#I tried to put a little extra effort in for the hassle

[justauthoring]

BLUE LOCK - COMING TO HIS GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME!

includes: bachira meguru, nagi seishiro, itoshi rin all x fem!reader

a/n: ill tell you what i cannot decide on a theme format to save my life :P

BACHIRA MEGURU:

He’s been asking you for a while.

It wasn’t that you didn’t want to go, but the timing had just never lined up.

Of course Bachira has never been anything but understanding; if there’s anyone who can understand how busy schedules can get, it’s him.

So, he’s never gotten mad or ever held it against you but you also aren’t oblivious to the way his shoulders deflate every time you have to tell him you can’t make it.

The hopeful light in his eyes washes away instantly and the forced smile on his lips does little to make you feel any less guilty -- even if rationally you knew it wasn’t your fault, you didn’t like making Bachira upset.

So, when it turned out his next game matched up with a day off, you were ecstatic. 

Except, you wanted to surprise him and so when he asked you, you said no again, this time regarding his frown and disappointment with excitement blooming in your chest in anticipation for how he’d look when you’d in fact be there, in the stands, cheering for him.

With Isagi’s help you’re able to borrow his extra jersey, making sure to wear it loud and proud when you make your way to the stands. Isagi had helped you get a seat nice and close to front, a spot that would be easy for Bachira to spot even in the midst of playing, surrounded by others, in a large field.

He’d see you.

And the second he walks out onto the field, mindlessly chatting to Isagi and Nagi, the former nudges his shoulder lightly before gesturing ahead of himself.

Bachira’s eyes lock onto you almost instantly.

It takes him no time whatsoever and the second he does, there’s a beaming smile curling onto his lips that practically lit up the whole arena. You can see the twinkle in his eyes as you move to your feet, waving your hands wildly and jumping up and down to make sure he can see you even if it’s already obvious he can.

Nagi teases him but Bachira hardly minds -- the sight of you at one of his games is something he’s been dreaming about for months and with the added fact that you’re wearing his jersey?

Bachira’s so happy he feels like nothing can stop him.

That point is further proved when he scores three goals all on his own, winning the game with his last goal.

He’s practically on fire.

Not a single person is able to stop Bachira that day, and every time he looks out into the crowd to find you, wearing his jersey and screaming his name -- his passion is renewed tenfold.

After that, you make sure to go to every single one of his games you possibly can, always clad in his jersey and screaming his name at the top of your lungs.

NAGI SEISHIRO:

He’s never really asked.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want you to come or thinks that you didn’t either, but he also felt like it’d be a hassle to ask and even more of one for you to go out of your way to come.

Nagi knows your busy and he doesn’t want to pressure you, so he just never asks.

But you’ve been waiting for him to ask.

At first you’d thought he was just shy or maybe uncomfortable with it, so you’d just left it alone, thinking that he’d eventually gather up the courage to ask you, especially when your guys’ relationship started to develop and turn more serious.

Then, when he still hadn’t asked months into your relationship, you tried dropping subtle comments -- dropping hints here and there with the intention to show to him you were curious on going.

You knew how big of a deal soccer was to Nagi, even if he tried to say otherwise. It was hard for Nagi to be passionate in anything so the effort and dedication he puts into his career is enough to know that he clearly cares, and you want him to share that with you.

You want to be there for him. Want to watch him do something he clearly loves so much.

It takes a year into your relationship for you to say something.

“Why don’t you want me to go to one of your games?”

Nagi? Confused.

“Huh?”

Turns out it was one big misunderstanding.

Once you learn it wasn’t that Nagi didn’t want you to come and rather he just didn’t want to be a hassle, and Nagi learned that you very much did want to go and it wouldn’t be a hassle at all -- the solution was easy.

He gets you a seat up close, almost secluded off to yourself and close enough to be able to watch Nagi easily the entire game.

He wants to say he’s embarrassed when you come adorned in his jersey and his number painted on your face, but he’d be lying if he said he was (even as his teammates tease him about it endlessly).

Truthfully, it makes his heart flutter and his chest feel tight at the fact that you’d put so much effort into coming to his game and making sure everyone knew who you were there for.

After that, Nagi practically drags you to every one of his games.

Doesn’t give you an option in it either. You’re coming.

Makes sure to point you out to his teammates even though they all know who you are.

“Y/N’s here, see? She’s the one in my jersey.”

“Yes, Nagi. I literally said hi to her earlier.”

Needless to say, Nagi loves having you there.

ITOSHI RIN:

Simply doesn’t think he needs you there.

If you came, he wouldn’t care and the fact that you don’t, he doesn’t care either.

Or so he thinks.

You know Rin well enough to know this so you don’t press it either way.

Rin likes to have his space and you’re happy enough to give it to him; you get to hear him talk about games afterwards anyways and it makes you happy that he chooses to share that part of his life with you so you just let things be.

Until a friend of yours mentions that she’s going to a game and has an extra ticket and “oh. Doesn’t your boyfriend play for T/N as well?”

So you join her.

Rin doesn’t even notice you until half way through the game when he receives a rather harsh shove from a teammate telling him he swears he just saw you in the stands.

He goes to deny it until he turns his head and sure enough, there you are in the midst of the crowd. You’re close enough to Rin to spot, but you’re in the midst of the stands, leaned over slightly as your friends whispers something into your ear.

You meet his eyes in the next second, offering a nervous smile and a wave.

Rin can’t explain it, he really can’t make senses of it--he’d always thought he didn’t really care about you being at one of his games. That, while he loved you, you’d be a distraction that he didn’t need.

But seeing you there? Knowing you’re watching him?

It feels like all he can feel is your eyes on him, even amongst the hundreds in the crowd, on him all game; following his every move, watching him. He can hear you cheering for him when he makes a goal or an impressive tactic. 

It enlightens something in him he hadn’t thought possible.

It isn’t just that you helped him do better -- that having you there made him play better. It was just the fact that you were there, watching him doing something he loved and was so so passionate about; cheering for him, simply there for him.

It’s a feeling Rin hadn’t thought he was capable of, but it isn’t something he wants to lose.

So next time there’s a game, he approaches you, a ticket in hand and his extra jersey in the other.

“I want you to come to my game... w-wearing this.”

You don’t hesitate to say yes, and that makes Rin’s heart flutter in a way he hadn’t thought possible.

Now he doesn’t even have to ask -- every time he has a game approaching, it’s a known fact and a wordless affair as he hands you a ticket and you beam up at him, all bright eyed and cheery saying you can’t wait.

[husbandograveyard]

🕱 Lovebites Masterlist 🕱 this is a VAMPIRE AU event 🕱 ☽☽ Character: Toshiro (Bleach) x Gn Reader ☾☾ ✩ Requested by: @kagechikage ✩ [Fluff] ✩ Warnings: mentions of blood, biting ✩

As a vampire, you had lived through quite a few decades already. Initially, it was a struggle for you to survive. You settled mostly for drinking animal blood, because the thought of hunting humans was terrifying and made you feel queasy. 

But over the years, you have settled into your nature. You figured out you could ‘ethically’ hunt, even find people that would willingly offer their blood to you. A bite didn’t turn a human, as they would like to think because of their stories. It was perfectly possible to hunt without any of the downsides, in certain cases a bite was actually more of a pleasurable experience. 

Today’s prey however, was proving to be a little more of a challenge. You had met him on a college campus and had an interesting conversation. He seemed only mildly interested in you, but you chalked it up to playing hard-to-get. His body language betrayed him and the rosy blush on his pale cheeks let you know that he was at the very least a little infatuated by you. The way he averted his eyes when you asked him to meet you that night was telling as well. You had gotten good at this over the years, picking out those that would eventually fold and let you have a few sips of their blood before never seeing them again. 

But he had left you waiting in the evening, something you weren’t really used to anymore. He seemed wary when he approached you too, and you knew you’d have to put in a little extra effort. You wanted him at ease, wanted him to consent when you finally popped the question. You didn’t want your hunt to be for naught. 

“So, Toshiro, any places around here that you like to frequent for a drink?”

He was quiet for a bit, seemingly thinking about an answer. When he did open his mouth to reply, he caught you off guard. 

“I don’t know, doesn’t your kind just take their dates into the forest for a drink?” 

He put such emphasis on the words ‘your kind’, but kept the rest of his tone so lighthearted, that you got a mental whiplash from just the one sentence. 

“Wh-what do you mean?” 

It was no use denying it, and you weren’t even sure just why you tried. The hunt was over, and you’d explain and ask for a bite anyway. You should’ve just come clean then and there. Sure, it wasn’t the way you usually let it build up, and sure, you would have preferred that he was more relaxed and happy in the moment you told him -increasing your chances of a positive reply-, but there was nothing wrong with him figuring it out. 

You spoke up before he could even reply. 

“I mean, I wanted to tell you at some point tonight, I don’t do the creepy forest vampire thing. I usually go out with potential targets, have a good time, and maybe if I’m lucky, ask them for a little nibble in the evening.” 

He raised a white brow, not even bothering to hide the skeptic look on his face. 

“You ask consent?” 

“yeah,” you shrugged, “you’d be surprised how many guys are actually into it. And it feels kind of nice in the right setting, or so I have been told.” 

He was quiet for a bit, overthinking what you said. He may have taken you off guard by confronting you, but he wasn’t prepared for your casual -yet honest- answer. He was not quite sure just how much of your reply he could trust. 

“So you really just want a date right now?” 

You nodded. 

“And if by the end of the night, I do not want to get bitten, then you’ll just let me leave?” 

You nodded again. He went silent once more and you were starting to feel awkward. He was cute, and you were definitely intrigued by him, but you were wondering if it was worth the hassle. The silence went on for what seemed like an hour, but in reality was probably only a couple more seconds. 

“Okay, let’s go then. I will have to disappoint you though, I don’t frequent bars. But I know a nice coffee shop not too far from here that has great cake.” 

You giggled, resisting the urge to make a joke about his small stature and the fact that he’d rather go have sweets than a drink. You figured he wouldn’t really appreciate it, and if you wanted your ‘hunt’ to be successful, you had to have him on your good side. 

“Sounds great, and then afterwards, you’ll be my dessert?” 

“We’ll see about that.”

[cricutmachinedesign]

9 Free Cricut Projects for Beginners: Adding Creative Touch!

 Hey, dear crafters! I got you some free Cricut projects for beginners. Do you want to explore them? Let’s look into it. I have been crafting with Cricut machines since I bought them. Whether it is personalized projects or anything else, Cricut has helped me so much.

My crafting journey started with small tools like scissors and the required materials. But now I am capable of making large projects in no time. With Cricut, it is superbly easy to handle tasks that are bigger and require precise cuts. Different types of Cricut cutting machines are available in Cricut’s lineup, helping crafters with their crafting needs.

However, there are some DIY projects that you can’t make for free as their designs cost a few dollars. Hence, if you are looking for beginner-friendly free Cricut project ideas, check out this blog.

Gift Tags

Why don’t you add gift tags when you want to create your gifts? Create this one of the free Cricut projects for beginners and offer an awesome handmade gift to anyone you love. Gift tags can be a lovely decorative item you can try making any time with your Cricut machine. Using a cardstock sheet, I created these beautiful projects. Now, it’s your turn!

Cardstock Wreath

Here is my favorite cardstock wreath! Doesn’t it look so real? It can be easier to make this project when you put a little effort into it. Don’t forget to create such beautiful projects and decorate your home like you never did before! Create these leafy designs on Cricut Design Space, or get the design from the Cricut app. However, putting in extra effort is not a big deal as you can easily create this project from scratch.

Pillow Box

So now you want to make some beautiful pillow boxes. Don’t worry; here I have one of the free Cricut projects for beginners that is easy to create. With Cricut, you can create and finish the designs in no time. Whether you want to use cardstock or poster board, you can make this Cricut project without hassle. Use supplies like glue, paper, matching paper cord, XL scrapper, and cutting machine with its essential accessories.

Birthday Card

Here is the birthday card I made for my husband’s 30th birthday. On his birthday, I love to shower him with love through the magic of words. I believe in expressing my thoughts conventionally, like our great-grandfathers used to send letters.

I used vinyl on cardstock to make this simple birthday card, and I saw this beautiful, simple-looking card. If you find it an interesting idea, give it a shot!

Phone Case

Elevate your phone’s cover with your Cricut and find the design free. You can also create this simple design yourself. All you will need is the Cricut Design Space software, and then you are ready to go. For this, I recommend you use a transparent phone case and any Cricut machine you want to use. Despite these, you will want transfer tape and Cricut software. Rest, you are good to go.

Leather Keychains

Do you know what excites me the most about Cricut projects? It is the materials, and when I have to make something out of leather, I get too excited. I have created many free Cricut projects for beginners using leather, which include keychains, earrings, and much more. I have tried more such projects that included leather materials. Try this project and beautify your keys with these keychains.

Earrings

Have you ever created any sort of jewelry using leather? No? It’s okay! Here, I created a pair of earrings using green faux leather. In the beginning, you might be overwhelmed to see this project, but trust me, this is going to be one of the easiest projects ever. To create this, you can cut faux leather using your Cricut machine.

Coasters

If you want to try free Cricut projects for beginners, bring blank coasters from the market and decorate them using your smart Cricut machine. Choose your materials, select your infusible ink transfer sheet, and transfer them onto your Cricut coaster. From Cricut Joy to Cricut Maker 3, they can easily help you create your coaster the way you want it.

T-Shirt

Feel kind while creating this T-shirt using your trusty Cricut machine. This shirt can be a great idea; try making it with different vinyl colors. My daughter loved this T-shirt when I gifted it to her after she received good marks in her exams. She was truly ecstatic when she found this handmade shirt. Hence, using iron-on material and its perfect companion — the Fluorescent Pink Glitter- is the best way to get this beautiful shirt.

FAQs

Question 1: What are free Cricut project ideas?

Answer: Endless options are available for crafters looking for Cricut project ideas. Here are a few ideas that you can consider in your projects:

Mugs

Autumn pumpkin cart

Puzzle

Cupcake wrappers

Photo booth props

Glass etching

Wedding decor

Question 2: How to find free Cricut projects?

Answer: If you are looking for free projects to make on your Cricut machine, you can easily find them on the Cricut Design Space itself. In order to find the designs for free, you have to follow the steps below:

Open Cricut Design Space on your device.

Then, click on the New Projects on the canvas’s left side.

Now, tap the drop-down menu located under All Categories.

After that, you need to select Free.

Finally, you will find 70+ free project designs.

Question 3: What are some free Cricut projects to make with cardstock?

Answer: If you only want to make free projects with cardstock material, you have the following options to try. Also, these projects are simple to find and make on your Cricut cutting machine.

Cake topper

3d layered pine tree

Farmhouse paper leaves

Cute unicorn bookmark

DIY cardstock wreath

Banners

Wedding card

Source: free Cricut projects for beginners

Visit here For More Information: Cricut Venture

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[casspurrjoybell-30]

Howling Love - Chapter 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Amille Laurent.

Starting something new is haunting.

It's as if you're so afraid of going wrong that you're actually tempted to have something go wrong so you'll have some semblance of peace.

I was such a person, first tries to anything made me jittery and nervous, I can never truly understand why but it just happens.

I'd woken up early, set up the extra bedroom on the ground floor next to the game room as my gallery, it wasn't going to have use anyway, why not give it some.

My inspiration on the painting had come from my very fear of first things, it was a painting of the school I was to be attending, one gate was mangled as if someone with really strong arms had tried to crush it, the other was pristine and perfect a contrast to how we all feel about school, great and really horrible at times.

"This is really good," dad says behind me startling me, of course I didn't scream, that was impossible but I did jump holding my precious heart.

[Dad, that was not cool.] I whined as he chuckled and came over to hug me.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to but you shouldn't be up so early in the morning, setting up all this by yourself, where did you even get the paint?" he questions as he lets me go from our embrace.

[I always have paint, plus I'm turning eighteen soon dad, I can do most things by myself and yes, I got inspiration. It's why I woke up early to paint.] I signed my response and has scoffed.

"You got first day jitters, couldn't sleep so you came down here to put your mind to some sort of ease," he retorted and I sighed.

[That too.] I admitted and he chuckled walking to the door.

"I know you lady bug, the painting is great, if the paint dries early enough you could actually give it to your headmaster today, now go get ready, you look like a hot mess."

I didn't know how to interpret that statement, was he complimenting me or was he throwing in some shade with that compliment but none the less I did as told, I was nervous but I'd try.

Getting ready for the day wasn't much of a hassle for me, styling my hair on the other hand was.

I had really curly black hair and it knotted most of the time if I didn't keep it short or use enough moisturizer or relaxer.

The rest of getting ready, needed minimum effort and I was out the door.

"Come on eat up, your bones need a little more meat," he asserted and I narrowed my eyes on him.

[Dad, I'm not thin, I'm petite, bordering on the edge of starting to get fat.] I retorted and he just chuckled as we ate breakfast, him going through his schedule.

"Mister Delano sent your payment for the portrait by the way and he sends his regards along with notice that he'll send a picture of his daughter next to be painted," dad informed me as we got into his car after he helped me put my bag in, for some reason I was fragile or short, I can't keep up anymore, I just let him.

[I hope he paid our agreed fee or I'm not painting anything else.] I signed and my father just chuckled.

"Look at you being cute and grumbling, yes he paid your fee," he replied patting my head and soon we were off, headed toward my new school.

[Good because I'm starting to lose it with that man's incessant need to have paintings of his family.] I added and dad just chuckled.

"It'll be over soon and you'll enjoy the money," he shot back and I just smiled with a blush, I would really enjoy the money.

"That's Selous Academy, it's different, a lot more buildings," dad remarked as he parked by the sidewalk and I got out to get to the backseat where my bag was.

"Do you have your tablet?" he asked and I showed it to him.

"The other one?" he asserted and I showed him.

"Your phone, your book bag, your glasses and your credit card and your lunch bag, I put another jacket in there just in case," he kept on rambling and I just groaned face palming.

[Dad I'm seventeen. I can handle this.] I typed on my phone and text to speech as a hero came through.

"I know but this is a new school and I won't be close by, I'm worried," he whined hugging me and I rolled my eyes hugging him back.

[You have work dad, so off you go. Shoo.] I signed and he held his heart in horror.

"You'd actually dare to shoo away your own father?" he dramatically put across and the both of us laughed.

[Love you too dad, now go before you're late.] I finally stated as he kissed my forehead.

"Have a great first day honey, your uncle will pick you up," he informed and I nodded as I waved him off.

So the daunting journey began as I turned to the gates I drew this morning, the painting hadn't dried so I left it at home, most of the students were preoccupied with their friends and paid no attention to the new kid.

I was glad, however there were a few groups who actually noticed me, some waved some just nodded my way as I made it through the crowds until I got to the double doors of the main building that opened dramatically when I got through, since they made a bang everyone turned to look at me and I cringed, so much for going unnoticed.

The stares, the waves and the nods increased, Goddess I felt awkward.

[Morning, I'm...] I stated but the receptionist looked at me and paused.

"Oh my goodness you look just like him," she shrieked and I cringed.

"You're Amille Laurent right, I'm miss Parker, I'm a friend of your dad's... well I don't know if we're still friends but we used to be friends, I didn't believe the rumor that he was back until I saw the student transfer scripts with his name and you're his son, oh my goodness, the guys are gonna flip," she rambled on and I was still dazed by her outburst, for someone supposedly as old as my dad she acted like a teen.

"Parker breathe," the man I assumed was the headmaster stated as he walked out of his office, he was obviously a wolf, no human man had that much of an animalistic feel to them.

"You must be Amille, our new student," he stated I nodded.

"I'm going to need a more verbal answer," he asserted and I typed on my phone to which he frowned then turned to miss Parker who was now frowning at the man.

[I have mutism, I can't verbally speak but I can hear, feel, see, touch the whole enchilada just can't speak.] I typed on my phone and a regretful stare overcame the man.

"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry, I must've seemed really ignorant, I'm sorry, If I had gone through your whole file I'd have known, I'm truly sorry, I'm Darwin Seras... you can address me by my last name, headmaster or Sir, it's alright," he expressed and I nodded, at least he had sense enough to admit his mistake.

[It's alright, no harm done.] I replied and he nodded.

Goddess I could already see that overprotective look in his eyes, most wolves had that look the moment they learned of my condition, oh well, I'm at a loss might as well roll with it.

"Let me show you your locker and first class," he offered taking what was my schedule, school map and locker number and code from miss Parker.

"Bye Amille, have a great day."

She waved me off and I nodded walking behind the headmaster.

"The school is inclusive to both wolves and humans, we have several after school programs, I see you have a long list of talents here, maybe you could breathe life into our art program," he joked and I smiled to that too.

"Your locker."

He showed me and I opened it putting most of my stuff in.

"Need help?" he asked and I signed no then realized he probably didn't know the language.

"Alright then, let's get to your first class, AP biology," he asserted and led the way as I familiarized myself with the school, it seems they were big on sports and not just academics.

"We've won the Bridgeton interschool football, lacrosse, gymnastics, cheerleading and tennis competitions for a consecutive six years," he pointed out and my jaw dropped.

[I just thought you're big on sports but that's wow.] I pointed out and he chuckled as he opened a door to an already filled class on the second floor.

"I know," he whispered back as we walked in and some students gasped.

"Good morning Richards, everyone this is Amille Laurent, he'll be joining us for the school year, don't cause him any trouble," he announced to the class as I stood awkwardly in the background.

"He uses his cell-phone and other gadgets to communicate, I'm sure Parker might've informed you so you'll have to make an exception, he can sign too," the headmaster added toward who I presumed was my teacher mister Richards.

"Of course, Amille take a seat next to Maxine," he responded and I nodded walking over to the waving girl with wavy hair and earthy green eyes, she was a wolf, I could just tell.

"Alright, Amille your schedule, find me if you need anything," the headmaster exclaimed giving me my papers, his behavior seemed to have really shocked the class, oh boy.

[agentfreckles]

Tumblr eated my ask :// I wanted to know what would you think the UBs would do for the Valentine's day! They would make up something for the day? For them and the detective?

Sorry about that! Tumblr is a butt sometimes. And sorry for the late response! I got this ask in the middle of the F hate chaos and it kind of got lost in the shuffle. But wow there are so many Patreon references I want to gush about regarding this oof. But for now we’ll just stick with this ask as a sort of guide as well as a couple others that I vaguely remember but not enough to find them. Also I’m thinking established relationships for this. 

I swear there was an anniversary ask way back that said A would ask N for advice on what to do and I love the idea of that applying to Valentine’s Day as well. Ultimately, I think they would keep it simple but meaningful. A single red rose, maybe a bottle of red wine for the two of you to split while you sit on the couch in the warehouse living room illuminated by the glow of the fireplace and just enjoy each other’s company. You talk a little, laugh some, and every time there’s a lull in the conversation A just hits you with that intense gaze that’s soft and full of longing as it flits around your face memorizing every tiny detail. They cup your cheek and maybe they can somehow string together enough words to properly express what you mean to them or maybe they’re too overwhelmed by their feelings in that moment and words are lost on them, but they don't need to say anything anyway because it’s already written all over their face.  And of course there’d be tender kisses and soft caresses somewhere in there too. Understated yet classic. 

N would be 100% focused on the romance. They might go a little overboard with the public displays like balloons or flowers or candy (as Patreon suggests) because they're excited, but I think privately is where they would really shift into Agent Suavewell mode. We’re talking homemade candlelit dinner. We’re talking slow dancing to soft music in the background, the kind of dancing where you’re gently swaying real close and N’s just looking at you the whole time with the most love-sick gaze you've ever seen. Do they softly sing or hum along to the music? Maybe! Do they lean in close and whisper sweet nothings in your ear that make you shiver? Oh yeah! And then when you two finally make it to the bedroom (or don't 👀) they’ll pour every ounce of energy into making sure you know just how deep that love runs. 

How much of an understanding of Valentine’s Day does F have? Do we know? Because I love the idea of them looking it up and seeing tons of commercial stuff like candies and teddy bears and big, bright lovey-dovey stuff and going, “Okay. I can work with that!” And they just go ham and buy every shiny thing that tickles their fancy. So by the time Valentine’s Day actually rolls around, F just strides in with their arms full of stuff and maybe a couple unlucky members of UB trailing behind them with even more stuff and they’re just like “Here you go, Valentine!” with the dopiest grin on their face. I also can’t stop thinking about F running out to the craft store and getting materials to make their own Valentine card??? Like it’s glittery af and probably looks a little juvenile, but they put so much effort into it and wrote the sweetest, mushiest note inside about how much you mean to them and how happy they are to have you and their eyes sparkle with excitement as they watch you read it and idk man I get choked up just thinking about it 😭 There’d also be smooches. Lots and lots of smooches. 

M...lol. Like the ask I linked said, I think M would skip Valentine’s Day entirely without a second thought unless someone pointed out to them that they should do something. And even then, I don’t think they would do much. Gifts and grand romantic gestures just aren't M’s thing. At a push, they might get you that candy you like or maybe something you’ve expressed interest in in the past that they were only half listening to but still mentally filed away for future reference. Whatever it is, you can guarantee they’ll find some kind of way to use it to coax you into celebrating the day with a lot less mushy stuff and a whole lot more heavy petting. Although I do kind of love the idea of you both just treating Valentine’s Day like any other day and not doing anything, but M’s that much more open to cuddle time than usual or maybe the back their hand ghosts along your cheek or you find their gaze lingers on you just that bit longer. And not like that bedroom eyes gaze, more like this weirdly soft look that you wouldn't normally associate with them but it’s there and deep and kind of sweet, you know? 

[velvetstreets]

Hello, how are you?

So I had an idea for a scenario but feel free to change things up or even ignore it if you don’t like it !!

Basically, Jack is dating an influencer for a while and she gains weight, people notice and start posting negative things about her (including telling Jack that he should be with someone slimmer), so she gets a little insecure. Jack notices and makes an effort to let her know he loves her just the same slim or thicker - while they’re out together he keeps up his extreme pda, when they’re making love, he workships her and her body, and defends her publicly. Basically a scenario of Jack loving his woman 🥹

Again, do whatever you want with this! Much love 💕

A/N: this might be the best fluff request I’ve gotten 🥺🥺🥺🥺 probably cause it hits home but I loveeeee the idea of Jack loving on his girl a lil extra when she’s insecure 🥺😭🫶

None of the people in my writings portray the actual people I write about! It’s all a work of fiction, I have no idea how they are/act irl.

Warnings: smut, oral sex (f!receiving), penetrative sex (f!receiving), swearing,

I also wasn’t sure how to tag this, but there is a mention of reader’s slight struggle with food in relation to weight gain. I don’t go into detail, more of a slight hint towards readers mindset and how Jack helps out. However if this is triggering, please don’t read! ❤️

Also, I just wanna clarify as a writer that reader having insecurities in their weight doesn’t mean that the reader/character necessarily has to have an ED (reader doesn’t in this fic)! Just an FYI :)

———————————————————————

You and Jack had been dating for a while now, about a year and a half. He was everything you could’ve wanted in a partner. Sweet, caring, affectionate, understanding - of course you had your differences like every couple, but this had been one of the healthier relationships you had been in. The two of you kept your relationship on the low for a little over a year; neither of you wanted the hassle of being public just yet, wanting to enjoy the bubble you had created. You liked your privacy, and you also weren’t a fan of how your relationship would be attacked and picked apart once people found out; which is exactly what happened when they did.

You were nervous when Jack and you had agreed to go public; Jack was clearly more enthusiastic than you as he was mainly focused on not having to hide you anymore. You on the other hand were a little hesitant, not because you didn’t love him, but because you weren’t sure you could handle the criticism your way. This always happened to women especially, either your the famous girl and still get picked apart for choosing who to date, or you’re the regular girl who gets slandered for not looking a certain way or being in the industry.

Nevertheless, you went through with it, knowing you were ready for this step in your relationship. You received some love and some hate, which was better than expected to be honest. You were too enthralled in your bubble with Jack anyway. You and put on some happy weight being with him, which you personally didn’t have a big issue with, it was just felt a little more noticeable in your eyes. Your thighs were a little thicker and your tummy was softer, and face just a smidge fuller. It wasn’t until you had been photographed by fans and paparazzi at one point, unbeknownst to you. The pictures went viral, with people dissecting your body with vulgar comments about your weight gain. You really tried to not let them get to you, but they were everywhere. They swarmed your instagram, twitter, TikTok, all comments about your weight and how Jack should be with someone skinnier than you.

Jack saw all the comments, and hated that you were under all this scrutiny because of him. He just wanted to show off his girl, he didn’t think that far ahead that you’d be caught in the shitty mix that came with fame. You tried to play it off as if it didn’t matter, but Jack would catch you look at yourself in the mirror with shame and criticism, he hated it. You were beautiful, and so was your weight gain, he needed you to understand that. He knew you would deflect his comments, so he decided to show you in a way that he knows best.

Jack came up behind you as you were judging, poking and prodding your body. You let out a deep sigh as he wrapped his arms around your waist, fitting his face in the crook of your neck.

“You know I love you and think you’re the hottest woman alive either way right? Slimmer or thicker, I’ll never stop thinking you’re insanely beautiful and sexy.” He purred into your ear, rubbing his hand on your lil belly pouch. You frowned as he rubbed your belly. It was hard to see how Jack saw you, especially when the internet - let alone society’s stupid beauty standards - was hounding you for your size and body. You weren’t gonna disagree with Jack because you knew he wouldn’t let you go until you got it through your head that you were perfect the way you were - all and any versions. As sweet as his words were, you couldn’t shake that ugly feeling of judgement and insecurity. Though you gave him a small smile and a nod, Jack knew his words weren’t enough.

During the next few weeks, Jack was extra affectionate towards you. He always had a hand on some part of you -your sides, ass, thighs, back - caressing and rubbing the skin he settled on. The PDA was turned on high as Jack would start to make out with you, any time and any where he pleased, accidentally (not so accidentally) cutting off conversations at times. He couldn’t shut up about how beautiful you were, the love for you just spilling through his lips, faster than his tongue could keep up with. It was usually you who wasn’t the biggest fan of PDA, but now that you needed it more than ever, Jack was ecstatic to show you how much he loved you. Anytime you sat next to him, he’d pull you onto his lap, loving the weight on his lap as he’d kiss your neck and whisper stupid comments in your ear to try and get you to laugh. He’d litter your entire face with kisses after you’d take your makeup for the day, and softly groped and rubbed at your thighs when he ate you out in the shower. Jack would notice the little things too. He’d encourage you to eat half his meal if you got something healthy, knowing you really wanted something a little greasy. He removed the scale from the bathroom and hid it, and would leave little messages in the steam when you got out the shower - mostly ‘I love you’s and ‘no need to look in the mirror, gorgeous’, and ‘pretty mamas’, - words you needed to hear, no matter how much you tried to reject them.

He was also extra attentive during sex, especially.

“Oh god, Jack-“ you gasped, as he ate you out. He had started out by kissing up your legs, leaving hickeys here and there and moaning about how much he loved your thick thighs. That was until he was face to face with your sex. He let out a devilish chuckle before diving in. He wrapped his arms around your thighs, pulling you closer to him as he made a mess of your pussy with his mouth. You tried to push his head away, the sensation becoming too much, but Jack kept his grip on your thighs, pushing his face against your pussy even harder so his nose would put pressure on your clit - just how you liked it.

“F-fuck, J-Jack-“ you cried out as you came. Jack hummed, the vibration from his mouth making your toes curl and a stray tear slipped from your eye. Jack lifted his head from your thighs, and started to crawl up your body - his beard and jaw slick with your wetness. He kissed up your belly, smushing his face in it a little as he murmured out “I love your lil pooch. So soft and warm, one of my favorite things about you.” He said giving it a final peck before looking up at you. His blue eyes pierced into yours, making you shy your face away into your hands, feeling exposed at how vulnerable you were.

“You can hide all you want angel, s’not gonna make me stop loving on you. Though I’d really like to see your sweet face too.” He told you, gently removing your hands from your face. He smiled at you and you blushed as he leaned in for a kiss.

“I love you. So much y/n. Nothing will make me change my mind about that. I just want you to see yourself how I see you. Beautiful, sweet..” he said before laying kisses across your chest, taking his time with each breast.

“- so pretty, and all for me. Love these curves and the freckles on your face. Love these sweet, soft lil rolls of yours and these sexy stretch marks mamas.” He continued, and you felt your throat start to close up, recognizing the tell tale signs that tears were about to spill from your eyes. You let out a shaky breath as Jack continued his monologue, his cock slowly thrusting into you. You let out a gasp at his size, never truly ever getting used to the euphoric feeling of him stretching you out.

“You’re the most beautiful woman alive baby, and as your man, I should be making you feel like that every single day, I’m sorry I’ve dropped the ball a bit, won’t happen again. I promise sweetheart.” He whispered in your ear as he thrusted into you.

“You always make me feel beautiful Jack-“ you cried out softly, his dick nudging against that spot. “Fuck, just like that baby-“ you moaned softly.

“You’re too good to me.. you and your sweet pussy..” Jack groaned as his thrusts quickened.

“You deserve everything y/n, my good girl..” he moaned as you clenched around him. You came with a loud cry as Jack sneaked a thumb to your clit, sending you on overdrive. You whined and clawed at his back at the overstimulation, which made Jack smile.

You laid there, regaining your breath for a minute or two before Jack flipped the two of you over. He lightly tapped your ass which got him your attention.

“Sit on my face.” He said, guiding your hips over his head.

You furrowed your eyebrows, unsure about complying with Jack’s request as you didn’t want to rest you full weight on his face.

“Jack no, I’m too heavy for that-“ you started before Jack took your wrists in his hands, forcing you to look at him.

“Y/N. I don’t give a fuck, suffocate me for all I care, it’d be a blessing to die like this. I know what I said. Sit. On. My. Face. Now.” he growled, his tone deep and unwavering - you knew he was serious. His arms came to circle around your thighs again, pulling you down so you fully sat on his face. You quickly forgot about your insecurities as Jack’s tongue worked it’s magic in you. His tongue swirled and suckled on your clit, making you grind your hips into his face. Once he started tongue fucking you- you were done for. The way his soft tongue moved through your folds and lapped you up as well as switching up between that and teasing your clit by grazing his teeth along it, you squirted all over Jack with a loud moan of his name, your nails digging into the headboard and Jack holding your hips against him to help you ride out your high.

Jack helped you shuffle down his body and lay on him before giving your forehead a kiss.

“You’re my favorite juice to drink y’know?” Jack said after a moment of silence. You laughed into his chest as he continued.

“I’m serious, I could put this shit in a bottle and drink it every morning with my eggs.” Jack joked, and you looked up at him, giving him a gentle sensual kiss.

“I love you.” You told him.

“I love you more.” He said holding your gaze.

“Impossible.” You whispered as huh pecked his lips.

“Oh really? Want me to keep showing you? Cause you know I will, climb back up mamas-“ Jack challenged you.

“Okay, okay. How about we agree to disagree?” You suggested.

“No, I refuse, I love you more!” Jack said before littering your face with kisses making you laugh h until you couldn’t breathe.

“Okay Jack! I surrender!” You laughed with tears in your eyes.

“Good, there’s no way you’ll ever win that fight.” He said contently as he tightened his hold on you, pulling you in closer to his chest. He gave you another sweet kiss before rubbing your back until you fell asleep.

The next morning you woke up to Jack eating you out again, making you cum twice before told you ‘good morning’. He crawled up and kissed you passionately before separating.

“I’m gonna go get the shower started. You come in when your ready, alright smush?” Jack softly whispered as you were still coming down from your high. You nodded and heard him chuckle before feeling his lips press against your forehead. You felt his weight dip off the bed and heard his footsteps walk to the bathroom and turn the shower on.

After a minute you opened your eyes again. Rolling over, you grabbed your phone, wanting to check a few things before heading to the shower.

You tapped the instagram icon, opening the app, you eyes widening at what you saw.

Jack had posted multiple pictures of you two in a post with a caption that brought back tears to your eyes.

jackharlow: my girl is the baddest to ever do it. thick as hell, homegrown, and all mine. Don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I’m for sure the luckiest man alive. love you, stink. (p.s. fat phobia has never been and will never be the vibe. Fuck outta here with that shit.)

You smiled to yourself. He really fucking loved you. He didn’t have to do any of this, but he did because he did love you. And you loved him. That’s all that really mattered. You locked your phone and walked to the bathroom. You heard Jack humming to himself as you undressed and opened the shower door. You wrapped your arms around his waist and he turned around in your hold, smiling. The two of you held each other like that for a couple minutes. The warm water beating down on both of you as you relaxed into eachother.

“Thank you.” You murmured.

“For what?”

“Everything. The instagram post, for loving me, for putting up with me when I’m spiraling. For being the best boyfriend.” You said looking up into his eyes.

Jack leaned down and captured your lips in a loving kiss. He parted the two of you and leant his forehead against yours.

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s a privilege for me to love you. And me reassuring you that I love you and want you isn’t me ‘putting up with you’. You should feel loved and wanted by me all the time, it’s my boyfriend duties.” He said rubbing his nose against yours.

“Love you so much mamas, my pretty girl.”

“I love you too Jack, so so much.” You whispered as you felt him start to back you into the shower wall, hooking one of your legs around his waist, as he continued to show you how much he needed and craved you - and continued to show you for the rest of the week.

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Tag list: @hoodharlow @moody4world @watercolorskyy @lcandothisallday @harlowthot @triplexdoublex @thinkingaboutjharlow @bbyharlow @jackharlows-world @primadxna-girl @curlyhairclub @dessmxsworld @inluvwithladybug @babyharleezy @thysagclub

[couchpotatoaniki]

ATEEZ MTL: Most likely to date a curvy Latina

This is requested by @mingisbride (sorry, tags ain’t working properly)

Most Mingi San Yunho Wooyoung Hongjoong Yeosang Seonghwa Jongho Least

Explanation under the cut

Okay so, like with my previous ATEEZ MTL post, this would’ve been more for ranking how quickly or easily they would get into a relationship with someone who is culturally different (since I’m sure the boys would be with the person they really love no matter the differences). However, since that’s already been done, I’ll be focusing more on the body type. Again, just to reiterate, if they really love someone, they would be with them more for their personality than anything else. Also, upon looking back, I realise that it kinda turned into slight scenarios than cold-cut reasoning, and I slowly get carried away with each one... Sorry 😅😅.

That being said, the first one on here is Mingi. Can’t explain why, but he just gives me the vibes of someone loves warmth and comfort. Boy is a precious baby. From experience (’cause I’m curvy myself and I’ve been told this by my friends), curvy people are very huggable and we also give the best hugs too. So that warmth of being in someone’s arms would be something he would like to see in a partner--that comfort and love they can provide with such a simple yet intimate gesture. Simple answer, Mingi would be one of those love-sick people who would count the seconds until he could see you again--more importantly, have you in his arms again.

San. Second verse same as the first, because let’s be honest here; he’s also another precious bean. The only reason he’s lower than Mingi is because I feel like he isn’t as in-need of receiving that warmth and comfort since he provides quite a bit himself. San’s a giver--a lover, and an intense one at that. So I don’t think he’d be in as much need of it than Mingi, but he’d definitely wouldn’t mind at all. If anything, he would probably search for someone who’s as much of a giver as he is--someone who will give him bear-hugs at random times in the day, someone who would run their fingers through his hair when he’s stressed, someone who loves skinship as much as he does.

We’ve all seen Yunho’s hands. Look at how damn big they are. Would you ever expect me to believe that those hand’s don’t itch to have something to hold? No, you wouldn’t. Yunho just screams that person you see when you’re just chillin’ in public--the one who’s constantly holding onto their s/o’s waist, thighs, butt, hands--anything they can get their hands on (obviously, this should happen respectfully and must be okay with both parties involved). Yeah, that person that makes you want to puke and fawn at the same time and remind you that you’re so single it hurts--Yeah, that’s enough of that. Point it, being curvy would be the best thing for him because his hands just get very trigger-happy at the thought of feeling you in them. Again, being part of the Precious Bean Squad, he’d ask if it would be okay since he’s still very soft-hearted and doesn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. 

Now, Wooyoung in my eyes is a playful lover, making him one of the affectionate types. He likes to hug, to grab, to hold (kinda like Yunho, but a lot more light-heartedly). He likes to throw his body on top of yours when you’re lying down, looking at your phone peacefully--too peacefully. Wooyoung is just as needy as the boys above, but what sets him apart is because of how playful he is. He’s not as much of a giver as San, nor is he in-need as Mingi, or grabby as Yunho, but he certainly loves to have fun with his s/o. Body type doesn’t matter as much to him since as long as he just enjoys being with you--most of the time that would include wrapping you in his arms or any other form of movement constrictions so you just stay with him and hear him ramble about his day (I don’t think you’d mind much though). Being curvy just makes the experience softer, and warmer.

Hongjoong, ma boi. I’m sure we all know how open-minded he is. Hongjoong sees the beauty in everything, not from looks but from personality. Be it skinny or curvy, as long as you’re a good person and your personalities compliment each other, he’d fall for you so fast you’d get whiplash. I’m not joking. Being curvy would have it’s own benefit though, since he would definitely need comfort after a long day(s) holed up in the studio, hunched over his computer like a man on a mission. Coming home to you, letting his tense, rigid body relax against your much softer one would be like having his own portable body pillow. He’d even bring you to the studio but it would end up with him being at war with himself to get some work done or the very tempting offer of relaxing with you.

And then there’s Yeosang. Lil baby is shy, there’s no doubt in that. And purely because of this, he’s lower than Hongjoong. He’s too afraid to get into a relationship--too shy around you to even consider that you might want to be in a relationship with him. With Yeosang, it takes time and patience. There’s something wired in him which makes him seem blunt and sarcastic when he actually wants to compliment you. For example, the thought “you look beautiful today” would translate to “you look decent”. He tries though, and that’s when you can see it; it’s when you realise that he’s not just a natural asshole, but just has some trouble communicating. But with you, he makes that extra effort because he knows about all the insecurities you get (especially about your body) and he’d much rather throw himself off the moon than hurt you (ignore the physics of gravity and space for me and just roll with the metaphor). Patience and a bit more communication is needed with him, but once you two are there, you’re set for life.

The meticulous Seonghwa is second-to-last because, honestly, it was process of elimination. Thinking on it, he’d be less shy than Yeosang, but he’d have a harder time with communication. He’s the Mum of the group and so out of habit he’d end up being your mother in the relationship. That is, until you show him that you have a mind of your own and have been able to look after yourself, especially being an ‘ethnic minority’ in the very western media. Being curvy had given you certain experiences (good and bad) that’s helped shape who you are inside and how you deal with things. Don’t get me wrong, being coddled by Seonghwa is nice, but you feel a bit of sympathy and would rather just help him relax instead. So, now I think I can put my finger on why I put him so low down; he’s apprehensive about being loved and cared for because loving and caring is all he can remember doing. Let him feel that it’s okay to hug you not just for you, but for him too. You’ve just got a lot more love to give than the average person.

Jongho is even shyer than Yeosang and even more of a tough cookie than Seonghwa. Personally, I see him as the kind of guy who’ll keep his thoughts of romance to himself and try to get on with life without causing too much hassle for the both of you. Problem is, he enjoys being with you, and you, him; it’s just sorta become something strange. Not quite lovers... not quite friends either. A best friend would be close but still, there’s a bit more passion, a bit more touchy-feely between the two of you (obviously consensual, ‘cause we love that jazz). After a long few hours in the gym, he’s thinking of going over to your place, of lying down on your sofa, your bed, and just breathing in the same scent that appears to be some sort of drug for his mind. Then he shakes his head and decided against bothering you this late at night, until you pop up behind the  door he just opened--already knowing his schedule like the back of your hand--with a food bag of some of your ethnic food in one hand and your car keys in the other. It’s because you have this sense that he needs you today a little more than before, but at this point, you already know he’ll be just as closed off--especially when it comes to being with you. A stress reliever to him, you’ve come to understand, since you can’t help but feel the tension in his muscles melt away when his arms wrap so cosily around your body. Like they’re meant to be there.

[prettywordsyouleft]

Out Of The Shadows - Part 14

Summary: Singing was the only thing that kept you breathing. To Kihyun, you were too talented to step away from. And by a cruel twist of fate, because of him, you became a singer - except you only sang in the shadows.

Pairing: Yoo Kihyun x female reader

Genre: idol au / angst / drama / romance

Warnings: Y/N has a serious injury, and ongoing implications from it that might trigger some people. In this part: jealousy, cursing, an argument and a fair amount of emotional angst.

Word count: 2292

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final

“You’re back later than I expected.”

Glancing at the girl on the couch, you nodded softly. Normally, it had been the other way around. When your career had started, Nina was out doing long hours of work, both in the practice rooms and on location. You had eventually stopped going to every schedule with her, Terry even encouraging you to leave her to it.

You had your role in this duet, and it consisted of singing and making sure you didn’t mess up behind the curtain, so Nina remained the star.

But lately, your schedules had switched around. You spent more time in the studio for vocal lessons and recording new songs, whilst Nina’s appearances grew limited with the downtime of no promotions. Your name had been called upon more often to sing several OSTs and even the new opening song of a variety show.

It was a little overwhelming to be highly sought after.

“I had to do an extra hour in the studio tonight,” you admitted, heading for the refrigerator where you stored your honey water. Your throat felt a little dry from how many high notes you had to sing.

“Tomorrow too, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s never-ending.”

“I don’t think you’re complaining,” Nina announced, and you glanced over at her as you took a slow gulp of water. Her expression was unreadable for a change.

It bothered you a little.

“No, I guess I’m not. But are you okay?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. I was just asking,” you cautiously answered, placing the lid back on your water. “I’m uh, going to take a shower.”

Nina didn’t respond as you scuttled off to your bedroom and shut the door behind you. Sitting down on the edge of your bed, you went over the interaction with her. Normally, Nina was bright and cheerful to be around. She thrived on all the work she was doing, and every time she was up on stage or invited on a show, she was always bouncing around with infectious energy. Even with Midnight Idol two weeks ago, she had enjoyed the experience in the end. And no one had been none the wiser, thanks to Kihyun’s effort to bridge the gap between them.

“I hope she’s alright,” you murmured to yourself, trying not to go to the worst-case scenarios that Nina might be facing and not tell you about.

You convinced yourself that she was just tired and went to have your shower.

Except, the mood continued. Days went by, and Nina’s smiles stopped shining altogether. You had racked your brain for every possible reason and asked her multiple times about what was wrong. Not only did Nina cut you off every time, but she was also curt whenever talking to you.

“I used the last of the bread,” she announced after you had spent over five minutes looking on the counter and in the cupboards for the loaf you had bought. Looking back at Nina, you were surprised when she met your gaze defiantly.

It made no sense, and you swallowed slowly. “That’s okay. I’ll just pick up a new one.”

“Or I could. Since I’m only at the company for half a day.”

“If it’s not too much of a hassle,” you agreed, still frowning as you put away the condiments you had pulled out for your toast.

“Of course it wouldn’t be. I’m not busy, like you.”

“Have I been slacking on something around the house because of my increase in work?” you wondered, blinking several times as you tried to figure it out.

“No. You’re not home enough to leave a mess.”

“Right. But if I were—”

“Melody’s here,” Nina flatly announced, getting up from the barstool and went to let your manager in.

On the car ride to Starship, you continued to watch Nina in the seat beside you, your worry overriding your awareness of your surroundings. You were so deep in thought as you trailed behind Nina and Melody that you didn’t even see the person you walked into until they were righting you both.

“Easy there – oh!”

You blinked back into focus and matched Sewoon’s grin. “Hello!”

“If it isn’t the angel’s voice I’ve come to know and love. How are you doing, Y/N?”

You managed to swallow back the giddy squeal that rose in your throat at the idol remembering who you were, let alone complimenting you. Grinning over at Nina, who had stopped to look at the sudden outburst of voices, you gestured for her to come back to you.

“Sewoon, this is Nina. Nina is—”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Sewoon said quickly, nodding once in Nina’s direction before smiling back at you. “Y/N, when do you have a free moment? I want to work on a duet with you.”

“Uh, I doubt that would be feasible,” you edged, glancing back at Nina. You swore you saw her face fall at Sewoon’s easy dismissal, and a sense of loyalty to her had you stepping around him. “But if you’re ever in the studio and want to bounce ideas, I’m happy to help when I’m free.”

“I’ll hold you to it. I need another White moment!” he called after you as you started down the corridor again.

“How many others are there?” Nina asked as you both rounded the corner into your department. You hummed curiously at her, and Nina sighed. “You know. The people you’ve got – never mind.”

“The people I’ve got what? Oh, like Sewoon? The reason I was recruited here was because I covered his song one time in Kihyun’s studio. Wait. You know that. Anyway, I met him the day I signed the contract, and so he knows who I am that way.”

Nina merely stared for a moment and then brushed past you silently into her studio space. You went to follow her in, but Melody shut the door with a quick, “You’re needed in the recording studio, Y/N.”

Letting it go again, you slumped off to where you were required to be.

Another week of struggling to connect with Nina had passed. You were beyond exasperated by it, and even after confessing to Kihyun how things were, you couldn’t decipher what was going on.

Furthermore, you were exhausted.

Stepping through the front door of your apartment, you didn’t bother to call out for Nina upon arrival, knowing she had stopped waiting up for you to get home days ago. Not only that, she didn’t respond to anything you had to say about your day whenever you tried. You didn’t like being so defeated, but you weren’t the confrontational type. For others, you would fight in their stead in the past, but for yourself, you’d much rather pretend you didn’t see the problem unless you knew how to fix it.

And clearly, you were at a complete loss right now.

Surprisingly, Nina was on the couch instead of holed up in her room when you stepped up into the living space. You attempted to smile at her and sighed when it wasn’t returned. “Hi,” you said, all the same, heading towards your bedroom door to strip off your layers.

When you were home, you took off as much clothing as you could to help your skin out. And considering how busy you had been lately, and with the stress of whatever was wrong with Nina, your body was giving you hell.

Again.

Stopping in the doorway when you saw her laptop’s screen, you frowned. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.”

“Doesn’t look like nothing. Is that a forum? Oh Nina, please tell me you’re not monitoring comments about you.”

“You mean, you,” she replied flatly, and you cocked your head to the side in confusion. Nina laughed. “You always act like this.”

“Like what.”

“Oblivious.”

“How am I oblivious? Aside from whatever is eating at you, because even after all the silent treatment or bratty remarks, I cannot figure what the hell is wrong with you.”

“It’s you! You’re the problem!” she announced breathily, and you jolted back into the doorframe, wincing as if she had hit you in the process.

“What have I done?” you whispered, trying not to let your rising emotions run freely down your face. “I’m sorry if I’ve-”

“Do you know how hard it is to be around you? To see how everyone fawns over you?”

You balked at her statement. “What? Who the hell fawns over me?”

“Everyone does! It’s all ‘Y/N is so talented’ or ‘I cannot believe that was only one take to get’! People are always telling you how wonderful you are. How your voice is a miracle.”

You choked back a sob. “My voice is all I have to give.”

Nina was undeterred, clearly ready to unleash all that she had been withholding. “Or let’s talk about how all of Monsta X protect you like you’re too fragile to do anything?! Don’t act like they don’t. They swoop in whenever there seems to be an issue. Sure, Kihyun makes sense since you’re fucking him, but the others? Do you even see the way Changkyun looks at you? It’s as if he’s taken it on personally to protect you from all things nasty in this world.”

You were so stunned. You didn’t know what to say first or even refute her bitter claims over Kihyun.

“And what about how Sewoon disregarded my existence the other day?! He didn’t even care that I, the person who thousands of people associate as Starlet, was standing there!”

“So, this is what it’s about? Because Sewoon didn’t—”

“I’VE DONE NOTHING FOR WEEKS!” Nina erupted, panting afterwards.

You didn’t dare say anything, especially as the tears that ran down your face started to stream down hers.

“I worked my butt off to get our name out there. All the variety shows, all the performances. All the hours I spent practising dances for our songs. But are they even ours?! All that comes in now are requests for your voice. All the comments online are about how beautiful your singing is. Hardly anyone comments about me! And yet, all you do is just stand there!”

“Stand there?!” you echoed, feeling the coil within you snap at how insulted you felt even though you were aware of Nina’s pain. “How do you think it feels to have to stand behind a fucking wall?! To be backstage and sing to a camera monitor so I can make sure I’m in sync with you? Everyone thinks that my voice belongs to you! That no matter how good my voice is, how everyone praises it, no one will ever know that I’m not under that precious limelight that you’re so greedy for! Just once, I wanted to succeed. How can you say that I am when it’s all fake?!”

Swinging back for the doorway as you trembled from head to toe, you reached for the bag that you had left there and blindly stepped into a pair of shoes, not even turning around to face the person who had hurt you the most just now. The one you had housed and cared for. The one you had felt you had given too many sacrifices for.

“As for my friends, they’re protective of me because, in case you’ve forgotten, the company we signed up to are absolute assholes who have created this rift between us. We’re fighting over jealousy of each other that came from the shittiest of all deals that we were too stupid and went through with. And they, having experienced the wrath of Starship’s ruthlessness before, are guilty that both of us fell into this trap, Nina. I’m sorry that I knew them first and that they struggle to be close with you too. I thought that would come, especially after the dinner we had with Minhyuk, Changkyun and Kihyun. Who, by the way, isn’t fucking me. Yet!”

Storming out of the house as a veil of tears fell down your face, you made it as far as the street before you dropped to the ground and hugged your legs to your chest, fumbling for your phone.

“What’s wrong?” Kihyun’s voice was urgent as soon as you tried to speak.

“Can you come and get me, please? I can’t stay here tonight.”

“Where are you?” he asked, and you managed to give your location before the phone call ended.

You didn’t feel the time slip by. Your body was suddenly pulled up from the wall you had slumped against, warm, familiar arms gently encasing you to his chest. Kihyun held you as you sobbed on him, breathing consoling words into your hair before urging you to get into his car a moment later.

“What happened?”

“Nina and I fought,” you whispered, glancing up at Kihyun’s worried expression. “It was… I guess it was eventually going to happen. I want out, Kihyun.”

“Out of your house? Why not tell her to—”

“No, I mean, I can’t keep doing this. Being just a voice. She’s right. I’m nothing special. No one knows I’m the voice of Starlet. And it’s not fair on her to be putting in all this effort to—”

“Don’t. For the love of God, please don’t say that you’re not worthy right now to me.”

“I don’t want to sing anymore,” you whispered, meaning it too.

Kihyun cursed before pulling you into his arms again, kissing you on the forehead gently. “Don’t make decisions when you’re this upset. Come on. I’ll take you back to mine tonight.”

It’s funny how things go. Amid all the chaos within your heart and mind, the relief of Kihyun’s comfort was short-lived.

Neither of you had expected your entire embrace to be caught on film.

_________________

Part 15

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[perpetualxfire]

( Yo wrote this cuz I felt like writing, it’s not supposed to be anything but I guess if you want to insert yourself it can be a particularly long starter. )

✮ Another day another go. Once again, bare feet hit the sandy bank she’d made her own, the sound of her footsteps muffled by the coarse granules beneath her feet as she took her morning run up the coastline. A little more than a jog, but a little less than a full on sprint, this bit of cardio in the morning had been a ritual for as long as she could remember, and the sand offered delicious resistance training, as well as shock absorption for knees and hips that had seen a lot of abuse. Fortunately, there was enough shoreline here that she could usually enjoy a nice morning alone before the rabble rose, and retreat to her small gym where she was at significantly less risk of interruption.

   Carolina tended to avoid meeting the rest until around lunch, though she held no illusion that they might believe she was sleeping in; as far as she was aware, this was one of those unspoken contracts. She would wake up and do her ‘freelancer stuff’ and then she could pitch in on the chaos as was deemed appropriate for a given day. Being given the chance to stir the pot occasionally was also... Tempting, to say the least.

   The real workout began after her morning jog. Over the past few months she’d been gradually gathering materials from the lost cities on Chorus to turn her base into a personal gym, and trying to figure out how to properly set posts to build herself a new obstacle course. The latter was pending still, but the former was coming along, with rubber matting spread on a suitably flat and sturdy stretch of ground near her beach and a good broom to help keep the sand from invading with too much force. Nothing kept it out entirely, but it was a start. Of course, she spent enough time on Chorus still that anything she was still missing on Iris could be accommodated for with some planning, but that could be a hassle, and having a routine is important.

   In her past, routine and a plan had been the only things she’d had to remain resilient after her world had been taken from her and she’d had nobody. In having nobody for such a pivotal moment in her life, though, it was hard to accept that she had people she could lean on now - and being able to do that was a lesson she’d had to learn the hard way.

   Still, though, she ran. And now, she did weight training, too. Carolina had never been big on weight training specifically; while strength was important, she usually trained more for speed and endurance. She was finding strength exercises to be therapeutic in a different way, though, and with the tools she had, oftentimes easier. It made sense, really; Chorus was smaller than Earth, and for humans, that meant extra work had to be put into strength and physical conditioning to keep a body that was keenly adapted for Earth in good condition.

   The fact that she was able to find so much equipment for this purpose in particular fell in line, and was for the best given they now lived on a moon of this planet. Like everything she did, Carolina strove to excel in this new regimen, and after a lot of figuring things out - she knew the basics, but always had had somebody there to coach her on the details - she was fairly confident in her routine. She never expected anybody to join her; she tended to view herself as a periphery from any group at this point, sticking along because she didn’t know where else to go and nobody had told her to leave. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t somewhat fond of the Reds and Blues, but... They had their own lives, and she’d always tried to remain independent.

   As her footprints from her morning jog were washed away, she worked, her mind blissfully empty aside from counting. Counting individual reps, counting sets, counting weights... By itself, just going through numbers with intent was almost blissful, and on the outside it was a rhythmic routine. There was effort involved, of course; it wouldn’t be proper weight training if she wasn’t having to put forth effort - but a quiet scene with just sweat, work, and a steady stream of counting was surprisingly blissful, with the sun finally fully above the horizon line and the air quickly beginning to heat up. It was almost time to call it quits for the day, when the air started to warm, but she was almost done. The numbers don’t lie; they never have. It’s only ever been the meaning she herself ascribed to them that made them feel suffocating. But here, now, with no actual expectations... It was nice.

[otakusheep15]

SFW Alphabet - Satan

I had a really hard time trying to get Satan’s character right, so I hope I did a good job with this one

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

He’s not super affectionate, physical, verbal, or otherwise. Really, that’s just a side-effect of him being born from pure wrath. He simply just can’t express emotions very well. You’ll most likely have to initiate any affection if you want it. However, he does also like when you lay your head on his lap and he reads to you since it doesn’t require much. 

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

He’s the mom friend for sure. He helps you with anything you may need from studying to pranks. Of course, he does also make sure you both make it out of any trouble unscathed. I also lowkey see him as the type to carry around random snacks to feed strays he comes across, and he’ll give some to you so that you can also feed the strays. 

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Like I said, affection isn’t his strong suit, so cuddling isn’t really his thing. The closest he’ll get to cuddling is either you two sitting next to each other on the bed/couch or with him sitting up and you laying on his lap. He may also pat your head like you’re a cat. There might also be reading involved if he’s awake enough to read out loud to you. 

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He does like the idea of settling down, but he’s unsure if he really can. Yes, he can do basic household chores like cooking and cleaning, but he feels as though he couldn’t handle the more emotional side of settling down. Doing something like that means you truly love the person you’re with and he’s afraid that he might not have the emotional capacity to feel that strongly about someone. Then you came along and destroyed all of that nonsense. Now he wants nothing more than to drag you away and live out a romance just like in his favorite books. 

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

There would most likely be a lot of yelling. Also lots of things being thrown around in rage. When he’s mad, he’s mad, and a breakup is a great way to get him mad. If he’s the one initiating it, he’ll try to keep a level head, but that solely depends on how the other person reacts. If they’re also calm, then it’ll be pretty civil and respectful, and they might even stay friends after. However, if the other person starts getting mad, that only makes him worse and it does not get better for that other person. 

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Before you? He never even considered the idea. After you? That’s practically all he can think about. You know that one friend we all have that constantly gushes over sappy romance stories and constantly wishes how that could live them out with their partner? Yeah, that’s him. He’ll never admit that out loud though. The only one who actually knows about all of his fantasies are Asmo because he once walked in on him comparing you to this one character from a romance novel he liked (kinda like Levi with his anime). 

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He knows how dangerous he can be. Not only is he a demon, and a powerful at that, but he also the literal embodiment of wrath. Even after years of keeping up his gentlemanly facade, all it takes is the slightest inconvenience to set him off. So he’s extra careful around you. Physically, he tries not to get to close to you, especially when he’s pissed off. Verbally, he tries to watch his language around you because he doesn’t want to hurt you by saying anything mean.  

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

His hugs are extremely rare but surprisingly nice. Since he’s scared he might hurt you by accident, and his lack of need for physical affection, he doesn’t hug you very often. However, they are super relaxing when they do happen. He hugs you just tight enough to keep you pressed to his body, but not so tight that it’s uncomfortable. 

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Out of all the brothers, he one of the last ones to say it. He’s not all the familiar with the concept of love, especially in romantic context. Obviously, he knows how it feels in theory, but he can hardly figure it out in practice. The worst part is that he knows he loves you, but he has no clue how to go about it. When he does finally say it, he seems perfectly calm and collected, but he’s internally screaming the whole time. You’ll never know.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Surprisingly, he’s not one to get jealous easily. One of the benefits of having a poor grasp on emotions maybe? Whatever the case, he always tends to take a more logical approach to things, relationships included. He knows that you’re loyal to him and so he trusts you. If he has any reason to be jealous, then he’ll talk to you and workout any problems or concerns.  

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

His kisses can go one of two ways. They can 1) be the softest, most romantic kisses you’ve ever felt in your life, or 2) the most heated and passionate kisses you’ve ever felt in your life. Literally no in between. The former will usually happen during softer moments of bliss. Maybe you two were just in his room and relaxing or in the library studying. The latter only ever happens during more ~spicy~ times *wink wink*. 

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

He hates kids. That’s it. He hates them. They’re such a hassle, they need constant supervision and care, and they never shut up. He is a firm believer in children being the worst creatures in all the three realms. 

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

He always wakes up first no matter what. He’ll go down to the kitchen and make you a cup of tea, but that’s only when you guys don’t have school. If you do have school, he’ll wake you up as gently as possible and help you get ready. 

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

He’ll usually drag you to hs room so that you two can spend the evening reading together. Sometimes you end up sitting next to each other and reading your own books, others you may end up in his lap while he reads to you. You mostly end up falling sleep first, and he’ll follow soon after. 

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

This boy is the definition of closed off. It does not matter how close you are to him or how much he trusts you, he will never tell you anything. Okay, he does tell you some things, but only surface level stuff. If you want the real, honest answers he has, you need to pry them out yourself. 

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Lmao what’s patience? Seriously though, he actually has a decent amount of patience. He trained himself really hard in order o control his anger, so he can actually be pretty chill for the most part. Obviously, he still gets mad all the time, especially with Lucifer, but he does try his best. 

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He’s totally the type to write down facts about you in a secret journal somewhere so that he can reference it later. He has a great memory, but he loves just writing down everything you tell him about yourself just in case he forgets anything. He will never tell you or anyone else about the journal, but if anyone finds out, they will never be heard from again. 

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

He isn’t one to have any particular moment in mind, but he absolutely treasures those quiet moments when you two are alone. No brothers to bother you, plenty of books and snacks, and just each others presence. It’s quiet, calm and peaceful. These moments don’t happen very often due to the chaos around you, so when they do happen it’s special. Just being able to spend time with you is his favorite thing in all three worlds. 

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

He is arguably one of the most protective brothers, and that’s saying something. The second someone even hints at hurting you, they’re dead. They just cease to exist. He will not let a single thing harm his precious human, and he’ll do whatever it takes to ensure your safety. He’d even go so far as to get himself in trouble if it means getting you out of it. 

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He’s much more casual than most of his brothers, so he doesn’t see the need in planning over-the-top dates. Obviously, he wants you to be happy no matter what, but he knows he doesn’t need extravagant dates to make that happen. I mean, if you like things like that he’ll certainly try for you, but it’s just not his style. He prefers causal, lowkey dates. Coffee shop dates, going to bookstores together, sitting in his or your room and reading all day, and going out to play with the stray cats are all ideal dates for him. He just knows that, as long as you two are together, everything is already perfect. 

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Obviously, he has some issues he needs to work out. His anger issues are, of course, the main issue, but that also leads into other problems. For example, his daddy issues hatred for Lucifer is something he needs to get sorted out. He also has a hard time expressing his true feelings for fear of letting his anger out as well. Most of his issues are emotional, so he needs a lot of time to work on them. 

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

He’s not so much concerned with physical appearance so much as social appearance. he is highly concerned about how he looks to the public. If he needs to look physically appealing in order to keep a good social standing, then he’ll do it. He’s not vain like Asmo or Mammon, but he’d be quick to put more into his appearance if it means he gains something out of it socially. 

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Honestly, he’s felt incomplete since being born, so even with you he doesn’t feel quite complete. You definitely help fill some of that void he has in him, but not even you can fix him completely. If you did leave him, he’d be back at square one, so he needs you to be there in order to make him feel even the slightest bit more whole. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

As I stated before, I think he keeps a journal of all of your interests so that he can remember then, but I think it goes deeper than that. I also think he has one for each of his brothers that he keeps on him. Any time one of his brothers mentions something they like, he’ll write it down to keep it for later. That way, if an occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.) that would require this information would ever arise, he would already have it written down. No one knows about these, and he’ll take this secret to his grave. 

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

He refuses to even acknowledge someone without even the slightest bit of academic prowess. If he deems you to be stupid, you’ll never even hear from him again. He also cannot stand people who dislike cats. 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He has a tendency to move around a lot when he sleeps. No one has any clue as to why, but it’s not really a problem. That is until you two start sleeping together. He either ends up on top of you or kicking you out of the bed. In the morning, he’ll apologize, but it’s not something he can really fix. 

[thesleepy1]

My King Shall Have Everything

A/N: A fuck load of people seemed to like my last Merthur fic. I even got a request for a sequel from @antobcq who wanted a 5+1 fic where Arthur couldn’t get anything done without Merlin on his lap. I haven’t done one of these fics in ages but I’m down with this prompt. I also love the headcanon where Merlin is a better court member and adviser than Arthur and completely leaves Arthur in the dust during diplomatic meetings. Unbeta’d as always, we die like Arthur.

Extra note, this turned out much longer than I expected it to. This might be my longest fic yet. I didn’t mean for it to be like this but I spent too much time on it to just leave it alone. And much to my surprise, it’s a linear storyline as well. I hope you all enjoy it and feel free to give me some feedback. Do you prefer the linear storylines or short snippets of scenes? Also, kind of sorry for the slight angst. My bad. It got worse towards the end, I was getting really tired and wasn’t completely sure how to end it. It’s not on the highest note is all I’ll say.

Pairings: Merlin x Arthur, slight Gwen x Morgana

Summary: Five times Arthur couldn’t get anything done without Merlin on his lap and one time where Merlin couldn’t get anything done without Arthur on his lap.

Word count: 10,485

Warnings: Lap sitting, fluff, physical touch, sexual content, grinding, angst, wounds, violence, character death, more warnings to be added, more tags to be added, proceed with caution, breeding kink, impregnation kink, mentions of dub/con, possessive behavior, obsessive behavior, eugenics, blood, gore, hurt/comfort, angst/comfort, whump, injuries, begging, character death, mentions of public executions, long fic, foul language, asphyxiation, strangulation, choking,

Arthur was good at many things, but being on time was not one of them. Especially, when at the end of the hall he had to attend a council meeting with some of the most stuck up people he had ever met, and that was saying something considering he had to spend the last winter with his extended family. His advisers had been up his ass all week about the new rising kingdom beyond the continent. A kingdom so far away, he had just heard of it several months prior. It was like the kingdom had appeared overnight, suddenly a new ink blotch taking over the lower side of the map.

Personally, he didn’t believe it was real in the first place, having a squadron of knights and hired mercenaries sail over to investigate this so-called Kingdom of Le Lubrique. Much to his disbelief, they didn’t come back empty handed and instead returned with a message. A greeting, as his advisers and Merlin had called it.

To Arthur, it was merely stiff aristocrats getting together in too large a room to talk about dull nonsense. Something he had enough of in his own kingdom. Every other month he was already forced to put on a brave face and converse with the other ruling kings and queens of the continent; he didn’t need another to add on to the mix. He already loathed the balls he was required to host.

“You’re late,” Merlin hissed at him as he entered through a side door so as to not alert the others of his presence.

“That’s kind of the point of me coming here long after the time I was supposed to, Merlin,” Arthur rolled his eyes, sneaking behind the other advisers present to his seat. Merlin begrudgingly followed right on his tail.

“This is serious Arthur, you should have been here ten minutes ago!” Merlin nagged a tad too loudly.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the great king of Camelot himself. I’m delighted to see you have graced us with the honor of your belated attendance,” said an adviser from the guest kingdom with a tone that made Arthur want to stab him, wars be damned.

“I hope you could excuse my tardiness just this once,” Arthur began, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. He looked over to Merlin for help, but the warlock looked clueless as usual. “It...was just that I was caught up with...making sure my...uh...husband’s family were making themselves at home. The in-laws are visiting, you see. You know how hard it can be to keep them happy.”

Merlin looked like he wanted to hang Arthur with his own entrails at the king’s quick thinking. Camelot’s advisers seemed to be considering throwing themselves from the window. And the guest advisers seemed content with Arthur’s answer; though not pleased.

“Oh, believe me,” one of them began, a tall woman with high cheekbones and piercing brown eyes, “I know exactly how tiring in-laws can be.” She let out a high pitched laugh like the sound of dying blue jays; the sound made Arthur want to join his advisers as they inched towards the open windows.

“Well, yes, hahaha, they can be quite a hassle. Especially people that are related to my husband here,” Arthur clapped his hands, smiling at Merlin as he took his seat at the head of the table, “Shall we properly begin then?”

Arthur truly and wholeheartedly regretted agreeing to the whole thing. It was hour after hour of mindless words with little to no meaning. They just went on and on about things that meant little to nothing. He tried to tune out their voices but the tall woman’s laugh was like the crack of a whip, bringing him back to reality each time someone made a vaguely funny comment.

“Are you alright, Arthur?” Merlin said in a hushed tone next to his side. Concern had brought his dark eyebrows together. Arthur was tempted to take his fingers and smooth out Merlin’s worry, but perhaps that was too intimate an act for a meeting. Then again, when did Arthur care about what other people thought of him and his husband.

“I’m fine, Merlin,” Arthur sighed, “Just so bored with all of this.”

“How could you be bored? Have you been listening to half of what they’ve been saying? For a kingdom so small they have so much potential. Their farmlands double ours, as well as their ores, and their medicine is even on par to Gaius’s.” Merlin continued on with such a light in his eyes that Arthur was distracted like a moth to a glowing flame.

“Arthur, have you been listening to what I’ve been saying?”

The king shook his head softly, slightly ashamed for not paying attention to his husband. “I’m sorry. I’m just so distracted. I need something to ground me if I’m going to survive another dreadful hour of this,” he groaned, thinking over if the fall from the window would kill him or lethally wound him. Either way, he’d be away from this horror with Merlin at his bedside playing nurse. At the private thought, an idea crossed his mind that had him delighted.

“You know what would help me?” Arthur began, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“What?” Merlin gave him a suspicious look, having seen the grin on the king many times before.

“It’ll really help if you were on my lap.” Merlin gave him an incredulous glare, ready to smack him across the back of the head for such a suggestion during such a crucial conference. “Please, Merlin? You really do help me focus.”

The warlock seemed to be thinking over Arthur’s request, a frown twisting his face. He looked like he was going to say no, but the pleading look on Arthur’s face made him change his mind. “Just this once. I don’t want to make a habit of this, Arthur,” Merlin warned in a hurried voice.

“Just this once,” Arthur lied through his teeth.

The second king of Camelot sat himself on the first, his side pressed against Arthur’s chest. Arthur wound his arm around Merlin and held him tightly. The action seemed to have garnered the attention of the visitors who looked at the pair strangely. And for some odd reason, the visiting ladies of the guest kingdom seemed to be glaring intently at Merlin.

“We are ever so sorry to be boring you, your majesty, but there is still much to discuss,” a visiting high lord coughed, glaring at the pair. “I apologize that our talk of declining population, racial biases against commoners and sorcerers, and ever so low birth rates have made you tired, but considering it may be the undoing of Le Lubrique, I deem it vital,” he practically snarled.

Arthur’s grip on Merlin tightened, his other hand palming Merlin’s thighs. The warlock couldn’t hide the grin that was stretched across his beautiful face at the touch. The king absolutely loved that grin. Arthur glared right back at those who dared question his behavior, for him showing his love for his king. He sounded in a stern voice that left no room for argument, “No apologies needed. Please, continue.”

“Don’t let us disturb you,” Merlin added with a more snarky tone, commanding the same amount of respect. “You have our full attention.”

-----

“Must I attend? You’ll be there, is that not enough?” Arthur whined as Merlin buttoned up his shirt.

“We are hosting a party in the Kingdom of Le Lubrique’s honor. Their queen has traveled all the way here to properly meet us,” Merlin pressed a kiss to Arthur’s cheek for the effort. “Must I continue?”

“Only if you wish, my dear,” Arthur pointed to his other cheek, waiting for the same treatment as the other.

Merlin rolled his eyes, pressing another kiss to Arthur. “I’m serious, Arthur, this could mean an all out war or the strongest of ally ship. I mean, have you read the reports of what their kingdom is like? It sounds, and excuse for my word choice but there really is no other way to describe it; magical. I would love to visit the country myself. If we make a good impression they might invite us for a stay,” he continued, tying a red handkerchief with Camelot’s crest around his own neck.

“And that’s why the second king of Camelot would be in attendance.”

Merlin left Arthur in their room after that, knowing that Arthur would follow him. “Are you really going to make me sit there and listen to them go on and on about their plan to repopulate their country, or over tax their people for the food that’s in abundance? Come on, Merlin, we could have our council handle it.” Arthur stepped in front of Merlin to block his way. “Why don’t we head back to our room and make this a more entertaining night?” he wiggled his eyebrows to make sure Merlin got his point.

Merlin heard him loud and clear and rightfully ignored Arthur’s attempt to get into his pants. He sidestepped the man to continue on his path, turning a corner to the ballroom. “Do you hear yourself? What kind of impression would that give Le Lubrique if you just suddenly disappeared?!” Arthur turned to run back to their room just to prove Merlin’s point, but the warlock quickly magicked him back to his side. “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not.”

And that was how Arthur ended up sitting on his throne, bored out of his mind and unwilling to be civil or sociable when he could have spent the entire evening snuggled inside Merlin. He could have been in bed by now, having Merlin moaning his name underneath him, but instead Arthur watched as the guest and court mingled and danced. The instrumentalists bobbed their heads in tune to their upbeat song.

Despite refusing to speak to anyone besides Morgana, and Merlin, and occasionally Gwen when she could spare a moment from dancing; he had learned quite a bit about their guests. The fact that although they had a vast amount of farmlands, they had little people to work in them. Which came as a shock to Arthur because he had learned earlier on that Le Lubrique consisted of mostly sorcerers.

Le Lubrique’s queen was the tall woman with a voice that made Arthur’s ears bleed. Her lady in waiting seemed to be a distant relative from their shared trait of high cheekbones, drowning brown eyes, and dark hair. The two were glued at the hip, her lady in waiting obsessively trailing behind her like a newborn duckling wherever they went. They were both strong magic users if Merlin’s gushing was anything to go by. And also very beautiful with fancy perfume that complimented each other so nicely that they smelt like heaven, from Merlin’s words of course, not his. If Arthur didn’t know any better, he would think Merlin fancied them; the queen and her lady in waiting.

Even when the queen was dancing with a number of council members, the servant would be right next to her. It was quite amusing to watch them struggle to sway in time with the music. Arthur had already made bets with Gwen on the number of times party guests would refuse dances with the pair because they refused to separate. So far Arthur was winning.

That was until the queen smugly asked Merlin for a dance. Her lady in waiting immediately stepped away like someone had called for her assistance, leaving the queen alone with Merlin. Much to Arthur’s disappointment, Merlin happily accepted the dance. He took the queen’s hand and off they went, twirling around as if they were the only ones in the room. His hands on her shoulder and waist, her hands virtually tearing his clothes from his chest.

The way the queen of Le Lubrique looked at Merlin made a sick feeling build up from the pit of Arthur’s stomach. She was undressing him with her eyes, the brown in her gaze turning an almost pitch black from lust. The woman said something that made Merlin taken aback, something about dragons and druids, but it was hard to hear from the chatter of the room. For all Arthur knew, it could have very well been a spell.

Merlin recovered quickly with a grin and laugh that had Arthur’s heart skipping a beat. Then the two of them had the audacity to continue dancing as if nothing had happened, the queen still shamelessly pulling at Merlin’s fine clothes that only Arthur was allowed to rip away.

Arthur didn’t know why Merlin didn’t stop the queen when she pulled his handkerchief from his neck. The king was almost killed for even playing with Merlin’s handkerchief and now this woman was doing the same without losing an arm and a leg? Completely unfair. That was proof in itself, she had casted a spell on Merlin.

“Merlin,” Arthur called out to his husband sternly only to be ignored once more. “Merlin,” Arthur stepped away from his throne, making his way towards his husband and the queen.

“I think you should go to bed before things get ugly,” Morgana gently warned Gwen, gesturing towards Arthur’s outburst. “It could either go well or we’ll die of secondhand embarrassment.”

“Thank you for your concern, my love,” Gwen replied with a smirk, “But I want to see how this unfolds.”

Morgana laughed at that, glancing between Arthur and Merlin. “Suit yourself.”

The two high ladies watched as Arthur pulled Merlin away from the queen of Le Lubrique, dragging him away from the woman as she stared on in horror. To Gwen's and Morgana’s surprise, the queen tried to pull Merlin back into her arms. Merlin seemed to be in a daze throughout the whole skirmish. His eyes glazed over, even from afar.

“Should we step in?” Gwen asked with concern, ready to intervene.

“Arthur can handle it, probably.”

The queen called her lady in waiting to help her. Three heads tugged at poor Merlin like he was flax rope at a kingdom fair. The lady in waiting tried to block Arthur from getting a good grip on Merlin while the queen tried to take more of Merlin’s clothes off. A crowd was forming and Morgana distinctively noticed coins being passed around in bets.

“Are you sure, my love?”

“Oh, It's just getting good,” Morgana grinned like a Cheshire cat. “How much are you willing to bet, my beloved?”

Finally, as the crowd began cheering, Arthur twisted out of the lady in waiting’s grip and grabbed hold of Merlin’s waist. The king lifted the warlock up in a bridal carry and turned on his heel for his throne, the crowd parting in heckles and laughs. Arthur blatantly ignored them, sitting down on his throne with Merlin in his lap. Unfortunately, he was unable to retrieve Merlin’s handkerchief, a matter he will surely not hear the end of for quite some time. But between a measly piece of fabric and Merlin’s life, Arthur would choose Merlin time and time again, his own life be damned.

Taking a moment to throw a sneer at Gwen and Morgana who were snickering, Arthur tried to shake Merlin out of the haze. “Are you alright, Merlin?” He stroked Merlin’s arms gently, trying to bring him back to the present. His blue gray eyes were a stormy glaze, seemingly out of it. It made an ugly feeling swirl around in Arthur’s head, the fact that some queen had touched his Merlin in such a way made Arthur sick.

Merlin shuddered in Arthur’s hold, looking down at himself and then at the ballroom floor where others had returned to dancing. Confusion crossed his face, “Of course, I’m alright,” he furrowed his eyebrows, “How did I get here?” Merlin rubbed at his temple, trying to soothe the ache that had formed there.

“Arthur carried you like the jealous brute he is,” Morgana explained, passing Gwen a handful of coins.

“Jealous brute?” Merlin questioned, looking at the trio for a real explanation.

Arthur was about to defend himself when a member of Le Lubrique’s court approached them. “Haha, I couldn’t help but notice the spectacle that you put on there, sire,” the man addressed Merlin.

“I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow.”

The man laughed again, mirth in his eyes. “I guess you wouldn’t,” he said vaguely, “The queen does have a way with words.”

“What do you mean by that?” Arthur butted in, holding Merlin a tad too tight. Merlin squirmed in Arthur’s lap but Arthur seemed to hardly notice.

“Well, you are a warlock, aren’t you, sire?” the man addressed Merlin once more. Merlin nodded despite himself. “A warlock as well as a dragonlord under the queen’s attention is bound to feel the efforts of her magic. And her special attention for that matter, hahaha.”

“Sorry,” Merlin began, more confused than before. “What do you mean by that expactly?”

“Our queen is a lovely dragon tamer. Her family is the last of their kind. Although taming a dragon is much easier when you have someone who can speak to the creatures,” the man laughed as if telling a joke only he knew the punchline to and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Least to say, the rest of the night Arthur didn’t let Merlin out of his sight. He had no idea what a dragon tamer was and Merlin seemed as lost as he was, but he wasn’t taking any chances. No one was going to “tame” his lover. Whatever that meant. Morgana and Gwen could laugh and call him jealous all they want, Arthur only had Merlin’s best interest at heart.

“I doubt having me be a lap warmer is in my best interest.”

-----

It had been weeks and Arthur naively thought they were done interacting with the kingdom of Le Lubrique. He had hoped to be finished with the rising kingdom, to leave them alone as long as they left him be.

He was rarely fortunate these days. Never even.

Apparently, Merlin was not deterred by almost being kidnapped by the queen and her lady in waiting. Merlin even said he enjoyed their company and their attention to his every breathing word. Arthur loved the man, but sometimes he could be quite an idiot.

Merlin, without Arthur’s knowledge, had invited a member of Le Lubrique’s court to stay at the castle. Who else to volunteer to come to Camelot but the queen’s lady in waiting. She was only supposed to be in the kingdom for a couple of weeks, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. That couple of weeks turned into a couple of months and eventually the woman practically lived there. She had made herself at home on day one, much to Arthur’s dismay. He couldn’t really kick her out without making a bad impression towards her kingdom, despite what her queen had already done.

He was a king. Much to his reluctance, he had to act like it. And that meant acting like you liked people that you hated to the core.

“And these are our forests,” Arthur gestured to the thick wall of trees that signified the beginning of the woods. “I typically take neighboring kings hunting here. If you’re interested, we can go if you’d like.”

Sylvy, the lady in waiting, sat on her horse with her head held high. For someone with a position like her’s, she acted like she was queen herself. Arthur had spent the whole day trying to show her around for the utmost time. She was never satisfied with what he showed her, as if she were looking for a break in the walls of the kingdom.

Every morning she demanded to be taken around on a tour and every afternoon she was left with a deep frown on her face. Nothing made her happy it seemed, and Arthur had truly tried to make her feel at the very least, welcomed. It was just so difficult to do so with the knowledge of what she had done to Merlin. Had enchanted him, put him in a daze of some sort.

If Camelot still had the ban on magic, she would’ve been dead the moment she laid a hand on Merlin. On the crown’s orders, she would have been hung or burned, some form of public execution. Her dark hair would go up in flames as the fire burned higher and higher, her head would hang low as the bucket was kicked out underneath her. Arthur was still considering having her prisoned for what she did and simply explained to her queen that there had been a freak accident. If he were a lesser man, a lesser king, he would’ve done so and let it be a warning.

“I despise hunting as a sport, it’s just mindlessly cruel,” she snarled, her lips curling as a show of disdain. She held the reins to her horse like a vice, afraid that she’d be ripped from the saddle and forced to participate in such barbaric practices. At least, that was what Arthur thought was swimming through her mind.

“Yes, yes, but some like the adrenaline rush of a good hunt,” Arthur explained without real passion, merely a form of continuing the dry conversation. Sylvy had woken him up so early that morning he barely had a chance to give Merlin a goodbye kiss. “Some have to do it to survive.”

“There are other ways to live,” Sylvy began, urging her horse to turn by towards the main part of the kingdom, seeing as they were on the outskirts. “Le Lubrique for one replies solely on farmlands. We have no need for meat or the slaughtering of innocent animals. Everyone can live without such a horrible act; people and sorcerers alike. Meat is simply murder.”

Arthur half heartedly nodded, trailing behind her while trying not to fall off his horse. “I can’t argue with you there.” He didn’t want to argue with about anything her to be truthful, he had had enough of that already.

They traveled at a moderate trot in silence before she spoke up again. “Why haven't you invited me to a council meeting? I’ve been here for ages. Surely you have these sorts of things at least once a month.” She tried to act nonchalantly, but Arthur could see right through her. “I mean, there must be all sorts of things to discuss. An heir to the throne for one, seeing as neither you nor king Merlin can bear children.”

“We just haven’t had any council meetings, nothing interesting to report that couldn’t be done with a quill and parchment is all,” Arthur lied with a fake smile she could not see. “And an heir doesn’t need to be of blood. They just need to be taught how to properly command a kingdom like a fair and just ruler. To know what’s best for a kingdom, who to trust and who to leave behind in the woods.”

A look of abhorrence lingered on Sylvy’s face at Arthur’s words, bothered that he would even say such a thing. But Arthur was right, it didn’t matter if his heir was not his child as long as they were just and fair to all that passed them. Arthur could only imagine what Le Lubrique was like if all their subjects thought the same way Sylvy did. It must be all out war for them if a bastard appeared in court one day; though in reality royal bastards were a dime a dozen.

Sylvy went quiet for a moment, calculating her words while mulling over what Arthur had said. “With a kingdom as large as yours, surely there’s action all around? Suitable women all around. Something worthwhile must have happened during my stay,” her voice took on a tone that Arthur didn’t like, a light flush painting her cheeks like some teenage girl with a crush, “What about king Merlin?”

“What about my husband?”

“What has he been up to?” Sylvy asked indifferently, trying to hide her curiosity from Arthur. If only she would try to hide that damn blush. Merlin was physically attractive, Arthur knew this as an undeniable fact, but to be so unabashed while in front of the man’s husband? What was he? The first king of Camelot reduced to chop liver. Unbelievable!

“Well, he’s the second king of Camelot. A king’s job is never done. There is always more work than one man can handle. I should know, I used to be the one doing all the work.”

They reached town just as Sylvy took on an accusatory tone, “Then what are you doing here?”

Arthur resisted the urge to strangle her in front of so many people. His fists clenched around his reins so hard his knuckles turned ivory. “I’m showing you around, just as you had requested,” Arthur gritted through his teeth, trying so very hard not to glare at her.

“And here I was, hoping to attend a meeting with the second king.”

“Really now?” Arthur could feel the mare under him shuffle on her hooves at his fury. “You know what? There might be one later today.” What he had planned was so unbelievably petty and a tad childish, but at this point, he didn’t give a damn. Sylvy was getting on his last nerve. “I’ll have a servant call you when it’s time. For now, why don’t you explore our lovely town by yourself? Walk around without a king hovering over you and all. That way, I could get back to doing my job.”

Sylvy brightened up in spite of Arthur’s words. A smile was forming on her face, her high cheekbones pushed up even farther. Her brown eyes crinkled at the notion that she’ll be able to see Merlin. “I can’t wait,” she said, unsaddling and handing the reins to her horse to Arthur. “I must get ready,” she said to herself loud enough for Arthur to hear.

“Take all the time you need.”

Arthur would regret those words later that night when he sat among his advisers. Sylvy, their honored guest was over half an hour late and the others were beginning to feel on edge. Many of them were not planned for a meeting so soon after the one they had earlier that week. It was an unprompted get together for the lady in waiting’s sake, Arthur had explained to them.

On days like these Arthur was glad he was king and that there’d be grave consequences if he were murdered by one of his advisers. They would be in the right to do so, kill him that is; but he was hoping to live long enough to raise a couple of children with Merlin.

“Why are we doing this, Arthur?” Merlin asked, hiding a yawn with his hand. While Arthur was riding around the kingdom with Le Lubrique’s queen’s lady in waiting, Merlin was left to run the kingdom by himself. The haunted task of commanding and keeping an eye on so many people was taking its toll on the sorcerer. Merlin hadn’t properly slept in days, too busy keeping the kingdom in one piece.

“Sylvy wanted to be present for a council meeting. As a member of Le Lubrique’s court, we have to answer to her call until her stay is up.” Merlin gave him a look that called Arthur out on his poorly constructed plan. “And I may or may not want her to know that you’re taken.”

Merlin rolled his eyes along with most of the present court. They should all be used to Arthur’s antics at this point. What were they expecting? An honest to god meeting to discuss important topics with their visitor from foreign lands? Never. A fake meeting just so Arthur could flaunt the fact that Merlin loved him and not some conceited queen and her lady in waiting? That was more like it.

“Sometimes I can’t believe I asked you to marry me,” Merlin yawned again, giving Arthur a tired look in more ways than one.

“Feels just like a dream, doesn’t it?”

“More like a nightmare.”

“You love me,” Arthur opened up his arms so Merlin could take his place on the king’s lap. Merlin shook his head at the gesture, so incredibly done with Arthur. “Come on, Merlin. You know you like it here.” He teasingly patted his lap. “You can rest until our guest arrives.”

“Fine,” Merlin said begrudgingly after a moment of hesitation, his mind clouded by the want for sleep. “But you better wake me up when she comes.”

“Of course,” Arthur assured, inviting Merlin over once more. This time Merlin made himself home on Arthur’s lap, his head going to rest on Arthur’s chest. He curled in Arthur’s lap like second nature, having done this so many times over the years. Arthur wrapped his arms around the younger man, making sure he was supported and comfortable. Merlin fit perfectly nonetheless. Within moments, a soft snoring sound could be heard from the man on Arthur’s lap, content in where he sat. The second king finally got the rest he deserved. “I wouldn’t wake you for the world,” Arthur whispered, rubbing soothing circles on Merlin’s arm and leg.

Another half an hour passed achingly slowly without the esteemed lady in waiting’s presence. Arthur was about to call off the whole thing and make his way to his bedchamber when at last, the doors to the room opened to reveal Sylvy. She was no longer dressed in her usual servant attire with its cream apron and blue gray dress. Instead she had ransacked the queen’s wardrobe, wearing something befitting a ball.

The dress was elegant and detailed with silk and satin; a deep shade of bourbon that brought out her brown eyes. Her hand was even done up in cascading dark curls that perfectly fell from the knot atop her head. A glittering wine hair piece sat nestled against her hair, matching perfectly with the studs in her ears. She was beautiful even without the time spent enhancing what was already there, but now she stood ready to rule a kingdom.

Sylvy took her seat across from where Merlin would have sat. “Where is king Merlin?” she asked, not noticing that the man in question was currently sleeping on Arthur’s lap.

“I’m sorry for how unprepared we were, but I can relate to your troubles of not having enough hands to run a kingdom. My husband had taken the task of ruling all alone while I tended to your needs.” Arthur pressed a kiss to Merlin’s hair when he stirred in his sleep, continuing on his over sweetened words. “He’s beyond exhausted, but still wanted to take part in our meeting. Please understand that he really did try his best to stay awake.”

The emotions that crossed Sylvy’s face came in a blur; she was unreadable. But one thing was for sure, Arthur had won this small battle. He had shoved Merlin’s unquestionable favor for him in the lady in waiting’s face. Merlin was his and his alone. For good measure Arthur pressed a deep kiss onto Merlin’s lips, the sorcerer smiling in his sleep.

His advisers on the other hand felt cheated. If the death glares shot his way were anything to go by. Though there was one from Sylvy as well. A lot of people wanted him dead at the moment. But he was perfectly happy. They could string him up after the meeting for all he cared, the unintelligible look on Sylvy’s face was worth it. She was utterly speechless.

“I’m ever so sorry we were late to start, but would you like to commence this meeting?” Arthur asked like a gentleman with a cocky grin, making sure to stare right at Le Lubrique’s envoy.

-----

When Sylvy left Arthur rejoiced. She was finally out of his hair. Things could go back to normal and he could go back to spending his free time with Merlin instead of on horseback through a bare orchard. No matter how many times Arthur explained to Sylvy that their crops were not aided by magic like Le Lubrique’s, Sylvy insisted on seeing their “mortal” development.

Everything was put back into its rightful place. He couldn’t wait to put everything about Le Lubrique behind him and move on.

He was back on the throne with Merlin, leading the kingdom just as they were before the whole ordeal with Le Lubrique. Their advisers especially liked the fact that Arthur was back with Merlin; it meant less work for them. The moment that Sylvy left their grounds, Camelot’s advisers piled parchment after novel after demands on his table.

Those selfish bastards.

The so-called requests were so thick that Merlin didn’t even make a sarcastic comment comparing it to Arthur’s ass, and, or his thick skull; the warlock simply went to work. If Arthur himself wasn’t already terrified of the workload, he would have shocked himself to the grave at Merlin’s willingness to submit to their advisers. The two kings of Camelot knew when they met their match.

What felt like weeks passed where Arthur and Merlin did nothing but what their advisers ordered. They were slaves to their own court. The two didn’t leave their room for anything, not food, not training, not even a breath of fresh air. Their knights would occasionally knock on their door to make sure they were both still alive, but once the knights of the round table had been turned down a couple dozen times, they stopped caring. Merlin and Arthur shut off the world. They were practically locked in there, all because of their own doing.

Well, mostly Merlin’s doing. He was the one who invited the envoy over and wanted to make peace with the new kingdom. Arthur had nothing to do with that prolonged visit from the devil, he was only paying the price. His hands ached like it had been shorn off at the wrists, his back screaming for him to rest. He didn’t remember the last time he touched his bed, the neatly tucked in linens calling him to slumber. But he couldn’t, neither of them could until their work was done. Their kingdom depended on it and their kingdom came first, Arthur and Merlin’s comfort second. They both knew what they had signed up for when they decided to wed.

“A-Arthur,” Merlin groaned late one night, the sun mere minutes from the horizon.

Arthur immediately looked up from his book, putting his full attention on Merlin who was on the other side of the room. Neither of them had talked in days besides the few grunts they exchanged while passing over important text. The fact that Merlin was straining his voice now meant something serious was going on.

“What’s wrong?” Arthur coughed, his throat parched and dry as a desert.

“I-I-” Merlin began, rubbing harshly at his hurt eyes, “I think that’s the last one.” The sorcerer signed one more parchment with a flick of his wrist, setting it aside to dry along with the rest.

And the thing was, Merlin was right. There was no more work to go through, to tirelessly read; everything was finally done. “I’m so tired I don’t think I can see straight, b-but that was it!”

“What?”

“We’re finished, you clophole," Merlin smiled, taking Arthur’s breath away.

Arthur leapt out of his seat, pure joy masking the aches and pains as he rushed over to Merlin’s side. The king pulled the sorcerer from his chair, lifting the man into the air, Arthur kissed Merlin like it was their wedding day. Deep and full of all the longing he had for the man, grasping at him as if he could protect Merlin from the world.

He only pulled back for air, inhaling lungfuls before pressing his lips back against Merlin’s. Arthur missed his husband so damn much despite having worked across the room for each other. He hadn’t touched the other man in ages, it was heaven to feel his heartbeat beneath his pained fingers. To kiss down Merlin’s pale neck and mark him until the whole castle knew exactly what they had been up to. To pull at Merlin’s clothes, ripping his tunic right off of his chest, the buttons flying across the room.

“Arthur,” Merlin moaned, gently pushing Arthur back so he could speak. “I liked that shirt.”

Arthur thumbed at Merlin’s trousers, holding his hips tight enough to leave marks that Merlin would feel for days to come. “I’ll get you a new one.”

“But my mother made me that one,” Merlin complained, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s neck. His strong hand went to cup Arthur’s cheek, making the king look at him. Forcing the king to calm down and evaluate things. “We have to get something to eat too, dear,” Merlin told Arthur in a loving tone. “We’re both too exhausted for this.”

“I’m never too tired for you,” Arthur bit back, leaning into Merlin’s hand. He may have been putting his weight on Merlin’s desk so as to not fall over, but Merlin didn’t need to know that. Arthur could most definitely ravage Merlin while on the brink of death.

Merlin pulled Arthur close to kiss him softly, “If we go to bed now, then we can spend all of next day together,” Merlin tried to bargain, eyes teary from lack of any sort of sleep. “You’re going to hurt yourself, you ass,” he chuckled with a small smile that made his eyes crinkle with mirth.

“I don’t want to,” Arthur whined, “I’ve worked for weeks on end. Now I want my reward for behaving.” Arthur sat back on Merlin’s desk, pulling the man on top of him. The desk groaned under their combined weight, but Arthur hardly cared when he had Merlin on his lap and straddling his thighs. “You’re all I want.” He embraced Merlin, the warlock half naked and moaning as Arthur kissed along his arm. His mouth sucked at Merlin’s skin, teeth leaving markings on pale skin claiming Merlin as his. Arthur worshiped Merlin until his stormy eyes were hazy with unabated lust.

“Just you….”

Arthur slumped forward, out like a dying candle before he even knew it. Merlin had to stifle a laugh, though he doubted anything would wake Arthur then. The king was out cold, snoring like there was no tomorrow. Too bad Merlin had to carry his fat ass over to their bed. The warlock was beginning to rethink their plans for tomorrow. Sometimes he wished Arthur wasn’t such a stubborn ass and listened to him. It would save them both the trouble, Merlin was right most of the time after all.

“Get some rest, you oaf,” Merlin said to the asleep man, tucking him into their bed. Arthur’s blonde hair was like a halo against their stark white pillow, the dark bags underneath his eyes a contrast with the paleness of his skin. His old tunic was a dull red from overuse, the buttons holding onto the fabric for dear life. Merlin stripped Arthur of his boats and stuffy tunic leaving both men in their trousers. A much better way to sleep if anyone asked.

“Good night, Arthur,” Merlin whispered into Arthur’s ear, snuggling up against the king. He threw the blankets over himself and laid on Arthur’s chest. The pull of sleep had Merlin out just as quickly, the moment he allowed his breath to even out, there was nothing that would stop him from getting the well earned sleep that he so needed.

“Rest well, Merlin,” Arthur answered in a murmur, pulling Merlin in close. “Sweet dreams, you idiot.”

-----

“Arthur, calm down and try to see reason!” Merlin all but yelled at the king without his crown. The man in question was in his knight gear, armor and chainmail strapped tightly to his body for protection. His sword hung to his side, within reach at all times. Arthur could feel something ominous looming on the horizon, it was Merlin who was still seeing the world with rose colored glasses.

“I tried to see reason. I tried to play nice. And this is what I get in return,” Arthur gestured to the pile of charred wood on the round table. Wood that was once the homes of innocent farmers who played no part in the altercations of royals. People that Arthur was supposed to protect, their livelihoods and homes included. “We were nothing but good to them and this is what happened. Dozens of houses burned to nothing overnight!”

“We have to act now, Merlin.”

“Going in there with your swords raised in offence isn’t going to do anything but start an all out war,” Merlin insisted, urging Arthur to reel himself in, to not lash out at the closest thing. If it were anyone else Merlin would have already smacked them over the head for raising their voice at him. Unfortunately, Merlin was sleeping with the man and didn’t want to be smothered in his sleep. “That’s what Le Lubrique wants; a reason to fight. We can’t give them that.”

“Then what exactly do you expect us to do, Merlin?” Gwen piped in across the table from Merlin. Morgana stood to her side, eyes darting between all the speakers in a frenzy. “They attacked first. It’s only right that we return what they have given us.” Gwen picked up a piece of wood, charcoal rubbing off on her hands as she turned it over. “Arthur is right, we just can’t sit idle.”

Merlin stared at Gwen, hoping that she would be on his side on this. She solemnly shook her head, denying her friend’s offer. Gwen wanted to go on the offence just as much as Arthur, her friends were harmed when Le Lubrique’s soldiers set fire to a section of the kingdom. They burned down acres of farmland, dozens of homes with children and elderly. Luckily, nobody was killed in the process but many were harmed. Gwen wanted vengeance for them. She was a loyal ruler, loyal to her people.

“And we won’t,” Merlin bargained, “We won’t let them gain any more than they already have. No one here knows exactly what they want from us, but we do know that they’re willing to play dirty to get it,” he went on, talking with his hands to release some of the tension. “Let me be a spy and-”

“Absolutely not.”

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“No,” Arthur said firmly, daring Merlin to argue. “You stay right here with me. I will not have you risking your life for measly information.”

“It's not measly information, Arthur. It could be the difference between thousands dead and a simple treaty. We don’t know what Le Lubrique wants, but if we do, we could try to bargain with them. No blood needs to be shed,” Merlin tried, laying a hand on Arthur’s shoulder, forcing the man to look at him. “The queen wants me. She made that very clear. She won’t hurt me if she thinks I’m on her side.”

Arthur stared at Merlin, watching the sorcerer for any sign of hesitation. When he saw nothing of the sort Arthur sat down in his chair with a huff. Merlin really wanted to do this. Spy work is equal to a as rushing in with their flag flying and swords shining; both could end with Merlin buried six feet under. Even the implication had Arthur feeling like hell.

“How am I supposed to get anything done with you gone?” Arthur questioned genuinely, much to the snickers of the knights and ladies. “I can’t function without you,” this was whispered softly to Merlin, just for Merlin.

The anger and stress dissipated from Merlin’s eyes, his shoulders slacked in resignation. Realization slowly but surely dawned on the sorcerer. Arthur was simply afraid. The first king of Camelot was worried, on the brink of tears from it if anyone looked close enough. Merlin rolled his eyes, even after all these years Arthur was still undoubtedly the same.

Without a care for the other people in the room, Merlin sat down on Arthur’s lap, hands on the other’s chest to stabilize himself. Merlin leaned in close and pressed a kiss to Arthur’s lips, cradling his jaw like it was something breakable. “Everything will be alright, Arthur. I can protect myself just fine,” Merlin reassured in a careful voice, stroking Arthur’s cheek. “You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

“I always feel empty without you, Merlin." Arthur pulled Merlin in for another kiss, this one deeper than the last. The two only pulled away for air and even then they went back for more. They couldn’t have enough of the other, constantly needing to feel the other person. A give and take only the other could provide. “What am I supposed to do if you don’t return?” Arthur asked quietly, resting his forehead on Merlin’s. “How am I supposed to live?”

“I promise to you, you’ll never have to find out. You’re stuck with me," Merlin smirked, running his fingers through Arthur’s hair. "Till death do us part, darling.”

Arthur wished he could believe Merlin’s promise. He swore on his mother’s grave that if Merlin fulfilled his promise that he’ll listen to everything Merlin has to say. He’ll never question Merlin again, never talk back to the warlock, shove his stubbornness down and never speak of it again. Arthur would have done anything for Merlin, only the man asked.

Not a month later Arthur received news in the form of a messenger. Le Lubrique had declared war on any who dared try to take the last living dragonlord from them. Merlin was theirs, they stated, the dragonlord belonged to dragon tamers. The two are vital for the continuation of dragons in the old religion. One to gain their trust, the other to keep the creatures in chains where they belong. Any and all who tried to take away their dragonlord would be faced with lethal consequences.

At that Arthur sent the messenger to be put into the stocks. Lethal consequences. Arthur will show them just how deadly he could be. Le Lubrique will pay, a month without Merlin was torture but if they dared to lay a hand on Merlin they would all burn. Gwen was absolutely right, Arthur required vengeance, he wanted them all to feel just what angering Camelot will do, what angering him will do.

And after making such a claim over Merlin’s life, Arthur will show them no mercy. Le Lubrique had declared war on Camelot and Arthur would answer tenfold.

------

It took around two weeks for Arthur to prepare for battle against a kingdom full of sorcerers. Another week was spent traveling with his soldiers over land and sea. Through it all he couldn’t help but be eaten alive by the nagging feeling that he was too late. That he would arrive only to find ash; bones if he was lucky. Day and night he was slowly being killed by the fact that he could very well be walking into his husband’s grave.

“He’s going to be okay,” Morgana reassured him one day as he leaned against the railing of their ship. They were perhaps an hour if not less from shore and Arthur hadn’t slept a wink. He could feel exhaustion mixing with the worry brewing in his mind, ready to overflow at a single inconvenience. His sword was once again at his side, the memory making everything so much worse. “Merlin will be teasing you for worrying so much if he were here.”

“But he isn’t, is he, Morgana?” Arthur said more harshly than he intended. “He could already be dead for all we know.” And it would be all Arthur’s fault, though he kept that notion to himself. By the look on Morgana’s face, she must have been thinking the same thing.

“It's not your fault, Arthur. Merlin chose to go on his own free will.”

“But I was the one who allowed it,” Arthur bit back, standing straight on his feet. “I sent him to his death.”

“You don’t know that,” Morgana crossed her arms. She should be used to Arthur’s self destructive behavior but even this was getting too much for her. “If what that messenger said was true, Merlin’s probably being pampered to death.”

That seemed to be the wrong thing to have said because Arthur’s despair did not lighten. It seemed to have gotten worse. “What if he likes it better with Le Lubrique’s court? I’m no warlock, I can’t compete with their magic!”

“Arthur, you’re overthinking this,” Morgana was done with Arthur’s antics. She was ready to gag him and throw him in the ship’s makeshift prison cell until they had properly docked. “Merlin will run right into your arms the moment he sees you. I’m willing to bet on it, just you wait and see. Merlin loves-”

At Morgana’s silence, Arthur looked over to the direction of her gaze. Their ship was making speed but Arthur suddenly wished they had stopped right where they were and sink. The sight took Arthur’s breath away, making his blood go cold. Le Lubrique was burning and it looked like it had been burning for a very long time. There was no shoreside to speak of, just endless flickering flames. Where the castle should have been standing tall like a beacon was nothing but flames, ruble, and ash.

“Merlin!” Arthur yelled even though his voice would not carry that far. “Merlin!” he called again, his heart sinking to his stomach. He wanted to drown at sea. He never wanted to reach the shore, to be lost in the ocean and never have to face what he already knew was there. The absence of what he knew should’ve been. “Merlin!” he shouted even though it was futile.

“Arthur, please!” Morgana struggled to pull him back from the side, afraid he’ll jump and swim the rest of the way himself. Or worse. “Just an hour, please. That’s all you have to wait for. You- you don’t know for sure.” Even Morgana was not so sure of her words, the picture in front of them was hard to paint as lies.

“I sent him to his death….” Arthur whimpered, “I killed him. I killed my husband.” The king sank to his knees, kneeling next to Morgana. The woman could barely hide the tears in her eyes at the sight. Everything she wanted to say, every reassurance died on her tongue. Whatever she said could very well be a lie and nothing more.

“We will make them pay, Arthur. We will make them pay for what they’ve done,” Morgana decided instead, pulling Arthur to his feet. “They won’t get away with this,” she stated sternly, much like their father when he had set his mind to something.

Less than an hour passed where the tension was so thick, one could slice through it with an unsharpened sword. All on board prepared for battle, despite the fact that the fires never stopped burning. Regardless of the fact that they might be too late to be of much good. The fighting had already begun long before they docked, a civil war where the same flag was flying on opposite sides.

“Go search for what is left, we’ll handle everything else,” Gwen informed Arthur when they stepped foot on the raging battlefield. She was dressed in chainmail armor just like everyone else, Camelot’s colors making her blend in with the searing fires. Her helmet was covering most of her face, giving her the appearance of a frightening soldier ready to take lives at a moment's notice. If Arthur was in a better mood, he would have been sorry for the folks who would come face to face with Gwen, the quick footed soldier instead of Gwen, the gentle, kind hearted high lady. At the moment he was on the verge of breaking and was ever so glad that Gwen was as cut throat as she was.

“Thank you,” Arthur told her from the bottom of his heart, “We should have listened to you from the start.”

“You followed your husband’s request, I can’t fault you for that.” She pulled Arthur in for a hug before sending him off. “Go find our king.”

Gwen didn’t have to tell Arthur twice, he was off before she finished speaking. The only thing is his mind was finding and holding Merlin. Nothing else mattered. Not the war thriving around him, swords clashing, arrows flying, Camelot’s red against the duality of Le Lubrique’s purples; nothing. The sorcerer was all that was worth living for and Arthur had a guess as to where Merlin would be.

The castle with Le Lubrique’s flag flapping against the blistering wind was as good as any place to start. Arthur climbed the hill that the palace stood on with lead in his stomach. It felt like every step he took he was merely walking into a trap. The castle should not still be in one piece, the battles around the structure should have made it no more than debris. However, it still stood on weak support.

Going against the nagging voice in the back of his head Arthur called out for his husband, “Merlin!” He walked closer to what would have been the courtyard. Around the perimeter were burning shrubbery that must have been a sight to behold at one point in time. Now there were nothing more than flares and the source of black smoke. The cobblestone center was stained with a drying red that Arthur did not want to face the source of. “Merlin!” Arthur sounded out in the courtyard.

“Arthur,” a hoarse voice groaned weakly. Arthur ran in the direction it came from, his sense of self preservation be damned. Merlin’s life could be on the line.

“Merlin, stay with me. Keep talking!”

“I-I’m over here,” Merlin hissed out helpfully, not informing Arthur where, “here” exactly was. Why did Arthur have to marry such a buffoon? Sure, no one could compare to Merlin, but at the very least he could have courted a smarter man.

“I’m coming, just stay where you are,” Arthur said hastily, rushing through the crumbling courtyard. “Don’t you dare die on me, I’ll kill you myself if you do!” he threatened, searching every nook and cranny for the warlock.

“That’s my line, you ass,” Merlin moaned in complaint, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. “Come up with your own catchphrases.”

Sometimes Arthur couldn’t believe his choice in a partner. Merlin was really making banter with him while possibly on the brink of death. He was definitely going to kill Merlin for this. “Make me, you bastard,” Arthur cursed, rounding a sharp corner that fell apart as he passed it. His breath was taken away for the second time that day when he saw Merlin on the ground.

They were in what must have been a parlor, the stained glass windows shattered on the ground as a number of the fine furniture burned to cinder. Arthur could imagine the room as something beautiful if he were to be invited over for tea. Now he just saw it as a smoking mess, something that he was glad was going up in flames. Though, without him or Merlin in it would be nice.

“There you are!” Arthur exclaimed, rushing over and kneeling on the floor next to Merlin’s frame. The sorcerer was half naked with sharp nail marks littered across his pale skin. Merlin’s neck was a raring red as if a hand had been wrapped around his throat which didn’t let up until he passed out from the lack of air. His form was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and tears, his rib cage stuck out in unpleasant angles. It looked like he hadn’t been fed in days. The sight made Arthur furious, but Le Lubrique’s court could wait. Arthur had to get Merlin to safety first.

“Took you long enough, you oaf,” Merlin hissed through his teeth, his lips chapped from dehydration. The corner of his mouth was bleeding as if he had been back handed across the face. Arthur reached out a hand to touch it, to make sure Merlin was real and not just some illusion made by a sick sorcerer. “Stop that, it already hurts to talk,” Merlin coughed, his eyes hazy.

“What happened?” Arthur couldn’t help but ask, shrugging off his cape to throw over Merlin’s bare chest. It didn’t offer much coverage but it was protection against the flying embers. As a bonus it covered the markings that made Arthur’s skin crawl.

“I arrived under the guise of an envoy, just as we had planned. Everything seemed to be going fine, but they found out I was a spy early on. It was like they could read my mind, and I don’t doubt that they have the knowledge just for the spell,” Merlin explained, pulling Arthur’s cape close, the soft fabric offering a sense of shelter. “But they didn’t seem to care that I was there under ulterior motives. They were only glad to have me, mind and body,” Merlin shivered at the thought. “Le Lubrique’s queen wanted me to father her children.”

Merlin paused to let the thought sink in. He watched Arthur for his reaction. Arthur’s face twisted in a disgusted sneer, baring his teeth at the implication. The king clenched his fists until his nails dug deep enough into his palm to drag blood. Arthur wanted to feel the pain, something to ground him farther so he didn’t march off to kill someone who might already be dead.

“Le Lubrique wanted dragons as slaves, no king would be dumb enough to go to war with a kingdom with dragons on their side; no matter its size,” Merlin went on, his eyes glowing yellow at the notion. “They needed me as a stud.”

Arthur was repulsed at the notion that Le Lubrique would even conceive of such a thing. He must have looked ready to vomit because Merlin quickly added, “Le Lubrique’s queen even tried to make herself appealing to me when I denied her advances.” Arthur could only imagine what the woman did. Sylvy’s antics immediately came to mind. “She magicked her hair blonde and made her eyes your shade of blue.”

Arthur couldn’t help but darkly chuckle at that. Of all the ways to make Merlin fall for someone, blonde hair and blue eyes weren’t it. “Did she really think looking like me would get you to bed her?”

“No,” Merlin began again with a pained yelp that he tried to hide. “What she said was what made me comply.”

“What did she say?” Arthur growled, his earlier fury seeping back into his bloodstream. “What did that harlot say?”

“She threatened your life, Arthur. Your honor, your dignity, and reign as king. Everything,” Merlin got teary eyed at the memory. “The way she took her pleasure from me was painful, but it was nothing compared to the thought of what she said she would have done to you.”

Arthur was shaking with rage, his whole body trembled with the urge to tear Le Lubrique’s queen apart, limb by limb by his own bare hands. His hand hovered over his sword subconsciously. He wanted to kill her, needed to destroy her for what she’s done. For the fear she incited into Merlin. Arthur was bloodthirsty; he hoped that Gwen was just as demanding of blood.

“I wanted to kill her.” Merlin’s quivering voice brought Arthur back to the present. “Let me kill her, Arthur,” Merlin begged his husband, his lip beginning to bleed.

“Of course,” Arthur wiped Merlin’s tears away with his thumb, his hand caressing Merlin’s cheek gently. “Anything you want, I’ll give it to you in a heartbeat.”

“Now, Arthur. I want to kill her now.” Merlin tried to sit up but the cry of pain had him falling right back to where he was. “She deserves to suffer.” His eyes lit up in a gold light, trying to magic his way upright but failed and fell down once more. The warlock’s body was in a worse state than he appeared, he shook in a cold sweat like an infection induced fever.

When Merlin began coughing fistfuls of blood at the strain Arthur was forced to act quickly. The king straddled Merlin’s legs, sitting down on his lap to keep Merlin on the ground. “Shhh, I’m here, Merlin. I’m safe, I’m alive,” Arthur barricaded Merlin with his arms. “I’ll bring you her head, I swear.”

“Let me do it, Arthur. I can kill her myself,” Merlin barked, another fit of coughs had him squeezing his eyes shut.

“I’ll bring her to you, alive. You can do anything you want with her court,” Arthur tried a different approach, tears forming in his eyes at the sight of Merlin in this state. “You can make her pay for what she’s done, make her feel the same pain. But please, Merlin,” Arthur begged, stroking Merlin’s face as tears fell on the man’s face. “Stay with me. Keep talking.”

Merlin opened his eyes at Arthur’s request, pain painting them a disorientating blue. “It hurts, Arthur. She did so, so many horrible things,” Merlin admitted in the burning parlor room. He reached out angry scarred arms to wrap around Arthur, pulling the king flush against his chest. “Everything aches, it feels like I’m being burned alive.” Merlin had Arthur in a death grip, there was barely enough room for either of them to breathe. It felt like home.

“They will pay, this I swear,” Arthur made an oath, kissing Merlin to make it true. “By the end of this day their bodies will be put on display for all to see.” He kissed down Merlin’s neck, burying Le Lubrique’s queen’s markings with his own. “Do you want her kingdom as well, Merlin? Say the word and it's yours.”

“I want you. I want her gone. I want her kingdom. I want it all,” Merlin’s mind was spinning with searing fever, screaming pain, and the constant pleasure of Arthur licking at his throat. He squeezed Arthur’s neck with his shaking arms. “Give me everything.”

In a burning parlor of a dying country with a queen and court that abandoned it, the first king of Camelot made a vow to the second king; an apology and a promise. Everything the licking fire was eating, everything destroyed by its own queen; the country, and the sea that surrounded it. The never ending farmlands, the people that survived, and the bones that would be buried by ash of its own making. The entire kingdom; dead, dying, or thriving. All of it would be Merlin’s.

All of it is Merlin’s.

“My king shall have everything.”

[jayz4dayz]

5 for Meariri?

Of course! This was a lot of fun to write! 

Prompt: “Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

Jealousy 

It was hot. Hot and sticky and miserable. Truth be told, Mary wished Kirari would have chosen a less humid location for a getaway. Technically, Mary wasn’t even supposed to be there considering this was a student council event. She wasn’t fond of a single person on the council aside from Ririka, who was the only reason why Mary agreed to go in the first place.

She just couldn’t say no to Ririka who was so excited to go and was happy to invite her to come along. Besides, sharing a hotel room alone with her girlfriend and relaxing without the burden of school work for a few days didn’t sound like a bad idea at first. Anyone would have jumped at the opportunity to go on an all expense paid trip to an exotic tropical island in another country with their significant other after all.

What Mary wasn’t prepared for was the blazing hot sun, humid weather, and having to shop for a new bathing suit and temporary clothes with Ririka because their luggage got mixed up with someone else's at the airport.

What she certainly wasn’t prepared for was the overly flirtatious clerk at the swimsuit shop who was all too eager to help Ririka find a perfect fit. Ririka was oblivious, of course, and didn’t understand that the young man was heavily flirting with her. But Mary knew and it was starting to piss her off the longer his eyes greedily awaited for Ririka to exit the dressing room in a bikini she had picked out.

“I don’t know, it looks a little tight in the bust,” Ririka said shyly from the dressing room.

“Oh yeah? Why don’t you come out? Then I can see if you need a bigger size or maybe take your measurements,” the man grinned, reaching for the handle of the door.

“Um, no. I think the fuck not,” Mary stopped him in his tracks. “I’ll be the judge of that, thank you.”

The man raised a brow at her. “Alright, ma’am. See if your friend needs a bigger size then.”

Friend. The word made Mary bite her tongue for she wanted to say she was much more than Ririka’s friend. It left a bitter taste in Mary’s mouth as she grumbled, walking into the changing room.

Almost instantly, her sour mood shifted the moment she saw her girlfriend shyly holding her arms as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The bikini was an aquamarine color and fit her body near perfectly. It showed off her well toned stomach and seemed to fit in all the right places. She was stunning as always, only now even more so.

Ririka smiled slightly, blushing when she saw Mary’s wide-eyed expression. “H-how do I look?”

“Hot,” Mary breathed out. “I-I mean you look great!”

“Thank you, love. Do you think it shows off too much of my body though?” Ririka asked, lowering her arms.

To Mary, it didn’t show off enough. Not that she’d ever admit. However, it was revealing enough that she knew people would definitely look twice if they walked past Ririka. It was hard enough for her to keep her own eyes off of Ririka, but perhaps that was only because she was her girlfriend. Besides, Ririka was going to be wearing this bathing suit for one reason and one reason only: to swim. It was either this or a wetsuit, which both Kirari and Mary discouraged her from doing since the ocean water was relatively warm and it would have just been a hassle.

“Would you like a one piece instead?” Mary snickered.

Ririka pouted. “Well, not really. I kind of wanted to get a tan.”

“Babe, you don’t tan. You burn,” Mary scoffed. “And this’ll mean you’ll need to put on extra sunscreen.”

“Hm, maybe you’re right. I’ll just get a one piece,” Ririka agreed, beginning to strip down.

“You could get both,” Mary suggested. “One for the beach and one for the pool at the hotel or for other occasions. That is if it’s in our budget.”

Ririka grinned. “Money’s not an issue, so I think I will! Thank you, dearest.”

Mary maintained her tsundere attitude, rolling her eyes when Ririka briefly pecked her lips. However, she failed to hide her blush or the smirk that made its way onto her face from the sudden affection from her lover.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just hurry up so we can meet the others at the beach spot,” Mary chuckled.

Ririka’s hand intertwined with Mary’s and she grinned as they walked along the sandy sidewalk. Seeing Ririka smile warmed Mary's heart; she rarely saw her girlfriend smile. She was used to seeing the creepy smile of Ririka’s mask, something Mary was grateful Ririka left behind for this trip.

Mary received several glances from onlookers, which she normally wouldn’t pay any attention to. Until she realized they weren’t staring at the two of them, they were staring at Ririka. She was in her two piece and Mary supposed that and Ririka’s platinum hair drew a bit of attention. She protectively held her girlfriend close to her, scowling at whoever stared at her for too long.

Ririka paid no attention to that or the people who looked at her. She only smiled brighter, thinking Mary was only being extra affectionate to her which she’d gladly accept. She’d never deny it since Mary typically only showed her affection when they were alone or occasionally when they were with friends.

“Clingy today, hm?” Ririka teased.

“Maybe,” Mary grumbled, her cheeks reddening.  

Ririka recognized that tone of voice. Mary was greatly irritated by something. What it was, Ririka couldn’t figure out yet. It was hot outside and she knew how much Mary hated hot weather, but soon they’d be in the cool, soothing water of the ocean. So she didn’t dwell much on the thought.

Once they arrived at the location, they were greeted by Kirari and Sayaka. Kirari immediately handed her sister a bottle of sunscreen, to which Ririka began to complain. The two started to bicker while Sayaka insisted for Ririka to apply sunblock. The conversation bored Mary, so she walked over to an empty area and took her beach towel out of her bag. She laid it across the sand before sitting down, watching sea birds dive into the ocean.

Eventually, Ririka walked over to Mary in defeat, plopping down on the towel. She laid her head in Mary’s lap and pouted, looking up at her.

“Riri, you’re gonna get sunscreen on my jeans!” Mary laughed, brushing a loose strand of hair out of Ririka’s face.

“Kirari put too much on me,” Ririka cringed, trying to rub the whiter areas on her arms that still had sunblock on it. “I don’t burn that badly.”

Mary snorted. “Yeah you do. Even worse than I do.”

“Whatever,” Ririka groaned. “I want to swim eventually. Maybe I’ll see some fish.”

“Nah, chances are you’ll only see Midari trying to drown,” Mary replied. “If you’re lucky, you’ll see Yuriko-senpai drown trying to save her.”

Ririka looked out at the shore, seeing Midari chasing Yuriko with a dead or perhaps horrifyingly still alive sea jelly as the poor girl shrieked and tried to evade her. “Hm... or Yuriko will try to drown Midari herself.”  

“Yeah and Midari would probably let her,” Mary snickered as she too watched Midari torment Yuriko. “Maybe that was her plan all along, the damn masochist.”

“I don’t know,” Ririka sighed in disinterest. “Will you go swimming with me?”

“Later maybe. I don’t wanna get covered in sand if I can avoid it,” Mary responded curtly. "Besides, then I'd have to change out of my jeans which I really don't wanna do."

Ririka grinned, wrapping her arms around the blonde’s waist. “Do you want to just stay like this for a while then?”

“I can get used to this,” Mary smirked in agreement.

And so they did, enjoying the ocean breeze and each other’s presence. For a while at least, until Kirari and Sayaka returned. Mary only glared at them as they approached, hoping they were only coming over to grab something from their bag or that they’d walk right past them.

“We’re playing badminton,” Kirari announced with her signature sly smile, wrapping her arm around Sayaka.

“That’s nice. Have fun, I guess,” Mary raised a brow at them in dismissal.

Sayaka’s face was bright red, regardless of her efforts of trying to remain in her professional Secretary persona. “T-the President is referring to the four of us.”

“Tch, I’m not playing against her. She never plays fair for gambling or sports,” Mary scoffed.

“Your incapability in athletics is no excuse for accusing me of not playing fair, Saotome,” Kirari faked a pout that made Mary’s blood boil.

“We’ll play only if I choose who’s on each side,” Ririka chimed in. “And Mary is very athletic, Rari. Her flexibility is impeccable.”

Mary’s face felt hot as Ririka winked at her, catching on to the double entendre. “T-thanks.”

Kirari pursed her lips. “Very well then. I have no issue with this.”

Ririka grinned and looked at Sayaka who was still practically attached to Kirari by the hip. “Sayaka, are you alright with being my partner for this?”

Mary instantly felt a stab of betrayal and she could tell by Kirari’s sudden shift in expression that the feeling was very much mutual. The younger twin squinted at the blonde, silently voicing her displeasure with this sudden arrangement. Mary shot back a sinister glare with just as much venom.

It was clear neither were expecting Ririka to choose Sayaka. It would have been less surprising had she chosen Kirari, even. Perhaps this was all for Ririka’s entertainment, knowing that Kirari and Mary would rather eat sand than pair up together for anything.

Sayaka gave Kirari a look of panic to which Kirari gave a slight nod, kissing Sayaka’s forehead before releasing her. Sayaka’s expression immediately softened.

Sayaka gave a light smile. “I would be honored to be your partner, Ririka-san.”

Jealousy tugged at Mary’s heart. She despised feeling jealous of Sayaka, someone she knew followed Kirari around like a lost puppy and devoted her life to her. Maybe it was because she knew Ririka shared the same face as Kirari that made her feel like Sayaka was some sort of threat. Mary of all people knew that Ririka and Kirari were two very different people, regardless of their similar features. Yet it still got under her skin.

“Now that it’s settled, I’m going to ask Runa to be the score keeper,” Kirari spoke up; her tone was bitter.

Mary sighed, getting up and dusted off the sand from her legs. She watched as Kirari and Sayaka walked towards the volleyball net which she was sure they were going to use for their game.

Ririka smiled mischievously at her to which Mary responded with the roll of her eyes. “Was it really necessary pairing me up with Kirari?”

“Of course it was,” Ririka nodded. “You said you wanted things to be fair. Had Kirari and I been on the same side, there would be an unfair advantage since the two of us are unstoppable at pretty much every sport. Had I paired us with each other’s significant other, all of us would be distracted. This pairing assures that Kirari won’t try to cheat because you’ll be there to catch it, though I’m not sure how she could cheat in badminton. Regardless, this will be a good way for the two of you to work on your team work skills and maybe help you bond with each other.”

It made sense at least, but the last thing she wanted was to be on the same team as Kirari Momobami. Hell, she would have rather been paired with Sayaka and accepted whatever loss they took if the twins dominated in the game. She couldn’t have cared less about victory or loss seeing as how she didn’t even want to play in the first place.

Being paired with Kirari complicated things. She knew how competitive Kirari was and she did not want to hear Kirari’s constant complaints and reminders of how shitty of a player Mary was if she didn’t put any effort into the game.

So Mary was trapped, and very much frustrated with the whole situation. All she could really do was sigh and grin and bear it for the time being. It was just one game after all. How bad could it be?

Mary severely underestimated just how competitive Kirari was and Ririka for that matter. Her girlfriend was right in saying that she and Kirari would have absolutely had an advantage had Mary been paired with Sayaka. In all honesty, it looked more like the twins were going against each other rather than all four of them.

Mary and Sayaka couldn’t keep up with how fast Ririka and Kirari were. Their speed and accuracy was almost inhuman; Mary and Sayaka more or less gave up and just watched the twins compete. It’s not like they were able to attempt to score anyway; Kirari and Ririka were always quick to beat them to it.

Because of the twins rarely missing a hit, the game stretched on far longer than Mary wanted. Both sides were tied and still needed several more points to win. Even Runa looked like she was growing bored, scrolling on her phone since she knew this game wasn’t going anywhere.

The only good thing about this was that Mary got to watch her lover sweat and see those beautiful muscles go to good work. She looked so beautiful, even like this. Her eyes had a fiery tint to them, glowing from her competitive spirit. It made Mary's core burn with desire.

Ririka was panting heavily by the time Runa called for a break so the twins could catch their breath. Mary and Sayaka were hardly breaking a sweat, not that they had a reason to anyway.

“Sayaka and I haven’t scored a single point, so I don’t understand why you didn’t just ask Ririka to play with you,” Mary commented.

Kirari panted, tying up her hair that had long since fallen out of its braids. “I’m beginning to regret not doing so. You haven’t been very helpful.”

“Because you won’t let me hit the feather thing!” Mary shouted in defense.

“It’s called a shuttlecock, heathen,” Kirari huffed. “And I know you’d likely intentionally miss and allow the other team to score so you can get this game over with.”

“Honestly at this point, yeah,” Mary confirmed. “I just wanna be done with this and spend the rest of the day with my girlfriend.”

“Well I refuse to lose in front of Sayaka,” Kirari muttered. “So you’re sorely mistaken if you believe I’ll concede to defeat so easily.”

Mary sighed. “If I make an effort to help you win, do you think the game will end sooner?”

“Perhaps, but if we lose even after you give your all, you know I won’t let you hear the end of it, don’t you?” Kirari smirked.

“I expect nothing less and I really don’t give a shit,” Mary grumbled.

“Oki! Let’s resume!” Runa shouted in a clearly faked cheerful tone. “But I’m changing things up. The team to score the next point wins!”

“Why the sudden change of rules, Runa?” Sayaka asked.

Runa sighed. “I’m tired of being the scorekeeper and I wanna go swimming, so let’s get this over with.”

That news was music to Mary’s ears. Now that it was just one point she had to worry about, her mood finally turned competitive. She wanted to end this. She wanted to win this not just to keep Kirari off her back, but to impress Ririka as well.

Everyone got into position. It was Ririka’s turn to serve and Mary didn’t keep her eyes off of her. Ririka glanced over at Mary, giving her a quick smile before serving. Kirari was quicker than Mary, hitting the shuttlecock back onto the other side. Mary rolled her eyes and watched as Sayaka hit it next, sending it towards her.

After sending it back and forth several times, things became rather intense as now all four participants kept their eyes glued on the shuttlecock flying through the air. Mary knew Sayaka was expecting her to always send it to Ririka, so she decided to catch the violet-eyed girl off guard.

Thwack. Sayaka and Ririka watched as the shuttlecock glided through the air. Mary watched as if it were in slow motion as Ririka ran to hit it and surprisingly didn’t miss. However, she crashed into Sayaka in the process, falling on top of her. It wouldn’t have been as bad had Ririka not accidentally placed her hands on Sayaka’s breasts, making the entire scenario all the more awkward. Both Mary and Kirari watched with wide eyes, completely ignoring the fact that the shuttlecock had already landed in their zone.

“O-oh my god, I’m so sorry, Sayaka!” Ririka squeaked and instantly lifted her hands, her face turning bright red from embarrassment.

“That’s… that’s…” Sayaka couldn’t even finish her sentence for she also was too embarrassed.

Mary snapped out of her gaze when she heard laughing next to her. She snapped her head towards Kirari who looked all too amused by this.

“Ara, ara, what I would give to be in my dear sister’s position right now,” Kirari grinned cheekily.

"Does that not make you even a little bit mad?" Mary hissed.

Kirari chuckled. "Of course not. I find this to be quite amusing."

"Of course you do," Mary growled.

“Ririka-chan’s team wins!” Runa announced, startling all of them. Apparently they had forgotten she was there. “Game over! Finally.”

“Good,” Mary grumbled, storming off away from them.

She heard somebody call out after her, but she paid no attention to it. What happened was a complete accident, she knew she shouldn’t have felt angry or jealous. The fact that it happened to Sayaka and not her was perhaps what made her the most upset. But she knew she had to let it go. It was a stupid thing to be upset over.

She plopped down onto her beach towel with a huff, glancing towards the crashing waves in the distance. She saw Midari’s arms wrapped around Yuriko’s waist as they allowed the water to rush past their knees. Mary wished that was her with Ririka right about now. Perhaps not in the water, but instead in the comfort and privacy of their hotel room.

“Are you alright? You looked really upset,” a familiar voice said from behind.

Mary slightly turned her head and her face softened upon seeing her girlfriend. “Yeah, I’m alright. I’m just tired.”

Ririka knelt down, her cerulean eyes full of concern. “Are you sure there’s nothing bothering you? You can talk to me, you know.”

‘Yes, the fact that I haven’t had a damn minute alone with you yet today and people left and right have been looking at you in a way only I should be,’ Mary wanted to say.

Mary shook her head. “Like I said, I’m tired. Don't worry about it. Do you still want to go swimming?”

“Of course!” Ririka grinned. “The badminton game really made me hot so I want to go cool off. Are you going to join me?”

“Maybe I’ll dip my toes in,” Mary smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. “But don’t push your luck.”

“Alright, I’ll see you there then,” Ririka said softly, kissing the top of Mary’s head.

Mary watched Ririka walk over to the shore before wading her way into the water. She chuckled when she saw her dive into a wave and move her platinum hair out of her face when she returned to the surface. She looked happy. Seeing that made Mary happy. Though her day hadn’t gone as planned in the slightest, she was at least relieved Ririka was having fun. She rarely got a break like this and genuinely had fun. School work and helping Kirari run their psychotic family was stressful enough on top of maintaining their position as top gamblers. Ririka deserved a chance to breathe and be herself for once.

Mary got up and rolled up her pant legs before walking over to the shore. She noticed that Ririka had swam much deeper into the water, but wasn’t too concerned. She shivered slightly when the cold water touched her feet, but it was refreshing nonetheless. It was hot anyway, so it felt nice.

She stood there for a moment enjoying the breeze and the shifting sand beneath her toes, finally feeling calm. That is until she saw a lifeguard run past her and into the water. She was swimming closer and closer to where Ririka was which caused Mary to panic.

All she could do was anxiously wait and watch as the lifeguard tugged Ririka parallel to where they were until they reached the shore. Mary sprinted to them, still in a panicked state of mind. Ririka held onto the lifeguard’s arm, her face red either from exhaustion or embarrassment… or because the lifeguard was very attractive.

“I-is she okay? Is she hurt? What happened?” The blonde asked frantically.

The lifeguard gave a friendly smile. “Your friend got caught in a rip tide, but she’s alright now.”

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Ririka stuttered in embarrassment.

“Don’t worry about it,” the lifeguard assured her. “Just be careful swimming in this area of the beach. Alright, beautiful?”

That was it. That was the comment that made Mary nearly lose it. It was too much. With all that had already happened, the flirting from the clerk earlier, the looks from people on the street, Ririka falling on Sayaka, and now the attractive lifeguard flirting with Ririka, Mary's jealousy had finally gotten to a point where she was about to snap if she didn't get so much as a minute alone with her girlfriend.

“Thanks for saving my girlfriend, ” Mary said in the nicest tone she could, emphasizing on the word 'girlfriend.'

“Just doing my job,” the lifeguard nodded. “You two have a good day now!”

Mary crossed her arms, trying her hardest to not let her inner emotions show.

“Mary?” Ririka asked with caution. “You okay?”

Mary huffed, looking up at her. “Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous?” Ririka smirked.

Mary’s face turned bright red. “No! I just...yes. A little.”

Ririka knew that was an understatement. She took a step closer to her lover, looking down at her. Mary was pouting and refusing to look at her now. Ririka placed a hand on Mary’s cheek, turning her face to look at her.

“You know I only have eyes for you,” the platinum haired girl whispered seductively.

“I-I know that! I’m not doubting your loyalty or anything! I just don’t like people looking at you the way I do,” Mary admitted, placing her hand over Ririka’s lovingly.

Ririka chuckled. "There's so much irony in this situation."

Mary raised a confused brow. "Huh?"

"You think I don't get jealous whenever someone looks at you with lust in their eyes? There are girls and boys in school including in our friend group who I know would give anything to be in a room alone with you," Ririka explained.

Mary was all too aware of her popularity at Hyakkaou. Heck, every Valentine's Day she received love letters from people she'd never even met. Being a top gambler had its perks, but Mary didn't necessarily consider that to be one. Especially now that she was no longer single and had to reject people instead of just brush them aside.

"Our friend group? Who?" Mary asked with a bewildered expression.

"Ryota," Ririka said softly.

"Okay, Suzui doesn't count. He gets flustered around everyone. Remember how much he blushed when he saw you without your mask for the first time? He's just a bundle of awkwardness," Mary explained with a scoff. "Who else?"

Ririka hesitated. "Yumeko."

Oh. Now that Mary could understand. Yumeko was a touchy person by nature, but she was different around Mary. Perhaps it was because she had feelings for her or maybe it was because she was close to Mary. Whatever the reason, Mary could see why Ririka could be jealous of her.

Mary rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Yeah, okay. I can see that. I've never had feelings for Yumeko though."

"Really?" Ririka asked with wide eyes.

"I care about her and all, but she has a hard time with boundaries. You always respect my boundaries and care about how I feel. Even today, you checked in on me when you felt like something was wrong," Mary blushed.

"And something was," Ririka nodded. "Communicating is important, my love. Without talking to me about these things, our relationship wouldn't be solid. We agreed from the start to be honest with each other about everything, right?"

Mary smiled fondly. "Right."

"So be honest with me now. You haven't gotten what you've wanted all day," Ririka sighed, placing her hands on Mary's hips. "What would you like to do now? What do you want?"

Mary licked her lips and breathed out. "You."  

"I'm all yours," Ririka whispered.

Ririka's eyes sparkled with desire. Her eyes fluttered shut as she pulled Mary close, pressing their two lips together. Mary smiled into the kiss and the world around them fell away. All they could hear was the crashing waves behind them. It was a moment, a single blissful moment that felt like a lifetime. Kissing Ririka always had that affect, like she was the only other person in the world.

The two broke free for air and pressed their foreheads together.

"I want more," Mary panted. "Somewhere alone with you. Do you think we can go to the hotel?"

"Hm, perhaps. Though the rental car is closer, don't you agree?" Ririka smirked.

The heat between Mary's legs grew more prominent now and had this been any other time, she would have obliged. But she wanted absolute privacy with no risks of being intruded.

Mary shook her head. "No, I want to be alone in a room with you. I need you, Riri."

Ririka grinned, briefly kissing Mary's lips once more before holding her hand, gently tugging her to walk away with her.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

[shoichee]

Hello and congrats on the 100 milestone! Can you do prompt #19 for Midorima? 😁

MAN OH MAN IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME BUT I’M FINALLY BACK, TSYM for being here since the beginning, i rlly rlly appreciate it <333 so HERES SOME FLUFF

Midorima x Reader

19. “I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me”

Word Count: 3349

prompt list here

»»—————　☼　—————««

“Seriously, are you sure you’re not secretly related to Shin-chan?” Takao shoves another helping of rice into his mouth and you instantly frown at his messy eating habits.

“Takao, it doesn’t hurt to wipe the grains off your cheeks with napkins that the cafeteria always abundantly provides,” you say, not once taking your eyes off of the study guide you compiled for the class final. “And please don’t talk with your mouth open.” You can easily sense Takao groaning before slapping his eyes while leaning back in frustration, but you still carried on in skimming your notes instead.

“And that’s exactly why Shin-chan doesn’t know how to approach you,” he petulantly mumbles. You spared a glance above your packets, not catching his inaudible words.

“Pardon?”

“Never mind,” Takao sighs, settling to childishly stabbing the shrimp tempuras with his chopsticks and popping them into his mouth. “You werdn’t gert it.”

“What did I just say about your eating manners?” You roll your eyes, choosing to brush off his words as you continue to devote your attention to your papers. Takao simply opts to noisily munch on the rest of his lunch while being deep in thought, letting you study in some relative peace. He then gets up, tosses his trash away, and plops back down on his seat, and he props up his chin on his arm, watching you completely engrossed in your own world and figuring out how to exactly figure out his next best course of action.

“Y’know what? Screw this, I’m not getting paid to be a wingman for two difficult people,” he dramatically sighs, purposely trying to get your attention, and it worked. “You might wanna start paying attention to poor Shin-chan before he over thinks himself to death.” Takao does an exaggerated shrug and a shake of his head to emphasize the “seriousness” of the situation. You merely frown.

“You never cease to amaze me with your convoluted words. If you want something from me, just spit it out already.” You reluctantly let down your papers to give him your undivided attention, and Takao leans closer, dropping his voice to a hush.

“Look, I know you see him in a different light from the others,” he whispers conspiringly. “And he does too.” He makes pointer-finger motions in front of him to represent “you” and “Midorima.”

“... This again?” You pinch your nose bridge and release a harsh sigh, but you nonetheless let Takao continue.

“Come on, would it really hurt to do a confession? For someone so blunt and straightforward, you’re really dragging this out for way too long.” Takao frowns at your deadpan expression but continues his little movements with his makeshift “finger puppets.” “Once you”—he takes his left index finger—“and Shin-chan”—he brings his right index closer to his left—“do the chu”— he brings his index fingers together to imply the situation—“I can finally be free from the clutches of Shi—”

“I already told you,” you smoothly interrupt, “that we don’t see each other that way. He’s been a reliable partner in class projects and a very helpful person to share notes with. I’m very certain it’s like that on his end with me too.”

“Why do you sound so disappointed when you say it like that?” Takao slowly grows a shit-eating (yet hopeful) smirk. You scowl at his implications. Takao amusedly notes that you’re way too similar to his best friend.

“There’s no chance that we’ll ever get to that stage… ever. Okay? Satisfied now?”

“So you are disappointed at the possible outcome,” Takao gleefully says, his face showing all signs of plans being concocted in his mind. You completely widen your eyes at your simple slip-up.

“I… it’s not a possible outcome, damn it,” you vehemently insist. “It’s a guarantee.”

“Puh-lease (y/n)-chan, how do you know unless you try it?”

“Alright Takao,” you dryly reply. “Why don’t you try staring directly at the sun first before confirming that you become blind from that?”

“That’s not the same!”

“Same logic,” you huff. “Look, you know Midorima-san more than anyone, and even you know how he thinks. He finds the concept of friends and teammates to be pretty unnecessary, and frankly I can empathize with him. If he finds camaraderie to be a hassle already, dating is already beyond off the table. It takes much more to be a genuine friend to him than your average person, and if I do, by chance, confess, I’d be throwing away everything that I built up with him like an idiot… just being like this with him is more than enough for me. Besides, a relationship isn’t important right now, not when class takes up most of the time.”

“Well, normally yes, but in this specific case, there’s an excep—”

“I already came clean with this,” you say, furrowing your brows. “So can you finally let me study for this class in peace? Obviously, it’s a given for you not to open your mouth to anyone else about this.” With that, you tune out any further noise and burrow yourself into your class materials, and Takao could only sigh as he tries to wrack his brain for another way to play wingman.

“... Seriously, they’re both so stubborn.”

———

“(y/n)-san.”

“Hm?”

You turn around from looking at the bulletin to the person who just addressed you. Midorima stares down at you quite seriously before he promptly clears his throat.

“You’re blocking the way, nanodayo.”

“Ah… I apologize,” you say, immediately stepping closer to the bulletin to clear up the hallway. You turn your face to appear fixated on the bulletin board, but still sensing Midorima staring at you, you reluctantly peek at him from your peripheral vision. “... Is there something else you need, Midorima-san?” Midorima looks at the bulletin board for a moment before he turns back to your face.

“Regarding the group project we were paired to do in chemistry,” he starts, “the teacher praised our work very highly and wants to know if he can use it as an example for future lectures. I’m here to hear your answer on his behalf.”

You mentally sigh from the secretive disappointment. Of course Midorima was here for straightforward business. Nothing more, nothing less. Still, Takao’s words begin flitting through your mind now… of all times.

“Of course he can use it,” you smile. “I think it’s an honor to have our project regarded so highly like that, especially since so much effort was put into it… although… I think you’re the reason why we received such a high score, Midorima-san.” You train your gaze on Midorima, trying to gauge his reaction from the compliment, but he gives no such sign away, not any that you were aware of as far as you were concerned.

“(y/n)-san, I believe your own efforts and work ethic shouldn’t be trivialized,” Midorima replies, briefly closing his eyes and adjusting his frames. “After all, you are the one who made this project a cohesive final product, one that is also comprehensible to other peers in our presentation.”

“Ah… well…” You were definitely thrown in for a loop, not expecting Midorima to compliment you back so openly, albeit probably not for the reasons you were hoping for. “... Thank you, Midorima.” In an attempt to curb your growing flusteredness, you opted to stare at the bulletin board again, pretending to be occupied in reading the pinned papers.

“... Right.” Midorima softly clears his throat. “I’ll be taking my leave back to the faculty office. It was good talking to you.”

He swiftly turns around and walks back in the direction he came from, and when you were certain that he was walking judging from his footsteps, you turn your head to stare at his back before averting your gaze.

You frown once he exits out of your sight as you ponder about his particular diction.

“It was good talking to you”? Had Midorima ever said that to anyone before? You sigh to yourself and pinch your nose bridge to chastise yourself. Takao was right; you might’ve fallen a little too hard for the reserved individual, but even still, a relationship isn’t something you wanted to actively chase after.

Amidst your dilemma, you were completely unaware that Takao watched the entire exchange, holding back his laughter from seeing you uncharacteristically look like an absolute love-stricken fool. He got too much of a kick out of seeing the both of you trying to flirt… and an even bigger kick when he saw Midorima turning around to briefly “discreetly” stare at you while you were having your inner monologue.

———

“Takao, I’m having none of your bullshit today.” Midorima simply scowls as he prepares to leave the main building to the gym. Takao merely tags along while taunting him in a sing-song voice.

“Come onnn,” Takao insists, slapping Midorima’s back a little too harshly. “You said it yourself didn’t you? Favorable outcomes come to those who prepare the most. Don’t lie, I know you’ve been planning to naturally bump into our (y/n)-chan in different scenarios. Like yesterday in the hall—”

“You knew?!” Midorima jumps out of his skin to shoot an accusatory look at him, but Takao merely struggles to hold back a snicker at his reaction.

“Shin-chan, how hard is it to say three specific little words to someone else?” Takao sends a frustrated look. “You’ve always gone the extra mile to prepare your lucky items, read the Oha Asa predictions, and do little rituals not just for yourself but also for (y/n)-chan too, yet you don’t want to do a simple thing like confessing?”

“A confession isn’t that simple,” he retorts. “It can alter my fate for potentially worse if I’m not prepared.”

“Jeez, only you can take this so seriously,” Takao sighs, which only earned him a withering look from Midorima’s end. “But then again, it’s nice that you see it as something serious… but when are you actually gonna do it?” His response was only silence, as if he didn’t really give much thought about it until it was brought up now.

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Oh come on, Shin-chan!”

“To be honest,” he says, stopping in place. “The horoscope says that Cancers would be rejected by signs like of (y/n)-san’s, much less be compatible. Predictions state that such relationships between the two would be troublesome.”

“Okay, Shin-chan,” Takao says, patting Midorima’s shoulder. “I know I constantly joke about this Oha Asa and this entire thing with (y/n)-chan, but”—he stops when he sees Midorima giving him another scathing look—“even if the horoscopes state it so, it’s like you said: favorable outcomes come to those who do the most. If you did everything you could, I see no reason to be scared. Plus, you have me to help you.”

“... It’s not that. Part of this is beyond what I can do to prepare. Whatever I do will not influence (y/n)-san’s answer, and that is something out of my control.”

“You know, you could just say that you’re nervous.”

“I am not.”

“Well, if you want me to be honest,” Takao says. “I think it’s because the two of you are so eerily similar that you find it hard to approach (y/n)-san. Like, when’s the last time you’ve met someone as serious and stiff as yo—I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Please don’t raise your fist at me!”

“That being said,” he continues, “Just talk to (y/n) like you’ve talked to everyone else. I mean you both always hit it off when you talk together in class.”

“I… suppose…”

“Trust me,” Takao grins, slightly elbowing Midorima’s ribs. “I’d like to think of myself as an accurate guy in ball-passing and in detecting social cues.”

———

You really tried to carry yourself normally.

You really did.

But a part of you is becoming hyper-aware of everything Midorima does, and being your normally collected self is suddenly becoming a lot more difficult. Studying at your own desk is nigh impossible with both Midorima’s words and Takao’s implications running through your mind. Even Midorima, who normally minds his own business, shoots you pensive looks here and there during class, and he approaches you during break after.

“... Your sign is at one of the lowest ranks in luck today… may that be the reason why you’re not being your usual self?” He studies as you pull yourself together.

“Erm… somewhere along the lines, yeah. Most likely woke up on the wrong side of the bed today,” you mumble, rubbing your neck to ease the nervousness.

“Is that so…” he says. He pulls out a small toy that was found in the local gachapon down the street. “Ahem… I hear that your lucky item is this today.” He holds it out in front of you, silently waiting for you to take it, and you gently pluck it out of his large hands.

“Well, what about you?” you inquire. “I’m sure you got this toy for a reason, like say… for your own good luck?”

“Well,” he coughs. “I have my own. I am always prepared for such occurrences should things go awry.”

“You’re always so prepared for everything,” you quietly laugh. “Not that it’s a bad thing, though. I do wish I was more like you in that regard.”

“W-Well, I think you have your own admirable traits to be proud of, er…” Midorima slowly turns red and contemplates backtracking on his words. “I-If you excuse me, I must get going for health committee duties, nanodayo.” He heaves his bag on his shoulder as you wave at him, and he lingers there, debating on something that you aren’t sure what it is. “Might you have time afterschool today?”

“Uh… not that I think of,” you reply. “Are you already looking ahead to the next partner assignment?”

“Actually, no… it won’t take much of your time, (y/n)-san. It’s something quick. Can we meet at the vending machines near the gym? I do have practice around that time, so I hope somewhere nearby could suffice for you too.”

“That’s fine with me, because… I feel like I need to tell you something too or I won’t be able to study at this rate, but if you have practice, shouldn’t you be focused on that more?”

“It’s fine. This one takes… a higher priority.” Midorima fixes his glasses and readjusts his grip on his shoulder bag as he ponders about your own words. “If this arrangement is fine with you, I will be seeing you after school.” You only nod as you wave goodbye at him again, and you exhale a long sigh of relief and nervousness once he leaves. You really wonder if telling Midorima that you had something important to tell him was a good move on your part, considering that you can’t backtrack your words on someone as stubborn as him. Takao may or may not have seen Midorima’s attempt in being forward and silently laughed himself to oblivion in the corner of the classroom.

———

“Were you waiting long, Midorima-san?” You briskly jog with your heavy bag to the destined location to see Midorima thumbing through his book before he looks up.

“You are as punctual as always.” He closes his book with a thud and places it in his bag on the bench before he stands up to face you. “Which is always appreciated considering it is not as common in others.”

“I just think it’s common courtesy.”

“Not quite, considering I asked you rather suddenly to meet me here,” he says. “You aren’t obligated to even agree in meeting me, yet here you are on time, just like with our past project sessions.”

“Well… you did say it was important enough that you put practice as a second priority, and I do want to tell you something too.”

“R-Right…”

An awkward silence dominates the exchange after Midorima clears his throat and goes silent as you patiently wait in agony. You eye at his troubled expression, wondering what sort of thing he was going to tell you that got him so worked up. At the same time, you grew slightly antsier, quietly tapping a foot or rubbing your neck, and you wonder if Midorima was actually waiting for you to say something first.

“I… I think I’m in love with you, and that scares the crap out of me.”

“I-I believe I may have developed feelings akin to attraction for you.”

“Uh…”

“Ahem…”

Both of you stare at each other in unadulterated surprise.

“... You… like me?” Midorima murmurs, his eyes still full blown in shock.

“L-Likewise,” you reply, opting to stare at Midorima’s bag on the bench instead. Another awkward silence ensues as both of you take in each other’s sudden words and Midorima clears his throat again.

“... Why are you afraid of liking me?” Midorima restores his composure, staring at your flustered state with furrowed brows, thinking that he somehow made you uncomfortable at some point throughout the year.

“Wait… no! That’s not what I meant!” you say, mildly shaking your head. “Uh, let me rephrase that…” Midorima silently watches you as you continue. “Well, you weren’t the person to have romance in your mind, let alone have feelings, let alone for me, and… my friendship with you is something that I treasure, and I don’t want to hinder you with such things that can make you uncomfortable in being around me. That was why I was afraid, although I’ve been in denial about it until recently.”

“I see.”

“And um, I thought that confessing to you would end the friendship we had.”

“... Likewise.” Midorima uses your word against you with an upward curl of his lip. It almost seems like he was teasing you. You grow redder at his response, but he continued. “I suppose the lucky item I gave you provided the most favorable outcome for the day.” You only nod as you processed everything that just happened in a few moments, and both of you went quiet again.

“...”

“...”

“So…”

“... I’m not sure what to do next,” Midorima frowns. “I wasn’t prepared for this particular situation, nanodayo.” You only smile at his own flusters.

“Well…” you say. “We could date, but I don’t think that’s important right now, considering that we still have to focus on school… I mean unless you want to, then we can try to make it work?”

“Ahem, while I do think these things are quite frivolous,” he says. “I suppose we can learn to balance our relationship with other aspects of our lives accordingly.”

“I would like that,” you smile, walking to approach closer to Midorima. “Could we… um, hold hands? If you’re not into that though, that’s okay.” He says nothing in response but his hand slowly reaches out for your own to gently clasp, and closes his eyes in bliss before he opens them to look at you.

“... I must go to practice soon. It’s almost time.”

“I see,” you mumble. “If that’s the case, I’ll be inside the library to cram in extra lectures.” You pull your hand away to separate, but he holds you tighter. “Midorima?”

“... I’ll walk you there, nanodayo.” He peers over your face to gauge any objections on your end, but when he finds none, he gently tugs you along as you both walk to the building next-door.

“I never knew you were into hand-holding.”

“N-Not really,” he quietly says, his ears turning red.

“Actually,” you say, bringing Midorima’s attention back to you in light of the topic change. “I need to thank Takao tomorrow… he’s the one who pushed me to confess.”

“Hmph,” he scoffs. “I do suppose that the idiot has some merits to his words.”

“I do now see what he means when he keeps insisting that we’re too alike in personality and preferences.”

“That just means we’re more compatible than what fate initially predicted, nanodayo.”

“You checked the horoscopes for relationship compatibility? Never would I have thought that such things occupied your mind, Midorima…”

“Urk—That’s…”

[epic-potato-crisp]

Courtship - Part 3 (AjinWeek21/1)

Notes: So I decided to continue this for Ajin Week 2021! (although I was torn between making this a Sato fic cause you know. Hat.)

Day 1: Favorite character / summer break/ hat

Favourite character: Both Kei and Kou are among my favourite characters, Kei especially is one of my favourite protagonists of all time, and summer break, because this place during the sweltering time that is training camp. (fun! :D)

————————-

“Really?” Kei asks with growing annoyance as the vampire movie plays out on the screen in front of them. “Really?!”

“I can’t believe you haven’t seen that!” Kou defends himself, depositing the bowl of chips into Kei’s lap so his hands are free to adjust the volume.

“This is not what I had in mind when I agreed to…well, dating you.” Kei says, lowering his volume at the last three words that seem a little too foreign too pronounce.

“Why not?” Kou replies, “Movie nights are a super normal thing to do, not even for a date-“ He in comparison, has zero trouble adequately naming their current situation – “or with friends!” He smirked, which could never mean anything good: “Which you’d know, if you had any-“ Kou winces as Kei’s elbow rams into his side.

“I did have friends.” Kei grumbles through his teeth, stretching out his feet over the old and battered, but still quite comfortable couch. This is, surprisingly, afar more relaxing activity than he had initially anticipated.

Even if the movie is grating on his nerves.

“Why is everyone trying to befriend her?” he asks, exasperatedly. Bella Swan had made it perfectly clear that she was not interested in socializing from the moment she had arrived in her father’s rainy suburban town. And yet, in the first half an hour, not only had her childhood best friend shown up, she’d also been introduced to numerous classmates and faculty, and on top of that, was subtly encouraged to take a glance at a family of – vampire’s, that was his most likely prediction based on what he’d heard of the plot.

“Well, she’s new and people wanna get to know her. Nothing wrong with that.” Kou said diplomatically.

“Ugh.” Kei groans, and takes a sip of his coke. Eriko had always tried to make him watch these movies, which, if he was correct, were five in number, because apparently it was no enough to have a fourth movie. No, it had two be dragged out across two volumes. So far, he had been able to avoid it. Until training camp.

“Which you’d know, if you’d had-“

“Shut the fuck up.” Kei snaps, and the mood sours for a moment.

“Right, right, I’m sorry.” Kou says, after a beat of silence, and then his hand reaches over to grasp Kei’s.

“Is that really necessary?” Kei mutters, feeling his cheeks heat up. He prays that the darkness of the room, only lit up faintly by the TV, serves as enough cover.

“Well, it’s a date, right?”

“Stop saying that all the time.”

“Date. Date. Daaate.” Kou sing-songs, grinning at Kei knowingly.

The latter glowers: “Are you in elementary school?”

Kou laughs. He still doesn’t let go of Kei’s hand.

Kei feels his heartbeat quicken, ever so slightly, nervousness manifesting in the pit of his stomach. He chalks it up to the unfamiliar situation. After all, he really doesn’t know whether the movie will provide suitable entertainment for the next one and a half hours. There is no way it has anything to do with Kou.

At least, it shouldn’t.

“If you could choose between being a vampire and an Ajin, what would you pick?” Kou asks, out of the blue.

The movie had ended just a little while ago, a pointless two hours and six minutes of a supernatural romance that Kei couldn’t care less for. It was a little past ten, and they were not finished for a long while, apparently, if the cover for the second movie, blinking traitorously in Izumi’s streaming library, was anything to go by.

“Not this again.” Kei sighs, “Do you spend all day on these unlikely scenarios?”

“It’s that not unlikely.” Kou argues, “Come on, a few years back, you didn’t even know Ajin existed! And now you’re one!”

“Of course I knew they existed. It’s part of the school curriculum.” Kei deadpans, this particular lesson still rather unsettlingly fresh in his memory.

“Which you’d know if you’d gone to school.” He adds, acidly.

“Wow, harsh.” Kou pouts, “I did go. I just…dropped out. There’s a difference. Everyone knows that.” He mumbles.

“Keep telling yourself that” is on the tip of Kei’s tongue, but he swallows it down, if only to retain the peace. And perhaps because he would feel the tiniest bit guilty further prodding at that sore spot.

But school is something he does not want to think about for a good while again. The memory brings only pain. Betrayal from his classmates, from teachers, a jealousy- one that Kou would never be able to comprehend - on missing out on education that is a given for his former classmates.. A High School degree that he will never receive, if the government has any say in it, after all the years and effort, the hours of studying and revising he has put into it. A bleak future with all paths to prestigious medical universities blocked irreversibly. His only crime had been crossing that road that day. If only I could be reborn, Kei thinks miserably, then I could get a new chance. chance. He is in dire need of a new identity. Perhaps he can later guilt Tosaki into creating one for him.

“So circling back to the topic at hand, vampires.” he says, reluctantly.

“Heck yeah.” Kou agrees, excitedly, “So?”

“There are pros and cons on both sides.” Kei shrugs, “If you were a vampire, you wouldn’t be able to age and have a career, build a reputation. You’d have to get a new identity every few years. That sounds like a hassle. And don’t get me started on the…blood lust.”

The vampires and even humans in the movie had looked hungry in a completely different way whenever that topic came up. As though sucking your body’s circulatory system dry was desirable under any circumstance. Kei shuddered at the thought.

“You mean, you wouldn’t be able to build a family, live out your life with your friends, that kinda stuff?” Kou asks.

“I was referring to the important things, but I suppose.” Kei says loftily.

“Yeah, well, you’re wrong about that. Even vampires enjoy having relationships.” Kou argued.

“Debatable.”

“Bella seems pretty happy with the Edward guy.” his teammate emphasizes, “No matter if he’s a vampire or not.”

“But it is going to be a problem in the future.” Kei argues, “Honestly, she should have just stayed with Jacob and been done with it. It’s a suitable match, why put in any extra effort? She’s just going to grow old while he stays young forever.”

“Figures you’d go with the childhood best friend.” Kou mutters, flicking crumbs of his trousers.

“What?”

But Kou – strangely, for once in his life- doesn’t seem to haven an emergent need to elaborate further on the matter.

Kei probably should have said something a long time ago.

Perhaps he should have stopped Kou from starting the blasted second movie, but “Kei, it’s not that late! And how else will you know how it ends?” (Apparently, never was not a viable option.)

So here they are, sitting through another two hours of what Kou calls an “iconic classic” and Kei under his breath refers to as trash, but not the recyclable kind.

The cinematography is stunning, he has to admit begrudgingly, and the plot, albeit ridiculous, still manages to draw him in enough for him to forego his plans of turning the movie off several times, which is quite bothersome.

Well, fine then, Kei thinks to himself, at least now if Eriko badgers him about those movies again, he can give her a detailed review of every single logical error he has discovered so far.

He is considering starting a list, just so as to have some backup proof. His little sister’s education doesn’t have to suffer any more than it already had.

“Is she really going to sit around for months and wait for him to come back?” Kei complains, grabbing a fist full of popcorn from the bowl Hirasawa had made for them, “That’s a complete waste of time.”

“I don’t know, don’t you think some people are worth waiting for?” Kou threw in, giving Kei a knowing -sort-of-look that he couldn’t place.

It was the first sentence he had spoken in a while. Apart from his rambling monologue to get Izumi to join them a while prior when she came in to check if the streaming service was working.

“Did you see these movies already, Izumi-san?” Kou had asked and Kei surely hadn’t imagined the blush pinkening her cheeks.

“Oh, those? Just…once.” she’d replied, her voice sounding a little too high-pitched for that to be true, “It all seems fine, so I should get going-“

“Ah, already? Take a seat, take a seat!” Kou says generously, gesturing to the couch, “You need a break too, right?”

And Izumi did, albeit only tentatively on the edge. “I’ll be gone in a few minutes.” she promises.

She lied. Fifteen minutes later, she is still there and Kei doesn’t have the heart to kick her out, despite this being a a date, as he not so subtly communicated to Kou via verbal cues – all of which the other successfully ignored -but then, he bitterly thought, what chance did their pseudo-trial stand against Kou’s immortal woman of his dreams?

His thoughts screech to a halt. What does he even care what Kou thinks about either of them? It was all beyond ridiculous.

“It depends on how long you’re waiting for them.” Kei says, in response to Kou’s earlier question, “What about you, Izumi-san?”

“I think some relationships are worth preserving.” Izumi replies meaningfully, but right before she can say anything else, her phone goes off, the Caller-ID flashing with a familiar name.

“It seems Tosaki-san needs my assistance.” she says, barely concealing a wistful sigh, “Have fun you two.”

“He really needs to stop working you to the bone.” Kou complains.

Kei has the decency to feel guilty about the relief that settles in him when she leaves.

The motorcycle ride looks engaging. An activity Kei himself wouldn’t mind doing, seeing as there was zero risk involved to his safety with his newfound Ajin status.

As he verbalizes all of this, Kou gives him yet another of these knowing looks.

“Well, you were always one for motorcycles, weren’t you?” he says, tone bordering on smug.

Kei frowns. “Where did you get that idea from? I’ve only ridden one so far, but that was with Kaito.”

“I know.” Kou says, and then downs the rest of his coke.

“Refill?” he asks, holding out his hand for Kei’s glass.

“Sure.” Kei says, passing it over. He eyes Nakano skeptically, for any hint as to why his demeanor kept fluctuating.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Kei cautiously takes the glass from him. Their fingers brush, lingering just a second too long to be casual. Kei notices how the tips of Kou’s ears redden and uses his momentary distraction to his advantage.

“You really hate that Jacob guy, don’t you?”

Judging by the look on his teammate’s face, he hit the nail on the head.

“I, uh, well hate is a kinda strong word.” Kou hesitates, stumbling over words, “He’s just not my favourite.”

“Really?” Kei asks, raising an eyebrow. In all honesty, he isn’t very interested in either of the characters, but psychoanalyzing Kou is what gives the evening its spice.

“Why is that so surprising?” Kou pouts.

“Because he’s just the same sort of muscle-brained idiot that you are.” Kei responds, gracing Kou with an exasperated look, before turning back to the movie.

“Oh.”

His words seemed to have had a profound effect on his teammate. Whatever sort of enlightenment had reached Kou, it had visibly brightened his mood.

“He is, isn’t he.” Kou says, with a small laugh.

“I don’t know why that is so surprising.”

“Guess I never thought of it that way.”

Which was exactly why it fit so well, Kei thinks to himself. Kou looks positively thrilled with the new discovery. As much as it pains to admit him, a lot remains about his teammate that he still doesn’t understand.

“I think he might be becoming my new favourite character.” Kou says, conspiratorially, sliding closer to Kei and slinging arm around him.

As the movie goes on, Kei starts to feel more and more tired. The comfortable atmosphere and the constant stream of voices from the TV serve to lull him a sleepy state. “Wake me up when they reach Italy.” he mumbles, the exhaustion of another day spent training finally catching up with him.

Kou mumbles an affirmative, and that’s where Kei’s memory cuts off.

The next thing he knows, someone is prodding at him from the side, instructing him to wake up.

“Fine, five more minutes.” Kei says, swatting the offending hand away.

He blinks as he comes too, shielding his eyes against the sudden brightness of the room.

The movie has ended, but even if hadn’t, Kei wouldn’t have been able to see much of the screen.

Not with Tosaki blocking their view.

“It’s almost 1 am.” he informs them through clenched teeth, “Get upstairs before I sever the internet connection.”

It’s a substantial threat. Substantial enough to briefly distract Kei from the fact that he had fallen asleep right on top of Kou.

“Fuck.” Kei swears under his breath, sitting up straight.

His teammate seems less perturbed.

“You missed the ending.” is all Kou has to say for himself, with a shit-eating grin.

(“It really is pointless.” Kei whispers, later that night, as they are both lying in Kou’s bed, a hair-brained decision that Kei blames his tiredness for.

“The whole being with a vampire. She can’t be, unless someone turns her into one, but that would be the epitome of a ridiculous clishé".

“…”

“Oh God, please tell me I’m wrong.”)

[snifflyjoonie]

Sick Day

In which Jungkook catches his co-worker Jimin’s cold from hell and learns that Kim Taehyung never takes no for an answer.

snz-centric with Jungkook as the sickie and Taehyung as the caretaker. 

Word count: 3508

This is an AU that takes place in this established universe. 

a/n: WOW I take forever sometimes I’m sooooorry! That being said, the patience is so immensely appreciated. I’m such a sucker for AUs, so I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it! Also, I decided to make a little moodboard for this fic just for fun! If you guys like the concept, I might make more for future fics. Anyway, enough rambling! Thanks again for waiting so long for this, and I really hope you enjoy reading!~

-

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” 

Jungkook gave a tight-lipped smile despite Jimin’s inability to see. The older boy’s voice was thick and croaky and Jungkook couldn’t help but feel for him as he switched his phone from his left ear to his right.

“Of course not.” He assured, his voice low.

Admittedly, he was a little irritated he wouldn’t be spending his day off how he had hoped — namely playing too much Overwatch for his own good — but Jimin never called in sick. In fact, Jungkook had been working with him the past few days trying to urge him to do just that. Now it finally seemed like he had decided to take the younger man’s advice.

“Okay...if you’re sure.” Jimin sniffled. Jungkook winced at how the noise gurgled in his ear. “Thanks, Gguk.”

“No worries!” He chimed. “I hope you feel better soon.”

“Yeah.” Another sniffle. “Me too.”

Jungkook clicked off his phone with a heavy sigh and collapsed back onto his mattress. He loved his job, he really did, but there was just something about going in on his scheduled days off that left a sour taste in his mouth. Not that he blamed Jimin for that, of course. People got sick sometimes. Even people like Jimin who always tried to pretend everything was fine until they were so unbelievably stuffed up they could hardly breathe — let alone serve people food. Jungkook cringed at the thought. 

He rolled himself over with another groan and glanced at his alarm clock. It was already half past eight meaning if he really planned to get up at 4am to open then he desperately had to get ready for bed. He wished Jimin had called him earlier, but deep down he knew the older boy had probably put it off in the hopes he would start to feel better. His heart went out to him, but he still made a mental note to hassle him the next time he saw him.

With another small huff Jungkook pulled himself from his bed and trudged his way to the dorm’s bathroom to start getting ready for the night. If he took a shower now then he'd get to sleep in just that much longer in the morning, and to Jungkook, that extra time was priceless. No matter how many open shifts he worked he swore he’d never get used to the shrill sound of his alarm pulling him back to consciousness while the rest of the world soundly slept. 4am was too early for anybody. Jimin was lucky he liked him.

*

The next morning, when the dreaded sound of his alarm pulled him from his dreams, Jungkook truly thought it was the worst sound he had ever heard in his life. For some reason, it just sounded worse this particular morning — more shrill, more irritating, more horrible. Each buzz and chime made his head pound in protest, and he couldn’t reach over fast enough to get it turned off. 

With a half-asleep groan Jungkook pushed himself into a sitting position and cleared his throat into a closed fist. He lazily reached for his cellphone and squinted down at the bright screen, still not quite awake enough to comprehend anything he was seeing as he scrolled aimlessly through his social media. He vaguely registered a dull ache lingering behind his eyes and sniffled quietly against the back of his free hand.

He really needed to get moving or he was going to be late.

Throwing his legs over the edge of his bed, Jungkook trudged his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and throw on his uniform. He was a little slow-moving, but he simply chalked it up to staying up too late. He felt another twinge of annoyance about Jimin’s last minute phone call, but ultimately brushed it off. He wasn’t going to let himself dwell on it. Jimin really did look like death the last time he saw him and it was honestly a good thing he had decided to call in before someone else ended up in the same boat as him.

Jungkook coughed lightly. None of that really mattered now, anyway. He needed to pick up the pace. 

He made a grab for his keys before rushing to tie his shoes. He debated hunting for his bus pass but ultimately decided against it after double checking the time. He wasn’t too far from the café to begin with and if he really hustled, he figured he might even have enough time to heat up a breakfast wrap before the first customers started trickling in.

Throwing a light jean jacket on to combat the chilly spring air, Jungkook stumbled his way out of his dorm room and down the steps onto the street. He hurried himself along with purpose and did his best to ignore the way his sinuses stung with each inhale of fresh morning air. He was feeling strangely groggy, more so than usual, and brought the back of his hand up to scrub absentmindedly at his nose. At least he’d soon be able to make himself a cup of coffee. That thought alone kept him going.

Rounding the last corner to the café Jungkook quickly fumbled around in his pocket for his keys. He pulled them out swiftly, ready to unlock the front door when the sudden urge to sneeze caught him by surprise. He sucked in a desperate breath and snapped down hard into his elbow, dropping his keys in the process as two rapid sneezes toppled their way out of him.

He groaned in annoyance and bent down to retrieve his keys, rubbing his nose aggressively into his sleeve as he did so. He always sneezed when he got to work — so much so that it became a running joke between him and his coworkers — but he hadn’t even stepped inside yet, so how could the smells be affecting him?

Jungkook shook his head and fiddled his key into the lock with a thick sniffle. He pressed his shoulder into the door and shoved hard, tumbling his way into the dark café. He did his best to hold his breath as he scurried into the back room, determined to not let the strong smells get to him. Of course, the moment he let himself inhale, the various smells quickly overwhelmed his sensitive nose and he pitched into himself with another pair of uncharacteristically messy sneezes.

“EESH’hiuu!’ huh’ESSHhiUu!!”

Jungkook rose back up with a groan as he flipped on the café lights. He pressed his nose into one of his sleeves briefly before wiggling himself out of his coat and throwing it onto a nearby hook. He sniffled hard, annoyed by how runny his nose was becoming as he headed back towards the front counter to start preparing for the inevitable morning rush. He allowed himself a few moments to whip up a cappuccino and toss a breakfast wrap into their warming oven. 

Now that he wasn’t rushing to get to work, he was becoming increasingly more aware of how run down he was feeling. Granted, he was always a bit tired and groggy at the start of any opening shifts, but today just felt worse. He sniffled again and sighed at the sound it made. He just hoped that he’d begin to feel a bit more lively when customers started arriving.

*

The clock had yet to strike 7am before a line had already formed from the front counter to the door. Normally, Jungkook could handle these types of situations, and even liked them to a certain extent. He fed off of the adrenaline it gave him and enjoyed the rush he’d get as he made drink after drink. Today however, any type of adrenaline he’d normally get was instead replaced with anxiety as he occasionally messed up orders and ran behind. 

He was in the middle of making his 12th latté of the morning when the overhead bell of the front door jingled, signaling to Jungkook that yet another customer was making their way inside. Too busy to look up, he tried to ignore the way his hands trembled as he did his best to pour steamed milk into some type of design for the incredibly patient customer. He sniffled thickly as he did so, feeling sweat accumulate behind his bangs. He was nearly finished — only had one more delicate pour to complete — when his breath began to falter. Without much warning, Jungkook scrambled to set the milk and latté down, spilling half of the drink’s contents in the process before he shoved himself backward and fell into his shoulder with a harsh, sudden sneeze.

“hHuh’EEKSHhh!—godi’msosorry…” His apology came out on his shuddering exhale as he hurriedly cupped a hand around his face and stared in horror at the drink he’d ruined. He was about to stutter out some sort of offer of compensation when a familiar deep voice caught his attention.

“Yikes, not on your game today huh, Gguk?” Taehyung chuckled lowly as he bustled his way behind the counter. All Jungkook could offer back was a dumb stare and a thick sniffle — he had forgotten that Taehyung usually worked mornings with Jimin. 

Jungkook felt himself relax a little as Taehyung hastily slipped out of his coat and began to tie his apron tightly around his waist. He shot the disappointed customer a warm, boxy smile and immediately fell into his barista role with minimum effort.

“Sorry about that, ma’am.” He apologized as he mopped up the spilled drink with a towel, “I’ll get started on a new one for you right away.” He turned his attention to Jungkook briefly and gestured with his chin towards their espresso machine. “Gguk, would you mind pulling some shots for me, please?”

Jungkook nodded a bit dumbly again and scurried his way towards the machine with a sharp sniffle and a rub of his nose. 

Now that Taehyung was here, the older boy was quick to take control over the stressful situation and Jungkook was just as quick to let him. They fell into a rhythm together easily, and before too long had nearly emptied out the café — much to Jungkook’s relief.

“I didn’t realize you were working today.” Jungkook murmured with a tiny sniffle as he topped off one final drink with a dollop of whipped cream.

“I could say the same about you.” Taehyung retorted a bit coyly as he popped a plastic lid onto a travel cup. “Though with how awful Jimin looked the last time I saw him then I guess I’m not too surprised.”

Jungkook hummed in response, but the sound was audibly nasally and rounded. Taehyung raised an eyebrow.

“Coffee beans still bothering you?” He asked as he set down a finished drink. “You’ve been here, what...two and a half hours? Three? Usually you’re good to go by now.”

Jungkook hummed again, this time with more uncertainty, and followed it up with a sniffle.

“I’m...not sure what my deal is.” He forced a tight smile at a customer approaching the counter to retrieve their drink before continuing. “My nose is just…”

Taehyung waited patiently for the adjective that was sure to follow. Stuffy? Itchy? Sensitive? When he heard none, he stole a glance at Jungkook expectedly, but what he saw made his face instantly soften.

“Hh! hA’KSHhhiuu!” Jungkook bent at the waist and caught his sneeze into cupped hands. He groaned almost immediately afterwards, but the sound was muffled by his palms.

“Sneezy?” Taehyung offered with a scoff before reaching out to place a hand briefly onto Jungkook’s back as a sign of acknowledgement. “You alright there, Bun?” He couldn’t help but ask as Jungkook snuffled against the back of his hand. 

Bun was a nickname Jimin and Taehyung had branded upon him during his training days. As time went on, the nickname was used less and less (instead getting replaced by more ridiculous things like ‘Hulk Hogan’ and ‘The Muffin Man’) and only really came out on special occasions. Taehyung felt like now was one of those times. Bun was an easy way to set the tone, and he knew the younger knew this.

“Because…” Taehyung continued as he folded his arms across his chest. “I’m starting to wonder if Jimin gave you more than just his opening shift. You worked with him all week, yeah?”

“I…yeah.” Jungkook sighed as the realization dawned on him. It was riddled with the sound of defeat.  “Shit. Goddamn it, Jimin.”

Taehyung snorted out a laugh and passed a napkin to Jungkook who very graciously accepted it. Taehyung watched him shake it open before bringing it up to his nose and blowing. He turned his body away from Taehyung slightly, but it didn’t do much to stop the productive sound from reaching both of their ears.

“I’m gonna call you an Uber.” 

“Wait— you’re what?”

“I’m sending you home.” Taehyung’s tone left no room for argument as he retrieved his phone from his pocket. “What’s your address? You live in the dorms, right? The ones nearby?”

“I— well, yeah, but—” Jungkook shook his head in protest. “You don’t need to— gosh. I don’t want to leave you alone for your shift, it’s going to get busy again, and—”

“Gguk, who trained you?” Taehyung cut in, eyes still glued to his phone as he typed in the café’s address.

“...Jimin?”

“Yeah, and who do you think trained him?” Taehyung chuckled and re-pocketed his phone. “Your ride’s on the way. I’ll be fine, you need to go home. Can’t have all three of us sick, can we?”

Jungkook knew he was right and he hated it. 

“I could’ve just walked…” He grumbled. He was slightly embarrassed and he didn’t know why. “How much do I owe you for the Uber?”

“Owe me?” Taehyung laughed. “You owe me one clean bill of health. How about that?” He reached out to poke Jungkook’s shoulder but the other swatted his hand away sheepishly. “Oh, come on, Bun. Don’t be like that.”

Jungkook frowned deeply and brought the knuckle of his thumb up to swipe against the underside of his nose. It was wet to the touch and made him grimace. Taehyung was quick to pass him another napkin.

Jungkook had every intention to thank him — not just for the new napkin but for everything he’d done since the moment he walked in — but the chime of the door stole away his opportunity. Snapping his mouth closed and shoving the napkin into his pocket, Jungkook made to step towards the register but Taehyung stuck an arm out to stop him.

“I’ll take it from here.”

“But—”

“You’re sick, Gguk.” There wasn’t much room for argument. “Did you bring a coat?”

Jungkook nodded slightly, and Taehyung almost missed it. Jungkook was refusing to make eye contact.

“Alright, go grab it — your ride shouldn't be long. Get some rest for me, okay?” He smiled and added a quick, whispered, “Feel better soon.” As the cafe’s new customer approached the counter. 

Jungkook hesitated for only a moment as Taehyung happily began taking the order. He wanted to object again, to tell Taehyung to let him stay, but he knew deep down that the decision had been made, and there would be no way Taehyung would accept any other outcome aside from him going back home. With another sigh of defeat, Jungkook started to undo his apron and headed towards the back to retrieve his things.

He really owed Taehyung. He owed Taehyung big time.

*

“hA’PSSH’iew!—Shit.” Jungkook rocked to the side with a sneeze that made him fumble the controller held tightly in his hands. It wasn’t that drastic of a movement, but it was enough, and he watched in horror as his character on screen died dramatically. It wasn’t the first time this had happened (in fact, it had been happening all afternoon) but that still didn’t stop Jungkook from throwing his head back and groaning. 

Sniffling sharply, Jungkook set his controller down beside himself and made a grab for the tissue box he had stationed in front of him. This had been a recurring cycle ever since he’d gotten home, and the used tissues littering the floor around him reflected that. 

He blew his nose harshly, doing his best to empty it out completely before throwing the used tissue down with the rest of the pile (that he kept telling himself he’d deal with later). He was about to pick back up his controller and continue his cycle of sneezing and dying when a sudden knock at his door nearly made him jump out of his skin. He wasn���t expecting anybody, and for a split second wondered if he had maybe just been hearing things, when a second, softer knock sounded through his small dorm.

Jungkook stood up hesitantly and tightened the blanket he had wrapped around himself as he shuffled his way over to the door. He reached for the knob a little cautiously, and opened the door just a crack.

There, with a warm, welcoming smile on his face and a plastic bag held tightly in one hand was none other than Kim Taehyung. Jungkook had to fight every urge in his body to not slam the door closed out of sheer embarrassment.

“Hey, Bun.” Taehyung’s voice was just as warm as his smile, maybe even more so, as Jungkook felt his cheeks begin to flush red. “I thought I’d drop off some soup. It’s just from the café, but…” He shrugged. “My shift was over and I figured it was better than nothing. Are you feeling any better?”

Jungkook opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the right words. Instead, he ended up blurting out “HowdoyouknowwhereIlive?” Which most definitely wasn’t the right thing to say, but he was too far gone to stop himself. To his surprise, Taehyung threw back his head and laughed.

“You told me earlier, remember? When I asked?” 

Oh. Jungkook thought. That’s right. He felt his blush deepen.

“I just texted Jimin to grab your room number. He feels awful, by the way.”

Jungkook winced. “You told him?”

“Sure did.” The older boy hummed back, shoving his free hand into his jacket pocket. “He asked why I was dropping by, so I told him. Was I not supposed to?”

“Oh, no!” Jungkook quickly shook his head. “No, it’s fine! I’m just...sure he feels bad.”

“Well, you know him. If he does, he’ll get over it.”

Jungkook nodded and the two fell silent for a moment before Taehyung lifted the bag of soup containers slightly into view.

“Anyway, can I come in? I can reheat this for you.”

Jungkook’s mind immediately went to his mountain of used tissues and he dropped his head with an embarrassed sniffle.

“My dorm’s a mess.” 

“So’s mine. All part of the college experience.” He was smirking now, and Jungkook wished his blanket could turn him invisible. “If that’s your only reason to tell me no then I gotta say — that’s pretty weak.”

As he had slowly learned throughout the course of the day, when Kim Taehyung had made up his mind about something, there was no use arguing. Defeated, Jungkook stepped aside and let him in, desperately trying to push back down the increasingly nervous feeling that was starting to creep up his throat. 

Taehyung reached out to ruffle the bit of hair that stuck out from beneath Jungkook’s blanket as he stepped inside. He immediately made his way into the kitchen like it wasn’t his first time over while Jungkook waddled along at his heels. He pulled himself out a seat and plopped down as Taehyung began to rummage around his cupboards for a pot.

“You didn’t have to do this.” He ended up murmuring as Taehyung emerged from a cupboard triumphantly, pot in hand.

“I know.” Responded the other as he popped open the containers of soup. There was a pause like he intended to say more, but instead he just began to dump the contents of the containers into the pot.

“Well, I...thank you.” Jungkook uttered after a moment, bringing up a corner of his blanket to scrub into the side of his nose. “I appreciate it, Taehyung. Really.”

The older boy looked over his shoulder and smiled, and Jungkook was surprised to find a blush sitting high on his cheekbones.

“Hey,” His deep voice was smooth and sweet like melted chocolate. “Don’t mention it, Gguk. Now—” He gestured with his chin towards the television in Jungkook’s living room where his game’s loading screen continued to play on an infinite loop. “Why don’t you pick out a movie? I could stay to watch with you once the soup’s done? Only if you want to, of course.”

Jungkook smiled. He couldn’t help it. Maybe taking a sick day wasn’t so bad, after all — especially if he got to spend it with someone like Kim Taehyung.

“That sounds great, Tae. Action or comedy?”

[likelightningafterthethunder]

Like Lightning After the Thunder: Chapter One: Damned Smile

Fic Summary:

His breath wavered as he stared into Katsuki’s eyes. He knew he could get out if he tried. He could knock Katsuki out, hope that no one else would find them, and run back into the shadows where he belonged. Katsuki may have had him pinned down but he was in Denki’s range now and it would take little effort to send a charge through Katsuki to paralyze him temporarily.

It would take barely any additional effort to kill Katsuki.

As the sparks began to charge, lighting up the air around him, Katsuki refused to back down.

–

Katsuki always knew he was destined for great things.

He didn’t think he’d have to turn his back on all he’s ever known to get there.

Rating: T

Warnings: Eventual major character death, implied/referenced child abuse, psychological trauma

Other Tags: Bakugou Katsuki/Kaminari Denki, slow burn, alternate universe - canon divergence

Read on Ao3 (links to corresponding chapter) or read below

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--

Even years later, that damn smile haunted his dreams.

There was absolutely no reason for him to still think about the event. Everything had been taken care of when it had happened― injuries were treated, authorities alerted, information secured, and a press conference to tie it all up in a big red bow. There were no loose ends, no surprise second coming, no physical reminders of what happened lingering in his daily life. Katsuki would have labeled it as done, dealt with, and no longer relevant, shoving it aside in his memory so he could focus on actual important shit.

Except his mind had different plans.

When he was lucky, he could completely forget about the event for months. Other times, his dreams would be filled with nothing but that damn smile, taunting him with its silence. He could usually predict when the dreams would come― the anniversary of the event for example― but other times, it seemed like anything could trigger the memory. He once saw a bright yellow balloon and for the rest of the day, every time he closed his eyes he saw that damned smile, never wavering despite the curses and insults Katsuki spewed.

He wanted to forget it. He wanted so desperately to forget it. For the image to erase itself from his mind, for it to take the feelings away with it. He could deal with the anger, he could always deal with the anger, but when his memory reminded him of the wave of hurt and betrayal that nearly blinded him…

When his alarm jolted him from his sleep and freed him from the smile, he couldn’t get out of bed fast enough. He woke up drenched in a cold sweat, sheets singed and smoking lightly as he unclenched his hands, and Katsuki was, for once, very relieved that not all of his sweat was explosive. He slapped the singes a few times to ensure that all of the embers were put out before heading for the bathroom, cursing under his breath as he flinched at his own reflection in the mirror.

There was nothing particularly wrong with his appearance, if you didn’t count the dark circles under his eyes from a fitful night’s sleep or his clammy skin, but after being plagued by the smile, Katsuki could barely look at himself. His reaction to the smile made him feel weak, like he couldn’t handle himself and that there was something wrong with him. It was just a smile after all. There was no reason for him to react to it like a nightmare, no reason for him to lose sleep over it or to feel overwhelmed by emotions at the thought of it.

Yet when he saw the smile and saw how the corners of his mouth were tugged a bit too tight, how his eyes were open a bit too wide, how the only shine in his eyes were the reflections of light on tears that refused to fall…

Katsuki cursed.

The icy cold shower did little to help distract him from the memory, nor did his morning run nor the steaming shower he took after. He wasn’t supposed to head into the agency today, so he didn’t have any planned beatdowns for today, and yes he probably shouldn’t be hoping for it, but part of him hoped for a sudden emergency villain so he could distract himself by focusing on beating some villain’s ass into next week.

A few hours later when his phone refused to stop buzzing, Katsuki wondered if throwing his phone across the room until it stopped would be close enough to beating villain ass to work. He reluctantly decided that talking to people so they’d leave him alone was probably less hassle to deal with than having to replace his phone and distribute his new number (even if it would give him an excuse to ghost some of these damn extras).

A few individual texts and a group text were the cause of the buzzing. As the group text’s new message count continued to rise, he figured it would be easier to respond to the individual texts first. Just in case he changed his mind about destroying the phone.

Four Eyes (Rocket Legs): Hello Bakugou, this is a reminder about the upcoming Class A reunion. As the head of the reunion committee, it is my duty to ensure an accurate headcount for the event, and I have yet to receive your response about your attendance. Please ensure to respond via the following link by this Friday at 11:59PM. [Class A 10 Year Reunion RSVP]

Four Eyes (Rocket Legs): In case you missed the previous messages regarding the reunion, the event is March 28th starting at 7PM at the Shinjuku Hotel in Musutafu. If you need to rent a room for the night or the weekend, please alert the Shinjuku Hotel staff that you are part of the Class A reunion party by next Wednesday for an event discount.

Katsuki frowned. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to the possibility of being surrounded by all of his former classmates and even less at the idea of being socially obligated to spend the entire evening with them. At least when he met up with his friends elsewhere, he could always claim needing to leave early so he could make the last train or that work needed him to come in early the next day.

He closed out of the conversation, figuring he still had a few more days to decide if he really wanted to deal with his classmates for an entire evening.

Midoriya: Hey Katsugou! I was wondering if you’re going to go to the reunion? Tenya said the deadline to RSVP is coming soon and we haven’t heard from you, so I just thought I’d check in!

Katsuki: The fuck is Katsugou?

Midoriya: Oh sorry!! Typo!!

Midoriya: Anyway, are you coming?

Katsuki closed out of the conversation and moved on to the next one.

Shitty Hair: Katsuki! Are you coming to the reunion or not dude????

Katsuki: Fuck off.

Shitty Hair: Aww dude that’s no way to talk to your best friend, you know you love me!!

Katsuki: I’m blocking you.

He did not, in fact, block him. But he did close out of Eijirou’s texts.

Save for the newest text sent directly from Eijirou, all that was left was the backlog of texts in the group text. It had kept going off while he was reading the other conversations, so Katsuki figured it meant that everyone was either off for the day or on their lunch break.

Raccoon Eyes: guys!!!!! the reunion is COMING UPPPPPP!!!!

Raccoon Eyes: i cant wait to s

Raccoon Eyes: ee all of u guys again!!

Tape Face: lmao you saw us last week

Raccoon Eyes: yes

Raccoon Eyes: an eteRNITY ago

Raccoon Eyes: and like

Raccoon Eyes: kats left early so we didnt have everyone

Raccoon Eyes: so it doesnt count

Shitty Hair: Yeah Katsuki don’t leave early next time!!

Raccoon Eyes: we just have to hold him hostage next time

Raccoon Eyes: or like

Raccoon Eyes: AMBUSH him

Tape Face: i can always tape him up

Raccoon Eyes: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

Raccoon Eyes: tape him to the wall

Raccoon Eyes: and then like

Raccoon Eyes: steal his wallet

Raccoon Eyes: cant get on transit w no moneys

Raccoon Eyes: ei and han hold him down

Raccoon Eyes: i run to hide his wallet where he cant fi

Raccoon Eyes: nd it

Raccoon Eyes: probs keeps kats tapped to the wall all night

Raccoon Eyes: free up his arms so he can have a drink????

Tape Face: explosion palms dude

Raccoon Eyes: oh u right

Raccoon Eyes: he can just have a cup w like

Raccoon Eyes: a REALLY REALLY long straw

Raccoon Eyes: make sure u tape him up w his hands behind his back

Tape Face: you got it

Shitty Hair: He’s in this chat guys he’s going to see the plan

Raccoon Eyes: whatevs we can still totally blindside him

Raccoon Eyes: ANYWAYS

Raccoon Eyes: ure all going right?????

Tape Face: ya I rsvpd a while back

Shitty Hair: Yep!! Wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Raccoon Eyes: what about u kats

Raccoon Eyes: kats???

Raccoon Eyes: KAAAAAAAAAAAAATS

Raccoon Eyes: k

Raccoon Eyes: a

Shitty Hair: I’ll text him separately

Raccoon Eyes: t

Tape Face: he probably has this muted lmao

Raccoon Eyes: s

Raccoon Eyes: !!!!!!

Raccoon Eyes: how dare u ignore us

Raccoon Eyes: after everything weve done for u!!!!

Raccoon Eyes: thought we were ur ride or die hoes

Raccoon Eyes: dont tell me ur not going!!!!!

Raccoon Eyes: im so offended

Raccoon Eyes: how could u do this to us kats

Shitty Hair: Maybe he’s at work today?

Raccoon Eyes: boo

Raccoon Eyes: how dare he prioritize wo

Raccoon Eyes: rk over us

Raccoon Eyes: his best friends

Raccoon Eyes: the suns of his life

Raccoon Eyes: the bit of happiness in the cold

Raccoon Eyes: cold

Raccoon Eyes: cold

Tape Face: coooooooooold

Raccoon Eyes: COOOOOOOOLD

Raccoon Eyes: thing he calls a heart

Shitty Hair: Lmao

Tape Face: its got a bit of warmth

Tape Face: most of it is his temper

Raccoon Eyes: boom boom POW

Raccoon Eyes: well while we wait for kats

Raccoon Eyes: help me pick some photos for the slideshow!!

Tape Face: are you doing only UA pics or some stuff since then

Tape Face: somehow iida managed to not specify lmao

Shitty Hair: The info email was like ten pages, how did he miss it

Tape Face: idk

Raccoon Eyes: ive got plenty for both!!

Raccoon Eyes: momo said pref UA pics but some new stuff is good too

Raccoon Eyes: show how far weve come n all that

Tape Face: oh cool let me get some opinions then too

Shitty Hair: Anyone have any pics of the camping trip from second year?

Raccoon Eyes: before or after todoroki and kats’ fight turned it into a icy hot springs

Shitty Hair: Both lmao but probably before it went to hell

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: ofc ive got us chillin in the springs

Raccoon Eyes: well most of us

Raccoon Eyes: kats u never get in the water w us :C

Raccoon Eyes: lets go to the beach next time!!

Tape Face: hed prob boil the water w you in it if you dragged him in lmao

Tape Face: spicy acid time

Raccoon Eyes: id like to see him TRY

Shitty Hair: Don’t tempt him lmao

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: i got like a shit ton more

Raccoon Eyes: should i send some of THE FIGHT

Shitty Hair: Maybe not

Tape Face: yes

Tape Face: well

Tape Face: depends on how many pissed off katsuki pics youre putting in lmao

Raccoon Eyes: OH

Raccoon Eyes: OHHHH

Raccoon Eyes: OHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Tape Face: ?

Raccoon Eyes: dude

Raccoon Eyes: do u have the POMERANIAN pic

Tape Face: o shit

Tape Face: image.png

Shitty Hair: I still think Katsuki should’ve taken that pup home

Shitty Hair: They’re matching!

Tape Face: image.png

Tape Face: i also have this one

Tape Face: when she tried to bite his nose off lmao

Raccoon Eyes: kats couldve named her king explosion murder

Raccoon Eyes: or just murder

Raccoon Eyes: p sure she wouldve tried to murder kats at least o

Raccoon Eyes: nce

Tape Face: lmao she basically tried when he found her

Shitty Hair: Maybe it’s for the best that he didn’t keep the pup

Tape Face: look what i found

Tape Face: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: AWWWW YES

Raccoon Eyes: LOOK AT USSSSS

Raccoon Eyes: we look FABBBB

Shitty Hair: Is that from the dance?

Tape Face: ye

Raccoon Eyes: guys what if we recreate that pic at the reunion

Raccoon Eyes: the fits?

Raccoon Eyes: immaculate

Raccoon Eyes: the pose?

Raccoon Eyes: perfection

Tape Face: hotel?

Tape Face: trivago

Shitty Hair: I’m down for recreating some pics!

Raccoon Eyes: yessssss

Raccoon Eyes: u have no choice either kats u gotta do it

Raccoon Eyes: wherever u are

Shitty Hair: Oh he replied!!

Raccoon Eyes: SWEET

Raccoon Eyes: what he say

Shitty Hair: He said fuck off

Tape Face: as expected

Shitty Hair: Lmao he threatened to block me again

Tape Face: thought he said he was blocking you last week

Shitty Hair: Yea exactly

Raccoon Eyes: HOW RUDE

Raccoon Eyes: as punishment for not paying attention to us

Raccoon Eyes: im gonna send this

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Tape Face: LMAO whend you make that

Shitty Hair: Is that Katsuki with a cat face and ears

Shitty Hair: Dude I don’t know if he’s going to kill you for that or for the pink hair first lmao

Raccoon Eyes: lmao made it just now

Raccoon Eyes: well MAYBE if he ANSWERED us

Katsuki: Delete it.

Tape Face: O SHIT

Tape Face: you summoned him

Raccoon Eyes: NO I WILL NOT

Katsuki: Delete it Raccoon Eyes or else I’m coming for you.

Tape Face: are you coming for the left shoes and shittin in them

Raccoon Eyes: NOOOOOOO not my shoes!!!!!!!!

Tape Face: its just the left shoes tho

Raccoon Eyes: BUT THATS MY FAVE SIDE

Katsuki: What the fuck are you two going on about?

Raccoon Eyes: DONT COME FOR M

Raccoon Eyes: Y LEFT SHOES KATS IM SORRY

Katsuki: I’m not coming for your fucking left shoes. Or any of your shoes.

Katsuki: I will be coming for you if you don’t delete that picture, though.

Raccoon Eyes: FORGIVENESS

Raccoon Eyes: I BEG

Raccoon Eyes: PLSSSSS

Katsuki: Delete the picture.

Raccoon Eyes: ugh fiiiiiiiiiine

Raccoon Eyes: its deleted

Raccoon Eyes: i wont send it to momo for the slide show

Katsuki: Good.

Raccoon Eyes: IF U COME TO THE REUNION

Katsuki: Fuck off.

Shitty Hair: C’mon Katsuki!! It’ll be fun!!

Tape Face: ya it wouldnt do if we didnt have our exploding star

Raccoon Eyes: ill send momo WORSE if u dont come

Raccoon Eyes: nd u wont know WHAT til AFTER

Raccoon Eyes: so PLSSSSSSSSSS

Raccoon Eyes: PRETTY PLSSSSSSS

Raccoon Eyes: PLS COME TO THE REUNION

Raccoon Eyes: ill spam u a lot worse if u dont show us proof of rsvp

Raccoon Eyes: pls kaaaaaaaaats

Raccoon Eyes: kaaaaaaaaats

Raccoon Eyes: k

Raccoon Eyes: a

Katsuki: Ugh fucking fine, I’ll do the RSVP now then.

Raccoon Eyes: t

Raccoon Eyes: YAY

Four Eyes (Rocket Legs): Good afternoon, Bakugou! I just wanted to confirm with you that I have received your RSVP for the Class A reunion. As a reminder, if you need to rent a room for the night or the weekend, please alert the Shinjuku Hotel staff that you are part of the Class A reunion party by next Wednesday for an event discount.

Katsuki: image.png

Katsuki: image.png

Katsuki: Four Eyes is watching the RSVP form like a fucking hawk apparently.

Raccoon Eyes: YAAAAAY URE RSVPD!!!

Shitty Hair: You know him, always dedicated to his work

Tape Face: sweet

Raccoon Eyes: are u guys getting rooms

Tape Face: yea musutafus too far for a round trip

Tape Face: esp since itll prob end late

Shitty Hair: I got one for the weekend!

Tape Face: wbu mina

Raccoon Eyes: booked a room already!!

Raccoon Eyes: kaaaaats wbu

Raccoon Eyes: u should

Raccoon Eyes: we could have a brunch or lunch or s/t thats just us

Raccoon Eyes: plsssssss kats

Katsuki: I’ll think about it.

Tape Face: better than a no lmao

Shitty Hair: If they run out of space or if you decide last second, you can room with me dude

Raccoon Eyes: awww why not a yes

Katsuki: I haven’t asked the other Four Eyes for the time off yet.

Tape Face: is this four eyes no4 or no15

Raccoon Eyes: four eyes no69

Raccoon Eyes: no wait

Raccoon Eyes: no420

Tape Face: haha blaze it

Raccoon Eyes: BLAZE IT

Shitty Hair: It’s number 7

Katsuki: Fuck you, I don’t have that many Four Eyes saved in my phone.

Shitty Hair: I’d be surprised if you had 420 contacts period dude

Raccoon Eyes: would b hilarious tho

Katsuki: Yes, it’s Four Eyes number 7.

Shitty Hair: I was right!!

Katsuki: Why would I ask any of the other Four Eyes for time off? They’re not my fucking bosses.

Tape Face: dunno

Raccoon Eyes: idk maybe ure secretly dating one a

Raccoon Eyes: nd have to confirm that its ok

Raccoon Eyes: ARE U SECRETLY DATING A FOUR EYES

Raccoon Eyes: U HAVE TO TELL US IF U ARE

Raccoon Eyes: URE LEGALLY OBLIGATED

Tape Face: o shit

Tape Face: scandalous

Katsuki: Shut the fuck up, I’m not dating anyone, secret or not.

Raccoon Eyes: thats what they all say

Katsuki: Whatever. I’m not dating anyone.

Raccoon Eyes: kats n four eyes no420 sittin in a tree

Raccoon Eyes: k

Raccoon Eyes: i

Raccoon Eyes: s

Raccoon Eyes: s

Raccoon Eyes: i

Katsuki: I’ll blow up all of your left shoes when you’re not home.

Raccoon Eyes: n

Raccoon Eyes: NO

Raccoon Eyes: IM STOPPING DONT DO IT

Shitty Hair: Hey what do you guys think of this photo

Shitty Hair: image.png

Tape Face: dude yes

Raccoon Eyes: AWWWW OUR FIRST BILLBOARDS AS PROS

Katsuki: Do we really need to send them pictures? It’s not like we fucking forgot this stuff already.

Tape Face: you can be a killjoy if you want lmao

Tape Face: im sure mina will send more than enough to cover for you

Raccoon Eyes: U BETCHA

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Raccoon Eyes: image.png

Tape Face: lmao why do you have a pic of katsuki throwing ei

Shitty Hair: I still can’t believe you did that bro

Shitty Hair: WITHOUT WARNING TOO

Katsuki: I gave you plenty of fucking warning.

Shitty Hair: Saying “I’m throwing you” AS YOU’RE THROWING ME is NOT PLENTY OF WARNING DUDE

Raccoon Eyes: im always ready to document golden moments

Katsuki: Shut the fuck up. We won the training exercise so what’s it fucking matter?

Shitty Hair: YOU THREW ME!!

Katsuki: Tape Face caught you before you could get hurt.

Shitty Hair: YOU /THREW/ ME!!!!!!

Tape Face: barely caught

Katsuki: Whatever.

Raccoon Eyes: im still impressed by how eASY u made that look

Katsuki: What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?

Raccoon Eyes: o look conveniently timed distraction photo spam

Katsuki sighed as he continued the conversation, commenting here and there on the photos his friends sent for judgement. In retrospect, he probably should have tried to talk to Shion first, since there was a chance she would have denied the time off for the reunion. Although, knowing her, she would have accepted just to force Katsuki into socializing. He opened up a new text message, figuring that if Shion did decide to deny the time off, he would at least have a screenshot to send to his friends explaining the sudden change in plans.

Katsuki: I need March 28th and 29th off.

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Do my eyes deceive me? The great Katsuki Bakugou, asking for time off?

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): I’m amazed! Usually I have to ask you to take the day off!

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Nay, not ask, but force!

Katsuki: Are you going to give it to me or not?

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Depends! What do you need the time off for?

Katsuki: Class reunion.

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Oh those are fun!

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Fill out the proper time off paperwork and have it on my desk by Monday. I’ll approve the time off.

Four Eyes (Shitty Shion): Just keep your phone on you in case we need you to come in for an emergency, but I’ll try not to ruin your reunion with work.

Katsuki: Thanks.

Well, so much for an easy way out.

Katsuki pinched the bridge of his nose when he noticed that his phone had already accumulated another thirty texts in the past few minutes, no doubt primarily from Mina. He scrolled through the backlog, sending a few mostly empty threats when he saw photos he did not want projected for the entire class to see, freezing when his gaze met a pair of familiar amber eyes.

Shit.

In his scramble to close out of the photo, to escape the genuine smile that somehow was more haunting than the one in his dreams, he left the group text completely. He briefly thanked his past self; he’d impulse or rage quit the group text plenty of times before that this wasn’t unusual behavior. If he was lucky, his friends wouldn’t have noticed the timing of his departure and would assume he was just fed up with the notifications or the conversation.

Shitty Hair: You okay, Katsuki?

A weak laugh escaped Katsuki’s lips as he read the newest notification. Of course Eijirou noticed.

Katsuki: I’m fine.

Shitty Hair: Okay

Shitty Hair: We don’t have to talk about it

Shitty Hair: But if you want to, I’m here dude

Shitty Hair: I’ll tell the others that you left so your phone would shut up and not to add you back yet

Katsuki: Thanks. Really.

Shitty Hair: No problem dude

Katsuki put his phone down, silently praying for the smile to leave him alone.

When he finally laid down for bed that night, he repeated the short prayer, for a peaceful night’s rest free of the smile, of the hurt, of the pain, of the guilt.

But as always, the smile came.