#(well i guess i have a couple OCs in my fics but those are just random guys with a few lines and a vague description

[calyssmarviss]

Hey quick question, when people talk about their OCs, does that include characters from original works too or is it only about making characters to go into fanworks/just making guys that you then put in various settings?

[kookslastbutton]

Guilty Pleasures ༓ jjk, kth (m) | chapter iv

✑ Summary: Three years of being Seoul's power couple earns you nothing but a big fat divorce settlement and your face plaster on every gossip column around town. You're angry, hurt, and desperately want to move on, but worst of all? You're still in love with the man who started the whole mess, even though the most he can ever see you as is a friend. The renowned actor you've hired to be your company's new endorser seems to have a soft spot for you though. He's easy on the eyes, you'll admit, but who actually wants a divorcee like yourself? It's unrealistic really.

pairing: ex-husband ceo!jungkook x ceo!reader, actor!taehyung x ceo!reader (not poly)

genre/AU: angst, smut, fluff, loverstoexesto ?, coworkers2?, unrequited love

Word count: 11.3k

Warnings: oc and jk are both 30, Taehyung is 32, swearing, tornado of emotions (you might laugh, you might cry, and you might just wanna punch something after this chapter), morally grey characters, mentions of toxic relationships, mentions of broken home/families, mentions of therapy, struggles of self-blame, regret, guilt, denial, self-deprecation in some aspect, etc., mentions of alcohol consumption, mentions of sexism in the media and business world

playlist: Unkiss Me, Apologize, Hate That I Love You, etc.

a/n: So, elephant in the room....how did this get past 11k when other chapters are significantly shorter? Well...I had ideas? I'm sorry!! 🫠 ANYWAY more angst in this chapter. Sorry not sorry for what you will consume here. I honestly love this chapter so much though! Okay, I won't say any more bc spoilers are cool but not in my fic! (hehe) Enjoy! 🥰

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Numb.

It’s the only word you can rummage up to describe the sudden shift in your demeanor. You’d think one’s typical response to their ex-husband’s drunken confession would be one of confusion, anger, hurt, or the like.

But you’ve gone stone cold instead, barely able to feel the steaming hot water that kisses your skin from within the tub. The room seems to have become a bit of a haze too, your vision blurring as you grip your cell phone in your hand.

The absurdity of it all—the man who handed you divorce papers now professing his love—feels like a cruel joke. The sheer impossibility of the situation is almost laughable, yet you can't even bring yourself to do that at this point. You've exhausted all of your emotional resources.

You’re unsure how many seconds pass before his voice calls your name again.

“__? Are you still there?” His voice is a muffled echo in your mind. It sounds so far away, though you know he’s right here on the other end of the line.

"Honestly Jungkook…I don’t know what you expect me to say.”  The words come out slow, measured, and almost emotionless.

There's a pause, and when he speaks again, his voice is hoarse, cracking under the weight of his confession. "I guess—I'm not sure either. But I just needed you to know. I needed to tell you everything."

“You're drunk. You realize that, right?"

“I had a few beers, yeah," he admits. "Maybe I'm a little tipsy. But it doesn’t change the fact that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you lately. I miss you, __, a lot."

The words hang in the air, and for a moment, you’re back in the past, back when those words would have meant the world to you. But now, they feel hollow, devoid of the warmth they once carried. And how can they not? You tethered yourself to your ex-husband for three years, learned his patterns, became acquainted with his needs, and danced with his indifference. In the end, the result is always the same, and this time is no different. By morning, he'll likely forget everything he's ever said to you and return to his normal habits.

You take a deep breath, your head resting on the cool porcelain tub, and close your eyes. "I can’t do this," you say quietly. "Not now."

"It's late. I understand-"

"No," you interrupt, voice firmer, "you don't understand, Jungkook. You don't understand me and you never have. I'm hanging up now."

"Please don't. I know I've hurt-"

"Stop. Do you know how patronizing that sounds to me? Please don't call this number again."

"But... I love you, __," his voice is barely a whisper. "Do you not love me anymore?"

"Goodbye, Jungkook." You end the call before another word can drop from his lips, or yours for that matter. It's time you accept that you are never more than an impulsive decision, a temporary solution, and an item on his agenda. Tonight's conversation solidifies that for you.

Despite being sleep-deprived the next morning, you refuse to let fatigue keep you from fulfilling your promise to visit Taehyung at the hospital. You've been anxious about him all night, tossing and turning without respite. The weight of your ex-husband's drunken confession added to your restlessness as well. Nevertheless, you push it out of your mind as you bound out the front door.

Upon arrival, you are greeted by an abundance of flowers, cards, and thoughtful gifts scattered around Taehyung’s hospital room. One bouquet on the windowsill catches your attention in particular—its familiar scent of lavender is instantly recognizable.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice says from behind you. You turn to see Dr. Min entering the room, Taehyung’s chart in hand. He seems more lively than last night, his expression noticeably brighter with a faint smile on his lips.

“Yes, they’re lovely,” you reply. “I’m guessing these are from Taehyung’s fans and colleagues?”

He nods. “Indeed. Lavender is a calming scent. It’s no wonder people chose it for him.” The corners of his mouth lift slightly before he continues, “My girlfriend loves it too. She says it helps her relax after a long day.”

The comment is unexpected yet sweet. You notice the suppressed grin and the warmth in his eyes easily, signaling his deep affection for her. You wonder how it must feel to love someone so purely and without restraint. Before the thought lingers, your gaze shifts involuntarily to the man on the hospital bed, still asleep. Though the bandages are gone and his breathing is stable, your concern deepens as you take in his nearly still form.

“How’s he doing?” you ask, moving closer to his bed. Your heart tightens with each step as the cuts and burns on his face become more visible.

“He’s lucky,” Dr. Min says, walking to the opposite side of the bed, his tone growing serious. “He has multiple rib fractures, a mild concussion, and a few burns, but it could have been worse. Taehyung is stable now, and we’re monitoring his progress closely.”

“How long will it take for him to heal?”

“His face burns are only second-degree, so they should heal in a couple of weeks. The concussion should also resolve with ample rest and by avoiding strenuous activity—both physical and mental.”

“Which means he won’t be able to act for a while?” you ask, reading between the lines.

“Afraid not,” Dr. Min dismisses the idea. “Hopefully, his projects can accommodate his absence.”

“What about his rib fractures? I imagine those will require the most attention.” You feel like you might be asking too many questions, knowing Dr. Min will likely need to repeat everything to Taehyung later, but you can't hold back. After all, you made a promise to yourself last night that you'd ensure he'd be alright.

“Yes," Dr. Min answers carefully, "they could take up to three months to fully heal. We recommend applying ice for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. As long as he remains stable over the next few days, he can be discharged to continue his recovery at home." He pauses, allowing you to process the information before continuing. "It's crucial that he rests. Even if he feels bursts of energy, he needs to let his body heal. Light activities like breathing exercises and short walks are fine, but he should avoid intense exercises until we give the all-clear.”

You nod thoughtfully, absorbing Dr. Min’s detailed prognosis. Taehyung’s condition sounds serious but manageable. After such a traumatic accident, it's clear he'll need months to heal. Getting him to adhere to the doctor's orders will be challenging, given his profession and active social calendar. However, if you need to be the one to remind him, you will.

“I’ll make sure he follows your recommendations,” you assure Dr. Min, your voice tinged with concern.

“I have no doubt,” Dr. Min replies with a reassuring smile. “You know, you're the first person who’s shown up for him both last night and today. Aside from that young man who came in briefly. Namjoon, right?”

“Yeah,” you respond slowly, the revelation catching you off guard. “He works as my secretary but he's also a good friend of Taehyung's. His family really hasn’t come in yet?” You circle back to Dr. Min's first point with a sense of urgency.

You wouldn't normally be this insistent on the matter; however, past conversations with Taehyung have revealed how much he cherishes his family, often sharing stories about their reunions with warmth and enthusiasm. With such a loving family, you’re taken aback that they haven’t shown up yet. Then again, his accident was sudden, and there could be various reasons for their delay. Do they even know about his accident, for that matter?

“They called, of course, but you’re the first to actually come in,” Dr. Min clarifies, his gaze thoughtful as he responds to your concern. "You must be quite an attentive boss to show this level of care for your colleague."

There's an underlying suggestiveness laced in his tone, but you're quick to brush it off, redirecting the focus to Taehyung’s condition. “It’s the least I can do, given what he’s going through,” you say, trying to sound matter-of-fact. “He’s a valuable member of our team, and I want to make sure he gets back on his feet as soon as possible.”

Dr. Min's eyes twinkle, as if holding back further commentary. “Even from a professional standpoint, not everyone would go to such lengths for a coworker. He’s fortunate to have you.”

You feel a slight flush as his subtle implications continue. “Well, I just…care about his well-being. Besides,” you glance back at Taehyung, your expression softening more than you intend, “I know he'd do the same for me.”

For a few short breaths, Dr. Min remains silent as your attention remains fixed on your colleague. “I need to check on a few other patients so I’ll leave you two alone for now," he finally says, breaking the silence. “I'll be back to check in on him again later, but if you have any questions or need anything in the meantime, the nurse is nearby."

With a nod and a soft "thank you," you watch Dr. Min exit the room, leaving you alone with Taehyung once more. After settling into a chair beside his bed, you silently observe the steady rise and fall of his chest. The rhythmic sound of his breathing is a small comfort amidst his vulnerable state. Despite everything, you're glad he's going to be okay.

As each minute passes, nurses come and go, and the hum of activity outside the room gradually fades into a background murmur. You had only planned to stay for an hour this morning, but time seems to slip away as the clock now nears 1 p.m. You had hoped Taehyung would be awake by now, but he remains still.

After a brief sigh, the thought occurs to you that you don't have to spend so many hours here, waiting for Taehyung to wake up. It's the weekend, and there are plenty of other things you could be doing instead. Dr. Min could easily call you the moment Taehyung wakes up. But something in your conscience urges you not to leave. Just give it another hour, you think. If he isn’t awake by then, you can come back tomorrow.

Suddenly, a slight movement catches your eye. Taehyung's fingers twitch, and his eyelids flutter. You nearly missed it with how lost you were in your thoughts.

Leaning forward with nervous relief, you softly call his name. It takes him a few seconds, but slowly, his eyes blink open. He turns his head slightly, gaze eventually finding yours, and you feel momentarily transfixed. It's unlike you to respond this way, but you had forgotten how piercing and comforting his eyes could be. A genuine smile immediately spreads across his face once your eyes meet, though not as boxy as usual due to his condition. Nevertheless, it's encouraging to see him awake and responsive.

“Hi," his voice is strained but recognizable. "It's...nice to see you."

“The feeling's mutual,” you respond gently. “How are you feeling?”

He shifts slightly, wincing a bit. “Like I got hit by a truck,” he mutters. “I’m sore all over.”

“You had a close call, but you’re in good hands now. Your doctor, Dr. Min, says you'll be okay, as long as you take it easy for a while. He was here earlier this morning, but he'll check in with you again soon.”

"You..." He hesitates, surprise flickering in his eyes. "You've been here since morning? What time is it now?"

"Oh, uh, it's around 1 in the afternoon," you say, gradually realizing the weight of your words. You consider whether or not to tell him the full extent of your stay. “I got here a few hours ago. Don’t worry.”

Taehyung nods slightly, a mix of gratitude and concern evident in his expression. “Thank you for being here,” he murmurs. “I wasn't sure if I'd be alone.”

A sinking feeling settles in your chest at his words, your throat tightening. Before you can ask what he means, he continues, “I must have taken a lot of your weekend from you.” His tone is apologetic, and your heart aches. Here he is, lying on a hospital bed, in pain and vulnerable, and he’s worried about inconveniencing you.

“I'm glad to be here,” you reassure gently. “I promise, you’re not alone. A lot of people care about you.”

Taehyung glances around, taking in the gifts and flowers scattered throughout the room. “From my fans, I’m guessing?” he asks, attempting to keep his tone light.

“And your colleagues too,” you reply. “We all want to see you get better." Taehyung returns his gaze to you, a faint smile lingering on his lips. Neither of you says anything, which unsettles you.

“Did you sleep okay?” you ask, the question coming out more hurriedly than intended.

“I drifted in and out for most of the night. It’s hard to get comfortable,” he admits, "I think I could still hear a lot around me. It felt like someone was holding my hand for a few minutes too, but I’m not sure how much of it was real or just dreams, though.”

Oh shit. You weren't expecting that answer.

The possibility that Taehyung might have heard you talking to him last night shouldn't be that embarrassing, yet your mind races with thoughts of what he might have heard or understood in his semi-conscious state. Not only did you share more than you probably should have, but you also touched his hand to feel his pulse, and he felt it.

“Well, um, I'm sorry to hear you had a rough night. You should rest more,” you suggest, trying to compose yourself. "I should get going anyway and let you sleep.” You begin standing from your seat but don't get far before the gentlest of touches brush against your wrist. When you look at Taehyung, he quickly retracts his fingers, concerned he overstepped.

"Shit, I'm sorry, __. I didn't mean to grab at you like that," he says softly. "It's just...would you mind staying with me a little longer, please? I'd really appreciate the company."

You can hear the yearning in his request. It's clear that he doesn't want to be alone, and you don't blame him, especially after the accident he's endured. Settling back into the chair, you agree to stay a bit longer, perhaps another half hour, before heading home; you realize you haven't eaten lunch yet.

"So, how are you doing?" he asks. "We haven't talked in bit."

His question triggers a flood of thoughts, the most recent interaction with your ex-husband being one of them. Up until now, you've managed to push his drunken call out of your mind, preferring to focus on Taehyung instead. However, Jungkook's unexpected confession still throws you for a loop. It's not that you're riddled with the need for clarity on its validity, especially since you don't believe him anyway. How could he claim to love you when he also admits he doesn't understand his own feelings? On top of that, being drunk while doing so—it doesn't make sense.

No, the real question now is what happens next. How do you proceed? Will he try to reach out again? The way he asked if you still loved him before you ended the call weighs on your mind even now.

You know you'll need to discuss this with Melody during your next therapy session.

Before you spiral further, you decide to steer the conversation away from personal matters and opt for a safer topic.

"The company is doing well," you reply with a smile. "The new campaigns we've put out recently have been pretty successful. Although," you add, a hint of curiosity in your tone, "the team has missed your frequent drop-ins, especially Namjoon." If you're honest with yourself, you've missed them too.

"How is he? Namjoon?"

"He's okay, but he's been concerned for you," you answer carefully. "When we heard the news, we came to see you together, but he was quite affected. He promised to visit once you woke up."

"So," Taehyung takes a moment to process. "That was this morning, right?"

"No, actually, it was yesterday."

There's a brief, awkward silence as you sense Taehyung might be thinking the same thing you are—about your presence last night. Surprisingly, he doesn't bring it up. Instead, he eyes you curiously, biting down on his lip slightly.

"I meant to stop by last week," he admits. "But we were wrapping up the final scenes of my film shoots. The producers were eager to finish them. I'm just thankful we got them done. I wanted to spend a day riding my bike along a scenic route until... well, until all of this happened. I don't remember much, but I'm just grateful Tan wasn't with me."

"Tan?" you ask, curious now.

"Yeontan, my pomeranian," Taehyung explains with a soft smile. "He means the world to me. My parents take care of him when I'm busy with filming. I was actually planning to drive up and visit them this weekend. And, of course, bring Tan back home with me. They live pretty far from here, so it's better that I go up to them if I can."

Well, that answers the question about his parents not being here yet, you think to yourself.

As Taehyung speaks, you can see a flicker of fondness and relief in his eyes when he mentions his dog. It must have been months since he last saw him.

"I bet you miss him a lot," you comment softly, "Tan."

"I do," he admits with a slight smile, "but I know he's being well taken care of. Hopefully, I can see him soon. And my parents too."

"I understand that feeling," you reply, nodding thoughtfully. "Pets have a way of becoming family, don't they? I had a cat named Evie when I was growing up. She was a feisty little thing with green eyes, always getting into mischief. We got her from the streets and she was so slim, but it didn't take her long to beef up with all the treats we gave her. Whenever I was feeling down, she would curl up next to me, as if she knew. It's funny how they have that kind of intuition, isn't it?"

Taehyung listens intently, a small smile playing on his lips. You feel a slight flush of embarrassment at your tangent. It's one of the few times you've shared something personal about yourself that wasn't work-related. Feeling like you might have overshared, you decide to stop, assuming Taehyung isn't interested in knowing that much.

You chuckle inwardly at yourself.

Jungkook was your husband for three years, and he never seemed to care about such personal details.

I—" you start, intending to apologize, but Taehyung interrupts.

"Did you have any other pets?" he asks, curiosity piqued.

You chuckle softly, reminiscing. "Yeah, we had... uh, god, you don't want to know how many pets we had."

"Try me," his eyes become playful, yet there's a seriousness behind them, like he really wants to know. It's unfamiliar.

"Alright," you chuckle, "aside from Evie, there were three other cats. Calvin and Misha were the adventurous ones, always climbing trees, while Pip was the cuddly lap cat. Then there were two dogs: Toby, our sneaky Chihuahua, and Bella, a terrier who growled at everyone. Oh, and we had three rabbits too. Cute, but also feisty."

Taehyung laughs, "I sense a theme going on."

"What theme?"

"Well," he grins, "It seems like your household was filled with some strong main characters."

You chuckle at his joke. "Yeah, our house was never quiet, that's for sure. Each one had their own personality and quirks."

"You don't have any now though? Pets, I mean," Taehyung asks.

"Sadly, I don't," you reply with a hint of regret. "The company takes up a lot of my time, and I don't think it would be right to leave a pet alone for extended periods. I might consider getting another cat, but right now, focusing on running the company leaves me with little spare time. I miss having them around though."

Taehyung mulls over your word carefully. “If I ever get out of this hospital...maybe I—”

Before he has the chance to finish, the hospital room door opens, and Dr. Min enters, his expression serious yet composed. His eyes widen slightly in surprise, not expecting to see you still here and Taehyung awake. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” he begins, glancing between you and his patient. “It’s good to see you up and looking a bit better."

Dr. Min approaches Taehyung's side, opposite to you. “How are you feeling?” he asks.

Taehyung's demeanor shifts instantly, his playful expression fading as he turns to answer. “Pretty sore, honestly,” he replies.

Dr. Min nods. “Let’s run a few checks to see how you’re doing.”

Sensing this is your cue to leave, you rise from your chair and reach out to touch Taehyung's hand. But you stop yourself short. Something about performing the physical action while he’s fully conscious instills a flutter of nerves within you. Instead, you gently tap his shoulder, causing him to meet your eyes. “I think I'll be going now, but it was nice talking to you,” you say softly. "Was there something you wanted to say earlier, though?"

He pauses for a moment before replying, his expression reminiscent of the time a few weeks ago when you declined his dinner invitation. You still don’t understand why he seemed somewhat disappointed; it's not like it was a date. He had made it clear he wanted to go out as colleagues. The only reason you declined was because you didn’t want him feeling pity for you, or the struggles that came with the divorce.

"It's okay, we'll have to save that conversation for another time," Taehyung's voice brings you back to the present. "Enjoy the rest of your day, __. Thanks again for staying with me."

"Of course," you reply, then turn to Dr. Min. "If you wouldn't mind letting me know when and if he can be discharged, I'd appreciate it. And Kim Namjoon too, since we're both nearby." Dr. Min nods in agreement. With that, you sling your bag over your shoulder and exit the room.

“He said what?!” Your best friend Jimin almost shouts through the video call, eyes wide with disbelief. You’ve just finished recounting your ex-husband's unexpected, drunken confession from the previous night. Jimin, who already holds a deep-seated grudge against Jungkook, looks livid.

“He had the nerve to say that to you? While he was drunk?” Jimin continues, his hands clenching into fists.

You nod, feeling a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. “Yeah, I told him not to call my number again and he hasn't contacted me since.” As expected, he likely forgot all about it.

“Good,” Jimin declares with a fierce protectiveness, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “You don’t need that kind of drama in your life, especially not from him. And if he even thinks about calling you again, just say the word, and I'll come down there and handle it personally.” He emphasizes 'personally' with such intensity that it makes you giggle for the first time tonight.

“Thanks, Jimin,” you say, a warm feeling spreading through you at his unwavering support. “I’m just trying to move on, focus on work, and other things.”

Jimin’s expression softens, and he nods firmly. “You're incredibly strong, __. Are you really okay though? It was a huge blow for him to make a confession like that and even though I dislike him, I know you still have some lingering feelings for him. I'm not a fool to believe you're unaffected.”

You take a deep breath, appreciating your best friend's perceptiveness. “It’s complicated. I’m trying so hard to move past everything, especially with Melody's help, and then he just…throws that at me. It’s like he’s trying to pull me back into his mess.”

Jimin’s eyes are filled with concern. “You don’t owe him anything. Remember that. He made his choices, and you have every right to move on without his baggage.”

“I know,” you sigh, rubbing your temples. “It’s just…easier said than done. But I’m working on it.”

“You’re doing great,” Jimin reassures, his voice gentle. “And you have every right to focus on yourself now. Don’t let him mess with your head.”

You nod, feeling a bit lighter with the support. “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”

“I'm always here for you love,” he says, his protective demeanor softening into a warm smile. “Now, enough about that idiot. How’s everything else? Work? Taehyung? Everyone at the office is talking about his unfortunate accident, poor sucker.”

At the mention of your colleague, you feel a sudden heat rise to your cheeks. Did the heaters in your apartment just turn up or something?

“He’s slowly recovering," you answer. "I saw him this morning and we talked for a bit. He’s... he’s been through a lot.”

Jimin raises an eyebrow, “You saw him yesterday too, right? And if my memory serves, you were at the hospital with him until the afternoon. I remember I texted you to see if you were free to call earlier than planned. Something you'd like to tell me?” A teasing grin suddenly spreads across his face, and you shake your head, knowing exactly what he's insinuating. It's like talking to Dr. Min all over again.

“Seriously, Chim, no, it's not like that," you deny instantly, heart racing a little. "He's been my company endorser for a little over six months now, and he’s been nothing but kind to me. With everything he’s been through, I just want to make sure he'll be okay. I feel somewhat responsible for him. Maybe I'm crazy.”

“Responsibility, huh?” Jimin smirks, unconvinced of your denial. “Sure. Because ‘responsibility’ usually makes people blush.”

You wave off his suspicions, a nervous chuckle escaping you. “I’m not, so if you wouldn't mind ceasing your teasing, that'd be great."

“Okay, okay,” Jimin chuckles, raising his hands in mock surrender. “But if you ask me, it sounds like more than just responsibility. Taehyung seems like a sweet guy, and you care about him. And I sense he feels the same way about you. Don't think I forgot about his little dinner request weeks back.”

You chuckle, brushing off his suspicions. “Oh, come on, enough. Believing that Kim Taehyung has any kind of interest in me is like believing that Jungkook loves me. It’s unfathomable. Taehyung's a colleague, that’s all.”

“Okay, excuse me? Unfathomable?” he scoffs, shaking his head. “Someone help! My best friend is selling themselves short, again. __, you’re amazing, and anyone, including Taehyung, would be lucky to have you. That ex-husband of yours was an idiot, but just because he couldn't see what he had doesn’t mean others can’t.”

You roll your eyes playfully, but Jimin’s words hit a soft spot. “Chim, you're sweet, but I'm just saying that Taehyung is on a completely different level. I’m just me... a 30-year-old divorcee with a half-decent startup.” Those alone are enough to have any man steer clear of you.

“Stop this, __. You're much more than that, and it's pretty damn incredible,” Jimin insists, his voice firm. “You’ve been through so much, and you’re still standing. That’s not something to brush off. Taehyung sees that. Anyone with half a brain can see that.”

You sigh, feeling a mixture of gratitude and skepticism. “I appreciate it, Chim. But let’s just drop it, please?”

“Alright, I won't push it," he concedes gently, "just know I’m here whenever you need.”

“Thanks, Jimin,” you reply, feeling a warmth in your heart. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably explode from all that bottled-up stress,” he jokes, making you laugh again. “But seriously, you’re doing great. Just keep taking it one step at a time, and call me if you need anything!”

As the call ends, you’re left with a lot to think about. Jimin’s words echo in your mind, and for a brief second, you find yourself wondering if maybe your best friend is right—that perhaps you do care about your colleague more than you’re willing to admit.

Well, either way, it doesn't matter; you've got enough on your plate as it is.

Starting with the stack of papers laid out on the coffee table, work you brought home that's awaiting your attention. It's a critical deal for your startup, one that could secure much-needed funding and propel your business to the next level.

Sighing softly, you reach for your laptop and open the latest project proposal.

You start your Sunday as you always do, with a book in hand, heading to your favorite café. It’s a ritual that’s been with you since your teenage years, and today, you feel a desperate need for its familiar comfort. After wrapping up the project proposal late into the night, your brain craved a break.

Entering the quaint café, you’re greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft murmur of conversation. Finding a cozy spot by the large window, you settle in for a day of reading, occasionally looking up to observe people passing by outside.

Hours slip away unnoticed in the serene atmosphere, lost in the pages of your book. Somewhere along the way, mid-sentence, your thoughts subconsciously drift to a conversation with Taehyung weeks before his accident—the day of your six-month anniversary.

You remember how he mentioned his interest in books that day, leaving you curious about what he enjoys reading. You imagine he might be into classic authors like Charles Dickens or Oscar Wilde. Then again, you might be mistaken.

Refocusing on your book, you manage to read another paragraph before thoughts of Taehyung intrude again. Did he have any company today? You quietly hope Namjoon paid him a visit. "Okay, __, calm down," you tell yourself, "Taehyung will be fine, and Namjoon definitely would have visited him now that he's awake." With a determined effort, you return to your book.

It isn't until the sun begins its descent that you decide it's time to pack up your things and head home. Passing by the hospital on your way, a sense of restlessness tugs at you once more. Should you stop and see Taehyung, even if only for a few minutes? The thought lingers, but then you recall Dr. Min's pending update on his discharge status. Maybe it's best to wait for his confirmation.

You continue driving, but the concern refuses to leave your mind. Eventually, you make a decisive turn, heading back towards the hospital. It wouldn't be as lengthy as last time—just a quick visit to check on how he's doing.

When you arrive at the hospital, you hesitate for a moment outside the entrance. It's Sunday evening, and visiting hours are likely limited. You check your phone quickly to see if Dr. Min has sent any updates, but there's nothing new.

Taking a deep breath, you decide to go in anyway.

Taehyung is awake when the nurse leads you to his room, casually flipping through a magazine. He looks up, his expression softening into a smile upon seeing you.

"Hey," you say softly, stepping inside. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. I hope it's okay."

"It's more than okay," he replies warmly, setting the magazine aside. "I'm happy to see you."

You nod, feeling relieved that he isn't disturbed by your presence.

"Though, in all honesty," he continues, "I didn't expect you back today."

"I just wanted to check on you and make sure you're okay," you admit quietly, taking a seat nearby. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better, just a bit sore still," he says sincerely, his gaze meeting yours. "What about you? How's your Sunday been?"

"Quiet," you respond with a small smile. "Spent most of it reading at a café, and then decided to stop by here."

"Really?" His interest piqued, he asks, "Which one? Sometimes I do the same thing when I have some free time. Or, I'll read at the beach too. It's relaxing."

"Well, have you tried the one on Willow Street? I've been a regular there since I was 16."

"No... I'm not familiar with that one," he admits, "I usually go to the one on 5th."

"5th? You know, I don't recall a café on 5th, unless..." you pause, realization dawning, "oh no," you blurt out unintentionally.

"What?" Taehyung's eyes twinkle with amusement at your spontaneous reaction. "Have you been?"

You hesitate to answer, not wanting to risk offending him.

"Yes..."

"And?" Crap, you were hoping he wouldn't ask for details.

"Um... it's okay," you reply simply.

"What? Just okay?" Taehyung exclaims, feigning offense. "Their coffee and tea are decent, and they have those comfy armchairs by the window."

"I know, but there's just something about it," you reply with a playful shrug. "Maybe it's the lighting, or maybe I'm just picky."

"Fair enough," he chuckles. "Maybe I'll check out this Willow Street café sometime. You've been going there for years, so it must be good."

"Well, I highly recommend it." You can't help but feel a bit smug, though you try to keep a straight face. It's just nice to have someone take your suggestion seriously. "You'll have to tell me your review of the place if you go."

Taehyung nods thoughtfully in reply, his gaze lingering on you with a hint of admiration. You look away, pretending to straighten your jacket. Why is he staring like that? You're not used to being looked at without some sense of hostility.

Just as you begin to feel a bit awkward, the door swings open, and a nurse peeks inside.

"Sorry to interrupt," she says kindly, "but visiting hours are over for the evening."

You glance at your watch, surprised at how quickly time has flown. "Oh, okay," you reply, a touch disappointed. "I'll be heading out then, thank you."

Once the nurse leaves, you direct your focus back to Taehyung. He smiles understandingly, sitting up a bit straighter. "Thanks for stopping by," he says warmly.

"Yeah, of course," you reply, gathering your things. "Did Dr. Min mention having you discharged any time soon?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing yet. Might be here for a couple more days."

You nod, feeling sympathy for his extended stay. "Well, take care of yourself, okay? Let me know if you need anything."

"I will," Taehyung assures you with a grateful smile. He watches as you make your way to the door, but just before you can twist the metal knob, he speaks up agian. "Uhm...if you have time tomorrow, I wouldn't mind if you came in again. It was nice to...chat."

For the first time, Taehyung seems to stumble over his words. As someone who's naturally charismatic, not to mention a skilled actor, there's a hint of nervousness in his voice.

When you turn your head to glance back at him, his smile has faded, replaced by a hopeful look, hands gently clutching the blankets.

"Sure," you agree to his innocent request, somehow unable to resist. "I'll try to stop in tomorrow if I can."

His boxy smile returns instantly as he bids you one final goodnight.

As you walk out of the room, that same smile lingers in your mind—you're glad you decided to come by.

In the days that follow, you find yourself at Taehyung's hospital bed every evening after work. Initially fulfilling his wishes, you gradually realize you've grown fond of his company. Taehyung turns out to be easy to talk to, a good listener who encourages questions you wouldn't normally ask within office walls. Here you are again, immersed in yet another spontaneous conversation that neither of you minds.

"So, what's it really like?" you inquire, curiosity lacing your voice. "Being an actor? And what about kissing strangers? I've heard some co-stars end up together after playing an onscreen couple for so long."

Taehyung chuckles softly, his eyes crinkling with amusement. "Being an actor is both exhilarating and challenging," he begins, reflecting on his experiences. "Kissing scenes... well, they're not as glamorous as they seem on screen. There are a lot of technical aspects to consider, like camera angles and timing. As for getting involved with co-stars outside of filming, I wouldn't be familiar with that. I prefer to keep those lines pretty separate."

You listen intently, fascinated by his insights into a world so different from your own. But one thing sticks out to you—how does he handle kissing scenes if he were to be in a relationship? Wouldn't that get complicated?

"I often wonder what I'd do if I had a partner," Taehyung muses suddenly, his voice thoughtful, as if sensing your unspoken question. "About the kiss scenes, I mean. I haven't actually dated for a while." Really? You think, he cant be serious...

"I'd imagine they'd be understanding since it's part of the job," you offer, trying to match his contemplative tone.

"Is that how you'd respond?" Taehyung's question catches you off guard.

"Me?" you ask, feeling slightly dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I'm just curious. Would you be okay with that?"

"Uhm... well, honestly, probably not," you admit, feeling a bit awkward. "I think I'd have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I'd kind of feel like I was sharing my partner. I don't want to share like that."

Shut up, shut up, shut up, you mentally chastise yourself. You definitely said too much.

To your surprise, Taehyung merely gives a small smile in response. "I think I'd feel the same," he says softly.

The subject ends there, as the conversation soon shifts to his latest project instead—a romantic comedy series titled with a playful nod to a four-leaf clover.

"You know, I've never seen a four-leaf clover in my life," you admit with a slight chuckle.

Taehyung laughs softly, his eyes brightening. "Really? They're supposed to bring good luck, you know."

"Good luck, huh? I guess I've never had the pleasure," you replied with a grin.

"Well, then it's settled," he declared with a playful glint in his eyes. "I'll find one for you once I'm out of here," he promises warmly.

You smile, exchanging a silent moment before hitting him with your next question. "Do you watch your own shows or movies?" you ask, genuinely curious.

Taehyung's expression shifts subtly, his gaze momentarily distant. "Honestly, I don't," he admits, his tone tinged with a hint of embarrassment. "I guess I've always felt a bit awkward seeing myself on screen. It's strange, right?"

You reassure him with a smile. "It's not so far-fetched, but I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about. You're talented, Taehyung. I'm sure your performances are amazing."

Taehyung nods thoughtfully but then quirks an eyebrow at you. "But have you actually seen any of my work? It's a little cheesy."

You hesitate, feeling a touch sheepish. "Honestly, no," you confess. "I've never watched any of your shows or movies. But I will!"

A flicker of déjà vu crosses Taehyung's face, his expression turning thoughtful. "That's funny," he murmurs. "I feel like I've heard those exact words before, recently."

You chuckle nervously, trying to lighten the mood. He can't be referring to that night you spoke to him while he was asleep, right? "Maybe it's just a sign that I need to catch up on all the great acting I've been missing out on," you quip, hoping to diffuse any awkwardness.

Taehyung grins, his playful demeanor returning. "Well, I'll hold you to that. You'll have to give me your honest review."

"Deal," you agree with a nod. "So, as much as I hate to cut this short, I think I'm going to have to get going now."

"I understand, it's past 6:30 pm. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing," you reply warmly. "Get some rest."

By Thursday afternoon, you finally receive the long-awaited call from Dr. Min, informing you that Taehyung will be discharged the next morning. You're relieved that Taehyung is healthy enough to continue his recovery at home. Seeing him yesterday, he looked the best he's been since his accident. However, a small part of you feels annoyed that Dr. Min didn't call you—he called Namjoon instead.

It was an ordinary afternoon when your secretary's phone rang. Namjoon was crouched over at his desk, concentrating on a number of spreadsheets just moments before. You remember leaping over to him as soon as you heard the words, "he's ready for discharge tomorrow," leave his lips.

It's now Friday morning, and you're standing in front of your secretary's desk.

"So, you're off to pick up Taehyung now?" you ask, as casually as you can. You do your best to ignore the lingering irritation growing inside you.

"Yeah," your secretary finally replies, glancing up from his screen. "I'll drive over to the hospital in about half an hour."

"Okay." You nod, biting your tongue. So what if Namjoon gets to pick him up instead of you? It's fine, you should get over it.

It's just a little odd that Dr. Min chose to call Namjoon instead of you though. You know for a fact you've been much more involved with Taehyung's well-being than he has.

Of course, Taehyung and Namjoon are good friends, but your secretary has only gone to see him twice over the past week his buddy's been in the hospital. You've been there every day, so wouldn't it make sense that you be called first?

Evidently not.

Namjoon will be taking Taehyung home, and you likely won't be seeing him at all today. In fact, you're not even sure when you'll see him next. Technically, you have his address stored away in an HR file, but you're no creep. And you most certainly are not about to show up at his place unannounced.

It's not like Taehyung has texted you today either. Not even a quick update on his condition.

"Um..." Namjoon starts, shifting awkwardly in his chair. "Is there something else you wanted to say? I feel like you're kinda hovering over me now, to be quite honest."

"Oh, sorry," you respond, stepping back a bit. You didn't realize you were staring at him, wordless, for longer than normal. "Nothing else. Drive safe."

As if seeing right through you, Namjoon's expression softens. "If you want to see how Taehyung is, you can just text him. I'm sure he'll respond to you."

"No, it's okay," you quickly dismiss the suggestion. You don't want to bombard a man who's just getting out of the hospital with your texts. You'll leave him alone to rest.

Namjoon gives you a knowing look, eyeing your slightly hesitant state. "I'm serious, boss. Text him. You've been at his side this entire week, so if there's anyone who'd be more deserving of knowing what's up, it’d be you."

Deserving? That's a bit far, is it not? Yes, you've been visiting him, but it's not like you saved his life or anything. It's not that big of a deal. You just wanted to...make sure he was okay.

"I—When did you decide to call me boss again?" you switch subjects, but Namjoon remains unaffected.

"Text him," Namjoon says for the final time before reaching for his keys in his desk drawer. "I gotta get going, but I'll be back after I drop Tae off."

"Tae?" You haven't heard him called that before.

"Yeah, it's kinda a pet name. Sorry, I started calling him that once we became friends, so it slips out here and there. It's like second nature now."

"Got it," you nod, a bit disappointed. Maybe you weren't as close to Taehyung as you thought. "Make sure he gets home okay," you finish.

"I will." Namjoon gets up from his desk and heads out of the office. You turn around and return to your own office once he's out of sight.

While Namjoon is out, his phone rings incessantly. You find yourself getting up from your desk multiple times to take calls. By the afternoon, you're exhausted from the constant interruptions.

Maybe you should consider giving the poor man a raise.

Before the thought fully develops, his phone rings again. You don't even bother checking the caller ID anymore; you simply pick up the phone and answer in your sweetest voice.

"__? I thought I’d be hearing Namjoon first... hey," his voice is hesitant. "I hope I’m not interrupting anything."

"Jungkook," you reply cautiously, instantly recognizing his voice. "Why are you calling my work phone?"

"I... I didn't know how else to reach you. Can I come in or can you come into the parking lot? I have something to give you."

You pause, feeling a rush of unease. You haven’t spoken to Jungkook since last Friday when he called you out of the blue. Honestly, you hoped you wouldn’t hear from him, especially after telling him not to call again. It's strange that he keeps finding ways to show up unexpectedly.

"What is it you need to give me, Jungkook?" you ask bluntly, "I'm very busy."

There’s a brief silence on the other end before he answers, "It’s... It’s something personal. I’d rather not discuss it over the phone. Please, can you just come down for a moment?"

You weigh your options, torn between curiosity and apprehension. His unpredictability lately has left you unsure of what to expect. "Jungkook, I really don’t think—"

"Please," he interrupts, his voice sounding more urgent. "I promise it won’t take long."

Taking a deep breath, you decide to handle this with as much grace as you can muster. "Fine. I’ll be down in a minute."

You end the call and sit back, trying to steady your thoughts. His sudden request feels odd, and part of you worries about what he might say or do next. As you make your way to the parking lot, you mentally prepare yourself for another potentially difficult encounter.

When you arrive, Jungkook stands near his car, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His usual confident demeanor seems replaced by a sense of unease.

"Hey," he starts, his voice tentative, "thanks for agreeing to meet."

You give a brief nod, keeping your tone neutral. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

Jungkook shifts awkwardly, his gaze dropping momentarily before meeting yours. "I wanted to apologize," he continues, his voice tinged with regret. "I'm sorry for calling you up drunk."

You feel a flicker of irritation. This is what he wanted to give you? An apology that's seven days late? You figured he would have just forgone the apology by now.

"Why now?" you ask, crossing your arms over your chest, a defense mechanism you've developed. "It's been a week. I’m not sure if you realize that or not though."

"I know," he says quickly, his eyes earnest. "I wanted to come sooner, but I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me or just never hear from me again."

You scoff slightly, "Well, for the first time, you are completely right. I don't want to see you, Jungkook." You try to keep your voice steady, but the raw edges of your emotions bleed through. There’s no point sugarcoating it at this stage; he’ll just keep pushing your boundaries if you don’t become firm with him.

He winces at your words, nodding slowly. "You have every right to feel that way. I messed up, big time. I just wanted you to know that I'm truly sorry. You deserve someone who isn't as screwed up as I am. But I still mean everything I said that night. I do love you. It took me until now to realize that, apparently."

You sigh, the weight of his words pressing down on you. Love? Now? After everything? Somehow, it feels more like a burden than anything.

"Jungkook, love isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card," you say slowly, your voice somewhat shaky. "It's not something you can just throw out there to fix things. Not only did you divorce me, but you also led me to believe we could actually be something. All those weeks of you being attentive and showing up for me after I shared my feelings made me believe that you were honestly trying to make our marriage work, that you were committed. You lied to me, discarded me, and now that I'm not around, you suddenly miss me? No, I'm sorry. You broke my trust, and that's not something you can just apologize away."

You pause, feeling the weight of your words settle in the tense air between you and Jungkook.

He looks down, nodding again. "I get it. I really do. And I don't expect you to forgive me or anything. I just wanted you to know that I understand how much I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I understand if you hate me."

You take a moment to collect your thoughts, trying to keep your voice steady despite the emotions threatening to stir inside. "Jungkook," you begin carefully, meeting his eyes. "What happened between us was painful. You calling me drunk last week was also painful. I'm sorry about the challenges you had with your parents, but it's no excuse to put that on others. If you need someone to discuss personal matters with, I suggest you see a professional."

You pause, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't hate you, okay? I'm not that cold-hearted. There's still part of me that I think might always hold space for you, but I can't just forget everything. I need to move on, and that means you can't keep calling me at random times. It’s not fair to either of us. I appreciate the apology, but I don't think we can go much further."

He nods solemnly, understanding your stance. "Okay," Jungkook replies softly, his voice filled with a sadness you hadn’t expected. "I understand. I'll respect your wishes and leave you alone. Take care of yourself, okay? I...I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me," he says, his eyes earnest. "And... I'm really sorry for everything."

He begins to back away toward his car, and as he does, it hits you—it’s over.

"Take care, Jungkook," you say gently. "Don't overwork yourself, alright? Stay healthy."

He looks at you, forcing a smile. "You know I can't do that. It isn't in my blood." He sings the last part, referencing a song you both used to joke about, and you let out a small chuckle despite yourself.

"God, Jeon, I thought you'd stop with that song by now." you say, shaking your head.

"Nah," he replies, shaking his head with a faint grin as he opens his car door. "I'm taking it to my grave. I'll see you later, __."

You know the last part is a lie, an empty promise to soften the blow. Still, you respond, "Yeah, see you."

With that, you part ways in the parking lot, each going your separate ways. As you walk back to your office, the weight of the finality settles in. It's all over, you think, feeling the sting of a single tear trailing down your cheek. Unbeknownst to you, a similar tear streams down Jungkook's face as he drives away, each tear falling for completely different reasons.

Two weeks pass, and Jungkook keeps his word. He hasn’t called, texted, or shown up at your work. It’s as if he’s become a stranger, someone you once knew but is now part of a distant past.

Your days begin to regain a sense of normalcy. The emotional weight of the past few months slowly starts to lift, allowing you to refocus on your work and personal well-being. The company demands your attention, and you dive into projects, meetings, and strategies with a renewed energy.

Yet, despite the return to routine, there's a persistent sense of something missing. You haven’t talked to Taehyung at all since he got discharged from the hospital. You haven’t seen him either, and the silence pulls at you more each day.

Every time you try to get information about him from Namjoon, he gives you the same response: "Just text him. Don’t overthink it; he’ll be glad to hear from you." Once, you sensed that Namjoon wanted to say more but stopped himself short, making the excuse that it wasn’t for him to say. Whatever that meant.

You’re on your way home from running errands when the thought enters your mind for the umpteenth time: should you text Taehyung?

You’re torn between respecting his privacy and wanting to check in on him. He hasn’t reached out, so maybe he’s trying to distance himself or just needs time to recover alone, now that he’s in the comfort of his own home. On the other hand, you can’t shake the feeling that checking in would be the right thing to do.

As you approach your apartment building, you pull over into a quiet parking spot, letting your car idle. Gripping your phone, you take a deep breath and finally decide to text him.

You: Hey, Taehyung. I hope you’re doing well. Just wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling. Let me know if you need anything. We still miss you at the office!

You stare at the message for a moment before hitting send. The butterflies in your stomach flutter as you wait. What if he doesn’t respond? What if he doesn't want to hear from you?

You end up deleting the message entirely.

Forget it, you think, if he wanted to hear from you he would have texted by now, right? Just leave it alone. You said you'd support him while he was in the hospital and you did. Now he needs his space to finish healing. He'll reach out when he's ready.

Your phone buzzes the next minute, snapping you out of your thoughts. You glance at it, half hoping that Taehyung was secretly telepathic. But it isn’t from him. Instead, it’s a notification from a friend inviting you to a small get-together this coming weekend.

Smiling, you accept the invitation.

Turns out your friend's get-together was a singles mixer. Unsurprisingly, you weren't approached much, if at all. It seemed the men were either too nervous, still associating you with your ex-husband, or not quite into accomplished women. That didn't stop them from ogling you, though, as your friend insisted that you dress for the affair. You didn't choose anything flashy, but it was certainly flattering.

Leaving without a phone number didn't bother you, though. At thirty years old, most of the people were younger than you, including your friend who was a couple of years younger. Plus, you found your mind often wandering to the one man you hadn't heard from in nearly three weeks—Kim Taehyung. Should you stop overthinking and finally listen to Namjoon's suggestion? Maybe it's time to contact him.

Lost in thought on your drive home, you snap back to reality when you slam on the brakes at a sudden red light. Damn, you hadn't noticed it change so quickly. Shaking off any lingering daze, you refocus and spot a man crossing the street ahead, a little dog trotting beside him on a leash.

"Taehyung," you whisper to yourself. "What is he doing out here, especially on this slipper—shit!"

Your heart skips a beat as Taehyung stumbles on the ice, struggling to keep his balance. Concerned, you pull up to the side of the road as soon as the light turns green, parking quickly and jumping out of your car to rush over to him. He leans against a brick building, his dog, Tan, yelping at your approach. Cute little guy, but you're focus is on Taehyung.

"Damn," he mutters, trying to steady himself. His eyes widen when he catches sight of you. "__, I—" he begins.

"What are you doing, Kim Taehyung?" you scold gently. "Are you trying to hurt yourself again?"

Taehyung meets your gaze, his Gucci scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. "No," he replies earnestly. "I just needed some fresh air. It's been nearly three weeks since I was discharged, and Dr. Min said short walks with Tan are okay now. My parents were here for a while, but they left this weekend."

His explanation sinks in as you take in his appearance. Despite the chill in the air, he looks better than the last time you saw him. His cheeks are slightly flushed from the cold, and there's a determination in his eyes that wasn't there before.

"You should be more careful," you reply softly, stepping closer to him. Tan, sensing the shift in attention, continues to bark happily, tail wagging. "Are you okay? My car is right here, if you need me to take you home or anything."

Taehyung nods, a small smile playing on his lips. "I know, I know. Sorry for worrying you." He gestures to Tan, who is now circling around your legs in excitement. "Tan here doesn't seem to mind the ice at all, and surprisingly, he doesn't mind you either."

You chuckle softly, crouching down to pet the little dog. "Is he usually this friendly?"

"Not at first, no," Taehyung replies, his tone lighter now. He glances down at you, his eyes softening. "I'm glad I ran into you, though. It's been...a while."

You nod, standing to your feet. "It has. I'm glad to see you're doing better."

"I am," he affirms, his gaze steady on yours. "Thanks to you, mostly. You were there for me when I needed it the most."

"Oh, come on," you say, waving off the comment. "I didn't do that much."

Taehyung's smile widens, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You did more than you realize."

You feel a slight blush creeping up your cheeks at his words, but you maintain eye contact, appreciating the warmth in his gaze. The longer you stand there, staring at each other, the uneasier you feel. Perhaps you shouldn't ask the question that's been on your mind, but it slips out before you can stop it.

"Why didn't you call?" you ask, surprising both yourself and Taehyung as he simultaneously voices the exact same question.

Taken aback by the simultaneous question, you both chuckle nervously, breaking the tension. Taehyung scratches the back of his neck, sheepish.

"I thought about it every day," he admits, his voice quiet but sincere. "But I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear from me. I already took so much of your time, and I didn't want to ask more from you. So, I asked Namjoon to pick me up from the hospital. I thought maybe it would be better for me to wait for you to reach out and focus on recovering."

You nod, understanding flooding your expression. "I felt quite similar. I thought maybe you asked Namjoon because he's your friend. I didn't want to hound you when you just got released from the hospital, so I decided to let you recover in peace. I guess in the end, I was also waiting for you to reach out with an update of some kind."

Taehyung takes a few seconds to fully absorb your words before replying. "I'm sorry," he says softly, his eyes reflecting genuine remorse. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I was avoiding you. I would have been more than happy with you picking me up instead of Namjoon. I realize that I should have at least reached out to update you instead of going silent. I'd like to think of you as my friend too. But I wasn’t sure if you felt the same, and I just didn't want to burden you." His gaze becomes downcast as he stares at the ground beneath him.

You're unsure where you find the courage, but you bring your hands up to cup his cheeks, gently lifting his face so he meets your eyes. You have to stand on your tiptoes a bit, which he finds endearing.

"I’d like to consider you my friend too, and that means you shouldn't worry about burdening me anymore, Tae," you say softly, your touch lingering momentarily on his face, caught up in the moment. When you realize what you've done, you pull back slightly, flustered. "Um… sorry, I didn't mean to call you that."

"It's okay," he responds, his voice gentle. "I don't mind. You can call me Tae from now on if you'd like. Also, you're not a burden either, you never were to me."

You're speechless for a second before replying. "So, friends then?" you ask. "No more mixed signals and reaching out when we want?"

"I mean, I’d like that as long as you do too," he confirms with a warm smile, though his eyes say there's more that he's left unsaid. You don't notice, however.

"Text me whenever you have something on your mind," he continues.

"I will," you promise. “You too.”

"Definitely.” Taehyung pauses, glancing down at Tan who's decided to lay down by his feet. "So, I was going to take a walk with Tan at the park nearby. Any chance you'd like to join me?" His gaze shifts back to you, hopeful yet uncertain.

"I'd like that," you reply genuinely. "But we're taking my car over, so you don't break a hip on this ice, old man."

Taehyung's mouth gapes open as he shakes his head. "How many times do I need to tell you? I'm only two years older than you. Two!"

It's surreal.

How much you and Taehyung have started becoming friends, that is.

Almost two months have already passed, and it feels like just yesterday you were merely colleagues, you his boss.

Saturdays have become your day with Taehyung now. While part of you insists it's to prevent him from slipping on the ice again, deep down, you both know there's more to it now that he's almost fully recovered from his injuries.

Each weekend, you find yourselves exploring different parks and streets, swapping childhood stories, and sharing laughter over the dumbest things. Today, however, would be different. With rain threatening to drench the city, Taehyung suggested a change of plans—a cozy movie day indoors. Little did he know, you had a surprise in store for him.

You dash up to the front door, a bag of homemade food in one hand and an umbrella in the other.

Taehyung opens the door with a grin, holding his own umbrella. "Hey! Perfect timing," he chuckles, taking the umbrella from you and gesturing inside. "Come in. It's freezing out there today."

You step inside, shaking off the raindrops and removing your shoes. The warmth of his home envelopes you, a comforting contrast to the chilly rain outside.

"I brought something," you announce, holding up the bag. "Guess what it is?"

Taehyung looks at you curiously, his eyebrows raised in anticipation. "Hmm," he muses, pretending to ponder. "Knowing you, it's probably my favorite spicy chicken wings from that place near your office."

"Very close, Tae. Except these chicken wings were made by your favorite person in the whole world," you tease, handing him the bag with a grin.

Taehyung's eyes lit up as he takes the bag from you. "No way," he says, a mix of disbelief and excitement in his voice. "You made them yourself? You're the best, __. Seriously."

"It's the least I could do," you reply with a smile, following him into the living room where the TV flickers. "Besides, it's pouring out there. Movie day with good food seems like the perfect plan."

"Absolutely," he agrees, setting the food down on the coffee table. "I was thinking we could start with that new action flick I heard about."

"Aww, but I thought you said we could watch one of your movies instead?" you argue playfully, sinking into the couch. Tan bounds over, wagging his tail in excitement at the prospect of company. You scratch behind his ears while Taehyung sets up the movie.

"What? I don't remember saying that. Was I drunk that day?" he jokes.

"Well... maybe?" you tease back.

"I told you, __, I don't like watching my own films. It's weird, and half the time it's me kissing the female lead. You're going to need to watch those on your own time," he quips, his tone more serious than intended. The truth is, he really would rather not be there when you watch him kiss his co-stars.

"Alright, alright, getting aggressive over there," you chuckle, not seeing the faint rosy tint that's crept up on his cheeks. "We'll watch the action movie."

As the opening scenes roll, you can't help but steal glances at Taehyung. Despite the seriousness of his recent health issues, he seems more at ease today, a genuine smile gracing his face as he takes a seat beside you. It feels good to see him like this, relaxed and feeling more like himself.

Halfway through the movie, he nudges you gently. "Thanks for coming over today," he says softly, his gaze warm as it meets yours. "And for the food, of course."

"You don't have to thank me," you reply sincerely, nudging him back with a smile. "I'm happy to do it."

Unexpectedly, Taehyung reaches for the TV remote, pausing the scene playing in front of you. "Hey, __," he says, turning to face you, a hint of nervousness in his eyes as they shift from side to side.

"What is it, Tae?" You feel a slight unease, sensing tension. He's once again just staring into your eyes, wordless.

"Do you..." he starts but stops short, his voice trailing off.

"Yes?" You search his face for clues as to what he's trying to say.

"Would you want to go to a party with my family?" he finally asks, his words coming out in a rush. "My parents are hosting to celebrate my recovery, but really it's just an excuse to get the family together."

"So, a family reunion?" Your voice drops slightly, a mix of surprise and...disappointment? Why had you been expecting something different?

"I mean, yes, sort of. You don't have to if you don't want to," he adds quickly, almost anxiously. "I know it might be uncomfortable for you, but you've been here for me during so much of my recovery. It would mean a lot to have you there. My parents want to meet you too."

"Um... well, I've never been to a family function before," you admit hesitantly.

"You haven't?" Taehyung looks genuinely surprised.

You shake your head. "My family's never been one to do those types of things."

"Well, consider yourself part of my family then. Come with me, __. They'll love you."

"I-I don't know about that," you say softly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing your face. "How can you be so sure that they'll like me?"

"Because I do," he urges gently, "and if I like you, so will they."

You're taken aback by his words, unsure how to respond. Surely he means this in a platonic way. Despite growing closer, you and Taehyung are just friends, setting aside any previous suspicions of romantic interest. Maybe if circumstances were different—if you weren't divorced—then maybe you could entertain the idea.

For now, you'll leave that side of him alone and simply be his friend. You feel a bitter aftertaste in your mouth.

"Okay," you finally say, nodding your head. "I'll come. When is it?"

"They want to do it next weekend, weather permitting. We can carpool if you'd like, or you can take your own car," he offers.

"I'll think about it," you reply, trying to process the unexpected turn of events.

"Great." Taehyung flashes a boxy grin. "Thank you, I was so nervous to ask."

"Of course," you say, offering a tight-lipped smile. Taehyung unpauses the movie, and you return your attention to the TV screen. Minutes following your phone buzzes and a text message from Jimin appears on your screen.

Chim 🐥: __! Hate to be bringing this up, but have you seen the news about Jungkook? Looks like he's preparing to step down as CEO. Did you know about this?"

What? You had no clue.

a/n: If you are mad at me, well....I'm sorry but pls blame jk instead. But I am hoping you enjoyed! 🥰 vote jjk or kth

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side note: I tried tagging readers in comments but most of them didn't go through, so i'm sorry about the clutter here...😬

no reposting, copying, or translating my work– © kookslastbutton

[altraviolet]

How do you find a character's 'voice'? I have no problem writing OCs, but when it comes to existing characters I get so anxious that I'm mischaracterizing them!

This is a great question! This is definitely something I struggle with sometimes. Here are some of the things I've done to try to keep characterization consistent:

watched a bunch of videos about characterization and the craft of writing

gone back to the canon and reread parts that featured the character you're trying to write

reduced the character to like, ONE descriptor, ONE "essence," if you will. JRO did a great job making very identifiable characters for us. although many of the initial characterizations are modified by the end of the comic, you can still use that "essence". I'll give an ex in a minute but after you identify that "essence," keep it in mind for your character when you write them

when writing from their POV, or from a close third narration (or heck second person talking to them), remember what the character knows. how did they get to the place they are now? what kinds of details in a room would they notice?

This is not all I've done but it would take me SO LONG to put together more points so we'll move on~!

Okay so for more details on the above:

The Essence Thing

I think Ultra Magnus is a really good example of this. We're introduced to him having a very specific outlook on life (we literally see through his eyes in one early panel, it's great). We understand him to be a VERY strict mech who adheres to the Autobot Law to the letter (semi-colon, actually, lol). We see him meticulously arrange and rearrange objects, we see him point out screws that are misaligned by 0.001% (paraphrase, I don't remember the exact wordage). All in all, it's really easy to understand in just a couple of words who he is. Meticulous to a fault. Rodimus distracts him by using bad grammar on purpose.

By the end of the comics, he's loosened up a little. And (SPOILERS for the end of the comics), Megatron telling him to abandon his armor and be true to himself is something he's receptive to. Whereas in the beginning he wore it as somewhat literal armor. And refused to smile.

So what have I done with my fic? Well, it's important to keep in mind that UM isn't going to change all his ways. He won't be as much of a stickler as before, because he's learned to have friends in some capacity, and that's loosened him up a little tiny bit. But he's going to retain that core trait of being really into keeping things neat and tidy. And, the UM that Megatron told to abandon his armor isn't the one that made the jump. So I assumed they had that convo later in their friendship. The TEG UM still has those organized traits (cuz it's funny), but he's not as bad as he used to be.

So hopefully that makes sense. Boil your character down to a trait or two and keep it in mind for everything.

Oh boy the asks are piling up so I'm gonna try to go a bit faster now.

What The Character Knows

Let's do a little thought experiment. Tailgate and Drift walk into a random Autobot bar. What does each mech notice?

If I said one of them quickly identifies friendly mechs and the other one identifies unfriendly mechs, can you tell which did which? Who notices the energon specials and who takes note of the weapons behind the bar? Which one will remember a time he went with his conjunx to a bar and didn't get in a fight? haha

Okay so you can probably guess the answers that I intended for the above! Drift had a hard past, then became a violent Decepticon. Tailgate was asleep for 6 million years and then woke up and befriended a ton of people and had Movie Nights and also some trauma but he never had to fight for his life like Drift did.

So, as you can see, what the character knows (which is informed by their past, their education, their belief systems, the friends they have, the enemies they have, etc) really impacts how they see the world. And you can use that to your advantage by trying to look through their eyes keeping in mind what they know.

Sorry I'm gonna have to end this here, but this is a great topic. I'll try to write more about character voice and POV in the future. If you want to poke me later about it here or on twitter, please do. I will get my thoughts together and also find the links to the videos I've watched :)

[justanamesstuff]

I really want to start reading more fics here what/who do you recommend

Oh, this is going to be LONG haha...i don't usually do this because literally everyone here is amazing and this kinda stuff is very subjective. I'll tell you MY opinion and likes...someone can disagree and also I might forget someone (not on porpoise of course). Just to clarify :)))

Okay, recommendations:

First long fic I read here was 'Ruins' by @yourtouchismidas I still sometimes remember that time, how I waited for every single one of the chapters and all the feelings I went through its something tattooed on my heart <3

EVERYTHING and I literally mean everything @lottiecrabie writes is purely amazing. 'Pray for my soul' is something I adore with my entire heart (because I relate to it haha) and 'Galatea, take one' deserves to be in a museum...just to give you some examples.

If you're into George fics (reader x George Daniel) YOU HAVE TO READ 'I guess I’ll take this pain, instead of your name' @heyidkyay . She was also one of the first writers I found around the fandom so check the rest of the fics too but the George one has my entire heart!!

My bestie @thefrontofmymind is also one of my first findings, and I instantly fell in love with her writing. Absolutely ALL OF HER FICS are incredible!! She's a series called 'Might As Well' I'm absolutely obsessed with and wait (im)patiently for every upload haha

Recently I finished reading 'Nothing Revealed In A Common Crisis' written by @imagine-that-100 MASTERPIECE!! She also wrote 'Chicken Shop Date' with @alovesreading another first fic I read in one sitting haha

@beeninlovewithherforages is a very recent find (and amazing mutual)...check her blurbs that are mind-blowing but pleaseee 'your favorite girl' is everything you need in your life!!

Every single one of @toomuchracket 's works deserves all your time and attention (I still can't believe she's a mutual 🤭🤭)

If you're into OCs please check @because-she-goes matty x oc!nore those two are the definitely power couple!!

@abiiors the Queen of blurbs and killing my soul with 'haunt // bed' that one will be a forever favourite!!!

'I'll do anything you say (if you say it with your hands)' by @automaticllamacycle is simply perfection!! the rest of her work as well ♥♥

One of my first mutuals here @soil-just-needs-water-to-be writes the cutest and most amazing George x Matty fic so GO AND READ IT!!! Those two are going to melt my heart but they are everything <33

What can I tell you about my adorable @tillthelandslide ? One, she's the most amazing person I met...Two, amazing writing is short, i need better words really! She writes a series I love, adore, obsessed about, everything called 'Insufferable Arsehole' and all of her works are incredible!!

The Record shop by @uramilf 🙌🙌🙌 a forever favourite!!! and if you need Ross, George, even Matty too fics...she's your writer!

All of @healyswhore I love with my life...always warming my heart with her cuteness 💖

@heralldaylong days ago upload her first fic so go and suport because that's one of the BEST blurbs I've read in all my time here!!

My sweet @insidemymind19 all of her works...but check her instagram aus that are sooooo good! (send her ideas too haha)

@64yrsold another writer I admire here...I need to keep reading her new fic but I've only heard great words about it (and a lot of feelings haha)

@sheswayyout milk is a must read!!!

'Then Because She Goes' by @3terna15unshin3 i haven't read it yet...but it's in my list, because that fics looks so promising!!!

@definedbydaylight has an instagram au fic and a series both Matty x reader *chef's kiss*

All of @the1975attheirverybest fics gave me A LOT of support and reassurance during hard times...and also, not reading related but she created an amazing place to chat here (fuck u to all of the haters) so if you need/want a place to chat about other stuff definitely go there!!

'Does she take care of you or could I easily fill her shoes?' by @dontfall-inlove-withthe-moment pain...but amazing perfection!!

'Petrichor' by the amaaaazing @cryley is on my list too...one of the sweetes mutuals here so absolutely rec!

@cowboylor works are another must...I can't write my thoughts about them because not appropriated but 🥵🥵🥵 I still think about a pair of them constantly haha

I feel im repeating words, but trully EVEEEEERYTHING @justlikemebutsixfootthree wrote its something you NEED you MUST read!!

Andddd I will end with a last recommendation, with one writer I admire with all my heart and fell in love with 'love it if we made it' universe since the first time my eyes read all the beautiful parts she wrote...so read @imightgetbetter works, i beg you!!!!

Hope this helps haha...If i remember any other fic/writer I'll add it to this. To anyone that I forget to add know that the only reason behind is my bad slept mind not remembering names and stuff 😅😅 I repeat anon, the writing level this fandom has is absolutely magnificent so any work you find would be a great option to start reading :)))

[hammerhead-jpg]

Idk if I'm ever gonna finish the refs for my redacted ocs, but here are their logos

I could make some doodles of their designs or smth idk....

I wrote some info about them under the cut if ya curious (that ended up being a lot longer than I expected so behold)

Taurus

I already made a ref sheet for Taurus so I already wrote down some info about him there so you can go see that if you wanna

I can only imagine since I established that he's friends or at least knows every single redacted de(a)mon and also is a part of the chorus that if he would be on the redacted channel he'd successfully force himself into practically every storyline.

Practically all redacted ocs that I made I more imagine as side characters than as "main" characters so they don't really have a listener, but I guess his listener would technically be freelancer.

I imagine he remembers the cacophony well, even though he wants to forget it.

Gin Asari

I'm very aware that Gin wouldn't really work as a character since, to be a sibling to a listener would mean to not have them have a distinct background, race or gender (or at least agab) since this is specifically an identical twin brother, because unless them and the listener are not blood related (and in this case they are) the characters background, race and gender would allude to the listeners background, race and gender which you're not supposed to do. But because I have already made up the listeners background race and gender as if they were an oc as most people do, I haven't really thought about this.

Anyways, this is Gin Asari! Lovely's twin brother! And if you haven't noticed they are the main character of the oc fic I wrote some time ago. I actually made 4 more chapters for that fic but didn't post it since I thought it wasn't good enough and also people hate fics written in first person for some reason.

I don't really remember why I made this oc either, I guess just because I wanted to explore the idea of a electro-energetic baddy, even though they don't really have their electric powers yet since they haven't experienced a traumatic enough experience and Lovely hasn't told them in fear that they would try to traumatize themselves on purpose to get them. I also wanted to explore Adam's backstory through them (btw I fucking struggled to make the timelines align to find out what age they are).

For those of you who haven't read the fic ("the fic" meaning also the chapters I didn't publish so I guess that's like all of you) here's a quick summary: Lovely's twin brother (who at this point isn't in contact with Lovely since Lovely ran away from their parents when they were 16) is chilling in med school with their roommate: Adam Jessup. That is, all until Adam disappears one day and is found dead in a car crash, except, Adam didn't really die and he just got turned willingly. Adam returns one year later by sneaking into Gin's room. There, Adam descides to feed on them and after realizing they're willing to let him feed on them, let's them live and starts a very unhealthy relationship where he returns to feed on them every week or so. That is until he gets addicted to their humanborn latent electro energetic blood and every week or so becomes every night. The induced anemia and stress from overworking themselves due to their parent's high expectations, Gin's mental state starts to decline. That is until they find out that Adam is a literal serial killer and he basically tries to murder them since they didn't want to continue their relationship. They run away to Dahlia, both from him and from their parents, until a couple of years later they meet Lovely, now a vampire, by chance, and they catch up and learn that Adam has been upgraded to a decapitated skeleton under a broken down rollercoaster.

I realize that I mostly wrote their backstory and not their current story, like I don't really know what happens after they catch up with Lovely. Do they descide to keep in touch with the Solaire clan or do they go back to their normal life? Does Lovely tell them about the whole electric energetic thing? Do they befriend the other vampires? I don't know! I haven't decided yet.

Methuselah

I'm trying to figure out what this fool's nickname would be besides just Meth.

I thought to myself "what was the first de(a)mon created like? What are they doing?" So I started brainstorming ideas until they eventually became an oc.

So Methuselah (named after the oldest known star, I wanted to be the first star given a name but all that popped up was the oldest star), an inchoate, the first created demon, the one who has lived for thousands of years, fought in the cacophony and created the chorus and serve as kind of a makeshift leader of it.

Some may say that Meth here is what you would call a mary sue but you know as they say when I create a character that's the world's best assassin, a science experiment possessed by a god of anger who has a corrupted form that slowly kills them when they use it, they get called a Mary Sue, but when Asagiri Kafka does it it's "I love Chuuya Nakahara!!"

If Taurus is jaded by his long ongoing life Methuselah is the most jaded of them all. Just basically barely cares about the things going around them. Even if they did care about keeping relationships everyone except some of the chorus members is scared of them due to their overwhelming power, both magical and political.

When the ruling council descided to include de(a)mons in it they were the first demon asked if they would want to join as a representative for inchoate demons their response was to spit in their face and say "was that the answer you were looking for?"

I imagine that they are currently dealing with the whole Hush situation, and that in the first time in thousands of years, they're scared of death. After the cacophony in which they almost died, saw many deaths including the death of their first and only friend, they thought that if another life threatening situation occurred they wouldn't be scared to die for the cause, but now that they're faced with a person that is not only stronger than them but could kill them in a second, they're scared of death after so many years of being untouchable.

Miles Deen

One time, my lovely mutual @cyc-chilla once said in a post about wether or not redacted characters get biches, that Frederick only seems to attract extremely shady and terribly shifty dumpster opossum men, and I thought to myself "he absolutely does"

So Miles Deen was born.

If you identify as a garbage dwelling raccoon trash goblin you obviously haven't met Miles

The icon of the two bandaids and the description of "the thrall" doesn't encapsulate him well enough, it should've been an icon of a garbage can and he should've been titled "the trash dweller" if I wanted to be accurate.

Basically, Miles is an informed unempowered guy who was a couple of years ago attacked by a shade, but instead of having all of his life force drained, he only got half of his life force drained and later found out via seer that he would only live to 27 (he's currently 25, 21 when he found out)

He's also homeless because he got kicked out of his parents house after he couldn't find a job due to his clinical depression, so as you can imagine his life wasn't looking too good.

But, he descided to keep living and use the fact that he's going to die young as a motivator to live without fear and also made a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died.

One of those things was being fed on by a vamp, and that is how he finds himself on Solaire clan territory and is found by Fred. The rest is history.

Fred is convinced he is insane but he kinda likes that about him. Bright eyes does not like him at all.

He somehow always gets himself into trouble and then the clan is forced to protect him in all kinds of batshit situations.

If he was actually on the redacted channel, he'd probably never appear or would maybe be mentioned by name once, just because I descided to make a character for a deleted discontinued series.

Sadly, I think his story probably would end with him dying peacefully in his sleep, since he wouldn't want to get turned and him getting turned would be kinda a stupid thing writing wise since it's kinda stupid to build up the idea of a character dying only to have them live anyway (and his whole character is built on the idea that he's going to die young)

Ezra Solaire

One day, I thought to myself "Christian needs a gay awakening" and so he did.

Ezra is a cayote shifter and part of the Solaire clan, raised by William since birth.

He seems very sweet, and he is but he's also brutally honest.

He'd never let a vamp feed on him (William even set up that you are to be executed if you attempt to feed on him without his permission) but he does donate blood to the clan often. He has so many "I donated blood" stickers.

I imagine he's friends with Darlin', which is how he ended up meeting the Shaw pack

I keep thinking about what his talk with William would be like after the summit, cause it would be absolutely heartbreaking

Because I imagine Ezra was one of the people that wasn't told about the plan, so with Ezra who just wanted a normal life, now learning that the Solaire clan which they already didn't like being in since about 90% of the clan didn't like them, is/is going to become some sort of vigilante assassin squad and also feeling like their relationship with the Shaw pack is destroyed, the place where they actually felt like they had a normal life and a family, I can only imagine how upset they'd be.

But on the other hand, William is like a father to him and he couldn't imagine how it would be to leave him, and he'd also be leaving behind the few people he was close friends with in the clan (like Vincent) and he also wouldn't think it would be right to have William supporting him financially with a house and a job when he was leaving the clan, so he would have not only have his financial and social support cut, but also physical since, I forgot to mention but, he has multiple sclerosis and is disabled, so he sometimes needs a caregiver to help him do everyday tasks (which would usually be by William, Vincent or an assistant William hired). So yeah, I can only imagine how he must feel.

Atlas Madden

Watch out John I'm stealing your name or smth

To be completely transparent, I did create Atlas just to ship him with Scorpius. I know I'm cringe but I'm free

Atlas is a freelancer who works as a healer, but also has an interest in water magic and shifter magic. How is a non-shifter good at shifter magic? He isn't! He likes morphing into a disturbing half wolf half human creature and scaring people in it!

So umm I may have brainstormed Scorpiuses backstory on a whim by accident...whoops...hate when that happens

So going forward any Scorpius lore I drop is my headcannons and not actual lore

I swear this is important to Atlas

Okay so: I imagine that before being captured by close knit Scorpius worked in this kind of strip club where the whole shtick was that incubi were the strippers. The strippers weren't also escorts but if they chose you you could potentially go home with them.

That's how Scorpius and Atlas met.

Atlases friends brought him to this strip club mostly as a joke and Atlas was kinda uncomfortable the whole time.

Until he caught Scorpiuses eye, who then decided to enact his flirt persona and bring him home.

After that, Atlas eventually became his charge and they would meet every so often.

They both agreed for no strings attached, Scorpius didn't really like hookup culture but needed to get energy one way or another, but Atlas wanted him to know that he respected him as a person and wanted them to be at least friends.

One day, Atlas pushed the friendliness a little too far and Scorpius told him that he doesn't need to try to appeal to him so he could feel like a good person. Atlas got offended by this because he really just wanted to be nice, not because he wanted to pat himself on the back.

An argument ensued and Scorpius left without getting an energy feeding. He went on, trying to find somebody else to feed on, and that is when he gets tricked and captured by close knit. With no way to communicate to Atlas, Atlas believes Scorpius left him for good.

I have a lot more planned out for them but that takes place after Scorpius leaves the basement, which as you can see he hasn't yet, so I'm obviously waiting til that happens so I'm not writing lore for something that hasn't happened yet.

So um yeah

[tsunami-of-tears]

A Court of Shadows and Sunshine — Part Three

Azriel x OC

Summary: The pull between Aurora and Azriel only grows stronger.

A/N: This fic is ridiculous, I’m having so much fun writing it x

Word Count: 1.8K

Warnings: Swearing, sexual themes, mention of death

Part Two

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧

Aurora

A few days had passed since your visit to the House of Wind, and you were doing everything you could to keep from thinking about it. You threw yourself into your work, you couldn’t even bring yourself to read. The thoughts those books triggered were far too dangerous, not to mention unprofessional. 

It’s late in the evening, you’re still at your studio working on a new program when you hear a knock on the door. 

Who would be stopping by at this hour? 

You open the door to find a familiar blonde female standing there.  

“It’s getting bloody cold out!” Mor walks past you into the warmth of your studio. “So, I heard you taught a special class this week. How did you go?” Mor raises her brows and grins.

“I got offered an ongoing position, so I’d say it went fairly well. I must say, I have been wondering who gave Nesta my details.” You raise your brows back at the female. 

“Now that is a good question, Rory.” 

You sigh and shake your head. You had suspected Mor was behind it in some way - she was such a busybody. 

“Whatever you did, thank you. At this rate I owe you a heck of a lot of favours.” 

Mor just laughs and shrugs you off. “What are friends for?” She pauses briefly, “I did genuinely come here to check on you. How are you doing?” 

“Oh you know, same old. Keeping busy.” 

“Okay I guess I’ll leave you to it, you should probably get home soon though. It’s late.” Mor makes a move towards the door. “You know where to find me if you need anything.”

“I know. See you around, Mor.” She offers that every time you see each other, but you already owe her a life debt - you couldn’t possibly ask for more than that. 

Mor was the one who brought you to Velaris all those years ago. She is the only person who knows where you come from, aside from Rhysand and Helion. Mor checks in on you every couple of months, you have never asked her for anything. You’ve considered a proper friendship with the female, but with all she’s done for you - you feel like too much of a burden. Your rejections of her offers to hang out haven’t deterred Mor, who continues to show up and call you by your nickname. Even so, you hate to be a bother. 

You finally decide to head home. Work will still be there in the morning. Stepping outside, you welcome the bitter wind. It allows your thoughts to focus on retaining body heat, rather than your interaction with Mor and the many questions you know she was holding back. 

————

The day of training at the House is here. You had a terrible sleep last night, tossing and turning in anticipation of the session.

It turns out you had nothing to be worried about - both Cassian and Azriel had important business to attend to elsewhere. You couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed when Azriel wasn’t in the training ring. 

You went a little easier on the group today, partially due to your tiredness. 

After class, you hang around to get to know Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie some more. You enjoy all of their company. They share many stories about their lives - how they got started with the training, their Valkyrie research, and how insufferable Nesta and Cassian were before their mating bond snapped.

“Oh Aurora, you had to see it. You could cut the tension with a sword.” Emerie snorts, clutching her stomach. 

Gwyn chimes in, “And it only got worse as it dragged on. Now they are settled we can finally stand to be around them.” 

Nesta simply sticks her tongue out, not really bothered by the comments. 

After plenty of laughs and a few more book recommendations, Gwyn and Emerie leave the House. They both have to get to work. 

Alone with Nesta, she takes you on a tour of the House. You end up in the library with some tea, and a stack of books to take home. You don’t mention that you haven’t been in the mood for them lately.

“So, Aurora, are you seeing anyone?” Nesta asks playfully. 

You try to brush off her question, “No, I’m so busy with work that I don’t really have time for it.” 

“There’s no one that you’re interested in then?” 

Damn, you were hoping to avoid this, you’re a terrible liar but you do trust your new friend. Sighing, you say “I suppose there is someone who caught my eye recently.”

Neither of you noticed that Cassian had crept into the room. “No need to be embarrassed sweetheart, females can’t help themselves around me.” Both you and Nesta whip your heads to the now open door, to see the smirking male leaning against the door frame. 

Your face heats after your admission, but you’re relieved you hadn’t mentioned any names. You try to think of a witty comeback but your mouth refuses to cooperate -  it opens and closes, yet no words come out. 

Nesta saves you from answering, “It’s bold to assume we were talking about you, sweetheart.” She makes a move towards Cassian, and leans in to give her mate a soft kiss in greeting. “You’re early. How was Windhaven?”

Running a hand through his hair, he sighs, “Devlon is still resistant in training the females. Progress in the camps moves at a snails pace.” Turning to you, Cassian asks, “How was training this morning?”

Finally finding your voice, “Everyone is doing really well, very enthusiastic.”

Nesta chimes in, “Except not everyone showed up today.”

The mates exchange a knowing look and you know they are speaking mind to mind. You have seen your parents do the same all your life. 

“Interesting…” Cassian trails off. “Aurora, I’m heading into town, do you need a lift back home?” 

You accept his offer, hoping you’ll eventually get used to the flying.  

————

Azriel

Sitting in the study of the River House, Azriel is expecting to receive an earful. He’d lied to avoid training that morning, he just couldn’t face Aurora yet. He knew he would have to eventually, but he wanted to postpone the awkwardness. She wouldn’t know about the filthy dreams he’d been having about her, but he wasn’t sure he could look her in the eye again. 

Azriel’s thoughts are interrupted as Cassian enters, sitting to the right of the shadowsinger. Mor is in an armchair across from them, Rhys is leaning against his desk while Feyre rocks Nyx in the chair next to Mor.

“Amren is occupied. We still haven’t gotten any news of Bryaxis so she's looking into some tracking spells.” Rhys explains, moving to sit on the arm of Feyre’s chair.

Cassian shudders at the mention of the beast.

“But that’s not why we’re here.” Rhys looks to Azriel, “How’s training?”

Azriel nods, “It’s good.” 

Cassian shakes his head,  “Aurora showed me up. She’s better than good. I’d kill to see her with some weapons training. She’d make a fierce Valkyrie.”

Azriel goes silent, he doesn’t want his mouth to betray him.

The truth is, he’s completely captivated by Aurora. It's obvious how fierce she is, almost as determined as Nesta but still soft, and bubbly... He couldn’t even control his shadows around her. They were drawn to her, which confused Azriel - how could someone so radiant attract such darkness? 

Azriel’s shadows bring his attention back to the room. He’d gotten lost in his thoughts for a moment and hoped it wasn’t too obvious.

Rhys smirked at Azriel, arms folded over his chest. “It’s clear she’s made an impression. I’d like to meet her. Extend an invitation to family dinner next week, we’ll have it here.” 

————

The morning of training comes around agonisingly slow for Azriel. He regretted skipping out on the week before, eager for another glimpse at Aurora. 

He hadn’t risked spying on her in town, his shadows gave him away too easily. 

Azriel enters the training ring early to get in some extra practise before the rest of the group arrives. Exercise always helps him ease his anxiety so he promptly pulls out the punching bag and gets to work. 

————

Aurora

You had asked Feyre to bring you to the House a bit earlier today. You wanted to arrive before everyone else. 

You’re surprised to see Azriel already in the ring, his back to you as he throws punches at a bag. So engrossed watching his wings flaring and the muscles in his back rippling, you don’t notice Feyre had already departed - leaving you alone with the shadowsinger. 

Your attention is captured by a shadow dancing over to you. It looks like it wants to play, so you conjure up a small ball of light and float it around. The shadow stalks the light like a cat, causing you to giggle. 

The sound of your laugh catches Azriel’s attention, your eyes meet and you see amusement flicker across them. 

“They like you.” Your heart skips a beat at the sound of his voice. 

You move your light ball again, slightly faster causing the shadow to chase after it. “I like them, they are cute.”

The corners of Azriel’s lips curl into a small smile. “How did you do that?” He asks softly.

“The light? I don’t know, I’ve always been able to. The magic comes from my Mother’s side. It’s not really much more than a good party trick though.” You make the light float over between you both before you wave your hand and make it disappear.

“Interesting,” Azriel hesitates before asking, “Where is your mother now?”

“She passed away years ago.”

Azriel’s eyes widen in shock. “Oh fuck, Aurora. I’m sorry.” 

Before you can reassure him, you’re interrupted by a boisterous Cassian. “Ready to go hard today, Aurora?” 

You roll your eyes in response, turning to greet the Illyrian. You can’t hold back your snort when you see his outfit. 

“Oh my stars, what are you wearing?” 

Cassian had swapped out his usual training leathers for a plain singlet and extremely fitted pants that show off every inch of him.

“I couldn’t let you have any advantage today. The lady in the shop said these would be easier to move in. You know, so I can get into all the deep positions.”

Nesta scoffs, “Tell the truth. You wanted to distract Aurora so you had more of a chance of beating her.”

“I will not admit to such an outrageous lie.” Cassian’s mischievous smile said otherwise. 

Shaking your head, you avert your eyes and move to the front of the group, you know you’re in for a long morning. 

Part Four

[doctoriletyougotogalaxy]

Deal

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

My OC blurb & my other Nikolai Lantsov fics on this OC & my other OCs

Cofton, Novyi Zem

I was sitting on my bed after a long but not very tiring day. By the afternoon sun shining through the window, I was trying to read a children's book in Zemeni that I had borrowed from the city library. It was a book that children would read just after they learned how to read. Actually I was hoping it would help me improve my Zemeni, but to be honest I was struggling a bit. If I would read Kuller grooming his horses a little bit more, I was pretty sure I would vomit.

When my door was knocked, I gratefully said, "Come in."

It was Nikolai, he closed the door behind him and sat on my bed, leaned against the wall and started staring at the ceiling. He didn't say anything, so I did.

"Seems like you've become interested in construction, are you examining the beams or something?" I asked.

"Eleanor asked me out," he blurted out.

"What?"

Eleanor was the niece of our  gunmaster. I was guessing she was around the same age as us. Her house was 15-minute walk away, and every afternoon she was bringing her uncle -and us- cookies, muffins, cold lemonades or at least fruits. They were really delicious and the only things that making the lunch break bearable. It wasn't hard to guess why she was striving for us every day. The reason was sitting right in front of me.

"Yes."

"I thought she already has a boyfriend," I said, frowning.

"Oh, really?"

"I saw her kissing a boy in a secluded corner at the marketplace last week."

"Oh, come on," he said, laughing.

"Looks like there is another fish at her hook," I said, pointing at him with my eyes.

He shook his head.

"Actually, the fish got away from the hook, what could he do, the fisherman was making too much noise."

"Hmm, what a pity, you two would make a lovely couple, she's quite nice."

She wasn't at all. She was very talkative and spoiled. She used to come to the workshop and pretend to be interested in guns by hanging around Nikolai. Even if she didn't constantly tell me to be more cheerful, more talkative, and go out more, and didn't treat me like I was five years old, I wouldn't like her.

"Is that so?" said Nikolai teasingly. "I shouldn't have rejected her offer then."

"She doesn't seem like someone who would give up easily, don't worry, she'll throw her rod again soon."

"Well," he straightened up. "I told her we are together. You better not eat the things she brings to lunch break anymore, unless you want to get poisoned, of course."

My mouth was wide open. "No... No, you little rotten herring, you didn't..."

"I thought you'd like it," he said, raising his eyebrows.

I couldn't help but laugh with enjoyment. "So what? Am I supposed to ask her for those chocolate cookies myself? Should I act all friendly towards her so she doesn't poison me? Well, in that case, you'll save half of what she brings you and give them to me at the evening," I said, trying to distract myself from the thoughts of dating Nikolai.

"Okay, deal," he said, extending his hand to shake.

I shook his hand.

"By the way, we need to be convincing. So, if you want to kiss me or do other things when she is around or not, don't hesitate." he said.

"Djel..." I sighed and rolled my eyes. But actually I was smiling and blushing, so I buried my face in the book to hide my face. Kuller ran the comb along Bonnie's neck. Bonnie neighed happily. "I have to read this, if you excuse."

"It seems like you're blushing," there was a pleasant tone in his voice.

"No."

"You're definitely blushing."

"Go see a healer."

"Okay then," he said, getting up. "If my treatment takes a long time and I have to stay in the clinic for a while, I want you to bring me some clean laundries. I would like a letter, too."

"I'm sure there will be many pretty patients and healers who would like to be your company."

"You are right, I know no one who can resist this handsomeness."  He took out two apples from his pockets.  The bright red apples made my mouth water.  He threw one at me.

"'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.'  they say." He slightly wiped his own apple with his jacket and bit it off.

"Have you wash them?"

I rolled my eyes as he shook his head.  "I am pretty sure that word was said for clean apples."

"My dear, I think you shouldn't be this much scrupulous."

"And I think you should be more scrupulous, how ironic."

He shruged, "Sorry, this is all I have. Take it or leave it."

"I am taking it but as a Fabricator I am pretty sure I can work on it. Wash this." I threw my apple back to him.

He sighed. "Yes ma'am."

Soooooo this is my very first fanfiction in English, it may be insipid and because of English being not my first language, there may be some grammar mistakes too. I would be so happy if you tell me what do you think!

[13ghostlytitties]

The Heart of a Hero is returning once more!

Today marks the 5-year anniversary of the premiere of HoaH, and is fairly close to the 3.5 year anniversary of its last official upload. Well, the wait is over. It’s time for me to resurrect this series and eventually bring it to its end (not that it left off anywhere close to ending 😉).

Since it’s been a while, I’ve put together a recap of the story so far that I’ll post at some point here. It’s not complete, I had to cut out some of the newer chapters since it just became a play-by-play synopsis that doubled the total word count, but hey, having to reread 5-10 chapters is better than rereading 150.

The tentative return date will be this time next month as I work on creating a backlog of chapters. If I need to push it back, I’ll let you know. As for other questions I’m sure some of you have, check below the cut. For those who don’t care, see you in a month, hopefully.

So, some questions I’m sure some of you are asking:

1: where have you been? And why did you stop?

I’m not gonna go into details since I’m not that kinda person, but overall, just been living life, dude. I originally began my unexpected hiatus when college was kicking my ass and expected to get right back to things, but some stuff happened, and by the time I had dealt with it, it was Spring of 2020. You can guess what stopped me up then lol. But yeah, things just got away from me and eventually, I didn’t have the time or energy to dedicate to diving headfirst back into this outside of unconnected one-off stuff like those Bang fics. There’s other facets too, of course, the biggest one being a general disinterest in the source material. I stopped reading MHA around the villains arc (though I’ve kept up a bit in terms of big stuff like the traitor reveal), so I lacked that interest to pull me back into this world. Where I left off in the story, in the middle of a complicated arc full of OCs and big fights and stuff, was also a hurdle to getting back into things. But I’m here now, I’m working on my backlog, and I’m gonna commit. If you guys are excited about my return, spread the word and lemme hear it so I can keep this motivation 🤟

2: Is A New Era coming back too?

And now for the other shoe to drop. It is not. Im very sorry, especially to those whose OCs I included, but it’s just not feasible. Every time I considered it or tried it, the whole return to the main story was stopped up with it. Anyone who’s interested in continuing it themselves in some way shape or form, you have my permission in terms of the general idea, the OC kids I came up with, the places that canon characters are in it, etc. As for other people’s OCs, I’d check with their creators. One again, very sorry, but it’s just not doable.

3: What will this return look like? How often are chapters gonna drop?

Still working out the specifics, but my idea for now is to drop 2 chapters a week. If I need to go on hiatus, I’ll announce as much and plan the placement of it much better so that I don’t stop in the middle of an arc. That way, the hiatus will only be a month instead of years lol. The schedule may change over time, but I’ll keep everyone informed as I move ahead with it

4: a lot has happened in the manga and anime and movies since you stopped. Will these things be worked into the series?

Nope. I stopped reading and probably won’t start again until it’s over and done with. More than that, I’ve been sitting on these plans for a couple years now and don’t feel like changing them much. Besides, this story has had a long, rich history of shitting in the soup of the canon story, so I’ll just continue doing my own thing

5: are you still as epic and cool and funny as in the past?

Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to. I never was 😎

[circle--of--confusion]

Wanna Bewitch You In The Moonlight

Another Dracopia fic with my OC Sarah! This one got away form me oh boy. I hope y'all enjoy!

Summary: Copia and Sarah have spent so much time together but they are always either too tired or keep getting interrupted when they try to take things further and have their first time having sex as a couple. What are you to do when both of your jobs are very important?

[This takes place right after the first fic "The Cardinal and the Seamstress" but before Terzo and my OC Amelia have got back together for their story]

This can be read on it's own for the most part, but here is my origional fic for them if you haven't read it and want to lol.

Words: 10.7k

Read On AO3

Warnings/Tags: explicit/18+, established relationship, dracopia, flashbacks, so much neck kissing wow!, first times as a couple, blood drinking, fluff, smut [vaginal fingering, oral sex [f receiving], hand job, vaginal sex]

There’s a bundle of fabric on Sarah’s desk when she walks in to the studio on Monday morning. Her eyebrows knit together as she walks closer to inspect the pile. Shirts? Alex and Amelia, fellow co-worker and boss [though she considers them to be friends too], walk in after her to their desks that also have piles of fabric.

“Oh!” Amelia calls over to Sarah once she realizes Sarah is at a loss for what to do. “You haven’t been here long enough to experience this!” Amelia walks over to Sarah’s desk, giddy. “Every few weeks we have clothes delivered to the sewing department that need to be repaired or mended. Or sometimes straight up re-made if they’re that attached to the style.”

Alex looks up from his desk where he’s sorted the clothes based on what needs more effort and less effort. “Copia’s suits took priority so this is your first time, awwww.” He responds playfully. Sarah rolls her eyes.

Amelia jumps in. “Which means, we get to play my favorite game… drumroll please, Alex!” Alex taps his hands on the desk rapid-fire then stops and they both yell simultaneously like game show hosts. “Lust! Or! Wrath!”

Her eyes go wide and she laughs. “What?”

Amelia’s back to her desk and sits down. “I noticed when I’d been working here for a bit, that most of our mending is sewing buttons to go back on shirts. This made me have two thoughts. One: I should consider snaps in the future. And two: is this a frustrated clergy member or a sexually frustrated clergy member’s shirt?” Her eyebrows comedically rise a couple times. She sighs with a hand wave. “It helped to pass the time.”

“Depending on the time of the year, we have a lot to fix.” Alex chimes in from his spot, already meticulously stitching on a button. He stops to look up at Amelia, pointing off in the distance in thought. “Do you remember The Great Valentines Fabric Massacre of 2015?”

Amelia shudders. “Ugh, don’t remind me. I swear, my hands were cramped for a week!” She groans.

Sarah nods and sits down at her desk. “Well, I guess I’ll uh, get to work!” She looks over the stack and finds a pair of pants, a handful of button ups, and a couple habits that need their hems fixed from dragging on the ground. Over the next half hour the trio work in silence, the only sounds in the room coming from either their exasperation when the thread comes loose from the needle eye or the sounds of their scissors snipping thread. Sarah’s eyes drift occasionally to her bag where her personal mending project lies at the bottom of her bag. Maybe she can find a way to throw it onto her desk without drawing attention. Alex and Amelia can be nosy.

Her hands drift down to grab the shirt from her bag and she flinches when Amelia cackles. “Look here, I have a shirt from Cardinal Alister and Cardinal Brian.” She looks up with a knowing smirk.

Alex gasps. “Good for them. I know Cardinal Brian just got out of a rough break-up and I heard rumblings of a possible date between those two the other day.” He tilts his head, smiling.

Sarah is almost done dragging her shirt into her lap when Amelia breaks her focus. “Speaking of dates… How did your big date with Copia go, Sarah?” she looks directly at Sarah who is blushing a deep shade of red while her shirt is caught halfway between her bag and the desk. Amelia smiles like a cheshire cat. “I can assume it went well?”

Caught red-handed. “Y-Yeah. It went, uh, well.” Sarah mumbles out.

◊◊◊◊◊

11 DAYS EARLIER

Sarah woke up snuggled against Copia’s body, his arm is wrapped around her stomach. They fell asleep spooning, the adrenaline and energy draining from her the moment they got back to his room after his first Ritual as head of the Ghost Project. She expected they would’ve been able to stay awake to talk about the experience but the moment she laid down in his arms, a yawn betrayed her and she was a goner. The last thing Sarah remembers from last night before she fell into a deep sleep was the feeling of Copia’s lips in her hair and a soft whisper of “goodnight, Sarah.”

Sarah’s dreams, however, were very active. Her inner most desires while she slept helped to fill in the blanks of what she wished they could’ve done last night. She now knows what his mouth feels like on her and where his hands like to roam. It’s plagued her mind since their date and lazy day together a handful of days ago. She dreamt of what it might feel like with him kissing other parts of her body without her clothes getting in the way. Would his lips linger on her chest? Sarah wonders if he would grab her thighs or hips to hold her in place.

She imagines his fangs would find a way to poke out, an involuntary reaction in his lust-fueled mission to ravish her body. Dream Copia had a particularly enjoyable time kissing her above and below. His hands caressed her body, one on her thigh and the other on her hip as he licked and sucked at her most sensitive parts. And deep down at the very bottom of her mind, she wants to experience Copia drinking her blood again. It’s always on the forefront when he kisses her neck.

She feels a growing desire in her, now fully awake and tingling. Sarah can still feel his hands from her mind, no wait, his hands are actually lightly dragging along her left side while she lays on her right in front of him. Her eyes fully open, taking in her surroundings; Copia’s body is pressed close to her back.

Copia hums. “Good morning, amore. Are you finally awake?” He whispers, lightly kissing the top of her shoulder. His left hand that was trailing up and down her side rests on Sarah’s hip.

She turns around to her left side to face Copia and hums her response. Her right hand moves up to hold his face while she leans forward to kiss him good morning. His mouth tastes faintly of copper and apple juice? “You were amazing last night, Copia.”

He smirks. “I was hoping you would be able to say that about more than just my singing when you woke up this morning.”

Sarah blushes. “I’m sorry for falling asleep.”

He shrugs his left shoulder. “It’s probably better for us that you got your rest.” His hand, previously on her hip, snakes it’s way behind her back and he rolls her over, pinning her to the bed on her back while he hovers over her body. “But! I have you now for a few minutes at least before you have to go off to work. Lucky me, I finally get a break from everything today.” He kisses Sarah’s lips softly before starting a trail down to her neck where he stops to suck and nibble lightly on the healed flesh from where he drank her blood a few days prior.

Sarah’s hand grips into his hair, holding him in and encouraging him to keep his lips there. Copia gladly complies, groaning when she scratches lightly on his scalp. He moves to settle between her spreading legs, one arm holding him up while his other roams up and down her side squeezing slightly at her hips. Sarah softly squeals and wiggles in her spot under Copia’s hold. His ministrations on her neck have turned from light nips to determined kisses. She feels a light poke of his teeth on the sensitive flesh, aware his fangs have introduced themselves to the situation. She smiles and her fingers in Copia’s hair tug lightly. “Copia…” She rasps, leaning her neck over to give his mouth more room to roam.

He hums a breathy “Sarah…” in response. He feels overcome with a growing lust at her scent, his hips begin to roll against her body on their own volition as he grows in arousal. Copia breathes heavily against her neck, intoxicated by her presence.

Sarah is lost in their hazy moment of groping and kissing. A part of her realizes she needs to get up soon and get ready for work but then she gets lost again in the weight of Copia’s body on hers and the way he’s moving over her. His fangs drag lightly on her neck, teasing, making sure not to puncture the skin. She’s also now aware of the hardening bulge down below between Copia’s legs as he rolls against her. It thrills her to know he’s as desperate for her as she is for him. “Oh, Copia… I need you.” she sighs. “Please.”

He nods against her neck and pulls her closer to him. “Me too, amore.” Copia moves up to look into her eyes. “I would love to-“

♫ You can dance! You can jive! Having the time of your life! Oohhhh ♫

Copia’s eyes shoot wide open. “Shit! My alarm!” He scrambles off of Sarah to grab his phone and ends up falling off the bed onto his back on the floor. He rushes to stand up and walks over to his phone on the nightstand to turn off the intrusion. Copia slaps his hand over his face, rubbing slightly. “Ugh, I just remembered that I have a meeting today with Sister Imperator and I need to brief the ghouls of last night’s ritual.” He looks over to Sarah on his bed and she hums as her only response. Her eyes are distracted by something and when he follows the line, it’s to the veryobvious tenting in his sweatpants while he stands in front of her.

She giggles, her eyes locked across the room at his crotch. “Okay.” When Sarah looks up at Copia’s face, he looks exasperated.

“Really?” He asks.

She puts her hands in her face and shakes it before putting them back down. “It looked at me first!” She yells and Copia scoffs. “It’s distractingly big and very obvious, Copia! What was I supposed to do? Not look at it?” She sees his eyes flare when she says ‘big’ and stalks closer to her, tilting his head.

“This is what you do to me, dolcezza.” he pouts. “And then you torture me by laughing?”

Sarah’s hands rise to touch up his stomach to his chest over his shirt and Copia flinches slightly from the contact. “What are you going to do? Punish me?” She smiles seductively.

♫ Mama Mia, here I go again! My, my, how can I resist you? ♫

He groans. Very fitting Sarah thinks.

“Well not now.” he rolls his eyes. “I really need to get ready for the day now and you, my amore, need to get to work.” He kisses the top of her head and leans down to her ear. “You better go before I change my mind.” Copia smiles, gives Sarah a peck on the cheek, and turns to the bathroom to shower.

She stands, flustered, and gathers herself to leave so she can get ready for work. As she walks out of his room, Sarah can hear faint whistling echoing from behind the bathroom door. She laughs and closes the front door of his room behind her.

For the entire day, Sarah had “Dancing Queen” stuck in her head.

◊◊◊◊◊

When he saw Sarah that evening to have dinner, they didn’t speak of what had happened this morning. She greeted him like normal, a quick kiss on the lips, and walked inside to sit down on the couch. She’s asked what movie they would watch after eating and he responded without missing a beat. He couldn’t help but notice, though, that she looked a bit flushed upon walking in and jumped a couple times when he placed a hand on her to cuddle on the couch. They may not have spoken about what happened this morning, but the knowledge of it just sorta floated in the air.  

The next couple nights went along much smoother. Some of the tension in the air had dissipated and now the two are cuddling on his couch with an old movie playing on his box tv. Eventually the movie became ignored by the couple as they were more into focusing on each other. Sarah had initiated first by looking up at him halfway through the movie and placed a small kiss on the underside of his jaw. He leaned his head back as she continued to plant small kisses on Copia’s neck and one thing led to another. Sarah moved to sit in his lap to straddle him. Her hand holds onto the back of his head while the other rubs lightly on his chest. Copia’s hands have planted themselves on her waist. She adjusts herself to be flush with his body, not feeling like she’s close enough.

“Mmm, amore, you seem very determined tonight.” Copia moans, leaning his neck further to the side to give Sarah more access as she alternates kissing his lips or his neck. He feels her teeth bite down slightly and he whimpers. The sensations of Sarah’s mouth on his neck and exploring hands on his chest are being sent straight down to his dick. If he doesn’t get relief soon, he just might explode. He hasn’t had time to bring up the other morning so they can see where things might’ve gone. Sarah giggles into his neck before she leans back to look into his eyes. Her lips are puffy from the kisses and her pupils are blown wide open from lust for him. He thinks she looks divine.

“I can’t help it. You are way more interesting than the movie.” She smiles. He leans up to share a short kiss.

“Would you like to move things to the bedroom?” Copia teases, rubbing his thumb on her waist. “I feel like we have some uh, unfinished business from the other day...” He smirks.

Sarah smiles and nods rapidly. “I would lo-“

A loud trio of bangs on his door breaks their bubble. Copia knits his eyebrows together, getting up when Sarah moves off his lap. He walks awkwardly, shifting his half-hard dick in his sweats so he doesn’t scare whoever is at the door. A couple more impatient knocks bang on his door before Copia can get it open.

“Papa?” Copia gasps. Secondo is standing at his door, scowling. “What are you- I mean why are you..?”

“I found this,” he holds up his cupped hands “,roaming around in my record collection. She was nibbling on my mint condition Abba records.” Secondo holds up one of Copia’s rats.

He gasps. “My baby!” Copia quickly moves to grab at the small animal, softly scolding her. “Mi dispiace, Papa. I hadn’t realized she got free.”

Papa grumbles. “Just don’t let it happen again.” He bows his head slightly. “Goodnight.”

Copia nodded his head quickly as Secondo walked away. He nudged the door closed and made quick work of putting his mini escape artist back in her cage, double checking the lock, and then walked out to the living room. Sarah has stood up and looks like she’s ready to go back to her room.

“Are you leaving?” Copia asks, pleading for her to stay.

Sarah sighs. “I should probably head out. We’re in the thick of it with sewing your suits at the studio. I need to make sure I’m rested so I don’t make any mistakes.”

He looks down, defeated. Copia walks over to Sarah and leans down for a goodnight kiss. She chases his lips briefly when they part. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Sarah nods. “Of course.”

◊◊◊◊◊

“What cosmic entity out there keeps cock-blocking you two with Abba?” Alex remarks.

“I don’t know! I like Abba, too.” Sarah huffs.

She feels pent up. Five days have passed by since Copia’s ritual and they still haven’t found a way to consummate the occasion. At least not together. Her entire life has been consumed by her Copia this week but she hasn’t had time to be with him in person long enough to take the next step in their relationship. It’s not like he’s lounging around eating bon-bons, either. They exchange quick texts throughout the day, in-between sewing breaks and meetings or rehearsals. He sounds just as desperate as she is.

-----

Copia 2:35pm

My love, how are you this afternoon? I ache to see you once again and have you in my arms. I’ve been feeling like a coil that’s been wound tight.

Sarah 2:44pm

Me too. I’ve had to uh, take care of myself on my own, if you catch my drift.

Copia 2:46pm

Oh? Amore you can’t get me so riled up at a time like this. I’m rehearsing with the ghouls right now. They can smell when I’m horny and they say it’s not a great sight.

Sarah 2:47pm

So I shouldn’t tell you all about how I used my fingers on me as if they were yours? ;)

Copia 2:49pm

You should. In great detail, actually! Though, I am a visual and hands-on learner…

Sarah 2:50pm

I’ll keep that in mind.

Copia 2:52pm

You are so cruel me, Sarah. This rehearsal is not going to go well and it will be all your fault. ;)

-----

Later that evening, she’s the last to leave the studio and locks up. She notices something in the corner of her eye but when Sarah looks up to see, it’s gone. She moves on further down the hall shaking her head. A trick of the light she thinks. A woosh of air passes behind her and she’s grabbed from behind, a sturdy arm snakes around her waist to pull her snug to their chest. The other arm rises to put their hand on her chin, holding her in place.

“Did you think you could tease me like that earlier today and get away with it?” A husky voice whispers into her ear.

Copia Sarah realizes. She takes a breath. “Are you going to do anything about it?”

Copia nuzzles onto the side of her face. “I am, dolcezza.” He walks them over to an alcove down at the end of the hallway. “Though I’m not sure if I have the patience to start until we get to my room.” She gasps.

She’s turned around and Copia captured her lips with a furious kiss; it’s full of passion and urgency. She hums into his mouth and wraps her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Sarah’s tongue pokes over to his lips, asking to deepen the kiss. She feels his fangs on her tongue and gasps as he opens his mouth wider; they drag along once he begins to mouth down her jaw. He breathes in a deep breath before pulling away. Sarah takes a step back, hitting the hard brick of the wall behind her. Copia leans down to kiss her neck, inhaling a deep breath at her scent. One of Sarah’s hands holds his head in place and the other holds his side. He presses his body into Sarah’s, trapping her against the wall. Some of his frustration feels like it’s dissipated by being able to hold her. His frantic movements become still with the feeling of her body on his.

“I missed this. Missed You.” Copia mumbles into her neck. His hands hold Sarah in place by her hips. “My room stopped smelling like you yesterday.” He shudders out a sigh.

For a moment the pair simply hold each other, enjoying the feel of their lover’s body in their hands. They’ve both been stressed and over-worked and this brief moment of peaceful silence feels like a gift from the Lucifer himself.

“Copia.” Sarah whispers. “Let’s go back to your room now, hm?”

He leans back to look at her, gazing sleepily into her eyes. “That is music to my ears, amore.” He smiles and grabs her hand, pulling her away and down in the direction of his room. “And I should know!”

They’re excited, giggling away when a voice calls down the hall. “Oh, Cardinal! Do you have a word?” Copia and Sarah stop in their tracks, both groaning internally. Sister Imperator.

“Go to my room and get comfortable, please.” He kisses her knuckles before removing his hand from hers. “I’ll be back soon.” Sarah nods and walks off, hearing the strained greeting he gives to Sister.

Once she gets to his room, she finds a pair of her pajama pants and puts them on. For a bit she wanders around his room, admiring the books or knickknacks she hadn’t had time to look at in the past. She walks over to the sprawling cage set-up where he keeps his rats. They squeak happy noises at her as she comes over to give them some attention. “Our Copia should be home soon, little ones.”

Sarah then lets out a loud yawn and decides to lay down in his bed for the rest of the wait. The plush, luxurious feeling of his bed along with the lingering scent of Copia’s body soap and cologne in the sheets lull her into a deep sleep before she knows it

◊◊◊◊◊

When Copia is finally back into his room, he heaves a tired sigh. Sister Imperator wanted an update on the rest of the album and it took much longer than he expected. However, the sight that greeted him once he entered his room had him swooning. Sarah, his love, is bundled up under his comforter and sleeping soundly against his pillows. After he washed off the black paint around his eyes, he changes into sweats and a t-shirt before joining her under the covers. As if she could sense his presence in bed, Sarah moves to lay her head down on top of Copia’s chest and wraps her arm around his waist. He chuckles at the small, content hum once she settles in her new position.

Copia and Papa Terzo are walking together to a meeting the following morning. He’s lamenting about the recent week of failure to take anything further past very passionate kissing with Sarah.

“Why don’t you just say ‘fuck it’ and take a day off, Copia?” Terzo asks bluntly. “Whisk her away and have your way with each other, eh?”

Copia scoffs. “I would if I could. Sister Imperator has been breathing down my neck to get this album finished.” He exhales a long sigh. “And I couldn’t make Sarah take a day off of her job just to have sex!”

“Why not?”

“Papa.”  

Terzo grumbles. “You can still find a way to make timefor her, Copia.” He insists, looking over to make his point. He places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Things are only going to get more chaotic from here. You need to make the initiative for the both of you.”

The two round a corner, walking by a few clergy members. Terzo receives a couple flirty “hello Papa”s from siblings along with a sarcastic eye-roll from Amelia who’s passing by them as she heads to the studio. Terzo wiggles his gloved fingers at her, waving as she walks by them.

Copia rolls his eyes as well. “I think you need to take your own advice, Papa.”

Terzo hums and shakes his head. “No, I can’t. My amore isn’t like yours, Cardinale. Amelia is skittish. I need to make her come to me.” He swats his hand in the air. “Don’t worry, though. I have a plan.”

Copia eyes Terzo. Oh no.

The following evening, Copia sits in on his scheduled confessional duty. He’s sat by himself for most of it. A couple siblings have come by to discuss their sins and celebrate them in the name of Satan. I should’ve brought a book he thinks. The sound of the latch on the other side moving breaks his train of thought. Footsteps softly thud and then the bench creaks signaling the occupant has sat down. Copia sits up straight in anticipation for what they will say.

“Forgive me, Papa, for I have not sinned.” A soft, familiar voice fills the booth.

Copia doesn’t realize he’s let out a surprised “Oh!” and Sarah gasps on the other side of the screened enclosure.

“Copia! I- uh. I thought one of the Papas was on duty tonight?” She sounds terrified. He can see through the mesh screen that her hands slap up to cover her face despite the already given privacy.

He shifts awkwardly on his bench. “Ah, no, dolcezza. It’s my night tonight.” Sarah hums. “Please tell me what’s bothering you, though.”

Sarah lets out a quick huff. “Can we uh, pretend it’s not you right now?” she winces.

Copia knits his eyebrows together. He can sense the anxiety in the air. “Ah, o-ok.” He shifts briefly, sitting up straight and moving to look forward. “Um. What’s been on your mind, sorella? You said you have not sinned?”

There’s silence for a handful of seconds. “No… I have not. At least, not the particular one I would like to do.”

Copia is stunned. “Do you wish to elaborate?”  

“Well. I haven’t been able to enjoy some personal time with my, uh, boyfriend.” She clears her throat. “We recently got together after a few weeks of shy back and forth.” Copia smiles at that. “It’s been exhilarating but we’ve only ever made it up to the kissing and groping parts of our alone time.”

Copia chuckles silently to himself. “And you want to do more than that?”

“Yes. So much more.” Sarah admits. “I like the kissing, though. But we keep getting interrupted when things seem like they’re going further. It’s very frustrating.”

“I’m sure he agrees.” Copia nods, agreeing.

“I mean, once I get back to my room, I can only relieve the tension with my fingers so many times.” Sarah casually responds.

Copia feels like his tongue is caught in his throat. He can only nod silently, agreeing. “Yes, exactly.” He chokes out. “Mhm.” Terzo’s words from the day before pop back into his mind. “You need this man to make time for you, it seems.”

“It would help if I wasn’t so tired from work, too. I’ve been a bit busy.” She sighs.

Because of me Copia half scolds himself. “I see.”

“And you- he’s been busy, too!” Sarah interjects. “We both just need, I don’t know, less important jobs.” They both laugh on their side of the booth. There’s a small moment of silence before Sarah softly says “Copia?”

“I’m sorry, amore.” he sighs. “But because of this, I think we’re due for another date now, Sarah.” He proposes.

Sarah hums. “What did you have in mind?”

“This Friday, three days from now, I will pick you up at your room and we’ll wine and dine. I’ll plan a dinner for us and then we will go back to my room to continue how we see fit.” His voice goes up in a playful tone towards the end. “What do you think?”

“I think I could be okay with that.” She responds back in jest.

“Molto bene. I will need you to take the day off, too, amore.” Copia demands.

She balks. “Copia.”

“We could both use a break, Sarah. And I don’t want you to be sleepy while I woo you to my bed.”

Sarah sits there for a moment. “Fine. I’ll try.”

◊◊◊◊◊

The next morning Sarah finishes the last few details of Copia’s suit she’d been sewing and looks up at Amelia while she’s lost in a trance of stitching. Last night she came up with an idea for an outfit to wear to her date and formulated an idea that might convince Amelia that she can sew a non-Copia project on the clock.

“I finished my suit, Amelia.” She calls.

“Oh good, you’re ahead of schedule!” She responds without looking up.

“Yes!” Sarah exclaims at too high a volume. “And uh, I was wondering. Since I’m ahead of schedule. Could I get Friday off?”

Amelia looks up from her machine; she has a blank expression and a kind of look in her eye that Sarah cannot decipher. “Any particular reason?”

She twiddles her thumbs together. “I have plans…”

“So soon? Did they just come up?”

“Yes...” Sarah cringes.

Amelia turns back to her machine to sew again. “Well, that’s just a pity. My rules state that any employee must give all time off requests at least two weeks in advance so I can tell you whether or not I am completely fucking with you.” She looks back up to Sarah and winks.

“What?” She looks shocked.

“I saw Copia as I made my way to the studio this morning. He asked me to give you Friday off from work and I knew you were going to finish the suit today, anyway.” Amelia reveals. “I told him I’d think about it.”

“Amelia, you are absolutely diabolical.” Alex chimes from his desk.

She smiles. “Thank you.”

“I- I was also wondering… Since I’m ahead. That I could make a date outfit with my free time?”

Amelia stops sewing. She looks up from her machine before shrugging. “Fuck it. sure.”

Sarah bolts up from her seat. “I’m going to go look for fabrics in the closet before you can change your mind!” her voice fades the further back she goes into the room. Around ten minutes later she emerges with a pile of fabric options.

“You’re going to voluntarily sew fabric that has sequins on them?” Alex questions.

“You went rifling through the Papa cabinet?” Amelia calls to Sarah.

She spins around to look at Amelia. “Those are the better fabrics!” Sarah argues, holding her hands up.

“I’m starting to question why I even put that there in the first place. When am I ever going to use blue sequin fabric for a Papa Ritual costume?” Amelia shakes her head.

Sarah makes quick work on a bodice with the sequin fabric, grumbling to herself the entire way. Alex laughs every time Sarah has to replace a sewing machine needle because it broke running over a rogue sequin she forgot to snip off. She’s up her third needle.

On Thursday afternoon, she’s happy clapping at her finished dress. A blue sequined bodice with satin off-shoulder sleeves and a gathered skirt made from the rest of the satin that ends at the knees. And it has pockets she squealed. The dress is carefully put in a black garment bag and she heads to her room in the evening, passing by Copia on her way.

“What’s in the bag, dolcezza?” He asks.

“It’s a surprise.” Sarah teases.

Copia chuckles, calling back “I wait with bated breath.”

Friday evening rolls around sooner than she expected when Copia proposed their date those days ago. She received a text to be ready at 6pm for him to pick her up and lead her to their destination. He’s kept all of the details under wraps.

A knock on the door takes her out of her thoughts. Sarah gets up and opens the door to reveal Copia, dressed in black pants with a tucked-in black button up. His sleeves are rolled up and the top buttons are open, showing some whisps of his chest hair. He smiles wide at Sarah’s dress, eyes flicking up and down. He takes a moment to admire the way she looks before responding.

“Oh, Sarah. You are beautiful!” he gasps. “I feel very underdressed now.”

She grabs his hand and rubs her thumb over it. “Please, don’t. I got carried away and wanted to make something special.”

He laughs. “You succeeded.” Copia holds out his other hand. “Shall we?”

Sarah nods. “Yes, we shall!” She walks with him, hand-in-hand to their date spot.

He leads them on a path that soon becomes familiar to her: Papa Primo’s garden. Towards the back, in a secluded, private part of the grounds, there is a gazebo that is accentuated with flower pots that hang off the rails of the structure. Soft fairy lights and lanterns are placed around to give light once the sun starts to set. Copia leads Sarah up the steps to a table he has set up with their food.

“I asked Papa if I could use this,” he gestures to the gazebo “,tonight. He’s secretly a romantic but don’t tell him I said that.” Copia winks as he pulls out a chair for Sarah to sit down.

“Mums the word.” She mimes zipping her mouth shut.

For a while the couple sit in silence, stealing glances to each other in-between bites. Copia takes a sip of his wine before breaking their bubble.

“I’ve been working on more music this week.”

Sarah looks up. “Oh, tell me about it!”

“It’s another instrumental. I want to combine synth and harpsichord.” His eyebrows jump up at the end.

“I’d love to hear it once it’s complete.”  

Their meal is finished shortly after, and a couple of Primo’s ghouls appeared to clean up the table. Thanking them, Copia held his arm out for Sarah and they began a short walk through the garden. The soft lights along the tall bushes illuminated their slow path. They settle on a bench, Copia’s arm stretches out to lay behind Sarah on his left. She leans into him, placing her right hand on his thigh.

Copia looks up, realizing something. “I think this is the bench you found me on all those weeks ago.”

She laughs softly. “And look how much has happened since then.” Sarah looks up at him to see him smiling at her. “Copia?”

“Yes, amore?”

Sarah giggles. “I can see your fangs poking out right now.”

His eyebrows shoot up and he blushes. “They have a tendency to do that when I’m too relaxed or very happy.” His hand behind her brushes her shoulder.

She feels too overwhelmed in that moment and looks down. “Oh.” Sarah looks back up. Copia pulls her towards him and leans down to kiss her. She smiles at the light graze of his fangs on her lips.

When Copia parts from her, Sarah brings her left hand up to his face to bring him back to her lips. He mirrors the “Oh” from Sarah earlier. He’s pulled Sarah practically on top of him now as he leans back against the armrest. Copia’s right hand moves to hold her down by her back and Sarah soon parts from him to take a breath; his eyes are still closed.

She takes a moment to look at him like this. Copia’s head is tilted back, a blissful smile on his face. The points of his fangs poke out from his lips. The soft lighting of the garden cast onto his face and she can manage to see a light dusting of freckles on his cheeks. She leans in to kiss one of the soft wrinkles on the side of his mouth.

“Should we go back to my room now?” Copia says, eyes still closed.

“Yes.” She nods. He stands up and holds out his hand for Sarah to hold. “Lead the way.”

There’s no rush to get back to his room. On their walk they each take turns to stop for a quick kiss on the lips or the bring the other’s hand to their lips for an absent-minded kiss.

Once they arrive at his door, she feels a somersault of emotions deep in her stomach. There’s an unspoken conversation word them as they walk into his room. Finally. They both toe off their shoes by the door and then Copia and Sarah move to face each other. There’s been a fury of want and need between them for days now. It’s all culminated to this moment and she feels as if it’s a calm before a storm. She stands in front of his door and looks to him.

Copia raises his hand and places it on her lower cheek. He licks his lips before looking into her eyes for any hesitancy before leaning down to kiss Sarah. This one feels different compared to the others. The journey of what could happen tonight between them begins with this kiss. He hums into her mouth, feeling overwhelmed by the situation; she’s already feeling weak in the knees.

Sarah’s arms wrap around Copia’s back to pull him closer and she feels him smile on her mouth. He takes his free arm to snake around her and starts to mouth to the edge of her lips, creating a trail of kisses down to her neck. She tilts her head to the side to give him more room. He breathes in at her neck and Copia feels renewed with passion; he pushes his body up against Sarah so that she’s pinned against the door. One of his hands on her back travel down to skim the curve of her butt and he holds his hand there to keep her on him. She revels in the feeling of his hold on her body,

Sarah can feel a stirring down below from Copia and she realizes he’s now slowly grinding his crotch into hers as he holds her to him. She sighs when the feeling of his teeth graze over her sensitive skin and one of her hands rises to his hair where she combs her fingers through it. She remembers something in that moment and Sarah tries to hold on a bit longer to tell Copia something before they carry on. “Copia…”

“Mhm?” Copia mumbles. Sarah doesn’t respond immediately so he pulls away to look at her, waiting.

“Oh…” She’s taken aback by the look in his eyes. The pupils are blown wide and his white eye almost looks as if it’s staring into her soul. I probably look like the same she thinks. Copia’s kiss-swollen lips rest slightly parted as he looks and waits.

He brushes the thumb of the hand still on her cheek over that spot it’s touching. “What do you need to say, amore?” Copia whispers.

She takes a breath. “I’m really looking forward to having sex with you.” Sarah smiles.

“As am I.” Copia agrees, encouraging her to continue.

“And I wanted to say that… If you wanted to bite me, to drink from me, you can.” Copia’s eyes open wide in surprise. “I want you to do it again.”

He grins. “I would love to.” Leaning down to place a short kiss, he mumbles on her lips “Would you like to take this somewhere else now?”

Sarah nods. “Can we go to your room?”

Copia smiles. “I think that can be arranged.” He takes her hand and leads the two of them through his apartment to his bedroom. When they stop in front of his bed, Copia’s hand reaches out to play with the loose skirt of Sarah’s dress. His eyes glance to her before asking “Would you let me help you out of your dress? I want you to be comfortablein my bed.”

She lets out a nervous laugh. “It’s actually not that awkward to wear.” Copia nods. “But yes, you can help me out of it.” Sarah nods.

Copia walks to stand behind her and puts his hands on top of Sarah’s shoulders. He rubs his thumbs on her bare shoulders and leans into kiss her head. Moving his hands quickly to the top of the zipper on the back of her dress, he begins pulling the tab down its path that stops at her lower back. He’s not sure how to pull it off Sarah’s body and pauses. “Eh, dolcezza...”

She giggles lightly. “Pull it up over my head, Copia.” She turns her head back to look at him.

“Ah!” She raises her arms up to help as he pulls the garment up Sarah’s body and lays it down carefully on a chair to the side. If Copia needed air to breathe, it would’ve been stolen from his lungs. All of the newly exposed skin he can see of Sarah’s has him in a frenzy. He wraps his arms around her waist and the touch of her soft skin under his hands feels heavenly. “Could I ask you one more thing? Well, two, technically.” He rests his chin on Sarah’s shoulder when he speaks next to her ear. Copia sways them both slightly as they stand.

I would do anything for you right now. “What is it?”

He moves Sarah’s body to turn her around. “Do you mind removing your underwear and then going to lay down on my bed for me?” He leans down to peck her cheek.

She’s too lost in the feeling of his thumb rubbing smooth circles on her waist to respond right away. “Y-yes. Yes. I can do that.”

“Bene.” Copia replies.

He lets her go and Sarah makes quick work on the last items. She sits down onto his comforter and scootches back to lay down against the pillows; the fabric feels lovely on her bare skin. Copia watches her every move like he’s trying to commit this sight to memory. When she settles in her spot, Sarah leans onto her left side and props herself up on the bed. “Now you.”

Copia walks closer to the bed, placing a knee near hers on the mattress. “In a moment. I just need to do…” He leans down to kiss Sarah’s lips in determination. She pulls him closer to her and he loses his balance, crashing down onto her body. They both let out groans at the sudden shift and he pecks a couple quick kisses to her lips before pulling back. “That.” They both laugh. “Well, the falling wasn’t planned.”

“Don’t keep me waiting for too long.” She pouts, running her fingers though his hair.

Copia moves to sit further down in-between her open legs and looks up into Sarah’s eyes. She hums and nods for him to keep going. His hands wander from her ankles up to caress the sides of her thighs. “Gorgeous.” he whispers to himself. Copia leans down to kiss her shoulder, propping himself up on one arm, and starts a path of kisses from there. He smacks loudly and dramatically, the tickly feeling of his mustache on her skin makes Sarah laugh and wiggle in her spot under his hold. He flicks up to look at her face: eyes closed with a smile.

He continues down Sarah’s chest, taking time at each breast to kiss and worship. He nibbles and bites down softly before running his tongue over it to soothe any pain; Sarah’s hand to grasp up at his head to have something stable to hold on to. She gasps softly and then sighs, running her fingers through his hair again. “Sarah…” Copia breathes out when she starts scratching at his scalp.

Copia carries on, pecking and kissing his way down, passing over her stomach to her hips then down further to her soft thighs. His hands take hold and he ends his journey in-between her legs to kiss different spots of her thighs. She opens her legs wider to accommodate the width of his head and shoulders while his mouth finds a particular spot to fixate on. Halfway down on the inside of her right thigh, Copia kisses, nibbles, and licks the spot into a quickly forming hickey. He bites down slightly with his teeth, breaking the skin this time and drawing a small amount of blood into his mouth. Sarah cries out and Copia holds up a hand for her to hold while her other now grasps the sheets. His tongue combined with the bite pain washing away help lull her back into a calmer state. Copia’s thumb rubs along her hand as a small distraction.

“Mi dispiace, amore. I wanted a small taste.” Copia looks up to check on Sarah. Her hair is ruffled from moving around on the pillow while she writhed against the fabric. “May I continue?”

“Please do.” Sarah sighs.

His eyes wander down from her face to the tops of her thighs where they meet. He leans down, following the enticing scent of her to the spot normally hidden by her clothes. Copia adjusts his body to sit on his knees in-between her legs. He’s tantalizingly close to the area she needs him to touch.

“Please.” She urges, nodding her head.

He places a small kiss to her hip before sitting back up. She has a slightly confused look but it soon changes when she feels a finger softly swipe up her slit. She flutters her eyes shut from the light contact, leaning her head back in the pillows and it emboldens Copia to keep going. He moves slowly over her lips, teasing the bud of her clit occasionally. It’s all intentional but featherlight pressures and he feels Sarah growing even wetter under his touch. He loves how she’s so taken with the little affection.

“Do you like that?” he purrs. “You were already wet for me when I started and now? Oh, I feel like I could drown.” He breathes in a deep inhale of her scent. “But what a way to go, eh? Do you think you can handle a little more?”

With her eyes closed, all Sarah can do is hum. She can’t find the words to speak for him. Copia stops his movement when she doesn’t respond and she whines. Her hips move on his stilled hand to get some friction back. “Wha-?”

“I need you here with me, Sarah.” He tilts his head as he looks up at Sarah. “Do you want more?”

She lays her head back and huffs. “Yes, I want more AH!” Her thought is cut short when Copia gets back to work with his fingers, now pressing down with more pressure as he circles her clit with his thumb while his finger taps lightly at her entrance. “Shit, Copia.” The new sensations have her moving her hips in sync with his hand. “Keep going.”

He smiles. Slowly, Copia inserts his finger and she moans out at him. He moves slowly in-and-out, testing the tightness before adding one more. “Is this how you relieved your tension back in your room? All alone and pent up? Needing my fingers instead of your own.” She whimpers from his words and at the slight stretch and they can both feel the small squeeze of her walls on his fingers. Copia slowly lowers himself to lay down on his stomach to begin kissing and worships Sarah’s clit while he curls his fingers in her.

“Oh fuck, please don’t stop.” Sarah groans, opening up wider. “You are amazing.” He smiles into her pussy and she can feel it. She rolls her eyes slightly. Smug bastard.

“Dolcezza, are you close? Can you come for me, amore?” He begs between her legs.

“I’m-“ coming she thinks. The orgasm that washes over her is so sudden and she wasn’t expecting it. Her whole body feels euphoric while she flutters and clenches down on his fingers. After she’s come down slightly from the high, he removes his fingers so both of his hands can hold up her hips while he dives in to lick up her release. He continues his ministrations to her sensitive clit, sucking and mouthing at her pussy with renewed fervor. She grasps his hair on his head and he groans when Sarah pulls slightly at the strands. The vibrations from his voice spur on her small hip bucks to move in rhythm with Copia’s mouth.

He's rutting his hips against the mattress and it’s a sight for Sarah to see. He’s so overcome with the entirety of her around him and on his tonguethat he’s nearly on the brink of bursting in his pants he still has on. He looks determined to give her another orgasm before coming up for air. Sarah’s free hand moves up to cup her breast and from the enthusiastic licks and suctions on her clit from Copia along with her own fondling of her chest, she falls over into a second orgasm of the night, arching her back off the bed. The sound that leaves her throat is an obscene moan and Copia smiles, proud he can elicit such a reaction when they’ve just started.

He moans at the lingering taste on his tongue once he sits up after she calms down from her high. “I think you tasted even better the second time, amore.” He sits up in bed on his knees. Copia licks around his mouth and then wipes the rest off with the back of his hand as he watches Sarah with a toothy smile.  

When Sarah comes-to, she moves to sit up on her shaky knees in front of Copia with a determined look on her face. She holds onto his shoulders for balance while she kisses the side of his face before moving to his lips, tasting herself on his tongue. Her hands on his shoulder begin to move down; one hand stops on his waist and the other continues its mission to touch his bulge in his tight pants. He groans out at Sarah’s gentle palming at his crotch. She leans in to speak into his ear and says low but clear. “I need you to get out of these pants so you can fuck me, Copia.” He growls and she can feel a slight twitch from his clothed cock at her demand. “Don’t keep me waiting.”

Copia is slow to move so Sarah begins impatiently unbuttoning his pants for him. He leaves the bed briefly to stand, much to her dismay, so he can get the garment off his legs along with his briefs. The cool air of his room is like a savior to his sensitive, leaking cock; Copia practically shudders as he breathes out. All that’s left on him is his button up as he gets back into the bed. Sarah’s hands fly to undo the buttons but her frantic fingers cannot be still long enough to effectively free him from the fabric. She growls and then her hands firmly grasp the open collar. Strengthened with frustration, Sarah rips the shirt open, popping buttons off the shirt to allow her to get it off.

Scandalized, “Sarah!” Copia gasps. He stares at her in awe, his fangs poking down from his growing smirk. “My buttons!” He pretends to be upset and pouts.

She huffs and looks up at him. “I’ll fix it later. I’m a seamstress, remember?” She kisses the smirk off his face and pushes the damned, insulting fabric from his shoulders. With Copia now fully naked in front of her, she admires the hairiness of his chest and soft stomach. Sarah’s eyes slowly follow the trail of hair that leads down to her destination. His achingly hard erection is on display for her. He’s long and thick and she licks her lips at the small mess of pre come that’s spread around the tip because of her.

He chuckles but it soon turns into groans when he feels Sarah’s hand travel down to collect some of her lingering orgasm between her thighs to use as lube on his cock while she strokes it with his own slick. She moves her hands at a slow and steady pace, copying Copia’s fingers on her from earlier “Fuck me, Sarah. If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to last very long.” He whimpers slightly at the light caress while Sarah moves her lips to kiss his neck. His hips thrust on their own volition and she smiles. Sarah pulls away and he pouts.

“You know what to do then.” She shifts, falling back down to lay in bed. Copia watches in awe as he takes in his amore, legs bent up to herself but closed. She beckons him to come closer, crooking a finger towards her. She hides the very place he wishes to bury himself into. He finally starts moving closer, holding himself in one hand, softly stroking in the same way Sarah had been before and looks deep into her eyes.

“I can’t fuck you, Sarah, if you sit like that, eh?” he smirks. “Spread your legs for me, dolcezza. Let me see you again.”

She obliges, feigning ignorance. “Oh! So sorry.”

“I would ask if you were ready for me but that may be redundant.” He jokes. Sarah laughs, leaning her head back with a blush, she covers her face with her hand. “Hey, hey, don’t get shy on me now.” He holds her chin, pulling Sarah to look at him. He leans down to give a small kiss as he steadies himself at her folds. The tip of his cock nudges slowly into Sarah’s cunt and they both moan. He kisses her gasps and whimpers through the process of burying himself fully in her comforting heat.

“Ah! The stretch feels so good.” She whines.

He pants slightly. “You feel divine! So warm, so snug around me. Almost like a hug.” He laughs, delirious already. He tries a few shallow thrusts in and out, slow at first, testing the waters. She quickly clamps down like a vice on his cock and he groans. With a determined move, he wraps his arms around her body and rolls them to the side, switching positions. Copia props himself up to sit against the pillows while still holding on to Sarah. He removes his arms and she leans away to sit up.

She looks at him, tilting her head. “Wha-?”

“I want you on top when I drink from you.” He says, his hand rising to drag a finger over her neck to her sternum. “Are you ready for that?”

“Yes.” She nods rapidly, adjusting to the feeling of being impaled by his cock while she sits on top of him. She feels a slight twitch inside her and they both groan.

He places a hand on her cheek and she stills. “Try not to move too much, Sarah. I want this to last a bit longer, eh?” Sarah nods again and he smiles. Copia sits up and one hand rests on her waist. His other hand stays on her cheek and he leans in, placing a small kiss to her neck. His fangs graze over the skin and Sarah shudders slightly in anticipation. His kisses become heavier, sloppy, and lingering before he starts the next one on her pulse point. Finally, he stills on one spot, deciding where to bite.

She silently pleads “Please… Ah!” The next thing she feels is the sharp bite of his teeth followed by his tongue lapping at the skin to help soothe as much as he can while it still stings. “Copiaaaa….” She breathes out once the sharp pain fades to a pleasant balm washing through the rest of her body. He moans against her neck and she whimpers. His hips below her have started to shift, slowly bucking up to her as he holds her body to his. She rocks her hips in a similar rhythm, chasing a fleeting feeling.

Copia mouths rapidly at her neck, lapping up her delicious blood. Blood that he hasn’t stopped thinking about for days now. The high of her taste once again on his tongue makes his head feel woozy and he begins to thrust harder up onto Sarah’s pussy. He can tell she’s just as affected from the venom running through her blood now that the pain has faded by her soft mewls. He removes his lips from her neck, looking up to Sarah whose eyes are shut tight in bliss, body involuntarily rocking on top of his to work on falling into bliss once more.

He mouths a bloody kiss to her lips before asking “Could you give me one more? Come for me again, Sarah?” She mumbles out a yes and he goes back to her neck, placing a light kiss to his teeth marks before biting down again. His hand on her waist moves to Sarah’s back, helping her small movements above him.

She feels close, the feeling of her blood being drank along with the fullness and stretch of Copia inside of her have Sarah on the brink of another orgasm. His thrusts up into her become sharper and more precise. He growls into her neck, leaning back and taking Sarah to lay on him. Their skin is glistening in a thin layer of sweat from their exertions. Sarah’s thighs are burning at this rate but she persists through the ache. The new angle allows his feet to plant into the mattress and give more weight to the thrusts. She moans deep in her chest and it rings through the room. Sarah feels the fluttery feeling below come back once again and whispers desperately to Copia “Just a few more like that and I’ll ah-OH!” Her words are punched out of her throat as the rush of pleasure runs through her body. “So good… feel… floating.” She murmurs as she clings to him.

The tight pulsing of her walls on Copia’s cock has him cresting over into his own orgasm shortly after, shooting thick ropes of his come into her. They rock against each other, riding through their highs and Copia feels too overwhelmed at the sensations. Her soft skin on his hands, how he sits in her wet warmth, her blood on his lips and tongue. He’s barely processed his first orgasm when his cock kicks once more and he’s screaming out while a second wave of hot pleasure overtakes his body. He yanks his mouth from Sarah’s neck and lays his head back, body possessed as he thrusts up into Sarah and rides out the sensations. All he can do is breathe through it, heaving his sweaty chest as she sits up and softly swivels her hips on top to help him through it. She runs her fingers through his chest hair to soothe him and watches as he scrunches up his face in bliss with a toothy, bloody smile.

When she tires, Sarah falls to lay on top of Copia’s body. They lie there, catching their breath for a few minutes while basking in the afterglow of a thorough fuck she thinks. Her heart swells with an affection for her vampire lover that she wasn’t prepared for. Maybe it’s the venom. His hand comes up to rub small circles on her back.

Once Copia feels himself soften, he rolls them over once again with a collective groan so he can slip out and let Sarah lay down. She smiles weakly at the feeling of a small trail of Copia’s spend trickling out.  Slowly he gets up to walk to his bathroom where he washes his face and cleans himself up. He leaves the bathroom with a wet cloth along with a bandage kit and settles back on the bed to take care of his lover. She hisses at the feeling of it on her neck and thigh but he kisses her forehead as a distraction. The gentle swipe of the cloth on her vagina has her wiggling from sensitivity. He chuckles after he’s finished, taking the cloth to the bathroom. Finally, he walks to the fridge where he has a couple chilled juice boxes and grabs a granola bar for Sarah.

She smiles at the gesture when he comes back into the room. Sarah had just enough energy to get under the comforter and she’s snuggled into the pillows while she waits for Copia to do the same. Her hand motion for him to come to bed has different energy from earlier but he grins all the same. Copia lays down in bed and wraps Sarah up in his arms for her to lay on his chest. His thumb rubs on her skin where he lays his hand. She lays her cheek on his chest and places a hand his stomach. They bask in a comfortable silence, enjoying the feeling of skin-to-skin under the soft covers. Sarah tilts her head up to look at Copia who is already looking down at her.

“What are you thinking about, amore?” Copia asks softly.

Sarah smiles back. “Just… you.” She laughs lightly. “What are you thinking about?”

“You.” he places a small kiss to her head. “How are you feeling? You didn’t pass out this time, that’s progress! I ah, pre-gamed so I wouldn’t be tempted to drink too much.”

Sarah snorts. “I feel great.” She adjusts on top of him. “A bit sore, but I feel fantastic. How are you, my love?”

“I wasn’t expecting the second orgasm, that’s for sure.” Copia and Sarah burst out laughing. “Or the business back there with the buttons, eh! You’re full of surprises mi diavolessa.” He playfully shakes Sarah in his arms.

“I just… really wanted you inside me.” Sarah laughs. “It wasn’t fair that you still had clothes on while I was as naked as the day I was born.” She taps a finger on his chest. “And you said in a moment! I think you and I have very different definitions of that word.” She playfully huffs.

“Well, I am so sorry for keeping you waiting.” He takes Sarah’s hand to his lips to kiss it before putting it back down. “I will make sure you don’t wait as long next time. I felt so drunk off of you that I lost track of time.”

Sarah’s heart flutters at his words. “It felt amazing when you drank from me. I felt like once the venom kicked in, I was consumed by you inside and out. It was perfect, Copia.”

“You really like that, huh?” she nods and he leans back in thought. “The first time it was so sweet and I felt addicted the second it hit my tongue, hence the passing out.” he cringes and Sarah giggles. “This time there was a kind of richness to it. You are decedent. All of you.” Copia’s strokes small circles to her skin. A yawn sneaks its way through Sarah’s lips and she sighs in defeat. “Are you getting sleepy, dolcezza?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I want to stay awake! If I go to sleep then this wonderful night with you will be over.” Sarah pouts up to Copia. She rolls over to face away from him to get comfortable in bed. He moves to wrap his arm around her from behind and nuzzles his face in her back before sitting up on his other arm.

Copia leans in to place a small kiss to her shoulder. “There will always be other nights, amore. And remember,” his fingers tickle her stomach; she wiggles at the feeling. “,you don’t have to go to work until Monday and you have a change of clothes here.” He leans in to whisper in Sarah’s ear. “Over the next two days, we aren’t leaving this bed.” He exhales a devious laugh and lays back down, settling behind her.

Sarah lets out a tired but mischievous chuckle. “If I’m not leaving this bed, then who needs clothes?” A dirty laugh echoes from the couple into the room.

Copia kisses between her shoulder blades and hugs her closer to him. “Goodnight, Sarah.”

◊◊◊◊◊

Sarah is broken out of her stitching trance by a knock on the door.

“Cardinal Copia! What a pleasure to see you.” Amelia sounds way too happy.

He gives a shifty bow to the room. “Good afternoon, everyone. I need to speak to Sarah, ehe.”

“Well, don’t keep her waiting.” She shoos Copia.

“What do you need?” Sarah calls over.

Copia walks up to her table and stands beside Sarah’s chair. He leans down to whisper in her ear, holding out his hand away from Alex and Sarah’s line of sight. “I found the button we couldn’t find before you left this morning.”

She can feel Alex and Amelia’s eyes on the two. She quickly snatches the button from his hand and ekes out a quick “Thank you” to him. He leans down to kiss the top of her head and bids the studio an awkward farewell.

Sarah is halfway through sewing on the last of Copia’s button when Amelia cackles out “Lust strikes again!”

hehe Amelia is such a menace. She and Terzo really are meant for each other. I Hope y'all enjoyed it. I didn't intend to write something so long lol.

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Now that we're entering into 2024, I'm asking some artists and writers that I follow:

1) What is the one piece you're most proud of from this past year?

2) What are some pieces that you would have liked more people to see? If you can include links, I'd love to go check them out!

3) What were your top three favorite pieces (art, comics, fics, etc) that someone else has made this past year?

(As always, no pressure to respond! Feel free to just ignore, or let me know if you'd rather I not send you these kinds of asks in the future.)

My 2023 wrap up:

There's a couple different things that I made this year that I love. I don't know whether I'd choose something I made that became really popular, or if I'd pick something that I worked super hard on and felt accomplished making, or something that I think is beautiful. I'm really proud of the Draxum's Nightmare Comic that I've been working on, it checks off all those boxes for me... so I guess that's my answer for now!

I made an AU comic series for my OCs and "The Future and a Robot" series where they're all superheroes, and I posted it on insta. I'd like to post it here as well, soon... the link for the comic is here!

I absolutely adore @filsa-mek 's Empathy Amplified story on AO3. I found it sometime around November last year, and soon after started making a series of sketches for it... I'm still working on the sketches, though my latest update had to take a hiatus. I also, of course, love @somerandomdudelmao 's Cass' Apocalyptic Future Series. You honestly can't be a ROTTMNT fan and NOT know about that series! Third... I really love @hatekawa 's art and her Mikey comics. If I had to choose one, I'd prolly pick the comic she made where Mikey starts crying over how he loves his brothers but not himself.

Thanks for the questions!

[taegularities]

hello rid!! <33, been a while and been a silent reader for your updates since my accident :( sorry tho :(

happy to say that i am mainly recover now, although i still need to be careful with my ankle!

i did find my "dream job", my coworkers are so nice and i do like what i do, i can finally say that all sacrifices were paid off!!

i did read entertainer, this was so good! and didn’t expect at all the end 😳 but if i reread, of how sus they both were especially oc, i, maybe, might guessed the ending (iamlyinglol). true to say that it’s another "genre" that you wrote but you kill it! (i miss your angst stories, those taehyung ones are still driving me insane)

tbh i am so deprived and so excited for the coming back of my cmi babies!!! arghh they coming really soon, hoping so bad that oc will drop the L word back ahhhhhhhhhhhh

i saw that you are more wiling to write and to share your stories with us, so happy that you are still here on tumblr! and will forever be here to support your works! it’s been almost 2 years that i constantly check your account and in general tumblr, and let say that i’ll stay here for as long as bts are in my head ;)

take care always!!!! love love!!! :*

hi axelleeeee, i missed you!! it's okay, i get it :( i was very worried since your last ask, but i'm so happy you feel better aaand have found a job you like, as well. please take care of yourself 🥺

hehe entertainer was quite a ride, huh :') "didn't expect the end" is the most said thing about this fic, which i'm very proud of lmao. it was definitely something entirely new for me, but i'm relieved that you think i wrote it well… i'll always try my hardest <3 (and yes i know ugh manifesting more angst and tae soon 🤞🏼 the fifth summer is on its way, too, so… heh)

cmi couple's return is long overdue 😭 they're coming back extremely soon.. i can't wait to see everyone's reactions <3 oc dropping the L word? we'll see 🤭 yeah!! i am definitely still willing to write bc i do love it. i'll just wait and see if it's going to still be the series and other stuff or just the oneshots.. still gauging interest :] ty for sticking around for so long and for supporting me. i really do loveee you 🤍

[oflights]

Do you have minor ships in Drarry fics that you like/dont like? Cause I have really weird opinions where I really love some background ships (Hermione/Ron, Harry/Charlie, Ginny/Pansy), dont like others for no good reason (Luna/Ginny, Neville/Harry), and others only if they fit ~my perculiar criteria (Harry/Ginny only as teens/young adults not older, Draco/women only in an arranged marriage cause my Draco is GaY) :D

hi! hmmm, i don't know if i have ones i really dislike that much. i guess one that bothers me is like harry/draco blaise/ron pansy/hermione all at once, or that sort of thing? i like (what my head thinks is) a more realistic view of how friend groups tend to mix. i will always have a soft spot for ron/pansy tho.

and i've said before that even though i ship ron/hermione i do think they'd have a bumpy ride/break up/maybe sometimes it doesn't always work out. i don't like when they're just the boring stable straight couple (even though i think ron is straight, in my heart) popping out babies in the background of harry's mess (my acceptance of epilogue compliance starts and end with scorpius' name, everything else goes in the trash) i like them to have some drama of their own!

i am famously okay with harry and draco with other people in fics, haha, and most of those ships work for me as long as the other partner isn't demonized. harry/ginny and draco/astoria are both cool with me but u have to be nice to them. i also don't mind the arranged marriage stuff BUT i don't always headcanon draco as gay, read/write him as bi sometimes, and probably prefer draco/astoria to be a real relationship. sorry to disagree!!

this is getting wordy so

i think my brain does this weird calculus for that where i actually don't see harry/ginny working out as a real adult couple outside of nostalgic adolescent feelings/idyllic teen sweethearts (which is hilariously ironic, since my husband is my older brother's best friend who i met in high school...) but draco/astoria would have connected post-canon as adults or near adults, when draco has grown up and reflected and redeemed himself a bit. so that works out better to me in my mind, like astoria set up not as a remnant of his old pureblood life that he has to endure but as someone who helps him change for the better and is a part of that growth, because she's going through a similar change. even when they get married, i like when they kind of feel like they're tricking their parents about it lol. like yes we're married but we're not going to be like you! love breaking generational trauma patterns.

i know this is kind of a hot take and rarely see people agree with the above lol. my preference for writing harry and draco with other people is to go for OCs because i think people are inevitably going to hate them no matter what, so i might as well make them original. also the idea that you only ever date people you went to school with is so boring to me!! tbh i like both harry and draco to have dated around a bit before they're together.

[sylvaridreams]

20 19 questions for writers

<- why did they lie to me about the #? i demand answers.

I was in bed and going to bed and then I saw that I was tagged by ANTA MY FRIEND @antariies so i got out of bed to answer these

tagging: um. well i dont know. teensie. do you write...? you have to do this then. even if you are in bed.

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

39 right now, but I know I've orphaned about that many as well

2. what fandoms do you write for?

right now... all guild wars 2.

previously I've done a lot of metro 2033, half life, jojo's bizarre adventure, digimon, katekyo hitman reborn... and then less of hlvrai, final fantasy vii, and fruits basket... gw2 is all i do for right now. <:)

3. what are your top 5 by kudos?

This is super skewed because I orphaned a tooooon of my more popular stuff but Nuclear Option, two other vrai fics, Lent (<- should be number 1 if we're being honest and true) and a fruits basket thing that i should have probably also orphaned. the overwhelming urge to orphan things to skew the data further. you have to hold me back

4. do you respond to comments?

yes but not in a timely fashion (last round took me. over a year before i replied to anything. pensive.

5. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I dunno about actually angsty.... the fic that makes me cry every time is butterfly bridge; I wrote it after having to put a pet to sleep. if I ever got around to writing more "portal to the metro" the ending would probably also rank up there. due to. the tragedies.

6. what is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

proooooobably Lent? idk I feel like I get a lot of "fuck yeah that ending ohhh the catharsis" type reactions on Lent.

7. do you get hate on fics?

I have a number of times. sometimes anon but sometimes people put their names to it?

8. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

yes. sorry. the apologetic kind.

9. do you write crossovers?

not often... usually a crossover is a pretend thing just for me in my Imagination. however. portal to the metro... it was a roleplay between myself and a friend. and then i started writing it in earnest. and then i got tired. then i started writing primarily gw2 stuff. you understand. but someday I'll return to it. and then they'll all be sorry.

10. have you ever had a fic stolen?

um. kind of. when I was 17-18 I plotted out a fic I was working on and shared it with a couple of dear close friends. and then like a couple weeks later a massively popular person in the fandom in question posted my fic: their version. down to every little detail. 🙈 never found out which of my friends shared the planning with them.

11. have you ever co-written a fic before?

yeah, Pluto's Moon -- started 8 years ago, finished almost a year later... I wouldn't bother rereading it at this point but. it was a fun experience. we had fun. I also cowrote several chapters of a Reborn crossover fic with my long distance mmo friend when I was a freshman in high school. I don't think we ever got anywhere with it let alone posted it to FFN or anything-- I was handwriting short chapters between classes lol. I might still have those pages somewhere...

and then I think I would also consider portal to the metro a co-write in many ways. because it came from both of us :)

12. what's your all-time favorite ship?

well. I think Canach/Alba has been too prominent for too long for me not to say it. canon/oc numero uno!!!!!!

13. what's one WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i dont even wanna answer and jinx it nooooo cry2. I yearn to finish everything... i guess maybe I have some weird misc smut fics I don't anticipate finishing. due to the strangeness.

14. what are your writing strengths?

dialogue is my dearest sweetest friend. my sweetie pee

15. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

i LIKE it! thumbs ups. am I GOOD at it? thumbs in the other directions

16. first fandom you wrote for?

Kingdom Hearts before I ever touched any of the games. (like 17-18 years ago)

17. favorite fic you've written?

I feel like my most recent is always my favoritest 😭 uhhhhg

The Echo (current project)

Drochshúil (recent work)

18. what are your writing weaknesses?

I have no pacing control. I can't meet goals, OR i'll go full crazy and write 160k in 2 weeks. you have to watch out because that can happen to you too if you just go off your antipsych meds for a while

also filling in the stuff AROUND dialogue. so often i'll be editing a fic and just (sighs) dama (me) you (i) can't just have 8 lines in a row of dialogue. what are these people doing in between talking. and then dama (me) is like alright wise guy why don't you take a crack at it if you're so smart. and i do. but in the moment of writing i'm not super good at figuring out the in betweeeeeeens.

also I feel like ending scenes and such is really hard. also getting characters from point a to point b (locations) without doing a timeskip to "well here we are at point b!"

19. have you ever had a fic translated?

I had someone ask to do so with one of my metro fics, to repost on a Russian fanfic site; I wasn't particularly attached to the fic so I told them go ahead. but also I have no idea if it ever happened. heart hands. so maybe. there may have been another but I don't rember.

[countessofravenclaw]

Something I have come to realize, when I write my OCs, most of who are parents of extablished charcters in the source material, is that Normalize Married Couples Being In Love.

Honestly, lot of the parenst in main stram media sitcoms and Disney Channel shows are often portrayed not so well. The dad is often portrayed totaly hand off and complete (for a lack of a better word) loser who the mom needs to always whack on the head to do anything and they are always bickering and disagreein all the time.

So like, do these people even like each other? We are supposed to believe that these people are in love, because they ahve gotten married and had sex at least enough time to have the kids that are often the main characters.

So if you had to think of a "parents" from a Disney show that don't bicker all the time and you can also belive that theyvare together because they love each other... Who are you thinking and why is it Monica and Miguel Valente? They are literally the only ones.

This is why when I write my parent OCs, especially Gastón parenst since they are so far more develobed than most of my other parent characters, you better believe they are couple goals. They are good parenst who love theit kid more than anything, but are also maddly in love with each other because that's the reason why they even had a child with each other in the first place.

Obviously it is different if parents not being together or the marriage being in trouble is part of the plot or someone's character. BUT NOT AT THIS POINT I AM TRYING TO MAKE.

Okay, so back to specifically Gastón's parents. Have I been kind of hamming how good theirt relatioship is? Yes. Will I keep hamming it? Also yes. Is that some sort of foreshadowing about some trouble in a horizon? Absolutely NOT.

They have their tragic backstory, which includes everything from losing your parents to burn out to almost dying and infertility, and they pretty much went through hell to get where they are in S2AU and in my canonical fic series as well. When you have been through all of that with one person who has been your strength and the one constant, you'd bet you'd still absolutely be in love even after 20 years of marriage and even in your in your early 40s, which isn't even old. There is no way that flame will go out.

For me, it also just makes sense from Gastón's point of view. He seems to have very ideal view on love and he really believes in it, even from start of S1 with Delfi. From his comment to Nina about how "wouldn't it be good if her parenst got back together" he has clearly never known a day of divorce in his life. He's also such a great boyfriend and know how to treat his girl well. Those are very clear sings of what sort of enviroment he has grown up in and what sort of example he had at home.

Also Gastón's affinity toward physical affection with people that he loves, I feel like it is also something that he's from his parenst. It has been setting that is demonstrated by them, toward him and towards each other.

Obviously, in my writing, since they still are the parents there are certain lines that I will not cross when it comes to romantic interraction. You can probably guess what

[corvidcrybaby]

20 Author Questions

Shout-out to @the-frankenman-writes for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

4 - I actually only started publishing fics a little over a year ago and my main project has been a still-running longfic so I haven't been able to build up much of an archive thus far LOL.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

408,653. The longfic is a fucking TOME.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At the moment, just Hellsing. I do intend to publish some Castlevania fanfiction soon, and I've got a couple of larger OC fics planned for Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Guess I'm listing all my fics in order with an empty bottom slot, oopsie!

formulas fatal to the flesh - Alucard (Hellsing)/Transfemme Jewish Reader fic that also serves as the "pilot" for my OC longfic. I originally started writing this as a means of exploring my sexuality in the wake of HRT changing a lot of things about my desires whilst also issuing a love letter to my favorite series. Then everything got intense.

2. Interview With the Impaler - Alucard (Hellsing)/Transfemme Reader. This was me trying out some new ideas with how I write Alucard as well as just trying to contribute to the transfemme reader insert pool. It's really nice when you don't have to mentally change the genitals of the reader insert you're reading about to put yourself in their shoes and enjoy the fantasy, so I like providing more of it.

3. lesions of a different kind - Alucard Hellsing/Transfemme Jewish OC. My longfic, my baby, my first foray into long-form storytelling. She's choppy, she's unhinged, she's full of bigger ideas than I know what to do with, but damn it all, I'm having fun with her. This is the main story of Zemira Shani Makhabi, my homebrewed blorbo and shameless self-critique. She started out as a reader insert before I decided to turn her into a golem allegory full of meta commentary on what it means to relate to a fictional character. That, and so much BDSM shit like oh man so FUCKING much.

4. Operation: GREENHOUSE - Pip Bernadotte (Hellsing)/Zemira Shani Makhabi. In dead last, a fic involving a character who is unfortunately not very popular to write about, but I happen to find incredibly hot in his own right. Technically AU of an AU fic too? IDK man I just wanted to write steamy smut about these two because I thought their dynamic was fun bwahahaha

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely I do! They really motivate me to continue and I love connecting with people based on how they perceive my work.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

MWEHEHEHEHE that'd be Interview With the Impaler. I used the Mean Alucard tag for a reason. I may continue this story yet tbh, because I could make it ever angstier.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Operation: GREENHOUSE. Just ends with those two snuggling and teasing each other. Easy shit.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I'm extremely lucky to have never gotten a mean comment and hope it never happens.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

LITERALLY EVERYTHING I WRITE IS SMUT BWAHAHAHAHA I lean heavy on a few tropes - maledom/femsub shit, mind break/hypnosis/heat/etc, and a constant obsession with men's hands. Hands in general, tbh, I get really horny about hands.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I've never published a crossover but I like the idea of one. I would need to find two series which I REALLY wanted to compare and contrast.

11. Have you ever had a fiction stolen?

None that I know of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

See above

13. Have you ever co-writtten a fic before?

Nothing that's published, but a pal of mine and I are cooking something cool up rn... You know who you are.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

ALUTEGRA BAYBEEEEEEEEEEE my beloved genderfuck angst-fest full of questions about monstrosity vs. humanity and forbidden desires and old souls and and and and look do you know how hard it is to have an OTP that literally never touch in the original series

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I don't have any right now but I live in constant fear I'll wake up one day without the drive to finish Lesions. That would make me so sad.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I can write really visceral gore and snappy action scenes, I can construct a layered character like a motherfucker, and I'm pretty damn good at dialogue, I think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

OOF. Plot. Fucking PACING. I feel like my stories can sometimes feel like super compelling personalities flopping about in a sandbox. Which can work, for some cases, but I try to deliver on the promise of a compelling plot.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

It really depends. I've seen writers do it with tags for the translated words? It seems to work best for small, potent exchanges.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I think this honor actually goes to Pokemon. I was doing a Nuzlocke comic once upon a time!

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Probably Lesions, thus far, lol

Tags: @neet0 @rotten-hearts-sharp-teeth @brunette-barbie42

[dreamyelectronicmusic]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

Thank you @darktwistedgenderplural and @malinthebodyguard for the tag!

How many works do you have on Ao3?

24 that are currently available under my pseuds and 45 that I have made anonymous for various reasons

What's your total Ao3 word count?

481,107

What fandoms do you write for?

I only tend to write for one fandom at a time, so YR right now. I have also written for Community, Shadow and Bone, the Simon Snow trilogy (Carry On), Welcome to Night Vale and The English (side note: please watch The English (2022) it’s amazing and will break your heart!) Plus a couple of other fandoms with the anonymous fics.

Top five fics by kudos:

Excluding the anonymous fics:

Redefine Perfection (WTNV) 2,480 kudos

Introduction to Unconscious Bias (Community) 1,650 kudos

maybe now maybe here tonight (YR) 954 kudos – you guys work hard! That’s my most recent fic, whereas Redefine Perfection is nearly 11 years old.

Endgame Studies for False Beginners (Community) 853

Intro to Lust Bridling (Community) 787

Do you respond to comments?

I try to

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably and then, one day, you miss but the ending is really only angsty because it’s a missing scene and you know what happens next in the show.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

It’s hard to say, most of my fics have happy endings. Probably History of Sexuality because they get married.

Do you get hate on fics?

Not recently, but I have in the past. I dared to write a fic where one half of the fandom’s most popular pairing ended up with an OC. Also, some people are weirdly obsessed with top/bottom dynamics and heaven forbid you write something that doesn’t comply with their headcanons.

Do you write smut?

Occasionally.

Craziest crossover:

N/A

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, several.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes, once.

All time favourite ship?

Don’t make me choose between my children 😭

(But it’s probably trobed. Sorry to say this on my YR blog but it’s the friends to lovers for me)

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

The one I’m writing right now 😭

What are your writing strengths?

Pining. It’s also my favourite thing to write. I love it when canon gives me a character who’s born to stare forlornly at the love of their life (looking at you Wilhelm)

What are your writing weaknesses?

I suppose my greatest weakness is losing interest too quickly. Most of my fics are one shots for a reason. I really admire writers who stick to writing the same fic for years, I could never do that.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

It can occasionally work well but it’s very rare. Most of the time, either your POV character doesn’t understand what’s being said so it makes no sense to include the dialogue, or they do and therefore so should your reader.

In YR specifically, it doesn't make sense to me when fics include words in Swedish. Everything the characters say is in Swedish, not just those words. (No criticism to people who do this, it just sort of breaks the immersion for me, I guess.)

First fandom you wrote in?

Harry Potter

Favourite fic you've written?

Introduction to Unconscious Bias. I’m ambivalent about a lot of my fics but I do love this one.

I don't know who hasn't done this yet, consider yourself tagged if you want to!