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midnightmoonkiss · 5 years ago

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Valentine’s Bliss

Midoriya Izuku X Fem! Reader

Summary: The day of love certainly is meant to be spent together. When plans fall through, though, thanks to the busy life of heroes, maybe a relaxing bath will make up for it.

WARNINGS!: Hanjobs! So, 18+ !

Category: Smut

Word Count: 6k+

Just To Clarify:

Reader is female

This occurs after UA

A/N: This is late. I know. I’m sorry ahhhnbgng.

Water cascaded down you, enveloping you in it's oh-so refreshing warmth as you took a self-proclaimed much needed shower. Lyrics to a song you weren’t entirely familiar with tumbled past your lips, filling the silence as you rubbed soap down your legs.

The night was young, yet the sun had far passed the horizon, it’s sister the moon taking it’s radiant place and covering the world in sleepy darkness.You could only assume the dazzling pink, white and red lights put out for this month casted the city of Musutafu in a more romantic glow.

This glorious Valentines Friday was winding down to an end, almost reaching 9:00PM now. Even if you’d much prefer to spend the entirety of it with your boyfriend, you knew he was a busy man these days - well on his way to being a pro-hero. He was quite the ambitious young man, but he worked too hard sometimes - even if he was still a sidekick. They always did the grunt work, or the work the pro’s didn't feel like really doing.

A longing sigh bubbled in your throat, head tilted up as the pouring water rinsed suds from your lower body. It was a nice feeling, almost drowning in the liquids intoxicating touch.

Originally, you were supposed to have dinner at a restaurant of your choosing a few hours ago to celebrate the worldwide couples holiday, but alas.. You had to be understanding. He was called in last minute for a small bank heist, after all. Time is money?

In all honesty, you felt bad for the poor guy. Who knew climbing the ranks could be so tedious? Certainly him more so than you.You’d always support him, though. Forever his number one fan. Hell, it’d be a lie if you said you hadn’t picked up any merch fellow fans made of him, even helping produce some realistic art thanks to him being the actual model of them. Maybe even some drawings that would stay for your eyes only.

Lost in your thoughts, as all showers tend to make people do, you fail to hear the sound of the front door opening and closing. There was an apparent noise of someone stumbling through the apartment, but you were still none the wiser - for now you began humming a soft melody instead of openly singing. You forgot the rest of the lyrics, anyway.

Just as you were about finished with your shower, a sudden knock on the door caused you to squeak - senses on high alert and completely ready to grab the knife you kept in the shower with you.

“Princess? Are you taking a shower?” A tired, muffled, yet heart-warmingly familiar voice called through the locked wooden door. Relief flooded through you, body instantly relaxing as you simply stood under the water. Though his voice was obscured by not only the wood, but the noisy shower you’re in, it wasn’t too hard to tell he didn't sound like himself.

He didn’t most days, anyway. Always so tired when he’d come home this late. He did have to leave extremely early in the morning, anyway. Your poor heros sleep schedule was far too wack for the strenuous activities he did for his job.

“Izu, honey? You sound tired.” You stated, rinsing the conditioner you left to sit in out of your (H/L), (H/C) hair.

“I am tired..” Izuku muttered almost inaudibly, a thump on the door making you assume he placed his forehead there or leaned his back against it.

Chewing on your lip in worry, you turned off the shower, squeezing water out of your hair as you stepped out onto a bath mat. Moments later, and much to your boyfriends surprise, you opened the door, wrapped in a pretty (f/c) towel. Unluckily to him, but lucky to you, he was indeed leaning against the door, so you have the pleasure of having him stumble into your arms.

Staring up into his green eyes, it was easy to tell they came back to life again, a spark shining in them at the sight of you.

“(Y-Y/N)-” He stuttered, a pretty pink blush settling on his freckled cheeks. It was so adorable how shy he still is, despite being in a relationship for years and doing some downright dirty things with each other. How cute.

(S/C) hand reaching up, you softly cupped his face, bringing him down for a quick peck on the lips, to which he gladly returned. Though his lips were chapped, no doubt from probably shouting at villains the way he always does - that paired with the cold night air, they were still pleasant to kiss. They held traces of vanilla, perhaps a cupcake he had eaten before?

“You’re very tense..” Your hands, now moving up and down his arms, could feel the tight muscles beneath your fingertips. He needed a break. That much was clear. You both had the weekend off.. perhaps the two of you could do something? For now..

Every-observant (E/C) examined his face, dark bags peaking through his skin under those large eyes.

“How about we take one of those baths together?” You ponder aloud, a well meaning smile making its way onto your face.

True, you had just come out of the shower, but that doesn’t mean you couldn't take a bath. Especially given how long it took to set one up, your skin would have plenty of time to rejuvenate in that long time span - as well as giving your boyfriend a moment to have a breather on the bed.

“That.. that would be great.. ” He sighed with a smile of his own as he dropped his head on your shoulder, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your wet neck.

You giggled, turning to press a sweet kiss to his head whilst his big arms held you closer to his toned body.

“Careful now~ You might make my towel drop!”

“You act as if that’d be a bad thing, love.” He whispered huskily against your skin as you whined in embarrassment, your own teasing tactics failing miserably.

“Didn’t you just shower, though?” He questioned, common sense seemingly just hitting his tired head, “and I took a shower before coming home, too..”

“It was one of those mandatory quick five minute showers, wasn’t it?” You deadpanned,

“Well. Yes..”

“Those are in no way relaxing. We are going to take a bath together,” You picked his head up off your shoulder, pressing your foreheads together, “and you're going to like it like you always do. You need a break, hun.”

“Alright..” He breathed, eyes lidding as he lazily smiled. There was no fighting with you when your mind was set, that much he knew. Not that he’d want to protest, a bath sounds heavenly to his sore muscles right now.

“I’ll set it up, you go get us some clothes for after and sit down.” Even if your tone was commanding, Izuku knew your words held no bite. They never did. Always so soft and gentle to him.. The best lover he could ask for. With that, he nodded, making his way out of the steamy bathroom to gather clothes and relax for a bit on the bed.

With a determined nod, you tightened the towel around your body to keep it from slipping as you left the door wide open to air out your showers steam.

Right! So, today is Valentines day! Meaning, you’d need an extra special bath. Of course, Izuku didn’t need to know that.

It’s going to be a surprise!

Knowing him, he’ll probably fall asleep while waiting, relying on you to awaken him from his slumber with a sugary sweet kiss.

Until that time comes, which couldn't be soon enough since kissing that man was more addicting than any drug, you’d need to work extra hard to make this day come to a nice close for your hero.

Thus began your plan that wasn’t really a plan - you were making things up as you went.

Turning the bathroom heater on low, knowing how hot it’d get in this surprisingly large space, you began wiping down spots of condensation. Living in a semi-large apartment with your boyfriend was a blessing and a curse at times. Curse because.. That’s a lot of space to clean.

A blessing because more space means.. Well, more space!

Digging through the bathroom cabinet, you rummaged through luxury items, pulling out peppermint essential oil and a shea butter moisturizing epsom salt mixture. Ah, luxury.

Peppermint was always a nice thing to relax in after a troubling week, the scent of it really opening your nose up!

Maybe?

You shrugged, setting the two containers down next to the bathtub beside the shower. Originally, having the two seperate seemed like a waste of space, but nowadays - after settling in over the past few months - it seemed completely reasonable. Hell, you and Izuku could be bathing at the same time if you so wish.

Even if you’d rather do it together, sometimes it’s just nice to be alone for a second without really being physically alone.

Plugging up the pristine white bath drain, you sprinkled some of the salt mixture in whilst running hot water, mixing it as it filled up and ignoring the burn.

It was going to sit for a while anyway, having it the perfect temperature right away would be a waste.

Once it was filled, a few drops of peppermint were added before another mixing spell.

Now it was truly time to set things up.

Rummaging through the cabinet under the sink, you grabbed the container of rose petals bought earlier in the week, as well as two sets of white candles in a red glass.

Yes, yes!

It was all so exciting, the romantic fantasy bath people would dream of on Valentines day!

It was a good thing you had bought chocolate, too! Though, of course, corporate corruption and high quality always made such treats hard to purchase except for rare occasions.

Giving your man exactly what he needs on the most loving day of the year - who wouldn’t be giddy over it? He deserved it. Not only was he your hero, but he was also your king, just as you were his queen.

The love you held for him burned inside your lungs with every breath you took.

Never before could you have imagined your life anyway else, not since you first laid your eyes on the cute second year student at UA four years ago.

A support class student and a hero class student, what a trope.

You giggled at the memory of how you met as you placed candles all around the tub and bathroom.

You were a first year at the time, having just entered the school with a new batch of newbies and already on the start of something great in your technical classes. You just so happened to be helping aid a second year - Mei Hatsume - with testing out her ‘new’ boots. Really, they weren’t new, they were just improved rocket boots that she had already invented before. It was like that marketing scheme companies used, ‘new and improved.’

Either way, helping out would get you extra credit on an upcoming test, and hell if you were going to miss out on such an opportunity - despite not actually needing it as you’d discover the following week

It was a simple task, really, put the boots on and test them out. She wanted the boots to have more thruster power, previously only being able to get a meter or so in the air.

The moment she turned them on, though, you were like Tony Stark trying out his new suit for the first time.

Screams ripped from your throat as you flew sporadically around the room, zero control of the boots, much to Mei’s dismay.

Left eyebrow twitching in annoyance at that part of the memory, you began delicately placing petals everywhere, including in the bathtub and making a path from the door to it.

You’d meet the famous ‘Deku’ moments later, when he kicked down the door Mei had apparently locked, drawn to the room after hearing your screams echo down an empty hallway.

Embarrassment had flooded through your being, unable to stop screaming as you desperately tried holding down your wild green skirt as you flew through the air like a headless chicken.

Any conversations held between the two on the floor slipped by your ears, all you could hear was yourself and the roar of the mad boots keeping your feel in a death grip.

Then, time stopped as two two warm arms wrapped around your body, green sparks flashing about your vision. It all happened too fast to truly comprehend it, but he had somehow gotten your boots off in a span of two seconds before bouncing down two walls to the floor with your shaking body held against his muscular chest.

Thus bringing forth the term of endearment, “My hero..”

True, he was a hero already, but at the time he was a hero in training, but the words still left a great impact on Izuku at that time. For a student to be referred to as a hero already, that was big! At least, that’s what he told you years later.

You didn’t start dating until just after Izuku’s graduation. He wanted to set in stone his feelings before he’d lose the chance too, and it was a blessing for the both of you when you had said yes. He cried a waterfall.

It was a nice memory to look back on. You hummed in appreciation as you set the last petal down, always finding yourself caught up in memories and such when given quiet time to yourself.

Then again, it was the day of love, it was hard not to be consumed with thoughts of your beloved boyfriend.

Grabbing your phone, you connected it to a speaker, turning on some classical music to truly set a romantic atmosphere.

Walking to the door, you looked back at your hard work.

Mhm!

All that was left was getting a table for the candies.. And.. wine, perhaps? Ah, why the hell not. Up the ante, relax to the fullest!

With pep in your step, you held the slipping towel to your body as you reached for the chocolate you had hidden in the fridge - chocolate was better cold, anyway - and a bottle of vidal-fleury beaumes de venise muscat 2013, a dessert wine that came at an affordable price. Quality is everything! Who said a cheap wine can’t be good? God, maybe.

Hands full, you made your way back to the bathroom, placing the items on the floor to go out and grab a bath-side table you kept in a broom closet. It was pearly white. All you needed now were some wine glasses and a plate to put the chocolates all on.

By the time everything was all set up, the bathroom was glowing, and your body ached with desire to finally step into the waters that cooled down to the perfect temperature.

Now all that was left was to wake a sleeping Izuku.

Tiptoeing into the room over to the man who had his legs over the side of the bed as his upper half laid like a starfish on the bed, you leaned over him, admiring his cute resting face.

So relaxed.

You almost felt bad about having to wake him up.. Though, he’d be more upset if you didn’t.

Sighing through your nose, you pressed gentle kisses all around his face, watching as his eyelids fluttered and nose twitched as he was brought from his nap.

“Mmm.. hello, princess.” With a sleepy smile, he leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to your lips.

“All done?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes whilst sitting up.

You hummed, grabbing his hand, as well as the clothes he picked out for the two of you and pulling him to the bathroom.

“Still, in that towel I see.” Izuku observed, no doubt a blush on his cheeks again.

“We’ll I’m about to be in a lot less, dear~” and so the teasing began again.

“Oh boy, is it my birthday?” You both laughed, standing outside the door.

Turning around, wrapped your arms around his neck, bringing his large frame down to your height to whisper hotly in his ear, “It may not be, but I do expect to see you in your birthday suit.”

Shivers went down his spine, finding himself speechless.

“Now, I’m going to go in first, and then when I call you, you can come in. Okay?” Smiling playfully, you booped his nose, opening the door but positioning yourself so he couldn’t see inside.

Messy green curls bounced as his head tilted to the left in confusion, but agreeing nonetheless.

Slipping into the bathroom, you dropped the towel from your body, placing your clothes on a rack along with fresh towels and dimming the light. The room was casted in a warm glow thanks to the candles.

Dipping a toe into the bath, you hummed in contemptment, slowly sinking your body into the soothing water. Grabbing a two scrunchies behind you, you put your hair in a messy bun. All was well and good.

“Izuku~” You sang his name, a smile at your lips as you watched the door slowly open.

He shuffled inside, closing and locking the door behind him before turning around.

It was amusing to see his jaw drop, eyes growing to the size of saucers. Pride swelled in your chest the longer he stood there shell shocked.

“Well?”

Your voice brought him back to reality, realizing this indeed was not a sleepy dream.

“Honey… you did all this?” A breathy laugh accommodated his words.

“All for you, my love.”

A shy smile spread on his face, “Thank you, (Y/N)..”

“You’re quite welcome, big boy. Now come here~ I miss you.”

He groaned, hands covering his red face, already so flustered, your words only adding to that.

You knew the effects you had on him! How cruel.

“C-could you look away..?” The request didnt surprise you at all, so you nodded, letting your eyes slip closed as you listened to the shuffle of clothes

It was hard for him to feel insecure around you, years of praise wrapping his insecurities into a ball and throwing it into the trash. No, he was just a bit overwhelmed. He was still that shy boy you met back in UA at heart, something you secretly wish would never go away.

His shyness was apart of him, and you fully embraced and welcomed it - even if you did help him build a lot of confidence for him.

The water swayed around you as what you would assume to be his leg entered the water.

“Do you need help? The tub is a bit slippery-” You warned before being cut off,

“No, no! I’m oka- ah!”

He shrieked, and your eyes flew open just in time to witness your beefy boyfriend slip and fall onto you.

You wheezed from a combination of amusement and the fact his head crashed onto your chest.

“Are you okay?” You felt bad from laughing, but it was easy to tell that he was fine from his own loud laughter joining yours.

“Y-yes.. Haha.. sorry..”

While pulling at his ear like a mother would to her misbehaving child, you scolded, “See~? I told you it was slippery!”

“You’re right, you’re right, I should have listened to you.” Viridescent eyes stared up into your own, the flames dancing in them.

“It’s alright. I forgive you.” wrapping your arms under his, you pulled him up further on your body so that his head wasn't almost covered in water, that and so his legs had more space despite still having to be bent, “Just this once!”

He chuckled, leaning back against you.

Sitting there for a moment, you both just took in each others presence, as well as letting the water relax you.

“I like these rose petals..” Izuku started, scarred hand coming up to pick one up and look at it, “How much were these?”

His concern was endearing, of course rose petals - especially fresh, real ones - were not cheap. Though, he didn’t need to know that.

You nipped his ear, eliciting a sharp gasp from him at the sensation, “It’s valentine's day, no asking about prices.”

“Bu-”

“Izuku.”

“Yes ma’am.” He turned to stick his tongue out at you, to which you took ahold of the moment and kissed it.

It instantly shot back in his mouth, another blush taking over his cheeks.

“(Y/N)..!” He whined. So cute.

“Yes, dear? Would you like some chocolate?”

“Gah!!” He huffed, but nodded his head ‘yes.’

His childish antics brought a grin to your face, hand lifting from the water and dripping as you wiped your hand on a towel before grabbing a dark chocolate.

Biting into one half of it, you plopped the other into the green haired man's awaiting mouth, watching as he hummed in satisfaction at it’s rich flavor before swallowing.

With the other half of the chocolate still in your mouth, you turned your head to sweetly kiss him.

He quickly realized what he assumed was an innocent kiss would not turn out to be as such the moment he felt your chocolate-chilled tongue drag across his bottom lip.

He opened his mouth without hesitation, gasping through his nose as you pushed what he assumed was the other half of the dark chocolate into his mouth.

Had you not shared food like this many times before, it probably would’ve grossed him out.

Whilst his mouth and mind were distracted by your tongue and bittwer-sweet chocolate, your hands massaged at his arms, hoping to take some more tension away from them.

If you could kiss every inch of his skin at this moment, you would, but you’d much rather continue to draw out small moans of appreciation through locking lips with him as your tongues danced and caressed each other.

His personality was amazing, the main reason you fell in love with him, but damn if his body wasn’t a mega plus.

Hot breaths mingled together, mind starting to fuzz from the heat of the bath and the intensity of the now desperate kiss.

“I missed you so much today..” Izuku panted, momentarily parting from the kiss to take a breather before once again smashing his kiss-slicked lips against your own.

Your hands dragged across his chest, left thumb swiping across a sensitive nipple. His body jolted against you, groaning into the kiss as if begging for more, and you were all too willing to indulge.

To hell with sweetness, the night of Valentine’s day was all about something else, wasn’t it?

Thumb and index finger rolled the wet, perky bud between them, occasionally pulling at the sensitive flesh. He could feel your own nipples hardening against his back with every keen spilling from him, muffled by your lips.

His body tensed when an exploratory right hand dragged its way down his thigh, massaging his hip.

Thanks to the clear water, you had the pleasure of watching from the corner of your eye as his member slowly rose up - he was none the wiser. Completely oblivious, eyes having slipped closed the moment the kiss began.

The muscles in his leg twitches beneath your fingertips as you dragged them up and down his inner thigh.

The stress from the past few weeks built up in his system, and the sudden desire to come undone from you and you alone swirled in his gut.

Patience was something he always prided himself on, but between the stress, your hot mouth bringing mind boggling kisses, and light touches seemingly inching closer and closer to his hardness, his patience was wearing thin much quicker than usual.

Breaking the kiss once again, a small string of saliva momentarily connecting you both, he pleaded, “Princess.. please... touch me..” He grimaced at how desperate he sounded, end indulging in the sweltering heat resting on his cheeks and shoulders

“Mm~?” you began, smirking at his red face, tracing an index finger down his prominent V line, ever so close to where he was begging to be touched. The rubbing on his nipple only offered so much..

“Are you sure?”

His hips twitched in wanting desire,

“Yes.. yes please”

He buried his face into the crook of your neck in embarrassment.

He didn’t usually get so worked up so quickly! Damn this romantic setting!

He gasped against your skin as your hand finally gripped the base of his still hardening cock.

“My my..”

“G-guuuh!”

His legs instinctively threw themselves open wide as your hand began slowly pumping his length, oil infused water offering a different type of slickness, purposely avoiding his tip which no doubt was leaking and defusing into the water.

“Someone is excited.” It was astounding how worked up he already was, but your boy had always been the sensitive to touch type, that, and a helpless romantic.

The dimmed lights and the burning candles no doubt being one of the causes of this.

Not that you minded. It was always a pleasure hearing your very vocal boyfriend moan like a slut into your ear.

Though you were giving as a lover, it was hard to control that..more sinister side of you when it came to these moments. While all you wanted to do was give him whatever he desired, the noises he would make when begging for more attention than what we was getting always made you more hot and bothered than what you should be.

He had such an effect on you, just as you did him.

Plus, you were always a fan of taking things slow when he wanted to speed things up. Sometimes he’d get his way, but tonight? Only time could tell, but for now you’d take your sweet time.

You knew it drove him into a state of lustful madness, and with the newfound determination sparkling in your (E/C) eyes as you stared down his heaving body, you knew you wouldn't have it any other way.

His mouth fell wide open, hot puffs of breath leaving him as his head threw itself back onto your shoulder with each languid stroke.

You couldnt help but leave wet kisses on his sensitive neck, nipping and licking your way down to his sweet spot.

“(Y-Y/N)..!” He squeaked between his stream of whines the moment you latched on, body momentarily arching back against yours.

The vibrations against his sweaty skin as you moaned against it sent shivers down his spine.

A particular rough nip to the abused flesh, paired with your strokes speeding up for a second, had him choking on a moan, knees shaking.

The sound of water sloshing around your hand and the sweet moans and whimpers leaving your precious boyfriend completely overpowered the soft music playing in the background.

Who cares, anyway? The sounds this man makes is infinitely better.

Especially when you..

“Wah?!” He cried out as your hand left his erect dick completely, instead moving down to fondle his neglected balls.

Kissing your way back up his neck, you could clearly see the tears collecting in his eyes as his hips thrusted wantonly in the water. While he did enjoy a good massage at his tightening balls, he’d prefer the attention elsewhere tonight..

“Y-you’re such a tease!” He sputtered, voice raising an octave as he moved his own hand to try and grab himself.

You clicked your tongue at this, both hands completely leaving his body to grab his arms. “N-no, please” He begged, already knowing what was to come.

How unfair!

He could fight against it, easily win, but he honestly didn’t want to.

Izuku Midoriya loved this, as much as he acted like he didn’t. He enjoyed having no control, being teased until tears were streaming down his burning cheeks and his cock was aching for release.

Reaching behind you, holding wiggling wrists in one hand above your heads, you grabbed a pair of soft handcuffs you always kept nearby.

“You should know better by now, Deku,” he shuttered, heart skipping a beat as your alluring voice drawled out his hero name, “you don’t get to touch yourself unless I give you permission to do so.”

Snapping each cuff onto his wrists, double checking to make sure they weren’t uncomfortably tight, you attached the middle of the cuffs to a snap hook attached to the wall. How great they were for keeping your lovers arms up, and so easy to move around, too!

It was impossible to not kiss those strong arms as you started jerking him off again, this time even slower but with a tighter grip.

He struggled against the restraints for no reason other than his body wanting to lurch forward with each twist up and down his throbbing shaft.

It was almost too lewd.

The bathroom was all dolled up to be romantic and cute, but yet here he was, wiggling against his girlfriend as the moans and whines he let out bounced off the walls in embarrassing echoes.

But he didn’t care.

“Fah-faster!” You were going far too slow for his immediate liking, all he wanted was to explode as soon as possible but he knew that wouldnt happen. You loved taking your sweet time.

There was always a debate in his mind of if he should give in, beg you for more just so he could finally be pampered the way he wanted. To be pampered or to be teased? Such a hard question to answer half the time. He wanted both!!

But it was a game to you, it always was.

And it’s embarrassing to admit just how much that turned him on.

Always left questioning as to when you’ll give him what he wanted. Straight away was nice, but being given that pleasure unannounced was even sweeter.

In battle, he could predict his opponents moves half the time using logic, but with you? You were an enigma.

Deciding to give in, just a little, your thumb pressed harshly down on that throbbing vein on the underside of his flushed cock, all the way up and under his tip to brush against the oozing slit.

He moaned loudly, hips thrusting upon finally getting his touched where he so craved the most - only for it to be stripped away.

Frustration built up in his system as you went back to slowly pumping him

“Now, now~ That’s not how you get what you want, honey.” That sugary sweet voice you always seemed to use when reprimanding him made the boy shiver once more - especially at the implications.

Fuck it.

He wanted more, and he’d do just about anything to get it.

“Please!” He wailed, knees shaking as the first tear fell from his eye and down his cheek, “Please.. Please touch me more!” A sob wracked his body as the dam controlling his almost nonexistent patience broke. “I want it so, so bad princess.. I love you, I love you.!”

You hummed, taking his begging into consideration. To give in, or to not? It was always a hard choice to make, honestly.

But, alas, it was valentines day, wasn’t it?

The day of love.

How could you say no to your baby when he was begging for it? Begging for you?

The tears streaming down his red cheeks hit your neck, and it was then you decided he’d get his way.

Just for tonight.

With your hand that was previously massaging his left thigh, your gripped his chin, turning it towards you so that you may kiss him deeply.

He eagerly returned it, opening his mouth to take in your tongue once more.

He jolted when your hand finally went faster, head flinging back as a slutty, guttural moan tore from him.

“Ahh! Ha-ah!”

You couldnt help but smile as he got louder and louder with each jerk at his cock.

Always such a loud, sensitive boy - another reason to love him. It always felt good to know you were the reason behind his sultry moans.

His face was always breathtaking in these moments, twisting with pleasure.

His jaw hung wide open, a thin trail of drool escaping from the corner as he did nothing to muffle his spine-tingling moans. Just the way you liked it.

He was sweaty from a mixture of the hot room and the heat building up inside his body, a coil no doubt beginning to curl below his stomach. Curly green bangs were plastered to his forehead, cheeks somehow getting darker and darker with every movement you provided.

“Nn.. nngn.! Hah! HaaAAh..”

He could be a pornstar if he so desired with how vocal he was.

It was hard to ignore the need to rub yourself against something as well, desire swirling in your gut, clit throbbing.

Tonight, though, was all about him. Your sweet hero.

Affection sparkled in your (E/C) eyes as you took a moment to press a sweet kiss to his sweaty forehead.

He whined at the innocence of it.

It was easy to tell he was getting surprisingly close to reaching his climax already thanks to the stress of day to day hero work giving little too no time to seek his own pleasure.

What better way to spend his valentines evening?

His legs began shaking, their original stretched opening position coming to a slow, quivering close as his hips began to thrust into your hand.

“(Y-Y/N) I-I-”

He babbled nearly incoherently, each syllable lost by the moans erupting from him.

Regardless, those closing legs were making it increasingly hard to move fluidly up and down his shaft, especially with how gloriously thick there are.

You lifted your legs, which were to the side of his own, from the water, coming up just to move in and out over his legs to press your own thighs flushed against his to keep them wide open. It was an awkward position, but one that worked well enough to help you accomplish your task.

His toned back fully arched against your chest, hips thrusting violently and causing the high levels over water to almost pour over the tubs edge.

A hiss seeped through a suddenly clenched jaw, leaking tip breaking the surface, meeting the colder air with each thrust.

It gave you the perfect opportunity to use your other hand to rub at the angry red head.

Izuku sounded like a bitch in heat, moans so loud you briefly feared the neighbors just might be able to hear him thanks to the loud, echo-y room.

“B-bout t- to-! ha~!”

The skin around his squeezed shut eyes seemed to crinkle more and more with each passing second, face screwing up the closer he got, arms pulling harshly at his restraints.

He was oh so painfully hard, cock practically burning, stomach so tight and balls feeling so full that he felt as if he was going to quite literally explode.

“Iloveyou! I lov- Gahnn ! MHH! Love you! I love y- ahh! You!!” his mind felt numb, your skilled hands working wonders on his pent up body.

“M-m- Mor-e!!” He barely managed to slur, tongue poking out the corner of his mouth as his lungs crashed against his chest.

You obliged with a smile, knowing all too well what that scrunching up face meant.

So close

So close..

So sososos close..

So good

Good goodgood

moremore

-!!

His breath hitched, stealing all the air from his hammering chest, body tensing and hips stilling.

A soul wrecking moan tore through his no doubt raw throat, tears spilling down his cheeks as he finally came. A copious amount of hot, thick cum spurted from the tip of his cock that breached the water, splattering on his face, bruised neck, and even on yourself thanks to the angle.

You stared in wonder down at him as he heaved, desperately trying to catch his stuttering breath as he came down from a major high.

“Such a good boy, Izuku~” You purred into his ear, uncuffing him and lighting massaging his strained arms again.

He huffed, pouting as he cracked his watery eyes open, “You tease me too much..”

“Maybe so..”

Blindly reaching beside you, you grabbed a cloth, dipping it in the bath water and wiping both you and Izuku down as he whispered an apology under his breath.

You swept some of his green locks to the side, combing your fingers through the damp, tangled mess.

“But you like it.”

He rolled his eyes at that, smiling, knowing it was the truth but being too shy to actually openly admit it.

“Oh.. is that wine?” Izuku pointed to the two glasses to your side, dripping with condensation.

“Are you just now noticing them? I thought you were more observant than that, Izu~” You couldnt help but giggle at his embarrassed face.

“I! I was too distracted-!” Came his whiny protest, eyes scrunching up again and lips pressing into a straight line.

“Ah, yes. Too distracted by my hand moving up and down your-”

His wet hand came out of the water to shove your face away as you laughed more.

You suddenly stopped, much to Izukus surprise, and grabbed his hand, pressing a kiss to the scarred knuckles.

He opened his eyes, taking in the sincere smile on your face and returning it with one of his own.

“I love you, Izuku Midoriya.”

His heart swelled, smile growing larger, “I love you too, (Y/N) (L/N). Happy Valentines day.”

The night ended with two empty wine glasses and two lovers cuddling on a bed.

Happy (Late) Valentines!

#bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #boko no hero academia #my hero academia #deku x reader #izuku x reader #midoriya izuku x reader #midoriya x reader #izuku midoriya x reader #n/sfw

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austennerdita2533 · 6 years ago

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A/N: My contribution to the KC New Year’s Day Exchange for the lovely Charlotte. (Modern P&Pish/The Hating Game AU + All Human + Romcom Tie-ins)

(AO3)(FF.net)

xx Ashlee Bree

(Spite) of Their Lives

For the past ten months, the routine has been this: Monday through Friday she avoids his eyes, claps back when he crosses a line at the office because it’s only a matter of time before he does something rash and destructive and she has to help fix it - again. Saturday she ignores his emails and text messages. A bevy of unreads she collects like bills, like love letters. However, not because she wants them or anything but so she has an excuse to ream him for his you can’t avoid the devil forever, sweetheart 😈 assholeness later. Like, come on, get a hobby. Or a girlfriend. Or a freaking life outside work already. Seriously. And Sunday…Sunday she reminds herself of all the reasons why he’s the biggest pain in the ass she’s ever met.

A right charming prick, really.

He’s the kind of man who, with a natural blend of arrogance, genteel good looks, cunning, money and rapier’s wit, knows just how to poke and pinch at every last nerve she harbors beneath her skin until she wants to scream. Until she does. Until she’s cursing the name Klaus Mikaelson before her first cup of coffee in the morning and after her last sip of wine before bed at night.

To call him a colleague is a stretch for Caroline. A big one. Let alone a friend, at least not in the conventional sense.

They clash more often than they collaborate on anything, after all: with him demanding speed and severity when it comes to finding ways to cut their competitors off at the neck; and her countering with options that preserve dignity, that allow for diplomacy as well as smooth transitions of power that begin and end with a cordial handshake. Theirs’ is a total conflict in tactic, in personality. A spark of opposition that means business—you know the type. It’s ugly courtesy mixed with innuendo that slides into begrudging respect twenty-four hours a day, fifty-two weeks of the year.

They’re opposites in every sense of the word, but it works.

Together they make for a surprisingly prosperous combination in the corporate world, and it’s one that just so happens to help them rake in diverse clients on top of big bucks revenue.

So where Klaus snarls at almost everyone, Caroline beams. Likewise, where she's poised and reliable in the midst of a crisis, he rages. Sometimes throws things. Expensive things. Once or twice at people’s heads, though that “rumor” lives in the Do Not Discuss Or Else vault with all of those shady concerns about certain members of his family.

Since she’s neither short on smiles nor sociability either, it follows that he tends to be gruff in comparison. Or as most other employees like to whisper, as grouchy as a wealthy Brit has any right to be.

Needless to say then, the muscular tick along his jaw is a measure of his mood. It’s a physical marker to watch for so one knows when it’s okay to broach a sensitive topic with him or when it’s smarter to bow out, zip it, lay low, waiting for a better time to tackle the issue at hand without any measure of solvency. Caroline’s become an expert at dissecting it. That little quirk. She knows precisely what to look for. Figured it out in matter of weeks. Not to boast or anything.

(Hint: the key is in the rapidity with which the tick comes, its root cause. Next comes deducing how long it’s likely to last. Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? Calculate the potential damages. Then follow up accordingly.)

So now she knows to attack in the evenings, negotiate in the afternoons, and relent in the mornings. She’s learned what strategies to unleash on him and when.

Call it an Unwind the Big Bad Prick science, if you will. A crash course on all Mikaelson whims and asshole-isms.

The truth is Caroline’s not afraid to provoke him. To rattle him. She never has been, never will be.

She’ll call bullshit directly. to. his. smug. face. when he deserves a good tongue lashing or needs a simple lesson in civility, which just so happens to be much more often than one would think.

Summa cum laude honors, and unmatched organizational skills aside, she knows that’s one of the reasons why the Mikaelson siblings had Klaus hire her in the first place. She’s the hip check he needs. The temperate balance to his foul, distrusting moods and impulsivity.

There’s an entire arsenal of cutting glares at her disposal for him now. A challenge that sits on the tilt of her nose when they arrive somewhere simultaneously, both intent on being the first in the room. It doesn’t matter where it is, with whom they’re meeting, or why. The point is to compete…to be the one who’s holding the ace in her palm.

She aims to outsmart, outthink, and out win him in as many schemes as possible. In as many days, too, if she can swing it.

It’s how Caroline has come to carry arguments in the strum of her fingers. Wear them in the slight curl of her upper lip when they disagree. Her hair flip’s perfected, a real asset. A true silencer when she needs it to be. Like when he tries to pull rank or won’t listen to logic at all. (Which, again, happens more frequently than it should. May even prompt an eye roll or two. Sometimes three - you know, if the chip on his shoulder starts to burnish gold and he downshifts into being ruthless and impossible again.)

Not to mention the fact that her verbal comebacks slap harder than Klaus’s do since she smiles as she delivers them, the effect as disarming for him as it is satisfying for her—and oh, boy, can she sure deliver a line! Then watch as it lands like a whap across his cheek.

None of that has anything on the swivel of her heels, though. Or the sashay of her retreat which she enacts only once she’s successfully shaved him down a peg or two, knocking his ego back down to planet earth where it belongs. At least for the rest of the day.

It’s safe to expect that it’ll be back in tact by tomorrow - it always is - but she still lives for the dimpled purse of his mouth, anyway. That rough swallow of his Adam’s apple. The sag in his seat which precedes the defensive crossing of his arms that lets her know she’s one-upped him, and he’s impressed. Intrigued. Put out in a way that makes him borderline congratulatory…almost flirtatious, really.

(Except they can’t stand each other so she brushes the latter thought into the back of her brain where it can asphyxiate and die. Like - as soon as possible.)

A backward wave of her hand is the only thing Caroline leaves behind as her red-soled heels click down the hallway afterwards. Headed back toward her own office. Sometimes she steers toward the elevators afterwards because it’s late, because she now has something to gloat about on her ride home.

She prefers to abandon him when he’s at her mercy like that: stunned, speechless, reeling, his head still turning over her last competitive taunt.

It makes him look boyish even though he’s pushing thirty. Pleasantly caught. Not to mention a smidge more attractive than she wants him to be with those rumpled blond curls and abandoned tie, his sleeves cuffed up to the elbows.

Klaus seems to derive some kind of twisted satisfaction from the leveling of odds between them regardless. And why the hell not? So does she.

It’s adrenalizing, plain and simple. A grin always seems to snake its way onto their faces at the same moment. Win or lose. Every time.

Wrapped up in their little game of professional chess, though, Caroline is too full of plans and spite to worry over what that zing she feels between them means.

Klaus is fond of endearments. And he uses them.

A lot.

They tend to be ridiculous at best, his pet names, downright inappropriate at worst. And he knows it. Designs it so, his grin stretching wider at the edges while he gauges her reaction to his latest assignations.

They slide off his tongue freely, suggestively, relentlessly, until they’re an avalanche of “love,” “queenie,” “venomous cupcake,” “Care-ella de Ville” monikers that fly in her direction more often than not as they go toe-to-toe over some work issue or find themselves cloistered together in the Brainstorm Wing, alone, far too long to be considered tolerable.

He talks and teases. She mostly ignores it because she’s focused, determined - a freaking whiz at professionalism - though he does win a scoff every now and again over their electronics.

That’s simply the way it is between them. How it’s always been.

Occasionally Caroline will threaten to set his pants on fire or will offer to drown him in his most expensive bottle of bourbon for extra measure. Anything to shut him up. Anything to curb his persistent interruptions whenever they’re up to their elbows in files, arguing, warding off a loss before an important meeting or a deadline. But it never works. It never sticks.

Seriously, nothing phases him.

The man is either impervious to rebuff of any sort or his encouragement hinges on the one stupid traitorous blush (one!) that seems to accompany any glare Caroline fires in his direction. (A weakness she’s more than desperate to delete from her physiology.) His audacity is incredible to witness in person. Absolutely incredible.

Suspicion rankles in her gut because it’s as if Klaus has no other targets even when there are other associates present, which doesn’t make sense. It’s just her. Just this. Just endless time and opportunity to pun her to death.

Talk about sucks!

Can’t someone else be his designated prey instead? Why her? Why now? How’d she get to be so unlucky as to have to put up with him all the time?

Rifling through documents one evening in late November, forced to work in tandem per their boss and CEO, Elijah’s, request, the two of them nibble on Chinese takeout and work. Bicker. Pour over contracts. Plot strategy in the B-wing late into the morning hours.

“I know you’re loath to admit it, sunshine,” Klaus says with a yawn after they concoct a one-two punch right as the clock strikes three; it’s a killer solution on all fronts, “but you and I are good together. We make a formidable team.”

“Oh, stop with that.”

“Stop with what?”

“You know it annoys me,” she frowns. “Come on.”

“Annoys you? It was an observation, Caroline. I was under the impression those weren’t illegal.”

Tossing her iPad and color-coded notes aside, she runs a lazy hand through her hair before leveling him with a look, “I wasn’t talking about the team comment and you know it.”

“Weren’t you?”

“No.”

“Pity,” Klaus says with a sigh and a stretch, raking her over while amusement dances in his rimmed eyes. “I’d hoped we were on the same page for once.”

“Well, we’re not.”

“Clearly.”

“An apology would be welcome at this juncture, you know. I’m open to hearing one,” she suggests.

“An apology?” Caroline waits. Taps her monogrammed company pen on the table’s ledge. He smirks before unhooking another button at his collar and angles closer. “For what?”

With a huff, “We’ve talked about this and you can’t just—how dare you keep—I—”

“Yes?” Klaus doesn’t say it but another endearment hangs from his smirking lips. It waits to shoot her way any second. “Go on then. State your grievance with me.”

“There’s no point.”

“Why’s that?”

“You already know what it is,” she says.

“Do I now?”

Growing perturbed, she ignores the flutter in her belly under this intense scrutiny, his expression a mixture of steady, sarcastic, and softly admiring. “This whole conversation is ridiculous!”

“Fair point. Though, personally, I disagree.”

“You…” she says, fighting back a blush and a laugh then shaking her head, “you are the actual worst.”

“Funny. That almost sounds like a compliment.”

“It wasn’t meant as one.”

“Perhaps not, sunshine,” he dimples, slumping back casually before interlocking his fingers behind his head, and sighs, “but I’ll take it as such anyway. Just this once.”

Caroline scowls. Flattens her lips. Mumbles something about “endearment harassment.” Resists another blush as well as the urge to strangle him before the paperwork for this deal is done.

Instead she decides to re-send him the Merriam Webster definitions of impertinent and dickhead from her phone again—you know, for clarity’s sake. Then she asks demurely, all eyelashes, her hands folded flat, if Satan has happened to set the date for his coronation into hell yet.

“Why?” Leaning over the armrest with his chair wheels squeaking against the floor, Klaus is all cheek and attentiveness and spicy cologne. “Care to be my escort for the big event?” he says without missing a beat.

With a snort, “In your dreams, Mikaelson. But so help me, if you don’t knock it off and focus so we can finish preparing for this meeting tomorrow, then I promise I’ll find a way for the devil to come and collect you early himself. Got it?”

“Sure thing,” he nods. “Can’t have you wanting to push me off the roof later now, can I?”

“Who’s to say I’m not already tempted?” Caroline mumbles.

He swivels to face her, all levity, with one eyebrow raised. Meanwhile she focuses on organizing their files into separate stacks. “Are you?” he says.

Shrugging, “I wouldn’t push it any further if I were you. Better to be silent but productive than flippant and airborne, don’t you think?”

A chuckle. A soft press of his palm over her wrist.

“Well played, love. I don’t know if hearing that leaves me feeling more wounded or paranoid, but…well played.”

Warm, certain, Klaus’s touch lingers far too long after he draws away.

—Archived Twitter messages from FIERCE AND WE KNOW IT SQUAD group chat on December 5th, 10:42 P.M.

thiskatRAWRS : i said find his celebrity doppelgänger for us, caroline. wtf !!

crowned caroline: i did

thiskatRAWRS: no, you defected. like a coward

crowned caroline: did not!

thiskatRAWRS: did too

thiskatRAWRS: besides, i think we both know there’s a better selection to be had here

enzobites: oh - this outta be good, lusty (or is it katTHRUSTY now?)

thiskatRAWRS: *middle finger emoji*

crowned caroline: ugh. don’t provoke her, okay?

enzobites: bugger me for wondering at Elijah’s reaction to his ladylove’s ranking + assessment

enzobites: of

enzobites: his

enzobites: younger

enzobites: brother’s

enzobites: sex

enzobites: appeal

thiskatRAWRS: i still have eyes, don’t i? just gotta keep my hands to myself. not that it’s anyone’s business but mine and Elijah’s if i do or do not 😼

enzobites: …and you wonder why you were reassigned from HR, love

thiskatRAWRS: *double middle finger emoji*

bonnie-b-is-me: Kat told me Klaus has an up-to-no-good Jude Law look about him. is that semi-accurate, Care?

bonnie-b-is-me: (me = works elsewhere = totes out of loop) :(

crowned caroline: nope

crowned caroline: i stand by my original choice

bonnie-b-is-me: which was?

crowned caroline: *inserts internet meme*

bonnie-b-is-me: 😯

enzobites: wut…why Grumpy Cat?

thiskatRAWRS: i told you ^^^ doesn’t count, pick a human

crowned caroline: but the resemblance is astounding! it’s uncanny, really

crowned caroline: look here, i’ll prove it further: *inserts another three memes, one with a side-by-side photo comparison*

enzobites: wicked Santa hat there, Klausy

bonnie-b-is-me: lmao

crowned caroline: Klaus is literally Grumpy Cat in human form bc 1) he’s surly 2) he’s miserable and repressed af 3) he’s one explosive hiss away from taking another corporate life at all times

bonnie-b-is-me: so let him be known, 4eva more, as Grumpy Corporate Klaus

enzobites: i dig it

enzobites: GCK ftw then, yea? ;)

crowned caroline: 👍🏼

thiskatRAWRS: sorry, but all i’m getting from care’s explanation is “overlooked sex kitten” vibes. so if that’s how you view Klaus then idk how to break this to you, girl, but…

enzobites: BOW CHICKA WOW WOW

thiskatRAWRS: exactly !! one of them is gonna pounce on the other before long—ruffled feathers and all of that meowww

bonnie-b-is-me: bets, anyone?

enzobites: count me in, gorgeous ;)

thiskatRAWRS: ditto

crowned caroline: OMG SHUT UP ALL OF YOU

bonnie-b-is-me: did either of you hear something?

thiskatRAWRS: sounds like denial chirping to me

enzobites: or uh…hate could be their preferred foreplay

crowned caroline: THIS ISN’T FUNNY

bonnie-b-is-me: wouldn’t be the first time

thiskatRAWRS: and def not the last !!

bonnie-b-is-me: *inserts YouTube link to “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande*

crowned caroline: WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM??? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS, WTF

thiskatRAWRS: *inserts “You Can’t Handle the Truth” gif*

enzobites: from the way Klaus verbally paws at Blondie here in the office, to the longing look in his eyes when she speaks (or flirts) with any good-looking bloke who isn’t him, i wager it’s only a matter of time before—

crowned caroline has left the chat

A natural curiosity is there, of course. Call it a fatal flaw. A susceptibility. Whatever.

She’s only human.

No use in haranguing her about it forever, you know?

It’s a passing thought or two when the workload is mounting, when Caroline’s eyes blur numbers into scratchy colors of highlighter and her days are spun into spools of navy blue suits and unsigned contracts and poorly worded emails and coffee cart lattes plus beignets which she needs to keep her standing upright for another few hours or else she’ll peter out mid-sentence, toppling into the nearest chair; only to then find what she craves deposited, like a gift from the gods, onto her desk the exact instant she feels herself deflating into putty. No evidence at all that someone had been there. Not an item out of place. No note attached anywhere.

There’s also that prickle against the base of her neck sometimes. A tingle of awareness that tells her Klaus is either close by or he’s peering at her through the glass walls again, idly. Watching her with some soft and introspective intensity Caroline doesn’t understand let alone question thoroughly.

It’s a collection of moments.

Looks.

Coincidences.

Things that happen by accident because their schedules align - because, for example, they’re seated side-by-side on their way to the New Orleans airport one afternoon to catch a flight back home after closing Gerard Enterprises when the car swerves. The driver’s caught in a blast of turbulent traffic, and without thinking, she crosses the invisible boundary between them to curl against his side, her fingers fisting in his unworn seatbelt. Her head tucks against his clavicle, her eyelashes flicking over the buttons on his shirt. Their breaths heavy but in time.

“Are you alright, love? Are you hurt?” Klaus asks, his mouth burring like an ember against her crown of golden hair.

“I’m okay,” she breathes. In then out. In then out. “Just a little toppled and caught unawares is all,” she adds as his pulse slows beneath her ear, his hand hot on her bicep. “You?”

“Heart in my stomach, woman in my arms, so otherwise fine.”

“Good.”

“Yes - quite.”

Then there are the private conversations Caroline overhears. Like the one where he informs a slimy potential de Martel client the two of them are “a package deal” and that she is “not one to be trifled with, disrespected, or undervalued.” Or another where he confesses to his sister, Rebekah, that they’d “be bloody lost without her here.”

It’s how, any time they cross the street together, Klaus’s hand presses against the small of her back as if he wishes to offer another layer of protection. Almost like it belongs there.

It’s when, after a bout of flu descends like a hammer, leaving her phlegmy, feverish for days, and unable to work, a knock sounds at her door to reveal him standing on the other side. Looking sheepish, a shopping bag full of get well tea and medicinal items hangs from one of his arms while chicken noodle soup is Tupperwared in the other. To top it all off a fresh bouquet of sunflowers perches in the crook of his elbow, which he places in a vase with water before he leaves so she can rest. So she can recover her strength and faculties.

And even though everyone at the office whispers that Klaus only cares about himself, and about what comforts he can afford, Caroline knows he pays the secretaries’ bonuses directly out of his own pocket. He also offers use of his car service when the hour is late or the weather gets too dicey to walk to the subway, so he can’t possibly be that awful, can he? Can he?

These passing thoughts accrue over days, hours, weeks, to leave an imprint large enough to make her wonder. To have her questioning their so-called triviality.

Caroline hates to think it but - freaking hell - what if her friends are right? Is the in like vs. in spite line between her and Klaus really that thin, or is she only now realizing to admit so will change everything in ways she cannot begin to fathom?

Swipe left to descend into Emoville✔️

Swipe right for Distraction City✔️

(Both options suck equally for her, as it turns out.) (So she guilts Enzo into paying for drinks for the next three Saturdays and processes in true Forbes fashion: with lists a’plenty.)

#klaroline #klaroline drabbles #klaroline fanfiction #it's been 84 years #since i last wrote for them #let's hope it's not 84 more #before i do again #ashlee bree's writing endeavors #ashlee bree's edits

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moonlit-seren · 6 years ago

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Reasons To Stay || Jung Yunho x Gender Neutral Reader

Summary: Y/n’s been working for one of the biggest news companies in Seoul for five years now, and like many others she/he wants a change in scenery. However, there are a handful of things keeping her/him from leaving, and one of them came in the form of an accidental blind date.

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: SOFTNESS OVERDOSE- None

Word Count: 7.7k

A/N: I’m posting my very first Ateez imagine on my two week anniversary as a new Atiny. I’m so psyched to be a part of this growing family and I’d like to thank @every1studio for welcoming me into it UwU. The main character’s best friend was inspired by this ray of sunshine right here @rubyyong, I wanted to show her a little appreciation for being one of the many writers who influence me to become better and let her know that I’m here supporting her from afar. So yeah, happy reading. <3

꧁Masterlist꧂

I sighed, glancing through one of the floor length windows adjacent to my desk. It was a particularly nice day outside, the fluffy clouds casting dark shadows on the world while the sun lit it up with a brilliant glow. The contrast was nearly eerie, like yin and yang, both the sun and the clouds out of our reach yet seemingly tangible if you lay on your back and reach your hands for the sky.

The streets below seemed busier than usual, the already terrible traffic appeared far more congested than normal. Due to the lack of movement in the streets, the multitude of car horns blared in a messy diarray with one another, the loud sounds varying in pitch but all sharing one thing in common. They wouldn’t stop.

Looking down at the vehicles made me glad that the office’s walls were soundproof, otherwise everyone in the building would have gone deaf by now. However, there were a few unlucky people on the street who had to endure cacophony of car horns as their speed quickened while walking to whatever destination they had in mind.

“It’s terrible isn’t it?” asked one of my coworkers, the newly promoted intern seeming to appear out of the blue. Her name was Chloe and she was one of the few reasons why I hadn’t quit my job yet in this suffocating office building. We worked for one of Seoul’s biggest news companies, her in the creative department and me in the editorial department.

Our departments were located on different floors, so it surprised me to see her standing here, one hand fiddling with her ID badge and the other resting on her hip. Her eyes were trained on the streets below like mine were, before fluttering up to meet mine while waiting for my response.

I simply nodded as my eyebrows furrowed, hoping that the traffic wouldn’t be this bad when I had to drive back to my apartment in the evening. It already took a solid half an hour to drive back home without any traffic jams, and just imagining trying to get back while moving at a snail’s pace… Well, I honestly didn’t even want to imagine that.

“I heard someone in the elevator say that the city closed a few roads to repair them, so that must be the reason why there’s so much traffic,” I stated, eyebrows arched and lips pursed in an expression that read ‘I don’t really know’ while I shrugged to emphasize my lack of knowledge over the situation.

Chloe nodded as if to show that she’d agreed with my thoughts, her sleek high ponytail bouncing with the movement. She was wearing a knee length, peach colored sundress today, with soft magenta roses littering the garment like powdered sugar on freshly baked cupcakes. Her excellent sense of fashion always brought a bright burst of liveliness into the office, regardless of whether she was in a black, leather jacket or a pastel blue sweater top.

The comparison I always made, much to her distaste, was a small, yet thriving plant amidst a world of manmade objects and other inanimate items. I thought it was fitting. She just found it cliché.

It was a little off how we ended up as friends. Originally I thought that it’d be best to keep my distance, as bubbly people tend to get annoying after a while. Although, when I was asked to show her around the building, I realized that her perkiness was a breath of fresh air compared to the droopy gazes of the sleepy workers mulling about on my floor.

She was a ray of sunshine that lit my dim world and inspired me to let loose and remember what it’s like seeing things from an optimistic point of view. To put it simply, she helped me learn to live again, something I had forgotten when I reached adulthood.

Suddenly seeming to remember why she was up here, Chloe let out a small “Oh, right” while snapping her fingers before turning her body away from the window to face me instead. “I just wanted to inform you that it was lunch break, since you tend to forget while you’re immersed in the fancy world of grammar and punctuation.”

Her wild hand gestures accompanying the last three words of her sentence had me rolling my eyes. It was a known fact that no one on my floor, except for me, actually enjoyed correcting the numerous grammatical errors of others.

I couldn’t blame them though, since most of us were just here to make a living. Which brings me to my second reason for tolerating my job. I used to love the idea of doing something in this field for a living, words always had a way to entrance me in them which explains why I practically lived in libraries growing up.

I practically jumped at the opportunity when I was offered this job, but after five years of being stuck here, the magic of it all faded away into oblivion. Originally I was only working part time, since I was in my second year of college, but when I graduated I was given a full time job.

Of course, when I entered the company, I started at the very bottom of the corporate ladder. My main job was to be an errand girl like Chloe was before her promotion. I won’t even lie, it was absolutely horrible, and I know the girl in front of me would agree.

I can’t even recall how many cups of coffee just a single worker needed, as they would all fall asleep otherwise. In the first few hours of the morning, the demand for coffee was so great that I had petitioned for there to be five coffee machines rather than the two that we had.

Needless to say, I went home everyday with at least one new burn from the boiling hot liquid I had to carry around, and my hands really weren’t a pretty sight due to them. Thankfully I learned my lesson after the first week, opting to buy gloves that would help protect my hands and a bright red stop sign I attached to my tray so that people would stop running into me.

It was quite the sight, and really just a mortifying memory I have ingrained in the back of my head. Though Chloe didn’t have it as bad, shortly after I was promoted the company bought three more coffee machines as requested and hired more people so that there were more sets of hands dealing everyone their daily doses of caffeine.

Which brings me back to present day, as a 22 year old who seemed to age mentally far beyond my actual years living on this earth.

“Yeah, I didn’t notice the time. Do you want to go get a drink with me? I heard a new cafe opened up a few blocks down and so far there have only been positive reviews from the people I’ve asked about it,” I asked, kind of hoping that Chloe would agree to go, because who wouldn’t want some company?

However, I could see her response before she verbalized it in the way that she furrowed her eyebrows with a slight pout. “I can’t, there’s a new batch of interns that came in just yesterday, and for some reason none of them know how to work a coffee machine.”

I laughed at her predicament, imagining Chloe surrounded by a small group of college students too used to buying an overpriced coffee at a local cafe than to make their own brews with a machine.

“Okay, have fun,” I teased, standing up to stretch my back and roll a few cricks out of my neck. Chloe cringed at the little pops and cracks, reaching behind me to help pick up my bag that strewn across the back of my chair. It was pretty warm outside still, being in the early months of fall, which is why I didn’t have a coat with me.

I thanked her as I slipped the bag over my shoulder, before walking away with a slight wave. Since Chloe wouldn’t be going with me today, I decided to get her something at the cafe since I knew her taste in pastries and drinks quite well.

The elevator ride was pretty quick, albeit rather crowded as large groups of people were also on their way out to enjoy their break somewhere else.

The company was rather generous with its workers, allowing them a full hour long break before returning back to their 9-5 schedule. Maybe that was my third reason for staying at the company despite being sick of the mountain of words I had to go through daily.

The elevator reached the lobby floor with a small ding, the door nearly closing on me as everyone shuffled out of the metal box. I had allowed myself to get trapped near the back of the elevator as people piled in, which was why I had been the last to leave.

The front lobby was rather big, with a fancy granite front desk with gold accenting, and several marble columns spread around the floor to support the high ceiling.

To the right of the front desk was a small sitting area marked by a sprawling beige rug, dark leather couches, and a bamboo table resting in the middle. To the left of the front desk was a small water fountain with a family of koi fish lazily swimming about the bed of pennies and nickels thrown in.

I never really understood the point of throwing coins into fountains. People were basically wasting change, poisoning the fish, and drowning their elusive dreams in a supposed wishing well.

Still, I never voiced my thoughts out loud. After all, I didn’t want to crush the pure wishes of the children begging for coins from their parents in order to perform the simple act of hoping.

Not to mention that I had also fit into that crowd as a young girl, making desperate wishes to get the boy I liked to like me back. Of course, they were all left unheard, or maybe even ignored, which only served to fuel my distaste for making wishes on copper coins.

I’d much rather save my change to tip baristas, as I finally understood their struggle after having made hundreds of cups of coffee myself. It was a grueling task and I couldn’t help but sympathize with anyone who had to do what I did as an intern for a living.

Speaking of which, I made my way out of the front door of the office building, immediately cringing at the racket of noise that met my ears. Much to my bittersweet relief, the cars seemed to be moving a tad bit faster than earlier.

Albeit, the new set of cars didn’t sound any different from the last set, with their loud beeping at the mini traffic jams that hadn’t quite thinned out yet.

I reached into my purse and pulled out my earbuds, skilled fingers working quickly to untangle the messy knots the cord had fallen into. There had never been a day where I found them neatly folded like I had left them, so untangling them had become a regular part of my daily routine.

It didn’t take very long, and soon enough I had them plugged into my phone and placed in my ears. Going to my usual playlist, a slow smile spread across my face at the song that had arisen first by chance.

The noise of the car horns completely drowned out with the melody playing in my ears, and I happily mouthed along to the lyrics when the sidewalk before me cleared of any prying eyes as I walked down it.

The only people who could see me making a slight fool out of myself was the people in the cars adjacent to me, nevertheless, they all seemed far too preoccupied with their own lives to notice. Some were on their madly typing away at their phones, others messing with toys they had received with their fast food, and in the driver’s case: vigorously slamming their fists on their horns as if it would help resolve the situation.

“Snapping, snapping,” I whispered softly, eyes taking on a playful lilt as I fell into step with the beat of the song. Despite wanting to burst out dancing, I restrained myself as my mouth snapped closed with an audible click when a figure appeared several feet in front of me.

I wasn’t quite ready to let go of my dignity to the extent of having a little dance break in the middle of the sidewalk of a bustling city. I could practically see steam coming out of the nose of the young woman in front of me, so I popped out an earbud wondering what she could be fuming about.

“Stupid date left me waiting there… Screw men… If I ever get my hands on him… He’ll be dead meat…”

The rest of her words faded with the growing distance between us, having already passed by her as she was walking off in the opposite direction.

“She must’ve been stood up,” I thought, almost pitying her if not for her horrid attitude and snobby scowl. Her date might of had a reason for not showing up, who knows?

Realizing that I had reached my destination, I looked up to check the name of the cafe to be sure. The sign was done in a beautiful gradient with a faint blush pink fading into a vibrant fuchsia. Looking out front, there were bright posters taped to the windows advertising popular drinks and desserts.

Just from the prices on the posters, I could this was a higher class joint, as there was even a small seating area outside with large, turquoise blue umbrellas shielding the tables from the sun. Not to mention that the place also offered breakfast and lunch despite just being a cafe.

In spite of the high prices, I stepped through the door, taking notice of the white daisies growing in the pastel green window boxes. The golden bells above the door chimed, notifying my entrance.

Like always, I was instantly hit with the heavenly scent of freshly ground cinnamon and coffee beans that most cafes seemed to boost.

After becoming employed, I never really had to worry about spending a little extra on a higher quality drink everyday. The high paycheck was the fourth reason why I found the idea of leaving my job so difficult. Besides, It never hurt to have a little extra cash in my bank account in case of a financial emergency.

Slowly making my way to a booth, I took in the interior of the cafe. The walls of the joint were painted the same color as the window boxes, with accenting lining the corners of the spacy room matched the color of the umbrellas outside. The round tables had a translucent glass top with black metal legs, and the chairs sitting around them were made of the same black metal twisted into an intricate design.

I highly doubted the large jewels in the back of the chairs were made of real glass, though they shone the same way a real gem would in the soft lighting coming from the beautiful light fixtures dangling from the ceiling.

There was a marble front desk where the cashier was incase someone just wanted to grab a takeout coffee and/or pastry. Speaking of which, there were numerous display cases lining the marble counters filled with various treats ranging from rainbow colored macarons to cream filled mochi.

Although, there were waiters and waitresses that came to you if you get their attention, in case you have the time to sit about, which is what I choose to do. Standing in line in front of the cashier just seemed like far too much work today, so I decided to just skip the wait.

I sat down in one of the empty booths lining the wall of the cafe. They also had glass table tops, however they were rectangular and the seats were made of artificial black leather the same shade as the chairs in the center of the room.

Suddenly a tall figure burst through the front door, the bells in front of the door crashing together rather harshly unlike the gentle tingle they let out when I walked through.

The male seemed to be around my age, though it was rather hard to tell if he was older or younger considering how his youthful face was paired with a ridiculously tall stature.

The straps of his beige jacket fluttered behind him in the small gust of his abrupt entrance, nearly getting caught in the closing door. His almost puppy like features were framed was light blue hair that looked softer than the clouds I had been admiring in the morning.

I was suddenly struck with the creeping urge to run my hands through the strands, causing an immediate flush to race up my neck as I averted my gaze.

“What am I thinking?” I thought, embarrassment and guilt coursing through my veins. This was precisely why I avoided attractive men like my life depended on it, because I knew as a matter of fact that my dignity did.

The moment my eyes settled on someone who was remotely handsome, my heart raced so quickly that I felt a love struck school girl all over again. Nonetheless, I could never keep my eyes off beautiful specimen for long, hence why my gaze subconsciously traveled back to the male standing at the doorway.

His eyes had been roaming the room, his shoulders sinking dejectedly as he didn’t seem to see who or what he was looking for. However, when he continued to look around his eyes met mine, much to my horror.

His eyes lit up, his mouth forming a little ‘o’ shape, as my eyes snapped back to my lap. A string of curses flew across the forefront of my mind at getting caught staring, as I desperately hoped with all of my being that he wouldn’t walk over.

Of course the heavens ignored my plead.

The cute male slid into the seat across from mine with an apologetic smile. Which struck me as odd as I should have been the apologetic one. Yet the words that slipped out of his lips were far odder, in my opinion.

“I’m so sorry for being late, the traffic today truly was horrible and I ended up stuck in this one traffic jam for…” he started, trailing off as he lifted his wrist to check his watch for the time. “An hour.”

“Huh?” I asked, completely confused. An extremely attractive stranger suddenly appeared out of nowhere, approached me out of all the pretty girls sitting alone in this cafe, and started apologizing when we had never met each other before?

I was about as lost as the person across from me was hot. Like dang, his visuals really attracted the curious gaze of all the aforementioned ladies sitting around the room.

Suddenly something nagged at the back of my mind, the vivid image of the woman from early resurfacing from my memories.

Oh.

He must have thought that I was his blind date.

I opened my mouth to explain the situation, but before I had the chance to collect my thoughts, the guy started talking once again. He had been taking off his coat so he didn’t see the way I had been gaping while pondering how to tell him he had mistaken me for someone else.

He looked up at me, eyes widening when he realized that he never introduced himself. A spellbinding smile spreading across his soft features as he held his hand across the table for a handshake. “Right, my name is Yunho, it’s nice to meet you.”

I hesitantly took his hand, introducing myself with a shaky smile. One look into his warm eyes and I knew that I couldn’t break it to him that his real date had left like a fiery hurricane while spitting out curses like a tasteless rapper.

Yunho repeated my name slowly, as if the savor each and every syllable with a thoughtful smile. It was clear that he was about to drop a cliché pickup line from the way his eyes sparkled mischievously, however, that didn’t soften the impact as my cheeks flushed red. “What a beautiful name.”

What he did next completely caught me off guard as he started mumbling to himself with a sly smile. “I wonder what our ship name would be…”

Deciding that my heart wouldn’t be able to take anymore of his cheesiness, I waved one of the waiters over.

“Ready to order?” Asked the waiter, his ears tinting red when I directed my gaze at him. His grip tightened a little on his mini clipboard and pen, eyes averting to Yunho instead.

“How cute,” I thought, slightly flattered over his actions. Although I never really dated before, I could recognize that smitten expression anywhere. It was then that I recalled that I never actually looked at the small menu, however, that didn’t turn out to be a problem as Yunho ordered for the both of us.

“Have you been here before?” I asked, surprised because I never saw him look at the menu either before the waiter walked away. The cafe opened a few days ago, so it wasn’t entirely unbelievable that he had gone before, though I didn’t think that was the case.

“No, I just ordered the special today if that’s okay with you,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. His shy smile was a stark contrast to the confident front he had thrown up while flirting with me.

I smiled, nodding to assure that I didn’t mind as I would’ve done the same thing. From his timid gaze, I could tell that he never really went out on dates, which greatly relieved me as I hadn’t either.

The waiter came back around again in a few minutes with two plates of omelets with hot cheese oozing out of the seams and juicy, cubed tomatoes peeking through pale yellow egg. On the side of both plates were small bowls of freshly cut fruit topped with little mint sprigs.

It gave off a very insta worthy aesthetic, so I fished out my phone before taking a bite, raising the camera. A smile unknowingly spread across my face at how at peace Yunho looked with the warm afternoon sun perfectly catching the soft curves of his full cheeks while simultaneously dusting golden flakes into his umber eyes.

I lifted my camera a little further, so that it still captured the plate before me but also included Yunho’s adorably focused face. His eyes snapped up at the sound of the camera clicking, fork dangling an inch away from his mouth as I had caught him midbite.

I put my phone away, bashfully mumbling that he looked like an angel glowing in the sunlight like that and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to capture the moment. He blinked a few times in surprise, before laughing softly.

“You should’ve told me beforehand, I could’ve posed,” he teased, cheekily wiggling two peace signs in front of his eyes before drawing up two finger hearts.

I blushed, internally cooing at how cute he looked with such an innocent sparkle in his eye that I thought only existed in children. He was everything he looked like at that moment. A complete and utter angel who radiated purity under the glimmering sun.

Deciding to get something to drink, we called the waiter over once more, who whipped out his mini notepad habitually. And like earlier, he refused to meet my gaze for long, something both Yunho and I noticed.

Yunho flashed me a wink, nudging his head subtly at the waiter as if we weren’t on a date ourselves. I hid a giggle behind my hand at his goofy antics, quickly returning my arm back to the table when the waiter glanced up at me for a second.

“I’ll take two bubble teas with normal tapioca,” I requested, biting back a smile at the bewildered look Yunho shot me. He asked for an iced latte, eyes never leaving mine as the waiter walked away.

“Do you really like bubble tea that much?” He asked, a little awestruck. It wouldn’t have been all that surprising if I did, since everyone on Earth had one big craving they could never get enough of. So, I nodded firmly, looking him dead in the eye with a stoic “yes”.

He looked scared for a moment as if worried he said something wrong and at that I couldn’t hide my snicker.

“I do, but the second cup isn’t for me. I promised a friend that I’d bring her back something since she couldn’t go out for her break,” I explained, smiling cordially as his expression melted back into its usual peaceful bliss.

“How thoughtful,” he whispered, but I heard his sweet words as my disappearing blush suddenly bloomed all over again. I chose to ignore his comment, eyes flashing up to the waiter who reappeared once more with our drinks and a plate of bite size sugar cookies.

He placed all three cups down before putting down the plate with a quiet clinking sound. “Here’s a complimentary plate of sugar cookies for all customers who come during our opening week. Enjoy.”

And with that, he was gone again, almost tripping over himself in his haste to get away.

“Does he think I have the bubonic plague?” I wondered aloud, despite knowing why he was in such a rush. It was written all over the back of his neck and the tips of his ears in various hues of red.

“Maybe you should ask for his number,” mused Yunho, still very clearly amused over the waiter’s crush on me. I narorred my eyes at him, normally if a date encouraged you to pick up someone else then that’s a telltale sign that they’re obviously not interested in a relationship with you.

However, I could tell that Yunho meant everything that he was saying lightheartedly, so I decided to tease him back. “No thanks, I’d rather have yours.”

I could tell the unexpected flirt stunned Yunho, as his jaw dropped. I winked at him the same way he winked at me when the waiter came over, enjoying his flustered reaction. Despite the fact that Yunho would tower over me if we both stood up, he looked no bigger than a child at the moment shrinking into himself with a fiery blush. “Oh.”

I loved how table had turned, with how many times he caused my cheeks to tint pink. It was a small stroke of success, but I didn’t have the heart to continue. Taking the initiative, I asked him about himself, wanting to spend the time we had together developing a close friendship since he seemed to be a fun person to have around.

It wasn’t long before we fell into a deep conversation about ourselves. I learned that he was indeed younger than me by two years, and managed to convince him to call me noona but drop all other honorifics.

Honestly if anyone had told me that I’d end up on a date with someone younger than me, I wouldn’t have believed them. It was always a condition on my ideal type list that the male had to be older. Yet the ridiculous list completely faded away into nothingness in the back of my mind the longer I talked to Yunho.

Instead a new list wrote itself with only two conditions on it: His eyes had to sparkle like a galaxy of stars being reflected on a still lake and his smile had to hold the same warmth as a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter night.

In other words it was describing the person sitting right in front of me, as he threw his head back, laughing at one of the many comical stories I told him about my fanatical college days.

He was currently in college right now, majoring in the same subject that I majored in. It was nice having someone relate so hard to my past struggles, as he was going through the same things I had gone through with crazy strict teachers and boisterous students marching down the halls like they owned the school.

In return I told him about how I worked as an editor, along with a few facts about me that few people knew or cared to ask about, such as my lowkey love for the artist Chungha.

Yunho said that he had heard a few of her songs before too, leading us down another conversation about our tastes in music and other pop culture.

Sometime during the conversation, Yunho’s phone started to ring as he excused himself from the table. I called the waiter over again during that time, asking for a small takeout bag.

I stuffed the rest of the cookies into it, deciding to take them back to Chloe along with the drink. Pausing for a bit, I pulled out one cookie and placed it back onto the plate incase Yunho wanted one more.

It wasn’t long before he came back, brushing off the topic when I asked him if the call was important. I didn’t want to invade his privacy, hence why I didn’t push the topic. In fact, I only asked because I didn’t want to keep him if there was some sort of emergency.

We picked up on the tail of our last conversation, reengaging in a passionate debate over which Harry Potter book was the best and other things of the sort.

Before I knew it, half an hour past and my break was about to end in twenty minutes. As much as I enjoyed learning about Yunho’s love for sports, fascination over the Harry Potter, and sweet but wild group of friends, I didn’t even want to think about how my manager would breath down my back if I came back late.

Looking down to see my empty cup, I realized with a start that my hand had somehow ended up in Yunho’s. During our conversation his hand had gotten closer and closer to mine, as I had left it lying on the table. I didn’t remember when that had changed, from the tips of his fingers brushing mine to slipping his hand on top of my own.

I wasn’t sure if he noticed this, but when I tried to remove my hand back from his grip, his hold only tightened as his thumb brushed the back of my hand. It became clear that it had been quite intentional.

“Hey, Yunho?” I asked, eyes lifting from our hands up to his face.

“Yeah?” He asked, sweet smile never leaving his lips before the corner of his lips quirked up into a small smirk. It was clear that he was only teasing me by not letting go, as I uncomfortably shifted in my chair.

Deciding not to mention it to save a little bit of my pride, I glanced over at the antique clock on the opposite wall. “My lunch break is nearly over, I have to go.”

He nodded in acknowledgement of my statement, reaching over with his free hand to sling his coat over his arm. “Is it close to here?”

“Yeah, just a ten minute walk away.”

He got up, pulling me up with my hand in his. Before I could comprehend what he was doing, he intertwined our fingers, taking the last sugar cookie off the plate and stuffing it in my mouth to muffle my protests.

My ears were burning scarlet as he led me out of the cafe, pouting slightly as I chewed. This guy seriously… A question floated up, bubbling through my mouth as I looked up at Yunho with furrowed eyebrows. “Did we just dine and dash?”

Yunho shook his head with a little laugh, eyes shifting down to meet mine before looking forward again. “No, I covered the bill earlier.”

That had me pause in my step, causing Yunho to come to a stop too since our hands were intertwined. I don’t recall ever receiving the bill at our table, nor did I hear Yunho say that he was going up front to pay, otherwise I would’ve forced him to split the bill. Although, there was that one time he left to take a call…

That was when the realization of what had happened dawned on me and from Yunho’s knowing smile he could tell that I had figured it out. “You didn’t.”

“But, I did.” he chuckled once more, pulling me forward as he began to walk again. It was clear that he didn’t actually know where we were going, so I widened my stride a little so that we would be walking side by side. It was rather sweet how he intended to walk me back to my office, the same way a guy would take a date home.

Before we got far, my phone went off, the familiar tune of Chungha’s debut song filling the silence between us. My cheeks flushed pink at Yunho’s teasing gaze, deepening as he teased, “Didn’t you say you were just a minor fan?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I brushed him off, excusing myself to take the call. The caller ID read ‘Chlo~’ with a couple of red hearts after it.

“Where are you? You’re usually back by now!” Exclaimed Chloe from the other side of the line, the faint bubbling in the background signifying that she was currently in the lobby near the fountain.

“Sorry, I lost track of time,” I apologized, smiling sheepishly despite the fact that she couldn’t see me. I heard Chloe sigh, telling me to hurry up and get back because ‘she missed me’ before hanging up.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, before swiftly making my way back to Yunho. “Sorry about that, my coworker was fretting over the fact that I wasn’t back yet.”

Yunho shook his head to dismiss my apology, saying not to worry about it since he was the one taking up my time.

Suddenly, a familiar voice could be heard from the distance coming closer and closer. “Stupid day… No, stupid date… Ditched by a guy now ditched by my clutch… I must have left if in that stupid cafe.”

The girl from earlier appeared in front of us as she rounded the corner, with her head down as she appeared to be typing away angrily on her phone. Pure and sheer panic coursed through my veins at the sight of her. If she was indeed who I thought she was, then the moment she opened her mouth, I’d be exposed.

However, before I could do anything, she slammed in Yunho’s chest due to not watching where she was going. Yunho’s hands flew to her shoulders to steady her, wincing at how he hadn’t seen her coming either since he had been looking at me.

“Watch where you’re- Oh,” she trailed off, eyes widening when she lifted her head up and saw Yunho’s face for the first time. It was almost comical how Yunho could attract the interest of everyone around him without even trying, me being included.

Her hands slowly slipped up to his arms, squeezing lightly while a flirtatious smile replaced her scowl. Since she was so close to Yunho, her back was to me and couldn’t see what I was doing.

Despite being wary of the situation, I couldn’t help but let out an over exaggerated, but silent, gagging noise. I muffled my own laughter at the act with the palm of my hand, however, Yunho didn’t have the liberty to, which was why he couldn’t hide his chuckle.

The girl clinging onto him was confused, but somehow took that as a positive sign as she started to bat her freakishly long eyelashes at him. “Hey, aren’t you Yunho? My name is Hayoung, I’m pretty sure a guy from my class set us up on a date. What was his name again… Junhao?”

I felt like my heart had stopped at her words, hands becoming cold and clammy as I looked at Yunho. Would he get mad at me? Maybe even leave and go on the date that he missed with Hayoung? In my defense I had tried to tell him that I wasn’t his date, though to be fair I really could have tried harder.

Still, Yunho didn’t notice my terrified gaze, instead looking at Hayoung’s hands which were shamelessly feeling up his biceps. He reached up to pry her hands off of him, stepping back to put some distance between the two of them.

“Yeah, that’s me, though I don’t think it’s appropriate to hang off a guy in front of his date,” he commented, shocking me to my core. Yunho finally looked at me with a soft smile, taking one of my hands in his once more.

Hayoung’s wide eyes weren’t nearly as large as mine as we were both baffled over what had just happened. My eyes kept scanning over Yunho’s face to see if I could get a read over his thoughts, yet all I could see in his eyes was the same warmth they always held.

He squeezed my hand in response, assuring me that he didn’t regret his actions as he turned back to look at a gaping Hayoung.

“Now if you’ll excuse us, we really need to go,” Yunho stated, quickly leading us away from the fuming girl.

Once we reached my office building, I stopped in front of it, saying that this was me. I gently pulled my hand out of his, shyly brushing a stray strand of hair out of my eyes.

Yunho, tucked both of his hands into his pockets as he stood in front of me, not quite wanting to leave, yet not having a valid reason to stay.

I took that as my que to ask the question burning in the back of my mind. “You didn’t seem very surprised at Hayoung’s appearance, did you know I wasn’t your date?”

Yunho nodded with a guilty smile, reaching up to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Yeah, the call I took earlier was from my friend Jongho, saying that Hayoung called chewing his ear off. I also may or may not have known what she looked like beforehand…”

My jaw dropped at his confession, and to think that I had worried over nothing. “You knew and yet you approached me out of the blue? Why in the world would you do something like that? Not saying that I didn’t enjoy your company, but that’s kinda creepy you know…”

“Sorry, you were just the most attractive person I’ve ever seen in my life. Not to mention the fact that you seemed to be alone in the cafe,” Yunho apologized, eyes dropping to the floor as he was unable to meet my gaze in fear of being scolded. I was stunned into silence. That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me, especially from someone so good looking.

Shoving down the reprimand I had in mind, I jokingly nudged Yunho in the ribs to get him to look at me again. “Well she didn’t really seem to be your type anyways.”

Yunho laughed at this, wholeheartedly agreeing with me. “It seems you know my type better than my own friends. Though to be honest, I’m pretty sure Jongho knew that I would never approach a girl like Hayoung and was only trying to get me back for finishing the last bottle of Sprite from his secret collection. We’re housemates.”

I laughed at his in depth explanation, relating to his struggles. Chloe moved in with me in the summer, a few months after we met. The air conditioning unit in her run down apartment kept breaking down and was twice the distance from the company than mine.

It was far more convenient with her as a housemate as we had more spare change to spend on the money we saved on rent with a split bill. However, with every housemate comes the temptation of stealing their things.

Just recalling that one time I finished the last slice of the cake Chloe bought… She deemed it fair play to sprinkle a few pinches of flour in our shared hairdryer while I was in the shower. Though I couldn’t get mad at her for it though, because she apologized immediately after, while laughing her head off. It was extremely fortunate for her that I loved her, otherwise she would have been in for it.

“Hey, you said you were an editor, but you never mentioned the fact that you worked for this particular company,” mused Yunho, drawing me back from the mini memory lane my mind had skipped down.

“Oh I must’ve forgotten to mention it,” I said, arching an eyebrow at Yunho who’s smile spread impossibly wider. I was curious as to why me working at this company sparked his interest so much.

“You know, I just passed my interview here a few months ago?” asked Yunho casually, eyes gleaming playfully at the way my eyes widened at his words.

“Holy spades, though why weren’t you with the other interns today?” I asked, recalling the reason why Chloe couldn’t join me today.

“Well we were toured around the company earlier this morning but when my group was handed off to this other woman I turned out to be the only person who knew how to work the coffee machine. I used to work part time as a barista,” he explained with a mirthful tone of voice.

“That’s explains it,” I thought, nodding at his words. As much as I loved talking to Yunho today, I knew my break was drawing to a close and that I needed to leave soon.

“Well, I guess we’ll be seeing each other more often then,” I smiled at him bashfully, already visualizing what it would be like seeing him around at the office in the future.

“Yeah,” he agreed, hesitating a little with his next actions before stepping forward and placing a chaste kiss on my cheek.

He pulled away with a burning red blush crawling up his neck as he waved goodbye and walked off, back in the direction of the cafe and what I assumed was his car.

I shoved down my own blush, trying to recollect myself as I stepped back into the front lobby of my apartment building.

Chloe was sitting on the rim of the fountain, seemingly preoccupied with her phone. It was clear that she hadn’t seen what went down outside, otherwise she would’ve pounced on me right then and there with a mountain of questions.

Sneaking up beside her, I dangled the paper bag of sugar cookies in front of her face with a small “tada”. Chloe looked up from her phone, smiling at the bag. “Ah, you’re back. Thanks.”

I also handed her the sealed takeout cup of bubble tea and a plastic straw that I had kept hidden inside of my bag. Miraculously there was still a few ice cubes left, as the cafe had its air conditioner turned pretty high to combat the early fall heat. Or maybe it was just that my bag had some sort of secret insulation tech embedded into the interior pouch. Who knows?

She accepted it with yet another “thanks” and popped the straw through the plastic covering. Taking a small sip, she hummed in content with the sweet drink. I grinned at her as she looked down at the sweet drink as if she was trying to see a visible difference between this mixture and every other milk tea she’s tried.

The cafe really did the name of bubble tea justice, with chewy tapioca pearls of a perfect consistency and a tea base with just the right amount of sugar and flavouring. It was a little pricier as expected, however the extra dollar was definitely worth it.

“It’s good isn’t it?” I asked, as she nodded without an ounce of hesitation much like I did at Yunho when he inquired about my love for bubble tea.

We made our way to the elevator arm in arm, with Chloe asking me why I had been gone for so long.

“Were you with a guy?” Chloe asked teasingly, expecting my usual mundane response of “no”. After all, dates were never my thing and she knew that quite well. I glanced at the bright red numbers flashing in the elevator’s screen, noticing that it had reached my floor.

“Actually, yes I was,” I stated mischievously, stepping out of the elevator when the door opened. I spun around, watching as Chloe’s eyes widened.

“What?!” she exclaimed, watching in horror as the door started closing before she could ask anymore questions. I knew that she wouldn’t risk angering her manager by going back late as she certainly would if she ran out of the elevator after me.

I waved at her as the door shut, laughing a little. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get away from her later when we got home, however, I was too giddy to really think about how I’d suffer her wrath for dropping a bomb like that and just leaving.

Making my way back to my own desk, I plopped down in the spinning chair with a soft smile at everything that had occurred today. Sure, the traffic I’d have to deal with later might put a damper on my mood, and sure, I’d have to deal with Chloe’s inevitable interrogation but the carefree giddiness I felt at that moment felt like it would last forever.

When tomorrow comes, the internships will officially start and with them will come the one blue haired male that captured my attention today and heck, maybe he’ll be my fifth and final reason to stay.

#ateez #yunho #fanfiction #imagine #oneshot #romance #fluff #ateez yunho imagine #ateez yunho oneshot #ateez yunho fanfic

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mtmeventsplanner · 6 years ago

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10 Creative Spring Themes for Parties & Events

Delight friends, associates, and clients with great spring subjects for parties & events. Including genuine models from imaginative brands, establishments, and superstars, these moving thoughts for spring topic thoughts and event names will enable you to commence your very own event planning in style.

Begin with three basic hints for making crisp spring event names.

1. Guarantee the event name is unique.

Corporate event planner Singapore ought to likewise remember this tip. An exceptional event name enables prospects to discover and recollect you’re up and coming event. It likewise enables your event enrollment to page rank higher in natural indexed lists which supports ticket deals.

2. Include practical details but don’t be afraid to get a little creative.

Corporate events Singapore ought to incorporate the name of the host business and give some insight for what visitors can expect on the off chance that they visit. For instance, in case you’re facilitating a spring-themed Bingo night for philanthropy, you can incorporate the event type and the name of the philanthropy in your advertising.

3. Keep your event name short

Initials, shortened forms, and smart expressions are anything but difficult to recall. They’re likewise incredible for getting a good deal on signage, print promotions, and other printed copy advertising materials.

Get roused with 10 spring themed thoughts for events and gatherings you’ll cherish

Spring Break: Who said school kids get the chance to have a ton of fun this season? A few margaritas and a little parlor territory complete with sand for visitors to shoeless in are extraordinary approaches to utilize this topic.

Cherry Blossom: Honor a standout amongst the most stunning blooms of the period. A conventional tea function encompassed by bloom propelled stylistic theme is an incredible method to commend this image of spring.

Tulips: Get the group together and plant tulip globules in a close-by patio nursery plot. Serve some brilliant yellow cupcakes while you’re grinding away.

Ladybugs: Red and dark polka dabs make for dazzling scenery at any Spring corporate event. Welcome youngsters to partake by wearing their own one of a kind ladybug outfits for some cute family photograph operations.

Downpour: April showers do bring May blossoms, all things considered. Commend the changing of the seasons with eco-accommodating exercises (like small scale water filtration stations) or umbrella-themed ring hurl recreations.

Pastels: There’s nothing very as reviving as a fly of shading after a dull and terrible winter. Set the clothing regulation to lavenders, smooth yellows, and robin’s egg blues for an exquisite curve.

Easter: If you’re going for family-accommodating, think about welcoming the Easter bunny (enlivened by your manager or CEO) to your celebrations.

Sparkle and Gold: Fundraisers or events with this topic can exploit its extravagance. Serve mixed drinks in gold cups and enhance dividers and staircases with glittery textures for a rich affair.

Green and Yellow: Themes dependent on color give you loads of chances to get innovative. For instance, consolidate green and yellow into your mixed drinks by including a menu of crisp herb and lemon-propelled drinks.

Greenery enclosure Gnomes: Who doesn’t love seeing these mystical animals with pointed caps in the midst of some crisp spring sprouts? Add a little funniness to your event by including these wonderful yard watchmen in unforeseen concealing spots all through your setting.

Pick the ideal spring subject for your event

Throwing the ideal spring event is simple once you have some incredible precedents for motivation. Regardless of whether it’s a little, personal social event for loved ones or a huge course for clients and partners has a go at adding a regular curve to your next event. What’s more, recollect, by the day’s end, it’s tied in with uniting individuals. Plan your event around the general population and anything you do is certain to be a hit.

#mtmevents #event management company #event organizers Singapore #Event Planner Singapore

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howtoloseweightfastsafely · 6 years ago

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Nutrition Basics for Fast Pain Relief (and Weight Loss)

1. Spend the first 30 days grain/wheat-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

a. That means no bread, no pasta, no milk, and obviously no cookies you Cookie Monster, you. And, of course, no added sugar (2 pieces of fruit is OK).

b. Restrictive? Yes.

c. Effective? Absolutely

2. Eat the following:

a. Meats/fish (fattier, grass-fed/wild-caught versions to nourish the body with clean, healthy fats and quality proteins)

b. Veggies (excluding starchy ones like corn, peas, and carrots)

c. Olive oil (for dressings, or to add post-cooking) (don't use for most cooking, since it goes bad under high heat)

d. Extra-virgin coconut oil (for medium/high heat cooking)

e. Eat until you are satisfied. Don't worry about eating too much - trust me, it's hard to overeat when you're chewing on nutrient-dense protein for example, as opposed to inhaling a red velvet cupcake

3. BIG ONE for pain relief: Avoid nightshades.

a. These include some fairly well-known veggies and spices that come from the Solanaceae family, such as:

i. Potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, paprika, Tabasco sauce, and more (sweet potatoes and black pepper are not nightshades)

b. The steroid alkaloids (one of 4 alkaloids) in nightshades, which include solanine, are the main offenders.

c. They are naturally-produced toxic substances that help the plants defend against insects, diseases and other predators.

i. These are very similar to lectins binding to glucosamine and penetrating our cell walls, as discussed in Chapter 11.

d. These alkaloids are thought to cause calcium loss in the bones, and excess calcium deposits in soft tissue.

i. As a result, there may be a significant pro-inflammatory response in the body

e. To avoid this pro-inflammatory response, if you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or any form of joint pain, it is wise to cut these foods OUT for 30 days.

i. See how the body responds. Assess the damage (or lack thereof) and continue forward.

4. During the 30 days of this eating plan, you will be removing most food-based chemicals and allergens from your diet.

a. Many annoying health issues, including muscle and joint pain, aches, and stiffness, will seriously reduce significantly.

b. I'm not kidding, it's that simple. Food has a profound effect on pain, much more so than is commonly understood.

5. After the first 30 days, you can slowly experiment with adding foods back into your diet, and seeing how your body, skin, pain conditions, and mind react.

a. This process has been ESSENTIAL in helping me determine what I can and cannot eat for optimal health.

b. Only add in ONE FOOD per week. If you add more than 1 food and notice adverse reactions, you won't know which food is the troublesome one.

6. If you just can't fathom giving up regular milk, try Coconut and/or Almond Milk as an alternative (but no soy milk!).

a. Dairy is pro-inflammatory for many people but not so much for others. So, experiment with adding back it back into your diet after 30 days.

7. As for carbs: In the first 30 days, avoid them altogether (except for those from veggies and about 2 pieces of fruit).

a. After the 30 days, you can start experimenting with rice to see how joint pain and other health indicators (body fat, skin quality, etc.) respond.

b. Week by week, slowly add in other gluten-free, wheat-free carbs. Try sweet potatoes, quinoa, buckwheat, and millet.

c. You can try oatmeal and beans too, but they tend to be problematic unless properly soaked, sprouted and fermented.

d. Only if you are somewhat lean (under 20% body fat for men, 25% or so for women) AND training intensely, include white rice, sweet potatoes and/or yams during your post-workout meal. (For maximal pain reduction, though, I would still eliminate them for 30 days unless you absolutely cannot function without, due to your training load.)

Sound good?

Good.

Oh yeah, there's one more HUGE thing.

The Last and Most Important Points:

Adopting patience and acceptance

1. The lifestyle habits you've developed over the years got you to where you are right now.

True, we've been lied to by mass media and big corporations, but we've also played a part in our condition. It is what it is. Accept this and move on.

2. You now have a solution. It is up to you to implement it into your life. During this process, it will be difficult, but absolutely crucial to have dedication, discipline, and most importantly, patience.

To be completely honest, I spent 22 years eating junk, not exercising correctly, and not nourishing my body well. It would be ridiculous of me to simply expect the effects of this to all disappear overnight.

And you shouldn't either.

But, you are guaranteed to have lots of quick, early success including significant pain relief and much more.

These results will happen as long as the plan is followed correctly, at least 90% of the time (for example, no more than 2 cheat meals or 'screw-ups' at most per week, out of 21 total meals).

FYI, in regards to pain conditions, you will feel it after a cheat meal.

The rush of refined grains, unhealthy oils, and more take an immediate toll on promoting inflammation and joint pain. So, I would definitely try my best to eat as 'clean' as possible, even for cheats. Try some home cooked rice, butter, and chicken with some paleo brownies, as opposed to ordering a deep dish, Meat Lover's pizza.

With all this being said:

Beyond the early successes, for most people, there is more work to be done in pursuit of the body, mind, and life you want. Practice acceptance, have dedication, and give it time.

And moving on, read the '6 Weeks to Lean' Exercise Guide, which includes a quite detailed section of reducing pain through foam rolling (self-myofascial release) and stretching.

So if you're not quite in workout-ready shape yet, you can at least get a jumpstart on relieving pain and feeling better!

Interested in losing weight? Then click below to see the exact steps I took to lose weight and keep it off for good...

Read the previous article about "How To Lose Weight Fast If You're in Chronic Pain"

Read the next article about "How To Track Results (And Not Fall Into the Trap That Ruins 95% of Well-Thought Out Diets)"

Moving forward, there are several other articles/topics I'll share so you can lose weight even faster, and feel great doing it.

Below is a list of these topics and you can use this Table of Contents to jump to the part that interests you the most.

Topic 1: How I Lost 30 Pounds In 90 Days - And How You Can Too

Topic 2: How I Lost Weight By Not Following The Mainstream Media And Health Guru's Advice - Why The Health Industry Is Broken And How We Can Fix It

Topic 3: The #1 Ridiculous Diet Myth Pushed By 95% Of Doctors And "experts" That Is Keeping You From The Body Of Your Dreams

Topic 4: The Dangers of Low-Carb and Other "No Calorie Counting" Diets

Topic 5: Why Red Meat May Be Good For You And Eggs Won't Kill You

Topic 6: Two Critical Hormones That Are Quietly Making Americans Sicker and Heavier Than Ever Before

Topic 7: Everything Popular Is Wrong: The Real Key To Long-Term Weight Loss

Topic 8: Why That New Miracle Diet Isn't So Much of a Miracle After All (And Why You're Guaranteed To Hate Yourself On It Sooner or Later)

Topic 9: A Nutrition Crash Course To Build A Healthy Body and Happy Mind

Topic 10: How Much You Really Need To Eat For Steady Fat Loss (The Truth About Calories and Macronutrients)

Topic 11: The Easy Way To Determining Your Calorie Intake

Topic 12: Calculating A Weight Loss Deficit

Topic 13: How To Determine Your Optimal "Macros" (And How The Skinny On The 3-Phase Extreme Fat Loss Formula)

Topic 14: Two Dangerous "Invisible Thorn" Foods Masquerading as "Heart Healthy Super Nutrients"

Topic 15: The Truth About Whole Grains And Beans: What Traditional Cultures Know About These So-called "Healthy Foods" That Most Americans Don't

Topic 16: The Inflammation-Reducing, Immune-Fortifying Secret of All Long-Living Cultures (This 3-Step Process Can Reduce Chronic Pain and Heal Your Gut in Less Than 24 Hours)

Topic 17: The Foolproof Immune-enhancing Plan That Cleanses And Purifies Your Body, While "patching Up" Holes, Gaps, And Inefficiencies In Your Digestive System (And How To Do It Without Wasting $10+ Per "meal" On Ridiculous Juice Cleanses)

Topic 18: The Great Soy Myth (and The Truth About Soy in Eastern Asia)

Topic 19: How Chemicals In Food Make Us Fat (Plus 10 Banned Chemicals Still in the U.S. Food Supply)

Topic 20: 10 Banned Chemicals Still in the U.S. Food Supply

Topic 21: How To Protect Yourself Against Chronic Inflammation (What Time Magazine Calls A "Secret Killer")

Topic 22: The Truth About Buying Organic: Secrets The Health Food Industry Doesn't Want You To Know

Topic 23: Choosing High Quality Foods

Topic 24: A Recipe For Rapid Aging: The "Hidden" Compounds Stealing Your Youth, Minute by Minute

Topic 25: 7 Steps To Reduce AGEs and Slow Aging

Topic 26: The 10-second Trick That Can Slash Your Risk Of Cardiovascular Mortality By 37% (Most Traditional Cultures Have Done This For Centuries, But The Pharmaceutical Industry Would Be Up In Arms If More Modern-day Americans Knew About It)

Topic 27: How To Clean Up Your Liver and Vital Organs

Topic 28: The Simple Detox 'Cheat Sheet': How To Easily and Properly Cleanse, Nourish, and Rid Your Body of Dangerous Toxins (and Build a Lean Well-Oiled "Machine" in the Process)

Topic 29: How To Deal With the "Stress Hormone" Before It Deals With You

Topic 30: 7 Common Sense Ways to Have Uncommon Peace of Mind (or How To Stop Your "Stress Hormone" In Its Tracks)

Topic 31: How To Sleep Like A Baby (And Wake Up Feeling Like A Boss)

Topic 32: The 8-step Formula That Finally "fixes" Years Of Poor Sleep, Including Trouble Falling Asleep, Staying Asleep, And Waking Up Rested (If You Ever Find Yourself Hitting The Snooze Every Morning Or Dozing Off At Work, These Steps Will Change Your Life Forever)

Topic 33: For Even Better Leg Up And/or See Faster Results In Fixing Years Of Poor Sleep, Including Trouble Falling Asleep, Staying Asleep, And Waking Up Rested, Do The Following:

Topic 34: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 35: Part 1 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 36: Part 2 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 37: Part 3 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 38: Part 4 of 4: Solution To Overcoming Your Mental Barriers and Cultivating A Winner's Mentality

Topic 39: How To Beat Your Mental Roadblocks And Why It Can Be The Difference Between A Happy, Satisfying Life And A Sad, Fearful Existence (These Strategies Will Reduce Stress, Increase Productivity And Show You How To Fulfill All Your Dreams)

Topic 40: Maximum Fat Loss in Minimum Time: The Body Type Solution To Quick, Lasting Results

Topic 41: If You Want Maximum Results In Minimum Time You're Going To Have To Work Out (And Workout Hard, At That)

Topic 42: Food Planning For Maximum Fat Loss In Minimum Time

Topic 43: How To Lose Weight Fast If You're in Chronic Pain

Topic 44: Nutrition Basics for Fast Pain Relief (and Weight Loss)

Topic 45: How To Track Results (And Not Fall Into the Trap That Ruins 95% of Well-Thought Out Diets)

Topic 46: Advanced Fat Loss - Calorie Cycling, Carb Cycling and Intermittent Fasting

Topic 47: Advanced Fat Loss - Part I: Calorie Cycling

Topic 48: Advanced Fat Loss - Part II: Carb Cycling

Topic 49: Advanced Fat Loss - Part III: Intermittent Fasting

Topic 50: Putting It All Together

Learn more by visiting our website here: invigoratenow.com

#weightloss #diet

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lovehoundd · 8 years ago

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Our song (Borderlands fanfiction)

paring: Handsome Jack/Rhys | word count: 3651 | tags: #fluff and angst #but mostly fluff #Rhys is drunk and emotional #so is Jack but he doesn’t show it so much #cause you know he’s tough and awesome #and totally not in love with Rhys #(he totally is) | ao3 link: x |

summary: At one of Hyperion parties Rhys feels devastated, after hearing a song that reminds him of his first love. Jack does whatever he can to calm him down.

It was one of those „not obligatory to attend, but if you won’t show up you’re screwed” kind of parties. Jack liked to throw them every once in a while for his board members, advisors and directors only to remind them who’s pulling the strings and also to stir some water. Not that it was necessary, none of them would have climbed so high on the corporate ladder or let’s say simpler – lived, without remembering who’s in charge. Jack loved to trouble them though, to see how much can they suck up on him until making him feel sick.

But it was not only his whim to lose a lot of Hyperion money on people he hated without a reason. He wanted to be updated on all the social issues among his employees, like who had the alliance with whom, who cheated on their spouse with a secretary, who was most hated by their subordinates at the moment, who was the last man standing during the last finger gun fight. Knowing it was crucial to pushing the right buttons in this god damn firm. And what was a better occasion to find out all of this if not by giving people free drinks and playing loud music that made them think no one could hear what they say? After all, corporations were pretty much like high schools and Jack had the pleasure to be the smartest, best looking kid.

In the beginning Rhys felt bad for them all, but then he remembered that you needed to be a very ugly dick as a person to get so far in Hyperion. So instead of feeling pity for them he was just leaning against the wall, sipping some fancy-ass drink and enjoying the view of all the board members verbally crawling among Jack’s feet. When nobody was looking, Jack would turn his head to him and wink, being as amused as Rhys.

In those moments Rhys wanted to roll his eyes because of how childish Jack could be, but at the same time he felt something warm in his chest. To be honest, Jack didn’t have to do much to make Rhys feel completely vulnerable. Whenever Rhys saw any of his smile, the feeling of something melting spread inside his body. And it didn’t matter which one – it could be one of those wide, mocking grins like those on the motivational posters or even that “now you’re gonna die” wicked smile that sometimes appeared just before Jack ejected someone into space. It wasn’t normal and Rhys knew it, but he could do nothing about it that while Jack was frightening to the others (good, healthy reaction) he made Rhys feel butterflies in his stomach (bad, bad reaction). He had to admit, he fell for Jack and fell really hard.

And it wasn’t easy, especially because of how difficult it was for Rhys to define what was exactly happening between the two of them. They were seeing each other for the last few months, but it wasn’t much more than just sex. Jack usually wanted to be professional about it and not to fuck in his own corporation so most of the time he took Rhys to his place. Usually, because there were exceptions like that one time when he called Rhys out of blue into his office. Rhys thought he just needed some help with all the paperwork but hell, he was wrong. Few minutes later Jack had him bend on his desk, pulling his hair and fucking mercilessly, Rhys making sounds he didn’t even know he was capable of making. Not that he complained or something, it was a nice distraction from all the programming he needed to finish that day, but when he walked out of Jack’s office his secretary scared the shit out of him. She was so pale, it seemed that death was the only option for her, passing out at best. She probably thought Rhys was being murdered in the most horrible way.

Then there were other times, let’s say romantic if it was possible to put the words “romantic” and “Handsome Jack” in the same sentence. When in a good mood, he sometimes took Rhys to the nice restaurants where they talked a lot, while drinking red wine which price per bottle was much higher than Rhys’ monthly salary. And sometimes after sex, when the heat of their orgasms washed off he was unusually tender, like stroking Rhys’ cheek with a thumb or laying small kisses on his forehead.

Rhys felt his cheeks burning red at the memory of Jack’s lips on his skin. The truth was, those few moments that he’s been reliving in his head for the last few weeks, Jack probably didn’t even remember nor care about. Most likely Jack saw him only as pretty new toy which he’ll throw away the moment he’ll get bored. Rhys was aware of that, but he couldn’t quit hoping that he was wrong and Jack actually cared about him, at least just a bit.

All those thoughts running through his head as well as alcohol made Rhys feel dizzy. He closed his eyes and started to slowly breathe, trying to calm down. He was never good at dealing with emotions, especially those concerning his romantic feelings towards other people. Those games, understatements, Rhys just… didn’t really get that. Of course it would be much easier to just talk it through, but for Rhys it was not an option. He’d rather jump into the fire than admit in front of Jack that he loved him.

He was starting to get his shit together, breathing in and out, when from huge speakers standing nearby came a song that Rhys knew all too well. It was played after a loud electro number and was much more retro - recorded with the usage of normal instruments, not as common these days. Rhys knew everything about this song. He could be woken up in the middle of the night and he’d sing all the lyrics without one mistake. He knew each note of every part - both guitars, bass and drums. When being a teenager, he used to listen to it almost every day.

Rhys gasped, unable to move. Hearing this song was very unexpected and brought back too many memories, especially those he never wanted to recall. The first sounds of the guitar and bass reminded him all those alone nights when he was lying in his bed, tangled in sheets, crying and thinking, with this exact piece playing in the back and one exact person in his head.

This single memory itself was enough to put Rhys on edge. He felt mild pain spreading deep in his chest and he couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. It probably wouldn’t be so bad, if it wasn’t for all that alcohol he drunk, which always made him feel more emotional.

Rhys knew that how he felt wasn’t only the reaction to the painful remembrance. It was his past trauma mixed with what he was experiencing right now with all the situation between him and Jack. Rhys supposed that most other people wouldn’t be disturbed so much by it like he was, just waiting for everything to pass sooner or later, but he didn’t function in a way other people did. It was really hard for him to fall in love, but when he did, it was something absolute, completely overwhelming.

His head rested against the wall, while he tried to overcome the wave of feelings that washed through his mind. When he felt tears running down his cheeks, Rhys knew he failed.

He walked slowly towards the balcony, hoping he’ll calm down there, not wanting to draw anyone’s attention. Showing a weakness in front of other Hyperions was the quickest way to lose in this never ending strength game. “Never lower you guard kid.” Jack used to tell him. Rhys mentally sighed, because in reality he was choking with tears. “Fucking high school, this firm is nothing but a fucking high school,” he thought.

“… and the idea to put a suppressor an our newest model, sir, absolutely brilliant!” Jack’s eyes lazily wandered around the room when he observed dancing and talking figures, not focusing on the small man in front of him. Till this moment he didn’t listen much, answering only with low grunts. But now he was getting bored, the level of irritation reaching its peak. He finally looked the man in front of him in the eyes, who trembled in response.

“Listen cupcake, if I came here only to find out how awesome I am, I’d spare the time of us all by staying home and simply looking in the mirror. Now get lost.” The man’s face was a kaleidoscope of emotions, from a toady smile to pure horror, ending on a pale relief. Jack only rolled his eyes. It always looked the same with them all, fucking cowards. He had enough of all those jerks, at least for now on.

Jack wanted to have some real fun right now, he needed to find Rhysie. He could pull him into the bathroom for a blowie or something like that. Or maybe they had a darkroom here, ohh, that’d be good. Jack smiled at the thought of what he could do to Rhys in a place like that, but it was rather him being a daydreamer than actual plans. True, he was drunk and horny (not more than usual), but he had enough self-control to remember that he was surrounded by assholes who should know as little as possible. Next time maybe. And frankly, he was rather in a mood for talking with Rhys than fucking him. Not that he would ever say that out loud.

He saw Rhys walking out of the club onto the balcony, wiping his face with a sleeve of his black shirt and Jack felt that something was off. He headed there, bumping into a talking couple, not entirely by accident. It was important to maintain his reputation of a giant dick.

The night was warm and quiet, so it felt good to escape the noisy indoor for a moment. Jack inhaled slowly. He always liked the smell of the summer night, especially that it was probably going to rain, electricity pulsing in the air.

On the balcony was a group of people from accountancy who were talking and smoking, too much focused on themselves to notice that Handsome Jack himself walked in there. In the furthest corner Rhys was standing with his hands clenched on a railings and shoulders trembling a little bit.

“Everybody out,” Jack hissed, making all the accountants silent at once. All their faces went pale as they walked out quickly.

Rhys slowly turned his teary eyes on Jack, sending him a weak smile. Jack approached him, leaning on the railings next to Rhys, their arms touching.

“Hey,” Rhys said quietly.

“Hey.”

There was a silence for a moment and none of them knew if it was comfortable or awkward.

“You okay, pumpkin?” Jack finally asked after a while.

“Yeah sure, why wouldn’t I?” Rhys tried to sound nonchalant, but Jack didn’t buy it and only frowned in response.

“Because I can see that you’re not. C’mon sugar, spit it out.”

“It’s really nothing, I drank too much and I’m tired, that’s all. Please don’t bother.” Jack felt a wave of anger building down in his stomach, patience never being one of his strong points.

“Princess, you think that I’m what, stupid? I can see you’re feeling down, so don’t you try giving me short shift!”

Rhys sighed. Talking with Jack about his exes was almost equal to suicide. Normally he kinda liked it, Jack being possessive and jealous made Rhys feel like he cared about him. Though it wasn’t pretty healthy, but which part of their relationship was? But now Rhys was so emotionally disturbed that he wouldn’t be able to put the words as carefully as it needed to be done when talking with Jack about problematic topics. It was almost sure that at some point he’d blunder, making Jack furious. But not talking would be even worse. Damn this hot-headed jerk.

“As I already said, it’s… really stupid and not worth you attention. But you won’t drop it, am I right?” Jack didn’t answer only looking at Rhys with a “fucking try me” look on his face. It was everything Rhys was expecting, so he snorted sadly.

“The song that was playing a moment ago… It brought me a lot of memories, really bad memories, ones I truly wanted to forget. You know what it’s like when you associate a certain song with a person or a period of time that was important or troubling for you? You see, this is what happened here. This song reminds me of a person who once was a really big part of my life.” Rhys stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, not wanting to start crying. God, he wished he hadn’t drank so much, it would be much easier or this whole situation wouldn’t even have a place. Jack was surprisingly quiet, listening to him carefully.

“When I was a teenager there was… this girl you know. She, ugh...fuck. Jack, I...loved her. I was only sixteen or seventeen but with whole meaning of this word I loved her. It’s been a long time since then and I moved on but those memories are still so vivid. Back then I would… I would have fucking died for her, you know.” Rhys squeezed his eyes and tears ran down on his cheeks, but he kept on going, just wanting to get it over with.

“I know how idiotic it sounds, but it’s true. We were quite close but I wouldn’t call it friendship. I think she could have been interested in some way, but she wasn’t sure and I was too shy to do anything about it, so eventually she just got bored.” Rhys laughed bitterly “Like I could blame her.”

“It lasted two years, but hell it felt like much longer. First I cried almost every night, but then it was just this emptiness, you know? I skipped school and drank, laying in my bed all day. It was... Fuck...” Rhys clenched his teeth not to sob, but he failed making a gross sound. All his body was trembling.

Jack pulled him closer, gently putting his arms around him.

“Rhys...” He put so much softness into this word that Rhys couldn’t take it and sobbed even louder, burring his face in the crook of Jacks neck, his tears falling on a ten thousand dollar shirt. Anybody else who’d do that would be probably dead by now.

It was the first time tonight when Jack didn’t call him by any pet name. It was very rare and meant that he was being serious. They stood like that for a moment, Rhys still crying. Jack put his hand into Rhys’ copper locks, stroking them gently and completely ruining other man’s work to smooth them with a small amount of hair pomade. Rhys calmed down a little bit, so he felt strong enough to continue, even though his mind was far from being clear and he started to babble.

“She was my first love, Jack. It’s just… The idea of loving, like actually loving someone else without knowing if it’s even mutual... if they even care... if you care... it’s killing me.” Rhys murmured and only after a few seconds it hit him what he just said. He stiffed under Jack’s touch, being completely terrified and unable to move. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why did I say that! Dammit, ugh fuck!” he cursed himself in his mind. Jack moved him away lightly to look at him, but Rhys shut his eyes just too scared to breathe out loud.

“Rhys, look at me.” Rhys was totally horrified, but he managed to stay still and slowly opened one eye, seeing Jack’s face and something strange in it.

“Ok, so this is how I die. Fuck, why couldn’t I just be fucking quiet for once in my life? Always having a big mouth, whining like a little bitch and being so emotional, you have to be like that, Rhys, don’t you…”

“I am sorry.”

“What?”

“What?” Rhys gasped, truly surprised.

“I know that I’m not the easiest person to live with, so I’m sorry.” Jack grabbed Rhys’ chin, still looking into his eyes. He sighed, but then smiled weakly.

“The truth is that I care about you, Rhys, way more than I’d like to.” Jack leaned closer, brushing his lips against Rhys’ cheek and ear, pulling him closer. They were both just so fucking drunk that the level of honesty between them was high as never before.

“It’s been a while since I felt something like that towards anybody. So yeah, I kinda get your meaning,” he chuckled, both sadly and teasingly while he rested his chin on Rhys’ shoulder and held him tighter, placing his palm between Rhys’ shoulder blades.

“You...do?”

“Yeah. I said that and I probably won’t repeat it soon, so I want you to remember it well.” Rhys smiled. To be honest, that was more than enough for him.

“Hmm, I love you too, Jackass.”

“That’s a nice one, kiddo.” Jack snorted and for emphasis he cupped Rhys’ face, kissing him gently. It was so different from the kisses they usually shared, lazy and unhurried. Of course Jack couldn’t help himself and a moment later he bit Rhys’ lower lip, but the younger man was so used to that, that he doubted if after meeting Jack he would be able to consider a kiss legit without being bitten. Love was just a bitch, turning decent people into masochists.

They stood like that with no words for a longer while, their noses touching, focused on nothing else but their breaths, when the first sounds of another song came from the inside. It was a slow piece with a deep bass line. Of course the music was playing all the time, but none of them payed attention earlier. Now it was different since they both knew the piece quite well.

Few days ago they rode to Jack’s place after work, both being silent after a quarrel about something stupid. None of them would be adult enough to start a conversation again or apologize, so they just stayed quiet until this song played in the radio. Rhys noted that it was good and Jack agreed. After breaking the ice they could start talking again, putting behind the subject of a quarrel. When they came home Jack downloaded the whole album (why buy things, especially being a millionaire, when you could just be a fucking dick all the time?). All the tracks were good, but this one playing on the radio was still their favorite one. Now it played in the club, but it could be heard well on the balcony.

“You hear it, kitten?”

“Mhm, yeah” Rhys smiled against Jack cheek and slid his hands from other man’s waist onto his ass. Jack hummed, starting to rock hips against Rhys’.

“Nasty as always.”

Jack in response only pulled Rhys hair, exposing his neck. Rhys whined quietly surprised by this sudden move, but then he smiled feeling Jack’s lips on his skin.

“You know what, I claim this song as mine.”

“Wh-what?” Rhys was too absorbed in being kissed in the neck, to get what Jack meant right away.

“Cupcake, focus. The song that is playing right now, I claim it as mine. Or as ours, if you prefer to put it in this way. Like you had it with that chick of yours, thinking about her every time you listened to that song. So with this one, you’ll be thinking about me.” Jack pulled Rhys’ hair even harder, but still rather teasingly than painfully and leaned closer to his ear.

“But you won’t think about how I didn’t care or made you cry alone at night, like that girl. You’ll think about all those times I fucked you good or bought your favorite ice-cream when you were feeling down or watched all twelve seasons of those stupid soap opera you’re so obsessed about so you could talk it through with someone else. And Rhys, it’ll be even better, I promise you that. Starting with tonight. ”

Rhys felt that his face went red, so he was grateful that there were no lights on the balcony and Jack didn’t notice that. Not to mention specific kind of heat building down in his stomach.

Last time Jack showed any kind of thoughtfulness was when he made a smiley face with a clone syrup on Rhys portion of pancakes (ones that Rhys made, to be clear) so it was unexpected for Rhys to hear such a declaration of affection. It was very sweet what he heard and was everything that Rhys wanted to know, to be sure that Jack cared about him in any way.

On the other hand it kinda hurt that Jack used Rhys’ past trauma only to shout “Dibs on you! You belong to me!” not thinking about how Rhys would feel. But it was just Jack being Jack, not taking into account other people’s emotions, something with what Rhys learned to live. The most important thing was that Jack wanted to make Rhys feel better and to be completely honest he did it swell. This thought made Rhys really happy, despite everything else.

He took Jack’s palm into his own and laid a kiss on his knuckles, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Thank you, Jack.”

This action yet so simple, made Jack completely love-struck. He smiled, moving his hand from Rhys’ lips to touch his cheek.

“You’re welcome, Rhys.”

#rhack #rhack fanfiction #fanfiction #rhack ff #borderlands #tftb #tftbl #tales from the borderlands #fluff #fluff and angst #space kittens

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thethespacecoyote · 8 years ago

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This ran away from me real fast but I enjoy it enough to post it

Jackothy real world corporate AU I guess? Except they’re brothers so like if you’re uncomfortable with that please don’t read it! It’s supposed to be kind of dark and messed up with Jack being manipulative so. Yeah.

Timothy had long ago learned that there was a threshold of wealth that, once crossed, rendered any and every thing permissible.

It wasn’t just ludicrous spending, either, though his brother had quite a taste for that. Six shower heads in his personal bathroom. Private jets with an escort for every seat. Aged steaks and fine bourbons and chocolate flecked with gold-leaf.

The sheer excess was insane, but gaudy displays of wealth weren’t the only things that Jack indulged in as soon as restrictions of self-respect and accountability were lifted.

When you could buy and sell the dignity of others, your own mattered only to the stockholders and your PR team. Closed doors and private offices shielded the ultra rich from fallout of any taboo.

Tim slips his ID card into the reader, licking his lips in trepidation in the seconds before the light beeps green and the door to the foyer of Jack’s office opens wit a metallic swish.

He greets Meg with a tip of his head and a small, tight smile, and she waves him in. Jack has been expecting him.

Of course he has.

Tim flattens down the heather blue of his suit, running a shy hand through his hair as he pushes open the door to Jack’s office.

It’s brilliant, the entire west wall consumed entirely in a floor length mirror that bathes in the shine of the city of Helios down below. Lesser skyscrapers pepper the view from the floor above Jack’s office, but little but the snowy mountains in the distance dare to dwarf the tower of Hyperion, the testament to Jack’s wealth and control.

And there in his massive desk atop a raised dais sits Jack, his feet kicked up upon it. His fancy leather shoes part to reveal his smirking face, the soles slamming on the floor as Jack adjusts his posture, sitting up straight in his bright yellow chair.

“There’s my boy,” Jack grins at his brother, showing the canines that Tim swear seem to grow in size and length with each coming day.

“You bring the plans for me?”

“Yeah,” Tim ambles forward slightly at an angle rather than moving straight to Jack’s desk, observing his brother like the predator he knows him to be, “Weapons Development is ready to move on them as soon as they get your approval. I understand we’re hoping to get this line out by the fall?”

“That’s the plan, cupcake. Unless they screwed up big time, we should be able to manufacture these suckers in bulk in time for Advertising to do their magic.” Jack purs, resting his chin on his hand as he watches Tim slowly make his way over to the desk. Tim’s shoes—black suede, a birthday gift from Jack—clip on the steely steps, a timid metronome that makes Jack’s grin widen with every tick. He holds out his hand to Tim, fingers waggling in anticipation.

Tim rubs the ring on his finger—a simple steel band, set with canary tourmaline and garnet, another present from Jack—as soon as he gives Jack the plans with the other hand. Jack deftly flips open the manila envelope, eyes flicking over the plans, grin smoothing into a more serious, business-like expression before he sets them down flat against his desk.

“What d’you think of the scope placement?” Jack taps his finger against one of the blueprints. Tim raises an eyebrow, peering over the plans.

“It’s improved over their last proposal…but I’m worried that it might weight down the barrel too much.” Tim presses his own finger down next to Jack’s, the tips touching as he traces over the thin blue lines. Jack worries his lip, rubbing his chin with his other hand.

“Tell them to reduce the size and maybe slim it down a bit, maybe? Other than that? It looks fine to me. Great, even. Super.” Tim lifts his fingers from the table, his hands joining together at the small of his back.

“Hyperion hits it outta the park again, huh? Love it.” Jack grits his teeth at the end of the sentence, hissing in delight as he folds up the plans, pushing them to the other side of the desk with his picture frames and other things he is disregarding for now.

Timothy feels something dark crawl up his spine as Jack’s attention shifts fully to him. He swears that the air changes, even though Jack keeps his office at a crisp 71 degrees—cold, business sterility shifting into warmth fueled only by the needing fire now lighting in Jack’s eyes.

“Is there anything else you need from me?” Tim asks, just to fill the silence.

A lazy creak sounds as Jack relaxes back into his chair, one hand resting on the arm, the other crooking a finger at his brother.

“Come here, Timmy.”

Tim skirts the desk, hands still folded behind his back as he stands before his brother, his heart picking up its pace, against his will.

Timothy watches Jack fingers the entire way, from the moment they unfold like an octopus’ tentacles from his palm, from the way they slide like blood through the water of the air, the way they curl into the black silky of his tie. He watched as Jack’s thumb rubs over the golden tie bar, smoothing the material in the shine of the window behind him before he tugs it forward, with Tim following. His back bends in a resigned bow as Jack yanks him against his mouth with practiced ease.

Jack’s mouth is cool today—it’s still early in the morning, and mouthwash is fresh on his tongue, not yet soured in the blood of steak or the smoke of a midday cigar.

Timothy doesn’t remember the last time Jack has kept his mouth closed while kissing him, their meetings are always dominated by teeth and tongue with the gentle press of lips merely ancillary. Tim’s air is consumed by Jack mouth, sucked out through his lungs to bolster the force of Jack’s own exhales, the huff of breath from his nose hot on Tim’s skin as they kiss. Tim keeps his eyes closed even when Jack lets him free to grasp at some air, his body acting on touch and sound alone as he slips forward and settles over Jack’s thigh, nearly sitting in his brother’s lap. Jack’s arms wrap around him like snakes, tying him close as his palms smooth up Timothy’s back. Tim hears the scratch of his nails as he digs his fingers into the fabric of his suit. His eyes finally flutter open, his brother’s face mere inches from his own. There’s a moment of quiet observation on Jack’s lips until he realizes Tim is staring at him, and then it breaks into a greedy grin.

“Wanna help the big boss unwind, pumpkin?”

Timothy doesn’t respond, but his hand gravitates down to Jack’s crotch, the tent in his charcoal dress pants already glaringly obvious. He cups his brother’s growing bulge, massaging it through the fabric. He feels Jack’s fingers dig somehow harder into his back as he pushes up into Timothy’s hand.

He knows his unspoken role at this point, has learned it well ever since the aftermath of Jack’s first major takeover when he’d slammed Tim atop the glossy boardroom table and mounted him like some vicious, red-mawed lion, mane bristling in victory. Tim had been thunderstruck, heart torn between pleasure and terror and disgust, all three of which had since melted into a pot of resigned gratification. He carefully unzips his brother’s pants, parting the dark fabric to reveal nothing but tan skin underneath—because some habits die hard even with a sudden glut of wealth and prestige—that he takes carefully into his palm.

After making sure he’s balanced on Jack’s thigh his other hand goes to relieve his own dick from his pants, letting the slim member slip out from his fly. He uses that hand to brace himself on the back of Jack’s chair as he begins to stroke them both in one hand, jerking their cocks together in a way that gets a pleased purr brewing in Jack’s broad chest.

Jack turns his chair with a careful push, the seat groaning under their combined weight as it grinds around until Timothy’s back is facing the huge, crystal window, the warmth of the cresting sun shining down on him, heating his back as Tim works warmth out of his cock from within.

Together they teeter on the very edge of pleasure with only a sheet of glass separating them from the long plunge into scandal, into tabloids and moral outcry. But they remained entwined within one another, seamless and stolen away from prying eyes. Their indiscretions concealed, even up here, with Jack able to buy enough height to hide his sins above the clouds.

Jack’s arms are fully binding Tim, now, his hands arching up to grab his shoulders from behind as he grips Timothy impossibly close and makes them move together, their pants and gasps and thrusts thriving as one beast, one monster seated atop a throne of gold. Tim moans against Jack’s ear as his brother bites into the side of his throat, licking the wound with a burning-hot tongue as he wrenches his hips upwards. Tim clenches his hand around their cocks, a tight pleased sob bursting from his lips as Jack makes them both come.

Timothy lays gasping in his brother’s lap for a few moments longer, eyes fluttering shut, imagination deluding him for a brief moment before Jack is patting him impatiently in the ribs. Tim rises to his feet, watching with a frown as the beads of cum trail undisturbed down the silky surface of his pants. He tries to put his cock back into place without making a further nest, tucking the limp member back into his cat-print boxers. Jack’s own cum is smeared over the hem of his brother's suit, with nary a drop at all on the man himself.

“Get that dry-cleaned. We’ve got dinner with Maliwan and Vladof tonight, and I want you to wear that suit.” Jack comments as he flips open his wallet, slipping a heavy, steel credit card between Timothy’s fingers. Timothy holds it for a moment, feeling its weight, its edge, before he slips it into his pocket.

“Of course.”

#text #long post #fanfic #jackothy #////incest #please heed that warning yo

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nyslovesfilm · 6 years ago

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Save the Date: TV Premieres and Film Releases

The schedule of television premieres and film releases continues. Below is a list of upcoming television shows and films that participated in New York State’s production and post-production tax credit programs with upcoming release/premiere dates. American Son – Nov. 1 – Netflix An estranged interracial couple searches for answers about their missing son. Based on the Broadway play. Starring: Kerry Washington, Jeremy Jordan, Steven Pasquale (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit program – Production) Cubby – Nov. 1 – Pulsar Studios A 26-year-old from the Midwest moves to New York City to find hope and self-discipline through his friendship with a precocious 6--year-old and the adult superhero Leather-Man, who is conjured from a psychedelic cupcake. Starring: Patricia Richardson, Lucy DeVito, Zachary Booth (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Dickinson – Nov. 1 – Apple TV+ An inside look into the world of Emily Dickinson. Poet. Daughter. Total rebel. In this coming-of-age story, Emily’s determined to become the world’s greatest poet. Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Toby Huss, Jane Krakowski (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) For All Mankind – Season 1 – Nov. 1 – Apple TV+ Imagine a world where the global space race never ended. This “what if” take on history from Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Battlestar Galactica) spotlights the lives of NASA astronauts—the heroes and rock stars of their time—and their families. Starring: Joel Kannaman, Michael Dorman, Wrenn Schmidt (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Harriet – Nov. 1 – Focus Features Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Helpsters – Nov. 1 – Apple TV+ Meet Cody and the Helpsters, a team of vibrant monsters who love to solve problems. Whether it’s planning a party, climbing a mountain, or mastering a magic trick, the Helpsters can figure anything out—because everything starts with a plan. Starring: Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Martin P. Robinson, Tim Lagasse (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Irishman – Nov. 1 – Netflix Martin Scorsese’s epic saga of organized crime in postwar America, as told by a hit man. Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Motherless Brooklyn – Nov. 1 – Warner Bros. Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York, Motherless Brooklyn follows Lionel Essrog, a lonely private detective afflicted with Tourette’s Syndrome, as he ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna. Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Cherry Jones (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan – Season 2 – Nov. 1 – Amazon An up-and-coming CIA analyst, Jack Ryan, is thrust into a dangerous field assignment as he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the center of a dangerous gambit. Starring: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, John Hoogenakker (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Patriot Act – Season 1, Cycle 5 – Nov. 3 – Netflix Every Sunday, Hasan Minhaj brings an incisive and nuanced perspective to global news, politics, and culture in his unique comedy series. Starring: Hasan Minhaj (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Marriage Story – Nov. 6 – Netflix Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach directs this incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Noelle – Nov. 12 – Disney+ Santa’s daughter finds herself needing to take over the family business after her dad retires and her brother crumbles under the pressure of the job. Starring Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Billy Eichner (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) The Good Liar – Nov. 15 – Warner Brothers Career con artist Roy Courtnay can hardly believe his luck when he meets well-to-do widow Betty McLeish online. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life. Starring: Helen Mirren, Jim Carter, Ian McKellen (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) The Report – Nov. 15 – Amazon In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. CIA agents begin using extreme interrogation tactics on those they think were behind it. Starring: Adam Driver, Annette Benning, Jon Hamm (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Shed – Nov. 15 – A Bigger Boat Stan lives with his abusive grandfather and tries to protect his best friend from high school bullies. When he discovers a murderous creature has taken refuge inside his tool shed, he tries to battle the demon alone until his bullied friend discovers the creature and has a far more sinister plan. Starring: Jay Jay Warren, Cody Kostro, Sofia Happonen (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Waves – Nov. 1 – A24 The epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family—led by a well-intentioned but domineering father—as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. Starring: Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lucas Hedges (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Crown Vic – Nov. 15 – Screen Media Films Follows one memorable night in the life of LAPD officer Ray Mandel while hunting two cop killers on the loose. Starring: David Krumholtz, Bridget Moynahan, Thomas Jane (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Ray Donovan – Season 7 – Nov. 17 – Showtime Ray Donovan, a professional “fixer” for the rich and famous in Los Angeles, can make anyone’s problems disappear except those created by his own family. Starring: Liev Schreiber, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) 21 Bridges – Nov. 22 – STX Entertainment Thrust into a citywide manhunt for a duo of cop killers, NYPD detective Andre Davis begins to undercover a massive conspiracy that links his fellow police officers to a criminal empire and must decide who he is hunting and who is actually hunting him. Starring: Chadwick Boseman (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Nov. 22 – Sony After a jaded magazine writer is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America’s most beloved neighbor. Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Cooper (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Dark Waters – Nov. 22 – Focus Features Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths due to one of the world’s largest corporations. In the process, he risks everything – his future, his family, and his own life – to expose the truth. Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins. (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays – Nov. 23 – Hallmark Channel A Graceland tour guide meets a single father during a tour and agrees to fill in as his temporary nanny for the holidays. Starring: Kaitlin Doubleday, Adrian Grenier, Sunny Mabrey (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Servant – Nov. 29 – Apple TV+ From M. Night Shyamalan, Servant follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home. Starring: Lauren Ambrose, Toby Kebbell, Rupert Grint (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production) Daniel Isn’t Real – Dec. 6 – Samuel Goldwyn Films Trouble college freshman, Luke, suffers a violent family trauma and resurrects his childhood imaginary friend, Daniel, to help him cope. Starring: Patrick Schwarzenegger, Miles Robbins, Sasha Lane (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Wolf Hour – Dec. 6 – Brainstorm Media It’s July 1977, and New York City is awash with escalating violence. June, once a celebrated counterculture figure, attempts to retreat from the chaos by shutting herself inside the yellowed walls of her grandmother’s South Bronx apartment. But her doorbell is ringing incessantly, the heat is unbearable, and creeping paranoia and fear are taking hold. Starring: Naomi Watts, Jennifer Ehle, Emory Cohen (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Season 3 – Dec. 6 – Amazon Studios A housewife in the 1950s decides to become a stand-up comic. Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Uncut Gems – Dec. 13 – A24 Set in the diamond district of New York City, Howard Ratner, a jewelry store owner and dealer to the rich and famous, must find a way to pay his debts when his merchandise is taken from one of his top sellers and girlfriend. Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Production) Little Women – Dec. 25 – Sony Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War. Starring: Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep (Participated in the New York State Film Tax Credit Program – Post Production)

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