#He thought it was cute when she talked about the photo contest that quickly grew into alarm at the rest of the convo

[dcxdpdabbles]

So Danny is just a bunch of good that takes a humanoid shape, and we've seen him stretch and warp himself. What is sometimes he just leaves bits of himself behind. He has restoration so he can heal himself and others so when he realizes he left a foot behind he just grows a new one.

Batman: We've found more of the meta, 3 left feet all genetically identical, either were dealing with a cloning operation or someone using a regenerative meta as an organ farm. The most recent finds washed up between Gotham and metropolis.

Meanwhile Danny: I've gotta visit Dani more Madrid was beautiful can't wait to show Jazz the photos, tried to land and eats it, Damn it I though I fixed this!

Danny loves his new power- he likes to call it "Play-Boo" as a pun on playdough because it allows him to shift and change his body as he sees fit.

It was hard to mentally change his appearance as his core was tied to his idea of himself. Still, he can make his hair longer at will, shift to a younger or older version of himself, and even slightly change his coloration, though that takes a bit more concentration.

Danny is sadly unable to shape-shift into someone else. He thinks being able to regenerate is an okay trade-off. Especially when Danny accidentally leaves bits of himself behind with his new warping technique.

It's not the kind of warping he would like- seeing as he could only go a few yards from his original spot- but he hopes with time and practice, he will be able to fling himself from one side of the country to the other, much like opening portals.

But unlike the portals, he won't have to step into the ghost zone as a layaway.

One day, he'll be able to think, "Star City!" and bam will be there without having to destabilize his whole body or lose limbs. Or some internal organs. Like his left kidney.

Which was currently somewhere in Gotham as his warping has developed to the point that he can send himself to the area within eyesight, and he had traveled to metropolis in this method instead of flying to try to perfect it.

"Shoot," He grumbles, falling into a booth across from Dani. She had asked that he visit the big city with her, do a few sights, and then the two would fly downstate to check out some national parks.

"Lost something again?" She asks, sipping the soda she had ordered while waiting for him. Dani had been in the city for about three days and had fallen in love with the diner they were eating at.

She insisted they meet up there just so Danny could try some of their roast beef sandwiches. The favorite food of the two siblings.

"My left Kidney." He sighs, patting his side. Thank goodness his Play-Boo allowed him to not feel pain. He hated to have to feel every time he lost one of his body parts. "I need to eat my troubles away until a new one grows back."

"I'm not paying for your meal."

"But Dani! I'm down a kidney!"

She snorts. "It'll grow back by the time we leave, and you know it. But fine, you big baby, I'll pay for lunch. You have to cover the diner."

Satisfied, he lets her call over a waitress who quickly takes their orders and vanishes to the back, where the cook will likely make "the best damn roast beef" for him. He leans back, asking Dani about her travels.

She eagerly starts talking about the local art she has taken pictures of. At one point, her travels had turned into photo albums, documenting everything she saw and experienced.

She made some money this way, selling some of her photos, but mostly, Dani preferred to keep them for herself or the family.

As she talked about the light reflecting on some large News building- the daily planet- and the great lengths she had to go to get close enough to capture the sunlight, the door to the dinner chimed.

Two men in suits ushered in, one wearing a dark blue that seemed far cheaper than the deep black of his companion. Danny instinctively turned towards the sound, but he quickly looked away as the two men found a seat in a booth furthest away from him.

"I met this guy, Jimmy, who promised to have my photos submitted for a junior photographer contest. It's to help promote tourism, so it's based on the "Metropolis' beauty," but first place is five hundred!" Dani eagerly tells him, her eyes sparkling.

"I know you'll win. You'll make a name for yourself in no time as the best photographer of our era." Danny smiles at his little sister. He lowers his voice "Maybe with that money you win we won't have to sell my organs for a while."

She laughs, adding to the joke like it's second nature, "But you're so fun to harvest! Side's it's not like Vlad will allow you to walk away from the operation. He already has two more kidney orders from Gotham waiting for you."

Danny grimces. "I just lost one this morning. Why does he overbook me so much."

"I can do it if you-"

"Not on your life. I can regerate. You can only cry."

Dani kicks him hard in the shin. She waves her coffee spoon at him like a wizard banishing a wand. "Are you calling me a crybaby?"

"Well, I'm not calling you a cry-lady." He laughs as she scoffs. She opens her mouth to say something when her eyes lock with something over his shoulder. Her face closes down at once, hardening into someone who has traveled through the roughest parts of cities and towns.

Danny used to be worried that her instance of traveling alone at such a young age would ruin her childlike wonder and innocence, but he knew it would be worse to keep her at home.

Even with Vlad finally getting the much-needed help, the fact that Dani has existed for two years now didn't mean she was comfortable with being tied down.

Twisting around, he doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. The two men are casually eating their meals by the far window- too far for them to hear, the waitress is sitting behind the counter flipping through a magazine, and the chef can be seen through a little window making something at his gril.

What had alarmed Dani so much?

"We have to go," She hisses in ghost speech, eyes never leaving the man in the blue suit. Was it him? He seems to unthreatening with his big bulky glasses and easy smile. "I don't know why, but I don't like that guy's vibe."

Well, he won't argue with her about her gut feelings. Those were never important to ignore. "Let's take the rest of this to go."

She raises her hand, calling over the waitress, flipping open her wallet to leave enough to cover their bill and leave a generous tip. Danny quickly gathers their food in take-home boxes, keeping his body in front of Dani to block the men's view of her.

He's grateful that he had pulled on his hood, as his ears had gotten cold from the warping. With the fact he never turned around once since they walked in and his trusty hood, his face has been kept hidden from the men.

A small victory.

Hopefully, he won't see them again after this.

"Come on." He tells Dani, as she quickly gathers her stuff. "Vlad is going to have my arms and legs if we late meet him. I don't want to be just a torso again."

"I mean, it's your fault for trying to run away." She sighs. "You know how he gets. At least you didn't have to entertain his guests."

"Yeah laying in a dark room hoping to regrow my limbs is much better than letting those freaks touch me." Danny agrees thinking back to the big gala Vlad had invited them to.

To show goodwill and try to move past their hostility, the Fentons' children- Jazz, Dan, Danny, and Dani- had all agreed to go with him, under the condition that they be on their best behavior.

Danny had been running late due to a ghost attack and had chosen to use his wrapping far past the agreed limitation his parents, and Vlad had set for him.

He got to Vlad's castle but none of his limbs had followed him. Mom had been so outraged by his reckless behavior he's been grounded staying in one of the guest rooms without tv to "think about what could have happened!"

Dad and Vlad had merely nodded to their wife's punishment for their child. (And he was still getting used to the idea of Vlad being married to his parents.)

Jazz, Dan, and Dani were left to the gala, where Jazz had intellectual conversations with college professors Vlad was funding or where Dan was talking up some pretty men and women with a drink in hand, Dani as the youngest was left to affluent old ladies pinching her cheeks and giving her backhand compliments on being a "lady."

The Dannies hated being touched by strangers, and those higher-class old ladies had no concept of personal space.

"Don't worry, I'm almost too old soon." Dani chirps, holding the door open for him. "Soon Vlad will have to find other kids to flaunt in front of rich people."

"That would be the day." The two exit the dinner, switching the conversation to the idea of dessert- deciding to search on their phones a local frozen yogurt place.

Neither notice the two men- one whose fork has crumbled in his grip and another who is clicking away on his phone with a look of outer disgust on his face

"Bruce?"

"I'm already messaging Babs. She's following them with the city cameras as we speak. Don't worry, Clark, this "Vlad" isn't going to get away with it."

[n0wornever]

Bad Liar - Reggie x Reader

enemies to lovers with reggie, pretty please?🥺

You got it babe ;) This was so tough to write due to the fact that Reggie is a normally a teddy bear, but I did my best!

“Seriously Y/N, you’ve been playing guitar for how long and you’re still making that mistake,” She looked up to see his smart smirk and rolled her eyes, focusing back on her hands on the strings. 

He laughed a little to himself before walking away. She sighed, dropping her fingers from their placements and muttering “tool” under her breath. 

It was never a contest, but they made it one. Even though Reggie and Y/N’s mothers were best friends and the two were forced into playdates since the age of two, the connection never really stuck. What made it worse was when they both started playing music. 

Their bands started playing similar shows and always competed against each other in their school’s battle of the bands. They were both extremely competitive, trying to throw the other one off until after their performances. Y/N grabbed her guitar and walked inside, meeting her mom in the kitchen.

“I saw you talking to Reg outside, how is he doing?”

She scoffed “How would I know mom? We aren’t exactly...close.”

Her mom shook her head “You two used to be so cute when you were little, practically attached at the hip.”

She rolled her eyes as her mother went on her usual nostalgic tirade. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned her cheeks against her hands as she watched her mom talk. 

She daydreamed about her band’s next performance. The battle of the bands was two weeks away and Jocelyn, Flynn and herself were barely ready. It was hard enough when Julie broke it to them that she was leaving the band to join Reggie’s but when she walked past the phantoms rehearsing the other night, she knew that they were next level. She had to step up her game too as their new lead singer. 

She pulled out her phone and texted the band group-chat.

“Rehearsal tomorrow?”

Flynn replied in seconds “Duh, of course” 

Joce answered with a simple thumbs up emoji, ever a poet with her responses. She shut off her phone and found her mom still talking. She rose out of her chair, interrupting her next sentence. 

“Mom, I’m exhausted, I’m going to go upstairs.”

She jogged up the stairs and sat down on her bed, pulling her guitar onto her lap. She played around with chords for awhile before propping her phone on a mini tripod and pressing record. She played a short cover of She is Love by Parachute, smiling through the lyrics. She reached over and pressed stop, dragging it over into the Instagram app and pressing post. 

She placed her phone down and laid back in her bed, staring at the ceiling. A few moments later she heard her phone ping and picked up her device. She looked at the screen in confusion as one notification stood out of the few she received. 

“UrLeadGuitaristReg liked your video” 

She shook her head, clicking on his profile picture. She scrolled down his timeline, looking at all of the photos of him and the band. A video popped up of Reggie and Luke making instruments out of household items and giggling like schoolgirls at each other and a smirk slowly fell across her face. She quickly shut off the screen and threw her phone down on the bed. 

2 weeks later

It was performance night and she was actually shaking with anticipation. The past few rehearsals had actually went extremely well for her and the girls and she actually thought they may stand a chance against Julie and The Phantoms this time around. She took a spot in the front row to support Jules, clutching Flynn’s hand in hers. 

She watched as her friend flew across the stage and her grin grew. Although she missed her in their group, it was clear that she was in her element....and she smiled watching her pass off the mic with Luke during their shared duet at the end of the song. She took a mental note to follow-up with her on that moment later. 

As the band took their bows and leapt off stage, the girls scurried back to get ready for their set. As she slung her guitar over her shoulder she heard a voice perk up behind her. 

“No acoustic tonight?”

She looked up to see Reggie’s smug expression fixed on her. She rolled her eyes, placing her pick before responding. 

“Nah, not really my stage style.” 

He chuckled “Too bad, I kinda liked it.” 

Her forehead scrunched in confusion as she saw him turn and leave the stage. She shook it off before turning back to her bandmates. Flynn gave her a curious smile but she just moved to talk business. 

“Girls, we got this.” She smiled, placing her hand in the middle, the other two bandmates followed suit. They counted down from three, shouting “Neon Dream” as their hands rose. 

They stepped out on stage and she noticed a familiar face in the center of the crowd. Reggie stood with his arms crossed, whispering something to Luke before bringing his gaze back to her. Their eyes locked for a second but she brought her gaze up to the ceiling, focusing on Jocelyn’s beats before her entrance. 

Their songs went off without a hitch. Y/N couldn’t help but smile as she felt the bass in her chest and her hands flew. After their final verse, the girls moved the top of the stage hand in hand to take their bows. She heard a single “woo!” from the crowd, looking over to be met by those same dark eyes. She smirked, rolling her eyes in his direction before turning to exit the stage.

“Reggie is...interested in you tonight,” Flynn said, taking a swig out of her water. 

“He was just trying to distract me...prick.” 

Jocelyn shook her head at her bandmate, twirling the stick in her hand, “I don’t think so Y/N, his eyes were locked on you during our entire performance. I think I even caught him nodding along to the beat. 

Y/N laughed, turning to set down her guitar, “Whatever ladies, I wouldn’t worry about it-” 

She turned to see both of her bandmates missing, and instead Reggie standing in front of her. She pursed her lips before approaching him. 

“Here to tell me everything I did wrong in that performance I assume?”

Reggie shook his head, letting out a short laugh “Nah, I wanted to congratulate you. You really put your foot into those guitar solos tonight.”

She stared blankly at him, blinking. “Earth to Reggie, did you forget that you hate me?” 

He rolled his eyes at her, moving closer in her direction. She felt her heart race a bit, pushing that feeling down quickly. 

“I don’t hate you Y/N, you’re obnoxiously competitive...but I don’t hate you.”

She thought back to all of the guitar riff offs the two had, the amount of insults they spewed at each other and remained dumbfounded at his response. 

She scoffed at this suggestion before replying “I’m competitive?! Have you met YOU!?” 

His eyebrows rose, an amused smile falling across his lips as his gaze fell from her balled fists up to her scrunched nose. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he moved to walk past her, leaning in to whisper in her ear last minute.

“You’re kind of cute when you’re fired up.” 

She felt her face warm from the combination of his warm breath near her ear and his compliment. She watched as he fell out of view and scurried over to find her bandmates to await the awards portion of the evening. 

All the bands moved toward the front of the auditorium and the room was filled with hushed conversation. She finally found Flynn and Jocelyn and they both gave her a smirk. 

“What was that all about?” Flynn floated her finger between her and Reggie, who stood a few feet away talking with Alex. 

“Nothing, he was just...trying to get me off my A game.” 

Flynn’s jaw locked, looking at her friend in amazement “Uh huh... Right.” 

Their conversation was stopped by the feedback of the mic. The school principal took the stage, a small envelope in her hand. She smiled, thanking everyone for coming out before announcing the winners. 

“And the moment you’ve all been waiting for....the winner of the 2020 battle of the bands is.......” She paused, opening her letter and smiling “Neon Dream” 

Y/N froze for a second before Flynn’s hand slapping her back brought her back to reality. They went up on stage and grabbed their trophy and gave their thank you speech. As they turned to leave the stage, her eyes met Reggie once more. A seemingly real smile plastered across his face as he clapped in her direction. She let the corner of her mouth raise upward before walking backstage.

The girls squealed as they waited at the entrance of the school for their parents to pick them up, taking turns holding the trophy. She saw Flynn’s face change, turning her lips up in a smirk as she looked behind her. 

“Joce, I think I left something inside, can you go in and grab it with me.”

“What do you mean I-” 

Flynn grabbed her friend by the arm and pulled her backward. Y/N felt someone sit down beside her and turned to see Reggie extremely close to her and felt that familiar blush take control over her face.

“Congratulations, Y/N.” 

“Thanks.”

A silence fell over them. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see him staring at her, both of their gazes darting within seconds of meeting. She heard him take a deep breath in before speaking.

“Can we call a truce or something?”

She looked over at him sharply, leaning her head slightly to the right “What?”

He smiled again, rubbing his neck with his arm. “I’m kind of tired of pretending to hate you.”

She laughed, bringing her knees up to her chest “So, you don’t actually hate me?”

He shook his head “Actually, it’s quite the opposite.” She tried to stop her mind from immediately trying to decode that phrase. She let her eyes move toward his again and held out her hand.

“I agree, a truce.” 

He looked at her hand, smirking before shaking it. Their hands stayed locked for a second more before she wiggled her hand out of his grip. 

“So...since we’re cool now, I was wondering if you’d like to maybe jam out some time?” 

She smiled “A band collab? That’d be pretty sweet-” 

He cut her off, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I was actually thinking maybe just a guitar collab, between you and me?” She watched as his face went pink and she looked down to the ground to stop him from seeing her growing smile.

“Oh. That’d be cool too, I guess.”

He exhaled, pushing his hands against the ground to stand back up on the pavement. She looked up at him, his smile lit against the peach sky. 

“Cool...It’s a date.” 

As he walked away, she leaned her chin on her knees and let herself smile fully, shaking her head. 

.

.

.

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Tag list: @marinettepotterandplagg​, @lukeys-giggle​, @joshy-obx, @epikskool, @daisiesforlacey, @bestdressedandstressed, @txrii, @musicconversedance, @dasexydevitt13, @bathtimejish, @xplrreylo, @lovesanimals, @kiss-themoongoodbye

[rhomsfanfic]

A Wish Come True

A lovely commission for the awesome @lesbiansportsanime​ with their OC Silena ♥ Thank you so much for commissioning me, it was so much fun working with you!

No warnings apply, just a very fluff day!

First impressions mattered.

They mattered when meeting a new employer, your spouse’s family, the person you’ve been set up on a date with by your friends. Every one of those people had expectations and anticipated something from you, mostly good behavior. However, the same concept also applied to many more situations than just the ones stated formerly. It also applied to traveling and meeting someone you thought you knew better than anyone else but never truly ‘knew’.

Those were the thoughts that kept Silena busy as she stepped out into the forest-y wilderness outside the Wild Area Station for the first time. Immediately, she was greeted by a gust of wind, ruffling through her hair and clothes, almost like an embrace coming from the nature around her. The sun seemed to shine a bit brighter as its rays tickled her skin, and thanks to it, even the mild climate wasn’t bothering her as much as Silena anticipated. Galar did its best to change the first impression it left on her quickly, so it seemed. 

Having her connecting train be canceled when she was supposed to meet up with her friend in Hammerlocke was not only unfortunate but also an annoyance. The train conductor at the station had suggested she’d be faster walking to the nearby city, Motostoke, and take a Flying Taxi from there, a concept Silena wasn’t used to from her own home. However, if it would get her to Hammerlocke quicker than the train, which approximately would take another three hours to be ready again, she preferred following the conductor’s advice.

It wasn’t like she shied away from some walking; after all, she had wandered seemingly endless routes before, and as Champion, that little bit of exercise wasn’t going to kill her. The only thing she was concerned about was if she would still be looking as presentable as she was once she reached her destination. Looking at her reflection in one of the station building windows, Silena brushed aside some stray hairs and flattened out her hoodie dress, which had wrinkled from the long travel by train. 

She still looked nice, and she hoped it would stay this way until she reached Hammerlocke.

Whipping out her phone, she decided to let Raihan know she arrived in Galar and about the delay in meeting up with him. Surely, it wouldn’t leave a good first impression to be tardy, but at least she’d be able to let him know about it. A spurt of nervousness went through her as she typed out the words, almost feeling bashful. Even though it felt to her like she knew Raihan for years, they had only been in contact for a good handful of months, telling each other good morning and good night, and sharing most of their days through messages and photos. Yet, knowing she was so close to meeting him for real, it was like a dream come true, even if it made her hands shake from nervosity.

There were so many things Silena could think about that could go wrong now. Perhaps it ended up as a scam, and the person she was writing wasn’t the charismatic, enthusiastic Gym Leader she came to know after all, but really it had just been a PR-Manager who went out of his way to talk her up. Or if not that, maybe even worse, perhaps now that they’d meet in person, Raihan would end up not liking her anymore. Of course, it was a farfetched thought, but what if he liked her better when they still were only writing, hiding behind that little bit of anonymity after all? Everyone looked different over text, so what if the ‘real Silena’ just wasn’t what he expected?

It was a painful thought to her, having long registered the feelings that started to bloom for him. Even if he was nothing but a text buddy, Silena had started to become as comfortable talking to him as a best friend. She anticipated his messages every minute she was awake, and she hoped that he felt the same. That she was in love with him, she had kept secret, but she couldn’t lie to herself the same way. It undoubtedly would be complicated to be with him, but some part of her still hoped for it to happen even after everything considered.

Taking a deep breath, Silena encouraged herself to think positively. There were endless possibilities, but she always wanted to hope for the best. She was just about to send the text she wrote when she heard a loud, “Oh! Hey!” coming from her left, making her look up from her phone. Her eyes could not have widened more in surprise as she watched a very familiar, tall man jog into her direction, lifting his arm in a wave.

“Raihan?!” Silena uttered, flabbergasted, staring at him as if she had just seen a ghost.

“The one and only!” he laughed as he slowed down and closed the distance. “But… How?” Silena asked, glancing at the unsent message, making sure she hadn’t hinted before that she’d be stuck at the station. “There’s been problems with the train all morning. I was hoping they’d resolve it before your train was due, but eh… no luck with a hoard of Tauros running lose.”

Raihan spoke of it as a matter of fact, but just as quickly, a brilliant smile reappeared on his lips, shining her way. “So I came to fetch you, and here you are!”

For a moment, surprised silence fell between the two as they took in each other. Silena couldn’t help but look over Raihan, noticing that he… absolutely looked like the photos he kept sending. There was nothing, from his clothes to his facial features, that differed, and her heart picked up the pace as she met his eyes after he inspected her too. It was only for a moment before the two started to laugh, sympathetic remorse being shared between the two that skepticism had crossed their minds despite neither of them being fake after all. Even if it was left unspoken, it took away the awkwardness that Silena feared would build between them when they first met. 

But this way, the first impression was good despite her worries, and no words could describe how relieved Silena felt as the thought settled in her mind.

“I’m… really here,” she bubbled, some sheepish chuckles following her words, as she couldn’t hold back the grin spreading on her lips. “And you are here too!”

His shoulders relaxing, the maw of the hoodie he was wearing sunk a bit, Raihan’s smile only grew wider, as if this was a contest between the two about who could smile more. Despite his pose, with his hands sinking into his pockets, he didn’t seem haughty or arrogant. Really, it was just like she imagined him to be. Naturally cool. A trait that dragon trainers usually shared amongst themselves. “It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? We’ve been writing for so long, and yet meeting up in person is still so different,” he noted, and Silena agreed with a nod and a hum. 

“Ah, but I don’t mean it in a bad way,” he was quick to add, bringing a hand up to the back of his head in embarrassment as he realized that his words could have come off weirdly. “I’m thrilled you made it. It’s nice… meeting you,” he explained, sincerity in his words even though he struggled to phrase them.

“I’m glad too! Thank you for inviting me, Raihan!” Silena was quick to chime in, letting him know she understood what he meant to say, and now there really wasn’t anything holding her back anymore, as she told him about her travels and what she had seen while looking out from her window seat.

For a while, the two simply enjoyed the conversation, even with the topics being rather superficial, like nature and weather. But whenever Silena looked him in the eyes, she was glad that he always looked right back at her. There was no fake attentiveness, and he laughed along or questioned her words as they came. The talk flowed naturally, even as they turned towards the open fields of the Wild area, ready to make their way towards it. 

In hindsight, it was just like when they were texting, but Silena experienced this as even better. Now she was able to look at his face as they talked, see his expression change, and add to the conversation. There were hand motions and eyes shining in responses to her words, and she found herself smitten with the way Raihan held himself, easily filling out her thoughts when she struggled to form them into words and adding on to the ideas she shared.

There was just one question burning on Raihan’s tongue that caught her off-guard, hand lowering to point at her shoes. “I did mention the part about camping, didn’t I?” he asked, and Silena looked down in confusion at herself. Only then did she realize that probably not everyone thought that platforms and high heels were suitable for a camping trip. Though a wave of embarrassment came over her as she hoped it wouldn’t put her in a bad light, Silena looked up quickly, grinning and letting him know, “Of course you did.”

Raihan’s brows furrowed in confusion as she announced it so confidently - Thanks to standing so close, Silena didn’t miss the change in expression, even if his hat covered a lot of space from his hair down. She couldn’t help but think about how cute he looked with his head ducking into the oversized hoodie of his jacket whenever he was thinking about something. - while Silena merely adjusted the strap of her bag before taking the first few steps around him with a cheeky grin. “That’s why I’m wearing my outdoor heels!”

Easily conquering the ever so slightly uneven dirt road, Silena took off a few steps ahead while showing off that she was more than capable of walking with them. Raihan’s gaze followed her, slightly impressed, and he cooed an appreciative, “Oh? Look at that,” before laughing and walking after her, the two having a lot to talk about as they made their way to Motostoke on his lead.

In Raihan’s eyes, Silena was a ray of sunshine. 

It was what he had always thought about her, even when they only had been texting each other in the past, but now he felt confirmed in his beliefs. On all her pictures, in all her endeavors, everything she did simply told tales of how passionate she was and how she put her heart into every movement she did. Even now, walking through the green together on their way to Motostoke, it was a contest of who was shining brighter - she or the sun?

They had met under such weird circumstances. Raihan simply had browsed his Pokégram and encountered her account that showcased her journey from the start as a trainer to the end as she became the champ of her region. He still remembered how he had looked in awe, yet with hints of jealousy, at the picture of her being crowned as the Champion of Nyklia. The picture itself, of her radiant smile, the tear stains on her cheeks as she waved to the crowd, something in it had really riled him up. Admittedly, not in a good way at first. 

After all, Raihan was no stranger to the feeling of being so close to snagging the title, but in the end, never succeeding. Of course, his strife came from wanting to win against his forever rival Leon, and it was just as childish as it was fun to him. Still, that one picture of Silena he encountered gave away so much of what Raihan always expected himself to look like once he won. But for him, this dream never came true. 

He remembered that he put away his phone after finding her account, not wanting to dwell on the frustration that came from it. But as the announcement of a new champion being selected in another region made its rounds, he more or less got forced to help out prepare a gift to send over. Alongside it, his trainer card had been put in with his handles, and as he looked at his phone in a break in between his training a week later, there her name was, Silena having sent him a thank-you-message which probably was more courtesy than a desire to write him.

But from his reply, one of hers followed, and then another one from him.

Soon, she wasn’t just a person he felt jealous of. She shared her struggles as much as the good days with him, and he - though silently - began cheering for her more than he envied her. It was a tough job, even if Leon made it seem so ridiculously easy, and Raihan’s respect for her grew as well as his feelings for the sunny champion who lived so far away from him. 

At first, he didn’t know if he could do it. Meet up with her and not make it awkward. It was hard enough talking to Leon, and Raihan knew him for years - what if it would be the same for her? Until she arrived, Raihan didn’t notice that the two of them may have the same title, but that only showed their strengths as trainers, not their personalities. 

And now she was here, and he felt as if she brought her radiating shine into his life now, replace any negative emotion he ever felt towards her before.

For a while, the two watched as a Xatu glided through the air peacefully, and Raihan noticed her relaxed, though focused eyes. “In Nyklia,” Silena spoke up, a hand raised to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun, “we know that the Pokémon are everywhere around us, but we rarely see them so clearly like I’ve seen them in Galar up till now.”

“Hm, maybe it’s because they are more used to people here? The wild area is always filled with trainers, so they might have become less shy.”

“That might be the reason,” she agreed, nodding to herself. “It would be nice if I could help Nyklia be more balanced like this too.”

Those were the words of a champion, how Raihan found. Looking out for her region, taking note of differences, and thinking of how to apply those to what was entrusted to her. Still, he appreciated the fact that she hadn’t behaved boastfully yet, only pleasant and calm. It was almost like when the two of them were texting only, and it made him feel at peace that he was able to have a normal conversation with her without always coming back to their titles or strengths as trainers. 

On the way to Motostoke, they had encountered a lot of friendly Pokémon, the area filled with small groups of Oddish and Budew who looked at them curiously as they passed. A Bunnelby had even come close enough for Silena to pet its head, which she did with the uttermost respect and affection for the creature. It truly showcased her character, and Raihan found himself smiling alongside her as she was cooing and complimenting the tiny Pokémon.

Tearing his eyes off of Silena, who was still watching the psychic Pokémon in awe, Raihan too glanced back to the Xatu, which was peacefully swaying in the winds that were carrying it. To his surprise, he noticed its gaze on the two of them, more specifically, on Silena. Grinning to himself, Raihan thought about how fitting this was, considering he himself experienced Silena like the sun, and Xatu’s always looked into the direction of the grand, illuminating fireball too. Bumping his shoulders into hers, he motioned for them to keep walking since they were so close to the next station on their travels.

Raihan would not pass up on the chance to enjoy his time with Silena much more than he already was.

Browsing the shelves in the boutique of Motostoke, Raihan would occasionally glance back at Silena, who was experiencing her first height in Galar as she went through a shopping rush. “How about this?” Raihan smirked, pulling out a cheesy tourist shirt with “I LOVE GALAR” written all over it in a bold font. Silena’s face scrunched up as she tried to stay polite, replying, “I don’t think that suits me,” but her expression gave away her real thoughts about the shirt. They chuckled amongst themselves as they knew both of them were thinking the same thing, but Silena was quick to take her fashion revenge at him as she found a shirt saying, “Dragons are cool but not as cool as ice!” 

“A bold lie,” Raihan disagreed vehemently, but under laughter, Silena made sure to tell him that it would look splendid on him. They both agreed that it would be too funny and too ironic to pass up on, putting it on the small pile that had assembled from Silena’s previous picks. Spending a while longer at the store, Raihan got a good taste of what kind of clothes she liked, Silena showing off a few things she changed into. 

For a moment, Raihan caught himself thinking of how this was similar to accompanying a girlfriend, but he was quick to shake it out of his thoughts, not wanting to get ahead of himself. Even if he thought about these things quietly - and now that she was here, more than ever - it wasn’t a decision he could make by himself. Even though he had to admit, it was a thought that spread pleasant warmth inside him and the hints of hope that it might become a reality someday.

He wouldn’t mind it if it was Silena.

He wouldn’t mind at all.

With a deep yet satisfied sigh, Silena sunk onto the cushioned bench, putting her bag and the goods she recently acquired through Raihan’s support - by showing her all the chic little shops that were a must-see in the city - next to her. From her spot, she could watch Raihan standing at the counter, ordering drinks, chatting merrily with the barista. She loved seeing how excited people were to see him, and they had stopped to take selfies more than once on their way to this café. It wasn’t a bother per se, and she understood it better than anyone that, as a public figure, Raihan had to keep face even if he was out with her.

Still, a small part of her felt jealous of the girls and trainers he had humored. 

The way he put his arm around their shoulders and made faces with them was sweet, and it was just like she expected him to act, appreciating his fans a lot. He didn’t do anything indecent that would have made her raise her brow at his behavior. He simply was attentive, sweet, and fun, just how she had experienced him so far too. It made her wonder if she was anything different to him than his fans were, and though she should have known the answer to that, she simply felt a little bit discouraged as she feared asking him directly.

“One latte for the lady~” Raihan’s voice tore her out of her thoughts as he presented her drink right in front of her, the milk foam on top of it resembling a little Pikachu sticking out on top of the glass. “How cute!” Silena gasped, watching the foam wiggle as he set it down, and Raihan chuckled proudly. 

“They don’t usually do that, but I know the barista, and he was happy to create something special for a very special visitor. I hope you like it?”

Raihan’s smile was unmatched to any she had seen so far, so soft and sweet, as he glanced from her drink up to her face, trying to catch a glimpse of her reaction. Silena hoped her expression matched the way she felt, adoring the extraordinary drink. “I like it a lot,” she assured him, and her heart jumped as she met his eyes, Raihan grinning excitedly, knowing it made her happy. 

“Ah, I’m glad,” he sighed, leaning back and bringing his own drink to his lips. Only now did Silena realize he had been anticipating her reply tensely, leaning forward and biting his lip. Immediately, she felt butterflies partying in her stomach as the only reason she could think of why he’d do that was because he was trying to bring her joy. The thought of the other trainers he made happy with his presence crawled back in her mind, but she asked herself: Would he do that for everyone, or just for me? 

“Is it good?” he asked curiously, after watching her take a sip at the metal straw sticking out from the side of the glass. “Very,” she replied, returning his smile. Raihan nodded, and Silena watched as his shoulders relaxed, enjoying the view from over the table of a man at peace. 

“I hoped it would come close to the gorgeous ones you always get at your favorite café. That’s why I wanted to go here!” Grinning a little wider, he admitted, “I’ve been searching the web forever to find out which place had the best reviews.”

Looking from him back down to her glass, Silena felt the warmth emitting onto her hands. The coffee was made just right, not too bitter and not too sweet, and it dawned on her that if she had ordered it, she would have asked for the same kind. As if traveling from her hands to her heart, the warmth began to spread as she recognized the work he put into finding spots she’d like, not only this café but all the boutiques and parks they had visited so far.

And against a rational judgment, Silena wanted to believe that he, in fact, only went to so many troubles for her alone.

“And this goes… here! Tada!” 

Standing up, Silena got to watch as the tent basically erected itself after they connected the last rod missing with the tent peg. “Oh!” she exclaimed, their shelter for the night being definitely handier than the ones she used back in her travel times. “I can’t believe that I needed to sleep under the stars most of my nights, while Galar literally had self-building tents.”

Raihan laughed, his hand falling to her head. Silena was just about to scold him for ruffling her hair, but he simply patted the back of her head before letting his hand slide off. After a whole day being together, this probably was the closest the two had been, and Silena felt herself fall into a state of shock, her heart trying to break out, while Raihan didn’t miss a beat to proceed to go back to the fire. Perhaps it was only affecting her, but on the other hand, she couldn’t see Raihan balling his hand into a fist as he realized what he did. 

“I-It’s good we are set up,” he chuckled nervously, clearing his throat and getting back his composure. Silena felt frozen in place, but even she realized that she’d have to act, or it might raise suspicion. So she laughed wryly, followed him to the campfire, and took the seat next to him. “Still hungry?” he asked, holding out the leftovers from the curry they made, and Silena was quick to hold her hands up, claiming, “I can’t eat another spoon, or I might burst!”

Raihan chuckled as he put it away, and Silena’s eyes shot up to watch their Pokémon still up and active, running in big circles back and forth the camp area. It made her a little nervous letting them all out to play, but she trusted that Raihan’s Pokémon would keep them from running too far or misbehaving. At least for now, they seemed to get along very well. 

“I think letting your Pokémon roam is probably one of my favorite things about Galar,” Raihan mumbled, his eyes having followed hers to the creatures playing. “I hope it makes them happier to get out of their balls, and not just for fighting.”

His words were the end of this conversation, but Silena let out a contemplating hum. They didn’t look unhappy, that’s for sure, and though they were rough-housing with each other, she sure hoped they’d be worn out enough later to sleep through the night peacefully. “So…” Raihan picked up his words again, and this time, Silena dedicated her attention back to him, the flames of the fire flickering in his eyes that were fixed on her in return. “What’s your impression? Of the day… Galar!” he asked, voice lowering a little as he added, “Me?”

“The trains being canceled for a whole day because of a hoard of Tauros really sucks if you live here,” Silena said, straightforward in a serious tone, and the two stared at each other in silence before she burst out laughing at his bamboozled expression. Raihan followed suit as he realized this wasn’t as serious as she made it out to be, having a real good laugh over it before they could calm down.

“But I had a lot of fun,” Silena admitted, and Raihan nodded approvingly. “Galar might come off as very industrial, which I have… opinions about,” she chuckled, not being able to phrase it better than this at the moment. “But there are a lot of good things, like the wild area, and the many nice people like the barista and your fans that were so sweet. I truly feel good walking the streets and the countless paths you can take, and I think Galar has a lot to offer if you are open to exploring it.” 

Having watched the fire for a bit as she talked, Silena looked back at Raihan, who anticipated every word she was willing to share with him. For a split second, she felt bold as she put her hand beside his, their fingers grazing each other as she put hers into the gaps of his. “And then there’s you, and you are… well…” Her words faded out as she struggled to find the right ones. 

There were so many compliments that she’d have liked to tell him. How kind he was, how sweet his smile was. That the way he acted and behaved was so cool, yet he was approachable and pleasant to the people around him. How he made her laugh and understood her humor, and how attentive he was, even knowing what kind of coffee she liked to drink. But how could she put that into just one word to let him know how she felt?

“I think you’re amazing,” Raihan filled the quietness that built quickly while Silena fidgeted for words. This time, he avoided her eyes as she looked up, warmth spreading on her cheeks from the surprise. “You’re lovely, and you look out for Pokémon and your home. Even when you are so far away from it, you always carry it with you and think about ways to improve it. I don’t think anyone ever made me laugh as much as you did today, you always have a clever reply, and conversing with you feels like you are returning my thoughts to me - but ten times better!”

Taking a short breather, Raihan looked down at their hands. He couldn’t help but laugh out quietly, as he felt the hints of embarrassment creep up on him, before he shook his head, knowing he spoke only the truth. This time, it was him who closed up more of the distance, embracing some of her fingers with his own, as if he was still asking for permission to hold her hand. “You’re down to earth, but you are a true original. Confident and strong, just like I got to know you. How I came to.... like you.”

“Oh,” Silena whispered as she listened to his words, unable to keep her pulse from racing and her lips from smiling as she looked down, returning the grip he had on her hand with her own. “I… I think I understand,” she chuckled, biting her lip shortly before continuing. “And I feel the same.”

For a moment, it got quiet between the two. Only the hold on their hands remained, a soft squeeze pulling at Silena’s attention, and she looked up at Raihan bashfully, who pointed to the sky instead with a smile on his face. Confused, she looked up, catching a small miracle as she saw a couple of shimmering shooting stars pass over the horizon, and her mouth opened in a wondrous gasp as she watched them in awe. 

“What did you wish for?” she whispered as the shooting stars slowly faded out of existence, only leaving their twinkling siblings behind that covered the whole sky. 

“That next time, I can come to visit you without trains that get delayed.” Nudging him with a playful grin, Silena chuckled, happy as she noticed he never let go of her hand. “And you?” Raihan asked, and she brought her free hand up to her lips, faking a thoughtful moment.

“Can’t tell! Or it won’t become reality!” 

“No fair!” Raihan complained jokingly, nudging her back and making her laugh in return. Catching her off-guard, Silena felt her lips being pushed back, and as she opened her eyes, she noticed Raihan’s face so close, making her lean into the kiss. Even though her heart was still raising long after it ended, Silena never managed to wipe the grin off her mouth, now knowing that these feelings of hers weren’t for naught. 

There were still many things left unsaid, but the day had smoothed the way for their relationship to grow. One night wouldn’t have been enough to let each other know about everything they still wanted to tell, and so, they merely enjoyed that they could sit together closely, even if no more words were spoken. Before her eyes closed to sleep that night, she thanked the stars quietly, Raihan by her side, his hand now holding on to hers fully while she rested in his safe embrace. 

Silena would thank them for many years to come, for making her wish come true that very same night.

[myforeverforlife]

familiar stranger (part three).

Jongdae had come around to your side of the car, an arm offered out to you. He raised an eyebrow, waiting with a smile.

You took it with a smile of your own, letting your hand curl around the crook of his arm. Walking together like this, it was easy to forget about everything that had happened to you, all of your worries that had been plaguing you for weeks.

To pretend that you were a woman, out with her husband.

Word Count: 6,108

Masterlist

Series masterlist: ( 1 )  ( 2 )  ( 3 )  ( Final )

In almost no time, you were just as comfortable around Kyungsoo and Baekhyun as you were with Jongdae. They were also helpful in filling in the blanks, restoring what had been lost in your mind.

“And when we got to the beach, we found out that we left all of our food back at the apartment!” Baekhyun exclaimed, recounting a summer trip your group of friends had taken a few years ago.

“No!” you gasped out, just as engrossed in the story as he was. 

“Yep, all of our barbecue stuff, the smores, everything. We thought someone had taken the food stuff and put it in one of our cars, but it was all still packed up and sitting in our kitchen.” 

“And that’s why we always triple check before we go on trips,” Kyungsoo added with a wry smile.

“Or make sure that there’s a good restaurant in the area,” Jongdae piped in. He picked up a forkful of toast laden with whipped cream and bananas, popping it into his mouth before sighing in content.

You were just as satisfied with your own food, thick slices of toast topped with strawberries and melted chocolate. When you had ordered, the other three men exchanged a look, something you questioned them about after the waitress left.

“You are starting to remember,” Jongdae said, eyes wide and full of hope.

“What? What do you mean?” 

Jongdae grew confused, tiny wrinkle lines appearing on his forehead. “It’s your usual order. Either that, or the toasted BLT.” 

“Oh. I just picked it because it sounded good,” you mumbled, unable to meet Jongdae’s gaze. You felt bad for raising his hopes for nothing.

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun watched as Jongdae’s face softened, one of his hands coming to rest over your own. “I’m sure you’ll love it. And even if you don’t, I’ll share my food with you.” 

Jongdae wanted to fawn over how cute you were as your face pinked, both touched and shy at the same time. Sure enough, when the food arrived, you loved it just as much as you did before — if not more. Jongdae still offered to share his food with you, but you declined. “I don’t want to take your food,” you explained.

“It’s not taking if I’m sharing it with you.” 

You hesitated before leaning closer, letting Jongdae feed you the forkful he had been holding out to you. “This one’s really good too,” you said, amazed by how delicious everything at the cafe was.

“I’m glad you like it.” Jongdae watched fondly as you continued to enjoy your food. The way your lips curled in delight with each bite, the crinkling of your eyes as you smiled at something the others said — it all felt like another normal day out to Jongdae. He flinched upon hearing Baekhyun calling out to him, an impish smile on his face.

“Like what you see?” Baekhyun asked, winking in your direction. 

Jongdae immediately struck out with his foot, bumping into Baekhyun’s underneath the table. Much to your confusion, the two men were soon caught in a staring contest, Jongdae’s eyebrows drawn low while Baekhyun continued to giggle to himself. 

Kyungsoo sighed, ignoring his other friends as he turned to you. “Have you thought of coming by April & Flower? Not to work,” he added quickly upon seeing your worried expression. “Just to see your workspace. I’m sure you’re gonna love it.” 

You chewed on your bottom lip, weighing the pros and cons in your mind. Yes, you were nervous about meeting your coworkers and your boss for the first time all over again, but at the same time, you had been itching to jump back into a restaurant kitchen and to feel at home in your element. Plus, you had heard nothing but good things about your job.

“Okay,” you agreed, courage rising when Jongdae nodded at you reassuringly. “To be honest, part of me has missed being at work too.” 

“She’s still been cooking,” Jongdae added, eyes shining with pride. “Her food’s just as good as before, if not better.”

You shook your head, embarrassed by the sudden praise and yet still thankful for Jongdae’s sweet words. “You’re exaggerating.”

Jongdae captured your gaze in a fixed stare, eyes brimming with a sudden warmth. “It’s true,” he said enthusiastically, his hand coming up to rest on top of yours. It only lingered long enough to squeeze your hand before slipping away, much to your disappointment. 

“Feel free to drop by whenever you can,” Kyungsoo spoke up, startling you out of your stupor. You had been so caught up in Jongdae that you had completely forgotten where you were. “I’m sure everyone will be happy to see you there.” 

Your smile mirrored that of your friend’s, although nowhere near as heart-shaped as his. “Thanks. I’ll definitely be there.” 

The rest of your meal was filled with cheer and endless jokes, easily making your table the brightest spot in the cafe. By the end of it, your sides were sore from laughing so much. 

You wore a grin on your face even as you got into Jongdae’s car, waving to Kyungsoo and Baekhyun as they headed towards their cars. “If every outing with them is like this, I might end up losing my voice,” you told Jongdae.

He chuckled as he got his seatbelt on, waiting for you to do the same before he started driving. “Keeping up with Baekhyun does take some getting used to. That kid can talk for hours on end.” 

“It was fun though. I hope we have time to do this more often.” 

Jongdae spared you a quick glance, corners of his lips lifting as he continued to drive. “Of course. I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear that too.” 

You stared out the window, relieved to find that you could recognize some buildings and street names. Driving around with Minseok during the past week had helped you to familiarize yourself with the city, although there were still many areas that you couldn’t remember. “Where are we going?” you asked Jongdae, squinting to get a better look at the street sign up ahead.

“Home. Did you still want to pick up your cookbook?”

In all of the excitement in the past hour, you had forgotten about going back to “your” place. Home, Jongdae had called it.

“Yeah,” you answered. Your fingers lay restlessly in your lap, tapping against the fabric of your jeans while Jongdae drove. It was only now that you realized that you would be going back not just to Jongdae’s place, but to the place that both of you had stayed in together. In the past, you had also called it home. 

But what was it to you now? 

You waited, unsure of what to do while you stood in the living room. Jongdae had gone to search for the cookbook, an adorable pout on his lips after he failed to find it in the kitchen. “That’s weird. Maybe it’s in the office?” He disappeared down the hallway, leaving you alone. 

You wondered if you should follow him or not. This was your equally your house, after all. But at the same time, you felt like a guest in your own home. You drank everything in, studying everything that you could see from the CDs in the shelf beside the TV, to the framed photos on the wall. A tall, wooden bookshelf was almost completely filled with books and other knickknacks. You shuffled over in your cat-print adorned house slippers, hand reaching up to run over the spines of some of the titles. It reassured you to see that you could recognize almost all of the books that you saw there. Many of them were longtime favorites, the spines well broken in. 

Further search ended up with no sign of the cookbook anywhere, although you did find a good handful of other cookbooks that you remembered flipping through. The sound of Jongdae shouting in excitement startled you, moving you from where you had been sitting on the floor to study the bottom shelf. 

“I found it!” Jongdae exclaimed, holding it up high in one hand as he came back into the living room. He placed his free hand on his chest, slightly out of breath from searching so fervently. “God, I was starting to worry. It was under a pile of notebook paper,” he told you, holding the book out. 

Your eyes raked over its appearance, more of a journal than a cookbook. For a second, you could only stare at the leather cover of the journal. Your hand came up slowly, fingers trembling until it touched the spine of the book. Taking it from Jongdae’s hand, you opened it up to the first page. 

A comprehensive table of contents greeted you, numbered and even color-coded. It was honestly funny to see that you still had tendencies to go all out when it came to organizing, much like Minseok. 

A quick turn of the page brought you to recipe number one: “Minnie’s Coffee Crumble Cake”. Underneath the recipe was a picture of Minseok, posing with a plate of cake in his hands as he grinned. A corner of your lips lifted involuntarily at this, your brother’s cheerful expression instantly brightening your own mood. 

You flipped through the rest of the pages, finding recipes that you remembered making even from your early days in culinary school. There was one you had learned from Kyungsoo, something you named “Soo’s Spicy Spaghetti”. The picture for this recipe got a small giggle out of you, your smile growing wider. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, another friend from culinary school, sat side by side at a table. Kyungsoo eyed Chanyeol warily while the other held a glass of water to his mouth, pain visible in the curve of his eyebrows, eyes screwed closed. Even the recipe for the green tea cheesecake that Jongdae had mentioned was there, inciting curiosity and an urge to try it out when you had time. 

The next page caught you off guard, titled “Jongdae’s Favorite”. Your eyes skipped over the picture, focusing on the list of steps instead. Skimming through them, you discovered that this was a recipe for a type of kimchi stew that you had no recollection of making. You had made other variations of this before, but this particular recipe failed to ring any bells. You let out a small gasp once you took a closer look at the picture on this page, fingers running over the surface of the photograph. In it, you and Jongdae sat side by side at the dining table. Jongdae was kissing you on the cheek, a smile on his lips as his eyes twinkled with mischief. You had a spoon halfway to your mouth, even as you appeared to be laughing. Both of you looked so happy, like neither one of you had a single care in the world. 

Why did everything have to change? “Are you okay?” 

You looked up, so lost in the contents of the cookbook that you had forgotten Jongdae was only a few feet away. He watched you worriedly, hand instinctively coming up to your cheek before he paused, painfully pulling it back. 

“You’re crying,” he whispered in horror. 

One of your hands shot up to your face, only to find a couple of tears beginning to trail down the surface. Your eyes widened in disbelief — when did you start crying? 

“Let me grab some tissues.” Before you could protest, Jongdae was gone once more. You hastily wiped your tears away, furiously trying to blink away any remnants left lingering in your eyes. 

Jongdae came back, trusty box in hand as he pulled a few tissues out. You took them with a small mumble of thanks, wiping the last traces of tears away and rubbing your nose. 

"Sorry," you mumbled, sniffing as you dabbed at your face. "I don't even know why I'm crying." You laughed, the sound dry and self-deprecating.

Jongdae pried the used tissues from your hands, exchanging them for a couple of fresh ones from the tissue box. You were taken aback when he got up, briefly disappearing into the kitchen to dispose of your tissues. He came back to find you sitting on the couch, knees brought up to your chest while your cookbook lay open on the cushion beside you. Jongdae hesitated, unsure of where to sit. 

You looked up, feeling his eyes on you. With a wobbly smile, you patted the free spot on your other side. "Come sit. I don't bite." 

Smiling with relief, Jongdae was more than happy to comply. If you were still able to crack a joke after crying, Jongdae knew that you were feeling better. He sat down gingerly, licking at his lips as he struggled to find words sufficient enough to sooth you. Thankfully, you were the one to break the silence. 

"Are there more of these?" you asked, a hand running down the open page of your cookbook.

Jongdae shook his head. "This is the only one that I've seen." 

You lifted the cookbook, resting against your knees as you stared down at the pages. It was still open to the picture of you and Jongdae, a blissful memory preserved forever in the confines of a small photo. "Do you cook too?" you asked, eyes drinking in the photo one last time before glancing up to look at Jongdae.

"A little. Mom always says I add too much salt, though." Jongdae fiddled with his ear in embarrassment, a soft rumbling of laughter masking it. 

The sounds of your giggles interwove with his, a familiar melody to your ear. You took so much delight in this, warmth blossoming in your chest and soothing the turbulent waves of anxiety. 

Both of you went through the rest of the book, Jongdae pointing out little details here and there. None of the pictures took you off guard like the one of you and Jongdae had, but there you still felt a pang of guilt and sorrow when you came across something that you couldn't remember. 

A picture of Baekhyun with whipped cream on his nose smiled up at you on the page for strawberry shortcake, another of Minseok blowing on a spoonful of seafood stew. 

"Thank you for this," you told Jongdae once you reached the last page, shutting the notebook.

Jongdae shook his head, unwilling to take all of the credit for this. "You have yourself to thank too. This wouldn't exist if you hadn't started writing in it in the first place." 

Your eyes dropped down to the cover, fingers running along the notebook's spine as you shrugged bashfully. "Still, I appreciate it. I really had fun today. A couple of times, I even forgot about everything that's going on." 

It was easy to notice how your face fell, the glow of your face dimming as you felt the full weight of your troubles again. Jongdae couldn't help himself — moving closer and wrapping his arms around you before he could help it. 

He could feel you freeze against him, and was about to pull back when you returned the hug just as tightly. Your hair tickled the side of his neck, and while Jongdae would have played around and pretended to be annoyed in the past, he simply closed his eyes, savoring the moment. 

He really missed this — not just having you in his arms, but having you, the real you around. It was almost a month since the accident, and while Jongdae had grown more acquainted with living in a home by himself, he still missed you. He missed the light you radiated, no matter what you were doing. He longed to hear your voice fill up the empty space in the apartment, to roll over in bed in the middle of the night and fall back asleep to the sound of your steady breathing. 

"Jongdae?" you said, voice muffled from where you spoke against his shirt.

"Yeah?" One of his hands came up to stroke the back of your head, a content smile appearing on his face at the familiarity of it all.

"If... if my memories don't came back, would you be disappointed?"

Jongdae paused, pulling back slightly so that he could look at you. He still held onto you, hand cradling the back of your head lovingly. "Not in you. I could never be disappointed in you. I can't lie and say that I wouldn't be sad, but I wouldn't want it to get in between us. We can't make those same memories again, but we can make new ones. You're still the same Y/N."

Throughout all of this, Jongdae stared at you so tenderly, gaze full of trust in you and what the two of you had that you knew if you stared at him for too long, you'd only end up in tears again. You buried your face into the crook of his neck again, not missing how Jongdae gasped in surprise. 

You only squeezed him tighter, arms latched around his waist as Jongdae picked up where he had left off on stroking your hair. 

It didn't matter that you couldn't remember anything about the place you had once called home, about the a good chunk of the things that made up your life. Here, in this moment, in the arms of the person you had once loved, it was as if nothing had changed at all.

You hesitated, staring through the restaurant windows at the scene within. Although you had decided to come near the end of the day, there were still a substantial amount of people eating inside April & Flower. 

Your old workplace. 

Irene, the restaurant manager and your boss, had been calm yet friendly when you called her. She encouraged you to come and drop by, "whenever you were free", in her own words. You didn't want to inconvenience the staff by showing up during the busiest time, so you held off on arriving until an hour before closing time. 

Further inspection showed a few faces going back and forth throughout the restaurant, a couple of young men that you didn't recognize. Kyungsoo was hidden away in the kitchen, the only person you knew. 

Maybe it would be better to just come back at the end of the shift, you thought to yourself. Just as you were about to walk away, one of the men inside spotted you, a grin breaking out on his face as he waved in your direction. Tentatively, you waved back, watching as he dashed off. 

Taking in a deep breath, you forced yourself to walk to the entrance, hand lingering over the door handle before it swung open. Lucky for you, the door swung inside, revealing a petite woman and the man you saw earlier.

"Y/N!" she greeted you. You relaxed upon recognizing the voice from your phone call.

"Hi, Irene, right?" 

"Yes! I'm glad Mark spotted you."

Mark, the man beside her, only smiled wider. Upon closer look, he appeared more like a boy than a man. "You could've come in instead of watching us through the window," he said frankly.

You blushed, feeling the heat warm up your face while Irene reached up to tweak Mark's ear lightly. "Don't embarrass her on your first day back." Turning back to you, her smile was more gentle. "Come inside." You let her take you by the hand, pulling you into the noise and bustle that made up April & Flower.

Irene began to lead you on a tour of the restaurant, introducing you to the rest of the staff there. You met Junmyeon, the assistant manager, as well as Lucas, a busboy like Mark who looked just as young. The waiters for that day, Jaehyun, Johnny and Ten were too busy to do much but say hi and tell you how glad they were to see you again before they got back to their tables. 

"And now for the part I'm sure you've been waiting for," Irene said as she led you to the kitchen. She pushed the door open, an assault of fragrances and sounds attacking your senses. 

It was easy to spot Kyungsoo, cheeks pink from standing over the stove for extended periods of time. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard the door open, nodding to you with a smile before turning his attention back to the food. 

Irene introduced you to the other line chefs, Taeyong and Mingyu before pulling the head chef over. The man beamed down at you, hands coming up to rest on your shoulders as you stared back at him in surprise.

"Y/N, we missed you! God, this place has been crazy without you." He pulled you close for a short hug, patting your back briefly before letting go.

"Kibum, you need to introduce yourself to her, remember?" Irene watched both of you with an amused smile, noticing how you were left at a loss for words at this warm greeting.

"Oh, right. Don't listen to her, the only people that call me Kibum are my parents, although I guess I'll make an exception for you, Boss." He winked at Irene before fixing his gaze on you. "You can call me Key." He wiped his hand on his apron before offering it out to you. 

You didn't know anything about Key, but from what you had gleamed in the past couple of minutes, you liked him already. "Nice to meet you again, Key," you said, shaking his hand with a grin. 

"Likewise." He pointed to the bustling area behind him, one eyebrow jumping up. "You wanna come try it out?"

It was tempting, but you also didn't want to mess up any orders. "I'm not ready, I don't know anything about this menu," you replied, although you couldn't look away from the preparations.

"She's right," Irene spoke up. "But if you want to, you can shadow them for today." When you didn't respond, she patted your shoulder lightly, a knowing smile on her face. "Go ahead." 

Key found a spare apron for you, and immediately jumped back into work. You watched from a distance, keeping an eye on the other men more than Kyungsoo. Having known him for a while, there wasn't much that surprised you when it came to his technique. The other men, however, were complete strangers. It was mesmerizing to see how skillful they were, knives easily cutting through meat and vegetable, quick fingers adding finishing touches to the plates before they were sent off. 

Taeyong smiled to himself when be noticed how your eyes couldn't leave the plate of braised beef he just handed off to Ten. "Do you want to try some?" he offered.

"Are you sure?" Just at that moment, to your mortification, your stomach grumbled.

With a chuckle, Taeyong waved you over to the pan he had been using, scooping up a spoonful of the sauce and offering it to you. 

You took the spoon gratefully, eyes squeezing shut in joy as you let the rich flavor wash over you. "This is so good," you gushed, eyes opening to see how proud Taeyong looked.

"Thanks. But hey, you've learned how to do this too. With some time and practice, you'll have these recipes down like the back of your hand."

"He's right," Mingyu chimed in from where he stood cubing a slab of beef. "It's still with you, in your head. Your brain just has to retrace those pathways again.” He paused to point to his head with a gloved hand, winking in your direction.

"Hey, who do you think you are, Einstein?" Taeyong asked, laughing as he pretended to shove Mingyu. "Where did you even hear about that?" 

"Lots of documentaries," the other man replied breezily.  

The rest of the dinner hour passed by smoothly, only a few minor hiccups here and there. You got to see how Irene and Junmyeon managed the restaurant, constantly in awe at how much trust they placed in their employees — including you. 

It was nearing the end of the restaurant's hours, and you were preparing to go home. They wouldn't let you go without feeding you, and all for free, no matter how much you protested. Much to your delight, Taeyong set a plate of braised beef on the counter before you, the same dish he had seen you staring at earlier. Kyungsoo had sneakily slid a small bowl of mashed potatoes beside it, beaming proudly when you gushed over how buttery they were. 

Irene came over while the rest of the staff started to close up, chin resting on her hand as she watched you eat. "How are you doing? Jongdae doesn't tell us much, and Kyungsoo says even less when we ask him. But you seem like you're doing okay." Her voice trailed off, waiting for you to refute or back up her statements.

You swallowed the bite of sauteed vegetables in your mouth, nodding in response. "I'm doing better everyday. Coming here helped a lot too. I feel antsy just waiting at Minseok's house all day, looking through old photos and trying to remember everything. Even though I didn't do anything here, just being around everyone while they worked made me feel like I was a part of it."

A sudden yell from beyond the kitchen doors startled both of you, Irene sitting up and peering out the window in the door until turning back to face you. "You know you're always welcome here, whether you're working or not." 

"I want to work," you said enthusiastically. "I just don't want to slow anyone down." 

"Trust me, I think you'd get the hang of things pretty quickly." She reached out to pat your hand before standing up. "Just keep it in mind."

You nodded, watching as she pushed open the kitchen door and headed out onto the restaurant floor. Little glimpses of your past like this, like your outings with Jongdae or Minseok helped to ease you back into this lifestyle, like getting back on a bicycle after so many years. 

Although you couldn't remember these little details, everything that you did just felt right, like pulling on a well-loved sweater that had been hidden in the back of your closet, or falling into bed at the end of a long, long day. 

Like coming home. 

Over the next couple of weeks, on the days that you weren't shadowing and learning from your co-workers, you met up with Jongdae. In this past week, you had spent a day at the movies with him and Minseok, another afternoon with him checking out a tapas place that Kyungsoo had recommended. One night, he had even fallen asleep on Minseok's couch while both of you were watching a movie. He slumped down in his spot, head leaning against the couch back as his mouth fell open, a thin trail of drool threatening to slide down onto his shirt. You tried to stifle your giggles, cooing over how slumber made him look five years younger. Minseok found you still staring at Jongdae when he came out of the kitchen from washing dishes. 

"What are you doing?" he whispered. Both of you froze as Jongdae snored lightly, but still remained still. 

"Nothing," you whispered back. "He just looks so... so peaceful like this."

"Want me to wake him up?"

You glared at your brother over your shoulder, eyes narrowing as he grinned devilishly. "Don't even dare."

"Alright. I'm just saying, he's gonna hurt his neck sleeping like this." 

Minseok did have a point there. But you hated to wake Jongdae up when he looked so adorable in this state. Sighing in defeat, you shook Jongdae's shoulder gently. "Jongdae?" you said, voice hushed. "Wake up, you're going to hurt yourself like that."

With a reluctant groan, Jongdae stretched his arms out and straightened up. He rubbed the trail of spit on his face away with the back of his hand, ears turning pink when he realized that he had been caught sleeping and drooling in front of you. "Oh god, how long have I been asleep?" He fumbled over his words, still groggy and out of sorts.

"Not too long." You smiled sympathetically, already attuned to how embarrassment looked on Jongdae's face. "You can stay the night if you want to."

Jongdae's face lit up briefly before a worried furrow found its way between his eyebrows. "I wish I could, but I can't. I have to head in early to work tomorrow." 

"It's fine, don't worry. Will you be okay driving?"

"Yeah." Jongdae let out a long yawn, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looked much more awake after this, although his shoulders were still hunched over with fatigue. You eyed him skeptically.

"Are you sure?" you asked.

"She's right. I can drive you home, Dae," Minseok offered.

"I'll be fine you guys, really." Jongdae stood up, wincing at the exertion on his legs after sitting for so long. He met your eye, sending you a reassuring smile. 

Still worried, you insisted on walking him out to his car, even when he protested. "It's too cold outside," he argued.

You rolled your eyes, slipping your shoes on as Jongdae finished tying up his laces. "I'll be fine, I'm not that fragile." 

Jongdae smiled to himself at your words, watching fondly as you rummaged through the closet for a spare jacket. "You're right," he said to himself.

The hallways of Minseok's apartment complex were empty, save for a couple walking their dog. Jongdae had managed to snag a spot on the street right in front of the building — usually coveted by visitors. He turned towards you, hands in his pockets and nose beginning to turn pink from the frosty air. "I'll be okay, Y/N. I don't want you to catch a cold." 

"It's gonna take a lot more than that for me to get sick." You giggled softly, soft puffs appearing in the air before you. "Drive safely, okay?" 

Jongdae nodded, unlocking the car and slipping into the driver's seat. He glanced over when you knocked on the passenger side window, rolling it down and leaning over. 

"Sweet dreams, Dae."

He was stunned, both by the soft request and the unexpected use of his nickname. Ever since you had awoken in the hospital, you had stuck to calling him by his first name. He didn't mind, but it was much more touching to hear the well-loved nickname falling from your lips after so long.

"Good night, darling," he replied, eyes sparkling with an emotion you couldn't place. 

You thought back to the home videos you had watched, of hearing that same word in your voice whenever Jongdae's face came into the camera's view. Shellshocked, you could do nothing but nod dumbly before stepping back, watching as Jongdae gave you a final wave before driving away. 

Darling. Such a simple, old-fashioned word. And yet, it held so much meaning for both of you. 

Minseok watched this small exchange with a knowing smile on his lips from his window, arms crossed over his chest as if he were observing a baseball game. He couldn't hear anything, but he had his guesses about what happened.

"They're still the same as ever," he chuckled to himself, leaving his perch as you began the trek back upstairs to the apartment. 

Neither you nor Jongdae spoke about that moment afterwards, but it was clear that something had shifted between the two of you. Dr. Suh was quick to point it out during your sessions, gleaming a subtle change in your relationship from the way you talked. You were more vivacious, more animated when talking about Jongdae. Your praise for him came easily, adoration for his sweet manners and bubbly demeanor always bringing a glow to your face. 

There was no doubt now that these outings you two shared were dates, especially when Jongdae spent more time in front of the mirror trying to fix his hair while across the city, you searched for the perfect outfit. 

The first time that you held his hand, you were positive that there couldn't be any other person whose hand fit so perfectly with yours. Jongdae had been surprised when you reached out for him after a walk home from a shopping trip, eyes going repeatedly from your face to your joined hands as if he worried that this was an accident. You merely squeezed it lightly, swinging your joined hands back and forth until he was giggling that infectious laugh of his. 

Both of you were waiting for the next milestone, the next big change in your relationship. Jongdae was cautious about being too forward, and you never seemed to have good timing on your side. 

You flipped through the pages of the hardcover in your hand, closing the book with a satisfying thump and returning it to its spot on the shelf. Today, you and Jongdae were browsing through the small shops on the street not too far from Dr. Suh's office. Jongdae had offered to pick you up after your session, and seeing as it was an unusually bright winter day, both of you wanted to spend as much time out of the apartment as possible. 

One of the bad things about losing six years worth of memories meant that you forgot about all of the new books you had read during that time. But on the plus side, it also meant that you got to experience them for the first time all over again. You had a list on your phone compiled of recommendations from friends, family and of course, the internet. 

Jongdae wasn't as much of an avid reader as you, but he enjoyed the occasional paperback every once in a while. He sat on the floor, back against a shelf with a pile of some of your books stacked up beside him. With his phone in hand, he would giggle to himself occasionally while reading a webtoon. Every so often, you would look over to see his eyes crinkled up and lips pressed shut to try and keep the laughter at bay. 

Giving up on your search for now, you found your way back to Jongdae's side, resting your head on his shoulder and peeking at his phone. Immediately, he shifted it so that you had a better view of the screen. Soon both of you were trying to keep your laughter down, scrolling through the rest of the webtoon's latest installation.  

"My reading list is gonna take forever to complete," you mused when you caught sight of your forgotten pile of books. Jongdae handed them over to you when you asked, whistling at the sheer height to your pile. 

"Then it's a good thing we've got plenty of time." Jongdae smiled at you before looking over the titles printed on your books. You never got tired of watching Jongdae's expressive face, enamored with the way that smiles just managed to easily find their way there, only adding to the radiance there. As of late, you found it more and more difficult to part ways at night, and to go back to your bed alone. Your heart tightened at this realization, unaware of how you had been longing for this for a while.

"Dae?"

"Hmm?" His head perked up, waiting curiously. 

"I want to come back. I want to come home, with you." 

Jongdae's mouth fell open, eyes staring at you blankly before he surged forward, almost knocking the books from your lap as his lips found their place against yours. The sudden kiss awakened something deep inside you, and soon you were scrambling to hold him as close to you as physically possible. Jongdae seemed to favor small nibbles at your lower lip, grinning when you gasped in surprise at the sudden sensation. One skimmed down your back before coming back up to your face, thumb caressing the soft skin there as you continued to kiss him. It felt like too soon when you were forced to pull away, cheeks flushed and chest heaving.

"You mean it?" Jongdae asked, just as out of breath as you were.

Nodding, you reached up to cup his face with your hands. "It doesn't feel like home when you're not with me." 

Jongdae's eyelids fluttered shut, the weight of your words touching the depths of his heart. "You’ll always have me, no matter what. Home hasn't been the same without you." His eyes opened, brown pools of color full of adoration as he stared back at you.

Everything was falling back into place.

Series masterlist: ( 1 )  ( 2 )  ( 3 )  ( Final )

A/N: one of the hardest things was trying to figure out who the hell works at april & flower LOL like somehow in the back of my mind I always knew that I wanted some of the nct kids there, but it took a bit of rearranging to see who seemed to fit where. i just love the idea of irene being in charge of the place 😎 

also, god I love old fashioned terms of endearments and it just grew even bigger after jongdae’s “dear my dear” release. you know, like sweetheart, darling, my love, etc. 

there’s only one more chapter left to update in this series! thank you to everyone who’s been reading so far! ❤️ also happy holidays!! 

Tag list: @khelmatic​ (I know it’s been a while since I updated, so thank you for waiting!)

[normanisource]

Ally Brooke Hernandez, 24, has a two-tone thing happening, with a black leather hat and skirt paired with a fuzzy pink sweater and pumps. Normani Kordei, 21, has accented herself with huge chrome hoop earrings and silver-dipped nails. Lauren Jauregui, 21, wears a lacy boho-chic blouse and carries her puppy, a rescue mutt named Leo. Then there’s Dinah Jane Hansen, 20, who peels off a trippy floral jacket to reveal a bright yellow tee that reads, in big block letters, “I’M A RAY OF FUCKING SUNSHINE.”

Fifth Harmony used to tour malls like this: shopped from town to town, crammed between kiosks for tchotchkes and lit by department store signs. That was in 2013, less than a year after its lineup was now-famously chosen by Simon Cowell and Antonio “L.A.” Reid flipping through the headshots of X Factor contestants on the verge of washing out. The teens twice tried to christen themselves, but the first name (LYLAS, for “Love You Like a Sister”) was already in use, and the judges hated the second (1432, pager code for “I love you, too”), so Cowell asked viewers to submit ideas online. Rebranded Fifth Harmony, they took third place and stepped off the show into a joint deal with Reid’s Epic Records and Cowell’s Syco Music.

But those are all tales of an earlier era, before 2016, the group’s biggest year yet -- and the one that ended in shambles when, exhausted and unfulfilled, 5H lost Camila Cabello to a solo career. Last year’s 7/27 debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, propelled by “Work From Home,” the first top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit from a girl group in nearly a decade. But the acrimonious December split made even bigger news, with 5H accusing Cabello of quitting through her reps, and Cabello denying the accusations. It was... awkward.

“Try experiencing it,” retorts Jauregui when I volunteer as much. The rest of the group, as it so often does, rushes in to complete her thought. “I was literally going to say that,” Kordei quickly adds. “I get to sleep at night knowing we did everything in our power as friends, bandmates and human beings” to make it work. Then Hernandez: “You can’t change people.” And finally, Hansen: “Let’s just say we’re in a better place now -- there are no secrets in this circle.”

Jauregui admits she nearly threw up from anxiety before the downsized 5H’s first performance, at the People’s Choice Awards in January. But today, the members are quick to (literally) high-five each other as they talk about their ongoing 7/27 Tour, the first in which they’ve built in real downtime, and a third album, due later this year on Epic. “Honestly, in this very moment, we could not be happier,” says Hernandez with more assertiveness than the Pollyanna-ish cheer that’s her trademark. Their first new single as a foursome, “Down” -- a neon-edged dancehall bubbler featuring a warmly romantic verse from Gucci Mane (“Got me showing off my [engagement] ring like I’m Jordan”) -- reached No. 42 on the Hot 100. Meanwhile, Cabello’s “Crying in the Club,” which entered the charts two weeks earlier, peaked at No. 47. Both are still active on the Mainstream Top 40 list.

“Crying in the Club” is a wide-screen, Sia-style ballad and “Down” is an airy dance track, but the two have more in common than just a chart trajectory: They’re both grown-up songs for longtime professional “girls” now expected to be seductive women. The 5H video, which racked up 21.6 million views in two weeks, even seems to offer some sly commentary on this, with the group pulling up to a seedy motel and writhing on beds in separate rooms. But the women have come up with their own narrative for the lyrics, which came to them from “Work From Home” co-creators Ammo and DallasK, and include “You the type that I could bake for/’Cause baby, you know how to take that cake” -- as well as the chorus, “Long as you’re holding me down/I’m going to keep loving you down.”

“We dedicate it to each other,” says Hansen. “We’ve been together five years, so that message is powerful to us. We’ve been there for each other through ups and downs.” Hernandez hits her with an “Amen.”

The single is only a slice of what’s to come, because for the first time, 5H is co-writing its songs -- over half, in fact, of those destined for the new album. Since January, it has been holding songwriting camps between tour stops, mostly at Windmark Recording, just two miles from here. The group typically breaks into pairs, then takes turns with that day’s writers and producers like 5H alums Monsters & Strangerz and pop and R&B producers Harmony Samuels (Ariana Grande) and Sebastian Kole (Alessia Cara).

“It’s not like they came in at the end and started riffing,” says Leah Haywood of Dreamlab, which has two songs on the album. “We sat and wrote verses together, because they’re empowered women who want to be pushing the agenda.” Justin Bieber’s go-to hook man Poo Bear, who worked with Skrillex on a 5H session, adds, “I was pretty blown away. They were hungry and excited and seemed like they had a serious new point to prove.”

Those collaborators create “safe spaces,” says Jauregui, where they can try ideas without fear of judgment. But the world outside isn’t so cushy. Plenty of popular girl groups have lost members and carried on, but none have found more success. En Vogue withered commercially without Dawn Robinson. Destiny’s Child hit peak sales just before LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson were ousted. And the one Spice Girls album that followed the departure of Geri Halliwell was an abject flop.

One Direction provides a hopeful example -- Made in the A.M. handily outsold its predecessor even without Zayn Malik. But the industry is perhaps kinder to boy bands. As much as its music (and videos) might be maturing, 5H is dedicating itself to an idea almost radical in its innocence: that four pop stars are better off as a single group -- albeit with a name that, at this point, feels a bit silly. “The fans,” quips Hernandez, “are our fifth member.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whose 15-year-old daughter Simone is “pretty tight” with Hansen, says 5H is “aspirational to so many young girls around the world.” He adds, “Once the drama [of Cabello’s exit] settles, instead of looking at it as a devastating loss, I look at it as an amazing opportunity for growth.”

We’re now inside, aprons on, at The Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories. The women chat about how much they love SZA’s Ctrl as they pioneer new ways to Snapchat themselves, chopping scallions for quesadillas, charring tandoori-style chicken wings and deep-frying homemade potato chips. Overseen by a chef named Jamie, they share kitchen duties with an almost psychic ease -- except for the cookies. The plan is for everyone to pitch in on a batch of the classic chocolate-chip variety, and that’s how it starts. But then Jauregui asks for white chocolate, Hansen requests pretzels, and Hernandez wants her Texas pecans (she’s from San Antonio). Soon one mixing bowl becomes four, and Kordei is in the pantry foraging hazelnuts, Rice Krispies and almond extract.

It’s a cute metaphor for how 5H’s members are cultivating their independence not only from their corporate minders but from one another. It’s also woefully inadequate in addressing Jauregui’s personal journey during the last few months, starting with a declaration she defiantly slid into an open letter to Trump voters, which she wrote for Billboard in November: “I am a bisexual Cuban-American woman, and I am so proud of it ... I am proud to feel the whole spectrum of my feelings, and I will gladly take the label of ‘bitch’ and ‘problematic’ for speaking my mind.”

In March, Jauregui shared photos from a November “coming-out” shoot, as photographer Nicole Cartolano characterized it to MTV, with her then-girlfriend Lucy Vives (daughter of Colombian singer Carlos Vives). Her sexual identity has since cropped up in her music. Jauregui briefly made an appearance on the Hot 100 as a guest on Halsey’s “Strangers,” which, as a duet about an it’s-complicated same-sex romance, has inspired more than a few think pieces.

Jauregui’s openness speaks not only to the accepting nature of 5H but also to the potential for a mainstream girl group in an era where many minorities feel under attack. 5H is still a place for purity rings. Hernandez is wearing a “TRUE LOVE WAITS” band. She and Kordei identify as Christian, while Hansen is Mormon. But all insist Jauregui’s expression is “supported.” And Jauregui, who believes in “the universe and a god source, like an energy,” seems content with this. But asked if she would be comfortable singing about a relationship with a woman in a 5H song, she says she doesn’t know, “because it has to do with me personally. It doesn’t speak for everyone in the group, which is its own entity as an artist. That’s the whole reason for doing your own thing.”

Kordei has recently added a new chapter to her story, too. She competed on Dancing With the Stars this past spring, returning to a childhood passion. “I grew up dancing competitively and being in pageants, and my grandma made all my costumes and dresses. I remember watching the show on the couch with her, and she’d pause the TV to create sketches based off what she saw,” she says. Kordei and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, finished third, which is all the more impressive when you consider that for the first three weeks she flew to the Los Angeles tapings direct from 5H’s Asia tour, popping melatonin on the plane and chugging coffee (a new habit) before doing the cha-cha.

Hernandez recently dropped a summery song with DJ duo Lost Kings and A$AP Ferg. She also clocked a writing session with Christian country-folk singer Cindy Morgan and touts the acting career she plans to launch this year. Hansen has an unreleased RedOne cut featuring Fetty Wap and French Montana, and she loves tennis and jokes about becoming a volleyball star. “I’m at a place where I’m continuing to identify myself,” she says. In other words: find her part in what could become a multidisciplinary 5H empire.

“Last year, we all learned a lesson about mental health and making sure you step away from something. It just makes this stronger,” says Jauregui. “Fifth Harmony is the home base,” offers Kordei, “where we always come back.” “Yasss,” says Hernandez.

Of course, when your break from work is more work, there isn’t much room for, like, life. They all describe their days as a “blur,” and Hansen says she doesn’t know “what vacation means.” For those who keep asking: No, Kordei still hasn’t had a chance to go on that date with DWTS’ Bonner Bolton. And in a quiet moment in the kitchen, Hernandez confesses that there’s nothing she wants more than to get married. But the women don’t even have homes apart from their families -- the houses would sit empty.

It was only 14 months ago, in the middle of my interview with the group for its first Billboard cover, that the same four sitting here broke down in tears detailing the extent of their fatigue and stress. “Jesus Christ, dark times,” recalls Jauregui, and they didn’t let up. The same day Cabello’s exit was announced, there was a leak of what seemed to be a recording of Jauregui telling Hernandez the band was treated like “literal slaves.” “I don’t know where that [audio] came from,” says Jauregui, “but that’s what the game does to you sometimes: runs you dry.” But it was a bit more than that.

“We were little girls coming off of a TV show and had a team of people trying to sculpt us into something we weren’t,” says Hansen. “They took advantage, like, ‘Get in there and record this, you thing,’ ” says Jauregui.

“If you’re told you can’t do something when there’s a creative desire to do it, that’s depressing,” says Geri Horner -- nee Halliwell, aka Ginger Spice -- who just released her first single in 12 years. “Spice Girls always wrote our own stuff, but I can relate to that.”

The long road to liberation began with 5H hiring outspoken music lawyer Dina LaPolt at the end of 2015. “I sat the girls in a hotel conference room and for five hours educated them on trademarks, copyrights and rights of publicity,” says LaPolt, who soon helped secure them new management with the preeminent firm Maverick (Madonna, U2, Miley Cyrus). “Then I educated them about every agreement they signed, which [were] the worst I’ve ever seen in the music business.”

LaPolt successfully transferred the Fifth Harmony trademark from Cowell to the group, meaning the women now own the name, along with the right to control how it is used and to profit from any deals. (The agreement -- signed in April 2016, months ahead of Cabello’s exit -- doesn’t name Cabello in the “Fifth Harmony Partnership.” “I don’t represent Camila,” is all LaPolt will say.) She then renegotiated 5H’s contract with Epic, which she characterized as “a very adversarial” process.

LaPolt and 5H stress that the group’s relationship with Epic is now good. The women count among their “saviors” the label’s senior vp A&R Chris Anokute, who came onboard near the end of making 7/27. (Reid left Epic in May amid sexual-harassment allegations.) “We raised our voices,” says Hansen, “and to have someone in our corner like Chris, who believes in us, is the most important element to make the wheels go.”

Which allows 5H to meet the challenges of being Women of Pop in the late 20-teens. Rihanna, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and Lorde have all shown how much artistry, agency and album-building matter. Basically, the band needs to pursue the authenticity Cabello secured by going it alone. The challenge is not only doing that in a group, but also while relying on familiar themes, like girl power, diversity, body positivity and inclusion.

Jauregui is the first to admit she was scared about 5H’s future without Cabello. “We’d put blood, sweat and tears -- and birthdays and funerals we missed -- into this thing,” she says. “It’s our livelihoods and our families.’ This is the train, and now you’re like, ‘Is the conductor going to come through with the coals, or are we left here to die?’ ”

Hernandez says there were “many therapy sessions.” Hansen, at least, quit worrying when they released their first press photo as a quartet and everyone, including Ellen DeGeneres, started editing themselves into the frame, “trying to recruit themselves into the squad.” Which raises the question: Have they considered bringing in a new member? They answer in unison: “Heeeell naaaw!”