#troupe 3 open

[alrikhart]

CLOSEDlocation: dreadnought hold notes: content warnings for - vomiting, violence, torture

Alrik came to with a jolt - iron in his throat, iron in his skull.

The floor beneath him was cold metal, slick, and thrumming like a heartbeat, heavy with the pulse of engines and the weight of everything the vessel carried. His mouth was dry, his limbs leaden, and there was something wrong. Not broken. Not bleeding. Bound. He stirred in the dark, the iron scent of blood and sweat thick in his nostrils. Alrik tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea struck hard, and he rolled to his side, retching bile and nothing else.

He reached inward, instinctively, reaching for the warmth that had always been there - like drawing breath, like sunlight on his face - and found nothing. No flicker of fire. No rush of water. No resonance of the runes etched into his bones. His magic wasn't... gone, it was more like he was gone from it.

The collar was cold metal, too snug, pressing against his rune-marked throat. His fingers clawed at it instinctively, teeth bared as if sheer force of will could undo Kossith make. A'dam. He’d heard the word in whispers once - an old threat, buried beneath distance and a litany of other issues.

Runes flared along his arms as he tried to summon his power, tried to will it through muscle and bone like he always had - only to feel it recoil. Nothing answered. No light. No echo. Only searing pain that knifed down his spine and turned his vision white. He screamed through gritted teeth, the sound swallowed by the low groan of the hull. Stubbornly, Alrik dug in again - nails scraping metal - until he retched. Bitter bile filled his mouth and splattered the deck. The taste of copper lingered on his tongue. He shuddered and fell sideways, cheek pressed to the floor, breath rasping between clenched jaws.

He stirred, then tried again. Repeating the result.

[chongoblog]

talking about Gender Stuff with an old friend

[freydis-freydat]

Who: Open starter for any of the women from The Ones Taken involved in Troupe 3 (@lunadarkwoodx, @alessiathepath, @arr0s, also open to anyone who would know the intimate details of what this group endured in Troupe 1 either from Freydis or another survivor so it's not quite soooo closed!) When: Early in captivity of the Kossith  Where: The brig! Notes: Abduction Two: Kossithic Boogaloo 

This was not a circumstance Freydis had ever counted on being on again. If she had more rational, more of a realist, perhaps another stint of captivity might have presented itself as a possibility, but not at the hands of the kossith. Now, with the clarity of hindsight, the anxiety she had felt of the pomp and circumstance Progress Day constructed around Aetherium felt like a red herring. Where she had focused on the advancements of the arcane material, her attention should have been fixed on Aventia and the strange beasts that had laid their stake in it. 

The weight of the collar on her shoulders was a constant reminder of the seriousness of their circumstance. Many answers and many questions had come in the last few handfuls of months, and it felt all the more frustrating. But Freydis was determined to survive this, to right the course of her destiny again, and to recover Hjalmar. An uncharacteristic silence had fallen over her for some time as she sat next to a fellow survivor, a calculating darkness in her eyes they would easily recognize from their time in the Broodmother’s lair. There was a deep sense of fury and determination that took root in her breast–she had not failed the woman beside her, and she had not failed Freydis. She was certain neither of them intended to falter this time around. “We have survived this before with less resources, less knowledge, and worse stakes,” Freydis finally said quietly, “and we will see the end of this alive again.” It was delivered with the weight of a promise. 

[jamieprice]

Person: open to those on the island Location: Girl it's the Island Sulking is not something he needs to be doing and yet there he is, toes in the water and ass in the sand of the shore away from everyone. Boots off beside him, he's not someone good at processing emotions, he is someone detached because he has to be, he has a clear line between business and pleasure and his time with the Kossith had blurred that. Because they'd slapped chains and that damn metal ring on him and while he'd fought them every step of the way, he had torn into whatever person they deemed too weak. And he'd enjoyed it. He's keeping that damn "Bloodcoin" moniker, they're going to regret they ever called him that. "I still think we should kill all of them." Arms crossed over his chest, he says it to no one in particular, just happy to be able to start conspiring once more.

[vuldak-juneau]

Who: Open to anyone in Troupe 3 Where: The entrance to the cellblock where her little kennel is set apart  When: After the recent plot drop prompt Notes: No expectation to match length, this is how I decided to respond to my prompt so I wrote more than I typically might for a starter. Starter mentions beatings, injuries, violence. 

The steep price of disobedience under the weight of the a’dam tempered quickly when one knew they were going to die anyway. The first of the beatings was brutalizing, all ripping skin and slick blood. The attention they drew to it all was salt to the wound before her forced shifts.That had felt like they’d dragged her by the hair to a vat of acid and made sure to submerge every raw part of her, body and soul. Juneau had poured her time in Lysara into trying to keep the vuldak at bay, to be a neutral and maybe sometimes even a good person despite her demonic nature. Luna sold her out in the most dire situation Juneau had been forced into to date, and now none of that mattered.

It was always going to end like this. 

Hope, blind faith, and fate working itself out in any positive manner were not part of Juneau’s outlook or lived experience. She didn’t suspect that would change now, and the bleak death that stood several feet in front of her made the present easier. The body could only experience so much pain before the baseline shifted and the vuldak acted in the same inhumane, carnal way night after night. The Kossith never actually allowed her to hurt anyone. Even if she did, and even with the heavy weight of shame over her exposed secret, it wouldn’t matter soon. Death would make each of these things the least of her problems. All there was no was to endure until they executed her.

Of course, that didn’t mean she’d be some shrinking violet about it. If her fate was sealed, she’d make sure the Kossith suffered her every bit as much as she suffered them. 

It was the time of day or night or whatever it was that the other, less dark-touched prisoners sifted in and out of the cellblock. It meant some of the Kossith would be near, potentially some of the worst of the Sul’dams. Her lips parted, lined with dried blood and almost indistinguishable amongst the other bruises that warped her visage. The lacerations across her hands and arms–most of which were defensive–never really having a chance to begin healing between beatings–stung terribly as she beat them against the side of her kennel. She wasn’t trying to escape, she wasn’t interested in doing so when there was nowhere to run, but she was trying to make as much noise as she could. When she saw the first of them approaching to punish her, as if her a’dam would not do so, she began to shout. “Hey, you self important fucking bovine!” she screamed, aware of exactly how much attention it would garner. Her voice was harsh, and the a’dam jolted her like some arcane shock collar. She swallowed hard, her throat dry like knives, and continued. “Remember when you fucking kidnapped me?” Another jolting shock, this one stronger, requiring longer to recover. “Too lazy to take the time to pick through your victims?” she challenged again. Another punishing jolt, her voice becoming more constricted from the pain. “Or are you just all as stupid as you all look?” A final warning from the a’dam, and her back was pressed against the back wall of her kennel, a cold sweat gripping her, and a feeling of suffocating nausea overcoming her. Her eyes shifted to the closest rahaat, and Juneau almost laughed at the irony of how likely it was they pitied her. "Better run away quick before that overgrown fucking cow gets here," she huffed out.

[pynkhues]

Stupid question, not sure if it’s been asked before, but: do you think Armand actually likes theatre/fine art or does he just adopt whatever his partner is into so deeply he has no clue it isn’t (or wouldn’t be) his bag if not for said partner?

That's not a stupid question at all, anon, and it definitely hasn't been asked of me before. Mmm, my gut instinct is to say that I think his interest in visual art is probably more authentic than his interest in theatre? There's that little beat in 2.06 where they're rehearsing the fake play, and Armand's a lot more attached to the projection art as a part of the show than seemingly everyone else, which feels fairly unique given how rarely he expresses that sort of personal preference. It actually could be reflective of his interest in technology too though, which is canonical to the books.

Film and projection art only really started to become a part of theatre in the 1910s and 1920s - probably the most famous magician of all time, Harry Houdini, was actually a very early adopter of that in around 1908/1909, and he was hugely into technology as a performing artist generally (I actually randomly know a bit about this as I've been researching/working on a creative project for a couple of years now about Houdini's 1910 tour of Australia where he brought this tech with him to the Melbourne vaudeville and variety scene [and hilariously became the first person to fly a plane across Australian soil, because he was also obsessed with flight technology, and also Australia is insane], and also just have a general interest in very early cinema).

We don't really know the show's timeline yet in terms of Lestat leaving Paris, nor if the show will follow the book in having Nicki be the one who really founds the theatre, but assuming Armand's at least being honest about the timeline, if Lestat left Paris around the turn of the 19th Century, it will be long before that sort of film/projection art existed in theatre. I think the 2.03 flashbacks were partially about showing us how much the theatre itself has declined / hit hard times / been impacted by the French Revolution and two World Wars, but still - - that sort of projection technology didn't exist when Lestat was performing in Paris, and so someone introduced it. The reality is too that it was innovative in the 1910s and 1920s (it really hit peak popularity - along with vaudeville and variety theatre, which is what the Theatres des Vampires are doing by the time Claudia and Louis meet them - in about 1925), and I think there's a pretty logical read there that that may have been Armand's doing.

It kind of works I think in terms of the creative friction within the troupe too, because both that sort of projection and variety theatre wasn't really in fashion by the 1940s when Louis and Claudia meet them. Armand feeling it's vital to their work and Santiago being over it (especially with Santiago being younger, and having wanted to be a serious actor) actually makes a lot of sense timeline-wise, and I think could be interpreted as an acknowledgement that the sort of theatre they're making is dated (cinema basically killed this type of theatre by the late 1920s, and that sort of projection art played a role, because with it came, well, film). The fact that Armand as the theatre director hasn't really kept up with theatre as an artform I think lends itself to him not being that into it personally / it being something he adopts because Lestat loves it, and he deifies Lestat.

If he is the one who adopted the projection art, and is the one still attached to it in the 1940s, I can see that indicating more that his interest in art and technology is perhaps a bit more authentic and true to who he is? I'm not going to be able to find it now (and don't have the means to check the ep at the minute, just because I'm not at home), but in the ep where Armand and Louis are contemplating what to replace the Francis Bacon triptych with in the Dubai loft, Armand suggests something that's extremely different to everything we've seen / that Louis likes, which I think is indicative of him having his own taste when it comes to fine art at the very least, but how much that might have been informed by Marius is anyone's guess right now.

But I actually, delightfully, think the interest in technology is all him, and I think you could make a case that Armand probably brought that projection technology to the theatre in the 1910s when it was genuinely a pretty innovative new invention to play with. It's interesting to think about!

[abelasx]

OPEN STARTER Location: Avalon Notes: Open to people in Avalon

The ring went dormant on the road but even if it hadn't there wasn't anything that would've stopped him from coming to stand before Queen Titania. Elris joined him, inseparable as of late. "My son has been taken while an Old God breathes down the spine of our people and I can send no one." The Queen was still, statuesque as the bastard and the mother commiserate over their shared grief - their love. "You can send me." They'd taken noble sons of Avalon: Dior... one of the dragons who'd joined them through the eluvian, Eivor. It wasn't just an offense, it was a direct attack to how the elves could defend themselves in the future. A beat accompanied by a silence that stretched long alongside the shadow of their potential loss. Titania spoke first, "Take three of our blades and whoever else will join you, and bring me the Arishok." "Ikaros is coming home," again. "I promise."

He'd never been a very good elvhen. The word Harmony and the name Abelas weren't exactly synonymous with one another. But he kept his word, he had a respect and love for nature that the Kossith lacked - and he was a good friend when he needed to be.

"He's our prince... my brother...."

"A friend..." My best friend lingered at the back of Abelas' thoughts. He looked down as Icarus pressed his forehead into the palm of the elvhen's hands. From the shadows at the corner of his eye, Abelas watched as Saleba's tail flicked back and forth, her eyes watching him through the dark. Twin figures circled overhead: Gwaeryn, Vallas, and Caimriss - getting bigger everyday - had ceased their playing and turned their attention downward.

"I don't know if we can catch up to them now... But after we capture the Arishok, we'll make them give Ikaros, Dior, and the others back." Some might go for Haven, others for people that Abelas had never met, their reasons didn't matter but Abelas' objective was clear. The Kossith would suffer a blow without their Arishok.

[ruyaceres]

who: open ⚜︎ three when: progress day where: eterna, lysara

To the delight of young patrons, stalls crammed with pocket-sized inventions hummed as thousands of tiny gears clicked and whirred. Under sun-bleached canopies, the usual smell of simmering meat and imported spices mingled with the tang of sulfur and gasoline. The Bazaar’s winding paths were strewn with discarded trinkets, while overhead, lanterns glowed with the same strange energy that drove the smog from the city.

Rüya stepped carefully past the crowd, trying to go unnoticed. The market, with all its chaos, was everything Asclepius' sterile halls were not. Among the hum of the machines, she could be an ordinary citizen for a few hours. Lost in the fantasy, she barely dodged a steaming tray of turtle soup. "No, thank you," she smiled, raising a hand to fend off the oily bowl.

"Apologies," the vendor spluttered, but his eyes lingered on the lapis stone adorning her finger. It was a delicate thing, but forged in dragon fire, it signified her status as an Olympian. It was not a curiosity that Rüya welcomed after Valerius' escape. She offered a polite nod in return, retreating as gracefully as she could towards a tunnel.

Its tight walls closed around her and the din of the bazaar faded instantly. The world outside seemed far away, until she glimpsed Tiber Bay at the end of the passageway. The water looked like a ribbon of gold in the setting sun, and massive blimps punctuated the horizon, hovering like ghosts in the clouds.

Rüya didn’t register the figure following her until a hand lashed out. Glass vials flew from her bag, dancing across the cobbled ground. Her magic surged, prickling beneath her skin as she whirled. "Touch me again, and you’ll regret it."

[princemordecai]

OPEN STARTER Location: Tower of Olympia Notes: For the Tower girlies (guards, novices, accepteds, and olympians), here's an interrogation thread <3

I am not my mother, you will not leave here alive. You will feel nothing but pain until I learn everything you know about Valerius Noctis.

The last of the darkfriends directly involved with the escape of Valerius Noctis were either executed publicly or swiftly put down - deep within the bowels of the Tower. Burned from the Pattern completely to keep them from joining the Dark One's rank and fold.

But those were only those they'd captured that night, when wild magic erupted across the city and Valerius escaped from his holding of fifty years.

Protecting the city from the abuse of the power and those who'd abuse its holders was why the Warriors of Mars were formed. Fifty years Valerius' agents had toiled under their noses, Leander could not know how deep the corruption lay, but the prince was resolved to tear it out - root and stem.

"The Shadow can't reach us here." The Students, in conjunction with the Apprentices, had built this chamber specifically to illuminate every angle. There were no shadows among their features, nothing beneath them, just a chamber where every instrument and surface radiated.

One by one the members of the Tower would be brought forth and questioned until the interrogators were satisfied. Those away when the questioning began would find the Florine, Leander, and Damaris "We'll place a field over you, stripping you of all magic and enchantments. Do you have anything to say before we begin?"

[doors-worstenemy]

I wanna read that banger shit >:(

TOO BAD I'M GATE KEEPING ‼️‼️‼️^_^

all my fics are very self indulgent, I've written more sliqueborg than I can count, I have 3 brinkborg fics that will NEVER EVER see the light of day (if they ever do dear god I'm sorry to the reader), and abt 2 non ship fics abt kyborg, no one expect for me is the target audience for my fics and ik everyone wouldn't enjoy them as much as me

This one is from last December but it's the hardest to read to it's all y'all are getting (yes I got distracted reading my own fics trying to find a bit to share)

Cutting out bit I don't like

[lunadarkwoodx]

Who: open Where: Kossith Prison Notes: Following this prompt

Luna's hands are shaking, when she looks down they are covered in the slick of blood and when she blinks they have become clean. Her mind is becoming distorted and her actions are not her own, since she had learned of the blight, since she left her safe cabin in the woods, she has studied it to help heal the earth and it's creatures that called it home. She had killed a Wrag with a guttural knife in it's throat and she had reflected on how the monster was once a werewolf, that they could have easily traded places and now she was used as a weapon to hunt those who had the blight within.

She was a hunter and those who were locked in the cell beside her were potential prey, the a'dam scraps across her throat and she wishes for death to wrap her around like a cloak, how easily the urge to live can flee once one is abused as a weapon. Desperate eyes lift to the person beside her. "Break my hands, break them and I can't sell out those who the Kossith will kill." Luna had pointed at Juneau and the execution has been set.

[urfavfakeblonde]

ʙᴜᴄᴋʏ ʙᴀʀɴᴇꜱ ꜰɪᴄ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ

hi loves <3 I have had such a writer's block lately, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite fics that I have read lately. shout out to all of these amazing writers-- keep doing what you love. you are all unique and thoughtful, putting a little twist into your work that makes it yours. enjoy <3

𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴

obsession @barnesonly 18+ (he's so dreamy)

You don’t even really like Bucky Barnes — he’s grumpy, kinda mean, and totally clueless about how you feel. But damn, he’s so hot it’s driving you crazy. Every time he walks in, all you can think about is what it’d be like if he just took you right there. You try to play it cool… but yeah, that’s not happening.

����𝘰𝘣 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘴! 𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴 (im such a whore for mob!bucky so pls send me fics <3)

sinnerman @aquaticmercy 18+ (OBSESSED W/THIS.)

Bucky Barnes is obsessed with a singer at his favorite jazz club.

sins and silk @magicaloneandmystery 18+ (don't have to force me babe🤭)

under the watchful eyes of his criminal entourage and your unapologetic family, you say your vows to the most powerful man in New York City. despite your doubts, your wedding night surprises you in more ways than one. AKA, Bucky knows how to fuck the reader right.

mad for you @marvelstoriesepic (I cried reading this like deadass)

You are a simple maid who cleans the mansion of the Bucky Barnes, always staying in the background. But when one of his men sees you as a target for assault, and manipulates you into taking the blame for something you didn’t do, you are pushed directly into Bucky’s focus.

𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴

something worth holding @cheekybarnes (I just wanna hug him)

You bring Bucky flowers for his birthday—something no one has ever given him before—and what starts as a simple gesture turns into something far more significant.

eating you out @ddejavvu 18+ (spread it open and flick the bean)

Literally just Bucky eating the reader out, and he hikes her up on his shoulders, with her legs wrapped around his head and she's leaned up against the wall.

manchild @houseofhyde 18+ (this might be the best fic I've ever read. like actually.)

bucky can't help but wonder why they always come running to you,, or your living fossil of a roommate disapproves of your taste in men and its totally not because he wants a taste of you.

gentlemen @buckysleftbicep 18+ (im so down bad for this man)

Like so chivalrous and respectful. But with him being feral and obsessed with you at the same time. Being obsessed with pleasuring you and treating pleasuring you like his life’s honor. NEED HIM

where the quiet lives @cursedheartsclub 18+ (this has a special place in my heart)

You were supposed to be on your honeymoon. Instead, you’re crashing at Bucky Barnes’s lake house—with his grumpy cat and no idea who you are without the man who asked you to give it all up. You went to the lake to forget your ex. You didn’t expect to fall for the man who owns the house.

spellbound @cursedheartsclub 18+ (sex pollen troupe ily)

You took the hit meant for Bucky—magic that curls under your skin like a fever, an ache that won’t ease no matter how many times you break. And the only thing that eases the fire is him.

bound to burn @cursedheartsclub 18+ (SO SO GOOD!!!)

You’ve never kissed Bucky Barnes—never even touched. Now you’re in his lap at a club in Romania, panties pushed to the side, grinding on his thigh while a voyeuristic arms dealer watches from the shadows. The mission said do whatever it takes—so you do. You moan for him. You beg for him. You come on his fingers in a mirrored room with someone else on the other side of the glass. And the worst part? None of it feels fake. Not his voice in your ear. Not his mouth between your legs. Not the way he says, “Eyes on me, doll.” And when it’s all over? You still ache for him. And he’s still carrying your panties in his pocket.

Falling/Drifting Series @probablybucky (this writer is so amazing. ily)

When you find yourself falling for Bucky Barnes (literally), you wonder if you can let go of the past enough to trust him. Set post TFATWS.

Drifting apart was never part of the plan—but neither was falling in love with Bucky Barnes. With a looming threat on the horizon, distance becomes a liability neither of you can afford.

high water @cheekybarnes (so angsty and personal love it)

You’ve stopped keeping track of the bruises. Bucky hasn’t—and he doesn’t say anything, not until the patterns start looking too much like his own, and it’s almost too late to pull you back.

have we met before? @aquaticmercy (sighs in cuteness)

America Chavez says that you and Bucky are together in every universe.

𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴

right this time @buckysleftbicep (as he should 😚)

after a disappointing date, bucky decides to show you what a proper date should be like.

creamy or crunchy @marvelstoriesepic (so cute, made my heart ache)

Bucky joins you grocery shopping to everyone’s surprise.

a love letter to stone @cheekybarnes (brb im gonna go cry)

You were Bucky Barnes’ fiancée, a love left unfinished by war, spending decades at his grave, never moving on. But when Bucky finally comes home—broken, free, too late—you’re already gone.

1940'𝘴!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴

his girl @cursedheartsclub 18+ (1940's bucky has my heart)

He called you his girl long before he ever kissed you. Long before he fell off the train. Before Hydra. Before the ice. Before he forgot your name—Bucky Barnes was just a boy who called you his girl. The two of you grew up tangled in the Brooklyn trio with Steve: fists and laughter, scraped knees and stolen glances, slow dances and so many kisses. You were never official. But everyone knew. He made sure of it. And when he left for war, he shouted it across the room for all to hear— “You know I’m gonna marry you when I get back, right?”

birthday boy @bratscave 18+ (<3 <3 <3)

thinking about how he doesn’t even fucking like celebrating it. the whole “another year, another number” bullshit. what’s there to be excited about? but you—oh, you—pretty little thing that you are, batting your lashes and telling him it’s a special day, his special day, and that you wanna make it good for him. real good.

𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺

always been you @bcksgirl 18+ (love it love it love it love it)

you’re fresh out of a break up, and your brother is determined not to let you dwell on your shitty ex. he thinks your annual summer trip with your shared group of friends should do the trick. you think a summer spent staring at his hot best friend will at least lift your spirits a little.

𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥!𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴

lavender @aquaticmercy 18+ (usually I don't go for stuff like this, but I was like what the hell, why not, and it did not disappoint. very Game of Thrones I love it!!)

The princess is engaged to her childhood best friend, though her true love is her royal guard, James Barnes.

𝘤𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺

the cowboy rule @hanaridulsetcheese 18+ (as a Texas girl herself, I love it!! need more cowboy bucky in my life)

no summary, so here is my own! after arriving in Texas, you meet a charming cowboy named Bucky. When he offers to show you around, you can't help but notice how attractive he is. One night at a bar, he puts his cowboy hat on your head, which can only mean one thing..."You wear a man’s hat, you take him for a ride."

𝘋𝘢𝘥'𝘴𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺

honey girl. @violentdelightsandviolentends 18+ (this series is a masterpiece.)

The Universe shows you your soulmate when it feels like you need them most. When you least expect it, you're given yours - Bucky Barnes. Your Dad's best friend. You can try to refuse it all you like; but the universe wants what it wants. There's no denying fate.

 daddy's best friend @buckysleftbicep 18+ (“Next time, I’m riding you in your truck.” when is this gonna come out because...)

your dad’s best friend has been avoiding your eyes all night, until he’s got you pinned against the laundry room door, hand up your thigh. it’s everything you shouldn’t want, but you always do.

𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺

just for tonight, night out, stay for a fortnight @thyme-in-a-bubble 18+ (this series is so amazing--you have to read it. there is something so beautiful about sex meaning more idk)

bodyguard!bucky barnes x reader, ex!peter parker x reader, reader’s mom is the british ambassador to france, age gap (10-15 years), forbidden romance, explicit sexual content, total word count is 10.7k

𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦!𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺

change your mind @marvelstoriesepic (I love baseball boys <3)

Natasha drags you to an NYU baseball game. And despite yourself, one player catches your attention.

supposed distraction @marvelstoriesepic (it's so cute and movie I love it)

It’s Bucky’s birthday and you and your friends are planning a surprise party. That leaves you with the task to distract him while the others prepare.

my masterlist <3

[rememberwren]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Easy breezy beautiful premature ejaculation. Hypersexual!Simon/fem!reader. Discussion of edging. Cumming untouched.

-

“If we do this,” he says around his cigarette, “then we do it my way.”

“I’ve never done this before,” you admit cautiously, turning your hands palm up as if to show you have no weapons, no tricks up your sleeve. I’m innocuous, your posture says. His own says: I’m still deciding, with his tense shoulders and narrowed eyes. “This weird, femdom thing. So I appreciate your guidance. Because I know fuck all—“

“You’re no femdom—Jesus, fuck, I can’t talk about it anymore,” he grits out. He takes a step back and away, creating distance, exhaling a plume of smoke that makes him look strangely ethereal in the evening light. Against your will, your eyes flicker down to just below his belt buckle and oh god. He’s hard. 

“Just from talking about it?”

The look he gives you could melt ice. It could sublimate it. You cringe, knowing you were in the wrong, wishing you could reach out and snatch the words right out of the air. He’s trusting you with this. The last thing he needs is to feel like a joke. 

“I’m sorry,” you say. “I shouldn’t have—you’re not a, a science experiment or something—“

“Wouldn’t mind that so much. Might figure out what the fuck’s wrong with me. Less interested in being treated like I’m part of a circus troupe,” he grumbles. He drops the cigarette and grinds it to ash beneath his boot. He asks: “Inside?” 

-

Gingerly, so gingerly, he undoes the button of his jeans and unzips them. He holds his breath as he works the denim down his thick thighs. God, is he built: muscles made for more than just show. His history is inscribed on his body in its strength and in its scars, scars of white and pale pinks that darken to purple in the lamplight. He’s wearing boxer briefs, straining at the front from his erection, and they are soaked. You’re surprised that he hasn’t soaked straight through to his jeans. 

“Don’t look,” he grits out through his teeth. You look away, unsure where to cast your eyes to, and settle for shutting them. He explains: “Can’t take the way you’re looking at me.”

“Sorry,” you mutter, feeling your face flush hot. 

“Just—let me—” you hear the sound of fabric rustling. He kicks off his jeans—you can tell by the soft sound of them landing against the floor off the side of the bed. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck.” 

“What’s wrong?” you ask, eyes squeezed shut, hands clenching in your lap. 

“Nothing just—fuck. No way I’m going to last.” He sounds bitterly disappointed. 

“That’s the point of this, right? To get better at lasting?” 

He sighs, a long-suffering sound, like this discussion is well worn and frustrating to him. Something in you shrivels, and it takes your body with it as best as it can, sending your shoulders hunching inwards, your head ducking down. You pick at one of your nails by feel alone, eyes still closed, and nearly jump when his fingers brush your knee. 

“Sorry,” he mutters. “You’re right. That’s what this is for. Might as well get used to embarrassing myself.” 

“That’s the spirit." 

He snorts. More fabric rustles, and at length he says: “Alright. You can look. Just…you can look.” 

You open your eyes hesitantly. His cock is right there—and Jesus. It makes sense, proportionally, but it is frightening in a very real sense. You’re already doing the math, measuring in your head and comparing to your past precedents. Ghost would have them all beat, quite comfortably, in length and girth. He’s cut, which surprises you, but isn’t a turnoff. He keeps himself landscaped nicely, which you appreciate, even if it isn’t necessary. 

He is flushed a ruddy pink, the head darker than the rest. As you stare, it jerks, a bead of precum welling at the tip. Suddenly one of his large, scarred hands reaches down and grips the base of his cock in a painful hold, hissing in a breath through his teeth. 

“Can’t look at me like that,” he admonishes again. 

“Like what?” you ask, a little defensive. You’re just looking! You have to look, right? 

“Like you want it,” he mutters. 

God, does he really have no idea? No inkling of how badly you want to sit on that monster in his hands? No notion of how wet you’ve been since your conversation in the parking lot? Sure you aren't like him, not about to spring off if the breeze was just right, but you are anything but unaffected. Still, it seems like the wrong moment to educate him on your attraction to him and his cock, so you do your best to morph your expression into one of unimpressed ambivalence and hoped it helps. 

“I’m ready when you are,” you say, interrupting his deep breathing exercises. He nods but doesn’t give you the go-ahead, not for another minute or two, until his chest stops heaving and he can remove his hand from the vice grip he has around his balls. His cock has a near purple tinge, and you wonder if maybe he should have rubbed one out in the bathroom beforehand just to take the edge off. Oh well, it’s a thought for next time. 

“Go ahead,” he says, like he’s giving you permission to pull the trigger on him during a game of Russian Roulette. 

You reach out—his cock twitches, a nice warm welcome if you’ve ever seen one, but you hesitate. Your hand is dry. Should you ask for lube? How does he usually jerk off? Dry? You have a feeling he doesn’t mind the discomfort; he seems like he has a self-destructive streak a mile wide. His eyes are fixed at a point on the ceiling, his chest unmoving as he holds his breath. You decide that some sort of lubrication is better than none—so you lick a broad stripe up your palm. 

“Fuck,” he whispers, a little punched-out sound. Sometime between opening your mouth and licking your palm, his eyes had transferred from the ceiling to your face, to the flash of your tongue and your wet palm. His eyes widen, irises swallowed up by the pupils, and he says again, more urgently: “Oh fuck.” 

He reaches down to grip the base of his cock again, but it is too late: he cums. His abs are thrown into sharp relief as he tenses with each pulse, cock jerking against his brutal grip. He doesn’t even jerk himself off—just ruins it as you stare with your mouth open and your hand wet, watching him splatter seed against the coarse line of hair that runs from his belly button to his cock all because he watched you lick your hand. 

“Fuuuuuuck,” he groans, throwing one arm across his eyes, breathing heavily. His mouth is flushed a pretty red, like he has been kissing. His hand clenches into a fist as he says: “I’m sorry. I tried not to.” 

“It’s okay,” you say, your nearly brain blue-screening from how turned on you are. You lower your hand and wipe it dry on your leggings. “That’s what this practice is for—so you don’t do it when it really counts. We can try again tomorrow or something.” 

He snorts. “Tomorrow? Give me five fucking minutes.” 

[uvonobu]

WHAT THE HELL MONO YOU JUST MADE AN ENTIRE MANGA OPENING LIKE THAT ?!?!? HOW ?!? WHAT SORCERY IS THIS OMG

Thatssss where the drawings u were showing me came from… omg…. It makes so sense now… MONO IT LOOKS SK GOOD IT LOOKS PROFESSIONAL IM SO FLOORED AT HOW AMAZING THIS IS

And the lore is so juicy omg I love I love I love I’m so excited to see how this goes and I’m so amazed at your drawing and writing skills ahhhhhhhhh how does one even accomplish this it’s so cool

Wind Breaker!Hunter x Hunter AU (Read up on how you can contribute)

Chapter 1: START

Summary: Where were all the police in Makochi? Surely they aren’t all slacking off. Nearly every school district is overrun with crime! The answer lies in a district that has three times the crime rates of other schools. A warzone so notorious, it was named Kakou. A crater.

A new gang has arrived in town. No matter how hard they kick it down, it keeps coming back. It's about time they made themselves known, and put a decently sized threat behind their name.

[DO NOT STEAL OR USE FOR AI TRAINING]

The askbox is open.

[author's notes under the cut]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

i dont know what im doing but i hope yall enjoy. i have enough content to last until the end of summer. and then we'll have to see how my fall schedule treats me.

but yippeeeeeee ;w;

im so nervous. help.

im realizing in hindsight that this opening statement is corny as fuck

aaa my hands hurt but its worth it.

might go back and polish them up a little more but this is good enough for now.

already staring at pg 4 with distaste. ;-;

and if you're reading this PLEASE SEND AN ASK!! JUST TO SAY HI OR TO ASK THE CHARACTERS A QUESTION!! PLEASE ANYTHING!! ;a;

hitting post before i regret too much. closing my eyes and closing tumblr for the next 3 hours-

edit: got told my japanese was bad by a friend and now i need to go sit in my corner and think about my mistakes.

will reupload fixed japanese later xD

[brokenengene]

Second Chances {teaser!}

pairing: single dad! boss! heeseung x secretary! fem reader

genres: office romance, smut, angst, second chance, contemporary

This content is only for readers 18+

content warning: strong language, power dynamics, sensitive themes, sexual content, angst, brief mentions of alcohol, discussions of infertility, discussions of pregnancy, low self-worth talk/self-esteem issues, detailed smut, 18+ themes

teaser:

After four long years of college you're exactly where you dreamed you'd be—accepting an unexpected job offer at one of the top marketing agencies in the city. After a few months on the job, you finally feel like you’re getting used to corporate life.

What you don’t expect is your young and attractive boss to stumble into the office one day with an energetic four-year-old boy attached to his leg.

It starts out just watching him one time while your boss steps out for a quick business call. Then it turns into more.

You are supposed to be building a stable career, not falling for your boss. Not dreaming of becoming the mom his child never had.

Maybe this is a second chance, for both of you—and you don't have it in you to walk away.

And maybe that's exactly what both of you need.

a/n: FIC IS NOW LIVE!!! CLICK HERE <3

TAGLIST BELOW

note: OMG Heeseung fic time! More angst, more smut. If you would like to be added to the taglist just comment here or send an ask! (18+ only!). I'm so excited to share this with you guys and mix it into my updates! I appreciate all the support and my requests are always open if you have a member or troupe in mind. BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL !!!<3

requests always open ✉️

xoxo kate 🤍

[nocturnebite]

Someone Like You ౨ৎ

(Its always been you) - bestfriend!enha (ot7) x fem!reader

synopsis: You’ve had enough of bad dates and bare-minimum effort. But when your best friend shows up for you in their own soft, thoughtful way… you start to wonder why you’ve never looked at them like that. Turns out, they’ve been waiting for you to. fic notes: friends to lovers || comfort & fluff || soft confessions || bad date recovery || dreamy slowburn mutual pining || emotional support kings wc: about 800ish per member (5.7k total)

ash's notes: heyy back again! this one was so fun for me to write, i'm a sucker for friends to lovers troupes.. especially when it's "they knew all along". get me a man like this PLEASE.. enjoy :3

౨ৎ Heeseung - You always know

The door clicks softly behind you as you slump inside your apartment, heels dangling from your hand, mascara slightly smudged from the stress of the night. Another date gone wrong. Another charming-on-text loser who spent more time talking about himself than asking a single question about you. At one point he even took a call at the table. You’d sat there swirling a straw in a watered-down drink, wishing you were literally anywhere else.

You drop your bag by the couch and sigh into the quiet. It hums back at you with the same kind of hollow loneliness you’ve gotten too used to.

Your fingers tap against your phone screen before you even think about it.

you: had another trash date lol sorry if im bothering u just rly bummed out

You don’t expect a reply right away. But before you can even toss your phone aside, it buzzes.

hee ౨ৎ: open the door

You blink. Then look up.

Another buzz.

hee ౨ৎ: i was already on my way. figured something was up

Heart hiccuping, you shuffle to the door, unlocking it slowly—and there he is. Hoodie half-zipped, hair tousled like he just left in a hurry, one hand clutching your favorite takeout and the other carrying a fuzzy blanket you've been trying to steal from him for weeks.

“I didn’t know if you’d eaten,” Heeseung says, stepping inside like he always belongs here. He doesn't wait for an answer, just sets everything down on the coffee table and opens his arms.

You melt.

Your face tucks into the curve of his neck like it’s muscle memory. He’s warm and steady and smells like laundry detergent and vanilla and home.

You mumble, “You really were already on your way?”

“Mmhm,” he hums against your hair. “Just had a feeling.”

You don’t even question it. He always knows.

You eat curled up on opposite ends of the couch, his long legs tangled with yours under the blanket. He doesn’t ask about the date. He doesn’t need to. He just listens while you vent, eyes soft, gaze focused on you like you’re the only thing that matters.

Eventually, you’re lying with your head in his lap while he scrolls through movies on the TV.

“Something comforting,” he murmurs, already queuing up your favorite. “The one with the sad girl who finds herself and the cottage with the vines—”

“That’s a romance,” you whisper, half-laughing.

Heeseung just smirks. “Exactly.”

As the movie plays, you watch him in the flickering light — the soft shadows against his jawline, the slight smile when a familiar line hits, the way he rests his hand gently over your arm like he wants to keep you tethered here with him.

And somewhere between your chest aching and your heart warming, it slips out.

“Why can’t the guys I date be more like you…”

Heeseung flinches.

The remote fumbles in his hand and clatters to the ground with a sharp clack.

Your eyes widen. He stiffens. “Oops—uh. Sorry.” He leans down too fast to grab it, smacking his head lightly on the table and cursing under his breath.

You blink at him. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. Just—clumsy.” He clears his throat, setting the remote back carefully like it might explode again. His ears are glowing pink.

You stare at him, heart thudding.

He doesn’t look at you. Just leans back against the couch and mutters, “Want me to rewind the movie?”

You pause. “No. I’m good.”

He nods, quiet.

But the atmosphere has changed. Charged. He’s still close, still comforting, but his posture’s too stiff now, too careful, like he’s thinking too hard about breathing near you.

Later, when the movie ends and you both sit in the hush of the credits, you speak again.

“I just…” you whisper, watching the glow from the screen reflect in his eyes. “I wish I could find someone who treats me like you do. You’d be the perfect boyfriend.”

Heeseung freezes.

Then turns to you slowly, expression unreadable. His voice is low.

“Then why don’t you date me?”

You laugh, confused. “What—”

“I’m serious.”

You blink.

His eyes are locked on yours. No teasing. No smirk. Just honest, vulnerable silence.

“You’re serious?” you whisper.

He nods once. “I’ve always known it was you. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

Your heart leaps into your throat. And then—flutters.

His fingers inch toward yours, tentative, until they’re brushing lightly, and when you don’t pull away, he laces them together.

“I didn’t think…” You breathe out. “I didn’t think you felt the same.”

“I do.” Heeseung smiles softly, then leans forward until your foreheads touch. “I have. Every time I showed up for you, every night I stayed over just to keep you company, every moment I wished you’d look at me like that…”

You do now.

And this time, when he leans in — slow, careful, trembling with hope — you meet him halfway.

౨ৎ Jay - The way you look at me

You’re already in tears by the time you leave the restaurant.

Not the dramatic, mascara-running kind. Just the quiet, aching kind — the ones that slip out even when you don’t want them to. This one stung a little more than usual. The guy didn’t just talk over you — he insulted your interests, made snide jokes about “emotional girls,” and scoffed when you said you wanted something real. It left you wondering if you were asking for too much.

You don’t text Jay.

You don’t have to.

The second your key turns in the door, the smell hits you — warm, comforting, something buttery and spiced — like childhood and safety all rolled into one.

You step inside and blink.

Jay stands in your kitchen in a dark t-shirt, sleeves pushed to his elbows, a striped apron tied lazily around his waist. He looks up like he’s been caught red-handed.

“I was gonna text and say come over,” you mumble.

“I figured you’d need something sooner,” he says simply, stirring the pan once before lowering the heat. “So I let myself in.”

Your chest tightens.

There’s a pot on the stove, steam rising lazily from it. A pan of something golden browning beside it. Plates already set. A candle burning low.

“You made—” Your voice cracks. “You made the pasta?”

“The one you said reminds you of your mom’s.” He shrugs, trying to seem casual. “You sounded tired last time we talked. Thought you’d need it tonight.”

Your throat feels too full to respond. You cross the kitchen slowly, eyes burning in that way that says thank you without the words.

He glances at you. “You okay?”

You nod.

“You wanna talk about it?”

You shake your head, stepping behind him, letting your arms wrap around his middle as you press your face into his back. He stills, surprised—but only for a moment. Then one of his hands reaches down to cover yours.

“You’re not asking for too much,” he says softly, like he’s already guessed the thing you didn’t say.

You don’t speak. You just hold on tighter.

Dinner is quiet, the way it always is when you’re feeling raw and Jay is being careful with you — soft glances, gentle hands when he passes the parmesan, a million unspoken things in every motion. Afterward, he makes tea and sets up the couch for a movie night without asking.

“You pick,” he says, stretching across the cushions to pass you the remote.

You curl under the throw blanket and sigh, not even looking at the screen.

Jay turns his head toward you. “Wanna do nothing instead?”

You nod.

So you sit. Shoulder to shoulder. Familiar and close and quiet.

After a while, he gets up and starts tidying the kitchen. And that’s when you catch yourself watching.

The way he moves—careful, confident, focused. The way he takes his time with everything. The soft hum in his throat as he dries dishes. The way he set aside the last bite of garlic bread because he knew it was your favorite.

And suddenly, something slips out.

“I wish the guys I went out on dates with were more like.. you.”

The sound of ceramic shattering on tile cuts the air in half.

You jump.

Jay freezes mid-motion, staring down at the cracked plate on the floor like it betrayed him. “Shit—sorry.” He crouches quickly to clean it, not looking at you.

You rush to help. “It’s okay, I didn’t mean—”

“No, it’s—” He’s already sweeping the pieces into his hand, face turned so you can’t see it. “It’s fine.”

But his hands are trembling.

You blink. “Jay?”

He doesn’t answer.

You touch his wrist lightly. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

He finally looks at you, and it’s like the air has changed again — his expression unreadable, jaw tight, eyes searching yours for something you don’t quite understand.

You try to laugh it off, suddenly self-conscious. “Sorry, that was kind of a weird thing to say.”

Jay finishes sweeping and stands slowly, leaning against the counter like he needs a second to think.

Then you say it again, more quietly. “You’d be the perfect boyfriend.”

He lets out a breath — sharp, disbelieving.

“Don’t say that,” he murmurs.

You blink. “Why not?”

“Because…” He looks at you like you’ve cracked something in him. “I’ve been trying so hard not to say it first.”

The silence that follows is thick.

You stare. “Say what?”

Jay steps toward you, then stops — unsure, unreadable.

“That I’m in love with you,” he says quietly. “That I’ve been in love with you. That every time you cry about some guy who couldn’t see how lucky he was, it kills me because I’m right here. And I’ve been here.”

Your lips part, but you can’t speak.

He runs a hand through his hair, eyes wild and warm and terrified. “I know you weren’t ready. And I never wanted to make you feel like you had to see me that way, but tonight—” His voice softens. “Tonight you looked at me like you finally saw what I’ve been trying to show you this whole time.”

Your heart thunders.

You had looked at him that way. You’d always admired him — his calm, his kindness, the fire in him that always warmed you up when you felt too cold. You just never thought…

“I didn’t think you’d want me,” you whisper.

Jay’s breath catches. “I’ve always wanted you.”

He takes another step.

“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to lose you. But I can’t keep pretending I don’t want more than this.”

You look at him—really look at him—and all the times he showed up for you play in your mind like flashes of sunlight.

Slowly, you take his hand. It’s still a little shaky, but when you hold on, he steadies.

You whisper, “What if I want more too?”

He doesn’t speak. He just pulls you in and kisses your forehead, gently, reverently—like he’s waited a lifetime for this moment to finally arrive.

౨ৎ Jake - Never not you

It starts with your phone vibrating on your chest, just as your eyes are starting to sting from holding back tears too long.

You don’t check the screen. You don’t want to talk to anyone. You just stare at the ceiling of your bedroom, replaying the disaster of tonight’s date — the awkward silences, the backhanded compliments, the fake polite goodbye at the end. All you wanted was someone who’d make you feel seen. Instead, you feel lonelier than before.

Another buzz.

Then another.

Then a knock at your door.

You sit up, confused, wiping your eyes.

“Delivery?” you mumble, shuffling to open it.

But it’s not food.

It’s Jake.

He’s standing there, hair a little windblown, hoodie zipped up halfway and cheeks pink from the chill. In one hand, he’s holding a small bouquet of fresh wildflowers. In the other, a bag from your favorite bakery—the one that’s only open late on Fridays.

“I was already on my way,” he says softly. “Something told me you needed me.”

Your bottom lip wobbles.

You don’t cry, but you do fold into him the second he opens his arms.

He doesn’t say anything. Just hugs you so tight it’s like he’s holding together all the parts of you that want to fall apart.

Twenty minutes later, you’re in your pajamas under a mountain of blankets on the couch. The warm scent of baked pastries fills the air. Jake’s got your feet in his lap, his thumbs gently massaging the arch like he’s trying to erase all the tension of the night.

You’re both watching one of those cheesy rom-coms he secretly loves more than you do, though he always pretends otherwise.

“Tonight sucked,” you mutter.

He doesn’t ask for details. He just leans back, still holding your feet. “He didn’t see you, did he?”

You glance at him. “How do you always know?”

Jake shrugs one shoulder. “Because if he had, you’d be smiling. You always light up when someone gets you.”

Your breath catches. You don’t respond. You just look at him.

His profile is soft in the glow of the TV. There’s a slight crease in his brow, like he’s still worried. You want to reach out and smooth it with your thumb.

Instead, you say quietly, “Why can’t guys be more like you…”

Jake stills.

His eyes don’t leave the screen, but his fingers stop moving.

You sit up a little, trying to meet his eyes. “Seriously. You’re so thoughtful. You always know what I need. You never make me feel like I’m too much or not enough—”

Jake suddenly fumbles the pastry bag in his lap and spills the last croissant right onto the floor.

“Ah..shit—sorry,” he blurts, scrambling to grab it. He drops the tongs trying to pick it up.

You blink. “You okay?”

“Fine!” he squeaks. Then clears his throat and tries to play it off. “Yeah. Just… butter fingers.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You sure?”

He nods a little too quickly. “Totally. I just… wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

You tilt your head. “Say what?”

He carefully places the rescued croissant on a napkin, still not looking at you. “That you wish guys were like me.”

Your voice softens. “Well… I do.”

The silence stretches, almost like the room’s holding its breath with you.

And then, because the ache in your chest is too much to sit with, you add, “You’d be the perfect boyfriend.”

Jake turns to you, eyes wide.

He looks like you just told him the moon said his name.

Then, very quietly, he says, “Then… why not me?”

Your heart skips.

You blink. “Wait..what..? Are you serious?”

He nods, slowly this time. The corners of his mouth twitch up—hopeful, nervous, a little amazed you haven’t laughed him off yet.

“I know we’ve been best friends forever,” he says gently, “but I’ve loved you for almost as long. I didn’t want to ruin what we had by saying anything. But it’s you. It’s never not been you.”

Your lips part. “Jake…”

“I didn’t want to be another guy who hurt you,” he whispers, voice shaking a little. “I wanted to be the one who reminded you how loved you are. I just never thought you’d actually—feel the same.”

You swallow hard.

Your chest is doing that tight fluttery thing again. Because you do. Deep down, you’ve always known it. The way you’d light up when his name appeared on your phone. The way his laugh made everything easier. The way you looked for him in every crowd.

You whisper, “I think I’ve always wanted it to be you.”

Jake beams.

Not a smirk. Not a flirty grin. A full, radiant, stunned smile like you’ve just made his entire year.

He reaches for your hand, then changes his mind and gently cups your cheek instead, brushing his thumb just under your eye.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks quietly, breathlessly.

You nod.

And when he leans in, it’s slow and sweet and full of every unspoken thing you’ve both carried for so long. And when he pulls back just barely, lips still brushing yours, he murmurs,

“You’re my favorite everything.”

౨ৎ Sunghoon - Say something

It’s late.

The kind of late where the streets outside are quiet and your bedroom ceiling is glowing dimly with the light of passing cars. You’re curled up under a blanket in your hoodie, trying not to cry but very much failing. Again.

The guy from tonight wasn’t mean, exactly. Just… indifferent. He scrolled through his phone when you talked. Showed up twenty minutes late with no explanation. Didn’t even pretend to walk you home.

And maybe it wouldn’t sting so much if it didn’t feel like a pattern.

You don’t text anyone. You just throw your phone facedown and try to forget it.

Until, barely five minutes later, there’s a knock at your window.

You freeze.

Another knock.

You scramble out of bed and yank the curtains aside — and there he is.

Sunghoon. In his gray zip-up and a beanie pulled low over his brows, standing on your fire escape holding two steaming cups of hot chocolate and a very unimpressed expression.

You open the window with wide eyes. “What the—Hoon??”

“I figured he’d flake,” he says flatly, climbing in like this is something he does every day. “You ghosted the group chat. That’s never a good sign.”

You blink as he hands you one of the cups.

“I made it with that fancy cocoa you like,” he mumbles. “With the cinnamon.”

You stare at him.

Sunghoon doesn't meet your eyes. He just kicks off his shoes and settles onto your bed like it’s his.

“I didn’t get ghosted,” you say quietly, sitting beside him.

He nods. “But you are sad.”

You sip the cocoa. “How do you always know?”

He shrugs. “You always blink a lot when you’re trying not to cry.”

Your throat tightens.

Silence passes for a bit. Your room is dim, your fairy lights casting soft little shadows across his jawline. You watch him — the way his hands cradle the mug, the furrow in his brows even now. He’s always like this. A little standoffish. A little too observant. And yet always there the second you fall apart.

And maybe it’s the warmth in your hands, or the fact that you’re so, so tired of being disappointed — but the words come out before you can stop them.

“Why can’t guys be more like you…”

He freezes.

Like actually freezes.

No blink. No breath. Just wide, stunned deer-in-headlights stillness.

Then he promptly chokes on his hot chocolate.

You lunge to pat his back. “Hoon??”

“I’m good—” cough cough “Totally fine—” cough “Jesus—”

You bite back a laugh. “You don’t look fine.”

“I’m great.” He clears his throat aggressively and looks everywhere but at you. “Just… went down the wrong pipe.”

“Mmhmm,” you say, clearly not buying it.

He shifts on the bed, suddenly tense. “You… didn’t mean that, right?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

He swallows, hard.

You lean back against the pillows, watching him over the rim of your cup. “Seriously. You’re thoughtful, reliable, good with your words—when you use them—”

“Okay—”

“You always show up when I need you,” you add, voice soft now. “You’d be the perfect boyfriend.”

Sunghoon just stares at you.

You don’t even realize how intense your gaze is until he finally looks away, the tips of his ears glowing red.

“You’re messing with me,” he mutters.

“No, I’m not.”

He sets down his cup slowly. His voice is quieter when he says, “Don’t say things like that if you don’t mean them.”

You sit up straighter. “But I do mean it.”

Sunghoon finally meets your eyes, and there’s something raw there now. Something just barely holding itself together.

And then, because he’s Sunghoon and horrible at vulnerability, he blurts:

“Then maybe you should date me.”

Your mouth opens. “What?”

He looks away again, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”

You reach for his hand before he can pull it away. “Sunghoon. Look at me.”

He hesitates—then does. And your heart cracks wide open.

“I want to say yes,” you whisper.

He blinks. “You do?”

You nod. “I didn’t think you liked me that way.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever look at me that way,” he breathes. “You’re always chasing guys who treat you like crap. Meanwhile, I’m here, dying every time you tell me about them, and all I want to do is tell you they don’t deserve you.”

“You should’ve said something.”

“I was scared.” His voice rises slightly, then softens again. “I didn’t want to ruin what we had. But tonight… when you said that…”

He pauses, then lets out a soft breath.

“I wanted to kiss you so bad I forgot how to breathe.”

Your eyes soften. You shift closer.

“Then don’t forget now.”

He stares at you.

And then he kisses you.

It’s tentative at first — almost like he doesn’t believe it’s happening — but it grows, slow and sure and full of everything he’s held back for so long.

When you pull apart, you press your forehead against his and whisper,

“You know you can come through the door next time, right?”

He grins. “Where’s the fun in that?”

౨ৎ Sunoo - If only you knew

You don’t say anything when the door swings open.

You just step inside, drop your purse on the floor, and crawl straight onto the couch face-down, muffling a scream into the cushions.

There's silence.

Then the sound of slippers shuffling quickly across hardwood.

Then:

“Oh no. Which flavor of man failed you this time?”

You peek out of the couch to see Sunoo standing over you in an oversized sweatshirt, hair in a clip, face cream still dotted on his cheeks like he was mid-self-care ritual when you texted the dreaded “can I come over”.

You groan. “The worst one.”

He gasps. “Worse than finance bro?”

“Worse than vape in the Uber guy.”

“Girl.”

“I know.”

Sunoo lets out the most offended noise you've ever heard and immediately shuffles toward the kitchen. “I’m making tea. And I’m putting on that sad cottage movie you like. You’re not allowed to argue.”

You don’t.

You just melt further into the couch and let yourself exhale.

Because somehow, Sunoo always knows exactly what to do when the world feels heavy.

By the time the kettle whistles, you’ve been tucked in with three blankets and a stuffed animal you pretend isn’t yours.

Sunoo returns with a tray of snacks, two mugs of tea, and a disgusted look on his face.

“So what did he do? Tell me everything. I’m ready to judge.”

You shake your head. “He… didn’t even try, Nuu.”

He sets the tray down and climbs onto the couch beside you. “Try what?”

“To know me. To see me. I spent half the night trying to think of things to talk about. It felt like I was trying to impress someone who couldn’t care less.”

Sunoo's eyes narrow. “Should I fight him?”

You let out a laugh — small, watery.

He leans his head on your shoulder. “You know you’re not hard to love, right?”

You stay quiet.

Sunoo reaches for your hand under the blanket and squeezes it. “Some people just don’t know what they’re holding until it’s gone.”

You glance at him, heart aching.

He’s right here. Warm and thoughtful and sharp as ever. He always has been.

And somehow, you whisper it before you can think better of it.

“I wish guys were more like you…”

You feel him tense.

He sits up, blinking, and nearly spills the tray trying to set his cup down.

You blink back. “Nuu?”

“Did you mean that?” he says quickly, voice just slightly higher than usual.

“I—yeah?”

He just stares at you, lips parted, like his brain has fully exited the building.

You sit up. “Why does that freak you out so much?”

Sunoo clears his throat, crosses his legs, and clasps his hands like he's giving a TED talk to himself. “No no I’m fine. Totally calm. Just casually losing my mind that the person I’m in love with just said that.”

You blink. “Wait. What.”

He freezes.

You gape. “You’re in love with me??”

“OH MY GOSH,” he says, loudly, throwing a pillow over his own face. “FORGET I SAID THAT—”

“Nuu!” You pull the pillow away and stare at him, heart pounding.

He groans. “I didn’t mean to blurt it out, okay?! It’s not like I planned to tell you after a garbage date like some B-list plot twist—”

“You’re in love with me?”

He falters, looks at you properly — flushed, anxious, but still so Sunoo.

“…Yeah,” he whispers. “I’ve been in love with you for a while.”

Your chest tightens.

“You… never said anything.”

He gives a tiny, shy shrug. “You were always dating someone. I didn’t want to confuse things. Or ruin us.”

“But you always—” Your voice cracks. “You always take care of me.”

He smiles sadly. “Because I want to. Because you deserve someone who actually shows up when it counts.”

You look at him — really look at him — and suddenly, all the late nights, all the surprise coffee deliveries, all the “I brought your favorite just because” texts make perfect, blinding sense.

And suddenly, this feels like the only real thing you’ve ever known.

“I think…” you whisper, “I’ve been in love with you too. I just didn’t let myself believe it.”

Sunoo blinks, stunned.

“You what?”

“I kept waiting for someone who’d treat me like you do,” you murmur, leaning in. “I just didn’t think that person could be you.”

“Why not?! I’m amazing!”

You laugh through a tear.

He grins, then cups your face with both hands. “You’re an idiot,” he says, but so fondly it makes your stomach flip.

Then, very softly, “Can I kiss you now?”

You nod, heart in your throat.

He kisses you like he’s waited a lifetime — careful, steady, warm. When he pulls away, you’re still smiling.

He brushes your hair behind your ear and whispers, “You’re never going to cry over another date again.”

“Because you’re going to fight them?”

“No.” He grins. “Because you’re done dating losers. You’re dating me now.”

౨ৎ Jungwon - What took you so long 

You don’t expect anyone to be waiting when you get home.

Your date was forgettable in the worst way — vague answers, barely-there eye contact, the kind of guy who asked questions only to talk about himself. You left early and walked home alone under a gray sky, the city lights blurred through a curtain of drizzle.

You don’t text anyone. You don’t want to talk. You just want the night to be over.

So when you push open your apartment door and find Jungwon sitting on your couch, hoodie sleeves pulled over his hands and a small box of takeout on his lap, you stop in your tracks.

He looks up casually. “You didn’t answer my texts.”

You blink. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”

“I figured you’d need me.”

The way he says it — need me — sinks under your skin like something dangerous.

You walk in slowly, wet hair dripping onto your shirt, and collapse onto the couch beside him without a word.

“I brought your favorite,” he adds, offering the box. “That noodle thing you get when you’re upset but pretending not to be.”

You take it silently, the warmth of the container grounding you.

He doesn’t ask what happened. He doesn’t have to.

A while later, you’re curled up together under the same blanket, the food half-eaten and a soft playlist humming through the room. You’re both quiet, the way you always are when things get too heavy to name.

You tilt your head toward him.

Jungwon’s watching the rain trail down the window, his profile lit faintly by the glow of the streetlights. One arm rests behind your head, casual but close enough that your shoulders touch. Always close. Always almost.

“You know,” you say softly, “you’d make the perfect boyfriend.”

He blinks.

Then — too quickly — he shifts.

The blanket slips from his shoulder as he moves to set his drink down, knocking over a napkin in the process. He fumbles it. Misses. Swears quietly under his breath.

You blink. “You okay?”

“Fine,” he mumbles. Then, softer, “Just… surprised you’d say that.”

You smile faintly. “Why?”

He doesn’t answer right away. His eyes flick toward yours, unreadable. “Because you’re always chasing guys who aren’t me.”

The words land like a pin dropped in a still room.

You stare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jungwon lets out a long breath, then looks at you fully — not shy, not sarcastic, not teasing. Just… honest.

“It means I’ve been here this whole time,” he says quietly. “Watching you get your heart broken over and over and wishing you’d just look at me.”

Your heart lurches.

“Jungwon…”

“I didn’t say anything because I thought maybe you already knew,” he continues, voice barely above a whisper. “But tonight, when you said that—when you said that—I couldn’t not say it anymore.”

You don’t speak. You’re not sure you can.

“I know I’m quiet about how I feel,” he murmurs. “But I show up. I always show up for you. Because I love you. And I’ve been loving you quietly for so long, I don’t know how to stop.”

Something cracks open in your chest.

You reach out, almost without thinking, fingers brushing his wrist. “I think I’ve always loved the way you love me,” you whisper. “I just didn’t realize that’s what it was.”

He exhales shakily.

And then — like gravity pulling him forward — he leans in, resting his forehead against yours. His voice is soft, barely trembling:

“I’ve been yours for a long time.”

You whisper, “Then maybe it’s time I caught up.”

౨ৎ Ni-ki - Not just a phase

The rain has stopped by the time you make it to his place.

You’re soaked anyway — not just from the weather, but from the date that ended in a fight over whether your standards were “too high.”

You didn’t cry this time.

Not until you walked home in the drizzle and realized how tired you were of pretending the bare minimum was enough.

You’re still blinking away the sting when the door swings open.

Ni-ki stands there in a hoodie and pajama pants, hair messy from sleep, one wireless headphone still in. He blinks once. Takes in your face.

Then without a word, he grabs your wrist and pulls you in.

“You look cold,” he mumbles, already guiding you toward the couch. “Sit. I’ll get the fluffy blanket.”

You don’t even argue. You just drop onto the cushions and watch as he disappears down the hall.

You don’t remember when it started—this instinct he has. This quiet caretaking. One second you’re friends who bicker over cereal brands and game scores, and the next he’s handing you tissues without asking. Wrapping you in the same blanket he used to cocoon himself in during movie nights. Like you’ve always belonged here, even if no one ever said it.

Ni-ki returns with the blanket and throws it over your shoulders, his hands lingering for a second too long.

He doesn’t ask what happened.

He just sits beside you, legs sprawled out, staring ahead like he’s waiting for you to speak.

So you do.

“I don’t think I’m cut out for dating.”

He glances at you. “That bad?”

You nod. “It’s like… I want something real. But everyone I meet makes me feel stupid for asking.”

Ni-ki stays quiet for a second.

Then: “They’re the stupid ones.”

You glance over. “What?”

He shrugs. “For not seeing it. For not recognizing you’re the kind of person people should want.”

Your heart stutters.

He doesn’t look at you when he says it. His eyes are on the floor, hands fidgeting with the drawstring of his hoodie.

You laugh weakly. “Why can’t I just date someone like you?”

His whole body stiffens.

You blink. “Ni-ki?”

He moves too fast. Reaches for the glass on the table. Misses. Knocks it over. It clatters loudly — empty, but loud enough to make you jump.

“Shit—” He rushes to grab it. “I—sorry, sorry. I wasn’t expecting—”

“What did I say?” you ask slowly.

He freezes with the glass in his hand. Doesn’t look at you.

You sit up straighter. “Ni-ki.”

He exhales hard, then sets the glass down. “You can’t say stuff like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not fair.”

You stare. “What do you mean?”

Finally — finally — he turns to you. And his eyes are bare.

Not guarded. Not teasing. Just real.

“Because I’ve spent years trying to convince myself that this—” he gestures between you “—was just a phase. That eventually you’d stop showing up at my place with tears in your eyes. That I’d stop wondering what it would be like to be the one you chose.”

You go silent.

Ni-ki lets out a small laugh, bitter and soft. “But I never got over you. I don’t think I ever will.”

Your throat tightens. “You never said anything.”

“Because I didn’t want to ruin it. I didn’t want to lose you just because I caught feelings first.”

You can’t believe what you’re hearing.

The Ni-ki who made fun of your bad taste in ramen. Who used to walk you home in high school just because. Who showed up at every breakup with your favorite snacks and a movie cued up. That Ni-ki has been in love with you this whole time?

“I didn’t think you’d ever feel the same,” he murmurs.

You whisper, “What if I do?”

He stops breathing.

You reach for his hand, threading your fingers through his — slowly, carefully, like you’re afraid he’ll disappear.

“I think I’ve been trying to find pieces of you in everyone I’ve dated,” you say quietly. “But no one comes close.”

Ni-ki swallows hard. “You’re serious?”

You nod.

The quiet between you stretches — long and full of something new. Something changing.

Then he whispers, “Can I kiss you?”

You nod again.

So he does.

And it’s everything — every unsaid word, every held breath, every day he stood at your side wondering what it would feel like to be wanted back. His hands are gentle. His lips are soft and searching. And when he pulls away, his voice is the quietest it’s ever been.

“I’ve always been yours,” he whispers.

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