#AND THEN IT LOOPS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT CONVERSATION SO I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT

[birthbystarburn]

every variation of the conversation at the end of the timeloop was just this . including the blank parts because i wasnt processing half of it given the- [GUNSHOTS]

[tanzaniiite]

NOT SO BAD • EDDIE & VOLT

requests: open

warnings: angst

word count: 1.5k

a/n: sooo i got their hate ending and after crashing out for 40 days and 40 nights (30 straight minutes) i decided to write an after ending. to give myself some closure if nothing else. i apologize if this isn’t the greatest, i haven’t written fanfic in yearsss.

*cross-posted on ao3

You flinch as the door to the Breaker Box is slammed in your face.

Your dateviators sit askew on your nose as you try to process what just happened. Eddie and Volt hate you? Everything was going swimmingly up until now, where did you go wrong? Could you fix it? As you go to speak with them again, the specs on your face make a power down sound.

Out of charge.

It’s only then do you realize how late it is. The sun has set and the stars have begun littering the sky. This was your last interaction for the day, talk about depressing. And even if it wasn’t you could only talk to an object once per day, per Skylar’s detailed instructions. It’s fine, you’ll just… give them some space, check back in a day or two. Surely everything would blow over by then.

In the meantime, you kept yourself busy. You met new datebales, continued conversations with the ones you already met. And yet, your mind kept drifting back to Eddie and Volt. Really, where did you go wrong? Maybe kissing Volt wasn’t the greatest idea. It seemed right at the time, considering the atmosphere and all that. Or maybe you didn’t get close enough to Eddie? You should’ve been more persistent, asked more questions, his dislikes be damned.

This loop of “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” continued until you finally had the courage to approach the Breaker Box again. It’s been a couple of days, surely whatever “hatred” they had for you has dissolved or at the very least, dampened. You didn’t expect them to not be mad at all, but maybe they would be willing to hear out and you guys could repair your relationship. Become friends if not anything else. That hope quickly drained as Volt approached the entrance, a sour and borderline terrifying look on his face.

He was different now, blue and electrifying. It was a far cry from the charming and sweet Volt you’ve gotten to know. He didn’t say anything at first, just staring at you like you have done the most unforgivable thing in the world (and maybe you did, you still weren’t sure exactly what it is you did). That silence stretched until you tried to break it, in which Volt immediately cut you off.

“Volt, I–”

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough last time. You’re not welcome here.”

“Please, can’t we just talk this out?”

“No, we can’t. I was foolish to trust you the first time around. I won’t allow you to have the opportunity to hurt us again.”

It took everything in you to not sob right there and then but you’re sure the tears that shone in your eyes got the point across clearly. “I care about you and Eddie so much, I never meant to hurt either of you. I swear.” The tremble in your voice was as clear as day but you couldn’t really find it in yourself to care. Not when it felt like everything was on the line. And for a moment, that hope you had fluttered in your chest as Volt’s expression softened. He sighed deeply and leaned against the door, reminiscent of the dramatic flare he had when you first met him.

“I’m sorry live wire, I don’t think we can trust you again.”

Your breath caught in your throat as the tears that have taken up residence in your eyes, slipped down your cheeks silently. You could do nothing but stare as the door to the Breaker Box was closed in your face once more. Part of you preferred the slamming, the yelling, and the volatile way things had originally ended. This felt non-negotiable. Final. You weren’t sure how to feel about that.

So, you stood at the entrance for what felt like an eternity. Not sure what to do or where to go from here. You knew you couldn’t get every dateable to love you, hell, even like you but hatred? Not indifference or some weird limbo state? Just pure hatred? As you finally began to turn away, Reggie popped into your peripheral vision. God, you were not in the mood for him. You had met him before as you and another dateable didn’t exactly see eye to eye. The details aren’t important as you didn’t care for that dateable nearly as much as you care for Eddie and Volt. Still, it seemed you were stuck and had to hear Reggie’s spiel.

“It’s one thing to be rejected and another thing to lose trust completely, yeowch!”

“....”

“Still, I dig your style. Rejection really isn’t so bad when you think about it. Helps you pick out the duds that simply aren’t worth your time.”

That’s the thing though, Eddie and Volt weren’t duds, far from it actually. And even if they hated your guts right now, you couldn’t find it in yourself to speak ill of them. “They aren’t duds, Reggie.” You mutter, arms crossing over your chest. Reggie raised a curious brow, “Don’t tell me you still have feelings for them? Do you not realize they kicked you to the curb? That they want nothing to do with you?”. You sucked your teeth in frustration, you knew that. Volt had made that painfully clear both times you spoke with him. As if reading your mind Reggie continues, his hands finding your shoulders and his head dipping down so his mouth is right next to your ear. “I know you have this good person act going on but doesn’t that make you angry? Isn’t that hatred mutual?” He questions.

You were mainly sad and confused. And sure, maybe a little bitter too. You still didn’t know what you did that was so wrong to warrant them to hate you but you didn’t hate them. Still… as Reggie’s hands stayed firmly placed on your shoulders, you couldn’t help but get angry. It was as if that energy was radiating off of him and seeping into you. Or maybe, that anger was always there and Reggie gave it the space to roam free. Either way, you were starting to get pissed. The low chuckle that came from Reggie wasn’t lost on you as you swiftly took off your dateviators. Volt and Eddie wanted to hate you? Fine, you’ll give them a reason to hate you.

It almost seemed weird, looking at the Breaker Box and seeing… a normal breaker box. You close the box firmly, a little rougher than you normally would but you didn’t care. They didn’t want to see you, so you didn’t want to see them. You surveyed the small closet wondering what else you could do to relieve that pressure that had started building in your chest. In all honesty, you wanted to scream, maybe cry some more, put the dateviators back on and curse both of them out. Instead, you dropped down and picked up Tony and Beau– er, your toolbox and spare boxes. You didn’t want any reason to come back here if you didn’t have too. You placed them in the closet in your makeshift home gym. It wasn’t much bigger than their previous residence, and they certainly had more roommates but hopefully they wouldn’t mind too much. You made sure to lock the door to the breaker box too. You’re not sure how that would translate to their world, if Dorian would simply just unlock it, but maybe it would slow the business of the Breaker Box.

You still had four more uses of your dateviators for the day but you really couldn’t find it in you to want to talk to anyone else. Your mood was dampened and you would hate to take it out on the other datebables. You would come back when you felt slightly better, when you could give them your full and undivided attention. Plus, it probably wasn’t the healistest to be talking to the inanimate objects of your home day in and day out. Considering how much emotional turmoil this one rejection put you in, maybe this was for the best. Maybe a break was needed. An hour tops.

That hour turned to hours.

Those hours into days.

The days into weeks.

And so on.

You haven’t put on the dateviators since your last interaction with Volt and by extension Reggie. That anger was still there, simmering in the back of your mind but all that you felt currently was sadness. As you went on with your day to day life, you’ve come to the conclusion that maybe there’s nothing you can do. Maybe whatever was going on with Eddie and Volt wasn’t meant to be. That you shouldn’t sit here, making yourself sick and miserable dwelling on it. And while this was your general takeaway, a part of you still held onto hope. Hope that with time; you, Eddie and Volt could make amends. And be friends. You’d never say it to the other dateables but they were your favorites, still are honestly. But it’s time to move on. You guess Reggie was right, in his own twisted way.

Rejection really isn’t so bad when you think about it.

tanzaniiite © 2025 — all rights reserved. do not repost, modify, or copy. do not plagiarize. thank you.

[rosycheekeddawn]

hiiiii could you do smth where the reader gets dropped into olympus some how and all the gods lowk get interested and decide to keep the little mortal

they end up all fighting over the mortals attention and assistance 🫣

maybe apollo hermes and poseidon (and zues obvi) try to woo and have the readers love the most 👀

Mortal Affections

A/N: This was such a cool request to get for my first one! I’ve decided to write it in headcanons for now, but it gave me a great idea for a series that I’ll get around to when I have some more time.

Hermes

Hermes is the first to sweep you off your feet… literally

He sees you sitting on a bench, most likely pondering your situation, and a mischievous grin lights up his face as he zooms over to you, grabs you by the wrists and hoists you into the air

When you realise your feet are no longer touching the ground, your first instinct is to thrash, flail and scream until you hear a smooth voice from above you

“Whoa, whoa, slow down there, beautiful,” he chuckles, letting go of your wrists and quickly catching you bridal-style in his arms. “You really think I’d drop you?” he teases. “I just had to get you out of there before Apollo or Poseidon got any ideas.”

He spends pretty much the whole flight complimenting you, saying how good you’d be together, and trash-talking his ‘competition’

He finally sets you down in what seems to be a massive orchard, filled with Greek strawberry trees; you turn to face him, and he’s holding up two baskets with a large smile

The next two hours are filled with laughter as he cracks joke after joke (again, most are at the expense of Poseidon and Apollo to try and put you off them) just to admire the unique way your laugh sounds and your smile looks, while you happily fill your basket with delicious fruit

He definitely insists on feeding you some if you’re not too uncomfortable with that

Apollo

He finds you after you’ve returned from Hermes’ strawberry field, and he knows he needs to do whatever he can to top that; he still considers Hermes one of his biggest rivals since the Cattle Incident

He walks over to you with his usual bright smile, the tiny scar on his lip that he got from his time as a mortal twitching slightly with the movement

���It is an honour to finally meet you in person, my dear,” he says, with a voice that sounds like a melody. “I was wondering if you might allow me to show you something?”

At your confirmation, he smiles again and loops his arm through yours as he leads you to a large marble building; when you walk inside, you’re met with the largest library you’ve ever seen

The walls are lined with bookshelves, each one filled to the brim with books and scrolls; in the gaps between the shelves are marvellous paintings and statues

“This library is my reprieve,” he explains to you. “As the god of knowledge, there’s little I enjoy more than a good read. Except, of course, spending time with you, my dear.”

Time with Apollo is much calmer than your time with Hermes; he allows you to pick whichever book or scroll you would like, and while you curl up on his most comfortable piece of furniture, he may feel compelled to create something

He’ll write a poem dedicated to your beauty and impressive focus, paint the scene in front of him with meticulous attention to detail, or even compose a new tune inspired by you

You both engage in some idle conversation; it isn’t non-stop like Hermes’ is, much more calm and relaxed, like you have all the time in the world

He may tell you some embarrassing stories about Hermes or Poseidon, but for the most part, he focuses on showing you he is the best rather than telling you

When you’re finished, he lets you keep the book you chose as a gift

Poseidon

He saw you go into Apollo’s library, and he’s been waiting impatiently ever since

He’s pacing in front of the building impatiently, wondering what could be taking you so long

When you emerge, he immediately stops his pacing and smiles at you, his sea glass eyes lighting up

“I was wondering what was taking you so long, sea star,” he says. “I thought for a moment my nephew had bored you to death. Now, if you’ll follow me…”

Unsurprisingly, Poseidon leads you to a beach, the waves crashing and overlapping in a surprisingly calming way

He sits on the sand and offers for you to do the same, which you do

“The sea here reflects my thoughts and emotions,” he explains as he looks out at the sea with a small, but genuine smile. “As such, I can manipulate however I want.”

Before you can ask what he means, the water in front of you swirls and rises, before it forms the shape of a small horse who immediately trots over to you

The laugh Poseidon lets out at your surprised face when the horse nuzzles your cheek and leaves a patch of wetness makes it seem like the ocean is laughing along with him

He creates some more water creatures, the original horse sitting by your side and whinnying as a trail of liquid sea creatures flies overhead, sprinkling the top of your head with water droplets

Unlike his nephews, Poseidon doesn’t really mention them at all; he’s older and more experienced than his nephews, and he knows he won’t get anywhere with trash talk

You two don’t talk a lot, but it doesn’t feel like you have to; the silence is comfortable, broken occasionally by laughter from the two of you

When the sun sets, the creatures dissolve into the water once more, and he pulls something else from it

It’s a sea glass mosaic of you, him, the water horse by your side and the sea creatures surrounding you in the shape of a heart

[whimsicalnancy]

— i got into the void state back to back 4 times

guys, i think I've found a cheat code to effortlessly reprogram the subconscious mind to enter the void state, tho it can be used for other things as well.

the cheat code:

so, I was honestly getting so bored of making and listening to the same old type of subliminals. you know… the typical affirmations on loop, layered with rain sounds or some aesthetic music. they worked, sure but I kept thinking, there has to be a smarter, smoother, unique way to speak to the subconscious.

so I was just sitting and thinking...umm if my future self already had everything I wanted. how would she talk? how would she act?

and this wild idea popped into my head out of nowhere:

“wait… what if I recorded a fake interview with my future self?”

like “hey, how has your life changed after the void?”

and me then answering the question and yapping as if I have already had mastered the void..

BRUH, HOLD ON

i’m not gonna lie, I felt like an absolute genius in that moment. like when I would be focused on the interview, background sub affirmation will sweep in through my subconscious. giggled so hard.

i did some research and let me tell you why this is a genius idea and why this would work.

• it activates neuroplasticity through simulation:

when you listen to a conversation that sounds like your future self casually recalling success, it triggers mental simulation a process where the brain mentally rehearses an experience. thanks to neuroplasticity, our brain begins rewiring itself to adapt to this new "reality," even if it hasn't happened yet.

• bypasses critical filters and reconstructs self-image:

typical affirmations often trigger the Reticular Activating System (RAS) to filter them out if they don't align with your current self-image. but when you're hearing a relaxed, believable conversation like "Yeah, it's just normal now, i don't chase it anymore" it flies under the radar. this style avoids resistance and quietly restructures your internal self-schema, making lasting changes to your identity without inner conflict.

• it engages the limbic system for emotional encoding:

subliminals that evoke emotion trigger the limbic system, the emotional core of the brain responsible for memory and behavioral shifts. when you hear yourself speaking from a place of fulfillment like joy, ease, or pride - it creates emotional anchors in your subconscious. this emotional charge imprints the new belief deeply, making the transformation stick in a way dry affirmations can't replicate.

my success with this:

i decided to make a subliminal based on that idea, for the void. i kept the affirmations low in the background and made the interview part fully audible. I recorded myself answering interview-style questions in my own voice, but as if I were already the version of me who had completely mastered the void. and putting it all together took over 2hr not gonna lie, but it was all WORTH IT 💅🏻🫶🏻

even while I was creating it, i kept getting this giddy, butterfly-in-my-stomach kind of feeling. like, listening to MYSELF talk about MY dream life? ugh, it was something else.

anyway, when it was finally done, i was like, "I'll try it out tonight." but of course, my curious little self couldn’t wait. so i hit play immediately. laid there, sometimes zoning in on the interview going on, sometimes just vibing with the calm music. halfway through, I started feeling symptoms but since you’re not supposed to focus on them, i redirected my attention right back to the interview.

and then BAM! everything went silent. like, really silent. the next moment i could hear the subliminal again. then it went all black. then i heard the sub again. it was like i was literally going in and out of the void on a loop. wild, right? 💀 i was laying there with my eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling, completely amazed. then before i could attempt again, my mom called me and i had to go.

now cut to that night, i literally jumped onto my bed like it was a trampoline, put on my subliminal, and just laid there. and yep, symptoms showed up again. then pitch black. i was like, “wait, lemme check if I’m in the void,” and that’s where I messed up, the moment i brought my awareness to the 3D, poof, i was out. AGAIN. i was like, girl, what are you doing???”

but I was too tired to care, so i replayed the subliminal, didn’t focus too hard, and just started making scenarios in my head to help me sleep. and then, out of nowhere, i felt this wierd, tingly pull, my heart was racing like crazy. and yup,

there i was, in the void, the pure consciousness!

calm 💅🏻 quiet 💅🏻 all pitch black 💅🏻

this time, i didn’t even bother checking or analyzing shit. i just stayed chill and eventually fell asleep ‘cause I was completely wiped out.

did i manifest:

not yet. after my last void attempt, i haven’t really tried to get in again. i’ve been working on upgrading the sub and fixing a few music issues. but guess what? i’m planning to use the sub to enter the void again on my birthday and manifest something special for me. something i had been desiring for decades:) and when i do, i’ll show y’all, just like I did with my other manifestations in the past. better be ready babe.

final words:

if anyone else has already played around with this concept or came up with something like this before, big love and credit to you<3

and people, steal this idea! just talk to yourself, literally.

sit down and have a full on convo like you’re the version of you who already has it all. whether you call it your higher self, future self, or just “that version of me” .. speak from that place. out loud. say how your life feels now, what you’ve created, how normal it all is.

stop waiting. start being.

[ferrarifudds]

can I request a kk arnold x reader fic where the reader is super girly, like on the UConn cheer squad and everything, the total opposite of kk?

Girls. ✷ KK Arnold

Pairing: KK Arnold x Cheerleader!reader

Summary: When KK is crushing hard and isn’t sure if you even swing that way at all…

Word Count: 1.6k

Disclaimer/s: just fluff. you know the vibes! :3 aubrey & paige cameo too , my shaylas

Vera’s Voice! loved writing this thank u.

KK had been crushing on you since freshman year.

It didn’t start off dramatic—more like casual awareness. You shared a few general education classes in your first year, usually sitting a few rows apart.

The two of you weren't close, but you both exchanged enough half-smiles and “hey’s” to recognize each other on campus.

It wasn’t anything. Not at first..

Now you were both sophomores, both deep in your respective sports—her on the basketball team, you on the cheer squad—and even though you'd never been friends, the familiarity lingered.

It was very out of the ordinary for KK. To be shy.

Especially when it came to you.

It was the easiest thing in the world for her to make friends—but, she just felt nauseous when it came to the idea of even talking to you.

Maybe it was because you were the kind of girl who made heads turn without trying, always dressed to the nines, even for your 8 a.m. lectures in some effortless matching set.

Your glossy lips, manicured nails, claw clips in your hair, the whole thing.

You wore gold jewelry that always matched your outfit, carried a white Stanley cup everywhere, and somehow never had a hair out of place even after a full cheer routine.

And of course, as a cheerleader, one of UConn’s finest, you were always on the sidelines of their games, loud, bright and way too radiating for KK to process when she was already trying not to miss free throws.

You didn’t just smile—you lit up.

Like someone who could turn fluorescent gym lights into something blissful.

“You’re so down bad,” Paige had whispered on the bench last month, the two of them both checked out amidst a 30 point lead.

The blonde nudged KK in the side after catching her sneaking a glance in your direction.

“I’m not,” She mumbled, eyes dropping immediately.

“You are,” Aubrey chimed in. “You get all flustered when you look at her. It’s cute.”

KK groaned into her hands. “Man, I don’t even know if she likes girls.”

“You won’t know unless you shoot your shot,” Aubrey shrugged, setting her water bottle down. “What’s the worst that could happen? She says no?”

“She could… not say anything,” KK muttered. “Or act weird. And then I still gotta see her all the time.”

Paige and Aubrey shared a look with each other before laughing, shaking their heads at the younger teammate. “You’re so damn dramatic.”

KK didn’t respond.

She just pressed her lips together and focused on her laces, hoping the conversation would drop.

But it didn’t stop the thoughts. Or the way she found herself watching you more often. How you shook your poms absentmindedly during timeouts.

How you always tied your shoes the same way, with one loop a little too big. How you stretched before practice like you weren’t built like an ethereal gymnast.

How you made her feel sixteen again. Flustered and awkward and flushed with nerves over someone who might not even look at her twice.

Little did KK know though….

It wasn’t until a rainy Thursday after practice that the universe seemed to finally nudge her forward.

The basketball team was filing out of the gym after a long afternoon of drills.

KK had just peeled off her practice jersey and thrown on her hoodie when she heard Aubrey’s voice echo through the hall.

“Yo. You might wanna look outside.”

“Huh?”

“Your dream girl’s out there,” Paige added, hunching her back in a giddy demeanor. A smug expression already forming. “Struggling like hell.”

KK stepped forward cautiously, peering out one of the large windows.

And there you were—practically drenched from head to toe, lugging what looked like an oversized speaker case, a storage bin of pom poms, and a rolled-up mat, clearly trying to juggle everything with both hands while your phone was pinned between your shoulder and ear.

“I told coach I’d drop it off today, but I had to uber here with everything,” You were saying into the phone, breathless. “My car is still in the shop—but trust, I figured it out.”

KK froze.

“This is your moment,” Paige whispered, practically vibrating with the need to meddle. “Go.”

“What if she doesn’t—?”

“KK.” Aubrey stepped in front of her. “You either help her now or Paige and I help her. And we flirt.”

KK sighed dramatically but started walking before she could change her mind.

You didn’t notice her at first. Not until she reached for the speaker case, gently pulling it from your grasp.

You turned, startled.

But there she was.

“Oh—KK!” You tried to bring down the slight scare she gave you. “Hey.” You smiled.

“Hi,” She replied, a little breathless, trying not to focus on the way your hair stuck to your cheeks in the rain. “You need some help?”

You blinked at her for a second, then smiled—really smiled—and KK felt her heart skip.

“I mean... if you’re offering, then yes please.”

She laughed, shouldering the case easily and waiting while you adjusted the mat in your grasp. The rest of the walk to the storage room wasn’t far, but it felt like its own kind of eternity.

A quiet one.

You didn’t rush the silence, and neither did she.

“Thank you,” You said finally, setting the bin of cheer poms down. “Didn’t think anyone was still in the gym.”

“Yea, uh..” KK cleared her throat. “Practice ran a little late,” She replied, glancing over at you, nervous.

You smiled again. “Well, thank God.” You continued to start a little conversation. “I owe you one now.”

She shook her head, a small laugh following after. “Nah, it was the least I could do.”

You nudged her shoulder. “Aw, come on.” The smile on your face nearly made her melt. “I would’ve died carrying that all by myself, you came at the perfect time.”

KK was smiling now. Her face brighter than ever. “I’ll hold you to it then.” She shyly glanced away, her gaze falling outside the nearby window where Aubrey and Paige stood now—not making it any less obvious they were watching.

She took a deep breath—remembering their words.

“You won’t know unless you shoot your shot.”

“Uhh… Well. This pasta spot on campus just opened,” She offered, voice light as if she were testing the waters. “I’ve been wanting to go. Heard it’s pretty nice...”

Your heart stopped.

Goodness gracious, KK.

Fucking finally! You thought.

You blinked, startled by the sudden flip in your heartbeat, your grip tightening on the mat you were still holding.

“Oh,” You said, trying to keep your voice casual despite the way your stomach was doing somersaults. “Yeah? That sounds... really sweet.”

KK looked back at you, eyes searching yours for any hint of rejection—but instead, all she saw was the softest kind of surprise, like maybe you’d been waiting for this moment too.

She gave a small, nervous smile, teeth tugging at her bottom lip.

“So...” She started, tucking her hands into her jacket pockets, “Would you wanna maybe go? With me?” Her voice dropped just a little, enough to betray that this wasn’t just about pasta.

You smiled—biting the inside of your cheek, blush clearly rising. “Are you asking me on a date?”

KK’s laugh was immediate, and embarrassed, her hand flying to the back of her neck. “I mean.. Yeah? Only if you want it to be…. Uhm—No pressure.”

You stepped a little closer, the rain still softly tapping against the windows beside the both of you. “Then yes,” You said quietly.

“I’d like that. It’s a date.”

The look on KK’s face was pure light.

Pure disbelief and joy and holy shit.

“Okay,” She breathed, more to herself than to you.

You pulled your phone from your pocket, unlocking it with a quick swipe before holding it out toward her. “Here,” You said, voice a little softer now. “So I can text and bug you for more details.”

KK blinked at the phone like it had just materialized from thin air, then laughed, taking it from your hand. “Smooth.”

“I try,” You murmured, watching her type. “Just been waiting for you to finally say something.”

Her fingers hovered over the screen for a beat. She gave a quiet laugh, eyes flicking up to meet yours.

“Yeah?” She asked, a little breathless. “Guess I was waiting too. Just… wasn’t sure.”

You tilted your head. “Wasn’t sure about what?”

“I wasn’t sure if you were into girls.”

You blinked, a little surprised—but then you smiled, something gentle crossing your face as you giggled. “Really?”

KK shrugged, a little embarrassed. “I mean, I didn’t wanna assume.”

You tilted your head slightly, studying her. “Well… I’ve always been into girls,” You admitted softly.

Her eyes widened just a bit, like she was processing it in real time. “So I had a shot this whole time?”

You laughed under your breath. “You’ve always had a shot.” You grinned as KK finally handed your phone back.

Her number saved.

You looked down at the contact name, smiling wide at the heart emoji she left beside it.

Looking back up at KK, your heart melted.

It finally happened.

Oh wow.

But, after a few seconds, her gaze followed towards outside the window where Aubrey elbowed Paige, the two of them immediately high-fiving like they’d just sealed a bet.

You raised a brow. “They’re not even being subtle.”

KK turned, groaned, and covered her face with her hands, embarrassed. “Man, I’m gonna kill them.”

You nudged her again, voice soft this time. “You won’t need to. You already scored.”

And KK just looked down at you, smiling bigger than she ever has before.

Because she really did.

likes, comments, & reblogs are appreciated! ^_^ and pls Lmk if you wanna be apart of my permanent tag list

tags! @halfwayhearted @pedriache @wdcbox @janaelalfysblunt @hellokittyfeenie

[asidian]

I've talked about how amazing the women of Dead Boy Detectives are and how much I love Crystal, and one of the things that truly makes her shine is her carefully written emotional character arc.

She has two, actually, and they play off of each other and intertwine in ways that are honestly fantastic to watch.

The first and foremost is her journey to become a better person.

When the series starts, she's a selfish character.

Selfish in the very literal sense of the definition: she is focused on her self. Her problems are the most important thing to her, and every time she has a conversation, she makes it about what she's going through.

Every time she talks to someone, she steers the conversation toward her problems. The narrative goes so far as to call her out on it through Jenny, in the scene where Crystal says, "Everybody is always thinking about themselves, all the time."

Jenny's reply? That's what Crystal is doing, too.

Jenny's right.

In the first episode, Crystal, while justifiably upset over the awful situation she's in, nevertheless spends a fair portion of the episode angry that the boys aren't helping her enough, when they've done nothing but try to help.

When she talks to Niko through the bathroom door in episode 2, she turns the situation to her own family.

In the Devlin house, when Charles gets caught in the loop, she frames the misfortune in a very telling way.

Edwin says that he's lost Charles. Crystal says that she's lost the only person on her side.

When Charles is poised to confess to the struggles he's had with his repressed anger at the end of episode 4, he doesn't get the chance.

Crystal brings up her own problems again, and whatever else Charles had meant to say falls by the wayside.

So what turns her around? What gets her to the point where she ends the series, confident and willing to put everything on the line for the people she cares about?

Her other character arc.

For the entire series, Crystal is preoccupied with the idea that she's nothing special without her powers. Nobody wants her, she has nowhere to belong, and the only thing that makes her worth having around is her powers.

David tells her that again and again.

It's a recurring theme in her mindscape scenes: he hammers home how much he only wants her for her abilities and that she's worthless and helpless without them.

She's been through an absolute nightmare, and it's left an impact on her.

She's come to believe him, and she's afraid that the boys think of her the same way.

Edwin has framed his opinion of her exclusively in terms of usefulness so far. Even Charles, who's been nothing but supportive at every turn, initially pitches the reason she should be allowed to stay at the agency in terms of what help she'll be able to provide.

Crystal hints at her insecurities to Niko at the start of episode 6, when she loses her powers.

That's why she's so insistent that she keep her power loss from the boys rather than ask them for help.

When Edwin wants her to assist on a case while her psychic abilities are missing, she only gets more upset, because it's her powers he wants, and she doesn't have them anymore.

Everything changes after the boys find out she's lost her powers.

They make no move to oust her from the agency. The very first thing Charles asks her, above all else, is: are you okay? That's the priority.

But more than that, Charles stands up to David for her. He says he'll do it any time she needs him to, and that she's special with or without her powers.

The change is immediate.

From this point onward, Crystal starts looking out for the boys in a big way.

She saves the day at the end of episode 6, keeping the boys from almost certain erasure at the hands of Teethface.

In episode 7, she's ready to go to literal hell in order to save Edwin from whatever torment he faces there.

And in episode 8, of course, she saves the entire day, storming the proverbial castle to rescue the boys, who are busy damseling it up.

Not only does she come to their rescue, but we see her set aside her personal concerns, willingly and without hesitation, to do so. She's come a long way from the version of herself in the first episode, the selfish girl who made everything about her own problems.

She was ready to cut these boys out of her life to spare them the person she had been.

Instead, she comes to them when they need her the most and shows them who she is now.

[miguelhugger2099]

What if…. Miguel was Gomez Addams?

(Discord brainrot go brrrr)

Miguel was the type of man that knew what he wanted. A man with odd tastes yet with an undeniable charm that had people reeling in. He took pride in being the life of the party, welcoming guests, entertaining with men and wooing the women.

Some would say he’s at the top and would forever be at the top.

However, the moment you walked in, there was a clear shift in the mood. Doors opened and creaked as you came into view, a gentle smile on your red lips and hands delicately placed one on top of the other on your stomach.

Your eyes are on Miguel—him staring back—and the entire room turns to face Miguel. His smile grows at the sight of you, heart beating to life once more.

Miguel drops the champagne glass he held, the cup shattering into shards on impact, and his feet shuffle hurriedly to stand by your side. Few gasps are heard at the pitched sound of glass breaking, alcohol seeping into the wooden floorboards but all of that falls on deaf ears for Miguel.

Your smile tilts higher up when Miguel approaches, both his hands immediately taking one of yours and kissing your knuckles with gusto.

You can feel his breath when he sighs against your skin, his hands clutching desperately onto you while he proceeds to kiss your hand and up your arm. His lips pepper you with affection onto your neck, and to your lips where he leaves a long kiss— your lipstick smeared on his mouth when he pulls away.

But Miguel doesn’t care for that. A bright grin etched on his face while his eyes glow with adoration. He can’t help but press another kiss to your knuckles with a soft moan. You take your other hand and cup his cheek and he leans into your palm.

“Hello, my darling.” You hum. Miguel stands back up, pressing another kiss to your cheek and temple.

“Cara mía…” He whispers back lovingly. His gaze lingers on you for a moment longer as if he simply can not get enough of your beauty. He turns to the party goers—his fingers lacing through yours—and introduces you.

“My wife, everyone, has joined us for the night!” He glances back at you. “Gracias, mi reina.” His chest puffs up with pride, ushering you in front of him to walk first.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, darling.” You tell him sweetly that makes his heart jump at your tone. He knew you were a much secluded person so he didn’t hold it against you if you didn’t want to be at this party. That didn’t mean he wasn’t stuck to you like glue hours prior, wanting to spend time with you as much as he could before separation.

The guests greet you with weary smiles, now knowing that the oddness of the couple would tenfold now that they had each other. They return to their conversations, giving glances and side eyes to you two as you both walked further inside. A sea of people parting while your eyes remained on each other.

“Quieres un poco de vino, mi amor?” He asks, leading you to the table with various bottles.

“Maybe just a few sips tonight, my dear.” You fan yourself with your hand, feeling a little stuffy and warm. Miguel notice’s immediately, quickly letting you go to open a few of the large windows to let some air in. He comes back and hands you a wine glass, pouring the wine for you.

After that, his arm loops behind you, his palm resting on your lower back and leading you around the room while he makes deals and does his job. Well…he does mention you every chance he gets.

“Have you met my wife? She’s brilliant—my most trusted confidant!”

“You know my wife, beautiful woman, said the same thing to me the other day.”

“Oh no, the home decor was not my idea but my wife’s. She’s amazing. Please give your compliments to her instead of me.”

Shamelessly, Miguel would keep your hand in his, kissing up your arm and to your neck. You’d giggle when he whispered sweet nothings against your skin, him smirking and gripping you flush against him—even in front of others, much to their dismay.

It was strange to them just how loving Miguel was to you and you to him. Unusual for a man to be turned into putty that disregarded social norms of keeping public displays of affection to a minimum. They awkwardly looked at one another when Miguel brought you close for a kiss, unable to stop himself from moaning when he tasted the wine from your lips.

One man cleared his throat, blush evident on his cheeks. “W-well, it’s getting late. It must be time for us to go.” His blush darkens when you and Miguel ignore the man for an even deeper kiss with you, your hands combing through his hair. “We’ll talk more business later.”

The guests scurried off one by one, staring at the vulgarity of your blatant love for one another. When the door shut, it echoed along with the soft kisses you and Miguel shared before he lifted you up and sat you on one of the tables. His hands placed on both your thighs while your arms were around his neck.

[chlix]

to do what i can do

pairing: seungmin x f!reader

genre: fluff, light angst

word count: 6.1k

warnings: insecurity, light angst, exactly three (3) uses of "y/n"

synopsis: after a conversation with hyunjin's girlfriend, you grow worried that you aren't putting enough work and attention into your relationship. seungmin dissuades you of this idea immediately.

a/n: literally never done this before so sorry if this formatting isn't standard. also ignore any spelling errors pls <3

Seungmin kisses you goodbye every morning. It’s like clockwork: he puts on his shoes, pours his coffee in a mug, kisses you goodbye, and is out the door. Both of you are routine-oriented people. You like schedules and organized silverware drawers. Ever since you first got together, Seungmin has been kissing you goodbye whenever you part ways, and nearly a year later that hasn’t changed. It’s sweet that he always remembers, and the fact that it’s practiced doesn’t make it feel any less sincere.

This morning is more of the same. You get up before him, as always, and put the coffee on. You check your emails while your breakfast cooks. Seungmin emerges just as the food is done (too late to actually eat it, as always) and goes to get his coat and shoes from the door. He loops back around to put his coffee in the cup you washed the previous night and leans down to where you’re sitting at the table to kiss you lightly on the lips. It’s so rote as to be unnotable, but it makes you smile anyway, your day instantly brighter.

“I love you,” you call after him, as you always do, and Seungmin waves as he leaves, throwing a “Be safe!” over his shoulder.  And then the door closes, and you’re alone.

In a few minutes, you’ll go to work at your office job. Later, you’ll come home and make dinner. At some point in the day, Seungmin will text you to let you know if he’ll be coming home or not, so that you’ll know if you need to make one portion or two. You normally make two anyway, and just leave the second wrapped up in the fridge. If worst comes to worst, you don’t mind eating the leftovers. It’s far more horrible in your mind to not have food ready for him when he is home. It’s not that Seungmin expects food from you. He’s expressed multiple times that he can buy food on his way home. But you like cooking for him, and lately you don’t get much chance because he’s so busy. You want things to be perfect when he’s home because the time you get together is precious. You’re not obsessive about it, or anything. You’re not “playing housewife” as your friends sometimes say. It’s not a crime to want to take care of your boyfriend.

Right now is a bit of a hectic period, and you haven’t seen him much for a while. You were surprised he even had the time to come home the previous night, although of course you were grateful. When he does come home, he gives you his undivided attention, like you’re the only person on earth. It makes the wait worth it. And he kisses you goodbye every morning because he loves you, and you can feel it on your lips all day, and it assuages the loneliness you might otherwise feel.

Today you have lunch with Ahrin, Hyunjin’s girlfriend. You have good relationships with the partners of all the boys, but you’re a bit closer to Ahrin, maybe because you two are so similar. Ahrin is quieter than the other women, and is more content to observe rather than participate. She’s witty and sharp-tongued, but still kind, and has a gentleness to her that makes her easy to open up to. She calls you up and complains she hasn’t seen you in a while and asks to have a meal with you that afternoon. You haven’t been feeling work very much, and you do miss her, so you agree to take a late lunch and meet her a cafe near your office.

Ahrin is radiant as always, and you make small talk about your families before devolving into complaining about mundanities: annoyances at work and the price of fruit at the supermarket. As you’re speaking, you notice Ahrin is wearing a dainty gold necklace that you don’t recognize, and cut yourself off to ask about it.

“Oh, this? It’s Cartier. Hyunjin bought it for me,” she says, bringing a hand up to touch the small pendant like she’d forgotten she was wearing it. “He’s on this kick about couple’s jewelry.”

“It’s beautiful,” you say, and you mean it. It suits Ahrin’s softness and sophistication. He may have bought it because it was Cartier, but he clearly put some thought into it besides the designer label.

“Thank you,” she says, genuinely pleased. “I try to wear something he bought me whenever I go visit him.”

“Are you going to see him today?”

“I just come from there, actually. He took my credit card in his wallet, so I had to go get it back.”

“Oldest trick in the book,” you say.

Ahrin rolls her eyes. “I know. But it’ll work every time. I can’t help that I need it to go about my day.”

She doesn’t sound the least bit bothered. Ahrin and Hyunjin have been together for two years, and it’s a trick he’s pulled ever since they started living together, the “accidentally taking one of Ahrin’s things to work.” You’ve asked her before why she doesn’t confront him about it, but she says that she thinks it’s cute how he keeps coming up with excuses to see her, and anyway, she also likes having excuses to see him.

You also think it’s cute, if in a more wistful way. Seungmin is organized to a T, and he’s never needed you to bring him something he’s forgotten or vice versa. In fact, you can’t remember if you’ve ever visited him at work at all. You don’t think it’s that strange, though. It’s not like he’s made a habit of showing up to your workplace. Also, you likely wouldn’t have the time even if he’d offered. It does dampen your mood a bit though, especially as Seungmin texts you in the middle of your conversation that he in fact, would not be coming home today, meaning you would have to eat dinner alone tonight.

Ahrin notices the dip in your mood as you set your phone back on the table.

“Bad news?” she asks.

You swipe the notification away.

“It’s nothing. Seungmin just texting me about how busy they are.”

Ahrin hums in understanding. “Well, what can you do. At least it’s not as crazy as it was a few months ago.”

“Isn’t it?” You’ve been seeing less of Seungmin than you had in ages, and you’d assumed it was because their schedules had been bordering on unbearable lately. But Ahrin looks confused at your question.

“I don’t think so. Busier than last month, yeah. But they’re not filming anything right now, so the schedule isn’t as rigid. Seungmin hasn’t talked to you about this?”

You feel embarrassed, somehow. “He doesn’t talk about work much when he’s with me. He likes to keep it separate.”

“That makes sense. You should ask him to share his schedule with you, though. What if you need him and you don’t know where he is, or when he’ll answer?”

“I know where he’s at, generally. He tells me if he’s traveling. I just don’t know the minutiae.”

“You’re allowed to know. You should, for your own peace of mind.”

It’s not that it hadn’t occurred to you to ask. Seungmin told you his whereabouts if you questioned him, and he even volunteered information every once in a while, so you hadn’t thought much of it. And you didn’t suspect him of cheating on you ever in a million years. You knew he had other hobbies and friends as well- a whole life outside you that you weren’t privy to and didn’t need to be. But was it possible you were being a bit too aloof about your boyfriends daily habits? Why didn’t he share what he was doing, if he wasn’t at work? Why didn’t you know?

“I’ll ask him,” you say. “You’re right.”

Ahrin smiles encouragingly, and the topic is dropped for other matters. The odd feeling in your stomach doesn’t settle, though, and by the time you’ve finished your day and sat down to eat dinner, you realize you’ve unfortunately lost your appetite.

Seungmin calls you the next day to say he’ll be staying at the dorm for several days, and you tell him okay, thanks for telling me, I love you, goodbye. After you hang up the phone, you berate yourself for not asking more questions. You’re his girlfriend. You should be care that he’s leaving you alone for days at a time, you think as you drive to work. Maybe he’d been waiting for you to ask what he’d be doing or pester him for spoilers about the group’s upcoming plans. Maybe he wanted you to pout and whine about missing him and beg him to come home. You’d never done any of those things before, but maybe you should be. Maybe he’d called you hoping you would do those things and had hung up the phone disappointed.

The central problem of dating an idol is always a scarcity of time. They’re always busy, and because they’re always busy, you as a partner need to have a life outside them that is full and fulfilling, and sometimes those two schedules conflict. You can go long stretches without spending meaningful time together, and it’s hard to cope with, especially when they’re within driving distance of you, but still inaccessible. You know, though, that a scarcity of time does not always mean a scarcity of attention. You’ve seen it in Ahrin and Hyunjin, in the Cartier necklace and the missing credit card, that Hyunjin thinks about Ahrin all the time, and Ahrin knows that he does, is thinking of him just as much if not more. She can languish in the thought that even if Hyunjin is not with her, he desperately wishes he was, and when she wears his necklaces and bracelets and $500 hair clips, Hyunjin knows she is also desperately thinking about him.

You and Seungmin don’t have a system like that. Seungmin isn’t in the habit of buying you expensive gifts, for starters. He’s frugal with his money, hyperaware that one day his youth and fame will fade, and he won’t have such extravagant income. You’re similarly pragmatic, and you’ve never resented him for this. And that’s not to say he never spends money on you. He buys you flowers and takes you on expensive dates. He bought you a new laptop and headphones without you saying anything, and your closet is full of fancy dresses that are each tied to a high class outing you’ve been on. For each one, he’d bought himself a shirt and jacket to match. But those aren’t things you wear every day to show off. They’re for special occasions, specific memories. There’s nothing you wear or carry daily that marks you as ‘his.’

And honestly, you’ve never really thought about yourself that way. You and Seungmin are together, and you live together (by whatever measure your living arrangements currently count as), but you’ve never longed to be “branded” in a way befitting a pair of earrings or an oversized sweater. You wear his clothes at home, but never out. You don’t feel the need to show up to his practices and recording sessions. You’ve never even asked if you were allowed. If Seungmin bought you a Cartier necklace, you aren’t totally sure you would wear it.

It hits you like a freight train when you put it all together: You don’t care enough about Seungmin. You’re comfortable with him, you feel like you love him, but you don’t care about him the way you’re supposed to care about him. You’re not involved enough. But then, the same goes for him too, doesn’t it? He knows what you do for work, but he rarely asks you about anything other than a cursory how was your day? He doesn’t pester you for anything, doesn’t ask you to visit him or stay up for him when he comes home late. Aren’t those things that he should expect from you as a girlfriend? Why doesn’t he care that you’re so obviously neglecting him? When he kisses you goodbye in the morning, is that because he misses you, or is that just a habit formed over these past months, a meaningless part of the morning ritual he couldn’t resist if he tried?

You feel caught in a lurch, unsure what to do now. Seungmin deserves better than you, clearly. He deserves a girlfriend who actually gives a fuck about his life. But maybe, if you start making up for it now, he’ll forgive the past few months of you being so terrible. He’ll realize that you are an attentive girlfriend, and that you do care about him and that you love him, and you can prove it, you swear, it took you a while to realize what was wrong but you’ve got it all straightened out now. 

You can change. You can fix this. You know you can.

-/-

The next time Seungmin comes home, you wake up first the next morning, like always. You go to put the coffee on, and you make breakfast, and you check your emails. Seungmin comes out, walks past you to his shoes and coat, and doubles back to get his morning coffee.

“Busy day today?” you ask.

Seungmin freezes in his movements, caught off guard by your question. He recovers quickly enough, and answers. “Not particularly. Vocal practice, some other things.”

“Oh, good. Do you think you’ll be home today then?”

Seungmin turns to face you, his cup abandoned on the counter, unfilled. “Is everything alright?”

“What?”

“Is something wrong? Do we need to talk?”

Oh god, it’s worse than you thought. Asking if he’s going to be home to eat dinner is enough for him to think something is amiss. Have you truly never asked him that before?

“Everything’s fine. It would just be nice to eat dinner with you, is all.”

Seungmin relaxes. He leans down to kiss you, but it lingers longer than normal, as if he’s savoring the touch, your attention. “I’ll do my best,” he promises. “I love you. Have a nice day.”

You absolutely blossom under his affection, the verbosity atypical for so early in the morning.

“I love you too. Be safe.”

“I always am,” he says, and presses another peck to your lips before pulling away. He finishes pouring his coffee, grabs his coat, and waves as he leaves. You sit at the table, vibrating with satisfaction. You’re doing it, you’re giving him what he needs. Maybe all hope isn’t lost for you two just yet.

Your sky-high mood follows you to work, and the day keeps getting better with the discovery of cupcakes in the break room. One of your coworkers’ kids just had a birthday, and they had way too much food left over. You take one back to your desk to nibble on while you work, and even the mundanity of your daily tasks can’t bring you down from how well this day is turning out. Around midmorning, it occurs to you that this is the perfect opportunity to do something else nice for Seungmin by bringing him cupcakes. They’re not filming, which means they’re not on diets, so he can handle a bit of sugar and frosting, especially if it’s a gift from you. You borrow a container from the staff kitchen to carry some cupcakes and decide to defer your own lunch to deliver them across the city.

When you get to the JYPE building, though, you realize you have no idea what to do. You’re fairly sure you’re allowed access; the other girlfriends pop in and out all the time. But it’s possible no one here recognizes you, since this is the first time you’ve shown your face around here.

Being spontaneous is cute and quirky, but standing around lost and embarrassed grows tiring within seconds. You give up and decide to text Seungmin.

Are you busy?, you send, standing awkwardly by the door and hoping security doesn’t throw you out. Thankfully, he responds quickly.

Not super. Do you need to call?

Actually I’m in the lobby of your building. Can you come down?

Typing, and then a pause. Then more typing. Eventually the message comes through.

Ok.

You can’t decode that at all. It strikes you for the first time that you may be bothering him by driving over here. You did ask if he was busy, though. And it stood to reason that if you had time for a 5-minute phone call, he had time to come downstairs and accept the gift you’d brought him. It isn’t intrusive. This is what people do for each other when they care about each other.

It only takes a few minutes for Seungmin to round the corner into the lobby. His face is creased in concern, even worse than he’d looked this morning, and he’s walking at a brisk pace to stand right in front of you.

“Hey,” he says. “What’s going on?”

You don’t know how to respond to his intensity, so you just hold out the container towards him. “I brought you cupcakes.”

Seungmin’s eyebrows furrow in utter confusion. “You…made cupcakes?”

“I didn’t make them. A coworker brought them in. But I remember you saying you liked cupcakes, and I had a free minute, so I thought I’d bring them over before they got finished.”

Seungmin accepts the box gingerly, as though it contains a nest of wild hornets, or lit sticks of dynamite. “You drove all the way over here to give this to me?”

Your doubts go from an inkling to a full-on tumult. “Yes, I did. I was just thinking of you…I thought you might like something sweet.”

You don’t mean to look dismayed, but Seungmin must clue-in to the fact that this isn’t the reaction you were hoping for. He shifts the box to one hand and laces your fingers together with his other.

“Thank you for thinking of me,” he says. “But you don’t need to go out of your way to bring me things.”

“It’s not out of my way. I had time.”

“Let me rephrase. You shouldn’t expend your lunch hour to bring me food. When are you going to eat now?”

“I’ll stay an extra half hour. It’s fine.”

Seungmin clearly isn’t satisfied with this. He tugs lightly on your arm, bidding you to follow, and you do, unsure of what else to do.

He takes you up a floor, and down a hallway to what seems to be a regular employee break room, where he gestures for you to sit down at one of the tables. You do, and he walks over to the fridge to get bottled water and brings back one for you, along with napkins and a knife from the drawer next to the fridge.

“If you aren’t going to eat lunch, you might as well share your spoils with me,” Seungmin says. He opens the container and takes out one of the cupcakes (and they are huge, to be honest, you kind of can’t believe they’re from a kid’s birthday party) and cuts it in half.

“Pick a side,” he says, and you do, and he carefully picks it up and lays it on a paper towel before sliding it towards you. He takes the other half, and you pick your desserts apart with your fingers. Seungmin tells an anecdote about Jeongin from their vocal lesson that morning. It’s…nice. You’re just spending time with your boyfriend, a quick stolen minute in the midst of your busy lives. The frosting is sickeningly sweet, and you find yourself reaching for the bottle of water without even thinking of it, and only later preen at the realization that Seungmin knew you would need to wash the artificial taste out and had brought you water preemptively. He knows you well enough to identify if something would suit your palette with only a glance.

Both of you don’t have much time to spare, so after fifteen minutes you wipe off your hands and clean off the table.

“I’ll bring the rest of these back upstairs,” he says. “They won’t last ten minutes once the others see them.”

“That’s fine. That’s what I was hoping for, actually.”

“And here I thought you brought these only for me,” he says, but his lips are curled up, teasing. He kisses you goodbye, like always, lips sugary-sweet and soft as cotton-candy. “Thank you for stopping by. I’ll see you tonight.”

Your heart grows three sizes. You’re on cloud nine. “Anytime,” you say.

That night you try very hard not to be an absolute freak about dinner. You cook nearly every day, so the cooking itself isn’t that special, but for some reason your usual rotation doesn’t feel good enough. Seungmin is coming home for the second day in a row, and you don’t want to reuse ingredients, or phone it in when you’d specifically asked him to come home. At the same time, a five-course meal is definitely doing way too much. You stop by the store on the way home and scan the shelves, before wrestling yourself into a compromise and getting ingredients for a meal you both enjoy, but you’re normally too lazy to bother after a long day at work. It’s nothing fancy, just time-consuming, but you’re in such high spirits that the labor doesn’t even feel harrowing.

Seungmin gets home a few minutes before you’re properly done, with the pot on the stove ticking down steadily as you wash dishes and spoons. Seungmin greets you as he walks in but vanishes quickly down the hall to shower and change into inside clothes. By the time he reappears, you’re all but done, and you’ve never been more satisfied with yourself as you dish the food into two bowls and set them on the table. Sure, maybe it’s “playing housewife” a little bit, but you don’t even care. If playing housewife is this rewarding, you might have to start doing it more often.

Seungmin raises his eyes as the dinner you prepared.

“Didn’t you complain that this is hard to make?” he asks. You shrug.

“Felt like cooking today,” is all you say. “No biggie.”

Seungmin sits down at the table, pushes his plate to the side, and looks directly at you. “Y/n. What’s going on?”

Anxiety shoots through you. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. I’m not oblivious. You’ve been acting off all day.”

“Off?”

“Visiting me at the company? Cooking this fancy dinner? It’s not like you at all.”

“That’s not me being ‘off.’ I just missed you, that’s all.”

“Have I not been paying enough attention to you? Is that why?”

“No! I mean, you have. There is no ‘why’. Am I not allowed to miss my boyfriend?”

Seungmin looks distinctly unimpressed. “Nice try. Wanna go again?”

All your good humor from earlier is dissolving into your soup. “You’re mocking me.”

“I’m not mocking you.”

“I was trying to do something nice for you. I just wanted to spend time with you today. Is that so wrong?”

“It’s not wrong. It’s just unusual for you. When you told me you showed up at the company, I thought something horrible had happened, because you never visited me before.”

“And that doesn’t bother you?”

“What doesn’t?”

“That I never visit.”

“Why would that bother me?”

All your anxieties are simmering near the top, threatening to boil over. “Because the other members’ girlfriends visit all the time. I know they do. They have security clearance and everything. But I never do. I don’t even know where you are most days if I wanted to visit you.”

Seungmin frowns. “You’re busy. You have a job you’re at all day, same as me. Some of the other members’ girlfriends work less or have other things going on.”

“Maybe that’s the problem,” you mutter. “Maybe I have too much going on.”

Seungmin looks hesitant at this. “If you feel you need to cut back, I’ll support you.”

“Is that what you want? Do you think I should work less?”

“No, I don’t. That’s not my decision anyway.”

“But I just…” You’re cracking, you know you are, you can hear it in your voice- “I just want to be there for you more. I want to be attentive.”

“You are attentive. You’re there for me all the time.”

“I’m not!” It bursts out of you more violently than even you expected. Seungmin is taken aback, eyes widening as you finally break. “I’m so aloof towards you, it’s awful. I never know where you are, or what you’re doing. I never ask you to come home to me. I don’t stay up for you. I don’t visit you. Other girlfriends have bracelets or necklaces they wear for their boyfriends, and I don’t do any of that. No one would even know we were dating, based on how we are now.” You suck in a breath, reminding yourself to stay calm. “I just don’t even know what you get out of being with me. I don’t do anything I’m supposed to do, and you keep letting me get away with it. And I thought if I changed, and I started trying harder, maybe I could fix it before you realize that I don’t deserve you.”

You squeeze your eyes shut, humiliation and sadness making you feel dizzy and hot. Now that you’ve said it all out, it sounds ridiculous. It’s not as if you could fix a behavioral pattern with one good day. If your relationship really is rotten through, all you’ve done is draw attention to the problem and made it even worse. Contrasted with how you acted today, the past eleven months must seem downright hollow.

Seungmin sighs. “Y/n, look at me, please.”

You open your eyes and are horrified to see Seungmin looking absolutely mournful where he sits across the table. He looks so aggrieved, so weighed down, and a horrible rock forms in the pit of your stomach.

“First of all,” he says. “I don’t ever want to hear you say again that you don’t deserve me. It’s not true, and I won’t have you putting yourself down like that. You don’t decide what I deserve, I do. And I’ve decided you’re exactly what I want.”

You blink, confused at the turn of events. It’s a very Seungmin thing to say, yes, but in this situation, you didn’t expect him to double down on it so earnestly.

“Second of all, you’re not aloof towards me. I know you love me, and you care for me in your own ways. I also know you have a life outside of me that keeps you busy. I’m grateful for that. I would feel horrible if you spent a significant amount of your day just waiting around for me when we both know I can’t always be there.”

“That’s different,” you can’t help but interject. “You’re an idol. You can’t help that you’re busy.”

“You can’t help being busy either. Being an idol isn’t any more important than any other job. You have responsibilities too.”

You deflate, sagging in your chair. He takes this as license to continue.

“Third, I didn’t think you were the type to wear jewelry every day. If you want me to get you something, I can do that. I just didn’t want you to feel pressured to wear something just because I bought it and it was expensive. Someday, if we get married, you’ll wear my ring, and that’ll be enough for me.”

He’s right. You don’t usually wear jewelry every day, and you would feel bad about not wearing something he’d specifically bought you as a gift. You’re starting to feel more and more foolish as this conversation continues.

Thankfully, his itemized list ends there, and he leans forward, dark eyes fixed on yours. He doesn’t look angry, or upset, just focused. Leave it to Seungmin to mind-map his way through a relationship crisis.

“Can you tell me what brought this on? It’s unlike you to be insecure. If I’ve done something to make you think you’re not good enough for me, I’d like to know so that I can change my behavior.”

You let out a long breath, giving up the fight in the face of Seungmin’s rationality.

“I had lunch with Ahrin the other day. I was complaining about how you’re so busy these days, I rarely see you. Ahrin said you guys actually haven’t been that busy. It made me realize I don’t actually know your schedule, like what you do all day, much less outside of work. And I also realized part of the reason I haven’t seen you much is because I never ask to see you. You have no reason to spend time with me when it seems like I don’t even want you around.” Your voice trails off as you continue, shame sticking the words in your throat.

Seungmin hums, thinking. He lifts his hand up and stretches it toward you, your sign to extend your own hand so he can lace your fingers together. You oblige, and the contact settles you a bit.

“I have never thought for one second that you didn’t want me around. I don’t take offense to you not knowing my schedule either. I know I don’t talk about work much. It might be a flaw of mine.”

“Hyunjin is always playing these little games with Ahrin to get her to come see him. But I’ve always felt that you’d prefer I stay away when you’re working.”

Seungmin hesitates again. “That might be right. That’s not because I don’t love spending time with you, though. It’s the opposite.”

“I…don’t follow.”

“Whatever you believe, the other members’ partners don’t really come around all that much, but when they do come around, it’s not really a big event. They’re just spectators. Like when Ahrin visits us at practice, it’s easy for Hyunjin to pretend she’s not there and keep working. I couldn’t do that. If you were in the room with me, I don’t think I could be as focused as I normally am. I’d be distracted because all my attention would be on you and how you’re doing. That’s why I’ve never encouraged you to visit.”

A small hysterical part of you wants to twist his words somehow, to start a fight about him calling you a ‘distraction’ and all it implies, but you know what he meant. It’s a fairly big admission he’s given, that he couldn’t keep control of himself if you were in his eyeline. It’s…unexpectedly flattering.

“I fluster you that badly?” you ask, half-teasing, half-curious. But Seungmin answers you dead serious.

“Embarrassingly so. When I went back upstairs with the cupcakes, Minho-hyung didn’t give me a second to breathe before commenting on it.”

You find yourself grinning. “Really?”

“Don’t laugh at me. It’s unkind.”

“I’m not laughing,” you say, even though you definitely are. Seungmin rolls his eyes, but there’s no heat or embarrassment in them.

“You could at least be sorry about it.”

“I’m very sorry that I got you bullied by your bandmates,” you say dutifully. “I promise I will do my best not to place you in such a compromising position again.”

“You can visit me if you want,” Seungmin rebuffs. “I can take a little teasing if you really want to see me. My point is just that you shouldn’t feel like you have to because the other girlfriends do.”

“Okay.” You nod, then venture out into the part of the conversation you’ve been avoiding. “If that’s all true, why do you stay away so often? It’s okay if you just have other things to do, but why do you let me think you’re at work if you aren’t?”

You aren’t sure what he’s going to say to this. You believe in his loyalty, always, and you don’t think he truly intended to lie to you, but you still can’t figure out who’s to blame here, and how this miscommunication has persisted between you for so long.

To your surprise, Seungmin’s ears flare red. His grip tightens on your hand, like he’s fighting himself, but you can tell he answers you honestly when he says,

“I was worried I was imposing on you.”

You blink. “Imposing?”

Seungmin is no longer meeting your eyes, his gaze lowered to the table. “Like I said, I don’t want you to constantly be waiting around for me. I don’t want you to get used to having me around, and then when I go on tour, or get busy with activities, you feel my absence stronger. Then, when I come back, I become an inconvenience as you try to fit me into your life again. It’s hard, and it’s unfair. I thought it would be easier to try to keep the same level of involvement all the time, so that you didn’t miss me too badly when I was gone, and I didn’t annoy you too much when I came back.”

You hardly let him finish his sentence before you say, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. You keep your attention from me so that I won’t miss you later? How does that make any sense? I miss you regardless. That’s the point of being in a relationship.”

Seungmin winces, and you decide to dial back your indignance. He’d spoken to you evenly, and you could do the same for him.

“Sorry. I just meant that you shouldn’t keep yourself away from me in an effort to spare my feelings. I know what I signed up for when we started dating. I know some times will be easier than others. I appreciate your efforts to mitigate that, but this isn’t the way. You being gone so often is all the more reason to be overt and intense when we do have time together. It’s fine to not want to spend all your free time with me, but don’t ever think wanting to be around me is imposing, or hurting me in some way, because it’s not.”

Seungmin looks properly chastised. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll be around more.”

“And I’ll ask for you more. We both need to stop holding ourselves and each other back.” You let out a little laugh. “We’re acting like it’s embarrassing to be in love or something.”

“Hyunjin said the same thing to me once.”

“Hyunjin is smart in exactly one area,” you acquiesce. “Ahrin is a lucky girl.”

“Comparison is the thief of joy,” Seungmin mutters. You lean forward over your cold dinner and press a kiss to Seungmin’s cheek.

“I didn’t say she was luckier than me.”

You both grin.

-/-

Next week, Monday. You wake up at your usual time, put on coffee, make breakfast. You clear your entire inbox because fuck the sales department, they can say whatever they need to say in the meeting this afternoon. You set your phone down and enjoy the warmth of the tea you brewed and watch the sun come up outside your living room window.

Seungmin gets up, gets his shoes and coat, and doubles back around.

“Good morning,” you say.

“Good morning.”

“Busy day?”

“Nope. I’m free after lunch.”

“Lucky. I have an awful meeting from two to four.”

“You’ll do fine,” Seungmin says. “Sales isn’t the boss of you.”

“They actually are,” you groan, and Seungmin laughs at your dismay. He kisses you goodbye, tells you to be safe. You tell him you love him. The front door opens and closes.

At around 1pm, your phone buzzes with a text.

Are you busy?

Eh. Why?

I’m in your lobby.

No way.

You grab your security pass and head towards the elevators, watching every floor tick down until it lets you out on the ground floor. Seungmin is sitting in a chair in reception, holding a white cardboard box. When he sees you approach him, he grins and holds it up.

“Got time for cupcakes?”

Your smile is so wide it’s splitting your face in half. “Follow me. The break room is on the fourth floor.”

-/-

“I didn’t even know you knew what building I work in.”

“I looked it up on NAVER.”

“Of course you did.”

“Why reinvent the wheel when someone invented the iPhone, y/n.”

[lucabyte]

obligatory ramble about postcanon loop ask

also your art is amazing

Hiiiiiiiii :D thank you :)!!

and thank you for the excuse to post the. just absolute wall of text that i truncated down to form the tags of that post. (i did,,, hit the tag limit. i forgot tumblr had one of those...) so let me just paste that and tidy it up a bit...

I am putting this under a readmore because it's a bit long. but:

This is like. The General Context for all* of my postcanon doodles? (Except AUs obviously) Like this is the base idea I've been drawing them all in. So, feel free to backread with this in mind. I've basically had this 'postcanon' timeline set in my brain since finishing the game...

My general thoughts are that I like the idea of Loop (even if through dubiously ethical means) being able to slowly reintegrate with the party as a whole new person, because they are, in fact, their own person.

It's a muddle of thematic threads im pulling on and "wouldn't it be fucked up if", but. (at its core, it's powered by the fact that like, while narratively isat's theme of 'the only person who can truly take the first step to help you is yourself'. (wrt: loop helping the party help siffrin in act 5) which i LOVE AND IS GREAT NARRATIVELY…. would be super fucked up irl to learn that your friend 'learned as a lesson' while you stood by kinda uselessly. I know i'd be upset about it. but thats mostly background here. doesn't really come up. at least not until loop has to explain who they are and the party realises they had to fall back on literally themselves again for help, but i digress,)

The real core concept is: Occam's razor. It is like, inherently, a buckwild thing to accuse a person of being somehow a clone or copy of your friend. Even if they start vaguely alluding to a backstory it's far more likely they were some other person before all that. (I still think Odile has that theory in the back pocket but she's rational enough to know it's a really long shot without a solid explanation. and i think Loop deep down knows this, and would, if cornered into confessing, turn the situation around to go J'ACCUSE and make HER explain it instead. Ever longer dodging being direct with their emotions...)

And the party are nice! And if someone has changed and wants to keep stuff secret it's kind of not their business? (Though it's hard not to speculate… see: the main joke of the doodles) And they seem important to Siffrin so they just try to accept them abrasive quirks and all. And eventually the question of their prior identity just fades away since, well, they're Loop. Their friend Loop.

but yeah. personal headcanon is that a few months/weeks after picking up and getting aquainted with Nille** (since that was presumably the IMMEDIATE TASK postgame), Loop reappears (either after a literal period of nonexistance, or just spending a few months wandering the french countryside alone being attacked by wild dogs). Since Siffrin has had a while to be therapised by the party they're doing mostly okay, but Loop showing up and still being agitated/aggressive pulls them both into a bit of a backslide behaviourally and puts the party on the back foot again.

Hooowever, I do think that due to no longer being literally stewing in the worst pressure cooker of all time together, the two do mostly actually sort themselves out with productive conversation. (Via a cycle of: genuinely distressing argument -> weeeird lovebombing -> ok we're good -> repeat, that gets less intense over time)

Thus, allowing the party to just. Integrate loop as a new person. They and Siffrin shuffle into different ecological niches (Loop taking over stuff Siffrin is now too squeamish for, etc (see: hunting, mostly)), and while it's not exactly what Loop wanted they generally get that beggars can't be choosers and it's a pretty good deal. And the rest of the party does straight up just like them as a friend, especially when Loop quits trying to actively antagonise them after a few weeks of being around them, since they just can't keep up being mean to people they like forever.

As for how I think the truth eventually drags itself out. This is where I invoke The Isabeau Torment Nexus™. So its gonna get shippy here for a bit hold on.

Which is, I think giving them time before Loop reappears long enough that Siffrin and Iseabeau actually manage to become established, Isabeau has to be the one to nudge the pair of them and go. "Hey. You know we're in Vaugarde right. I'm okay with polyamory if we all communicate." Before Loop and Siffrin actually even acknowledge that whatever the fuck they have going on kinda looks a lot like a relationship of some kind. (or have already been agonising about that via fighting and arguing, depending) (Obviously this comes after Isa "Emotionally intelligent enough to keep a lid on the jealousy" Beau has managed to use that big brain of his to Not just go Scream somewhere on the daily because oh godddd they keep talking like theyre suicide-baiting each other jesus chriiist. is it overstepping his boundaries to bring that up?? god)

This, taking a bunch of the tension out of Loop and Isabeau's relationship (Since I imagine Loop is a. being weird for the obvious reasons and b. feeling kinda guilty about 'getting in the way of' Siffrin and Iseabeau), allows them to actually get close in a normal friend way. (I think an interesting turning point could be Isabeau actually taking Loop's side in an argument vs Siffrin, which would absolutely break Loop's brain. Especially if it's an argument that matters. Like what do you mean he isn't just going to play favourites. What?)

Then Isabeau, just actually open minded and charmed by Loop (and maybe even somewhat at Siffrin's suggestion?) tries to close the final open side on the polyamory triangle here and that's the final straw for Loop on "This lie by omission is too unethical to keep up, this is just actually sick and wrong. I can't do this while he doesn't know who I am." Though. Obviously it probably goes. Very poorly with emotions high like that. And the added element of several months of deceit. Getting dark here for a second but that dagger is going MISSING and so are THEY for a hot minute.

Then yaaay everything works out in the end 👍 yippieee!! all it took was maybe a lot of harrowed recontextualisation of all the weird shit your new friend said and did when it turns out they're your old friend. It's fine.

But yeah. this is basically the context all of my postcanon doodles have existed within? And those exist to give other people something to chew on. So this does too.

I suppose TL;DR: Imagine if sloopis almost fucking happens before isabeau knows who loop is. can you fucking imagine. can you imagine having to navigate that. nightmare.

*Yes this includes the implied cannibalism comic. Uhh. Comes part and parcel with headcanoning that Loop went way off the deep end similar to A5 Sif But Maybe Worse before giving in. Add weepy half-asleep confessions to murder wherever you see fit in your mind palace. 👍👍👍

**Re: Nille footnote. I don't have anywhere to put this besides here! I have some thoughts on Loop and Nille having an odd dynamic. I don't imagine Nille to be super gung-ho on trusting a bunch of adults (even if they are majority around her age) given their implied backstory. It's probably a big shock to the system, especially since Bambouche is a good couple hundred Kilometers up north from Dormont and these guys don't seem to have trains. She would've been unfrozen and without Bonnie for some time....

Which is to say: I think she's suspicious of them. I think she may be looking for excuses to distance herself, keep Bonnie safe. SO.... A new guy showing up? And antagonising the party? What do they know that I don't...? I should find out.

And since... Loop didn't ever know Nille, they have no ammunition or real reason to be cruel. Plus, if they're trying to stay on Bonnie's good side (SINCE... if Bonnie thought Loop was cringe they may as well kill themselves. In their mind.) they SUPER have no reason to antagonise Nille.

Mostly, they might be able to open up to each other easier than they can the rest of the party?

I feel like this resolves with Loop feeling compelled to apologise for what they and Siffrin let happen to Bonnie, though... Hmm... Depends on how you interpret Nille that they'd be glad nobody else had been told about that yet, or furious it had been secret this long. I lean toward the former.

[cosmiclily]

chapter eleven: blurred lines

wc: 2.5k

notes: hiii!! hope everyone is well, here is a new chapter ! i love jinx in this one 😭 and also caitlyn wasn’t a bad girlfriend i just head canon modern jinx to just not like her

You woke up to the sound of your phone vibrating aggressively against your nightstand. A groggy glance at the screen revealed the caller: Archie.

It was supposed to be your day off.

After an exhausting week of nonstop promotions—and with only three days left until the album release—you all needed a moment to breathe. A chance to rest, recharge, maybe even sleep in for once. But apparently, Archie had other plans.

You groaned, blindly reaching for your phone and answering without bothering to mask your irritation.

“Someone better be dying for you to be calling me at this hour” you muttered, voice rough with sleep, eyes barely open.

“Oh, finally! Took you long enough” Archie’s voice came through the speaker, far too chipper for seven in the fucking morning. “I know it’s early, but I really needed to talk to you.”

You sighed, rubbing at your face. Archie was always a cheerful guy—you could count the number of times you'd seen him actually mad on one hand. And most of those times had been directly related to Vi’s antics. But right now? Right now, he sounded extra excited.

“To me?” you asked, frowning.

“Yes, yes—you and Violet” he said quickly. You could hear the faint shuffle of papers and the distant ringing of office phones in the background. Whatever this was, he was already deep in work mode. “Can you come down to the office, please?”

You sat up slowly, your exhaustion starting to give way to curiosity. Archie wasn’t this pushy unless it was something big.

“Should I be worried?” you asked, stretching one arm over your head.

“Not at all” he assured you. “Just get here as soon as you can.”

And so you did.

You got ready quickly, barely awake as you sent a text to Vi:

You have any idea what Archie’s on about?

She replied almost instantly.

When do we ever know what he’s planning?

Fair enough.

By the time you arrived at the office, everything looked exactly the same as it always did—the old lady at the front desk flipping through a magazine, the god-awful elevator music playing on loop, the faint hum of printers and muffled phone calls filling the air.

The only real surprise? Archie’s office wasn’t a disaster zone. Usually, it looked like a tornado had blown through—papers everywhere, coffee cups stacked like a game of Jenga, whiteboards covered in half-erased scribbles. But today? Today, everything was neatly filed, his desk actually visible for once.

That was almost more alarming than the early morning summons.

You knocked on the door, and Archie opened it almost immediately.

“What is going on?” you asked, stepping inside.

“We should wait for Violet to arrive” he said, gesturing for you to sit. “I want to have this conversation with both of you together.”

You froze for just a second, your stomach twisting.

Did he know?

No. Impossible.

There was no way he had figured out that you and Vi were sleeping together. You had been careful. No one knew.

…Right?

You forced yourself to stay relaxed, shrugging as you grabbed a mug from the small coffee station in the corner of his office. Taking a slow sip, you shot him a casual look. “Is it bad? Are we getting a lecture?”

Archie chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, not at all. It’s actually a great opportunity to promote the band.” He flipped through a few folders on his desk, organizing them with an efficiency that definitely meant he was up to something. “And why would you need a lecture?” He suddenly looked up, raising a curious eyebrow. “Did you do something?”

You nearly choked on your coffee.

Before you could sputter out a response, the door swung open, and Vi walked in looking slightly disheveled—her short hair messier than usual, her hoodie thrown over a t-shirt like she had barely been awake when she left her place. Unfortunately, that only sent a flood of inappropriate thoughts straight to your brain. On one hand, it was a welcome distraction from whatever dreadful conversation you were about to have. On the other, it was terrible for the exact same reason. How were you supposed to focus on what Archie was saying when she looked like that?

She yawned, stretching lazily as she leaned against the doorframe, her shirt riding up just enough to show a sliver of toned stomach. “What did I do this time?”

“Nothing bad, Miss Violet. In fact, something really, really great!” Archie beamed, pulling out the chair next to you and motioning for Vi to sit.

She turned to you with a puzzled expression, silently asking if he had gone insane in the short period you weren’t in contact. You had no answer.

Vi sighed, running a hand through her already chaotic hair. “Cut the bullshit, Archie. Just tell us already.”

She got a little aggressive when she was anxious. It was hot, actually.

Archie, unfazed as ever, clasped his hands together and launched into his pitch. “So, ever since your duo video, I’ve noticed a lot of buzz surrounding you two in the fanbase—which, by the way, is growing exponentially!” He swiped at his tablet, scrolling through whatever digital evidence he had gathered. “There’s a ton of talk about your chemistry. I’ve seen a bunch of compilation videos titled things like ‘Viy/n Moments’—which, apparently, is your ship name? I don’t really get that stuff, but the kids love it.”

The more Archie spoke, the more horrified you felt—not just because of what he was saying, but because he was the one saying it. Hearing Archie use terms like ship name was possibly the worst part of this entire situation.

“And I was talking to Mark” he continued “and he said that the younger audience really latches on to this kind of thing. A romance within the band? It’s intriguing. It keeps people invested.”

Vi leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her face was unreadable, her gaze locked on Archie. You couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad sign.

“What exactly do you want to do with this?” she asked, her voice steady but laced with something you couldn’t quite place.

You swallowed hard, gripping your coffee cup like it was your last lifeline. Whatever Archie was about to say next, you had a sinking feeling it was going to be a lot to process.

“I was thinking…” He paused dramatically, as if waiting for you to lean in with anticipation—not that you would. “The two of you could fake an affair during promotions, and even after the album is released. We could market the hell out of it!” He grinned, clearly convinced he had just struck gold.

You blinked. Then again. Surely, you misheard him.

“What the fuck?” The words left your mouth before you could even think them through. “Why would we ever do something like that?”

Vi let out a short, amused exhale, but when you glanced at her, she didn’t seem nearly as horrified as you were. Instead, she was watching Archie with mild curiosity, like she was waiting for him to dig himself deeper.

“Hear me out!” Archie raised his hands defensively, as if expecting immediate backlash. “You don’t actually have to do anything publicly affectionate. No staged kisses, no forced hand-holding—just be seen together enough times for people to start making their own assumptions.”

You shook your head, utterly baffled. “That’s insane.”

“Is it?” Archie countered, tilting his head. “Because from what I can tell, everyone is already speculating. The fans are eating up every little glance, every interaction. And you know what happens when people think two bandmates might secretly be involved?” He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping like he was letting you in on some groundbreaking industry secret. “They get obsessed. They create theories. They analyze song lyrics. They buy into the fantasy. And that means more engagement, which means more album sales, more streams, more everything.”

You stole another glance at Vi, hoping she’d back you up, but she was still unreadable, one arm draped over the chair, her fingers tapping absentmindedly against the wood.

“You’re asking us to fake a whole-ass relationship” she finally said, her voice neutral. “You know that, right?”

Archie shrugged. “I’m asking you to lean into what people already believe.”

You felt your stomach twist uncomfortably. This was dangerous. Not just because it was manipulative, but because… well, the lines between fake and real, platonic and romantic, were already blurred enough for you. And if you agreed to this? You weren’t sure you’d be able to keep those lines from completely disappearing.

Archie must have sensed your hesitation because he softened his tone. “Just sleep on it. Talk to each other, think about it carefully, and then we’ll decide what our next step will be.”

As you and Vi left Archie’s office and stepped into the elevator, an uncomfortable silence settled between you. Despite the muffled office chatter in the background, the tension was thick, making everything feel eerily quiet.

And then, out of nowhere, Vi burst out laughing.

You turned to her, baffled, watching as she leaned against the elevator wall, wiping at the corners of her eyes.

“What is going on? Why are you laughing?” you asked, half-annoyed, half-concerned that she had officially lost her mind.

Vi shook her head, still chuckling. “I don’t know. I just think the idea is so stupid — and so funny.” She took a breath, composing herself, though the amused glint in her eyes remained. “And the worst part? I’m actually considering it.”

You blinked at her. “You’re kidding.”

She grinned. “Jinx would think this is hilarious.”

Of course. Jinx would absolutely lose her mind over something like this—teasing Vi relentlessly, probably even stirring the pot further.

You crossed your arms, trying to make sense of the situation. “So what, you’re saying you want to go along with this?”

Vi shrugged, still smirking. “I don’t know. Maybe. Could be fun.”

Fun. Right. Because pretending to be in love with someone you were already secretly sleeping with and actually had feelings for wasn’t the most reckless thing you could possibly do.

──────────────────────

“And he wanted you to what?”

Jinx’s laughter crackled through the speaker as you sat in your car, Vi lounging in the passenger seat like she didn’t have a care in the world.

After her hysterical outburst in the elevator, the two of you had decided to park somewhere quiet and call Jinx — partly to share the ridiculous news, partly to actually talk about the possibility.

“Exactly that” Vi confirmed, stretching her legs out on the dashboard like she owned the place. “Pretend we’re in a relationship because — according to him — ‘the kids love it.’” She even threw on a near-perfect impression of Archie’s accent, making Jinx cackle even harder.

“I think that would be hilarious!” Jinx wheezed between fits of laughter. Vi shot you a knowing look, one that practically screamed told you so.

Then Jinx added, “How long do you think it would take Dad to call and congratulate you?”

You furrowed your brows, glancing at Vi. “What does that mean?”

Vi rolled her eyes, but Jinx was all too happy to explain.

“Oh, you know— back when you and Vi started hanging out, Vander was constantly asking when she’d dump Caitlyn and start dating you.” Jinx’s voice dropped into a teasingly deep tone, mimicking her father. “‘She’s such a nice girl, Vi. I can see the good influence she has on you.’” She burst into laughter again.

Your mouth fell open, and you turned to Vi, stunned. “Wait — what?”

Vi groaned, rubbing a hand over her face. “Yeah, yeah, he was obsessed with the idea. Thought you were, like, my guiding light or some shit.”

You couldn’t help but snort. “Clearly, he didn’t know about all the bad decisions I make.”

“Exactly!” Jinx chimed in. “Joke’s on him, you’re both disasters.”

Vi grinned, nudging your arm with her elbow. “So? What do you think? About Archie’s idea, I mean.”

The question lingered in the air, heavier than before. Because despite how absurd it all sounded… part of you wasn’t immediately shutting it down.

“I think you should 100% go for it!” Jinx pitched, her voice sharp with mischief. “Not to bring out the dead, but I would die to see Caitlyn’s face when you make it “public” — I’m making air quotes, by the way.”

“Leave her out of this, please.” Vi’s voice dropped, a sharp edge slicing through her laid-back tone.

You watched her carefully. She tried so hard to act like she didn’t care, like a year was enough time to bury a relationship that had lasted as long as hers and Caitlyn’s. But you saw the cracks. The way she still wrote songs to and about her, lyrics laced with unresolved feelings and quiet longing.

You rolled your eyes, but Vi was too busy staring out the window to notice.

“Calm down, sis. I just think her reaction would be funny,” Jinx teased.

Vi clenched her jaw, fingers tapping an anxious rhythm against her thigh.

“It kinda would be,” you muttered, shrugging as you leaned back against your seat.

Vi turned to you, eyebrows raised. “So you actually want to do it?”

You opened your mouth to answer — but nothing came out.

Logically, it was a terrible idea. Playing pretend with Vi when your feelings for her were already a tangled mess? Letting the lines blur even more than they already had? It was practically begging for heartbreak.

But the selfish part of you? The part that wanted any excuse to be closer to her, even if it was a lie?

That part was screaming yes.

“I…” You trailed off, feeling your pulse hammer in your throat.

Vi tilted her head, watching you carefully. “Come on, you can be honest. I won’t bite.” She grinned, but her voice had softened, and the teasing edge was gone.

You took a shaky breath, fingers curling around the hem of your hoodie. “I just… I don’t want things to get weird between us,” you admitted quietly.

Vi’s expression shifted, the playfulness fading entirely. She sat up, turning toward you in her seat. “It wouldn’t” she said, her voice steady. “I swear.”

You weren’t sure you believed that.

Because for you, things were already weird. Waking up next to her, pretending the warmth of her skin against yours didn’t linger long after she left your apartment. Pretending it didn’t hurt when she flirted with other people, or when Jinx made offhand comments about her type. Pretending you didn’t catch yourself wishing, over and over, that whatever you had with her could be real.

But Vi? She didn’t seem worried at all.

And maybe that was the answer you needed.

Maybe, to her, this wasn’t a big deal. Maybe you were, again, the one making it complicated.

You forced a small smile. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Vi’s eyes lit up, and she slapped your thigh in excitement. “Hell yeah. We’re about to break the internet.”

Jinx let out a delighted shriek through the phone. “Oh my God, I’m gonna make a fan account and start the rumors myself.”

You laughed, but the sound felt thin — like it barely masked the fear curling in your chest. This whole situation felt like walking on the edge of a cliff, the ground crumbling beneath your feet. One wrong step, one careless breeze, and you’d fall.

And if you fell?

You were terrified Vi wouldn’t be there to catch you.

──────────────────────

masterlist - chapter twelve

taglist: @saturnhas82moons @oidloid @vaebear @wicked-laugh @baylegend6 @nomarksonelegance @antobooh @80saturn @arahiraaai

[halucynator]

Can u pls make a fic abt the reader just wanting to make out with Mattheo riddle during October spooky month?

Spooky Surprises

aksjhshaadjsha i find this idea so cuteeeee

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x fem!reader

Warnings: kissing (duh!), pining (ish), not proof read and my writing lol

Summary: After staying in for Halloween you realise that your love for Mattheo might not be as unrequited as you thought.

You stayed in on Halloween. You were never too keen on trick or treating anyway but there was a bigger reason you had stayed in. That reason was right next to you sat up on the couch. Mattheo Riddle.

It was his idea to stay in and watch a scary movie. You couldn't deny it. Not when he was looking at you with his adorable brown eyes. Not when he was practically begging you to stay.

And there you were, curled up next to him, his arms around your waist pulling you in closer. You breathed in his cologne and the faint smell of smoke.

Each time there was a jump scare you leaned in closer to him until you were practically on top of him. He chuckled every time that happened pulling you in each time you looked scared.

The movie ended and the credits rolled on the screen. You were asleep, Mattheo's arms still looped around your waist. Mattheo, not wanting to wake you up, turned off the TV moving very cautiously. However, he clearly wasn't cautious enough as you opened your eyes. You yawned and leaned into the body next to you, then stilled remembering who it was. You immediately sat up and muttered an apology to Mattheo. If one looked hard enough, they would've noticed the slight blush that crept up on your cheeks as you took in what you had just done.

You had stayed in your dorm on Halloween, watched a scary movie and slept on a person who you supposedly called your friend. You were too afraid to admit it but you liked Mattheo. Any person who wasn't a complete idiot would've realised that it was requited.

Unfortunately, you were the complete idiot.

The conversation you had had with Pansy and some of your other friends, ran through your head whenever you were nervous that he didn't like you back.

"Oh my God y/n! He totally likes you! Do you see the way he looks at you?!" Pansy exclaimed.

"But Pansy! I'm not sure though! What if he doesn't?!" You said not wanting to ruin your friendship with him.

"you two are so in love! Just ask him out already!!!" Pansy whined.

You rolled your eyes and chuckled at the girl.

And now here you were wondering if Pansy's words might've been right. He let you sleep on him for God's sake.

You looked into the boys beautiful eyes and sighed. You loved him but you didn't know how to tell him.

You took a deep breath and did what Pansy had been telling you to do. You grabbed him by his collar pulling him close to you. Your lips collided. They fit together perfectly like they were a part of a puzzle.

You pulled away when you ran out of breath. Mattheo's cheeks were flushed. He was just so perfect. After realising that you had just been staring at him for ages, you looked away embarrassed.

"Wow. That was erm- wow" Mattheo replied.

Colour rushed to your cheeks at his words.

"I'm sorry I don't know what i-" you froze in the middle of the sentence as you felt his hand on your waist. Your breath hitched as he leaned closer. You didn't feel so brave anymore.

"I don't mind it" he replied as if you had just borrowed his laptop rather than kisses him.

"oh um-" you started.

This time it was his fingers on your collar, his hands pulling you in, his lips that smashed on yours.

You wanted nothing more than to keep kissing him and no matter how many times you kissed, the butterflies were always there.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡*:☆

Hope this is to your liking <3333 have a great day and happy halloweeeeeeeeen 💕

[joeys-babe]

Joey B Imagines: One of These Nights

————————————————————————-

Summary: You as Joe’s girlfriend are by his side for every event, you helped him feel more comfortable since he wasn't the most social guy and he needed you there. You departed from him to go the bathroom and Joe isn't at all pleased with what happened on your way back.

Warnings: Angst, fluff, mad Joe

Pairing: Joe Burrow x reader

Imagine universe: None! (Misc.)

————————————————————————-

*No specific date for this fic!*

(y/n’s pov)

Joe and I had just sat down at the table of Bengals players and their girls in our usual VIP section. One look at Joe and I could tell he already didn't want to be here.

I looped my arm with his and he flashed me a small smile, his icy blue eyes barely visible behind his black Cartier’s.

“I love you.” - Joe mouthed

“I love you too.” - you mouthed back

He had already thanked me so many times tonight for coming with him since it wasn't his scene at all, and I made it more bearable.

Sam Hubbard, a longtime teammate of Joe, knew all about his antisocial ways, so he tried to include Joe in the conversations to keep his mind away from the surroundings.

I gave Sam a thankful nod because if he wasn't keeping Joe occupied, I'd end up on babysitting duty for the whole night.

Even in a secluded area away from the rest of the club, I was constantly looking around for possible cameras.

Joe hated PDA, and for him to even have his arm looped with mine was a big step, but he needed close to me right now. That's why I checked around for cameras, knowing Joe would be mad if pictures of us close together were posted.

I found myself zoning out since the conversion had switched to football, and I could barely make out the sound of a female voice saying my name.

“Hey y/n, I have to go to the bathroom… can you come with me?” - Jess

It was Jess, Sam’s girlfriend.

I turned to Joe to see him already looking at me. He was waiting for an answer.

“Will you be okay if I go to the bathroom?” - you

My face faltered when he immediately started biting the inside of his cheeks like he does when he's nervous, but he nodded yes.

“Okay. Be right back.” - you

Before I stood up, Joe caught me off guard when he placed a soft kiss on my cheek.

Even Jess took notice, and as we walked away from the table, she commented on it.

“Your boy seems a little touchy today.” - Jess giggled

“I have no idea what's gotten into him, but you will not catch me complaining.” - you

“I hear that.” - Jess laughed

——

Minutes later, Jess finished washing her hands, I finished fixing my mascara, and we left the bathroom.

We laughed as we walked back to the table, just talking about our boyfriends and having a good time.

Walking up to the roped-off area, the same security guard that had let us in and out five minutes ago wasn’t even acknowledging us.

“Uhm, sir? Can you let us back in?” - you

The burly man looked at me, then to Jess, and silently shook his head no.

“Why not?” - Jess

“Don't see any passes… and the last time I checked the Cincinnati Bengals don't draft women.” - security guard

Jess reached into her purse mumbling a “Don't worry” and took her pass out to show the guy.

He studied it intently and eyed Jess once again.

“Okay.” - security guard

Relief washed over me when he moved the rope and Jess stepped through. I followed behind her but he closed it back before I could get to the other side.

I went to yell after Jess, but she was already around the corner, and the club was so loud that if I yelled at the top of my lungs she wouldn't be able to hear me.

“Not you.” - security guard

“Excuse me?” - you

“Listen, girl. I get it, you wanna try to make your move on one of the players because you want their money. I've dealt with girls like you before, and it’s not going to happen.” - security guard

I stood there completely baffled.

“What did you just say to me? You just let me walk out like ten minutes ago.” - you

“Now you're trying to gaslight me. Oh and let me guess, you're dating a player?” - security guard

“For your information, I am dating one of the players. I have been for six fucking years. You watched me walk in with him!” - you

“Of course you are and I have no recollection of letting you in the VIP lounge. You don't look like the… NFL player’s type.” - security guard

“This is unbelievable. I don't want to sound like a braggy bitch, but my boyfriend is Joe Burrow. I suggest you let me in before he finds out about this altercation.” - you

“Ma’am, with all due respect Joe Burrow could have any woman in the world… and I don't foresee him picking you. You don't have any proof of him being your boyfriend either.” - security guard

I grabbed my phone out of my purse and attempted to call Joe, but it went straight to voicemail.

“Shit. Voicemail.” - you mumbled

“Look my background is me and him. He's in uniform. This is after the AFC Championship in 2021.” - you

“That could be edited. Look lady, you're very persistent but I'm going to have to remove you from the club.” - security guard

Before I knew it the guy was grabbing my arms at full force and started shoving me around.

“Let go of me!” - you yelled

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but as always before anything could happen, I heard that voice.

“What is going on here?!” - Joe

The look on the security guard’s face when he turned around to see Joe, looking like a bull ready to face a matador, was priceless.

“Sir I was just…” - security guard

“Manhandling my girlfriend? Because that's sure what it fucking looked like.” - Joe

“I thought…” - security guard

“Let go of her before I break your arms!” - Joe

He immediately dropped my arms and Joe gently whisked me behind his back.

“What is it that you thought?” - Joe

“She told me you were her boyfriend, but I thought she was lying.” - security guard

“Why’d you think that?” - Joe

“She just doesn't look like a girl that an NFL star like you would get with. That simple.” - security guard

“What the fuck did you just say to me. You better get out of my face before I bash yours in.” - Joe

“Can you blame me, dude? She’s not really… you know…” - security guard

“She's not really what?!” - Joe yelled

“The smallest girl on the planet.” - security guard

Joe's entire face turned red as he bubbles with furiousness.

“That’s it.” - Joe lunged forward

I immediately grabbed his wrist and pulled him back with as much strength as I could. Once he was beside me I put my hand on his chest, knowing it helped him calm down.

“Don’t. It's not worth it, Joey.” - you

Joe looked down at me to find my face completely flushed and my tear-filled eyes pleading.

“Congratulations, you've just worked your last shift.” - Joe

He moved away and took my hand, moving the rope himself and slamming it on the ground before he walked back over to the booth.

I sat back down in our spot, but Joe stayed standing with his phone in hand, seemingly dialing a number.

Joe just radiated anger right now as he held his phone up to his ear and started raddling a million miles a minute.

A few minutes later, he sat back down next to me with a deep sigh.

“Had to call the owner. That guy’s never working here again. I swear one of these nights I'm going to beat the shit out of someone.” - Joe

“I’m so sorry.” - you blinked back tears

“You have nothing to be sorry for, absolutely nothing. I should've walked you to the bathroom. Oh and forget every word that fucking dick said. You're the only woman I could ever picture myself with. You're the most beautiful girl in this entire world, and you are perfect for me. I love you more than anything.” - Joe

I buried my face in his neck without even thinking about where we were right now, but Joe didn't care. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back.

“Thank you for being the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. I love you more than anything, too.” - you

“Wanna go home?” - Joe

“Please?” - you

Joe stood up immediately and took my hand. We said goodbye to everyone and made our way back down the hallway. When we found ourselves in the main room, I figured Joe would drop my hand, but he didn't.

——

We approached Joe’s car, and he opened my door like always, showing off the gentleman he was.

As soon as he shut his door, Joe crashed his lips against mine.

“When we get home I'm going to show you how damn desirable you are. I don't care what other people say you're perfectly made for me.” - Joe

And that's exactly what he did, both verbally and physically. Joe made me feel like the most craved woman in the world.

————————————————————————-

Authors note: ending the night (and the 5th day of Christmas) with some angst.

Request for this fic;

hope you enjoyed! ❤️

[winterdaphne2]

Sometimes I think about the vast difference between how Sherlock and John each respond when they think the other is asking them out in S1.

In ASIP, Sherlock thinks John is hitting on him at Angelo's. I think Sherlock was already interested in John romantically by that point, but he didn't feel ready for John to make a move—so when John asked him if he had a boyfriend, licked his lips at him suggestively, and said it was good that Sherlock was unattached, Sherlock panicked a bit. I mean, you can actually see the moment when Sherlock thinks through what John just said and tries to decide what to do. But even though he's visibly nervous, Sherlock tries to let John down in the kindest, most tactful way possible. Sherlock says, so gently, "John, you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I’m flattered by your interest, I’m really not looking for any kind of..." before he trails off. Everything that Sherlock says here is so carefully and thoughtfully worded. By phrasing this the way he does, Sherlock makes sure that he doesn't imply that John has done anything wrong or that John is in any way unattractive or uninteresting. He even says that he's flattered by John's interest, using the opportunity to give John a compliment. It's not you, Sherlock says, it's just that I'm not looking for that right now. Sherlock is visibly thrown for a loop when John tries to come onto him too fast, but he still recovers quickly and is immediately so considerate and polite about the whole thing!

John's behavior in TBB is strikingly different. In TBB, there's this exchange after John says that he has a date with Sarah:

Sherlock: What? John: It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun. Sherlock: That’s what I was suggesting. John: No it wasn’t...at least I hope not.

In this scene, Sherlock finally works up the courage to tell John to his face that he was asking him out on a date (and perhaps even tries to imply that he and John have been dating this whole time, as I think LSIT pointed out at some point). But John isn't nice about it at all.

The way I read S1, I think that after he moves into 221B with Sherlock, John seems to think that he made himself too vulnerable with the way he acted around Sherlock in ASIP. So in TBB and TGG, John seems to be trying to course-correct. Over and over again in TBB, we see John trying to pull back from Sherlock emotionally and attempting to retreat to heteronormative behavior. (I think that at the end of TGG, the pool scene is a huge turning point for John and his behavior towards Sherlock switches again after that. But that's another conversation!)

So in this scene, instead of being considerate of Sherlock, John is just so rude. By acting as if Sherlock has no idea what a date is, John treats Sherlock with condescension and implies that dating Sherlock is something that he considers entirely outside the realm of possibility because he sees Sherlock as ignorant in a way that makes him unsuited to dating. (I mean, come on, John, of course Sherlock knows what a date is.) When John gives Sherlock a look and says "I hope not," his expression and choice of words directly imply that Sherlock has done something wrong by suggesting that the two of them go out on a date, and that John wouldn't have any interest in going on a date with him anyway. And Sherlock immediately acts visibly hurt by John's reaction.

I really love John, I do, but sometimes I get so mad at him! I mean, this is just so rude. I really believe that out of the two of them, Sherlock is actually the much kinder and much more considerate person. John just often presents as more "normal" in everyday contexts, when he's really not.

I also think that the disparity in how Sherlock and John each respond in these two situations reflects their differing levels of comfort with same-sex desire. It's interesting to think about how paying attention to these two relatively brief scenes provides so much insight into this aspect of their characters so early on in the show, just in the first two episodes. This differing level of comfort with homosexuality seems to be something that we're supposed to understand about Sherlock and John fairly early on. From when we first meet him in ASIP, Sherlock is always presented as a character who knows that he's gay and is totally at peace with that side of himself, no matter what the rest of the world wants to think. John, on the other hand, is someone who seems to struggle a great deal to face and accept his own same-sex desires, and he has trouble letting go of the belief that he should aspire to heteronormativity even if it's not what he truly wants. This becomes especially important to John's actions in S3, but I think the hints of his struggles with internalized biphobia are there even in S1, and this seems to be something that guides his behavior at moments throughout the show as a whole. So it makes sense to me that in ASIP, when Sherlock thinks John is hitting on him, Sherlock responds in a way that shows that he's uncomfortable but not that he's uncomfortable with the same-sex nature of John's interest in him. Sherlock's behavior at Angelo's doesn't in any way imply that it would be wrong for John, as another man, to ask him out. Quite the opposite. But in TBB, John's response to what Sherlock said could easily be read that way.

At least we have "Dinner?" / "Starving" from ASIP to comfort us. Sigh.

[mapofthemazeinthemirror]

Hybrid!txt when you smell like someone else

Warnings: gender neutral reader, but for Taehyun's reader is mentioned to have a boyfriend. I should probably mention that when I write hybrids, I don't really picture people with animal features like ears and tails, just animal senses and behaviours? That should help this make more sense. This could also work for werewolves if you prefer to imagine it that way!

Note: this has been sitting in my drafts for months, it kept getting pushed back by other ideas. So glad to get it out. Please let me know which is your favourite scenario!

☆ gender neutral reader

Soobin

You were standing in the kitchen filling the sink with water to start the dishes when you heard the front door. It was game night; the night your boyfriend and his friends ordered in dinner and hogged the TV to play games until they wore each other out, or on some occasions, to tears. So you didn't mind doing the dishes tonight, even though it was technically Soobin’s turn.

"Yah, what's that smell?”

You turned to see Soobin and Beomgyu appear in the kitchen, bags from the convenience store slung over Beomgyu’s shoulder, a telltale sign that he'd lost at rock paper scissors. “Hi guys.”

"Is someone here?" Soobin asked, glancing down the hallway. You shook your head and he immediately dropped his confused expression, his face scrunching in disgust. “Then what smells like dog?”

"I don't... oh. It's probably my new boss, we had a meeting today." After all the time you'd been with Soobin, all the time you'd spent around his friends, you were still not that used to this whole thing. You couldn't always spot their kind, and sometimes you forgot about your boyfriend's intense senses, though you had gotten better since you started dating.

Beomgyu placed the bags atop the counter and scratched the back of his head. "The other guys will be here in a minute, so..." He looked up at Soobin who met his eyes.

This was another thing that happened often. It was like they could just lock eyes and know what the other was thinking without saying a word. The two seemed to finish their silent conversing, turning back to you, matching grins growing on their faces. Your eyes darted between the two of them, trying to get a clue as to what you were left out of the loop about, before they were coming at you. Sandwiching you between them, they both began rubbing their cheeks against yours, scenting you as you squirmed.

"Is this what you're going to smell like every day now?" Soobin asked into your hair.

Beomgyu was finding this funny, his laughter in your ear as you whined in complaint. "You reek! Maybe it's time to find a new job."

Once they were satisfied with their work, they stood back, chuckling at how mussed up your hair was from their handiwork. You pouted up at them and they were even more amused.

The doorbell rang before Yeonjun let himself in, the door still being unlocked. He waltzed into the kitchen with Taehyun in tow. "Who's ready to get whoop-" his face fell and his eyes began to search the floor, before looking between you and Soobin, brows furrowed. "Did you guys get a dog or something?"

Before Beomgyu or Soobin could do anything except smirk at you, you were turning on your heel and announcing that you were going to take a shower.

Yeonjun

When he arrives home, straight away his senses hone in on your jacket hanging over the porch railing, soaking wet—yet still he can smell what you've tried to erase. As soon as you hear his key in the door you’re there explaining, before he can utter a single word.

"This guy at the bus stop was all over me. I had to get a different bus so he wouldn’t be with me on the way here."

He stops midway through taking off his own coat, the shoulders of the garment hanging at his elbows. You hear the strain in his voice, see the fervor flash through his eyes. "What do you mean all over you?"

"He put his arm around me. He kept putting his face close to my ear to ask me questions… but-but I washed my hair when I got home. I washed my jacket twice but I wasn't sure if it would still get to you, so l left it outside. I'm sorry."

His expression faded as he relaxed a little. Still he kept his concentration solely on you as he pulled his hands from his sleeves and hung the coat up. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. Did he do anything else, anything more? Are you okay?"

You sighed tiredly, glad Yeonjun was home and you could have dinner and relax together and put the day behind you. “No, I’m fine.”

Stepping forward, he pulled you into his arms and pressed his cheek to the top of your head. “That’s all that matters.”

Beomgyu

Beomgyu stepped out of the cool night air and into the small store you worked in. He always picks you up when you work the night shift, preferring to drive you home than you taking the bus so late.

You haven't yet noticed his presence, despite the place being empty, busy tidying the shop for closing. As he slinks over to you, you reach up on your tip toes to put something away on a high shelf, and he means to put his arms around you to surprise, but something made him stop short behind you.

"Not again," he says, making you jump out of your skin.

"Gyu!" you yelp. "Don't do that!"

He pouts. "You smell like not you."

Pulling the fabric of your shirt to your nose and inhaling, you shake your head. "I don't smell anything."

You move off to the front desk, Beomgyu trailing behind, still complaining. "Of course you don't smell it, you pure-bred human—" and when you send him a look, he adds, "—affectionately. You just have to take my word for it."

He watches as you clock out and untie the apron from your waist, looking up at him tiredly. "Let's just go home, okay?"

He nods, and after turning off the lights and locking the doors, you make the short walk to his car. It's still warm inside, and it's such a relief to sit down after hours on your feet. You let your head rest back against the seat and look up at your boyfriend as he puts the key in the ignition.

"Thank you," you say tiredly.

As he looks over at you, he grabs something from the mirror and holds it out to you. Taking it from him, you look down to inspect what you've been given—his car air freshener. "You're welcome."

Taehyun

Taehyun couldn't hide his smile as he opened the door, until he got a whiff of something he didn't like. "Hey," he said, trying to act casual despite his senses waving tiny red flags at him. Yet, before he could stop himself, he was asking, "Where have you been?"

He watched as you took off your shoes, a hard task with your hands occupied with the pile of books and stationary you'd brought for studying, and usually Taehyun would be a gentleman and take them for you, but right now his mind was distracted.

"I stopped at my boyfriend's place. I'm sorry, am I late?"

Your boyfriend. He hadn't known you had a boyfriend... had he? He tried to rack brain, think of who you hung out with at school as he lead you into the house. "Oh... no, uhm..."

You walked across him to put your stuff down at the table and he got a stronger smell of the scent that hovered around you. Your boyfriend was definitely not completely human. He wondered if you knew. He wondered if he could compose himself enough to study with this smell hanging around.

"Let's get started," you were saying as you took a seat.

Taehyun tried to ignore his thoughts as he sat with you, listening to you talk about the assignment and dividing tasks. He did his best to focus on the words you were saying, your voice, your eyes, anything he could hold onto. But his instincts were strong. He stood up suddenly, your eyes following him, mouth forming a question. "Would you like anything? To eat or drink?"

Your expression cleared of confusion. "Sure, water would be nice."

Thankful to busy himself and get a break, he walked over to the kitchen and filled one glass, then another, breathing deeply all the while to try to calm his system. As he returned to the table, you were coming back from the front hall, suddenly without your jacket on. You reached out and took one of the glasses from him and sat down once more. He noticed that most of the scent was gone; he could bear being so close to you now.

"I really like that jacket you were wearing," he commented nonchalantly between discussions of school work.

You looked up from your notes with a smile. "Oh yeah? Me too. It's my boyfriend's, I'm always stealing it when I can."

He nodded, trying to keep the small smile from fading. It's okay, I'm okay, his mind was trying to console him. It probably wouldn't work out between the two of you anyway... right?

Huening Kai

He found you on the couch, laying on your side, tucked into a ball. “Hi hun,” he spoke softly, knowing this habit of yours meant something was up. He wasn’t going to bring up the scent he had picked up before he’d even opened the front door just yet.

You peeked up at him and he could tell you were exhausted. “Hi." His smile and his eyes were so warm that you immediately blurted out what was wrong without him needing to ask. "I went to a party.”

“Oh?" Your voice was so small and meak it tugged at Kai’s heart. "A party?”

“I didn’t want to go but my friends… they dragged me there, and I… I’m pretty sure everyone there was…” You pressed your lips together.

“Stinky,” he finished for you with a playful scrunch of his nose.

Nodding, you uncurled yourself to make room for your boyfriend on the couch. He sat and reached for your hand, holding it inside his big, warm one. His hands were always warm. He was always warm. It was one of your favourite things.

“It was kinda scary,” you admitted. At this, he tugged your hand towards him, a sign for you to come closer, and soon you were tucked into his lap.

"I know," he said softly, rubbing his hands up and down your arms soothingly. "I know it's still all new to you."

Humming in agreement, you allowed your head to fall into the crook of his neck. This was the place you felt safest in the whole world, even before you knew that the world was not as you had always thought.

Kai's voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating through you as he spoke. "Maybe a bath might help you relax."

You looked up at him, and he brought his face down to rub his nose against yours, his trademark show of affection with you. "Do I really smell that bad?"

The boy couldn't hide his smirk. "Just a little."

written by mapofthemazeinthemirror - do not repost my work in any form

[faithst]

unspoken confessions

⊹˚.♡ syn gyuvin, secretly in love with his affectionate childhood friend, is tormented by his feelings. when an unexpected conversation forces him to confess, he fears it will shatter their bond.

⊹˚.♡ genre gyuvin x gn!reader, fluff, childhood friends to lovers, highschool setting, gyuvin has a big fat crush on reader (ft. ricky)

⊹˚.♡ wc 0.8k

masterlist

Gyuvin was dizzy, his head spinning with thoughts of you. Anyone could see the massive imaginary arrow Cupid had struck through his heart. Anyone and everyone, except you, of course! He was definitely guilty of wanting a childhood friends-to-lovers trope to happen, but he was also afraid of ruining the friendship.

Despite trying to shove these feelings to the back of his heart, he couldn't help but giggle at the sight of your charming smile—he swore he could see sparkles emit from you every time you smiled at him. He couldn't help the pink hue that coloured his cheeks and ears whenever he thought about you, or the way your words went in one ear and out the other because he was too focused on you.

Gyuvin tried really hard to push these growing feelings away every year, but you were a problem. He thought you were joking—"They’re just a really affectionate person!" he would say to everyone who questioned your relationship. From the random finger-holding that turned into fully interlocked hands because your hands were "cold," to the soft, warm hugs followed by "You’re the best!" after he agreed to one of your little dumb ideas. And lastly, the so-called platonic cheek kisses every time Gyuvin walks you to your classroom or home—he’d have those moments recorded and looping in his brain for hours on end.

"Gyuvin..? Gyuvin!" His imagination was cut short by Ricky, who was currently trying to explain a topic. "What are you thinking about—no, don’t tell me." Gyuvin smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Why don’t you say something to them?" Ricky asked, noticing the blood rushing to Gyuvin's cheeks. "That just won’t do," Gyuvin sighed. "How come?" Ricky paused his writing to glance up. "Risky," Gyuvin simply answered, leaning back in his chair and puffing up his cheeks. He knew that dissatisfied look on Ricky’s face too well.

Gyuvin stood up and began pacing back and forth, making all sorts of facial expressions that showed he was deep in thought. "There’s absolutely no way they like me in that way," he finally spouted out, making Ricky snicker.

"Riiight..." Ricky dragged the word out. "The hand-holding and ‘platonic’ kisses don’t mean anything?"

"Their hand gets cold easily and it’s a form of gratitude!" Gyuvin remarked, still pacing around the empty classroom. "Everything about them might be too much for me," he confessed. Ricky was confused, question marks practically appearing over his head as Gyuvin noticed.

"I think I’ll get severe heart palpitations from them... Their hands are so soft, there’s not a callus in sight. I want to melt into their arms and become a puddle forever. And their lips..." He now pressed his back against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, hands covering his face. "I’m so done for."

Luckily for him, you walked in at that exact moment, confused to see him on the floor all stressed out. "Gyuvin? What happened?" you asked, eyebrow raised.

Gyuvin immediately stood up and smiled, as if nothing had happened. "Oh, it’s nothing! Let’s go," he assured, awkwardly smiling to hide the side-glare he shot at Ricky. You weren’t convinced, but you ignored it, linking your arm with his, making his heartbeat quicken.

As you both walked home, random topics flew out of your mouths: school, friends, food. Quite literally anything. "Some of my friends asked if we were dating," you spoke up, smiling at the thought, which made Gyuvin stop in his tracks. "I said no, and they said that we should." There was a small pink hue on your cheeks that anyone else would’ve noticed, but Gyuvin was stuck in his own mind, trying to find the right words.

"Your friends are right," he spouted out, clearly not having thought it through. Now, you were the one stuck; did you hear it right?

Gyuvin realized what he said. "I—I mean, maybe we should..." His face turned bright red as his hands moved frantically, fiddling with his fingers. "Or maybe we shouldn’t, who knows!" he awkwardly laughed, continuing to walk ahead of you, with you still frozen in place. He was mentally preparing himself for how he’d 'ruined' the friendship and couldn’t wait to go home and drown in his own pool of embarrassment.

"We should," you spoke out, walking to match his pace.

Gyuvin didn’t hear you properly. "Yeah, it’s a bad idea rig—huh?" He realised what you said. You giggled, intertwining your fingers with his. This time, it felt different—foreign and tingly. Gyuvin’s heart raced as he looked at you, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Really?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Really," you confirmed, squeezing his hand gently.

Gyuvin’s smile grew wider, and he pulled you into a hug, holding you close. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in that perfect moment. He had you, and that was all he needed.

@ faithst 24’

[scoonsalicious]

Chapter 6, Unattached - Pt. 1

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: When your FWB relationship with your best friend Bucky Barnes turns into something more, you couldn’t be happier. That is, however, until a new Avenger sets her sights on your super soldier and he inadvertently breaks your heart. You take on a mission you might not be prepared for to put some distance between the two of you and open yourself up to past traumas. Too bad the only one who can help you heal is the one person you can no longer trust.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, angst (Bring on the Pain!), alcohol usage, dumbass Bucky, noncon kissing that becomes con kissing, so..., arguing, jealous!Pocket, posessive!Bucky.

Word Count: 5.4k

Previously On...: After Bucky left you alone in your room, not wanting people to get 'the wrong idea' about the two of you, you came to the horrible conclusion that you were in love with your best friend. What the hell are you going to do about that?

A/N: Wow, okay! So, first off, Chapter 6 is long, and it only has the one part, so don't worry if you go looking for more and the next thing you find is Chapter 7! Second, there's a lot of progress and updates on Unwanted I wanted to share! I am already well into writing Chapter 14, and have planned out the rest of the story. We'll have a total of 25 chapters, plus an epilogue (unless something strikes me creatively that throws the entire thing for a loop, then all bets are off). This beast, as it currently sits, is already 208 Google Docs pages long and just shy of 80k words, so final product is probably going to be novel-length, which just blows my mind. I want to give a special shout out to @mrsbuckybarnes1917 for being my beta and my sounding board; your help and support has been immeasurable!

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

Banner By: The absolutely amazing @mrsbuckybarnes1917

Taglist: (Please let me know if you’d like to be added!) @jmeelee @cazellen @blackhawkfanatic @les-sel @marcswife21 @buckybarnessimpp @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @erelierraceala @hayjat @capswife @itsteambarnes @jupiter-107 @marygoddessofmischief

You stood in front of the doors to the common room, the low thrum of conversation and music filtering out from inside. Taking a deep breath, you tried for the umpteenth time to calm your nerves following your unsettling realization.

You had no idea how to approach this, how to approach Bucky. Do you tell him how you felt, in the hope that he felt the same way? But what if he didn't? Could you risk losing him all together? Or do you just keep on like nothing's changed, happy with what you have together? Would that be enough for you? Could you even be happy in a real relationship?

Why couldn't your mother have just been a decent human being and let you go to school like a normal child so you could have worked through all your awkward issues at the appropriate time, instead of saddling you with years of trauma and isolation that left you an emotionally stunted adult? God, you needed a strong drink and to talk to Nat, preferably in that order. Pushing open the common room door, you stepped inside, surveying the room with one eye out for Bucky, the other out for your friend.

It should have been of no surprise, then, that instead of either, you first spotted Jade Carthage. She was situated on a couch in the center of the room, like a queen on her throne before her court, and nearly every Avenger and agent with a penis was surrounding her, jockeying for her attention, even Clint who, you knew for a fact, loved his wife Laura more than life itself.

Your stomach dropped when, after one of the agents in front of the couch shifted slightly, you saw Bucky sitting immediately to Jade's left. And while it seemed like everyone else was clamoring for Jade to pay attention to them, she only had eyes for him. Jealousy coursed through you as she leaned in close, whispering something into his ear that had him throwing his head back in laughter. It was an entirely unpleasant sensation that you would be happy to never feel again. Especially because you knew you had no real right to feel it in the first place. You may have just realized you were in love with him, but he had made no similar declaration to you.

"Careful, you glare any harder, you're liable to bore a hole straight through him," Natasha said, coming up alongside of you.

"What if I aim for her, instead?" you asked, reaching for the tumbler of alcohol she offered you and taking a sip to distract yourself. It was like she could read your mind.

Nat shrugged. "So long as I'm not the one cleaning up the mess, I say have fun. But what happened to no-strings-attached, friends who happen to fuck?" Nat asked with a smirk. "Don't tell me you've grown strings, Pocket."

You looked away from the scene in front of you. "There might be some growing of string, in theory," you mumbled to her. Nat was the only person you had confided in regarding your arrangement with Bucky. Of course, your friend had been thrilled that there had been something going on between the two of you, but she'd been more concerned about protecting your heart-- was this the safest thing for you to do? You assured her at the time you'd be fine, but now...?

Nat's eyes widened as a grin took over her face. "Honey, that's fantastic!" She leaned in to give you a hug. "I'm so happy for you!" Taking in your forlorn expression, she quickly lost her good humor. "Why do you look like you're about to throw up?"

You cast another glance over at the couch. Jade was tracing her fingers along the golden veins of Bucky's vibranium arm and you felt like snakes were crawling through your stomach. "Because I don't know what the fuck to do about it, Natty," you told her with a sigh. "I've never felt like this before in my entire life and it's fucking terrifying; what if he doesn't feel the same way? Or worse, what if he does and I mess everything up because I'm so fucking damaged inside?"

Natasha looped her arm through yours, leaning into you. "Honey, first of all, you are not damaged. You've been through hell and it left its mark on you, that's true, but you've been so strong. We're House Martell, remember?"

You sniggered, remembering how, when the entire Tower was obsessed with watching Game of Thrones together and picking what houses you'd each belong to, you and Nat had been drawn to the words of the ruling house of Dorne. And also, Pedro Pascal, obviously.

"Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," you recited from memory, a reminder that despite the obstacles life had thrown at you, you remained standing, stronger for what you had endured.

"Atta girl," Nat nudged you with her elbow. "And second of all, you don't need to worry about Bucky's feelings. Boy's obviously mad for you. Everyone can see it."

You drew your bottom lip in between your teeth. "I don't know, Nat. He's been acting strange lately. I tried to give him head earlier and he flat out rejected it." Come to think of it, that was exceptionally weird since, in your text exchange, he'd explicitly told you he'd been waiting in your room specifically for the purpose of getting off.

"Huh. That's... not like him." Nat tilted her head and looked over at Bucky, expression curious. "Did he say why?"

"He was real eager to come up here and get in the middle of that, apparently." You waved a hand in the general direction of the couch where Jade's little reverse-harem was still going strong. "I was getting on my knees and everything."

Nat raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"And then he made a really big deal about us coming up here separately. Said he didn't want people getting 'the wrong idea' about us if we arrived together."

Letting go of your arm, Natasha spun to face you, her face a mask of anger. "He said what now?!" she practically shouted, temporarily drawing everyone's attention to you. You looked around sheepishly as you tried to dismiss their stares.

"Nat," you begged in a whisper, "keep it down."

"Okay, okay, sorry." Natasha lowered her voice to a level only you could hear. "I'm sorry, but that's just complete and utter bullshit. Look, I know you guys think you've been in super secret stealth mode about hiding it, but pretty much everyone on the team knows you've been sleeping together. Hell, most of us placed bets on it." You opened your mouth in order to protest but she cut you off.

"If anything, it's weirder if the two of you don't show up to something together, so I don't know what the hell he's thinking."

"I do," you said morosely. "He doesn't want her getting the wrong idea about us."

"Pocket, don't even let your mind go there," Nat said.

"Think about it, Nat; I've been standing here for what, fifteen minutes now? And he hasn't even looked at me. When's the last time that happened?"

Nat's brows creased, her expression clouding over into something immensely sad for you, and you knew she was realizing what you'd already seen. In the last year, you and Bucky had been attached at the hip, nearly physically joined to one another, and if you were apart, your eyes were always scanning the room in search of the other's presence, seeking them out. The fact that he hadn't even looked for you, let alone come to you since you walked in, was telling in its own heartbreaking way.

Nat let out a heavy sigh. "Oh Pocket. Honey, I'm so sorry."

You shook your head, trying to dispel the tears that were threatening to fall from your eyes if you kept down this path. "Don't Natty, please. I can't fall apart, not here."

"Yeah, okay-- you're right. Now is not the time. Come on." Linking her arm through yours once again, she directed you toward the bar where Tony was standing, whiskey in hand. "If anyone can talk you to distraction," she murmured as you approached him, "it's Stark."

You let out a startled laugh and let her guide you toward the man who had already saved you more times than you could count.

"Hey, kiddo; Romanoff." Tony saluted you with his glass and you did your best to smile back at him as you stuffed your emotions down as far as they would go. "What do you think of our new recruit?" he asked Nat.

"I think 'Weasel' would be a better fitting code name for her than 'Vixen,'" Nat replied with a sly smile as she took a sip of wine.

"Ah, saw the security feed, did you?" Tony asked her. Nat nodded.

"Watched it live as it happened. Wasn't going to leave my bestie without eyes on her six." She gave your arm an affectionate squeeze.

Tony hummed and glanced over to the couch. "Wish Cap had been as discerning as you. He refused to watch the feed; said it made him uncomfortable to spy on someone when they didn't know they were being recorded." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Always the fucking Boy Scout," she murmured.

"So, how did the interview itself go?" you asked Tony, not really sure you wanted to know the answer, but feeling the need to punish yourself with the details, anyway.

Tony leaned back against the bar, resting his elbows on the polished wooden surface. "If it were up to me, we wouldn't even be playing this charade right now," he said, motioning with his chin to indicate the meet and greet. "Girl's a first-class bullshitter."

"Talent recognizing talent?" you asked with a wry smile that almost felt genuine.

He pointed a finger and winked at you. "Exactly. She talked a good talk, but it doesn't take much to see she's suffering from Big Fish, Small Pond Syndrome. She's in for a rude awakening if she thinks she's ready to swim in the ocean with the whales and the sharks."

"So, you're not going to offer her the probationary position?" you asked, hope rising pathetically in your chest. As if you could un-ring the bell.

"Oh, I didn't say that," Tony said as you deflated. "It's not all up to me. Though, given the fact that I personally fund this entire operation, you'd think it really should be, right?" At the look on your face he moved on. "Apologies, I digress. Anyway, Cap thinks it's only fair we offer it to her, seeing as how we don't have a ton of other options knocking on our door, and Fury's not going to get off my ass until we find someone." He sighed. "I think this entire exercise is a waste of time, and we should be kicking her out on her ass for how she treated you earlier, Pocket, but I'm outvoted."

"Thanks, Boss," you said softly, grateful at least that Tony could see through Jade's facade and took how she treated you seriously. Too bad your best friend couldn't offer you the same courtesy.

The timer on Tony's watch went off. "And that's the dinner bell," he said, putting down his glass. Clapping his hands, he called out to the rest of the room. "Attention Avengers, SHIELD Agents, and... whoever else managed to sneak in off the street! Dinner is served, so if we could all head to the dining room before the food gets cold and Raul quits on me, I'd appreciate it very much."

You held back as the crowd of people noisily moved to the dining room, hoping to catch Bucky's eye, but he remained steadfastly absorbed in his conversation with Jade.

"Come on, honey," Nat said as she took your elbow. "You can talk to him during dinner. You nodded and allowed her to lead you into the dining room. You and Bucky had sat next to one another, without fail, for every meal for the last year, the only exception being when one of you was away on a mission. You'd have plenty of opportunities to talk to him while you ate.

Normally, you all ate at one large table, but since this was a special occasion that required the attendance of a lot more than just the regular 13 members of your family (14, if Parker was around), Tony had the dining room arranged more like a restaurant, with a series of smaller tables spread out throughout the space.

You and Nat followed Bucky and Jade to a six-top where Steve and Sam were already getting ready to sit down, but you froze in your tracks when Bucky pulled back a chair for Jade, pushing it in behind her as she sat down before taking the seat next to her.

The air seemed to grow heavy, as though it weighed too much for you to draw it into your lungs and your chest began to hurt. How could such a simple action be causing you so much physical pain?

Steve, who had already been sitting at Bucky's other side at the head of the table, caught your eye and moved to get up to offer you his chair, instead, as though that could make up for Bucky's dismissal of you.

You subtly shook your head, not wanting to draw attention to the awkward situation you found yourself in. Instead, you made your way over to the only two remaining seats at the table: the one next to Sam that was directly across from Jade and Bucky or the one next to Jade at the opposite end of the table from Steve. Deciding it was better to be sitting across from Steve than either of the other two, you opted for the chair at the end, and Nat slid in next to Sam.

You cast a quick glance in Jade's direction and had to stifle a sick laugh-- she was physically coming between you and Bucky, quite literally.

Jade reached a hand out to Nat across the table. "Wow! Black Widow! It is so great to meet you! My name's Vixen; I'm a huge fan! I'm so excited for us to be working together!"

Bless Nat, she just stared at the girl with arms crossed across her chest, impassive and judging, until Jade slowly and awkwardly pulled her hand back.

"I take it, then, that you've deemed the Avengers good enough to be your backup team?" Nat asked without expression.

You did your best to cover the laughter that escaped from you with a fake cough, but you didn't try very hard to be convincing.

"What's this about, now?" Steve asked, leaning forward.

"Little Vixen over here," Nat began, leaning back in her chair until she was perched on the two rear legs, "was live-streaming this morning to her social media followers. Told them it wasn't so much that the Avengers were interviewing her to see if she'd be good for the team, but she was interviewing us to see if we'd be good back up for her."

Jade had the decency to look embarrassed for a moment before she turned to face you for the first time, anger taking over her features. "So, what? Didn't much take you for a tattler. You that intimidated by me?"

You opened your mouth to defend yourself but were interrupted by the sound of the legs of Nat's chair slamming back against the floor. "Pocket didn't tell me shit. I heard it straight from your mouth on the security feed. That and a lot of other interesting things."

"You're spying on her, Nat? Really?" Bucky spoke up. "She's our guest and she deserves a modicum of privacy, don't you think?" You stared at him, open mouthed, but he didn't spare you a glance.

"It was a part of her interview, Barnes," Nat spat. "Maybe if you---"

"Okay, Nat, Bucky," Steve said, using his official Captain America voice, "let's table this conversation for later and just enjoy our meal. Raul worked really hard on tonight's menu, so let's not spoil it for him, alright?"

Both Nat and Bucky grumbled their agreement as the catering staff brought out the first course and placed them on each of your plates. Normally, you loved when Raul, Tony's personal chef, cooked meals for the team; he always made sure to throw in something with lemon in it, knowing how much you loved the flavor; but tonight, your appetite was failing you and you ended up pushing more food around on your plate than you put in your mouth.

You couldn't help but steal glances over at Bucky, who continued to be wrapped in conversation with Jade. You tried to keep up with what the others were saying, occasionally nodding your head in agreement to something, but you weren't able to pay any real attention; your mind was elsewhere until you noticed Jade looking at you.

"You know, I have to say I'm surprised to see so many non-Avengers here. I got the impression that this group was... I dunno, elite? But it seems like you just let anyone in."

Steve laughed from the other end of the table. "Being an Avenger is a team effort, Vixen. Everyone plays their part. And besides, Pocket here's just as much an Avenger as I am." The comment took you by surprise, and you gave Steve a warm, appreciative smile.

"Thanks, Cap," you said, truly touched by his words.

"Well, she's more like Avenger-adjacent," Bucky amended, and all the warmth you'd felt at Steve's compliment vanished in an instant, leaving you feeling cold and hollow. The words shouldn't have stung-- it was how you had referred to yourself hundreds of times, but you tended to reserve it for your low moments, when you were feeling unequal to Earth's mightiest heroes. Hearing the words come out of Bucky's mouth, as if he, too, shared in your belief that you were inferior to the rest of them... well, that fucking hurt.

Steve let out a surprised laugh and clapped Bucky on the shoulder. "Pocket may not have enhanced physical abilities or powers or what have you, but she's got a brilliant mind. She's got a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Computation from MIT, three Master's degrees, she speaks seven languages, she's got a black belt in Krav Maga, and she was the youngest Chief Technology Officer in Stark Industries history; all without ever having formally graduating high school. It's no exaggeration for me to say that I'd be dead a couple of dozen times over if I hadn't had her at my six. If anything, I think it makes her even more important than the rest of us. We're here because of the physical things we can do– primarily because of things that happened to us by accident; Pocket's essential to the team because of how she thinks, and the strength and quality of the work she’s willing to put in. We're replaceable, Pocket's one-of-a-kind."

You looked at Steve as if seeing him for the very first time. You had no idea he thought so highly of you, and his praise warmed you. You offered him a soft smile, your throat tightening with emotion and leaving you unable to express your gratitude. You mouthed a silent thank you instead, hoping that conveyed how much his words meant to you. He winked back at you in acknowledgement.

Bucky glanced back and forth between the two of you, as if analyzing your silent exchange. He coughed awkwardly. "I just meant that we try to keep Pocket away from the really dangerous stuff," he backpedaled, poorly, in your opinion. "Can't risk her getting hurt." He smiled at you, but you just stared back, expression blank, until he looked away in embarrassment. Good. Let him feel an ounce of the discomfort you’d been feeling this entire time.

Small talk resumed around the table, with Sam telling Steve about some new modification he was making to Redwing, and Bucky and Jade back to being locked in their own bubble. You did your best to ignore the little glances and gestures that Jade directed to Bucky, but it felt like your eyes were drawn to them like a magnet every time she touched him. Which seemed to be happening more and more frequently. You couldn't help but notice the way he leaned toward her when she spoke. Did he ever do that when he was talking with you?

"So, Bucky," Jade said eventually, her voice low and flirty as the caterers took away the main course, "handsome super hero like you, you seeing anyone?" Your eyes snapped up to Bucky's face, watching him. Surely he was going to look to you, make eye contact, something to acknowledge what was between you, to make you feel like you were in the same room, hell, on the same fucking planet as him. But he didn't.

"Nope," he said, running his hand over the back of his neck like he always did when he was feeling self conscious or nervous. "Not seeing anyone, though I'm not opposed to the idea." You had been stabbed in the abdomen on a mission once, and that had hurt less than hearing the words that had just come out of Bucky's mouth. It took everything in you to resist getting up from the table and leaving the room at that moment.

"Really, man?" Sam asked from where he sat on the other side of Natasha, his voice hard in disbelief. The atmosphere at your table had shifted. Natasha, Steve, and Sam all stared at Bucky with looks ranging from incredulity to flat out disgust. Bucky either was oblivious to the stares or was doing a great job patently ignoring them.

You couldn't even bring yourself to look at him anymore. It felt like a betrayal, the way his eyes had met Jade's and not yours. How could he sit there and just completely deny you like that? Had you been deluding yourself? Had you just been some kind of fuck toy this entire time?

The caterers brought the next course, a cold raspberry soup. You sat there, staring into space as you mechanically spooned the soup into your mouth, trying your hardest to appreciate the taste, but everything seemed bitter in light of Bucky's attitude, actions, and words.

"Could you hand me the water carafe?" Bucky asked. You looked up to watch Jade hand him the bottle of water. "Thanks, doll," he said, smiling at her.

You dropped your spoon, letting it fall into your nearly empty bowl with a reverberating clang. Your companions at the table stared, eyes wide as their gazes traveled between you and Bucky. In his entire time at the tower, he had never once called another woman 'doll.' It was a moniker he'd specifically reserved for you.

Or, it used to be.

You could tell the exact moment when Bucky realized he'd fucked up. His eyes locked on yours, the color draining from his face. He opened his mouth as if he was going to speak to you, but you'd had enough. Without a word, you pushed back your chair with enough force that it practically tipped over and exited the dining room.

You made it all the way to the elevator before you heard him calling for you.

"Doll! Doll, where are you?" You stabbed repeatedly at the call button, as if it would bring the car to you faster. You could hear his footsteps drawing closer, and you really didn't want to talk to him right now.

Finally, the elevator doors opened and you slid inside, turning to press the 'Close Door' button just as you saw Bucky turn the corner to the elevator bay. You were ready to breathe a sigh of relief at evading him until Bucky's metal hand shot in the diminishing space between the closing doors. You were trapped.

"Doll, didn't you hear me callin' to you?" he asked as he slid into the car with you.

You looked around, as if searching for another person in the car. "I'm sorry, were you talking to me? Should probably be more specific with your pet names, then. A girl’s liable to get confused." You were impressed that the words came out as hard and bitter as you felt inside.

Bucky flinched. "I deserved that."

You leaned forward to press the button for your floor before crossing your arms and glaring at him. "You fucking think?"

"Look, it just slipped out, okay? I didn't mean anything by it. It's not a big thing you needed to storm out over." You rolled your eyes at him, disgusted that that was the only thing he seemed to realize he'd done to offend you all evening. "Pocket, can we just talk about this?"

"Oh, now you want to talk to me?" you asked, jutting out your hip in annoyance. "Seemed like earlier today, you couldn't wait to not be seen with me, or do you no longer care if people get the wrong idea?"

"Alright," Bucky said, slamming his fist against the elevator's emergency stop button. You stumbled as the car came to a grinding halt. Bucky tried to put his hands on you to steady you, but you pushed him away. "What is going on with you today, Pocket?"

"What's going on with me?" you asked him, incredulous. "What's going on with you? You've been an ass to me all night, that is when you weren't acting like I didn't exist."

"How am I being an ass?" he asked, voice rising. "You're the one who couldn't even hold a civil conversation with our guest! It was embarrassing!" You recoiled as if he'd slapped you, backing away from him until your back hit the elevator wall.

"Wow. Okay then." You blinked heavily, telling yourself not to cry. You'd be damned if you showed weakness in front of him now. Bury the emotions, encase them in ice. "Sorry I'm such a fucking embarrassment to you, Sergeant Barnes. Now that I know how you feel, I'll make sure to stay out of your way so you don't have to put up with me." You moved to press the button to restart the elevator, but Bucky grabbed your wrist.

"Don't do this," he growled at you. "Don't hide behind snappy quips so you can shut down and avoid having a real conversation with me." You stared between his eyes and where he held your wrist in his metal grip. It wasn't tight enough to hurt, but it was tight enough to keep you from breaking free.

His gaze softened as he watched you. "I never said I was embarrassed of you, Pocket. I just don't know why you had to be so rude to Jade at dinner tonight."

"Name one thing I did that was rude to her," you challenged.

"Okay," Bucky stuck out a finger as though he were about to count off all your grievous errors. "Let's see... You said... No, that was Nat... You were... okay, Steve said that... You said... No, that was Nat again." He looked up at you sheepishly. "So, maybe you actually didn't say anything during dinner, but not talking to her was still rude."

You scoffed. "You want to talk rude and embarrassing, Bucky? Do you know how embarrassing it was to have everyone staring at me when you pulled out my chair for Jade, or when my own best friend didn't defend me when she had the audacity to call me a fucking tattler? Like I’m some kind of fucking child?" Your voice was rising and you could feel yourself getting swept up in your anger. "How about the pity looks I got when everyone heard you lie about not seeing anyone, or when you called her 'doll'? Or when you told her I was 'Avengers-adjacent'? You think I'm the embarrassing one? You made me feel like an insignificant piece of shit tonight, Barnes. God, if it hadn't been for Steve saying what he said, you would have driven me to tears."

Bucky had been staring down at his boots as you'd been speaking, as though your accusations were too much for him to face head-on, but at the mention of Steve's name, his head snapped up, blue eyes like ice on your face. "Well, if Steve's such a hero, why aren't you fucking him, then?" he asked, voice clipped and bitter.

You yanked your wrist free from his grasp. "Maybe I should start!" you shouted. "At least he's not embarrassed of me and doesn't forget I exist when another pair of tits shows up!"

Bucky's gaze darkened and in an instant, he was on you, caging your body against the elevator wall, a hand on either side of your head. "Don't you even fucking joke about that," he snarled.

You jutted out your chin, refusing to show any sign of weakness, though his actions were beginning to frighten you. "Who says I'm joking? Sounds like a good idea to me; thanks for suggesting it." You moved to duck under his arm, but he grabbed you by the shoulders, pinning you in place.

His breaths were coming hard and fast now, as though he'd just run a marathon. His gaze darted between your eyes and your lips, as though trying to make up his mind about something. In the next instant, his mouth was crashing down on yours, his tongue demanding entry.

You gasped at the sudden intrusion and Bucky took that as his invitation, deepening the kiss with a primal fervor. His hands gripped your waist, pulling you into him. For a moment, you were stunned, unsure of what was happening. But then instincts took over – he was kissing you, really kissing you. Your stomach fluttered and your heart hammered in your chest.

One of your hands ran through his hair, while the other gripped his shoulder for support. His hands had somehow migrated beneath your shirt, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into the bare skin at your sides. You returned his kiss with as much intensity as he gave. But then suddenly, as if waking from a dream, you remembered why you were angry with him. You pushed against his chest, breaking the kiss.

You were both panting, and despite your attempt to put distance between your bodies, Bucky leaned down, resting his forehead against yours as he fought to catch his breath. "Don't," he whispered hoarsely, his voice heavy with an emotion you couldn't quite place. "Don't sleep with Steve."

"You realize how incredibly infuriating you're being right now, don't you?" you asked. "You can't just treat me like that, ignore me all night in favor of someone else, then kiss me and try to tell me who I can or can't sleep with."

"I know, Sweetheart," he said, nuzzling your nose with his, "I know and I'm sorry, but please, promise me: no matter how angry you are with me, don't sleep with Steve. You wanna fuck someone else to piss me off? Go fuck Sam, Thor, Rhodes, hell, even Parker. I'll hate it, but if it's Steve, it'll fucking kill me."

"Your signals are all over the place tonight, Buck," you sighed, letting out an involuntary moan as his lips found the sweet spot on your neck and sucked at your skin. You had to pull away before he turned you into a babbling mess. "If you think you can just kiss me into oblivion and I'll forgive you for everything you've said and done tonight, you better think again, because that's not happening."

Bucky ran both his hands through his hair, sending it pointing every which way. Then he pressed the emergency stop button again, letting the elevator resume its journey. "I know I owe you an explanation, Pocket," he said. "So, can we go to your room and talk? No interruptions, no one else, just you and me, okay?"

You studied him, considering. A part of you was still so angry at him that you didn't want to hear him out, but the part of you that loved him hated the idea of leaving things in a bad place. In your line of work, you never knew when your next goodbye might be your last goodbye.

"Fine," you said, dropping your shoulders with a sigh. "We can talk, I'll hear you out, but I'm not promising forgiveness."

He smiled, his eyes bright once again. "That's all I ask, Sweets. That's all I ask."

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