#and next episode is probably one to catch live to be a part of that frenzy

[unloneliest]

i watch 9-1-1 exclusively through tumblr gifs and ramblings lmao and i'm very invested in the buddie of it all. do you think that's actually where the show is headed? i might watch for real if that's the case.

hi tj ily i hope life is treating you kindly!!!!! 100% yes i think that's where the show is headed. like. you know how it feels to have been right about dan and phil and gay cas. this is the same feeling.

i only started paying attention last fall because of friends who were into it so i can't speak on it the way i can dnp but people who can are saying things like this. and that was posted before last night's episode, which. the show is literally going all in on them. it is actively happening. that episode literally note for note hit things that've only been present in fics.

not only is it where the show is headed. it's um. where it's been headed since they gave buck a boyfriend who wasn't eddie as a plot device last season. and it's been a textual and probable possibility to the general audience since episode 11 of this season. it's not like. about to happen. it is already starting to happen.

[sleepyhoon]

THREE WEEKS & THREE DAYS - P.SH

pairing. best friend's ex!sunghoon x reader

genre. best friend's ex au, halloween au, smut, angst (if you squint).

word count. 12.2k+

warnings. alcohol consumption, drug usage, partying, driving under the influence, toxic relationships, themes of divorce, brief mention of physical abuse, smut [car sex, use of handcuffs, oral, praise kink/dirty talk, creampie]

summary. a stressful night at a Halloween party has you seeking comfort from the last person you should be involved with — your best friend's ex.

a/n. HIGHLY HIGHLY inspired by season 2 episode 1 of euphoria! this is a work of pure fiction and is NOT a reflection of how i view the members. despite writing this story, i DO NOT condone the dangerous choices the characters in this fic make and DO NOT encourage others to do so! read at your own discretion.  also, very special thanks to @zreamy for beta-reading this for me!!

When you were six, you spent Halloween night lying on a hospital bed dressed as Hannah Montana.

Everything happened so fast; one moment, you were trick-or-treating with your father and younger sister while scarfing down a Snickers bar for the first time (a king-sized one at that), and the next, your dad was rushing you to the hospital in a panic, tears in his eyes as he encouraged you to stay awake in the backseat.

By the time you’d arrived at the hospital, your body had gone completely limp, and your father struggled to carry both you and your younger sister into the hospital lobby. From what you can remember, it was like a scene from a movie: seeing your dad cry for the first time, being wheeled into an unfamiliar bright room on a mobile bed, all while dressed as your favorite popstar.

The scariest part of the night was shortly after arriving at the hospital and catching a glimpse of your reflection, not recognizing the person staring back at you. The blonde wig and blue eye contacts were to be expected, but the swollen face and half-lidded eyes were another. Had you been able to breathe (let alone talk), you likely would’ve given your sister a classic Halloween jumpscare.

Your mother had arrived only a few minutes after you did, yelling at your father loud enough to have the hospital staff threaten to kick her out. “You forgot she was allergic to peanuts?! Where was her fucking EpiPen?!”

Your dad sighed, running a hand across his face, “I forgot to pick it up. I’ve been busy with…you know.”

She scoffs, “You don’t think I’ve been busy too?! Especially now that we have to meet with the divorce lawyer once a week?!”

Your ears perk up at that, “Divorce?”

You hadn’t known much about the true meaning of divorce, except that it’s something your friend’s parents had gone through, and now he gets two of everything. Two birthdays, two Christmases, two lives. So simple yet so perfect, what child wouldn’t dream of that?

Your parents, who hadn’t even known you were awake, silence themselves immediately. Tears quickly form in your mother’s eyes as she realizes they’d been caught, trying their best to keep the news of their divorce as quiet as possible, waiting for the right moment to explain to you and your sister, Yuna, the real meaning of it, and how different your lives would be.

It dawns on them that there’s no point trying to keep this secret any longer. You were a smart kid, it was probably only a matter of time before you found out on your own, anyway. 

All in one night, you managed to survive a near-death experience, only to be followed by the news of your parents’ divorce. And somehow, at twenty-three years old, watching Lee Heeseung flirt with random girls at a Halloween party is much worse than everything you experienced that cursed night in 2007.

“Can you at least pretend that you’re having a good time?!” You can barely hear Minjeong over how loud the music is, her words fading in and out as you take a sip from your cup.

“I am having a good time, isn’t it obvious?” you reply, showing Minjeong your best fake smile.

Grinning, Minjeong shakes her head at you. “Not at all. Here, need a refill?”

Without waiting for your response, Minjeong hops off the kitchen counter and snatches the red solo cup in your hand. You don’t bother protesting, sighing as you rest your weight against the marble countertop, while she adds a mix of different ingredients to your cup.

When she’s not looking, you tilt your head in the direction of the living room, hoping to get a glance at Heeseung through the sea of drunken college students.

The only word that can be used to describe your relationship with Heeseung is ‘unfortunate’. You were together for six months, and spent most of the time fighting, making up, and having sex. It was a relentless, tiresome cycle you allowed yourself to succumb to just for the sake of not having to be alone.

Most of the arguments would start with you questioning Heeseung’s loyalty, growing suspicious upon seeing his username pop up in the likes section of random girls on social media. In hindsight, it seems like a silly thing to get upset over. The entire purpose of social media was to connect and interact with others anyway, but, why was it always girls? And why would these girls suddenly start watching your stories?

Breaking up with him was harder than you could’ve imagined, and you’re sure you wouldn’t have been able to do it without Minjeong by your side, encouraging you through the entire process. 

The aftermath was embarrassingly excruciating. For two weeks, you locked yourself in your bedroom and fell into a cycle of sleeping and crying, occasionally taking breaks to eat or use the restroom. At one point, your phone spent a full forty-eight hours without being turned on at all, causing your loved ones to panic upon not being able to get ahold of you.

Slowly but surely you managed to build yourself back up, finally starting to feel like your old self when Heeseung suggested the two of you get back together.

You were hesitant, of course, telling Heeseung you were willing to work things out if he can prove to you he’s changed and ready to be the loyal, doting boyfriend he should’ve been from the start.

So no, you’re not together. But you’re also not not together. It’s confusing.

A football player is blocking your view of Heeseung (dressed as a cowboy), you have to stand on your tip-toes to catch a glimpse of him talking to — wait, who is that?

“Patrick would not stand for this.” Minjeong interrupts your thoughts, poking fun at your costume choice of a female Patrick Bateman.

You shrug, pretending to act clueless. “I wasn’t doing anything.”

Minjeong rolls her eyes, shoving your cup back into your hand “Sure, you weren’t. Come on, cheers with me.”

“To what?” you ask, suspiciously eyeing the drink she’s just handed you. Minjeong isn’t that great of a cook, so you can imagine she’s not the best bartender either. In fact, it’d be best if she stayed far away from any sort of kitchen appliance.

She thinks for a moment then excitedly extends her cup out to you. “To getting over our shitty ex-boyfriends!”

Minjeong’s ex was Park Sunghoon, they dated on and off for a year and a half before calling it quits over the summer. You don’t remember the exact reason why they broke up, there were many different factors. It didn’t matter, they were bad for each other anyway and the relationship was entirely too toxic for either of their wellbeing. 

You don’t know much about Sunghoon aside from the things Minjeong felt comfortable enough to share with you and the fact that he is on the university’s hockey team with Heeseung. You’ve probably had a handful of conversations and interactions with Sunghoon in the entire time of knowing him, and are more than happy with things staying that way.

Holding your cup up high, you match Minjeong’s smile and tap your cup against hers. “To getting over our ex-boyfriends!”

The drink is disgusting. You quickly turn away so you don’t hurt your best friend’s feelings by gagging at the taste. She manages to down her entire cup while you make quick work of pouring a majority of yours down the sink behind you.

Minjeong stares down at her empty cup with wide eyes, licking the remains off her plump lips. “Holy shit, that was so good. Do you want more? I’m gonna make myself another cup.”

“I’m good for now, thanks,” you say, snatching your cup away when she reaches for it. Minjeong raises a brow at you, and you follow up with, “I should wait before having another drink.”

She nods understandingly, and you give yourself a mental pat on the back for coming up with that so quickly.

While she’s occupied with making another drink, your eyes trail back over towards Heeseung. The football player from earlier is gone, and now that your view is no longer obstructed, you watch in confusion as Heeseung now has this mystery girl by the waist, leaning his head down close to her lips as she whispers something in his ear.

This really is worse than Halloween 2007.

“Hey.” You tap Minjeong’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

She follows your line of sight, scowling when it lands on Heeseung. “YN, don’t make a big deal out of this. You guys technically aren’t even together.”

“Relax, I’m just going to say hi.” You assure her, moving to head towards Heeseung when Minjeong stops you with a hand on your chest. “Think about this, please.”

You sigh, using your free hand to clutch hers and slowly bring it down from your chest. “I’ll be fine. Be back soon so we can dance, okay?”

Minjeong knows she won’t be able to stop you once your mind is made up, all she can do is sigh and wish you the best as you make a beeline for your ex. Maybe not the greatest idea on your part, but you’re too tipsy to think rationally.

Heeseung doesn’t notice you when you first approach, it takes the mystery girl awkwardly gesturing in your direction for him to finally look over at you, immediately dropping his hand from the girl’s waist. “YN!” He shouts, a little too excitedly, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

A few minutes later, you find yourself in an unfamiliar bedroom with Heeseung on step one of your toxic cycle — arguing.

“You’re overreacting,” Heeseung claims. “We were just talking.”

“About what, Heeseung? Why did you have to hold her by the fucking waist to talk to her?”

“Because! She was drunk! I was holding her up so she wouldn’t fall and hurt herself!”

“Who gives a shit if she falls? She’s not your fucking girlfriend.”

“Yeah, well, neither are you.” 

His words shouldn’t hurt as much as they do because he’s right; despite trying to work on things, you aren’t his girlfriend. You were the one who said you weren’t ready to get back together, not him. You shouldn’t be upset with him for talking to other girls.

And yet, here you are with tears in your eyes. 

You nod silently, avoiding his gaze as a lump forms in your throat. 

Heeseung must realize how much his words have affected you if the way he curses at himself, and shamefully runs a hand across his face is anything to go by. “Listen, I’m sor-”

“Don’t bother.” You stand from the bed, holding back a sob.“Everything about this was a mistake. You’ll never change.”

Heeseung reaches a hand out to grab your arm as you push past him. “YN, I didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, Heeseung, you did mean it,” you say, pulling the bedroom door open.

There is no point in trying to reason with Heeseung. You know in a matter of time he’ll apologize, you’ll accept it like you always do, have make-up sex, then lecture him about how important it is that he changes before you can consider getting back together. Another endless cycle you’ve fallen into.

Stepping back into the party, you head in the opposite direction of where Minjeong would be, not wanting to run into her in your current state and bump right into someone dressed as Spiderman, causing the little remains of your drink to spill over and knock to the ground. You’re grateful that a crucial part of Patrick Bateman’s costume involved a plastic raincoat, or else your outfit would have suffered a dark blue stain.

“Oh my God, YN! I’m so sorry!” Spider-Man apologizes with a thick Australian accent.

“Jake?” You question, gesturing for him to take the mask off.

He follows your command, face bright red from embarrassment or alcohol. Probably both.

“Yeah, haha, hey. Really sorry about that, I can get you a new drink.” Jake turns in the direction of the kitchen before you stop him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s fine, Jake. Do you know where the bathroom is?”

Jake thinks for a moment, scratching at the small amount of stubble that’s graced his chin. He really does make a perfect Spider-Man, and if you weren’t so upset, you probably would’ve stayed and told him that.

“Upstairs, all the way down the hall. Wait! It’s occupied, people are doing coke in there, I think.”

Great.

You sigh. “Do you know if there’s another one I can use?”

“I’m pretty sure there’s one.” Jake turns, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. “Right there. I saw a few people come in and out.”

Thanking Jake, you follow his direction and head to the door at the end of the hallway.

It’s a garage, not a bathroom. But, as long as you get a moment alone, you don’t really care where you are.

After shutting the door behind you, you sit on top of a washing machine and flinch at the cold metal sending chills down your thighs.

You shouldn’t have come out tonight, you don’t even care about Halloween to begin with. It’s an overrated holiday, you wish you would’ve convinced Minjeong to stay in with you and have a classic horror movie marathon while eating takeout and pausing to hand out (peanut-free) candy to trick-or-treaters.

Though, you’re sure you still would’ve spent the better half of the night obsessively tapping through Heeseung’s Instagram stories or trying to spot him in the background of someone else’s. It was a lose-lose situation no matter what, and you find yourself wondering if there’s an end to this unhealthy cycle.

Despite being so young when it happened, you’re sure your parents’ divorce obstructed your view of love and how a healthy adult relationship should work. Your father went on to have short-lived relationships with younger women who were using him for his money, while your mother remained single and chose to criticize her ex-husband’s current lifestyle choices. They couldn’t even co-parent in peace, always making petty comments to the other during drop-offs and pick-ups, finding any and every little thing to start arguing about.

One time in particular, after spending the weekend at your father’s house, your mother slapped him in a Dairy Queen parking lot upon realizing his new girlfriend had taken you and your sister to get your ears pierced. You didn’t actually see the slap happen, but it was loud enough to echo through the empty parking lot and hard enough to leave a red mark on his face.

The memory has tears forming in your eyes for the umpteenth time tonight, but before any of them have the chance to trickle down, the garage door swings open.

You turn, and Park Sunghoon (dressed as a police officer) is staring back at you with a confused look on his face. He opens and closes his mouth a few times before pointing in the direction of the party. “Uh, Jake said this was the bathroom.”

Shaking your head, you offer him a small smile. “No, the bathroom’s upstairs but it’s being used. If you really have to go, I’m pretty sure that door leads to the backyard.” You nod your head in the direction of the other door, and Sunghoon picks up on what you’re implying.

He thanks you before jogging over to the exit, setting his cup down on a metal dog crate before turning the knob and pushing open the door.

Sunghoon stands far enough out of frame that you only see a portion of his backside, and once the sound of him pissing on the grass hits your ears, you wonder why he didn’t bother to close the door in the first place.

Men.

He clears his throat awkwardly, “So, you s–”

You cut him off. “Let’s just wait until you’re done, please.”

Sunghoon nods, mumbling, “Right, right.”

He finishes up a few seconds later, zipping his pants back up and properly adjusting himself before returning to the garage, closing the door behind him and picking his drink back up in the process. “So, I’m guessing you’re…upset because of Heeseung?”

You let out a sad chuckle that sounds more like a sob. “Lucky guess. He’s just so fucking confusing, I can’t take it.”

“You’ll be alright,” Sunghoon responds, slipping his phone from his pants pocket and unlocking it. “Heeseung’s a douchebag.”

This catches you off guard, and you’re laughing before you even realize it. “Isn’t he your friend?”

Sunghoon shakes his head, narrowing his eyes at his phone as he scrolls. “Not really. We don’t talk much if it isn’t related to hockey or school.”

A beat of silence passes, then you ask, “When Heeseung and I were together, did he mention anything about cheating on me? Or talking to other girls?”

Sunghoon glances up at you for a split second, taking in how sad and hopeful you look before returning his gaze to the weather app he’d been using to distract himself.

He wasn’t sure if Heeseung went as far as physically cheating on you, but he was definitely talking to other girls behind your back; proudly showing the hockey team countless nudes and vulgar photos they would send him, some of them coming from your own friends. 

Sunghoon can’t tell you this, you’re upset enough as it is.

“I wouldn’t know, I always tuned him out whenever he talked.”

Though he’s not sure what answer you were hoping for, Sunghoon can tell you’re a little disappointed by his response. Truthfully, he didn’t feel like getting involved in anyone else’s drama. If you wanted clarity from Heeseung, you should’ve gone straight to the source.

“Sorry,” you apologize, feeling slightly embarrassed that you probably made things awkward, “have you seen Minjeong?”

Your attempt to change the subject seems to work, because Sunghoon scoffs loudly at your question and shoves his phone back in his pocket. “Have I seen the girl that just spent ten minutes yelling at me? Yeah, we may have crossed paths.” He says sarcastically, shaking his head before taking a sip of his drink.

“Yell at you? For what?”

“She fuckin’…I guess before we broke up she said I should dress up as a cop for Halloween and I must’ve said no, and now she’s saying I only dressed up like this,” he gestures towards himself, “to spite her. Fuckin’ insanity.”

“Well, did you?” You can’t help but ask, Minjeong would always go on for hours about how spiteful of a person Sunghoon was.

He shrugs, mindlessly tracing the rim of the red solo cup with his pointer finger, “Maybe, but this is all that was left in my size at the party store.”

You’re surprised Sunghoon makes you laugh as much as he does, and maybe that’s a bad thing since it’s making you enjoy talking to him. Though he technically isn’t your enemy, he’s definitely not a person you should enjoy having a conversation with. It’s not appropriate, he’s the ex boyfriend of your best friend; all your ties to him were cut the moment Minjeong broke up with him.

You should tell him to leave, that you’re really upset over Heeseung and prefer to be alone, but you don’t. Instead, you keep the conversation going, laughing every joke he makes and completely forgetting why you were upset to begin with.

Halfway through telling Sunghoon about the horrid drink Minjeong had prepared for you, your legs grow numb from having been sat on for so long. You untuck them from underneath your body, not thinking much of it as you continue on with the story, legs dangling against the cold washing machine.

Sunghoon takes notice, though, his eyes quickly darting down to the space between your legs and the white fabric that’s suddenly visible to him due to the short length of your skirt. You miss it the first time he does it, but the second and third time are hard to ignore, especially now that he doesn’t seem to mind being caught.

You really should cross your legs or call him out on his staring. Or maybe even get up and leave entirely.

To no one’s surprise you don’t do either of those things and opt to keep your panties visible enough for Sunghoon to see while you continue to talk his ear off about his ex-girlfriend. There’s something unspoken happening between the two of you, and it’s exciting yet confusing since this is the longest conversation you’ve had with him in the two years you’ve known each other. 

The strangest part of it all is that you’re just now realizing how attractive Sunghoon is, Sure, he’d always been a good looking guy, but you’d always seen him as Minjeong’s property and never paid much attention to his face out of respect for her.

But Minjeong no longer has a claim on him, and now you really notice the perfectly placed moles that graced the side of his nose and under his eye. He really was a sight to behold, you often find yourself stumbling over your words as you speak to him, becoming flustered over the intensity of the eye contact he’d been making with you.

“…my throat is still burning and it’s been, like, twenty minutes.” You say with a laugh, watching as Sunghoon finishes off his own drink.

He sets the empty cup down, licking the remaining alcohol on his lips before smacking them, “Yeah, I wouldn’t trust her in a kitchen. I’m not that good either, though. There was this one time I had to make brownies for our hockey team’s bake sale and they turned out awful. It’s like, half of them were watery and the other half were burnt. So weird.”

“That doesn’t even sound possible.”

“I’m serious! Hold on, I probably have a picture.” 

It takes Sunghoon approximately forty-five seconds of scrolling through his Snapchat memories to find a photo of those godforsaken brownies, and sure enough, they really are a watery, burnt mess. Not that you can even focus on the picture to begin with now that he’s sitting next to you on the washing machine, and you’re finally able to see him up close.

Sunghoon’s words go in one ear and out the other, because now you’re close enough to smell the cologne he’s dabbed on the back of his neck, and notice the metal handcuffs hooked in his belt loop, and it makes it hard to focus on anything else. Especially his uninteresting story about those stupid fucking brownies.

When Sunghoon locks his phone, you take it as a sign that he’s finished with his story and let out another laugh, “Not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that.”

“I’m a man of many talents,” he jokes, slightly slurring his words. 

Maybe it’s the fact that his voice sounds deeper than usual, or that he’s staring right at you with half lidded eyes, or that he's started playing with the handcuffs on his waist, but Sunghoon looks dangerously attractive right now. 

You gulp, looking down at your lap, “Well, at least one of us had a nice drink.”

Sunghoon nods, running his fingernails along your plastic raincoat, “Wanna taste mine?” He asks, eyes darting down to your lips for a split second.

If there was ever a time to get up and leave, it should’ve been now. The rational part of your brain is telling you to push Sunghoon away and return to the party and forget this encounter with him ever happened. But you can’t move, and if you’re being honest, you don’t even want to.

You’re stuck in place, heart beating out of your chest as Sunghoon leans in closer to you. You feel dizzy in the best way possible, and a part of you feels sick for enjoying the moment as much as you do. 

His breath fans your cheek, and the faint scent of alcohol on it should’ve been enough to remind you that you shouldn’t be in this situation with him. Still, you don’t move.

Right before Sunghoon has the chance to kiss you, the door swings open and you jolt away from each other out of shock, clutching your chest as you watch Jake jog into the garage.

“You guys seen my vape?” he asks, a little out of breath.

“I…no, Jake. Why would it be in the garage?” Sunghoon asks, hopping down from the washing machine. He offers a hand to help you down and you ignore it, finally starting to come back to your senses.

“Dude, I don’t fucking know! It was just in my pocket and now it’s gone, it could be anywhere. Help me look!”

Spending your night in a garage helping Jake look for a strawberry-flavored vape doesn’t sound ideal in the slightest; now is the perfect time to leave.

Heading in the direction of the party, you pause when Sunghoon calls out your name, a slight shakiness to his voice. “Keep an eye out for me, yeah?”

Another beat of silence passes, then you nod and say, “Yeah.”

In your defense, there’s nothing to feel guilty over. All you did was have a conversation with Sunghoon, and keeping an eye out for him doesn’t necessarily mean anything else will happen, right?

You try not to think too much about it as you exit the garage, holding in a laugh when Sunghoon says something along the lines of, “You’re a grown ass man, Jake.”

What Minjeong lacks in cooking, she makes up for in dancing.

While you wouldn’t consider yourself to be on her level of dancing, you’d say you’re good enough to keep up with her at a crowded party. If swaying to the music, holding hands, and grinding on each other counts as dancing, that is.

“You’re too stiff; loosen up, babe,” she comments, fingers interlocked with yours.

“Sorry,” you reply, slightly frustrated since you don’t feel like dancing in the first place. “What were you saying?”

“Oh, yeah!” Minjeong turns to face you, moving your arms to drape them around her shoulders. “Then he said I was being crazy, and that he only got the costume because it was all that was left in his size, as if I believe that.”

“Sorry that happened,” you say, and it comes out more sarcastic than you had intended it to. 

Minjeong takes notice of this, raising a brow at you before slipping her arms under your raincoat and pulling you closer to her. “You okay?”

The two of you are pressed so close up against each other that it almost feels romantic, and you’re sure if there was another drink in your system you’d probably lean in and kiss her. 

You nod. “Just thinking about Heeseung.”

Fake offended, Minjeong’s jaw drops. “You’re dancing with the hottest girl at this party, and all you can think about is your ex? I’m hurt, YN.”

Truth be told, her ex was the one you were thinking about, certainly not your own.

Not a whole lot of time has passed since you left Sunghoon in the garage, but you make sure to keep your promise of keeping an eye out for him upon returning to the party. You’re certain that on the outside you probably look panicked and frantic, eyes darting all over the place for any sign of Sunghoon.

“Well,” Minjeong starts, tugging on your tie. “Since you’re thinking about your ex, it’s only fair that I think of mine; and there he is.”

You stop yourself from excitedly shouting, “Where?!” and watch as Minjeong subtly nods towards the staircase.

Sure enough, Sunghoon is leaning against the banister, eyes zeroing in on you with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“He’s been watching me for, like, ten minutes. Probably wants to see if you and I will make out, fucking pervert,” she says, rolling her eyes.

Minjeong has it wrong, Sunghoon has been watching you for the past ten minutes. Ever since he finished helping Jake find that stupid vape, he’s had his sights set on you and you only.

That other part was probably true, though.

You swallow the lump in your throat and say, “Such a pervert.” It comes out a tad more robotic than you were going for, but you tried your best. 

Once Sunghoon is sure that Minjeong is distracted, he mouths, “Bathroom,” before immediately turning around and jogging up the steps.

Fuck, are you really about to do this? 

Your eyes dart from Minjeong to the staircase, and you can’t believe you’re even considering going upstairs to meet her ex. Everything about this predicament is sick and twisted and perfectly on brand for Halloween. 

But, somehow, it’s not sick enough to stop you.

“Hey, I think I’m gonna get some air; I’m feeling kinda dizzy,” you lie, hoping it’s believable enough.

Minjeong stops dancing immediately, a look of genuine concern on her face. “Here, I’ll come with you.”

“No, no. You keep having fun, I’ll be back soon. Make another drink for me, okay? I’m sure I’ll need it,” you assure her with a smile, taking her hands into yours.

“Fine, I’ll be here. But the only drink I’m making for you is a Ginger Ale.”

Thank God.

After giving Minjeong a kiss on the cheek (feeling guilty as ever), you slip past her and head towards the direction of the backyard. Once Minjeong is fully out of sight, you switch paths and sprint up the staircase, bumping into and angering a few people along the way. 

You keep your head down once you reach the second floor, speed walking to the end of the hallway and avoiding eye contact with everyone you walk by until you reach the bathroom.

The door is closed and locked, of course, and that’s when it dawns on you that this could be one big, elaborate prank from Sunghoon. You could open the door and be met with a camera in your face with Sunghoon recording, laughing maniacally before mentioning something about telling Minjeong everything and that he stayed loyal to her the entire time.

Unfortunately for you, even that possibility doesn’t scare you away from knocking on the door and saying, “It’s me, YN.”

The knob twists before the door is pushed open, barely enough room to slide in discreetly, but you manage anyway.

Using your body weight to press the door shut, Sunghoon reaches behind you to make sure it’s locked. “You really came.”

You hate that he sounds shocked, as if he had some faith that you wouldn’t risk your friendship with Minjeong for a few minutes with him, of all people. He’s not even your type.

“Don’t make a big deal out of this.”

Sunghoon scoffs as if you’ve said the most obvious thing in the world. “Trust me, I won’t.”

You don’t have time to overthink the meaning of his words because before you can even realize it, Sunghoon is pushing you further up against the door, and he’s kissing you, finally kissing you.

This kiss is everything but soft, and it knocks the wind out of you. Sunghoon’s hand cups your jaw, tilting your head sideways to allow himself further into your mouth. It’s wet and sloppy, you’re certain that dancing with Minjeong was far more romantic than this. You kiss back anyway, wrapping your arms around his shoulder and grabbing a fistful of his hair, shivers running down your spine when he groans into your mouth. Without breaking the kiss, Sunghoon reaches down to slip the raincoat off of you, pressing your body closer against him to ease it off. 

He pulls away slowly, his blown-out eyes focused on the string of saliva that connects your mouths to one another. “Fuck,” he groans at the sight, moving his mouth to kiss along your jaw.

You let out a moan when you feel his tongue slide against a particularly sensitive spot on your neck, tilting your head back against the door. Sunghoon takes notice of this, focusing his attention on that same spot, sucking on it hard enough to leave a mark before teasingly scraping his canines along the area.

Quickly, your fingers move to unbutton your shirt, suddenly feeling warm all over. You’re only halfway done when there’s a sudden banging on the other side of the door, startling you enough to halt your movements.

“Ignore it,” Sunghoon mutters against your neck. “They’ll go away.”

They don’t go away, they actually start to bang louder and harder once a few seconds pass.

Sunghoon lets out a frustrated sigh, lifting his head away from you, “Occupied!”

“Sunghoon?” You hear Minjeong’s voice on the other side of the door, causing you and Sunghoon both to freeze.

“M-Minjeong?” He stutters.

“I have to piss,” Minjeong whines, messing with the doorknob. “Hurry up!”

Sunghoon must sense your panic and the fact that you feel like bursting into loud sobs, because he places his hand over your mouth before mouthing for you to stay quiet.

Minjeong doesn’t let up on trying to open the door, and you’re sure that with just enough force, she could probably get it open.

“I’m using it! Can’t you just go outside?”

“I’m a fucking girl, Sunghoon. Just hurry up and finish.”

“Just…just hold on a second, Minnie.”

Minnie? Fuck is that about?

Sunghoon pulls you away from the door, keeping his voice and movements as low as possible. “You’re gonna have to hide in the bathtub, just lay down flat and wait for her to leave.”

“What?! What if she sees me?!” You whisper, silently praying Minjeong can’t hear you over the music.

“She won’t, okay? I’ll pull the shower curtain back. It’s the only option we have right now unless you want to jump out the window.”

You shake your head. “There has to be a better idea.”

On the other side of the door, Minjeong begins to grow impatient, anxiously tapping her foot against the floor. She’s had three full drinks and is on the verge of busting the bathroom door down if Sunghoon doesn’t open it soon. She focuses her gaze downward, raising a brow at a piece of plastic that’s been slightly pushed under the crack of the door. What is it? A shower curtain? It can’t be, why would the shower curtain be on the floor? It looks more like…

“Fuck! The cops!” A drunk voice yells before the entire house panics, sirens and flashing blue and red lights fill the house.

Inside the bathroom, Sunghoon had still been trying to convince you to lay down in the bathtub when even more panic sets in.

Minjeong bangs on the door one last time. “Sunghoon, the cops are here, you need to leave! Fuck, I gotta find YN!” She yells before taking off down the hall.

Police officers are raiding the house, and all Minjeong can focus on is finding you and making sure you're okay, while you were seconds away from hooking up with her ex. What a fucking nightmare.

“We gotta jump out the window,” Sunghoon says, hurrying over to the other side of the bathroom and forcing the window open.

“What?! Why?!”

“People are doing fucking illegal drugs at this party, YN, and now the fucking cops are here. My dad works for the city and if-” He pauses to grunt, struggling to get the window all the way open. “-news spreads that his son was at a house party that was full of people doing fucking cocaine his career will be fucking over. Fuck!”

This doesn’t explain why you have to jump out of the window with him, but you narrow it down to the possibility of Sunghoon just wanting to be around you for a little longer. And as pathetic as it sounds, you find yourself smiling at the possibility.

Sunghoon finally gets the window fully open, quickly hiking one leg over. “It’s not that far of a jump, we’ll be fine. I’ll go first then let you know when to jump.”

“You’ll catch me?” you ask, buttoning your shirt back up. Now that the raincoat is gone, you probably resemble a perverted schoolgirl costume.

Sunghoon sighs. “Yes, YN, I am going to catch you. Just be ready to run, my car’s down the street.”

He doesn’t give you any time to protest before hiking his other leg out the window and jumping down; you watch in horror as he lands face down. If it weren’t for your current predicament, you’re sure you would’ve gotten the ick.

It takes Sunghoon a few seconds to get back up, brushing himself off before standing, “Come on! Hurry!”

Despite your hesitancy, you follow Sunghoon’s action and hike a leg out of the window, staring down at him. “Are you sure about this?!”

“If you want me to catch you, you better jump now!”

Halloween fucking sucks.

You swear to yourself as you hike your other leg out of the window, saying a quick prayer as you brace yourself to jump.

Sunghoon doesn’t exactly catch you, but he does brace your fall, which is good enough for you. 

He groans in pain from the impact as you stand and dust yourself off, reaching a hand down to help him up. “Sorry!”

Sunghoon stands, feeling a tad bit dizzy and lightheaded. “Just follow me.”

It isn’t too late to turn around and find Minjeong and just leave with her. In fact, it’d be the morally correct thing to do in this situation. Not that you seem to care for morals.

You make a mental note to send Minjeong a text later as you run after Sunghoon.

Sunghoon is not that great of a driver, but this doesn't surprise you.

He's still somewhat tipsy, occasionally swerving along the empty back roads.

What makes it worse is that Minjeong has been calling and texting you nonstop, your phone practically burning a hole in your pocket as you ignore her relentless attempts.

Sunghoon is trying his hardest to stay focused on the road, but your phone ringing every few minutes was really starting to irritate him. "Just fucking answer her," he says, shaking his head.

"And say what? That I'm with you?"

Sunghoon isn't too pleased with your sarcasm and rolls his eyes, "Obviously not, YN; just do something to make her stop panicking."

That's way easier said than done, especially considering that you can barely even think about Minjeong without wanting to burst into tears. The guilt has already started to set in, and it has you questioning yourself and your morals.

You can't talk to Minjeong; it's too risky, but you can call your sister and ask her to cover for you.

Slipping your phone from your pocket, you force your eyes to unfocus and ignore the string of missed calls and messages from Minjeong, dialing your sister's phone number with trembling hands.

As always, Yuna answers on the fourth ring, sighing loudly into the phone before greeting you with a monotonous, "Hello?"

"Hey, um, I need you to help me with something," you keep your voice low, not wanting Sunghoon to hear your conversation despite being right next to him.

Yuna sighs again, "With what, YN?"

"The party I was at got raided by the cops, and we all ran, so if Minjeong calls you, I need you to tell her I'm with you," you say, your eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets when Sunghoon makes a sudden sharp turn.

"Sorry," he mutters under his breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

You hate that even now, you find him cute.

"Well, where are you?" Yuna asks, snapping you back to reality.

"I… it's not important, just please do me this favor."

Your sister scoffs, "You expect me to lie for you, and you can't even tell me the full story?"

"The full story isn't important, Yuna."

"Clearly, it is if you're asking me to lie to your best friend."

"Just tell her," Sunghoon groans, sounding slightly annoyed, "but make sure she doesn't tell anyone else."

Yuna doesn't have many friends, and the few she does have wouldn't even care about your drama, so it's not like she'd have anyone to share your business with. You hesitate anyway because of the principle of the situation, how just ten minutes ago you were unbuttoning your shirt for your best friend's ex. Maybe you're starting to come back to your senses because replaying the scene in your head has you cringing from embarrassment.

You lean your head against the window and squeeze your eyes shut, "I'm with Sunghoon."

The line goes silent for a few seconds, and you're worried you may have lost service from driving in such a rural area until Yuna sighs for a third time, "The pretty ones are never that bright."

"I swear it isn't like that," you plead, "just, please, help me out."

"And what will I get out of this?"

Of course, she wants something, classic younger sibling bullshit.

"Well, what do you want?"

"I don't know…a normal older sister?"

"Yuna, I don't have time for this, will you help me or not?"

Bickering with Yuna was starting to give you a headache; you were seconds away from hanging up and coming up with a new plan entirely.

"After tonight, don't involve me in this anymore; I have my own shit to deal with."

You hold back a laugh at that as if Yuna does anything other than stay home and talk to the same two people. "I won't, I swear. I'll text you when I'm close to being home; let me know if Minjeong reaches out to you."

"Whatever, just get home safe and don't do anything else stupid," Yuna says through a yawn before immediately hanging up, not giving you the chance to say goodbye.

As much as you loved your sister, the two of you weren't exactly close. The divide started sometime during high school; your interests and friend groups never really aligned and only led you to stray further away from each other.

You being fairly well-known within your high school didn't help much, either. Countless random students would approach Yuna on the daily, asking if you were seeing anyone, begging her for your number, or even giving her small gifts and treats to pass along to you. 

What annoyed her the most was that they never called her by her name, in their eyes, she was always known as "YN's sister", and nothing more than that.

You're sure Yuna doesn't hate you because of it, but it certainly didn't make her very fond of you.

"What'd she say?" Sunghoon asks, interrupting your thoughts.

"She agreed to cover for me tonight," you respond, gazing out the window, "pretty sure she's pissed, though."

"She'll get over it," Sunghoon taps the navigation system on his dashboard, "type in your address."

Despite making you jump out of a bathroom window, Sunghoon technically doesn't owe you anything. He never claimed he'd bring you back to his place to finish what you started; you quite literally only jumped because he told you to, under the pretense that maybe — just maybe — he'd want to hook up with you. 

Clearly, that wasn't happening, at least not tonight. Having to jump out the window and then proceed to drive while tipsy must've knocked some sense into him, making him realize he'd been making way too many questionable choices all in one night. 

You let out a disappointed sigh, hesitantly reaching out to type your home address into the car's GPS. The system buffers for a few seconds as it calculates the quickest route to your home before displaying an estimated travel time of thirty-eight minutes.

"Forty fucking minutes?!" Sunghoon shouts, causing you to jump. 

He sighs, cursing under his breath before reaching forward and ending the navigation route. You sit up further in the seat, ready to ask Sunghoon what he's plotting before he starts typing "7/11".

You raise a brow at this, "Why're we going there?"

Sunghoon gestures towards the navigation system as if the answer is obvious, "Your house is forty minutes away, and I'm still kinda tipsy; I'm gonna need to pull over and get something other than alcohol in my system if I'm gonna be driving for that long." There's a slight slur to his words that had you weary about him driving, so pulling over to recharge isn't a bad idea.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Sunghoon managed to safely drive the two of you to the nearest 7/11, opting to pay seventeen dollars to park in a parking garage down the street instead of the shop's personal lot.

"This neighborhood isn't that safe; I don't want anyone breaking into my car," he claims, taking up two spots as he parks in the most secluded corner possible.

The neighborhood is fairly safe; he was just being dramatic.

The walk down the street is quick and slightly awkward, with you and Sunghoon stumbling every few steps yet refusing to hold onto the other for stability.

The two of you go your separate ways upon entering the shop, Sunghoon headed straight towards the snack aisle while you make your way to the slurpee machines. The difference in your priorities was humorous, with him wanting to focus on building up energy and you wanting nothing more than a quick sugar fix.

Blue raspberry isn't necessarily your go-to flavor, but it's the only flavor on the Slurpee machine that's currently working, so you fill your plastic cup to the brim before absentmindedly reaching for a straw.

Sunghoon is still prancing around the store by the time you've finished making your drink, and despite not being that hungry, you decide to kill time by strolling through the snack aisles.

The Snickers bars and Reese's Cups look tempting as always, but you refrain, sighing as you look over the selection of peanut-contaminated candy.

"Don't even bother," Sunghoon says from behind you, causing you to gasp in shock. 

He pauses for a moment, staring at the array of snacks before grabbing a pack of Skittles and walking off.

The thought of Sunghoon being aware of your peanut allergy is as comforting as it is strange. You can't imagine this is something Minjeong randomly decided to tell him, and even if that is the case, why would he bother retaining that information? It's not like the two of you are friends.

Whatever, you're probably thinking about it too much.

After deciding on a package of powdered mini donuts and Haribo gummy bears, you proceed to the checkout counter and set your items down, looking over your shoulder at Sunghoon, who was selecting the last of his items.

The man behind the counter smiles at you, typing his employee ID number into the cash register, "How's your night going?"

"Horrible," you say, making the clerk laugh even though you weren't joking.

"Sorry to hear that," he responds, scanning your items, "your total came out to…$6.12. Oh, hello, officer."

Despite not having done anything wrong, you nearly panic before remembering Sunghoon's unfortunate costume choice.

He nods at the man, setting his own items down on the counter, "Add these too. You guys take Apple Pay?" He asks, unlocking his phone.

"Oh, you don't have to pay for mine," you say, a nervous tremble in your voice.

Sunghoon shrugs, "No big deal."

Except it is a big deal. Sunghoon behaving like a boyfriend gentleman by paying for your items only made you like him even more, which is the exact opposite of what you need right now.

You sigh, taking a literal and metaphorical step back as Sunghoon taps his phone on the card reader. 

"A cop and a schoolgirl, huh? These couple's costumes are starting to make less and less sense," the employee comments, eyes darting between you and Sunghoon. 

"We're not a couple," Sunghoon responds, a little too quickly for your liking, but whatever.

The employee apologizes, embarrassed about his implications as he bags your items and wishes the two of you a safe trip home.

On the way back to Sunghoon's car, it dawns on you that Minjeong has stopped trying to get ahold of you, which is slightly worrisome considering that she's a person who wouldn't give up that easily. 

Sunghoon climbs into the backseat this time, mumbling something about needing to rest and stretch out before driving you home. He sets the bag down on the center console, grabbing a few of his items before propping himself up against the door.

You do the same, retrieving your own items from the bag before slumping into your seat. 

When you finally unlock your phone, a new voice memo from Yuna is waiting for you. Hesitantly, you hold your phone against your ear and hit play.

Yuna lets out a loud sigh, "So, you and Minjeong must have some sort of, like,  telepathic connection because she called me as soon as I hung up on you. Anyways, I told her our cousin was also at the party and was able to, uh, give you a ride home once the cops came. Oh, and I told her your phone died and that you'd call her, um,  later or in the morning. I'm not sure if she believed it, but she calmed down.

And, by the way, I meant it when I said I don't want to be involved in whatever this is after tonight. So, for everyone's sake, if something serious is going on, do not tell me about it. Get home safe."

You're not entirely sure if you deserve a sister like Yuna, who'd go against her own morals just to cover for you, but you're grateful you have her.

you [11:54 pm] : *you liked a voice memo*

you [11:54 pm] : thanks so much

you [11:55 pm] : i promise i wont involve u anymore. if minnie calls again u can just ignore it and lmk please

yuna [11:56 pm] : oh and she told me to let you know that she's safe. tho im sure that's not your biggest concern :/

Harsh but true.

You set your phone on your lap and tear open your pack of donuts, wiping away the powdered sugar that falls onto your blouse. Much like the blue raspberry slurpee, mini powdered donuts weren't exactly your go-to snack, but your options were limited, and you weren't in the mood to roam around the store any longer.

Suddenly, Sunghoon groans from the backseat and sits up, "Phone died."

Leaning over the center console, he plugs his phone into the car charger right underneath his navigation system, resting it on the dashboard before returning to his seat. 

The car falls silent, and as much as you want to start a conversation, you're not sure where to begin. There's so much you want to ask, but you refrain, biting down on your tongue so hard you're surprised the taste of blood doesn't fill your mouth.

Sunghoon leans forward again, this time resting his cheek on the side of your seat, "What'd you get?" he asks, staring down at your lap.

You turn your head to look at him, holding up the half-eaten pack of donuts for him to see.

"Can I have one?" he asks, already holding his hand out before you could even say yes.

You hand him one regardless, watching the powder fall from the pastry as he pops it into his mouth.

Your curiosity gets the best of you, and you find yourself narrowing your eyes at him as you ask, "Sunghoon, can I ask you something?"

He nods, gesturing towards the remaining donuts in a way that tells you he wants more. You hand him the remaining three, nodding back when he mumbles "Thanks" under his breath.

"How did you know that I'm allergic to peanuts?"

Sunghoon pauses, brows furrowing in utter confusion as he looks up at you, "What do you mean?"

"Earlier in the store, I was looking at the peanut candy, and you told me not to bother. I'm assuming you must've known I'm allergic, right?" You ask, fully turning around in your seat to face him.

"Um…yeah. I know."

"Okay…how?"

"I mean, was it supposed to be a secret or something?"

"What? No, of course not. Allergies are probably the one thing that shouldn't be kept secret," you respond, "I'm just curious about how you know. I don't think I've ever told you, and I can't imagine Minjeong randomly deciding to tell you."

Sunghoon awkwardly scratches the back of his neck as he avoids looking at you. It takes the tips of his ears turning pink for you to realize that he's embarrassed, which only confuses you even further.

Sunghoon shrugs, staring down at the snack you've just given him, "Whenever all of us would hang out, and there was, like, food involved, I just noticed you'd pay so much attention to the ingredients of whatever it was you were eating. At first, I thought it was a calorie thing, but you never really asked about the calories, only the ingredients."

"But, how'd you know it was peanuts specifically?" you ask, feeling embarrassed about how curious you were over something as silly as a peanut allergy.

"Remember the hockey team bake sale? The one I made those terrible brownies for?" He asks, continuing when you nod, "You were there, and I remember how excited you were to try the cookies that Jake made, but right before you bought one, you asked him if there were peanuts in them. That's when I knew."

You can't remember the last time someone had paid this much attention to you, and it's dangerous, considering how easily impressed you are by the smallest things. Sunghoon was by no means a friend of yours; you hardly knew anything about each other and often kept your interactions rather short, so his being able to pick up on your peanut allergy just by watching you was … different. Maybe even nice.

You don't even realize you've been staring at him until he stops chewing and stares back, unblinking.

You look away, retrieving your Slurpee from the cup holder and taking a long sip as Sunghoon watches.

"Can I ask you something now?" he asks.

You don't respond, side-eyeing him as you continue to sip your drink.

Sunghoon smirks, amused by your sudden silence, "Why'd you meet me in the bathroom?"

You pull the straw away from your lips, voice barely above a whisper as you respond, "To see what you wanted."

He nods, taking the cup from your hands, "You knew what I wanted," he says, pausing to take a sip of your drink, "and you still came; why?"

When you don't respond, Sunghoon lets out a loud sigh and sets your cup back down in its holder, "It's okay, YN."

"It isn't."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I guess we'll never know, huh?"

This is a test of your morals, and Sunghoon knows this. Every decision you've made tonight has led you to this exact moment. There's still enough time to redeem yourself and make an excuse for your actions. You could easily lie and say that making out with Sunghoon was just a result of being tipsy and vulnerable. But now, with the two of you in his car, sobering up and coming back down to your senses, you won't be able to use those same excuses.

Realistically speaking, what are the chances of your ex's finding out? Heeseung probably wouldn't care, but Minjeong was an entirely different story.

In your defense, they've been officially broken up for three weeks and three days, so you wouldn't technically be hooking up with her boyfriend. Right?

Sunghoon must've sensed the gears turning in your head because, after a few seconds of staring at each other in silence, he leaned over the center console and pressed his lips against yours.

The kiss is softer this time, nothing like how it was in the bathroom as if he's trying to coax you in and convince you it's okay, that you're doing nothing wrong.

You find yourself slipping under his spell, eyes finally fluttering shut as he gently swipes his tongue across your bottom lip. The faint taste of alcohol is still on his tongue, but he does taste much sweeter now, like the blue raspberry slurpee he'd just had. A part of you wonders if he'd done that on purpose as if tasting better would make you enjoy kissing him like this.

He pulls away, scooting farther back into his seat, "C'mere, climb over."

You do as you're told, slipping off your shoes with Sunghoon guiding you right onto his lap as you climb into the backseat. You can't help but squirm on his lap, and he can still sense a slight hesitancy in your actions, the way you shiver when he touches you, how you initially pulled back when he tried to kiss you again.

"You're nervous," he comments, eye flickering across your face.

You shrug, holding onto his shoulders for support, "I can't help it."

Beneath you, Sunghoon reaches down to unclip the handcuffs from his belt loop, "You're making it hard to focus."

"The fuck am I supposed to do, then?!" You didn't mean to shout, but your patience was starting to run thin. You felt guilty enough as it is, and Sunghoon reminding you of how nervous you are certainly didn't make it any better.

Sunghoon rolls his eyes, undoing the handcuffs before grabbing your left hand. He tightens the cuff around your wrist, "Just trust me," he says simply. He sits up further in his seat, grabbing your cuffed wrist as he pulls down on the car's grab handle. He slips the empty cuff through the slot before gesturing for you to give him your free hand.

Fuck.

"Sunghoon…"

"Just trust me," he doesn't wait for a response, grabbing your wrist and bringing it up towards the empty cuff. It locks around your wrist with a click, causing him to smile in satisfaction. 

You're sure that with just the right amount of force, you could easily snap the handcuffs in half, but it's the thought that counts. With your arms and hands restricted towards the ceiling, all you can do is stare down at Sunghooon and await his next movement, his very calculated movement.

He presses his cold lips against your neck, simultaneously using his hands to slowly unbutton your blouse. The mark he'd left on your neck earlier was as prominent as ever, and it pleased him to know you were okay with him marking you up like this. He swipes his tongue against the sensitive spot, hardening in his pants when you squirm on top of him. 

His nails trace along the bare skin of your waist once he's finished unbuttoning your blouse, your bralette — that was a few sizes too small — fully on display for him. He's practically salivating at the site, his tongue sliding across his canines, completely in awe of your breasts spilling out of the flimsy, white material.

Sunghoon can't unclasp and slide off your bra, or else it'd be awkwardly hanging in the air, and trying to slip it through the handcuffs would take too much effort. Instead, he apologizes under his breath before his hands reach the front of your bra.

"Wait, Sunghoon—!"

Without warning, he stretches the fabric until it finally rips, seemingly pleased with himself if the cocky smirk is anything to go by. "Relax," he says, "I'll buy you a new one."

You don't have time to scold him because before you can even process what's happening, Sunghoon's tongue is swirling around your nipple. You swear at the sudden contact, arching your back and pressing your chest further into his face. It's almost embarrassing how such a simple act already had your head spinning.

His hands trail downward until they reach the hem of your skirt, slowly pushing it upwards until it's bunched around your waist. He traces the tip of his finger across your clothes cunt, pleased with how wet you've already gotten without having done much.

Your hips buck up into his hands on instinct, desperate for the friction, borderline craving it.

Sunghoon releases your perked bud in his mouth, looking up at you as he asks, "You want me to stop?"

"No, please don't." You beg.

"So this is okay then, right?"

If your wrists weren't handcuffed to the grab handle, you're sure you would've reached down and choked him for all the teasing. "Yes, Sunghoon, it's okay! Just hurry up and do something!"

Sunghoon shakes his head at you, mumbling, "So impatient." as he moves to lie flat on his back.

You stare down at him, confused, when he doesn't immediately start undoing his pants but instead positions his head right between your thighs.

It's funny, Minjeong claimed Sunghoon wasn't really into giving head and only gave it to her a handful of times during the course of their relationship, claiming he preferred to save it for special occasions.

But yet, here he is, willingly pushing your thighs further apart before pressing his lips against your clothed cunt.

The action sends shivers down your spine, and the handcuffs around your wrist suddenly feel tighter. He presses his tongue flat against you, groaning at the taste of your slick that's soaked through your panties. You grind down on him instinctively, your body trembling with anticipation as you squeeze your eyes shut.

"Fuck." You whisper, tugging at the handcuffs in frustration.

The sound of the metal clinking makes Sunghoon chuckle, pressing a final kiss against your damped underwear before mumbling, "Cute."

He makes quick work of sliding your underwear off your legs, tossing them to the 

front seat with a grunt as you wait for him to continue. Sunghoon settles himself between your thighs again, groaning in annoyance as you hover over him. "Stop fucking hovering," he demands, attempting to pull you down directly onto his face, "it's fine."

It's too intimate; you've never even sat on Heeseung's face before, and you're sure this isn't something he's done with Minjeong.

"But, I don't wanna cru- fuck!"

Sunghoon dismisses your worries, forcing you down onto his face and instantly wrapping his lips around your clit. You barely have any time to process that this is completely new territory for you, being this intimate with a man, sitting right on his face while he drags his tongue along your cunt; gathering your wetness and dragging it up towards your clit before wrapping his lips around it once more.

You let out an embarrassingly loud moan at that, leaning your head against the cold window as your face heats up. This only encourages Sunghoon even further, and his confidence grows, feeling bold enough to tease the tip of his tongue into your hole.

You jolt up at this, biting back a moan and wishing you could reach down and grab a fistful of his hair and properly ride his face. He licks another stripe up your folds, gripping your thighs and holding your body in place when you try to squirm away. 

"Stop trying to run from me," he groans into your pussy, the vibrations from his voice sending a shiver across your body. 

He presses his face further into your cunt, moaning at how much wetter you've gotten since he's started. For a man who apparently wasn't one to eat a girl out, he sure did seem desperate and eager to have you come on his face. In fact, it almost seemed as if he was doing it for his own pleasure rather than yours, which only turns you on even more.

After a few more slides of his tongue, you finally feel your orgasm approaching, your thighs tensing around Sunghoon's head.

"I know you're close," he whispers, placing sloppy, open-mouthed kisses on your inner thighs, "go ahead, use me. I know you want to."

He's practically begging at this point, big, wet eyes staring up at you in pure adoration as he sucks your clit back into his mouth. That's your breaking point, the knot in your stomach finally untying itself as your orgasm washes over you.

You let out a moan so loud that your throat hurts shortly afterward, your wrists going limp in the handcuffs as you ride out your high.

Sunghoon doesn't let up until you're practically shaking from overstimulation, your body naturally twitching and squirming away from his greedy mouth as he cleans you up. He pulls away finally, his mouth and chin completely coated with your slick as he leaves a trail of kisses on your bare thighs.

You can't help but stare down at him in awe; he looks completely dazed as if he's running off, nothing but pure desperation and lust for you. You.

"Sunghoon," you say, trying to get his attention, "I…do you keep condoms in here?"

He flutters his eyes open, shaking his head, "No, but 7/11's just down the street. I can go-"

You interrupt him with a shake of your head, "I don't wanna wait; we don't need one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm on the pill. Just, please, fuck me already."

It's music to his ears, really.

Sunghoon slides himself back up the seat, reaching up to release you from the handcuffs. You groan at this, having gotten used to them and quite frankly enjoyed the temporary feeling of restriction.

"You liked the cuffs?" Sunghoon questions, dropping your wrists from the grab bar.

"Yeah," you admit, "I liked it more than I thought I would."

He nods at this, and you realize now that one of the cuffs is still clasped around your wrist. Sunghoon also notices this and smirks as an idea forms in his head. "Turn around."

You comply with no further questions, groaning when he suddenly pushes your body down into the seat. He brings your arms behind your back, handcuffing you once more as he lets out a sigh of pleasure. "I knew you'd like it."

Sunghoon pushes your skirt back up, straddling himself around your things after pulling his pants and boxers far enough to allow his cock to spring free. He steadies himself with a hand on your shoulder, using the other to teasingly drag his fully-hardened cock across your slick folds.

Sunghoon shivers at this, cursing at the sight as he repeats his movements. He knows he won't last much longer; he was practically seconds away from coming in his boxers just from eating you out, so he really should quit with the teasing for his own sake.

Minjeong had never allowed him to fuck her without a condom, so this type of intimacy was new and overwhelmingly good.

He finally pushes himself into you, his tip alone causing you to bite down on the leather of his seat. You already felt so full, and he wasn't even halfway inside yet.

"Ah fuck," he groans, "you're so tight, you're so…fuck." He can barely even form a sentence, biting down on his bottom lip as he further inches himself inside of you.

You're not doing any better, feeling as if you're already seconds away from your second orgasm when he's hardly even done anything. It takes a minute before he's fully inside of you, pausing before he leans down and asks, "Can I move?"

"Please, I need you to."

Sunghoon nods at this, pressing a kiss against your ear before sitting himself back up. He angles your hips off the seat but presses your chest further into it, giving you (and himself) the perfect arch to comfortably slide in and out.

The first few thrusts are slow, as expected, but just enough to get you used to his size. Even this was all too much for Sunghoon; he was already dangerously close to his orgasm.

He didn't intend on speeding up his thrusts already, but he really can't help it. Everything about this feels too good. The way your walls perfectly wrap around him, and the way you're moaning and cursing for him to keep going are overwhelmingly good.

"Fuck." He moans, squeezing his eyes shut as he presses you down further into the backseat. He pulls his cock all the way out before pushing himself back in, which you seem to enjoy. He does it a few more times, mostly to humor himself since it's something he assumed you would've been annoyed by.

"Sunghoon," you pant, "I'm close."

"Already?" He asks, pushing your hips downwards until you're lying flat on your stomach.

He tries to come off as cocky and frustrated, but he really is grateful you're already so close to your orgasm, seeing that he felt like he could burst at any given second.

You nod, "Please, keep going."

He doesn't respond, opting to remain silent as you pull his cock out of you before ramming it back in at a pace much harder and faster than before. His thrusts are sloppy and borderline desperate, the sound of skin slapping and grunts filling the air shortly afterward.

The two of you could hardly keep your eyes open, too lost in the pleasure of your approaching orgasms.

Your's hits first, and Sunghoon's follows shortly after, practically filling you up to the brim with his cum. You've never felt so full and warm, heat spreading through your entire body as you slowly calm down and regulate hour breathing.

Sunghoon doesn't feel like moving, but he does anyway, slipping himself out of you with a wince, watching his cum drip out of you and onto the seat of the car. He curses at the sight, stopping himself from leaning forward and eating it out of you.

He undoes both of the handcuffs this time, helping you sit up as you avoid eye contact with each other. "Hold on," he says, re-adjusting his pants and boxers, "I should have a towel or something in the trunk."

Sunghoon steps out of the car, returning a minute later with a towel in hand. He leans down, prepared to clean you up, until you stop him, "It's okay, I got it."

He shakes his head, "I can do it for you."

"It's fine," you say, buttoning up your shirt, "I'd prefer to do it myself, actually."

Sunghoon finally gives in, handing you the towel before leaning over the center console and retrieving your panties from the passenger seat. He waits patiently for you to finish up, instructing you to just drop the towel on the floor as he hands you your underwear.

"Hey, have you…do you think you've sobered up yet?" He asks, watching as you slip your panties back on.

"Yeah, why?"

"Before I met you in the bathroom, I took a few bites of an edible, and I think it's starting to kick in. I think you should drive."

You sigh, mostly because this was not at all what you'd been hoping he'd say. "Drive where? To your place? Then where would I go?"

"I can pay for your Uber home."

"Sunghoon, it's past midnight, and I'm a girl; taking an Uber this late is too dangerous."

"Then drive back to your place; I'll sleep in the car and drive off in the morning."

You groan, "No, Minjeong might visit me in the morning. What'll she think when she sees your car in my driveway?"

"Dammit, YN, then just spend the night at my place. You can take my bed, and I'll sleep on the couch; just please drive us somewhere, for fuck's sake."

Bickering with Sunghoon somehow doesn't annoy you; in fact, it feels almost domestic. Going back and forth like a real couple.

"Fine." You say, climbing into the driver's seat.

Sunghoon's phone falls off the dashboard in the process, now charged at twenty-eight percent, and apparently, a missed text from Minjeong that was sent a few minutes ago.

The jealousy that fills your chest is downright abnormal; Minjeong is your best friend; there's no real reason for you to feel jealous of her in the first place. 

In fact, you shouldn't feel any sort of guilt at all; it's not like they're still together. They've been broken up for three weeks and three days. 

Three weeks. And Three days.

[burst-of-iridescent]

zuko staying up all night outside katara's tent is genuinely one of the tenderest moments in the whole show to me because it's so clear that zuko didn't have to do that. whenever we've seen zuko do this before it's usually for a purpose (hunting aang), out of necessity (catching sokka sneaking off to boiling rock so he didn't go into danger by himself), or because someone he loved was in danger (iroh being injured by azula's lightning).

with katara, there's no such urgency. there's nothing stopping zuko from getting a good night's sleep and finding katara the next morning to tell her about the southern raiders. it would hardly have delayed the trip by more than an hour or two, if that. it's likely zuko would've woken up before katara anyway (mr. rise with the sun after all) so he probably could've met her at the same time he did in the show without having to lose sleep and wait outside her tent.

but he doesn't, because he knows that katara would want to know about the southern raiders right away -- that this is information given already six years too late, and which he has no right to keep from her for even a second longer than he has to. i think too that zuko saw some part of himself in katara here; the little boy who ran to find the person responsible for his mother's disappearance the moment he learned she was gone and the teenager who had to live an almost equal amount of time never knowing for sure who had taken her away and why, would surely relate better than anyone to katara's desire for closure, for answers so long denied.

(which is also why i can't take it seriously when people paint zuko's actions in this episode as self-serving. of course he wants to earn her forgiveness -- which, by the way, he should want-- but not once does zuko let his desires take precedence over katara's. if he was going to do that, he would probably have started by not pulling an all-nighter on an uncomfortable ass rock for no logical reason.)

so he stays. he waits. he puts his needs second to hers -- as he will do for the rest of the episode, as he will do when he leaps in front of lightning for her -- not only because he cares enough to try, to figure out what she needs, but because he understands her.

and if that's not love, idk what is.

[cheeseceli]

Mornings with SKZ

Pairing: Ot8!Skz × Gn!reader (individually)

Genre: fluff, headcanons

Request: Ot8 skz and their s/o mornings together

Warnings: mentions of food, skinship, established relationship

A/n: posting this as a reminder I still exist 😭 | Daily click

Bang Chan

First three times you shared a bed with him freaked you out because Why'd you always wake up alone??

He'd already be starting his day

Showering, making breakfast, even working already depending on the day

But he'd always be as silent as possible so to not wake you up

Once you inevitably do, he stops whatever he was doing so he can say hello to you

Good morning hug 🙂‍↕️

"Hi babe, did I wake you up? Sorry, I'll be quieter next time. Come here"

Lee Know

You'd wake up with the smell of something delicious being made

Best breakfast ever!!

And he'd keep cooking after he feels you hugging him from behind

Asks you if you slept well 😔

Of course you slept well, how could you not with his three cats sleeping with you?

They'd only wake up later on though

It gives you two time to spend together before the day actually starts

"I'm almost done cooking it, you can go sit if you want."

Changbin

Please be someone who likes mornings

I see him as such an early bird for some reason

A very energetic one for all that is worth

So he'd love it if you wanted to be active since the early morning

Going out for breakfast, jogging a little bit, maybe just walking around the town

He loves to start his day with you, no matter what you're doing

"The day is so beautiful already! Do you want to go out? We can go to that cafe you like."

Hyunjin

He'd probably wake up before you, but he's not getting out of bed until you do

He's on the lazy morning racha, what can I say

But he's there, laying with you and cuddling you, sweetening your dreams a little bit more

It's a little bit funny cause he's waiting for you to wake up but he's not doing anything to entertain himself

Not even using his phone

Maybe he's still a bit dreamy and is just savouring this peaceful moment

Brightest smile ever when you open up your eyes

"Hello, love. Did you sleep well?"

Han

There's no such thing as morning with him

Bro is ready to wake up only after eleven am

And please don't be an early bird because he needs to be with him

Yes, he will be asleep, but he also wants to be with you

He's such a cuddler

Even if you woke up, I'm not sure you'd be able to get away from his hold

"C'mon, baby. Just five more minutes."

Felix

Breakfast in bed!!!

I cannot imagine a morning that is more him than that

He's so gentle when waking you up as well

Softly calling out your name and maybe even kissing your forehead

It would be like 8/9 am when he'd wake you up

So that gives you two quite a time to spend together

"Wake up, angel. I made some food for you."

Seungmin

It doesn't always happen, but whenever it's possible, he loves to watch the sunrise with you

Even if you're so sleepy you barely register the scene

It's kinda magical

He won't admit it though

Mornings with him are low-key quiet, you both still a little bit sleeping

It's also when he's the most vulnerable

"Come here" he asks with open arms, just waiting for your touch.

I.N

He's the second part of the lazy morning racha

He loves doing absolutely nothing with you

Just laying in bed or on the couch and catching up with your favourite drama energises him so much

He especially lives to this on his days off

It's rare to be able to do nothing for a while, so he won't lose an opportunity to do so

"Oh, there's a new episode of the drama we were watching last week. Wanna see it?

Masterlist | you'll probably like: first relationships

Reminder this is just fiction!! I'm not trying to portray real life and you shouldn't believe that this is how the members actually are. This is just for the vibe and the delulu!

Taglist (open!): @yuyubeans @dandelions-143 @sleepyleeji @jinnie-ret @sheraayasherrecs @rockstarkkami @urlocalmultigroupfan @aeinzzzketchup

Dividers by @cafekitsune | images 1, 2 and 3

[authorhjk1]

SNSD Vilage Season 1 Episode 3: Sunshine and Heat (Part 1)

(Jessica X Winter X Yoona X Kazuha X Male Reader) Wordcount: 38472 words

How did you get yourself into this mess? You press yourself flat against the wall of Eunha’s room, hiding next to her closet. Even if Ms. Jung comes inside, she wouldn't be able to see you from this angle. You try to listen to what is going on downstairs. Eunha speaks up now, clearly annoyed and angry, but you can’t make out the words she is saying. Then you hear her mother say something.

You hold your breath as it becomes silent in the house. Your eyes focus on the window across the room. Maybe… It feels weird to even consider this. You usually only see this in movies. And yet, here you are. You leave your hiding spot and walk over to the window. Looking down, you’re staring at the Jung family’s driveway. The gray stones don’t look comfortable at all.

You jump when you hear the front door being shut loudly. Was that Eunha or her mother?

You look down again. It's Eunha. For a moment you consider signaling her that you're still inside her room. She probably doesn't have a ladder lying around though, right?

Your heart beats faster, when you hear Ms. Jung walking up the stairs. Quickly getting behind the closet once more, you hold your breath. There is no reason for her to come inside Eunha's room. Right?

She seems to have gone inside her own bedroom. You hear Eunha coming back inside the house. Maybe that's your moment. You walk to the door and carefully open it, just enough for you to look inside the hallway. Ms. Jung's door is open, but you don't see her anywhere.

You hesitate. Are you really gonna do this? Or would you rather wait inside Eunha's room?

You slowly count to three. And then you slowly open the door further and tiptoe towards the stairs. You make your way down with shaking hands, afraid you'll hear her voice behind you at any moment.

One last step and you reach the living room. You almost run into Eunha. 

“Thank God."

She whispers.

“Get out of here.”

She pushes you towards the front door and you sigh in relief when you open it.

“Who are you, boy?”

You freeze. Fuck!

You haven't seen Ms. Jung in quite a while. But you remember her always thinking quite highly of herself and her family. You doubt she'd like the fact that you slept with her daughter. Biting your lip, you consider making a run for it. But you doubt it'll work. You live across the street. She'll recognize you eventually. Even from the back. And even if it's not now, it'll happen sooner rather than later. It'd probably be best if she found out now and not in two weeks.

You take a deep breath, ready to get crucified, and turn around.

“A wonderful morning, Ms. Jung.”

You try to look as cheerful as possible. And yet not come off as ignorant or stupid. All three of you know what happened last night. There is no need to deny anything.

Ms. Jung slowly crosses her arms in front of her chest. You see her looking you up and down.

“Mom, it's not a big deal. It's not like-”

One glare from her mom and Eunha is as silent as a grave.

“Upstairs.”

Eunha hesitates. But she knows she'll only make it worse for the both of you. She sends you an apologetic glance, before making her way towards her room.

“I could ask you what you’re doing here, but we both know the answer to that question, don’t we?”

For a brief moment, you consider bluffing again, but Ms. Jung’s stare seems to pierce right through your body, into your soul.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

You catch the right corner of her mouth twitching. Almost as if she’s amused by your politeness.

“Since we’re on the same page, let us get one thing straight.”

Jessica Jung takes a step closer towards you. You do your best to look into her eyes. Which is hard. Her brown orbs are basically throwing daggers at you. If she was a guy, you would’ve glanced down from time to time. But you already noticed her neckline earlier as you turned around. Her white blazer almost seems to perfectly fit her, especially when coupled with the white top she is wearing. The hint of her cleavage is practically begging you to look at it.

You manage to nod, your throat dry. Ms. Jung’s gaze is heavy, pinning you in place like a butterfly on a collector’s board. Your heart is racing - half panic, half… something else you don’t want to name. There’s something unsettling about the way she’s looking at you, something that makes you feel exposed, like she can read every guilty thought running through your head.

She lets out a soft, disapproving sigh, as if she’s contemplating the sheer audacity of you standing there. Her arms are still crossed, but the tension in her shoulders softens slightly, her posture shifting into something more casual - though her expression remains razor-sharp.

“You’ve made quite a mess, haven’t you?”

Her words are measured, like she’s deciding whether you’re worth scolding or dismissing entirely.

“Sneaking into someone’s house. Seducing their daughter. And then thinking you could slink away without anyone noticing.”

“I didn’t mean—”

You start, but she cuts you off with a sharp glance.

“Didn’t mean?”

She echoes, her voice soft but laced with disbelief.

“What exactly didn’t you mean, boy? Didn’t mean to disrespect my family? Didn’t mean to risk embarrassing Eunha in ways you can’t even comprehend? Or didn’t mean to get caught?”

Your stomach churns. Her words sting, but there’s something almost magnetic about the way she speaks, each word precise, calculated. You feel yourself shrinking under her gaze, yet part of you can’t help noticing how poised she is, how commanding.

“I - I wasn’t thinking,”

You admit, the words tumbling out before you can stop them.

“I didn’t think about the consequences. It was stupid.”

Ms. Jung raises an eyebrow. Her lips twitch, almost imperceptibly, as if the faintest hint of amusement threatens to break through her severe expression.

“Stupid.”

She repeats, her tone dry.

“At least we can agree on that.”

She steps closer now. You’re rooted in place, the proximity making your pulse quicken for reasons you’re too flustered to untangle. She’s still looking at you like she’s deciding what to do with you - a look that makes your skin prickle, but not entirely in a bad way.

Ms. Jung tilts her head slightly, studying you. Her gaze lingers on your face, then dips, just briefly, as if appraising you in a way that’s no longer purely critical. The shift is subtle, but it’s enough to make your breath hitch. Does she even realize what she’s doing? Or worse - does she know exactly what she’s doing?

“You’re not much of a man,”

She says finally, her voice quieter now but no less cutting.

“Still a boy in so many ways. And yet…”

Is that a… compliment? You’re not sure. But it almost sounded like that. Or was it just what it looked like? An insult? You try to be confident. Compliment it is. You straighten your back a little.

She takes a slow step forward, heels clicking against the floor like a metronome counting down your inevitable doom.

“Do you know what I despise more than arrogance?”

she asks, her tone calm, measured.

You shake your head, your mouth too dry to form words.

“Cowardice.”

she says simply, her lips curling into a faint, cruel smile.

“Boys like you, so quick to act, so slow to take responsibility.”

“I’m not -”

You begin, but her raised hand silences you instantly.

“Don’t.”

she says, her voice sharp as glass.

“Don’t insult me by pretending you’re anything but exactly what I see in front of me.”

Her words cut deep, but the way she steps closer makes your pulse spike for an entirely different reason. She’s close now. Too close. The faint scent of her perfume, the soft sheen of her hair under the light, the way her white blazer clings perfectly to her form. It’s all too much.

“Ms. Jung -”

You start, your voice trembling.

“Jessica.”

She corrects smoothly.

“If we’re going to have this conversation, you’ll call me Jessica.”

“Jessica,”

You manage, the name foreign and heavy on your tongue.

“I… I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Her laugh is soft, but there’s no humor in it.

“Didn’t you? You waltzed into my house, into my daughter’s room, and now you want me to believe it was all some grand accident?”

“No!”

You protest, panic rising.

“I mean, yes, I was in her room, but-”

“But you didn’t expect to get caught.”

She tilts her head slightly, her smile fading.

“Spare me your excuses, boy. They bore me.”

You fall silent, unsure of what to say, unsure if there’s anything you can say to salvage this. The tension in the air is unbearable, her presence overwhelming as she studies you with a calculating intensity.

Jessica narrows her eyes, and you see a flicker of something dangerous in her gaze.

“You live across the street, don’t you?”

Your blood runs cold.

“Y-yes.”

She smirks faintly, her arms crossing.

“Joohyun’s son.”

She murmurs to herself, her voice laced with mocking amusement.

“How quaint. I wonder what your mother would think if she knew what you’d been up to.”

Your stomach churns.

“Please.”

You whisper, the word spilling out before you can stop it.

“You don’t have to tell her.”

“Don’t I?”

She counters, taking another step forward.

“Maybe she deserves to know. Maybe she needs to know exactly what kind of son she’s raised.”

“No, please.”

You plead, your voice cracking.

“It was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”

Jessica studies you for a long moment, her expression unreadable. You feel the weight of her gaze like a physical force, and your chest tightens with every second that passes. Just when you think she might make good on her threat, her lips twitch into a faint, almost predatory smile.

“Pathetic.”

She says, her voice low. But there’s something new in her tone now, something that sends a shiver through you - not anger, not contempt, but something darker, more curious. Her eyes roam over you, slower this time, and the faintest hint of amusement flickers across her face.

“You’re a mess, you know that?”

She murmurs, her voice softer but no less sharp.

“Stammering, fumbling, barely able to keep your wits about you. And yet…”

She trails off, her eyes lingering on you with a strange intensity.

“…there’s something… interesting about you.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. Your pulse quickens, and you’re acutely aware of every inch of space between you - or rather, the lack of it. You should say something, anything, but the weight of her presence, the way her eyes bore into you, leaves you speechless.

Jessica’s lips twitch, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she’s come to some decision.

“You’ve already wasted enough of my time.”

She says, stepping even closer.

“And if you think I’ll let you slink away without consequences, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Her words send a shiver through you, but it’s the way her fingers suddenly reach out and trail down the front of your shirt that truly makes your breath hitch. The gesture is slow, deliberate, and completely in control.

“You said you’d do anything.”

She murmurs, her voice softer now but no less commanding.

“Did you mean it?”

“Yes.”

You whisper, the word barely audible.

Her hand slides lower, brushing against your waistband. You freeze, your heart pounding so loudly you’re certain she can hear it.

“Then prove it.”

She says, her eyes locking onto yours. Her fingers move with calculated precision, reaching for the zipper of your jeans. The sound of it lowering is deafening in the otherwise silent room.

“Here’s what you’re going to do.”

Jessica says, her tone sharp and unyielding, the glint in her eye making it clear she expects nothing less than full compliance.

“And you’re not going to stop until I tell you to.”

For only a moment, you feel a flicker of fear. Eunha might witness all this. The thought is fleeting, though, because Jessica doesn’t give you enough time to linger.

“You know,”

She begins, her voice low and measured.

“my husband hasn’t been home for almost a year.”

Her eyes are locked onto yours, sharp and unyielding, like a predator sizing up its prey. The intensity in her gaze sends a shiver down your spine as her slim fingers work to unbutton your jeans. The movement is deliberate, practiced, and confident, making them hang loosely around your hips.

“And that means,”

She continues, her tone darkening as she hooks a finger into the waistband of your jeans.

“I haven’t been satisfied properly for far too long.”

Jessica raises an eyebrow, her expression a mix of challenge and command, daring you to stop her. Then, with a sharp tug, she lets your jeans fall to the floor.

“You’d better change that now.”

Sweat builds on your palms, a cold nervousness creeping over you. Many people would kill for a chance like this, but all you feel is pressure, heavy and suffocating. Jessica’s words aren’t a simple invitation. They’re an expectation. A demand.

It’s not just sex.

She’s asking you to make her cum.

The realization lands heavily, and your stomach churns. You’ve made Tiffany cum before, twice. But you’re not even sure how you did it. And now, facing Jessica, whose confidence and poise seem miles above anything you’ve dealt with, you’re more nervous than ever.

“Do you need a second invitation?”

Her mocking tone snaps you back to the present, her words cutting through your spiraling thoughts. You shake your head quickly. Hesitation grips you, your mind fumbling for the next move.

“C-Can you maybe sit down?”

You stammer, motioning awkwardly toward the Jung family’s dining table.

Jessica’s lips twitch slightly, the faintest glimmer of amusement crossing her face. She doesn’t argue. Instead, she turns gracefully and walks toward the table, her movements deliberate, almost taunting. Her heels click softly against the floor, each step making your pulse quicken.

Stepping out of your jeans, you start thinking about what to do next. You’re not sure of the easiest way to make her cum. Should you eat her out? Actually fuck her? Jessica’s actions implied the latter, but what if you’re wrong? Tiffany came while you were inside her. Maybe it’ll be the same with Jessica?

By now, she’s perched on the table, waiting. Her gaze is fixed on you, predatory as ever, and you can feel her eyes trailing your every move. You walk toward her slowly, still debating your options. Every step feels heavier than the last. Her presence, her posture, it all screams control, and you feel like prey walking directly into her trap.

When you finally reach her, your body betrays you with another moment of hesitation. How do you even begin this? Should you kiss her? But the look in her eyes warns you against it, threatening almost, like she’d kill you if you tried something so trivial.

This is an entirely different dynamic than you’ve experienced before. Tiffany had treated you like a partner, even when role-playing. Yoona had barely undressed. With Eunha, it was mutual exploration, casual and tipsy.

But Jessica doesn’t see you as a person right now.

She sees you as a toy.

“I-I can’t help you if you’re…”

You swallow hard.

“…dressed.”

Jessica tilts her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as if weighing your words. Then, with a faint smirk, she reaches for the hem of her blazer. She slides it off her shoulders and tosses it aside with the same casual elegance she’s had this entire time.

Her tight blouse clings tightly to her, emphasizing every curve, you can’t stop your gaze from flickering down to her now fully exposed cleavage.

You quickly look away, heat rising in your face.

“I’m taking off my clothes, and you’re looking away?”

Jessica asks, her tone somewhere between amused and scolding.

“What kind of 18-year-old are you?”

“I’m 19.”

You mumble under your breath.

If she hears you, she doesn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she watches you intently, her smirk growing as you keep your eyes averted. It feels unnatural, weird even. With Tiffany, the role-playing made it easy to focus. Yoona didn’t even take her clothes off. Eunha and you had been too tipsy to care about awkwardness.

But this? Jessica undressing in front of you, her neighbor’s son, like it’s the most normal thing in the world? It feels surreal.

“Do you want to take them off yourself?”

Her question hangs in the air, charged and impossible to ignore.

You finally look at her again and can’t stop yourself from staring. Her white top shows off her ample chest and you can even see the outlines of her bra underneath. To your surprise her pants are already lying next to her on the table. Your eyes travel along her smooth legs, until they reach her panties. You don’t know what you expected, but Jessica is just wearing a simple white piece, probably matching her bra. After seeing Tiffany in that amazing red lingerie, you somehow expected Jessica to wear something similar. Instead, you are looking at simple white cotton with a hint of her pussy lips underneath.

“Y-Yes?”

You try to sound more confident, but it’s difficult for you. Jessica just seems to analyze every move of yours, ready to punish you at any moment.

She opens her legs a little wider, placing her heels on the chairs on either side of her. You step in front of her and instead of standing, you kneel down. Her satisfied smirk leaves you hoping you made the right decision. Reaching forward, you feel the fabric on your fingers as they brush against her waist. You’ve known Jessica for years as Eunha’s mother and you never expected to see her naked.

Now you’re pulling her panties off her as she slightly raises her hips. You can tell she is looking at you, waiting for your reaction as you expose her core. First, her neatly trimmed pubic hair follows the hem of her panties, but soon you reveal her pussy. It looks slightly smaller than Tiffany’s, but also less wet. It takes you a moment to tear your eyes away from the sight and to slip her panties down her smooth legs, one at a time.

“Give me those.”

She reaches out and you drop them in her hand.

“Don’t want you running around with them.”

You don’t say anything back. Why would you take them?

“And now put that tongue to good use.”

Scooting a little closer, you look up at her one last time, before leaning in to kiss her skin right next to her folds. Her breath hitches and you decide to continue your kissing. All around her lips, before finally planting a kiss right on her folds. Jessica tries to suppress her hiss. She hasn’t been treated like this by a man in a year. She took care of herself from time to time, but it’s just different to when a guy does it. Jessica loves the fact that you aren’t just a random guy, but her daughter’s classmate. It makes this even better, almost taboo. She can’t help but imagine what your mother would think of you if she found out you ate out your hot neighbour.

“Don’t be shy, boy.”

Turned on by her own thoughts, Jessica takes a fistful of your hair and pulls you closer, urging you on to pleasure her like she told you to.

You start licking along her lips. You're going slow at first, hoping that a slow build up will get her to cum. Placing your hands on her thighs feels like you're touching forbidden territory, but you use it to comfortably settle into a nice rhythm. You let your tongue dart out to her clit once in a while, sending a shiver up Jessica's spine, before you focus back on her pussy. 

So far everything you're doing while eating her out is stuff you've learned by doing. Placing your tongue flat on her clit and humming a little, that's what Tiffany likes. It sends shivers through Jessica's body. You feel her wrapping her legs around you and locking her ankles at your back. Her thighs are now applying slight pressure on your head, but you don't mind at all. It feels amazing. Eating Jessica out, tasting that slight sweetness, feeling her thick thighs next to your head… It almost makes you forget about what could happen if you don't do your best to satisfy her. 

“Get your tongue deeper inside.”

Jessica sighs in pleasure, but you detect a hint of impatience. How are you supposed to know what she likes from the get go though? You’ve noticed that your ex, Tiffany, Eunha and now Jessica all like to be eaten out differently. That means you have to test the water a little at the beginning every time you meet someone new.

“Focus more on my clit.”

Jessica groans, a tug at your hair emphasizing her words.

You’re completely fine with her telling you what she likes, but you don’t like how she is ordering you around. And the underlying threat of Jessica telling on you makes your frustration grow even further. In response you slightly dig your fingers into the soft flesh of her thighs. It gives you a better hold of her body, but also makes her moan out.

“You need to put in more effort.”

Her cold, slightly shaky voice makes you almost growl into her pussy. As much as you enjoy eating her out, her comments keep throwing you off. You wish you could just take your cock out and finally fuck this sweet and tight pussy of hers, but she hasn’t said anything about sex so far.

With every passing minute, your anxiety rises. You don’t want Jessica to tell your mom that you slept with Eunha. You don’t want her to know anything about your sex life at all. But you keep struggling to make her cum. You can tell how she’s growing more impatient the longer you take.

Out of desperation, you finally back away and get on your feet. Jessica raises an eyebrow in question, her expression cold, but you catch the hint of pink colouring her cheeks.

“Is it okay if I… use my cock?”

You don’t dare to openly suggest fucking her.

The silence that follows is deafening. You can’t read her face and you’re somewhat ashamed of the fact you couldn’t get her to cum by eating her out. A couple of seconds pass, until Jessica finally gives you a short nod.

After sighing in relief, you quickly take off your boxers and step between her legs.

“I hope you know how to use this better than your mouth.”

She reaches out to wrap her fingers around your length. Your breath hitches when you feel her hand on you for the first time. For some reason you expected it to be cold, but it isn’t. Her hand just feels right as she gives you a couple of lazy strokes. Then, Jessica leans over a little and spits on your cock. Some of it misses and falls to the floor, but most of her warm saliva lands on your length and she spreads it everywhere. It doesn’t really feel loving, she isn’t really gentle. Not like Ms. Im, who really seemed to care for you. It’s obvious that Jessica is just using you for herself. But you can’t deny how good it feels.

You feel her slowly pulling you towards her and you look down to see how your cock aligns with her pussy. It is visibly wetter than before and you can still catch the lingering taste on your tongue.

“Go on.”

Jessica’s tone is as cold as ever, but you would like to believe there is some sort of anticipation in her eyes. You hesitate, knowing that you slept with this woman’s daughter a couple of hours ago. But then again, who at school can say they ever slept with a mother and her daughter? A sudden surge of excitement rushes through you and you push forward. You feel your cock penetrating her pussy and it slides along her inner walls. You feel Jessica’s heavy breath on your skin, the two of you obviously close together.

“I don’t have all day.”

Her words kinda ruin the moment for you. That feeling of being inside her for the first time. That feeling of being inside someone who is around your mom’s age. But you know that this isn’t about you. And so you pull your hips back, before pushing your cock into her again. As you pick up the speed a little, you could swear Eunha and Jessica feel kinda the same. It’s probably just an allusion, wishful thinking. And yet, the fact that you now know how both mother and daughter feel on the inside intoxicates you. You lose sight of your task for a while and mindlessly thrust in and out of Jessica. Her walls hug you tight and her slick clings to your cock. She doesn’t moan, but her breathing becomes heavier. Your hands hold onto her thighs once again, just adding more of this amazing feeling for you. When you feel a familiar pressure build inside of you, remember what you have to do. You have to make Jessica cum. No matter what. As good as it feels to be inside of her, you need to focus. You try to remember what you did when you made Tiffany cum. After taking one of your hands off Jessica’s thigh, you place it on her stomach, right above her pussy. You can feel her watching your every move as you move your thumb downward until you reach her clit. A drawn out sigh escapes her lips when you carefully start to rub her sensitive pearl. You keep on fucking her pussy and you notice how, after some time, Jessica’s body responds to your efforts. 

Her deep breaths slowly turn into small moans. Her pussy seems to tighten a little. Until now, Jessica had her arms behind her and was leaning back, she now moves them to hold your shoulders as you increase the pleasure rushing through her system. You feel her legs lock behind your back. The two of you are closer than ever before. Her head is just underneath yours and you can smell her coconut scent. 

“Yes, keep doing that.”

Jessica barely talks, but when she does, you do your best to listen as you try to learn everything about her body. This isn’t the same as Tiffany’s dirty talk, egging you on to ruin her. This feels more real. Without any special show. Just Jessica’s real, slightly reserved moans.

Which now seem to become a little louder as her nails dig into the skin on the back of your neck. You feel her slightly pulling you down towards her, but you don’t even dare to think about kissing her. As weird as it might sound, since your cock is inside her pussy right now, you feel that this is a line that Jessica doesn’t want you to cross.

But she seems to be more than just fine with your thumb circling her clit. You feel her pussy tighten around your shaft. The grip of her legs around you tightens as well.

“Almost there.”

She sighs, still not looking up into your eyes. Hers are either closed or blankly staring at your chest, which is right in front of her. You had hoped that her body’s reaction would indicate that you’re on the right track, but you didn’t expect her to be this close by now. Or maybe you just lost track of time?

You do your best to hold your rhythm now, knowing that this must be just perfect for her. Even going harder or faster might throw her off again and you don’t want to risk that. So you lose yourself to the feeling of her wet pussy squeezing your cock as you thrust in and out of her. It helps you a little to steady your pace. Jessica’s moans soon become even louder than before. Looking down, you see how her eyebrows are furrowed. You wonder if you messed up, or that’s just her face when she’s about to cum. You hope for the latter as you continue. You have fought off your slowly rising climax for a while now, but that and the purely physical work of fucking your neighbor has started to drain your energy.

But you can eventually sigh in relief when Jessica finally moans your name. It’s her first time to do so and it’s accompanied by her pussy contracting around your cock. You feel how she becomes wetter as her body seems to experience one internal shock after another. Because you were too focused on making her cum, you almost completely forgot about the amazing view you had this whole time. Her cleavage looks perfect as she slightly arches her back and the small shocks make her tits jiggle a little. You wish you could just put your hands on them and feel them as Jessica is slowly beginning to calm down. 

You stopped what you were doing to let her ride out her orgasm in peace. Now you are about to start thrusting into her again, when Jessica suddenly pushes you away. Surprise and disappointment must be visible on your face as your cock leaves the warm comfort of her tight pussy.

“No. You’ve done your job, so I won’t tell on you. Now leave.”

“But-”

You’re stunned. You thought the two of you would continue. After all, you did make her cum and Tiffany didn’t stop fucking you after she came. So did Jessica really only use you to get herself off? You won’t even get to cum?

You take a step back, your cock still glistening with her juices as Jessica gets off the table and gets dressed again. Or maybe she realized she is cheating and changed her mind? But she didn’t seem to care at all about the fact she’s married earlier.

“What are you still standing here for?”

Her voice makes you snap back to reality and you realize she’s already completely dressed again. As if nothing happened. Now you feel awkward standing in front of her without your pants. You fumble for your clothes while Jessica takes her phone out of her purse. Once you’re done she hands it to you without a word. Her icy front is still intact, but maybe you caught a glimpse of what is underneath as you were fucking her.

You notice she opened her snapchat before handing you her phone. You’re surprised someone her age uses this app, but then you see only one other contact. Is that her way of communicating with the people she is cheating on her husband with? But the other person seems to be a woman. You put in your own information and give it back to her. 

As you walk out of the Jung family’s house, your cock still feels painfully hard. You held yourself back a couple of times, which you now regret. Maybe you should’ve just cum while you were fucking Jessica. But at least her asking for your contact lets you hope you’ll get a second chance at that.

Groaning in frustration, you let yourself fall into your chair after closing the door to your room. You don’t even have to close your eyes to remember how Jessica’s pussy felt around your cock. Unable to help yourself, you start to rub your cock through your pants. You need a quick fix. Especially since both Seri and Jisoo are in the house and you don’t want either of them walking in on you. For a moment you consider watching your and Tiffany’s videos on her OF. But for that you’d have to start up your computer and log in and… You shake your head and take out your phone and open Instagram, while you take your pants off. After quickly searching for Tiffany’s account again, you reach her reels and scroll through them. It still feels unreal to you that you’re actually having sex with this woman. Yeji’s mother, an OF model, a woman from this neighborhood. 

“Oh, watch out.”

On your phone, Tiffany just walked into the camera, pretending it was a person. She lets two biology books fall to the ground. You notice them immediately. You have the same ones. Everyone in your class does. These must be Yeji’s. You never expected Tiffany to use her daughter’s school books to promote her OF content.

You can’t think about it too long, because a moment later, you take in the teacher look Tiffany is wearing. Her dark hair is tied in a slightly messy bun with a pencil sticking out of it. Her framed glasses only add to the slightly nerdy look. She didn’t close the last four buttons on her red blouse, which don’t just give you a perfect view of her cleavage, but also a glance of her black bra. 

“You better look where you’re going.”

You watch her smiling seductively as you stroke your cock. Tiffany steps back a little and turns around. Now the camera captures her whole body. The black high heels and the tight black leather pencil skirt complete her outfit. She bends over, showing off her clothed ass to the camera. You remember fucking Tiffany from behind. How her pussy gripped onto your cock while you were thrusting in and out. How her wet pussy lips clung to your cock as you pulled out. You can’t think straight and you miss the rest of the video as you finally orgasm. A bent over Tiffany and her tight wet pussy burn themself into your brain.

A week later you stand in your room, looking outside your window. A bad feeling is creeping up your spine and you can’t help but wonder if you overstepped a line. Jessica hasn't texted you since she caught you sneaking out and sleeping with you seemed to be more like a one time thing for Eunha. You expected her waiting for you at school to talk with you about it, but she treated you like she always does. But all that fades into the background when you think about Yeji. She hasn’t been at school for the past week. After your teacher asked if anyone knew something, Minju mentioned that Yeji was sick. You don’t believe it though, since you know the real reason. The fact that her mother seems to be doing porn got to her more than you would’ve thought. Although, it seems like you didn’t think at all. What exactly did you think was gonna happen? That Yeji would be a walking sunshine?

For the first time in your life, you feel kinda bad for her. Especially since Yeji doesn’t even know how many people in school know about her mother. It could be just you, or it could be her whole class, or even the entire school. You can understand why Yeji wouldn’t want to go to school ever again.

After taking a deep breath, you decide on acting, depending on her being present today. If she’s at class after the weekend, maybe she got better. If not, you might have to clean up your mess.

“Honey, we’re leaving!”

Your mom shouts from downstairs, interrupting your thoughts.

“Alright! Have a nice day!”

A couple of moments later, you see her and Seri walk towards her car. What would your mother say if she found out about what you did to Yeji? She’d be disappointed, that’s for sure. But Yeji had it coming. Her next move might have been equally vicious.

You lose your train of thought once more. But this time not because of your mother, but because of your phone. You grab it and check who texted you. A snap from Jessica. Your heart bats a little faster. You haven’t heard from her science she told you to leave and now she’s suddenly reaching out? You quickly open what she sent you.

Adrenaline rushes through your system. She finally wants you again. You’re surprised that you’ve been so anxious about Jessica. Maybe it’s because she is the only one who left you hanging? She didn’t let you cum and she never promised to get back to you. It was different with Tiffany, who agreed to having sex with you regularly and Yoona and Eunha, which you interpret as a one time thing.

The excitement is already getting into your head and you’re about to run over to her house, when you glance at the time. School is starting soon. You don’t even have half an hour. You hesitate, but only for a second. Who cares about school? You have the chance to sleep with your hot, sexy neighbour. School is the last thing you should be worried about right now.

You grab your backpack and gym bag and a minute later, you stand in front of the Jung family’s house. You know Eunha isn’t there, since she is always quite early at school. That’s probably why Jessica told you to come over now. She sent you the passcode of the electronic lock to her house as well, telling you to come up to her bedroom. Once you, you are greeted by Jessica, who is lying on her bed. Her robe is replaced by a one piece. She looks up when you stand in the door.

“Took you long enough.”

You hesitate, not sure what to do. Do you just walk up to her? Or wait for her to get up?

Before you can decide, Jessica rolls on her back and lifts her upper body off the bed while putting her weight on her arms. Her whole body is now facing you. You can’t help but glance at the outlines of her pussy lips, which barely stick out through the white fabric. Instead of saying anything, Jessica just nods towards her crotch and you understand what she wants from you.

You let your backpack glide off your shoulders, your gym bag joins a second later, and step towards her. Kneeling in front of the bed, you reach out and place both your hands on her thighs. Jessica places her feet on your shoulders, the white fabric of her socks slightly tickling your skin. Her slightly wet hair reveals that she probably took a shower before she called you over. You smell the hint of the shampoo she must have used. A mix of something flowery or fruity, but you can’t really put a finger on it. Granted, you’re kinda distracted by Jessica’s clothed pussy only being inches away from your face. But when you want to lean forward, you feel her feet pushing you away. Looking up at her, you can read from her face that this isn’t gonna be a quick in and out this time. You better take care of her properly. And of course you don’t mind. The longer you can spend time with Jessica in bed the better.

You start right at the hem of her socks. A soft kiss here, a soft kiss there. Slowly you make your way upwards along both her legs. Her smooth skin glistens in the shine of the room’s lights. As you keep going, she slightly bends her knees, now allowing you to lean forward. Reaching her thighs, you stop kissing her for a moment. Instead you place your tongue flat on her left thigh. You feel Jessica’s eyes on you and you slowly drag your tongue across her flawless skin, licking her thigh from the knee up to the hem of her one piece. A shaky breath escapes her lips when your tongue leaves her skin and you have to hold back a smile. It is one thing to be able to sleep with someone like Jessica, it’s another to make her gasp in pleasure as you now do the same to her other thigh. When you reach the white cloth once more, you return to her knees. Then you leave another trail of kisses along her thighs. By now you can tell who Jessica gets more into it. You feel her toes curling in anticipation against your shoulder as you move closer towards her core.

“Stop teasing already.”

Jessica’s voice sounds like a demand, but when you glance up at her, you catch her biting her lip, her eyes glued to your lips. After the first time you tried to make her cum, you read some stuff online. You were kinda embarrassed that you failed at making her cum by eating her out. Now you know the theoretical stuff to some degree. Why not give it a try now?

Instead of just straight up removing her clothes, you lean towards her core. You kiss her clothed pussy and you can smell the familiar scent already. After another kiss, you place your tongue right above her clit. Jessica lets out a sharp breath when you start to lick her pussy through the white fabric. Of course it doesn’t taste the same, but you can still taste a hint of her on the fabric. And the response you’re getting is definitely worth it. Jessica’s thighs close around your head as if she’s afraid you’d leave her hanging. You hear a loud moan escape her lips and after that a steady flow of sighs reaches your ears.The fabric soon becomes damp and then wet. Some of it is your spit, the other half Jessica’s juices. You can almost hear the surprise in her voice as another moan leaves her lips. She’s probably wondering how you improved this much after last time. 

A couple of minutes later you can tell by the shaking of her thighs around your head that Jessica is slowly falling apart. You feel a sense of pride as you continue to lick her pussy through the wet fabric.

“Oh my god.”

An unusual needy whine leaves her lips.

“Just eat my cunt already.” Her hand on your head emphasizes her point and so you finally push the part of her one piece that is in your way to the side. A satisfied gasp is your reward as you finally taste her juices straight from the source. And it only takes a couple of moments longer until you finally push Jessica over the edge.

She’s even more surprised than you are as she finds herself cuming in front of you. It doesn't feel the same as last time. Jessica feels a little vulnerable for some reason. As if she’s scared of you having this kind of power over her body. But at the same time she threatens to suffocate you with her thighs as she orgasms, her whines reaching a higher pitch. This new found vulnerability makes Jessica take the initiative as soon as she gets off her high. It’s like a rush of adrenaline for her. The fact that you, her neighbour, who’s barely half her age, is able to make her cum by just eating and licking her pussy. 

She pulls you upwards with both hands and your face glides along her body. You feel her tits press against your face for a moment and then you reach her own. Suddenly her lips find yours and you’re aware that you aren’t just lying on top of her, but also kissing her. Her tongue invades your mouth as she can taste herself on your lips. You feel Jessica working on your pants as she keeps her lips locked with yours. For some reason kissing her like this feels even more taboo than eating her out. But those thoughts, those thoughts about her cheating on her husband with you, are gone in a second when you feel Jessica take out your cock. Its tip immediately rests against her moist pussy lips as if it's just waiting to penetrate her waiting folds.

“Fuck me.”

Jesscia whispers into your mouth, barely breaking the kiss, your lips still locked.

“Fuck me good,”

You feel her thighs wrap around your waist. She pulls you in and your cock smoothly enters her tight cavern. The two of you moan into each other’s mouths. Your arms are supporting your weight as you basically lie on top of her. This the first time you've ever been so close to Jessica. You look into her eyes as you thrust in and out of her. It feels oddly intimate to you. It's nothing like the sex you had with Tiffany. It's more about actually taking care of her needs. It's about satisfying her. 

You keep on fucking her in this position. Deep hard thrusts, which make her moan again and again. The way her legs and arms cling to you makes you feel like she’s in control, despite you being the one on top. She keeps pulling you in, not intending to let go of you anytime soon.

“Keep going.”

She moans as you give her a particularly deep thrust. Jessica’s hands keep roaming your back as if she’s trying to find an outlet for her pleasure. One of them moves up to your shoulders as you continue to thrust into her.

“Don’t stop.”

She hisses and suddenly you feel her hand wrap around your throat. She isn’t applying pressure, but you can still feel it. 

“Fuck me like you mean it.”

Jessica slightly lifts her head, her mouth finding yours. You do your best to stay consistent with your deep, powerful thrusts, but you know you won’t be able to do this forever. When she bites your lip, you furrow your eyebrows in pain, but you still don’t stop. The fact that Jessica is already the third older woman in your neighborhood with which you are intimate with is getting to your head. Up until a couple of weeks ago you never even properly thought about sleeping with them, except for Tiffany. They were all far beyond your reach, especially since you know most of them since you were little. You know their daughters as well and yet here you are. Deep inside Jessica, who is clinging to you like a koala to a tree.

“God, you feel amazing.”

Jessica’s head rolls back as she slowly sinks herself down onto your cock. She’s now the one on top, her hand still wrapped around your throat. You have to admit that her hand doesn’t really turn you on. It’s more because of the position you’re in. You’ve never really felt this submissive before during sex. With Tiffany you quickly changed the script and became the one who used her. With Yoona you knew she was in control, but she was just pleasuring you. But now Jessica is just using you to get off, while she doesn’t let you take action. She rides you on her bed, pinning you to the mattress every time she impales herself on your cock.

When she slows down a little, you groan as you feel her moving back and forth instead of up and down. She keeps circling her hips, making your cock reach all kinds of places. Another groan follows your first. You didn’t expect her to be this good, but then again, she has way more experience than you do.

“It’s criminal that a boy like you has such a nice cock.”

Her moaned confession makes your body heat up. It’s not just about the words themselves, but also the way Jessica’s cold facade is slightly melting away. She’s still the dominant, rich neighbour. But you can tell how she’s releasing some of her pent up stress by letting it out on you.

“You feel so tight too.”

You try to make her a compliment, but to your surprise Jessica moves her hand from your throat to your mouth. Her fingers cover your lips as she now looks down on you.

“Just shut up.”

You stay silent, not even trying to complain. You don’t want to ruin this opportunity. And unlike Tiffany, you doubt that Jessica would appreciate it if you were to try to take control.

“You’re just a toy.”

Another moan leaves Jessica’s lips. 

You wonder if she’s just saying that because she’s cold, or because she’s trying to justify that she’s cheating on her husband. Either way, you lie basically motionless on the bed, while Jessica continues to ride you.

“My plaything. You do what I tell you to do.”

Jessica’s voice becomes a little higher as you feel her tightening around you. Her wet pussy glides along your shaft with ease and you can feel every inch of her insides. Her velvet walls seem to hug you as tight as possible as Jessica picks up the pace.

“Fuck, you’re such a good toy.”

Jessica moans again as she bounces on your dick.

Compared to other women you’ve been with already, Eunha’s mom is definitely less vocal. She doesn’t talk as much and she doesn’t moan or whine constantly. She’s just using you and doesn’t care about you being satisfied it seems.

Her hands hold onto your shoulders now as she quickens her pace, impaling herself on your cock over and over again. You can tell that she’s reaching her high by the way she’s breathing. Her pussy around your cock seems to become warmer. You feel how she’s moving her hips slightly to the sides as she bounces up and down, making your cock hit a different place every time. You’re surprised at how good it feels. To have no control at all, while Jessica just uses you for her pleasure. To have her take your cock like she wants to, without you having a say in it. 

“Oh, bloody hell!”

Jessica throws her head back as your dick hits the right spot for her. You feel her nails drag across your chest, leaving small scratch marks. Her hair behind her sways to the rhythm of her bounces. You watch her tits underneath her top move up and down as well. The sight of her bouncing tits and the feeling of her pussy around your cock eventually brings you close to the edge as well. You have to take Jessica’s sheets into your fists as you try to channel your pleasure into something else than climaxing. But you doubt that you’ll be able to hold on if Jessica now cums on top of you. 

What are you supposed to do when it does happen? Jessica didn’t tell you when or where to cum. Would she even let you cum inside of her? Or does she want it somewhere else? Or does she want your cum at all?

Your worries distract you enough to not orgasm while she keeps on riding you. To your surprise you realize that Jessica is slowing down. You were sure that she wasn’t that far away from her orgasm, so why is she stopping now?

A couple of bounces later, Jessica finally comes to a halt. Without a word she turns around in your lap. You let out a groan as you feel her pussy around your cock move. It makes her let out a small moan as well. Now she’s not facing you anymore, but still sitting on your cock and now showing off her ass. You don’t know if that was the purpose of her position change, or if she just wants to try out something new.

You marvel at how good Jessica’s ass looks when she begins to ride you again. Her hands hold onto your legs, while you now watch her ass bounce in front of you. You have the urge to reach for it, slap it, squeeze it, but you hold back.  You still can’t read Jessica very well. And you’re afraid any unwanted touching will cut this shorter than you want it to be.

“Oh god.”

An involuntary moan escapes her lips as your cock now reaches different places than before. You feel Jessica’s nails dig into your legs as she increases her pace. Your hands are holding onto the sheets again as she resumes to drive you towards the edge. Her ass keeps bouncing up and down right in front of you and you wonder if she’s doing this on purpose. Is she having fun by torturing you like this? 

You have to close your eyes so you don't suddenly climax. You feel Jessica’s wet pussy glide along your cock faster and faster. Her ass on your lap makes this amazing slapping sound as she continues to ride you with no end in sight. It feels like you’re slowly losing your mind. The older woman on top of you is just using you for your cock, while you can’t do anything but hold on for dear life. You don’t dare to cum before she does.

“So good…”

You almost sigh in relief when you hear Jessica’s weak moan. You interpret it as a sign of her being close. Her tight walls seem to hug you harder now as more of her juices coat your cock. The feeling of her ass slapping against your lap continues to amaze you, especially as she continues to reach the height of her maximum pace.

“Fuck, gonna cum!”

Her only warning. A couple of seconds later, Jessica slams herself down onto your cock without lifting herself off of it again. Her contracting walls try to milk your cock and for a second you think she dragged you over the edge. You try to think of something else while this gorgeous woman is climaxing around your cock.

“What an amazing ride you are.”

Her tone is already back to its usual coldness right after she calmed down. You could’ve sworn there was a light hint of praise in her voice as well, but you’re too busy with keeping your own orgasm in check to focus on it.

When Jessica finally lifts herself off your cock, you’re both relieved and disappointed. It’d probably feel so good to cum inside her tight pussy, but you’re afraid of her scolding you and maybe even telling your mom. You watch her climb off the bed and you realize that Jessica won’t help you finish yet again. Your cock is still coated in her cum, but she is just heading towards the bathroom. You expected at least a dismissive comment on how you’re still here, but it seems like as soon as she came, she forgot all about you being here.

Despite Jessica being the one who did all the work, you feel completely drained. You drag yourself to the head of the bed and sit up, your back against the wall behind it. A couple moments later, you watch her walk out of her bathroom and head to her closet. You try to look around her and get a peek at her underwear drawer, before she picks out a pair of panties. She puts on the simple blue fabric, before looking for an outfit to wear. You just enjoy watching her, mainly because you never thought you’d see her getting dressed. Once she decided on a grey suit, she lies the individual parts onto the bed, before starting with the pants.

Once Jessica puts them on, her back seems to look even more beautiful than before. You have to admit that you were mainly focused on her ass earlier, but now her back looks flawless. Only when she reaches for the black turtleneck do you realize she hasn’t put on a bra. You raise an eyebrow in surprise, but don’t say anything. A minute later, Jessica is looking at herself in the mirror, completely dressed.

Visibly satisfied with her suit, she turns around and reaches for a purse, which has been hanging on the backrest of a chair that is standing next to the wardrobe. As she does so, she seems to remember you still being here. Jessica turns around and looks at you.

“Are you enjoying the show? What are you still doing here?”

“What?”

You have to admit that you’re kinda past disappointment right now. You’re frustrated. You know you should be glad and happy that you got to sleep with such an amazing, sexy woman. And yet you feel kinda neglected. You are completely fine with Jessica using you however she sees fit. But you want her to at least make you finish as well.

“Don’t you have school or something?”

“School started 10 minutes ago.”

Jessica’s cold face shows a hint of disapproval.

“And my daughter wants to sleep with someone like you?”

You can’t help feeling a little hurt. But it seems like Jessica can’t see the irony in her words.

“That’s not the point right now.”

She raises an eyebrow. She doesn’t look like she’s interested in your point at all. It almost feels like she’s irritated by you still sitting naked in her bed, like she’s wondering why the hell you’re still here, like a pop-up ad that won’t close no matter how many times she taps the screen.

“The point is that you’re just using me and you don’t even make me…”

You awkwardly gesture at your crotch. Your cock is still slightly glistening with her juices, but most of it is gone already.

“I just rode your cock and you can’t properly tell me that you want me to finish you off?”

She still sounds kinda annoyed, but you catch a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Well…Are you going to, if I ask ‘properly’?”

Jessica seems to think for a moment and then her eyes dart down to your cock, before she looks at her watch.

“You got two minutes.”

She lets her purse glide off her shoulder again and does a come hither motion with her fingers. Almost like an excited little puppy, you quickly move to the edge of the bed. Once you sit there and Jessica kneels down, you are slightly embarrassed at how needy you might come off. But you forget all about that as soon as Jessica wraps her hand around your cock. Her grip is a little tight as she starts to jerk you off. Her dried juices from earlier don’t let her stroke you smoothly. You twitch a little and Jessica seems to notice. She leans over your cock and lets a string of her saliva fall out of her mouth. Once it lands on your tip, she collects it with her fingers and her next couple of strokes spread it all over your length.

“You better not take too long.”

Her threat makes you nod, but as her hand moves up and down your shaft, you know you won’t be able to hold on for long anyway. Jessica’s pace is quick and her technique effective. Her fingers seem to know what your cock likes as she makes you let out a groan.

You can’t help but look down on her as she jerks you off, her eyes focused on your dick. She looks as gorgeous as she did when you first entered her bedroom earlier. Unfortunately you can’t get a good look at her cleavage because of her turtleneck, but her bust is still clearly visible. You have to hold yourself back from just reaching down and squeezing her tits. The idea of getting to play with her tits takes over your mind. And as Jessica continues to stroke your cock at a quick pace, you imagine yourself playing with them. Groping her chest and pinching her nipples would probably make her moan louder than she usually does. And what about a titjob? You wonder how good it must feel to have Jessica’s soft mounds wrapped around your cock, while she’s on her knees, just like right now, moving her upper body up and down. Her boobs would glide along your entire length, until you’d finally finish on her cleavage, painting her tits with your cum.

The mental image, combined with Jessica actually kneeling in front of you and her stroking your cock, eventually gets you to the point of no return.

“Oh god…”

You can’t help but groan loudly as you slightly lift your hips off the bed. Jessica’s fingers just feel so good around your cock. You close your eyes, dreaming about covering her whole body in your cum. She doesn’t stop jerking you off, her pace stays the same as before. When you finally orgasm, you groan her name involuntarily as you almost thrust your cock into her hand. You feel your cum leave your cock as Jessica continues, until you’re all spent. When you open your eyes again, you see that you made a mess out of her hand and the first part of her forearm. It’s all covered in cum. Your mental image of cuming on her tits becomes even clearer. It almost makes you hard again, but before you can say anything, Jessica stands up.

“Hurry up. I’ll drive you.”

She walks back into the bathroom and you quickly put on all of your clothes again. You hear the water going and peek into the bathroom. Jessica is standing in front of the sink, ready to wash your cum off of her. To your surprise she seems to hesitate for a second. You watch her slowly lifting her hand as some of your cum drops down into the sink. Her tongue leaves her mouth and you’re already hard again as she carefully licks some of your cum off her hand. You see her swallowing, but because she is looking down, you can’t see her expression through the mirror. Then she starts to clean her hand and forearm and you quickly get back to stand at the door of her bedroom.

The drive from Jessica’s house to school barely took a minute. You are surprised when she just drives onto the teacher’s parking lot and holds in an empty space. You glance at the name on the small sign.

“Kang”

Your gym teacher, Despite having to attend her class later today, it seems like she’s not here yet. But that just means she could arrive any second. You’re usually not that concerned about school rules, but you heard of stories about students and even parents getting a proper earful from the principal for parking here. Jessica seems as unbothered as ever though. She leans back as you take off your seatbelt. It feels weird to get dropped off at school by someone other than your mother, so you hesitate. But you feel her waiting next to you, so you eventually do open the passenger side door.

“Wait.”

You’re surprised that Jessica is holding you back.

“You want head?”

“What?” You can’t believe your ears. Is she trying to make it up to you for not thinking about your orgasm before?

“Your cum tastes good. I want to give it another try.”

Her cold tone makes it sound like she’s asking for a glass of water at a restaurant, not for your cum.

You don’t know what you’re supposed to say. And once again you realize it’s all about her. She doesn’t want to suck you off, because she wants to make it up to you, or make you feel good. She only wants it so she can taste your cum again.

You lean back into your seat and watch Jessica unbuckle her own belt. She then leans over and starts to undo your pants. She might only think of herself, but you can’t complain much if she wants to use you in the process. Your biggest problem with this was that she didn’t let you cum, but now it seems like that won’t be a big concern anymore. As Jessica takes your cock out of your jeans, you look around the parking lot to make sure no one can see you. Your ex never did something in public before and you’re also afraid that your principal might catch you.

All your worries are out of the window when you feel Jessica’s tongue lick your precum off your tip. You suppress a moan, but you know you won’t be able to keep quiet for long. Her hand is slowly stroking your base, while her tongue circles around your tip. You feel your cock becoming harder as Jessica starts to get into it. Her free hand reaches forward and soon her fingers gently caress your balls as if she’s trying to make you produce an even bigger load than before. Soon the sounds of her slurping on your cock fill her car. She takes most of your cock with ease and stops whenever her lips meet her hand. Jessica’s head slowly bobs up and down in your lap, while you can’t do anything but take it.

“Oh god.”

You mumble, your head resting against the headrest. Jessica’s blowjob overwhelms you as she soon begins to increase her speed. Her lips glide along your length again and again while one of her hands keeps on barely stroking your base and the other gently plays with your balls. Out of instinct you rest your left hand on Jessica’s head. Not because you want to control her, but because you don’t know what to do with it. Your other hand is holding onto the handle of the car door. You feel Jessica hesitate for a second when she senses your hand on your head. But she quickly resumes her blowjob, making sure that your cock is soon coated in her saliva.

After a while she lifts her head off your dick and looks up at you.

“You can grab some of my hair, but not too hard. I need to look good.”

Before you can say that she’d probably look better with slightly disheveled hair anyway, she dives back down to wrap her lips around your tip. Having permission to do so, you now carefully grab a fistful of her hair. It feels smooth in your fingers and you can tell that Jessica is responding by increasing her pace a little.

Once more your head rolls back and you look outside, trying to distract yourself. The way her lips glide along your length and her tongue seems to find every inch of your cock makes your head spin. You never want this to end. Jessica’s mouth feels amazing and you are insanely jealous of her husband. You wonder how often she gives him head. How nice must it be to wake up to Jessica sucking you off? You’d probably never leave the house anymore.

“Damn.”

You groan when you feel Jessica suddenly taking your cock further into her mouth. Her hand on your base has moved to her head to keep the hair out of her face. Your tip now hits the back of her throat whenever she takes all of you inside. A familiar knot inside your stomach starts to grow.

Experiencing something like this was always a fantasy for you. Receiving head from an older woman in your school’s parking lot. Whenever you dreamed of this, it was usually about a teacher and not your neighbour. You still can’t get the feeling of Jessica’s pussy out of your head. It felt amazing. And now that she’s sucking you off here, you wonder how it would feel to have sex at school. To have Jessica use your cock somewhere in the building where you could get caught at any second.

That was a mistake. You’re suddenly way closer to your orgasm than you want to be. Jessica seems to feel you reaching your end as she takes you as deep as she can go. Her lips meet your base again and again. You suddenly realize that you’re slightly pushing her head into your lap.

The pictures in front of your eyes keep on changing. Jessica giving you head. Jessica riding your cock in your classroom. Jessica who is deepthroating your cock. Jessica telling you how good your cock feels as Eunha watches. Jessica’s nails digging into your thighs as you keep pushing her onto your cock, not giving her any room to breathe. Jessica and Eunha both kneeling in front of you as you cum on both their faces. And then finally Jessica again, who’s now coughing as you shoot your cum down her throat.

You hurry through the building, trying not to get caught. The thought of having to enter a classroom with everyone in it is making your heart beat faster. You can already feel your classmate’s eyes on you. After taking another turn, you come to a hold. That’s right! Math is now in another classroom! You groan in frustration and turn back around. While taking the stairs, you take two at once, now trying to make up just a little bit of time. You round another corner and come to a halt again.

Shit.

You’re face to face with Kim Taeyeon. Of all the teachers you could’ve bumped into, it had to be the principal?

You mentally slap yourself a couple of times while Mrs. Kim looks you up and down.

“Mr. Seo. May I ask why you’re running around in the hallway during class?”

Her cold, judging glare now reminds you of Jessica. You quickly try to make up some lie. Having to pee would’ve been a great excuse, but then you’d have to explain why you took your backpack with you.

“I-um-I woke up late. Didn’t hear my alarm.”

She narrows her eyes in suspicion, her hands resting on her hips.

“Don’t lie to me. I can tell when you do that.”

You swallow hard. It sucks that she knows you too well. You and her daughter Minjeong grew up together. And her oldest, Jisoo… Well, you’re helping her to get back on her feet after she had to drop out of school. But you know that won’t save you now.

“My office. Right this instance.”

Her sharp voice makes you shudder in fear as you follow her towards the end of the corridor. 

Taeyeon feels you staring at her back. The anger inside of her keeps on boiling. She’s always strict about students attending their classes, but that’s not what this is. A couple of minutes ago she caught three boys smoking on the roof. She doesn’t know how they got up there, but you’re now suspicious to her as well.

“Empty your bags and pockets.”

She turns around to face you after entering her office. You furrow your brows in confusion, but you don’t dare to question her. Your stuff starts to fill her desk until your backpack and gym bag are empty. Then you take out your phone, wallet and keys and put them on the desk as well.

But Taeyeon still doesn’t look satisfied. She looks you up and down once more.

To your surprise she suddenly takes a step forward and leans closer. You hear her sniffing and trying to smell you. Does she think you’re smoking or something? Taeyeon’s lips twitch, but you’re distracted by the newfound view of her tits. You didn’t even notice until now that she has unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt. Her tie was in the way. But now, her being way smaller than you and leaning over enables you to stare at her cleavage. Despite Jessica just having sucked you off barely a couple of minutes ago, you feel your cock stirring again.

But that’s weird. You’ve seen her around the neighbourhood regularly since you can remember. You never had any indecent thoughts about Jisoo’s mother. After all, she is older than your own mother. And she’s your principal nonetheless. You’d never even consider trying to flirt with her. And what if you did? The consequences let a cold feeling creep up your spine.

But then Taeyeon leans back again and you quickly focus on her face once more.

“Get cleaned up and go to your class. If this happens again, I will call Mrs. Seo.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

You say quickly and start to throw your books and notes back into your bag. Glad she’s letting you off easy, you hurry out of her office before she can change her mind.

Taeyeon is still standing where you left her even after you’re gone. She raises an eyebrow, trying to remember the scent she just smelled on you. It’s definitely no cigarette smoke. And definitely not your cologne. Taeyeon tries to inhale your scent again, hoping a note of it is still lingering in the air. For a moment she thinks it’s a girl’s perfume, but she quickly dismisses the idea. Not a girl. A woman. Taeyeon can’t remember the perfume’s name, but even she tried it out while she was shopping on Sunday. It’s not a scent a student of hers would wear. It’s strong and feminine. It’s hard to describe, but it tells Taeyeon one thing. You had sex with an older woman this morning. That’s why you’re late.

To her own surprise, Taeyeon feels a tiny swirl of arousal slip into her body. She has never cared much for you in a sexual sense, but she has to admit that you do look quite nice.

The moment is gone as quickly as it came. Taeyeon shakes her head and moves to sit down in her chair. What would she do with a boy half her age? She doubts you’d even know how to treat her right. And how long would you last? You’d probably cum from just seeing her naked. No, you can’t be good for her.

And yet again…

Taeyeon furrows her brows and rests her chin on her hand. But you can’t be half bad if you were able to sleep with an older woman. Right? Or did you leave her completely disappointed? 

Your principal’s thoughts continue to wander. Maybe she just used you for a one time thing? Or maybe…Taeyeon can’t help but bite her lip. Maybe you have a really nice and big…

Taeyeon chuckles to herself. Is that it? Is that the reason why you were able to sleep with someone older than you?

Should she go and find out? She quickly shakes her head. That’s ridiculous. How would she even do that? 

Her breath stops for a second. She knows exactly where you’re going. And she told you to get cleaned up. Maybe she could sneak a peek while you’re in the restroom?

Taeyeon hesitates for one last second. But then gets off her chair. She’s gonna find out what you’re all about.

“Mrs. Kim?”

Minjeong lets out a soft groan, frustrated and anxious, as she grips her stained blouse. She was just trying to get to the bathroom when she notices another student walking in. Kim Yeri. Her stomach churns. Yeri is in the class next door, and she's exactly the kind of person who would laugh at Minjeong's mess. 

Taking a shaky breath, Minjeong glances down at herself. A big, bright blue paint stain sits on her white school blouse, feeling like a badge of embarrassment. Tears prick at her eyes. Why does this keep happening? Why is she always so clumsy? She can already picture the teasing, the whispers in the hallway, and the awful nickname she’d be stuck with.

“Smurf girl.” 

Feeling panicky, she looks around quickly. No one's watching. Without thinking too much, she rushes to the boys’ bathroom, her heart racing. She carefully opens the door. It’s empty. The sinks are quiet, and all the stalls are open. Glancing over her shoulder one last time, she slips inside, the door clicking behind her. Letting out a shaky breath, she heads for the sinks and yanks off her stained blouse to rinse it under the faucet. The cold air against her skin makes her acutely aware of the fact she’s only in her bra right now. She turns the knob next to the faucet. The running water sounds like a thunderstorm in her ears. Her heart races as she scrubs, knowing someone could walk in at any second.

You turn the corner, heading toward the bathroom when you notice the girls’ restroom door close. Someone's just come out. Shifting your backpack on your shoulder, you push the boys’ restroom door open.

You freeze. 

At the sink stands a girl, her back to you, and her blouse is hanging over the counter, showing off the smooth line of her back and the delicate straps of her bra. You gulp, suddenly feeling nervous. You clear your throat, trying to give her a heads up over the sound of the water.

Minjeong jumps, spinning around when she hears the cough. Her breath catches in her throat.

For a moment, neither of you moves, both wide-eyed and frozen in a small bathroom, the sound of dripping water filling the air.Her cheeks turn bright red as she realizes she's in her bra, holding her wet, paint-stained blouse, while her blue sweater, yanked off in a panic, lies forgotten on the floor.

Minjeong immediately recognizes you. And in the past she would’ve reacted calmly. But not after she saw you being in a relationship with your ex girlfriend. Since then she felt something new, despite knowing you for years already. You’re not just her friend anymore. You’re now the boy from her class, the one she’s always watched from behind her book or from across the cafeteria for the past months. The one with the easy smile, the one who always seems surrounded by friends, the one she’s harbored a quiet, aching crush on for months.

And now, here you are, standing only a few feet away, looking as shocked and uncertain as she feels.

“I-I’m sorry!”

She blurts, her voice high and shaky.

“I didn’t know anyone would- I just-”

You quickly lift your hands, eyes wide.

“No, it’s okay! Really. I didn’t mean to… I’ll leave if you want.”

Her heart is racing so hard she feels dizzy, her fingers tightening on the damp fabric as she stares at you. But something about your face, the open, earnest look in your eyes, the way you aren’t laughing or teasing, just standing there nervously, calms her, just a little. She lets out a shaky breath, forcing a small, nervous laugh.

“God, this is so embarrassing…”

You glance around, noticing the blue sweater on the floor. Without a word, you step forward, crouch down, and gently pick it up. Minjeong freezes, watching you with wide, unblinking eyes. Her heart thuds loudly in her chest as you move closer, her breath hitching when you carefully, almost hesitantly, drape the sweater over her shoulders. The warmth of the fabric, combined with the soft brush of your hands near her arms, sends a rush of heat through her.

“Here.”

You murmur quietly.

“I… figured you might want this.”

She clutches the sweater’s edges with trembling fingers, pulling it slightly tighter around herself, her eyes flicking up to meet yours.

And for a long, suspended moment, neither of you speaks.

The room feels smaller now. A quiet, electric tension that hums between you, soft and charged, making her heart beat faster and faster.

“He’s really close.”

She thinks, her breath catching in her throat.

“He’s never been this close before.”

Her chest rises and falls with shallow breaths as she looks up at you, her lips parting slightly, her lashes trembling.

You reach up gently, brushing a damp strand of hair away from her cheek. She closes her eyes briefly under your touch, her skin tingling, her heart soaring and panicking all at once. When she opens her eyes again, you’re still there. Still looking at her. Still close. Still warm and real and right in front of her. Minjeong’s lips tremble just slightly, her fingers tightening on the sweater.

And then, slowly, carefully, as if you’re both being pulled by the same invisible thread, you lean in. Minjeong tilts her face up toward you, her heart pounding so loudly she’s sure you can hear it, her breath soft and shaky as she meets you halfway. When your lips finally brush against hers, it’s gentle, tentative, a quiet, perfect first kiss. Full of the rush of everything she’s been feeling, everything she never thought she’d get to share. She melts softly into you, her eyes fluttering closed, her grip on the sweater loosening as she leans in just a little more, letting herself get lost in the dizzy, heart-stopping sweetness of it all.

As you hold Minjeong close, her lips soft and trembling against yours, a rush of conflicting thoughts runs wild in the back of your mind. You can hardly believe that just this morning, you were tangled up with Jessica, her cold tone still echoing in your ears, her mouth around your cock right there in the school parking lot. The memory makes your head spin. You hadn’t expected the day to hold this, hadn’t expected Minjeong, the quiet, sweet girl you’ve always known, to be here in your arms, kissing you like she’s been holding back for months.

The two of you have always gotten along well. You’ve known each other for a while, laughing between classes, trading little looks across the hallway. But something about her has been different lately. You noticed it, even if you didn’t fully understand why. She’s been a little quieter, a little more guarded, but at the same time, her eyes have lingered on you longer, her smiles have been softer, a little shyer.

And now, maybe you understand.

Her blue sweater slips again, sliding from her shoulders and pooling softly on the floor at your feet. But neither of you moves to pick it up this time. Instead, you wrap your arms around her, feeling the delicate, slender curve of her back under your hands as you pull her small body closer against yours. Minjeong lets out a soft, breathless sound as she rises onto her tiptoes, her hands lightly gripping the edges of your shirt. You can feel the quick, fluttering beat of her heart through the thin fabric, the way her body leans into yours like she’s been waiting for this without fully realizing it.

Your hands begin to wander, slowly, almost cautiously at first, sliding up along Minjeong’s sides, feeling the soft line of her waist, the delicate dip of her back. Her breath hitches faintly, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she leans in closer, standing high on her tiptoes, her small frame pressing eagerly against yours. Your fingers drift lower, tracing over the curve of her hips until they reach the soft, perfect shape of her ass. You gently tighten your hold, feeling her body arch slightly into you. Without fully thinking, you lift her, light and easy, onto the edge of the sink behind her. She lets out a quiet gasp, her hands flying to your shoulders to steady herself, but then she smiles, eyes flickering with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

Your mouths meet again, hungrier now, your lips parting as the kiss deepens. Her fingers clutch at you more desperately, pulling you closer, and you can feel the rising heat building between you both, a quiet intensity that neither of you seems able, or willing, to stop. And then, you feel it. The faint, fumbling tug of her fingers at your belt. You pull back slightly, surprised, eyes searching hers. She looks up at you with desperate eyes, her desire for you glistening in her orbs.

In her heart, Minjeong knows. She knows you’ll never look at her the way she looks at you, that your feelings will never tangle into something romantic, something lasting. She knows this is just a moment, just heat, just physical connection.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s okay for her.

Because right now, in this sliver of time, she can pretend. She can let herself feel wanted, feel beautiful, feel desired by the boy she’s quietly dreamed of for months. So she keeps going, her fingers working at your belt, her breath soft and uneven, her heart pounding not just from desire, but from the bittersweet truth she’s already accepted. You don’t love her. And she knows you never will. Even for Minjeong herself it feels surreal. Maybe her attraction for you isn’t just solely based on your personality or your looks. Maybe your ex made Minjeong realize what kind of guy you are. Polite and caring.

As your physical intimacy continues, Minjeong feels the dreams of the past weeks coming true. And yet it feels different from what she expected. As if finally being with you opened her eyes to the fact that she saw you as someone she couldn’t have. That, despite the two of you being friends for years, she never knew you completely. Now this mystery that is you is being revealed in front of her as Minjeong wraps her hand around your length. Her curiosity, her longing for your attention turns into something more lustful. Something more physical.

Minjeong looks up at you, her eyes wide with desire and you reach underneath her skirt. You don’t really understand why this escalated so quickly, but you don’t mind at all. If a gorgeous girl like her throws herself at you, you can’t say no. You don’t have a girlfriend anymore, you’re not committed to anyone. You can explore Minjeong’s body just the way you like it.

The smooth skin of her thighs under your fingertips and her hand gently stroking you has you rock hard by now. When she feels your fingers brush against the edge of her panties Minjeong lets out a soft gasp.

“Take me.”

She whispers, her body trembling with anticipation and desire.

You look into her eyes as you slowly start to pull her panties to the side. Minjeong feels your hard cock in her hand as she continues to stroke it. She’s never really done something like this before. Not in public. Not in a place where someone could walk in at any moment. But the fear of getting caught is replaced by her aching desire to finally feel you inside of her. She isn’t the clumsy girl that spilled blue paint over herself. She’s now the girl that has sex with one of her classmates inside the boys’ restroom.

When your fingers brush against Minjeong’s wet folds another moan escapes her lips. She lets go of your cock and instead holds onto your shoulders with both hands yet again. You take a step closer, your cock disappearing underneath her skirt. She feels your tip brush against her folds this time. Looking up at you, she gives you a small nod of confirmation.

Slowly, you guide your cock past Minjeong’s tight folds. Her pussy takes your dick, hugging it tightly. You hear her letting out a deep breath as you push further inside as if your cock is replacing the air inside her petite body.

“Oh my god.”

Minjeong whimpers as you continue to slide into her. You go slowly and to her it feels like an entire minute until you finally bottom out inside of her. She’s never felt this full and you feel her clawing at your shoulders, trying to get accustomed to the new feeling. You don’t move, waiting, as you feel her walls clamp down around your length again and again. 

Eventually, Minjeong loosens her grip a little and takes a deep breath.

“Good girl.”

You said those words too carelessly. Minjeong lets out another whimper of desire. You have to chuckle slightly, your hands holding onto her thighs to make sure she doesn’t fall off the sink.

“Do you like to be called a good girl?”

Minjeong bites back another whimper as you lean a little closer. She feels your cock moving inside of her. You’re pulling out, just until your tip threatens to escape her wet folds.

“Answer me.”

You whisper, your lips brushing against hers.

Minjeong can’t hold back for too long. Just your tip resting inside of her has her losing her mind. She needs the whole thing, but she knows she won’t get it until she answers you.

“Please…”

Her whine only eggs you on even more.You want to hear her sweet voice. You want to hear her admit that she likes it. You keep holding on for about 10 seconds longer and then Minjeong finally breaks.

“I like it. Please give it to me.”

She can’t look up at you as those words leave her mouth. Her cheeks are a bright red.

“Good girl.”

You whisper into her ear just to tease her. Minjeong lets out a loud moan this time as you fully push inside of her. 

The walls of the small entrance to the bathroom are covered in white tiles. Minjeong’s moans and whines bounce off those tiles, echoing through the entire restroom. You wonder if someone could hear her outside as you continue to fuck her atop the sink.

You feel like you could go for hours now. After Jessica draining you twice this morning you don’t have the urge to cum any time soon. Even if a tight pussy like Minjeong’s is wrapped around your cock. You watch her face distort in pleasure. Her nose crunches, she bites her lip trying not to moan too loudly, her eyes are shut tightly.

“You’re so beautiful.”

You whisper as you lean in. Your lips brush against hers and Minjeong welcomes your kiss.

It’s the truth. You always found her cute and pretty, but this is probably the first time you saw her as more than just that. She really is beautiful. Even borderline sexy. Not like Jessica or Tiffany. But still cute and gorgeous. With Minjeong you don’t have the urge to bend her over something, grab her hair and pound her into oblivion until her whole body shakes and she screams your name. With Minjeong you like to take it slow, gently kissing her and caressing her body while you make sure she feels safe and taken care of.

“Please do more.”

She whimpers as she feels your cock bottoming out inside of her yet again.

You’re not sure what she means. The compliment? More touch? Does she want you to fuck her harder?

You decide to try out different things.

“You sound so pretty when you moan my name.”

A cute sigh escapes her lips and you feel goosebumps forming on her skin.

You continue to give her compliments here and there as you keep on thrusting in and out of her. Your hands explore Minjeong’s body as well and you make sure to engrave every single curve of her body into your memory.

It seems not just your ability to hold on, but also your strength has increased from your morning activities. You can easily hold onto Minjeong with one hand to support her, while you let your other hand roam her naked skin. The straps of her bra rub against your palm as you begin to fuck her a little harder.

“Oh my god.”

Her breathless whisper has you pull her closer.

“You’re…You’re so big.”

Her cute whine in your ear makes you kiss her neck. Fueled by her words you do your best to satisfy her needs. But you have to admit that her pussy doesn’t make it easier for you. Just like her petite figure suggests she’s way tighter than anyone you’ve fucked so far. Her walls grip onto your cock, threatening to trap you inside of her.

“You feel so good.”

You lean into her, pressing her small body against the mirror behind her. 

Her petite figure seems to hide all kinds of treasures. You never thought of Minjeong this way and yet you can’t help but want to explore every inch of her. Your free hand moves to her front and you give her small mounds an experimental squeeze through her bra.

You earn yourself another cute whimper and you can tell that Minejong’s body is becoming warmer. As you continue to thrust into her you also play with her tits, trying to give them equal attention. The cute girl in your arms leans towards you in response, begging you for more again and again.

Your name leaves her lips when you finally move your hand underneath her skirt. It takes you a second to find what you’re looking for. But when you do, Minjeong’s whole body begins to shake. Her thighs tremble around you.

“Oh, that feels amazing!”

She cries out, filling the restroom with her voice.

It only takes another minute until you finally bring Minjeong to her orgasm. She seems to lose control of her body and you have to hold her up so she doesn’t fall off the sink. Her tight pussy squeezes your cock in random intervals as her walls contract around you. You feel her juices making it easier to thrust inside of her, but you slow down a little to make sure you’re not hurting her.

When Minjeong finally calms down, she seems to realize what she’s done. Her cheeks are pink, her hair is sticking to her skin, a small hickey is decorating the otherwise flawless skin on her neck and she can’t even look into your eyes.

"Good girl.”

You embarrass her even more as you come to a hold, your cock resting halfway inside her tight cavern.

“This was…really good.”

Minjeong finally manages to look up at you. Her eyes seem a little bigger than before. Her flushed face makes her look even more adorable.

“C-Can you continue please?”

You bite back an amused laugh. Her desire for more is unexpected. You thought she’d regret this and rush out once she came to her senses. But it seems like Minjeong hasn’t had enough yet.

“Please?”

She asks again and you have to admit that you really can’t say no to that cute face of hers.

You thrust into Minjeong once more. This time her eyes stay locked on yours as if she gathered enough courage to finally look at you while you are inside of her. You hold her gaze, which makes the experience even more intimate. The quick, short breaths that escape her mouth tell you that she’s still sensitive from her orgasm. You take it slow for now, but make sure you penetrate her as deep as possible. Whenever you bottom out inside Minjeong’s tight snatch, a deep breath leaves her body as if you’re pushing the air out of her with your cock.You watch her lips tremble in pleasure as her eyelids seem to get heavier, her lust beginning to overwhelm her once more.

“Say it again, please.”

Her whisper is almost too quiet for you to hear. But you understand what she means. You can't help but smile as you lean closer. Minjeong always came off as innocent and shy. And you only said it earlier because you wanted to tease her. You didn't expect her to like it this much. 

“Good girl.”

You murmur into her ear, making her let out a gasp. 

Minjeong feels the heat of lust and embarrassment rush through her system. It feels wrong to her to be called a good girl by someone close to her own age. Another student. A friend. Someone she has a crush on. Especially in a situation like this. Your voice sounds warmer when you say these words. But also a little more dominant. More strict. As if you're Minjeong's teacher, not her classmate. 

And despite all of that, she feels butterflies in her stomach whenever you call her a good girl. She doesn't even know why. Because it feels like you're praising her? Acknowledging her? Because she actually isn't a good girl? A good girl wouldn't get fucked during class in the boy's restroom. Right? 

Another deep moan leaves Minjeong's lips when she hears you whisper these words into her ear once more. 

“Oh my god.”

She sighs as your thrusts rock her body atop the sink. 

Suddenly the two of you freeze. A loud crack as if something is breaking. It can't be the sink, can it? Minjeong looks up at you with big eyes, worry and fear engraved in her brown orbs. You grab her waist with both hands and quickly lift her off the porcelain. An involuntary sigh escapes her lips as she feels your cock move differently compared to before inside of her. 

You quickly examine the sink, hoping to at least see no visual damages. You don't even realize that Minjeong is standing on her toes, partially because your hands are still holding her and partially because your cock would otherwise impale her even further. 

“I guess we have to improvise.”

The two of you exchange embarrassed grins. You lean down and capture Minjeong's lips with yours to pass the awkward moment. 

A couple of moments later, you turn her around. Minjeong now looks at herself through the mirror. Her breath hitches when she sees herself only in a bra and skirt, her skin slightly glistening with sweat and her hair sticking to her face. You're taller than her, but for the first time Minjeong can see how much taller you really are. You stand behind her, your hands on her waist, your presence casting a shadow over her petite frame. 

Leaning down, you place your lips on Minjeong's neck. A shaky breath escapes her lips now that she can watch you enjoying her body. A sense of pride rushes through her and she finds herself looking sexy, like never before. And yet it feels odd to watch herself getting fucked. Because you begin to thrust into her again. Slow, but hard. Not too hard for now, but hard enough for your tip to brush against her g-spot. 

“Oh god. Oh god.”

Minjeong whines, the physical and visual stimulations overwhelming her senses. She watches herself taking your cock, lips parted in a silent moan, eyes open and staring into her own. She also doesn't just feel your lips sucking on her skin, your tongue licking at her sweat. She can see it. Which leaves Minjeong with trembling thighs and flushed cheeks. 

Your classmate’s tight pussy eventually proves too much for you. Despite Jessica draining you twice this morning, you feel something familiar building up inside of you. It's not that you're already close, but you know it only will be a matter of time. 

Instinctively your thrusts become harder, almost harsher. Your lips move from Minjeong's neck to her jawline and then her cheeks. Your increase in power has Minjeong now gasping with every thrust. She has to hold onto the sink now, slightly bending over in the process. You bottom out inside of her every time you push into her pussy. 

Minjeong watches herself getting ruined. No one has ever fucked her like this before. So hard, so deep. Your hands tightly grip onto her small waist, possibly leaving marks later. Every time your hips snap forward the sound of your hips meeting her ass echoes through the restroom. Minjeong's mouth falls open and soon an endless string of moans leave her body. Her eyes widen, half in disbelief, half in pleasure. She can feel her brain going into overdrive. The only thing she can now think about is pleasure. Every thrust leaves her a mess and through the mirror you can see a small trickle of her juices run along her right thigh. Her skirt is still covering her pussy and your cock, but you can feel how wet she is. 

Minjeong mewls when she feels another orgasm approaching. She didn't expect to have sex today. And cumming twice was definitely not something she planned on doing. But your pounding doesn't give her a choice. Minjeong feels like a simple doll as you ruin her in front of the mirror. She can't move, she can only take it.

“God, I can’t believe how tight you are.”

The words leave your lips as you feel her walls massaging your cock. You know Minjeong is close, but so are you. Her pussy is soaking wet by now and you feel her whole body tremble. 

Minjeong herself still can't believe it. You're making her cum for the second time now and she's making you cum as well. She's proud of herself, basking in the feeling of accomplishment as you use her hole to reach your own orgasm. 

Minjeong is the first to break. Her entire body shakes once again and you hold her up right while you continue to fuck her. The tight walls of her snatch massage your cock incredibly well and you know you only have a couple of thrusts left in you. You hear her sigh and moan and whine while her orgasm washes in waves through her body. 

Eventually Minjeong comes down from her high, face flushed, hair sticking to her glistening skin, eyes glazed over. She looks at herself through the mirror. A sexy mess. 

After a few more thrusts you finally come to a hold. Minjeong shudders when she feels your warmth enter her insides. Your cum floods her pussy, leaving her breathless.

“Oh my god.”

She sighs in pleasure, but you both quickly realize that you just came inside your classmate's unprotected pussy. Minjeong silently reassures you that she's safe right now and then the two of you catch your breaths. You know your relationship will never be the same from now on. You aren't just friends anymore. Not classmates anymore. And the way that Minjeong looks at you through the mirror makes you realize that this won’t be the last time the two of you share such an intimate moment together.

Mrs. Kim watches someone leave the boy’s washroom. For a moment she expects it to be you and takes a step back behind the corner of the hallway, not wanting to get discovered. But to her utter surprise, it isn’t you. It isn’t even a boy. It is a girl. A girl she knows very well. Her daughter. Minjeong. 

The principal takes a deep breath, eyes narrowing. Don’t tell me…

Minjeong looks around to make sure no one is near to see her and after a few moments she hurriedly walks away from the washroom.

And there you are, a few minutes later walking out the door. You stand outside the entrance trying to collect yourself. Taking in a deep breath and after a small moment you walk away in the opposite direction of Minjeong. Taeyeon exhales sharply, her chest slightly trembling. To her own confusion, Taeyeon doesn’t feel hot, burning anger. She does feel something hot. Maybe more warm than hot. And a slight tingle. First in her chest and then…

You don’t listen to the teacher who is standing in front of the class. Your mind is on Yeji yet again. She hasn’t come to school today either. And when you asked Minju about it, trying to act nonchalant, she asked why you of all people care about Yeji. And she’s right, it’s out of character for you to ask for her. But you feel so bad, you didn’t even come up with an excuse. 

Trying to distract yourself, you glance over at Minjeong who's sitting one row over and a few seats up. Her hair is tucked behind one ear, her head bowed slightly over her notes. Her sweater is back on and you wonder if anyone would be able to guess what happened only two hours ago.The feeling of holding her in your arms is still clear in your memory. She hasn’t looked back at you since the bell rang though. Not once. But her fingers…they fidget. Her pen taps quietly against her notebook, a simple rhythm that mirrors the racing thoughts you’re sure she’s hiding behind her otherwise calm demeanor.

You look away when you hear a sigh from someone in front of you. Eunha stretches in her seat a row ahead, her hands reaching behind her and almost touching your desk. You’re surprised when a piece of paper falls out of her hand and lands on the wooden surface. Exhaling slowly, you reach for the paper and open it.

“Wanna have some fun on Friday?”

She could’ve just sent you a text. Or she could've waited until after class. But for some reason she seems to feel the need to ask like this.

“No.”

Your voice isn’t loud but your answer is clear enough to reach Eunha’s ears. A couple of seconds later, another piece of paper hits the table. You sigh in annoyance and read that one too.

“You sure? Just the two of us…at school.”

The last two words make you shift in your seat. You know what she means and you know what she wants. The idea sounds incredible. But after what happened with Minjeong and everything else, you aren't really sure you're up for anymore. For a moment Yeji isn’t the number one thing on your mind. When you don’t show any reaction for a while, Eunha turns around to look at you. She smiles and then gives you a wink, Her message obvious. No rejection means yes.

“Would you stop bothering him?”

Minju is sitting next to Eunha. You appreciate her support, but when you look at her, you can’t help but imagine what she’d think of you if she found out who really did this to Yeji. And there’s also Mrs. Im. If Minju found out you slept with her mother, she’d kill you for sure.

Eunha now glances at Minju, amusement flickering in her eyes. She herself still can’t believe you didn’t pick up on Minju’s signals last week while the three of you worked on homework together. It was blatantly obvious that the two of them were competing with each other, but you were just sitting there, unaware.

“I’m not bothering him.”

Eunha’s sweet voice makes Minju frown.

“Just asked if he wants to hang out.”

You can’t see Minju’s reaction, because she’s sitting in front of you. But if you could, you’d see a hopeless look on her face. Why do you even want to hang out with someone like Eunha? Just because she’s pretty? Throughout the entire week since she left the two of you alone at Eunha’s place, Minju is wondering what happened between the two of you. Did you actually sleep together? Or is Eunha just pretending to prove she won their little competition?

Minju shakes her head to break her line of thought. Why would she care? The competition wasn’t even about you specifically. It was about her and Eunha. If you want to hang out with a slut like her, it’s your life. You hear Minju sigh and let her shoulders drop slightly from where they were. And from the corner of your eye in the front of the class. You see Minjeong's head ever so slightly turned in your group's direction.

The shrill ring of the school bell slices through the heavy classroom air. Chairs scrape and backpacks rustle. Everyone’s already halfway to the door before the teacher can get in a final word.

Almost everyone.

“Wait, Mrs. Park?”

Arin’s hand shoots up like a reflex.

A collective groan ripples through the room.

You close your eyes. Of course.

Arin blinks innocently at the teacher as the rest of the class slouches in frustration.

“Sorry, but I just wanted to ask about the stuff on plate tectonics? When you said that subduction zones are ‘key to continental shaping,’ did you mean in terms of physical mass or more geological process?”

Someone in the back mutters.

“God, Arin, please.”

Mrs. Park, to her credit, lights up at the chance to explain, gesturing toward the whiteboard while half the class drags their feet toward the door. You stay seated for a second longer, watching the scene unfold. It feels like you're watching a bad movie. 

Minju sighs ahead of you, half-turning in her seat.

“She’s not even pretending not to be a teacher’s pet anymore.”

She whispers with a small smirk.

“Do you think she actually enjoys more homework?”

You murmur back.

Minju lifts an eyebrow.

“If we assigned her extra work, she’d probably thank us.”

“I don't feel like doing homework this week.”

You both share a quiet chuckle as Arin continues to nod along, clearly soaking up every word.

Eventually, the teacher waves her off with a smile. 

“Alright, Arin, good thinking, but let’s pick that up next time.”

As she gathers her things, Arin walks past you and Minju with a chipper.

“You’ll thank me when the test comes.”

“No, we won’t!”

Minju calls sweetly after her.

The class spills into the hallway. The atmosphere shifts immediately. Lighter, more animated now that the final bell is closer and gym class is the only thing standing between everyone and a warm summer afternoon. 

Then someone says something ahead of you. 

“Man, I hope Ms. Kang won't make us run laps outside again today.”

Eunha, now walking just beside you, snorts.

“Oh, she probably will. Nice weather and all.”

Your class's good mood didn't last long. 

“I'd love to watch her run with us.”

You joke, but you hear someone whisper behind you. Just loud enough for no one but you to hear. 

“Pervert.”

While the students around you laugh, you glance behind you, your heart beating fast. But you're greeted with Kazuha's wicked grin. Her voice sounded serious, so you were afraid she misunderstood your joke.

“Okay, but she’s so intimidating.”

A guy behind her adds.

“Like she could snap you in half if you asked her to run with us.”

You're not sure what to make of Kazuha's comment, or rather accusation. But she was grinning, so was it just a joke? But then she wouldn't have whispered it, right?

“I wouldn't mind her thighs snapping me in half.”

Someone else says, and you and the other class, with which you have the next period with, laugh. You wait for Kazuha to say something…but she doesn't say a word. 

“I’d let her snap me in half too.”

Eunha says absently, adjusting her skirt.

“I mean, have you seen her ass? I’d kill for that kind of squat payoff.”

Minju rolls her eyes.

“You’d kill for anything if it meant more people looking at you.”

Eunha doesn’t even flinch.

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Minju.”

“Oh, please.”

Minju replies, her tone now cold.

“I don’t need glutes of steel to get attention.”

You can’t help the small laugh that escapes your lips. Eunha glances sideways at you, catching it. Her smirk deepens, like she’s already rewriting the story in her head: You laughed at her line, not Minju’s.

But your thoughts wander back to Minjeong, who's ahead of the group, walking with her head down, her steps quick and quiet. She hasn’t joined the conversation. She hasn’t even looked back. You wonder if it's regret or embarrassment. Or maybe it doesn't have to do anything with you at all? 

The group continues down the corridor, turning toward the glass doors that lead out to the path behind the main building. The gym’s separate, connected only by a short walkway and a long list of collective dread. You trail behind Minju and Eunha. The double doors creak as someone pushes them open, and the late afternoon sun spills in like honey over everyone’s shoulders.

“Yep.”

Someone sighs. 

“She’s already out here.”

Arin confirms with a groan.

And there she is.

Coach Kang Seulgi, standing at the edge of the outdoor track like some kind of gladiator trainer from an ancient fitness cult. She’s got one hand on her hip, clipboard tucked under her arm, sunglasses resting on her nose like she’s about to judge a competition none of you agreed to enter.

And then there’s her outfit.

Tight beige leggings hug her legs in a way that seems engineered to show off every single hour she’s ever spent in a squat rack. A matching sports bra stretches across her torso, exposing toned arms and the faint shimmer of sweat along her collarbone that somehow makes her look even more sexy. 

“God, I wish.”

Eunha exhales beside you in disappointment

“Look at those abs.”

“You could wash your clothes on them.”

Minju jokes behind you.

You don’t mean to stare, but your eyes track the way her body moves when she walks a few paces forward, her sneakers seemingly floating just above the asphalt. She can look strong and fierce, but you know she has cute moments sometimes as well. You've seen them before. But now even the wind seems too afraid to mess with her ponytail.

Then Mrs. Kang takes a step forward and the sharp edge of her authority cracks in an instant.

“Don’t look so scared.”

She says with a cute, easy smile that contrasts with her otherwise fit and athletic body for some reason.

“It’s warm today. I’m not that cruel.”

A collective sigh of relief follows, like someone popped the pressure valve on the entire group and Eunha nudges your arm. 

“I guess we don’t get to see her in action today.”

She’s referring to your joke from just a minute ago. You hope Kazuha didn’t hear her.

“Maybe she’s tricking us.”

Minju says, narrowing her eyes.

“It’s psychological warfare.”

Your friend is pretty athletic herself, but Minju is not a fan of working out or mindlessly running around in laps. But even she looks a little more relaxed as Mrs.Kang waves everyone toward the gym entrance.

“Go change. 10 minutes.”

Mrs. Kang calls after you.

“Then come back out and line up. We’re not going to do too much today.”

You follow the others into the gym building. Cool air rushes in to replace the heat outside. The locker rooms are familiar: rows of lockers, that faint echo of sneakers on tile, the scent of disinfectant mixed with cheap body spray and that one bad toilet stall in the restroom in the far corner of the gym. The girls peel off in one direction while the guys head to the other. There’s chatter, laughter, zippers sliding, doors slamming. You take your time pulling on your gym shirt and shorts, still half-lost in your thoughts.

Yeji and Minjeong have been on your mind all day already and now there’s another person. Kazuha. You aren't really sure why but her comment has been slightly bothering you. "Pervert".  Why did she say it to you and no one else? Others were making the same type of comments as well. You just played along.. but also why did she whisper it? Is that what she thinks of you? Did Eunha tell her about what happened last week.. even so. Pervert.. What would Minju think if she heard her call you that?

By the time you step back outside, the sun has dropped just enough to cast long, honey-colored shadows across the field. Coach Kang’s already been busy. Cones are set up in neat little rows across the track, yoga mats laid out in pairs under the tree line.

“This doesn’t look like a torture session.”

“Don’t say that.”

Minju warns one of your classmates.

“She’ll hear you. And then we’ll be planking until the end of the school year.”

Coach Kang glances up from her clipboard, her sunglasses now perched on her head.

“Stretch first.”

She says calmly.

“Then we’re doing a little coordination drill. Nothing too crazy.”

The two classes spread out across the track. In pairs of two, everyone begins to stretch. Mrs. Kang always prioritizes warm ups, even if it’s for something simple like a gym class. When you reach a yoga mat in the shade of a big tree near the track, you look around, curious as for who is going to join you. Some people are still without a partner. One of them is Minjeong. You watch her chatting with someone from the other class.

You are still hung up about what happened this morning. Not just because you and her had sex in the boy’s washroom. But because as soon as you and Minjeong were decent again, she ran out on you. Without a word. You’re still not sure if it’s embarrassment or shame. Maybe you shouldn’t have done what you did?

“Would you stop staring at me, please?”

You blink as Minjeong leans over you, her face blocking the sun. Only then do you realize, you just zoned out.

“I wasn’t…” 

You start, but your voice falters under her stare.

Minjeong arches an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“I’m not stupid, you know.”

She says quietly.

“You’ve been looking at me like you’re waiting for me to break.”

You sit up straighter, heart suddenly hammering in your chest.

“I’m not-”

She gives you a flat look.

 “Okay, maybe a little.”

Minjeong sighs and drops onto the mat beside you, folding one leg over the other as she begins to stretch. There’s a long pause. Just the rustle of grass, the murmur of other students nearby and Coach Kang’s faint footsteps pacing somewhere out on the track.

Then Minjeong speaks, softly. Like the slight wind that moves her hair a little.

“I’m not mad at you.”

You glance at her.

“You ran off.”

“I know.”

She doesn’t look at you. Instead, she reaches her arms up and folds forward, pressing her palms toward her ankle with slow, practiced ease.

“I wasn’t mad.”

She continues after a short pause.

“I was… ashamed.”

The word stings more than you expect. You watch her, unsure what to say.

“Not of you.”

She adds quickly, as if she read your thoughts.

“Of me.”

Now she finally glances your way, her eyes softer.

“I don’t… I don’t do things like that. I don’t feel things like that so suddenly. And I definitely don’t go into the boys’ bathroom and…”

“Neither do I.”

That earns you a small, humorless smile.

“I think I got swept up in the moment. I’ve been watching you for so long, thinking I could keep it to myself. And then today, all of it just… happened.”

You nod slowly, mirroring her stretch so you have something to do with your hands.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel like it was a mistake.”

“It was a mistake. But not because of you.”

You glance over at her, surprised.

“I should’ve waited.”

She mutters, her voice barely audible.

“Waited until I knew what I really wanted. What you wanted.”

Before you can respond, a sharp whistle slices through the air.

Mrs. Kang’s voice calls out.

“Let’s go! Gather around!”

The students roll up their mats and brush grass off their clothes. Minjeong stands slowly, her back to you. For a moment, you think she’s just going to walk away again. Back into the group. But then, just as she starts to step forward, she turns her head.

“I’m fine with you coming over sometime.”

Her voice barely above the wind.

Then she slips into the crowd, disappearing between classmates.

And you’re left kneeling on the mat, staring after her.

Did Minjeong just invite you over to…?

Coach Kang claps her hands once as everyone gathers around.

“Alright. We’re doing four rotation stations. Agility ladders, partner toss, balance board, and cone drills. Two minutes at each, then switch. No slacking.”

You hear someone groan next to you. 

“Clock starts when I say go. Line up!”

You join the first group at the ladders. It’s nothing too difficult, just a few rounds of footwork, high knees, rhythm drills. But even as your legs move, your mind isn’t fully in it.

You steal a glance across the field. Kazuha’s at the cone station now, paired with a girl from the other class. She moves smoothly, her ponytail swaying with every pivot. There’s a sharpness to her focus, like always. Kazuha can lock in when it's something physical. Her body is proof of that. She's fast and clean, like she’s showing off without looking like she’s trying to. She turns, setting up for another sprint between cones, and you catch yourself watching her.

Too long.

You don’t even notice you’re staring until she bends down slightly to reset a cone and your brain short-circuits. Her leggings stretch perfectly over her hips, hugging every subtle curve as she shifts her stance. The afternoon sun casts warm shadows across her legs, highlighting the long lines of her calves. And you realize, too late, that you haven’t blinked in almost five seconds. Kazuha finishes the drill, stands, and jogs out of frame. You whip your head back to the balance board station just in time for Mrs. Kang to shout.

“Switch!”

You exhale sharply. You need to focus.

You manage to make it through the next two rotations with your dignity intact. At least you think so. The exercises are basic but effective, and thankfully you’re not paired with anyone you’ve recently made emotionally complicated. It helps. But then… 

“Pervert.”

That word again. The voice is sudden. Close. You flinch slightly as Kazuha appears next to you like she’s been summoned out of the shadows.

“I knew you were staring.”

She’s not even breathing hard.

“Excuse me?”

You ask, caught off guard.

She tilts her head, her tone infuriatingly casual.

“My ass. You were watching it during the cones.”

She lifts one eyebrow, grinning like she’s telling an inside joke you don’t get.

Your face warms.

“I wasn’t-”

“Don’t lie. That’s worse.”

You open your mouth, but nothing coherent comes out.

Kazuha steps a little closer, voice low now, just for you.

“Relax. I don’t mind.”

She gives you a small, wicked smile.

“Be a good little pervert and keep looking.. if you want.”

You stare at her, stunned, as she turns and walks off toward the next station. Her steps slow and you could swear she's giving you time to stare at her ass some more on purpose. Your brain takes another full three seconds to restart.

Then Mrs. Kang’s whistle blows again.

“Last station! Move!”

Your feet carry you to the next drill, but your mind stays a few paces behind, tangled up in everything Kazuha just said. And how she said it. Playful and teasing. Her invitation to look at her body should've made you happy or excited. But her new nickname for you makes it hard for you to feel good about it. 

Coach Kang blows her whistle one last time, sharp and clear.

“That’s it! Pack up and head in.”

A chorus of relieved sighs breaks out as students start peeling off toward the gym building again, dragging yoga mats behind them and chatting about the rest of the day. The sun’s mellowed, casting golden light across the track and field.

You head in with the rest. And while all the boys take their showers, you and Jin just change and walk out again. A short while later, Kazuha and her friend Chaewon join you on the pitch as well, their uniforms different from yours. 

The four of you linger near the benches by the field, while Mrs. Kang starts to lay out practice cones and training gear for the afternoon sessions.

Soccer practice. Cheer practice.

Different teams, same field.

Jin tosses you a grin and kicks over a ball. “We’ve got ten, right? Coach’s always late.”

“Fifteen if we’re lucky.”

You reply, passing the ball back with a light tap of your foot.

You and Jin start dribbling the ball lazily between you, neither of you really trying, just warming up, keeping the rhythm going. The familiar sounds of simply passing a ball back and forth calm you down. A few feet away, Kazuha and Chaewon stretch beneath the open sky. They’re wearing their training uniforms now. Form-fitting white tops and dark skirts. The bows that are usually in their hair during games are missing. Both girls look focused, going through warm-up poses with practiced ease. You glance over just in time to catch Kazuha turning slightly, one leg extended behind her in a deep lunge, arms rising above her head, back arching just enough to draw the light across her body in all the right places.

And then… she looks at you.

No smirk. No wink. Just her eyes, locking on yours. There’s no question in her gaze. No permission either. The corner of her mouth barely lifts. A message only meant for you.

“Go ahead. Look.”

Your foot taps the ball back to Jin, but you don’t take your eyes off her. Not for a few seconds. The unspoken dare hangs between you like heat in the air.

She lowers herself further into the stretch, graceful and unhurried, her movements measured now that she's sure you're watching. Chaewon says something beside her, laughing under her breath. Kazuha doesn’t reply, still watching you from the corner of her eye.

Then, after another minute, the two cheerleaders turn towards each other. They're sides are facing you as they both lift their right leg. Your focus is purely on Kazuha, not Chaewon. And as Kazuha rests her ankle on top of the older girl's shoulder, you instinctively take a step back, heart racing. 

Kazuha’s right thigh makes the hem of her skirt ride upward. Not just in the front, but also in the back. You watch it lift more and more. Of course she's wearing safety shorts, but the thin white fabric is sticking to her ass like a second skin. You admire her gorgeous shape. The fact that she gave you permission makes staring like that easier. But you're still aware that other people are present. 

For a while, you're able to focus on passing the ball back and forth. A trick here and a trick there keeps your head occupied, but sooner rather than later your eyes fall on Kazuha yet again. 

Kazuha is lowering herself into a split at this very moment, arms braced behind her on the mat, her leggings stretching seamlessly with every shift of her hips. Mrs. Kang approaches calmly and helps Kazuha a little to make sure she doesn't hurt herself. 

“You’re still tight in your hip flexors.”

She says, crouching beside Kazuha.

“You need to lean forward more through your center. Let me help.”

Kazuha nods, sweat already glistening faintly along her brow from the heat. Mrs. Kang kneels behind her, one hand steady on Kazuha’s lower back, the other guiding her arm upward. Her movements are firm, practiced, not inappropriate, unlike your stares, but intimate in the way a seasoned coach knows a body’s limits. She shifts closer, her tone quiet but clear as she instructs.

“Breathe through it. Don’t resist the stretch. Let it settle in your hamstrings first, then press forward from your hips.”

Kazuha exhales softly, eyes fluttering closed for a moment as she leans deeper into the stretch under Mrs. Kang’s hand. Her long ponytail brushes her back. The seam of her leggings catches the sunlight as her body angles forward.

You’re trying not to look. You really are.

Jin taps the ball toward you again, but you miss the catch. It rolls right past your foot.

“Dude.”

He groans, raising an eyebrow.

“You good?”

“Yeah.”

You answer quickly but Jin is already jogging after the ball. You tear your gaze away and rub the back of your neck, jaw tight. This is bad. Really bad. Your mind’s already a mess from this morning, and now this?

You try to focus on your feet, the pitch, the weight of the ball, the way it curves in the air when you put a little spin on it, anything but the quiet sounds coming from the mat nearby. The soft breath of exertion, the creak of the stretch, Mrs. Kang’s calm instruction. Then Kazuha shifts again, this time into a straddle stretch. Mrs. Kang adjusts her shoulders from behind, leaning slightly closer. Kazuha meets your gaze over her shoulder. That same unreadable look. Just the hint of a knowing gleam in her eyes. 

You drag a hand down your face. You have to focus.

And just when it feels like your nerves might actually betray you, salvation arrives in the form of footsteps. Voices, laughter, the shuffle of bags and shoes. The rest of the soccer team and cheer squad finally spill onto the field from the gym building, their last classes finished. Some are still in the middle of tying up uniforms or chugging water bottles, but the pace is quickening now. Practice is starting. You step back instinctively, forcing yourself to breathe as Jin jogs past you toward the cones. A few feet away from you, Kazuha rises from her mat, brushing off her skirt, her stretch session over. Chaewon joins her with a bottle of water and a comment you don’t catch, but Kazuha only smirks faintly in reply, her eyes flicking toward you one last time.

Mrs. Kang claps her hands once to get everyone’s attention.

“Let’s go! Soccer team, on the pitch. Cheer team, warm-up reps. Move!”

You jog forward, slipping into line with your teammates, grateful for the structure, for the drills, for the distraction.

Because if she keeps this up…you’re not sure how long you’ll keep your composure.

The soccer ball skids along the field, a low, satisfying thud echoing off your cleats as you pass to Seungmin, one of your team’s defenders and sprint toward your next drill marker.

Coach Yoon is in full command now, whistle in hand, barking instructions without pause. First laps, then sprints, and now passing formations. Your lungs are already burning. Sweat runs down the side of your temple, drying fast in the warm breeze. But you welcome the exhaustion. It keeps your mind off of the girl near the sideline and…no, it doesn't.

The short skirt. The cropped top. The sharp, clean lines of her body moving in rhythm with their warm-up routine. All of it is distracting you. And you don't even understand why this is bothering you so much. Why can't you stop looking at her? Kazuha was always fit and pretty hot in your eyes, so why does she now seem to be perfection itself? Just because she told you you're allowed to look? 

You’re looking again. Her legs flash beneath the pleats of her skirt as she jumps, bare and long and toned. Her stomach tight, exposed with each raise of her arms, abs flexing faintly under golden skin. The fabric of her top hugs her chest in a way that makes your gaze linger a half-second too long, until guilt kicks you in the ribs.

You shake it off. Try to focus. You chase the next ball. Shout something at Seungmin. The coach yells at someone to hustle.

And still, your eyes drift again.

Kazuha is stretching now, standing in a wide stance, arms above her head, arching slightly back. You catch a glimpse of her thighs, the gentle curve beneath her skirt. Then she drops into a lower bend, and you have another great view of her ass in those safety shorts. And then she turns her head. 

She looks right at you. A flicker of recognition. A corner of her lips twitches upward, just enough to tell you that yes, she saw you looking. Again.

You quickly turn back to the game. Focus. Breathe. Don’t be the thing she keeps calling you.

But a voice in your head mutters: You are staring, aren’t you? You are watching her. You just don’t know why you can’t stop.

Practice runs long, but finally Coach Yoon blows the whistle and calls for a water break. Everyone jogs to the benches near the half line, where bottles are already lined up. You grab yours and take a long sip, the cold water hitting hard and fast. You lean forward, hands on your knees, heart still racing.

“Thirsty?”

You nearly jump at the voice. Kazuha’s standing beside you. Her uniform’s damp with sweat. Her face flushed. Her ponytail rests over one shoulder as she tips her head, expression unreadable, except for the playful spark in her eyes.

“Were you being a good little pervert?”

She asks softly, which makes you glance around, hoping no one’s paying attention. Your throat tightens.

“…You saw?”

She lifts an eyebrow. 

“You looked. A lot.”

You grip the water bottle tighter.

“I wasn’t trying to.”

“But you did.”

She says, taking a step closer. Her voice is lower now, teasing. 

“You like what you see?”

You don’t answer right away. You don’t know how. Every word in your head feels dangerous.

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

You ask instead.

“A pervert.”

Kazuha shrugs, almost gently.

“Because you kind of are.”

The words sting, just a little. Even if they are said in her slightly melodic voice. Because you know, on some level, she’s right. You have been watching. But not just out of lust. Out of confusion. Intrigue. You still don't know her full intentions. 

“But I don’t mind.”

She adds, voice almost a whisper now. She leans in, not too close, just enough.

“I wouldn’t stretch like that if I didn’t want someone to see.”

Then she steps away without waiting for a reply, leaving the faint scent of sweat and a hint of her perfume in her wake.

Back on the cheer mats, the squad is setting up pyramids. And your teammates are still talking around you. You feel an odd sense of loneliness at that moment. Like you're trapped in a battle with yourself. And the question is echoing in your mind:

What exactly does she want from you?

The whistle shrills again, sharp and echoing across the field, making you snap out of it. 

“Back to it!”

Coach Yoon calls, already motioning the team into position.

“Finish the drills. Let’s go!”

You toss your half-empty water bottle back onto the bench and jog toward your group. Your heart's still beating fast, but not from the running and not from the sun, either.

You can’t let yourself look again. You won’t. The moment with Kazuha replays in your head like a song you can’t turn off. Her words, her smirk, the glint in her eyes when she said she didn’t mind, her slightly sultry voice when she said that she wanted to be seen.

You line up for the finishing drill. The ball comes to you and you break into a sprint, cutting past cones and tapping in a clean shot toward the net. Focus. That’s all this is. One drill at a time. Muscle memory.

You jog back into line and let out a breath. You’re doing it. You’re staying focused. But then, out of the corner of your eye, movement.

Kazuha.

You catch her mid-twist as the cheerleaders go into a synchronized turn-spin-hop. It’s simple, nothing out of the ordinary. Same routine as the others.

And yet… 

You feel your eyes trailing her again. The way her skirt lifts ever so slightly with each hop, teasing a flash of skin beneath. The faint ripple of her toned thighs as she lands. The curve of her waist exposed when her arms rise and her top shifts up, revealing the flat plane of her stomach. She’s not doing anything the others aren’t, you tell yourself. And it’s true. Chaewon, Jiyeon, even Yunjin and all the others are all moving through the same routine with the same practiced grace. But none of them make your pulse jump like this. None of them feel like they’re pulling your gaze to them without lifting a finger.

Kazuha doesn’t look at you this time. She doesn’t need to. It’s like her whole body is aware of your presence, like every stretch and step is calibrated to test your control.

You clench your jaw. Try again. Your turn comes. Another sprint, this time with a cut and pass. You get the ball where it needs to go, barely. Your timing’s slipping.

But your eyes drift again.

Now Kazuha is lifting one leg behind her, catching her foot and holding the pose, balancing with perfect ease. Her top rides just a little higher. Her leg flexes just a little tighter. Her hair falls slightly out of its tie, sticking to her neck. She bends forward a little and you're sure it's just for you. The cheerleader tops don't really have a cleavage, but Kazuha manages to work expertly with what she's given. And still she doesn’t look your way. It almost makes it worse. Because now it feels uninvited again. Now it feels like you’re staring because you can’t help it. Like something about her body is magnetized just for your eyes.

And you hate it. Because you want to stop. But you can’t.

_______________________

Hi, everyone! I think you understand now why this chapter took me so long to write. I'll need to split this into two parts because Tumblr can't handle the whole chapter at once. I hope you enjoy it. The polls will come out later today once I'm off work.

[dreamsteddie]

Stretch Zone

Part One, Part Four, Part Five (you are here)

Part five is now live with the triumphant return of Eddie! Thank you all for bearing with me 💖🧡💖

Divider - @steddiecameraroll-graphics

When Robin came back from her mental health vacation, she promptly threw a sandal at his head and started screeching. It was really something.

“I can not believe you did that! I wake up from a much needed 10 hour sleep and see a million missed text and an email from the love of my life! She probably thought I was ignoring her! And apparently I’m sick now? I had to make up a bunch of stuff about throwing up and going to bed early, Steven!”

“Hey, hey, ow!” He exclaimed, trying to fend her off as she used her other sandal to beat him. She wasn’t trying to make it hurt, but it’s the principle of the matter. “Hey, you should be thanking me! She has your number now, and she clearly cares enough to check in on you, that’s a good thing!” She finally relents, collapsing into the couch next to him.

“Yeah, Steve, of course she cares, she’s a literal angel. She probably feeds stray dogs and donates blood every month. She’s just being nice,” she said, temper subdued and replaced by dejection. Steve hates it.

“Yeah, well, I think you’re wrong, Robbie. She’s totally into you, and I’m going to prove it to you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulder. “You know I’ve got a sense about these things.”

She groaned into his shoulder. “No, you absolutely do not dingus. Just let me die a lonely spinster. I’ll take up weaving and we can get five cats and rocking chairs for the porch and talk about our failed love lives for the rest of our lives.”

“No way. We are getting four rocking chairs, two cats, and a porch with a view and we’re going to bitch about the weather and the youths while our partners watch birds, or whatever,” he said, rubbing her shoulder.

“Yeah?” She asked.

“Oh yeah,” he responded. If there was one thing he knew about his future for sure, it was that Robin would be there with him.

After several more platitudes and a promise to make chicken parm with leftovers for dinner that night, they had settled back into their routine. Between episodes of day time television and gossip, plans continuing to brew in the back of his mind, more determined than ever to make Robin happy.

Which led him to now.

Phase Two: The Follow-Up, which nicely coincides with phase one of his “ignore your budding crush, you are so bad at dating” plan. 

If he’s too busy making sure to snag Chrissy after class, surely Eddie won’t be able to pull him aside for a conversation. He’s not trying to get ahead of himself, but he figures it’s only natural for a guy to want to say “Hi, how about that weather!” to the guy who helped you off the floor last week.

And, ok, maybe Steve slipped a little and did some flirting. Sue him, he was blinded by beautiful brown eyes. But he doesn’t want to lead Eddie on and he’s sure if he just…doesn’t make direct eye contact, he’ll forget about it and walk away.

He’s not going to ignore Eddie, that would be the coward’s way out. He doesn’t want to make the guy feel bad or anything, just protect his own heart.

It’s harder than he thought it would be, striking the balance between making sure he’s the last one left behind who wants to talk to Chrissy and making himself look busy enough that he doesn’t catch Eddie’s attention, but he manages it, sweeping in while Eddie is securing the velcro straps around his mat.

“I was thinking I could try and bring Robin back next week.” He can see Eddie lingering out of the corner of his eye, his hair gives him a pretty distinct shape, to be honest. Maybe if he’s just trying to talk to Chrissy. Yeah, that’s probably it.

“She’s feeling a lot better, but staying in bed for a few days straight makes you stiff, you know? I was thinking it might be good for her to do some stretches, really work on that flexibility.” Ok, maybe that’s laying in a bit thick, but Chissy is blushing and it’s harmless, really.

“That would be great! She says, clapping her hands together a little and lifting lightly onto the balls of her feet, megawat smile firmly in place. She leans in a little, lowering her voice. “You know, we let people bring a plus one in for a free session to let them try it out. I won’t tell anyone Robin’s already been in if you don’t.” Robin is going to owe him so bad after this. So bad, he’s practically got Chrissy locked down for her already.

But he’s not done yet, there’s one more step to phase two, and it might be the most important one.

“Robin said you helped her a ton with catching up with class; she was super grateful.” Play it cool, Harrington. “Want to go grab some food with us after class next week? Our treat, as a thank you.” Nailed it. “Rob mentioned you're a vegetarian, she knows some great spots.” 

“Oh, really, don’t worry about it. It was my pleasure!” She says, waving her hands around like she’s trying to banish the thought from his mind. “But I would love to hang out, you guys seem like a lot of fun, and Robin is great. Count me in!” Steve will humbly accept his wingman of the year award now, please and thank you. Chrissy looks over the moon. 

“Is it ok if I bring my best friend? He’s in this class too, Eddie, come say hi!” It can’t be. There’s got to be another Eddie in this class. Maybe even several. Hell, for all he knows, everyone in the class is named Eddie except for him. What would he know? It must be a coincidence.

It is not a coincidence.

Answering the call of Chrissy’s energetic wave is the same Eddie from yesterday. He’s wearing another shirt with an indesernable logo that he assumes is meant to be the name of the band, but this one is only left with the memory of sleeves, cut down the sides to expose the sides of his stomach.

Well, that’s not fair. Steve is pretty sure he can see Eddie’s armpit hair, just a little bit, which should not be as hot as it is. If he lifted his arms up, he could see more. Steve is going to have to examine some things later. 

Robin is going to hate him, actually.

Oh no, he’s smiling at Steve. He has dimples. How did Steve not notice those dimples before today? This is not helping his plan at all.

“What can I do for the two finest maidens of Yogaspire today?” He says, bowing low to both of them. 

Oh god, he’s a nerd. Am I into nerds now?

He’s going to choose to ignore that thought, and also ignore the weird feeling he’s getting from Eddie looking up at him like that. Shoo, shoo.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he gestures vaguely, not wanting to risk going in for a handshake. Stay strong, Harrington. “Hey man, glad you’re feeling alright.” There, good, no follow-up questions, just good old-fashioned midwestern politeness, just like mama taught him.

“Steve here just invited us to lunch after class next week, you free?” Which, no, he did not. He very specifically asked Chrissy, and an extra body is really going to mess with his plan of dipping out at the last second.

He needs to save this ASAP.

“Well, far be it from a lowly bard to reject such a generous offer,” Eddie says, leaning back into his full height with a dramatic flair.

Steve needs to fix this. He shuffles back a little to angle his arm and part of his body behind Chrissy’s head. It’s not elegant, but it’s the best he can do. He starts waving his hand like a god damn Looney Tunes character, making every conceivable hand motion to signal to Eddie to please, for the love of god say no.

He might just have a lucrative career as a mime in front of him, because somehow the rapidly alternating death glare and puppy eyes and the frantic waving of his open palm do the trick.

He watches Eddie’s eyes widen, trying to make quick meaning out of Steve’s, honestly, probably concerning change in demeanor, and turns back to Chrissy. It’s not subtle at all, but he manages to stop before she sends a cutely confused look his way.

Eddie laughs awkwardly, like a genuine “hahaha” sound is falling out of his mouth as he rubs the back of his neck. Steve feels the urge to bash his head into the doorframe for a moment, but he bravely resists. Anything for Robin, he reminds himself

“Alas, I am afraid that I must decline after all, as I am otherwise occupied. Wayne, uh, has a-uh-apointment! With the dentist! Old man’s finally going to get that tooth pulled, he’ll need a ride. Anesthesia and all.” Steve really wants to find the nearest doorframe. Eddie is a terrible liar.

And, wow, Steve doesn’t know what to do with the look on Chrissy’s face, and it isn’t even directed at him. She’s smiling, technically, all white teeth and crinkled eyes, but he can feel the bad energy coming off of her in waves.

“Oh, really, that’s too bad. So wild that he needs Wayne needs you on that specific Thursday night, weird that you didn’t tell me before!” Eddie is definitely feeling her ire, too. Steve feels kind of bad.

“Haha, yup, can’t be helped!” Eddie is definitely sweating. And, oh, now he’s making eyes at him. Not the cute confused look from last week, but big eyes that scream ‘you owe me a god damn explanation.’ 

Damn, Steve was planning to hit up the grocery store after this.

Steve made his goodbyes to Chrissy and Eddie, deciding not to make Chrissy any more suspicious than she already seemed to be and linger outside for Eddie. Apparently, she usually stayed behind an extra hour after class to do setup and cleaning, but it wouldn’t be a problem for her to leave right after class next week.

Five minutes pass, then six, then seven, and at eight, Steve is ready to call it a day, silent agreement be damned, when Eddie walks out in a fresh change of clothes.

He really is cute, if a little rough around the edges, looking around the entrance with hunched shoulders and straightening out when he spotted him, trotting over in a way that absurdly made Steve think of a frolicking deer.

“Dude, what the fuck was that?” Well, so much for hello, but he supposes that’s a fair reaction.

“My bad, man. I’m kind of trying to do something here, and I couldn’t exactly have you tagging along.” Instead of clearing his confusion, something about what he said made his hackles rise. His eyes narrow, and he stretches to his full height, ever so slightly taller than Steve.

“Are you trying to hit on Chrissy? Because let me assure you, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” he says, voice steely. Protective.

This is really not good. Steve might not have dated a lot of unathletic, alternative men in his life, but he’s always gone for someone with a little fire. An edge of competence and danger that draws Steve in, often against his better judgment.

And then his question registers. It’s probably a reasonable ask, but Steve doesn’t like the implication, instinctively moving his hands to his hips the way he always does when he’s irritated.

“What!? No! I’m trying to set her up with my best friend, Robin. I’m not some creep trying to, like, trap her in a date or something.” Steve is ready for this to devolve into an argument of some kind, honestly, but Eddie surprises him again.

His face lights up, dimples making another appearance and ruining Steve’s life. And also maybe giving him whiplash. This guy sure is expressive.

He claps his hands together, like he can’t contain his excitement and needs to let it in a physical way. Steve wants to find it annoying. “Right! I forgot about the illustrious Ms. Buckley!”

Illustrious, that’s good, right? He said it like it’s a good thing, but Steve doesn't think he’s ever actually heard that word before.

He must be making some kind of face, because Eddie explains. “Chrissy talks about her a lot. It’s always ‘Robin’s last paper was so good’ and ‘Robin wore suspenders today, it was so cute!’” He says it all with a surprisingly good falsetto, a clear imitation of Chrissy, before leaning in, voice getting softer. More intimate. “Though, lately it’s been a lot more ‘Robin said this’ and Robin said that.’ I’ve got a feeling a certain pretty boy had something to do with the recent breach of the hyperbolic sound barrier?”

Steve can feel his ears turning red at the attention, ‘pretty boy’ dancing through his head. He’s not going to back down though. If Eddie is expecting him to fluster at his proximity, he’s got another thing coming. He plants his feet, not challenging, but also not willing to be cowed by the potential awkwardness of their position.

Eddie just grins, the word ‘impish’ coming to Steve’s mind. He’s pretty sure Eddie is checking him out, making him wonder where the shy, bumbling man from last week went. Steve thinks he might like him either way.

“Yeah, well, the feelings are mutual. Robin hasn’t shut up about the ‘ethereal beauty with a mind of gold’ in her writing class since the semester started.” He can’t help but roll his eyes a little. He told Robin that Chrissy was a slam dunk. They could be halfway to being engaged and buying those rocking chairs by now if she’d listened. “But Robin’s a bit of a coward when it comes to girls, so I’m helping out.”

Eddie rocks back on his heels, giving Steve some space as he crows. “Aha! I see the vision. I’m guessing you’re gonna make yourself suspiciously absent at next week's soiree. My attendance would shatter your master plan.”

Steve can’t help but smile, charmed. “You got it,” he says, snapping his fingers into a finger-gun and immediately regretting it. So dorky.

But Eddie doesn’t seem to mind. He doesn’t laugh or point it out like Robin or one of the kids would. In fact, he doesn’t even seem to register the motion at all, gaze firmly locked onto Steve’s mouth with a poleaxed look about him.

His smile turns into a smirk. He’s still got it, no matter what Dustin says. Even as he tries to remind himself of all the reasons he’s not trying to date right now, it feels nice to be noticed like this.

Eddie shakes himself out of his reverie, cheeks pinkening sweetly as he clears his throat and looks away, stuffing his hands in his back pockets. He rocks on his feet again, a habit Steve has noted even in their short time knowing each other, like he’s resetting himself.

He rocks himself back into Steve’s space, the corners of the other man’s smile curling up in a cheshire grin, any signs of bashfulness gone as quickly as they’d come.

“What if I told you I had a bit of a proposition for you, Stevie?”

______

Tag List

@aroseandherthorns @child-of-cuthulu @lumoschildextra @warlordess @zzzzesty @watermelonmite @ignoretenderness @pretend-theres-a-name-here @waelkyring @irishbeings @dontslayfay @depressed-andobsessed @exasperatedsighohmy @imacowboy3 @that-one-gay-crow @stranger-things-yapper @wheneverfeasible xxfiction-is-my-realityxx

[naomihatake]

In search of freedom (Ch. 1)

1. They're bad news

Chapter 1 ; Chapter 2

⠀⠀⠀⠀She's been searching for freedom her entire life and everytime she thought it was laying right in front of her eyes, she was mistaken. She was running around the East Blue, seeking herself and her dreams, meeting people she never forgot. No matter how much she traveled, she could only catch a glimpse of peace before realizing everything would crumble at her feet.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Maybe it was destiny that brought her on that ship with three strangers — foolishly, that's what she tried to believe when the moon shined beautifully and hope settled in her chest, squeezed by the same ribcage where feelings were blooming.

Pairing: female!reader x OPLA Zoro Roronoa. This chapter follows the events of the first episode.

Warnings for this chapter: physical violence (fights), mentions of deaths, fluff, some cursing, mentions of tarot and palm readings

Word count: 3,6k

Theme song: “Loreley” by Blackmore's Night (click on the link)

A/N: This is the first part of a fanfiction I was thinking of since first watching One Piece Live Action. I started the anime too and I'm around episode 64 already. I'm using the OPLA course of action for now and I have no idea for an ending, but enough scenarios to write and share. I don't know how far this will go, but I'll have fun writing it and considering how much I like Zoro (born anime and LA), I'm using both of them as inspiration. Sorry for the lack of interaction between reader and Zoro, but I promise things will change.

The reader will be referred to as "Witch" especially in the next chapter, because I have no intentions of using "Y/N". There will be more information revealed about her past and abilities in the next chapter.

I'm open for comments and opinions <3

"Excuse me," she smiled sweetly while swaying away from someone who was standing right in front of her and a table she had to serve for. "Here," she carefully let the plates down.

She received a large smile coming from the young man with dark curls and a straw hat hanging around his neck. His pink haired companion seemed very shy, barely glancing at her before looking back at his plate, thanking in a small voice.

The tavern buzzed with a peaceful energy in the late hours of morning, the big windows letting the warm rays of sun in, lighting up the place. There were men sitting at a few tables, no sign of any other woman except for her and the very owner of that place, who just finished cooking something — were those cookies? It smelled divine.

Her dress fluttered around her knees as she moved away from their table to take other orders, a strand of her hair falling against her cheek after running around for so long. When she finally stopped in her tracks by the bar, intense eyes searched for anyone else who might've needed something. Lucky for her, she could finally breathe for a few seconds, resting her hips against the bar.

However, her eyes fell on the tall figure who just chugged down his throat a shot of alcohol. His green hair made her frown to herself, looking away before she could get caught ogling some stranger. After a few seconds, she looked at him again, this time at the three swords resting against his hip.

Three swords? What can someone do with three swords?

Everyone probably had the same question whenever they saw him for the first time. However, he felt somehow familiar, as if she's heard of someone like that before. A pirate? No, wait, a pirate hunter? The owner told her of so many things and so many people it was impossible to remember each one of them, but she was pretty sure she mentioned some pirate hunter only a few days ago.

Her thought process was interrupted when a man with blonde hair and suit walked by in front of her. Considering the men dressed in white uniforms who entered with him, they must be marines and he was probably their superior — he was walking like he owned the entire port.

She held back from rolling her eyes in annoyance. Her thoughts ran back to what her friend said about pirates last time, the way they argued back and forth about how pirates aren't good. However, she had her own reasons for claiming that not all pirates were ruthless monsters, without elaborating.

She flinched lightly when she heard the thud of a metal plate falling on the floor, snapping her head towards a little girl who was stuttering apologies to the blonde man. Her eyebrows were pulled together at his angry and loud voice mocking the child who had tears in her eyes, fear seeping through her very bones at the exaggerated reaction.

Apparently, they knocked into each other. Oh, there were two cookies on the floor. One of them got crushed under the man's foot.

She smoothly made her way by the side of the little girl, smiling at her as she crouched down to her level.

"Is everything alright, little one? Did you apologize?" the woman's hand squeezed the girl's shoulder warmly.

Rika's only response was a nod.

"Good job. It's alright, I'll help you clean up. Why don't you bring me a broom, hm?" she coaxed the girl with a gentle voice.

Once the girl walked away, she stood up straight again, arching her eyebrow questionably at the arrogant man by her side.

"Is there anything else I could help you with?"

"What, are you working here? If the answer's positive, then you better teach those stupid kids some manners," he huffed.

"You should teach yourself how to behave," she commented right back, her sharp gaze sizing him up and down.

"Take that back. Next time I won't be so nice," the blonde marine grinned.

Oh, and what an ugly grin it was on that fucker's face.

"You dropped my food," a low voice from behind interrupted.

The young woman turned her head towards the voice, confusion written on her face as she made a few steps back, out of his way. It was the green haired man she noticed earlier, now sitting on one of his knees on the cold floor.

Rika came back with a broom almost twice her size, the object quickly taken from her hold by the woman who smiled at her again. While they exchanged glances, the pirate hunter let himself down on one of his knees, taking some of the crushed cookie into his palm.

A sly smile tugged at the woman's lips. A pirate hunter or not, he had more dignity than a marine even in that kneeling position. She was more satisfied to see the little one smiling.

"Your turn," the green-haired man lowered his voice, a dark glare thrown at the astonished marine.

The pirate hunter raised back up and placed the metal plate on the bat, his intimidating height against the arrogant blonde monkey in front of him telling enough.

"Apologize to the girl," he demanded in a relaxed tone.

"Me? It was her fault for bumping into me. The lady should apologize for disrespecting me."

Apologize, my ass, she thought to herself, one step away from bursting out laughing. What did he take her for?

"Do you want a fight or what?" he drew his sword out, a knowing grin curled on his face. "I don't need three swords to fight."

The woman looked down at the little girl who was still by her side, ruffling her hair.

"Why don't you go to your mother, hm? And stay there until I call you back."

Her stern voice didn't give space for arguing; Rika complied, going to the kitchen.

She heard some muttering and next thing she knew, both of the men in front of her had drawn their swords out. Apparently, the green-haired one decided to advance closer to the marine, in an attempt to keep the fight away from the lady.

Hmph. Swordsmen and their unusual gentlemanly behavior.

Squeezing the broom in between her fingers, she moved away, furrowing her eyebrows in a scowl.

"No fights in here, you jerks!" she scoffed.

Expertly, while the other marines attacked one man — how unethical of them — and swords clashed against each other after sharp whistling noises, the woman swept away the cookies on the floor. She faked doing her own duties, like the good employee that she was, throwing careful glances at the fight happening right next to her. If she wasn't careful enough, she could get sliced in two.

"I advise you to get out of the way," she heard the swordsman's voice growling right after he threw a chair into three men, making them fall to the floor.

"You'll destroy the entire place if I do."

Right after saying those words, without anyone noticing in that damned agitation, with a quick movement of the broom, she made one of the marines trip.

Just like the idiots that they were.

"Oh my god, you should be more careful!" she placed a hand over her lips, fake surprise and fear coloring her features.

Who would believe such an innocent being was capable of such malicious actions?

With a strong creak followed by a thud, one marine was thrown into a table that turned the both of them upside down, groans filled with pain vibrating through the tavern.

She was right about them destroying the place.

However, the commotion didn't cause too much distress to the woman still moving the broom around, acting as if she had business with that newly found weapon. It might not be lethal, but she couldn't be spotted while she was intentionally making the marines' jobs harder. In the month she's been working there, she saw more than just one fight and used everything that she saw fit to stop it — be it a broom or a kitchen knife.

Now that she analyzed the fight better, it seemed like the pirate hunter barely even had to draw his sword out of its scabbard, at some point knocking someone's head into the bar. He used his raw strength and the objects surrounding him, thankfully without destroying any of them. The can he threw into another man's stomach seemed so effortless.

That must've hurt, though.

The blonde marine was quickly pulled by the back of his collar, back colliding with the bar, and an angry swordsman towering over him. She didn't hear anything nor paid attention anymore, eyes focused on the tavern that was ruined only half way through.

She sighed after watching both of the men walking out of there, biting her lower lip to hold back a fit of laughter at the marine who stumbled while being dragged by the bounty hunter.

"Why do men always fight in this tavern?" she talked to herself, raising one of the chairs and putting it back in place. "One day of peace is all I want in this port, only one day, and I can't get even that."

She sighed again, only for that long exhale to get stuck in her throat once her eyes fell on the table that was almost sitting in the opposite way rather than how it should be. Once she approached it, stepping by the marine who was trying to get up.

She would never help someone who had less dignity than a dog following some orders from a brainless monkey. Heck, even those animals were smarter.

Instead, she tried to move the table back in its place. Her fingers were so close to gripping at one side of the table before someone appeared at the opposite side. The young man with a straw hat and a square smile she served only a few minutes ago raised the table by himself, carefully arranging it until he was satisfied with its position.

"Thank you so much for the help," she smiled at him. "Be careful where you step, I think a glass also broke."

There were some shreds on the floor somewhere close to the table the young man sat at earlier.

"Thank you for your concern," he smiled just like the first time.

Gosh, has she ever seen such a beautiful soul? His eyes sparkled and the happiness suited him like it did to a little child who has no clue of the harsh world. However, he didn't seem phased or scared by what happened earlier — his hands weren't shaking at all and there was no fear lingering in his stare.

She turned to take the broom and came closer to his companion, who was sitting under the table. She bent her torso to give him a hand, helping him get back to his feet.

"Careful with the glass, check your hands," she warned again.

"I saw what you did there."

She turned towards the straw hat guy, blinking owlishly at him.

"I don't really get what you mean."

She started sweeping the shred of broken glass, not paying attention to the curious and insistent gaze she was receiving.

"You surely do. I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"

Her eyes widened at the second part of his speech, snapping her head back at him. Without even realizing, her fingers were squeezing the broom quite harshly, fingertips going white.

"That's—" she started in a small voice, blinking like an idiot and staring at him.

She's heard that before. She's heard the same dream before and it brought so much suffering.

"That's dangerous," she finally got the courage to continue, still hesitant.

"You're brave for interfering with their fight."

Luffy looked into her eyes as if he could guess the thoughts running through her head, as if he could read her very soul, drinking in her features and reaction.

"You must've seen wrong," she let out a light chuckle, getting a grip on herself. "I'm just clumsy sometimes."

She was thankful she stopped herself from cussing out the Marines, because in less than a second after she finished her sentence, a few other men dressed in white uniforms appeared to help their comrades back to the base. She casted a skeptical eye at each one of them, like silent warnings.

They were pathetic, some of them still stumbling while trying to get up, their swords thrown around carelessly. After they all disappeared from her sight, her shoulders obviously relaxed again.

"I have to admit I hated each second of staying so much with these idiots around," she huffed quietly. "That spoiled child who takes advantage of his father's status was getting on my nerves."

"That's why you helped that swordsman, right?"

Luffy continued with his supposition, not letting go of what he thought he saw — it was the truth, but it would be dangerous to admit.

"I didn't help anyone, really. That was unintentional."

"Don't press it too much, Luffy," his companion's voice trembled.

"Koby, I know what I saw," Luffy pulled his lips into a straight line.

She resumed what she was doing, sweeping at the pieces of glass, seeing almost each one of them in the light seeping through the window.

"If you want to become King of the Pirates, I suppose you also want to get the One Piece, right?"

She was foolish. She was stupid for asking, for getting herself in such business that somehow always ended with too many deaths, with broken dreams. However, something was nagging in her gut. Deep down, it felt so right to ask.

"Yes! I need the Grand Line map for that and I intend on getting from the Marine Base here."

"You're insane, kid," her shoulders shook with her light laughter.

It was a sour sound.

She stopped, leaning her weight into the broom, looking down at the glass in front of her. She shouldn't help them. She should stay in her place if she wanted those young men to survive. What they were trying to do was basically suicide, they just didn't know. Koby seemed to be more fearful, hesitant and so, so shy. Luffy didn't say "us"; he said "I" — the pink-haired guy was not really part of the plan.

Against better judgment, she raised her head at him, promises sparkling in her eyes just like the shreds of glass.

"You can't just ask for that map and I hope you know that. What you want to get yourself into isn't just dangerous, it's like jumping into a suicide mission," her voice strained, pouring all of her hope in her next words: "However, I can help you get inside. Be careful, you have to make sure no one catches you."

"So I was right about you!" Luffy beamed.

"Right about what?"

"That you're brave."

Her lips opened, but no sound came from between them. It was pointless to deny it when he seemed so stubborn about what he saw and believed.

"I think this is a lot to say about someone who's helping you steal secret maps," the side of her mouth curled upwards.

Koby was left astonished. Stealing from the Marines was suicide.

"Listen here, kid," she lowered her voice, stepping closer to whisper. She set her gaze on Luffy's. "You have to get out of there alive, no matter what. Lie if you have to, but I have a feeling you're very bad at that, so be careful. That isn't a place to fool around in. You could get yourself killed in a blink. The Marines are very sneaky."

"There are good Marines and bad Marines," he shrugged. "Maybe I'll meet someone who's willing to help."

"I like your enthusiasm, but that unit base doesn't fit," she shook her head. "Both Captain Morgan and his son aren't the good kind of people."

She squeezed the broom in between her fingers again, an ugly feeling clawing at her throat. She didn't want a kid to die for following his dreams, but freedom was something she always craved.

"I'll tell you a way to get inside the base from underneath. You have to keep your lips sealed — I don't worry about myself, but about the owner and her daughter. I don't want word spreading around."

"You can count on me!" he placed his hand on his heart, as if he sealed the promise there. "Who are you? I want to know who's helping me."

Damned be his sincerity.

"I'll give you my name after you get out of there alive."

She smiled, eyes sparkling with delicious mischief.

"That is a promise. I'll be around the Marine Base and I'll tell you my name after I see you get out of there alive."

That seemed to stir something in Luffy's soul, inhaling with pride. A man of his word, indeed, just like she thought.

"Deal.

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

Her name left the lips of a scolding mother, even if it wasn't her mom.

"I saw you." The second time she heard tthat same phrase in one day.

Annie patted the tip of her shoe against the floor repeatedly.

"I was just lucky enough not to get myself in trouble," she shrugged.

However, her eyes fell on the floor, guilty about getting caught like a deer in the light.

"You could've gotten yourself in big trouble!" the owner of the tavern raised her voice.

Rika pouted up at her mother, trying to sweeten her reaction.

"She just wanted to help, just like—"

"Rika," this time, the scolded one firmly spoke her name. "Don't take me as an idol. It's true that something could have happened."

The little girl shouldn't worry about such a bloody world just yet and she wanted to help it for as long as possible. Being stubborn was a death sentence, even if she would always get herself into trouble if it meant to stick to her principles.

She'd rather die on her feet than live on her knees.

"Just because this time everything was fine, it doesn't mean next time will be the same," Annie exhaled loudly, frowning.

"There won't be a next time," the young woman sank her chin in her chest. "I should leave these days. Soon enough, word will spread out about my tarot and palm readings. I don't want to cause you any more trouble."

"You little witch," the usual scolding was replaced with a warm nickname.

She raised her head again, struggling to smile. Leaving after she got attached always hurt.

"That man was Roronoa Zoro, wasn't it?" Annie asked, her body suddenly tensing.

"Most probably," she shrugged. "Three swords, three earrings. He put on quite a show, to be honest," the words were followed by a chuckle.

"I see the way your eyes are sparkling. Don't even think about getting into some conversation with such a troublesome person."

"What could do some adventure to a poor soul like me?" she teased.

"It could bring you six feet under."

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

"I'm no witch, you idiots!" she struggled against the harsh grip the two men had on her arms.

She hissed when one of them sank his fingertips in her upper arms, glaring at him.

Shithead marines.

She continued writhing and struggling, stomping her feet into the ground in an awful attempt to stop them. She intended on keeping her promise after she helped the straw hat sneak into their base. She waited for as long as it was necessary after she gathered her things in a bag that hung around her shoulders. She was supposed to leave that place after she made sure the kid was alright and alive.

"God dammit!" she shouted. "How many times do I have to explain I'm not doing anything wrong?!"

"You're lying to people and receiving money, filthy witch. You're a thief," one of the men commented as they continued walking her away from the port.

"I didn't steal shit!" she snapped.

"Watch out!" she heard a familiar voice.

Instantly, she bent her torso down. The man on her right was punched in the face with so much force he released her grip on her and stumbled into the marine on her left, both of them now on the ground.

She didn't even get enough time to process what was happening, something curling around her waist carefully, but so fast. A yelp left her lips when she realized she was being lifted off the ground, turning her head towards the source.

It was the straw hat's arm. He ate a devil fruit, didn't he?

He was on a boat that was sailing a few meters away in the sea and she was being pulled towards him. She also recognized the pirate hunter from earlier and a woman with orange hair, both of them far too relaxed for what was happening.

That guy was made of rubber!

She recognized Koby who just got to his feet after she got past him, her feet finally touching something solid again. She blinked confused at the straw hat.

"You can't bring everyone that you like on this ship," the swordsman let out a hopeless sigh.

She busted out laughing like a maniac, the colorful and rich sound filling the air. Her shoulders shook and she had to place her hand over her stomach, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Obviously, her reaction was met with an especially questionable look coming from the swordsman, who most probably thought he got on a ship with another insane human.

"You're insane, kid," she wiped the tears in her eyes with her fingers, still smiling widely.

She hasn't felt such relief in years.

"I guess I gotta fulfill a promise, right?"

•┈┈┈•┈┈┈•┈┈┈

[respectthepetty]

The irony of Wine and Faifa's pink and red text matching shirts saying "Friends" on them is not lost on me since they are clearly in love with each other as we enter episode twenty-two of Perfect 10 Liners.

And Faifa getting additional matching shirts for them to wear only added to my joy since the shirts had lightning bolts in the shape of hearts on them because Electric Boy is in love with his Vino Baby.

And Vino Baby is in love with Electric Boy!

Just in case the engagement photos with the red roses didn't make that clear for everyone.

Or the fact that Wine is probably wearing Faifa clothes as he spends the night again, but also that it is Faifa's light blue that he is wearing.

They are just two Lapis Lads living their best Blue Boys domestic dream with sponsored milk product placements that could kill Faifa, but neither care because they are in love, and if they die, they are dying smiling.

But Faifa's mom shows up to cut the sponsored milk product placement short so Faifa won't die due to his allergy but rather from neglect and heartbreak because instead of her owning up to her faults, she blames the dad for not informing Faifa of anything since the dad only has three kids while she has a whole new family who she used to replace her old one. Good job, Mom!

Thankfully, the episode is out to prove that the boys are the best part of each other's lives because even though Faifa's mom is going to catch these hands, the boys decide to use their hands to comfort each other instead of violence.

BECAUSE THEY ARE IN LOVE!

And as to prove how much Faifa needs Wine after dealing with his ridiculous family, the mom calls Newton to notify him that Wine was in the apartment when she went to visit Faifa late at night, who then informs Yotha. Nobody tells Faifa anything but they are quick to tell each other everything. How funny! *murder*

I know Warit says Klao is a new man, but how much would one good punch in the stomach to two bothersome brothers cost? Asking for a friend.

Not even Green Guy Gun looking cute on the couch can save his Black Brooder boyfriend from the beatdown I want to give this family.

I thought about changing my mind the next day since both of them are wearing their colors.

BUT ARC AND ARM AREN'T IN THEIR COLORS AGAIN SO EVERYONE IS GETTING BEAT UP! Klao can give me a discount like those adorable coffee punch cards Faifa and Wine are swooning over! Pay for five punches get the sixth free.

Basically, the only boys I love right now are the Blue Boys who are honest, strong, and loyal, just like the flowers they are about to exchange in order to make their relationship official.

UNTIL OHM TOR SHOWS UP WHICH MEANS I GUESSED RIGHT! Look at Toey's face. Girl thinks she did good.

Now look at my boy's face. She did NOT do good!

But I'm going to skip over the angst because this episode was out to prove that Blue Boys are the best boys and they are HONEST, STRONG, AND LOYAL because Wine doesn't let the misunderstanding slide, but chases after our boy and tells him that the only reason he agreed to this arrangement is because he wants to be near Faifa since he likes him so much and he doesn't understand how Faifa doesn't realize that when he is giving his all and trying everything to extend this beyond that notebook of love deadlines.

AND THIS WAS AFTER HE KISSES HIM!

So in the end, the Blue Boys really did figure it out all on their own without any help from any of these messy gays, and Yotha can be proud of his brother who he did not help at all.

I'm sorry I ever doubted you, kings.

Now, let's plan the wedding!

IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING!!!!!

Wait? Green Guy Po?! WHAT?!

[airenyah]

A LOOK AT STYLE'S JOURNEY | Ep 12

(Overview | Ep1+2 | Ep3 | Ep4 | Ep5 | Ep6 | Ep7 | Ep8 | Ep9 | Ep10 | Ep11)

Oof, so this took me forever to write. A week and a half. But now it's finally here, the final post of this meta series. And yes, I did hit 20k words by the finale, oops. The analysis part alone is at 20.1k words. In total, this meta series is at 150k words. When I wrote that very first post about episodes 1+2 in on single sitting, pulling an all-nighter to both write, gif, and publish it I never expected it to turn into this huge project that has become. Don't ask how much sleep I was getting while I was writing these metas. And don't ask how my studies have been going since early December (I was gonna write two exams a week from me publishing this but I haven't done any studying so far whatsoever rip). Totally worth it, though. Anyway, I don't wanna keep you on your toes any longer, so have fun <3

By the way, I apologize in advance, but the section cover pics had to go for this one. Instead I bring you.... more gifs! Yay!

Acknowledgments: To everyone who regularly liked and/or reblogged and/or commented... THANK YOU 😘 Your encouragement really kept me going over these past few weeks, even when my brain was feeling really exhausted from thinking so long and so hard about this series and especially this character. I had a blast going on this journey and I'm glad I got to share it with you. Thank you for coming on this journey with me. I love you.

Pronoun situation: As usual, just assume Fadel and Style use the rude pronouns guu/mueng with each other unless I specify otherwise. And I WILL be specifying otherwise this time hehe.

To recap: Last episode Style got to spend a lovely 24 hours of saying goodbye to Fadel before the one thing that Style has been dreading the most (safe for Fadel's death, probably) happened: Fadel got arrested. And there's nothing Style could do about it but watch. And now he has to live with the fact that his boyfriend will be in prison for the next five long years.

No. 1: Visitors

Kant and Style go visit their boys in prison together and it seems to be their first visit in general, considering how both couples are catching up. We don't know how long it's been since they last saw each other, but I assume it must have been more than just a couple of days, since we later learn that the burger restaurant has already been sold.

Either way, Style is now sitting in front of Fadel, asking him how prison is. Fadel says it's not that bad and Style checks in once more to make sure Fadel is really fine: "Really? You sure you're not saying that just to make me happy? I've seen some interviews, and the people who have been here said it was awful."

After all, Style knows Fadel and he knows Fadel is prone to pretending that everything is fine when really, it isn't. Style even called Fadel out on it in episode 7: "Just admit when it hurts. You don't have to be tough all the time." Back then Style also told Fadel: "I'm worried about you, you know? I was afraid something would happen to you.*"

*กลัวมึงเป็นไรไปอ่ะ [gluua - mueng - bpen rai - bpai - àh] afraid - you - have a problem - [particle] Official subs: I thought you were a goner.

Now, about half a series later Fadel is finally very well aware of just how much Style worries about his well-being and, with a laugh, reassures him once more that prison really isn't that bad. Style lets it go and tells Fadel: "I really miss you, though." And let me just share what I learned when I asked my Thai friend about the phrase ก็...อยู่ดี [gôh ... yùu dii], because I wasn't entirely sure what it meant: according to my friend it means "still" (German speakers: he translated it as "immer noch"), so the line goes more like:

But I still miss you. แต่กูก็คิดถึงมึงอยู่ดีนะ [dtàe - guu - gôh - kít-tĕung - mueng - yùu dii - ná] but - I - miss - you - still - [na]

They've been separated for a while now, but Style still misses Fadel. Style hasn't stopped missing Fadel. Fadel acknowledges that and tells him "When you do, just come visit." And for those curious about the literal wording (it doesn't really change anything, but I know you guys love this <3):

If you miss me, then come visit me like this. ถ้ามึงคิดถึงกูอ่ะ ก็มาหากูแบบนี้นะ [tâa - mueng - kít-tĕung - guu - àh • gôh - maa hăa - guu - bàep níi - ná] if - you - miss - me - [particle] • then - come visit - me - like this - [particle]

Style doesn't say anything. He just smiles at Fadel fondly and in love. Fadel didn't preemptively break up with him last episode and even though there is a barrier between them, Style can still go see Fadel and Fadel also wants Style to come see him. It's not ideal, but things could have been much worse, so Style is happy and also makes the best out of the situation. Just like he always does.

Fadel then asks about the garage and it's the first time we learn that Style's dad is starting to retire and that Style is starting to be busy. This will come up later in the episode again, but for now everyone is still happy. Then Fadel asks about his burger restaurant and both we, the audience, and Fadel learn that it's been sold. Fadel then says he'll find a way to buy it back once he's out of prison and once again we're handed information that will be relevant later in the episode.

Style being Style immediately announces that he'll be helping Fadel find a new place, if he can't get back the old one. And now it's Fadel's turn to smile at Style fondly and in love. Style then asks if Fadel wants anything special. But Fadel doesn't need anything. "Just seeing your face will last me a whole month." And again, the literal wording doesn't really change anything here, but if you're curious, this is what he's saying:

Just you visiting me like this makes me happy for a month. แค่มึงมาหากูแบบเนี่ย กูก็อิ่มใจเป็นเดือนละ [kâe - mueng - maa hăa - guu - bàep nîia • guu - gôh - ìm-jai - bpen deuuan - lá] just - you - come visit - me - like this • I - [sentence link] - happy, pleased - for a month - [particle]

Fadel uses the word อิ่มใจ [ìm-jai] here (which I translated as "happy") and that's funny to me personally, because this word already came up when I was discussing a different sentence from episode 11 with my Thai friend. You know when Fadel and Style are in the kitchen in episode 11 and Fadel talks about how he wants to do what he loves with the person he loves? And then he says "It makes me happy". The word that was translated as "happy" in Thai is อิ่ม [ìm], which actually translates to "full". And I had my friend watch the scene and asked "What does he mean 'full', what does that mean in this context??" and my friend explained that in this context it means "happy" and mentioned the word อิ่มใจ [ìm-jai], which he also explained to mean "happy". The literal translation, though, is actually "full heart" (as in the heart is full → you're happy). And then this exact word that I learned comes up in episode 12, I love it. So yeah, Fadel is basically telling Style that he doesn't need anything, because Style visiting him in prison is enough to make is heart full/fill up his heart for a month. And from the way Fadel raises his eyebrows and smiles cheekily when he says the อิ่มใจ [ìm-jai] part, I assume it's just as cheesy in Thai as it is in English, especially judging by Style's reaction afterwards.

Style is amused, impressed, as well as touched by Fadel's cheesiness and asks: "What did they feed you in there? How come you're this sweet?*"

*ทำไมถึงหวานขนาดเนี้ย [tam-mai tĕung - wăan - kà-nàat níia] how come, why - sweet - to this extent Official subs: You're way too sweet.

If you read last episode's meta you might remember how I went over the development to from โหด [hòht] (= harsh, aggressive, brutal) to หวาน [wăan] (= sweet) and I just love how this time around, the word โหด [hòht] doesn't even get mentioned anymore. They went from Style using only the word โหด [hòht] in episode 4 ("No matter how harsh you are, I'm still hooked on you." / Official subs: "It doesn't matter how scary you are, I'm still hooked."), to them making comments about and discussing Fadel being both harsh (โหด [hòht]) and sweet (หวาน [wăan]) in episodes 7, 9, and 11, and now in the finale Style only uses the word หวาน [wăan] (= sweet). It's the polar opposite of episode 4. I love it.

(By the way, I'm not gonna copy and paste all the direct quotes again, so if you wanna look at the lines and the development of "harsh vs sweet" in detail, please refer to section 7 of my ep11 meta.)

Style continues to say "If you say such sweet things, it'll only make me want to hold you and kiss you even more, you know?" and I'm just gonna share the literal wording again:

The sweeter like this you are ยิ่งมึงหวานแบบเนี่ย [yîng - mueng - wăan - bàep nîia] the more - you - sweet - like this the more I really want to embrace you and (sniff) kiss you on the cheek, you know that? กูยิ่งอยากกอดอยากหอมมึงมากเลยรู้ป่ะ [guu - yîng - yàak - gòht - yàak - hŏhm - mueng - mâak loiie - rúu - bpà] I - the more - want - hug, embrace - want - (sniff) kiss - you - very much - know - ?

In the official subtitles Style says just "kiss you", but the word he uses here in Thai is หอม [hŏhm] which, from what I've picked up so far, usually refers specifically to a kiss on the cheek, especially those sniff-kisses. And that's what prompts Fadel to turn his head and offer his cheek to Style — because Style specifically asked to kiss Fadel's cheek.

Also, something about the way Style says this and the way he emphasizes and drags out the word หอม [hŏhm] kind of really reminds me of the way he emphasized and dragged out the word หวาน [wăan] (= sweet) when he shouted "My meat is sweet, I tell you!" in episode 3, and watching these two lines back-to-back actually shows the development so beautifully:

In episode 3, Style is so very loud and he doesn't mean what he is saying at all, he isn't taking his words seriously whatsoever. His words are a performance and the world (or rather the market, in this case) is his audience. In episode 11, his words are still a performance, but now it's a private show for Fadel and Fadel alone. Fadel is the sole member of his audience and what Style is saying isn't meant for anyone else but Fadel. Style is serious about it now and he really means it. By the episode 12, Style is still loud in his personality, but compared to episode 3 his demeanor is so much calmer and he is also much more grounded.

The difference is also in Fadel's reaction: in episode 3 when Style isn't taking what he's saying and doing seriously whatsoever, Fadel doesn't have time for him. He rolls his eyes and just leaves him standing there. In episode 12, when Style means every single thing he says and does, Fadel actually leans closer and then presents his cheek to Style, going along with Style's antics instead of blocking or ditching him. Style blows a cheek at Fadel and we leave them as they continue to make heart-eyes at each other.

No. 2: This Is Torture

Style puts on his cheerful face when he's in front of Fadel, and while I don't think any of the above was a mask, because I think he is definitely genuinely happy to talk to Fadel, there is still some frustration that Style only lets out as soon as he's away from Fadel, similar to how he didn't fully cry until Fadel was completely gone at the end of last episode. "Kant, I can't do this," Style complains and let me just share the real vibe of his sentence:

Ai'Kant, I can't fucking do this anymore. ไอ้กานต์ กูแม่งไม่ไหวแล้วว่ะ [âi Kant • guu - mâeng - mâi - wăi - láew - wâ] Ai'Kant • I - [rude interjection] - not - able to, can - anymore - [rude particle]

I usually don't bother to point out sanitized subtitles, but here I thought it was appropriate, because first of all, Style using curse words and rude language really underlines just how frustrated he really is about this from his first line of the scene on and second of all, to me with the cursing it comes across as even more dramatic and I mean, the drama is what we've all come to love about Style, isn't it? Kant agrees and once again Style is much more dramatic in the original wording than he is in the official translation:

What's torturous is going in and being able to chat only for a few minutes. ที่มันทรมานอ่ะ คือเข้าไปคุยได้ไม่กี่นาทีไง [tîi - man - tor-rá-maan - àh • keu - kâo bpai - kui - dâai - mâi gìi -naa-tii - ngai] that - it - torture, be tortured - [particle] • is - enter, get in - talk, chat - be able to, can - not many - minute(s) - [particle] Official subs: The worst part is only getting a few minutes to talk to him.

Yeah. Style explicitly calls it torture that he can only see Fadel's face but can't touch him. He continues with the drama:

We're close, but so damn far away. ใกล้แต่ไกลฉิบหายเลยมึง [glâi - dtàe - glai - chìp-hăai - loiie - mueng] close - but - far - [impolite intensifier] - [particle for emphasis] - you Official subs: We’re so close but it feels so far.

Style is frustrated, almost downright angry even. Kant agrees again and when Style then asks "Is there no way we could hold them in our arms again?" There's a hint of desperation and impatience now mixed in with the frustration. Kant informs Style that there's a special visiting day, but it's only once a year. And here we have the biggest clue as to just how unhappy Style really is with the situation. Style, who usually stays optimistic and tries to find the bright side in things, is very dissatisfied about those news. Even positive Style can't see how the special visiting day is a good thing. Because once a year just really isn't enough, no matter how he looks at it. Kant throws him a glance. Style is sitting in the passenger's seat, head downcast, looking very dispirited and crestfallen.

Kant thinks some thoughts for a moment. Then he announces "I think I have an idea that will give us more than just a hug." Style lifts his head again. He's listening.

No. 3: Prison Break

For Kant's idea to work they need Captain Christ's help and they go meet him in a parking lot. They let Captain Christ know they wanna get into jail to see their boyfriends and Captain Christ actually asks the reasonable question of "Can't you just visit them?" No. They cannot. Because looking at them through a barrier is simply just not enough. Style starts listing all the things he wants to do to Fadel and he's clearly thought about this a lot. He gets lost in his own world a little the longer he goes on, clearly seeing everything he's describing in front of his mental eye, clearly seeing Fadel himself in front of his mental eye. And in a parallel to both episode 4 and episode 11, Style trails off at the end, leaving it up to the audience to imagine just what exact kind of things Style wants to do to/with Fadel (fanfiction, anyone?). Style pulls himself out of his fantasy and back into the real world, sighing and shaking his head in a way that reads to me like frustration about the fact that he can't be doing all of that. Kind of like Come on, man, get it together... The circumstances won't let you have your fantasies anyway. When the shot changes to Captain Christ, we can see that Style is even looking towards the ground. We can't see his face, but just from his dissatisfied expression just now we could interpret his hanging head as disappointment or sadness or both about not being able to do all the things he just talked about.

Captain Christ says that Style is crazy in love and from the way that Captain raises his eyebrows and the way the corners of his mouth twitch into a bit of a smirk when he's done speaking has me think Captain Christ was saying it to tease Style, but I think the teasing passes right by Style, because he makes a skeptical face, kind of like a bit of an annoyed and maybe slightly defensive What?? or maybe even a bit of an And what's wrong with that?

Captain Christ discards his cigarette and starts asking questions about just how exactly Kant and Style plan to get into prison, pointing out that he had just helped Kant wipe his slate clean. Kant explains that they aren't planning on getting themselves arrested and asks if Captain Christ knows anyone inside. Captain Christ says he does, then asks: "Don't tell me you want me to help you reenact Prison Break?"

Special shout-out to Style's reaction, because it's definitely in my top 5 moments of the episode, if not my absolute favorite highlight of the episode:

His face makes me laugh and giggle so much, it just really cracks me up. It's like he's thinking to himself Oh I sure wouldn't mind a little prison break... or maybe even Oh this is totally not the exact thing I've been fantasizing about. Let's be real, this would be Style's ideal scenario. But unlucky for Style, that's not the plan that Kant has had in mind.

No. 4: Vocational Training

Kant's idea was to go do some kind of volunteer work (or something along those lines) at the prison. Style, of course, teaches fixing cars, and it's interesting that Fadel actually shows up for that, because without knowing Style was gonna be the one teaching, Fadel could have easily chosen a different activity instead, since we never actually saw him be interested in fixing cars. Maybe Fadel heard about it and it made him think of Style and decided to go check it out in honor of him or to feel closer to him. Either way, Fadel actually shows up to Style's class and from the way Style's jaw drops a little bit I wonder, if this comes as a surprise to Style, since it's not like Style specifically told Fadel he was gonna come in.

Pronoun change! You might have noticed yourself, but the very first thing Style says to Fadel is khun. Style is pretending not to know Fadel. Style continues to speak using no pronouns at all and when Fadel answers, he goes along with Style's pronoun change, using phom to refer to himself. The two of them continue to use the polite phom/khun for the rest of this specific conversation.

Fadel says he doesn't know anything about fixing cars and Style replies it's fine, because Fadel can learn about it. Then he says "If you want to, that is." The expression that Style uses here in Thai is ��ีใจ [mii jai] which is made up of มี [mii] = "to have" and ใจ [jai] = "heart, mind", so literally it translates to "have (a/the) heart". My friend explained that in this context this phrase means "to have the intention to do something". The funny thing is, though, that I asked my friend about this specific phrase a couple of episodes ago, because Style actually uses it when they're standing by the broken down car in episode 8 when he teases Fadel "Either a hitman like you still have his humanity, or you’re in love with me." In other words, the phrase มีใจ [mii jai] can also mean "to be in love" and now I'm wondering if this specific word choice with this double meaning was very intentional for this episode 12 scene. Especially because Fadel then huffs and smiles a little.

Style walks up to Fadel and tells him "I'll show you every nook and cranny of a car. You'll definitely find some use for what you learn from me. But if you still can't fix cars after that, I'll fix them for you," still using polite pronouns and particles to address Fadel, and somehow this whole thing just really reminds me of their little roleplay at the garage back in episode 5. The way Fadel's eyebrows shoot up and he huffs in amusement really raises the question if Fadel is wondering what kind of payment Style will take for fixing Fadel's car. At the same time, Style offering to fix Fadel's car also works as a callback to the circumstances in which they first met: Style has fixed Fadel's car once before, maybe even twice, if we assume that Style fixed the jeep again between episode 8 and episode 9 when it broke down.

No. 5: A Man Has Wants, A Man Has Needs

At the end of class, Fadel is working on the car and Style uses the chance with everyone else distracted for a little private chat with Fadel. And now that they don't have an audience listening in and appearances to keep up, they're both back to the rude pronouns guu/mueng. Fadel likely sort of already expected that Style would find a way to get to him, because he says he had thought Style would do something illegal to get inside the prison and I think the majority of the fandom thought similarly. I personally realized Kant and Style would be working in prison when I went to rewatch the episode promo like two or so days before the episode and realized that the blue clothes that Fadel was wearing in the shots where Style kissed him on the cheek and threw him against the wall looked like the prison uniform while Style was in normal clothes. At first I thought the shot of the cheek kiss by the car was when Fadel was out of prison again and that it was set in Style's garage, but once it hit me that they were clearly fixing a car while Fadel was in a prison uniform while Style wasn't, that's when I realized that Style was likely there as a volunteer worker (or something along those lines) rather than a prisoner. Unfortunately, I was too busy trying to get my ep11 meta done, so I didn't make a post about my discovery which means I don't have receipts and this brag is completely worthless. Ah, well. At least my ep11 meta is done.

Style says "This is way better" and steps closer to Fadel, reaching out his arm right into Fadel's personal space, seeking proximity before he even says it out loud or touches Fadel at all. Fadel responds to it by immediately moving his own arm closer to Style's hand and while I know that Joong most likely did this as part of their "choreography" so that Dunk would have an easier time grabbing his arm for when Style talks about touching Fadel, the thing is if we're looking at it from the character's perspective, well, Joong might have known Dunk was gonna grab his arm, but Fadel didn't know Style was gonna grab him and so I love this small interaction anyway. Style reaches into Fadel's personal space with his hand and Fadel immediately moves his own hand closer to Style.

And it's only then that Style says: "I get to be close to you and to touch you just like I wanted to." Then Style sneaks a kiss on Fadel's cheek, just like he said he wanted to do in his first scene of the episode. Fadel gets as stressed about it just like I did when I watched the episode for the first time. I mean come on, Style, there are still people around!! I swear to god, the amount of times I've had to remind myself during the prison part that this was a romcom and that this was the final episode of the show and that nothing too bad was gonna happen now...

Fadel scolds Style, but Style doesn't care. He points out: "Why would I come here if I don't get to do anything with you at all?" The whole point of finding a way to get inside the prison was to be able to touch Fadel, to kiss him, to hold him, just like Style was so very desperately wishing he could do in the very beginning of the episode. And he's not gonna pass up that chance, especially when it's been a while since he actually got to feel Fadel's skin.

Fadel sees the guard walk around and tells Style "I can't help you." Then Fadel continues to be grumpy, scolding Style "You said you'd be patient, and you're already losing it?" Style is so used to Fadel's grumpy personality by now that he isn't fazed in the slightest. He comments it with a very quick huff to the side, then goes "A guy has wants and needs, you know?" He smiles a little when the words are out of his mouth and observes Fadel's reaction, eyes fixed on him attentively. Fadel lifts his head, looking a little done, but ends up breaking anyway after staring at Style for a moment. Fadel laughs and turns his head away to hide it, then looks at Style one more time, before directing his attention back to the car. Style watches him with a fond smile and affectionately shakes his head as if to say That's so you of you to first be grumpy, only to fall for my charm in the end anyway, you silly goose. As if I don't know you by now, my love.

After that, Style goes back into teacher mode in order to officially end the class. And I just love how the wide-shot reveals that now both Style and Fadel have their hands in each other's personal space close to the other person's body, their arms criss-crossed. And I also love how Style leans right into Fadel, touching him more when he goes to address the whole class.

Good job at pretending not to know each other, boys. Really. Very inconspicuous.

Fadel does move away from Style a little a moment later while Style continues his "see you next week" speech. But we can still see just how much Style missed touching Fadel, because he seeks out proximity again by tapping Fadel, casually touching him again immediately after he is done ending the class.

Then his eyes also find Fadel's face again, who looks at him very amused. And now that class is over, Style can finally do what he's really here for.

No. 6: Loyal to You

When we cut back to them, they've found a hidden corner and Style is shoving Fadel against a wall, kissing him with great urgency. Once they break apart, Style tells Fadel "I've been dying to do that since the moment I saw you", smiling a very satisfied smile. Fun fact, this time around Style is actually less dramatic in the original wording:

I've been wanting to do this since I saw your face. กูอยากทำแบบนี้ตั้งแต่เห็นหน้ามึงอ่ะ [guu - yàak - tam - bàep níi - dtâng-dtàe - hĕn - nâa mueng - àh] I - want - do - like this - since - see - your face - [particle]

Fadel laughs and says "You're crazy", to which Style replies "Love will make people do crazy things" and let me just share the original wording for a second:

Love makes us do something crazy like this. ความรักอ่ะ ทำให้คนเราทำอะไรบ้าๆ แบบนี้แหละ [kwaam rák - àh • tam hâi - kon rao - tam - à-rai - bâa bâa - bàep níi - làe] love - [particle] • make that, cause - people, we - do - something - crazy - like this - [particle] Official subs: Love will make people do crazy things.

The reason why I'm sharing this isn't, because the translation is inaccurate in any way, but rather because this line reminded me of another line Style says in episode 7 and I just want to point out the similarity in the original wording that isn't as clean in the official translation:

Love makes us do something stupid. ความรักมันทำให้คนเราทำอะไรโง่ๆนะ [kwaam rák - man - tam hâi - kon rao - tam - à-rai - ngôh ngôh - ná] love - it - make that, cause - people, we - do - something - stupid - [particle] Official subs: Love sure makes you do something stupid.

It greatly amuses me that Style went from "Love makes us do stupid things" to "Love makes us do crazy things". Style, lover of love, willing to do stupid and crazy things for the sake of love. He is stupid and crazy enough to even find a way to get into prison for the sole purpose of making out with his boyfriend, because who can wait five whole years, amirite? Style immediately proves his point by continuing to kiss Fadel. But Fadel doesn't let Style kiss him for long, because he has something to say: "Save your sweet words." Funfact, he uses the word นำเน่า [nam nâo] here, which my friend explained to mean "soapy" (as in soap opera like). I think Fadel just called Style "dramatic" without actually calling him dramatic, and I think that might also be the reason why Style steps back with a sigh, looking kind of disappointed and annoyed, before answering Fadel's question of "How did you get in here?"

We know being called dramatic has been a touchy subject for Style before and so has been being pushed away. I think Style had a moment of Does he really not appreciate that I'm here now? Does he not appreciate my efforts? But Style doesn't comment on it, doesn't start an argument, and instead answers Fadel's question. He explains that he'll be teaching at prison every week now thanks to Kant's connections and then says:

I'll get to come and see you every week. จะได้มาเจอมึงทุกอาทิตย์เลย [jà - dâai - maa - jer - mueng - túk - ah-tít - loiie] will - get to - come - see, meet - you - every - week - [particle] Official subs: So I'll see you every week.

Although when Style says this, it's not as joyful as you might expect. There is determination in Style's voice, because he is determined to do this, but there is also a bit of a challenging edge to it and I think it comes from his sudden worry that Fadel might not want him here after all. It's a challenge in the sense of Well, are you happy about me being here once a week from now on or not? He keeps his eyes fixed on Fadel and when Fadel then huffs and smiles almost in disbelief, the look on Style's face softens a little bit before he leans in to kiss Fadel again.

But once more, Fadel isn't letting Style kiss him for long, before he speaks again: "You know… You don’t have to do this." Style goes still as he waits for Fadel to elaborate. And Fadel does:

It's fine if you visit me once a month or once every three months. มาหากูเดือนละครั้งหรือสามเดือนครั้งก็ได้ [maa hăa - guu - deuuan lá kráng - rĕu - săam deuuan kráng - gôh dâai] (come) visit - me - once a month - or - once every three months - it's fine Official subs: I don't mind seeing you once a month or once every three months.

Ah. There it is. Fadel is pushing him away again. Or so Style thinks. Of course Fadel is saying this to be considerate of Style's time and schedule (after all, Style did tell him that things at the garage were getting busy), not wanting Style to get tired and exhausted in the process, but what Style hears is I don't want to see you that often. And now Style is seriously done.

He steps back, tilting his face in a Really, now?? way, presses his lips together unhappily, then raises his eyebrows and firmly tells Fadel: "I did everything I could to be with you, you know?" Style's next question is another challenge to Fadel:

Are you not moved? ไม่ซึ้งบ้างหรอ [mâi - séung - bâang - rŏr] not - touched, moved - any - ? Official subs: You don’t appreciate that?

Fadel breathes out loudly and tilts his head like Oh, come on, it's not like that. But Style is really annoyed now and continues to say: "Or did you already find someone here? I'd expect it of a popular guy like you." You heard him use the anglicism "hot" here, right? Because the second sentence goes more like:

You're hot anyway. ฮอตอยู่แล้วนี่มึงอ่ะ [hot - yùu - láew - nîi - mueng - àh] hot - be - already - [interjection] - you - [particle]

A little extra info from my Thai friend: according to him in Thai this word doesn't necessarily refer to someone's appearance and to physical attraction, but rather it is used to express someone has a quality or skill that is desirable.

Now I think Style actually being jealous for real can be a valid interpretation of him asking Fadel if he found someone new in prison, but to be honest, personally I don't really think so, or rather I think real jealousy is the case only on a surface level. Because Style knows Fadel, Style knows that Fadel doesn't easily open up to others. Style knows first hand how much work, effort, and persistence it takes to get to Fadel's heart. Style also knows Fadel would absolutely kill him if Style ever cheated on him and so I don't think Style would expect Fadel to be a hypocrite and go cheat on Style just like that himself. So I don't think Style actually expects Fadel to have found himself a new boyfriend in prison for real. No, in my opinion this is about something else deep down. I think Style is actually hurt that Fadel is (seemingly) pushing him away again, the way Fadel has done before so often. And Style has felt hurt from that before, and he's argued with Fadel about that before (most recently last episode during their last supper, and in episode 10 the scene where Style demands to help with the mission as well as the scene where Fadel cries in Style's lap). And I think playing it over apparent jealousy is Style's way of letting Fadel know that he's sulking about this, without starting a full-blown argument. Because at this point Fadel should know better than to keep pushing Style away, especially when Style is putting in so much effort in their relationship again. And part of me also wonders if Style was trying to avoid being called "dramatic" again (remember: touchy subject) if he had outright complained about being pushed away, while jealousy could maybe be taken as a "more valid" or more expected or acceptable reason to be mad.

Style starts to walk off, upset, because fine, if Fadel doesn't want him here then he'll leave him alone. But Fadel catches his arm. Style is sulking and it's Fadel's job now to make up with him. And Fadel does: "No matter where I am, you're the only one for me." Fadel holds him back, pulls him back in, doesn't simply just let Style go. And then promises his loyalty to Style. Something that Style has promised to Fadel many, many times. Fadel's efforts to get Style to stay placate Style again. This is all Style wants: for Fadel to show that he, too, wishes for Style to be in his life and be willing to work for it, the same way Style constantly shows he wishes for Fadel to be and actively works on Fadel being by his side. Style's face softens again, he smiles a little and lets Fadel kiss him.

They go back to making out against the wall. Well. That is, until the prison guard walks in on them. They quickly jump apart and Style rambles some orders about cleaning up, before walking off. And I love that Style can't help but touch Fadel one last time, before he leaves. He really has gone too long without touching Fadel and has to make up for it now.

Language fun fact: Technically, a pronoun switch from guu/mueng to phom/khun isn't actually happening here, because Style actually uses no pronouns at all when he talks to Fadel in front of the guard! Fadel does drop one polite "krub", but that's about it. There are no pronouns this time, but I think it's safe to assume they would have switched to phom/khun again in front of the guard, if the conversation had gone on.

Side Quest: Year 2 or Literal Horny Jail

Alright, sooo, there isn't that much interesting happening in year 2, or rather not interesting enough that I really wanna get into detail and turn this into its own section, but of course I couldn't leave it entirely unaddressed. So a side quest, it is. The brothers' second year in prison turns out to be a happy one, with both couples really obsessed with each other as if they'd only just started dating, sneaking kisses and make-out sessions whenever they can. Somehow, they're never found out. Everyone is happy and pleased, and this is especially significant for Fadel and Style. They're happy and in love and still very much into each other. We don't actually get any scenes of Fadel and Style together during year 3, but I think it's safe to assume that things are going this well throughout the third year, too. Well, until things aren't. Until suddenly we get dropped down to the ground from the high that we had just been taken up to.

No. 7: Busy Bee

Year 4 comes around and with that all the happiness gets thrown right out the window. Because Style, without a warning, suddenly doesn't show up to class one day and instead waits for Fadel in the visiting room. When Fadel walks in, Style addresses him happily, but his happiness is not as bright as we know it can be, it's a bit subdued. Style asks why Fadel took so long and I think it explains why Style doesn't sound as cheerful as usual: I think while Style was waiting, for a moment he got really worried that Fadel wouldn't come to see him.

By the way, yes, Style did phrase it as a question in the original wording:

Why were you so slow? ทำไมช้าจังเลย [tam-mai - cháa - jang loiie] why - slow, late - so much, very much Official subs: Took you forever.

Fadel explains he went to the garage first, but Style wasn't there. Style apologizes for it, then explains he's been very busy. Style had already mentioned at the beginning of the episode that he was busier compared to before, and now he's even more busy than that. So busy that he might not be able to come in and teach as often anymore. He tells Fadel just that and looks at him with sad, apologetic puppy eyes.

Fadel asks why that is and when Style answers, he puts on a very enthusiastic voice in an attempt to make the situation sound as positive as possible. Style explains that he's in charge of the garage now that his dad is retired and updates Fadel on how he's thinking of expanding the business and how he has a lot of projects going on that allowed him to meet more people in the industry. Style's little mechanic world is getting bigger for him, isn't that exciting? Style just wants to share the joy of his good news with Fadel.

Fadel nods a bit unenthusiastically and says "That's good. It's alright. I understand" and I think Style can tell that in reality Fadel is upset just as much as the audience can, even if it might not immediately seem like he can tell:

Style continues to smile, but it's like he's putting down the enthusiasm that he's just put on, and he looks at Fadel. Style is always looking at Fadel. And Style has become an expert at reading Fadel. There is no way Fadel's disappointment passed right by Style, even if his expression stays positive and affectionate and full of love. Style doesn't say anything and I think he's actually waiting to see if Fadel will fall back into his old patterns and usual downward spirals again. And I think Style keeps his expression joyful and warm in order to give Fadel as little reason to think that Style doesn't care about him anymore. But the trauma sits deep within Fadel, leading him to say: "You don't have to come here to teach, you know?"

This is the exact reaction that Style was expecting of Fadel and we can tell, because Style is immediately ready to calm Fadel's anxiety without missing a beat: "Don't worry. I'll make time for it." It's really not that big of a deal. And in case it is a big deal, Style has already thought of a solution, a compromise: "But if I can't, I'll just come visit you instead." Because let's be real, Style would miss Fadel just as much and wouldn't want to miss out on seeing Fadel's face. "Is that okay?" he asks. Do we have a deal? Fadel stares at Style for a second, then nods awkwardly, but looks very unconvinced and doesn't say anything. Style raises his eyebrows a little, then leans back, keeping his eyes fixed on Fadel.

As I said above, I think Style could already tell Fadel was upset a few lines earlier, but I think this is the moment where he realizes that Fadel is more upset than Style had initially thought and that Fadel isn't gonna be easy to cheer up about this. It really does seem to be a big deal to Fadel. So much so, that Style now chooses to address it after all: "What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" And I adore how Style continues to interact with Fadel in such a loving, kind way and continues to smile at him warmly.

Style isn't attacking Fadel when he asks Fadel if he's mad, instead he's reaching out to him kindly and in a way that makes it very clear that Style is asking out of concern for Fadel's well-being and not because he's trying to start an argument. In fact, Style is very much trying to not start an argument right now. Fadel says he isn't mad at Style. "I understand you have to live your life. I'm in here so there's nothing I can do but wait." And that's when Style's smile finally falls completely.

I think part of him is concerned for Fadel and his mental state, and part of him is also worried where this might be going. I think the underlying question here is Are you... about to preemptively push me away again because you're falling into a downward spiral again?

Fadel continues. "Style, I think..." Style's face is very serious now as he listens to Fadel to find out where this is headed. Fadel says "Our timing just wasn't right at all" or word for word:

We met at the wrong place at the wrong time. เราเจอกันผิดที่ผิดเวลาไปหน่อยว่ะ [rao - jer gan - pìt - tîi - pìt - weh-lah - bpai nòi - wâ] we - meet each other - wrong - place - wrong - time - too little - [particle]

Style is quiet for a moment and I think now there is also a hint of fear added to the seriousness in his expression as well as confusion.

I think Style does very much understand that Fadel really is in the process of pushing him away again, but I think he's confused about what exactly Fadel means by "wrong place, wrong time". Style needs to know what exactly Fadel is getting at in order to properly fight against Fadel's downward spiral and so he asks. Fadel explains and Style listens intently. "I think you should focus on your future." Style is wasting many hours just to come to see Fadel at the prison since it's so far away. Style doesn't earn any money working at the prison. Style is better off getting paid fixing some expensive cars. "You shouldn't waste your time on me." Fadel is once again simply just presuming Style's perspective on things without actually asking Style about it. But at least Style now has a lead, something specific he can counter. And Style does, and just like before he talks to Fadel in a very kind, warm way: "It's not a waste of time. You're my boyfriend. I will always make time for you. Work is important, but you're also important to me." Style is also back to a warm, happy face now, the seriousness from a moment ago hidden completely.

He then also speaks a little reminder to Fadel that Fadel's behavior right now isn't entirely fair to Style either: "Before you went to jail, you told me to focus on my own life. Now that I'm doing exactly that, you are sulking?" And again, this isn't supposed to be an attack. When Style says this, he is more serious than he was mere seconds before, but Style's voice is still rather soft, and while his words come with a certain urgency, there are no sharp edges to his tone. Style stays patient with Fadel, clearly trying to talk this issue out without getting into a full-blown argument.

By the way, the word that Style uses here that was translated as "sulk" is งอน [ngon]. Avid watchers of Thai dramas might have come across this word before (especially those who also follow actors outside their series). The dictionary thai2english translates it as "sulk" and "pout", and I knew it meant something like this, but I still went ahead and asked my Thai friend about it, in case he had something interesting to say about it. And he did, and I'd just like to share it here, because I think some of you will love to read about it, too. According to my friend งอน [ngon] is when you are "upset and disappointed, because the other person should know better, but it's not significant enough to be properly angry". My friend also said that it's a whole thing: for example when you are งอน [ngon] you can't actually admit to it, and it's the other person's job to come to you and make up with you (this step is called ง้อ [ngóh]).

So Style asks if Fadel is งอน [ngon] (and I hit pause after Style's sentence to have my friend explain this word, before continuing the scene) and Fadel says that no, he is not งอน [ngon] (after which my friend exclaimed: "See!! Exactly!! He's denying it!! Like I said!!"), then tells Style "Just do what you want. Don't take me into account." Fadel gets up to walk away and Style calls out for him to wait. But Fadel is done with the conversation. "I have work in the kitchen. Don’t want these prisoners to starve." With these words, Fadel leaves Style sitting there, alone, looking unhappy.

No. 8: Be Patient, My Son

Next, we find ourselves in Style's garage and we are shown that Style is indeed working hard, earning money. Even his dad comments on it: "You always only fixed a few cars a month. What's going on?" Style's dad then asks if Style is in need of money and Style says he just wants to save it. And that's when we, the audience, slowly start to realize that Style is likely trying to buy back the restaurant. But Style's dad doesn't know this, so he starts asking whether Style is intending to buy a new car, and when Style says no, he's not, his dad makes a guess for a "love nest" (เรือนหอ [reuuan hŏh]). I didn't ask my friend about the term เรือนหอ [reuuan hŏh], but according to thai2english and sanook.com it refers to a home for newlyweds which, uh, is quite different from "a place (such as an apartment) used for amorous and often illicit rendezvous", which Merriam-Webster defines love nest as. Style's dad asks if Style is getting married, and that's the fifth reference to a FadelStyle marriage. Here's a recap, in case you forgot:

Ep6: "wear make-up with me" vs. "will you marry me" (explanation here)

Ep7: proposal prank

Ep8: Fadel and Style taking part in an actual wedding

Ep11: Style's dad outright telling Fadel and Style to get married

Ep.12: Style's dad asking his son about marriage again

I can't believe this show did not end with them actually getting married, or at the very least engaged. It's gotta be my biggest beef with the show, not gonna lie.

Anyway, so Style informs his dad that he is not, in fact, getting married and goes on to tease his dad, asking if his dad doesn't like seeing his son working hard. The comment makes his dad laugh, although he's already got another question on his mind: "Where's Fadel been, though?" I do think it's kinda funny how this question comes up only after more than three years. Did Style's dad really never wonder about it? Or has Style always casually mentioned Fadel over the years and his dad just assumed that Fadel only happened to come over when Style's dad happened not to be there for it? Why did it take more than three years for this question to come up?

Either way, Style quickly comes up with the excuse that Fadel is in culinary school abroad. And from the way Style says it, it seems like Style is making up this excuse on the spot, which again has me wonder... what exactly has Style been telling his dad the past 3+ years?

Style says that Fadel will be back, which is the truth this time, and Style's dad is happy to hear that, because he's actually rooting for Fadel. We love to hear it. Then Style's dad tells him "You need a lot of trust when it comes to long distance relationships. Be patient, son" and I'm so glad we got this very scene, following the last one. I think this is something Style kinda needed to hear at this point. Because Fadel had just walked out on him, clearly upset, and now Style's relationship is in trouble. And I adore that Style gets told some comforting words, even if his dad actually has no idea what's really going on. "You need trust," his dad tells him, "be patient." And Style thinks about it.

These words hit Style, they mean something to Style. He goes very quiet while his dad continues talking. "You'll be back together soon." Style's dad puts a comforting hand on Style's shoulder and Style's reaction is one I find very difficult to describe and put into words (see gif below). It's like, on the one hand his own optimistic and hopeful nature agrees with his dad, but at the same time he also doesn't quite believe his dad, as if he's thinking Well, whether we'll be back together or not depends entirely on how stubborn Fadel is and if he stops being mad at me. I think part of Style lowkey fears that Fadel might not be willing to make up with him again. Style looks at his dad who then gives him an encouraging nod and Style returns a small smile and a little nod himself.

Style's dad walks away and Style's smile slowly falls as he gets lost in thought and looks down at the money in his hands.

Style is most definitely thinking about the state of his relationship with Fadel and his dad's encouraging words right now. And we, the audience, are now all going Oh, he is SO buying back the restaurant for Fadel!! Honestly, it's my own personal headcanon that Style started working out a plan to buy it the moment he got back from that very first visit where Fadel was like "I'm gonna buy back the restaurant."

No. 9: Making Up

We don't know how long it's been since Fadel and Style talked last, but I assume it's been a while, since last time we checked Style said he might not be able to come as often and now we learn from Bison that Style is at the prison twice a week these days. Personally I assume it's been at least a month if not more. I feel like 3 weeks should be a long enough time for "twice a week" to have become an established pattern that Bison can point out, plus at least one or the other week for Style to work on his projects before that. There's also the chance that it's been even longer than that. Either way, it's been quite a while for sure. After all this time, Fadel is still งอน [ngon] at Style and as my friend explained to me, it's Style's responsibility to make up with him. And so Style does. Surely also boosted by his dad's encouraging words, Style takes the first step towards Fadel by having Bison deliver a small origami bouquet. We know for a fact that Style was not the one who made the bouquet, because Bison does explicitly say the bouquet came "from someone who takes origami training" and I don't think it was a lie, because I think Style would most certainly have bragged about his origami skills if he'd made it himself. However, I do think the little Heart Burger flag is something that Style did make himself. And it's the first hint of confirmation that we get that Style is indeed trying to buy back the restaurant. Fadel doesn't make the connection, though. The little gift still touches him enough to finally seek out Style again instead of actively avoiding him.

Style is wiping the board when Fadel finds him. We don't know if Style is about to start a class and is wiping the board in preparation so that he would have space to write on once the prisoners come in or if he just ended a class and now he's doing some clean-up for next time. My personal headcanon is that we're seeing Style after class actually. It's been established that the prisoners help putting stuff back once class is over and with the way Style is completely by himself when the scene starts it's my headcanon that Style is being slow and hanging back on purpose, because he is desperately hoping Fadel would come to see him, even if Style isn't really expecting it. And the reason why I believe Style thinks Fadel won't show up despite the gift is because Style isn't cheerful the way he usually is when he's purposefully staying optimistic (like he was for example when he's talking to Kant about the cat in front of the abandoned diner in episode 6, or in episode 7 when there is clearly something off about the assassin brothers and Kant points it out and Style insists that Kant is overthinking it or in episode 9 when he makes wishes for his dead body and so on). No, Style looks very serious when the camera first cuts to his face.

He does smile a little once it's fully sunk in that Fadel is really here, standing in front of him, and only then does he put on a bit of a cheerful, teasing voice when he tells Fadel: "Thought you'd never see me again." Didn't I say Style was a little afraid that Fadel might not be willing to make up again? Fadel bluntly asks what Style is here for and Style drops the positive voice. Instead, now his voice sounds more concerned and regretful when he asks "What are you mad (งอน [ngon]) at me about?" As per the etiquette that my friend explained, Fadel immediately denies that he's mad (งอน [ngon]). But then he finally does tell Style what the problem is: "I told you I don't like expectations because I don't want to be disappointed." (Btw, Fadel did indeed say this pretty much word for word when he was crying on those steps in episode 10.) Style then says "But I didn't do anything to disappoint you."

I actually had a question about this line to my friend as well: for the English translation the sentence was phrased in past tense and to me that sounds like Style is talking about something specific maybe back around that time when he failed to show up to teach, an incident clearly set in the past. The thing is, though, that Thai doesn't actually have verb tenses. There are words you can add to a sentence that will clarify whether a statement is about the past or the future, but the verb itself doesn't change and sometimes things can get a little muddy. This is one such case. And I was confused, because especially in retrospective where we know Style is actually in the middle of trying to get back the restaurant (he also states later in the scene that he is in the middle of doing something that he isn't sure is gonna work yet, meaning the restaurant has not yet been acquired at this point) I thought Style's statement could maybe also be taken as What I'm doing and working on right now isn't something that is wronging you. Since Style trying to buy back the restaurant is an on-going project that is happening off-screen at the very same time, it's not a one time thing that happened back when Fadel first got mad at Style. No, it's still happening at this very moment. I discussed this with my friend who thought about it for a moment and then decided that the present perfect tense would probably be the best solution here, since it implies that it's about something that started in the past and is still on-going (or still has an effect) in the present.

So Fadel says he doesn't want to be disappointed and Style tells him "But I haven't done anything to disappoint you." Because what Style has been doing will be the opposite of a disappointment for Fadel. If it works out, that is. Because if it doesn't, if Style fails then it will be a huge disappointment to Fadel. And so Style doesn't want to tell Fadel about it just yet, precisely because he knows Fadel doesn't like disappointments. But Fadel is missing all that context, and so to him the situation reads very differently. And he's hurt. And now he finally opens up to Style about it: "Coming to see me regularly, getting me used to seeing you, making me miss you, and suddenly disappearing… How do you think that made me feel?" Style doesn't reply, he just keeps looking at Fadel with a serious face.

I think he feels bad that Fadel feels like this, but I think he truly doesn't dare to reveal what he's doing. Style knows just how important the burger restaurant was/is for Fadel and how much he loved the place and I think Style assumes it will be an even bigger disappointment and blow to Fadel if Style outright tells him and then fails to deliver. And it's a disappointment that Style really doesn't want to see, because I think it would crush Style himself. I think Style would actually beat himself up about that. And so he keeps his plans to himself, because he's afraid of failure. This specific failure is one he really can't afford. Style stays silent and doesn't answer Fadel's question. Fadel continues to rage: "If you can't do it, don't promise me anything. Do you know how easy it is to overthink when I'm here?" Style still isn't saying anything. Fadel is done. "If you have something important to do, just focus on it. I don't want to slow you down."

Fadel turns to walk off angrily. Style moves at the speed of lightning to hold Fadel back. Fadel finally talked to him and Style is not gonna let him go that easily. They still have something to clear up. Fadel stops and turns back to look at Style again. Before Style even says anything, he pulls away his vest to reveal the heart burger pin that Fadel gave to him. The pin that is very important to Fadel, the pin Fadel is very protective of. In a way, the pin is Fadel's heart which he gave to Style only last episode. And it's right there. Fadel's heart. On Style's heart. In Style's heart. "You're the most important thing to me," is the first thing out of Style's mouth. Style is extremely serious right now. All of Style's decisions, all of Style's actions revolve around Fadel. And he really doesn't want to lose him. And even if he's afraid of failure and disappointing Fadel if he can't pull through with his plan, losing Fadel is worse, and so Style finally opens up at least a little bit: "I'm doing something for both of our futures." Again, Style is extremely serious. He isn't hiding behind a positive attitude, his words aren't performative in the slightest. This is extremely serious and extremely important. I think Fadel does believe him, but wants to confirm that it's true and also doesn't want to be kept in the dark. "What are you doing?" he asks, then throws Style a challenge, almost an attack: "Can you tell me?" You know your behavior is hurting me, will you keep it up for the sake of whatever it is you're apparently doing?

At this point everyone in the audience is screaming HE'S BUYING BACK THE RESTAURANT FOR YOU, YOU DIMWIT!!!!! at Fadel. But Fadel still isn't making the connection, despite the hint with the Heart Burger flag and the Heart Burger pin and Style dropping he's working on their shared future. Can you tell me? But Style can't. He doesn't quite dare. "Can you wait a little longer? I want to be certain about it first. I want to make sure I really can do it." This is a plea. Style is pleading with Fadel. I told you as much as I could and I really am trying my best. For us. Will you please give me the benefit of the doubt and be considerate of my feelings in this situation, too? As I said, I think Fadel did believe Style earlier already, but I think now Fadel really understands that what Style is doing is very important to Style, but that it comes with certain insecurities that Style isn't ready to open up about. Style never pressured Fadel to open up about anything he wasn't ready to open up about and Fadel isn't about to pressure Style either. Style is loud and clear on the fact that he has Fadel in mind and that Fadel is important to him. Fadel doesn't immediately answer and instead contemplates on the situation and Style's plea while Style keeps his eyes fixed on him. Fadel's reaction, Fadel's response really matters to Style right now. Their relationship depends on it. And then Fadel finally yields. Because Style and their relationship is just as important to Fadel. Even if the situation isn't ideal. "You really love surprising me, don’t you?" Fadel finally says. And let me just share the original wording, even if it doesn't make much of a difference:

You always like to surprise me. มึงนี่ชอบเซอร์ไพรส์กูตลอดเลยนะ [mueng - nîi - chôp - sêr-prai - guu - dtà-lòt - loiie - ná] you - [interjection] - like - surprise - me - always - [particle] - [particle]

(Alt. translation: You're always surprising me.)

I like that in Thai Fadel says Style always surprises him, because to me it highlights how for the past 12 episodes we really have watched Style surprise Fadel all the time. Over and over again. In many different ways. God, I love them, I love their story so much. Anyway. Back to the scene. Fadel says this and Style understands that Fadel is no longer outright pushing him away or blocking him anymore. Style replies:

Then come learn how to fix cars with me again. งั้นมาเรียนซ่อมรถกับกูใหม่นะ [ngán - maa - riian - sôm - rót - gàp - guu - mài - ná] then - come - learn - fix, repair - car(s) - with - me - again - [na] Official subs: Come back to class.

The phrasing of the official subs sounded a bit too much like a direct order in their written form, especially without the context of Style's friendly tone, which is why I wanted to share a softer phrasing for the purpose of this meta. Because Style's words aren't an order. They're an invitation. If you've forgiven me, come see me again regularly. They're a peace offering. Fadel stays grumpy and grumbles: "I've been taking the course for years, and I still don't know how to fix anything." It's a stab at Style, but not an aggressive one. And it doesn't have anything to do with their original conflict. Fadel is leaving that conflict behind. Fadel has forgiven Style, even if he doesn't outright say it. Style finally laughs (or rather snorts) for the first time this entire scene and for a moment it looks like he's about to cry from relief that Fadel is no longer angry and that their relationship is saved:

Fadel continues with his grumbly teasing: "All you do is yap." The relationship really is back on. Style teases Fadel right back: "But that's exactly what you love about me, isn't it?" This isn't just Style going along with Fadel's teasing, it's also Style telling Fadel No matter how grumpy you pretend you are, no matter how much you were ignoring me, I know you never stopped loving me, I know you still love me now.

And finally, Fadel breaks. He laughs for a moment. Because he can't deny Style's call-out. Both, that he still loves Style and that he likes that Style is a chatty cat. Fadel pulls up the Heart Burger flag from the origami bouquet. Style laughs in surprise. Why? I don't know. You decide. Maybe he thought Fadel had stomped on it in dramatic anger. Or maybe he's thinking Oh wow, did the bouquet and the flag actually work? Is that what finally made him come see me again? Fadel is still holding up the flag and says that it's cute. And again you can really see the relief in Style's eyes, alongside his joy that things are looking better now with Fadel.

Style asks Fadel to clean the board and Fadel grumbles about it, but does it anyway. Because when does Fadel not give in to Style.

No. 10: Show, Don't Tell

We reach year 5 and finally the brothers are released. We check in with our foursome on the day the brothers get to go home. Bison walks through the door first, runs up to Kant and hugs him. In the meantime, Style is sat on the hood of the car. Fadel doesn't immediately walk up to him, but instead stops behind/next to Kant and Bison who discuss just how much they missed each other. Style doesn't pass up the opportunity to tease Fadel (and I think Style, too, wants a proper greeting, thank you very much):

Hey. This couple said they missed each other. เฮ้ย คู่นี้เขาบอกคิดถึงกันด้วยนะ [hóiie • kûu níi - kăo - bòhk - kít-tĕung - gan - dûuay - ná] hey • this couple - tell - miss - each other - too - [particle] Official subs: Hear that? He said he missed him and all that. So how about you, did you miss me? แล้วมึงอ่ะ คิดถึงกูป่ะ [láew - mueng - àh • kít-tĕung - guu - bpà] and - you - [particle] • miss - me - ? Official subs: Did you miss me at all?

(Sharing this mostly because I feel like it and I know a lot of you love the language bits, not because the literal wording makes any difference in this case lol)

Fadel announces "I'm not saying it", but the reality of the matter is that Style's wish is Fadel's command. And so Fadel walks up to Style and plants a kiss on his lips. "I'm showing it."

But before they break apart, Style pats Fadel like easy tiger, we have company. I do think this is about Kant and Bison's live slug reaction and not because Style doesn't want to be kissing Fadel right now. I think Style is trying to be considerate of the other two. After the kiss, Style gets up, hugs Fadel and over his shoulder nods at Kant and Bison and boastfully points at Fadel like Did you guys see that?? That's my man!! It's the exact same energy as he had at the end of episode 9 when he was raising his eyebrows at Kant and Bison in the boat. It's the You guys don't have a Fadew like me energy. (I'm out of images for this post, but here's a parallel gifset.) I love just how proud Style always is of Fadel, and how happily he'll show him off.

While Fadel and Style are busy hugging, Kant and Bison discuss where they should go to now. Style jumps in to ask "Hey, can you guys drop me off near my place first?" and Fadel gets confused: "What do you mean, 'your place'? The garage?" Fadel's confusion might be a little weird, because why exactly would Fadel be so confused about "my place"? That seems pretty self-explanatory in English, no? Well, let me explain. Because there's something really interesting going on here in Thai...

Now, I didn't go back and rewatch the entire show to check (if I did, it would be March until I finally drop this meta lol), but as far as I remember they usually refer to Style's place as "the garage", or อู่ [ùu] in Thai. But here for this line, when Style say "my place", he does not use the word อู่ [ùu] (= garage). Instead, he asks to be dropped off at his ร้าน [ráan]. Now what does that mean? This word means "store" or "shop" and like in English it can be paired with other words to specify just what kind of shop it is, for example:

ร้านหนังสือ [ráan năng-sĕu]: ráan (store) + năng-sĕu (book) = book store

ร้านดอกไม้ [ráan dòhk mái]: ráan (store) + dòhk mái (flower) = flower shop

You may have noticed that I said Style says just ร้าน [ráan], without specifying what kind of shop it is. Because just like in English, you can drop the specification and refer to it as just "the shop" (or ร้าน [ráan] in this case).

Now here comes the interesting bit: this word is also used when referring to food related places such as...

restaurant = ร้านอาหาร [ráan aa-hăan] -> ráan (shop) + aa-hăan (food)

coffee shop = ร้านกาแฟ [ráan gaa-fae] -> ráan (shop) + gaa-fae (coffee)

Or, you know, it's also in... ร้านเบอร์เกอร์ [ráan ber-gêr]. Now, เบอร์เกอร์ is "burger", but written in Thai letters. I don't have to tell you what ráan burger translates to, do I?

Oh, and at his point I should probably also mention that while the characters usually refer to Style's place as อู่ [ùu] (garage), when they talk about Fadel's place (the diner) they usually call it ร้าน [ráan] (shop, restaurant).

So yeah. The moment Style dropped that he wanted to be taken to his ร้าน [ráan] instead of his อู่ [ùu] (= garage) was the moment I started screaming, because that's when I knew for sure Style had bought back the restaurant and more importantly, that he had succeeded in doing so (yes, I did scream as if I didn't already know they were gonna be back at the restaurant through the clips shown in the MVs and from pics the boys posted during the shoot where they posed in front of the burger shop sign and their clothes matched the ones from the clips lol).

As I already mentioned, Style refers to it as just ร้าน [ráan] without specifying what kind of ร้าน [ráan] it is and it's vague enough that Fadel doesn't catch on the surprise, but it's just weird enough for Fadel to get confused: "What do you mean, 'ร้าน [ráan]'? The garage (อู่ [ùu])?" Yeah, Fadel's confusion here is about Style's unexpected word choice, because usually Style doesn't refer to his garage as ร้าน [ráan] (= shop, store). This is how they used to refer to the diner before Fadel had to go to prison. Style tells him he'll know soon and urges him to get into the car. They all do and Kant drives off.

No. 11: Surprise Surprise

The surprise works. Fadel didn't see it coming. "You said it was sold to someone." Style nods, making a m-hm sound, an adoring smile on his face that just oozes love and care. I really wish I could add a gif or a screenshot of his face, but unfortunately there's an image limit. I mean, you've seen the episode. You know how head over heels in love Style looks throughout this entire scene.

Style explains he bought it back for Fadel who then says Style didn't have to do that. Style says "I worked my ass off to buy this place back for you." I'm not entirely happy with the phrasing in the official subs, because to me there is also a negative connotation hidden in the phrase "work one's ass off", in the sense of "I worked my ass off for [xyz] and you don't appreciate it". But that might just be my ESL brain, maybe the media I've consumed mostly used this phrase in a more negative context and now my brain associates it with that.

In Thai Style uses the expression ตั้งใจทำงาน [dtâng jai tam ngaan] which does translate to "to work hard", but this expression contains the word ตั้งใจ [dtâng jai] which means "to intend to" or "to mean". I think it highlights with how much intention Style did this for Fadel. Style really meant to do this, like he's meant a lot of other things he's said or done over the last few episodes.

And Style putting in so much work also really shows how much he's grown. Because in the first half of the show I kept wondering why he had so much time to run after Fadel. We were told Style works as a mechanic, but we rarely saw him do any actual work. Instead, Style was able to follow Fadel's routine at the market or at the sports field or was even able to randomly help Fadel work at the restaurant without any scheduling problems and I kept thinking... what about his job at the garage? Is he never working? How does he have so much time to bother Fadel? And earlier in episode 12 Style's dad actually confirms just that: "You always only fixed a few cars a month." So Style, indeed, had the time to keep bugging Fadel. And back then it seemed like he didn't really have anything to do, didn't really have a goal or any direction in life. But then Kant sets Style on Fadel. And suddenly Style has a mission. And then Style falls in love. And now he suddenly has goals to work towards. We saw it last episode already, when Style suddenly started to make plans (first, his elaborate plan on getting Fadel and Bison on the run and second, during his last supper with Fadel when Style suggests making a plan for their life and their relationship while Fadel was imprisoned), and now it's not just that Style has started planning, but he makes plans with a very specific goal in mind and puts all his efforts in to reach this goal. He's no longer running around doing whatever. Style has really matured in this regard, Fadel's influence has changed him and has made him grow.

When Style says how determined he was to work hard to earn money to buy back the restaurant, his voice is somehow both soft and firm at the same time. His voice is so soft and filled with so much love, but there is some urgency to it, because Style needs Fadel to know this and he needs Fadel to know that he wanted to do this for him. Style knows he didn't have to, but Style wanted to. And it's important to him that Fadel really understands this. Because over the years Fadel has so often blocked or disregarded or struggled to accept all the nice things that Style has done for him. And Style doesn't want his act of love to be devalued again, especially not when he has spent so much time, effort, and energy on it purely out of love. A love that is worth it.

It's finally hitting Fadel what Style was so busy with when Fadel was sulking at him. Style confirms with another "mh". God, Style's heart eyes are really off the charts in this scene. "I wasn't sure I could do it so I didn't tell you," Style explains. And then he tells Fadel how he managed to keep up the energy in order to succeed despite his uncertainty: "But the image of you being back in this restaurant gave me this great strength to fix at least a hundred cars." Style smiles a bright, adoring smile. He's so in love. Fadel takes Styles hand and thanks him: "Thank you for doing this for me and for waiting for me." When Style responds, he actually phrases his sentence in a less direct and more general way in Thai than he does in the official subs:

Well, when you love someone, you gotta be able to wait. ก็คนมันรักอ่ะก็ต้องรอได้ดิ [gôh - kon - man - rák - àh - gôh - dtông - raw - dâai - dì] well - person, people - they, he, she, it - love - [particle] - [sentence link] - have to - wait - be able to - [particle] Official subs: Well, I love you. Of course I can wait.

This is an interesting difference between the Thai wording and the English subs, because once Fadel and Style start dating, Style actually rarely ever outright says the words "I love you" (and neither does Fadel, by the way). The only time Style properly says it is when Fadel has him at gun point in episode 7:

But now that I know the real you, I love you for real, Fadel. แต่พอกูรู้ตัวจริงของมึงแล้วอ่ะ กูรักมึงจริงๆนะฟาเดล [dtàe - poh - guu - rúu - dtuua jing kŏng meung - láew - àh • guu - rák - mueng - jing jing - ná - Fadel] but - when - I - know - real you - already - [particle] • I - love - you - really, for real - [na] - Fadel Official subs: Now that I know you, I really love you, Fadel.

And then arguably he says it again in episode 10 when he comforts Fadel on the stairs, although it's up to debate if that really counts as a direct "I love you":

But that I'm still staying / But that I still stayed แต่ที่กูยังอยู่ [dtàe - tîi - guu - yang - yùu] but - that - I - still - stay Official subs: But I stay with you is because I love that you're you / is because I love you for being you เพราะกูรักที่เป็นมึง [próh - guu - rák - tîi - bpen - mueng] because - I - love - that - be - you Official subs: because I love who you are.

Any other time Style talks about "love", he never addresses Fadel directly but phrases it in a more general way, using the word คน [kon] which means "person" or "people" instead of a pronoun. Style does this in episode 10 just a little while after the above line:

The more I know how much you care about me, ยิ่งกูรู้ว่ามึงแค่ร์กูขนาดเนี่ย [yîng - guu - rúu - wâa - mueng - kâe - guu - kà-nàat nîia] the more - I - know - that - you - care (about) - me - like this, this much Official subs: Knowing how much you care about me the more I know that I don't love the wrong person. มันยิ่งทำให้รู้นะว่ากูอ่ะ รักคนไ��่ผิด [man - yîng - tam hâi - rúu - ná - wâa - guu - àh • rák - kon - mâi - pìt] it - the more - make that, cause - know - [particle] - that - I - [particle] • love - person - not - wrong Official subs: makes me certain that I didn't choose the wrong man.

And he also does it in episode 9 when Fadel opens up about his ex for the first time on the island:

A person who risks their own life for someone they don't even know. คนที่เอาชีวิตตัวเองไปเสี่ยงเพื่อคนที่ไม่รู้จักด้วยซ้ำ​ [kon - tîi - ao - chee-wít dtuua eng - bpai - sìiang - pêuua - kon - tîi - mâi - rúu-jàk - dûuay sám] person - that - take - one's own life - go - risk - for - person - that - not - know - even Official subs: You risked your life for a total stranger. I love the right person. กูรักถูกคนแล้วละ [guu - rák - tùuk - kon - láew - lá] I - love - right - person - already - [particle] Official subs: I know I'm in love with the right man.

And Style does it again now in episode 12, standing in front of the restaurant with Fadel. And let me just repeat the line with an even more literal translation this time (this sentence really doesn't work well in a literal translation in English, especially because English also comes with plural forms rip):

Well, people who love, they gotta be able to wait. / Well, a person who loves, has to be able to wait. ก็คนมันรักอ่ะก็ต้องรอได้ดิ [gôh - kon - man - rák - àh - gôh - dtông - raw - dâai - dì] well - person, people - they, he, she, it - love - [particle] - [sentence link] - have to - wait - be able to - [particle] Official subs: Well, I love you. Of course I can wait.

This time Style actually switches it around, because previously คน [kon] implicitly referred to Fadel, while this time คน [kon] actually refers to Style himself. And for some reason the official translator went for a direct "I love you" when Style neither says "I", nor says "you". In the entire series, Fadel and Style rarely say the words "I love you" word for word to each other. It's very clear that they do love each other, but they never outright say it. Instead they say things like "I'm worried about you" or "So what if we're old? I'll still wanna be with you" or "I don't feel so sad anymore. I'm happier." And they don't really need to tell each other I love you anyway, because their actions speak for themselves. It's like Fadel said the moment he got out of prison: "I'm not saying it. I'm showing it." And yes, this line was about missing Style, but really, this sentiment also goes for their love, for both Fadel as well as Style. So Style doesn't directly say he loves Fadel, instead Style just implies it and it's only in the next line where he doesn't mention the word "love" that he directly addresses Fadel:

Whether it's 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, I can always wait for you. จะ 5 ปี 10 ปี 20 ปี รอมึงได้เสมอแหละ [jà - hâa - bpii - sìp - bpii - yîi-sìp - bpii - raw - mueng - dâai - sà-mĕr -làe] will - 5 - years - 10 - years - 20 - years - wait (for) - you - be able to - always - [particle] Official subs: Whether it’s five, ten, or twenty years, I'll wait for you.

And this is the point where I get jumpscared by Dunk's voice suddenly blasting through my speakers. I wish the editors had made the music just a little more quiet. It gets me every single time, because every single time I watch this scene I get so immersed that I completely forget about the jumpscare. Fadel and Style lovingly stare at each other while I scramble to save the health of my eardrums. Then Fadel says he'll work hard to pay Style back, but Style doesn't want that. Technically Style is the current owner, and if Fadel were to pay him back then it would be like Fadel was buying the restaurant from Style. But that's not how Style wants to see it. Because this isn't Style's restaurant that Fadel has to buy from him. No, it's their restaurant. It's already their restaurant. Because obviously if Style owns it, then Fadel owns it, too. It's both a gift to Fadel and something that Style bought for them to share. Because "I'm here to support you in all your dreams." Because no one means well for Fadel more than Style does.

Fadel says "I sure am a lucky guy. I've been doing bad things my entire life, but I have the best boyfriend in the world." Style throws his head to the side, smiling, half in an Oh, you sweet-talker way and half in a No need to mention it, kinda way. Then he says "It's all thanks to Kant for daring me to take you out." And this is actually a reference to the title. The Thai name of the series goes:

He hired me to flirt with a hitman เขาจ้างให้ผมจีบนักฆ่า [kăo - jâang - hâi - pŏm - jìip - nák-kâa] he - hire - that - I - hit on, flirt, woo - assassin

And this is what Style says:

[...] for hiring me flirt with you. [...] ที่จ้างกูมาจีบมึง [tîi - jâang - guu - maa - jìip - mueng] that - hire - I - come - hit on, flirt, woo - you

Style laughs and Fadel smiles, too, and then Style pulls the Heart Burger pin out of his pocket. Without a word, he carefully pins it onto Fadel's shirt while Fadel makes heart-eyes at him. It's a parallel to Fadel putting the pin on Style last episode. The ring pin exchange is complete. Style says "From now on, everything is yours." They're all but married. Style still has his hand on Fadel's chest by the pin. Fadel goes to grab it. They smile at each other. Then they turn and together they enter the restaurant, their restaurant, their shared future, hand in hand.

No. 12: Dinner With Mom

At night, when Fadel and Style are done at the ร้าน [ráan] (restaurant) they do go to Style's อู่ [ùu] (garage). And I love how Style immediately calls out that Fadel is here. Style is so excited to tell his dad the joyful news. But but before he has the chance to share his good news, he gets surprised with bad news instead. A dinner invitation.

Our foursome once again gets together to fight evil. And of course, the evil dinner invitation calls for an urgent outfit change for all four of them. They're greeted by two men holding out guns, and Style is a bit startled for a moment, but otherwise keeps calm. The men demand Fadel's and Bison's guns and the brothers hand them over. The men then walk into the dining room and the the four of them look at each other before following the men inside where Lilly is waiting for them together with Babe and Style's dad tied up on their chairs. Kant and Style immediately call out to their loved ones. In general, I just love how worried about his dad Style is throughout the entire scene and how he keeps checking and communicating with him. I actually made a whole separate post about this with lots of gifs where I really go into detail about it, because the relationship between Style and his dad really needs to be appreciated in all its glory in gifs and tumblr simply just has an image limit of 30 gifs per (desktop) post. I can't afford to spend like 20 of them on Style and his dad alone. It was already tricky enough to limit everything I wanted to showcase for this episode to only 30 images in the first place. Anyway. Back to the scene.

Once again Style finds himself in danger, and once again he mainly stays out of the conflict between the brothers and their mother. We also aren't shown Style's face that much, so we can only make guesses as to how he feels listening to Lilly monologuing on and on and Bison raging at her. Style probably feels worried, especially for his dad. We know this, because in the beginning of the scene, before everyone sat down at the table, Style was very fixated on his dad and you could tell that he wanted nothing more than to run over to him and check if his dad was unharmed. When everyone is sitting at the table, sometimes the camera cuts into a wideshot and while we only see the back of Style's head, we can tell that he's looking at Lilly, so I assume he's paying close attention to her words and actions.

At some point, Kant chimes in: "It was me who exposed you. I masterminded the whole thing. If you want to kill someone, kill me. Just let my brother go." Style immediately jumps on board: "Kant was right. Let my Dad go. He doesn't know anything. I don't care what you do to me." We already learned in episode 9 that Style is very much willing to give his own life for the people he loves and so it doesn't come as a surprise at all that he's willing to offer himself up for his dad. However, in comparison to episode 9 there now is a hint of uncertainty to Style's voice, because he really doesn't know Lilly and so he can't predict her actions and reactions unlike he could with Fadel in episode 9. Lilly laughs a mocking laugh while Style and his dad exchange glances. And I love that they exchange glances here, because, to quote from my other post:

i love that style is communicating with his dad again at this very point, because style offering himself up will also affect his dad. his dad might be physically fine if style trades his dad for himself, but emotionally the dad will be ruined if lilly takes his son's life, especially when he's already had to deal with the loss of his wife years ago. style being willing to sacrifice himself isn't nothing, in fact, it's a very big deal and so the two of them communicate about it

Lilly continues to monologue and announces she has some poisonous drinks prepared for the occasion. Style turns to his dad and says "Dad. I'm sorry." His dad had absolutely nothing to do with this, his dad is totally innocent and Style hates that his dad was pulled into this and that his dad's life is now in danger.

We then don't see any shot of Style at all while Fadel and Bison plead with their mother and offer to continue working for her. We don't get to see Style immediate reaction to Lilly's announcement that she'll let her sons and their boyfriends go if her sons give their brother-in-law and their father-in-law the poisoned drink. There is a long pause and it's only right before Lilly asks "Can you do that?" that the camera goes back to Style and we see there is shock and concern. Shit's getting real.

Fadel and Bison say yes, they can. Style is most definitely very worried right now, but to be honest, I don't feel like he's all that terrified, I think that's more of a secondary feeling. He watches closely as Fadel lifts the glass towards his dad lips, and Style is clearly anxious and agitated and maybe a little afraid, but he doesn't say a single word to stop Fadel and I think deep down he does trust Fadel not to kill his dad, trusts Fadel to find a way out with dad unscathed. After all they've been through, I think Style trusts Fadel not to cause him such great pain. Although I do think Style is ready to swap the glass out of Fadel's hand at any given moment. But Fadel pulls through. From one moment to the next Fadel throws the wine into his mother's minion's face, attacks him, and Bison follows his lead. Style and Kant jump up to free their family.

Fadel and Bison kill the henchmen without remorse and end up with Lilly at gunpoint. Kant calls out for Bison not to kill her and Style offers to call the cops. Now that the immediate danger is over, we get to see a little bit of that Style again who tries to mediate and solve conflicts with as few people coming to harm as possible. But Fadel orders him not to get the police involved, so Style drops his phone, still concerned and not entirely happy, but without further protest. Style, Kant, and their family watch the brothers poison Lilly without interrupting them.

And I kinda love we do get to see Style witness Fadel actually murdering someone, because in my ep5 meta I wrote this:

"I promise that no matter who you are, I'll still like you." And there it is. Style's decision. [...] Fadel doesn't believe [Style's] promise, though. "Words are cheap. I'll do that when you're ready. You can judge, then." Again, I think Fadel has a point. [...] Because yes, Style may say he'll like Fadel no matter his occupation, but Style still hasn't seen the killer in action. Fadel's words mean Decide whether you still like me or not only when you find out my real occupation before you promise anything as much as they mean Decide whether you still like me or not once you've actually seen me murder someone in front of you before you promise anything. Style has already made a decision about the former, but he is yet to make a decision about the latter.

And so I love that Style is now able to make the choice of loving Fadel having seen Fadel truly at his worst, having seen him murder someone in cold blood.

I know for this meta I focus purely on character analysis, and I don't really criticize (whether it's acting performances or script writing or directing or whatnot), but I do wish the series would have spent a little more time on this, on Style seeing Fadel kill. Because Style is clearly affected by what he is witnessing.

Something truly horrible is happening right in front of his eyes. And it's a shame that Style finally seeing the killer in action gets kind of just glossed over in the very next moment when "I'm a killer, I'm a bad person, you should be wary of me" "I love you anyway" has been such a big theme for these two. It's kinda weird that we go from Style looking this horrified to Style being happy and content in bed, as if nothing had happened. That kill doesn't even get mentioned again. I feel like you could jump from the scene in front of the diner straight to Fadel and Style in bed and not notice that any major traumatizing event has occurred in between. Ah well. Let's move on.

No. 13: 100%

We come back to Fadel and Style sitting in Style's bed at night. Fadel is wondering if he should change the restaurant's name and Style thinks it's fine as it is. But Fadel says he wants Style to be a part of it, too, so Style suggests "Just add an S and a heart" and I'm just thinking... So, Heart Burgers? Or Hearts Burger, since he talks about an additional heart? Or maybe the S in an entirely different position? Whatever name Style is thinking of, according to him with an added S and another heart it'll be a better version than Fadel's version, because:

Because you have another heart right here. เพราะมีหัวใจอีกดวงเพิ่มขึ้นมาอยู่ตรงนี้ไง [próh - mii - hŭua-jai - ìik - duuang - pêrm kêun - maa - yùu - dtrong níi - ngai] because - have - heart - another - [classifier] - increased - come - be - here - [particle] Official subs: With another heart, that is.

Fadel likes Style's idea. And before I move on, I just want to go into more depth about this little sequence for a moment: after Fadel explains that he's thinking of changing the name because he wants Style to be part of it, too, Style looks like he thinks about something for a moment before he says "I don't think it needs much change." Of course, in this moment he is thinking about what exactly could be changed if Fadel really does want to change something, but the thing is, Style already likes the restaurant the way it is. He doesn't necessarily need the restaurant to change if Fadel is changing it just because he thinks Style would want him to change it. It really reminds me of episode 6 and the theme of "Be who you want to be, not who someone else wants you to be". If the restaurant represents Fadel's life, Style already likes Fadel the way he is. But if Fadel does want to change, there is something important to do: he needs to add a S(tyle) to his life. And another heart (Style's heart). With that, it will make a much better version of Fadel's life than it was before. And Fadel actually agrees.

I can't help but think back to the last time they were in Style's bed at night, all the way back in episode 5. Back then, Fadel really struggled with sharing his life with Style and letting him come close. Now Fadel actively wants Style to be part of his life. Now that he's done being a hitman, the restaurant can finally be Fadel's life, but it's not his restaurant alone, it's theirs. Getting to be part of Fadel's life is something Style has desired for a long time now and has even fought and argued with Fadel over on multiple occasions, and now Style is finally granted his wish. Fadel is finally letting Style in. When Fadel agrees that a better version would be one with an added S(tyle), Style looks at Fadel for a moment and thinks about something again.

Style knows Fadel loves him. And that actually reminds him... Style turns to grab something off the shelf next to him and proudly presents it to Fadel. The key to Kant's car. It's finally Style's. And I know from a story crafting perspective it makes sense for Style to receive the car only at the very end, but it's still really funny to me that Style was given the car only now, when Fadel has without a doubt been head over heels in love with Style for the past five years already. Because Fadel was without a doubt already head over heels in love with Style before he went to prison. But however long it took, what really matters is that Style did get the car, because a deal is a deal. And Style did indeed succeed. "If I could make you fall crazy in love with me, I'd get his car." When Style says that, his voice is full of affection and there's also a bit of teasing. I know you're head over heels in love with me. But Fadel tells Style to give the key back to Kant:

Because I don't love you that much. เพราะกูไม่ได้รักมึงขนาดนั้น [próh - guu - mâi dâai - rák - mueng - kà-nàat nán] because - I - not - love - you - to that extent Official subs: I’m not in love with you like that.

Style wordlessly stares at Fadel for a second while he's processing those words, blinks, then lowers his head. Really now?

Fadel looks at him, a grin most definitely hidden in his eyes, then huffs and pointedly ignores Style. It's a challenge. Style puts down the car key. Challenge accepted. Because Style is not one to back down from a challenge. This personality trait has stayed consistent until the end of the series. Style turns to loom over Fadel. "Are you sure that you're not head over heels in love with me?" Because Style knows with unwavering certainty that Fadel is. He just needs Fadel to admit to it. I've already talked about how Fadel and Style hardly say "I love you" to each other. Style, the person who loves so fiercely and so passionately and so loudly, already rarely says it himself and Fadel says it even less. In fact, ever since they've started dating the only other time Fadel has said he loves Style since that one time Fadel directly said it the night he found out about the betrayal in episode 6 was in the kitchen in episode 11 when he said he wants to "do what I love with who I love" and even then he actually doesn't literally say the words I love you, but rather just implies it. If anything, Fadel likes to claim he isn't actually in love with Style. And so I think Style wants to hear Fadel say differently out loud for once, even if Fadel's actions speak louder than his words anyway.

But Fadel continues to ignore him. I think Fadel is waiting to see what Style will do in order to draw the words out of Fadel's mouth that Style so desperately wants to hear. It's like he's testing Style's persistence. Style kisses Fadel's cheeks and asks "How much do you love me?" But Fadel isn't giving in to Style that easily and that quickly. "Only 30%." He knows Style is chasing those 100%. Style ups the ante and kisses Fadel's neck. This is a game now. "How much do you love me?" Fadel says "60% now" and looks up at Style, waiting to see what Style's next move is going to be. This time, Style goes for the mouth, goes for a full make-out session even. Then Style asks again: "How much do you love me?" He grins at Fadel expectantly and he's definitely also a little bit satisfied and proud. Fadel doesn't reply immediately, just puts his hand on Style's face and looks at him for a moment. And then Fadel finally gives in and says "100%".

Again, this meta isn't supposed to be a review or a criticism piece on the story, but I do think it's a bit of a shame that the conversations about percentages wasn't about trust. Because I feel like the main question with them over the series wasn't really Does Fadel love Style? but rather Does Fadel trust Style? And trust was also the big theme of episode 5, the episode that Fadel and Style's game in episode 12 is a callback to: "A guy like me doesn't go trusting someone 100%." And a little later in episode 5, when they're in Style's bed, Style more or less opens the conversation with "Sometimes you make me feel so scared, and sometimes you make me feel so safe," which again is about trust, not love. This theme continues also in episode 8, when Fadel handcuffs Style to the bed, because "I don't trust you", not because he doesn't love Style. Episode 8 is all about Style trying to gain Fadel's trust again, not his love: "What do I have to do for you to trust me?" The episode 12 dialogue does work in a way, because Fadel did say he didn't love Style or didn't like him all that much multiple times over the course of the series, and he even makes a comment like that in this very scene that we're currently discussing. But the thing is, Style never actually believes Fadel whenever Fadel claims he doesn't love Style (that much) and Style even calls him out on his "I don't love you" claim in episode 8: "You might be good at cooking and shooting, but you're not very good at lying at all." Style never doubted that Fadel loved him, but trust has been a very big issue. In fact, trust also played a role only this very episode when Fadel was sulking at Style when Style couldn't come in to teach in prison. Because in episode 10 Fadel had told Style "I don't want to have any expectations just to be disappointed" and Fadel had trusted Style not to disappoint him, except then Style seemingly does disappoint him and that hurts Fadel ("I told you I don't like expectations because I don't want to be disappointed." [...] "Coming to see me regularly, getting me used to seeing you, making me miss you, and suddenly disappearing… How do you think that made me feel?"). It makes Fadel feel like he can't trust Style, not that he can't love Style. And the question in that scene is whether Fadel can trust Style to really be working on something for their future that Style can't share yet, it's not whether Style loves him. So yeah. I feel like the dialogue about the percentages would have been a much cleaner parallel/callback if it had been about Fadel trusting Style, not about Fadel loving Style. Because we all, including Style, know that Fadel has always loved Style. He just didn't always trust him. But now he does. 100%. Style once decided "One day, I'll be your 100%" and now he is. They celebrate that by making out some more.

When they part again, Style tells Fadel "You know what? Having you is worth more than winning that car" and I'm filled with satisfaction upon hearing that, because I said more or less exactly the same thing three episodes ago in my ep9 meta:

[I]t's actually kinda funny, because Style agreed to make Fadel his boyfriend, but it's been how many episodes since they've started dating?? And we have yet to see Style with said car. [...] [A]s of episode 6 it was Kant who was still in possession of the car, despite Style and Fadel being head over heels in love by that point [...]. Style may have gone into it for the car, but he never actually took the car and by now the car is long forgotten. I didn't go and check, but as far as I remember Style hasn't even brought the car up to Kant ever since that scene in episode 4 where he initially came to claim it. At this point, Style would much rather have Fadel than the car anyway.

(Bolded for emphasis)

Now please forgive me if I skip the rest of the love scene, but I do want to get this post done before the end of the month, if possible. I think the main take-away is that now they both very much want each other and are very much into it, with nothing holding either one of them back.

No. 14: Driving Into the Sunset

Of course their last scene would be of them driving into the (metaphorical) sunset together in Kant's car that Style has finally won. Fadel and Style check in with Kant and Bison in Iceland. After the call, Fadel asks if Style would also like to go on a trip. Obviously Style wants to. "I usually travel with my Dad. Never done it with my boyfriend before," Style says, at which point, upon me showing my language buddy and Thai language consultant this scene, he goes "...the kidnapping, though?" and I break into laughter, because my friend is right. Yeah, Style, what do you mean you've never gone on a trip with your boyfriend? *gestures at episodes 8 and 9* Right, wots all this then?

I mean, technically you could argue that during that time Fadel wasn't actually Style's boyfriend, but let's be real, Style never got that memo. Or rather he went I recognize that the Council has made a decision. But given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it.

Anyway, whether it'll be their first trip, their second trip, or their hundredth trip, I don't think Style will ever say no to traveling with Fadel. Fadel suggests planning a trip later and then, at the mention of Style's dad, asks how Style's dad is taking the news of Fadel being an ex-assassin and ex-prisoner. I do think Style's dad is genuinely chill with it, but once again I wish the series would have dwelled just a little bit more on the aftermath of the Lilly incident and on how it affected everyone involved. Because it was quite a traumatic and brutal incident, and it's a bit jarring how everyone is all sunshine and rainbows from one second to the next. But for the sake of this meta and the next line, I'll just assume that everyone, including Style's dad, worked through it all off-screen. Style says that his dad is totally okay with it, because "He said I need someone with a past like yours to tie me down." The Thai wording is slightly different, actually:

My dad said someone like me needs to meet someone with a history like yours. พ่อกูอ่ะ บอกว่าคนอย่างกูต้องเจอคนมีประวัติแบบมึง [pôh guu - àh • bòhk - wâa - kon - yàang - guu - dtông - jer - kon - mii - bprà-wàt - bàep - meung] my dad - [particle] • say - that - person - like - me - have to, need to - meet - person - have - history - like - you

I like that in the original phrasing it doesn't state the "to tie me down" part. The Thai line leaves it up to the viewer's interpretation as to why exactly Style would need someone with a past like Fadel's. Personally, I took it in a "Style needs someone fucked up enough to be able to stand and handle and appreciate all of Style's unhingedness". And I don't necessarily think that Fadel would actively try to tie Style down, since Style's shameless loudness and Style's ability to unabashedly be himself and say things without a filter is exactly what Fadel loves him for. I think Fadel tying Style down ("taming" him *wink wink*) happens more as a byproduct of both of them influencing each other and changing into better versions of themselves when they're together.

The words of Style's dad make Fadel laugh. Then he says: "You know, I still remember what I promised your dad before I went to jail." Style looks over to him and asks "What did you promise?" Style smiles and I see both joy as well as curiosity on his face.

I think Style knows exactly what promise Fadel is referring to, but he's dying to hear the words out loud out from Fadel's mouth. His expression is also very expectant, almost challenging when he's done speaking. The little head tilt afterwards is almost like he's saying Pray do tell. Fadel replies: "I told him I'd go talk to him after five years." As I said, I think Style knew what the promise was, but I think actually hearing Fadel say it still gives him a thrill and causes butterflies in his tummy. He looks over to Fadel in pure delight.

And I love, love, LOVE that Fadel was the one to bring it up first. Because at some point after episode 8, when there were so many references to a FadelStyle marriage and I seriously started thinking about the possibility of a canon FadelStyle wedding or at least a wedding proposal (lmao joke's on me rip), I was contemplating about who of the two would propose first and who I'd prefer to do so. And I thought Style proposing would fit with his personality, especially since he himself said "I could spring a ring on you one day and just ask you to marry me." It seemed fit that the series would end with Style doing exactly just that. But then I contemplated some more and thought, actually, I would love it if Fadel was the one to propose. Because in the series it's always Style who is chasing Fadel, it's always Style proving over and over again that he really wants Fadel in his life while Fadel spends the majority of the series pushing Style away (and Fadel does it again even in the finale when he's mad at Style during year 4!). And I thought that it would probably mean the world to Style if Fadel proposed. Because it would showcase that Fadel wants Style in his life just as much as Style wants Fadel in his life. It would show Style that the feeling is mutual, that Fadel wants it for himself, too. That a marriage isn't something Fadel agreed to just because Style asked for it or talked him into it or anything like that. Fadel proposing would show Style that Fadel is choosing Style out of his own free will the way Style has been choosing Fadel over and over again. I'm once again reminded of @braceletofteeth's tags on this post:

#Style wants Fadel to claim him as his so bad it makes him look stupid #just like he takes pride in choosing his own man #he would be proud to be chosen as Fadel's man #delighted‚ if Fadel let others (and Style) know he's the one who earned the space reserved for his special someone #in his heavily secured heart #if he was so special to Fadel that he wouldn't want him to be taken away #or to share him with anyone else

Fadel asking for Style's hand in marriage, Fadel marrying Style would be Fadel claiming Style, it would be Fadel making an announcement to the world that Style is his and his alone. It would be Fadel choosing Style and Style would even have a ring to prove it. To prove that he is Fadel's. To prove that Fadel is his. I just thought Fadel being the one to propose would mean the world to Style. And judging by the joy in Style's face in the above gif, it absolutely does mean the world to him. That Fadel is the one to bring up the prospect of marriage.

Style asks if Fadel is serious and Fadel says yes, he is, but that he wants to have the chat only once the restaurant is up and running again (at least that's how I interpreted this statement). Style says "No need to hurry." He most definitely wants to marry Fadel one day, but I think he's got a point with this. After all, it's only now that they can finally start dating "properly", can finally experience the couple life with both of them out of prison, all cards out in the open, both parties trusting and loving each other mutually, and most importantly, without fearing for their lives. "No need to push yourself. After everything that we've been through, still staying together is already beyond anything we expected." Their relationship really is chill the way it is, there is no need to rush anything. They can get married when they both feel the time is right for it. I think that's what Style is getting at here. Fadel agrees. Then he says "I thought I'd die alone." Style knows that well. They discussed this last episode by the gravestone. And back then, Style had already announced that he wouldn't let Fadel get lonely in death. Now he says: "We'll die one day, but we'll die together of old age." They're gonna have that old man yaoi future together.

Fadel laughs, claims Style is cheesy, but still plants a big kiss on Style's lips. Uhhhh, Fadel, so what about the lecture you gave Style about safe driving the first time you guys met? All of that goes right out of the window as Style and Fadel continue to plant kisses on each other. How's that for character growth?

And off they drive into the night. Style's got both the car of his dreams as well as the man of his dreams. What more could Style want?

(Overview | Ep1+2 | Ep3 | Ep4 | Ep5 | Ep6 | Ep7 | Ep8 | Ep9 | Ep10 | Ep11)

[ultralightpoe]

True Crime Junkie Part 2 - Yelena Belova

Dreamweaver's Note: This is a Cosmic post, which means it has already been published once but due to being hacked I had to start over since I lost everything. -Ultralight

⚠️Fae-Bound Triggers: mentions of serial killers, bad writing

⏳Length of the Spell: 1.8k+ words

✨What the Stars Foretell: Yelena finds herself obsessed with true crime... and her room mate finds herself in love with a serial killer.

✨Starlit Archive ✨ Stardust Inbox ✨

⟵ Previous Chapter🌙 Next Chapter ⟶

Enjoy!

        It starts like this, you meet Yelena online under the name ‘FannyRomanogers’ and you let her stay with you. Things were fine. She comes home from night and watches a true crime episode with you, becoming obsessed. Things are fine. She moves in and eventually you fall in love with her. Things were semi fine.  You argue with yourself every day on whether you should come out with your feelings and tell the blonde you love her. Things are stressful but fine. 

         You come home from work one day to a random girl sitting on your couch with a bow out, staring at you like she just found a million dollars. Things are no longer fine. 

          Jokes aside, when walking into your apartment late at night when your roommate was out of town for a day and there are lights on it’s a bit concerning, seeing an entire person sitting on your couch with a weapon is when you flip out. 

            Screaming and picking up random things to throw at the figure while you pull out your phone, she catches most of what you throw and tries to shush you as you throw a knife. She catches it right in front of her face and both of you sit there in shock for a second.

          “N-nice….nice throw.” She mumbles, eyes wide and unblinking as she looks at you, like she was surprised she caught it. You were too but you wouldn’t admit it.

         “Nice catch……BUT WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” You scream, picking up another knife to throw. The brunette drops the knife she is holding and holds her hands up in surrender. “Wait! No. I’m a good guy.”

           “You’re a good guy?! Then why did you break into my apartment? Huh?” You snap as your neighbors bang on the wall yelling for you to keep it down. 

          “My name is Kate Bishop… you probably recognize me from the news.” She smiles, shrugging a bit like it was no big deal.

         “I don’t.” You snark, stepping forward. “And that doesn’t explain why you broke into my apartment.”

        “Oh okay. Well um- I was hoping you’d recognize me or Yelena would be here. My name is Kate, I’m kinda like the new hawkeye-”

        “Get on with it.”

        “WellIcametocheckonYelenaaftershetriedtokillClint”

         “What?”

        “I came to check on Yelena after she tried to kill Clint.” Kate repeats, smiling a bit. 

          “Yelena didn’t try to kill anyone.” You defend, hands shaking a bit while you hold the knife. 

          “She….. oh you didn’t know. Oh that’s not good.” Kate mumbles, picking up her bow. “I didn’t mean to drop the bomb and then go but this is a bit awkward so I- well okay. I wrote my number down on the notepad for you. Tell Yelena to call me if she needs to. She has my number already.”

           Then she was gone, just like that. Clues you in to Yelena’s huge secret then dips like she was just here to deliver pizza. Things were not fine. 

          After Kate left you went on a downward spiral, hiding in your room while searching everything you could. Googling Yelena obviously came up with nothing, so you began searching for Clint Barton. You found the attack at the christmas tree, watching the fight in the ice rink. Though it was filmed from a different building and a bit blurry you knew Yelena and her braids. How did you not see this before? Where were you when this was on the news?

        You lived with an assassin, who has killed people. 

        The next morning was extremely awkward, Yelena was supposed to be back by 6 and you hadn’t slept at all. You shuffled around the apartment not really knowing what to do before deciding to get ready for the day. The more you thought about it the worse your anxiety got so you tried not to. You really did. 

          You were just finished cleaning the living room when you heard Yelena’s keys in the lock, taking a second to panic before dashing back to your room. 

        Yelena was a trained assassin, she knew what she was doing. She always made sure to jingle her keys when returning so that you knew it was her coming in, and she always listened to make sure no one followed her home. 

         She was used to you getting up to greet her whenever she got home, hearing you shuffle to the door. But when you ran to your room she knew something was up. 

          Opening the door and making sure to carry her duffle bag lightly so you’d think it was just clothes. “Y/n? Младенец (baby) I’m home! And I brought some treats!”

         When she didn’t get an answer she moved to set the box of treats on the counter and went to set her bag down on her bed. Fanny wasn’t in her room which wasn’t surprising considering the dog chose your room over hers. 

         To be honest Yelena hated her room too, she never decorated it, something in her not wanting to get too comfortable in this place. But she did, she got comfortable in the apartment. She likes sleeping in your room, snoring while you read late into the night. She loves the way Fanny would come and lay on the bed with them, whining and pawing to get in the middle. 

        She loved talking about Natasha to you, of course you knew her as Natalie, but you still loved to hear about her nonetheless. 

         Yelena loved you, she loved being near you and hated her own room. So that’s where she was going to be. Hiding all her weapons and outfits before moving across the apartment ro your room and knocking lightly. “Y/n? Младенец? I’m baaAack.”

        She waits a moment, listening to you shuffle around on the other side of the door, before knocking again. “Y/n? Are you feeling alright?”

        “I’m fine! Yep! Fine!” You mumble, swinging the door open and walking past. “Just late for a meeting.”

        “Младенец it’s Saturday.” She mumbles, brows knitting together while moving towards you. You move back, getting closer to the door. 

        “It’s a….well it’s a meeting for that thing I had.” You mumble before running out the building. Fanny whines from where she lays on your bed, rolling over for Yelena to rub her belly. 

        “Fanny!” Yelena smiles, moving over to fulfill the fur babies wishes. That’s when she sees it, the notepad with Kate Bishop's phone number sprawled on it and a photo of Clint fighting Yelena pulled up on your computer screen. “Kate Bishop…. You be a pain in my ass sometimes.”

        You made it as far as 4 blocks away before Yelena caught up to you, grabbing your elbow to spin you around, smiling softly while her eyes narrowed.  “младенец , you forgot your keys.” 

       “I did.” You laugh awkwardly, going to snatch them back before she pulls her arm away and drags you closer by your coat. “Младенец, you seem off today. What’s going on?”

      “Nothing is going on. I just went to get coffee.”

       “I thought it was a meeting.” She snaps, head tilting a bit.

         “It is. But I wanted coffee first.”

        “Why would you want coffee if you’re late for a meeting?”

         “Who says I’m late?”

         “You did. Seven minutes ago.”

         “Prove it.”

         “Prove it? What?”

           You take a moment to watch her, her hand still holding the front of your jacket, then out of instinct you slap her as soft as you can. She doesn’t move though, actually just looks you in shock . “What was that?”

         “Uhm- well….” Then you book it, running away from where she is. She chases after you, a little annoyed by the fact you just slapped her and ran. 

          “Y/n, seriously?” She calls, finally catching up to you in an alley, kicking your ankle to trip you, catching you before you hit the ground. Before you know it your back is to an alley wall. 

              “Okay! I don’t know what I did to end up on someone’s hit list but I’ll fix it! I’ll confess!” You panic, hands going up in surrender. “When I was 5 I stole a toy from target. I put it in my mom's bag pretending to grab her wallet for her.”

             “Y/n wha-”

           “And when I was in high school I chugged 3 red bulls before a test so I would throw up because I didn’t study for it and I was terrible at math.”

          “Младенец that’s not what I-”

         “I’m not a saint but I haven’t done anything super bad. I’m not an arsonist and though I’m obsessed with true crime I’ve never killed anybody, and I’ve never found a wallet in an Ihop parking lot at 3 am then went through it to find the owner only to realize that they lived out of state then taking the 20 dollar bill out of it before dropping the wallet again-”

         “That was extremely specific and I think you did do that.” Yelena laughs before fixing your jacket. “What makes you think I’m gonna kill you, младенец?”

          “I figured it out, it took awhile but I figured it out. That Katie girl came in and she was looking for you- she actually broke in-”

        “She broke into our apartment?! What about the security measures I set up?”

“Your what?”

         “Okay enough. I am not going to kill you silly.”She laughs, hands coming up to rub your cheeks. “I came out here to kill Clint Barton.”

“Why?”

          “I think we have a lot to talk about. Let’s go get some coffee and go back home to the treats I brought back from the trip.” She sighs, pulling you closer. “Then we can discuss why I stayed. And how much I love you.”

“I would like that.” You nod, “I would also like to apologize for hitting your cheek.”

         “If a serial killer comes at you, that's all you’re gonna do? Slap them?” She laughs, beginning to walk. 

           “No. I didn’t want to actually hurt you. I love you” You sniffle, walking with her arm in arm.

          “No, if a serial killer comes at you then you kick their nose in and tear their guts out…….So red bulls and theft in parking lots?”

“Shut up”

        She explains everything, sitting on your counter eating macarons from France like it was nothing. You stood by her, frozen in shock at everything she told you. 

         “Does….does that make my girlfriend a serial killer?”

        “Oh come on. You calling me a serial killer now?”

         “Yelena you just asked me out then told me about all the people you’ve had to kill. Gimme a second to process.” You laugh, moving to hug her while she sits on the counter.

       “I have to call Kate Bishop in a moment but once I figure out what she needs I will be taking you out. On a date.”

      “Works for me, serial killer. But we are no longer watching true crime together. It’s weird now.”

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

Andor and character writing

First off: This is a plot-driven show, and that's a good thing. Especially with how Gilroy and Co. reimagined the character, this is not a subject that was made for a several-episode-long character study (and frankly, probably nothing in Star Wars really is). Gilroy and his team's writing really shines in parts of the show - the parallels between characters in different arcs, the political and logistical nitty-gritty are all really interesting.

But I do think the character-writing on the show takes a backseat in a way it didn't have to, and occasionally gets handwavy in ways that are in confusing contrast to the precision of the writing elsewhere - mostly, but not exclusively where Cassian is concerned.

1. Coherence

The Rogue One script has its flaws (user ruby-red-inky-blue admits through gritted teeth), but one thing it did incredibly well was give you characters that just immediately made sense. From the first, even with the sparse information you were given, you could immediately picture how their lives up to this point had gone, and their characterisation made sense for the life they had led. For Jyn, we were given a lot of quickly rattled-off exposition (which, yes, some might have found clunky), but it immediately made sense for the way she interacted with people and the actions she took: why she was so eager to get out of dodge, thinking she was about to be conscripted into the next pointless rebellion clusterfluck after Saw's rebels; why she was so irreverent and hostile to everyone - because she'd been around people like that, been one of them, and they had all let her down and hadn't even reached their goals doing it... I could go on. For others, like Bodhi or Baze, we got much less context, but it immediately made sense for them to be where they were: Bodhi, a young man from Jedha who'd gone into Imperial duty probably for the money or for an opportunity to become a pilot and see the universe, slowly but surely driven to a breaking point and immediately getting in way over his head when he went to Saw, because he had no idea what he was getting himself into. (This was also a clever characterisation beat for Galen, btw: He'd been an Imp or posing as one most of his life, and miscalculated, hard, on how reasonable his old buddy Saw would be, because he had no way of knowing how batshit insane the fight had driven him since they last met). Long story short: Everyone's mindset, behaviour, age and position in society was perfectly reasonable in relation to each other. Baze and Chirrut would have seemed weird if they had been really young; if someone like Bodhi had been played by an actor in his fifties, his behaviour would have seemed less intuitive. Same thing for Krennic: He was old enough to make his position in the Empire seem reasonable (he was ambitious, and worked his way up the ranks, but probably not smart enough to work his way up the ranks noticeably quickly, so he had to be middle-aged), but also just old enough to start getting that torschlusspanik going - if the big break in his career doesn't come soon, he'll be too old for it. He just makes sense.

Andor has characters like that, too, and I don't think it's a surprise that they're among the most popular standouts of the first season. Mon Mothma is very coherent like that, but she might be a special case since we knew so much about her position going in. But Luthen, Syril, Dedra, Maarva and Brasso also have this going for them. For example, Luthen is older than most of the characters, so he, like Maarva, actually remembers what the world was like before the Empire. He's also old enough to suggest that maybe he has lost someone or something and that loss has been allowed to fester into that rage and resolve he clearly has when we meet him. He's old enough to have made mistakes and learned from them, and also old enough to have built up his shop front to the point where we catch up with him, without that needing any extra explanation. And Brasso is a great example of a character who just makes sense even though we know next to nothing about him. He's from Ferrix, he works there, he seems community-minded and knows Cassian and Maarva well. That's all we get. And yet, it makes so much sense. He's that solid friend with a stable job, quiet and generous. He's old enough to have earned his position in the community. He never behaves in a way that would make it strange how universally beloved he seems to be on Ferrix. We also see how savvy he is with social complications when he makes up the alibi for Cassian - this is a man who gets people, and who will be able to defuse any beef someone else has with him. Everything about him makes sense.

Cassian, though... I don't know. So he was abducted from his home planet aged nine or so - old enough to remember it - and had to learn a whole new language and culture. This... doesn't seem to inform his actions much, short of maybe earning him a reputation for being a quick study. He took action against the Empire when Clem died - possibly also influenced by the loss of his home planet and first family - went to jail, left at sixteen to fight on Mimban for six months, then got out of dodge, disillusioned. Okay. So why do we meet him ten years later, apparently completely inexperienced with how to go about looking for his sister? What has he been doing those ten years? Why would he not start looking for her sooner? Did Maarva forbid it? The Cassian we meet in Andor doesn't seem like a guy who would listen to that. The womanising trait is also a little weird to me - I guess it could be a thing of wanting to belong, or commitment issues, which would make sense, but the show doesn't tell us why he's doing it, only that he's doing it (see below on that issue). I guess we're just saying if you look like that, you'd make the most of it. He is a beautiful man, I guess that checks out. But it's not very meaty, characterisation-wise, and it gives us nothing re: his background. The only thing that seems coherent to me in Cassian's early characterisation is that he seems on the outskirts of the community by his own doing - it makes sense that he would self-sabotage a little, maybe harbouring a lingering doubt that he belongs or fits in. But the chronic unreliability they saddle him with, while making a lot of sense for his backstory, is really confusing to square with where he's going - that's not a trait you can just choose to let go off whenever, but he seemingly does (see below for more on that). I also feel like his piloting skills are really a lot better than they should be considering his background, but one could argue maybe most ships really are pretty easy to fly or at least all very similar (and they did hilariously refute that point in Season 2 so I will shut up about that a little more). And maybe most prominently, I feel like they gave him no reason to be as much of a smooth-talker as he is. What about living with this very quiet man and this very terse, upfront woman in this sleepy scrapping town made him so incredibly good at manipulation - and yet, why has this not resulted in him getting himself in a little better position somewhere, or at least keeping him out of trouble more? I get him being a good liar, to some extent, since Maarva had him hide his origin his entire life, and because that feels like something that can just be natural aptitude. But keeping him so perfectly separate from any spy experience for this much of his life makes his skill at charming people somewhat confusing. Because being able to talk someone into giving you a two-day extension on the debt you owe them is one thing, but suddenly giving speeches and talking guys into a prison break is a very different beast.

2. Consistency

This all kind of dovetails into my second gripe: The character progressions on the show can feel inorganic. People will suddenly change a thing about themselves in a very short time or for a seemingly small reason, and the show doesn't address it. I've gone on at length about how strange I find Cassian going from a fuck-you-don't-tell-me-what-to-do attitude to the incredibly patient, obedient soldier we meet at the end of his life in only a few short years. And right off the bat, the skip from 1.12 to 2.01 felt bigger than it should have been, one year on.

First of all – we get no context on Dedra suddenly not only deigning to regard Syril as a person worth two minutes of her attention, but to actually be in a relationship with him? Sharing her home with him? Meeting his mother? I really hope there is some big dramatic endgame she’s running here, because if not, that feels like a massive leap to me.

Similarly, looking at how he talks to the woman at the test facility and later the guys on Yavin, Cassian has gone lightyears closer to the man we meet on Kafrene in one year. And, again, knowing exactly what to say to any given person to get them to do what you want takes a lot of experience, and I don’t really think one year would do the trick. So yeah, he seems like a wildly advanced spy – and yet, at the same time, everything he does in 2.03 is so stupid. It’s human! But it wildly undermines that incredibly well-written scene at the end of last season. “Kill me, or take me in” is not the statement of a man who’s still planning to go home to his family at the end of the week! It implies that he will live or die for this rebellion from this point forward. And yet, three episodes later, Cassian, devoted spy and public enemy n° 4, not only seems to be making regular visits to Bix, Brasso and Co., but they’re using his real name in front of outsiders. And when he hears that the Imps are bearing down on the planet for an inspection, he takes the invaluable ship he just stole for the rebels that they risked multiple lives trying to obtain, and rushes in with that flashy flashy ship to rescue his buddies?? If they hadn’t already been in trouble, they would have immediately been the target of a fully-fledged manhunt the moment anyone saw that ship in the sky. Like, my guy, not only are you making shit worse for your friends, you are risking the ship your rebellion needs and your own capture in the process – which would not only risk handing them a year’s worth of spy information, but also a huge propaganda win and a massive blow to Luthen’s operation. Why would you do that. Why would you not at least land somewhere and steal a slightly less conspicuous ship.

And the annoying thing is, this could be fascinating characterisation – but because of the structure of the season, we are not going to sit with this! We won’t be able to explore this as the espionage clusterfuck that it is, and the ramification for Cassian’s journey to become the Rebellion’s model spy boy. I don’t think we’re even meant to see it as a mistake on his part! The narrative excuses him – he was already almost too late, any extra second might have killed Bix and Wilmon – but it runs so counter to where we last left him, and now we’ll swan off from this again, and he’ll probably be back to hypercompetent spy mode. His competence was a great trait for Rogue One-Cassian, and watching him fuck up on the way there would be interesting. But as beautifully consistent as the overall plot is, Gilroy is clearly not as bothered making his main character equally internally consistent. Cassian oscillates between competence and incompetence whenever the plot needs it – and yes, people fuck up, but this is a story. It would be nice to feel like we’re watching a character being formed, instead of individual traits of a character randomly blinking in and out of existence like this.

3. Motivation

The Andor writers in Season 1 were great at showing you what drives people to stand up to injustice, in all its nuances on the spectrum of selflessness to selfishness and greater good to individual freedom.

But at very few points does Andor seem invested in giving that same justification to most of the interpersonal relationships, though. A few examples: We learn that Cassian and Bix were an item once, and that she broke up with him but they’re still fond of each other. Great, we love a non-toxic exes relationship! But… why did they like each other? Did Bix like that Cassian was a bit of a scoundrel? Could make sense, her rebound with the very down-to-earth Timm might imply as much. But the show doesn’t really show us any concrete reasons. We get allusions to their shared past, their comfortable bickering, the joke about Cassian climbing her dad’s fence. But we don’t really learn why he liked her. His relationship to Brasso is also a little underexplored: Brasso is very warm and very lenient with Cassian, like a caring older brother in many ways, and Cassian seems to lean on him in a way that seems like he’s done that many times. But that’s really all we get. Why is Brasso cutting Cassian so much slack? How come he feels so responsible for Maarva, seemingly even more than Bix?

Maarva and Cassian is much more intuitive, because Cassian was a child in need (at least in Maarva’s eyes, and then in fact when she took him away from home) – it’s understandable how they’d sort of imprint on each other, and yet also understandable that Cassian might harbour some resentment, which we see in the way he seems to idolise Clem over her sometimes. Theirs is maybe the most fleshed-out relationship Cassian has, and it stands on its own in ways that his other relationships really don’t – and yet, there’s still a lot of telling instead of showing, because the plot overtakes them. That’s fine, it’s even making a point of how the struggle is taking things away even before people die! But when this keeps happening, it makes the characters lack depth in a way that is a bit of a shame.

Vel and Cinta live in an in-between point, because we do get some very salient points about what Vel might see in Cinta when Cinta snipes at her about sort of play-acting as a rebel: Vel admires Cinta; she’s who she would like to be, clearly ashamed of her privilege and alienated by her culture. But we never really learn what Cinta sees in her, although I have some hope this might come up this season.

With Mothma and Luthen, it’s less noticeable – Mothma’s family is a central plot point, and Luthen is so compulsively secretive that it would feel weird for him to have any obvious, deeply explored relationships. He and Kleya are also underexplored, but here it feels deliberate. You can see how they meant to juxtapose Cassian, initially from a tightly-knit community with a lot of strings still attached (friends, mother, ex-girlfriend), and Mr. “I burn my future for a sunrise I will never see” – rebels at different stages, and Luthen’s isolation foreshadowing Cassian’s own. But that would have worked so much better if we were given a little more depth in the relationships! Rogue One took a hard show, don’t tell approach to relationships, and it went over a lot people’s heads, but I think they did a much better job in that script making the relationships feel real. Cassian saw himself in Jyn – his own doubts in the cause, the toll it took on them both, the resentment, the fight. He looked clearly struck by her refusal of the call in the first half, and you could tell how seeing her devote herself to the cause fully reinvigorated him, too. It was also very briefly but deftly implied how he related to Bodhi: he admired the bravery of this very overwhelmed young man who took all the guilt about his past actions and did something with it (Bodhi’s comment about how Galen said he could make it right if he was brave now is later mirrored in Cassian’s hangar speech). Even Draven and Cassian had implied depth although we were never told anything about what or who they were to each other short of commanding officer and soldier – their face journeys when Draven relayed the order about Galen (implying a very deep mutual understanding and some guilt on both their parts), later Draven doing the strategically idiotic move of trying to delay their one chance of taking out Galen from the air just to try and get Cassian to safety first. The movie took more care to show why people felt connected to each other than to define what that connection really was. This wouldn’t work for a show, because of the longer runtime, but it would have been nice to get a little more why.

(This can work for spy shows, too, even characters you want to keep more ambiguous. This post is already way too long so I won’t go into detail, but The Americans was great at making very believable relationships between very shady people.)

Also, I don't know where this goes, but I also think it's a real shame that the connections between the remaining Ferrix guys weren't fleshed out at all. And while I think it's good that they went for absolute unflinching realness with the farm planet storyline, I would love to learn more about Bix that isn't "fixes stuff" and "massive trauma", please?

.

Tl;dr: I’m really hyped for more intricate spy on spy shenanigans, big themes and political intrigue, but I’m seeing all my gripes on how Gilroy writes characters overall and Cassian in particular staying pretty consistent. This season will feel very rushed to me. That’s probably a me problem; it always annoys me when narratives are so plot-driven that the characterisation actively suffers for it, and I really think there were ways around it in a script like this. But hey, we’ll see. Maybe they’ll surprise me.

I will say, though, that I will send this incredibly overlong essay to anyone who brings up the “Tony Gilroy saved Rogue One” thing to me, because the characterisations in Rogue One were one of my favourite things about the movie and he is clearly not invested in that as a writer, and I really don’t believe he had much of a hand in that. And, even more honestly, even if all these things improve 100 percent in the next arc... that still ain't my boy! But at least do well with the versions you've created, Tony.

[seb-reads31]

Hello! I have a juicy one shot request for you today, full of angst!

It's angel dust x male reader and goes as follows:

Reader and angel were both part of the mafia and secretly became a couple for quite some time but reader died in a shootout a couple of years before angel's death and both angel and reader assume that the other got sent to heaven. Many years pass and by pure chance they meet at a bar but after so many decades in hell they don't really recognize eachother (that and the fact that angel is a spider demon dude helps with him not being very similar to his living self), later that night reader is in bed and he realizes "HOLY SHIT WAS THAT ANTHONY" and immediately runs to the hotel to find angel who also just realized that he met reader just a few hours later. They reunite and cry tears of joy after too many years spent alone in hell

Hope this wasn't too long of a request lol, let me know if i broke any of your rules so that next time i'll be more careful, with that said have a nice day!

Cautions - Drug use, shooting, death, cursing, sad angel 😭, mention of angel oding from drugs, MALE READER - fem DNI this is for the gay guys, crying, both sad and happy, reader being a bartender down in hell, Valentino, SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 6, Angel arguing with Valentino

Type - oneshot

Genre - angst to fluff <33

Comments - Nahh, you're good man. No rules broken yet 🤧 BUT OMG I LOVE THIS it's so cute but it's gonna make me wanna cry 😭 (testing out banners, thoughts? Made by me btw in PicsArt) and omg I'm so sorry for being dead 😔 AND, I'm basing this partially on episode 6 where Charlie goes to Heaven. I low-key hate the ending, it feels rushed but I'll probably end up rewriting it later (I'm gonna start adding word counts ISTG)

Till death do us part

Your whole body felt so hot, your heart thumping so loudly in your chest it almost gave you away. You can barely breath, not wanting to give not only your position away, but Anthony's.

It all went wrong.

The information given to both of you was fake, you were set up. They were gonna kill you and him if you were caught. You only had 3 bullets left in your gun, and there were about 5 guys looking for you and Anthony. Shit...

The two of you were hiding behind large crates, trying to come up with a plan and quick. There was an exit to your right, but it would force you to pass by an open area where the guys hunting you down would see you. Trying to make a run for it wouldn't go well, they would just shoot you down. Trying to lay low would just lead to the inevitable, them catching and beating the both of you half to death. But maybe..

"Damnit!" Anthony softly muttered, breaking your line of thought. "What're we gonna do?" All you could do was look at him, with the softest look in your eyes as you told him the only plan you could think of, "We need a distraction."

He was.. confused for a moment, but he quickly caught on as he saw you prepping yourself to run out the opposite way the exit was, but he stopped you by grabbing your shoulder. "I- no! I'm not about to let you get yourself killed just to save my ass!" The trembling hand on your shoulder was an easy sign that he didn't want to leave you here by yourself.

"Anthony, we don't have another choice.." You turned around and placed a hand on his cheek as you continued, "we're sittin' ducks here, and I refuse to let you get caught by these fuckers." There was a determined look in your eyes, but also a softness deep down that showed how much you cared for the mafia boss's son.

"Oh, and I'm just supposed to let you die?" Anthony was on the verge of tears, because he knew you were right, but he didn't want you to get caught by his family's rivals just to get beaten or worse.

"I can escape, you just have to believe in me. Can you do that for me, my angel?" You could feel tears prick your eyes as well, but you forced them back with a soft smile as you leaned your forehead against Anthony's, but all he could do was worry and think the worst. But he nodded, giving you one final passionate kiss before he let you go.

"Don't die on me, got that?" Anthony looked stern, but the tears in his eyes told a different story. As you nodded, you could hear the footsteps and jeers of your rivals get closer, this was your only chance to get Anthony, your angel, out of this mess.

You jumped out, letting your last bullets fly strategically as Anthony ran under the radar, through the door, and into the outside as quickly as he could. Every shot he heard made his heart sink, but he still held out hope. You promised him after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel Dust sat straight up in his bed, panting softly as he woke up from that nightmare. The day he lost his everything.

He didn't notice until fat nuggets licked his face to try and comfort him, but tears were running down his cheeks from the painful memories. He remembered that day like it was just yesterday, even after so many years had passed.

Angel sat up, wiping away any left over tears to start getting ready for the day.

After he finished his morning routine, he slowly walked down the stairs to the main lobby of the Hazbin Hotel and was greeted by Charlie's smiling face and overly excited personality.

Her voice was too loud, considering he was still hungover from the night before, but had a new outlook on life and it was thanks to Husk. "Mornin' Char, we doin' anything today?" Angel yawned, stretching both pairs of arms and arching his back slightly.

"Yep! 'Cause I've got some big news for everyone! Speaking of which, could you sit in the main room until I get everyone? I still need to find Alastor and Husker before I announce it." She looked like she could barely contain her excitement as she ran off before Angel Dust could answer. But he shrugged, sitting down on the plush sofa and chose to scroll through voxtigram to pass the time.

About 10 minutes later, Charlie had arrived with Husker in tow, Alastor appearing from the shadows not too long after. "Alright everyone! Today, I would like to introduce you to.." Charlie paused, to build suspense, until she pulled out a strange looking man from somewhere. You. "Our newest patron!"

You waved, albeit awkwardly at the strange group of sinners. You weren't new to hell, far from it, but there were only a few you really recognized. Husker, your bartending buddy from a few years ago that you met at a bar you worked at. And Alastor, him being the radio demon and all.. But everyone else, as far as you knew, you had no history with.

Before you could try leaving the room to escape the awkwardness, Charlie nudged you slightly. "Go on, introduce yourself!" She was so sweet it was hard to say no, if we're also not counting that Vaggie was staring at you with a small glare.

"Uh, hi?" Is how you started, but continued even after you heard Alastor chuckle. And while Angel couldn't help but feel a little.. off when you said your name, it being very familiar, but he shrugged and put on his classic porn star persona as he introduced himself to you.

"Nice to meetcha~ I'm Angel Dust, but you can call me yours," he winked at you as others groaned but you couldn't help but feel as if he was familiar as well.. it was probably nothing though. You did have a dream about how you died last night, so it's just a weird coincidence.

As everyone else introduced themselves, they began to leave, but the ones that stayed were Charlie, Vaggie, Alastor, Husk sort of as he went back to his bar, and Angel Dust following him. You stay in the main part of the lobby as you converse with Alastor and Charlie, them telling you a bit more about the hotel.

Over at the bar, Angel couldn't help but stare at you, barely even touching his drink. "Alright, why are you staring at the new guy?" As much as Husk prided himself on being able to read people, Angel was throwing him off with how quiet he was being, barely registering that Husk spoke to begin with.

"Huh? Oh, he just.. reminds me of someone." He barely looked at Husk when he answered, keeping his puzzled gaze on you. "From when you were alive?" Husk was curious, and he may or may not've noticed how you looked at Angel Dust when you were introduced to the staff and patrons.

Angel nodded, but let out a small sigh. "Meh, I'll think of who he reminds me of eventually." He chugged the last of his drink before standing up, presumably to go to his room. As he began walking, you couldn't help but watch him, wondering why his voice and demeanor was so familiar.

Alastor noticed, and him being him, decided to poke a little fun at you. "Oh my, are we falling for another patron my good fellow?" His static voice made you jump slightly, as he was just sitting quietly as Charlie rambled on before. But you were quick to shake your head, denying the radio demon's claim.

"No, no. He's just.. familiar is all. Probably just deja vu. Besides, my partner when I was alive might be in heaven, he's the only one for me." There was a small smile on your face as you thought of your sweet Anthony, completely unaware of what the future held.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days had passed, and you and Angel Dust had become pretty good friends. While he would flirt with you on occasion, it was all in good fun.

Everyone in the hotel could see how close the two of you had gotten in the short time you've been here, it would've been impossible to notice! How you two just, clicked. No one could understand why, but you balanced each other nicely.

Angel was already falling into a routine with you, unconsciously of course, but there was always a lingering guilt in the back of his mind as he thought of his lover when he was alive. He was redeeming himself for him after all. No matter what he did over those days, he couldn't help but develop feelings for you.

You felt the same way as Angel, unknowingly. You loved Anthony with all your heart, and just knew he was up in heaven waiting for you. But Angel.. well, he was not only drop dead gorgeous, but he showed his real self with you. It was hard to not fall for Angel's charismatic nature, and it reminded you of Anthony's personality.. odd, but not uncommon. Sometimes people have the same humor, way of talking, and favorite drink as others that they never even knew. Right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been a week now, and you and the gang are at the club! Paid by Charlie while she was up in heaven of course.

The night was great! You all were enjoying yourselves with some shots, and watching poor Sir Pentious fail to woo Cherrie Bomb several times.

During the night, you and Angel being the most sober were trying to keep Nifty under wraps as she continuously causes chaos. First she starts raking some loan shark's shots into a garbage bag, then she finds the cleaning closet and tries to steal the chemicals hiding in there, then she's left with Husk who is forced to baby sit her.

And now, Angel and Cherri were getting into a small disagreement, along with Husker.

"Y'know, we can do this fucking shit every fuckin' night!" Cherri yelled over the music in the club. It's clear that Angel was done, Husker included and Niffty was drunk.

But even with Angel's sour expression, she continued. "You don't have to spend all of your off hours 'working on yourself' you little bitch."

Husky was quick to shut that down though. He knows the issue, and he expressed that. "The hotel isn't a problem in his life, it's-" he paused, not quite finding the word as Angel looked away, but quickly saw a man that he truly hated. Before Husk could say something, the spider sinner spoke with a grave tone. "Valentino." "Exactly!" Husker finally continued, unaware of who Angel saw, and only you put the pieces together, but didn't want to interrupt what was happening. Not until you needed to though.

"So why don't you-" Husk continued, trying to give Cherri a piece of his mind before Angel stopped him again. "No, Valentino," and he pointed to a large crowd, the moth overlord in the center of it with two others in his arms.

Angel was clearly disturbed, seeing his boss at the club when he's supposed to be relaxing. "Let's get the fuck out of here- come on." He began walking and you followed suit, wanting to make sure Angel wasn't alone. Husker and Cherri can handle themselves after all. But.. "Where's Niffty?"

The question startled Husker, who was holding the bug just moments ago, but you managed to catch a glimpse of her.. going towards Valentino, muttering the word 'bad boy' along the way. "Uhh, Angel?" You quickly pointed out where she went, and Angel's eyes widened even further.

Angel immediately went after her, pushing through the crowd as best as he could, you following right after him. You've heard a story or two from Angel himself about how awful the overlord was, and you refused to let him get his hands on the spider you've gotten so close to.

He was angry, not his usual charming self, pushing and cursing at people with a quieter voice trying to get to Niffty. When he did catch her, it stopped him right Infront of Valentino himself, the man not sparing a second to greet Angel Dust.

"Holy shit, Angel Dust? What are you doing here baby?~" he cooed, surprised to see his star at the club as well. "You didn't get enough dick today?" He made a suggestive gesture, clearly teasing Angel even though he knew how hard he worked him earlier.

"Funny." Angel said in a monotone voice, nowhere near amused with the joke or with Valentino. You could tell that he just wanted to take Niffty and get back to the hotel. But Valentino wasn't about to let that happen, not yet. "Who's this chiquita?" Gesturing at Niffty, who was clearly twitching at the thought of getting closer to the 'bad boy.'

"You bringing me fresh meat?" The implication was disgusting, and you almost spoke up when Niffty lunged a bit at Valentino, trying to bite him.

He made another joke, something about a kink, but Angel was clearly tired and just wanted to sleep. "Fuck off Val." He muttered turning to leave but Val was not happy. "Excuse me?"

You expected Angel to just walk, but he doubled down. Which was kind of hot. "I said fuck off!"

"I may have to put up with your bullshit, but you ain't fucking with any of my friends." He was stern, but setting a very clear boundary. It reminded you so much of.. wait, Anthony?

"You forget who you're talking to?" Valentino was fuming now, not used to Angel fighting back. He quickly stood up, using the smoke of his cigarette to make a chain on one of Angel Dust's wrist, pulling him close. "I own you bitch."

Angel looked scared again, and you stepped closer, ready to throw hands, and Valentino noticed but didn't back down. "Yeah, you do. In the studio, and you can do anything you want to me there, just like our deal says."

You were proud of him right now, but also sad. This is your Anthony. The man you were trying to get redeemed for. He was down here in hell, where he didn't belong. "But out here, I get to do what I want. So once again, fuck off." You saw Valentino raise his hand, going to slap him, and you moved quickly, but not quick enough. "Angel!" You called out, seeing Niffty fling out of his arms and Angel bleeding slightly from the harsh hit.

You wanted to rip Valentino limb from limb, but that wouldn't make it any better for Angel. He needed you, and you needed to make sure that he was okay.

Instead of pummeling Valentino, you went to Angel, pulling him into your arms as you checked his face, just like you did when you both were alive. "Enjoy the rest of your night, bitch, because I'm going to enjoy making you pay for it tomorrow." Both you and Angel glared at the moth demon, and you finally had it.

"You may own Angel now, but I swear that I'll make you pay in the future. Watch your back you bald headed fuck."

You gently lifted Angel up to his feet, holding him close as you hear Cherri mutter 'dickhead' behind you, also worried for Angel. "Fuck it, it was worth it." He muttered, leaning into you and wiping the blood from his face away. "You did good kid," Husk said, patting him on the shoulder as you went to Cherri's table. But not before Niffty ripped some of Valentino's neck fluff, making him scream girlishly.

Cherri split off from your group, with Sir Pentious finally returning, and you all went back to the hotel. It had been a long night after all, and you were all laughing along the way.

But when you finally reached the hotel, Husk Niffty and Sir Pentious went to turn in, Angel too but you stopped him. "Hey.. can we talk for a sec?"

Angel thought he had an idea of what you wanted to talk about, so he stayed. "I'm fine, really. You know I'm gonna bounce back, no matter what Val does to me." And while that has been in the back of your mind, you shook your head. "Thanks for the comfort, but that's not it. Angel.. what's your real name?"

If you were right, it would not only fill you with joy, but you'd be so upset. Anthony didn't deserve to be in hell, he was the sweetest person you knew, and was meant to be in heaven. But you held two of his hands nonetheless, giving him both a nervous but hopeful expression.

And Angel.. he was lost, he couldn't tell why you wanted to know his real name, but he also wanted to tell you. "It's.. That's uhm, kinda private babes, why do you wanna know?" He tried laughing it off, even thought about making a weird joke but he could tell that this wasn't the time. "I.. I think we knew each other when we were alive."

You gave his hands a gently squeeze, and unconsciously threaded your fingers with his. "Please.. I just need to know if you're really him." Even though you were desperate, you would never force Angel Dust to tell you. But it didn't hurt to try.

Angel was conflicted. Not just because you were familiar, but he didn't want to be heartbroken if he got his hopes up. He wanted you to be his lover from when he was alive, but he also didn't. You were supposed to be in heaven, and he's supposed to be trying to redeem himself to be with you again. You sacrificed yourself to save him after all, those bastards in heaven would be lucky to have you.

"Anthony." Angel was taking a leap of faith, watching you carefully.

Your eyes welled up with tears, and you took one of your hands to place it onto his fuzzy cheek, stroking it gently with your thumb. Then suddenly, you pulled the taller spider into an embrace, fully letting your tears flow down your cheeks.

No words needed to be spoken. All the two of you needed was to be in each other's arms, finally reunited after so many years of believing the other was in heaven. You both sobbed, holding the other tightly as if he'd disappear. And from this moment onwards, you swore silently to protect your angel from anything. No matter the cost.

<3

[bucketofbugz]

I WAS SLEEPING WHEN THE EPISODE CAME OUT my bad chat

as always, live Bugz reaction to bfdia 20!!!! spoilers, duh

(episode watched and reaction written at 4:00 in the morning, posted many hours later)

Leafy is so desperate for friends. I'm sad now.

ough

yeah I figured it was something like this.

I KNEW THE SECOND PART OF THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE THE DISTRIBUTION also I guess the next host will be occurring in the NEXT episode which does make sense since it would be weird to swap the host mid-challenge

they didn't even just run away, they literally DISAPPEARED

also I gotta say I am LOVING how expressive they're making Pin get with her wheels.

GIGGLING

OH HECK YEAH WORKING TOGETHER

samesies Needle

I'm gonna refrain from all the bookpin rambling I could be doing

BUT LOOK AT THEM

I'm not even gonna screenshot what I'm about to talk about but oh my god can Golf Ball catch a BREAK. LEAVE HER ALONE. STOP THIS. also that's disgusting there was no need for that.

HIIIII LEAFYYYYYY!!!!!!!

also LEAFY MENTIONING PIN we win

also also thank you Leafy for calling him out on that

do you think they'd be able to do that with the actual dream island. or no.

also FINALLY mentioning the ugly dream island farm

Leafy you can't just suggest ANOTHER guy kill his girlfriend and people he vaguely puts up with

I forgot that Pin like. REALLY likes the stupid farm dream island. no wonder she's the one that's most aggressive about winning she actually wants that thing.

I don't know what it is but this exchange. I really like this exchange. giggling.

stop this episode is filling me with too much joy and whimsy they need to stop interacting

RUBY????

WDYM THERE WAS A TORNADO????????

we love Leafy encouraging violence and people actually listening

also yeah he's. he's still mad

and this is why I love needle

Coiny you weird funky little creature.

STOP DESTROYING PLANETS

Book she shredded you last challenge, what made you think her first plan WOULDN'T be killing TB and Coiny

why did I NOT expect them to bring up the map for some reason. Also Pin immediately recognizing it. my leafpin heart

PIN BREAKING UP THE ALLIANCE WHEN BOOK MENTIONS LEAFY??????? I know it's probably just because Book has a different plan for the challenge but,,,,,, c'mon,,,

AND DESTROYING THE MAP AGAIN????? chat.

Tennis Ball your plan is so stupid. you know what you COULD do? wait for Coiny to come back and cash in his immunity ticket (and hope he doesn't notice you're not immune yet), THEN recover Needle and have her make Coiny immune, THEN tell her you're also immune.

PIN??

yeah okay just tell him straight up that's fine

NOT AGAIN. PIN.

she didn't even do it intentionally this time.

yippee!!

love that this is a universe where assuming someone died is just an unfortunate inconvenience and not a tragedy. nobody cares

YAYYYYY BOOK

Tennis Ball. Tennis Ball NO. DO NOT. TENNIS BALL STOP THIS RIGHT THIS INSTANT. ACCEPT YOUR DOOM. TENNIS BALL ISTG

(I had screenshots for all of those little bits but I deleted them to make room for the END OF THE EPSIODE BECUASE HOLY?????? WHAT)

FINALLY okay as much as I want Pin to win, story-wise her and Coiny losing here is gonna be better.

I'm gonna make a whole post about the betrayal situation and both of their views on it gimme a minute when it's not 4:30 in the morning

OH MY GOD?????????

Oh he's. oh this is great. THIS IS GREAT CHAT THIS IS ACTUALLY. THIS IS WAHT I WANTED. I'M BEING SO FR RIGHT NOW.

"I didn't think you were THAT petty, Coiny" says YOU???

OHHOHOHOHOH DO I HAVE SOME THINGS TO DAY ABOUT THIS ARGUMENT. this literally is backing up everything I've been thinking about the last two episodes this is great and wonderful

MY. MY SILLIES> MUYE SILFE >FHEY MY SIL screaming crying writhing on the floor I have been waiting for this for YEARS

anyway. episode over. I am so tired. gonna post this later when it's not so early

I'm voting for Coiny to leave btw. not because he lost the challenge for them, but for the same reason I'm making a whole post about their situation

[lulublack90]

Prompt 19 - Sniff

Wolfstar, February 19, word count 935

Previous part First part

Hello everyone, so this is probably going to be the last flashback part unless anyone has anything they really want to see from Sirius's pov. I am probably going to slot some Sirius pov's in with Remus's going forward as well. Thanks for reading 💜💜

Remus yawned so loudly that Sirius’s ear began to ring. The last episode on the disk they were watching had just finished, and Sirius wasn’t sure what Remus might want to do next.

“So,” Remus said, turning to him, his voice had a husky tone that shot right to Sirius’s groin. “It’s getting late, wanna?” He nodded towards his hidden bed suggestively. Sirius’s mind ran at a million miles an hour while it decided what it wanted to do. He didn’t want to leave, but Remus had been worming his way under Sirius’s skin since the second he met him, and Sirius no longer wanted a one-night stand. 

A sultry smile spread across Sirius’s face. He shuffled closer to Remus, so Remus had to lean back into the pile of pillows and duvet to see him clearly. He leaned in, so there was no way Remus wouldn’t catch his words and purred. 

“Oh, I’m not going to shag you on our first date. No, I like you too much to rush. I want to spend a lot more time with you.” He fluttered his eyelashes as sweetly as he could and continued. “I will, however, take you up on your offer for a sleepover.” Remus’s face did an odd thing before it settled into a slightly mischievous look. 

“Will you now?” He questioned. Sirius could play this game, too. He wiped all traces of playfulness from his face and replaced it with his most serious face. 

“There is no way I am going out there this time of night. I am almost certain Mr Kebab shop owner is, in fact, a modern-day Sweeny Todd,” Remus snorted, but Sirius carried on. “No, seriously, that's why he has so many neon signs, so that when an unfortunate passerby gets all distracted by the bright lights. Then, he opens the door and drags them into the back, where he grounds them up into the doner he served me this evening, which is why it tasted so bad.” It was a daft story, but the more he thought about it, the more plausible it began to sound.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Remus murmured, a fond smile stretching his lips. Lips Sirius very much wanted to kiss. 

Remus got up and began collecting the duvet and pillows, dipping behind the blanket curtain to place them back on the bed. Sirius could hear him digging around in his drawers. Probably for something for Sirius to wear. Sirius felt like having one more bit of fun before bedtime and stripped down to his boxers. “They’ll drown you, but…” Remus’s mouth was agape when Sirius looked up. He spotted the pyjama pants in Remus’s hands and sauntered past him to the poky bathroom. 

“Oh, no, thanks, I prefer to sleep like this if I can't sleep naked,” Sirius said, winking at him as he shut the door. 

He had to take a deep breath after he’d relieved himself and used Remus’s toothbrush to brush his teeth. “Everything will be alright,” He told his reflection before he opened the bathroom door once more. “It’s all yours,” he said and hopped up onto the bed. Remus disappeared into the bathroom, and he made himself comfortable on the bed. 

It dawned on him as he listened to Remus brush his teeth that he was in a total stranger's bed. He hadn’t slept with anyone for over a year now. He’d been too scared his parents would find out. Yet here he was, waiting for the mysterious Remus Lupin. His heart began pounding as he panicked. What if Remus was a plant by his parents to make sure he wasn’t doing exactly this? What if Remus was some crazed lunatic who’d very easily lured Sirius back to his flat, which just so happened to belong to Sirius, and was going to harvest his organs?! 

The bathroom light clicked off, and so did the light in the living room, bathing the entire room in a green glow from the kebab shop downstairs. It truly was horrendous. He made a mental note to get on to Evan about it. Remus ducked under the curtain, and all the crazy thoughts Sirius had been having melted away. Remus would never hurt him. He could tell that already. 

He’d laid on the far side, but as soon as Remus slid between the sheets, he nearly cried. He could feel the heat coming off him and warming the bed. It couldn’t hurt, right? It wasn’t like he was doing anything, not really. He wriggled until he was against Remus. He flung his arm over Remus’s chest, tucked his leg between Remus’s legs, and let out a happy sigh. This felt so right. Sirius had forgotten how amazing being this close to a person was. Gods, he’d been so lonely. He nuzzled into Remus’s shoulder and, after a long sniff, began to drift off to sleep, with ideas of what it would be like to be with Remus. His dreams were so real that when he woke up, he forgot they weren’t together. He was devastated for all of five seconds when he felt something hard bump against him, and a soft grin spread across his mouth. “Hmmmm, someone's happy to see me,” He murmured sleepily. He decided there and then that he needed to keep Remus in his life. He’d fallen hook, line, and sinker for this man in less than twenty-four hours. He just needed to know if Remus would ever feel the same way, but judging by the hardness of what he was being poked by, Remus wasn’t far off. 

Next part

[carolmunson]

agitated from the shadows, can i take it all back? (older!modern!eddie)

part seven of however many. orange colored sky set list summary: things simmer in the summer, and as it comes closer to a close, whatever is lying beneath comes to the surface. and it's more than eddie bargained for.

tw: 18+ minors dni. this series is about an age gap relationship (reader is in late 20s/early 30s, eddie is in late 30s early 40s. they're around 12 years apart), arguing/yelling, references to drug use, references to smut, references to domestic violence. songspiration: episode | gallant (this is one of my favorite songs of all time so i recommend listening)

Eddie was always a little sad when Steve left after visiting, but his heart was beating fast in his chest when he hugged him goodbye. Getting Harrington's seal of approval was all he needed to hear. "Keep her around Munson. She's special, you're not gonna top her." "Oh Steve, my guy..." "I'm topping her all the time."

He couln't help the swell in his chest when you both first met, like you'd known each other for years without trying. He even got a little jealous when the night's you'd stayed over, Steve would spend his time deep in conversation with you. You'd trudge upstairs long after Ed had gone to sleep, learning more about him through Steve than he'd told you himself. You guess Steve would know better than anyone else.

You tried to make yourself scarce though, leaving them to their own devices. You knew they had traditions and plans, they spent a couple days out in the Hamptons to say high to another friend. And that was fine, you had other things to catch up on. Work, bills, the world around you that wasn't in a haze of Eddie Munson. You had to cancel a night to see him play at Rockwood Music Hall with Steve when you were too hung over from a birthday party. You hadn't seen that group of friends since college -- it would be stupid to sit at home just because the guy you were seeing was busy. He wasn't even your boyfriend. After a fortnight of semi seeing each other for finally had a night alone. He treated you to drinks at a bar between your respective places. The night was humid, air thick while you both sat otuside sipping your final glasses of wine and stealing bites off each other's plates. You decide to walk back to his place, following the walkway next to the bypass through central Brooklyn. You split a cigarette, talking about the rest of his trip -- you talk about work and the dramatic break up of two of your friends. He lives for the gossip.

He lights another cigarette while you both turn down the top of the street from the parkway. Right at the rotary where you both got caught in the rain on your first date. The street is pretty bare outside of a few cars coming down and around, families normally don't like to hang out too late. All the restauarants were closed for the night. The orangey streetlights glow over the sidewalk, competing with the lighting from the grocery store's red and blue signage, the neons from darkened bakeries and bars. You peer into the windows of apartments that are too high above you for anything discernable outside of a plant or nice light fixture.

"Oh," he starts, letting the smoke out from his first drag, "How was your friend's party? All I heard about was your hang over."

You smile to yourself, "It was fun, got a little too fucked up -- which you heard all about -- but I had a good time. Probably shouldn't have gotten so drunk and then tried coke for funsies -- that was a choice."

"Hm?" he asks, his brows raise while his head turns towards you fast, "What was that?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you? Yeah, I tried coke," your voice is casual when you tell him, like it's not a big deal. You shrug and your nose scrunches, "Probably don't see myself doing it again though."

"Probably don't?" he asks, nodding slowly while you both make your way further down the street to his apartment. He pulls another drag, letting the smoke out before tucking his lips into his teeth.

"Yeah I just -- I dunno," you shrug, "Didn't really love it. It was whatever."

"Y'shouldn't be doin' that shit, peach," he mumbles, "'Specially if I'm not around."

Your brows quirk when he flicks the finished cigarette into the street, "Excuse me?"

"Just..." he sighs, eyes rolling while he considers whether it's worth the fight, "Forget it. S'fine." You're both silent while you make it up the stairs to his apartment, he seems unenthusiastic about you being here this time around. Deflated. You both kick off your shoes at the doorway before heading inside, putting your bag on the entry way table behind the bowl where he puts his keys and wallet. He pulls off his shirt while making his way to the metal spiral staircase, not even tossing you a glance while he heads upstairs. "You comin' back down?" you ask, wondering if you should follow. "Mhm," he nods, "Just changin', gonna shower."

"Can I..." but you trail off, not wanting to invite yourself -- uncomfortable in the silence. In the way he doesn't look at you, in the way he feels far away. The sound of the bathroom door closing puts a weight in your belly, your heart thrums, heat rises on the back of your neck. You settle in on the couch, the steady hum from the central air makes your eyelids heavy -- it was already a late night. You scroll on your phone, listening while the water hits the shower floor up stairs, wishing he'd invited you up. You feel sticky from the heat outside, from the bar air, from the beer someone spilled on your legs. Maybe you should just go. He appears at the top of the stairs when you open the Uber app, clearing his throat to get your attention. He's there in his sweats again, shirtless, tattoos shining under a layer of lotion rubbed into his skin. He tied his hair up, curly wet bun sloppily piled on top of his head, bangs fuzzily drying over his forehead.

"You can hop in if you want," he says, making his way down, "I left a towel by the sink for you. I um, I got that facewash you like -- that one you told me about. It's in the shower already, next to your loofah."

"Oh," your heart flutters a little, voice still meek and quiet. He still doesn't look at you. You exit the app, clicking your phone to sleep before standing up to make it to the stairs, "Thanks...thank you." He shrugs his shoulders when he looks over at you as if to say 'don't mention it'. He barely looks at you when you head up stairs, busying himself by filling up a silver REI canteen by the sink.

He did leave a towel, as well as a change of clothes. At least you knew he wanted you to spend the night. It's not like he'd let you leave the house this late anyway, you roll your eyes at yourself when you think about booking an Uber moments before.

You take your time, letting the hot water pour over you and calm your tense shoulders. Washing away the stickiness in your chest and on your skin. You scrub your face of any remaining makeup that had melted off on the walk home -- happy to not be using whatever random cleanser he got, trying to pretend he knew anything about skin care before you came along.

Some time had passed by the time you finished, padding down the stairs to see he’d pulled on a shirt. His hair hung in frizzy curls down to his collarbone again, drops of water during the worn black fabric blacker. He’s still in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher with tight shoulders and furrowed brows like he’s thinking about something. “Thanks for the jammies,” you chirp, sitting at the island on your designated barstool. “Yup,” he says, not turning to see you – very interested in the glassware he’s holding instead. Your shoulders droop with how curt he’s being, not used to this sort of standoffish attitude. He didn’t even get this miffed when you shrugged off his suggestion to watch Lord of the Rings and sided with Steve to watch Almost Famous. You hadn’t seen it in years. 

“You okay?” you ask, his shoulders tense. “Yeah baby, I’m okay,” he says, but he shuts the dishwasher a little too hard for that to be true. 

“You don’t seem okay.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“Is this about the party?”

“I said I’m fine, peach,” he repeats. 

“I mean, it’s just a party Ed, it’s like – people go to parties –” 

“I said I’m fine.” He looks at you for the first time since you got in the house. It’s pointed, accusatory, and as much as you wish it didn’t, you immediately get defensive. 

“Wait -– ” you let out a bitter laugh, “Are you mad about the coke? Seriously?” 

“Drop it,” he says lowly, “Let’s not –” 

“Are you seriously upset because I did coke at a party and you weren’t there?” you’re incredulous, “You? Eddie ‘Can’t Remember Berlin’ Munson?” 

“Stop, just forget it–” 

“No, let’s not stop – let’s not drop it. What’s your problem with me going out and enjoying myself? You mad I’m having fun without you?”  “It’s not about you going out and enjoying yourself. That’s not what it is.”

“Then what is it? What is it about me going to that party that’s got you so pissed off?” "'Cause I don't like that -- I don't like hearing that you're out getting sloppy at parties. I don't like hearing that you're trying new shit just for fun when you're by yourself," his gaze is hard while he leans over the island, chain dangling down from his neck. "I'm not by myself, I'm with my friends," you argue back, "Jesus Christ, Ed, I'm almost thirty years old."

"Coulda fuckin' fooled me," he snaps.

"Oh I forgot, you know everything. You've been there, done that. You know so much better than me, don't you?" your sarcasm makes him bite his tongue, anger teasing down his back in a blaze. Eddie hates that he has a short fuse -- he doesn't want to have one with you.

"Who'd you even get it from?" he asks, "Did you know 'em? Did you know if it was clean? Did they test it?" "Do you always know where your drugs are coming from?" you counter back. "Yeah, peach," he says with a nod, "I fucking do. I always know. God, it's like you think you're fuckin' invincible or some shit. I swear --" "I know who I got it from, it was clean -- the guy's loaded," you explain, face hot with frustration, "Can't imagine he's out there passing out fake stuff." The guy's loaded. So it was a guy -- Ed feels sick in a way that he hasn't in years. What was some guy doing telling you to try his shit? How drunk were you? Did you think he was cute? Rich guy? Did he try to pull one over on you? "How much did you pay for it?" he asks, crossing his arms. "What?"

"I wanna know if this guy scammed you, how much did you pay?"

"I didn't," you shrug. Eddie gets quiet, jaw clenching when you mention you got drugs on the house. He only knows one way that that's possible and it makes a rage in him bubble that he tries so hard to contain. His tongue runs over his teeth, trying to choose his words carefully. "You didn't pay for it?" he asks, the question clipped and tight. "No," you shrug innocently. "Did you fuck 'im?" "Wh-what?" the question punches out of you in shock. Why would he ever ask that? Why would he ever assume that? "You heard what I said," he bites, "Did. You. Fuck. Him?"

"No, I didn't fuck him," you hiss back angrily, "Why would you ever ask me that?"

"Can't think of another way to get drugs for free," he challenges back, "Did'ja suck him off? You're always tellin' me how good you are at it -- did you give him a fuckin' show?"

"What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" you get up off the barstool, posture matching his with your arms crossed tight around your chest.

"I'm just asking you a question," he repeats, his shoulders raising up and down in big breaths. "And I answered -- I didn't fuck him for free drugs," your head ticks to the side, "Sorry, not all of us have read the Eddie Munson doctrine."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying that I didn't do what you would've done." Your smart smirk when you finish your sentence makes him dig his nails into his biceps, a reminder to keep his hands to himself -- to calm down. This isn't about the drugs or the guy that gave them to you -- but he doesn't like that this is how you see him. Someone whose reckless and careless, someone who uses people to get what he wants. "Who do you think you are?" he snaps, "Huh? You don't know what you're talking about."

"If the first thing you think when I say I got drugs for free is that I fucked for them, then it's pretty clear that's how you go about your own business. How many people have you fucked for drugs?" you ask, "Actually, a better question would probably be how many people have fucked you for them?" "You told me you used to deal -- so c'mon loverboy, how many women did you have fuck you for drugs? If that's how to do it." Eddie shakes his head, eyes shut and jaw tense, taking a shaky deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth, "I never had anyone fuck me for drugs."

"So why would I have done it? Why do you always assume I'm doing something wrong? Why do you always expect me to act like I know what you know all the time? And better yet -- why does it even FUCKING matter?!" your voice grows higher and louder with each question, watching him get more and more frustrated while you continue, "Why does it even matter when you don't commit anyway? Maybe you're fucking around!" "I'm not -- ugh -- I'm not fucking around, peach!" he snaps back, chucking his water bottle hard into the sink with a loud clang. "Nice, Ed," you nod, arms crossing tighter around you, "Real nice -- what, you gonna hit me? That what's next on your list? Really put me in my place? Sounds so fucking familiar, I wonder where I heard it bef--" "SHUT UP." His voice booms through the kitchen, making you flinch. "Don't you EVER say that shit to me," he bellows, finger pointing directly in your face from across the island, "Don't you EVER make that comparison." You stand there, chewing on the inside of your cheek while he yells. "Do you feel better?!" he asks, voice hoarse and deep, graveled with anger, "Do you feel better now, peach?! Did that help?! Do you feel fuckin' validated?" He watches you shake your head no, tears starting to pool in your eyes. They look up at him, glassy and wet, threatening to spill over onto your cheeks. He takes a deep breath, chest sinking when he sees the way you look at him -- silenced and quiet now, because he scared you. Because he's scary -- and that's why he shouldn't be with anyone, that's why it's too much to feel this way about someone. You wipe at your cheeks when the tears spill out, a few whimpers coming from you when you start to cry from how he yelled. From how you don't really know what you're both fighting about, but you both really know and it's terrifying. "Don't -- no baby, I'm sorry, don't cry," he says, his own breath shuddering, "I didn't mean to yell, I'm sorry. I won't -- I won't ever raise my voice at you like that." He rounds the corner of the island, coming to meet you on the other side with extended arms. His hands find their way to your cheeks, thumbs brushing away the tears gathering at your lash line, "I'm so sorry, I won't ever yell like that again. I promise. I -- I'm -- there's no excuse for that." He leans forward to leave a soft kiss on your forehead and the tip of your nose, "I'm sorry."

"That's - sniffle - not what I need you t-to be sorry f-for," you stutter out. He frowns back at you and nods. "I -- peach I just get worried, that's all," he confesses, "I don't really think you went and slept with that guy I just --"

He swallows, thinking about the words he wants to say. His hands drop from your cheeks to pull you in to him. He settles on the barstool, pulling you close to stand between his legs like he has before. "I don't wanna not hear from you for a week only to like, get a text or call from your sister that something bad happened," he says, his dark brown eyes getting as glassy as yours the more he thinks about it. "I know you're an adult, I know you can take care of yourself and that you're safe," he assures, "I promise, I know. I'm just scared." "What're you scared of?" you ask. "Losin' you," he shrugs, "To y'know, addiction or whatever -- or worse. I don't wanna lose you -- I really like having you around. Your -- you've added so much to my life in such a short period of time and I -- I don't know, peach. I think since Steve's wife I just -- It's something I think about." "You being scared doesn't give you the right to accuse me of sleeping around," your face hasn't softened at his explanation, not letting him get away with being an asshole. He likes that about you -- you don't take his shit, "It doesn't give you the right to talk down to me like I don't know what the fuck I'm doing."

"I know," he nods, "That was unfair." "I think you're just trying to find reasons to make me seem not worth it," you let out without waiver, "Even if you have to make them up."

"No," his brows furrow, "No, you're so worth it. Why would you say that?" "You were so quick to accuse me of some wild shit," you scoff, "It's like you're trying to fight with yourself about it. About how you feel and like -- maybe that lady from the bar a while ago was right. Maybe I have been just for fun for you. You got to play house with me, you got to see what a relationship is like for fun and now you can ruin it cause you're over it. Or you're bored." "No -- " he starts, heart thrumming in his chest, throat getting tight, "Peach that's not it at al--" "It seems like it --" "Did you not just hear what I said about losing y--" "I don't wanna hear it, it's just bullsh--" "Baby, I'm trying to be honest with y--" "This is starting to feel like a shitty game that you're trying t--" "I love you." You stop talking at the slight raise in his voice, the weight of the sentence hanging over the both of you in the kitchen. "God peach, I -- I fucking love you. I'm in love with you," he breathes, like he's fully realizing it for himself, too, "I...shit, I think about you all the time. I go to sleep excited cause I know m'gonna see you the next day I...Jesus babe, I -- I love you." Your lower lip wobbles again, "Yeah?" "Yeah," he nods, sighing weakly, "I knew when we got you your glasses. I knew -- I think I knew from the start. And I'm scared cause I -- I don't love people like this a lot." "Just Steve," you sniffle with a watery laugh. He lets out a chuckle, reaching out to pull you close to him by the waist. "Steve's different," he shrugs, "M'never gonna love anyone like Steve."

"I'm sorry for what I said," he reaches up again, running the pad of his thumb over your lower lip, "I'm sorry for yelling." "I'm sorry, too," you match him, hand reaching up to run your fingers through his bangs, pushing them away from his forehead to kiss it. His eyes shut closed at the soft touch, feeling you step close to him while his face rests on your chest. "I..that was fucked up of me to bring up your dad," you shake your head, "I was just angry I -- I'm so sorry." "It's okay," he mumbles, wrapping his arms around you. He rests his chin on your breasts, looking up at you, "I -- I've done a lot of work to not end up like him. Sometimes it still gets the better of me." "But I need you to know something," his face is soft but serious, "I will never put my hands on you, ever." "Okay," you nod, giving him another kiss on the bridge of his nose. "Only if you ask," he smirks, "Only if you want me to. If we're doing that." You both giggle in that way that couples do when they're being gross, holding each other on the barstool. Silence carries over you when the giggle runs out, both of you exhausted from the night -- from fighting. "I love you, too," you whisper down to him. "Thank god, cause I was really nervous that I just sort of let it all out there for nothing," he whispers back. He stands up, still wrapped up in you, offering you gentle kisses. He holds you there for a minute, you hold each other -- he realizes how tender he is with you. How you pull all of this tenderness out of him. "You're my girl, right?" he asks into the top of your head. You nod into his chest, his hand reaching up to caress over your hair. "Are you mine?" you ask into his shirt. "Yeah," he smirks into a low laugh, "Yeah, I'm your girl." "Can we go to bed?" sleepiness coats the question, a neediness lacing your voice. "Mhm." He leads you up the stairs, calling to his Google home to turn the lights off when you both make it to the top. He got a new candle for his room, something with oud in it. Woody, deep, musky. Ahead of the season. You slip into bed at the same time, leaving your phone on the side table while he slips his glasses on to check something on his. You watch him with his bedside lamp illuminating him from behind. It catches on the frizz in his wavy curls, tied up in ponytail. It bleeds over the slop of his nose and the whites of his eyes. He catches you when he puts his phone to the side, smiling. "What're you lookin' at?" he asks, slipping his glasses off and click out the light. "You just look handsome," you shrug. He murmurs a thank you before dipping down to kiss you when he slides under the covers. For the first time in forever he doesn't want to have sex after a fight -- it almost feels cheap. Like it's a cover -- like he's not really sorry, like he didn't mean all the things he said. "Night, pretty." He pulls you into him when you settle in, your back pressed up against his chest, "I love you." "I love you," you say back, eyes closed, encased in his arms. He's never held someone so tight to him. Not since Chicago.

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[blujayeyes]

Oh my god, thank you so much @hoping-for-novelty for giving me the idea for the following theory.

Massive spoilers for all of protocol up till now btw

So.

In MagP 26 “catching up”, when asked by the case protagonist who they are, [ERROR] responds with “an archivist”.

An archivist. As in one of many.

Two of the big questions of protocol are

A) “what is error?” And B) “what happened to Jon?(and Martin and maybe Jonah ig but shhhhh this ain’t about them)”. Most people theorize that Jon is in the computer, or Jon is error, or that error is the Magnus institute Manchester’s failed attempt at an archivist, and I think that while alone those theories are interesting but not necessarily probable, together they begin to paint a picture.

For a while I thought that Jon was split in half, with Jon in FR3-D1 and the archivist becoming error, and while now looking back it’s a good starting point, I also don’t think that’s the case, as we see later on instances of FR3-D1 being straight up malevolent and monstrous and error showing, though small, more human tendencies, such as confusion(MagP 37), so it’s unlikely to be such a clean split of monster from human, and because FR3-D1 as a system is pretty much a literal digital archive.

But then the above post got me thinking. What if FR3-D1 isn’t just Jon as the archivist, but the HEAD archivist? What if error, who called themself AN archivist, and has a different voice actor is an extension of the archivist, like how FR3-D1 can tap into devices to see or listen through them, what if that’s what error is? What if that’s why it let Sam live? So that he could become another one of it’s archival assistants which is why we see him able to either compel TMA!alice or at least direct error on where to focus to get a statement.

This next part is a bit of a leap but what if that’s what teddy’s new job is doing? In episode 28 Teddy says that his new job is not normal(presumably supernatural) and is trying to talk to Alice about it but gets cut off. And in the bonus episode “what if #1- what if everyone listened to Colin” almost everyone is fired, and when they are, Teddy approaches them representing his new job to offer them jobs, showing that whatever teddy’s new job is, it’s headhunting ex-OIAR employees. And in episode 35, after bumping into Alice, teddy fearfully directly addresses FR3-D1 through the camera it’s watching him through saying that “he’s on his way”, implying that he is in some way working for FR3-D1. So my theory is that because OIAR workers have some sort of exposure to FR3-D1 and pre existing experience with the paranormal that drove them to work there, Teddy’s new job is in some way doing something to them that is turning them into something that can then become an extension or an archivist, not necessarily to the degree of error, but still an extension. Or maybe they are just turning their employees or subjects into avatars, and they turn just ex OIAR employees into extensions, though I think this theory is a little out there.

Also I think it’s quite possible that Teddy in some way works for the Elric rehabilitation initiative but that’s a theory for another time.

But then that leaves the question of why would Jon do this? Well, it seems that when the powers got dragged over, they got mixed up, no longer so distinguishable, so maybe if the archivist got dragged over with them, it got muddled up to; stuck in a computer with familiar voices along side it that it can’t quite place, a monster that knows it’s purpose but is lost and confused, with impressions of memories it can’t quite place from when it was a human with a name that it can no longer remember among it’s limitless knowledge, but somewhere, deep down it remembers something from its past, though it is not privy to the context surrounding it.

People. Assistants, helpers in it’s archive, that collected information for it. It remembers them fondly, though it does not know why. So in a new world, confined to it’s little cage of machinery, reaching out for something familiar, it creates assistants to aid it once again.

And now that it is simply an archive, well, an archive needs archivists, doesn’t it? And if the workers of the OIAR were the people looking after the archive, what could they be other than archivists?

Also maybe that’s what’s gonna happen to Colin. By this logic wouldn’t he be considered an archivist? And FR3-D1 ate him and discarded his physicality, but not his soul, so maybe he’ll be turned into an archivist like error, a hive mind of archival assistants reporting back to the head archivist. Maybe that’s the endgame for all of them.

But then again I could also be completely wrong. Idk. Sorry for how rambley this got but tell me what you think. Ok I’m gonna go study for my exams now byeeeeeeeeeee