divineprank · 6 months ago
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[What were your last words?]
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...He was talking to the Triforce, wasn't he.
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livingecho-arch · 1 year ago
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tag dump cause tag replacer can't find some of my tags rip
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 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ you still want it … the inner sanctity ⅋ its an evil but the evil is necessary . ❜⎜❲ ic .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ must be exhausting always rooting for the anti - hero. ❜⎜❲ answered .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ mirror mirror on the wall i see you ⅋ my skin crawls  ❜⎜❲ visage .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ did you hear my covert narcissism i disguise as altruism like some kind of congressman ? ❜⎜❲ about .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i don't wanna feel tell me ; that im perfect ⸺ just the way i am ! ❜⎜❲ muse .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ darlin’ darlin’ doesn't have a problem lyin’ to herself cause her liquor's top shelf  ❜⎜❲ aes .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but i am in the twilight . ❜⎜❲ dash game .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ you feelings ⅋ mine are all holy but … ❜⎜❲ dash com .❳ 
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am creation : both haunted ⅋ holy . made in glory ! ❜⎜❲ music .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but i will trust the artist molding me ❜⎜❲ clothing .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ 🦑squidtime 🦑 ❜⎜❲ crack .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i feel you on my fingertips . my tongue dances behind my lips for you ❜⎜❲ desires .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i know i know i know i know my love can be  …  the killing kind . ❜⎜❲ smut .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ can’t you see ? your world’s a fantasy ! ❜⎜❲ one liner .❳
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 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ beyond which there is no god nor devil : only the consequences of actions ❜⎜❲ v . main .❳ 
𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ speak only when spoken to ❜⎜❲ v . before the death of beau .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am a descendant of the tribe that was banished to the twilight realm ! ❜⎜❲ v . twilight teacher .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ the only real crime is betraying someone who trusted you ❜⎜❲ v . warrior .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛  i would have given my soul to spare you this world ⅋ its loam ❜⎜❲ v . commoner .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but heaven knows im miserable now ❜⎜❲ v . historical .❳
 𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am falling . i am fading .  i am drowning help me to breathe … ❜⎜❲ v . modern .❳
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 𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ seeker of darkness ❜⎜❲ chatterbox.❳
 𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ madness takes the paintbrush ⅋ sings ❜⎜❲ artwork.❳
 𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ idk what i'm doing either ❜⎜❲ answered.❳
 𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ friends owo !!!  ❜⎜❲ promos.❳
 𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i licked it so it’s mine now ❜⎜❲ saved.❳
#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ you still want it … the inner sanctity ⅋ its an evil but the evil is necessary . ❜⎜❲ ic .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ must be exhausting always rooting for the anti - hero. ❜⎜❲ answered .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ mirror mirror on the wall i see you ⅋ my skin crawls  ❜⎜❲ visage .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ did you hear my covert narcissism i disguise as altruism like some kind of congressman ? ❜⎜❲ about .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i don't wanna feel tell me ; that im perfect ⸺ just the way i am ! ❜⎜❲ muse .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ darlin’ darlin’ doesn't have a problem lyin’ to herself cause her liquor's top shelf  ❜⎜❲ aes .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but i am in the twilight . ❜⎜❲ dash game .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ you feelings ⅋ mine are all holy but … ❜⎜❲ dash com .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am creation : both haunted ⅋ holy . made in glory ! ❜⎜❲ music .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but i will trust the artist molding me ❜⎜❲ clothing .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ 🦑squidtime 🦑 ❜⎜❲ crack .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i feel you on my fingertips . my tongue dances behind my lips for you ❜⎜❲ desires .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i know i know i know i know my love can be  …  the killing kind . ❜⎜❲ smut .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ can’t you see ? your world’s a fantasy ! ❜⎜❲ one liner .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ beyond which there is no god nor devil : only the consequences of actions ❜⎜❲ v . main .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ speak only when spoken to ❜⎜❲ v . before the death of beau .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am a descendant of the tribe that was banished to the twilight realm ! ❜⎜❲ v . twilight teacher .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ the only real crime is betraying someone who trusted you ❜⎜❲ v . warrior .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛  i would have given my soul to spare you this world ⅋ its loam ❜⎜❲ v . commoner .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ but heaven knows im miserable now ❜⎜❲ v . historical .❳#𝓥˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i am falling . i am fading .  i am drowning help me to breathe … ❜⎜❲ v . modern .❳#𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ seeker of darkness ❜⎜❲ chatterbox.❳#𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ madness takes the paintbrush ⅋ sings ❜⎜❲ artwork.❳#𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ idk what i'm doing either ❜⎜❲ answered.❳#𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ friends owo !!!  ❜⎜❲ promos.❳#𝓞𝓞𝓒˙˖* °⸻ ❛ i licked it so it’s mine now ❜⎜❲ saved.❳
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sobeautifullyobsessed · 9 months ago
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HOLIDAY DASH GAME
I was nominated by @hobbitsdoitbetter (tysm💖 dear!) to quote any Christmas story or any story of mine that I wish got more love. As it's well past the holidays, I'm going with my beloved, Strangebatch WIP, 'Of Magic, Miracles, and Moonlight'.
Stephen Strange x Teyla of Hadeeth (OFC)
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Since his return from that last mission, an unspoken urgency had flourished between them, which threatened the pattern of caution they’d been following to keep their secret safe.  Each time they slipped away now into their private world, Stephen had grown incrementally reckless, his need for her pressing him always forward.  Teyla counseled him to proceed with greater care, but was helpless as he swept her along, unable to decline his will for them.
Stephen’s recklessness had brought them to this alley tonight; his hot need to hold her, to touch her, to have her, overriding cooler reason.  Teyla had offered no defense, allowing him to pull her into the darkened alley without protest, within minutes of them meeting up.  He honestly hadn’t planned it this way, but the result was still the same.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together, with Teyla’s back against the coarse brick wall as she submitted herself to his hungry, bruising kisses.  She stretched her neck, humming deep in her throat at the greedy way he latched onto her tender flesh; her neck, throat, collarbone, all reddened in the flush of her desire, and from the rub of his goatee against her skin.  She flexed one hand in Stephen’s hair, and slid the other onto the delicious dip between his shoulder blades, holding him as close as the layers of material between her body and his would allow--their bodies housing no secrets from one another despite those maddening barriers of cotton and denim. “Oh my dearest…my love…,” she cooed, and then gasped his name when he palmed her breasts through her blouse. 
It wasn’t enough for him, could never be enough for him now. 
Stephen needed to rake up her top and feel the contours of her ribs on his way to hold her ripe little breasts fully in his hands—yet he hesitated, knowing the wall at her back would be too rough against her exposed skin.  “Do it,” she urged him, reckoning his need from his thoughts alone, “Touch me as you will, my love.  Your need is my desire as well…”  She trailed off into a heartfelt moan as he slipped both hands beneath the cloth and cupped her smoothly, rubbing her stiffened nipples with his thumbs and making her whimper helplessly. 
Teyla arched her back as he fondled her, arched into his hands, seeking his firmest contact with her virgin flesh.  He cursed inadvertently against her ear, at the sudden, gratifying heat that flared in his palms and thence to his wrists, up his arms, to course through his blood and fill his body with a flame which felt as though only she would be able to quell. Instinctively, Stephen knew this was her energy, pure as her heart, passing into him; there was no pain in this spectacular sensation, only the hunger to give back to her the same, from the depths of his heart.  “How is this happening?” he rumbled against her cheek.
“Because I love thee, Stephen,” she answered, lapsing into a patois of a Hadeethan mixed with English.  When his mouth recaptured hers, and she accepted the eager thrust of his tongue so she might suckle it luxuriously—the thrill of that intensifying the throbbing ache for her in his groin—Stephen realized he was hearing her in his mind.  'I love thee…I love thee…my heart, it is thine.' This startling intimacy awakened a need in him, a possessiveness, that shocked him.
'You are mine,' he thought back to her, spellbound by their connection; mine, he thought over and over.  'Mine tonight…and tomorrow…and always.  Let it be always, my sweet, little angel.  Good god…please…'  
And surely she heard him, even in the relentless depth of that kiss.  'I am, my darling…for as long as thee shall desire it of me,' she promised him.  Incredulous as much from the bond of their minds, as from the miracle that she loved him as he hadn’t dared to dream anyone could, Stephen gently pulled away, to study her face.  Her eyes remained shut as she panted softly, her beauty the same pure radiance he had witnessed in her astral form.
Understanding why he paused, feeling his disbelief that he was worthy of such devotion, Teyla leaned her head back enough so she could gaze up into his eyes.  Mercifully, tenderly, she reminded him, “My love, I am yours.  I have been, from our first kisses. Mayhap even before that night…”  Pictures flickered through his mind as she showed him how she had come to love him. Teyla laughing at something silly he had said; Teyla looking up at him empathetically, on the corner of Bleecker and Mercer; Teyla sobbing in his arms on her father’s kitchen floor.  In a half dozen heartbeats, she showed him a slew of little moments, wherein he was simply being himself, and all of them illustrating how her heart had fallen irretrievably to him—though in those moments he hadn’t had the eyes to see that amazing truth.  There he was, on the Sanctum roof with her in the moonlight, kissing her hand with sweet reverence; there he was kissing her mouth, on one of their secret excursions from Kamar-Taj, with her face cupped in his hands, and a patience that belied how much his blood had come to burn for her.    
Overwhelmed, Stephen hung his head down, feeling Teyla’s sweet breath whisper against his cheek; he splayed his hands flat against the wall on either side of her head, trying his damnedest to collect himself.  Allowing him his silence, she waited upon him, threading her fingertips through his hairline at the nape of his neck, the palm of her hand blessedly cool upon his flushed skin.  She nuzzled his ear, to whisper against it, “Did you not know this, Stephen?  Your lips marked me as yours, on our night beneath the moonlight—as I am forever now, if you would have it so.”
Her confession left him weak and filled him with joy—tinged with a trace of shame for the physical hunger that threatened to overrule his better nature. He wondered if she read his lust as well as she read his tenderness for her.  Did she understand how his body cried out to take her—to tear through the material that guarded her innocence, to finally breach her after the countless encounters that had sent him to his bed, unable to calm himself except by lengthy meditation?  Some nights lately, even that discipline had failed him, and he could only find sleep by picturing her lying sweetly beneath him, beckoning for him to do whatever he desired, while his scarred hands worked the deed he yearned to do inside of her.  Would she still adore him if she knew that dirty secret?...
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I nominate @strangelock221b @hithertoundreamtof23 @mckiwi @mousedetective @bakerstreethound @aelaer @couldntbedamned
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fieldofdaisiies · 1 year ago
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Ultima Ex Nobis | ch. XII
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-all rights reserved-
Nessian AU word count: ~2,4k words warnings: mentions of bad mental health summary: Six years into a global pandemic which was caused by a mass fungal infection that turns hosts into zombie-like creatures and makes the whole of Prythian collapse, the former army general Cassian Cadell is tasked with one very special mission – escorting Nesta Archeron, one of the few immune survivors, across a post-apocalyptic Prythian to a group of people of the name L. Their identity  is unknown but they can make an antidote.
“Your turn, Nes.” Cassian looks happy. And amused. Yes, he definitely is amused and just to add the cherry on top he flexes his pectorals, his biceps, all his muscles just to make it a little bit harder for Nesta to breathe.
“I….I…” Nesta stutters, stumbling over her own words. Droplets of water trail down Cassian’s chest and her traitorous eyes of course have to follow them. He has the chest of a god, strong arms, broad shoulders, all sculpted muscles and a fine dusting of black hair. Her eyes follow the drops to the perfect v on his lower belly and Nesta quickly snaps her gaze back up, her cheeks are flaming hot. God!
“You?” Cassian challenges and raises a brow. Oh does he enjoy this moment, seeing Nesta all flustered and foremost all, seeing her checking him out. Not like he hasn’t caught her before, but never that shamelessly. “I wanted to ask you…” “Yes?” Cassian leans against the corridor wall, his voice dropping an octave when he gives Nesta a once over. He does not say anything, just looks at her, just lets his eyes trail over her features, but his posture speaks volumes. There is need in his veins, passion and desire and these emotions are just as acute as Nesta’s. 
Nesta exhales a loud breath and calls upon her rationality — she nearly needs to get a grip on herself, she tells herself. “If you could help with the bandages. I think I will need to change them after showering.” 
Cassian’s expression changes a little from formerly amused and cocky to soft and kind. He dips his chin and pushes off the wall. “Of course, just call for me when you are ready.” He crosses his arms over his broad chest, muscles rippling with the movement. 
Nesta forces a smile to her lips and decides that two can play this game. She wants to be bold now, and she wants to see if the former general craves her just as much as she does in this very moment. 
Adding a little extra swing to her hips, Nesta waddles over to him, to where he is still standing in the middle of the corridor. “Alright, I will call your name then, Cassian.” Her tone is no longer what Cassian is used to, it has dropped an octave and sounds quite sultry in his ears. 
“I am sure earlier or later you will be shouting my name, Nes.” The corner of his mouth tips up when his gaze search hers. Her blue eyes are like a summer storm, filled with heat and passion, they are wild and capture Cassian. Every fiber in his body is screaming for her, for him to push her up against that wall and kiss that snarky mouth of hers until she forgets her own name. 
But he is rooted to the ground, bound in place by the look on her face, and only then realises that he is still only dressed in a towel. 
“Fuck!” he exclaims. He turns so swiftly that a soft breeze blows over Nesta’s skin and then he leaves or rather dashes away. The hand he placed over his crotch has thank God gone unnoticed by Nesta, or so Cassian thinks. He would never hear the end of it if she knew that he had gotten a boner from them just staring into each others eyes in the corridor. Idiot, he thinks.
Her cheeks are flushed bright red when Nesta looks at herself in the mirror and bites down on her lower lip. Maybe she has imagined it, but the hint was quite obvious. Did he truly get hard from this moment in the corridor? So, he does crave her just like she craves him.
Even though this thought makes another ton load of butterflies erupt in Nesta’s belly, she also tells herself she cannot allow this. Maybe Cassian would like to have her for one night, but that is it. And she does not want to allow to get hurt like that again. She either wants to go all in, or not at all. And she knows that Cassian is not the type who would go all in with her. 
After discarding of her shirt, Nesta sits down on the edge of the bath tub and as carefully as possible starts to unwrap the bandage around her chest. She tugs softly, afraid some skin could peel off along with it. Nesta grits her teeth, clamps down on the tears that start to fill her eyes. She is staring at the plain wall opposite of her, it seems so clean in the fluorescent light. Somehow the walls remind her of Keir’s laboratory and she shudders at the memory, quickly focusing back on her bandaged wound. Her fingers have stilled there, she is hesitant about fully peeling the bandages away, not ready to face the wound underneath. She is scared it will bring back memories. Nesta knows the wound will look different to the bite mark on her arm, this is a slash, but still a wound, still with blood and pus.
And she is right — the slash over her torso does look different. The edges on one side are still an angry red, and there has also a lot of pus gathered there. But at least most part of the large wound has healed and looks rather neat. It relieves her a little and so Nesta discards of the rest of her clothing and is ready to savour washing her hair and just enjoying standing under the stream of water. It has been quite a while since she has taken a proper shower. 
In nothing but the skin she was born with Nesta waddles over to the shower and just when she is about to open the shower curtain a knock sounds from the door. 
“Nesta?” She lifts her head, looking at the door. Eris. 
“Yes?” she asks silently, waiting for him to continue. She sees that the light underneath the door vanishes like he placed something there. “I found female clothing upstairs. Sweat pants, a shirt and…well, underwear. I placed it in front of the door.”
“Thank you!” Nesta shouts when she already hears him move away. Her voice is hoarse, her throat constricting at their kindness. How are they so nice to her when somehow everyone has else always hated her?
With a smile on her face she finally steps inside, and their the corners of her mouth move only further upwards — the water on her skin feels like balm to her soul and she devours every small moment of washing her hair. 
With only the towel wrapped around herself she puts one arm out of the door and gathers the pieces of clothing. They are bigger than what she would normally wear but they are nice and soft and she loves that she can finally wear fresh clothing. Nesta dons the lacy white underpants, the dark grey sweat pants follow, so does the white lacy bra, but the shirt…well, the shirt stays on the bathroom sink. With her long hair in a towel on top of her head, Nesta stands close to the door. She balls her hands into fists at her side, and draws in a deep inhale. Then she waits. She inhales once again, then waits another twenty second, draws in another deep breath and her lips part. “Cassian?” 
Her voice comes out much steadier than she has expected it, louder and fuller than she has heard her voice in a long time. 
She hears his loud foot steps, only moving back a little so he could walk in.
“At your command, Nes,” he says through the door and she can practically see the amusement on his face. He is smiling, she knows it, grinning probably. 
“Could you please help me with the bandages now?”
“Can I come in?”
“Of course!” Her answer is fast, like the shot of a gun. Her heart swells a little at how polite he is. Yes, he is this strong, tall former army general, but then he is all soft and kind. 
Cassian carefully opens the door, steps inside and then his mouth opens. And it stays open. His eyes dropping to Nesta’s quite exposed breasts, but quickly snatching up to her eyes. 
“You are all cleaned up,” he says a little awkwardly and his hand comes up. Cassian scratches the back of his neck and lets the door fall shut behind him. 
“I am,” she says a little sheepishly. Cassian isn’t the only one staring. Nesta is mesmerized by his chest once again, nothing but corded, sculpted muscles and the grey sweat pants hanging low on his hips do only compliment his looks. 
“How does it feel?” Cassian intently watches Nesta, wondering, if she once again decides to lie about her state, to see the reality in her eyes. But Nesta decides to answer honestly. “Alright, I would say. It still hurts a little, there is a small part where a lot of pus has been, I tried to clean in it out in the shower. The large part has healed already, though.”
Cassian nods in acknowledgement and follows Nesta to where she sits down on the edge of the tub. 
“I collected these things,” — Cassian pulls a pack of fresh bandages out of the pocket of his sweatpants, as well as a small tube with cream. Nesta braces her hands on the edge of the tub next to her, waiting patiently as Cassian slowly unscrews the tube and puts just the smallest amount of cream on his index finger. He truly has such beautiful hands, Nesta thinks and only a moment later realises that these hands will again touch her. Her skin prickles a little when Cassian’s palm touches her and he softly moves his finger with the cream on the tip over her wound. She fights the urge to cry out in pain, and rather bites down on the insides of her cheeks. She grits her teeth so hard, her jaw starts to ache and is relieved when Cassian is finished. “Lift your arms for me, Nes.”
She does as told and ever so carefully Cassian wraps the fresh and clean bandage around her slim waist, just below her breasts. “Tell me to stop when I hurt you.” “You would never.” Her answer is too quick, but it is honest and she wants him to know that she trusts him. Cassian smiles brightly in answer, finally securing the edges of the bandage. He lifts his gaze to hers. Their hearts are both beating a little faster, rhythmically thrumming in their chests with the rising tension between the two of them. It feels warmer in the bathroom, almost humid.
He looks at her for a long moment, until Cassian straightens up, slips the little tube back into the pockets of his pants and brushes his palms down his thighs. “Anything else I can do for you, Nes?”
Chuckling, Nesta gives her head a little shake. “You will never grow tired of calling me that, huh?”
Nesta reaches for her shirt and finally dons it, loving how cool and soft the fabric feels on her skin.
“Never.” Cassian grins brightly, an almost gleeful glint in his eyes. “Now…is there anything I can do for you?”
The smile vanishes from her lips, something like terrible nervousness and nausea blooming in her chest. She is scared he will reject her. Her chest heaves a little when her palms turn clammy and she shuts up the voice in her head that tells her to tell him ‘nevermind’ and just pretend to have changed her mind. He lips feel a little dry, but she manages her voice to come out steady when she says, “Please can you sleep with me tonight?”
It is only then that she realises what she has asked and that the words came out in the completely wrong way. Her cheeks flush bright red, her skin feels hot from her cleavage up to the top of her head. Cassian’s eyes widen a little, his lips part but he says nothing, just looks her.
“I mean…I mean in the room with me. I can’t be alone. I can’t sleep alone in the darkness. That is what I meant. And I will understand if you say no, if you don’t want to, if you want to rather—“ “Of course, Nes. We have shared a tent, a sleeping bag, a bed is not much different.” He smiles, and it is honest, almost empathetic when Cassian reaches his hand forward, places on her face and lets his thumb brush over cheek. “Did something happen to you in the dark? Something you want to talk about?”
She leans into his touch a little. “I got bitten in the dark and I just don’t like it. Don’t like being alone.” Cassian understands and bows his head, his hand falling to his side again. “Alright, then lead the way to where we will spend the night.” Nesta tells him that he knows where the room is and not her and so Cassian is the one leading them, upstairs the croaky staircase. When Nesta looks at the walls leading upwards, her knees almost buckle and her heart aches. There are so many family pictures, so many—
Nesta quickly averts her gaze, she can no longer look at those pictures, they would just rip open more wounds inside her heart. 
Having arrived in the room, it turns out there is only one bed which Cassian sits down on, bouncing a little bit to try the mattress. “Quite soft,” he smiles and Nesta flicks on the light, but Cassian lifts his hand and says, “Don’t. There are windows here, it is too dangerous. The rest of the house is dark already as well, please turn off the light in the corridor as well.” Nesta does as told and knows he is right. So in the dark she carefully waddles over to the bed and climbs onto it. 
“Is this okay for you?” she asks Cassian who slips under the large kingsize bedsheet. “Of course, it is.” She knows he is smiling, she can perfectly picture it and it makes her happy. The sheets are thin, cool, and smell a little old. But it is a bed, a real bed with pillows, blankets and a soft mattress, so it feels like heaven. 
Nesta pulls the blanket up on her, snuggling into the softness below her — it feels like she is lying on clouds and her lids start to grow heavy. “I hope they could fully make up,” she then says, wanting to say something to interrupt the silence. 
“They had a few rounds of quite loud make-up sex, I guess they did. While you showered.” 
Cassian chuckles lowly, shifting a little on the bed and Nesta’s eyes widen. She is glad it is calm over there now, hearing them have sex would feel like intruding their personal space and she would not like that. “Good night, Nes.”
“Cassian?”
“Hm?” When Nesta does not answer the general turns to her, shifting on the bed so he is facing her. It is too dark to see her face, but he knows she is close, he can feel her breath. And then he—
Feels her lips on his. It is just a soft, small and way too quick, peck. For a moment he thinks he has imagined it, but Nesta Archeron has truly kissed him and his heart skyrockets to cloud seven. Cassian wants to say something, close the distance between them again, but Nesta speaks up before he can do anything.
“Thank you for everything. Good night, Cassian.” With that she turns her back to the former general, pulling the blanket up to her chin and sighs loudly. 
“Your arm, please.” Cassian just follows her request, curling up to her, his brain too clouded with joy to think further. His arm wraps around her waist and he fits her against him, they fit just as perfectly as always. 
And seal it with a kiss. 
~~~~~~~~
tags: @helhjertet @moonlightazriel@aayo-whatt@crushedcloudsx @brekkershadowsinger @girasoli-e-sorrisi @ignite-me @swifti-ed @cassiansbigwingspan @burningsnowleopard @headcanonheadcase @banasheefan56 @a-frog-with-a-laptop
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daisychainsandbowties · 11 months ago
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Just ran across your Romeo + Juliet high school theater thing and I swear to god Cas if the line is from the pilgrims and palmers scene I will scream.
Aka the line you’re probably referencing being ‘O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.’ (Yes you got me to go back into my memories for when I was Romeo)
the line is actually so much less profound (and i think more beautiful) than that.
you see ava, brat supreme, gives bea the worst job in the world trying to teach her lines. not only because she used her big brown eyes to their full and devastating effect at all times, but she also likes to ask beatrice what the lines mean just to hear her talk and talk about linguistics, the social context of certain lines, and especially how beatrice feels about Juliet in particular, as a character.
watching her mouth as she talks, the odd sound of her voice, clip of syllable into syllable like the video game cheats camila shows her.
bea, beautiful, sitting in her blazer and starched shirt while ava’s collar is crumpled, lipstick-stained. both of them i think a little lost in each other as beatrice unravels shakespeare with her tongue.
ava who feels so much more like Romeo, really. wants to dash up onto balconies, to ricochet from mouth to mouth until she finds the one, the one. ava the romantic and bea, pragmatic, torn between duty and desire. but not for very long.
so, no, the line itself is from act 1 scene 5. i think you can guess which it is from that, so i’ll put it here. i actually think that this is one of the most beautiful moments in the entire play. they’re teenagers, your honour.
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thankskenpenders · 2 years ago
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The first proper trailer for Sonic Prime came out yesterday, as I'm sure you've all heard. I've gotten several messages asking me my thoughts, so... here's some thoughts! Thoughts on how the show's looking, and a certain bat whose presence is somehow the biggest news to me.
First off? This looks phenomenal, visually speaking. I'm kind of in awe of how good the visuals in CGI cartoons are getting. The scenery looks great. The characters move so fluidly. Everything's beautifully lit. I could go on and on. I wish the in-engine game cutscenes had animation half this good.
I continue to be pleased with how slavishly faithful to the games the main universe is - to the point that they're saying this is, in fact, just set in the game universe. Yeah, we're all getting tired of Green Hill Zone, but we've never had a cartoon that was this faithful. The closest we got was Sonic X, which I like, but it's hard to look at any random episode about Sonic having to save the extensive human cast from another generic robot and say it really has the feel of the games. Seeing Sonic and co. fight some classic Badniks in a cartoon with (mostly) their normal designs feels special after all these years of never quite getting that.
That slavish faithfulness to the classic iconography also makes the differences with the multiverse stuff hit harder, and thank GOD they're finally showing some of that. This teaser is pitching it as a show about Sonic meeting alternate timeline versions of his friends who form an underground resistance against the Eggman Empire (funny how the franchise keeps finding itself back in Freedom Fighter territory), which is fun and all. Tall cyborg Amy! A version of Tails who can walk like a spider on a set of robotic kitsune tails! Hell yeah! But if the synopsis blurbs about a "multiverse" and "new worlds" and that pile of leaked concept art from a year and a half ago are anything to go off of, this is presumably only the first of multiple alternate worlds that we'll be seeing. I'm very excited to see more of them!
We also hear a little more from the new voice cast. Brian Drummond is kinda doing his own thing with Eggman. I like it. It sounds compatible with the usual Mike Pollock take without aping it 1:1. He seems maybe a little more sinister here, which fits what we've seen so far from this take on Eggman. And Deven Mack still sounds great as Sonic, although I kind of wonder if he's being instructed to sound like Roger since the delivery in what we've heard so far is pretty similar. I get that desire for consistency, but I hope he's able to inject a bit more of his own spin on Sonic in the full show, even if it's supposed to technically be the same Sonic as Roger's.
Meanwhile, the roles for the rest of the main voice cast have been confirmed elsewhere, and they mostly match up with what I expected because these casting choices just make perfect sense. I already know Shannon Chan-Kent, known primarily for playing Misa in Death Note and Pinkie Pie's singing voice (and Smolder) in MLP, is perfect casting for Amy. Ashleigh Ball's one brief line as Tails sounds a lot like her Rainbow Dash voice, but like... hey, it fits! I'm excited to hear more from her. And Knuckles... well, I don't know his VA as well and also he has no lines in this trailer.
But by now y'all know which characters I stan the most, and you know what I'm gonna be excited about. The big surprise here is the fact that Rouge is on the main cast. The main cast.
The cast posters revealed that she was in the show, which was big enough news, but then the trailer drops and she's on the damn team. Every hero team in a kids' show needs three boys and two girls, and this time they rounded out the group with Rouge. AND she's being voiced by Kazumi Evans, yet another MLP alum on this show - this time Rarity's singing voice and the voice of Adagio Dazzle in Equestria Girls. I don't even need to hear any lines, I know that's another perfect fit.
I'm just shocked. Rouge hasn't been in a TV series in almost two decades since she was kept out of Boom, robbing us of the "Rouge somehow ropes Team Sonic into doing a goofy heist with her" episode the world deserved. Ian's even said that he pitched some ideas for Boom Rouge after being asked to pitch more Boom-ified game characters, but it went nowhere. While she's continued to show up in the comics and (to a lesser extent) the games due to her fan favorite status, it's kind of felt like she was being swept under the rug. Fewer major story appearances than in the '00s, not much merch, it took them until the fifth Mario & Sonic game to make her playable. And she's probably seen as less broadly marketable as a mascot character because of... well, two big reasons.
And so, understandably, Rouge is here with a new outfit that covers those two big reasons up more than usual.
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Yeah as a Rouge fan, a person who's talked at length about the fanservice in Archie Sonic, and a sapphic furry artist, I can't avoid talking about this stuff lol
I mostly like the new outfit and think it was a smart call. We can have lots of nuanced discussions about objectification and sexual liberation and the fact that seeing some cleavage isn't gonna kill you and how being the flirty femme fatale is a core part of Rouge's character and whether that's objectifying or empowering and all the other things that get brought up every time a new Bayonetta game comes out. But at the end of the day their main audience is 8-year-olds, and because of that I really can't blame them for dressing Rouge slightly more modestly. I've always loved Rouge as a character the way she already is, but people (particularly non-fans, and also just... Sonic fans who aren't also furries lol) often write her off as "that weird bat lady with the tits that people are really horny for." Hopefully the writing will show non-comic readers that she's a genuinely fun character when used well as a foil to the rest of the cast, and hopefully her new outfit(s) will allow people to focus on that.
I do think something's a little off with the new outfit, though, even if I think it looks solid overall. Is it just that the heart motif is more abstract and less of a central focus here? That might be part of it. Maybe the suit just looks slightly overdesigned next to Team Sonic. Unsurprisingly I've also already seen multiple pieces of fanart giving this outfit a boob window, with one arguing that showing more of her skin tone on her torso gives the design better color balance, and... yeah, on that level I do kinda agree lol. Although I think a similar balance could be achieved just by having her upper arms be exposed or something. (Which is a feature on her bad timeline counterpart's outfit!) But, yeah, overall I do think I like it.
I also don't think they actually made her boobs smaller compared to most of her modern appearances despite the many, many, MANY claims to the contrary but I am not getting into that debate lol. Also she's literally still wearing a skintight catsuit and doing cool flying kicks you are not allowed to say they made her less hot
The fact that they're putting Rouge front and center has me VERY curious about her future prospects in the movie universe, though, given the particular projects currently in the works. To me, this makes it seem WAY more likely than it previously did. But who knows?
Uhhh anyway yeah the show looks good. I like pretty much everything we've seen so far. I like basically all of the previous Sonic cartoons except Underground to some extent, but if they stick the landing with this one then it seems like it'll pretty easily be the best one. I guess it's kinda lame that they made Sonic say "gotta go fast" in the trailer, but idk, it's a modern Sonic project, they gotta pay the obligatory lame meme toll. I am mostly fixated on Rouge because she's one of my favorite characters and her being on the main team is somehow the biggest curveball this show's previews have thrown so far, like seriously what.
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missymurphy1985 · 3 years ago
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Chance Encounter (sequel to The Premiere)
What happens when y/n and Cillian bump into each other again off set? Will their little agreement still stand?
Warning : Smut
Taglist - @queenshelby @peakyscillian @margoo0 @being-worthy @noctvrnalmoth @janelongxox
Your hair was done, your makeup flawless (if you did say so yourself) and you were finally ready. Your former costar Natasha was getting married and she'd invited you to the reception. You'd booked your hotel room and silently prayed to the god of all that is holy that Cillian was invited too. You knew your agreement half a year ago was that if you "worked together" again, you'd hook up, but surely agreements could have the odd caveat here and there, right? You just hoped he was still single... There had been plenty of buzz about him and a girl from back home reconnecting a few months ago but you'd never plucked up the courage to ask him outright. Last thing you wanted was to look desperate but truth be told? You were. A little. Okay, a lot, but you hid it well - no one had any inkling anything had happened that night at the casino, and that's just how you liked it. The rumour mill had piped down, even after THAT interview. But deep down you wanted more of the man that had truly captivated you. It annoyed you that he wasn't on any social media - there was no way of keeping in touch other than via text/call but neither of you had made contact with the other after that night.
You smoothed down your dress and grabbed your handbag. One quick check on your hair, and you made your way to the lift. Pressing the 'down' button, you felt two strong hands suddenly clinch your waist, making you (and your heart) jump.
"Too easy, y/n..." You spun on your heels and came face to face with Cillian, praying your foundation covered your burning cheeks. Game face on, you slapped his arm playfully. The tickle and slap had been your 'thing' all the way through Peaky Blinders.
"Mr Murphy, how the devil are you?" He embraced you warmly, greeting you the same way on old friend would - had he moved on?
"I'm excited to be here with everyone again, can't wait to see Tash's dress!" You smiled breaking away from him, hoping he couldn't feel your heart practically exploding through your dress.
"She'll look beautiful I'm sure." You held eye contact for a little longer than you should have, before the lift door pinged. Inside were Finn and Joe Cole, obviously having caught the lift from a higher floor. It suddenly dawned on you that your room was on the same floor as Cillian's... Stop it y/n...
"Hey!!! Peaky Reunion in full swing now!" Your onscreen brother and cousin pulled you both in for hugs as Cillian pressed the button for the ground floor.
Entering the large foyer, the beauty of the hotel where the reception was being held was breathtaking. The wedding flowers, lilies and roses, lined the corridors, leading the way to the large reception hall at the bottom of the corridor. Entering the room, you found the other cast members on a table together in the corner, and saw 4 empty seats around the table. Approaching the table plan in the corner, you groaned inwardly to see Natasha had placed you and Cillian right next to each other.
"Should be a fun evening, y/n.. what you drinking?" Cillian nudged you with a wink. Why was he so damn hard to read??
"Gin and lemonade please," you smirked, and he made his way to the bar with Joe. Finn joined you at the table, smirking at you.
"That flame still burning there y/n?" He nudged you as you took your seats. Finn one side of you, Cillian the other.
Conversation flowed around the table easily, the group of you catching up on the last six months. Most of you having taken a break from any kind of work for a while out of choice.
"I hear your love life is improving there Cillian!" Joe laughed, playfully punching the top of Cillian's arm. He didn't respond, just smiled shyly and rolled his eyes. Your heart dropped, he HAD moved on then..
He caught your eye and went to speak to you, before the music kicked in and the DJ announced the arrival of Natasha and her husband into the room. You all stood, cheering and clapping as the beautiful bride and her dashing husband entered, grinning like Cheshire Cats. The conversation with Cillian would have to wait...
The end of the night drew close and you were stood at the bar with a tipsy Natasha talking about her father's embarrassing yet beautiful speech, when the music suddenly turned down a notch. You were so happy for her, she looked absolutely radiant.. but the feelings in your heart were almost painful. You'd avoided Cillian all night, much to his dismay. He'd tried talking to you but you were determined to keep your distance. He was clearly taken, and you wouldn't dream of getting in the way of that. You couldn't help but notice him watching you from a distance throughout the night though, and you regularly scanned the room to check he was still around somewhere. Occasionally your eyes met, and you looked away quickly every time.
Natasha's wedding song played again through the speakers for the second time, the DJ inviting all the couples in the room up to the dance floor. Natasha kissed you cheek and hugged you, before heading off to find her new husband.
You felt those familiar hands on your waist, but they didn't tickle like normal, they gently turned you round in a 180 degree turn.
"Stop avoiding me." Those blue eyes pierced into yours.
"Very sure of yourself there, aren't you?"
"Every time I've got within 2 feet of you, you've moved away. I've tried to talk to you and you suddenly need the toilet.. or a cigarette.. or just plain walked away. Forgive me for thinking you were keeping a deliberate distance from me y/n." He looked serious, a side you rarely saw in him. He almost looked hurt.
"Listen, Cill.. you're clearly with someone okay? And I'm.. I'm just.. it's okay.. It really is. I -" His lips suddenly fell onto yours, silencing you, taking you completely by surprise. Now that, you weren't prepared for. You suddenly no longer cared about anyone else in the room, you lost yourself in his embrace, your kiss quickly becoming heated as your tongues met.
"What are you doing..." You breathed, pulling away.
"I'm not seeing anyone y/n, I never was. That girl is my publicist - yes we dated but we were 16.. she's married now, to my best friend ironically.. I'm single."
"Well you've just kissed me in a room full of people.."
"I know.. and I'll deal with that later, but right now I really don't care. I've been wanting to do that ever since that night."
"Why didn't you call me?" His hands were caressing your arms lightly as he chuckled to himself.
"I chickened out." You stifled a laugh.
"Me too... I didn't want to be the first to text!"
"Thank god Tash got married eh? How long you reckon we'd have gone on without talking for?"
"Oh come on, did you think you two sitting together at the table was a coincidence?" Joe appeared suddenly behind you at the bar. You both turned to look at him. "You two have been like lovestruck teenagers since Peaky finished - frankly we were sick of hearing about it!" You were stunned.. nobody knew? Did they?
"We all bloody knew." Joe was a mind-reader now, apparently. Cillian's hand found yours, and led you to the dance floor. You followed, positively glowing now, as he pulled you close to him, gently swaying with you to the music.
"Which room are you staying in?" He whispered in your ear, a hand running up your spine.
"Yours..." Your hands ran up the length of his arms, over his shoulders. The navy blue suit bringing out the blue in his eyes perfectly as he pulled you close for another kiss.
"What do you say we head there now.." that voice would be the death of you, as it whispered in your ear again. You could feel his arousal through his trousers as you nodded, kissing him again. He took off his suit jacket and held it over his crotch as you both made your way quickly to the lift, luckily no one stopping you.
Your bodies met in the elevator again, your body being pushed against the wall as he lifted you up to wrap your legs round his waist. His core grinding into yours. Your fingers tugging his hair as he kissed a trail down your neck.
"Need to stop or I swear I'm gonna fuck you in this lift y/n.." you shuddered at the deepness of his voice, when the door to the elevator opened and he carried you to his hotel room. Opening the door, your legs still wrapped around him, he carried you to the large dresser by the window and sat you on it, hitching your dress up and over your waist, pulling your underwear down your long, slender legs.
"I never got to taste you last time..." You groaned from the pulsing feeling in your core as he parted your legs and kissed a trail up your thighs. Meeting your core, his tongue traced over your clit painfully slowly as your back arched.
"Oh god... Yes.." working a slow rhythm at first, he added more pressure as you started to rock against his mouth, needing more and needing it now. "Feels so good..."
"You taste perfect y/n..." His assault continued with fervour, he soon had your back arched as you came against his tongue. Coming down from your high he got back to his feet as you breathed heavily into another kiss, tasting yourself on his lips.
"I want you.. now Cillian..." The primal desire in his eyes was almost too much as you unbuckled his belt and trousers, letting them fall to the floor. Cupping his erection through his Calvin Kleins you felt him shudder slightly and gasp, standing you up to lift your dress over your head and unclasp your bra. His shirt was quickly removed as you pushed him backwards to fall onto the bed. Hooking your fingers in the waist band of his boxers shorts, you pulled them down allowing his hard cock to spring free. Giving it a gentle lick from the base to the tip, you sank your mouth down over it causing him to grip your hair and moan primally, never taking his eyes off you.
"Fuck.. your mouth feels good... Mm..." Your mouth was dancing over his shaft, a hand cupping his balls as you played with them.
Feeling his balls start to tighten, you lifted your mouth off him, bringing your body up the bed to meet his. His blue eyes were now almost black - you needed him inside you.. reading your mind he flipped you onto your front, opening your legs and lining himself up.
"Still on that coil thing?" He looked at you. You nodded, and he pushed into you slowly. You gasped at the invasion, he filled you up even better than he did before. Watching his eyes scrunch shut as he bottomed out, you smiled. He was perfect in every way, shape and form.. and after tonight's very public display, was he yours?
"I've wanted this for months... In fact I've wanted YOU for years..." You panted, lifting your hips to meet his gentle thrusts.
"You have me.. all of me.. you always have.." he thrusted between each sentence, sending shockwaves through you. He wasn't fucking you, he was making love to you.
He lifted you up, your legs wrapped round his waist as you moved together. Your lips met his as he ran his fingers smoothly down your spine, your arms wrapped over his shoulders as his thrusts met your hips perfectly. Your nails ran along his sculpted back, as he planted soft kisses over your collarbone. You had never felt anything like it - your bodies slotted together like jigsaw pieces, but you needed more. Turning your bodies, you pushed him onto his back and sank back onto his cock.
Rocking back and forth, building a steady rhythm you felt his hands roaming over your breasts causing you to ride a little harder.
"You're perfect, y/n, you know that? Absolutely perfect..." His eyes and hands were all over you. Pulling your waist up and down, he took over, lifting you slightly so he could thrust upwards, hitting that sweet spot inside easily. You brought a hand down to rub your clit as he began to pound harder into you from below, your orgasm drawing closer and closer.
"I'm gonna... Oh god Cillian I'm gonna cum..."
"Let me feel you... Let it happen baby I've got you..." You exploded over him, the most powerful orgasm you'd ever had. You felt your juices coat him, as your hand stopped rubbing his quickly took over, making you scream as he continued the pressure on your clit and your insides. You froze as you suddenly felt yourself lose complete control of your body, gushing over his chest as he made your pussy squirt hard over his chest and stomach.
He watched you, mesmerised as you cried his name, chest heaving from the force of your orgasm. Breathing heavily, trying to control himself and not end this too soon, he paused his thrusts as you came down from your high.
"Fuck... Jesus.. that's never happened before I'm sorry!" You gasped, coming back down to earth.
"Don't ever be sorry for that - I'm doing that to you every single time from now on.. fuck that felt incredible..." He growled and turned you over to lie on your back. He re-entered you, slipping in easily, and moved inside you again. You reached behind you to grab the bedframe.
"Give me everything... Everything you have..." He was like a wild animal, his hips pounding into you again. He was panting in your ear, sending you into heaven and back as you wrapped your legs round his waist, pulling him deep.
"Good girl... That's it... I'm gonna -" he lost the ability to speak as he came hard, deep inside you, his body collapsing on top of yours. You ran your nails over his shoulders, feeling his breathing calm.
You lay tangled together for a while, just enjoying the feel of each others skin, listening to each other breathe, placing soft, gentle kisses on each other. He pulled out slowly, and lay next to you.
The silence wasn't awkward, but you had to break it.. you had to know..
"Cill?"
"Hmm.." his eyes were closed, but he lifted an arm for you to move into. You didn't, you stayed where you were. He opened his eyes and looked at you. "What's wrong?"
"What is this? What are we doing? I mean, I'm not expecting anything.. I just.. listen.. don't be mad.. but I've thought about that night every single day and I don't think I can carry on doing this if you don't actually want me, okay?"
"I kissed you in a room FULL of people y/n, what does that tell you?"
"I don't -"
"I want you, okay? Not just as a fuck, but all of you. You and me - what do you say?" Your eyes gazed into his. Everything you'd ever wanted was waiting in them. You settled into his arms and allowed yourself to drift off in his arms. The safest, and most comfortable you'd ever felt.
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More cameras flashing, more screams.. another premiere. This time for your latest movie - you'd been cast as the lead role in Danny Boyle's latest blockbuster and you were leading the rest of the cast on the red carpet. Your dress showing off your curves perfectly.
You stood in line with your castmates smiling, when a pair of ocean blue eyes caught your attention off to the left. You couldn't help but grin when he winked at you, you could feel how proud he was of you. You heard the event manager call for individual photos, and you stayed on the red carpet smiling for the cameras.
"Can we get one of you and Cillian, y/n?" One of the photographers asked, and the others all shouted in agreement. You shook your head, knowing how much he hated these events, and PDAs even more, but you were cut off by the man himself approaching you smiling.
"Why not, eh?" We wrapped his arms round your waist and stood happily having his photo taken. He was just too proud not to, he wanted the world to know.. taking your hand in his, he led it to your belly, suddenly the fans in the background went wild screaming, the photographers suddenly noticing the roundness of your stomach and catching onto the exclusive news.
You felt a warmth running through you - it truly didn't get better than this, as you gazed into your fiance's eyes and stole a kiss.
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The Red Viper and the Honeybee - Oberyn Martell x Bridgerton AU
Bridgerton AU!Oberyn Martell x Fem!Bridgerton!reader
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Author’s Note: I fell down the rabbit hole of Oberyn content and I watched Bridgerton on Netflix, it is terrible from a historical standpoint but from a story standpoint it is fantastic. So that is why I am labelling this as Bridgerton as its own au instead of a historical au and also I am putting you (reader insert) as the diamond of the season or Daphne Bridgerton, but trying to be as inclusive as I can be with your skin, hair, and body type (by not putting my bias involved). Also I will be basing a lot of etiquette and phrasing from the regency and romantic era. I hope that clears things up for you.
TL:DR: Bridgerton horrible for historical fiction but fantastic for story inspiration. Bridgerton is basically the Regency Era!Lite with a dash of modernism in it. Also you are 21-23 years old and Oberyn is mid 20s-30s years old in this fic.
Warnings: Men being pretentious, some misogyny happening, society having expectations for  women, historical misogyny in general (please take care of yourselves before and after reading this if these sort of things can hurt you, I love you all), Game of Throne characters being OOC (I mean like all of them, sorry)
Taglist: @ ilikechocolatemilkh , @janelongxox Thank you for being interested in this mess enough to be tagged in this
Word Count: almost 10k (this got over me, yikes)
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For a man to capture my whole heart and attention, they must treat me as their equal and partner in life, for if they don’t then I would be a fool for yearning for them in the first place. My mother was the one to instill these ideals in me since I was young and wants me to find a partner that will be my best friend in all that I am and the same for him.
I debuted in the social market of Westeros rather late in the standards of high society but my father recently passed away so it was overlooked in that sense as my family was given a grieving period to be allowed to be secluded from the world to grieve properly. My father and mother are my favorite people in the world who I adore as well as my younger sisters and older brothers. I am the eldest daughter whom I’ve been giving responsibility to secure finances with suitors, but my family (may the gods bless them so) will forever love me even as a spinster if I never find one in my lifetime.
My homeland is Honeyholt and my mother is the Duchess of Honeyholt, my family is in a unique standing with the high society of Westeros so our family may seem odd and quirky but society is keen to overlook that factor because of our business. Honeyholt prides itself on being fair and equal to all members of their county and business, which lends itself to the citizens and workers of Honeyholt giving us high praise for our practices. 
Our land and business is best known for our signature honey wine, brandy, and teas specifically floral teas are our best ones. The Bridgerton name is branded with pride on each bottle and jar of our products. 
My older brother, Anthony, is being groomed to take the title of Marquis of Honeyholt. He is very protective over me whenever we go out to social dances, so even if I wanted to find a suitor he yanks me away from them to dance with him or my other brothers Colin and Benedict. It is exhausting between the three of them, Benedict is just as protective as Anthony, but less overbearing, and Colin is much like a guard dog, silent but ready to bite the hands off any man who comes near me. My two allies against them are my younger sisters Eloise and Hyacinth, when I want to dance with a young man they both cause mischief on my brothers before they intervene. 
My family got invited to a ball out in the Westerlands near the House of Lannister, and that meant great news to my mother who was excited to show me off in the Westeros season of dancing. Which hopefully by the good graces of the gods that I will be allowed to find a potential suitor. This ball would be a formal social event to all that attend, and my good friend and mentor Lord Tyrion Lannister promised me to make an appearance there.
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We all got dressed in beautiful formal wear, with our signature bee insignia placed somewhere on our persons. My brothers have it embroidered on their collars, while my sisters and I have bee hair pins in our hair styles. The bees do a lot of hardwork in our county and business, so we wear it proudly on our coat of arms and whenever we go out to social events. It is a sign of a united front to us, and that family is of the utmost importance to all of us.
We are all in the carriage riding to the Lannister mansion’s assembly room that was used for such occasions. 
“I hope you are not looking forward to the company of Jaime Lannister, this evening? You know how much I oppose his character,” Colin starts.
“I agree with Colin on this one, you know of the gossip that is surrounding him dear sister,” Benedict states.
“Yes dear brothers, if there is one thing in this family that you have taught me to be is to be wary of all of the Lannisters. Except for my dear friend Lord Tyrion I hope,” I say. 
“Not to mention the salacious scandal that the Kingslayer has with his oh so dear sister, Lady Ceresei,” Eloise mocks. Me and Hyacinth snort behind our hands in response. 
“That is exactly the reason why we don’t want you to hang out too much around ‘The Kingslayer’’ Anthony spits out the last part.
“Then why are we even going to visit the Lannisters then if all we are going to be doing is to bicker around them?” I inquire.
“Because there are some rather interesting bachelors that have promised their arrivals in Westeros that I am certain will be a great match for you,” my mother states reaching over to squeeze my hands in assurance.
“I hope you’re right mother,” I say, “But let’s hope my brothers won’t do too much meddling then.” 
“Oh I’ll make sure they don’t darling,” mother soothes me leaving my brothers with gaping mouths trying to argue back but was cut short with our arrival at Lannisters’ ballroom.
We all made our ways out of the carriage with my mother and I being escorted by my brothers. As we entered the ballroom my ears were immediately greeted with beautiful orchestral music played by the band that the Lannisters hired were quite skillful. Benedict immediately led me into the first dance of the night so I was too occupied to catch a glance at all the handsome men in attendance. 
“Thank you for the dance, dear brother” I remarked with a curtsy. 
Benedict returns the curtsy with a bow as he says, “my pleasure”
Colin, Eloise, and Hyacinth comes over to us with Hyacinth saying, “Do you see who is in attendance (Y/N)?” 
“No, who?” I ask as I immediately glance around the room. As soon as I said it my brothers soon said, “On guard,” and immediately tried to disperse themselves.
“Too late, I already caught your eye,” a woman said. I turn to fully look and it’s the Lady of the House, Duchess Joanna of Westerlands.
I curtsied at her attention as did the rest of my siblings as we say, “Lady Joanna”
“Ah Lady (Y/N) Bridgerton I was hoping that you would come to visit me again. You know my dear son Tyrion remarks about how intelligent you are,” Duchess Joanna states.
“Your Grace flatters me, I merely have a good teacher is all,” you say.
“I wish you were as flattering to me to my face, my lovely student,” I hear a familiar voice say to me. Tyrion soon appears in my vision right next to his mother. 
“Is there a reason why I haven’t seen you on the dance floor, for I have heard and seen you are the brightest star this season,” Lady Joanna states.
Benedict stands a bit straighter as he hears her say that and states, “All in good time, Lady Joanna. One mustn't rush these matters.”
She raises her eyebrows at him then takes her leave away from them, as I take my leave to walk with my friend Lord Tyrion. 
“Oh dear me, (Y/N) you always seem to have your hands full with your guard dogs don’t you?” Tyrion teases me. 
I huffed as I reached for a glass of champagne, “Don’t I know it. I know my family says they’ll love me forever if I never get married but what of the rest of the world? I hardly wouldn’t want my family to be shunned simply because I am not desirable.”
“Now who would say that my dear, hmm? You are quite desirable simply on your looks alone, but coupled with that of your smart wits and sharp intelligence, you stand on equal footing with any man who even dares to look at you,” Tyrion expressed. 
“Oh if only that were true, but no man in today’s society would hardly want or look for a woman who can stand to attest to what he or his business has to say. Merely look at the fact that my brothers won’t even let any bachelors come near ten feet of me let alone get a word in,” I argued. 
“That I do agree with you on the count of your brothers, but to the argument of your abilities to be undesirable to men I do have to argue on that for if I was even close to an eligible match for you, you know I would propose to you but if a man comes to know that you are knowledgeable on all the great poets of our age and the classics, but are also quite fluent in the language of economics and business as well as just the languages of the Old Tongue, Dothraki and both levels of Valyrian my word all the men would be rushing to you as we speak. Also do not ever volley my teaching like that again, I am quite proud of what you have accomplished in my stead,” Tyrion lectured.
“I-Tyrion, thank you for those kind words, I will take into account my skills, because it does seem I need to seriously improve on my self-confidence so to speak,” I agreed.
We then fell into a comfortable silence of us standing on the edge of the dance floor with us sipping on the glasses of champagne that come to greet us, when a handsome man comes into view of me.
“Ah Duke of Dorne, what a surprise it is to see you after all this time,” Lannister greets the handsome stranger.
“It is good to see you again, old friend. I wanted to see how you have been holding up, seeing as your siblings have come back from the big city,” the Duke of Dorne says. 
“Ah well you know how they are, I’ve been trying to avoid their company as much as possible so I have been keeping busy with my studies along with my teachings,” Tyrion responds. 
“I’ve heard that you’ve become quite the scholar. I assume this is one of your students then?” the Duke of Dorne asks, glancing at me. 
My face immediately feels like it’s on fire just from his gaze alone. What is wrong with me? Has it really been so long that I forgot what a handsome man’s gaze felt like?
“Ah! This my dear friend and student, Lady (Y/N) Bridgerton of Honeyholt, Lady (Y/N) this is an old friend and classmate Duke Oberyn Martell of Dorne,” Tyrion introduces us both. 
“A pleasure to meet you,” Duke Oberyn says as he takes my hand and kisses it. 
I curtsy in return as I say, “and I you, Duke”
“May I have a dance with you?” Duke Oberyn offers. 
“It would be my pleasure.” I accepted as I let him guide me to the dance floor.
A new song started to play as we entered the dance scene, and I was immediately taken by the beauty of the music and the strength that hides beneath the Duke’s clothes as he falls into the role of taking the lead in the dance. With his lead, dancing felt as natural as breathing to me, and I got so taken by the charm of his onyx eyes and the scruffy facial hair as he gracefully takes the lead on the waltz we started together.
This particular waltz I knew so well by now because of my brothers and my own learning of it, but to dance it with him, it was enchanting and I became mesmerized with our own beating hearts becoming intertwined with each other and the music. 
Then as soon as the dance started, it ended and we both dutifully took our bows and thanked each other for the dance as we began to walk back to our places. As soon as we do so, the Duke is still standing by me when my brothers almost tackle me with how fast they were coming towards me.
“What are you doing near my sister?” Benedict demands. 
“You are not to be near our sister, Viper,” Colin reprimands.
I jump between the Duke and my brothers as I object, “What is the meaning of this, brothers? The Duke of Dorne had graciously asked for my hand in a dance and I accepted, had I known that you would be so up in arms on me wanting to dance I would’ve looked for him earlier.”
The Duke turned his head to try to hide his smirk at my comment but I saw it at the corner of my eye. 
“You see dear sister, he has quite the reputation of being a rake around the molly houses of Westeros,” Benedict explains. (Molly houses is a word for brothels in regency era which has both male and female prostitutes, and rake is basically a womanizer used for male protagonists in romance novels of the time)
“What is so wrong with that? From what I’ve heard our dear Kingslayer has been rumored around molly as well, and what is the point of this information I doubt he has any intention on taking me there,” I rebutted. 
“I thank you for your kind argument for my reputation but I must apologize to your brothers here because they think that I have an intention on taking your flower before courting you. I apologize to you both, however I will not apologize to the fact that I am very much looking forward to courting you in the near future. From what I’ve heard from Lord Tyrion and now your brothers, it seems you are quite the Incomparable,” the Duke states. 
“You flatter me sir,” I bow my head to him.
“I am very much looking forward to seeing you in the near future Lady Bridgerton, please think of my proposal?” the Duke insists as he takes my hand and kisses the palm of my hand as a way of goodbye. 
I blushed at the small gesture of his all the way back home. However as soon as we got to our home, things were soon broken into chaos with my brothers surrounding me asking how I managed to get the attention of the Red Viper of Dorne.
He was apparently quite well known in the boxing circles of both the Westerlands and Dorne, but equally well known was his pernicious nature with that of the ladies of the night surrounding Westeros and the Reach. 
“I don’t know what you all are rambling about. Have you not opened your eyes when the two were dancing? The Duke and her were very much smitten with each other and were not looking at anyone else when in each other’s company. Also I can think of many ill-fitting matches that could be worse then for your dear sister to be paired with a duke,” my mother rebutted. 
I grinned in victory at hearing my mother’s words knowing we won that round against my protective brothers.
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Three days laters we were in the drawing room with me practicing my piano skills, and everyone was casually doing their own activities. Hyacinth was reading her favorite book, Eloise was writing, Benedict and Colin was playing chess, and mother was listening to me playing. Anthony was in the study deeper in the estate most likely taking care of the finances of the business and estate. 
A butler came in and announced, “Lady (Y/N) we have a bouquet here for you.”
I jumped out of my seat at the piano along with my mother, we both exchanged excited looks at who could’ve brought me flowers. What arrived was a beautiful large arrangement of red, pink and orange honeysuckles, tulips, and bachelor’s buttons. They were beautiful, I gasped when they were placed on an end table in the drawing room, they were even placed in a beautiful crystal vase. I went towards them and smelled them, when I realized what they all meant: declaration of love and hope. 
As soon as I was taking in the splendor of the bouquet I saw the letter placed next to the vase. I opened it and the letter read:
To the lovely Lady (Y/N) Bridgerton of Honeyholt,
You have quite literally and wholeheartedly enraptured my heart and mind with thoughts of you. I know it may seem like I am making haste with putting my thoughts in letters and ink, but I hope you may like that sort of thing. I am hopeful to see you in the dance of the season to arrive and for you to reserve a dance for me if you so can. I hope your brothers may allow me to accompany you in this way. May the gods and you bless me with your company. I wish you and your family good health and wealth for the rest of your days.
Sincerely and Earnestly, 
Duke Oberyn Martell of Dorne
“Oh mother, come look it’s from the Duke of Dorne, read this letter it's so thoughtful,” I gush as I hand her the letter. 
My mother gasps and reaches the letter from my hand, and as she reads from my periphery I see my brothers whisper to one another from their couch and I see Colin leave while Benedict stays.
“This is wonderful news! It’s only been half a week in this season, and it seems like you’ve already found yourself a suitor, my dear,” mother said.
“It’s all thanks to you mama, my wonderful wit and looks must’ve charmed him and I got them all from you,” I replied. We then looked at each other and bursted out laughing, hugging each other as we giggled at the letter and bouquet. 
“Do you really think he likes me though? Because I have heard what my brothers said about him and they went to the Academy together,” I said suddenly. 
“Oh don’t be ridiculous, you two are about to begin a beautiful courtship I can sense it,” my mother assured me.
“What is going on here?” I hear Anthony stomp over in the room.
“It seems like your sister charmed the Duke of Dorne,” mother explains.
Anthony grabs the letter from the end table and reads it, he hands it over to Colin and Benedict to read, who then turns just as angry as Anthony.
“This is ridiculous, don’t you think he’s going a bit too far and fast with this, mother?” Anthony questioned.
“Well sure it may seem a bit fast but it’s not like he asked for her hand in marriage yet, it’s the start of a courtship, have you seen the flowers he sent her?” my mother reasoned.
“Expensive ones,” I jumped in. 
Anthony glared at me for a moment but then returned to his normal posture as he then gestured to all three of him, Colin, and Benedict as he says, “Just know that we are only looking out for you sister, and if he even dares to touch a hair on your head without your consent, just give the word and we will fight him for you.”
Benedict and Colin nod in agreement but I scoff and replied, “Three against one, seems hardly fair does it?”
“It does when it accounts towards the family honor,” Benedict says. 
I just huffed at that and grabbed the letter from their hands and replied, “Well I think his charming, but if you can think of a better match than him I am all ears, however for now you will to be contempt with the fact your sister is in the dating season in Westeros and I hope you three can wrap your heads around that.”
With that I kiss my mother on the cheek as I bid my farewell to the rest of them as I take my leave to my bedroom where I laid on my bed clutching the letter to my chest. I laid there motionlessly for a minute before a smile spread across my face at the thought of Oberyn Martell writing the letter and handing the flowers himself. 
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The time has arrived for my family and I to arrive at the next gathering, which is to be hosted by the Tyrells this time. The House of Tyrell is known for their lavish spending on the decorations and music, the only family that comes close to their lavish spending are the Lannisters. Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden is rarely seen during the parties rather he has a much permanent stay over at the King’s Palace, as he is the King’s most renowned advisor, however the Lady of the House, Lady Alerie Hightower has a graceful demeanor and peaceful aura that one hopes they can be graced with in their lifetime. 
We all gathered into the carriage together when we were all dressed and ready to go, with Anthony being the last to arrive. Mother and I sat next to each other giggling to ourselves and clutching each other’s arms thinking about Oberyn. My brothers sat across from us sulking with their arms crossed, probably scheming about ways to get me away from Oberyn. 
The carriage stopped and the rider signaled us that we have arrived at the Tyrell estate at Highgarden. The estate is beautiful with the castle stretching for miles on either side of the front entrance, with the renowned beautiful rose gardens stretching around the landscape of the castle. It was beautiful, as to be expected of the Tyrells.
We entered the ballroom in which the party is primarily at, and I soon saw Tyrion talking to the hosts of the party, Lady Alerie and her daughter Lady Margery. They both are the belles of the ball tonight, it was also seen as Lady Margery’s debut into the social season, we haven’t talked much so I can’t really say anything about her character. 
Tyrion sees me and waves me over so I do with my mother in tow, we come to greet him and the hosts.
“Lady Alerie, Lady Margery, we are grateful for your invitation,” my mother greets her as we both curtsy in greeting.
I turn to Margery and say, “you look absolutely beautiful this day, might I add the color green really takes to you.”
“Why, I am quite flattered to hear that because from what I heard around the town, you are the Incomparable this season,” Lady Margery remarks.
“It is quite true, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, she is the best student I ever had,” Tyrion says for me. 
“Who cares for me when I heard that a certain prince caught your eye?” I question. 
Margery blushes under the question and Tyrion raised his eyebrows at me in response. Before anyone can further the conversation I heard the band begin to play the first song of the ball. Lady Margery excuses herself as she readies herself to be asked on the dance floor. Within the first verse she did get asked by a handsome bachelor. 
The prince in question was Prince Joffrey Baratheon, he was being groomed to take the role of King of Westeros quite soon, however room speculates about how prepared he may be. In the eyes of high society he was supposed to debut as a bachelor if he was anyone else, but he is the Platinum Prince as people liked to call him. Tyrion likes to call him the Plastic Bastard behind closed doors.
My mother soon takes off as she told me that she was going to try to fend off my brothers from scaring off any suitors my way which I thank her for. 
“So you are hearing things about that loathsome child?” Tyrion questions in a hushed tone. 
“Quite, but don’t worry it’s all gossip, it seems like Lady Margery is getting favors from Prince Joffrey. He seems to be quite adamant that he has found her princess, however the Queen might feel about it,” I state as I watch the dancing. 
“That is quite the speculation, but it does appear you are right, because Lady Alerie seems to think that this debut was only to announce that Lady Margery has come of age into the social season, because it seems like Lady Alerie already picked out and secured a quite permanent suitor for her daughter,” Tyrion speculated with a sip from his glass. 
“I wouldn’t even be surprised if the prince came here uninvited to try and win the people’s hearts with a grand spectacle. How the royal family do like their toys,” Tyrion continued.
“Bite your tongue Lannister, I don’t want to lose a friend simply due to gossip,” I paused then leaned down to whisper to him, “But you are quite right about the toys. It would be a shame if the prince realized he was also a pawn to the Queen’s game as well.”
“Aren’t we all,” Tyrion muttered. We both glanced at each other and shared a smile at that, we clink our glasses together as we drink with smiles on our faces.
“I see you two are together often,” I hear a voice approach us. 
I turned and saw the Duke of Dorne smiling at us, in a very catching navy blue, and golden yellow suit with a dappled blue ascot tied and tucked around his neck. His olive skin seems to glow from the ensemble, and I start to blush at how intense his gaze was at me.
“You see, your grace, it’s merely a ruse so my brothers aren’t as intense at protecting me, they don’t see Lord Tyrion as a threat, so I am able to breathe freely from such scrutiny,” I say with a conspiratory smile on my face.
Tyrion pretends to gasp as he clutches imaginatory pearls around his neck.
“My word, Lady (Y/N) if only your guard dogs can hear you now,” Tyrion states.
We both laugh at that while the Duke has a huge grin on his face, watching us.
“Well now that I know the truth, may I have this dance, I do believe they are about to start the Cotillion Dance if you care to join me?” the Duke offered with his hand out.
“I would be honored, Lord Martell,” I say cautiously as I take his hand and he leads me to the dance floor. 
The music begins and we all stand in formation at the start of the dance, then the dancing commenced. The man of course led this dance as well, and from our first dance together I took well under his lead in the dance. It felt like we were gliding on the dance floor with us twirling and spinning around each other, but I felt safe and confident as we danced together. I felt beautiful and radiant, I looked into the Duke’s eyes and it felt like he had his eyes on me the whole time. The Cotillion ended as we took our bows and he led me off the dance floor.
We found a corner of the ballroom as he took me there, and he began to speak.
“So, I was wondering and I know this might be too soon after our second dance but I would like to propose something to you,” the Duke began.
“Yes?” I urged.
“Well, I would like to begin a courtship with you,” the Duke says.
I let out a startled laugh at that as I immediately put my hand on my mouth at that, I grew hot with embarrassment almost immediately.
“I don’t mean to embarrass you, but you see my brothers are quite adamant at protecting me and if they heard you propose that to me, they would all beat you to a pulp. They also seemed to warn me against you as well I might add,” I warned him.
He quirked his eyebrow as he heard me which he then replied, “I wonder what those warnings might be? Is it that I am a rake? Or is it that I had frequented brothels?”
“There was that, but also that you are a bit of a brute,” I added.
He gave a quiet laugh at that as he shook his head and then let out an exhale. I gave him a soft smack to his torso as I reprimanded, “Don’t laugh! So tell me is it true then? Should I be cautious of you then?”
He gave a dramatic pause as he gave a thoughtful stroke to his facial hair and he looked up to the ceiling as if in quiet deliberation.
“Well all those rumors used to be true a couple months ago, I was quite rebellious towards my family affairs and myself I suppose. I didn’t want to take responsibility quite yet,” he said.
“Well what changed?” I inquired.
“Well to put it quite simply, my older brother, he has his own state of affairs with his own estate at Godsgrace and with our sister Elia passing away so suddenly from influenza we were both stricken with grief,” he pauses as if in reflection.
I nod in understanding, I put my hand on his as I squeezed it in reassurance waiting for him to continue talking. 
After a moment of soft silence between us as the music and society dances around us, we were caught up in each other, in this moment. 
“Well, I suppose that brought things in perspective for both of us, let’s say. I know she loved us until the very end of her life, but I suppose that grief has left me stricken to try and chase anything that made me feel something other than grief and molly houses, duels, boxing, and fencing were all things that did,” he seemed to emphasize the past tense in his sentence.
“Well I am sure if she saw you now, she would not blame you for what you have done. Grief does strange and terrible things to us all. I was similar to you as my papa had just recently passed away this past year, I had locked myself away in my room and not talked to anyone except my mama and even then it was short sentences. They loved each other dearly, my parents,” I explain.
“What got you through the grief?” he asked.
I paused in thought then answered, “Well to be honest, there will always be an ache in my heart for him but what got me through in acceptance was my family and the world outside my window. Nature allowed me to relapse in my head and to just breathe fresh air without thinking of my father, my family, businesses or anything else. It allowed me for a moment to collapse and I think I needed that.”
“You are quite wise for someone so young,” the Duke remarked.
“Well three older brothers and two younger siblings someone ought to be,” I answered.
He smiles at my comment and then replies, “Well I think that does it for our serious conversation. Would you like another dance, my lady?”
“Why I would be happy to, sir.” 
The next dance was led by a bright happy tune and we instantly knew the dance was to be of a country dance. We beamed at each other as we both realized that, it was as if the band realized we needed a reprieve. The dance was filled with bouncing and skipping around the entire floor, and it led to us with bright smiles on each other’s faces as we continued to stare at each other throughout the whole dance. From the corner of my eye I saw my brothers with concerned expressions as they saw me dancing with the Duke, and I also saw my mother and Tyrion both smiling at us. 
“It seems like we have fans,” the Duke whispered to me. 
“And critics,” I added, which made both of us lean back a little and let out a small laugh. 
“I assure you that the criticisms that your brothers may have me are of past consequence,” he tells me. 
“Oh I’m quite confident in that,” I say.
The dance then ended with us as routine in society, we take our bows and he leads off the dance floor. Which we were then greeted with three angry faces and two smiling ones. 
“What are you doing with him, (Y/N)?” Anthony questioned.
“Well I'm having a lovely time, if you must know, brother,” I answered.
“I was also going to ask you something before your family came over,” Oberyn says.
“Oh what is it?” I asked.
“Since we have twice tonight, and from our conversations I would like to make our courtship public and to get approval from your family,” Oberyn announces. (In regency era, if a lady dances only with one man,  especially twice in one night, it is seen as either she is “easy” or she is engaged to that man) 
“How da-” Anthony started. 
“Wonderful,” my mother finished as she elbowed Anthony.
“It seems you have taken fascination with my student, eh Red Viper?” Tyrion asks.
“I sincerely have, and I want to make this an amazing courtship, I know that your family is known for honeyed alcohol but what of sweets? There is an amazing cafe that I would love to take you sometime this week,” Oberyn offered.
“I would love to, Duke” I answered.
“You could take her this weekend, that’s two days away, I’m sure you can take her then,” my mother responds.
“That sounds wonderful,” Oberyn answered.
“Then it’s settled, I can’t wait to see you that day. Well I think we’ll take our leave then,” I say and my mother reached for my arm and we were escorted home leaving Oberyn and my brothers to their own disposal.
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Two days have passed with relative ease even though all three brothers have badgered my ear off with the countless requests to put Duke Oberyn in his place by way of a duel, which I vehemently denied. My sisters have taken to making fun of me for being so enchanted by the Duke of Dorne, and it seems the only person who was my confidante in this new relationship was my mother. 
The clock in the drawing room has struck 12 o’clock meaning that it was time for me to be heading out towards the main town in the Reach which was only 30 minutes away from our estate by foot, so it was easy for me. I took to wearing my riding boots and my favorite dress and wearing my hair in a simple updo fashion, well as simple as one can make it with the fashion trends these days. 
I ended up making it to the main road of the town in enough time that I was allowed to stroll around the town window shopping, until I heard my name being called.
“Lady Bridgerton, there you are,” I heard a familiar voice call out.
I turned to see the Duke of Dorne walking my way to me with a lazy grin etched on his face, which got me to smile back at him.
“Why hello Lord Martell,” I say as I do a small curtsy to him. 
When he fully approached me he presented his hand to me and as I took it he said, “Shall we?”
“We shall,” I grinned at him.
We made our way to a small cafe that he was adamant that was amazing about their sweets and pastries that they are known for. We found ourselves at a corner of the shop sitting on opposite sides of the table. He ordered for the both of you when it came to that, because he insisted that there were some things that he simply must do for me and to trust him.
I huffed and playfully glared at him as we got our treats in order for us., and he returned my glare with a stare of his own. A smirk plays across his features as he takes a dip into a lemon custard that he got, wrapping his tongue around the spoon. 
I inhaled sharply as I watched and I got flustered when he caught my eye, I hurried myself with drinking my hot chocolate that I got. I saw his expression become bemused at what he saw me doing from my periphery, and I tried to shake my head of the thoughts that were swirling in my head. 
“So, I was thinking…”
“Oh a dangerous activity indeed,” I teased.
“Hush, I was merely about to ask, what are some things that you would like to do while we are courting, because I would like this to be a worthwhile endeavor for the both of and make this the best courtship for you”
“Well, that’s rather kind of you, but I am sure you are aware that I have not courted anyone at all, and to be quite honest with you I don’t know a thing about courting. Sure I know mannerisms and what to say as well, but what goes beyond that? I simply don’t know. My brothers won’t tell me a thing, and my mother won’t tell me a thing about it.”
“Hmm, well we’ll take it slow then, okay? If I do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or strange tell me, hmm? I have every intention of making you my wife, so let’s get to know each other during this courting period and don’t worry about not knowing certain things about life because from what I heard you are quite the scholar,�� Oberyn responds to my rant.
“Well I try to be, I would love to be a writer one day but that is off limits in today’s society, I’m afraid, so I make do with learning as much as I can with the limited options I am able to. Lord Tyrion makes an excellent teacher, whenever he is not professing his love for alcohol or gossiping about the royals,” I let out.
“Lord Tyrion is quite the conversationalist and wine tester, he knows about everyone and everyone’s cousins, unlike his siblings people have no problem extending an invitation his way. Now, what is your favorite thing that you like to learn? There has to be something that you enjoy out of all your lessons,” he asks.
“Well, I do enjoy painting, and I’m rather indifferent towards my sewing lessons which I suppose is mandatory, but I also deeply enjoy playing music. Painting and music are something I am deeply in love with, I love to go to the Opera theater in town. The touring groups that play there are almost always amazing. I also love going to the art galleries whenever they have a new exhibit to display,” I respond. 
“I heard there was going to be a new exhibit opening up in a few days from now, I’m bringing my sister’s favorite painting to be displayed there,” Oberyn states.
“I will be there, I got an invitation from Lady Joanna to be there actually, I’m sure she just wants to keep an eye on me, “ I say.
“Who wouldn’t want to keep an eye on the diamond of the season?” Oberyn questions.
“I hate that people are calling me, as well as the Incomparable? What am I that the other women are not?” 
“Well I am not sure how to put it, but you surely have captivated me, and it seems like your focus and intellect has in fact enraptured all that talk to you,” Oberyn assured me.
“I surely hope not, for there are some that I would happy to never come near me again,” I state.
“Oh? And who would that be? You surely couldn’t be talking about the Kingslayer or the Prince?” 
“You listen to about as much gossip as my mother, I swear.”
“Well is the gossip wrong?”
“No, not exactly but even if I was interested in them, I doubt that my brothers would even think about letting them breathe in my general direction.”
Oberyn laughs at that.
“Well, then I shall count my blessings that I allowed to still be alive so I may take in your beauty,” Oberyn flatters.
“You already got an outing with me, I hardly think you need to do anymore flattering, Duke,” I respond.
“Hmmmm, I think if we were to continue this courtship I think it would only be fair if you would call me by my first name?” Oberyn insists.
I got flustered by his sudden request but then I went to say, “Of course, only if you do the same.”
He raises his eyebrows at me and had a light smile on his face as he says, “Well of course it’s only fair, (Y/N)”
“Oberyn”
“How sweet it is to hear my name from a lovely flower,” Oberyn compliments.
“Well I think that’s enough pandering today, I am sure you must have more important business then just hanging out with me all day,” I say as I brush my dress and start to stand up.
“Oh there is no more important business then spending time with you, honeybee,” he comments and he winks at me when he calls me that new nickname.
My face got hot with that new nickname as I tried to make my way out of the cafe with Oberyn hot on my trail. He suddenly pulled me aside into a walkway that was a clearing in a park that I hadn’t fully noticed before. 
“What? Oberyn? Where are you taking me? I thought we were just heading back,” I questioned him.
“You didn’t think that I would want to part with you so soon, honeybee?” Oberyn asks in return as he spins back to face me.
“I assumed so, my brothers make a point to make sure there are no suitors within an arm’s length of me and I thought you would be the same yet you keep coming back. I thought you would be scared to come near because of my family,” I admitted.
“Ah well, I know how my family is, I am lucky that I was able to grow an estate of my own because my elder brother is the viscount of our family estate and he can be a pain on trying to get me a wife and my personal schedule in general, so believe me when I say I understand siblings. Maybe, not to the extent of your family but to an extent,” He explains.
“Well that explains some of it, I suppose,” I replied.
We were walking side by side at this point and I noticed the sun was just about to set and I realized that we were out together for at least 4 hours, and I was starting to worry what my brothers would think. 
After a few moments in silence Oberyn breaks it as he asks, “I just want to ask, why are you so hesitant about this relationship? Is it truly just because of your brothers that you are not willing to enter this relationship or is it something else entirely?”
“It is mostly because I am afraid Oberyn,” I tell him.
We now stood in front of a beautiful ficus tree with its branches spread all in different directions but the leaves always reaching towards the sun. I turn my focus on studying this tree instead of looking at him, embarrassed for admitting my fear. For I want to love him with my whole being already but scared of the novelty of it. 
Oberyn hummed in thought as he heard my fear and after a moment of silence he spoke up, “Well then we shall take it slow, as slow as we can in this season anyway. The gods know how the Queen loves a good wedding.” 
I turned to him and I smiled softly at how gently he spoke. “Thank you Oberyn then I will see you at the gallery then,” I say to him.
“Yes you shall, now let’s get you back before your brothers come looking for us and to take my head.”
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The days seem to blur as I wait in anticipation for my next meeting with Oberyn, it has been less than a week since we have started courting but I am already infatuated with the man. Relationships have started off with less in these times, right? I mean Countess Daneryes had an arranged marriage with Count Drogo, they seem happy enough from the little times they do make a public appearance but I can only imagine if things were to have been worse.
During the few days between my dates with Oberyn, I had been pressured to practice my music skills more, as my mother thinks that a Duchess should know the masterpieces of the piano. I just hope one day I’d have the liberties to be able to compose my own piece on the piano.
Benedict had recently taken art classes, Colin also started taking fencing lessons, and Anthony has been Anthony. When I announced that I would be attending the new painting gallery, Benedict showed his interest in escorting me there as well as wanting to see the new art in general. With that settled, Colin and Anthony begrudgingly said that they’ll let me go on my own with Benedict. My mother seemed equally as excited as I am about the art gallery, because I have talked to her about Oberyn and she approves of the relationship.
Benedict and I went off to the gallery once we were already ready to go. We stepped foot in the carriage and off we went to the main city’s art gallery. The ride went quickly and rather quietly as well, but I didn’t pay any mind to the silence. I was just excited to see Oberyn again. 
We arrived at the gallery, and once we stepped inside I was absolutely mesmerized by the decor and ambience of the entire place. The paintings were displayed in front of a beautiful burgundy backdrop all throughout the place. My brother and I bid our farewells to each other as we went to go look at the different paintings. 
I explored and looked at the different types of paintings that were displayed around the gallery.
“Well if it isn’t Lady Bridgerton, how very nice to see you,” I heard a voice coming up to me. 
I looked to my right to see Duchess Joanna, I bowed my head towards her and gave her a polite greeting as well.
“I’m glad to see you got my invitation well, how is your relationship going with Duke Oberyn?” Duchess Joanna asked. 
“I think it’s going well, at least I hope so,” I respond.
“So when do-” 
“Ah Duchess Joanna, how good to see you here. I want to thank you for extending an invitation and for me to display my family’s paintings here,” I hear a familiar voice interrupt.
I tilt my head to Oberyn as he made his appearance between the Duchess and I, it seems he must’ve heard the conversation and wanted to circumvent the question the Duchess was about to ask.
“Of course, and I see you have found each other so I will be taking my leave,” Lady Joanna says and with that she walks off.
Oberyn turns to you and as you meet each other’s eyes you both smiled.
“It seems that you were about to meet a very uncomfortable question with Lady Joanna,” Oberyn began.
“So you decided to intervene then? Ah, my hero,” you stated. 
The smiles never faded from either of your faces as you two began to walk around the gallery. When you were passing by an entry to a hallway of another gallery, Oberyn nodded towards it and guided you to walk through it, and when you got there you were amazed by the two pieces adorned on either side of the wall. 
The first one we saw was on all accounts a technical masterpiece, but as I was looking at it all I felt was cold calculating movements and techniques that are being taught today. The second one however was of a landscape, and it looked like it was of Dorne, there was a familiarity to it and a warmth surrounding the piece that I felt like I was home already.
“So what do you think?” Oberyn asks.
“Well, the first one felt frigid like it was only made to be appraised for its techniques and nothing else. However this one, this one, felt so warm, so comforting, it feels like hiraeth,” you say as you turn to him. 
He hums in acknowledgement and looks at you with a small smile on his face.
“This was my sister’s favorite, and behind was our father’s commission piece, I think you spoke well on the differences here. I feel the same, I began to feel that this was my favorite as well, after she died. What is hiraeth? I’ve never heard that word before,” Oberyn responded.
“It means to be homesick for a home that never existed,” I answered.
Oberyn nodded in acknowledgement and we both turned to the painting again, looking at the beautiful image in front of us. The distant voices of the rest of the guests slowly faded away as we continued to stand almost shoulder to shoulder with each other. I felt a pull towards him, I wanted to hold his hand so badly, it was strange, but did he feel the same? I glanced quickly to see our hands reaching for each other and we felt our fingertips touch. As soon as we felt them we heard a loud crash. With that loud crash, our little microcosm came crashing down with that sound. 
We turned to the source of the sound and we were greeted with the sight of my brother Benedict sliding on the floor and met my eyes. 
“Ah there you two are, I was wondering where you ran off to,” Benedict states.
“Like I didn’t see you running off to see your mentor just in time to avoid Lady Joanna,” I bounced back at him.
“That doesn’t prove anything, dear sister, and anyway we should be getting back, I should escort you back to the house, even if you do have a suitor now,” Benedict eyed Oberyn as he spoke.
“I hope to see you soon, maybe we shall go for a picnic?” Oberyn asks you.
“Speaking of picnics, well not really, how would you want to come to dinner one day? Our mother seems keen on meeting you properly, you know my brothers, and my precious little sister, but pray my mother, so here is an invitation for you to come over tomorrow. Don’t worry, mother knows about it (Y/N),” Benedict interrupts.
I just gaped at him as I heard him talk, I knew my mother wanted to talk to Oberyn, but have him over for dinner? Isn’t that a bit much? I turn to Oberyn, I see he had a lazy grin stretched across his face.
“Well, how can I say no to such an invitation,” Oberyn lamented and he claps his hands together looking between the three of you with a smile on his face.
With that you all started to head back into the thrums of the gathering in the gallery, as Benedict walked ahead you walked a bit slower with Oberyn.
“I am eager, adamant and sincere about this relationship, honeybee, and I hope you and your family see it that way as well,” Oberyn tells you.
“Oberyn, you make my heart burn with such sweetness that you say to me, and if you keep that up I’m sure my mother will fall under your charm as well,” I murmured to him.
After that my brother and I said our farewells to the appropriate guests and we headed our way back home.
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News has reached all of my brothers and sisters about how Duke Oberyn has finally decided to make an appearance to the Bridgerton estate, which got my sisters and mother very excited about this new man coming to visit that wasn’t family.
My brother, Anthony, seemed to be brooding the most about this new development, which I could’ve seen coming from a mile away. Colin and Benedict were taking it better then expected except now they have decided would be an excellent time to warn me against Oberyn even more vehemently before. I still don’t understand why my brothers are so against this, I like him, isn’t that enough? Or is it because they were friends in the same academy? 
The preparations have made for the table and the maids and butlers have made sure that everything is pristine in the household, and as the time ticks down for Oberyn to arrive, I’ve become increasingly more worried that something might go wrong. 
Then once the hour arrived, we got word that Oberyn had arrived and we all got ready to greet him. Oberyn walked into the drawing room where we all were loitering, Hyacinth and Eloise were reading and embroidering, I was talking to my mother, and the three brothers were all talking amongst each other. Once we were aware of his presence we all said our polite greetings, with my mother going straight away to compliment him which Oberyn took and reflected back to her.
We all made our way to the dining table where the food was already present on the table, as we all took our seats Oberyn moved his way to me and sat down with me.
Then dinner began and with that our usual chaotic family conversation began. Hyacinth refusing to eat her vegetables, Eloise teasing her, Benedict and Colin teasing each other and shoving each other at the table and my mother chastising every one of them. 
Oberyn leans to whisper to me, “I didn’t know family meals could be so entertaining.”
“Oh you should see them during the holidays, they’re entertainment all by themselves,” I whisper back. 
I look up and see Anthony glaring at us, I turn back to Oberyn and asked him, “Why is Anthony so opposed to our relationship?”
“He’s your brother, ask him,” Oberyn answered.
“And he’s your friend, plus he won’t talk to me no matter how many times I ask,” I pressured him,
“I think it’s all about my past, I normally wouldn’t have seen myself with a longtime commitment but with you I do, and I think your brother is having difficulty realizing that I grew out of my adolescence,” he answered.
I nod and smile at him in understanding, I reach for his hand under the table and squeeze it in reassurance, which in turn made him smile at me.
“Well, Duke, I have seen and heard that you have become quite attached with my dear daughter,” my mother spoke up.
Oberyn straightens his back in his chair and he replies, “I am very much attached with her, Lady Violet. I’ve come to nickname her honeybee.” 
“Did you allow him to call you this?” Anthony glared.
“Yes I did, brother, and he allowed me to just say his first name as well, I do hope you realize that we are sincere about each other,” I replied.
Anthony sighed while mother gave me a soft smile in return, and I looked to see Oberyn beaming at me.
“Well, Duke, I do hope to see you marry her before the season ends, it’d be a shame to see this season go to waste,” my mother pestered.
“Mother,” I warned her and all I got in return was a confused look from my mother.
“I have every plans on doing so actually, I hope for every one of you to see how sincere and earnest I am with your daughter,” he turns to me and takes my hand and he kisses it lightly, “she has me so under her spell, she has me bewitched body and soul, and I am not sure how any marriage proposal would befit how she has me feel.”
I felt my whole body flush with heat and tears pricked my eyes at the praises and endearments he was giving me. He was ethereal, otherworldly, with how he treated me and I swear to the old gods that if that wasn’t his marriage proposal then-
“Well I think that was as good of a marriage proposal as any,” Hyacinth quipped from the other side of the table. 
Oberyn’s face turned as red as the roses set on the table. I see from the corner of my eye my mother nods to Oberyn and he takes a deep breath. He stands up and kneels before me with both of my hands in his and what I saw in his eyes made it click in my head what was happening.
“(Y/N), my honeybee, we may have known each other for two months and started courting for half of that time, but I already know in my heart of hearts that you own my everything already. Whenever we part I am always thinking of our next meeting, and I may have already talked to your mother about this, and I want you to make me the luckiest man in all of the world, and let me call you my wife as I am already yours fully, so you can call me husband. So will you marry me?”
Tears flowed down my face as I slid off my chair to cling onto him tightly as I said, “Yes, a thousand times yes, I will marry you Oberyn Martell, I love you so much.”
“As I do you, my love, I love you too,” he whispers to me as he caresses my head. 
Applaud littered the dining hall with my family congratulating us as well as the staff on our new engagement. As we stood in this new feeling, I reveled in it and I felt elated, like I was floating and I couldn’t get down even if I wanted to. 
I looked at Oberyn and he looked at me with such love and adoration that I knew I made the right choice. I found the love of my life and I found it in him.
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enha-woodzies · 4 years ago
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➸ CHAPTER 9 | " THE SPACE BETWEEN US "
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starring: enhypen ft. i-land daniel
pairing: jungwon x fem!reader x sunghoon
genres: royal au, romance, angst, slowburn, 18th century setting
warnings: very mild swearing; brief arguments
word count: 2.5k
taglist: @serendipitysung (betareader) @en-sun @affectionaterainoflove @renkiv @softforjungwoo @jislix @gyeraniee @fluffi @stxrryemxlys @jungwon-luv-bot-pt3 @lost-lepord-beanie @hyunsunge @hooniecore @thenoceurgirl @thonkingdeepo
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[ PREV. CHAPTER ] | [ M. LIST ] | [ NEXT CHAPTER ]
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START OF PARK SUNGHOON'S POV
I stood there at the side, leaning against the arched entrance. I never meant to eavesdrop in the conversation you were having with the firstborn of the Yang family. It piqued my interest upon hearing your troubles and impulsively decided to help you. To pass time, I guess… or to stall my father into giving me his magnificent title of a duke and have me marry some lady I don’t even desire to have.
Without any significant bargain in the offer, I suggested anyway with the thought that maybe this could help me look at myself the way everyone did before I made history with your brother. The physical bruises and scars we both afflicted on each other faded with time, but the torturous memory continues to haunt us. I may look fine around his presence, but he never had the slightest idea of how I curse myself every single night knowing I not only ruined him and his tender affections with Yena, but our budding and steadfast friendship as well.
I was heinous then. But I swear with my whole heart, I don’t ever intend to hurt you now the way I did with your brother. The moment I let myself drown in your alluring gaze under that brightly lit moonlight, I told myself I won’t take another girl for granted. Not just because I owe it to Niki, but because you were the first person who looked at me without judgment despite knowing your brothers detest me with the entirety of their souls.
I’ve been courting you for over a month now and I’m completely aware of the things we’ve agreed upon about the ruse; needless to say, one might catch feelings in the aftermath. I know this was all a show to give Jungwon a headstart for his own game, but why am I gravely pained every time his name slips out of your lips? Why do I keep myself up on most nights thinking about this lingering question of who do you love? Why do I want to hold you even closer to my side every time he looks at us in dismay?
I’ve come to know that I had myself caught in the middle of whatever this is between you and him; that I’m just the fuel to the fire that’s already been there, left neglected within time. But I can’t help but feel like I need to protect you from him; from whatever hurt he might cause you over time. Although I know my place in all of this and where I stand, it still stings thinking that it isn’t in your heart.
Why would it be, anyway? I’m only just a page you couldn’t keep; a filler in your romantic novel who had the part of the villain origin story but couldn’t fight your hopeless hero. Sadly, Jungwon’s five steps ahead of me. So much for telling the ton there was us in the making, but you weren’t even mine to begin with.
Your mother invited me and the Yang family for dinner a sennight ago. She said it was to properly introduce me as your husband-to-be to your family, that includes your lover’s sitting across the table discussing the recent blow from the Daily Tattle, which was, of course, us.
“Jungwon, dear, have you wished your friend, Y/n, luck on her future wedding with the duke-to-be? Need I remind you that she’s going to need some of it from her best friends.” Lady Yang gently nudged her son who was busy tapping his spoon and fork upon the table. “Jungwon here is finally courting someone, have you heard of that, dear? Lady Choi, daughter of the-”
“The ever famous cheese merchant of our city, Viscount Choi, whom without, we wouldn’t be eating this opulent cheese on the table right this very moment.” I finished, which made the two mothers impressively smile in my direction. Realizing how uncomfortable you become at the very slightest mention of Jungwon’s new lover, I figured butting in could end your agony; seeing that your man is stupid enough to not read the situation in front of him. He seemed more occupied with the utensils than your disheartened state.
As predicted, you excused yourself, and it went without saying that Jungwon followed after you as you rushed out the dining hall and out to your garden. Your brothers and his soon left the hall and went with their casual discourse on the parlor, leaving his and your mother exchanging wedding plans with the company of champagne bottles and cheese. I held my head up high as I walked into the library to reflect on matters that kept me wondering at night. Until Niki strode in, with a pocket watch in hand.
“Riki, I’m-”
“Save your breath, Your Grace. You’re going to need it in case you piss the hell out of Jungwon and he lands his knuckles on your pretty face again.”
“Why don’t you do it then? Can’t get your hands dirty for your sister yet you can for Yena?”
“Do not fucking tempt me, Sunghoon.”
“Too bad. I’d love to see you try, though.”
“And I’d love to see your little mouth shut, Your Grace. You’re impressive, but I’m sure you’ve always been told that. For a moment there you really had me thinking you were about to apologize to my brother. Turns out you’re still the coward that you’ve always been.” Jay walked in unannounced, slightly scaring me. He’s like a lion ready to hunt for prey, even though he’d just sit there looking unbothered. I’ve always deemed your eldest brother with veneration. All I did was drop my head low when he threw me those harsh words, though I completely agree as they embody me in so many ways possible. I hate it.
“A wedding, huh? Don’t you think you’re going too far, already? This ruse is nothing but a shame to both our families. Heed me while I’m asking you nicely to end this foolishness you’ve invoked on our sister.”
“Forgive me… but I’m afraid I can’t.”
Fortunately, Niki was quick enough to grab a hold of Jay when he was about to come at me. I must say this now before it’s too late, and better be in front of your brothers than your lover.
“I will take full responsibility for Y/n. I will be a man of worth to her and a word of honor, I will end any future causes of grievances upon us both. I will protect her from it, just as I’m doing now.”
“You’re doing nothing but stall her from her fate with Jungwon!”
“And how do you know she still cares for him? Haven’t you seen the look on your dear sister’s face whenever Jungwon’s name is brought up? Haven’t you seen that man strolling around the town with a fancy girl in hand a week after breaking your sister’s heart? I thought so. But you just want things to go your way. I’ll respect that. For now.”
I dashed out of the library after giving them a piece of my mind. Though I had planned to apologize to Niki, Jay’s words got the best of me. I headed towards the garden to look for you, but before I could have your attention, Jungwon already did.
END OF PARK SUNGHOON’S POV
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 Jungwon rushed to the garden, following Y/n’s quick pace in an attempt to block out any possible thoughts about her lover. Basking under the bright moonlight, Jungwon grabbed her by the wrist, making her turn and crash against his jabot-clad chest.
“Y/n, please-”
“Really, Jung? God! You totally had me fooled that day when I thought we were having a moment!”
“We did! But-”
“But what? You can’t hold yourself accountable for the things you left me with so you squander your way with another lady? Tough blow, don’t you think?”
“Please, Y/n, I just need you to listen to me and-”
“I’m tired, Jung. All these years, you let me wait for you for five years just to have you run back and hurt me again. I’m tired of you making a fool out of me, and I’m dumb enough to always let you. Because I love you. I love you so much, it fucking hurts. I have so much love for you yet here you are, always welcoming me with fleeting bliss and leaving me with endless torment. But the damage has been done and I’m out. I love you, but I guess I’m going to have to leave it like this.”
“You still do?”
“God! I poured out my heart for you and all you could say was that? Jung, how can you be so dense?! I wouldn’t have let you hold me that day in the forest if I don’t love you! I asked you for a new start but you ran off and a week later you’re traipsing around Northumberland with Lady Choi! Right in front of me!”
“You were with that man that day too, in front of me! You look at him with so much admiration with your hand hanging on his arm. How do you think that made me feel?!”
“More than the damage you did to me? What a load of nonsense, Jung! And here I thought you already knew that Sunghoon and I were just fooling around to get to you.”
“Well, I’m here now, Y/n! I’m all yours now!”
“No, you’re not. You just can’t bear the truth that you lost me to him. At the end of the day, it will always be your pride. It always has been. I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I’m apologizing but I still will. This ends here, Jung. I wish you well.”
The entire time that Y/n and the young lord were arguing out the garden, Jay and Niki were carefully listening from the library’s window; Niki figured it was finally time to spill the truth to his sister.
Niki followed Y/n to her room, taking note of the soft sobs and sniffles she emitted. She turned around when she felt her brother’s footsteps trailing after her.
“Riki…” Niki was suddenly enclosed by Y/n’s tight embrace, dampening his jabot shirt with her tears. He returned the warm hug as he gently rubs her corseted back, feeling the constant huffs from her crying.
“I’m sorry about Jungwon.”
“He doesn’t deserve me.” The lady muffled against her brother’s chest.
“Maybe you’re right. And neither does Sunghoon. Listen, Sister. There’s something I need to get off my chest. Come.” The two entered the lady’s room and Niki carefully shut the door tight, locking it in the process. He sat atop the neatly arranged bed while patting the space next to him, gesturing Y/n to sit closer to his side.
“Jay isn’t happy with the sudden announcement of your engagement, and neither am I. But always know that I will always have your back, just like how you always have mine. I’ve seen how Sunghoon made you smile and laugh like how you used to with Jungwon back in the day. This day feared me but we’re here now, and I must tell you the reason why we’re all against him courting you in the first place.”
“Remember Yena? The girl I told you about in the letters? Sunghoon… he deceived her. He made her cheat against me, fed her with lies, and tricked her into thinking our love was nothing but a hoax. I saw them one day in his father’s garden, I followed them, curious enough to see how he made her happier than when she was with me. Until he kissed her. He took her first kiss when I thought we’d be sharing it with each other. And she kissed him back... like I wasn’t even someone to reckon with. Needless to say, I attacked him. The boys went against him afterward. Jungwon was there too. With all the lies he wired into her brain, Yena never looked at me the same after that day. And the many days that followed. She and Sunghoon just suddenly stopped seeing after the fight that erupted between us.”
“The thing was, sister, Sunghoon never loved her. He was young and didn’t want to let the opportunity pass, that’s what he told us when I had his collar by my clutch. That was the only excuse he could ever give us. The asshole that he is.” Niki clicks his tongue while dropping his head low, gaze fixed on the carpeted area on the floor across them. “Fuck. I would still have Yena if he didn’t try to treat things like we were playing a game of who could get the girl first. Thinking about the time he wasted on nothing genuine, Yena could have spent it on me instead and I would have had her here, introduced to Mother and the ton.”
Y/n placed a hand on her brother’s closed, shaky fists. Niki let out soft sniffles, trying his best to keep himself from cracking. “I’m sorry, Riki, I didn’t know. He told me it was all in the past and that he desires to make amends now.” Niki jerks up, eyes fixed on his sister’s eyes. “You’ve only heard his point of view, you never heard mine. Sunghoon’s made a whole record in university, Y/n. He goes around the grounds breaking hearts like he owns them. Girls would swoon over him and he would gladly oblige. What an ambitious, cunning little prick. And now he has you wrapped around his fingers, the same way he did to Yena.”
“I’m sure he means no harm now, brother. He’s been nothing but kind and gentle to me. He makes me utterly happy; the part of my romantic story where I used to want Jungwon to be consistent of.”
“You know, I’ve always been considerate of your choices and aspirations, sister. But I will not lose you to Sunghoon like this. I’m afraid Jay and I will have to be very uptight with you seeing him from now on. I’m sure by now you’ve come to understand why Jungwon’s scared of surrendering you to him. He means well, sis, Jungwon…”
“I will not settle for someone whom I have to spend a lifetime second-guessing whether he wants me in his life or not.”
“But he’s been missing you a lot lately, hasn’t he?”
“I’m afraid him missing me is far too different from him wanting to marry me.”
Niki only sighs before planting a soft kiss on his sister’s temple and fixing his fit to present himself back to the lobby. Y/n was left in her room, fidgeting with her fingers while anxiously biting her bottom lip in deep contemplation.
Sunghoon may have stolen her attention from Jungwon, but she had to admit, she never regretted it. She has felt safe with Sunghoon the past months they’ve been together. Jungwon did nothing but torture her constantly with every chance he got. Although they hadn’t been sticking around their ruse’s ground rules lately, she feared the time between her and Sunghoon would be up soon and she wouldn’t feel his comforting presence around her anymore.
Sunghoon may have gotten her used to their dilly-dallying that time apart from each other could make her feel miserable. Not to mention the embarrassment that would come with it considering she is foretold to be Northumberland’s next duchess after all.
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ㅡ © ENHA-WOODZIES, 2021
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divineprank · 11 months ago
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[terrarium maker]
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kpopfanfictrash · 4 years ago
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TAOM Drabble: The Party
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Author: kpopfanfictrash
Pairing: Jungkook / Reader
Word Count: 1,611
Rating: PG-13
Summary: An accompanying drabble to The Art of War More. This drabble takes place during Y/N and Jungkook’s kiss at hockey house, as well as the immediate aftermath (aka what Seokjin said to convince Jungkook not to follow).
[ PART OF MY JUNGKOOK BIRTHDAY DRABBLE GAME ]
You had to be the most maddening person alive.
Only an insane person would actually be mad at Jungkook for purposefully losing a game of beer pong to you. Only an insane person, or maybe a drunk person – which you were dangerously close to becoming, based on the volume of beer you’d consumed.
Jungkook recognized the fact that he was also insane, since instead of being annoyed by this fact – as he rightfully should’ve been – he just kept staring at your lips and wondering what they would taste like.
“You’re the ridiculous one here, not me!” you complained, your brow adorably crinkled.
Jungkook shook himself free from his stupor.
“Oh, yeah?” he shot back. Then, he sighed. “God, this conversation is stupid. You drive me crazy – you know that?”
“Well, same!” 
“Great.” Fuck – Jungkook was staring at your lips again. With great effort, he forced himself to look you in the eyes. “Anything else you want to say?”
He expected you to cuss him out, maybe tear him a new one, or swear at him about his parentage, so your sudden hesitance came as a surprise. As was the determined way you stepped forward to tilt your face up to his.
“Yeah,” you breathed, almost in a daze.
Jungkook’s entire world seemed to slow. He was able to feel the heat from your body, the warmth of your hands when you reached for his face. As your fingertips brushed over his cheekbones, Jungkook stared wonderingly back at you.
He had imagined this many times prior, but most of those times had been on desperate nights spent alone in his bed when he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t think about anything but your smile, or your scowl.
When you reached up to press your lips against his, Jungkook seemed to short-circuit. 
A strangled noise tore from his throat – did that really come from him? – and he tried to reconcile your touch with reality. Luckily, his insanity only lasted a moment before he came to his senses and wrapped both arms about you.
Tugging you forward, Jungkook’s spine hit the wall and he pulled you between his legs, kissing you fiercely. You shivered when one of his hands brushed your back, which ripped an arrow of fire straight through his chest.
Swiping his tongue at your lip, Jungkook demanded entrance and when you parted beneath him, his knees seemed to buckle.
He’d spent so long not touching you, not even letting himself think about touching you, that now that he had you, he seemed to lose control. Skimming your cheek with his thumb, Jungkook moved his lips to your neck and kissed slowly down your throat.
When your hands wound their way into his hair, he couldn’t help but moan. His two weak spots had always been his hair and his nipples. Jungkook started to drown in your kiss; he imagined you siphoning off pieces of him to leave something better behind.
As soon as he grasped the enormity of this moment – he was kissing you, after all – Jungkook roughly pulled back to rest his forehead to yours.
“Y/N,” he breathed, his voice graveled and strange.
When his eyes finally opened, he saw you staring at him and – instead of his hopeful desire mirrored back – Jungkook saw something inside you which made his heart stutter. You looked at him panicked, uncertain as his gaze roamed your face.
“Y/N?” Jungkook managed to ask. “Are you okay?”
Suddenly desperate, you wrenched yourself from his grasp. Jungkook faltered, feeling cold without you.
“I – yeah. I’m fine,” you said, although you clearly were not. “Just… fine.”
When you spun around, shoving your way towards the door, Jungkook felt his heart tear in two as it sunk to his shoes. He remained frozen for a moment, staring after you and then he tore himself free to plunge into the crowd.
Jungkook rose up on tip-toes, peering over the party to spot you by the door. He pushed himself in your direction, calling your name, although you did not seem to hear.
The further he moved, the higher his heart lodged in his throat. He’d fucked this all up again, somehow. Somehow, Jungkook had made you bolt and he couldn’t even fathom how he’d make it up to you now. It had taken him so long to get you to look at him again, to get you to smile at him again, to get you to trust him again.
Freshman year, Jungkook had been such a shit after you went home with Jimin. Now he knew Jimin meant nothing, but Jungkook had been too prideful and stupid back then to let you know that he cared. 
Heart pounding, Jungkook shoved his way towards the exit. He had almost reached you when a hand closed over his bicep, yanking him sideways.
Pulled from the main room, Jungkook found himself facing Seokjin. “Not now,” he grunted, trying to shove past. “I need to talk to Y/N.”
“It’s about Y/N,” Seokjin said, grabbing his arm again.
Gritting his teeth, Jungkook evaluated the situation. He could definitely overpower Seokjin if he had to, but it’d take longer than convincing Seokjin he had good intentions.
“I need to go after her,” Jungkook said, whirling around. “I just want to talk. Promise.”
When he met Seokjin’s glare, Jungkook nearly recoiled.
It was strange to see Seokjin wearing an unpleasant expression. Jungkook knew Seokjin as the affable guy, the funny guy who got along with everyone and whom everyone liked. He’d never seen Seokjin as the type of guy to pick a fight in the middle of a party, but Jungkook was quickly reassessing that statement.
Finally, Seokjin let go. “She doesn’t want to talk to you,” he said, somewhat heated. “Whatever dumb shit you said, she doesn’t want to hear it.”
“What I said?” Jungkook asked in disbelief.
“I saw you two making out, JK.” Seokjin’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what royally stupid thing you said after to make Y/N run, but whatever it was, you can save the apology for tomorrow. Let her cool off for tonight.”
“I – but...” Jungkook gaped. “All I said to her was her name!”
Seokjin faltered for a moment. “If that was true,” he said slowly. “Y/N wouldn’t have run away like she did.”
Somewhat desperate, Jungkook glanced over Seokjin’s shoulder. He no longer saw you standing with Gina by the door, which made his heart twist.
“I don’t know,” he groaned, turning back. “I really don’t know why she ran. I don’t know what I did to make Y/N angry. Please, Seokjin – I just want to talk to her.”
The longer he looked at Jungkook, the more Seokjin’s expression seemed to shift. He no longer stared at Jungkook with open distrust, but rather uncertainty. 
Still, Seokjin held his ground. “Give it one night, at least,” he sighed, rubbing his neck. “Maybe you’re right and you did nothing wrong, but Y/N still looked upset. Give her some time to cool down.”
Chewing on his lower lip, Jungkook glanced again at the door.
You had looked upset – which made Jungkook wonder why. Why had you looked so utterly torn? That wasn’t the normal reaction Jungkook got after kissing people. It wasn’t the sort of reaction anyone hoped for after a kiss, which made Jungkook wonder if Seokjin had a point.
If you really didn’t want to talk to him, maybe Jungkook should leave you alone.
The instant he thought this, a protest rose to his lips. This was exactly what Jungkook had done several years ago – he had left you alone and pretended not to care – and look where that had gotten him.
Still, he couldn’t help but see your face again in his mind. Your stricken expression, the panic in your voice as you dashed into the crowd – if you really had no desire to see him, Jungkook shouldn’t keep pushing you into something he wanted.
“You’re right,” Jungkook said at last, leveling his gaze with Seokjin. “I don’t want to upset her any more. But I’m not giving up,” he declared, making a decision right there. “I’m not letting another stupid misunderstanding come between us.”
Spinning around on his heel, Jungkook marched into the crowd and left Seokjin standing, somewhat bewildered on his side of the room.
Yanking his phone from his pocket, Jungkook flipped to your messages and scrolled to the bottom. The last text you sent him was a simple ‘okay’ in response to the house address Jungkook had sent you earlier.
Coming to a stop, Jungkook’s thumb brushed the screen. He had typed and re-typed that message several times, debating whether to add something more personal before deciding against. Now, he wished he’d been a little more forthcoming about why he really wanted you here.
About why Jungkook always seemed to want you near. It was more than just wanting to be friends with you, more than the begrudging cooperation between two detectives. It was about how Jungkook couldn’t stop thinking about you, couldn’t stop dreaming of you and each time someone said your name, it felt like a physical wrenching because he couldn’t say your name how he wanted.
He had finally said your name that way tonight and then, you disappeared.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Jungkook took a deep breath – and when he opened them, he composed himself enough to send a text.
Jungkook: Y/N, are you okay? [12:15 AM]
Jungkook:  please talk to me [12:15 AM]
Jungkook: please [12:16 AM]
© kpopfanfictrash, 2020. Do not copy or repost without permission.
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skeezsbbygirl · 4 years ago
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call me that too + kim seungmin
this one’s for anon who requested a seungmin scenario with a dash of oppa kink. i didn’t go too overboard hehe, just a sprinkle of a suggestive theme at the end (i’ll leave it to your imagination asdjhfrirgjgl cuz i can’t handle them feelssss ugh)
nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy! oh and thank you for the love that you guys are showing for “peaches + bang chan” uwuuuu (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
REQUEST BOX IS STILL OPEN. STREAM GOD’S MENU AND VOTE FOR OUR BOYS.
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[5:12 p.m.] A yawn escaped your lips as you managed to go through all your assigned lectures for the day. You logged out from your university's portal and shut your laptop close, not wanting to stare at the bright screen any longer. You sauntered towards the kitchen and opened the drawer that contained all your caffeine-related pick-me-ups. As you were about to grab a mug, your actions were halted by your phone's ringtone, signalling a call as it rang on the coffee table from your apartment's living room. You managed to accept the call before it was dropped.
SeungMong <3
"Hey," you answered, sauntering back to the kitchen as you cradled your phone in between your right ear and shoulder to keep your hands free. "Baby, are you busy?" Seungmin asked. You shook your head but you mentally facepalmed as you remembered that the boy on the other line couldn't see you, "No. I just finished some school stuff. What's up?"
"Can you come over? Chan-hyung wants to take us out for dinner," Seungmin replied and you could faintly hear Jisung and Changbin screaming in the background -- something about Chan covering food expenses for the first time. You lightly chuckled and responded, "Yeah sure, I'll be there in twenty."
An hour passed and you were all gathered at the boys’ go-to restaurant, which was three blocks down from your university's dormitory.
"Am I dreaming?" Jisung teased as he hopped off Chan's car, Changbin and Jeongin not far behind him. “Somebody drive him back home,” Chan groaned to which the younger one giggled, jumping on his back in the process. “Hyung, come on. I was just poking fun at you,” Jisung cooed at the elder, earning him a light flick on the forehead from Chan.
You beamed at the sight of the boys playfully bickering. “Pay attention to me,” Seungmin whined and nudged your shoulder. You broke into a cheesy grin and gave his cheek a peck, “You always have my attention.”
Seungmin extended a hand towards you, to which you gladly complied, squeezing his hand three times as you intertwined your hand with his -- your silent way of saying ‘I love you’. 
Soon after, you guys were seated inside the restaurant and you fell into each of your own said conversations. 
“How was your day?” Seungmin asked as he adjusted his seat closer to yours. “Better now that I’m with you,” you said in a voice soft with affection. Seungmin chuckled, “Stop it.” You shook your head, leaning closer so that your forehead touched his. “You’re so cute,” you teased, which earned you a pout from the older male. “You do know that I’m a year older than you, right?” Seungmin bragged. You rolled your eyes, “Your point being?”
Seungmin sighed in defeat, opting to plant a kiss on your lips, but you were interrupted by multiple groans and a chorus of complains. “Get a room already!” Felix exclaimed with his hands covering his eyes, a poor attempt to discard the sight of yours and Seungmin’s “sickening” affection, as Minho described it. You stuck a tongue out at Felix, “Stop being so bitter.”
Felix faked sob and Jeongin joined in on his act, embracing the older male and patting his head.
Soon, your playful banter came to an end as your orders arrived. You guys were eating in silence, uttering a compliment here and there towards the dishes that you were served, until Hyunjin called for your attention.
“Oh, (y/n), before I forget,” the older male started, only stopping for a second to sip on his drink. “I found that outline you’ve been looking for,” he continued. “Please tell me you have it,” you pleaded, eager to finish the book review that your professor has quested upon your class a week ago. Hyunjin nodded, “The copy is in the car, I got you.”
You cheered as you reached out your hand to give him a high-five. “You’re the best, oppa.”
With your response, Hyunjin immediately side-eyed Seungmin’s reaction. He might have known something or at least sensed something, specifically when Seungmin blabbered -- well, more like ranted -- about you not calling him the said endearment you just used on Hyunjin a few seconds ago. 
Let’s rewind, shall we?
Hyunjin was an hour away from a deadline, and yes, he admits that he may have finished his project sooner, but a certain someone, who goes by the name of Jisung, decided that it would be more fun to play video games over at Felix and Changbin’s dorm. “That stupid project isn’t even due for another day. Chill out, dude,” Jisung claimed with burgeoning excitement. Instead of turning his friend down -- or better, kicking his tempting ass out of the dorm -- he caved in.
Hours later, he was cramming at least two days worth of work into an hour. Then comes your boyfriend, Seungmin. “Hyunjin!” the younger male called out from their dorm’s entrance. “In here!” Hyunjin hollered, his fingers still hot on his laptop’s keyboard, seven more questions and a descriptive about his said stand on the project, and he’ll be done -- both figuratively and literally, his brain’s slowly pan-frying itself to destruction. He mentally cursed Jisung.
“Procrastination at its finest,” Seungmin mocked as he entered Hyunjin’s room. “You can nag me later, bur right now I have to finish this and then kick Jisung’s ass,” Hyunjin said with firm persistence. The younger lad sighed and sat down on a bean bag at the corner of the room. “I don’t have the energy to nag,” Seungmin whispered, but Hyunjin still managed to catch his words. He jokingly rolled his eyes, finding slight amusement towards Seungmin’s puppy expression.
“You and (y/n), had a fight?” Hyunjin asked, his attention still on his laptop but he figured he needed Seungmin for a little background noise to keep him sane, plus the guy’s one of his best friends. “Not really,” Seungmin disagreed. “Then, what got you all gloomy?” Hyunjin insisted, but he was only met with silence.
“Seungmo, come on, spill.”
“She addresses you as an ‘oppa’,” Seungmin blurted out after a few seconds. “Who addresses me as what?” Hyunjin asked, his eyebrows contorted in confusion. “(y/n),” Seungmin answered as he buried his face in his arms. “Seungmo, you do know that she does that to everybody that’s older than her, right?” Hyunjin replied, “It’s called being polite.”
“Well, I call it being unfair.”
Hyunjin chuckled in amusement, “Please elaborate.”
“You and I are the same age, which means that I’m older than her too, but she doesn’t call me that,” Seungmin whined.
And that’s how Seungmin ended up being silent for the rest of the night. You, being unaware of the situation, shrugged it off, thinking that he was just exhausted from his vocal lessons. Until, Hyunjin decided to let you in on the puppy’s cause of gloominess.
“Here, now go ace that literature course,” Hyunjin handed you the outline he promised, giving your head a pat in the process. “Thank you, oppa.”
“One more thing, (y/n),” Hyunjin said as he leaned down and whispered, “Seungmin wants to be called that too.”
“Huh?” you turned to him in confusion, but Hyunjin just stared at you and decided that you would come into revelation in a few seconds. “Oh,” you gasped, eyes lighting up in the process. “That’s why he’s been acting weird,” you added. Hyunjin smiled in approval, “Do something and wipe that pout off his face.”
The car ride back to your dorm was silent. Seungmin kept his eyes on the road, no words were exchanged between the two of you and he clearly showed no effort of doing so any time soon. You’re slowly running out of time as your building came into view a few minutes later. Seungmin slowly stopped the car and got out, he jogged towards your side and opened the door for you.
Go time.
“I’ll text you when I get home,” Seungmin said. His expression was sad but he still managed to give you a kiss on the forehead. He was about to pull away but you prevented him from doing so by holding his face in your hands. You stared at him lovingly, thanking the universe for bringing this man into your life. 
“I love you, oppa,” you whispered, but loud enough for him to hear you. 
A soft gasp escaped from his lips as his eyes widened, “What did you just call me?”
“Oppa, why?” you giggled and gave his nose a kiss. “Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I’m on top of the world right now, but you never call me that,” Seungmin wondered, his arms now wrapped around your waist, allowing him to pull you closer. “Let’s just say, a little bird told me,” you teased.
“Hwang Hyunjin!”
You laughed, “Don’t get mad at him.”
“Listen,” you called back for his attention, “I don’t call you oppa because I use that on everybody who’s older than me, well close friends of course, but you know what I mean.”
“And you, Kim Seungmin, are not just anybody. You’re my person, my everything, my whole world. You’re special to me and you matter the most,” you explained, pouring your feelings out for the said man. You were about to say more in order to get rid of Seungmin’s doubt, but he cut you off with a kiss.
You guys were practically making out in your dormitory’s parking lot, but it’s the least of your worries right now.
You pulled away first as you tried to catch your breath. “I love you so much, (y/n),” Seungmin confessed, his expression now darker as you witnessed his eyes fill with desire. “And I’ll prove that to you.”
“What do you mean, oppa?”
Seungmin leaned down, his lips dangerously close to your ear. “Don’t test me, baby.”
You whimpered in response, “Do whatever you want. I’m all yours, oppa.”
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atlantis-scribe · 3 years ago
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AU-gust 2021 ( Day 13 )
Bad Horror Movie
(in which John is the target of a deranged, masked murderer & Rodney is the only other survivor who just wants to know what the hell is going on)
.
"THIS IS CRAZY!"
John pulls Rodney down just as an axe flies over their heads and lodges itself on the tree behind them.
"OH MY GOD!"
"MCKAY WILL YOU SHUT UP!" John yells as they break into another run, his outburst an impressive display of poetic hypocrisy.
It's the middle of the night, and there isn't even moonlight to guide their mad dash through the woods. Heart pounding against his ribcage, John extends an arm and grabs Rodney as he makes a sharp left turn.
They keep on running until they find a fallen log big enough to hide behind, and John shoves Rodney, hard, until they’re both crouched on the forest floor.
"Don't even think about it," John whispers fiercely when he catches Rodney opening his mouth. The offended look he gets is almost hilarious, and it would've made John laugh any other day.
In the end, Rodney sees reason and eschews his constant desire to yell. When he speaks again, it's in a mockery of sotto voce that, while still a few decibels higher than a sane person's, is not loud enough to attract attention. Probably.
"You saw that, right?" Rodney half-shrieks, panting so hard John worries that even their whispering will not be sufficient to drown out a scared man's thundering heart. "Sheppard, please tell me you saw that, too."
John winces and looks back out into the woods. Part of it is to keep his ears peeled and eyes sharp in case the lunatic comes back, but it's mostly to delay what he knows is all but inevitable.
The moment he and Rodney had stumbled into the secret basement, John knew it’s only a matter of time before they have to discuss what they learned about the truth of this entire clusterfuck.
"I was right beside you, McKay."
"Exactly! And it's a game! This entire clown show is a fucking game!"
Rodney braces his arms against the ground, like he's about to stand. Before John can remind him just how shitty an idea that is, Rodney freezes and seems to remember that they're supposed to be hiding for their lives.
"There's a lab complex under this whole place!" Rodney continues, almost softly. "With crazy people watching the whole thing! Radek and Elizabeth are dead, EVERYONE is dead, and they're making bets!"
It was supposed to be a fun reunion. A bunch of middle-aged nerds who'd worked on a project their senior year and never stayed in touch after. Until tonight, two decades and a lifetime later.
John, an Air Fore washout who now flies the planes of Hollywood elite, only really went to the thing because he was curious about this one guy, the geek who used to make John’s heart skip a beat back in high school.
"And did you hear what they were discussing? What the hell was that? A ritual? Expected last man standing? ‘Oblivious Fool’ & ‘Pining Virgin’? What does that even mean?”
The silence of the woods makes John’s skin crawl, so he grits his teeth and makes himself respond. “They’re the labels they gave us. Like we’re stupid characters.” A few yards away, there’s a sound like a twig snapping, and John tenses. “Those two are the ones these people are always banking on staying alive until the end.”
“And they’re supposed to be us?” Rodney screeches. He doesn’t wait for John’s input before he adds, “Do I look like a virgin to you?” 
Even John knows there’s no right answer for that. “I don’t think that’s you, Rodney.” 
“What!” 
The woods are still quiet. Too quiet. John avoids Rodney’s gimlet eye, which still shines impossibly bright and blue even in the dark. “I said I don’t think they were talking about you.” 
What follows is dead air, even more unnerving than the previous stretch of murderer-less silence. Then John hears Rodney’s breath hitch, and he knows the guy’s got it all figured out. He’s always been smart. That’s what John liked about it him.
“If it’s not— then that means— Wait. You? But— You’re hot!”
The burning in John’s chest is more than just fear now. “Keep your voice down, McKay.”
“What about the ‘pining’ part? How are you a pining— Oh.”
Before John can make a case for what little is left of his dignity, there’s another sound of twig snapping, only this time, it’s followed by the roar of chainsaw engine.
“RODNEY, RUN!”
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ziggyzagreus · 4 years ago
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Active Listening
[Pairing: Charon/Hermes - Fandom: Hades (Video Game)]
[Rating: No Rating Applied]
[Important Tags: Fluff, Getting Together (Kinda), Hermes is Nervous and I love him for that]
[Fic Type: SFW Drabble]
[AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28365528 ]
[Summary: Hermes contemplates the growth of companionship between himself and his Professional Business Associate.]
[Note: This was inspired by replies to a post by @deathonholiday where people were just basically sharing their Charon/Hermes headcanons soooo here we go, lol.]
~~~
Hermes did not know at which point he started being able to understand Charon. Or rather, when something had shifted significantly enough for his own mind to slow down adequately for the boatman to worm his way inside, for that somehow soothing voice contrary to the audible sound it had to sound in the Olympian god’s mind and respond to his own ramblings. It certainly had taken a long time, for the messenger additionally could not recall hearing the low drawls of Charon’s scraping voice for the first while of their association.
A shift in character, perhaps it had taken, or something much more interpersonal, between the two of them rather than Hermes’ attention alone.
At the start of it all, quick trips down to the Underworld often left Hermes more wound up than usual, a strange unease always settling over him when things got darker and more claustrophobic. Sometimes the upper regions were quite alright, nice even, but despite the expanse of Elysium and all its chill air, there was a sense of unwelcome that made Hermes’ pulse antsy. A pressure, like the feeling of watchful eyes on his back – even if it were just innocent shades, Hermes felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up practically the entire trip down. So, he’d search for the boatman, quite literally dashing in to dump his wares and the soul identifications on the polished albeit ancient boat, prattle off on their uses and what messages to be delivered, and be on his way.
Charon would always watch him as well, burning violet gaze just visible under the brim of his wide boater hat, and Hermes would use an old salesmanship trick – staring right at the bridge of the nose, well, should the individual possess one, which Charon did not – to finish his delivery in record time. Charon would nod, weight leaning heavily on the oar, and that same searing gaze would bore into the back of the Olympian as he darted off to leave this wretched place behind.
Those hollow eyes, teeming with a deep energy, were always on him, and initially they had carried that same feeling of watchful unease that Hermes shivered off once finding his way back home.
Then, it came that Charon would begin meeting Hermes closer and closer to the surface; how the boatman came to expect his arrival was unbeknownst to the messenger god, but he appreciated the gesture all the same. It was as if Charon could tell how jumpy Hermes got, the way he couldn’t even hover still and the slight tremor to his rapid speech. The boatman awaited his arrival closer to the surface, and in his company, Hermes found himself speaking more, the tiniest bit more slowly, and biding their time. The more at ease he became, the easier it was to fall to his dispositional pattern of chatter.
Hermes filled most silences. In Olympus he was well known for it, rather rudely to be perfectly square, and especially now when the only companion in this dreary place seemed to have no words of his own. Figuring he was mute, with little to no intention to speak, Hermes had no issue prattling on about anything and everything.
Eventually, Hermes felt sorry, too, for being so fleeting in the past; and now, he allowed the realization of a sort of warm safety from being in the presence of the Chthonic minor god, aware that nothing dare cross the planks of his Narrowboat lest they be lost shades with little will stored in their spirits. Nothing could truly come to harm Hermes down here, and so, relaxation came to follow with the pleasure of Charon’s company.
Of course, though, as time went on, he wondered if the boatman even understood a word he spoke while they were together.
He received nods, and Charon followed directions, but that seemed to be the extent of it all. He never uttered even a sound in return, and while Hermes was often the one to interrupt things, a strange thought occurred that he himself wished to be interrupted, if only for once. Prompting place for it, asking questions, and waiting a beat for a response all seemed futile. Plus, Hermes himself often answered the question allowed, or rushed off to speak before he could stop himself.
And so, it came to pass in such a shock when one day, Charon spoke.
Hermes adjusted the strap of his bag, keeping what wares inside from tumbling out, and skidded to a halt at the ledge in Elysium where Charon often arrived to pick him up and spare him from a solitary trek down through Asphodel or Tartarus.
To the god’s surprise, the boat was already there at a standstill, its proprietor waiting to the side calmly, dark aura instead the most welcoming feature of the Underworld as far as Hermes was concerned. One of Charon’s arms crossed his chest, slender hand hidden within the folds of billowing robes, and that same penetrating violet gaze fixated as if he knew precisely where the god would appear.
Hermes opened his mouth to speak, a grin tugging at his lips, already sucking in a breath for the tumultuous expulsion of words sure to come: stories of where he’d been and the functions of the goods he had to deliver to his dear associate. But the words fell flat when Charon instead drew his hand out into view, a palm-sized bottle of golden nectar held delicately in his grasp.
“Charon, chap, is this…? Erm, well, of course I know what it is, but are you gifting this to me?”
And for the first time, Charon spoke. He had a voice like no other; and while to many that would be derogatory, speaking volumes of negativity towards the scratching, garbled whispers like a foul blizzard wind or the gargling of shards of something broken – to Hermes, it sounded simply, cozy and clear in his mind. It sounded as much the comfort and safety he felt in the boatman’s presence, and that was… Striking.
“Indeed, something simple, but a gift for you, nonetheless. Should you desire to take it.”
Hermes’ mind felt fuzzy, something blooming from his chest, warm and light like the comings-on of the wines from Dionysus’ feasts, but this was delightful. A new, exciting thrill shot through the messenger and caused his feathered heels to lift an additional foot or so off the ground where he hovered. He stared, at a loss for words, at the nectar in Charon’s hand.
“How can I hear you so clearly?” He instead asked, words dumping out slowly, at least for the pace of the quick-tongued god.
“You at long last cared to listen. Perhaps you are comfortable… in my presence. Take it, I insist, good Hermes.”
Without further hesitation, Hermes reached for the nectar and held the delicate glass close, admiring the subtle craftsmanship forged likely from fires here in hell itself. “I… thank you. I – oh, I didn’t exactly bring anything special for you, nothing aside from the usual wares and the few soul identifications but – oh, next time, next time I will, alright Charon? We are business partners for sure, there’s no doubt about that now, alright? Considering you’ve put up with me for this long, and you’ve followed everything I’ve said! Why, you’ve understood it all, haven’t you? I am terribly sorry for doubting so, I suppose I should have – I should have listened closer last time…”
“You are forgiven, for neither of us were ready. Now, shall we depart?” Charon gestured to the boat that awaited them.
A jolt of glee shot through Hermes, and for the first time since his work began, an excitement to venture into the Underworld met him. It was startling, surely, for when the fear had dissipated as companionship with Charon grew, for once… Well, this would be rather enjoyable.
“Certainly! Let’s get right to it, friend! And do I have stories to tell you, now there was this incident that I faced up on the surface when acquiring the name of that fellow right there…”
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ktheist · 5 years ago
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i give this soulmateship : 11/10
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a soulmate-esque fic.
pairings: jungkook x reader
words: 6.151
synopsis: in which your whole world shifted when you found out that your soulmate is the frat brother of your one night stand the morning after said one night stand.
alternatively, “these feelings are getting in the way of my heartless bitch reputation.”
x
“Just admit it, god damn it,” Jungkook throws his head back in frustration, if you look closer, you can see the lines forming between his brows, “we’re soulmates!”
“Too soon to tell.” The skepticism you’ve been wearing around your shoulders will be the death of you.
He pushes his sleeve to just below his elbow despite the marking being easily visible on the spot just below the crook between his thumb and index finger. That one spot you touched when your hand brushed against his as you were about to open the bathroom door somewhere in the frat you just had a one night stand at. Hosung? Hoseok? Ho-something is still waiting at the end of the hallway for a ‘rewind’ of what happened last night just because you were both wasted and barely remembered anything.
“Touch me, right here.” He smacks the skin on his forearm. Nothing happens. If not for a little pink painting the area where that loud ‘pap!’ landed.
“No, that’d be animal abuse.”
He doesn’t seem to care about the comment as you trace back from where you came from, ignoring the ‘who was it? namjoon? hoseok?’ (ah, so it’s hoseok) that closes in on your trail. Jungkook’s pep-talk goes on for another quarter minute before he curses and walks pass you into the room you’re heading.
“Motherfucker! That was my soulmate!” The scene is unusually arousing with your self-proclaimed soulmate on top of Hoseok whose morning wood is painstakingly visible in his nude glory while he pales at Jungkook’s unrelenting threats to ‘stay as far away from ____ as possible and if I so much as –’
While they’re at it, you gather what’s yours: bra, underwear, phone and shorts which gets swallowed by Hoseok’s shirt before making a beeline towards the door but not before trying to wave at Jimin with a hand full of bra that you quickly hide behind your back shamefully.
Just when you thought you’ve escaped the lion’s den. The lion comes running at you in a form of Jeon Jungkook with only a shirt and boxers on, shouting your name like a man madder than he turns out to be.
You barely made it into the Uber when he skids to a stop just inches from the vehicle as it begins to move.
x
“Don’t look but Jeon Jungkook is staring at you!” Han Na squeals as she pinches a handful of your oversized sweater that you changed into after dumping Hoseok’s shirt in the laundry basket.
Something tells you Jungkook can sniff the Hoseok off of that shirt if you came to class in it and it’s not going to be good.
“Can you not,” you attempt to elbow the girl with the hand which sleeve she’s clinging onto in her excitement which doesn’t seem to give the desired effect of shutting her up, “make it obvious that we know he’s watching?” 
“Yeah - no. I mean, no! Jeon Jungkook is your soulmate and I will not shut up about this until I have grandchildrens so the only time I shut up is when I’m dead -” At this point where her voice is a pitch (she might as well go up to the front and use the mic), you’re willing to accept any kinds of alternative even if it came in a giant ‘fuck you’ box handed to you by the gods themselves when you look up to see thee Jung Hoseok himself - except he’s more decent.
“Hey, is this seat taken?”
“Yes.” Han Na chirps almost instantly, waving him away with her hand only to frown when you forcefully lower it with yours.
She never liked him ever since he beat her in a dance off.
“Nope.” The ‘p’ pops a little as you will yourself to show a tweak of human decency.
“So,” Hoseok starts, eyes trained on the professor but nowhere does it shows that he’s listening to a thing the elder woman is saying, “you’re Jungkook’s soulmate, huh?”
You’re about to roll your eyes at the mention of fate before the next words get your jaw dropping on the ground and you can only hope you don’t look like an idiot.
“I was kinda hoping you’d say yes if I asked you out.”
Silence.
Well, not actual silence since there’s none of that when the professor’s only taking 2 seconds break between her words but there’s definitely an awkward pause between you two. For one, you don’t expect anything to come out of a drunken hook up and two, he must either be dumb or brave if he chooses to ignore the glare of daggers shooting in his direction from a certain male specimen on the other side of the room.
“Hoseok, I...”
x
“How long are you planning to avoid me before you admit it?” Jungkook, out of absolutely nowhere (actually from the other side of the lecture hall), falls in step with you.
All that muscle wasted to a single cat and mouse game when he could be running for the track team.
“Stop stalking me.”
It comes as a surprise when he abruptly stops in his trek which consequently makes you stop a step after him. Cheeks puffed and mouth pursed. The image is almost comical for a guy with his built yet makes your chest full of something warm and tender.
“I’m not –” he balls his hands in the air as though he can grab hold of the frustrating situation and put a stop to it.
Taking a deep breath, he looks back at you with controlled exasperation and a cooler tone, “I am not stalking you.”
“Um, chasing after the car I left? Check. Following me around as soon as I get out of class? Check. I mean the list can go on if you continue stal–”
“Stop,” he presses his palm against your mouth, “using that word.” 
Eyes looking around in case anyone caught a piece of the conversation only to realize that he’s touching you without your permission and quickly retracts his hand as though they burn.
The look on his face screams ‘oh shit’ as his mouth stretches across his teeth into an unsure smile.
You fumble with your phone. All of a sudden swiping becomes the most difficult task to date as it takes almost a minute for you to access the front camera. And sure as day, the markings are there. Wildflowers bloom across your face where his touch is still hot. Purple, blue, yellow colors your otherwise natural skin tone. 
Jungkook notices the glance you give his hand that’s inked with similar wildflowers as he clutches it and unclutches it.
“Uh, sor-”
He doesn’t even get to finish his words because you’re already dashing down the hallway towards the washroom as though it’s some ink that can be rinsed off.
(But hey, you tried.)
x
The rumor about Jungkook’s floral engraved fingertips spreads like wildfire. The campus heartthrob found his soulmate. You can only imagine how many hearts he’s broken by using those hands out in the open to wave at his friends and perform those handshakes every time he sees his pals.
You, on the other hand, opts for a Kumamon printed mask. Han Na made a slip of a tongue that black would contrast glaringly against the colorful markings on your face if the mask sag lower than the markings line even just a bit.
The good news is, everyone’s looking for someone who has the same markings as Jungkook but on their hands. Not face. Which leads to you managing to lay low the whole week until the markings fade off and you’re finally soulmate-free. Or appear to be.
First thing you do is hop into an Uber to a party on Friday as soon as your class ends. Your friends are already (drunk) texting you to hurry up because apparently you’re the only one with a night class among your group of friends.
“You’re hereeee!” Han Na spills some beer on you while she hugs you, “girl, where’s your red cup? I’ll get-”
You manage to hold her before she fades into the crowd, saying that you’ll get it yourself and leaving her with your friends who are halfway to getting wasted.
It is in that moment that the gnawing guilt in the corner of your heart dissipates as your eyes catch sight of a certain well-built basketball ace with Jennie. Obviously whatever words they’re saying to each other consist of compliments with one objective in mind. To get into each other’s pants.
Almost as though you’re spiritually (ha!) connected, Jungkook looks up. Those hazed eyes turns twice their sizes as your lips part slightly from shock or a big fat guilt of being caught, you’re not sure.
Han Na has been glaring at Jungkook who’s been giving you the puppy eye since you came back without a cup and a whole lot of frown.
At some point, after a few cups of beers passed around, you’re laughing and dancing with the girls. Any unpleasant thoughts now pushed to the back of your mind.
You must have strayed away from your group when not-all-of-a-suddenly, Jimin’s hands are on your hips and yours on his shoulder as you both sway rhythmically. He rests his forehead on yours, sporting that cute, eye smile. Having been friends when people started talking about him after summer break once he put on some muscle and bleached his hair,boy would you be lying if you said you were far from joining the having-the-hots-for-Jimin bandwagon.
He starts to lean in and you wanted to stand on your tip toes to close the distance between you and him...
And then you’re embracing sheer air.
“Stay the fuck away from her, you hear me?” Someone shouts from somewhere on the dance floor.
Looking over to where the voice comes from, a circle starts to form on your left where a certain brown head is visible between the gap of drunken spectators. You push your way through the crowd, worry fills your chest as you internally dread the sight you’re about to see.
Sure enough, Jimin is on the floor, cupping his cheek while he glares daggers at his frat brother. You wedge yourself between the two men, acting as a human barricade. 
“Jungkook, seriously?” Your voice is hushed and rushed, eyes briefly scanning the crowd.
Some appear disinterested, some annoyed at the interruption but the most irritating ones are the ones taking out their phones as you speak.
“Get out of the way, ____.” He orders. The nerve of him.
“Or,” standing straighter, you challenge him through gritted teeth, “what?”
His gaze falters as though it’s a hypothetical slap to his face whilst your heart accelerates. Your body is pink and hot and yearns for him to touch you but if there’s one thing, you’re good at, it’s keeping your hands to yourself when you need to.
The tension is almost tangible. It tastes bitter than the feeling at the back of your throat. A part of you wants to step back and say sorry for laying your hands on another man when you know who Jungkook is and what he means to you. Another part, or the more reasonable one as you dupe it, tells you to walk away with your pride in tact. 
Before the inner war manages to convince you to do something stupid, a shout from somewhere in the crowd makes you break into cold sweat. And it seems, everyone else.
“Cops! Fuck!”
It feels like the series of events from the moment you found out who your soulmate is, leads up to this very moment: shouts, bodies pushing, panicked wails and red and blue lights pouring from the windows. When you look over your shoulder, Jimin’s already fled the scene probably the second someone screams ‘the cops are here!’
“We gotta run!” Are the last words that Jungkook said before all hell breaks loose.
You both start running.
Through the backdoor, into the hilly streets, past houses and buildings until you lose sight of your fellow college buddies who were running along with you, until the signature red and blue lights are replaced with the monotonous street light, until you spot a similar yet dissimilar markings upon people’s faces as they pass you by.
“Did we,” you pant, “run,” another pant, “all the way to the city?”
Jungkook laughs a breathy laugh, head lolled to the back while he looks at the sky as though thanking the stars for saving him - and you have a sneaky suspicion his gratefulness extends to your behalf as well as he squeezes your hand.
“Sorry.” His eyes go wide when it dawns on him (and you).
The blue, purple and yellow wildflowers paint both your hands where they touch, appearing darker in the absence of light as Jungkook releases his hold. Holding back the senseless impulse to grab that hand again, you slip your in your pocket.
“Thanks for saving my ass back there.”
He shrugs, “was saving my own ass but figured I’d bring you along.”
A flash of yellow enters your periphery, “look! there’s a cab, we can grab a ride back.”
“Wait,” Jungkook’s freezes for half a second as though the word left his lips before he can even register it, “what if they’re waiting for us?”
“The cops?” You lull your head slightly to the side, one eyebrow lifted questioningly.
“Yeah.” He begins, “maybe they figured out we’re all from the same uni and are waiting at the house. Uh, I don’t know.”
“Okay.” You nod, “so we hang around here for a bit.”
“Yep.”
“Cool.”
“Yeah.”
A good, solid thirty seconds past before he steps in front of you, halting you altogether. Lips set in a firm, serious line but the pink on his cheeks and ears only serve to make him less intimidating - if that’s what he’s aiming for.
“Be honest, why were you all over Jimin? Do you like him?”
“Uh,” you raise your eyebrows at him as though asking if he’s for real.
When his own don’t lift up, you realize your reluctance to answer is the reason for that flash of hurt in his eyes.
“It’s because I was talking to Jennie, huh?”
“What? No!” You take a step back as though the idea itself physically appalls you, “I mean I’m petty but not that petty and you,” you wave a colored index finger in his face in a warning manner, “are giving yourself too much credit.”
With that, you step to the side, leaving him behind only to have him fall into pace with you. Flushed cheeks and a cute pout, he shoots another round of questions, “why don’t you accept me as your soulmate? Do you... hate me that much?”
The street lamp under which you stop bears witness to furrowed eyebrows and the 30 seconds of interval you take to muster your words.
“You know when something doesn’t work out and the girl tells the guy it’s not their fault but it kind of is?” You take in a deep breath, hoping, praying to the stars that there’s a reset button because honest to Fate, Jungkook will either hate you or you’re going to hate yourself for doing this to a perfectly, attractive and amazing guy.
And the thing is, you know he’s amazing. You were in the same circle of friends at some point, had an intellectual conversation enough to shift the dynamics from acquaintances to kinda-friends, he may even be listed in your future-fuck-candidate but - 
“This time, it’s literally, literally me. I just don’t like the idea of getting with someone just because we’re ‘soulmates’.” Hands gesturing in the space between you and him, you sigh, shoulders sagging, “I mean before this, we’re just a friend of a friend’s and now you’re telling me we’re supposed to spend our whole lifetime together?”
Jungkook drops his gaze, shoes scuffing the hard concrete as he keeps his hands buried in his pockets. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Three heartbeats.
After the tenth count, he looks up at you with the same eyes he did that morning and your chest tightens, “I’m not telling you to spend your whole lifetime with me.”
“But give me a chance to show you my definition of soulmates.” His eyes literally sparkle like the stars as he waits for you to respond and you’re going over the pros and cons in your head.
The pros are: your soulmate is Jeon-fucking-Jungkook.
The cons: everything else.
“Okay, but,” You warn, heart palpitating. Somewhere in your head, sirens are going off as a part of you wills your body to turn the other way and run run run, “I can call this soulmateship off anytime I want when I know it’s not working out.”
“Deal.” The hesitant lines between his eyebrows ceases as he grins that grin that makes your heart skip a beat.
x
“Hey,” Jungkook plops next to you, that boyish smile on his face, “cute sweater.”
“Uh,” you hesitate for a heartbeat because Han Na is either going to kill him for last Friday, she doesn’t know the details but he’s easily her least favorite person when she put two and two together or she’s going to kill you for giving her spot out to the guy she’s going to eventually also kill, “thanks.”
It’s a grey, oversized sweater and the only one that you have in your closet that’s big enough for the sleeves to fall past half of your hand so the markings won’t be as visible while Jungkook dons his black and red jersey, the cuff stopping just a few centimeters past his wrist. 
“Nice pen.” You note the lack of notebooks on his table while the pen you saw him brought lies lonely by itself.
His cheeks turn red as he forces out a laugh, “Oh this? It’s Jimin’s.”
You blink, surprised, “you guys made up?”
“No, I sneaked into his room and stole it this morning.”
You can’t help but smile at his pettiness. Idiot.
As though the stars heard him, Jimin slides into the chair in front of him along with Han Na who’s shooting accusatory looks at you. You try to mouth ‘I’ll tell you later’ to her, only to have her use her hands to gesture her non-understanding, leading to Jimin noticing her and then looking over at you and Jungkook.
That makes the third surprised face that’s thrown at you today since Jungkook sat next to you. The second one was from Han Na and the first was from Jennie who passed your row to join her friends on the far left side of the hall.
“Hey pretty, how’s your weekend?” Jimin smiles and he makes it clear that he’s only talking to you with the additional pet name (much to Jungkook’s chagrin).
Before you begin to form a placid sentence in hopes to tone down the growing tension between the two brothers, the professor’s elderly voice greets the class. Jimin being Jimin, he turns his body to the front as he focuses on the lesson. Han Na gives you one last look that screams ‘this isn’t over’ before she turns to the lesson too.
Not long after, Jungkook snickers from next to you as you nudge his side in an attempt to tell him to focus while Jimin takes off the cover of his iPad and puts it back on and then continues scanning the floor below his seat. When Han Na notices the abundance of movements from the person sitting next to her, she must have asked even though you didn’t hear it. And then she starts mimicking his action of looking down as well.
“Give me,” you gesture below the table, palm facing the ceiling.
“What? No!” He half-shouts and half-whispers, gone is the mirth on his face, replaced by a look of betrayal and dissatisfaction as he holds the stylus.
“He’s clearly suffering.” You emphasize the last word, making the man look at his poor brother who’s getting more and more frustrated by the second.
Then he hands you the pen. You don’t miss the extra length between his fingers and the other end for you to take without having your fingers brush. Once you’re in possession of it, you toss it in the aisle next to you.
“Everything good, Jimin?”
The aforementioned man looks at you, distraught but still managing to shoot you a smile, “yeah, think I might have pay a visit at the lost and found. Can’t find my stylus anywhere.”
“Oh,” you throw your eyes to the floor under your seat, peeking through the gap and pretending to look until your eyes land on the piece of stylus that you previously tossed, “is that it?”
Relief washes over his feature as he practically leaps for the pencil as though a second late and it’ll disappear from his very eyes. Or so to speak.
“He was so gonna cry,” Jungkook comments from next to you once he’s sure Jimin is focused on what the professor’s saying.
When he meets your gaze, his hands shoot up in a surrendering manner, eyes wide as though you’re the one not making sense here, “I was gonna put it in his locker when I get back!”
You roll your eyes, “negative one point for the house of asshole-ry.”
Jungkook looks like he’s about to protest just as the professor announces the existence of a test in a fortnight’s time. Then he channels all his energy to panicking and asking the person on his other side about the test just because you sarcastically told him to pay attention in class next time, idiot.
x
The video’s of you, Jimin and Jungkook is out.
Though the last thing you want is to be caught up in a rumor between two attractive frat brothers, it doesn’t seem too bad minus a few random people coming up to you and talking as though you’ve been good old buddies. Taehyung being on of them. You’ve been hanging out with him for almost two days just because Eunha’s friends with him and invited him for lunch even though your group was faring perfectly well without his presence before.
“So, you’re Jungkook’s soulmate, huh?”
Before you manage to say anything, they’re already embellishing the answer one after another. It went from Jungkook being rejected to Jimin swooping in and then to the two boys having a beef over you. By the end of it, Taehyung is nodding and making all kinds of facial reactions.
“They’re pathological liars,” you explain, “half of those things aren’t true.”
The way Taehyung’s been nodding for the umpteenth time makes you wonder if his neck is okay. Before you manage to ponder further, your eyes fall on the group of boys that entered the common hall. Amongst them, the talked-about soulmate of yours.
It seems as though the spiritual, telepathic, hoodoo voodoo connection is real as Jungkook, for some unknown reason, scans the vicinity and his eyes land smack dab on you.
Your friends are making weird, kissy sounds as he begins to tread over.
“Guys, please stop.” You rub your temples, dropping your head in order to hide the heat on your face.
“Hey, sup guys.” Jungkook chirps, he sounds closer than you’d like as your friends collectively greet him back, some high-fiving him from the pap! pap! sounds.
The moment you’ve been dreading comes when Eunha nudges you and you can tell by the lack of chattering that all your friends are waiting, anticipating, “____, don’t you wanna say hi?”
Putting on a fake smile, you breathe out as you look up only to find Jungkook looking back at you with that boyish grin.
“Hi.” You half-whisper in exasperation.
“Hey.” His tone drops an octave lower, almost as though that ‘hey’ was a whisper meant only for you before he turns to your friends, grin widening, “you mind if I steal ___ for a bit?”
“Yes.” Han Na replies, curt, short as she smiles at him in a ‘bye-bye’ kind of manner.
She hasn’t like him much since you briefly and lightly explained why you weren’t acting yourself since you came back without a drink and crossed arms.
“No! Pffft. We don’t mind!” Nayeon says over the silence that lapses at Han Na’s response.
They chorus words of eager agreement. If you don’t know any better, you’d think they just want to be rid of you.
“So I was thinking,” Jungkook breaks the quietness as you walk down the hallway, completely unaware of the curious gazes shot his way, “this Sunday. You and me. Theme park.”
“Like a date?”
He rolls his eyes, “no, I’m gonna kidnap you and dump your body in a haunted house.”
This time, it’s your turn to roll yours but the smile on your lips gives away the playfulness of the atmosphere.
“I don’t understand how a date is going to change my mind.”
“You’ll see.” Jungkook winks and with that, he starts walking backwards, “wear something blue!”
x
You can’t help but snort at the navy blue bomber jacket he has on. The shade, similar to your jeans which is the only blue you have on. He doesn’t seem to mind when he greets you with a hi and a drop of his gaze to his white Adidas before looking back at you with a smile you can’t quite decipher, “you look good.”
“Thanks.” You comment, knowing his taste in fashion has always screamed ‘cute, attractive guy who’s way out of your league alert’, “you too.”
He runs a hand through his fluff of a hair and make a mental note to ask for his haircare routine.
The bullet train you take gets more and more packed with each stop. You don’t miss the subtle shift Jungkook does as he stands between you and the crowd, trapping you between the doors that doesn’t open at least for until five more stops.
“So what did you do last night?”
“Partied, you know, at Taehyung’s.”
“This Taehyung guy, is he nice?” He narrows his eyes.
“He’s okay, he’s Eunha’s friend.”
Jungkook smiles, nodding as his averts his gaze to something behind you where the window opens up to the cityscape.
“What?”
“Nothing.” 
A pause. A hard stare from your part and subsequently a sigh from him.
“Okay,” Jungkook gives in to your questioning look as he returns one that says ‘but you’re not gonna like it’, “I hear he’s been saying stuff about us.”
“Which is...”
“Harmless but I figured you’re not the kind of person that wants to get involved in rumors. He’s been saying we’re soulmates and you refused because of Jimin and something about Hoseok asking you out.” He shrugs, lower lip jutting out briefly, unbothered.
“He did ask me out.”
Just then, the train comes to yet another stop. The last thing you see is Jungkook’s baffled face before slipping past the crowd and out of the train. The afternoon air is chilly even with three layers of clothing. The streets of Yongin forever busy with the hustle and bustle of life. Something sweet and savory fills your nose as you approach a food vendor selling fish-shaped buns.
“Wait,” Jungkook calls from somewhere not too far away, “what do you mean he asked you out?”
He comes to a stop next to you as you pay for the buns, handing one to him as you continue walking in the same direction of the sea of people towards the flashy yellow gates of the park. 
“He asked me out and then I said no.”
“Oh, cool.” A look of relief washes over him as he nonchalantly nods but the smile he hides beneath the fish shaped bun does not get past your hawk-like observation.
Once you dump the paper bag that the buns came with, Jungkook’s already smiling from ear-to-ear as he looks at something behind you where the source of screaming comes from.
“Actually, the merry-go-round seems fun.” 
“You’re not for real,” the look on Jungkook’s face is almost comical as it starts to fall at the dawning seriousness that you’d rather choose sculptures of horses, ponies, carriages and what not than the heaving, suspended vessel he’s eyeing, “are you?”
“Unless, of course, you wanna ride something else then we can go on separate rides and have fun on our ow-”
“Merry-go-round, here we come!” Jungkook almost shouts as he begins on his trek, trailing behind him, you try to hold back your laughter at his obvious disinterest in the kiddy ride but preserved either way.
He looks almost surreal, like a modern knight as he playfully waves around his imaginary sword in his attempt to ‘protect the princess!’ who rides a violet pony just a couple horses away from you and Jungkook. Her hearty laugh rings like bell chimes as the ride comes to a stop and he got off first, holding his hand out for her.
“Are you soulmates?” She looks from Jungkook to you, her tiny hands wrapped around his finger and yours.
All of a sudden, an unbearable weight settles on your shoulder as you force a smile, “yeah, kinda.”
“Then why don’t you have pretty birdies on your faces like mommy and daddy?”
She had waved to a couple in their late 30′s on the other side of the rail. Their markings a monochrome of sparrows, apparent on their faces. A glaring pronouncement of ownership and commitment for those who’s found the other part of their soul.
“Well, because,” the pause you take is long enough to demand the gaze of the girl and Jungkook’s ‘I got this’ smile.
“Because we’re not ready to like each other like soulmates do.”
You thank the heaven’s that, in that moment, you’ve reached the exit slash entrance of the ride. Bowing to the little girl’s parents, you gush over how a sweetheart she is when her mother apologizes for her handfulness. She waves at you and Jungkook as one hand grasps onto her father before the family disappears into the crowd.
“You chose the first ride, now it’s my turn and I choose,” Jungkook grins, index finger pointing to the initial ride he’s been eyeing just as the vessel curves forward after remaining suspended in the air for three seconds, shouts of terror ensues, “that.”
Swallowing the lump in your throat, you can feel the bead of sweat running down your temple.
x
“Whoever thought about a floating boat is - AAAAAAAH!” There’s no telling whether you’ve lost your voice (you suspect yes, from the soreness in your throat) or whether it got swallowed by the half-dozen of voices from the rest of the people suffering the same, horrible, death-potent fate as you.
The machinery remains suspended in the air, defying the gravity that causes your hair to fall over your visage before it curves downwards without so much as a warning. Then, you’re back to having your mouth wide open like a flytrap, gripping onto the only thing keeping you from being tossed into oblivion.
It feels as though the ride goes on for hours before it actually stops and by the time it does, you realize you have your eyes screwed shut and the railing you were holding onto for dear life isn’t a piece of metal pole that you though it was  because for one, it wouldn’t have fingers and two, the thumb shouldn’t have the ability to rub half-circles on the back of your hand.
“You okay?” The creased forehead and troubled eyes are enough to tell you that you’re going to have to go through another week of sweaters and hiding under sleeves.
Jungkook’s free hand reaches for you only to stop halfway, an indecipherable look on his face before he stands up. The hand you’ve been gripping slipping away from your touch as he pockets them inside his jacket.
By the time you were off the ride, the feelings in your legs gradually return and you manage to walk properly, the warmth of his hand still lingers as your hands sway by your side.
“Sorry, I, uh, didn’t know you were af-”
“I was shook,” you cut him off, determined to get things straight, “not afraid.”
“If you mean screaming your lungs out like there’s no tomorrow is shookethness, then okay.” His tone is laced with mockery as a corner of his lips lifts up.
“It’s called freedom is speech, Kook,” you roll your eyes, trying and failing to hide the heat on your cheeks, “get with the culture.”
Jungkook never lets you live after that. He’s been abusing the word shook, shooketh or shookethness for every event which the word are not remotely applicable but also won a shark plushie for you. 
For the next few rides, despite in spite of himself, Jungkook chose milder ones namely the dodgems and scrambler and you go on to play a few games until you suggest the roller coaster. You take whole solid minutes to convince the basketball ace that you do want to get on the ride and deny every allegations tumbling out of his mouth about you choosing said ride because you want him to have fun too because ‘I’m having loads of fun already!’ he says as he gestures towards the gold fishes that you’re about to hopefully catch.
The sight itself is endearing and ridiculous at the same time because knowing the athletic male and the amount of sports he joins during your university’s sports week, stealing candy from a baby is more thrilling than gold fish-fishing.
“I’ve always wanted to go on these rides at least once in my lifetime.”
Silence lapses before Jungkook looks straight at you, “...that’s kinda sad.”
With a kick to the leg, you leave him calling (or laughing, you’re not sure) for you while apologizing and handing the 2 tickets worth of net back to the vendor. He slips in after you, the excitement of the twist and turns of the route already having him grinning.
“Wanna hold my hand?”
You’re not sure if he was joking when he holds out his hand, palm facing the sky but there’s no mistaking wide eyed gaze he gives you as you slip yours in his just before the train starts moving. Purple, yellow and blue begins to bloom over yours and his hands as your grip gets firmer with every dip and turn.
It doesn’t seem all that scary, these rides.
x
The subway is less crowded, the shocking red seats remaining mostly vacant. Your colorful hands clasp over the shark plush that you hug to yourself. Your side is pressed against the backseat, knees brushing against his while his index finger brushes the back of your hand before it hooks around yours as you catch the last train back. Outside, the star-like lights dot the cityscape. He’s humming an old tune that was popular back when you were children.
A thumb war begins to break out except you end up holding his index finger with your whole hand in an attempt to stop him from poking your poor shark plush. Something warm blooms in your chest as laughter tumbles out of the both of you.
“These feelings are getting in the way of my heartless bitch reputation,” you say, a moment later as you bite your lower lip.
A pause. A silence.
“So,” he fails, (terribly, if you may say so yourself) to contain the forming smile as his eyes do so as well, curving in crescent moons but brighter than the luminescent lights in the ceiling, “you’re saying you like me.”
“See, that’s the thing,” you wave your free index finger in at him, “you’re jumping to conclusions.”
“Tell me I’m wrong,” he dares, that glint in his eyes brighter than the stars that brought you together, “tell me you don’t think we’ll end up liking each other that day we started talking about peanut butter on pizza.”
You scrunch your nose in a muscle response, “which we settled is the equivalence of pineapples on pizza.”
“Which is a great topping,” the repeated raise of his eyebrow tells you to admit the superior fact of the matter but you shake your head playfully, “shut your cute ass up.”
Silence, a comfortable one, lapses as the train beeps, alerting the last remaining seconds before the doors close. You end with your backs against the rest, staring at your reflection in the widow directly across from you. Wildflowers ark Jungkook’s jaw as he rests his chin on top of your head and peeks just beneath your hairline. Nevermind the linger of the mark for the next few days.
“I give this soulmateship an 11/10.” You murmur underneath your breath like a whisper meant only for him as you feel the squeeze on your hand.
“I like you too, idiot.”
x
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jennygirl2014 · 4 years ago
Text
Birthday Cake~Chapter 2
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Summary: Humiliated beyond belief, y/n now has to face her boss after the incident.  She isn't sure which to be more worried about, Tony firing her or hiding from Steve for the rest of her life.
Word Count: 2.1k
Warnings: 18+, nsfw, sexual themes, swearing, fantasizing
The sound of that incessant mocking laughter haunted you, adding insult to injury. Such a stupid prank, with such devastating results.  Most of which were at your own expense.  You heard it thumping in your ears as you drove home, trying to keep yourself from crying or dying of embarrassment.
Ha ha… ha ha… ha ha….
              You got home and peeled yourself out of your clothes, threw them right into the washing machine and tried to relax in your tub. You had to sort through it all, somehow.  It was a mistake, that was never supposed to happen, you meant well.  You had no idea what you were going to walk into, literally. In your defense, you did knock. He just didn’t answer. Of course, breaking in wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
              It was Tony’s idea in the first place.  And it was his stupid prank that added to the humiliation.  What if Steve called up Tony and let him know what happened?  He couldn’t fire you for doing what he told you to do, right?  You were just a victim of Tony’s antics.  But the real victim, by far, was Steve.  How were you going to face him after that? How were you going to move on after such a tragedy?  Yes, you had imagined seeing him doing that before, but you would have never actually tried to see it for yourself.  The image was stuck in your head, him standing there with that look of complete shock and invasion on his face.  And even more, those muscular thighs, his large hand…
              Aside from the shock, and humiliation, your curiosity was getting the best of you. You saw what was on the screen in front of him, but your mind carried on further.  What kind of video was it?  What was he into?  Big asses? Girl on girl?  Oh God, could Steve Rogers be watching girl on girl action?  Why would that be shocking?  Most men did.  Despite being Captain America, he was still a man, he still had needs.  But he could get any girl he wanted, why was he wasting time watching videos?  He was a modest and introverted kind of guy, and definitely not the kind of guy to go out looking to fulfill his appetite.    
              You groaned, trying not to let your mind wander too far into those dirty depths.  Everything about what happened was wrong.  And you were going to be the one getting burnt for it.  You looked down at the water in the tub and saw more bits of cake floating and, of course, a copious amount of glitter floating around. Jesus, how much glitter was in that box? You would be finding it in every nook and cranny of your car for months. It was probably still in your hair. You were marked.  Like when bank robbers break open a bag of money and get sprayed with blue dye.  You broke into an innocent man’s apartment, caught him whacking it, and now you were covered in glitter.  You groaned in agony as you sank further down into the water, letting it encase you and feeling half tempted to keep your head under water.
              The next morning came, despite not getting any sleep, and you hemmed and hawed about calling in sick or using a personal day. You contemplated it from the moment your alarm went off to the moment you were dressed and walking to your car. You were not ready to face the consequences.  Still, you got yourself to work, sporting a pair of flats instead of heels since your ankles were so swollen from twisting them in your mad dash the night before. When you got to your office, you sat down at your desk and tried to avoid all contact.  Maybe you could make it through the day without anything happening. Maybe Steve was too embarrassed to even reach out to Tony.  What was he going to say?  
“There she is.” Tony’s voice suddenly cut through your inner monologue and you spun in your chair to see him marching into your office.  He kept a rather flat affect, making it hard to read him, but you noticed he was quick to close the door behind himself.  That wasn’t good.  You braced yourself as he sat in the chair across from your desk and just eyed you. You eyed him back with your heart thumping as you bit your lip, waiting for him to speak and reveal your fate, but he didn’t, he just sat there and remained silent.  That silence started to gnaw away at you, until you finally blurted something out.
“It was an accident! I didn’t mean to!  I swear I wasn’t trying to—” you panicked.
“Is that the excuse?” he cut you off, his tone still cold.
“It’s not an excuse! I know it was wrong, but you told me to do it!” you defended yourself.
“What did I tell you to do?” he questioned you.
“To break in!  You told me to let myself in and—” you huffed, “If you’re gonna fire me, just get it over with, please, I’m sorry!” tears started to well in your eyes as your world started to crumble.  You were dead.
“Fire you?” Tony’s face twisted up with confusion, “Why would I fire you?”
You sat there confused as well.
“But…I thought…” you stammered.
“Relax, kid, I was just messing with you.” Tony grinned and chuckled.  More amusement at your expense. You cocked your head to the side as he started laughing more, the dick.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“That gift! With the glitter and the laughing…I-I…you…how could you do that, Tony?!” you stammered even more, and he just laughed harder.
“Did you hear about that? Oh man, I wish I could have seen the look on the old man’s face!  Did you see it?  Was it priceless?” his eyes were sparkling as he asked for details.  You would give him no such reward as you slowly pieced together that he must have been missing some key information.
“I… did Steve tell you what happened?”
“He left a not-so-friendly voicemail on my phone.” Tony snorted, “He’ll get over it.”
“What did he tell you?” you questioned more, your voice shaking.
“Just that he had a huge mess to clean up, why?  Did something else happen?” Tony tilted his head and eyed you again.  He didn’t know.  And there was no way on this green earth you were going to tell him. You swallowed hard and shook your head, making a tear spill from you eye that you quickly wiped away. Tony’s face then turned to concern. “You okay, kid?  What’s going on?”
“I just…” you started, not even knowing where to go, “I don’t want to be caught up in your games with Steve is all.” Your voice was low, but you were able to keep it steady. Tony raised a brow, but you remained silent.  
“Well, I’m sorry.  I probably shouldn’t have used you like a pawn in our little battles, I get that, and it won’t happen again.” Tony sounded sincere, which shocked you more, “I just knew he wouldn’t be expecting anything like that from you.”
Boy was he right.  He didn’t know the half of it.  But the bigger question remained, why did Steve call Tony about the prank but spare you?  
“You know if you want me to say something to him...” Tony’s voice trailed off.
“What?” it came out like more of a croak than a real question.  
“Like, that your hands were clean in all of this, then I will.” He offered.  But your hands weren’t clean, they had been covered in frosting and glitter, and shame.  You shook your head.
“No, no, it’s fine.” You figured it was best to just move on entirely.
“I mean, if you like the guy, I could say something —”
“Like him?” you interrupted him.
“Maybe you don’t, I’m just assuming—”
“Please don’t assume anything.” You held out a hand, telling him to stop in his tracks.
“Okay, I won’t.” Tony quickly redacted his statement.
“Because you know what happens when you assume something, right?”
“You make an ass of you and me.” Tony replied it the exact adage you were thinking off.
“That’s right, but I’m afraid that in this case, I’m the only ass and you come out smelling like a rose, so let’s just change the subject, alright?” you politely explained to him that you were done with the conversation.  Tony smirked a bit, and you could tell there was more he wanted to say, but he managed to hold it in.
“Alright.  Fair enough.”
                To say you were relieved was an understatement. Now you just had the guilt to deal with, which was hard enough.  You were still in shock that Steve hadn’t sold you out, because you couldn’t say you wouldn’t do it if it had been you.  You wanted to thank him, but you knew better than to see him out.  Hell, you weren’t even sure if you wanted to see him again. If it had been you, would you want to see him again?  Well, if it has been you, you might have asked him for assistance honestly.  But Steve Rogers was not as bold as you when it came to those types of things.  Still, you would have liked to at least apologize, but you knew that some time needed to pass before you ever attempted such a thing.
              A few days passed, and you kept trying to go about your time and forget about what happened.  Tony never mentioned anything, so it was water under the bridge as far as that went.  The more the guilt and shame subsided, the more your curiosity grew.  When you had a moment to yourself, you found your mind wandering back to that night, remembering the parts you did see, and trying to fill in the gaps of the parts you didn’t.  No, you didn’t see what he was holding in his hand, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t think about the size of it.  Even more so, the images you saw on his computer screen kept your mind busy. What kind of kinky things was Steve Rogers into? You had taken a glimpse into his private thoughts and desires, accidentally of course, but so much of it remained private.  The sounds he was making that night was often used as muse when you were taking care of your own needs.  Those hushes grunts and groans.  Was he a vocal man?  To you there was nothing sexier than a man who wasn’t afraid to make a little noise.
One evening, after a day of trying to keep up with Tony’s chaotic mind, you decided to reward yourself and unwind with dinner from one of your favorite places. The little gastropub around the corner had really grown on you, and after a hard day’s work, nothing hit the spot like your favorite cocktail, their famous calamari, and those mouthwatering fish tacos.  The food was practically calling your name, and since it was a Wednesday night, the place wouldn’t be too packed.  Upon simply walking in, the smell of the food had you feeling relaxed and floating as you found your seat.  You used to sit at the bar, but you had learned that sitting at the bar somehow meant giving random strangers the permission to hit on you, overshare their own woes, or just be plain creepy.  When you mind was this full, it was best to claim an empty table to yourself and let the day melt out of your brain, as long as there was an empty table to hoard to yourself.
              That first sip of that cocktail was like magic, and the first bite of calamari was even better.  You chewed happily to yourself and sipped on your fruity drink while you played a game on your phone, something mind-numbing enough to not be too difficult, but still enough to keep your brain from drifting back to work related matters.  After beating the current level on the game, you rewarded yourself by popping more calamari into your mouth before starting the next level, and you leisurely chewed.
“Well look who it is.” A familiar voice crept up on you from behind, and you turned in your seat to have your eyes set firmly on a man’s torso, and then your eyes glanced up to find the face of this semi-mysterious person.  Of course, you should have been able to make out the contour of that body underneath that shirt and jacket, who else had that shoulder to hip ratio? But when your saw his face, you no longer needed any clues.  Steve’s blue eyes looked down at you, with an unreadable gaze.
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