#when you have memory issues a lot of your life is very surprising
Text
A Forbidden Invitation
Pairing: Best Friend’s Dad!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader
Word Count: 11.5k
Summary: You think a one night stand from the summer, the best fuck of your life, is a done deal — a single, heated encounter that now lives vividly in your memories. But you learn that your actions have consequences when you befriend a new student, starting in the new term, and she invites you over to meet her Dad.
Warnings: Age gap, flashback, betrayal of friendship, manipulation, coercion, reader has severe daddy issues and self esteem problems, derogatory names, daddy kink, praise kink, smut, kissing, nipple play, blowjob, throat fucking, choking, fingering, pussy slapping, p in v sex, squirting.
Author’s Note: Unbeta’d, warning graphics and dividers by @rookthorne
“Come on, babe!” Rebecca whined at the edge of your bed. “You’re telling me a weekend away from this shithole doesn’t sound good?”
It had been a whole hour of your friend begging you to come back home with her for your midterm break and while you usually had the patience of a saint, it was difficult to keep composed as she refused to back down to your unacceptable reasoning.
You sighed, finally closing your laptop with an inwards huff and coming to terms that you would not be getting any more work done. Blowing out a breath, you leveled your gaze onto her.
“Becs,” you treaded carefully, mindful of her feelings. “It’s very sweet of you. But, I really need to get my work finished.” Rebecca’s face fell sullen and you rushed to explain. “I just like my time alone, y'know? I concentrate better.”
Her brunette hair fell over her eyes as she bowed her head. This girl really knew how to put on a show and you playfully rolled your eyes at her dramatics. But as she lifted her head with a pout and her wide, shining ocean blues, you knew you were done for.
Oh no. The puppy eyes.
“Hey!” You pointed at her. “No—stop that! I’m not changing my mind.”
The intensity of her stare only worsened while she slowly gained on you. “But what am I gonna tell my Dad when he asks when you’re not there?”
“Wait.” Clarity hit you then and you held your hand up to stop your friend in her tracks. With a glare you questioned, “Did you already say I was coming?”
The guilty twitch of her eye said it all. “Maybe—“
“Becca!”
“I couldn’t help it!” she swore. “My dad invited you, I couldn’t tell him no.”
“He invited me?” you asked, surprised.
“Yeah. The day we met, he called to see how I was doing—asked if I had made any new friends.”
She shrugged. “We’ve moved around a lot ever since I can remember and trying to fit in somewhere…” Her voice suddenly grew quiet as she solemnly whispered, “I’ve never had a real friend before. You’re the only one who’s been able to stick around for so long and he really wants to meet you.”
The frustration embedded in you faded out to make way for the sudden ache in your heart. To your knowledge, Rebecca was a new student who transitioned to your college in the middle of the recent school year. Both of you had a couple of classes together and the first time you ever saw her still reigned fresh in your mind.
The doors to the auditorium crashed open as she stumbled in late and out of breath to her first class. Strands of her brown hair fell from the messy bun on the top of her head and her cheeks coloured bright red; it pained you to watch her embarrassment as a room of over a hundred stared at her, along with the professor. And so began your friendship when you rushed out of your seat to help her with her huge stack of books, ushering her to the back to sit next to you.
Since then the two of you had been inseparable. Rebecca was a genuine, lovely girl — sweet and a breath of fresh air to your college life. She never failed to let you know how appreciative she was to your kindness of friendship, so even though you had only known her for a short while, it felt as though she was a true friend; one who would be staying around for a while.
Sighing in defeat, there was no way you could decline the offer after hearing she had been gushing over you to her Dad. “Okay, okay—Fine. I’ll come— AH!”
You squealed as she leapt onto you, knocking you back against your mattress as she profusely thanked you while vibrating with joy. The giggles and uncontrolled laughter that filled your room masked the unexplainable dread knotted in your stomach. But not wanting to tarnish Rebecca’s excitement, you let go of your worries for the time being.
Going to the club alone wasn’t an activity you made a habit out of; you understood the dangers of your vulnerability to men who couldn’t take a hint.
However, that summer night — a hazy memory now in the present — forbade common sense and instead, threw it out of the window. Not to be seen again until you woke up the next day.
The stress of the week had gotten too much for you; too many assignments needing to be handed in at once, your parents bombarding you with passive aggressive texts about their ongoing disappointment with you and the cherry on top of it all, you had caught your boyfriend cheating on you with the girl he had sworn you had nothing to worry about.
So of course, that week in particular had tested you. But instead of moping around your dorm room, your mind unhelpfully persisted with the motion to get shitfaced drunk and allow future you to worry about your problems. In the moment, you thought that to be your most genius idea of the week — letting your hair down in a sweaty nightclub around people you didn’t know and not caring about the consequences sounded perfect.
In hindsight, it was probably one of your most beautiful mistakes.
You remembered it all clearly. The newfound freedom of not giving a fuck, the humid air with the bass of the speakers invading your ears — every small detail added to the atmosphere as you were in your own world in the middle of the dancefloor, erotically swaying your hips side to side and running your hands through your hair.
The short cocktail dress you had worn to make yourself feel good illuminated your curves while also giving you the liberty to dance without limit to your movement. You wanted to forget for a while — go crazy and let loose.
Which was why the stunning pair of cerulean eyes that pinned you down across the room from the bar was your ticket to a night of fun — everything you needed at the moment in time. From your vantage point, the stranger looked to be in his forties, but in the best way possible. His form was built, the right amount of muscle carrying his frame and his grown out brown locks tucked behind his ears. No one had ever looked more sexy to you.
Aware of being the center of attention to an attractive stranger, you smoothed your hands down from your hair, seductively over your neck, teasing your glowing skin and finally to your chest. You bit your lip when his hungry stare that soaked your lace underwear focused on your tits, overspilling from your dress and you watched, smug and exhilarated as the unknown man tightened his fist against his tight trouser cladded thighs.
Through the whole night, the delightful burn of his stare never left you. A brand was marked into your skin; a warning to everyone else that you were spoken for — only for the night at least.
If you ordered a drink at the bar, the stranger was a couple of seats down from you, greedily lapping up your figure. If you were sitting in the smokers area, catching your breath and cooling down, he was there too, leaning against the brick wall smoking a cigarette with his attention solely focused on you, no matter the amount of women who were not so discreetly throwing themselves over him.
Even at the end of the night, as you once again danced to the deep bass of the beat among everyone else, he watched you from his own corner, still as enamored with you as the first time your eyes met.
Adrenaline spiked your veins. It was addicting to be the object of someone’s desires, to be seen.
You had only spoken through heated looks and loaded glances, but he was unlike any man you had encountered before. Mysterious and cryptic. You were just as lost in him as he was into you and you couldn’t have cared less that he was obviously older than you. It was what you needed. He was what you needed.
The buzz from the few shots you had taken reached their peak and you decided it was now or never to claim what you so rightfully deserved.
With a bounce in your step, you strutted in your heels through the crowd of people, never taking your eyes off your prize and him neither. He licked his lips as you closed the distance, stopping just before you bumped into the tip of his shoes.
“Listen,” you spoke over the music, determined and resolute. “I’m gonna skip past the pleasantries and bullshit.” The allured stranger raised his eyebrow, intrigued. “You want me and I definitely want you. So, do you want to get out of here?”
Your bravery faltered slightly as you realised in his close proximity how direct you had been. While you were almost certain this stranger was as attracted to you as you were to him, the tiny seed of doubt that a mature man wouldn’t want to hook up with someone as young as you revoked your liquid courage.
But that worry soon disappeared when he gave you a fierce once over now you were up close. A raging storm of lust and desire clouded his beautiful eyes, wild and desperate to get his hands on you. Your breaths came in quick and heavy as he smirked so sinfully. The bastard knew he held so much power in the palm of his hands when his body towered over yours, the difference in size between you not hard to miss. There you could tell the fun had already begun.
The rest of the club became a blur as he brought his mouth down to your ear. You felt each slow and steady breath against the curve of your neck and you were sure even in the darkness, he noticed the goosebumps that littered your skin. “All I need you to know tonight is my name.” His voice was as sexy as you had imagined, a deep, rasped husk that made your legs weak. But it was his next words that almost made you collapse. “Because it’s the only thing you’re gonna be screamin’ for the rest of the night, darlin’.”
Your mind grew foggy at the next sequence of events. The hustle of getting into a car and fiercely making out in the backseat until you arrived at an upscale hotel. Everything happened so fast. One minute you were waiting impatiently at the reception desk and the next you were stumbling into a lavish hotel room, unable to keep your hands off each other as items of clothing flew across the room in your haste to get naked.
The two of you bumped into the array of furniture in the hallway, the thought of tearing away from each other's lips unbearable. Bucky, you learned was his name, was an amazing kisser, his tongue gently teased yours as he threaded his fingers through your hair and he kept a firm grip of your cheeks like he was desperate to keep you close.
“Fuck,” he slurred between kisses. “You’re so— fuckin’— gorgeous.” His eagerness to keep his lips against yours while complimenting you spun you for a loop, unfamiliar to this kind of intensity.
The clink of dog tags were the culprit to halt your motions while he kept on kissing you, traveling down the slope of your neck and to your shoulders to bite your skin. As he was occupied, you took your chance to admire his physique. For a man his age, he was jacked — a toned stomach with several abs sharp enough to cut and two deliciously slender grooves running underneath his trousers to a bulge big enough for you to let an unhinged moan escape.
His body was sickening, he truly had no business to look as good as he did for a man his age. But like hell were you going to complain when all the boys at college disappointed you time and time again. The bar was low and this man had already exceeded your expectations, he was only supposed to be an idea fit for your wildest fantasies. Yet, there he was, real and existing.
Time was of the essence and you wasted none of it as you ripped yourself out of his hold, left in only your underwear, and dropped to your knees without pause to hurriedly remove his belt.
“Oh, shit.” He gulped. “Baby— baby—you don’t have to do that—“
You hushed his assurances and batted away his hands that tried to pull you up without real effort. “No, I don’t have to. But I want to.” Fluttering your eyes, you looked up at him and slyly smirked. “Let me suck your cock. You just worry about having a good time.” With a wink, you unlooped the expensive leather through the buckle and dropped it to the floor, soon after working to unzip his fly and rid him of the offending trousers that stood in your way.
The material slid down his thick thighs and he was left stood in his underwear, black briefs tented from his hard cock. A frenzied need to soothe the urge to get your mouth around him took the reins when you instantly nuzzled into his crotch.
“Fuck me, you’re a needy little slut aren’t you?” He wrapped your hair into a ponytail around his fist, controlling your movements. Though, there was no reason to, eager as you were. You would have done anything he asked.
You did do anything he asked.
You hummed while suckling the tip of his cock over the material of his underwear, “Mhm.” He threw his head back and groaned like a wild beast while you admired the wet patch growing on the fabric before your very eyes. It was unhinged — raw. But your stranger of the night didn’t seem to care, too fucked out as his eyes rolled back from pleasure.
Unable to control your burst of desire, you suddenly shucked his briefs down.
Your mouth fell open at the sheer size of him, an audible gasp echoed over the silence of the marble walls. Never had you seen a dick as pretty or big before and the drool that had gathered in your mouth began to leak out the side of your mouth.
You were aching for him.
With a cocky smile, the man tapped under your chin twice to direct your head upwards. “Up here, darlin’—I want those pretty eyes on me when you take my cock.”
Immediately opening your mouth wide and sticking your tongue out for him, he chuckled breathily at the crazed look in your dilated pupils. “Well, aren’t you just the biggest whore I ever did see.” Grabbing his cock and pressing the tip onto your tongue, he began to slide it forward. “Good fuckin’ job I like ‘em that way. Now open up wide so I can fuck your throat, baby—”
“Babe!”
Jolting out of your memory infused dream with a shriek, you span your head around to Rebecca in the drivers seat of her car. “Oh, there you are!” she hissed, teasingly. “I called for you like ten times. Where the fuck did you go?”
You swallowed the dryness coating your throat and hastily sat up. A hot sweat had settled over your skin and you immediately grabbed your water bottle from the footwell and chugged it down.
Once you had cooled down, you glanced back at your friend, cringing at the raised eyebrow that meant you weren’t getting out of an explanation. “I, uh— I’m sorry I didn’t—um—get much sleep last night,” you lamely replied.
The unimpressed expression on her face told you she didn’t believe you. But you were saved when her face suddenly lit up with glee. “Eek! We’re finally here!”
Had a three hour drive really gone by that fast?
Looking out the car window, your eyes widened when you saw an estate, guarded by iron gates around the whole property, surrounded by acres upon acres of land. You couldn’t tear your eyes away, even when Rebecca began animatedly speaking with someone by the toll station.
Who the fuck was this girl?
Eventually, she pulled up to the house, passing the stone driveway with a water fountain in the middle and cut the engine off. “Come on, you. My Dad’s expecting us.”
You were in a daze while you opened your door, stepping out the car and taking in every inch of the property. You would have never guessed your friend, the most down to earth and humble person on campus, had a lavish lifestyle with all the trimmings. It was clear she didn’t feel the need to brag about her privilege and her nonchalant attitude about it only baffled you more.
The doors to the mansion suddenly swung open and what you could only have presumed to be a butler promptly rushed towards the car. “Miss Barnes, how lovely to see you again.”
Rebecca scoffed and hugged the man without hesitation. “Don’t be silly. You know you don’t call me that.”
Even with her sweetness, he remained as professional then ever and brushed by her to pick up her bags. “Of course, Miss Barnes. Your father is out at the minute, but he has left you a gift by the entryway table.”
With a high pitched scream, your friend ran inside without looking back. It was hard not to smile at her carefree ways and trying to shake the deepening apprehensiveness from the moment Rebecca invited you, you rounded to the boot of the car to grab your luggage.
“That won’t be necessary, ma’am.” The butler immediately stepped forward and swiftly picked up your bags along with Rebecca’s with ease.
“Oh, no that’s okay, honestly! I can bring them in no problem!” You tried detesting, not used to any kind of special treatment.
But it was no use as he kindly insisted, “There is no need to worry. Please relax and join your friend, I believe there is a gift for you too.”
Sighing, you yielded and eventually followed in your friend’s steps, twiddling your fingers anxiously while you walked into the foyer of the mansion.
Carefully crafted marble walls with what you could only guess were decorated with millions of dollars worth of extravagant paintings, lined up neatly up to the grand, spiral staircase where a round oak table sat in front of it.
You instantly spotted two gift baskets, difficult to miss as they were both filled to the brim with an assortment of treats and bright pink tissue paper.
Rebecca was already busy appreciating hers, taking care to read the note her father had presumably left her and gushing over the copious amount of sweet treats, new nightwear and a cashmere blanket, like this wasn’t a regular occurrence to her.
However, it was surprising to see you had also been spoiled; all of your favourites, intricately placed in the hamper. Your eye caught the note addressed with your name on and hesitantly, you reached out for it and unfolded the card — a simple yet polite message inside.
I can only apologise that I wasn’t here upon your arrival.
I’ve heard great things about you from my Becs and I sincerely look forward to meeting you when I’m home.
Please make yourself comfortable and enjoy the contents of your gift basket.
J.B.B.
“Oh, he’s the best,” Rebecca swooned, hugging the white blanket to her chest. “He said he got called into work for a couple of hours so he should be back tonight.
You exhaled, flitting your eyes over your new gifts. The information eased your nerves slightly — you were never any good at meeting parents, whether that be of friends or partners. The dynamic of a happy household wasn’t one you had experience with and the idea of ruining first impressions caused an anxiety you didn’t particularly care to revisit often. Especially now that Rebecca had come into your life — a friend you could absolutely see yourself building a strong bond with.
Realising you had been silent for too long, you spoke up, “Your Dad is very kind.” Your fingers inched forward and ran over the soft material of your very own matching cashmere blanket, it felt like you were touching a cloud. From the corner of your eye, you caught your friend suddenly looking sheepish. “What’s wrong?” you asked, turning towards her.
“I’m sorry about all of this.” She vaguely gestured her hand up in the air, to which you guessed she meant the sheer amount of money that screamed in your face. “I didn’t warn you and I should have. It's just that—” Rebecca’s eyes darted down and she crossed her arms over her stomach, shrinking in on herself.
You stepped closer, rubbing your hand over her arm for comfort. “Hey, it’s okay. You can tell me.”
She took a deep breath before lifting her gaze to you and shrugging. “I didn’t know if your intentions would be good if you knew about the money.”
“Oh, Becs.” Your heart ached at the obvious trauma from her past. Squeezing her arm, you attempted to uplift the sullen mood with some playful teasing. “I became your friend because I couldn’t get rid of you. Although, now it doesn’t hurt to know your family is loaded.”
Reluctantly, the smile grew on her face, turning into a bright grin she no longer could hide. “You’re awful.”
“Tell me about it.” You winked, nudging her hip with your own. “Seriously, you’re a good person and I’m your friend because I want to be. I couldn’t give a fuck if you’re rich.”
The muscles of her body relaxed and she quickly pulled you into a hug. “Thank you, babe.”
“It’s nothing, silly.” You squeezed her one last time before breaking away.
Rebecca sniffled, blinking away the onslaught of tears that were close to falling before cheerfully grabbing her basket. “Come on then, let’s go set up and order some pizza.”
Picking up your own basket, you followed your friend up to her room.
The few hours spent working on your assignments, eating pizza and listening to music flew by. Spending so much time with Rebecca actually turned out to be fun. You usually spent all your free time by yourself, respiting into a hermit because of your inability to enjoy friendly companionship.
But it was to your surprise that you found yourself not regretting agreeing to the trip. The thought of being back at your dorm, wasting your night away by sleeping, watching trash tv and succumbing to the vibator in your bedside drawer begging you to relive a night of passion now seemed sad as you glanced at your friend and the corner of your lip curled up.
That bubble burst quickly when a shout coming from the foyer echoed up to the open bedroom door. “Rebecca, sweetheart—I’m home!”
Instantly, her eyes widened and she shoved the laptop she was using off her lap at once, squealing with joy before leaping off the bed and running downstairs. “Dad!”
Your fingers twitched over the keyboard of your own laptop in anticipation, looking towards the door and sighing in resignation.
Decidingly, you thought it was best to give your friend a moment with her father. Not at all because you wanted to prolong the inevitable as long as possible.
But as a couple of minutes went by, the tick of the pink clock on the desk getting louder and louder by the second, you figured your absence would go noticed and so you begrudgingly shut the lid of your laptop to slowly begin making your way out of the room.
As you reached the balcony at the top of the staircase, you looked down just as Rebecca hugged her Dad tightly. An ache panged in your heart.
You weren’t close with your parents; neither of them checked up on you or asked when you’d be coming home to see them. They only contacted you when they felt like spewing their badly-hidden resentment towards you and the hurt you thought you had buried long ago began to make its way front and center.
You shook your head and cleared your throat. You wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t tarnish your stay with your friend over something so silly — or be scared to meet her parent. So with a deep breath, you glided down the steps.
Rebecca’s Dad had his back turned to you, which meant you only saw his thick head of hair, tucked neatly behind his ears and the muscles of his back straining against the white dress shirt he wore.
You were unable to pinpoint the exact reason a tingle started to form in your lower stomach, the sensation extremely familiar by now, but you immediately scolded yourself and pinched the skin of your thigh to snap out of whatever mood had caused such depravity. This was your friend’s father; get it together.
As you reached the bottom of the steps, your friend’s eyes locked onto yours and her whole face beamed. “Dad,” she gasped excitedly. “I want you to meet my friend.”
You steeled your features; the warmest smile you could manage with the straightest posture possible.
Time stood still when Rebecca stepped back to let her Dad turn around. Your emotions were all under control and you finally felt like you could do this.
But that was until your eyes met and your face dropped. Those blue eyes, those damn blue eyes, you would remember them anywhere.
Bile began to rise in your throat when he faced you completely. Suddenly, you were thrown back to that forbidden night that all started with the same man across the room by the bar, watching you like you were his last meal. Bucky.
You held back a loud gasp, aware that Rebecca was witnessing the interaction. Though, your blood ran cold when his lips lifted into a grin, one you knew a little too well.
The palms of your hands were clammy with sweat and your heart hammered inside your chest. You weren’t sure how to play this, the stifling silence had already been stretched out ridiculously.
Rebecca’s voice broke the quiet with an awkward chuckle. “Sorry Dad, we’re a little stumped. Exams have been kicking our asses lately and the drive over was long.”
Guilt crippled you then. While you could never have known the one night stand who invaded your thoughts daily would turn out to be your best friend's father, it still didn’t change anything — you fucked her Dad.
He finally took his eyes away from you to swing an arm around his daughter and laughed in fondness. “Don’t worry, I understand, Becs—you girls must be exhausted.” He then lifted his gaze back to you. “You must be the one she hasn’t stopped talking about.”
You swallowed the lump in your throat. He doesn’t remember you? The lack of expression or recognition instilled a sense of hope within you.
Maybe he had forgotten about your night together — the low lighting of the club you met him at and the haze of alcohol hindering your senses as he took you to a hotel created a perfection concoction of forgetfulness you rationalised.
Eventually, deciding to act oblivious and hope for the best, you stammered up the courage to introduce yourself. “M—Mr Barnes. Thank you for letting me stay in your home.”
“Oh none of that, please.” A shiver raced down your spine, memories of begs and whimpers taunting your mind. “I’m James. But call me Bucky, darlin’.”
It took all the strength you had to trap the moan on the verge of escaping your lips. Yep, you definitely remembered that name.
Rebecca’s Dad stuck out his hand in front of you. “I’m very happy to meet you.” Your eyes darted between his hand and his face and then to your friend. Steadying your breath, you hesitantly placed your hand into his and felt his fingers tighten against yours. He shook your hand, his thumb gliding over your skin.
Tightening your lips in anguish, you replied, “V—Very happy to meet you, too.”
Bucky’s touch lingered against yours until you snatched your hand out of his when Rebecca hopped giddily and clapped her hands. “Oh, this is great! This weeks going to be so fun!”
You didn’t return the sentiment. This week was going to be your worst nightmare come to life — your biggest mistake being dangled on a string in front of you, only reminding you what a piece of shit you were.
“Okay, Dad. We’re gonna catch up on a little more work, so I’ll come find you later.” Your friend grabbed your hand that was limped by your side and started to pull you back up the stairs.
“Hard workers, ain’t you?” he laughed. “If you need anything let me know.”
“Thanks Dad, will do!” Rebecca shouted back down the stairs.
When you had reached the first landing balcony, you couldn’t help sneaking one more tiny glance at the one night stand you never thought you would see again. But your heart skipped a beat as you saw him already looking up at you and he slid his hand out of his suit pocket to wave at you before you disappeared.
You were sitting on Rebecca’s bed, waiting for her return when the inevitable happened.
An emergency she called it, when she slipped her feet into her shoes and swiftly threw on her hoodie, claiming an issue with her neighbour she absolutely needed to handle.
You had tried insisting on going with her, an extra pair of hands to help out. But she instantly pushed away your pleas, telling you not to worry and to focus on your work. That was Becca, a true sweetheart. But you wanted to strangle her then, scold her for leaving you in uncharted territory by yourself.
Nervous and on edge, you couldn’t concentrate on your assignment for the longest time. You consistently made quick glances to the open door of your friend’s bedroom, listened for footsteps upon the landing. Soon enough though, your nerves died down when nothing happened and it allowed you to focus on your laptop, finally becoming fixated on your assignment.
The only unusual thing that caught you off guard by yourself was the sudden heat of the house. You had built up a sweat in your hoodie and, unable to handle it, you took the fleeced material off in a swift flourish, leaving you in a tank top and shorts.
Other than that, you powered through, happy to be finally getting somewhere with your work. You weren’t even sure how much time had passed since Rebecca had left and the worry of how long it was taking her to come home slipped your mind.
Your guard was down while you hummed to the low music, lying on your stomach, back facing the door and typing away as you swung your legs in the air.
“I see you’re working hard.”
Yelping in fright, you almost fell off the bed, the deep grunt of Bucky’s smooth tone scaring you from the sanctuary of his daughter's room. You whipped your head around to see your friend’s Dad leaned against the doorway dressed in a tight black T-shirt and grey sweatpants, his dog tags rested against his chest.
The sight was a difficult one to swallow.
It was instinct to turn around so you were facing him as you raced to shuffle up Rebecca’s bed — a danger, your mind cautioned, to have your back turned to a wolf.
He held his hands out in front of him as he walked towards you, as though taming a frightened lamb. “Hey there, it’s only me. No need to be scared.”
“S—Sorry. I was a little lost in my assignment.” You apologised as you scrambled to gather all of your supplies together, desperate to gain some space from Bucky. “I think I’m done for the night, though. So I’ll just go downstairs and wait for Becca—“
“Hold up.” Bucky sat on his daughter's bed, leaving little to no proximity between you to effectively trap you in. “There’s no rush now, is there?”
Exhaling shakily, you stuttered, “N—No— um, not at all, Mr Barnes—“
“Bucky,” he corrected gently.
“Yes, B—Bucky.” You struggled to test his name on your tongue, not having spoken it since your night together. “I’m so sorry.”
Rebecca’s dad just laughed, amused at your rambling.
A tension, seemingly only one-way, swallowed you whole, threatening to drown you. It was impossible to hold direct eye contact with his ocean blues eyes, ones that ran vivid through your mind in your nights alone filled with heated memories and your biggest — now new favourite — vibrator.
His voice snapped you out of lust filled haze. “Rebecca shouldn’t be too long. Poor old neighbour lost his wife a couple of years back and Becs—the angel she is—goes over to help him when he needs it.”
You could see it. She was the sort to not think twice about helping anyone in need and the thought eased your mind. “Well,” you smiled, hoping you didn't look as awkward as you felt. “That’s very kind of her.”
“That’s my Becs,” Mr Barnes proudly grinned.
The room grew silent once again. Picking your fingernails, you fought to calm the cold, harsh anxiety eating away at you. It still seemed as though Bucky couldn’t remember you, but a nagging feeling in your gut wouldn’t let that settle your nerves.
“I just thought I’d come check on you anyway, sweetheart. Y'know, make sure you’ve settled in nicely for the week.” He smiled while placing his palm on the bed in the small space between you, leaning his weight against it as he got closer.
“Y—Yeah.” You cleared your throat before continuing, keeping your answers short. “Mhm, I’m all good, thank you.” You smiled tightly, hoping Bucky would take the hint to leave, but alas your luck was short.
“What you been workin’ on then, darlin’?” He nodded to your laptop resting on your legs.
“Oh, not much.” You downplayed. “Just a written piece, nothing major— no wait!—” Bucky cut you off as he abruptly swiped your laptop from your lap, the cold ring on his pinky finger brushing against the bare skin of your thigh. Before you could even think of hastily clambering for it back, he already had your laptop open and sitting on his thick thighs as he began reading.
“A psychology major, huh?” Bucky smirked, eyes scattering across the screen to take your assignment in. “Impressive. You’re a very clever girl.”
Heat quickly rose up your neck, warming your cheeks as you were rendered speechless. A heavy ache between your legs left you squeezing your thighs together because of his praise — his words sent you straight back to the night against the hotel’s glassed windows he had brutally fucked you against while worshipping how much of a good girl you were for taking all of him.
Quickly, you shook the intense thought from your mind, scolding yourself for letting it happen an umpteenth time. “Really, it’s nothing,” you said.
Bucky stopped reading your work and looked at you intensely, enough to make you squirm. “You really shouldn’t put yourself down like that.” Placing your laptop on the floor, he smoothly shuffled closer to you. You couldn’t help but stare at the hand he moved into your vicinity. His touch as he laid it on the naked skin of your thigh sent a thrill through your whole body. “Hasn’t anyone ever praised you before, huh?”
His intricate voice, delicate and gentle soothed you and excited you both in equal measure. The previous alarm bells blaring in your head were non-existent when he squeezed the meat of your thigh so tenderly with his large hands. “I— um— I don’t—”
“Nobody told you how proud they are of you?”
Your eyes glossed over as the shield you had built for yourself started to dismantle. Bucky was right. You were lonely and tired and you worked so hard for little reward. Your parents didn’t tell you they were proud of you, nobody ever told you how good you had been.
Bucky’s hand moved up to cup your cheek, his thumb delicately rubbing over your lip. You melted into his touch too quickly. “Shh, it’s alright, sweetheart. I’m proud of you.”
You willingly fell into a dangerous trap he had set out as your eyes fluttered closed. Your friend’s Dad’s caress was so familiar, even after so long — his scent intoxicating and his voice a melody to the scrambled mess in your head.
It didn’t occur to you then, the issue with Bucky inching more forward, almost until his chest was plastered to yours. The thought of his strange comfortability with his daughter’s friend wasn’t worthy of space in your head.
For once you weren’t thinking of Rebecca.
Until the slam of the front door ricocheted up the stairs and into her bedroom. “I’m home, Dad!”
Your eyes shot open and you gave yourself a quick second to get lost in Bucky’s gaze before you leaped up in panic.
You were half expecting him to also worry, to quickly dart out of the room. But instead he carelessly stood up from the bed along with you and combed his hair back with his fingers.
“Dad! Where are you?”
Pure terror. The fear of being caught in a compromising position with Bucky by your friend was overwhelming as your hands shook. Rebecca’s footsteps began to sound over the stairs and you closed your eyes, waiting for chaos.
It was only a couple of seconds after your stomach jumped in frightful anticipation when you felt her presence join you. “Babe, have you— What the fuck are you doing?”
Your stomach lurched. Slowly squinting an eye open, you saw your friend standing in the doorway looking at you in confusion. You steadily tracked your sight across the room, expecting to see Bucky. To your surprise, he wasn’t there anymore.
You opened your eyes fully, the fear easing away some though your nerves were still alight with edginess. “I don’t— I don’t know.”
“Um, okay?” Becca said wearily. “Anyway, have you seen my Dad, I wanted to talk to him before we head to bed.”
This was a chance, you inwardly thought. To tell your best friend about everything while your friendship could still be repaired.
But the probability of disclosing your secret and potentially ruining Rebecca’s life won out. “No. I haven’t seen him.” The lie tasted sour on your tongue and shame clawed its way back to the surface.
Your friend smiled brightly and shrugged. “No problem, I’ll go find him. I’ll be back to work on assignments in a minute.” She exited her room in search of her Dad.
You crumpled to the bed and hung your head in your hands, exhaling deeply. You’re a shitty person, the voice in your head supplied unhelpfully.
After a while, Rebecca had returned to her room and for the rest of the evening, you both worked on your respective assignments; her chattering away happily while you stared at the screen of your laptop blankly, adding nothing to the open document until the two of you decided to call it a night.
Unexpectedly though, instead of getting ready for bed together, your friend showed you to a guest room.
“Becca,” you laughed. “I thought I’d be staying in your room for the night. You know—with you?”
“Well, I told my Dad you liked your own space and he set up one of the guest rooms for you. It's no biggie.” She shrugged.
Right. Because of course you wouldn’t be staying with her when there were an endless amount of spare bedrooms on the first floor alone.
You cursed yourself in that moment, reliving your protests of spending the midterm break alone because of your need for space.
“Are you sure?” You tried again, the vulnerability of being by yourself without the buffer of Rebecca taunting you. “We could have a sleepover! Watch movies and stay up late!”
But she just raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Girl, I know you are dying for a minute to yourself—to relax and decompress.” Holding your hand, she softly laughed. “I practically begged you to come here and you agreed. You’ve been more kind to me in the minute we met than most of my old friends over the span of the years I knew them. So please, the least I could do is give you a break during the nights.”
The guilt ate you alive; her selflessness and naturally good heart steadily chipping away at your conscience. Why the hell did she have to be so nice?
Putting on your best smile, you tried to rid of the nasty voice spitting venom inside your head. You slept with her fucking Dad, you whore — you don’t deserve this. Outwardly, you said, “I don’t deserve this, Becs. It's too much.” A somewhat admittance of the truth; the full story you would take to the grave, if only to keep your friendship intact.
“Oh, hush. Of course you do.” She pushed you away playfully into your new room. “Now go freshen up and get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Clenching your hands in unexplained nerves, you wished her goodnight while she began to walk down the hall to her own room. “See you tomorrow, Becs.” The door closed with a click and you dropped your forehead against the wood with a loud thud.
You could do this, you reasoned with yourself. It was only for a couple of days, and as long as you stayed close to Rebecca and was not left alone with her father, you could ignore your inner thoughts — the vile, disgusting voice that simultaneously begged you to to crawl on all fours to him like a desperate bitch and be ashamed of your sins.
It wasn’t difficult to fall asleep. Exhaustion from the events of a long day and a shower with the most luxurious products you had ever used assisted you with that and you whispered an internal gratitude to the fluffy pillows you laid your head on for helping you escape reality before you closed your eyes.
However, you were awoken from your deep slumber when the rattle of your bedroom door knob interrupted your dreamless sleep. You had to fight the heaviness of your body as you sat up, rubbing your eyes with a groan before you tried squinting through the darkness to no avail.
The sudden thought of your friend coming to annoy you after all surprisingly made you crack a smile. “Becs?” you sleepily called out.
The latch of the door clicked as it steadily creeped open and you rolled your eyes at your friend’s antics. “If you’re trying to scare me then ha ha—very funny, dork.”
Your sight began to adjust, outlines and shadows soon becoming more clear but still a struggle to make out in the late hour.
Though there was no response from your friend. Silence shrouded over the room with only your small breaths to be heard.
You stared at the doorway expectedly, waiting for a response you wouldn’t get. “Becca?” you called out warily once more.
But that time, as the door clicked shut with a deafening loudness, a deep voice — one that definitely did not belong to your friend — answered. “Y’know, you look just as pretty as you did the night we met.”
Cold dread had every muscle of your body locking up. It became clear then that it wasn’t Rebecca that had entered your room. More so a tall figure, clad in only his underwear and his dog tags.
“M—Mr Barnes?” your lips quivered with panic. “What— What are you doing?”
Every clink of the metal around his neck haunted you with each step he made closer. You scrambled up towards the headboard, plastering yourself against the wood.
Pointless when he sat beside you on the bed, bending his knee to lean one leg against your thigh. The feel of his bare skin against yours burned.
“No need to be afraid, sweetheart,” Bucky chuckled. “You know me, don’t you?”
You gulped. Sudden dizziness blurred his face to your eyes and the deprivation of your sight made his touch all the more electrifying when he swept your hair to the side and kissed your shoulder.
A shudder ran down your spine, the strap of your silk nightgown falling down your arm and stripping you of your only defense left against him.
“Mr Barnes,” you tried again, more pleadingly.
“What have I said about calling me that, hm? You know my name well enough by now, pretty girl. You’ve screamed it enough.” His tormenting laugh vibrated through you while he still peppered feather light kisses across your skin.
You begged your body to move, for your hands to push him away and your voice to shout for Rebecca. Alas, you kept to your place, still as stone.
“You can’t— you can’t be here,” you whispered shakily.
Bucky smirked. “Oh really? Is this not my house, sweetheart?” Your nipples pebbled against the silk material covering them as his breath cascaded goosebumps over your skin in its trail. “Been tryin’ so hard to restrain myself since I saw you again this mornin’. But I can’t fuckin’ hold back anymore.”
“You remember me,” you managed to choke out.
Bucky hummed, laving his tongue over the sweat building on your neck. “Like I could ever forget a girl like you.”
The knot in your stomach tightened, each press of his lips over your body immobilising you further. Bucky knew who you were, from the moment your eyes connected in the foyer. The reality set in then — deep and unsettling and delicious, all at once.
“I had to act like I didn’t know you, baby. Couldn’t have Rebecca finding out her only friend knows the taste of her Dad’s cock now, could I?”
You felt sick. Your mind raged in war between a guilty conscience and your own pleasure. To give in would be evil, so horrendously sick and twisted.
A single tear dropped from your watery eyes and slowly rolled down your cheek, the sudden saltiness hitting Bucky’s tongue and making him groan. “Fuck, don’t tease me already, baby.”
“She’s my friend,” you whimpered. “I can’t do this to her.”
Bucky looked up, a soft expression on his face. “Oh, darlin’. I love her too, really.” His lip curled up then, a wolfish gleam in his eye. “But I can’t go another minute without touchin’ you.”
Placing his forehead against yours, his hand traveled up from your thigh, all the way over your stomach until he reached your tits. You squeezed your eyes tightly closed when his forefinger and thumb pinched your nipple through the silk. “Doesn’t this feel good, hm? Doesn’t this feel right?”
Against your will, you released a high pitched keen. “Bucky.”
His chest rumbled in delight, a deep purr in your ear. However, your mind still bartered with itself, unrelenting in its inability to give in. “But what if Becca—?”
“She doesn’t have to know a damn thing, baby.” Bucky turned his head and bit over the pulse of your neck. “It’ll be our dirty little secret.”
Your head was filled with clouds, a fog smothering over any rational thought. Especially with the way Bucky began to sneakily slip the other strap of your nightgown down. He was mesmerising in his actions, his fragile touches that made you feel special.
You so desperately wanted to feel special.
Just like he made you feel back in the summer.
The evil voice in your mind hissed at you — dirty, disgusting, whore. The hopeful one became louder — lonely, unloved, tired.
You were so fucking tired.
The fight in you left. You were a goner, a sacrificial lamb while you tilted your head back to reveal more of you. The walls you so carefully crafted came crumbling down pathetically.
Bucky didn’t waste any time taking advantage of that. “There’s my good girl. Let it happen, baby.”
The moon shone through the window, becoming the only source of light in the darkness and its glow blanketed over the same features as the strobe lights in the club back in summer.
Fate hadn’t been on your side from the moment it cruelly introduced Becca into your life when it had already manifested your demise with her Dad. So who were you to try and change it?
Letting your body take control over your mind, you turned your head, grabbed Bucky by the back of his neck and crashed your lips to his — finally giving into temptation. His answering moan of shock and arousal made you more daring and you snuck your tongue into his mouth too.
Bucky ripped away, a string of saliva connected between your lips. “You still wear the same fuckin’ cherry chapstick,” he groaned, before squeezing your breast tightly. “Fuck—go lay your head at the end of the bed for me, sweetheart. Want that shit around my cock.”
With urgency, you rushed over to the edge of the mattress, lying on your back and making sure your head hung over the bed. Your view was upside down, warped while you watched Bucky stroll towards you with bated breath.
He stood behind you, all menacing and tall — you had never felt smaller in your life, though you liked the feeling with him.
The veins on Bucky’s forearm bulged from his skin as he brought his hand to your throat. Lightly, he caressed his thumb over the junction of your neck. “Do you remember how eagerly you sucked my dick last time?”
You swallowed the lump in your throat, the bob of it transcending under his large hand. “I— I do.”
He smirked down at you. “You gonna make me proud again, baby?”
Your eyes glazed over with neediness. “Please—Want to make you proud of me.”
His bright white teeth gleamed with his predatory smile. “Stick out your tongue for me, darlin’.”
Doing as he asked, you opened your mouth and let your tongue hang out, uncaring to how easily you obeyed his commands.
“Good job, sweetheart.” Bucky brought his hands up to his underwear and with a swift pull, his black briefs fell to the ground.
You preened like a cat at the sight of his cock bobbing into your view. The light casting in from the moon glistened over the underside of his dick, the purple head pulsing harshly.
Bucky pumped his cock slowly twice, a premature pearl of cum gathering at the head. “You ready for me, baby?”
Nodding your head hungrily up at him, you whined, “Uh-huh.”
Bucky positioned himself closer to you, your head hung between his spread legs. You waited in anticipation for him to inch forward and slide his length down your throat, but instead he tapped the head of his cock against your wet tongue.
The resounding slap caused you to rub your thighs together in agony, the feel of his heavy weight divine.
“Aw, babygirl,” Bucky teased. “You missed me that much you can’t help those tingles already, huh?” He tapped his length against you again and his eyes fluttered. “There’s more where that came from.”
The desperation to wrap your lips around his cock was overbearing and so you sealed your mouth around him, suckling the tip with a refound hunger.
“Holy fuck.” Bucky’s legs trembled at the shock of your sudden confidence. “Oh, just like that, sweetheart.”
You swiped your tongue around the bulbous head of his dick, moaning rabidly at his salty taste. Bucky’s natural musk was addictive and you tried to shuffle your body closer to take more of his length, but he quickly grabbed your hips to stop you. “Woah—slow down there. Daddy’s the one runnin’ the show tonight, not you.”
You let go of his cock with a pop. “Please, Daddy.” Your pleas were breathless as you panted for air. “Want all of you—please!”
Leaning over until his lips brushed yours, Bucky kissed you deeply before murmuring, “Don’t worry your pretty little head about that, I’ll make sure you take all of me.”
He stood back up promptly, giving you whiplash in your current state. “Now open that slutty little mouth. Wide.”
Hardly giving you time to do as he asked, Bucky shoved his entire length down your throat. Your eyes widened as you gagged around him.
“Shh, baby. You’re okay, relax.” Opposite to his brutal force, he brushed softly over your chin. “You can handle me. You’ve done it before, right?”
Breathing through your nose calmly was a challenge with his thick cock limiting your intake of oxygen. But you wanted so badly to fulfill Bucky’s wishes. So closing your eyes and willing yourself not to panic, you focused your breaths.
“There we go.” The pride in his tone was exhilarating. “Knew you could do it, darlin’.”
Bucky kept still for a few more seconds, allowing you to get used to the intrusion of the new position before he began to ease his cock out of your throat and gently push back in. “Yeah, you remember my cock don’t you, sweetheart? Your tight little throat feels so fuckin’ good.”
Your hands came up to grip the back of his firm thighs to ground yourself. You felt every inch of him glide down until his tip reached your windpipe and you coughed violently, sputtering around him.
“That’s right, baby. Choke on me.” Bucky upped the speed of his pace then and your nails dug deep into his flesh.
While his actions turned harsh and forceful, your pleasure grew and with your squirming, the skirt of your nightgown began to ride up your body without you realising.
Bucky did though, almost immediately. You couldn’t see how his eyes snapped towards the bare skin of your thighs and lower stomach and to his pleasant surprise, you weren't wearing any panties.
The sound of his laughter while his hips continued to pump into you made your nerves spike.
“My sweet girl,” he cooed short windedly. “You must’ve known I was coming, huh? Not wearing anything under that cute little outfit.”
You squealed, unable to say anything while sucking his cock, though the vibrations of your moans made Bucky’s thrusts falter.
“Fuck—shit, baby. I almost forgot how good you are at that,” he laughed. His hands traveled tantalising over your stomach until he reached the bottom of your nightgown. “Let Daddy see what you’ve been hidin’ from me.”
The silk material unpeeled from your skin as Bucky lifted it over your breasts. Your full body was on display for him and you fidgeted bashfully under his scrutiny. Your sight was compromised, your movements were limited and your thoughts were scrambled.
“Oh, darlin’. You’re a doll, ain’t you?” Bucky’s rough and calloused hands smoothed over your bare skin. He palmed your breasts roughly, just once before inching down to your lower stomach. “Now, you gonna show me what I really wanna see?”
It didn’t take you a second to spread your legs for him, the cold air hitting your soaked cunt.
“That’s it,” he murmured. “Open those gorgeous thighs for me, I wanna see how wet my baby girl is.”
Bucky leaned over your body, pushing his cock even further down your throat. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, but your body soon jolted at the feel of his finger sliding through your folds.
You screamed around his dick and tapped his thighs for a breather, which he so graciously granted. As soon as he tilted his hips to let his cock fall out of your mouth, you gasped loudly. “Oh my god— Bucky, I can’t. I can’t I can’t, please—”
Your hoarse voice was cut off when Bucky wrapped his free hand around your throat. “Shut the fuck up and take it.”
His cock laid against your cheek while he looked into your eyes. He forewent easing you into it and instead forced two of his fingers into your cunt. You were about to cry out until he shoved his cock down your throat again with a sigh. “Guess Daddy’s gonna have to keep you quiet—such a noisy girl.”
The clink of his dog tags with each thrust mixed with your gurgles around his cock, a mixture of your spit and precum bubbling around your mouth and running messily down your chin. The stretch of his fingers unprepared was painful and yet it blended perfectly into pleasure. “Mmph!”
“Yeah? You like that, sweetheart?” Bucky choked when he thrusted into your mouth at a particular angle. Taking advantage of his legs twitching erratically, you managed to release his dick and reach further back to his balls.
Wasting no time, you sucked them into your mouth while his cock slapped against your cheeks, smothering precum all over your face.
“Fuck,” he groaned, keeping the steady rhythm of his fingers pumping into your pussy. “You filthy fuckin’ whore—you just want all a’me don’t ya?”
You hummed while playing with balls, using your tongue to tease over his perineum. Bucky was losing his composure fast and the thrill of it made the knot in your stomach tighter.
But not one to be outdone, he ripped his fingers out of your cunt and slapped your clit, hard. You let go with a pop and squealed his name. “Bucky!”
You tried closing your legs, the sensation too overwhelming. Though it was useless with his strength as he held your thighs apart to carry on bringing his hand down firmly on your cunt. “I thought you wanted to play dirty, darlin’,” he growled. “Daddy’s just having some fun.”
Your body jolted with each slap delivered. You took it, even when the pain became too much and you thought you would pass out, until Bucky decided to give you respite. He left your pussy sore and aching as he lifted up away from you. A whine tore from your throat.
“That's what happens when you don’t do as I say.” You were manhandled up and into Bucky’s arms as he sat down against the headboard. He moved you around without a hint of struggle and placed you on his lap, facing away from him. “Good girls don’t disobey Daddy, do they?”
“No,” sighed. His hard, thick length stood firm against your ass, his dog tags soothingly cold against your warm back and you whimpered pleadingly while grinding back into him. “Want it in me.”
Bucky’s laughter vibrated through you. “Yeah, baby? Wanna bounce on Daddy’s cock?”
“Yes! Please!” you cried.
Gliding his hands around to your front, he pinched each nipple. “Well, I’m not stoppin’ you. Go ahead.”
You inhaled deeply, gathering all your strength to lift up on your shaky legs. Using Bucky’s thighs to hold yourself, you tilted your hips up until your heat skimmed over the head of his cock. “O—Oh, oh shit,” you stuttered at the sensation.
Bucky’s head thumped back against the headboard. “God—I’ve fuckin’ missed that cunt.”
His enjoyment allowed you the courage to balance on one hand while your other reached down to grip his thick length. A strangled noise rose from Bucky’s throat, but you ignored it and swept his tip through your folds.
“Look who’s gotten brave, huh?” Bucky laughed breathlessly while he played with your tits. “Not thinkin’ about poor Becs now are you, baby?”
Before the harsh retort could dig deep and make a home in your conscience, you shook your head and let his cock catch on your clenching hole. “Wanna be filled again.”
“Then do somethin’ about it, darlin’.” Bucky rested his chin on your shoulder and you both looked down to where your sex rested on his length. Your stomach sucked in with your uneasy breaths and after internally counting down, you dropped your hips.
“Fuck!” Bucky’s hands gripped your breasts tightly, something to help him through how good the slick glide felt. You did the same, latching on to his meaty thighs. “Shit.”
Your chests rose and fell in tandem, but the sensation of feeling so full made you tighten around his cock. “I need to move, Daddy.”
His mouth moved over your neck as he spoke, “Go on, babygirl. Milk Daddy’s cock.”
With his approval, you began to angle your hips up, letting his length slide out of you until the very head rested snug in your hole and then sank down again steadily. Your breath hitched while your head fell back onto his shoulder.
“Just like that, sweetheart. Fuck—just like that. Keep going for me.” Bucky’s hands smoothed down to your hips and gripped them, helping you move over his cock.
“You’re so b—big,” you whispered. “Forgot how big you are.”
“Oh, I know. But you’re doing so good for me, aren’t you?” he cooed.
“Mhm,” your head bobbed lazily up and down with your motions. “I’m your good girl, right?”
Bucky grunted and made you bounce faster. “The best, baby. Such a good girl for me.”
His dick throbbed angrily inside you, its length scraping your walls and stretching you with its girth. The clapping of your thrusts grew louder, more depraved as you lost control from the divine pleasure. Had you been thinking more clearly, you would have been careful about your volume, but all your inhibitions went out the window long ago.
“Need more,” you slurred. “Wanna cum, but need more Daddy.”
“Shh—I know what you need, sweetheart.” Bucky slithered his hand down your stomach and to your heat. With your legs spread wide over his, it gave him ample opportunity to snake his fingers over your engorged clit and begin circling them.
You squeaked, instantly snapping your legs closed around his hand. “Bucky, wait!—”
But he forced your legs open and slapped your clit, making you jump with a shout. “Don’t you fuckin’ tell me to wait. You asked me for more so you’re getting more, you slut. What happened to wantin’ to make me proud, hm?”
You sobbed as a tear tracked down your cheek. “I— I do!”
“So then you’ll take it—won’t you?” Bucky growled against your ear.
Sniffling, you nodded, panting while bouncing on his cock. “Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
You hiccuped. “Yes, D—Daddy.”
Bucky hummed in approval and began thrusting up to meet your stride. “That’s more like it.”
You took what he gave you while he fucked up into your pussy. The strain of your muscles was almost unbearable, but you persevered through the pain — to be the center of his attention, to be so utterly wanted felt too compelling to give up.
His thrusts were harsh, rough enough to have your toes curling and his balls to smack against your skin. All those sensations paired with his ruthless circles on your clit blended to build your impending orgasm. “I’m so close,” you gasped.
“Me too, babygirl.” Bucky grunted, biting into his plump bottom lip. “Gonna empty my load inside a’you.”
You preened, the walls of your pussy clenching around his length. “Please.”
Bucky’s hips worked overtime, a ferocious beast taking over in its haze. He brought his free hand up to your cheeks and squished them together. “Who’s Daddy’s little cumslut, huh?”
“Me,” you cried. “I’m Daddy’s cumslut.”
“Fuck yeah you are,” he snarled. “And now that I’ve got you back you’re not fuckin’ goin’ anywhere.”
You were too dizzy to comprehend the weight behind his words, instead you slammed your hips up and down in time with Bucky’s movements, chasing the tightening in your lower stomach.
“You ready for me, darlin’?” he asked.
You swallowed the dryness in your throat. “Uh-huh.”
“Good. Now hold on.” Without waiting for you to reply, he grabbed under your thighs and lifted you. You were held up solely by his arms as he powerfully began to fuck you.
You became mute, mouth hung open on a continuous silent scream. The feeling was like no other; Bucky’s pure strength and huge length tore you apart, physically and mentally.
“Gonna,” thrust, “fill,” thrust, “this,” thrust, “gorgeous fuckin’ pussy.”
Your tongue lolled out of your mouth like a dog, drool dripping down your chin while your eyes rolled to the back of your head. You were on the verge of cumming. “Close.” You had been reduced to one syllable words.
“I know, baby. I fuckin’ know—Can feel you,” Bucky gasped. “Let go for me, darlin’.” It was only when the angle of his hips changed and the head of his cock repeatedly nudged against your cervix that the balance of your orgasm tipped over.
“Hnng—Fuck!” You walls trapped Bucky’s dick in a tight chokehold as your thighs shook in a spasm. He continued to grind up into you, releasing his warm load into your pussy.
“Bucky!” you keened while your walls fluttered around his length. The rush was unlike any you had experienced before and an errant thought that any consequence was worth it to cum like that again swirled through your mind. “Made me— made me cum so hard,” you slurred.
Your high began to simmer down and you felt like you could regain control over your mind until Bucky’s hand came down onto your clit again. “One more,” he breathed into your ear. “Gimme one fuckin’ more.”
Your eyes shot open and you shook your head, rapidly. “C—Can’t,” you managed to croak. “Too much.”
You reached down to try and pry his hand away from you, but he was too strong. “I said I want one more.” Bucky held your arms to your chest then, beginning to rub your clit in fast circles.
An unusual pressure built up quickly and you panicked. “Bucky—something’s wrong.”
But he sucked over your neck, easing your worries. “You’re okay. It's okay, baby. Just let it happen, remember?”
You writhed in his hold, moaning salaciously. “I’m— I’m g—gonna cum again.” The feel of his cock still filling you, his cum seeping out of your whole which each dirty grind he made, the sensation of his tongue against your neck and his tireless fingers was all too much.
“Cum for Daddy then, darlin’.” A couple of circulations later and you screamed out in unimaginable pleasure. Your stomach swooped and the next you knew, a strong pressure forced Bucky’s cock out of your cunt. A rush of liquid sprayed out of you and covered the entirety of the bedsheets.
“There we are,” he grinned wickedly. “Exactly what I wanted.”
It felt like it went on forever. Bucky didn’t let up on his insistent rubbing. But as soon as the last juices squirted out of you, you deflated into his chest, breaths heaving with utter exhaustion. You were too tired to keep your eyes open, body boneless and overexerted. Your body jumped with aftershocks, tiny zings of electricity igniting your nerves.
Bucky finally slowed his fingers down to a stop on your clit. Your back rose and fell with his pants, each puff of his exhales hitting your sensitive skin and making you shiver.
“Holy fuck,” he laughed deliriously. “That was—fuck.”
Internally agreeing, you hummed, incapable of formulating words. Bucky’s arms wrapped around you while he placed a kiss to the back of your head and you enjoyed being surrounded with his warmth and comfort. “You were perfect, babygirl,” he mumbled. “Did so fuckin’ good for me. Made Daddy so proud.”
A wide smile curled onto your face as your eyes remained closed. You were falling out of consciousness, giving in to sleep fast.
“Let’s get you comfy.” You didn’t stir when Bucky began to lift up, or when he rearranged your form so he could carry your limp body in his arms.
Your body bounced with each powerful step he made. Vaguely hearing the room door open, a cold blast of air hit your heated skin and you shivered, snuggling closer into Bucky’s chest.
Your head swam with fuzziness. You couldn’t bear to open your eyes with their heaviness. But you felt as you were delicately placed onto a large, comfortable bed, stacked with pillows and fitted with dry sheets, along with Bucky’s delicious scent that tickled your senses.
A soft kiss was pressed onto your cheek, a firm hand curling around your waist and just before you could succumb to sleep, you heard his last words. “You get some rest now, sweetheart. We’ve still got a whole week ahead of us.”
You were sure the mortification would hit you in the morning. Pure regret sinking deeply into your skin and making you feel sick to the core.
But you also knew now that any chance of quitting your best friend's dad had been lost. Because Bucky was a guilty pleasure, a rush you couldn’t bear to give up — no matter the consequences and no matter who it would inevitably hurt.
#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes x f!reader#bucky barnes x female reader#bucky barnes x you#bucky barnes x y/n#bucky barnes x reader smut#bucky barnes smut#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky barnes#bucky x reader#bucky barnes imagine#bucky x you#bucky barnes fic#bucky barnes oneshot#bucky barnes one shot
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
Not so 18 +, but still MDNI
Choose a lion. First kiss with your future partner
Pile 1
It's a little bit harder time of your life. Maybe not a bad time, but feels like something ended, you started something new. So maybe you are a little bit exhausted. Oh, I think it's a little like enemies to lovers. Feels like they are a little cocky, confident, charming. And maybe at first you will be like no, never. I feel you will have some argument and than the kiss will happen. Like shut up already lol But I think the tension was there all along, but after you will realize that they are not what you thought of them. Yes, a little flirty, but actually stable and responsible. I see a parking lot, they come to you, want to take you home or give you their jacket, because it's cold, and you start arguing. If you are inside, it's still feels late and cold that day. Interestingly the kiss feels a mix between gentle and passionate, and that will surprise you, in a good way.
Pile 2
Your partner will show you that they care, they will be understanding and respectful. It's not happening in a first date, not right away. You probably had some bad experiences in the past, maybe you have some trust issues, but they will be mature, emotionally available and caring. Communication is very good here, they will make you feel safe and like you belong finally. They are a very loyal person as well. Not afraid to put work in a relationship, and if you need time, they will be patient. Definitely a healing relationship. This first kiss feels gentle, soft kisses, soft touches. It's something romantic, traveling together or just a little trip or picnic. I think not everything will go as you planned, probably it will be a rainy day or at some point it will start raining. But it will be still a very good memory for you two.
Pile 3
This relationship probably will come into your life after a period of loneliness or isolation. Maybe you won't even focus on love at that time. But it's a fated connection, you can even be soulmates. I feel like either you will meet online or it's someone you know, and you will reconnect online. But definitely they live elsewhere. And when you meet in real life, than will this first kiss happen. I feel the meeting goes so smoothly, you talked before and you have some common beliefs, hobbies. And when you meet, you will feel that the sexual chemistry is there too. If you are okay with that, it can be that it's not just a kiss that night. But it's definitely a passionate kissing, even if nothing else happens. A little touching, caressing, a little making out.
471 notes
·
View notes
Text
Intresting Astrology facts (Vedic Astrology)
When planets goes in your ancendent, whether you like it or not, you will get significance of that planet.
Venus in first house- Money and comfort will come to you easily, native gets attraction from opposite sex easily, and love to care or obsessed with self care.
Jupiter in first house- knowledge and education will come to you easily, native is morally strong and love teaching and counseling.
Mercury in first house- logic and sharp memory come to you. Many buisness person has this combination, they can remember names and face easily.
Mars in ancendent - Courage and energy comes to you easily. Native has fighting spirit.
Saturn in ascendant - maturity and work comes to you at an early age, since very young age such natives start their work.
Sun in ancendent - Ego and confidence comes to native easily, native is disciplined and attached to father and family.
Moon in first house- Emotions, writing comes to you naturally. Native get emotional easily, has motherly nature.
Rahu in first house - Multiple personality, native can switch his personality easily and has out of box thinking
Ketu in first house- Spiritual and detached, has connections with super concious or spiritual realm, has habit of talking to himself/herself, and always in imaginary world as ketu is connecting you to different world
Whichever planets goes in 🐟♓ Pisces planets loose their strength because it is sign of liberation and planets are going towards liberation.
So, don't be surprised if you have planets in Pisces and people leave you easily, it is because they are finishing their Karma with you, feel happy as you are getting liberation from Karma, only if you let them go easily, that is why ketu is exalted, because it can let go
Sun in Pisces - Problems with father, and boss, you will loose your ego slowly, and become more grounded, but here sun in Pisces is actually moving towards next sign ie Aries where it gets exalted, so sun is actually going towards exaltation, but, sun here will force you finish all your egos from your relationship ie Sunnis not considered melefics here, it just looses it strength, but it will make you humble and connect you to spiritual world and makes you spiritual.
In past life you had lot of ego in your relationship that is why one reason you got sun in Pisces
Moon Pieces - Problems with mother and balancing your own emotions, Pisces is actually your past life, planets in past life has past life karmic debt, so here you have lot of past life emotions attached to you still.
You have to let go all those emotions, though moon here makes you imaginative and gives deja vu, because moon here remembers your past birth.
Mostly native come back to same family after rebirth to finish pending karmas, native would be attached to roots and ancestors, as Pisces is sign of ancestors as well.
Native would be great healer and empath.
In past life native has some unfinished buisness or died suddenly hence, native comes to same family.
Sometimes, in some cases native has unknown fear it because past life sudden death.
MARS in Pisces - Problems with brother or problems in romantic relationships, here native energy will go mostly on bed pleasure as Piesces is bed pleasure, but problem is that more native goes back of bed pleasure more troublesome relationship he/ she invites.
Native would be skill full, and is multitasking, Mars here is telling you to preserve your sexual energy, I am not telling not to have sex or not to get involved in sex after marriage, but, don't run back of sex and intimacy instead use it to grow spiritually, transmute your sexual energy in your spiritual energy.
Mercury in Pisces - Problems with friends and sleeping issues because Mercury is fast moving planet, and Pisces is sign of sleep, Mercury placed in Pisces gives you sleep problems and somewhat makes you selfish as well.
Mercury is debilitated here,
Here, you need to come out of Me mentally and focus on how you can serve others, Mercury is your logic and Pisces is sign of subconscious, hence, native faces lot of confusions in life, and takes lot of wrong descision in life.
Jupiter Pisces, little tricky, because in its own sign but your relationship with your husband and kids will be karmic, don't be surprised if you get hurt many times by your soulmate, because it is your karmic debt.
Saturn in Pisces - Problems in work life, with your job, now, Saturn here has one work that is to liberate you, Saturn will give you here foreign travel as well as hospitalisation.
More, you behave like Saturn, means don't try too hard, more Saturn bless you.
Yes, Saturn here wants you to focus on your inner spiritual wealth rather than outer material wealth more you try hard more insecure you become, so start changing your inner first ie your belief, trying too hard simply means you assume that you don't deserve good things in life and it doesn't come to you easily, let things go easily, and work on your beliefs Saturn will bless you, don't try to hoard things nor get insecure when you loose, Saturn is dry planet, you have to be emotionally dry from material world, then Saturn will liberate you, hence, Saturn is both exalted, if you behave like Saturn but also debi because it will trouble you if you don't give importance to spiritual wealth.
Ketu and Venus both are exalted.
Rahu in twelfth House Rahu being shadow planet it has both good and not so good aspect, means it is your choice which one you choose, either you can choose bed pleasure and lot of relationship or you can choose spiritual growth it is up to you .
Rahu gives here foreign travel and astral travel as well.
In past life native would be associated with some kind of witchcraft or occult or black magic hence native would experience pull towards conspiracy theories, and occult.
Native also attaract spirits easily to himself/herself, and native has lot of karmic relationship with spirits, sounds suprising, but if you work with spirits in any form you establish connections to it, hence in this life they experience spirits visiting them especially while sleeping, as Pisces is sign of sleep .
They also has unknown fear of ghosts and spirits in their mind...
If you understand astrology more in details you will understand how, houses control our outer atmosphere.
If you have lack of energy and passion it is because your fire house is imbalanced ie one, five and nine
If you have emotional issues your water house is imbalanced ie four, eighth and twelfth
If you have problems with your creativity then your air sign is imbalanced ie, 3,7,and 11.
If you have 🤑 money problems then your earth sign is imbalanced ie 2,6 and 10.
To solve money related issues start from Taurus, that is your eating, hence moon is exalted here. Eat balance diet and more boiled (Sun)and green food(Mercury), avoid packet foods (Saturn) spicy food( Rahu) and unhealthy fast foods (Mars).
Then move to virgo your daily routine, start being disciplined and early riser (Sun).
Then move to Capricorn ♑ Many people know Capricorn as house of karma and duty but do you know why Saturn holds the lordship of 10thbhouse, because it also house of patience and dignity.
So in simple words many people will try to defame you you, critisise you, blame you, put wrong allegations, think you small but you have to rise above all and keep doing your work, that is why after Capricorn ♑ comes Aquarius that is house of manifestation, because only when you stay humble when people critisise you, you move to 11th house that is of wish fulfilment.
564 notes
·
View notes
Text
FS pick a pile!
————>>> ★ this reading includes…
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them
- a description of your FS
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them
-what the relationship will be like
-songs with the vibe of you and your fs
-random things that may resonate:
+ a mini mood board :)
CW: very very very brief mentions of sexuality (sexuality as in things about sex and not orientation.)
!! the future is destined to change depending on you, so don’t take this as absolute truth. this is just for fun !!
look at an image, and pick whichever resonates. (it’s totally fine to pick more than one.) take what resonates leave what doesn’t.
pile 1
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them 9oC, 8oS rx, kingoW. (9oW knightoP 4oW 6oP the world all rx)
so for starters, you might end up manifesting the FS of your wishes with or without realizing. with the 8 of swords rx and king of wands, it looks like you’ll be manifesting them intentionally. after a long journey of manifesting and looking at the big picture with optimism and knowing that this person will come into your life, you’ll be able to sit down and watch them come in without any shock or surprise. you’ll be feeling immense joy and gratitude at their presence. it might have a bit of a kdrama vibe if anything. very cheerful and happy.
your first impression may be/may have been that they are someone who is reserved and unwilling to take risks. they may seem a bit defensive and paranoid and a bit of a perfectionist. as well as someone who comes from a difficult/traumatic background full of conflict and instability. you may get the impression that this person didn’t have a good childhood or home life. they also give the impression of someone who is more worried about taking care of themselves before others. because of this, they don’t give the impression of a generous person. they seem very insecure and as if they are seeing closure or peace somehow. they don’t seem complete as a human and seem to have been broken by their life or the world. :(.
- a description of your FS 2oS, 7oS, 6oC, 4oP, QueenoCups ex, 8oW, 9oS., 8oC
they may seem like someone who wears/has more cool tones? emphasis on the eyes (mb glasses or peculiar/alluring eyes?) someone younger/young looking who wears dark clothing or has a more “edgy” fashion sense. their young look and style of clothing may contrast a bit. they’ll visually have very mysterious and alluring vibe. the kind of person who wanna know more about because they just look mysterious and unique. they might look wealthy and smell very good.
they’ll be very possessive and reserved. unwilling to share with others and refrains from admitting things freely or even speaking a lot. they hide a lot of pain and it overwhelms them. they’ll be very sensitive and dependent on you and break easily when any pressure is placed on them. they’ll still be very exciting and a fast decision maker. who enjoys doing fun things on a whim. just for fun. they might be very fearful and anxious, maybe even to the point of a mental disorder enhancing those issues. the 9oS and 8oC literally popped up out of nowhere and they were hiding in a weird spot, like i don’t even remember pulling them out? makes me think your FS could be the kind of person who hides these issues in particular. they are plagued with the horrible memories of the past and may be prone to nightmares and the idea of abandonment and loneliness is what scares them the most.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them the moon, the magician, 10oP, the fool, kingoP, 4oW
your FS feels like you’re a bit uncertain, and possibly hiding something. this “something” may have to do with something in the realm of loa, shifting, tarot, etc? they see u as someone very very complex and magical. they feel like there’s a bit of an illusion with you and you may be putting up a front. they feel like you’re someone with so much willpower and desire. very great at manifesting and getting what you want and hard work. they think you’re very wealthy and well connected with others. you’re a family person (biological or found family, whatever resonates.) and a loving and kind person with an abundance of wealth and resources at your hand. they think you’re very beautiful and so loving as well as hard working. they love you so much!
you’ll see them as someone who’s very spontaneous and free. they may be younger than you btw. they seem willing to take new chances and a very free spirit. like a wanderer or a traveller innocently stumbling around and enjoying what they run into and willing to accept the world presented to them. you see them as a good business person and an ambitious person. you feel like they are hard working, very rich, and smart. (i feel like you two will be very wealthy..) they seem attractive and sensual to you. they give me sort of of kdrama bf vibes. we’re u trying to manifest yourself a kdrama style romance and fs? hahaha. you feel like they’re a bit unstable and unable to really ground themselves. you feel like they feel unsupported and it makes u rlly sad.
-what the relationship will be like knightoW rx the emporer 6oW, 4oP 8oW
despite the previously stated issues, the relationship will be very healthy and stable. you might be a more authoritative figure in this relationship. w the emperor and the previous cards abt ur fs i’m getting like “daddy/mommy issues” and one person finding comfort in the other for being more mature or a bit older as well more structured. still, energy may be a bit scattered at times and frustrating. it may be hard to communicate with each other and see eye to eye. as well as arguing with no feeling of achievement or recognition. you or they may get a bit egotistic and you’ll seek personal achievement in winning arguments. still, you’ll love each other a lot and want to be close forever and always. you guys may be a bit clingy and very very close. probably possessive of each other. you just love each other a lot and want to be emotionally, mentally, and physically close 24/7! you may propel each other to your goals a lot faster and feel very aligned. overall it’ll be a very emotional but loving relationship.
songs with you and your fs vibe: cool with you by newjeans, either way by ive, basically the whole soundtrack from all about lily chou chou, snooze by agust d, julia and green mile by sza, velvet ring by big thief,
things that may resonate: cats, cars, gaeul from ive (?), the ocean, the sunrise at 6:00 am, the sea again, the number 34, teenagers in love, falling asleep during a long drive, white rooms, accubi fashion, metaphysical stores, stepping into a body of water and its cold for a second
Pile 2
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them 10oC, 7oS, the empress rx, QoP, AoS rx, KnoW
for starters, your meeting will feel like fate. like an act from the divine and absolute alignment. your meeting will likely be a random coincidence. w 7oS, i see it being the result of sneaking around? maybe you were sneaking our or meeting up with people you weren't supposed to. very "right place right time" kind of situation. you definitely weren't supposed to be in this situation and you likely felt nervous. maybe skipping school/work? you felt on edge and happened to meet this person very coincidentally.
immediately, you thought this person was a practical and smart person. very kind, gentle, and nurturing. they seem very clean and almost luxurious. very goal oriented and sooo gentle. despite this, you likely had a negative first encounter. i think there was alot of bickering and because of this they came off as someone who was greedy and selfish, unwilling to hear from others. they seem very adventurous and passionate with leadership qualities. this is kind of screaming YA novel hahaha.
- a description of your FS PoS, 6oW rx, AoP, PoW, 4oW, KnoW
they have a very unique style of dressing and a heavy feminine energy for sure (that doesnt mean they are female, they just carry a significant amount of feminine energy.) they seem to be a fashion person who is able to creatively make their own unique and beautiful outfits. like the kind of person youd see on pintrest or trending on tiktok. veryyy unique fashion sense with an airy and dreamy sort of feel. like those frutiger aero playlists vibes kinda. and ditto by newjeans if that resonates? they like how they dress and look and dont care what other people think at all. alot of people may dislike their style and even tease/make fun of them for it, but they like it so its fine. their unconventional looks might land them alot of modelling jobs or things akin to that. they also look very dreamy (like their features) and sorta surreal. they give me a y2k vibe.
they're very extroverted and willing to speak to people without any fear or worry for judgement. they're very cheerful and joyous with positive energy all around them. they're well balanced and harmonious, clicking with others very well. also very relaxed and relaxing to be around! they can be very passionate and willing to take a lot of action. i get very smart vibes from them. like extrovert, popular, probably going to harvard kind of person. they really just happily enjoy their life and being alive.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them 5oP rx KoP 8oP rx QoS judgement rx 10oW rx wheel of fortune rx 8oS rx
they feel like youre someone who welcomes them with open arms whenever and wherever. they think you are their recovery or ailment when they loose something. and they feel like you are a positive change to their life/world. you seem very reliable to them and like a stable force in their life. you're very protective to them as well as a strong intelligent being. and to them you're very safe, kind, and sexually attractive. they find you to be very forgiving and independent, able to follow ridgid principles and and be fair and critical when needed. but still, you seem harsh on yourself. they feel like you need to learn to love yourself better and stop doubting yourself as well as stop self loathing.
you feel like they lift a burden off of your shoulders. like they release your pains and worries by being with you. but sometimes, they feel overwhelming. maybe you like to be alone often? so as much as you love them, you can get a bit overwhelmed and fatigued. they make you feel like youre a bit of a babysitter at times and not a partner. you feel like they try to micromanage things and control what can't be controlled, and it's a bit troublesome. regardless, you adore them. it feels like they can be a bit too spontaneous and it feels like you have sudden, unwelcome changes in your life that are a result of them. with them, you think you can release your negative thoughts and embrace the positive. they make you feel like you can run away from the harsh realities around you and be embraced by freedom. when you're with them, you feel like you're dreaming a bit, in a good way. like you're in another reality where you don't have negative self thoughts and your inner critic shuts up.
-what the relationship will be like KoS 5oS rx the heirophant death
itll be mentally empowering, like for the first time the both of you will have your feelings validated. one of you will be more authoritative, but itll be mutually agreed upon so dw. being w them feels like understanding absolute truth almost. like you dont need to think about other things when you're with them. you just need to love them and enjoy it. in a way, its like being with them was the death of your past pain and negative cycles, and reconciling with love as you grow a love for it. you're arguments wont even be like real arguments, just constructive conversations leaving everyone happy in the end. v v mature. you both may be very spiritual/religious and your relationship might be very traditionally. maybe you're both from the same culture or religion and bond over it.
songs w u and ur fs vibe: sex drugs etc. by beach weather, all night by beyonce, get up by newjeans, potage by tricot, future by paramore, mistakes like this by prelow, crying lightning by arctic monkey, promise by jimin, i need u and run by bts, luma from super mario galaxy
things that may resonate: the colour blue, hyyh/bts youth trilogy, running away from home, adventure, spray paint, youth, teenage years, kpop girl group leaders, rose quartz, a mature or older fs w a "sexy" image, friend groups, enemies to lovers ?, reading and intelligence, femininity and sensuality, shifting realities, academic validation, skateboarding in the suburbs during summer
Pile 3
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them AoC rx the empress rx 5oC rx 7oW the sun rx 3oW rx 10oW rx
youll be feeling depressed most likely, feeling gloomy and empty because of insecurities and self neglect. like very very low mood (i wanted to cry as soon as i pulled these cards bro. like my eyes keep watering wtf. like pile 3 are u guys good???iufyjidsuhy ily take care pls). your creativity may be blocked and you might be upset because of your depression/bad moods. because of this, you may be trying to find positives in life. like going out, self care dates, etc. trying to move on from this might end with you meeting new people. from this, looks like youll meet your fs. and fight your depression and sadness in the name of your love for this person. like for example, u may have no will to go on, but you push forward because of this person.
u might feel like this person is is pessimistic and gloomy. a bit dry too. yet, youll have high (semi unrealistic) expectations for them. like they themselves are supposed to fix you and your life. they seem like they arent punctual and maybe are a bit immature upon first impression. as well as someone who burdens themselves with alot of work. they seem like theyve burdened themselves with too much and now collapse.
- a description of your FS 4oS the devil 9oW rx 6oC 8oP rx KoP 9oC the world rx
they have very very heavy masculine energy (doesn't mean they are male, but they have a strong masculine energy about them.) they have a tired and sleepy kind of look, maybe 'senpaku' eyes. kind of like a billie eilish kind of tired/sleepy look. they look like theyre a song by the neighbourhood, if that makes sense. their fashion sense is dark and edgy, like kind of grunge, goth, emo, or a lot of dark colours and piercings generally. they are youthful looking though. with 9ow rx they might look a bit intimidating and harsh. very very edgy though like alot of dark colours. the image of silver rings and jewelry on slim fingers kind of at night comes to mind. they may like the occult and wear occult symbols.
they might be a bit lazy. maybe they currently work in a retail job or in fast food? but regardless they do not enjoy work at all. "i dont dream of labour" fr. they can rush things and might have a problematic reputation. but w KoP they dont really care. they are a reliable person with a good understanding of business and a secure self image. they are very kind and probably quite wealthy. with KoP and 9oC its like they come from a very rich background. they like to spend money often as they have alot of it and enjoy the pleasures of life. as well as spoiling their partner. they feel very content with their life and wouldn't change how things are, even negative things. still, they feel like something is missing and they haven't achieved much, especially for their age. this person gives me party vibes. somehow, theres a bit of emptiness inside of them, like a hole they just can't fill with no explanation as to why.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them 8oS rx PoC rx 6oC rx the emperor the magician judgement rx
they think you are capable of more than you know, and they just really wished you knew that. you're like, incredible in their eyes. like a shooting star or something. they think you're getting way better and you're opening up to new, less harmful, perspectives. they think you neglect your inner child and they feel like you're using escapism too much. they feel like you need to open up and be emotionally vulnerable with them. they think you can be a bit immature at times. they want you to be more independent and move forward. they want to travel the world with you, and be with you, and love you.
you see them as someone with discipline and authority. someone who's smart, capable, and stable. you feel like they can protect you and be your shield when the world attacks you. you see them as a proactive person who works hard for their ambitions and for the relationship. they're exciting and experimental. you feel a bit 'in denial' about the relationship in some ways and like you've been ignoring or overlooking something in the relationship. its hard to say what, though. maybe you've been judging them unfairly?
-what the relationship will be like KnoP 7oP rx KoW PoS rx
you'll both take your time with it all, with no rush or 'skipping steps'. you may not realize they are the love of your life for a few years, or you may realize it but not take action. you'll both be insanely loyal. like, "slow and steady wins the race" kind of thing. you guys are perfect together and every moment is perfect, so there is absolutely no rush at all <3. but this "taking time" approach may leave one or both of you feeling impatient. at times, it might even feel like theres little or limited reward to this approach. regardless, with KoW, you can both look into the big picture and understand why you shouldn't be moving toooo fast. you or your fs will be very bold at times, romantically or maybe sexually. youll both be very energetic and taking the lead at different times. very cute and very romantic date nights. you both may struggle with communication at times and take pleasure in "being right" instead of agreeing.
songs that have the vibe of u and ur fs: colours by halsey, sweater weather by the neighbourhood but specifically the part after 2:19, born to die by lana del rey, no escape by health ft the nbhd, basically everything by the nbhd, tonight you are mine by the technicolors, we used to be friends by the dandy warhols
things that may resonate: the numbers 1218? victorian architecture, life is strange (video game), cyberpunk aesthetics, alita battle angels, college or late teens, pride, piercings, silver, gray, smoke, sneaking out to go to rock/punk concerts in the evening, beer cans, young adulthood, electric guitars, hobie from spiderverse
Pile 4
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them 7oW the chariot the empress justice rx 10oS 6oC rx
you might have unjustly gotten into some trouble/accused of something you never did, but you, knowing yourself and what's right, stood up for yourself without shame. in this moment, you succeeded in defending yourself. your fs was likely present, and found you attractive and was amazed by you and your gracefulness as well as determination. you came off as the kind of person who knows what they want.
they seem like they have been betrayed and are exhausted. like they've been through alot and have been pushed around by others alot. the world turned it's back on them and those that love them have betrayed them. they seem like they have a heavy energy and carry alot of pain. with 6oC reversed they seem like they are older and more mature, someone who makes you think about the future, but seems stuck in the past. (iff that makes sense?). they seem like a very independent person who walks alone after being hurt by others.
- a description of your FS 3oW 9oW rx 2oC the moon 5oP rx temperance
they're very confident in their appearance, they may have beautiful eyes or glasses that make them look very nice. kfjshk idk y i get a big forehead vibe from them? haha. they might seem a bit emotionless and stiff, tsundere kind of look. they may look a bit tired and have eye bags. this person's eyes may be very significant. they might have a very symmetrical look to them and maybe pale skin? fs may be slim and have coloured eyes (like blue or green) and light hair. i get some masculine energy from them (does not mean they are male, but they have masculine energy.)
they're very secretive and prefer their privacy. theres alot that they hide and they are a very complex person. they follow their intuition and it often leads them in the right way. i feel like they have prominent pisces placements. they often feel a bit confused and may not be super smart. they feel welcomed by you and are in the process of recovering from alot of loss, greif, and pain. they feel more positive and like life is changing for the best. they're very patient, calm, balanced and relaxed.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them the hermit AoW rx 7oS 9oC rx 7oP rx 9oP rx strength temperance
they might think you're a bit lonely and silent, shy but knowledgeable and deeply wise. they think you're someone who is endlessly growing and understanding themselves. you're consistently looking for new opportunities to grow and searching deeply within your soul for change and growth. they think you have alot of ideas and things to share, but you hold back and aren't saying these things. they think you're a bit sneaky and are good at lying or manipulating others. (not them necessarily) and you're incredibly smart and strategic. they find this (and you) very attractive.
you think they are a bit unfulfilled, and missing something in their life. you feel like they should try and achieve better things sometimes. bc w 9oC 7oP they seem to be a bit lazy at times and a little bit toooo relaxed. with 9oP, u may feel like they may spend money a bit too much and be somewhat superficial. they also may have issues with not being alone and independent, which they're a bit more accustomed to. giving them alone time is important. but they're insanely strong and brave to you. able to face the deepest and harshest of issues without breaking a sweat. you find this very endearing and they're incredibly caring and loving towards you even in your worst moments. you quite literally could do everything wrong and hurt them infinitely, but they'll always and forever love you and hold you gently. they seem very relaxed and balanced, tranquil and peaceful. very patient and understanding too. you feel very harmonious and tied to them.
-what the relationship will be like queen of wands 10oP rx KnoW KoS
the relationship will make you both feel confident and happy. you'll be very emotionally open and not clingy/attached the hip. you'll both have the independence you crave/prefer, and be confident in your love and relationship. you might argue/have disputes with their or your family over the relationship. it may be unconventional or controversial in your community. outside opinions may find their way to you guys and hurtful opinions will definitely cause hurt and discomfort. you may have an open relationship or something of the sort, or a very exciting and spontaneous period in the relationship. KnoW = this will likely be beneficial in the long run. you'll both have high standards for each other and expect the absolute best from one another. you don't argue often as you're able to control your emotions well.
songs that have you and your fs vibe: trash by alex g, advice by alex g, exquisite tension by youll never get to heaven, the man who died in his boat by grouper, blue city by nahee, to us by apro ft wave to earth and wavy, heavy water/id rather be sleeping by grouper, roslyn by bon iver
things that may resonate: the year 2002, liminal spaces, IT department of a company, marriage and kids, nuclear family, electronics, young love, first love, "nerd", napoleon dynamite, south and south east asia in the early 2010s?, "her", twilight
Pile 5
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them 5oS rx 10oS 7oC 9oC rx 10oP KoW judgement < < < those 3 r all rx
for starters, youll be pretty upset in whatever this situation is. you were betrayed pretty badly and you're learning that winning isnt everything and sometimes situations can be lose-lose. you may be wanting to get revenge or sabotage someone over a hurt past. you may have gotten heartbroken and are now on the search for a new lover. with 9oC rx you may not be looking for something serious, but something that can make you happy for a while and supress your boredom and lack of fulfillment. maybe you want to make your ex jealous? with 7oC it looks like youll have alot of options at your disposal, but alot of these options are like illusions and are not what they seem.
you met in a non-traditional way. maybe a hookup? you think they're controversial and seem broke (compared to you, that is.). like your standards are too high for them. they seem unstable and like their wealth and success is limited or disappearing quickly. they give celeb vibes, and in your eyes they're on the road to being irrelevant. they seem power hungry but its a total turnoff as you can't see them being a strong leader. (you give the vibes of someone who watches the wizard liz haha). they seem like they don't learn from the past and aren't self aware.
- a description of your FS 7oP KnoP the sun KoW KnoW the world 4oW rx 5oP 3oW
very very veryyy strong masculine energy. (doesnt mean they are male, just their energy!) (also, sorry if i use he/him pronouns to describe this person. again, doesnt mean theyre male but the masculine energy is strongggggg here.). they look like they work very hard and are put together and wealthy looking. they alwaysss look good and smell good, youll never catch them lacking ever. idk how to explain it but they look very like wattpad rich guy kinda energy haha. they doesn't need to go all out to look good. wearing designer and kinda semi formal attire? they look stoic and doesn't express his emotions frequently. the looks very wealthy and successful, may have dark/tan skin and has very good skincare and hygiene. they look incredibly intimidating and has a resting bitch face. looks mean and scary but also sexy and alluring. looks like the "strong silent type". i also feel like they have a bts jungkook vibe (this doesnt mean jungkook is gonna be ur fs at all btw they just have his vibe so please dontldksfjhdjsf)
he feels like they belongs where they are, which is almost on top of the world. they've achieved a lot in their life and are prideful in themselves. they've travelled alottt in their life and met many powerful people. their home life was rough and they had a troublesome childhood. they welt unwelcome at home and probably still do to a degree. they may be undergoing hardship when you first meet them, and feel lost, cold, and alone. with the 4oW and 5oP, they may have somehow disgraced or embarrassed their family. i think this has to do w a family business and losing assets/money. i see this family being rich and wealthy (like chaebol kind of thing). they feel restricted and alienated. things aren't moving forward fast enough for their liking and it's frustrating to them.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them judgement QoW wheel of fortune the empress death rx page of wands temperance
they see you very very well. they see you as someone who can take care of business, and change what needs to be changed. in your professional life and love life. you're a hard worker who people always listen to. they think you're charismatic and very confident in yourself. no one can ever deflate your ego or break your confidence. they're very attracted to this and find you passionate and an incredible socializer. i see you as some kind of business person in the future?? they think unexpected things in your life happen constantly and you're very fortunate and lucky constantly. you're extremely physically attractive to them and incredibly disciplined and hardworking. they find you very nurturing and sexy.
you think they can be afraid of change and repeat negative patterns alot. they are unwilling to take risks and let go of the past, which you feel is a source of all of their problems. you want them to come out of their shell and stop living in the shadow of others who you feel are unimportant. "you're the main character of your life, so act like it." you think they're very lively and expressive despite what others think. they're spontaneous and fun. they're balanced and calm and patient with you, which you adore. what was once spontaneous and a fleeting romance/fling (PoW) turned out to be something beautiful and meaningful thats going to last for a very very long time. (temperance)
-what the relationship will be like 10oW AoP the lovers rx PoC rx justice 6oP rx the magician
it's not going to be very easy, alot of work will need to go into it. with 10oW and the lovers rx it looks like you two may be prone to arguments and butt heads often, meaning alot of effort will need to be put into maintaining the relationship. you both are very very physically attractive, and im getting a young vibe here, and alot of money on both ends (esp w AoP) so you have alot of options as far as other partners goes. and with PoC you're prone to getting bored of one person. therefore you'll need to make sure to work hard on both ends to keep things health and even monogamous. with AoP i see even more financial abundance with this union. as if this relationship is a financial investment. you'll be an incredibly privileged couple, able to pay for expensive dates, gifts, and trips. if you don't put in the work, itll be disharmonious and boring. if hard work is put in, romantic attempts and efforts will be rewarding and both will be treated fair and with immense love. one of you may be controlling or overbearing as far as power dynamics may go. and gifting the other alot while getting nothing in return. this might not be bad though. the magician = being proactive and manifesting your desires, so this excessive gifting and power dynamic may be mutually agreed upon.
songs that have the vibe of u and ur fs: closer to you by jungkook, pray for me by the weeknd ft kendrick lamar, los angeles and crown by seulgi, i am by ive, unforgettable by french montana ft swae lee, famous by french montana, escapism by raye
things that may resonate: extreme wealth, jungkook vibes (i promise this doesnt mean its jungkook its just the VIBES so..😭😭), city at night, sportscars with lights in them, the colours purple, red, and green, the wizard liz, manifesting money, rich networking parties, feminine ceo energy, wealthy business people, shanghai and beijing, qatar and dubai, wonyoung
Pile 6
- how you’ll meet your FS + your first impression of them 4oW poW AoC rx the world poS 6oP
you met this person at some kind of gathering, like a wedding, baby shower, party etc. or a reunion of sorts. you were feeling extroverted and spoke to them completely out of the blue after experiencing a series of emotional instability and emptiness. as well as creative losses/blocks and difficulties. you likely flirted with them out of nowhere for the sheer "yolo" feeling. love that for u tbh.
they seemed like they really belonged and were having a good time at this event (im getting wedding tbh.) and they were a very achieved, successful, and strong individual with a sense of harmony and fulfillment. they seemed very witty and funny, alert and smart. able to make a great and pleasant conversation, v fun to talk to! they came off as very generous and kind as well as someone helpful to their community willing to give away their fortune for the good of others.
- a description of your FS 10oW AoW rx 2oS rx AoS justice rx 10oP 6oC rx
they look strong, muscular, rugged and hardworking. they have a larger frame and some masculine energy (masculine energy doesn't mean your fs is male, just their energy is masculine.) they may have prominent facial hair (eg. beard, strong bushy eyebrows, etc.) they appear a bit nervous and anxious. despite a muscular build they look passive, timid, and nervous. they have a gentle and cuter face.
they're smart and constantly have new ideas and breakthroughs. they have an incredibly creative mind and may be an author? they often avoid accountability and can be dishonest and unfair. they have family issues and dispute with others about finances and assets. they are mature and move on from the past rather than living in a nostalgic past 24/7.
- how your FS feels about you and how you’ll feel about them wheel of fortune rx PoP the magician rx 3oS rx 3oP rx KnoC
they feel like you can be unfortunate at times and find yourself in unfortunate scenarios. you try to cling onto control but fate often has other plans for you. they would like you to just accept that some things can't be changed. they feel like you're incredibly talented, but dont use your talents when it'll make your life easier. they feel like you're incredibly diligent though, and have an incredible sense of loyalty and duty. they see you as an incredibly intelligent person who's going to do incredible things one day. like, they see you and think "they'll change the world". they're incredibly in love with you and feel like their world revolves around you. they love u sm.
you think they're a bit emotionally repressed, but you for some reason feel extra compelled to forgive and accept them and their faults or wrongs. you feel extra forgiving towards them. you think they can be a bit competitive and uncooperative, which may be the source of pain and arguments? but still, they're great at mediating arguments and are incredibly skillful and smart. they're diplomatic and resourceful. they're an overall joy to be around and are loving and thoughtful. they're extremely romantic and flirty!!!
-what the relationship will be like QoC strength QoP 2oW rx
the relationship will be extremely therapeutic and loving. a strong sense of comfort and mutual trust will be built, creating an extremely healthy environment. the relationship will not only be deep romantically, but platonically. you'll be the absolute best of friends as well as loving union of partners. the people around you are likely to be admiring your relationship, too enamoured with your love to feel envy. you hype eachother up 24/7 365 and are the source of each others overgrowing confidence. like this is peak healthy relationship. you live comfortable and luxurious lives and are wealthy, especially in emotion and love. with QoC strength and QoP you're likely to live as a happy and comfortable married couple and grow old together. the relationship is stable and comforting with both sides being madly in love with the other and their presence. goals may be reached spontaneously rather than with slow effort and intense planning.
songs with the vibe of you and your fs: rip tide by vance joy, the astronaut by jin, moon begins by florist, everything stays by olivia olson (adventure time), good habits (and bad) by saba lou, butterfly (prologue mix) by bts
things that may resonate: the 80s, backpacking across europe and south east asia, travel, charity, travel to hot climates, suburban homes, adoption, 2 kids and a pet, wealth, hiking and outdoors, forests, 2nd grade, settling down, summertime memories that feel like pixie dust
I hope you enjoyed !! take what resonates, leave what doesnt :p.
#kpop tarot#tarot#tarot reading#tarot cards#tarotblr#tarotcommunity#tarot deck#reading#pick a card#pick a pile#fs pac#fs pick a pile#pick a picture#pick a photo#pick an image#divination#loa tumblr#loa#loassumption#law of assumption#self concept#void state#loa blog#card reading
718 notes
·
View notes
Text
For a bit of a left-field materialist moment, people have been mentioning recently (due to an ACX post) the fact that people in the ancient world did not have PTSD from war. I think this result is quite robust; war was a nigh-universal part of life for many people, writings about war and its aftermath were the most popular topic of writing around, and we have robust documentary evidence about every other negative impact of war that people did experience. Certainly someone in the ancient world had some equivalent, but if it was at all as common as it is now it would have been discussed, and probably even named and addressed as part of martial culture. Instead its a complete ghost.
I do feel like reaching towards "martial culture" as the explanation is a bit weird though? It plays a role, for sure, I do agree that a society that raises someone to know that killing and fighting is Good, Actually, is going to be better mental prep for said activities. But a lot of societies today, and way more within "modern war" memory, had martial cultures! Virtually all societies fighting in WW1, where PTSD was first widely observed, had very similar values to the Romans; fighting is noble & good, and it is right to kill for your country. Those values just broke down in the conflict itself. And I think this too is giving the past too much monoculture; wars like the Second Punic War or the Thirty Years War had intense levels of population mobilization, which meant they were tapping manpower from every sector of society, and a lot of those individuals or communities had their own values that were less martial (think Jewish communities in Europe, for an example). And those wars don't show much new evidence. That evidence could be lost, its the kind of evidence that would be lost ofc, but it still points in that direction.
And its weird to point to culture when technology seems like the way bigger cause? Its why we called it shell-shocked after all! War in the older days was very concrete and typically concentrated. You marched at more-or-less peace for months, saw an enemy, arrayed for battle, and fought right up against a guy in front of you. If you won it was on your own strength against dudes in eyesight swinging metal; if you lost you ran away or were dead and so don't get PTSD. I can see how this isn't a recipe for flashback triggers, it wasn't that different an environment from your day to day 99.9% of the time. Meanwhile modern war is massively loud explosions, people randomly dying next to you, and in contexts like trench warfare or counterinsurgency its constant levels of awareness for the idea of metal cracking your skull in every direction. And we do get reports of PTSD-style symptoms from earlier WW1-style conflicts like the Russo-Japanese War. I think war-based PTSD is in some part a literal noise issue, and modern war is much louder.
Both probably play a role, but I think technology is the main one. War is now a factory for breaking one's sense of place in the world, almost by design (that works better for killing the enemy), so it really isn't even that surprising.
361 notes
·
View notes
Text
COMPOSITE OBSERVATIONS PT. 2
As a disclaimer: these are all my personal observations. Feel free to read them and critically think about them for your own benefit. I am not an astrology expert, but rather a passionate student! Alongside this: astrology should never be a tool to predict whether or not you should begin or end a relationship! Observations are reflective understandings of patterns. With that: Enjoy!
𖦹 I’m not exactly sure why, but I’ve noticed with 11th house mars in the composite the people get annoyed with each other? It’s like one person wants to share every detail of their life and the other feels drained. Energy is environment-dependent. If one person feels drained of their own energy, they don’t have the time to unconditionally make room for the connections energy. I’ve also found one person tends to be very community based and the other follows them around. I haven’t though much about this placement but so many observations of this share the same.
𖦹 Mars in 5th house composite connections find energy in adrenaline inducing subjects. From going out to bars together to talking about fun memories, excitement energies this connection. This placement will inspire the individuals to have fun in life and create beautiful things together.
𖦹 10th house composite stellium are very much public relationships. Everything you guys do together will be known. Depending on the relationship it could be positive or negative. A well-known business pair, famous couple, or popular friends. It will be difficult to keep the substance of the relationship private.
𖦹 4th house stellium relationships on the other hand are very private. This couple will do everything together from day to day routines to travelling for vacations and not tell anyone. This couple treats their relationship with an abundance of intimacy compared to other house stelliums.
𖦹 Uranus in the 12th house composite could lead to sudden endings or abrupt changes. Out - of - control endings due to sporadic events occurring.
𖦹 Venus in the 2nd house composite can show one person always taking care of another persons comfort needs. Getting water for someone. Giving someone spending money. Loaning an extra bathroom accessory. I’ve seen it be more one sided with a provider-receiver in the relationship.
𖦹 This observation surprised me but I know a lot of mars in the 4th house composite connections and all the relationships are quite protective over one another. However, if one persons comfort is deeply disturbed by an external event, this can easily enter the relationships atmosphere. Mars energy in the 4th house is strong. It’s hard to ignore any feelings, thoughts, experiences, etc. It will force you to address everything occurring in the relationship, or else the relationship will suffer. There will never comfortably be any “elephants in the room” in these relationships. Its a good placement for people who prefer confrontation and addressing any issues.
𖦹 Composite 1st house planets (especially the closer they are to the ascendant) will be on display for your relationship’s identity. For example: Venus in the first house composite, whether or not feelings are reciprocated: your relationship will be known for the love/romance/attraction that leaks out of it. Moon in the first house composite: your relationship will be known for its emotional reactions, for how it made people feel. Mercury in the first house composite: your relationship will be known for its friendliness and banter between the two of you. It’s not so much of a “legacy tenth house” but how your relationship is viewed at surface level. What people instantly think of when they think of it. It’s more superficial than the tenth house but still identity-driven amongst a community.
𖦹 Libra mercury in the composite is all about sweet-talk and flirting. Kindness in conversation is necessary -- even if it’s forced. Once the flirting ends it can startle one of you.
𖦹 Composite Venus in Aquarius must be top-tier because it’s the most popular placement I’ve noticed in my 30+ personal observations.
𖦹 Composite mercury in 9th is very teacher-student oriented. One person always giving advice and guidance to the other person. A mentor-mentee relationship is present.
𖦹 For some reason my favorite composite ascendants to see are Cancer and Libra...not sure if this could relate to both of their 12th houses being mercurial (Gemini & Virgo). Maybe there is a comfortability with the curious and intellectual mercury signs in the 12th house for composites. An acceptance to always let the relationship change and grow without attachment but rather curiosity. The 12th house can be challenging to navigate in the natal chart let alone a composite chart. The subconscious things that isolate you. The endings you have to face. The spiritualty of the connection, that you will never understand. The questions that will never be answered. This stimulates mercurial signs in a healthy challenging way.
#composite#astrology#composite astrology#astrology composite#mars composite#mercury composite#Venus composite#synastry#astrology synastry#libra rising#cancer rising#libra mercury
806 notes
·
View notes
Text
telltale heart - matty healy. part 1
summary: you and matty have drifted away from each other due to both of your touring and recording. in the same way, time has made you lose more than the other. but in that sense too, it is when a proposal arises that seems taken from a fantasy.
wc: 2,6k
You lock the phone with a long sigh, you don't even try to control it. You should be happy, you know it and you know it's the moment that puts you back on top after past events.
But you can't, because you know everything that comes next. A Grammy nomination is perhaps all you've ever expected in your life, even more so than when that movie soundtrack hit the Oscar, and even though you didn't win it at the award, yoelt the same way. You read the information again, it is not the only nomination you have, since the same song is nominated for the Golden Globes.
It's crazy and immediately you radiate a small smile while you pet your puppy, and then you laugh a lot in your apartment, in the dark. Right at your best moment, when you should be sitting between champagne and bottles celebrating, he decides to throw everything away and not be here.
Your manager calls you early in the morning, congratulates you on the nomination and updates you on issues that honestly could not interest you less. You don't want to think, or maybe you don't allow yourself, about all the anxiety these weeks will bring.
In your head you can already read the news portals made with perhaps too much enthusiasm on the part of the tabloids: The legend that sweeps everything in its path is crowned with nominations for the Grammys, the Oscars and the Golden Globes for the soundtrack of the film of the year! Unstoppable: even with a broken heart it still surprises us!
You take it out of your head, and you try to sleep, but you can't, and you give up. You open your nets and release a general thank you for the nominations and read everything very high up, lately the nightmare has become that: Doing a lot of research causes crisis and tears.
You get out of bed and change your pajamas for something more comfortable to go out with. It's winter, although it's not that cold, so you just confirm with a sweater and some worn jeans. You take the car keys and without warning you drive down the road for a while with only one place on your mind: the study.
When you see the facade of Dirty Hit everything seems to calm down a little bit, you're coming home, or going back to it. You never get separated, maybe because you live 15 minutes away, or maybe it's because you and your best friends went into that studio in the same year and grew up inside, practically. The aura envelops you, it's familiar, it's homely, and you allow yourself to blink a little more while feeling some tears fall.
You don't try to dry the drops of water off your face, it's almost 3:00 in the morning and there's no one for miles around. You pass your card through the reader and open the door, letting the smell of poorly roasted coffee and cleanliness reconnect you to your most vivid memories. Where you were happier, less known, and you didn't have to try to look cheerful all the time. Those were better times, no doubt.
You go up the elevator, not without first leaving a note at the front desk clarifying that you entered with the security key, and that you had to come to record something beforehand, so as not to generate thoughts about some theft or something like that. Inside the elevator, you look in all directions, and you realize that your hair is disastrous. You make a bow as much as you can and point to the second floor.
There are lights on everywhere, but you don't think it's worrying. Then you open the door, and you do nothing but feel your heart fall on the tip of your tongue, you melt.
Your best friend is with his back to you, on the controls playing buttons nonstop trying to find a sound that will stand out from the rest, it has always been and you can't expect anything else. There's a trail of coffee cups that reveal how many hours she's been here, but everything falls apart when you see her figure reflected in just a flash of light.
Her curls are out of control, perhaps because she hasn't had time to adjust them. He's got a sweater and a messy pair of pants, but he's still fantastic. Although he has a stronger skin tone, he's been tanning since the last tour. You haven't had a chance to see it, as much as you wanted, since the fame came to them everything has become shorter and harder to program.
But right now, nothing else matters. No tabloids, no insufferable managers, it's just him and you. Just like old times.
You walk quietly to keep him from getting scared, and then you run your arms under his ribs sucking his perfume in motion, grasping him tightly from behind as you feel him startled by the sudden fright. Then calm down as you raise your hand and notice your distinctive rings; the one he gave you when you were 11, and the one he gave you when you were 20, engraved on silver with your initials.
"Please, tell me that you are really here." Ask, without moving. "Please, tell me that you are really here." He asks, without moving, as if he's afraid to break the moment. You let go of the grip a little bit and you put your head on one of his shoulders, and you kiss his cheek.
"Hey, Matty." You smile, and then he turns around so he can see you. When the grip breaks, he takes you in his arms and brings you close enough to him. Stir your hair and finally part.
It takes a while to appreciate you without taking the silly smile off her face. You smile the same, you know for a long time that you've fallen for him, anything I do will make you smile. You love him, you've accepted it already. But you've accepted the other part too: that he does, but as a friend. There's nothing more.
"You're such a winner, congrats for the nominations." You come out of the trance and look at him. - He's noticed?! - Smile, maybe that's the compliment you want most.
"Did you see it?" You take a seat on the small sofa in the living room, without missing the opportunity to follow the steps with your eyes.
"Nope, I was absorbed the whole day here." Answer with the obvious. "But I don't need to watch it, I just knew you would become nominated. The song is amazing, if they didn't if they didn't give you this, I would have personally gone to burn the jury."
If you couldn't control your tears in the elevator, this becomes like a joke. You climb up for yourself, and you look at him with all the truest love you have for him. You've missed him these months, you've needed him.
"Dont be modest." You stick out his tongue and lay your head on the sofa."I have missed you, a lot. The infidelity thing was really hard."
"Oh, honey. I missed you, too." It makes a semi-pout and again you feel your heart falling. He's looking for something in the study because he crosses his eyes, until he finds his box of cigarettes."I need to stop, lets go outside and then you can tell me." He proposes, and you nod quickly.
They leave the studio in a quiet that is not uncomfortable, the night is at its best and you wish you could say the same about both, but each looks like the end of a car race, and whatever you prefer, it's more natural.
They walk to the largest window on the second floor, and with a little effort they manage to open it. They both rest their arms on the brown frame and are enveloped by the dawn breeze.
You smile nonstop and take advantage of every second to gaze at what has been your person all your life. Every moment you spend next to him has become a torture knowing that you can't just run off to kiss him or tell him you love him and you'd see everything fall overboard just to be next to him.
You've seen every single one he's put in his room, the ones he's taken out, the ones he's worked with and the ones he hasn't. You've been a part of everything, but never the way you want to be. For your part, you've tried everything to swallow your feelings for him, but when you're alone, he's the only person you want to be with, and when you have someone, he never feels the way he should feel.
It's crazy when you think about it because you're one of the most famous british girls in the world, and you could have whoever you like in your bed or in the bed of some fancy hotel. You could sleep with the most acclaimed actor, the best businessman, and yet, you can't really have the person you love, even if you've melted your heart into him. The person you've fantasized about more times than you've been awake is not yours at all, while you are his in the whole.
A touch on your shoulder distracts you from the whole cataract of thoughts. "Hey, you were here a few moments ago."
"I'm here, I promise." You raise your shoulders and support the right on the frame as you turn to stand sideways. "I was just....thinking."
Take one of the cigarettes out of the box, bringing it to your mouth, and then close the lighter to light it. "So, I'm all ears."
"I don't know Matty. It was really a shit." You sigh and automatically teleport to the day you found out. "Imagine, you are in a interview for a magazine and when you are going back to your home, you see in twitter that your boyfriend has cheating on you." You sigh a little tired, after all he was one of your best boyfriends and you loved him enough to let it not affect you. "And, of course, it was a photo." You see him blow off the smoke in a puff and then turn around to see you, with a pretty sad facial expression. "Finally, the guy you've dating six months has the best idea: telling you that you bored him and he doesn't love anymore."
You could count more, but it's enough. You breathe and stick your head out under the window to feel the fresh air. When you come back, you see in slow motion how their expression goes from worry to anger and hatred. In the middle it takes another puff, and then exhales in front of the moon. Every time you see him smoking, he looks so alive, so human, and so easy to desire. You often wonder how his lips would feel.
"Oh god. I'm so sorry." He approaches with a step, cutting the distance between the two. There is a moment of doubt when the two find themselves in a contest of furtive glances on the lips, but no one has the initiative to go one step further. Neither of them would ruin it, because neither of them knows that they actually feel the same way. "I'm really sorry, darling. You don't deserve someone to treat you like that."
"Whatever, Matty." You know with one move you could have it all, but it hurts to have to let it go.
You. He. An empty study. Moonlight through the window. Your lips and his lips. Well, maybe you can write a song about them.
"Do you know the worst part?" He plants a kiss on your forehead and then makes his retreat backwards. He shakes his head listening to you carefully. "I don't have an appointment for the awards, they will put me with anyone I don't know. He will go, I'm sure, to someone much better. And it will be hell." You consider that your concern is actually far from being it, maybe they're just taking it too hard. "Sorry, it's stupid."
"Actually I get it." He looks at you with a smile full of honesty mixed with tranquility. He's so peaceful when he doesn't have cameras on him, he's such an easy person to take refuge in. "Fame is dark."
"Don't even say it." For the first time in a long time, you're fully aware of how silly the tone of the conversation is.
"I could be your date, if that's what you're worried about." He proposes after a while, as if it were the most obvious and easiest answer in the world. He rejoices at the way your cheekbones contract and your eyebrows go down looking at him with confusion.
"Wow...wait, what?" Your head now looks like a maze. All wires mixed without a connector in between. You're sure he's kidding you.
"I'm being serious." It seems to read your mind, but maybe it just decipher your face. "Look, you have the option of going with someone you don't know. Or I can go with you and make it easier for you."
Could you ever even get to Matty? Your answer then comes when he winks at you with a head move mixed in an obvious laugh. You can't tell him that maybe all you've ever wanted is to have him on an official date, or have him on an official date until the day you leave the world, it's not a moment you want to ruin like that. But even so, he still fulfills everything you've ever dreamed of him.
Both coming to a red carpet. The yellowists go crazy because someone of such a corrupt and controversial reputation shouldn't go hand in hand with someone with such a delicate demeanor as yours, with such formality and finesse. Networks explode, they've got them on the headlines for days. You and Matty laughing from the inside, refugees at each other. And even if it wasn't official as a couple and they were just friends, would there be anything better to ask for?
"The offer won't last forever, honey."
"Fine. I'll accept it." You roll your eyes dramatically and then take up your previous posture. "I'm joking. I would love for you to come with me to the awards." You get up and you stretch. Then you kiss his cheek and smile silly at her without hiding the emotion about it. You think it's not so hard to find out that you're in love with him sometimes like that. "Thank you for this Matty."
"It's gonna be funny." He takes off and starts walking when he suddenly yawns. "I think I'll back home. You eat?" They both walk towards the elevator when they turn off the butt, you turn your head down.
"I don't think so. I want to try to record something, or write." You explain when they get into the elevator, in a couple of seconds you're back on the floor from the beginning.
"Good look with that and good night honey." He gives you a final kiss on the cheek before he leaves. "Oh and...I love how the red color looks on you." He raises his voice taking advantage of the lack of people and disappears through the doors.
Then the red dresses your cheeks.
this is my first fanfic here so i hope you enjoyed it. please let me know that you think about and make me know if you want to be in the taglist.
see you soon 🤍
#matty healy 1975#matty healy fanfiction#matty healy#matty the 1975#matty healy fic#matty healy x you#matty healy x reader#matty healy x oc#matty healy x y/n#telltale heart au#the 1975 fanfic#the 1975 fic#matty x reader#matty x you#matty fic
76 notes
·
View notes
Text
neotherapy (18+)
"Hey, uh... hello? You've reached Neo Therapy Practitioners, this is Jisung speaking!
Oh, you wanted to schedule with us? Sounds good! And who will you be visiting today?"
— Let’s face it, this whole adulting thing? Shit fucking sucks. Working from nine to five as a corporate slave for the next forty years until you’re rendered obsolete isn't exactly what you'd consider a fulfilling lifestyle. Between a ridiculous workload, an asshole supervisor, and an inexplicable amount of failed dates— it’s fair to say that you were one minor inconvenience away from committing arson.
That changes for the better when your coworker refers you to Dr. Lee at Neo Therapy Practitioners. A complex with a multitude of services to provide. Ranging from chiropractic adjustment, to beauty services, to even a practice as niche as aromatherapy? You find yourself dabbling in each of these services to unwind from all the stress, gaining confidence and relaxation in the process.
You unfortunately learn nothing in life is without consequence, however. When you end up in certain "situations" with each provider— you think you may have bit off just a little more than you can chew. But hey, beauty is pain, right?
— scheduled appointments
♡ session 1: step on a crack, dr. lee's gonna break your back!
– by guanana
[ “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll put you right back into shape.” ]
pairing: jeno x reader
summary: After years of sitting hunched over at an office desk and squinting your eyes at an overly saturated computer screen, your back finally gives out on you and decides it needs a break.
Good thing your friendly neighborhood chiropractor Dr. Lee is here to save the day! Small issue though— he’s really fucking hot and he’s got a way with his hands.
status — booked
♡ session 2: paint nails n' get railed!
– by mondaycoffee
[ “So? Do you want that discount or not?” ]
pairing: yangyang x reader
summary: At the suggestion of Dr. Lee, you find yourself setting up an appointment at Yangyang’s Paint-n-Go, Neo Therapy Practitioners’ very own nail bar! However, when you discover just how freaking expensive it is to get a mani-pedi done these days, your tech has an offer that you find difficult to refuse…
status — booked
♡ session 3: wants n' kneads
– by guanana
[ “This would be a lot easier if we kept conversation to a minimum. I can’t do my job properly if you don’t shut up.” ]
pairing: jaemin x reader
summary: The stress of the office has caught up to you once again. In fact, it came back so strong your back gives out ten times worse than before.
As if it couldn't get any worse, Jeno’s out of town. With your trusty chiropractor missing in action, circumstance leads you to the front door of Neo Therapy’s late night masseuse. Jaemin's not the friendliest nor the most talkative, so your utter confusion makes complete sense when his fingers find themselves knuckle-deep in your pussy halfway through the massage.
status: scheduled
♡ session 4: sugar, spice, n' good advice!
– by mondaycoffee
[ “I see her everywhere. She’s the early morning rain, the neglected cup of coffee sitting on the bathroom sink, and kind words from a stranger when you need them the most. I am used to seeing those traces of her, and, more often than not, it is I who seek them. But, when I’m with you, her memory gets the slightest bit fainter and that’s really nice.” ]
pairing: renjun x reader
summary: After your last appointment, you find out the origin of the pleasant smelling oils used during your massage: the handsome Mr. Huang working just across the hall. You discover through research that he’s a popular Aromatherapist in your area, and that he’s known particularly for his expertise in treating work-related stress. Perfect! You discover that he’s the complete opposite of what you had gotten with the emotionless masseuse, Jaemin; he is kind-hearted, gentle, and a wonderful listener. So it’s no surprise that after only a few sessions, you’re falling hard for sweet Renjun—with disastrous consequences.
status: scheduling
♡ session 5: find love, or dye trying
– by mondaycoffee
[ “Dude, watch it! You’re gonna get bleach on my vintage 1987 David Bowie Glass Spider Tour shirt!” ]
pairing: mark x reader
summary: If someone were to ask you if the glass was half-full or half-empty, you’d simply answer by bashing the glass against their head. You were not rolling with the punches, life throwing one thing after another with no signs of stopping. It’s so bad that Haechan finds a whole patch of white hairs forming at your scalp. Entering a quarter life crisis, you make your way to Neo Therapy’s highly acclaimed hair stylist as quickly as possible.
Now enter the eccentric—and painfully awkward—Mark Lee. While he doesn’t know a lot of things, he seems to know just how to fix you up. But while you’re stuck in his chair, you discover that he also has a knack for pissing you off. And what does a sane person do when they lose their cool? Step on a man’s cock, of course!
status: scheduling
♡ session 6 (FINALE): face your fears
– by guanana
[ "You don't always have to do things on your own, you know. I'm always gonna be here for you." ]
pairing: ? x reader
summary: You would think after all of the dollars you've invested into Neo Therapy Practitioners, you'd be much better off than how you started both physically and mentally. That's not the case though— you'd say you've gotten even worse.
After the trials and tribulations you've suffered from at the hands of the dastardly attractive men, you decide it's time to throw in the towel and accept that this 'treat yourself' shtick just isn't for you.
At least, that's what you had planned until you receive a call from the person you'd least expect. And just maybe, it might be what you've needed all along.
status: scheduling
— prologue
“Yeah, the fish was bigger than my forearm! Little prick nearly took me overboard, so you’re honestly lucky to be sitting in my presence today.” Your blind date guffaws, taking an obnoxiously loud sip of his wine.
You tried to be attentive, you really did. It isn’t often that you actually go out on dates, but when one of your ‘girlfriends’ offered to set you up with her “charming and well-mannered” coworker, you decided that it would be good to get out of the house for a while and enjoy yourself. However, this wasn’t exactly what you had in mind. Fortunately it doesn’t take long for you to see this man for who he truly is: a complete and total jack off.
Kevin Moon, on paper, is everything that a woman could ask for in a partner. He has a stable, high-paying job, and he makes enough money for you to step down from your position at the office and take care of the house. For an office man, he’s not exactly lacking in the looks department either, bragging that he works out daily to maintain his physique. When you ask him why he agreed to go on a date with you, however, his answer strikes you as more than a little off-putting. “Honestly??” He traces a finger along the circumference of a dinner plate, not breaking eye contact with you. “I was told that you have a bangin’ body. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed by that assessment.”
Your heart sinks to the bottom of your seat, watching a wolfish grin overtake his handsome face. Of course your friend didn’t say something like ‘Oh, she has an admirable work ethic’ or even a simple ‘She’s beautiful, I think you would like her.’ She has reduced you to the shell you inhabit without so much as trying. You squirm uncomfortably under his gaze, “Ah, I see…” You hum absentmindedly, trying to focus on anything but the man in front of you.
“Say,” He trails a suggestive hand across the table, grazing your own that rests next to your barely touched food. Having opted for the salad as your appetizer after he shot you a rather judgmental stare when you asked the waitress for fried calamari. Remembering the way he had spoken over you, taking on a snappy tone with the young lady. “Why don’t we take this back to my place?”
The logical thing to do would be to pack your things and leave this bastard high and dry. But you did tell your friend that you would give him a chance, that you were ready to get back into the game.
Your mind trails back to your time with Dr. Lee Jeno, your chiropractor who had shown you that there was nothing wrong with casual sex. While you enjoyed it and had gone back for seconds, thirds, and even more– the both of you had agreed that you were simply in different places in life right now. He was much too work oriented to make time for a relationship, and you were in pursuit of something more stable. Agreeing that your relationship held no depth aside from great sexual chemistry in bed.
An index finger traces down your knuckle, bringing your attention back to the man across from you. He tries a bit too hard to flash you some bedroom eyes, looking like he just ate an edible whole rather than looking desirable. Rather than subtly biting his lip, the man was just chowing down on the flesh.
The bar must be in hell. Because in retrospect, the next words that come out in your mouth could’ve easily stayed within the burner of your mind. With a heavy sigh, you decide to throw the dog a bone.
“Sure, let’s go.”
—-
“God damn,” Kevin groans after pulling out of you. Rolling and splatting back flat onto his king-sized bed with fast paced breaths. Popping off the used condom and tossing it into the trash bin near his dresser. “You’re amazing.”
You really wished you could say the same, but you couldn’t lie to save your life. Mr. Moon was subpar, and that was being generous. The man has not mastered the motion of the ocean, and was a two-pump chump at that. Bland, boring, and overall textbook sex has you regretting ever agreeing to a night out with him.
If it was bound to go nowhere, you wouldn’t have had that much of a problem. Never one to set your expectations so high as to not set yourself up for disappointment. But was it really too much to ask for a basic understanding of human anatomy? He couldn’t locate your clit to save his life, and that’s not even the worst part.
You didn’t even get a free meal out of this. The son of a bitch grinning at you cheesily back at the restaurant, shame apparent when he tells you that he’s ‘forgotten his wallet.’
Looking up at his ceiling, you refuse to look him in the eye. You’re especially ashamed of yourself for settling. If you wanted dick that badly, Jeno could’ve easily just fucked you until you literally couldn’t think properly.
Kevin watches you worriedly when you pick yourself up, redressing yourself and patting yourself down. Wordless when you collect your bag from the coat rack. “Heading out already?” He asks.
“Yeah.” You reply dryly when you make your way down the stairs, Kevin following closely with his now flaccid dick swinging with every step. God, he’s shameless.
“I mean, did you want to spend the night?” He clears his throat.
“I’m alright,” Your hand is already on the door handle, ready to head home to cleanse yourself of tonight’s sins. “I’ve got an early morning tomorrow.”
“Could I see you another day, then? Maybe Friday night?”
It takes everything in you to not sneer at his audacity when he tries to grab at your wrist. Seeking solace in biting your cheek. If it was up to you, you’d never see him ever again.
“I’m going to have a late night, I won’t be able to make it.”
“Saturday then?”
You blink at him slowly, almost appalled when he doesn’t get the hint.
“...Sunday?”
Oh, brother.
“You know what?” You say, twisting the door handle before taking a step out. Secondhand embarrassment running heavily through your veins when he follows you out, bare ass out for his neighbors to see if they were to look outside. “I’ll keep you posted.”
His lips form into a disappointed ‘o.’ “Uh, text me?”
“Yeah, something like that.” And with that, you were gone with the wind.
––
You’re late.
That much is apparent as you walk into the private room rented by your group of friends, voicing an apology upon your late arrival. You rush toward the open chair, frazzled as you drape your coat and bag across the top. Nobody found it important enough to wait on you before starting on their meals, save for Yeri who greeted you when you took your place next to her. “It’s really, really nice to see you.” Her voice is sweet and her smile warm, you can already feel your nerves begin to melt away.
“You too, it’s been way too long.” You murmur, pulling her into a side hug. You mean it; out of all of the people in attendance, Yeri was the only person you could truly call your friend. She always made sure to keep you in the loop, extending hang outs to you even when the others hadn’t. “I hope you’ve been well.”
A nasally voice from across the table interrupts your conversation, painted lips pulling into a veneered grin. “Ya-da, ya-da. I don’t know about everyone else, but I for one would really like to hear how that date with Kevin from HR went.”
Of course she would. The owner of the voice, Rianne, sat opposite of you at the large table. She was the one who contacted you about the date in the first place, assuring you that he was the perfect gentleman. However, the triumphant look in her eyes revealed the truth– she absolutely knew exactly what she had thrown you into…and now she wants to hear you recount your failure in front of everyone.
“It went alright.” You take a long drink of your water, swallowing down your pride along with an ice cube or two.
Her eyes were predatory as she watched you swallow, “Oh, that’s lovely! Are you going on a second date? You were all he could talk about in the office yesterday.”
And suddenly you’re choking, water going down entirely the wrong way. “Really?” You manage between coughs. “What– what did he say?”
“He said that you were so eager,” Rianne hid her smiling mouth behind a napkin, eyes betraying her amusement. “You couldn’t seem to keep your hands to yourself.” Your jaw slacks at the audacity, but before you have the chance to defend yourself she cuts you off with a giggle. “I can’t say I blame you, though. He is quite handsome, you make such a lovely couple.”
Fire courses through your veins, “We’re not a couple. He was nice, but I honestly don’t think I’m ready for a relationship right now. I don’t have any plans to see him again.”
A few of the girls gasp at your words, whispers erupting from each corner. Rianne’s eyes widen comically, letting out a feigned gasp of her own. “But, you can’t keep waiting forever! Face it dear, you’re not exactly getting any younger.”
You bite down on the tip of your tongue, trying hard to keep from giving her a piece of your mind. Luckily for you, Yeri is there in an instant, hands wrapping daintily around your forearm. “That’s enough, I think.” She reprimands, voice loud enough for everyone at the table to hear over the chatter. Then, she turns to you with a twinkle in her eyes. “Now, who wants dessert?”
The discourse ended just as soon as it began with much gratitude owed to Yeri’s intervention. Now that dessert has been passed around the table and the conversations have taken a better turn, you finally find time to relax. The atmosphere is far lighter, and even Rianne cannot keep from enjoying herself despite her loss. Soon, the attention of the whole table has been gathered, another one of your peers rising to their feet to speak. “As everyone already knows, our very own Yeri is getting married next month!”
The entire room erupts into cheers, Yeri bashfully curling into your side. You remember hearing about that! Her big, shiny engagement ring was the only thing taking up your instagram feed for at least a week. “This is so wonderful,” The same friend gushes. “Let’s hear some more details from the beautiful bride!”
“Well,” The bride-to-be begins, not even bothering to rise to her feet. “The color scheme for my bridesmaids will incorporate the red gowns I have already sent to the group chat.”
“Question, are we allowed to bring a plus one for this event? My fiance is on his way back from France on the private jet as we speak.” One of the ladies interrupts from the opposite end of the table, studying her perfectly manicured nails, trying to bring everyone’s attention to the rock presiding on her ring finger. Shameless. “I need to let him know these things so that he can have his secretary plan accordingly.”
Your eye involuntarily twitches as annoyance courses through your veins at light speed, unsettling your stomach. Of course this was going to be a popularity contest, a dimwitted battle of the dates. What else would it be about? You knew that Yeri came from money, but at least she was humble about it. As for the rest of them, all they care about is their material possessions and comparing the arm candy they’ve managed to secure within the last week. In response to your intense emotions, one of your hands ball up the fabric of your pencil skirt.
Yeri nods in response to her friend’s question, “Yes, plus ones are welcome! Just let me know so we can have enough food for everyone!”
All of the women seem to speak at once, each describing their plans for hair and nails, as well as the various men they’re thinking about inviting to the wedding. You attentively listen in on each of their conversations, trying to gauge where you stand in the midst of it all. To your surprise, it seems as though you’re the only person in turmoil about this. Unlike them, you have no date and you hadn’t even thought about the possibility that you would need one.
Rianne’s voice rises above the chatter, “Yeah, I have a date, too! He’s the sexiest guy in the whole office, everyone wants him, but he wants me.” She boasts, pressing her chest against the table, breasts nearly spilling from her blouse.
Well what do you know, she tricked someone into liking her? Pity. Honestly you couldn’t understand Rianne’s appeal. Sure she’s gorgeous, but when age finally claims her beauty, what will she have left? Certainly it wouldn’t be her winning personality… “--what about you?”
“What?”
“I said,” Rianne sucks her teeth at your inattentiveness. “It seems like everyone here has a date, what about you?” She cuts you off before you’re able to counter her, corners of her mouth downturned with artificial sympathy. “Oh yeah, you’re ‘not ready for a relationship’ right now. That’s okay, someone has to be there to watch the kids, right?”
Oh fuck no. “You’re sorely mistaken. I said I wasn’t ready for a relationship, not that I didn’t have a date.”
Her perfectly arched brows shoot up, “Oh really?”
Your mouth runs dry, but you try your best to keep a neutral expression. “Well, not exactl–”
“Who’s the lucky guy? Do we know him?” She leans in even closer. Any sign of surprise leaves her face, contempt reclaiming her features. It was well known that Rianne had to get the last word in any scuffle, so it was no surprise when she drove you into a corner. Putting words in your mouth to paint you as a charity case.
When your mouth clamps shut at the shame, a crooked smirk makes its way to her face once again. “Thought so.” She clicks her tongue at the last syllable. “You’ve always tended to… hm, how do I say this as nicely as possible?” She tilts her head, thinking hard when she brings a hand to her chin.
“Tend to what?”
“Neglect yourself.” She narrows her eyes at you, giving your visage a once over up and down. “But don’t worry about that, because I’d love to help you with that.”
“And why would you want to do that?” You snide, biting back any curses that threaten to leave your lips.
“Because what else are friends for? I’d hate to have you look anything less than presentable.” She travels from her spot at the table to wrap an arm around you, the suffocating closeness feels like being constricted by a snake. “How about you come with the rest of the girls and I for our next trip to the nail salon? I’ll cover all of your expenses, of course. I know you can get a little... stingy.”
There’s no way in hell you’re going anywhere with her. Not now, not even in a million years. At the mention of a trip to the nail salon, you’re swiftly reminded of a certain someone. Tall, broad, handsome, and offering a discount– at his colleague’s expense of course, but that didn’t matter right now. “No thanks, I’m good.”
Her confusion is apparent, and her hold on you loosens ever so slightly. “Why not?”
Because you would rather drop dead than give her any more ammo. “Because I’ve got an appointment elsewhere.” Shrugging yourself from her arms, you turn to face her and her expression is even better than you’d hoped. Mouth agape, jaw opening and shutting, almost fish-like as she tries to protest. You don’t try to stop the smile creeping up onto your face, “Contrary to belief, I do spoil myself every now and then.”
Never one to back down, she tries to call your bluff. “And just where are you going to get your nails done? There’s no way it could be any better than where we’re going.”
Even if it wasn’t by the grace of Yeri grabbing your attention to try her dessert that had just arrived, you know that you would’ve kept your little sanctuary to yourself. Turning away from the offended Rianne, you regain some semblance of control when you get one over on her. Honestly, a plus one wasn’t your top priority at the moment. Rather your mind drifts to your prospective nail appointment and your chiropractor.
It makes you think– not only did Jeno refer you to the nail technician across the hall from his office, but the complex had a whole hallway of different practices. Thinking about the two little business cards lodged in the folds of your wallet, you’ve yet to encounter even a fraction of the pleasures that they have to offer at Neo Therapy Practitioners.
...
"Hey, it's Jisung again. Thanks for holding.
...Are you still there? Ah, good! Alright, so I've got you all set for your appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Oh? No need to thank us. You know it'll always be our pleasure to serve you."
...click.
——
( authors' note: thank you for taking interest in our collaboration project! be sure to follow the lovely and amazing @mondaycoffee for updates regarding the series.
the general series tag list and member specific tag lists are open! )
#nct smut#nct fanfic#kpop fanfic#jeno smut#yangyang smut#jaemin smut#renjun smut#mark smut#nct 127#nct dream#wayv#nct u#kpop
3K notes
·
View notes
Text
Starving Yourself | Dream Reaction #6
Reaction: When their gf skips meals
Genre: Angst, slight fluff
Warnings: subtle mention of eating disorders, body image issues, lots of crying (I apologize)
Word Count: 3435k
Author's Note: I've had this subject in the back of my mind for a while now. A few days ago, I just got into it and thankfully finished today. I want to first credit my friend who helped me come up with scenarios for this lol.
Just a little disclaimer, I wanted to say something for those with poor body image. I feel like you hear things like this a lot, and you might read more things like "oh I also struggle too," and "please don't feel bad about yourself." When I was working on this, I did write some of the stories based on experience. So I don't have any right to advise on improving your self-esteem or working to have better eating habits. I'd be a hypocrite if I said those things. All I can say is that I know how what self-hatred is like, and how it can take you down some dark paths.
Please stay strong. I am very sorry for how long this note is 😅
~ ~ ~
MARK
His life was going normally, being a workaholic as always. At the same time, he felt more at ease since he was dating you. The other night, you guys went out on a movie date to see the new Black Panther film. It wasn’t until near the end of the movie that he noticed the popcorn you bought was barely touched. But knowing your slight dislike for greasy foods, Mark didn't think too much about it.
After dropping you off, he returned to his dorm. He was met by the Dream members who appeared to have been waiting for him. They watched quietly as their leader removed his shoes and took his jacket off.
“Hyung?” Jisung asked cautiously.
“Yeah? What’s up?” The Dreamies exchanged looks with each other that he couldn’t quite read. Was it uncertainty?
“I don’t think he knows,” Chenle murmured, causing Mark’s brows to furrow in confusion.
“Know what?”
Chenle glanced at his hyung, and back toward the members beside him. But he was going to tell Mark the truth no matter what.
“That (Y/n) collapsed at her university last week.”
Mark stepped back, clearly shocked by this news. “What? Why?!”
“Apparently she wasn’t eating much,” answered Jaemin.
“She’s your girlfriend. Didn’t you notice something was off?” Haechan’s voice raised slightly. As one of your good friends, the singer couldn’t help but show his irritation. He knew Mark had been so caught up in work recently. But you’ve been struggling for a long time now.
Now in distress, Mark ran a hand through his hair as he searched his memory for anything he might’ve missed. He paused for a moment, remembering the popcorn from earlier. Then he was dashing back out the door, despite it starting to rain.
That was how you heard the sound of your doorbell ringing close to midnight. Luckily you were awake, but you were surprised to see Mark soaking wet. He also looked as if he was about to cry any second.
Despite your befuddlement, you pulled the man inside so he could change into some dry clothes. Mark would bring up to you what the guys told him earlier. At that moment, you began to regret hiding your problems from your boyfriend. You’ve never seen him so worried before.
You spent the rest of the evening—or morning cuddling in bed. Mark kept repeating how much he loved you and apologized for making you feel like you couldn’t come to him. All he sincerely wished for was for you to be happy and healthy. He wasn't going to allow another incident to happen.
✎__________________________________________________________
RENJUN
You had spent nearly an hour getting ready to meet up with Renjun’s parents. Seeing them was the first thing on your list for a weekend trip to your boyfriend’s hometown. It’s been nearly a year since you last met his parents, which made you more nervous than usual.
Renjun’s eyes lit up when you finally came out of the bathroom. He instantly recognized the white blouse with a dark blue floral print and the matching blue skirt you were wearing. It was the outfit he bought you not too long ago.
“Wow, you look so pretty!” He exhaled. There was no hiding how taken away he was with you.
Even though you didn’t agree with his compliment, you thanked him shyly. Renjun noticed something wasn’t quite right pretty fast. The previous times you were about to meet his parents didn’t feel like this. But he couldn’t pinpoint why things felt strange with you.
Deciding to not dwindle on it, you guys left the hotel to meet up with Renjun’s parents at a restaurant. His mother quickly stood up when she spotted you two coming in. While she happily hugged her son, you exchanged greetings with his father.
“It’s so nice to see you again, (Y/n),” Mr. Huang smiled warmly.
You bowed your head politely, “Thank you. I’m sorry it’s been so long.”
Mrs. Huang pulled away from her son to get a better look at you. Her eyes filled with slight concern, and she took your hands. “My Dear, you’ve gotten skinnier!”
That's what it was. Renjun now knew what he was wondering about earlier. Preoccupied with carrying on a conversation with his mom and dad, you didn’t notice how he observed you throughout dinner. He waited until you guys came back to your hotel room to confront you.
“(Y/n), are you okay?”
Your body tensed slightly at his question. “Of course I am. What makes you ask that?”
“It’s just—you’ve become so thin lately. Also, you barely ate anything tonight, and you love Chinese food,” He pointed out. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
Honestly, you felt like you’ve been playing a game over the past few weeks. Wondering how long you could hide your unhealthy eating habits from Renjun. Of course, it didn’t take him very long.
Your eyes dropped to the floor. “Nothing—I just haven’t been hungry recently.”
“(Y/n)-ah, please don’t lie. You have to eat,” Renjun chastised.
He walked over to your side and lifted your chin with the tips of his fingers. “Now I know why you’ve been so tired lately. If you keep this up, you can faint or something worse might happen.”
“I’m sorry. I guess, I just wanted to look my best for you and your parents,” You admitted, after a short pause.
In return, Renjun pressed his lips against your forehead. “For the record, my parents love you, and so do I. You don’t need to change anything about yourself. Especially if your health is at risk.”
You melted into his touch, and let yourself sink into his embrace. Renjun was always there to reassure you that you were more than enough for him.
✎__________________________________________________________
JENO
Jeno and you were a newer couple, after having met through mutual friends at university. His major was computer programming, while you studied creative writing. So your schedules were different, but you did share one class.
Your boyfriend was the one to convince you to take dance. Honestly, you were a little reluctant at first. But you ended up signing up for the class to spend more time with him. Since Jeno was more athletic, dancing was a lot easier for him. You…not so much. It was still fun, despite the increasing levels of anxiety the class gave you every week.
One afternoon, you met up after both of your classes finished. That’s when he asked to eat lunch together later. Yeah, a typical thing for a just-got-into-a-relationship boyfriend.
You agreed to his sweet offer. But you didn’t think when you jokingly added that it felt weird since you usually ate one meal a day. Jeno turned to you in astonishment.
“Eo? Only once?!”
Confused by his reaction, you slowly nodded. “Yeah…”
He stopped walking and moved his hand to your shoulder.
“(Y/n)-ah, that isn’t healthy,” He lightly scolded.
But you quickly brushed off his concern for your eating habits. You took his hand and dragged him to the school’s dance studio. “It’s not a big deal, Jeno-ssi. We better hurry, class starts soon.”
In spite of Jeno being slightly wary, you seemed to be learning the new dance routine fairly smoothly. That was until you were changing formations and you started to become dizzy. Huffing quietly, you shook your head to dismiss the slow onset of a headache and kept up with the next moves. This feeling was something you were used to whenever you did any intense physical activity.
However, things were different when the room suddenly began to spin. Your legs were the first to give out, shortly after. Wincing, you pressed your knuckles against your forehead. Gasps and words you couldn’t process only irritated you more. Fortunately, Jeno rushed to pick you up off the ground and carried you to the health office.
The nurse checked up on you after getting settled. “Did you eat anything today?” She asked.
Jeno couldn’t hide a scoff when you told the woman you had. He frowned when the nurse advised you to rest. Once she left, Jeno allowed himself to sigh.
“(Y/n), you need to eat more.”
“I-I think I just need rest,” You contradicted him.
The boy crossed his arms in persistence. “How can you rest when you have a headache because you don’t eat three meals a day?”
His tone softened a bit when he realized how fatigued you were. Lecturing wasn’t going to help you in this state. With another sigh, he made his way to the chair you were sitting in.
“Rest for now,” He said gently. “I’ll bring you something to eat.”
Jeno petted your head and pecked you on the lips before dashing out of the room. You waited anxiously for about 15 minutes before your boyfriend came back with assorted types of kimbap. He must’ve bought some from the nearby stand owned by a halmeoni.
You almost cried when he opened the wrapper and fed you. For the first time, someone showed you that they cared. Though you were both early in the relationship, you couldn’t stop yourself from falling deeper for Lee Jeno. Most likely, love.
✎__________________________________________________________
HAECHAN
Due to upcoming exams, you and Haechan spent your Saturday afternoon in the library preparing. Studying on a weekend may not be an ideal date in Haechan’s opinion. At the same time, he knew how stressed you got when exam season came around. But that didn’t stop him from complaining now and then.
“Aish, I missed breakfast because Jaemin was taking too long,” Haechan groaned.
He pouted when he received no response from you. His salty mood prevented him from getting anything done. On the other hand, you were ultra-focused on finishing up an essay for one of your English classes. However, you snapped out of your zone by Haechan’s hand tapping on the corner of your laptop.
“Are you hungry too? Did you have breakfast?”
Almost instinctively, you replied to his question with a simple “no.” You shook your head when he asked if your roommate was also running late this morning.
“I just forgot,” You said absentmindedly.
He watched your eyes flicker back to the computer screen in front of you. It kind of seemed like you wanted to end the conversation quickly. But you couldn’t escape your boyfriend that easily.
Then he asked, “How do you forget to eat breakfast?”
The cool expression on your face slowly faded, as you stopped to think for a moment. Lately, finals haven't only been your source of stress. This past month was spent traveling back and forth between Seoul and Pohang to take care of your sick mother. On top of that, you were balancing school life and hiding your problems from everyone. You guessed self-neglect was a result of all that.
Haechan noticed your sudden change and instantly became worried when tears formed in your eyes. He proceeded to reach his hand across the table to take yours.
“(Y/n), is everything okay?”
You promptly clasped your opposite hand over your mouth to muffle your sobs. At least you still had half the mind to cry quietly, remembering you were at a library. Usually, you were the last person to have an emotional outburst. But Haechan’s question made you realize how not okay you were.
Fortunately, your boyfriend was quick to act and rushed to your side. His arms wrapped around your shoulders, holding you in a tight embrace that would hopefully calm you down.
A few minutes later, Haechan closed your laptop. “Okay, you’re going to stop thinking about school for the rest of the day.”
“Hyuck…” You wanted to argue, though you knew he was already standing up and packing your things away.
“You can tell me what’s been bothering you over lunch,” He added, “Does jjamppong sound okay?”
Haechan had no idea what was causing you to break down, or why you weren’t taking care of yourself. But getting you to eat was his priority, and he started by recommending your favorite dish.
Since then, he’s become a lot more protective and gone out of his way to take care of you more. Whenever he was down, you were always there to support him. So that’s what he was going to do for you.
✎__________________________________________________________
JAEMIN
The first thing he did after getting out of bed was to look for you. He was a little sulky that you didn’t get to wake up together. Especially since he hasn’t seen you in one month and two weeks. Jaemin loved his job, but he hated how it also brought this distance in between you two. What made him feel worse was how you never complained. Not even this time, when he showed up at your apartment at one a.m. Instead of scolding him for coming over at such a crazy hour or for walking to your place in the cold, you simply led him into your room to get some much-needed sleep.
Luckily, it didn’t take long for Jaemin to find you. He was greeted by one of his favorite aromas when entering the kitchen. And there you were at the counter, carefully pouring a pot of steaming dark liquid into a blue mug. Watching you he realized you had gotten up early to make coffee for him.
As his heart swelled with a dozen emotions, he walked up to stand behind you. Barely startled by his presence, you merely glanced upward to see the tired grin on his face.
“Did you sleep well?” He responded with a delicate kiss on your exposed neck.
His arms circled your waist, gently pulling your back to meet his chest. It was then, did he notice how his girlfriend’s waist was practically nonexistent, or in other words, thin. Thinner than usual and definitely not healthy.
Jaemin’s smile contorted into a look of concern. Slightly pulling away, he turned to you.
“Jagiya, have you been eating well?” His tone was soft, despite his deep voice.
Automatically, you could tell your boyfriend wasn’t speaking in a casual small talk way. Nonetheless, you pretended not to be fazed.
“I’ve been on a diet…” You set the coffee mug down.
He frowned. “What kind, if you don’t mind me asking?”
You cursed in your head, as you hurriedly made up a lie.
“A low-carb diet,” You tried your best to sound assertive.
“A low-carb diet or a no-carb diet?”
You froze in place when you noticed the hint of anger in the last part of his question. Jaemin slowly turned you around to face him. “(Y/n), be honest. Have you been eating well?”
Several seconds of silence passed by, as you couldn’t even look him in the eye.
“No.” There was a catch in your throat, as your lips quivered.
Jaemin brought you back into his embrace when you began to cry. His chin rested on the top of your head, as your tears soaked his shirt. His heart broke at the sound of your sobs. All he could do was press kisses into your hair, and pat your back.
You sniffed, “I just…I just see pictures of us, and I hate how I look when you’re so perfect.”
“(Y/n)-ah…”
“I know it sounds stupid. But I want to be a girlfriend who is also beautiful.”
Jaemin cupped the right side of your face and sighed, “(Y/n)-ah, you’ve always been beautiful to me. You don’t need to lose weight or do anything else to prove that.”
As comforting as his words were, Jaemin knew that it would take more than that to make you feel better. From then on, he didn’t miss a chance to shower you with compliments and affection. He loved you and had no problem making sure you believed that.
✎__________________________________________________________
CHENLE
You were currently on opposite sides of the room. Chenle was watching Instagram videos on his phone, and you were writing the next chapter to a story you started a while ago. This was agreeably considered hanging out with each other. Doing your own thing until someone broke the silence. And this time, it was Chenle.
His stomach growling did not go ignored by him. Naturally, he pulled up a delivery food app. He then paused and looked over to you who was typing away on your computer.
“(Y/n)-ahhh, I’m ordering food. What do you want?”
“I don’t know,” You replied, without looking up.
Chenle sat up in his spot on the couch. “Do you want tteokbokki?”
“Um, I’m not in the mood for tteokbokki.” He saw your head shake behind the computer.
“Jokbal?”
“Haechan will be upset if we eat that without him.”
“How about tonkatsu?”
“Eh…”
“Okay, what about-”
Losing concentration, you shut your laptop in frustration. “I’m not hungry! Just order something for yourself.”
“I want to eat with you though,” He whined. You closed your eyes for a moment and sighed before starting to speak again.
“But—”
“No buts. You’re going to come here and help me choose something.”
Just as you opened your mouth to protest, Chenle already decided he had enough. He lifted you from your chair which earned him an “are you crazy?” look. Then he brought you to where he was previously sitting. While doing so, he noticed that you were very light.
“How are you not hungry?” Chenle asked. “Your stomach is practically crying out to me.”
You wrapped your arms around your waist self-consciously. “You’re exaggerating, Chenle.”
Even though you made it sound like not a big deal, Chenle had a feeling there was an underlying problem here. He knew that you had a small appetite, but having no desire to eat was separate. For someone who was such a big foodie, the idea of his girlfriend starving herself worried him.
“We haven’t had a meal together in so long,” Chenle pretended to sulk. “But if you really don’t want to eat, I won’t force you.”
Ugh, you just couldn’t resist the rare look of sadness on the boy’s face. He knew you hated to be guilty.
So with a sigh, you slowly made a new suggestion. “Actually…maybe we can get tteokbokki. Can we just share the bowl?”
As if he wasn’t moping a second ago, Chenle smiled and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “Of course. Anything for you, Cutie.”
✎__________________________________________________________
JISUNG
He sat patiently in the lobby, waiting for you who was at a doctor's appointment. You insisted this was nothing but a normal check-up. But that didn’t stop Jisung from accompanying you. He stood up in slight surprise when you came out earlier than expected.
“(Y/n)-ah! You’re done?” You bobbed your head and grabbed his hand with a small smile.
Jisung noticed you were being quieter than usual during the drive to your place. But he thought you might be tired from a long day of classes before having to visit the doctor’s office. You’d probably feel better when you got back home.
Once you guys arrived, Jisung was left alone when you went to change into more comfortable clothes. As he plopped down on your small couch, his eyes darted to the medical papers you had previously left on the coffee table. Out of habit, Jisung picked up the papers to organize them.
However, your recorded weight on the first page caught him off guard. His eyes widened in horror at the number. He knew you were small, especially compared to his size. But he didn’t think you were underweight to the point that it was dangerous. This must’ve been why you barely said anything earlier.
Tears flooded his eyes in an instant when he saw you walk out of the room. Suddenly confused as to why your boyfriend was crying, your lips parted to ask what was wrong. Then you spotted the slightly crumpled papers in his hands.
“Jisung—I can explain,” You spoke calmly, in an attempt to keep your voice stable.
Jisung looked at you in despair. “Is this why I haven’t seen you eat lately? Or how you don’t want to go shopping together anymore?”
Your confirmed silence made him feel worse. Regardless he rushed up to hug you, engulfing your small frame into his taller figure. The two of you stayed in that position for a long time. Your fingers stroked his back as you also tried to calm him down. You made sure to reassure him that you knew you had a problem and were going to try to build better eating habits. Jisung would offer any support he could give you.
✎__________________________________________________________
#nct#nct dream#nct dream reactions#nct dream scenarios#mark lee#renjun#jeno#haechan#jaemin#chenle#jisung#nana#donghyuck#injun#park jisung#kpop reactions#nctzen#nct angst#nct reactions#czennie
1K notes
·
View notes
Note
DARLINGGGGG GUESS WHOS BACK FROM THE PYSCHE WARD!!
im currently brainrotting over agito as you can see..can you write how you think he would meet reader and how their relationship would develop into romance with him? like actually i sat at work for like 15 minutes trying to think how but i actually cannot cook anything up.
(Also I'm seeing the ghost stuff and I'm interested...gonna have to do research for dis one☝️)
sorry if i keep sending you silly asks😞
—🪡 anon
JOIN US WE HAVE SEXY POPES WHO DOUBLE AS FRONTMEN AND FREAKY GHOULS. Listen to them, I highly recommend listening to the meliora and prequelle album before delving any deeper. Watch some YouTube videos abt the lore. PLUS THEY HAVE LITTLE EPISODES <3
Time for some more Cakemaster 9000
Phew, this took a while
Kanoh Agito: How does he fall for you?
• Like what I mentioned in one of the headcanons, you work for Katahara. While Agito doesn't directly work for him apart from beint his representative fighter, he's technically his family AND The Fang.
• However, you two hardly see eachother when on the job. BUT-
• You two visit the same coffee shop. He loves his morning Latte, and you love (insert your favorite Cafe drink here)
• When you first started working, you were surprised to see the Kanoh Agito at a small coffee shop.
• He usually greets and addresses you formally, not interested in any small talk.
• "Sheesh, what a stick in the mud" It's not that he was trying to be rude, but he did come off a little condescending when he greeted you. (He has tone issues)
• One day you woke up late and didn't have time to stop and get your usual.
• He notices your absence. "They can't be sick, they showed no signs of it two days ago"
• Long story short, he picks up your order and goes looking for you. Once he finds you, he stiffly hands it to you. "You were late I presume. I picked this up for you"
• Everyone in the room was shocked. The cold hearted Fang buying someone a drink? You smiled warmly and looked into his eyes "Thank you, this was very kind of you"
• His breathing hitched, and he felt speechless. Was he....flustered? "Don't let it happen again, you work for the Chairman afterall"
• You obviously didn't let it happen again....buuuttt it was super sweet how he seemed to care about you enough to get you something.
• To return the favor, you arrived earlier and got him his Latte. Listen, he was speechless before, now he was in shock. He didn't show it though. In his lifetime no one had ever bought him anything or returned a favor. There was a first time for everything.
• You saw through his attempt to hide the baffled expression on his face. It was kinda- cute.
• "Why have you done this?" "Why not? I'm just repaying you" "I-" "Shush, just take the drink, it's burning my hand"
• He has to get there before you now to ensure that he sees you. He's a bit friendlier with the greetings, too. Don't expect a smile though, just a softer glance in your direction.
• When he was around you, he didn't feel like he needed to be The Fang of Metsudo. You didn't hold him to any higher standard when you chatted, you didn't bother holding back a few curses. He felt as if his soul was on Earth instead of hanging in the balance.
• On one of your off days, the two of you get coffee and sit down for once. Finally having a slower paced discussion. It lasted a few hours, you did most of the talking while he had a response to almost anything. There was a lot he didn't know about pop culture.
• Coffee dates became your thing, even though it wasn't technically a date. More like two friends hanging out. Discussions got into deeper topics like pasts and whatnot.
• Agito decided that he could trust you, so he opened up about the Human Gu Ritual. He didn't know what trauma was, so you explained to him that his feelings and memories about that time in his life would be very traumatic.
• "I'm glad you could tell me that, but are you okay? If I had something like that on my chest I'd cry" "I'm quite alright, I'm not fazed in the slightest but I had no idea the caliber of the topic. I hope I didn't ruin the conversation"
• You tapped your cheek and sighed. "Have you ever been hugged before?" Agito thought for a second. The embracing gesture? The only physical contact he's hand was a pat on the shoulder or when he's fighting.
• "No, I don't think I have" "Well today's your lucky day, bring it in"
• He froze as you wrapped your arms around his waist, pulling him into you. His heartbeat raced as he thought of what to do. "Just tell me if you don't like it" you squeezed him gently. He awkwardly put his hand behind your back and rested it there.
• You let go after a few seconds, but he didn't want you to. "How was it?" You smiled.
• "I'm not sure" He smoothed out his suit, trying to relax himself after what just happened.
• A few days passed and you haven't seen him anywhere. He wasn't at work or at the coffee shop. You start to worry. Did you drive him away? Was the hug too much? Oh god was he dead?
• All the while Agito was keeping an eye on you from afar. Not letting you see him, but he could see you. He felt very fragile after that day, he almost felt ashamed. He wasn't good at managing his emotions. And what happened moved him in a way that frightened him.
• He summons the courage to talk to Katahara Metsudo about how he felt. He was the only parental figure he had in a sense.
• "You are a grown man. Is this really a difficult concept to grasp?" Katahara looked out the window of his office. "I'm inexperienced, these feelings are foreign to me"
• 'He's not referring to himself as we and us anymore, this must be serious' Katahara turned around. "To put it simply" he laughed "Tell (Reader) everything you told me"
• "I have a strong regard for you" Agito came clean. You know how I said there was a first time for everything? Well he had a hint of red on his cheeks. This beast of a man, blushing? Utterly adorable
• "So you're saying you love me?" That's the word. Love. He nodded. "Well. Say it then. There's nothing holding you back"
• He pauses for a moment, he's not exactly fond of eye contact. But this was for (Reader)
• "I love you"
• You wrap your arms around his waist again. "That's all I needed to hear"
• His lips curled into a smile as he looked down at you. You parted from the hug and tilted your head to the side. "Wanna go out to a restaurant sometime?"
• "Are you asking me out on...what is it that they call it...a date?" "Yes" you stated bluntly. Beating around the bush or teasing wouldn't get far in this situation.
• "We can talk about plans later, I have important matters to attend to" he look your hand and grazed his lips on you knuckles. Planting a small kiss on it.
• "Now where did you learn that?" "It's a romantic gesture they do on television" you bite your lip from calling him a dork.
• "I'll meet with you later about this date. Until we see eachother again" He leaves, and you're alone again.
• Man, you're already falling for him. It's not like you'd hate dating him. But you didn't want to be head over heels just yet. You looked at your knuckles and sighed "Ah what the hell, being love isn't that bad"
#kengan ashura#kengan omega#kenganverse#kengan ashura x reader#kanoh agito#agito kanoh#kanoh agito x reader
39 notes
·
View notes
Text
Age Of Consent [part three]
Summary: Dustin’s older sister thinks Eddie Munson could be a bad influence on her younger brother due to their history. Can he change her mind?
Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Henderson!Reader
Word Count: 1,784
What you’ll find in this series: big angst, wholesome fluff, sexual content, and a lot of profanity.
A/N: When you write an entire chapter and then it doesnt save so you have to write it again from memory. Anyways, how about a little Eddie POV? Pretty sure we can categorize this as a slow burn. Thank you so much for sticking with this little story. Enjoy this next part and if you would like to be tagged, please let me know!
Read Part Two || Read Part Four
Eddie couldn't stop thinking about you.
He was hopeless, unable to concentrate on anything else. After two years, he thought that he had managed to get over it, but the moment he heard your voice that scar on his heart split right open into a festering wound, once more.
His fingers tapped against the lunchroom table as he waited for Dustin, wanting an explanation. Why were you there? What did you want from him? Was this some sort of sick joke? Did you just want to torment him? Make fun of him for still being in high school like a fucking loser?
He eyed your brother as he approached the lunch table.
The moment that Dustin had sat his tray down, Eddie grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him away from the crowd. The younger boy was absolutely terrified at this point, having not a single idea of what was about to happen. He liked Eddie, but he didn't really know Eddie, and he did not want to be punched in the face over a misunderstanding that was most likely your fault.
Eddie's eyes were menacing, squinting at his curly-haired friend before he address him, "Henderson," he almost growled.
"Eddie." Dustin gulped.
"You want to tell me what your goddamn sister was doing here last night after Hellfire?" Dustin's mouth gaped open, his mind desperately trying to find the words. "Now, Henderson!"
"S-She uh, she said that she d-didn't want me to be a part of the club!" He stuttered. "So I uh- I invited her to come out and meet you and see that you weren't as bad as some people say, b-because you're a totally nice guy."
Eddie sighed. Reality had hit him like a brick as he realized that you still hadn't told your family that the two of you had dated. Hell, you hadn't even told them that you knew him. Not even after Dustin had told you that he was part of the Hellfire Club, which, to Eddie, would have been the perfect opportunity, even if it was two years too late.
"She really never told you," he muttered quietly. "Figures."
"Told me what?" Dustin asked.
Should he out your secret? God, did he want to, if only just to annoy you; cause an issue in your otherwise perfect little life and force you to confront the past that you so desperately tried to run from. You had your reasons, you made them clear, but Eddie still carried this smoldering torch that he just wouldn't let burn out. He always would.
"Oh my God," a realization washed over Dustin's face as he figured it out. "You dated my sister, didn't you?"
Eddie said nothing, but it was all over his face.
"Gross!" Dustin shrieked. "Ew, you dated my sister."
"Yeah, and she broke my goddamn heart." Eddie ushered his younger friend back to the table. "In fact, she was very clear that she never wanted to see me again, ever, so imagine my surprise last night when she just- just showed up like it was the good ol' days."
"Dude, I had no idea."
Eddie's expression softened. This wasn't Dustin's fault, at all. "I know, man. I know you were just trying to advocate for me. I appreciate it."
"What happened between the two of you?"
"That depends on who you're asking, I'm sure."
"I'm asking you," Dustin replied curtly.
Eddie knew that offloading all of his pent-up emotions was probably super inappropriate, but it's not like he had anyone else to talk to about it. Except for Wayne, but his uncle had already heard him crying in his pillow enough times to get the gist of what had happened. The countless sad songs that Eddie had written, and practiced out of his bedroom, basically told the entire story from start to finish so Wayne never needed to ask.
"For starters, she didn't want to tell anyone we were together," He began. "Which, let me be clear, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy; the feeling that you're not good enough, but you're just so fucking in love you're like- whatever, babe, whatever you want. You know?"
Dustin nodded his head despite the fact that he most certainly did not know.
"She said it had something to do with my 'life choices', but that is such bullshit, man. I know that the real reason is that I wasn't able to graduate and she didn't want to be with some lame asshole who was stuck in high school. Whatever, it was inevitable. She was going to go off to college and meet some normal dude who she could take home to the family and wouldn't hold her back."
He knew he sounded pathetic.
"It doesn't matter, dude." He waved a hand in the air. "It was years ago. Shit's in the past. Just, for my heart's sake, please keep her away from me. No more surprise visits, okay? Shit almost killed me."
"What!? No." Dustin exclaimed dramatically.
"What do you mean, no?"
"You're obviously still in love with her." The younger boy accurately noted. "As gross as that is, you totally are."
Eddie hated how a fourteen-year-old kid could see right through him like he was made of glass. He hated it and at the same time was mildly impressed. How is it that this kid- this child- who didn't know a goddamn thing about love, have it all figured out? No matter how much of a facade he tried to put on, it was just that painstakingly obvious that he just wasn't over you.
"So?" Eddie said, his voice small.
"So, get her back."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Get. Her. Back." Dustin emphasized, shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal whatsoever. "It's simple."
"I don't think you really understand, Henderson. Your sister made it very clear that she never wanted to see me again, let alone be with me again."
"So why'd she agree to come to Hellfire?" The younger boy asked innocently. "Maybe she's still in love with you, too."
Eddie laughed dryly, "No, no- see, that's where she and I are different. She never loved me. Not really, anyways."
Dustin sighed and sat his sandwich down on the tray in front of him before placing a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "Listen, Munson." He said frankly. Eddie was incredibly confused. "What I'm about to offer is for a limited time only, so if you're interested, I suggest you take me up on it. I can help you get her back."
Fuck, he hated your brother's confidence. It gave him hope. He was a pessimist by nature, so he knew that it was most likely false hope, but it was hope nonetheless. If there was even the slightest chance that Dustin was right, Eddie had to take it. He was already a fool, but not taking a chance on the one thing that he wanted more than anything- that would just make him plain stupid.
"How?"
That was all Dustin needed to hear. He spent the rest of their lunch block calculating ways to put you and Eddie in the same place at the same time. He rambled off a schedule of your day-to-day activities; your work schedule, when you usually took lunch, what stores you liked to shop at, your jogging route, and what you did on the weekends.
"We go to Antonio's for pizza every Wednesday night around 6:00," Dustin mentioned. "You could conveniently be picking up dinner for you and your uncle around that time."
Sure, it sounded a lot like stalking, but Dustin was confident that they would be able to chalk it up to coincidence and you'd be none the wiser. Eddie wasn't really convinced, but he figured he might as well trust the process and see if Dustin might be able to work his magic. After all, he said that he had experience with this sort of thing.
It took everything in you not to accost your brother the moment that he got home from school. You had practically been sitting in the same spot all day, waiting for him to arrive, knowing that the first thing he did this morning was seek out Eddie to find out what had happened last night.
From your room you heard his backpack hit the floor in the kitchen, followed by the sounds of the refrigerator opening and closing. You gave him ten minutes before you tip-toed down the stairs, stopping just around the corner to assess his mood and demeanor.
"I know you're there," you heard him say without even looking up from his textbook.
You sighed and cut right to the chase, "what'd Eddie have to say?"
"Not much," Dustin answered and you thought for a moment that maybe Eddie didn't say anything at all. "Just that you two dated and then you broke up with him because he didn't pass the 12th grade the first time around."
There it is.
"Of course that's how he remembers it," you muttered.
"Kind of shitty, if you ask me."
"Well, I didn't." You spat. "It's a lot more complicated than the fact that he didn't graduate, Dustin." It was just like Eddie to make himself out to be the victim. "Actually, that wasn't even an issue."
"So what was the issue?" He asked. "And why didn't you ever tell us?"
You combed a hand through your hair and sighed. "Because it was right when dad had just died, okay? Mom was already going through so much, I- I didn't want her to think that she had to worry about me lashing out because I was dating Eddie 'The Freak' Munson. You and I both know that sometimes it's just better if she doesn't know things."
Dustin could only nod in agreement.
"And it's not like it was a secret from everyone. The whole school knew we were dating." You argued. "And yeah, I broke up with him and it sucked. But you can't just pinpoint it to one thing, there were multiple things over time and I just finally decided that I had to do what was best for me."
"D'you miss him?" Dustin asked and the question surprised you.
"No!" You replied a little too quickly. "No. Absolutely not. The only reason that I agreed to go last night was because of you. I definitely do not miss him, that would be absurd."
You could tell that he wasn't buying it.
"Anyways, this conversation is over." You declared. "Keep going to your little club, I don't care, just- no more talk about Eddie Munson, deal?"
"Deal," Dustin replied with a smirk. "It'll be like he doesn't even exist."
Tags:
@fangirling-4-ever, @nojamsonmytoast, @munson-burner, @slvdsjjk, @kiszkawagnerwhore, @bitterplacebrokendreamsmaegan, @katxn15, @itswormtrain, @itsallnonsens3, @aashy723, @buginktsworld, @in-this-minute, @animexholic, @colbychu
let me know if you would like to be added!
#there are always two sides to every story#and trust me we will find out the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me gOD#eddie munson#eddie munson imagine#eddie munson x you#eddie munson x reader#eddie munson fan fic#eddie munson fic#eddie munson x y/n#eddie munson x henderson!reader#henderson!reader#stranger things#stranger things fic#stranger things imagine#stranger things fan fic#joe quinn#joseph quinn#eddie munson drabble#eddie munson series#dustin henderson
2K notes
·
View notes
Note
Hola its me Daniel's simp! Am sorry if am annoying u or anything!! Can we just have Daniel reaction of..reader just being down bad for him. Like When I say down bad I mean it like Xufdfiodpiydoy HOW CAN WE NOT BE DOWN BAD FOR THIS MAN 😭 LIKE SOMETIMES HE'S THE REASON I GET UP EVERY MORNING DIYODIPYIDYDIY..sorry about that. Idk wtf am saying nor doing sorry if am being weird! Also gave a nice day/afternoon/evening or night! ❤
Daniel Park x Reader (Being a simp for him)
𝐀/𝐍: 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐢𝐝𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐇𝐀𝐇𝐀
𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞!: 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭, 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐥. (𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐥. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈'𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝. 𝐓𝐲! :)
If you ever met this man on middle school when he's being bullied. You're lucky. Y'know that Daniel has lots of trust issues and anxiety especially in this era. So you gotta be nice to him ;).
I don't know, but at first he just seemed to be REALLY hesitant at making friends at first and warming up because of his past trauma. But once you accepted each other's strengths and flaws he'll definitely become more open about what makes him happy and upset.
(Maybe it's just me that I love the friends to lovers trope more than enemies to lovers trope? HAHAHAHHA). But he's such a gentleman. He's often polite, respectful, yet have that fun and chaotic side of him that will make you MELT. If you like softie guys while still having that balance of masculinity you will like him a lot.
I think Daniel knows and loves to ride a bike. And if you don't know how to (like me), he'll happy to teach you out! Y'know those cheesy romantic scenes in love stories? That's what I am talking about he'll definitely push you to learn (but if you're uncomfortable he will stop of course) and once you mastered it he'll ask you out for a biking race at the sunset as long as it's safe and there's not many vehicles moving on the road.
Jamming in his apartment while his mom is out, listening to your favorite music while dancing around like idiots, eating at your favorite food places while comically arguing who's going to pay the bill, doing other silly things, and opening up to him are the most fun activities to do with him in my opinion. You know this guy is very empathetic and a very good listener since he's been through tough challenges in his life. Being friends with him is not just about spending your time and creating fun memories. It's about opening up to him as he does to you since you trust each other. I think that's one out of the many factors you're going down bad for him man. If you tell a sad story in your life, he'll cry. If you tell about an embarrassing and cringy memory on your school, he'll laugh his ass out yet with a gentle giggle. Same goes to his second body. The taller male is so similar to him that you almost feel like he's Little Daniel. They're both so humble yet so fun to hang out with. I don't know I'm word spilling rn but I just love him so much.
He may not realize it but he also dresses well in any fashion like KL:HDLK:HLAHSLA:. He might ask for help for fashion advices!
This man used to have those issues about opening up so be prepared when he's gatekeeping so if you are helping him out whole-heartedly in his issues he'll definitely fall in love with you.
He's really surprised and GETS REALLY NERVOUS when you suddenly jump on his back for a piggy-back or when you hug him from behind. And he would hide his face with his hand while he's blushing (especially when you compliment him not only about his looks but when he does a great job at something). He really also likes your company so once his feelings developed more into something deeper, he'll be more awkward around you (in a good way he's so anxious that he'll mess up lol).
He may be the type to ask your friends that knows that you're crushing on both Daniels. He may have that 0_0 face all the time because of how thick and weird the atmosphere is while your friends have that ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) face because they can see how nervous you are around him. It may take a while for the both of you to confess but you'll be both blushing once you both found out that you're crushing on each other the whole time. Once he's courting you he'll give you your favorite flowers and chocolates before going out on a movie or cafe date or just plain cuddling at your or his place. Or if that sounds too cliché for you, he'll luckily listen and accept your date ideas as long as both of you are safe, it's affordable, and both of you will have fun. And the rest is history.
Bonus!
𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐲-𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲.
"𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. "𝐘𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚." 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲. "𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭. "𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐜𝐞𝐥." 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
"𝐎𝐢 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥!" 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐙𝐨𝐞, 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚, 𝐉𝐚𝐲, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐇𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟑-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬.
"𝐇𝐞𝐲, 𝐘/𝐍." 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 (𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲) 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥.
"𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬? 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?" 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐲-𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐙𝐨𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚.
"𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥, 𝐘/𝐍 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠!" 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐙𝐨𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥.
"𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?!" 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬. "𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡. 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞."
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲. "𝐒𝐨, 𝐡𝐨𝐰'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲?" 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. "𝐈-𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞. "𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫- 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤. 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬!" 𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥. "𝐍𝐨! 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐭… 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝. "𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩! 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐨…" 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐦. "𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐬." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮. "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠…" 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲. "𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰? 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲. "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡." "𝐇𝐮𝐡?" "𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞. 𝐒𝐨 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞." 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬. "𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫? 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥? 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?" 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. "𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈'𝐦 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬, 𝐈 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐦 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈'𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐮𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐲, 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞-𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫."
"𝐀𝐡, 𝐈'𝐌 𝐒𝐎 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘!" 𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐲 𝐚���𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. "𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐧, 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫. "𝐈'𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰." 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. "𝐈'𝐦 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥?" 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. "𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚?" "𝐔𝐡𝐡𝐡 𝐧𝐨, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧." "𝐎𝐡 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐡… 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 (𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡). 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬. "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐙𝐨𝐞!" "𝐍𝐨! 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝." "𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘, 𝐈𝐓 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐙𝐎𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄!" "𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞." "𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲?" "𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞…" "𝐉𝐨𝐲?!" "𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞." "𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥?" "𝐌𝐞𝐡, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬." "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?" "𝐔𝐡, 𝐧𝐨. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲'𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞."
𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 (𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬) 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭?!" 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐲𝐞𝐭. "𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡!" 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧. "𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡." 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧. "𝐘𝐞𝐩. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬." 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐲𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫. "𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥." "𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦." "𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐨?"
𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 (𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥) 𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬. "𝐘/𝐍! 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥! 𝐖𝐞'𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦!" 𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝. "𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐒!" "𝐇��𝐘 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐕𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐎 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓!" "𝐒𝐡, 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬." 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬. "𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬, 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞." "𝐍𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚." 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭. "𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞-" "𝐘/𝐍!" 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬' 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞. "𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞? 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞." 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. "𝐘/𝐍 𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐘 𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐈 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒!" 𝐙𝐨𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝, "𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨! 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐊𝐧𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬!" 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐲 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫.
𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
"𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥." 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟/𝐜 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐝. 𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧����𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬. "𝐈-𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈-" "𝐎𝐢, 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭?" 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲."
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭/𝐬 (𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧/𝐬) 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝?!
𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥'𝐬 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞.
"𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐘/𝐍, 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬.
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭, 𝐘/𝐍. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲. 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝. 𝐀𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈'𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲. 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭.
𝐘𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐀𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐬. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨! 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐘/𝐍, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭."
-𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 :)
Feedbacks would be appreciated!
Other requests will be done! (I'll make a smut version of this and the other Gojo Fem! reader)
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐚𝐜𝐞𝟎𝟖. 𝐑𝐞-𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐓𝐲!
#lookism x reader#lookism x y/n#lookism x you#daniel park x reader#lookism fic#park hyungseok x reader
78 notes
·
View notes
Text
All You Want and More
Requested by @allipopgeir28-blog
Pairing: Dominique Luca x fem!reader
Summary: When Luca finds out that you have never celebrated your birthday, he sets out to make your day perfect.
Warnings: very brief angst, lots of fluff
Word Count: 3.1k+ words
Masterlist Directory | Luca Masterlist | Request Info\Fandom List
There’s a moment in a relationship where everything stops being sparkly and new. When the normality of spending your life with someone else sets in, when the honeymoon phase ends, and everything becomes slow and easy. For you, that moment is nowhere to be seen. You’re not sure that things will change with Dominique Luca. He’s the most caring, loving, sincere, and loyal man you’ve ever met. The relationship is new; you’ve been dating for a few months, though the days with him pass too quickly. His roommate Jim is out with a girl, so you’ve made yourself comfortable with Luca in his living room. As he asks you about your day, hobbies, and anything else he can think of, you wonder if being with Luca will bring a sense of normalcy or if every day will be a surprise.
“What about you?” you ask with a smile. “How was your day?”
“It was pretty good. We only had two calls, so it was slow. I think we should talk about you, now,” Luca replies.
You groan and lean back, but Luca takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around your upper back and pull you closer. Settled against his side, you feel comfortable, safe, and loved.
“We’ve been talking about me for too long. C’mon, Luca, tell me something about you for once.” Luca shakes his head, so you turn toward him and pout as you add, “Please?”
“Fine. Um, for my birthday last year, my brother-“
“Terry?”
“Yeah. He took me to a Dodgers game, but afterward we went to a classic car show, and we talked about our dream cars. It wasn’t a huge birthday celebration or anything but spending that time with him was great. Especially after everything we’ve been through, you know?”
You nod and lean your head against his shoulder. Luca is your favorite topic, and you are convinced you could listen to him talk about anything, mundane or unbelievable, and never grow tired of him.
“What about you?” Luca asks with a bounce of his shoulder. “What’s your favorite birthday memory?”
“Oh, I don’t have one. Never celebrated birthdays before. Growing up, it never really happened, I guess. As I got older, I started doing things with friends for their birthdays, but… It’s just a day on the calendar for me.”
Luca falls silent upon learning that you’ve never been celebrated. He immediately decides to surprise you, but he has to get more answers without making you suspicious.
“You never wanted a celebration, or just didn’t have someone worth celebrating with?” he inquires.
You take a deep breath as you think. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you can’t possibly be the issue,” Luca adds. “So, I’ll assume it was a poor decision on everyone else’s part not to celebrate you every moment of your life.”
“Is that something you have to say as my new boyfriend?” you whisper against his shoulder.
“No. It’s something that is true, and as your boyfriend, I get the privilege of telling you.”
“You’re my favorite person.”
“And you’re mine.”
A few hours later, you wash the dishes from dinner – despite Luca’s insistence that he could clean up. He takes the opportunity to do some well-meaning intruding. Your bag is at the table, and Luca waits to take your wallet out until your back is turned. As you focus on the task before you, Luca quickly finds your ID, and takes note of your birthday. He holds it in his mind as he puts your wallet back in its rightful place and then types it into his phone, so he doesn’t risk forgetting. Luca isn't always one for big gestures, giving or receiving, but you deserve a celebration worthy of all the birthdays you’ve missed. You are loved and appreciated, so Luca will show you when your birthday comes. After you leave, Luca looks at the date and realizes that your birthday is less than a week away and that you weren’t going to tell him.
✯✯✯✯✯
Someone is whispering as they touch your face. You roll over to escape the unwelcome attention, but it follows you. When you force yourself to blink your eyes open, Luca smiles above you.
“Happy Birthday,” he says happily. “Breakfast is cooking, and we’re going to be late. I know I should’ve let you sleep in, but I needed to see my birthday girl.”
“How do you know?” you ask, more alert than you should be for someone who was just woken before you wanted to be. “I didn’t tell you it was my birthday.”
Luca shrugs before he walks away from you and into the kitchen. You sit up and rub your eyes, confused yet intrigued. There isn’t a clear explanation about how he knows your birthday, but he seems so excited that you aren’t inclined to ask more questions.
When you enter the kitchen after getting ready, Luca is plating your favorite breakfast meal. He smiles and sets the pan and spatula down to hug you. You laugh as he spins you because you know that one birthday with Luca will spoil you. Birthdays have never been important to you, perhaps because no one gave you a reason to look forward to one. Luca’s excitement alone is the best gift you could receive.
“Okay, breakfast,” Luca says as he steps back. “And there’s a gift on the table. Happy Birthday.”
“This is too much,” you argue quietly. “You didn’t need-“
“I did. I do need to do this for you because I love you. Okay?”
You nod as Luca kisses your forehead. He taps your hip and reminds you that the food is getting cold. It’s not, and you both know it, but your first "real" birthday can quickly turn awkward if you let it. You sit at Luca’s table, and your eyes widen at the gift beside your plate.
“Is that…” you begin, unsure what to expect or ask.
“A gift,” Luca finishes. “You don’t have to open it now if you don’t want to.”
You nod and lift your fork but stop before you can take a bite of the delicious food before you.
“I can leave you alone while you open it,” Luca offers when he notices your eyes drift to the box.
After you shake your head, you set the fork aside again and pull the box toward you. When the lid is raised, you see a tin case inside. You glance at Luca, and his smile widens. The tin case has your name, Luca’s name, and the year printed on the top. You raise the top slowly and see it is filled with papers, photographs, and ticket stubs. Your relationship is new, yet the box is filled like you’ve been together for years. Each photo has a number and a short note on the back about what has been captured in the image, and the tickets have dates and love letters written around the edges. What truly catches your attention, though, is the short note taped to the inside of the lid.
“I’ve known more love in the short months leading up to your birthday than I thought existed. To every birthday with you and all the love we share.”
You want to thank him, hug him, and kiss him, all at the same time. There’s a knot in your throat, so you can’t do the first. When you lurch out of your seat, Luca reacts quickly. Your arms wrap over his shoulders, and Luca pulls you closer by your waist. As you cling to him, you know two things: you are madly in love with Dominique Luca, and you want to spend every day, birthdays included, with him by your side.
“Thank you,” you whisper. You punctuate your gratitude with a kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Of course. I love you, and I want to show you, especially today,” Luca replies. “Now, seriously, eat.”
You smile as you return to your seat, and your eyes wander to the open tin as you eat the best meal you’ve had in your life. Luca watches you with a smile because he is glad that he is the one who gets to show you what birthdays should be like and love you every step of the way.
After breakfast, Luca tells you to get dressed. The idea of a surprise party never crosses your mind, and Luca hopes it stays that way. He doesn’t want to go overboard today, so he allows your reaction to his quality time-based birthday with Terry to guide his actions.
“Where are we going?” you ask as Luca helps you into his truck.
“Do you really need to know, or can you give me another chance to surprise you for your birthday?” Luca replies. He taps your thigh before shifting into gear.
“Luca,” you begin. “Why is my birthday such a big deal?”
“Because you are a big deal. I love you, and you are important. My life would be… I don’t know what it would be without you, so this is the most important day of the year to me. And the fact that we started dating so close to your birthday isn’t lost on me.”
“I appreciate it. More than you know.”
“Of course. You’re worth all of it, and you deserve every gift you’ve ever wanted. You deserve all you want and more.”
You bite your lip but can’t hide your smile. Luca chuckles as he continues driving, and you watch his profile as he takes you to the next surprise. Each moment with him makes you think his surprises will be endless, no matter how long you’re together. And you hope that is a very, very long time.
When Luca pulls into a parking lot, you gasp. Your favorite bookstore sits before you, and you expect this is another visit to browse for books. Since you told Luca about your love for reading, he brings you here occasionally to look at new releases and spend time with you. As you reach for the door handle, Luca stops you.
“I have to make a call really quick; I’ll meet you inside?” he explains.
“Sure,” you answer.
While you wait, you meander down the aisle of current bestsellers. You pick up one you haven’t heard of and read the blurb on the back. An arm wraps around your waist while you return it to its rightful place, and you quickly identify it as Luca. You lean against him and continue scanning the shelves for other interesting titles.
“Do you want that one?” Luca asks. “The one you were just looking at?”
“No. I hadn’t heard of it, but it doesn’t sound like something I’d like. And you don’t have to buy me a book just because it’s my birthday.”
Luca chuckles and lets you lead the way through the bookstore. You have to turn down several more offers from him to buy a book you touch, and when you’ve been through every aisle, you return to the truck hand-in-hand with Luca. He opens the passenger door and reveals a large bookstore bag in your seat.
“What is that?” you ask.
“I guess someone broke into the truck and left you a birthday present,” Luca answers.
You turn to face him, and Luca starts to panic at the teary look in your eyes. When you hug him, he sighs and pulls you closer.
“I told you-“
“And I told you,” Luca interjects, “That you are worth being celebrated. I hope you like it.”
You open the bag and inhale sharply at the sight. There’s not one, or even two, books. It is an entire series, a series that you told Luca about during one of your first visits to the bookstore. You’ve been wanting it for a while but couldn’t find it or couldn’t afford it when you did find a bundle. After talking about it – probably too much – you’re not surprised that Luca remembered, but touched that he cared enough to find the exact box set you showed him and buy it.
You can’t thank him again, so you give him another hug instead. After you murmur that it is the best gift you’ve ever received and the best birthday you’ve ever had, you let Luca help you into the cab and hold the bag tight to your chest.
“One more stop and then we can go back home,” Luca says as he starts the engine.
“I don’t think I can take another surprise,” you say.
Luca simply smiles, and you decide that maybe his surprises are worth it. After driving through Los Angeles traffic, he stops outside a jewelry store but makes no move to exit the truck. A gift bag is hidden under his seat, and Luca pulls it out and hands it to you with a smile.
“Luca,” you say softly. You remove the tissue paper and reach a jewelry box. “I can’t accept this.”
“You didn’t even open it,” Luca argues.
“It’s too expensive.”
“Humor me,” Luca requests as he slides across the bench seat to be closer to you. “And open it. If you still feel that way, I’ll look into returning it.”
The chain inside the box is minimalistic but beautiful. However, you tilt the box, and another slightly thicker chain slides out. You look up at Luca, then at the jewelry store.
“Are these what I think they are?” you ask as you raise the smaller chain. The links look a bit like the letter L, and you hope you’re right about what it’s meant to symbolize.
“They’re forever bracelets. And if you want to say no, I get it.”
“I want it,” you interrupt.
“Good,” Luca replies with a wide smile. “I thought it might be a bit too soon for a ring, but I want you to have something to remember that I am here, that I will love you and be with you today, next year, for every birthday and day between until I die.”
You follow Luca into the jewelry store and hold his hand as you have the chain secured to your wrist. Luca guarantees that he checked, and it won’t be an issue with his position on S.W.A.T., and you fall a bit deeper in love with him.
✯✯✯✯✯
Luca is a liar and makes one more surprise stop at your favorite clothing store. He tells you to find an outfit you love and happily pays for it despite your best efforts to beat him to it. When you return to his house, he asks you to model it, and you reluctantly agree.
“Beautiful,” Luca announces when you exit.
“Thank you. Again,” you reply.
“Oh, the outfit’s nice, too.”
You laugh as Luca pulls you into his arms. He tells you that you deserve better than his cooking for your birthday, and although you disagree, you’d do just about anything he asked right now. So, you get back in his truck and watch him as he drives to an outdoor café.
When you step onto the well-lit patio, you expect a romantic dinner with Luca to end your perfect birthday. However, Luca has been taking advantage of your lack of suspicion since you’re not used to being celebrated and receiving attention and gifts. When 20-David and several of your friends jump out and yell “Surprise,” you immediately turn toward Luca. You are separated as people approach you with gifts and birthday wishes, but you stay aware of where Luca is in the small crowd. It is the first time you are being celebrated by the people you love, and you know that Luca is responsible for all of it. You'll never be able to thank him enough, but you love him, which is what matters.
The surprise party is fun, but the moment it ends, you happily leave with Luca and collapse at his house. Once you are sitting on his couch, in the same position as when the surprise idea came to Luca, you thank him again.
“Stop thanking me,” he says softly. “You are important to me, so your birthday is special. Celebrating you isn’t something I need to be thanked for, I do it because I love you, and I love doing it.”
“You’re being extra romantic today,” you muse.
Luca smiles as you turn against his chest. “It’s the most important day of the year.”
“You can’t go this big every year, I won’t be able to take it. Maybe your gift next year can be a day off or something.”
Luca hums, and you know he’s planning to go even bigger.
“Is there anything you’ve really wanted?” Luca asks. “In the past, was there something you wanted but have never gotten?”
You lean back and hold Luca’s shoulders as you look into his eyes. “Honestly?” Luca nods, so you continue, “I got tired of asking for things that I knew no one cared enough to give. Or there was just no one around to ask. I mean, I never asked for anything big, but eventually even the little stuff is disappointing. One year, I just asked my friends to come over and hang out and they didn’t even do that. So, I guess I’d say having someone spend time with me just because. But you gave me that today.”
Luca frowns as you answer and vows to himself to make every birthday special. He decides to lighten the mood for now, though, and points out, “Your birthday isn’t even over yet. We have, like, two hours to spend together.”
You roll your eyes, completely in love with Luca and excited at the prospect of being with him for the rest of your life. When he pulls you into a sudden kiss, you don’t fight it, but continue enjoying the best gift you’ve ever received: time with Luca, and his affection certainly doesn’t hurt.
“I promise,” Luca whispers between kisses, “to make your birthday wishes come true for many years.”
“I love you,” you reply. It’s short, but the sentiment perfectly conveys to Luca just how much today meant to you. “And if you really want to spend the next two hours with me, you should get comfortable, because I’ve got new books to start.”
Luca holds you against his chest and asks, “What if I told you my birthday wish is more kisses?”
You ponder the question for less than ten seconds before leaning in again. Though your relationship with Luca is still new, there is no chance that things will ever grow boring. As you ring in another year of you with Luca, you begin brainstorming how to make his birthday as special as he made yours.
#hanna writes✯#dominique luca x reader#luca x reader#dominique luca#swat x reader#swat cbs#requests#fem!reader
32 notes
·
View notes
Note
hi! i’m not sure if you saw today’s discourse on twitter but people are speculating on the alice, armand and daniel getup. what are your thoughts on this? some people think alice and armand are the same person but others think they are separate people and daniel was married to alice while still being with armand at some point. you’re one of the few people in the fandom whose opinions i actually do trust so i’m interested in reading your take on this lol
Hey!
I... just went and just scrolled over the timeline and I think I saw some of it...
So errr - thank you for your trust, I hope I can live up to it^^ - here's my two cents on this:
I do think Daniel's daughters are real, we only hear of them, but there's the helmets and I do think that the mind-wipe that obviously happened at some point happened a few years after the initial interview. I think that has likely to do with the daughters (the leaked music titles/hints would fit here) and when exactly the first pregnancy occurred.
So in my opinion this leaves us with two distinct possibilities:
Alice is Daniel's first wife. He gets his "shit" together for her, because she got pregnant. He also might confuse some of his memories of her with some of Armand's characteristics (the eyebrow standing in for the contact lenses), or events he experienced with Armand, like that dessert in Paris, because that's how brains work - they try to make sense of "what's there". It's where deja-vus come from, too. Daniel's mind has a lot of things buried it tries to make sense of, so that is nothing too surprising, imho.
Armand is Alice, the name replaced in Daniel's mind, and his daughters are actually by his second wife. That would mean that a lot of Daniel's memories and thoughts are confused though, and I'm not so sure I would lean into that, because I think it is contradicted by his career.
There's also the third possibility that Daniel's daughters (and Alice) actually never existed, and that the few items of them were planted, but that... I think that would be too far out, because Daniel would then have lived an illusory life, with repeated spell-binding and mind-wipes to keep him in it, to write his books as he did, and so on. I don't think that's likely.
Now, personally I think the show will take the route of 1).
If you know the Devil's Minion, Armand hunts Daniel all over the world after Louis attacked him (and in the show after Armand saved his life). In growing consternation and fascination, and an also quite fatal love.
We know that at some point something happens which leads in turn to someone wiping Daniel's mind. We know they kept tabs on him (the tapes turn up in his post box without postage^^), we know they are up to date on his medical issues.
Louis refers to Daniel as "our boy" more than once, and Armand looks shocked when Louis quips offers Daniel the Dark Gift.
In the book, Armand only turns Daniel when he is about to die, and I don't think that will change here. If that will mean a combination of TtotBT, or QotD? We'll see. There's a lot of ways they could go.
But back to Daniel and his daughters.
We know these daughters are all grown up (and don't talk to him anymore). We know he is divorced, twice, and has had his ups and downs. These can be traced, the books exist, his career exists. His wife is mentioned in those books.
So there are decades of his life that he lived outside the "hunt" with Armand (and likely, in parts at least, Louis). Decades of his life that exist away from the vampires - and there has to be a reason for that.
For Armand to step back from his fixation on Daniel there had to be a very valid, very deep reason.
Obviously Daniel getting "Alice" pregnant would fit that bill.
Armand had wanted to keep Daniel human, had tried not to turn him. (In vain, ultimately.) Daniel becoming a father... now that would bring in a "reason" outside Armand's own reasoning that he could latch onto.
And, who knows where we are in the story wrt the reconciliation with Marius, maybe it was he who wiped Daniel's mind. But of course Armand is just as capable here.
So I think the hunts, and maybe years of relationship with Armand happened.
And then... something else happened. Maybe the frustration of being denied the blood led to Daniel leaving Armand for periods of time. Maybe he found solace with Alice. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was an attempt at normalcy. We'll see.
As a note though, because for me it kinda implied there - Armand... wouldn't mind Daniel being (having sex) with someone else, even if he were there. In the books the famous "cuck chair" is very much real, Armand gets Daniel a lot of people to have sex with.
I do not think they will go the route of Daniel being married while Armand is still "there".
I do however think that Armand is always somewhere close, has maybe interfered in Daniel's life in some aspects, too. Has kept tabs.
So that's my two cents on this :) Hope it made sense - let me know what you think?^^
>> Btw, if you are interested in a fanfiction take that is very well written, and likely very close to what we might see? I can recommend "The Forgotten Years", by @faerywhimsy and @cbrownjc - they did a fantastic job hooking into what we know already and what the books provide and merge it together. I'm reading it now, and I have a blast seeing it all fit^^.
#Anonymous#asks#ask nalyra#amc iwtv#iwtv#amc interview with the vampire#interview with the vampire amc#iwtv amc#iwtv 2022#interview with the vampire#the devil's minion#armand#daniel molloy#devil's minion#the vampire chronicles#vc#vampire chronicles
36 notes
·
View notes
Text
2023 Fic Recs!
Happy International Fanworks Day everybody!!! To celebrate, have some fic recs! These are some of my favorite works from last year! You know the drill- all completed last year, various ratings/lengths, nothing from multiple authors (although i was SO tempted, especially by @chocolateteapotsvis as always), and in complete random order.
Thank you to all of these lovely authors for brightening up my year! :D And also enabling my procrastination lolol
Halbarry, my otp, of course:
Onward to the Horizon by ChocolateTeapots @chocolateteapotsvis (Teen and up)
Five days, three Kaiju, and eleven collective hours of sleep.
It’s one more fight. They just need to pull through.
For Halbarry Week Day 4: Fantasy/SciFi
sometimes I feel it comin' on at the wheel by DynamicDuo (XylB) @halifax-jordan (Explicit)
"It'll be okay," Hal soothes. "I don't need to know what's troubling you right now, but whatever it is, it'll be all right."
"It focuses…on what…I want," Barry says through gritted teeth, like each word is painful to get out. Or maybe embarrassing?
He peeks up at Hal through his fingers with a meaningful look, as if hoping Hal will understand…through osmosis?
"Buddy, I can do a lot, but I can't read your mind."
When I Come Back, I'll Wear Your Wedding Ring by ketchup_monthly (General)
hal has some issues he needs to work through, but he loves his boyfriend very much. barry just wants to get married.
aka: i wrote yet another halbarry fic furthering my "hal is a huge romantic" agenda
Entropy (Has Got Nothing on Us) by RoboticNebula @roboticnebula (Mature)
Snapshots of Hal and Barry’s life together.
For Halbarry week 2023 (25 August – 31 August).
star twinkled skin by Rexs_Blacks (Explicit)
Barry gets stuck in a wall. Hal helps out. Feelings and shit.
Buddie!
glue by ProsperDemeter (Teen and up) -this entire series is SO PERFECT
“It’s just…” Connor shrugged. “No offense, man, but… you’re twenty-five. Do you really want to be spending so much time falling for a guy with a kid?”
“I’m not falling for him.”
--
A month away from graduating the LAFD Academy, Evan Buckley gets introduced to new recruit Eddie Diaz and things certainly change for both of them after that.
--
Another season one rewrite.
I'll Feel You Forget Me Like I Used to Feel You Breathe by turningthepages (Mature)
A car accident leaves Eddie without ten years of memories. He forgets meeting Buck, falling in love, getting married, and bringing two more kids into their life. As Eddie struggles to adjust to this new life, Buck struggles with being in love with someone who doesn't want to remember him.
Oh, and they have really cute kids.
or
Just another Hollywood Amnesia story the fandom probably didn't need but lived in my head rent free for too long.
help me hold on to you by Ink_Dancer (Mature)
"You doing okay, Buck?" Eddie asked.
Buck snorted. Loudly. It echoed.
Eddie clicked his tongue. "Okay." He started moving again, coming over to Buck's side and starting to gather up an armful of takeout cartons.
"What're you doing?" Buck asked.
"I'm taking care of you," Eddie said firmly. "Because you're not doing a very good job."
Or: Buck recovers slowly from the ladder truck, the Buckley-Diaz family goes stargazing, and Eddie and Buck get stuck in an attic during a house fire.
to your front door by hammersmiths (General)
Pepa’s been eyeing him all evening, so it shouldn’t be a surprise when she says, “Why aren’t you dating Eddie?”
And yet Buck still nearly veers the car straight off the road.
maybe it's the way you lean on his shoulder by allyasavedtheday @littlespoonevan (Teen and up)
“Eddie,” she blurts. “Hi. Sorry. I didn’t realise you were here.”
The sound of her voice makes him move and he quickly sets the knife down, offering her a warm smile. “Hey, Maddie. Don’t apologise; I’m not interrupting your schedule, am I?”
“Oh no,” Maddie shakes her head quickly, waving the idea away. “The uh- the schedule’s been retired. I was just gonna make Buck dinner but-“
“Looks like we had the same idea, huh?” Eddie replies with a half-laugh. “Well, you’re welcome to join us. I’m making lasagne. It’s not quite on the level of Bobby’s famous four-cheese recipe but Buck’s still on a comfort food kick.”
*
In which Maddie realises there might be more to Buck and Eddie's relationship than she'd originally thought.
Stucky:
Werewolves in the Workplace by leveragehunters (Monkeygreen) @leveragehunters (Teen and up)
SHIELD was the only intelligence agency that assigned werewolf and vampire agents to work together in the field, but the program had been a staggering success. They compensated each other’s weaknesses, complemented each other’s strengths, and a werewolf could feed a vampire and shake off the effects faster than ordering a pizza.
Bucky knew all that. What he didn't know was why this particular vampire, one Agent Steve Rogers, was holding out a protein bar. They were perched in the rafters of a warehouse, waiting for not-overly punctual arms dealers to show up and deal arms, had been stuck up here for a couple of hours, but none of that explained vampires suddenly offering snacks.
In his near decade as a werewolf in SHIELD, Bucky had worked with a lot of vampires, and they all tended to be pretty much the same. Steve Rogers was different, didn't fit the vampire mould, and Bucky couldn't quite figure out why.
Not that it really mattered. Steve was just someone he was occasionally paired with on SHIELD assignments. It wasn't like he was going to have any effect on Bucky's life.
Waking the Fire in Me by humapuma (Explicit)
Steve’s knees nearly went out from under him, but he grabbed onto the table to stay upright. He whined – he couldn’t help it. His chest cracked open, breaking him down until he was sixteen years old again, thin and sickly.
The pale grey of those eyes was so familiar, but Steve hadn’t seen it, hadn’t even thought to look for it. How? A voice screamed inside. How did I not see?
His entire being trembled as he whispered, “Bucky?”
The Soldier’s usually cold eyes changed then, something flashed in them as his nostrils flared, harshly inhaling Steve’s scent before he said the words that finally made his buckling knees give out, forcing Steve to the ground.
“Who the hell is Bucky?”
A ghost found his way to the Avengers, asking for help - a ghost of a man long thought dead.
the time that's slipping by its_tortle @its-tortle (Teen and up)
“Hello?” she calls.
Steve holds his breath again, even as he feels pressure build up behind his eyes. Because that’s his mother’s voice, and he hasn’t heard in twenty one (conscious) years. He doesn’t dare move.
OR
'If Steve was going to travel back in time for anything before returning to his own timeline, it would be to see his mom again one last time'
Tongue in Cheek by rohruh (Explicit)
“No, no,” Bucky leans into his space, close enough that Steve can feel the warm tufts of his breath against his cheek, “go on.”
“It’s just,” Steve’s not quite sure how to phrase this. He’s not sure what his motivation was in starting this whole conversation, really. “I guess I wish that I could kiss like that, is all.”
Bucky stares at him, his eyes bright as the warm glow from the streetlight dances off of them. “I could teach you.”
Steve’s mouth goes dry. “Teach me?”
“Yeah,” Bucky snatches the joint out of his hand and leans back against the wall. “Give you a kissing lesson, or whatever.”
Backhoe by ZenaidaMacrouras @zenaidamacrouras1 (Explicit)
Steve Rogers is a seasoned activist and not at all afraid to get arrested while protesting the building of a pipeline. HOWEVER he is TERRIFIED when he realizes he’ll be chained to the same backhoe as Bucky “very handsome southern boy who also plays guitar and struts like a panther in his very tight, worn thin blue jeans” Barnes.
Our brave, tiny Steve will find out once and for all: Can you catch on fire from blushing over your crush?
May Contain: Extended descriptions of how to get arrested while chained to a backhoe, copious amounts of sisters, Appalachian accents, cheerful silliness interspersed with tragic background realness. Pining with a happy ending. Chicken related controversy.
Tragic background realness mainly consists of parents passing away, because who doesn’t love adult orphans. Discussion of funerals. Very brief homophobic interaction in chapter 18 (marked in the chapter intro notes). There is no violence, but there are a few moments where you might think there might be violence. Overall this is a romance not a gritty, hard hitting documentary.
Various pairings:
Till You Find Your Dream by Kyele @timeforalongstory (Explicit) (Brudick)
You know, my child, that the orphanage cannot continue to support you once you become an adult.” The abbess sighs. “There is one path that is always open to you. You may choose a holy vocation, and take orders. The Sisters of Perpetual Grace will accept you as a postulant if you choose.”
Dick had known to expect this. “Thank you, Reverend Mother,” Dick says respectfully, “but I cannot follow that path.”
The Mother Superior nods. He looks unsurprised. “Then perhaps,” he says, “you would be interested to hear of another opportunity.” From the papers on his desk, the abbess removes a single sheet. “Are you familiar with Captain Wayne?”
Dick accepts a position as governess to eight war-orphans, adopted by millionaire and WW1 flying ace Captain Bruce Wayne. The rest is inevitable.
Seven by HollyDB (Explicit) (Spuffy)
It's been months since Willow almost ended the world, and a tense summer has turned into an ominous fall in Sunnydale. Spike is back from wherever and acting weirder than usual, a new threat is rising that—for once—doesn't seem to stem from the hellmouth, and Buffy has no idea who to trust or what to believe. She also doesn’t have the luxury of time to figure it out.
Some things never change.
Seven Lessons by Tessabeth (Mature) (Cazriel)
At Windhaven, teenage Cassian's in trouble again. As punishment he's paired with the strange shadowsinger who hangs around Devlon's headquarters.
40,000 words, ten chapters, complete. Some timeline tinkering.
“You,” says Devlon, pointing at Cass, “need to learn self control. He’s got it. And you,” pointing at Azriel now, “need to learn to use those pathetic curtains you’re carrying around on your back, and this one knows how. So there you go. You’ve got a week. At the end of the week, I want both of you flying, and both of you able to put up a solid shield without blasting your comrades over a cliff. Now fuck off.”
Azriel bends down to the Commander and murmurs something urgently in his ear. Tendrils of shadow writhe around his jaw.
“No. No, I’ll manage it without you. I’ve let this go on too long; you’re too old for this bullshit. You can come back when you can fly. Go on, fuck off. And shut the door behind you.”
Back out in the gelid dusk, the two look at each other warily.
Azriel still says nothing.
Cass sighs. “See you in the morning? Meet by the mess?”
Azriel ducks his head in agreement, and disappears down an alleyway.
It’s going to be a long week.
Desperate Times by Eienvine (General) (Sifki)
Sif sees the man’s lips curve up in a sharp, cruel smile. “I have long dreamed of seeing Odin on his knees, begging for his life. I cannot have that, but I can at least see his son beg for someone else’s life.”
He won’t do it, Sif is certain; if there is one thing that can confidently be said about Loki, it is that he is horribly proud. And proud men do not beg. Not even to save her life.
Sit, Stay, Speak by Fenris13 @ragnarokhound (Explicit) (Jaytim)
“He’s not here. Just his suit,” he tells Babs, gathering up the costume. “The apartment’s untouched, but downstairs looks like a hurricane went through it.”
There’s a crackling hiss through the receiver as she sighs, tense. “Shit. Okay. Is there anything—?”
“That’s not all,” he interrupts, standing up with an apprehensive look at his unexpected new companion. “There’s a dog.”
and tell the ones you love (you love them) by LadyMerlin (Teen and up) (Jaytim)
Weeks pass and the clan remains occupied with the chaos that is Gotham. It’s no busier than usual, but Bruce feels himself tiring easily, still recovering from his involuntary jaunt through the timestream. Everyone is remarkably kind to him, giving him time and space to recover. Unfortunately, all that time gives him, well… a lot of time to think. To consider. To analyse the changes that have occurred during his absence. There are new alliances, new tensions, shifting fault lines in the geology of his family. He reminds himself that this is the best case scenario; that everyone is still alive and well, that things could have gone much worse. But he can’t help but feel there’s something he’s still missing. Something he hasn't been told.
AKA: the one where Bruce learns how to use his words, and tries not to be too nosy about his children's love lives.
those kind of friends by gabrieeella (Mature) (Jeronica)
He remembered the first time he’d seen her wear her hair like that, the way it’d unsettled him a little. It was so Betty-like, and yet not Betty-like at all. Betty’s ponytail moved like spilled sunlight. Veronica’s swung around like a guillotine.
Or, a series of unexpected late-night encounters force an ever-distant Jughead and Veronica to explore who they really are (and could be) to each other.
you dug my heart a grave by jilliancares @jilliancares (General) (Spideypool)
He’s laying there, groaning and in pain and clutching his ribs, but even worse—
[Really? Is it really worse? Give it a good, hard think and tell me if this is worse.]
—but even worse, sparks are flying. Literally.
Or: Wade realizes that Spidey is his soulmate.
30 notes
·
View notes
Text
From His Mind to Hers
chapter 10 >> Chapter 11 >> masterlist
✣ Pairing: Hanma x AFAB fem!Reader
✣ Warning: 18+, minors DNI; unhealthy relationships & dark content
✣ Chapter CW: ok bear with me because this chapter…dubcon to be safe (all sex is consensual but Hanma regularly ignores reader’s protests about specific things during the act), anal sex, facesitting, anal plugs, phone sex, masturbation, more daddy kink rooted in daddy issues, nonconsensual filming, mentions of consensual somnophilia, mentions of blowjobs, mentions of exhibitionism/sex in a semi-public place, mentions of overstim, mentions of vibrators, mentions of ptv sex, cheating
✣ Story CWs: patient/doctor relationships; smut (oral, ptv, pta, etc.), degradation, stalking, torture (not of y/n), murder, discussions of trauma and abuse, drug use, and more
✣ Synopsis: Forced into therapy, Hanma expects to waste his time and yours, but you’re not about to let the chance of a high-profile and higher paying patient slip through your grasp. The fact that you’re both attracted to each other doesn’t hurt either.
✣ Word Count: 11k+
Autumn creeps into your life, blanketing the summer heat and suppressing it to something milder. A warm, dry September and then October. You don’t notice the transition at first, the same way you wouldn’t notice a bank robbery during an alien invasion when all eyes are on the skies. Because if there are two adjectives to describe your life this autumn, they are “hot” and “wet.”
The line you toed for so long between same-old security and hedonistic abandon isn’t simply crossed, it’s been scuffed and swept away entirely underfoot. Whether you crossed it of your own volition or Hanma yanked you across by the hair doesn’t matter. It is a uniquely bountiful autumn either way, a plentiful harvest for the fields and a blossoming from somewhere deep within your body as you yield for the first time in your life to what you truly want.
And, as it turns out, you want quite a lot.
You want to try delicious foods as you lounge in bed. The decadence of silk sheets caressing your bare body as you lick heavy cream from your fingertips, unbothered by whatever stains you leave on the pillowcase knowing Hanma will pay the bill.
You want to wake up in a dingy motel room with nothing but blurred memories from the night before. Disoriented as you try to gather yourself even as heavy balls slap your ass and a cock bullies its way straight to the heart of you.
You want a man to push you to your knees in a half-secluded alleyway, make you call him “Daddy” before he chokes you on his length, loud enough that surely someone will investigate.
Bubbling over with these newfound desires, it’s all you can do to function in the mundane everyday of what you once dubbed your “real life.” The you-shaped space you carved for yourself in the world, that intangible some call identity, doesn’t allow for these wants or behaviors, fit a different woman you can no longer access. So, you sleepwalk through those miserable hours, working yourself into a wet froth at the very thought of what Hanma might introduce you to next.
Pleasure in moderation is something neither you nor Hanma understand, so it is no surprise when in September, after wringing orgasm after orgasm out of your battered cunt with a Hitachi Wand whose buzzing you swear will forever narrate your dreams, you go completely clit numb. The merest brush against swollen flesh is enough to bring tears to your eyes and wreak defensive shudders up and down your spine. The sensitivity lasts for one frustrating week. During which time, Hanma teaches you yet another lesson in pleasure when he bends you over and spits on your unused asshole, promising to show you the joys of being a three-hole slut for him. You swear you cum harder than you ever have in your life when he fucks your ass, all stretching and pulsating and throbbing pleasure just this side of pain as he pursues his orgasm with barely a care for yours.
Hanma takes what he wants whenever and wherever he wants it. And like a willing little acolyte, you are only too happy to oblige.
In the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, appears the concept of the abyss, a bottomless hole without bounds or limits. It represents the chaos from which the world is created. Later the abyss would be reinterpreted in Jewish literature as essentially the underworld, but you prefer its origins. You liken the depth of Hanma’s desire to that abyss, an anarchic, illimitable realm. There is no predicting Hanma’s desires from one day to the next as they surface from those arcane depths as spontaneous as Hanma himself.
The only guarantee you have come to count on with Hanma, is that when he calls you, you will be fucked.
That is pretty much a given.
Sometimes, Hanma likes to take you in opulent hotel rooms. Those nights, Hanma presses you to call him “Daddy” to thank him for his generosity. He washes your hair in the his-and-hers bathtubs, massages you in hot oils, and fucks you slow and deep, body to body with no space in between, until it feels like you might melt into one another. Enough Oxytocin floods your brain, you could almost mistake it for love.
Other times, Hanma reverses the arrangement entirely, bringing you to the most rundown dumps he can find, the kinds where working girls fill the lobby dressed in next to nothing and perverse moans filter through paper-thin walls. If it is meant as a declaration of your place – just a whore to use and throw away – you don’t mind. Because you know he’ll call you again tomorrow and the day after that. It’s there in the way his brow pinches tight when he cums, jaw slack and dumb as the last spurts decorate your body. He is as cumdrunk as you are.
The privacy of a hotel isn’t a must for you two either. None of the safeguards society puts in place to stop couples from descending into animal lust mean anything to Hanma. When you stop at a konbini to stock up on condoms, he’ll shamelessly hump into the crest of your ass. Your office is thoroughly corrupted by him at this point, his cum seeping into the floorboards in a primal marking of territory. At a restaurant or bar to replenish your energy after a dehydrating, exhausting round of sex, Hanma might drag you to the bathroom for a quickie bent over the sink, eyes capturing every expression and wince as they meet yours in the mirror. You love those times. When he threatens in that deep, lilting tease to unlock the door and show everyone how pretty you look stretched out on his cock, you fall apart. You love the cruelty there, the danger that comes with knowing he could hurt you, wants to even, and yet he doesn’t.
Just about the only place you don’t fuck is at the home you share with Takashi. A flimsy scruple, a last stand at the pretense of boundaries that Hanma is hellbent on eradicating. So far, you have remained firm. The most you’ll compromise is riding him in the cramped quarters of his car outside your building. That you indulge in regularly.
It is a long, hot three months, and if Hanma calls you insatiable, you have no argument to return because you see no end in sight. Something has awakened inside you, and you don’t want to stop.
And what you want, you take.
--
The tick tock of the preset audio on your phone is dependable, a looping metronome that you can set your breathing to, steady as the beating drum. It is the only discernable sound in your office. Hanma sits on the couch, eyes closed and perched on the very edge as if prepared to leap to his feet. From your own chair, you watch him try – and fail – to meditate.
Hanma is as fidgety as you’ve ever seen him. One foot taps relentlessly, a little staccato tune set to his own rhythm. Every few seconds, he idly scratches his elbow or readjusts his weight on the cushion. At other times, when he means to intimidate, Hanma can go completely still, like a cat stalking its prey; so while you didn’t expect Hanma to excel at meditation, you are still surprised by how soundly he is failing at it.
When Hanma sighs for the fourth time in as many minutes, you decide to interject.
“Try to refocus on your anchor. Hear the ticking of the clock, center it. Acknowledge your thoughts as they pass by, and then, let them go.”
“How am I supposed to focus on nothing but the damn clock. I feel like freaking Captain Hook. Maybe if my anchor was more interesting,” Hanma says, slumping back on the couch.
“It doesn’t have to be the clock,” you concede, turning the sound off. The office vibrates loudly in the abrupt absence of the ticking. “Try to picture something instead. An object or image, something mundane but peaceful that can help you anchor yourself to the moment. Tell me when you have something in mind.”
“I’ve got it,” Hanma says after a beat.
“Describe it to me.”
“It’s a jewel.”
“Like a diamond?”
“Yes, but fake. Probably plastic or cubic zirconia. Doesn’t matter. It’s a round stone, colorless. The light glints off it. It shines,” Hanma says.
From behind closed eyes, Hanma doesn’t see you nod your approval as you reply, “Good. Now, hold that image clear as can be in your mind. Try to maintain it as the center of your thoughts. As stray thoughts come, accept them without judgment and try to observe them as if you are an outsider. Then, return to your jewel.”
Mindfulness is the last step in the puzzle of Hanma’s treatment. He already recognizes the problem: namely, that when bored or otherwise triggered, he lashes out. Likewise, he has already learned coping strategies to forestall a negative outcome and release his most manic energies in a more productive manner: surfing and well, you. So, all that remains now is to arm Hanma with the tools to recognize when he is being triggered, identifying the faulty thought patterns and stimuli sooner, so that he can address them before the stressors build into a violent outburst.
With the jewel fixed in his mind, Hanma relaxes fully into mindfulness. Still and silent, a half hour passes.
Were you more responsible, you might use this time to try a little meditation yourself as your personal therapy sessions have stalled out. Each session you talk mostly about your childhood and mother. The background would be helpful except ignorant of your recent reckless, self-harming behaviors, your therapist can’t guide you towards any breakthroughs or coping strategies. The secret of you and Hanma is locked away. The only place where you are remotely frank is in your private therapy diary, where you catalogue your comings and goings as well as your worst fears for when this is over. Because this will inevitably end.
The specter of how this detour in your life, this affair – torrid as it sounds – will end haunts you, lingering in the back of your mind even as you reach the brink of pleasure, casting shadows over your dreams. Weeks ago, you dreamt you were caught in a bear trap, ankle tearing on its serrated edges. It was within your power to break free, but a clean escape was impossible. You would need to leave behind everything below the ankle.
You think of that dream often.
Outside your dreams, your anxieties take on a different, even less forgiving symbolic representation. A reaper. Someone knocking on your door, demanding much more than a foot, intent on taking everything. Gone your newfound joy at being alive. Stolen your career. Lost forever your security. Perhaps the reaper would not be satisfied until he took your very life.
Sometimes, you picture this reaper as a tall, thin man with coiffed purple hair and striking violet eyes to match…
Since first meeting him, you have only heard from Haitani Ran twice. The first time, he texted you from the number he saved as “Hirayama Riko” in your phone. Under the pretense of being an old university acquaintance, “Riko” texted that she was finally going on that vacation to Ishigaki to relax by the sea, just like you always used to discuss. You had puzzled for hours over how to respond to this baiting message before finally replying that you were happy for “her” but didn’t see such a vacation in your future.
That first exchange happened before the night at the beach, when Hanma got you high and fucked you at the club. You told yourself that you were motivated by pure logic, that the risk was not worth the potential reward. Loyalty to Hanma was not even a factor.
A month later, “Riko” sent you another message. This time a photo of a woman in her early thirties – presumably meant to be this imaginary Riko – at the beach, looking as if she had teleported to paradise beside gentle blue waters and a comically yellow sun. Already deep into your affair with Hanma at this point, you didn’t even bother to reply.
Remembering Haitani ambushing you still sends a sick trill down your spine. It is too dangerous to even think about as if Hanma might read your thoughts and learn the truth of what you kept from him, what you selfishly considered when yen signs first flashed before your eyes.
Vibrations from your phone shock you out of these memories. The time passed so quickly. You summon Hanma out of his meditation. He sits up, hair askew, so that his curls lay flat on his forehead, a blush of color in his cheeks, and you are startled by how beautiful he is.
“Well done,” you compliment. “I want you to continue practicing meditation for at least a few minutes every day. The more you do this, the more adept you’ll become at recognizing your thought patterns as they happen, and you’ll be able to apply that objectivity in your day-to-day life without the need to meditate at all. Once you master that, we’ll train together to overcome the negative thought patterns you identify as they arise.”
“Sure thing, Doc. It was easy once I had the proper motivation to keep me focused. Speaking of…I think I deserve a reward for being such a good, focused patient. Don’t you agree?”
There is no semblance of fight left in you, and maybe you should be ashamed of that. Maybe as Hanma directs you to the couch he just inhabited – scratchy fabric digging into your knees as he rearranges you like a doll to his liking – you should think of Takashi or your responsibility to Hanma as a patient. Then Hanma speaks and your thighs clench, blood sizzling with something that makes waking up every morning more than bearable, exciting, and you find that none of the rest matters.
“There we are,” Hanma coos when he has positioned you where he wants you. Hands press to the wall as you kneel tall, head stopping just below his chin.
He bunches the fabric of your pencil skirt up to the apex of your thighs, the cut too tight to rise any further. Idle fingers drag across the band of your stockings, snapping the elastic in a sharp twang against your skin. You peer over your shoulder to watch Hanma’s expressions. Those greedy eyes consume you like he might build your perfect replica from memory before he removes his glasses, tossing them off to the side.
The siren song of your lacy nylons distracts him for only a short moment. Too long denied his prize, Hanma doesn’t waste much time. One hand digs into the flesh of your thigh as the other rifles under your tight skirt, finding the swell of your ass and then…
Ping.
You jolt as Hanma flicks the plug fit snug in your ass, the outside a diamond-shaped jewel, like a shiny beacon to draw the eye. Mortified, you glare over your shoulder at him. He ignores you in favor of grinning lecherously at your covered ass. Relaxed after hours of wearing the plug at Hanma’s behest, you had completely forgotten it was there. When he waxed poetic about a diamond-like jewel, you didn’t even consider the one nestled between the swell of your ass cheeks.
“The point of the anchor is to train your brain to relax, so you can study your own thoughts as they occur spontaneously. It does not work if you’re picturing a…a…” you trail off in part because you are unable to find the words and in part because Hanma harshly twists the plug, sending ripples through your insides.
“I feel plenty relaxed. Really, it’s not easy to capture my attention, Doc, but picturing this hole gaping open for me while you sit there all proper and professional, really did it for me,” Hanma teases.
“You’re such an ass,” you mutter, and then more loudly, “You promised if I wore this you would take today’s session seriously!”
Hanma ignores you, lowers the zipper of your skirt, so he can shuck the fabric down your thighs, revealing all that naked skin. A hand on the small of your back pushes you down a fraction, so your ass rounds and you can no longer make out Hanma’s smirking inspection.
“You could add hypnotherapy to your services. Already got me so hard,” Hanma murmurs.
The plug drags as it’s removed. Your muscles clench down around the absence, strained and strange after having grown accustomed to the weight of it.
There is no anchor for you to escape to. Nothing of interest for your eyes to latch onto but some chipped paint, a scratch, and the faintest smell of plaster. Naturally, you hyperfocus on the sounds coming from over your shoulder. First, the rustle of clothes as Hanma strips. Then, the hocking glob of him spitting, though it doesn’t land on your ass like you expect. The mystery is solved a moment later when, lastly, you hear a familiar slapping of skin as Hanma jerks his cock to the sight of your spread asshole. The heaviness of arousal weighs down your breasts, but you resist. He doesn’t deserve this reward, not after he made a mockery of meditating after promising to take it seriously.
“You’re such a pervert,” you hiss.
“Oh, is that the game you want to play, Doc. Depraved patient forcing his pretty doctor on her knees. I think I could get into that,” Hanma says, voice coming from lower than you expected, as if he’s bent down to stare directly at your asshole.
Usually when Hanma plays with your ass, he preps you carefully, tongues your closed hole until it parts beneath him like a flower, makes a game of adding one finger after the next, testing how far he can reach inside with a satisfied eye on your heated face. Pushed to the edges of his patience, Hanma foregoes all of that, so the next thing you feel is the head of his cock.
The tip pops in without resistance. It is when Hanma flexes forward to where his cock is thicker than the plug that you wince. It burns a little, an unsettling intrusion that lights up your nerves, demanding you force it out. The stretch doesn’t feel good exactly, but the memory of other times just like this, when pain yielded to pleasure, tricks your body into responding with a breathy little gasp.
With his length lodged halfway in your ass, Hanma stalls out. He breathes heavily behind you. When he can’t force his way deeper, he switches to little muttered curses.
One of his hands wraps around your belly, the other finding its way to yours, where you support yourself braced against the wall. Holding you like this, you relax a fraction, enough to suck his cock in a crucial centimeter deeper. You both groan.
A blunt molar and then a sharper canine scrapes a line up your neck. Hanma follows the not-quite bite with sucking kisses, follows the vein to your jaw, marking you. You arch and sigh into it. Nothing gets you off quite like Hanma’s teeth at your throat, the threat of a predator poised to strike and yet tamed by the wet heat of whichever hole he chose to fuck that day. The faint remnant of danger tingles your clit, makes you aware that you’re slick between your legs, where you remain untouched and wanting.
Hanma draws his hips back a fraction and then drives upwards into your body. This time, your relaxed muscles accept him, and he fucks deep to the hilt. Eyes blown wide, you scramble for an anchor. You find one where his hand still holds yours on the wall, veins prominent and knuckles white as he pins you down with the heavy weight of his body molded to your back. There’s no space between you where his hips lodge against the crest of your ass. Fucked full, you shudder helplessly through the stretch.
Slow and deep, Hanma grinds into you. Each thrust unsettles you, but behind the ache, your body tightens with something close to pleasure.
Minutes pass at the same steady rhythm as Hanma works himself up, emitting hot grunts and garbled curses as you squeeze the life out of his cock. Awareness of your own body, all the places you aren’t touched, dominates your thoughts. The way your nipples stand erect and aching behind your bra. The way your clit throbs untouched. The way your pussy clenches in envy after each gentle thrust.
Despite all the ways this position leaves you wanting, you moan and writhe around the cock fucking your ass almost as much as you do when Hanma rails your cunt. They’re different sounds. Less pleasure more plea as you pitch your voice up in a subconscious entreaty for Hanma to touch you more, all over, finally give you what you want. You make a show of how needy you are for him.
Beneath the sound of your own moaning, you hear a door close, and every muscle in your body tenses. Hanma seethes as you clamp vice-like around his cock, but you ignore him. Vaguely, you remember your receptionist mentioning she might pop by in order to work on some scheduling today. Was the door closing her coming or going? And either way, did she hear the primal noises coming from your office?
“Be quiet,” you hiss to Hanma, straining your ears to hear more. “I think I hear someone.”
“I’m not the one moaning like a whore,” Hanma taunts.
You reach a hand back to slap at him, which he bats away easily. Pressing onto the small of your back, he forces you down onto the head of the couch, clunking your skull off the wall before you can adjust. Your cheek presses helplessly into the wall where you formerly braced yourself. The new position spreads your ass wider. Hanma takes advantage by grabbing great handfuls on either side and forcing you back onto his cock at a harsher pace than before.
“You’re trying to get us caught,” you scold though it’s closer to a whimper than a proper reprimand.
“Be a good bitch and take it,” Hanma grunts. He emphasizes his point with a sharp slap to your ass, and then another just to watch it jiggle.
Sometimes, you think you might hate him for what he’s reduced you to.
The frantic pace of his hips doesn’t stop after that. If anything, his thrusts become meaner, all brute force as he sinks to the hilt and draws back before you can take a breath. Forehead pressed to the wall, you do as he commands and take it.
You arch your back a little, unable to lie still against the pounding, and something wonderful happens. His balls swing upward, bouncing off your clit. The moan that rips through you is too loud. But you’ve been so deprived all this time, and that quick touch is overpowering.
The next thrust brings his balls swinging back, and then again and again, until you are melting through the couch into a ball of mush. They’re so hot and heavy, battering your pussy relentlessly. Every time Hanma draws back, you almost manage to clear your mind, regain what little’s left of your sanity, but then he pounds into your ass again, and his fat balls slap your achy clit, and you are left with no recourse but to moan, sloppy and spit-soaked into the cradle of your own arms.
“Oh shit,” Hanma groans. “Gonna cum.”
“No, no, not yet! Don’t stop!” you order frantically, all risk long forgotten. “If you keep fucking me like that, I’m gonna cum.”
Hanma tries to slow down to ward off his own orgasm, but you beg him to keep pace, beg him to keep swinging those heavy balls into your clit, so he ups his speed. Behind you, Hanma is probably the picture of agony, reaching for anything to stop him from busting before you reach your own peak.
His suffering means nothing to you. All that matters is your own pleasure.
And it does come. Finally, every muscle seizes and a bloom of pleasure rushes from your clit outwards in seismic waves. Your orgasm milks the cock in your ass and in turn, Hanma’s thrusts strengthen what is already a delicious clitoral orgasm. You sigh through it, dopey smile on your face, all gooey relief.
Hanma cums mere seconds after your orgasm starts. His cock spurts straight into your ass, too tight to pull out and cum anywhere else. He’s twitchy and loud through it, more honest than you’ve ever heard him as pleasure short circuits the sadistic part of his brain that insists on mind games and paranoia. He unburdens all of himself in your ass, and you relish it.
You’re not sure how either of you manage to reposition yourselves on jelly legs, but minutes later, Hanma lies on his back with you draped across him, ass up, so you don’t risk cum dribbling onto the fabric. It’s amazing how well your bodies align like this, your soft parts pressing into his, chin tucked to his shoulder. He fingerpaints with nothing across your back, just swirling his fingertips under your shirt until you relax, no longer worried about your receptionist or anyone outside your bubble.
It is almost a perfect moment.
Almost because you are still seething that he made a mockery of your session today. You should have refused to let him touch you after. It nudges against a sore spot, a point of insecurity from way back during your first session when Hanma challenged your credentials. That you are unqualified or worse, incompetent. It’s a line you’ve heard from your earliest memories.
Most of the time, you convince yourself that you are helping him. Yes, you are trading on your body to get what you want in a way that would make an ethics board collectively faint, but he’s shown progress!
Other times, you worry that he’s stringing you along towards your undoing with you none the wiser. Those are the times when you beg internally for Hanma to touch you, anything to distract yourself from the direction of your thoughts.
“Shuji…am I helping you at all?” you ask. It is the kind of question you can only chance in post coital bliss when your brain is too slow to warn you away from showing vulnerability. You don’t meet his gaze when he peers down to study you.
“I haven’t been this content in a long time. I think that’s thanks to you,” Hanma reassures you.
With the endorphins rushing your brain from all the skin-to-skin contact and the delicious orgasms he grants you, you just about believe him. He’s a special patient. Maybe the nontraditional combination of CBT, mind games, sex, and affection (if you could call it that) is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Hanma is a trickster though, a warrior god born into a world of peace. A man made for the ravages of a battlefield but gone to bed every night in a high-rise apartment. Without the rancor of war, he’s been forced to contort himself into a thousand roles and faces, whatever it tales to find his thrills. Everything about Hanma is an illusion, a carefully deployed farce to get him what he wants. One minute teasing, another gnashing his teeth like a leashed animal, you never know what to expect, which Hanma is real when they all feel so tangible, so all-consuming.
Still, it feels nice to believe in him.
“I know you’re busy tomorrow, but I want you to check out a hotel with me on Sunday,” Hanma says.
“Oh, is that what we’ve been doing? Checking out hotels?”
Hanma grins. “Well, I’m sure we can find time for that too, but this is actually work. We’re two weeks out from our sit down with the HKJ. We haven’t had any issues lately, so I just need to do a final scout of where we’re meeting. Figure I can combine a little work and play by bringing you along. After all, I need to ensure the rooms are up to standard for our honored guests.”
“Oh, naturally,” you agree with your own smile.
Normally, you like to be kept a safe distance from anything approaching Hanma’s business, but the promise of eight-hundred thread count sheets and room service champagne is too good to pass up. When it comes to Hanma, you enjoy being spoiled.
--
November third dawns clear and sunny, a boon for the thousands of parade goers. It’s Culture Day.
Strange how much attention the day commanded when you were a child. Months of planning and committees leading up to the school Culture Festivals. In your last year of middle school, one of your drawings was selected for exhibition, a poorly rendered sketch of Emperor Meiji wearing the sokutai. Once home, your mom threw it out, but for that day, it was showcased with honor alongside all the other children’s pieces.
Now, Culture Day is an opportunity to sleep in and enjoy a home-cooked meal as businesses close their doors. It is the first time in what feels like months that Takashi is home with you for an entire day.
The apartment shrinks to little more than a showroom under the weight of his presence. He’s always standing underfoot, blocking the cabinet when you reach for a bowl or shaving in the powder room when you want to brush your hair. Even when he’s in a different room, like now, as you heat miso soup over the stove and he folds laundry in the bedroom, he makes too much noise to concentrate. He feels like a stranger in your home.
For the most part, things have returned to normal between you two since he first suspected you of cheating. Since his suspicions were correct, you never blamed him for his possessiveness, though you were surprised that he cared enough to snoop around and ask you leading questions for weeks. You are sure he’s cheated on you countless times over the years. And while his actions were those of a jealous lover, Takashi’s demeanor had hinted at something else, something more guarded and passionless.
“I was thinking,” Takashi announces as he strolls back into the kitchen. “I want to turn in early tonight, so that I can head into the office first thing tomorrow, but we should make the most of this time. Let’s take a walk by the river tonight. We can watch the sunset.”
“Really? I figured you’d want to get some work done.”
“I thought about it, but everyone needs a break now and again. You’ve been working just as hard as I have lately, you must be burnt out. What do you say? We could watch a movie together, go for a walk, cook dinner together like we used to,” he urges.
Long faded memories of when you were closer return. There was a time when Takashi would take on simple dishes like the rice, while you flitted around the kitchen, cooking an ornate and always changing menu. Once plated, he would make a point of groaning his appreciation after every first bite. Yours may have never been some great love story, but once, before billable hours consumed Takashi’s life, he offered more than security. There had been those dinners and brunch over a shared Sunday paper, beach trips and making love to the sound of the waves.
Takashi is loyal and reliable. Years of companionship and he never demands more than you can give, seamlessly slotting himself into the gaps where your life and heart can bear to fit another person. He likes you because you offer him the same freedom. Maybe there can be love there, too, if either of you tries just a little harder.
“That sounds nice,” you agree.
Takashi kisses your cheek. It leaves a wet ring on your skin.
“Are you planning to get any work done tomorrow?” Takashi asks.
“Yes, I’m meeting a patient at the Ritz-Carlton tomorrow,” you answer without pause. Several months of lying has taught you the best strategy is to blend fiction with as much truth as possible, so it descends naturally from your tongue.
Takashi whistles. “The Ritz, huh? He must be a wealthy guy to be getting house calls from you there.”
“Yes,” you shrug. “He’s my best paying client actually. He’s there for work and asked to move a session to accommodate his schedule, and I agreed. He’s kind of demanding in terms of wanting the VIP service, but like I said, he pays so…”
You ask after the status of Takashi’s projects in return, and he regales you in full detail about how his accounts are progressing. Unlike you, he can be more forthcoming with details without breaking confidentiality, so long as no names are dropped. It is achingly familiar, and you nod along until Takashi shocks you so greatly, you drop a stirring spoon into the simmering pot of soup.
“I’m thinking it’s about time we buy a house,” Takashi says.
“Pardon?”
“Rent here’s more than a mortgage would be. We buy a house, somewhere nice like Jiyugaoka, and maybe a couple cars, so we can travel around easier.”
“Buying a house? Jiyugaoka? Cars? That’s a lot of money! The down payment alone!” you protest.
“We have plenty in savings.”
“For retirement. For security. We need that money accessible, not tied up in investments,” you argue.
Takashi raises a placating hand, “I’ve got a big account at work right now. If things come together like they should, I’m set to earn a five- or six-million-yen bonus. We could put that right towards a downpayment before we even have to dip into our savings, of which, I’ll remind you, we have plenty.”
The phone rings. Months pass between calls to your landline, so the sudden interruption now feels like an act of God, the caller your personal savior. You round the counter to where the old phone is banked.
“Hello?”
Heavy breathing comes through the other line. When you repeat yourself and receive no response, you move to hang up, but a moan from the receiver stops you. The noise is so needy, shamelessly horny, and you would recognize it anywhere.
Guilty, you cup the receiver as if the sound might travel to Takashi’s ears from across the counter. You engage in a quick, mental debate as to whether you should just hang up anyway, but knowing Hanma, that will only lead to an endless barrage of calls, which risks Takashi answering. Standing in silence is just as suspicious though. Setting your face into a placid mask, you lie through your teeth.
“Yes, this is she,” you say in response to an imaginary conversation.
All you get in return are wet beaths and drawn-out moans. Hanma’s obviously playing it up. He only moans this loudly when he wants to be perverse, wants to embarrass you or drag you into that realm of consequence-less hedonism with him. There is another fainter noise in the background, and you suspect it’s the wet tugging of skin as he jerks off to the sound of your voice.
“Will you need to send someone by to check?” you pretend to ask.
Takashi approaches and mouths, “Who is it?”
“Just the gas company,” you whisper back. “They say there’s some routine maintenance needed in the next six months.”
“You’d think they’d at least let them rest on Culture Day,” Takashi frowns.
You shrug helplessly, only half able to entertain Takashi’s words when Hanma continues to groan whorishly in your ear. It is everything you hate and love about him at the same time.
With a little effort, you keep up the fake conversation even as it extends far too long for a standard call. Thankfully, Takashi returns to the kitchen, only half paying attention as your gas-company-pretense gets sloppy. You’ve repeated that you’ll check your schedule for a day they can come over at least three times already.
Hanma’s pleasure entrances you. Each moan paints an image in your mind’s eye more sinful than the last. Mostly you imagine how he’s abusing himself, the unforgiving fast strokes with a twist at the tip that he favors. You’ve watched him from behind heavy-lidded eyes as he touches himself too many to count. He loves the elongation of pleasure, the denial of you both, teasing and torturing himself as he eyes your naked body but does not touch.
You also imagine what you might do if you were there to help. You have discovered in the last few months that sucking dick isn’t always a chore, that when you hold his gaze as you glide your tongue up and down his length, you would rather be nowhere else.
The images in your mind contrast drastically with the information your eyes send to your brain, mainly Takashi checking on the soup. For the first time, you wonder if maybe you don’t need him anymore. Takashi is a good enough man. You will always be thankful for the security he granted you, but maybe you have outgrown drawing between the lines and staying indoors after dark. Messing around with Hanma is a risk yes, but one that has rewarded you handsomely, and maybe, you could live your life with that same fearlessness moving forward. Live boldly, openly. Live.
Maybe it’s time to let Takashi go.
Hanma cums with an anticlimactic sigh.
“Don’t forget. We have a date tomorrow, Doc,” Hanma says hoarsely.
“Of course, I will see you then,” you agree, letting just the hint of true excitement slip into your voice.
You hang up the phone, wet between your legs from the teasing of another man, and go back to the kitchen to rejoin your boyfriend.
--
Hanma’s singing voice isn’t half bad. Maybe a little flat, but he is confident as he croons an autumnal song. It’s a familiar tune, and you swear he’s getting half the words wrong, but you would need to look it up to be sure.
The hopeful tune blends with the gentle purr of the breeze off the riverfront to create a serene soundscape. You are thankful Hanma recommended a quick detour to walk along the river before you head to the Ritz in Roppongi.
You laugh a bit at the coincidence as you walked a similar path with Takashi just yesterday. Because of the timing, you can’t help but compare your time with both men. The walk with Takashi was picturesque in its way, lots of families outside to enjoy the holiday and the scent of fried foods wafting from the crowds of street vendors that lined the busy thoroughfares. Today’s walk with Hanma is less scenic. The smell of yesterday’s garbage permeates the air, and it rained overnight, creating a layer of mud along the riverbank and bringing its waters to a white froth, but Hanma is talkative, funny today. You feel warm inside for reasons other than the jacket on your shoulders.
Singing as he goes, Hanma all but skips ahead of you, and you rush after, grabbing his hand to keep him by your side. His swallows yours up. Now, you walk hand in hand down the concrete pedestrian bridges by the rushing river.
“What do you think happens when we die?” you ask.
“We on the clock right now, Doc?”
It does sound like the questions you ask to incite him to talk at his most stubborn. But your professional relationship is leagues away from your mind. If anything, this – the handholding, the easy conversation, the river – feels like a proper date. Your first.
“No, I’m just curious what you think. Given your job, it’s got to be something you’ve considered carefully,” you explain.
“Not really. Like I’ve said before, dying never really bothered me, so I never thought about it all that much. I figure it’s probably lights out for good when I go, so best to live it up while I can. Because once you die, it’ll be bye bye fast cars, bye bye whiskey, bye bye the blood of my enemies,” he laughs.
“That tracks.”
“Figure it’s best to think that way in this business anyway. I remember some first division guy back in Toman – can’t remember his name – was always going on about karma this and karma that. Annoying as fuck, and when it came time to knock some heads together, he hesitates, right? Because you can’t hurt someone, really hurt them, if you think all that pain is going to come back around to you someday. Kid got out before it was too late. Think he became a dental hygienist or something.”
“Not much room for religion among murderers, huh?”
Together, you stroll beneath a massive Gingko tree that sprouts from the disturbed and eroded terrain of the riverbank. Too tall to walk beneath it without crouching, Hanma’s head scrapes through the fan-shaped leaves. The brilliant yellow foliage surrounds you for a brief moment, and you feel as if this moment, this closeness to Hanma, might continue forever, like maybe all this talk of death and afterlives is pointless because you will endure from now until the other side of eternity.
“A couple guys actually converted to Christianity,” Hanma tells you. “The ones that needed forgiveness. Some of the nastiest guys on the streets actually. The classic example is Taiju, Hakkai’s brother. Most sadistic freak you’ve ever met, even to his siblings. But there he’d be every Sunday, on his knees with a prayer in his heart, and just like that, all’s forgiven! Pretty good deal. Convenient, too. Do whatever you want because Daddy God still loves you.”
Yuzuha’s haunted expression as she spoke of toxic men returns to you, temporarily dampening your good spirits. You want to ask Hanma what he knows but decide to respect her privacy. Since meeting Yuzuha at the hot springs, you’ve traded text messages a few times a week. This affair with Hanma dominates your waking hours, so that you don’t fully appreciate that this is the first friend you’ve made in years. It helps that she knows about Hanma and can be a supportive ear when you choose to share. In turn, she is freed from the secrecy surrounding her brother’s business and therefore hers. It is a friendship of equals. You can’t wait until she next comes to Tokyo.
You also wish you could get your hands on Shiba Taiju. You could hurt him for putting that pained look in her eye.
“Do you think it’s easier for people to kill when they believe there’s another life, a better world, waiting for the dead?” you ask.
“Dunno, Doc. You’d have to ask someone who cared about that in the first place. Anyway, what about you? You’ve got to have thought this through when your mom died.”
“Not as much as you would think. When she died, I didn’t know what I wanted for her. Would it make me feel better if she has an afterlife of happiness and peace? Or do I want her to suffer? If she were reincarnated, she’d probably be a tree. A tree that all the animals come and pee on. That would be her karma. But do I want that?”
Cynicism and coldness have long formed your shroud, a thin layer of protection from thoughts of your mother. You wait for the instinctive call to these talismans of protection, but they don’t come. You feel free of it.
Hard to concentrate on the past when two crows call out to one another from the branches of a Japanese Maple, red and full of life and color, leaves more vibrant as a wintery death approaches. Whether your mother is at peace or gone forever has no bearing on your life. Either way she can’t hurt you anymore. Either way, the trees will bloom again in the spring.
“Wonder what your dad will reincarnate as when I kill him,” Hanma muses in a voice so humorless it sends a shiver up your spine.
You stop in your tracks, feel a little pull as Hanma keeps walking. Left with no choice but to stop alongside you or drop your hand, Hanma chooses the former, turning back to look at you.
“Shuji…you know I don’t really want you to kill him. I was high and saying things, but I don’t want him dead. If anything, I want to meet him, to get answers. So, if you could find him, that would be…amazing, but don’t hurt him,” you say.
“You sure? I was going to offer you the friends and family discount on the hit. Normally I charge a small fortune,” Hanma teases.
You don’t dare laugh or crack a smile lest Hanma takes that as permission to ignore the seriousness of your words. You want to meet your father. Since promising to find him, Hanma has given you occasional updates on his search. So far, he’s made little progress. Until he finds something concrete, you refuse to hope, but you likewise refuse to see the man dead because you muttered some petty revenge fantasy while high off your ass.
“I’m sure,” you say fiercely.
Hanma sighs and tugs you closer by the hand still grasped in his. Voice an octave deeper than normal, he says, “Not sure what you want with the man anyway. You already have a Daddy.”
Just like that, your body lights up. You’re like those trick birthday candles, the ones that flare back to life over and over again regardless of how many times the birthday girl blows them out. The slightest word or touch, and Hanma brings you back to a blaze that only he can tend.
If those deeply muttered words arouse him in turn, Hanma shows no signs of it, continuing, “Speaking of, I was thinking of buying an investment property near Ueno Station. A three-bedroom single house. Would be a shame to leave it empty. Since it’s so near your office, I thought you might want to stay there.”
“You…you want to be my landlord?” you stutter.
“No, I want to be your Daddy. And that’s what Daddy’s do, right? Provide for their little girls. What do you say?”
His hands rub up and down your sides in a gentle massage that tips your head back, like you’re offering your throat once more for his teeth. It is the second time a man has offered you a house in as many days, and if accepting from Takashi was ill advised, accepting from Hanma is suicidal. At any point, he might turn you out, might die, or have his assets confiscated. Then, what? Found out by the police, they might investigate your relationship and discover your connection, drag you before an ethics committee. It is an awful idea.
But it would mean a kitchen that is just yours, not one shared with Takashi. A place where you could cook a four-course meal, a dining table where you could serve Hanma and watch as he appreciates each and every bite in that unique way he knows how to savor life. For so long, you’ve been cooking only for yourself. It would mean something to cook for Hanma. For Shuji.
It would mean everything.
“I say that you enjoy spoiling me,” you manage, a safe non-answer.
“I do,” he agrees, and it’s far too easy.
“Well, in that case, I’d say it’s a good thing we already have a hotel room waiting for us because I’m in the mood to be spoiled thoroughly.”
When you resume walking, this time in the direction of his parked car, you both move a little faster. After all, you don’t want to wait. Hanma really does know how to spoil you properly.
--
To justify a price point of over two million yen a night, the Presidential Suite must offer some amenities that separate it from the hotel’s still pricy but less bank-breaking Signature Suites. There are a few highlights you notice immediately. The rooms are tastefully appointed in what Japanese businesses always dub a “mix of east and west,” which basically just means western-style furniture with carefully curated art to offer a taste of Japan: decorative plates, flowering vases, prints, and abstracts on the walls. The two bathrooms are massive with great acoustics and tubs large enough to comfortably fit two at the end of a long day. And best of all, there is the view. Poised on the 53rd floor of Midtown Tower, the Presidential Suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows peer out on the western side of the city, offering you the chance to gaze down on the tops of buildings that usually look so tall as you stroll about on the boring old ground. Beyond them, Mt. Fuji rises up in the distance, blue and sprawling.
When you first entered the suite, Hanma fucked you against those windows. Nipples flattened to glass and legs hiked up to grant him access, you had plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the scenery. It felt like falling.
Hanma pulled out when he came, jerking off directly onto those windows as if he was aiming to spray the whole city beneath him.
While on your tour of the Presidential Suite you don’t notice anything worth remotely close to two million yen, you do discover there are no shortage of surfaces for a couple, flexible and looking to fuck, to use.
The next surface you find is Hanma’s face.
The surely luxurious bed is neatly turned down and undisturbed as you opt instead for the cushy armchair in the corner. Hanma lays flat across it, legs dangling at the knee from the matching ottoman, and you sit delicately on his chin, weight tipped forward onto the headrest to avoid smothering him.
He slurps and sucks up your clit with wet squelching sounds that resound in the isolated room. Hanma’s tongue is as nimble as his words, able to agilely shapeshift as the situation calls for it. He laves you with a flat tongue until you positively drip on his face. Beneath you, Hanma groans into the center of your cunt.
Staring at the wall in front of you, the position is not unlike how you ended your last therapy session. Only this time, you have a more interesting view. There is a lovely print of a budding lotus behind the chair, and as you relax into Hanma’s mouth on your clit, you see the pink flower warp and reshape itself into a wet, blooming pussy, unfurling its succulent petals for all to see.
Your breasts ache, so you wrap an arm beneath them to heft them higher. With the other hand, you mold one, then the other, tweaking your nipples gently and then rubbing in deep circles until your back arches under the dual sensations.
Lifting your hips up, so that you are momentarily bereft, Hanma huffs out, “Sit on my face for real. Suffocate me with it.”
At first, you try to resist his order, using your arms to hold your weight slightly off his face, but Hanma grips your ass and forces your body down hard, and you can’t fight the combination of strength and gravity.
You sit on his fucking face.
Fully seated, you are at first unsure what to do, though Hanma wastes no time. His tongue darts its way around your center, licking out the wetness there and then fucking it back inside you while his nose nudges your clit. That tongue buried in your slit feels delicious as always, but you worry about whether he can breathe or if your weight puts too much pressure on his neck. Then, Hanma does something sinful, twisting his tongue to reach a sensitive place inside you, and instinct takes over. You grind back and forth on his face, each slide of your hips helping his tongue to reach new pleasure spots. The grind rubs your clit over his nose with an insistent pressure that makes your eyes roll back.
In this position, where you can’t make out more than Hanma’s forehead buried between your thighs, it feels like he exists for your pleasure and your pleasure alone. Like a toy. No different than breaking out the vibrator from your bedside table to make yourself cum. That’s how you use him now, without a care for his comfort.
After a minute, Hanma’s hand slaps your thigh, and he lifts your weight up and off. He gasps for breath, red-faced and drenched from nose to chin in your wetness.
“Fuck, just like that,” he chokes out when he regains his breath. “Use me to get off. Ride my face until you cum.”
Tight from your nipples to your clit, you don’t need to be told twice. You lower yourself back down onto his face. All the way. This time, he doesn’t tonguefuck your pussy but lays his tongue flat and long, so when you grind your hips up and down, you drag your clit from his hard nose down to his wet tongue and back in a slick, relentless slide.
He doesn’t moan around you now, can’t afford to expend the oxygen. But you know he is turned on by the wet slap of his cock as he jerks it feverishly in time to how you ride his face. Both of you feed off the other’s respective pleasure until your bodies reach a fever pitch of passion.
Hanma slaps at your tight again, like he needs air, but you don’t slow down, begging him instead, “Just a bit more. Please don’t stop. Just a bit longer, and I’ll cum. Please, baby, feels so good.”
Suffocated and fading fast, Hanma gives into your pleas all the same. He doesn’t stop jerking his cock even as you writhe above him, hips twitching and weight heavy on his tongue.
You break in a wet gush.
The second you signal you’re cumming with a garbled wail, Hanma forces your hips back, so that he can suckle your clit fully into his mouth. Nose free, he breathes heavily, and his golden eyes stare up at you, pupils blown black.
It is a long orgasm. Hanma’s mouth around your clit wrings wave after impossible wave of sensation from your body. And he moans, like all that bliss belongs to him.
He cums moments later, spilling against his own thighs and releasing little grunts that are muffled by the lips of your cunt.
When it is over, calves shaking as you squat above his face, wrecked with juices smearing his lips, chin, and nose, you can’t help but giggle, imagining meeting with the hotel staff after this. They would be scandalized by the ruined mess of his handsome face if he didn’t wipe it off.
As you climb off Hanma’s lap, your eyes doubletake on the impressive bureau opposite the bed. There, hidden amongst the remotes and typical hotel amenities is a cellphone, propped up and pointing in your direction.
“Shuji, what’s that?” you ask, pointing at the offending phone.
“What’s what?”
The strength returns to your legs, and you shove off towards the bureau. Snatching the phone up, you confirm your worst suspicions when you see it is recording you. You stop it and watch the record of what just happened. The saved video captures too much: the naked stretch of your body, the side of your face as you scrunch up in pleasure, the moans that spilled out unbidden.
“You recorded us!” you snap.
“I’ve always wanted to see what you look like when you sit on my face. Bet it was freaking hot,” Hanma says, shrugging and all too comfortable despite being naked with his own cum drying on his thighs and yours still tangy in his mouth.
“You can’t have this,” you say firmly, deleting the video without waiting for his permission. “This could ruin my fucking life, Shuji. You cannot under any circumstances keep pictures or videos or freaking audio recordings of our time together. Do you understand?”
Hanma yawns along with a nod, standing to clean himself up, and you follow him with a stomp in your step to the bathroom.
“Is this the first time? Do you have recordings of me already?” you demand.
“Nope. First time.”
You narrow your eyes at his back, where a little cluster of moles congregate innocently beneath a shoulder blade. He is a master trickster, and you don’t believe him.
“I don’t believe you. I’m looking through your gallery,” you announce.
Lightning-fast, Hanma rips the phone from your hand. You can’t even mount a defense as it’s there and gone.
“Don’t ever ever look through my phone. There are things in here that if you see, you die. Don’t forget who the fuck I am,” Hanma snarls.
For a moment, you think he is furious with you for refusing him this new toy, but then you spot a hint of concern and realize Hanma may not be exaggerating. It may not be him who puts a bullet between your eyes to protect the secrets hidden on this phone; he might not be able to protect you.
“Just…if you have photos of me, delete them. And don’t do it again,” you concede tightly.
Hanma nods, and this time, you do believe him.
Despite your little altercation, Hanma is languid in the aftermath of his two orgasms, forthcoming as he tells you what to expect from the upcoming HKJ meeting. The Deputy Mountain Master – the second in command of the HKJ – will be in attendance. He will stay in the best room in the hotel: the Ritz-Carlton suite. By some accounts, it’s the most expensive hotel room in the world. As the room is currently occupied by a foreign head of state, Hanma can’t personally inspect it, so he settled for the second-best room in the place. It will be the White Paper Fan – basically the Koko of the HKJ, Hanma explains – who stays there.
It turns out, Hanma’s not here just to test the quality of the room. After a much-needed shower, he makes a thorough sweep of the entire place, checking under furniture, peering into vases, knocking on the walls. As he works, he records his actions into a voice memo on his phone. Right before the HKJ arrives, Bonten’s security team will return to do a final sweep of the room, using Hanma’s voice memo as a roadmap of what to do.
Once finished, you walk out – clean and dressed without a hint of the last hour’s activities to give you away – into the club lounge.
The Ritz is one of the most secure places in the city. Occupying the top nine floors of Midtown Tower, any assault – whether a would-be assassin or police raid – would be easily headed off in the elevator or stairwells. That’s why rather than book the hotel’s meeting rooms on the first and second floor, Bonten doled out to book the entire fifty-third floor, all the suites as well as the club, where VIP guests would normally take their tea and meals or lounge over impeccable views of the city. For the two nights of negotiations, the longue will be converted into a meeting space for these two criminal titans to meet.
A staff member joins you for the tour of the club lounge. Rather than the smartly dressed woman you might have expected, the events coordinator is hulking and bald-headed, answering Hanma’s questions in a direct, military manner. You wonder if he knows who and what Hanma is, what he represents.
The man trails behind as Hanma conducts the same thorough investigation of the club space, starting with the reception area and library. As they walk, the two men discuss the itinerary, exits, meal and drink preparations, and other minutiae. All staff, whether in the club or elsewhere in the hotel on the day of the negotiations, have submitted to background checks. Hanma idly flips through dossiers on the kitchen staff and lectures your guide on the importance of no call-offs on the night of as replacement staff will not be tolerated.
Watching Hanma work, chameleon-like, is fascinating. He blends well into polite society. Stone-faced so as to give nothing away, the people he interacts with are left with a blank wall to project against, assuming his disinterest to be a sign of money and affluence. They strain to impress him. There is no need for intimidation tactics or bribery.
Well, you’re sure there was some bribery.
Guests mill about the club. You catch snippets of languages you don’t recognize as well as the occasional familiar English word. Mostly businessmen, they spend as much time looking at their phones as the grand view out the full-length windows. Dressed in your professional attire, you don’t stand out at first glance, but neither can you truly blend in with this mythical class of world elites. Funnily enough, Hanma has never sparked such a fidgety inferiority in you. Hanma may sport the same Rolexes as these businessmen, but there’s a back-alley grit that clings to him like a fine layer of dust, forever marking him as one of you, a man from humble origins no matter how high he climbs.
In the dining room, a tidy woman in a yellow kimono leads the guests through an afternoon tea ceremony. A small crowd of mostly foreigners forms around her. You fall behind Hanma as he continues to the other side of the room, enchanted by how elegantly and precisely the woman pours the tea into shallow bowls.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
You startle at the unexpected voice from behind your right-shoulder and take a step forward. As you turn to greet the stranger, mastering your heartrate, that startle transforms into full-blown fear. Haitani smiles down at you.
Now, you scramble back several more steps until you bump into a dining chair. Casting about, you don’t see Hanma, but that doesn’t mean he can’t see you, speaking to his hated rival.
Haitani doesn’t close the distance between you. He doesn’t need to. His aura is such that you’d need to leave the room entirely to escape it. A casual, claustrophobic control that surges past your defenses and narrows your vision to him and only him. All with nothing but a bland smile, like it’s all one grand coincidence.
He lets you sweat, literally sweat, as the silence lingers before he finally, eyes still fixed to the tea ceremony, comments, “I was disappointed to not hear from you. I’ll admit, I’m usually a better judge of character. I thought you would call.”
“I wouldn’t dream of troubling a busy person such as yourself with my piddling thoughts,” you say evasively.
You look for Hanma again, not sure if the best scenario is one where you find and warn him of Ran’s presence or one where you play ignorant. Without question, the worst-case scenario is one where Hanma finds you like this.
Behind Haitani are two tall men. Bodyguards, you realize. It had surprised you at first that Hanma moved so freely in the world without any protection, uncommon for a man of his station. Then, you met him and realized he couldn’t bear to be tied down, babysat, would resent the bodyguards from keeping the trouble away when he craved it. Clearly, Haitani values his life as something more precious. He does not plan to die today, and yet he has chosen to confront you when Hanma is a shout away. You don’t know what that means, what trump card he has up his sleeve, but he must be confident in more than just his hired muscle to pull a stunt like this.
“You could never trouble me, Doctor,” Haitani says pleasantly. “I think anyone who can withstand the company of my old friend must be an interesting person. I’m sure your thoughts would be anything but menial.”
“Well…”
“What the fuck is this?”
Hanma strides forward, covering the distance between you in only a few steps. Hand on your elbow, he yanks you a half-step behind him, pressed tight to his side as he squares up against Haitani. You search his face for any clue as to what he saw, what he heard, but your only clue is the tick in his jaw. He is furious but whether at you, Haitani, or both, you can’t guess.
It unsettles you to realize Haitani is a few key centimeters taller. Add the hired muscle behind him, and you calculate that it is only the social expectation of maintaining the peace in such a fine establishment that protects you both from Haitani.
“Funny meeting you here,” Hanma snarls.
“Not funny at all. Great minds think alike after all,” Haitani replies.
His tone is so impossibly pleasant and affable that your hindbrain screams: something is wrong, predator, predator. All the signals that should have warned you away from Hanma ages ago but that remained stubbornly silent are now awake. You aren’t afraid of Hanma. You are terrified of Haitani.
Haitani continues, “I’m here to make sure everything’s in working order as well. You see, I’ve been hired by our mutual friends in Hong Kong to serve as a liaison for the upcoming meeting. They wanted someone on the ground to manage security, make sure their side of things is represented. You understand.”
“I fucking knew it. Look who finally grew a pair and wants back in the ring,” Hanma laughs, a mouthful of teeth as he taunts his rival. His fingers dig into the bone of your wrist, unthinkingly grinding the bones together like you are nothing but a stress ball. Haitani’s eyes track the moment, missing nothing.
“Hmm, well, I wouldn’t say that. You needn’t worry as we’re to be partners after all. Everyone working on the same team towards the same goal. I’ve already been in contact with Kisaki, and he knows all about it. You can check with him if you like.”
“I will,” Hanma promises darkly, but he’s still smiling and so is Haitani. “Hey, how much would it cost to get the coward of Roppongi to come out from under his hole and play with the big dogs anyway? If our “friends in Hong Kong” have that kind of money, we may need to up our demands.”
“Oh, Hanma, I look forward to working with you. For old times’ sake,” Haitani says, and you swear the air cools by three degrees even as Haitani’s expression never falters.
“Old times’ sake? Why not? Let’s take this outside for old times’ sake. A friendly spar! It’s been so long since you did anything useful besides sign other men’s payroll, you could use the practice. I’m afraid a baton won’t do the trick nowadays. Doesn’t exactly strike fear in a man’s heart,” Hanma giggles.
Haitani sighs, “I appreciate you offering to assist me, but, unfortunately, I’m on the clock. Besides, you wouldn’t want her to watch that now, would you?”
Your name slips from Haitani’s lips pleasantly like all his words do, but they have the effect of a curse, sucking the air from the room and leaving you breathless. He makes your name sound familiar. For the first time since the conversation began, Hanma looks at you, like he’s seeing something there for the first time, and you resist the urge to shake your head or explain yourself. Not while Haitani is watching.
The event coordinator who showed Hanma around earlier calls out Haitani’s name, approaching with the promise of giving him a tour as well. Haitani steps away from you both, bodyguards flanking him without a word.
“Well, I need to be going. I look forward to working with you, Hanma. And, Doctor, it was a pleasure to see you again,” Haitani calls over his shoulder as he walks away.
‘To see you again.’
Those words echo between you and Hanma as you stand together in silence. They continue to echo like an accusation as Hanma finishes the inspection in a sour mood, barking out terse orders and brimming over with restrained violence. Those words echo louder in the elevator afterwards, fifty-two floors passing without a word spoken between you. They echo like a warning as you part outside the hotel.
The next day, Hanma doesn’t call. And now, the words echo between you from across the city. They echo like a threat.
#hanma shuji#hanma x reader#tokyo rev smut#tokyo revengers smut#hanma smut#tokyo revengers x reader smut#tokyo revengers x reader
87 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
nutstr
ITC NUTS COMPANY
kornphon12
Untitled
kazoo-the-demjin
My existence is just a phase
sophcaro22
sophcaro22
lostshow
To remember and to let go