you're not including a major factor regarding the whole bullying aspect in what Beckett has been doing to Maya. It's almost exactly the same way she was treated by her father while growing up. To go through that same treatment and trauma all over again is triggering and not something that she would just stay silent about and not be affected by. Whether you agree or disagree that Maya blackmailing Ross about her job was wrong, it still had consequences. I totally understand why she felt like she had to do it because she had been sitting on her demotion for about two years and barely got an investigation or true answer on it. But she still made that choice. And not only did she make it, but she kept it from her wife for over six months. She had to hear about it from her wife's boss. You don't think Carina should be upset about that?

Maybe Maya was trying to separate her work stuff from her personal stuff in the beginning and that's why she didn't tell Carina at first. I'm sure she sees Carina as her safe space and didn't want to ruin that. We saw them as happy as they could be in the Season 5 finale. Carina got her green card, they were ready to take a pregnancy test, things were great. They even had Carina say "can we enjoy the great news for one night" and Maya couldn't do that. She goes to the Chief right after Pru's party. Which then leads to Carina's statement about how they were happy and she created chaos in the premiere.

Even when she came to terms with her father's abuse, she never really processed it and dealt with it like someone who would have gone through all that trauma should have. It took her father pulling her hair and almost losing Carina for her to come to the realization but then that was it. Adding that onto what she's dealing with now, losing her captaincy, the bullying from Beckett, shutting out her wife, the constant eyes forward mentality and constant exercising...you don't think it's time she really sits down with someone and talks through it all? When she's ready to? None of what she is doing is a healthy way for someone to process their trauma even if Maya doesn't realize that yet. When it starts affecting not only her personally but her wife and their relationship, I would think that indicates something is wrong and it needs to be dealt with in other ways. But that's just how I see it.

#asks #anon

[the-heaminator]

OKAY so Ivan and Arthur get in a pretty bad fight about something to do with their kids. Not sure what but Art comes to the "I need to leave and calm down before I say something I regret" but he doesn't tell Ivan that he just tells Ivan "I'm going for a walk" and leaves the house.

hours go by, it starts to get dark Arthur isn't back and he's not picking up his phone. Ivan ends up next door freaking out asking Heinrich if he's seen Arthur, Can you try calling him, he won't pick up calls from me, can you try to help me find him, can you at least keep an eye out. Arthur picks up a call from Heinrich and is kind of like "oh yeah i'm at-" not knowing he's calling for Ivan. Heinrich convinces Ivan to go back home and I'll find him, he sends Gilbert and Ludwig over so Ivan can watch all the kids and he heads out to get Arthur so Ivan will stop freaking out.

He finds arthur right where he said he would be at some hole in the wall restaurant brooding over a cup of coffee at 9 pm. Heinrich sits down across from him without even saying hello "your husband is freaking out" "So he sent you to find me?" "I volunteered"

anyway, Art ends up spilling his guts about not knowing if he's that good of a dad, and about how he's sure his four kids deserve so much better than him and blah blah blah. Heinrich does the same more or less, tells him "i had three kids, two daughters and a son and I'm not sure I raised them right. I'm not sure i'm raising Gilbert and Ludwig right. But we do our best, and we learn from mistakes" Arthur listens to it then continues right on with his pity party. Heinrich cuts him off with; a new peice of Old Neighbor Next Door Lore.

"I had a son with a girlfriend when I was young, we decided we weren't ready to be parents and put him up for adoption. If he was adopted by a couple who loved him half as much as you and Ivan love your children I'm happy"

Arthur gets past his pity party and in a moment of weakness asks; "How old is your son? The one you put up for adoption" and it turns out same age as Arthur... turns out they have the same birthday too... coincidence really. Arthur wasn't adopted.

Anyway, Heinrich gets him home he and ivan have their reconciliation arc, and then a few weeks later Arthur remembers what Heinrich says starts to think too hard about it and is pacing the bedroom telling Ivan about how he needs to ask his parents if he was adopted without his parents knowing he's alive. And Ivan is just??? "you're not adopted your biological parents would be on your birth certificate" and Art is just?? "I've never seen my birth certificate, and I don't have it when I ran away I left it" "You've never seen your birth certificate?" "No?" "Your parents never showed it to you?" "No?" "..."

eventually Arthur secures a copy of his birth certificate and promptly has his entire world dismantled and put back together when seeing his biological parents not listed as "Angus & Fiona Kirkland" but his father listed as one "Heinrich Beilschmidt" and his mother as a women he'd never even heard of.

idk where it goes after that yet but uhhhhh drama ty

*inhale*

THEO

MY MAN YOU NEED TO WRITE THIS..I'm too deep into this corner of the spy au BUT HOLY SHIT I WOULDNLOVE THAT

THE DRAMA. THE EXTRA. THE VIBES OF IT ALL.

AUGHAGSUAHSHSHAUSBUSUABSHEHSHEYDHSUDBJSJDJD NO THIUGHTS ONLY SCREAM

#spy au 2 electric boogaloo #Am I making this a tag #Yes I am #Lotus

[aspenmissing]

𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚐-𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕 (𝙿𝚝 𝟸)

Inside the motel room, Y/N is typing on the laptop while Dean sits on the bed. Sam then enters.

"What's up?" Y/N asks.

"That girl Lanie, her mom’s ghost spooked her out pretty bad last night," Sam answers.

"That sucks," Dean says.

"Yeah, it does," Sam agrees, then looks to Y/N. "What are you doing?"

"I think Dad's right. I think the demon is here," Y/N stands up. "Check it out." She hands Sam some papers and goes to her bag. Dean gets up and joins Sam.

"What is this, weather reports?" Sam asks as Dean takes the papers.

"Omens. Demonic omens. Electrical storms everywhere we've been for the past two weeks."

"Ahh...I don't remember any lightning storms," Dean says.

"Well, I don't remember you studying meteorology as a kid either. But I'm telling you, that bastard's been tailing me...wearing some poor dude's meat," Y/N says.

"And it's following you because..."

"I guess I'm big game, you know. My ass is too sweet to let out of sight."

"Okay. Sure," Y/N grabs the papers back.

"Don’t get too excited, Guys. Might pull something," Y/N says.

"Theo, look, we wanna believe this, man," Dean says, gesturing to himself and Sam. "We really do..."

"Then believe it! If we get this sucker, it's Miller Time," Y/N says enthusiastically.

"Yeah, that's another thing. Dad rattles off an exorcism that can kill a demon?" Sam says. "I mean not just send it back to hell, but kill it?"

"I've checked it out. This is heavy-duty Dark Ages. Fifteenth century," Y/N explains.

"Yeah, Sam's checked on it too, Theo. So did Bobby, hell, even I checked it out," Dean adds.

"Okay, and?" Y/N asks.

"Look. It definitely is an exorcism, okay, there's just no evidence it can kill a demon," Sam explains.

"No evidence it can't," Y/N says confidently.

"Come on, man..." Dean says.

"Hey, as far as I'm aware, the only one of us who has actually been to hell is Dad," Y/N says. "And maybe he picked up a couple of tricks down there, like which exorcisms work."

"Maybe it does. I hope it does too, but we gotta be sure," Dean says.

"Why aren't we sure?" Y/N asks.

"'Cause I don't know what's going on around here, Dean! I mean, some guy blows his brains out, a little girl is scared out of her wits," Sam explains.

"Wow, a couple of civvies are freaked out by some ghosts. News flash, Sam, people are supposed to be freaked out by ghosts!" Y/N and Sam stare at each other for a long moment. Sam sighs and Y/N drops her head in frustration.

"Dad tell you where to find the demon?" Dean asks.

"I'm waiting on the call!" Sam sighs.

"I told Laine I'd stop by."

"Oh, good yeah," Y/N says sarcastically. "No, you go hang out with jailbait. Just, uh, watch out for Chris Hansen. Meanwhile, I'll be here getting ready to, you know, save my life." Sam keeps moving towards the door. "You're unbelievable, you know that? I mean for months we've been trying to break this demon deal. Now Dad's about to give us the freaking address and you can't accept it? The man is dead and you're still butting heads with the guy!"

"This is not what this is about," Sam protests.

"So, what is it?" Y/N demands.

"The fact is we've got no hard proof here, Y/N. After everything, you're still just going on blind faith!" Sam says.

"Yeah, well maybe! You know, maybe that's all I got, okay?" They stare at each other again before Y/N looks down.

"Please. Just please don't go anywhere until I get back. Okay, Y/N? Please," Sam pleads. Y/N remains silent. Sam shakes his head and turns for the door.

"Dean," Sam stops, as Dean turns to face Y/N. "Go with him." They were about to protest. "Please. Just go with him. I need some time to think." Sam looks over at Dean, nodding. Y/N watches them go and continues staring at the door for a long moment. She shakes her head and moves to sit heavily at the table.

==

In Lanie's bedroom, Dean and Sam are standing in front of Lanie, who is close to tears.

"Have you told your father about any of this?" Dean asks.

"And bother him at work? No. He wouldn't believe me anyway, he'd just chuck me into therapy," she replies.

"So, what did your mother say?" Sam asks.

"She wanted to see me. So, at first, I thought I was supposed to go to the cemetery."

"Did you?" Dean asks. Lanie nods.

"Nothing happened. But then she started asking me to do things."

"What sort of things?" Sam asks with a frown.

"Bad things," she answers, tears in her eyes.

==

Simon sits playing at his table. The phone rings and Simon looks over at his toy telephone sitting on the floor then walks over to it. The display reads SHA33.

"Hello? Simon Greenfield speaking. Hi Mommy. Yeah, I wanna see you. Where are you?"

==

Later, Y/N sits at the table staring at nothing. Her phone rings, and she snatches it up.

"Dad?" Y/N asks.

"Y/N."

"Where's the demon?"

==

Lanie turns around, facing away from the two.

"Lanie, please. Tell us what happened, it's very important," Sam says. Lanie turns to face them, tears falling.

"Mom told me to go to Dad's medicine cabinet."

"And?" Dean asks.

"She wanted me to take his sleeping pills, take all of his sleeping pills." Dean and Sam share a look of shock.

"She wanted you to kill yourself?" Lanie nods, covering her mouth with her hands, crying.

"Why would my mom want me to do that?" She asks.

"I don't know," Sam says.

"I mean, just so I could come to her?" Sam and Dean snap their heads to share a glance before looking back at Lanie.

"What'd you say?" Dean asks.

"She wanted me to come to her."

"No, how'd she say it?"

""Come to me." Like a million times." Dean and Sam share another look.

"Lanie," Sam says, "That's not your mother."

==

Y/N pulls up to a house and gets out. She grabs her weapons bag from the trunk, looks around, and moves towards the house.

==

"Listen to me. Don't answer the phone. Don't use the computer. Don't do anything unless we say to, all right?" Dean says. The brothers start down the stairs and realize Lanie's not following.

"Lanie," Sam says. Lanie stands in a doorway.

"Where's Simon?" She asks, looking at the boys worriedly.

==

Y/N quietly enters the house and moves down the hallway, listening. A floorboard creaks on the second floor.

"Rule one if entering a house. Never let them know you're there," she mutters. "Knowing Dean, he would have replied." Y/N drops a rosary into a large bottle of water. She then pulls back a rug and shakes a paint can before spraying a devil's trap on the floor.

==

Sam and Dean are driving down the road as Dean calls Y/N, placing it on speaker. She answers seconds later.

"Yeah?"

"Y/N, it's not Dad," Dean says.

"Then what is it?" Y/N asks.

"A crocotta," Sam answers.

"Is that a sandwich?" Sam shares a confused look with Dean, knowing Y/N is good at her supernatural beings.

"Some kind of scavenger. Mimics loved ones, whispers 'Come to me', then lures you into the dark and swallows your soul," Dean explains.

"A crocotta, right, damn, that makes sense," Y/N says.

"Y/N, look, we're sorry, man," Dean says, "we know..." He's cut off by Y/N.

"Hey, don't these things live in filth?" Sam and Dean share a look of confusion.

"Yeah," Sam replies.

"Guys, the flies at the phone company."

==

Sam and Dean creep along an alley and peek in a window at Stewie, sitting at his console.

"Sammy, I don't wanna walk on this guy. I mean, you saw what he was watching when we met him. He could be busy," Dean whispers, looking at Sam. Sam returns a grimace. "What? Sorry I don't wanna see his d—" The two are distracted by a banging noise and turn to look at the source. They look back to see Stewie leaving the room. Sam and Dean run back up the alley. Later, Stewie leaves the building. Sam and Dean hide behind a van, Sam holding his phone to his ear.

"This is Penny Munster. Leave a message," Y/N's voicemail says.

"Theo, we're in the parking lot. He's here. Hurry," Dean says, seeing Sam wanting to run up to Stewie.

"I say we wait for Y/N. We don't know how many of them there are," Sam looks at Dean, shaking his head. Stewie unlocks his car, and Sam rushes him, pushing him into the car and holding a metal spike to the back of his neck.

"What the hell!" Stewie grunts.

"I know what you are," Sam says.

"Wait, mister," Stewie tries to turn, but Sam pushes him against the car harder.

"And I know how to kill you," Sam threatens.

"Please. Okay, wait, wait. If we're overcharging you for the call waiting or something, I... I can fix that. I am your friend!" Sam looks confused. "Please. Please just don't kill me!" The manager from earlier sneaks up behind Sam. "Don't kill me, please!"

"Sam, behind you!" Dean shouts. Before Sam can turn around, the manager hits Sam over the head with a bat. Sam slumps to the ground. Dean runs up, gun in hand, and is about to shoot before the bat makes contact with the gun, knocking it out of his hands. "Son of a bitch." The manager then hits Dean over the head, rendering him unconscious beside Sam. Stewie turns around, sees the manager, grins, and starts bouncing up and down. "Yeah! That's what happens when you mess with the phone company, dillweed!" He looks to his manager. "Thank you, Clark!" Clark lifts the bat again.

"Forget about it."

"Clark?" Clark smashes Stewie with the bat.

==

Inside the Phone Company Basement, Stewie, Sam, and Dean are tied to chairs.

"I'm sorry, Clark. I'm sorry for whatever I did to you. I'm sorry... please," Stewie snivels. Sam and Dean begin to come to.

"Wait! Don't do it!" Sam says.

"He's got nothing to do with it," Dean says.

"You two are awake," Clark says. He leans over Stewie and places the tip of a knife against his thigh.

"You're not a killer, Clark, no! There's a good man inside of you, I know it," Stewie pleads.

"What do you think, boys, am I a good man?" Clark asks, looking to Sam and Dean.

"Just let him go," Sam pleads.

"I would. I really would. If only I'd had more than a salad for lunch. You see, I'm starving," Clark says. He lifts the knife high above his head and plunges it into Stewie's chest.

"No!" Sam and Dean shout. Clark moves in front of Stewie's body. His mouth opens, revealing a blood-red interior and razor-sharp spikes. He crouches slightly, holds Stewie by both shoulders, and unhinges his jaw, his mouth becoming impossibly wide. Placing his mouth close to Stewie's face, he sucks in his energy. Sam and Dean shudder and look away. Clark then stands up, wiping his mouth.

"Our last call with Y/N. That was you. You led us here," Sam says. "I knew she would know what a crocotta was."

"Some calls I make; some calls I take, but you have to admit, I had you fooled for a while. All that Edison phone crap," Clark laughs and moves over to the telephone exchange cabinet. He places his hands against the glass and leans back in ecstasy.

"What are you doing?" Dean asks.

"I'm killing your sister. Or maybe I'm killing another guy. We'll just have to see how it goes," Clark says.

==

In a Police Locker Room, a man's phone rings as he finishes changing. He looks at the number, glances over at the other person in the room, and answers.

"Hello?" The man says softly.

"Hi Daddy," a little girl's voice says through static.

"Hey baby. I thought you said you weren't gonna call anymore."

"I know, Daddy."

"You know how sad this makes your old man," he says. "How upset I was at your funeral."

"I had to call; I know who killed me Daddy."

"What?"

"The woman who killed me, she's at the house right now."

"What are you saying to me?" The man asks, shocked.

"She's at the house Daddy, she wants to kill you too!" Hanging up the phone, the man's face becomes set in stone.

==

Clark pulls the knife out of Stewie's chest.

"You know, mimicking Y/N's one thing. But our Dad," Dean says. "That's a hell of a trick."

"Well, once I made you three as hunters, it was easy," Clark pushes Stewie out of the way, his chair hitting the door. "I found Y/N's number, then your numbers, then your father's numbers," Clark explains, walking towards the two. "Then emails, voicemails, everything." Clark crouches in front of Sam, pointing the knife at Sam. However, Sam is secretly winding the wires from around their wrists. "You see, people think that stuff just gets erased, but it doesn't. You'd be surprised how much of yourself is just floating out there, waiting to be plucked."

"Y/N's not going to fall for this," Sam says, smiling smugly. "She's not going to kill that guy."

"Then the guy kills her."

==

Car headlights shine across the window into the room where Y/N waits. She silently moves toward the hallway as a car door slams. Y/N removes the lid from the bottle of holy water. She hears a noise toward the back of the house and frowns, moving down the hallway toward the back door. She pauses, then looks from the back to the front door.

The back door slams open, and the man appears, raising a rifle and firing. Y/N leaps out of the way, dropping the bottle of holy water. The Man begins reloading. Y/N glances at the holy water, it is draining away. She waits to hear the bullet shell being removed and runs for the man, using her forward movement to slam him back into the wall. She hits him a few times, then knees him viciously. Letting him drop, Y/N moves toward the rifle but the man follows, grabbing Y/N and slamming her backwards onto a table. He gets in a few hits before Y/N headbutts him. As the man falls backward to the ground Y/N kicks him in the stomach. She kicks him four times, pauses, then kicks him once more, even more viciously, grunting as she does so.

"Son of a bitch," she mutters.

==

Clark begins pacing around the room.

"Technology..." He uses the knife to pull a piece of Sam's hair out of his face. "Makes life so much easier." He circles around Sam and Dean. "Used to be I'd hide in the woods for days, weeks, whispering to people, trying to draw them out into the night." He stops to stand in front of Sam and Dean but facing Sam. "But they had community, they all looked out for each other, I'd be lucky to eat one or two souls a year. Now when I'm hungry, I simply make a phone call." Clark sneers. "You're all so connected. But you've never been so alone." Clark opens his mouth and begins to unhinge his jaw while raising his knife.

"I think to fuck not," Dean says, kicking Clark in the shins. While Clark looks to Dean, Sam has managed to escape his ties, his wrists bloody. He erupts out of the chair, and they fall to the ground, Clark losing the knife. They struggle for it, Sam rising first. Clark grabs Sam's jacket and swings him around into a metal grate. Clark picks up the knife, running at Sam. "Sam! Dammit!" Dean begins to wind the wires from around his bloody wrists, desperate to help his brother.

==

Y/N and the man slam through a glass door, the man becoming groggy. Y/N quickly reaches for the man's belt, pulling out a handgun, flicking the cartridge out and tossing it aside. As the man struggles to get to his feet, covered in glass, Y/N pulls back the rug, showing the devil's trap sprayed onto the floor. She turns away, pulling the exorcism out of her pocket. The man, confused, stares at the markings on the floor.

"What is this?" He asks.

"Your funeral," Y/N begins the exorcism in Latin. The man glares at her and slowly moves forward out of the circle.

"You do this to my daughter too?" Y/N stares at the devil's trap.

"How the hell did you get out?" She asks.

"Did you do this to my daughter too?!" The man shouts.

"Wait, this is a mistake."

"You killed her!!"

"No, wait," the man leaps at Y/N.

==

Sam and Clark struggle for the knife, exchanging blows as they move about the room. Dean manages to get out of his restraints finally and pulls the knife away, hitting Clark, forcing him backwards into the wall. A spike, one of many on a corkboard, jams into the back of Clark's neck, killing him. Dean watches as Clark chokes on his blood before turning to Sam, breathing heavily.

"You alright?" Dean asks. Sam nods. Dean looks back to Clark. "You’re a son of a bitch!"

==

The man falls on Y/N as she lies on the ground, laying onto her.

"She was 9 years old!"

"Stop!" Y/N shouts. "I didn't! You gotta believe me!" The man keeps hitting her. Y/N manages to twist around and grab the rifle, smacking the man in the forehead with the butt. He falls backward as Y/N rises, standing over him.

"Why did you kill her?" The man cries.

"I'm sorry. I didn't kill your daughter. I would never dream of killing a kid," Y/N says, looking at the man with sympathy.

"Then what are you doing here?" Y/N looks around.

"I don't know," Y/N says, anguished.

==

Back in the motel room, Y/N holds a facecloth to her cut eye, groaning. Sam and Dean enter the room and come to the door of the bathroom.

"I see they improved your faces," Y/N says, smirking. Sam and Dean snigger.

"Right back at ya," Dean says. Y/N moves past Sam and Dean into the main room, pulling up a chair to the beds while Sam and Dean sit on them.

"So, crocotta, huh?"

"Yep," Sam says.

"That would explain the flies."

"Yeah, it would," Dean agrees. "Hey, um...look we're sorry it wasn't Dad," Y/N huffs.

"Nah, I gave you two a hell of a time on this one..."

"Ahh," Dean says.

"You were right," Y/N says.

"Forget about it," Sam says.

"I can't. I wanted to believe so badly that there was a way outta this. I mean, I'm staring down the barrel at this thing. You know, Hell. For real, forever, and I just..."

"Yeah," Sam says softly.

"I'm scared, guys," Y/N says, tearing up. "I'm really scared."

"We know," Dean says, as he and Sam also tear up.

"I guess I was willing to believe anything. You know, the last act of a desperate woman."

"There's nothing wrong with having hope, Y/N," Sam says.

"Hope doesn't get you jack squat. I can't expect Dad to show up with some miracle at the last minute. I can't expect anybody to, you know. I mean the only person that can get me out of this thing is me."

"And us," Sam says, earnestly.

"And me?" Y/N says.

"What?" Dean asks.

"Deep revelation, having a real moment here, that's what you come back with? And me?" Sam raises his eyebrow.

"Uh...do you want a poem?" Sam asks.

"The moment's gone..." Sam and Dean smile slightly. Y/N flicks the TV on while Dean reaches between the beds, grabs three bottles of beer and holds two out to Sam and Y/N without looking at them. Sam and Y/N take one, they crack them open and drink in unison, while staring at the TV.

==

Later that night, Y/N is sat on the chair, staring into darkness with a beer in hand. She thinks for a bit before going over to Sam's bed, sitting on the edge. She places her hand on his head, gently rubbing.

"When you were born, I made a promise. That I will always be there for you, and I'll always protect you. I said even when I'm old and wrinkly, I'll use my walking stick to beat some asses" Y/N gently laughs at the thought. She brushes a piece of hair away from Sam's face "But I need you to promise me something. You may not hear me, but I know you'll know. When I'm gone, when I'm buried 6 feet underground" Y/N looks over at Dean, smiling sadly before back at Sam.

"Look after your stupid brother because he'll need it. He'll need you more than ever. And I know that it may be tough at first, but it's Dean what do you expect" She leans down, smiling "I love you, so, so much, Sammy. You and your brother are my whole life, and I would do anything to protect you" She kisses his head softly, she holds for a couple of seconds before pulling away. She stands up and walks to Dean's bed, pulling up the covers "Good dreams, okay De. " She sits back in the chair she was sat in previously, drinking her beer.

#supernatural #older sister winchester #supernatural fanfiction #supernatural fandom #reader insert

[scummy-writes]

Training Theo

Rating: Explicit (Minors dni)

Words: 7485

Pairing: Theo/Mc, Theo/Reader (- but uses she/her pronouns)

Tags: Cunnilingus, Pegging, Blow Jobs, Edging, Modern Au, Established (longtime) Relationship, Squirting, Anal Fingering, Vaginal Fingering, Collars, Gags, Vibrators, Cuddling

Full fic under the cut!

Preview:

She thumbed his lip after, finally smiling playfully when he frowned.

"What’s the pout for? Did you think tonight would be easy for you?"

"I thought you'd be more eager to let me touch you."

"Mm, but we've always done what you want," she settled in his lap, perfectly pressed against his erection, "I've been waiting for ages to get to play with you like this, I'm not going to give up that easily."

As she spoke she reached beside the bed, opening the nightstand drawer. Theo recognized the familiar toys she pulled out with the lube, remembering the fond nights when they first used the small vibrators on her, but one was new- a deep blue collar.

"Tonight's all about role reversals, Theo, and I'm very eager to show you how I play ‘Master’."

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

"I've missed you, you know."

"Mm, I've missed my Hondje too."

Her sweet laugh on the other end of the phone drew a soft smile from Theo, who sat alone in a darkened hotel room. He glanced at the small clock on the polished nightstand, counting the possible hours of sleep he could function on if he selfishly decided to keep her on call for longer.

"How have you been? Has work been hard?"

Theo shook his head as he kicked his shoes off, muttering, "honestly, when would I allow this job to best me?"

"Never, but I know you'll 'allow' it to run you ragged." The tease trailed off before she tentatively continued, "will I see you soon?"

"In a few days at the latest."

"I can honestly handle being alone when needed," Theo took off his belt as she spoke, feeling the exhaustion from the day seep into his muscles, "but… I really do miss seeing your grin in the mornings. Well. I just really miss you."

The only sound from his end was a rustling of fabric and a murmur of wait a moment before he picked up the phone again, shirt gone while he finished tugging on some pj bottoms.

"If I can, I'm going to try and head home sooner-"

"Uh-uh. No, take the time you need. I don't want you pulling all-nighters and barely resting just to crash for a full day when you finally do come home."

"Hey, I'm not. I promise, I'm taking it easy."

"And if I ask to see your schedule?"

He glanced towards his planner, left on the messy desk with various time schedules scribbled in.

"Not as bad as it was before the holidays."

"That's still not saying much."

"Mhm. What about you?"

"Going mad trying to invent new chores to pass the time."

Theo laughed, a short burst that felt good after this tiring week.

"Yes, yes, laugh,” a soft and playful sigh sounded out on the other line, before she quietly asked, "hey, does the room have its own alarm clock?"

"Mhm."

"...Then… is it alright if we stay on the phone tonight?"

"All night?"

"I've really missed you."

Theo rubbed his eyes, trying to ignore the warmth on his cheeks. Gods. He was so used to her playing strong around him that hearing her speak so tentatively, so shyly nervous, had him wishing he could go home now.

"Of course, baby."

He reached for the light, clicking it off while he heard shuffling from her end. In a moment she was back, a grin evident in her voice.

"I love you, Theo."

"I love you too."

---

She never awoke before he did. His internal clock was so used to waking him around dawn that when he pulled his heated phone away from his pillow, eyes bleary as he blinked the sleep away, Theo wasn’t surprised to see that the call had only been going on for a handful of hours. Knowing fully well she couldn’t hear him, he muttered a loving goedemorgen before hanging up and getting ready for the day.

Whenever she did wake up, she usually sent him a message not too long after. Sometimes it was a selfie, sometimes it was a typo-filled text where she groggily wished him luck for whatever meeting he was running off to. So when a text notification went off on his way to meet his current client, he knew she was finally up for the day.

Her message was short and to the point. Asking if he’d be interested in seeing pictures of something she ordered when it came in, and he didn’t even consider what any of it could be as he typed out his approval while walking into the client’s office.

And, surprisingly, it was well into the meeting when she finally sent a few pictures.

.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, distracting him momentarily from the conversation. Once he could spare a moment to look without coming off as too rude to those around him, he glanced at his messages to make sure there was nothing important that couldn’t wait until later. When he saw it was from her, he couldn't help but click the message. An impulse? Probably, given how much he missed her, but the picture that loaded wasn't what Theo had expected.

The swell of her breasts is what he registered first. The photo was angled as though he was looking down at her, but her face was cut save for her smile. Trailing past, and her thighs were pressed together within the view, and it took that long until Theo realized she was showing off a new outfit.

His eyes widened before he could form the thought to hide it, a cough escaping him as he clicked his phone's screen off. But even after he managed to excuse the interruption, his mind couldn't stop veering off from the topic at hand, thinking about how the deep blue lace of her new nightie hugged her curves and reminded him how badly he wanted to bury his face between her thighs.

So this was what she was playing at. Theo felt as though he shouldn't be surprised, given how much they've missed each other… but how long had it been since either of them had done this? As tempting as it may be, given his schedule for today it wasn’t as though he could successfully send any photos back. So he was left to ponder what type of responses to send out in replacement, hoping she deemed the words as an invitation to continue.

.

The next photo hit during his lunch break, and he tilted his screen so no one could see, thankful for thinking ahead and picking a corner table.

This time, it was of a harness that matched her lingerie set, a flushed dildo secured onto it with a caption:

Not as big as yours, but I think we'll make do. Besides, it's all about how you use it, right?

He kept scrolling between the two photos, picturing how she must look with the strap-on and toy slick with lube, then promptly covered his face with an annoyed huff.

He could just do a phone meeting with the client for tomorrow couldn't he?

Theo drummed his fingers on the tabletop, working through the rest of his schedule to see what he could push together.

She truly wanted him to rest, but one day of rushing wouldn't kill him, not as much as the weeklong case of blueballs she was making him endure.

.

The last picture was sent later that night, putting his imagination to shame as she poised in front of a mirror.

The phone obscured her face but the photo focused primarily on how her fingers were mid caress of the shaft of the dildo. No caption was needed for this one, and Theo responded with a screenshot of the ticket he booked for a flight home due the following day.

---

The house was dim once he finally reached home, and Theo found himself more impatient by the second; suitcase abandoned by the door as he hurriedly locked it behind him, coat and keys lost somewhere on the couch.

Of course she was waiting for him. The screenshot of his flight booking provided enough information for her to plan out whatever ‘surprise’ she wanted, and yet when he opened the bedroom door he still froze, seeing her casually at her vanity with the afternoon glow highlighting her beauty. Her reflection lit up and the excited smile she gave immediately eased any tension he had left as she giddily stood up, meeting him halfway and giggling when he pulled her into an embrace.

For a moment, all Theo wanted to do was hold her tight. Enjoy the feeling of his precious Hondje in his arms as the stress of his past work week left him. But then his hands felt the silk and lace of her lingerie over her hips, and he remembered just how pent up he was.

A feeling he wasn't used to, but one he couldn’t complain about. Not when she shuddered his name as he peppered heated kisses along her neck, his palms sliding and groping her ass- making her gasp and cling onto his shirt.

“T-Theo, wait-”

“I’ve waited long enough.”

Theo roved his hands over her body before cupping her cheeks, crashing their lips together as he hungrily sought the kisses he had been craving each night. He ignored the taste of her lipstick, taking each moan she gave him as he slipped his tongue against hers. At first, she seemed to have melted against him, not caring about her freshly applied lipstick being smeared impatiently, and then her palms flattened against his chest, pushing until they both finally broke apart, panting.

Her heady gaze traveled over his lips, frowning.

"I spent so long on my makeup, and then you storm in here and ruin it."

Her tone was a stark contrast compared to the soft gasps she had just let out, low with the smallest hint of a pout while she thumbed the corner of her mouth.

She allowed him to loosely wrap his arms around her waist, still frowning as he smirked.

"Do you expect me not to want to pet my Hondje?" A quick tug, and Theo closed the small gap between them. Before she could scold him, he leaned to kiss along her jawline, feeling a thrill of heat run through his abdomen when the kisses that traced all his favorite spots along her neck brought a shiver out from her, "To taste my snoepje? Mmh…"

"Why should I let you when you keep breaking your promises?"

He cocked a brow, smirking. It had been a while since her tone had gotten so stern with him in the bedroom, and hearing it murmured right by his ear had Theo itching to draw it out more. Who knew he would already like this so much?

Another squeeze of her ass, and her hands slid up his torso. At first they just grazed over the buttons of his shirt, but she huffed, talking as she pushed against him,

“I didn’t think I’d have to scold you so quickly, you know,” as she spoke she kept pushing, leading him to walk backwards until the back of his legs hit the edge of the bed, “you’re so strict about rules with me, that I figured you’d at least somewhat listen, but… You always like it when there’s a bit of tension, I suppose.”

Theo sat on the bed, grinning at her scowl once she straddled him, “did you think I’d let you do this without any pushback?”

“No, but I hoped to do this without having to use too many punishments,” she sighed, working his shirt off.

The comment itself (and perhaps her exposed chest, once she let her robe slip off her shoulders) distracted him long enough for her to clasp their pair of bedroom cuffs along his wrists.

She thumbed his lip after, finally smiling playfully when he frowned.

"What’s the pout for? Did you think tonight would be easy for you?"

"I thought you'd be more eager to let me touch you."

"Mm, but we've always done what you want," she settled in his lap, perfectly pressed against his erection, "I've been waiting for ages to get to play with you like this, I'm not going to give up that easily."

As she spoke she reached beside the bed, opening the nightstand drawer. Theo recognized the familiar toys she pulled out with the lube, remembering the fond nights when they first used the small vibrators on her, but one was new- a deep blue collar.

"Tonight's all about role reversals, Theo, and I'm very eager to show you how I play ‘Master’."

---

Another thrum of the toy brought a shiver through him. He knew if he attempted getting it out, her mood would quickly spoil, but he wasn’t sure just how much more he could take of this. The bullet vibrator was set on the highest setting right off the bat. The sudden rush of pleasure had caused him to jerk against the thick cuffs she had put him in, straining the chain connected to the headboard as she laughed. He couldn’t have complained even if he had wanted to- with the silicone bone strapped between his teeth, the most he could do was huff his frustrations. Or…

Whine.

He flinched, forcing himself to stave off any embarrassment he felt by watching her sit back at the vanity. It was as though she had all the time in the world; innocently humming to herself as she picked up the third lipstick of the night and held it up to her lips. She tapped it thoughtfully as she studied her reflection, giving a pause of thought before she finally began to apply it, slowly swiping the color along her lips.

"Maybe this one will be better?" She muttered, looking at Theo through the mirror. He could hardly see himself in it from his angle on the bed, but he caught her smirk.

Pushing gently away from her vanity, she walked over towards him, sitting on the edge of the bed. With a steady hand, she trailed her fingers along his bare chest and traced the colorful litter of kisses she had given him before.

“I think the warmer hues suit you more, honestly. The cooler colors stand out well, but look...tacky.” She muttered, leaning over briefly to plant her lips against the crook of his neck. Ignoring his shiver, she sat up again and nodded to herself, “You always seem to prefer the reds, though. Is it because of how they stand out against your skin, or is it the stains they leave? You can be honest with me.”

Even as she grasped his chin to look at him for some sort of answer, Theo found his eyes darting away, feeling flushed under her stare. However, she just chuckled wryly.

“I thought that was the case. We always seem to have the same tastes, after all. You, with all your biting to claim your territory, and me with… well...” Another lingering kiss, this time on the shell of his ear; an excuse to take a nip.

And from there, she resumed her earlier teases; planting colorful kisses all over his torso, littering hickies on all of his sensitive spots.

This… Was torture. Even if he could manage to rub his cock against her, she had started this all off with a cockring. The toy sat snug at the base of his cock, making his throbbing harder to ignore as it’s weak vibrations pulsed in time with them. If he lost control over himself, even just for a moment, this night would be over before they knew it.

Ruining all of her teasing through the week… She wouldn’t truly be upset with him, but Theo didn’t want to let it go to waste.

"You're such a big canvas, Theo, but I'm still running out of room…" The pads of her fingers slowly traced the band of his boxers, and Theo instinctively strained. The bed creaked as she settled between his legs, eying the dampened spot of fabric where the tip of his dick rested. Without any warning, she tugged his underwear down to his ankles, humming.

“I know the vibrations with these are weak, but you’re still sensitive here, aren’t you?” She trailed her finger along the underside of his cock, following the thick vein she often teased, “So that paired with the toy up against your prostate… and how you haven’t been able to let off any steam since you left… you must be aching pretty badly, huh?”

They finally locked eyes. Her curious gaze peeking over the head of his cock met his drawn one, a smile taking hold of her.

“If you’re good, I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded. How about that? Will you be a good Hondje for me, Theo?”

She didn’t give him time to answer- not that he could anyway. All he could do was attempt not to jut his hips as her reddened lips pressed against his frenum.

“Ghk-” Theo inhaled sharply as her tongue brushed against him, lapping at the precum that had spilled down his shaft.

Just as she had been assisting him in the past, she was meticulous; lingering long enough so her lipstick markings were unsmudged, the tip of her tongue flicking against his skin if his movements threatened to ruin her precision. Soon, his cock was covered in a litany of kisses, and she had even gone as far as to take one of his balls into her mouth during the process, thankfully letting the muffled curses he spat out go without so much as a scold.

As she sat back on her knees to eye her work, she giggled.

“I told myself if you misbehaved, we would finally try out that cage I bought for you instead of this measly cockring, but look at you! You took all of that so well, baby.”

A wash of warmth flooded his cheeks at the praise. Mixed in with the edging, he had to wonder if this is how she felt during the nights he took charge-

A loud shutter sound stole his attention, and soon that pleasant warmth turned into a fiery heat as he saw her phone out. Through his gagged complaints, she still seemed to understand what he was saying.

“Mm? Your clients take photos of their artwork all the time, Theo. I want to have a few pictures of mine.”

God damnit. His head fwumped back against the pillow, an annoyed huff slipping out. Of course she looks the happiest when I’m embarrassed. Sheepishly, he followed her prompts to spread his legs wider, repeating to himself that tonight he promised to keep in line for her sake.

.

With a soft click, the gag loosened from Theo's mouth. Gingerly, eying her reaction, he pushed it out with his tongue, letting the toy fall beside his head. He tugged at the chain still hooked to the headboard, hoping it was next. Instead, she lightly grasped his chin, lips pressed tightly together while thumbing the corner of his mouth.

Theo knew what that look meant. Before she could speak he jerked his chin away, tugging once more at the chain.

"Thought you said you were going to teach me a lesson, Hondje?"

For just a second, her worry lingered when she met his defiance. Then, she hooked her fingers under his collar, forcing him into a sitting position with a harsh yank. With the short chain, his hands were stiff behind his head; stuck raised in such a way.

"You really want to backtalk right now?"

He just smirked, cocking a brow.

"Fine," she straddled his lap, hovering just too far for his cock to graze her. Without warning, he felt a light tug near the tip of his cock, and remembered too late that the gag was the only toy she had removed.

"Wait- h-ah!"

The headboard creaked as Theo strained his chain, trying his damnedest to control his noise as the bullet vibrator switched on, instantly thrumming at the highest setting. He narrowly stopped himself from cumming earlier, but now he was being thrown back towards that edge without further warning.

"Really, all you have to do is just play nice, Theo," she let out a mock sigh, reaching between her thighs to pull her underwear aside. Her legs spread further as she lowered her hips, rubbing the head of his cock along her pussy with a pleased smile, "by now I might have let you cum. Maybe even inside, for once… It's been a while since you've filled me up, hasn't it?"

As she talked, her hips rocked slowly, making sure to linger at her entrance to tease almost pushing his tip in. Did she want him to cum this early? Or was she hoping he'd break, pinning her down to fuck her like a man starved for any taste of her.

"I-if you don't, ngh, stop soon I'll-"

"What? Cum already?" Quickly, she grasped his chin, making him face her frown, "if you can't handle this, then you know how to make it stop, don't you?"

Seeing her expectant face made it harder to get the words out. Theo sucked in a breath, trying to regain what little control he had before huffing what she wanted to hear.

“Please… Master.”

“Good boy.”

It wasn't until the toy finally cut off that Theo noticed the sweat slicking his forehead and the ache in his arms. He watched as she moved away, nudging his shoulder. Theo took the gentle push as a sign to relax, resting with his back against the headboard as he caught his breath.

There wasn’t another snarky comment from her as she slipped off the bed, but when she bent to get something from the dresser's bottom drawer, Theo saw just how excited she was. Even though the fabric of her underwear was a darker teal, the damp spot alone nearly made all of this torment worth it.

Turning around, she caught his gaze, smiling as she showed off the toy he only saw in the texts she had sent, “looks better in person, doesn't it?"

Honestly? It did. Now he could gauge just how thick the shaft was as she trailed her fingers along it. Since it was detached from her harness, he could see that the toy itself seemed to have an insertable part for her- just enough to rest comfortably at her g-spot, possibly?

But his mind wandered back towards the girth of the shaft. It was thicker than the toys they had tested out in the past to warm him up to this idea, and while he didn't doubt he could take it, imagining how filling it would be sent another embarrassed thrill through him.

Mentally shaking it off, he huffed out a laugh, "you just want me to look at it?"

"Cheeky," she playfully rolled her eyes, coming back to the bed, "I was thinking your cock would want a small break, but if you'd really like, I wouldn't mind trying vibrator's other settings…?"

"Oi, don't twist my words."

His glare made her chuckle, and then she settled between his spread legs, cupping his cheeks.

"It's only fair after everything you've done to me before, puppy. And even though you've been pretty mouthy, your Master can't help but want to give you a little treat."

A treat? The first thought to come to mind was a kiss, and Theo's gaze dropped towards her lips. The last color of lipstick she had put on was fading from all the kisses she had given his body, but Theo had barely received any the traditional way.

"Not that, but maybe if you keep behaving better," her finger tapped his bottom lip, "what I was thinking was allowing you to help me put this on."

Allowing. Since when did that phrasing turn him on? He couldn't help but feel as though her body truly was for his hands only, and she was finally giving him permission to touch her again…

When he didn't disagree, she moved to sit on the edge of the bed, snapping her fingers and pointing in front of her, "sit."

She looked so proud saying the command. If this had been years ago, Theo would have rolled his eyes at someone trying to play this role on him. But now Theo had to bite back a loving laugh as he sat on his knees between her legs.

This type of reversed play wasn’t his favorite, but after being eased into this over time, Theo could easily see himself indulging her occasionally. Especially when she toyed with his collar again, gently tugging him towards her thighs with a look full of affection as she confidently spoke.

“You know what to do from here, right? Surely you don’t need me to explain, not after all this time.”

“Mm, finally admitting how good it feels?”

Another tug, paired with a quiet laugh and a shush.

Giving her control with her happiness as a reward hardly felt like a loss, Theo decidedly thought.

.

The pads of his fingers swirled around her clit, and she luxuriated on the feeling; leaning back onto her elbows and allowing Theo to keep going without any further commands. The familiar pleasured sighs that left her lips encouraged him, and he steadily slipped two fingers inside of her, carefully pumping. The way her cunt immediately clenched around his digits made him groan, instinctively envisioning all the fantasies he distractedly thought up this past week.

It would be so easy just to push her legs further apart to lap at her swollen bud, lavishing it with the attention he couldn't give her lately.

But…

She deserves this too. Thinking of how sore his cock was becoming from being edged again and again, Theo wasn't too keen on pushing another 'punishment' out of her. In all honesty, this barely compared to the scenes she agreed to do for him in the past.

Instead of following his urges, Theo leaned forward enough to press a lingering kiss on her stomach, looking up when he felt her shift.

Her hazy eyes met his and lingered. Lingered as she reached to card her fingers through his hair, smiling lazily when he instinctively leaned into her touch.

"A little late to be playing like a good boy now, but it is cute…"

She patted beside her, indicating the toy resting on the bed, "though, you can get your reward quicker by helping me."

“Mm, you sure?” Another kiss to her stomach, trailing further down as he spoke, “I can give you more-”

The fingers in his hair gripped tight, forcing him to pull away from her sensitive bud as she clicked her tongue.

“Theo.”

He smirked, pulling his fingers out just to take his time licking them clean and savoring the taste. In response she grabbed the dildo herself, using the tip to nudge his chin up.

“If you want to use your mouth so badly, I have an idea that should satisfy you.”

.

“This is what you want me to do?” Theo asked, cocking a brow.

“Mm? I thought you wanted something to lick?” She casually spread her legs further to accommodate him as he got comfortable, biting her smirk when the frown on his lips wouldn’t budge, “what’s wrong?”

“What are you going to get out of this?”

“Pretty visuals to think back on fondly, for one.”

He rolled his eyes at the comment, moving to rest his palms on her thighs.

It wasn’t as if the toy cock was huge, she had known better than to buy something that would be too much for either of them, but it still felt ridiculous as he leaned forward, stiffly running his tongue along the shaft. It wasn’t until he pushed brief kisses against the toy that he noticed the faint vibrations pulsing through it.

Ah.

“That’s it, just like that…”

Wordlessly, he glanced up at her, only to pause at her expression.

Her whole face was flushed with a mixture of apprehension streaked along her features as she watched him, breath coming out slowly. With one hand gently fondling her breast, she rested the other against her cheek, teeth lightly digging into her pinky. With that single glance, Theo recognized that this was undoubtedly fulfilling some sort of kink she had never told him about.

Well… It wasn’t like she would tell anyone what he was doing.

Taking in a deep breath, Theo pushed aside his embarrassment and pressed the head of the toy cock against his lips. With one last nervous glance, he opened his mouth properly, lavishing the tip with his tongue before fully taking it in. With that fluid movement, she let out a quiet gasp of pleasure.

Her noises are always so cute... He wasn’t even sure if she knew the sounds were slipping out of her as she pawed at his hair, pressing lightly on the back of his head.

“M-more, you can take more than that, can’t you?”

There wasn’t a lot of give with the toy. Surely his cock didn’t feel so unforgiving, did it? But he followed her requests, taking in what he could without gagging, keeping in mind the times she did this for him. With one hand wrapped around the base of the toy cock, his other rested on her thigh, lightly pushing with his movements. Each rhythmic movement jostled the strap-on, giving him a peek at her pussy. It was enough to see the way the toy was pushed inside of her on her end, her folds glistening with her arousal and giving him pause.

Now the temptation to move this to another night was yet again coming back to life as his palms ran up her inner thighs. He thumbed the straps of the belt, looking up at her with the cock still in his mouth. She seemed confused for a moment, then he saw her gaze drop down towards his hands.

“You think you’ve earned a treat yet?” She smiled, pushing on his forehead with a single finger, “Theo, honey, you’ve barely done anything.”

Taking the cue, he finally pulled back, sitting on his knees, “the hell I have-”

Firmly, she grabbed his chin, yanking to make him look her way.

“All you’ve done is manage not to be a quickshot. You think a dog gets a treat for doing the bare minimum? What all have you made me do for mine?”

He swallowed thickly, feeling hot under her glare.

Way more than just a blowjob, that was for sure.

“What do I have to do to get my treat, then?”

.

The transition to the bed was rough. A quick succession of yanks with his leash until he crawled back onto the mattress, his head pushed down promptly with a tsk.

“I knew you’d give some backtalk, but I foolishly assumed you’d behave by now.”

“Seemed to have liked the backtalk before I left- ghk!” The tease had left his mouth on an impulse, and she was quick to deliver a hard smack against his ass, jostling him from the impact.

“I have half a mind to give you your bone again,” the huffy words made him have to bite back a smile, unable to take the threat seriously. For a moment, Theo was glad she forced him to look away from her, because the stifled grin would surely draw out some other punishment she thought up.

In the middle of his idle thoughts, the cool sensation of lube dribbling between his cheeks made his breath catch, face burning as an involuntary noise slipped out. A soft shh was murmured, and then he felt her finger press against his hole, easily pushing in to the knuckle.

One finger wasn't enough to reduce him to the puddle she wanted to make out of him, but due to all their playing beforehand, a second and third finger slipped in with no issue after a few careful pumps between them- only issue that stemmed was Theo trying his damndest to hold his tongue.

"Mm, what's that? Where did all that fight go?"

“T-Thought you wanted me to keep my mouth shut?” He sucked in a breath when she grazed his prostate, steadying his voice, “make up your mind.”

The jab didn’t phase her. In fact she just continued on, slowly setting a steady pace with her fingers. Each pump was just shy of hitting that bundle of nerves again until she deemed him to be too quiet, attempting to pull out noises that would wind the both of them up further.

"What is it I always call you, hm?"

So much. Too much. Theo could hardly think as her lubed fingers slowed inside of him- only to stop when he remained silent.

"Theo, answer me."

Fuck.

"Devil, mmh- a bully."

"That's right," she pushed further, drawing a shudder as the tips of her fingers brushed his prostate, "how does it feel to be on the receiving end of all this teasing, for once?"

“What, hah, are you wanting from me?”

“The truth, for once.”

“If you keep teasing me, this night is going to be cut short.” Theo hissed as he looked over his shoulder, praying his cheeks weren’t as flushed as they felt, “fuck me already.”

Her eyes widened briefly, and then she quietly laughed, pulling her fingers out with a smile.

“About time you asked.”

.

Her fingers traveled down his spine until she grasped his asscheek, chuckling at the jolt that went through him. There was a soft murmur of ‘good boy’ before he felt his cheeks being spread; the tip of her dildo beginning to push in at a torturously slow pace.

He wanted to feel ashamed for the long groan he let out, but all he did was bury his face further into his pillow, trying to ignore how much his cock ached for more stimulation as it pushed against the sheets, her toy only halfway in.

Gripping his hips, she gently pulled him back, easing herself inside of him to the hilt and stilling. Letting him get used to the toy’s girth.

“All good?”

It certainly felt different than what they had used before now. The massager she introduced him to had felt odd the one time they used it, but it couldn't compare to how filling the cock she pushed inside of him was.

Theo swallowed thickly, lifting his head just enough so she could properly see him nod.

"Mm, what was that?"

All it took was her fingers brushing against the hair on the nape of his neck, and Theo glanced over his shoulder.

"'S good…"

"Yeah? Show me."

"What?"

"Show me how good it feels. You've been making me do all the work this whole time, you know?"

You've got to be kidding.

But when Theo made no movement, neither did she. They had been playing long enough for him to know she would sit there for however long it took, so with his face back against his pillow, he tested a roll of his hips.

The toy barely moved inside of him, and he held back the frustrated curse that threatened to slip out.

“Come on, you can do better than that!”

They both jostled when she playfully smacked his ass, the sound making his ears burn, but it motivated him to finally prop himself up on all fours, sinking back onto the toy with a harder thrust than before.

Having it fill him to the base caused his cock to twitch, a groan stuck in his throat. It didn't take long for Theo to build up a steady pace out of growing desperation, fucking himself while she watched in amusement.

Her hands gripped his hips, and he seemed to finally get some sort of reward; she began to meet his pace, panting alongside the muffled moans he couldn't hide.

“Good boy," she murmured, finger hooked on the back of his collar, "now, lean back with me.”

Once on his knees, he felt her nibble at his shoulder before peeking around his side, pulling out a toy that made him break into a sweat.

“Hey.”

“Mm? It feels good, I promise.”

“I’m not going to last long enough for you to- hah!”

In the midst of his complaint she enveloped his cock in the fleshlight, giggling as he struggled holding his orgasm at bay. The dual sensations of being so full, then such a tight warmth around his aching cock stole his breath away.

“You’re so much weaker to this than I thought, Theo. Is it really feeling that good for you, baby?”

Her heated breath at his ear made it all so much harder to endure. While her thrusts were harsh, the pace still matched the one she set with the fleshlight in her hand.

Was she trying to overload him? How the fuck was he supposed to handle this?

“Hondje- I can’t-”

“What was that?” Another sharp tug at his collar, and Theo bit out a curse as he corrected himself.

“Master,” he spat, “I can’t- fuck, I’m hitting my limit.”

He thanked whatever God granted him the mercy of her letting him fall back onto the bed, especially with the growled warning he had gave. While her pace with the fleshlight was sloppier in this position, Theo couldn’t find it within himself to give a shit when each of her thrusts began to slam into him, hitting that sweet spot that made his eyes flutter shut with an unabashed moan. The combined pleasure nearly made his legs weak, damned if he’d ever admit that, but it was evident enough with how shakily he was holding himself up on all fours.

“You’re taking me so good, Theo,” her own gasps were raspy with her arousal, and she leaned up against his back just to purr in his ear, “cum for me, puppy.”

Just the simple act of giving him permission was enough to finally let himself go over the edge, and damn her for continuing to fuck him through it all. At the first wash of pleasure, Theo let out a guttural groan, spilling into the toy engulfing his overworked cock immediately. She wasn’t cruel enough to abandon her ministrations with it completely, but she gave one final push into him and stilled, working the fleshlight faster than before. The toy didn’t milk him like her own cunt would try to do, but the ridges inside were enough to draw a shudder out as he continued to spill over.

She gave him the time to catch his breath, offering no comments when he languidly rolled his hips to fuck into the toy, riding out the aftershocks of his orgasm. With a huff, Theo sank into the pillows once more, the tension in his body letting loose at once.

.

During his afterglow, she offered no teasing or prodding comments as she carefully cleaned the mess they made. He had no idea how long it took her or what exactly she did, he only knew that when she was done, her hands ran over the back of his thighs, soothingly rubbing the growing ache forming.

It was...Nice. Coming down from that high to feel her gentle touch while he still lay face down against his pillow. The moment he began to feel clear headed, however, Theo realized their little roleplay for the night was over, and those fantasies he had harbored this past week came to mind all at once.

Theo ignored the burning in his thighs as he sat up. She must have assumed he was going to the restroom as she didn’t try to coax him into laying down again, but when she realized he was just getting onto his knees by the bed, the worry in her voice came through immediately. His name was almost out of her lips by the time he reached out.

"Hey!"

The red of her cheeks blazed as Theo grabbed her legs and yanked. His Hondje barely weighed anything it seemed, given how easy it was to pull her ass to the edge of the mattress. She scrambled a little when he easily settled between her thighs, but all the fight in her died out as soon as he spread her folds apart and got a mouthful of her warmth.

"T-Theo!"

God, just getting to taste her after so long was driving him mad. If it wasn't for how little it had been since he had came, Theo swore he would have been ready for another round from this alone.

Luckily, she just focused on muffling her yelp. And now that Theo had the treat he wanted in his hands, he wasted no more time. Grasping her ass, he forced her to stay in place as he lapped up every bit of her excitement that he could, pausing to suckle at her clit long enough to hear his favorite whine from her.

"Oh, Theo-!" The keen fell into a whimper as his tongue rasped her bud. One of her hands twisted into the sheets, while the other clumsily grasped at his locks, chanting his name in between half-hearted protests.

When she bucked against his mouth to gain more friction, he pulled back, chuckling at her whine. A few hungry nips at her thighs caused her to tug his hair in complaint, trying to guide him back, but Theo stayed firm, running his fangs over her sensitive skin. If it wasn’t for all their play earlier, he would have loved to have drawn out some pleading, but he was too damn thirsty.

Fingers pushing into her core, Theo bit down on her inner thigh, bringing forth groans from the both of them. Him, at her taste finally satiating the burning that had been built up in his throat, and her from the way he curled his fingers inside of her, hitting that bundle of nerves inside of her on every pump.

The pleasure of the bite running through her was evident by the mewls spilling out, her hips rocking in time with his digits to ride it out. Theo broadly licked where his fangs had sank into, lapping up the droplets he missed before kissing his way back towards her cunt.

Normally, the most he did was continue to fuck her with his fingers when she hit this point to avoid overwhelming her, but instead his mouth latched onto her sensitive clit. Her body bowed as her head fell back, breathless gasps filling the air as he kept lavishing her bud with attention, teasing her through her orgasm and drawing out higher-pitched whines than before.

Nails dug at his scalp as her body tremored again, her panting loud and mixing in with the creaks of the bedframe. He knew she would smack him for this, but he kept pushing her, ignoring how her thighs were clamped hard against his shoulders.

"Oh god-!"

With her cry, a gush of warmth drenched his chin and hand, causing them to both pause what they were doing. As soon as it became clear what happened, she was quick to shrink into the mattress.

“Theo…”

Her whine is so cute… Her eyes darted away, embarrassment clear, and he did his best to pepper her with a few gentle kisses between his own panting.

"It's alright, it's normal."

"I know! I know, it's just…"

She sighed, face burning with a myriad of emotions, and Theo reached for tissues to clean himself up. Immediately she started to slip out of bed to grab a towel, more apologies on her tongue, but Theo just yanked her back down, disregarding the yelp.

"I'll do it, just wait here."

“But-”

“Hondje,” her eyes blew wide as he leaned over her, hands on either side of her head, “you had your turn for the night. Let me take care of you.”

“...Aren’t you sore?”

“It’s not going to kill me to go grab a towel, blijven.”

---

"Thank you."

She snuggled against his chest with a happy wriggle, drawing out the words with a playful lilt to make him grin. Hugging her tighter brought out a comforting hum from her, and Theo rested his chin on top of her head.

"We don't have to do it often, but… I'd like to do that again every now and then…"

"Every now and then." He nodded.

Now that their afterglow had passed, Theo could read her emotions far easier. The nervousness she was trying to hide before had melted away, her breathing slow and steady as she snaked an arm around his. At first, she let him trace comforting circles against her back. Then, slowly, tugged his hand down so she could clasp it in hers, giving it a squeeze.

And they were content, nearly nodding off until a small, muffled 'ah' sounded out.

She peeked up at him, "you're off tomorrow, right? I forgot to ask."

And he just chuckled, ruffling her hair, "unlike a silly little Hondje, I made sure I'm off for tomorrow and the next day."

"Two whole days with Theo…" She mused.

"I don't work that much-"

"But you've been gone for so long! I missed you."

That much had been clear from the moment he stepped inside the room. The way they instantly reached for one another… Yet now, that longing switched to needing a different type of intimacy, a yearning for the comfort of just being in each other's arms.

And Theo couldn't bring himself to tease when he wanted her just as much.

Thumbing her cheek with a soft smile reserved for her eyes only, he muttered before kissing the top of her head.

"I missed you too."

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

This fic was brought about by a 5k follower celebration poll! People had the chance to vote between four suitors and input some idea suggestions regarding some kinks and such. Theo surprisingly won! So many people wanted him in a collar, along with a gag, and for him to be the ‘hondje’ for once… I don’t think I quite hit ‘overstim’ for him, but did tease the fuck out of his dick, so hopefully that was good enough for the folks that wanted it!

With this fic, Ikemen Vampire is now the most I’ve written for in terms of finished fanfics. It’s an odd feeling, but I’m looking forward to writing more.

I hope you guys enjoyed it! It was such a delay getting this out due to moving, finding a new job, training for said job, and some other issues that kept popping up, but I appreciate those who stuck around to read it. (And I appreciate the folks reading who just happened to stumble upon it!)

Thank you to @cinnatwisted @loptyrs and @pathofcomets for beta’ing this and overall encouraging me. For the first time I went on a voice call to talk about the fic in depth while I was working on it! It was fun and helped me feel more confident writing the fic. Thank you for helping me out so much qq

Masterlist | Ikevamp Server | Isaac Week

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp theo #ikemen vampire theo #theo is a simp in private and no one can convince me otherwise #smut

[landinoandco]

|Shutter speed|

Chapter two : A New Beginning

{Lando Norris x Reader}

Summary: A photographer. A pair of F1 drivers. Triangles. A sticky situation of morals and fighting fate. What could go wrong?

Warnings: none :) apart from a mention of grief and passing of a loved one

Rating: teen and up

Word count: 2.9 k 

A/n: welcome to the second chapter of 'Shutter speed.'

I'm going to start a taglist so comment on this post or message me if you would like to be added :)

Previous chapters: Chapter one

Chapter two: A new beginning

By the time Georgie had raced home, it had stopped raining and the sun was beginning to fight its way through the mass of clouds that had filled the sky. The journey home had given Georgie plenty of time to think - to mull everything over about the crazy afternoon she had just endured. They had finally booked their first event since lockdown, the insanely attractive stranger she had met in the coffee shop but somehow it all ended back to a person she thought she had finished thinking about - not that you ever could. Her Theo. Her lovely Theo. 

Theodore was her childhood sweetheart. Theo was everything to her, llike Georgie was everything to him. They had their whole future planned out: travelling around the world and experiencing different cultures, photographing their entire experience and showcasing the beginning of their journey through life on an Instagram they had set up. Before settling down and starting a family of their own. Together. It was going to finish like all the fairy tales did...

And everybody lived happily ever after.

In hindsight, they had jinxed themselves before they had even started, not long after they had finished their A - levels and about to start their next chapter at Uni - Theo had fallen ill. Georgie refuses to acknowledge the illness for she believes it shouldn’t be the way he is remembered, instead reminiscing on the short but meaningful life he lived. Theo died not long after he was diagnosed, leaving Georgie behind with a new and tainted meaning to happily ever after because if it wasn’t with him then what did it truly mean? 

As they say hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Even now, 5 years on, 23 years of age, she is still plagued with the memories and the thoughts of everything they could have had but for some reason the universe was against it all. She hated to think of herself as unlucky because she was blessed to have met Theo in the first place. 

Shaking the memories from her head, she unlocked the apartment door and trudged through - hanging her coat and bag on the hooks then making her way over to the breakfast bar. On top was a fluorescent post-it note that read: “Popped into the city to pick up some new lenses for the cameras. Fill you in when I get back. Fancy getting a takeaway tonight to celebrate? Love you lots ~ Maisie.” 

A takeaway was exactly what was needed. She thought. And a nice warm shower. 

The thing Georgie loves about showers is that they give her the ability to find an answer and solution to pretty much everything and anything. She spent a lot of time in the shower after Theo passed, it was the only thing she could justify enjoying. Striping her clothes off and chucking them into a pile on the floor, she reached into the shower to turn it on - the water immediately rushing out and crashing loudly onto the floor. As soon as she was happy with the temperature, she stepped in - letting the warm water droplets wash all of her worries away. It was the only thing that she felt helped her relax; come to terms with everything she was feeling. 

Her first and main worry was what they were going to do after Goodwood. If they didn’t find consistent work soon they were going to run out of money - they were lucky to have made some good investments and savings leading up to this point to have coped through lockdown. 

Georgie grabbed the shampoo and rubbed it thoroughly through her long waves. She had been to Goodwood a few years back -  Theo had taken her. It was the best date she had ever been on - she remembered it as clear as day. They had found an empty bench to sit on next to the hill the cars climbed in the ever popular annual hill climb - it was there and then they had decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and travel the world. 

Stepping back under the water, she let the water take the shampoo away, watching as the bubbles slipped through the drain. Theo had been a massive formula one fan - dragging Georgie into the sport as well. Jenson Button had been his favourite driver and McLaren his favourite team so naturally that was hers as well. As soon as he passed Georgie had nothing to do with the sport - she refused to watch it and stopped keeping up with the teams. 

She reached for the conditioner bottle, pressing her lips together in a tight line. All of this thought about Theo and the racing world she turned her back on - a slight regret forming in the pit of her stomach, was she ready to go back to it? She remembered the atmosphere of Goodwood when she had been, people from all over the world gathered to celebrate the one thing they had in common: their love for cars. She was slightly envious of the people who got to travel the world, following in the car's tyre tracks and capturing the moments you only get to experience once in a lifetime. 

Georgie paused and furrowed her eyebrows, she was struck with an idea. Whether it was absolutely brilliant or outright stupid and unrealistic, she was yet to find out. Hoping out of the shower and grabbing her towel, she made her way to her room. It was worth a look, she supposed, there was no harm in that. Once she was dressed, she sat at her desk and turned on her laptop; begging fate to be on her side today. 

“Honey, I’m home.” Called a voice from the kitchen. 

“Hey sweetie.” Georgie shouted back, “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” 

She pulled up the McLaren careers page, her mouse hovering over the view jobs link. Georgie was ready to travel the world. She was ready to experience life again - after all it was Theo’s dying wish that she completed everything they were setting out to do. Perhaps she was selfish for not coming to this conclusion sooner. 

She clicked. 

Taking one last deep breath, Georgie placed her hands to her forehead and moved her face closer to the screen as she read through the roles. Tyre performance engineer. No. Finance analyst - production. Definitely not. Hope was diminishing rapidly even though it was as she had expected. The chances of finding anything suitable were low. She was coming to the bottom of the list when a role jumped out at her. But not impossible apparently. 

Lead photographer - team. 

And the deadline was Tuesday at 11.59 pm. They had the best part of 6 hours to complete this application. It was going to be tight but possible. 

She jumped up and rubbed her hands over her face in disbelief. Running her hands through her hair, she sat back down - hardly being able to keep still. It was only an application advert - many people were going to be applying. She thought as she exhaled loudly. More experienced people. Skimming through the description and requirements, she almost felt like she was dreaming. It was perfect. The role was to travel with the whole team and capture every moment to later be used on social media and advertising. 

“Everything alright in here?” Maisie poked her head around the door. She was faced with an almost tearful Georige. Her words almost trailed off.

“Do you want to travel the world?” Georgie asked her, her voice wavering slightly.  Maisie seemed taken aback as she moved into the room and sat on Georgie’s bed. “I’m sorry - what? Have you forgotten what’s been going on recently?”

“With a formula one team, Mclaren to be precise.” Georgie corrected and moved aside so Maisie could see the screen. Silence fell between the pair as Maisie read on, Georgie’s leg had started bouncing in anticipation. Minutes later she was met with a frown. “That’s not quite how I had imagined you would react.” Georgia mumbled, sighing. She mirrored her friend's expression, chewing on her bottom lip. 

“Before we start fantasizing, I just want to make sure you’re ok with this.” Maisie said softly, taking one of Georgia’s hand in hers. Georgia nodded slowly, rubbing her thumb over her friend’s hand. “This would be his dream. I know he’s watching us - he really is looking out for us, Maise. I want to do it for him.”  

Maisie’s smile grew, “As long as you’re sure. Come, let’s discuss it over take away and I will explain how this weekend is going to work.” Georgie stood up, grabbing her laptop and a notebook, “One thing is for sure. We are going to need one hell of a portfolio.” 

It was now Sunday - the final day at Goodwood. 

To say the rest of their week leading up to this point went smoothly would be a lie. In the end it all got a bit complicated. They submitted their application at 10:58 pm that Tuesday evening - due to it only being a singular role they applied as their business in hope that the combined experience would set them apart from other candidates. Wednesday they spent the day prepping for Goodwood - trying out the new lenses and practising photographing cars they found around London. They were going to watch the Goodwood livestream on Youtube Thursday and Friday to see what they were going to be faced with that Saturday. Until Maisie received a call. It was Mclaren and they had gotten through to the interviews - all taking place that Thursday afternoon on teams. As it turns out, they wanted to have hired someone for the role by Friday in order to be ready for the British Grand Prix the following weekend. 

“I mean it makes sense,” Maisie said, blowing her coffee to cool it down before taking a long sip. “It is their home grand prix after all.” 

Georgie chuckled, “It’s just, I feel like if we were to explain to anyone they would think we were making this up. It’s all happening so quickly.” 

That Friday, ahead of their debut at Goodwood on the Saturday, they got the call. According to the lady Maisie spoke to, it was very close between them and another candidate but the fact they were working at Goodwood tipped the scales in their favour. 

“And.” Maisie started. “We are going to meet with a man called Zac Brown on Sunday, he is the CEO of McLaren Racing-” Georgie was very lucky to have Maisie as she was the businessman - or women in this case - out of the pair. Her people skills were unmatched, how she did it Georgie would never understand. 

Now on Sunday, Georgie was quite sad to see it coming to an end. The atmosphere was one that she had never quite experienced before - it was one that filled her with pride and adoration; something she hadn’t felt in a long time, not to this extent anyway. The whole weekend, a beaming smile had been plastered onto her face - so much so that her facial muscles were beginning to ache. The whole community of people were ecstatic to be there, watching on in excitement as a sport that had missed the company of their crowds opened its doors once again. It wasn’t long before she had agreed to meet with Maisie ahead of their meeting with Zac Brown that she found herself walking up the infamous hill. The loud buzz of conversation seemed to fade, instead the only sound she could hear was the rumble of engines as they came cruising by. She stopped at a clearing where a bench stood proudly, smiling softly to herself as she slung her camera strap over her shoulder, stuffing her hands into her trouser pockets. It hadn’t aged a day. 

Lando Norris had decided to take a break from the main McLaren marquee - he had just finished his final drive of the day and was looking for some time to reflect on the weekend he had just had after having the honour of driving the three cars that Aryton Senna won McLaren their championship titles. It had been a tough season leading up to this point - after Carlos left to join Ferrari he felt this year all eyes would be on him. Many expected Lando to fall into the shadow of his new teammate Daniel Ricciardo, everybody expected him to fade back into the background. Perhaps that was why he trained so hard during the winter break - he had pushed himself right up to the limit. Lando wanted to prove to himself more than anyone else that he was a good driver and he did have potential to fight those at the top, after the taste of a podium in Austria - he was hungry for more. Even as a young boy during his karting career, Lando put pressure on himself - to strive to be the best on the grid - sometimes it meant he forgot to enjoy himself because he was so worried about what other people thought about him. 

He had reached a clearing past the trees. All weekend he had kept half an eye out for the girl at the coffee shop. Part of him was disappointed not to have seen her, he really wanted that second chance. He came to a stop and checked his watch - it wasn’t long until Zac wanted him back; he mentioned briefly about a pair of photographers joining the team. They would be replacing his friend Jason after he decided that travelling just wasn’t practical anymore, who could blame him, his first child was on the way and he wanted to be there with his wife every step of the way. 

Lando brushed a hand through his curls, casting his gaze around before he would make his way back. When a bench caught his eye or more specifically the girl sitting on the bench. She sat with a content smile dancing on her lips, a reminiscent glaze coated her eyes. He took a step towards her, there was something familiar about her. It was like his feet were frozen in place - his brain was telling him to go back but his gut told him to stay put. He stood for a minute or two before it hit him - square in the face and quite frankly he couldn’t believe his luck. It was the girl from the coffee shop. Right in front of him. It was now or never. Lando took a calming breath before going and sitting next to her. 

Georgie was rudely pulled from her thoughts when a person sat down on the bench next to her. She moved her head slightly to see who the intruder was when her heart stopped. Recognition dawned on her face. Georgie knew instantly he had recognised her as the corners of his mouth twitched into a shy smile. “Hi.” His tone silvery and almost breathy. 

“Hey.” She beamed back, “I’m Georgie.” She said, gazing up at him, admiring the way the sun caught around his halo of curls giving them an almost angelic glow.

“Lando.” He told to her, the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly. Neither of them could quite believe that they were sitting with each other. 

“I - uh - It’s a wonderful day for it, isn’t it.” Georgie had panicked. She didn’t know what else to say and her mother used to always say:  ‘if in doubt talk about the weather.’ It was something along those lines anyway.  Silently cursing herself, she cringed at her awkwardness only to hear him chuckle at her comment. 

“It’s much better now the rain has cleared off.” Lando instantly felt relaxed around her, he didn’t know what it was. Perhaps it was that she seemed just as socially inadequate as he was. “So Georgie.” He savoured the way her name rolled off his tongue. “What brings you to Goodwood? I hope you don’t mind me saying this but I heard you talking about it before you rushed off the other day.” 

Georgie inched closer, almost leaning into the comfort and warmth he seemed to provide. “My friend and I are photographers and she somehow got us into working for the Goodwood Festival of Speed brand. I still don’t quite know how she did it, for some reason she didn’t want to talk about it.” She trailed off, a pink tinge creeping onto her cheeks as she had come to a rather astonishing conclusion. The corner of Lando’s mouth lifted at her innocence. “Anyway.” She moved on quickly. “As it turns out I am also here to meet my new boss.” 

“It’s almost like it was meant to be.” Lando quirked. “Who are you working for now?” 

“I’m the new photographer for the McLaren formula one team.” She explained, pride laced in her tone. Lando’s eyes widened, his mouth fell open in disbelief before he caught himself. Composed his expressions and stated very plainly...

“I’m Lando Norris. I drive for the McLaren formula one team. As it turns out you and I are about to attend the same meeting.” 

Taglist: (please message me or leave a comment if you would like to be added :))

@mjuikoli​ @httplayer​ @phatyak​

#lando norris x reader #lando norris imagine #lando norris #mclaren #formula one one shot #formula one fanfiction #formula one x reader #formula 1 x reader #formula one #f1 #daniel ricciardo #Carlos Sainz Jr #charles leclerc #daniel ricciardo x reader #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #lando norris fanfiction #f1 2021 #f1 fanfic #daniel ricciardo one shot #daniel ricciardo fanfic #daniel ricciardo imagine #mick schumacher #Max Verstappen #max fewtrell #max verstappen x reader #charles leclerc x reader #pierre gasly #pierre gasly x reader #fanfic

[laskyy]

Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait, but I didn't have much inspiration this week. This imagine that I wrote is probably not gonna be my best, but I hope you enjoy it, because I still worked hard for it! Love you 💖

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Took you long enough

Tw: food, kissing (let me know if I missed something pls)

Genre: extreme fluff

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It was around 8:30 a.m. when you heard your phone ring, so you picked it up without looking at the caller ID because you were to sleepy to care at this point.

"Hello?" You said in a groggy voice.

"Hi sleeping beauty, did I wake you up?" The voice you couldn't get out of your head giggled.

"Oh Intak! Hi there, and well kind of, but I was about to wake up anytime soon so it's fine!" You said as your voice just sounded happier, because of Intak.

Oh and by the way you had a big fat crush on Intak and you were pretty sure he felt the same way, because you guys shared a lot of affection with each other that friends don't. Like kissing the corners of each other's lips, you have slept together in the same bed and you shared longing hugs that neither of you guys wanted to pull away from, but you were still being cautious as you didn't want to move to fast and scare him away.

"Okay then! I called to ask if you wanted to come over and have breakfast with us! You know, to catch up since we've both been busy and I want to see you, if that's okay with you." Intak said in a soothing tone and at this point you were thankful he couldn't see you blush.

"I'd love to come over Intak! I also want to see you." You said and you were sure that Intak could tell by the tone of your voice that you were smiling.

"Alright! I'll see you in 20 cutie!"

"Okay, see you!" You said as you hung up and couldn't help but blush at the nickname.

You got ready and passed by your and Intak's favourite bakery to buy some croissants and other pasteries for everyone to eat.

As you got to the dorm you texted Intak instead of knocking on the door, because you didn't know if the other boys were already awake or not.

As soon as you texted him the door opened and your favourite boy was standing right in front of you with his slightly messy hair.

"Good morning Y/n! Come in!" Intak said as he closed the door and pulled you into a warm hug.

"Good morning! How are you feeling today?"

"I'm great! And you love?" Yeah, you weren't that great after hearing that nickname, it drove you wild! And you guys weren't even dating yet!

"I-I'm good too! And I brought some food!" You said happily as you pulled away from the hug and showed him the bag of pasteries.

"Aww Y/n! You're just the sweetest! Come here, let's go to the kitchen while the other get ready to come down to eat." He said as he grabbed your hand and guided you to sit down on one of the chairs in the kitchen next to him.

"I really missed you Y/n! Can I hug you again?" He said as he gave you those puppy eyes you could never say no to.

You didn't even hesitate, you obviously accepted as Intak englufed you in a beat hug as he put his arms around your shoulders and you put yours around his torso.

"You smell really good!" You said against his chest.

"Oh, thanks I showered!" He said as you both laughed and pulled away from the hug.

Intak was the most handsome guy you had ever laid eyes on. And as cheesy as it sounds you could not stop looking at him. He was just that impactful (Intaktful - no? Sorry, moving on).

"What's wrong cutie? Is there something on my face or you just can't get enough of me?"

You laughed "Oh, you are so full of yourself. But yes I was admiring you, I have to admit it"

"It's good to know you're as smitten for me as I am for you" He said and kissed the corner of your lips softly.

You couldn't help but blush and hide your face in his broad chest as you felt it vibrate with laughter.

"You're so cute when you're shy." He said as he gave you head pats.

You guys pulled away and were just updating each other on your livres while you played with Intak's fingers, a habit that always made you feel at ease.

Eventually, the boys started coming to the kitchen and they couldn't miss the small acts of affection and little looks and giggles you shared with their member Intak, and honestly they just wanted you guys to stop tip-toeing on your feelings. They wanted you guys to realise you were, in fact, perfect for each other.

"Good morning lovebirds!" Jiung said as he softly laughed.

"Good morning!" Both you and Intak answered at the same time.

"Oh who brought food?" Soul asked as he saw the bag from the bakery down the street.

"It was Y/n! They were kind enough to bring food for breakfast!" Intak said as he pulled you closer to him.

"You brought quite a lot as well, but since you were so considerate I'm sure Intak won't let it go to waste!" Keeho said teasingly.

Intak blushed as he looked at your interwined hands.

"Aww look at them being awkward!" Theo said as he looked at Intak and you.

"Yeah They're cute! But I'm hungry and we have work later on so we need to eat!" Jongseob said as he sat down on one of the chairs as well.

You guys were eating and you lost count of how many times Intak wiped your lips or even got hair out of your face. You also lost count of how many times the members gagged! Yeah, they sure love pda.

Once you all finished eating you offered to clean up since they needed to recharge for work later in the day.

You were cleaning the kitchen when Intak wrapped his arms around your waist and softly backhugged you.

"Hey cutie, need help?"

"Hey! It's fine I'm almost finished!"

"Good, because I wanna cuddle!"

While you and Intak shared this sweet conversation in the kitchen, the other members were talking in the living room.

"Don't you guys think it's about time they start dating?" Theo stated impatiently.

"Yeah, but they just won't make a move to ask each other!" Keeho said.

"Maybe if we say something they'll consider it?" Soul said in a questioning way.

"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA! But they won't listen to just anyone. How about Jongseob says something about that! Since he's the baby and yeah you get it!" Jiung suggested while the other nodded in agreement.

Later on in the day the guys had to head off to the van so they could go to the company and it was also time to get the plan in action!

"Can we meet up tomorrow?" Intak asked as he caressed your cheek softly.

"Yeah, I'd love that actually." You said and pecked his cheek while he giggled softly.

"Look at them! We really have to do something! They've been in this stage for ages! They already look like a couple why do they assume themselves as friends? My God Jongseob do your thing!" Jiung said as he just wanted his two friends to understand they both wanted the same thing.

The boys went to the door and blocked it as Jongseob went in front to talk.

"Intak, Y/n. I just wanted to say that the both of you would look like a great couple! I mean you already do, why not make it Official! Please! You guys want this so bad! And we're not letting you get out until you're both dating each other, so good luck!" Jongseob said as he exited the dorm alongside the other members and let you two stay inside.

"Wow that was... Wow!" Was all you manage to say as you were still in shock.

"Yeah! But well we wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of them would we?" Intak said as looked you in the eyes.

"But do you really want this? I don't want us to date just because of peer pressure!" You said as you wanted to make sure Intak really wanted to be with you.

"I really want this! The reason I hadn't asked you yet, was because I never found the right moment to do it but now that they sort of gave us this oportunity I'm not wasting it! Do you want this as much as I do?" He said as he held both of your hands as a way to calm you down.

"I really do! I've been waiting for this for a long time! I didn't ask you before because I didn't want to scare you away!" You said as you smiled shyly.

"Well then, do you want to date me officially?" Intak asked as he looked at you hopefully.

"Of course I do bub!" You said as you hugged him tightly" You said and you could hear the members on the other side of the door cheering for you.

When you pulled away Intak kissed you right away and honestly it felt better than you could have possibly imagined.

"I love you Intak" You said as you pulled away from the kiss.

"I love you too Y/n" He said while leaning in for another kiss which you gladly accepted.

After a while you opened the door and were met by the members cheering for you.

A chorus of "Awws" was heard when Intak kissed your head softly.

"Took you long enough!" Theo said as the rest of you laughed.

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

Hope you guys liked this imagine! And once again happy birthday to our puppy Intak! Hope he has a great day! And I hope you guys have a great day as well!! Love you 💖💖💖

#p1harmony #p1harmony fluff #p1h imagines #p1h scenarios #hwang intak #intak #intak p1h #Intak fluff

[cafeacademia]

Love Between The Pages | Chapter 4 Finale

Blaise Zabini x Reader

Chapter Summary: You and Blaise slowly come to terms with the feelings that have been hanging in the air, along with the future of the book club.

Warnings: The tiniest dash of angst for about 0.1 seconds, boatloads of fluff.

Word count: Approx 2800

Navigation

A/N: Hi loves! Here is the final part of this series! Wow I was not ready for this to be over, I've found this series incredibly comforting to write. It took me a little while to write the last part purely because I just wasn't quite ready to end it yet, but I'm really really happy with how this chapter came out. Additionally, I'm really looking forward to writing more for sweet Blaise and I've been thinking about writing a few standalone pieces that might fit into this little universe. I'm not sure yet!! Let me know if you're interested. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this series, I am so SO proud of it, thank you so so SO much for reading it! 💕

It was a calm, quiet afternoon, the old loft windows in the library were pushed open and secured on their old latches, the smell of fresh air mixed with the ever cosy scent of wood polish and old books making it all the more delightful to spend time in the library. Sifting through your bag, you pulled out the books you needed to return to Madam Pince, wondering what you might pick up this week, deciding that it needed to be something special.

You clocked Theo walking in with Cho and Neville at either side of him, the three of them chatting quietly amongst themselves as they began to make their way across to the table you all usually sat at. Looking over towards them as you placed your books on the library check out desk, you realised that having him there had become normal. Having all three of the Slytherin boys in your group had become normal and you weren’t sure you really wanted it to end.

“All of you have been reading a lot of romance as of late.” Madam Pince observed as she slid the books across the desk so she could stamp the library slips inside of the covers. “It’s spring, it brings out the romance, doesn’t it?” You said, idly fiddling with the closure on your bag, missing the way Madam Pince gave you a knowing look. “I suppose it does.” She replied before stamping your library slip and handing it back to you.

Stepping across the library floor, you made your way through the rows of shelves, passing the tables of students chatting and studying quietly, some of them reading, others getting their homework done before the weekend. But as you continued towards the table near the back where the golden hour of sun glowed so beautifully across the deep chestnut hues of the furniture and the aged spines of books that were all positioned neatly on their shelves, you caught sight of him. Blaise.

You wondered if he hadn’t noticed you first, his eyes seemingly already on your approaching figure, his smile bright and lopsided, a sight you had gotten fast used to and yet did not want to lose so quickly in the matter of an hour. “There you are.” He said, stepping over towards you with a book in hand. “Here I am.” You smiled, looking up at him with a sweet smile on your lips, trying your best to conceal the way his smile and his voice made your heart leap.

You had not yet forgotten the way his hand had felt in yours just a week prior, the way he had brushed his fingers against yours and held you with such a gentle grip. Was it too much to ask for that again? To feel the fluttering of something akin to love in your chest or the light airy feeling of something new, something delightfully thrilling.

“What are you reading this week?” You asked quietly as he placed the book he had been looking at back on the shelf. “What would you have me read?” Blaise asked, watching as you pulled your bag off your shoulder and pulled out a chair to set it down on. “Me?” You almost gasped, sounding a little surprised by the question. “Well is there anyone else I’d ask for book recommendations?” Blaise teased, stepping a little closer to you and placing his hand on the back of the chair you had placed your bag on. Smiling shyly and struggling to meet his gaze, you giggled softly. “I suppose not.” You replied, shrugging off your robes to get more comfortable.

“Jane Eyre.” You suddenly said, looking up at him. “You should read Jane Eyre.” You added, awkwardly fiddling with your robes as you draped them over the back of your seat. “Is it romance?” He asked. You knew by now that he was very fond of romance, especially period romance and while it surprised you, it also warmed your heart to know he loved a genre you enjoyed too. “Yes, it’s a classic romance.” You replied. Blaise smiled. He always found himself gazing at you with an uncontrollable smile, it was impossible to keep his usually controlled demeanor in check around you. Perhaps it was your shyness that just seemed so sweet, or maybe it was your kind, gentle nature that made him inexplicably happy.

“Show me where to find it?” Blaise asked, holding out his hand for you. Glancing down at his hand, you felt your heart flutter. What if this wasn’t all a one off feeling between you, perhaps he too was immersed by lingering thoughts of love and attraction. “Of course.” You replied, gently placing your hand in his. Your touch was hesitant at first, his eyes capturing yours for a moment as he carefully grasped your hand in his. Blaise was gentle and soft, his touch just as exhilarating and sweet as the previous week and you felt your breath hitch in your throat before you met his eyes with an amative gaze.

Gently you closed your fingers around his hand and led him towards one of the many sections of muggle fiction within the library. As you both dipped between a couple of bookshelves, you watched as Hermione and Draco rushed in with Ginny in front of them, Hermione hissing at them both about how they were late and it was all Malfoy’s fault.

And while Blaise snorted at their antics, the two of you overhearing Hermione whisper yell as they all began to settle down at the nearby table, you trawled through the shelves in search of a copy of Jane Eyre, all while his hand held yours.

“Here it is.” You spoke softly, reaching up to grasp the copy, a soft dusty pink clothbound spine with a beautifully imprinted and silver embossed title. Blaise smiled at you as he gently took the book from you with his free hand, still holding onto you with the other. “Let me pick one out for you?” He asked, watching as you nodded, smiling rather uncontrollably. How was it that he knew just how to fluster you? All you needed was a sweet boy to hold your hand and talk to you about books and here Blaise Zabini was, doing those exact things and making it seem so romantic.

If only he knew how it made you feel. How he made you feel.

A soft, pale powder blue copy of Arabella was passed to you moments later. “Theo told me this was a good book.” Blaise said, watching as you smiled down at the book in your hands. “Did he now? I never thought Theo would be interested in Regency romance.” You mused, peering around the edge of the bookcase to catch a glimpse of the Slytherin sitting side by side with Neville, who now he seemed closer than ever with, along with Cho who seemed to have warmed up to him. You smiled, watching as Theo read a book over Neville’s shoulder. You managed to see which novel it was they were reading when Neville shuffled around a bit, revealing the lovely old illustrated cover of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

“Neither did I, but he seems to be full of surprises.” Blaise said softly as he leaned over you, his hand landing gently on your upper arm, the warmth of his presence behind you nearly melted you, nearly made you want to lean back into him. But you were not more than friends with the odd soft touch and longing gaze. In truth it felt as if it could be more, but knowing this was his last week that he would have to attend your book club, you were still unsure if this was something fleeting.

You found yourself perfectly comfortable beside Blaise as you read together in a comfortable chair, his arm resting over the back of the seat behind you while he held his book in the other hand. You tried hard not to lean into his side and you stayed comfortably close.

And while the bell tolled lowly in the background, signalling the turn of the hour, you still had hope that the boys might stay, because it truly would not be the same without them.

Getting up from your seat, you began to walk back towards the table, though you were stopped in your paces when you felt Blaise’s hand rest softly on your shoulder.

“Sweetheart.” Blaise’s low voice rolled through you, warm, sweet and yet there was an edge to it that scared you, that scared your heart. Turning in his grip, you faced him shyly, the sweet name he used for you making your chest warm and your thoughts hazy with adoration. Adoration that you quickly pushed aside. But it all seemed like a helpless attempt when Blaise reached up, gently brushing the backs of his fingers against your cheek. You leaned into him, into his warm touch, your eyes fluttering shut for a moment, breath hitching at the intimacy of the moment. And you looked up at him, eyes softening with something akin to fear and something deeper, something that looked as if it swam deep below the surface.

“What is it?” You asked, clutching the book tightly against your chest. “There’s something on your mind.” He prompted, watching as you looked shyly down at your feet. “This is all fleeting. You’ll leave and- this will have been no more than part of your detention.” You voiced your worry, somehow confident enough to let your feelings air, ones you had been hesitant to even acknowledge for several weeks now; though you still could not meet his eyes no matter how easy it had been to say the words.

There was a soft sigh, heavy swallow before his fingers gently lifted your chin. “You truly think I’d leave after all this club has brought me?” Blaise asked. “It’s much more than just books and an hour of reading in company each week.” He said. “It’s friendship,” Blaise tilted his head towards Neville, Theo and Cho. “And the way your club brought out the better in all of us.” He smiled softly, his eyes now on Draco as he read quietly with Hermione and Ginny, the three of them sharing the odd bit of chatter now and again. “And for me it’s something else. You make me feel,” He paused, the words resting on his tongue. Wonderful. Accepted. In love. “You make me feel like I’m meant to be here. You make me feel.” Blaise stopped. Because you did make him feel. You made him feel everything. Others might have stunted his feelings in the past, things slowly adding up to prompt him to build his mask of stoic temperament. But it was your passion and your love and kindness that brought out the things in Blaise that he long had forgotten. You made him feel energetic, as if there was nothing more amazing in the world than being in your presence and sharing a moment with you.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’m not leaving after this week. I’m not leaving as long as you’ll allow me to stay. This club has become my escape just as books always have been and you have been my guide.” He explained. “You’ll stay?” You asked, barely above a whisper. “As long as you’ll have me.” Blaise spoke softly to you, your eyes meeting his, wide with the warmth of adoration and the softness of simple romance.

And where his words failed to express what he truly felt in his muddled moment, encased in worry and a desperate rush to get it all out, he made up for with gestures of his feelings instead. Leaning in, Blaise gently pressed you against the bookcase, carefully taking the book you held in your grasp and placing both of your books on the shelf beside you. “Can I kiss you?” He asked, words brushing softly against your lips, your heart fluttering and racing with the wild, unequivocal feelings of love. “Please.” It was a whisper, one that was not desperate nor rushed, but soft and sweet and accompanied by the way your lashes fluttered, eyes slowly sliding shut as Blaise closed the gap between you, his lips meeting yours with a gentle touch.

His kiss was slow and sweet, his thumb coming up to rest against your cheek as he held you, one hand at the nape of your neck and the other resting at your waist. His lips captured yours in a moment of slow, amative bliss, kissing you tenderly until you found yourself breathless, your delicate fingers grasping at the edges of his Slytherin robes.

Slowly parting from you, just enough to catch your gaze, Blaise smiled softly. You felt stunned, but in the best of ways, mind reeling with thoughts and feelings of love. You supposed there had always been something so peaceful about sharing time together to read, but even more so now that you had allowed your feelings to feel.

“I got you something.” Neville said shyly, one hand rubbing the back of his neck as he held out a beautiful old copy of The Secret Garden for Theo to take, the brunette grinning at his friend before taking it from him. “You shouldn’t.” He shook his head, unable to stop himself from beaming at the kind gesture. “Thank you. I’ll read it with you next week.” Theo said, gently patting Neville’s shoulder. “You’re not leaving the club?” Neville asked, his voice full of hope. Theo glanced around the group, his eyes landing on Cho and Neville. “Nah, I have a feeling that even if I tried to leave I’d end up back here anyway.” He grinned, the three of them sharing great delight as Neville pulled Theo in for an unexpected, though appreciated hug.

“I suppose you’ll go back to bullying us again, will you?” Hermione asked Draco as she began to pack her bag. Draco eyed her, his glare softening. It was not love he felt, more something like the beginnings of a friendship. His eyes travelled around the room, falling onto you and Blaise for a moment and then over to Theo and his new found friendships. Attending the club had been a punishment and while Draco had acted as if he hated it, he knew that beyond his usually brooding and snarky behaviour, he had begun to hold the club in high regards. “No.” Draco said simply. “No?” Ginny asked, looking up at him with a challenging stare. “I can’t bully people I like, can I?” He sneered, and while it came out rather unfriendly, they all knew that he was being sincere. That Draco had actually grown fond of you all. “Will you come back next week?” Hermione asked. “We’ll see, Granger.” Were his last words to her before he pulled his bag onto his shoulder and took his leave.

“I’ll walk you back to your common room, sweetheart.” Blaise said, waiting until you had pulled your robes back on before he gently took your hand in his. “And perhaps we can plan a date?” He added, watching as your smile became uncontrollable and you giggled in your flustered, shy state, overwhelmed but in the best of ways. “I’d love that.”

And with that, Blaise pulled you close. He put his arm around your shoulders, his hand leaning down to hold your hand as you made your way out of the library as a pair, but not for the last time. There would be many more times, your hand in his each time. And you counted yourself lucky, because you had found love between the pages and it was undeniably real.

Blaise Zabini Taglist (OPEN):

@paintballkid711 @megantje123 @chaotic-fae-queen @slytherinwh0re @frecklesandfirecrackers @starofthedawn @mingyuahjumma @dracosaccount @90smalfoy @fuckingdraco @loving-life-my-way @cpetrova @miraclesoflove @struggling-bee @weasleywhore @little-me204 @dreaming-about-fanfictions @eli-malfoy-asf @ur-local-reality-shifter @voidmalfoy @wh0re4blaise @cherie-draco @lazypeachsoul @sistheselenophile @sw33tgirl

#blaise zabini x reader #blaise x reader #blaise zabini x you #blaise x you #blaise zabini x y/n #blaise x y/n #blaise zabini #blaise #blaise zabini fanfiction #blaise zabini fluff #blaise zabini imagine #hp fic #hp #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction

[aj-writes-here]

Like Father, Like Son

Warnings:

Mentions of bullying, blood, and a bit of swearing.

After years of living within walls, ages of fear and doubt, peace came to everyone's lives. If someone had asked the ones involved in the war how did they do it, no clear answer could have been possible. The only thing that was clear for everyone, was that lives were lost, that they had to go through emotional and physical pain to survive and gain peace for future generations.

Memories of those days were still haunting the survivors, while for some others it was faster and easier to move forward. For Levi and y/n, was some kind of an in-between. Both of them had lost friends and people they cared about, Levi had lost two of his digits and had earned a scar across his face, were those reminders that he was alive? Or reminders of his mistakes? That question was very often in his mind, but it was taken away whenever y/n appeared with a smile on her face, or when his son Theo came running to him.

Had he ever thought he was going to have a family? Absolutely the hell no, but there he was.

y/n and Levi had a quiet life, it was they deserved after all of those years of struggle. And Theo was well aware of that. The little boy grew up listening to stories about his father, humanity's strongest soldier, and at his nine years, he knew that he wanted to be just like his dad. But some kids didn't share that thought.

Theo was playing with his friends when he noticed that three other boys just a little bit older than him, were being rude to a girl. Theo stopped playing to pay attention to the scene, and when the redhaired boy pushed the girl to the floor, Theo ran to them.

—Hey! Leave her alone!—The small Ackerman shouted, but it didn't work.

—Ah, look who is here. Mind your own business, idiot—Said the oldest boy, kicking some dust that fell over the girl's dress ignoring completely Theo's presence.

—Stop it, or else—He was interrupted by other of the kids, and Theo felt like shaking at the intimidating gaze.

—Or else what? Are you going to fight us?—Theo took a step back, but he knew he couldn't leave that girl alone with the bullies, he just couldn't. And he was not going to.

—Yes, I'm going to—Taking courage and defeating fear, Theo used all of his strength to push the kid to the floor. And he was able to hit the redhaired boy, making his nose bleed, but that was everything he could do before feeling someone pushing his back.

From one second to another, Theo was on the floor covering his face from the kids the other boys were throwing at him.

—You will never be like your dad! Look at you, you're weak and pathetic—One of the boys said.

—He must be ashamed of having a son like you —The redhaired kid let out a laugh while kicking Theo. And suddenly, a little bit of blood was running down Theo's forehead.

Finally, the three boys decided to go away. Laughing at what they did.

The little girl, who was the same age as Theo, looked at him with a worried glace while he was standing up slowly. Once he was on his feet, he offered his hand to the girl, helping her stand up.

—Are you Ok?—He asked.

—Y-yes. But you're not! Come home with me, my mother can clean your wound.-She said in a very worried, scared, and almost desperate voice.

—I'm fine, don't worry—Theo gave her a small smile. He was sad, he was in pain and he wanted to cry. But he was not going to do it in front of her.

He didn't even ask her name, but she knew who he was. Everyone in town knew that the grey-eyed boy was Squad Leader y/n and Captain Levi's son.

Being that last line said, he walked away. The words that the other kids said were still on his head, was his father, his hero ashamed of him? Was he ever going to be as strong as his dad? He had no idea, but he felt bad. Theo was supposed to go the Survey Corps HQ to meet with his dad, and so he did.

After weeks of discussions, the queen decided that military branches were going to keep working in case some other disaster decided to appear, and it was a good idea to keep the Survey Corps active, in the end, they were the most adequate to explore new areas now free from titans. Levi was still the Captain, and he was in charge of leading some expeditions, and again, shitty paperwork. He was working on that paperwork when he heard a knock on his door, and without giving him the time to ask who it was, the door opened and a bruised, and a covered in dust Theo came in. He even had a little bit of blood running through his forehead.

—Theo?—Levi stood up immediately, controlling the panic he was feeling.- What the hell happened to you, brat.-He asked walking towards the couch his son sat on.

—I...They were... They said I was... But the girl...—He didn't know where to begin, and he kept his eyes away from his dad. Suddenly, Theo's lower lip started to shake while he was controlling his tears.

—Oi, look at me—Levi kneeled before him, looking for his son's eyes.

—Some kids were beating a girl, I went to help her but... They beat me instead—His voice cracked a little, oh man he was fighting not to let his tears out—And they said I... They said you were ashamed of having a son like me. A-and they're right, I'm weak, I'm not like you.

Levi's heart clenched at his words, and his usually know exactly what to say or do. Damn the Queen, why had she asked y/n to train the new horses now? His wife was better with sensitive topics. But besides being a strong ass woman and great at fighting, y/n was also an amazing equestrian. They needed her.

—It's ok to cry, kid—He said with his softest voice possible.

—But you never do.

—But that's wrong. It's perfectly fine to cry, to feel—That's what his wife would've said—And... You are not weak, Theo—With that last line he made his son look at him—Whatever sh... Whatever thing they said, it is not true. That girl? You helped her, she is fine because of you.

—Are you... Are you ashamed of me?—That question hurt him even more than the hits he had taken earlier.

—Don't you ever think that again, are we clear, brat?—Levi furrowed his eyebrows—I am beyond proud of who and how you are. Those idiots who said all of those things? They are a bunch of brainless idiots—At this point, he didn't even care about swearing–You are strong, brave and you are my greater pride.

Tears were running down Theo's cheek, and he stood up and gave his father a tight hug. Levi held him and after a few seconds, he gained some distance to see his son.

—And you're definitely not like me, you are better. You will always be better than me, brat.

The little grey-eyed boy nodded his head, letting the tears go out, starting to feel much better after his father's words, holding him one more time.

—You won't be mad at me if I... If I try to beat them next time?—He asked.

—Leave them limping, kid—He ruffled his hair, smiling lightly—Now let's get you cleaned up, you look like hell.

After those words, Levi helped Theo clean his wounds, and once they were ready they went home. For their surprise, y/n was getting down her horse at the time they arrived, Theo ran to her once he saw his mother. Of course, y/n noticed her son look, and both boys were not able to hide what had happened.

The day next, y/n heard a shy knocked on the door, and when she opened to see who it was, she found a small blonde girl, her cheeks going red at seeing the unknown woman.

—Uhm... Hi! Is... Is Theo here?—Of course, y/n thought. That was the girl her son helped yesterday.

—Yes sweety, let me call him an-

—No need mom, I'm here—Theo said appearing from behind his mother.

Once y/n leave them, the little girl spoke.

—I brought you some cookies, I wanted to thank you for... For saving me yesterday—She said, giving him the plate that was on her hands, making Theo blush.

—Than-Thank you. Would you like to share the cookies? The day is nice, so we could sit on the grass—He shrugged his shoulders, trying to see more natural.

—Sure! My name's Hazel, by the way—She smile shyly as both kids started walking out the door so they could sit on the grass.

y/n and Levi stood outside of their home watching the two kids exchanging words and then playing some sort of catch-me-if-you-can game. She hugged Levi from the side and spoke.

—You did well.

—At what?

—Encouraging him.

—Tch, I just told him the truth.

Levi gave her one of his typical stares and then left a kiss on her forehead, putting an arm over her shoulders so he could hug her better. That's the life he never thought he could have, but on moments like these, he couldn't feel happier. In the end, that cliché phrase that says after the storm the sun is out or some shit like that was true. And he had no one but two suns in his life, y/n and Theo. His wife and his son.

#attack on titan imagine #levi ackerman #attack on titan imagines #levi ackerman imagines

[elfcreative]

Li’l Pimberton’s Stay at the House of Three Theodores

A seasonal poem by Elliott Lee Friesen.

It's Teddy's First Christmas!

Her mother exclaimed,

Embracing her father,

For whom they were named.

It's Teddy's First Christmas!

Old Theodore said,

While patting his grandkid

On top of her head.

The small family sat

In their small living room,

The baby still nursing,

Still fresh from the womb.

The home wasn't grand,

Filled with baubles and treats,

And bursting with presents,

Little joys yet to meet,

Instead, they lived simply,

Unwashed and unscrubbed,

In place of a Christmas tree,

Was a meek little shrub.

A shrub with no presents -

No ornaments, too,

No tall angel skyward,

No lights shining true,

Her mother would wail,

As she paid off her loans,

And lament the toys

Teddy never could own.

But by their old radio,

Old Theodore sat

Marooned in the attic,

Just him and the cat.

He would listen quite close

To the radio ads,

Selling ideas for presents

To all moms and dads.

Some toys were a bore,

Some toys were cliché,

Like little stuffed bears,

Or moldable clay.

Old Theodore waited,

He'd know when he heard

The perfect surprise

For his girl's perfect girl.

And finally, one day

Between lumps of static,

Two weeks before Christmas,

Alone in the attic,

“This is the one!

The toy of the season!

All of the young ones

Are dying to see him!

Meet Li'l Pimberton,

Your kid's new companion!

He grows at their pace,

And his brain's like a canyon!

As your child grows older,

Li'l Pimber will, too!

He will teach them to count

On his fingers, like you!

He can grow six feet tall!

He can learn how to speak!

He can do all the chores!

He can laugh! He can weep!

He's what your child wants

Under their Christmas tree.

If you're ready to order,

You can call 693!

Old Theodore hollered

(To the poor cat's dismay)

He reached for the telephone

And dialed away.

On the eve before Christmas,

Theodora the first

Cradled her daughter

As Teddy still nursed.

The house was the same,

Not a sparkle or gleam,

Not a wreath in the entrance,

Not a sight to be seen.

But the grandfather knew

Something grand lay ahead,

For he had a secret

Wrapped up under his bed.

After Teddy went down

And Theodora retired,

Old Theodore rose

With a plan he conspired.

He strung up some lights

'Round the small Christmas shrub,

And hauled down the gift

For his cub's little cub.

His living room bright,

His plan all complete,

He went back upstairs,

For a long Christmas sleep.

Oh, the next morning,

How sublime was the sight!

Theodora bewildered,

Little Teddy wrapped tight.

Together they opened

The large, ribboned box

And the contents were wriggly,

Restless, and lost.

Li'l Pimberton lay,

Curled up like a newborn,

Crying robotically

Cursing the blue morn.

“Well, this isn't right,”

Old Theodore mused,

“The woman I spoke to

Said we'd be amused!”

“I don't understand,”

Theodora said then.

“Is this all it does?

Does it cry to no end?”

As they looked on,

Li'l Pimber's face changed.

He grew just a little,

As if suddenly aged.

He leapt from his box,

Stood on two little feet.

He grinned a strange grin,

Bearing six sharp, pearly teeth.

“The name's Li'l Pimberton!

I'm sure pleased to meet

You two fine Theodores,

Little Teddy makes three!

When you cook, when you clean,

I can help you with that!

I can take care of Teddy!

And I won't eat your cat!”

Theodora looked pale,

And she turned to her father.

“You'll lock the cat up from now on.

That's your bother.”

“No, no, you misheard me!

I won't eat your cat!”

Theodora distrusted him

When he said that.

The Theos made do

With their strange new house guest.

Although he was helpful,

They minded the rest.

Li'l Pimberton cooked,

And he cleaned this and that.

He cradled the baby.

He eyeballed the cat.

He didn't eat much,

Though they offered him some -

The bones of a chicken,

A loose stick of gum.

But every night,

After Teddy went down,

Li'l Pimberton crept

To the outskirts of town.

He ate there, alright,

But not old table scraps,

He snatched eggs from bird's nests,

He scavenged for rats.

He sated his bloodlust

Under cover of night,

Far away from the Theos,

To spare them a fright.

When the morning sun rose,

Old Theodore spied

On Pimberton's collar

A spot of blood, dried.

He quietly crept

To the attic, and saw

The cat, ever purring,

And keeping sharp claws.

He eased to the radio,

Turned it on cautiously,

Picked up his telephone,

And called 693.

When the call was picked up

By the toy company,

Old Theodore asked,

“What does Pimberton eat?”

“He's a child's toy, sir,

Pimber isn't alive.

He speaks from a soundbox

That's stored on a drive.

Although he's impressive,

Realistic, as well,

He's just made of rubber,

And plastic, and gel.”

This quieted him.

Old Theodore sighed.

Any semblance of danger

Just came from his mind.

He warmed to the boy,

As did Theodora.

They let the cat roam,

As they sensed no grim horror.

The days turned to months,

And the winter snow thawed.

They loved Li'l Pimber,

Their sweet boy, unflawed.

But Pimberton grew,

And his bloodlust increased.

No rat satisfied him.

He needed to feast.

Li'l Pimberton plotted.

He planned and all that.

He crept to the basement.

He lured down the cat.

The very next morning,

Theodora was roused.

She hadn't been woken

By the cat's gentle meows.

She asked her old father,

“Have you seen Kittyface?

Is she up in the attic,

In some quiet place?”

The old man trudged upward,

(His eyesight subpar)

He spotted the kitty,

Just resting afar.

As Theo approached her,

She raised up her head,

Robotically meowing,

And certainly dead.

The old man was fooled

By her motions and sounds,

And mistook for purring

The gears spinning round.

The cat didn't eat

From its bowl since Pim killed it:

Both Theos assumed

That the other had filled it.

Instead, they found mice

On the floor, in good size:

Blood drained from their bodies,

Life drained from their eyes.

But Pimber grew stronger.

The cat was just fine,

But he had a hunger

Larger than feline.

The family fooled,

Li'l Pimberton planned.

He channeled his hunger

In a hunt far more grand.

He offered one night

To put Teddy to rest.

Theodora, exhausted,

Accepted at his behest.

When Pimberton knew

That the coast was all clear,

He set out to work.

He assembled his gear.

The very next morning,

He lay in a lump,

Drunk off his misdoings.

He ate way too much.

In a similar state

Was the sweet, precious mound.

Teddy slept oh so peacefully,

Making nary a sound.

Theodora sat with her,

To nurse her a meal,

And found her not hungry -

An unusual deal.

She figured, oh well,

I will just give it time.

No child goes hungry,

No child of mine!

In time, she will wake,

And in time, she will feed.

I can be patient,

If my Teddy needs.

The machinery whirred

Under baby's fair skin.

Like a quick little heartbeat.

Teddy flashed a new grin.

Finally, Mother thought,

Feeling movement beneath.

Sinking into her breast

Were six sharp, plastic teeth.

#poetry #weird poetry #horror poetry #horror writing #elf writing