#( I'm not putting this under a read more. Sorry. Deal with it.)

[senatormonmothma]

In times of darkness, survival is not just about enduring, it is about the choices we make in the face of adversity.

Let me be clear — to resist oppression is not always to take up arms, but often to take up responsibility: to be better than the forces that seek to divide us, to listen rather than shout, to understand rather than impose, to choose empathy over enmity, and to extend a hand in solidarity, unarmed and unguarded. These choices, though quiet, hold the power to transform even the most overwhelming tides of tyranny. These are choices available to us all, even in the smallest of moments.

And yet, it is often within these smallest of moments that the seeds of change—or of destruction—are sown. It is in these moments that those who wield great influence over the galaxy choose whether to lead with humility and wisdom or with arrogance and domination. As I reflect upon the recent actions of such individuals, I find myself both deeply troubled and reminded of the profound responsibility each of us bears, no matter how small our part may seem, to resist tyranny in whatever ways we can.

Figures such as Director Krennic and others in the Emperor's inner circle cast a long shadow, their actions indicative of the deeper rot festering within the Empire.

Recently, right here on Coruscant, Director Orson Krennic, a man of significant wealth and influence, one who fancies himself an innovator and builder of futures, stood before a grand assembly to deliver a public address. It was in this moment, under the guise of exuberance, that Krennic performed a gesture that bore the disturbing echoes of ancient Sith traditions. The significance of this act was not lost upon those of us who understand the weight that symbols carry.

This Sith salute — for I shall not, even for a moment, dignify it as anything else, cloaked in the plausible deniability of Imperial fervor, was far more than a fleeting display of enthusiasm. It was a deliberate act, a quiet signal to those aligned with his beliefs and a chilling reminder to the rest of us of how easily history’s most painful chapters can be revisited under the guise of innocence. Krennic, a man whose ambition is matched only by his proximity to the Emperor himself, has wielded his wealth and power not to build a brighter future, but to pave the way for domination and subjugation. In that smallest of moments, he revealed the dark path the Empire had chosen—a path lined with symbols and gestures that signal allegiance to tyranny.

Let us not forget, his so-called "clean energy projects," lauded as the future of sustainable power for the galaxy, share an unsettling foundation with the principles that enable the construction of superweapons.

This duality reveals a chilling truth: the tools of progress, if placed in the hands of those who lack moral conviction, become the tools of oppression. For Krennic, the promise of clean energy is but a stepping stone to the Empire's ultimate aim of domination, his projects a façade behind which he conceals the mechanics of mass destruction. It is a sobering reminder that technology itself is neither good nor evil—it is the intent of those who wield it that determines its legacy.

When Emperor Palpatine declared the Galactic Empire, he wasted no time enacting decrees that cemented his authority under the guise of restoring order. He stripped citizenship from children of those deemed "undesirable," erasing their right to belong and marking the vulnerable for further exploitation. Simultaneously, he declared a "galactic emergency" at the Outer Rim borders, branding entire systems as threats while empowering Imperial enforcers to act with impunity, all to tighten his grip on trade and resources.

Palpatine’s sweeping measures extended to the galaxy’s environment and well-being. Under the pretext of an "energy crisis," he escalated planetary mining operations, disregarding the devastation wrought on ecosystems. Withdrawing from the Galactic Health Consortium, he severed critical cooperation in disease prevention, endangering trillions of lives for the sake of consolidating power. He even erased diversity from Imperial policy, declaring that the Empire would only recognize "two genders" and dismantling programs fostering inclusion, a chilling attempt to impose conformity at the expense of the galaxy’s vibrant identity.

Perhaps most disturbing of all, Palpatine pardoned insurrectionists responsible for atrocities across the galaxy, rewarding their loyalty with absolution. These decrees, taken together, paint a portrait of an Empire that seeks not unity, but conformity; not stability, but submission.

It is in these moments that we, as citizens of the galaxy, must ask ourselves: will we allow the Emperor’s vision to define us? Or will we, in our smallest acts of resistance—offering aid to the oppressed, preserving the histories he seeks to erase, and choosing compassion over compliance—light the way for a brighter future?

For tyranny thrives when we surrender to despair. But so too does hope endure, even in the smallest of moments.

[manicmanuscription]

Selfish? or Rational?

SJM x Reader Week 2025: Day Two @sjmxreaderweek

Prompt: Friends / Family

Pairings: Azriel / Reader

Summary: The long awaited breakfast scene! This is the third part to unapologetically selfish and it just fit so well with the prompt!

A/N: I'm really not happy with this so I'm so sorry if I disappointed you guys. I really struggled with finding the right format but nothing fit and then it was just hanging over my head and aaa. I do maybe want to write one more part a few months into the future bc I have a cute idea but we will see. But for now this is the end of this mini series thank you for reading! (if anyone has any ideas how i can fix this finale please please lmk!!)

Tags: angst, fluff, ic beeing lowkey messy (but not really.)

Word Count: 1237

SJM x Reader Week 2025 | Acotar Masterlist

Cassian watched his brother as if he had grown three heads. He knew Azriel had hidden his mate from him, in fact his own mind was still reeling from that piece of information. But to actually see it? It was something else entirely Azriel had pulled the chair out for you after silencing all the questions his family had thrown out there. Growling that his mate needed to least eat before dealing with their nonsense. 

So now here they were all settled at the table once again and Cassian was mesmerized. You worked in tandem to prepare each other a plate of food from the options laid across the table.

You poured Azriel his tea the way he liked it and black coffee for yourself. Him returning the favor by buttering biscuits for you and so on. 

They were in sync and he could not stop staring. It was a simple task and yet so domestic, you looked up at him and give him a sweet smile when he passed you the small tin of jam unprompted. 

As if they’d done this little song and dance a thousand times and with an aching heart Cassian realized they had. 

And he had no idea about it. 

Until he did, and just didn’t believe his brother. 

Nausea rolled in his stomach at the guilt and heartbreak. He wasn’t the only one shocked at his brother’s actions. The rest of the Inner Circle not even trying to hide their interest in the couple sitting in front of him. 

Nesta comfortingly grabbed his hand under the table as she continued eating. He barely noticed the touch too focused on the foreign side of his brother he was currently seeing. The only sound heard in the room was the small ticking of a clock until finally Mor broke first. “How long have you been seeing each other? We didn’t know about you until recently.” 

“Four years.” You responded with a slight wince. Four years of his own brother hiding you away. Three years since he started acting shady. Two years since he told them and one year of Cassian absolutely tormenting him over a fake mate that was very much real. 

“My brother said you travel, is that true?” Rhysand asked diplomatically steering the conversation away from Azriel’s actions. Although from the storm brewing behind the High Lord’s eyes Cassian assumed it wouldn’t last long. 

“Yes. I do. I work closely with Thesan and occasionally Helion. Which unfortunately requires me to move across borders quite often.”

“What work do you-” Rhysand started but Mor interrupted him. “So busy you had no time to meet us?” She crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her hurt behind defensiveness. 

Azriel snarled and it shocked and amused Cassian. His brother was usually levelheaded. He opened his mouth to respond but you put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry it truly wasn’t malicious intent. I'm in Velaris only a few weeks out of the year and it’s been hard on both of us. The time we have together we prefer to spend alone.”

She didn’t have to mention what Azriel did for work. Their family barely even saw him even less since being mated but they all knew it wasn’t just his schedule alone that put a dent in your relationship. Rhysand’s hand tightened on his glass and if they werent friends for so long Cassian wouldn’t have noticed it was from guilt. 

Luckily Feyre pressed a kiss to his cheek as they conversed without speaking. “I can’t imagine being away from your mate for so long.” She finally said aloud after a few moments. 

“It’s been difficult.” And opened your mouth to say more but Amren beat you to it, looking directly at the Spymaster. “Are you going to say anything or just let her do all the talking?” 

A violent gleam passed in his brother’s so fast if Cassian blinked he wouldn’t have noticed it. “I don’t recall you having much of a place to voice your opinion.” She just hummed low in her throat and continued to observe you. Azriel and Amren had their own weird relationship, as if they were strategists first and friends maybe second or third. He didn’t understand the double meaning behind her comment but Azriel did and he just pressed himself closer to your chair, shooting the female a challenging look.

The tense moment quickly passed as everyone had questions for you and Azriel, even Elain and Varian tossing their two cents in every once and awhile. You just sat through it all with a smile on your face, answering politely and even returning barbs and underhanded comments as if you’d been apart of the family for centuries. 

“So yes I founded the Saving Soul’s community and-”

“Saving Soul’s?” Elain asked. 

“Yes, it's a proficient group of Healer’s and Innovators that try to advance medicine through lot’s research and unique cases of illness. It’s why I travel so much I was recently across the continent for research in prosthetic limbs” 

“You founded it?” Rhysand asked, surprised. “Yes, Thesan and I grew up together and he helped me create the project once it was on it’s feet and he became High Lord I’ve been managing it with a few others.” 

Rhysand and Feyre gave each other a knowing look before turning to you and you moved before they could voice whatever shared thought that had clicked for them. 

He just shook your head slightly and the conversation moved forward. After all you didn’t want Azriel knowing you and your team had requested border permissions for Illyria, your next study was wing repair which meant moving home. Permanently. 

“Looks like he gave you a good time when you came home.” Mor pointed out to the scarf that revealed a few purple hickeys.

Your hand shot up to your neck as you gave Azriel a scathing look. He just sat back in his chair unable to hide the smug smile. “I told you!” You snapped.

Mor started laughing and even Nesta cracked a smile. “How did you guys meet?” 

“Well that’s certainly a story.”  

Cassian didn’t speak the entire breakfast. Everyone was content to let you in with open arms as soon as they noticed how smitten Azriel was.

As everyone finished lunch and headed home Cassian was the last to leave. He had seen how absolutely in love his brother was but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Years gone by without his own brother sharing something so important with him. 

Nesta was saying goodbye to Nyx and it gave him a chance to catch Azriel as he was leaving. “Hey Az can we talk?”

Azriel looked over at you briefly. The male was rushing you out of here the second breakfast was over and he turned to him before nodding. “Yeah what’s up?” He asked as the males moved to a quieter part of the house. “Listen Cassian I know your upset about this-”

“Are you happy?”

Cassian had seen it but he needed to hear it.

Azriel smiled, a true smile. His brother never smiled. 

“Yes.”

“Then that’s all that matters.” He said, giving him a squeeze on the arm before going off to find Nesta, and he meant every word. He could let go of the hurt, he understood why of course. All he wanted was for his brother to receive everything he wanted, and with a quick glance at you it looked like he had.

[mononijikayu]

aphrodisiac — geto suguru.

WARNING/TAGS: afab! reader, one shot, smut, r–18, romance, sexual acts, public sex, bathroom sex, oral sex (f! receiving), fingering (f! receiving), multiple orgasms, bodily fluids, creampie, clothed sex, profanity, cursing, ruining of underwear, accidental drinking of aphrodisiac, mention of aphrodisiacs and effects, mention of profanity, mention of sexual acts, depiction of sexual acts, depiction of aphrodisiacs and igs effects, profanity, boyfriend! suguru, girlfriend! reader;

NOTE: no other notice except that i was profane and horny and i needed to get it out my system. in short this is a day dream, its a short r–18 blurb, an unadulterated smut between two adults. read at your peril.

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if you want to, tip!

THIS WAS DEFINITELY BAD. Geto Suguru's heart raced as he felt the effects of the unknown substance coursing through his veins.

His skin flushed, his breath came in short gasps, and an overwhelming urge to touch, to be touched, consumed him. He grabbed your arm, his fingers digging into your skin.

"We need to go, baby." He urged, his voice strained. "Now."

He dragged you towards the bathroom, ignoring the many curious glances from the other partygoers. Once inside, Suguru locked the door and turned to you, his purple eyes eyes wild with desire at you.

"Someone put something in your drink, baby…..I didn’t want you to deal with that." he gasped, his hands shaking as he unbuckled his belt. "It's an aphrodisiac. I can't... I need..."

He didn't finish the sentence, instead pulling you flush against him, his lips crashing onto yours in a desperate, hungry kiss. Suguru's hands roamed your body frantically, his touch leaving trails of fire in their wake.

He lifted you onto the bathroom counter, stepping between your legs and pressing his hardness against you. He was feeling his skin sear with endless heat.

"I'm sorry…." he panted against your neck, his teeth grazing your skin. "I can't control it. I need you. Now."

His fingers fumbled with the zipper of your dress, tugging it down impatiently. Suguru's mouth followed, kissing and biting his way down your chest, pushing the fabric aside to expose your breasts.

He took one nipple into his mouth, sucking hard, while his hand slid under your skirt, pushing your panties aside to delve into your wet heat.

"So wet, baby….." he groaned, his fingers pumping in and out of you. "You want this too, don't you? You want me to fuck you right here, where anyone could walk in and see."

"Yes, fuck….yessssss….." you gasped, your head falling back against the mirror. "God, yes."

You allowed your hips to be bucked against his hand, seeking more friction. You groaned against him, setting a steady rhythm. You could feel Suguru's fingers curling inside you, hitting that spot that made your toes curl.

Suguru's eyes flashed with desire at your words. He withdrew his fingers, bringing them to his mouth and sucking them clean. "Mmm, you taste so good, baby." he murmured, his voice husky with arousal.

“You’re so good, ‘guru.” You whisper to him. “Your fingers are so good…..”

“I know, baby.” He cooes to you, but he was having a hard time trying to keep himself calm because of the aphrodisiac. “But I gotta….I gotta make you feel better first. Lean against the wall.”

Suguru dropped to his knees in front of you as you leaned against the wall. He grabbed your hips, lifting your skirt, pulling you back against his face. He marveled a little bit before letting his tongue delve between your folds, licking a long, slow stripe up your center.

"Fuck, you taste amazing, baby. So so fucking tasty." he groaned against your flesh.

Suguru's tongue circled your clit, flicking the sensitive bud back and forth. He sucked it into his mouth, applying gentle pressure as he thrust two fingers inside you. His fingers curled, stroking your inner walls as he ate you out with fervor.

Suguru's eyes were wild, his pupils dilated with the effects of the aphrodisiac. He gripped your hips tightly, his fingers digging into your flesh as he buried his face between your thighs.

His tongue was relentless, licking and sucking at your clit with a fervor that bordered on desperation. He thrust his tongue inside you, fucking you with it as his fingers teased your entrance.

Suguru's other hand reached up, tearing at your dress, exposing your breasts to the cool air of the bathroom. He pinched your nipples roughly, sending jolts of pleasure–pain straight to your core.

His movements were frantic, almost violent in their intensity. Suguru was consumed by his need, driven by the aphrodisiac coursing through his veins. He ate you out like a man possessed, determined to make you come undone beneath his mouth.

You gasped as more of Suguru's fingers plunged into your dripping core, stretching you wider than you thought possible. His other hand continued to tease your clit, rubbing it in tight circles as he pumped his fingers in and out of you. The pleasure was intense, bordering on painful, but you didn't want him to stop.

You couldn't believe how much he could fit inside you, his fingers curling and twisting, hitting spots you didn't even know existed. Suguru's mouth found your nipple, sucking hard as he fingered you relentlessly. He added a third finger, then a fourth, his hand disappearing inside you completely.

You screamed, your back arching off the counter as an orgasm ripped through you, your inner walls clamping down on his fist. But Suguru didn't stop. He continued to fist you through your orgasm, his hand moving in and out, prolonging your pleasure until you were begging him to stop.

Your fucked out face felt hotter by the second, back and front, your juices trickling from your legs as your boyfriend moved away, licking the juice on his face. He was getting hotter than you, even though he was not dugged into the wall. He starts to look at you, just as fucked out as you.

“You’re crazy…..You ruined my underwear.” You say, looking at your wet underwear. “You’re buying me a new one.”

Suguru's eyes darkened with desire at your words. He leans in again, kissing your neck. His hand palming your breasts. “As many as you want, baby. Lace, silk. I don’t care. I’ll buy you all you want.”

You groaned at him. “You’re just saying this because you want to keep it for yourself.”

He laughs. “How’d you know?”

“Cause even without aphrodisiacs, you’re a perv!”

He gripped your hips, positioning himself at your entrance once more. "You're sure about this?" he asked, his voice low and husky. "I don't know if I can be gentle. I can fist myself to calm down.”

You bit your lip, nodding eagerly. "I don't want you to be gentle, baby." you whispered. "I want you. All of you."

He unbuckled his belt with shaking hands, unzipping his pants and freeing his erection. Suguru's cock was thick and hard, the tip glistening with pre–cum. "Turn around, baby." he ordered, his voice firm. "Hands on the mirror."

You hesitated for a moment, but the look in his purple eyes, the commanding tone of his voice, made you comply. You turned, pressing your palms against the cool glass. Suguru lifted your dress skirt, exposing your bare bottom even more.

"Wrap your legs around me." He commanded, his voice rough with need. You obeyed, locking your ankles behind his back. Geto Suguru gripped your hips, positioning himself at your entrance.

"Look at me, baby." He said, his eyes boring into yours. "I want to see your face when I take you."

And with that, he thrust into you, filling you completely in one powerful stroke. Suguru's hips snapped forward, driving into you with a force that made the mirror shake.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed off the bathroom walls, mingling with your moans and his grunts. He gripped your hips tightly, his fingers digging into your skin as he set a brutal pace.

"Fuck, you're so tight." he growled, his forehead resting against yours. "So perfect. My pretty baby."

Your legs tightened around him, pulling him deeper with each thrust. Suguru's mouth found yours, swallowing your cries as he fucked you against the mirror. He reached between your bodies, his fingers finding your clit and rubbing in tight circles.

Suguru's eyes were wild, his pupils dilated with the effects of the aphrodisiac. He gripped your hips tightly, his fingers digging into your flesh hard enough to leave bruises. His thrusts became erratic, almost violent in their intensity.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he chanted, his voice a guttural growl. "You're mine, do you hear me? Mine!"

He bit down on your shoulder, hard enough to break the skin. The pain mixed with pleasure, pushing you closer to the edge. Suddenly, Suguru pulled out, flipping you over onto your stomach. He kicked your legs apart, exposing you fully.

Without warning, he plunged back into you, his hips slamming against your ass with a force that made you cry out. Suguru's hand tangled in your hair, yanking your head back as he fucked you mercilessly.

"Say it!" he snarled."Say you're mine!"

"I'm yours!" you screamed, tears streaming down your face."I'm yours, Suguru! Only yours!"

Your words seemed to snap something inside him. Suguru's movements became frenzied, his thrusts losing their rhythm as he chased his release. He came with a roar, his cock pulsing inside you as he filled you with his seed.

But even as he emptied himself into you, Suguru didn't stop. He continued to thrust, his movements slower now but no less intense, as if he were trying to brand you with his touch, to imprint himself onto your very soul.

"Never forget it, baby." he panted, his breath hot against your ear. "Never forget who you belong to."

His words sent a shiver down your spine, a mix of fear and something darker, something you refused to acknowledge.

Suguru's hand slid around your throat, his fingers wrapping around your neck possessively. "I'll never let you go, never." he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. "I'll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me."

His grip tightened slightly, just enough to make you gasp for air. Suguru's other hand slid down your body, his fingers finding your clit and rubbing in rough, demanding circles. You couldn’t stop mewling and drooling in the heaviness of pleasure all over your body.

"Come for me, baby." he commanded, his voice low and dangerous. "Come on my cock like the good little slut you are."

His words, his touch, the lack of oxygen – it all combined to push you over the edge. You came with a strangled cry, your body convulsing as pleasure mixed with pain. Suguru rode out your climax, his hips jerking erratically as he emptied the last of his seed into you.

He collapsed on top of you, his weight crushing you into the surface beneath you.You gasped for air, your lungs burning, your body aching.Suguru's hand slid from your throat, his fingers trailing down your chest possessively.

Suguru's grip on you tightened, his fingers digging into your flesh possessively. He nuzzled into your neck, inhaling deeply. "You smell so good, baby. " he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "I could fuck you forever."

His hips pressed against your backside, his hardness evident even in his semi-erect state.You gasped, your body still sensitive from the previous encounters. "Suguru, please, babe." you whispered, exhaustion evident in your voice."I can't...I need a break."

He chuckled a bit darkly, the sound sending shivers down your spine."A break?" he echoed, his hand sliding down to grip your thigh. "Baby, the night is still young. And I'm far from done with you."

His fingers tightened, pulling your leg back over his hip. You could feel him, hot and hard, pressing against your entrance. Geto Suguru's teeth grazed your earlobe, his breath hot against your skin.

"Don't you want more?" he whispered, his voice low and seductive. "Don't you want to feel me inside you again?"

His hips rolled, his tip sliding through your folds, coating itself in your juices. "You're so wet, baby." he groaned, his voice strained with need. "So ready for me."

Suguru's hand slid up your body, cupping your breast and squeezing gently. "Let me make you feel good…." he murmured, his thumb brushing over your nipple. "Let me fuck you until you can't walk straight."

His words, his touch, the lingering effects of the aphrodisiac — it all combined to stir the embers of desire within you. Your body responded instinctively, your hips arching back against him. Geto Suguru took that as permission, his hand tightening on your thigh as he began to push into you slowly.

"That's it, baby." he praised, his voice a low growl. "Take my cock like a good girl."

Suguru's movements were slow and deliberate, savoring every inch as he slid deeper into your welcoming heat. He filled you completely, his thickness stretching you deliciously. He began to move, his hips rolling in a gentle rhythm that built with each thrust.

"You feel so good, so so good…." he murmured, his lips brushing against your neck. "So tight, so perfect."

His hand on your breast squeezed gently, his thumb and forefinger pinching your nipple lightly.The combination of sensations was overwhelming, pushing you closer and closer to the edge. Suguru's other hand slid down, his fingers finding your clit and circling it in slow, teasing motions.

"Come for me again, baby." he commanded softly, his voice a low rumble against your ear. "Come on my cock, baby. Let me feel you."

"Fuck, yes!" he groaned, his hips snapping forward as he rode out your climax. "That's it, milk my cock."

Suguru's movements became more urgent, his thrusts faster and harder as he chased his own release. He bit down on your shoulder, marking you as his as he fucked you through the aftershocks of your orgasm.

Your body was limp, spent, but Suguru showed no signs of stopping. He flipped you onto your back, spreading your legs wide and driving into you with renewed vigor.

"I'm going to fill you up, baby." he promised, his voice strained. "I'm going to pump you full of my cum again and again and mark you as mine."

His words, his actions, the sheer intensity of the moment — it was all too much. The bathroom door swung open, and Suguru froze, buried deep inside you. But he didn't pull out. Instead, his grip on your hips tightened, his fingers digging into your flesh possessively.

"Get out, you fuck." he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. He didn't turn to look at the intruder, his gaze locked onto yours, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. "Now."

The person in the doorway was flustered red and was too stunned. They hesitated, no doubt taken aback by the scene before them. But Suguru's tone left no room for argument.

They muttered an apology and retreated, the door slamming shut behind them. Suguru's attention returned to you, his hips beginning to move again, his thrusts slow and deliberate.

"Where were we?" he murmured, his lips curling into a wicked smile. "Oh, right. I was about to fill you up."

[writtenbythemoonandstars]

The festival

Content Warning: This scene contains depictions of gun violence, a mass shooting, medical trauma, injury descriptions, character death, and emotional distress. Read with care!

In the midst of the tragic mass shooting, ER doctor Robby fights to save lives—unaware that the love of his life is among the wounded. 

1.2k words

To say Robby thought he'd ever find himself sleeping under a hot pink duvet in a room that smells like vanilla and strawberries he'd probably run a head CT for possible trauma. But here he is trying to pull the owner of said sheets back into bed as she giggles. Wearing nothing but the shirt he's missing. 

"Do you really have to go?" He asks, pushing his face into her hair, kissing across towards her chin. 

"Yes." She replies. "And you have to go save lives." Turning and kissing his lips. "I'll see you later? For Pittfest?" 

"Ah… I forgot to tell you." Robby sighs, looking apologetic as he sits up a little causing the duvet to reveal his bare chest. "Jake is taking some new girl he met at school." He kisses the pout off her lips. "Why don't you just stay home? I'll be off by seven. We can get take out… a bath…" His hands running slowly up and down her arm. She looks tempted to say yes but then sighs and shakes her head.

"I can't. I'm working it." It's her first big gig. Years of building a big enough social media rapport to get a deal for an event as big as Pittfest. "But call me whenever you have a few seconds." She smiles. One last kiss before she gets up to get dressed. 

When he knows Nick Bradley is braindead he calls but it goes to voicemail. A text follows, "Sorry. My partner flaked." with a sad face emoji following. "call later!" and a heart. 

When they lose the little girl who'd drowned trying to save her sister he gets another voicemail. No text follows this time. 

But an hour later, "so sorry babe, it's chaotic out here. I'll call you in 15." She never does. 

After he talks to Heather and she all but tells him he could have been a father years ago he sends her a text to call when she has a chance. 

This day… He's so glad it's almost over. 

Until it's not. 

He feels like the ground has been pulled out from under him when there's news of a shooter at the festival.

He calls. No answer. He calls again. Nothing.

Robby forces himself to work. He has to. Slapping yellow, pink, red… black bracelets on countless victims.

But none of them her. 

It feels like a lull in the ER which can only mean the worst in this situation when a truck pulls in to the ambulance bay. It's Jake. And Leah. "Jake." His voice loud. Sharp. He's quick to be by Jake's side. 

"Robby! Leah got shot. It's really bad-" His voice cuts off with a sob. "I've been putting pressure on it the whole time. She was talking just a minute ago-"

"That's good." He nods. Robby and a few other doctors help them out and into the ER. He tries to ask Jake if he'd seen his girl but then he's swept up in trying to save Leah and make sure Jake gets checked out. 

It's Jack Abbott that's out in the ambulance bay waiting for more people when he spots a woman walking-- limping--  with her hand pressed tightly to her shirt. Maybe if she wasn't covered in blood maybe he would have recognized who it was sooner. "You shot?" He rushes up. She walking so that's a good sign for now. Yellow bracelet. 

The woman nods. Jack gently removes her hand, it's just barely grazed though will need stitches. "Come on. I got you. You're safe." 

Robby is too busy giving CPR to Leah he doesn’t see the love of his life covered in her own blood walking right past him. Though she seems to out of it to notice he's right there either. 

Jack helps her into a chair. "I- Is Mic- Dr. R-Robby here?" He looks up at Jack. And that's when he recognizes her. His eyes widen. 

"I'll get him as soon as I'm done." Jack nods once. 

The only reply he gets is a distant look over his shoulder. 

"You're safe now." His words firm. He knows she probably can't even hear him but he knows this kind of trauma. 

"I saw him." Her voice haunting. Something he'll never forget. "He was as close as you are to me. His gun-" She chokes on her words. Jack finishes her stitches quickly. "I saw so many people-" Tears mixing with the blood on her face. 

Jack is not equipped for the emotional kind of procedures he knows only Robby can provide for her. A gentle hand on her shoulder and a sad smile before he's rushing out of the room.

Dana giving him a look, begging for his help. Leah's gone… 

"Ten other patients will die if you put all of your energy into saving this girl-" Giving his colleague and old friend the morbid speech that finally gets him to stop. "Trauma 2." His voice right in Robby's ear, cutting off the guilt filling his body. "She's okay?" 

"Define okay?" Jack tilts his head. "Just a graze to the shoulder. Already stitched up." 

"I'll talk to Jake." Dana supplies for him. 

That's all Robby needs before he's running down the hall. Shucking his PPE and gloves off. 

There's mascara running down her cheeks. The light blue glitter he'd watched her meticulously spread across her eyelids mixed with the blood all over. Her blood. 

She's sobbing as soon as she sees him. Her face tightly against his chest as the relief floods the room. She's alive. Robby tilts her face up towards him. Carefully rubbing the tears, makeup, and blood across her face. "I love you." He whispers. "I'm so sorry." 

Which only brings more tears down her face. "I was so scared." She whimpers. "He- he was right in front of me." She shakes her head. "His gun it-" Robby tugs her face back to his chest. His hug fierce. 

"Let me clean you up?" He gets a nod in response. 

Despite the chaos and more victims along with the residents and med students that need his help he needs this moment with her. A washcloth is wiped carefully across her cheeks. Revealing the bare pretty face he knows. The one that shouldn't be covered in blood. 

"Is Jake okay?" Even in her worst state she always caring about everyone else first. A kiss is pressed to her forehead. "Yeah, baby, he's okay." 

"And the girl?" A shake of his head and the sad look on his face quiets her. 

"When everything happened I- I tried to find him but I-" Robby shakes his head. "In that situation you do what you have to and you survived. That's all that matters." 

She nods. Sniffling.

"I've still gotta help-" As much as it pains him to leave her alone now he has to finish his job. "I understand," waving him off and he'll never understand what he did to deserve her. "Go up to the family room. I'll come find you after."

"Could I borrow your phone? So I can call my mom?" She asks before he leaves. 

He nods, pulling it out. "Not sure if it'll have much service but you can try. You may have better luck with the landline." He frowns. Wishing there was more he could do.

His hands are back on her face. Gently holding around the back of her neck. Pushing her hair back. "I love you." Because Robby just has to say it again. 

"I love you." The whispered response comes. 

---

Hey! It seemed like a lot of people liked the last story I wrote for Robby on here so I pumped out another. This is also unedited...

And like my last work I used she/ her pronouns and 3rd person pov but I used no names and less physical descriptions so you could imagine yourself if you wanted to.

I do have another work nearly finished that is much lighter than these last two that I can post soon as well. Hope you enjoy!

[kwanspace]

hey hey love ur work, just wondering if you would be willing to write a fic abt idol!san and idol!reader? like where they get shipped continuously after one little interaction at some award show then they start like getting invited to reality shows and stuff together and working together for music and stuff? then they fall in love? thank u so much for reading this - love u and ur work

Trending: Us

pairing: idol!san x gn idol!reader

theme: fluff

a/n: anon, thank you so much for your sweet words! i tried my best, i really hope you enjoy it, i had a lot of fun writing this, actually! (also, i'm sorry for taking so long to write it) love u too <3

asks are open! feel free to send anything

pls let me know what you think by commenting, reblogging or through the asks 💗

Ever since your group began its rise, you'd found yourself in rooms you used to only dream about. Music shows, brand deals, chart placements — each step forward felt surreal. But this moment? This one topped everything. 

You and your group had been chosen to announce the winner for Best Performance at the MAMA Awards.

Your heart pounded under the stage lights as you held the envelope in trembling hands. You took a breath.

“And the winner is... ATEEZ! Congratulations!!”

The crowd exploded in cheers. The venue pulsed with energy as the guys made their way to the stage. You applauded genuinely, pride tugging at your chest. You straightened your shoulders, keeping a camera-friendly expression.

At the end of their speech, just as the members were about to leave the stage, your eyes found him. It was only a glance — barely two seconds — but it changed everything when he leaned in and whispered, “You were amazing tonight.”

You blinked, completely caught off guard, and the only thing you managed to say was, “You too.”

Nobody could hear your small talk, of course, but the cameras caught it — the look, the gentle nod, the way he leaned in to hear you through the crowd noise. That tiny moment set fire to the internet within the hour.

On your way to the dorm, your phone buzzed nonstop. Your heart raced, thinking maybe you'd done something wrong. But when you opened Twitter…

“Did you see THAT look? I’m shipping them so hard rn.”

“I hope they appear in a variety show together soon.”

“I really want to see them together again!!”

You blushed, never imagining that a tiny interaction with a guy could blow up like this. Still, knowing how the internet works, you pushed it aside and moved on with your life — though you couldn’t deny the way your heart had pounded.

It didn’t take long before the invites started rolling in — variety shows, music stages, YouTube content. It made you happy, of course. So when you arrived on set for the first shoot, you were buzzing with excitement.

What you hadn’t expected was to see him again so soon — let alone standing across from you behind a counter filled with eggs, flour, and far too many cameras.

The PD clapped his hands. “Today’s challenge: cooking in pairs! San and Y/N, you’ll be making pancakes. Go!”

You glanced at him, completely lost and unsure where to start. He looked over and grinned. “You don’t look that confident.”

“I’m not,” you admitted honestly. “I’ve never cooked anything in my life.”

He laughed. “Then follow me.”

Everything flowed more easily than you expected. You and San clicked quickly. When you handed him the flour, some spilled onto his shirt by accident.

“Yah! You’re sabotaging me!” he exclaimed.

You laughed, hands raised in apology. “You’re the one who didn’t grab it properly!”

“You did that on purpose!”

The cameras loved every second of it — and honestly, so did you. Your heart beat faster every time your hands brushed or when he gently told you to be careful with the knife.

Not long after, the pancakes — and the shoot — were finished.

Everything after that became a whirlwind. Your companies noticed the effect you two had online, and suddenly, you were seeing San almost every week. The content felt more like an excuse to put you together on camera — silly mini-games, telepathy tests (which you surprisingly nailed), and random selfies.

You two were well bonded by now. You could confidently say you were good friends.

Then came the collab.

It was a normal day. You walked into the studio and spotted San already there — hoodie on, earbuds in, humming to a track you didn’t recognize.

He looked up when you entered. “Oh — hey.” He stood quickly. “Didn’t know you were coming this early.”

“I could say the same to you,” you replied, setting your bag down. “Did they tell you anything?”

He shook his head. “Just that we’d be working on something... together.”

The silence stretched, just long enough to make your stomach flutter.

Your producer poked his head in. “Hey! Great timing. You two are the leads for this collab track. It’s a soft R&B concept — intimate and kind of romantic. We immediately thought of you two.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “Romantic?”

San smirked and looked at you. “Sounds fun.”

It started somewhere between the second verse and the bridge.

Maybe it was the way his soothing voice melted into yours, like puzzle pieces waiting to be found. Maybe it was the way he pouted when he couldn’t get a line right, completely unaware of how stupidly cute he looked.

You didn’t mean for it to happen.

But it did.

And now here you were, on the last day of recording, heart aching at the thought of it ending. You felt the sting of tears, but blinked them away — crying over this would be too ridiculous.

The track was finalized. There were no more excuses to see him late at night. No more surprise texts midweek.

San was packing up his things slowly, like he didn’t want to leave.

“This turned out better than I expected,” he said. “Our voices... Us.”

You looked down, too shy to meet his eyes. “It did. It doesn’t feel like just a song anymore.”

He chuckled. “Yeah... I think I got a bit addicted to you.”

You finally looked up, only to find him already watching you.

“I’m glad I’m not the only one.”

“Let’s not let this be the last thing,” he said, voice soft and full of hope.

“No, let’s not,” you answered.

And then, he leaned in — so close you could feel his warm breath — and his lips slowly found yours, soft and certain, signaling the start of something very, very beautiful.

[beardedhotchner]

No Love Lost

A/N: Hi, this is my fourth fic that I've posted. I hope you guys enjoy as much as the first three, Amia xx

Pairing: Aaron Hotcher x Reader

Summary: Partygirl Haley leaves her son and her husband for her new boyfriend. When she arrives back in town, Aaron has remarried and Jack is thriving with his new mom. Haley watch as Jack and Aaron openly choose Reader and Haley has to face that Aaron left his job to be with Reader, so maybe his commitment to his job was never the issue....

T/W: Haley is alive, no Foyet story, Reader is called mom, jealousy (Haley and other moms to Reader), lowkey a fic aimed for Haley-haters (I'm sorry to those that like her, I do too. But for reasons she's mean in this) No use of Y/N

Background: Aaron married Reader when Jack was 3, 2 years into dating, whereas Haley has had a string of boyfriends and no one seems to put up with her for long. Aaron left the BAU to be a stay-at-home dad for Jack. The whole situation is tense and only made worse at Jack's soccer game, where Aaron and Jack openly choose Reader over Haley.

Front row and centre, like always, your designated space in the stands. Arriving early with the coach had its perks, you thought to yourself, your eyes wandering to your devilishly handsome husband, leading the team of 7 year olds through the game. You smile to yourself as Emily nudges your ribs with her sharp elbow.

"Ow!" You protest, turning back to face your husband's team, "Can I help you?"

JJ and Penelope share a look as Morgan teasingly replies, "Seriously, girl. Gotta stop watching the man so tensely. You look like you're gonna combust." He gets a soft roll of your eyes as you look back to the field, your head tilting slightly as you bite your lip.

You couldn't help it if your husband is as sexy as Aaron definitely is. It was your duty as his wife to stare. Not those other moms who were quickly earning themselves a spot on your bad side. But to Aaron, they might as well not be there, because time and time again, his eyes found yours instantly. They would speak a thousand words in just one look and you could read him like a book. And right now.... it was a warning?

Your brows crinkle as your eyes scan around for whatever danger Aaron had noticed. Luckily you hear her tight voice before you catch her attention. You have just enough time to slip away from the team and into Aaron's side, almost hiding from her.

You weren't scared of Haley. You had explained that countless times. She didn't scare you, but she was an awful person to deal with alone, so you found it easier to tuck under Aaron's arm as face her as a team.

She was currently flaunting some poor chap around the PTA moms, the women who snicker behind her back about "how tragic Haley is for not being able to keep a husband or boyfriend" and "how that girl came out of nowhere". They meant you, you knew that. These mothers were all very quick to bombard you with questions about Aaron and your relationship as if any of them had any entitlement to him.

They didn't know him, not in the way you did. And you doubted that Haley ever did, just from the way they both talk of their former marriage. Haley, a cloud of bitter, wishing the same fate of her marriage to Aaron to befall you too. Aaron, who wishes Haley the best, but refused to be in a relationship with someone who loved another. Two heartbreaking sides to one story.

But for Jack's sake you tried. Tried to be nice, tried to be supportive Haley's party lifestyle, tried to not snap at her, with all her comments and "observations" as she called them. Tried to be nice to all her boyfriends or "lovers". But that didn't mean you were friends, more like two ships passing in the night. Close enough to acknowledge each other, but far enough to not have to interact without a buffer. The "buffer" unfortunately just happened to be Aaron and most of the time, Jack.

It broke your heart to see that boy let down by her constantly. And you were beginning to see why Aaron had been so confused over your instant kindness to them both. The way you had come into their lives and changed it for the better: brightening Aaron's world and widening Jack's.

"Mom!" A small voice broke your train of thought. Your son (not by blood, but in every way that counts) was running directly toward you, a small scrape on his knee. His eyes watery as he flings his body into yours.

"Oh baby..." You coo, stroking his hair, "Come on, Dad's got some plasters in his jacket." You say, tugging at Aaron's zipper to fish out his mini first aid kit from his inside pocket.

"You okay, buddy?" Aaron's low voice asks gently. Jack doesn't get a chance to answer. Her voice cuts through you and you feel Jack's arms tighten on you.

"My baby boy!" Her screeching voice carries from where she stands with her new beau and the other moms. Jack tries to hide behind you both, knowing how his other mother can be. But unfortunately that doesn't stop her. She moves quickly to you, dropping to her knees and grasping at Jack. "Oh honeyyy!" She coos, trying to comfort the boy.

You'd have thought if she was that worried about her son, she'd be around more... you thought bitterly to yourself.

But Jack doesn't have any of it, moving away from her grasp to the bench, his attention on you and the first aid pack in your hands, "Need a plaster." His voice is now devoid of emotion, his face a mask of boredom. Both you and Aaron can see through it. He's tired of Haley's antics and her way of vying for attention. Using him as a pawn in her game. Jack hates it all. You step forward, undoing the small pack and dressing Jack's scrape. Aaron tries to talk quietly to Haley but she's more interested in sending glares to the back of your head.

"There you go, baby." You say softly, gently patting over the animal plaster, "All better, hey?" Jack nods, a small smile at his lips.

He stands, ready to join his teammates, who are celebrating their win on the field, "Thanks mom!" He calls over his shoulder, running away from the grownups. Haley stares at you as you move to start dishing up the snacks for the kids. She stands back, watching the way you and Aaron tease each other gently, the way you move around each other with ease, like a dance. The lingering touches, the look on your face as he whispers something obviously sweet to you. She sees softness in his eyes and feels her stomach drop.

"You've changed..." She muses to him, her eyebrow raised as Aaron shrugs gently. Her arms cross over her chest.

"It happens... Being at home with my wife and son..." Aaron trails off, realising what Haley is hinting to, that he wouldn't give up his job for her and their marriage, but he did for you. "Our son is worth it. So is she." He refuses to elaborate anymore. Haley nods, sighing deeply, her eyes following the way you talk gently to the parents, reminding them that the next game is held at a different park.

"We were just kids, Aaron...." She starts. It was the same phrase she used to explain away her affair. That they 'were just kids when they got married'. Except this time, it didn't revoke the reaction she thought it would. No pain on his face. No clenched fists.

Instead, Aaron nodded gently, agreeing with her, "We were." His eyes fall onto where you stand with his soccer team. The small boys trying to catch your attention, and you were giving it to them all. Making sure they all felt special in different ways. Aaron smiles softly as he turns back to Haley, "But I'm not anymore. She's shown me what it means to grow up. To want to grow older."

"You left your job!" She argues back, still feeling as though she's missed out on something bigger than herself.

"I did." He smiles softly, "We want a bigger family. Jack wants siblings. And it was easier for me to quit. My hours were getting more unpredictable. So, I stay home, look after them both. She heads to work in the morning and comes back to us at the same time every evening. She... She's my soulmate, Haley." He grabs Haley's hand, squeezing softly, "You deserve to find that too." He lets go almost as quickly as he took her hand and Haley misses the warmth instantly. Your voice breaks through to them as you push past the parents gathered with their children.

"Did you ask him?" You ask, tucking yourself into Aaron's side, your eyes looking down at Jack. The boy shakes his head and you chuckle, "Jack wants to go to that pasta place. Because Dave told him that the unit are heading there now. They want us to join."

Haley shrinks in on herself, realising Jack and Aaron's world has continued to spin without her. Her eyes look around for her date, unable to find him. As Aaron replies to you, she backs away, looking for a way out. You call to her, inviting her along. But Haley shakes her head, mumbling her goodbyes as she leaves once again. It breaks your heart to see Jack deflate at his mother absence. But he's quickly distracted by JJ and Morgan calling him over to the unit.

You pull a face to Aaron and he nods, "She's just like that..." he tries to explain but you were already sighing and pulling him along behind you.

"She's never here. Then complains when she had nothing to talk about with you both. It's exhausting." Aaron chuckles behind you, knowing how cutthroat you could be with your words, you were still so kind when talking about Haley and her... lifestyle choices.

You and the BAU all bundle into two cars. Not without a few lingering kisses between you and Aaron as the man complains about never getting you alone anymore. Haley watches from her car, her heart squeezing as she realises cheating on Aaron to hurt him had worked. But she wasn't expecting someone else to repair his heart before she found herself again.

She may have her freedom, but she lost the two boys she'd thought she'd have forever.

[luveline]

Hi lovely!

Can you please do one where Hotch and Reader are in a fight and it gets heated and he maybe raises his hand just because he’s shouting and she flinches?

He would be prepared to FIGHT whoever made his honey feel that way 🗣️🗣️

💘

for you my sweetheart. fem, 1k

cw implied past domestic violence 

“It was right,” you're saying, on the defensive, your voice molten, “it was the thing to do!” 

“It wasn't.” Hotch closes the door. “It wasn't the right thing to do, it wasn't even close.” 

You realise, under everything, that he's right, but you couldn't help yourself, you had to try and save the day, had to swerve the SUV. Plus, he's done it himself, and you both know that. “If Monikie got out of that exit we never would've seen her again.” 

“There were roadblocks on the I–46, and I don't think I have to tell you that you could've gotten a lot of people seriously hurt–” 

“You've done worse,” you deny.

His expression, broadly furious, narrows into something sharper, “And that is my decision to make, but you report to me.” 

“You can't seriously want to act like a boss now,” you say. 

The room isn't overly large, and so you stand close to one another with no need for shouting, but your voices begin to overlap. Hotch is so angry. It isn't like him to yell at you, his voice strained. 

“You can't truly think that the decision you made today was the right one. You need to calm down, and you need to listen to me when I tell you that this was the wrong move. We'll talk about it more tomorrow.” 

“You're shrugging me off?” You could laugh. “You can't be serious. Every member of this team has done the same, or worse–” 

“But they're not you!” His voice peeks, his hand jolting out in front of his chest, flat-palmed in incredulity. 

You're really quite close to each other. 

It's not his fault. 

You step back, desperate to be away from the movement, the hand, because it doesn't register as his hand, only there's a chair behind you and a table behind that and you bump into the plastic with a creak and screech. You're righting yourself as quickly as you're tripping but Hotch is already moving away. Three steps that feel like a gorge. 

Your heartbeat soars. 

“Are you okay?” he asks quietly. 

“Of course.” You breathe out funny. It's not his fault, but there's something wired in your brain now, and it knows that the first strike isn't the last. Your hand shakes as you brush at an itch under your eyes. 

“I'm not mad,” he says. 

“You sounded pretty mad."

“I've changed my mind.” He gives you a long hard look, and then he moves to the office door to open it before returning to his initial position. He's given you an exit route. “I'm not going to hurt you,” he says. 

You put your hands on your hips and bend at the waist, breathing out hard. “Fuck, I know that."

“You thought I might.” 

“So profile me,” you say, panicking still, face hot and itchy all over. “Tell me why.” 

“Someone's hit you before. Enough to anticipate the second blow.” 

“But you knew that already, didn't you?” 

Your ears get cloudy like there's water in them and you can't stand the feeling of Hotch's gaze on the back of your head. You force yourself into a standing position and try to ignore what happened. 

“You're unfairly angry with me,” you say. 

Hotch just shakes his head at you. 

“It's… It's not a big deal,” you say, quieter. He already knew because of course he did, every member of the team gets checked. You have records, and he's in a position of power unlike most, he could've read them like the morning paper. 

“Why would you say that?” 

“I can still do my job.” 

“I wasn't going to suggest you couldn't.” 

Then why… why is he looking at you like that? You're humiliated enough, and his gaze is so… so soft. So sorry. Tears gather warm behind your eyes and your chest aches like you've been holding your breath. You frown, eyebrows lifting at the starts, not knowing if you should beg him to forget the whole thing or finally give in. 

“Come here,” he says gently. Completely optional, his fingertips twitching but stationery at his side. 

You stare resolutely at your shoes. 

“I'm sorry I scared you, it wasn't my intention. I can imagine how it feels. I'm not mad, honey,” he says. His voice drops to a murmur, “Come here,” he pleads. 

You take a clumsy handful of steps and he meets you in the middle, arms going carefully over your shoulders. You'd feel condescended by it if it weren't shockingly nice to be considered in such a way, or if the solid mass of his arms around you didn't soothe. You feel protected rather than boxed in, held, and not restrained. 

His hand slides open down the length of your back.

“I'm sorry I scared you,” he repeats, for your ears alone. 

“It's not like it was really you that scared me.” 

The memory scared you. The flinch was instinctive, less to do with Hotch and more to do with the connection between a moving hand and stinging pain. 

He hangs his head by your ear until his nose touches your shoulder, and for a few seconds, it's just you and him together, no fighting, and no fast-approaching hands. 

“You didn't scare me,” you mumble, hiding your face in his shoulder instead, forcing him to stand tall. 

Incoming footsteps cut your embrace short, but he doesn't pull away too swiftly. His hands grave the lengths of your arms, and he gives you a long, loaded look. Before you can calibrate the action to the man, he's chucking you under the chin, a stroke of his index knuckle, a promise of more to say. 

He catches Morgan before he can enter the room and directs him back out. “Take a minute,” he advises you. 

You sit in a chair and do as he's offered. Memory is a tricky thing. 

[mintfullyyours]

something blue

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

I'd originally written this as a multi-chap fic so this is what I have so far. Thank you so much for reading!! I really appreciate and love talking to everyone about the 141! authors here are so talented and feed me in every way that I'm grateful to have this creative outlet too.

AnYWAY!!! LMK what y'all think.

Other Simon pics for your consideration: amnesiac!simon part 1, amnesiac!simon part 2-ish, patching up exhusband!simon, ex-husband!simon part 2, to give a dog a bone (aka saving simon once),

"Baby, listen, I needed a break so I could do some... soul-searching."

You pressed your phone to your ear, weaving through the crowd as you descended the escalator toward baggage claim. "And soul-searching had to happen between your assistant's legs?"

"It was one time," James sighed, exasperation laced in his voice.

"Right. And that makes it better somehow?" You scoffed, adjusting the duffle bag slipping off your shoulder. "Listen, James, I have to go. It’s my sister's wedding week, and I’m really looking forward to explaining to my entire family why my cheating ex won’t be in attendance—for obvious reasons."

Too focused on maneuvering through the sea of travelers, you didn’t notice the hulking figure in your path until you collided—shouldering a body that felt like solid stone. A shock shot through you, something sharp and electric, like static but deeper, rippling under your skin.

"Shit—sorry," you mumbled, barely sparing the man a glance. But even in that fleeting moment, there was something about him. The sheer size of him, the weight of his gaze, the way he felt — like gravity had shifted just for him.

A grunt emanated from his lips. You shook your head and darted away from him – not wanting to deal with the locals and refocused your attention on the carousel.

“Baby, I—”

"Nope. Goodbye." You hung up mid-protest and exhaled, exasperated. The last thing you needed was James’ voice in your ear ruining the little bit of peace you had left.

The conveyor belt whirred to life and your simple black suitcase rolled into view. You grabbed it swiftly, eager to put distance between you and the airport chaos, already exhausted by the week ahead. You just needed a hot shower, a drink, and a moment to forget your disaster of a love life.

Unbeknownst to you, across the baggage claim, a towering man in a black hoodie with a camouflage print duffle bag was staring down at a suitcase identical to yours.

Simon Riley’s brow furrowed beneath his mask as he realized his luggage was missing.

At your hotel room, you finally picked up your mother’s call—something you’d been avoiding all night.

“You’re coming for... As the Brits would say afternoon tea tomorrow, right?” she asked, her voice chipper and expectant. “Your sister’s future in-laws will be there too.”

“Yeah, of course, Mom,” you mumbled, shutting the curtains to your room.

“Oh, good! Wear the pink dress I bought you then.” You shuddered at the thought of wearing something so fluffy. “And you brought your sister’s baby pictures?”

You plopped onto the floor, suitcase in front of you, already unzipping it. “Yes, they’re in my lugga—”

Your words cut off as the sight before you sank in.

This… wasn’t your luggage.

“What the fuck…” you mumbled, sifting through the unfamiliar belongings. Your mother tsked on the other end. “Language.”

“Sorry, uh—yeah. I brought them,” you said absentmindedly, but panic had already started to settle in. Your suitcase could be anywhere by now. You were so screwed.

Your fingers frantically dug into the foreign clothing, pulling out neatly folded black shirts—all black, heavy-duty material, the kind that felt expensive but built for function. Then came the cargo pants, thick straps and buckles lining the sides. You lifted a jacket that looked like it weighed more than you, feeling the sheer size of it, like it belonged to a man carved from stone.

And then—your fingers brushed against something different.

Thick. Stiff. Worn.

You pulled it out, expecting a belt or gloves—only to be met with the hollow, gaping eyes of a skull mask.

A chill ran down your spine.

The material was sturdy, molded for durability, not for show. The kind of thing that didn’t belong in civilian luggage.

A weight settled in your stomach, but before you could even process it, your fingers brushed against another.

And then another.

Your pulse spiked as you pulled them free—three, four—each identical, yet different. Some had cracks along the bone-white surface, others bore deep scuffs, dark smudges, like they’d been through hell. One of them had what looked like dried blood staining the lower jaw.

Your mind raced. What the hell kind of person needed multiple skull masks? Your throat went dry. Was he some kind of serial killer? A mercenary? A complete fucking psycho? Why the hell did you have this bag?

“Also, did James arrive with you?”

Your mother’s voice cut through the silence. Another muttered fuck under your breath. “Who? Sorry, yeah, Mom… about that.”

“Is that Sissy?” a voice chirped in the background. “Gimme, gimme — hello?”

Your sister’s voice replaced your mother’s, bright and teasing. She was always so much better at this, at life, than you. 

“Heyyy,” you said, forcing lightness into your tone, “I’m excited to see you tomorrow!”

“Ugh, same. Save me from the mom-sanity,” she giggled. “You’re bringing James, right? I’m dying to meet the guy!”

Your fingers traced the luggage lining, searching—praying—for some kind of identification. Then, finally, you found it. A small leather name tag, embossed with a name and phone number.

Without thinking, without breathing, you word-vomited the first name you saw. “Did I say James? Because I meant… Simon.”

A pause. Well you were committed to the bit now. 

“...Simon Riley.”

The name sat heavy in the air, and your fingers tightened around the mask still in your lap.

You didn’t know who Simon Riley was. But for now that didn’t matter. The name sat heavy between you and your sister, stretching the air thin. Your sister broke the silence first, “Okay… I guess I have time to change the seating card but really sissy, you have to tell me these things sooner. And Simon's your boyfriend, right?”

She asked and then, a vibration.

Your head snapped to your phone screen.

UNKNOWN CALLER.

You chose to ignore it, "Yes, I'm with Simon. Been almost a year now." The lie came easily because what else could you have said?

Then another vibration.

This time, a text.

A single message.

“Wrong bag, love. But you already knew that.”

A chill shot down your spine with skull masks staring up at you. You gulped and hung up the phone after you reassured your sister you'd be there tomorrow. This was going to be a long night.

Now you and Simon Riley had never met before. Not properly, anyway.

The first time he knew you existed was because of a simple mix-up at the baggage claim. Nothing special. Nothing deliberate. Just a wrong bag taken by the wrong person at the worst possible time.

And yet—

The moment he unzipped your suitcase, his entire world tilted.

Your scent was the first thing that hit him. Something warm, something sweet. Not perfume—no, it was deeper than that. Skin and shampoo and you. He could smell it on the soft sweater tucked inside, the delicate pink lace of something he shouldn’t be touching, but he does anyway.

Then, there was the red floor-length dress.

The dress that, for some fucking reason, he couldn't stop staring at.

His fingers flexed around the fabric, his mind already playing tricks on him—How would it fit? Would it hug her just right? Would it be easy to pull up, to push aside—

His jaw clenched.

He shouldn’t be thinking about you like this.

But then there were the other things—small, delicate things that told him more about you than a conversation ever could. The book tucked into the side pocket. The neatly folded socks. The half-used lipstick that made his pulse tick in his throat.

What would that color look like staining the skin around his cock?

And that was when he knew.

Knew he had to see you.

He thanked the Universe for the handy contact information on your luggage tag and reached for his phone.

It wasn't about the luggage anymore.

It was about you.

Tag list

@ebodebo @meheheasasa @thegirlintheshadows101 @galactict3a @star-buck-barnes @synamonthy @vylaris @vvenus-child @negomisan @heretoreadanddrinktea @mocalocha @icommitwarcrimes @readingcatinacorner @just-lilita @blackhawkfanatic @kristalhi

[thedensworld]

Another Revelation | C.Sc

Pairing: Choi Seungcheol x reader

Genre: office romance, fluff, angst

Summary: Just like other conglomerates in drama, Seungcheol's mother wants you to break the relationship.

Read Revelation first for reference🙏🏻

You found yourself seated in front of Mrs. Choi, the wife of your boss’s boss—and, more importantly, your boyfriend’s mother. It had been a month since Seungcheol’s official debut into his family’s conglomerate world, a world you barely understood. The event had been billed simply as a "welcome ceremony" for Seungcheol, now the newly appointed director of the label. Despite a few misunderstandings and some tense moments of consolidation, Seungcheol had insisted on bringing you to meet his family, introducing you as his "very special person."

Your heart swelled with love for him, a love so deep that you couldn't imagine loving him more. The way he had gone out of his way to make sure you felt comfortable with his family made you want to kiss him right then and there, in front of everyone—his grandparents, his parents, who all seemed surprisingly open and warm during that memorable dinner.

But you hadn’t expected this. After Seungcheol left for a business trip abroad, you were left to navigate this unfamiliar world on your own. As you made your way to the car, a member of the secretary staff approached you with a message: Mrs. Choi, Seungcheol’s mother, was around and wished to meet with you.

"Break up with him," she said, her voice cold and decisive.

You looked up, meeting her gaze, trying to process the shock of what was happening. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds before she repeated, more firmly, "Break up with him."

You glanced down at the cup of coffee in your hand, took a slow, deliberate sip, and then placed the cup back on the table. Clearing your throat, you finally spoke, "I didn't see this coming."

"My son still has much to learn," she replied, her tone unwavering. "A relationship should be the last thing on his mind right now."

You stayed silent, resisting the urge to mention how you’d been by Seungcheol’s side, supporting him through almost every step of his career.

"And I don’t like you."

Your head snapped up. "I'm sorry?"

She nodded with an air of finality, "I don’t like you. I’ve lived long enough to know the kind of woman who should be by my son’s side, and you’re certainly not that person."

She reached into her bag, pulling out an envelope, which she placed on the table in front of you. "As I said, break up with him."

You scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. "I expected more from you." You didn’t bother to keep your voice down.

"What did you say?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

You shook your head, waving your hand dismissively. "I mean, you could’ve done better. You think you can put a price on my love for him with this thin envelope of cash?" you challenged.

Her eyes widened slightly, taken aback. "What are you talking about, young lady?"

You leaned forward, your voice firm. "I’m sorry, Mrs. Choi, but I'm not going to break up with him over this."

Her expression hardened. "So, how much do you want? Name your price—as long as you leave him."

You named your price, watching as she faltered for a moment. Then she nodded sharply. "Deal. But you have to break up with him as soon as possible."

You leaned back, a small smile playing on your lips. "I don’t think it works that way."

"Stop playing games with me!" she snapped.

"Two weeks," you said calmly. "Give me two weeks. It’ll happen on his birthday."

"Deal!" she agreed, her voice clipped.

*

"Hi, love..." you whispered as you pulled Seungcheol into your arms the moment he stepped into your apartment. He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with affection as he took in your appearance—a beautiful dress hidden under an apron adorned with a Strawberry Shortcake image, a clear sign that you’d been busy preparing the dinner you’d promised him for days.

"This is for you," he said, handing you a bouquet of flowers. You smiled at the vibrant blooms, then looked up at him, warmth filling your gaze.

"Thank you, but today is your birthday. I should be the one giving you flowers," you protested gently. He responded by pulling you closer, pressing a tender kiss to your temple.

"Seeing you in this apron is present enough," he teased, playfully tugging at the worn fabric.

"Shut up," you replied with a laugh, before making a quick dash to the oven to check on the ribeye you had prepared to perfection.

"Wow, this is amazing, love," Seungcheol said, his voice full of admiration as he took in the dinner table. You had transformed your cozy dining area into something resembling a high-class restaurant, complete with elegant table settings and a warm, romantic ambiance.

"Let’s eat!" you exclaimed, eager to share the meal you had put so much effort into.

Dinner was intimate, the soft glow of candlelight casting gentle shadows as you both enjoyed the meal. The conversation was light, filled with laughter and easy banter, but as the night wore on, the mood subtly shifted.

You hesitated, placing your fork down as you gathered your thoughts. "Hey," you began, breaking the comfortable silence, "I need to talk to you about something."

He looked up from his plate, his expression curious. "What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, you finally said, "Your mom wants us to separate."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "You're joking."

"I wish I were," you sighed, feeling the weight of the conversation settle between you. "But she was dead serious. I can't tell if she was just testing me or if she actually hates me."

Seungcheol frowned, his mind going back to the family dinner. "She didn’t say anything about you after that dinner. I thought things went well."

"That’s what I thought too," you replied, your voice soft. "But she seemed to think you’re not ready for this... for a relationship, especially since your career is just beginning."

"That’s nonsense," Seungcheol said, frustration creeping into his voice.

"I know," you agreed, "but I’ve been thinking a lot these past two weeks about what she said."

He studied your face, concern etched in his features. "What do you mean?"

You hesitated, feeling a lump form in your throat. "Maybe she’s right," you finally said, your voice barely above a whisper.

Seungcheol sighed deeply, putting down his wine glass. "Let's not talk about this on my birthday."

"I’m sorry, but I have to," you said, feeling the urgency of the moment. "Maybe there’s something wrong between us, something we can’t see, but she can."

"Y/N," he said your name softly, a plea in his voice.

You looked at him, your heart aching, but you had made up your mind. "I’m sorry that I couldn’t discuss this with you earlier, but I’ve already decided."

You stood up from your seat, the room suddenly feeling too small, too suffocating. Reaching for a folder you had placed aside earlier, you held it out to him with trembling hands.

Seungcheol’s eyes darkened with worry as he took the folder from you, his heart sinking as he sensed the shift in the atmosphere. "What’s this?" he asked, his voice tinged with dread.

*

"I'm really disappointed," Seungcheol finally voiced his thoughts, his tone calm but laced with underlying tension. The dinner had ended, but the air in the dining room remained thick with the unspoken words everyone could sense coming. His father, mother, and brother all sat at the table, eyes trained on him as he wiped his mouth with deliberate calmness.

His mother shifted uncomfortably, but Seungcheol didn’t let the silence linger. "I can’t believe my own mother would throw money at my girlfriend like we're in some cheap drama."

His father and brother immediately turned to look at his mother, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern. She sighed, her composure slightly cracking. "Seungcheol..."

"I know you’re worried about me, about my future," Seungcheol interrupted, his voice firm, "but that was crossing the line."

"I know what’s good for you," she insisted, trying to regain her footing in the conversation.

Seungcheol’s gaze hardened. "Tell me, do you really believe I’d have made it this far in the company without her support?"

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "She’s been the pillar of my career. How could you decide she’s not right for me when she’s been the one holding me up? She deserves every bit of me as much as I deserve her."

"Seungcheol..." his father intervened, his voice carrying a note of authority as he looked at his wife. "Did you really do that?"

Seungcheol’s mother hesitated before nodding, her chin held high in defiance. "Yes, I gave her a lot of money to break up with our son. And she accepted it! She’s exactly what I expected."

A heavy silence fell over the table, but it was broken when Seungcheol pulled out a folder from beside him and placed it on the table, the contents spilling into view. "And she used that money to buy me this—a two-floor house, twice the value of what you gave her, as a gift."

His brother couldn’t contain his laughter, the absurdity of the situation too much for him. "She did that? Oh my god, this is... this is priceless."

His father, still in shock, gasped, "For real? She has that much money?"

"Yes, father," Seungcheol confirmed, his voice steady and resolute. "So if you're worried about her being after our money, let me assure you—she’s worth far more than that."

Seungcheol’s mother stared at the property certificate, her confidence wavering for the first time. The room fell silent, the weight of Seungcheol’s words and actions settling over them all. His father looked contemplative, while his brother was still grinning, clearly amused by the unexpected turn of events.

Seungcheol leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "If you’re truly concerned about who I’m with, maybe you should have more faith in my judgment. She’s proven her worth ten times over."

His mother looked down, unable to respond, realizing that in trying to protect her son, she had underestimated the woman who had become such an integral part of his life.

"I can tell she's gonna be the best sister-in-law ever." Seungcheol's brother chirped as he read the document.

*

Seungcheol slowly closed the folder, his eyes not leaving yours as he absorbed everything you had just said. His expression was unreadable, and the silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity. You fidgeted, your nerves fraying as you waited for him to say something—anything.

Finally, you broke the silence, your voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry... I know it was impulsive, and I shouldn't have done that. But my ego... oh my god, I can't even explain it. It was just so dumb."

Seungcheol remained quiet, his gaze intense as he processed your words. Then, without a word, he stood up from his seat and walked over to you. His sudden movement made your heart skip a beat. You weren’t sure what to expect, but the last thing you anticipated was what came next.

Gently, he cupped the nape of your neck and pulled you into a deep, passionate kiss. The intensity of it took you by surprise, but within moments, you melted into his touch, your anxiety and doubt dissolving as his warmth enveloped you. When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against yours, and he whispered, "I love you so much."

You blinked, your heart swelling at his words. But before you could respond, Seungcheol continued, his voice filled with emotion. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you stood up to my mother like that. What you did... it was brave, and it showed me just how much you care about us, about our future."

He took your hands in his, squeezing them gently. "I know it wasn’t easy, and maybe it wasn’t the best way to handle things, but you did it because you love me. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful."

He looked down at the folder, then back at you, his eyes softening. "You didn’t just stand up to her—you turned what could’ve been a disaster into something meaningful. You showed her, and me, that our relationship is worth fighting for. That means everything to me."

A tear slipped down your cheek, and Seungcheol gently wiped it away with his thumb. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for believing in us, even when it seemed impossible. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I don’t want to."

He pulled you into another embrace, holding you close as if he never wanted to let go. "You’re not just my girlfriend—you’re my partner, my equal. And I promise, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we stay together, no matter what anyone else says."

You buried your face in his chest, the weight of the past weeks lifting off your shoulders as you listened to the steady beat of his heart. "I love you too, Seungcheol," you murmured, your voice muffled against his shirt. "And I’m not going anywhere."

The two of you stayed like that for a long time, wrapped in each other’s arms, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would face them together.

*

Seungcheol let out a small giggle as he read the note you left on his lunch box:

Here's lunch for my boyfriend 'cause we need to live frugally.

X, your poor girlfriend

The affectionate humor in your words always managed to lift his spirits, even on the busiest of days. It was bittersweet that you were away on a business trip and couldn't join him for lunch, but the carefully prepared bento you had made before leaving made his heart swell with love.

Since the day you bought him a house—a gesture that had stunned him—you hadn't stopped joking about being his "poor girlfriend." Seungcheol found it hilarious, especially after you confessed that you had spent all your savings on the house. You had dramatically claimed that if he ever broke up with you, you’d be homeless and in desperate need of his support. The memory of you, wide-eyed and mock-serious as you begged him not to leave you because you now needed him to feed you, replayed in his mind often. He loved how your humor perfectly matched his, making every day with you feel light and joyful.

As Seungcheol savored the meal you’d prepared, his secretary walked in, breaking the moment of quiet contentment. "The investment to Kings Food under Ms. Ji's name has been accepted. Here's the document," the secretary said, handing him a file.

Seungcheol nodded, quickly reviewing the document before passing it back. "Great. And the catalog I asked for?"

The secretary promptly opened a tablet and handed it to Seungcheol. "There are plenty of recommendations for engagement rings, but these are their best options, and as requested, they're limited edition."

Seungcheol began scrolling through the tablet, his mind focused now on finding the perfect engagement ring. As he browsed the selections, nothing seemed quite right. Each ring was beautiful, but he wanted something truly unique—something that would symbolize how special you were to him.

After a few moments, he handed the tablet back, shaking his head slightly. "I want something custom. Can they make it?"

"I'll find out and get back to you," the secretary replied efficiently, tucking the tablet under his arm. "You have a meeting in 10 minutes with the Financial and Accounting Department."

Seungcheol nodded, his mind already racing with ideas for the custom ring he would commission. It had to be perfect—something that would capture the essence of your relationship, your shared humor, and the deep love that had grown between you. The thought of proposing to you filled him with anticipation, knowing that it was just another step in the beautiful future you were building together.

As he headed to his meeting, Seungcheol couldn't help but smile, his heart full of excitement. You might jokingly call yourself his "poor girlfriend," but to him, you were the most precious person in the world. And soon, with the perfect ring in hand, he would ask you to be his forever.

[alwayscorvus]

Hello! I like your headcanons and I would like to suggest an idea. Can I request Jiyan from Wuthering Waves with a reader who was a slave in childhood and still has a barcode on his/her neck? I'm sorry if there are mistakes. English is not my native language 💕

Barcode on my neck

malereader x Jiyan, fluff;

warning! some heavy topics mentioned but no drastic details and no sexual aspects about reader

Brooo thats such a good idea. Like I would want to read something similar myself, I just don't know why exactly I got this request when I don't have enough telent to use this potential :”) Still thx and here it is:

And don't worry about your english, i'm not a native speaker either

Officially no more Jiyan request, I ran out of screenshots to make graphics [*] nah jk jk but this profile is really changing from wuwa profile to jiyan profile while im better with other characters…

You were never ashamed of your “mark,” as you used to call it. You also never hid your past. Yes, it may not have been bright and you would have given up a lot to be able to avoid it. But it also made you who you are right now. It turned you into a tough person. True, you could have grown up that way under less tragic circumstances. But at least you tried to take comfort in the fact that maybe thanks to your sacrifice someone else didn't have to suffer. That maybe you took someone else's place. Place of someone who wouldn't have had the will to fight to survive. Persistence that would allow them to free themself from this chains. Besides, ever since you regained your freedom you have been doing your best to crack down the idea of slavery for good.

You gained strength and attitude while still being young. Since childhood you served under corrupt nobility. Cleaning, running with tea, feeding farm animals. Year after year carrying heavier and heavier goods. From behind the curtains, watching your master, negotiating more and more deals.

This gave you the foundation for starting your own organization. Sure, at first you worked alone. But over time, others joined in. People with the same ideas, those you saved, or those who lost their siblings in similar circumstances.

At first you had to dispense justice by force. As infamous as it may sound. With tricks, you snatched victims from the hands of their oppressors. With fights you made them understand to never make the same mistake again. Back then, it was the only solution. When army couldn't help. And even refused to, bribed with money stained by suffering of innocents. When law changed, people got more aware, and slavery finally became a fact, not just a taboo topic swept under the rug, it was easier for you. Since society began to exterminate what you were fighting against, you could move on to less drastic methods.

You pretended to be important figures, gathered evidence, brought anonymously to the court. You traveled around and saved more and more. Even though you could never get enough, you were proud of what you had accomplished.

For some time. Until you met him.

Jiyan. He was the sweetest and most caring person on world. Always looking out for others. Put other people's well-being above his own. Never forgot to send his subordinates on much-deserved vacation. While he himself stayed up all night in the base. He rushed them to lunch and dinner while he forgot to eat. Moved to the front line, taking the most damage and rescuing his close ones. He was just so kind. So generous, thoughtful. And what's more, so intelligent, hardworking, resourceful. You were totally head over heels for him. And no, you would never in your life suspect him of supporting slavery or showing no sympathy for those who went through it. But you were still afraid of his reaction. Suddenly you felt dirty. After all, conditions in which you “worked” were awful. Especially when they sent you to the animals. You didn't maintain basic hygiene. You weren't worth wasting water on it. Except the time of guests visits, you walked around the residence in sacks. Until they tore to the rest. Your master didn't even bother to look at you. Would it have been the same with Jiyan? Would he feel disgusted? Start keeping you at distance? Or would he take you at his mercy? Start looking at you only through the prism of your past? Stop using your full potential?

Your heart would probably break at this sight that would accompany it. You wouldn't be able to stand it.

For the first time since childhood, you began to feel ashamed of the black ink adorning your neck.

When visiting Huanglong for the first time and meeting Jiyan, you put your organization on hold and covered your neck with thick turtlenecks.

You joined the army as a volunteer. Served under Jiyan's command. You spent more and more time together, and your friendship grew. You matched each other perfectly and both of you caught each other's eye. Your relationship moved smoothly to a higher level.

General never picked too much interest your unusual tastes. But one particularly hot summer he began to look suspiciously at your closet. Worried about your health, looking for potential disorders in your sense of temperature that could later threaten your well-being. He began to ask if you weren't feeling too hot. Whether everything was alright. After all, he covered himself up pretty well, but his clothes were made of a special, highly breathable fabric. To ease the situation you followed his footsteps and provided your closet with similar outfits. Though in a different color theme. Jiyan was satisfied, but only for a moment. It was really starting to get suspicious. Especially when you started sharing a bedroom with each other. He could understand sleeping wrapped up in the winter. But during the vacations? Were you ashamed of him? Jiyan began to feel insecure. He started to blame himself.

You saw this and couldn't forgive yourself.

Yet you were still afraid.

In the end, Jiyan couldn't stand it. At one evening, he pulled you onto a bed for a talk. You avoided his gaze while he looked at you hopefully.

You both held hands. Jiyan gently massaged your palm with his thumb, trying to give you some encouragement. And you squeezed him to the point when it started to feel unbearable.

Finally, you let him go. A shudder of anxiety went through Jiyan. Had he overstepped the boundaries? Did he make you feel uncomfortable? Did he just ruin everything that you two had built together? Do you want nothing to do with him anymore?

But you just closed your eyes, took a deep breath and reached for the hem of your clothing. You pulled it upward. Slowly exposing your body. You tossed the material aside and waited.

Jiyan looked at you surprised. Concerned, he began to scan your body. Too worried to be carried away by feelings that caused him to blush slightly at the sight of your sculpted stomach.

General was searching for something. Some kind of mark. A scar or a birthmark. Something that could “taint” your chest. He furrowed his brow unable to see anything.

You waited and waited. But after no response, you sighed again. You leaned your neck to expose it better. A row of numbers and a barcode made with some crappy ink appeared in front of Jiyan's eyes.

He froze. You could only hear him gasping for air in shock and when a pile of thoughts rushed through his head. He involuntarily lifted his hand up and you shuddered slightly.

-Can I?

You nodded. It's not like you could take it back anymore.

You felt a touch on your neck. Gentle, warm fingertips caused a pleasant tingling sensation. Forgetting the meaning of your mark, you earned a flush similar to that adorning your partner.

-Is that-…?

He wanted to confirm but words got caught in his throat. He was devastated. And at the same time so bloody sorrowful.

-Yes. It's a barcode. Exactly like the ones worn by slaves. Same ones to which I also belonged.

You explained briefly not wanting to prolong the moment. It was hard for you anyway. Not exactly because you were going back to the past but rather because you were worried about the future.

Jiyan didn't know how to respond. He never showed his emotions too boldly. He didn't have any special communication skills. Oh how damn sorry he was when he couldn't pour out all his feelings onto you. This sympathy and love that was once taken from you.

He clenched his fists tightly and ground his teeth.

You knew him well enough to know that he didn't know how to deal with this. This information had to be too overwhelming for him. Exactly as you expected. His well-being was the most important thing for you. So you had to reassure him as soon as possible.

-It happened when I was still a kid. I got sold at young age. I was mainly a helper, bottle washer. I got hit a few times, but as you can see not often enough or-... hard enough- to leave any scars. I didn't live in the best conditions, but for the men it wasn't the worst. You don't have to worry about that. My owners have never crossed the line.

You stuttered out quickly. As you got older, you talked about your feelings unmoved. Trying to take away any impact from these events. Not wanting to burden Jiyan more and really get over it.

You were afraid of rejection.

But it never came.

Not from Jiyan. Your Jiyan.

-Oh, [M/N]-

General let out a concerned voice, which you heard from his mouth for the first time in your life. After a moment, you got locked in a tight hug.

-I can't undo what you had to go through, but I can promise that I will try to make each of your future days the best ones in your life. To me, you will always be my [M/N]. And nothing will change that.

He assured, and your eyes filled with tears. You could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

After a night full of thrills, a new day had come. With a fresh approach to life, you borrowed some looser black shirt from Jiyan. Revealing your barcode, you felt yourself radiating a powerful and intimidating vibe once again. A confident smirk appeared on your face.

As you passed by the soldiers on your way through the camp, you could feel their stares. Familiar whispers, exchanged remarks. An experience so well-known to you. Once again, you felt comfortable in front of others, making them aware that such things really did happen.

But this too had to end. As you sat in your office chair, looking through a pile of documents, with your feet carelessly thrown over a table. You heard someone gasp. One of the recruits, by coincidence one of those you helped to train recently. He stared in fear with his eyes wide open and mouth gaping. Almost burning a hole in your barcode.

Again, an unpleasant shiver went through you. You didn't know why it set you off so much, after all, he reacted just like dozens other people you've passed today, maybe just a little more abruptly. Or... maybe you knew. What made this situation different from previous ones was Jiyan's presence. You were used to these reactions, he was not. Again, you were afraid of how this would affect him. Again, unnecessarily so.

General stood by a wall with a large screen displaying Huanglong's territories under threat of attack. He was analyzing next moves till he got startled by a sudden silence. The way you stopped looking through papers and clanking with a mug of hot coffee.

He turned around in a hurry and situation that he found definitely didn't please him.

He cleared his throat.

-If you have nothing to say rookie, I would advise you to return to your work immediately - Jiyan replied coldly.

Without considering any questions from the soldier.

Young boy panicked slightly, while you smiled triumphantly at that.

This possessive, fierce side of Jiyan that you hadn't known before, especially towards his subordinates... You liked it damn well.

[midnightshindig]

Hey👀👀 could we get some first kiss rex hc that are just emotional as hell?? Not necessarily angsty hes just feeling feelings😞🙏

Rex Splode x Reader: First Kiss

ughhhh i'm not over rex

also what the HELL Rudy

gonna deadname him forever sorry guys, not a biggot just a hater </3

hcs under the cut!

Rex is a nervous bitch

he hasnt really had a first kiss he's cared that much about since he was fourteen with Eve

and even then he was fourteen so he didn't really know how big of a deal it was

BUT this is post-lobotomy Rex

and he really likes you

and he can't mess this up

he can't "Rex it up" as Amanda lovingly put it when he begged her for help

"Pleaaase Amanda- you're a woman- kinda- you know about this romance junk!" he pressed his palms into prayer and knelt at her, shuffling towards her comedically as she rolled her eyes

"First-!" she shoved a pointed finger into his face "Don't call romance 'junk', it's annoying."

Amanda sighed a long, heavy sigh, and pinched her temple

"And two, I'm calling in reinforcements."

two hours later Rex is in his room with Mark, Eve, William, Amanda, and Rudy all piled in

Rex isn't sure why William OR Rudy are there, but he figures more the merrier

"ooookay." William starts, leaning onto his propped up knee "You've been seeing this person for how long?"

Rex swallowed his spit nervously "uhm... we've been like talking and going on dates and shit for a few weeks- uhhh..." he starts counting on his fingers before Rudy cuts him off

"Rex and Y/n have been mutually exclusive for two months and three days."

Eve's jaw goes slack "Two months?! Rex what the hell?" her scolding is teasing yet bewildered, a playful hand gesturing from its place around Mark's shoulder "Just kiss them already, why are you being a wuss?"

Rex buries his head in his hands, overwhelmed by the overlapping conversation and criticism as the room erupts into dialogue

"I JUST-" he calls out, quieting the room

"I want to make it memorable. And... special."

His face is on fire

he's blushing so hard it hurts

Okay now they HAVE to help him figure this out

so three hours of brainstorming and meticulous planning-- some light lunch and snacking-- later, Rex has a game plan

Everyone shuffles out of his room as quietly as they can, except for Eve, who tells Mark she'll catch up in just a minute

The door closes them into the same space, alone

"Oh, uh... what's up, Eve?" Rex's shoulders tensed as he took in Eve's serious expression and folded arms

She broke out in a small smile "Do you really like this person, Rex? Like you're not going to cheat and be a dick?"

He nodded a small, but intentional nod. Intimidated as fuck by his ex-girlfriend.

She responded by rushing forward and pulling him into a bone crushing hug

"oOoooo I'm so excited for you" she pulled him closer, as he slowly wrapped his arms around her in return

"Ha- Thanks, Eve. I appreciate it."

Eve pulled back and stared into his eyes intensely "Don't freak out, just be yourself, okay? I'm so happy for you, Rex."

As they separated and Eve made her way out, Rex flopped back onto his bed

He'd just received the blessing of his only true friend, this couldn't possibly go wrong.

A few days later, and you're reading in your room

a slip of paper came under the door

"Hm?" you set your book down and went to retrieve it

It was a crude drawing of the two of you-- yourself and Rex-- in the mountains?

It was hard to tell

he was not a good artist.

Regardless, you opened the door to find another piece of paper

and another

and another

all littered with doodle of the two of you, tracing through the GotG HQ to the "back door" so to speak

"Rex?" You inquired cautiously, fearful it may be a trap

"Hey!"

you flung around and caught Rex's nose in a high kick, before realizing your mistake and covering your mouth in surprise

"Ah!! Rex!! fuck- I'm so sorry!"

Rex hit the snowy floor like a crumbled piece of paper, holding his bruised nose and trying to shake it off

"iiiii'm good! I'm fine! Wuh-uhh... fuuuuck." He steadied himself by leaning onto you a little, wrapping an arm around you

You assessed the situation, thankfully not having broken his nose

"Oh Rex, I'm so sorry... and after all your hard work with those drawings.... is there anything I can do to help?"

"You can kiss it better."

The silence was thick with romantic tension, and you stared at him wide eyed while he stared back in abject horror-- at himself, not you

"No-NO! FUck- this wasn't- Ugh! Stupid- Stupid0" he groaned, sitting in the snow and leaning against the GHQ

You looked down at him, confused

He just held his bruised face in his hands "That's not how it was supposed to go."

Carefully, you sat next to him in the thick, powdery snow.

"How what was supposed to go?" you placed a loving hand on his upper arm

Rex leaned into your touch, eventually leaning his head onto your shoulder "I wanted to say all this shit about how much you mean to me- and how much of a better person I want to be for you, and all this stuff..." he pulled out snow-soggied crumpled notecards, passing the ball of paper to you as you deciphered key phrases and bullet points

He sighed again, nuzzling into your shoulder "Iwanted our firstkiss tobe special, yknow?" he looked up at you with the saddest eyes, obviously welling with tears "You deserve that much."

Now it was your turn to blush so hard it hurt

or maybe it was the cold.

"R-Rex- I don't... I mean..."

the longer you trailed off the louder the thumping in Rex's chest got

eventually, though, you spit it out

With a warm affect "Rex, you're so perfect."

and you leaned down, kissing his lips gently

He reacted swiftly, bringing his hand to your cheek, warmth bringing solace and comfort to the bitter cold threatening to permeate your layers the longer the two of you sat in the snow.

The kiss lasted what felt like forever

but in reality it was maybe three minutes

You noticed Rex opening and closing his eyes, to check if you were still there

When you finally had to part lips, Rex sifted himself up to be level with you, allowing him to wrap an arm around your shoulder and pull your head to his chest

"I really like you, Y/n. And I want to be a good guy for you."

"You are a good guy, you're the best guy I could ask for."

"No. I'm not. But don't worry, babe." his humorous tone crept back into the serious situation, easing the tension a little

"I'm going to be."

[romaniacs]

▌ㅤNATASHA ROMANOFF — I MISS YOU MORE THAN LIFE

( read more ) synopsis — natasha's harsh words are like a knife twisting inside your already mean brain as she's been dealing with an imminent breakdown due to work-related stress, and so she soothes you from the pain she causes herself. warnings — female reader x natasha romanoff, crying, a little bit of everything; fluff + angst… so hurt-comfort.

"y/n- you're still up?" natasha sounds tired just before her breath catches in her throat as she sees the mess she's caused, your teary eyes lifting to rest on her worried face. "baby, no, why are you crying? are you in pain? having cramps?" and your silence is brief yet loud. "is it something i said? did i… did i make you cry?"

her hands roam over your wet cheeks as she feels a wave of that nurturing energy she usually has taking over her again, as strongly as it could be after a long time of giving you nothing. when she said i don't think i wanna go out in a stressed-out tone, looking over the paperwork she had to finish yesterday, it felt a bit off to you. when she had the last bites of the food you had kept for yourself, you just sulked in a corner. woman had to eat, it was fine. when she stopped kissing you goodbye before leaving, you understood. but when you were on a call and she started cussing out as she dealt with a sudden work issue that popped up and sounded rude to you too, it was a bit too much for you.

i'll hang up, she said not long ago. i'm a bit too mad to talk right now and you're not helping. your headache will pass, just go to bed.

you feel the distance natasha's putting between you two solidifying with time, and things don't seem to be going well with your job either.

it's just been hard. in general.

and now that she finally got home and entered your bedroom, reality hit her like a truck.

"it's nothing" you bring her hands down, off your face, but don't want to be rude. it really is nothing much. you just want to be left alone, as she seems to have been trying to make happen. "it really isn't, don't mind me. just sleep. it's late."

"are you kidding me? you're crying, y/n" her voice is not as soft, strangely. "if i did anything wrong, you can just tell me."

"can't you see it yourself?"

her eyes are suddenly locked onto your face, even though it's dark. she's also finally coming down from the long-lasting stress she's been through. "well, yeah" she sounds weird. calmer. confused. way more aware of herself, and consequently her eyes water up in a second. "yeah. sorry. i think i've been a bit harsh lately. it's just…"

"work, i know" you pat her hand softly as you give her an understanding look. "it's fine. just rest, okay?"

natasha can't bring herself to say much anyway, so she takes the chance to take off her jacket and lay down beside you. after a while, she rests an arm around your waist, pushing some hair off your forehead.

"i'm really sorry, y/n" natasha mumbles on your back. "i don't love you any less. i just haven't been doing so right. it's hard keeping my cool, and i try not to be harsh, but…" her voice trails off. "i've been under a lot of pressure. and not managing it well. but i love you."

"you don't have to explain anything to me, i understand. just don't treat me differently if you can just not treat me in any way and avoid making me second-guess my own actions" you whisper. "i love you a lot, nat. i don't need calmness, i just need to be sure you still love me. so it's okay."

"mhm. just hate myself for making you cry, you don't deserve that" she places a gentle kiss on your skin, her body warmly placed behind yours. and things almost feel normal for a second, just as they used to be before the mission she's been on. "i won't stop loving you even when hell freezes over, detka. trust me."

and you do, you can finally fall asleep. you feel wanted again, even if things still hurt, even if work won't stop on the way of your relationship, but whatever it is that tries to bring you down is fortunately none of your heart's business; even when your heart is heavy, it's still hers.

[lovetaroandtaemin]

Team Building

Kwon Soonyoung x Reader

Word Count: 7,352

Genre: Smut, angst, fluff, some crack.

Rating: Explicit, MINORS DNI!

Summary: When you and your annoying coworker Soonyoung are forced to share a hotel room during a business trip, tensions are high.

Content Warnings: Mentioned alcohol but everybody is sober during the smut, unprotected sex, oral (f recieving), multiple orgasms, dirty talk, creampie, soft dom!Hoshi, fingering in the break room, situationship, angst with a happy ending, this man is an idiot I'm sorry. If you think I missed a warning, please let me know!

A/N: This fic is part of the Secret Cupid event hosted by the incredible @ddeonghwa-s! This particular fic was written for Bambi, aka @soongyeopsal. I hope you like it!

If y'all want to read the other fics that were written for this event, the masterlist can be found here!

Happy reading, and happy Valentine's Day!

Taglist: @xomakara, @notyourjaem, @heechwe, @shadowkoo

Fic is under the cut.

Kwon Soonyoung was the bane of your existence. He had his charming moments, sure, and he always performed well at work, but he was also arrogant, loud, and just plain rude, especially to you. Every conversation that the two of you had, even if you were only talking to him because you needed to get work done, left you even more irritated with him than you were before. His answers were brief, his tone was sarcastic, and his lack of interest was evident in every word. However, you figured that you could deal with an annoying coworker. After all, you loved your job, and you knew that you wouldn’t be able to find something in your field that paid as well as your position at Carat Interactive.

As annoying as Soonyoung was, however, you also had to admit that he was incredibly attractive, despite his tendency to act like a douchebag whenever you had the displeasure of speaking to him. His eyes were a warm shade of brown that made you melt every time you looked into them, his smile gave you butterflies every time you saw it, and his lips looked so kissable. You almost wanted to put aside your hatred to find out just how good of a kisser he was. Almost.

If Soonyoung was being completely honest with himself, he wasn’t particularly fond of you either. He thought that you were far too pretentious and far too serious for your own good. Despite all of that, though, he still couldn’t help but think that you were absolutely beautiful. Every time he saw you in the office, he couldn’t help but stare, and he hated himself for it. That didn’t stop him from doing it, though.

One day, when your annoyance with Soonyoung was at an all-time high, Seungcheol, your boss, called a team meeting. It took longer than you wanted to admit for you to find the room, but eventually, you did. Then, when you walked through the door, the only empty seat in the boardroom was right next to Soonyoung, because of course it was. You really didn’t want to sit next to him, but your desire to avoid disrupting the meeting even more than you already had won out in the end. So, you quietly took a seat and prayed that Soonyoung would not speak to you. Of course, because the gods hated you, the moment he saw you, he asked, “You couldn’t find anywhere else to sit?”

“Look around. Do you see any other open spots?”

Seungcheol cleared his throat and asked, “(Y/N). Soonyoung. Is there a problem?”

“No, there isn’t,” you answered, “Apologies for the disruption.”

“Thank you. Now, onto the reason that I called this meeting,” Seungcheol began. “I’ve noticed several issues when it comes to cooperation and respect on this team. So, I have to ask. How are we going to get anything done if no one can work together?”

“Maybe if you didn’t hire pretentious idiots that don’t know what they’re doing, things would be easier,” Soonyoung muttered.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Soonyoung. With that attitude, we’re never going to get anything done. That’s why, as manager, I’ve decided to organize a team retreat. Hopefully, some team building exercises in a fun new location will help you all see the importance of working together.”

You wanted to complain, citing upcoming deadlines and your concerns about the nature of the “team building exercises” that Seungcheol mentioned, but you knew better than to argue with your boss, especially when he was angry.

“Does anyone have any questions?”

Seokmin was the first to speak up, asking, “Will we be paid for attending this retreat?”

“Yes,” Seungcheol answered.

“How long will the retreat last?” someone else asked.

“We’ll be gone for a week. Please make any arrangements that need to be made for pet care or childcare by Saturday, since we’re leaving next Sunday,” your boss replied. “Are there any other questions?” The room fell silent, so Seungcheol added, “Very well. If something comes up, and you do need to speak to me about the retreat, just come and find me in my office. This meeting is adjourned; thank you for your time.”

With the surprise meeting officially over, everyone left the room in hopes of finishing their assigned tasks before clocking out for the day. As you sat down at your desk, however, you heard an irritatingly familiar voice ask, “So, are you looking forward to the retreat?”

“Not even a little,” you replied, not even looking up from your work. “Are you?”

“Oh, totally,” Soonyoung said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “What could be better than being stuck with ‘Cheol and his ‘team building exercises’ for an entire week? It’s gonna be the highlight of my year.”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little bit at Soonyoung’s comment before you said, “Oh, you’re so right. I can’t believe I didn’t even consider the excitement of spending a week locked in a room with our entire team doing trust falls and talking about our feelings!”

After a brief silence, Soonyoung said, “Damn, (Y/N), I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“What do you mean?” you asked.

“I mean, you never make jokes at work. I kind of thought you didn’t know how to make jokes at all.”

“Well, I do. I also know how to be serious when it’s necessary, like when I’m at work.”

“You really need to loosen up sometimes,” Soonyoung commented, his growing frustration evident in his voice.

“I do loosen up, just not here.”

Soonyoung huffed and walked away, seemingly bored of talking to you. You wanted to tell yourself that you didn’t care about his indifference, but you found that a small part of you was disappointed that he’d walked away. Sure, he drove you insane, but you also missed his little comments when he wasn’t around. However, you knew that if you told him that, you’d never hear the end of it. So, you kept your confusing feelings to yourself.

The rest of the week passed with only a few minor arguments with Soonyoung, and before you knew it, you were driving to the hotel where you were supposed to be staying for the retreat. If you were being honest with yourself, you weren’t dreading the retreat as much as you did when you first found out about it. Sure, you weren’t thrilled to be stuck in a hotel with your coworkers for an extended period of time in an unfamiliar area, but you still wanted to be optimistic. After all, you were getting paid to be there, which meant that you basically had a week off from your actual job while still bringing in money. Plus, a small part of you hoped to meet an attractive guy to hook up with in your free time.

Your optimism was snuffed out like a flame when you got to the hotel. Due to a scheduling error, despite both of your requests to the contrary, you would be sharing a room with Soonyoung. You tried to talk to Seungcheol about the error, but he told you that there was nothing that he could do. So, while you weren’t happy about it, you decided that you would try to make the best of a bad situation.

When you got to your room, you found Soonyoung sitting on one of the beds and scrolling on his phone. Without even looking up at you, he said, “Before you say anything, just know that I’m not happy about this either.”

“I wasn’t planning on saying anything,” you retorted. “I just wanted to sit in the room. Is that ok with you?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one that gets mad at me every time we talk.”

“No, I don’t. I just get tired of your pretentious fucking attitude.”

“I’m not pretentious; I just don’t screw around at work. You might wanna take some notes.”

“Why, so I can be the most boring person in the office? I’ll pass.”

“Fuck this, I’m going out.”

“Bye!”

After you left the room, you wandered around for what felt like hours before you found your friends Wonwoo and Mingyu at the hotel’s bar. When they saw you, they cheered and invited you over with smiles on their faces and drinks in their hands. Once Wonwoo noticed the look of irritation on your face, however, his smile was replaced with a look of concern as he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sharing a room with Soonyoung,” you spat.

“Are you serious?” Mingyu asked. “I thought you specifically asked to share with anyone but him.”

“I did. Seungcheol said there was an error when the trip was booked, and there’s nothing he can do. Which means I have to deal with him for a week, with no breaks.”

“I mean, this is a break, isn’t it?” Wonwoo asked.

“Yeah, I guess it is,” you replied.

As if on cue, you heard a voice behind you say, “Wonwoo! Mingyu! How are you guys?”

“Hi, Soonyoung!” Mingyu said, a mischievous smile forming on his face. “Wonwoo and I were just leaving to get some rest. (Y/N) just got here, though. You two should hang out!”

You gave Mingyu a death glare, and Soonyoung said, “That’s ok. I don’t think she wants to hang out with me.” If you didn’t know any better, you would have said that he sounded sad as he said it. That wouldn’t make any sense, though. Soonyoung hated you. Why would he be upset that you didn’t want to hang out with him?

You brushed off the thought and opened your mouth to speak, but before you could get the words out, Mingyu smiled again and said, “That’s not true! She’d love to spend some time with you. Isn’t that right, (Y/N)?”

In that moment, you felt like you couldn’t say no. So, you gritted your teeth and said, “That’s right. I don’t mind,” turning around to see Soonyoung’s face change from one of disappointment to one of what you could really only describe as excitement.

“Really? It’s ok if-”

“Really, Soonyoung,” you said, softening when you saw the change in his demeanor. “Why don’t you find us a spot to sit, and I’ll order some drinks.” He nodded and left to find a table, and you turned back to your friend and asked, “What the fuck was that?”

“Trust me, (Y/N),” Mingyu said. “I’ve known Soonyoung since high school. He’s an idiot, but he’s not an asshole. He just acts all weird with you because he likes you.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Watch how he acts after we leave. Then, when the two of you inevitably get drunk and hook up tonight, you can fall asleep afterward with the satisfaction that I was right.”

You rolled your eyes and said, “Sure, whatever. Bye.”

Mingyu and Wonwoo left, and you decided to order some sodas for you and Soonyoung. After all, you didn’t know what kind of alcohol he liked, and you really didn’t want to get drunk around him.

When you got back to the table with two glasses of cola in hand, Soonyoung smiled and said, “Thanks!”

“No problem. I didn’t know what kind of drink you’d want, so I just got sodas.”

“That’s ok. I don’t drink much, so I don’t really know either,” he responded with a laugh.

“Fair enough.”

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Soonyoung asked, “So, how was the drive here?”

“It could have been better. There was so much more traffic than I’m used to,” you responded with a soft laugh.

“Oh my god, I know! I guess Seungcheol picked a busy weekend or something. Listen, I love the guy, but his timing sucks when it comes to planning company events.”

You laughed a bit at Soonyoung’s comment, and some of the awkwardness in the air seemed to dissipate. You also noticed that there was a faint blush on his cheeks, but you decided not to comment on it. After all, you didn’t want the awkwardness to come back.

When Soonyoung heard your laugh, he was certain that it was the most beautiful sound that he’d ever heard. Sure, he still thought that you were far too serious at work, but actually interacting with you outside of the office made him start to reconsider the way he felt about you. He realized that he liked you a lot, and for a brief moment, he thought about asking you to continue the party in your room. He decided against it, however, not wanting to make you uncomfortable or come on too strongly.

As the night went on, you found yourself really enjoying Soonyoung’s company. He was one of the funniest people you’d talked to in a long time, he actually paid attention when you spoke, and he didn’t make a single rude comment the entire time you sat with him, still drinking sodas because neither of you wanted alcohol. You started to wonder what was different, since you’d been alone with him before, but you decided not to think about it too much. After all, there were far more interesting things to think about.

Whether it was the desperation that came from the dry spell you’d found yourself in for the past several months, the way Soonyoung looked at you as you told some story about a girls’ night gone wrong, or some strange combination of the two, you had no idea. All you knew was that you wanted Soonyoung, and you wanted him immediately.

After you finished your story, you looked at Soonyoung and asked, “Do you wanna go back to the room?”

With a smirk on his face that you knew would be the death of you, he asked, “Why? I thought we were having fun here.”

“Oh, I am,” you began, your nerves slowly starting to get the better of you. “I just thought we could have more fun back in the room.”

“What kind of fun?”

“That’s up to you.”

“Well, I have a few ideas.”

“I can’t wait to hear them.”

“When we get back to the room, I’d be happy to show you,” he said with a wink.

Before you knew it, you were paying for the drinks and walking back to your room with Soonyoung. When you got there, you had to wait for him to unlock the door, and it was torture. When the door finally opened, however, the frustration you were feeling shifted into something that you couldn’t quite name.

Soonyoung pinned you to the door the moment it was shut again, his lips meeting yours with a passion that could only be described as animalistic. As his lips moved against yours, a soft moan left your mouth, and he took that as an opportunity to deepen the kiss.

Eventually, he pulled away to let you breathe, and the only thing you could think to say was, “Wow.”

“Already so flustered you can’t even speak? You’re so cute,” Soonyoung commented with a soft laugh.

A soft whine slipped out in response, and you said, “Please do something.”

“What do you want me to do, baby?”

“Want you to touch me.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Just, please,” you begged, desperate for anything beyond what you’d already been given.

Soonyoung pretended to think for a minute before he smiled at you and said, “Lie down on the bed for me, baby.”

You immediately did as you were told, and Soonyoung settled himself between your legs before pulling your skirt up and your panties down. Then, he started placing gentle kisses on your inner thigh, only biting occasionally. Every touch left you wanting more, and you could only take so much teasing. When it all got to be too much, you whined and said, “Please, just fuck me already!”

Soonyoung laughed against you and said, “Alright, princess.”

With no additional warning or teasing, Soonyoung slowly licked a stripe up your pussy. A loud moan left your mouth at the sudden stimulation, and it was all you could do to stay still as he continued to eat you out there was nothing in the world that he wanted to do more.

Each time he moaned against you, shockwaves of pleasure went through your body, and you knew that you probably wouldn’t last long. You wanted to be embarrassed, since your annoying coworker was the reason you were so turned on, but you really couldn’t bring yourself to care. After all, Soonyoung was already better at pleasing you than any other man you’d been with before him.

“Fuck, feels so good,” you moaned, tangling your hands in his hair. Soonyoung didn’t respond verbally, but the way he started to move his tongue faster after you spoke told you that he heard you loud and clear.

It was only a matter of time before you started to feel your release building inside you. With a loud whine, you said, “’m close.” Soonyoung groaned against you one more time, and that was all it took for your orgasm to wash over you with a loud moan of his name. He continued his movements as you reached your high, stopping just before the pleasure would have turned into pain.

Once you caught your breath, you sat up and pulled Soonyoung into a kiss, and the fire of lust that you thought had been put out was lit once again. Within minutes, both of you had thrown your clothes on the floor, and Soonyoung was on top of you. After he lined himself up with your entrance, you kissed him again, and he took the opportunity to carefully push into you.

A loud moan left your mouth as Soonyoung entered you, and you held onto him for dear life while you adjusted to his size. He was much bigger than the men you’d previously been with, so it took longer for you to adjust than you would have expected. Not that you were complaining, of course.

Once you were ready, you gave Soonyoung the green light, and he slowly started moving. Every drag of his cock inside you had you seeing stars, and you swore he was better in bed than anyone else that you’d been with before him. As he increased the speed of his thrusts, however, you found that you weren’t thinking about anyone else anymore.

Soonyoung loved watching you fall apart underneath him, if he was being completely honest. Sure, he didn’t exactly plan to sleep with you when he first ran into you at the bar, but he definitely wasn’t complaining. You felt too good around him for him to complain, and he loved every moan and whine that left your lips as he pounded into you.

Just like when he’d gotten you off with his tongue, you knew pretty early on that you probably wouldn’t last long with Soonyoung’s cock inside of you. Still, you really didn’t care. All you cared about was the pleasure coursing through your veins with every movement.

“Fuck. You feel so good, baby. Like this pussy was made for me,” Soonyoung said in between groans. You were too fucked out to respond verbally, but the fact that you started moaning louder after he spoke told him that you heard him loud and clear.

“I’m close, baby. Where do you want it?”

“Inside, please, please, please,” you begged, desperate for Soonyoung to fill you.

Within seconds, Soonyoung reached his high, filling you with cum. Your release came not long after that, and you pulled him in for another kiss as you came undone around his cock. Eventually, you had to pull away for air, but the way he looked into your eyes as you came down from your high left butterflies in your stomach and a smile on your face.

After you both caught your breath, Soonyoung said, “Let’s get you cleaned up, baby,” and climbed off of you. Once you felt like you could move, you took his outstretched hand and stood up, pulling him into a hug. When he let go, you both moved to clean up and get dressed.

Once you were both dressed and comfortable again, you pulled Soonyoung into a hug and asked, “Can we share a bed tonight?”

“Of course, baby. Which one?”

“I don’t think it matters,” you answered with a laugh.

Soonyoung smiled and led you to the bed furthest from the door, and you immediately snuggled into his side. The bed was small, so you had to lie down pretty much on top of him to avoid falling off, but neither of you really minded.

While Soonyoung held you close, the two of you talked about your interests and lives outside of work, with each of you hoping to get to know the other better. The conversation didn’t last very long though, since both of you fell asleep in a matter of minutes, surprised by the events of the day but happy to end it in each other’s arms.

The next morning, you woke up on the floor in between the room’s two beds. At some point during the night, you rolled over too far and fell out of Soonyoung’s bed, much to your frustration and his amusement when he woke up and realized what had happened. Once he stopped laughing, however, he helped you up and asked, “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m alright. I guess I fell out of bed while I was sleeping.”

“I noticed. You looked kind of cute on the floor,” he replied, starting to laugh again.

You pouted at his comment and said, “Why are you laughing at me?”

“I’m just laughing because of how adorable you are, sweetheart.”

You started to smile when he called you cute again and pulled him into a hug. With a groan of frustration, you said, “I really don’t want to participate in whatever Seungcheol has planned for today.”

“I know. I’m pretty sure I heard him mention trust falls when we were all in the lobby last night.”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” you said, laughing at the cliché team building your boss apparently had planned.

“I wish I was. But I swear, I specifically heard him say the words ‘trust falls’ to Jeonghan.”

“Oh my god,” you groaned, dreading the event even more.

“Yeah, I’m not excited about it either. Look on the bright side, though. I’ll be right there with you the whole time, no matter how awkward and boring it gets.”

You smiled when you heard Soonyoung say that he’d be there with you, and without really thinking about it, you kissed him again. He deepened the kiss pretty much immediately, with his hands finding their way to your hair and pulling slightly. A soft moan left your lips, and he pulled away with a grin on his face before he said, “Later, baby.”

“That’s not fair! You started it!”

“Yes I did.”

You laughed at his boldness, and the two of you got ready together to face the day ahead. While you went about your morning routine, you occasionally noticed Soonyoung staring at you with a dopey grin on his face and something that you couldn’t quite identify in his eyes. The third time you caught him staring at you, you finally decided to just ask, “What are you looking at?”

“You. Why do you ask? Is it a problem?”

“No. I just wanna know what’s so interesting that I’ve caught you looking at me three different times now.”

“You are. Plus, you look really fucking sexy,” he replied with a wink.

You rolled your eyes, but your soft laugh at his answer betrayed your attempt at looking annoyed.

After your little exchange, you went back to getting ready, and when it was time to leave, you and Soonyoung left together to go to the convention center near your hotel. When you got there, several of your coworkers stared at the two of you, clearly perplexed as to how you two were interacting without an argument.

When you ran into Mingyu, he gave you a knowing smile and asked, “So, how was your night?”

“It was pretty good,” you admitted, looking at Soonyoung as you spoke. “Turns out we have more in common than we thought.”

“See?” Mingyu asked. “I told you to trust me.”

Before Soonyoung could ask what Mingyu meant, Wonwoo arrived and said, “So, (Y/N), I see you had an interesting night.”

You rolled your eyes at the comment and said, “Shut up.”

“Shit, we have to go!” Mingyu groaned. “Do you remember where Seungcheol we were doing the things?”

“No, I don’t,” you answered.

“I do,” Soonyoung said. “Follow me.”

You followed Soonyoung down one of the convention center’s many hallways until you stood in front of a door that was labeled, “Carat Interactive Team Building.” When you entered the room, you noticed a very large stage, complete with a microphone and a banner above it that said, “Trust Falls.” That was when you realized that Soonyoung really wasn’t kidding about what he’d overheard the night before, and you stifled a laugh. You didn’t find the situation funny anymore, however, when your boss took his place in front of the microphone with a look of what could only be described as rage on his face. With a deep sigh, he began, “Welcome to day one of the Carat Interactive team building retreat. We’re here today so that you all can build stronger bonds with your teammates and hopefully learn something new about what it really means to work together and trust each other.”

Soonyoung snickered at Seungcheol’s introduction and said, “We wouldn’t need to learn how to work together if you were better at coordinating.”

“What was that, Soonyoung?” Seungcheol asked, clearly tired of your coworker’s bullshit.

“I said that we wouldn’t need to learn how to work together if you were better at coordinating,” Soonyoung repeated loudly, unfazed by Seungcheol’s anger.

Seungcheol sighed again before he smiled and said, “You know what, thank you, Soonyoung. Thank you so much for volunteering to start our first activity of the day.”

“Hey, I didn’t-” Soonyoung began.

“I don’t care!” Seungcheol exclaimed, his previous rage replaced with unsettling excitement. “Our first team building exercise is trust falls. Each of you will take turns coming up onto this stage and sharing something about yourself that you’ve never told the rest of the team. After you share, you will turn so that your back is facing your teammates and fall backward, trusting your teammates to catch you. Is that clear?” After a series of vague expressions of affirmation and nods from your coworkers, your boss added, “Come on up, Soonyoung! Thank you so much for agreeing to go first.”

Hesitantly, Soonyoung joined Seungcheol on stage and asked, “Why are we doing this?”

“I just told you why. Now, share something that your teammates don’t know about you!” Seungcheol replied, the unsettling excitement in his voice making him sound like a game show host that had been possessed by a demon.

Seungcheol stepped out of the way, and with a sigh, Soonyoung stepped closer to the microphone as you and the rest of your coworkers stepped closer to the stage to catch him. After another deep breath, he said, “I really don’t want to be here right now,” his solemn demeanor making it seem like he was sharing his darkest secret with the group instead of just being a smartass.

You laughed at his “admission,” which earned you a glare from Seungcheol. He didn’t say anything, though, which was a huge relief.

As everyone else on your team took turns sharing secrets and falling, you realized that Seungcheol had intentionally picked you last. You should have been upset, but all you could think about was how grateful you were that you got to put off your part of the exercise for as long as possible.

When Seungcheol called your name, you made your way onto the stage, and he said, “What would you like to share with your teammates today?”

With a deep breath to calm your nerves, you said, “I worry too much about what other people think, and sometimes I think that no one actually likes me.”

You stepped forward, turned your back to your coworkers, and fell, hoping that someone would actually catch you. After you fell, you felt several sets of arms holding you above the ground. When your feet were back on the floor, you turned and realized that Soonyoung was one of the people that caught you. With the same smirk on his face that he had at the bar, he said, “I mean, I had a feeling that you would fall for me after last night, but this seems a bit excessive.”

You laughed at his comment and said, “Thank you.”

With all of the trust falls complete, Seungcheol dismissed you all from the auditorium by saying, “That’s all we had planned for today. Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone, but don’t do anything stupid. I’m looking at you, Soonyoung.”

The man in question laughed and reached his hand out to grab yours. You smiled at the small gesture, and he said, “So, what do you wanna do now?”

“I think I’d like to just go back to the room, if that’s ok.”

“Of course, baby.”

You and Soonyoung made your way back to the hotel room, and when you got there, you collapsed on your bed and sighed. Soonyoung laughed a bit at your actions, and you asked, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, sweetheart. You’re just so cute.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Hmmm, no thanks,” he responded with a laugh. You laughed along with him, and he took a seat on his bed. Once the laughter turned to silence, however, his demeanor grew serious, and he asked, “You know that I really do like you, right?”

“What?”

“I’m talking about what you said during the trust falls. You know that I really do like you, right?”

“Oh. Well, I guess I do now.”

“I mean it.”

“Thanks,” you said with a soft smile.

There was another silence before Soonyoung asked, “So, what do you wanna do?”

“Can we just talk?”

“Yeah, of course. Getting to know you better has been really nice.”

With that, the two of you talked about anything and everything that came to mind until it got too late for either of you to keep your eyes open. That was when you both went to sleep, each of you in your separate beds this time. You briefly considered asking if you could share a bed with Soonyoung again, but you didn’t want to make him uncomfortable or wake up on the floor again, so you decided against it.

The rest of the week went by with no other major events, and you couldn’t wait to finally go home after being stuck in an unfamiliar city with your coworkers for a week. The drive home was far more peaceful than you expected, with significantly less traffic than when you’d driven to the hotel at the start of the week. When you finally got home, the first thing you did was text Soonyoung.

Y/N: Hi. Just wanted to say I had a lot of fun with you this week.

Soonyoung: I had fun too. Any time you wanna hang out, just let me know.

Y/N: I will, thanks. See you at work tomorrow.

Soonyoung: See you tomorrow.

After that, you decided to enjoy the rest of your day by ordering a pizza from the restaurant near your apartment and watching your favorite movie for the thousandth time while you ate it. The time to just exist in your apartment and not worry about expectations from your boss or what your coworkers thought of you was badly needed, and at the end of the day, you went to bed feeling much better about the mandatory fun your boss had spent the past week subjecting you to.

When you went back to work the following Monday, you noticed that everyone in the office was far nicer to you than usual, except for Soonyoung. He wasn’t exactly rude to you, but he also didn’t talk to you nearly as much as he had when the two of you were away. You didn’t worry too much, though, assuming that he was just tired from the trip and wanted a bit of space.

After a few weeks of Soonyoung not talking to you unless it was absolutely necessary, however, you started to worry. Had you said or done something to upset him at some point while you were at the retreat? You had no idea, so you decided to try again to talk to him whenever you could get him alone.

The opportunity to ask Soonyoung what the hell was going on came when you least expected it. You’d gone into the office break room and noticed that he was the only person there. He saw you at the same time that you saw him, and he tried to leave the room. Before he could, though, you stood in front of the door and asked, “Why haven’t you been talking to me?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he answered, clearly uncomfortable.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” you answered, sick of his shit already. “Since we got home, you’ve refused to talk to me unless you absolutely have to. Why?”

With a sigh, Soonyoung said, “I just got nervous around you after the stuff that happened during the retreat. Can I make it up to you?”

“How?”

“I’ll do whatever you want, baby,” he answered, with that god damn smirk forming on his face as he spoke. Honestly, it probably shouldn’t have had the effect on you that it did, especially when you considered how upset you were that he’d been avoiding you. When you looked into his eyes, however, you didn’t care that he’d upset you. All you could think about was how badly you wanted him.

So, you turned away from Soonyoung just long enough to lock the door before turning back to him and kissing him with everything you had. The intensity almost knocked him over, but he stood firm as he wrapped his arms around you. You moaned softly into the kiss, and Soonyoung pulled away just long enough to say, “Just tell me what you want, baby, and it’s yours.”

“Want you.”

“I kind of figured as much,” he teased. “Do you want my mouth, my fingers, or my cock, princess?”

“Fingers, please?”

“Your wish is my command, my darling,” he said as he shifted your panties to the side and gently inserted two fingers into you. You cried out at the feeling, moving your hips ever so slightly as he fucked you.

With another loud whine, you said, “Feels so good.”

“I know, baby. I love how much of a mess you are for me.”

His words made your head spin, and you started to buck your hips up to meet his hand again. With every movement, you felt yourself already heading toward your release. This time, you were slightly embarrassed, but your arousal overruled any judgement or embarrassment as you lost yourself in the way Soonyoung’s fingers felt inside of you.

“I’m close,” you said, desperate to reach your high.

Once he processed what you said, Soonyoung started to lightly kiss your neck, and his mouth on you was the exact push that you needed to go tumbling over the edge. He continued to gently fuck you through your release until you started to push his hand away, overwhelmed by the continued stimulation.

Once you came down from your high, you leaned closer to Soonyoung to kiss him, but he moved at the last second, sending you tumbling to the floor. After you caught your breath, you stood up and asked, “What the fuck?”

Soonyoung didn’t answer, though, because he was too busy unlocking the door and running out of the room, since you were no longer blocking him. Once you realized that he’d left, and you were alone in the break room, you started to sob uncontrollably, wondering what you’d done wrong for him to treat you like you were nothing to him unless he was fucking you.

Once you calmed down, you stood up, brushed yourself off, and walked out of the break room to go back to the work you’d left unfinished. When you got back to your desk, Wonwoo approached you and asked, “Are you ok? Mingyu said he heard sobs coming from the break room.”

The question almost made you cry again, but you managed to maintain your composure long enough to choke out, “I’m fine. It’s a long story. Can I tell you later?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Thanks for looking out for me.”

“That what friends are for,” he said with a smile.

Wonwoo walked away after that, and you went back to your work. For the most part, you didn’t have any additional problems, which you appreciated. The only real issue was the fact that you couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened with Soonyoung. Why had he been so cold toward you after what happened in the break room? You had no idea, so you tried to the best of your ability to not think about it. All of your thoughts were on Soonyoung once again, however, when he sent you a text after work.

Soonyoung: I’m sorry I left as quickly as I did. Seungcheol texted me to tell me to get back to work, and I panicked.

Y/N: Are you fucking serious? You couldn’t have said something before you left the room?

After that, you didn’t get a reply, so you decided to try again to avoid thinking about Soonyoung. Just like every other time you’d tried to purge unwanted thoughts from your head, however, thoughts of him and what he wanted from you plagued pretty much every waking moment. After weeks of struggling with what to do, you decided to go to the man that started it all for advice.

When you showed up at Mingyu’s apartment unannounced, your friend was surprised, to say the least. Regardless, he happily let you into his apartment and asked, “What’s up?”

“We need to talk about Soonyoung.”

“What do you mean?

“He won’t talk to me unless he wants to fuck.”

“That doesn’t sound like Soonyoung. He’s an idiot, sure, but he’s not an asshole.” To prove your point, you showed Mingyu your messaging history with Soonyoung. He was surprised to say the least, but he didn’t try to argue anymore. All he said was, “I’m so sorry. If I’d known he’d act that way, I would never have set you two up.”

“I’m not here for an apology. I’m here for advice. I want to ignore the way I feel about him, but I just can’t anymore.”

“Wait, what do you mean by ‘the way you feel about him?’”

You sighed and answered, “I think I want an actual relationship with him.”

Mingyu was shocked by your admission, but once he got over that, he said, “I think you should tell him that.”

“’Gyu, I love you, but are you crazy?”

“Please, just trust me on this.”

“Trusting you is what got me into this situation in the first place!”

“And trusting me is what’s going to get you out of it. I know Soonyoung. If you tell him, he’ll realize that he’s been acting like an idiot and fix things.”

With a sigh, you reluctantly said, “Ok. Thanks for the advice.”

“It’s no problem. You know I’ll always be here for you.”

With that, you pulled Mingyu into a hug, hoping that he was right about Soonyoung. As you left his apartment, you contemplated when you wanted to talk to him. After some careful consideration, you knew exactly when and how you wanted to confront him.

In the end, you decided that Valentine’s Day was the perfect time to go to Soonyoung’s apartment and confront him. You didn’t initially want the discussion to happen on the holiday, but when you realized that it was the next time you would be free, you knew that you had the perfect opportunity to solve the Soonyoung problem once and for all. Either he would confess that he wanted more, which was perfect for the holiday of love, or he would tell you he never wanted to see you again, which would be a perfect example of dark irony. Regardless of the outcome, you figured that there was no better time to get the answers that you so desperately wanted.

You knocked on Soonyoung’s door, and it took some time for him to answer it. When he opened the door and saw you standing in front of him, he tried to close the door. Before he could fully shut it, however, you yelled, “Can we talk, please?”

Hesitantly, Soonyoung opened the door again and asked, “What do you want?”

“I wanna know why you only talk to me when you’re horny.”

“What? What the fuck do you-”

“Every time you’ve called or texted me since we’ve been home from that stupid retreat that Seungcheol put together, it’s been because you wanted sex. I want to know why you think so little of me that you think that’s ok.”

“I don’t think that little of you.”

“Then why the fuck do you do it?”

With a deep sigh, he answered, “Just come inside, and we’ll talk.”

Reluctantly, you agreed, and he moved out of the doorway to let you in. Once you were in his apartment, he led you to his couch. As you sat down, you asked, “Why did we have to talk here?”

With a deep sigh, Soonyoung said, “So I could do this,” and kissed you.

You started to melt into the kiss, just like you always did when you were with him, but it only took a minute for you to snap out of it, pull away, and say, “I’m not having sex with you today, Soonyoung.”

“I know.”

You were quiet after that, confused by the way he was acting and irritated that you let the situation get as far as it did. After a few minutes lost in your thoughts, you said, “Just tell me what you want. If you just want someone to have sex with, tell me. If you want a relationship, tell me. Either way, I’ll be ok. I just can’t stand the games.”

It was in that moment that Soonyoung realized that he fucked up. With another deep sigh, he said, “I want a relationship with you. I’m sorry that I ever made you think otherwise. Can you forgive me?”

You softened when you noticed the tears forming in his eyes, and against your better judgement, you said, “Of course.”

Soonyoung smiled and pulled you into a hug after that, relieved that he hadn’t lost you completely. While he held you close, he said, “Does this mean what I think it means?” You nodded against him, and he let go of you just long enough to cup your face in his hands and say, “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

“Thank you for finally giving me a straight answer about what I am to you.”

With that same smirk on his face, he asked, “So, baby, how do you want to celebrate our first Valentine’s Day together?”

“I’m happy to celebrate however you want. As long as we’re spending time together, I’m fine with anything. I still don’t want to have sex tonight, though.”

“That’s perfectly fine, princess. I’m sorry about how I treated you. You must think I’m an idiot, huh?”

“Just a little, but you’re my idiot.”

With that, you relaxed into Soonyoung’s hold, content with the way your conversation went. You weren’t entirely sure that you trusted him yet, but you still wanted to give him a chance. After all, you liked the way that he made you feel now that you weren’t angry anymore.

Thank you for reading! I loved participating in this event. Once again, thank you to @ddeonghwa-s for the opportunity to participate! If you liked this, please like and reblog! If you wanna be tagged in future works, fill out the taglist form here! If you want to check out my other works, check out my main masterlist. If you want to see what else is in the works, you can check my upcoming works list! If none of that interests you, or there's something specific you want to see, feel free to send a request via my asks or dms!

Thank you again for reading, have a lovely Valentine's Day!

[angelicyoongie]

lovesick (XII)

— pairing: yandere ot7 x (f) reader — word count: 6.3k — warnings: yandere, obsessive behaviour, explicit sexual content (vaginal fingering), other content that may be triggering. — summary: You dreamed of the day you would get your very own soulmark. Though, you didn’t expect to wake up to a searing hurt in your arm, the phantom pain of your shoulder being dislocated and your forearm fractured. As if dealing with the worst possible soulmark ever wasn’t bad enough, you also have to come to terms with the fact that you’re being stalked. When the letters and gifts you receive begin to escalate and the police offers no help, you have no other option than to figure out who’s behind it yourself – and hopefully before it’s too late.

Previous – Next

You pad slowly into the common room, rubbing your eyes.

Yoongi was abruptly called into work a few minutes ago – something about missing files and a tight deadline – so he had to usher you out of bed with gentle touches and soft apologies, sending you to wake up on the couch with Namjoon. 

"Hi darling," Namjoon croons as you collapse next to him, picking up one of the thick blankets strewn about to bundle you up with.

You let yourself be tucked in, the extra warmth is more than welcome with how chilly the cabin gets in the early mornings. The fireplace is barely crackling, the flames struggling to take hold with how recently they've been lit.

You mumble something unintelligible in return, pulling the blanket up to your nose to fend off the cold. Namjoon lets out a fond laugh as he scoots closer on the couch. He puts an arm around your shoulder, guiding your head to rest on his chest as he mindlessly plays with your hair. The soothing touches make your already heavy eyes flutter shut immediately, your consciousness drifting further away with every rise and fall of Namjoon's chest. 

You drift off for a while, the sounds of Yoongi's rushed goodbye as he runs out the door and Namjoon turning the pages of his book muffled under your sleepiness. Sitting curled up against Namjoon allows your body to slowly wake up, and lets you forget about everything that awaits you while you're caught in the in-between of sleep and reality. 

It's the sound of cupboards slamming that finally wakes you up, a sheepish sorry! being called from the kitchen. Namjoon's fingers still in your hair as you huff, your eyebrows creasing with displeasure as you realize it's time to open your eyes. 

"Morning," Namjoon murmurs warmly, "Jungkook doesn't always remember how strong he is, especially not when he's tired, so he has a bad habit of slamming things shut. I'm sorry he disturbed you." 

"'S okay," You yawn, "I should probably get up anyway." 

"Hmm, you don't have to," Namjoon curls his arm around your waist, holding you securely against his chest. "We can just stay here and cuddle until breakfast is ready." 

I'm sure you'd like that, you–

You stifle the vicious voice inside your head as soon as it rears its head. Even though you have decided to accept the cards you have been dealt, or rather, the cards that were forced into your hands; it's not something that can happen overnight. They've terrorized you for over a year so rewiring your brain to follow the path your soulbond is trying to lead you isn't easy. But you are trying.

"Sure," You concede, snuggling closer to Namjoon's firm chest. 

You watch as he delicately turns another page in the book he's reading, your eyes growing wide as you recognize the poem that's printed on it in faded letters. Your breath hitches as you blink, dumbstruck, down at the same collection you asked him about that day you visited him at the library. 

"Aren't these the poems Jungkook used in his letters?"

Namjoon tenses as he notices where your attention has drifted. His fingers subconsciously splay across the page, almost as if he's trying to hide the words, as he says, "Yeah, it is." 

"Why did you bring it here?" You ask as you eye the book warily. It's not like the book carries any good memories for you and on top of that, Namjoon seemed rather perturbed by the sight of it all those months ago. 

"It... I guess you can say it holds sentimental value," Namjoon murmurs. 

"My mom passed away when I was young so I don't remember much of her. I just have a blurry memory of us visiting a garden somewhere, her blue dress fluttering in the wind. Her passing broke my dad's heart. They were soulmates, so I think a part of him died that day too," He heaves a heavy sigh.

"Grief made him do stupid things and one of those was throwing away most of her belongings. I think it just hurt too much, that her things were still there but she wasn't, you know?"

You give a silent nod, heart squeezing at the way Namjoon's voice turns slightly shaky. 

"He luckily donated most of her books to the library. I don't think he knew she had written one of them," He gently taps the collection in his lap. "It wasn't until a few years ago that I found some old papers he had missed, once that were drafts of half-written poems and random thoughts. It was just luck, fate maybe, that I  recognized her writing. I had read through most of the local donations by that point to do a little feature stand and hers was one of them." 

"I'm sorry, about your mom, I mean," You push aside the throw to curl an arm around Namjoon's waist, giving him a comforting squeeze. 

"It's okay, it happened a long time ago," He whispers in return, resting his cheek on top of your head. 

"Do you know what happened – why she passed so young?" 

"I'm not sure," Namjoon says, "Dad never told me the full extent of it. I just know she had a lot of health issues." 

The pit of your stomach feels heavy as you rub your cheek against Namjoon's chest, hugging him close. His mom's history must be why he's been so adamant on making sure you're healthy and taking care of yourself, why he even went as far as scheduling medical check-ups for you. It doesn't make it right and it does not excuse his behaviour, but it does explain things.

"Do you know how Jungkook found the book? I remember the section being pretty hidden away," You tentatively say, trying to steer the conversation over to something a little lighter.

"Hm, I showed him that aisle a long time ago. It's probably the section that needs the least work since so few people know about it, so it would be easy for him to use it and put it back without me even noticing. He probably copied them down in his letters whenever I  wasn't on shift – I guess he didn't want me to notice and ask about it." 

You suppose that makes sense. No one besides Taehyung and Yoongi was open about their newfound soulmate connection and letters, so it adds up that Jungkook would want it to be a secret too.

"It's weird that he ended up with that particular collection out of every book in the library though," You muse. 

Namjoon's breath fans across your hair, his voice equally as thoughtful as he says, "Maybe it was our bond that did it. Even if it's just connected through you, it's still strong enough to influence us. That could explain why he was drawn to it." 

"Right," You swallow thickly. 

You suppress the shudder that wants to travel down your spine. It's a truly terrifying thought that everything has fallen into place like it was supposed to happen, like the universe made it that way. Even if Namjoon said that your bond is rare, there have to be others out there who are dealing with the same thing. Or, at the very least, there has to be some sort of explanation as to why all seven of them are acting this way – it surely can't be that it's just because they're feeling the bond more intensely than you are. 

"Actually, do you think you could do me favour?" You pull back just enough to glance up at Namjoon, giving him the sweetest look you can muster as you say, "Could you bring me some books on soulbonds from the library the next time you're there? I think knowing more about it will make everything a little... easier for me, you know?" 

Namjoon stares at you in silence, the second dragging on for much too long before he breaks out into a pleased smile. "Of course, darling, anything for you." 

"Thank you," You press a fleeting kiss to his jaw, hating how the action makes your own heart pick up speed.

You catch a glimpse of Namjoon's bright grin, dimples indented on his cheeks, as you hurriedly settle back down against his chest. He puts his book aside in favour of wrapping you up in his arms, humming something under his breath as he holds you close. 

Perhaps not all luck has left you just yet. Namjoon practically runs the local library, so if there's anyone who can bring you all the books you could ever want on soulmates and soulbonds, he's the right guy for it. 

You're sure there is some information out there that can be useful for you – you just need to find it first. 

"He's not giving up." 

You halt at Jimin's low hiss, wiping off the last bit of moisture on your hands on your sweats. You're halfway between the bathroom and your old room, shrouded in darkness as you wait with bated breath for Jimin to continue. 

"This is the second time he's come by this week and he even brought his boyfriend along to 'act as a witness'. I barely managed to keep them from making a scene." 

You can hear the agitation in Jimin's voice, can easily picture how his lips must be pressed together with annoyance as he paces around the room. You keep to the shadows as you creep closer, making sure you can't be seen from the open door. 

"It's Heejin– no wait, Heejun right? Y/n's friend?" 

Your heart jumps to your throat as you catch Seokjin's low murmur, gripping the wall for support as you listen to them talk. 

"That's the one," Jimin lets out an exasperated sigh. "He refuses to accept the story we came up with even though there's no evidence to suggest foul play. He keeps prodding and poking and if he continues, something will eventually lead him back to me, hyung. I don't care if he thinks I'm an incompetent cop; but if he's starting to suspect me, we'll have to deal with it – one way or another." 

You press your hand to your mouth, muffling the broken noise that squeezes past your lips. You have accepted your faith, have decided to work with it instead of against it, but your best friend doesn't know that. He just knows that you were being stalked and then one day, you were suddenly gone. If the situation was flipped, you would've been beside yourself with concern. You know he cares too much to give up but you can't let Heejun get hurt because of you. You miss him and Jaemin so much your body aches with it, but their safety is all that matters. You won't be able to live with yourself if the boys harm them in any way. 

You stumble back, ears ringing as Seokjin says something in return. You feel along the wall as you hurry back to the bathroom, your breaths falling quicker and quicker. You close the door behind you with shaking hands, leaning on it as you sink to the floor.

You're not sure how long you sit there, mind racing with possibilities of what you can do to stop them until Seokjin knocks on the door. 

"Angel, are you doing okay?" 

"Yeah! Just a minute," You clear your throat, legs unsteady as you clamber to your feet. 

You glance at the mirror, wincing at how disheveled you look. You brush your hair back with your fingers as you take deep breaths, attempting to make yourself look more put together and not like you weren't just tethering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack. 

"There you are," Seokjin grins as you open the door. He doesn't seem to find anything amiss as he grabs your hand, leading you down the dark hallway toward Jimin's room. 

Should you ask Seokjin about what you heard? Should you beg him to stop Jimin from doing anything rash?

"Let me know if you need anything, angel, you know I'm right across the hall," Seokjin's long strides take you to Jimin's door before you can make up your mind. He pauses before he opens it, leaning down to deliver a lingering kiss to your cheek. 

Warmth blooms where he touched your skin, your burning face thankfully hidden by the low light. 

"Sleep well, Y/n," He whispers. He gives your hand a gentle squeeze before he pushes the door open, guiding you in by your shoulders. 

"Angel delivery!" Seokjin announces as he walks you into the room, snickering at the embarrassed noise you make in protest to the cheesy line. 

"About time!" Jimin whines, "I thought hyung had stolen you away for the night." 

He pulls you out of Seokjin's grasp and into his arms before the older can hog more of his time, shuffling backward towards the bed as he says, "Close the door on your way out." 

"Excuse me?" Seokjin splutters, "Is that any way to treat your hyung?"

"Oh right," Jimin has his chin hooked over your shoulder, flashing Seokjin a teasing smile as he says, "Please close the door on your way out." 

"The disrespect! I swear– " Seokjin's voice tapers off into irritated mumbles as he shows himself out, closing the door behind him as Jimin requested. 

Jimin waits until he hears Seokjin's footsteps recede and another door close before he pulls back, making sure he isn't going to pop back in to ruin the moment. The boyish smile Jimin is sporting after teasing Seokjin softens as he meets your gaze. 

"Hi baby," Jimin cradles your face in his palm, running his thumb soothingly over your cheek. "I missed you." 

"Hi," You murmur back, easily returning his smile.

He's only been gone for two days, but something in you settles as you feel Jimin's touch; like a weird itch you didn't even know was there has been scratched. Jimin's shifts at the station often force him to be away for multiple days at a time and while it's a bitter pill to swallow, you've actually started to miss him while he's gone. It's not even just Jimin – if any of the boys are gone for more than twenty-four hours, your chest starts to feel hollow, like an important piece is missing. 

You hate it.

Jimin looks at you like he's drinking you in, his eyes never settling on one spot for too long.

If you're feeling their absence this strongly already, you're sure it must be a much worse experience for them. You've grown accustomed to the boys being a little more clingy than normal when they return and the extra skinship always seems to soothe you too. Yet, your breath still hitches as Jimin moves his thumb down to your mouth, lightly grazing over your bottom lip. 

The way Jimin's gaze keeps flickering back to your mouth makes it very obvious what he wants – craves – but he doesn't act on it; none of them do. So far the boys have seemed content, though perhaps somewhat resigned, to limit their kisses to your cheeks and hair. They know that pushing you past your limits will only backfire, that they'll only get what they truly want once you're willing and want them just as much as they desire you. They've already spent over twelve months watching you from afar, so you suppose a few months more doesn't make much of a difference now that they already have you in their grasp. 

It's only a matter of time before you break and you all know it. 

"Let's go to bed, baby. I've had a long day." 

"Everything okay?" You grip Jimin's hand a little tighter than intended as he leads you to bed, his earlier conversation with Seokjin echoing in your head.

"There's been a string of minor burglaries that have been giving me a headache, but there's nothing you need to worry your pretty head about," Jimin pulls the covers back, throwing you a reassuring look over his shoulder as he adds, "You're safe here with us, Y/n."

"I know. Thank you," You murmur, swallowing around the knot in your throat. 

You couldn't care less about some random break-ins, not in a situation like this and with Heejun's safety in jeopardy. Why would you worry about the monsters that are out and about in the city when you're fighting your own demons right here in the cabin? Regardless, you know that Jimin is speaking the truth. You pity anyone who would ever think to come to this cabin when you got seven, frankly unhinged, soulmates that are willing to do anything to 'keep you safe'. 

You crawl into bed first, getting yourself situated on your side as Jimin slips into place behind you. You raise your arm just in time for Jimin to curl his own around your waist, your legs slotting together with practiced ease. 

Jimin hugs you close to his chest, letting out a content sigh as he breathes in the slightly woodsy scent that lingers on your skin. "Sleep well baby, we'll catch up tomorrow," He drawls, pressing a kiss to the back of your neck. 

"Good night," You whisper back.

You curl both hands beneath your chin, staring aimlessly out the dark window that's visible from the bed. The rapidly approaching winter has made the already dark nights almost pitch black, engulfing the trees despite the clinging snow that tries to brighten them. There are no stars out, nothing but endless darkness that stretches around the cabin like an all-consuming void. 

You find you can't quiet your mind, your thoughts racing much too fast for it to happen. You can't shake off the conversation you overheard earlier, of how annoyed Jimin sounded as he mentioned Heejun and Jaemin. The boys have already proven that they're willing to go to great lengths to ensure that they get what they want, so you don't doubt for a second that they'll hurt your friends if they deem them to be in their way. 

You can't let them harm them. You won't be able to live with yourself if they do. 

Jimin's breathing has almost evened out when you reach down to grab his hand, your mouth opening to blurt out a choked, "Please don't hurt them, Jimin." 

There's a second where you wonder if he's already asleep when there's no movement aside from the steady rise and fall of his chest. Maybe it would be better if he is asleep, at least that would give you time to come up with a plan, but you're too frazzled to think straight. All you know is that you need to convince Jimin to back off. 

"Jimin–" 

You're gently shushed as he intertwines your hands, resting them on your stomach. 

"I guess you heard us talking," Jimin mumbles drowsily. 

He rests his face against your shoulder, voice muffled against your skin as he asks, "Do you remember how I told you about the night I first felt the bond? That time your 'friends' ditched you at that club. Do you know how you got home that night, baby?" 

"What? Don't change the subject–" 

"Just indulge me," Jimin interrupts you with a squeeze to your hand.

"No, I... I don't remember. I don't know," You mumble, eyebrows creasing as you try to recall any details from that night. Everything is fractured into broken memories, blurred from the copious amounts of alcohol you had in your system. 

You can only picture the sneer one of your 'friends' was sporting behind your back, clearly not meant to be seen by you as you suddenly turned around to ask her something. The flashing lights on the dance floor. Your bleeding knee as you tripped outside the club. Dark, polished shoes barely visible through your tears.

"I didn't just see you that night you fell outside the club, baby. I was the one that brought you home." 

"You did?" You stare into the darkness, stomach twisting with emotions you can't quite place. 

"Yeah," Jimin confirms with a slight nod. "You were drunk as hell and all alone, it wasn't safe for you to attempt to find your way home on your own. I knew you were hurt so how could I just leave you there to fend for yourself?"

"I think you, or the bond maybe, recognized me right away. You were all over me as I was trying to walk you to my patrol car, touching my face and giggling about how handsome I was," Jimin lets out a breathy chuckle. "You're a touchy drunk, baby, I almost had to put you in handcuffs on the way over to your apartment." 

– handcuffs, but I'd rather not do that to you right now. Just keep your hands in your lap, alright Miss?

Baby, you hear your own voice sniffly grumble, not "miss" – that's so boring. 

You're not going to make this easy for me, hm? Okay then, baby it is. 

The memory comes out of nowhere, catching you off-guard. You were the one that permitted Jimin, no – practically begged him – to use such a nickname for you? 

"You weren't easy to handle, Y/n," Jimin snorts. "It took me way too long to wrangle you to your couch and you almost started crying again when I left the room to grab your first-aid kit. You kept stroking my hair as I patched up your knee, switching between acting pouty and cute as you tried to convince me to come to bed with you." 

"I didn't, by the way," He adds as he notes the tension in your body. "I just helped you into bed and made sure you fell asleep before I left. Nothing happened. I would never take advantage of you like that." 

You believe him. Jimin's letters were always so sexual, always so ready to describe the ways he would touch you as if he was picturing your first time together. If he had already done so, you can only imagine what kind of imagery he would've painted for you in his letters. 

"So that's how you know where I lived," You say, mind reeling with the new information. You just thought he had passed you by that night, just long enough to feel the bond. You had no idea that he was the one that safely got you home.  

Jimin hums. 

"If you knew, why didn't you tell me? All of this, everything, could've been avoided that way." 

You feel him pause and hold his breath, before he slowly releases it. "I don't know, baby. I was overwhelmed that I had finally found you – scared that you wouldn't like me when you were sober. It just felt easier to watch you from afar and try to build up the courage to approach you again." 

Your heart twists with the idea of what could have been.

Jimin was the first soulmate who felt your bond and who later sent you a letter. If he had just approached you normally the day after your night out, you're not so sure everything else would have transpired the way it did. Maybe you would have looked for your remaining soulmates with his help once you figured out there was more than one. Maybe you would've met the other boys through Jimin or perhaps they would've been more inclined to approach you normally once they realized you shared a bond with their friend. 

Perhaps everything would have been different if Jimin had tried.

"Why are you telling me this?" You whisper.

"I know I haven't given you a great first impression but I'm not a bad person, baby. I just.. wanted you to know that," Jimin says, lips moving against your skin. 

This new knowledge does paint him in a slightly better light. You're mortified over the way you acted that night and you clearly gave Jimin some signals as to how you felt about him, but it still doesn't excuse the way he has acted or the things he has said over the past year.

He lets out a small, sad sigh when he doesn't get a response. 

"You asked about your friend. What if we come to an agreement on how to deal with him?" 

"Yes," The word spills out before you can even consider the consequences. 

Jimin goes perfectly still behind you, his voice a low rumble as he says, "Do you even know what you just agreed to, baby? I haven't told you what I want in return yet." 

You swallow thickly, giving him a barely-there nod. He might not ask for what you're thinking about but when it comes to keeping your friends unharmed, you're willing to do anything. Giving Jimin what he's been craving for over a year should hopefully make him more inclined to listen to you, to trust you. 

Jimin's breath hitches as you slowly bring your intertwined hands up your body, not quite touching but still making the implications very clear. You untangle your fingers as you reach your chest, leaving his hand resting just shy of it. 

You bite your lip, heart racing, as you wait for Jimin to touch you. A beat passes, and another, but his hand stays frozen in place where you left it, not even a finger moving closer to your body. 

"Why aren’t you?–" 

"You're tense," Jimin murmurs, nudging his nose against your tight shoulder. "I’ll only touch you if you want it – want me." 

"Do you?" He asks.

The question hangs in the quiet air between you, pending, as you try to find your answer. Had Jimin asked you the same question a few months ago, you know what your response would have been. Your body would have curled up in disgust, you would have screamed and kicked and punched if he had so much as tried to put a finger on you. But now... You're not so sure anymore. While the thought of what he's put you through still sickens you, it's not repulsion you feel as you imagine him touching you. 

You want it. 

Whether it's the soulbond, the isolation or just your mind breaking apart, you don't know. But that doesn't change the fact that you don't mind the idea of Jimin touching you. You even brought it up first, not knowing if this is what he wanted out of your agreement or not. 

You want him.

You lick your lips, your mouth feeling dry as you whisper out a quiet, "Yes." 

"I need a full sentence, baby. I want to make sure."

"Jimin," You barely manage to raise your voice, but it sounds so loud, so damning, in the quiet night. "Please touch me." 

Jimin stifles a groan against your shoulder, sounding hoarse as he says, "Okay, baby, as you wish." 

He nudges your oversized shirt to the side with his nose, attaching his mouth to the revealed skin. You let out a soft mewl as you feel the slight sting of his teeth sink into your shoulder, the sensation soothed by his tongue as he licks over the bite, sucking the skin between his lips. 

Jimin moves his mouth from your shoulder to your neck, leaving behind a trail of kisses and slowly forming bruises. He reaches out to grope your chest, moaning at the resulting shiver that runs through you. 

"Gods," He groans as he massages your breast, rolling your nipple through the thin fabric of your shirt, "Been thinking about this for so long." 

"Jimin–" You arch your back, gasping, as he suddenly pinches the nub. Jimin pulls and rubs at it in a way that makes your core throb, wetness coating your folds. As you push your breast into his hand, you feel something hard poke against your lower back, Jimin's hips rolling forward on instinct as he feels some friction. 

After all you've been through you know you shouldn't enjoy it, but it feels like your soul preens at the contact. You never thought you would end up here, that you would ever want to be in a position like this, but there's no denying that your body is practically vibrating with excitement as Jimin touches you. Still, there's a small knot in your stomach that only feels heavier the more skin you let him explore. You don't know how much of this is actually you and how much of it is just the bond that ties you together. 

"My pretty baby," Jimin murmurs as he moves his hand over to your other breast, giving it the same treatment as the first as he slowly grinds his cock against your body. 

He gives your nipple one last mean tug, one that makes your cunt clench with need, before he slowly trails his hand down to your stomach. Your breath hitches as he moves his fingers under your shirt, the skin-on-skin contact causing you to let out a soft moan. Your body feels electrified as Jimin caresses your stomach and sides, his fingertips mapping out every inch of the area before he dips them down under the waistband of your sweats. 

"Please," The word barely has time to leave your mouth before Jimin obliges, hand sliding between your legs to cup your cunt. He glides his fingers between your folds, groaning as he feels how soaked the material of your underwear has become. 

"Fuck, you're dripping for me already, baby," Jimin curses as he continues to feel up your cunt, dragging the pad of his finger from your aching clit down to your slick hole, giving it just enough pressure to feel the tip of it dip in. 

The sensation makes you squirm with want, rolling your hips against Jimin's cock. He lets out a choked sound at the action, attaching his lips to your neck to give you another hickey. He hisses with frustration as he struggles to touch you properly, the angle awkward and your clothes restricting his hand. 

Jimin taps the inside of your thigh to make you spread your legs further. Heat floods your face as you feel just how wet you are as your legs part, hooking your foot over Jimin's calf to give him more room. 

"Good girl," He praises as he finally pushes your underwear aside. The first touch of his fingers against your aching cunt makes you both moan, your heart thumping harshly in your chest with anticipation. 

You know there's no going back after this. The knot in your belly, the lingering hostility, is practically overshadowed by your mounting pleasure. You can feel the part of you that's still angry quieting down more and more with each touch, the tight grip you've had on your resentment loosening. You know this is wrong, that you never should have let Jimin – your stalker – touch you like this regardless of how much your soul is yearning for him. But the horrible truth is that you're never getting away from them. And if this makes Jimin happy, then that means you should have it easier too, right? 

Gods, how could you sink so low–

Jimin doesn't waste much time teasing you, too impatient for it when you're already this dripping wet.

He drags his finger along your slit, coating it in your slick before he prods at your entrance. The digit slides into your wet heat easily, your walls fluttering around it as you try to get used to the feeling. He gently pumps his finger in and out at first, making sure you're relaxed before he adds another one. He thumbs at your clit as the second finger joins the first, the jolt of pleasure masking the slight discomfort as you're stretched out more. 

You can't quite believe how easily your body allows him in, how painless it feels compared to the previous times you've been with someone in the past. Maybe Jimin is just more skilled, but it feels like your body knows to relax in Jimin's hold, like it wants to be good for your soulmate.

"Shit," You whimper as Jimin's fingers curl against your walls, bumping into the spot that makes stars explode behind your eyelids. You clench down around him, trying to keep him in place and yet draw him in even deeper, desperate for that burst of pleasure again. 

"P-Please don't stop," You beg, your mind blissfully blank aside from the mounting pleasure in your core.

"I won't, baby, I won't," Jimin groans. He keeps up the steady motion of rolling his hips against your body, grunting as you work yourself on his fingers, pressing your ass harder against his cock. 

You bury your head into your pillow as Jimin's fingers begin pumping into you faster, stifling your increasing moans as he touches that sensitive spot over and over. Your leg trembles, toes curling, as Jimin angles his fingers, ceasing his thrusting in favour of rubbing your g-spot head-on. 

Desperate noises fall from your lips as your stomach begins to tighten, your release building so quickly that it leaves you gasping for air. You're almost there, your cunt clenching needily around Jimin's fingers. 

"Come for me, baby," Jimin rasps. The faintest brush of his slick thumb against your clit is all it takes for you to come undone. 

"Jimin!" You cry out his name as your pleasure unravels, your vision whitening out as your release hits you. You feel your slick gush around Jimin's fingers as he keeps brushing against your walls, prolonging your orgasm for as long as possible. 

The sound of you moaning his name with so much passion makes Jimin growl, his hips snapping forward. Your wetness coating his fingers and your warm body twitching underneath his is all it takes for Jimin to find his own release; he grinds his hard cock against you once, twice, before he explodes with a deep groan.

You lay in bed, panting, as you try to catch your breath. You let out a choked whine as Jimin carefully pulls out his fingers, everything feeling so sensitive after the intense orgasm you just had. 

"You're amazing, Y/n," Jimin croons as he presses a kiss to the nape of your neck. He slips his hand out from your clothes, rubbing your stomach contently as he says, "Just give me a second to find something to clean us up with, baby, I'll be right back." 

You let out a soft noise in return. 

You wait for the deep regret and anger to come rushing in as you hear Jimin swiftly exit the room, for the high in your veins to turn to disgust as he returns to carefully wipe you down with a damp cloth and whisper sweet nothings about how much he adores you. 

It doesn't happen. 

Everything in you feels thrilled at Jimin's attentiveness, at how closely he wraps you up in his arms when he's done. Your heart flutters with excitement as he tucks you close to his chest, arms wrapped around your body securely. 

Your soul feels so content that you struggle to grasp onto the hatred you feel for them, the feeling buried deep beneath the happy emotions your soulbond tries to overwhelm you with. 

Your resentment hasn't changed. Won't ever change. But how do you explain that you wanted Jimin to touch you – that you enjoyed it? You don't want this or them so why do you feel so content? It breaks your heart to realize that while you do hate them, some small part of your is starting to like them too. 

You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to block out Jimin's pleased hums as he runs his fingers up and down your arm. You know you won't get any answers tonight and letting your mind run around in circles won't do you much good either. You need the books Namjoon promised he would get for you, that's the only place you'll be able to find some answers. 

You let Jimin's repetitive motions soothe you towards sleep, your eyelids growing heavy. 

"Baby?" Jimin murmurs, the rhythmic fall and rise of his chest skipping a beat as he tenses up for a split second.

"Hmm?" You make an affirmative sound in return, brows furrowing at the sudden shift in Jimin's mood. 

"We've been pretending to be you on your phone, texting your friends and family to keep up appearances. Heejun doesn't buy it."

Your eyes snap open in the darkness, your breath catching in your throat. 

"He knows something is wrong since we can't pick up whenever he tries to call you. We won't hurt him or his boyfriend, I– we, know you'll never forgive us if something happens to them. But we need him to back off," Jimin grumbles.

You clutch at his tee, sleep washed away and voice bordering on frantic as you ask, "What do you need me to do?"

"Simple," Jimin sighs, pressing a fleeting kiss to the top of your head, "You just have to convince him that you don't want to talk to him anymore. That's the only way he'll leave us alone." 

The thought makes you want to laugh. There's no way Heejun would ever believe something like that. You've practically been attached at the hip ever since you were young, been through so many highs and lows that you taking a trip to the moon sounds more possible than ever growing bored of him. Heejun would never buy such a simple excuse, hell, he would probably only double down harder to figure out why you're so hellbent on ignoring him. 

"Right, simple," You echo, deflating in Jimin's arms.

It's never going to work. 

You'll have to come up with a much better idea if you want to protect your friends and keep them safe. 

a/n: hhh.... so that happened?? 🫣 we got a lot of new information in this chapter! we finally learned more about namjoon's backstory and his connection with the poems, the mc needs to figure out how to convince her friends she's okay and well... we have finally reached the smut!!

please leave a comment and reblog if you enjoyed the chapter and let's scream about what went down with jimin lol 💖

see you soon!

[porcupine-girl]

I just read Howl's Moving Castle, and it was much more My Kind Of Thing than I was expecting! I mean I expected to like it, otherwise I wouldn't have read it - I barely manage to read 10% of the books I do think I'll like, I don't have time for the rest.

But like, the type of fantasy, the prose style, the narrative structure, the fact that being an old lady set Sophie free in a lot of ways that I hope she gets to keep once she's young again, all of it was My Kind of Thing enough that I'm torn between reading Jones' other books (the unrelated ones, I've already put the other two in this universe on hold) and being worried that they'll be a huge disappointment lol

Actually I'm wary of the other two of these books as well, because really I want more of Howl and Sophie and to see them post-this-book, and I know the other two are mostly unrelated stories that happen to happen in the same universe and while they show up, they're not main characters. Idk if I'll like that.

I'm going to put spoilers under the cut because I made the mistake of looking in the tumblr tag for the book when I was halfway through (I had vague memories of a post comparing the book and movie characters, which I didn't find) and stumbled on some spoilers I wish I hadn't.

(Somehow the cut did not work the first time, sorry!)

First, I was spoiled for Howl actually being from our world (or a version of it). Of course, if I recognized Donne poetry I'd've already figured that out, and it turned out I was only like a chapter away from it anyhow, so it turned out not to be a huge deal, but still, that would've been a fun reveal.

But also, I was spoiled for Howl/Sophie actually happening as a romance. I mean, I'd obviously wondered, and they're clearly very fond of each other fairly quickly, but I kind of wish I hadn't known for sure that it was going to happen by the end of this book. Especially when she's still an old lady for so long - once you find out that Howl had known she was under a spell for a long time, it's an easy jump to make, but until then I wouldn't have expected him to be actually falling for her while she was still an old lady, so I thought maybe it was a possibility at the end of this book when she turns back but didn't really get started until the next book (this was also before I knew the other books aren't centered on them).

But yeah, the romance was also Exactly My Thing. The fact that Howl doesn't fall for her because she's pretty (even if he'd maybe hoped she was the girl he'd met before), he falls for her Old Lady With No More Fucks To Give attitude. Sure, she does things around the house like cooking and cleaning, but she's not stereotypically feminine by default because old women aren't seen as feminine in the same way young women are, and she has leaned the fuck into that and he's there for it. It's not exactly Darcy/Lizzy because it was never that antagonistic but it's very much the same sort of reasons for him falling for her, which is what I need in het romance.

God, I hope she gets to keep the mental and emotional freedom that being old gave her (while leaving behind the sucky parts of getting old). That's what I want to read about, her getting to be her whole self and how they navigate being who they are in a relationship.

Probably what I want is post-canon fanfic, but idk, I'd want something written very much in the style of the original and that's honestly a lot to expect from a fic author.

[and-claudia]

Yours pt. 3 (Paddy x reader) (Speak No Evil)

Warnings: DDDNE (that is your warning that this is gonna get a little fucked up here), masturbation, taking/sending dirty pictures, manipulation, controlling relatives, lying, p in v (not Yn, Paddy and Ciara, trust me on this, okay?), infidelity, mean!Paddy, use of a gag

I think that is it, but seriously, if you read this and think I need to add another one, DM me!!

Word count: 4000+ (I got carried away, I'm so sorry, but not really)

Taglist (Read the rules, follow them or I will remove your response)

Being back in the small, modern apartment I was supposed to call made me sad. It was cold and grey and just uninviting. It was the complete opposite of how I felt around Paddy in Italy. I missed him. I tried to distract myself with everything under the sun. I tried not to think about the night we shared but it was no use. More often than not, I found myself laying in bed, hand between my legs, doing my best to imagine it was him and not my own hand. 

Which is where I found myself currently. I had been babysitting Agnes all afternoon, not that she really needed me to. She was nearly 12 she could take care of herself for a few hours and leave me alone. So when I heard Lousie call my name, I was beyond pissed because I was close to finishing. 

“What?” I yelled back, frustration evident in my voice. 

“You got some mail! It’s from Ciara! Come get it.” She hollered back. 

I sighed and removed my hand, “Coming!” I yelled, though it wasn’t the coming I wanted to be doing. 

As I walked downstairs, I realized it was odd that I was getting something from Ciara. Nonetheless, I walked over to get it. “Oh Ben, we got a postcard from Paddy as well.” She said, handing him the card. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit jealous that he sent something to them and not to me. 

I ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter. 

Hello Darling, 

I didn’t want Ben or Louise to get suspicious of me writing you, so I had to put Ciara’s name on the envelope. I hope you’re not too mad at me. I’ve thought about you every night. Your face, your tits, your tight, perfect cunt. You are consuming my every thought. Ciara can’t satisfy me the way you can. I need you. I hope to see you soon. 

If Ben or Lousie ask what this letter was about, just tell them Ciara hopes to see you soon because she had such a fun time hanging out with you in Italy. 

P.s. 

There’s a surprise for you in the envelope… maybe you can return the favor and write me back. But send it to Ciara. She’ll understand. 

-Paddy 

I smiled and peeked into the envelope before sliding the letter back into it. I bit my lip at the small glimpse I got of them. At the bottom of the envelope, there were some pictures of him, each one with less clothes than the last. 

“What’d she say?” Lousie asked just as I closed the envelope back up. 

“Oh, she’s just hoping that we come visit soon because she misses hanging out with me.” I said. 

Louise made a face, and I knew some disapproving comment was coming. 

“Isn’t that a little weird? I mean, she’s a good deal older than you… Isn’t that a little odd, Ben?” She asked. 

“Hm? Yeah, it’s weird.” He agreed, and I sighed. 

“It’s not that weird. She’s not that much older than me…” I try to defend. 

“I don’t know if that makes it any better… I mean, Paddy is clearly older than her… did you catch how long they were together? Over 15 years, right? How old would that have made her when they got together?” 

“I don’t think that’s our business; they’re clearly happy together.” I said before turning to Ben, “What does the postcard say?” I asked, trying to change the topic. 

“Oh, it’s just him inviting us out to their farm again.” He said, setting it down. 

I took the opportunity to grab it and look it over.

“Have you thought about it?” I asked. 

“About what?” Lousie asked. 

“About going to visit their farm…” I said as if it were obvious. 

“Oh… I don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, we’re not suited for that type of lifestyle. I don’t really think any of us would enjoy it.” She said. 

I took a moment to think before speaking up again. 

“I actually think it may do us all some good.” I began gently gaining both of their attention, “After I stormed off from brunch that day, Paddy told me that he pitched the idea to you and I agree with him. I think a break for a city and some fresh air could really help all of us out… and then maybe when we get back, I can finally get with a therapist and start working through everything…” I added that last bit as the cherry on top. 

My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest as I waited for a response. Lousie and Ben exchanged a look. 

“You know what, I think that’s a good idea too. Ben?” Louise said. 

“Yeah… I’ll, um, write back to him tomorrow and set up some dates.” He said clearly slightly thrown off by the sudden decision from Lousie. 

“Thank you!” I said, a bit too excited, “I’m going to go write back to Ciara.” I said before taking off upstairs. 

I was buzzing with excitement. I would get to see Paddy again. It felt like my heart was going to burst. Quickly, I sat down at my desk with a piece of paper and a pen to write him back. 

Paddy, 

Firstly, I was so confused when I saw the envelope from “Ciara” addressed to me. It definitely threw off any suspicions my aunt or uncle may have had. Once I opened it and saw it was really from you, I got excited. I’ve missed you too. Most nights, I try to satisfy myself with my hands, but nothing compares to you. I can’t even look at another man without missing you even more. 

I have good news, though… we will be coming to visit your farm! I am not sure when Ben is supposed to be writing to you soon to set up some dates. I hope we can go soon. I’m not sure how much more of this distance I can take. 

Also, I returned the favor for the little surprise you put in my envelope. I hope you enjoy them. 

Always yours, 

Yn 

I tucked the letter into my drawer so it wasn’t out in the open for anyone, meaning my nosey aunt or cousin, to read. Then I grabbed my Polaroid camera bag off the shelf. I brought it over to my bed and sat down with it to carefully take it out. At the bottom of the bag were a few Polaroids I secretly took of Paddy and me in Italy. On our last day, we had all gone out sightseeing around the town, and I brought the camera with us. On the top of the stack was one I had taken when he and I had slipped away during dinner to get a drink from the bar. The sun was setting, and I managed to get one last picture of the two of us. The sunset was in the background as he kissed my cheek and I was smiling at the camera. It was my favorite picture from the trip, and seeing it made me miss him even more. I reminded myself that it was now only a matter of time before I got to see him in person again. 

After I carefully put the pictures back in the bag and picked up my camera. Unfortunately I didn’t have a good mirror in my room to take the pictures, only the small one on my desk that I used to do my makeup. So I slipped out and went into the bathroom to take a couple full body pictures to send to him. 

I made sure to turn the shower on to make it seem like I was actually doing something in here. After some thought I decided to take the same approach he had and started by just taking my shirt off, leaving me in my jeans and bra. I kept removing layers until I was completely naked. I snapped one more picture before setting the camera down and actually getting in the shower. 

Once I got out, I put my robe on, grabbed my camera, and went back to my room to take one more special picture for Paddy. I wanted to give a small glimpse at what he had been missing. I set the camera up on my dresser, facing my bed. There was a small knot in my stomach that was a mix of nervousness, excitement, and arousal at what I was doing. After fixing my bed up, I double-checked that my door was locked before removing my robe. I knew I would have to work fast with only 30 seconds on the timer. I mapped out my route and thought about positioning before taking a deep breath and pressing the timer button. 

I hurried and got set up on the bed, laying back, legs open to the camera. After a quick swipe through my folds, I wasted no time slipping two fingers into my hole, pumping them only a couple of times, knowing my goal was to get the picture, not get off. I waited for the click before removing my fingers and getting up to grab the picture as it printed. I shook it and watched as the image appeared. 

The thought of Paddy opening these pictures sent a new wave of arousal through me as I sat back down at my desk, wrapped back in my robe, and put them into a fresh envelope along with the letter. I addressed it to Ciara just as he instructed me to before sealing it and setting it to the side. I would get a stamp from Ben tomorrow. Then I got up and went over to my dresser to get his shirt that I stole and put it on. I crawled into bed with images of Paddy’s reaction to the pictures as the only thing on my mind. 

3rd Person PoV

It had been about a week since Yn sent her letter to “Ciara” and Ben had sent one to Paddy. And they had finally arrived. Paddy hardly ever got mail. Only when he was expecting something from his soon-to-be victims did he ever receive anything of importance. So he had been checking the mail quite frequently lately, waiting to see some familiar names. 

When He flipped through the envelopes, he saw the name Ben Dalton in the corner first, making him smirk a little before looking at the last one. It was addressed to his wife, but in the corner, he saw who it was from, and his smirk grew. He tucked that one into his back pocket for now before bringing the other one into the house. 

“Ciara, look!” He said, walking into the kitchen where his wife was, holding up the envelope. 

“That from the Daltons?” She asked curiously. 

“Yup,” He said, opening it and taking out the letter; he skimmed over it before announcing, “Looks like we’ll have guests soon.” 

Ciara hesitated for a moment, “Wonderful.” She forced a smile. 

“What?” Paddy asked, his happy mood suddenly gone, “Is this about Yn?” 

She didn’t answer at first but eventually nodded, “You got awfully close to her, Paddy. Are you really going to be able to kill her? That’s the whole point of this. Are you going to be able to do it?” She asked. 

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s more about the hunt than the kill? Don’t worry. This is going to be the best hunt yet.” He said, a wicked gleam in his eye. 

After their discussion, Paddy went upstairs to open his letter from Yn. He read it and although he already knew it, seeing it in her handwriting made him even more excited for their arrival. He couldn’t wait to indoctrinate her into his sick, twisted world, and he knew she’d do great by his side. 

He looked at the pictures she sent, and it made his cock twitch, watching as each picture revealed more and more skin to him until she was completely bare. But nothing could prepare him for that last one. Seeing the image of her spread open like that all for him, fingers in her tight pussy, it made him painfully hard seeing it and not being able to have the real thing right in that very moment. 

“Ciara!” Paddy called. 

Upon hearing her name she quickly turned off the stove and hurried up the stairs to her husband. It was almost a ritual at this point. The prospect of a new hunt always turned Paddy on and it had always led to a night of hot, passionate sex for the two of them, and she was looking forward to that. 

She had barely even gotten through the door when Paddy began barking orders at her. 

“Shut the door, take off your clothes, and get in the bed.” He commanded. 

She swiftly obeyed and perched herself on their shared bed waiting. Her eyes watched as Paddy undressed as well and then walked over to the dresser to where the pictures Yn had sent laid sprawled out across it. He picked up the one of her completely naked, wanting to be able to see her face to better imagine her while he fucked his wife. 

He finally waked over to the bed and looked at Ciara as she sat, legs spread in anticipation for him to fix himself between them and fuck bed. However that was not what Paddy had in mind. 

“Turn around.” 

She did as he said, unsure what he had picked up from the dresser as he was keeping it from her view. 

“Face down. Don’t even think about looking at me, I don’t want to see your face.” He commanded as he crawled on to the bed. 

I pang of hurt and confusion hit Ciara but nonetheless she did as he said. Then without any warning he abrupt thrusted all the way into her. She let a moan that was a mixture of pain and pleasure. Paddy didn’t give her anytime to recover from his harsh thrust into her as he began fucking her at an almost inhumane pace. 

Ciara squirmed under him, unable to hold still as Paddy fucked her from behind. Her moans bounced off the walls of their small room. Although it wasn’t what she was expecting, she couldn’t help how good she felt having him have his way with her. In someways, it was better than what she was expecting. 

“Quit moving.” Paddy snapped, gripping her hip with one of his hands in an attempt to keep her still. 

“And. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.” He punctated each of his words with a thrust harsher than last. 

This did little to quiet Ciara. Her moans only grew louder until Paddy couldn’t take it anymore. He hated the way her moans sounded. He hated the way her cunt felt. He tried his best to focus on the picture he held of Yn, but his wife’s moans were making it nearly impossible to keep the mental image of her sound. 

Quickly he glanced around for anything that would help quiet her long enough for him to finish. His eyes landed on his belt than he had unceriomniouisly dropped on the edge of the bed. He grabbed it and tossed it up to her for her to grab. 

“Bite down on that. I don’t want hear another one of your fucking moans, understand?” He said. 

She nodded, and grabbed with a shaky hand before folding it over and biting down on it. Then she lowered her face back to the mattress and allowed him to continue. 

Now with her moans muffled, Paddy was able to focus on the one thing he wanted most in that moment: Yn. It didn’t take long before his cock was twitching with the anticipation of his release. And soon, he was cumming, but he didn’t relent on his unforgiving thrusts until he was completely spent. And then, he pulled out of his wife, got up, put his clothes on, and left the room. 

Ciara was left in a dazed state. Left confused by Paddy’s rush to finish and then leave. The sex itself wasn’t too far out of the ordinary for them. Paddy did have a tendency to harsh at times when they fucked, but not like that. Slowly she stood from the bed and collected some clothes to go shower. Despite his haste to leave, Paddy had been smart enough to collect the pictures and stash them to keep Ciara in the dark about his intentions for this hunt. 

Yn’s PoV

It had been a little over a week after I sent my letter back that I received another one from “Ciara.” I had been the one to check the mail that day so once I saw it I immediately ran upstairs to read it. I felt like a school girl reading a note that was passed to her from her crush 

Yn,

Thank you so much for those pictures, baby, I really needed that boost to hold me over until you get here and I can have the real thing again. I cannot wait until you’re here, where you belong, with me, in just a couple weeks. 

However, I need you to follow directions carefully though before you come here. First off, accept this now to make things easier, you aren’t leaving me once you get here. I said you were mine and I meant it. So, make sure you pack anything you can’t live without. There won’t be a way to get it once we’re done. Do not share this information with anyone. I am trusting you, baby, don’t spoil this for me, okay? 

Don’t worry though, I’ll take care of everything. 

I can’t wait to see you, 

Paddy

I knew it was crazy, but his message made my heart flutter. The thought of him finally getting my aunt and uncle off my back sent a wave of excitement through me. I didn’t need to accept the fact that I was his now. I had done that back in Italy. I loved him and I knew I would do anything for him. In the back of my mind I thought about Ciara and where she landed into all of this. Were they getting a divorce soon? Was it going to be a sisterwives type of situation? Were we all going to be together? 

I tried not to think about it too much and just focused on counting down the days until we left. 

Time seemed to fly by and soon I was sat in the back seat of my uncle’s Tesla, as he drove us down a dark, forest-lined road. We had been in the car most of the day and everyone else was getting tired, but not me. I had only one thing on my mind: seeing Paddy. 

Louise and Ben started going back and forth with idea that maybe we were lost or going the wrong way. But the instructions Paddy gave us were pretty straight forward. 

“Look, there’s the war monument. Just like he said. Just keep driving, we’re almost there.” I said, pointing out the landmark he had mentioned in his directions. 

“Oh, hm, guess you’re right.” Lousie said as we past it. 

After that it wasn’t long until we were pulling up to the farm. And there he was. He was stood next to Ciara, arm around her waist, which did hurt a little, but I had to remind myself that that was still his wife. Ant stood in front of them and Paddy had his hand on his shoulder. 

I had to stop myself from jumping out of the car the moment it was in park. I waited for Ben to get out first. I ran a hand over my clothes, smoothing them out the best I could after sitting in the car all day, then I opened my door and got out. Ben was already greeting them when I stepped around the car. 

“Yn, I’ve missed you!” Ciara said, shocking me at first. 

“Hi, Ciara. I missed you, too.” I said, hugging her as she opened her arms to me. 

“Hey, bud. You doin’ okay?” I asked Ant, ruffling his hair lightly and he gave me a small nod. 

Then I got to Paddy. I froze for a second just staring up into his blue eyes. 

“You forget my name or something, darling?” He teased, snapping me out of my trance. 

“Never, how are you, Paddy?” I asked, hugging him. 

“Wonderful!” He said before openig his arms to hug me. 

“Better now that you’re here, love.” He whispered to me as he held me. 

The hug was over all too soon as he continued on to welcome Agnes and Louise. 

“Well, let’s get inside. Get you all settled into where you’ll be staying then dinner. Oh we have the best dinner planned for you, just you wait.” Paddy said, walking over to the car to help get our bags. 

I admittedly had more than one bag. One was much smaller though, containing only my makeup, toiletries, camera and laptop. 

“Someone’s an overpacker, I see.” Paddy said, grabbing one of my bags. 

“I’m sorry I told her she didn’t need her makeup and stuff but she wouldn’t listen, you know how girls can be.” Lousie said. 

“No need to apologize! Just giving her a hard time is all.” Paddy said nudging my shoulder because he knew why my I had an extra bag compared to everyone else. 

He and Ciara led us inside and showed us around. The house looked quite large from the outside, but once you were in it felt smaller due its closed off layout, but I quite liked it. It was a nice change from the open layouts I was used to. It felt more homey, more inviting. 

“So despite the looks from the outside, we don’t actually have much space… only three bedrooms I’m afraid.” Ciara said. 

“We figured, you and Lousie can take the guestroom, the two youngsters can share the loft and Yn can have the livingroom to sleep in. If that’s alright with her, of course.” Paddy added. 

I was about to respond when Lousie cut me off, “Oh that’s okay, I’m sure Yn wouldn’t mind sharing the loft with them. I wouldn’t want her intruding on your space down here.” 

“Oh nonsense, Lousie. She a grown adult, it’s not fair to shove her up there with the children. Trust me we don’t mind her sleeping down here. That’s why we offered it. Here, come on Yn, right in here.” He said, leaving no room for anyone to object as he led me into the livingroom. 

“Here you can set your bags here. And it may not look it, but the couch is way more comfortable than it looks. I’ve had my fair share of nights on the couch, if you know what I mean. Right, Ben?” Paddy said, bumping the man in question with his elbow. 

“Oh, um yeah… yeah.” Been replied causing me to roll my eyes. I knew he slept on the couch more often than he cared to admit. 

“Alright lets continue the tour, Ciara lead them upstairs please, darling?” He said and she nodded before turning to show us the other rooms. 

Paddy waited until everyone was a few paces ahead of us before grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me to him. His lips were on mine in an instant and he let out a small groan into the kiss. 

“I’ve been waiting so long to do that. Had to stop myself from plating one on ya when you got out of that car.” He said. 

“I wouldn’t have complained.” I said back. 

“Cheeky,” He shook his head smiling, “We gotta be carful though still. Just for a little longer. Can you do that for me baby?” 

“Anything for you, Paddy.” I said, giving him one last peck on the lips before we turned to follow everyone else upstairs. 

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