#this au is an excuse just to doodle him in long hair

[bbyquokka]

Opposites attract  ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

🐣: pairing: Lee Felix x F!reader

🐣: genre: fluff, angst, smut. 18- DNI

🐣: synopsis: forever thinking that opposites dont attract due to what society says, a new exchange student makes you trust in fate.

🐣: warnings: smut, protected sex, college!au, fingering, brief mention of drugs and alcohol, labels, pet name (baby, petal)

🐣: words: 5.3k

🐣: a/n: i ditched my jisung fic for this after getting attacked by the COMEBACK TEASER. LIKE HELLO, WTF IS THAT. skz, pls let me live my life in peace, i beg.🙏🏻 dw, i will be going back to my Jisung fic after i posted this.

felix looked too good in the teaser that i had to write something. i love long haired felix that i wanted more of it and now i have been blessed. jisung, you’ll always be my ult bias, but lemme simp for felix for a while pls. this took me less than a day to write, lmao.

likes, feedback and reblogs are welcome, especially reblogs as they help get my fics and blog out there. pls consider leaving comments or spam my inbox! ty all for the love as of lately!

lmk if i missed anything in the warnings & enjoy 🖤

🐣: master list

They say that opposites attract but is that always the case?

College is a fairly eventful place to be. Parties, pranks, heartbreak and rumours. When you entered college, you didn't want to get involved in any of that. You wanted to get your education and go, start living your life with no strings attached.

How naïve you are.

It’s pretty common for college to have social groups. Just like in movie: mean girls, you have the jocks, the cheerleaders who want to get into the jocks pants, the nerds and the alts.

You wasn't a fan of these labels but if you had to pick, you'd be classed as a nerd. You like art, manga, anime. You're majoring in art and design. You cared about the way you look, but you wouldn't willingly wake up at 5am to get ready. A flannel t-shirt, jeans and hair scrapped back was enough for you. You're an art student, you don't have time to care about the way you look.

You only have a handful of friends and that was enough for you. If you spent more than thirty minutes with people, your social battery starts draining so you'd think of an excuse to go back to your dorm and relax. Socialising is not for you.

College life was rather peaceful for you. Top student, handful of friends and being able to do the things you want do as well as living on your own – which is a bonus. It wasn't until rumours started spreading that an exchange student had started halfway through the semester – which is uncommon and odd because now, they have a lot of catching up to do.

You didn't get a chance to see him considering you was swamped in work. Deadlines are coming up and you wasn't even halfway done with your work, so you was either in the art room or in your dorm. Stressed was an understatement.

But you did hear rumours. Rumours spread like wildfire in college. You heard that his family had power, that they knew the mafia. Whilst everyone believed it, you thought it was ridiculous. 'child's play' You heard little things about him though, that he had dark hair, Australian, he would smile so bright, the sun got jealous. Of course, you was yet to see him, so you believed the rumours with a pinch of salt.

Your first glimpse of him was on a sunny day. You was sat on the grass, doodling whatever came to mind. You was suffocating in the art room and decided it was best to get some fresh air. As you took a sip of water, you took the chance to look around, people watch.

The jocks were practising whatever sport it was that they did. Cheerleaders practicing their cheers. You wasn't a massive fan of these groups, but you admired them a little. They have led the college to championships which is admirable in itself. You also felt a little sorry for them. must be lonely when your life revolved around sport and cheer.

The nerds were sat at a picnic bench, playing dungeons and dragons. You'd join in, if you wasn't such an introvert and if you knew how to play. An argument erupted between the group, claiming that its not how the game goes or whatever.

You chuckled to yourself before your gaze fell on the alternative group. A group of 8, dressed in the typical alternative clothing. Skinny black jeans, band tees, converses, Doc Martens. Eye liner lining their eyes, nails painted, tattoos covering their skin and, of course, the metal that decorated their faces.

Chan, Jisung and Changbin have known each other the longest. They met in high school and share a passion for music. They even released a few tracks onto SoundCloud. You hate to admit but, you liked a few of them, even if it wasn't your style of music. To no surprise, they all major in music.

Minho and Hyunjin love to dance, taking part in dance competitions inside and out of campus. Minho being the more experienced dancer. Hyunjin loved art, just like you do. He didn't look like the type to so you was surprised to see him in your class and Minho is obsessed with his 3 cats. You heard that Felix also loved to dance, so its no surprised that Minho and Hyunjin took him under their wings

Seungmin and Jeongin have voices of an angel. You heard rumours that they're really talented at singing. You thought it was nonsense until you attended the campus talent contest. You felt like your ears were being baptized.

Love them or hate them, you cant deny that they're a talent bunch of young men

"Oi Felix! Over here!" You looked over to who was shouting and who he was shouting to

Bang Chan was stood on the picnic table, arms waving and smiling. You looked over and saw someone running to him. "Must be the exchange student."

Everyone greeting Felix before he sat down and joined in on the conversations. He was sucking on a lollipop, the stick hanging out off his mouth, resting on his bottom lip. You took this time to admire him. Considering how close you was sat, you could hear his voice over the sounds of many others.

His voice was deep and smooth, like velvety chocolate. You've never heard a voice that deep before and his accent was thick. It was hot. His black hair tied half up, half down, black jeans and boots whilst wearing a white vest and a sleeveless, leather jacket.

You couldn't help but feel physically attracted to him. He looked so sweet and so innocent that is hard to believe that his family knew the Mafia. Maybe one day, you'd draw him. He had that aura around him that felt warm and welcoming. You couldn't help but notice how deep his laugh is, how his eyed would crinkle at the corners and his white teeth would be on display due to the big grin he would show.

Maybe you was staring to much because Felix turned and instantly locked his eyes onto yours. He grinned at you, giving you a little wave. You flushed red, cheeks and the tips of your ears turning red. You looked back at your mindless doodles on your paper, feeling shy and embarrassed that you got caught.

Felix turned to his friends, enquiring who you are. Nobody really knew, expect Hyunjin. He told Felix your name and that you two are doing the same major together. Hyunjin said that you two rarely spoke but when you do, he found you to be sweet.

Felix hummed and nodded, looking over his shoulder at you. You was too absorbed in your drawing at this point to notice. Felix was curious. He wanted to know who you are. He made it his mission to find out who you are.

Your first interaction happened shortly after. You was up to your neck in work, feeling stressed beyond belief. you felt overwhelmed and anxious that you wasn't going to finish in time. You spent the majority of your day in the art studio and by six pm, you had enough.

Your head hurt, mind blank and all you could see was various colours of the paints you've been using. Deciding that trying to get any more work done was useless, you packed up your things.

Walking out the door, bag over your shoulder, supplies piled high in your arms, you bumped into someone, your supplies crash landing beneath your feet.

"Fuck. I am so sorry!" You bent down, collecting your things feeling embarrassed.

"It's okay. I wasn't really looking where i was going so it should be me apologizing." That deep, Australia voice ran through your ears. You looked up to see Felix bending over and helping you.

You couldn't help but notice how beautiful he looked up close and the fact that he has freckles that adorned his skin, made you weak. You find freckles beautiful, they're your weakness.

You stood the same time as Felix. He handed you your art book which you took. His fingers decorated in rings and fingers nails painted.

"Thank you." You smiled, taking your book off him.

"Do you need any help? I can help you carry some stuff if you want." You thought about it for a second before agreeing. He took some stuff off you. 'Lead the way."

You made your way to your dorm. starting conversations was not your strong point. You cursed yourself for being an introvert and wished you knew what to say but making the first move always felt awkward to you.

"So (Y/N) you enjoying art" You looked at Felix, eyebrows knitted together.

"How do you know my name and that i do art?"

'Well, considering I'm carrying your art supplies should be a big giveaway. Anyways, Hyunjin told me."

Ah, of course, that made sense.

"You asked about me?" Felix hummed.

"After i caught you staring at me, i was curious about you. So i asked. Seems like you tend to keep yourself to yourself." You flushed red at the mention of getting caught staring at him for too long.

"Sorry about that. I was just interested in who you are and what you look like." Felix laughed, the sound giving you goose bumps and butterflies in your stomach.

"Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure you've heard the rumours. By the way, my family are not part of the mafia." He shook his head, rolling his eyes at the ridiculous rumour.

"I never believed that, you're too sweet to be part of something like that." The words left your mouth before you could register. You looked at Felix, who had a pink tint across his cheeks at your compliment.

"Thank you." You looked at your feet, feeling shy as you reached your dorm. You rummaged around for the key and opened the door.

"You want to come in? i don't have much to drink but i do have a collection of energy drinks you can have."

"As much as i would love to-" Felix handed back your things "I have to dash. I have practise and Minho doesn't like it when people are late."

You nodded and smiled, taking your things off him. "Okay, you best get going then."

"yeah, I'll see you around?" You nodded again, smiling and saying goodbye as Felix ran to the dance room. You closed the door behind you, noticing your heart was pounding against your ribcage, butterflies in your stomach.

Slowly but surely, you're getting feelings for him and there is nothing you can do to stop it, no matter how hard you tried to ignore it.

Weeks went by after that. Your interaction's with Felix started of as small and minimal. He would occasionally wait outside the art room after class for Hyunjin, exchanging small hello's whenever you would pass each other.

He once brung a tub of homemade brownies and passed them around his friend group before offering you one. You thanked him as you took one, the chocolatey gooeyness satisfied your sweet tooth. You asked him how he made them, which he happily told you. Soon, you conversated about anything, chemistry bouncing back and forth between you both.

You exchanged contact details and soon enough, you was texting each other everyday, all day. You would text each other good morning, ask how classes are going, bitch about the teachers or how much work you had to do.

Felix would send you videos of his dancing and you admire how his body moved and flowed with the beat. He's a natural and you understood why Minho and Hyunjin praise him so often. He would occasionally send you mirror selfies, typically after practise.

You couldn't help but notice how his sweat would cover his skin, hair sticking to his face. You could tell he was – or has been – working out just by looking at his arms. You recalled him saying he would like to work on his body and have Changbin to help, noting that Changbin knew his stuff about the human body and he too, also liked to bulk up.

You sent more photos than videos. You rarely sent selfies, instead sending him photos of your art work. It made you giddy when he complimented your work. No matter how many times you showed him a new piece, he was always stunned by your talent. You thieved of his praises and compliments, it gave you confidence.

You soon started to try new styles of art. Oil paint, pen, digital, even painting with coffee and having a go at animation – all because you wanted to impress Felix.

To the outside world, you two were a mismatch, you didn't seem to fit together. However, you both had much in common and conversation just flowed between you both like melted butter. The more you got to know him, the more time you spent, the more your feelings grew.

You tried to ignore it. You didn't have time for relationships right now, but you caught yourself daydreaming about him in art class causing the teacher to scold you. You'd be checking your phone ever five minutes, think about him day in and day out. He invited you to his dorm, which you said yes. You watched him bake his signature brownies whilst you drew a pencil sketch of him.

Felix noticed and you got instantly shy, anxious and worried that Felix would hate you for drawing him, especially since you didn't ask permission. Instead, Felix was wowed by it, complimenting it over and over again making your ego balloon.

He kept the sketch. He framed it and hung it in his bedroom.

You thrived off the morning messages, they made up your day. You noticed the littlest things about him, like how he would cover his face with his small hands when shy, his ears turning red. How his bottom lip would always stick out when he wanted something. You knew him better than he knew himself and the same could be said about you.

You never mingled with his group though. You did start to speak to Hyunjin a bit more in class and said the occasionally hello to them if you saw them passing by, but that was about it. They knew something was going to happen if it hadn't already, but they kept quiet.

Its Felix's life and what he chooses to do with it, is up to him.

You woke up at 8:30am, the ping of your phone being the first sound your heard. You grabbed your phone, smiling wide as you felt giddy.

sunshine 💛🌻: good morning! i hope you slept well 🥺 you have classes today right? x

you: good morning, lix 😚 i do, sadly ;-; but it is only one and lasts for hour and a half 😁 x

sunshine 💛🌻: so, after class you have a free day? x

you: yeah, why? x

sunshine 💛🌻: meet me in the dining hall at 1? i made cookies for the first time and need an honest opinion. the boys are useless at feedback sometimes 🥲🙄 x

you: haha, oh lix 🤣 ofc i will come and tastes the cookies, which i am sure taste oh so yummy 🤤😋 x

sunshine 💛🌻: yeah yeah. you're just saying that 🤭 just make sure your sweet ass is in the dining hall 😉 x

you: sweet ass? 🤨 dw lix, i'll be there. i get to see you so ofc i'll come down 😚 x

sunshine 💛🌻: smooth (Y/N) 😏 see you soon, gorgeous 🥰💛 x

you: see you soon, lix 😚💛 x

you squealed, locking your phone and giggling like a school girl. you made an effort in getting dressed. styling your hair and wearing clothing no one has seen you in before. You even put on make-up which you rarely did. No normal person would put in this much effort just to taste some cookies, so why are you?

Because you've fallen for him, that's why. Realising that pushing away and ignoring your feelings only made them stronger, you decided to embrace it and accept the fact that you love Felix, more than a friend. It was never going to go away. Felix made you happy so why shouldn't you grab this happiness and embrace it? You deserve to be happy and loved.

Your class went by agonisingly slow, mainly because you kept checking the clock every five seconds. People didn't recognise you at first, thinking you was a new student. When they realised it was you, they were shocked and impressed that you had style. You even got a few compliments which made you feel more confident

When your lesson finally ended, you raced out of there in a heartbeat, speeding to the dining hall where Felix would be waiting for you. The closer you got to the hall, you increasingly became more nervous. nerves and excitement was all you could feel, you felt slightly sick but you wanted to see Felix.

Walking into the dining hall, you looked around and noticed the table Felix and his friends were sitting at, his back to you. You slowly approached them. The closer you approached, the more of their conversation you heard. You stopped as soon as you heard your name, deciding to eavesdrop.

"C'mon man, we all know something is happening between you and (Y/N)!" Changbin exclaimed, determined to get some gossip about the two of you, out off his friend

"Dude! nothing is happening. We're just friends, that's all!" Minho scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Felix, friends-" Minho quoted with his fingers "don't text each other every single day. They don't spend half as much time as you do with her!"

"So?" Felix shrugged "She's good company, nice to be around. She's calm, unlike some people." Felix glared at his friends, laughing.

"Ok, but friends also don't text each other sweet morning messages that end with kisses. We see you Felix, grinning at your phone like a looney." Minho poked Felix's shoulder.

"C'mon man, its nothing that!" Felix protested

"Then what is it like?" Jisung asked. The boys full attention on Felix, interested in his answer. Felix blushed, going shy.

"We're just friends! nothing more. Now stop teasing me!" everyone laughed before falling silent for a few seconds. The silence was broken by Hyunjin.

"What do you two talk about?"

"Mhm, anything really. Why?"

"Well, she doesn't seem like a very interesting person. when we speak, its not super interesting. isnt she like, boring and dull to be around?"

As soon as Felix opened his mouth to say something, you rushed passed him. He noticed, his own heart sinking. He shot Hyunjin a glare before chasing after you. Seungmin and Jeongin took turns in flicking the mans forehead.

Felix dashed after you, calling your name. You hurried to your dorm, ignoring his calls. Your heart shattering into pieces, tears blurring your vision

"(Y/N)! Let m-" You slammed the door in Felix's face. Felix knocked on the door, calling your name over and over again. You ignored him, walking to the bathroom. You washed your make up off and changed back into your simple, comfortable wear.

You felt stupid. Of course Felix wouldn't like someone like you. Of course he finds you boring and dull. Everyone else does, so why wouldn't he? He probably just pitted you, felt sorry for you so he forced himself to hang out with you.

That stung. it stung so much, it made you want to throw up. You deemed yourself as smart, a level headed person so how could you have been so stupid to the truth?!

Was it the truth though? did Felix pity you or did he genuinely enjoy your company? It didn't make sense, none of it makes sense! You hastily wiped your tears from your cheeks, phone pinging.

sunshine 💛🌻: im not leaving until you talk to me. even if i have to camp outside your room. 😶 x

Sighing, you walked to the front door and opening it, walking away as Felix walked inside and closed the door.

"what do you want Felix?" Your tone was cold, emotionless, back turned to Felix so he couldn't gauge your emotions.

"let me explain."

"explain? explain what? that hyunjin is right and that all this time, you just hung out with me because you felt sorry for me? save it Felix, I'm not interested."

"what? no! that's not what i came to say!" Felix walked to you, hand on your shoulder gently. He spun you around to face him. You avoided his gaze by looking at the walls, furniture, paintings.

"If you stayed, you would have known that I was about to defend you. You're not boring or dull. Hyunjin just, doesn't think before he speaks." Felix sighed, running his fingers through his silky black hair.

"but its true." You all but whispered. "i am boring. i am dull. i hear it all the time from people."

"nono, you're not!" Felix lifted your chin up with his hand, forcing you to look at him, his own heart shattering once he say your tear stained cheeks and hurt evident in your eyes. "I've had, the most amazing time with you. you've been a joy to be around, petal. I haven't found your boring, or dull in the slightest!"

you sighed, arms crossed against your chest. you avoided his gaze once again.

"Felix, stop. we're opposites. Oil and water. we don't mix."

"opposites attract though!" Felix sounded hopefully, only for it to be shattered by a single shake of your head.

"no. no felix. not in this case. we don't. I'm just some boring, dull art student who dresses like a plain jane and loves to go for walks, take photos and go to museums. i dont have many friends because it tires me. id rather stay at home and watch a cheesy drama than go and get drunk at a lame, jock party that's filled with people taking drugs and having their cocks sucked!" You paused, looking Felix in his eyes for the first time

"and you? you're some badass guy who isn't afraid of what people think. you tell people to fuck off when they make comments, defend your many friends to the death. I even caught you defend some poor guy who's belongings were being thrown around by a jackass jock! people take one look at you and they're intimidated by you. people want to be you and people want to be with you. were not the same, we never have been!"

By now, you was sobbing. your tears cascading down your cheeks. your heart hurts. it hurts so bad, its suffocating. as much as you love Felix and would love to be with him and call him yours, its not possible. you deluded yourself of this fantasy. Today helped you realise that.

"What are you scared of?" Felix's question took you by surprise.

"what?"

"who cares about how you dress. who cares about if you like to take photos. who cares about that type of stuff, because i don't. in fact, I love that about you. i love your little quirks, i love how i feel when I'm around you. i dont have to pretend to be someone else."

"stop.. this is too much." you shake your head, hands coming to your face, hiding it.

"no! i wont stop! you're cute, adorable, sweet, funny, an absolute dork and very attractive!" You backed away from Felix, back hitting the wall. Heart swelling up with love, making you feel giddy.

You had to protect yourself, protect your heart from anymore heartbreak. you cant allow yourself to be swooned by his sweet talk. you’re opposites. you dont and shouldn't mix, society says so.

Felix gently removed your hands away from your face, cupping your cheeks. His face inches away from yours. "(Y/N), stop running away. you're so special to me. I've been feeling things that I've never felt before and, until now, I'm aware of the fact that - i think i love you."

You shake your head rapidly, unable to process his words. unable to process that your feelings are mutual.

"stop.." you whispered. Felix shook his head.

"no." his lips found their way onto yours. you tensed, a little unsure on what to do. deciding to just, go for it and let your walls down, you cling onto Felix's shirt, lips moving together in a slow and passionate kiss.

the kiss was filled with love for one another. it was tender, slow and made you feel so many butterflies that you felt you was drowning in them. his lips are soft against yours, his touch tender and soothing. fuck what society says, fate decided that you two are made for one another, so who are you to go against fates choice?

"Felix, i cant." You whimpered out. during the kiss, you both somehow managed to strip of all clothing and make your way to the bed. You're currently sprawled out on the sheets, naked and shy whilst Felix is by your side, his lips doing work on your neck whilst his middle and index fingers are thrusting inside you at a steady pace.

"shh baby, i got you. you're doing so well for me." he murmured against you skin, which is now decorated in purple bruises. You clenched around his fingers, your juices coating his digits.

Felix asked if you was a virgin judging by the way you acted so shy whilst stripping. You claimed you wasn't but the last time you did anything sexual with someone was a while ago. "just means i have to take extra special care of you.”

You gripped onto Felix's wrist, his fingers curled inside you as his pace quickened. The sounds of your wet cunt and soft moans bounced off the bedroom walls, making Felix hum

"you make the prettiest sounds for me, petal. you're so precious." You whimpered at his words, his thumb coming to contact with your clit. He applied pressure, rubbing circles on it as your back arched a little, moans in the form of Felix's name rolling off your tongue.

you felt warm, your pussy throbbing as the knot in the pit of your stomach was forming. you dug your nails into his soft skin, leaving marks.

"Felix.." you whimpered out, legs shaking as you tired to delay your orgasm until felix said you could cum

"want to cum?" you nodded fast, eyes pleading as your brows knitted together. "then cum petal. cum around my digits like a good girl."

You groaned out, legs shaking as your walls fluttered around felixs fingers. Felix thrusted his fingers slowly, rubbing lazy circles on your clit, helping you ride out your high. Once calm, Felix removed his fingers and kissed you softly and tenderly, you reciprocating the feelings.

You could feel Felix's hard cock poking the outside of your thigh. You went to reach for it, to relive him when he suddenly grabbed your wrist gently to stop you. You looked at him, confused.

"you dont have to do anything to me, let me care for you. tonight is all about you. besides, you'll have many opportunities to touch me in the future."

Your heart fluttered. so there's going to be more times that you and felix will be doing this type of stuff? You blushed at the thought. Felix shifted onto his knees, between your legs. He reached down and grabbed a condom out off his wallet, tearing it open.

he gave himself a few gentle strokes before rolling the condom on. Grabbing your legs, he pulled you closer to him, tip daring to enter you.

Felix held the base of his cock, teasing and rubbing your entrance before looking at you. "you ready? you absolutely sure you want this?" His voice sincere.

you nodded. "I've never been so sure about something in my life, lix." You smiled before groaning as Felix pushed himself inside you. The stretch burned. Felix leaned over you, weight supported by his arms that was on either side of your head.

"Petal, relax. It's okay. You're okay. im here." Felix planted gentle kisses on your forehead and cheeks, helping you calm down. He was halfway in you before he stopped, allowing you to adjust.

You nodded, feeling yourself relax. "move." you whispered. Felix thrusted into you, movements slow. He scanned your face for any signs of displeasure and when he saw none – when he heard your moans becoming frequent and the grip you have on his biceps – he picked up the pace.

pain turned to pleasure. your body hot, pleasure running through your veins. sweat started to form on your skin, mouth turning dry with the pants and moans. His movements were not slow, but they were not fast either. They held feeling, passion, love.

Felix captured your lips into his in a sloppily, breathless but passionate kiss which you gladly reciprocated. Your hands trailing up his back to his neck, holding the sides. His body was also hot and sweaty, hair sticking to his skin.

You pulled away and looked at the beautiful man above you. His long hair falling past his face, which you tucked behind his ear, showing more of his facial features. You ghosted your finger over his freckles, humming.

"so beautiful, lix." You whispered, causing Felix to blush.

"not as beautiful as you, petal." you clenched around Felix, causing him to groan. "shit.." you smirked at his reaction before your hand travelled down your stomach to your clit. You rubbed circles on it as Felix thrusted into you. your moans mixing with each others, kisses sloppily and lazy.

you felt the knot form in the pit of your stomach for the second time that night. Felix felt it by the way your walls clenched around him. Felix's thrusts soon turned sloppy and uncoordinated, indicating he was also close.

"you close lix? he grumbled, his facial expression desperate. "then cum, lix. don't hold back."

"want to – want to cum with you." He breathed out. You almost lost it at his words, your own high approaching rapidly. Your body tensed up, movement quickened on your clit.

"cum. im going to cum, lix." you cried out.

"together?" You nodded before the knot snapped. Your walls fluttering around felix, his name falling out of your mouth in soft whines and whimpers. Felix's movements stopped, groans escaping his lips as he emptied inside the condom, before shallowly thrusting, helping you both to ride out your highs.

once calm, he slowly pulled out and took the condom off, tying it and throwing it in the trash. he collapsed next to you. he turned to his side, facing you.

"so?" you turned your head, looking at him and humming. "wanna go on a date or something?"

You laughed. "bit backwards, no?" Felix looked at you and blinked "normally, people would go on a date then fuck. not fuck and then date."

Felix blushed, fiddling with his fingers "well, if you don't want to, that's fine too. I understand, especially after what hyunjin said."

You shook your head. "Hyunjin is Hyunjin. You cant control what he says. anyways, Chan seems like the sort of person to scold him so, i’m sure that has happened already."

Felix laughed, agreeing with you. Chan has for sure scolded Hyunjin, making him promise to apologise to you when he next sees you. He also had to stop the two youngsters from flicking his forehead so much.

"but i'd like that lix. i'd like to go on a date with you." you smiled at him as he gave you his big, toothy grin.

"perfect! tomorrow night at 7? meet me at my dorm" You nodded, your heart swelling and bursting with love and joy.

opposites do attract after all.

#skz #stray kids #lee yongbok #lee felix #felix #yongbok #skz hard thoughts #skz hard hours #stray kids hard hours #stray kids hard thoughts #stray kids smut #stray kids fluff #stray kids angst #skz fluff #skz angst #skz smut #skz x reader #lee yongbok smut #lee felix smut #felix smut #lee yongbok fluff #lee yongbok angst #lee felix fluff #lee felix angst #felix fluff #felix angst #skz x you #stray kids x you #stray kids fic #kpop

[toxicanonymity]

Aisle 39. Ben's Hardware

5250 words / Ben Solo x Rey

Warnings: I8+ mdni. Sexual tension, dubcon (via uninformed use of force connection but she wants it), dry humping. I 🖤 Dry Humping. Hardware Store AU but more than meets the eye.

A/N: posting my first fic in any fandom since I never posted it on Tumblr aside from the AO3 link and Tumblr is home now 🖤. I'm resisting the urge to improve it 😅 I'm not even gonna reread before posting. It was originally reader insert but @dark-scape translated to reylo. Lmk if you want the reader insert version instead and that can be arranged.

Rey visually undresses him.  He inhales through his strong nose, meets her gaze, and cocks an eyebrow: “Now that’s an idea."   He sinks all the way back into the cushions, his huge palms on his thighs, as if to take in the moment with a subtle, satisfied smile.  He then abruptly sits back up and starts unbuttoning his shirt.  As if on command.

Rey drives through the streets of Jakku. It's a chilly day, but bright for mid December. The sun is in her eyes, but the drive isn't long enough to commit to finding her sunglasses. As she turns into a parking lot, she sees the cafe next door is open and realizes it will be the perfect day to grab her favorite nutmeg butternut squash soup with their signature green tea bread if she can make it out of the hardware store before the lunch rush really picks up. This is a rare opportunity because the cafe's hours are aligned to typical office job hours when she’s normally across town.

Rumor has it the hardware store is locally-owned now, and she wonders how much it’s changed. She's taken a vacation day to finish some holiday shopping and errands, and thought of an easy home improvement project last night to spruce up Finn and Poe’s house while she housesits and takes care of their cat Bebe. She wants to fix the dimmer for the light above their kitchen table. The knob has been missing for awhile now, and even when you twist the naked peg, the lights don't dim, so she assumes the bulbs aren’t the right kind. She figures she can fix this with a new plastic knob, a 4-pack of dimmable LED lights, and five minutes of labor. She can finish it off with a little red bow on the new dial. This will be a nice surprise and will also give her an excuse to procrastinate her other errands.

Turns out, not much has changed. She clip-clops through the sliding doors in her warmest boots and still sees orange aprons with names hand-written in sharpie. She immediately locates the light bulbs and spends a few minutes longer than necessary deciding which pack to get. She looks at her phone and sees she has about ten minutes until the lunch rush, so it's time to find the other item she needs, the knob.

She looks up and sees a worker. He's wearing a dark gray jacket over his apron, and what looks like a lighter gray hoodie under it. It isn’t that cold in here, she thinks . She almost leaves him alone, but something on his apron catches her eye. She can't see the name, but barely sees the edge of an expertly doodled death star. Bold choice.  

He's got a nice head of dark hair, chin length, tapered around his face, but out of the way enough to see his eyes are brown. He runs his hand through his hair over the top of his crown as though slicking it back, then some of the strands fall back down. His face is a mix of heart and square shaped with a masculine jaw and strong nose. He has the stubble of a mustache and soul patch but no beard.

He has beauty marks, so many. How many? Are they just on his face or all over? He has an enviously clear complexion and looks like he tans easily. He's kind of tall, but not looming, maybe because his head is bowed slightly as he lifts a crate of lightbulb boxes and begins to unpack it. He seems athletic, hard to tell with what he's wearing. He has a youthful vibe but isn't exactly boyish.

He carries himself like he knows more or less what he's doing, but doesn't take the job too seriously. Rey imagines he wouldn't be the best candidate to tell her how to do a project, but he must know the aisles at least. She doesn't like to be a bother, but hopes it's an easy enough question, and he's standing right there. He can tell she’s about to ask him something and looks up. The whites of his eyes are clear and sparkly. Rey wonders if hers would be like that if she blinked more, which leads to her unintentionally fluttering her lashes.

She finally says, close to a whisper, “Can I ask you something?” I asked… if I can ask him something. She groans inwardly.

She isn’t prepared for the gentle baritone voice he responds with, "Yeah. Sure."

"Uh, where can I find the light switches and dimmers?"

"AISLE 39. I think. Here, I'll show you." He sounds about twice as old as he looks. Those few words he speaks are enough to flip a switch in Rey.  Her heart is melting at the same time her mind is racing. She can't tell for sure because he’s so bundled up, but she imagines he has strong arms and is in great shape based on the vascularity of his hands as he holds his barcode reader. He's working in the middle of the school day so he's got to be at least 18, not that he looks any younger, but Rey tends to think in worst case scenarios. Realistically, she would peg him for mid-twenties, but his voice sounds at least two decades older.

He walks her to aisle 39 and stops. She thanks him for his help, and as she turns to walk in the direction he pointed, she realizes she’s slightly blushing and she’s been silent. She doesn't want her shyness to come off as cold, so she makes eye contact and lets a little smile sprout from the left corner of her mouth across her lips, small but beaming. She hopes it doesn't come off as a smirk or make him self conscious. She can't tell whether he's the self conscious type.

She figures she can find the item herself from here, and doesn't think to ask him about the specific product. She wanders nearly all the way down the aisle, but after several minutes of searching (albeit distractedly), Rey is relieved to see him come back with another customer. He's helping a man find a specific thing, not a whole aisle. She’s jealous, even though it was her own fault not to ask. She hopes he sticks around and asks her if she found everything okay, but when he's done with the other customer it seems like he's about to leave.

She quickly approaches him. “Can I- can I ask for your help again?” Asking to ask again. Do I always sound this ridiculous? She tells him about the dimmer she’s looking for, which is apparently called a rotary switch.

To her surprise and delight, he talks far more than he needs to about rotary switches. His dark velvet voice is lulling Rey half into a fantasy while she struggles to continue listening to his words. He repeats almost every word she says back to him coolly and casually. And these aren't complicated concepts. She isn’t sure if he's practicing an active listening technique from sales training or is simply aware of his effect on women. Or his effect on her. She stands inches from him and looks into his eyes. She wonders to what extent her white cheeks have bloomed into roses under her freckles and given her away.

"You need a dimmer?" He looks her in the eyes, but she’s transfixed on every flex of his jaw and twitch of his lip as he talks.

"Yes, but just the knob, not the whole thing,” she says.

He nods thoughtfully then confirms, "So you just need the plastic part?"

“Right, there’s still a stick you can use to turn it, but it’s naked,” Rey confirms. She pulls her phone out of her back pocket to show him what kind of set-up the panel has and what part she needs.

"So on the panel there's an up-down switch, and a rotary dimmer."

“Yeah." She shows him the knob on the store's app and says, "I think the dimmer part is in stock.”

He replies "Oh, it says aisle 2?" He looks in that direction like he’s trying to remember what’s in aisle 2. He must be new.

"No, we’re in the right aisle. It's wrong on the preview page, but if you click into it you can see," she explains.

"Oh, ok. This is what you need though?" He locks eyes with Rey.

Just like that, she’s imagining him taking off his apron and hoodie at the end of the day, revealing meaty biceps that want to burst out of a black, soft washed t-shirt. Running his large hand through his hair. Flexing those beautiful arms as he peels off the shirt. A smooth torso with hard pecs, scant chest hair. At the thought of this, the left half of her bottom lip starts to creep under her left front teeth, and he cracks a smile for the first time, from the right side of his mouth, almost like a mirror image to Rey’s. His teeth are pretty but unassuming. They're close to white and not overly straight.

Her cheeks grow warmer and she looks away, responding to his question with a slight nod, which she hopes doesn’t read as hesitant, before resuming eye contact. “Yeah,” she quietly confirms.

"But you don't need the regular switch, right?" He speaks with a relaxed beat, not rushing the conversation to its end.

"Uh-huh."

He's speaking low and soft and looks back and forth between Rey’s eyes, not at the screen they’re both supposedly studying. "You just need the dimmer."

"Yeah." She feels like this is being drawn out to the point of overkill, but she’s not complaining.

"And you only need the plastic part." Every time he speaks is like music.

"Yeah," she confirms, barely audible, with a smile.

He continues to search her eyes and she repeats, "Yeah."

For a brief moment, he seems to gaze at Rey as lustily as she knows she is looking at him before he gathers his thoughts. She feels self conscious and suspects by the amount that he’s talking he must know the spellbinding effect his voice has on her. But if that's the case, she supposes there’s no harm that could come from him knowing it.

"Okay, let’s go over here," he says as he leads her back to where she started at the front of the aisle. "I think I see it.” He crouches down to get something from the bottom shelf.

"That’s it!" Rey says with a grin.

She feels bad for not crouching down with him. She’s always self conscious of making people do too much work, but then she also doesn’t want to make it awkward by taking over. So it's not that she expects him to serve her, she’s just frozen. He starts to pull the small product off the metal rods. It's the exact one she’d shown him on her phone, but she notices a better color next to it. Rey squats down and as she looks at the package to the right of the one he's holding, he almost looks disappointed that he didn't pick the exact unit she needed.

She says, "This one is even better, it'll match the old yellowed white." As she slides the package toward her, her right thumb almost imperceptibly brushes his left hand which is still holding the other package. She hasn’t even thought about his package yet, but the lightest brush of his skin is enough to short Rey’s circuits. She gets nervous and stands up, thanks him twice with a genuine smile and that's all she can do.

"No problem," he says, and that's all. As Rey watches him walk away, she feels an odd desperation to hear his voice again. She thinks about making up another question and recording him with an app. Is that creepy? It’s a little creepy, but not full-blown creepy, right? It isn't an option to never hear his voice again. She briefly glances around and he's nowhere in sight. She gets a hold of herself and makes her way to the self checkout line and pays.

Scanning the parking lot as she leaves, Rey wonders which car is his. When she gets to her car, she realizes she doesn’t have her keys. She sheepishly walks back inside and grabs her keys and receipt from the self-checkout terminal she just used. She looks at the receipt - “Ben’s Hardware”. So it did change ownership. She feels someone watching her from the aisle straight ahead, but tries to play it cool. She smiles and shakes her head in disbelief as she turns around and leaves, heart pounding.

Rey forgets all about the soup she was going to get and drives on autopilot to the house to install the dimmer and bulbs. What was that back there? When did I become so shy? It’s been a long time since she’s felt a visceral longing for someone, too. She can feel the animal inside of her awakening from a years-long slumber. She isn’t worried about it, she welcomes it. It’s tame. She has the maturity and experience to stay in control.

She pulls into the broken driveway and parks under the carport. Bebe runs to greet her and Rey bends down to pet her when she opens the car door. This should be an easy but impactful little project. She enters the kitchen, and takes the rotary dial out, dismissing a ridiculous passing thought that she should have bought the white one, too, because he touched it.  She tears the packaging open and holds the off-white plastic rotary dial in her hand, smiling as she remembers all the ways he described it.  

She raises the cream plastic dial to the light switch panel and glances at its underside, confirming it’s compatible.  The unsheathed rotary peg juts out from the panel in anticipation. She holds the dial by its outer edge, aligning its hole with the peg, and gently eases the peg inside.  The dial slides all the way on and snaps into place. It sticks out a little far from the wall, but it works.  Then she unscrews the light bulbs in the cheap chandelier one by one and replaces them with the dimmable ones she bought. 

Finally, the moment of truth - she presses the rotary dial, which turns on the lights, but when she rotates the dimmer, it dims nothing. The dimmer wiring itself might not be LED compatible. Of course. It looks like she’ll have to go back to the store, but not today. She does her shopping and begrudgingly runs errands, and finishes off her day with a warm cup of rooibos.

When she gets in bed, her mind drifts back to Him. She’s dying to hear his voice again. He was so calm, aloof, but somehow radiating power. She interprets it as sexual energy, but she wonders if she’s just seeing what she wants to see. To keep his voice in her mind, she imagines him narrating, “So. This is your bed… we’re going to use an extra blanket tonight, because it’s cold.” She feels ridiculous. But when she drifts off to sleep, there he is.

*** 

Rey is in a living room, but not hers.  It’s a subtle mid-century style with huge windows and modern touches.  It’s dimly lit with a fire roaring behind a glass.  He’s slouched on a stool at a wet bar, drinking something on the rocks.  He’s wearing black slacks, a form-fitting charcoal button-up shirt, untucked, with the cuffs unbuttoned.  He has one foot on a rung of the stool and another with its heel on the ground as he looks at his glass. 

He looks at Rey and puts down the glass.  “Drink?” he asks, standing up to go around the other side of the bar.  Rey watches him.  “Whisky? Wine? Water?” he asks, while filling a glass of water.   “I’m fine,” she replies.  He puts the glass of water down on the smooth granite in front of a second stool that’s still tucked under the bar.  As he walks out from behind the bar, he lets his fingers graze the leather seat of the closest stool.  Rey notices he’s shoeless, wearing black and gray argyle socks.  Why is he so quiet? 

Right on cue, he says, “Well, you’re here.  What do you want to do?” It’s so vivid.  Rey is frozen and says nothing.  Her heartbeat quickens.  He paces patiently.  There’s a teal sectional facing the fireplace.  The living room has soft carpet that feels new under her bare feet.  He walks across the living room, crossing into It a breakfast nook with an oak table.  Behind the kitchen table, he reaches for the wall and lightly touches a conspicuously cheap looking dial that dims the room further.   He comes back toward Rey, and pauses between the breakfast nook and living room. There’s a cabinet separating the spaces, about the same height as the kitchen table.  It has a record player and a box of records sitting on top of it.  

He approaches the record cabinet, which is about hip height to him.  He’s facing Rey, with the cabinet and the entire living room in between them.  With a casual stretch of one leg, he spreads his feet to lower himself a little and look at the records. He rolls up his sleeves, glancing up at her with his tan forearms flexing.  He thumbs through the vinyl records, which appear to have no words on the covers.  He has his head down, his hair has fallen slightly in his face, and he’s glancing up at Rey every few seconds as he thumbs through the box. 

He starts reading out the names of records, and her butterflies intensify at the low rumble of his voice. “Led Zeppelin III,” “Some Girls,” “Get Behind Me Satan,” “Ocean’s 11,” “Travis” “John Wick 2”  The foliage outside rustles gently against the window.  The next time he looks up at her, he doesn't look back down.  It’s an expectant gaze as though to see if the sound of his voice was effective.  She squirms a little and blushes.  He holds her gaze, squints slightly, and smiles a little.  He’s finished going through the records.  He doesn’t put anything on the record player, but a song she likes starts playing anyway.  Think, by Kaleida.  

He gives Rey a mischievous, inquisitive look, and runs his hand through his hair as he walks over to the sectional. He takes a seat and hinges forward at the hip, putting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together.  She admires the shape of his forearms.  He raises his clasped hands upright and sets his chin on them playfully, his biceps straining his sleeves as he meets her eyes.  He says, “Well, here we are at my place,” which she doubts.  Rey doesn’t know what she expects his place is like in reality, but it isn’t this refined.  He chuckles, removing his elbows from his knees and resuming a more grown-up posture. With arched brows and an otherwise straight face, he says, “Really.” His brows relax again.  “What do you feel like doing?”  His voice floods every inch of her body with a yearning to be touched.  

She doesn’t know how to answer him.  She doesn’t know how she got there or what’s going on, but the combination of his voice, eye contact, and arms are enough for Rey to begin visually undressing him.  He inhales through his strong nose, meets her gaze, and cocks an eyebrow: “Now that’s an idea."   He sinks all the way back into the cushions, his palms on his thighs, as if to take in the moment with a subtle, satisfied smile.  He then abruptly sits back up and starts unbuttoning his shirt.  As if on command. . . Holy shit, Rey thinks.  She realizes this is a dream. She’s lucid.  It’s like a 5-d game where she can feel everything.    In theory, she can do whatever she wants.  What she really wants at this moment is to straddle him.   

He glances down between his legs and coolly says, “sit anywhere you want.”  She feels observed, even though he isn’t real.  She walks over to the sectional and perches next to him on the edge of its velvet cushion. She feel herself getting wet.  She’s wearing a gray stretch miniskirt–something she wouldn’t have picked out for herself–black leggings, and a green cardigan with no undershirt.  He finishes unbuttoning his shirt and discards it on the floor.  She sees exactly what she’d pictured earlier - a strong physique, his lightly bronzed arms straining against a soft washed t-shirt.  “What’s your name,” he asks, and she feel a warmth growing between her legs.     She tells him, “Rey.”  “Rey,” he repeats, and she fruitlessly responds, “What’s yours?” 

He sighs and gazes around wistfully, “Her name is Rey.”  Then his eyes are back on her.  He places a large hand softly on her knee.  Electrified, she reciprocates.   It’s not real, she reminds herself.  She can do anything.  The guy from the store will never know.  She dares to run her hand a few inches up his quad and give his muscle a light squeeze.  He exhales with the slightest little groan,  “yeah,” and moves his hand to the small of back to urge her closer.  She’s sitting next to him but facing him now, left leg folded under her, working her right hand up his quad. 

The expanse of his thigh dwarfs her pale fingers on his black pants as she leans forward and lets her heel nestle between her legs to relieve some tension.  A tsunami of tingling deep inside her spreads through her breasts.  She grips his thigh for support, and lifts herself just barely,  intending to bring the inner crook of one knee up over his closest leg in a cuddly way while remaining seated on the couch.  A tent in his pants catches her eye and her skin starts to burn with urgency.  If she moves too quickly, she wonders if she could startle herself awake.  

As Rey raises her leg, he brings his far hand to it, gently coaxing her to move all the way onto his lap.  Her skirt rides up over her ass as she follows his lead.  He seizes one buttock in each hand, gives them a gentle squeeze, and takes a deep breath.  She is overcome with arousal and takes her own deep breath, shuddering and blinking slowly as she exhales. Her legs are now spread wide open straddling his lap, but she’s hovering and hasn’t put her weight on him yet.  Her head is a little higher than his in this position.  He bows his head and nuzzles his nose into her cardigan between her breasts, closing his eyes and taking in her scent.  

Rey’s modest chest is heaving against his face and he cradles her with both arms as she breathes.  She places her hands gently on his shoulders, and slowly moves them inward to fondle the hair at the nape of his neck.  She twirls a lock around her finger contemplatively, but she’s still hovering.  His arms are under hers with his face still in her sweater.  He drags his nose up to her neck and she feels her cardigan unbutton, exposing a lace bra, which is fastened in the front.  He looks up at her and reiterates in an intimate whisper, “you can sit anywhere you want.”  

Rey could tell from his breathing what would await her in his lap.  Her leggings were already soaked.  One by one, she scooted her knees closer to the back of the couch on either side of his expansive torso and let her weight down.  She is now truly straddling him, her inner thighs and the intimate seam of her warm, moist leggings fully embracing his arousal.  Her wetness spread through her leggings and into his pants.  His lumber swells against her, pulsing into her aching nub.  “Yeah,” he breathes.  “Right here.” She leans forward to feel his full length, which spans from her privates to her belly button as he thrusts against her. 

Over the course of a few blissful seconds, she feels his erection press harder against her, slide upward, then come back down, and repeat.  His mouth finds her neck, then her mouth.  She accept his lips hungrily and grinds back in rhythm.  Her lips pull away as pleasure shoots through her gut and breasts.  She leans her head back and gasps.  He moves his way back down to her heart, nuzzling his nose along her neck then planting a kiss on her collar bone, another kiss on her breast.   

Then his teeth lightly pinch her skin as they find the front of her bra.  He looks up at her as the clasp flies open and her breasts are free.  Her hard nipples are framed loosely by her dangling bra and the top half of her cardigan which is still buttoned, only at the bottom.  She’s still wearing leggings, but his cock feels too good to leave it for even one moment to undress further.  She continues to slowly grind against him as he moves one hand to her breast, keeping the other behind her for support.  He palms one breast, lightly at first, grazing her nipple with the heel of his palm, then softly cups the whole breast, enveloping it in his large hand as he continues to slowly thrust into her warmth  He uses his free hand to bring her close enough to kiss her other breast. 

Rey is burning up now.  He undoes the last two buttons of her cardigan and she lets it fall off her shoulders, discarding her bra at the same time.  She reaches down to the hem of his shirt and slides four curled fingers underneath it.  He helps her take it off, and she takes in the sight of his shredded torso.  His right pec has a scar.  She traces it with her thumb.  His pecs are so hard.  As she explores him, they continue grinding, then he gives a more emphatic thrust, like his cock cannot physically get close enough to her.  She reaches between their loins and strokes his arousal through his pants, tracing the outline of his cock in detail.  His pants are damp and shiny from her leggings and with a wetter spot of his own.  

Rey needs him badly.  He isn’t wearing a belt.  She frantically searches for his button and zipper and carefully frees him. She holds, and beholds, the glorious, veiny shaft that lands in her hand.  She savors the feeling of its soft skin as it throbs in her hand.  “You. . . are a vision,” he murmurs into her chest, which is exactly what she was thinking about his package.  She moves her thumb to the head of his cock, collects a bead of precum, and swirls around the head affectionately.  Her brows furrow with want.   He holds her tighter, closing the gap between them.  He begins thrusting again, hard and slow.  Rey grinds her throbbing warmth against his lower shaft while her hand is still in between them.  

She feels the spine of her groin twitching and knows she’s close.  She takes a deep breath and lets a sharper pleasure overtake her chest and groin.  Her breath quickens as she nears her peak.  She still has her leggings on. He reaches his broad hands into the back of her leggings, taking one buttcheek in each hand and moves her up and down against him.  “I need you,” he breathes. They look into each other’s eyes and there’s something wild in his pupils, something dark, like a warm, black hole, drawing her in.  “Take me,” she says.  He reaches a hand behind her neck to cradle her head, and they gaze at each other, breathing, grinding.  Then he pulls her face decisively to his.  

Rey inhales through her nose as their lips meet hungrily. He kisses her hard, too messily to  seal their mouths together, leaving his lower lip between her lips as he draws in a deep breath through his mouth.   He then closes his lips on her upper lip, his teeth and tongue slightly grazing it.  Half his mouth opens into hers, the other halves of their mouths still breathing heavily. 

He shifts her slightly upward, wraps her around his waist, and she feels the head of his rock hard cock aggressively nuzzling her clit, up and down.  His tongue finds hers and she lets it brush against her teeth.  When she pulls away for a moment, he looks her in the eyes. They’re both moving faster now, and  as they’re about to come, she folds herself into him, sliding her lips down his chin to his neck and opening her mouth, breathing against his skin. 

His thumb finds her most sensitive place and one touch sends her over the edge.  The pleasure is almost too much to bear.  Her ass clenches as ecstacy blooms from her groin, her nipples, her ears, and deep within her gut.  Muscles she didn’t even know she had shudder in release, and he wraps his arms tight around her, thrusting to the beat of her orgasm.  She rides wave after wave, pulsating against his cock, and as another wave swells he groans, and she feels his cock begin its own contractions, intensifying hers.  

Rey’s mouth is open against his neck and she’s breathing into his skin and as he unleashes a huge lode of cum, between them, soaking through her leggings, and gluing their clothes together.  Her canines dig harmlessly into the side of his neck – she can’t resist –  then she brings her lips to the flesh and seals it with a kiss.   She collapses into him, loosely hugging him with her legs, and the two of them just breathe.  Then he tightens his arms around her in a hug, and she looks up. She sees the mark of her teeth on his neck, and remembers no one else will see it.  This isn’t real.  

She nuzzles her head into her mark and blinks her eyelashes against his skin.   He sighs slowly through his nose, then she feel the vibrations of his voice against her face as he says, “You are… remarkable.”  She lies there breathing for a few minutes and he wraps them both in a cream, cable-knit throw.  She falls asleep in his arms and wakes up in her own bed, marveling at how a dream can make one feel like they’ve experienced someone so intimately.  She hadn’t had a lucid dream in years.  She absently scratches an itch between her breasts and wonders how she can be sure to dream of him again tonight.  Was it the rooibos, or the sheer will of her want?

#adam driver character #ben solo fanfic #ben solo smut #kylo ren smut #ben solo x rey #kylo ren #kylo ren x rey #toxicanonymity ☠️ #reylo fanfic #reylo smut #reylo #inappropriate use of the force #wrong use of the force #tw dubcon #star wars fanfiction

[the-lonelybarricade]

Don't Be a Jerk (It's Christmas) - College AU

Summary: When the group in the corner of the cafe are being too loud for Feyre to study, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

A silly, short little oneshot for @feysand-month (@unofficialfeysandmonth2022) Day 15 - College AU

Read on AO3・Feysand Month Masterlist

Good evening Velaris University listeners.

The voice floating over the cafe’s speakers gave Feyre pause. She set down her pen, trading it for her coffee. She’d been neglecting it so long that it had gone cold, but taking a sip gave her mind an excuse to drift away from the headache of integrals for a moment.

This is your host Lucien Vanserra, I’ll be taking over at VU Radio to keep you night owls company. I hope I can bring a little festive spirit to everyone cramming for exams. Let’s start with the perennial favorite, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’.

She smiled into her coffee and reached for her phone. Pretty sure Elain is sleeping. She won’t know she’s all you want for Christmas.

Lucien sent back a middle finger emoji.

Teasing him about his crush on her sister had become one of Feyre’s guilty pleasures. What she would never tell Lucien is that Elain had been the one to ask if they could study in the cafe. She insisted it was because she liked the atmosphere. It was just a coincidence that they played the campus radio in the cafe and not in the library.

Feyre would have been better at minding her business about it if Elain hadn’t ditched their study date. She’d gotten her sister’s text only once she’d arrived at the cafe, explaining that she was tired and was going to take an early night. Leaving Feyre to secure a table by herself.

And she wouldn’t have minded studying on her own, if the place Elain had chosen wasn’t so loud. It was open well into the morning and Feyre was hoping she could wait out the noise, but there was one particularly rowdy group in the corner that had set up station before she’d gotten there. By the looks of their setup, she guessed they were planning to be there all night, too.

It meant having to pick between putting in headphones, or listening to Lucien’s radio show. She wanted to pride herself on being a supportive friend, so Feyre grit her teeth and put her headphones in without connecting them to her phone. That way she could still hear Mariah Carey well enough to mentally hum along, but it took some of the edge off of the grating cackle from the man in the corner. He was banging his large fists on the table like the blonde woman next to him had just said the most hilarious joke known to man.

Consciously, Feyre reminded herself that the cafe wasn’t exactly a designated quiet place to study. If she was looking for that, she should have gone to the library—and she would’ve, if not for Elain’s influence.

They’d come here to listen to Lucien’s radio show. So she would listen.

Besides, even if the group was obnoxious, they at least had the benefit of being gorgeous. And she thought maybe it’d be nice to doodle them when she needed a break. Particularly the one sat in the center of it all, with the prettiest eyes she’d ever seen. He wore a smirk on his plush lips and Feyre briefly contemplated what they might taste like.

Until he opened his mouth.

“I thought Lucien’s taste would be classier.”

“C’mon Rhys, this is a classic!” The big one protested. Feyre decided she liked him, even if he was the loudest.

“It’s overplayed,” said the petite woman across from them with a sneer. She had short blonde hair and her grey eyes were narrowed into slits. For such a small person, she carried an energy so imposing that Feyre glanced down quickly at her phone, lest she notice her staring.

She quickly texted Lucien. Play a song for me?

It didn’t take long for Mariah Carey’s voice to fade, and then Lucien’s rich voice came back on: Doesn’t that song just put you in the Christmas spirit? Next up we have an anonymous request dedicated to Rhys. This is ‘Don’t Be a Jerk (It’s Christmas)’.

Rhys sat up, looking around the table at his friends. “Did one of you send that in?”

“No,” the loud one said, throwing his head back for another sharp cackle. “But I want to marry whoever did.”

“It was you, wasn’t it Az?” Rhys said, twitching lips saying he was more amused than anything else.

The third man—the one who up until now had been quiet—shook his head. “I do think it’s an apt choice, though.”

“Yeah, Rhys, don’t be a jerk,” the blonde said, poking her tongue out. “Who’s poor heart did you break recently?”

“No one’s, as far as I’m aware,” he answered, looking thoughtfully down to his phone like he was expecting a text from a vindictive lover any minute.

It meant that he was caught unaware by the large hand that patted him on the back. Even with her headphones in, Feyre could here the small humph of air whooshing out of his chest.

“Rhys has been in a dry spell.” The large one’s grin was sharp enough to cut diamonds.

“Thanks Cass,” he said dryly.

The blond smacked her lips together, entirely unsympathetic. “Maybe you’d have better luck if you weren’t such a—”

“Jerk?” He interrupted smugly.

She laughed. “Maybe we should ask Lucien to play the song again. You clearly didn’t get the memo.”

I think that song has a really important message to take away as we get closer to the holidays. I hope you’re listening, Rhys, because there’s another song request dedicated to you. They’ve asked me to play ‘Silent Night’ to remind you what the cafe should sound like when other people are trying to study.

“It’s someone in the cafe, then,” she heard Rhys say, followed by screeching chairs as they presumably looked around to find the culprit.

Feyre relaxed her shoulders and concentrated heavily on the paper in front of her, smothering the temptation to look up. She thought she could get away with it if they thought she was listening to her headphones, and she made a point of bobbing her head like she was listening to pop music and not a Christmas ballad.

She’d told them off, in her quiet little way. Now she should really go back to studying, instead of listening intently to their conversation. Instead of staring at her paper, doodling a picture of a man with impish features, plush lips, and sparkling eyes.

Alright Velaris University, that was Frank Sinatra’s ‘Silent Night’. If you’ve been listening you’ll know we’ve had a few anonymous requests come in with a message for Rhys. Well, Rhys has just written in with a response. He says you should come ask him to be quiet yourself. This is ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch’.

Feyre scoffed. She couldn’t help it. He was the one saying Mariah Carey was overrated and she was the Grinch?

“Looks like we found your Grinch, Rhys,” one of the women said—the blonde, if Feyre had to guess.

Bashful, she looked up to meet the five pairs of eyes watching her. None of them looked mad, at least. Rhys was grinning.

“There you are.” He stood in a graceful, slow movement. “Do you need help growing your heart a few sizes?”

Her cheeks burned. She quickly covered the doodle as he approached. “I’m trying to study.”

“Are you sure?” He pulled out the chair across from her and dropped himself elegantly into its seat, propping his ankles on the table like the world belonged to him. “By the sound of things, you’re picking fights over the radio.”

Rhys started to peer at the papers in front of her. She hastily snatched a sheet of equations away from his prying fingers. “Lucien is my friend,” she said. “And his taste is very classy.”

“Ah, I see. I insulted your friend.” His eyes fixed to that cup of coffee that had long gone cold. “Allow me to make it up to you? A coffee on me?”

Without waiting for permission, he sat up and reached for the paper cup sat in front of her. Then— “Feyre,” he read off the side. Smiled like he was far too proud of himself. “That’s a pretty name. Fey-ruh. Let’s make a deal.”

She didn’t like the way he leaned over the table. Didn’t like the way her breath caught, and her pulse thudded, and his cologne wrapped around her, tugging her in, in, in until all she could see were those pretty deep blue eyes.

Feyre played her best impression of indifference. “What?”

She didn’t think she did a very good job of it. Her voice came out too shaky.

“If I buy you a coffee and tell my friends to shut up, will you let me sit with you?”

“I need to study,” she insisted.

He held up his free hand amicably. “We’ll study. I’ll keep my mouth shut, too. But at the end, you’ll let me walk you home?”

Feyre pressed her lips together. She studied his bright eyes, then the warm brown skin on his high cheekbones—which she could have sworn were flushed. Her eyes flickered over his shoulder, to the group of friends that were watching them so, so intently. She couldn’t decide from their vested interest if they were waiting for her to accept or to turn him down.

But he did have the prettiest eyes she’d ever seen, and they were practically begging her to accept.

“I ordered a latte,” she said finally.

Rhys slumped backwards, a smile blooming on his face. “One latte coming up, Feyre darling.”

She ducked her face back to the paper the moment he was gone, not quite feeling brave enough to gauge the reactions of their audience. Feyre bounced her leg, rolling her pen between her fingers as she listened to them murmur to each other. What a way to meet his friends.

Hello listeners. Bear with me for a moment. We have another request that I feel compelled to honor.

If Feyre listened closely, she could have sworn that Lucien’s microphone picked up a feminine giggle. Quiet, like it was in the background.

Rhys has written in with another request, and he wants to dedicate this one to Feyre. This is ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’.

#Feysand #Feysand fic #feysand fanfic #feysand fanfiction #feysand month #feysandmonth #feysandmonth2022 #feysandmonth22

[hockeynoses]

Sick!Steve & platonic Chrissy: A College AU

Happy (Horny) Holidays!

Summary: Steve and Chrissy have a class together and Steve shows up with a terrible cold. The sequel is here!

Warnings: Mess, Contagion. 1.6k.

Notes: I wrote this as platonic Steve & Chrissy, but feel free to take it however you want. I felt like writing something from a woman’s perspective for a change. This is just another excuse to have Steve go through all my favorite kinky phrases about being sick. 😈

This story has two lines that pull from some posts on snzblr... One is from the “mess talk” post by sneezysubbyboi, and the other is the “I think I’m getting worse” post by poor-darling. Thank you for the inspiration!

---

Chrissy sits in the back of the lecture hall, idly doodling in her notebook. The desk next to her is empty, and she’s keeping an eye on the situation. Nobody has tried to sit there yet; at this point in the semester everyone sits in the same seats out of habit. She wonders what’s taking Steve so long.

They had met for the first time in class, had happened to sit next to each other on the first day. Since then, they’ve gotten to know each other well. Sharing notes, helping out with difficult homework assignments, and even collaborating on a group project.

The professor is so strict about attendance, and Chrissy really hopes that Steve isn’t about to blow this for himself. He already has close to the allowed max of no-shows.

Just as she’s about to get her phone out to text him, she sees him scurry over out of the corner of her eye.  He plops his backpack down on the floor, letting himself fall into his chair gracelessly. He’s nearly out of breath and must’ve run to get here on time.

“You made it!” Chrissy says, relieved.

“I did,” he says, still panting. “Thagk god.”

Now that she’s able to get a better look at him, she can see that his nose is bright red. His face is flushed from his run and the winter weather, but this seems like it might be something more.

He shrugs his jacket off, the shoulders dusted with snowflakes that have now melted into tiny damp spots. He runs a hand through his hair, grateful that it’s not too wet from the snow. Shivering the chill weather out of his system and soaking up the heat inside the lecture hall, he rubs his hands together to warm them.

“Did you run here?” she asks even though she knows the answer already.

“Yeah.” He sniffs and wipes his nose on the back of his hand. “I slept in by acciden’d. I cad’t believe I albost m’bissed another class.”

He does look tired, Chrissy thinks. The puzzle pieces start to slot together when Steve pulls out a full-sized box of tissues from his backpack and sets it on his desk.

“Um…” she says, eyeing the box curiously.

“Ugh, I amb so sick,” he says miserably, confirming her suspicions.

“Oh no!” She gives a sympathetic frown. “It does seem like there’s always something going around this time of year.”

“Yeah, like all of bmy roobmates are sick right n’dow,” he says as he pulls his first tissue from the box. “Itd was on’dly a matter of time’b.”

He takes a deep breath and blows his nose. Chrissy winces at the full, crackling sound. People are still chatting around them, so the noise isn’t carrying like it will when the class is silently listening to the teacher. Still, Steve doesn’t seem to be too self-conscious about it. Maybe he’s too sick to care at this point. Chrissy tries to imagine herself attending class with an entire box of tissues on her desk and doesn’t think she’d have the guts.

“Bad timing, with finals coming up,” she says.

“Right?” He drops the soiled tissue on his desk and reaches for another one. “I really don’d have time’b to be sick ri-ihhh-ght SNF right dow- hih’EHTSSCHHH!” She can hear the congestion gushing into the tissue and raises her eyebrows at him.

“Whoa, you really don’t sound good, Steve,” she says. “You should probably be at home in bed. Did you ask the professor about it?”

Steve wipes his chapped nose with the tissue a couple times. “D’no, I didn’t even try. You k’dnow how strict he is. Idt probably wouldn’t have worked and’yway. Heh…hh’ERSSSHHHoo!” He curls forward with the strength of it.

“You could have tried, at least…”

Gathering up the soggy tissues, he shoves them in an empty compartment in his backpack. He grabs his notepad and pen and sets them on what little space is left on his desk.

She hears the scrape of cotton against cardboard as he pulls another kleenex from the box in preparation. Giving another waterlogged sniffle and scrubbing his nose with his palm, he says, “I really couldn’t mbiss anod’ther class. I – heh…eh…hih’KKSSSHHHuh! Ugh.” He groans and clears his throat. “If I have to take this class againd I’ll lose mby bmind.”

“You sound so bad,” Chrissy says, “If I’d have known, I would have brought you tea or something.”

His glassy, tired eyes meet hers with a kind look. “Thaggs, Chrissy.” He keeps the tissue pressed to his nose as he snuffles into it. “I’ll be alrighd’t, though.”

“If you say so…” she says with a compassionate look. From what she already knows of Steve, he’s a strong guy and can power through a lot of stuff. She wishes he didn’t have to, though.

“I wend to the campus clinic to get checked out and they said it was juu-huhhh… hih… HA-AETTCCCHHuh!  SNF – Jusdt a bad cold.” That one looked particularly messy, and she watches him clean himself up before reaching for a fresh tissue to bury his nose into, unleashing a gurgling blow in an attempt to clear out his sinuses. She figures it’s a futile effort at this point.

“Ugh, sorry these are so b’messy. I can’t even do an’dything aboud idt.” He gives a productive sniffle, as if to prove his point. “I’ve been’d so stuffed up for like, days. Heh...ha-ERRIISSSHHHoo! ISSSHHH’IEW!” Two harsh sneezes covered successfully by a bundle of kleenex, followed by another long-suffering blow. The poor boy looks miserable.

A chair creaks to their right and they both look over. The guy who had been sitting in the desk next to Steve has gathered his things up and is sneaking off to a safer area far, far away. Steve pouts internally as his ego takes a hit, but he can’t really blame him. He turns back to Chrissy and they share a look.

“You probably don’t wadda sit so close to be. Nod whed’n I’b thi-ihhh-ss…ha… hih’ERRSHOO! …sick,” he finishes, groaning into the tissue.

“I’ll take my chances,” she says with a warm smile. Having grown up with siblings, there isn’t a lot that grosses her out, and at this point she doesn’t know how much difference a couple feet of distance would make anyway.

“If you’re sure,” he says with a liquid sniffle. “Ha-KISSHH-ahh!” Another relentless sneeze that ends on a long, drawn-out sigh. “’Scuse be,” he says, voice breathless and deep. He gives a couple soft blows into the mass of tissues before scraping back and forth at his damp nostrils.

“I really don’d wand to get anyond else sick because this is the worst cold I’ve -heh- ehhh-ver h-had- Hih’RIIISHHuh!” His head snaps forward into the waiting bundle of spent tissues. “SNF! Ugh, sorry. They’re really loud, too,” he says, right before a wretched noseblow that he seems surprisingly unconcerned about the volume of.

Chrissy’s eyes dart around the room, taking note of a couple judgmental glances directed towards him. She offers them an apologetic smile on his behalf. Steve, however, seems undaunted, his sorry state causing him to be distracted and blasé about the whole thing.

“At least at this poindt I’ve gotten preddy good at covering thebm.” Gesturing to the soaked tissues in his hand, he crumples them up into a ball before leaning over to hide them away in his backpack.

A laugh bubbles out of her. “Well, that’s something at least. Practice makes perfect?”

Steve nods, “And I’ve had a lod of pracdice.” Sitting back up, he drags the back of his hand under his raw nose, already dripping again. “It’s a good thing too… snrk because these are so fugking bmessy…iihh…” A hazy look crosses his face as he scrubs his palm across the tip of his nose, trying to dispel the pesky itch. “Shitd – ndot hiihh- agaidn!”  He fumbles for a tissue, cupping his bare hand over his face just in time to contain a wet, spraying, “Hih’KKISSH-ah!” that bursts out of him. “God, sorry, that one cambe out of nowhere.”

She barely gets a glimpse of his palm, covered in tendrils of mess before he’s able to mop it all up with a tissue. He sets the wet kleenex on his desk and closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers in an effort to massage the pressure out of his sinuses.

A glazed look crosses his features. “I thigk rudding here in the snow is m’baking by cold- heh… worse! …ehh… heh’EHRUSSHHoo! ihh’TTSCHH! hiiih’AETTCHHuh!” The full-bodied sneezes rip through him, leaving him gasping for breath. Not having enough time to cover, he’d twisted away from Chrissy, openly spraying the space to his right; the seat their classmate had luckily just vacated.

That guy dodged a bullet, Chrissy thinks as she tries to control the look of shock on her face.

“Shit, sorry!” Covering his face with his cupped hand, (A little late for that, she thinks,) he pulls two tissues from the box. He gets halfway through blowing his nose before he’s interrupted by another scraping double- “Hep’TSCCHOO!  Huh…heh’YEETTCHH’tshoo!”

He sighs, groaning in defeat, face still buried in the bundle of cotton. “Baybe I should justd keeb these over mby face this whole tim’be,” he says, gesturing with the already soggy bunch of tissues pressed to his face. “Mby dose is rudding so buch I don’t even have a choice- hih’EHTIISSHH!” The sneeze bursts from him so suddenly that he surely wouldn’t have been able to cover in time if he hadn’t already been doing so.

“I think that’s the only option you have left, at this point…” Chrissy says, settling in for what was sure to be an eventful lecture.

#snz fics #snzblr #st/eve ha/rrington #snzfic #snz fic #snzfics

[01solarsmiles]

[ 4 ] beach brawl

synopsis: mortal mark faces fae intrigue. despite his obliviousness, his presence stirs admiration and hostility among fae classmates. when tensions escalate, he becomes a focal point, revealing underlying power struggles.

genre: magic, faerie!au, mark is mortal, a slap

wordcount: 1.8k

tags: @kiri-ah

Beginning your day just as the sun was setting was normal. That’s what mortals forget sometimes. Well, Mark did. Despite having lived here for three years and succumbing to your customs he somehow still managed to forget some of the most basic details. 

More recently he had taken a liking to you and you weren’t sure why. You hadn’t spoken to him in a nicer manner than the rest or treated him more special than when the others weren’t around but somehow he still wormed his way into your everyday life.

Today was no different.

Although years had passed since you had first met the boy, he remained in your realm, mostly alive. You had never wanted to push your luck with him and had always kept your distance where possible but over time he simply thrived in your company. As you did in his but you wouldn't be caught alive saying that anytime soon.

Today was a beach day. You were taking a break from learning about stars and particularly poisonous plants and their remedies and instead, you were supposed to be spending the day learning about the Selkies. It was, to say the least, a laid back lesson where your lecturer had used this as an excuse to have a day off for themselves too.

Some of the boys had taken a liking to Mark and had taken him under their wing, which was odd behaviour for them, but one in particular seemed more genuine than the rest. Yuta, a Selkie who got on unusually well with Octopus when in his natural habitat if it were not for school and other important meetings being above land, had taken a liking to him. Often, you found that Yuta would be the one bringing Mark little things here and there, making him stand out from the rest of the group who just went along with it for a laugh here and there.

It was no different on this fateful day.

Mark had always been targeted by the others, poking and prodding and being glamoured unwillingly (although, who is glamoured willingly?) but you secretly prided yourself on the fact that you never joined in on these mean tricks the other fae pulled. You always found their behaviour disgusting but if you ever dared speak those words aloud you might just have yourself locked up in the Tower of Forgetting,  a dark and dingy place that no one knew how long the current residents had been there for and they certainly didnt know themselves.

Besides that, you try to focus on the more important things going on throughout each and every day as you work yourself closer to the throne as your mother works herself closer to the edge, however, no one would even bother to think that she might “fall victim to flowerbed”, as your fellow fae called one’s death, anytime in the near future.

Today, like most of your waking moments, you were at the waterside, studying. Your teacher had taken to studying in the dusk of the evening wanting you to enjoy the particularly fragrant air as the sun set before jumping into the astrophysics of the universe. Mark, as usual, sat closer to the back, a soft floof of hair bent towards his writing paper as he fiddled with a lamp a blacksmith had gifted him. You assumed there was some kind of trick to it – as fae never gave anything away for free – but nothing ever came of it and it worked just fine for the boy and never faltered or distracted any of the fae during class so there was no room to complain.

Yuta, a pink haired selkie, had taken a liking to the boy, infatuated with Mark’s round ears and unwebbed feet. It was oddly overbearing but you never said anything, doing your best to keep your distance as you had found it rather irritating trying to talk to the boy.

Chaeryoung was sat next to you this dusk, doodling away in the margin of her leaf-bound textbooks, taking little to no attention in of what was going on around her.

“Mark,” Yuta says in a loud sing-song voice, drawing shapes with his finger on Mark’s paper, “has anyone ever told you that you have such lovely ears? They’re so… perfect. Even with their imperfections.” His mouth rested against Mark’s nape when he spoke this, sending chills down your spine just from observing, let alone Mark’s.

The rest of the group was busy talking amongst themselves but quietened down to tune in to the conversation without actually stopping their own conversations. It was an awful trait fae had that you despised as you never felt alone in your conversations.

Mark lifts his head, cheeks flushed from either embarrassment from the attention being dragged his way or from the strange compliment of sorts, and meekly says, “Yes. Usually, it’s you who likes to point out my lack of pointed ears.”

Yuta grins, happy to have had an effect on him, “Well, I do think that it is a rather remarkable feature of yours – what with being human and all…”

At this point on of the other boys, Jaehyun with dark hair and a muscular build glares over at Yuta, “You’re bringing too much attention to that of what holds no importance,” he pauses for a second, the disgust clear on his face and his lips upturning more with every passing millisecond, “...to the lesson.”

Silence falls over the once chittering class and the surrounding nature seemed to have disappeared by the spoken words from Jaehyun.

This was by far not the most threatening thing one of the folk had said to the human boy but it wasn’t the nicest either.

You weren’t one to pay close attention to who was nicest to the humans but you were sure as hell not going to forget those who were the nastiest.

At the prime human equivalent of thirteen, you had found that you held a particular disgust for those who were nasty without reason. So you stayed alert while the class played on.

Taffy, the poor soul stuck with trying to teach you coughed to gain your attention and went back into reading the stars. Today, She was also taking into account the moon and why it controlled the waves the way it did in Rivermond, hence the beach day (even though it was held at dusk).

Some human forty minutes later into the lesson, Mark raised his hand to answer a question that Taffy had posed. He got it right, and looked pleased with himself when Taffy told him as much, cute, you thought.

Yuta thought so too, deciding to spew, “Oh Mark, you’re so smart! Sometimes I wish I could obtain useless information about the human realm the same way you do with our realm.”

Jaehyun scoffs, “Honestly, Yuta?”

Chaeyoung looks up from beside you. Heads were turned towards the back, staring at Mark as Yuta made himself comfortable laying on his front next to him. Jaehyun had risen from his spot, somewhat distraught and annoyed to confront Yuta about it too.

“You’re always commenting on ridiculous things, alright?”

Although you couldn’t tell who this first comment was directed at, you could see clearly that he was mad and you weren’t sure what for. It didn’t seem the appropriate grounds to get this upset. Your eyes widened as Jaehyun kicked his curled boot into Mark’s soft flesh, effectively toppling him over into Yuta too.

“You’re nothing but a poor, human, orphan and everyone in this class knows it, including the Queen’s daughter as much as she pretends to be an insubordinate fool,” he begins, angering you.

“Excuse me?”

That one didn’t even come from you. That one came from Chaeyoung. She had always stuck up for you, much like she had stuck up for Mark when he had first joined but you also knew that she was a foul gossiper too when it came to it. Over time you would come to learn that she would reel it in a lot more but she was still at the forefront of everything secretive this side of the river.

Her lilac dusted hair was swung over her shoulder and her carefully crafted two-piece gown was tugged on by you as you tried to stop her from saying too much when she too rose from her crossed legs position.

“Don’t you dare use your bastard mouth to talk dirty about anyone this side of the river!”

Yuta gasped.

Jaehyun slowly turned red in the face but Chaeyoung still held her ground.

He grips her by the scruff of her neck and lashes out at her. Pushing her across the sand, she tumbles until she is somewhere close to Mark and Yuta, although they too are scrambling to their feet at this point.

Without hesitation, angrily you stand and slap Jaehyun across the cheek. “Never,” a quick finger wag in his face, “ever touch a female like that again or you’re going to regret the last not-human breath you ever took.”

His eyes are wild, “Oh yeah? And what are you going to do, tell on me to Mummy?”

“You bet your sorry arse I will,” you’re glaring now, fingers trembling with anger, “and you better watch yourself before I tell her to have you and your rotten-mouthed mother banished to the other side of the river come dawn!”

Jaehyun wouldn’t have been bothered by this comment, had his mother not been trialled months prior for starting whispers about the Queen and her human tendencies. It was against the common law of Rivermond to talk about the Queen in any respect other than the highest possible.

Naturally, this comment made him shut up but the two of you remained nose-to-nose, breathing heavily and completely forgetting your surroundings.

Mark remained on the sand, trying to push himself away from the scene unfolding before him but it had proved difficult when Taffy’s invisible classroom shield gave off a thud when he backed into it too fast.

Heads turned towards him and he stood, a deer in headlights. Taffy let go of the classroom shield momentarily and let him escape, sending Chaeryound after him, knowing she had always taken a liking to him. A good student always remains on your mind; fortunately, Mark was one of her best and she couldn’t bear seeing him in fear. So Taffy let him go for a moment, prepared to blame her poor hold on the shield to the shock of the argument brewing in front of her but everyone knew she was better than that. You knew she prided herself on a stronghold of her class. She let him go because she felt sorry for him.

a/n: hi! sorry for being so long gone! how was it? feel free to drop me hints or suggestions or what you thought; it motivates me more :)

index - last - next

#nct x reader #nct fic #nct imagine #nct #nct mark #mark lee fluff #mark drabbles #mark lee imagines #mark lee x reader #mark lee fantasy

[vargaslovinghours]

EleVeN!11!!1! (1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10½)

Fuzzy Edgar forever. I don’t remember the context now, maybe there wasn’t any to begin with haha, he’s just so cute with slightly longer hair! And upset :)

Some Diaryfic snuggles ♥ Scriabin can be so sweet to him at the worst time ah, I love Edgar’s hard on his arm and Scriabin’s pulling his hair out of his injured eye 💕

While I was very inspired by the Red Flags meme going around (we’ll get there), I was just as inspired by Mixed Messages - this exchange is so silly and them to me. He’s just trying to flirt back, you don’t have to make it harder! That’s just what Scriabin does haha

🥐 🖕 D:’

What else did you expect Scriabin to do with texting capabilities?? I’m still very enamoured with the thought of Scriabin using emojis and Edgar using emoticons - they are sort of different generations!

Here’s the Red Flags! So gd catchy, damn lol. I was specifically inspired by the X is on a date with themself edits, it was so tempting to consider a Ladyverse version as well haha. Edgar’s uncomfortable smiles were so incredibly fun hehe ♪

Y’see because with that many eyes- you get it

Edgar’s little “Or do I??” makes me laugh haha, anything to get out of this situation!

Waiter Jake ❤️💕💖💞💗 Rescue him!

Very inspired by this one specifically, he’s totally innocent! Not offputting at all! ♥

Alright well good luck with that bye. I love Edgar being menaced into continuing this date hehe ♫

Scriabin just keeping on the pressure for this date to keep going! Slight neg in “Couldn’t you have dressed up a little nicer though? ✨” pft

Brief aside with Scriabin!Edgar out drinking with my OC Mint who has very openly had a crush on the Vargases for a while now, thanks Mint

Honestly it was all just an excuse to turn him down and have Scriabin call Edgar his “landlord” haha; I was feeling nostalgic and went back to reread some old YuGiOh fics and had been so long away that I forgot that was a term used in the fandom to refer to the bodies of people the various Yamis would take over hehe ♪ It felt very fitting!

I can call him that but don’t you call him that >:(

Angy Scriabin!Edgar, the usual

Handplates re/reading doodles!! Hghgh!!! The theses of these stories of codependent relationships cut me to my very core I’ll have you know 💕 I managed to avoid falling down the rabbit hole of Handplates!Vargas but I was this close, lemme tell you. The subtle shift in phrasing changes so much ;; I love them dearly

A kind-of leftover WOY style Scriabin, since I made his hair all pointy in my first doodles - the WOY style is quite soft and round! He looks very silly hehe

Another song that is, yes, unironically in my Vargas playlist. This is a Nny song to me and you can pry it from my cold dead correct hands. That beautiful facial hair ♪

More Handplates/Vargas, this time obviously inspired by my holiday request 💕💖💞 I honestly rather like how calm Gaster seems whenever he’s in Edgar’s vicinity, he is a fairly unassuming human haha. Is it because he doesn’t laugh very often? Oh no that’s sad actually haha

I’m not done with Blank Slate Ch. 4 just yet - hopefully soon! - but this lineup stands out to me especially since I made it while rereading Handplates. Specifically after Gaster is pulled out of the Void - Gaster having to face the people he loves who have no memory of him really spoke to me in a Blank Slate way - the scenario of being able to completely start over and have never done anything to hurt your loved ones, at the expense of never having done anything to them, as far as they’re concerned, ah! It hurts so beautifully!! That’s one of the central themes I’m chasing so it was so cool to see in that context! Very inspiring ♥

So remember how in my Sims post, one Vargas family ended up with two Todds? Well what if that but actually

Twin Todd AU, just try and stop me

The saddest little twins y’ever did see ahh 💔 Having to share Shmee because there’s just the one of him! Who has a greater need :’0

I actually went and skimmed the SQUEE! comics to get a better grasp on the Casils, I’d forgotten basically everything haha. It seemed in keeping that if they could barely keep track of the one Todd, they wouldn’t bother even differentiating between two :’) Taking Todd shifts to better share the load

At least they have each other! More helpful than a stuffed bear who eats trauma? On par at least?

I also happened to catch this screenshot of the Todds gossiping about their shadow-dad, though I’m not sure who had seen him :0 By now I have found an adoption memory-loss prevention mod - thank goodness :D - but it wasn’t installed at the time! :0 Blue Todd is the Todd who’d already been the Vargases’ kid, Red Todd is newly-adopted Todd :)

Greetings in order! One of the Todds came by to scout out this strange new person

It’s a name to go by, if nothing else

Reporting back from the field, he has served his big narrative influence hehe ♥

Uh, yeah, about that- While I don’t doubt you were seeing double at times, uhm-

Surprise! Double the sons!

Only so much space in this apartment! They’re probably used to sharing a space to sleep weh, the implications of this AU are sad! I have no one to blame but myself haha

I have never been able to give up this twisted love I have for Edgar getting flustered about incredibly silly things and Scriabin chiding him with just his name haha ♥ Real twins do not delegitimize whatever the hell you two are to each other 💕

Who me? An affinity for how names shape identity and what it means to be a whole separate person? In love with this story in particular? You must be mistaken. But really, what would their name(s) be? I also love the subtle differences even just here - one Todd speaks up for the other! Dynamics ✨

1994, 2004, basically the same year innit. Scriabin is so much more on the up-and-up about the latest technology than Edgar, that old man

In which the offscreen is me lol, I was so blown away by how much more advanced the Sims 2 was from the Sims 1 ♥ Scriabin doesn’t need a box with a program in it, he has the absolute funnest toy in the world already!

And isn’t that the most important part ♪

Scriabin immediately makes himself and hooks up with every Sim he can, Edgar uncomfortable and totally not watching a~ny of the animations hehe ♪ Honestly though, the thought of Scriabin being genuinely excited to virtually get it on with any-and-every delights me haha

Look. Look, okay, look- If I could choose what to be inspired by, I would but sometimes

Obviously Scriabin would be a long Furby lol, this exchange can be summarized to “Scriabin no D:” “Scriabin yes >:D”

He’s complaining that Edgar ignoring him sleeping is boring haha

I did briefly lose my mind over how the Furbish word for “I/me/my/mine” is all the same - linguistically it makes sense, self-possessive, but in this, in their context ♥

Based on that one Wojak format - looks into the camera like “Yes. I am in your head. Insanity tracks” pfft

And it’s @jaspravex with the steel chair!! I hadn’t drawn any of them in like a month and then all of a sudden- I was 1000% not expecting to be hit with such a huge wave of inspiration but gosh and dang did this line of thought light me up. The implication! The jealousy! Wow that’s a lot all at once I wasn’t expecting ♥ Somehow these two never ended up on my shipping chart, dynamics I swear haha ✨

There’s September through February for the fourth go ‘round! Wild when I put it like that :0 Like clockwork, these lads ♪

#💟 #Doodles #Art #Sketchdump #Edgar #Scriabin #Jake #Todd #Shmee #Nny #There's a few errant things in here as well - The Sims 2 - Handplates #......Furbies #Look it's fine don't worry about it lol #Oh this one was so nice to edit <3 I've made it once <3 <3 When was the last time I could say that about one of these ♥ #And you know what that means right? Other than the fact that I've gotten a bit better at making these without breaking them lol #It means my art production is finally actually properly for realsies slowing down! Not as many to compile over a three month period! #That last one really did surprise me that inspiration hit me upside the head after quite literally a month of nothing #Even my scratch pages hadn't taken precedent for a bit! And yeah this technically still isn't all of what I've made in the meanwhile lol #Once I finish Ch. 4 of Blank Slate there might be another :) Or I might let it go for another chapter or so ♪ #Either way! Only took - when did I first go on hiatus lol #July of '22 so a year and a half-ish lol #To finally start to taper off - this is tapering off this is my airtight example of tapering off lol #Handplates and the Sims 2 were my big driving forces this time around hehe <3 Who knows what will catch my attention towards them next! #Lots of Todd AUs around here when I look huh :0 He is best boy he deserves the attention ♪ #As always I'll be back in April as well for my personal Vargasversary and to be a sap hehe ♥ #Never empty of thoughts or love! Just progressively quieter - for now ♪

[ohdudedhesflirting]

I will hold onto you (I love you so I let you go, part2)

Part 1. Part 3

Pairing: Seok matthew x f!reader

Warnings: Mention of adult activity but nothing explicit, insecurity (mentionned quickly). Matthew is very sad :(

Tag : @seok02, I hope you will like it Nina, thank you for encouraging me to write <3

Genre: University au, Matthew fell first, friends to sweethearts, angst, break-up.

Synopsis: Y/n and Matthew were in a relationship and Matthew remembers some of their past days, wondering when it went wrong...

Words count : 2581

Notes : I hope you will all love this. There is only one part left. English is my second language.

.....Under the cut ...!

High school, senior year.

Matthew was his with notes from his litterature class, earphones planted in his ears. He wasnt paying attention to anything else around him but what was in front of him. His bestfriend since he was born, Sung Han Bin was next to him reviewing for his physic class he had next period.

In front of them was Y/n doing some volunteer work with cleaning and reorganizing the shelves. Vice-president duty she said, watching her Matthew knew that she did it simply because she preferred to do that rather than doing her studying for her physic class.

Her and Han Bin were in the same class, Matthew was glad of course that there was someone by your side. But he simply wished it was him.

Looking at you he simply forgot about his best-friend presence next to him that was not oblivious to the way he looked at their common friend. Grinning he took a part of his notebook and doodled on it a little chibi Matthew giving heart eyes to Y/N before passing it to him.

The second the young adolescent saw the doodle he gave his friend the worst look he was capable of producing and lightly punched him before going to his notes that he just noticed were upside down.

Laughing at his bestfriend reaction Han Bin slowly took off one his earphone.

"When are you planning on telling her ?"

Eyes as wide as humanly possible Matthew was shocked at the simple idea of telling you how he felt.

Hanbin simply exhaled. He was tired.

He had known Matthew since they were 3 years old, and knew you since you were 6 years old. And ever since the beginning of high school, 3 years ago he had to witness every day his oblivious bestfriend just yawn over Y/N presence.

He was tired and just wanted it to end. Every day watching him try to look at you in the most discreet manner, trying to prepare for excuses to hang out just the three of you over the week-end, studying together...

The worst was since you had started your senior year, it was almost the end of it but Han Bin could swear that he could not even take one more minute of the behavior of his bestfriend. Matthew was always asking about you, texting in class.

"Is Y/N okay ? she had a cold this morning" "Tell Y/N we are eating lunch together in case she forgot" "I brought a scarf for Y/n I will bring it over at the break".

Matthew was fakely going through his notes, trying to give himself a good excuse to not reply to his best friend incquiries.

"I'm serious, when are you going to tell her ? It's been 3 years. How long are you planning to wait ?"

"Forever"

Groaning one more time, Han Bin just wanted to rip off his hair. It was always the same thing, he wasn't ready, did not want to ruin their friendship... Always more excuses, of course he understood he was scared. But you were simply the most oblivious person ever and if he did nothing, someone could totally come and snatch you up and then what ? Han Bin would be the one to mend over little Matthew broken heart. Truly he could not even stand the thought.

University, middle of the first year.

"Y/n, Han Bin wait for me !"

Hands full of packages, Matthew was running after his two friends that were already well advanced on the road.

University had been both a blessing and a cruse.

Matthew had truly found his place, he had made so many incredible friends whom he cherished, he had joined a dance club, and the best of it all was that he got to share that with you.

You shared every meal together, for him it was his little moment of hapiness he was looking for all day long. Every weekend he tried to make the most of his time to see you and hang out with you.

Han Bin wasnt really the one to tag along, he had picken up on many clubs and had made an even more important number of friend than Matthew did, which was a lot.

Of course, the young man was scared that you'd found out about his feelings for you so he tried to maintain a distance, but it was not an easy thing for him. He just craved to be next to you and it was so hard for him to not be able to.

Finally reaching his two friends, Matthew saw his friend, Zhang Hao, waiting next to his car. The day was special, Han Bin was leaving for an exchange dance program in America. And the three childhood friends had reunited to say goodbye to him for a few months.

The atmosphere was full of sadness and excitement, saying goodbye was sad but it was a part of life, of what was better for Han Bin and his hapiness.

YN was the first one to pull him into a hug, saying she was proud was an understatement. She always cherished Han Bin and the way he always watched over her all those years.

Freeing himself from her embrace, Han Bin smiled at Matthew before pulling him into a hug and whispering into his ear "Matthew, when I'm back I want you to tell me good news alright?"

Hearing this, Matthew quickly pushed him away, ears becoming as red as tomatoes.

He stepped back to let Han Bin hop onto Zhang Hao car to go to the airport, seeing his bestfriend of his whole life leave made Matthew feel incredibly empty.

He knew that him leaving his side was for the better. Than Han Bin had a life outside their friendship and their bond but thinking about the fact that for months he wouldn't be able to see him, that he wouldn't be at their place felt incredibly bittersweet to him. They were bestfriend, and breaking appart was just painful.

Matthew was never the one for the goodbyes.

Feeling a hand reach his, he looked over his should to see you calmly putting his hand on yours.

"Do you wanna get breakfast ? My treat."

"That would be great, yeah"

Univeristy, beginning of the summer break

Matthew loves being home. There was absolutely nothing like his mother cooking, hanging out with his sister and just being able to pull all nighters watching animes.

But his favorite part was definitely that he could just come and see you whenever he wanted.

He had grown up since high school, and what he always had wanted to do during that time but unable to due to his shyness he was able to do it now.

Everyday or almost, he was going to your place. He wanted that free time not only to relax but also to build memories with you. It was perfect and he enjoyed every moment of it.

But the blissness of a perfect summer friendship couldn't last forever. Not only was Matthew hurting from not being able to be close to you as much as he wanted which was hurting him. But you were also hurting. Why was he always there ?

So of course one day it came out.

As always both of you had went out on a walk, you were living in the countryside and there lots of orchads around and forest. It was delightful.

That day Matthew felt that there was something wrong. It had been a moment you were bouncy when he was around but this time it was defintely worse.

You were avoiding his gaze, being globally lost into your own thoughts. Matthew could not force you to speak what was in your mind and simply waited for you to be ready to tell him.

"Would you like to go with me to the natural park in like three days ? They rescued a tiger from a circus and I thought it could be a nice day out ?"

YN suddeny stopped in her tracks and looked over at Matthew. She was perpexled and Matthew could see it.

"Why ? Why are you like this ? Taking me out ? Why are you being so nice to me ?"

Matthew was left silenced for a few seconds, but what felt like an eternity to him.

"What do you mean ?"

"Every day you come to my place, we hang out. And it's great really, but why ? When we are at the university I understand that you could feel pity for me to a certain extent and want to keep me compagny, but here..? Why.. are you so nice to me ?"

"I don't pity you. I never did. YN I care about you.."

Matthew could feel the beginning of tears coming to his eyes, did YN not want him by her side anymore ? Why would she believes he pitied her ? He only had eyes for eyes since four long years and could not wish for anything more than to be by her side.

"Why would you ? I was always closet to Han Bin, we met throught Han Bin, is it... is it because he left ? Is that why you keep hanging around me more ? Did he ask you to do this ?"

"Yes !"

In shock, YN took a few step back, of course, there was no way that the sweetheart Matthew was could care about a girl like her just like that.

"No wait.."

The tears were defintely starting to fall down on Matthew's cheeks, he hated the way YN was looking at him, as if all along he had pitied her and just took her in like a lost puppy.

"I like you. I really likes you Y/n and I've liked you for a while. Han Bin wanted me to tell you, he has been wanting since years and I was just a coward that was afraid you'd reject me and I simply never did. And he left and he wanted me to tell you, and we got closer, and I.. YN I like you."

Taken aback, YN could not understand. Since when did he like her ? Had it been a long time ? Or was it pity..

"I am not asking for you to respond to my feelings, just, try being my partner for two weeks, give me two weeks, and if afterwards you are not interested, we will stay as friends"

And Y/n had accepted, she accepted the trial of being his partner, and finally decided to stay.

Those two weeks were not for her the moment to try to developp feelings for him, but rather it was a blooming moment for her to acknowledge those feelings. They always had been there hidden under insecurity.

Second year of university, middle of the year.

"And she just left ?"

Matthew slowly nodded over his head confirming it to his assembly of friends.

Zhang Hao and Han Bin, Jiwoong and his boyfriend and finally Tae Rae were all present in the living room, where the apocalypse and Matthew worst nightmare happened just the night before.

He had called Han Bin on the phone completely sobbing just after you had left. He had just been frozen in place and that until Han Bin and Zhang Hao came, finding him just crying standing up in front of the door.

They had given him both of their shoulders to cry on and had put him into his bed where he started to sob one more time smelling your perfume in the place you normally occupied when you had a sleepover.

They had called everyone over for the day after to just have a discussion and connect all of their braincells to try and undesrtand the situation. Also because Matthew was miserable and nothing was making him cry.

Seeing your toothbrush next to his in the pot had made him spiral into twenty minutes of sobbing, seeing your complete cow milk in the fridge had him hugging the milk with tears.

Truly Han Bin and Zhang Ho were not enough of two to take care of him.

Now they were all together, trying to understand why suddenly you just wanted to break up after many months of hapiness.

"Can I be the devil advocate and say that maybe YN never liked you ?"

Jiwoong hearing this instantly shot a pillow at Tae Rae's face and Matthew just starred at him with big doe eyes, what does he means by never liked him?

"Yn never told you she liked you right ? And even if you are doing all the stuff couples do, its not enough to say she likes you"

"Tae Rae shut up" Han Bin was the first one to react. But it was too late, Matthew just got even more silent hugging one of your pyjamas that had your smell on it.

"She is not like that tho, something must have happened, I'm sure of it"

Jiwoong was your first supporter, being one of Matthew's roomate he knew more than anyone else how you were. and he simply could not tolerate that idea. He saw how you looked at him and there was no way you didnt like him.

"What if she is pregnant and she just ran away ?"

"Tae Rae I beg you stop it"

"Matthew look its possible right ? And I remember a few days ago she was puking"

All of the boys face went to Matthew, that was a possibility defintely. But would you really be the type to break-up because of that and not tell him ?

"Matthew ?"

Now it was Han Bin turn to be worried, sure he had told Matthew to get his girl but not to become a father.

"No. It's impossible. We always.. No there is no way we are always prudent"

All the boys in the room exhaled, they were too young to become uncles.

"So why would she break-up ? Matthew did not forget any date, she wasn't on her peiod, she is not pregnant, and nothing had happened during your movie night so why would she..?"

The room fell silent once again before Matthew just started to silently sob again.

He did not understand the situation. Everything was going great. They were happy, yes their relationship had become known on campus but everyone congratulated him for having a partner.

What was the reason you suddenly pushed him away ? Had he done something wrong ? He truly could not grasp his fingers on the situation.

Ever since he had asked you out on that summer day he had been scared you would just refuse to talk to him and he would not be able to see ever you again.

But most importantly as he was sobbing on his couch, his friends surrounding him, Tae Rae apologizing to him and trying to reassure him he was worried about you.

Had you gotten enough sleep ? Were you eating properly ? Had you remembered to take off your makeup before eating properly ? He was always the one to take it off for you because you always forgot to do it yourself.

He was ready to do anything and everything to understand why you broke-up. Matthew loved you too much and for that he could only hold on to you, and hope for you to hold onto him.

#well... now you will have to wait for part 3 #evil laughter #it was getting too long yall #i promise the part 3 will be the last part <3 #zb1 fanfiction #zerobaseone fanfiction #seok matthew #seok matthew zb1 #seok matthew x reader #seok matthew imagine #zerobaseone imagine #zb1 imagine #seok matthew zerobaseone

[herblackabyss]

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[Title] 7 Dates, 7 Conflicts [Rating & Genre] [M] 18+, strangers to lovers, slow burn, Collage AU [Pairing] Jeon Jungkook x Reader (Amaya Bradford) [Trigger Warnings] a few cuss words

[A/N] I'm baaacckkk~! I apologize for my absence, but I truly struggle with this whole social media and social interaction thing. I had to restructure this part because I've come to the realization that my brain doesn't quite know how to write multiple events into one part...

P.S the last bit is a mess but I'll update it soon...<3

ALSO HAPPY HUNTER DAAYYY!!

[Word Count] 2740

"This is an absolute colossal fucking disaster, Chenle," I hiss under my breath, pacing across my bedroom with my phone clutched tightly to my ear. On the other end, the low hum of my best friend's tired yawn slips through the line, the digital clock on my nightstand casting an ominous glow – 10:47 PM.

I roll my eyes, my frustration lacing into the very syllables of my words. "I mean, how on earth are we even supposed to tackle this if he's out there getting his dick sucked instead of meeting me to work on the assignment?" Veronica had given us a unique homework assignment during our last COMM101 class—a creative pair-building exercise intended to break the ice. It was supposed to be an opportunity for Jungkook and me to explore each other's perspectives and come up with something that was at least halfway decent. Yet, instead of paying even a sliver of attention, Jungkook seemed to be far more interested in sketching bizarre doodles across my meticulously taken lecture notes. Since that fateful Monday morning, I've embarked on a one-woman crusade to pin him down and get him to work on it. But every attempt I make is met with flimsy excuses and empty promises. He's always conveniently "busy" or "tied up with something else." And me? I'm not naive enough to swallow those slippery words whole, not when they spill from his slick, slithering tongue like a practiced dance. As the relentless ticking of the clock emphasizes the looming deadline for my not-so-friendly essay, the harsh reality sets in. I realize that I know next to nothing about this bumbling baboon, except for the fact that he can't seem to keep his... cock out of people's mouths. The idea of crafting an essay detailing his countless escapades with the campus coeds is tempting, but it also feels like a peculiar form of self-inflicted torture. I flop onto my bed, clutching my phone as if it's my only lifeline in this chaotic situation.

"Guess I'll just have to corner him tomorrow," I murmur to myself, feeling a potent mix of determination and resignation settle in my chest like a heavy anchor. I reach out for the worn notebook resting nearby and flip it open, its pages ready to receive my thoughts and ideas for the upcoming project, even if, for now, it's a solo endeavor. After all, if Jungkook insists on making things difficult, I'm more than willing to return the favor. "Key word: 'probably,' but I can't take that risk with Jungkook," I try to speak as calmly as possible, frustration mounting within me. There's no way I can just sit here and hope he comes to his senses. I need to take action. I shouldn't be in this position, having to babysit a grown man when it comes to his academics. I mean, seriously, I'm baffled by his attitude towards this assignment. How on earth is he the top student in the Computer Science department? Does the university randomly select his name from a hat filled with sheets of paper with only his name on them? Or is he secretly paying someone to do his assignments? "But I hope you're right," I concede with a sigh as I wrap up the call and head to bed.

"Jeon!" I shout, my voice slicing through the noisy street, instantly grabbing the attention of curious onlookers. He strides purposefully toward Avery's Bagel Shop, his arm wrapped around the waist of a wavy-haired blonde. Her stunning long legs propel her forward, her eyes locked on him, with hearts practically sparkling in them. As I watch their interaction unfold before me, it becomes painfully evident that this is a heartbreak in the making. Jungkook, of all people, isn't exactly renowned for his ability to commit, and that's common knowledge around campus. He cycles through new romantic interests every week, and he's openly professed his disinterest in love on countless occasions. Yet, here she is, hopelessly falling for him—poor thing.

I raise my voice, frustration bubbling within me as I call out to him once more. But he remains utterly indifferent, his gaze fixed solely on the entrance of the quaint, inviting eatery. With a graceful sweep, he swings the door open, his hand tenderly resting on her lower back as he ushers his companion inside. I can't help but let out an exasperated sigh, my impatience growing by the second. I shake my head in disbelief before navigating my way across the bustling street. What the fuck is his problem? Stepping through the gleaming silver double doors, I make my way to the established ordering queue. Contrary to any wild ideas he might be concocting in his thick skull, I'm not here because of him. I wanted to get some work done on a few of my assignments before making my way to Chenle's place. Avery's holds a special place in my heart— it's been my favorite spot to grab a bite and study for years. Avery, the owner, is a culinary virtuoso in her mid-thirties, a mastermind behind a medley of bagel creations that are nothing short of life-altering. Over time, she's expanded her menu to include other breakfast and lunch delights, all of which keep people coming back for more.I became a regular of Avery's in her food truck era. Back then, she operated her modest business right in the heart of the city, serving her delectable creations from a weathered, banged-up red truck.Since then, I haven't looked back, it feels like I've gained a good friend and a great place to study when I need to. "Are you planning to ignore me for the rest of your life?" I say, my voice filled with frustration as I approach Jungkook. He's engrossed in a conversation with the blonde, oblivious to my approach. It amuses me how much effort he invests in girls he never intends to pursue beyond a casual fling. I mean, what's the point of all this when there are no intentions of going any further?

I watch as he slowly turns his head to identify the source of the voice. When he realizes it's me, his expression shifts, but he doesn't reply. The blonde clinging to his arm shoots me a nasty glare, clearly annoyed that I've interrupted their conversation. It's even more amusing to me that there are girls who willingly put themselves in such situations with guys like Jungkook, thinking they can be the ones to change them. "The assignment is due in just four days, Jeon, and I haven't even started because of you," I huff, frustration gnawing at me as I rummage through my bag to find my purse. Earlier, he had told me he had important matters to attend to today, which was why he couldn't meet with me. When I proposed meeting later in the day, he promptly shot down the idea, insisting he didn't have the time. So you can imagine my surprise when I spotted him with his little date. Emerging from the depths of my bag with my purse in hand, I shift my gaze toward him, awaiting his response. But there's nothing. No glimmer of recognition in his eyes, no hint of acknowledgment. He just stands there, unmoving, as if I'm invisible.

Is he really going to stand there and ignore me like a petulant child

I exhale a deep sigh, my eyes narrowing as I focus on the back of his head, frustration bubbling up inside me like a simmering volcano. A million wicked scenarios play out in my mind, each one more devious than the last, all focused on how I could effectively sabotage his date.

A mischievous thought dances through my mind. What if I were to swing my bag, aiming it at that unsuspecting, utterly useless head of his? And just for good measure, I could give his blonde friend a forcefully playful shove, a move that would surely knock her on her ass.

Or perhaps... A sly smirk gradually creeps across my face as a more subtle, yet equally potent, idea blossoms in my mind. It's nothing too extravagant, but I have complete confidence that it will work like a charm.

As I stand here, contemplating my revenge plot, I can't help but notice that the queue opposite the one I'm currently in has emptied out. Without missing a beat, I smoothly slide into that vacancy, feeling a rush of anticipation building within me. My eyes immediately fixate on the illuminated board behind the cashier's head. I tilt my head to the side, carefully examining my options before allowing my gaze to shift to Jungkook, whose irritated expression is now in plain view.

As I observe, a smug grin slowly creeps across my face. I can't help but revel in the satisfaction that washes over me as I witness the subtle twitch in his furrowed brow and the rhythmic clenching of his jaw. The tension practically oozes from his pores, an electrifying aura that I can almost taste. After all, he doesn't deserve to have a good day, not after all those lies he's been feeding me these past few days. I'm in absolute awe of his extraordinary ability to seemingly disregard my very presence. My eyes meticulously track his every move, from the way he confidently places orders for both himself and his date, to the charming, heart-melting smile he offers her and with a delicate touch, he tucks a strand of her golden locks behind her ear. It's almost as if the world revolves around them, and everyone else in the room merely fades into the background. I watch, captivated, as he tenderly grasps her hand, guiding her with a gentle assurance toward a cozy booth nestled in a secluded corner of the establishment. They settle in, their bodies so close that their shoulders brush against each other, creating an aura of intimacy that's impossible to ignore. Their conversation flows effortlessly, brimming with laughter and whispered sweet nothings. I have to admit, this guy knows exactly what to do to make a girl feel special.

A simmer of irritation bubbles beneath my skin, while amusement dances at the edges of my thoughts. Jungkook, so blissfully unaware of just how persistent I can be and utterly clueless about my insatiable appetite for pettiness, continues to test my tolerance for his behavior daily. What he doesn't know is that I've always been known for my excellence in theatrics, and quite frankly, if Jungkook wants to put on a performance, I'll give him a whole damn show.

As soon as I place my order, I waste not a single second in moving toward my target. I stride with unwavering purpose toward their booth, my head held high, my hips swaying seductively as I saunter across the room. A mischievous glint flickers in my eyes as I gracefully slide into the seat right beside him, his murderous glare meeting my unflinching gaze.

I respond with a sickeningly sweet smile, my voice dripping with a teasing tone, my eyes twinkling with faux longing. "I haven't seen you since Monday, Jeon. I really missed you," I say, letting a pout form on my plump lips as I lean in closer to him. My gaze shifts to his date as I rest my head on his shoulder. "Who's this, Kook?" I mumble, deliberately ignoring the way his fists clench between us. I'm fully aware that my intrusion on his little date will undoubtedly annoy the ever-loving shit out of him.

He exchanges a quick, awkward glance with his date, who appears thoroughly confused and uncomfortable with my sudden presence. I release a sigh, my gaze carefully assessing her features. "My replacement, perhaps?" I ask, shifting my attention back to him. I catch that split-second flicker of surprise on his face – he clearly didn't expect me to say that. "Amaya," he warns, his demeanor growing stern as he clenches his jaw, clearly struggling to maintain his composure. But if I'm completely honest, I've never been one to heed warnings; Chenle always claimed that it would take a miracle worker to handle my attitude. "I'm Amaya, by the way. You?" My focus shifts to her.

"Kiarra," she whispers, her voice barely audible, and I notice her eyes closely following my fingers as they delicately trace the contours of Jungkook's exposed neck. Her lips curl into a condescending smile as she shifts to the seat opposite ours. Girls like Kiarra, the quintessential "it" girl, always seem to gravitate towards guys like my insufferable group member.

To be honest, I've got her type down pat. Her shallowness cuts through the layers of designer labels and caked-on makeup. She gives off vibes of someone who places an exorbitant amount of importance on her position within the social hierarchy, evident in the meticulous effort she pours into her appearance.

She's undoubtedly frequented the finest surgeons, splurged on the most lavish clothes, and surrounds herself with a clique of girls who are both beautiful and, well, rather uninteresting. "So, how did you end up meeting my favorite boy?" I ask, a gentle smile gracing my lips, my head still comfortably nestled on his shoulder, my gaze locked onto her as we engage in this unspoken standoff. She's challenging me for control of the situation. "We met at Jimin's party last week," she responds with a manufactured smile, her impeccably white teeth on full display. However, I can discern the underlying annoyance in her eyes, even through her facade.

"Jimin's party," I inquire, my brows furrowing in faux hurt, pretending to be genuinely surprised as I maintain that delicate touch along Jungkook's collarbone. My fingers trace a slow, teasing path, eliciting a subtle shiver from him. "I'm hurt, Kookie. You told me you were too busy," I pout, my tone dripping with feigned disappointment. I shift my gaze to Jungkook, my eyes wide and glistening, attempting to make it appear as if I'm truly saddened by his recent evasiveness.

Kiarra, caught off guard by my interaction with Jungkook, shifts uncomfortably in her seat. She clears her throat, her irritation growing the longer I linger. "Well, I guess he had some free time after all," she retorts, her voice laced with hostility. The cracks in little miss perfect's facade are becoming more apparent, and I can practically feel the tension radiating off Jungkook in waves. He's obviously annoyed by my intrusion, but by the look on his face, you could never tell well aside from his clenched jaw. "Amaya, what are you doing?" His deep voice carries a warning as he slowly turns his head to look down at me, his dark eyes fixed on mine.

I maintain my act, tilting my head ever so slightly to meet his gaze, a playful smile dancing on my lips. "I mean, I have to get your attention somehow, right?" I respond, my voice brimming with faux innocence. Leaning in a little closer, my lips hover dangerously close to his ear, and I whisper, "Besides, it's been weeks, and you've been so absorbed in... other endeavors." I punctuate my statement with a sly wink.

Kiarra's perfectly manicured nails clench onto the edge of her designer bag as she observes our little spectacle, clearly flustered.

Drawing even nearer to Jungkook, my lips graze his ear as I murmur, "You know, we do make quite the convincing pair, don't you think?" My words are laced with just enough mischief to set him on edge, and I can see the gears turning in his head as he contemplates how to navigate this unexpected scenario. "Excuse me," she mutters, abruptly pushing her chair back and rising to her feet. Her frustration is palpable in her tone.

"Leaving so soon?" I inquire, my voice dripping with feigned concern.

Jungkook attempts to intervene, but Kiarra is already making her way toward the exit. "Kiarra, wait," he pleads, reaching out for her, but she brushes past him without a second glance.

With a theatrical sigh, I rest my head on Jungkook's shoulder once more. "Well, that didn't go as planned, did it?"

Jungkook rolls his eyes, a hint of amusement twinkling in his gaze. "You're un-fucking-believable."

I flash him a mischievous grin, my façade dropping as Kiarra departs. "Just rescuing you from a bad date, Kookie," I remark with a wink. "And reminding you that you can't keep avoiding our assignment forever." With a satisfied hum, I smoothly slide out of the booth and stride toward the exit, shooting him a playful wink before making my way to Chenle's place.

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#jungkook fanfic #jungkook x reader #bts fanfic #bts x reader #jungkook fic #jungkook fiction #jungkook smut #bts fanfction #bts fic #bts smut

[peachyninjago]

What do you think Movie Harumi's past would be like?

SLAMS FIST ON TABLE. I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS.

but mostly three so I'll explain all the ideas that i have

1. the most accurate to canon: shes a supporter of lord Garmadon. at first, she was one of the few people that liked Lloyd (besides the snf) because of Garmadon being his dad, but she immediately hated him once he was revealed to be the gn and made Garma stop all his villainy and stuff. i dont really use this ver of her mostly bc idk what'd be a good motive for her being a villain?? maybe to match the lighter/goofier tone of tlnm-verse she could be like an evil-ex type character on the surface, but then have some deeper layers underneath?? yeah idk much about this version of her lol

2. i took this one mostly from someone else's au snippets (i forgot who they were but i owe them my life for this headcanon) and its that the SOG is a school gang and Rumi runs it!! yknow that one piece of tlnm art i doodled of her?? this was the version :DD shes mysterious, standoffish, and even a bit creepy, but in actuality shes pretty sweet!! again, dont really know why she'd have a cult following for Garmadon in this, but hey, it gives her a reason to be protective of lloyd!! tldr; local school cryptid girl who might be a witch is very protective of her estranged friend

3. and, last but not least, my 1000% purely self indulgent version of tlnm rumi!!! youre getting an essay for this lol. under the cut because it's VERY LONG. excuse my spelling errors :D

She and lloyd are (adopted) siblings!! her bio parents were nurses on koko's side of the war, getting killed by Garmadons army in the process. Harumi's parents, thinking that they were safe where they were, brought Harumi with them to their designated camp site/zone place. of course, they WERENT safe, but where else were they supposed to leave their daughter??? plus, she was only, like... 1.

After the raid on the camp, when the smoke cleared, only one living being remained; a crying little girl.

Now Lloyd (and yes, i know in tlnm canon koko left with lloyd when he was only a few months old, but this is MY little sandbox and i get to do what i want <3<3. she left with him when he was about 3 here), who was around 2 and a half by now, was currently in Garmadons custody (koko and garma switched custody every week or for plot AND bc that seems like something theyd legitimately do)

When he wandered off from his dad, he stumbled upon her. when garma found him just a few minutes later, playing with this young girl and picking her up like she was family?? he just kinda went 'well sure he can have a sister i guess' and she was just kinda?? adopted??? (your dystopian au rumi 🤝 my tlnm au rumi)

When koko left with lloyd, she TRIED to take harumi with her, but rumi- who only really considered Garmadon and Lloyd as her family- stayed behind with her dad. she doesn't know that he was the root of the cause behind the death of her bio parents (yet)

So, she spends the next few years training under Garmadon, getting stronger, yada yada. fast forward to when she's around 14 and Lloyd's around 16

Its the very first time rumis allowed to go to Ninjago City WITH garma and his generals. she does more damage on her own compared to like. 12 of them combined, so its unsurprising when shes suddenly confronted by a certain green ninja

Now, keep note, these two havent seen eachother in over 10 years. all the memories they have of each other are blurry. of course, they were both in disguises/different outfits (lloyd in his gi, rumi in her S.O.G uniform) so they didn't recognize each other at first. but, after harumis makeup started melting away, and her hair became more frazzled?

Well, lloyd could recognize her from anywhere

He stopped that fight SO FAST. idk if he'd immediately tell her who he is right then and there, but he'd stop fighting her. then, after he got her to listen, he'd pull her to the side and explain everything. including the death of her bio parents, now that she was old enough to understand it

To say Harumi was conflicted was the understatement of the century. Garmadon gave her everything- Literally made her who she is. hes her dad, and she loves him. but could she have been someone- Anyone else if her parents didn't die that day?

Actually, if Lloyd didnt find her, would she have been left to die, too?

the hypothetical conversation back at Garmadon's volcano im imagining in my head for these two rn is heartwrenching (writes that down for my wip folder) BUT it ends in harumi running away. back to the city, back to Lloyd

In all honesty, she doesn't really feel Comfortable or Good Enough to be hanging with lloyd and his friends. (and yes, she knows about the mass bullying on Lloyd, and is a second away from destroying this city herself about it frfr) BUT bc of this, she asks koko (who shes trying to refer to as mom btw) if theres any place she can go. somewhere outside the city, but not too far from the only family she had left

Sadly, Koko didnt have an answer.

But Lloyd did.

And that answer was in a little library right outside of Ninjago City, where the only other family member Harumi hasn't met yet lives :)

tldr, she vibes with morro at his haunted library and visits lloyd every week or so :DD

#ninjago #harumi jade #harumi ninjago #i guess ill make a tag for my tlnm au??? nothing special just #peachs tlnm au #there we go :) #tagging lloyd bc he was mentioned a lot too #lloyd garmadon #lloyd ninjago

[axels-corner]

Chapter 2 of the coffee shop au

Notes: Chapter 2 of the coffee shop au! You can read the first chapter here.

Words: 3105

Characters: Kenric, Oralie, Terik, Emery, Kesler

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48995623/chapters/124125160

By the time Monday rolled around, Kenric felt completely prepared for anything life could throw at him, of course until the person he was supposed to mentor walked through the door, playing that iconic sound of a bell, and he realized exactly where he knew that name and face from.

Kenric walked into class on the first day of school, he had gotten into Foxfire! That's where all the greats went! He realized a key thing though almost immediately, all of the seats had been taken except for one in the middle of the class next to a blonde girl who was doodling something in her notebook. He gathered his courage and walked over

“Hey, can I sit here?” not knowing what he would do if she said no, she looked up at him and then around the full classroom when she came to the same conclusion that he had she moved her stuff aside and gestured for him to sit. They sat in silence until the professor walked in, her doodling, and him awkwardly scrolling through his phone. The professor up front called out roll then introduced themselves as Marion. They talked a little about the class and what would happen during it, the class was a baking class. Professor Marion then announced that their first project would be with a random partner to create a dessert that they enjoyed, as a kinda shallow dip into the water to experiment a little and see what they knew to set a baseline. At the end of the semester they would make the same thing with the same partner to see how far they had come, as another part to be able to reflect they had to document the entire process. They started to read of a list of partners getting about halfway down the list before reading

“Oralie Edlyn and-”

“Kernic!” Someone hissed in his ear, it took him a minute before he recognized it was Terik

“What?”

“I thought you had passed out.”

“How would that be possible I'm still standing, and my eyes are open.”

“Because you've been staring at the same spot for two minutes,” he cut himself off then gasped “oh my gosh, you like her!” Kenric felt his face turn the same red as his hair and he grabbed Terik's arm and pulled him into the closet nearby, which had a broom beside it that fell down every time someone walked by to fast, they all kept forgetting too move it. Muttering an excuse to Emery who was talking to Oralie as they went past.

“It's nothing like that!” Terik had a smirk on his face

“Really? Because you're trying awfully hard to convince me otherwise. Do you really think that makes me believe you have no history with her?” Kenric took a deep breath

“I will admit, you're semi right-”

“Ha! I knew it.”

“But, it was a long time ago, I was just surprised to actually see her.”

“So you two do have history? Wait, is it that girl you used to date, senior year?” Kenric twisted the ring on one of his fingers

“Yes, but I don't want to talk about it.” Terik raised his hands in surrender

“Don't worry I won't pry, I remember that being a sore subject for you, but if you want to tell me what happened you will, if you don't then don't, I'm here if you need to talk though either way.” and with that he walked out of the closet, luckily the broom had not falled down and locked them inside like it had done to Velia and Clarette a couple months ago. Kenric pulled out his phone and used it as a mirror to make sure he didn't still look like a strawberry and followed Terik.

“Ah, there he is.” He heard Emery's voice almost immediately after and turned his head to face him

“Yeah?” It was just then that Oralie stepped into view

“Kenric this is Oralie, you will be training her, Oralie this is Kenric.” Kenric nodded and stuck a hand out to shake hers which she luckily didn't leave him hanging. He didn't even know if she still remembered him, he wasn't sure if he would rather she did or not, but that wasn't what he should be thinking about,

“Where do you want me to start?” He asked Emery who thought about it for a second, hand on his chin striking his beard he'd been trying to grow and had actually made pretty good progress now. he then nodded and said

“Give her a tour of the place.”

“What about after that?” Emery gave him a look before realizing

“Oh, I don't mean just our part, I mean the entire place, show her the rest of Eternalia including Mystrium, Atlantis, Loamnore, Ravagog, Lumenaria, Marintrylla, Gildingham, and the Wanderling Woods.”

“That may take a while, can you guys hold the fort down with only ten councilors?”

“It's supposed to be a pretty light day with the snow storm coming through, plus we've done it with seven councilors before.” Kenric knew it wasn't just the snowstorm, but also the bad press.

“What happened then?” Oralie asked sounding exactly like he remembered.

“Long story short I told them not to eat the raw cookie dough, they ate the raw cookie dough.” Bronte said entering the conversation with a monotone voice

“No regrets, it tasted amazing.” Kenric told him with a wide grin, though he had learned his lesson Terik not so much. Oralie giggled, he had forgotten what her laugh sounded like, it was sweet, he had missed it. Bronte and Emery rolled their eyes.

“You two should probably get going if you don't want to be here all day.” and with that he and Oralie were off.

The first place they went was Mysterium, it was a mall a short walk away from Foxfire, which was the boarding school, and across the street from the Council cafe. Who's coffee was very popular with the staff of Foxfire. Marion usually came buy at least once a day to buy a drink and chat for a while if they weren't to busy.

The two were silent for the most part, Oralie looked around the shops with a look of wonderment like she was seeing it with whole new eyes.

“It's changed a lot since I've been here.” she noted, Kenric nodded

“They renovated recently.” he stuck to the story he'd been told if anyone asked why something was different, because of the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire they didn't want anyone already in the know to know. Even though the story was out that an employe had been fired for trying to start a fire, the public didn't know he succeeded, but Oralie wasn't going to play by the rules.

“I heard about the fire, I'm glad no one was majorly injured, or killed.” Kenric sputtered

“How do you know about that?” she couldn't have heard it from the news, they wouldn't have known. She turned, looking at him over her shoulder and winked before turning back.

“I have my ways.” Before Kenric could ask what that meant, she changed the subject, “I remember when I was in Firefox and would come here almost everyday with my friends.” Kenric took the chance to ask the other question on his mind that had been there since he had seen her walk in the door that morning,

“Who where they, and do you still keep in touch? If you don't mind me asking” she shook her hand in a so so motion.

“Some moved away and we lost touch, and I see others weekly. As for who they are I doubt you'll know them but there was Edaline, Gray, Della, Alden, as well as Quilin, Elwin, and Livy.” He nodded his head, he remembered them, which just made him even more confused, had she forgotten him, had she intentionally left him of the list? Those weren't likely especially the last one since they where having a civil conversation, considering that the last time they had talked she had told him essentially she hated him and never wanted to see him again. He was so distracted that he missed Oralie's question and had to ask her to repeat it,

“What's that shop? I don't remember it from when I was in Foxfire.” she pointed a finger at a rainbow shop, with curved walls, and off center roof which added to the charm. Kenric felt a grin settle back on his face at the sight of one of his best friends shops, he was proud to say he helped to build it. He gestured over his shoulder for Oralie to follow

“Come on I'll give you a tour of the place.”

“Aren't you already giving me a tour?” Kenric thought for a minute then chuckled

“It'll be like a mini tour.” Oralie laughed as well

“Do we have time for that?” Kenric shrugged

“Emery did say we had the entire day to explore, it's important to know the area around where you work, never know when it'll come in handy.” and with that they entered with the door burping to announce them.

“Hello there! How can I help you today?” A voice called from behind the counter as a head of strawberry-blond hair appeared

“Just giving the new councilor a tour.” Kenric told him, upon hearing his voice Kesler's head snapped up and he stepped out from behind the counter

“Kenric! It's good to see you again,” Kenric returned the embrace

“It's good to see you as well Kesler.” He turned to Oralie

“Oralie, meet Kesler one of my best friends.” Kesler laughed

“Not even the best friend?”

“You and Terik are tied, and Kesler meet Oralie the newest councilor.” She waved

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Kesler held his hand out and Oralie shook it

“It's a pleasure to meet you too ma'am,” turning to Kenric “so are you two looking to buy, or just passing through?”

“Oh, we're just passing through, I'm giving her a tour of the place, good to know you're surroundings that's what Bronte always says.” Kesler nodded for a minute before his face lit up

“I just remembered I have something for you, wait here a minute!” With that he darted into the back vaulting the counter, Kenric looked back at Oralie

“So what do you think?” she nodded tracing a hand along the walls

“I like it, it has personality. I prefer that to just cookie cutter stores.” They sat in silence for a few moments “Did he build this himself?” Kenric joined her where she stood looking at one of the boards in the wall

“Me, Terik, and Juline helped him but we built it from scratch, how could you tell?”

“The little crack in the drywall shows a board, and also there's little notes on the it, it tells a story.” She points at the board with a drawing on it and the words the turtly awesome five on the board with a drawing of the four of them and a turtle.

“Do you want to know the story behind it?” Kenric asked feeling nostalgic Oralie nodded

“I think that would be interesting, I'm curious where the turtle came from.” Kenric laughed

“It was the summer after we had graduated Foxfire..”

Kenric sat on the second level in a tank top with shorts drinking a slushie. It was summer time, and the sun was making it's presence known hanging high in the sky. Kenric leaned over a little farther, making sure to hang onto one of the support beams

“How's it going?” Terik looked up at him wiping sweat away

“You do realize you're going to fall right?” He wore a t-shirt in his signature green, and blue jeans. Kenric had no clue as to how he was not melting like the wicked witch did when sprayed with water, though being sprayed with water did sound nice at this moment. Kenric gestured with the hand holding his slushie, blue raspberry

“I'm holding on I won't fall.” Terik rolled his eyes

“If you do fall I'm not catching you.” Kenric laughed looking up at the sky through the glass roof that was open right now, how glad he was that he didn't have to clean that, he didn't mind heights, but being that high? No thank you is all he had to say to that. He glanced back at Terik, he wasn't measuring to cut a piece for the supports like Kenric thought he was, he was drawing something. Kenric slipped down making sure to place his hands so that they wouldn't slip, and same with his feet. He was sure that even if Terik had been joking, he wouldn't be fast enough to catch him, the boy may be fast and had even won nationals but he wasn't the flash. Kenric made his way to Terik's side looking over his shoulder, seeing the turtle that Terik had adopted about five years ago, named Bubbles. The surprising thing was that he wasn't on Terik's shoulder but on the board, as a drawing. Kenric almost thought it was the real thing at first.

“I never knew you could draw.”

“I took art classes for years at Foxfire, I found it relaxing.” Kenric nodded a memory popping into his brain reminding him of the times Terik would not go to bed until three in the morning as he had forgotten about an art project. Kenric asked him every time if he was going to do it again, and he always said yes.

“What are you drawing?” Terik without looking up said

“The five of us, you, me, Kenric, Juline, and of course Bubbles.”

“Why are you doing it behind a board? It's not going to be seen.”

“Kesler mentioned that he liked it when buildings could tell their stories, and that he liked seeing buildings with small cracks or holes in the drywall, because to him it didn't matter if it wasn't perfect because it told a story.”

“So what's your plan?”

“Why would you assume I have a plan?”

“Because you always have a plan.” Terik chuckled

“You're right there, me and Juline came up with the idea that we're going to put a little mark on the drywall where the boards drawing is, and make sure to make the drywall mud stuff thin there. Then when we're moving the shelves in, or something like that. I don't know she's figuring out the logistics of it all.”

“How are you going to keep him from finding out?”

“His oldest brother is retiring so we have about four weeks because they're going to drive which will take about five days, then stay there for about six days, then they're going on a cruise, and then they're driving home which is about another five days.”

“Wait, you said that in plural, is it just going to be you and me?” Terik nodded, but then shook his head

“Well, maybe, but I used to room with Darek and Noland, on track trips cause we were all runners, and they're about three years older than you which is why you never met them. Anyways they said they're willing to help, they also said they'd ask Emery as well since he's good with at doing mud and stuff like that, he renovated his house last year as a diy project.” Kenric's jaw dropped “What?” Terik asked turning around to Kenric

“They're councilors that's like the most famous coffee shop in town.” Terik shrugged turning back

“So? I mean it's an amazing position, amazing pay, but they're still human. Under all the glitz and the glamour they breathe, like us, eat like us, and live like us.”

“I guess that makes sense.”

“Of course it does, I said it.”

“Really?”

“Of course name one time I've said something that doesn't make sense?”

“Charred toast.” Terik slammed his pencil down, barely containing his laughter as he stuck his finger in Kenric's face

“It is crispy, and good and you know it!”

“And that's basically how it happened.” Oralie finished laughing

“Does he?”

“Still like charred toast? Yes, but it's not as bad these days, ever since he set the fire alarm off because it was smoking he doesn't set the temperature as high.”

“How did he discover burnt toast?”

“That is a story for him to tell and for another time.” Just as he finished Kesler came out of the back room with a plate of cookies and asked

“Telling the story of the turtely awesome five board?”

“Yep.”

“I remember when that shelf box went through the drywall I couldn't believe it was that thin, it had barely grazed it, then I saw that and realized.” Kenric laughed

“I remember the look on your face.” Kesler joined him

“I'm sure you did.” He handed the cookies to Kenric “here, Juline made cookies but we couldn't eat them all so she suggested to share with you and Terik.”

“Thank you Kesler, tell Juline I said hi and thank you as well please.”

“I will, I hope you two have a good day, this place is big it's easy to get lost.” Kenric nodded to him

“We'll be careful, and even if we get lost, well it'll be a fun adventure as I say.” and with that they said their goodbyes and where out the door, but not before Kesler slipped a note into Kenric's pocket as they hugged that read

I thought she hated your guts? What changed?” Kenric saw Oralie looking over to read what it said so he folded it up and put in his pocket, he'd text Kesler later and fill him in, to Oralie he said

“Nothing exciting just a couple of ingredients he asked me to get for his shop.” He saw Oralie nod but could tell she didn't believe him, before she could pry he said “Next stop the Sanctuary!” Striking a pose like a dramatic adventurer.

Coffee Shop au taglist: (if you want to be added or removed just let me know)

@winterfireice @official-kenralie-fanbase @antisocialdork  

#KOTLC fanfiction #My writing #koralie coffee shop au #councillor kenric #Kenric Fathdon #councillor Oralie #kotlc oralie #councillor Terik #councillor Emery #kesler dizznee #kotlc kesler

[pikorin143]

the servant suffering from hair loss and her master AU

#i just love long hair piko #this au is an excuse just to doodle him in long hair #pikorin #otp #kagamine rin #utatane piko #vocaloid #long hair #sweet #cute #couple #servant and master

[glamoplasm]

these are really rough but uuuuhhh @sunkist-scientist​ Him

#you can tell this was mostly an excuse to draw him with long messy hair #gordon freeman #half life #gordon stranded au #doodles #guns #gordon in a xen pool just came from me needing to fill the corner lol #also i dont know if u can eat headcrabs but they look like weird peeled chickens #Kind Of #sorry i cant explain my art

[hajimesh]

[ hc ] — domesticity

characters. eren yeager, jean kirstein, armin arlert

warnings. modern au, fluff, established relationship, gender n reader

a/n. these ended up like boyf hcs,,,whoopsie daisy

EREN

⥅ borrows your ties and hair claws. lets you straighten/curl his hair or pretty much just do whatever you want with it, but he loves it when you braid it—he falls asleep to the touch of your fingers on his scalp. besides, his hair is so soft so you don’t mind at all.

⥅ whether you are a good cook or not, there’s this one dish you can cook that he absolutely loves. the first time he asked you to cook it for his birthday you were surprised since you thought he’d like to eat at a restaurant, but the following year he did the same thing so you began to cook it more often. his cooking skills are decent, but he makes it up by knowing the best places to eat and on a budget. 

⥅ designated driver, always. he says it’s his duty as your boyfriend, but it’s just an excuse to make sure you’re safe and sound. holds your hand through the entire ride and kisses it while you’re at a red light. 

⥅ very protective of you, you’re both his strength and weakness. he doesn’t say it but it becomes obvious with the way he acts around you: always making sure you’re out of harms’ way, constantly looking for you if you’re in a crowded place, making sure you’ve eaten and drank water. but there are those nights where you are so close to falling asleep and he’ll whisper how much you mean to him before squeezing you in his arms.

⥅ his mom is your number one supporter, she’s there for you whenever you have relationship problems (talks some sense into eren) and has told you a few times how happy she is that you two met. confesses that she had never seen his son that open and comfortable, romantically speaking, with someone and she treats you like part of the family. the perfect mother-in-law, i have no doubts

⥅ when it comes to pda he’s a bit shy around others, but when it’s just you two he’s like a puppy trailing after you. if you’re chilling on the couch with your phone, he’s sitting next to you and kissing your shoulder or playing with your free hand. if he finds you in the bathroom doing your makeup or brushing your teeth, he stays and watches so he can steal a few kisses and just admire you.

⥅ very soft and needy when he’s sleepy. please hug him and give him a thousand kisses on his forehead and he’ll sigh happily <3

JEAN

⥅ doodles random stuff in your arms. sometimes it’s his name surrounded by tiny hearts, sometimes it’s a huge heart with your initials in it. your notebooks have a few notes from him, mostly from before you two dated

⥅ at the beginning, he used to bribe you to let him draw you. but then you got so used to it that you let him do it whenever he pleased. it’s probably his favourite hobby and usually does it when you’re doing everyday things like folding the clean laundry or watering a plant.  

⥅ tells you the cheesiest pick-up lines because he enjoys making you laugh. however, he becomes a mess if you are the one flirting with him—no matter how long you’ve been together—blushes and starts to stutter until he groans when he sees you laugh at his flustered reaction

⥅ always says he wants a very calm life with you when the topic of your future is brought up. “a two-story house with a big garden where we can relax while we watch the kids play.” 

⥅ he’s also the typical boyfriend that gives you his hoodies. you end up with more than half of them but he doesn’t mind, he actually does it on purpose since it’s his way of ‘showing off’ you’re together.

⥅ teases you with his stubble and when you try to stop him you just have to call him horse face, “ah?! that’s mean!” he’d start whining and telling you to call him babe. obviously blames eren and says he’s a bad influence on you.

⥅ religiously takes a nap at noon and makes you join him. he falls asleep easier when you’re around so he gives you his best puppy eyes until you give in. he also snores but it’s the soft, more like a sigh type pf snore.   

ARMIN

⥅ has a book of poems and always shows you the ones that remind him of you. because of this, whenever you happen to read a quote or poem, you write it down so you can show it to him later. the first time you did it he almost teared up

⥅ blushy baby! tell him he’s so pretty and he’ll smile so big and kiss you with all his might T^T 

⥅ sees you as his equal but there are times where he sits back and reflects on your relationship, seeing how far you’ve made it and how you’re basically one of his pillars. forever grateful to have you in his life and even if he’s a bit shy when it comes to saying that out loud, he tries to show it through acts of service

⥅ definitely more outgoing when he’s around you since he feels very comfortable with you. sometimes he gets so excited about something or starts geeking out about a book and apologizes as soon as he realizes what he’s doing. but give him a kiss and reassure him he’s fine and he’ll go back to excited puppy mode

⥅ picnics and dates by the beach! he says it comforts him and would walk by the shore with you. you got him a necklace with seashells the first time you went to the beach together and hasn’t taken it off ever since

⥅ has a journal where he writes his thoughts, quotes, or random words. he also likes to glue polaroids of you and add little notes around the picture. he panicked when you discovered it but you thought it was very cute 

⥅ you have a pet together and it’s like your kid. it’s something tiny and fluffy like a hamster or very small dog. needless to say that it’s a very loved pet <3

#snk x reader #aot headcanons #aot x reader #eren x reader #jean x reader #armin x reader #eren jaeger x reader #eren yeager x reader #jean kirschtein x reader #armin arlert x reader #jean kirstein x reader #eren.c #jean.c #armin.c

[preciousthingsareprecious]

Hearts Painted on Skin

Written for @damianwayneweek's Day 4. I selected Soulmates for this. I've never written a soulmate AU before, so this was fun to explore. Thanks @audreycritter for the idea! She flooded me with ideas for this week and I am so thankful for them all.

Characters: Damian and Dick

Summary: Damian has a mark just under his collarbone in the shape of a feather. Mother has always told him it was a scar. He was mostly okay with that until he came to Gotham and saw more marks. Marks that could not possibly be scars. He is starting to wonder if she lied, and why.

AO3 Link

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Damian looked in the mirror, his shirt in his hands, prepared to pull on. For what felt like the thousandth time, he paused to look at the little mark on his skin. It was a feather, unmistakably. Damian had held enough up to it for comparison, whenever he could get his hands on one.

“It is a scar.” Mother’s voice echoed in his head.

It was a statement she’d told him time and time again. Each moment he brought it up. Every moment he looked at a League member who had a darker patch on their cheek, or wrist. Whenever his eyes lingered on flowers and swirls and shapes painted on fingers, arms, feet, and one time an eyelid. She would lean down, her voice soft, promising, full of truth, hard as law, and whisper those four words. It. Is. A. Scar.

“But others have similar.” Damian had asked once.

“Of course they do, they are fighters as well.” she had told him.

Damian believed her. Why would she lie? What reason had she to speak falsely about such a thing?

And yet.

He dropped half of the shirt to run his fingers over it, it was smooth as the skin underneath. It was skin, just of a darker color. A warm chocolate to his tan. It was not raised, not pinched. Nothing about it was creased or seemed to be anything but natural. As if it had always been there.

“But I do not remember getting it.” he had said again, in response to her once.

“You received it when you were young. A baby.”

He had furrowed his brow. Who would harm a baby? Even in the League? Especially Talia’s child? She’d never told him.

Damian tugged his shirt on, covering the spot with soft cotton and a bright pattern of animal silhouettes that somehow did not look childish. He ran his hand over the fabric, again pausing by the not-scar. His eyes flit to his dresser. In the drawer rested a bottle of concealer, matched to his skin tone exactly. It was empty now, used up and he had yet to replace it.

Normally, Damian would cover his not-scar with it. Careful layers blended to hide the fact that anything blemished his skin. It was a dangerous mark. Made when he was a baby, and carrying a weight on it that Mother insisted would draw catastrophe to him if it were seen.

He had complained about the concealer once, hating the time it took to apply and how it made his skin feel itchy sometimes.

Mother had run her fingers through his hair, gentle and loving, “I know, dear, but it is not safe to bring attention to. If others learned of it--you would be in danger.” She had even gone so far as to insist Damian not tell Grandfather.

It was a dangerous secret so terrifying the leader of the League of Assassins could not know. One Damian had to protect him from. At least, that was what Damian had thought then. Now, he wondered if Mother was protecting him from Grandfather.

He tugged on his shirt, testing the collar, even stretched it hid his mark with ease. No one would see it today. Perhaps his new concealer would arrive soon. Pennyworth had approved the order, as something useful to help them hide their identities better. Bruises from patrol were hard to explain, especially when Richard was under scrutiny for caring for him.

A knock immediately preceded, “Damian? You ready?”

Damian turned and nodded at Richard, “Yes, I believe I am.”

He looked over his brother, searching his skin for anything like Damian’s own mark, but beyond real scars, Richard was unblemished.

His brother, and guardian, smiled at him, “Great, let’s go! It’s a beautiful day and I promised you some ducks.”

Damian allowed a smile, “Yes you did.”

They spent the day at one of Gotham’s parks. Richard said they were doing recon to determine if Wayne Enterprise should fund a beautification project, but Damian was well aware his brother was using this as a day of relaxation. He was taking the day off work, and Damian had been excused from classwork for the outing.

He’d intended to take the recon seriously, by marking down elements both in favor of, and against selecting this park as the location for beautification funds. And for a little while Damian had. Then he’d flipped to a blank page in his notebook and started sketching the scene ahead of them.

Beside him, Richard lounged on their picnic blanket, reading what looked to be a romance book, and picking at grapes Pennyworth had packed for them. Normally, Damian would take the opportunity to berate him for laziness, but they had faced a number of difficult patrols over the past few nights and Damian was inclined to let him have his break.

Richard consistently drilled into him the importance of caring for one’s body all the time, mentally and physically. Damian knew this day would make Batman safer in the field, and also--he was kind of enjoying the quiet time. It was new to him, learning to relax and feel safe outside of the very few places he’d had at the League, but he could see the appeal to it. It did help keep him sharp, and he was always better rested after.

So he focused on on relaxing. He sketched for a while, drawing the pond first, and the trees around it. Then flipping the page to work on his figure drawing. As he drew, Damian’s eyes caught on marks. On birthmarks, and scars, and tattoos. Most importantly, his eyes locked onto various not-scars. Which is what they had to be.

He doodled them on another sheet. Drawing each unique one. Even those that were similar in style usually had little differences. A star might have one arm longer than the other, while one was perfect.

The only time he saw two of them match perfectly were on a couple pushing a stroller. The couple had little numbers on the back of their hands, one on their left, the other on the right. Damian pressed his lips together. They could have been tattoos, many people had them, but Damian couldn’t help but wonder.

He had been wondering since he’d arrived in Gotham months ago. People here all had marks. They had marks and they showed them off. Confused, Damian had messaged his mother to ask her. She’d said they were scars, tattoos, birthmarks that were meaningless. They were the marks of a different type of people than Damian had been raised around.

Distance had a way of stripping his mother’s voice of it’s old comforting truth.

But he had been busy learning. There was so much to learn in Gotham that had nothing to do with the mark on his body. Damian had spent more time frustrated about rules, and fearing he’d be sent back to a place that felt less and less like home every day. More and more time learning to be a good Robin to his Batman, and learning to trust Richard.

The question of his mark was rarely on Damian’s mind, and mostly relegated to moments he was alone or like this.

He glanced over at Richard. The man was still immersed in his book and Damian’s question died on his lips. He flipped his book to a new page and focused back on the pond, specifically the ducks swimming around on it. He had, after all, been promised some ducks.

That night they returned to patrol. Damian almost suggested they take a break, but they’d been working a drug trafficking case over the course of the week and were close to wrapping it up. If all went well during this patrol then they could rest. Damian would insist upon it if Richard did not.

They staked out an old appliance store. Richard figured the drugs were being shipped out either in the appliances or the crates. They just needed to intercept a shipment, incapacitate the team working on it, and confirm the drugs were there. Then they could call in Gordon and be done with all this.

Batman and Robin were crouched together. Richard had declared that they should stick close tonight. Damian wondered if it was because he knew they both were still feeling a little worn down. He could read it in Richard’s body language, and he knew his mentor could read the same in his.

After around twenty or so minutes, a truck pulled up to the building and the shipping door opened to allow it to back in. They watched for a moment, confirming no other trucks were on their way, and then both pulled back from the edge of the roof they’d been peering over.

Richard pointed to a large vent they could drop in on the store from. Damian nodded, and followed his mentor. The slipped into the vents, then moved like mice over to where the shipping area was located. Damian paused behind Richard as the man peered through an exhaust vent to watch the proceedings below.

“They’ve started unloading.” he whispered, then tapped something on his cowl and was silent for another long moment, “And they’re talking about the drugs.”

“So we go?” Damian asked.

“I’d say so.” Richard said, “Stick close tonight Robin, I’ve seen a couple guns swinging around and I don’t want to explain a bullet wound to Al tonight.”

“The same goes for you.” Damian responded.

“There’s twelve by my count, two of those are still in the car. Try to get to them first. I’ll grab the guys with the guns,” Richard directed.

“Affirmative.” Damian agreed. Taking out the ones that could remove the product, and the ones that were the most dangerous first was a good idea.

With that, Richard kicked out the vent, tossed a handful of gas pellets, and they dropped into the smoke.

Damian bolted through it for the truck. He was able to easily dodge the men and women in the room, now sent into a flurry of action and confusion over the smoke. He ducked around the driver’s seat of the truck and yanked the door open.

The man inside was shocked, and Damian was able to use that element of surprise to yank the man out of the front, sending him tumbling to the ground. A few quick blows had him unconscious.

Damian straightened, and turned back towards the truck cab. His eyes went wide, seeing the passenger leaning over both seats, a gun aimed out the door at him. Damian dodged to the side as the gun went off. Pain sliced through his arm as the bullet nicked him, but at least it hadn’t hit him in anything vital.

He swore, Richard had just told him not to get shot.

He snarled at the man, immediately returning fire with a batarang. It caught fingers, and the gun went tumbling to the floor of the cab. Damian then lurched forward, and dragged the passenger out of the car. Twisting his arm as he fell to drag it up behind his back.

In another movement, Damian grabbed the man’s other hand and yanked it behind his back, securing them both with a zip tie.

“Stay.” he growled into his ear, “Or you will regret it.”

He climbed up into the cab and jammed a pole under the steering wheel, locking it in place to keep it from moving if anyone tried to drive the truck.

With that, he turned back into the fray. At this point the smoke had begun to clear. Damian could see that Batman had knocked out a few men already, they were down to 8 enemies to fight. Richard’s warning to stay close was fresh in Damian’s mind, his throbbing arm a reminder that maybe his Batman had wanted him to not quite jump ahead like he had. But then again, Damian should have been able to handle two men in a truck.

He huffed, and fell into line beside Batman.

“Robin, you get the car under control?”

“It will not be going anywhere.” Damian confirmed.

“Good.” There was something tight in Richard’s voice Damian didn’t recognize, but there wasn’t time to explore the reason for that the other men and women were on them already.

Damian had to admit, he and Richard worked well as a team. They were efficient, and quick. Richard’s insistence on having them run drills and practice together before they’d ever gone out into the field had paid off early on, and since then they’d only built on that success.

They managed to take out the rest of the criminals quickly, and they prevented any of them from escaping. After that, Richard directed Damian to zip tie the unconscious thugs while he checked out the boxes of goods.

As Damian was finishing up with the last man, Richard called out, “Found them! I’m calling it in.”

“Good, I am finished here.”

They paired back up outside the building as Batman called the car to their location. Damian had his cape tugged over his arm in an attempt to hide the bleeding, but as they waited, a breeze caught him by surprise and tugged it up, and out of the way.

“Robin!” Batman said, “Why didn’t you tell me you’d been injured?”

Damian tugged his cape back in place, scowling, “You told me not to get shot.”

Then his eyes caught on Richard’s left arm, it too was visible and bleeding. Damian pointed at him, accusing.

“You as well! How could you not tell me you’d been injured?”

Richard opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, “I-For the same reason as you. It happened right at the start.”

That must have been why Damian hadn’t heard it, they’d been shot at roughly the same time.

His brother shook his head, “Amazing, we both managed to do the one thing we didn’t want to. Alf’s going to have a field day with this one.”

When they returned to the bunker Alfred directed them both to a shared cot.

“Shirts off young masters, I’ll need to dress both of those wounds.”

Damian rolled his eyes and started tugging off his vest, then undershirt. It wasn’t until it was off that he remembered he still had not covered up his mark. Hopefully they would lump it in with the other scars across his chest.

It was not to be however. Next to him, Richard had stilled. He was staring at Damian’s chest. Damian could feel it, his eyes locked on the feather just under his collarbone.

He froze, his spine stiffening. He didn’t know what to say. His mother’s excuses felt like lies on his tongue and he knew he couldn’t give them to Richard. The man wouldn’t believe him for a moment.

Richard’s gaze was strangely soft. Not angry or upset or any of the things Damian had come to expect from what someone might do when they saw his not-scar. It made him want to squirm in his seat, but he was Damian al Ghul-Wayne. He did not squirm.

“Damian--” Richard’s voice was terribly soft, his eyes glittering, “I had no idea.”

Damian swallowed, there it was. The sadness that he had thought might come. It was dangerous. Seeing it put people in danger, and Richard had seen it, and Damian--Damian did not want him in any kind of danger.

He reached up to put his hand over the mark, and looked down, “I am sorry--I forgot. Had I remembered I hadn’t covered it I would not have--I would have dressed my arm on my own.”

“Do you not want me to see it?” Richard sounded hurt.

Damian looked back up at him, surprised. Richard sounded like he did when Damian was particularly cruel. He tried not to be that way sometimes, but--well pain or frustration drove him to saying things he regretted.

“I--Mother told me no one was allowed to.” He pressed his palm against it a little tighter.

“Why?” Now Richard sounded confused.

Damian was confused. Shouldn’t he know? The way Mother spoke of it had made Damian believe it to be something that anyone would recognize. A black mark.

“It is dangerous.” Damian said simply, “Just seeing it would put myself and others in danger.”

Richard’s brow was furrowed. Behind him, Alfred cleared his throat.

“Master Damian, might I ask, do you know of soul marks?”

“What?” Damian asked, looking up at him, “No, I have never heard of the term.”

Something twisted in his stomach. Sour and warm. He was certain now Mother had lied. He didn’t know why she had lied, but it was making him sick. The warmth was a kind of hope. An answer to the questions plaguing him since he’d arrived.

“A soul mark is a mark each of us are born with. It is to help us find the person most suited for us in the world. Some people never meet their soulmates, but find love all the same but others do and their marks always match.”

Damian remembered the couple he’d seen in the park, their matching hands.

“So then--this is one of those? Not a scar?”

He let his hand drop, fingers grazing the feather.

“I can confirm that it is indeed a soul mark.” Alfred said.

Damian frowned at him, “Have you seen its match?”

Alfred smiled at him. Richard cleared his throat and Damian returned his attention to him. Understanding now blooming, Richard had thought he’d keep something like a soul mark from him. Had believed Damian wouldn’t want him to know something so personal. He must apologize.

Before he could get the words out, Richard had tugged his own shirt off and there, under his collar bone and just above his heart was a feather. It was the feather. Damian’s feather. The one he had seen every day in the mirror. The one he’d traced a hundred times wondering about.

“Oh.” Damian said.

And then, “I don’t understand. I--we would not be romantically compatible?”

Richard snorted, “Soulmates don’t have to be romantically involved, Dames. It can be totally platonic. Often best friends will have matching marks, or a father and son. It just means--well it means we fit together in a special way. That we’ll always be precious to each other.”

Damian could have told Richard that, and it seemed his body had already done the work for him. Or fate? Damian felt he may get a headache if he tried to figure this out.

The point was, Richard was the most important person in his life. He just--he’d had no idea that it had been declared before he’d even met the man. Before he even knew that they would get to the point where they’d trust each other with their lives. It felt right. Instead of a declaration these marks were a promise.

Richard had chosen to love Damian with his whole heart before even knowing who Damian would be to him. And Damian? Well Damian had done the same.

“I hate to break up this moment, but you are both still bleeding.” Alfred said, “You may continue to talk but I really must begin caring for your wounds.”

Damian blushed, “Yes, of course.”

Instead of talking, they fell into silence, both Damian and Richard lost in their own thoughts. Soon, Alfred was finished, and had dismissed both of them.

Damian looked from Richard to the elevator that would return them to the penthouse and back, “I still have questions.” he said, not wanting to be sent to bed with his mind still racing.

“Me too.” Richard said, “How about some cocoa? We can talk upstairs.”

“That sounds nice.”

They moved up to the penthouse, and Damian sat at the bar, his hands pressed into the marble countertop of it. They’d both dressed in pajamas, but even with a shirt tugged over his soul mark --and how nice it was to have a real word for it-- he still felt exposed. Raw. Like there was something new and strange about him.

But nothing had happened with it. It was still there, still the same color and size. Still just a part of him that he’d always had.

“So.” Richard said, taking the seat next to him, and sliding a mug of steaming hot chocolate over, “You have questions?”

“As do you.” Damian said, taking the mug to hold between his palms, “Why don’t you ask yours first?”

His brother hummed, “I think yours will probably answer mine, but let’s start with something easy or maybe not easy, but, well what do you know about soulmates or marks?”

Damian nodded, “I--Mother never explained soulmates to me. I know the term only in a general sense. A phrase used not literally, but figuratively to describe two people romantically entwined. None of my teachers spoke of it, and no one at the League did either.”

He tapped his mug, “I was not blind, I saw the marks. But I believed them to be other things. Scars, birthmarks, or--well I did not have a word for what they were.” Damian could not look at Richard, it was silly. He should have asked more, pressed Mother for answers or done his own research, “It was not until I arrived in Gotham that I saw so many and began to wonder. Surely not everyone in the world could have gotten tattoos? But--not all were visible and so I did not ask.”

Richard was quiet, listening and taking in Damian’s words with rapt attention. He hadn’t even sipped his cocoa. Damian took a gulp of his, just to do something that wasn’t watching his brother.

“And yours?” Richard asked, “What did Talia tell you about it?”

“I--Mother told me mine was dangerous.” Damian pressed his fingers to his chest again, “I was not to talk about it or ask about it. It was supposed to be a scar, from an attack on me when I was a baby. But I always knew it was not. Still, she was insistent I not tell anyone or let others see. Especially Grandfather.”

Damian frowned, “I thought for a long while it was to protect him. That I was cursed.”

He looked up at Richard, into his brother’s eyes, and knew at last why Mother had been so insistent he stay silent, “But I was wrong. Mother was protecting me, and you. If Grandfather knew I had a soulmate, he would have hunted the world for them, and then used them against me.”

Damian did not think he could have stood having Richard in danger because of him. He hated the very thought that anything would happen to his brother. Especially because of him.

He sipped his drink again, “Mother used to rub her wrist. I saw a mark there once. A little bat. I never asked her about it, and she never offered to tell me--Richard? Do the marks have special meaning? Or are they obscure?”

“They do have a meaning, there’s a lot of meaning in their placement and look and well everything.”

“Teach me?”

His brother smiled, “Of course. I’d be happy to.”

They worked their way through their mugs, and second rounds while Richard spoke. He talked about how soul marks that were hidden usually meant that the relationship was more intimate, but not always. How marks mirrored each other, one on the left, one on the right so that the pair could be face to face and match, like looking in a mirror. How if one’s soulmate died the mark faded to be almost invisible or if their relationship broke and shattered how it would line with cracks.

“Just because someone has a soulmate doesn’t mean that things will work out perfectly. We are human after all.” Richard said.

Some people could be born without marks, and very rarely one would change, and shift to take on the form of another. Most often that happened if a soulmate had died, but sometimes it happened for other reasons.

“And the meaning?” Damian pressed, wanting to know, to understand why a feather? Why this mark on his skin and not something else?

His brother hummed, “There’s books and stuff out on their meanings, especially for marks of similar styles. But when it all comes down to it, the meaning really comes from the pair. Some people know instantly why a mark looks the way it does. A shared memory or love of something. Maybe it is the first line a lover traced across another’s wrist, or an idea that is important to them.”

He leaned forward, elbow on the bar’s counter, “Want to take a guess at ours?”

Damian furrowed his brow, “Robin?” he guessed, “or your previous title, Nightwing is indicative of a bird and flight?”

Richard nodded, “Those are good thoughts. I’ve always looked at it as a symbol of flying and of freedom. But feathers have other meanings too. Trust, loyalty, hope, a connection between the creature who had the feather and where it has gone now.”

“I like those.” Damian said, and then looked down at his mug, “You have given me many of those things.”

“And you’ve done the same for me.” Richard said, “We don’t need to name why it is a feather you know. We can feel the meaning here.” he pressed a palm to his heart, “and just know.”

Damian nodded, “I am glad I share it with you. And--I am glad I did not know before now.”

His brother frowned, then nodded, “I see, if you did, and we’d have seen each other’s marks, then you might have thought our relationship was because of the soul mark?”

“Is that silly?” he said, peering up.

“No. It’s a worry a lot of people have.” Richard reached out and took Damian’s free hand, “But soul marks don’t make relationships Damian. They just indicate potential, and while they are incredibly accurate in that indication, it’s up to us what we do with it.”

Damian squeezed Richard’s hand, “I see. We are--doing well?”

Richard laughed, “I’d say so. We had a rough start, but yes, Dames. I think we’re doing just fine.”

Damian smiled, “Excellent. Thank you for answering my questions.”

“Of course.” His brother stretched, “Now, it’s later than either of us should be up. We can chat more tomorrow.”

“Yes.” Damian said.

They got up, rinsed their cups and moved to the hall with the bedrooms. Damian paused, hesitating before he entered his own.

“I was planning to suggest we take the night off patrol, but our injuries have cemented that. Perhaps we can return to the park tomorrow?” he said.

Richard smiled, “Sounds like a plan.” In a motion he tugged Damian forward into a tight hug and pressed a kiss to his forehead, “Love you, kiddo.”

Damian returned the hug, “You as well.”

#damianwayneweek2021 #Damian Wayne #Dick Grayson #day 4 #soulmates #platonic soulmates #soul marks #fluff #canon typical violence #hurt/comfort #injury #precious posts #fanficiton