#I go put my facial cleanser on my hands I know it’s not meant for my hands but shush it’s a cleanser and I’m desperate

[sallysgrancanwrite]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chloe woke up and didn’t hurt as bad as she thought she would. However when she moved her body it screamed in pain. A hot shower would loosen her up. Wait, first some yoga then the shower. She did about 30 minutes of yoga and then got in the shower. She scrubbed her face real good because she was getting a facial done in a little bit here and wanted it clean. She’ll use a cleanser on it when she gets out too. She had just finished dressing and brushing out her hair when Edith and Beth got home. She went downstairs to grab a bagel and juice.

“So my helpful little elves, how are things going this morning?” Chloe smirked.

“I actually think we are ready, the big question is are you and Michael?” Edith asked.

“We’re ready,” said Chloe, “no problem.”

She seemed to have gotten over her nerves. She walked a bit goofy because she hurt but that’s expected. Edith suggested she go shoeless so it wouldn’t put a strain on her back but Chloe insisted on wearing the shoes.

They went with an intimate wedding, very small and it would be in the evening as a candle light service. It meant they both only had one person standing up for them. Chloe had Beth and Michael had his brother Charles.

Charles wasn’t much of a talker. Which was freaky because he would just stare at you. All she knew was he worked in the mines like his dad did. Oh. And he liked to stare at people, but I digress.

At 10 AM the ladies all met at LuLu’s to get their hair and make up done. On their way in they ran into Michael.

“Michael you aren’t supposed to see her before the weddin’!” said Beth, “Git going.” she said.

“I have something for her first,” he said as he handed it to Chloe. ”Open it now honey.”

Chloe took the box and unwrapped the ribbon and then the paper. Inside was a blue velvet box and a beautiful diamond bracelet.

“Michael, it’s beautiful!” She hugged him. “Thank you. Now wait I’ll go get my gift.”

She ran to the car and got her gift and secretly thought it was not good enough after seeing his gift to her. She handed him a small wooden box. He opened it to see to beautiful gold cuff links with his initials on them.

“It’s not as extravagant as yours was, I’m sorry.” She hung her head and a tear trickled down her cheek.

He lifted her head and hugged her.

“Are you kidding, anything from you is awesome and I think they’re gorgeous. I’ll look great today with them on. No more tears unless they are happy tears.” He hugged her once more.

“I better get going,” she said. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”

She went back in and they all wanted to see what he got her. They were struck by how sparkly it was.

“Have to give the man credit, he knows jewelry.” Beth said.

LuLu got started on their hair. She washed it put it under the dryer and they all sat and did what ladies do best, gossip. Edith’s dryer went off first and she just had her normal curl and comb out. What she called her old lady doo. Then she started on Beth. She like big curly hair. Beth never left the 80’s.

“Going with the big hair today Beth?” LuLu asked.

“Yes ma’am. You know how I like it, real curly and full.”

“One 80’s doo coming right up.” Everyone laughed.

Chloe sat watching them and she went back to her mother and daddy again. She missed them so much. She wasn’t even listening to them anymore and soon a tear slipped from her eye. Mom would love this day.

“It’s your turn honey. Chloe?” Beth said.

All of a sudden she snapped back to reality.

“Yeah, what? I’m sorry. I’m coming.” She said.

“We’re you dreaming about the honeymoon?” Beth teased “Hey why the tears?”

“Just missing momma and daddy. I’m fine.” Chloe said.

“They would be so proud of the young lady you have become,” said Edith. “We are.”

“So how should we do yours? Up or down?” LuLu asked.

“Definitely up,” said Chloe. “Like up with curls on top and hair hanging down around my face a bit and my neck too. Yes that’s what I want. My veil goes over my head but it has a small piece that clips into the back. Beth can you grab my veil?” Chloe asked.

LuLu looked at it and said

“I know how to do your hair and put the veil on. We’ll put it on right away.”

So she set about using hot rollers and curling irons to get big and small curls. She the gently put a pile of curls on top of her head after having rated the hair underneath a bit. She pinned the curls real tight then took the curling iron and took strings of left out hair and curled those around her face and around her neck. She looked at it, touched it up a bit and put a ton of hairspray on. She turned Chloe to the mirror.

“Okay, what do you think?” LuLu asked.

“Oh I love it. It’s beautiful. Let’s see what the veil looks like with it.“

LuLu got the veil and carefully pinned it in the back and they all stood back and looked.

“Wow,” said Beth, “It looks fabulous. We better get the makeup going now. Or we’ll be late. We have two hours.”

They all got their makeup done, Chloe wore more than she usually did but she liked it, and then they ran home to dress. Bob was pacing on the porch when they pulled up.

“It’s getting a bit close ladies. Did you have to regrow hair or what?”

“You just don’t understand honey what it takes to look this good.” She kissed him

“Evidently I don’t.” He mumbled.

The girls ran upstairs and Edith and Beth got dresses first so they could help Chloe, who was going to the bathroom before she out this dress on and couldn’t go the rest of the day.

“Chloe, we’re here to help you.” Edith said.

“Coming,” said Chloe. “Let me get my nylons on first. Ok, ready,” she said as she beat over with her arms stretched out so they could slip it over her head. When they looked at it they realized Chloe had lost weight and it was too big now.

“Beth,” said Edith, “run and Glenda and bring her and the seamstress, quickly.”

Beth ran as fast as she could and tore out of the driveway to hurry and get to the dress shop. They were just closing. Beth beat on the door.

Glenda came over.

“Oh Beth, what’s wrong?”

“Chloe, Beth said panicked, her dress is too big. Can you help please?”

“Sure, give me the address and we’ll come right away.”

Beth got back to the house at the same time Glenda got there. Beth sure hoped they could sew fast.

[hopeamarsu]

Close Shave #1 - Frankie Morales

Frankie Morales x reader 

Word count: just shy of 2k

Warnings: Straight razor shaving. I guess it could technically be counted as knifeplay, so just to be on the safe side I’ve marked it down. Some James Bond quotes are lifted from the movie Skyfall.

And yes, there’ll be another piece with Clyde later on. Because these two men have my heart and I will not be able to choose. Lol.

Ever since your visit to the antique store with Frankie on a sunny Sunday afternoon, you hadn’t been able to get the set out of your mind. First off, the wood case was beautifully crafted; despite the time passed it still looked shiny and all the metal parts worked well, despite aging and darkening. It had called you from the corner, sung like the sweetest canary, and you had been unable to resist. You marveled the feel of the smooth wood as your hand caressed the corners, admiring the craftsmanship. 

Once you had opened the case, you had been sold. The beautiful straight razor with gold and copper caps, the fluffy brush with a casing for cream, the leather strop and paste box all looked pristine. Well, the strop had obviously been used before, but it still looked in wonderful condition. You could still smell a hint of the musky beard oil that was once kept in its own place within the box, the woodsy and earthy tones hitting your nostrils as you peered in for a closer look.

It had only been the steep price that had made you leave the shaving kit there. But you still had thought about it until long after dinner and as you got ready for bed that you knew you had to get something like that for Frankie. 

After some intense browsing and comparing later, you had finally placed an order for a straight razor kit, some additional oils and moisturizers and they had arrived neatly packaged this afternoon. You had taken the day off work in order to prepare. Preparing meant countless Youtube videos on the subject, practicing the use of the straight razor on air and on balloons you had slabbed some shaving cream on. 

You had also transformed your master bathroom into an oasis, with dimmed lights and one of the dining chairs sitting in the middle of it all. There were lit candles, sheets and towels in the dryer to keep them warm and a small pillow sacrificed for the occasion was sitting beside the sink, ready for use. 

You had a selection of bottles next to the pillow; a small moisturizer, a bottle of beard oil that carried a sandalwood, vanilla and bergamot scent (something you thought he would appreciate) and a little bowl with shaving cream already ready. The piece de la resistance had a prized place on a small side table you’d dragged into the bathroom.

Now you just needed the man of the hour, one Francisco Morales.

You knew he had no flights today so he should be home shortly. Maybe you’d roped Will and Benny into making sure there wouldn’t be any Friday happy hour gatherings but you would never tell. And neither would they if they wanted you to cook for them the next time boys night was at your house. 

Right on cue, you heard the truck pull up and you took the moment to gather one of the sheets and two towels from the dryer, while you waited for him to enter. 

“Hermosa? You home?”

“I’m in the bathroom, babe! Would you come and help me for a moment?”

Was it sneaky to lure him in under false pretenses? Maybe, but getting him in here would be a challenge otherwise. And you didn’t want him wandering around the house and picking up on the missing items. 

Two loud thumps followed your question and you knew Frankie’s boots were off and socketed feet carried him towards your bedroom. Some shuffling around the bed and a question rang out.

“What’s this, hermosa?”

“Please put them on and come in. I have a surprise for you. Oh! And leave the cap behind too, thank you.”  You had laid out a pair of sweatpants and his softest possible T-shirt on the bed, wanting to extend the comfort as far as you could. You pressed play on your phone and smooth classical music began to play from the bluetooth speakers. It was set on top of the toilet, far away from any water sprays. 

You heard him shuffle in the bedroom, no doubt obeying your wishes and you started to swirl the shaving cream in the bowl with the brush, making it as fluffy and airy as you could. 

The door to the bathroom opened and you were greeted by your boyfriend in his grey sweatpants, his white t-shirt and dark curls framing his face. The hair was mussed up, no doubt because of his tendency to keep the hat on at all times and this must’ve been his attempt at ridding himself of hat hair. He looked adorable as the curls hung around his forehead and over his ears all messy. His dark brown eyes were open and curious as they took in the scene and you smoothed down your own t-shirt anxiously.

“Sweetheart… What is all this?” He whispered, the awe clear in his voice. 

“Come, sit down,” You took his hand, placing the bowl back on the counter as you pulled him closer. A small kiss was placed on him by your lips and you pushed him gently towards the chair. As he sat down, you placed the small pillow under his neck, urging him to relax into it. The pillow would certainly help his position in the long run. 

“Remember that antique store a couple of weeks back?” You spoke as you draped the sheet on top of his chest once he was settled. With Frankie’s affirmative hum, you opened the tap and let water run, trying to find the perfect temperature. 

“I didn’t tell you this at the time, but there was this gorgeous antique shaving kit in the back, strops and brushes and all in tip top shape. It got me thinking that I wanted to do a little something to pamper you and I bought a modern-slash-antique-looking set. I want to give you a shave.”

As you spoke, you lathered your hands under the water, ridding them of their coldness before wetting two small makeup towels to run across his face. The surprised gasp that left his lips betrayed he hadn’t been expecting that. 

You got into the rhythm of things, wetting his face with long strokes, allowing the warm towels to soothe his skin and soften it. Frankie’s eyes fell closed as the up and down strokes lulled him. After that, you squirted some cleanser into your hands, rubbing them together.

“I’m going to clean your face real quick, before we get into the shaving part. Do you want me to leave something or would you prefer clean-shaven?” You murmured, keeping your tone low to make sure he wasn't disturbed. 

“Whatever you like hermosa,” came his reply, a sleepy mumble that made you smile. Frankie worked so hard sometimes, taking care of his baby girl on the weekend she was with you, you and your relationship, his sobriety and the copters back in the hangar. 

After Colombia, he and the Miller brothers had joined forces, opening up a business together. They combined self-defence classes and survival training and business was good. Once Frankie had gotten his licence back, they often took their students training in the mountains, testing the limits and allowing for them to train first-aid skills on the wilderness too. 

It was honest and hard work. You knew how much all of them loved it and they were hopeful that Santi would join them as well once he was able, bringing the boys together once more. But the physical aspect of the job, including the maintenance of the planes, did take a lot out of your man, so to offer him this after a long week felt really good. And judging by his blissed-out state in the chair as you swept the lather into his skin and beard, he was enjoying it too. 

Round and round the brush went, all along his jaw and cheeks. You made sure he was well covered in the cream before you stepped back a little, taking the small steel knife into your hand. 

“Cut-throat razor. How very traditional.” 

The quote slipped your mouth quietly as you admired the blade in your hand. Frankie’s eyebrow lifted but a hand on his shoulder eased it down again. Taking a deep breath, you let the blade touch his skin and waited for a beat. When there was no resistance on his part, apart from his hand finding its way to your hip as a grounding place, you let it slide across the lathered skin and stopped about an inch from his jawline. After all, there was something in a man with facial hair, especially if that man was Frankie.   

“Sometimes the old ways are the best,” You couldn’t help yourself, letting the next line fall down as the blade lifted from his skin. The motions repeated themselves, both of you getting lost in the moment. The music faded in the background, Ludovico Einaudi’s calming notes becoming only a memory as you watched the blade move and turn the cream around, revealing smooth skin beneath. Each motion was followed by a swipe on the towel to make sure the blade didn’t dull in the middle of the session. It felt almost like a dance, your breaths the only sound left.

You moved, he stayed still. He moved, you stayed still. Back and forth, like the steps of a complicated dance. 

You didn’t know how long it took, shaving his face, but when there was only the small part left in the middle of his throat, you felt him gulp. 

“Keep still,” You admonished him slightly, tipping his face backwards, his skull digging a little deeper into the pillow that separated it from the cold marble of the sink. “This is the tricky part.” The final swipe was almost tantalizingly slow as you dragged it upwards to meet his chin. The trust he placed in you that moment made you feel powerful. It felt like something settled upon both of you as you lifted the blade from his skin for the last time.  

“Now that’s better,” You breathed out, as you watched him tip his head forward and open his eyes. The dark pools drilled into yours, the arousal and relaxation dancing a tango within, battling for dominance. How you wanted to keep watching it, enjoy how the candlelight reflected from the dark orbs but there were still steps to take before you could. You held his gaze for a moment, before lifting a towel from the counter to wipe off any excess cream left behind. 

“Did you…”

“Shh, I’m not done with you yet, mi amor.” Your eyes crinkled at the corners as you smiled softly to him. Frankie nodded, the movement barely there but still visible. He relaxed back, allowing you to rub some oil into his beard and some moisturizer into his skin. Frankie’s eyes slipped close once more and you took the moment to really admire him and the neatly trimmed beard in full. 

“All done,” A whisper in the air as you trailed his regal nose with your fingertip. His eyes remained closed but his hands grabbed your waist to tuck you into his lap. Slowly, the eyelids opened and lashes fluttered as Frankie peered into your eyes. The relaxation had won out, but there was still a small fire simmering behind that. 

“Did you quote James Bond to me?” He muttered, letting his left hand trail up your spine. 

“You know how I like that scene.” You shrugged. 

“Mhmm… Will you allow me to recreate some other scenes from those movies?” There was a playful edge to his voice as Frankie’s hand rested on the back of your neck. You leaned closer, breaths mingling, as you let a sliver of air between your lips. 

“Go right ahead, mister.” 

Tagging @clydesducktape​ @wayward-rose​ @themuseic​ @miraclesabound​ @clydesfavoritegirl​ @a-true-janian-reply​  @10blurredsmoke10​  @caillea​ @mind-p0llution​ ​

[blueluneacy]

Soaps and Special Drinks

I wrote a giant melone x reader off a fantasy i had at work. enjoy

word count: 4k

warnings: delusional yandere, not sfw, breeding kink, stalking, public sex, aphrodisiacs, forced drugging, major dub con, does making someone uncomfy at work count? idk but its there

You didn’t hear her until she called your name for the third time, and when you did, you nearly fell over.

“Oh god, what happened, what did I miss, I wasn’t asleep, my eyes were open!” You yelled, leaving your manager to jump.

“(Y/n), it’s okay, don’t worry!’ She said, laughing a bit to herself. “Don’t worry, I was just going to ask about what was happening and if you needed anything. But it looks like nothing is happening.” She sighed. You nodded, looking around the shop. You worked at a small, handmade soap. The soaps in here were beautiful, but the shop itself was quiet, only getting a few customers. The bulk of sales ended up being online at the owner’s etsy shop, with the actual building simply being in their family for the last 300 years, making it hard to part with. You didn’t mind, the soap was nice, you often got to take some of it home, and the work was easy. But you couldn’t deny that god, it was really god damn boring. 

“Yeah, I’m alright. Sorry, I’m just… Really bored.” You laughed, your manager just sighing.

“I can take the front of shop for a bit and you can play on your phone or something. You don’t have to just stand there all day.”

“I don’t mind it. Gives me time to think. Besides, I see you playing on your phone in front of shop all the time, I know that I can do it right here if I wanted to.” You hummed, your manager just rolling her eyes.

“I put it away when a customer shows up, don’t you worry. And what is it that you’re always thinking about, huh? A boyfriend?” She teased. You rolled your eyes.

“You know that I don’t have anyone like that in my life. I end up thinking about stupid stuff. Like what would happen if cows became four feet taller, or something.” You told her. It was a lie, of course, but you could never admit what actually went through your mind.

After all, how could you admit that you were just sitting there thinking about otome games and anime characters? It was nice to sit and think about lots of handsome men loving you. Maybe you played too many video games or watched too much anime.

“Alright, alright. Keep sitting with your weird thoughts.” She teased, the two of you laughing before the bell at the door rang as it swung open. 

The two of you stared as you saw the man walk in. He was so strangely dressed, and he was wearing a mask. Is this some sort of bad Dread Pirate Roberts cosplay? Half of his shirt was missing, which you sort of wanted to chalk up to bad sewing, but you also knew that it merely could be bad fashion. People around here are weird looking. He had choppy purple hair that covered one of his eyes, making you think that maybe the whole mask thing was meant to be an eye patch more than anything. You weren’t an expert in eyeball health. Still, you smiled brightly at the customer, not wanting to offend as you walked over to him, ready to assist in any way possible.

“Hello, Welcome! Is there anything in particular that you were looking for today?” You asked, Melone looking over at you before his eyes widened. God, you were just so… So god damn cute! The apron you were wearing hugged your curves so well, your body was so cute in the way you held yourself, smiling as you looked up at the man. He could just notice your tummy under the apron, a shudder going through his body as he saw your bright, smiling demeanor looking up at him.

“Oh, I heard that there were handmade facial products here? I’m looking for something a little more natural in my skin care routine.”  He replied, looking down to see your little name tag, smiling as he got the information. “Ah, I suppose then you could help me, (Y/n)?”

You forced your grin a little wider when he said your name, before nodding, waving him over and you brought him over to a little corner of the store. You don’t know why, but it seemed to only make you uncomfortable when people did things like read off your name tag. Which seems silly, after all, it was there for a reason, but still.

“Of course, sir, let me show you. Are you looking for something like a cleanser? We also have exfoliate scrubs, made all in house.” You told him. Melone just hummed, leaning over the products and moving a bit too much into your personal space as he pulled off his gloves. 

“You can call me Melone, sweetheart, no need for the formalities. And do any of these have scents in their formulas? I would hate to break out from oils…” He asked, touching his face lightly. You just smiled, shaking your head. You took note of his name, trying to keep yourself smiling

“Any scents that the product has is from the actual parts, not from anything we add. Like, our coffee ground scrub smells like coffee, because you know. We also have some regular facial soap, all in bar form, that we have, if you’d like to see. I can also make some samples for you, and we have a sink where you can try out some of the testers we have out.” You told him. He just smiled, nodding as he looked around a bit.

“That’s all well and good, but what would you recommend before bed? I need to remove my makeup, and so many cleansers are for the morning.” He complained. You just smiled, looking around and grabbing the giant pot of what you were looking for.

“Here we go! This stuff kills at removing any makeup. It’s made with shea butter, honey and rose water, with a little bit of tea tree oil in there for that calming feeling.” You said, reaching in and using a little spoon to put some on one of the little dishes your store carried, and then handed it to him. “Go on, go to the sink and check it out! You should also really check out our poppy soap too, it has poppy seeds in it which honestly? My skin has never been better.” You chuckled. Melone looked at you, before smiling and nodding. If that soap was what gave you such a glow, then he would definitely have to try it. You sighed as you went back to the counter next to your manager, watching the man as he washed his hands, his eyes widening before he grabbed one of the little papers you had next to the table, and a pen. Since everything here was served in whatever amount the customer wanted, the shop kept papers for customers to make a list of what they wanted.

“What is it now, daydreaming about a customer?” Your manager teased, leaving you to roll your eyes.

“Do you want him instead? He was all in my personal space.” You replied.

“Oh, cheer up, he wasn’t that bad. A little weird, but harmless. And you really need to get used to the idea that Italians don’t have a notion of personal space. You practically lost it when that old lady grabbed your hand.” 

“Hey, that was a while ago, that’s not fair! I think I’m used to it now, he’s just sort of creepy. Melone…” You mumbled his name to yourself, Melone’s ears perking up as heard you speak about him. Oh, your name sounded so good rolling off your tongue. He wanted to hear it over and over again, make you make the sound, scream it, moan it-

“I think I have my list ready, cara. Care to help me out?” Melone asked, coming over to the counter and leaning over it, handing the list over to you. You just took it from his hands, looking over the list before sighing.

“Can you get the bar soap while I get the cleanser?” You asked, writing down what you needed in the liquid before handing out the rest of the list to her. She nodded, walking off with a small smile on her face before you just sighed, going to get the cleanser. You grabbed one of the small glass jars you had, before putting it on the scale, taring it out after placing down the glass. 

“Five hundred grams, right?” You asked, only for Melone to nod. 

“Yes. It’s heavier, so it’ll be less than what I assume it’s going to be, so I might as well just go for it. I’ll use it anyway.” He replied, watching the way you reached into the pot and carefully scooped out the cleanser. You were so focused, he couldn’t help but imagine what you would look like in a domestic situation, maybe using a serving spoon to scoop out sauce for dinner, maybe just for the two of them. Maybe you would be in a cute little apron like the one you were in now, your feet bare and your hair loose as you grew heavy with his child-

In that moment, Melone felt a plan start to form in his mind.

The rest of the transaction went fine, in all honesty. Melone seemed as though he was suddenly in a hurry, that he forgot that he had something to do, purchasing his items and leaving with a quick “Ciao!”. You could tell that he was speed walking down the street, but you didn’t really care. Maybe you were over exaggerating, and he was just some normal gy, albeit oddly dressed. Still, it didn’t really matter to you. The fact that the store was empty meant that you could go back to your daydreams.

You were so grateful when the store finally closed. As the two of you locked up, you pulled your coat closer to your body, looking around.

“You should be careful now going home. It’s dark a lot earlier now, I’m afraid that maybe there might be some bad actors in the alleyways…” Your manager sighed. You nodded in agreement, the thoughts of how dangerous this city was becoming as Passione moved themselves in running through the both of your minds. Your manager had talked about moving, not wanting her kids to grow up here, and you couldn’t blame her. But both of you knew deep down that no matter where you went, the mafia probably lurked there somewhere.

“I will, don’t fret. Text you when I get home?” You asked, giving her a smile. She just smiled back and nodded.

“Don’t zone out and forget, alright? I’ll text you when I’m home as well!” She said, before waving, the two of you walking off in separate directions.

You hummed slightly to yourself as you walked down the street. You made sure to stay close to the streetlight, but you could swear that you could see something out of the corner of your eye, the feeling of being watched harsh in your stomach. You turned around often just to check, but no one was there. You must really be losing it today.

Still, it was like you were attracted to what was unknown. You instinctively started to move farther away from the streetlight, to try and see what exactly was going on in the shadows, but nothing was there. You barely even noticed how far you were in the dark until you passed by an alleyway. You didn’t even see the hand that shot out and grabbed onto your collar.

You immediately tried to scream, but you could barely make a sound as lips crashed into yours, your body pressed up against the wall as you squirmed. You winced as your head slammed against the wall, your vision tripling and a groan leaving your mouth and easily swallowed up by Melone. He pulled away, taking deep, harsh breaths, watching as you tried to focus on him.

“Don’t worry cara, it’s only me, didn’t mean to scare you, wanted to surprise you on your way home…” He cooed, pinning your hands above your head and moving to let his lips press against your neck, leaving light kisses and he hummed.

“Wha… Y.. You’re that guy from the soap shop! What are you doing, let me go!” You yelled, starting to squirm. Melone just pouted, as if you had told him a bad insult or you had genuinely hurt his feelings.

“Ah, don’t be like that, bambina. Are you mad because I embarrassed you at work? It’s alright, I’ll make it all better.” He hummed, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small vile. He used his teeth to pull out the cork, before letting a drop hit his tongue.

“Yep, it’s still good. Go on, drink this all down, and you’ll feel much better, carina.” He told you. 

“Like hell I’m going to drink anything you give me-” Perhaps you shouldn’t have spoken. When you opened your mouth and started to yell at him again, he just shoved the vial into your mouth, pouring the liquid in before covering your mouth with his hand.

“It’s alright, I know it tastes awful, but you have to drink it all, amore, otherwise it won’t work.” Melone hummed. You just sat there, holding the foul tasting liquid in your mouth before finally caving and swallowing. It wasn’t like you had much of a choice. When Melone felt that you had swallowed, he pulled his hand away, leaning over and pressing a gentle kiss against your forehead.

“Di molto… Good, thank you. It means a lot to me that would trust me like that.” Like you had any other fucking choice. You just let your eyes narrow as you continued to let them dart around for some sort of escape.

“What exactly did you fucking give me?” You hissed, Melone laughing a bit.

“Well, I suppose you’ll feel it momentarily, won’t you? Liquid medication only takes one to four minutes to assimilate…” He hummed. You swallowed, feeling that your mouth was starting to feel really dry. It felt like everything was getting hotter, until your whole body was on fire. You let out a soft whine when you finally opened your mouth to let out a few pants, suddenly out of breath, before squirming again. This time, to try and get rid of the heat that was engulfing you. 

“W-What is this?! Please, it’s so hot, what did you do?!” You cried out, internally cringing at how desperate your voice sounded. But Melone just ate it all up, leaning in to press his body against yours, the outline of his cock making you shudder. God, think, what was happening to you?!

“It’s one of the best aphrodisiacs out there. Only the best for you, bella, I want to make sure that you feel amazing throughout all of this…” He told you, before pressing his lips against yours. You tried to struggle, but god, you were feeling so weak as the drug coursed through your veins, and Melone’s lips felt so good against yours. You felt your knees get weak, your body slipping down the wall that you were leaning against as it became harder and harder for you to support your own weight. Melone just pulled away, watching you sink to the ground as if weighed down by your own lust, smirking to himself. You were so beautiful like that. Melone could see the way you were tugging at your clothing, trying to get them off in some relief from the hell that consumed you. He just chuckled, pulling you up and making you lean on him. You just ended up grabbing onto Melone tightly, trying to take deep breaths.

“Don’t worry bambina. I bet it hurts bad right now, doesn’t it? Maybe I should’ve opened you up first…” Melone thought aloud, before shrugging. Too late now. He reached down to start to pull your panties off, the other arm wrapped around you and firmly holding you against him. He shuddered at the way your soft body pressed up against him, holding onto him like it was the end of the world.

“Don’t worry, (Y/n). I’ll make this heat go away, make you feel all better. You’ll feel perfect and well once you’re fucked full of my children.” He hummed. Despite yourself, you just nodded, desperate for a suggestion that would mean that you would feel better. 

Melone practically jumped in delight, easily pushing two fingers inside of you, relishing in how wet you had become, to the point where you were starting to slick your legs. You moaned, gripping onto Melone tightly and starting to whine shrilling, babbling back at him.

“O-Oh fuck, that feels so good, fuck, please, Melone, pleeeeease…” You whined, already trying to buck against his fingers. It felt so good, but it wasn’t enough, it just wasn’t enough to satisfy you, to make you feel whole again.

“You’re tempting me so much, bambina. You make me want to fuck you right now, god, you’re going to be so full when I’m done with you, my cute little wife.” He told you as he added another finger, scissoring you open. God, if you could hold yourself up, Melone would have no problem getting on his knees and eating you out until you came all over his face. He wondered what cute, fucked out faces you would make after cumming five, ten, a hundred times for him. He felt his cock twitch in his trousers and did his best not to get ahead of himself. He wanted to make sure that you felt just as good as he did, but god, you were making it so hard with those cute faces of yours! The way you were clinging to him, gasping and moaning like a bitch in heat, begging him for more, it was all so much.

“P-Please, fuck, more… It’s still so hot, please, need you so bad…” You mumbled, moving to rest your head against his shoulder as he thrust his fingers into you. He let out a low moan at your words, his hips slightly bucking against you for it. He was so pent up, not wanting to waste a single drop until he found the perfect person to fill up with it, and here you were, all perfect and begging him to breed you full of his children.

“Aww, poor thing. Perhaps I gave you a bit too much…” Melone sighed, pulling his fingers out of you and leaving you to whine in frustration. He pushed his fingers into his mouth and just moaned, shuddering as he tasted your juices. You grabbed onto him tighter, begging for some sort of relief from this hell. When Melone finally pulled his fingers from his mouth, he let his own lips crash against yours, pushing your back against the wall and pressing your chest against his to hold you up while his hands moved to rip his cock out from his trousers.

It was nice, bigger than you expected, and you could see that Melone was well groomed about himself as well. In any normal circumstance, you would be continuing to scream, but as Melone started to rub his cock against you, slicking himself up with your juices, you just moaned.

“Yes, fuck yes! Please, more, give me more, god, fuck me already!” You cried out, squirming and trying to make Melone’s cock catch to try on your entrance. Melone just groaned, moving a hand to grab your hip, before pushing into you slowly. He threw his head back as he moaned, his nails digging into you as he started to move, only pulling his cock out half way before slamming back, leaving you to whine in return.

“Oh, cara, you’re so tight, fuuuuck… You’re so perfect, fuck, my pretty little wife, gonna be such a great mother, fill you up and keep you full of my babies-” Melone groaned, leaning forward and leaning on your shoulder, babbling his nonsense into your ear. And you just ate it all up, nodding and wrapping your arms around him and digging into his back, whining.

“Fuck, yes, please… Feels so good, please, Melone, pleeease…” You whined, holding onto him tightly as you tried to grind against him. Your words were enough to really spring Melone into action, starting to pound against you wildly, mouthing as your neck and leaving harsh bruises. You just scratched at him in return, leaving red welts that might even turn into bruises tomorrow. Melone groaned at the idea of you marking him so primally, the feeling of you marking him as yours just as he was marking you as his. 

“God, you’re all mine, aren’t you? Love you so much, (Y/n), gonna keep you safe, warm, all mine, I’m yours just as much as you’re mine, fuck-” His teeth dug into his lip as he felt the way you were clenching down on him, the signal that your orgasm was fast approaching. Really, it was a miracle that you haven’t cum once or twice already, but perhaps it was something in the back of your mind that was holding you back, keeping you from finishing.

“Mmm, I can feel you’re close… Di molto, that’s perfect, do you want to cum while I breed you? It’ll be a great way to make sure it goes as far as it can.” Melone groaned into your ear, his voice sultry and husky in a way that filled your foggy head with static, only pulling Melone closer as you tried to chase your own orgasm.

“Yes, yes please, fuck, it’s too much, I’m gonna cum, please let me cum, please-” You mewled, on the verge of tears from how pent up you felt, grabbing onto Melone as if he would disappear if you let go.

“Fuck, good, then cum, cum on my cock, make me breed you, gonna fill you up so much, so perfect and soft and round, do it, cum for me, God-!” His voice was practically as a howl as his movements became jerky, before finally thrusting in and bottoming out inside of you, finally cumming. It was the feeling of him pushing inside of you that one last time that set you over the edge, a loud keen coming from you as you squeezed down on Melone, starting to milk him for all you could. 

The two of you rode at your orgasms together, quiet panting and whimpers from the both of you as Melone finally pulled out of you. You practically collapsed as he let you go, free from the burning heat but now exhausted beyond all belief. Melone caught you, holding you up with his arms and chuckling a bit. You shuddered as you felt some of Melone’s seed drip down your leg, leaving Melone just to purse his lips.

“We shouldn’t be wasteful like that. I should’ve brought a plug, poor thing…” He sighed, reaching down to scoop up what fell and push it back inside of you. You moaned at the sensation, giving him a look to let him know that you were much too sensitive right now. He just laughed at your expression, before easily scooping you up in his arms.

“Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. We have all the time in the world once we get home.” Melone hummed. You stared at him incredulously, trying to figure out what the fuck he meant. You started to squirm a bit, but you were much too exhausted to really put in an effort to get away from him.

“Hmm? Well, of course I’m going to bring my wife home.” Melone hummed, petting your hair lightly. Your face went pale at the realization, but there was nothing you could do. Even if you could get out of his arms, you were too weak to run away away from him. You were stuck, hopelessly trapped with a madman, forced to listen to his deranged cooing as he made his declaration.

“We have a lot more work to be done if we’re going to make you a mother.”

[ikeromantic]

7 Deadly Dates

Dates in the Devildom with each of the brothers! Approx. 1500 words. Fluff and spice, a little NSFW at points.

The Netflix and Chill:

Let’s face it, Belphie is a netflix and chill kind of demon. He texts you to come up to his room, and when you arrive, he’s got pillows scattered all over the floor. Different sizes, shapes, and colors. When you look confused, he shakes his head. “It’s a pillow-testing date. How am I supposed to know which one is the most comfortable if we don’t try them all out?” His mock annoyance ends the moment you awkwardly lay your head on one of the pillows to check it for him. It's amazingly comfortable. All of them are. You close your eyes to just enjoy the softness but before you can really relax, Belphie plops down beside you, resting his head inches from your face. You open your eyes to see him studying you. A part of you thinks you ought to move, try out a different pillow or something. But your body feels pleasantly heavy and warm, and there is something so gentle in his normally disinterested gaze. You want to stay where you are and savor the moment. “Do you like it?” His breath smells like peppermint and lavender. It tickles your cheek. He smiles. “Should we try out the other pillows,” you ask after your heart calms down again. “Let’s stay like this awhile longer,” he tells you, and snuggles closer.

The Buffet:

Beel asks you to meet him in town. The word ‘date’ never crosses his lips in making plans with you, but the way he keeps putting an arm around your shoulders - your waist - holding your hand - are way more than just brotherly affection. When he begins the tour of Devildom restaurants, cafes, and confectionaries, you think you know what you’re in for. It still surprises you when Beel offers you a spoonful of Madame Scream’s seasonal parfait. He blushes at the way you close your lips over the spoon and shivers when you lick a bit of cream off your fingertip. So you feel pretty in control of the flirting on this not-date-date. Right up until he takes you home. You expect a goodnight kiss, something sweet from the brother that’s as close to an angel as a devil gets. Instead, he pushes you against the wall, lips and teeth on your neck. Your cry of pleasure and surprise urge him on. He unwraps you faster than a human world cheeseburger. You didn’t realize clothes could tear like paper. You also didn’t realize the Avatar of Gluttony could be so hungry for something other than food. 

The Spa Day:

Asmodeus invites you for a spa day. You fully expect this means getting a facial, mani-pedi, maybe a massage. What you don’t expect is getting this treatment from the Avatar of Lust himself. He hands you a robe when you show up, a thin bit of barely opaque silk that hangs to your midthigh. Asmo is already wearing one and damn . . . it doesn’t leave anything to the imagination. You find yourself blushing. He starts the treatment with your hands. He smooths the tension from your palm and fingers, and sends little streaks of pleasure through your body. That’s just the appetizer. He gently applies cleansers and a moisture mask to your face, murmuring how beautiful you are, how soft your skin. When he lays you down for a massage, you’re pretty sure it’s time to die from pure bliss. The feel of him peeling the robe off your back. He straddles you. It’s impossible not to notice how excited he is to be so close. The cool air and his warm touch, the way his hips rock against you as he moves. Asmo rubs little circles in your skin, starting at the top of your spine, slowly moving out and down. The lightest brush of fingertips against the side of your chest is like fire. By the time he makes it to your ass and thighs, you feel like you’ve melted and at the same time, you’re trembling with desire. Just the way he wanted you.

The Cat Walk:

Satan asks you out for an evening stroll and maybe a coffee. You meet him in front of the House of Lamentation and he hands you a paper bag. You open it and find cat treats. He chuckles and tells you it’s not for you. Honestly, you’re a little disappointed at first, but he holds your hand as he takes you around the Devildom and tells you stories about all the places you walk past. He stops in alleyways and little parks along the way. In each spot, he has you open the bag and hold out a handful of the kibble inside. When the cats come up to eat some, he introduces you to each of them. The cats are adorable. When the treats run out, he takes you to a coffee shop that has a closed sign up, but when he knocks, the owner opens it just for the two of you. He serves you coffee and pastries, and tells Satan to lock up when you get ready to leave, since he’s headed home. Alone now, you sit together on a plush little couch, legs touching. He smiles when he sees your faint blush, and pulls you into his lap. You try to protest, but he nuzzles your neck and nips you. “What if someone sees,” you ask, gesturing to the window. “What if they do?” You don’t have an answer to that, and honestly don’t care after a few more of those nips and kisses.  

The Cosplay Karaoke:

Leviathan doesn’t ask you on a date - date’s are for normies. But he does ask you if you want to hang out and watch every live performance of Sucre Frenzy from last year. When you get there, you find out he didn’t mean watch, exactly. He meant dress up and sing along. He hands you a costume to change into. Levi turns around so you can have some privacy to change, but you see him sneaking glances over his shoulder, and wiping at a lowkey nosebleed. He starts to teach you the moves, first demonstrating, and then you repeat. Levi adjusts your arm, and the tilt of your hip, the position of your foot, and the height of your chin. His hands are cool against your skin, and you are hyperaware of how close he is. He freezes mid sentence, his thumb under your chin, fingers resting on your cheek. “S-s-sorry,” he stammers, blushing from the bridge of his nose to the tips of his ears. Teasing, you lean forward and brush the lightest of kisses across his lips. “Teach me, senpai,” you whisper. And he does. Like a hentai flashflood, his tentacles are all over you, his lips on yours, eyes shut tight because he can’t honestly believe it’s really happening.

The Shopping Trip:

Mammon surprises you with a day shopping in the Devildom’s fashion district. The label he models for offered him free clothes as part of his last photo shoot payment, and he wants to pick out something for you. It’s very sweet, coming from the Avatar of Greed. You look at several really nice dresses but after trying several on, Mammon says they’re all boring. Then you look at some shirts, but he doesn’t like them either. Finally, tired of picking things, you tell Mammon to choose something for you. Something he likes, since he didn’t like any of the clothes you tried so far. He brings you a dainty pink corset and the tiniest pair of matching silk boy shorts. You look at them and back at him. “Seriously?” He blushes and rubs a hand through his hair. “I wanted ta pick something I’d enjoy taking off of ya,” he mumbles. The corset and panties come home with you. After all, how can you say no to that?

The JetSet:

Lucifer is not at all shy about asking you on a date. He shows up after class with a red rose in hand and invites you out. When you agree, he tells you he already sent clothes to your room, and he’ll meet you in an hour in the front hall. The dress he picked is a tailored little black dress, simple, elegant, and a perfect fit, with matching shoes and a tiny, ruby red handbag. When you meet him, he looks you over with a satisfied smile. “I feel like your doll,” you half-heartedly complain. He chuckles as he takes out a choker, hung with a ruby the size of your thumb. He puts it on you, leaving a little kiss above the clasp at the back of your neck. “My perfect doll.” The evening starts at an exclusive wine bar you didn’t even know existed. Followed by dinner in the reserved section of Ristorante Six. Then he takes you to a piano concerto where the haunting melodies summon actual ghosts. You stay safe, wrapped in his arms, through the performance. When it ends, he doesn’t let you go. He carries you home, to his room. “Luci? Am I sleeping here tonight?” He grins at you wickedly. “I find that I’m not ready to let you go just yet.” He strips you of everything but the choker, enjoying the way you squirm at the slightest touch of his fingers. He tells you to hold still, then kisses your ticklish spots. When you move, because of course you do, he laughs and puts you over his knee for punishment. The light sting of a slap on your ass, followed by a kiss. You tell him it doesn’t make you want to be very obedient. The fire in his gaze tells you he thought you might say that. The date takes you a few days to recover from, but you can’t wait til the next one.

[sesamestreep]

stack the deck with wild cards (chapter 4)

(Read on AO3)

(start from the beginning)

SUMMARY: Jyn gets some much needed tough love from the band. She also gets soup. 

A/N: Here’s a shorter chapter to break up the other, more dramatic chapters. A palate cleanser, if you will. An amuse bouche, if I may. Fewer warnings needed on this one, I feel like, since it’s mostly about the power of friendship, but there’s still some talk of pregnancy and abortion here as well. Follow the AO3 link for more detailed tags. If you’ve liked/commented/kudos-ed/reblogged anything from this series so far, I really appreciate it and I wish I could make you all some soup because you deserve it.

“So,” Chirrut says, clapping his hands together and officially bringing their meeting to order, “how has everyone’s week been so far?”

As Jyn expected, Baze and Bodhi immediately turn their attention to her, since they clearly all discussed this beforehand and planned to gang up on her.

“I hate all of you,” she says, picking up Baze and Chirrut’s cat from the floor where she’s been weaving between everyone’s ankles and dropping her onto her lap. The cat immediately curls up over Jyn’s stomach, despite the fact that she’s not visibly pregnant at all, and Baze hums thoughtfully, which makes Jyn scowl. “Shut up,” she adds, without much heat.

“I didn’t say anything,” Baze says with an exaggerated shrug.

“I can hear what you’re thinking.”

“You’re starting to sound like him,” he replies, cocking his head towards Chirrut, who smiles broadly in response.

“We’re anxious to know how you’re doing,” Chirrut says.

“Oh, I’m sure Bodhi’s already told you everything,” Jyn says, shooting a glare in Bodhi’s direction.

“I’ve told them everything I know,” he replies easily. “Which is not the same as, well, everything .”

“I told you how my conversation with Cassian went, which is what I assume you all care about, so you should be caught up.”

“Okay, first of all, that was like...four days ago,” Bodhi says, counting off on his fingers. “And secondly, I asked how your conversation with Cassian went and you said ‘fine’ and then ignored my texts for two days!”

“Well, I—”

“And thirdly , that is not ‘all we care about’! We love you, we want to know how you’re doing!”

Jyn flings her head back on the couch petulantly, only giving up on her sulk when she feels Baze’s hand on her shoulder. He gives it a gentle squeeze, but when she turns towards him, he’s giving her a stern look.

“He’s right, you know,” he says, solemnly.

“Ugh, fine,” she says, sitting up and mildly annoying the cat that’s still curled in her lap. She scratches her behind the ears to make up for it. “What do you want to know?”

“How are you feeling?” Chirrut asks.

“Fine,” Jyn answers with a shrug, and then sees Bodhi’s unimpressed look and decides to elaborate. “I’ve been a little moody, I guess.”

“No, he means since you’ve been pregnant,” Bodhi says, laughing, and Jyn swats him.

“Asshole,” she replies, but there’s no heat to it. “I’ve been moodier . How’s that?”

“Much better, thank you.”

Jyn hums, considering what else to add. “I haven’t had much of an appetite. Also, I've been sleeping like crap, but that’s probably stress over the appointment.”

“That’s Friday, right?” Baze asks, before taking a sip of his tea.

She nods. “Bodhi’s going with me, so no one has to worry.”

“We’ll worry anyway, just to be safe,” Chirrut says cheerfully, which makes Baze hide his smile in his mug. “How did Cassian take the news?”

“Why don’t you ask Bodhi?” Jyn says with an eye roll. “He’s the one who told him.”

Bodhi scowls at that. “In my defense, he came back to our apartment from dinner with you looking thoughtful, and I knew you’d been trying to tell him, so I just assumed he already knew! How was I supposed to know you chickened out and abandoned him at the restaurant?”

Jyn thinks about swatting at him again, but she’s fairly certain that Baze and Chirrut’s cat would not take it too kindly if she jostles her one more time.

“You left him at the restaurant?” Baze asks, alarmed.

“No, I—okay, so, technically, I did, but it was…it's complicated!” When that doesn’t seem to pacify anyone, she adds, “he was being cute to a baby at the next table and I freaked out and left, okay? Bodhi still shouldn’t have told him.”

“I thought he knew already,” Bodhi cries. “You didn’t see his face! He looked very confused! I was trying to offer my support!”

“That’s just Cassian’s face!”

“Maybe around you, it is.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Bodhi looks heavenward for a moment, as if praying for the patience to deal with her. “I just mean that...I think maybe Cassian doesn’t know how to read you. Not the way we do.”

Jyn looks around at the others, whose facial expressions give away nothing, except that they’re listening intently. “Well,” she says, “that makes sense, I guess. He doesn’t know me as well as you do.”

“No,” Baze says, carefully. “But I think he’d like to.”

She can’t do anything in response to that except blink at him in confusion. “What?” She finally asks, after what feels like several minutes.

“I think he likes you, Jyn,” Bodhi says, far too gently. “I think he was really happy you asked him to dinner the other night and he was disappointed when you left without explaining.”

“He knows now,” she interjects. “I explained what happened when he came over later.”

“I know, I just think...he wanted you to call him for another reason.”

“Yeah, well, so did I,” Jyn says, petulantly. “It’s not like I wanted to be pregnant.”

“That’s not really what I meant,” Bodhi says, and his tone is lightly chiding, which just makes her pout more. “I meant that I was a little surprised he came home from your place at all that night.”

“What, did you think I was gonna axe murder him?”

He frowns at her. “No, dummy, I thought he was going to tell you how he felt!”

“‘How he felt’??” Jyn repeats. “What does that mean?”

“I give up,” Bodhi says, throwing his hands up.

“I just don’t understand!”

“Listen,” Chirrut says, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “We know it’s been a rough few months for you. The breakup was terrible and with Saw’s health getting worse and now being pregnant, this can’t be an easy situation for you to deal with. But surely, even with all of that going on, you must see that Cassian has feelings for you.”

Jyn laughs before she can’t stop herself, but no one else joins her. They don’t even crack a smile, they just keep looking at her with concern. “That’s not true,” she says, with more confidence than she feels. “Don’t joke about that.”

“He’s not joking,” Baze says. “It’s true.”

“Cassian told you that?”

“He didn’t have to. It’s obvious from the way he looks at you.”

“And from the way he talks about you,” Bodhi adds. “He’s seriously asked about you a hundred times this week alone.”

“Well, that’s because he’s worried,” Jyn says. “Because I’m pregnant and he feels bad. Not because he likes me. And if he looks at me in any sort of special way, it’s because he feels bad for me. Because of the breakup and everything.”

“Oh, I get it,” Bodhi says, nodding in a way that feels sarcastic somehow. “He only had sex with you out of pity.”

“Yeah,” she replies, half heartedly. “That’s gotta be it.”

“Bullshit,” he fires back. “He’s had a thing for you since he met you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Jyn practically shouts. “I—I had a boyfriend when he met me.”

That remark earns her an eye roll. “Yeah, and no one’s ever had a thing for someone they couldn’t have before.”

“So, what? You think he was just waiting around for me and Reece to break up so he could have a shot with me?”

“Of course not! But I don’t think he was miserable to hear that it had finally happened.”

“If he was so excited for me to be single, why did I have to make the first move? Why didn’t he call me afterwards? Why didn’t he say anything about wanting to date me at any point in the last few months?”

The guys are quiet once she’s finished, but not in a way that makes her feel like she’s stumped them. Rather, it feels like they can’t decide who’s going to tell her she’s wrong first.

“Like we said,” Chirrut finally pipes up, “he doesn’t know you as well as we do. Maybe he doubts your feelings for him.”

“My feelings?” Jyn asks, flabbergasted. “For him? I don’t...I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Come on, Jyn,” Bodhi says, rolling his eyes. “You wouldn’t have slept with him in the first place if you didn’t have feelings for him.”

“I know this is hard for you to believe, since you’re some sort of Disney prince when it comes to relationships, but sometimes people just have sex because they’re horny and they feel like it,” she snaps.

He has the audacity to shrug in response. “Sure, but that’s not why you did it.”

“Oh, right! Because you know how I feel better than I do! How could I have forgotten?”

“Normally, I would never presume to tell someone else how they feel,” Bodhi says, putting his hand to his heart and everything, “but, in this one particular case, and just because you’re so terrible with emotions, I’m telling you: you like him too. Trust me.”

“I am not terrible with emotions,” she scoffs.

“Well…you’re not great with them either,” Chirrut says, with a shrug.

“Okay, fine! Let’s say you’re all right; I do have feelings for Cassian. What good does it do me? I already slept with him, made him feel like a rebound, didn’t call him for two months afterwards, and then bulldozed my way back into his life by telling him I’m pregnant. What sort of guy would still be interested in me after all that?”

“Cassian would,” Bodhi says simply, as if she’s the dumbest human being in the universe. “As long as it’s you, he’ll still be interested.”

Jyn closes her eyes, because now would be a stupid time to cry, especially since she’s trying to convince them she doesn’t care about Cassian and crying over someone is a textbook example of caring about them. She can’t even think about what they’re saying, because she isn’t allowed to think about Cassian like that. She’s attracted to him, sure, but sleeping with him was supposed to get it out of her system. And it should have. The only reason sleeping with him wouldn’t have helped is if they’re right and she does actually have feelings for him. And that would really suck, because there’s absolutely no way he feels the same way about her; not after everything she’s put him through.

“If I agree to take everything you’ve said tonight under advisement,” Jyn says carefully, without opening her eyes, “can we please talk about something else right now?”

Baze puts his hand on her shoulder again, which makes her look over at him. “Of course,” he says, and she smiles at him weakly in response.

An hour or so later, she and Bodhi shuffle out of Baze and Chirrut’s apartment to head home for the night, without so much as a moment’s rehearsal on anyone’s part, despite that being the actual reason they supposedly got together tonight. Once they’re out in the night air, Bodhi claps his mittened hands together to ward off the cold and they head for the subway together.

“I can’t believe those bozos made me soup,” Jyn says, perching her chin on the top of the tupperware that Baze had shoved into her hands before she left, on the grounds that she wouldn’t want to make dinner for herself on Friday after her appointment and so he and Chirrut had made something for her to take home so she wouldn’t starve. It had been another close call for her almost crying.

“Well, they love you,” Bodhi says, slightly muffled because he’s buried his chin in his scarf. “And so do I. We just want you to be happy.”

“I know that.”

“I’m sorry if I was a little hard on you earlier.”

Jyn wants to wave his apology away, but she’s a little worried about dropping the container she’s holding, so she just shakes her head instead. “You weren’t.”

Bodhi looks down at his feet as he walks. “I was, a little. I just get so frustrated when you talk like you don’t deserve nice things.”

“I never said that.”

“Not directly, but,” he pauses, clearly searching for the right words, “I watched the way things ended with you and Reece, and you were mad at him, sure, but a lot of the time, the way you talked, it was like you were mad at yourself. Like, you thought you deserved what he did to you, and if you’d been a better girlfriend or a better person, you could have stopped it from happening. And that’s bullshit.”

Jyn stops short, right there on the sidewalk. “I don’t think that,” she says, but it’s a faint protest. She knows she’s had that thought before, more than once, and she’s sure she got drunk enough at some point to even say it to Bodhi.

Luckily for her, he doesn’t cite his sources with a drunken text from her or anything like that. He just looks at her, with obvious concern, and says, “You deserve someone who’s going to treat you right. Someone who’s never going to make you doubt how they feel.”

“And you think Cassian is that person for me?” she asks, trying to sound incredulous.

“I don’t know,” Bodhi says, shrugging helplessly. “But you don’t know either, and you won’t ever know unless you give him a chance.”

Jyn starts walking again while she processes that and he follows her lead. When he’s caught up with her, she moves in close to elbow him in the ribs.

“Being in love with Taidu has really made you into a hopeless romantic,” she teases.

“I’ve always been a hopeless romantic,” he grumbles, making her laugh. “But now I speak from experience.”

She smiles at that, holding her tupperware of soup close to her chest. “What you said before,” she says, quietly, “were you serious? Cassian really asks about me?”

“All the time,” Bodhi says, smiling. “He knows I was meeting you tonight, so I bet he’ll ask about you within the first five minutes I’m home.”

Jyn rolls her eyes at that, but the idea of it thrills her, making her cheeks warm even in the cold night air. “I’m sure he won’t,” she says, faintly, because there’s a foolish part of her that really wants Bodhi to be right.

“I’m serious,” he replies. “I’d put money on it.”

“Well, so would I.”

Bodhi sticks out a hand for her to shake, which she readily accepts, once she’s switched her soup to the other hand. “It’s a deal, then?” He asks.

She laughs. “Deal.”

It’s only later, once they’ve parted ways at the subway station and she’s made her way back to her apartment, that her phone buzzes with a new text: You owe me five bucks . Jyn allows herself a stupid, giddy smile at Bodhi’s message, since she’s alone in her own home and no one can judge her for it.

[flatstarcarcosa]

house/home

Ship: wilson and wilson at large warnings: exploration of trauma and PTSD, references to abuse note: this ended up being similar to the last thing i did, what started out as a simple headcanon exploration turned into an emotionally charged, rambling piece that at one point, turns into a story. it has not been proof read yet. 

                                  --------------------------------------------

slade and i discover pretty quickly after the move to vermont that simply packing my shit and taking care of any lingering obligations in florida i was tied too is not, in fact, the entire solution to my problems. 

which of course ties into the larger theme of our whole relationship at this point in that we’re both just constantly attempting to run away from our problems, our pasts, our trauma all while scolding each other and saying it doesn’t work like that. 

he finds i don’t get settled right away. or even within a few weeks or months. the vermont house, for all purposes, for the longest of time, is not my house. it is not my home. i quickly default back into the same mindset i have had my entire life, drilled and beaten into me since i was a child that if someone else has paid for it, if someone else has bought it, if someone else has acquired it and is allowing me to use it, 

it is not mine. it is theirs.

which of course, that’s not the mindset that slade is coming from. he picked the vermont house because it made the most sense logistically. it was already there, sitting and waiting. filled with belongings he could never fit in elsewhere, filled with dust, filled with ghosts of memories past. 

it made sense to use it. 

so when we finally arrive, both regretting the initial idea of turning the move into a road trip, my things are waiting in storage containers. two large ones, sitting in the driveway and blocking access to the detached garage. 

the house smells of pine and wood and must, having been shuttered up for so long. he comments that he can’t exactly remember the last time he was here, and he opens windows and adjusts the thermostat as he moves through. 

everything is decorated in warm colors and wood, brown furniture and carpeting, and old linoleum in the kitchen that has seen better days. it’s distinctly him, and his presence coats everything i touch, as if his absence has meant nothing. 

which it probably hasn’t. after all, a house is four walls and a roof and completely unconcerned with the on-goings inside it.

my things get moved in at an easy pace, boxes stacked out of the way in the basement while we try to figure out placement. 

slade jokes we’re both going to have to pick and choose on the books; my amount added to his exceeding the capacity. he comments something about adding more bookcases in his study, and he trails off when he mentions something about adeline always wanting that done years ago. 

there’s pictures of her in his study. her, and grant, and joey. more pictures of the three of them alone or together than there are of slade with them all. one in particular, that i find by accident stuffed behind a novel about Achilles, specifically has slade’s face cut out of it. i don’t ask. i don’t have to. 

over the next few weeks my presence adds to his. 

we have a fake argument about the two batman statues i have, me putting them on shelves in the living room only to find them in absurd places the next day. he puts one in the freezer, another in a garbage can. 

my small collection of novelty mugs makes it’s way into the kitchen, along of course, with my shot glasses. we decide to donate my coffee maker, as slade’s is bigger and still functional. 

at first we come to what seems like the logical conclusion that my bedroom items will go in his room; in the master bedroom. we put my bedframe in the basement, wrap the mattress for now and leave it leaning next to it. my sheet sets go in the closet, i add my pillows to his bed. 

my shampoo and my facial cleansers sit next to his in the bathroom, our toothbrushes resting in the holder. my cologne next to his. my clippers in the box under the cabinet, next to a tiered container holding make up. my nail polish nestles next to his beard trimmer. 

as the weeks go by, little by little i try to claim the offered spaces as my own. 

i wake up one day to find he’s changed the living room furniture, i’m not sure why, and he seems oddly evasive about it. he jokes something about one of the kids throwing a party once, someone leaving nasty stains. he always meant to replace it. 

he always meant to do a lot of things, he says. 

i realize we’re both being crushed by our own innate guilt, whether rational or not, and that all we’ve done is try to run away from it again. 

and of course, it hasn’t worked. it doesn’t work, it will never work, because you cannot run from these things. they are a train, and you cannot outrun a train. 

i find myself wide awake one night, the sound of him breathing softly and measured next to me, and i’m staring up in the dark at a still unfamiliar ceiling and i realize that nothing is right,

none of this is right, none of this fits. 

i am not, yet, accustomed to this new space. im unused to the noises of the house settling, the noises inside and out of it, and i lay there in the blinding dark desperately searching for something familiar to latch onto before i sink to the bottom 

and i find nothing. 

even his warm, solid form right next to me isn’t enough to tether me to the present and once again i’m overcome with the unalienable need to run. 

he finds me on the back porch hours later, having apparently rolled over and noticed my absence, half a pack of cigarettes butted in the ash tray next to me, another one trailing smoke into the sky from my hand. i am still not calm enough to speak, and knowing that i will have to feels like a vice on my chest.  

my mind races to prepare answers, the raging urge of self-preservation steering towards the right answers, and the correct answers, and the answers the other party wants to hear, and it is a habit i never foresee myself breaking. 

the entire time i am screaming at myself to stop because it’s not necessary and it is not appropriate. and logically, i know this. my brain acknowledges the commands yet tells me so sorry there’s nothing we can do to stop this, it’s a train after all. 

he picks out a cigarette of his own, gently pulling the lighter from between the fingers on my other hand. he sits down on the edge of my seat, to my right of course, always to my right and the side he can see from. he exhales a lungful of smoke and for a few moments, the questions don’t come. 

my brain stops misfiring, the synapses all seeming to come to a stop as they compare now to then and finally decide, yes 

yes we can stop now. 

yes, you were right, now is not the same as then. 

a semblance of control returns to my body as he reaches behind me to lean on the back of the chair. 

“where’d you go?” he asks, casually, simply. as if that’s the most logical question to ask, as if that makes perfect sense, and i almost want to scream

because it absolutely is.  

and yet, even still, “what?” is all i can choke out, and i know my attempt to cover it with a cough from the cigarette is as see through as glass, but i do it anyway.

“you went somewhere,” he says, tapping ash. his fingers trail up my back, coming to rest at the nape of my neck, his thumb rubbing circles against my hairline. 

“i...i don’t know,” i say, and i want to cry all over again because of how far away and how small i sound. 

“hm,” is all he responds with. he nudges me with a knee, and i slide over and allow him to sit fully. i stub out my cigarette and immediately reach for another one, and he flicks the lighter and doesn’t comment on the chain smoking and for several minutes we say nothing. 

i know he’s waiting on me to invite him in. to give a cue, a sign that yes i’m fine now and yes i will be fine and yes i will give you a new list of all my problems and you can find out how to fix them, because that’s what you constantly try to do, because that’s all you know how to do, even to the point of creating problems just so you can solve them.  

and i cannot give him that because i know deep, deep within the most choked off parts of myself that there are just things that cannot, will not be fixed. 

and they cannot be run from, either. 

but they can accommodated. they can be unearthed and they can be tended to and they can be allowed to breathe and perhaps if i stop trying to strangle myself into the submission of others, i could get a foothold in my own mind. 

“could you maybe...move my bed and some of my stuff in the basement to one of your spare bedrooms?” i ask, and i hope that the fearfulness i’m feeling at daring to ask for something to be done for my comfort isn’t drowning my words. 

he lets out a smoky sigh, tilting his head back and looking up at the stars as he brushes his fingers against my steaming cheek. 

“i forgot how much you need a space of your own,” he says. my brain, still partially controlled by ghosts pulling on the strings of trauma, searches desperately for anything in his voice to justify the panic. for the annoyance, the exasperation, the condemnation, 

and yet there is nothing to find. 

“of course,” he says, “we can clear out one of the spare bedrooms and we can move as much of your stuff into it as you need.” 

he stresses all the right words in all the right ways so that it doesn’t come across as sarcastic or demeaning in response to my obvious needs and for a moment i could swear i black out as everything that i’ve fought for so long to snuff out explodes into sparks. 

i drop my cigarette at one point, completely unaware i’ve done it as i lean forward and press my head into his chest, fingers coiling into his shirt and he slips an arm around my waist and tugs me closer, leaning me against his hip in what feels like a practiced motion that he’s done hundreds of times.  

“i’m sorry,” i say, breathing the words into him. 

“that’s fine,” he says. “you’re fine.” 

“i know,” i say. 

we fall into silence for a while, interrupted only when i hear him sniffing, and for a moment i think is he crying too, now? did i start this?  then suddenly he’s swearing, jumping out of the chair and nearly knocking me to the porch, and i’m so startled all i can do is blink like a confused animal as i register the smell of smoldering wood.

“your cigarette is burning a hole in the porch,” he says, stepping away to turn the light on. 

and as i watch him go to reflexively grind the cigarette out with his foot, stopping when he realizes he’s not wearing shoes to turn and grab one of my boots from our shoe stand just outside the door, i can’t stop the laughter that bubbles up from my core. 

i hear a train whistle in the distance, and i can’t make out if it is a real whistle, or my auditory wiring misfiring, and i don’t care. i’ll ask him tomorrow, if there’s train tracks somewhere nearby, because it settles in the back of my mind that there will be a tomorrow, and a day after, and a day after that, and it wraps around me like a fuzzy jacket. 

he offers a hand and i take it, and it slips down to my waist as he leads me back inside. 

“you know, you don’t have to try to burn our house down to get my attention,” he says as the door slides shut behind us, and there’s the faintest hint of a smile on his lips as he speaks. i catch sight of the moonlight streaming in behind him, and it imposes on my eyes the sight from what feels like so long ago, 

the sun light beaming down on him in a florida parking lot as he looks down to grab for the dog’s leash, a stranger in my home saving my only friend from running head first into traffic while hunting a lone lizard

and i think what are the odds, 

that then is, in fact, so similar to now. 

[noccalula-writes]

Dry Skin Product Round-Up

At the suggestion/request of no one - I just love talking about this shit. 

In case some of my friends/followers on Tumblr get as super-dry in the face as I do in the winter, a quick PSA re: the best products I’ve found - 

When we made the move from Florida to Ohio, it meant experiencing my first /real/ winter. I grew up in southern Alabama, which def gets cold as fuck and has hard freezes but nothing prepared me for the reality of the heat constantly running high in my house, my car, every store I set foot in and my skin reacted accordingly. I have perfectly normally balanced but sensitive skin in the humid climates of my home but the second it drops below 60 here, my face becomes a leather boot and my hands turn into deadly weapons as the callouses on my fingers begin to break apart and snag on literally every fucking thing I touch. 

So, for my other sensitive dry-babies, I posit unto thee some recommendations (and a disclaimer that I don’t fuck with drugstore brands much given how shady their ingredients tend to be) from the list of things that helped save me from my scaly lizard future during my first transplanted winter and well into my second now. Keep in mind, there’s quite a bit of Lush here because I worked there - they’re out of my budget had I not had an employee discount for the holidays but the products are still really, really good and worth the money if you have it: 

Lush’s Full of Grace serum is a delightful weirdo. It’s a solid bar that you rub between your fingers until the oils melt and you then apply them to your face (or you can put the bar directly on your face, whatever works). It’s loaded with portabello mushrooms and murumuru butter meaning it’s a heavy hitter with the antioxidants too - I have very sensitive skin and have to be mindful of weird shit but this one is so luxuriously moisturizing and smooth that I have replaced my night time moisturizer with this serum alone more than once. It’s 16.95 online or in stores so it’s a little pricier than drugstore but far less than designer brand, and like with all Lush products you can rest assured that it’s cruelty free and ethically sourced. For a toner, Lush’s Eau Roma spray toner is the most moisturizing, but I love Breath of Fresh Air so much that I’m reticent to change it. It’s the ultimate lazy skincare step - wash your face/get out of the shower, spray it on, rub on your moisturizer while it’s still damp and bam, done. The small sizes are like 10.95ish each and the big boys are something like 23ish but I have def made a full size of BoFA last a full calendar year before so it’s well worth it. 

During my No Buy Nine Months that started right after my birthday (Jan. 2nd), I’m going to work on phasing out brands I don’t intend to patron anymore, and one of them, sadly, is Clinique. They aren’t cruelty free and while their entire Moisture Surge line saved my goddamn life during my first winter here, I can’t justify the continued purchase. That said, the 72-Hour Replenishing Hydrator and Overnight Mask are easily duped with the drugstore brand Simple Water Boost Hydrating Booster and Sleep Mask - are they as good? No. Are they way cheaper and still pretty damn good? Yes. And, they don’t test on animals but they do use beeswax if that’s a non-starter for you. I’m forever looking for new moisturizers - especially night time ones - so I’ll report back eventually. When I had bad sensitivity spots I used one of my miracle go-to discoveries - Egyptian Magic, which I think is made in Belgium and has a really creepy racist ‘dIsCoVeR tHe SeCrEtS oF tHe AnCiEnTs’ sort of bent but is really just a shitload of royal jelly and food-grade oils that straight up killed the eczema on my eyelids and quelled any allergic reactions I had. 

A product I am super guilty of overbuying thanks to my tendency towards too many TJ Maxx trips in the summer to leech their air conditioning is moisturizer sprays. I had to put the moratorium on any more of them because there are currently like eight different ones from eight different brands in my home. I have a TonyMoly (another brand I’m gonna have to swear off of no matter how much I love it for animal testing reasons), two different ones by Nooni, Clinique and idk some other white one I can’t find. For ultra-dry skin though, I find that the Dirtyworks’ Play It Cool hydrating facial mist is the best - I am an obsessive lover of their Pure Beauty Facial Oil as my nighttime moisturizer in the summer, it is sincerely the best facial oil I’ve ever tried as it’s non-greasy and soft and nonirritating with its pleasant, gentle sweet almond oil scent. 

To slough off the ever-encroaching wall of dead skin threatening to suffocate my glow out of existence, I lean hard on Clinique’s 7 Day Scrub, which means I gotta find a better one when this one runs out.  Lush’s Angels On Bare Skin, which is their bestselling facial cleanser for a reason. It’s got lavender buds in it, which can be a bit much on sensitive skin (I can’t use it more than a few times a week as the lavender irritates my eyelids) but the ground almonds provide such a nice touch of exfoliation that’s not as harsh as some of the more salt-based scrubs. Their Ocean Salt face and body scrub is the real fuckin’ deal - harsh grain sea salt, lime oil, vodka extract - so you need to be sure your face can handle three different levels of exfoliation before you apply it. I have to be careful with it but I do use it on my face periodically and largely my calloused-ass hands. The Mask of Magnaminty is another excellent choice - I put it on before a shower and then rub it off with water so I get some extra exfoliation from the ground aduki beans in it. 

As for what that mouth do, the Nooni Water Blending Lip Oil is loaded with sea buckthorn oil and apple water and it is a goddamn delight. I am literally ALWAYS looking for moisturizing lip products because they’re the first things to scale up when the moisture gets zapped out of my house via the furnace; I burn through a lot of Hempz balms - namely Triple Moisture - and this year I completely used up one of the Ulta Juice-Infused Lip Oils in Cranberry & Pomegranate and I love it so much that if it’s still on the shelves when I finish my No Buy period, I’ll probably snag another. 

For various and sundry splashes of moisture places other than my face: almost entirely Lush products because I was using that discount, goddammit. Sleepy Lotion is a fave at night thanks to that beautiful Sleepy/Twilight product smell of blended lavender and tonka bean, sweeter than the almost medicinal bite of lavender on its own. I spray the body spray on my sheets at night too. Their holiday line of in-shower body conditioners - Buck’s Fizz and Christingle in particular - are go-tos so I don’t have to waste time being frozen while I rub lotion on frantically as I cry for my robe. I used the shit out of Hempz’s Triple Moisture Whipped Body Lotion last year in my desperate bid for skin-survival and it did not steer me wrong - plus it lasted all the way into spring. Lush’s Handy Gurugu Hand Cream, Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, and Lollia’s 1000 Flowers Hand Lotion have been my front line aresenal as I fight to keep these gnarly ass, calloused hands of mine under control. I may have gotten to play with lotions and creams all day at Lush but I also spent a lot of time with my hands in super hot water, usually doing bath bomb demos, so I had to take extra care to keep the moisture on. Also, I finally sucked it the fuck up and dropped the cash on a humidifier for the bedroom but I keep forgetting to fill it because chronic illness and executive dysfunction. 

If you’ve got any tips I don’t know about I would de-goddamn-lighted to hear them. 

[bjrdonghyuck]

Ha Sungwoon!Prince Au

Requested? Yes! By the lovely @kw03

Summary: You were just a simple girl, trying to make a living in your clothes store.

You owned your own little fashion boutique (or whatever tf it's called don't @ me)

a new college graduate, you opted to open your own store! and after making some money off of selling your clothes online, you were able to buy yourself a tiny little shop. tbh the place was so small you couldn't even fit a large couch in there.

but you made it work! one of each design was set out in racks, you had different sized neatly folded in your back storage room.

since you designed everything and put your all into everything, you had enough space for everything :')

bUt about a month after opening business was blooming! tall handsome men would come in for suits, pretty looking unnies would come in for dresses, and adorable little kids would browse through your cuter clothes placed on lower racks for them!

you even had some people from the palace come in to get some suits

so wOaH you were good.

sungwoon, being the prince he was, only really cared about his face and using the right cOSMetiCS on it and unfortunately, you didn't run a cosmetics store

although, that would be a great au, someone please do this-

basically his advisor was all like, "wOAh this girl makes super great suits in the village! we should get you some!" to which sungwoon replied,

"does she sell that facial cleanser i really liked before the other shop closed and i couldn't get anymore?"

*exasperated sighs*

Luck was on your side, because eventually his father, the king, forced him to go get a tailored suit after he went there himself

yes, he walked in to your shop like, "yo yo sup fam your king is here to get some suits"

so you were pretty prepared when the Prince walked in a week later

sungwoon was lowkey like, "shit, she's cute-"

he didn't make any smooth moves though, he knew he couldn't go out with you, you were a commoner

little did he know, the king had already approved of you

he was completely whipped by the time he walked out of your shop

When you walked in you were so cute, helping some small children try on their adorable outfits

And then when you were taking his measurements and you looked so concentrated with your tounge stickin out the corner of your mouth a little

wHen yOu hAD tO tiP tOE tO rEACh hiM

whipped i say, whipped

so nOw he was making excuses to see you aLL the time

like, "wHoOps look at the hole in this shirt I haven't worn in years, gOTTa bLAsT!!!1"

you, of course, found him handsome, cute, and pretty funny

especially since one time he came in with a neon pink tu tu

being whipped yourself, you didn't mind his visits. you knew you couldn't be with him tho :')

after months of him just pestering you at your shop (yes, that's how long it took this bOi) he finally asked you on a coffee date!

then a movie, dinner, park, amusement park, trick-or-treating, and mUCh mUCh mOre

when he confessed he was a blushy mess

he had you both sat down on a bench, holding your hand and rubbing his thumb on your palm, staring at it

"i was wondering if maybe you'd be my... um... g-girlfriend?" sungwoon awkwardly squeaked

You were worried, and asked him if it was okay seen as you were just a commoner :')

Manning up, he looked you straight in the eyes

"whatever happens, i won't let them take you from me."

gAh-

So you guys dated in secret, which basically meant any skin ship was done in your house and PDA was a no-no

You guys had to seem like friends in public

Eventually, Sungwoon got fed up with the fact that he couldn't even hold your hand

so he marched straight up to his father and boldly stated "i'm dating y/n."

"I know."

"and there's nothing you can do abo-

wait whAt?"

basically the king new what was going on after you two were hanging out more and more often, and he supported it 100%!

honestly, he was kind of fed up with royals marrying royals like, "come on, if my boi wants to marry a commoner he can, love is love."

So yeah, you and Sungwoon got to be public, and official!

The whole kingdom lOVEd it

It was basically something they all wanted, because now a commoner could love, date, and marry a royal! It gave then hope

Sungwoon was PDA master after that

If he had a free hand, it was most definitely holding yours

Got an imaginary bit of food on your face? HEs oN iT

Oh, you look a little cold there, have my clothes

so sO SO many kisses

Honestly, he doesn't even care where you guys are he'll just cover your face in them

holy fart nuggets-

Your shop got upgraded to a slightly bigger size (not too big because you didn't want to take too much)

Sungwoon learned how to sew just for you :')

You guys eventually got married and everyone knew the kingdom was in good hands

Kkkkkkkkk that's it. It's kind of short, but bLEh. Request are open, rules and guide are linked in my bio as well as my master list. Have a nice day/night!

[language-rxgers]

Grease Lightning (Bucky x Reader High School!AU)- Part 3

Summary: It’s opening night of the production, meaning you’ll be seeing Bucky for the second time. You talk some more and get to know more about the kind of guy Bucky’s like.

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Reader, Natasha Romanoff, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner (mentioned), Steve Rogers (mentioned)

Warnings: none, well a lil’ bit of inner teen turmoil

Word Count: 1914

masterlist

part 1 / part 2 / part 4 / part 5

You tapped your toes in anticipation for Bucky to arrive. It was opening night and you couldn’t clear your mind of the looming pressure to make Bucky look great- well, more so than he usually did. He was the lead in the play, so you had no room to mess anything up. You were also nervous and excited to see him again. While you felt you had done fairly well during the dress rehearsal, you really hoped you wouldn’t make a fool of yourself in front of Bucky tonight. After really meeting him and getting a small glimpse of the kind of person he was, you felt even more anxious about seeing him this time, now that you knew he was far from the pretentious jock you’d tried to make him out to be in your mind.

You imagined possible conversations you might have with him tonight as you did his makeup, if he was even in the mood to talk. Maybe he really didn’t want to talk with you. Your mind flashed to the conversation the two of you’d shared during the dress rehearsal, and you felt a swell of regret at all of the imposing questions you’d asked him. Sure, he’d been easy and pleasant to talk to- much more so than you’d expected- but maybe he was just being polite and you’d actually made him uncomfortable. Okay, maybe you’ll just do his makeup and hair and nothing else. Just stay outta the way and let him prepare for his performance.

You wiped your palms on your jeans restlessly, suddenly feeling very thirsty. You grabbed your water bottle, chugging it until it was empty. You tossed the bottle in the recycling, then turned around to see a head of shaggy dark hair lounging in the chair at your station. Your stomach flipped and you took a breath to calm your racing heart. “Bucky, hey,” you managed out, pleased with how steady your voice had been. Bucky’s soft eyes met yours, and his face split into a wide grin.

“Hey, (Y/N), how’s it been?”

“Not bad. You? Excited for tonight?” Bucky chuckled shyly, shrugging.

“I’m nervous,” he admitted. You let out a soft breath.

“I know you’ll do great,” you reassured him. You swallowed thickly at the grateful smile he gave you. You cleared your throat, quickly looking away. You tried to put on your professional face, suddenly becoming very interested in the makeup supplies you’d already gathered at our station. “Alrighty, well let’s get started.” You handed him the paper towel to put over his costume, avoiding his gaze as you busied yourself with applying facial cleanser to a cotton pad. “You mind?” You asked quietly as you held up the pad. He shook his head no, and you began wiping it over his skin.

“So what’s new with you?” He asked. You shrugged.

“Um, not very much, I guess. How about you?” You threw away the pad and began applying the foundation.

“Same for me. Hey, I realized I never really asked you anything about yourself last time. I just talked about myself the whole time. What do you like to do outside of hair and makeup?” Your hand’s movements jerked in surprise at his question. Stupid Bucky, can’t even pretend to be a jerk for a second?

“U-uh, I don’t really know. I’m not very interesting,” you said lamely.

“Oh, come on. I’ve seen your art in the yearbook. You’re really, really good. Do you like doing that kinda stuff?” God, the son of a bitch won’t stop. You felt yourself getting annoyed at the fact that he was being so nice and… interested in you. I mean, the formalities could have stopped at ‘how are you’, but now he’s making a genuine effort. You’d never had someone work so hard to talk to you. You didn’t know how to react.

“Um, yeah, I like it. It’s not like I could make a career out of it or anything, but it’s a nice hobby…”

“Steve’s tried teaching a few times, but I can’t draw for shit. I wish I could, but I guess it’s something you either have or you don’t, huh?” He let out a chuckle. “And I was serious, you’re really good. I mean, I only know what I’ve seen in the yearbook and what Steve’s told me, but you’re really talented.”

You felt the heat radiating from your cheeks in waves. “Oh, uh- thanks. That’s really nice of you to say. Although, I never knew Steve talked about me to his other friends.” Bucky’s eyes widened slightly before casting down to his lap.

“Oh, yeah, uh, I think it must’ve come up in a conversation or something…” Was it you, or were his ears a little red? Probably just you. You put away the foundation and grabbed the eyeliner pencil. You held it up, giving him a slight grimace.

“Sorry to have to do this again.” Bucky laughed.

“You know, it wasn’t actually that bad with you doing it.” He leaned back and closed his eyes in preparation. "Can we do the three count thing again, though? That was good.” You said yes and bent forward. You rested the heel of your hand on his cheek, eyeliner hovering over his eye.

“Okay, when you’re ready.” Bucky opened his eye, looking up at the ceiling. You brought the pencil to his eye gently. “One,” you began to trace. “Two,” you were just about finished, working swiftly. “Three.” You pulled away, letting Bucky blink a few times.

He grabbed a mirror from the table to look. “That was really good. Do you need to go again?” You shook your head.

“No, looks great. We can do the other one.” You repeated the process on his other eye, once again finishing in one go.

“Wow, that was really smooth. Go team!” Bucky held up a fist, which you bumped with your own. You laughed at his antics. You applied a little bit of blush and neutral lipstick before switching to his hair.

As you combed through the soft locks, you could see Bucky’s head leaning into your touch. You tried not to make anything of it as you worked out the knots as gently as you could, then grabbed the bottle of gel. “So what shows do you like to watch?” Bucky asked as you squeezed some gel into your palm. You hesitated.

“Uh, I dunno. A little bit of everything. I like stuff like Brooklyn 99 and FRIENDS, and my friend and I have been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don’t know. There’s a lot of other ones I can’t think of right now,” you laughed awkwardly.

“Oh, man, I love those shows! Well, I haven’t seen Buffy, but my ma loves it. But the other ones are my jam!” You smiled affectionately at Bucky’s animated response. “Do you watch The Office?”

“I love The Office!” You expressed. The two of you continued a lively discussion of favourite shows, characters and movies as you continued to style Bucky’s hair. You couldn’t believe how easy it was to talk to him. Once you had both been coaxed out of your shells, it was like you’d known him forever. You got to see a side of Bucky that you never expected. He was funny and personable, but could also be shy in some aspects, like when he confessed his guilty pleasure movie was Pretty in Pink. It was weird to think you’d only really spoken to each other on two occasions- the dress rehearsal and now- but you really liked it. You didn’t want to stop. You knew you’ never get the chance to talk to him like this again after all the shows were done, so you were going to revel in the next two days, having him to yourself. You knew it was selfish, but when it was just you and him, you didn’t feel nervous like you would if he was standing with his friends. You didn’t feel intimidated or like you didn’t belong there, talking to him. You knew that would change when all this was over. Sure he was a nice guy, but realistically, he was talking to you because there was nothing else to do while he was sitting in that chair getting his hair done. As soon as he wasn’t obligated to, he’d go back to his friends, and you to yours. You couldn’t expect the two of you to suddenly be besties; it would be foolish and pathetic to do so. You two weren’t actually friends of anything more than that. It was no one’s fault; that was just the way it was.

“… eventually I just crumpled up the whole page and tossed it. I mean, I’d already erased and redrawn the damn hand so many times I’d worn through the paper, so I figured I might as well just give up. Meanwhile, Steve’s there, finishing up this masterpiece, like freaking Leonardo DiCaprio or something.” Bucky threw his hands up in exasperation. “Wait, that’s not right.” You bit your lip to keep from laughing. “Shit, I meant Leonardo DaVinci. That’s embarrassing…” You chuckled.

“I do that all the time,” you reassured him. You fixed his ducktail one last time before walking around to face him. Like before, you pulled a lock of hair from the style and curled it around your finger before letting it fall against his forehead. “All done.”

“Already?” Bucky’s shoulders seemed to slump slightly. You nodded.

“Barnes, you ready? We need to fit you for the mic!” Ms. Hill called into the room. Bucky rubbed his hands on his *distracting* denim-clad thighs before pushing himself up and out of his chair.

Bucky licked his lips as he faced you. “Thanks again, everything looks great. Like always,” he added. You nodded again, rubbing the back of your neck to try to calm the heat in your cheeks.

“No problem. Uh, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night for the next performance?”

Bucky shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, definitely.”

“Barnes!” Ms. Hill called again. “Can you please hurry up, we’ve got a show to get started with.”

“Sorry, I’m keeping you. Um, break a leg,” you gave him a lame half-wave before turning around to start cleaning up your station.

Nat was once again cleaning her own station next to you, though she was now leaning against the table, looking behind you. “Still looking at you,” she sang. “Looking, looking, and…”

“Bucky, come on! What the hell are you staring at?” Ms. Hill’s exasperated tone rang through the room again. Your entire body was radiating heat.

“Oh look, now he’s in trouble. He turning around. He’s leaving. Oh! He just looked back for like a second. He’s smiling- oh, shit, he sees me watching him.” Nat lifted a hand and waved. “He’s red, and- oh, now he’s gone.”

“Thanks for your little made up commentary,” you said flatly. You could only see the tip of your nose, but it was glowing with heat. You threw out your garbage and put away the makeup. “Very entertaining.”

“You think I was making that shit up?” Nat scoffed. You gave her a look.

“Come on, Nat, it’s not like that. When in the history of reality has something ever turned into anything from a girl doing a cute guy’s hair and makeup for a play?” Nat clicked her tongue.

“I’ll answer that after my date with Bruce on Saturday night.”

part 1 / part 2 / part 4 /  part 5

Tags- please send me a message if you’d like to be added to any of my tags!

Grease Lightning:

@pietrotheavenger @hero-ically @marvel-fanfiction @finallybreathee @falling-stars-never-cry @orange-jps3497 @or-worse-expelled7 @lonleyredballoon @timemngmtoptimisationproblems

Bucky:

@sawdustandsugar

All Works:

@the-instrumental-mortal @crazy4thewinbros @palaiasaurus64 @milkywaybarnes @thefridgeismybestie @becauseifuckingcan @libbyjune24 @erisan @pitubea1910 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @friendlyneighborhoodnazgul @sixweekcure4dreams @alemer88 @im-an-angel-of-the-lord-you-ass @moderapoppins @fandomsstolemylife00

[sundayskin]

The Basic Steps of Skincare (What to Use & When) ✨👏🏻

Hello skincare friends!! It’s been some time since I last made an actually informative (useful?) post. I’ve been really busy with, well, life, as most of you are too! And so many new people have joined our chill & fun skincare community—welcome newcomers! This post is going to be a longer one because there’s a lot to talk about. If you want a condensed version—there’s no condensed version, lol. So grab your coffee or your tea and some snacks and get comfy! FYI, instead of going by product type like cleanser, toner, cream, etc., like most step-by-step guides do, I’m going to go more by skin needs. Okay, you ready? Let’s go!

So, in my opinion, the two most basic steps of a skincare routine that everyone should start with are cleansing & moisturizing (+ SPF). That being the case, the sections below are going to be broken down into the basic “musts” when it comes to skincare and then the “extra” skincare steps that are optional, and for those wanting advice, I’ll put my personal tips below each step:

⭐ STEP 1: CLEANSE. The cleansing step is pretty straightforward. You can use a cleanser (or two) and, if you want, a toner, which is often the second and last step in the typical (Korean/Asian) cleansing routine. Toners are put onto a cotton pad and used to wipe your face. 

🗸 Tip! “Double cleansing” is typically recommend if you need an extra, deeper cleanse. This is often the case if you (1) wear makeup, (2) wear heavier SPF, or (3) your skin gets very dirty/congested by the end of the day. Double cleansing can be using an oil cleanser + a water based cleanser, makeup wipes + a water based cleanser, a cleansing water + a water based cleanser, and so on—basically it’s cleansing twice people. The method you use is totally up to you, like everything in your routine is! 

🗸 Tip! Opt for lighter cleansing in the morning and deeper cleansing at night. In the morning, your skin shouldn’t need a deep cleanse & you don’t want to strip your skin of its nutrients by over-cleansing. I only rinse my face with water and use a cleansing water/toner in the morning and it’s helped my skin so much!

🗸 Tip! Remember, cleansing doesn’t literally have to be limited to a “cleanser;” try using cleansing waters or an oil or a powdered cleanser etc. There are so many cleansing options out there so find one that works for you. Don’t feel pressured to get one of those tube shaped bottles with “cleanser” written in the title, lol. 

🗸 Tip! Keep your face semi-wet after cleansing because it helps your skin retain moisture. Pat dry instead of rubbing. Have a designated face towel or use something less bacteria-harboring like tissues, a facial sponge, or just your hands! Likewise, don’t wait a long time after cleansing to follow up with your moisturizer/other products. 

⭐ STEP 2: MOISTURIZE. Aka the “giving back” part of your routine. There are seriously so many ways to moisturize and whatever skin type you have it’s a must in some form or another. If we’re talking about the most basic routine for beginners or those wanting a simple routine, this step entails simply using one or more moisturizers for, you guessed it, moisture. 

🗸 Tip! You can use just about any product meant to go on after cleansing as a moisturizer—essences (some “toners” are really essences; they just had to make skincare more confusing), serums, ampoules (why is this even a separate category from serums/essences?), oils, mists, creams, gels, you name it. Just like cleansing, as long as you’re moisturizing enough, whatever way you do it is up to you. 

🗸 Tip! For oily skin types, I recommend trying a mist, essence, or gel-textured moisturizer. For drier skin types, I’d choose something heavier or layer lighter options—but it’s best to skip out on the “7 skin method”—that’s old news and it’s really, really, way too many layers. We ain’t got money to be using 7 layers a day! And likewise, go for lighter options in the warmer months and heavier options in the colder months. And, FYI, by “heavier” I mean more hydrating/moisturizing, which isn’t always literally a heavier product!

🗸 Tip! If you find your skin feeling “dehydrated,” a heavier cream isn’t always the best option. Often thicker moisturizers won’t go “deep” within the skin but they’ll just create a layer on the surface. So, if you’re feeling your skin is really thirsty, the best option is layering something thin like an essence or serum—something that will absorb into your skin—then topping it off with a moisturizer to lock in that hydration. 

🗸 Tip! Your “giving back,” after-cleansing products can also double to treat your problem areas. For instance, you can use a brightening serum or a soothing cream or an acne-fighting essence, the list goes on—basically, I’m clumping everything into this broad category of “moisturizing” for simplicity’s sake, so go wild and be as basic or as complex in this step as you want. If you want to stay basic, just go for something that moisturizes, don’t worry too much about getting all the other 100 possible benefits products can give you—besides, odds are, any moisturizer you use has skin benefits beyond moisturization. Really, moisturization itself leads to other skin benefits. You don’t want to see me in my Skin Theory 101 mode—I can go on for days. 

🗸 Tip! Your day-time moisturizer should have SPF or you should apply SPF at the end of your routine after moisturizing. If you want to keep your routine simple, get a moisturizer that’s going to give you sun protection too. SPF can be annoying sometimes, but it’s an absolute must, unless, you know, you want things like premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, loss of elasticity, and so on, but no, yah, totally up to you. 

🗸 Tip! Oftentimes, your oils, serums, or your essences can double as lip-care—say what?? Yep, it’s true. Just be aware of the ingredients, like strong exfoliants, that aren’t really meant for lips. But generally, what you put on your face is also safe (and beneficial) for your lips. 

Read on for extra steps beyond the basic cleanser + moisturizer (+SPF) routine.

EXTRAS (Depending on your skin needs.)

Spot treatments. For those with acne or other spot-related issues. 

🕒 When: Typically last, though this isn’t exclusive. For one, pimple patches should go after the cleansing step: less between the pimple patch and your skin the better it’ll work.

🗸 Tip! Drying spot treatments (like drying lotions) are great, particularly for oily skin types. If you don’t want to break the bank for that Mario Badescu drying lotion, try using a clay mask you have instead, leaving it overnight on small target areas just as you would a typical drying lotion! For dry skin types, tea tree oil is a personal favorite all-natural spot treatment of mine.

🗸 Tip! If you have a bad habit, like me, of itching, popping, and messing with your blemishes, use pimple patches to not only treat those blemishes, but to keep your hands off of them!

Targeted Treatment Products/Masks. This is again a super diverse section that overlaps others. You can use any sort of mask, leave-on treatment, or even a treatment tool, it’s up to you. You can even, you know, be like me and buy a $500 LED mask (or, better, DON’T be like me). 

🕒 When: Wash-offs are usually after or before cleansing (read the package) and leave-ons (serums, ampoules, sleeping packs, sheet masks, etc.) usually depend on how thick they are (thin > thick), and, of course, their instructions. Always check the fine print people. 

🗸 Tip! Clay masks are great for people with acne, pore problems, and excess sebum—shout out to my oily skin types, I see you! Sheet masks are cute and fun, but really sheets masks are like glorified single uses of an essence or serum, so I prefer using an actual essence or serum over spending $3-$5 on a single use version. Sorry sheet mask fanatics, the secret’s out. That $3 to $5 can, like, buy me a coffee at Starbucks, okay. 

Exfoliation. Basically, exfoliating helps your skin shed it’s dead skin cells so that your skin cells can renew themselves. It helps all sorts of skin issues from acne to scarring to signs of aging. 

🕒When: Almost always on a cleansed face before moisturizing. Use one to three times a week, depending on how sensitive your skin is and how “harsh” the product is. I tend to exfoliate once to twice a week because my skin is pretty sensitive right now and I’m using a lot of other strong ingredients/products. There are exfoliators that are said to be for everyday use, which some people swear by, but I personally don’t think I need to exfoliate daily.

🗸 Tip! Opt for chemical exfoliation (product key words: “peeling” “aha” “bha” “pha” etc.) over physical—no matter how good that apricot seed scrub feels when you use it, scrubs are almost always irritating to your skin, whether you can see it or not. Plus, they can create micro tears in your skin, especially the ones containing bigger granules—yikes! Exfoliants are sometimes in a wash-off mask form or can be left on the skin. They range from gentle to mild to so strong it feels like your skin is falling off—I don’t recommend the latter. 

🗸 Tip! There are a whole bunch of ingredients and things you should avoid when exfoliating, which are typically said to be vitamin c, exposure to the sun without high SPF, retinol/retinoids, other exfoliants, etc. If you aren’t sure, feel free to ask me or, better, Google it. 

P.S. You’ve probably realized this already but I should point out that these “different” steps or product types can, and often do, overlap each other. Like an exfoliant can be a treatment mask and a mask can also be a moisturizer and a cleanser can have ingredients that are exfoliating. It’s all too much, I know. Just start with the basics and gradually try more, if you want. 

Overwhelmed? Are you currently like that dog just sitting in the kitchen saying “this is fine” while everything’s on fire? If you’re overwhelmed, that’s absolutely okay and normal! Start by getting products that meet the absolute basic needs of you skin—cleansing and moisturization (+ SPF). What I like to do when trying to find new products is (1) read a lot of reviews, (2) watch YouTube videos featuring the product to see it in real time, and (3) always search the ingredients on a website like CosDNA that tells you what each ingredient is. After you’ve got the basics down, I’d start with a gentle exfoliating product—no scrubs people, just don’t do it. Then, once you’re comfortable with skincare, consider if you want to incorporate other products or steps or tools depending on your skin needs. Never start using all kinds of different products at once; start simply and slowly. In any case, my ask is open, so let me know if you want any advice, but remember that I’m not an expert, I just love skincare and I’ve been doing it for a long time (just ask my very disappointed bank account if you want proof). Good luck guys and gals, catch ya later!

— sundayskin ❤️

[madzblue]

Welcome to the most awaited blog post yet: my skincare routine. Now I know what you’re thinking…theres a lot of skincare posts out there, what makes this one any different? Well for ONCE this is a post to do with dry, sensitive skin (even though most of the products mentioned will work for combo/ oily skin types as well). No one ever speaks about how people with DRY skin get acne, as well as most of the ‘acne’ products being tailored for people with ‘oily’ skin. So I didn’t always start out with bad skin, I used to be the ‘baby soft cheeks’ and the ‘odd pimple once a fortnight’ type of girl, and then I began living the ‘uni lifestyle’ which involves drinking a lot, eating frozen/ junk food and just partying and having fun without looking out for what I was putting into my body. Not only did my diet contain a lot of sugar, I also started eating less frequently (eating once a day as oppose to 3 times) all this effected my body and my skin drastically. I was gaining weight because of what I was eating and drinking as well as getting spots more frequently due to my poor dieting choice.

I got very frustrated at the fact that I got spots and to try and make them go away I purchased the Clinique solutions acne starter kit. When purchasing the kit I got a face wash, toner and a moisturiser and the kit itself claimed to minimise the amount of spots you get and clear your skin out. This was the biggest mistake I made. I regret it till this day. There was nothing wrong with the kit as it has claimed to work on a lot of customers that have OILY skin. However, I on the other hand had DRY skin, so what this product was doing was taking out all the moisture from my face and my spots to ‘dry’ them out. As my skin was already dry it only got dryer using all those products and this caused me to breakout A LOT MORE. I had 3x as many pimples on my face at the end of using the kit than I did when began. At the end of it I was fed up and I was determined to find a cure for acne for people with dry, sensitive skin such as myself. I disposed of all the Clinique products and began testing a bunch of products suitable for dry, sensitive skin. I researched a lot into this and finally found a skincare routine that worked and was tailored to me. Today I want to share this routine with you and hopefully it can help you in achieving that healthy looking, radiant face.

(I will attach a couple photos of me BEFORE I started doing my current skincare routine, to get a better insight of how bad my skin was with regard to spots, marks, texture, dullness, etc.)

this is my skin without any makeup BEFORE

even if I wore makeup my spots would still show

as you can see the texture of my skin was extremely bad and no longer ‘soft and smooth’

  Daytime Skincare Routine:

With dry skin it is extremely important to remember to keep as much moisture in your face as possible. Therefore always look for products that are meant to ‘hydrate’ you. This is exactly what my aim is every morning: try and get my face to have as much moisture as it can. I begin my day by washing my face with a cream cleanser such as the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Gentle Facial Cleanser (when looking at dry skin always look for the cream based products as they will irritate your face less as well as leaving your skin feeling not as tight). This face wash has been a holy grail for me for the past 2 years. Its the only face wash gentle enough to use in the morning that will clean your face without irritating it or breaking you out. It is so gentle its suitable for all skin types however I feel like it works best as a morning cleanser.

£8 from bodyshop.co.uk

  I then shower and all and as soon as I get out I make sure my face is completely dry and use a Vitamin E hydrating toner on a cotton pad which I then sweep all across my face. Toners are very important as they balance out the PH of our skin as well as unclog our pores. Toning is the key step to having glowing, healthy looking skin. You also need to make sure you pick a toner that has NO ALCOHOL in it and is gentle on the face. I have used toners in the past that claim they suit “every skin type” but please STAY AWAY FROM THOSE. They kept breaking me out and the ONLY toner that actually worked in unclogging my pores and not leaving my skin feeling tingly was the body shop vitamin e toner. If you have dry skin this is the BEST toner to use. I have tried a couple others but they are too harsh for my skin and make my face go a little red and irritated after. However the body shop one gives me just the right amount of moisture as well as always leaving me with a healthy looking glow.

£8 from bodyshop.co.uk

  I then go ahead and use my serum which is by The Ordinary and it is the ‘Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5’. Hyaluronic Acid may sound scary but it is a vital ingredient in retaining moisture. This acid holds upto 10x its weight in water and is a key in achieving that healthy looking glow in your skin. I use a few drops of this and apply it directly to my face before applying any creams. I then use the Vitamin E intense moisture cream on top after my serum has dried to lock everything in my skin and this allows my face to be super moisturised throughout the day. This is also the key to keeping your pimples at bay or preventing them from growing into 3D objects on your face. The more moisture you have on your face, the flatter your pimple will turn out. This hyaluronic acid makes sure I have 10x more moisture on my face and keeps my spots so tiny they are barely visible when they do pop up.

£6 from beautybay.co.uk

£13 from bodyshop.co.uk

  SPF- why have you forgotten it??

SPF is one of the MOST IMPORTANT and missed out steps in anyones skincare routine. I have been on a mission to try and find a sunscreen that works and won’t leave a white cast behind on my brown asian face. So many people that I speak to don’t use SPF at all but if you don’t: START NOW. SPF protects our skin from the environment when you go outside. If I were to wear a face full of skincare and not lock it all in with SPF, the skincare would not be as effective on you. It also means that the dust, dirt and pollution from outside is touching your face and skin directly as you haven’t created a barrier of SPF to protect yourself with. All this is gonna slowly start making your skin sag and get wrinkly, meaning you’ll be showing signs of ageing before anyone else. SPF is also the key to having that makeup free ‘glow’. And if you think you don’t need SPF if the sun isn’t out, don’t blame me when you face starts to age sooner then everyone else’s. No matter what the weather: if you are leaving the house, YOU NEED SPF. The one that I’m currently using is again from the Body Shop’s Vitamin E range (which is perfect dry skin, I do recommend to check out the range in-store or online), it is the Moisture Protect Emulsion with SPF 30. This ’emulsion’ has a very runny/ watery consistency therefore its perfect to layer on top of your serum and moisturiser. I just use one pump and apply it all over my face. I let it sink in for a couple mins before heading outside.

£15 from bodyshop.co.uk

Makeup Removal:

I cannot stress enough how important it is you remove your makeup at the end of the day and DO NOT SLEEP IN IT. When you do your makeup you initially create a base that covers your skin. This base won’t allow your skin to breathe as everything will be covered in a layer of pigment. Makeup should only be worn for a couple of hours and then thoroughly removed. Every time I have a face full of makeup I ALWAYS double cleanse. This means I will clean my face twice: once with a makeup remover, and one more time after that with a cleanser. To remove my makeup I like to use the Clinique ‘Take the Day off Balm’. This is the most amazing makeup remover I have ever used (I have also done a review about it on my blog if you look at my other posts). This is the only remover I wouldn’t mind spending £30 on as it lasts me 3 YEARS (yep thats just £10 year). It’s the most magical balm that you rub onto your dry caked face and it transforms into an oil as soon as it comes into contact with your skin. You then just rub this ‘balm’ all over your face and just wash it off with warm water and pat dry. Thats it. All your makeup gone in ONE GO. No eye makeup remover needed, no need to go in with another wipe. Its magic in a tub. Highly recommend everyone to try this at least once in their life.

  Night-time Skincare Routine:

At night times I like to keep my skincare a little extra, at the end of the day you’re washing everything off your face including the sweat and dirt. You need to make sure you’re giving your face a good deep cleanse and are scrubbing away at the places that need it most. I’ve realised hands alone can’t achieve this. I use the Vanity Planet Skin Spa on my face (this is a face brush that I use with a silicon head attachment as the brush attachment was too harsh for dry, sensitive skin). I use this face brush along with my Kiehl’s ultra facial cleanser (this is the perfect cleanser to use at night as it is very gentle yet effective and doesn’t leave the skin feeling ‘stripped’ of moisture) and make sure I’m working at each part of my face for at least 10 seconds with the brush. This brush has not only given me clear, tight skin but has also shrunk my pores and is 100% the reason why my spots are not as big as they used to be. It is an amazing brush and I got it at 70% off using a code (which I can give you if you message me) and I definitely think you need to try it out with the silicone brush head to actually see a difference in your skin. This has improved the overall texture of my rough skin and made it a lot smoother to touch and look at.

£16.50 from Kiehls.co.uk

  I then go ahead and tone again as it is very important to tone after you wash your face. I use the same toner as mentioned above and then go in with my serum. I am currently using the Ordinary’s ‘Lactic Acid 5% + HA’. This is a mild chemical exfoliant that will help my skin with improving its texture as well as fading away scars and marks. As this is an acid you always need to remember to wear SPF the following few days after using it. I take a few drops of this in a cotton pad like I do with my toner and sweep the pad across my face. I then use a night oil on top as an acid by itself could damage my skin (so I dilute it with using a facial oil on top). I love using Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate. This is an extremely pricey oil (costing around £40) however I am in love with it and it is one of the main reasons my skin is so nice today. You only need four drops every night therefore the bottle should last you about a year, and honestly this oil is an investment; you’ll wake up the next day seeing a change in your face, it looks a lot plumper and brighter. This oil is like sleep in a jar for your face. It helps me look fresh and awake the next day knowing I haven’t gotten as much sleep.

£38 from Kiehls.co.uk

  Exfoliate to radiate

I never used to think much of exfoliation but thats where I was going wrong. There are two kinds of exfoliants one is the physical kind that are basically beads or larger pieces you find in scrubs and microdermabrasion scrubs. These physically try and lift away the dead skin cells sitting on your skin to give a more radiant glow. The skin cells on your face renew every 28 days which means after 28 days you have dead skin sitting on top of your face waiting to come off and expose your lovely new cells, but if you don’t rub away at the dead skin your face will never glow like the gods and will always look dull and boring. I was using a physical exfoliant before however it didn’t do much for me but give me red skin (my dry, sensitive skin needed something less harsh that would be more effective). Honestly speaking I didn’t see any difference in my skin while using a physical exfoliant HOWEVER a chemical exfoliant changed my life. A chemical exfoliant does exactly what a physical one does but with the help of an acid. This acid would ‘eat away’ at the dead skin sitting at the surface and bring forward the new healthy skin without you having to do any work. My favourite chemical exfoliant that honestly works from day 1 is The Ordinary’s ‘AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution’. This is such a good affordable chemical exfoliant that you use weekly as a 10 min mask. I literally start my phone timer AS SOON AS this acid touches the skin on my face. As it is an acid you will experience some tingling but its honestly not that bad at all and isn’t painful. As soon my timer hits 9 minutes 30 seconds I go to wash my face with lukewarm water (don’t go over 10 mins as this is an acid and has to be used on your face with care, otherwise you can end up doing more damage to your skin). I use this exfoliant after washing my face in the morning but BEFORE toning. I let my face dry after I have showered and then use the peeling solution. After I have washed the peeling solution I continue with my regular daytime skincare routine and tone, apply serum, moisturise and then use SPF. After exfoliating you want to make sure you have as much moisture on your face as possible as your pores are open and your face is sensitive; the more moisture on the skin, the less likely you are to break out. With this exfoliant the effect is not immediate, however when you wake up the next morning you will notice your face being a lot more brighter and even toned than before. This product has honestly been the cherry on top, it makes your already good skin look even better when you didn’t think it could! 

£6.25 from beautybay.co.uk

The result?

After years of struggling with acne and dry skin and using the wrong products recommended by friends that had different skin types I have finally cracked the code to having clear skin. You need to tailor your routine to suit your skin as everyones skin needs are different. Check your face to see the places where your pores appear more and thats where you need to exfoliate more. Also check for spots on your face where your skin feels really tight (these are your drier spots) as well as checking where you get oily. I also recommend you use face masks (such as sheet masks and mud masks) once every 1-2 weeks. The Sephora sheet masks are amazing if you feel like your skin needs to be treated now and again. But this skincare routine alone will guarantee you clearer, better looking skin even without the face masks. Just remember to take care of your skin and listen to it, if you feel a new pimple about to come out put a lot of moisture in your face that night (use items that you know will hydrate your face), it’ll stop the pimple from growing bigger. As well as drinking a lot of water. Water builds the foundation to have good skin. I drink A LOT of it to keep mines looking the way it does, and I have finally come to the skin I’m in.

Below are a couple photos of what my skin looked like AFTER I followed this skincare routine:

This is my skin now: natural, unedited makeup free.

here I’m wearing powder products but am wearing NO FOUNDATION all the makeup is done on my natural skin.

You can see the texture of my skin has improved a lot more. Again I have NO FOUNDATION it is my natural skin with makeup on top.

Here I just put a little bit of colour on my face but again NO FOUNDATION, and my skin looks like its airbrushed..

Skincare 101- how to get the confidence to bare it all Welcome to the most awaited blog post yet: my skincare routine. Now I know what you're thinking...theres a lot of skincare posts out there, what makes this one any different?

[daysofdane]

The smallest peek into my bathroom cabinet. 

I’m somewhat enamored with the idea of time-specific masks. Japanese brand Saborino offers morning and night items meant to make your routine far easier by jamming as many steps into one thing as possible, while also paying close attention to the application medium. I’ve yet to encounter the nighttime products here in Seoul (I’m especially looking for their sleeping pack mist, which I saw in Osaka but neglected to pick up...) but when I saw the morning sheet masks I nearly screamed.

I, too, desire a way to jam as many steps into one thing as possible. Efficiency is so tremendously important to me because, while I’m perfectionistic about so many things, I know that I can do it 100% correctly when I get into the flow of things. I look for the most direct way to get the results I desire—in this case, skin that’s well taken care of—and then get into that groove. 

Experimentation is a given within any skincare routine, because despite the best intentions of recommenders, their recommendations sometimes fall short. This happens more often than not with me, due to the sensitivity of my skin as well as the lack of efficiency that so often comes with single-purpose products. Getting into the aforementioned groove where I am happy with how my skin looks day in and day out is laborious at best, harmful at worse, and overall wasteful and disappointing. Especially since some products are fine for two or three months and then just suddenly stop being effective, and instead trigger an allergic reaction. 

The more multi-purpose products I can get my hands on, the less I end up wasting, because this cycle of new-good-bad frequently happens to me. So while many single-purpose products are unavoidable—oil cleanser, facial soap, and that final occlusive moisturizer all come to mind—I’ve become obsessed with minimizing those in-between steps. 

Which brings me back to these morning masks. I wash my face and put on a mask for all of 60 seconds, during which time it offers a hydrating boost that’s complemented by some cooling menthol feeling that wakes me all the way up. It’s better than a cup of coffee and far better for my skin. Follow that up with another multiple, the Ganbare Watashi Gel, which says it’s a lotion, serum, emulsion, and makeup base all-in-one. My skin still feels too light after this, so I finish with a gel moisturizer. A week in with this routine, and my skin is lovely. We’ll see how long this lasts, but these morning masks are going to be a repeat purchase.

I’ve never been the kind to embrace the delight of a multi-step routine. I don’t find pleasure in adding layer after layer, delicately and deliberately rubbing and massaging to promote absorption before adding yet another product. It’s dull and boring and quite frankly my skin doesn’t agree all that much with it, either. But I understand the benefit, and so I have taken the idea of it and smashed it together as much as possible. So far it’s working.

[joonbird]

Comfort Inn Ending | 4

➭“It was you who Jungkook gave his heart to- that is, until the day you broke it. And it is you now, hoping that some faultlines can be repaired, and that some broken hearts can be put back together again.”

pairing: jungkook x reader

genre: angst, smut

wordcount: 8.3k

inspiration

part one | two | three | four | five | six | seven

You were shivering as you walked home. Your lips were slightly swollen from the kisses you and Jungkook shared, your eyes red from your tears. That was nothing though, compared to what was going through your head. His voice echoed in your mind like a drum beat. 

Don’t do this to me again.

The guilt, it was weighing you down, making your entire body heavy and useless. He was right. You had no right to ask him for anything. The memory of the look on his face before he left you there on that rooftop, the fresh pain in his eyes and his furrowed brows... it just made the guilt worse.

I just got over you.

Was it wrong for you to hope that he hadn’t fully gotten over you? You were torn, wanting him to be happy, to have closure. But another part of you, a larger, more ragged, selfish side, fiercely argued that you didn’t want him to ever get over you.

The minute you walked through your door, you went straight to your bedroom. You felt disoriented, your head pounding and your eyes raw from crying so much. You were sick of the tears, of the heartache. 

You didn’t know what to do, all you did know was that seeing Jungkook tonight had you regressing back to the start. You weren’t over Jungkook, you never had been. You just didn’t know what you were supposed to do about it. You needed definitive answers, you needed a sign. Something, anything, to give you direction.

You rummaged below your bed until you found it, the shoebox that you kept under there. You had never gotten the strength to throw it away, but you also never had the strength to look at it again since you had moved homes. You sat there for a moment, staring at it. The silence was so loud it was deafening.

You pulled your knees in to your chest, taking a deep breath in. You weren’t crying anymore, as you opened the lid of the box.

Your eyes fell on the contents of the box and your heart immediately twisted. You pulled out a black hoodie that still smelled faintly like him, holding the soft fabric in your hands. You pulled out an old bottle of facial cleanser. There were polaroids and photos scattered at the bottom of the box, you looked through them all, feeling your resolve waver. The photos felt like distant memories of happier times, you had such a big smile on your face in all the photos. Jungkook had an even bigger smile on his in them. You let your fingertips run wistfully across the photos before you put them down. You had no answers, you were still as confused as ever. Maybe it was time to throw away this box, throw away these memories, and move on. 

Just as you were beginning to put the lid back on the box, a flash of bright orange caught your eye and you hesitated. It was a sticky note, a tiny square of paper stuck on the back of one of the photos. 

You picked it up, your eyes falling on it. It was a tiny note, something Jungkook had quickly written for you and stuck on the fridge when the two of you had been living together. Jungkook kept sticky note pads around the house, he liked to jot down lyric and song ideas. You’d find random sticky notes with words and phrases on them everywhere. Sometimes, they wouldn’t be lyrics at all, but love letters, addressed to you.

Never give up on me, his messy, sloping handwriting made you smile. I will be the best man I can be for you. I will never stop trying. Your fingertips traced his words, your breath hitched in your throat. You will always have my heart.

You held the little sticky note in your hands, looking up and around your empty bedroom. It was a tiny reminder of everything you had shared with Jungkook, a small throwback to the immense love the two of you had for one another. You still loved him. you had been a fool to think that those feelings would just go away. You loved him and seeing him again had brought back a flood of feelings, a sea of emotion that you had attempted to keep locked back behind a dam. Now, that dam had broken and you couldn’t hide from it anymore. You had to confront it.

You loved every part of Jungkook and there was so much about him, within him, that you knew you would never be able to find with anyone else. There were things about him that you had never appreciated when you had been together, things and habits you couldn’t stop thinking about now. 

You winced, wishing more than anything that you had articulated those thoughts to him better today. You had wanted to tell him how much he meant to you. That you shouldn’t have taken him for granted. You wanted to tell him that you missed his sense of humour, how he would always lighten up a tense situation with a silly face expression and a sudden outburst of goofiness. You wanted to tell him you missed feeling the atmosphere change when he was stressed or moody, you even missed your petty arguments with him. He would always tell you he was sorry for not being better, now, you wanted to tell him you were sorry.

Jungkook was the definition of a perfectionist in all aspects of his life. His career, his music, and his relationship with you. He was always striving to keep your relationship fresh, to keep you happy. He was always apologizing for things that didn’t even bother you, you would catch him with his brow furrowed, telling you he wished he had more hours in a day to spend with you. He had done so much for you and been so much for you, and you had taken it all for granted. Not anymore.

You glanced back down at his words. Never give up on me. You steeled your resolve, putting the sticky note on top of the box and pushing it back under your bed. You hadn’t even fought for Jungkook properly yet. You owed it to him, and to yourself, to try harder. To fight for him, to show him that you weren’t giving up on him, that he was important to you.

It was worth it. Jungkook was worth it. You knew now, with the ghost of his kiss still lingering on your lips, the image of hesitation etched on his face before he tore himself away from you, that there was a part of him that loved you too. You couldn’t give up. You wouldn’t give up.

You clenched your jaw in determination as you gazed at your tear streaked face in the mirror. No more tears, you told yourself. Starting tomorrow morning, you were going to do whatever necessary to prove to Jungkook that you were willing to fight for him.

You woke up early, nervous but still sure of your decision. You were going to stop by Jungkook’s dorm before you had work, and ask Jungkook to talk. You knew he had 9AM practice most mornings, and you had your fingers crossed his schedule hadn’t changed. You got out of bed, heading straight to your closet and rummaging through its contents. You felt on edge already, your hands trembling as you picked out your outfit carefully. It was to any onlooker a normal outfit, yet you had chosen it meticulously, pondering carefully on each different piece of clothing. You wanted it to be perfect. 

You were wearing your black skinny jeans, the ones that Jungkook always said were his favourites. You had a big woolly sweater on top, a dark burgundy red one that you had been wearing the night you had seen Jungkook in Hongdae, watching buskers. It had been a cold night then, and everybody was dressed in all black, embracing the winter weather. Except for you. Jungkook told you after your first date that he had noticed you across the crowd from the busker that the two of you were listening to... because of your jumper. He told you it was your sweater first, and then the look in your eyes as you listened to the street music, that drew him to you. He used to call it your ‘Lucky Sweater’, saying it was the jumper that had brought the two of you together.

After careful deliberation, you chose your white tennis sneakers, the ones Jungkook had bought you on a trip the two of you had taken to Busan last year. You had planned every detail, as if choosing these things carefully gave you more of a chance to win him back. You glanced at your reflection in the mirror before leaving your place, feeling nerves in your pulse and in every beat of your heart. 

It was an odd feeling, walking to the dorm when it had been so long since you had last been there. You weren’t sure what your plan of action was for once you saw him, but you knew you would figure it out. 

You passed the old bakery you and Jungkook used to go to together before he had practice in the mornings. You smiled at the sight of the familiar building, walking in on a whim. The warm scent of baked goods enveloped you, the woman working behind the counter smiled when she saw you, her cheeks were pink from the heat of the oven.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!” She called out warmly, you just smiled back. “It has,” You responded agreeably. “Can I get one of your raspberry muffins please?”

They were Jungkook’s favourite, he had gone through a phase of semi-addiction to the muffins last year and eaten 7 in one day. She smiled, getting it from the display with tongs, placing it in a paper bag.

“For your boyfriend?” She asked conversationally. “I haven’t seen him in a while either. The two of you will keep coming to see us, won’t you?” 

You smiled weakly, nodding. “I’ll try my hardest,” You replied honestly, passing her the money for the muffin and cradling the paper bag in your hands. “Keep the change.”

You left the store, wondering when exactly the last time was that Jungkook had visited that little bakery. You wondered if he had done what you had done when the two of you had broken up, avoiding familiar places, trying to hide from any reminders of the past. 

You sighed a little, walking down further until you reached the dorm. You stood outside, staring up at the building for a moment. It had been so long since you had been here, you trembled, feeling the nerves heavy in your throat. You missed it, coming here with Jungkook on his days off, having meals with the guys, being part of their family. You had thrown that away.

The front door opened and voices floated out. You recognized them instantly, the deep rumbling voice and a higher pitched, clear voice. It was Hoseok and Yoongi.

You froze, you hadn’t been planning to run into any of the guys, unsure of how they’d react to seeing you standing there, waiting outside their dorm. You stood still, paralyzed for a moment, before you reacted. 

You jumped and turned, ducking and crouching so your body was tucked in next to the bins, trying to minimize yourself as much as possible. Thankfully, Hoseok and Yoongi didn’t register your presence, stopping to stand outside their dorm. You could hear their conversation, and your heart twisted when you realized they were talking about Jungkook.

“…he was wrecked last night,” Hoseok sighed, you stayed still, feeling your heart pound. “Fucking hell Yoongi, you should’ve seen him man. He was all shaken and he went straight to his room. He wouldn’t talk to anyone, not even Namjoon.” 

Yoongi responded immediately. “God, when’s he going to get over this? What exactly happened last night?”

You heard Hoseok’s loud sigh. “I don’t know. Something to do with Y/N.” They lapsed into companionable silence for a moment, you held your breath. Your heart was beating louder and faster at their words.

“I feel sorry for him.” Hoseok added sadly. “Poor guy got his heart smashed into pieces. I’ll never forgive her for that.”

You felt a shaky breath leave your lips at their words, guilt and regret seeping into the deepest parts of you at Hoseok’s words, the anger in his voice. That was all you.

“He’ll get over her soon,” Yoongi said dismissively, you could hear their footsteps, they were walking away from the dorm down the street, their voices getting quieter. “She lost her chance when she had it.”

You stayed still, trembling. The reality of your situation was hitting you again, you had broken Jungkook’s heart and you had no idea how things were going to get better. Further, you had destroyed your relationship with the other members, that much was clear. You felt the heavy sensation of guilt after hearing the guys talk, knowing they had every right to hate you. You felt your heart beat faster as you stood up shakily to leave, beginning to feel afraid that his was all a mistake. 

You glanced up to the driveway and spotted him. Jungkook.

Jungkook was walking down the driveway, earphones in his ears, dressed casually in a beanie and a hoodie. He spotted you immediately, shock in his eyes as he spotted you.

“What… are you doing?” He asked in surprise, before covering up the surprise on his face, a steely look in his eyes.

You looked at him, he looked exhausted, circles under his eyes, which were slightly puffy. You knew instantly Jungkook had been up all night, and worse, he had been crying.

“I…” You began, silence hanging between the two of you. It was a heavy, uncomfortable silence and you shuffled from foot to foot as you stared at him.

“I brought you, um, food.” You held the bag in front of you, he just eyed it skeptically.

You rushed to fill the silences, stammering over your words. “It’s um, your favourite. Raspberry and white chocolate muffins, you know, from our place-”

“I’ve already eaten.” He cut you off, looking away into the distance. His coldness caused a pang of hurt to echo through you before you nodded slowly. Bravely, you held out the paper bag to him, stepping a tiny bit closer.

“Um okay… well I was wondering if um, on the way to practice, we could get a coffee or something? And talk?” 

He finally met your gaze, his eyes were flat and cold.

“I don’t drink coffee anymore.”

Your mouth dropped open a little, he was already looking away, down at his phone. You opened and closed your mouth a few times, unsure of what to say.

“Oh… you don’t? You love coffee,” You managed lamely. As long as you had known Jungkook, he couldn’t function without his morning coffee. Usually it was something sweet and strong, a triple shot caramel macchiato was his usual. You had dropped coffee off to him at practices in the past more times than you could remember. The countless times he had bounded up to you, sweaty and grateful for the caffeine, while Yoongi watched, rolling his eyes and muttering that macchiatos "didn’t count as coffee".

Jungkook just shrugged, still scrolling through something on his phone. 

“Not anymore. Things change.”

He didn’t meet your gaze, you just nodded, swallowing. He was being so cold and rigid, you didn’t know how to respond. 

“Oh. Okay. Well um, bubble tea or something?”

He was still staring at his phone. “I can’t.”

You just nodded slowly, looking down at the floor and at your shoes. You had painfully, carefully chosen your shoes this morning and he hadn’t even looked twice at them. You cursed yourself for being so stupid, thinking winning him back would be that easy.

“Is that all?” Jungkook’s voice interrupted your thoughts, you glanced up to see him looking over at you, a cold look on his face. It was so unfamiliar that you just stared at him, unsure of how to proceed.

“Um,” You began. “I…” He glanced back down at his phone and you squeezed your eyes shut for a millisecond, telling yourself to gather your courage. “Jungkook, I’m sorry. For everything. I’m not going to stop saying it because I will always mean it. I regret what happened and I… I miss you.” Your words came out in a jumbled, frantic rush. You saw his head twitch slightly to the side, something he did when he was unsure. You took that as a sign and hurried to talk.

“Jungkook… this is me fighting for you. I know I fucked up. And I know things are different now. But I want to prove to you that I will fight for you. I want to show you that I’m not giving up on you, I’m not giving up on us. Because even if you don’t believe in us, I do.”

Your words hung in the air for a moment before Jungkook shoved his phone in his pocket, putting one earphone back in his ear. A passive expression was on his face, he just stared at you blankly and you felt your heart sink.

“Okay.” He started walking past you, you followed beside him silently for a few steps, feeling your heart pound.

“Jungkook, can we talk about this…?”

He turned his head to glance down at you dismissively.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

You swallowed. “Okay, well can you at least take the muffin? I bought it for you to eat. Please.” You held out the paper bag to him, willing him to look at you, to give you something, anything.

He kept walking, looking ahead emotionlessly. 

You sighed quietly. “Jungkook, please take the muffin, and I’ll leave you alone.”

He snatched it with one of his hands, his mouth settling into a firm line. If it had been any other situation you would’ve laughed at how he looked, like a kid, his mouth set, refusing to look at you.

Instead, you were quiet, stopping to let him breeze past you. He continued walking down the street, not noticing or not caring that you had stopped walking beside him. Doubt began to creep into your mind about what you were doing. He had been so cold, so unresponsive. He had stared at you like you were a stranger, as if you meant nothing to him. Maybe you did mean nothing to him and this whole thing was a waste of your time and his time.

You watched as he opened the paper bag, glancing inside. And then in one smooth motion, he threw it in the bin. You stared, your heart throbbing in pain, watching as he walked away, his body getting smaller and smaller until you couldn’t see it anymore.

It had been a long day, you had been trapped in your own thoughts, unable to focus at work. All you could think about was Jungkook, the cold look in his eyes. When you were home, finally, you dropped your bag on the floor and went straight to your room. You were exhausted, drained. Your entire body had been tensed all day without you even realizing, reliving every word you had said to Jungkook. It had been so unsuccessful, you were feeling deflated and hopeless. The mental image of him discarding your muffin was playing on an endless loop in your brain, you groaned loudly and flopped onto your bed.

You just wanted this day to be over. You were exhausted, and you welcomed sleep gratefully. You wanted a break from your own thoughts, from your own regrets. As you slipped into sleep, the last image in your head was a clip of Jungkook’s face this morning, staring ahead, away from you, right before he had walked away.

You were dreaming. 

You were in the boys’ dorm living room, you gazed around and smiled at the familiarity of your setting. You could vaguely smell Jin cooking stew, and noisy chatter coming from the kitchen. Above all, your felt loose, comfortable as you looked around you, you were sitting on the couch. The dorm. It was your home away from home.

You only knew you were dreaming because things were slow, and hazy. And Jungkook was there.

Jungkook had appeared in so many of your dreams in the last six months that you weren’t surprised to see him. He was sitting beside you on the couch, an arm draped comfortably around yours. 

You smiled at him, he just smiled down at you. “What, jagiya?” He laughed, his voice was stretched out, slow, and you just shrugged. “Nothing.”

You nestled closer into him, enjoying the feeling of his arm around you casually, the comfort of having him there. 

“I missed you,” You whispered softly, to no one in particular. You knew with a sad clarity that you were in a dream, that this wasn’t your reality anymore. 

Yet you enjoyed these dreams, these strange, hazy stolen moments with Jungkook. They weren’t real, and you knew that, but you still took what you could get.

“Jungkook, I’m sorry,” A voice floated into your dream, you glanced up and squinted. It was Taehyung, standing there with his arms on his hips, a pleading look on his face. “I’m sorry…” 

You blinked, and when you opened your eyes, Taehyung was gone, and it was just you and Jungkook. Except the setting had changed. You were in your old bedroom, tucked into the crook of his neck. You glanced around in confusion, it was definitely your old apartment, your old bed.

“Where’s Taehyung?” You asked dazedly.

“I don’t know, I don’t care. I’m mad at him. We’re in a fight.” Jungkook muttered, you pulled away to glance at his face. He had a steely look in his eyes, it was an expression that was eerily familiar. You just couldn’t remember why. Where had you seen that look on his face before?

“Why are you being like that? It’s Tae,” You asked softly, poking his waist. He just glanced at you, his face soft before he shrugged. 

“I don’t know,” He admitted, kissing the side of your forehead absently. “I’m stubborn. I don’t want to apologize first to hyung when he was the one to wrong me. I don’t want to be weak, I want to be strong.” Something in his words caused something to prick in your memory but your brain felt foggy, hazy. You just nodded slowly at his words.

“Besides,” Jungkook’s voice was slowed down even more, you knew you were going to wake up soon. Your dream was starting to fray at the edges. You curled up closer to him, suddenly feeling desperate. You wanted to stay in this dream with him forever. “If he really is sorry, then he’ll prove it to me…”

You woke up, to the sound of your alarm ringing, your face dotted in sweat.

Your dream, still vivid in your memory, had you shaking. You knew it was a sign.

You knew Jungkook like the back of your hand, he was your Jungkook and you knew how he worked, how his mind worked. It wasn’t over yet. You had to try again. You had to keep fighting for Jungkook. It wasn’t going to be easy, but if it was for the slight possibility that he might forgive you, allow you back into his heart, then it was worth it.

You glanced at your phone, if you rushed, you would be able to make it to the boys’ dorm before work. You dressed quickly, not thinking about your outfit, just getting ready quickly. You had to try again, you had to fight again. You repeated the words in your mind as you left your apartment.

You hurried to the dorm, feeling a new, fresh determination wash over you. It was quiet outside when you got there, you stood against the wall, your senses on alert for any of the other members or staff, waiting until you saw him.

Twenty minutes passed and then you saw him. He was dressed in a different outfit, a sweater you had gotten him last year and ripped jeans. Your heart skipped a beat when you saw him, he glanced around for a moment but didn’t see you. You took him in, his handsome face, his lean body, and it made your heart ache for a moment.

You stepped out, his eyes fell on you and surprise once again melted over his face.

“Jungkook,” You addressed, he just ignored you.

“Jungkook,” You repeated, hurrying to catch up with him. He just grunted in response.

“I’m not giving up,” You said suddenly, fiercely. He stopped walking and glanced down at you, he had an unreadable expression on his face. You continued on.

“I am not giving up. I’ll wait outside your dorm every morning to convince you to talk to me if that’s what I have to do.”

His eyes flashed a little as he just stared at you silently. 

“Jungkook, please.” Your voice softened a little. “Please, can we talk? All I’m asking is for you to hear me out. Please.” 

He just stared at you before he tore his eyes away, looking into the distance behind you.

“I’m busy today, I have practice until 9pm.”

“I’ll meet you after practice. Please. Just thirty minutes.” Desperation coloured your voice, you stared at him hopefully, you crossed your fingers and prayed for him to say yes. 

He studied your face before he sighed a little, shrugging. He didn’t meet your gaze.

“Alright.”

You fought to keep the ecstatic grin from your face, struggling to stay calm.

“Thank you, thank you. Um, is practice still at the same-”

“Yep.” He cut you off coldly, picking up the pace and beginning to walk faster.

You let him walk away, a smile on your face.

“Okay, I’ll see you at 9PM,” You called out after his retreating figure. As expected he didn’t respond, but still, you couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across your face.

This was your chance.

You were outside the practice studio at 8.55PM, your nerves forming a bundle in your stomach. You had a million sentences in your mind, things you wanted to say. You needed the perfect words and you couldn’t get them to sound right, no matter how many times you tried. You paced back and forth nervously, it was dark outside and you had your coat bundled up around you, yet you were still shivering. You bounced up and down on your feet, feeling nerves, excitement, anticipation grip you. You had to get this right. 

You waited, frowning when you glanced down at your phone. 9.15PM. Where was he?

You lowered onto the step, tucking your knees under your arm as you leaned against the staircase, sighing. You had to wait.

Everytime someone walked past, you straightened, eyes lighting up, only to be disappointed. It wasn’t Jungkook.

You sighed softly, staring up at the sky. The stars only stared back, the sky was too cloudy to see the moon. 

You thought about your rooftop, you thought about Jungkook, about how you had seen him standing there just a few days ago, looking out at the sky. 

It had been a sign. He had to be coming.

You were still sitting there when two hours had passed, feeling weak and unsure of what to do. You had been waiting for so long, you weren’t sure if he was still inside practicing, you had no idea what was going on. You didn’t have his number, so you couldn’t call. And you didn’t want to leave. You had been waiting here so long, leaving would feel like giving up.

“You’re still here?” Jungkook’s voice drew you out of your thoughts, you glanced up to see him standing opposite from you, surprise on his face. He was dressed casually, hands in his pockets. He had come from the opposite direction of the studio, your jaw dropped a little.

“I… where were you?” You stammered out, he just shrugged. 

“Practice was cancelled so I went to dinner with the guys.”

You froze, he had a cold, uninterested look on his face. You blinked, feeling anger fire up on your stomach.

“What’s your problem?” You asked, straightening and folding your arms. Jungkook just stood there, an impassive look on his face.

“My problem?” He just repeated calmly, you nodded, feeling frustrated tears prick in your eyes. The hot, awful feeling of tears grew in your throat but you pushed on.

“You said we would talk,” You continued bravely. “I waited two hours for you.”

He just stared at you blankly, before shrugging. “Oh. Sorry.”

You stood there, your jaw dropping slightly in shock. 

“Sorry?” You repeated slowly. “Jungkook…” You broke off with a disbelieving laugh, before frowning, biting your words. You had to stay calm, not retaliate. “Jungkook, can we please talk now?”

He frowned at you. “I’m tired. Sorry.” He brushed past you, walking down the street. You stood there, letting is words sink in before you followed him closely. Anger was starting to bubble up inside of you, your throat still felt raw and hot, you knew you were on the verge of crying but you weren’t giving up. Not now.

“Jungkook, please. Can we talk?”

“You’re wasting your time, Y/N. Go home.”

“I’m trying here!” You suddenly snapped, reaching out and pulling his arm. He stopped walking, staring up at the sky silently. “I’m trying, Jungkook,” You continued, your voice cracking on your words. “All I’ve done is try.”

He was silent, his arms crossed, looking everywhere but you. 

You took advantage of his silence, stepping forward closer to him. “Jungkook… I’m sorry.”

He finally met your eyes, and for the first time there was no anger in his eyes. he just looked exhausted, drained. You felt fear seize you as he just stared at you.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re sorry or not.” He said quietly. The only sound between the two of you was silence, your breaths slowly getting more ragged.

“Jungkook…” You whispered. “Please.” You felt tears well up in your eyes, he kept staring at you tiredly. “I love you.” You said the words desperately, searching his face for anything. But he just stared at you, disappointment in the lines of his face.

“It doesn’t matter.” He said finally. You just stared at him, feeling your heart heavy in your chest. He had such a resigned look on his face, and the reality of everything was sinking in. There was no love in his face, just exhaustion. You had done this to him.

You took a slow step backwards, feeling a sob rise from your chest. You struggled to contain it, feeling your eyes sting with fresh tears. You just nodded, feeling your head bob and down robotically as you stared at the floor. You had fought as hard as you could. It was time to give up.

“Okay, I’ll leave.” You whispered, more to yourself than to him. You were crying now, tears trickling down your face, your entire throat felt raw from holding back the tears. 

“Y/N…” You heard Jungkook’s voice, low, injected with concern, but you shook your head furiously, looking up to meet his gaze. Your vision was blurred with tears and you stared at him. His face was open, pained, as he stared at you. You shook your head again, forcing a smile at him.

“It’s okay. I get it. I… I really am sorry.” You said as clearly as you could, feeling yourself start to shake. You had to leave, you had to get out of there before you broke down. He just stood there, staring at you with a raw look on his face before you whirled around, walking away as fast as your legs could take you.

You got home, and immediately collapsed against the wall, letting your body slide against the wall and crumple into the ground. Your eyes were red with tears but you weren’t crying, you were numb. 

He had said the words himself, it didn’t matter how sorry you were, it didn’t matter how hard you fought or tried to pretend the past didn’t matter. What happened had happened, and you would have to live with that forever. 

You knew in your heart you loved Jungkook and you would always love him. And for the first time, loving Jungkook hurt more than losing him.

There was a knock at the door.

You froze, feeling your breath catch in your throat. A dangerous flash of hope gripped your heart, you tried to dampen it as you stood up slowly. It won’t be him, you chanted to yourself as you opened the door.

It was him.

He was standing there, a tortured look in his eyes. He was slightly out of breath, his chest heaving with exertion as he stared at you. You just stared back, silence stretched out into what felt like hours. 

“I don’t even know what I’m doing here,” He confessed finally. And then you started crying.

Tears started falling down your face, and then you started to shake with the tears. HE stepped forward, cradling you into his arms. The feeling of him, the immediate gratification and comfort, made you cry harder.

“Shh,” He murmured, stroking your hair slowly. His voice was hoarse, a sign that you recognized, he was close to tears himself. “You know I can’t stand seeing you cry.” He whispered kindly, softly.

His words, the feeling of his hands slowly stroking your hair, had you crying even harder. The emotions of the last few months, the regret, the awful, insidious feeling that you had caused Jungkook so much hurt and yet he was the one holding you right now, all was too much. You cried into his shoulders, as he circled his arms around you, holding you together, keeping you safe. 

“I’m sorry Jungkook,” You tore out. You were sobbing, breaking down, gasping out desperately for air. Jungkook remained calm, just holding you. His hand stroked your hair rhythmically, and he kept his lips near your ear as he softly hummed. It was a tune you didn’t recognize but the vibrations of his chest and his melodic voice soothed you. 

Your tears slowed, and you stayed still, listening to his heart beat. You slowly pulled your head away from where it had been nestled into him, you glanced up to meet his eyes. His eyes, warm brown, and soft as ever, were teary. 

“Your jumper is covered in my tears, I’m sorry,” You whispered, swallowing. He just nodded at you, his stare intense as he reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair away from your face. 

“It’s okay.” He cupped your cheek, you leaned against his touch, letting your eyelids flutter closed. 

“Jungkook…” You whispered, saying his name out into the empty air like it was a promise. “I’m sorry.” He was quiet, hearing the unspoken words between you as he always had in the past. You opened your eyes, he was still staring at you with that intensity, as a tear rolled down his face. 

“I know. Don’t worry about me, I’m a tough guy. I’ll be fine.” He replied instead, giving you a tiny smile. The smile didn’t reach his eyes, you wanted to tell him he didn’t have to be strong now, that you were sorry anyway. But you couldn’t find the words.

You didn’t return his smile, the smile faded from his face as he stared into your eyes. You were still standing in his arms, your face tilted up to his.

“I’m a mess,” You said quietly, meeting his eyes steadily. He was silent, watching you. “You deserve better. I know that.” 

“You’re not a mess,” He responded softly. 

You shook your head. “I am.” You said, and then he leaned in and carefully brushed his lips against yours.

It was a different kiss to the one you had shared on the rooftop, it was slow, careful. He pulled away almost instantly, his eyes searching yours yet again. There was no anger there, just a yearning, and a sadness. You could sense that he had missed you as badly as you missed him. You curled a hand around the back of his neck, staring into his eyes, and you reached up and brought his face down to yours again, kissing him.

Your kiss was slow, one of those kisses so infused with intimacy that it literally took your breath away. He kissed you softly, you had your hand around the back of his neck, his hands fluttered up to your face and cupped you closer to him. All you could hear were his soft breaths, his quiet murmurs as you kissed, your heart pounding in your chest.

“Y/N.” He breathed out your name in the midst of your kiss, you pulled away a little to look at him. his eyes were still red with tears but he had a soft look in his eyes, his guard was slipping and vulnerability was all over his face as he looked down at you.

At the sound of his voice saying your name, you felt something jump inside of you. You had been longing for him for so long, hearing him affirm your deepest desires, saying your name, had you quietly buzzing. 

You leaned up and kissed him again, deeper, entangling his tongue with yours and pressing yourself slowly but firmly against him. He responded, running his strong hands down from your face down to your neck, down to your shoulders, giving them a soft squeeze. His touch was careful, but searching. You had forgotten what his body felt like, he had forgotten yours, and he was trying to remember it again.

He reached behind the two of you, closing the door. The soft click as it closed had your heart beating louder in anticipation, and he leaned down, picking you up. He had always been strong, but he had gotten stronger, and he picked you up with ease. His strong arms encircled you as he walked the two of you over to the couch, laying you down. You gazed up at him as he slowly brushed the hair away from your face, staring down at you before meeting your lips in another kiss, settling his body down on top of yours.

You were both silent, you didn’t speak, you just kissed. You were lost in the feeling of him, you had forgotten this, how he felt when he kissed you. He kissed you passionately, as if his soul was searching for yours, his hands tracing the outlines of your body. You felt like your heart was singing, a slow, dazed beat in your head reminded you that this was really happening. 

His body was warm and strong on top of yours, the most real reminder that this was happening, otherwise you could’ve easily been convinced this was a dream. You slowly traced the outline of him with your fingers, enthralling at his strong shoulders, his sculpted stomach, his forearms which gripped the couch armrest, ensuring his body hovered above yours without crushing you. 

He was familiar, yet foreign, and it excited you. All you had done was kiss, slowly, and stare at him, but you were feeling so alive, electricity crackling across your skin, a heavy thud between your legs. You wanted him so badly already, you could feel it in your fingers and your toes, the desire for him.

He broke away from your lips to plant a soft kiss on the corner of your mouth, than against the base of your neck, against your pulsepoint, then trailing kisses down the slope of your neck. You gasped out a little at the feeling, he responded by lowering himself firmer down onto you, you could feel him between your legs and he was aroused, as ready for you as you were for him.

He stared into your eyes, his eyes were darkened in lust. It was all familiar, yet it had been so long, your body was calling for him, craving him.

He reached down and pulled the hoodie and teeshirt off of his body in one smooth motion, you swallowed thickly as your eyes took him in. he was better than your fantasies had reminded you, he had been working out and he was muscular, his shoulders rippling as he shifted his weight on top of you, his stomach tensed. He watched you as your eyes roamed across him, before meeting his stare. 

“Wow,” You just whispered, his eyes glowed a little at your words and then he reached down and gripped the hem of your dress.

You sat up as he gently pulled it off your head, his eyes immediately on every curve of you as he threw the dress to the ground. You felt exposed under his stare, but in a good way. He was drinking you in as you had with him, and when he met your eyes, there was an intensity in them you had never seen before.

Suddenly he was grabbing you and kissing you, intensely now, desperately. You could feel your desire for him coursing through your veins, through your blood, and you knew that you needed him. You wanted to be as close to him as you could, you wanted to express to him that you loved him, that you would always love him. 

He kissed down your neck, reaching behind you to clip off your bra. He fumbled a little, you pushed on his chest and got up, moving so you were straddling him. You clipped off your bra and let is fall to the ground, you guided his hand to his jeans and he responded instantly, unzipping and kicking them off. He was completely naked underneath you, his head tilted back to stare at you. Your legs were wrapped around his, his body sinking into the couch. 

You didn’t speak, not wanting to break this spark, this feeling between the two of you, the intensity. You didn’t need words, you just reached down and closed the space between the two of you with a kiss.

His hands curved up from your hips, skimming over your stomach until they found your breasts. His touch was gentle, lightly tracing the outline of your breasts and your nipples, which were hard with arousal. His touch was so light, so bare, that it had you softly moaning into his mouth. He was being careful with his touch, so slow, but you could feel how hard his erection was in his pants. You knew he wanted you, badly, yet he was fighting that to touch you slowly, carefully. He was treasuring your body with his touch.

You reached down and pulled off your underwear, shifting your legs so you could throw them behind you onto the floor. He kissed your chest, planting soft careful kisses around your breasts, his strong fingers reaching between the two of you and carefully caressing your clit. His touch was slow and teasing, his eyes were on your face. The moment his fingers were touching your wetness you felt your body tighten in want, you were already so wet for him, you could feel your core throbbing. 

He just met your gaze and then kissed you, his arms around your waist as he suddenly flipped your body on it’s back, his body pressing on top of yours.

The feeling of his bare skin on yours had you sighing out, he positioned himself at your entrance and was stroking your hair. You reached down and wrapped your fingers around his length, gently pumping up and down. He was so hard, you could feel it underneath your touch, precum already on the tip of his dick.

He wanted you so badly, yet he had been slow, careful, memorizing your body with his hands and his eyes and mouth. He let out a soft moan, you glanced up at him. he had his eyes closed, and the look on his face, blissful, had your heart swelling. It was as strong as the lust you were feeling, you loved him, God you loved him.

“Jungkook, I want you,” you whispered to him, his eyes fluttered open and they met yours. You were aware that your eyes were a little teary, but they were a good kind of tears, emotional, and he smiled, kissing you before he slowly slid himself inside of you.

He took it slow, easing inside of you, but you still groaned out. It had been months, and you were tight, he stretched out your walls, his knuckles gripping the couch as he let out a low, deep moan. Your legs wrapped around his waist, you had your eyes closed as you let yourself get lost at the sensation of his dick getting buried within you.

He felt incredible, so full, he stayed inside of you for a moment, the two of you just relishing how it felt, before he slowly started rocking his hips in and out of you. 

You whimpered at the feeling, his hands fluttered by your face, gently cupping your cheek before down to your neck, gently tracing your neck with his fingers, gently resting around your neck before gripping your chin and running his fingers against your full lips. The feeling had you gasping out, he was staring down at you, a strained look in his face, pleasure rippling across his face with each motion of his hips.

He started pumping into you with more force, holding the small of your back, the other arm propping himself upright so he could push all of himself inside of you. You lifted your hips against him, wanting to feel all of him inside of you. He felt incredible, his hands entangling in your hair as he pumped into you, his eyes never leaving your face. 

He was having sex with you, taking dominant control of your body, yet his touch was still so gentle, that it had you writhing underneath him, murmuring out desperately.

He leaned down between the two of you, massaging your clit with two of his fingertips, alternating his rhythm to have your entire body quivering. He knew exactly how to make your body respond, and his touch had you moaning out loudly. 

“Jungkook,” You breathed out, you couldn’t stop yourself from saying his name. He grunted, getting into rhythm, pumping into you with his fingers on your clit, the feeling had your entire body clenched, your vision was beginning to blur from the sheer intensity of it, of him. 

“I’m going to come Jungkook, oh….” You cut off your sentence with a loud moan, feeling your orgasm clench inside your core as you moaned loudly, your legs tightening as waves of pleasure and intensity and satisfaction washed over you, tension draining into and out of your body at the same time. He slowed his touch, but kept rocking into you, you leaned forward and bit down onto his collarbone, moaning into his skin as you rode out your orgasm.

“Say my name again,” He murmured, you smiled blissfully into his skin.

“Jungkook,” You breathed, curling your fingers up to lace between his neck, gently pushing so you were on top of him, still inside of him. He was staring at you with wide, intense eyes. 

“Jungkook,” You repeated, leaning down to nip at his neck and his earlobe. You were still glowing from your orgasm as you rocked your hips in and out of his, riding him slowly, intensely. You arched your back, making sure all of him was grinding inside of you, he just groaned out loudly at the feeling.

“I…” He stammered out, “I’m close, kiss me, Y/N…” 

You leaned down, kissing him passionately, pulling away to stare into his eyes as he came inside of you, his features scrunching up at the intensity of his orgasm, his legs twitching and body tensing as he gripped onto your hips.

You watched as the orgasm took over his face, ebbing away and leaving him with a satisfied smile. You smiled yourself, flopping down on top of him, resting your face on his chest and listening to his heart beat.

Comfortable silence stretched out between the two of you, you slowly eased yourself out of him, reaching above his head for a box of tissues and between your legs, dabbing away his cum. He watched you, his eyes soft, as you sat up, grabbing the blanket you kept by the couch and draping it over the two of you.

You lay on your side on the couch, beside him, he shifted so he was facing you. His face was open, soft, as he stared at you.

“Jungkook,” You began quietly, you didn’t want to disturb this between the two of you, the tranquility, but the thought of waking up without him here was too confronting. 

“Will you stay?” You were tense, waiting on his answer.

He searched your eyes, before he nodded. Relief poured through you.

“You’re my weakness,” He said softly, his eyes slightly tinged in pain. You just nodded, staring at him. He was so beautiful like this, his hair messy, no make up, his eyes a little conflicted.

“I’ll give you another chance,” He said quietly, decisively, You weren’t touching, except for your legs, which were tangled in his. The blanket was wrapped up around the two of you, and it felt, warm, safe. He said the words into the still air.

“You will?” You whispered, feeling tears spring to your eyes. your heart was swelling, it was so full you felt like it was going to burst. “Thank you, I promise, I will work on this, I will work on us,” you whispered urgently, he just nodded. 

“I’ll give you another chance… but only if it’s on my terms. I need to do this my way.”

You just nodded desperately, he nodded back, leaning forward to kiss the tip of your nose. It was a simple gesture, affectionate, and it made you smile as he pulled away, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you close into his arms. 

His breathing slowed, you could tell he was tired, falling asleep. You lay against his chest, feeling more awake than ever, with more questions than ever.

Jungkook was giving you another chance, he was here now, he was staying. 

You had told yourself you would do anything for him and you had him again. You looked up at his face, he was asleep, lashes fluttering with each breath. Your heart ached with happiness, he was here, in your arms.

Yet, you couldn’t help but remember the pain in his eyes. The pain hadn’t left and you couldn’t help but recall his words, that he would give you another chance, on his terms, in his way.

You had Jungkook’s name on your lips, tucked into his body as you yawned. A pang of worry hit you all of the sudden, you shuddered, closing your eyes.

And you wondered to yourself before you drifted off to sleep, what exactly ‘his terms’ entailed.

AN: ♡ this chapter was hard to write, even with a happy(ish) ending. I have a feeling the next one will be even harder... Part 5 is going to be JK angst heavy!

[rice-ballz]

Hello! :) would you mind sharing your skincare routine or which products ended up working out for your skin type? I still can't tell if mine is just oily or actually combination, so figuring out what products to invest in is tricky because I've found out that these two skin types need like.. the opposite kind of products? Anyways, no worries if you don't wanna elaborate on it, just thought I'd ask. ^-^"

No problem :)Okay so the thing is, I couldn’t decide whether my skin was combination or oily either. I realize that it can get more oily or dry depending on the season or my diet. But generally, I get oily in the t-zone and dry everywhere else so I guess I can say I’m combination. It can get tricky figuring out what products to use for combination skin because you have to tend to the oily parts of your face and the dry parts at the same time

A way to figure out your skin type is to just wash your face with your cleanser and then wait 10 minutes without putting on any products. Then you take a thin tissue paper and blot different parts of your face. If oil is coming from all parts of your face, you have oily skin. If you have oil coming from your t-zone but you have dryness on your cheeks/outer portion if your face, then you have combination skin.

Anyway, I do my routine twice a day: once in the morning and once at night. The routine changes slightly depending on the time of day. I’m also acne-prone, so if you aren’t concerned with acne, this might not work for you.

My Routine:

Cleansing - I switch it up between Grandpa’s Soap Company’s Detoxify Charcoal Soap Bar or Glamglow’s Supercleanse Daily Cleanser.

(I use a face brush that has soft bristles on one side and a rubbery texture on the other side to get a deeper clean but I usually use it when I cleanse at night.)

Toning: After cleansing, I use Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner. 2-3 times a week, I would add 1-2 drops of pure Tea Tree Oil onto the cotton pad with the witch hazel.

Serum: I use InstaNatural Vitamin C Skin Clearing Serum. This is my life saver. I drop a couple drops on my face and neck and massage it in while concentrating on my problem areas.

Moisturizer: I use Clinique’s Acne Solutions All-Over Clearing Treatment. After I let that absorb, I use Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 50. If I’m not going outside, or if I’m doing this routine at night, I use Nature Republic’s Bee Venom Emulsion instead of the Cetaphil. For my under-eyes, I use Kracie Moistage Wrinkle Essence Cream.

It’s important to never over-exfoliate or put on too much tea tree oil. I used to apply tea tree oil on my face every time I toned and I also used to scrub my face with a brush every time I cleansed my face. This made my skin WORSE. My skin was even more irritated, inflammed, and textured.

It’s also important to moisturize. I know that it can feel heavy, especially if you have oily skin. But trust me, moisturizer will help your skin heal faster from acne, dry patches, or irritated skin. The Clinique and Nature Republic moisurizers that I’ve mentioned above are meant for acne-prone skin so they’re not very heavy moisturizers. Any moisturizer with SPF (like the Cetaphil one) can feel a bit heavy, so I sometimes add a drop of water in to thin it out when I apply it in my T-zone. SPF is absolutely required to prevent sun damage and aging.

Also, you should disinfect your cell phone and the steering wheel of your car. You’d be surprised how dirty they can get. The dirt and bacteria can transfer on your hands and face easily. I try to keep my hair out of my face after I do my routine as well. The oil and dirt in your hair can cause acne too.

I hope this helps, I’m sorry if this is too long lol. Good luck with your skincare journey!

[real-life-pine-tree]

Arc-V Aftermath: Dance Do-Over (2/26)

When all is said and done, things have quickly recovered in the four dimensions. But when weird things start happening, the Yu-Salad Boys and the Bracelet Girls quickly realize they have some loose ends to fix. Co-written with @violetganache42​.

WARNING: Dub names will be featured in the story.

Yuri switched back to Yuya while heading downstairs. He knows how Yusho is still having a hard time trusting him, especially after carding him, so he would rather let the son of a Dueltainer talk to him. Besides, Yusho and Yoko would still get filled in on what’s wrong with Yuto now that they know what happened.

Before sitting down to eat breakfast and talk to his parents, Yuya was greeted by En, Core, Kilo, Watt, and all the other pets his mother rescued. Some of them jumped on his legs, wanting to lick his hands and face, while the rest barked and meowed with excitement.

“Whoa!” Yugo exclaimed. “That’s a lot of pets!”

“Mom just can’t say no to strays,” Yuya explained as he picked up En and cuddled the corgi pup in his arms.

He looked over to see his mother in the kitchen—cooking a few more pancakes—and his father, who had just finished breakfast. “Morning, Yuya!” Yoko pleasantly said. “Were you talking to your friends?”

“Yeah,” Yuya answered, setting En down on the floor before taking his seat at the kitchen table. “And I need to talk to you and dad.”

“What about?” Yusho asked.

“I want to host a dance at the LID’s Center Duel Field,” Yuya explained, sensing that Yuto wasn’t present.

“What for?” Yusho asked.

“It’s for everyone who attended the Heartland Duel School dance,” Yuya continued.

This surprised Yoko and Yusho. They were curious as to why Yuya wanted to host a dance at LID’s Center Duel Field, so their son filled them in on what happened that very night. He really wants to give the students who attended the last dance another chance to hang out, sing, dance, and have fun, but more importantly, he wants to bring back the smiles that were taken from them by Duel Academy. He was also determined to make this an extra special night for Yuto and Lulu.

“What a kind thing to do for your friends,” Yoko said.

“And I’ll get everyone in Paradise City in on it,” Yuya continued. “It’s clear that the people of Heartland are still recovering, so they need to be happy again.”

“I don’t see why not,” Yusho said. “I’ll even contact Skip and Declan to see if they could help out.”

Throughout the day, Yuya, his parents, Yugo, Yuri, and Sora worked together to put together the upcoming dance. It was going to be a lot of work, so they need all the help they can get. Yusho called Declan and Skip to inform them about his son’s surprise dance for the students at his duel school and asked if they can help. Naturally, they both said “Yes”. Declan offered to distribute inviations to the people in Heartland City while Skip said he’ll talk to Zuzu to help prepare Lulu for the dance; they also made sure to keep it a secret. Shortly after hanging up, Zuzu and Henrietta came in to see what their respective relatives were talking about.

“What’s going on, dad?” Zuzu asked.

“Great, you’re here!” Skip said. “I need to speak to you privately.”

“Uh… Sure,” Zuzu said. “Okay other me’s. I need you to…go away for a while?”

“No, wait, Rin and Celina need to hear it as well!” Skip corrected.

“Alright,” Lulu said before she disappeared into Zuzu’s shared mind.

“Okay dad, Lulu’s gone,” Zuzu informed.

“There’s going to be a dance for the former students of Heartland Duel School,” Skip explained. “I need you to get Lulu ready for tonight.”

“A formal dance?” Zuzu asked.

“Yes!” Rin cheered. “As a fashionista of the Synchro Dimension, I would be more than happy to help Lulu switch out those old rags for better outfits.”

“I think Lulu can handle it herself,” Celina replied, aware that Rin and Lulu have different fashion sense.

“Don’t worry, dad,” Zuzu said. “I’ll see if Julia can help out.”

“So Declan, is there anything I can do?” Henrietta asked as Zuzu went over to the Krystal residence.

“As a matter of fact, there is,” Declan answered. “Because Yuya wishes to have the dance located the Center Duel Field, I was hoping you can arrange the decorations.”

“Certainly, Declan,” Henrietta replied.

As the day went to, Declan finished working on the invitations. He then scrolled through a list of XYZ residents who attended Heartland Duel School on his computer. After checking, he sent the invitations to the former students’ Duel Disks, except Yuto and Lulu. The gray-haired teen decided to message Shay to head on over to LID for measurements. It was obvious he was going to need a new suit.

Meanwhile, in the XYZ Dimension, life was slowly returning to normal for the people of Heartland. They have been working together to clean up and rebuild the city. Aster Phoenix, the Tyler Sisters, and Mamoru Noro even decided to stay and help the citizens out, continuing to distribute food, drinks, and medical supplies, as well as assist in reconstruction. Just then, a notification alarm went off from someone’s Duel Disk. Followed by a second. No, third. Fourth. Fifth. Now, multiple notifications were popping up from several Duel Disks. This was rather bizarre.

One of the Duelists who received a notification alarm was none other than Sarah. “Hey Alex, are you getting this?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Alex answered as he checked his Duel Disk. “I wonder what it’s for.”

They checked their notifications to see what it was. They received what looked like invitations. This was rather unexpected, but that quickly turned to joy when they read the invitations. They were invited to a dance at the Leo Institute of Dueling.

“A dance?” Alex asked. “We haven’t attended one since…”

Sarah sadly looked over at Alex. “I know,” she agreed. “Hopefully you can wear something than a hoodie and a poncho this time.”

“It was my cleanest poncho!” Alex insisted.

Meanwhile, Aster checked his Duel Disk. “That’s strange…” he noted. “My Duel Disk doesn’t have a notification.”

“Neither does ours,” Gloria said as she and Grace showed Aster their Duel Disks.

Back at the Pendulum Dimension, Zuzu was heading towards the local spa, where she—well, technically Lulu—was supposed to meet up with Julia. The long, dark-haired girl has never met Zuzu’s XYZ counterpart before, so spending some time preparing for the dance in there can also result in the two girls becoming friends. The Fusion Dueltainer also figured this would finally give Lulu a chance to bathe; since she constantly had to deal with Duel Academy, she pretty much earned it.

Zuzu stopped in front of the spa’s entrance and looked through the windows to see if Julia was in there. Sure enough, she was there, waiting near the front desk for Lulu. “You want me to go to a spa so I can bond with a Fusion Duelist?” the dark-haired teen asked.

“Sure,” Zuzu said without hesitation. “You need to know that not all Fusion Duelists are evil. Julia’s a nice person, so you should spend the day with her.”

“Alright,” Lulu said. “If you say so.”

Lulu switched places with Zuzu, still feeling a tad bit unsure about this Julia person. She opened the doors and entered the spa; the sound of the bell grabbed the Fusion Duelist’s attention as she saw what looked like Zuzu but wasn’t actually.

“Uh… Hello?” Lulu told Julia.

The Gem-Knight Duelist walked over to Lulu. “You smell,” she said bluntly.

“Excuse me?” Lulu asked, alarmed.

“It’s your body odor,” Julia explained. “It smells like burnt rubble and blood. If that isn’t enough, your face looks unwashed and your clothes are severely damaged.” She lifted up a lock of Lulu’s hair. “And your hair feels too greasy, even under normal conditions.”

“Your point?” Lulu asked, taking a few steps back to make sure Julia stopped touching her hair.

“Zuzu explained everything to me,” Julia continued. “You need a complete makeover. Thankfully you came to the right person. By the time we’re done, you’ll feel like a new person.”

Lulu felt a little bewildered; she didn’t expect Julia to instantly find out how she hasn’t bathed in a while. It’s like she can detect imperfect hygiene, and you know what? Given that she can detect people’s talent and hesitation, one can consider this to be no surprise that she can also tell when someone is dirty.

Julia directed Lulu on where to follow her. Without any hesitation, she went along with her. The two girls headed to a special room designed for full-body pampering, which is what the XYZ user clearly needed. In it, there was a bathtub with a bathmat in front of it and was in between a couple of tabletops. One of them had bottles of bubble bath soap, shampoo and conditioner, makeup remover, face cleanser, and a facial cleansing brush whereas the other had a couple of candles with a sweet, cherry-blossom fragrance; both tabletops had small cabinet doors that contained towels and facecloths. Not too far away was a chair that had a light yellow bathrobe on it. There was even a smaller room meant for getting changed in and out of clothes. Lulu was astonished at the room she was led to.

“This is amazing!” Lulu exclaimed. “How-”

“I’m a regular customer,” Julia explained. “I was saving a lot of reward points, so I figured they could go to good use.”

Lulu was nearly in tears of joy. “Thank you,” she said.

Elsewhere, Yuya and Yusho were at a local clothing store, planning on getting Yuto a new tuxedo to wear for tonight. Since the tomato-haired boy has the same body figure as his XYZ counterpart, he’ll be helping his father with measurements. While that is going on, Yugo and Yuri were conversing about something; they wanted to figure out how they were going to get a new pair of prescription glasses for Yuto since his first pair was probably destroyed during the Invasion.

“I know!” Yugo exclaimed after a bit of thinking. “We’ll have Yuya go to the eye doctor so he can see what Yuto’s prescription is!”

“Except Yuya, you, and myself all have perfect vision,” Yuri pointed out.

“You sure?” Yugo asked, suddenly standing too close to Yuri. “‘Cause you tend to squint a lot.”

“I can assure you my eyesight is normal!” Yuri exclaimed, shoving Yugo away from him. “I simply have smaller pupils!”

“Geez, I thought that after the whole Zarc thing, you’d stop acting like a jerk,” Yugo muttered loudly.

“The darkness within Zarc’s heart merely clouded my judgement,” Yuri corrected. “That doesn’t mean my personality completely changed when that same darkness vanished!”

“Guess that explains why you haven’t gotten along with Celina yet,” Yugo pointed out.

“Miss Celina simply has a hard time accepting I have somewhat changed,” Yuri insisted.

“She probably doesn’t like how big of a spoiled brat you are,” Yugo remarked.

“Oh, that is it!” Yuri exclaimed. “Now you just got personal!”

As Yuya was about to try on one of the first suits in the fitting room, he overheard his Fusion and Synchro counterparts arguing. He wondered what they were even fighting about; they were supposed to find a way to get Yuto a new pair of glasses, but knowing Yugo’s short-temper and rude remarks and Yuri’s high nobility, disputes like this are bound to happen. Yuya decided to quickly intervene and help them formulate their plan.

“Come on, you guys,” Yuya said. “We’re supposed to be figuring out how to get Yuto new glasses without him finding out about the dance.”

“He started it!” Yugo exclaimed.

“Excuse me?!” Yuri angrily asked. “I’m not the one with a rude attitude!”

Yuya let out a sigh; if those two keep it up, either this day will go on forever or Yuto will end up finding out. Within only a few seconds, he conjectured an idea on how they will carry out their plan. It might be crazy, but it could work.

“I think I know how we can get this to work,” Yuya said. “But I’m going to need Yugo’s help.”

Yugo directed his attention towards Yuya when the latter mentioned his name. He looked rather puzzled; why did he need his help? Heck, why can’t Yuri help as well?

Meanwhile, Shay had just arrived at the LID main entrance. A bit earlier, he received a message from Declan telling him to come meet him inside the institute for suit measurements. He pondered on why he needed to be measured for a little while. Then again, he wore this outfit ever since the Invasion, so it would make sense to try and find something nicer to wear.

Upon entering through the doors, he noticed Declan waiting for him at the main lobby near the front desk. “Thanks you for coming, Shay,” Declan said.

“Why did you want to see me?” Shay asked.

“I have recently found out the Invasion on your home dimension began on the night of a formal event,” Declan explained. “And because of that, you have been wearing the same tuxedo underneath your coat. Correct?”

“Yes,” Shay explained. “When the Invasion started, none of us had time to change outfits.”

“Which is why I asked you to come here,” Declan continued. “Think of it as a thank you gift for serving the Lancers.”

Shay accepted the gray-haired teen’s offer. He hasn’t worn anything else other than his tuxedo and a trench coat since the night of the dance, so this will finally give him a chance to try on something new. Besides, it was the least he can do after being a member of the Lancers and helping them defeat Duel Academy.

Back at the spa, Lulu finished taking her bath. Seeing that it was her first one in a while, she needed it. She even got to bond with Julia during that time. It started when she asked the dark-haired girl what Fusion Summoning was like in the Pendulum Dimension; she and Zuzu are the only two Fusion users who were great people. Julia’s response was it was mainly used for Dueltaining, especially in Zuzu’s case. She continued by explaining how much her friendly rival has improved in this particular special summoning technique ever since they first met. The rest of their conversation involved discussing beauty tips and the different dueling strategies they use.

With Lulu wearing the bathrobe and had a towel wrapped around her head, Julia informed her that she can get dressed in the smaller room; she mentioned about picking a new outfit for the now clean XYZ user. Lulu was eager to see what her new friend picked out. When she walked into the changing room, she saw a long, sleeveless, and really beautiful dress hanging up. It was sky blue with frills at the bottom, had a lighter shade of blue around the chest area, and peacock feathers were attached on the side. Next to the dress were a pair of matching sapphire heels. She was so ecstatic about the new outfit Julia got for her.

Not long after finding the right suit for Yuto, Yuya and Yoko were sitting in the waiting room, waiting for his eye examination. “Wait, why would Yuya need an eye examination?” one may ask. Ah, but there’s a catch. It was actually for Yuto; Yoko being asked and taking Yuya to the eye doctor was part of his and Yugo’s plan. Of course, Yuto still doesn’t know about what’s going on. He was still deep within the shared mind, replaying his memories of his mother like home videos. He couldn’t help but repeatedly watch these memories, from his days as a baby to his gradual appearance and personality change to the last night he saw her. After everything he’s been through, he really missed her.

Suddenly, Yugo barged in. “Hiya!” he exclaimed.

“Not now,” Yuto said, wiping away forming tears from his eyes.

“Nope!” Yugo cheerfully said. “Yuya needs you out right now.”

Yuto was suddenly shoved out of the deep part of the shared mind. What on earth is going on? he wondered. And why does Yuya need me? It can’t be that important, can it? Before he knew it, he and Yuya quickly switched places, with the former taking control. What is this place? He looked around to find himself sitting in a chair in a doctor’s office. An eye doctor’s office.

“What’s going on?!” Yuto asked.

“It’s okay, Yuto,” Yoko reassured. “Yuya wanted to get new glasses for you.”

“But I don’t need glasses!” Yuto insisted.

“Relax, it’s my treat,” Yuya said. “Just sit back and go through the eye exam.”

Yuto couldn’t believe he was going through with this, let alone Yuya and Yugo planning something like this. Yuya did say it was his treat, but he still wasn’t so sure about it. Glasses always looked weird on him, so why do they even bother trying?

A couple minutes later, the eye doctor came in. “Hello Mr. Sakaki,” he said, thinking Yuto was Yuya. “Shall we begin?”

“Fine,” Yuto muttered in response.

Back at LID, Declan was typing down a list of measurements he needed to find a tuxedo that fits Shay. At the same time, Shay was wondering how Yuto and Lulu were doing.

“Does Yuto and Lulu know about the dance?” Shay asked.

“So you figured it out from my message,” Declan remarked.

“You’re usually not this generous,” Shay pointed out. “The new suit is for the dance.”

“Correct,” Declan replied. “And to answer your question, no they did not. Yuya wanted it to be a surprise for them.”

“Can’t blame him for doing that,” Shay said. “Discovering that they and the other counterparts turned out to be the center of the universe must have been hard for them to comprehend. At least my parents understand that Lulu is permanently fused to three other people. They still miss her, though.”

“If it makes you feel better, my father recently informed me that he’s currently working on a way to separate all eight counterparts,” Declan said.

That piece of information astonished Shay.  Leo Akaba, the man responsible for the Invasion, having the Obelisk Force card innocent people and Yuri kidnap Rin and his sister, and fuse all four dimensions just to bring his daughter Ray back, is working on a way to split them back into their individual bodies? This was amazing! That means his parents can see their daughter again! Simultaneously, another question struck his mind. After everything Leo did, why is he suddenly doing this? Is it an act of redemption? Or has he accepted that Ray may never return? Or was it both?

“Why is Leo doing that?” Shay asked.

“He takes full responsibility for Zarc’s return,” Declan answered. “He learned that if he had never tampered with the dimensions, none of this would have happened. Bringing back Zuzu was part of his separation plan. Once he receives a blood sample from each of the counterparts, he can work on separating them.”

“How come he never told anyone about it?” Shay asked.

“He’s aware of any possible consequences that might occur during the separation,” Declan continued. “For all he knows, they might receive permanent amnesia, or even end up with severe mental damage. He fears that the procedure is too risky at the moment.”

What Declan said just now is reasonably understandable. Not every plan is smooth sailing from here on out, especially the fact that the separation plan is still in its early stages. Who knows how long it will take for it to take shape? From the sound of things, it was going to take a while. It was also worth noting that this may be the first time someone is attempting to separate souls back into their individual bodies via blood samples. Shay didn’t think that was possible, but this is Leo they’re talking about; he would do whatever it takes to fulfill any plan he has, no matter how long it takes. The teen wondered if Lulu will be mentally okay or if she will remember anything once the separation is complete. He then decided not to worry about that at the moment; for now, he just wanted to focus on getting ready for the tonight’s dance.

“Thanks for telling me about it,” Shay said.

“You were the closest to Lulu,” Declan replied. “I figured you would understand.”

Elsewhere, at the eye doctor’s, Yuto finally finished his eye examination; throughout the entire exam, he wasn’t very fond of it deep down. Now he just has to wait for the results, but one thing is for certain: there is no way he was going to wear glasses, regardless of what anyone says. He said they look weird on him before and that’s an opinion he was going to stick with. Yuya, Yugo, and Yuri, on the other hand, would all beg to differ.

“What’s wrong with wearing glasses, Yoot?” Yugo asked.

“I told you, I would look weird,” Yuto repeated.

Yuto’s counterpart all agreed he would actually look nice in glasses; as an added bonus, it’ll be their first time seeing him wearing them since they have never seen him with a pair on his face. Yuya couldn’t help but comment they would make him look smart.

“Smart, huh?” Yuto repeated.

“Yeah,” Yuya replied. “Like a sharp businessman.”

Yuto pictured himself as a businessman with glasses on. Not only do they go with the suit, but they also seem to help give off an intelligent impression. This thought gave him a bit of second thoughts about thinking glasses looking weird on him; Yuya was left a bit dumbfounded on whether if that compliment fed his ego.

The eye doctor came out with the results; sure enough, Yuto needed glasses. But the fun part was coming up. One of the best things about getting glasses is choosing a pair that go well with the person. The Yu-Salad Boys offered to help him out pick some, such as choosing the shape and color of the frames. Some time later, they settled on the glasses with rectangular, light gray frames that worked well with his dark gray eyes. With a suit picked out and the examination finally out of the way, they now need to worry about Yuto getting ready without ruining the surprise.

“Thanks for the glasses, Mrs. Sakaki,” Yuto said. “Now I should really let Yuya-”

“Not yet,” Yoko interrupted. “As soon as we get home, I need you to shower.”

“What?” Yuto asked. Did he really smell that bad?

“Every time you take over, your stench makes the whole house reek,” Yoko explained. “It’s for the best.”

Later that afternoon, Yuto and Yoko returned to the Sakaki house and the first thing he did was taking a shower. He immediately headed straight to the bathroom, shutting the door for privacy and taking off his tattered attire. It was clear they also needed to be cleaned; he tossed them in the hamper so that they can get washed. Closing the shower curtains, he turned on the water and adjusted the nozzle until it was set at a comfortable temperature. He stood underneath the shower hose as water sprayed out and rained down on Yuto’s entire body, soaking his hair in the process. It was a miracle how it still maintained its shape despite it being as greasy as Lulu’s; he wondered how his girlfriend is doing right now. Once his hair was all wet, he grabbed a bottle of Yuya’s shampoo so he can lather some in his hair, but there was one problem: the bottle didn’t have enough shampoo for him to use.

“Yuya, please tell me you have more shampoo,” Yuto said, holding up the bottle.

“That should be enough,” Yuya pointed out.

“For you,” Yuto corrected. “Didn’t you notice my hair is longer than yours? I need more shampoo to get it fully washed.”

Realization hit Yuto. “Oh…” he said. “Right… There should be more in the bathroom cabinet.”

“Thank you,” Yuto said, turning off the nozzle and wrapping a towel around his waist. “But I hope you actually have Spike and Curl.”

“Eh… Come again?” Yuya asked.

Yeah, there was one slight problem with that. Actually, make that two. Yuya may have a crazy hairstyle, but it’s not as spiky as Yuto’s; he also hasn’t even heard of this “Spike and Curl” brand, so…that could be an issue.

Yuto let out a groan. “Why do I even bother asking…?” he muttered out loud.

Meanwhile, with Lulu, she was all ready for tonight. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and was amazed at what she saw. The dress and heels Julia picked out looked elegant on her; the loose braid added an extra nice touch to complete her appearance. It was as if she was a completely new person.

“Don’t start crying on me,” Julia said, taking out a makeup kit from her bag. “I still need to help you with the finishing touches.”

“Sorry Julia,” Lulu said, wiping away tears. “I haven’t felt this beautiful in months.”

Julia took out some blush, mascara, and some makeup brushes from her bag. Since Lulu was already beautiful, she only needed a light coat of makeup. Julia examined the assorted shades of blush to see which one would go with Lulu’s skin tone. She took one of her brushes, brushed it in the pale pink blush, and applied it on the latter’s face. Once that was done, she grabbed the mascara and used it to add a black coat on her eyelashes. Now completed with the finishing touches, Lulu looked at the mirror again, having a much nicer appearance with the added makeup; she was as beautiful as a princess.

“Thank you,” Lulu said, beaming with pure happiness. “I…” She couldn’t say anything else due to being so happy.

“Anything for a friend of Zuzu’s,” Julia happily replied. “Now I just need to bring you to the Center Duel Field.”

The Center Duel Field? At LID? Why there? Is anything special going on over there? Before Lulu could say anything, Julia led the way to the duel school; as a student of the Fusion Summoning course, she happens to know how to get there from the spa. A curious Lulu followed her, wondering what is happening.

Back at the Sakaki residence, Yuto had finished showering and is almost done getting ready. The black suit Yuya and Yusho bought fit him well; now all he has to do is put on his tie. He looked at his reflection in the mirror to put it on and make any adjustments to it, but he started fumbling. Something nearly caused him a trigger; he could have sworn he experienced this before, almost like a déjà vu, but what was it? He soon remembered what had happened back at Heartland City. He remembered checking his reflection on the night of Heartland Duel School’s dance. He remembered spending the night with the dueling club and having fun. He remembered Duel Academy suddenly invading and wreaking havoc in the city. He remembered…seeing Lulu and Shay’s parents getting carded…and his own mother getting killed by an attacking Chaos Ancient Gear Giant…as a way to protect her only child…

Yuya quickly heard sobs coming from his XYZ counterpart. “Is something wrong?” the tomato-haired teen asked.

Yuto heard Yuya’s concerned voice, startling him a little. He wiped away the tears as fast as he could before answering, but up to no avail; his Pendulum counterpart already figured out why he was sobbing. “The last time I wore a suit…it was when…” But Yuto choked up before he could finish.

Yuya could determine what he was going to say—because of the flashback he was told about earlier that morning—and comforted him. “Don’t get all sad now,” the Pendulum Duelist said. “Look at how far you’ve come since then. I can even help you get more clothes for you to wear so you can stop wearing those old rags.”

“S-Sorry,” Yuto said, stammering a bit.

“You can apologize later,” Yugo said. “Now you better head downstairs so Mrs. Sakaki can take you to-”

“Yugo!” Yuri exclaimed.

“Oh… Right…” Yugo said, feeling embarrassed. “Never mind.”

Wiping away the excess tears, Yuto finished adjusting his tie; he was all ready to go, except one thing was missing… His new glasses! He grabbed them off of Yuya’s nightstand, but before he could them put on, he stared at the pair. He couldn’t believe he was going to wear glasses again. This would make tonight the first time he has ever worn them in quite a while. Letting out an exhale, he finally put them on his face and checked himself in the mirror once more. What Yuya said earlier today was true; with the suit and the glasses, Yuto did look like a sharp businessman. He couldn’t help but smirk at his appearance. The Yu-Salad Boys loved the glasses Yuto was wearing… Well, Yugo and Yuri were in awe; Yuya was more stunned at the fact that his earlier comment is feeding his ego again.

Yuto headed downstairs and saw Yoko near the door, waiting for him. She told him Yusho and Sora had already left to go to the Center Duel Field, so they’ll catch up with them.

“I’m ready to go, Mrs. Sakaki,” Yuto said, bracing for impact.

Yoko turned her head to see how nice Yuto looked in his tuxedo and glasses. “Well someone knows how to clean up nicely,” she said.

Yuto blushed a little at her comment; he told her it took a while to get himself ready, especially when he was in the shower. He was more used to his mom being around. He thought back to when she was so proud of how much he has grown and attending his first dance. She even hugged him tightly, so he was kind of hoping Yoko would do the same.

Yoko asked him if he was okay, with him responding that he wished his mother could see him once more, especially considering how well-dressed he is for the night.

“I understand how much you miss her,” Yoko said. “You have every right to mourn, especially since she died to protect you. But you shouldn’t wallow in sadness. Focus on the now and how much you accomplished since then.”

Yuto nodded and thanked her for not only the kind words, but for today as well. Yoko smiled back and accepted his thankful compliment. They both left the house to head on down to the Center Duel Field.

Meanwhile, back at LID, the Center Duel Field was all decorated for tonight’s dance. Streamers were hung around the walls with balloons were scattered and tied up in various places. There were a couple tables located near the Field’s entrance that were set up with a variety of foods and drinks. The center included a stage with the band finishing setting their gear up. Declan walked towards Henrietta, who was holding baby Riley in her arms, to say how impressed she did with decorating.

“I’m impressed, mother,” Declan said.

“I used leftover materials from previous company parties,” Henrietta explained. “Unfortunately I couldn’t find any working festive lights.”

“Not to worry,” Declan said. “As we speak, Skip Boyle of the You Show Duel School is managing the lighting using one of Yuya’s cards.”

“Smile World?” Henrietta asked.

“Not quite,” Declan answered.

Up in LID’s Solid Vision machine room, Skip used one of the machines to activate a card Yuya gave to him earlier; it was called Smile Universe, a retrained version of Smile World. With a click of a button, the devices underneath the Center Duel Field began to illuminate planets, galaxies, and stars across the night sky, with the planets and galaxies having smiley faces on them.

“Not bad,” Henrietta remarked.

“What else would you expect from the son of Yusho Sakaki?” Declan asked in response.

Out of all the former students that were invited, Shay was the first to arrive; then again, he practically spent the day at LID helping Declan with suit measurements. His tuxedo was similar to the one he originally wore, except it looked brand new, was dark gray and the shoes were black instead of brown. Shortly thereafter, a lot more people started showing up. He could recognize them as students who used to attend Heartland Duel School. Among the crowd, he saw Sarah, Alex, and Kite and headed towards them.

Sarah was in complete awe over the scenery. “This is incredible!” she exclaimed.

“No kidding,” Alex replied. “First Leo Corporation hands out invitations to a dance, then they offer the students free makeovers, now this!”

“Guess this was their way of apologizing to us,” Kite guessed.

As the three continued to admire the decorated Duel Field, they noticed Shay, who was just about to meet up with them. “Hey guys,” Shay said, walking up to his friends. “Glad you could make it.”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Sarah asked. “We received these unexpected invitations for a dance, then Leo Corporation provided hot baths and new outfits to anyone who received an invitation. I haven’t experienced such comfort in months.”

“Although not all of us accepted the makeovers,” Kite said.

“I bought this shirt with my own money!” Alex exclaimed, gesturing to the tuxedo t-shirt he was wearing along with his usual pants and boots.

Shay, Sarah, and Kite all chuckled at Alex’s response. It’s been months since their last dance and he still doesn’t follow the dress codes. Kite wore a proper suit instead the one his father gave him whereas Sarah had a long-sleeved, aquamarine and white princess gown with a pair of diamond flats.

After a few minutes talking to each other, two girls entered through the doorway. They all looked over to see who they were. Shay recognized the dark-haired girl, who was about to surprise the other one, which he was more focused on. Who was that? She had her eyes closed, but something about her seemed familiar. He then spotted her long, loosely-braided, dark purple hair, lilac side tails, and her now open magenta eyes. It was his sister Lulu! He has never been this overjoyed before and he was extremely happy to see her again.

“Lulu!” Shay exclaimed, so glad to see his sister again.

Lulu heard someone calling her name. She looked to find out where that voice came from, leading her to see Shay running towards her. A small gasp escaped her mouth; she couldn’t believe she is seeing his older brother and was immediately filled with glee.

“Shay!” Lulu happily cried out, knowing she hasn’t seen him since the dimension crisis.

Shay ran up to her and they gave each other the biggest hugs they have ever gotten. “I never thought I would see you again!” Shay exclaimed.

“The feeling is mutual,” Lulu replied.

Kite, Sarah, and Alex saw Lulu as well and caught up with Shay so that they can also hug her. It feels like it’s been too long since they last saw their friend and they are thrilled to be reunited with her.

“You’re alright!” Sarah exclaimed once the group separated from the hug. “And you look absolutely amazing!”

“Thanks Sarah,” Lulu replied. “You look great as well.”

Kite smiled softly. “So how about that?” he asked. “The dueling club of Heartland Duel School is finally reunited. Funny how a dance hosted by Leo Corporation brought us together.”

“Leo Corporation did this?” Lulu asked.

“Sort of,” Shay explained. “It was actually Yuya’s idea. Yuto must have told him what happened when the Invasion began, so this was probably his way of saying thanks.”

For Lulu, this was quite the surprise indeed; she was amazed that this entire event was all Yuya’s idea. They now have another chance to bring back the fun and shared smiles that were taken from them by Duel Academy. However, someone was missing, but who? Lulu realized that the dueling club wouldn’t be complete without Yuto. She was right; he was an important member of the club, where (according to Shay) he underwent a big change ever since he joined.

The five members of the reunited dueling club searched all over the Center Duel Field to find Yuto, but none of them had any luck. Suddenly, Lulu saw two more people enter through the doors, but more particularly, the masculine one. She recognized that spiky, black and light purple hairstyle anywhere; it was Yuto, who was accompanied by Yoko Sakaki. The loosely braided-haired girl stared at the outfit he was wearing. Last time she saw him, his usual clothes were practically his ruined suit on the night of the dance; instead, he now wore a clean black suit with a new pair of glasses. He looked really handsome.

At the same time, Yuto was astonished at what was happening. It was no wonder why his counterparts and Yuya’s parents wanted to help him get ready; this dance is amazing. Before he knew it, his eyes stumbled upon someone staring back at him. The person standing across from him was none other than Lulu and she was dressed beautifully. He found himself blushing at the sight of seeing his girlfriend in person once again.

“Uh… Guys?” Yuya asked Yugo and Yuri as Yuto walked over to Lulu. “Do you feel a weird thing in your hearts?”

“Yeah…” Yugo answered. “Weird.”

“Sort of,” Yuri admitted. “But I do feel something off.”

This was a strange feeling indeed; it has never happened before when Yuto and Lulu were in Yuya and Zuzu’s shared minds respectively. But now that they’re controlling their Pendulum counterparts’ bodies, this feeling was emitting onto the Yu-Salad. Even Zuzu, Celina, and Rin sensed they were also feeling weird.

“Yuya…?” Zuzu asked, concerned why she was suddenly feeling certain things towards the tomato-haired teen.

“Please tell me I’m not the only one getting this weird feeling,” Rin said, almost as if she could swoon.

“Trust me, you’re not,” Celina dully replied.

What on earth is this feeling they’re experiencing? They soon discovered why they were feeling this peculiar emotion: Yuto and Lulu were the reason. Their love for each other must have indirectly transferred to them. For Yuya, Zuzu, Yugo, and Rin, this was understandable, but what about Yuri and Celina? They have been rivals ever since Zuzu returned from the ARC-V machine. For the two of them, this was more unusual than what their counterparts were perceiving.

At the same time, Yuto walked over to see Lulu. Of all the times she was beautiful, this one tops them all. Everything from her attire to her loose braid to the touch of blush and mascara empathized her elegance and beauty. Likewise, Lulu can’t stop staring at his handsome features. His gravity-defying hair, his eyes, his suit. Everything about him was perfect; this was also the first time since the last dance that she got to see him wearing glasses. Although she liked his dark purple glasses, she knew the light gray glasses suited him more.

Once the two were right next to each other, they were so overjoyed to see each other. “You look beautiful,” Yuto said. “Absolutely beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Lulu replied, smiling softly. “You don’t look so bad yourself, especially since you stopped squinting.”

Yuto blushed a little at her compliment; maybe wearing glasses isn’t so bad after all.

Kite, Shay, Sarah, Alex were wondering where Lulu has gone off to until they saw her with Yuto. They ran towards them to give him a huge hug.

Yuto let out a small chuckle. “Good to see you too,” he said.

He was very glad to see his friends. They also comment how nice he looked and thanked them, saying he had some help getting his outfit together from a certain family. He turned around to see Yoko, who was with Yusho, giving him a thumbs up; he smiled back at her and gave her a thumbs up as well.

Now the dueling club was officially reunited.

Declan checked his Duel Disk to see what time is was. 8 PM. It was time for the dance to begin. He took a microphone so that he can make a special announcement to everyone attending the dance.

“Attention everyone,” Declan said. “I would like to thank you for attending tonight’s dance. I’m sure a lot of you are wondering why Leo Corporation is doing this for all of you, but wonder no longer. As you are probably aware, I have only invited former students from Heartland Duel School.”

He explained how their last dance was interrupted by Duel Academy when they invaded Heartland City. During that time, students realized he was right about what he was saying. During the Interdimensional War, people from Leo Corporation were turned into cards because the XYZ Dimension were confused as to who attacked them. Their confusion led to a grudge against the company because various members of LID were carded all because they were in the Fusion Summoning course. They all felt guilty about their past actions, but Declan reassured them it was okay; he knew how sudden and unexpected the Invasion was for everyone, especially for the former students.

He then went on to mention that putting the dance together was all Yuya’s idea; the Pendulum Duelist felt bad about what happened that fateful night and how Leo Corporation helped him set everything as a way to revive the lost smiles. Everyone cheered, applauded, and thanked Yuya for making this event possible. Although he wasn’t there physically, he saw how happy they were about attending the dance and was flattered with their thanks.

“There’s more,” Declan continued. “As we speak, my father, Leo Akaba, is currently working on making amends, as he takes full responsibility for causing the near destruction of the four dimensions. That is why I am pleased to announce that everyone in the XYZ Dimension will receive new clothing courtesy of Leo Corporation.”

Everyone’s faces were filled amazement; it felt like forever since they got to wear different clothes, especially since the clothing stores were pretty much destroyed. They all got excited after hearing the news.

Once all the announcements were made, it was time for the dance to officially start. “So Leo takes full responsibility for Zarc’s resurrection?” Yuya asked.

“Well I did give in as soon as I felt RinRin disappearing,” Yugo admitted.

He wasn’t wrong. If Leo hadn’t abducted the Bracelet Girls and fused them back into Ray, the whole Zarc incident wouldn’t have happened. But what matters now is everyone having an enjoyable time at the dance.

The band started playing music and everyone began to spend the greatest night of their lives. Some ate and drank, others danced to the songs, and the rest chatted with their friends. The dueling club talked about how they have stuff they should catch up on; after the whole Invasion fiasco, it would be nice to find some time to hang out with each other.

“Then Rella kicked that Ancient Gear Hound with her glass slipper-covered feet and reduced the Obelisk Force soldier’s life points to 0!” Sarah concluded.

Lulu laughed in amusement. “He must have been surprised that you defeated him using your Fairy Tails,” she said.

“He was,” Sarah said. “You should have seen the look on his face when I creamed him!”

Although Sarah rarely dueled, she uses a Fairy deck, consisting of not only Fairy Cheer Girl, but also Fairy Tail cards, with the XYZ monster Fairy Tail - Queen as her ace monster.

“So what have you been up to lately, Yuto?” Alex asked.

“Yuya wanted to give me, Yugo, and Yuri a tour of Paradise City a while ago,” Yuto explained. “One of the stops was a local museum, where I noticed an Egyptian exhibit featuring an ancient puzzle…or at least I think it was supposed to be an ancient puzzle. The only thing that was on display was a golden box.”

An ancient Egyptian puzzle? How odd. Rumor has it that the puzzle once belonged to a great pharaoh who was best known for sealing away the dark magic that caused special kinds of duels called Shadow Games. And now that magic hasn’t been on Earth’s surface for 5,000 years. Yuto remembered seeing something written in hieroglyphics on the golden box. It read: “The one who solves me shall gain the powers and knowledge of darkness…” He figured who that person could have been if they solved this puzzle. Perhaps a shy, game-loving high school boy who would’ve been destined for greatness…

“Has anyone tried to solve it?” Lulu asked.

“According to Yuya, a team of archeologists who discovered the puzzle mysteriously fell ill,” Yuto answered. “Since then, no one has dared to even touch the box containing the pieces.”

That piece of history didn’t sound too good. The gang pondered on what will happen if someone did try to solve the puzzle. Lulu didn’t like the thought of it; dealing with the Fusion Dimension after the Invasion was bad enough. The last thing she needed was someone unlocking the powers of darkness and bringing back these “Shadow Games” five millennia later. Yuto reassured her and the others that as long as the puzzle remains in the museum’s Egyptian exhibit, nothing bad will happen. Besides, they should focus more on enjoying this dance, which is exactly what they did.

“Then I guess it’s a good thing no one has solved the puzzle,” Lulu said, snuggling close to Yuto.

Yuto couldn’t help but lovingly look at his girlfriend snuggling next to him; it was really adorable to see her all snuggled up. He reached out his hand to pull her in close when something rather atypical happened. Instead of having it on Lulu’s hips, it accidentally went and touched her butt. A yelp escaped her mouth and an embarrassed Yuto quickly apologized; she forgave him, but mentioned it was unlike him to do something like that. She was right; Yuto is more of a gentleman and even he knows it, but what could’ve caused this unusual action? …Or who? He had a thought on who was responsible for this, and he is within Yuya’s shared mind.

“That was Yugo, wasn’t it?” Lulu asked.

Indeed, it was Yugo. But why did he do something like that? Yuto might need a moment with him. Whatever he did might lead to some new and awkward issues.

“Oopsie…” Yugo said. “Didn’t mean to do that.”

“Don’t be sorry, you moron!” Yuri exclaimed. “Can’t you see-”

“-you’re ruining the moment?!” Yuto immediately covered his mouth.

Whether it was accident or not, Yuto was clearly mad at Yugo for doing something so perverted. He was just having a nice time with his friends and girlfriend. Of all the times for a stupid “accident” to occur, it had to be tonight. Before he could scold at him more, the Synchro Duelist blurted out that he just saw Rin instead of Lulu less than a minute ago. That was oddly surprising to hear; actually, it was more odd than surprising. Yuto asked him to explain what he meant by that. This action may be the beginning of what could spell bad news for all eight counterparts in the near future.

Outside of the Yu-Salad’s shared mind, Sarah and Alex both wondered what their dark, dual-colored haired friend was up to. They knew it involved his counterparts, but they didn’t fully understand it; they were still new to this merge after all. It was a good thing Kite, Shay, and Lulu had a grasp on it, seeing they were more tangled in the Interdimensional War than the duo. They decided to have the rest of the dueling club help them answer the questions that left the two a little confused.

“Yugo…saw me?” Rin asked, amazed.

Zuzu noticed her blush wasn’t fading away. “I still feel weird,” she admitted.

Celina huffed in annoyance. “Give me a break,” she said. “There’s no way Lulu’s feelings for Yuto are actually transferring over to-”

But they were. It was indirect, but the signs were evident on the other six counterparts’ faces. Although Yuya, Zuzu, Yugo, and Rin like it, Yuri and Celina didn’t. Having feelings for someone who aided Leo in his conquest to fuse the dimensions by carding people? Preposterous! She couldn’t bear the thought of being in a romantic relationship with him; if it did happen, disaster would be waiting around the corner. The closest thing to a relationship she’ll ever have with him is a rivalry and it’ll remain like that.

The thoughts, however, couldn’t leave their minds. The thoughts of the other counterparts wearing formal wear was impossible to not think about. Zuzu with her hair down, donning a sleeveless, purple dress with several frills below the purple belt and a pair of flats. Rin having her short, apple green hair curled and wearing a two-piece pink dress—a sleeveless top exposing her midriff and a floor length bottom that splits near the knees—with white flats. Celina without her yellow-orange ribbon tying her hair back and having on a long and simple looking gray dress with a thin white ribbon tied around the lower torso and some heeled boots. The Yu-Salad sporting suits reflecting their personalities—Yuya having on a red tuxedo that gives off an impression of entertaining the audience, Yugo with a white suit based on his Turbo Dueling style and rather impulsive behavior, and Yuri wearing a more luxurious, purple suit that highlights his nobility. They were impossible to not think about.

Yuri chuckled a bit. “You’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you Miss Celina?”

“Celina?” Shay asked, sounding a bit concerned. The indigo-haired girl who saved him after his duel with Sora and rebelled against Duel Academy by joining the Lancers? Why would Yuto mention her all of a sudden? Unbeknownst to Yuri, he unintentionally made his XYZ counterpart say his line out loud.

That was when Yuya had an idea. “Yuto, you brought your deck with you,” he recalled, remembering how Yuto placed his deck in his jacket pocket before heading over to the dance. “Can you check it?”

“What for?” Yuto asked.

“I want to try a small experiment,” Yuya answered.

Yuto took out his deck and checked it like Yuya asked. He wondered what this “small experiment” is until he noticed his cards were jumbled, baffling him. Instead of a Phantom Kinghts deck, he now has a Performapal/Phantom Knights/Speedroids/Predaplant deck. How did Yuya, Yugo, and Yuri’s cards get mixed up with Yuto’s? This night feels like it keeps getting weirder and weirder.

“Whoa!” Yugo exclaimed. “Not bad.”

“Not bad?” Yuri repeated, getting miffed. “What are my lovely, elegant Predaplants doing with such pathetic cards?!”

“This happened once before,” Yuya explained, recalling how Yuto’s love for Lulu caused him to duel with Phantom Knights. “Our conflicting feelings for the girls are causing our decks to get mixed up.”

If that’s the case, then does the girls’ feelings for each boy also result in their decks getting mixed up as well? Yuto asked Lulu if she brought her own, but she said “no.” Of course, with Yuto’s jumbled deck for reference, it’s safe to assume this may have happened to the girls as well.

Yuto put his deck back in his jacket pocket. “But we shouldn’t worry about this problem now,” he said. “We should just enjoy the dance.”

He was right; the night was still young and the former students were enjoying themselves, so the best thing to do is to have fun as well and resolve this peculiar issue another time. Besides, they can’t let this night go to waste. Leo Corporation worked really hard to put Yuya’s genius idea together. The other dueling club members agreed to discuss this issue after the dance and proceeded to spend tonight having fun.

Some time later, everyone continued to celebrate with one another. It was also the perfect opportunity for them to reconnect, share past fun memories and create new ones. At one point, the band was taking their break as the students socialized, except Shay. He couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to Yuto and his counterparts earlier. He knew his friend and his younger sister were in love with each other, but he didn’t expect their love to be that strong. Did it inadvertently result in the rest of the Yu-Salad and Bracelet Girls to be put in some kind of trance? Whatever’s the case, he has to help them out. And he has just the song to fix it…

Shay checked to see if no one was looking, albeit the band since they were probably in their breakroom. He walked casually in order to make sure people became suspicious; a few seconds later, he snuck behind the stage. He looked at the main stage to find the speakers and saw them plugged in with the band’s musical instruments. Checking once again that no one would notice, he quickly unplugged them. He then took out his Duel Disk and a connector to plug it into the speaker. He went online to look up Yuto and Lulu’s song; it was called “Close To You” by The Carpenters. Found it, he thought once the first video in the search results showed up. He clicked on the video and—for a brief moment—the song played through the speakers. This will hopefully help all eight counterparts out.

Lulu let out a small gasp. “Yuto, this is our song!” she recalled.

“Indeed it is,” Yuto agreed. He placed one hand behind his back and he bowed slightly as he held out his other hand to Lulu. “May I have this dance, Ms. Obsidian?”

Lulu smiled softly. “Of course, Mr. Osaku,” she answered, intertwining her fingers with Yuto’s.

Together, Lulu Obsidian and Yuto Osaku danced to the melody of their song. Their gracefully fluid movements and well-timed choreography captivated the attendants. In the two XYZ users’ shared minds, the song seemed to have snapped Yuya, Zuzu, Yugo, Rin, Yuri, and Celina out of whatever trance they were in, mostly due to how each dimensional duo has a song that best suits them.

“Man, this song is too slow!” Yuya complained. “I’m outta here!”

“Me too!” Yugo said. “Besides, RinRin acts too much like a mother. There’s no way I can be attracted to that!”

“I was never attracted to Miss Celina in the first place,” Yuri agreed.

“Well…this is awkward,” Zuzu said, blushing hard. “We better give these two some privacy.”

“Yeah,” Rin replied. “I don’t even know what I was thinking. Yugo’s loud, rude, and disgusting. Why would I fall for that?”

“I’d rather go on a date with that Sylvio guy than fall for that cabbage-haired jerk,” Celina said in utter disgust.

And with that, the six counterparts retreated back into the shared minds, leaving Yuto and Lulu to spend the rest of the night with each other. Shay’s plan was a success. The two danced to the rest of “Close To You,” and everyone around them clapped and cheered for them; they pulled off one heck of a dance. Shay unplugged his Duel Disk from the speaker, plugged the instruments back right where they originally were, and exited through the backstage, with only a couple minutes to spare before the band returned from their break.

Even when the song came to an end, Yuto still held Lulu in his arms. “You smell nice,” he said.

Lulu responded by placing her left hand on Yuto’s cheek, her fingers briefly touching the stray light purple bang that hung in front of his eye. “And your hair feels a lot softer,” she replied.

Their eyes stared lovingly at each other as they embraced their cleaner features. Within a few seconds, their faces moved closer and closer until they locked lips, with Yuto’s hands on Lulu’s hips and Lulu still having one hand on Yuto’s cheek while the other rested on his shoulder. They were finally sharing their first kiss.

The rest of the former dueling club watched from a distance, with Kite smirking. “Well it’s about time,” he remarked.

Yuto and Lulu’s lips slowly moved apart after spending a few seconds locked up in their kiss. They looked back into their eyes before Lulu embraced Yuto in his arms.

“It’s been a long time since we had moments like this,” Lulu remarked, embracing Yuto’s warmth. “But you know this can’t last any longer.”

“I know,” Yuto agreed. “We’re each stuck with sharing a body with three other people.”

“But even though we were once whole, why does this feel so wrong?” Lulu admitted.

Yuto realized she was right. Several years ago, they were once Zarc and Ray; ever since the ARC-V incident, the souls of all eight counterparts were permanently fused into Yuya and Zuzu. Everything hasn’t been the same for them, especially for Yuto and Lulu. Despite having a great time at the dance, it doesn’t change the fact that they may never get a true happy ending.

Shay, while walking away from the stage, noticed overheard the duo’s conversation. Feeling bad for the two, he told them that Declan told him that Leo is currently working on a way to split them back to their original bodies. He said it requires a blood sample from each counterpart, but mentioned that it is still in progress and negative consequences may occur once it’s complete, so it was too soon to actually separate them.

“What?!” Yuto asked, releasing Lulu from the embrace. “Leo might be able to actually separate us?!”

“Declan told me it’s still in the works,” Shay repeated. “There’s a high risk of permanent memory loss or severe mental damage.”

“Then why don’t we just give Leo our blood samples?” Lulu asked.

“I don’t think it’s that easy,” Shay said. “Leo is probably using Arc-V, so he has to rewrite the machine-”

“I don’t care!” Yuto exclaimed, grabbing Shay by the throat. “I can’t stand being fused to three people! Let us speak to Leo, or I will break you in half!”

This was rather sudden. Yuto would never do something like this and that shocked Shay and Lulu. Veins started appearing on his face and his eyed turned yellow. Is Zarc trying to take over again? Lulu tried to calm her boyfriend down, but Declan arrived to explain what just happened. Apparently, this fit of violence is one of the side effects of being fused with the other counterparts. This worried Lulu, but was informed that this seemed to only happen with the Yu-Salad. The rest, however, applied to all of them. Their jumbled decks was also another side effect, as well as speaking in place of whoever was in control and the unexpected swaps.

Realizing that, Yuto recovered, his eyes changing back to grey and the veins disappearing. “Sorry,” he said, letting go of Shay.

“So can he actually do it?” Lulu asked. “Can Leo really separate us?”

“If this gets any worse, I’m afraid I will have to bring you to him,” Declan said. “Hopefully we can fix this before any mind merge occurs.”

“Mind merge?” Yuto asked, sounding concerned.

“Meaning that Zarc and Ray will gradually take over, erasing you eight from existence,” Declan explained.

The last bit of information was very worrisome. All eight counterparts each had different dreams for the future: Yuya and Zuzu want to continue their paths of being Dueltainers, Yugo and Rin also have similar paths as their Pendulum counterparts, but they want to be professional Turbo Duelists, and Celina and Yuri want to help improve Duel Academy. Lulu wants to be an actress, but Yuto is still unsure of what his dream is. Regardless, if nothing is done about this, Zarc and Ray will return, erasing the two’s incarnations from existence and their futures forever.

Lulu was in tears. “I hope Leo’s happy!” she exclaimed. “This whole mess started because he was too selfish to care about the lives of other people! If it wasn’t for him, I would have stayed in Heartland and worked on my dreams of becoming an actress!”

Yuto looked back at Lulu, who was on the brink of crying. He felt terrible that this was happening to the both of them. Suddenly, he thought of an idea; he was considering about remaining fused with Yuya while he, Yugo, and Yuri separate. He lost everything back at Heartland City that night, so this will give him a fresh new start. Living with the Sakakis and Sora already felt natural to him because Yoko reminds him a lot of his mother. The best part is with Yugo and Yuri splitting back to their own bodies means the risks of Zarc returning is reduced to zero.

“What if I said no?” Yuto asked.

“I beg your pardon?” Declan asked in response.

“I never considered any plans for my future,” Yuto explained. “And I ended up becoming an orphan with no home to go back to because of the Invasion. If I was to stay with the Sakakis, stay fused to Yuya, I can start fresh with a new family.”

“Are you crazy?” Lulu asked.

“Being fused to Yuya feels natural,” Yuto continued. “But with Yugo and Yuri being separated, Zarc won’t come back since all four of us are needed for the mind merge.”

“But Yuto, won’t you miss being in Heartland?” Shay asked.

“There’s nothing left for me there,” Yuto insisted. “No family, no house, no-”

“You could live with us,” Lulu bluntly suggested, carefully wiping away her tears to avoid smudging her makeup.

Live with the Obsidians? Even though they have to rebuild everything they lost, that idea is similar to Yuto’s, in terms of starting fresh with a new family and preventing Zarc’s return, but that means living with his girlfriend and having plenty of time to decide his dream for the future. Yuto actually liked her idea better than his own, although he admits that he will miss being fused with Yuya.

“She’s right,” Shay agreed. “Mother and father heard about you and they’re considering hiring you once ObsidianCorp is rebuilt.”

ObsidianCorp is a corporation led by co-bosses Kameron and Astra Obsidian, where they specialize in maintaining the nature of the city parks. Prior to the Invasion, the family wealth came from how the corporation did a fantastic job at keeping Heartland beautiful. Yuto was honestly not surprised about the Obsidians being wealthy because it could explain Shay and Lulu having rare and powerful cards, due to how powerful the Raidraptors are and how Assembled Nightingale can result in a one-hit KO for the opponent, and wearing incredibly fancy formal attires at their previous dance. Of course, restoring the company is essential for Heartland’s restoration; once that is complete, Yuto getting a job there can help out with figuring out his future.

“Really?” Yuto asked. “You’ll actually help me out?”

“You’re a friend,” Shay said. “And mother and father approve of how great of a person you are.”

“Plus ever since I told them about you, they started to work on wedding plans,” Lulu added.

Yuto officially decided to have his soul separated from Yuya’s once the time comes so that he can start anew back in Heartland. It sounds nice to be living with his friend and girlfriend’s family, especially knowing that they highly approve of their soon-to-be marriage, and working for their corporation.

“Alright,” Yuto said. “I’ll separate from Yuya.”

“Excellent,” Declan said. “I will inform my father that you know about his plan. I do suggest that you tell your counterparts about it.”

As Declan headed back to Henrietta, Yuto and Lulu informed the rest of the Yu-Salad and the Bracelet Girls in their shared minds about what has been happening and how Leo will try to fix it. They were gleeful about how they will finally be split back into their original bodies. They were also informed about the risks of severe mental damage or amnesia, but reassured them that their friends, family, and even Leo will be there to help them out. With that, the dueling club and the rest of Heartland Duel School’s former students spent the rest of the night enjoying the dance.

Looks like they may be getting their true happy ending after all…

[rachelvalente]

15 Beauty Buys I’m Loving Now

Along with several other personal objectives I set for myself at the beginning of the year, I also made some beauty-related goals – I know that sounds strange, but hear me out!  I feel like I was getting pretty lazy with my skincare and haircare routines towards the last half of the year.  Some of that just meant that I got stuck in a rut of always doing/using the same things and, honestly, a lot of it was just a function of my schedule being too busy.

So I’ve resolved to take better care of the tools I have, purchase new items for those that need to be replaced and find new products that will best serve my particular beauty needs.  As part of my mission, I’ve been buying & testing quite a few things and wanted to share the best of the best with you today!

Makeup Brush Shampoo This is one area where I am committed to making a change – it’s slightly embarrassing how infrequently I was washing my brushes and, once I started doing it more regularly, I immediately noticed a difference in how much better my brushes perform.  This cleanser is by far my favorite – it gets my brushes looking brand new & the formula doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin (plus, it’s super-affordable!).

Makeup Remover Cloth I’m not a big fan of cleansing wipes because my skin never feels that great after using them – and, did you know, wipes are the third most wasteful product in the world?  This reusable cloth is the perfect solution because it removes even the most stubborn makeup with just warm water (waterproof mascara included!) and you can toss it in the wash afterwards.  More colors & sizes available here.

Detangling Hair Brush To be fair, I originally purchased this for my daughter because she has such a hard time getting the tangles out of her coarse, wavy hair.  But, when we were in Oregon over Christmas break, I realized I forgot to pack my brush, so I borrowed hers and didn’t want to give it back!  I was amazed by how well this worked – it detangled my wet hair without pulling and, when I used it on my dry strands, I felt like it created less static than the brush I was previously using.

Air Drying Hair Balm At my last hair appointment, my stylist mentioned that I had a lot of breakage & she suggested that I try to minimize using hot tools as much as possible.  So, I’ve been trying to let my hair air dry & embrace my natural waves whenever I can.  This leave-in creme has been a lifesaver in helping me achieve defined curls without the frizz.  I rub it through my strands and then take 1-inch sections of hair & wrap them around my finger, creating a ringlet.  Once my hair is completely dry, I separate the curls & finish with this texturizing spray.

Satin Pillowcase My husband bought me a this silk pillowcase a couple of years ago and I’ve been a huge fan ever since.  Even though it’s amazing for your hair & skin, it is quite pricey, so I was happy to find this more affordable option.  I actually might even like this one better because the material isn’t quite as thin (also, with it being satin, it’s a vegan-friendly alternative to silk).

Fask Mask Applicator I will never apply a face mask with my fingers again!  This handy tool has a flexible silicone applicator that is perfect for masks, body butters & hair removal creams.  I feel like less product goes to waste because I’m not getting it all over my hands and then having to rinse off – plus, they’re much easier to clean than a brush!

Firming Eye Patches There’s nothing worse than eye patches that slowly slide down your face after you’ve applied them.  These are hands-down the best drugstore eye patches I’ve tried – not only do they actually stay put, but the paraben-free formula is super-hydrating & was gentle enough for my sensitive skin.  I keep mine in the fridge for an instant cooling & de-puffing effect.

Dry Conditioner This is one of those products I didn’t think I needed until I started using it & realized what a HUGE difference it makes.  When I’m trying to extend the time between washing my hair, I often use dry shampoo, but the problem I have (particularly in the winter) is that the ends of my hair look dry & straw-like.  So I started applying my favorite dry shampoo at my roots to absorb any excess oil and then spraying this dry conditioner from mid-shaft to my ends.  I’ve found it to be the perfect combination to keep my hair looking fresh while still feeling soft & looking healthy.

Facial Dermaroller If you’re not familiar with dermarolling, it’s basically a form of micro-needling, where this roller tool creates tiny pricks in your skin to activate your body’s healing response and stimulate collagen.  I’ve been doing this for the last 2 years and have seen such great results.  However, my tool was needing to be replaced so I picked up this one on a recent Target run.  If you’re new to this technique, make sure you wash your face before using & soak your roller in an alcohol-based soak once a week.

Anti-Aging Night Cream I received a sample of this in the mail a couple weeks ago and have been testing it out ever since.  I really love the thick, velvety texture and I’ve noticed my skin is much softer & more dewy since I’ve been using it – which is really saying something because normally I’m so dry & flaky this time of year!  Needless to say, I’ll be buying another jar once my sample runs out.  I’ve been applying this cream after my dermarolling process at night, which really helps the formula sink into the skin deeply for maximum benefit.

Plant-Based Nail Polish As soon as I heard about this new vegan, 16-free polish, I quickly jumped online to order some & I used the in-store pickup option so I could test them out immediately.  I painted my nails on Saturday and I’m happy to report that they still look just as fresh with no chips 5 days later!  The colors I bought: Raw Cocoa, Pink Cardamom & Pomegranate Punch.  I haven’t tried them yet, but there’s also a nail strengthener & top coat in this line too.

Cuticle Balm As most of you know, I can be a little perfectionistic when it comes to my nails – I’m pretty obsessive about keeping them filed & painted and I always carry a little nail kit with me (which includes a file, nail glue, clear polish & cuticle oil).  When I was traveling last month, the cap to my oil came loose and went all over my carry-on bag, which was a nightmare to clean up.  Thankfully, I found this replacement for on-the-go cuticle care, which is much less messy but just as effective.

Leakproof Clear Pouch After the aforementioned airport fiasco with my bag, I decided it was time to invest in a few more clear pouches for storing things in when I travel.  This bag is TSA-approved & has an airtight seal so you can use it for snacks, toiletries or beauty products.  It’s also easy to clean so you can reuse it over and over again – no more spills for me!

Undereye Corrector If you’re like me, the battle to cover your dark circles seems never-ending.  I’ve been using the same concealer for the last few years and, all of a sudden (thanks to my aging skin), it just isn’t cutting it anymore.  I bought this concealer to try after a beauty blogger I follow shared it in a tutorial and I’m really loving it.  I use the shade Blue Corrector 1, which helps to neutralize & color correct my undereye area and then I set it with my favorite brightening powder.  It’s not cheap, but I’m willing to pay just about anything to look less tired each day!  Note: it has a slightly less creamy consistency than liquid concealers, so be sure to use eye cream first before applying.

Coconut Gel Sheet Mask Part of my new skincare routine that I’ve begun this year is to do a mask every Sunday.  I stocked up on a bunch during the Sephora VIB Sale that happened at the beginning of December.  I’ve been rotating through a few different ones based on what I feel my skin needs, but I keep going back to this one because it’s so hydrating (there’s also a brightening version here that I’m anxious to try).  Other honorable mentions include this pore-minimizing mask and this dewy skin mask.

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