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andreafmn · 1 year

Note

So I am OBSESSED with your Carlisle fics.

I was hoping I would request an imagine with a female reader who is asexual and afraid Carlisle won't want her, but of course, he is totally loving and accepting of her.

Thank you and I hope you're well.

Word Count: 2.7K

Paring: Carlisle Cullen x Female!Reader

Story Description: Rejection after rejection was the way (Y/N) went through life because of her sexuality, or rather lack thereof. But when she meets Carlisle Cullen, as in love with him as she is, she can't help but let the fear of her past keep her from telling him that she is asexual.

A/N: Loved writing this request and I hope I did it justice. 😊😊 My content will always be free, but if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can leave a tip on any of my posts to support me and my love of writing or buy me a coffee

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As You Are

Delving into a relationship is no easy task. It’s allowing someone to know every part of you, every moment and secret that has made you who you are, and hoping they accept it without an exception. It’s one of the most vulnerable and exposed anyone could be.

But there was a rather daunting sense of defenselessness that came from admiring your sexuality. Especially to a world that might not understand. The same world that valued love in the same standing as intercourse.

(Y/N) had always felt like maybe there was something wrong with the way she loved. That whatever it was she was missing from the checklist society had written for her would be completed by the next person she fell for. Because maybe, just maybe, someone else had what she needed.

But, as time went by, and partners came and went, nothing magically sparked inside her. And she feared that it never would.

Until she met Clara. Well, @clara1986x on an internet blog site.

(Y/N) needed to understand what she was feeling –not feeling. She did what any teenager with an avid curiosity, a life-changing question, and no answers would do. She turned to the internet. For hours she sat in front of a blank search bar, scared of what lived behind the screen. There were no expectations, but there was that underlying fear that there was something wrong with her.

But, pushing it off wouldn’t change whatever results would pop up. With shaking hands, she typed slowly as she took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. It pitter-pattered against her chest as it hammered in her ears. There was no turning back once she hit the enter key.

I do not feel sexually attracted to anyone… is there something wrong with me?

The first thing that popped up on the results page made her eyes fill with tears. There is nothing wrong with you, the page was titled. Could it be true? That whatever she was feeling was normal?

She clicked on the webpage and a personal blog loaded on her screen.

There Is Nothing Wrong With You

If this page showed up in your results there’s a huge chance you may think that you’re lacking something in your romantic life. News flash! There isn’t.

Let me guess, you think if you’re not sexually attracted to your partner then it means you don’t really love them. Well, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are many ways to love and be in love with someone without adding sex to the mix — it also never has to be added for some.

Have you ever heard of the term asexual? “The word asexual combines the prefix a-, meaning “not” or “without,” and sexual, referring to sex. Asexual is first recorded in the late 1700s, originally used in biology to refer to organisms, especially plants, that had no sex organs.” [That’s from the dictionary]

In the simple (and broadest) of terms, an asexual person is someone that doesn’t feel sexual attraction toward others or low to no desire for sexual relations. But since we know that sexuality is a spectrum [even if so many people don’t want to agree] this might mean something different to everyone that reads this.

So, why am I focusing only on the most basic form of asexuality if there is such a big spectrum?

Because I used to think there was something wrong with me. I used to search in partners for something I was lacking and no one could tell me why I didn’t feel like most people did. I didn’t want to have sex, with guys or girls. I never felt the need to establish a relationship with sex to admit I loved that person. And before you ask, yes, I have tried sex before; no, I don’t need to find the right person for it; and no, I’m not missing out.

Being asexual doesn’t mean I don’t want to fall in love, or have a partner, or be with someone for the rest of my life. It simply means that I don’t need sex to “seal the deal.” I want the romance and the giddiness, I want the hand-holding and the kisses, I want everything that comes with being in love, I just don’t want sex.

Hi, I’m Claudia and I am asexual.

“Hi, Claudia,” (Y/N) cried as she finished reading the post, a smile spreading across her face. “I’m (Y/N), and I think that so am I.”

It was the first time in her life that she had heard of the term, let alone found someone that felt exactly the same way she did. For the longest time, she thought she had been an anomaly in the population. That something had been wired differently inside her and she needed to be fixed.

There was nothing wrong with what she didn’t want. Love had never had to equal sex, and she could be in love with someone without adding it to the equation. She did not need it to feel complete.

But that didn’t mean that everyone else understood what it meant.

As she left high school and entered college, her dating pool expanded. But their mentality did not. It seemed she was stuck in a vicious cycle that she simply could not break. (Y/N) would meet someone new, they would go out on a few wonderful dates, and form a connection. Yet, when the time came to speak about the dreaded s-word, they all seemed to be taken aback. With some it was a quick rejection, sex was too much of a deal breaker to not have. With others, it was a slowly dying fire that, at the end of the day, always died out.

Whether it was that they didn’t want a relationship without sex or they didn’t want her without the promise of sex, she had not met someone that could accept her as she was and all that she would not offer.

Until Carlisle Cullen.

After an unlucky slip on ice on her way to visit her mom’s new home, (Y/N) found herself in Forks Community Hospital with a twisted ankle. Thankfully, her condition wasn’t dire and her head could focus on the Adonis-like statue that had been caring for her that afternoon.

She had heard of the handsome doctor from her mother a few too many times. No one in town understood why an accomplished doctor like him could end up in a small town like Forks. Much less the fact that he was a single man with adopted teenage kids. There was a peculiarity to that family that no one got but rarely questioned out loud.

No comment from her mother could have ever prepared her for the man that stood before her. A man carved out of perfection by the very hands of whatever god was real. A vision of blonde hair and unnatural amber eyes.

“Well, Miss (Y/L/N), I think as long as you stay clear of any slush in the street, you’ll be good,” he smiled. “Just make sure to ice that ankle every couple of hours and you should be okay.”

“I’m just staying the rest of the month in Forks. I’ve got a job lined up in Seattle, but my mom recently moved here,” she said. “So, hopefully, no more mishaps.”

“That’s a shame,” he responded. A grin so mischievous on his face she could not help the flutter in her chest. “That it wasn’t you that moved here, that is.”

“And why is that?” Her curiosity peaked. Was the doctor flirting with her?

“If you were new in town I could offer to show you around under the guise of it being a date,” he started. “I could take you out to dinner, show you how beautiful the woods are during winter –when you’re not falling on ice–, maybe end the night with a kiss.”

“Do you usually hit on your patients like this, Dr. Cullen?” (Y/N) played along, a sense of confidence overtaking her senses. “I’m pretty sure there’s a rule against that.”

“That would only apply if you were my patient after you left through those doors,” he smirked. “But that could only happen if you were staying. What a pity.”

“Nothing’s stopping you from doing it for the time being,” she teased. “Better than to always wonder what if.”

“You make quite a valid point.”

“Then, do it,” she smirked. “Pretend I just moved here and ask to show me around. I might just say yes.”

A hearty chuckle left Carlisle’s throat, his eyes glittering with the fluorescent light of the hospital room. “Alright then, Miss (Y/L/N),” he smiled. “Since you’re new here, it would be an honor to show you around town. Would that be something you would like to do?”

“That sounds perfect, Doctor Cullen.”

And the rest was history.

Weeks turned into months, her office job turned into a local administrative assistant in the hospital, and her apartment turned into a room at her mom’s house. It wasn’t anything like what she expected her life to turn like, but something about Carlisle told her he was worth the change.

Yet, as perfect as their relationship seemed, there was always something lingering in the darkness. To (Y/N), everything felt too good to be true, but she had yearned for so long for a relationship that felt right. She carried with her every rejection, every disappearance, every weird look. She didn’t want things with Carlisle to end because of what they would never have.

Not even when he confessed to himself and his family being vampires did the pressure of speaking about her sexuality –or lack thereof- alleviate. It felt easier for her to accept the fact that supernatural beings roamed the earth than for her partner to understand that she did not feel sexual attraction.

It was a backward way of thinking, she knew that. But she couldn’t help and remember all the times she trusted someone enough to tell them about being asexual. Every repudiation toward her because of her sexuality had left an irrevocable mark on her heart, a pain that remained quietly festering deep within her soul.

But Carlisle could tell there was something wrong. He always could. As someone that was used to harboring big secrets, it was an easy task to know that (Y/N) had a big one weighing on her heart.

He didn’t want to push her. Her secrets were hers to tell and he had never wanted her to reveal anything she did not feel comfortable saying. It did hurt, he could not lie. Carlisle had tried his best to let her know he was a person she could trust, that nothing she could have said, done, or felt would ever be able to push him away.

The worst part, he knew Edward knew what her secret was, and so did Alice. But they had both said it was something that only (Y/N) could tell him, on her own time. The only thing they could say to appease his mind was that it was not a bad confession, but it was hard for her to talk about.

Still, even if he had agreed to allow (Y/N) to speak her truths on her own time, it pained him to know the worry she carried with her whenever she was around. She deserved to feel calm and loved when they were together, and that was what he wanted the most.

“How’re you feeling, darling?” Carlisle asked one day. “I brought you a blanket.”

(Y/N) was standing on the back deck of his home, staring at the setting sun on the horizon. Her hair was slightly drenched from the rain that had fallen, but she did not seem bothered by it. She allowed the man to drape the blanket over her shoulders, sighing as the warm fabric embraced her body.

“I’m okay,” she smiled softly. “Just thinking.”

“What about?”

She took a deep breath, knowing she had put off the conversation for too long. There was no reason to keep hiding it. He had trusted her with the biggest secret he had, and she needed to trust him enough to share hers. Whatever happened after was something she could not control. She just had to be brave enough to face whichever outcome happened.

“There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” she started before leading him to join her on the white couch. “It’s not anything bad, but it’s something that’s very important. And I’m just scared of how you will react.”

“Darling, you can tell me anything,” he smiled, taking her hands in his. “There’s nothing you could say that would ever push me away from you. I hope you know that.”

“I know you’re a different man, a completely different person than anyone from my past. But I can’t help being scared to talk about this when everyone I’ve told this before left once I told them this,” she sniffled. “There’s been this festering fear inside me for the longest time because I’m scared that it’ll make you look at me differently and reject me. I don’t know if I could take another one.”

“(Y/N), you know I love you and you can trust me with anything.”

“I know that, Carlisle, and I love you too. And that’s the reason why I’ve been so afraid to tell you this, because I really don’t want to lose you.”

“You will never lose me, (Y/N). But, please, tell me what it is. I don’t want you to have to keep carrying this in your heart.”

(Y/N) knew the moment had come. Regardless of all her fears and concerns, they had gotten to the point where she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Carlisle, I’m asexual,” she breathed. “Which means I don’t feel sexual attraction to anyone and I have no desire to engage in any type of sexual activity. It doesn’t mean that I’m not in love with you or that I don’t want to have any type of intimacy. It’s just that I want everything that comes with being in love and in a relationship just not the sex part.”

Carlisle took her in his arms, embracing her tightly as she cried onto his chest. He brushed her hair softly, kissing the top of her head comfortingly. All he felt at that moment was how much he loved her.

“Thank you for telling me, darling,” he spoke softly, his hands caressing her cheeks as he stared into her eyes. “I know how hard it must have been for you to tell me that and I’m so grateful that you trusted me enough to tell me. And I want you to know that I love you completely and utterly as you are. I don’t need physical intimacy to know that I want forever with you.

You are more than just a body, (Y/N). I love you because you are a smart, caring, kind, and wonderful woman. You accepted me —my family— as I am, supernatural being and all. I’ve gone centuries without sex and I can go centuries more without it as long as you are by my side.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear those words,” she cried happily. “I wish I hadn’t been so afraid to tell you sooner, but I’m just so glad that I did. I love you, Carlisle, and I want forever with you. Just as you are.”

(Y/N) couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Even as Carlisle kissed her tenderly, it never faltered.

She had gone her whole life searching for the person that would accept her for who she was without the expectation that her sexuality would change. It had made every rejection, every broken heart worth it because they had brought her to him.

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slash-me-please · 7 months

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This is my first time ever doing this so please forgive me have mercy on my soul I'm dumb idk how too do any of this but could you do a saw fanfic with a alpha Amanda and an omega reader gender neutral pls again I'm so sorry thx.

YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE YOU DERANGED- no bcs i've been bingeing all the saw movies since I saw Saw X and you're a genius. I never get female requests anymore :,(

Warnings: I feel like this isn't strongly A/B/O, I would love to do a part two. mentions of addiction, testing, reader being uncomfortable, psychological manipulation,

You're an Accomplice

Amanda x GenderNeutral!Reader

Since you met Amanda, her presence had been overwhelming for you, her scent was something you weren't sure a God could handle. No one felt the same way.

You had met the alpha during some darker days, she had been slumped against the back-alley walls of an old bar, clearly high and drooling. Now, she was "thriving". Clearly that wasn't the word, but she was considerably better than before, and you could thank John Kramer for that- she said. She gave you a flattering, closed lip smile before ducking her head and moving to the side to give you a view of what appeared to be an older man.

"It's nice to meet you John, Amanda has told me a lot about you." Your voice is thin, wavering, you're nervous and Amanda's eyes narrow at you. It gives you more anxiety. "I am pleased to say the same, Y/N." He walks towards you, you think he might shake your hand but you're wrong, John walks right past you and taps his fingers on the screen of an older monitor. "Are you aware of the things we do here?" You shake your head, eyes darting back and forth between Amanda's and John's. You think she might feel the need to comfort you, but the fact that she doesn't makes you feel as if you're in good hands. It doesn't keep you from inching closer to her and releasing a small, nervous whimper.

"Show her," Amanda says, she pulls you close with a hand, her thumb stroking your back cruelly. She inhales through her nostrils as John nods and clicks a key on the keyboard which turns the monitor on. You're greeted with the sight of a dirty bathroom, two men sit in opposite corners, completely knocked out. "Y/N i'd like you to take a look at these two men, they're here for a reason." You whimper again, leaning into Amanda and expecting her support. "Listen to him omega, he helped me." You give her a nod, your instincts scream at you to listen.

"Did you kidnap them?" You ask, glancing to John from the screen. "They're being tested, there are reasons both these men are here. I am giving them a chance to change, to live, each of them are not living but merely existing with no mere care to their actions. There is no thought to who they hurt with their actions, that is why we are here." You nod, "Could you explain." He continues, nodding his head and pulling a chair up to where you had been clinging to Amanda. She feels your discomfort immediately and pulls you onto her lap. You move your head closer to her throat, inhaling her pheromones.

"We are giving people the chance to try again, to give meaning to their lives. They must prove that they have the will to live, I am giving them the chance to be reborn. Do you understand?" You nod your head, Amanda pets your hair and you can smell the pride she has for you seeping through her skin. John gives you a smile just like the one you'd received from Amanda. "I'm delighted to have the opportunity to work with you, Y/N." And he turns away, grabbing a small black suitcase and retreating towards the bedroom door. He gives Amanda a look and nods his head, "If he wakes up, chloroform him again. We have about thirty minutes until this test starts." She nods her head and he leaves.

"This is what you've been doing in your spare time, alpha?" You whisper, your voice is small and shocked. Amanda thinks maybe she's pushed you too far when you address her by her title, and her mouth presses into a thin line. "Did he put you in one of those?" This time she flinches, and she smells sour. You can tell she's disappointed already, and it makes you whine. "I thought you'd understand, do you understand? What he does here is special!" She sets you to the side her eyes narrowing in against yours. "I just don't want to think of you hurt."

And she softens, her hand coming to rest at your knee. "Omega, I understand. I am not hurt, he has only helped me." You nod, reaching forward to place your palm over her. "I'll support you, I mean-" You pause, choosing your words. "If it helped you then... it'll help someone else." She gives you a warm smile, and she's proud of you again.

#Amanda Young x reader #Amanda x reader #Saw x reader #fluff #oneshot #Amanda Young #horror x reader #slasher x reader #A/b/o #omegaverse

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ohtobeleah · 1 year

Text

Enterprise // Jake Seresin

Chapter One: Confidence.

Chapter Summary: There’s a lesson here somewhere, but you aren’t ready to figure it out. Setting up a meeting with Jake ‘The Hangman’ Seresin to see if he would consider a merger is the last thing you knew your late father would want you to do.

Warnings: Jake Seresin x F!reader. Mafia/Gang related themes. Sexual tension. Age Gap. Mentions of guns.

Word Count: 3.4K

Author Note: So, if you originally read this in the Dolan Twins fandom way back in the day—shut the fuck up no you did not. I will deny deny deny….. This series will be updated once a week on Sundays

Masterlist | Chapter One | Chapter Two |

The first time you met Jacob Seresin was at one of your fathers monthly meetings between himself and Jake's father. Carl ‘The Carver’ Seresin. He got his title from the carvings he’d leave on his enemies' faces. He’d slash them with a razor blade so deep that the scars left behind were undeniably noticeable and incredibly trademarkable. Meeting once a month became a common occurrence to make sure an all-out war didn’t ensue between the rival gangs. The Death Adders and the Katipo. Although bloodshed and violence were always an issue between members in the streets, as long as the two powerhouse men that ruled over all could remain on speaking terms, all was good in the city of Fitzroy.

You never attended your father's meetings with Carl Seresin and hoped you'd never have to, but the day you turned eighteen? Everything changed. You had already seen so much, been exposed to things out of this world unholy. The last thing you wanted to do was meet the man who caused your father so much strife, and his son.

Jake though? He was always present, always standing right behind his father because he always knew that someday everything would be his. The day you arrived with your father he was completely shocked to see you in the study, sitting on the lounge all prim and proper like. The girl he’d heard so much about through his father was actually stunning, instantly having a soft spot for you the moment he saw you follow your father into the foyer when he was watching from the top floor of the staircase. You'd only briefly glanced up at him when you first arrived. Pretty white dress adorning your body, hair tucked back, neat and slick.

“Hi.” Jake smiled as he held his hand out for you to shake before you quickly shot him a look of pure evil. “You lost sweetheart? This isn't normally a place where a pretty girl such as yourself would come willingly?”

“Don’t try me.” You were quick to sneer. “I’ll kick your ass.” You knew what you and Jake were destined to be. Sworn rivals, enemies with common ground. There was no need for small talk, no need for niceties.

“As if, a fucking girl dad?” Jake scoffed as the two men were settling into their chairs for the evening, both babysitting a glass of fine whiskey and watching their offspring interact for the first time. Keeping the two of you apart had been a part of their agreement, partly to keep you safeguarded until you were ready to start learning the ins and outs of your father's business. However, you'd already come to know more than enough throughout your childhood. “How the fuck are you meant to be my arch-rival?” Jake pulled at your hair, pulling you straight up from the lounge that you sat perched on quietly, Your father only scoffed, hoping you'd defend yourself against the man who was twelve years your senior.

“Don’t!” You spat as you pulled yourself out of Jake's grip, He was a god damn adult and he was acting like a petulant child with a schoolyard crush. Your mother, prior to her passing, had always told you boys who teased were the ones with the biggest crushes, but this was just physical assault in your books.

“Aw gonna cry to daddy are we?” Jake snickered before he pretended to cry as he whipped fake tears from his eyes just as your fist collided with his nose, sending blood rushing down around his mouth as he stumbled back in shock. Cupping his hand over his nose to catch the blood that poured out fast.

“The fuck was that for!!”

“Don’t try me, Seresin you’ll only regret it” You hissed through gritted teeth as you walked over to stand behind your fathers chair who was smirking with delight that his little girl was a natural fighter, leaving a very much in pain Jake standing in the middle of the study. Completely dumbfounded.

That was Jake Seresin's first encounter with the girl he’d chase after his entire life, his future wife. But what Jake didn’t know is that through the pain of his bloodied nose, your hand was broken and throbbing, but you could take the heat without showing a single sign of pain on your face as you stood tall behind your father–gripping at the back of his chair to push through the pain.

Because if you had learnt one thing about this lifestyle, it was that showing any sign of weakness in a world of men was not an option.

***-***-***-***-***-***-***-***-***-

(Six Years Later- Present Day)

Your father would be turning in his grave right now if he knew that this was the first plane, albeit, best plan, you could come up with. The mirror image of yourself that had been staring back at you for the better half of ten minutes looked entirely different to the person you thought you would become. This wasn't the life you wanted for yourself–but it was the only one you knew. Only one you had. Only one you'd ever get.

“Suck it the fuck up.” You scoffed to yourself before you shook off all your second thoughts and existential dread. “No backing down.” Noone was going to give you a shoulder to cry on, so there were no reasons to cry in the first place, no reasons to feel anything. You fumbled fast to pack up the lipstick and pressed powder compact back into your clutch, ruffling your hair in the mirror as you studied the scars that littered your face from a lifetime of crime, dirty bidding and underground societal standards. “Live in clover, Widow, Live in frivolous clover.” Mumbling the words to yourself as you let out a deep sigh, hopefully this would work out in your favour, it would be a good change if it did. If this meeting worked out it would be considered a drastic change from the current trajectory the way things had been going for you as of late. Everything had gone tits up. You just needed one fucking win.

As the soft curls flowed freely over the expanse of your exposed shoulder, you couldn’t help but tremble at the thought of your next move, it was only for a split second, but you still held the door knob of the foyer bathroom for far longer than you should have. Mulling over if this was truly the right thing to be doing. Your father would fucking kill you if he knew exactly who you were running to for guidance and safety the second he was laid to rest. The dirt over his grave had barely lost its moisture, freshly laid before you were reaching out to organise a meeting with the rival Mafia Boss. Jacob ‘The Hangman” Seresin.

This could make or break your entire enterprise. The moment you realised your late father’s “enterprise” had become officially yours overnight, you lost whatever slither of innocence you had left, not that you had much left to lose in the first place. The harsh reality quickly set in that you were now the sole female Capofamiglia in all of Fitzroy. Not only that but you were only in your early fucking twenties. These two factors alone made you venerable, a walking goddamn target if there ever was one. You may as well shoot a beacon into the air for all your fathers enemies to swarm on you like hungry wolves because as you were guided up the stairs by two security guards that looked more like henchmen than respectable security detail, you knew they were all lying in wait for the right moment.

And that moment could have very well have been now, as you walked right into the study that belonged to none other than Jake Seresin.

You needed to act quickly, work smarter, “use your wits' ' as your pops would say. Fitzroy was dangerous territory, crime was a normality, violence occurred on the daily and despite your youth you had been exposed to the worst of the worst, having been your fathers only child, the sole erie to the enterprise he’d build upon after his father left him to carry it on.

You knew proving your worth would be harder than just stepping up to take your father’s place, you needed to show every man in this city of Fitzroy just how much of a threat you could be if crossed, just as dangerous and just as malicious they could be.

As of right now, your men looked weak at the leadership of such a young woman, they were dropping like flies, reaching out to rival mobs to cut deals with and jump ship. As far as you were concerned however, their loyalties lied with your father, not you. you’d spit on their graves quicker than you could blink if given the chance. Looking up from your shoes, you saw Jake sitting at his desk–he hadn’t bothered to look up from the laptop he was looking at. He’d heard the door open, heard his security mention your arrival, but he didn't seem to give a shit. Typical fucking Jake.

Revenge lied deep behind your eyes, over the years you’d become nothing but a cold empty shell of the girl who just wanted love and compassion. Now? You were hopelessly devoted to a world of drugs, sex, money and power.

“By all means, Don't let me interrupt.” You cleared your throat before raising a single brow at Jake as you crossed your arms over themselves, standing in the middle of his overly exuberant study. The dress you wore had been an odd choice for such a meeting, but then again you never got a chance to really dress up these days. It was just a simple black slip, heels to match.

Jake didn't even blink as he reached for the handgun sitting pretty on top of his desk, his emerald eyes still glued to the screen as he scrolled–pulling the hammer back as he aimed it right at you.

“I don't recall asking you to fucking speak.” Jake spat as he heard you move, following in his actions as you reached for the gun strapped to your thigh, pulling the hammer back as you trained it on his chest, a fatal shot.

“Damn, we must have gone shopping at the same gun show Seresin.” You smirked, taking as few steps forward. “I don't believe you’d shoot a lady.” Jake still didn't bother to look your way, the longer it took to draw his attention off whatever he was looking at made you lapse in your own judgement. Perhaps coming here was a bad idea after all, a lesson to be learned. But you only knew of one man who could either help you rise to the top of Fitzroy’s criminal hierarchy or one who would happily watch you roll around with the dogs in the streets. Either way, The kingpin of Fitzroy, Jake ‘The Hangman” Seresin, was your only shot at power.

“No lady here, just a fucking pest.” Jake sneered as he finally turned his head to look at you, lowering his gun as you did, watching carefully as you lowered it to your side, index finger still looking rather trigger happy as it ghosted over the trigger. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Jake grinned as he let his back rest against the back of his study chair, hands coming up to cup the back of his head.

“You took some of my men, Hangman, that’s not very nice.” Jake could tell your voice was laced with venom, it damn near echoed out in Jake's enormous study, antique in style, he liked the mob style aesthetic. Jake just chuckled at you, shaking his head in reluctance to believe that's how this whole ordeal had gone.

“I don’t recall taking any men, if anything they ran to me like petulant children when they clearly didn't get their way.” Jake was quick to defend himself as he rose from his seat, his hand resting on the oak of his desk as he leaned over. “The fuck are you doing here Y/n?” Jake had never been good with small talk. “Where's daddy? Why is he sending you to do his dirty work?” Jake had been expecting your father for his monthly meeting any day this past week, it wasn't like him to miss such a scheduled and routine meeting, even since Jake had taken charge. He could vividly remember sitting in on your fathers meetings when you were both just kids. Jake had always been much older than you, but he always had a thing for the way you never took any shit from anyone—including him.

“Dead.” You caught the lump in your throat before it could even be detected by Jake, never faulting your tough exterior for a moment. “I thought you would have known by now, kept the funeral private though, just me.” You hadn’t gone parading your father's death around. The notice you’d sent Jake a week ago still sat unread in his emails. He’d seen your name pop up and barely paid enough thought to it that perhaps the email was of import. Looking at Jake with a spiteful eye—you knew he didn’t give a shit about your situation, your father’s death only meant one thing and one thing only—he was top dog now.

“My condolences.” Jake looked up with pity plastered over his entire face, he did care. To an extent, he knew what it was like to be thrown into the ocean without a life jacket. When he’d lost his father, he thought he was ready to take over his fathers enterprise. It's all he’d ever grown up hearing. But he wasn’t, he leant though. He dealt with his demons until they consumed him whole. “Whatever will you do now? Fitzroy’s newest Capofamiglia?”

“I was hoping you’d share your secrets if you’re interested in a merger?” Fumbling with your dress, you placed your gun back in your garter. The rush of adrenaline had begun to fade as the cocky smirk you wore faded after no longer than five seconds after having just come to the realisation that you were truly standing across the room from none other than the notorious Jake Seresin. The Hangman, how the fuck you weren’t dead by now was beyond you. “Unless you wanna sit back and watch me take over Fitzroy?”

Jake sauntered out from behind his desk, eyeing you off as if what you asked was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard you say. Backing up slowly with your gaze trained on Jake, he stalked you down like prey until your back hit one of the many bookcases that lined his study. You brought your hand up to rest gently on top of your garter belt which once again held the handgun your late father had given you. You never should have lowered your weapon.

Jake's walk was intimidating, his glare nothing but intense as he trapped you between himself and the bookcase now pressing into your back. The dark, navy-blue suit looked far too snug against his bulging body. With a shockingly evil smirk, Jake leaned in, trapping you between his arms as his hot breath made the tiny hairs on the back of your neck stand upright to attention. His deep, hypnotic voice filling his study.

“So, The Widow wants to know my secrets?” Jake cooed as he squished your cheeks together with his fingers and his thumb, forcing you to look at him. “How I run such a successful enterprise like this?” He paused, pressing a light kiss against your exposed collar bone, trailing his free hand down your torso, his thumb massaging your hip slightly before his hand continued down to aimlessly feel the gun resting against your supple skin. His head shot up to meet your eyes, a devilish grin upon his face as he dipped his hand inside your dress to pull the gun out, revealing it in all its glory, pressing it into your neck as you lifted your jaw high in an attempt to get away. “Fucking look at you, you pathetic pest of a thing.” Jake had been genuinely surprised when his assistance had told him you’d requested a meeting, you had always been his favourite play thing. But the dynamic had now changed, you were his rival? His equal. “You aren’t worth my fucking time you know that right?”

“Still breathing aren't I? So I must be worth something.” You challenged as Jake cocked the hammer back, making you flinch as he held your head still. He could practically hear your heart beating out of your chest as he growled, gritting his teeth, clenching his jaw. But Jake didn't pull the trigger, he simply pushed himself away just to revel in the moment he had you near cowering. How did you ever think you could come into his office, step into his territory and ask him for a merger. What fucking bullshit.

A slight gasp left your lips as you felt hopelessly defeated, watching Jake as he walked away dangerously slow, unloading the gun as he walked, pocketing the bullets before placing the now rendered useless gun on his desk before he dropped his hands back to rest against the oak. Still wearing a shockingly sinister smile.

“Well, there’s three-points you gotta consider to take on this sought of, enterprise. First, you need to pick your crew, they gotta have a range of skills and Do. As. They're. Told.” Jake pushed off his desk, sauntering back to meet you back against the bookcase, trapping you once again as his hand came to cup your chin lightly, looking up into his emerald eyes you couldn’t help but whimper quietly. Now weaponless.

“Second” Jake growled, “Timing, they gotta be where you want them to be at precisely the moment you want them there, they get there too soon? and they’ll stick out like dog’s balls, get there too late and the whole thing's down shitter now isn’t it?” His lips were practically ghosting yours as he leaned down to meet your height.

“Then there’s the all-important third element.” It was the hand that snaked itself around your throat that had you audibly hissing, it made Jakes slacks all the more tighter listening to the small whimpers you let escape as he constricted your airways–wanting to see just how far he could push you before you broke and pleaded mercy. “Someone's gotta be in control.” Jake didn't hate you, nor did he like you, but there was an affinity of some sort there that he couldn't deny.

You'd always been the one who challenged him despite your youth, despite your inability to understand this was a man's world. You'd never make it on your own, Jake knew that, he knew that was the very reason why you were here. The second Jake had realised your father wasn't around–he knew why you’d come to him. He didn't have to ask nor did you have to say it, but he didn't have any intention of making this easy for you.

“Someone’s gotta see the whole enterprise playing out like a general, directing his troops.” Jake let his hand dip from its grasp around your neck, lowering it slowly to rest against your hips, pulling you flush against him as his head still tilted slightly to meet your lips, not fully connecting his mouth with yours but close enough to make you crave his touch. “But pretty girl, the most import thing you need to run an enterprise like this, the thing I have by the fucking bucket load.”

Jake met your gaze momentarily, searching your eyes for the very thing he hoped you’d give him, permission. Whispering one final word against your lips as his hands worked to pull up the silk of your dress to expose your legs, Jake ‘The Hangman’ Seresin smashed his lips roughly against yours as your arms flew up to wrap around his neck, feverously engulfed in his charm alone, you were screwed, the kingpin of Fitzroy now had you undeniably under his charismatic charm. Like he always had since you’d first met him all those years ago in your father's study. The one you were never allowed in, the one that wasn't supposed to ever be yours. But had ultimately become.

“Confidence.”

**************************************

Tags: @mishala005 @crazyunsexycool @a-serene-place-to-be @bradshawseresinbabe @dempy @multifandomfangirll @lanie-k @xcastawayherosx @aboutelijahhh @clancycucumber230 @agentrose17 @mizzzpink @phoenix1388 @avaleineandafryingpan @blindedbythelightt @emorychase @potato-girl99981 @jimstreetownsme @xoxabs88xox

#enterprise // jake seresin #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x f!reader #jake seresin imagine #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin x you #jake hangman x y/n #jake hangman x reader #jake seresin x y/n #jake seresin smut #jake hangman imagine #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin fanfiction #jake seresin fic #jake seresin

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gabessquishytum · 9 months

Note

I realized recently that one of my favorite regency romance novels is so incredibly dreamling-coded, you truly don’t need to change much (probably make it a/b/o for regency proprietary reasons), and ironically enough its title is “The Corinthian” 😁

(As I’m typing this I realized that another book by this author is also very dreamling-coded, might follow up on that later)

Sir Dream Endless is a titled, wealthy, and handsome alpha, but has a reputation for coldness and disinterest for the eligible omega debutantes of society. His family is nagging him to marry and produce an heir, and since he’s never expressed any interest in anyone year after year, they say that he might as well have a marriage of convenience with a family friend.

The thing is, Sir Dream Endless is in fact a romantic despite his reputation, and wants a marriage based on mutual love and affection; his standoffish reputation is because no omega has ever showed interest in him for himself as opposed to his wealth or position, not even the family friend (who in fact thinks love is only for gross lower-class poor people, and is therefore looking forward to a “mostly uninvolved in each other’s lives” marriage of convenience with Dream, which is his personal notion of hell).

One night he’s out walking while seriously considering succumbing to his family’s nagging and propose to the family friend despite his distaste for it all, only to pass by a random house and see a young man trying to shimmy down a bedsheet rope out a window, and Dream decides to investigate to distract himself.

Meet Hob Gadling, an orphan omega living with his aunt and uncle, who is running away because they are trying to force him to marry his cousin to get their hands on his fortune. His plan is to make his way to the country, passing himself off as a beta with scent suppressants, and seek out his godmother for help, possibly marrying a childhood friend if need be. Dream, feeling empathy for Hob’s situation and already charmed by his friendly manner and determination to live his own life, decides to escort the young omega to his destination, basically all but running away with him.

Shenanigans ensue as what should have been a 1-2 day journey turns into a week of shenanigans (including having to spend a night at an inn where there’s *gasp* only one room they have to share!) and being dragged into other people’s drama, as well as falling head over heels in love with each other.

-🪽anon

First of all - lowkey hilarious that the book is called The Corinthian, that's so funny.

Second of all - I am so obsessed with this, hell YES.

Hob is deeply suspicious of Dream’s intentions, he doesn't generally trust alphas (or rich people), but this seems like his best option and Dream does seem to be behaving himself very nicely. He also just straight up throws money at Hob to buy him new clothes, suppressants, whatever he wants. Which is very nice, because Hob likes nice things!

The shenanigans inevitably ensue, they come across people who want to tag along with them, like Matthew (who used to work for Dream and accidentally got fired) and Rose (who is also running away from questionable family shenanigans). Matthew ends up taking Rose to one of Dream’s properties for safety, and Hob and Dream are left alone...

Now, just because Hob's on scent suppressants, doesn't mean he won't have heats. He can feel it coming but he's too embarrassed to say until it's too late. Hob is shaking and sweating in Dream’s arms, in terrible pain from cramps and therefore too distracted to be horny... meanwhile Dream has to pull in his worst instincts and try to be a good person.

If Hob turns up and his godmother's home with a husband, well, short engagements are ever so fashionable these days! He doesn't mention the part where he lost his virginity in Dream’s velvet lined carriage. Dream was such a gentleman - he waited until Hob was out of the worst of the heat before declaring his feelings. Hob obviously jumped into Dream’s arms as soon as possible and begged to be taken there and then.

Hob does have a small fortune, so Dream’s family don't go absolutely apeshit. At least there's a chance of him finally producing an heir. Dream is absolutely disgustingly besotted with his omega, though - completely gross. And you can bet that Hob is just as bad <3

#🪽anon #the sandman #dreamling #nsft #cw omegaverse

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bi-bard · 1 year

Text

Oh No, I'm Falling in Love - Peter Parker Imagine (The Amazing Spider-Man)

Title: Oh No, I'm Falling in Love

Pairing: Peter Parker X Reader

Based On: Labyrinth

Word Count: 2,109 words

Warning(s): mention of death, fear of commitment/relationship, grief

Summary: After losing Gwen, Peter expected to be on his own for a very long time. (Y/n) accidentally proves him very wrong.

Author's Note: We've had a good amount of not-so-happy imagines during this writing challenge... let's have one with a happy ending, shall we?

MIDNIGHTS - TAYLOR SWIFT WRITING CHALLENGE MASTERLIST

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Peter had decided that meeting (Y/n) felt more like a shock to the system than anything.

After everything that happened... After losing Gwen, he shut down for a while.

He pulled away from the remaining people around him. He constantly felt like there was this ball of anger in his stomach. He was more violent. Less controlled.

He was losing sight of why he had become Spider-Man in the first place.

In all honesty, he would never have reached out to (Y/n) on his own. He would've seen them in passing, maybe wondered about the person who seemed extra happy while waiting for their coffee that morning for a matter of minutes before dismissing them entirely. He would've stayed in his cloud that had so easily changed his perception of the world.

But (Y/n) seemed dedicated to keeping that from happening.

They had tried to contain their excitement. Let it sit with them until they could go and call a friend or a family member or something. But in the matter of minutes that it took for their coffee to be finished, their excitement had overwhelmed them. They needed to tell someone.

"Sorry," they turned to Peter, who was clearly exhausted and out of it. (Y/n) paid no mind to that. "I just need to say this to someone. I just got a promotion."

Peter blinked at them, overwhelmed by the person's cheeriness for a moment.

He finally muttered out a response, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," they replied, smile not dimming for a moment. They held out their hand for him to shake. "(Y/n)."

"Peter," he shook their hand and forced a grin. He assumed that this would be the only time that he'd see them.

"Nice to meet you, Peter."

Before he could respond with some kind of forced politeness, (Y/n)'s name was called from the counter. They waved to him and went to grab their drink.

Peter waved back. He wasn't quite sure why. He could've easily nodded or ignored it. But he didn't.

He shrugged the interaction off.

Until the next day... when (Y/n) was there again.

They waved at him as he walked over to wait for his drink. He nodded back and stood next to them, feeling like it would've been rude to try and avoid them now.

The pair made slightly awkward small talk for a few minutes before (Y/n)'s name was called. They left with a wave... that Peter found himself returning again.

The pattern continued for days. Weeks.

They would walk into the coffee shop around the same time, talk while waiting for one of their names to be called, and then part for the day.

(Y/n) would be lying if they acted like they didn't find Peter attractive. He was nice and funny. His looks were a nice bonus, but he was just generally a nice person to talk to.

Peter, on the other hand, was confused.

He felt the beginning of a crush forming. He knew the signs. But he didn't know what to do about them. He wanted to ignore them. To act like (Y/n) didn't matter to him at all. But he couldn't.

Every moment he spent thinking about (Y/n) was met with a moment of guilt. He felt wrong for starting to get feelings for someone else. It felt disrespectful to Gwen.

He just couldn't shake it.

He liked seeing (Y/n) in the mornings. He liked talking with them.

One day, (Y/n) wasn't there when he got his drink and he found himself feeling disappointed. The feeling shocked him. How far had the silly crush gone without him even realizing it?

It took weeks for Peter to accept that his feelings existed.

It took another number of weeks for him to even consider acting on them.

(Y/n) had this tendency to go get coffee on their day off and then sit in the shop to enjoy it. They would read or sit and scribble things into a notebook.

They would wave at Peter like they usually did. He would usually wave back, but walk out after getting his drink.

And then, one day, he didn't.

He grabbed his drink and walked over to the table where (Y/n) was sitting.

"May I," he asked.

(Y/n) looked at him in shock for a moment before nodding and motioning to the other seat with their hand.

He sat across from them and grinned.

The small talk started like it always did. Except there wasn't a time limit this time. They both had all the time in the world to sit and talk.

Peter took a deep breath as he held onto the now-empty coffee cup.

The talk had died down for a moment. He knew that if he was going to do anything about these feelings, then he needed to do it now.

"Do you wanna go to a movie," he asked. (Y/n) didn't have time to answer him before his rambling started. "As a date, I mean. And it doesn't have to be a movie. We can do whatever you want, really. And you can say no-"

"I'd like that," they cut him off.

"Really?"

They nodded. "A movie sounds great."

Peter left the coffee shop that say with (Y/n)'s number in his phone and a date set.

He had mixed emotions. He was happy they said yes. But he was nervous because this was his first date in a while. He was still feeling that small pull of guilt, but he tried to shake it off by thinking about how much he was looking forward to getting to spend more time with (Y/n).

The date itself was nice.

Peter met (Y/n) at their place, eyes scanning the names on the little buzzers outside the door as he waited for them to make their way downstairs.

The two of them walked together, making kind conversation. (Y/n) had apparently been looking forward to the movie they were seeing and was happy to not be going alone.

The movie was quiet. (Y/n) had reached over to hold Peter's hand. It was nice. They had just kind of lazily tangled their fingers with his, nervous about going too far for him. When he didn't move away from them, they felt this little pang of relief in their chest.

Peter didn't. When their hands met, the guilt came back. Except now, the guilt wasn't only focused on potential disrespect to Gwen's memory, but also to (Y/n). He felt like he had led them on. Maybe he wasn't ready for this. Maybe he was just moving too fast. Had he been spending weeks just dragging this poor person through his uncertainty just to play with their feelings?

He couldn't do that.

The pair walked home quietly. (Y/n) tried to make conversation. Peter tried to engage, but all of his responses were short and forced. He was so stuck in his thoughts.

"(Y/n)," he called as they walked to their door. They had only made it a few steps away from him. He probably didn't need to say their name as loud as he did.

"Yeah," they replied, moving back toward him.

"I... Tonight was great," he started. "But... I- I don't think I'm ready for this. Not yet, anyway. I don't want to lead you on if I'm not sure. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

(Y/n) reached out and touched his arm. "It's okay."

Peter's eyebrows furrowed.

"I... I'd rather you tell me now instead of finding out later," they shrugged, pulling their hand back. "Thank you... for being honest with me. I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

(Y/n) waved as they turned again and walked to their door.

They tried to be understanding. They were relieved that they weren't going to have to live up to some expectations they knew nothing about. They were happy that Peter had thought of their feelings enough to not lead them on. But it stung. They like him. A lot.

There were a few days where the pair didn't speak while waiting for their coffee. They would just stand there and pretend the other was invisible.

(Y/n) hated that.

They slowly started initiating small talk again. It was like they were restarting. This time on a level playing field. A better understanding of each other.

Peter thought that after that night, his feelings would go away. He wasn't ready. That's all there was to it. He could move on now. Go back to hiding away from the world around him.

He couldn't.

(Y/n) was on his mind constantly.

Through all of it, they had been so understanding and kind. Too kind to him. He didn't deserve it. He knew that.

He just couldn't escape how he felt.

It was like they were playing on a slideshow in his head. Images and memories. He could've sworn there were times that he could hear their voice when they weren't around.

It all hit him at once.

He loved them. He was in love with them. After months of constant denial, he had missed the moment that he fell down that very slippery slope.

Everything after that felt like he was being stupidly impulsive.

He went to (Y/n)'s building. Someone held the door open for him, which was a little concerning, but he shook it off for the time being. He made it upstairs to (Y/n)'s door.

Peter felt like he spent hours standing outside that door, just staring at it. Like someone paused a film. He couldn't get himself to move.

He took a deep breath and finally knocked on the door.

(Y/n) opened it a few moments later. Their eyebrows were furrowed as they asked Peter what he was doing there.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, not having a good answer formulated.

"Peter-"

He cut them off by leaning forward and pressing his lips to theirs.

(Y/n) froze up for a moment.

Peter's hands cupped the sides of their face as his eyes screwed shut. It took him a total of two seconds for him to feel like it was probably a terrible idea on his part. But he didn't know what else to do or say. Maybe that's why he did it. Maybe he knew the words would never come out if he didn't do something so... forward beforehand.

(Y/n) seemed to snap back to their senses when their apartment door hit them as it tried to close.

They pulled away, pushing lightly on Peter's chest as they did. It left just a little bit of distance between them.

There was a pause as they both just kind of watched each other. (Y/n) was looking for a sign about why this had happened. Peter was looking for a sign of any reaction at all.

(Y/n) finally spoke up after a moment, "You're... You're going to get yourself pepper sprayed doing that."

Peter let out a chuckle as his nerves started to resolve. "Are you gonna pepper spray me?"

They slowly shook their head.

"Good," he nodded. "Because you're the only person I planned on kissing as soon as they opened their door."

"Oh," (Y/n) muttered. "Why?"

"I... I can't stop thinking about you," he explained. "At all. I... I thought that stepping back would make it better, but it didn't. If anything, I just thought about you more. And I know that all of this is annoying and after how much I've jumped back and forth, I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to deal with me, but I needed to talk to you and I just..."

Peter looked down, his sentence trailing off. He should've planned this out more. He sounded like an idiot for rambling the way he had.

(Y/n) grinned at him. "Peter..."

He looked back at them. They leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. A small grin formed on his face.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either," they muttered. They could feel their face getting warmer but tried to ignore it. "I... I just didn't want to push anything."

Peter visibly relaxed at the idea. He wasn't on his own.

"Um," (Y/n) nervously looked away as the look in his eyes almost overwhelmed them. "Would you like to come in? I've got coffee or just soda or... I... I don't know."

Peter chuckled at them. "Yeah."

(Y/n) stepped to the side, pushing the door open enough for Peter to step inside.

They were willing to follow his lead on all of this.

As slow as he wanted to take it, they didn't care.

They just wanted to be with him.

And they felt lucky to know that he wanted them too.

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#peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #peter parker fanfiction #the amazing spider man x reader #the amazing spider man imagine #the amazing spider man fanfiction #marvel imagine #marvel fanfiction #marvel x reader #andrew garfield x reader #andrew garfield fanfiction #andrew garfield imagine #imagine #fanfiction #x reader

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nonclassyparty · 2 years

Text

Starring Role - ACT V (C.S; S.MG)

title; you make me feel like i’m losin’ my virginity, the first time, every time when you’re touching me

summary:

We’ve all read about the infamous player who falls in love with the good girl that manages to make him change his ways…but what happens to the other girl? The pretty, popular one that has warmed his bed before the good girl came along and took him away.

Well, no one cares about her. After all, she’s just a side character.

It almost feels like a joke to play a part, when you are not the starring role in someone else’s heart.

pairing: choi san x reader, song mingi x reader (for now lol)

warnings: smut!!, mentions of dieting

wc: almost 14k

taglist: @joonsthethicc @marievllr-abg @cookiechristie @purenjuniverse @hwaist @littleparkseonghwa @hwasong @hwadump @hongshines @kitty4hwa @knisterlicht @flamingi @revehosh @gayliljoong @naiify @btshook @atzcoke @circusjanreblogs @baguette-atiny @kpopnightingale @xosim @raineadlr @ilikepalta @m4rsluv @gojocatt @smimingi @bubbleteakittyy @mingkiyoo @theactresstarringinurbadreams @mangishii @cryingaboutskz @y2ksturniolo @layzfeelit

buy me a coffee!

act iv / masterlist / act vi

A/N: smut is in italics for this part, there are a couple of more smut scenes but they’re really brief with as little descriptions as possible so i didn’t place a warning for those!

"It's more like every electron in every atom in the universe paused, breathed in deeply, assessed the situation, and then reversed its course, spinning backward, or the other way, which was the right way all along. And afterward, the universe was exactly the same, but infinitely more right."

-Lydia Netzer, How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky

"We should, uh," He stutters out, breath raggedy, "continue having those lessons."

"We should go for a coff- Oh, hey Mingi!" Hongjoong interrupts his sentence as he spots the newcomer that pulls out a chair next to him and places his backpack in front of the spot on the table.

"Y/N, as I was saying, we should go for a coffee after this. I have a study group at eight and I'm gonna need some caffeine to-"

But you're not listening to a single word leaving Hongjoong's lips as your attention is completely devoted to Song Mingi unpacking his things in the seat opposite of you without a care in the world. You haven't seen him since Saturday.

That Saturday.

Mingi stumbles out of the closet, dragging you out after him with his lips not leaving yours once. You're touching and grabbing, hands tugging on hair, teeth clashing and gasps leaving both of you.

You don't even notice that you're moving until your back is pressed against the door of his bedroom as he grips your jaw, licking into your mouth as you pull him closer with a desperate groan. There's that familiar feeling pulsing through you, the need to have him as close as possible without any barriers between the two of you and you subtly grind down on his thigh that was wedged between your legs.

The sound of a lock turning makes you disconnect from him and you turn your head to the side, where his hand rested on the lock of the door right by your hip. Mingi breathes heavily.

"Is that okay?" He whispers nose brushing yours, probably wanting to know how far you plan on taking this tonight.

You just pull his mouth back on yours and hope he gets his answer from that which he does, as he starts guiding you to the bed and with a couple of adjustments- you're in his lap.

"Hellooooo? Y/N?" Hongjoong's voice drags you out of the memories and your head snaps to him with wide eyes.

"Y-yeah!" You respond, internally cringing at how high pitched your voice had gotten. "Sounds good."

Hongjoong gives you a weird look before shaking his head and going back to his books. Your eyes subconsciously dart to Mingi and a zapping feeling runs through you when your gazes meet.

Mingi's face is otherwise blank but his eyes dance with mirth and you swear that the corner of his lips lift up for a split second before he licks them and goes back to opening his laptop and organizing his notes.

You shift in your seat, feeling a little too hot as you try to focus on the textbook in front of you with pursued lips.

"Wanna try to make a simple program by yourself today?" If there wasn't the silence that followed after Mingi's question, you wouldn't have guessed it was aimed at you with just how high up in the clouds you were.

"Wanna take this off?" He murmurs the question as his fingers run over the buttons of your cropped cardigan and end up playing with the top one, his fingers brushing over the skin of your chest in the process. Mingi's eyes are observing your face, waiting for an answer but you're already too lost to form a coherent thought.

"Uh-huh." You nod like a dumbass and his lips quirk up slightly as his lips connect with yours again and fingers nimbly start to undo each button until the cardigan is slipping down your shoulders and leaving you in your bra.

Mingi's lips part from yours and a gasp leaves you shortly afterwards as his lips start kissing down your neck and his hands grasp your hips tighter at that as you start rubbing against him. He is hard underneath you.

A small groan of his own erupts from his chest and he flips the both of you, so you're laying on the bed with him between your legs.

He swiftly connects your lips again. Both of your lips are puffy and red by now but you don't care. You like that Mingi seems to like kissing you. His warm hands trail down your body again until they reach your boots and he sits up, hands fiddling with the zipper on one of them before he pulls the shoes off. He repeats it on your other leg as well.

"Cute." He mutters with a small smirk, thumb rubbing the inside of your ankle where your socks had Hello Kitty on them. Your cheeks burn a deeper red, you would say something snippy to him but you're just too far gone and only thing you can think about is him and what he could do to you.

His hands gloss over your body again. Up your legs and gripping your hips before he glances at you with dark eyes. You let out an impatient puff of air.

Mingi pulls at the collar of his sweater and tugs it off of himself in one swift move, throwing it to the chair by his desk. Your eyes drunkenly soak up his naked chest. Broad shoulders, slim waist and thick thighs still covered in jeans. Your mouth waters at the sight of his toned torso.

His warm hands glide up your thighs and disappear under your miniskirt, latching onto the elastic band of your panties.

"Let's take these off as well." He whispers, small grin rising on his plump lips as he starts slowly dragging the flimsy material down your legs.

"Y/N?" Mingi's voice snaps your head up and you're faced with both Mingi and Hongjoong staring at you.

"Oh, uh...Sorry, w-what did you say?" You stutter out, swallowing as you blink repeatedly to get your thoughts in check.

Hongjoong looks positively weirded out now, looking at you with a scrunched up face. Mingi, on the other hand, seems to be able to read your mind and looks like he's trying to hold back a smirk which makes sweat collect at the back of your neck as a shaky breath escapes you.

"I asked if you wanted to try to make a program by yourself today. It will be one of your tasks at the exam." He elaborates easily, eyes dancing over your features in amusement and it makes you press your lips in annoyance. Not at him, but at yourself. Why were you acting like a school girl that just lost her virginity to this guy?

"Okay." You nod simply, reaching for your laptop and setting it up in front of yourself. Hongjoong returns to his own work and so does Mingi.

As you wait for it to turn on, you glance at Mingi again. His eyes are trained on his laptop, lower lip tucked between his teeth and a pen dangling off of his fingers. Thoughts of his fingers on your lips flood your mind. What is wrong with you? You can't possibly be this horny.

Suddenly, his fingers tap against his notebook two times and your eyes snap to his.

He's looking back at you with a grin that he can't seem to hide now and your cheeks flush red but you don't break the eye contact. It was a bit of a public fact now that, when it comes to men who know how to make you come, you have very little shame.

Mingi coughs, covering up the smile on his lips with his hand before clearing his throat and handing you a paper. Hongjoong is cluelessly highlighting something in his textbook.

"Here, try this one." Mingi says lowly, gesturing to the paper where the task was printed out and you only nod in response, hiding your face behind your laptop.

You start typing across the keyboard but soon enough, your fingers slow down and you find yourself mindlessly staring into the open program, images of last Saturday plaguing your mind and you try your hardest not to look up towards Mingi again.

"Mingi-..." Hongjoong continues talking to Mingi and the more he speaks, the deeper you get lost into your head.

"Mingi." You gasp out, fisting the sheets on his bed in your hands as a means of stopping yourself from being too loud.

Mingi's response is only a chuckle which vibrates through your body as he indulges in the heat between your legs as he pleases.

Your skirt is hiked up to your waist and his hands are wrapped around your thighs to hold them spread out in their place as his mouth explores your cunt until tears are brimming the corners of your eyes.

It's slow and sensual and there's a strange level of intimacy to it that makes giddiness dance up and down your body as your hand reaches down and brushes through his hair.

It was only a couple of days ago that you were cursing Mingi out in your head and now his face was buried between your legs as he gave you what felt like the best head you've gotten in awhile.

Who would've thought.

"Oh, fuck..." You whimper out, still cautious about the volume of your voice despite Mingi's words of reassurance. 'They're all drunk and downstairs by now. You can be louder.'

But you can't bring yourself to completely rely on them so instead, you bite your bottom lip and try to muffle the moans as he suckles on your clit before dragging his hot tongue over it in a motion that makes your legs shake.

It's dizzying. And hot. You can't be bothered to think about anything outside of what was happening in the space of these four walls.

At a particular twirl of Mingi's tongue, your back arches and mouth drops open as another moan escapes and you think, yeah, you won't regret this at all.

"Fuck, you're hot." Mingi mutters against you before his tongue dips inside of you and is slowly dragged back to your clit and it makes your legs shake around his head, he notices and soothes his palm over your thigh.

"I'm gonna-...Gonna come if y-you don't stop..." You brokenly whisper out and Mingi glances up to you. Fuck, he looks good between your legs.

"That's the goal." He whispers and you only moan in response as brings his tongue down onto you again.

How is Song Mingi so good at eating pussy?!

You had almost hoped that he would suck, just so when it's all over you can go back to being mean to him. But you don't think that's going to be possible because, of course, he has to be a god between the sheets in every way imaginable. You can't remember when was the last time you felt this good.

San gave you everything and so much more but for a limited time period. The sex was mind-blowing but only for the first couple of weeks, after that it felt like the pussy magic wore off or something because he gave you mediocre orgasms with half-hearted oral- with the exception of the times he would fuck up and try to get in your good graces again.

But Mingi eats you out to the point where it seems like he's getting off to your moans and to your very taste.

He works his tongue and lips against you, trying to amplify your pleasure and make you feel as good as possible. It works, and you're sent flying into an earth-shattering orgasm that makes your toes curl and your back arc off of the bed as a high pitched moan leaves you.

It feels like liquid fire is eating you up from the inside out, and your orgasm lasts a lifetime. Mingi doesn't falter for one second, diligently dragging out your pleasure with his tongue, even as you quiver and thrash under his grip.

It takes another long moment for your orgasm to run its course, then you abruptly collapse onto the mattress with a deep groan, drenched in sweat and feeling utterly boneless. Only then does Mingi finally let up on his ministrations.

"Fuck, that was so hot." He mutters as he sloppily licks the come from his lips.

"You-..." Your words trail off as you try to catch your breath and wait for the rapid beating of your heart to slow down.

"-all red in the face. Are you feeling sick?" Your head snaps to Hongjoong, meeting his concerned gaze and it's only then that you feel the hotness of your cheeks.

"Huh?"

"What is going on with you today? You're redder than a fire hydrant." Hongjoong comments with a frown and your cool hands reach up to cover your flaming cheeks as you shake your head. You make the cardinal mistake of glancing in Mingi's direction, just to see his gaze trained on the laptop screen but his lips pulled in a small, annoying smirk.

"Nothing." You respond, fanning your face. "Just remembered something my professor told me, so now I'm stressed out over it."

"Seriously, you need to quit worrying." Hongjoong, the ever so sweet and kind friend, continues and you don't have the heart to stop him. Especially, when he's blowing compliments up your ass. "You're too good of an artist, you won't even need all the theory behind it. I, on the other hand, should go to the third floor and cry my eyes out before this study group today."

"Joong, stop." You whine softly and don't notice the way his eyes soften at the use of the nickname. "Let's not talk about school stuff for the day."

"I agree!" He quips, "Let's talk about last Saturday!"

You stiffen at that, casting a glance towards Mingi who doesn't take his gaze away from his laptop and pretends like neither you nor Hongjoong are speaking. Did Mingi tell Hongjoong what happened? You both specifically agreed to not tell anyone-

"What about last Saturday?" You carefully ask, straightening out in your seat. A habit of yours when you're feeling nervous.

"I must've passed out in the pantry under the staircase the moment the hide and seek game began. Minho made those sangrias way too strong." Hongjoong laughs without a care in the world but from the corner of your eye, you see Mingi glance at him with a guarded expression, "Did you enjoy the party? I hope my friends weren't too much, they can be annoying when they get drunk."

Oh, you enjoyed the party alright.

"Says you." Mingi snorts, lips curled up but not taking his attention away from his work. "You were drunk before she even got there."

Warmth pools in your belly again.

"It was awhile since we had a hang-out. I needed to blow off some steam!" Hongjoong defends himself and both you and Mingi chuckle.

"I had fun." You say with a small smile, trying to seem relaxed as possible.

Your eyes dart towards Mingi for a split second and a shiver runs up your spine when you find him already looking at you. His eyes aren't as hollow as they usually are when he speaks to you, they have a glint of playfulness now. Hongjoong clears his throat and your eyes snap towards him immediately.

"Did I do anything stupid? I can't remember shit!"

"You didn't do anything stupid, Joong." It's Mingi who reassures him, probably because he noticed you were sweating bullets.

You were usually an expert of a liar, but recently, it's almost as if you were trying to be a good and honest person or something so it was getting a little bit too difficult to spew lies from the top of your head.

So here you were, blushing and sweating over a measly lie, like an amateur. How humiliating.

"Oh, good." Hongjoong nods before opening his mouth again, "So when did the party end?"

"At midnight."

"Around three."

You and Mingi lock eyes across the table as a moment of silence ensues. You almost glare at him.

"I mean, I went home around midnight because I told my parents I wouldn't be home late. We had a brunch scheduled for the next day and I couldn’t show up looking hungover." You quickly fix your previous answer and hope the mention of the brunch would steer him in a different direction so you could stop talking about the party.

Hongjoong cocks his head to the side in thought, his books long forgotten by his side.

"Really? I swear the sound of a car going down the driveway woke me up for a second and that was at like...almost dawn. I thought it was yours since you're the only one who drove." He says and your mouth runs dry as you gulp. Mingi shuffles in his seat.

"It must've been a dream. You were pretty drunk and I left hours before dawn." You let out an awkward giggle and Hongjoong doesn't seem to buy it because even Mingi is starting to get a little restless in the seat next to him.

He glances between the two of you.

"Nothing weird happened, right?" Hongjoong questions warily to the both of you.

Your eyes lock with Mingi's.

The thing that surprises you the most with Song Mingi is that you didn't expect the sex to be like this.

And yeah, Mingi is a decent guy from what you've gathered but that doesn't really mean that he's good in bed. He's still a college boy.

You expected him to be quick with it. You expected it to be rushed and clumsy, dirty and empty.

But as always, Song Mingi has a tendency to prove you wrong.

"Oh." You sigh out as his lips cascade down the skin of your neck while his hands fiddle with the clasp of your bra. His naked torso is flush against yours as his fingers brush your back and it all makes you feel warm and so safe that you could melt.

The moment the clasp comes undone, the flimsy piece of fabric is thrown to the floor.

You don't waste any time, you sit up and your hands immediately reaching for the button of his dark jeans. Mingi's lips brush against your temple, one hand still around your body as he reaches to the nightstand for a condom.

"Give me." You whisper, taking the foil from him and ripping it with your teeth while he rids himself of his jeans and underwear.

God, he's so fucking thick. You don't even hide the fact that you eye him up and you swear, you see a faint blush coat his cheeks.

Mingi hisses a little bit as you roll the condom onto him and you mindlessly kiss up his chest while you make sure it's placed properly.

"Lay back." He whispers against your lips, nose brushing yours and you lower yourself back to his sheets and spread your legs apart. Your skirt is still on but he doesn't seem to mind, in fact you think he likes it a little too much.

Now, you expected him to just ram into you a couple of times until he comes with absolutely no rhythm to it whatsoever- you expect that from all college boys.

San excluded because San is San. His expertise is fucking.

Mingi is an IT major that's in love with his best friend, excuse you for not expecting much from him.

But no, Mingi is smooth with it.

Dragging his hands up the back of your thighs before placing them over his own thick thighs and then easing himself into you with a sigh that makes you throw your head back as he stretches you out. There's a pleasant burn that makes you let out a soft moan and you allow your arms to fall above your head as you grip the pillow situated under your head.

"Fuck." He bites his lip, one hand resting on your hip as the other grips the belt of your skirt tightly and uses it to guide you onto his dick.

"That's so good." You murmur brokenly, jaw dropping a little as he brushes against your sensitive spot and a hitched moan leaves you.

"There?" Mingi mutters and you can only nod in response, pulling him by the nape of his neck down to you and pressing his lips to yours.

You whine while his tongue brushes yours and his hips start to pick up speed until he's grasping you tightly as your hips meet.

The room is filled with muffled groans and moans, lewd noises from bodies being connected together and the occasional creak of his bed.

Mingi pants against your neck, one hand absentmindedly cupping your jaw, thumb brushing your cheek as you arch against him in pure bliss. You stopped caring about how loud you were halfway through and let the moans fall unabashedly as he fucked you like there was no tomorrow.

At a particularly hard thrust, you clench around him without even meaning to and he groans lowly, giving you a slight albeit playful glare.

"Y/N," He pants, "Don't do that."

You grin because you somehow live to piss him off and repeat the action, only this time it's with full intent. Mingi let's out a choked groan again, the hand that was on your cheek reaching back to grab at your hair.

"Always such a brat." He mutters, snapping his hips against yours and it makes you moan, eyes fluttering shut. "Can you be a good girl for me?"

And somehow, the question makes you melt. It makes you melt so much that you almost sink into the mattress below you, feeling like everything is about to swallow you whole and of course, none of that goes unnoticed by Mingi.

"Oh?" He whispers, lips fluttering over your jawline and your eyes are closed but you can feel him smile against your skin. "You like that?"

"S-shut up." You stutter out, nails digging into his skin at the fluid movements of his hips against yours. Mingi only hums against you, still placing butterfly kisses over your skin.

"You like being called a good girl, huh?" And he's just fucking with you now, you know that. But his words and the playfulness he delivers them with as he continues to kiss up the side of your neck makes you a gooey puddle in his arms. You can only moan and whine in response.

"Faster. Pl-please." You whine as your legs go high up his waist and he quickly listens to your pleads, picking up pace as he observes your face with his lips parted and heavy breaths.

"Like this?" He pants, the smacks echo through his bedroom and you moan loudly, toes curling.

"Yes! Yes, don't s-stop!" You almost sob as you pull him closer to you.

Your orgasm is close. The build up is there and you're about to burst at any given moment as Mingi continues with his tempo, brushing against your sensitive spot as his face falls in the crook of your neck.

You moans get higher with each thrust as you grow closer and closer to your release and Mingi's own groans are muffled but they're there.

"You gonna come for me?" He asks with a hoarse voice against your skin and you moan loudly in response.

The build up drags on and it snaps inside of you like a rubber band and you're tumbling off of the cliff into complete and utter bliss as you arch your back with the loudest moan yet leaving your open lips, toes curling and orgasm washing over you until you're shaking in Mingi's arms.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, Y/N." He grunts out as the pace of his hips grows erratic and you whine in sensitivity.

It takes him a couple more thrusts before he's filling up the condom with a low moan, fingers gripping tightly at your hips as his own stutter against you while he rides out his high and you both fall to the sheets, utterly exhausted.

"We should, uh," He stutters out, breath raggedy, "continue having those lessons."

"No."

"Nope."

Hongjoong's head keeps going back and forth as he stares at you both suspiciously before rolling his eyes.

"Fine. I'll say I believe you even though I know what my eyes saw which was you two being weird as fuck right now." He dramatically points to both of you and you only give a half hearted shake of your head in response.

"Nothing weird happened. The party was fun, thanks for inviting me." You say with a small but sincere smile and Hongjoong groans, turning to Mingi who looks at him in question with brows raised.

"See, that's how she gets you." He complains like you're not sitting right in front of him, your jaw drops a little. "Can't even be a bitch to her when she acts sweet."

You roll your eyes and Mingi gives him a small laugh.

"I'm going to the bathroom and then we can go get that coffee, Y/N." He looks between you and Mingi again with a joking glare, "Not like you two are doing anything productive, Mingi has been scrolling through his assignment sheets for the past five minutes."

Mingi turns to tell him off but Hongjoong is already out of his seat and walking away.

You massage your lips together to keep the smile from forming until Mingi's eyes set on you once you're all alone.

"You have nothing to laugh about." He scolds quietly, blush overtaking his cheeks. "You know for someone who was very strict on keeping this between us, you are extremely bad at hiding it."

"Hey!" You whine, pout etching on your lips, "I got nervous."

Mingi hums in response, tongue poking the inside of his cheek as he stares at you.

"You could've just stayed the night." Mingi says as he shudders in the cold, the hoodie he threw on himself before leaving his room doing very little at protecting him from the winter air.

"So Hongjoong can find me naked in his best friend's bed in the morning." You scoff with a small grin as you lean against your car, "No way."

"Well, I mean, you wouldn't have to be naked." Mingi shrugs with a small grin and you roll your eyes, pushing at his chest a little but it doesn't stop him from wrapping his arms around your waist.

It was weird. All the tension between Mingi and you seemed to have dissipated just by having sex with him. At least you think it did, it might just be the post-sex daze that both of you were still in. It was probably that because why in the hell would the two of you be this touchy otherwise?

"I have a thing with my family in the morning so I have to be up early." You explain quietly, you don't know why but the thought of him wanting you to stay made you feel all soft and mushy inside so you felt the need to elaborate why you were leaving.

You didn't owe Song Mingi anything after having sex once but it was a nice change that he wanted you to stay.

He nods and then his face turns serious, a little bit shy and...nervous.

"Hey, so, uh..." He starts and you cock your head to the side, eyes glossing over his face in curiosity. "About what I said the other day. About the math thing."

Your face immediately falls at that before you can even hide it. Mingi's hands tighten around your waist.

"I'm sorry." He blurts out and you raise your eyebrows in surprise. "I googled it after you left. You have a fucking Wikipedia page, Y/N."

He chuckles in what looks like disbelief at the fact that, yes, you do have a Wikipedia page, shaking his head a little, "I'm sorry for saying all of that. I was being an asshole. And...it's an amazing accomplishment."

"It's fine." You chuckle awkwardly, not expecting the apology whatsoever since you were mostly used to it by now.

"Still..."

"It's fine." You say a bit firmer the second time, a smile settling on your lips.

You both stare at each other, smiles slowly slipping and your fingers tighten around the soft material of his hoodie before you pull him towards you again, slotting his lips against yours.

Mingi grunts, cold hand reaching up and cupping the back of your neck as he presses you against the car door. His tongue swipes over your bottom lip and you part your lips so you can taste him, hands getting lost in his messy hair as you moan against him a little.

"My car has a really spacious back seat." You breathe out once your lips part.

"Fuck off." He laughs, squeezing at your waist. He heaves a sigh before a curse leaves his lips and he smashes his mouth against yours again.

It's hot and wanton but you can't get enough of each other and he has to push you away as he takes a step back because otherwise- you really would've ended up in the backseat of your car.

"We can't tell anyone about this." You whisper against his lips, moaning as he kisses you again, hand travelling to your backside.

"That's probably a good idea." He agrees.

The staring contest is cut off by Hongjoong's return from the bathroom.

"Y/n, come on, let's go." He says pulling his jacket on and packs his stuff. "I'm craving a bitter coffee and a muffin."

"I'll be ready in, like, a minute." You respond, quickly starting to pack your staff as he says he'll wait for you outside.

You slowly pull on your coat, watching Hongjoong leave through the door before turning to Mingi.

"Come to my place tomorrow." You say quietly with a coy smile before getting up and leaving, giving him no chance to respond.

You'll be honest right now. When it comes to Song Mingi, you sincerely have no idea what the fuck you are doing. Let alone why you want to do it again.

But you do. You want a repeat of last Saturday so bad to the point that you sit daydreaming about it during a particularly boring class until your underwear is soaked that it's borderline embarrassing.

You think of his big hands, fingers adorned by silver rings, on your naked skin. You think of his lips on yours. You think of the way his hair feels brushing against your thigh. You think of him buried deep inside of you. You think of his deep voice muttering in your ear. You think of him.

Song Mingi has you dickmatized.

That's why when he comes over the next day, you almost jump on him at your front door.

"Wow, your house is- oof!" Mingi's words are cut off as you pull him inside by the collar of his jacket and slam the door shut behind him before pressing his body into the wall with all the weight of your body and pressing your lips against his in a feverish kiss that makes you whine because you had no idea that you needed to kiss him this badly.

"Wow." He mumbles before quickly kissing you again, hands groping your ass through your sweatpants as yours roam over his firm chest.

"Let's go." You pant, pulling on his hand to lead him up the stairs.

"Aren't your parents home?" He asks with comically wide eyes as he follows after you and you shake your head.

"They're in Japan with my brother for the weekend. I sent the staff home as well."

"Where are we going?" Mingi questions, ogling the paintings hung up on the stairwell wall.

"To my bedroom." You slow down once you notice him staring at the paintings, "I'll give you a tour later, come on!"

You stumble into your bedroom and you quickly throw yourself on him, lips glued together as you lead him to the bed and drag him on top of you. You enjoy feeling the weight of his body on you a little bit too much.

"Y/N, slow down." Mingi laughs against your lips but kisses you nonetheless and you whine again, hips already working against his.

"I can't." You whine pathetically, kissing him messily as your nails scratch against the fabric of his sweatshirt on his back.

"Okay, okay." He whispers comfortingly with a small smile and you don't even care about your red cheeks because he kisses you again and reaches down with one hand between your bodies to undo the button of his jeans.

And honest-to-God, you think the second time he fucks you is even better than the first time. Maybe it was because you spent the majority of the week imagining it but he just knows where to touch, knows how to get you going and what words to say to have you crying out underneath him.

"Such a good girl for me."

Yeah, that ones a favorite.

But then, after you both come, something weird happens.

Weird as in Mingi doesn't pull his clothes on and scramble for the door at the first opportunity. In fact, you two almost cuddle. But not really, because you're not that comfortable with each other just yet. But you do kiss though and lay next to each other on your bed, naked skin touching, as you mumble around stupid things.

It's nice though. You don't get it. Why does everything with Song Mingi seem so romantic?

It's probably because you're so touch starved that the slightest hint of affection turns you soft and putty at the palm of his hand.

Once you get up to pull your sweater back on since you were starting to get a little bit chilly, Mingi speaks.

"Oh...should I...go?" You turn to him, face scrunched up and with a feeling of an even bigger cold washing over you at the thought of him leaving.

"No." You quickly respond before grimacing, "I mean, if you want to. I'm not holding you hostage or anything but...I'd like for you to...I mean, we can have dinner or something."

Mingi seems in thought for a second, brows pinched in a way that almost makes him seem...cute? He nods, a second later.

"Okay. That sounds cool."

"Cool. Do you want something to drink? I was going to make myself some tea." You explain, pulling your sweatpants up your legs as you do.

"Tea sounds good."

"Okay." You chuckle at how awkward he sounds before leaving for downstairs.

You try to collect yourself once you reach downstairs, trying not to allow yourself to get too soft with Mingi because you genuinely don't know what the two of you are doing right now?

You're not dating.

But you're having sex. Will the sex be a regular thing? You sure hope so.

Are you in another friends with benefits situation?

Were you even friends with Mingi?

The answer is that you don't know and you're too scared to ask.

You have a nasty habit of always diving into things head first with very little thinking just like you did with San, art school and cocaine. All those things ended with hurt, tears and hate- so really, what's one more thing on that list.

You want Song Mingi, so you'll have him until either one of you decides to hurt each other, resulting in a tragic end and then, you'll just move on.

You climb up the stairs and walk into your bedroom, carrying a tray with two steaming mugs of tea on it. Mingi is standing by your work desk.

He's dressed back in his clothes and the bed is made.

He's also staring at your infamous notebook where you keep your drawings.

"Oh, that's-" You start and he turns at the sound of your voice, notebook still in his hand.

"These are really cool." Mingi says with a small smile, you flush once you catch a hint of awe in his voice.

You clear your throat, walking over to him and placing the tray on your desk.

"That's just something I do for fun." You ramble nervously, "It's not my actual work. Those are my-" You point to the canvases stacked up in the corner of your room, "-actual works. Those drawings are kinda stupid-"

"I like them." He interrupts, not taking his eyes away from the colorful pages and you flush an even deeper red.

"Oh...thanks." You mutter before clearing your throat awkwardly, "Here's your tea."

Mingi murmurs a soft 'thanks' as he sits back on your bed with the notebook still in hand and you sigh, feeling a slight shiver.

"Oh, shit. I should turn on the heater." And you walk to your closet and start pulling out your space heater from it. Which catches Mingi's attention.

He looks at you like you're crazy. "You use...that?"

And you guess you could understand, the heater is an old model and definitely looks untrustworthy but it does it's job.

"Yeah." You say as you roll it to the corner of your room and plug it in, adjusting the settings.

"You have a thermostat in your room." Mingi says dryly, pointing to the small white box right by your door. "It's literally right there."

"I don't use that when I'm alone." You shake your head and let out a small, satisfied sigh once the heater starts working.

"Why?"

"I don't like messing with all the buttons and shit. I might burn the house down."

"You do know that thing is, like, fifty times more dangerous, right?" Mingi asks, looking confused.

"I..." You look up, "Don't care. Technology scares me, I like using this when I'm alone otherwise Seonghwa or Mrs. Choi has to come and adjust the thermostat."

When you walk over to grab your mug of tea, you catch Mingi looking at you, extremely amused.

"What?" You ask defensively, leaning against your desk with the mug in hand.

"Nothing." He shakes his head, letting out a chuckle, "You just seem very...human and normal right now."

"Human and normal?" You scrunch your face up, voice going higher in pitch.

Suddenly, you remember you're not wearing any make-up and on instinct, your hand flies to your face to try and cover up as you completely forget that Mingi has been here for the past hour. He has seen you without make-up, he has fucked you without make-up.

"I mean in a good way." He sings, thinking you got insulted ( and maybe you did...a little). "It's nice."

"I'm always like this." You argue back with a huff.

"Eh, not really." Mingi comments, blowing into his mug to cool it down. Your jaw drops a little as he just innocently takes a sip, not even looking at you.

"What do you mean?!" You demand for him to explain. He stops to think for a second, eyeing you up and down.

"Okay, well. First of all, you're very hot-" He began.

"Oh." You giggle like a fucking school girl, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and feeling your ego burst through the roof (not that it needed to go any higher).

Mingi groans.

"See, here you go." He complains, throwing his hand in the air but still not being able to hold the smirk off of his face.

"What? I didn't say anything!" You defend yourself but a laugh escapes you, knowing very well what he meant.

"Be serious." He scolds, "You know you're gorgeous, okay? Get over yourself."

"Okay, okay." You nod, fighting back a smile as another blush climbs your cheeks.

"What I mean is, that you seem perfect. Your outfits and your hair and make-up, your car. Like, the first time I saw you, your notebooks matched your fuckin' outfit. Your...your binders were all color coordinated, they match your laptop and your pencil case and your pens. Even your earphones. It's crazy." He lists off with an exasperated expression on his face, "No college student should be that organized. And you...you can be really fuckin' mean as well. You're a lot scarier than you think, you know?"

You snort. "I'm really not."

"Well, now you're not. You're scared of a fucking thermostat." He grumbles, blowing on his tea again.

"Ugh, whatever." You brush it off, not wanting to think about his words. "Do you want to eat right now or later?"

Mingi slows down the action of placing the mug on your nightstand.

"Uh, I'm not really hungry right now." He responds and his eyes do that thing where they grow a bit wider and make him look impossibly soft that it makes you want to throw up.

"Okay, later then." You nod, then look around your room, not really knowing what the two of you should do right now.

"You wanna work on my Computer Science assignment?" You ask lamely and Mingi chortles.

"Sure."

That's how both of you find yourselves laying on your bed. You're on your stomach with your laptop propped up in front of you as Mingi is laying next to you, flipping through the pages of your notebook.

It's...nice. Really nice.

He helps you when you need help and then returns to analyzing your drawings and you don't even feel uncomfortable that he's looking at them anymore since he seems to like them so much.

But him just being there makes you feel lighter. Usually, when your parents and brother would leave for work trips...your father and brother's work trip- your mother just goes with them to flaunt around Tokyo, you would grow sad because you're all alone far too much. Now, Mingi is here and he makes you feel warm.

"Ouch." He comments and you glance at what he's looking at in your notebook. It's Miss Prudy.

You guess that the comment was about the needle going through her heart.

"Oh, that's Miss Prudy." You say absentmindedly, typing away on your laptop.

"She has a name?!" Mingi asked incredulously.

"Of course, they all do."

"What?! No way!" He gasps and you laugh a little at his open mouth as he stares at the drawing. "What does she do?"

"Stops me from being a slut."

His head whips towards you but you don't even skip a beat, just continue copying the commands.

"What do you mean?" Mingi croaks out and you snort as his ears turn red before dropping the pencil in your hand and looking at the drawing of Miss Prudy a little bit closer.

"Well, I drew her when I did something...bad." Fucked your cousin's boyfriend but Mingi doesn't need to know that. "And I guess...I remember her when I'm about to get tangled up with the next wrong guy."

"Wrong guy?" He asks with his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, she doesn't like any of them." You pursue her lips, staring at the hem of her long skirt.

"What...w-what about me?"

"What about you?"

"Does she like me?" Mingi questions and your eyes travel from the page towards his wide eyes. You held back a smirk.

Did Miss Prudy like Mingi?

Of course I bloody don't, you idiot! He's in love with the girl you absolutely humiliated in front of an entire cafeteria and you're sleeping with him right now. You come-guzzling, shameless who-

"No." You respond honestly and Mingi almost seems offended that a fictional character that resides in your head doesn't like him.

"Okay, well..." He hurriedly flips through the page and you sigh, pressing 'save' on your document and lowering your laptop to the floor before getting comfortable on the bed next to him since you have a feeling that he'll want to know about every single drawing. "What about this one?"

It's the drawing of the girls with mechanisms for eyes and bent out of shape nails for a smile. You swallow dryly.

"She doesn't have a name. But she lives in mirrors." You say quietly, grabbing a cushion and placing it in your lap. "She lives off of compliments and everyone else's opinions of her. I need to get her a name."

Mingi is quiet for a second, glancing at you from the corner of his eye. "This ones my favorite."

You smile shallowly at him but he's already looking away, flipping through the notebook.

"But...does every drawing have a story? Like, you don't draw them just for the sake of drawing them?" His curiosity is evident and it's partly endearing but partly overbearing.

"Uh, it's hard to explain..." You rub your eye tiredly, wondering how you're supposed to explain what goes on in your head to him. "It's characters that I...Sometimes I feel like there's a TV show happening but inside of my head, right?" He nods, "And those are the characters in the show, the scenery that surrounds them and stuff...I don't know."

Mingi hums in understanding and you're thankful that he's not calling you crazy. He's not trying to crack dumbass jokes about you needing a therapist because honestly, you've heard it all before and you wouldn't be hurt or anything. If he does think that, he doesn't show it.

Who knows, maybe he'll have lunch with Boyoung tomorrow and tell her all about how fucking insane you are.

But in this moment, with you, he seems accepting and even more intrigued.

"This one?" You glance at the paper.

The drawing of the man with sky blue hair that reaches his shoulders and mustache to match greets you. It's just a drawing of his face but you know that he's dressed like he lived in the 70s with a colorful button up shirt and patterned flare pants.

He has stars shimmering in his blue hair and Jupiter tucked between a couple of strands. His eyelashes are covered in stardust and his lips could numb you.

"Jesus Christ of Wonderland." Mingi reads your messy handwriting in the corner of the paper.

"I should change his name." You cringe with a small giggle. "I drew him a long time ago."

"So what's his story?"

"He gives people bliss for a dangerous price. Like, he makes them feel really good, head empty, thoughts washed away and instead, can make them feel like they're floating and invincible but only temporarily and then in return; he brings sadness, anger, disappointment, fear...lots of other bad things- to the people they love most."

Mingi frowns at that.

"Would anyone really accept anything from him when it's like that?" He cocks his head to the side, lips folded in a confused pout.

You shrug, still staring at the drawing. "Depends on how bad they wanna forget."

Without another word, Mingi starts flipping through the notebook again and you lean your head against the pillow watching the familiar pages that got filled up over the time. You forgot half of the drawings by now.

"Oh, this one." He stops across a drawing that goes across both pages. "It's incredible but...I don't get it."

"She dies." You point to the small figure of a girl who's face is unrecognizable.

The sky is yellow and has clouds in the shape of goldfishes. The trees are alive, there is life pulsating through their bark and the lake is green and blooming with daisies that tempt you to swim through them. The sun is breathing in a pretty shade of purple and on top of a hot pink hill there is a house filled with people.

"The hurricane kills her?" Mingi asks, pointing to the hurricane in the corner of the paper. You nod.

"Yeah."

"What about them?" He points to the house filled with people who cheer as the girl stands alone just a few feet in front of the daisy lake. "Does it kill them as well?"

"Of course not." You frown, defensively, "They're way too important."

Mingi's fingers slip from the paper as he turns to you with an unreadable expression. He looks a little sad.

"The girl isn't important?"

"It's just a drawing, Mingi." You chuckle, hugging the pillow closer to your chest.

"I didn't say anything." Mingi counters slowly and you roll your eyes and take it upon yourself to flip the page.

He moves your fingers away from the paper and starts moving the pages by himself until he stops at one. One from about half a year ago.

"What's this one?" Mingi asks quietly and your pillow slowly slips from your grasp as you stare at it.

It's a drawing of a boy with a carefree smile that skips from one orange hill to the other. Always so close yet so far because the moment you're an inch away from grasping his hand, he disappears with his soft laughs echoing around you and he materializes on the next hill in front of you.

And no matter how many times he disappears into thin air, you always run down the hill you're on and up the next one just in hopes that you'll get to hold his hand one day. Over and over again.

"That's San." You say quietly, sitting up and reaching for your laptop and notebooks that you left on the floor. Mingi is staring at you, you can feel it. He wants to ask what's the meaning of the drawing, you can feel that too.

"Unreachable." Is all you say as you open your laptop again.

Mingi gathers from your suddenly fallen mood that you don't want to talk about the notebook or the drawings anymore, so he carefully shuts it and places it on your nightstand before he takes your laptop from your lap.

"Let's do your assignment."

Days pass by, the weather grows even colder as you November reaches it's end and December kicks off and you and Mingi still continue seeing each other.

Even after your assignment is turned in and you pass the subject with a strong A, you continue to see each other for study sessions in the library. Hongjoong included, of course. It's the coolest study group ever, he says.

But he doesn't know that you and Mingi play footsie under the oak tables while he's busy flipping through his thick books. Hongjoong doesn't know that every weekend he goes home to visit his parents, Mingi sneaks you into his room and fucks you into the mattress until you're so loud that his other two roommates start complaining. Hongjoong definitely doesn't know that Mingi has seen the inside of your room more times just this month than anyone else outside your family members has in years.

You don't know what you're doing and sometimes you wonder if Mingi knows either.

You wonder if he ever thinks about Boyoung and the way she might feel about all of this. You wonder if he's still in love with her.

At certain times when he's with you- stripping you out of your clothes or just watching a movie on your laptop, you can hear his phone buzz but he just turns it off and you know it's her because you notice the guilt on his face.

The good side of you wants to break...whatever this is, off with him so you can relieve him of that guilt that you know he's carrying inside.

But the rotten part of you is selfish enough to indulge in the fact that he's choosing you over her, the rotten part of you wonders how far he will actually go before he either owns up to it and tells her or breaks it off with you completely.

For now though, having him to yourself is enough.

You moan as Mingi's lips move against yours lazily, both blissed out after the sex and bodies still tangled up with each other as you run a hand through his dark hair while his fingers brush your cheek.

The buzzing of your phone interrupts you and he groans as you move from under him and reach for the phone on your nightstand, reading the text message you got.

Wooyo: I'll be there in half an hour <3

"Fuck!" You hiss, pushing Mingi off of you completely and he falls to the other side of the bed with a surprised grunt as you jump up from the bed and run to pull your underwear back on.

You completely forgot that you told Wooyoung you would be meeting him for lunch today.

After your panties are pulled on, you rush to the bathroom to fix your make-up which smudged underneath your eyes.

"Do you have a boyfriend I should be aware of?" Mingi's voice calls out from your bed and you peek your head out of the bathroom to see your phone in his hand, he waves it in his hand with an awkward smile.

"Wooyoung says there's traffic." He reads off of the screen and you sigh in relief, knowing you would have more time to look put together.

"It's my friend!" You call loudly from the bathroom as you brush through your tangled hair, "I'm supposed to meet him for lunch today but obviously, I forgot."

"Oh." Is quietly heard.

You walk out of the bathroom and pull your bra on before going to stand with your back to Mingi's spot on the bed. "Can you please get the hooks?"

"Sure." He says, carefully pulling the clasps of the bra together. You turn to him.

"Do you wanna come to lunch?" You ask genuinely, "Wooyoung is cool, you'll get along with him."

"Uh, I don't know..." Mingi responds as he starts pulling his clothes back on. "I mean...I could eat."

"Great!" You happily exclaim, tugging your nylons on before pulling the same outfit you wore to classes today which was just a pretty, woolen high waisted midi pencil skirt and a sweater on top and your boots.

When Mingi is all dressed and looking at himself in your mirror, he turns to you again. "I don't think I should go."

"What? Why not?" You frown as you clasp your watch around your wrist.

"Do I look okay?" He asks with a small pout and you eye him up and down with a confused gaze. He's in a sweatshirt and jeans. And looks hot.

You like the way Mingi dresses. His hoodies and sweatshirts seem comfortable and soft, plus he always smells nice and it feels good when he has his arms wrapped around you.

"You look fine."

"Yeah but like...do I look fine as in good enough?" Mingi plays with your fingers and you stop what you were doing to look at him properly.

"Good enough?"

"Yeah, like, I don't wanna embarrass you or something." He mumbles and your face softens so quickly as warmth engulfs you inside out.

"Mingi, you could never embarrass me." And it's the honest-to-God truth, Mingi is handsome, smart and funny. He's a great guy. "And you look great, don't even worry about it." You assure him as honestly as possible. "You think Wooyoung is some rich prick or something?"

You mull over your own words.

"Well, he kind of is but the good kind of rich prick. Just trust me."

After a moment of what seems to be contemplating, Mingi nods and you give him a smile, pulling on your coat.

"You look nice." He compliments quietly, lips quirking up and you hate that your cheeks heat up a little.

"Thanks. Now let's go."

"How come your parents are never home?" Mingi asks as you both start descending down the stairs and you sigh.

"At the end of every year, they have to make sure everything is good in the japanese branch of the company, so my dad and brother are there up until almost Christmas- sometimes even then. Mom just likes going for the sake of going, I guess." You explain as you lock up the front door behind the both of you and you stand in your driveway, waiting for Wooyoung.

"That's kinda lonely, isn't it? For you, I mean." Mingi wonders and you smile before quickly recollecting yourself. Damn him for being so cute.

"It's okay, I'm used to it." You shrug, wrapping the coat tighter around yourself.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Mingi asks one last time and you groan, opening your mouth to scold him but you're cut off by the roar of an engine pulling up in your driveway. You turn to Mingi again.

"Seriously, you look hot and you're worrying too much! Wooyoung is about to step out of the car dressed like a middle schooler!"

"I hear you talking shit about me even from here, you know!" Wooyoung calls, head only poking outside the window of his car and you and Mingi both make your way over to him.

"Oh, and who are you?" Wooyoung asks, ever the charmer. Mingi opens his mouth.

"Can you be normal?" You scold him as you get in and Mingi gets in the back seat. "This is my friend Mingi, he helped me with my Computer Science assignment. I was telling you about it, remember?"

Wooyoung turns to eye Mingi up and down and Mingi, who is taller than Wooyoung by a whole head, looks ready to shit bricks for some reason.

"Oh and he was in your house with hair that suspiciously looks like sex hair and hickeys covering his neck, why?" Wooyoung lists without missing a beat and you take a deep breath, feeling your blood pressure rise immediately.

"Jesus Christ." You hear Mingi mutter from the backseat, fixing his hair the best he could and you almost feel bad for the poor guy.

"None of your business." You throw back at Wooyoung. "Can you drive? We're starving over here."

"Hey, I don't mean anything bad by it, Mingi." Wooyoung reassures, eyes connecting with Mingi's in the car mirror as he starts driving down the road. "If you're the reason she's been in a better mood these past couple of weeks then lunch is on me today. Thank you for giving her a couple of orgasms, Lord knows she needed them."

"Oh my God." You whisper out and you can faintly hear Mingi choke in the background, you turn to Wooyoung, "I'm going to kill you."

And there was Mingi, thinking he was going to embarrass you. Completely clueless that nothing can cause more embarrassment than Jung Wooyoung.

But the lunch ends up being fine. It's fun even.

Mingi slowly relaxes and warms up to Wooyoung because he's Wooyoung- he simply has that effect on people and his laughter and loud personality are infectious.

You enjoy the food, talk about classes, parties and whatnot. Wooyoung is carefully avoiding asking anything about your relationship with Mingi and you know why.

He plans on ambushing you when you're both alone.

"Mingi, you want me to drop you off somewhere?" Wooyoung asks as he starts driving out of the restaurants parking lot.

"That would be great actually. I live two blocks away from campus." Mingi explains and Wooyoung nods in response, adding the address to his GPS.

You're satisfied and happy, with a full belly and cool head, leaning back in your seat and completely tuning out their conversation.

Wooyoung drops Mingi off at his house and Mingi says goodbye with his pinky wrapping around yours briefly through the space between your seat and the car door.

"I like him." Wooyoung announces into the silence as he starts driving away from Mingi's house.

You only hum in response, not knowing what to say exactly.

"Are you dating him?"

"No." You chuckle as if the idea of you and Mingi dating was completely out of the question. "We're just...I don't even know. Having fun, I guess?"

"Ah," Wooyoung nods, before giving a half-hearted shrug, "Well, he's nice honestly."

"Yeah, he's cool." You agree.

Five days after that lunch, you see San in the library.

You come to pick up some books that Professor Ahn suggest you look through the last time you've seen her. You've been meeting her every two or so weeks and it's not anything special if you were honest, but it's nice to be able to talk about your art with someone.

You walk through the Art History section, skimming through the shelves filled with books when a figure sitting by one of the tables near the big windows catches your eye.

It's San. Always, the beautiful Choi San.

He's in a black sweater and his dark hair falls over his forehead, eyes fixated on the notes in front of him as he writes something down. He's studying.

You haven't seen him in awhile, weirdly you don't miss him when you don't see him. But in moments like these, you're reminded of what you once had and it leaves you feeling somewhat hollow.

He's still dating Boyoung, you know that much at least.

You jump a little when his eyes meet yours and you quickly take the book you came for before turning around and walking away.

It's embarrassing to be the one to care more.

As if that's not enough, on the same day, as you're walking out of the library and heading to your car- you spot Mingi and Boyoung.

They're walking together, laughing loudly with steaming drinks in their hands. You don't know if you're hurt but you're definitely not happy about it.

You don't care if she had Mingi first, you want him all to yourself now. She already has San.

Still, you're not crazy. No matter how intrusive your thoughts may be at times, you're not dating Mingi. Boyoung is his best friend and you need to be normal.

You are normal.

You might be a lot of things but you respect other people's friendships.

But...is it just a friendship to Mingi? Is it really? Or are the rumors true? About him being in love with her.

You already decided for yourself that they are because it's better to be let down in the beginning, then you can only go up from there.

Still, you knew how dramatic you could be and you were genuinely curious if the rumors were true. You try to read Mingi's body language, try to figure out if he looks at her in any way that might indicate he has feelings that go any deeper than true friendship but you can't tell.

You get in your car pretending you didn't see either of them and head to Professor Ahn's house.

When Mingi texts you that night, asking if you wanted to come over- you say you're busy.

The spunk only lasts for two days though because on the third one, you pick up Mingi from his house and fuck him in your car in an empty parking lot.

Mingi leaves for his hometown three days before Christmas, so does Hongjoong. You won't see them until almost the middle of January and it dampens your mood. Over time, they've became somewhat constants in your life and you enjoy spending time with them.

Still, you like Christmas.

Your family acts like a proper family for once.

You decorate the tree and the house together with the staff. You eat baked goodies that your mother would normally not even allow in the house. Even your father is home for once.

Your mother makes all of you wear ugly Christmas sweaters and you take photos in the big living room, so she can send them to her cousins and friends to brag about her perfect family and life.

Seonghwa stands next to you, hand placed over your shoulder and your parents sit down on the chairs in front of you two. The nicely decorated Christmas tree is in the background and you all shine bright smiles towards the camera as your mother instructs which pose you should do next.

Your phone buzzes.

Mingi: It's very....

Mingi: It's pretty!!!! Very red

You snort at his response to the mirror selfie you sent of your ugly sweater.

"Is San that funny?" Seonghwa mutters as you both stand against the wall as your mother arranges photos with the staff and you clench your jaw, glancing at him quickly.

"It's not San." You respond quietly, placing your phone in the back pocket of your skirt.

"Then who is it?"

This is what annoyed you most with Seonghwa.

He ignores you on most occasions, isn't very nice for a very long time now but he's still so fucking nosy and wants to know what's going on in your life.

Usually, you would be happy and gladly talk to him about Mingi, Hongjoong and just about anything really, despite the fact that he's an asshole towards you.

But these days, you're growing too tired of it. Too tired of running after him to make things right between the two of you despite how badly you want things to go back to how they once were.

The past is ruined. You can't go back to it, so was there really a point in trying anymore?

"None of your business." You mutter back, without looking at him and he scoffs in response before walking away to sit on the couch.

Then after you brush him off, of course you feel bad about it because you think that every chance he gives you to talk to him is a step closer to fixing things and yet, you've been stuck at the starting point for almost two years now. It's exhausting.

You don't let any of it ruin your mood. You always enjoyed Christmas ever since you were little, ugly sweaters and all.

Maybe you just wish you spent it with different people though. Because after the family photos and the big lunch your family throws every Christmas where you have to mingle with people you don't know very well- you all retrieve to your separate rooms and you're engulfed by loneliness once again.

Your New Year's kiss ends up being Wooyoung.

A sloppy, drunken kiss that ends with snorts and laughter because it happened solely for the reason that you both thought walking into the New Year without kissing someone is for losers.

It's a good party though, the usual rich kids shit but you have Wooyoung and you spend most of the night dancing around and getting drunk with him.

Neither of you care that everyone thinks you're dating.

Winter break is gloomy, cold and also, spent mostly with Wooyoung.

You don't know how neither one of you got bored from each other just yet. You're constantly at his apartment, eating food that Wooyoung sometimes cooks and sometimes you just order in. You watch those Hallmark Christmas movies that are definitely bad but still have something addicting to them.

You paint some more. One of your professors told you he sent your painting for one of the competitions being held in the spring. It's cool, you suppose.

You only visit Professor Ahn once, bearing a bottle of red wine as a Christmas gift. She's alone, all the time.

Mingi surprises you with a text one Wednesday afternoon.

Mingi: I came back earlier so I have the house to myself

Mingi: Come over

Mingi: And stay the night?

So you come up with an excuse that you'll be sleeping over at Wooyoung's place that night and of course, your mother is delighted. Everything goes as long as it's with Wooyoung.

"Hey." You greet once Mingi opens the door, dressed in a thick hoodie with the hood pulled over his head so his eyes are barely peeking from under it.

He gives you a toothy grin and something tingles inside of you.

"Hey, come in." He holds the door wider open as you step in and you take off your shoes before you both awkwardly stare at each other for a second.

You think if you should hug him. You want to because you missed him but you're not sure if Mingi wants to hug you or anything. Are you there in your relationship with him yet where you hug when you don't see each other for awhile?

Mingi lets out an awkward chuckle and you pull the sleeves of your thick sweater over your hands.

"Sorry, it's cold. I turned on the heating like an hour ago but it takes awhile since the place was empty for the month." He explains as you follow him to the kitchen.

There are plastic containers and tuperware on the counter that you look at with curiosity.

"What's all this?" You say, glancing at all the food. Mingi gives an embarrassed laugh, starting to place the containers in the fridge.

"It's food my mom sent me." He chuckles and you think it's endearing how his cheeks flush pink. "She sent too much."

"That's nice of her." You muse, watching him as he diligently places the food on the shelf in the fridge with a little sticker that says 'Mingi's food'. "You won't have to cook for awhile."

"Yeah, she's always worried that I'll starve or something." He chuckles, before turning to you to defend himself with his eyes endearingly widened, "I know how to cook! But I'm kind of lazy."

You giggle and nod in understanding, sitting by the counter and wait for him to be done with putting everything away.

Once the counter is cleared up, you both move to his bedroom with mugs of tea and snacks in your hands.

His room is a lot warmer than the rest of the house but you both still get underneath the sheets as he sets up his laptop for a movie.

Interstellar is one of Mingi's favorite movies, you've never seen it before until he suggested it one night after you had sex. It's a good movie, so you don't mind when he puts it on again.

"How was your break?" You ask as you try to get yourself comfortable against the headboard.

"It was fine. Hung out with my friends a little bit, saw my family and that's it really. Yours?" He turns to you, eyeing the way you squirm and shift the blanket around yourself.

"It was alright. Spent most of it with Wooyoung and painting." He nods at your response and suddenly pulls you into his side. Your lips part as he moves his arm around your smaller frame, so you're almost laying on his chest.

"You move too much." Is all he mumbles and you don't respond, thinking it's better to just focus on the movie.

Halfway through the movie though, his lips somehow end up on yours and the movie is long forgotten as he climbs on top of you and licks into your mouth while his hands drag your skirt down your legs.

"You need to wear thicker clothes." Mingi mumbles against your neck, "It's too cold for skirts."

"I go everywhere..." You pant as he suckles on your sweet spot, "with my c-car anyways."

"Still." He mutters, before crashing his lips into yours again and you moan.

Somewhere between deep groans and sighs, naked skin on skin, him thrusting into you and your broken cries, Mingi whispers; I missed you.

After that night, you're left confused.

You feel something for Song Mingi. But you just can't put a finger on what is it exactly nor will it ever lead somewhere.

You see him a couple of times a week and sometimes, you don't even have sex with him. Sometimes, it's just hanging out. Grabbing a cup of coffee or getting lunch together before class. You're confused.

It doesn't help that Wooyoung keeps mentioning him.

"What about Mingi?"

You turn to Wooyoung with your brows furrowed, mouth full of noodles as you ask carefully, "What about him?"

"Maybe you should try it with him." Wooyoung shrugs, popping a piece of chicken in his mouth.

You were on the topic of relationships as you both watched the newest episode of How To Get Away With Murder. And the discussion about guys suddenly led to Mingi being mentioned.

"I...I don't know." You mumble, tapping your manicured nails against the side of your bowl of food. "I mean...I like him. I wouldn't be having sex with him if I didn't like him."

"But?" Wooyoung drags on with curious eyes, waiting for you to elaborate.

"But I'm confused because...because it doesn't feel like it did with San." You admit, eyes casting downwards. Wooyoung looks at you, munching away.

"Of course, it doesn't, Y/N. Geez, you've been hooking up with San for a whole year and you were, like, obsessed with him!" He exclaims and you wince at the use of the word 'obsessed'. Wooyoung sighs loudly and you pout.

"Listen, Mingi and San are two different people."

"Yeah, but what if I'm not over San? Then what?" You ask, "Am I supposed to start something with Mingi even then?"

"Yes!" He says loudly and you roll your eyes. "The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else! You've already done that and don't you feel better?"

You pursue your lips.

"See! All I'm saying is that you should just go with the flow." He continues, "Stop overthinking it. You like Mingi, you like spending time with him, no?"

You nod.

"Then ask him out on a date." Wooyoung suggests, "Just have fun. Not every relationship has to be something serious, you know? You can date for a couple of months and then, I don't know, if it's not working then it's not working!"

"What I'm saying is that you need to break out of this spunk you're in. I know you're a little hopeless romantic. You love that shit!" He accuses you with a finger pointed at you, "So ask him out, go do something cute together for fuck's sake!"

You think about it for a moment.

Maybe there is some truth in Wooyoung's words.

You've always been lead by your emotions and emotions...they're fickle little things. Unreliable and uncertain. They change like the weather and what you feel today, you might not feel tomorrow.

And a date does sound nice. You don't remember the last time you've ever been on one. It was before college definitely.

"You think Mingi would go on a date with me?" You in a small voice and Wooyoung turns his attention from the screen back to you, looking at you like you're stupid.

"Of course he would, what are you on?" He scoffs.

"But what about...what about Boyoung? She's his best friend."

He rolls his eyes at that.

"Mingi has been fucking you for over two months now. He crossed several lines already, I doubt a little date would do more damage than it's already been done." Wooyoung shakes his head, "Just think about it."

You nod in response, with a thoughtful expression as you both change the subject.

The new semester begins and your whatever-it-is with Song Mingi continues just like before, you don't bring up the date around him.

You grow even closer. You're friends now, you're sure of it. You text each other randomly, share stupid videos and funny photos.

You also have sex. And it's still amazing.

"I'm hungry." You grumble from Mingi's bed where you sat, propped up against his headboard with your notebook in your lap as you were drawing while he sat behind his desk, typing away on his laptop.

The hang-outs in his room when Hongjoong was out of the house became even more frequent. Especially since the first time you slept over.

Mingi looks up, his headphones falling around his neck as he gives you an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I got carried away with this bullshit." He points to his assignment and you brush it off saying you didn't mind. "I don't think I have any food here but we could go down to the convenience store. It's just down the street."

"Okay." You nod, already moving to stand up from the bed.

Your trip to the convenience store feels like a trip to Ikea for an average adult. It's like Disneyland.

In reality, it's nothing special. Just a small store at the corner of the street with snacks, noodles and other unhealthy foods that most college students live off of.

Not you though. The last time you were in a convenience store was when you were on a field trip in middle school.

"Woah." You whisper with wide eyes that glaze over the variety of ramen, kimbaps, sandwiches and everything else.

You watch Mingi pick out two cups of ramen silently as you tuck your hands and your wallet in the pockets of your thick coat.

"What are you going to get?" You ask Mingi like a child, as you follow him around the store.

He turns to you, smile growing on his lips as if he was endeared or something.

"Ramen with sausages probably. You?"

You look around the shelves, cluelessly. "I don't know."

He hums in thought, lips pouting as he looks around the snacks as well. "Do you like corndogs?"

"I've never tried them." Your respond, staring at the deserts, unbeknown to Mingi's bewildered face.

"Never?!" He exclaims and you shake your head, cheeks heating up. It's not like you didn't want to but you had lunches prepared for you since you were in kindergarten and it's not like you need anything from convenience stores otherwise.

"Well, we need to get you the full college student experience then." Mingi nods and immediately starts throwing different snacks and foods into the basket on his arm and you just follow after him until the basket is full with a variety of foods.

"Oh, this!" You tug on his arm as you pull out two blueberry flavored jelly drinks from the freezer. Mingi chuckles and just nods for you to place it in the basket.

When you reach the register, you pull out your wallet to pay put Mingi gently pushes your hand away.

"I got it." He says, giving his credit card to the teenage girl working there.

"There's a lot of stuff here." You say pointing to the big bag filled with food and snacks. Mingi chuckles.

"Y/N, trust me. If there's anything I can afford, it's this. Don't worry about it." You open your mouth to argue but he just shushes you, reaching for the bag.

It's night time even though it's little past six p.m. and you can't wait for spring to come so the day can last longer. You both walk side by side up to his house, bumping against each other occasionally.

After Mingi prepares the food, which is really just microwaving it and pouring boiling water into the cups of ramen, you both sit side by side on the counter and start eating.

And you fear that you might grow addicted to convenience store food after that.

You make a soft exclamation sound as you bite into the corndog and see a string of cheese stretching. Mingi laughs as he watches you eat.

That's all you've been doing since you started eating, making sounds of satisfaction at each snack you tried.

"If I knew this would make you that happy, I would've taken you convenience store shopping a long time ago." Mingi chuckles, handing you a napkin. "I eat there all the time."

"The last time I've been in one was when I was in middle school maybe." You respond as you chew, eyes closed as the cheese melts on your tongue.

"You don't ever eat this at home? You know, a lazy meal or something?" He asks still in complete surprise.

"I eat raw vegetables and fruits for lazy meals." You respond, almost inhaling the ramen.

"Why?" He asks as if disgusted by the idea. You shrug.

"My mom is really strict. I've been on a diet since I was, like, fourteen." You say without much thought, not finding anything wrong with your words until you see that Mingi has stopped eating and is now looking at you.

You turn to him.

"Sorry, don't know why I said that." You chuckle humorlessly, feeling stupid for revealing something like that and possibly bringing the carefree mood down. You didn't say it for any pity points, either. "Just forget it."

"No, its..." Mingi starts but quickly drops it with a headshake. "You don't have to apologize."

"So..." You quickly change the subject and hop on something you've been meaning to ask him recently. "There's a rumor about you going around campus. About you and Boyoung."

You don't know where the boldness came from. You haven't uttered Boyoung's name around him ever since you started spending time together.

Mingi pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue before nodding.

"Yeah, I know the rumor." He chuckles, seemingly not bothered by the question or the mention of Boyoung so you relax a little bit but still not enough to not wait for his response with a bated breath. "It's not really a rumor per say."

You slow down your chewing on the piece of kimbap you just popped in your mouth.

"We've known each other since we were kids, grew up in the same town and stuff. I confessed to her in our senior year of high school and she said she didn't feel the same way." He shrugs as if it isn't a big deal and you chew with your brows furrowed. "I got over it, honestly. Haven't felt that way about her for a long time."

"Oh." You muse out, not know with what you're supposed to respond with as you reel the new information in.

"Yeah." Mingi chuckles awkwardly, slurping more noodles in his mouth.

"And you just gave up? Just like that?" You ask curiously and he gives you a strange but amused look.

"What else was I supposed to do?" He asks as he swallows his food. "I can't force her to feel something she doesn't."

"Dunno..." You think, "I wouldn't give up that easily."

"Well, I know you wouldn't. You're used to getting things your way, aren't you?" Mingi chuckles before shaking my head. "Nah, I'm pretty content with giving up."

"Well, if you're sure." You shrug but you would be lying if you said you didn't feel a huge amount of relief curse through you at his words. He doesn't have feelings for Boyoung.

After you're done with your food, Mingi stands up to clear out the counter.

"The best thing about having convenience store food for dinner is that..." He starts, as he pushes all the wrappers and paper cups into a plastic bag with one swipe, "-everything goes to the trashcan and there are no dirty dishes afterwards."

You laugh as you stand up, grabbing your jelly drink and opening it to taste it and handing Mingi his own before you make it up to his room.

His room is completely dark when you walk in, only faintly illuminated by the lights coming from the screen of his laptop and the street lamps coming from the window.

"Hey." He whispers, big hand wrapping around your wrist as he turns you towards him after he shut the door. You look at him in confusion as he takes the opened jelly drink away, placing it along with his on the desk before his hands rest on your cheeks.

He kisses you softly, sweetly. You let out a little sound of surprise before kissing back, letting his tongue lick past your lips. He tastes like artificial blueberries.

Slowly, he guides you towards his bed where you fall and he climbs on top of you as he deepens the kiss.

You moan, running your hand through his dark locks before pulling on the ends as he pulls you up to the center of the bed and settles between your legs.

The sex that night is different. You don't know why or what prompts it but it just is.

It's softer, slower but still passionate and you feel like your body is melting between his sheets as he rolls his hips into yours in a torturous pace.

"What are you doing to me?" Mingi whispers against your neck as you moan at the way he thrusts into you that it has you seeing stars, "Why are you so good to me, huh?"

You don't even register the words he says because you're too lost in the pleasure and just...him.

When you both come, you lay under his sheets with tangled limbs and sip on the blueberry jelly drinks as you whisper to each other about nothings and everythings.

You decide to ask Song Mingi out on a date.

That night as you stare at the ceiling of Mingi's bedroom, your eyes trace the shapes of a boy and a girl coasting through the purple clouds of Wonderland on a Persian rug, admiring the colorful scenery of the green daisy lake and pink mountains. The stars wave as the boy and the girl fly past them.

The stars know that one of them cares too much and the other gives up too easily.

#san x reader #mingi x reader #ateez angst #ateez x reader

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snippychicke · 8 months

Text

For the Sake of a Smile (V.2) Chapter Eighteen

Title: For the Sake of a Smile (Revised)

Overall Rating: Mature (18+)

Chapter Rating: M for Mature. We've begun the 18+ content

Trigger warnings: Nothing beyond the child abuse hinted in the series, though we do explore the consequences a bit more.

Main Pairing: Balam Shichiro/Reader

Summary: Hell on earth was your motto for your job. Granted, you were pretty sure earth really was hell, considering the shit you had seen in your life. And the fact your coworker was a child.

A child named Suzuki Iruma, in fact. A kid who’s life was decidedly worse than yours, but yet he smiled despite everything. It wasn’t long after meeting him that you decided you’d do a lot for his smile. Including summoning a literal demon and signing your soul away.

But as it turns out, hell (The Netherworld, actually) was a lot better than living on earth. Demons were more humane than a lot of humans you knew.

And Iruma’s smile wasn’t the only one that would change your life.

Masterlist | Ao3| Mairimashitai! Simps Discord

Your body hurt.

The cool autumn air was both refreshing and like sharp daggers to your lungs as you gasped for breath.

Yet while you were barely upright, arms braced against your knees to keep you from falling flat into the dirt, Opera was impeccable as always; looking at you with a mote of concern on their face. "Do you need a moment?"

You needed several moments. Actually, you needed a hot bath and then a cup of pain-relieving tea as you settled into your bed. Hell, even taking an impromptu nap in the torn-up grass sounded like a lovely idea.

But you remembered how easily you were snared by the drooling vine just a few days ago; how weak and helpless you were, how one tiny mistake had almost cost you your life.

Then, to make things even worse was the vivid memory of Shichiro's reaction to you being in danger. That small glimpse of his demonic nature, triggered because of his worry. And then there was how Sullivan and Iruma reacted when they learned about the incident, thanks to Shichiro who didn't gloss over how close you had been to death.

You had both them - plus Shichiro - plastered to your side for the better part of the next few days making you wonder who was the mother hen, you or them.

But their reactions made you realize something. For the first time in your life, you had people who really cared if you were hurt - or worse. They actually loved you, just as much as you loved them.

Your thoughts strengthened your resolve as you stood taller despite your legs feeling like jelly. You were going to do your best to make sure your loved ones never had to worry about you. Or rather, at the very least, you could protect yourself from an overgrown weed.

"Not yet," You bit out, earning a faint proud look as Opera's tail twitched. They shifted, holding their hands in a defensive position. You took it as your cue to lunge once more, attacking as they had instructed. A swinging kick, then a sharp jab to try and break their defense. Your movements felt sluggish even to you, so it was no surprise as Opera easily blocked each strike.

But as they had mentioned before; you were new to the exercises they were putting you through, so the focus wasn't on landing the hits. It was fluidly moving from one action into the next and not having to pause to think about how to strike next.

You continued on, trying to press past your muscles screaming in pain and your limbs shaking from exertion. Your strikes became sloppy, and Opera put a stop with a sweeping kick to your legs.

In that split-second, you feared crashing onto the ground - only for Opera to catch and lower you gently to the loose dirt.

You swore the damned demon was faster than light.

"You mustn't press yourself too much, my lady." They spoke as you stared up at the sky, still trying to figure out what exactly just happened.

You looked up into their ruby eyes. "...I need to be stronger, so everyone doesn't worry about me."

Opera's ears twitched as they tilted their head slightly. "We will always worry about you, just as you will always worry over master Iruma."

"Iruma is different," You protested. "He's...."

"Your child, just as much as you are Lord Sullivan's," Opera interrupted gently. "And we both know Shichiro will worry no matter how strong you become."

You sat up slowly, your mind trying to process the idea. Yes, you had adopted Sullivan as a father figure - someone to go to for help (the few times you were desperate enough to actually ask someone else for help.) - and he did dote on you, but the thought he might feel as protective over you as you felt towards Iruma was still a difficult pill to swallow.

You were an adult. You had taken care of yourself for years.

...as had Iruma, despite being a child. And that fact made you even more protective of him.

If the hints you picked up were true, Sullivan was far older - and probably saw your few decades of life as nothing, and considered you a child.

"... what about you?" You asked to turn your thoughts away from that realization. "I know you serve dad, and you're Shichiro's friend..."

Opera tilted their head once more, studying you intently with those piercing eyes. "When I first enrolled at Babyls, it was chaos. The strong students preyed upon the weak, and the rules meant nothing. The teachers let the students run wild outside of classes. But between my kohai and myself, we brought peace and order to the student body - and Lord Sullivan hired teachers who cared for the students outside of class.

“I thought Babyls couldn't improve after that - that it was the best it could be - but you and Master Iruma have already made a powerful impact that I feel has made it even better. And if you can do that in just a few short months, how much of a positive impact can you two make on the rest of the Netherworld?"

Your stomach twisted even more. You had been so busy just trying to survive, you had been unaware of making any impact.

But... you recalled the students now taking refuge in your library, finding it a quiet sanctuary. The misfits calling you mom, and how you would have discussions with the Literature batra as well as others about philosophical ideas where demons and humans seemed to have drastic ideas.

"That is why I serve you and Master Iruma," Opera finished as they helped you to your feet. "Because you have earned my trust and respect despite being human."

--+--

Monday came, and you were faced with a difficult choice. Kitten had bonded with you quicker than you could have hoped for, but to the point he thought he needed to be at your side constantly.

So the thought of making him stay home with just the imps as company left you feeling more than a little torn. Which must have been obvious on your face as you shared pieces of your breakfast with Kitten.

"Why do you look so sad, dear?" Sullivan coo'd as he appeared, hand falling on your shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"It's silly," You tried to dismiss as you watched the kitten devour the small piece of egg, making adorable 'omnomnom' noises all the while.

Sullivan sat down beside you, his hand finding yours. You looked up and realized the concern in his eyes. "If it's making you sad, then it is not silly. I would hate a repeat of before."

Your stomach squirmed guiltily as you recalled that dark period not too long ago. Yet at the same time, it made your heart warm with the reminder of how much he cared. "It's nothing like that. I… I just didn't like the idea of leaving the little one here all day by himself."

"Well then, don't!" Sullivan smiled. "I am the chairdemon, after all, and I'm certain there are no rules against this adorable creature keeping you company all day."

"It wouldn't be unprofessional or whatever?" You asked, barely daring to hope.

Sullivan's smile turned slightly mischievous. "Darling, we're demons. I frankly don't care what you do as long as it makes you happy."

Which is how you ended up with Kitten riding your shoulder through the day, apparently quite happy and content; and if he wasn’t on your shoulder, he was snuggled underneath the desk - either watching the students or trying to nap.

The students quickly warmed up the kitten, but he was not as eager to meet the students. He would usually just stare at them, or even puff up his fur until he was nothing more than a ball of fluff and hiss.

Which, really, only increased the cuteness factor.

Near mid-day, you were surprised to see Jazz trying to play with the kitten peek around the corner of the desk leg as the demon dangled one of the toys you had brought for the cat. (Granted, you didn't recall leaving the toy somewhere it was easy to reach, and had a sneaking suspicion his 'snake fingers' were at work again).

"He's... cute," Jazz commented after a moment, breaking your concentration on the paperwork you had been doing. "I didn't think familiars were cute, though I suppose Eggy-sensei is awfully fluffy...."

"He's not a familiar," You answered, smiling as you saw the kitten finally pawing at the fuzzy worm on a string. The brown tabby paw darted out from beneath the desk, sharp needle claws extended and trying to reach the toy. "But I think familiars can be cute, considering appearances can be deceiving and all."

The teen was quiet, but had a thoughtful expression on his face. "... what if they're as fluffy and cute as they appear, though? What does that say about a demon?"

"Well," You started, having an odd feeling the conversation topic had a deeper meaning than just beating away an awkward silence while Jazz played with the kitten. "I mean, I'm not the expert of familiars, but from what I've read, I think it just means at their core, that demon is..." Was it a good thing to say that a demon was a 'good person'? That they have a good heart? You considered it a valuable trait, but some traits in the Netherworld were different.

Eh, you were gonna take the chance. "It's a good thing," You continued when Jazz looked up questioningly after your long pause. "Sure it may not look traditionally strong, or vicious as some, but sometimes when push comes to shove, the softest, kindest people can become ruthless powerhouses when needed. I personally respect those individuals the most."

Your suspicion was proven true as Jazz looked away, seemingly embarrassed but a faint smile on his lips. You'd have to ask Iruma later if he knew anything about his classmate's familiar.

"I never thought about it that way, Mom," He admitted after a moment, your nickname still causing a warm feeling to fill your chest. Which turned sour as he looked back, embarrassment gone and replaced with the devilish smirk you were more familiar with. “So, Iruma states you and professor Balam spent the weekend together. Is that true?”

It was your turn to blush. “What professor Balam and I do outside of school hours isn’t food for the rumor mill, Jazz,” You tried to chide in your best authoritative voice, though it hardly succeeded as he grinned wider.

“Mmhmm. You know, there may be a betting pool about how long it’ll be before Iruma becomes a big brother. Especially with the professor having been late twice now to class after the lunch period.”

Words failed you as you gaped at him, his words echoing in your mind as you acutely recalled the events that happened just a few nights earlier. It was a long moment that Jazz seemed to gloat in before you were able to rebuke him.

“Don't you have classes you need to go to?” You finally spluttered, sure your face was as red as a cherry, making the teen laugh.

--+--

"Despite anything I say," You sighed as you collapsed on the couch in the biology prep room during the lunch hour, careful of Kitten who you held close to your chest until you were settled. "Everyone is convinced the kitten is my familiar."

"There have been instances of the offspring of a familiar taking over their parent's contract," Shichiro offered as he set a tray of tea and snacks down on the table before taking a seat next to you. He didn’t hesitate before pulling you close to his side with an arm wrapped around your waist. You instantly melted into his, soaking in his warmth as you rested your head on his shoulder. "... not usually as young as he is, however,” He amended as his other arm reached across to scratch against Kitten's cheek.

The kitten arched up against the hand that was larger than his body, his purr rumbling loudly. Despite Shichiro's initial hesitation about you taking in the feral kitten, it was obvious that he was quickly growing fond of it - especially as he realized it wasn't a danger to you.

For now, at least.

"Have you figured out what he is?" You asked as you carefully reached for a snack, only to be jostled as Shichiro sat up straighter, obviously excited. Except despite the sudden movement, he froze just as quickly. You were about to ask what was wrong when a vine casually descended from the ceiling. You watched with a smidge of awe as the vine was able to wrap around a book and pull it from one of the shelves before delivering it to Shichiro’s outstretched hand.

"I didn't want to move," He explained sheepishly at your amused yet curious expression. You laughed as you snuggled more into his side after grabbing one of the sandwiches to nibble on and share with Kitten. Shichiro mindlessly stroked your hair with one hand while the other placed the book in his lap and carefully flipped through the pages.

You recognized the art inside the book almost instantly. Not because of the creatures it depicted, but the careful intricate style that was intimately familiar to you by now. "Wait, is this one of yours?"

"It was one of my first research books," He explained distractedly. "I think I started this one shortly after graduating from Babyls. I had wanted to study some of the lesser known creatures that were depicted more in legends and rumors than in anything.” The page flipped open to a yellowed page of a cat curled on a fallen log, a dark coat with lighter spirals much like the pattern you were barely able to see on the kitten. “I'm pretty sure our little kitten here is a Kausa, also colloquially known as Library Cats, since they're found in old temples and abandoned ruins,” He explained as you read his handwritten notes. “Which makes sense, considering there is an abandoned temple for an ancient deity in the forest. And the good news is their main diet is small birds and rodents, though they do enjoy feeding off the spirits and mana that linger in such areas. "

"So, he isn't going to try to eat me when he grows up?" You asked, though you hadn't missed the term 'our kitten', causing your chest to warm inexplicably.

"He won't grow much bigger than a hellcat," He confirmed, his smile evident in his voice. "And maybe not even that big, considering he's a runt with ruined wings."

Your smile fell slightly as you looked at the small wing that was deformed. You had watched him many times try to use it whenever he jumped and had to agree that there was certainly something wrong with it as it never seemed able to expand completely. Worse still, you had heard more than a few students, and even a couple teachers, make a few disparaging remarks about his defect when they had visited.

"I don't care. I love him, imperfections and all," You swore stubbornly, saying the words you had to bite back when you overheard the others. "It doesn't make him any less perfect in my eyes."

There was only a short moment between your statement and suddenly being pulled into Shichiro's lap, displacing his book. Both of his muscular arms wrapped around your waist while he buried his face against your shoulder. "You humans are such fascinating beings," He muttered, warm and reverent. “Compassionate and accepting to no end.”

At first you were a little confused until the realization hit you. You hadn't even considered the dual implications until then; after all, the kitten wasn’t the only being you loved that demon society had difficulty accepting. You set the kitten down next to you so you could shift in his lap until you were facing him. You cupped his face in your hands as you met and held his gaze.

"I will fight whoever states that you're not handsome, or beautiful, or whatever,” You stated firmly. “Same with our little kitten."

His smile was reflected in his eyes while dark pink stained his cheeks as he blushed. "As touched as I am, please don't start picking fights."

"Opera's been teaching me," You defended playfully as you smiled. "And I have my runes ready at all times now." To prove your point, you let go so you could pull back the arm of your coat (the same style that many of the teachers wore) to show the defensive runes you had carefully drawn.

Your weekend escapade had proven that you needed to be prepared at all times.

Yet despite your playful attitude, Shichiro narrowed his eyes. "No fighting. Please."

You were tempted to push the point - if just to be ornery - but sighed dramatically. "Fine. I won't pick a fight. But if I ever hear someone insult you or Kitten, I won't stand by idly. You both mean too much to me."

He sighed but held you closer, apparently unable - or unwilling - to argue that. So you allowed the subject to slide and instead turned back to the book that had been nearly forgotten.

Shichiro had two art styles; one was the soft, cute drawings of his picture books while the other was hyper-realistic as he did careful drawings of his research subjects. The Kausa looked as if it would start moving and continue stalking along the yellowed page. The detail he had put into his artwork-- samples of the creature's claws and fur, the shape of a lithe body and matching leathery wings-- left you breathless.

"Do you think if I was a demon, I'd have a familiar like that?" You asked as you read his notes. Familiars were - of course - an area of interest for you. You had done research into the area, especially about humans having familiars-- such as the relationship between Kalego and Iruma --with little success. A human summoning a demon was well documented, but not as a familiar. More like how you had summoned Sullivan so many months ago.

"The familiar that responds to ones’ summoning is usually a reflection of a demon's true self; their desires, ambitions..." He mused thoughtfully. "Having a Kausa would probably fit you. They are often very defensive of their home and kits, avoid conflict, and prefer places others have abandoned."

You indulge yourself with the daydream despite knowing you would never have such a bond with Kitten. After all, you just happened to stumble upon him - saving and adopting him said nothing about who you were.

Well, other than you lacked forethought and self-preservation. And would likely take in anything that needed help

But if he really was as harmless as Shichiro thought (well, as harmless as anything in the Netherworld was) he could become a companion - just like an earth cat.

Or he could grow into a cold, aloof adult that wanted nothing to do with you. Again, just like an earth cat.

Only time would tell.

"Nigyul is your familiar, right?" You asked after a moment, seeing the little dragon watching inquisitively from above, as if not sure he wanted to enjoy the cuddle pile. Though something in your memory gave you the feeling you weren’t quite right.

"Well, not exactly," Shichiro admitted, looking up to the dragon before holding out his hand. Nigyul chirped before jumping down and curling his tail around Shichiro's fingers for support, reminding you strongly of the first time you had met the dragon. "My bond with him is like a demon and a familiar's bond, but I didn't summon him. Instead, it was more like I cultivated him." He saw your curious expression and continued. "I found his seed years ago and carefully nurtured his growth with my mana, training him to respond to it as a familiar would its master's commands."

"That's awesome..." You trailed off as you realized Kitten had climbed up to Shichiro’s shoulder, hesitant but curious about the dragon that was currently smaller than him. You were tense, worried about how they would react to one another as the kitten carefully stalked down Shichiro’s arm to smell the tiny dragon.

But instead of acting aggressively, Nigyul allowed Kitten a moment to smell before nuzzling the kitten and even trying to groom him, making your heart warm.

"Well, Nigyul’s definitely like his master," You teased, looking up to Shichiro who blushed.

"Well, he is our kitten," He teased back. “Of course we both want to take care of him.”

It was your turn to blush as you buried your face as best as you could into his chest. You felt as well as heard Shichiro's chuckle as he held you tight after setting down both dragon and kitten. Part of you wished you could just melt into him like before, letting all your worries melt away. Yet…

“Er, speaking of which,” You mumbled awkwardly after a moment. “Jazz let it slip earlier that apparently the Misfits have a… betting pool on us.”

“Oh?” He merely hummed as he ran his fingers through your hair, unable to see the blush growing deeper on your face.

You knew he needed to know, or at least he deserved to know considering how he was involved in the bet. Yet actually voicing the words seemed near impossible. Despite everything - despite knowing how much he cared for you and would never intentionally cause you to feel ashamed or embarrassed… you were worried how he would react.

You also supposed part of it was because of your own inner turmoil on how Jazz’s words affected you. Yes, you were fairly embarrassed that Iruma’s classmates had such a bet… but you remembered the conversation you had with Sullivan and Iruma. The pictures Opera showed you, and how ever since you had moments of wondering what it would be like.

To think the whole class was betting on the inevitability made you… happy.

Eventually you gathered your courage and spoke. “They, uh, kind of have made some assumptions,” You began. “About… why you’ve been late to a few classes lately.”

His fingers paused for a moment, his shock evident in his voice as he simply went. “Ah.”

“Mhmm,” You agreed as you steeled yourself for the biggest point. “And… also when Iruma might get a younger sibling.”

You could feel his breath catch as he processed your words. The hand resting on your hip shifted so his thumb could brush against the soft curve of your stomach. “A sibling…” He repeated quietly as if to himself.

“I mean, I am taking that contraceptive potion,” You added as the silence stretched on. “Not that we’ve… you know. Gone that far.”

Shichiro didn’t say anything, but held you a little tighter as he pressed his face against your neck. Yet another piece of his anatomy nudged against your thigh. At least part of him liked that idea.

“I know it's probably too early in our relationship to really talk about those kinds of things,” You continued. “But, just as an FYI…”

“Right,” He agreed slowly. “I just… never really thought of the possibility before.”

You chewed your lip. “Well, to be honest… is it? I mean since we’re…. different?” You knew the act was a possibility now, but having results from it - having children… Was that a possibility, or were demons and humans too different to be compatible?

“There are a few legends and stories that speak of half-human demons, so if they are to be believed…” He trailed off as your stomach squirmed. You could remember how adorable he was in those pictures Opera showed you. And before coming to the Netherworld, you hadn’t been very keen on the idea of having children of your own, now…

Now you could see the appeal. It wouldn’t be like ‘families’ you were familiar with back on earth. You would have Shichiro. Iruma. Sullivan. Opera even…

“Some day in the near future, let’s talk more about this,” Shichiro spoke as he shifted, pulling back a little. “Because I think if we talked more today, we’d only end up fueling those bets.”

--+-- Su-Ki-Ma--+--

Within just a few days, Kitten became bolder and braver. Soon, he loved to wander around, proving to be as curious as an earth-kitten. It was fine as he explored the mansion at night as you knew the imps would keep an eye on him, and when he stayed within the confines of the library during the day.

And then, not even the massive library could contain his curiosity.

Oddly enough, it was Marbas who brought Kitten back the first time. “I figured it would be best to bring him here after I found him wandering through my store room,” He said with a faint smile as he held up the yowling kitten by the scruff.

“I am so sorry!” You apologized as you accepted the kitten back. “I hadn’t even realized he had wandered off!”

Marbas, thankfully, only smiled as he shrugged good-naturedly. “Eh, I caught him before he killed himself, so it's all good.” The dark-haired demon reached to scratch Kitten between the ears. “You might want to keep a closer eye on him, however. I mean, he did knock over a few containers of strong acids when I was trying to catch him.”

You nodded and agreed you would. And after that, you tried. You really did. But keeping track of him and performing your work was impossible. Within days, you were interrupted every few hours by either a student or a teacher returning the furball. Thankfully most were amused by the antics. A few, however, were not.

Case in point: Kalego.

#mairimashita! iruma kun #welcome to demon school iruma kun #balam shichiro #balam/reader #suzuki iruma #lord sullivan

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