#— ⟢ hips sway & lips lie ⦂ ⋰ * ✧ ASK MEME.

[dceshims-blog]

a  (  very  late  )  tag  drop  !!

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[softyoongiionly]

🧊lo-fi hip hop🧊

You have a terrible day and, Yoongi comes to the rescue.

In more ways than one...

Genre: Fluff, Smut (18+ only plz)

Word Count:

Warnings: a wee bit of angst but, not a TON, Yoongi :o), smut and explicit language.

A/N: Hiiiiii I missed you I love you please enjoy! This is unedited for now.

Also, yes this is technically a FnD drabble but, it can be read as a stand alone. HOWWeevvverrr if you want to read the fic this belongs to, 

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You are having the worst day. 

Like, the kind of day where you stub your pinky toe on the corner of the table, spill your coffee all over yourself and, miss your train to class kind of day. 

It’s the kind of day where all you want to do is crawl beneath the covers and, cry for approximately 18 hours straight. 

Just the girly things. 

But given the fact that you’re 3 weeks away from graduation and, you can’t do that.   

You catch a taxi to your classes, walk off the soreness in your foot and, change out of your coffee stained shirt. 

The day drags on endlessly and, you feel yourself getting overwhelmed at things that would normally roll off your shoulders. 

On the subway ride home, you’re practically holding back tears as you try to reign in all the emotions you’re dealing with.  

You could call Jimin. 

You know he’d be here for you in a heartbeat. 

You could text your two other best friends and, you know that they’d cheer you up with various memes and tik toks. 

But, there is only one person you want to call.  

There is only one person, in this moment, who’d be able to put a proper smile on your face.   

Yoongi.  

The only problem is: your boyfriend is also dealing with his own mountain of stress.   

He’s been in the studio since Monday mastering his final project.   

You’ve barely heard from him. 

You haven’t seen each other since the day after Jimin’s showcase and, that was nearly a week ago.  

You miss him.   

A lot. 

Yoongi has a way of making everything smaller.   

He takes life in piece by piece and, with a perspective that is so uniquely him, he seems to know the right thing to do. 

It’s almost as if it’s instinctual.  

You’d be lying if you said you didn’t need him right now.  

You needed his gentle words of encouragement, the lullaby of his voice, the tenderness behind his touch…  

There is a bit of embarrassment that washes over you. 

You’ve never been the one to need anyone.  

You value the people in your life of course but, you’ve never felt like this before.  

Sitting on your couch, there is strong battle waging inside your head.   

To call or not to call.   

He is your boyfriend so, you know he’d be there for you.   

But you don’t want to bother him.  

You know how much stress his under and, you don’t want to add to that.   

But fuck, today is rough.   

Sometimes you just need your mans.   

You decide to bite the bullet and call him.   

The persistent ringing on the other end of the line is causing a bit of anxiety to knock against your chest. 

What if he’s too busy?   

What if he thinks you’re being dramatic?   

You know these concerns are unreasonable; Yoongi is the kindest person alive. 

But, there is still a level of apprehension regarding asking others for help. 

“Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t texted back today, I should be almost done.” 

His voice soothes you immediately. 

“Uh no- no it’s ok. I just um…” You trail off, trying to contain the instability in your voice but you’re too late. 

He’s already heard it. 

“Yah is everything good? Are you alright?” 

“Y-yeah I just- I just wanted to check in.” 

“You don’t sound alright. What’s going on jagi?” 

His concern chisels away at the bit of resolve you have left and, rather than lie to him, you decide to be honest. 

“I’m just not having a good day and-“ Your voice breaks and Yoongi can feel his chest clenching at the sound, “I just wanted to say hi.” 

“Are you home right now?”  

You nod despite his inability to see you, “Yeah I just got in. I’m sorry to bother you in the studio-“  

“Hey you’re never bothering me, don’t worry about that. Are you up for seeing anyone or do you just want to talk?” 

Yoongi is amazing this way. 

He never assumes. 

He always asks what you’re comfortable with. 

He knows that there are times when sadness is left alone and, there are times when sadness needs a visitor. 

“I don’t want to interrupt you in the studio. I just miss you…” 

Yoongi bites his lip on the other end of the line. 

He wishes you knew how important you were to him. 

He wishes you knew that he’d drop anything for you.  

“I’ll come over ok? I miss you too. It’s been a long week huh?” 

You want to protest, you really do… 

The sound of his voice is too much to resist though and, you find yourself resigning to his plans to come see you. 

“Yeah it has. Are you sure you can? I don’t want to stop you from working.” 

Yoongi can hear the tension in your voice and, right now all he wants to do is bring the light back into it. 

“You are more important than anything I’m doing here.” You can already hear him grabbing his things and, for the first time today you feel a smile coming across your face, “I’ll bring dinner too, are you craving anything?”  

Jesus, you really love this man.  

“Dumplings.”  

Your reply is paired with a light giggle and, Yoongi’s rickety laughter continues the process of lightening your mood. 

“Why did I even ask? Alright, I’ll grab those and then I’ll be right there ok?” 

“Ok, thank you…I love you.” 

The words are still so new between the two of you and, they cause a giant gummy smile to erupt on Yoongi’s face. 

“I love you too jagiya.” 

Just like that, with a few simple words, your bad day is suddenly much brighter. 

After changing into more comfortable clothes, you tidy up a bit around your apartment to prepare for Yoongi’s arrival. 

He doesn’t take long to get to you and, when there is a knock at your front door, you nearly trip as you run towards the sound. 

Yoongi is standing in the doorway with a takeout bag in his hand, looking like the most beautiful man on planet earth.  

He’s in a black v neck and, gray sweat pants and, his black hair is a fluffy mess atop his head suggesting that he had recently showered. 

He smiles at you with a knowing look in his eyes but, before he is able to stay anything, you wrap your arms around his waist and, bury your face in his chest. 

“Hi.” He murmurs, wrapping his free arm around you, kissing the top of your head. “Rough day hm?” 

All you do is nod, taking in the clean scent of his cologne. 

A fond smile is immediately on his lips as he too, is comforted by your presence.  

Yoongi makes his way into your apartment whilst he still holds onto you, setting the food on the counter so he can hug you properly.  

In his arms, you peek up at him and, one sight of his pouty lips is enough for you to kiss him.  

It’s the not kiss Yoongi expects as figured you’d be pretty emotional when he got to you but, the way you’re working his lips makes his knees weak. 

You didn’t expect it either but, you couldn’t help yourself. 

Sliding your hands up his back, you tangle your fingers into the loose strands at the base of his neck, your lips moving slightly more urgently against his. 

“Hey-“ Yoongi doesn’t want to stop you, he really doesn’t but, he wants to make sure you’re ok before you go any further. “Are you ok?” 

He smooths a thumb over your swollen lips, his eyes slightly lulled from the effect your kiss has on him, “What do you need?” 

His questions have multiple meanings and, you wish you had clearer answers for him but all you can muster is, “I need you.” 

A small smirk comes across his lips as he tilts your chin up towards him, “I’m right here jagi.” 

You nod and, move to kiss him again before he brings you to a gentle stop, placing a kiss on cheek, “Hey…lets slow down ok? I wanna make sure you’re alright before we do anything…”  

Now listen… 

The next thing you’re about to do is a little unreasonable. 

It’s a little ridiculous... 

It’s a little silly.  

But, you’re only human.  

For whatever reason, Yoongi wanting to hold off on sex makes the tears congregate back to your eyes. 

“Oh- Oh you’re right I’m sorry. I’m sorry I should have asked...” You sniffle, avoiding his gaze and, stepping away from him.  

The sting of embarrassment heats up your cheeks and, before he has a chance to say anything, you nod to the food on the counter, “Thank you uh- thank you for bringing the food. How much do I-?” The emotion squeezes at the tone of your voice until it’s clearly noticeable that you’re about to cry. 

“Whoa hey- hey…what’s wrong?” Yoongi rushes over to you, place his hands on your upper arms, “Jagi…look at me.” 

You’re frozen in the middle of your kitchen, your gaze fixed firmly on a chewed up hair-tie courtesy of Marzipan. 

“I’m ok.” You insist despite the tears filling your eye sockets, “I’m sorry I jumped on you like that.”  

“You have tears in your eyes, you’re not fine.” He remarks sagely, tilting his head to get you to look at him “Come here…”  

He pulls you back into his arms despite the stiffness in your body before he speaks up again, “Did you just apologize for kissing me?” 

“I just-“ You sniffle, your chest heaving with the onslaught of emotion, “I can’t do anything right. I spilled coffee all over myself this morning, I stubbed my toe, I missed my train, I kept getting questions wrong in the lecture, I am freaking out about this deadline this Tuesday and, then…and then…” You’re trying to speak through your tears but, it’s becoming a jumbled mess, “I can’t even turn my boyfriend on without making it weird and, I interrupted your studio time and, I’m just a mess-  I’m sorry.” 

Yoongi wants to tell you how wrong you are, he wants to slough away all of your tension but, for the moment, he lets you cry into his chest. 

He holds you in the middle of the kitchen floor, pressing kisses into your forehead as the two of you sway gently from side to side.  

“Let’s go lay down…” 

The tenderness in his voice is impossible to refuse and, all you can do is let him lead you to your bedroom, abandoning the food  on the countertop. 

Yoongi is an expert at reheating leftovers as he often forgets to finish all of his food. 

The covers are pulled back despite the fact that you’re still clinging to him but, he doesn’t miss a beat as he pulls you underneath your duvet, insuring that you don’t move far from him. 

“I got you, I hear you…” He whispers into the near darkness of your bedroom, his words punctuated with more kisses. 

“I’m sorry…”  

It’s a terrible habit of yours, to apologize when you’re sad, but it’s a habit none the less. 

“Stop apologizing, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re just having a bad day baby…” 

Yoongi reserves terms of endearment for when he really means them. Sure, they slip out during heated sessions in the bedroom but, they always have a meaning and, they are never used as just another name to call you. 

“I’ve read your paper yeah? It’s full of so much passion and, research. They are going to want to publish it in an undergrad journal of some kind. You have so a way with words, it’s incredible. I know it’s easy to get swept up in the pressure and, that’s ok. Just try and remember that you’ve done your best and, that’s all you can do.” His hand combs through your hair gently, stopping at any snags along the way and, moving to a new spot as he continues, “You don’t ever have to be sorry for having a bad day. I’m not just around for the good days…” 

Shifting beneath your duvet, you peer up at him with a hopeless glance, “I just hate feeling this way, I feel weak.” 

Yoongi’s pretty mouth curves up into a fond smile as he brushes his thumb over your cheek, “You’re weak for having a bad day?” 

“I mean…no. I guess not, I just feel weak for-“ You cut yourself off as your teeth take their place on your bottom lip, “for feeling like I needed you. I knew that nothing else would have made me feel better and, I guess I’ve never been in that position before. It freaks me out a little bit.” 

Yoongi’s wise eyes follow along with your words, his smile lingering all the while, “Terrifying isn’t it?”  

You groan, burying your face into his neck, causing rickety laughter to leave his lips as he holds you tighter to his chest.  

“I…hate….feelings.” You grumble against his skin, placing a few timid kisses there. 

Yoongi continues laughing, his capable fingers brushing against the exposed skin on your back. 

“I felt the same way that night at my studio. I knew there was no one else I wanted to see.” Yoongi murmurs, the tone of his voice soothing you, “I hated that I was right. You made me feel so much better. I didn’t want you to leave the next day even though I was going to see you that night. Trust me, I understand how scary it can be to need someone but, I know for a fact you didn’t think I was weak for needing you that night. So, I don’t think you should apply different standards for yourself. That isn’t fair.” 

As expected, Yoongi provides the exact support you need. 

He’s right. 

There is no weakness in being vulnerable. 

There is no weakness in having a bad day.  

“You’re smart.” You note and, a smile breaks across your mouth as Yoongi laughs again. 

It’s one of your favorite sounds. 

“So are you.” He kisses the top of your head, his hands sliding down to your hips, squeezing at them gently, “it’s not always easy to see the good in yourself but, keep trying ok?” 

A response from you comes in the form of a nod whilst warmth flutters into your heart.  

It’s the kind of warmth only Yoongi can provide and, it makes you want to kiss him until the early hours of the morning.  

It’s a possibility right? 

You know he should probably go back to the studio after dinner. 

Yoongi maneuvers the two of you during your contemplation so that he’s in a position to connect his lips to yours. 

He’s so gentle. 

He kisses your bottom lip first, lingering for a moment before proceeding to your top lip.  

Yoongi’s hooded eyes remain partially open, staring into your own as he repeats the motions on your lips over and over again. 

You let him, enjoying the plushness of his mouth, enjoying the way he wets your lips.  

Finally though, it becomes too much and your hand reaches up to brush at the tender skin of his cheek before pulling him closer to you. 

Yoongi kisses you slowly, as he usually does but, you can feel the emotion behind it. 

The sun informs you of its dwindling position in the sky as the light in your room grows dimmer and dimmer.  

The traffic outside your window is a distant sound compared to the soft increase in breath coming from your boyfriend.  

“I love kissing you.” He whispers, suckling at your bottom lip. 

You smile into his mouth, reconnecting your lips fully before responding, “I love you.” 

His gums are out then, beaming brightly at your sudden proclamation. 

Yoongi swears he could listen to you saying those three words a million times and, he’d never get tired of it. 

“Don’t try to one up me…” He chuckles, the sound rumbling deep within his chest as he tilts your chin up towards him with one finger, “I love you too.” 

It’s your turn to grin now, your eyes likely staring up at him as if he were the greatest gift in the world. 

Because, you know, he is.  

“Is your appetite back? I can throw those dumplings on the stove really quick if you want.” He offers, his finger still hooked underneath your chin. 

Although it’s a tempting offer, it surprises you a bit and you can’t help but pout up at him. 

“Yah what’s that face for?”  

“We’ve been making out for like 10 minutes, how are you thinking about food right now?”  

Your tone isn’t accusatory as normally something like this wouldn’t phase you but, you’re a bit fragile today and, unfortunately your insecurities tend to pop out during times like these. 

Yoongi still remains endeared beneath your inquiry, a smirk at the corner of his mouth, “I’m thinking about your needs right now. If I was thinking about myself I’d probably be kissing my way up your thighs right now…” 

His answer is surprising and it’s enough to send arousal flooding to your core.  

You’re extra sensitive today and desperate for relief that you know Yoongi is more than capable of providing. 

“I don’t need food…” You grumble, trying to hide the way he affects you and, Yoongi is quick to kiss the pout of your lips, snickering as he does. 

“No? What do you need then?” 

You’re really receptive to his touch now as he slides his hands back down to your hips. 

He notices and, your reaction causes his dick to twitch in the confines of his sweats. 

“You…” You murmur against his lips, parting your legs subconsciously, “I know you probably have to go back soon but-“ 

With a furrowed brow, Yoongi moves from your lips, “Go back where?” 

“To the studio.” 

Yoongi shakes his head, pecking your lips twice in a row, “I’m not going anywhere. I told you, you’re important than anything in the studio.�� 

Biting your lip, you nod, sliding your hands up his nimble arms and resting them on his shoulders, “Can you stay the night?” 

A soft smile is on his lips then, “Of course…” He whispers, before nodding to the pillows, “Now lay down for me…” 

As you’re settling back against the bed, Yoongi is up on his knees shifting so he can lay between your legs. 

Before he does though, he smirks shamelessly looking over his shoulder towards your window, “Alexa, play Yoongi’s lo-fi mix…” 

Your mouth parts in shock before a giggle rushes past your lips, “When did you have time to do that???” 

He chuckles as the music starts flooding in through the speakers, “I paired my phone with it when I set it up for you. It auto-connects whenever I come over…” 

You roll your eyes, giggling still, “I should have known- did you make a sex playlist?” 

He blushes at your accusation but, he doesn’t immediately deny it as he slowly parts your thighs, “Stop asking so many questions.” He smirks again as he hears your laughter, feeling warm at the sound of it, “Close your eyes…” 

As your giggling fades, you oblige and allowing your eyes to flutter shut. 

The low hum of the music fills you with a sense of relaxation despite the quickening of heartbeat. 

Yoongi runs his hands gently up your legs, parting them further as he allows his finger tips to tease against the sensitive skin of your inner thighs. 

His motions cause goosebumps to erupt beneath his touch and, he can’t help but smile to himself at your reaction.  

It’s satisfying to know he affects you this way. 

Although, Yoongi still believes it’s incomparable to the way you affect him. 

Silence settles between the two of you for the moment as the smooth ambience of the music dances around the room.  

Yoongi continues teasing over your skin; trace shapes over your hips, fluttering his fingers dangerously close to the ache between your legs but, he pulls away to push your t-shirt up your body, revealing your breasts to him.  

You can’t see his reaction to you but, you can hear him inhale shakily at the sight of you. 

“So beautiful...” He murmurs in Korean, the sound of his voice sending a shiver up your spine. 

A smile presents itself as you recognize the word, “You said beautiful...” 

Yoongi returns your smile at your pride, nodding as he brushes his fingers over your nipples. 

“Hmm so you have been studying...” He observes and, you can feel his breath against your skin as he leans down to press a kiss between your breasts. 

You nudge him with your knee, keeping your eyes shut despite your urge to look at him, “Shut up.” 

He snickers before placing lingering kisses down the length of your torso, nipping at the top of your belly button, smirking as you giggle. 

As he gets to the waistband of your shorts, you feel around and gently brush your hand against his cheek, “I didn’t shave...” 

Yoongi doesn’t falter but, he does take your fingertip between his lips, sucking on the end of it, “Good.” 

His response fuels something inside of you and, for whatever reason, it makes you wetter. 

Acceptance in all forms is sexy, what can you say? 

Yoongi continues his motions down the seam of your shorts, spreading warmth and pleasure as he does.  

He purses his lips, hovering over the fabric right above your clit before pushing against it with his mouth, rubbing back and forth.  

The movement is slow and deliberate but, it’s enough to cause your center to throb. 

Yoongi does this for a moment, before he licks up the length of your shorts. 

You say nothing as he teases you because, you know his intention isn’t to be cruel. 

Build-up can make or break a good orgasm. 

Yoongi finally tugs down your shorts and, at the sight between your legs, he feels himself growing uncomfortably hard. 

A deep breath is pulled through your nose as you feel his lips on you. 

He kisses at your lips before licking up one side of you, then the other... 

“Fuck, I’m hungry...” 

The bit of Korean is the last thing he utters before his tongue rubs over your clit. 

The sensation sends a jolt of pleasure to the base of your spine, an unstable breath leaving your lips. 

You don’t have time to decipher what he says because, he quickly gets to work on eating you out.  

Yoongi really is an artist between your thighs.  

He knows exactly where to lick, when to suck, when to rub... 

His quick but deliberate and, yet it feels like it lasts forever every time.  

You feel his lips kissing and licking at your clit before your hands tangle in his hair, urging him to go harder. 

And harder he goes... 

You can feel yourself growing closer to cumming so, with your eyes still closed, you trail your fingers over your breasts, allowing your fingertips to ghost over hardened nipples. 

Despite your lack of vision, you can assume Yoongi is watching you by the way he groans into your pussy. 

“I wish I could do that for you.” He whispers, lightly pressing a finger against your entrance, “But I need my hands for something else.” 

“Oh-” 

The sound is involuntary, the feeling of Yoongi curling a finger inside of you prompts it from you without warning. 

Yoongi can feel how close you are and, he knows it’s a matter of time before you come into his hand.  

“Does it feel good?” His voice is deep but, it’s heightening slightly to accommodate the way he coos at you; he really can’t help it. He loves seeing you like this. 

Your rapid nod fuels him to increase his speed, his tongue still working wonders on your clit. 

“Open your eyes, try and look at me jagi...” He urges, his tone growing reedier 

Of course you do as he asks and, immediately you find his gaze despite the intial haziness in your vision. 

He’s barely illuminated by the city lights streaming in through your curtains but, you can see the loving smile on his face, the arousal heavy in his eyes... 

“Are you gonna cum for me?” He whispers, pressing his fingers into your g-spot, creating a sinful amount of pleasure inside of you. 

“Yes- yoongi...” Your moan is cut off by silence as your orgasm rears it’s head, your back beginning to arch off the bed, “Fuck, I’m gonna cum. Yoongi-” 

He sighs hopelessly into your pussy, the sound of his name on your lips makes him weak, “Cum jagiya. You deserve it, cum for me...” 

It’s not long before you’re sitting up, ignoring the twinkling stars in your vision as you tug your boyfriend on top of you, finding his lips immediately.  

You love that you taste yourself on him and, you take your time to kiss him deeply, showing your appreciation for the work he did between your legs. 

“You came so much.” He whispers, nudging at your nose as he takes his position back against the pillows whilst pulling you with him, “You did so good...” 

Small words of encouragement mean a lot on a day where you aren’t feeling 100% and, they cause you to smile when you tuck your face into his neck. 

“I wanna make you feel good now.” You punctuate your declaration with a kiss behind Yoongi’s ear, “Can I?” 

Yoongi tilts his head to allow you better access to his neck, his hands tightening on your hips, “Please. I missed you.” 

You smile then, kissing at his sweet spot again before a request leaves your lips, “Can I give you a hickey?” 

This causes Yoongi to snicker, relishing in the juvenile nature of such a question but, he can’t deny that he likes it when you mark him. 

“Yeah...just one though.” He warns, knowing full well how decorated his neck would become if he gave you full reign, “I have a presentation in two days.” 

You don’t have control over the pout that forms on your lips, “Just one?”

Yoongi chuckles again and licks his lips before looking down at you, his brows rising in amusement, “On my neck yeah- there are other places to mark me.”

At this, you smirk, conceding with him as you secure your lips right at his sweet spot. A few kisses are placed against his neck before sucking his skin between your teeth.

Yoongi tenses up beneath you, his hands squeezing at the fabric of your shirt whilst his eyes flutter closed.

“Fuck.” He whispers, slightly breathless, “Bite harder…”

And you do by apply more force with your teeth, your free hand trailing down his stomach to palm him through his pants. His dick is pressing uncomfortably against the seam of his sweat pants, the gray material dampened with pre-cum.

“You’re so hard.” You giggle

With a loud sigh, Yoongi speaks again, his voice deepening slightly with the onslaught of arousal, “I just ate you out- what did you expect?”

With a satisfied smile, you lean back into his lips, indulging in him for a moment.

He smirks into your mouth, pulling you onto his body so you’re straddling his hips, “You wanna ride me?” Yoongi mutters whilst his hands rest on your ass.

You’re only in your t-shirt after all and, you’re now sitting on top of his hardened dick, it would only make sense to make him cum this way.

He pulls away momentarily, lips wet with spit, eyes lulled with desire, “I really want you to.” He whispers, kissing you again, batting his pretty eye lashes for you.

Biting your lip, you push his hair back away from his forehead, trying to cope with how hot he looks right now; slightly sweaty, disheveled, horny…

You want to fuck him so bad.

“Hold onto my hips and help me, I want to go at your pace…”

He smiles softly, nodding silently, heading turning toward the speaker, “Alexa- play Withdrawn by Mello…”

Your lips bubble over with laughter as a new song starts playing but, otherwise you don’t comment on it, instead opting to lean down and kiss him once more.  

Moments later, Yoongi’s eyes are rolling back as he feels you sink down on him, his fingertips pressing hard into the flesh of your hips.

“Ugh shit-“ He breathes and, with his neck fully exposed, you can admire the violet mark on the side of his throat, a sense of pride filling your gut as you do.

Yoongi’s hands guide you up and down his length, his eyes squeezing shut once again as the feeling of you begins to overwhelm.

With tender lips, you lean down, kissing up the side of his throat, ensuring that your hips keep their pace on him, “Does it feel good?” You whisper in his ear and, he’s quick to turn towards you to tuck his face into your neck.

“Y-Yeah…please don’t stop.”

You don’t.

You ride him all the way off the deep end, kissing each of his pretty features as he cums, telling him you love him as he’s coming down.

Your orgasm is a natural occurrence when he’s inside of you  but, it wasn’t your main focus.

Sex with Yoongi isn’t transactional.

There’s too much love for that.

You’re laying on Yoongi’s chest now, your fingertips tracing shapes over the skin on his ribs, admiring the instability in his heartbeat.

“I love this.” You murmur, turning slightly to press a kiss to his chest.

“My heart?” He smirks, combing a hand through your hair.

“Mhm- it’s my favorite.” Placing another kiss to his chest, you shoot him a pointed look, “If you say anything sarcastic regarding the fact that your heart is just an organ, I will fight you.

His body shakes with laughter but, he nods regardless, opting out of being a little shit.

“How are you feeling?”

You soften, resting your chin on his chest, “So much better. Thank you for coming over.”

He pinches your cheek, “I’m here for you anytime you need me. You know that right?”

Nodding, you kiss the hand against your face, “I do.”

“Good.” He nudges against your lips, his gums peeking out with smile on his mouth when you giggle. “I love you…”

With all the warmth in the world, you snuggle up to him and, he responds by tugging the blanket over the both of you.

“I love you too.”

[justsomefluff]

OMG I LOVED that reaction you did, and the scenario like thing was really good!! I loved it, thank you!! Can I request another reaction (mini-scenario)? Like ATEEZ confessing to their crush while they (ATEEZ) are drunk? (San said Yeo does aegyo/is cute when drunk I'd like to see this ^^)

This is so cute, I would pay good money to see them tipsy no lie lmao. also this is fluff and crack at the same time so...I hope you like it lmao

Hongjoong:

(^ he’d do this during a drunk confession you cant change my mind ^)

Okay so when he’s drunk I feel like he sees himself as being really composed and cool

but in reality... not so much

and, even if he hadn’t been planning on confessing to you

oh boy, his body starts shaking a lil and you’re low-key like... 911?

like his body is telling him to ABORT MISSION but once his drunk brain has made the decision there's no going back

So, in his mind, this is what he’s saying out loud okay

“Y/n, I just wanted to let you know that I have some serious feelings for you. I know you may not feel the same way, but I just needed to tell you.”

Super awesome, everyone wishes to be that composed right?

Well here’s what he really said:

“Listen here, you cute mother-, no I shouldn’t swear at you, my bad. I’m totally in love with you right? Watchu think bout dat?”

and then he’s quiet, and smiling bc he’s proud of himself and you’re just like um????

like that’s not how you imagined this would go

But you also know that he’s gonna be super embarrassed about this in the morning so you just say

“Let’s talk tomorrow, Joongie?”

and he smiles at the nickname and nods and kinda puts his head down

You honestly cant wait to tell him you feel the same when he’s sober

and make fun of him for getting wasted

Seonghwa:

so Seonghwa, unlike Joong, is actually pretty composed

like at first, he’s wildin’ and everything

but then he just calms down super fast

like so fast you get whiplash

and he just smiles at you and you’re like “...freak”

then he frowns and he’s like “I like to look at pretty things that make me smile”

“You make me smile too, Hwa” :)

then he just grabs you into a hug and starts swaying you guys side to side

like some awkward and forced middle school slow-dance 

“What are you doing?”

and he shushes you to preserve the moment but you're like “I want answers”

then he finally leans his head down and his lips are brushing the shell of your ear so softly you barely notice

“I think I love you”

he strikes me as the kind of person who wants to confess but also isn’t ever 100% sure he wants to confirm that he loves you so he throws that “I think” in there to cushion the blow if you reject him

but, luckily for him, you do feel the same

you just turn your head ever so slightly to the side and peck his temple

he smiles and rests his head on your shoulder and squeezes your hips before wrapping his arms around you completely

“I kinda need to hear you say it”

“I think I love you too, Hwa”

Yunho:

okay this big ole baby right

I feel like he’s the kind of drunk who is crazy for a little bit but gets tired really fast

so after like an hour of insanity, his eyes are drooping and you’ve settled on a couch (or seat, wherever your location might be)

and he smooshes his cheek into your thigh and you’re totally aware that he’s gonna fall asleep on you

but you’re cool with that, I mean who wouldn’t be

and after a couple minutes of silence, you think he’s knocked out completely

he suddenly turns his head to look up at you

and you look down at him to ask if he’s okay, or if he needs anything

he just starts laughing and then this IDIOT

pokes your double chin (bc I mean why does he have to look at you from that angle) and goes “How is it that I like you so much, even your double chin is cute?”

part of you is like “omg he likes me” and the other part of you is like “...im gonna slap him. don't talk about my double chin”

so, given your inner turmoil, you're silent for a minute and he starts to pout

“you don’t like my double chin?” and he makes a double chin and grabs your hand to make you poke it

“say you like my double chin too, please”

“Yunho, I like you too... double chin and all” (you had decided that you are not going to slap him after all)

and thats kind of the end of the night bc after that crackhead confession he actually falls asleep

but you are lucky enough that he remembers it all the next morning and it becomes kind of a thing in your relationship to make double chins at each other then say “I love you” 

Yeosang:

drunk Yeosang and aegyo here we go

whiny baby voice and big eyes and pouting all the way

like he’s not so much into doing the cutesy actions like finger hearts and stuff

but refers to himself as “Sangie” and talks about himself in third person too

CLINGY

not necessarily cuddly, but always has to be holding your hand or else he’ll cry

calls you pet names like Jagi and my love and stuff

and at first you’re like aw he’s a cute drunk and tease him a little bit

but then he pouts even harder and murmurs “I'm serious”

you’re like O.O

“you mean it? you really like me, Sangie?”

nods his head furiously like you seriously think he’s gonna get a concussion for about .5 seconds

like okay I get it, you mean it, please stop doing that your head is not a maraca

“I like you too”

cue the biggest, goofiest, toothiest grin you’ve ever seen

makes big ole fishy lips at you, and points at them to ask for a kiss

so you just give him a quick peck, bc you don't really want either of you to be drunk for your first real kiss

but that satisfies him for the time being :)

San:

Sannie best boy, I cannot stress that enough

the sweetest lil drunk okay

tries to take care of you even though he’s the drunk one

thirsty? he’s gonna get up and get you a glass of whatever you want even if he spills half of it trying to give it to you

hungry? he’ll get you some if you agree to share

so halfway through a tub of ice cream he decides to lay some truth on you okay

“I like my ice cream like I like you”

and you, of course, having seen that meme, respond with “ugly?” and you cackle at your own joke

but he’s so offended

“apologize to yourself and this ice cream”

“wtf? why?”

“because ice cream is the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen after you. apologize”

literally holds the tub of ice cream up to your face, and will literally carve a sad face into the ice cream to make you apologize quicker

and when you apologize he eats the sad face and draws a smile

sentimental cheeseball is all he is in that moment okay

“you really think I’m pretty?”

he looks at you like “...duh”

“I think you’re pretty too, Sannie” and he smiles so big :’)

and both of you know that this would be the start of a really happy relationship aww

Mingi:

I bet Mingi is the cutest drunk okay like if you thought he was a giant puppy before get ready you aint seen nothin yet

and you don't even get a warning before he confesses bc he says it so out of the blue

like his whole plan was to drink some liquid courage iykyk and then he was gonna confess

but he ended up getting a lil more tipsy than originally intended

and he just blurts it out and he’s stuttering and lisping and just struggling to get all the right words out

but you just think it’s super endearing

“Minnie, are you drunk?”

he starts blowing raspberries in the air and starts shaking his head “you think I’m drunk?” 

literally hiccuping after every word lmao

like yes, Mingi, I think you're drunk

still blowing incredulous raspberries all over the place

and you blow one on his cheek and he starts giggling like the baby he is

“why you do that”

“bc I like you too, Minnie! also you were starting to spit and I needed you to stop that”

he giggles and nods at you, just happy that you feel the same way

nuzzles his head into your shoulder and plays with your fingers for the rest of the time youre together

Wooyoung:

okay he’s a crackhead already so I don't even think alcohol would be something he’s even offered most of the time lmao

but when he is all hell breaks loose

no subtlety about his confession at all

like he literally screams it at you

he had been paying extra attention to you all night, which you didn't even notice bc you liked him too and never imagined he felt the same

so you’re like he so friendly and clingy when he’s drunk

but five minutes later he’s like “DID YOU KNOW IM IN LOVE WITH YOU”

and you’re so taken aback because

1.) he just screamed in your face

2.) he just screamed that in your face

and then he’s quiet and just staring at you, waiting for a response

you’re so dumbfounded that all you say is “you too”

but thats enough for him

“GOOD THATS AWESOME”

and thats basically the end of the conversation bc he gets easily distracted

you have to remind him the next day that that conversation had even happened actually

and he’s like “oh yeahhhhh”

then you’re able to actually talk about what you both feel and be almost normal for about ten minutes lmao

Jongho:

since he’s on the quieter side compared to the rest of the group, I think this shows even more when he’s been drinking

but it’s almost concerning how quiet he is

like if you had never seen him drunk before you’d probably be really worried

and that’s exactly what happened

you went to check on him to see why he wasn't joining in the fun and he looks at you, a little teary from the alcohol

or maybe he’s just deep in his feels who knows

we’ve all been there amiright

and he’s like “just like you a lot you know that?’

you’re like “I was most certainly unaware of that, sir”

and he apologizes??? like why???

“I like you too, doofus, why are you sorry”

then he smiles and means it for the first time that whole night

he feels like he could crack all of the apples in the world he’s so happy

side-note: he probably could break all them apples fr

so basically you just made him the happiest apple murderer in the world

he’ll break all the apples for you baby

[the-angry-pixie]

DVD commentary fic thing: You're Weird, Wheeler, from "It doesn’t happen though." to "I guessed. An educated guess. But a guess all the same.” Because yaaaaaay, slowburn! (Insert that gif of Elmo with fire behind him here)

(For the DVD commentary ask meme - still taking requests btw)

This passage is taken from You’re Weird Wheeler - and so obviously, spoilers for that story if you haven’t read it.

It doesn’t happen though. Will returns to him at the bar. Mike still feels queerly deflated though. They have a few more drinks and then they head home.

“I wouldn’t have gone with him you know…” 

Will slurs only slightly. It’s later that night and Mike is sitting on his assigned bed applying moisturiser to his feet. His heels have a tendency to get really, really dry overnight.

Fun fact: I spent so much time trying to decide what Mike should be doing in this scene. I knew I wanted him to be sitting on the bed and I just felt like he should be DOING something. I have no idea whether this is a thing guys do. But I landed on applying moisturiser to feet cause thats something *I* do before going to bed. Ha ha. 

Mike looks up and gives him a questioning glance.

“Benji” Will clarifies, “I wouldn’t have gone home with him. Not while you’re here. I just want to be with you when you’re here.” 

This is Will throwing out some bait, trying to see if Mike will take it. How he will react. That emphasis he puts on being with Mike over anyone else is his way of saying “im here, im yours, are you too thickheaded to realise that??”

“Oh. Right. That’s good.” Mike smiles up at where his friend appears to be swaying to imaginary music, his fingers clutched around a glass of water.

Suddenly Will is bouncing down on the bed next to him.

“Ya know. You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

I decided to make Will confident in this story. Borderline cocky. By this point he has a very strong idea that Mike might be into guys. Might be into *him*. And so like this moment. This is him just taking that last lunge for the both of them. Sick of the dancing around it. They’ve been doing that for the last few days. And if at the beginning of Mike’s visit he wasn’t quite sure, now he’s almost positive.

“I wasn’t jealous” Mike replies immediately. 

Water slops over the edge of the glass as Will holds both his hands up in surrender.

“Ok I retract. Sulky then. You’re cute when you’re sulky.”

Mike is blushing. He can’t help it. He should really be drinking water too. Blood and alcohol are pulsing through his veins, rendering his brain-to-mouth function slightly useless. Before he can think better of it he’s responding “You think I’m cute?”

Will seems to pause and look at him then. His lips curling into a impish smile as his head bobs up and down slowly in a nod.

Was it hot in here? It was as if Mike could feel the sweat pooling into the collar of his nightshirt as he plucks at it nervously.

“Truth be told…” Mike’s head whips back up as Will continues to muse. Irritatingly casual. He is looking at his glass of water as though its a snow globe. As though the precipitation beading on the outside of it is a thing of beauty. “… I think you’re fucking sexy.”

His eyes slowly slide from the small droplets of water back to Mike’s shocked face. And there must have been something that he is seeking. Something he finds in Mike’s eyes - because he smiles. And Mike can’t help but groan.

I love this part. It’s just such a departure from the shy, slightly awkward Will that was in the beginning of this story. *This* Will is fully confident in his sexuality. In his sexual allure. And he knows his best friend. He knew he just had to search Mike’s face after saying something as *forward* as that to get his answer. And he got it. Which is why he smiles. I just really love it. 

“Don’t say things like that…” Mike croaks, his throat dry and his blood buzzing.

The smile grows into a chesire grin. “Why not?”

“Because” Mike only takes an eighth of a moment to bother with hesitation, “because then I have to do this.”

“An eighth of a second to bother with hesitation” - i like that because i feel like it bucks that trope of searching each others faces slowly leaning in before having a first kiss. Will has been brave and laid out his cards. And now Mike is going to do the same without hesitation.

And they are kissing. The water glass drops to the floor with a thud as hot lips crash against hot lips. As gasps are sucked from one mouth into another. Hands gripping hair. More hands bunching up sleepshirts. 

Mike pushes Will down against the bed and feels a little put out when Will giggles with the action. Like he knew this was going to happen. He kisses him fiercely in retaliation, his body climbing over Will’s slighter form. All the better to feel everything as he lowers his body down to lie deliciously against every inch of his friend’s.

I liked making Mike a bit miffed with Will’s apparent self-satisfaction. It just seemed like a real boys-y, best friend, rivalry sort of reaction. Which is important for me to keep as a foundation of Will and Mike’s relationship at all times.

This pulls a moan from Will who interrupts the kiss to throw his head to the side and pant, his hands rubbing over Mike’s lower back. He looks up at Mike angelically as he proceeds to grab two handfuls of Mike’s ass and grind his hips up into Mike’s undeniable erection.

I get the feeling that Will is trying to show off in some regard here. To show Mike that he isn’t some delicate flower. That he’s a sexual being and he WILL NOT be shy about it. 

Mike’s breath hitches and his arms tremble where they are standing as unsteady columns either side of Will’s head.

“You fuck” he pants. “How did you know?”

This gives Will pause. He lets go of Mike’s ass and smoothes his hands back up to the middle of his back.

“I, I didn’t know” his eyes blink widely, and he sounds almost completely sober. “I– well… I hoped. I’ve kind of hoped for years… but I didn’t, well– I didn’t know for sure. I guessed. An educated guess. But a guess all the same.”

And all of a sudden the cockiness just slides away from Will. Its no longer important for him to be smug or “victorious”. He doesn’t want Mike thinking this is just some meaningless game to him. He wants Mike to understand the context. That this was truly a gamble for him. That he’s not arrogant enough to think Mike was just going to fall to his knees. This moment is the culmination of a lot of time spent agonising and wondering if he was just imaginging things. Or being too hopeful for something that he’d desired since childhood. He was *not* sure. He hoped. And he put trust in his friend and his instincts and just hoped he wouldn’t fall. 

And thats that. Thanks Gwen. That was fun! :)

[blu-b]

Gross Poldeggan for the ship meme :)

​Thanks for that :D

Imma do this for a modern AU if you don’t mind, because the actual period setting seems a bit difficult. Also, this is after they have overcome (most of) their differences and established a somewhat stable relationship….probably. ^^

Give me a ship and I’ll tell you …..

for Ross Poldark/George Warleggan

Who cooks: They’re both not bad at it, but usually they go out. Ross is not what you’d call a fancy food enthusiast. He’ll shovel down whatever is placed before him most of the time, not caring what it is or what it tastes like. It grates on George’s nerves, this indifference, because where George comes from, meals are not just about the ingestion of nourishments - they’re celebrated feasts of exquisite taste. Ross used to laugh at it until one day George took him out to a restaurant where one of the Warleggans’ former chefs was now Maître de Cuisine. Ross said nothing, but the way his eyes popped at the taste of the gold-dusted mousse noisette encased in white chocolate spoke volumes. The next day, Ross made enquiries into professional cooking lessons because he wants to learn how to spoil his posh boy properly.

Who does the laundry and other chores: At first, George insisted they hire staff for that. A maid, at least, and a decent butler. He was even willing to pay for their salaries. But when the butler walked in on them at an inopportune moment, and the maid had a scare when she surprised them in the broom chamber, George began to see the point. He still doesn’t like certain chores. For example, he hates doing the dishes and cleaning hair out of the siphons, so Ross does that while George has no problem vacuuming or steaming Ross’ ever-crumpled clothes. They do the laundry together, but sometimes it ends with George being bent over the washing machine.

How many children do they have: George is really good with kids, Ross thinks as he watches him handle Demelza’s three brats with ultimate grace and care. The smallest, but a babe, relaxes instantly and stops crying at once when George picks her up and rocks her gently; and the middle one is glued to his lips when George reads to him in that meticulous voice of his. Ross himself likes kids, although he hasn’t thought about having some of his own - not yet, not with George because, well, it’s going to be difficult, the adoption process and everything, and who knows if they’re ready to raise kids at all. But then he sees George look longingly at all the smiling kids at the playground, and out of a whim he puts his arm around George’s waist and whispers in his ear: “How many do you want?” And George just smiles and whispers back, “A whole barn full for a start.”

Who’s more dominate: Everyone assumes it’s Ross who has the last word in their relationship, but little do they know what happens behind closed doors in the Poldark/Warleggan household once the lights are out. George has a possessive streak that he hides well in public, but every now and then it comes through, especially when he catches Ross working his charm on some of the ladies. As CEO of one of the most promising financial ventures in recent years George is used to having his orders obeyed, and boy does Ross love it when George’s voice drops low once they’re in the bedroo. It takes on that particular tone that makes Ross shiver in anticipation when he’s ordered onto the bed and told to keep still no matter what. And Ross obeys every time because he loves George being in charge; he loves giving up control and having his temper tamed by the only one who can.

Favorite nonsexual activity & Their favorite place to be together: 

It’s long walks at the clifftops after dinner, watching the sun set over the rolling waves at Hendrawna Beach. Sometimes they’re holding hands as they climb up the steep path, but most of the time they just walk in silence next to each other because this is still too new, too strange, this whole relationship thing they’ve skidded into, and it will yet take them yet a while to get used to the thought that they’d rather lie down together in the soft sands instead of pushing each other over the cliff’s edge.

Any traditions: Their entire relationship was built on a tradition of mutual hatred that reached back into the times of their fathers. Why exactly there had been such animosity between their families was lost to history, but George and Ross had both grown up profoundly disliking each other just for the sake of it. They’d worked through a lot of bullshit; threats and insults and spoiled business deals; mutual broken noses and bruises in places that were far too intimate even when they were still enemies. Then came that day that changed everything; the day that had Ross question all he believed in as he sat staring at a pale figure in a white hospital bed, wondering if he was going to lose the one person that had always understood him better than anyone else, even if neither of them liked to admit that. But that, too, passed with time and George struggled back to life and Ross held his hand, each of them finally realising they didn’t find each other quite as bad, and every year since then Ross buys a single white rose on what’s the closest to an anniversary they’ll ever have.

Their “song”: One day George comes home earlier than usual due to unforeseen but pleasant circumstances at the bank that grant him one of his rare afternoons off. He tosses his scarf and jacket over the wardrobe and climbs the carpeted stairs on a quest to find his absent boyfriend. He finds Ross in the bedroom, and the sight confuses the hell out of him. Ross has his headphones on, the heavy, old-fashioned ones, and swaying his hips he sings loudly (and wrong) to “Love is a battlefield” and George has to stifle a laugh because really, Ross, but on the other hand it’s oh so true he can’t help it. And from then on, every time when that song is on the radio, George just shoots Ross this look that says I know it all.

What they do for each other on holidays: Whenever George has one of his rare days off (running his little financial empire is hard work, especially since he’s ventured into real estate recently and opened another entire branch of business), he likes to sleep in. Like, really sleep in, way past midday, waking up to soft afternoon light and a gentle breeze, and preferably Ross next to him, stark naked (George still blushes at such thoughts). And Ross is just grateful for this, although he’d never admit that he doesn’t really like waking up alone most mornings when George has long since left work work and only the faint warmth of him remains on his side of the bed. So when there’s a day off, Ross just likes to stay in bed with him and it’s all long and lazy making out and maybe, maybe Ross can be persuaded to fetch some of those strawberries from the kitchen….

Where did they go for their honeymoon: Everyone assumes they’re married, maybe because they’re really good at bitching at each other like an old couple, but no, there’s actually no certificate and no ring on their fingers and no ‘til-death-do-us-part between them. Why, they don’t exactly know. It’s just never come up, sort of. Ross says he doesn’t need a paper anyway, and George just shrugs it off; it’s something that he’s not to partial about (although he was brought up to hope for a proper, decent, reputable marriage one day, he can’t quite shake that). So he’s caught a bit off-guard when Ross one day walks in carrying holiday catalogues and just outright asks him, “Where’d you want to go for a honeymoon?” And George says he doesn’t know, has never really thought about it, and he’s a bit nervous and then there’s Ross pulling out an envelope, smiling kind of lopsided and scratching his unruly curls. “Hope you’ll like it,” Ross says somewhat sheepishly and oh god, of course George’ll like it, he’ll like it anywhere with Ross, but…“Wait, doesn’t the proposal come before the honeymoon?”

“I was just getting to that, baby.”

Where did they first meet: They’ve kind of been around each other for like, forever? Certainly since Ross can think consciously, because he tends to forget that George is actually two years older than he although he doesn’t look the part. So, it was some time before school, he thinks, maybe in Truro, or at the fair over in Sawle, that he first took sight of George? He doesn’t remember, memories blurring into one, and then there’s other faces…Elizabeth, with whom it hadn’t worked out, and then Demelza, with whom it had worked out, just not long enough, and Margaret, who made things work out no matter what, but then, again, always, George. And Ross kind of likes the thought; likes to think that they’ve been around each other for, like, maybe, forever?

Any pets:  George wanted a cat and Ross wanted….no pet at all, if he was honest. He had nothing against either cat or dog, but actually having one around the house…well, he certainly wasn’t encouraging the idea. George on the other hand insisted a kitty was a wonderful addition to their household “if we can’t have kids, we should at least have a cat”, and “do you know cats are known to calm hot tempers, Ross? Maybe you should try,” to which Ross only replied with a roll of his eyes. 

“Maybe I’ll think about it - if you behave tonight.”

“You bet I will,” George purred and licked his lips.

What do they fight over: Sometimes they fight over the smallest, silliest things, like who placed the banana on the counter or who left the bathroom door ajar. Sometimes it’s more than that; it’s about George’s borderline hostile family or about how Ross’ newest investment isn’t going to pay off. And yet some other times, it gets nasty and mean and one of them ends up storming off (Ross) or hiding themselves to cry (George), and they curse each other and make up their mind that that was it, they’re going to leave. And then they remember that this was what drew them together in the first place, their constant fighting, and that they’re like fire and water, constantly setting each other off. But they have worked through this in the past and they have orvercome worse, and so Ross always comes back and George always comes out of hiding, and they’ll take each other’s hands and look into each other’s eyes, and it’s as good as a “I’m sorry” from their lips. 

Do they go on vacations, if so where: Sometimes, they went to London together, and sometimes to St. Ives, but always on business, always when either Ross had something to do at the art gallery or George was wanted at the bank. They never went there for leisure. Elizabeth and Verity weren’t even sure either of them was aware of that, but the girls unanimously agreed that their boys - one’s ex and the other one’s cousin - definitely were in for a time away from home, at a place that had nothing to do with either’s work. And so they worked on a plan. They roped Demelza in, a childhood friend of Ross’ who owned a travel agency, and the tomboyish redhead declared she knew “just the place” for the loverboys. So some weeks later, on occasion of a family dinner hosted by Elizabeth (which just by chance happened on the boy’s anniversary), she presented them with a hand-drawn paper-voucher wrapped in garish pink paper. It had a lovely picture of a cabin in France, amidst lavender fields and surrounded by mountains, and below was written in Demelza’s scraggly handwriting: “You’ll like it there! Very picturesque. Lots of solitude. No one will see when you do it in the pool.”

Yes, wohoooo, I’m sorry this took me so long. I don’t know what possessed me to answer this with little tiny ficlet-bits, but it was definitely fun, so thank you for sending this ask! :)

@creepywarleggan

[nadineselfships-archived]

All 10 of those, pwease >:3 For the F/O Physical Affection meme :3

asfasjfhlksafhkas Bunbun I love y o u-(I’m doing this with Papy because I’ve got major skelly feels rn)

1 👋 - Do you like to hold hands? What are their hands like?YES OF COURSE!! Hand holding is Mandatory, we hold hands everywhere if he’s not carrying me. His hands are soft, well as soft as bone can be,, but at the same time they are rough and course, they’re warm and they engulf mine completely, whenever his hands are holding mine I feel a strange sense of calm and safety.

2 👬 - What kind of hugs do they give? (Do they lift you off your feet? Bear hug you? Softly cuddle you?)EVERY HUG IMAGINABLE!! His favourite type of hug to give me is when I run up to him and jump into his arms, then he spins me around and gently places me on my feet, keeping his arms around my waist as he pepper my face in kisses. Know; one of us will pull the other in and we’ll just stay in one spot holding onto to each other and swaying lightly as we forget about our problems and just soak in the others presence.)

3 👭 - Do they put their arm around your waist or your shoulders?Yes, all the time oh my goodness,, >///

4 😘 - Do they kiss your hands, cheeks, forehead etc? What kind of not-on-the-lips kisses do they give most?His favourite place to kiss that isn’t my lips is my shoulder or my forehead, their very soft, sweet, comforting kisses and I appreciate them greatly. (I appreciate all his smooches

5 💇 - Do either of you play with the other’s hair?Papyrus loves to play with my hair, their isn’t much of it but he loves to run his hands through it and do small braids. (which he learnt how to do from tori) He loves my hair, he says it’s ‘soft like a cloud’~ ^^

6 🏠 - If you’re both on say, a couch, what’s your usual cuddling position?He’s on his back and i’m sprawled out ontop of him, or reverse to this i’m sitting in the corner of the couch with him laying between my legs and i’m wrapped around him like a human koala. (it’s very rare he likes to sit still but on the rare occasions i get him to slow down and cuddle these are our favourite positions~

7 💪  - Are either of you the type to bump each other with hips/shoulders?*cough*,,, , yes,,, i am,,, I do this a lot,,,, If i’m feeling cheeky i’ll bump him with my hip or my shoulder, I have to be careful tho because the poor bab might fall over if i’m too rough. (my hips don’t lie y’know what i’m sayin’?)

8 💃 - Do you ever dance together?I’m not,,, the best dancer in the world. Solo i am just fine, but that’s hip-hop kinda solo and Paps style is more ‘classical’,,, There are rare moments where i’ll let him rope me into dancing with him, he’s always gentle and doesn’t make fun of me for messing up or continuously staring down at our feet so i don’t step on him. There are times like at Christmas or something, after everyone’s gone home and it’s just us, we’ll put on some slow music and just sway together in the middle of the living room. (i live for the cliche romantic stuff and Papy knows how to give it to me

9 👕 - Do you ever wear each other’s clothing?YES WE DO. since he is the Tol and i am an average Tol we both can fit into each others clothes quite well, (except pants, my hips too big lmao) i wear his shirts ALL HE TIME (it drives him crazy and if i dare wear them outside i am in for a little fun when we get home ;;3) and he wear my hoodies and just,,,, guys,,, omgosh,,, seeing him wearing my hoodies drives me wild and if you think he makes it out of the bedroom before I’ve gotten to fully ‘appreciate’ it you a dead wrong. (Fun fact; skeletons bruise easily, so i f you don’t want to be hunted down by your skelebois big bro, avoid the neck area when giving hickeys.)

10 🌛 - Who is more likely to doze off on the other?*in a sing-song voice* That would be me~ I am sleepy 25/8 (bc i never sleep rip) and if we’re cuddling and just chilling i am 10000% going to fall asleep against his shoulder/on his lap. He doesn’t mind tho, he thinks it’s cute~

Thank you for asking bunbun~

[maekara]

too hard, too scarred ch.04

link on ffnet link on ao3

summary: a new character is introduced! and Gaara makes an appearance as a successful actor friend of Naruto’s, making an offer that Naruto can’t refuse!

rating: m

a/n: i posted this chapter on ffnet a while ago but if you don’t follow me there i guess it’s hard to see ^^ comments / feedback is always so heavily appreciated x

chapter one chapter two chapter three

                                                         ch.04

It was unusually quiet in Naruto’s head as he sat on the sofa in the living room, holding his script. Every few minutes, he would look up at the wall, sigh, then attempt to read the words on the page again, but he never managed to move past the sentence ‘oh nothing, just sitting here and wondering why bad things happen to good people’. It was supposed to be funny, supposed to give off a lightheartedness that would set the tone for the new TV show he was starring in. Nothing about his thoughts, nothing about the woman sleeping in the next room who was unknowingly breaking his heart was lighthearted. Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, then he paced around the room like he didn’t know what else to do with his restlessness. He would face in the direction of their bedroom, but would quickly decide to go towards the kitchen, his expression conflicted. Truthfully, what did he have to choose between? All he had to do was simply ask her about the pills he found, but he knew that things like that never came easy.

Although she loved him, Sakura would never admit that she needed help, even if it was critical. The only way she would admit it is if she truly was falling apart, and that was only because of the last time she kept to herself. Naruto sighed again, his fingers reaching for his cell phone on the coffee table. Quickly dialing a number, he felt comforted when his father picked up on only the second ring. Naruto smiled and said hello, his voice tired.

“Hey Dad,” Naruto said, “why aren’t you asleep?”

“I was up reading some proposals and approving them,” Minato replied, “why? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“When Mom was alive,” Naruto breathed, “and she kept secrets from you, what did you do?”

The line was silent for just a few seconds, but Naruto couldn’t help but think about his father’s reaction. He could almost see the way his mouth frowned and the way his forehead scrunched up in worry. It was natural, of course, for his father to worry about him. He was the only child, after all. The kind who was rambunctious, too. Maybe it would have been different if Naruto had a younger sibling, because then it would've made him more responsible from a younger age. Naruto heard him take a deep breath.

“Whenever she kept things from me that were about her health,” Minato started, “I always tried to subtly hint to her that I knew what she was doing. If that didn’t work, I just took care of her until she was better equipped to tell me what was wrong.”

“Did that work?”

“Not at first, but the more you do it, the more you improve your relationship,” Minato said, “and the more she will open up to you, because you’ve proven that you can handle her at her worst.”

Naruto thought for a moment, nibbling on his bottom lip, too nervous to say a word before his father coughed once. “What if,” Naruto whispered, “she thinks that I can’t help her when she needs me?”

“That’s easy,” Minato chuckled, “that just means she’s trying to protect you.”

“I don’t want her to protect me.”

“Why? What happened?”

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s not eating again.”

“That makes sense,” Minato uttered, “she recently lost her father. I’m sure she doesn’t even realise it’s a relapse.”

At those words, Naruto froze. One of the things that was difficult to realise about mental health was that the person who was diagnosed sometimes found it difficult to detect a change in their behavior. They would go on about their lives as though their relapse was something normal, but for mentally ill people, it was the norm to feel a certain way. Still, Naruto thought of the bottle he found in Sakura’s drawer, and felt his heart go into turmoil all over again.

“Dad,” he said, “I found hunger-suppressing pills in her drawer.”

It was Minato’s turn to be silent, but Naruto could hear the way his breath caught in his throat. Evidently, this piece of information was shocking and more than disturbing. Over the phone, he could hear the shuffling of papers on the table and being neatly stacked for Minato to look at later.

“Why does she have that in her drawer? Where did she even get them?”

“I don’t know, but I know that medication has to be prescribed. For obvious reasons.”

“I’m sure there’s some variation of it that you can get over the counter.”

“It’s hunger-suppressing, Dad. It’s not legal to sell that over the counter, especially in a world where eating disorders are more prevalent now.”

“Well,” Minato sighed, “what’re you gonna do?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me,” Naruto sighed.

The line went silent for a good minute, but he knew his father was thinking, maybe even contemplating on what advice to give him. He fidgeted with the papers he was holding, wondering if he was doing the right thing by calling so late at night. The kitchen cabinet full of wine suddenly seemed so much more appealing and before Minato said a word, Naruto quickly crossed the room and fixed himself up with a glass, sitting at the kitchen bar and eyeing the stove. It was three o’clock in the morning, which meant that he wasn’t going to get any sleep. That probably also meant that the table reading for “Honey” was going to go a lot slower than the producers had hoped for.

“I think for now,” Minato murmured as Naruto gulped down a glass of red wine, “you just have to take care of her. Make sure she eats.”

“What if she doesn’t want to?”

“It’s going to be hard at first, but as long as you consistently show her that your relationship hasn’t changed, it’ll hopefully help clear some things up for her.”

The blonde-haired actor inhaled through his mouth and held his breath for just a few seconds, just like he did back when he was still smoking cigarettes. He nodded slightly, his head hung low. “Okay,” he said finally, “thanks dad. I love you.”

It was around six o’clock in the morning when Naruto had finished preparing the bacon and the scrambled eggs, set neatly at the kitchen bar with glasses of orange juice and some tea. He heard the click of their bedroom door and immediately looked up to find that Sakura was still in her pyjamas, wiping her eyes as she yawned, her hair in disarray. She caught a whiff of the food he had cooked and perked up immediately, but her eyes held something similar to guilt and Naruto felt that twisting feeling in his stomach again just at the sight of it, if only for a few seconds.

“You didn’t come to bed last night.”

“Yeah,” he replied as he pushed more bacon onto each of their plates, “I was reading the script after I talked to my dad on the phone.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just haven’t called him in a while.” Technically, Naruto knew that wasn’t really a lie.

“Are you worried about your new show?” Sakura asked as she sat at the counter, sipping from the glass of orange juice laid out next to her plate of breakfast, her expression concerned. “Is that why you called him?”

“Nah,” Naruto smiled, “I think he just misses having me at home because he’ll send me these corny father-son memes because he thinks they’re cool.”

Sakura laughed, almost spitting out her drink. “He thinks memes are cool?”

“Cut him some slack. He’s older.”

Naruto stared at Sakura as she reached for a piece of bacon and chewed slowly, her brow furrowed. He recognised the way she sighed every time she took a bite, and he knew it was because deep down, the guilt she felt was bleeding into the things she did everyday. After just her second piece of bacon, she stood up to wash her hands at the sink. Without saying a word, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek then headed back towards the bedroom.

“I made you like,” Naruto began, “a whole plate, aren’t you going to finish it before work?”

“I’m already late,” she replied from the bedroom, “so you can have it.”

“Are you crazy?” Naruto said, exasperated, “I have my own plate. Can’t you just finish it?”

“I have to start getting ready.”

“Work starts at nine.”

“And you know how long it takes me to get ready.” Coming out in a towel, Sakura placed her hands on either side of her hips and tilted her head, the stance she took whenever she had that ‘I told you so’ attitude that admittedly, annoyed Naruto sometimes. She wasn’t going to budge even if she knew he was right. Without a concrete, solid argument, there was no way that Naruto was going to prove his point. As though she wasn’t hiding something from him, she was going to continue convincing herself that she didn’t need to eat, or that she wasn’t hungry, and she did it exactly in this manner: dismissing him like it was okay to do so.

He nodded and clenched his jaw, picking up her plate and turning towards the sink.

“What’re you doing?” Sakura’s voice chimed right behind him, making him jump.

“Jesus, Sakura-chan, don’t scare me like that!”

“Are you wasting food?”

“You said you didn’t want it.”

“It doesn’t mean you can’t put it in the fridge!” she exclaimed as she stood before him, her expression horrified.

“Well,” Naruto said, “will you eat it later? Because I won’t.”

“I’ll probably be eating out later,” she sighed, “so no. But I thought maybe you could eat it later, like leftovers or something.”

Scratching the back of his neck, Naruto felt as though his patience was being tested. “Yeah, because you avoid eating by making me finish your food,” he mumbled to himself.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” he retorted, “you should get ready. Don’t wanna be late.”

Sakura’s eyes watched him, her brow furrowing like she knew he was hiding something from her (which, admittedly, he was), but she let out a breath before walking away, her hips swaying from side to side as she disappeared into the bathroom. Letting out a frustrated breath, Naruto reminded himself of his phone call with Minato that very morning, that he had to be patient and show Sakura that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he was always going to be there to support her. Still, with spirits that was as stubborn as the both of them, it was going to feel like a tug of war. While Naruto loved her more than he could understand, there were times that he knew loving someone wasn’t enough.

Sakura taught him that.

Pouring himself a glass of orange juice, Naruto listened to the running water from the shower and he frowned. She even stopped singing, he thought to himself. Opening the drawer next to the sink, Naruto pulled out saran wrap and covered her plate, frowning as he did it. Patience was easy when she didn’t hide anything from him, and he knew that her recent loss was part of the reason she was acting like this. Surely, all the animosity she currently felt for herself was just the tip of the iceberg. Knowing her, and knowing her incredible sense of perfectionism, Naruto knew that from here on out, she was only going to get worse. The most infuriating thing was that as of right now, with all the information he had, he could still do nothing, because it wasn’t enough to change anything.

Sighing, Naruto pulled out his phone and checked the time: 6:45AM. He still had a long day ahead of him, what with work starting in the afternoon. Seeing that he was obviously not going to get enough sleep before he had to leave, he figured it was probably a good idea to actually pull out his script and start getting into character. He was used to playing the goofy best friend, or some kind of side kick, but now, he was the lead. The one who was going to get the most character development, and the one that was going to make his acting career soar higher. The whole idea was surreal, in all honesty, but as he opened his script, he felt like maybe, this was what he had wanted all along.

He heard the bathroom door open and drew in a deep breath when he heard Sakura approach him from behind. Preparing himself to be patient, he called it. Or rather, reminding himself to be compassionate and understanding at the fact that she simply was the secretive type sometimes.

“How far did you get in the script?” she asked, her hands on his shoulders.

“Not that far,” he replied, “I kept getting distracted.”

“Okay,” she sighed, “something is bothering you.” She moved to the arm rest of the sofa he sat on and crossed her arms, her expression worried. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Actually,” he said, “I’m not ready to.”

Sakura blinked.

“You’re not ready to?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, “I think it’s not something you’re ready to hear, and I just want to take my time in telling you, if that’s okay.”

Green eyes widened by a fraction at his words and he knew he had hit a nerve. He watched her face with careful tenacity, looking for any hint of an epiphany that she might have been having in that exact moment. When he found nothing but hurt, his eyes softened and he turned his gaze back to the script before him, feeling like his nerves were going to be broken from the anxiety, the frustration, and the pure sadness he was experiencing. Sakura let out a quick ‘humph’ and cleared her throat, the way she always did when she was being diplomatic, like when she was talking to a client. Naruto clenched his jaw again.

“That’s fine,” she said, her voice level, “I hope that when you’re ready, you can come talk to me.”

She didn’t let him say another word as she walked off, holding her towel in place and quietly closing the door behind her. Naruto could hear her rustling around, could hear her opening drawers and pulling things out to help her get ready for the day. He could see it: her opening the drawer of their dresser and pulling out her hair dryer and her makeup, setting them on their dresser, then taking out the bottle of her pills and stuffing it into her bag. Picturing her face as she did so, he knew that she thought that was something she had to do, that it was a necessity in order to feel better about herself. With tears brimming his eyes, Naruto rested the back of his head against the sofa.

“Yeah,” he whispered as he heard the faint blasting of the hair dryer, “I hope you can, too.”

Hearing his phone vibrate on the coffee table, Naruto sighed as he leaned forward and checked the name to find that it was just work. He grabbed it, clearing his throat before he picked up.

“Naruto,” his director’s voice boomed in his ear, “didn’t think you’d be up this early!”

“Hasegawa! Surprised, are ya,” Naruto smirked, “why are you calling me so early in the morning if you weren’t expecting me to be awake?”

“I know it’s a bit of a late update,” the voice rang, “but we finally found an actor to play your little brother.”

“Really? This late into the process?”

“Yeah, I know. The kid’s supposed to be great, though.”

“He should be, if he got the part.” Naruto cleared his throat and leaned back against the sofa. “I thought you guys were just gonna write off the little brother thing, though.”

Hasegawa ignored him, too excited about the future of his show to properly answer Naruto’s speculation. “Name’s Takashi Yuuki,” his director chimed, “you heard of him?”

“No,” Naruto replied as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “sounds like he should be in a shoujo, but why? Should I?”

“He’s supposedly real good, but kinda hard to deal with.”

“What does that mean?”

“People say he’s kinda cold,” Naruto tried to stifle a yawn this time, wiping his eyes and willing himself to keep listening at least until the call was over, “so, I was hoping you’d do something about it.”

“Yeah,” Naruto sighed, “sure. I’ll talk to him.”

“Great! Maybe you can build some sort of friendship with him, since you guys’ll be portraying siblings.”

Absentminded, Naruto’s eyes fell to the reflection of the television before him as his director ranted on and on about this kid who apparently was incredibly talented and was an asset who could bring a lot of viewers into watching “Honey” just for his appeal. In this day and age, it was important to stay in style, to stay relevant. That’s what magazine issues of Vanity Fair was for: to remind people what was in style, who was in style, and what was the most fashionable way to live. A lot of the time when Naruto thought about how he got to this point in his career, he remembers the nights he would be at his computer, researching theatre techniques and different theatre practitioners. Even though he could afford to live a luxurious lifestyle, and despite the fact that his manager would tell him he no longer had to try hard, Naruto thirsted for knowledge and had a reckoning for making himself better in all the ways that he possibly could. If there was one thing about himself that he never wanted to disappear or to change, it was his impeccable need to understand the inner workings of the things that he loved.

“Yeah,” Naruto said finally when the line fell silent, “it’ll be great.”

The bedroom door creaked open and Sakura’s face was done up naturally and ready to head for work, but her eyes were still dull even as she looked at him and smiled, mouthing the words ‘good luck today’ as she walked past him. His lips stretched into a smile as she waved him goodbye and as quickly as she got ready, she was out of the door, letting it shut behind her. Naruto ran his fingers through his hair and leaned forward, his head beginning to hurt.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” he said, “I’ll see you in a few hours. Gonna try and get some rest beforehand.”

“Don’t overwork yourself, kid,” Hasegawa chuckled over the phone.

Naruto laughed, but his eyes stayed glued to their apartment door, his subconscious uneasy. “I’ll try my best not to.”

After what seemed like a whole year of just trying to get to the bathroom from where he sat, Naruto finally turned the faucet so that the cold water would beat down on him, in the hopes that he would wake up and be able to get to work without passing out. A couple times a year, both he and Sakura would get so busy that they barely had time for themselves, which was normally something that didn’t really bother him since it meant that they were both trying their hardest to do something they enjoyed. To be fair, in light of recent events, he couldn’t exactly rest easy since he knew that if he gave Sakura the benefit of the doubt, she would end up drowning in herself with no way out. As he washed his face, all he saw behind his eyelids was her face and her smile, trying to shoulder her burdens by herself. While he knew they were both busy and barely had time to reconnect as much as they’d like to, he felt as though he was at a loss for what to do for her.

Deep down, he knew that depression didn’t work that way, though he always wished it did. No matter how much he wanted to pull her out of the crashing waves, all he could do was trust that she would lace her fingers through his and hoist herself up, back into the warmth of his arms that he knew she called home.  

“Hasegawa,” Naruto groaned, “you’re gonna kill us if you keep going at this speed.”

The balding man sighed and rubbed his temples, making an attempt to consider his lead’s words. “We just gotta get it right.”

“Right,” a female voice holding a clipboard said sarcastically, “because most people in this room don’t know how your perfectionism can affect a good thing.”

“We can still make improvements as we go along,” Naruto added, “but for now, for the love of God, just let us grab all that food on the table over there. We’re all starving.”

With a grunt that meant approval, Naruto and the rest of his cast flocked to the table in the corner of their meeting room, laughing as they grabbed paper plates and plastic cups. Although they had only been working together for a short time, he already felt that he was close to them and could afford to be himself and give genuine insights as to what would be best for the show. Hasegawa loved to take a more Western approach to the shows that he’s directed, and that was mostly because he wanted his cast to have a relationship, almost like a theatre ensemble. There have been times where Naruto dreaded acting because of the way a director and producer exhibited arrogance and gave the impression that only their opinions mattered. With a cast like “Honey”, Naruto felt as though each and everyone involved could truly thrive.

Propping himself back in his chair, he happened to look across from him at a boy who was no older than sixteen, and who kept his eyes glued to his phone screen as his fingers tapped rapidly. His brown hair was short and straight, and his features were refined — almost like he had had plastic surgery (though he knew that wasn’t the case). Every now and then, he would scrunch his brow and purse his lips, as though he was constantly trying to suppress his annoyance with whoever he was talking to. Naruto cleared his throat and the boy looked up, his dark eyes dull and so obviously cold.

“You’re new, right?”

With a nod, the boy went back to his phone, his expression unchanging. Naruto watched the other members of the cast make faces towards him as though he was unknowingly disturbing a wild animal that wanted to be left alone. Naruto sat up and placed his food down on his plate, clearing his throat.

“Name’s Naruto,” he tried, but the boy continued to ignore him, his finger scrolling through his screen nonstop, “what’s yours?”

“You know,” the boy’s voice was sullen and tired, “you don’t have to be nice to me. I can take care of myself.”

“Don’t be so full of yourself,” Naruto said, and he could suddenly understand why Hasegawa made that phone call this morning: this kid wasn’t budging and he certainly made everyone feel uneasy. “It ain’t about taking care of you, I was just asking your name.”

As though he had planted a landmine, the entire room fell into a whisper as they watched the two, all their expressions frantic. Even Hasegawa paused with a donut halfway into his mouth as his eyes rapidly switched from Naruto’s face to the boy’s. It wasn’t going to faze Naruto, though. Truthfully, he despised people who wanted to start drama simply because they felt they had the power to. It was incredibly narcissistic and selfish, and he wasn’t going to let anything like that ruin the flow of their cast’s relationship with each other. He waited, tapping his finger once, twice, then thrice, on the glass table before them.

“Yuuki,” the boy finally said, putting his phone away in his pocket and clenching his jaw.

“What?”

“Takashi Yuuki,” he said, his voice significantly smaller, “it’s nice to meet you.”

Even with his politeness, the room Naruto sat in did not move a muscle. Maybe they were waiting for a cold-blooded, low blow comment from the teenager, but it never came. Placing his hands on the table, Yuuki hung his head low and refused to make eye contact with Naruto. It didn’t seem as though he was afraid, but there was definitely something different and maybe even a little unnerving about the way he seemed to keep everyone on their toes. Naruto sighed, then smiled.

“Yuuki, huh,” he said, “nice to meet you, kid.”

After the initial shock, Yuuki nodded and stood up, heading towards the food table. The rest of the cast stared at Naruto, their expressions showcasing an incredulous sense of disbelief. He shrugged — it’s not like the kid wasn’t human. Even just by that first encounter, the obvious problem with Yuuki was more that he was heavily misunderstood. Naruto smiled reassuringly at his cast and broke the silence by enthusing about the sweets before him, making everyone ease up and laugh. They each took their seats and gossiped amongst themselves, with Hasegawa laughing along with them. Subtly glancing over at Yuuki, Naruto felt a knot in his stomach form when he saw the frail, pale boy brush his fingers over the half-eaten plate of cookies, then retract and grabbed the healthier egg salad instead.

“Um,” Yuuki said without looking at anyone in particular, “are there any more donuts? I’d like a few.”

One of the writers smiled and motioned for him to come closer to her, holding out her plate of donuts. She was a larger woman, and her smile was bright as she offered a chocolate glazed donut to the boy, already seemingly comfortable with his quiet and reserved nature. “Ah, you’re so lucky, Takashi-kun!”

“Lucky?” he said, his voice embarrassed.

“You can eat so much and not get fat! I’m jealous!”

“Kana,” Hasegawa chuckled, “you love eating, you wouldn’t give that up for anything.”

“I know, but it must be really great to be able to eat whatever you want, and not feel bad about it!”

The room boomed with laughter and Naruto watched as the corners of Yuuki’s lips lifted, but fidgeting in his left hand against his sweater piqued the curiosity of the blonde-haired man who slowly chewed on his food. Maybe he was just making speculations, but it was a possibility that the reason the kid was so closed off was because from the very start, people would act like they knew him when they didn’t know a single thing about him. Perhaps his facade was a little less destructive, but Naruto knew that he was seeing someone else in place of Yuuki. In fact, he could see it more than clearly as he watched the way his smile didn’t touch his eyes.

As though she knew what he was thinking, Naruto’s phone vibrated and he quickly read the subject line from Sakura, saying that she was going to be home late because she was going to work extra hard on her current case at the office. Without so much as a frown, Naruto simply closed his eyes and composed himself while laughter continued to bounce off the walls. This was a perfect opportunity for him to work harder, to distract himself from the troubles of home. When he opened his eyes, he caught Yuuki staring at him with a curious glint and he knew that somehow, calling out this kid the way he did was either a mistake or a blessing. Still, he smiled at the kid, to which he turned away and pretended he was checking if there was dirt under his nails.

Naruto smirked.

“Okay, guys,” Hasegawa sighed, “I want everyone to get in their element, do whatever they have to do in order to make this pilot episode go out with a bang!”

“Shouldn’t we all do it together so it’s more synchronized?” Naruto asked.

“Eventually, yeah,” he replied, “but I want everyone to feel like they know what they’re doing, especially Yuuki, since he’s not entirely sure how this dynamic works with this cast.”

“I don’t need to learn to be comfortable,” Yuuki said blatantly, but it didn’t match his confused expression.

“Please,” Hasegawa said firmly, “I just need some time to picture how I want this to go, and I want you guys to help me make it something worth remembering.”

“Hasegawa —“

“Plus, Naruto can be like your actual older brother, if you give him a chance.”

Glancing at Naruto, Yuuki rolled his eyes and sighed, though he made no protest nor did he ask if he could do something else. Taking his script with him as they left the meeting room and walked towards the coffee room near the set, it occurred to Naruto that he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with Yuuki. Especially if he was going to showcase his attitude this way. Still, even as Yuuki neatly pulled out his script and set it before him, he seemed prim and proper. Naruto glanced at the seemingly untouched paper and raised an eyebrow, wondering if he even attempted reading the script. Yuuki looked up at him, his expression blank.

“Have you even opened that thing?” Naruto chuckled.

“I look at it all the time.”

“So,” Naruto said as he slapped his script onto the table, “why does it look like you just printed it out like some school essay?”

At first, Yuuki didn’t seem like he wanted to answer the question. His fingers carefully turned the pages to reveal brightly coloured highlights across the text and Naruto felt his jaw drop just the slightest fraction of an inch at the sight before him. Clearing his throat, he felt embarrassed as he leafed through his battered up script, remembering a time when he was the bad student who didn’t know how to be organized. For a split second when he looked up at the boy, he could've sworn he saw him fighting a smirk.

“I like keeping things in order,” Yuuki finally said, his voice level, “since it’s better to know what you’re doing and not make mistakes.”

“Mistakes?” Naruto asked, his tone surprised, “But you’re an actor. It’s perfectly reasonable to make mistakes.”

Yuuki paused, his finger pausing on a page before turning it. “Sure,” he said casually, “but I still try to refrain from that.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I just don't like lashing out sometimes.”

“You’re pretty conventional, huh?” Naruto said, raising his eyebrows.

“Better conventional than unconventional,” Yuuki replied coldly, “at least this way, no one can reprimand me for being different.”

At his words, Naruto couldn’t help but feel like Yuuki was putting too much pressure on himself as an individual as well as an actor. Drawing in a breath through his nose, Naruto stretched and felt the knots in his back crack, to which he sighed and leaned against his chair, his brow furrowed. Yuuki was seemingly glaring at him, but when Naruto began to open his mouth, the boy looked away.

“You know,” Naruto began, “it’s not a fault to be told you’re wrong.”

“I know.”

“Then why do you act like you don’t?”

“I just think,” Yuuki said as he moved to rest his chin in his palm, “it’s too much effort to be social, sometimes.”

Naruto chuckled. “You have a lot of girl fans, you know.”

“Yeah,” Yuuki grinned, “but that’s normal when you’re in this line of work.”

“Line of work?” Naruto laughed, “Kid, you’re an actor. You are allowed to lighten up, you know.”

Without another word, Yuuki glanced up at Naruto through his long lashes before he shook his head, cleared his throat, and was very visibly just trying to get today’s work done and over with. It was becoming clear that what Hasegawa had said over the phone was true, but it was only half of the truth. There had to be a reason that Yuuki acted the way he was, and there were a myriad of possibilities that Naruto could explore just by looking at him. He could have a god complex in which he felt he was above everyone, he could have an inferiority complex in which he disliked the fact that there might be people who were better at their job than he was. Although, realistically, Yuuki’s issues were probably more deep-rooted than that. Naruto wasn’t one to pry, but if he knew mental health well — and at the very least, he was trying to — then it was very possible that Yuuki was simply a talented kid who had a family that didn’t support what he loved doing. What he needed wasn’t for people to treat him like an anomaly, but for people to treat him like he was a person, too.

“You ready to start?” Yuuki said, his fingers tapping against the table lightly.

Offering his brightest smile, Naruto leaned forward and caught Yuuki’s gaze. “Whenever you are, little brother.”

8PM was considered an early time to be let out of work, which meant that Naruto had plenty of time to hit the city and go to his favorite bar and grab some food before he headed home where he would continue to work hard until Sakura came home. Back when he was just starting out and before he had received any recognition, this would have been a boys’ night out with a few of his friends who were also working hard and acting in anything they found to be interesting. He sat next to a red-haired man whose face was one that his fans fawned over, what with his high cheekbones and prominent jaw. Holding a glass of whiskey, he turned to face Naruto, his expression curious. Never would Naruto have thought that Gaara, Vanity Fair’s ‘Hottest Hunk’ of the year, would be one of his closest friends.

Being an actor was pretty wild.

“So the kid’s just got attitude problems, then,” Gaara speculated.

“Not really,” Naruto mused, “I seriously think he just has trouble communicating in an appropriate way.”

“Aren’t people like that sociopathic?”

“Not necessarily,” Naruto sighed, “but I gotta admit that he’ll make ‘Honey’ more interesting.”

Without a word, Gaara made eye contact with the female bartender, smiled, and ordered another whiskey. Watching him, Naruto felt as though he was watching a magician perform his tricks, except this was more of a private show than a public one. Sure enough, the bartender had smiled and blushed as she whipped out another glass, her face hiding behind her long hair. Leaning back in his chair, Gaara sighed as he closed his eyes. While Naruto knew a lot of the city’s most prominent actors personally, it was rare that he was able to sit down with them and have a normal conversation like old buddies would. The man that sat beside him was considered eccentric, and perhaps part of his charm was that he was silent. That seemed to be a quality a lot of fans looked for, anyway.

“I almost can’t believe how crazy this all is,” Gaara said, the corners of his lips soft and spreading his mouth into a small smile, “we used to be nobodies and now, here we are.”

“We didn’t get here by sheer luck,” Naruto reminded him, “we all worked our asses off.”

“I know.”

“I didn’t think people would love me,” Naruto chuckled, “it seems so surreal.”

“I know what you mean,” Gaara nodded, “it’s hard to forget that we know we’re normal, but our fans think the opposite.”

“They’re called fans for a reason,” Naruto chuckled, “and I believe your popularity really started to skyrocket after you started to do romantic comedies.”

“What can I say? I apparently suit the brooding, mysterious type.”

In comfortable silence, they continued gulping down their glasses as they watched people come in and out of the bar, probably looking for something to do because they didn’t want to be at home. Naruto’s mind wandered to the woman he always came home to, whose smile used to always seem genuine, and whose hands now seemed a lot colder than they used to. He figured that she would be hungry as soon as she came through the door, but the question of whether or not she would admit it was a blur. Naruto frowned at the thought.

“How’s your girlfriend doing?” Gaara asked as he took another sip, “Still a fan of mine?”

Naruto laughed. “As loyal as ever.”

“You really lucked out.”

“I’m sure there have been some people you’ve dated that were special to you,” Naruto said easily.

“I guess,” Gaara shrugged, “but they always love me more than I love them.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” the redhead replied, raising an eyebrow, “I’m just not used to it.”

Pulling out his phone, Naruto checked the time and exhaled sharply through his mouth when he saw that Sakura had left no recent message. He rubbed his temple and asked for another drink, his anxiety and concern growing even bigger the longer she waited to tell him her biggest secret. Feeling Gaara’s gaze on him, he pretended to be engrossed in reading something on his phone, and if the guy wasn’t buying it, he certainly wasn’t letting on. Pulling an envelope out of his coat pocket, Gaara set it on the table and waited for Naruto to look at him, which admittedly, was not a long wait, since Naruto was often intimidated by his stares.

“Speaking of fans,” Gaara began, “I got some tickets for my most recent movie premier.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t really have anyone to give them to,” he continued, “but since Sakura is a huge fan, I figured she’d love this.”

Pulling the tickets out of its envelope, Naruto’s eyes fell upon the date and he frowned.

“I don’t think we can come.”

“Why not? It’s free tickets.”

“That’s Sakura’s birthday,” Naruto replied, “and I kinda wanted to make it special since we’ve both been busy lately.”

Gaara hummed as he closed his eyes, an indication that he was thinking of a solution that just might (secretly) help Naruto out. Out of all his friends in the city that had met Sakura, Gaara was the one who Naruto turned to whenever he messed up royally, or when he didn’t know what to get for a gift for an anniversary, or even help him with something simple like telling him which florist had the sweetest roses. He was a gem, and it probably wasn’t a coincidence that Sakura ended up being a fan of his. Not only was he a wonderful actor, but he was also a kindhearted, compassionate person who appreciated his fans beyond repair. A lot of the time, Naruto felt that he and Gaara were on the same wavelength whenever it came to their respective careers.

“What were you gonna give her?” Gaara mused.

“I bought these diamond earrings,” Naruto said hesitantly, “but I feel like that’s a little cliché.”

“Nah,” Gaara laughed, “that’s pretty classic. But I think you need to add something more.”

“Like what?”

Having ordered another drink, Gaara leaned into Naruto and flashed the movie tickets before his face, his expression smug. “Take her to the premier.”

“God damn —“

“Listen first,” Gaara laughed, “you take her to the premier first. When it’s all over, do something for her that you haven’t done in a while.”

“But I do everything for her as often as I can.”

“I’m talking about something that will remind her why she fell in love with you in the first place, you dingus.”

“Well, that’s…”

“It can be anything,” Gaara said as he waved his hand as though the mere idea of romance wasn’t a big deal, “but whatever it is, make it extra.”

“How extra?”

“The usual: candles, flowers, wine — that kind of stuff.”

Naruto laughed. “You the expert now, just because your specialty is romantic comedies?”

Laughter rang in Naruto’s ears and Gaara smiled as he pushed the tickets back into the envelope, handing it over to Naruto firmly. It was a clear indication that there was no way he was going to let Naruto refuse. He rolled his eyes as the redhead next to him pushed the envelope in his face, a tactic that most people wouldn’t expect him to execute, especially because he was the quiet type. If Gaara wanted something to go his way, it would, within reason, definitely go his way. Naruto sighed.

“Why don’t you do this for girls you date?” Naruto asked as he pushed the envelope into his coat pocket.

“Dunno,” Gaara shrugged, “probably because I don’t see myself marrying them.”

Naruto cocked an eyebrow in question.

“Yes, Naruto,” Gaara sighed, “I see you marrying her. That’s why I always help you with shit like this.”

Clearing his throat, Naruto ordered another drink as he felt a heavy sense of guilt settle into his stomach. A lot of the time, when things were hard for both her and him, he sometimes felt that maybe he wasn't competent enough to keep their relationship as a force of strength for both of them. He knew that without her, his tenacity to work harder to become better would be reduced to mere wishes, and that would cause him to think that maybe, he wasn’t cut out to be great. Throughout the years that he struggled and needed her support, she made him a better man. Yet, when he thought about what he’d done for her, he couldn’t help but worry that he wasn’t making her a better person. After all, there were things about her that hadn’t changed since he met her, like her need to hide the things that were bad for her from him, and acting like she was perfectly fine. Fingering the rim of his glass, Naruto looked at himself in the reflection of his drink as though it would give him answers.

Sakura often thought it would.

“Something on your mind?” Gaara said softly.

“Nah,” Naruto breathed, “I think things are just hard right now.”

“They’re never easy.”

“That’s true, but this is different.”

“Why?”

Naruto hesitated for a second, his brow furrowing. “She recently lost her father.”

No words left Gaara’s lips as he turned to look at Naruto, his own expression filled with remorse.

“That must be rough,” he whispered.

“She was close to him,” Naruto nodded, “and now, she’s resorted to doing things that are bad for her because she thinks it’s going to make her feel better.”

“Have you talked to her about it?”

Letting a sad smile spread across his lips, Naruto shook his head. “I found hunger-suppressing pills in her drawer the other day.”

“Seriously?”

“I don’t know what to do,” Naruto laughed, “but whatever it is I’m doing now, it’s probably wrong.”

“That’s probably the furthest thing from the truth,” Gaara offered, “and it’s probably ‘cause this is just how she deals with grief.”

“I know people deal with it differently.”

“Then, just be there for her.” Gaara pulled out his wallet and flashed out a platinum card. “Show her you still love her.”

Feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket, Naruto stood up and reached into his pocket as he composed himself to leave. Although they never exchanged words of gratitude or encouragement, Naruto was well aware of the fact that Gaara would always look out for him, no matter how renowned he would be on the big screen. Patting him on the shoulder, Naruto walked towards the exit and pushed the door open, feeling like there was more to himself and his relationship with Sakura that he had yet to understand, even after being with her for so long. Pulling out his phone, he smiled when he read the name, already feeling more at ease.

“Hey, babe,” he said.

“Hi,” Sakura chimed, clearly smiling into the phone, “I got off earlier than I thought I would. You up for some ramen?”

Stopping in his tracks, Naruto smiled as he spotted a woman in her cream trench coat walking towards their apartment, her suitcase in hand, her high heels clacking against the sidewalk, and her pink hair done up in a simple bun. As if it were possible, he felt his heart swell even bigger than it normally would as he watched her reach for her keys inside her bag. Maybe everyone was right in that he was being too hard on himself, just like she would be harsh with herself, too. After having been through so much with her, he couldn’t imagine that they weren’t going to be okay, that they weren’t made for each other. He pressed the receiver closer to his lips as he walked towards her, his anxieties being stripped from him just at the sound of her voice.

“You know,” he said as he came close enough for her to hear him right behind her, “I’d never turn down free ramen.”

“Naruto,” Sakura called out, exasperated, “we’re going to be late!”

Standing before the mirror in their bedroom, Naruto adjusted his tie and opened the drawer before him, pulling out a black box and stuffing it into his suit pocket. With one last look at his appearance, he smiled and turned off the lights, stepping out into the living room to find his girlfriend with her hands on her hips, her bottom lip in a pout.

“What’s the rush? We have another hour before it starts.”

“That’s not the point,” she sighed, “we wanna get there so we have time to take photos with Gaara!”

Planting a kiss on her cheek, Naruto laced his fingers through hers and led her to the door, his nerves frayed from being so nervous. Before tonight, he had made the necessary calls and already gave a spare key to both Sasuke and Ino so that they could come in while they were at the movie premier.

“Are you okay?” Sakura asked as she tightened her grip around his hand.

“Yeah,” he smiled, “just worried that you think this is kind of lame.”

Sakura laughed. “No, I think it’s great. Especially since it’s one of Gaara’s movies.”

“He insisted that I take the free tickets, you know.”

“You’re joking!”

Naruto shook his head and pressed the button for the elevator. Glancing over at Sakura, he couldn’t help but think how beautiful she looked, with her hair in loose curls and her little black dress reaching just above her knees. With softened eyes, he pulled out the black box that was sitting in his pocket, his heart beating fast.

“Do you want your present?”

“What kind of question is that?”

Naruto chuckled as he opened the box, revealing square diamond studs, fitting perfectly on the cushion for plain eyes to see and admire. Spearmint eyes widened and brimmed with tears as she looked at him, her expression absolutely touched.

“Happy birthday, Sakura-chan.”

“Diamond earrings?” she whispered, “Are you sure this is okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“It’s just so expensive…”

The elevator doors opened and pulling her inside, he held her against him as he kissed her temple and gestured for her to put them on. With trembling hands and a soft smile on her face, Sakura carefully pushed the earrings through her ear piercings, watching his face as she snagged them into place. Brushing her hair to the side, she silently asked him if they were a perfect match, and feeling his face soften, Naruto nodded.

“Perfect,” he murmured, “just like their owner.”

The drive to the theatre was unsurprisingly short, but when Naruto handed his keys to the valet, he begrudgingly admitted that Sakura was right in that there was way too many people lining up for photos with the star, to post on social media. With a cheeky smile, he apologised and guided her through the crowd, hoping that at the very least, if they didn’t get photos, they would be one of the first ones in the theatre. Trying to keep a low profile, Naruto kept his face down as he pushed through the swarm of paparazzi, gripping tighter to Sakura’s hand, when he runs into a paparazzi whose camera wasn’t aimed towards the cast of the movie.

“Oh my god,” he shouted, “it’s Uzumaki Naruto! Hey, over here!”

“Seriously?” Naruto grumbled under his breath as he tried to push past the unwanted cameras.

“Look here!”

“No, here!”

“Give us a smile, Naruto!”

With teeth clenched, he kept stepping forward, pretending they weren’t there.

“Ms. Haruno, lovely seeing you at the premier!” another male voice sounded, and when Naruto turned around, he was holding a camera that he knew was airing the event live.

Uh-oh, he thought.

“That’s a gorgeous dress,” the schmuck smirked, “but I bet what’s hiding underneath it is so much hotter.”

Whipping his head head towards the sleazy cameraman, Naruto’s adrenaline began rushing when he saw Sakura’s face: filled with fear and humility. Keeping his hand in hers, he walked towards the paparazzi, his eyes already seeing blood as with his free hand, he pulled it back and could already feel how satisfying it would be once his fist made contact with his big, crooked nose —

“I think it’s a good idea for you get out of here,” a warm, welcoming voice said sweetly as he stood between Naruto and the camera. “because you wouldn’t want to cause a scene that could get you fired, right?”

“You think you’re so great,” the cameraman smirked, “our show gets one of the highest viewers who love to watch celebrities fuck up.”

“Celebrities fuck up because they’re human,” Gaara replied smugly, “but couldn’t attacking someone who’s not a celebrity get you fired for sexual assault? That is, considering she decides to sue.”

The couple watched as Gaara laid out an ultimatum for a man who was clearly not well-trenched in his job, and they continued to watch in awe as he scoffed and walked away, never looking back once, and not even attempting to get a photo or video clip. Naruto sighed, the rush of anger making him suddenly feel fatigued.

“Thanks for that,” Naruto said, “I seriously would’ve beat the shit out of him.”

“You know that won’t fly well as a celebrity,” Gaara lectured, “you could seriously get sued for an altercation like that.”  

“I couldn’t help it,” Naruto rolled his eyes, “he was so blatantly objectifying her. How could I just let that go?”

“Oh,” Sakura chimed in, “I’m fine, though. Thanks for saving his ass, though.”

A laugh rumbled through the redhead’s body as he guided the couple towards the entrance, his hands on each of their backs. “I’m glad you guys could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Naruto grinned.

“Technically, this counts as a present from you, right?” Sakura joked.

“If you prefer seeing it that way, sure,” Gaara replied innocently, “but I still think your boyfriend deserves credit. He loves you, after all.”

Flashes from the cameras were constantly going off as countless shots of Gaara and his cast were being taken, with a few extra ones of Naruto and Sakura, and before he could compose himself, the doors were opened and Naruto, with his girlfriend’s hand in his, was being guided towards the seats furthest away from the screen. Gaara offered him a kind smile as they settled in, then wished Sakura a happy birthday and a wonderful year, winking at her as he spoke. She laughed as she placed her hand comfortably in Naruto’s, her skin soft and warm. As the lights lowered and the chatter of the theatre came to a halt, he turned his head towards hers and found that she was already looking at him. Softly, he smiled.

“I love you,” he mouthed.

“I love you,” she whispered, then raised their hands and kissed his knuckles.

Through the abundance of viewers that were laughing so hard that some of them began wheezing, everyone left the theatre feeling, at the very least, entertained, and at the very most, like their stomachs were going to burst from laughter. Although romantic comedies were meant to be cheesy, the trend in which the jokes were dry and crass was a modern statement on what the media was turning into, and such thoughts were making Naruto feel as though he was having an existential crisis. He watched as fans addressed Gaara and asked for a photo with him, for his signature, for a kiss on the cheek — and he couldn’t help but smile at the notion that this was the kind of life they were both living now. Even though it had been awhile since they both started out by acting in small-town theatres, they both, by some miracle, made it onto the road to fame through sheer sweat and tears. It was almost bittersweet, especially as he watched Gaara smile for photos and thank his fans for always supporting him.

Naruto felt Sakura’s hand squeeze his and he smiled when she leaned against him.

“That was fun,” she said, the lines of her face relaxed, “I can’t remember the last time I laughed really hard at a movie.”

“I’m glad I got to take you out for your birthday.”

“Yeah, it was definitely a fun night.”

After hearing her sigh, he couldn’t help but feel cheeky. “You know,” he began, “the night’s not over.”

“Are you seriously suggesting,” Sakura retorted, “that we go clubbing?”

“Who said anything about clubbing?” he chuckled, “I was thinking something a little more personal.”

As Sakura walked over to Gaara and gave him a hug, Naruto used the few seconds that he had to check his messages to find that Ino had given the okay for them to come home, and that all the preparations were complete. He smiled as he put his phone away and gave a look to his redheaded friend whose arms were encircling Sakura.

“Thanks for coming, guys,” Gaara said, his tone kind, “I really appreciate it.”

“Any time you need us, you can always call!” Sakura smiled.

“Yeah,” Naruto said as he drew in a deep breath, “I’m proud of you.”

With a pointed look and a brief hug, Gaara quietly wished Naruto good luck and walked off, leaving the two near the valet as they waited for the car. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Naruto rested his chin on her head, making her laugh. Really, all he could think about was whether or not Sasuke and Ino made it out of their apartment in time.

“What do you have in mind for the rest of the night?” Sakura asked as they buckled into their seats.

“That’s a surprise, Princess.”

“Naruto —“

“It’s your birthday,” he said as-matter-of-factly, “let me call you that at least once a year, will ya?”

Sighing, she settled into her seat and closed her eyes, resting them for the short distance they drove to get home. The car was silent the entire way but the nerves bunching up inside Naruto were louder than ever. After all the years that they were together, there were days when he was more in love with her than he thought possible, and when his heart felt full the way it did at that moment, he felt as though he was falling in love with her all over again. Naruto understood that what they had was rare, and people spent their whole lives looking for something half as good, but often came short. An action as simple as tucking her hair behind her ear made him feel as though he got way too lucky, and despite the fact that she kept her relapse a secret, he knew that she was trying.

“What’s waiting for us upstairs?” Sakura mused as they stepped into the elevator.

“It won’t be a surprise if I tell you.”

“Will it give me a heart attack?”

Naruto chuckled. “I doubt it.”

When the elevator reached their floor, Naruto’s heart began picking up its pace again, and he had to fight every urge to run away from all the arrangements he made, to pretend that whatever was in their apartment didn’t actually exist. He took a deep breath as he unlocked the door, but his hand did not push it open. Looking over at Sakura’s concerned expression, he felt like he had a million things to say, a thousand different ways to tell her that he appreciated her and that he believed in her, but when no words left his lips, she touched his arm and silently asked if everything was alright.

“What you’re about to see,” he started, “I want you to picture it like the first time you fell in love with me.”

“The first time…?” Sakura murmured, but wasn’t given enough time to finish the thought.

As soon as Naruto pushed the door open, he knew he wasn’t going to regret asking Ino and Sasuke for another favour like this in the future. The walls near the balcony overlooking the city streets were lined with fairy lights, and their sofa was pushed to the side, leaving a large, empty space in the middle of the living room for whatever they wanted to turn it into. Sakura’s eyes moved to the bottle of wine on the coffee table and took three steps forward, her breath caught in her throat. Naruto watched with intent as he reached for the remote for the newly installed stereo system, his heart skipping a beat as the music played and the love of his life whirled around to look at him, tears filling her eyes.

“What is this?” she asked quietly.

“I know this is going to sound stupid,” he explained, “but things have been so hard for you lately, and I wanted you to remember that it’s always us against the world.”

Kissing her cheek, he ran his fingers through her hair. “At the end of the day, no matter where we are, it’ll be just us.”

Pulling her hands into his, he led her to the space near the balcony where the lights shone the brightest, and if Sakura thought she was going to cry, Naruto could already feel his throat close up. He pressed his forehead against hers and wrapped his arms around her waist, wordlessly reminding her time and time again that the tiniest actions from her could cause his heart to beat faster than anything else. She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You want me to think of it like the first time?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I was thinking when I realised I was in love with you?”

Naruto shook his head, then moved his lips to her forehead, planting a soft kiss there. “What were you thinking?”

The music softly played their heart strings like they were instruments, every nuance placing them in a trance-like state in which nothing else mattered. Closing her eyes, Sakura breathed her contentment, and just like the first time he loved her, he pressed his mouth against hers, emitting a soft laugh from her as she remembered everything with him. Softly, she kissed him as they twirled slowly around the room, the fates weaving their hearts back to each other.

“That night,” Sakura whispered, “when I was falling asleep next to you, I felt something shifting.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like every time I looked at you,” Sakura moved her hands to either side of his face, the resolve in her eyes becoming prominent and truer than anything else she believed in, “I knew that you were what I was looking for.”

Naruto blinked.

“I was…”

“Yes.”

“You…”

“Exactly what I was looking for.”

As though he was having an epiphany for the first time in his life, the weight of her words did things to his heart, to his limbs, to the way he held her, and he was entirely sure that the overwhelming sensation of falling in love had bled out into their entire apartment. Her eyes were suddenly more beautiful, her skin warmer, and her words sweeter. Sakura wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, mumbling about how mortified she was at the prospect that she felt something so intensely, so purely, and he felt his heart settle into his chest, like he could breathe again.

“Hey,” he whispered, meeting her eyes, “no more getting embarrassed, right?”

Moving a hand to stroke his face, Sakura teared up and smiled. “Right.”

                                                           E N D

[veliseraptor]

okay I’m going to do this meme again. it probably hasn’t been that long but I love it and it helps me work on things when I have...too many things to work on and can’t focus properly on any one of them.

Here are my WIPs! Send me a number and I’ll add 150 words to that story or edit for 15 minutes, depending on how complete it is. If I get the same number multiple times, I have to write more for that fic!

Eleven WIPs eligible for this meme under the cut - you can find some explanations of what these are here.

1. “Wherever you’re staying,” Steve said, “does it have a bed? Can you get something hot to eat?” Lukas said nothing, and Steve shook his head. Why haven’t you gone to a shelter, he wanted to ask, but he figured he could guess the answer. Dumb pride. Or just shame. Especially given the air Lukas gave off that suggested he’d come down a long way in the world.

“Right,” Steve said, more to himself than anything. “Course not.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “I have a couch. And a kitchen. Come over. Eat some dinner, get a night’s sleep. Then you can do whatever you want.”

Lukas studied him out of the corner of his eye. “You would invite a near stranger to your home?”

Steve smiled crookedly. “Hey, we’ve met four times now. You’re not a stranger anymore.” (keep your heart close to the ground)

2. “Careful,” Loki said, his eyes mocking. “You’ll break something.” He let go of Steve’s throat, but only to grab the back of his neck and drag him in, mouth fixing to Steve’s jaw and sucking hard enough to bruise. Steve heard himself make a low sound and went rigid, the knowledge of the dark purple mark that would stay on his skin making his blood hot. Making him hard.

Loki knew it, too. He released Steve’s wrist, too, both hands dropping to his hips and pulling Steve flush against him. He gasped, hips driving forward against Loki’s leg.

Loki laughed and moved his mouth an inch down, biting down. Another bruise.

“This isn’t enough, is it,” he murmured into Steve’s skin. “It never is.”

“Shut up,” Steve said. Loki’s hand slithered between them and thrust down his pants, thumbnail grazing Steve’s cock just enough to make his body sing.

“Make me,” Loki said, a laugh in the words. (that spark of black that I seem to love)

3. Steve stared at him. “We can’t just - take off,” he protested. “People will get worried.”

Loki’s lips quirked. “We’ll leave a note.”

“A note?” Steve shook his head, incredulous. “What if something comes up?”

“Do you think that all your friends together are not able enough? T’Challa alone has the force of his nation behind him.”

It was...a fair point. Steve could feel himself wavering. “Where would we even go?” He asked. “We’re fugitives, remember? It’s not like we can just go wandering around Paris-”

Loki’s faint smile widened. “Who said we were going to stay on this planet?” (you could see planets and stars)

4. The memory shredded and Loki was again lying on stone, his chest heaving. Amora watched him, chin on hands, smiling.

“Good dreams?” She murmured.

“You’ve made a mistake,” Loki snarled. “I have lived these memories once. I can live them again and laugh knowing that I survived. That I am stronger for it.”

“You think that now,” Amora murmured. Her expression shifted into one of mock sympathy. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“I almost hope I live to see Thanos rip you apart,” Loki snarled.

“I look forward to seeing what he does with you when I deliver you weeping and broken to his feet.” (Underground)

5. “Yeah,” Bucky said. “Thanks.” He took a deep breath. “Wilson thinks I’m a sleeper agent. That they’ve still got their hooks in me.”

Steve stiffened. “I don’t believe it,” he said quickly. “Sam’s just being cautious.”

Bucky shrugged. “It’s a possibility.” Steve’s throat closed. When he could breathe again, he swallowed hard. Bucky looked at him, head cocked slightly to the side. “I wouldn’t necessarily know,” he said evenly. “My memory’s...not always clear. About a lot of things. Or maybe my memories aren’t real. It’s good, that Wilson’s suspicious. You should be too.”

“No,” Steve said, shaking his head. “I’m not going to doubt you. I trusted you on the helicarrier-”

Bucky hissed. “I almost killed you on the helicarrier. Remember?” (Steve Rogers’ Halfway House for Notorious Supervillains)

6. Captain America. The man pulled out of his own time and dropped into the present. A soldier, Barton had said, but a decidedly peculiar one. He had worked with SHIELD for a time, it seemed, alongside – ah, there she was – the Widow. At least, he had until SHIELD had apparently been revealed as a group of frauds and vipers, and then Rogers had summarily destroyed them.

That was somewhat interesting, but Loki only lingered on it for a moment. What held his attention somewhat more was what Rogers did with the rest of his time, which was…a great deal.

Volunteering at a dizzying array of places, the names of which were meaningless to Loki. Visiting the sick – though as he was not a healer, Loki hadn’t the faintest idea what he was doing there. Taken all together it made Loki think of nothing so much as a man who was looking for distractions. (post-Svartalfheim au)

7. “Is this where you disappeared to, when you would take off without a word?” Thor asked. Loki hadn’t calmed, still pacing. It was making Steve tense. “You were coming here?”

“Sometimes,” Loki said. Steve stayed quiet. At least for the moment, getting in the middle seemed like a bad idea.

“Why?” Thor asked, sounding almost insultingly surprised. Loki shrugged.

“Why not? It was forbidden. It was a strange Realm. I was curious and Asgard bored me.” Steve gave him a quick look, but didn’t call him on what probably wasn’t a complete lie. Loki paused, and after a moment added, “and then I…found people here. Whose company I enjoyed.” His tone turned stubborn, almost defiant. “And who enjoyed my company.”

Thor frowned. “You say that as though there were none such at home.” (Thunderstorms)

8. Loki’s breathing seemed maybe a little easier, but by the way he opened his eyes with a sharp intake of breath he wasn’t exactly sleeping deeply, and when he looked at her his gaze was confused, disoriented. She pressed her hand gently down on his shoulder.

“It’s me,” she said, keeping her voice soft and soothing. “Natasha.”

Clarity came slowly, but he didn’t lash out. He stared at her, eyes a little too wide, and Natasha found herself remembering the disaster with the drug. She didn’t want to be another torturer.

“Focus on where you are,” she said levelly. “The way the couch feels.” She left her hand where it was, figuring the contact without pain, as long as he hadn’t lashed out yet, was probably good. “That’s it.”

He blinked slowly and licked his lips. “Natasha,” he said, still a little unsteady. She summoned as much of a smile as she could manage.

“Yep. You’re still here.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Loki said, eyes still wide. “I didn’t betray you. Amora asked but I wouldn’t…”

Well, Natasha thought dryly, at least he’d had that much sense. “You told me,” she said, trying to keep her voice gentle. “I believe you.”

He relaxed. Natasha pulled her hand away slowly. “I’m going to get you something to drink.” (Privation)

9. Bucky moved back and sat down with his back against the wall, distinctly dissatisfied. He’d never met Loki, only knew of him vaguely as the name associated with the attack on New York. And apparently he didn’t know anything about Bucky. So this had been pointless. He’d risked exposure and dragged someone into his safe house for no good reason.

So kill him. Cut his throat and dump him. Bucky shifted, unable to come up with a good counterargument for that suggestion except the possibility that even a wounded alien was stronger than he was and the fact that it was a suggestion from that part of his brain. He should’ve tied him up. It would’ve made dealing with him now easier.

“What now?” Loki asked, and Bucky twitched and stared at him, still lying on the floor with his eyes closed.

“Good question,” Bucky said. (forgive the children we once were)

10. When Loki did not return after a fairly substantial period of time, Clint followed him out. He wasn’t standing out front – that was a relief, given how much he would stand out – but when Clint circled around the back he didn’t see him either. Just as his heart was starting to pound the air seemed to waver and Loki appeared, cradling the scepter in his lap and ashen faced. He swayed, and Clint hurried over, dropping to his knees and reaching out to steady him. The moment he made contact, Loki’s hand was around his throat.

Clint went quickly limp. “Boss,” he said. “It’s me.” He could still talk, which was good. Loki could’ve snapped his neck in a second if he wanted to. Loki blinked, eyes focusing on him slowly, but even after recognition dawned it took him a moment longer to release Clint’s neck. He looked down immediately, eyes on the pavement.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t’ve touched you. That was out of line.”

Loki shook his head slowly. One of his hands had a white-knuckle grip around the scepter, and Clint glanced at it, and Loki’s mouth. Some fresh blood trickled from the punctures above and below his lips, and Clint felt a surge of anger again. (Seams and Scars)

11. Fall out of one cage and into another.

Loki could not decide which was worse.

He contemplated the glass in his hand, the nearly clear liquor within. He knew how it would taste - cloying and sweet with a bitter aftertaste. The Sakaarans seemed to like it, but Loki could not fathom why. As poor taste in drink as they had in...nearly everything else.

“Pay attention, pet,” his companion said. “And don’t look so sullen. Or do you need some dragonfire to perk you up?”

Loki plastered a smile on his face. “No,” he said quickly. “Pardon. My mind wandered a moment.”

The Grandmaster smiled at him, the expression painfully indulgent. “Of course. So long as it does not wander too far.” (our battles choose us)

[spctlessminds]

this ask meme is based on the blog gravesuggestion.  i’ve divided it up into two categories  ( light  &  dark )  based on the themes.  some of these can be somewhat triggering seeing that the darker ones deal with a lot of death mentions.  please be cautious before continuing on!!

L I G H T

‘  at night i dream of you.  ’ ‘  don’t give up yet.  you still have time to fix things.  ’ ‘  falling in love with someone else is not a personal attack.  ’ ‘  i am still so weak when it comes to you.  ’ ‘  i can’t believe i let myself let you down.  ’ ‘  i don’t care where we go when we die,  as long as i’m with you.  ’ ‘  i dream of saying to you all the words i held inside until it was too late.  ’ ‘  i feel so warm  &  safe when you talk to me.  maybe i could love you if you’d let me.  ’ ‘  i finally let the right people in  &  i have never felt so loved.  ’ ‘  i like the way your nails paint red stripes along my spine days after you’re gone.  ’ ‘  i lived in your permafrost for twenty years  &  then you looked at me  &  i felt the warmth of spring.  ’ ‘  i once wished you’d leave me alone,  but i take it back.  ’ ‘  i want to be able to love someone else,  but you stretch your arms  &  spread your legs inside my heart so that there is no room for anyone or anything else.  ’ ‘  i want to believe that we got it right this time.  ’ ‘  i wonder how much longer i can cling to your light before it expires completely.  ’ ‘  i would travel across the world to be by your side,  because as long as you are with me,  anywhere is a perfect place to me.  ’ ‘  it took me awhile to realize it myself,  but you are not what other people say you are.  ’ ‘  it’s not that i really need you,  but life would be pretty boring without you around.  there’s no one i would rather be with.  ’ ‘  i’d like to stay like this for awhile.  ’ ‘  life  &  death don’t have to be so boring,  let’s make both an adventure.  ’ ‘  life imitates art,  they say.  i didn’t believe it until i started to notice the way your eyelashes look so much like tiny ink stroke.  ’ ‘  live your life so that when you die,  souls will come for miles just to hear your historic tales.  ’ ‘  make your exes jealous  &  your past self proud.  ’ ‘  maybe you’re what i needed to find in order to move on.  ’ ‘  never get caught falling harder.  they’ll never let you back up.  ’ ‘  please don’t go.  ’ ‘  some days it’s easier to just stop fighting it  &  succumb.  ’ ‘  sometimes,  you’ll find it hard to keep going,  but you always will.  ’ ‘  the desire i feel for you is that same itching,  insidious hunger that an addict has for their addiction.  ’ ‘  the worst thing about you is that you weren’t all bad.  ’ ‘  there is absolutely nothing  &  no one who can stop me.  ’ ‘  there is no route of losing you that is without pain.  ’ ‘  there’s still room for adventure  &  there is no one i’d rather have by my side.  ’ ‘  things didn’t turn out the way i planned,  but i’m alright with that.  ’ ‘  we could be really incredible together,  you know?  ’ ‘  you are beautiful  &  vibrant  &  confident.  you are light  &  laughter incarnate  &  every fiber of your being screams freedom  &  joy.  when i am with you,  i am truly happy.  ’ ‘  you are starlight incarnate,  from the grand way you sway your hips to the wide mysterious way you think.  blessed are any to be loved by you.  ’ ‘  you are too afraid of the future to let go of a past that was never kind to you.  ’ ‘  you call me yours  &  i have no idea what that even means to you.  ’ ‘  you remind me of bubblegum  &  sweets;  soft  &  pink  &  warm.  you are strong in the gentlest way.  you are so stubbornly kind.  i wish i could be like that.  ’ ‘  you still visit me while i sleep sometimes.  your fingers trace my spine  &  i listen to you breathe.  please stop haunting me.  ’ ‘  ‘morbid curiosity’ is a wonderful way to describe how i feel about you.  ’

D A R K

‘  a thousand empty bottles  &  fist fights will never return to us what we lost that day.  ’ ‘  everyone else has moved on,  but i am still here.  ’ ‘  everything about you screams danger.  ’ ‘  everything is worthless to you  &  you,  in turn,  became worthless.  ’ ‘  for once in my life i want to be surrounded by people that i don’t feel like i need to impress.  ’ ‘  freedom is really hard to get used to.  ’ ‘  how could you do this to me?  how fucking could you?  ’ ‘  i am becoming everything we always dreamed of  &  i am leaving you behind.  ’ ‘  i buried you so well that you might as well have died.  ’ ‘  i can rest easy knowing that the person i love is dead  &  not the monster you became.  ’ ‘  i can’t look at you.  not now,  not ever.  ’ ‘  i don’t ask how you’ve been.  what’s the point?  you’d lie anyways.  ’ ‘  i dream of hearing the words i so desperately needed to lay your memory to rest.  ’ ‘  i haunted this house first.  there is no room for you here.  ’ ‘  i have a right to be upset.  i loved them too, you know.  ’ ‘  i just want it to end.  i want it to all go away.  i want to go away.  ’ ‘  i may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing,  but a snake hiding in the skin of a mouse is far more dangerous.  ’ ‘  i saw your face today  &  didn’t feel anything.  i am free.  ’ ‘  i tried to save you,  but you didn’t want to be saved.  you just wanted someone to suffer with you.  ’ ‘  it’s almost as if you were never here.  ’ ‘  it’s unhealthy to do these things,  you tell me.  you say it’s time to stop smoking,  time to stop gambling,  &  dammit,  i f you don’t stop drinking it’ll kill you.  i sure hope you’re right,  darling.  ’ ‘  i’m always pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to kill you in my mind  ’ ‘  i’m not really scared to die.  i’m more afraid that no one will miss me when i’m gone.  ’ ‘  i’m not the person you left behind anymore.  there’s no one here to miss.  ’ ‘  i’ve been dead far longer than i’ve been alive.  ’ ‘  i’ve eaten nothing but flower petals  &  ivy for weeks because i want to be beautiful inside like you.  ’ ‘  i’ve never been completely satisfied.  i most likely will still be unsatisfied long after my death.  ’ ‘  no motive other than pleasure,  my dear.  ’ ‘  one day i’ll go or you will.  either way,  it will be as if i’m losing a piece of myself.  ’ ‘  our dreams  &  promises decay along with you.  ’ ‘  the leaves change,  but nothing else does.  ’ ‘  the only difference between avoiding  &  leaving is that now i’m not waiting up for you.  ’ ‘  there is no such thing as a person who is required to love you.  ’ ‘  there’s only so much that can be done to repair old damage.  ’ ‘  things aren’t going as i hoped.  maybe if i die,  i can start over again?  better luck next time.  ’ ‘  this is not something to be proud of.  this is a tragedy.  ’ ‘  trying to get rid of me?  oh honey,  you’ll have to try much harder than that.  ’ ‘  trying to get under my skin?  you’re nothing more than a pesky itch.  ’ ‘  unlike you,  i can’t hide my identity when it becomes an inconvenience or a danger.  ’ ‘  weeping is for gods  &  martyrs,  we cannot afford such luxuries.  ’ ‘  would you even miss me?  ’ ‘  you are not important enough to earn an eternal place in my heart.  ’ ‘  you complain nonstop about being unloved  &  alone,  i can’t imagine what you’d be like if that were actually true.  ’ ‘  you don’t know what it’s like.  ’ ‘  you made this so fucking easy for me.  ’ ‘  you should see me as a threat.  i will tear down everything you know until there is nothing left of you.  i am a walking threat.  ’ ‘  you think i’m already gone,  but i’m still fighting.  ’ ‘  you think i’m dead,  but i’m just dying.  ’ ‘  you were never an addiction,  you were a fucking disease.  ’ ‘  you wouldn’t dare cross me.  i am god  &  you are the soil beneath my feet.  ’ ‘  your existence takes up so much more space in mine that we might as well be one entity.  ’ ‘  your fingers are so cold  &  bruised,  but you’re still slamming your fists again the barricade as if it makes a difference.  ’ ‘  your hair is tied in a noose  &  your fingernails are razor blades,  your lips are poison  &  i will gratefully kiss them.  ’ ‘  your hatred has a body count  &  we will not forget.  ’ ‘  your loss,  not mine.  ’ ‘  you’re a sick fuck.  you know that?  ’ ‘  you’re not gentle with me  &  i would never ask you to be.  ’ ‘  you’ve trapped yourself so thoroughly in your own mind that it’s not even a rut anymore,  it’s a pit.   ’