#how to make a honey caramel latte!

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

suguru is too well-mannered for his own good.

when you walk into his living room, a lidded paper cup in hand, he’s seated on the couch. right in front of the coffee table, his fingers tapping the keys of his laptop, a series of clicks filling the open air.

he’s just as beautiful as always.

light shines in from the veranda, through parted curtains, licking along the contours of his face; illuminating his face lines, soft crows’ feet by his eyes. he’s got his hair tied up into a bun, raven locks and silver strands — only slightly grayed, some of them tickling the back of his neck — eyes narrowing in concentration behind a pair of reading glasses.

you can see his age, like this, but also not at all. he looks younger than ever with the sun as his gown.

suddenly, he raises his head — meeting your adoring gaze with his own. two pools of amber, always warm, like they were made to reflect sunlight, made to pull you in. his lips curling up into a fond, fond smile.

but your gaze strays down to his hands.

big, steady hands. hands that always find their way to the dips of your waist, to the tender juncture of skin between your shoulders and neck, to the top of your head. reaching out to pinch your cheeks, soothe your headaches after long lectures, mend and mold any lump of clay you place into his waiting palms — guide it into whatever shape he pleases, with those skilled fingers, calloused thumbs and nimble pinkies.

when you think of suguru, you think of pottery. you think of something beautiful — and there he is.

and he’s holding a cup.

as you step into his line of vision — hungry for a proper look at him — you can’t help but notice it. painted a deep, dark green, his favorite, but the shape is all wrong. uneven, rough around the edges, not nearly polished enough. when he puts it back down on the table, it wobbles — stumbles.

(you visibly cringe.)

”hi, sweetie.”

that deep, honeyed voice tugs you back into reality, your gaze pulled up like a puppet on a string. suguru is patient, just taking you in, waiting for a response. there’s never any rush, when it comes to him. 

a shy smile blooms on your lips. 

”hi,” you echo, stepping closer; raising a hand up into his view, the one carrying the paper cup, swaying it lightly side to side. ”i got you a latte.”

”oh?” he lets out a soft noise, something like a coo, eyes blooming with fondness. ”chai?”

”mhm.”

his smile only grows. you watch him lean back, absently crossing his arms, thick muscles hidden under the turtleneck he’s sporting. when you take a step closer, eager to hand it to him, he stops you. 

”why don’t you give it a taste for me?” he asks, giving you a sweet tilt of his head. eyes soft and amused.

you blink.

after a moment, you raise the cup to your lips; taking a tentative sip of the brew. it’s hot on your tongue, a dash of pleasant spices, but mellow and sweet. just the way he likes it. you sigh out in bliss.

he only chuckles. ”how is it?”

”tasty,” you hum, licking your lips. holding it out for him to take. ”not too sweet, don’t worry.”

suguru accepts the cup with a smile, his thumb lingering on your hand for a moment, caressing the skin in a soothing, circular motion. his voice a low, tender murmur. ”thank you, honey.”

a warm feeling sprouts in your chest.

”i’ll get you a cup next time i pass by a café,” he continues, taking a tentative sip of his own. he visibly perks up at the taste. ”what would you like?”

”you don’t have to!” you’re quick to assure him, blinking sheepishly. but, of course, he won’t have it.

”i want to,” he chuckles. ”you’ll make me very happy if you let me.”

…

there’s no use protesting, when it comes to things like this. when he gets like this. telling suguru not to take care of you is like asking the sun not to shine.

so you let out a sigh.

”i… want a caramel frappe, please.”

another chuckle. his voice is soft, as always, like a coo is resting on the tip of his tongue. ”understood.”

suguru watches you, silently, for just a moment or two more. you’re meeting his gaze with a shy pair of eyes, always a little flustered by his attention, his care. his sweet little baby bird, coming over just to give him something to drink. straight out of class. 

(you must be in need of some pampering.)

he pats his lap. ”come here,” he croons, parting his legs to give you space to take up. ”keep me company while i work. i want to hear about your day, sweetie.”

you blink, again. looking down at his lap, then back up at him, at the light catching onto the silver of his half-rim frames. he gives you a patient, closed-eyed smile — waiting for you to take your rightful place.

and you do.

his thighs feel solid, beneath you — big arms curling around your waist as you crawl into his lap and get comfy. one hand goes to rest on your hip, the other on your lower back, cradling you close, so secure in his embrace. you wrap your arms around his neck, legs draped over his thighs, leaning into his touch; inhaling the scent of sandalwood and tea leaves.

”… it was pretty boring.”

”oh, i’m sure you can do better than that.” he grins, brushing his thumb over the fabric of your jeans, an absentminded gesture. ”any interesting lectures?”

”uhhh…” 

as you attempt to recollect your long and tiring day, suguru leans forward — reaching for the cup. the ugly one. the stumbling one. pulling it closer, putting the ceramic to his lips, to finish whatever he was drinking before you came in. green tea, you’d guess. the sip he takes resounds in your ear, your eyes sticking to his fingers as he places it back on the wooden table with a clink — it wobbles again. 

you give it a look of silent contempt.

… a look suguru seems to notice. because his keen, warm eyes trail down to where yours are still resting, and then back up at your cute little frown. he raises a brow, but he’s still smiling, an amused curl of his lips.

 ”… what?”

a moment passes. you consider staying silent — but the nagging curiosity gets the better of you. avoiding his gaze, still glancing down at the cup in question…

you absently clear your throat.

”you still… use that one?” you ask him, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. thinking to yourself that it should be stashed away in some forgotten cupboard, not out in the open — but maybe your boyfriend is just too polite to do something like that. 

suguru only blinks.

”why wouldn’t i?”

…

you give him a look.

he returns it with a look of his own; silent, coaxing, that one questioning raise of his brow that demands an answer. he pairs it with a gentle squeeze to your hip, knowing it’ll make you relent. and he’s right.

”it’s…” you part your lips, searching for the right word, frowning down at the little ceramic bundle of joy. with its bumpy texture, that awkward-looking handle, the uneven bottom layer. ”so ugly, suguru.”

”ugly?” he echoes, a spark of amusement in his amber eyes. but he sounds a little discontent, suddenly, almost protective. ”now, now. beauty is in the eye of the beholder, my love.”

his deep voice buzzes in your ear, as he reaches out again — cradling the cup with one large hand. gazing down at it with a look you can’t quite place, so sweet it makes you shiver. a burst of vanilla on your tongue.

out of the corner of your eye, you notice him giving you a pointed look. 

”… and i happen to think this cup is very charming.”

you can’t help but pout, shying away from his gaze, heavy as it is. gnawing at your bottom lip, crossing your arms and resting your cheek near the crook of his neck; muttering under your breath. ”what’s charming about a cup that can barely stand…?”

”you made it,” he answers, simply. ”with your own hands and fingers. and you gave it to me.”

ever so gently, he grips your jaw; his pointer and middle finger tilting your chin to meet his gaze, brushing his thumb over your bottom lip. 

”… don’t you think there’s an awful lot of charm in that?”

(warm. his eyes look warm enough to fall into.)

a sigh slips past your lips. he gives you a soft tilt of his head, and you part your lips in pliant response, sulking like a petulant child. ”the ones you’ve made for me are so much better, though…”

you think of all the bowls, the cups and plates he’s given you — the same ones you use every single day, sitting tall and proud on your dorm room shelves, made entirely by him. by an artist. in all kinds of elegant patterns, your initials carved at the bottom of every single one. he always gives you the ones he’s most proud of, after he’s finished with his classes.

(… in comparison, yours is just…)

”we don’t make art for needless comparison,” he shushes you, ever so fondly. ”there’s no end to that. we make it because it’s fun. your pieces aren’t lesser than mine just because i happen to be more experienced.”

…

when you don’t respond, suguru shifts — cradling you close, lifting the cup up to catch the light of the evening sun. it cascades down the ceramic, a mellow orange glow gliding across the green expanse. he watches it with barely concealed adoration.

”… this is my favorite one, you know. in my entire collection.” a joyous little hum buzzes in his throat. ”i’ve never made a cup i liked as much as this.”

you watch his expression change, eyes flickering with something soft and subtle, crinkled at the edges. his voice is nothing but sincere — coated in that sturdy, reliable tilt, like nothing he says could possibly be a lie. even if he tried, you doubt he could fake this kind of delight. putting the cup back down, as gentle as he can, as if it’s a cherished possession. he only looks more delighted when it wobbles a bit.

without thinking, the words slip past your lips.

”… i’ll make you another one.”

suguru’s gaze flicks down to meet yours. all bright and determined, your cheek squished against his shoulder, enough to make him want to coo. he reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

”oh…? joining us in the studio again?”

”joining you,” you correct, letting out a quiet huff. ”i… don’t want your students to make fun of me.”

a raspy chuckle leaves his lips.

”they won’t,” he assures you, a hint of pride in his voice. ”they’re much too well-behaved.”

”well-behaved around you, maybe,” you mutter, with a roll of your eyes. nuzzling against his jaw, frowning softly. ”… you’re coddling them.”

”i coddle you,” he purrs, with an affectionate squeeze to your hip. ”i don’t see you complaining, do i?”

”… that’s different.” 

the tiny pout on your lips makes him laugh, he can’t help it. but he indulges you, always, all too eager to let you have your way. ”of course it is,” he coos, deep and teasing. ”how could i ever suggest otherwise?”

you fail to stifle a smile. feeling his skin against yours, his fingers rubbing absentminded patterns into your back, that soothing voice rumbling in your ear. when he leans down, to pick up the paper cup, you’re filled with a sense of purpose. you’ll just have to make a better cup next time — one that doesn’t wobble, with a smoother texture, perfectly symmetrical. one he can show off to his students and coworkers, the same way you do with all the pottery he’s given you.

suguru deserves nothing but the best, after all.

… what you don’t realize is that it won’t matter. even if you give him a better option, he’ll continue to use the cup he has now — with a sheepish little smile, and a sorry, honey. it seems i’ve gotten attached.

(… you suppose it’s the thought that counts.)

[beloveds-embrace]

(Bakery/coffee shop au where you have a specific policy of not serving people what they ask for, but rather what you think they need

Bakery Masterlist)

The bell above the door chimed, and the warm scent of cinnamon and vanilla greeted Kate Laswell and her wife as they stepped inside.

It was cozy and quaint- exactly as John and the rest of the boys had described it. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with jars of house-made jams and neatly arranged bags of coffee beans. Soft music played from a radio in the corner, and the golden glow of afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, making the whole place feel… safe.

Laswell’s wife was the first to speak, nudging Kate gently with her elbow. “Told you we had to come.”

Kate let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe they kept talking about a bakery, of all things.”

“They swear by this place,” her wife grinned. “Even Graves comes here, apparently.”

Kate scoffed. “That man would drink jet fuel if it had a fancy name.”

A warm voice cut through their conversation. “Welcome in,” you greeted, stepping up to the counter with an easy smile. “First time here?”

Kate nodded, eyeing you with the same sharpness she brought into every new situation- assessing, measuring. “Heard a lot about this place.”

“All good things, I hope.”

Her wife smiled. “Very good.”

You wiped your hands on your apron. “Then you probably know how this works. You tell me what you think you want, and I’ll give you what I know you need.”

Kate raised a brow, smirking slightly. “Is that so?”

You just smiled back.

Her wife leaned against the counter, playing along. “Alright. We’ll bite. I’ll say a caramel macchiato.”

Kate sighed, shaking her head. “I would have said black coffee…”

“It’ll be an immediate no.” You shook your head, amused and grinning.

“Hmm. So I’ll go with an Earl Grey tea.”

You hummed, studying them both.

There was something steady about them- something solid. It was clear they’d been together for a long time, the kind of couple who knew each other’s thoughts before they were spoken. But there was also something unspoken between them. Not distance, exactly. Just… familiarity. A well-worn rhythm, like a song they had played a thousand times before.

You smiled to yourself. I know just the thing.

A few minutes later, you placed their drinks and pastries on the table they had chosen by the window.

For Kate, a dark chocolate sea salt mocha. For her wife, a honey rose latte. Alongside them, you placed a shared dessert- a fresh raspberry almond tart.

Kate eyed it, brow raised. “I don’t remember asking for dessert.”

“You didn’t,” you said simply. “But I still think you should share it.”

Her wife laughed, already reaching for a fork. “I like her.”

Kate rolled her eyes but picked up a fork as well anyway. “Alright, alright.”

At first, it was just casual. A sip of the drinks, a quiet hum of approval. A bite of tart, a soft mmh, that’s good. But as they settled into it, something shifted.

Kate’s wife took a bite and sighed, eyes fluttering shut for just a second. “God, that takes me back.”

Kate looked at her, curious. “To what?”

“Our first trip to Paris,” she murmured, glancing at Kate with a fond smile. “That little café near the Seine. We sat there for hours.”

Kate’s fork paused midair. She remembered that day- the quiet rain, the way they had tucked into a tiny corner table, stealing bites from each other’s plates, hands brushing over coffee cups. They had been younger, a little reckless, completely lost in each other.

She swallowed, the warmth in her chest having nothing to do with the mocha. “Yeah. I remember.”

Her wife’s fingers brushed against the back of her hand, just briefly, but it sent a flicker of something old and new all at once. A quiet reminder. We’re still here. Still us.

Kate huffed a laugh, shaking her head. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

Her wife grinned. “Not reakly.” She took another sip of her latte, sighing happily. “But I do think we should come back. This… turned out far better than we both expected.”

Kate smirked, glancing over at you as you ambled by them after serving another customer. “Alright, I’ll admit it- you’re good.”

You simply shrugged, though there was a smug smile on your lips. “I just give people what they need.”

Kate chuckled, shaking her head as she reached for another bite of tart. Maybe she’d tease Price and the boys a little less for their obsession with this place.

Maybe.

[bunny-jpeg]

hi bunny! May I request a swiss roll, honey cruller and creme caramel with a side of frozen latte for danny ric? Sorry it’s a little long🫶🏼

bakery menu

welcome to the bakery! i hope you have a good time here! feel free to submit your own orders! i love receiving them and have been working hard to get through all of them! enjoy! for this anon, thank you for the danny prompt! i've sort of fallen in love with him so, these are fun! thank you!

swiss roll ("everything you own, everything you wear i paid for. so i guess that means i own you.") + honey cruller ("i forget how small you are sometimes.") + creme caramel ("oh. you thought you were getting away from me?") + frozen latte (dumbification) served by daniel ricciardo (formula one)!!

cw: smut/pwp, dumification, slight sugar daddy au, size kink, power dynamic, dom/sub

daniel liked his hands on your hips. he remembered the first time he ever placed them on you. the slight softness on the skin was appealing as you looked over your shoulder. daniel knew right then and there that he had to have you.

you were a simple university student, and being man-handled by a formula one driver was shocking. you knew you were taking long in the produce aisle but, there was no need for that.

"i'm so sorry. i don't know what happened there.. let me make it up to you!" which came in the form of paying for your entire grocery order for the week. which included some more expensive cuts of meat. when daniel heard of your poor sob story, he offered to pay. and in exchange you could accompany him to events. he said, "not to be vain, but you have a face the cameras would love!"

that was how you met daniel ricciardo, and that how you became the most special girl in his life. it was summer break for you, which meant you were staying at daniel's home. which meant barely any clothes and the constant ache in your lower back.

he had his arms wrapped around you as he held you close to his chest. you were cutting peppers for dinner and occasionally his lips would graze your neck, "i forget how small you are sometimes. if i tried really hard i could crack you in half." he chuckled.

you squirmed a little bit and put the knife down, "i'm not that small." and you turned to look at him in the eyes.

he looked at you, "look small to me. i know you're small because i can barely fit in your pussy." he chuckled before he took you in for a kiss. you'd only fall for his seduction tactics after your meal together. he tried to lay it on thick as he fed you pieces of his own food for you to indulge in. it was painfully cute and you couldn't help yourself.

"you're mine." he said as got you onto the bed, you looked up at him. he held you by the chin. you looked perfect, so innocent and small. he liked when you looked small. even if you weren't model thing, there was still a size difference between you two.

and he liked when you looked like someone who needed someone so much bigger and stronger to protect you. you brought softness into the world, and daniel needed to protect that innocence. even if that meant keeping his cock in your pretty throat. he said, "everything you own, everything you wear i paid for. so i guess that means i own you." he did pay for everything. you were lucky to not have to think about price tags for some time now.

you nodded cutely, "yes, sir." before he patted you on your soft cheek. you started to undress from the sundress that he picked out for you that morning. even going as far to zip up the back for you. now he was slowly taking it off you.

"see, this is why you're perfect. always use your manners." he said as he got the dress off of you, which was then followed by your socks, bra and panties. everything ended up on the floor for later.

then you watched your handsome sugar daddy take off his clothes. you saw the shape of his body and it made you feel warm and fuzzy. made you core throb with a want for him.

once he was naked, you tried to get further up to bed to give him room. but he grabbed and pulled you down to the foot of the bed once more, "oh. you thought you were getting away from me?" he loomed over top of you with your legs hanging off the edge of the bed. you looked at him and felt hot all over.

you were naked and daniel took your legs. he propped them over his shoulders and rubbed his hard cock against your achy slit. he looked down at you and you leaned into his touch when he carefully caressed your cheek.

"so small."

"not that small." you giggled in response as you felt yourself closer to him. when he slipped his cock inside of you. you arched your back a little and felt a leap in your chest. you held onto the soft covers and let him get himself inside of you.

"not small, huh?" he said, "I can barely fit in you, baby girl." he chuckled as he moved against you. you felt amazing under him, even though there was a little too much distance for his liking. he took you by the hips and continued to move against you.

you felt heat in your cheeks as he moved against you. you laid out on the bed for him and held on for dear life as he basically folded you in half and pushed his cock as deep as it could go inside of you. his length battering your poor slit as he remained hunched over you.

"you look so good, angel." he said softly, "you're beautiful. all laid out for me like a good girl. you know exactly how to get me going. shit, that's it baby girl." he continued to move against you. he could feel the heat down his neck as he thrusted up against you.

he knew you were well behaved but, still, it felt nice to say it out loud. praise his baby girl. he leaned into your further and pressed a kiss against your lips. you moaned against the kiss and wrapped your arms around him.

you wished you could grab a hold of him closer and press him against you onto the bed. but, it would end in disaster more than anything. your kisses continued and you moaned into them.

you were pressed between the bed and your lover. he said when he pulled away, "someone is enjoying this, huh? you enjoy when i fuck you like the good girl you are." he could feel his racing heartbeat as he moved against you.

he continued to fuck you and you moaned a little louder with each thrust. he eyed you with heat in his gaze. you looked amazing, you were truly beautiful under him.

you felt dumber with every thrust of his hips. the angle he had you in had you pinned and eventually your cheek touched the covers and you panted heavily like a bitch in heat. letting your love fuck your exhausted body. when you came, your expression shifted and you held onto the covers for a moment.

daniel eyed you as he continued to move against you. his cock buried deep inside of you. you panted heavily as he moved up against you. he pressed further into you as he gave it a few more thrusts of his hips before he finished inside of you. a move that made you squeak, but your lips couldn't form words. you felt so dumb in the brain at that moment.

"oh... poor baby. someone feels a little too good right now."

he dropped your legs carefully back over the edge of the bed and he slipped out of your pussy. then helped you further up the bed. you clung to him like a little koala. and daniel was more than happy to hold you once he got into bed with you. your naked bodies curled together.

daniel kissed you on the face, "how do you feel? tap twice is you feel good." but no words were getting through your head. instead you gave him a shaky thumbs up before you buried your face into his hairy chest.

he just laughed then kissed you on the top of the head. he'd get you whatever you needed when you could communicate with him once more. for now he'd just hold his baby girl. you felt soft in his arms and he loved it. <3

[lailols]

Kai’s Pretty Girlfriend [5]: Take Your Time With Me (Please)

OT5 x reader, gyu focused, masterlist <3 [word count] Warnings: pleasure dom gyu, sub reader, fingering (f receiving), oral (f receiving), multiple orgasms, body worship, slight breeding kink but also, protected sex (crowd boos/j),

Beomgyu wears his title as the group's resident romantic like the badge of honor it is. He grew up in a house with two loving parents who after so many years together still look at each other with such love and adoration he can't help but want the same for himself.

He's used to treasuring his partners, soaking in every moment as if it's the last time he'll ever see them. He knows it—he can be a bit much, but his mom always told him that the right person wouldn't mind. That he'd find someone who would love him in both his loudness and his silence, someone who would take all the love he pours out and return it tenfold. And, call him crazy, but he always knew that that person would be you.

He remembers walking into that coffee shop while mumbling the order to himself as if he would forget: two americanos, two caramel macchiatos, and something sweet (he wouldn't forget, he could probably order meals for an entire day for his members without asking them—their lives are already so intertwined that he can't remember what it was like before them). He remembers the K-pop song playing softly through the store (he knows now that it was Mist by Ateez, you always had it on loop). He remembers panicking for a moment, worried that you'd know who he was and react... oddly, even if they'd only debuted a year before. But that didn't happen.

What happened was him freezing the moment a cheery voice welcomed him in and asked for his order. His mind went blank and all he could focus on was you. He remembers asking you what your favorite drink was (something called a Honey Bee Latte) and ordering six of them. While you prepared the drinks, you asked him about his life and ranted about school as if you were none the wiser to his internal state (he remembers mentioning that he had four permanent roommates that he loved and wanted to be with forever). When you finished the drinks, he took one out of the carrier and gave it to you before bolting out (he remembers your light laugh and how he decided he'd come back soon to hear it again). He also remembers how his groupmates whined about not getting the right orders, but still thanked him and told him he wasn't going to be excluded from making the runs just because he got it wrong once (he got it wrong every time after that, too).

(In the three months that followed, he learned so much about you. How you moved here from America not too long ago and the lady that owns the place was a family friend without kids who needed someone to work the night shift. How you think she might want you to own the shop in the future and you were thinking of taking it just because you didn't know what to do with your life yet. In return, he told you about his time as a trainee and the uncertainty. How he thinks he doesn't deserve the life that was given to him so he'll work himself down to nothing to make sure he keeps it and gets more.)

He remembers how they finally got tired of getting the wrong drinks and sent Kai with him. He remembers the immediate connection between you two, how a flush spread across Kai's face, and how your eyes were constantly drawn to him. He had always been a romantic and who was he to stand in the way of something so beautiful? He remembers how he declared himself Kai's wingman and made it his mission to get him to confess. And the rest was history. His hunch was correct: real, true love flows between you and Kai. (He tries to forget the night two years later that he allowed himself to feel, to cry, and ask 'Why not me? Why not us?' But the silence of his room had no answer for him.)

He thought he'd left his indulgence in the past, but the new door you opened up for him has that monster stirring to life again. He spends the rest of the day in a daze until he books a hotel room for a night (it's actually for a week and under a different name, but semantics). He knows it's reckless and stupid and way too risky for a hookup, but it's really not, not to him. He resolves to give himself one more night. A night where he can pretend, just once that you're his and he's yours, and he can't do that on a twin bed in the room he shares with Soobin.

(Beomgyu checked in with Kai before, to make sure it was okay and he was met with a smile that made him feel like the younger one. He thinks the desperation in his eyes was obvious. The way he needs this. Kai merely ruffled his hair and said, 'Anything you want, Beomie.' And that was that.)

When they're leaving the next morning he presses the paper in your hand with the code to the room and a kiss to your lips (because he can do that now) whispering "Thursday. When you get off."

He spends the days leading in a blur until he's suddenly standing in the hotel room with a bottle of wine sitting on the table. He knows you don't get off until eight but he couldn't take staying in the dorm a second later, the nervousness and anticipation had him pacing his room.

He hears the keypad go off around 8:30 and turns just in time to see you enter the room. You're wearing an oversized sweater and some shorts. You flash him a sheepish smile as you make your way over to him.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't keep you waiting long. I had to stop home and shower."

"What if I wanted you sweaty?" He puts an arm around your waist to pull you into him and shoves his head to your shoulder to give you an exaggerated sniff as you let out that oh so familiar and beautiful laugh (the monster starts stirring again when he realizes that you're wearing a perfume he got you).

He pulls away and leads you to the table before pouring you both some wine and placing it in the fridge (just a bit, to take the nerves off). He asks you about your day and then sits back and sips as you immediately launch into a rant. He started off paying attention, he really did, but the longer you talk the more his gaze wanders.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Cause I really want to kiss you." His voice is laced with a desperation he can't even begin to attempt to hide. "Come here?" You jump out of your chair like it's on fire and climb into his lap.

"This okay?" You ask with a coy smile.

"Almost." He places his hands on your hips to pull you so you're chest to chest. But even that's not enough for him. He can still tell where his body ends and yours begins.

Beomgyu isn’t sure which of you leaned in first, but when your lips meet it’s magical. His hands work to map out the line of your body, passing over the curves of your breasts, the softness of your waist, the fullness of your hips before settling over your thighs.

He takes his time with his tracing when he gets there. Running his hands back and forth before squeezing the flesh. His hands continue to travel up and up until they reach the crevice where your thighs meet your butt. And no sooner than his hands finding a home in that curve does your impatience begin.

You were content to sit prettily and let Beomgyu do as he wants to your lips and body for a few minutes, but now you’re shifting in your spot on his lap. Your hips give hesitant rocks as you try to restrain yourself.

Beomgyu has half a mind to draw this out some more, see how long it would take for you to cry for him, but another part of him- a larger part of him wants to give you everything you want and more tonight. He has who knows how long to prod and push at your buttons to see which ones get what reactions, but for tonight he wants to treat you nicely. Honor your first time as if you were spending it in a different context.

When he pulls away, he makes sure to bite down gently on your bottom lip just to hear you gasp. "Bed?"

You blink your eyes open slowly. "Yeah. Yes."

He readjusts his grip on your hips before standing, making a show of stumbling just to hear your squeals and feel you grab onto him tighter. He can’t fight the chuckle that escapes him and you reward him with a hit to the back of his head that has him threatening to drop you, but you don’t flinch at his words (you both know he wouldn’t dare).

He places you down in the center of the bed before climbing on top of you. As soon as it's safe enough, you're rising up to meet his lips in another kiss. This one's tamer than the last, simply a press of your lips together before it devolves into Beomgyu kissing every inch of your skin he can reach. He makes sure to peck your lips every so often, so they don't get lonely (they never will again, if he has anything to say about it).

He starts trailing his kisses down to your neck to show some love to it too (he makes sure to leave a few marks just under your jaw, tilting your head one way and another). His hands trace a path to the end of your sweater, tugging on it once in question. At your nod, he's raising it over your head to take it off (he's glad it got stuck over your face because he couldn't help drinking in the sight of your body clad in a black lace bra).

He’s only able to tear his eyes off that sight when you start squirming and tell him to ‘stop staring.’ Fondness bubbles up in his chest and he can’t help but smile and bring his lips to yours again.

“You’re so beautiful.” He marks those words with another kiss before trailing them down to kiss the newly exposed skin.

“Do you like it?”

“Like it?” He scoffs and nips at your nipple through the fabric. “I love it.”

You card your fingers through his hair, but don’t pull him away. “I bought it just for you.” Your words cause a line of heat to travel through his body, and he can’t help but bring his head lower to where you need him most.

Though he's been doing it most of the night, he really can't help but make his trek down to your pussy slow. He has to show love to every inch of your body or he might die. He trails kisses down your stomach, making sure to leave a trail of marks in his wake (he has half a mind to mark a 'B' into your skin but he doesn't think the guys would like that).

He makes quick work of removing your shorts and panties. He allows himself a moment to just stare at you spread bare for him but your whines for him to either look away or do something get to him and he leans in to place a kiss on your mound and moving around to your thighs.

When he gets there he can’t help but take his time leaving as many kisses and marks as he can with his hands grasping the outside of your thighs to keep you spread open for him.

You let out a soft ‘oh’ when he slips his middle and ring fingers into you, that he shushes with gentle kisses to your thighs. He then start to work you open, stretching and spreading his fingers into you to carve out a space just for him. He’s happy he got to take his time here before, because now he can’t contain the excitement thrumming through his veins at the thought of finally being inside you.

He does make sure to tease you a bit though. Kai always talks about how he likes to spoil you and it shows in the way you buck your hips against his fingers and whine for him to ‘give me more, gyu.’

He responds by pressing his fingers up and asking in a sweet voice, “You want it here, baby?” You make such pretty noises for him at that, but he remembers where that spot that makes you let out even prettier noises is (he’s thought of it every day since the last time he had you, after all). “Or what about here?” He marks those words with a quick shift of his fingers into that spongy spot inside of you that has you hurtling over the edge before either of you can react.

“You look so pretty when you fall apart for me, baby.” Beomgyu lets out as he keeps thrusting his fingers into that sweet spot of yours. “Will you do it again?”

“No, no, Gyu.” You let out petulantly with a pout on your face. “I want you. Not your fingers.”

He gives you a pout of his own that is nothing but mocking with the way his eyes light up in glee. “Oh, but baby, I need to make sure you’re ready for me. I don’t want to break you.”

“I can take you. You won’t break me.” You huff and cross your arms even as your hips buck up to meet his still moving hand. “You give yourself too much credit.”

“Yeah? You think so, baby?” Beomgyu pulls his fingers out, just to add another and push them back into you slowly watching the way your breath hitches. “You can’t even take three of my fingers, let alone my cock.”

“I can. I can.” Your hands find their way to his biceps, squeezing them as you plead. “Give it to me. ‘m want it, Gyu.”

“Come for me again and I’ll give it to you.” His thumb rubs gentle circles on your clit and it’s enough to have your words turn into mindless babbles that serve no real purpose. Despite your complaining, it didn’t take long for him to work you over the edge again. He had half a mind to make you give him another but figured he could be nice to you just this once.

You let out a sweet whine when he pulls his fingers out of you, urging him to put something in you because you’re so empty. He shushes you with gentle kisses to your lips before he’s rising to take off his clothes, not forgetting to grab a condom. He relishes in the way your eyes take him in, raking over his body with a hunger he wants to see every day for the rest of his life.

He gets back into the bed and places himself in between your legs. Just to be a tease, he holds the corner of his mouth when he goes to open it. His trick works and it has your hands fumbling to be the one to work it over his cock. He lets out a sigh when you give a few pumps once the condom is rolled on as he falls over you with his elbows on either side of your head.

Beomgyu leans back onto his calves to line himself up but finds himself unable to choose where to focus. He doesn’t know if he should watch the way you take him (he just knows you’ll take him so well, he’ll fit so perfectly inside you) or your face when he finally gets inside you.

He doesn’t have much time to decide because you promptly begin whining for him to ‘do something, Gyu, please.’ He runs his hands along your thighs as he smirks down at you below him. “Don’t worry, baby.” He gives quick pinch to your thigh. “I’ll take care of you.”

He lines himself up and pushes inside while watching the way your face scrunches and smooths over at the sensation. He makes sure to pause about halfway because while he may not be as long as Kai is, he is thicker and he meant it when he said he didn’t want to break you.

Once you give him the green light to move, he falls down onto his elbows on either side of your head and lets you have it.

"Gyu, fast- go faster." Your legs circle around his waist in an attempt to pull him closer to your body, but he holds himself up on an elbow and lets out a scoff.

"Faster? Are you sure? You can't even handle this, baby." He punctuates his words with a hard thrust that has sparks flowing throughout your body.

"Oh. Oh, like that, Gyu. Please." He lets out a breathless laugh and smirks down at you.

"You see? You get so drunk on cock that you don't even know what you want."

"No, no I do!"

"Yeah? What do you want, baby?" He brings a hand up to wipe your tears. "Tell me, and I'll give it to you."

"Wanna come, Gyu. I wanna come."

"Well, then come. Come and I'll fill you up." He feels the way your walls clench around him at his words and he takes it in stride. "You'd like that, hm? Me filling you up and leaving you a pretty mess?"

"Yes, yes, please, wannit Gyu. 'm wannit so bad." He doesn't respond to your words, just plants his feet and drives his cock right back into that spot that had you seeing stars and watches you writhe in pleasure. "Kiss me."

He leans down and thrusts his tongue into your mouth, seemingly not in a state to kiss but still giving you what you want regardless. You pull away when you feel yourself being pushed over the edge and again Beomgyu watches the way you fall apart around him. He continues his movements to help you ride it out and goes to pull out but lets out a surprised yelp when your legs stay locked around him. You look at him with a glaze in your eyes and a smile filled with bliss.

"You look so pretty, Gyu." You bring your arms around his neck and pull him back down. "Fill me up? Please?" And Beomgyu is many things, but strong is not one of them when it comes to you. His thrusts lose their rhythm and he's truly just chasing his orgasm at this point.

"Fuck, baby." He looks at you. "You, hah, you really don't know what you do to me, do you?" You can't seem to find the words to respond to him, merely letting out sweet little ‘ahs’ that- call him crazy- he wants to hear all the time. Your pretty nails are scratching up his back and he hopes they leave marks that he can look at in the mirror later and press into to feel again. His eyes rake over your face and eventually settle on the new stream of tears flowing down it, no doubt from overstimulation, but you don’t complain or ask him to stop, you just take it for him. You're letting him use you to get off and that thought has him tumbling over the edge with your name on his lips.

He falls onto your chest entirely boneless and spends a few minutes catching his breath and listening to your heartbeat while your hands find his hair and brush through it in a mindless motion. When your heartbeats slow to steady thumps, he finds the will to move because as much as he wants to just fall asleep in your arms, a used condom isn't the most comfortable thing in the world.

He makes quick work of cleaning you up before doing the same to himself. He climbs back onto the bed and asks. "You okay? Anything hurt?"

"No, I'm okay." He watches the way you hesitate a bit before saying. "Hold me?"

"Of course. You're crazy if you think I'd do anything less." He settles down next to you and pulls you into his arms. He studies your face for a moment, making sure you're comfortable (and because he just likes looking at you). "Thank you." The words escape him before he can even think of stopping them. He watches the way your face scrunched up in displeasure before you respond.

"Don't thank me for this, Gyu. This is something we're doing together, not a favor."

"No, I know it's just-" He cuts himself off while shaking his head trying to find the words. "You're just..."

"Amazing? Yeah, I know." You joke, cuddling into him more.

"Yeah." He smiles down at you. "You really are."

Soooo, what do we think? I had a different idea in mind when starting but Gyu's loser lover boy spirit took control of my body. Did all the words in parenthesis bother you or is it fine? I personally like them, but I'm always open to feedback! Also one of you absolutely gagged me by getting them all right, but I guess I'm too predictable. If you see any mistakes, no you didn’t!

Addressing the elephant in the room, it has been two years since I updated this. That was not the plan😭😭😭 idk what happened, it’s like I blinked and it was march (and now it’s April😭) (And now it’s MAY😭😭). In other other news, this fic will not be abandoned but I am a slow updater so take that with a grain of salt. I want to do a taglist but I’m not sure how they work so if someone explains, you can send me a message to be added and I’ll add you!

How do you think your tango with the other guys will go?

[tobiosbbyghorl]

Honey, Your Home | yjw

café for7you followers event

Order for @anon ⋆˚✿˖°

One Trope Latte – “Friends to Lovers” with a swirl of “He liked you first”

Brewed slow and warm like a favorite routine — your usual corner seat, shared sips, laughter tangled in the steam of two matching drinks. Folded in with Jungwon’s lingering stares when you’re not looking, the soft way he always remembers your order, and how he makes room for you beside him without saying a word.

Jungwon knows your order by heart.

You always ask for something different — “surprise me,” you grin — but it doesn’t matter. He knows what kind of day you’ve had by the way you say hello. If your voice is light and teasing, it’s a lavender matcha kind of day. If your shoulders slump and your bag hits the chair a little too hard, it’s caramel vanilla with oat milk, extra warm.

You’ve been coming to this café since sophomore year. First with friends, then occasionally alone. Then, always alone — but only because you knew he’d be there.

The boy behind the counter with soft brown eyes and sleeves rolled past his elbows. The boy who always saves you the window seat. The boy who started offering to walk you home before you even asked.

You were friends, of course. The kind who text about new café playlists and walk to class side by side. The kind who know each other’s families. The kind who sit together on slow evenings, talking about everything and nothing until the last espresso shot is pulled.

The kind who hold eye contact a little too long sometimes.

The kind who haven’t kissed — yet.

—

“I made this one extra sweet,” Jungwon says one evening, setting your drink down with a quiet smile.

You blink. “Isn’t it always extra sweet?”

“Not like this.”

You squint at him, playful. “You trying to poison me?”

He shrugs, feigning innocence, but there’s a flush creeping up his neck. “Maybe I’m just trying to impress someone.”

You sip it slowly. It’s warm and soft on your tongue — a cozy mix of vanilla, hazelnut, and something else you can’t name.

“It tastes like…” you pause, thoughtful. “I don’t know. Like something you’d miss.”

Jungwon smiles, small and private. “Yeah.”

—

One rainy Tuesday, he invites you to study with him at the café after hours. It’s just the two of you at the corner table, laptops open, textbooks spread across the wood.

You’re seated beside each other — too close, but not close enough.

Outside, the windows fog up. Inside, the air is filled with the scent of cinnamon and espresso.

He’s reading a paragraph when you stretch your arms, accidentally bumping his. “Sorry,” you mumble.

“You’re not.”

You grin. “Nope.”

And then — under the table — his pinky nudges yours.

You glance at him, but he’s focused on his notes like nothing happened.

So you nudge back.

And that’s when his hand finds yours fully, fingers weaving together like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Your heart stumbles. “You do this with all your friends?” you tease, voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Jungwon says, soft and sure. “Just the one I’ve liked since junior year.”

You freeze.

He keeps his eyes on his notes, but his thumb rubs along the back of your hand gently, like he’s not afraid to be caught anymore.

“Since junior year?” you echo.

He finally looks at you then — warm, steady, and entirely yours. “Since you told me my latte art looked like a soggy cloud and then came back the next day anyway.”

You laugh, cheeks warm, fingers still tangled in his.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you’re still holding my hand,” he grins.

—

Later, as he walks you home in the quiet dark, his pinky hooks yours again.

This time above the table. This time on the street.

And when he leans in — shy but certain — and presses a soft kiss to your cheek, your fingers tighten around his like you’ve been waiting your whole life to come home to this.

To him.

©️tobiosbbyghorl - all rights reserved

permanent taglist: @ijustwannareadstuff20 @hoonielvv @rjssierjrie @firstclassjaylee @morganaawriterr @rikifever @daisyintherainsposts @kkamismom12

[unlosts]

Short n' Sweet

1k words. Or; you're not as sneaky as you thought you were.

It’s not so bad sharing a cubicle with Spencer; he brings a new pile of books every day and he lets you borrow whichever you want once he’s done with them - which usually happens before lunch. He never complains when your stuff inevitably ends up over on his side of the desk because god forbid you attempt minimalism once in your life. But the only downside is that Spencer notices way more than he’s given credit for, and he’s not shy about pointing it out. 

In other words Spencer Reid knows something is up. 

The third time that morning you go up to the kitchenette to get a refill seems to be his breaking point. 

“Eighteen” 

“Excuse me?” You say startled, not really paying attention to him as you walk back to your desk. 

“Since last month the average time you get up from your desk went from ten times a day to eighteen, and at first I thought you weren't sleeping right and upped your caffeine intake but then I noticed you sometimes get up only to get someone else a file even though you never did that before, and even at lunch you seem to be out more often than not, so I thought maybe you were having trouble focusing, and if that’s the case then some simple modifications to your diet could really -” 

“Spence!” You cut him off before he could keep going, although the concern doe eyes he was still directing at you made your stomach tense in guilt. It was like being mean to a puppy. 

“I really appreciate you looking out for me but honestly I’ve just been feeling more restless, so I go out to jog at lunch and can’t really sit still” You said with a shrug of your shoulders and an apologetic smile “didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“That’s alright” he replied with a tight lipped smile “if you’re interested I could still send you the studies just in case they help” 

“Y'know what? Yeah that would be great” You said, and the negative karma from the lie and the absolute knowledge that you would not be reading those studies made you promise yourself that you would get him a super sugary caramel latte tomorrow morning to make up for it. 

Later that day at lunch the lie still weighed heavy on your mind. 

“I think Spence’s onto us” You said as Aaron slowly kissed a path up your neck to right behind your ear. Usually having his hands slowly caressing your back and his lips anywhere on you rendered your mind completely useless but today the fluorescent light of the file room was buzzing particularly loud in your ear. 

“Honey, can we please not talk about Spencer right now? I’m doing some of my best work right now�� Aaron said, his voice muffled since he didn’t lift his lips from your neck, his breath tickling your skiing and chipping slowly away at your resolve. 

“I mean it, he said something about me getting up from my desk more which is Spencer code for you’re distracted which is actually code for everyone else noticed and since Spence sits right next to me he drew the short stick on having to talk to me about it” You finished out of breath, having worked yourself up about it during the two hours after your talk.  

Hotch sighed in defeat, slowly straightening up and looking at you.

“You got all of that from him asking if you’re having trouble focusing?” 

“Yes” 

“And now you think we should tell the rest of the team” He stated, quite sure by now of your answer. 

“Yes” 

“Alright” He agreed, squeezing your waist reassuringly. 

“Good” You said, your arms slowly going back perch on his shoulders “I mean it’s the least you could do since it’s like 70% your fault” 

“Okay how is it not 50/50 here?”

“It would be, except today you wore that dark green shirt I love” You said, playfully running your palms over his chest “so that’s 10% more and you rolled up your sleeves so that’s another 10, at the very least” 

“You’re absolutely right, It’s all on me” 

“Glad we straighten that out” 

“Now, we still have” he looked at his watch 25 minutes before we had to go back to work. Do you want to actually go get some food? There’s a nice place just around the corner from here” He said softly, sneaking a kiss right next to your lips. 

“Actually I believe you were in the middle of some of your best work so if you don’t mind I’d like to be the judge of that” 

“Excellent choice” 

Ten minutes after you got back a takeout order filled with sweet and sour pork got delivered right to your desk. As you caught yourself smiling at it like it was a flower bouquet you couldn’t help but feel Spencer's keen eyes on you letting you know that, indeed he knew something was up. 

[reinersbigmilkers]

☕️ How the aot cast takes their caffeine ☕️

Includes: Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Reiner, Annie, Bertolt, Marco, Historia, Ymir, Levi, Hange, Erwin, Pieck, Porco, Zeke

Eren: Pre-time skip, he does not fuck with the bitterness of coffee. Some tea is fine, so long as there's ample milk and sugar. He does discover that he's a fan of frappes when Armin decides to get one on a whim. And he'd definitely be weird about ordering a 'girly' drink, begging Mikasa to get it for him while trying not to make a scene. It's major "he asked for no pickles" energy between the two of them. (She'd still give him a hard time about it, regardless.) Post-time skip though, he doesn't gaf about ordering a frappe. He also doesn't really care where he gets his caffeine from. A 7/11 machine that probably hasn't been cleaned in three years? That's fine. Better yet, give him a Red Bull or a Monster since he's built such an insane tolerance. (He also has a preference for cold drinks)

Mikasa: Partial to tea, but she orders according to the weather: a London fog for a wintry day and a Vietnamese iced coffee during the summer. Oh, everyone wants to grab boba instead? A red bean matcha at 50% sweetness, no dairy, please. Mikasa also orders an affogato on occasion.

Armin: King of herbal teas, he sticks to decaffeinated drinks since he's caffeine sensitive. (He has soo many sleepy time tea boxes in his cabinet to help his insomnia.) He gets the jitters easily and doesn't care for how it can make his heart race. When he does crave caffeine, though, I could see him using a French press in order to steep it to his liking. Probably sweetens it with honey and adds a flew splashes of milk.

Jean: He's the snob of the group, but admittedly has good taste when it comes to espresso. Wdym you're getting a latte from that drive-thru barista stand?? Can't you tell that it's burnt and pulled all wrong? He'll walk out of a café if he hears the steam wand screaming: he's that particular. A cappuccino is his go-to from his favorite café and he uses a Moka pot at home.

Connie: I'm pretty sure with the last name 'Springer' he's ethnically Irish. But still, he looks soo much like a silver-toothed kid I can't view him as anything else lolol. So naturally he'd have an ice-cold Coke on deck, maybe some Jarritos in the fridge too. Connie doesn't drink coffee, and prefers sodas as a pick-me-up, especially Red Bull Italian sodas flavored with watermelon syrup.

Sasha: She's also not a coffee drinker and would rather sip on fruit teas. If they're lightly caffeinated with green or white tea leaves, she's fine with that, but doesn't like how black tea makes her lightheaded.

Reiner: He and Jean constantly butt heads on how coffee should be ordered, respectively lying on either end of the spectrum from the other. For Reiner, it's simple: add a few spoonfuls of grounds to the filter and brew. If he's feeling fancy, a plain latte will suffice. He doesn't understand how Jean can claim one shop's espresso is worse than any other's when it all tastes the same. Jean just loves to over-complicate everything, according to Reiner.

Bertolt: Finally, a based tea and coffee fan. He never gets weird about one form of caffeine being better than the other, and happily alternates between loose-leaf Earl Gray and his favorite medium roast. He just enjoys all the subtle aromas in coffee and tea, sipping his beverage as he watches Reiner and Jean debate about their drinks for the millionth time. He'll also order from the seasonal menu.

Annie: No frills no fuss, just black with a splash of half-and-half. She might whisk in some collagen powder if she's in a rush that day, just to help get some extra protein in.

Marco: Another frappe enjoyer, he's a Starbucks person lmfao. (he would NOT survive the sbx boycott) He's got the app on his phone and regularly orders a caramel frappuccino.

Historia: She's a big fan of matcha, like Mikasa, and also enjoys anything lavender flavored.

Ymir: Okay she's not quite the nonbinary barista in the black apron. But, she is the tatted-up and pierced lesbian behind the counter. Do not put her ass on the register because she will get into a yelling match with a customer over how impossible (and stupid) their drink is to make. During her fifteen she's out back, smoking and sipping on her iced oat milk latte, scrolling through twitter. (We know what you are, Ymir)

Levi: Surprisingly doesn't drink caffeine. He says he feels more 'even' without it, and has other vices like the occasional drink after a long day. He did have a phase with cold brew though.

Hange: Their go-to order is a simple chai latte, with the addition of a shot of espresso if they have a long night ahead of them. Hange's developed quite the discerning palate when it comes to their beloved chai and can tell when a joint is using pre-made syrup versus mulling the spices in-house. They're also lactose-intolerant and sticks with oat or coconut milk.

Erwin: Good god someone get this man a new coffee-maker. That thing is like old enough to vote, all the buttons are illegible, and it hasn't been descaled once in its miserable life. The poor thing's on 24/7, duct-taped to life support, and brewing up some of the strongest coffee known to man; the cracked carafe pouring its black sludge into Erwin's seasoned coffee mug. Yeah, he's that kind of person. He's been gifted plenty of new mugs, but always finds himself reaching for his unwashed tumbler that used to say "World's #1 Boss" fifty years ago.

Pieck: She prefers hot beverages year-round and loves rose flavored drinks. Pieck also enjoys a good loose-leaf English breakfast or orange-spiced black tea. She has a collection of fun animal-shaped tea infusers and prizes her Animal Crossing to-go mug.

Porco: Another no frills no fuss kind of guy, Porco keeps instant coffee stocked in his pantry and microwaves the water/milk he stirs it in.

Zeke: He's worse than a snob. He's picky. When Zeke pops into his local café, it's like the air shifts and everything suddenly goes quiet. Yeah, he'll have that shaken, not stirred, pulled as a double ristretto, blonde roast, frothed, never steamed, with room and double-sleeved. He recites his order so fucking fast too, the poor teenager at the counter helplessly stands there like they just got flashbanged. Oh, there's a rush going on? He hadn't noticed. But if he's on the go, he'll just grab a kombucha from his fridge.

[spideysquake]

death of a bachelorette

drew starkey x costar!reader

masterlist | one | two | three

youruser

liked by y/ny/l/nfanpage, drewstarkey, and others

youruser drew took that photo on my phone while i was paying for his lunch, so please make a note of that

read all 12,573 comments

y/ny/l/nfanpage girl we need the coffee order now !!

⤷ youruser it depends on the day! i loooove a vanilla matcha latte but i also love an extra sweet caramel latte with oat milk but i also love a fruit tea with little bits of fruit.... i'm just a bevvy type girl in every way

⤷ y/ny/l/nfanpage oh the queen responds AND she has taste

huntershafer you're glowing and i love it

rachelzegler the joy on your face... i love you so much

drewstarkey and now you've gotten payback by posting it to your millions and millions of fans

⤷ youruser and i stole your hat... don't get mad

⤷ drewstarkey that's where my hat went?????

⤷ y/nanddrewupdates so is anyone else seeing this???

y/ny/l/nfanpage the fifth picture???? the ninth one??? youruser do you have something to share with the class

deathofabacheloretteupdates

liked by y/ny/l/nupdates, y/nanddrewupdates, and others

deathofabacheloretteupdates the cast of doab is slowly but surely getting announced... here are two of the couples rumored to be getting married throughout the movie

david corenswet as carey lewis, drew's character's brother

supriya ganesh (from the pitt) as talia sharma, carey's fiancee

olivia rodrigo as isa moore, y/n's character's little sister (i think they're supposed to be half sisters, obviously)

kit connor as gabriel hudson, isa's boyfriend turned fiance

you guys this movie is going to be INSANE i am going to see this in theaters seventeen times at the very least

read all 24 comments

user1 i see people asking questions about olivia and y/n being sisters bc they don't look alike... and i respond with WHO CARES THEY'RE BOTH HOT

⤷ y/ny/l/nupdates and god you are so real for this

user2 this casting is sooooo out of left field but who even cares, they're gonna eat

oliviarodrigoupdates ms liv in her scream queen era, well yes!

drewstarkey

liked by youruser, drewstarkeyupdates, and others

drewstarkey having fun, drinking coffee, filming things

read all 19,384 comments

drewstarkeyupdates hey bud where did that lipstick print come from

madelyncline you look like you're having so much fun... but not more fun than on outer banks (this is a threat)

liked by drewstarkey and youruser

youruser you are now in charge of the wine for all our dinner parties bc that red was exceptional

⤷ drewstarkey this is so much responsibility please give me a smaller job

⤷ youruser sorry honey, you're invited every time and you have to bring the wine

⤷ user3 she calls him honey???? my winter soldier persona was just activated

rachelzegler interesting how you're spending time with my bestie girl in the world and yet i have no invite in the mail

⤷ youruser next time babe !! we'll make it a whole thing

productionassistant1

liked by friend1, youruser, and others

productionassistant1 not to brag (because i did technically sign an nda) but i've been working! on a movie! with drew starkey! and y/n y/l/n!!!!!! it has been such a dream, they are literally the kindest and most talented people in the whole world and if this job ever ends, i will have a breakdown. i love you natalie morales, i love you drew starkey, i love you y/n y/l/n!!!!!

read all 13 comments

youruser you are the absolute sweetest!!! it's such a joy working with you every day

nataliemorales you are such a darling <3

drewstarkey will forever treasure the one exact time you spilled y/n's entire latte all over her... good times!

⤷ youruser you are a hater of gargantuan proportions and the world needs to know

⤷ drewstarkey give me my hat back and we can call a truce

⤷ productionassistant1 stop flirting in my comments <3

author's note: sorry for the delay my babies !! life got a little messy there, but i'm back !

i'm so excited to bring you more chapters of my bickering angels as they make their movie (and may be fall in love), i hope you guys love them as much as i do. if you have any requests or anything, please feel free to let me know <3 love you guys !!

xoxo, daisy

ps - as a writer outside of the tumblr game, i want to make this into a real screenplay sooooo bad... i already even know who i would kill and where i'd put the hot and steamy scenes !!

[shintaru]

D-d-d-dealin', dealin' with a certified winner Michelin Star's how I like my dinner

m.list ♡ taglist

A/N: I love Mukbang’s, my favorite channel is Tzuyang!

Tagging: @bfwooin @dzvelinaskebiyars

You’re waiting outside the convenience store waiting for your special guest to show up. You begin recording to give your audience a hint on who will be collaborating with you today. You’re a famous mukbang influencer. Your content has many viewers from all over the world and you love inviting many people with different career paths onto your channel.

Today you’ve invited Wooin Yoo, leader and founder of Sabbath crew who was recently in the league of street racing tournament. Their crew recently skyrocketed in popularity after the tournament’s final race despite not being the winners of the tournament you still wanted to invite the crew on. Unfortunately the other crew members were busy so only their leader was able to make it.

As you’re telling your audience that you’ll be eating with a guest at a convenience store today you spot Wooin and wave him over. He is wearing a black zip up hoodie, a black cap, & shades. You giggle to yourself thinking he must be trying to avoid fans. He heads over to you and you introduce him to the camera. “This area was hard to find” he says. “Yeah I picked one that many people don’t know about I hear this one has great reviews.” You reply.

“This convenience store has many hidden gems and I brought sabbath crew’s leader Wooin here with me to try some of their food!” You say adjusting the camera so you and Wooin are now in the frame. “Ah” is all he says you give him a side eye and he makes eye contact with you and you both burst out laughing. “HAHAHAHAHAHS” you’re starting to receive stares from people passing by the store.

“Sorry, I don’t know what to say I’m use to leading our channel so this is a bit different” he says. “That’s ok just be yourself and you’ll be fine” you say smiling to him. He doesn’t seem nervous just unprepared for this type of content. “Let’s head in and get some food” you say. He opens the door for you letting you walk in first and you thank him. You both grab some hand held baskets to hold your items.

“Get whatever you want” you say. You’re recording him showing the camera the items he’s getting. He places a bag of lollipops into his basket. Caramel popcorn, panini’s, kimbap, dumplings, curry, steamed eggs, dango, Thai noodles, sweet and savory ramen, ice cream, chips, juice, water, chicken on skewers, & snack cakes. “I got everything I like” he says. “Alright you can record me now!” You say.

Before you hand him the camera you turn the camera and point it towards his face. You whisper to the camera “isn’t he handsome?” You pass him the camera and adjust your basket. You’re browsing over options when he walks behind you and leans down to whisper in your ear “I heard that” you cover your face and hurry up and enter another aisle. “Where are you going? I have to record you” he says laughing.

“Something looks interesting over here” you try not to sound suspicious. Finally calming your racing heart down you begin picking some of your favorites. Honey butter chips, crab chips, hot chips, shrimp ramen, buldak ramen in a few flavors, Yakult yogurt, banana milk, water, mochi, boiled eggs, kimchi, onigiri, milk cream bread, & a latte. You’re nowhere near done filling your basket but it starts to get really heavy.

As you try to adjust how you hold it Wooin takes your basket “I’ll hold it as you shop” he says. “Thank you” you reply while still looking around for new foods to try. You add some wafers, candy bars, & a few glazed donuts. “Ok I’m ready” you say heading towards the counter. The worker gives you two a concerned look at the amount of food you both have. You pay with your card and head towards the eating area, a table in the back.

Wooin sets up the camera on the table and you both sit side by side in a booth. “Let’s start with the ramen, I’ll go boil the water” he says. You hand him your cup of buldak ramen. He heads over to the water boiling station and pours steaming hot water into both of your cups of ramen. He sits down beside you starting to eat his ramen. “How did you get into cycling?” You ask. “My dad wanted to make him proud.” He replies.

“I hear you quit your team with another member of sabbath to start the crew you’re currently in” you comment. “Yes I quit with Hyuk and together we founded the sabbath crew” he replies. “Hyuk, also known as the grim reaper?” you ask, he laughs at your question and nods his head as he continues eating. You finally take a bite of your ramen and he asks you “so why did you start a mukbang channel?”

“I love food” you reply, making him laugh. An hour and a half rolls by with you two getting to know each other better while eating. You’re both down to only snacks being left. “I don’t know if I can eat anymore,” he says, holding his stomach. “That’s ok you can take some home with you” you reply. “Should we read some comments while we try to finish these snacks?” You ask “Sure~” he says while opening a lollipop.

“They have some chemistry” Wooin reads. “Do we?” You turn and ask him to open your bag of honey butter chips. He takes your bag opening it for you “idk do we” he says with a smile handing you your bag of chips. He steals a chip from your back removing his lollipop to eat it. You look at some other comments. A hater keeps commenting “sabbath sucks you assholes deserve to lose”

You go to block them and apologize to him but he laughs it off. “I love hate comments, it's ok!” he replies. After a while of reading more comments you both finish your snacks and you end your live stream. “Thank you for collaborating with me today!” You say. “You’re welcome, next time I’ll bring my crew” he says. “I’ll be waiting for that” you reply.

“Text me your favorite restaurant, and meet me there when you’re free, this time I’ll pay!” he says. “Are you asking me out on a date?” You question him. “If you want it to be then yes~” he replies. “Ok then it’s a date” you reply. He turns to walk away but you grab him by his wrist he looks down at you confused. You stand on the tips of your toes and kiss his cheek. “I’ll be looking forward to our date” you say and hurry to walk away before he can see that you’re blushing. You can hear him laughing as you scurry away.

[plotsignificanthaircut555]

Honey Cappuccino with Cinnamon

Kento Nanami x Barista! Reader SMUT, MDNI, 18+ ONLY

You get a new patron in your cafe, a dashingly handsome, well mannered, well spoken, Kento Nanami.

wc: 13k, whoops

Content: Smut, Fluff, comfort, kind of a slow burn, kissing (ooooo!!), sex, brief fear/violence (but not sexual), small curse appearance, cunnalingus, reader is female, smoking, swearing no spit (r u guys proud or disappointed), bad ending

Ao3, Masterlist, Coffee headcannons. dont reproduce my work or post it anywhere else. i came up with it out of my head. Enjoy.

you can buy me a Ko.fi here, if you like!

You loved your morning openings, most people would have preferred to sleep in, enjoy their mornings at home, take their time getting ready for the day, all while the sun was settled in the sky. But you loved waking up in the misty dark, walking in the clean, morning air, and setting up the cafe before the sun found its way out of bed. The hour and a half before the cafe opened felt like you were the only person in the entire world, total serenity. You could make your own coffee, just how you liked it, luxuriate in the smells of last night's prepped pastries baking to perfection in the oven, work at your own pace while listening to an audiobook or a playlist that you chose. It was the time you looked forward to most throughout the week; your perfect hour of bliss. Uninterrupted bliss. 

The ringing of the door chime was your indicator to return to reality and remember that the cafe didn’t exist solely for your own personal enjoyment, but was in fact a buzzing success. From 6 AM opening to 7 PM closing the cafe would see anywhere between 300-700 customers a day. The large majority of them just stopped in, ordering, and leaving upon receiving their coffee and scone or whatever it was they wanted. A handful you saw nearly every day. You, of course, knew their names, you were a professional. But your first rung of memory was always their orders. 

The gentleman that comes on his bike with his canvas backpack -- a double espresso with equal parts hot water to the espresso. 

The woman who comes with her daughters every morning -- two blended caramel frappes for them, three shots of espresso over ice in a large cup for her. (she pours a protein shake over it and mixes it together. She’s been trying to get you on it. You tried it once, she's onto something.) 

The college kid whose eye bags have doubled in size since they first came in. -- Iced americano, one more shot than you feel is ethical each time. 

Three shot soy latte guy, small decaf mocha woman with a fresh set of nails every time you saw her, long pull espresso always in a porcelain cup for the older woman with the faded purple lipstick, etc. etc. 

The mental list of orders must have been a mile long but you kept them all in your heart. You have seen people before job interviews, between shifts, between jobs, on breaks, days off, first dates, break ups, going to work, coming from it, anything in between. Second only to your sacred alone time, was the way you got to know the people who continued to come. Your position as a customer service worker was not without the obvious dregs of complaints and entitlement from the comers and goers, who never asked your name or about your day, and always had something wrong with their drinks, but it was all overshadowed by the kind faces you recognized so well. And nothing could compare to seeing someone for the second or third time, knowing you had secured another person a favorite coffee shop where they could feel comfortable and know that this small, but vital, piece of their life would be taken seriously and made carefully, exactly to their tastes. You liked giving people that peace, a little taste of your own. 

This morning when you opened, you got into the cafe at 4:30. Early for the 6:00 opening but you wanted to enjoy the languid morning hours a little extra today, and you did. You took your time setting the pastry display, straightening up the table, setting up the self service bar. Before you knew it, there was only a half hour left before opening. The large drip brewers were prepped, ready to fill the cafe with the rich smell of fresh coffee at the touch of a button, the last batch of lemon scones were in the oven, you had just finished counting the drawer for the register and were about to spend the last twenty minutes before turning on the open sign in sweet, perfect silence, enjoying your own favorite coffee when the bell chimed.

“We’re not open yet,” your eyes stayed closed, prepping for the first sip of your perfect morning indulgence. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. The sign is on, I didn’t realize.” A rich, oaky voice filled the echoey cafe. 

You opened your eyes and turned to face the voice. The owner of the voice was a tall man, over six feet, a full, broad figure clad in a tan coat over a dark blue button up. The outer layer couldn’t conceale the way his shirt stretched over his chest, buttons meeting, but just barely. A queer looking yellow tie spotted almost like a cheetah or a banana thankfully covered the higher up, more stretched gaps. But what struck you the most was his face, hard lined cheekbones, long, slender nose, hard set jaw, thin but full rosy lips, a set of unique green lensed glasses resting over his eyes. He was stunning, completely beautiful, the kind of beauty that could strike a god down to earth for the chance of love. You felt your throat tighten, your mouth fall open.

“I-uh, Sorry.” And yet you still couldn’t figure out how to respond. 

He took a moment to look at you, then checked his watch, pulling up his sleeve for you to see the joint of his wrist. Behind him you could see the white neon light of the open sign shining through the front window. Your face heated, mortified at how unprofessional you were being, gawking at him. 

“Oh. I am early-- I’ll come back. I’d hate for you to star----”

“No!” you interrupted, waiting just a touch too long before continuing, “You’re barely early, excuse my flippancy, please come in. What can I get you?” 

You took your place behind the counter, he moved to the other side of the counter, he scanned the menu board above your head, turning his chin up slightly, giving you a view of the muscles in his neck. Your mouth watered. You brought your eyes down to the screen in front of you, desperate to quiet the thoughts in your mind. 

“I really would hate for you to start work early. Especially for my sake I can wait outside.” 

“Don’t be silly! I couldn’t have you out there waiting when I can help you now.” 

You absolutely could, and had, on many occasions done exactly that. Letting the morning rush wait until operating hours no matter how early they wanted to “just squeak in super fast!”. But you wanted to keep him inside, bring him closer, give him anything he wanted. Hell, if he turned out to want all the money in the register you probably would have at least considered it.  

The rich voice filled your ears once again, “A cappuccino, please. With just a bit of honey, please.”

Great order, and so polite. 

“You got it.” You plugged it into the computer, the total appearing on his side of the screen, “dry or wet?” 

He cleared his throat abruptly, eyes wide behind the thick frames, “uh…?”

You didn’t realize how it came out, “more milk or more foam?” 

He collects himself, “uh wet, then.” 

You nod, “any preference of milk?”

“Whatever you have is fine.” 

You started the espresso grinder, the whirring filling the soundless air of the cafe, “this is a cafe, we have like six milks.” 

He nods, “right. Um…whatever you use I’m sure is fine.” 

You mirror his nod, “oat is, then. Anything else I can get you?” 

“One of those croissants, please.” He gestured to the pastry case, ten perfect flaky butter croissants sitting beautifully. 

“Great choice.” You smile, “I’ll get your drink.” 

You turned back toward the espresso machine as he moved to start paying on his screen of the register. You were grateful to have an excuse to turn away from him, away from the magnetism of him, to have something to focus on and hopefully regain an ounce of your composure. 

Nanami collected his breath, grateful to have your sparkling gaze out of his immediate eyeline. It takes more focus than would normally be necessary to complete his payment. Fingers trembling over the ‘no receipt’ button, his eyes drifted up again. The large espresso machine in front of you hissed and dripped the fragrant, rich liquid into the small espresso cup underneath. 

“Is this your first time in?” Your voice rang like a bell in the empty cafe, you were pouring milk into a metal pitcher as you spoke to him, not missing a drop. 

So much ease, precision, the routine of skilled work over years of honing, everything was perfectly measured, foamed, and stirred. You clearly took care in what you did, your hands were so still and even as you tipped the small fridge door open with your foot to slip the milk carton back inside. The brief scream of the milk knocked him back into his senses. 

“Yes.” He answered, hoping to keep his internal chastisement out of his tone. 

You nodded watching the milk whirlpool in its small silver pitcher, “I thought so. I don’t think I’ve seen you in before. I’m basically always here, and I think I would have remembered you.” 

A blush heated your cheeks, but you discarded it as steam, pulling the wand from the pitcher and tapping its bottom against the counter. You poured the honey sweetened espresso into a small to-go cup, and topped it with a fair serving of water before meeting the lip of the pitcher with the liquid so the foam could slide perfectly across. 

Nanami watched the smile slide across your lips, cheeks pulling upward, a satisfied sigh leaving you as you perfected the drink. His drink. His. 

He shouldn't be acting like this, he just stopped in to get a quick coffee before returning to the school. The last assignment had been grueling, he was only just finishing it. Talk about Overtime. This was ridiculous, he had been in an awful mood before walking in, miserably dragging himself through the doors of the first lit up cafe he stumbled across. And yet here he was, his previously drained heart beating, no palpitating, in his chest at just a few exchanges. You finally turned back around to face him, presenting the drink to him without its lid, letting him see the perfect line of dusted cinnamon across the foam cap. 

“Here you are!” You beamed at him, hoping to see a flicker of a smile or some kind of praise. 

He didn’t smile but you thought maybe you saw something soften in him. He accepted it across the counter, bringing it up to his mouth and taking a sip. Then he smiled. He couldn’t help it. It was perfect. Perfectly sweet from the honey, but still letting the robust bitterness of the espresso shine, the body of the oat milk complimenting the two perfectly, making the whole concoction taste like a cinnamon and oatmeal cookie that he’d indulge in in some private, anonymous, curseless cafe that he thought only existed in his mind. But he may have found it. 

“Wow. It’s excellent.” His lens-guarded eyes warmed at you through their green filters, “Thank you.” 

A chrysalis was twitching in your heart, “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.” 

A moment passed as you waited for him to speak again, praying this interaction wouldn’t be over yet. The chime of the bell at the door broke you away from him, turning to see the beginning trickle of the morning flood enter. He was a nice enough guy, same thing every morning: four shots of espresso with two brown sugars in a porcelain mug that he would sit at one of the back tables in and read the morning paper no matter how ungodly early it was, but right now you wished he never dared step into your shop in the first place. When you looked back and saw the end of Honey Cappuccino’s motion to check his watch, he met your gaze once again. 

“Oh! Your croissant, I'm sorry.” You breathed out, kicking yourself for being foolish enough to think he was lingering to talk to you more, not waiting for the rest of his order.

“Right.” You heard from above you as you opened the pastry case. 

You retrieved the biggest, prettiest pastry for him and put it gently into a paper bag, straightening up to hand it to him. 

“No one going to work this early should go without breakfast.” You smiled, hoping to soften the blow of your unprofessional behavior. 

He nodded, accepting the bagged pastry, “Thank you, for indulging me so early. Next time I assure you I will be within the operating hours.” 

The chrysalis stirred again and you giggled its rhythm, “Don’t you worry. You come back anytime, okay?” 

He nodded again, before moving toward the door. You couldn't help the way your rubbernecked his exit all the way past the edges of the large shop windows. Turning back to the register and seeing your early bird regularly standing before you. Thankfully you knew his regular order by heart and could plug it in and nod through polite conversation without having to stop your rumination 

He had said Next time, implying he would come in again. You said a silent prayer to nothing that he would. At least so you could redeem yourself. So you could remind yourself and demonstrate to him  that you were a consummate professional. The rest of your day was spent smoothly, that tapping, fluttering feeling in your chest was quiet and still. You made drinks, cleaned and stocked the store, were courteous and charming with customers and coworkers alike. But you couldn’t get the man from this morning out of your mind, you didn't even ask what his name was. He would only be Honey Cappuccino Guy, for now, and that would have to be enough for now. 

Nanami entered the school still nursing the last dregs of the cappuccino, savoring the taste of honey and the memory of you in tandem. The high of your interaction was beginning to wane, the head and body ache of a night of reconnaissance and curse slaying an albatros growing denser and denser around his neck. He longed to finish his report and head home as soon as possible, already budgeting the allotment of time that felt appropriate for an early afternoon nap before resuming the chores he had left unfinished at home in a rare act of laziness. He hadn’t eaten his croissant yet, finding it rude to eat on the train, and his stomach felt barren, it seemed every part of him was echoing in discomfort. An echo that was seemingly non-existent in the warm light of the cafe. 

He sighed, rounding the corner to the small extra room that had been designated as his “office”. Not being a member of the teaching staff at Jujutsu High, there was little necessity for him to have a space of his own on its campus. He could easily complete his necessary paperwork in the common areas, or even at home. But Yaga had insisted on marking one of the empty offices as his, with some encouragement from a certain white haired sorcerer. The dwindling number of active sorcerers in the area was certainly a motive to keep each other close. So Nanami obliged, stopping by for meetings, assignments; both at their beginnings and upon their completion.  

This last assignment had been grueling, extending too far into the night, he almost felt dishonest filling out the time card associated with the final report. Nearly twelve straight hours of traveling, hunting, and fighting. It was a miracle he wasn’t delirious. He stretched back in his chair, the lactic acid that longed to settle in his back and legs crackling and redispursing. He found himself again remembering the lilt of your voice, the smell of lemon and sugar and fresh roasted grounds in the air of the cafe. The sense of peaceful indulgence carried him through the next two hours of work before he could drag himself home to shed the day and pass out, dreaming amorphously about flaky pastries and kind expressions. 

It would be almost two weeks before you would see him in the cafe again. You were restocking the milks in the small fridge underneath the counter that housed the espresso machine when the bell rang. It had been a dreadfully slow morning, mostly regulars and single, simple drink orders. It had given you plenty of time to clean, and fantasize. The large, well dressed man from eleven days ago hadn’t yet left your mind. His voice, his stature, his odd clothing, his demeanor. You were positive your memory had to have been generous the more and more you recollected the meeting, surely no one person could be so handsome. So charming, so, in the truest sense of the word, attractive. But when he stepped through your threshold once again, you found that your memory was ironclad. Tall, broad, sculpted features, odd glasses, leopard print tie, pristine styled hair, every detail of him was perfect. Your breath caught in your throat, but even that couldn’t interrupt the smile that widened on your lips. 

“It’s you.” you all but gasp out. 

He crosses toward the counter, a faint smile showing itself only on the edges of his lips, eyes wide and set on you, an expression you couldn't realize was mirroring your own awe. 

“You can say that about anyone. It’s always true.” His voice was just as smooth and even as before, you felt an all too familiar stirring in your chest. 

You laugh, “Good point. I didn’t expect to see you back. Thought I might have scared you off.” 

“Certainly not!” He can feel the burn in his cheeks, “You were kind enough to extend your hours for me. How could I not return to at least say thank you.” 

“Oh!” you chastised yourself for the twinge of disappointment you felt realizing he wasn’t here with any motive other than politeness, “It was no trouble really, it’s like the easiest drink in the world to make.”

He nods, “well, Thank you nonetheless, your work got me through the rest of mine.” 

You let out a low whistle, “That was one hell of a clock in time. Do you always go in that early?” 

“I was finishing up actually. Long project, I…lost track of time.” He wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to provide you with more information, ordinarily he would dodge questions in their entirety. Truthfully he would ordinarily never be in this situation to begin with, never having been one for casual small talk.  

“Wow…that’s intense.” you couldn't imagine working such a strange schedule, what extreme hours like that must do to a person, “what is it you do?”

This is exactly why Nanami does not engage in casual small talk, does not approach topics that could lead back to sorcery or jujutsu or anything related to his job, why he does not talk to the pretty girl behind the counter. Because now he has to lie. His heart sinks, but he steels himself. 

“I'm a sort of exterminator.” He answers smoothly. Not technically a lie. 

You hum, seeing him stiffen; you’ve seen this before, folks can be cagey about their professions, and particularly assumptions made about them based on what they do, you knew when not to pry, “Hm. You must have to be on your feet a lot.” 

He’s grateful you chose a surface level observation instead of prying further. 

“Well what can I get for you today? Got another long one in the books? Should I break out the hard stuff?” You smile warmly at him, catching his eyes. 

It's then that you realize he isn't wearing those peculiar glasses that he had before. Thick green lenses absent, and amber eyes revealed in their stead. The outermost rings of his irises were dark, oaky brown, his lashes were long but faint, small freckles now visible across his nose and dappling the tops of his high, hollow cheeks. Not only was your memory not being generous, he had somehow become more handsome. You took in a shaky breath, trying to ignore the stirring inside of you. 

“One cappuccino with honey, please. Just the same as last time.” 

“You got it!” You tap the corresponding buttons. 

He pays with a card, a chime sounding as he taps against the reader. He is grateful for an excuse to look away, it feels like every time he looks at you, you’re looking back at him, so intently. He feels studied by you, hot under your gaze. He wonders to himself if the blush he feels creeping up the back of his neck is visible to you. Your smile earlier made it begin its journey from the warmth of his chest up toward the tops of his ears. His harness feels too tight, his jacket feels stuffy and restricting. He reaches up as you finish up the payment across from him and tugs his tie looser, routinely unbuttoning the first button of his shirt. It's then that he notices his hands are sweating. 

Fuck me. Pull it together. He pleads to himself accepting the receipt as you turn away.

Back facing him you begin weighing out the espresso, you can hear his footsteps as he steps off to the side. You catch your breath, gearing yourself up for your next move. The drink comes together quickly. Honey, espresso, steamed and frothed oat milk, a small dusting of cinnamon. You giggle to yourself about the cinnamon on the creamy foam mirroring the dusting of freckles along his face. God, you're pathetic. You roll your eyes at yourself and inhale. You turn back to the counter before stalling. He wasn't waiting at the counter and you had, once again, been too frazzled to ask his name. 

“Uh…H-honey cappuccino?” Your voice wavered weakly. 

He crosses over from the other side of the cafe where he had been admiring the community board, where local artists would hang their work, organizers would add flyers for local events etc. He traversed the room in three long strided steps. 

“I’m sorry, I usually ask for a name, I forgot.” You explained. 

He accepts the paper to-go cup between you, “It’s Nanami, thank you.” 

“It's nice to meet you.” You smile. 

“And your name?” He is quick to inquire. 

You tell him, smile widening, he nods and repeats it softly. He sips from the black lid, ignoring the initial shock of heat. It's just as perfect as before, a small sound of approval resonates from his chest, you wish it had less of an effect on you than it does. 

“It’s perfect. You’re very talented, thank you.” He offers a small, polite bow before sipping again. 

“Like I said, it's an easy drink.” you shy away from his compliment. 

“Well, I’m grateful.” He begins to step away from the counter. 

“Thank you. Have a good rest of your day.” You put on your most professional and least loaded smile, “Come by and see us again Mr. Nanami.” 

He nods at you, smiling as he turns and exits the cafe. 

And he did come by again. And again. And again. 

Beginning as once a week, then twice a week, soon he begins to factor a third visit into his weekly routine. Coffee the same every time, including sometimes a pastry; taking a particular liking to the ginger and poppyseed scones, and the oat and lemon frosted cookies, but more often than both leaving with a simple croissant. One some trips the conversation if brief; shallow, single day focused conversation topics: weather, traffic within the cafe, the pastry selection you had out that day. On other days he would ask you questions: when did you learn to make coffee? Have you always lived in this area? Etc. Some days you would be so bogged down with making orders upon his arrival that one of your coworkers would be the one taking his order instead. You quieted the rising jealousy as you heard your fellow barista giggle and swoon at his rich, staccato voice. On those days you would write his name cleanly on the side of his cup and make sure to linger at the drop off counter as you called his name for his drink. 

“Busy in here, huh?” You baited, handing him the steaming cup. 

“It seems my favorite secret cafe is not so secret anymore.” Nanami’s voice sounded truly disappointed. 

You faked insult, “You think you discovered this place? I’ll have you know we’re a local staple!” 

He let out a small laugh, sipping his drink and sighing, “perfect as always, thank you.”

“Of course Nanami, anytime.” You blush at his praise, it never gets old. 

“WIll you be here next Wednesday?” He asked. 

He had never asked for your schedule before. You tried your best to hide your excitement. 

“I will! I’m opening. So feel free to stop by thirty minutes before if you're desperate.” you teased. 

He let out a guilty laugh, “ Well, I'll see you then. Well within operating hours, I promise.” 

You nod, a bit too quickly, “Sounds good.” 

He smiled and nodded again, turning and exiting. 

Your favorite coworker who had been working the register approached you, following your eyeline as it tailed him out of the cafe. 

“Planning on asking him out soon?” She poked your side. 

“No way, Nanami?” You dismissed, “Yeah right, he’s just being nice.”

“Right.” She begins, “because he comes here every week because the coffee here is just that good.” 

Her tone is cutting and sarcastic, she pushes your shoulder lightly before returning to the register, leaving you to your own thoughts. You hadn’t considered the fact that he could actually be coming here for you, of course you hoped and fantasized about exactly that, but faced with someone else’s observation you felt…strange. Embarrassed and exhilarated. You wondered what would come on Wednesday. 

“Thanks for taking me to coffee Nanami-san, You really don’t have to treat me!” Ino Takuma beamed as he walked into the cafe. 

He was beyond excited when his mentor had asked him to have a meeting today after training to discuss the upcoming recommendations. Nanami held the door for Ino as he babbled his way inside, reciting his thank yous over and over. 

“You’re welcome, Ino. I asked you here because I have something to discuss with you. Consider it an expensed lunch.” 

“Still! Thank you so much. I’m honored that you would make time for me, I know how demanding the schedule of a grade one sorcerer can be!” Ino continued, wanting to showcase how prepared he was to take on the demand himself. 

“Lower your voice,” Nanami chastized and pushed up his glasses, shielding his eyes as he scanned the population of the cafe. It must be a slow day, only three patrons to be seen. One sitting at the bar top, reading the newspaper, and a couple seated in the front corner, focused on splitting a pastry right down the center with a small butter knife. 

“Nanami!” 

Ino watched as the muscles in Nanami’s neck appeared. Not in frustration or exertion, the way he had seen so many times before, but a completely new reflex. Dare he think, excitement? He watched carefully as his mentor was urged forward by the woman behind the counter, the beautiful woman behind the counter. Nanami was quick to cross to the empty counter, Ino trotted behind with wide, watching eyes. 

“Good morning! It’s still morning isn’t it?” You smiled craning to see the wall clock. When you turned back your gaze fell to the slightly younger man behind Nanami. He was probably twenty or twenty one, his frame similarly toned and cultivated, hair shaggy and smile twinkling, “You brought a friend. Wait! Is this your brother?”

You looked closely between the two men, both handsome, both well made men with cut features and toned, imposing bodies. A similar height, a similar build. The younger man’s coloring was slightly darker; Nanami’s eyes amber, where his were deep oak, Nanami’s blonde hair contrasted against the other’s shaggy brown hair, but you could see where a family resemblance would reside. 

“No.” Nanami answers cooly, much to Takuma’s chagrin (despite its honesty), “Ino is an apprentice of mine, I’m treating him to lunch today because of his hard work.”

“Well, congratulations, it’s nice to meet you.  What can I get you both?” You smile, side glancing at Nanami. 

Ino blushes through his order, taken by how magnetic you feel when you talk to him. Privately watching how Nanami listens closely when you talk, uses his eyebrows more in his responses to you. You know his order, you sound flirtatious as you ask if he wants his “usual”, Ino sees as Nanami’s lips curl as he nods and selects two pastries from the case to accompany their lunch. Was Nanami…flirting? It seemed everytime you would turn your back, Nanami was catching his breath, and as soon as you returned he hung on your every word. Ino was beyond delighted, he had never seen this side of his mentor before. He watches as you complete the payment, fluttering your lashes and stringing your words together. When the order is complete he follows Nanami to a table in the back of the cafe.

“Ino, I wanted to ask you…”Nanami struggled with the next part of his request. He had found himself at a loss for what to do recently, feeling his standing with you plateau, “I hope you will forgive the candor of my question, In fact I- I am slightly embarrassed to even be asking you,”

“Go ahead, please. You have helped me so much, I’d be happy to try and help however I can. ” Ino had a growing suspicion as to what could have been the subject of his inquiry.  

“The…barista, what do you think of her?”

Nanami prepared himself for anything that could come next. Ino could laugh at him, Ino could laugh in pity before explaining that it was pathetic for a man of his circumstance to be entertaining the idea of a relationship. Ino could chastise him for reading into the kindness of someone who is actively working customer service. Ino could express his disappointment of not talking about the recommendations. He could call upon Nanami’s embarrassment for his own inexperience with flirtation. Nanami prepared himself to be exposed, shamed and cursed. 

“Oh! So you know she really likes you, I think she seems funny and smart. She’s really pretty, like really beautiful. I like her outfit, and hairstyle.” Ino began just as eager and delighted as he had been when Nanami invited him to lunch.  

“Wait, what do you mean she likes me?” Nanami’s brows inched together, although subtly. 

“Oh! Well, she smiles a lot when you talk and listens really carefully, and she called your name when we got here and…”

“That’s her job, she has to be polite and accommodating.”

“Sure,” Ino nodded, “But she seemed really interested in you, not so much with me. I don't know, I guess, but it just seemed like she liked you” Ino shrugged. 

Nanami was lost in thought as Ino trailed off. Could you really like him? Your encounters were so brief, he was so stilted around you, or at least he felt as much. You were accommodating and kind because you were good at your job, it was only natural that he recognized it as charm. He missed your call of his name, signaling the drinks he and Ino had ordered were ready. 

“I’ll get them!” Ino perked up, standing quickly and heading to the pick up counter. 

You pushed the two fresh drinks forward as the shaggy haired mentee approached the counter. He had the floppy stride of a well trained dog, bouncy and excited as he hurried over. 

“Thank you so much!” He beamed. 

“You’re so welcome, enjoy. Your food should be out soon!” You smiled back. 

“Hey, can I ask?” Takuma leaned in conspiratorially, “does he come in here a lot?”

You couldn't help but indulge the genuine curiosity in his voice, “A few times a week for about two months. How long have you been working with him?”

“About two years.” He answered, “I’m so glad too, he usually never takes someone under his wing like this!” 

You smiled, cocking your head to the side, “So he’s a big deal at work, huh?” 

Takuma nodded, “Oh yeah! He’s focused and hardworking, brave and careful.I hope to be half as skilled as he is one day.”

Your smile grew at the extrapolation. It was praise befitting of the man so dedicated to his work that he could be seeking out coffee at five in the morning at the end of his shift. The younger man nodded and couriered the drinks back over to the table. You thought you saw as Nanami’s eyes flashed over to you, but behind his glasses it was hard to be sure. You smiled all the same, just in case. You returned to your work, Ino and Nanami would both wave goodbye to you with mannered ‘thank you’s’ offered as they left after their meeting. You watched as Nanami held the door over his mentee’s head, ushering him out and looking back over to you. You looked away quickly, and when you looked back he was gone. Your lower lip settled in between your teeth, replaying your memories of him in a flash before returning your attention to the steaming milk whirlpooling in front of you.  

You didn’t see Nanami for three weeks after that. 

You were today’s closer, your shift already dragging far into the afternoon. The morning crowd was tired, desperate, and reliant upon memorized routine above all else. Simple orders, simpler conversations. The evening crowd was far more likely to experiment. They are unpredictable en masse in a way that your morning regulars were not, making it so that you had to be that much more attentive when discussing menu options. Not only that but you also had to clean and secure all parts of the cafe before you could leave. On a usual day this is fine, although a complicated and oft tedious dance, but today it is much worse. Your usual array of alternative milks were on backorder meaning you were running out more and more with every order, with now replacements on their way. Also dwindling in stock were multiple menu items, including both pastries and lunch menu components, flavors, even lids for to-go cups had started to wane faster than anticipated. You recalled a conversation with your manager that ended dismissively about the coming weekend and how poorly you were prepared to do your job effectively. Your concerns had been barely acknowledged at the best and outright discarded at worst. Over the course of the last three hours you had had eyes rolled at you six times, had to remake a drink four times, been asked why your stock was so low ten times, and had to give one full refund to a customer who took it upon himself to reprimand you personally for the lack of options available to him. You tried your best to push through but the orders kept coming, and the wait times grew longer and longer, you weren’t making nearly enough progress. 

“Switch out?” Your coworker offers to you marking your wide, scared eyes gazing at the growing number of tickets. 

“Please.” You nod turning to operate the register instead. 

They nodded taking over at the espresso machine from where you left off. You approached the counter just as a woman stepped forward from the line. 

“Hello! What can I get you?” You smiled brightly. 

“Well, I don't know yet…”She was already frustrated, “I’ll tell you in a minute.” 

She turned her gaze upward to the menu board above your head, rolling her eyes on the ascent. It shouldn’t have, but it brought a hot burn of tears to your eyes. Sure, she was being condescending, but you dealt with far more pointed forms of belittlement on a daily basis. Somehow though, after the day that had already transpired, you had to choke back tears. You felt yourself shut down in order to keep from crying at such a stupid remark. You took her order without incident, asking only the necessary questions and issuing the payment efficiently. Upon retrieval of her receipt she left the counter. The tears were threatening to spill over as you sighed in relief. In an example of the universe’s kindness you saw your coworker approach, indicating to you that it was time for you to take your lunch break. You passed her quickly as she entered the floor, grabbing your bag and rushing out the front door in embarrassment. Or rather, you tried to rush out of the door. As you scrambled toward the threshold you collided with something hard, it felt like you hadn't bothered to open the door at all, study and unmoving. You bounced back, feeling a rattle in your bones as you tried to gather your senses enough to turn your head upwards. Two strong hands gripped you in place. You gazed upon the face above you, looking down with wide, green guarded eyes. 

“Are you alright? I didn’t see you, I’m sorry.” Nanami’s hands moved up your arms to your shoulders. 

You haven't ever seen his face so worried before, eyes carefully studying you, brows furrowed, hands hard on your arms, “I--i--Its been..”

Nanami sees the tears well up in your eyes, brimming and nearly spilling over, “Were you going outside? May I join you?”

You nod and he ushers you out quickly, holding the door before following in stride as you hurry down the sidewalk. He watched as you pulled a pack of cigarettes from your purse, drawing one forward, long and thin, and continued to dig inside the bag, growing more and more frustrated. Nanami pulled his own lighter from his jacket pocket, a pristine silver zippo with the characters of his name engraved at the base. He lit the end for you and watched you savor the first drag. Your eyes closed and your lips plump and pursed around the filter. When you opened your eyes and exhaled you offered him a cigarette from your pack, and he took one. Smoking the same cigarette as you made him feel close to you somehow. He lit it as you plopped down on a smoker’s bench two and a half blocks from the cafe. 

“Bad day?” Nanami asked after a beat or two.  

You groaned in response, resting your head on your hands and your elbows on your knees, cigarette dangling dangerously close to your hair. He nodded, suddenly feeling awkward and ill prepared to comfort you. You had probably left the cafe to be free of customers and work, and here he was following you. Shame rose in his chest as he realized his imposition. All the same, Nanami stood next to you, smoking silently, trying to offer you the space you needed, space he had already intruded on. The wind rushed past the both of you, the coming fall air carrying the cigarette smoke away. It seemed to trigger the raising of your head.

“Do you like your job, Nanami?” 

He was surprised. Not by the suddenness of the question but by the sincerity in your voice, and the defeated look on your face. The tops of your cheeks were wet, your eyelashes damp, the usual casual smile you carried now replaced by a deep frown. The sight tore at his heart, until now you had been a consistent source of joy for him, he never expected to see you in such duress. 

“No. I don’t.” He confessed, it was always relieving to be honest about his distaste for sorcery, he made no effort to conceal how he felt, but when he has to do it every day he finds himself pretending occasionally. 

You nod, understandingly, taking the cigarette between your lips and sliding over, for him to plop into the seat next to you and continue, “Well I love mine. I know it’s silly, it's just coffee. But, I don't know, I like seeing people everyday, talking to them, providing something they can enjoy and indulge in, no matter what happens over the course of the day. Something they can rely on for comfort.”

You shook your head, already starting to chuckle at yourself for how stupid you must sound. Before that feeling could take root, Nanami cut in. 

“It’s important. It isn’t silly at all. These people come to you to provide them with a service they can not provide themselves, something you have spent years perfecting for their benefit. You sustain people with energy, you allow them space to rest and stay cool, you offer a moment of kind conversation in a time when people feel more lonely than ever.” His voice stayed even, almost stern, as he spoke to you. 

You watched his face as he spoke, similarly stoic. He was being overgenerous, far too complimentary of your work in something as brief as a coffee stop. You knew this to be the case, it had to be. But, his words echoed the same romanticism that filled you when you had first started in coffee, you did like the idea of providing for people, you liked having a specialized skill, you genuinely cared when your customers engaged you in conversations or told you their problems, human connection was the main draw of the job. And it was why you loved it. You were able to connect with hundreds of people a day, if only for a moment. 

“What happened today?” He inquired further. 

You sighed, “Not any one thing. Just one of the bad ones. I hate disappointing people, and I disappointed a lot of people today.”

“So what?” He responds flatly, taking a drag of the loaner cigarette.  

You’re shocked, a confused laugh leaves you. 

“So what.” He repeats, “if they are disappointed, then they can get over it. Surely the next time they stop in you will take the great care of them that they are used to.” 

His voice is sincere; as though it’s the most obvious, logical line of thinking available. You wanted to defend how bad you felt, to slip into your habits of valuing the negative outlook rather than compartmentalizing. But you can’t, looking at Nanami, with his kind, intelligent eyes looking right back into yours, you’re struck by the heart of his words. You nod reflectively, considering all the situations today where you could feel the disappointment coming from a customer; each situation would be easily fixable when more resources or corresponding orders came in. You had plenty of experience diffusing situations like this, you would be able to fix them all eventually, and anything you didn’t get the chance to — was out of your hands. 

“Thank you.”

 Nanami watched as the smile returned to your face. Your eyes had dried themselves, your back stood straighter as you finished your cigarette and extinguished against the sole of your shoe. He had smoked much slower than you, he wasn't a frequent smoker anymore, an old habit that lingered from needing quick getaways from his former office, so the nicotine buzz was starting to swirl his head, he noticed a small tremor in one of his legs that he recognized as his limit. 

You tucked the butt of your cigarette into a small outer pocket of your purse. Nanami followed your motions, extinguishing his own and handing the double checked no longer burning butt to you. You tucked it inside the same pocket, holding them there to dispose of properly later in a real trashcan. Smoking was bad enough for the environment, you didn’t need to add litter to the equation. Some silly, overly whimsical part of you treasured the idea that the remnants of his mouth and the remnants of yours were in there together, getting cozy. 

He shared that thought with you, although privately. 

“How long is your break?” Nanami asked, wanting to scrub his mind of the thoughts of the indirect kiss between the two of you occurring in your pocket. 

You reached across his lap and took his left wrist in your hand pulling it over to you. His heart stopped, he didn’t dare breathe, immediately conscious of the smoke on his breath wouldn’t disturb you. You had never touched him before, excluding the collision that brought the two of you out here. Nearly three months of over the counter exchanges without a single instance of contact, broken here, with your warm, soft fingers touching the thin skin on the inside of his wrist. He watched your face as you looked at his watch. 

“About ten minutes left.” You sighed. 

You looked back at him, your hold on his arm had brought him closer, much closer than expected. You still held his wrist, his face couldn’t have been further than eight inches, you had never been at eye level with him before. You could see his face so much closer and clearer, you could see the pores on his cheeks, the discoloration under his eyes from overwork and lack of sleep, you thought you saw some deeper discoloration around the side of his eye, but brushed it off as shadow. Your eyes flicked down to his lips, thin and shapely, a full bottom lip with a soft rosy hue. When you met his eyes again you could see through his glasses, seeing that his eyes were trained on you  just as intently. You felt that familiar stirring and buckling in your chest that had become so synonymous with your feelings of excitement around him. He was so close, so focused on you, you felt intimidated, and observed. You released his rest, back into his lap. 

“Thank you, Nanami. I needed that.” You sighed, looking away from him, trying to break the growing tension between the two of you, “I’m sorry you had to see me like that, I promise I'm usually better at this.” 

Nanami shook his head, similarly thankful for the severing of intensity, “don’t apologize, I understand. I’m glad I was here.” 

You took in the sidewalk and the street, the cool early fall air around the pair of you, the weather was perfect. Beautiful sun, chilly air, the smell of coming evening rain. You stood, brushing the back of your pants off for any eager fallen leaves that you had been previously too frustrated to notice. He stood quickly to meet you, adjusting his coat and sleeves to busy himself. You two took another moment to adjust yourselves before locking eyes again. You offered him the kind smile he knew so well. 

“Are you ready to head back?” Nanami cleared his throat. 

You nodded, feeling much more grounded, and grateful for this moment of respite. You walked back together, not needing to exchange words, just simply walking side by side the all too short two blocks back to the cafe’s door. Once you reached the door Nanami stalled. Something in him changed, an aura you hadn’t seen in him before 

“Would it be okay if I came by later today?” He asked, not quite looking at you, but over you and into the cafe behind you. 

“S-sure, of course.” You felt yourself shrinking, the embarrassment of how vulnerable you had just been creeping in in a vignette, shading the moment of connection you had just shared with him. 

Nanami gave a clipped nod, looking around once more before turning his gaze down to you. 

“Okay. I’ll be back here tonight. Take care of yourself.” He nodded once more before turning and heading back down the street, 

“W-wait, did you want your coffee?” Your sentence began as a call but faded into a whisper as you realized he wouldn’t be turning around. 

You watched his silhouette descend the path, turning and disappearing into the city. You weren’t sure exactly what happened, what you had done or what had called him away. But before you could dwell too long you heard the voice of your coworker calling to you, asking you for help back on the cafe floor. You looked once more down the path that Nanami had left down, before returning inside to finish your shift. 

The rest of the day passed as well as it could have, and regardless of how grueling it was moment to moment, the time passed anyway, and once the cafe had cleared itself and the hiss of the open sign was made silent, you found yourself alone. The bakers had completed their prep bakes for the next day, allowing them to cool in the large industrial freezers overnight, the other baristas had swept and mopped before clocking out and returning to their own homes. You stood behind the counter waiting on the espresso machine to complete its last cleaning cycle. Nanami hadn’t come back as he said he would, and while you were alone you didn’t feel like hiding your disappointment. You scanned through what you could have done wrong, everything you said, everything you did, suddenly all felt wrong and overly familiar. You’d scared him off. But scared him off from what, you couldn’t figure out. According to your coworkers, he was flirting, and you knew you were, at least to some degree, however fruitless you considered your efforts. 

You were too bogged down by your spiral to hear the shlucking sound coming from the back. The espresso machine's routine of purging and clicking was too loud for you to hear the store room push itself open. It wasn't until you heard the broken, amalgamated voice calling out that you felt the fear slash itself up your spine. You couldn’t decipher the words, they were too garbled, like that of someone underwater trying to speak to you through an AM radio. The pitch was too high for your ears, and too low to even exist. You stood completely still, no one else should have been able to enter the building, the only unlocked door was the front, large lights and plenty of people making it safer than exiting out the back. Some instinct in you was holding you completely still, restricting you from being able to turn around and see where the sound has come from. You couldn’t think, you couldn’t move, the only thing you could think about was your coworker set to open tomorrow, and what ungodly nightmare was she going to have to walk into. Tears fell from your eyes, the wetness of your cheeks snapping you out of your paralysis, your body shaking as you started to turn and face what was coming. 

“Don’t turn around.” Nanami stood in front of you, his usual tan jacket removed, moving his sleeves up his arms, his gaze locked behind you. 

Your breath found you again, chin quivering with fear and relief at the sight of him. 

“Close your eyes.” Nanami’s voice was darker than you had ever heard before.He looked completely different, intense and large and imposing, if you didn’t know him you could have been scared of him, “Trust me, you’ll be fine. Close your eyes.” 

You squeezed your eyes shut, immediately missing the comfort the sight of him provided. You heard a thunk, a grunt, a slash, and then nothing. 

“You can open your eyes.” Nanami’s voice came from right behind you. 

You turned around quickly, seeing him standing over a pile of knocked over cups and pitchers, holding what looked like a butcher’s knife wrapped in cow print fabric. His yellow tie that you had grown to admire as a symbol of him was loose around his neck. He was still looking down at the ground. Once he seemed satisfied with whatever it was, he looked back at you. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, sheathing the paddle looking blade on the brown leather holster on his back, you had never noticed it before. 

“What the fuck was that?” You couldn't help the tears that fell from you as your body started to shake harder and harder. 

Nanami put his hands on your shoulders, his grip tight and soothing, “I’m sorry you had to see that. But it’s gone now, I assure you.”

You couldn’t help yourself, you started sobbing falling against his chest. He held you tight against him, letting your tears soil his shirt and your body tremble in his arms as he held you firm. You wept until openly, feeling no shame, there was no room for shame with all the fear and adrenaline vacating your body. He made no move to quiet you or tell you to calm yourself, he simply held you close. 

“Can I take you home?” Nanami asked, his voice resounding from his chest where your ear was pressed. 

You nodded. 

Nanami had started sensing the build up of cursed energy on his last visit before bringing Ino. It was faint enough that he couldn’t place if it was coming within or from the general street. On his subsequent visits he noticed it growing exponentially, building on itself in a way that was inching toward concern. His selfish motives for bringing Ino to the cafe were overshadowed when he picked up on it as well. Confirming Nanami’s suspicion that it was an internal problem, and one growing more and more dangerous by the day. Earlier today was the first time he had noticed its effect in action. You tear stained face, the disgruntled patrons, you fevered, overworked companions. He knew he had to intervene. He had come after closing hoping you had already gone home, hoping to take care of it quietly before it became a larger problem. It wasn’t until he saw you terror-stricken with a low level curse emerging from behind that he conceded he would have to tell you. He didn’t want you to have to experience any of this, you shouldn’t have to face the reality of this world, and the monster’s within it. You deserved the same ignorance as everyone else outside of sorcery. But it was no longer his decision. 

He walked you home, which wasn’t far from the cafe, and up to your apartment. You unlocked the door and stepped inside, he hesitated briefly before following you. These aren't the circumstances he had anticipated for his first foray into your living space, but again, it was out of his hands. 

“You said ‘it's gone now’, what is ‘it’?” You asked as you locked the front door behind you, check the peephole for anything out of order. 

Nanami sighed, “It’s…a lot to explain, most of it would be incomprehensible right away. It would take me hours to make it all make sense. And that isn't a slight against you, it’s because I know you're smart that it would only take that long.”  

Your voice was returning fully, the fear having left itself behind at the cafe, “Nanami, you knew. You knew that whatever it was was there, you…killed it? Drove it away? Would it show up here? Do I need to be worried about this thing coming here?”

“No.” he was quick to shake his head, “It’s dead. Well it wasn’t ever really alive, not really. But you don’t have anything to worry about, anymore. I’m sorry it got that bad.”

“Please just tell me.” You groan, “Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

And he believed you. So he told you. 

It took nearly four hours, one and a half pots of coffee, and a few crudely drawn diagrams on the back of a take out menu that he drew. But eventually you understood that what had attempted to attack you was a curse, and that curse had likely been building over a series of months or maybe years before it reached this form. He was a sorcerer, a kind of soldier tasked with the exorcisms of these curses in an intensely guarded organization dedicated to keeping curses secret and the public safe. The young man, Ino, who he had brought with him is a sorcerer as well. He explained the rank of threat, and how yours was incredibly low for any skilled sorcerer, which apparently, he was. He showed you the blade he kept on his back, the one that had been hiding just below his jacket for the entire time you had known him. He explained to you how he was able to kill the curse in a single strike, how his technique worked. When his explanations had been completed you felt strange. Stuffed to the brim with new information, most of which terrified you and made you feel powerless against a threat you could have gone through your whole life without knowing about.  But a part of you felt good, knowing there were people kind enough and skilled enough to make this an insular problem, one that did not necessitate the knowledge of the general populace out of sheer humility. 

“I understand that this must be a lot for you to take in. But, I promise you that what attacked you tonight will never show its face again. I can give you a talisman, something to keep in the cafe to keep it safe from future curse development.” Nanami had taken off his coat and harness, his blade lay on your coffee table alongside his glasses and your purse. 

“Was that why you left so quickly today?” It may have been a silly thing to inquire about in the wake of so much life changing information, but you couldn’t hold your tongue. 

Nanami nodded, “I had to run back to my..boss basically, and get a formal assignment to exorcise the curse. I’m sorry I left. I didn’t want to. When we got back the energy was too strong, I knew I would only have a few hours.” His apologized, setting his nearly complete coffee cup on the table, “But I had to make sure that nothing happened to you,” after a beat he adds, “or your coworkers.”

“So you, you saved my life tonight.” You whispered. 

The front pieces of his hair had fallen out of their usual styling, they now hung in front of his face. Through the sandy strands you met his eyes, looking tired and locked with yours. The faint bruise on his brow suddenly made sense, the bags under his eyes, the serious demeanor, it was all recontextualized. You didn;t stop your hand when it traced your middle finger over a small, well healed scar along his eyebrow. 

“I wouldn’t say that.” Nanami conceded, usually not one to accept praise for his work. 

“Nanami you saved me.” Your hand cupped his cheek, “I would be a mess for someone to clean up tomorrow morning if you weren’t there.” 

He was speechless, your hand on his cheek was warming as heat crept to his face. Your eyes were so big and beautiful, your lips looked so soft as they shaped your gratitude. 

“Thank you.” 

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Was all he could choke out. 

You had read about this. After near death experiences, or other instances of extreme adrenaline, the body could have all kinds of after effects; nausea, sleeplessness, exhaustion, arousal. The arousal coursing through your body was a natural side effect of what you had just been through, and what was right in front of you. He had been there watching over you, keeping you safe from threats you couldn't even imagine. Every day he returned was another day that he was caring for you, protecting you, trending to you. His skin was smooth and hot under your touch, the hair of his sideburns was soft under your fingers, it felt like every nerve in your body was turned up to a thousand. The quick hatching chrysalis was nearing its emergence, it was so still as you leaned closer to him. 

“You must be tired. I can go, if you need to sleep.” His resolve was faltering. 

“If you aren’t busy, I know it’s been a long night,” Your hand traveled down to his shoulder, the barrier of his shirt helping him regain some sense, “I think I would sleep better if you were here. Just for the night?”

The cock of your head and the flutter of your lashes made your offer clear. Nanami’s cheeks became more pronounced as he tried to swallow down the burning desire to have you right here. But he, too, had read about the aphrodisiac effects of adrenaline. He knew that there was a chance that your gratitude and your exhilaration were converging inside of you to make you feel like you wanted him, when you were actually just happy to be alive. 

He put his hand on your arm, “Sometimes, when someone has been through something like what you have, they may look for…other forms of excitement to help with the adrenaline dump…it’s very natural..”

The back of his neck was hot, his shirt felt too tight, his pants felt much too tight, his mouth was so wet he risked drooling right in front of you. But he couldn’t take advantage of this moment, it would be wrong. He liked you. Ino claims you liked him, but he doesn’t know for sure, it would be deplorable for him to act on this offer without knowing if this is something your right mind wanted. 

“I’ve read that before.” You nodded, looking at his hand wrapped around your forearm, he was so big, “I’ve never experienced a curse before.”

He nodded along with you, still watching your mouth move. 

“But, I’ve experienced attraction before, Nanami. I know what it feels like to want someone. And I want you.” You told him, pulling your legs up under you on the couch.  

A small shake from his head, “It’s just psychosomatic. You’ll feel better in the morning, or after a shower. It’s the adrenaline.”

“I don’t think I had excess adrenaline the morning you came in first. Or the next time, or earlier today outside. Nanami,” You dipped your head down to look up at his, “Nanami, please. I’ve been too scared to say anything, I didn’t want to seem unprofessional or scare you. But, I like you. I really like you, I think you're gorgeous and kind and funny. You’re brave and smooth and a little weird, but I like that.”

He scanned your face for signs of lying, twitching eyes, avoidant eye contact, swallowing, anything that he could rely on to keep himself from getting exactly what he wanted. But he found nothing. Nothing to let him off the hook of being honest about how he felt. 

He let out a heavy breath, his hand on your arm growing tighter, “I fell for you the moment I walked in. Everytime I went back I went for you. To see you. I think you’re so beautiful and charming. I don’t want this to be wrong.”

You shook your head, your hands returning to his face, the one he had on you now moved to the back of your couch, “It’s not wrong. Nothing about this is wrong.”

He grips your hands, looking you right in the eye. You see his pupils have grown wide, you can feel the sweat on his palms, mixing with your own on the backs of your hands. He held you right in front of him, looking over every inch of your face. You were gorgeous, His heart pounded in his chest, like it was reaching for you. He let out a grateful breath. 

“Thank god.” He couldn’t wait any longer, and neither could you. 

The both of you leaned forward in the same moment, meeting at the perfect center of both pursuits to press your lips together. The chrysalis inside of you hatched, the beating of your heart, the flapping of wet, quickly drying butterfly’s wings. He touched your neck, downy hairs at the nape of your neck soft under his fingers. He was quick to pull you by the waist into his lap. His tongue was smooth on its entrance into your mouth, tasting the underside of your own, the backs of your teeth, the coffee you had shared. The kiss was heated and smooth, personal styles learning to blend together. Your arms wrapped around his neck, hands in his hair, over the back of the couch, anywhere to offer you stability. Nanami’s hands gripped your waist, sliding under your shirt and feeling the first of the body he dreamed of. Kicking himself in the privacy of his own home for thinking of you so disrespectfully. But in your home, on your couch, with you in his lap, he wanted to worship you. The hands he had cursed for pleasuring himself to the thought of you were not reverent as they felt your hips, your ribs, the sensitive flank inbetween. He could feel your shiver as he made his way back and forth, you were sensitive there. He was toying with you, relishing in your hissing inhales, and your breathy moans. But you were never one to be toyed with, you tested a personal theory of yours, one you had formulated with your hand in your panties on nights when sleep wouldnt come and you looked to your own devices to tucker yourself out. You scratched your nails across the cropped undercut at the back of his neck, gripping and tugging at the hair. Nanami let out a strangled moan underneath you, his hips bucking into yours, and his hands gripping you tighter. Just as soon as his mouth left yours, he found your exposed neck, kissing, practically lapping at the skin there. This pulled the more embarrassingly pitched moans out of you. High whimpers as you keened against him in his lap. 

“You’re so beautiful, you’re so good, fuck.” He peppered his praise in with kisses along the column of your throat. 

You haven't heard him swear before now, the words fell from him so easily. He was clearly practiced, it made you wonder what other sides of him came easily that you hadn’t yet seen. 

“Yu-you are,” You could feel your brain covering itself in honey, the saccharine sweet feeling of him under your, on you, all around you, consuming your ability to think. 

You felt him smile against your skin, pulling off of your neck and sliding his hand around to the back of your neck. 

“I-I don’t do this very often, it’s been a while, please don't tease me too much.” This was the softest you had ever heard him, his voice was breathy and it almost came out as a beg. 

You looked down at him sweetly, his hair mussed across his forehead, buttons of his shirt seeming to have undone themselves, tie falling to either side, his chest flush in splotchy red patches. He looked stunning, the light of your living room you had previously considered unflattering, was golden hour. 

“We can take it slow, if you want.” You offered, wanting to accommodate him, the way he had already for you. 

He shook his head leaning forward and readjusting you on his lap. When he settled you back down you realized the reason for his frantic reaction. The very big reason. The pants tenting, hot, probably leaking, reason. 

You nodded, quick to understand. You leaned forward to kiss him again, making sure to grind yourself down in his lap before pulling off completely and grabbing his hand, tugging him behind you. Nanami felt drunk following you to your room, found himself almost stumbling as he unbuttoned the rest of his shirt. He crossed the threshold to your bedroom where you had already pulled your work pants off, standing in only a thin tank top and your panties. You approached him with mock disappointment and your bottom lip between your teeth. You moved your hands over his chest.

“I wanted to be the one to take off your shirt,” You cooed. 

Nanami’s hand found the lapels, “I can button it again if y--”

You giggled, “Next time.”

Before pulling him into another deep kiss by his neck. His hands found your hips, eager to slip one finger under the top of the waistband and feel the hidden skin. You slid his shirt down his shoulders, the tie falling along with it. Your lips smacked together over and over as you both tried to touch as much skin as was available to you. You pawed at the hard lines of his back, feeling ridges and valleys and muscles. He, similarly, was quick to find the hemline of your shirt and slip underneath. You both let out a haughty moan as he cupped one of your bare breasts. IF you had had your eyes open, you would have seen his eyes roll back in his head as he slipped his tongue between your lips once again, squeezing the tit in his hand. You freed your arms and pulled the shirt over your head as he undid his belt. 

“You’re so gorgeous.” Nanami gazed over you. 

“You’re gorgeous.” You echoed, hopping on to the bed and watching him pull his grey slacks down his legs. He wore a pair of navy colored briefs that hid almost nothing, especially the nearly black splotch of precum that had accumulated. 

“Fuck, you’re hot.” You marveled at him, his body, the evidence of the effect you had on him, his face, him, all of him. 

Nanami sucked in a quick breath, fighting his embarrassment by looking at the hungry look on your face. You were nearly naked on the bed, waiting for him. You had only your panties on, your chest exposed, nipples once puffy now hardening with excitement. Eyes trained on him, mouth panting and swollen from his kiss. He could see a small bruise forming on the side of your neck, he would apologize in the morning, flowers or breakfast, but for now it was all his to admire. He joined you on the bed, climbing over your body to do so. His torso caged you in completely, wide shoulders shadowing over your frame. He pulled you by your thighs. Taking time to stretch your legs and admire the muscle and skin and fat that made up your gorgeous form. He seemed impressed with your flexibility, at least the little click of his tongue indicated as much. His clothed cock pressed right against your panty clad pussy, both hot and begging to be aligned. He pressed his hips a little as he brought one of your ankles to his lips, kissing the ball, then up the calf. You moaned at the wet kisses, relishing in his affection. He looped his thumbs into your panties, releasing your leg so he could pull them from your legs. Nanami caught your eyes before spreading your legs in front of him, you gave him the go ahead and he sank before you, aligning himself to see your pussy spread open for him. If he wasn't drunk earlier, he was now. Sticky, dripping, gorgeous. He couldn’t hold back, he licked a long, wet stripe up you slit, tasting his first of you. 

Your body was on fire, completely electrified, and weightless underwater all at once. His tongue made its home between your labia, sharp nose being buried in your mound. Your back arched off the bed as a wanton moan left your wet mouth. Your hand flew to his hair, finding a grip for you to cling to. Your other hand held your breast. Nanami’s tongue flicked itself up and down, kissing your clit, drawing out more and more arousal from your dripping hole. 

“Fuck, you taste so good.” He says, soft enough to be just for himself. 

You can't respond, only mewl as he sucks at your clit. You release your breast and grip on to the headboard, accidentally pulling yourself away from him. Nanami grabs your hips and pulls you back onto his tongue. 

“Come back.” He mumbles, again, almost to himself. 

“N-Nanami, i-..”You are cut off by another harsh suck to your clit, his tongue circling inhumanly. 

You were so close, it usually would have taken you much longer to orgasm but the excitement coursing through your body and his skill had turned you to keening, pathetic putty in mere minutes. He flicks his golden eyes up at you, watching you start to unravel. He knows what to do, or rather what not to do, he carries on exactly as he has been, every flick of his tongue pulling you down further. It became too much, and you bubbled over. You cried out in white out pleasure, pulling on his hair. Your legs clapped around his head. He drank up everything you gave, your moans upsettingly muffled by your flesh over his ears. 

When he felt you relax again, he pulled his mouth from you, a thick, gossamer string of spit and cum connecting from his lips to your pussy. The hand from his hair fell to his face, pairing nicely with his blown out eyes and fucked out expression. He caught his breath while looking over your body, your full breasts, your tummy rising and falling as you caught your own. He moved over you once again, kissing you deeply. He tasted like you, his tongue was heavy and hot in your mouth, his hands were fast to rid himself of his underwear and pull your legs over his bare hips. You could feel the length of his cock pressing against your throbbing, overly sensitive cunt. Your outer lips, now much more sensitive from Nanami’s expert work. 

“You’re amazing.” You gasped out against his mouth. 

He hummed pridefully, kissing you again. He grinds his hips hard, hoping to prepare you further for what's to come, but he miscalculated, a rare occurrence. Both of you let out long, glorious moans as he pushes himself inside of you, all the way to the hilt. Nanami shudders briefly before gaining his strength back, you dig your nails into his back, but he cant feel anything except the pulsing of your pussy around him. He may never be able to think again, not of anything other than having the hot velvet muscle between your legs tight around his cock. You whimper at his penetration, feeling him press the deepest parts of you. Tip of his cock kissing your cervix, just as passionately as he kissed you. He was not a small man by any measure, and the entirety of his cock probably made up close to eight inches, with the girth to burn as it stretched you open. 

Which he did again, catching your panting lips on his own, quick kisses between caught breaths as you both adjusted to the feeling of being joined together. He pulled his hips back, pulling a shaky moan from you, and pushed in once more. Somehow he reached even deeper than he did before, his cock arching up to press that beautiful, spongy spot inside of you, the spot that made you clit throb and your eyes squeeze shut. 

“Look at me, baby.” Nanami pleaded, “I wanna see your pretty eyes.”

Your eyes flutter open, a drunken droop to the lids as he thrusted again. He found an even, well paced rhythm. Kissing you occasionally, when one of you wasn't gasping out in bliss. Your hand moves up one of his arms, gripping his taut bicep and his sinewy shoulders. He pressed his forehead to yours, looking down your body to see his pelvis meeting yours. His cock throbbed inside of you at the sight, in turn making your walls grip him tighter. You pull him back to your lips, wanting to be consumed by every sensation he could give you. His hand by your head grips the pillow hard, ripening a hole in the casing. You move your hand up to meet his, holding it and interlocking your fingers. His grip softened instantly, becoming as sweet and generous as ever part of him had been already. You felt him twitch inside of you once more. Followed by a choked moan. 

“I-i, baby I,” Nanami struggled to get his words out as he drove himself further and further into you. 

“Please, Nanami, please.”You held him closer with your thighs, purring out his name. 

“I didn't put on a condom,” He struggled to collect himself, he knew he could be responsible with you, “I should..”

“Dont pull out,” You whine, sounding more pitiful than you intended, “please Nanami, cum inside me, please.” 

He finds your eyes quickly, his heart melting at your big watery pleading eyes. You swollen lips, you drooping, drooling mouth. How could he deny you? Nanami made quick work of chasing his own climax, thrusting harder, fucking faster, holding your body still underneath him. You feel every thrust in your throat. His pace quickens and his thrust become shallow and choppy. Nanami lets out a delicious, languid moan as he cums. You can feel his thick cock depositing load after load of cum into you. An elongated, uninterrupted E sound. He holds you at your hip and when your hand still holds his. His face is now buried in your neck. Your legs are slung over his hips along with your other hand over his shoulder. He thrusts twice more before stalling, having emptied himself, but not yet gathered the desire to pull out. When he finally comes to, he releases your tender hip and pushes himself up from above you, looking down at you. You pant up at him, taking in a post-coital vision of him you never expected, and he, the same. He flushed, sweaty, messy, drool and cum drying on his chin, hairstyle ruined by your grasping. You imagine you looked just as disheveled by half as gorgeous. Nanami, would of course, disagree. He kisses you again, soft and deep. When he finally pulls himself out of you he takes the spot to the right of you in bed. You lie together, allowing your bodies to return to a blissful equilibrium. You roll onto your side, moving a hand over his stomach. 

“So you’ll stay the night?” you gave a sly smile. 

And he laughed. Truly laughed, before kissing you again deeply. 

And he did stay the night. After a quick shower the pair of you returned to bed and slept soundly in each other's arms until he got up before the sunrise to make it back to his apartment with enough time to change before work. He kissed you goodbye and assured you he would come by the cafe. And he did, he met you right at the end of your shift, a bundle of flowers in one arm. He invited you to a home cooked dinner at his place. You were surprised at his determination to make you an established couple, but not even close to put off by it. 

“I know it’s a little unorthodox, but I am about to start a new assignment and it’s shaping up to be a lot of work. I may be indisposed for a few days. I’d really like to see you again before then” He explained as he walked you home. 

“I’d love to,” You giggled, kissing his cheek and admiring the bouquet he had picked out, “Where are you going for your assignment?”

“Shibuya.”

OOOOOOOOOOO SURPISE, anyway hope yall like it and came good. Love you all, thanks for 150 followers. Also im on my barista high horse a little, but just be normal and nice to people, and if you'd tip a bartender, tip a barista. it's the same job. I hope this was worth the wait. I have work in fiv ehours. -Doodle.

[emmaislam]

"10 Amazing Benefits of Honey You Need to Know!"

[lilbitdepressed27]

Jenna Ortega/Fem!BodyGuard

Summary: how you met and got together

Warnings: none I think

WC: 3.6k

Author's Note: hope y'all enjoy and sorry for errors

Being a marine for six years had a been hard as you could imagine. Leaving the marines was such a blessing you had refused to extend your contract any further. Although leaving something you had gotten used to had been a bit more difficult. Getting used to the civilian world had been a lot harder than you had imagine.

Finding a job had been hard. A job you actually liked was even harder. You had a good amount of money saved up from being a marine, but no where near enough to sustain you. Not in this economy.

Sitting in a cafe as you browsed through your emails on your laptop. Hoping to have at least one email addressing you for an interview. But the more you scrolled down the more you were losing hope.

Being an ex marine you were always paying attention to your surroundings. You always noticed when someone new came into the cafe. You knew the college student that was three tables away was struggling as she studied for her exam. The two elderly woman two tables away, closer to the entrance had gotten together for cafe date. A young mom with her toddler son ordered three chocolate shakes with some pancakes. And a woman who was in her late 20's or early 30's standing off to the side of the counter waiting for her two drinks. A caramel latte and honey tea. You were always aware of your surroundings.

So when an older man came into the cafe ordered his drink and stood a little too closely to the woman. Clearly trying to get her attention. Watching as the man tried to flirt with the woman who was clearly uninterested. Seeing how he refused to back down and leave her alone. Going as far as to try to touch her. You stopped what you were doing and stood up to help the woman.

The man was an average height but you were tall and you still had the built from your years in the marines.

"I believe she wants to be left alone."

The man turned to you, faltering for just a second at the height difference. "Mind your business bitch."

You stood straight seeming relaxed as the man tried to seem unbothered by you moving to grab the woman's arm. You had seen this coming so you were able to grab his wrist before he could lay a finger on the woman. Twisting his arm when he tried to punch you. He was now hunched a bit as you lead him to the door. One of the workers opening the door for you. Pushing him out the door.

Turning back towards the woman after making sure the man didn't make a move to come back into the cafe. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thank you. How'd you do that?"

"Marine training ma'am. I'll let you get back to your day." With a small smile and nod you turned to walk away as the woman's order was called out.

You barely sat back down when the same woman sat in front of you. "Marine? Look I don't know you but my job is looking for a bodyguard. You'll still have to qualify, get a back ground check and all that other stuff. Here is the number. Tell them Jane Rivera referred you." She rushed out as she handed you a card before smiling and leaving.

A bodyguard? No other job was calling, what did you have to lose.

*

You had gotten the job. Now that you had the job they had made you sign contracts. NDA's. Informing you that you would be a bodyguard to an actress. Jenna Ortega. She was an actress that recently started to gain more fame, more exposure to the world. You weren't sure who she was seeing as you were in marines for the past six years. You would be her bodyguard for a year and depending on how you do, the contract could extend.

You were set to meet the actress in a hotel along with Jane who happened to be the actresses manager. Getting dressed into the suit that was the dress code. Just a black suit with a white dress shirt and black tie. You also had a concealed weapon in your suit. Making sure you didn't forget anything. You got out of the your car and made your way to the hotel.

Showing the security the badge Jane gave you and your I.D. At first you would be guarding the actress with another bodyguard. Following Robert (who was the other bodyguard) into the hotel room. The moment the door the room was opened you could hear many different voices.

"Ms.Ortega is getting ready to go to an interview with Jimmy Fallon. You along with Robert will be accompanying her. Robert will drive and you will make sure she gets into the building safely. Her manager Jane Rivera will be with her. So by extension you will also make sure Mrs.Rivera is safe. Any questions?" The older man, Oscar Williams the head of security.

"No sir."

"Good. Now Ms.Ortega likes to meet her new bodyguards. To get familiar with, so when she's finished getting ready. She will want to meet you."

With a nod of understanding, you stepped to the side. A part of you was a little nervous but you had been good at hiding your emotions. You've only ever met one celebrity and that was John Cena. You weren't going to lie you had geeked out with few other Marines when he had visited the base. That day you had not been professional, although you could excuse yourself. You had been a fan of John Cena since he was known as Dr of Thuganomics.

"So you're my new bodyguard."

The voice had you looking to your left. Looking down at the new voice. There stood a beautiful, breath taking brunette. Her eyes a beautiful dark brown. The freckles that littered her cheeks and nose. She was absolutely stunning. Remembering where and why you were here.

"Yes ma'am. My name is-Y/n Y/mn Y/LN. You were in the marines the past six years. You're 24 years old and you have passed the training to be my bodyguard with flying colors I've been told."

Her tone sounded teasing. And based off the smile (lord her dimples were to die for) on her face you knew she was. So with a smile of your own you shook the hand she extended to you.

"I'm Jenna Ortega. It's nice to meet you. And you can drop the ma'am. It makes me feel old."

*

She had seen the profile about the potentially new bodyguard. The moment Jane mentioned it. She had not been able to look away from the picture. Never had she seen y/ec eyes so captivating. She had secretly hoped that the ex marine would get the job. She has worked with pretty attractive women and men. But no one could compare to the ex marines beauty.

The moment she was actually told that the ex marine got the job and she had remember the excitement she had felt. Meeting you in person had been so, she couldn't explain how she felt. When your warm, bit soft and a little rough hand wrapped around her own hand. It had felt the static the moment she touched you. Your beautiful y/ec eyes looked into hers.

She absolutely loved having you by her side. It had also become so easy to become your friend. You were great at protecting her, making sure she was always safe. After the three months passed. You have become her personal bodyguard. You were always with her.

By this time she couldn't deny that she had feelings for you. Every time you had your hand on her, whether it be on her waist leading her away from paparazzi or the times she'd be too drunk out with friends and you would basically have to carry her to the car. Did she fake being drunk at times just so you could carry her. Yes. The butterflies in her stomach would always go crazy.

She had also liked that her fans had also taken a liking towards you. She's even seen the videos of how you protect her. How you were never afraid to push paparazzi who were just a bit too close to her. Or when they'd capture the moments of you giving up your suit jacket to keep her dry when it would rain or just to cover her face so paparazzi couldn't capture her face. The fans had also liked that about you.

And she loved it.

"Jenna, the hotel receptionists failed to book Y/n a room. Y/n will be staying in the motel-She can stay with me." The words were out of her mouth before Jane could even finish.

"Okay. I'll have them bring her suitcase with your stuff." Jane didn't even question it and Jenna was thankful for that. Although she could see the teasing smirk as Jane looked down at her phone.

You were a few feet away from Jenna giving her a moment to talk to Jane while you scoped out the area. There was only seven people in the lobby. Including the two workers. The door man and the receptionist. A mother and father with their three children. The three kids were sleepy. The two youngest being carried by their father and the older one sleepily following his mother into the elevator. It was late. Jane had always preferred to check into a hotel at night. It was always less busy if not mostly empty.

Seeing Jenna beaming as she basically skipped towards you. "You are rooming with me. Some mix up with receptionist. Come on."

*

You were nervous. It was more than nerves. As soon as you walked in to big suite. You were grateful to see a big couch. The hotel room was more of an apartment than it was a hotel room. But you had had gotten used to these type of things by now.

You walked around the room to make sure everything was safe as the bags were left by the door. After making sure everything was normal you walked back towards the front door. Locking it. "Okay Ms.Ortega. I will be taking the couch if you need me."

"Ugh how many times do I have to tell you to call me Jenna."

The groan had you chuckling as you took her luggage to the room. "Is it okay if I shower?"

"Of course. I'm gonna order some room service. I'm starving and yea I know not to open the door. I'm gonna order us some pizza and some wings. Oh! They have fries!"

*

Jenna had walked into the her room to get some change of clothes only to freeze in her steps. The bathroom didn't have a door. It had a curtain but it did absolutely nothing to hide your figure. Which she could see. The bare skin, muscles. She knew you were strong. She could always feel how strong you were when you carried her. Your back muscles tensing as you washed your back. She knew she should look away. But she couldn't. You had the cutest butt.

But really had her almost chocking was when you turned around to face her. Your eyes still closed as you washed shampoo from your hair. Her eyes widening at what she saw hanging in between your legs. Never had she seen something so big so ...thick.

Jumping in fright when there was a knock at the door. She had never moved so quickly to get out of the room. Sitting on the couch as wiped her mouth. She could feel her face growing hotter the more the image burned into her brain.

You walked out of the room in black Nike sweats and white loose t shirt. You looked back to see Jenna watching tv as you opened the door. The food was rolled in your stomach growled at all the food. Thanking the man as he left. You shut the door and locked it.

"Hey I thought you were hungry? Come on, come eat. You ordered sausages? Man these are huge. I don't think ever seen sausages this big." You laughed a little cause they were big.

Jenna though couldn't blush more at the naughty things she was thinking. You were sweet and always so respectful and here she was, she should have never walked into the room.

"Hey you okay?" You handed her a plate that had two slices of her veggie pizza (she had gotten you addicted to a few veggie dishes) some fries, a sausage and wings (also veggie) but she did order you the original wings. (Wings was one veggie dish that she had not got you addicted to).

"Yea I'm just spacing out. Sorry."

"It's okay. Here eat."

The gentle smile you offered her. Was enough to almost make her cry. She felt like a creep. She had completely broke your trust and you didn't even know.

"Okay something is wrong. Talk to me. Is it your ex coworker what his name, is he bothering you again." The moment he had found out he was no longer in the show he had spammed Jenna's phone. Trying just about everything to get back on to the show.

"I'm so sorry. I swear I didn't mean to. I walked into the room while you were in the shower and I didn't know the bathroom didn't have a door. I should have announced myself or something. I'm so sorry I-Hey it's okay. Don't stress hey," You set both plates on the small coffee table and wrapped her into a side hug. Although you could feel your cheeks blazing hot at the fact that Jenna saw you naked.

"No it's not, I co-I said it's okay. I promise. Does it uh..does it make you uncomfortable that I'm...different." You jumped a little at how fast she sat up.

"What?! Of course not. I like you just the way you are."

"Thanks Jen. Now can we eat? I'm really hungry."

*^*

The days that followed had been the same. Well not quite the same. She couldn't stop thinking about you. And as much as she tried she couldn't get seeing you naked out of her mind. The more she thought about she could also vividly remember seeing the scars on your back and front.

"Ms.Ortega? Are you ready to head in?" Your soft raspy voice brought her back to the present. Seeing you in your familiar suit was always such a sight to see. Now that she knew it was there she could see the faint outline of your-"Jenna?"

"Yea sorry. I'm ready." Her cheeks a dash more pink than before as she accepted your hand to help her out of the suv. She walked only a few inches in front of you as you walked her to the entrance of the building. The party she was arriving at was one for the movie she had filmed with Percy White. The movie had done as expected for a Prime video movie. She couldn't deny that she had hated every second filming that movie.

With being in the safety of the party that was greatly guarded. She reluctantly left your side as she was pulled away by one of her costars from the movie. As the party went on her eyes always found yours in crowd. Often shooting her an adorable little smile every time her eyes connected with yours. It made her heart pick up it's pace every single time.

"Jenna. Hey! It's been so long."

She hated how touchy Percy had always been. She had never wanted to be rude but the amount of times she's said she hated being touched or hugged without permission was enough for anyone to get the message. So with a small nudge at the taller boy. She took a step back. Only for the tall boy to get closer. Then did she realize that he was a bit drunk.

"Percy. I was just leaving." She took another step back, just for him to take another step forward.

"What? Don't leave. Or you know I could go with you. How about you talk to Tim. Ask him if I can come back on the show."

"I can't Percy he's made up his mind-Bull shit. You're the star of the show. He'll listen to you." He hissed, anger evident in his eyes. Taking another step back, this time into a familiar chest. Her shoulders relaxing, she didn't even have to turn around to know who was behind her.

You had seen how aggressive the actor was becoming, you were never too far from the short actress. Always making sure to keep her safe. To do your job. 

"Is there a problem here Ms.Ortega?"

The anger coming off the actor was coming off him in waves. "None of your business, me and jenna are having a conversation that doesn't involve a nobody like you." Moving forward to try and push you. His hand coming to your shoulder. You had swiftly moved the short actress behind you. His hand came in contact with your shoulder. Clumsily, you not moving an inch just happened to fuel his anger. You knew you couldn't do anything to him. Not without getting in big trouble with your boss. And you weren't talking about Jenna.

So when he threw a sloppy weak punch you didn't stop him. As soon as he fist connected with your lip. The chaos that followed was a bit unexpected. You in no way expected for Jenna to come from behind you and return the punch. Making the tall already unstable actor fall from the sudden punch. You were quick to wrap your arms around her waist. Thankful that there were no cameras allowed into the party.

Taking the brunette to suv through the back down to the garages. Only letting go to open the back door to the sub. The driver was notified by you of the possibility of leaving a bit early. Once being in the safety of the suv. Jenna was quick to check on you.

"That asshole. How dare he hurt you. He was so out of line. Wait until I get of hold of some people. He won't even get a job at McD-I'm fine Ms.Ortega. He has a weak punch." You said with a smile. Your lip only had a small cut a bit of blood but not that much.

Upon seeing the blood Jenna dug into her purse, taking out a napkin. It wasn't long till you both arrived to her apartment. Jenna thanked the driver and pulled you out of the suv.

"I'm gonna get you an ice pack. So that doesn't get as swollen. Take a seat." Throwing her bag on to the counter after locking the front door. With you being her bodyguard and a close friend. It wasn't as strange to have you in her apartment. She had grown (quite quickly) used to having you by her side.

She sat next to you, gently slapping your hands away so she could hold the ice pack on your lip. "You shouldn't have let him hit you." She looked down at your lips. That punch would leave a bruise, her throat felt dry as she also took in how close her face was to yours.

You also couldn't look away from her lips. You couldn't lie and say you've never thought about kissing her. But it would be completely unprofessional.

The moment Jenna looked into your eyes it was like everything was falling into place. There was no need to say anything. She couldn't wait any longer. Taking the moment and  doing what she's been wanting to do for that past five and half months. The feeling of your lips had been everything and more. The kiss had started off tentative. But when she realized you weren't pulling away. She moved out of her uncomfortable spot of being sat to your side and moved on to your lap. Feeling your strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist. Pulling her closer to your chest. She deepened the kiss her own hands cupping your cheeks to bring you even closer.

Finally being able to release all the pent up emotions she had felt since first meeting you. Your lips sent waves of warmth through her veins and chest. She couldn't get enough. She didn't even realize how deep into the kiss she was until she realized she had slowly began to grind on your lap. Feeling you begin to harden.

She couldn't control her gaze as she looked down. Even with your black dress pants. She could see bulge getting bigger. The need and desire were growing. Remember how amazing it felt to grind on you. Looking back up to see your cheeks flushed. An adorable sight to see.

"Uh sorry. I can't really control it."

"It's okay. I like you Y/n. A lot. I wanna give us a chance."

"I like you a lot to Jenna. But how would this work? I mean-It will work. I don't plan to let you go. You're stuck with me." She truly did not plan to let you go. She could now no longer picture you not being in her life.

:)

[albatris]

Alex facts Alex facts Alex facts

Alex facts Alex facts Alex facts!! thank u for the ask here are some Alex facts

kind, diplomatic, full of spite

moral ocd haver

fatal sunlight allergy haver also

alloaro - Quinn is its queerplatonic partner

it/its for special friends, he/him for everyone else. special friends include Quinn and Ari the stir fry guy

31 years old! has been a vampire for 15 of those 31 years

its family is originally from Mozambique! its parents moved to Adelwin around 35 years ago and still live there now. Alex avoids the area out of fear of running into them

yes Alex turned when it was a teenager n got attacked by a recently-turned vampire

it got "saved" by a vampire hunter named Niamh (Zeke's mentor!) (she knew Alex had been attacked and thus infected with the Garble but she was interrupted before she could kill it too!) (so Alex was left to turn, confused and alone!)

Alex spent its early vampire days trying to balance its prior human life with its new existence, feeding on animals rather than humans

Niamh eventually tracks Alex down and very gently tells it that it's obviously one of the Good Ones because it doesn't want to hurt people but it can't subsist on animal blood and the kindest thing it can do is let her kill it. it's a good person, right? it knows what the right thing to do is, doesn't it? and Alex almost lets her go through with it but flees at the last minute due to its vampiric self-preservation instinct

and then it ditches town, changing its name and abandoning its family and everything it's ever known so as not to hurt anyone it cares about and so no one finds out what it's become

Alex hates being a vampire and tries to prey only on abhorrent human predators society will never hold accountable. this costs a lot of time and money and connections, which Quinn provides

it's a personal injuries lawyer! for the cold months it works in Melberra, where it's often rainy and cloudy, and for the warm months it works in Darwelaide at home, doing paperwork and research

it loves gardening and has a greenhouse full of herbs and flowers and veggies it cares for meticulously

it's fantastic with kids - part of the reason Quinn developed a soft spot for Alex initially is because they saw how gently Alex treats kids and how fiercely it will fight for them and Quinn has the quiet realisation that their life would have turned out very differently if they'd had someone like Alex in their corner when they were a kid

it is the only "normal" vampire in the story capable of using its blood for hypnotism! Nat and the Ethels can do it because they have crazy Garble blood, Alex can do it out of sheer fucking willpower

its associated tarot card is Temperance

it gets the happiest ending imo. get human'd. you deserve it babey

its favourite drink is a salted caramel latte with five sugars and its favourite food is the honey chili pork noodle stir fry Ari makes at his restaurant :3

it can only sleep deeply and comfortably next to Quinn and later Nat

it deserves a kiss on the forehead

thank you for coming to my TED talk!!

[milykins]

This is my first time writing one of these things, so be gentle. I had the idea of how each of the guys would give the reader a hot drink after a hard day. Everyone is aged up in their 30s.

TMNT Headcanon- Hot Drinks - TMNT X female reader

You've had a rough week. Work has been beyond frustrating. You're under-staffed and you've been denied a raise for the second time since you've worked there. To make matters worse, it starts to rain on the way home.

🧡🐢🧡

Mikey jumps up immediately upon seeing the state you're in. He immediately moves to grab you a towel and tells you to go change into some dry clothes. When you emerge, towel-drying your hair, you'll see he's put a very elaborate pillow fort together and has two hot drinks on a tray.

Mikey is a hot chocolate guy, and his recipe is carefully guarded secret. One sip will make it clear that it is the richest, most decadent hot chocolate you've ever tasted. He's also included a can of whipped cream and little bowls with several toppings which include mini marshmallows and sprinkles.

He hands you a cup and asks him to tell you about your day.

💜🐢💜

Donnie starts fussing over you as soon as you walk through the door. He quickly ushers you to the bathroom so you can take a shower and bring up your core body temperature. You do as he says while he brings you a new set of dry clothes.

Once you're out, he pushes a cup of coffee into your hands, made just the way you like it. Donnie is the master of coffee. He's put together a coffee machine that pretty much does it all. It will make lattes, cafe mochas, and even hot chocolate, which Mikey deems a travesty because his is obviously better. Regardless, the coffee he gives you is freshly brewed and you sip it while he rambles on about how important it is to dress properly for the elements and how drinking something hot is the best way to warm up.

You both end up cuddling on the couch while he listens to you rant about your workweek.

💙🐢💙

Leo is the one who quietly wraps a blanket around your shoulders and walks you to the bedroom so you can change. He tells you to meet him in his meditation room once you're finished.

You softly pad your way there once you're dressed. Leo has his teapot ready. It is a beautifully patterned Japanese teapot with a blue swirling design. Leo had found the teapot broken in several pieces while scavenging and had repaired it using the gold kintsugi method. The repair process he tells you is a reminder to embrace your flaws rather than hide them for you are beautiful regardless.

Leo has an entire cupboard dedicated to his many blends of loose-leaf tea. His favourites are jasmine and gunpowder green. He's chosen a gentle blend for you, not too caffeinated, and has included a small bottle of honey so you can sweeten it as you like.

He pours it into a matching teacup and asks how your day went.

❤️🐢❤️

Upon seeing you, Raph knows you need something stronger than some weak-ass tea. He tells you to go change and goes to fix something up for you.

Raph, by no means, is an expert in the kitchen, but he knows how to use Donnie's fancy coffee machine. He doesn't actually drink a lot of coffee. He prefers his protein shakes in the morning. He knows you like lattes, though, and asks the machine to make one of those. He sweetens it with some caramel syrup and adds a shot of Bailey's. He sips it and gets a smile of satisfaction, deeming it perfect.

Instead of you finding him, he finds you in a state of undress. He smirks slightly and admires you a moment while he waits for you to finish dressing. He hands you the cup warning you that it might be hot and to blow on it slightly.

The shot of Bailey's warms you up instantly, and it's delicious with a fine layer of froth on top. You joke that he should try doing some latte art next time. He laughs and says fat chance of that. You both move to the bed and cuddle while he asks how you're doing.

End

Edit* this is how I picture Leo's teapot

[augustjoy]

Until I Found You

***Potential spoilers of The Rookie***

Pairing: John Nolan x Fem Reader

Sneak Peek: After his breakup with Bailey, John is convinced he will never fall in love again…that is until he found you. (This is taking place pre TO Nolan) Reader owns a Café (food truck).

Fluff/Angst

Word count: 2851

Warnings: Reader has kind of spooky vibes, no use of y/n, Implied age gap, mention of food and eating (no explicit details), brief mention of crime (no explicit details), mention of past relationships, mention of unhealthy relationships, mention of getting ready for a date (details are feminine leaning – shaving, makeup, nails, hairstyling), developing strong feelings quickly, one teeny tiny kiss.

Not edited - please be kind.

I do not consent to having my work translated or reposted to any other site. That being said I do not own the characters portrayed in this story.

After his breakup with Bailey, John was convinced he wouldn’t find love again. How would it be fair for him to have had love with Sarah, Lucy, Jessica, Grace, Bailey and for him to expect it again. His love with each of those women differed from one another, but they all had played a very important role in his life. For the last few months John had really just been going through the motions; sleep, work, eat, repeat.

Today had been a particularly slow day on the job for John, very unusual for the LAPD. He had been riding alone today which was honestly making the day drag on even more so. He was counting down the minutes until lunch – at least then he would get to socialize with his fellow officers.

Two speeding tickets, one robbery and a stolen car later, it was finally time for lunch. Heading to their usual spot, John notices that there is a new food truck parked, black with orange script on the side spelling out “Hallowed Grounds” alongside little white painted bats. John’s eyes were drawn to this truck not because it is new, or that the line was at least fifteen people long, but because of the beautiful person running the window.

It was Lucy who had ultimately broken John out of the trance he was in.

“Hey, you okay? You were spaced out there for a second.” Lucy questioned.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m okay. What’s with the new truck?” John wanted to see how much Lucy knew without giving away the attraction he was feeling towards this stranger.

“Oh! It is all over social media, Hallowed Grounds, it is mostly coffee, but the pastries are to die for! I mean literally that is their slogan!” Lucy laughed.

“The line is pretty long, so it must be good. Should we check it out?”

“Sounds good to me!”

With that, John and Lucy made their way to the line. Lucy was talking John’s ear off about some new social media drama, but honestly John wasn’t listening, he was far too distracted by your beauty and the honey sweet tone of your voice. You had this way about you that was breathtaking, moving with grace and just so patient and kind to all the patrons who had been waiting in line. They were finally nearing the front of the line, and John had realized he hadn’t even looked at the menu.

“Hi there! What can I get for you?” You smiled at him.

“Hi, can I get a medium caramel latte and a lemon blueberry scone?” Lucy ordered with no hesitation.

“Of course! And for you?” You looked expectantly at John.

“I um, can I just get a black coffee and, no that’s all.” John stuttered.

Lucy looked over at him confused as she paid, and they walked over to stand near the pickup window. John took note of you disappearing from the window and a young man taking your place.

“Okay, I know that we did not just stand in that long line just for you to order a black coffee. What is up with you?” Lucy questioned John. “OH MY GOD! You think she’s cute, don’t you?”

“Okay, hush! I’d rather not scare the girl off before I even get a chance to talk to her.”

“Okay sorry! I’m just happy for you. You’ve been sulking ever since you and Bailey broke things off.”

“I have not been sulking…okay maybe I have. But I really thought she was it for me.”

“John and Lucy?” You called.

They made their way up to the window to pick up their orders.

“Alright Lucy, a caramel latte and a lemon blueberry scone, and for John a black coffee and a chocolate croissant.” I hope you guys have a wonderful day and stay safe!”

“Oh, I didn’t…” John started.

“Thank you so much, you have a wonderful day too!” Lucy cut John off and began to drag him away from the truck.

The two of them went to sit at a table with Tim, Aaron and Nyla for the rest of their lunch. They were all hoping it wouldn’t be cut short by a call coming in.

“Alright Nolan!” Aaron exclaimed as John sat down.

“What? What did I do?”

“The bag. The barista gave you her number!”

John turned the bag around and sure enough your name and phone number had been neatly printed along with a little heart. John looked at Tim, then Nyla and finally to Lucy. He hadn’t been expecting you to give him your number, especially not after he had made a complete fool of himself in front of you just moments before.

Just as Lucy was about to encourage him to text you, a call came ringing in over the radios. Everyone was quick to get up and head to their respective shops. John heard Tim and Lucy radio that they were responding, and that Nyla and Aaron were acting as backup. He figured they had it covered, and he would continue to patrol, but not before adding you into his contacts.

Three days.

It was three days before John had gathered the courage to text you. He hadn’t seen you either, since he’d worked through lunch one of the days, had a pretty big drug bust on the second day, and was assigned to the front desk on the third day. Today though, he had the day off and now was his time to text you and see if you would want to go on a date with him.

John: Hey, this is John. From the other day.

You: Hi! I was beginning to think that maybe I was too forward.

John: Oh, no, not at all! I’m sorry, things have just been really busy with work. I finally have a day off.

You: Okay, good! I’m sorry work has been keeping you busy. Hopefully you’ve been able to stay safe.

John: I have. Nothing too out of the ordinary this week. How have you been?

You: I’ve been good! I have been testing some new recipes and trying to figure out what to swap in for the fall season.

You: Speaking of which…would you like to be a taste tester for me? I could really use a customer’s perspective!

John: I would love to! By the way, that croissant was incredible. I was actually texting you to ask you to dinner.

You: Yeah, dinner and then we can go back to mine to try these desserts?

You: Wow that was also very forward…I’m not usually like this by the way!

John: No worries. I won’t read into it I promise. So tonight, can I pick you up at 7?

You: 7 is perfect, see you then John!

After confirming your plans with John, you kicked it into high gear. It was 10:07 a.m. and you had a lot to do before you’d be ready to go. You really needed to get your nails done, you needed to finish the 6 different pastries you’d been working on, and you’d really need to shower before you could get ready.

After doing some quick math in your head, you figured that you would have just enough time to get everything done provided you shower while some things were baking in the oven. With that, you place the pre-cut cookie dough into the freezer (these would be easy enough to pull out and bake later when you and John go back), you placed the muffins and two different loaves of bread in the oven. That just left the cake that you were actively frosting and the pie that was cooling. Once the cake was thoroughly iced, you threw the dishes in the dishwasher and headed towards the shower, not without checking your timer to make sure you’d have ample time.

You were sure to go through all the steps of what you’d consider a full shower, washing and conditioning your hair, washing your body with your best smelling body wash, and shaving essentially every inch of your body. You weren’t anticipating that anything would happen tonight, but you wanted to be prepared nonetheless and you’d make sure at the very least that you smelled good.

After drying off and throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, you made way for the kitchen just in time to pull out the muffins and the bread. You set them out on the cooling rack, turned the oven off and then you headed to your favorite nail salon. They were able to get you in right away seeing as it was 12:00 p.m. on a Thursday.

Your nail appointment ended at about 1:30 p.m., which gave you enough time to head over and check on your staff and the truck. Upon arrival you noticed there were a few police cruisers parked along the curb. You knew John was off today, but you still found yourself scanning the crowd for him.  

“He’s not here.” Your staff, Ezra, had called over to you.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” You tried to hide your blush, embarrassed about getting caught looking for John. Ezra was the one who had encouraged you to give him your number in the first place, having seen how smitten you were with John when you’d met him the other day. Ezra and you had been friends for years, he could read you better than anyone.

“Mmhmm, sure thing. It was a different group this time around. What are you up to? Aren’t you supposed to be off testing new pastries?” Ezra questioned you.

“I was doing exactly that when John texted me and asked me out! I went and got my nails done and figured I would stop by and see how things were going before I went back home and got ready for my date.”

“OH MY GOD! See I told you that if you gave him your number, he’d ask you out. There were definite vibes the other day, he was so enamored by you that he forgot to look at the menu!” Ezra gushed.

“Okay, fine. You were right. I’m kind of nervous, he’s taking me to dinner, then we’re going back to my place so he can taste the new desserts and give me his opinions on them.”

“Girl, you are going to be fine! He seems nice and you are an amazing person, no reason to be nervous. Plus, what have you got to lose?” Ezra had always been your voice of reason in times of need.

“Okay, yeah. I should probably get going then so I can get ready.”

“Okay babe, have a great night! OH and you should wear the outfit you wore to our opening party, it screams you and its hot!”

“Oh, that was a good outfit, I don’t know where he’s taking me yet, but it should be dressy enough.”

You said your goodbyes to Ezra and made your way back home. It was nearing 3:30 p.m. and you knew you should probably start getting ready. You grabbed a glass of water and then got to styling your hair. You curled your hair and applied some natural looking makeup and went to get dressed. To pair with the faux leather skirt and starry mesh top, you slid on some black tights, comfy socks and your Doc Martens. Looking over at your alarm clock you see 6:45p.m. glowing red and you decide to switch to a smaller purse in the time you have left before your date…your usual everyday tote bag not exactly matching this outfit choice. You’d opted for a small leather handbag, with gold accents, it matched your outfit perfectly and was better suited for the occasion. As soon as you organized everything into the purse a knock sounded at the door. You took a deep breath then walked to answer it.

“Hi!” You greeted John as you opened the door.

“Wow, you look incredible.” John was awestruck, you had such a different style than the women he had previously dated, but he was really loving it. You were so confident in your own skin, and you just had this glow about you.

“Thank you, you look very handsome.”

“Shall we?” John gestured to his truck.

You nodded and the two of you walked around to the passenger side. John opened the door for you then offered his hand to assist you into the truck.

“Such a gentleman.”

John blushed at the compliment, he tried to shake it off as he started the truck and pulled out of your driveway. You made small talk on your way to the restaurant, which ended up being a very nice steakhouse.

John parked and looked over to you, he made note of the way you were inspecting the sign, and immediately panicked.

“I probably should have asked and made sure you weren’t a vegetarian!”

“I’m not! I love a good steak; my dad is a self-proclaimed grill master!” You laughed.

John laughed with you and let out a sigh of relief. He once again opened your door for you and reached to help you out of the truck. He was so different form the men you had dated before, so polite and caring. He listened to what you had to say and even asked you questions to learn more about you. It was so refreshing to be around someone like him. Truth is, you had dated some pretty terrible people in the past and that was the main reason you were single now. You’d decided to take a break from dating and focus on yourself and your career, which is how you’d gotten to the point of owning a very successful food truck. You had explained to John that your end goal is to have a brick-and-mortar location of Hallowed Grounds that was a café/bookstore. You wanted to create a cozy space for people to hangout while they enjoyed good food.

John just sat and smiled, he loved how you lit up when you spoke about it. Seeing you so passionate about something was honestly inspiring. He hadn’t expected the feelings for you to be so immediate, so strong, just crashing to the surface as the night went on. John could feel himself growing concerned about whether or not you were feeling as strongly for him as he was for you. The two of you had just clicked and it was so effortless.

What John didn’t know is you were currently battling the same demons. Was it really possible to be this comfortable with someone after such a short time?

Dinner had passed far too quickly for either of your likings, you were honestly just glad that you had already planned to continue this evening. You weren’t ready to say goodnight to John just yet. As John drove you back to your place, he took a risk by reaching for your hand to hold, you were quick to slide your hand into his and you couldn’t help but blush. John couldn’t believe how soft your hand was and it made him think about how rough his must be from his years as a contractor, he shook the thought away as you gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

You made it back to your place relatively quickly and John once again made sure to assist you on the passenger side, only this time instead of offering you his hand, he was a little bolder. He’d placed his hands on your waist and slowly helped you out of the truck. You stood there, chest to chest, your breath hitching from the proximity. Your gazes danced over one another’s face, shifting from eyes to lips back to eyes, silently asking for permission. When you slightly tilted your head, John understood and reached his right hand up to cup your jaw as he brought you in for a kiss. The kiss lasted for what felt like forever but ended far too soon. You wanted to exist in this moment infinitely.

You and John held hands once again as you staggered to the door. You made quick work of the lock and invited him in, guiding him to the kitchen.

“You ready to try some desserts?” You asked.

“Absolutely!” John replied.

You blushed, realizing the double entendre and moved to get all the desserts plated up. You explained to John that you’d need to throw the cookies in the oven, but they only took about 10 minutes to cook. He nodded and asked if you needed any help with anything, which you declined and encouraged him to relax.

John watched as you worked in the kitchen, this had been your element and it was like a well-choreographed dance, the way you moved. He couldn’t help but smile to himself, picturing the two of you like this, years down the road. He knew that you had only just met, but after tonight he couldn’t deny the connection. He realized he had been wrong when he said he would never fall in love again. That was true, until he met you.