#extra eggs...? wink-wink

[dollyfiles]

single!dad!rafe asking sweetheart!reader out

sweetheart!reader mlist

cw: none, pure fluff

it was a slow sunday morning at rosie’s. the old jukebox in the corner hummed a slow, dreamy tune from the ’50s, barely louder than the gentle clink of silverware or the low murmur of sleepy regulars.

you were already gliding toward rafe and lizzie with two plates balanced effortlessly in your hands, their usuals of course. you didn’t even need a notepad anymore.

before lizzie had even swung her tiny legs up into the booth, you set down a vanilla milkshake with extra whipped cream and sprinkles in front of the four-year old. right next to you, rafe took a seat with a quiet, grateful smile.

“strawberry pancakes, extra syrup on the side, no fruit touching the whipped cream, just how you like it, my lady,” you said, sliding the plate in front of lizzie. “and for you…” you placed a plate in front of rafe, “two eggs, over medium, toast a little too crispy, and bacon that’s—what did you say last time? aggressively fried?”

lizzie beamed. “thank you, miss sweetheart!” and rafe chuckled softly, “that’s the one,” the cup of black coffee already warm in his palm. you knew how he liked it. dark, strong, and a little too hot to sip right away. “you really are somethin’ else.” you gave him a wink in response, your heart doing that flutter it always did when he looked at you that way.

but something was different today. you saw it in the way his shoulders slumped a little more than usual. in how his fingers tapped the side of his coffee mug, like there was something heavy pressing on him.

his smile was there, but it felt… restrained. pulled tight at the edges. still, you didn’t press. that wasn’t your way. but you lingered just a second longer, your fingers touching the edge of his plate gently before moving on, letting him have his space.

behind the counter, you busied yourself with the usual. refilling the sugar jars, reorganizing the straw holder even though it didn’t need it, pretending you weren’t watching him out of the corner of your eye. your heart though, well, that had other plans. it always beat a little different when rafe was in the room.

there was something about him. the way he looked at his daughter like she was his entire world. the way he always said “thank you” like it mattered. he made the space around him feel grounded, even on the days when the world felt too loud.

and yet today, he looked… worn out. like he’d had a thousand moments lately where he had to be strong and couldn’t afford to fall apart. you knew that look. too well.

but that’s when you felt a tiny tug on the edge of your apron. you glanced down and found lizzie, standing beside you, eyes wide with mischief and the kind of innocent confidence only a four-year-old could get away with.

“hi,” the girl said cheerfully. you crouched down slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “hey there, sugar. what you sneakin’ up on me for?” lizzie peeked over her shoulder toward her dad, before leaning in like she was about to share national secrets.

then, in the loudest whisper imaginable, she blurted, “umm..will you go on a date with my daddy?” you blinked. frozen. “what?” you laughed, heat blooming instantly in your cheeks.

lizzie giggled, arms swinging slightly like this was no big deal. “he really wants to. he said it lots’ at home. like, a lot a lot. i think daddy is shy. he practiced with our cat last night.” sweetheart nearly choked on a laugh.

“does he now?” lizzie nodded solemnly. “but peaches didn’t say yes. just walked away. i think miss sweetheart would say yes though. you like daddy, right?” your heart twisted, not in a bad way, but in that aching, tender way that always surprised you.

you looked over at the booth, where rafe sat, oblivious, gently wiping a bit of grease from the corner of his mouth. he looked tired. but he looked so full of love, too. watching rafe, you realized something had quietly taken root in your chest. a kind of yearning for something safe.

you placed a hand on your heart. “i do think your daddy is quiet the jaw-dropper.” lizzie just beamed at you with the cutest smile ever, “mhm! he’s the best. he makes the best spaghetti. and he smells nice when he hugs me.”

you couldn’t help but giggle at how innocent she was. “well,” you said, crouching a little more to meet lizzie at eye level. “wanna help me play a little prank on him?” the girls’ eyes lit up like christmas morning. “yesss!”

“okay,” you whispered, reaching for a clean napkin and a pink crayon from the counter cup. “i’m gonna write him a tiny note. your job is to bring it to him, slide it onto the table, and act normal. no smiling. no giggling. can you do that?”

lizzie nodded with the most serious face she could manage. “good girl,” you smiled, and then quickly scribbled on the napkin in your neat, loopy handwriting:

“your daughter just sealed the deal for you, rafe. thank her for the push, and tell her i’d love to go on a date with her daddy.”

and just below it, you pressed your lips to the corner. your signature red color leaving a perfect kiss mark like a seal of approval. you folded the napkin carefully and handed it to lizzie. “go on, secret agent. don’t blow our cover.”

lizzie nodded, clutching the note tightly, and skipped back to the booth with the kind of exaggerated “calm” walk that made you smile against your knuckles. you watched from behind the counter, hiding behind the coffee machine just enough to see but not be seen just yet.

rafe looked down as his daughter slid the folded napkin across the table with a simple “this is from miss sweetheart.” then she picked up her fork and resumed eating like nothing had happened. curious, rafe unfolded the napkin.

his brows furrowed first, then his eyes swept over the words slowly. once, twice, then a third time. his lips parted slightly in disbelief, thumb hovering over the kiss mark. then he looked up. you gave him a playful wink from across the room and mouthed, ‘took you long enough’.

rafe let out the softest, stunned laugh and shook his head, running a hand through his hair. his smile was slow, wide, and warm enough to melt every last cube of sugar on the counter.

he glanced at lizzie, who was just happily munching her pancakes as if she hadn’t just changed the course of his life. with that, rafe finally exhaled all the nerves he’d been carrying around for weeks. he looked over at you again, heart full and eyes shining, and said the words he’d been practicing, though this time, not to the cat.

“dinner next friday?” his eyes beamed at you, almost pleading. you leaned on the counter, your smile soft and bright. “i thought you’d never ask.” and just like that, with pancakes half-eaten and pink crayon hearts drawn on napkins, something beautiful began. maybe a bit messy but still full of heart.

tags: @inbred-eater @dearapril @rafecami @isasweetie @beausling @rafesheaven @rafesbowbunny @rafesangelita @drewsephrry @rafessecret @littlelamy @sturn777 @bradshawed @cherrygirlfriend @trusweethrt @inspiredangel @whinyangel @et6rnalsun @luckycrys @bluemerakis @rafeysbangs @f4dedtouch @nemesyaaa @bruisedfig @tinythebunni @rcsbabydoll @rafestoothbrush

[shouyuus]

hiii rain how are you doing beautiful💞

what do u think about long-distance relationship!vi

a quick lil thing bc its been a long day u__u; i'm alright bby! still sick but im getting better slowly!!! <3

tiny lil bit 18+, mdni, vi-shaped brainrot as per usual

longdistance!vi who has a separate ringtone just for you, so she'll always know when it's you calling; she never misses a phone date, even if she's a little late sometimes, who nearly fumbles her phone when she tries to answer, so eager, every single time, who stares down at the image of you with the goofiest smile, because god how'd she get so lucky?

longdistance!vi who will phone you in the morning just to brush your teeth together, the both of you still half-asleep, messy hair and all, doesn't say a word, but will make faces at you when she's rinsing her mouth, gargles extra loud just to try and make you laugh so you'll choke on your toothpaste, winks when she catches you staring at her when she steps back to change, doesn't mute at all when she pees right after, laughing when you roll your eyes and hang up, only to call back a second later, her face shoved up against the screen, distorting her features just to say, "it's healthy to pee in the morning!"

longdistance!vi who's never shy with telling you that she misses you and is unrepentantly needy, texts you at all hours of the day, whines that life must hate her because you're so far apart, counts down the hours till she gets to see you again in person (three months, two days, and thirteen hours --)

longdistance!vi who doesn't hold back describing to you all the things she's gonna do to you the second she gets her hands on you, even as she's got a hand shoved down her own panties, the sound of your whines in her ears -- "god, can't wait to fuck you till you're cumming around my fingers -- you're always so wet for me baby --" "miss how you taste, miss the way you pull my hair --" "want you to cum on my mouth over and over, can you do that for me, baby? yeah?" "lemme hear you cum, doll, that's right -- moan nice and loud for me -- yeah, fuck the neighbor, he can complain to me when i get there."

longdistance!vi who definitely makes good on her promises, and then some, but you'll wake up to the smell of bacon and eggs in the morning, to the sound of her humming in the kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts; who can't help the smile that takes over her face when she turns around to see you standing in the doorway of your bedroom, wearing of one her old band tee's, your hair a bird's nest tangle from the night before.

"morning, princess -- sleep well?"

you patter up to her, press a kiss to her cheek, reach up for the moka pot to make some coffee.

"mm... depends on what well means -- we didn't get to sleep till wayyyy late," you tease, tugging two mugs from their hooks on the wall, bending over the fridge for the milk carton.

"yeah well -- 's not like we had plans today other than chillin' at home and --" she leans over to mouth at your neck, looping an arm around your middle, groaning into your skin even as you giggle and let her suck yet another hickey into your shoulder.

"i thought you wanted to go grocery shopping today? weren't you gonna make me vander's famous meatballs?"

she sighs, hooking her chin over your shoulder.

"fine, fine... but that can wait till the afternoon right?"

"sure it can," you say, laughing as she waddles the pair of you back to the stove to flip the bacon and eggs.

longdistance!vi who's always been terrible at goodbyes, who lingers too long and almost misses her flight, but she'll always be the last one waving, either by the airport drop-off or in the window of her cab, who texts you nearly immediately as you're out of sight, reminds you to drive safe, that she misses you already, and that she's already counting down the days till she can see you again.

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Headcanon: How They Celebrate Your Birthday

This is for everyone but extra Happy Birthday to my girl @zepskies 🥳

Dean Winchester

Cooks you a breakfast with all the fixin’s including eggs, bacon, pancakes, hashbrowns and huevos rancheros 

Insists on washing your hair during your morning shower

Takes you into town to a bookstore and proceeds to tell you that you have ten minutes to grab whatever books you want, he’s buying (Dean will be alarmed at how quickly you rush away from him down the aisles)

After making room in Baby for your haul, he swings through your favorite deli, grabbing road trip food

You raise an eyebrow, wondering if a hunt popped up, but instead Dean heads towards the state park, smiling behind his sunglasses 

“What are we doing?” You’d ask

“That.” 

He’d grin hard when you turned a corner and found a pavilion with streamers and balloons, a large group of people underneath

“What’s that?”

“Your birthday party, sweetheart.” He flashed a wink, grabbing your chin and pecking a chaste kiss on your lips. “Surprise!”

Beau Arlen

Let’s you sleep in like the true king he is

Leaves you flowers and a cheeky note on your nightstand teasing you with how he can’t wait to get his hands on you tonight

Surprises you in the kitchen, pouring you a cup of coffee with a smirk, letting you know that he took the day off to spend it together

Beau takes you on your favorite hike in the mountains (and will take any excuse to see you in leggings and a sports bra)

After a wonderful joint shower at home, you go out to lunch, Beau taking you to an exclusive place downtown that he may or may not have threatened to call the health inspector if he didn’t get a reservation today

You walk main street together, popping into the mom and pop shops, Beau discreetly buying a bracelet he’d notice you’d looked at no less than four times

Inside the bakery, you shared a piece of cake for your dessert before Beau abruptly informed you that you were going to be late if you didn’t head out soon

Two hours and one change into a dress later, Beau was escorting you out of the truck to where his rarely used air stream sat

The air smelled delicious and you grinned at the romantic table set up on the porch under string lights

“All this for me, Arlen?”

“Oh no,” he said, reaching into his pocket, slipping the bracelet onto your wrist. “This is for my other girlfriend. Just wanted your opinion on it.”

“Such a loser,” you’d grin

He’d lean down to kiss you, smiling against your lips. “Oh, yeah. I’m such a loser.”

Soldier Boy

Wakes you up with kisses in ahem “places”

Informs that you as it’s your special day, it’d be better to spend it in your birthday suit. With him. In bed. 

Has all of your favorite foods delivered to the house. Coffee. Brunch. Even that hole in the wall place he said he’d rather die than step foot in again

Let’s you top him and to his surprise, finds he enjoys little spooning

Carries you to the tub for a long soak when he breaks your previous record

Brings you a glass of your favorite drink and lays your body down on fresh sheets at the end of the night

Rests a padded jewelry box on top of your pillow, smiling shyly

Inside you find a necklace you recognize as his mother’s from photographs and catch the nervous look on his face

“You like it?”

“Best present ever, Ben”

Russell Shaw

Has a suspiciously large pink box delivered to the front porch which has you scratching your head considering he’s supposed to be on a different continent at the moment

Inside the box is a card that informs you to turn around where you find Russell holding a cake

Russell barely gets the cake on the counter before you jump in his arms and he carries you back to bed

After a long nap, you’d awaken to Russell cooking you a late lunch in nothing more than a pair of gray sweats

“So when do I get to unwrap my present?” you asked, nodding to the box

“Later,” he teased. “Let me dote on you first.”

Doting included the best lunch of your life, a back rub, foot rub, shared bath with too many bubbles to count and then wrapping you up in a blanket that surely was made from sort of mythical animal

“Alpaca. Picked it up a while ago for ya in Patagonia.” He’d bring the pink box in the room, setting it in your lap. “Your true present, m’lady.”

“Oh yeah I’m sure-” You screamed, unfurling from the blanket, standing on the bed naked. “YOU GOT THEM?”

“I was really hoping you’d be more excited,” he frowned, quickly breaking into a laugh. 

“HOW? Tell me you didn’t kill someone to get these.” You’d pick up the VIP concert tickets you’d been unable to get six months ago, Russell laying back on the bed giggling. 

You’d plop down to your knees, Russell resting a hand on your bare thigh

“Connections, baby. I also may have hacked into the system to see who bought tickets and then threatened to report the guy for having an outstanding warrant if he didn’t sell them to me but it was all connections.”

“I love you so much!” He giggled again, pulling you down against him. “You got them!”

“Anything for my girl.”

___________

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Adeuce + Onee-san!Yuu Headcanons

I THINK THEY’D BOTH BE INTO ONEE-SANS… cuz Ace is the bratty one that wants attention and Deuce is into being praised for his accomplishments 💀 Even worse if both of them are crushing on the same onee-san and butt heads every day about it.

Please note: due to the nature of the scenario, these headcanons could read as gendered (since “onee-san” means "big sister") even though I avoid the use of gendered pronouns for the reader/self insert in my writing and just generally allude to the concept of the "onee-san" trope (someone who is reliable, kind, and mature). Read at your own discretion.

Curiouser and Curiouser…

Ace is totally the type of guy that mercilessly teases the person he has a crush on, and that's really no different when it comes to you. He sees it like a challenge, to see how fast he can break you and get you cutely begging him to stop--but to his surprise, you hold your own and push back, scolding him for his attitude and lip. He blinks as you finish your lecture and turn to walk off, not registering the heat of his gaze following you.

The teasing continues regardless, of course. He doesn't let up on it, always coming up with some clever new excuse whenever you respond. With (fake) watery eyes, Ace will claim you're BULLYING your innocent little kouhai, don't you feel any shame or remorse? Oh, and he gets jealous if others tease you—because only he’s allowed to do that, got it?

He doesn't flinch at all when you scold him (In fact, he thinks it's kind of cute how you get all stern and pouty) Ace will taunt you and egg you on ("What're you gonna do, tell my mom?"). May or may not also include him cheekily sticking his tongue out at you.

The number one thing he makes fun of you about is your kindness. He often tells you that you're TOO nice, and that someday it may come back to bite you in the ass, or someone might try to take advantage of that kindness. "Luckily for you, I'm a nice guy too, so I wouldn't mess with you like that."

Ace is handsy. He'll casually lean on your shoulder or even rest his head on top of yours (if you're short enough for that kind of thing). It's fine between "just friends", right?

If you ignore him (or he feels like you're giving more attention to Grim or Deuce than to him), he gets all clingy, whining about how you next hang out anymore or why did you leave his text on read? Ace tries to invite you out as nonchalantly as he can (he doesn't want to come off as desperate).

"How about that burger place in town? What? Nooo, it's not a date, dummy! It’s just a joke. Unless…?" He typically phrases private outings with him as unserious, if only to keep a route of plausible deniability open for himself to escape with if you indicate you're not really into it.

Pesters you to come watch his basketball games. Constantly. When you do finally show up, he waves excitedly, winks, and tries to dedicate a shot to you in an attempt to look cool. (Unfortunately, the ball bounces off the rim and makes him look incredibly pathetic. Floyd gets a good laugh out of this.)

Every time Riddle collars him or punishes him with extra chores, Ace asks you to comfort him. He'll dramatically lean against you and lament how life has been SO unfair to him lately, so he'd for real appreciate a shoulder to cry on or maybe a lap to rest on right about now~

He pretends to not understand class material as an excuse to ask for "one-on-one" tutoring. Since you're sooo smart and kind, you'll definitely help him, won't you? As you're explaining how to solve this equation or the next, Ace is too busy staring at your profile to really pay attention. You ask if he gets it now, and it takes him a few seconds to snap back to reality and insist to you that he does, but juuust to make sure he gets it maybe you could explain it all again!

Whenever you pack a homemade lunch, Ace is the first to ask for a bite. Well, not ask but more like he announces he wants some before he steals a bite right off of your eating utensil. He'll then make some cheeky comment about how it's an indirect kiss. In return, he shares his own snacks (which suspiciously look like unbirthday party cakes he swiped from the fridge, but shhhh, don't tell Riddle!).

Every time Ace dresses up or buys some new article of clothing, he makes a show of wearing it. Like this guy will wear the luxury sunglasses Vil gifted him for his birthday INDOORS or on the back of his head hoping it'll bait you into noticing and then complimenting him.

Ace claims that you're "soooo obsessed with [him'" since you're always "chasing [him] like a lovesick puppy" and "looking for excuses to talk with [him]". In reality, you follow him around and talk with him to nag him and keep him in line, but Ace frames it a certain way because he's delusional to mess with you. "Geez, if you want me that badly, then just say so~"

You try your best to keep him out of trouble, but there are instances in which you end up roped into his shenanigans and both of you are punished for it. Detention isn't exactly a very romantic spot to be in, but Ace makes use of every moment of it to hog you for himself. "Hey, don't make that long face. It's not so bad—least you've got me here to keep you company."

He sometimes brings up his ex to complain about how needy she was (the irony of Ace saying that is not lost on you) and implicitly brag about how he has sooo much experience with dating. He'll then bring the attention to you. "I don't get it, what was she looking for in a guy? She said I was way too immature for her. How about you, Prefect? Do you get it? Immature guys... do you like that kind of thing?" Ace thinks he's slick but he ain't--

Unlike Ace, Deuce does his best to try and not cause trouble for you to clean up after. He also joins you in telling Ace off, to which Ace will call him a "goody two shoes" and accuse him of "sucking up to Prefect". Deuce adamantly denies it, but his frenemy's words still fluster him.

Deuce is very polite to you and even greets you with a bow. He sees you as someone deserving of respect because of how responsible you are—you're modelling the very thing he aspires to be someday! Your encouraging presence fills him with a drive and determination to be better.

Having someone like you around makes Deuce try really, really hard to demonstrate how mature he can be. He pulls off these herculean feats (like forcing himself to eat bell peppers without gagging or solving a basic arithmetic problem correctly in under 5 minutes). It’s all worth it when he sees that proud smile blooming on your face and hears the cheery “Good job!!” from you.

Deuce usually keeps a respectable distance (to keep things professional between peers!). However, he completely freezes up if any scenarios arise where you touch him—be it an accidental brush of your shoulder and his while you're walking to class together or you plucking a fallen leaf or petal out of his air. His face turns about as red as his dorm leader's and he hurriedly runs way ahead of you to cool off.

The worst of it is when you adjust your clothes for him (it puts you in very close proximity) or when you pat him on the head and shower him with praise. Deuce doesn't know how to react to receiving such earnest compliments, he just melts like putty in your hands, happily basking in the moment.

In spite of all of his efforts, his grades don't see much of an improvement. Seeing his frustration, you offer to tutor him, which Deuce graciously accepts. It doesn't occur to him until he's actually in that tutoring session that this is a private time for the two of you, and suddenly he's struggling to focus because wow, you're so close and your hand is centimeters away from his. Instead of thinking about math, he's thinking about what it would feel like to reach out and hold you. Stupid, stupid! he scolds himself. D-Don't think about weird things like that!

Deuce doesn't have a lot of pocket money, but he offers to share his food with you anyway. (He knows you're carefully budgeting your monthly allowance from the headmaster, so you can't afford to spend much on treats.) He'll break off half of his chocolate bar or dessert bread, but drinks are harder to share. His face burns at the suggestion of sharing a straw—isn't that technically an indirect kiss?—but he tries to pretend like he's not nervous (even as his hand trembles terribly as he accepts the juice carton from you to take a sip of his own).

There are times when you find him a little bruised and beat up, whether it’s the result of a brawl or an intense workout. Deuce will insist that he’s fine, but that doesn’t stop you from personally tending to him. He’s dead quiet as he watches you disinfect and bandage his injuries, heat climbing to his cheeks. When you ask if it hurts anymore, he softly replies “… No.” Not when you’re here with me.

Deuce frequently tells his mom about you when they speak over the phone. He says that you’re an amazing person with a big heart, rambling on and on about how you care about everyone and always support them. His mom listens for a while before laughing and telling Deuce he’s definitely got a crush and that she’d love to meet this person that has stolen her son’s heart. Of course, he gets embarrassed and claims she’s wrong, he just really admires you, that’s all!! (But a mother knows best…)

Deuce is easily flustered whenever you call him “cute”. He tends to keep his mouth shut and let you gush as you please, but one day he manages to find his voice and protests. "P-Please don't tease me like that, Prefect..." Deuce mutters, his gaze cutting to the ground. “I… I want you to see me as a man.” Someone you can rely on.

Deuce tells you that if you’re ever in need of help—or if people are giving you trouble—then all you have to do is call him. He’ll come running to your side, lend a hand, fend off the bullies, whatever you need. He knows he can depend on you, so he should also be the type of person you can depend on.

It’s hard for him to get a grip on his delinquent side if he feels like you’re in danger. That mixture of concern, protectiveness, and upset drives him wild—he doesn’t even realize he has relapsed until he has rushed over to check on you and notices the alarm set in your eyes. I’ve gone and done it again, he panics. They’re disappointed in me.

… But you embrace Deuce warmly, thanking him, peppering him with reassurances, inspecting him for any signs of harm. He’s flooded with relief, allowing himself to sink into your arms and breathe in your comforting smell.

Deuce appreciates it when you make time to go to his Track and Field Club meets and cheer him on. He sprints like the wind to see you at the finish line. You’re smiling, with a water bottle, a wet towel, and a snack in hand to reward him for his hard work. Deuce’s clubmates snicker and tease him about it, but he doesn’t let that get to him—he’s too busy riding the adrenaline high that is you.

He’s not shameless unlike Ace, who pretty much automatically clocks his feelings. Deuce struggles a lot with coming to terms with how he feels about you, wondering if he’s “good enough” to be near you, to like you in the capacity that he does, to push these emotions onto you. He kicks himself, calling it spineless and cowardly to not gather his courage and just blurt it out already—but he’s scared of breaching your friendship. “Hey, Is this okay…?” Is it okay for me to like you like this?

[thesecondhandwoman]

BIRTHDAY GIRL

Caitlyn x f!reader

Synopsis: It is Caitlyn’s birthday, and you wanted to make it perfect, especially as her girlfriend, even if you made it a bit excessive.

A/N: Just had to write something for this woman’s birthday (she turned 24/25 in the fanfic).

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains of Caitlyn’s bedroom, painting the room in shades of gold and lavender. You perched carefully on the edge of the bed, balancing a tray loaded with breakfast delights: fluffy pancakes drizzled with syrup, perfectly scrambled eggs, fresh fruit arranged in a neat fan, and a steaming cup of coffee. A single rose sat in a vase beside it all, adding a touch of elegance Caitlyn would certainly notice.

Taking a deep breath, you leaned over to gently nudge her shoulder. “Caitlyn,” you said softly, your voice warm with anticipation. “Time to wake up, birthday girl.”

She stirred, her brows knitting slightly before her lashes fluttered open. Her soft blue eyes, still hazy with sleep, locked onto yours. “What’s all this?” she murmured, her voice low and drowsy.

“Good morning to you, too,” you teased with a grin. “Breakfast in bed, because today’s your day, and I plan on spoiling you properly.”

A smile crept across her lips as she sat up, her hair falling in tousled waves around her face. “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” she said, though the soft blush coloring her cheeks told you she was already touched.

“Oh, but I did,” you replied, placing the tray on her lap. “You only turn, uh, twenty-something once.”

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re terrible at this guessing game.”

“Terrible at guessing, sure. Great at making you smile, though,” you said with a wink.

“Did you really forget my age though, baby?” She joked while looking back down at the tray.

“Pssh, no, I was just joking, Mrs. 25 years old.”

Caitlyn chuckled again, her elegant fingers wrapping around the coffee mug. She took a careful sip, her eyes closing briefly in appreciation. “Perfect, as always. What would I do without you?”

“Probably forget it was your birthday,” you teased.

She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Fair point.”

As she ate, you stayed close, enjoying the peaceful morning with her. Every bite seemed to make her more at ease, her usual sharp and focused demeanor replaced with something softer, more relaxed. It wasn’t often Caitlyn allowed herself to be doted on, but today, she accepted it gracefully.

Once the tray was empty, Caitlyn set it aside and reached for your hand. “Thank you,” she said, her voice sincere. “This was a lovely way to start the day.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” you said, leaning in to kiss her lightly. “The day’s just getting started.”

Her lips quirked up in amusement. “Should I be worried?”

“Not at all,” you promised. “Just be ready for a few surprises later.”

She gave you a knowing look but didn’t press further. “Well, I’m intrigued.”

After Caitlyn left for work, the real madness began. Piltover’s streets were their usual chaotic blend of merchants shouting, tinkers advertising their wares, and enforcers patrolling with sharp eyes. You darted between stalls and shops, collecting everything you needed for the evening: golden and sapphire balloons, streamers, candles, and a perfectly wrapped present hidden inside your bag. The pièce de résistance, however, was the cake.

The bakery owner handed it to you carefully, the chocolate confection topped with elegant swirls of frosting and decorated with delicate candied flowers. “You’ve got good taste,” she said with a grin.

“Thanks,” you replied. “She deserves the best.”

By mid-afternoon, your apartment was a bustling hub of activity. Streamers crisscrossed the ceiling, the banner proudly declaring HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAITLYN! in bold letters. The table was set with plates, utensils, and the centerpiece cake surrounded by tiny party favors. You even managed to string up fairy lights along the windows for extra charm.

The doorbell rang just as you adjusted the final balloon. When you opened it, Vi stood on the other side, holding a small, poorly wrapped box. “You know, you’re making the rest of us look bad with all this effort,” she joked, stepping inside.

“Somebody has to,” you teased back. “And Caitlyn deserves it.”

Vi smirked but didn’t argue, setting her gift on the table. “She’s lucky to have you.”

The guests trickled in after that, which were Caitlyn’s colleagues, Ekko, Jayce and Viktor, even Jinx (who, after a stern warning from Vi, promised not to set anything on fire). The room filled with laughter and chatter, the perfect backdrop for the celebration ahead.

When the clock struck 7:00, Caitlyn’s key turned in the door. You quickly shushed everyone, the room falling silent as the door creaked open.

“Hello?” Caitlyn called, her tone cautious.

“Surprise!” everyone shouted, the room erupting in cheers.

Caitlyn froze, her wide eyes darting across the sea of smiling faces and the colorful decorations. When her gaze landed on you, standing front and center with a proud grin, her expression softened into something you couldn’t quite describe—relief, happiness, and love all wrapped into one.

“You did all this?” she asked, stepping further into the room.

“Of course,” you said, walking up to meet her. “Happy birthday, Cait.”

She hesitated for only a moment before pulling you into a tight hug, her arms wrapping securely around you. “Thank you,” she murmured into your ear. “This is perfect.”

The party was a smashing success. Caitlyn blew out her candles to a raucous chorus of “Happy Birthday,” her cheeks pink with embarrassment but her smile never wavering. She opened her presents with genuine delight, though Vi’s gag gift (a questionable sweater) earned an exaggerated groan.

As the evening wore on and the guests began to filter out, you found Caitlyn sitting on the couch, the soft glow of the fairy lights framing her silhouette. You joined her, leaning into her side as she wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“You really went above and beyond today,” she said softly.

“I wanted it to be special,” you replied. “You deserve that.”

She looked down at you, her sapphire eyes catching the light. “You make every day special, you know.”

You felt your cheeks flush but didn’t look away. “That’s because you make it easy.”

She laughed quietly, then leaned down to kiss you. It was slow and sweet, the kind of kiss that made time feel irrelevant. When she pulled back, her expression was tender.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

You smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, you didn’t complain when I started leaving coffee at your desk every morning.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “That was bribery, and you know it.”

“Worked, didn’t it?”

She kissed you again, cutting off whatever witty comeback you might’ve had.

The night ended with the two of you curled up together under a blanket, the remnants of the party scattered around the room. Caitlyn’s hand traced gentle patterns on your arm as you rested your head against her chest.

“This was the best birthday I’ve ever had,” she murmured, her voice soft and content.

“I’m glad,” you said, snuggling closer. “You deserve it, Cait.”

She kissed your temple, her lips lingering. “You’re my favorite part of today.”

“And you’re mine,” you replied, tilting your head to meet her gaze.

The two of you stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, the world outside forgotten. In that quiet moment, surrounded by the glow of the fairy lights and the faint scent of cake in the air, you knew this day would be one to remember.

A/N: Happy birthday Caitlyn (and any others who also have the same one!)

[fa1ry03]

Birthday Wishes

Author’s Note: Thanks so much for all the support on my first piece!!! This is my second, and I’m so excited to share it with you guys! Since Joe's Birthday is coming up, I decided to write a short piece. I hope y'all enjoy this celebration of Joe’s bday. Happy Birthday Joe! 💙🎉

Blurb about the piece: Celebrate Joe Burrow’s birthday with a day full of love, surprises, and passion. From a heartfelt breakfast in bed to a surprise party with friends, every moment is crafted to make him feel special. As the night winds down, tender gestures blend sweetness and spice for an unforgettable celebration.

(not proofread)

word count: 764

The first rays of sunlight streamed into the cozy Cincinnati home Joe Burrow shared with his partner, casting a warm glow across the room. Outside, the December chill hung in the air, but inside, the atmosphere was cozy and festive. Today wasn’t just any day—it was Joe's birthday.

You had been planning this day for weeks. Joe, humble as ever, insisted he didn’t need anything extravagant, but you knew better. A man like him, who poured his heart and soul into everything, deserved a day as special as he was.

You tiptoed into the kitchen, careful not to make too much noise and wake him. The plan was simple but heartfelt: start the day with a breakfast he’d love, give him a special message, and let the surprises unfold one by one.

The scent of sizzling bacon and brewing coffee soon filled the air. Alongside the bacon, you prepared his favorite fluffy scrambled eggs, buttery toast, and a side of fresh fruit. For an extra touch, you made blueberry pancakes, his guilty pleasure.

Once everything was plated, you quietly carried the tray into the bedroom. Joe was still asleep, his face relaxed and peaceful. You smiled, setting the tray on the bedside table.

“Joe,” you said softly, brushing a hand through his hair. “Happy birthday, sleepyhead.”

He stirred, blinking awake. As soon as he saw you and the tray, a sleepy smile spread across his face.

“Morning,” he said, his voice still raspy from sleep. “What’s all this?”

“It’s your birthday breakfast,” you said, sitting beside him. “Eat up—we’ve got a whole day ahead.”

Joe sat up, leaning against the headboard, and dug into the food. “You didn’t have to do all this,” he said between bites.

“Uh actually, I did. You only turn 28 once,” you teased, handing him a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

After breakfast, you handed him a small envelope. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and opened it. Inside was a handwritten letter, carefully crafted to capture your admiration for him.

“Joe,” it began, “you are not only an incredible athlete but also the most kind-hearted and determined person I know. Watching you chase your dreams inspires me every day. You deserve all the success and happiness in the world, and I’m so lucky to celebrate this special day with you…”

He looked up at you, his eyes soft. “This means so much to me,” he said. “Thank you.”

“There’s more to come,” you said with a wink.

The day continued with a leisurely pace. Joe, ever the competitor, suggested playing a round of Madden on the PS5. Despite your best efforts, he won every game, laughing at your frustrated groans.

By midday, you nudged him toward the door. “Time for part two of your birthday adventure,” you said.

Joe frowned playfully. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” you said, grabbing his hand and leading him outside.

The two of you hopped into the car, and you drove to one of Joe’s favorite spots—a quiet hiking trail just outside the city. Hiking was one of his ways to unwind, and you knew he’d appreciate the chance to escape the chaos of the season.

As you walked hand in hand along the trail, you marveled at the serene beauty of the woods. The crisp winter air, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and the occasional call of birds made for a perfect backdrop.

“You really thought of everything today,” Joe said, pulling you close.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” you replied with a grin.

By the time you returned home, Joe seemed content and relaxed. But the day was far from over.

“Go shower and change into something nice,” you said.

“Why? What’s going on?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“It’s a surprise,” you said, refusing to elaborate.

Joe, curious but cooperative, disappeared into the bathroom. Meanwhile, you got to work setting up the final act of the day—a surprise party with all his closest friends and teammates.

The living room was already decorated with banners, balloons, and a massive “Happy Birthday Joe” sign. You’d spent hours coordinating with his friends, ensuring everyone could be there. The catering had just arrived, featuring Joe’s favorite dishes, including a giant Cajun-style crawfish boil as a nod to his Louisiana roots.

By the time Joe emerged, looking sharp in a casual blazer and jeans, the house was dark and silent.

“What’s going on?” he asked, confused.

“Just trust me,” you said, guiding him to the living room.

As soon as you opened the door, the lights flicked on, and a chorus of voices shouted, “Surprise!”

Joe froze, his mouth falling open. The room was packed with familiar faces—his teammates, coaches, and even a few close friends from high school and college.

“You did this?” he asked, turning to you with wide eyes.

“I had a little help,” you admitted.

The night was everything you’d hoped for and more. There was laughter, music, and endless storytelling. Joe’s teammates shared hilarious anecdotes from the locker room, and his family reminisced about his childhood.

The highlight of the evening was the cake—a massive football-shaped creation adorned with the Bengals’ colors and Joe’s jersey number, 9. Everyone gathered around as you lit the candles and led the group in singing “Happy Birthday.”

Joe blew out the candles, his face lit up with gratitude.

“Speech! Speech!” someone called out.

Joe laughed, raising his glass. “I don’t even know where to start,” he said. “To everyone here, thank you. I’m so lucky to have such amazing people in my life. And to you,” he said, looking at you, “thank you for making this the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

As the night wound down and the guests started to leave, Joe pulled you aside.

“Today was perfect,” he said. “You made me feel so loved.”

“You are loved,” you said, leaning in to kiss him.

As you stood there, wrapped in his arms, you realized that while Joe’s accomplishments on the field were incredible, it was moments like this that truly defined him. He was more than just a football star—he was someone who inspired everyone around him to be better.

And on this special day, you were grateful to celebrate the man he was, both on and off the field.

-Time Skip-

By the time you guys returned home, the party had been a roaring success, and you’d successfully pulled off every surprise. But now, the house was quiet, the guests gone, and the festive decorations shimmering under soft, dimmed lights.

Joe found you in the living room, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand. You had changed into something more alluring—a fitted black lingerie that hugged every curve.

“Looks like the birthday boy survived the surprises,” you teased as he approached, his gaze sweeping over you appreciatively.

“Barely,” he said, sitting beside you and taking your hand. “But I’ve got to say—you outdid yourself.”

“You deserve it,” you said softly, leaning in closer.

Joe’s eyes darkened slightly as his free hand brushed along your thigh. “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

“Maybe I’m the lucky one,” you murmured, your voice low.

The playful energy between you shifted as the air grew heavier with tension. His hand lingered on your leg, tracing slow, deliberate circles.

“You’re not done spoiling me yet, are you?” he asked, his voice dropping into a husky tone that sent a shiver down your spine.

“That depends,” you said, your lips curving into a coy smile. “How much more does the birthday boy want?”

Joe didn’t answer with words. Instead, he closed the space between you, capturing your lips in a deep, hungry kiss. His hands found your waist, pulling you closer until you were straddling his lap. The feel of his strong hands makes its way to your bottom. Combined with the heat radiating off him, sent your heart racing.

“You’ve been teasing me all day,” he murmured against your lips. “It’s my turn now.”

His words were a promise, and you couldn’t help but melt into him, the anticipation of the night ahead filling you with a delicious thrill.

As the fire crackled in the background and the world outside faded away, you realized this was the perfect way to end his special day—wrapped up in each other, with nothing but the quiet hum of desire and the promise of more.

Thanks for reading! Send in request plss <3

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

in which : you and your classmates surprise katsuki for his birthday !

day seven of the explosive birthday collab event hosted by @queenpiranhadon !

fem reader, i dog on kaminari a lot in this one lmfao sorry kami fans i promise i luv him, kissing, lotsaaaa fluff, mentions of food, mentions of drinking but its not specified to be alcohol or anything ! cuddling, teary eyed sentimental katsu, soft katsu for the soul, teary eyed reader, class A bein silly, lmk if i missed sum else !

a/n : HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATSUKI KATSUKI DAY GRAAAAAHHH-

and so, finally bakugou’s big 18th birthday party had arrived.

and you could absolutely not be more nervous.

you’d barely slept a wink, too giddy but also terrified as you kept on thinking about everything that could happen that you lost track of time. you'd checked and rechecked to see if the gifts you'd prepared where ready, checked with your classmates to see if all the decorations in gym gamma where still okay and checked the fridge five times to see if the cake was still intact aka if kaminari or mineta hadn't gotten their grubby little hands on it. tokoyami had told you not to “let the chains of anxiety shackle thy restless soul”, which you think meant you didn’t need worry yourself too much. you didn't quite get it at the time but you were thankful nonetheless.

you’re in bed now. nervous, sure. but you can’t help excitedly kicking your feet nonetheless. you were so excited to see katsuki’s reaction to the surprise and to your gifts, of course.

you check your notifications one last time, smile at your homescreen picture of you and your boyfriend, and turn on your side to finally go to sleep.

the day goes by with no hiccups. despite your friends wishing katsuki a happy birthday, with him grumbling in a sort of appreciation, he didn’t seem like he’d caught on. and he hadn’t noticed the sneaky mischievous glances you sent your friends every once in a while, everything was going off with a hitch.

you’d, of course, waken up extra early to be sure you were the very first person to send him a happy birthday message, getting ready at lightning speed to greet him at the door with a warm hug and plenty of kisses. which he reciprocated after quickly getting over his stupor.

the day had gone well, but now it was time for the surprise. and while you gather up the last finishing touches and finish bringing the food, operation : extract the payload was a go.

kirishima had been tasked to go retrieve katsuki and drag him over to the gym, claiming he wanted to try a brand new move and knowing katsuki you knew there was little to no chance he’d pass up training. but just in case, you’d encouraged kirishima to egg your boyfriend on a bit, that usually gets him going and you smirk proudly at your phone when you get a text from the red head himself.

“he took the bait ! the payload is on the way >:)”

and there you have it.

“alright guys, payload’s on the way !” you exclaim. your classmates start taking action, there aren’t many places to hide in the gym even with all of the changes you’d all made, but everyone had managed to find a pretty good hiding spot. some, like kaminari following others because they had nowhere else to hide and exchanging whispered complaints of “why’d you follow me ?!” and “ow, don’t step on my feet !” you giggle at how much your friends treat this like a game of hide and seek rather than a big surprise, before bounding away to find a hiding spot for yourself near the entrance.

it's so quiet you can hear a pin drop. denki clear his throat and yelps immediately afterwards, you assume someone must’ve punished him for the noise and you almost snort. until you hear voices approaching.

you recognize the loudest one clear as day. your heart starts racing when you hear the door open and kirishima and katsuki sounding impossibly close. katsuki’s complaining, as usual and it should be about time for—

“let’s hurry this up shitty hair, got other shit to do later.” you hear your boyfriend grumble.

“yeah, yeah i got it man.” kirishima replies “i’ve been working on this move for a looong while, so i think you’ll definitely be in for a treat.”

the trigger word.

“why’d you put so much emphasis on the—“

“SURPRIIIIISEEEE!!!”

bakugou’s next words get caught in his throat and he makes a little spluttering noise when all of his classmates pop out from almost every single crevice, nook and cranny in the room. his eyes are wide as saucers and his stance screams he’s on high alert, ready to fight, only to be met with his entire class screaming at him.

he stays frozen in his spot, eyebrows twitching and you all silently wait for him to react until denki shouts “kacchan’s shut down, guys !” in an instant time restarts its course and while you all burst out laughing katsuki splutters again.

“shut the fuck up dunce face !!” he shouts, but it doesn’t hit the same as it usually would, he’s just a bit quieter “w-what the hell is all this ?!”

“obviously it’s a surprise party.” sero sasses with a smirk, mina rubs it in by adding a snarky “duuuh !”

kirishima takes pity on his friend and places a hand on his shoulder comfortingly "we knew your birthday was comin' up, so we wanted to throw you a birthday party !"

"and actually keep it a secret this time.." kaminari snickered not so quietly. him, and the majority of the class side eyeing todoroki and mineta, the smaller boy immediately spluttering out excuses while the other only tilted his head in question.

katsuki's flabbergasted expression has settled just the smallest bit, his eyes shoot over to you and you offer him a sweet smile "18th birthday's are special, y'know ? they should be celebrated with class." you joke. the redhead next to your boyfriend nods aggressively fast. you feel a hand on your shoulder and turn to see kaminari again. you snort when he opens his mouth to speak again—does that guy ever stop talking ?

"i helped plan everything." he smirks, leaning against your shoulder and nodding proudly. only to wince when jirou materializes behind him, accompanied with a fist to his head. "we all did, idiot."

"hey, don't go taking all the glory for yourself !" mina chimes in a little further in the crowd, shoji places a hand on her shoulder in support.

you can't stop your lips from forming into a silly smile at your friends antics, and you giggle when katsuki only rolls his eyes, trying to hold back one of his own.

"you guys are idiots..complete fuckin' morons.." he mutters under his breath, shaking his head and rubbing at his nape almost shyly. he looks up at the red head next to him, then at the rest of his class with the faintest of pink on his cheeks, hand still pressed awkwardly on his nape like he doesn't know where to put it.

"i-i appreciate you guys..or whatever..thanks."

a beat passes. and then squeals resonates throughout the room.

"AAAWWWW—" kaminari and mina both squeal.

"aww man, you're blushing !" kirishima laughs, his cheeks also tinted pink.

"S-SHUT THE FUCK UP. NO I'M NOT—yer seein' things, you fuckin' weirdo.." katsuki spits, but his embarrassment and appreciation refrains him from insulting his smiling friend too agressively.

"aaand he's back.." sero quips, causing absolute choas filled with laughs and screams..the screams coming more from your boyfriend but you digress.

you're all smiles, this couldn't have gone any better for you and you feel a little silly for feeling emotional. katsuki's absolutely not the first person others would call sweet, but him actually putting in the effort and putting his feelings into words make your heart grow more than three sizes.

"alright, enough with the mushy stuff. let's party an' eat cake !" kaminari, always being the life of the party, exclaims. you're thankful that he's so aware and always able to set everything back on course so naturally, you almost envy him for it. you and your classmates excitedly cheer. between the cheers you lock eyes with katsuki, who was already looking at you. you smile at him brightly because you really can't help it and you feel your heart beat and dance around in your chest when he offers you a handsome smile in return. not his usual boastful one, the one only reserved for you. the one that makes your heart beat intensely, but more sweetly and makes it melt like liquid honey.

this is the best.

you're a few hours ( and a lot of slices of cake) later into the evening, when you lean against the wall to take a breather. you're cheeks hurt with how hard you've been laughing and you sigh happily, the noise being drowned out by the loud speakers booming as you take a sip of your favorite drink.

"yo." you turn to see sero right next to you, "hey !" you chirp loudly, trying to get him to hear you over the music. he smiles easily at you, taking a sip from his drink before he continues

"looks like blasty's havin' fun." he chuckled, pointing his cup to where your boyfriend had been dragged into an impromptu conga line. you burst out laughing, pulling out your phone to record. and while you're recording he notices and glares right at you, you offer him a taunting little wave and cheer him on. and his narrowed eyes need no words as his hands tighten on deku's shoulders in front of him. the green haired boy's eyes widen in surprise as his mouth open in surprise.

"you're gonna pay for that." you chortle.

"looks like this party was a succes, huh ?" sero utters softly, going to take another sip before leaning his red cup over to you. you laugh with a shake of your head.

"yep !" you agree, knocking your cup against his.

a warm hand wraps around your wrist. you don't know if you ever stopped smiling since the beginning of the evening, but you smile wider when his warmth practically engulfes you, his chest pressed to your back as he pulls you against it. you look up at him to see him trying to supress a smile, not well, but he's trying. "finally caught you." katsuki growls.

"you havin' fun ?" you sing. he scoffs "bein' dragged around playing limbo with those fuckin' cheaters ? yeah, plenty." the words come out bitterly at the memory of kaminari 'setting him up' during your game of limbo, competitive as always. you laugh at his sarcastic remark.

"i think you looked real handsome during the conga line," you sigh sweetly to sell the act, "so dreamy.." his words get caught in his throat and he pokes at your stomach in punishment to make you squirm around, then he's reaching to grab your hips shuffles around in your pockets while you try to keep him away. "i saw you recording me, freak ! gimme the phone."

"no !"

"give it !"

"leave me be, it's a m-momento for your 18th birthday !" you wheeze, giggling and shrieking as he takes his chance to tickle you. you hear him chuckle into your ear and he finally relents. "m'getting to that phone while you're asleep." you fake gasp in shock, wrapping your arms around yourself.

"you wouldn't !"

"don't test me." he snarks, throwing you a teasing grin. however, his expression morphs into a soft one, he shoves his hands into his black baggy jean pockets.

"heard you planned all this, huh ?" your eyes widen.

"no, no we all did."

"but it was your idea." he insists, and cuts you off before you can continue "don't bother, kirishima already told me." as thankful as you were for his help, you cursed kirishima in your head for throwing you to the explosive wolf like this. it's not like you were angry, but you really couldn't have done all of this on your own and it was definitely a team effort.

"well, i mean..yeah.." you admitted shyly, fumbling around with your hands. it's silent, then he chuckles at your humbleness and you're slowly, agonizingly slow at that, being backed up against the nearest wall. and his forehead maes contact with yours, you're tucked away into a corner of the gym where the rest can't see you, he places his arms against the wall next to your head.

your eyes dart from his to the floor "i just thought..it could be fun, you know..? m'sorry for lying to you about the bookstore.." you spilled, trying your best to stutter out an apology, until he stops you, raising your head up with his finger.

"you're really somethin' else, you know that ?" he smirks softly " i knew you were planning somethin', you were being too secretive. hanging out with my mom and shit, sneaky brat."

"i like hanging out with your mom !" you defending the older woman has your boyfriend roll his eyes "should like hanging out with your boyfriend first." he quips. you roll your eyes as well, but it doesn't take you long to burst into a fit of laughter and he follows quickly. your chest feels warm, tucked away giggling in this small corner of the bustling party, just you and katsuki.

"i have something i wanna show you." katsuki raises a brow at your sudden words. "oh, yeah ?" you nod. "but it's in my room." you offer him your hand shyly, and he smiles softly, huffing through his nose. grabbing your hand as you pull him out of the gym and walking silently into the night back towards the dorms.

"hey.." katsuki starts, you hum. "uhm, y'know—fuck.." he fumbles with his words and pulls you along when you stop walking to listen to him, wanting to continue so you wouldn't notice his embarrassed state too hard.

"thanks for this." your eyes widen and it's like he sensed you were about to speak because he interrupts you "yeah, yeah i know you all did." he mimicks your words, squeezing your hand in his warm one "but you thought it all up, so..thanks." he glances down at you " when i said i appreciated it, i really did. i really do."

your heart thump, thump, thumps against your chest, you feel it hammer in your ear. your hand squeezes his and he squeezes a second time. you don't know what you can say, so you smile at him. it's late at night and tiredness has finally started kicking in now that the music fades further and further away, but you're so, so happy and you think he can see it too. his smile slightly dimmer but still there and it makes you feel so warm and loved despite the slight chill of the outside. you wish you could see him smiling like this all the time with all your heart. and you hope he'll like your gifts and all of a sudden your at the entrance of the dorms. you make your way to your room in comfortable silence. your hand getting slightly clammy in his when you finally reach your floor and make your way to your room.

"what did you wanna show me ?" bakugou asks, closing your door behind you. you sit down on your bed and pat the spot next to you. he questions it with a raise of his brow, but doesn't any further and sits down next to you. you inhale, and reach underneath your bed to grab the gift and hand it over to him. his eyes widen, he narrows his eyes at you when your lips curl into a bashful smile.

"yn."

"i know.."

"i told you not to get me anything, stupid." he utters breathlessly, placing his hand onto your head and noogieing you. you reach up to stop him with a whine.

"i knooow !" you moaned "but just open it, please ?" you give him your best puppy eyes. he scoffs but finally relents. grabbing the thin box from your hands. he shakes it softly and you make a noise, reaching for his wrists.

"katsuki !" you giggle "don't shake it !"

"m'just trynna hear what it is."

"then open it !"

finally, he opens his the box. his eyes widen and he places it down on the bed to get a better look at the book you'd made for him. you perk up nervously when he inspects it thoroughly, running his fingers over the stickers you'd stuck to the front.

"i-it's a recipe book, see ? i know you love to cook so i figured you could add all of your favorite recipes in it." he flips the book open while you explain away, skimming over the pages " you can detach the rings too, so if you wanna add pages you can—"

before you know it you're interrupted and practically slammed onto your bed, a pair of warm bulky arms incasing you into your boyfriends chest. you shriek, but it melts into a giggle when he kisses all around your cheeks and nose softly, causing a ticklish sensation and when he lands a particularly wet kiss against your eyelid you laugh.

after moving his recipe booklet to your nightstand to keep it intact, he places you further onto your bed to kiss you again, obnoxiously loud at that, and you try to kiss back to the best of your ability but constantly huffing through your nose and smiling. he leans up to give you a break from his love attack, only for you to be hit dead on with all the love in his eyes.

"i'm gonna assume you're happy with your gift.. ?" he rolls his eyes at your joke, nudging his nose with yours.

"yeah, happy doesn't even begin to cut it. thanks, babe." he simpers, his eyes are bright and you make sure to commit his expression to memory. he leans down again, promptly kissing you deeply, you let yourself get carried away by his love and affection, kissing him back passionately but you remember your last gift for him.

"mm, there's—" he hums, continuing his flurry of kisses "there's something taped—" one more kiss cuts you off "—on the last page of your book, suki." one last loud peck and he pulls away to stare at you incredulously, you never stop surprising him, do you ?

he quickly retrieves it from your nightstand, and if his eyes widened before they practically bulge out of their sockets at the little holographic card neatly taped in his book. he carefully removes the tape and lifts up the card, looks at you, and looks back at the card in shock causing you to giggle.

"i remember how bummed you were after your card got all messed up during the war, so..." you're heart squeezes at the horrific memories of what had happened those few years ago, and how upset your katsuki had been when the card he'd kept close to his heart since he was a kid ended up crumpled up and bloody. he still has it, hidden in a box under his bed, but he never got to bring it to all might to get it signed. so you decided to do it for him and after racing neighborhood kids to get as many packets as you could get your hands on and a few packet of cards, you'd finally pulled it. you knew what you needed to do and the bewildered look in his eye was most definitely worth it.

"holy fuck..holy shit." he insists "how did you even—i—what ??" you burst out laughing at his disbelief, he could be so cute when he wanted to be.

"i just asked mr. all might if he wanted to, and he happily agreed, by the way." you answer simply with a shrug. however your smile fades just a bit when his eyes turn glossy.

"hey.." you crooned. quickly he shoves his head into his shoulder, furiously wiping at his eyes. he sniffles and grabs your wrist. you think he's about to pull you towards him only for him to crash against your chest again. you let out a 'oof !' sound, chuckling breathlessly. you don't say a word as you feel his arms wrap around you tighter, his face and hands heating up against you and the collar of your shirt growing wet. you don't mind, running your fingers through his hair until he's ready to speak again.

"yer gonna be the end of me, woman." his voice is just a little scratchy and he clears his throat, you giggle.

"this..i know i'm not the best at all this emotional stuff but—m'real thankful y'know.." he rambles against your neck, you nod "mhm." you urge.

"a-an' this is honestly more than i could ever ask for. ever." he looks up just enough to make sure you see his slightly red eyes "this is the best gift ever given to me. you're the best gift ever given to me, and i dunno what i did to deserve you, but i'm definitely not taken it for granted" he half jokes. you feel your whole body heat up and your eyes burn just a bit at the sincerety of his words.

"i love you, katsu. s'the least i can do." you sniffle. he leans up to kiss you almost immediately. it's soft and sweet and so perfect. it's just passionate and slow enough where you can practically feel the love he's trying to give to you, you know what he's trying to tell you without him even having to speak, because you love him and he loves you.

"i love you." he responds against your lips, you love him and he loves you, and you kiss him again. you hope he can feel how much you love him and how happy you are he enjoyed himself at his surprise birthday party. you hope you can keep seeing him smile like he did tonight and enjoy himself and his cake every year. you hope you can try every single recipe he adds to his recipe book and see the way his eyes light up at his signed holographic all might card every single year.

bakugou pulls away to look at you with all the love in the world and he thinks that any birthday he has in the future will be more than perfect if he can have you by his side for as long as he lives, every year.

aaaand it's done !! tysm to @queenpiranhadon for allowing me to participate in this event, and the last day no less ! such an honor ! i advise you go read my other collab partners chaps to get the context for this one, so please go read their parts as well, cus theyre all so good and so adorable, i had sm fun writing this and i hope yall enjoy <3 happy birthday katsuki !!

taglist *if your name is pink i unfortunately couldn't tag you :(* : @gina239 @mystic60 @meowze4r @icedemon1314 @bigsimpo343 @ah-mya @wheezdostuff @berryvioo @seonne @slayfics @food8me @katsuisbaby @azzo0 @kieran-rhoades @xnorthstar3x @le000xxgrd @tr-mha-fan

day one: you make a birthday gift for katsuki ! - @zanarkandskylines

day two: you invite all of class 1-A to the party ! - @xbabyd0lli3x

day three: you and mitsuki go shopping for decorations ! - @angels-fantasy

day four: katsuki tries to figure out what you’re planning ! - @starieq

day five: you set up gym gamma for the party ! - @lowkeyremi

day six: you bake a cake for the party ! - @queenpiranhadon

day seven: you and your classmates surpise katsuki ! -@cashmoneyyysstuff

[girly-girlk]

Hi! I don’t know if you’ve already written something like this, but if not could you write a fic about firefighter Rafe and reader meeting? Like maybe she’s a waitress at the firehouse’s favorite diner?

diner

firefighter!rafe cameron x reader

summary: rafe is a regular at the diner you work at

a/n: sorry this one took so long, but i absolutely love it! i hope you enjoy!!💕

the bell above the door jingles at exactly 9:14 a.m.

like clockwork.

you’re already behind the counter, tying your apron tight and jotting down today’s pie special on the chalkboard when they come in — the southport fire crew. four of them, loud and laughing, tracking in sand and smoke and the faint scent of cedarwood. they pile into their usual booth like it’s their booth, and honestly, maybe it is.

you’ve been working at shoreline diner for two weeks now. long enough to learn their orders, but not long enough to stop watching one of them a little too closely.

rafe cameron.

he’s the last to come in, always is. tall, sun-tanned, with a jawline you could cut yourself on and arms that strain the sleeves of his navy uniform t-shirt. there’s a lazy swagger to the way he walks, like he knows people watch him.

he definitely knows you do.

“morning, darlin’,” topper grins, flipping his menu even though he always orders the same thing.

“french toast and black coffee, i know,” you say, already scribbling it down. “kelce, eggs over easy, bacon burnt to hell—”

“you get me,” kelce winks.

and then your pen stalls.

rafe lides into the booth last, glancing up at you with that maddeningly calm expression he always wears — like he’s not even trying to be charming, he just is. you swear there’s the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, but it’s gone too quick to be sure.

“you takin’ care of us today?” he asks, voice low and scratchy like he just woke up.

“i guess that depends,” you shoot back, trying not to sound breathless. “you planning to tip better than last time?”

topper howls. rafe raises both eyebrows, mock-offended.

“she got you there, man,” jj grins around a mouthful of hash browns from someone else’s plate.

rafe doesn’t take his eyes off you.

“i’ll make it up to you,” he says. not a joke. not a line. just a promise that settles deep in your chest, low and warm.

you don’t reply. you can’t — not without your voice shaking — so you nod and head toward the kitchen, scribbling “pancakes, extra butter, side of sausage” on your pad before he even says it.

⸻

they’re halfway through their meal when the first call comes in. the scanner at the counter crackles to life, dispatch barking out a structure fire off main.

rafe is already standing, sliding cash under his plate, eyes on you.

“you work weekends?” he asks, helmet tucked under one arm, sweat already glinting at his temple.

“every saturday.”

his tongue clicks against his teeth like he’s thinking, and then he says it — casual, quiet, but somehow not at all forgettable:

“see you then.”

you nod again, pulse skittering.

and when they’re gone, when the door swings shut behind all that smoke and static and adrenaline, you find yourself looking at the tip he left.

twenty bucks. on a ten-dollar order.

and a note scribbled on the napkin:

“in case i don’t get to tell you next time: you’ve got the prettiest smile i’ve ever seen.” — r”

you stare at it for a long moment, then fold it carefully and tuck it into your apron pocket.

⸻

you don’t know it yet, but that saturday? he’ll come in alone.

and you’ll sit at his booth during your break.

and he’ll ask if you want to grab coffee somewhere that isn’t where you work.

but for now, you just stand there — heart racing, hand pressed to a napkin — knowing full well this isn’t the end of anything.

it’s the start.

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Second Chance - Chapter 20

Masterlist

Warning: fluff, grief, cuteness overload, reader is very smart and Yelena finds it hot, kissing, teasing, hickies. everyone loves to pick on Yelena

Word Count: 4.8k

Note: A lied. In honor of Thunderbolts* here is the next chapter of Second Chance.

Honestly, you felt great compared to yesterday. Maybe it had to do with the extra hydration, the laughter shared between everyone, or waking up in Yelena’s arms, but you felt refreshed. You woke up, untangled yourself from Yelena, and went downstairs. Not even Laura was up. So you started breakfast. Sunday morning was for scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, and fresh orange juice. Plus coffee for the adults. It wasn’t long before Laura entered. “This is a surprise,” you smiled.

“I felt good,” you shrugged, and finished mixing the pancake batter. Once you were satisfied. “I have to take advantage of the good days.” Laura nodded.

“We have some fresh fruit that will go well with those pancakes.” You smiled. You were glad that Laura allowed you the space to cook without trying to take it from you.

Soon enough, the smell of food brought each family member out. Bucky and Nat were the first. The couple grabbed some pancakes and bacon and thanked you with a smile. Next was Copper and Lila. Laura ensured there was at least some fruit on their plate before sending them to the table to do their homework. They were supposed to get it done before this weekend. After them, it was Yelena. It seemed impossible not to look at her, and your heart flips. Her braid was a little messy. Her sleepwear was big on her frame, but she looked at peace.

The blonde walked over to you and wrapped her arms around your waist, pulling you flush to her chest. “Morning, baby,” you whispered. “Coffee is ready.” She kissed the back of your neck and removed herself from you. You sadly missed her warmth. You built a small plate for her, and she took it while she passed to eat breakfast with Natasha and Bucky. Finally, Clint emerged with Nate on his shoulders.

“I think you are getting too big for this, buddy,” the archer said, placing his youngest on the counter. You smiled and poured him coffee. “Thank you.”

“Alright, it’s homework time for you, too,” Laura said, handing Nate a bowl of yogurt topped with fresh fruit. Nate groaned.

“I don’t wanna.” He complained.

“Then you should have done it when I told you to,” Laura smiled and pinched her youngest on the cheek. Now that everyone was fed, you made your plate and cup of coffee.

“Come on, bud,” you said to Nate. “Let’s see if we can tackle this homework together.” He sighed, jumped off the counter, and joined his siblings at the table.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Yelena was sure her coffee and food had gone cold. Her eyes were trained on you. It amazed her how easily you fit in with this part of her life. You moved around the kitchen and immediately jumped in to help the kids with their homework. You were explaining a math problem to Cooper. The eldest Barton struggled with the subject, but from the looks and sounds of it, you were explaining it in a way that he understood. Gods, you were driving her insane. She thought these feelings of having a family and leaving the fighting died in the Red Room. But you were waking them inside her. To make matters worse, she had only just met you.

Once Copper focused on his assignment, your eyes found her. You winked, and a playful smirk was on your face. Such a fucking tease. A sharp flick to her cheek pulled her out of her less-than-PG thoughts. “Stop that,” Natasha said. “You are eye fucking.” Yelena huffed and took a sip of the coffee. Thankfully, it was still warm.

“Please, I have walked in on you and Bucky.” The super soldier shrugged.

“You should have knocked,” Yelena rolled her eyes and dug into the food you cooked. It was unfair how good you were in the kitchen, even though your body struggled to eat.

“Have you spoken to Melina?” Natasha asked after a few beats of her food. The mention of her adoptive mother caused Yelena to cringe. When she was in Iowa, Melina called her twice and texted her, which she ignored. “By that face, I guess that is a no,” Natasha chuckled. “She needs to talk to you.”

“And why can’t you talk to her?” Yelena countered. Natasha held her gaze before finishing her coffee.

“I have, but she clearly needs something from you that I can’t provide.” Yelena dropped it as she heard the bitter tone in Natasha’s voice. While the relationship between her sister and Melina was better, it was still complicated. There was a level of distrust buried deep in Natasha, which Yelena couldn’t 100% fault her for. Everything about her family from Russia was so overly complicated. Sometimes, it was easier to forget about all the wrong. Sighing, Yelena nodded.

“I will call her after breakfast.” Natasha seemed content with that answer, but soon a playful smirk appeared on her sister’s face. “What is that look?”

“Nothing,” she said. Yelena glared at her sister.

“It is not nothing,” she mimicked her sister’s American accent. “Say it.” Natasha shrugged and leaned back against the couch. She was looking at you with a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Have you told Melina and Alexei about her yet?”

“No,” Yelena said. It wasn’t like she was keeping you a secret. Hell, she invited you to Iowa, but telling her adoptive parents was complicated for her. The Bartons saw her as a hero, an Avenger, while Melina and Alexei knew her as the child prodigy of the Red Room.

“Scared of the shovel talk Alexei will give her,” Bucky said.

“No. That man is an idiot.” She wasn’t afraid of Alexei scaring you off due to a shovel talk. The man stood like a tank but was a softie at heart. She was scared you would finally see how much of a monster she was.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Yelena disappeared to the Bartons’ home office. Unfortunately, Melina had problems with the database she designed to track all the Widows. It was malfunctioning slightly. Hopefully, it would be a simple fix as she entered the code she wrote. It aimed to help them see what Widows were still under Dreykov’s control. It seemed never-ending. Especially with the Blip, they lost so much time.

Suddenly, her vision was obstructed by hands covering her eyes. “Guess who?” Your voice tickled her ear. Yelena pretended to think.

“Mhm,” she thought. “Lucky?” You gasped and dropped your hands.

“Unbelievable,” Yelena chuckled and spun around in the chair. Her hands went to rest behind your thighs that weren’t covered by your sleep shorts. You looked beautiful like this - relaxed, happy, and not worried about tomorrow.

“It is unbelievable you are jealous of a dog,” you shrugged.

“I was wondering where you ran off, too,” you said, taking a small step forward to play with the hairs at the base of Yelena’s neck. She felt her tense muscles relax against you. It was unfair how much your touch and voice affected her. “I thought you ran away without me,” she said.

“I would never,” Yelena said seriously while she looked up at you. You chuckled, tracing the slope of her nose with your finger before glancing at the laptop behind her.

“Are you busy or can I steal you?” You asked. Yelena looked at the computer and wrestled with two halves of herself. On one hand, she wanted to be a good daughter and fix what Melina needed. It was up to her to free them all. It could wash all the blood she shed. The other half, she wanted to be selfish. She tried to choose for herself. “Yelena,” the blonde turned her attention back to you. “If you are busy, I can wait.”

You could wait, you told her. But you were feeling good today - how many days would you have left? Yelena smiled. “It can wait. What do you have planned?” For once, she chose herself and not her duty.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Your plan was a combination of your idea and the Barton kids. Since it was your last day in Iowa, they wanted to take you to the playground. They described it as a wooden jungle gym that Tony bought for them. Honestly, it was nice seeing the billionaire care about the family of those on the team. The more you learned about him, the different image you created in your head.

Yelena left quickly after breakfast. Natasha told you she was working on something for their adoptive mother. Honestly, you were okay with it. It gave you time to hang out with Bucky and Natasha. You learned that Natasha liked to fluster the super soldier. You enjoyed listening to Bucky talk about the 40s.

By lunch, Yelena remained locked away in Barton’s office. To you, that would not do. One, she needed a break; two, you would not stand for her to work all day on your last day here. You packed a little picnic and told the kids to get ready to go. Convincing Yelena wasn’t hard. After getting changed, you followed the kids to the playground hand and hand with Lucky by your side. As the playground came into view, the kids took off running, as did Lucky.

Yelena brought you to a small clearing and spread the picnic blanket. “So,” she said once you were both sitting down comfortably. “What did you pack?” You smiled.

“See for yourself,” you watched the blonde go through the basket. First were the small sandwiches—you made enough for you, her, and the kids. The second thing was a bowl of fruit that was left over from breakfast. The last thing was a container of mac and cheese. Lila told you it was Yelena’s favorite, with a little hot sauce, which you also packed.

“Is this for me?” The blonde asked.

“Well, I would like some,” you laughed.

“Mhm,” she hummed. “I will think about sharing.” You rolled your eyes playfully. “Thank you, detka.” She kissed you softly.

“Of course. You deserve it.” Before she could protest, you took a bowl out and grabbed the mac and cheese from her. “I’m hungry.” You pivoted the conversation. Yelena smiled, but her eyes gave her away. Every day, you would tell her how much she deserved someone to care for her. She deserved happiness, love, and light. Even though her taste in mac and cheese was something to be desired. You cringed your nose at the hot sauce on her mac and cheese portion. “Dr. Carpenter called me,” you told her after moments of peace. She looked at you intentionally. “He wants me to start the new round of treatment instead of taking a break.” Yelena frowned.

“How do you feel about that?” You shrugged.

“I don’t know,” you admitted. I was excited for a break, but I trust him if he wants me to move forward.” Yelena took your free hand and rubbed her thumb across it. “I am a little nervous,” you whispered. I don’t know how this will affect me.”

“You are not alone, though,” she said. “I am here and so is Stark.” You smiled.

“I know,” you squeezed her hand. “I start tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. Thankfully, she dropped it and focused on the food you provided. Once you both were done, you cuddled against the blonde and watched the kids play.

“Thank you for coming,” Yelena whispered, kissing your forehead.

“Thank you for inviting me,” you said back. “I love it here.” Your face was pressed into the crook of her neck. You kissed the skin you could reach without entirely pulling away from her. You could feel her breath hitch, and it made you smile. It was a little mean, but you felt so powerful when she became affected by you. How could you not? A Black Widow, an Avenger, was weak to you. You sucked a mark on her neck. The groan she let out made your stomach dip.

Carefully, she grabbed your chin and forced you to look at her. Her touch was gentle yet firm. Her green eyes were dark, but you weren’t scared. “Careful, sweetheart,” she mumbled. “Do not start something you do not wish to finish.” Her lips ghosted against yours, and you moved to kiss her, but she refused to kiss you, still holding you in place. A soft whimper escaped your lips before you could stop it. Yelena smirked. “Takoy nuzhdayushchiysya (so needy).”

Finally, she kissed you. She kept it tamed due to being outside and in front of the kids, but God above you wanted to deepen it, forgo anything deemed unacceptable. She was weak to you, but you were weak to her. She was a drug that you were addicted to. Suddenly, Yelena yelped and ended the kiss. She rubbed her ear and glared at her sister, who appeared with Bucky, Clint, and Laura. “Keep it PG, children.” Yelena secretly flipped off her sister. Natasha tisked. “Come on, Belova,” she said. “You’re up,” Yelena mumbled something in Russian but stood up. She helped you stand and followed the group.

You shouldn’t be surprised that they added a knife-throwing range on the back of the playground. Even the three Barton kids gathered to watch the competition between Natasha and Clint vs. Bucky and Yelena. From your understanding, the targets were divided into points. The closer to the center, the more points you received. However, they staggered the targets. If you hit the furthest target, your points were tripled. Laura was in charge of keeping score.

It was a close match. Natasha would hit a bullseye on the second target, and Bucky would copy. Clint hit the first target, and Yelena followed suit. It was fun to watch, but your mind couldn’t help but try to find a mathematical way to figure it out.

Math was simple. Math was dependable. All you needed was the distance from the starting point to the target, average speed, and the knife’s balance. Observing Yelena, her grip on the knife changed depending on what target she was aiming at. She held it by the handle for another one and by the blade if it was the closest one. Interesting.

So you would need to solve for R - the number of rotations required to hit the target. The formula danced in your head.

R = w*t = w * d/v. Simplified, the formula would be R = w*d/v.

The knife Natasha threw at the first target rotated 2 times per second, with the target only being 5 meters away. If you threw the knife at 10 m/s, you would only need one rotation. R = 2.5/10 = 1.

Other factors, like wind, sunlight, and the knife’s weight, would be harder to factor in, but it was close.

The competition ended with Clint and Natasha winning by 2 points. “Can I try?” Everyone looked at you, obviously shocked.

“Go for it detka,” Yelena said. You smiled at the blonde and walked over to the starting point. Three knives were waiting for you.

“I can move it closer.” Clint offered. You glared at the man and picked up the knife, which caused him to shrink back.

“Careful, babe,” Laura laughed. “Never tell a woman what to do with a knife in her hand.” You looked at the knife in your hand and tested the weight. One rotation was all you needed, if your math was correct. You aimed at the target and threw it. The knife hit it, but not the bullseye. You frowned and picked up the second. So your math was correct, but your aim was the problem. The second knife hit the bullseye, but not the center. You huffed and bit your lip. The third and final knife his dead center.

“Eh, not bad,” you turned to look at the group. They were stunned into silence beside Yelena. Her green eyes were dark again, looking you up and down. It made your body head up. “What?” You questioned. “Do I have something on my face?”

“How the hell did you do that?” Natasha asked and pointed to the target. You looked at the older Black Widow, then back at the target.

“It’s basic math,” you sighed when they remained quiet. I calculated the distance between the target and how many rotations I would need,” you shrugged. It’s a little iffy with the sun and wind, but I made it work.”

Bucky whistled. “Damn, remind me never to piss you off.” You laughed.

“Don’t play me in pool then.” It was a simple statement that you thought would amount to nothing. You weren’t expecting to be led back to the Bartons’ house and down to the basement - a fully renovated basement with a massive movie screen and a mini bar. Yelena told you the basement project was a present from Kate. Everyone seemed to be spoiling the Barton kids. You needed to step up on your Auntie duties. You could take Lila and Cooper swimming with sharks. But you weren’t sure how happy Laura would be about that.

You took a pool stick off the wall while Clint racked the balls. The archer was your first opponent. “Do you want to break it?” You asked him as you put the chalk on the tip.

“Ladies, first,” you rolled your eyes but set up. Everyone filed into the room. Yelena was behind the bar making tisked for the kids, but you could feel her eyes on you. Laura made some popcorn while Bucky and Natasha leaned up against the wall. You swore you saw Natasha pass a ten-dollar bill to her boyfriend.

You broke the balls—not sinking any, but that was okay. It was your plan of action. It allowed Clint to sink two stripe balls back to back, but he missed his third. So you were solid.

Pool held a special place in your heart. It reminded you of your college days of sneaking into a bar you weren’t old enough to be in and beating men double your age for 20-100 bucks. Chelsie and you would play for hours at an old mom-and-pop restaurant. The owner allowed you to play and provided all the fires you could eat if you helped him each year during tax season.

But your love for the simple game came from your mom. She told you stories of how she would hustle men at bars to earn extra bucks. It wasn’t her intention to teach her 6-year-old, but you had a knack for it.

It helped that you saw the table as a coordinate plan. It was a simple chalkboard - the table became a grid. Each pocket a fixed point and every ball a coordinate. It wasn’t a randomness they become vectors and trajectories. You could sketch invisible lines in your head: a triangle from a cue ball to the rail to the target.

The entire game was a mental game of geometry. “Pocking the 8,” you told him. The game wasn’t close. You made two shots back to back and ‘missed’ the next. This allowed Clint to get one more shot, and then you ran away with the game. But the shot you called wasn’t going to be easy. There were a few balls in the way, but you weren’t worried. Smiling, you took your stance and hit the cue ball.

It was a trick shot as your aim was at the wall, not the ball. Even though you were 95% sure the ball would go in, you were still impressed when you landed it. Clint shook his head with a laugh. “How did you do that?” You shrugged and began gathering the balls to re-rack.

“It’s simple geometry,” you smiled at the others. “Whose next?”

Maybe it was a little mean and a major ego bust that you were able to best a few Avengers, but you needed the few wins life would give you. However, Yelena was a challenge. She was shoot for shoot with you. Maybe it was a dirty play, but you had to rely on a different tactic. Flirting. Sometimes you had to go low to keep your winning streak alive. Small touches. Playful smirks. She leaned over the table while she took her shot.

You sank the winning shot and straightened up. “Told you,” you smirked. “I know my way around a pool table.” You put your stick back. “I would bleed men dry with bets.” Natasha walked behind Yelena.

“I think you broke my sister,” she smacked the blonde on the back of her head. It snapped her out of whatever slump she was in.

“Dinner is ready,” Laura called from the stairs. She left to start the food before the final game. The basement cleared out one by one until it was just you and Yelena. Her green eyes followed you as you approached the pool stick in her hand. You took it easily from her.

“You know,” you smirked. “This is the quietest I’ve seen you.” You put the pool stick back and walked back over. Suddenly, Yelena pinned you to the pool table. The edge pushed into your back, but the pain wasn’t on your mind when her lips were on your neck. “Shit,” you stuttered and gripped onto her shoulder.

“I have been trying to control myself,” she bite down hard, no doubt leaving a mark you’d get shit for. “You have no idea how fucking hot you are.”

“Lena,” you moaned, back arching as her hand slid underneath your shirt. “Please.” You weren’t sure what you were pleading for. Hell, all rational thought left your brain. You were seconds from letting her fuck you against the pool table.

“Please, what, baby?” Yelena chuckled against your skin. Tell me what you want. I would give you anything; you have to ask.” You were thankful that she held onto your waist, or your legs would have given out. “Fucking beautiful.” Yup. Your first time with Yelena would be up against a pool table in Barton’s basement. You were okay with that.

Then the basement door opened. “Get your tongues out of each other’s mouths and come eat food,” Natasha’s voice called out. Yelena groaned against your skin.

“Come on,” you giggled and patted her back. “The last thing I want is for your sister to see you with your hand down my pants.” You gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and gently pushed her away. Before she could complain, you grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. Natasha smirked as you walked by her.

“Nice artwork you got there,” she teased, pointing to your neck. You shrugged.

“The chemo makes me bruise easily.” You grabbed a plate from Laura, who was also trying to hide her smile but failing. “I didn’t know I was dating a vampire.” Yelena gasped.

“Were you not the one to say you like to claim what is yours?” A chorus of ‘ew’s came from the dining room table. You were sure you heard Copper yell, ‘Get a room, ' which Yelena mumbled, ‘I wish.’ Yeah, you were going to miss it.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Dinner was dragged out. Laura made a quick, easy dinner, but everyone ate it slowly. It seemed like no one wanted this weekend to end. Finally, you were packing up your room and saying goodbye to the Bartons. You gave the biggest hug to Lila, Nate, and Cooper, and told the eldest two you would take them swimming with sharks (out of earshot of Laura). Clint told you to call him if you needed anything and kissed you on the top of your head. Then it was Laura. The mother of three held you tight, then cupped your face in your hands. “I will see you again,” she said with such belief that you believed her. You held onto her wrist with one hand, unable to make a promise you weren’t sure you could keep. “And remember what I told you.”

“We are family,” you whispered.

“Yes, we are,” she pulled you in for one more hug. “Stay strong, sweet girl, you got this.” You blew out a deep breath and nodded against her. It hurt to pull yourself out of her arms and follow Yelena, Bucky, and Natasha onto the jet. Luckily, Bucky and Natasha took the cockpit, so you followed Yelena to the seats. She made sure your bags were put away, then buckled in. “Natasha is a -,” she paused when she looked at you and saw tears in your eyes.

“Nothin’,” you tried to push the tears away, but they fell down your cheek. “Uh, Laura reminds me of my mom, so I uh-” you blew a raspberry out. “Sorry, this is so stupid.” You pushed the palms of your hands to your eyes.

“It is not stupid,” Yelena gently pulled your hands away. Can you tell me about her? Your mom, I mean.”

“Really?” you asked. Yelena nodded and kissed some of the tears away. “Well, she was my best friend.” And, you thought, I wish she could have met you.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Back at the tower, you put your stuff in your living room and said hello to Wanda before heading down to Tony’s lap. You watched Tony move around his space with music blasting, unaware you were there. It gave you a chance to observe him. This was the man the media and the world couldn’t see or refused to acknowledge. The man behind Iron Man, Stark Industries, and the Avengers. The human behind everything. You remembered you witnessed a college protest against Stark Industries and their involvement in the construction of weapons that were killing innocent people. You were proud to witness the peaceful protest then, but now you understand that war and fighting are complicated. There were no winners when blood was shed. Sometimes you forget that a different Tony met your mom at a different point in her life. “Hey kiddo,” Tony said as he finally saw you, and FRIDAY turned down the music. The billionaire hugged you quickly. “How are the Mormons? How are you feeling?” His eyes scanned you over.

“Iowa was good,” you said, walking over to one of the bean bags and dropping down on one. I got sick—just once, though, which honestly is not bad considering everything. Did Dr. Carpenter call you?” The man shook his head and sat next to you. He wants me not to skip a week and continue with the new treatment plan.”

“How do you feel about that?” Yelena asked you the same question. Sighing, you shrugged.

“I trust him,” you said. “So I’ll do it, but I would have liked a break.” Before he could say more, you fished a piece of paper from your pocket. “Here,” you handed it to him. “I finished it on the way home.” You closed your eyes as he looked at the sketch of the Black Widow suit you designed.

You’ve been staring at it for so long that you could draw it with your eyes closed. The most significant change from their original suit was functionality over style. It was lightweight and had armor similar to the Black Panther nanosuit. To you, it made sense with all of the physical hand-to-hand combat they experienced. There were subtle red undertones for Natasha, and Yelena had white. The Black Widow symbol was removed. Their boots allowed for more noise-dampening and better climbing. The signature Widow Bites were sleeker, now integrated directly into their gloves.

“These are incredible,” you opened your eyes as you heard him stand up suddenly. “We can start building them today. I may have to reach out to Shuri, but we can start with the basics,” you giggled at the man’s excitement. “Do you want to help? Unless you have somewhere else to be.”

“Nope,” you stood up. “Right where I want to be.” His smile was infectious.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

You weren’t sure how Tony could work such long hours in the lab. A headache was forming from all the lights and screens. But you were able to make good progress before Kate came running in. Tony was able to hide the project. “Are you good at darts?” The archer. You pointed to yourself. “Yes, you. Yelena said you were amazing at the pool. Do those kills translate to darts?”

“Uh,” you dragged out. “Kind of.” Darts were okay. Not your favorite game, but bars were more likely to have a dart board due to space.

“Amazing,” Kate clapped her hands together. “Alright, Stark, you’re coming too. It’s game time.” Tony huffed and rolled your eyes.

“Come on,” Tony said to you. “Before reinforcements come down.” You were so confused, but you followed him out of the lab. It was how you found yourself at a dart tournament between the Avengers. It was held outside at the covered heated patio. Music was playing. Tony was behind the bar serving drinks, and when you weren’t playing, Yelena held you hostage with her arms around your waist.

It seemed wild that this was your life now. Months and years spent alone, now you were surrounded by so much love.

_

Taglist: @likemick, @averagetmblrusser, @wandaromamoff69, @simpforyelenabelova, @cd-4848, @simpforyelenabelova@nymph0puppp, @sparks123123 @person-005

[librababe99]

Happy Birthday, Baby

cw: MDNI, 18+ Only, Dick Grayson, Fem!Reader, Established Relationship, fluff, Suggestive Themes Summary: After a long night of patrol, Dick wakes up to his girlfriend surprising him with breakfast in bed and a special birthday surprise. wc: 1.1K

request:  Imagine after an extra tired patrol night, on his birthday, Dick was woken up to see a freshly made breakfast in his bed, his gorgeous fem!reader wearing nothing but his nightwing hoodie (like srsly, nothing underneath except something 😏 for the latter surprise gift *wink wink*) blessing his face with kisses, murmuring "happy birthday my handsome man" ✨️

A/N: @animegirlfromvietnam this is for you! I accidentally messed up earlier when I posted 😅

The sun filtered through the curtains in soft, golden beams, gently illuminating the bedroom where Dick lay sprawled out, tangled in the sheets. He had come home late from patrol—way too late—and his body was clearly feeling the aftermath. Every muscle in his body ached, but the heavy weight of exhaustion had finally allowed him to slip into a deep sleep. His dark hair was tousled against the pillow, and his face looked more relaxed than usual—completely at peace for once.

That peace, however, was about to be interrupted in the best way possible.

You stood in the doorway, a soft smile playing at your lips as you carried a tray loaded with a perfectly made breakfast: eggs, toast, bacon, and a steaming cup of coffee. You'd made it exactly how he liked it—after all, today was special. His birthday.

Approaching the bed quietly, you set the tray down on the nightstand and took a moment to gaze down at him. Even disheveled, with his hair a mess and the barest hint of stubble along his jaw, Dick looked as handsome as ever. Your heart fluttered at the sight, a warmth spreading through your chest. You leaned down slowly, brushing a soft kiss along his forehead.

"Mmm..." He stirred slightly, shifting beneath the sheets but not quite waking. You couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Trailing your lips down to his cheek, you whispered softly against his skin. "Happy Birthday, baby."

At the sound of your voice, his eyes fluttered open. The familiar warmth of his blue eyes greeted you as he blinked a few times, trying to shake off the haze of sleep. He stretched, letting out a small groan, and turned his head to look up at you. A slow, lazy smile spread across his face as soon as he saw you.

“Hey, you,” he rasped, voice still gravelly with sleep. “What’s all this?”

You straightened up, gesturing to the tray of breakfast sitting beside him. “Just a little something for the birthday boy. I thought you’d like to start your day off with something nice since you had such a long night.”

Dick sat up slowly, rubbing a hand over his face before looking at the spread you’d made. “You didn’t have to do this, you know…” He was touched, though; it was obvious in his expression.

“I wanted to.” You shrugged, leaning over to peck his lips softly. “You deserve it.”

Dick returned the kiss, lingering a little longer before pulling back, his eyes sweeping over you. It was then he noticed what you were wearing—his Nightwing hoodie, oversized on your frame. The familiar blue bird emblem stretched across the chest, though it clearly hung loose around you. His gaze darkened slightly with appreciation.

“Is that… my hoodie?” He arched a brow, his smile turning a little more mischievous now.

You bit your lip, fighting back a smirk. “Might be…” you teased, twirling a strand of hair between your fingers. “Thought I’d borrow it for a bit. Looks good on me, right?”

His eyes flicked over you again, slower this time, as if he were piecing something together. The hoodie was large enough that it covered most of you, but there was something in the way it fell… something that made his lips twitch upward into an intrigued smirk.

“Looks better on you than it ever did on me,” he murmured, reaching out to run a hand over your thigh beneath the fabric. His touch was warm and gentle, but there was a spark behind his eyes now. “But… is there anything underneath this hoodie?”

Your heart skipped a beat at the question, but you kept your composure, flashing him an innocent smile. “Why don’t you eat your breakfast first, birthday boy? You’ll need your energy for later…”

His smirk deepened. “Is that right?”

“Mhmm.” You leaned down again, this time brushing your lips over the spot just below his ear, trailing soft kisses down the line of his jaw, before whispering, “You’ve got a present waiting for you underneath this hoodie… but only if you finish your breakfast like a good boy.”

Dick chuckled, low and warm, the sound sending a shiver through you. “Now that’s motivation,” he murmured, his hand sliding further up your thigh, teasingly close to bare skin. His thumb traced lazy circles, and his gaze locked onto yours with a hunger that made your pulse quicken.

You pulled back just before his hand could venture too far, shooting him a wink. “Food first,” you reminded him, though your voice was a little breathier than intended.

Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the tray of food beside him, picking up the fork with a knowing smirk on his face. “You drive a hard bargain,” he teased, but there was a glint in his eye that promised this meal wouldn’t take long.

You sat back on the bed, watching as he began to eat, savoring the sight of him. There was a tension hanging in the air now—delicious and electric—building with each passing second. You could see the gears turning in his head, already plotting what was going to happen once that plate was cleared. Every bite he took was slow, deliberate, and you could tell he was enjoying drawing this out just to mess with you.

But that was fine. Two could play at that game.

Leaning back against the pillows, you stretched out, giving him a tantalizing view of your legs as they peeked out from beneath the hoodie. His eyes flicked toward you, and you could see his focus wavering.

The moment he set the empty plate aside, you grinned, leaning forward again to straddle his lap. His hands instinctively went to your hips, the warmth of his touch seeping through the thin fabric. You tilted your head, bringing your lips close to his, but keeping just enough distance to make him chase you.

“I love you, Dick” you whispered against his lips, your fingers playing with the hem of the hoodie.

His grip on your hips tightened, and his breath hitched slightly as you tugged the fabric up, revealing a glimpse of smooth, bare skin beneath.

“I love you too,” he murmured before capturing your lips in a heated kiss, his hands roaming under the hoodie, exploring every inch of skin he could reach. And as the kiss deepened, all thoughts of breakfast and sleep disappeared, replaced by something far more enticing—something that neither of you had any intention of rushing through.

The day had only just begun, but you knew it was going to be a long, very satisfying one.

And you couldn’t wait.

[blueberrypancakesworld]

Bunnies for the common good

Josh Levy x fem!reader

warning : kiss, fluff (as much this is possible) Josh is Josh, no use of Y/n

Summary : His family and he didn't celebrate Easter, it was a normal day for him...but his mum saw it differently. Forced to help out at the local primary school and bring joy to the primary school children at Easter. He would have loved to throw himself in front of the nearest car if he hadn't received a visit from his personal cuddly bunny.

info : Josh the cute fat boy, you just have to like him and so now have fun reading :)

masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Easter was not a celebration for him and his family because of his faith, it was a normal day when all the inhabitants of Eltingville were looking for colourful Easter eggs.

Which is why the brown-haired man was actually planning to take care of his Star Wars figures, clear the shelves of any specks of dust and keep trying to get hold of the ‘special’ tapes on the internet for his time at the club.

The last time had been a disgrace and he wanted to avoid that, which is why he sat down at his computer all the earlier and started searching his forums.

He had already found a few offers that didn't leave him completely poor...but well, he would pay a little more for a few bikini shots and topless scenes.

What he hadn't noticed, however, was his door suddenly opening and his mum giving him an excited look, "Joshua guess what I signed you up for?" she asked her son, holding out a flyer to him.

Detaching himself from his computer with a suppressed sigh, he went to his mum who was still looking at him happily.

The hope that she might have heard about a convention was shattered when he read the words primary school, rabbits and easter.

"No! No way mum anything but that" he tried to talk his way out of it, wanting to just go over to one of his three friends but his mum's talking wouldn't stop.

She never shouted at him but he could see by the look on her face that she meant it, she wanted her son to go out and do something good for the children.

"Now don't be like that and go on your way...besides, maybe the Easter Bunny will turn up" she winked and left him the flyer before turning back to her own things

and Josh was left alone in his room, crumpling up the dusky paper flyer as he said goodbye to his figurine collection and possible erotic videos with a muttered curse.

Grabbing his grey jacket, he trudged out onto the pavement and made his way to the local primary school where he used to go.

The place where he had met his friends and his interest in science fiction began.

The path was only a few minutes from his home, he had almost always run that way before and now he was a little out of breath as he arrived at the school faster than necessary due to his stomping.

To his regret everything was decorated with Easter eggs and bunnies, but not much had changed, it was still the same school, "Ah Joshua how nice of you to come, thanks to your mum for the extra help" his old teacher said and he looked more lost than happy as she led him to the place

The surprise for the children he found out was a petting zoo with rabbits, "Just keep an eye on them, keep them quiet, feed them and help the children afterwards" she said and before Josh could even protest she was gone That's discriminatory he thought to himself and started to think of an escape plan.

But how was he supposed to get out of here? He couldn't even jump over the fence without escaping, let alone know how to deal with rabbits, he wasn't an animal keeper for carrot eaters.

He cursed when he realised that he hadn't even taken an emergency comic with him and was now stuck in soft hell.

His attempt to do something with the animals ended in him arriving back at the fence out of breath, because the soft animals were much faster than him and the hay and food pellets had only been delivered in heavy boxes, which didn't make things any better.

As he wasn't Superman, lifting these things wasn't going to happen either.

Sighing heavily and leaning against the fence he suddenly heard footsteps behind him, he hoped it wasn't the brats or his former teacher but when he felt arms against him he knew who it was, "Did my Boba Fett miss me?" he heard his friend ask and turned to her.

What he didn't expect to see was the knee-length pink dress with bows, a bunny tail and bunny ears on her head.

Josh seemed to be speechless, his mum was right, the Easter bunny had come for him, she was here just for him, his dream had come true. "Oh my sweet Easter bunny lady" he replied and opened the fence for her to come to him.

Of course, all his friends made fun of him when he said he had met an amateur comic artist at a convention.

Bill was even on the verge of burning her comic just to make a point, but after the others had read the comic and her beauty made a good impression, Josh proudly walked out of the club with her by his side.

He was better than the losers...he may be fat but he had got there more than the other three.

As soon as she was with him she grabbed his hands and he pulled her into a hug, they were completely different but when she gave him a kiss when he saw her in that pretty outfit he didn't seem to care about anything else.

He was her soft pillow with problems and she was her pretty bow that made him look a little better at the small town and the unworthy normal people

He loved her, no matter how strange it was in between, her kiss, her love, it was like a curse he didn't want to break free from.

"As soon as we're done here, we'll go eat something just your cute bunny and her handsome bounty hunter" she winked and effortlessly picked up one of the animals in her arms.

She was so much better at connecting, but it didn't matter, he couldn't take his eyes off her, this sweet bunny...almost like in the erotic magazines that were always closed and he had only looked into one once. He was the most glamorous of the Eltingville Club because of his bunny.

Josh was completely smitten with her and the prospect of food only made it better, maybe helping the kids wasn't a bad idea after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@popk0rnshrmp , @ria-coolgirl , @the-demon-of-twilight , @doggydale , @thegirlfr0mspac3 , @ceramicghost , @pinkomalin , @gyr0zeppeliwife , @fr0z3n-c0rpz3 , @epiphanyfeel25 , @sleepy-strawberry , @swagspectrum , @daisybones-08 , @brain-dead-bunny , @lazyemmy

[xomarzz]

red velvet

1.2k words, sylus x black!fem!reader, FLUFF, established relationship, semi-drabble, very domestic, a LOT of banter, sassy sylus (tm), reader bakes sylus a cake just cause, written with black reader in mind, but really no identifying characteristics

a/n: i was reading another fic and got the idea for mc to bake a cake for sylus, because i love being delusional to domestic sylus if i love nothing else <3

the kitchen was filled with the sounds of measuring cups clinking, the hum of the oven preheating, and the soft, almost rhythmic motion of you stirring ingredients in a mixing bowl. you promised sylus a heart-shaped red velvet cake, his favorite, and now you were determined to make it perfect. but you insisted on doing it from scratch, and ‘together’, and that made things... interesting.

"are you sure you know what you’re doing?" sylus’ voice flowed into you ear as he rested his chin on your shoulder, a teasing edge to it. you glanced over at him, and the playful smirk on his face only made you roll your eyes.

"excuse me?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. "i’m a pro baker. ask about me!"

he stepped back, leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. “right. ‘pro baker’. i’ll believe it when I taste the cake and it doesn’t end up tasting like cardboard.”

you gave him an exaggerated, dramatic gasp, pointing the batter covered spoon in his face. "how dare you question my skills in the kitchen! i’m offended."

sylus laughed, low and teasing, and nudged your shoulder. "i’m just saying, you might want to stick to cupcakes. they’re smaller. easier to mess up."

"well," you shot back, stirring the batter with extra flair, "you’ll just have to trust me, won’t you? i told you i’m a pro baker." emphasizing the pro, you hum, continuing your work

"uh-huh," he hummed, clearly unconvinced." sure you are. so, what’s next in your ‘genius’ plan? do i get to be the taste tester?”

“absolutely not,” you said, scoffing. “matter of fact, you’re banned from tasting it until the final product is ready. i can’t have you messing up my process with your hating.”

he leaned in a little, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “i think i could be a pretty helpful taste tester. i mean, i have refined tastes,” he said, tapping his chin. "and i’m definitely not above doing ‘important work’ to help out."

you playfully swatted his arm, your lips curling into a grin. "i don’t need your ‘refined tastes’ distracting me. i’m trying to make a masterpiece here."

“yeah, sure,” sylus said, laughing softly. “you just focus on that, and i’ll just be over here, admiring your... technique.”

you rolled your eyes again but couldn’t help the soft smile spreading across your face. his teasing was one of the things you loved about him, and despite the playful jabs, there was always that undeniable warmth in the way he looked at you.

“alright, alright,” you said, turning back to your bowl. “you’re the official egg cracker. since you claim to be the ‘refined’ one, you’ll be handling the delicate cracking of the eggs. no pressure.

“cracking eggs is delicate now?” sylus asked with a raised brow and slight smirk, clearly amused.

“obviously.” you reply with another eye roll. “you have to crack them just right, or the cake will come out all wrong. do you want me to fail at this?”

deciding to amuse you, sylus grinned, walking over to the counter and grabbing an egg, holding it up with exaggerated importance. “no, no. i wouldn’t dream of ruining your genius cake,” he said in a voice laced with sarcasm, before cracking the egg with a dramatic flare.

you chuckled, watching him try so hard to look dramatic while cracking an egg. “i can’t believe you’re actually trying to make cracking eggs look serious and cool.”

“well, someone has to bring the style to the kitchen,” he said, giving you a cheeky wink. “you’re welcome.”

“oh, please,” you laughed, lightly nudging him with your elbow. “let me know when you crack an egg with real finesse.”

sylus dropped the cracked egg into the bowl with a look of exaggerated satisfaction. “i think i just did.”

you sighed dramatically, trying to keep your focus as you measured out the flour. “whatever you say. i’ll just be over here doing the hard work.”

“you’re sooo humble,” he said with a grin, sidling up beside you to peer at the bowl. “how does it look so far? do you need any more expert opinions?”

you shot him a glance, not missing the mischief in his eyes. “do you want to help or just critique?”

“well, i’m definitely more of a supervisor than a worker right now,” he said, leaning in to sneak a taste of the batter with his finger.

you swatted his hand away before he could do any more damage. “aht. that’s for the finished product. get out of here with your bad habits, contaminating my cake!”

sylus just laughed, clearly enjoying himself far too much. “alright, alright, i’ll behave. for now.”

with the cake now in the oven, the two of you leaned against the counter, arms brushing as you shared a quiet moment. sylus was still smiling, but now there was a softness to his expression, a warmth in his gaze that made your heart skip a beat.

"for real though," you said, catching his eye, "i’m really glad you’re here."

sylus raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "oh really what about me being here makes this cake-baking thing so special?"

you leaned in slightly, your voice softening as you looked up at him. "honestly? it just feels different with you. in a good way! i can’t really explain it... but it just feels right when you're here."

though trying to hide it, sylus gave you a genuine smile from the slight curve of his lips, the expression managing to make your heart skip. "glad i’m your kitchen partner in crime, then."

the oven timer went off, and the sweet scent of the red velvet cake filled the room. you immediately jumped up, full of energy and excitement. "it’s cake time!” sylus couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head following behind, as you grabbed the oven mitts. “time for the true test.”

"well someone’s suddenly very interested in the cake."

"i’m telling you, i’m a great taste tester," he said with a smirk.

the two of you shared a quiet moment as you pulled the cake out of the oven. the frosting could wait, but for now, everything felt right. sylus stood beside you, his presence enough to make the moment feel complete.

once the cake was cooled and the buttercream frosting had been perfectly spread, you handed sylus a fork. he took it, studying the cake with a raised brow, faking skepticism. as soon as he took a bite, his eyes widened slightly in surprise, and the corner of his mouth quirked up. "well," he said, taking another forkful. "this... is actually really good." you couldn't help but smile at the praise. "i told you," you teased, nodding your head, then nudging him lightly. "pro baker never fails." sylus smirked, setting the fork down with a small chuckle. "fine, you win. i might just be a little impressed.”

once he finished the last bite, sylus leaned back, his gaze lingering on you with an expression you couldn’t quite place. his eyes softened, then, without a word, he reached forward, cupping your face gently in his hand, and before you could react, he pressed his lips to yours in a soft, lingering kiss. it was slow, almost as if he was savoring the moment, and when he pulled away, his eyes were full of something unspoken. "you always surprise me," he murmured, voice low and sincere.

~gg♡

[buff-bambiii]

My Bestfriend — S. ES

Pairing : Female!Reader x Song Eunseok. Summary:

Oh Y/n and Song Eunseok have been inseparable since they were toddlers, growing up side by side in neighboring houses, their bond strengthened by the close friendship of their mothers. From chasing away bugs to bandaging scraped knees to protecting her from other mean classmates. Eunseok has always been Y/n’s quiet guardian — the one who stood between her and the world when it felt too loud.

Everything is thrown into question when things slowly started to change. Less time spend together.

Is she finally realizing that maybe… her best friend was never just her best friend?

“Y/n-ah! Wake up! Eunseok’s already here!”

Mrs. Oh’s voice rang from downstairs, followed by the faint clatter of dishes and the warm smell of grilled spam and eggs wafting into Y/n’s room. Groggily, she peeked from under her blanket, the morning light spilling through the half open curtains.

She sat up slowly, hair a mess of soft tangles, eyes still heavy with sleep. Today was the first day of university — a new beginning. And yet somehow, it still started just like any other morning.

From below, she could hear Eunseok’s voice — calm, casual, teasing her mom as he always did.

“He’s eating your breakfast if you don’t come down in five!” Mrs. Oh shouted again, and Y/n scrambled out of bed, muttering to herself, “He better not…”

Downstairs, Song Eunseok was already halfway through a plate of toast and eggs, grinning when he saw Y/n storm into the kitchen in oversized pajamas and socks that didn’t match.

“There she is,” he said, acting like he hadn’t just taken the last slice of spam. “Morning, princess.”

Y/n shot him a glare and slid into the seat beside him, rubbing her eyes. “Did you really eat the last piece?”

“I thought it was for me,” he replied, shrugging with zero guilt.

Mrs. Oh set another slice on Y/n’s plate with a knowing smile. “You’re lucky I made extra. And you,” she said, turning to Eunseok, “Stop stealing food. This isn’t your house.”

“Yes, it is,” Eunseok said with a wink, already sipping on his second cup of miso soup. “Right, mom?”

Mrs. Oh shook her head, laughing. “Aigoo… You’re worse than my actual kid.”

Y/n smiled quietly into her food. This .. the teasing, the warmth the familiarity — was how her mornings had always been. Eunseok was like the older brother she never had… except he wasn’t. He was something else entirely. Something harder to name.

After breakfast and Y/n getting dressed, they left the house together, Y/n still brushing her hair out of her face while Eunseok held her backpack for her.

“I can carry my own bag,” she grumbled.

“You looked like a bird’s nest exploded on your head five minutes ago,” he said, deadpan. “You’ve got bigger problems.”

“Yah!”

He laughed, effortlessly dodging her weak attempt to smack his arm.

They caught the bus to campus, sitting in their usual spot near the back. The ride was filled with Eunseok’s endless teasing and Y/n’s quiet attempts to defend herself — usually by rolling her eyes or crossing her arms while trying not to smile.

“I bet you were drooling in your sleep.” he said casually.

“I was not!”

“Your pillow says otherwise.”

She huffed, turning to look out the window, cheeks warm. “I should’ve left you at the table.”

“You’d miss me too much,” he replied smugly.

When they finally arrived at campus, the air buzzed with nervous energy. First-years shuffling around, some trying to look confident, others clearly lost. Y/n felt a little of both.

She and Eunseok made their way to the administration building to collect their class schedules. While waiting in line, Eunseok leaned against the wall beside her, scanning his phone.

“What if we’re not in the same classes?” she asked suddenly.

He glanced over. “We always are. Relax.”

But the moment they received their timetables, a frown tugged at Y/n’s lips.

“You’re in B3 for English… I’m in A1,” she murmured.

Eunseok looked at hers, comparing it with his. “Okay, so we don’t have English or Lit together. But we’ve still got lunch, right?”

“I guess,” she mumbled.

“Y/n, it’s not like I’m going off to the military.” he teased. “We’re still on the same campus.”

She nodded but couldn’t shake the unfamiliar feeling in her chest, a quiet fear of change. They’d always been in the same class since kindergarten. This was new... and new scared her a little.

While she was busy overthinking, someone bumped into her shoulder.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” Y/n said, startled as she stepped back.

The girl blinked, then smiled easily. “My bad! First-day chaos, right? I’m Shin Ryujin.”

Y/n bowed slightly, a bit shy. “Oh Y/n.”

Ryujin tilted her head. “Wait… you’re in A1 for English, right?”

Y/n nodded, surprised. “You too?”

“Yup! And Lit, History, and Korean Culture.”

“Oh… wow,” Y/n said, the nervousness ebbing slightly.

“Well, looks like we’re stuck together then,” Ryujin grinned. “Come on, want to find the classroom together?”

Y/n looked around, her eyes instinctively searching for Eunseok in the crowd, but he was nowhere to be seen. The hallway had grown busy — students rushing, calling out to friends, phones out, maps up.

She turned back to Ryujin and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”

They moved with the crowd, Ryujin chatting easily about how she got lost three times already that morning. As they approached the classroom, three girls waved Ryujin over.

“Yunjin! Winter! Somi — this is Y/n,” Ryujin said. “She’s in our class.”

The girls offered warm greetings. Yunjin had a confident, sunny vibe; Winter seemed a bit quieter but observant; Somi immediately complimented Y/n’s backpack, and just like that, the awkwardness faded.

Y/n smiled softly. It wasn’t what she was used to, being around new people, new energy but maybe this wasn’t so bad.

As the bell rang and they all shuffled into class, Y/n took one last look behind her.

Still no sign of Eunseok.

It’s just one class, she told herself.

But something about not seeing him there, not having him nearby — it felt like the first crack in something she wasn’t ready to let go of yet.

— The classroom buzzed with the energy only a first day could bring — excited whispers, chairs scraping against the floor, papers rustling as students settled in. Y/n took a seat near the middle row, sandwiched between Ryujin and Yunjin, with Somi and Winter seated just behind them.

“Professor Baek is apparently super strict,” Yunjin whispered, leaning closer. “Like, don’t check your phone or die strict.”

“Oh great,” Ryujin muttered. “Guess I’ll have to stay awake.”

Y/n smiled softly. She hadn’t expected to feel at ease so soon, but there was something about these girls their effortless chatter, their easy inclusion that made the transition feel less overwhelming.

She opened her notebook and glanced at the empty seat near her, half expecting Eunseok to slide in late with that smug grin, tossing her a pen she forgot to bring.

But the chair stayed empty.

He’s not in this class, she reminded herself. Still, a small ache bloomed in her chest.

“Y/n,” Somi whispered behind her, tapping her shoulder. “Where are you from again?”

“Oh, I live about fifteen minutes from here,” she replied. “I grew up in the area.”

“Did you go to school nearby too?” Winter asked curiously.

“Yeah, I… I’ve always lived in the same neighborhood.”

Ryujin nudged her. “So you know all the good spots around here?”

Y/n chuckled. “Some. I guess I’m kind of boring that way.”

“Hey, we love boring if it includes knowing where to get the best late-night tteokbokki,” Ryujin grinned.

As class began, the professor’s stern demeanor confirmed Yunjin’s warning — Professor Baek was not one for small talk or leniency. He dove straight into the syllabus, assigning reading material with due dates and expectations before most students had even found the course title on their sheet.

Still, Y/n took diligent notes, her handwriting neat and organized. Her quiet concentration didn’t go unnoticed.

“You take notes like a perfectionist,” Yunjin whispered during a lull. “Can I copy yours if I zone out?”

Y/n blushed. “Um… sure.”

By the time class ended, the five of them were already talking about grabbing lunch together. Y/n hesitated at first, thinking maybe Eunseok was waiting somewhere — they had agreed to meet after the first class. But her phone showed no texts, no missed calls.

“He’s probably still in his own class,” she mumbled to herself.

“Your boyfriend?” Winter asked lightly as they exited the lecture hall.

“What? Oh—no. He’s just my best friend,” Y/n said quickly.

“Hmm,” Somi hummed, giving her a look. “You said that very fast.”

Ryujin raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got that ‘childhood best friends who might be secretly in love’ vibe.”

Y/n nearly choked on her water. “No! It’s not like that.”

“Sure, sure,” Yunjin grinned, linking arms with her. “We believe you… for now.”

They found a table outside near the campus lawn. Students sprawled under trees, eating lunchboxes, laughing over iced coffees. The late morning sun had chased away the chill, and the world felt alive, full of possibility.

As they ate, the girls swapped stories about their high schools, embarrassing moments, and the classes they were dreading. Y/n mostly listened at first, smiling at their jokes, occasionally chiming in. It felt easy. Not forced.

She hadn’t realized how much she needed this — her own space, her own circle.

She did glance at her phone once more, though. Still no message from Eunseok. No “Where are you?” or “Come meet me.” It was unlike him.

Then again… maybe he was adjusting too. Maybe he was finding his own people.

“Y/n,” Ryujin said, nudging her gently. “Earth to you. You okay?”

Y/n blinked. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

“You always look like you’re deep in a drama when you space out like that,” Somi teased.

“Must be the main character energy,” Winter added with a small smirk.

Yunjin handed Y/n a piece of kimbap from her container. “Eat. Thinking’s dangerous when you haven’t had enough rice.” Y/n laughed softly and accepted it. Maybe university wasn’t so scary after all. And maybe, just maybe, it was okay to grow ��� even if that meant letting some things change.

As Y/n reached into her bag to look for her bottle of water, something suddenly cold touched the top of her head.

Startled, she looked up — only to find a familiar smirk looking down at her.

“Hydration,” Eunseok said casually, holding a cold can of soda and setting it atop her head like a crown.

Y/n blinked up at him, then smiled as she took it. “Where’d you come from?”

“B-classroom,” he said, shrugging. “I saw you from over there.”

He nodded toward a table across the lawn, where a group of guys were already waving him over laughing like they’d been friends forever even if today was their first day together on campus.

“I’m sitting with them,” he added, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “Just wanted to check on you first.”

Y/n nodded, her smile still soft. “Thanks.”

He gave her a quick once-over making sure she looked okay, comfortable, not too overwhelmed then ruffled her hair, much to her horror.

“Eunseok!” she hissed, trying to fix it.

He just grinned. “Still looks like a bird’s nest.”

Before she could reply, he was already walking away, falling into his usual effortless stride. The moment he reached his table, the noise level around the boys doubled — easy banter, loud laughter, playful shoving.

“He’s cute,” Yunjin murmured, watching him with mild amusement before slowly turning back to Y/n. “You sure you two aren’t a thing?”

Y/n, mid-sip of her soda, nearly choked.

“We’re not,” she said quickly, coughing slightly. “Seriously.”

Winter raised a brow. “You seemed really natural together.”

Somi leaned forward, grinning. “Yeah. That whole ‘he-just-randomly-brings-you-a-drink-and-ruffles-your-hair-like-it’s-an-everyday-thing’ thing doesn’t happen between just friends.”

Y/n looked down at the can in her hands, trying to suppress the heat rising to her cheeks. “It’s not like that,” she said. “We just… grew up together. We’re neighbors — literally next door. Our moms are best friends, so we kind of had no choice.”

“That’s adorable,” Ryujin said, resting her chin in her palm. “You’re childhood besties and next door neighbors? Straight out of a slice-of-life drama.”

“I’m telling you,” Yunjin added. “At least one of you is in love with the other. I’ve read enough webtoons to know how this goes.”

Y/n shook her head, laughing nervously. “We’ve just always been close. Eunseok’s… like a habit. It’s always been the two of us. It’d be weird not to have him around.”

The girls exchanged knowing looks, but didn’t press further.

“Well,” Somi said, popping a grape into her mouth, “I’m just saying — if he ever does start seeing you differently, don’t pretend to be surprised. The guy basically soft-launched you just now.”

Y/n opened her mouth to argue, but Ryujin cut in before she could.

“You know what? Let’s make a deal. No more best-friend-boy talk today,” Ryujin announced. “Today, we celebrate surviving our first morning as adults.”

“I second that,” Winter said.

“Third,” Yunjin added. “We’re officially freshmen!”

As laughter bubbled up around her again, Y/n smiled and leaned back slightly, the soda still cool in her hands. Her eyes wandered to Eunseok’s table for just a second — he was laughing at something one of his friend said, his shoulders shaking the way they always did when something really got him.

Something inside her stirred. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t painful. But it was there.

Maybe it was just the first day jitters. Maybe she just missed the way things used to be. Or maybe… maybe some things were beginning to change.

And she wasn’t sure if she was ready.

— After lunch, the sun had risen higher, casting long shadows through the campus windows as the students filtered back into the lecture halls. The buzz of conversation had mellowed, giving way to the quiet lull of post-meal sleepiness.

Y/n walked back to class with Ryujin, Somi, Winter, and Yunjin, still laughing at a story Somi was telling about mistaking the chemistry lab for the dance studio during orientation. The comfort of new friendship surrounded her, yet her eyes instinctively scanned the hallway for a familiar face.

“Ugh, I already forgot what class this is,” Ryujin groaned, flipping open her schedule. “Oh, right. Media and Culture. I heard the professor’s cool.”

“Same classroom from this morning,” Yunjin added, already leading the way.

As the girls found their seats in the middle of the room, Y/n instinctively left the spot beside her open. It was a reflex — one that had been built over years of habit.

And just as the bell was seconds from ringing, the door opened again.

Eunseok walked in.

He looked relaxed as always, in a dark button-up and jeans, headphones still dangling around his neck. Behind him followed his usual crowd. Y/n’s eyes lit up briefly — she hadn’t known they’d be in the same class this period.

Before she could lift her hand or call out, a girl — tall, stylish, with glossy hair and an effortless confidence — stepped up to Eunseok and grabbed his arm.

“Sit with me,” she said playfully, tugging him toward a seat by the windows.

Eunseok looked surprised for half a second, glancing over his shoulder. His gaze found Y/n almost immediately.

She was still holding the empty seat beside her, her expression halfway between confusion and disappointment.

Eunseok mouthed a quick, “I’m sorry” with an apologetic shrug before being pulled down into the seat next to the girl.

Y/n blinked, lowering her hand slowly.

“Who’s that?” Ryujin leaned over and whispered.

Y/n gave a small smile, shaking her head. “No idea.” Somi, who had caught the whole interaction, exchanged a glance with Winter. “That looked… intentional.”

Yunjin turned slightly in her seat. “Well, she sure seemed confident.”

Y/n stared down at her notebook, suddenly hyper-aware of the dull ache building in her chest. It was silly — he hadn’t done anything wrong. He didn’t owe her a seat, or an explanation. But the image of someone else tugging him away so casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world, left her feeling… displaced.

Like she’d just been quietly replaced.

As the lecture began, Y/n tried to focus on the slides. Ryujin passed her a note that read: “You okay?”

She nodded, scribbling back: “Yeah. Just tired.”

But she wasn’t just tired. She was realizing — maybe for the first time — that she and Eunseok weren’t going to be side by side all the time anymore.

Maybe growing up meant giving each other space.

Even if that space felt colder than she expected.

— The final bell of the day echoed through the hallways, signaling the end of their first official day of university life. Students stretched, packed their bags, and filed out in small groups, the hum of laughter and conversation echoing off the walls.

Y/n stayed behind for a moment, typing out a quick text to her mom:

Hey, I might be home a little later. Going out with some friends for a bit. Don’t worry! I Love you

The reply came a minute later:

OK. Have fun, sweetheart. I love you too.

Y/n smiled faintly and slipped her phone into her tote. She stood up, adjusting the strap on her shoulder, eyes instinctively searching the room for one person.

Eunseok.

He was still at his seat, half-turned in conversation with one of his friends, laughing at something. The girl who had tugged him into the seat earlier — still nameless to Y/n — was sitting beside him, scrolling through her phone. She looked up just as Y/n approached and gave her a polite smile.

It was the kind of smile Y/n couldn’t read — not warm, but not unfriendly either.

“Hey,” Y/n said, stopping by Eunseok’s desk.

He looked up. “You heading home?”

“Not yet,” she replied, glancing quickly at the girl. “I’m going to hang out with the girls for a bit. I just wanted to say you don’t have to walk me home today.”

“Same, actually,” he said, standing and stretching. “The guys wanna chill for a while. First day, y’know.”

She nodded, forcing a smile. “Cool.”

There was a moment — one of those quiet spaces that used to be filled with easy teasing or shared thoughts. But this time, Y/n couldn’t find anything to say.

Before she could speak again, Somi called from the doorway, “Y/n! You coming?”

“Be right there!” she called back.

Eunseok glanced over his shoulder as her friends waited. “I’ll see you tonight,” he said casually, reaching out to ruffle her hair.

Y/n swatted his hand away, her smile returning, softer this time. “Stop doing that.”

But he was already turning to his group, nodding at something one of them said. Y/n lingered a second longer, then turned and headed off with her own friends, the buzz of energy between them infectious.

They ended up at a quaint little café just a ten-minute walk from campus — one of those places with handwritten menus on chalkboards, soft indie music playing, and mismatched furniture that somehow worked together.

They ordered iced drinks, pastries, and claimed a round table near the window. As they sat chatting, the girls fell into easy rhythms — talking about professors, gossiping lightly about fellow students, and sharing first impressions of the day.

Y/n sat nestled between Ryujin and Winter, sipping on a caramel latte.

“It’s so weird not being in uniforms anymore,” Yunjin said, fiddling with the sleeves of her cropped hoodie. “I keep expecting a teacher to scold me.”

“I know, right?” Ryujin added. “Also, bless college for letting us drink coffee in class.”

“Yeah,” Winter said with a small smile. “Also bless everyone’s outfits today. Campus looked like Pinterest exploded.”

Y/n chuckled, her heart warming from the inside out. This was nice — a new kind of comfort. Not the familiarity of Eunseok, but something lighter, exciting, unpredictable.

Then the bell above the café door jingled. They all looked up instinctively. In stepped Eunseok, followed by his friends. Y/n’s eyes met his the second he scanned the room. His face lit up with an easy grin.

“Oh look, it’s the cool table,” he said, motioning to the others to follow as he approached.

Y/n raised an eyebrow. “You following us?”

“Coincidence,” he said smoothly. “But good timing, huh?”

He gestured to his friends. “This is Sungchan, Anton, Shotaro, Seunghan, Wonbin, and Sohee. Guys, meet Y/n my bestfriend and her friends.

Sungchan gave a bright smile. “Nice to meet you all.”

Chairs were pulled in, drinks were ordered, and just like that, the café table grew louder, livelier. The two groups melted into one conversation — jokes flying, stories being exchanged, laughter bouncing off the café walls.

Y/n sat beside Ryujin and across from Eunseok, their eyes meeting occasionally in those in-between moments when the group chatter paused. His smile was still familiar, still teasing — but it lingered a beat longer now. And hers? A little more unsure. Maybe the world was widening for both of them.

And maybe, just maybe… this was where everything began to shift.

—

The sky was starting to tint orange by the time they all stood outside the café, stretching, waving, and saying their goodbyes. One by one, Ryujin and the others disappeared in different directions, until only Y/n and Eunseok remained, heading toward the bus stop they’d always shared.

“First day down,” Eunseok said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “You survived.”

Y/n smiled. “Barely.”

He glanced at her. “You’re lucky you made some cool friends though. They seem decent. Loud, but decent.”

“Hey,” she laughed. “They’re fun. And Winter isn’t loud.”

“No, she’s just scarily observant,” he said, pretending to shiver.

Y/n was about to reply when Eunseok suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to her. “Hold still.”

“Huh—?”

Before she could react, his thumb reached out and gently wiped something from the corner of her lips. “You had whipped cream,” he said casually.

But his voice was quieter. Softer.

Y/n blinked, her breath caught in her throat. For just a split second, it wasn’t just his hand on her face. It was the weight of something unspoken. The heat that climbed up her neck had nothing to do with the summer air.

She quickly looked away and swatted at his hand. “Ugh, you’re so annoying.”

Eunseok only smirked, walking ahead again. “You’re welcome.”

On the bus ride home, things felt normal again. Their shoulders bumped occasionally as the vehicle rattled along the familiar streets. Y/n texted her mom:

On the way home. Eunseok’s coming in for a bit.

The response came seconds later:

Of course. I’ll keep dinner warm.

As soon as they stepped off the bus and reached the familiar steps of Y/n’s front porch, Eunseok opened the door like he lived there — because honestly, it felt like he did.

“I’m home!” they both called out in unison.

From the living room, a distracted voice responded. “Hi!” It was Sion, Y/n’s younger brother, fully immersed in his racing game, fingers clicking rapidly as the car zoomed across the large TV screen.

“Still trying to beat your record?” Eunseok teased, dropping his bag near the shoe rack.

“Don’t distract me,” Sion muttered, tongue slightly out in concentration. “I’m on the last lap.”

Y/n rolled her eyes fondly and padded into the kitchen, instantly reaching for the snack cupboard. But her hand barely grazed a bag of chips when a sharp smack tapped the back of it.

“Not before dinner,” Mrs. Oh said, narrowing her eyes with a knowing smile.

“Ugh,” Y/n groaned, pouting. “I’m starving.”

“There’s fruit on the table. You can eat that.”

Defeated, Y/n shuffled out of the kitchen and headed upstairs. Eunseok didn’t need prompting — he followed behind her, casually making his way into her room and collapsing onto her bed, face-first.

“Your bed still smells like strawberry detergent,” he muttered into her blanket.

“That’s because I actually wash my sheets,” she said, tugging her chair out from her desk.

He rolled onto his back, eyes half-lidded. “So… first day. What’d you think?”

Y/n leaned back slightly, kicking off her shoes. “It was… a lot. But good. The girls were nice. It felt weird not being in the same class as you though.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, turning his head to look at her. “Felt empty. Kept waiting for your annoying commentary about the professors.”

She smirked. “You mean correct observations.”

Eunseok smiled, then sighed. “It’s going to be weird this year. Different schedules, new people….”

“Yeah,” she echoed, softer now.

There was a brief silence — not awkward, just thoughtful.

Then Eunseok added, “But we’ll figure it out. We always do.”

Y/n nodded, watching him from her chair. He looked too comfortable on her bed. Too familiar. Like this moment had played out a hundred times before — and yet, somehow, everything felt… a little different now.

She wasn’t sure what it meant yet.

But she could feel it.

And that was enough to make her heart ache just a little.

The scent of simmering stew and garlic-soy marinated meat wafted through the air, curling its way up the stairs and into Y/n’s room. “Dinner’s ready!” Mrs. Oh called out from the kitchen.

Eunseok sat up immediately. “Finally. I was about to pass out.”

“You had a whole pastry earlier,” Y/n said, laughing as she stood.

“That was fuel for emotional support,” he quipped, following her down the stairs.

In the dining room, the table was already set. Bowls of warm rice, glistening meat, side dishes, and a bubbling pot of kimchi jjigae awaited them like a familiar embrace. Sion was already in his seat, chopsticks in hand.

“You eat like you didn’t just have snacks ten minutes ago,” Y/n muttered to her brother.

“Mom said you couldn’t have snacks. Not me,” Sion replied with a smirk.

Mrs. Oh ushered the two of them to their seats. “Come on, food’s getting cold.”

As always, Eunseok took the spot next to Y/n — across from her brother and beside her mom, who barely blinked at the routine. It was like muscle memory, the way she instinctively placed an extra set of utensils by his bowl, spoon angled just the way he liked.

“Eunseok-ah, taste this and tell me if it’s too salty,” Mrs. Oh said, offering him a spoonful from the stew.

He obliged with a grin, tasting it like a proper food critic. “Mmm. Perfect. Just spicy enough.”

“I swear, you compliment my cooking more than my own kids do,” Mrs. Oh said with a laugh, smacking Y/n lightly on the arm.

“Because he’s trying to win Favorite Child status,” Y/n said, feigning offense.

“I think I already have it,” Eunseok replied smugly.

“You wish,” she shot back, but the warmth in her voice was real.

They ate together like they always had — laughter bouncing around the room, chopsticks clinking against bowls, casual teasing woven in between mouthfuls. Sion recounted a weird video he’d watched, and Mrs. Oh shared a story about a nosy neighbor. And through it all, Eunseok felt less like a guest and more like a piece of the house itself.

Halfway through the meal, Mrs. Oh gently reached out to fix Eunseok’s bangs, brushing them away from his eyes.

“You need a haircut soon, don’t you?” she said. “I keep telling you, you should let me trim it.”

Eunseok chuckled. “You just want an excuse to make me look like Sion.”

“She cuts his hair every few months,” Y/n whispered to him. “It’s like a ritual.”

“Don’t remind me,” Sion groaned dramatically.

Y/n glanced between them — her mom fussing over him, her brother casually talking to him like he was another sibling, Eunseok cracking jokes like he belonged in every chair at the table.

It hit her all at once.

He was part of the family. Her mom treated him like a son. Her brother liked him more than most of his own classmates. Their house — her home — had his imprint in every corner.

And yet…

There was something bittersweet sitting just beneath her ribs.

As dinner wound down, Mrs. Oh packed some leftovers into a container. “Take this home, Eunseok. You’ll get hungry again by midnight.”

“Thanks, mom.” he said with a grin, accepting it like it was a given.

“You’re basically another mouth to feed in this house,” she teased.

Y/n followed Eunseok to the door, the evening breeze cool on their faces as he slipped on his sneakers. She held the door open, leaning against the frame.

“I think my mom likes you more than me,” she said, trying to sound casual.

“She’s got good taste,” he teased.

They stood there for a second — not quite wanting to end the day, not quite knowing what else to say. The silence between them wasn’t awkward, but it wasn’t easy either. It felt… loaded.

“I’ll text you later.” he finally said.

“Okay.”

He stepped off the porch, gave her a lazy wave, turn to walk towards the next house. Y/n stood there watching as he stepped infront of his front porch, glancing up at Y/n smiling and entered the house.

That night after dishes, after Eunseok had texted his usual “home safe” message… Y/n layed in bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark.

She should’ve been asleep by now. Her alarm was set for 6:00 AM. She had classes to think about and new friends to maintain.

But her mind was stuck — looped on the moment his thumb wiped cream from her lips. On the way he collapsed onto her bed like it was his. On how naturally he fit at the dinner table. How her mom smiled differently around him. How she smiled differently around him.

Why am I thinking about him like this?

She turned onto her side, clutching her pillow.

It’s just Eunseok. He’s always been like this. Always been here. He’s my best friend. That’s all.

Still, her chest felt tight. Not painful. Not scary. Just... full. Like she was holding something in, afraid of what it would become if she let it out.

The next morning arrived too soon.

By 6:30 AM, Y/n was already in the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, tying her hair into a loose bun as she reached for the eggs in the fridge. The pan was already heated.

Crack.

Eggshells landed awkwardly on the edge of the sink. The yolk broke too fast.

She sighed. Right on cue, the doorbell rang. She didn’t even flinch. “It’s open!” she called out, too used to the routine by now.

Seconds later, Eunseok stepped into the kitchen like he lived there. “You still can’t crack eggs properly?” he greeted, setting down his bag.

“Good morning to you too,” she mumbled, flipping the eggs with uncertainty.

He leaned beside her and peered into the pan. “That’s a war crime, Y/n.”

“Shut up,” she said, laughing under her breath.

“I’ll handle it.” He took the spatula from her, bumping her gently aside. “You cut up some fruit or something. This is painful to watch.”

She rolled her eyes, muttering, “Drama queen.”

A few minutes later, the scent of properly cooked eggs and buttered toast filled the kitchen.

Y/n walked into the living room where Sion sat on the couch, still wrapped in a blanket, eyes barely open as a random anime played in the background.

“You’re up,” she said, surprised. “I thought I’d have to drag you out of bed.”

“Woke up to the smell of something burning,” he mumbled.

She gasped. “That was not burning—”

“You mean the ones that Eunseok hyung made since you messed up?” Sion interrupted with a sleepy smirk.

Without hesitation, Y/n grabbed the closest couch pillow and smacked it against his shoulder.

“Hey!” Sion protested, shielding himself.

“Respect your sister,” she grumbled, but her voice was light.

From the kitchen, Eunseok called out, “Sion-ah, come eat! Before your sister ruins dessert too.”

“I heard that!” Y/n shouted.

Soon they sat at the table, the three of them — Eunseok in the seat her mom usually occupied. Sion was still yawning between bites, but his plate was almost clean.

“Mom left early?” Eunseok asked, nodding toward the empty seat.

“She had a meeting downtown,” Y/n said. “Told me to make sure Sion ate properly, like I don’t do that every morning.”

“You don’t,” Sion said with a full mouth.

“I will smother you with toast,” she warned.

Eunseok just watched them with a smile, like this scene was something he’d memorized — something that grounded him.

After a moment, Y/n looked over and caught him staring at the two of them. Not in a weird way. In a soft way. Like… this was peace.

“What?” she asked, her voice quiet.

He blinked. “Nothing. You’re just… you’re good at this.”

“At what?”

“Being the older one. It suits you.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. But something fluttered in her chest — something that hadn’t stopped since last night.

As the clock ticked closer to 7:30 AM, Sion packed his things and ran out to catch his own bus. Y/n and Eunseok gathered their bags next, ready to head out.

But as Y/n tied her shoes by the front door, her heart still tugged with confusion. She glanced at him — same hair slightly messy from the wind, same easy grin.

Why do you feel different now?

Why does my heart feel like it’s noticing you for the first time?

She shook her head, willing the thoughts away.

He’s just my best friend. Right?

— The morning air on campus buzzed with sleepy energy the kind only found in second-day-of-school chaos. Some students were rushing with their lanyards flapping in the breeze, others loitering near vending machines, sipping energy drinks and still blinking sleep from their eyes.

Y/n and Eunseok walked side-by-side, their steps in sync out of habit rather than intention. She tugged at the hem of her sweater while balancing a piece of toast in one hand, barely biting into it.

“You know you look like a squirrel when you chew in a rush, right?” Eunseok said, casually slinging his bag higher up on his shoulder, looking at her sideways.

Y/n narrowed her eyes and nibbled again. “And you look like an unbothered grandpa. What’s your point?”

He chuckled. “I’m just saying… maybe today, try not to scare off your professors with your zombie-walk.”

“I’m functioning, thank you very much,” she grumbled, brushing a crumb from her lip. “At least I don’t snore through three alarms like you.”

“I don’t snore.”

“Yes. You do.”

He was about to argue again, when—

“Eunseok!”

That voice — chipper, sweet, and unmistakably familiar — sliced through their morning banter.

Y/n turned her head and immediately recognized the girl approaching them. The same girl who had been glued to Eunseok’s side the day before. She wore a cardigan today over a white blouse, her skirt neatly pressed, hair flowing in gentle waves. The kind of girl who looked like she walked out of a web drama.

Y/n’s grip on her toast loosened slightly.

The girl slowed to a stop in front of them, a wide, almost practiced smile lighting up her face. “Good morning, Eunseok,” she said, tilting her head slightly.

Eunseok, polite as always, offered a warm smile in return. “Morning, Chaeyoung.”

And then the inevitable.

Chaeyoung’s gaze flicked to Y/n. Her expression didn’t falter, but something in her eyes shifted — a quick flicker of sizing-up.

“Oh? Is this your sister?” she asked sweetly, raising an eyebrow like she was only half-joking. Y/n was caught off guard, but before she could respond, both she and Eunseok said at the exact same time:

“No.”

“She’s not.”

There was an awkward beat of silence before Eunseok spoke again, casually placing a hand on Y/n’s shoulder. “She’s not my sister, but she’s like one. This is Y/n — my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were toddlers.”

Y/n managed a small, polite smile and extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Chaeyoung took it, her grip firmer than Y/n expected.

“I’m Chaeyoung,” she said brightly. “I had classes with Eunseok yesterday. He gave me his coffee because I looked exhausted — wasn’t that the sweetest?”

Y/n’s stomach twisted slightly. She wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like Eunseok hadn’t shared coffee with her before. Heck, he’d even split his lunch with her back in high school more times than she could count.

But hearing it from someone else — watching Chaeyoung talk about her Eunseok like that — felt strange. Foreign. Not quite jealousy, not yet, but… discomfort.

“I’m sure he was just being kind,” Y/n replied softly.

Before Chaeyoung could say anything else, the bell rang, its shrill tone bouncing off the hallway walls. Students began moving all around them like a tide pulling everyone in different directions.

“Oh, there’s my class!” Chaeyoung chirped, then — to Y/n’s surprise — reached out and hooked her hand around Eunseok’s arm like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Y/n’s eyes widened slightly.

Chaeyoung smiled up at him. “Let’s walk together?”

Eunseok blinked, hesitated for the smallest second, then gave her a polite nod. “Sure. I’ll see you later, Y/n.”

“Yeah,” Y/n said, quickly forcing a smile. “See you at lunch.”

Chaeyoung waved back with the arm not clinging to Eunseok. “Nice meeting you!”

As the pair disappeared down the hallway, Y/n stood frozen for a moment, toast in hand, heart oddly hollow. She knew it didn’t mean anything. Not really. Eunseok was just being his usual polite, non-confrontational self.

But still…

Why did that bother her so much?

She shook her head and turned to head toward her own class, her thoughts unusually noisy for this early in the day.

Maybe it wasn’t just the girl. Maybe it was how quickly Eunseok had adapted to the attention. Maybe it was that he let her cling to him. Or maybe… maybe it was that he hadn’t looked back once.

— Third period felt like it would never end. The lecture droned on, and the fluorescent lights above flickered just enough to make Y/n restless. Her notes were barely legible, written more out of habit than focus. Her mind had been wandering since the morning—since Chaeyoung clung to Eunseok’s arm like they’d known each other forever.

Y/n glanced at the clock. Still twenty-five minutes left. She sighed and raised her hand.

“Professor, can I use the restroom?”

The teacher gave a distracted nod. “Make it quick.”

Y/n slipped her phone into her pocket and quietly exited the room, the hallways much quieter now that classes were in session. She walked toward the restroom, hoping the cold water might help clear her thoughts.

The door creaked softly as she stepped into the girls’ restroom, and almost immediately, her eyes landed on someone already inside.

Chaeyoung.

She stood in front of the mirror, leaning in close as she adjusted the gloss on her lips. Her long lashes fluttered as she blinked, dabbing gently at the corners of her eyes with a tissue. The light hit her just right—highlighting her features, her confidence, the effortless way she carried herself.

She looked up when she saw Y/n in the reflection.

And smiled.

Not wide. Not fake. But not exactly friendly either. It was polite. Civil. Measured.

Y/n offered a quick nod before disappearing into one of the stalls, doing her best not to think too much of it. It was just coincidence, right? Nothing more.

When she emerged a minute later and walked to the sink, Chaeyoung was still there. Still checking her makeup. Still perfect.

Y/n turned on the tap, the water splashing softly as she began washing her hands. There was silence between them — just the sound of the faucet and the soft crinkling of a makeup bag zipper.

“Y/n, was it?”

Y/n paused, blinking, and looked up slowly to meet Chaeyoung’s eyes through the mirror.

She nodded, drying her hands with a paper towel. “Yeah.”

Chaeyoung gave a small hum and turned slightly, her body still facing the mirror but her eyes now on Y/n’s reflection.

“Eunseok…” she began slowly, as if trying to sound casual. “Is he… seeing someone?”

Y/n’s hands froze in the act of tossing the paper towel.

That name. Her Eunseok. The way she said it — softly, curiously, with just enough edge to make it sound intentional — sent a small jolt through Y/n’s chest.

She tried to steady her voice, forcing a neutral tone. “No. From what I know, he’s been single for a couple of years now.”

There was a brief pause.

Then, Chaeyoung smiled — that same polite, unreadable smile — and turned to fully face the sink again.

“Just curious,” she said lightly, like it was an afterthought.

And without waiting for a response, she tucked her lip gloss back into her pocket, adjusted her bag strap, and walked out the door.

Y/n remained by the sink, staring at the door that had just softly clicked shut.

Just curious?

But it didn’t feel like curiosity.

She turned back toward the mirror, catching her own reflection — cheeks slightly flushed, brows faintly furrowed. Her eyes gave her away. She was bothered. More than she wanted to admit.

And in that quiet restroom, alone with her thoughts, she whispered the truth only to herself.

“I don’t like him… right?”

But even she didn’t believe it anymore.

By the time Y/n returned to class, the lecture was wrapping up. She slid back into her seat beside Ryujin, offering an apologetic smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Ryujin glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

“You okay?” she whispered, pen still idly tapping on her notebook.

Y/n hesitated for a second before giving a tight nod. “Yeah. Just needed a break.”

But Ryujin wasn’t convinced. She didn’t push though, sensing Y/n wasn’t ready to open up — not yet.

The bell rang not long after, and the class began filing out into the hallway, noise swelling with footsteps and chatter. Y/n followed behind her group, quieter than usual. Her mind kept replaying Chaeyoung’s voice in that restroom.

They made their way to the cafeteria, securing a corner table near the windows where sunlight filtered in lazily. Ryujin, Yunjin, Winter, and Somi launched into a chaotic conversation about how “hot” their ethics professor was and whether it was too soon to join a club or not.

“Okay, pause,” Somi said suddenly, leaning forward on the table and squinting at Y/n. “You’ve been weirdly quiet since you got back from your ‘bathroom break.’ Did someone cry in there or something?”

Ryujin crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes too. “More like someone’s thoughts are floating above her head like a speech bubble.”

Yunjin leaned over with a teasing grin. “Let me guess. This is about Eunseok, right?”

Y/n blinked. “What? No— I mean— I just…”

She looked down at her tray, suddenly finding the untouched rice ball very interesting. Winter rested her chin on her hand. “Did something happen?” There was a beat of silence.

Y/n finally sighed, pushing her tray aside slightly. “I ran into that girl again. Chaeyoung.”

That got everyone's attention. Ryujin’s brow furrowed. “The one from yesterday? Miss arm-hold?”

Y/n nodded.

“She asked me if Eunseok was seeing anyone,” she said quietly, then added, “When we were alone. In the restroom.”

The girls exchanged looks.

Yunjin whistled. “She’s making her move already. That’s bold.”

“Do you think she likes him?” Winter asked, sipping from her iced drink.

Y/n shrugged. “Probably. I mean… I don’t blame her. Eunseok’s— you know— him. He’s kind. And tall. And stupidly charming in his own way.”

“But it bothered you,” Somi said, not as a question but a statement.

Y/n didn’t respond at first. Then softly, barely above the noise in the cafeteria: “Yeah. I think it did.”

The others fell silent for a moment, giving her the space to breathe in her confession. Y/n had never admitted that before. Not even to herself.

Ryujin, always the one to cut through fluff, leaned forward. “Do you… like him?” Y/n looked up slowly. Her lips parted to answer — to deny it, like she always had. But no words came.

Because maybe… maybe she did. And she hated how real that felt now. Before anyone could say anything else, the sound of chairs scraping across the floor caught their attention.

Y/n turned her head — and there he was.

Eunseok, walking in with his usual group of guy friends — Sungchan, Shotaro, Sohee, Anton, Seunghan and Wonbin. And right behind him?

Chaeyoung.

Of course.

Y/n’s stomach twisted again as Chaeyoung subtly placed a hand on Eunseok’s arm, leaning in to say something only he could hear. He chuckled lightly — the same way he used to with Y/n.

Ryujin leaned closer, noticing her friend's gaze shift. “If you’re going to let someone else take your seat in his life,” she said quietly, “don’t be surprised when she makes herself comfortable.”

That hit a nerve.

Y/n’s fingers clenched slightly on the edge of the table. She didn’t say anything. But something inside her stirred — not jealousy. Not yet.

Something more dangerous. The realization that she might be losing someone who’d never even known he was hers.

The cafeteria was buzzing, chatter echoing off the walls as students gathered in their usual clusters. At a glance, it looked like just another lunch period—but for Y/n, every movement felt amplified.

Her eyes followed Eunseok and his group as they made their way inside, Chaeyoung still glued to his side like a shadow. She said something again, her hand briefly brushing Eunseok’s forearm as they passed a table. He responded politely—like he always did—but something about the way she lingered made Y/n clench her jaw.

Then, thankfully, Chaeyoung veered off, joining a group of girls a few tables away. Eunseok didn’t even glance back. Instead, he and his friends headed straight toward Y/n’s table.

“Yo,” Sungchan greeted first, already pulling out a chair beside Winter, who blinked at him in mild surprise.

Wonbin waved at Ryujin, who offered a nod in return. Anton and Sohee gave a casual “hey” while pulling up seats, and Seunghan dropped into place with an easygoing grin.

Then Eunseok, without hesitation, sat down in the empty chair right next to Y/n.

No announcement. No warning. Just… sat. Like he belonged there. And then, naturally, reached over and grabbed a bite from her tray.

“Didn’t even ask,” Y/n muttered half-heartedly.

Eunseok chewed exaggeratedly, unfazed. “You always share,” he said, already going for another bite. But when Y/n didn’t nudge him away like she normally would, when she didn’t roll her eyes or jab his hand with a fork, he paused.

He glanced at her. She wasn’t even looking at him. Her attention was… elsewhere. Focused on nothing. Or maybe too many things.

Subtly, Eunseok leaned a bit closer and lightly bumped his head against her shoulder.

“You okay?” Y/n blinked, startled slightly, then gave a small nod. “I’m fine,” she said too quietly, her voice flat.

Her friends noticed. Especially Yunjin, who had been watching the interaction with narrowed eyes.

“She’s just tired,” Yunjin spoke up suddenly, cutting in with a casual smile. “We stayed up late talking about joining clubs and stuff.”

Y/n looked at her gratefully, catching the gentle nudge under the table. Eunseok raised a brow, clearly still unsure. “You sure? You look—”

“Dead inside?” Ryujin smirked, picking up the thread smoothly. “Yeah, we all look like that.”

That earned a chuckle from the guys, though Eunseok’s eyes lingered on Y/n for a second longer.

She finally glanced at him and gave a faint smile. “I’m really okay.”

He nodded slowly, still not fully convinced, but let it go.

The group slipped into lively conversation, laughter bubbling between the two circles now merged into one. Anton and Sohee were exchanging K-drama hot takes with Winter, while Sungchan attempted to teach Somi how to do a card trick with a pack he randomly pulled from his pocket.

But even with all the energy, Y/n felt like she was watching from the outside.

Eunseok was right beside her—shoulder brushing hers now and then, his voice familiar and comforting. And yet… it all felt different. Like there was a space between them no one else could see. She stole a glance toward Chaeyoung, who was seated a few tables away, sipping her smoothie while looking—coincidentally or not—right at their table.

At Y/n.

Y/n quickly looked away. Eunseok was mid-laugh now, teasing Seunghan for dropping a whole chicken nugget under the table. But as he turned slightly, his hand casually grazed Y/n’s again as it rested near her tray.

She moved it without thinking.

He noticed that.

His eyes flickered to her, confused, but before he could say anything, Yunjin piped up again with a loud sigh. “Alright. After lunch, we’re dragging Y/n to the art club booth. She needs to stop bottling up her emotions.”

Y/n choked slightly. “I’m not bottling anything!”

“Exactly what someone bottling would say,” Ryujin said with a grin.

Eunseok leaned back in his chair, finally smiling again. “Art club, huh? You still draw those weird little cats in your notebook?”

Y/n glared. “They’re not weird. They’re stylized.”

“Mhm,” he teased, poking her side. “Stylized cats with one eye bigger than the other. Totally not creepy at all.”

The tension eased for a moment, laughter softening the corners of her chest. But still, beneath it all, Y/n could feel it—the growing distance between what she felt and what she let show.

And for the first time in years…

She didn’t know how to act around him anymore

— The soft chime of the school bell signaled the start of the last period of the day. Students sluggishly filed into the classroom, half running on caffeine, half willing the clock to jump ahead.

Y/n entered with her usual calm steps, her bag slung lazily over one shoulder, clutching her notebook to her chest. She took her seat near the middle row — the same spot she'd claimed since orientation.

As she settled in, flipping her notebook open, she instinctively glanced at the door — and sure enough, there he was.

Eunseok.

Her fingers froze slightly on her pen as she watched him enter the classroom with his usual cool composure. He exchanged a casual nod with the guys seated near the back… but instead of walking toward the seat beside Chaeyoung, where he'd sat yesterday, he veered left.

Straight to Y/n’s desk.

Without a word, he slumped into the chair next to her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Chaeyoung, already seated, turned slightly in her chair, eyes tracking Eunseok’s movement. She blinked once, lips parted like she was about to call out—but didn’t. Her smile faded just a bit.

Y/n noticed.

She swallowed and looked forward again, trying to act like her pulse hadn’t just picked up. “You left your pen yesterday,” Eunseok mumbled casually, fishing a navy-blue gel pen from his pocket and dropping it onto her desk.

Y/n glanced at it. “You used it, didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” he said with a faint smirk. “But I kept it safe.”

Before she could roll her eyes in response, the teacher walked in, beginning the lesson and drawing attention to the front of the classroom. Y/n focused on the board, her pen moving quietly across her notebook as she took notes.

Eunseok, meanwhile, tapped his fingers idly against the table for a few seconds before leaning over and scribbling something in the corner of her page.

She glanced down.

"Bored. Save me. 🙄" Then a doodle of a very exaggerated, bug-eyed stickman collapsed over a desk.

Y/n covered her laugh with a cough, nudging his arm lightly. “Pay attention,” she whispered, trying to sound stern.

“I am,” he whispered back, resting his head on the desk now, turned toward her, one cheek squished against his arm. “Just… multitasking.”

She didn’t look at him, but she could feel his gaze on her. Soft. Comfortable. A gaze that had always been there.

After a moment, his voice came quieter this time, like a secret being passed between them.

“Wanna hang out after class?”

Y/n paused in her writing. She looked at him finally, and there he was — face half-buried, hair slightly messy, eyes watching her with the kind of calm that made her chest tighten. It was so casual… yet something about it felt heavier than usual.

“Just us?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Eunseok raised a brow. “Well, yeah. Unless you have plans with Ryujin and the others?”

Y/n shook her head. “No… I don’t think we’re doing anything.”

“Then come with me,” he said simply, before shutting his eyes for a moment as if trying to nap mid-lecture. “Let’s go to that bakery you like. The one with the cream buns.”

She stared at him, blinking once. She hadn't even mentioned that bakery in months. Maybe even a year. But he remembered. And somehow, the fact that he remembered something that small felt louder than anything else in the room.

She turned back to her notes, her cheeks growing warm.

“Okay,” she said softly.

Eunseok smiled against his sleeve.

— The little bakery was quiet in the late afternoon, soft golden sunlight spilling through the windows and dusting the wooden tables in warmth. The scent of freshly baked bread and sweet cream filled the air, wrapping around Y/n like a comforting blanket.

Eunseok and Y/n slipped inside, shrugging off their bags and settling into a cozy corner booth. Eunseok immediately reached for the display case, eyes scanning the rows of pastries.

“Cream buns?” he asked with a teasing grin.

Y/n nodded, smiling softly. “You remembered.”

“Of course,” he said, almost too casually.

Their order arrived quickly — two cream buns, still warm, and cups of iced tea. Eunseok handed Y/n hers with a little flourish, watching as she took a bite, eyes closed briefly in delight.

They sat quietly for a few moments, the comfortable silence stretching between them.

Then Y/n cleared her throat, looking at him with a hesitant expression.

“So… about Chaeyoung.”

Eunseok raised an eyebrow, folding his arms on the table. “What about her?”

“She’s… nice,” Y/n said carefully, twisting a napkin between her fingers. “Friendly, confident, seems like she really likes you.”

Eunseok shrugged, taking a sip of his tea. “Yea, she’s cool. I guess.”

Y/n bit her lip, choosing her words slowly.

“Do you think she’s… your type?”

Eunseok looked down at his tea, then back up at her. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I haven’t really thought about it.” Y/n watched his face, searching for any hint. “She’s pretty,” she added softly.

“Yeah,” Eunseok said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Y/n nodded slowly, but before she could respond, Eunseok’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile.

“Chaeyoung is really, really pretty,” he admitted, eyes lighting up as he smiled. Y/n glanced at him, surprised by his honesty. Eunseok’s gaze then drifted toward the window, watching the passersby on the street outside. After a moment, his voice dropped to a casual tone.

“Hey… do you think Anton is your type?”

Y/n nearly choked on her cream bun, coughing and blinking in confusion. “Why… why are you suddenly asking about your friend?” she managed, still recovering.

Anton — tall, good-looking, with a charming smile that made many girls swoon. But Eunseok bringing him up out of nowhere was unexpected. Eunseok leaned back in his chair, raising one brow as he gave Y/n a teasing look. “I saw him looking at you a few times,” he said slowly, like he was revealing a secret. “I think he might be crushing on you.”

Y/n’s cheeks burned at the mention, her heart skipping a beat. “You’re kidding,” she whispered, trying to play it cool but failing miserably. Eunseok chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the moment.

“Nope,” he said. “He definitely notices you.”

Y/n looked away, suddenly very interested in the patterns on the table, trying to keep her face from showing just how much Eunseok’s words unsettled her — and yet made her strangely glad.

— The familiar creak of the front door opening announced their return. Y/n and Eunseok stepped inside, shrugging off their bags and exchanging tired but content smiles.

From the living room couch, Sion’s fingers danced over a game controller, eyes glued to the screen, but the moment he heard their footsteps, he looked up.

“Hey, you’re back,” he said without turning his head.

Y/n smiled warmly at her younger brother. “Hey, Sion.”

He paused his game, finally turning toward them. “Mom said she’s gonna be home late today. So it’s just us for dinner.”

Eunseok’s eyes flicked toward Y/n, then back to Sion, a knowing smile curling on his lips. As if he already knew exactly what to do. Without hesitation, he walked toward the fridge and pulled open the door. Taped to it was a small handwritten note.

Eunseok grabbed it, scanning the list of ingredients and instructions carefully. Then he chuckled softly, shaking his head as he flipped the note over.

At the bottom, scrawled in bold letters, was a warning:

“Do NOT let Y/n cook at all cost!”

Y/n, curious, leaned over Eunseok’s shoulder to glance at the note, eyebrows knitting in confusion.

“Why are you laughing?” she asked, a little suspicious.

Eunseok tucked the note into his back pocket, just out of her reach, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Because,” he teased, turning to face her, “I’m in charge of cooking tonight. So you better behave.” Y/n’s eyes narrowed playfully, but before she could protest, Eunseok was already moving toward the kitchen, humming a familiar tune like he owned the place.

Sion, grinning, called after him, “You’re lucky Mom left instructions. I’d hate to see what happens if you tried to cook without her help.”

Y/n laughed, the tension of the day melting away in the warmth of their little home — and the quiet comfort of their unusual, perfect little family.

— It had been a few quiet weeks since the semester began. Between adjusting to class schedules, late-night group chats, and long walks home.

On their free day off, Mrs. Oh insisted on a proper grocery run, dragging both Y/n and Eunseok along with the promise of dinner rewards and the subtle joy of motherly bonding. It wasn’t the first time the three of them did this—it almost felt like a routine by now.

The supermarket was unusually lively for a weekday afternoon. It was the sort of noise that hummed in the background like a steady drum—carts rolling, kids whining for candy, soft music looping from the speakers overhead. Mrs. Oh was already two aisles ahead, list in hand and a laser focus only a seasoned grocery shopper could master.

Y/n trailed behind pushing the cart, while Eunseok occasionally dropped in snacks that definitely weren’t on the list.

“You know she’s going to notice when she gets to the checkout,” Y/n muttered, eyeing the third bag of shrimp crackers he slid between the rice and the milk.

“Yeah,” Eunseok said nonchalantly. “But she’s also going to pretend not to notice.”

Y/n rolled her eyes with a smile, shaking her head as she adjusted the cart’s wobbly wheel. It was a moment that felt painfully normal—familiarity wrapped in the mundane.

They turned into the fruit and vegetable section, where crates of apples were stacked in perfect pyramids and a low chill hung in the air from the misting systems above the leafy greens.

“Eunseok?”

The voice made them both pause.

Y/n looked up just in time to see Chaeyoung approaching from the opposite direction. She looked different—more casual than usual, but somehow still effortlessly put together. Her pale cream sweater hugged her frame and her jeans were neatly cuffed at the ankles. Her smile lit up immediately when her eyes landed on Eunseok.

“Oh,” Eunseok blinked, his voice caught somewhere between surprise and politeness. “Hey, Chaeyoung.”

Y/n felt her chest stiffen slightly.

Chaeyoung took a step closer, cradling a small basket of groceries. “Didn’t think I’d see anyone from campus here,” she said with a light laugh. “I was just picking up some things for my grandma.”

Y/n walked up beside Eunseok silently, a small nod of acknowledgment toward Chaeyoung. Her arms were full with a bag of flour and a tray of eggs. Chaeyoung’s bright expression dimmed slightly when she noticed her.

Before anyone could say more, Mrs. Oh appeared around the corner with another basket full of ingredients and a cheery expression that could charm a room.

“Oh! Eunseok,” she said, surprised to see him still standing. Then her eyes drifted to Chaeyoung. “Who’s your friend?”

Chaeyoung straightened up a little at the question, offering a polite smile. “Mom, this is Chaeyoung,” Eunseok replied. “She’s a classmate from uni. We have a few classes together.”

Mrs. Oh looked delighted, immediately stepping closer to greet her. “Ahh! Nice to meet you, Chaeyoung. You must be one of the smart ones keeping my boy here on his toes.”

“Oh—uh—thank you, ma’am,” Chaeyoung said with a short laugh. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Before the conversation could continue, a voice called out from behind them.

“Mom, can we get these too?” Y/n called, holding up a box of cereal and a jar of Nutella. She walked up to join them, her hair slightly tousled from the chill of the produce section. As she stepped beside Eunseok, Chaeyoung’s smile faltered slightly. Her brows furrowed as she looked between Y/n and Mrs. Oh.

“I’m… confused, is she also Y/n's mom” Chaeyoung muttered, barely above a whisper, but loud enough to be heard.

Mrs. Oh chuckled, resting a hand on Y/n’s shoulder. “Oh no, I’m just Y/n’s mom. Eunseok is my best friend’s son—but he’s practically family. He’s been part of this household longer than some of our furniture.”

Y/n snorted at that while Eunseok just grinned.

Chaeyoung nodded slowly, as if trying to mentally adjust the image she had of them. “That explains… a lot,” she said with a stiff smile.

There was a beat of silence. It wasn’t awkward—not exactly—but the air had thickened just a little, heavy with all the things unspoken.

Y/n stepped away to drop her items into the cart and walked down the next aisle without waiting. Eunseok glanced at Chaeyoung one last time.

“See you around,” he offered casually.

Chaeyoung gave him a soft smile. “Yeah. See you.”

And just like that, the moment passed. As they turned the corner, Eunseok caught up with Y/n, who was now rearranging items in the cart unnecessarily. “Did she seem… off to you?” he asked quietly, glancing sideways.

“She just looked surprised,” Y/n replied coolly. “It’s not every day you find out your classmate has a second mom.”

Eunseok chuckled under his breath. “Well, to be fair… Mrs. Oh is everyone’s second mom.” Y/n didn’t say anything. But her hands were clenched a little tighter around the cart handle.

From a few steps behind, Mrs. Oh watched the two of them interact, a small smile tugging at her lips. She didn’t say it out loud, but she noticed the way Eunseok looked at her daughter.

Campus was unusually warm for a spring morning. Golden sunlight filtered through the trees as students shuffled toward their buildings in twos and threes, some still yawning, others chatting animatedly about last night’s lecture or the latest group project panic.

Y/n walked with her usual group—Ryujin, Yunjin, Winter, and Somi. The five of them had clicked in that effortless, chaotic way where someone was always talking over someone else, someone was always laughing, and somehow it just worked.

As they neared the central courtyard, Ryujin pointed toward the right side of the building, where a familiar figure stood next to the vending machine.

“There’s your boy,” she smirked.

Y/n turned just in time to see Eunseok—messy hair, bag slung over one shoulder, tapping the vending machine like it personally offended him.

“What did it do this time?” Y/n asked, walking over to him while her friends hung back.

“It ate my money,” he said, crouching slightly to peer into the bottom slot. “Again. Why do I keep trusting these things?”

Y/n shook her head and fished into her own pocket for some coins. “Let me try,” she said, inserting the change and pressing the same buttons. The drink clunked into the bottom with a satisfying thud.

Eunseok took the can and grinned. “You’ve always had the magic touch.”

“Maybe the vending machine just likes me more.”

He laughed, but before he could reply, a familiar voice broke into their conversation. “Eunseok! You’re here early too!” Chaeyoung.

Y/n’s smile faltered just slightly as she turned to see the girl walking toward them, dressed in a neat denim skirt and a tucked-in blouse, her hair pinned back on one side with a pearl clip. There was something practiced in the way she walked—poised, confident.

Eunseok looked surprised but polite as he turned toward her. “Hey, morning.” Y/n stepped back a little without even thinking about it, letting the can of soda slip into Eunseok’s hand as Chaeyoung stopped in front of them.

“I was hoping I’d run into you,” Chaeyoung said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Did you get the notes from yesterday’s lecture? I missed the last ten minutes.”

“Yeah, I think I did,” he replied, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’ll send them to you.”

Chaeyoung leaned in slightly to peek at his screen, her hand lightly brushing his arm.

Y/n pretended not to notice.

But she did.

She always did.

“Oh, and,” Chaeyoung added, “There’s that group project for Communication Studies. I was thinking maybe we could meet up to brainstorm later this week? Just the two of us? You seem like you’d have good ideas.”

Y/n’s heart thudded a little harder. She stared down at her shoes, scuffing them against the pavement.

“I already have a group for that one,” Eunseok said with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I think they already submitted our members list.”

Chaeyoung’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes narrowed just a touch. “That’s alright. There’ll be more group work, right?”

Y/n couldn’t help it—she glanced up, their eyes met briefly. And Chaeyoung smiled sweetly.

“Morning, Y/n,” she added smoothly.

“Morning,” Y/n said, returning the smile with one of her own, smaller but steady.

Ryujin and the others walked up then, sensing the shift in energy. Yunjin gave Y/n a pointed look, mouthing silently: ‘You good?’

Y/n nodded almost imperceptibly.

Chaeyoung turned toward her own classroom just before the first bell rang. “Well, see you both later,” she said over her shoulder, her voice sing-song and light as air.

The second she was out of sight, Ryujin groaned.

“Someone’s trying way too hard,” she said under her breath.

“I don’t know,” Somi added, a little too honestly. “She’s kind of smooth with it. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was plotting something.”

“She is,” Winter said, biting into a breakfast bar. “And it’s working.”

Y/n stayed quiet. Her arms folded across her chest, her gaze drifting toward Eunseok, who had turned his attention to a message on his phone, oblivious to the way the conversation just shifted around him.

Inside, her thoughts were already spiraling.

It was silly, really. Chaeyoung hadn’t done anything wrong. She was just being... friendly. Maybe a little too friendly. But Eunseok wasn’t hers. He never had been.

But why did it bother her so much to hear his name on Chaeyoung’s lips? Why did her stomach twist when she saw her smile at him like that?

Later that day, during lunch break:

Y/n sat outside with her friends, eating slowly as they chatted about weekend plans and classes. Eunseok joined them a few minutes later with his tray in hand, sliding into the seat next to Y/n like it was always meant for him.

“Hey,” he said, nudging her shoulder slightly. “You okay? You’ve been quiet today.”

“Just tired,” she lied. “Didn’t sleep well.”

He looked at her for a second longer than necessary, but didn’t press.

“Chaeyoung was looking for you in the hallway earlier.” Ryujin added casually, smirking behind her drink.

Eunseok blinked. “She was?”

Y/n didn’t say anything. She kept her eyes on her food, willing her face not to show anything.

“She was probably going to ask again about that project,” Eunseok muttered, scratching the back of his head. “She’s... nice.”

“Very nice,” Yunjin said sarcastically.

“Maybe too nice,” Somi added.

— The hallway was quiet, the distant murmur of classrooms echoing faintly behind closed doors. Y/n stepped out of the restroom, smoothing her hair and adjusting the strap of her bag, her eyes scanning casually ahead—

Until she spotted him.

Eunseok.

He was leaning against the wall across the hallway like he didn’t have a care in the world. One hand in his pocket, the other casually scrolling on his phone. His expression soft, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips—he looked like he was waiting for someone.

Y/n felt a small tug in her chest, her steps light as she instinctively began to walk toward him.

But just as she took a few steps forward, she saw her.

Chaeyoung.

Rounding the corner with a confident walk, the girl approached Eunseok like they’d been meeting up like this for years. She smiled brightly, her fingers reaching out to gently loop around his forearm as she leaned closer to say something. Eunseok looked up, startled for a second—but not pulling away either.

Y/n stopped walking.

Just for a second.

And that second was enough for the ache to creep in—low and warm, confusing and unwelcome.

She turned her gaze away quickly, trying not to react, when—

Thump.

She bumped into something—or rather, someone—solid. Y/n stumbled slightly backward, her breath catching as she looked up and saw a familiar face staring back at her with wide eyes and a startled expression. Anton.

His tall frame towered over her as he blinked in surprise, his hands raised awkwardly as if unsure whether to catch her or apologize first.

“S-sorry! I didn’t see you there,” he said quickly, his cheeks tinting the softest pink. He scratched the back of his neck, lips curving up into a shy smile. “Hi, Y/n... noona.”

Y/n’s heart, already fluttering from everything else, skipped again for some reason. She straightened, brushing invisible dust off her shirt, trying to regain her composure. “It’s fine—I wasn’t looking either.”

Anton looked past her for a second, spotting Eunseok and Chaeyoung still deep in conversation across the hall. His gaze returned to Y/n, softer now, almost like he knew.

“You... heading somewhere?” he asked, tone casual but curious.

“Back to class,” she replied. Anton nodded, stepping aside so she could walk through the hallway beside him. A quiet pause settled between them as they walked slowly. Then, just when Y/n thought the moment might dissolve, Anton glanced at her and cleared his throat.

“I’ve seen you around a lot,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing slightly with the way his voice pitched up. “You and Eunseok-hyung. You two are... close, huh?”

Y/n’s lips parted, a breath caught between a laugh and a sigh.

“Yeah. We’ve known each other forever.”

Anton nodded again, more thoughtful now. “That must be nice.” Another beat of silence. Then, softly, like he’d been waiting to say it:

“You’re... different from other people here.”

Y/n looked up at him, a little startled. “Different?”

“I mean that in a good way,” he added quickly, ears turning red. “You’re... warm. Like, easy to talk to. And I don’t know—maybe that’s why it’s easy to notice you.” Y/n blinked. Her heart wasn’t racing like it did around Eunseok—but it was fluttering in a different way now. A quieter way. A gentler one.

Before she could answer, the warning bell rang through the hallway. Anton gave a sheepish grin and tilted his head toward the classroom ahead. “Guess we should go.”

“Yeah,” Y/n said softly. “Let’s go.”

— Y/n stepped off the bus, the late afternoon sun casting golden streaks across the quiet neighborhood. Anton walked beside her, casually swinging the small cake box in one hand, the other buried in his hoodie pocket.

“Thanks again for offering to work on the project together,” Y/n said, glancing sideways at him. “I would’ve started it on my own and probably cried halfway through.”

Anton chuckled softly. “You’re being dramatic, noona.”

“Am I?” she said with a teasing smile.

They turned the familiar corner, approaching the familiar house with the low white fence and flowerpots by the door—her house. For Y/n, this route usually meant she was walking with Eunseok, laughing or arguing over something pointless, always feeling light and comfortably chaotic. But this time, it was... quieter. Still, not unpleasant.

Anton’s presence was different. Gentler. And even if it didn’t feel like home yet, it didn’t feel wrong either.

As they stepped up to the porch, Y/n unlocked the door and called out instinctively, “Mom, I’m home!”

Almost immediately, her mother’s voice floated from the kitchen. “Already? I thought you said you were staying late with—”

She paused mid-sentence the moment she stepped into view and saw Anton standing beside her daughter, holding a cake box, a bit stiff but offering a polite bow.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Oh,” he said with a soft, respectful smile.

Y/n’s mom blinked, eyebrows raising in amusement as she glanced between her daughter and the boy. “Oh? You’re not Eunseok.”

“Mom,” Y/n said under her breath, lightly elbowing her.

Mrs. Oh laughed, waving a hand. “I’m joking. I just wasn’t expecting someone new. Eunseok practically lives here—you know how it is.”

“I’ve heard,” Anton said, that polite smile still on his face.

“Well, come in, come in,” she gestured toward the living room, turning to Y/n with a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t keep him standing at the door.”

Y/n rolled her eyes playfully and stepped in with Anton following behind. She led him to the dining table where they set their bags down and placed the cake box on top.

“So... this is your first time here?” her mom asked, casually leaning on the doorframe with that knowing glint mothers always seemed to have. “Project partner?”

“Yes,” Anton nodded. “We’re in the same Literature class.”

“He also said he’d get me cake,” Y/n added quickly, trying to shift the focus off the subtle interrogation.

Mrs. Oh chuckled. “He’s smart. Bribery always works on you.”

Y/n gave her a betrayed look, while Anton let out a small laugh.

“I’ll leave you two to it,” her mom said, turning toward the kitchen. “Let me know if you want anything, okay?”

The moment she was gone, Y/n let out a breath and looked at Anton.

“She’s... really not used to seeing anyone else with me,” she admitted. “She always thinks it’s either just me or me and Eunseok.”

Anton sat down, resting his arms on the table. “That makes sense. You and Eunseok-hyung seem really close.”

Y/n hesitated, reaching for her notebook. “Yeah... we are.”

“Do people ever... get the wrong idea about you two?” She blinked, caught off guard by the quiet sincerity of the question. “All the time.”

Anton gave her a glance that lingered, like he was about to say something more, but instead, he opened his own notebook and pulled out the textbook. “Let’s make this project so good the professor cries.”

Y/n smiled. “Deal.”

They dove into their work, and for a little while, things felt... light again. A different kind of light.

The late afternoon light poured through the living room window, bathing the dining table in a warm amber hue. Y/n and Anton sat across from each other, textbooks and scattered notes spread out between them, the earlier awkwardness slowly replaced with quiet concentration and comfortable pauses.

Anton was surprisingly funny when he relaxed. He had a soft way of speaking, and when he joked—usually dry, unexpected one-liners—it always caught Y/n off guard, making her laugh harder than she intended.

“So,” he said, scribbling something down and pushing it over for her to read, “if we interpret this line as symbolism for freedom, do you think the professor will think we’re overreaching or just incredibly intelligent?”

Y/n read the sentence he wrote: "The open window didn’t just let the breeze in, it let her breathe for the first time."

“That sounds like a poetic cry for help,” she said through a laugh. “But... it’s also kinda beautiful.”

Anton looked down at his notebook, cheeks coloring slightly. “It’s cheesy.”

“It is,” she grinned, “but it’s a good cheesy. I think he’ll like it.”

A small smile tugged at Anton’s lips as he rested his chin on his palm. “You’re different when you’re not surrounded by your friends.”

Y/n tilted her head, curious. “Different how?”

He shrugged. “More relaxed. You don’t try as hard to hide how smart or thoughtful you are.”

The compliment took her off guard. She blinked, unsure how to respond, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

“I didn’t know I was hiding it,” she mumbled.

Anton gave her a gentle look. “A lot of people do. Especially around people they’ve known forever. They kind of get stuck being who they were back then.”

Y/n thought of Eunseok. Of all the years they’d shared the same jokes, the same rhythm, the same everything. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever had to show someone who she was outside of that.

With Anton, it felt like she could be a little more... her own person.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

Anton looked at her, then down at the time on his phone. “It’s already past six.”

Y/n blinked. “Seriously? That fast?”

He nodded, then glanced toward the kitchen. “Do you think your mom would be okay if I stayed a bit longer? I haven’t eaten yet.”

As if summoned, Mrs. Oh peeked around the corner at that exact moment, holding a dish towel.

“You’re welcome to stay for dinner,” she said, as if she’d been listening the entire time.

Anton sat up straighter. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Besides,” she smiled at her daughter knowingly, “it’s nice seeing someone new for once.”

Y/n threw her mom a look, but didn’t protest. When Anton turned back to her with a grin, she rolled her eyes.

“You’re not getting out of doing the rest of this project just because my mom likes you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Anton said, already pulling the textbook back open.

Later, after dinner which Mrs. Oh insisted on serving with too many side dishes and far too many questions about Anton’s family, his favorite food, and his blood type—Y/n walked him to the front door.

The night air was cooler, crisper, and the sky was already turning a shade of deep indigo.

“Thanks for today,” Y/n said, standing at the door with him.

“I should be the one thanking you,” Anton said, his voice softer now. “I had a good time.”

She smiled. “Even the interrogation from my mom?”

“Especially that part,” he joked.

They stood there for a beat longer, something unspoken lingering in the space between them.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.” she nodded. “Let me know when you got home safely.”

As he walked off down the street, Y/n stood at the door just a few seconds longer than she meant to, watching his figure fade into the distance. When she finally closed the door behind her, the house felt quieter, but not in a bad way.

Something had shifted.

Not in a dramatic way. Just... enough.

— Over the next week, Y/n and Anton found themselves spending more time together and not just because of the project, though that remained their excuse. Whether it was in the library corner near the windows or on a quiet bench tucked behind the art building, they found spaces that felt like theirs. Quiet. Comfortable.

Anton was never pushy. He didn’t talk too much, didn’t demand her attention, didn’t tease her the way Eunseok always did. Instead, he asked questions the kind that made her think. The kind that showed he really listened.

“…So, you write in a journal every night?” he asked one afternoon, leaning back on his elbows as they sat in the grass on campus, the sun casting a lazy golden light over them.

Y/n looked at him with a small smile, hugging her knees to her chest. “Sometimes. It depends on the day.”

“What do you write about?”

She hesitated, then shrugged. “Anything. Just… thoughts. Stuff I can’t say out loud.”

Anton nodded slowly, thoughtful. “I think that’s kind of brave.”

She turned her head, surprised. “Why?”

“Because writing things down means you’re willing to face them,” he said. “Most people just let thoughts slip away because they’re afraid of what they’ll find if they really stop and look.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward—it was full of understanding. Y/n looked down at her hands. “Do you ever feel like people expect you to be a certain version of yourself all the time?”

Anton gave a dry laugh. “All the time. Especially when you don’t talk much people assume who you are before they ever really get to know you.”

Y/n nodded quietly. “I think I’ve been stuck in the same version of myself for so long, I didn’t even notice it.”

Anton glanced at her gently. “You don’t seem stuck.”

Her eyes met his, something soft and unsure flickering between them.

Before either of them could say anything more, a breeze passed between them cooler now as evening began to settle. Anton sat up and brushed the grass from his sleeves.

“Let me walk you to the bus stop,” he said, standing and holding a hand out to her.

Y/n took it without thinking. His hand was warm, and he didn’t let go right away.

Later That Week

“Are you seriously bringing cake again?” Y/n laughed as she watched Anton pull a small pastry box out of his bag after their study session in the library.

He grinned. “You said you liked that chocolate chiffon last time.”

“I said it was dangerous,” she clarified, watching as he opened the box to reveal two neat slices—one for her, one for him.

“It’s not a bribe. I just like eating with you.”

Y/n blinked at that, cheeks warming slightly as she accepted the fork he offered. They ate in companionable silence, tucked in a quiet corner of campus, legs stretched out in front of them. The sun was starting to dip behind the trees, casting everything in soft orange and purple hues.

“This might become a tradition,” Y/n muttered between bites.

“Is that a bad thing?” Anton asked.

“No,” she said, smiling faintly. “Not at all.”

Back at Home

That night, as Y/n lay in bed with her journal open in her lap, pen tapping lightly against the page, she hesitated before writing anything.

She thought of Anton’s quiet humor, the way he remembered her small preferences, the way he never filled the silence with anything unnecessary.

He was different. Safe. But also... unpredictable in the best way.

“It’s strange,” she wrote. “How someone you barely knew a month ago can become a part of your day so easily. Not in a loud way. Just... there. Like background music that suddenly becomes your favorite song.”

She paused, then underlined the word “suddenly.”

— The sun was barely peeking through the curtains when Eunseok stepped into the Oh household, slipping off his sneakers at the door like he’d done a thousand times before. The scent of sesame oil and something lightly frying on the stove wrapped around him like a familiar blanket.

“Sion?” he called out, already walking into the living room.

“Here.” Sion answered without looking up from his game controller, sprawled on the couch. “Noona’s in the shower. She’ll be down in a bit.”

With a shrug, Eunseok headed to the kitchen and grinned the moment he spotted Mrs. Oh laying out the breakfast dishes. “Good morning, Mom,” he greeted her as casually as ever.

Mrs. Oh turned around, her expression instantly brightening. “Eunseok!” she beamed, walking over and pulling him into a warm, motherly hug that made him chuckle.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you! You’ve barely dropped by lately,” she scolded gently, pulling away just enough to give him a fond look. “Too busy for me now?”

Eunseok raised both hands in mock surrender. “I swear I was buried in project deadlines. Ask Y/n. We haven’t even had lunch together properly this week.”

“You better not be starving yourself,” she replied, returning to the stove. “Sit. You’re eating with us.”

Just as Eunseok was about to pull out a chair, he heard footsteps descending the stairs. He turned, and there was Y/n—hair still damp, dressed in a soft oversized sweatshirt and loose pants, rubbing her towel over her head as she entered the kitchen.

Her steps faltered slightly when she spotted him.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting you,” she mumbled, catching his gaze before quickly looking away.

Eunseok raised a brow, his head tilting slightly. “Why wouldn’t you? It’s Saturday.” Sion, ever the chaos bringer, chose that exact moment to walk in. “Oh, did noona tell you? Anton’s coming to pick her up.”

Eunseok blinked, slowly turning to Y/n. “Anton?”

Y/n avoided his gaze, fiddling with the towel in her hands as she walked over to grab a cup of water. “We’re just finishing the project... and grabbing lunch.”

The silence that followed was subtle but heavy. Mrs. Oh caught it immediately.

“Huh,” she said casually, setting down a bowl of kimchi. “Isn’t that sweet? Anton’s the one you mentioned the other night, right? The one who brought over that cake?”

Y/n gave a sheepish nod, sipping her water a little too quickly.

Eunseok leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed now. “Didn’t realize you two were hanging out so much outside of class.”

“He’s nice.” Y/n said, her voice defensive even though he hadn’t accused her of anything.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t.” Eunseok replied smoothly, but his gaze lingered on her a second longer than usual.

Mrs. Oh, ever the observer, narrowed her eyes slightly at the exchange while pretending not to notice. “Well, if he’s good company and helps her focus, I approve,” she said, throwing a glance at Eunseok that held more meaning than her words let on.

“Didn’t know he was her type,” Eunseok muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Sion to catch.

Sion, traitorous sibling he was, grinned wide. “Well, noona never says anything, but Anton is good-looking, huh?”

“Sion,” Y/n hissed.

Eunseok didn’t say much after that, but his usual easy energy had shifted—just slightly. He took a seat, fiddling with the edge of the placemat, watching Y/n as she walked around the kitchen, trying to act normal. Trying not to fidget.

The air had changed. Not dramatically. Not explosively. Just enough to be noticed.

Mrs. Oh set the rice cooker down and sighed quietly, offering a faint smile to Eunseok. “You’ll stay for lunch, right?”

“I might head out before that,” he said, not meeting Y/n’s eyes this time. Y/n blinked, surprised by the answer. “You’re not staying?”

“Got something to do,” he said with a shrug that didn’t feel as casual as he wanted it to. Before anyone could say more, the doorbell rang. Y/n flinched.

“That must be him,” she murmured.

“I’ll get it!” Sion called, already halfway to the door.

And as Anton’s voice greeted the younger boy from the entryway, Eunseok stood up, the chair scraping slightly against the floor.

“Tell him I said hi,” he said, grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair.

Mrs. Oh frowned. “You don’t have to rush out, Eunseok.”

“I’ll be back later,” he said, already heading for the hallway.

Y/n turned to follow, but he paused just long enough at the edge of the room to say, “Have fun today.” The smile he gave her didn’t quite reach his eyes before walking past Anton and then he was gone.

The front door closed with a soft click, but to Y/n, it might as well have echoed. Eunseok’s presence, so loud and familiar, left a sudden hollow quiet in the air.

She stood in the hallway for a moment longer than necessary, eyes fixed on the now-closed door, her heart thrumming uneasily. Something about the way he left… the look on his face—it unsettled her.

Behind her, Mrs. Oh called out gently, “Y/n, sweetheart, don’t keep your guest standing.”

Snapping herself out of it, she turned and forced a smile as Anton entered the kitchen, Sion trailing after him.

“Anton! You came right on time,” Mrs. Oh greeted warmly, already gesturing to the table. “Come, come, we have enough food for everyone. Eunseok just left, so there’s an open seat.”

Anton blinked, slightly surprised. “Oh, he’s not eating with us?”

Y/n quietly took her seat, her gaze fixed on her rice bowl. “He had something to do,” she murmured.

Mrs. Oh gave Anton a kind smile. “He’s been in and out a lot lately. Busy boy. But that just means more food for you.”

Anton chuckled politely, settling into the seat Eunseok had vacated minutes before. It didn’t go unnoticed by Y/n, who kept her eyes down, pushing her food around.

Sion, not one for subtlety, pointed his chopsticks across the table. “Noona was spacing out since you got here. Think she’s sad Eunseok hyung left.”

Y/n nearly choked on air, glaring at her brother. “Sion!”

Anton laughed softly, lifting a spoonful of eggs and holding it toward Y/n. “Then let’s fix that. Say ‘ahh.’ Come on, it’ll make you smile.”

She looked at him, startled, before blinking rapidly. “Are you seriously trying to feed me right now?”

“You look like you need it,” he said with a teasing grin, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

Sion was grinning way too wide, and Mrs. Oh gave them both a knowing side-eye as she poured soup into small bowls. “I like this one,” she muttered under her breath just loud enough for Y/n to hear.

Y/n rolled her eyes, but despite everything, she opened her mouth slightly, letting Anton feed her a bite. She chewed, eyebrows rising in surprise.

“…Okay, that’s actually really good,” she admitted.

Anton smiled wider, clearly pleased. “See? Told you I’d cheer you up.”

And for a moment, it worked. Y/n allowed herself to relax—just a little—as they fell into a lighter rhythm. They joked, Sion made his usual ridiculous comments, and Mrs. Oh asked Anton the usual barrage of motherly questions, from his major to his favorite childhood food. He answered them all with charming ease.

But in the back of Y/n’s mind, she couldn’t stop replaying the slight furrow in Eunseok’s brow. The way his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. The shift in the air when Sion mentioned Anton’s name.

She laughed when Anton teased her again, but her heart still felt tangled in a knot she couldn’t explain.

Outside, the day carried on like normal—but something between her and Eunseok had changed, even if neither of them had said a word about it.

After breakfast, the skies had softened into a quiet grey—the kind of weather that made everything feel slower, dreamier. Y/n and Anton stepped out of the house, her mom waving them off from the doorway with a smile and a suspiciously approving look. Sion had muttered something about “don’t be out too long” before disappearing into the living room, game controller already in hand.

Anton had offered his arm like a drama lead, jokingly, and Y/n had smacked it away with a laugh.

They decided to take the scenic route through the neighborhood park on the way to the café Anton had picked out. The breeze was cool, tugging gently at Y/n’s hair. Anton, walking slightly ahead, turned to look at her every now and then, like he was making sure she was still with him.

“You really okay?” he asked, voice softer now that they were alone. “You seemed… distracted earlier.”

Y/n hesitated for a second too long.

“Just… thinking about stuff,” she replied vaguely. “You know how it is. Life, school, projects...”

Anton looked at her a moment longer, his eyes warm but thoughtful. “Right. Life stuff.”

They left it at that—for now.

The café Anton brought her to was small and tucked between a bookstore and a plant shop, its storefront framed by hanging vines and chalkboard menus in handwritten script.

Y/n blinked as she stepped inside. “How did you even find this place?”

Anton grinned, proud. “I came here a lot when I was preparing for entrance exams. They let me stay forever as long as I bought a drink every few hours.”

The inside was cozy: dark wooden tables, dim lighting, the soft hum of indie music playing somewhere in the background. A couple of students were curled up in corners with laptops and open notebooks, the smell of baked pastries and cinnamon lingering in the air.

They ordered drinks—iced caramel coffee for her, black coffee for him—and a shared slice of strawberry shortcake.

They sat by the window.

“You know,” Anton began as he placed the fork in her hand, “when I said I’d treat you to cake, I wasn’t joking.”

Y/n chuckled, stabbing into the soft sponge. “I assumed you were just using cake as a bribe so I’d agree to be your project partner.”

“That too,” he admitted with a sheepish grin.

Their conversation flowed easier than she expected. He told her more about his hometown, his old high school friends, and his dream of maybe studying abroad someday. She told him about her childhood with Eunseok—without lingering too long on anything that might make her chest feel tight again.

It was calm. Natural.

And when she laughed at something Anton said, really laughed he looked at her with a softness that made her pause. Just for a second.

“Is there something on my face?” she asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin, suddenly self-conscious.

Anton shook his head, smile lingering. “Nah. You just look happy.”

She blinked, caught off guard. “Oh.”

“I like seeing you that way,” he added, almost shyly, taking a sip of his coffee to hide the red in his ears.

Y/n didn’t know what to say to that. So she just quietly took another bite of cake, and let the moment pass without pushing it too far.

But the warmth in her cheeks stayed with her the whole walk back home.

Word count: 15.8K Part 1. - Part 2. - Part 3.

[crazymadpassionatelove]

Austin's It Girl

18+ for sexual situations mentioned

Want to refresh yourself with the beginnings of the Cool Girl saga? Click here!

Lots of love and thanks to my favorite ladies for their screams of love and support! @ab4eva @therealslimshakespeare @stylespresleyhearted

***

"Are you going to be the new It girl?"

“.... I'm going to be Mrs. Butler”

As the news of the engagement spreads like wildfire, Austin's rep is suddenly inundated with requests. Magazines, everyone from People to Elle, and TV stations want in on it too - Extra, E! News, even that fluffy third hour of the Today Show. There are podcasts run by former reality show contestants, even Martha Stewart herself is said to be interested….in meeting with you? 

All this fuss makes you absolutely double over in laughter, snorting into a ceramic bowl filled to the brim with a Greek salad, the olive oil having come from a small farm and shop in Ojai, California. You and Austin had visited the day prior, the married older couple slyly stopped all others from entering and let you meander around their property, paps and onlookers unable to catch a glimpse for once. Maybe that's why Austin has decided that was the perfect time to hike down your high waisted denim Levi's and bend you over stacked wooden crates filled with peaches.

He was in gray sweats, he hadn't anticipated a farm sort of outing when you originally took off on a drive to wherever you could end up that morning. “Gimmie a little love before we get back in the car, huh baby?” Of course you oblige, is it wrong that you secretly want to be caught honestly? Suddenly your ears perked up at the sound of something ripping. Goodbye robins egg blue lace panties, one of your favorite pairs from Agent Provocateur. “Sorry doll, I just can't have anything keeping me from you. We'll get you a new pair ok?” You moaned in satisfaction, thrusting back until your hips were riddled with half-moon shaped nail marks and you were snarling, chasing your release. The sounds of skin slapping could be heard as the wind chimes blew in the wind amidst a gentle breeze. “Be a good girl” he huffed as he had throbbed within you over and over, teetering on the edge with his nose pressed against the nape of your neck. 

You knew what that meant, he wouldn't cum until you came a third time. Some silly rule he had come up with after yet another all night passion-filled fuck fest. So you had arched like a pretty little kitten, covered your own mouth, came and shook but continued to thrust back, hard and soaked, to help him get there. He swore when he came and you couldn't help but wanna kiss him, no man sounded sexier swearing than Austin. Still gasping, he had been aware that the need to be discreet and get out of there without being caught was imperative. Still, you had fallen forward on your shaking, post orgasm blissed out legs and toppled over the aforementioned crates of peaches. Austin was wide eyed, embarrassed but laughing. With your torn panties shoved in your pocket, your cheeks flamed red when Austin tried to explain away just exactly what had happened to the lovely, you later learned, longtime married couple's fruit as you paid. “When we got engaged I was fairly weak in the knees too,” the wife had winked at you. So you left there with the olive oil and a stained glass peach, of all things, to hang in the kitchen.

You had actually just hung it when Austin's rep had popped by to deliver the news. Everyone wanted to talk to you. Nylon had declared “the hottest person to look at lately is no longer Austin Butler – it's his fiancè.”

“Well, well, well…my baby is the star now,” Austin had cooed, coming into the room wearing those fuck me style cotton shorts of his and a white v neck. It takes some coaxing from him, but you agree. One interview, help the chaos die down. You frankly would rather do cart wheels across broken glass, but the things done for love. 

Absolutely dead set on preserving Austin's privacy, explaining to his team that your hardworking, diligent, dedicated man should not have to put on a public show for the press in his own home, you tell them that arrangements must be made for said interview to take place elsewhere. Vanity Magazine is the one you end up choosing. “You're gonna look hot as hell” on the cover Austin declared the night prior to your first ever solo interview, limbs so tightly wound and entwined you can't even sneeze without disturbing him. His fingers traced tiny hearts on your arms. “This is a one-time deal, don't get used to it,” you hushed him. “I'm only your private cover girl and you know how I prefer to be photographed.” He pecked your lips once, then twice as he yawned. Before drifting off he pulled down your panties, at least he didn't rip this pair. “Case I wake up and need ya..” he rasped as he drifted off. 

The morning of the interview Austin finds you sitting cross-legged on the floor of your closet, wearing a Swiss-dotted semi-sheer white bra and matching panties. You're alternating between eating strawberry yogurt and nibbling on those caramel sea salt cookies you baked last night to bring to the interviewer. “Do you think that seems like a bribe?” you eye him as he settles down next to you, eyes still fuzzy with sleep. You're flipping through the magazine you'll soon grace the cover on, your outfit for the day hanging above you on one of the racks in the oak-paneled dressing room. He makes that gesture with his hands that always causes you to melt “C’mere…” and you tumble into his lap, curling up and letting his artwork-like sculpted fingers comb through your slightly damp hair. His voice is thick and that drawl that always seems to linger despite his agent's exasperation appears. “You're such a good girl doing this…I know ya’d rather not…I'm real proud of you…proud that everyone is gonna get to know and see my pretty girl now”. That's all it takes to calm your nerves really, the want and need to make him proud of you. You slip into your black boat neck dress that hits just above the knee. On each hip is a gold button that seems to tuck you in just right. One of the extras had worn it in the Elvis movie. You offhandedly mentioned how cute you thought it was, and then suddenly the next morning it had appeared in your closet. With there being a slight California chill in the air, he watches as you rummage through the racks. A blazer? Dress things down with a jean jacket? Finally you see one of his white dress shirts hanging from an event a few days prior. “Mind if I borrow that? Take a little piece of you with me?” You bat your eyelashes knowing there isn't a chance he'll say no. “Are you gonna let me shower with you? That shirt won't be the only thing of mine you take with you..” 

97 minutes later and still leaking cum, you stride into the rental home in Beverly Hills where the journalist is waiting to meet you. Being around media isn't exactly new, you've shyly clung to Austin's arm on red carpets and answered a question or two in a high-pitched squeak. This is the first time you've ever had to deal with the media alone though. A pretty young journalist, blonde and clicking her acrylics on her iPhone awaits you in one of those ridiculous-looking modern chairs in the living room. The house had been staged with furniture just for this occasion and to fight off your nerves, you scan the open floor plan living room and kitchen imagining how you would have decorated the space instead. Jillian Zane looks like the sort of girl you'd asked if she had a spare hair elastic in a barre class. She smiles and compliments your dress, but she has a job to do. You hand over the cookies you made and you can tell that throws Ms. Zane for a loop. After some awkward laughs about your failure to find parking and her flat tire that morning, she gets down to business. “Here she is, everyone's new favorite It girl!” Jillian pulls out a pen and a leather bound notebook and you find that slightly endearing. You wave a hand dismissively and roll your eyes good naturedly. “Are you going to be the new It girl?” Jillian follows up. “I'm going to be Mrs. Butler…” you murmur and hold up the stunning stone for her to get a good look at your man's good taste in jewelry. You spend the next two hours peeling back the curtain just a tad, for nothing else than to make Austin proud. —

She shows up early, dressed like a doll, and with homemade cookies in hand. She is, A, Austin Butler’s new fiance and everyone's favorite celebrity fixation. Except – that's not how she sees it. She doesn't consider herself a celebrity and seems to have no desire to be one either. What does she want to do? Be his wife, and yes that is a complete sentence. East Coast A encountered Austin on the job, when she worked for New York’s famed Vibrant Vintage as their archives buyer. She sold Austin a pair of black motorcycle boots and then won his heart in return. Was she looking for love? “Oh I had spent my whole life looking for Austin – I found him not a moment too soon” her giggle alone now explains Austin Butler's near constant smile in recent months. She's no longer a working girl, spending her days with the couple's dogs, hand picking items for their new home together, and fussing after the Oscar winner to make sure he takes some vitamin C before all that travel he's done lately for his upcoming projects.

“Isn't he so dreamy?” she suddenly blurts out when I get her take on some new pictures of Austin and co-star Callum on set.  When her lack of social media is brought up she shakes her head while grinning. There's no need for that. So is she aware of all the buzz she's getting? “It's so silly, he's the star!” A says so matter of factly….. -

              What did you last Google?

The weather in New York 

          What's your favorite scent?

  (Laughs) Austin….

What is the one thing in life you can't live without?

It's probably not polite to say that out loud (smirks)

             New York or L.A. ?

  Palm Springs

  

              Favorite color?

Sea glass green

  If you could only wear four designers for the rest of your life, who would they be?   

Oh gosh, now this is a hard hitting question! (laughs) Um, I guess I'd have to say: Vivienne Westwood, Dior, Nasty Gal, and Alice + Olivia

   If you were to move tomorrow, where would you go?

Maybe Ireland or Scotland 

Something on your bucket list?

Privacy 

One of your bad habits?

I drink a McDonald's Coke almost every day

A feature you admire most in a man?

(Smirks) Big hands

If you were to die and come back as an animal what would you choose?

Easy, a sparrow. Did you know, they mate for life and no matter how far one roams from the other, they always find their way back?

How often do you lie?

Who says everything I'm telling you now isn't a lie?

Do you believe in aliens?

Absolutely 

What’s the most recent gift Austin has given you?

When he was in England, he bought me a tiara that once belonged to one of the royal families.

What were you listening to on the drive over here?

The Daisy Jones and The Six soundtrack 

One thing about Austin that drives you crazy?

Everything he does drives me absolutely wild in the best way. But I will say, he hogs the blankets. 

If you opened a coffee shop, what would you call it?

Golden Boy's Place

Now that Austin has played Elvis, do you think there is anyone else he should play?

President Kennedy (laughs)

Lastly, any wedding plan details you care to spill? 

I can't share much, but Austin has his tux. It's going to be over the span of a couple of days actually, not just one night so that should be fun. If you'd like to go off the record though, I'll show you some pictures of my dress (grins).

*Edited to add at the time of print that our contributing editor, Jillian Zane, was privy to pictures of A’s bridal ensemble. All that to say, this may just be the wedding of the year*

------------

Tag list

@ab4eva

@therealslimshakespeare

@stylespresleyhearted

@msamarican

[bedardlover69]

Looking Glass Self: Connor Bedard

"Put this on."

He throws you his jersey.

Warning: NSFW

"We're not fucking in that."

its been a month and you Connor still haven't fucked.

"But I'll give you head in it."

Thats how you've been spending the month, lots of foreplay, role play, sharing memes on the couch, cooking together, and sleeping together. He has yet come over to your apartment, you haven't been to a game, and haven't shared much. 

"Fuck you're getting so much better." 

Connor loves teasing you, you do the same but in a whole different way. It's the sexual tension you both enjoy. Connor has a game and will be gone for a couple days on his road trip. 

"Oh fuck just like that; I'm gonna cum." 

You swallow, he taste really good. 

You both go to the bathroom and clean yourself up. He is packing for his roadtrip. 

"Are you gonna miss me?" You ask him.

"I hope not." He says, sincerely. 

"I think I'm gonna miss you. I've gotten use to us i think." 

"Yeah you've been non stop on me." He gives you wink. 

"Hey!!!" 

He bends down and kisses you, he's gonna miss you. 

"Alright you got the extra key right?" 

"Yup right here." You take it out of your pocket and show him. 

"Just make sure to turn off the lights okay." 

"Okay." 

"I'll see you in a week." He kisses you again and you kiss his neck 

"Bye."

This will be the longest you've been without Connor. You clean up his apartment, you empty his dishwasher, fix his bed, and organize the living room. Before leaving you give his toilet a good wipe and flush. It's been a minute since you've been home. 

You head to the subway station, hop on blue and then red. You know a really good Thai place here. You arrive at the restaurant. 

"Pat Thai please."

"Meat?" 

"Tofu please and no egg." 

"15 minutes."

"Awesome, thank you." 

You wait by the water looking at Lake Michigan, and think about how high school was like and how Chicago was. 

"Y/n ready!" 

"Sweet, thank you so much have a goodnight!"

You put on your headphones and play 'Morning Sex by Ralph Castelli' this song makes you think about Connor. You head to the station, you get off on Belmont to hop on the brown line and you get off at Irving Park. You're home. 

When you get to your apartment, its' still the same as you left it. The first thing you do is turn on the light, change the thermostat and water your plants. You sit on the couch with your food and put on hbo. Your phone rings.

-landed!- Its from Connor.

You send him a smiley face and a picture of your POV. 

-yummy, also MAX?- He sends back.

You and Connor only ever watch Hulu.

-better shows i think-  

-haha yeah- 

You smile to yourself and continue eating your food. It's getting late now, and you're done eating and already watched 3 episodes of a show. You're ready to get in bed. You start your self care. 

-doing self care- 

-cute- 

After self care you get into bed. 

-how was the flight and what are you doing?- 

-flight was okay, not to long and getting ready for bed- 

-me too- 

-ready for goodnight?- 

-goodnight- 

-goodnight- He sends you a selfie.

a week later 

You head to Connor's apartment, he'll be back in town tonight and you're both going to have sex. Road trip didn't go so great, he had a good time though. You make his apartment a bit more lived in. You take a shower and get ready for tonight. You hear keys jiggle at the door. It's him. 

"Hey!" You wave at him. 

He's annoyed. 

"I'm sorry road trip didn't go so great, but you did really good." You give him a smile. 

"Don't talk right now." He says. 

"Ok." 

He drops off his bags in the living room and goes to the bathroom. You get on his bed with his jersey on. He comes out of the bathroom looks at you and chuckles.

"Fuck me tonight." You lock eyes with him.  

He's still really angry, he gets on the bed and starts kisses you and touching you. 

"Fuck i've missed this."

You let out a moan, he's being so rough without knowing. You lay on your back and he gets between your legs. He's moving really fast. He aggressively takes off his belt and pants. He's rock hard and you're leaking. 

"Oh my gosh." You say breathless. 

You're so desperate and eager. 

He slowly puts it in. You're so clean and he is so dirty from his flight and day. You can smell it off of him and it's intoxicating.  

"Fuck y/n!"

You're really tight and he's thicks. He's loosening you up, picks up his pace, but you can feel him getting gentle. 

You look him in the eyes, rase up your eyebrows, and ask him "How was the road trip?" You smirk. 

"You like that don't you?" 

"I do." 

You fuck into him. 

"Like a lot." 

You fuck into him again.

He slaps you across the face, put his hands around your throat, and starts fucking you, hard. You cum. Your body is shaking, your eyes are rolling back and you're making so much noise. 

"Omg you're cumming." 

Your grip gets tighter.  

"Oh fuck!"

You're flustered.

"I need to cum."

He flips you over. You're on your stomach and in that moment you ask yourself "am I in love with Connor fucking Bedard?" 

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

[povlnfour]

congrats on 1k!! for the drabble gamee can u do jenson button x supermodel or victoria’s secret angel readerr?? set in the 2000s thank youu and congrats again! 🫶

AH YES I CAN (extra kisses for u jenson is my fav)

from the 1k drabble game

ੈ✩‧₊˚ JENSON SUPPORTING YOUR MODELLING CAREER

— it was an open secret that one of victoria secret’s newest angels was dating up f1 superstar jenson button. the two of you had never shared the details of your relationship, but paparazzi photos and little easter eggs had meant that everyone knew you were together.

— once the secret was out, jenson took advantage of it.

— he would come to every show that his schedule allowed, usually sat front row with other drivers on the grid that were lucky enough to get an invite. you enjoyed every show he was at, but the main event was a personal favorite because you got to interact with the crowd.

— most of the time, you’d be focused on your walk and showing the clothing off to its best ability, but the victoria secret fashion show meant you could show a cheekier side to yourself. this included setting tabloids alight with you relationship.

— you had spotted him the first time you walked down the runway, keeping your focus on your strut. you were saving it for the big moment. it was when you donned the iconic angel wings and took off during the music artist’s performance that you made the most of your boyfriend in the crowd.

— katy perry lead you down the runway mid performance, holding your hand and helping you twirl without the wings getting caught. as you reached the mid point of the stage, she gave you a wink and spun you to where jenson was sat.

— you bent down, blowing a kiss in your boyfriends direction. jenson pretending to catch the kiss and ‘faint’ warning a glorious laugh from yourself that was caught on camera.

— the papers called you ‘the new it couple’.