#It'll probably go through by Monday

[solradguy]

The testosterone pellet installation quintupled my T levels in a month. Everything makes sense now

[orcelito]

I should make an actual outline for the coming chapters of discacc. Maybe if I'm more organized it can make writing easier

[salemshotspot]

SECRET

CM Punk x Little!Reader

WORD COUNT: 1.3k

DESC: After a stressful day y/n reveals to Phil that they're a little

Gender Neutral Reader [They/Them]

WARNINGS: SFW Age Regression//Not Proof Read//Implied Anxiety//Overstimulation//Alcohol Mentions//Mentions Of Drunk People//Mentions Of Stress//Crying//Characters Probably Acting Out Of Character//Generic Pet Names

A/N >> This is my first time writing for a little reader so apologies if it's not great, I've been thinking about writing for other wrestlers with a little reader [as well as more Punk!] So hopefully this isn't that awful no one wants to read any other stuff from me lmao

TAGS: @seasonal-depression-of-punk

Enjoy!

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The entirety of the wrestling roster were more than familiar with and accepting of age regression due to how open The Judgement Day were about Dominick's age regression; however this didn't stop y/n from keeping their regression a secret from everybody. They had gone as far as trying to avoid The Judgement Day while they were caring for a small Dominick as y/n found themself slipping into a regressed state whenever they were around other regressed people and their caregivers. This is why when y/n felt themself slowly slip into a regressed state they wanted nothing more than to go home for the evening so they could do so without any fear of being seen.

After a successful episode of Monday Night Raw a handful of wrestlers decided to go out for a drink to celebrate, y/n couldn't think of a worse situation for themself right now; they were exhausted, they were anxious and going to loud, packed bar wasn't going to help them at all.

'Hey y/n a few of us are going out to celebrate, do you want to come with us?' Phil's voice echoing through y/n's dressing room, pulling them from their thoughts. Y/n forced a smile to paint their features, Phil always made sure to involve y/n in everyone's plans as he knew they tended to go unnoticed due to their quiet, self-reserved nature. 'I think I'll give this one a miss Phil, I'm not really feeling up to it' y/n softly replied to which Phil jokingly rolled his eyes; 'come on y/n' he began, 'It'll help to take your mind off of things and plus, it won't be the same without you' he softly pleaded. Despite the anxiety slowly filling y/n as well as the difficulty to not fall into a regressed state slowly becoming greater y/n couldn't bring themself to disappoint Phil so, after letting out a subtle sigh, y/n replied; 'alright Phil, I'll come out, just for a while though ok?' Phil's eyes practically lit up, completely unable to hide his excitement; 'awesome!' he exclaimed, 'we'll see you there.'

Once y/n arrived at the bar their eyes tiredly scanned the building until their eyes landed on Phil, Drew, Becky and Seth who simultaneously waved to y/n, signalling for them to come over to the area of bar which they were sat at; 'Y/N!' Drew shouted, his voice laced with intoxication 'you made it', wrapped in Seth's arms, Becky reiterated what Drew was trying to relay; 'we're really glad you're here y/n.' Before y/n could reply, Phil playfully patted the empty seat next to him signalling for them to take a seat next to him, to which they agreed, instantly feeling at ease from Phil's presence alone.

Around half an hour had passed and it was becoming increasingly more difficult for y/n to stay focused on their surroundings despite the grounding feeling they got from Phil's presence; they couldn't take it anymore, it was so loud, every decibel of sound infiltrating y/n's body, attacking their senses. As their head began to pound, y/n silently and abruptly shot up from their seat and rushed outside to their car, haphazardly pulling the door open, crawling onto the back seat and locking the door. Y/n wanted nothing more than to go home, they wanted nothing more than to have all of their comfort items so they could comfortably regress but instead they were stuck in the back of their car, completely overwhelmed. As their stress and desire to go home grew y/n found themself unable to stop themself from finally slipping into little space, inadvertently meaning that they were officially stuck in their car as operating a car whilst not only overwhelmed but also in a regressed state was definitely not a good idea.

Y/n did the only thing they could in their situation; they curled up on the backseat of their car and allowed tears to cloud their vision. Suddenly y/n was pulled back into reality by a gentle yet prominent knock on the car window, as their eyes shot up they met with the concerned and unwavering eyes of Phil who motioned for y/n to roll the car window down so he could speak to them. Y/n was reluctant to roll the window down, secretly hoping if they didn’t do so then it’d mean Phil never caught them in the state they were in, however they couldn’t bring themself to ignore Phil, he had a look of concern in his eyes which was impossible to ignore. Once the window was rolled down Phil leaned into the car so that he could speak to y/n without raising his voice, sure that speaking loudly right now would distress y/n. Softly he requested; ‘can I come in sweetheart?’ Sweetheart? Phil had never uttered such a name to y/n, surely he was just trying to provide comfort and right now comfort was all a little y/n needed right now.

With a subtle nod y/n unlocked the car door allowing Phil to climb in, once he was seated, y/n couldn’t contain themself, they instinctively crawled over to Phil, laying their head on his lap. As y/n lay down Phil took his calloused hand and began gently running it through y/n’s hair before softly speaking; ‘can you tell me what’s gotten you so upset sweetheart?’ Mumbling into his lap, hiccuping from the tears still pouring from their eyes y/n replied; ‘want home.’ Phil lightly chucked, ‘well there’s a very simple solution, you can go home, there’s no need to cry is there?’ He said in a tone which he intended to be playful but came across as mean-spirited, causing y/n to cry further. Realising his tone, Phil spoke once more; ‘shh y/n I’m sorry, why aren’t you going home hmm? Is everything ok?’

Y/n froze for a moment, slowly realising that the secret they were so desperate to keep from everyone was moments from coming out. Phil, growing anxious himself from y/n’s change in demeanour, gently rubbed circles into y/n’s shoulder with his thumb, silently encouraging y/n to speak. Further burying their face into Phil’s lap in order to muffle their words, y/n muttered out ‘I'm like Dom’ secretly hoping that Phil wouldn't hear them. 'I can't hear you sweetheart' Phil spoke out to which y/n repeated themself at the same register. Warmly smiling down at the person on his lap, unable to find their shy nature anything short of amusing, Phil took his large hands and placed them on y/n's shoulders, pulling them into an upright position. 'I can't understand you when you're hiding that face of yours y/n' he lightly chuckled, 'can you repeat yourself one more time?' After a moment of thought filled silence y/n let out an anxious sigh and repeated themself for a final time; 'I'm like Dom' they said lowering their head.

Phil admittedly wasn't the smartest man but once y/n uttered those words he instantly understood what was going on; 'and do you have somebody to look after you like Dom does?' Phil asked anxiously, the thought of y/n not having a caregiver to keep an eye on them while regressed worried Phil more than he'd ever like to admit. Y/n quickly shook their head, they had been without a caregiver for as long as they can remember, pulling them into a sympathetic embrace Phil planted a soft kiss on the top of their head before suggesting something tempting to y/n. 'How about we get you home hmm? What kind of a guy would I be if I didn't make sure you were all looked after?' Y/n giggled softly and nodded at the prospect of having a caregiver, and Phil of all people? They couldn't help but feel excitement well in their chest.

With that, Phil climbed into the front of the car, sure to keep a hand spare to drape around to the back of the car for y/n to hold onto for comfort. Once they had arrived home y/n retrieved all of their comfort items before joining Phil on the sofa. Tomorrow they would discuss Phil becoming a more permanent member of y/n's life, possibly becoming their caregiver but right now all y/n needed was to feel safe so they could finally sleep and out the stress of the day behind them.

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A/N >> I'm sorry this isn't great but if anyone wants to give my writing a second chance drop requests in my inbox lmao and lmk if you'd like to be tagged in any future fics

[rinhaler]

It'll Probably End With Me Being Forgot

CHAPTER SUMMARY : you never thought you and yuuji were the type to keep secrets from each other, but he doesn't need to know megumi kissed you. maybe he already knows... why else would he be acting so weirdly?

boyfriend!yuuji itadori x f!reader x bully!megumi fushiguro

WARNINGS : 18+, consensual sex, vaginal sex, creampie, cum eating??, face sitting, praise kink, drug taking, bullying.

WORDS : 6.6k

notes : am I actually posting wusyaname on a friday?? wild

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“Nervous for tomorrow?”

Yuuji whispers as he lies flat on his stomach with his arm over yours. Nervous is a good word, a very apt word for how you should feel.

It’s Monday tomorrow.

Your alarm will be ringing in a few hours for you.

It’ll be your first day back at university since you were spiked. It’ll be the first time you go to your class and see the girls who publicly humiliated you. And it will be the first time you are in the classroom with Megumi again since you destroyed each other’s sketch books.

Nervous would be a good way to describe what you should be feeling.

But, honestly, after this weekend and seeing how little Toji needed to do to send the fear of God into his son, you didn’t feel nervous.

Megumi is a paper man, and his father had no hesitation to piss on his parade, making him a small pathetic pile of mush. You aren’t nervous, not one bit. You're confused however, and you're wracked with guilt.

Because you've decided not to tell Yuuji about the kiss.

So much has happened, so much has changed in so little time. It wasn’t so long ago that you could barely pry Yuuji away from your soft folds as he devoured your intimate flesh. He couldn’t get enough of you.

And you were always close to being late for class.

Today, however, you wake up and he does nothing but press a gentle kiss into your shoulder and instantly goes to get shower and dress for class.

Is he losing interest in you?

It's a ridiculous thought you shake away immediately.

He’s probably just… No.

What is wrong with him?

Or maybe it’s you. Something is wrong with you.

There's no use dwelling on it now, not when class is right around the corner. It’s best if you just focus on getting dressed and talk it out with him later.

You decide to swap out your usual paint covered leggings and baggy t-shirt for a nice pair of figure-hugging jeans and a scanty crop top. If that doesn’t remind him how much he loves being intimate with you; you don’t know if anything will. You finish painting your face with light makeup as Yuuji re-enters the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Not even a glance in your direction.

It’s only been a day since you had the best, most intimate sex of your life. And now he isn’t even registering your existence. Your lip wobbles as you try and hold it together. It’s dawning on you what’s going on.

This is Megumi’s fault.

He’s got inside of your fucking head and he’s messing and warping with your sense of self and your worth.

Why did he fucking kiss you?

Yuuji knows.

He must know for him to be so distant with you. No, he doesn’t, you argue with yourself. You breathe through pouting lips and try to bat away the tears forming in your lash line.

You startle a little when you feel Yuuji’s hand cup your shoulder. You turn to face him, seeing that he's already dressed. That’s why he didn’t look at you. He was getting ready for class! He isn’t ignoring you.

Of course he doesn’t know about Megumi kissing you, how could he?

The hand on your shoulder travels upwards to cup your face. His lips find yours and every insecurity you’ve ever felt in your life dissipates. He pulls away, resting his forehead on yours, the tips of your noses touching gently together.

He's searching your eyes.

“You look amazing princess,” he states. Your eyes shut softly and a tear finally breaks free and rolls down your cheek. He quickly swipes it away with his thumb, he even warns you that you’ll ruin your makeup if you don’t cut it out. “you don’t have to do this today y’know? A lot happened to you, take another day… hell take another week if you need to.” he assures you.

God he’s so fucking sweet you think you might get tooth decay if he says anything else to you. He kisses your lips again, and then your forehead before crouching down and resting on the balls of his feet. He holds your hands, delicately rubbing his thumbs over your soft skin as he waits for you to speak.

“I want to,” you tell him honestly, “but I think the longer I leave it the harder it’ll be.” you confess. He nods. He brings your hands to his lips and kisses softly.

“Let’s get you to class then. I wanna show off my pretty girl.”

His fingers interlace with yours. It’s weird that you aren’t running through the halls together. You’re early, only by a few minutes, but still. You’re strolling through the building with not a single care in the world.

You lean back against the wall outside of your classroom, the usual spot where you’ve lost count of how many times he’s kissed you too intimately for public viewing. This time, he does kiss you, but it’s soft and gentle.

He has so much fear in his eyes. He’s terrified about leaving you here. With those vile fucking girls and that piece of shit he thought was his friend. You smile, though.

It’ll all be okay.

Yuuji scowls as he hears giggling. Your blood runs cold. The girls snicker as they see you and walk into the classroom. He wishes he could get them expelled or something. Anything to keep them away from you.

He notices the time on his watch, it’s creeping dangerously close to 9am. Regardless of how early you got here, Yuuji is still going to be rushing to his class. He engulfs you in a hug and you smile warmly.

“Text me if you need anything. Okay baby? Anything.”

You start to speak but you both notice a familiar silhouette out of the corner of your eyes. Megumi. You knew you’d see him again sooner or later, but his presence is all consuming and downright miserable.

Yuuji frowns, but nothing more. He knows Fushiguro isn’t so imbecilic to try anything in front of him. You hold Yuuji’s face and turn him to face you. His loving brown eyes stare into yours. Every crease and every pore of your beautiful face. He can tell from one minor change if you’re okay. So he’s examining hard.

“I’ll text you Yuuji, promise.”

He kisses you one last time and stands in the doorway as he watches you find somewhere to sit.

Megumi and the girls are sitting near the back, so he smiles when he sees you take a seat in the front row closest to the door. You smile back when you see him mouth ‘I love you’ to you. You do the same, and finally he runs down the hallway to his own class.

It's a pretty painless class all in all, you were definitely expecting worse. You hear the girls talking in an insanely high pitch as they attempt to flirt with Megumi.

But of course, he's his usual stoic self. You do your best to avoid turning to look at them. However, when you hear them snicker and say things like ‘she pissed herself in the club’ you want a hole to form under your seat and suck you into nothingness. Your eyes bulge when you hear something you hadn’t expected.

“Shut. Up.” Megumi speaks in annoyance. You know he isn’t defending you, he hates you after all. But it still makes you smile to hear the girls try and defend themselves.

“I thought you hated her Megumi!” the redhead whines.

“I thought I told you to shut up.”

Regardless of your three bullies making unnecessary comments in the back, there are three students around you that offer their support, telling you that they heard what happened and that they hope you’re okay.

It's nice knowing that you had other people around you and not just your boyfriend. Your classmates didn’t know the full extent to your ordeal, of course, but it was still appreciated.

You're surprised when you see Megumi begin to pack away early. Apparently, he has a dentist appointment. He ignores you as he walks by. He gives you nothing but the gust of wind that breezes by from his stride.

While everyone is getting on with their work for the last thirty minutes of class, your teacher approaches you to discuss your sketchbook.

If nothing else, you know the trauma of being spiked in the club would provide a perfect sob story to get you more time on your work.

You still hadn’t pinned the blame Megumi for ruining your sketchbook. What would be the point? He’d only retaliate that you did the same to his.

You took full responsibility for the ink incident, but with the help of your drugging ordeal, he offers you a hefty extension on your work, thank God. He spends the remainder of his lesson talking with you and giving you tips on how to create a new body of artwork.

“Megumi actually started again from scratch, for some reason, and he’s managed to get a lot done in a short period of time.” he tells you.

You nod along as if you don’t have a clue as to why Megumi would start again. You actually do feel a little bad that you ruined all of his hard work.

You were just as bad as him in that aspect.

He clearly puts a lot of time and effort into his drawings, but you ruined them all in an instant. But you only feel a little bad, since he did exactly the same to you.

But is it fair to be so petty?

“Perhaps you could ask him for some advice.” your lecturer suggests.

Your lips pull into a straight line. You have to think of something civil to say that won’t expose your burning hatred of the black-haired menace.

“I’ll think about it.”

Logically, you know that nothing bad will happen to you; but you begin packing away early so you can immediately sprint out of the room.

Without Megumi holding the girls back, you're worried that they might try and do something to you. You stick to your word and leave the room as quickly as your legs will take you.

Yuuji will be finishing his classes soon, too. You consider going to the sports hall to meet him, but you know he’ll be showering again and changing before coming to meet you. You head towards the exit, deciding it's smarter to wait by his car instead.

As you're rushing, you collide with another student. Thankfully neither of you drop anything like a classic cliché, however it is a cliché that the student you ram into happens to be Megumi.

Isn’t he meant to be at the dentist?

Before you can get away, he covers your mouth with his palm and pulls you into the boys toilets. He locks you both in a cubicle and he remains straight faced as you began to cry.

“Shut up, stop screaming, I’m not gonna do anything.” he tells you. Your chest is heaving, but you nod. He seems sincere, but it’s hard to tell with him. He uncovers your mouth. Your eyes squint as you examined his nose.

He looks like he wants to kill you when you began to smirk.

“Too much sugar on your donuts, Megumi.” you speak as you wiped a finger over your own nose. His eyes bulge as he understands what you mean in an instant, quickly swiping the back of his sleeve over his nose to clear away the coke he’d snorted. “What do you want from me?” you wonder.

“Yuuji seemed unusually calm when he saw me today.” he begins. You raise your eyebrows, prompting him to continue. “I can only assume that you didn’t tell him that we kissed.”

Your heart stops as he speaks. You raise a finger to your lips and repeatedly tell him to be quiet. Anyone could be in here listening to you talk. “First of all, you kissed. I slapped you away.” you whisper-shout. “I should tell him, really, I have no reason to protect you. Especially after this.” you threaten, he does nothing but roll his eyes at your idle threat.

“Unless you liked it,” you want to argue his point, but he interjects immediately. “I was high so don’t flatter yourself.”

“You’re high now, do I need to worry? Have you got more misery in store for me? Or are you going to do as your daddy tells you and leave me the fuck alone?” you question.

He leans back against the wall on the cubicle you’re squashed in together and he observes you. He thinks it must be nice to have as much power as you do, knowing your enemies weak spot.

His will always be Toji.

“I’m actually done with you,” he explains. You’re sceptical, it seems too good to be true. “I found out something very exciting at your parents house. Do you want to know?”

“I don’t care, honestly.”

“I wasn’t going to tell you anyway. It’s more fun for me that way, but just know you’re fucked… and it has nothing to do with me.” he explains as he opens the door. You push him backwards so that you can leave first. You look at him in the mirrors above the sinks before walking out.

“Goodbye, Megumi.”

You’re loitering around parking lot waiting for Yuuji. You recognise a car that pulls up, and you smile when you see a familiar face.

It’s Toji.

He beams when he sees you. You walk over to him and give him those polite rich people kisses on each cheek. You smile again when you notice another person step out of the car.

This car isn’t Toji’s; it’s hers. She introduces herself as Tsumiki, Megumi’s sister.

“Nice to meet you.” you tell her.

“Did the brat give you any trouble? We came to pick him up, wanted to keep an eye on him.”

You lie, shaking your head. You’re sure he’ll manage to shake the information out of his son if he really wants to. He examines the space around him, waiting to see when his son will turn up. You can tell he’s apprehensive. He’s never been a hands-on father before. It’s all new territory for him.

He notices you examining Tsumiki. He knows exactly what you want to ask, but you're too scared. You don’t want to sound offensive or rude.

“She’s not mine princess, my ex-wife’s kid.” Toji fills you in.

“Dad she didn’t ask,” Tsumiki huffs. “Sorry about him.”

“Don’t apologise for me she wanted to know; look you can tell by her face. Right?” he gestures you, he's looking at you over his sunglasses with raised eyebrows, so you nod.

It isn’t lost on you that she doesn’t have the same jet-black hair as the Fushiguro’s. But genetics works like that sometimes, however in this instance your instincts are correct.

Eventually Toji’s spawn arrives; looking meek and submissive under his father’s intense glare. Toji questions why he looks so guilty, but Megumi doesn’t say a word.

Tsumiki is clueless. She knows about a girl who got spiked after the police came to question Megumi, but she has no idea that girl is standing before her very eyes, and it was his fault after all.

Toji has no intention of telling her.

“You’re really sticking around then, huh Toji?” you ask with a cheeky smirk on your face. Megumi scowls, he was furious that you were daring to have banter with his fucking dad. He still hates you, but he knows he needs to be smart around you now. Only because his prick of a father is staying for the time being.

“Yeah, I am.” he replies. “Maybe I’m expected to be a decent father and learn from my mistakes, yeah?”

There's something about Toji that makes you feel safe. He's like your guardian angel. You feel untouchable with him nearby. And Megumi fucking hates that.

Those few hours you spent with him in your father’s study are the closest you’ve felt to having a real parental figure in your whole life.

The family all move to get into Tsumiki’s car. But before they can leave, they're all drawn to the yelling, sprinting, pink-haired boy approaching you. He wraps his arms around your neck and smothers your lips in passionate kisses.

“Hello to you too, Yuuji.” you giggle.

“We need to go home, I need you home, now.” he explains. Tsumiki coos over the cute display. Toji snickers, while Megumi is seething. Yuuji says quick hello's to Toji and Tsumiki while point-blank ignoring his ex-best friend.

“Someone’s keen,” Toji chuckles, “Wrap it up kid. Don’t wanna end up with one of him, do ya?” Toji speaks gesturing his thumb to the side, pointing directly at Megumi.

Your face flushes with heat, at that.

He’s so forward and he doesn’t care. Tsumiki smacks his arm lightly as she gets inside of her vehicle and starts it up. You and your boyfriend step closer to your own car, but before you can leave Megumi moves towards you.

“So fucking cute.” Megumi starts. “Such a shame that you're keeping secrets, right?” he torments. Yuuji continues walking to the car door so he can take you home.

“No one is listening to you Fushiguro.” Yuuji tells him as he snaps open the door. He's about to duck inside, but Megumi has one last thing to say.

You're panicking. Is he really going to tell him?

Is he really about to spill, right fucking now, that you shared a kiss?

“Get in the fucking car ya little bastard.” Toji hisses as he grabs under his sons arm and tries to pull him away. Megumi snatches it back and gets closer to you. But he keeps his body positioned so that it's facing Itadori.

“I walked past the sports hall earlier, Yuuji, very interesting presentation I saw through the window.” Megumi smiles evilly. Yuuji slammed the door and gets closer to your bully.

“Shut the hell up,”

“Agreed, shut your fucking mouth.” Toji speaks as he slaps Megumi upside the head. “You deaf kid? I said: get in the fucking car.” he finishes, finally dragging his son around and shoving him into the backseat. “Can’t fucking help yourself, can you? Stop interfering in that girl’s life.” you hear him in the distance before slamming the door and sealing Megumi inside.

Whatever doubts you had about Yuuji this morning are quickly dashed. He buries them in a coffin and forces the nails in as he practically rips your clothes off your body.

He can’t keep his hands off you.

His gentle fingers caress each and every inch of your body while his lips do the same with soft, peppered kisses.

The days of him thinking you're made of glass seem like a distant memory as he fucks you. The slow, deep, lazy sex you had at your parent’s house is long forgotten.

He's like an animal, really giving it his all as he fucks you from behind. You're screaming and crying into the pillows. He doesn’t fail to tell you how much he loves you, either.

But you already knew that.

You convulse around him, and he empties himself inside of you. It's deep and creamy, and he's enamoured by the equally thick and creamy ring forming around the base of his cock as he kept drilling into you.

And it doesn’t end there.

He doesn’t care that your cunt is stuffed full of his seed. Yuuji pulls you around like a ragdoll as he lies flat against the bed.

His face is your throne.

And you're royalty in his eyes.

“Please princess, please. Need you to sit f’me, okay?” he looks up at you with pleading eyes. Something Yuuji Itadori has never been shy about since the day you met him is his love for eating pussy. In these few months you’ve been dating, you’ve never been let to forget that.

He praises what tasty slick you have, the best he’s ever consumed. So, to have you deny him of his fountain of youth, from his taste of heaven, has been unbearable.

“Need it s’bad baby. Please. Pleaaaase let me taste you.”

Who are you to deny him?

His arms lock around your thighs. You hold one hand against the wall to stabilize yourself and your other laces through his pastel pink locks. You bite your bottom lip as he sucks at your sensitive bead.

He's so needy and desperate; you can tell he hadn’t gotten to enjoy licking at your folds for a few days. It makes you shudder when you feel him suck his cum out of your hole and spit it back in.

“Oh God…” you sigh. Your heart rate soars. You aren’t going to last much longer. But that's a good thing for Yuuji. That’s exactly what he wants. “Yuuji—!” you cry.

His palms slap onto your ass and he pulls your heat closer to his face. He really wants you to sit. He squeezes your flesh tightly, it's a signal for you to cum. He doesn’t dare pull away and risk wasting a second of consuming your flavour as you straddled his head.

You can hear him though.

He’d be saying something like ‘go ahead and cum, princess’ so you do. You hum and groan through the pleasure of his tongue laving and sucking your clit and he loves the way your legs tremble.

You climb off of him and he sits upright. He locks a hand around the back of your head and pulls you in for a crashing intimate kiss. You think he might want to go for another round for a minute, but it slows. He kisses your cheek before turning you around and pulling you to lie down with him. Yuuji plays with your hair and your eyelids feel heavier.

“What was that all about, Yuuji? Not that I’m complaining.”

He wraps his arms around you and kisses into the crown of your head. “Does there need to be a reason? I just love you baby.” he reminds you, kissing you again.

“I love you too.” you smile. But you can’t relax, because something is playing on your mind. It had been playing on your mind the whole car ride home, but you didn’t want to mention it. It was even in the back of your brain while he fucked you into oblivion. “What was Megumi talking about before? The sports hall presentation?” you query.

You feel Yuuji’s body tense up against you.

Maybe you should have kept it to yourself.

“What? Are we listening to Fushiguro now?” he asks, anger clear in his tone.

“No! It’s just—”

He rises to his feet, quickly pulling his clothes back on and heading towards the bedroom door to leave.

Hopefully he’ll tell you in his own time.

His stare is kinder as you approach him later. He welcomes you to join him on the sofa with open arms. So, you hop quickly towards him and sit in his lap. You nestle into his chest as he strokes your body sensually with his thumbs.

“Hey,” he whispers hoping to get your attention without startling you. Your eyes find his, those beautiful hazel hues, and you feel as safe as can be. He looks… sad. His eyes are glossy, and he kisses your forehead forcefully. “What we did today princess, I need to do that every day.” he tells you.

“What do you—?”

“Please, please don’t make me explain. I love you, you get that, right? So please, I need to be with you like that every day.” he tells you. He's literally begging you. Begging for your body every single day. That isn’t something you could promise.

What has gotten into him?

“Yuuji I just don’t—”

“Baby!” he yells. He feels you jump in his arms and pulls you closer into his body again, shushing and cooing.

He’s sorry, he is, he’s really sorry.

He doesn’t know what’s gotten over him, he never ever yells at you.

You don’t understand and he can’t explain just yet.

“You know I’d never make you do anything you don’t wanna, right baby? Just this one thing, I need you to do this for me.” he tells you. His two hands hold your whole face and he looks at you with those pleading eyes. You don’t know what’s going on, but you can’t refuse him when he’s looking at you like that.

“Okay.”

You do as he asks, every single day.

It’s only Friday, but you wonder how much longer this is going to go on before he gives you the explanation you're patiently waiting for.

But it didn’t come.

He had the perfect opportunity to tell you when you went out for your usual Friday lunch into town, but he chose not to. Instead telling you about his classes.

You kiss him goodbye as you head towards the art building.

Would Fushiguro be so stupid as to think he’s still entitled to share your cubicle space with you?

Yes.

He doesn’t look at you though, maybe he’ll leave you alone today. Although that seems painfully optimistic.

He almost ignores you as you come in and find your seat. But he can’t completely, how could he when you looked like that? You’re always so glamorous and well put together, usually. But today, you’re in sweats with no makeup.

You’d be embarrassed to tell anyone the reason; but the truth is you were so fucked out from Yuuji going to town on you every single night with no reprieve.

“Not looking so high and mighty today, princess.” Megumi mutters. “In fact, you look depressed.” he adds.

“God. My fucking God. Seriously. Christ. Shut the fuck up.” you moan. Maybe the sentence was a little extreme. But with Yuuji keeping secrets and Megumi getting his digs in, you couldn't take it. “Did you... never mind—” you decided to keep schtum.

You wonder for a brief second if the reason Yuuji was so desperate to be intimate with you was because he knew about the kiss. But if he did, you’re sure Megumi would be in a hospital bed rather than in your personal space.

“No, I didn’t. Stop fucking talking about it. It didn’t mean anything so shut your fucking mouth.” Megumi hisses through gritted teeth. “Neither of us want anyone finding out, seems like one thing we agree on, so stop bringing it up.” Megumi finishes.

You nod in agreement. If anyone finds out, you'll be mortified. Although you didn’t do anything wrong – it would seem so much worse than it is since you didn’t immediately confess the truth to Yuuji. Although, he seems to have a dirty secret of his own.

“Interesting that you decided to keep it to yourself, though. Why?” Megumi contradicts himself as he presses for more information. You lean over to him, hissing back at him just as he had to you.

“Don’t you think you’ve blown into my life like a hurricane and fucked up enough?”

You sit back upright as your lecturer approaches your cubicle. He commends how well the two of you are getting along, going as far as to compliment you for taking Megumi under your wing.

You cringe with embarrassment as he mentions the fact you’d discussed him helping you build your sketchbook back up to full health. Megumi smirks at that. Your lecturer leaves you be, and your eyes weld shut as you feel Megumi turn to you with a wicked grin.

“What do you say, princess? Gonna let me help you out?”

“I’d rather die, actually.”

“That can be arranged.”

You scoff, deciding it would be best to focus on your work once again. You need all of the help you can get in restoring it to its former glory.

Your blood freezes over as you feel Megumi’s seat scrape across the floor. He has no reason to get up other than to go to the bathroom or to taunt you.

He brings all of his own equipment and he doesn’t use paint so he had no use for going to the sinks to get water to clean paintbrushes. You jolt as you feel one of his hands rest on your shoulder and the other on your thigh. He lets his head settle carefully on your other shoulder.

He's examining your sketchbook.

“What do you think you’re doing?” you ask him.

“You’ve done more work than I expected in such a short time, especially after your… unfortunate drinking incident.” he hums, the vibrations go through your ear and make you shudder. He smirks at that. “I think you can do better than this.”

“Okay.” you huff. “Now, tell me what you really want.” you utter, it's like he's undeserving of the effort of your breath. Complete derision drips from your tongue.

He turns his head so his mouth is level with your ear; he wants each and every word he speaks to cut deep.

“I was just wondering if Yuuji has told you about the sports hall presentation I stumbled across yet.” he whispers. The soft lilt in his tone tumbles straight into your ear canal. You want to turn and face him, but when your head moves a little you consider that his lips might find yours again.

“Why don’t you tell me Megumi?”

He tuts, and tuts, and tuts some more. “Oh… I couldn’t do that.” he expresses. “You heard my old man tell me not to interfere, right? I’m sure Mister Perfect will tell you when he’s good and ready.”

He's being sarcastic and patronising. But still, he's right. You’re sure he’ll tell you…

All in good time…

You gather your things and leave class. It actually doesn’t irritate you that Megumi is walking by your side.

He’s quite tolerable when he’s quiet.

You're a little confused when you arrive at the car park. Yuuji’s car is nowhere to be seen. Toji’s is, though. He steps out to say hello to you again.

“Somethin’ wrong sweetheart?” he wonders.

“Yuuji’s car isn’t here, I don’t—”

“Get in, I’ll take you home.” he says as he opens a door for you to hop in. You nod in agreement. But you think you better text Yuuji in case he comes back to find you.

Having Toji around is really coming in handy for you.

And maybe, just maybe, it’ll help Megumi work through his issues too.

The car ride is awkward as Megumi refuses to speak. Toji makes him sit in the back, like a little kid.

His dad doesn’t care that he's pouting, though. He's being sweet and talkative, asking you about your day and your classes. He picks up on your appearance too, but he isn’t rude about it. He simply asks if everything is okay, and you nod.

You think so, at least.

He waves goodbye through the window as you get out of the car. You're staring at your front door as Megumi gets out and sits in the front. They drive away, and you're still staring.

Why were you so nervous?

Your stomach sinks as you enter the bedroom you share with your boyfriend. He halts all movements and he looks like a deer in headlights.

He's… packing.

Why the fuck is he packing?

“You’re leaving me—?” you ask him.

“No! Baby, I didn’t want you to find out like this that’s why I came home early.” he tells you as he comes closer to you, but you back away, and it made his heart ache. You’ve never avoided his touches before, you’ve never evaded his desire to love you. “Please let me just—”

“You are. Oh my God! You’re fucking leaving me!” you cry. He's rambling about how badly you need to listen to him, to hear him out. But you can’t. “It's really something that I should have trusted Fushiguro over you.” you spit. You immediately regret saying it, but it's too late to take it back now.

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“Don’t dare try and take the moral fucking high ground when you’re packing your bags to run out on me.” you clap back. He runs his fingers through his hair and sits with his head in his hands on the side of the bed. “You know what?” you ask as you drop to your knees. “I’ll help you pack.” you lie, zipping up his suitcase and picking it up to throw down the stairs.

“Stop it! Put it down!” Yuuji shouts. He wraps his arms around your body so you could do nothing but wriggle and writhe against him.

“Let me go! I hate you! I fucking hate you, Yuuji!” you bawl as you do all you can to get free. Tears stream down your face as you lie to him. You just want to hurt him like he's hurting you.

But it's not just hurting him.

It's killing him to hear you say something so vile.

He knows you don’t mean it, but it's still the worst pain he’s ever felt.

He manages to pull you down onto the bed and subdue you. His eyes water as you burst into loud, unforgiving tears and cover your face. He’s gone about things in the worst possible way. He should have known it would turn out like this, but he really thought he was doing the right thing.

“Baby.” he whispers.

You uncover your face and he was hovers above you. You stop crying for a moment, and he hates how bright and shiny your face was with glittering tears.

It’s his fault.

And yet, for some reason your heart is racing. His face lowers and your hands clasp around the back of his head. Your swollen puffy lips found his in a deep, bruising kiss. You feel all of the air in your lungs escape. You couldn’t get enough of him. How could you say you hate him when you there is so much tension between you to kiss him like this?

But you remember his suitcase and push him away. You swipe the back of your hand over your lips and gather your breath.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, why did you kiss me? Stay the fuck away from me Yuuji.” you pant, your tears breaking free again.

“BABE! Please! You’re so fucking stubborn will you let me talk?” he yellS. “I’m not fucking leaving you, I promise. Not like you think, I need you to let me explain.” he states. You're receptive, but still terrified.

“Not like I think?”

He opens his arms, inviting you inside. You're hesitant, but allow it. He lets out a little chuckle and shakes his head when you ask him if he’s met another girl.

You are and will always be the only girl for him.

He pulls you both down, so you're lying on your sides with your heads on the soft pillows. Your eyes focus on his as you allow him to speak.

“The presentation Fushiguro was talking about, it was about a trip. And it’s mandatory.” he tells you.

This is the best possible outcome.

He isn’t leaving you and he hasn’t met someone else.

Did he really think you were going to go crazy over a weekend trip?

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want us both to be upset about me leaving. I just wanted to love you as much as I could and have as much sex as possible before I had to go.” he sniffles.

That’s not the type of thing you say when you’re only leaving for a weekend. Your lip wobbles and your eyes filled again.

This is killing him.

He doesn’t want to fucking go. He doesn’t.

“How long will you be gone?” you weep. His eyes close as he tries to hold back his own tears. He isn’t ignoring you, but he knows as soon as he answers it's real. “How long Yuuji.” you whimper.

He breathes. Tears leave his eyes silently, but he quickly wipes them away. “Three months.” he answers, his voice cracked and broken. You break down into tears again and he hugs you closer to him. How are you going to live without him for three whole months? “I’m so- I’m so s-sorry.” he mutters, trying to control his breaking voice.

“Where will you— How far are you g-going?”

“It’s um, a tour of Europe.”

You feel your heart tear and tear with each sentence he speaks.

You’ll be alone in the house with no one to come home to and cuddle each day and night. No one to talk about your day with or tell you about their own. You’ve had relationships end and felt less pain than this.

He's quite literally your other half. The only person who could possibly complete the puzzle of your heart and you're losing that for three months.

“Please just uh- I need you to,” he stumbles over his words. Unable to process what he was actually about to ask, to speak. “Please tell me you don’t really hate me. You don’t, do you? I love you, I love you. Please, I need you to tell me you don’t really hate me…” he speaks with minimal voice breakage.

Tears roll out of his eyes but he manages to keep strong. You, however, are a mess. How could you say something so abhorrent to the man you love, the person you loved more than anything in the world? You wrap your body around him. Crying into him heavily and kiss him all over.

“I love you Yuuji, I’m so so sorry.” you blubber. “I could never hate you. I’m sorry, Yuuji I’m so fucking sorry. I love you; I do. I really fucking love you.”

You're sick. You don’t want to eat, to go to the bathroom, to sleep. You don’t want to waste a single second of time with him.

“I have to leave on Sunday.” he speaks into your hair, almost silencing his voice. After tonight you have one day together. One day before he leaves you for three months.

“I feel like I’m dying.” you confess. He kisses your neck before speaking again.

“I know. Me too.”

© 2021 fuwushiguro | © 2024 rinhaler

[jmdbjk]

Looking back and forward.

2023 was one for the books.

It is Thursday, Dec. 7 where I am... Friday, Dec. 8 in Korea.

It is the last Friday for Namjoon, Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook to be civilians. This is their last weekend to spend in their homes, at the company to work, running along the river, doing boxing workouts, ordering delivery food, loving on their dogs, doing the things they've been doing the last over ten years. It will be about 100 days until they get time off and can maybe spend some time back at home.

They are tying up loose ends, getting their shit together, preparing to put their lives on hold.

They will return to us in mid-June 2025.

I've watched their last group live several times after the english subs were up. There were a lot of things I saw and I have a lot of mixed emotions about it all.

None of us know these men, we are observers and all we know is what they choose to show us. Unfortunately, they can't control every single thing and people and the media insist on prying and publishing images and things about them that lead to unconfirmed rumors and misinformation.

In the approximately 38 minutes they shared with us, they conveyed that they are getting ready to go, they seemed in positive spirits. They conveyed that they were still working on things for us (except Jungkook).

They said there was A LOT of content coming, so much... they've NEVER ever reassured us like this before.

They asked fans to NOT show up at the induction site out of respect for the other men and their families also entering the military those days. They explicitly said "we are their face and to do them proud."

During this live, I saw Tae being the fantastically funny guy that he is. Tae was alight with excitement. He was anxious to learn from his fellow soldiers. He is a flower waiting to bloom. And seeing his friendship with Jimin maturing, flourishing, same age friends forever was wonderful.

And Namjoon trying to keep up with the crazy shenanigans of the maknae line. Trying to be the voice of reason: "it'll go by quick, we've left a lot of content. Jin will be back soon. We'll all get strong." But there seemed to be a bit of push and pull between he and Jimin... it was interesting. But he was lighthearted, positive, going into with an open mind. Get in, get out, get back to work.

Jimin, Jimin, Jimin... There was a bit of resignation wrapped up in Jimin's positivity. He wouldn't agree that it would go by fast and he didn't want to show himself with the buzz cut. I wanted to reach through the screen and hold his hand and reassure him we'd be here waiting and that we know it's hard to leave everything right now to do this. This man lives to do work on his passion. He's already had to stop once. Now he has to do it again. I think he is going into his MS kicking and screaming because he does not want to leave his youth behind. It is unfinished.

He said he had been sick. He coughed, sneezed and sniffled the entire live. I hope all of these symptoms have disappeared by Monday/Tuesday. I remember his friend Sungwoon had to delay his enlistment date because he tested positive for covid. Please don't let that happen to any of our four.

During this last group live, I saw a Jungkook that I'd never seen before. His vibe was so in tune to Jimin. I know he's been that way since... 2017? 2018? But this was so in your face I was dumbfounded. Jungkook constantly soothing Jiminie. The things they probably talked about while they were in Japan a few weeks ago, man, to be a fly on the wall.

ALL of those lives he did this past year flashed through my head, how unhinged he was the first few months, falling asleep drunk with the candle, calling out stalkers. ALL those times WE said he was missing Jimin because he was begging him to come eat chicken and drink beer, or come do a boxing workout, or better yet, "let me come over and we can shower together..." No... I meant to say: he can go over to Jimin's and wash up and do a live together. Yes, that's what he said. Beggged him. Tried to use Army as leverage. And all we got was Jimin saying he "can handle it" and "you know how my personality is"...

Jungkook watching all that Jimin content... something happened, some decision was made early in the year. Jungkook embraced it and ran with it.

And to know they are going into the service together, it still has me astonished but it all makes sense now. Y'all... they knew they were going to do this wayyyyyy back, not just in August or September when they applied. Jungkook said back in February (before someone lit a fire under his butt in March to start working on music) that he had to take care of his body for the next year. This has been the plan and Jungkook said "no worries, I got this."

2023 was A LOT.

Jimin, Face: the melodies poured out (as they seem to be free-flowing from him at any given moment) but he had to pry those lyrics out of himself. Jimin achieved a #1 BBHot100. And yes, it appears there were not just one, but TWO of those blasted cakes. I didn't know much about PDogg before Jimin's documentary but now I know how much he supported Jimin during this process.

Yoongi, D-Day: I got to see Yoongi in real life. That weekend flew by for me. One of the best weekends ever. As soon as the concert was over I said out loud, I need to see all seven on that stage. His concert tour filled a void for us. We needed that so bad after last year's gut-wrenching news that there would be no tour. And now he's fulfilling his social service. Let him serve quietly with dignity.

Hobi, Military: after tearfully sending him off, what we hear now is he's cracking the whip, though ever-so empathetically (not to be confused with emphatically) over those new enlistees every day. I need to see his boom chakalaka marching drills. Jimin said when he visited Hobi, he wasn't greeted with his ebullient "Jaman!" but more of a lowkey "oh, you're here."

Jungkook, his solo songs and album: Jungkookie chose to go the route of choosing songs that resonated with him. Over the course of years, Kookie has always shared songs with us. We used to love his song recs and his covers of very poignant songs. He KILLED those songs with his vocals. He did what HE wanted to do. And look how well he did with it, also a #1 BBHot100.

Taehyung, Layover: again, Taehyung did what he wanted to do. Not on his album, but Taehyung singing along with Karen Carpenter was never on my bingo card, ever! (a clip on his Instagram stories where he was singing along to "Close to You")

RM, we kept wondering: why isn't he enlisted yet? Someone had to wrangle the maknae. Not that he ever did that this past year. He cut himself over his left eye and had to get stitches... that's gonna leave a scar. Good thing there are 40 bajillion plastic surgeons in Seoul...

Jin is coming. The Head of Ministry of the Military making the decision that no celeb will be doing anything special, instead they will serve just like regular civilians. Sergeant Kim Seokjin will become civilian Jin of BTS on June 12, 2024.

Their constant looking forward to 2025

Skipping over 2024 for the moment...

BTS has to evolve. They must evolve. They are not going to be a 30 something year old K-pop boy band. Some groups might be stuck but BTS will not stay stagnant, they never have. They have to step forward out of that niche and they have been trying to do that incrementally for a while now. They’ve taken us in baby steps already through chapter 2, and Joon said the REAL chapter 2 will begin when they are back from fulfilling their service.

What will they be like? Will they reinvent themselves? Perhaps, but not overnight. I don’t see any sort of extreme makeover for BTS once they come back together. I do see them addressing more mature topics (as we’ve seen), I do hope we see songwriting from all members.

They don't need to abandon their Korean-ness in order to accomplish this. There is nothing stopping them from being a mainstream artist who just happens to be from Korea and who release songs that are in Korean.

I think the accomplishments that Jungkook achieved will continue to pull BTS out of the K-pop realm and into the main stream Pop music realm. They worked that western market. They got pushback, especially western industry institutions: Billboard and the Grammys. And they learned.

Progress is slow but progress nevertheless. They will cross over to general pop one way or the other. They are not going to stay in the kpop box in the future. Straddle both at the same time. They can do it.

For 2024:

I think comeback/HYYH 10th anniversary reboot is already in the works and has been.

I think PDogg will be working on the songs over the next year. I think they have recorded all this year.

I think when Jin and Hobi get back, they might record their parts. I also am pretty sure we'll see a full-bodied solo effort from Jin and more from Hobi. I think we'll get a ramp up to his discharge with some Hope on the Street content that he recorded before he enlisted.

I think we'll slowly see wheels start turning to get the machine going again much sooner than we imagined.

I think what we see next year will all be primed to pre-promote and whip up the excitement for 2025.

I just feel strongly that Bang PD would NOT have mentioned that specific thing and we would not be hearing the members constantly saying 2025. And especially saying 2025 is not that far in the future and that they are looking forward to the incredible synergy the group will have when they get back together. They've got a lot of work done already. They know already.

They said there is A LOT coming to us.

In about two weeks BTS: Beyond the Star docu-series will begin.

We know we're getting some sort of Jimin and Jungkook traveling content, whether a series or not...I'm leaning toward it being a multi-episode series. Camping? Drinking? Breweries? Beaches? Boating or sailing or both but separate? Fishing? Snow sports? They said it was fun.

We will see activity around all the solo album anniversaries. We still have an RM documentary, a Taehyung documentary and a Jungkook documentary. I bet the latter two will come out towards the end of 2024.

We might have Tae acting, we know he'll be in an IU MV soon.

About aging bangtan ...

Remember when we said this is Bangtan in 20 years?

I joke about it but seriously they are aware that things will be different as they evolve and age as people and as artists.

There are new groups debuting all the time and BTS is aging out of a certain demographic (as they should).

Yoongi saying "cruise with BTS" would be the best case scenario for their future.

I would love to be on that cruise if it ever happens.

[roosterforme]

A Love You Don't Find Everyday Part 8 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: You run into the last person you wanted to see in Annapolis, which leads to you and Bradley fighting over the phone.

Warnings: Angst, fluff, swearing and smut

Length: 4600 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

Check out my masterlist for more!

"Oww!!" You were trying your best to keep it together as your friend Caleb gave you your first tattoo. But you weren't sure if the location was extra sensitive, or if you were just a gigantic baby, but it was hurting a lot.

"Let's take a little break," he told you, gently wiping your skin before he removed his gloves and went to get you a bottle of water.

You glanced down your body to where your leggings were pulled part way down, revealing a half finished tattoo that was clearly dedicated to Bradley. 

Oh my goodness, you'd actually done it. The idea occurred to you when you were first engaged; a hidden tattoo that only he would see. Well, him and your doctors, and perhaps someone who saw you in a bathing suit. But even your bathing suits were probably not skimpy enough to show off the single-line Rooster that was going to be adorning your skin near the left side of your pelvic bone, between your pussy and hip.

"We're almost done," Caleb promised as you drank. "You got five more minutes in you?"

"Yes," you managed to say, watching him wash his hands and grab a new pair of gloves. "It'll be worth it for the surprise wedding gift."

With a laugh, Caleb adjusted your leggings and got to work once more. "I'm pretty sure Bradley is going to freak the fuck out when he sees it. No joke, I would lose my mind if Jess ever did anything like this."

"That's what I'm counting on," you groaned through clenched teeth. You tried to take deep breaths and pretend you were at the beach, taking Tramp for a walk as the needle made you want to cry. 

"Nearly done," Caleb mumbled, and now you were biting your finger to keep yourself still. You were panting by the time he finished and wiped you clean one final time. "Here, check it out with the mirror. Looks pretty cool."

You propped yourself up on one elbow and took the mirror from him. You gasped softly as you examined yourself. "I love it! It's perfect! Tiny and cute and just perfect!"

While Caleb taped plastic wrap over the rooster to cover it while it heals, you argued with him over payment. 

"It's on the house," he insisted.

"That ridiculous! How much would you normally charge?"

He just laughed and said, "It's dainty, and it was your first time, so I'd charge the shop minimum. But you're going to pay nothing and consider it a wedding gift. Congratulations."

"Thanks," you told him with a hug, only feeling slightly bad that he was insisting you skip payment. "But if I come back for another one, I'm paying full price."

"Sure, whatever you say."

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

Bradley was sitting in your car in the driveway. He was already running late, because he missed you so much he could barely function. And because he had stayed in bed too long jerking off to the dirty videos of the two of you. And now your car wouldn't start for him.

"You fucking piece of shit!" he scolded the dashboard. He had moved the seat back as far as it would go, and he could still barely fit. His head was almost touching the roof, and the seatbelt felt like it was smothering him. "I swear this is the smallest car ever made. Can't be safe."

Then he remembered that he promised you he'd treat the car nicely. So through gritted teeth, he gently ran his palm along the steering wheel while he tried one more time to turn the key. 

"For some reason she loves you, so will you please be nice to me?"

The car magically started, and he was finally on his way to work. He thought about how much better the Bronco was while he drove, but he didn't dare voice his opinions out loud. It was only Monday, and he needed this thing to be agreeable for at least a few more days. 

Bradley knew you were busy. He knew you had spent the entire day Sunday with your parents, but he was still craving even just a phone call from you. He thought about calling you now, but the last thing he wanted to do was be a nuisance this week. 

But his phone rang as he pulled into the parking garage, and he scrambled to answer. "Sweetheart!"

"Bradley! I only have a minute," you told him, and he could tell by the amount of background noise that you were already in the conference hall. "Just wanted to check on you and Tramp."

"We're good, Baby Girl. Just miss you."

"Listen, I've got all these dinners and cocktail hours all week, but I'll call you when I can, okay? Text me! I love you!"

Bradley made his way to the classroom and took a seat next to Nat. "How you holding up? I never thought I would see the day when you were a lovesick mess, waiting for your wife to return home."

Bradley grumbled. "Almost wife. And I fucking hate her car. She's so nearly perfect, like literally my ideal woman, but her choice of vehicle honestly makes me question her sanity."

"Of course she's fucking crazy. She's with you."

Being three hours behind you all week made things even more interesting, but when Bradley was fixing himself a bowl of cereal for dinner around 7 on Tuesday, he was surprised to see you were texting him. 

I miss you, Roo. We could definitely manage to break this bed together.

Just as he was about to write back and tell you exactly how he'd take care of you and the bed, a few images appeared in the thread. In the first one, you were naked and all wrapped up in the white sheet, your hair a mess and you had that hazy look in your eyes that told him you'd had a few drinks. 

"Oh, fuck," he groaned as two more images came through. You knew what that ring on your finger did to him. And you decided to tease him anyway. 

The picture of you with your left arm covering your hip, slipping your middle finger inside yourself had him unzipping his shorts. The diamond ring sparkled in the light, and your manicured nails against your pussy looked so pretty. 

He called you over facetime immediately, looking through the pictures while he fisted himself. 

"Roo," you gasped. Your room was dimly lit, but he could tell you were masturbating. You must have just taken these photos before sending them.

"Baby Girl," he groaned, and you whined in response. God, he loved that sound. Loved it when you were a needy, spoiled princess for him. 

"Get me off! Talk to me, Bradley, and get me off!" you demanded, tilting the phone so he could see your pleading face before shifting it to show off the rest of your body.

"You have the prettiest little pussy, Sweetheart. Yes, use your fingers, just like that. Nice and slow. Add a second one to fill you up."

You were moaning louder now, swiping your clit with your thumb. 

"Show me your face. Look at me," he told you, gripping himself tight as you guided your phone up to your face. He scolded you whenever you let your eyes drift closed, demanding you look at him while you came. 

"Bradley," you gasped, your head tipping back, but your eyes stayed on his as you made all the little noises that he would forever associate with pure sexual bliss. 

"Good girl," he told you as you rode your fingers to completion. After a few more pumps of his fist, he had made a bit of a mess in the kitchen for himself to clean up. 

You bit your lip and sighed softly. "I miss you. When I get home, can we make another video together where you call me your dirty little slut?"

He just grunted in agreement. "Anytime you want, Sweetheart."

Bradley let you start to doze off as he talked to you, only telling you to hang up and charge your phone before you fell asleep completely.  

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

Every lecture you attended was fascinating. Every cocktail hour was a great chance to network. And every dinner with your team brought everyone closer together. But you were getting tired of socializing. All you really wanted was to be home with Bradley, eating dinner on his lap and listening to his playlists. 

"Everyone ready for tomorrow afternoon?" Bickel asked on Wednesday evening during dinner just off base. "We've got lecture hall 7 starting at 10:00, so we should have plenty of time to run equipment tests."

"Ready," you promised him as the others agreed. You weren't nervous at all, just excited to share your work. The thing you were most worried about was how itchy your tattoo felt now. It was covered up and healing, but you couldn't imagine giving an hour long lecture in your polyester uniform pants successfully at the moment. 

At least you had managed to keep it covered with your arm while you and Bradley had your facetime call last night. 

You smirked and excused yourself to use the restroom, running your palms over your dress as you wound your way through the restaurant. When your fingers touched your tattoo through the fabric, you actually giggled. You had decided you'd let Bradley find it on his own when you got home on Saturday afternoon. You'd be exhausted from your week by that point, but you still couldn't wait to see what he thought about it.

You were excited for tomorrow's presentation. And on Friday night you'd be out with the Admirals. The Admirals! 

You finally turned the last corner, but you weren't looking where you stepped. It was too late as you felt yourself collide with a man, and then you heard a familiar voice as he said your name. 

His hands came to rest on your arms, steadying you as you felt a cold, horrible feeling wash through your body. 

It was Josh. It was Josh, and he was touching your bare skin, and his face was next to yours. 

"Oh, my god," you gasped, trying to pull out of his grip.

"Shit, it is you," he whispered, finally letting go of you as you wrenched yourself away. 

You stood just staring at each other as you inched slowly away. Some remote part of your brain recognized that you were safe, you were surrounded by people walking to and from the restrooms. You didn't need Bradley or Jake or Bob. But you still felt clammy and uncomfortable. 

"Didn't expect to see you in Annapolis," Josh drawled with a thoroughly disinterested look on his face. "You here to get me kicked off of another base? Get me demoted again?"

"Josh," you whispered, gathering your thoughts. "I'm here to give a presentation."

"I know. I saw your name on the keynote list. I should have been part of that project."

You scoffed. "You should have kept your hands to yourself. And I was never going to choose you, I was always going to keep Sonya."

He laughed bitterly. "Okay, now that much I do not believe. You can say what you want, but I'm not blameless here. You gonna get your huge boyfriend to hit me again, just for fun?"

You pressed your lips together before you said, "Fiancé now, actually."

Josh's gaze dipped down to your hand, but you didn't make the ring any easier for him to see. You didn't even want him looking at it. It was yours. 

Then your mind wrapped around his words. "What do you mean? Hit you again?"

"Is he here?" Josh asked, glancing behind you. 

"No, he's in San Diego, but if I call him, he'll be on the next flight. What do you mean by hit you again?"

Josh shook his head slowly, and you could see in his eyes how much he hated you now. A chill went through your body, but you didn't move an inch. 

"You were there that night, at the bar. I assumed you sent him over to head me off. Him and that blond guy, too."

Your eyes went wider as you pictured Bradley and Jake hauling Josh out the doors of the Hard Deck. Your face must have given you away.

"So you didn't know he punched me in the face then?"

"No," you whispered. Now you were angry at Bradley and Jake, but you were even angrier at Josh for making you remember with vivid clarity the way he had touched you, all while he was standing right in front of you.

"He broke my nose and my ribs. I thought about calling the police. Getting him arrested."

A bitter laugh escaped you as someone nudged past you to get to the ladies' room. "Really? What stopped you? The fact that I would have reciprocated by turning you in for physical and sexual assault? You've got a lot of nerve even talking to me right now, so let's wrap this up. Is there anything else you'd like to say to me?"

Josh eyed you from head to toe, his gaze lingering on your chest for a few seconds before he shook his head. "Just that you weren't worth it. You seemed so fucking easy too. I'd hate to be engaged to you, the way you flirt with other guys like some kind of skank."

"Get the fuck away from me," you said, hating the way your voice shook. "Chelsea told me you did that shit all the time, and I was never even interested in you. You're a pig." 

As he got himself in your personal space, you just wanted Bradley. But you forced yourself to hold your ground.

"And you're a bitch," he snapped next to your ear. 

You sucked in a breath and swallowed hard as he strode away from you as you muttered, "Fuck you." 

When he was out of sight you ducked into the bathroom and locked yourself in a stall. You hated the fact that he could get you so rattled. And you were steaming mad that apparently Bradley and Jake had pulled Josh aside, and everybody neglected to tell you about it. 

You needed to get a cab back to your room so you could be alone and call the one person who would tell you the truth.

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

Everyone was obsessed with his home gym. It really seemed like the silliest thing for his friends to be envious about, especially since Bradley was always inviting them over to use it. He filled up a huge jug of water and grabbed his speaker before taking Tramp out back with him and heading toward the garage where everyone was already gathered.

"Holy hell," Nat muttered. "No wonder he's out here working out all the time. Look at this one!" 

Bradley found Nat, Bob and Jake all huddled around the calendar where it hung on the wall, flipping through the pages. 

"That's so pretty. I love how the photographer used the negative space to make a statement," Bob said.

Jake laughed. "I think you're supposed to be noticing her legs."

Bob stuttered. "Well, I...I just would never look at her that way. So let's be respectful."

Nat shrugged. "I am respectfully saying that I can understand why Rooster is so pussy whipped. Look at this!" She was pointing to the November photo with you in black lace, garters and stocking, and Jake let out a low whistle. 

"Will you please stop looking?!" Bradley scolded, and Nat let go of the calendar like it had burned her.

"We weren't being crude," she replied with a smirk, but Bradley growled and carefully unclipped the calendar from the wall. 

"August is my personal favorite," Jake commented, and of course that was the one Bradley liked because your tit was out.

He eyed them all up. Nat and Jake were both still smirking, and Bob was beat red and looked like he wanted to disappear. "I know she's sexy. I know it's a marvel that I'm with her. I know I am pussy whipped. I know, okay?"

"Just as long as you know," Nat said with a laugh. 

Bradley tucked his calendar carefully into a plastic tub of photos from the storage unit before turning on a playlist. "You've all seen more than enough of my future wife. Let's start this damn workout."

Without another word, everyone grabbed some weights and got to work. Bradley was lifting while Bob spotted for him when he heard Jake's phone ring. 

"Angel, how are you?" Jake drawled, and Bradley quickly set his barbell in the holder and popped up.

"What's wrong? Did she try to call me?" Bradley asked, walking over to his phone. Nothing.

"Whoa, whoa! Angel, calm down! That's not even what happened!" Jake was getting louder and pacing around.

"What's going on?" Bradley demanded, and he was answered by a hand held up in his face. 

Now Bob and Nat were looking concerned as well. 

Jake's eyes went wide and darted toward Bradley's, panic stricken. "You saw Josh tonight? In Annapolis?"

"Give me the phone!" Bradley thundered. 

Jake just held his hand up again. "Angel, you know how I always have your back? I have Rooster's back too, I promise. Everything was under control that night at the Hard Deck." 

"Now!" Bradley added, ready to take it away from Jake.

"He's about to rip my phone out of my hand, so I'm going to give it to him, okay?"

Bradley reached for the phone and juggled it until he had it to his ear. "What is going on?"

"Bradley! I can't believe you punched Josh and never told me! You and Jake both!" you shouted into the phone.

"You saw him tonight?! Where are you?" he shouted back.

"Are you going to tell me what happened when you hit him?" Your voice was near hysterics now, and Bradley knew he needed to calm himself down. He paced the length of the garage while three sets of eyes watched his every movement. 

He readjusted Jake's phone against his ear and took a deep breath. "Sweetheart. I need you to tell me where you are and if you're okay."

"I'm in my room! I'm fine!"

Bradley found it was easier to breathe now. "And where did you see Josh? Does he know where your room is?" Bradley was not above calling your parents and telling them what was going on, since they were only an hour away from Annapolis. In fact his free hand was twitching to text them, and buy a ticket to Maryland himself. 

"I saw him at dinner. He does not know where my room is. Now tell me why you risked assault charges to punch someone who doesn't fucking matter, Bradley!"

Jake took a step closer, asking, "Do you want me to talk to her?"

Bradley sighed and ran his hand over his face. "Can I put you on speaker, Baby Girl? Nat and Bob are here as well."

"Oh my God! Nat and Bob know about it, too? Am I the only one who doesn't know about this?! Should I call Mav and Penny and ask them?"

Bradley tossed his head back and gestured toward the garage door before he disappeared out into the evening air. He paced down the driveway as he said, "There's nothing to tell, Sweetheart."

You scoffed through the phone. "He said you broke his nose and his ribs, Bradley! Why would you do that? He doesn't matter at all."

"For you!" Bradley growled. "What other reason would I have to do anything except for you?"

"He could have hurt you! He could have called the police!" you wailed. "You could have been in serious trouble."

Bradley's blood was pulsing through his body, and he really wanted to punch out a window when he walked past your car. "He doesn't get to touch you without consequences. That's the bottom line."

"But what about you? You think you're not just as important to me?"

Bradley paced back up the driveway, running his fingers through his hair. "I understand what you're saying, my love. But roughing him up outside the Hard Deck was just a warning. I wasn't going to do too much damage. Even though I really fucking wanted to."

The exasperated noise you made had him almost on his knees. "And what if you got arrested?"

Bradley leaned against your car. "Then you bail me out. I added you to all my bank accounts already. You can use it for that."

"I'm not joking right now, Bradley."

"Neither am I! I'm not joking about the fact that all my money is yours. I'm not joking about the fact that I would fund my own bail money to defend you a million times over. And I'm not joking about the fact that I would have done a lot worse to Josh if left unchecked. So if you want to be mad at someone, you can continue to be mad at me, but I promise you that Jake was there the whole time. And he would have pulled me off of him if necessary. That's the kind of shit that Jake and I would do for each other." 

Now you were actively crying, and Bradley didn't know what to say. He realized there was probably nothing that would make you feel better at this moment, so he went ahead and added, "I'm not going to apologize for what I did. And I don't feel bad about it. And I fucking hate that you saw that prick tonight. This is supposed to be your special week that you worked so hard for!"

He wasn't helping anything at the moment, but he couldn't stop himself as he punched the top of your car. "Baby Girl, I love you, and it's my job to protect you. Please try to understand where I'm coming from here."

You sniffed hard before saying, "Please let me talk to Jake."

Bradley heaved a deep sigh and headed back into the garage. "Okay. Here's Jake."

Bradley watched him take back his phone and head outside. "Angel, I promise you that I was with him the whole time......."

Every cell in his body wanted to know what you and Jake were talking about, but Bradley forced himself to sit down on the weight bench instead. 

"Here, use this for a bit," Bob said, handing a twenty pound dumbbell to him. "Keep your mind occupied."

"She's probably just upset that she ran into Josh, and everyone else seems to know you got physical with him except for her," Nat told Bradley, placing a soft kiss to the top of his head. "She just needs to blow off some steam to Jake, so let him take care of it. In the meantime, I'm going to order some pizzas."

Bradley let Bob count his reps while he listened to Nat order one pizza with pepperoni and one with mushrooms. He suddenly just missed you so much. He should have taken a few days off and joined you in Annapolis to attend your lecture. He'd love to see the look on Josh's face if he tried to talk to you with Bradley standing behind you. 

When Jake finally came back into the garage, tucking his phone into his pocket, he just sighed and stared at Bradley for a moment.

"Well? What did you talk about?" Bradley rasped, handing the dumbbell back to Bob.

Jake just kind of shrugged. "A lot of it was personal, so I'm not going to tell you, but I explained to her very calmly that she needs to get over it. I told her that I am completely taking your side this time, and that it was important for you to assert your dominance in this particular scenario."

Bradley grunted and stood, pulling Jake into a brief hug. "She likes you. She'll listen to you."

Jake nodded. "I told her to take an hour to think about things from your point of view and calm down. Then she's allowed to call you back, but she needs to be done being upset."

Bradley gaped at Jake, and a startled laugh escaped him. "And she's going to actually do that?"

"She better, or I told her I will be very disappointed in her."

"Shit," Bradley muttered, so impressed by Jake Seresin that he wasn't sure what had become of his life. 

"Pizza's here. Let's go inside," Nat said, guiding everyone toward the house.

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

Jake was probably right. You were in shock from seeing Josh again, and you needed to think through what happened at the Hard Deck before you talked to Bradley again. You had stripped off all of your clothes, too hot and uncomfortable, before flopping down on the bed.

Thankfully Jake had taken the time to walk you through everything. He told you that Josh looked like he was going to try to approach you, but there was no way Bradley, Jake or anyone else in that bar would allow that to happen. Jake also promised you that Bradley was very calm the entire time, and the only reason he hit Josh was because he started bad mouthing you.

And especially based on what Josh said to you at the restaurant, you tended to believe Jake. The man had the nerve to call you a skank! As if you had done anything to wrong Bradley!

Oh Bradley. You had yelled at him on the phone. And he'd been the one to keep this information from you for months to try to spare your feelings. He just wanted to protect you and keep you safe. And really, maybe Josh deserved that broken nose and the broken ribs. 

Okay, now you were thinking about Bradley fighting for your honor, and a shot of adrenaline coursed through your body. You ran your fingers along your healing tattoo and you reached for your phone. 

After one ring, you heard Bradley's voice. "Sweetheart."

You let his raspy voice wash over you. He was always going to keep you safe. "I love you, Roo. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was so flustered from tonight and then I was embarrassed. And you know you could have told me you hit him, right? I'm not fragile, Bradley."

"Oh, Baby Girl. You're not. You're so strong. I just didn't want you to have to keep dealing with this shit when I was more than happy to take over for you. You do the same thing for me sometimes. Like when you make fancy dinners for Goose and Carole just when I'm on the brink of collapse, because I don't think there's a good way to keep their memory alive."

"Okay. That makes sense." Jake was right. You just needed to take some time to think about things. "It's like sharing the burden with someone who can help in a different way."

"Yes," he replied, and you could tell he was smiling. "Exactly like that. And also, fuck you Jake," Bradley said, his voice raised so that you could tell he was yelling through the house. 

You started laughing along with Bradley. "Don't get upset with Jake. He's kind of sweet, actually. He helped me process this."

"I love you, Baby Girl. But it's so late there, and you have a big day tomorrow. Are you okay?"

You took a deep breath as you sat up in the tiny bed. Your eyes dipped again to your tattoo. "Yeah, I'm okay, Roo. Thanks for always trying to protect me."

"Will you call me as soon as you can tomorrow? I want to hear everything about your presentation."

"I will."

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

Ugh, Josh..... she needs to finish up in Annapolis and get home. At least the tattoo is complete!

PART 9

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[thegainingdesk]

Role Model

Chapter 1 - The Interview

Ravi desperately tugged at his trousers, trying to get them to close. His shirt bunched up at his shoulders and sat open to reveal a carpet of hair. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, this can't be happening," he said to the room.

"You okay?" Steven called through the open door. Ravi heard footsteps and Steven stook his head through.

"They don't fit," Ravi gestured down at himself and collapsed down on the bed.

"Oh. Well no, it doesn't seem to, umm," Steven cleared his throat. "Why do they need to?"

"My placement interview. I haven't had to wear anything smart for ages and I just sort of assumed they'd be okay," Ravi explained.

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck. For that nuclear place? Fuck! No, no, listen, right, Jason will have something that I bet will fit, because he's put on-" Simon caught himself. "Because he's about your size, I reckon. And he had his interview not long ago, so he'll have something."

Ravi noticed the almost-comment on his recent weight gain, but chose to ignore it. "Nope. Thought of that. He's away until Monday," he said, head buried in his hands.

Simon had already left the room. "He left his door unlocked though," he called through. "He never locks it." Ravi looked up, hope swelling in his chest. "He won't mind if you borrow something."

Ravi entered Jason's room to see Steven stood with the wardrobe open, pulling out a selection of shirts and trousers. "Oh my god, you beautiful, beautiful man! You've saved me, oh my god." Ravi quickly grasped Steven in a hug before picking up one of the shirts he'd pulled out.

Steven went red. "Oh, no, it's nothing really, just thought to check a door." Ravi wasn't paying attention to Steven's nervousness, already tugging down the trousers down his hairy thighs. "I'll umm, I'll leave you to it then," Steven said, leaving the room.

Ravi came into Steven's room a few minutes later, once again dejected. The shirt and trousers were buttoned closed now, but barely. The fabric of the shirt was straining, with a small gap of dark, hairy skin showing between the two buttons at his belly button, and Ravi walked awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable in the too tight clothes. "I can't actually be fatter than Jason can I?" Ravi asked, voice dejected.

Steven stared at Ravi's torso, unable to tear his eyes away. "I don't think you're umm… I think you're probably about the same size still, his placement interview was a couple of months ago now, so he could have put on a little weight since."

"Fuck. I always thought I was at least staying a bit slimmer than him," Ravi was looking down at his middle, rubbing his hands over the straining shirt.

Steven shifted in his seat uncomfortably, still unable to tear his eyes away from the larger man. "I wouldn't say that you're uh," he trailed off, and cleared his throat. "You know, it's not like you're actually, you know, or anything. Just put on a little weight. Stocky. Finding your adult body."

Ravi wasn't paying attention to Steven's discomfort, or the way he'd pulled his iPad over to his lap. "Fuck. I can't go like this, look at me." He poked the tight fabric around one of the straining buttons. "It's too hot to wear a jumper isn't it? I'll swelter."

Steven shook his head and took a deep breath. "It's fine," he told Ravi. "Really, it is. Look, if you put on a tie it'll cover up the buttons, we can use a tie clip to make sure it doesn't move. And a jacket will cover it a little. Can you sit down okay?"

Ravi hesitated, but slowly lowered down onto Steven's computer chair and groaned. "Just about. I feel like I'm getting cut in two." Steven could hear a slight strain to his voice, and did his best to ignore that the fat on Ravi's torso bulged even more as he sat.

"I think you're going to have to put up with it," Steven commiserated. "Just don't eat or drink anything, yeah? You're at your limit."

Ravi nodded and took a deep, steady breath. "Cheers mate. Really. I was freaking out there. This placement is perfect for me."

"Which is why you're going to get it! There's no-one else on the course that can say they've done the exact type of modeling they need." Steven walked over to Ravi and slapped him on the shoulder, before offering him a hand and heaving him up. "When is it?"

"I'm leaving in 20 minutes," Ravi said, unbuttoning his trousers and the top button of his shirt to give him some temporary relief.

"Fucking hell Rav! Give yourself a bit of prep time in future, yeah? Maybe give yourself a bit of time to get some new trousers if you need them."

"I know, I know. Lucky that Jason's a fat bastard too, eh?" Ravi joked and slapped his thick middle.

Steven gave a nervous laugh and ushered Ravi out the room. Once he was alone he let out a long, shuddering exhale and sank down onto his bed, fingers unbuttoning his trousers.

-

Ravi arrived at the swanky offices to find the other interviewees, most of whom he recognised from his uni course, sat with a woman with short, blue hair and a colourful, cartoon dress. "Ravi?" she asked as he approached. "Heather, we spoke on the phone. I'll be looking after you today." Ravi hoped he imagined the way her eyes flicked down to his shirt before widening a little. "I think that's everyone now, we can go up a touch early and get you all settled."

As Heather led the way, she explained the way the day would work. Ravi only half-listened, having read all of this in the email going over the day. He instead looked around at the other candidates. From what he knew of them, he was the best engineer of the bunch, and he'd already done several projects on the type of nuclear reactors that got developed at the company, but he noticed that all of them were dressed far sharper than he was, with swish suits and crisp shirts that seemed to fit them all perfectly.

"And this is where you're going to be based for the day!" Heather announced, gesturing around a conference room. "Help yourself to coffees and teas, and there's some snacks over there, biscuits, donuts, flapjacks, a bit of fruit. We'll bring you lunch at one and I'll come collect you all when we're ready for you." She raised her arm to wave as she left the room. "Good luck guys!"

The other candidates moved to make themselves coffee, while Ravi stared at the plate of donuts and biscuits. He remembered Steven's advice about not eating, as he drummed his fingers against his stomach, but he'd skipped breakfast, and his stomach was rumbling now. One couldn't hurt, he told himself, collecting a few biscuits and hesitating, before grabbing a donut as well and moving to one of the chairs. After all, he wouldn't interview very well if he was hungry. He sat down with a grunt and picked up the first biscuit, telling himself to eat it slowly, as he put the whole thing in his mouth in one go.

"Oh, hi Ravi," Ade, a handsome man on his course, said as he sat down next to him.

"Ade! What are you doing here? I thought you were going for that aerospace placement?" Ravi asked.

Ade rolled his eyes. "Tom got it. His dad works there so he was always going to get it," Ade grumbled.

"Tall hot Tom?" Ravi asked.

Ade shook his head. "Short hot Tom."

"Damn, I'm sorry, that sucks," Ravi commiserated.

Ade shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. It wasn't very well connected, it turns out." His eyes flicked down to Ravi's waist. "Are you okay? You look a bit… uncomfortable."

Ravi shifted in his seat, fingers working their way around his waistline as he tried to stop it biting into his hips and the flesh around the bottom of his burgeoning belly. "Yeah, no, I'm fine. Clothes are just a bit tight really. You can't tell can you?"

Ade hesitated. "Not at all," he lied. "You look fine."

Heather walked in at that moment. "Ade, you've got your technical task now, and Ravi, you've got your interview."

Ravi quickly swallowed the biscuit he was eating and shoved his donut in his mouth, licking his fingers. He stood up with a slight grunt, and gave a thumbs up to Ade who returned it with a smile. "Good luck!" he told Ade. Ade turned back, but didn't reply.

-

The interview had gone well, Ravi thought, although he had noticed about 10 minutes in that he still had some powdered sugar from his donut down his front and had to try and discreetly brush it off. He was waiting for his technical task, which according to the schedule he was supposed to have last, at the very end of the day. He'd stretched his legs out and leaned back into his chair, attempting to get relief from the constant irritation of his clothes. He'd even allowed himself to take off his tie and undo his top button, where a mark now sat on his neck.

He was now sat watching the other candidates eat lunch, avoiding going too close to stop himself giving in to temptation.

Ade gestured at the platters. "You go ahead, I'm not eating. The guy that did the technical task said the company's got way too much money, I guess they spend it all on food."

Ravi hesitated before shaking his head, his fingers tracing some of the sorer sections of skin. "I shouldn't. I had a big breakfast."

"Jesus fuck this is a good sandwich though!" Brian, one of the other guys on Ravi's course, practically shouted.

Ravi edged closer to the platter of food. "I guess I should eat lunch really," he reasoned, speaking to no one in particular. "Brain food and all that." He picked up a sandwich and bit into it. It really was a good sandwich, with lots of pastrami and emmental, on a salty rye bread and with pickles throughout. Ravi moaned as he took another bite.

An hour later Ravi stood in the bathroom mirror, staring at the slivers of flesh that were now showing between each button. Giving up on doing up his top button again, he put on his tie, hoping it would disguise the undone button, and went back to the conference room, finding it empty, everyone else having finished their interviews.

He noticed that there was one uneaten sandwich still on the platter and shrugged to himself, finding even this small movement caused his shirt to bunch up uncomfortably now. By this point, he told himself, this shirt was obviously already too small, what was a sandwich going to hurt? He bit into it, savouring the flavours, wondering if the company lunches were always this good. He opted to stand while he waited, unsure about how well his clothes would stand to the strain of sitting down.

Eventually, Heather came to collect him for the final portion of the day, and led him to a room. He immediately felt less self-conscious about his clothes - the man running the technical portion of the task was huge.

His shirt was pulled tight by a soft, pillowy gut spilling out onto his thick thighs, while the outline of two breasts pushed out just above the crest of his gut. Dark, unkempt stubble covered a jowly face and double chin. "Tony," he greeted Ravi in a thick yorkshire accent, standing up with visible effort and offering his hand. "You'll be working with me if you get the place, I'm heading up the project we're recruiting for."

Ravi accepted Tony's hand, introducing himself, and Tony collapsed back into his chair, creaking filling the room. Ravi gingerly lowered himself into his own chair.

"Right, just to be clear, I'm only going to let people onto my team if they know their stuff, alright? I'm not carrying some lazy student. Don't try and blag your answers. If you don't know something, tell me how you'd work it out," Tony told Ravi. Ravi nodded, slightly taken aback at Tony's bluntness. "Right, you'll have one of those, won't you?" he said, pointing at a tray of pastries and donuts before picking one up and taking a bite, a shower of pastry flakes and sugar falling to join the covering that already sat on the shelf of his stomach. "All your uni mates turned them down. Probably too concerned about their figures." Despite this, there was clearly roughly half the tray missing.

If anything, Ravi felt confident after Tony's warning - he did know his stuff, better than his course mates at least. Despite his shirt feeling like it was about to explode, he reached out and took a pastry covered in chocolate and a donut, sensing that this was some form of initiation. "Good lad!" Tony called across the table, leaning back with a smile and drumming his fingers on his gut.

Ravi answered all of Tony's questions with ease, being familiar with the style of nuclear reactor the company researched and developed. Tony even seemed impressed when Ravi suggested a few minor modifications that could be made to the standard design, discussing his ideas behind each. Ravi periodically took a new pastry, which seemed to win Tony over each time.

Half an hour later, Tony grinned and congratulated Ravi on his answers, before slapping his knees and slowly standing, offering his hand to Ravi to shake. Ravi tensed his middle to stand up and -

-

"You tore your shirt?" Steven asked incredulously. "Like the buttons popped off? Like, in a story?"

Ravi shook his head confusedly. "What story? No, the seams at the side, see?" He twisted to show Steven, tearing the hole even wider in the process. "Oh fuck. Can you help me get this off?" He began to unbutton the shirt and Steven stood behind him to peel it off his arms.

"How did the interviewer react?" Steven asked, Ravi successfully extracted. Steven stood gripping the ruined shirt, knuckles almost white.

"That's the weird thing!" Ravi said, standing in just his trousers, the zipper pushed apart by his fat. "It made him seem to like me more! He just laughed and told me it 'happens to the best of us', like it's some daily occurrence or something."

"Still, you got the placement, that's the main thing," Steven pointed out.

"Yeah. That Ade from the course got a place too actually."

"Well that's nice," Steven said. "Here," he opened the fridge and offered Ravi a beer. "You deserve this I reckon. A curry too, to celebrate."

Ravi nodded. "Let me get these trousers off first though."

-

An hour and a half later, the two housemates sat watching a movie, the table in front of them covered in a selection of Indian food, and Ravi now in pyjamas.

"I need to lose some fucking weight," Ravi moaned in between bites, and slapped the paunch that bloated out in front of him. "Look at this thing! I used to have a 30 inch waist when I came to uni!"

Steven looked across at Ravi. "It's just because you've just eaten though. You're bloated." He paused. "What size trousers do you wear now then?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Ravi scoffed. "Well those ones of Jason's today were 34s, and I managed not to burst out of those at least, so probably 36s." He looked down at himself. "I've got to lose some weight," he repeated to himself, quietly this time.

Steven tried to diffuse the mood. "Hey man, fuck it, it's second year, everyone puts on a little weight at uni, right?"

"You haven't," Ravi pointed out.

"And just think about next year!" Steven continued, ignoring Ravi. "It'll be great! All three of us on great placements at great companies, all living together."

"Yeah, yeah, I think you're right you know," Ravi replied, forgetting his earlier worries and grabbing some more food to pile on his plate. "Next year's going to be so good. And who cares if I've put on a little weight, right?" He lifted up his t-shirt and jiggled his small belly to emphasise his point. Steven smiled and shifted uncomfortably, pulling a pillow over his lap.

Chapter 2 - The First Day

Ravi and Ade at in Heather's office, thoroughly bored. They'd spent the morning filling out forms and going through various HR and safety briefings, and even the studious Ade was beginning to find it difficult to stay awake.

Ravi was disappointed to find out that the endless stream of food provided at the interview was just to attract candidates and wouldn't be a daily occurrence. Still, he was happy he'd opted to but the roomier 38 inch trousers when he'd bought new office-appropriate attire earlier that week, as he was sure that the pinch he'd felt when he'd tried on the 36s would have become unbearable after this long sat down, even if he hadn't eaten.

Ravi had felt self-conscious ever since arriving that day. Despite his clothes now fitting (he cringed, remembering his interview), he felt like a blob next to Ade's broad shoulders and small waist, with biceps straining against a smart and stylish shirt. Meanwhile, Ravi's weight had only climbed higher over the summer, his small paunch now pressing out obviously no matter what he wore.

"You about done then Heather?" Ravi heard a gruff northern voice behind him say. He turned around to see Tony stood, his soft and saggy gut barely contained by his shirt. Ravi couldn't be sure, but he thought he might not have been the only one to have put some weight on over the summer, as Tony's shirt was looking tight.

"Almost Tony," Heather smiled a little nervously. "I was just telling them about the company's current health drive and then I'm done." She turned back to them and handed each a small booklet, which they added to the rest of the paper they'd been given. "As part of our recent initiative to keep everyone happy, healthy and productive, we've replaced all the biscuits with fresh fruit in the main break room, and the company has organised a deal with a gym that's just a short walk from here, where every-"

"No one remembers all this stuff anyway Heather," Tony interrupted. "Come on lads, let's get to lunch."

The two stood, Ravi excited to hear that he was getting rewarded for his excruciatingly boring morning with food. "Well actually I was interested to hear about-" Ade began to say.

"It'll all be in an email. Or the employee handbook. Or somewhere else you'll never look. Come on." Tony started to lead them out the door. "Cheers Heather!" he called to the flustered woman. "Right you two, this company's got more bloody government funding than it knows what to do with, so on everyone's first day they get taken to lunch for far too much money. Still, it won't get used otherwise so I'm not complaining. You two keeping up?" he asked, turning to look at them. Ravi thought it would be difficult not to keep up with the large man's slow pace. "So I'm taking you to a slap up restaurant and you'll order more than you think you can eat."

"Oh, I'll probably just get a salad," Ade explained. "I'm on a diet where I restrict calories during certain-"

"Then you eat your salad and us two will eat everything else that we'll say is getting claimed for you, eh?" Ravi felt a shiver of excitement at the large man lumping Ravi in the same category as him that he couldn't explain. He told himself that he was just excited to be making a better impression on his boss.

They arrived at a restaurant that Ravi knew he'd never otherwise be able to afford, and got seated. "Bloody fancy restaurants with their bloody rickety chairs," Tony grumbled as he sat down.

They sat quietly for a while, pouring over the menu. Ade set his menu aside after a minute or so and sat with a tight-lipped smile while Ravi and Tony didn't look up from their own menus for quite some time. Just the descriptions of the dishes made Ravi's mouth water.

"Made your minds up lads?" Tony asked.

"Like I said-" Ade started.

"A salad, I know, I know." Tony turned to Ravi, a twinkle in his eye. "What about you then?" Just like at his interview, Ravi felt like he was being subtly challenged, but to what he wasn't sure.

"God, there's so much that looks good. The pork belly maybe. The moussaka looks great too."

"Get them both then, it's none of us that's paying," Tony insisted. "Choose two or three starters and sides while you're looking as well, you can't eat like this every day." Ravi thought that Tony might, in fact, eat like this every day.

They ordered, and their starters arrived shortly after, covering the table. Ravi was quietly thankful that Tony had insisted he order a few, as the portion sizes were small and he found himself looking forward to his mains. Despite being intent on his food, Tony clearly made an effort to speak to them both, asking about their university course and their interests outside of their degrees, and in return told them about the company and the team they were joining. Past his somewhat grumpy exterior, Ravi was warming to Tony, realising that he was just impatient and easily annoyed when things weren't being done in what he saw as the right way.

Halfway through his second main, Ravi began to slow the pace of his eating. The food was delicious, but rich, and he felt like there was a ball of lead in his stomach. Still, he soldiered on, unable to shake the fact that he was impressing Tony somehow. And indeed, as the meal went on, Tony seemed to become friendlier with Ravi, while Ade barely interacted with him, clearly bored of the extended meal.

Finally, Ravi put down his fork, breathing heavily and sweat dripping down his back and under his arms. He didn't know the last time he was this full, and his new clothes were already feeling just a touch tighter than was comfortable.

Tony meanwhile was coping far better with the feast he'd just consumed, but it was clear that he was more sluggish than before. Ravi had watched with fascination as the older man's gut had risen like dough throughout lunch, transforming from a thick apron of fat into a soft ball that sat in his lap.

Tony slowly raised his arm to get the attention of a waiter. "They've got this chocolate tart you'll love lad. Nothing like it." Ravi's eyes went wide. He wasn't sure how much more he could eat. Still, he just nodded with a small smile at Tony, even when Ade announced he didn't want dessert, giving him the perfect out.

-

"Right, this is us," Tony explained, showing them into a large open plan office. The walk back from lunch had been significantly slower than the walk to the restaurant, and it was now late afternoon. "Every team has its own individual space, so everyone here you'll be working with. There's meeting rooms over there," he pointed to an entire side of the room, sided in glass, "and individual working rooms over there if you need them," he pointed to another row of doors. "And this," he spread his arms a little, clearly feeling that this was the highlight of the short office tour, "is the office kitchen. We're not doing that bloody health initiative up here, so there's actual food available, don't worry. Help yourselves to biscuits, coffees, teas. I try to make sure there's usually some cakes or donuts or something most days. I actually want to thank my team, not starve them."

Ravi was thrilled to find that Tony kept their department stocked with treats and snacks, unlike the rest of the company. Despite the large lunch, he followed Tony's lead in grabbing a slice of cake and idly eating it as they walked around the office getting introduced to everyone. Ravi noticed that unlike the rest of the company, which seemed to present a unified clean, put together face, it was clear that this department was more casual, with the suits that he'd seen others wearing done away with in favour of simple shirts and trousers. He gladly took his tie off once it was clear it wasn't needed. He also noticed that in general, most of the team was on the heavier side than most of the rest of the company, especially the men, most of whom had dad bods or beer bellies hanging over their belts. He wondered if the company's health push might be somewhat targeted.

Ravi and Ade spent the rest of the afternoon sorting out their desks. By the time 5 pm rolled around, Ade had a spotless desk and a custom filing system, while Ravi had a pile of stationary piled on top of the various bits of paper he'd been passed throughout the day. Ade was sat deligently making notes on a project brief Tony had given them ("Don't bother looking at it today! First day's always a write-off anyway."), and would occasionally shoot a dirty look across at Ravi whenever he would let out a small burp, or his stomach would let out a loud gurgle. Ravi didn't pay these looks any mind, feeling far too tired and warm while he digested to really notice. Leaning back in his chair with sunlight streaming through the large windows, he felt like a python basking on a warm rock while it digested a particularly large meal. He didn't quite understand why he had such a persistent erection, but was too tired to really question it.

-

"All they do is eat all day!" Jason cried. "It's like all an office job is, is being bored all day and eating to relieve the boredom."

Steven nodded. "It's the same at mine. They debated about what the best biscuit is for about an hour."

"Golden Crunch Creams," Ravi said. "Best biscuit in the world." He drummed his fingers against his stomach, which had shrunk down a little from his earlier bloat. "I don't know, there's something going on at my placement. Like the manager actively encourages everyone to eat all day." He paused, hesitant to carry on, but unsure why. "He seemed almost impressed with how much I ate at lunch. And everyone's a bit fat. He's the biggest though. I don't know, it's like he's some kind of feeder."

"A what?" Steven asked nervously. "I'm not sure I know that word."

"Someone that likes to feed other people," Jason explained, shaking his head. "Context clues, yeah buddy?"

Steven laughed shakily. Ravi had noticed that Steven was always a little jumpy whenever anyone brought up gaining weight. He knew his family were all thin, so he wondered if Steven felt a lot of pressure to stay in shape. He shook his head, feeling sorry for him.

"Anyway, I'm too tired to cook, shall we order pizzas?" Jason suggested.

Ravi pressed his fingers lightly into his growing belly, feeling the soft layer of fat covering the taut, stretched stomach. "Yeah," he said quietly, "go on then."

Chapter 3 - The Christmas Party

While never reaching the excesses of that first lunch, Ravi was surprised at the sheer amount that Tony encouraged the team to eat throughout each day. Multiple boxes of sweet treats would appear each morning in the kitchen, and Tony would offer them round the office if they hadn't disappeared by the afternoon. Most would refuse, citing diets and growing waistlines, patting their slight paunches, and so inevitably Tony would end up at Ravi's desk, pushing a small pile of pastries, cakes and donuts towards him, usually without asking, making comments that "at least someone knows how to eat properly." Inevitably Ravi's cock would bounce in his increasingly tight trousers at these comments, and after stuffing all of the items into his mouth he would quietly slink down the corridor to the toilet, where he'd lock himself into a stall and fish his cock out, hand pumping madly. As he'd gingerly wipe himself clean afterwards, belly hair sticky, confusion and shame would rise in his chest, which would soon get forgotten about as his tongue would find a small missed crumb stuck on his lips, and he'd wander back to the office wondering if there were any biscuits left in the cupboards.

Ravi's favourite day of the week was Friday. While he knew Steven's and Jason's offices had traditions of bringing in cakes at the end of the week, that would be basically redundant under Tony's fattening regime. Instead, Tony had come up with Fromage Fridays a few years ago, bringing in huge cheese platters in the morning, so that most Friday afternoons would be spent with most people milling around the kitchen, grabbing bites of brie and goats cheese, before heading to the pub. On top of a day's worth of eating and several pints, Ravi would without fail get a greasy kebab or pizza on the way home, stuffing it greedily into his mouth, sauce dripping down onto his straining shirt, while one hand would lazily snake down his trousers as soon as he was back in his room.

Despite the company's health initiative, Ravi still found that the lunches provided in the cafeteria to be far richer and more filling than if he'd had to go out to buy a meal deal. He was quickly growing close to the rest of the team, who were all friendly and keen to get to know him. He noticed that many of them who turned down Tony's offers of sweets often indulged in a large lunch themselves, unable to resist, and maybe explaining why their dad bods weren't going away despite their supposed diets. Ravi was grateful that Tony sat to each lunch with the team, rather than with the other managers, and he quickly got to know the large man. The same couldn't be said for Ade, who would move to a new table each day with a salad brought from home, insisting upon Ravi the importance of networking.

"It's all one company," Ravi said one day. "Who can you realistically network with?"

Ade chuckled and shook his head. "Everyone here has a STEM degree. They all know people, who know people, who know hedge fund managers. It's not what you know Ravi, it's who you know."

Still, Ravi felt that what he knew was helping him out a lot more than who Ade knew, as Tony was consistently impressed with his work, and sent a glowing report back to the university towards Christmas, when the university term would be finishing.

The result of all this gluttony was that Ravi had once again bought a whole new set of clothes, and he realised with some dismay, these were getting uncomfortably tight themselves by the time Christmas rolled around. Whereas before he felt a lot of his gained weight had just filled him out, swelling his skinny adolescent body into the thick body of an adult, he now undeniably had a gut. Almost all of the weight he'd gained since starting his placement had gone straight to his middle, and he now had an almost perfectly spherical hairy ball gut at his centre, almost the same shape as a pregnant woman's, hovering above his waistline without any give or slack. He was starting to find the way it refused to squash or move to get in the way of basic tasks like tying his shoelaces, pushing back against him when he tried to lean down, to be utterly, irresistibly arousing.

-

Ravi sat at one of the tables at the edge of the dancefloor, nursing a pint. It was the office Christmas party, and he was wearing a jumper covered in Christmas trees, stretched tight over his new belly.

Tony settled down next to him, grunting as he sank into the seat, and put a plate piled high with food down on the table. The chair creaked ominously, and Tony froze for a moment. "One of these collapsed under me a few months ago." Tony explained. "I keep on telling them they need at least a couple of stronger chairs for the not so dainty among us, eh lad?"

Ravi laughed nervously, not sure how to feel that Tony was putting the two of them in the same category. It made him feel oddly proud, almost mature, like Tony had identified him as an equal, even if it was only due to his increasing weight. "Not quite in chair breaking territory yet Tony," he said eventually, giving an unsure slap to his belly, like he'd seen Tony do so often to emphasise a point.

Tony laughed. "I don't suppose you are lad! Don't worry, you'll get there." What the [I]fuck[/I] was that supposed to mean. Ravi laughed nervously again and shifted to hide his growing erection. "You not eating lad?"

"Oh, I've already grabbed some food."

"So? Go get some more. God knows none of these lot will be eating it." Ravi half-smiled in acknowledgement at the suggestion, and carried on drinking his pint. "Well? Go on, I'll keep your pint safe, get a plate," Tony ordered.

Realising Tony wasn't joking or just being friendly, Ravi quickly went to pile a plate high with food. He didn't quite understand the hold Tony had on him, but he found himself unable to resist the older man's every suggestion. Equally, he didn't know why Tony seemed to gravitate towards him, seeking him out at almost every opportunity.

Ravi got back to the table and immediately dug in. "Good lad," Tony said between his own mouthfuls, and Ravi again found himself growing hard.

They ate in silence for a while, before Ravi realised he should say something. "I'm really enjoying it here," he settled on.

Tony continued to chew for almost a full minute before swallowing and replying. "You're doing well lad. Fitting in alright, and your work's bloody good for someone that's still working at getting their degree." Ravi felt a swell of pride and sped up the rate he was eating at, keen not to let Tony down. "Not like that one anyway," he nodded towards Ade, shmoozing with a group of the higher ups.

"He'll be networking," Ravi chipped in around a chicken drumstick.

"Hmm, net's the only type of bloody work he's done since he got here. It's like he's not interested," Tony grumbled.

Ravi shook his head. "I don't think he's bothered about the work really. He wants to go into finance," he said by way of explanation.

"I bloody bet he does! And I never see him bloody eat owt either. Can't trust a man who doesn't eat properly, that's what I say," Tony said, perhaps a little too loudly. By way of response, Ravi took an enormous bite of potato salad.

As if he'd heard them, Ade started to walk over to Tony and Ravi's table. "We should go soon, people are starting to arrive for that uni drinks thing," Ade said. "If you're finished eating that is," he added bitchily.

"Give him a chance!" Tony barked, wiping some hummus off his plate with a large piece of bread. "You can't expect the boy to go out drinking without having eaten anything, can you?"

Ravi nodded, forcing the rest of his food down at a faster rate, before standing up unsteadily, his stomach overly full. He tried to pull his Christmas jumper down but it kept on riding up. "Right, I think I'm," he burped and Ade wrinkled his nose, "ready to go. Cheers Tony, have a good Christmas."

"You too lad! Don't get too drunk tonight, will you?"

Ravi and Ade left and got in a taxi. The ride was basically silent, which suited Ravi fine as he was busy rubbing his stuffed belly. He kept on shifting uncomfortably, and tried to hide a continuous stream of burps. When they arrived, Ade leapt out of the taxi and went into the bar without waiting for Ravi, who made his way much more slowly.

It was obvious that Ravi and Ade were some of the last to arrive, everyone else already clearly drunk. Ravi wove his way through the crowd, more difficult with his increasing girth, and found Jason and Steven.

"Eyyyy!" Jason cried as he saw Ravi. "It's the big man!" He patted Ravi's side. "Drink mate? Drink. I'm going to get a drink. Who else wants a drink?" He stumbled off to the bar, leaving Ravi with Steven, who stood in place, swaying slightly.

Steven mumbled something, eyes fixed somewhere around Ravi's middle. Ravi assumed he might have been trying to focus on something to keep him upright, or to stop from being sick. "What was that?" Ravi asked.

Steven's eyes lazily rose to meet Ravi's and he leaned in, stumbling so that he fell into Ravi's gut. He made no motion to stand up, and Ravi ended up supporting. "Big man," Steven slurred, repeating Jason's words from earlier.

Ravi laughed. "That's right mate! I've gotten pretty fucking fat recently, haven't I? I'm glad you haven't gotten so drunk that you can't see obvious shit."

Steven's face broke into a grin, mere inches away from Ravi's. "Fucking fat," he mumbled.

"Yeah, let's get you say down shall we?" Ravi slung an arm around Steven and maneovered him to a nearby seat. Just as they sat down, Jason appeared with pints for each of them. "I don't reckon he'll be needing his," Ravi told Jason, nodding his head towards Steven, now slumped in his chair, head resting against Ravi's chest. Ravi suspected he might be drooling a little.

"Perfect!" Jason said. "More for me!" He picked up Steven's ex-pint and chugged it down.

Ravi sighed. "I'm going to have to be in charge of you two tonight, aren't I?" He asked wearily.

"Yep!" Jason said cheerfully. Before taking a mouthful of his own pint.

Ravi felt Steven shift slightly and pushed him away, seating him by himself so that he was precariously balanced. Steven's mouth began to move, half-forming words.

"Like a story…" Steven mumbled.

Ravi laughed. "Like what story Steve? One about getting too drunk?" he asked.

Steve shook his head and mumbled something. Ravi could just about make out the word "builders".

"A story about builders! Very exciting." Ravi looked over at Jason and laughed.

Steven patted Ravi's stomach and slurred something that sounded like "gay" or maybe "gain".

"Ah, right," Ravi said. "Gay builders, got it." He turned to Jason. "I reckon he needs to get home."

"Mate, no, come on!" Jason protested.

"You can stay here, but I'm going to go with him," Ravi told him.

"What? No. You've just got here!" Jason said.

"Look at him mate, he's going to end up on the floor," Ravi said, gesturing towards Steven, his head slumped down to his chest.

Jason shrugged. "Fine, fine. We'll have to do a proper night out at some point though, yeah?"

"Yeah, fine, whatever. Just help me get him up, alright?"

Together the two took Steven outside, and Jason went back in as Ravi held him up while he ordered a ride. Once in, Steven collapsed against Ravi, both hands resting on his burgeoning gut. Ravi laughed. In Steven's drunkenness he'd started kneading his gut belly slightly, like a cat making biscuits. He'd have to make sure to make fun of him for it in the morning.

They got home, and Ravi helped Steven out of the car, thanking the driver profusely, and thanking god that Steven hadn't been sick. "Right, let's get you to bed," Ravi told Steven.

"Bed?" Steven asked quietly.

"Yes, we're getting you to bed," Ravi said patiently.

"You bed," Steven said, placing one hand of Ravi's chest.

"Yes, I'll go to bed in a bit too," Ravi reassured him.

"No," Steven said, stumbling up the stairs. "My bed."

Ravi laughed. It was like dealing with a toddler. "Yes, you'll go to your bed, I'll go to my bed."

Ravi helped Steven take his clothes off and put him to bed. Steven reached out and grabbed Ravi's hand.

"Ravi," Steven said quietly.

"Yeah?" Ravi asked

"Ravi," Steven repeated, a smile growing on his face. Ravi chuckled to himself and grabbed him a glass of water before leaving him alone.

Downstairs, Ravi grabbed a beer and looked to see what was in the fridge that he could eat.

Chapter 4 - The Project

Tony had called in the entire department for a meeting, and was detailing a massive new project. He'd ordered huge platters of food "to keep everyone focussed", but in reality most of it was going to Ravi and Tony, with a few others grazing here and there. Ravi felt like if anything all the food was making him less focussed, the heavy food making him drowsy, and he wondered how Tony managed to keep leading the meeting.

While many managers would present standing up, Tony steadfastly insisted on being sat down, citing a desire to improve conversation, but he'd confessed to Ravi that his feet just got tired after too long standing up, and have his usual knowing comment or nod to Ravi, implying he'd know all about that soon enough. Ravi studied Tony's body, the mammoth thighs, the gut that got accentuated as he sat down, the short, pudgy fingers. Tony had clearly put on weight recently, and while Ravi's own gain was much more obvious, he wondered whether he'd actually put on more, or if the weight was just more obvious on Ravi's smaller body. Ravi had absolutely ballooned recently, and new clothes started to feel constricting almost as soon as he'd bought them.

"... and I really am sorry, I am." Ravi shook his head to focus as he realised Tony was reaching the end of the meeting. "I'll be right there with you, but I reckon there'll be some late nights. I'll not force anyone, and I'll make sure you're fairly compensated, and I'll make sure you get fed, but ultimately that's the situation we're in."

There was some grumbling, but on the whole everyone showed willing, knowing that Tony wouldn't ask them if it wasn't necessary. The meeting slowly dispersed, but Ravi stayed to help Tony finish up the pile of snacks that always got ordered for any large meeting.

"Here, lad," Tony said after a while. "I won't blame you for sacking this project off. This is all extra, it won't impact your placement."

Ravi shook his head and hastily swallowed a mouthful of biscuits. "It sounds interesting. Really. It's what I'd like to do one day so I'd like to help however I can."

Tony nodded. "Right then. I'll talk to Grace about getting you up to speed with what we're looking at with the shielding." He strained to stand up, and walked slowly around the table to clap Ravi on the shoulder. "You're a good lad, lad," he said. Ravi smiled and blushed, unsure of what to say. Tony moved to leave the room. "Finish all this, won't you? I can't be bothered getting someone to clean it all up, and it'll just end up in the bin."

Ravi was left alone, looking at trays of food in front of him. Smiling, he slapped his belly, reveling in the way it rippled and shook, and grabbed a sandwich in each hand.

-

The start of the project heralded weeks of late nights, each one ending with Tony ordering enough food to feed them all twice over. Some would leave as the food arrived, wanting to get home, others would grab enough food to satiate themselves and run off, while a small group developed who would stay demolishing the food. Even this group would eventually leave, bloated and slowly growing, inevitably leaving just Tony and Ravi determinedly finishing the piles of greasy good.

Ravi didn't think it would be possible, but his growth accelerated. Ripples of fat became rolls which became folds. Thighs dimpled, arms shook, chins multiplied. The centre-peice, as ever, was Ravi's insatiable gut, expanding outwards, sagging down with its sheer, unyielding weight. Again and again, he would find himself weighed down beneath himself, breathing heavily, opposite Tony in much the same state. As soon as he was able to move, Ravi would shuffle off slowly to the bathroom, where he'd strain to reach his achingly hard cock, his arm maneuvering around his own enormous torso to relieve himself, an act that became more awkward by the day as he grew.

One night, after a particularly heavy work dinner of pizzas, Ravi stumbled home. As usual, Tony had ordered far too much food, and Ravi had ended up eating three whole pizzas to himself. He clutched his gurgling stomach and tried to breathe slowly to help himself digest.

"Hey man," Jason greeted him. "We were just about to order a Chinese. What do you want?"

Ravi stifled a burp. "No, it's fine, I've-" He belched. "I ate at work."

Steven shifted in his seat. "Come on," he insisted. "You'll just end up hungry by the time it arrives and I'm not letting you nick any of mine. Besides, it's been ages since we all ate dinner together."

Ravi pondered for a moment, his hand idly scratching at the patch of skin and hair showing underneath his shirt as it rode up. He couldn't really be considering eating, could he? He was already so stuffed. But he thought about the feeling of being stuffed beyond his limits, about how much he was enjoying getting bigger, about how Tony seemed so proud of his growing appetite and growing body. He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, go on then. Add a crispy chilli beef for me."

Steven tapped on his phone. "I'll add some extra sides and stuff as well, so there's enough for all of us."

Ravi cleared his throat. "I'm not sure how much I'll…" His voice was barely audible and unconvincing.

"Ordered!" Steven said. "Right, shall I get us all a beer?"

A while later the three of them sat in front of the TV and a table full of empty containers. Steven had long finished, and sat with his head leant back and clutching his small bloat. Jason was hunched over his food, eyes occasionally flicking towards Ravi, and slowly, with tortured breaths, forced the last of his food in, eager to not be seen to be giving up.

Ravi leant back, his arms spread wide and his face bright red. His plate was balanced precariously on his gut, and while his stomach was uncomfortably tight, he still carried on eating mindlessly, having become accustomed to pushing in food far past his limit. Below his gut, his cock was hard as steel, and he hoped that his two housemates were either too full themselves to notice, or that his large gut might block their view.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, Ravi and Jason finished the last of the food, taking their last mouthful at the same time. Jason flopped back, his face pale and strained. Ravi felt incapable of leaning forward or moving much at all, so simply left his plate balanced on his spherical gut.

Ravi belched, and the sound rolled around the room. Steven turned his head lazily to look at him. "Fuck me…" he whispered, staring in awe at Ravi's bloated body.

Ravi grinned through his pained expression. "I might have overdone it a little bit, eh?" He attempted to massage his gut a little and winced at the additional pressure.

"You ate more than me," Jason said weakly in between strained breaths. "I thought you'd said you'd already eaten."

"Do you think I'm overdoing it?" Ravi asked, looking down at the rising dome of fat in front of him.

"No mate," Steven said quickly. "You're enjoying yourself. Plenty of time to worry about dieting when you're older, eh?"

"I guess," Ravi said, unsure. He turned to look at Steven. "Look at you though, eh? You almost ate as much as us two. You'll be as fat as us both soon enough."

Steven closed his eyes and let out a small groan. He took a few deep breaths before opening his eyes and answering. "God I hope not." He gave a weak chuckle. "One of us has got to stay slim, at least."

"I hope you're not lumping me in with him," Jason said, his hands splayed out on his beer belly. "He's got 50 pounds on me easily these days."

"I umm, I should go to bed," Steven said suddenly, straining to stand. "Big day tomorrow. Night you two," he said as he rushed out the room.

"I should go too," Ravi said, mustering the energy to move his plate onto the table and hoist himself up. "Got to give a chance for all this to digest."

"I don't know how you eat like this all the time man," Jason said, not making any effort to move. "I can barely move."

Ravi slapped his gut, and admired the way it shook. "You get used to it I suppose."

-

As Ravi grew, his gut maintained its large spherical shape, but was starting to become soft and sag down. A thick layer of fat now sat on top of it, which Ravi would find himself absentmindedly playing with while he was working. The fat had started to distribute more around his body as well, his limbs thickening with fat rapidly, and his face starting to take on the jowly look that was so familiar on Tony's face, complete with the start of a double chin.

After one particularly late night, Tony and Ravi sat alone, surrounded by empty pizza boxes. Everyone else had left earlier, but the two of them couldn't tear themselves away from leftover food, so had stayed far later. Ravi had come to enjoy these one-on-one moments with Tony, and was grateful for them, knowing that hardly anyone else had the opportunity to talk to him on a personal level so frequently.

"Right, you've got to get home lad," Tony said finally, slapping his thighs and standing up. "It's too bloody late."

"It's fine, it's fine, really, I enjoy the work," Ravi protested. Even so, he stood and moved across the office to his desk, where he bent down to pick up his bag and-

"Fuck!"

"Everything okay lad?"

"Yeah, don't worry it's just-"

Tony whistled as he saw the seat of Ravi's trousers split wide open, revealing his boxers. "I bet that's been a long time coming, eh? Those have been painted on you for weeks."

Ravi tried to ignore the implication that Tony had been looking at his trousers, and his arse, for weeks, as he fought against a stiffening penis. "I just can't afford to keep on buying new clothes every two months!" he said with a sigh.

Tony laughed. "I was exactly the same when I was your size, felt like I was putting on a pound a day sometimes." Ravi was confused by the casual way Tony talked about gaining weight, the way he'd compare the two of them, and his growing arousal. He picked up his bag to cover his crotch. "Here, what size do you wear?"

Ravi sighed. "God knows nowadays. 44 waist maybe? And at least a couple of Xs to keep the L on my shirts company." He could feel himself growing red. Why couldn't he control himself around food? Why did he seem to enjoy it so much?

"Right, don't keep on buying new clothes, I reckon I'll have something that will fit you tucked away somewhere. Sam likes to keep them around to see how they fit." Ravi raised an eyebrow at this. Why would Tony's wife keep old clothes around when it was obvious that he'd not fit back into them anytime soon? "They might be a bit out of fashion, but that's quite trendy these days isn't it? Bit retro."

Ravi was beyond grateful, and he arrived early the next day wearing a too small t-shirt and some sweatpants. Tony passed him a large bag of clothes, and he went to the toilets to change. He opened up the bag and pulled out a shirt and a pair of dark trousers, holding them up to check the size. He couldn't really be this size, could he? There seemed to be acres of fabric here. But sure enough, as he slipped them on, he found them to be a perfect fit. He thought back to just a year ago, when he'd been as trim as any of his mates, and was now twice the size of some of them.

He unbuttoned the trousers almost immediately as his arousal grew. Despite knowing Tony obviously must have been this size at some point, having this tangible evidence that he was following in the footsteps of his boss gave him an odd sense of pride. He reached around his gut, larger and rounder than ever, to pump at his achingly hard cock and before long, streams of cum were coating the underside of his heaving gut.

He sat in the stall for a while catching his breath, hands idly roaming the flesh he'd gained over the last few months. Some time later he regained his composure and stood shakily, returning to the office as a few more people arrived. He tried to grin and act normal, but found himself in the kitchen all morning, cleaning out the selection of snacks.

Chapter 5 - The Breakthrough

"This is brilliant. This is…" Tony had the reactor model that Ravi had been working on up on the screen. "How did you come up with this?" Tony asked Ravi after some time looking at the various aspects of the shielding.

"I just used the ideas that you wanted me to look at and played around with them a bit." Ravi explained. "Honestly, I just took what you had already and-"

"No," Tony cut Ravi off. "I'm not letting you be humble about this. You're taking full credit. I'm going to show this to the director today. This could save the company millions Ravi, completely revolutionise how we deal with some of the safety protocols. You should be proud." Tony was beaming with pride at Ravi at this point, and Ravi blushed, unused to much praise at all from the gruff man.

Tony struggled to his feet. The recent long nights had hit both of their waistlines hard, and Tony's gut now completely dominated his frame, a soft pillow of fat that hung over his waist and flowed to fill his shirts. Above it, the outline of two soft man-breasts could be seen sinking down into his armpits. Still, Ravi knew that he'd put on even more weight than the older man, and his own large orb of a belly now strained against even Tony's old shirts that he'd lent him. While Tony was still significantly heavier than him, Ravi was nervous about the trend that was emerging, and had even recently wondered if he'd ever get up to Tony's size, the idea sending a thrill up Ravi's spine and deep in his groin that he didn't understand.

"This," Tony accentuated the word by slapping his gut, sending ripples across his entire body, "calls for a celebration I think." He walked around the desk, his body bumping into each piece of furniture he passed, and slapped Ravi on the shoulder. Ravi wondered how much his own body jiggled like Tony's. "You've done bloody well lad, there's a lot of qualified engineers at this company paid too bloody much to do work not half as good as this. Dinner tonight I think." He looked around. "Don't tell that skinny mate of yours, eh? I'm thanking you, not Ade. He's spent more time networking than he has doing work." Tony walked off, and Ravi watched how he almost waddled, each thigh sliding past each other, and fat swaying from side to side with each step. He wondered if his own walk had changed, and if anyone had noticed.

Tony had left early, passing Ravi a slip of paper with an address on, and said something about organising dinner. He'd debated with Ravi (at him, really) about various restaurants they could go to, but ended up settling on inviting Ravi to his own house. "Sam's cooking's the best you'll have. And there'll be enough for us both, don't you worry." He slapped his huge gut to make his point. Ravi had heard enough about Tony's wife's cooking over the past few months to know he should be excited.

-

Later that night, Ravi stood outside a large townhouse and rung the doorbell, before being greeted by a man he'd not met. "Hi, I don't know if I've got the right house, sorry, I'm-"

"Ravi! Of course, of course! I'm Samir, Tony's husband. You can call me Sam," the man introduced himself. Ravi stayed on the doorway for a moment, completely shocked. He'd assumed that Sam was some doting housewife intent on feeding up her man. However, the Sam that stood in front of him was tall, easily 6 and a half feet tall, and almost completely bald, with a thick beard, a lean muscular body, and skin the same dark brown as Ravi's, wearing a shirt that showed off bulging arms.

Ravi realised he hadn't moved, and Sam still stood beckoning him through the doorway. He shuffled in and Sam took his jacket.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked. "You seem a little dazed."

"Sorry, no, I'm fine. It's just, well, if I'm honest, I wasn't actually expecting you to be, well, you know…" Ravi trailed off, embarrassed.

"A man?" Sam laughed. "Tony has a habit of flying under people's gaydars. I think it's the accent. Don't worry, it happens all the time. Right! This way! He can't stop talking about you, you know. Absolute wonder boy according to him."

Ravi didn't know if he was more shocked to find out Tony was gay or that his husband was so exuberant and cheerful, completely contrasting with his gruff manager. He was also confused about the contrast between their bodies - Sam could only be described as an absolute dilf, who clearly took care of his looks and went to the gym, whereas Tony was an absolute barge of a man, with scruffy stubble on a soft, jowly face.

Sam led Ravi through to an expensive looking kitchen, every surface covered with food, some cooked, some still being prepared. "Tony will be down in a second. There's some snacks on the table, help yourself. Can I get you a drink? Wine? Beer?"

Ravi nodded and grabbed a handful of crisps from the table. "A beer would be good, thanks." He looked around at all the food across the surfaces. "I didn't realise more people were coming."

Tony laughed as he walked in the room, his footsteps setting some wine glasses rattling and clinking against each other. "It's just us lad," he explained.

"Oh, the food, I assumed-"

"Don't you worry about all that, it'll all get put to good use."

Sam smiled. "I sometimes go a bit overboard when I'm cooking. I trained as a chef, so I like trying out new recipes if I get a willing audience." He handed Ravi his beer in a tall, elegant glass. "Don't worry if you don't want to eat too much, it'll all keep, we can send you off with some leftovers."

Tony laughed again. "No worries about that with this one," he slapped Ravi on his shoulder. "He's put away more than me a couple of times."

Ravi felt oddly proud at the comment. He rubbed his heavy gut through Tony's old shirt and smiled at Sam. "It all looks amazing."

"Let's get you two sat down then! I've got your first dish almost ready to come out, and I'm working on the second" Sam said, moving over to the oven and bending down to check its contents.

"Are you not joining us?" Ravi asked, a little confused.

"Oh, I'll be around, but I won't really eat. I tend to fill up just by tasting bits here and there as I go. I'll grab something if I get hungry, don't worry about me, you two enjoy yourselves."

Tony and Ravi sat down, and Tony raised his glass to Ravi. "To a bloody nuclear engineering genius!" Ravi bashfully joined in the toast.

Sam brought the first dish over, a huge rack of ribs, and set it down between them, quickly putting an enormous portion on each of their plates. The meat was delicious, some of the best Ravi had ever tasted. He ate it quickly, unable to slow down, and almost as soon as he was done, another plate was put down in front of him, piled high with buttery spiced potatoes and several chicken thighs in a spicy curry sauce.

-

It must have been hours later, when Ravi looked up from his plate to see Tony sat with his head tilted back, snoring gently. Ravi had grown used to the way that Tony's soft flab would rise like dough when he'd eaten a lot, but this was the most full he'd ever seen him, and his belly now sat in an enormous mound in front of him, riding high and heavy on his lap.

"Looks like you win," Sam said from behind him, placing yet another plate in front of him, some kind of fried dumpling.

"I bet that doesn't happen too often," Ravi said, his voice strained with the pressure of all the food in his gut.

"I don't remember the last time I saw anyone beat him. You must like eating," Sam took a seat next to Ravi and picked a dumpling up with his fingers.

"Oh yeah, the food was amazing, you're a great cook."

"Thank you. But that's not what I meant. It doesn't matter how good the food is, does it? You just like eating." Sam lifted up the dumpling to Ravi's lips and held it there, expectantly. Ravi hesitated before closing his eyes and opening his mouth, letting Sam push in the small doughy parcel. As he bit into it a mix of sweetness and saltiness exploded in his mouth at once and he moaned involuntarily.

"I guess," Ravi admitted. "I like the way food tastes. And how I feel after a good meal."

"And the effects?" Sam kept his voice light and casual, but laced every word with hidden meaning.

"I like to feel full," Ravi replied shakily.

"Oh you like more than just feeling full. Lots of people like feeling full," Sam said as he held another dumpling up to Ravi's mouth, who obediently took it. "You like feeling fat."

Ravi didn't say anything, he wasn't sure he could say anything. Instead he just sat and chewed, waiting for the next dumpling. His cock throbbed inside Sam's husband's old trousers.

"He can't stop talking about you, you know. Comes home every day talking about the wonder boy," Sam said, breaking the silence. He stood up and walked behind Ravi, picking up yet another dumpling and feeding him from behind.

"Oh, well umm," Ravi stuttered a little as he spoke, unsure what to say. "The project went really well and it was a team effort really."

Sam chuckled softly. "Oh I don't mean the engineering. He's proud of you, don't get me wrong. No, I mean, he can not stop talking about the boy that's come in and gained. All. This. Weight." He lightly patted the side of Ravi's gut as he said each of the words. "He's been coming home, asking me to cook more and more for him. I should thank you really, he hasn't been this excited about gaining in years." Ravi was about to ask what Sam meant by gaining. "He reached 400 pounds the other week. And he's not a very tall man. Can you imagine what that much weight feels like? I don't suppose you'll have to one day soon."

Ravi was silent. He didn't know what he could say. Sam filled the silence again. "And what about you? You must be closing in on 300 pounds, at least?"

"I haven't really weighed myself in a long time," Ravi said quietly, confused about the conversation and his own reaction to it. "It's not the kind of thing I'm that bothered by."

Sam pushed another dumpling into Ravi's mouth, before hooking his hands beneath his armpits, and smoothly, easily, raised him to his feet. "You sweet, oblivious boy. Come on then, follow me." Ravi staggered a little under the weight of the meal he'd just eaten, but obediently waddled after Sam up the stairs.

Sam stopped in a bathroom in front of a large, metal scales. "Hop on then," he ordered.

"I'm not really sure that I…" Ravi trailed off.

"Hop. On." Sam gave Ravi a gentle push and he relented. Sam bent down to check it for him, Ravi unable to see past the crest of his own body.

"308 pounds! Congratulations!" Sam said, a grin growing on his face. "The big three-oh-oh! I bet none of your little uni friends can say that can they?"

Ravi stared, dumbfounded. He had no idea he'd put on some much weight. "Well I've just had a big meal…"

Sam burst out laughing at this. "And how many people do you think weigh 308 pounds after a big meal? Do you think I would? Would your friends? How many people do you think could even eat as much as you have tonight? No, this is all you, Ravi," he placed his hands under Ravi's gut and shook it, setting it jiggling. "There's no need to be coy with me. Look at my husband. I know what you big boys like. I know what you want."

"And what's that?" Ravi asked shakily.

Sam leant in close and practically whispered. "You want to eat so fucking much." He leant back a little and smiled. "Do you feel absolutely stuffed Ravi?"

"I've eaten a lot, I feel really full, yeah," Ravi replied.

Sam shook his head. "That's not what I asked, is it Ravi? No, I asked you whether you were absolutely, unbearably, deliciously stuffed."

"No," Ravi replied quietly.

"No, what?" Sam's eyes were boring into his own.

Ravi took a deep breath. "Not yet."

"That's my boy!" Sam said softly. "Why don't you come with me?" He took Ravi's hand and led him back downstairs to the kitchen table where Tony still sat snoring softly.

"This," Sam said, approaching Ravi and holding a jug of thick brown liquid he'd fetched from the fridge, "is called a gainer shake. It's one of Tony's, but he won't miss it, don't worry. What do you think it does?"

"I don't know,' Ravi replied, his voice shaking.

"What does it do, Ravi?"

"It goes inside me," Ravi said, yearning for the promised feeling of fullness.

"Oh yes!" Sam said softly. "Oh yes, it'll certainly go inside you. But then, my little Ravi, what it will do, is make you fatter and fatter and fatter, and more full than you could possibly imagine." He laid a hand on the shelf of Ravi's stomach. "Would you like that Ravi?"

Ravi whimpered and nodded. Sam raised his chin with a single finger, and began to gently pour the mix down his throat, slowly so as not to overwhelm him. The shake was too thick, too sweet, too cold, to be truly enjoyable, but Ravi didn't really care. He only cared about swallowing the mixture, only cared what it would do to his body.

"There we go, that's a good boy, there we go," Sam cooed to Ravi. Ravi was unbearably, overwhelmingly full, but he couldn't stop. Each second the ecstasy of his stretching stomach grew.

Finally, the shake stopped trickling into his mouth, and Ravi squirmed in his seat, desperate for more. He panted, searching for oxygen to help his stomach digest. Sam gently massaged Ravi's gut.

"There's another jug in the fridge in the bedroom," Tony said, awake now and looking at Ravi. He heaved himself up, grunting as he did so, and made his slow way over to where Ravi was sat, almost immobilised by the leaden weight in his stomach. Tony leant over and whispered in his ear so that Ravi could feel the rough stubble rub against his cheek. "How about it lad? Will you drink another one of those shakes for me?"

Ravi could barely reply and simply gave a soft moan, full of desire. Tony grinned and turned to Sam. "You'll go get it, won't you love? I'm not making it up the stairs any time soon." He slapped his full gut.

As Sam ran upstairs, Tony turned back to Ravi. "This is what you've wanted all year, isn't it lad? Me and this fat gut feeding you bigger and bigger? When will you stop, do you think? Will you be able to? I thought I'd stop after the first 20 pounds, then 50, 100. 250 pounds later look at me." He spread his arms as if revealing a magic trick. "Will that be you boy? You've made a good start, but I think we'll need to push you on just a little further."

Sam was back now, and wasted no time in tilting Ravi's head back up. Despite being more full, Ravi managed to drink this one even faster, keen to impress Tony, who leant over him, whispering gentle encouragement in Ravi's ear. As he did so, his soft, warm flesh pushed into and enveloped Ravi's side, sending him wild and driving him onwards.

By the time the jug was finished, it was well past midnight. Ravi sat practically shaking from the exertion of pushing so much into his gut. He raised his arm to rub it gingerly, but even the gentlest touch caused him to wince in pain.

"Right then love," he heard Tony say to Sam. "I reckon we need to get this one in a taxi, what do you think? Mhm, these dumplings are amazing, are there any more?"

Ravi could hear them cleaning up around him, but couldn't even react. Instead they just moved around him, Tony's gut occasionally bumping into him. Eventually he felt his arms being draped over two shoulders, one set firm and square, one set soft and rounded, and he felt himself being lifted up and supported to the door, his legs staggering as he was all but carried outside. He felt Tony and Sam lower him into the taxi and Tony leant in close. "I'll see you at work on Monday lad. You rest up. We'll have to do this again sometime."

-

Ravi was surprised to find that no-one else was home, but couldn't bring himself to care very much, as he stumbled through the front door clutching his stuffed stomach, and staggered to the living room where he collapsed on the sofa. He briefly thought about going to his room, but the thought of climbing the stairs made him groan. Sluggishly, he undid the buttons on his agonised shirt and trousers, sighing as his gut surged forward in the new space afforded to it.

Ravi lay there for what might have been ten minutes or an hour, not even able to summon the energy to rub his aching belly and only able to take short shallow breaths, interrupted only by his constant stream of burps. He swore he could feel stretch marks forming in real time.

Ravi heard the front door open and Steven stumbled in, softly singing some song Ravi couldn't quite make out. After a few seconds Ravi heard a soft "Jesus fuck," from his housemate. He turned his head lazily, not even able to lift it properly, to find Steven frozen, staring with wide eyes at the fat man splayed out on the sofa. Ravi supposed he must look quite a sight, his fat hairy gut spilling out of his unbuttoned shirt, and the top of his trousers wide open to reveal his underwear.

"Steve, sorry I-" he cut himself off with a belch. "I'm just so full, I don't think I can-" he hiccuped and winced as the sudden motion rocked his too full body. "I can't move man. I'm sorry. You might have to put up with me like this for a bit." He burped again, long and loud and sighed in pleasure as it seemed to relieve some tiny amount of the pressure he felt.

The monstrous burp seems to have awoken Steven out of his trance and he stumbled forward a little, eyes glazed but still transfixed onto Ravi's exposed middle. He sat gently down in the small space on the sofa that Ravi wasn't splayed out into. "It's fine," he said quietly, almost a whisper. "Really, it's fine. We've all seen each other shirtless before right? Probably even seen each other naked a few times." Ravi could smell the beer on Steven's breath, explaining why he was coming in so late.

"Yeah, I reckon so, but I'm a bit heavier than the last time you saw me like this," Ravi started to laugh but quickly stopped himself when his straining stomach protested against the movement.

Steven let out a long, slow shaky breath, before clearing his throat. "It's the stress of placement year. Everyone's put on a bit of weight." His voice came out strained and higher than usual.

"Not sure anyone's put on quite so much as me. I weighed myself tonight you know. Well, got weighed. Over 300 pounds," Ravi confessed. He swore that he heard Steven whimper. "I was barely 14 stone a year ago, what the fuck happened."

Steven gingerly reached out a out a hand on Ravi's belly, and began to rub small circles, his fingers weaving through the soft, thick hair there. Ravi groaned in pleasure and his head fell back against the sofa. "No, I don't think anyone's put on nearly so much. Still, Jason's got a proper gut now and…" he hesitated before continuing. "And even I've put on about three stone."

Ravi let out a small, short laugh before opening his eyes and turning to look at Steven with a smile. "Shit man, really?" And indeed, there it was, the tiniest of pot bellies pushing out ever so slightly against Steven's shirt. Ravi couldn't help but notice the way Steven's trousers strained against the bulge there as well. Ravi reached out and poked Steven's small beginner belly gently, and Steven inhaled sharply. "You were always so skinny, now look at you. You'll be catching up with Jason soon."

"Oh fuck," Steven whispered, barely audible. "I'll be borrowing his old clothes soon I bet." Steven's hands continued to make their slow circles on Ravi's gut, and his eyes were transfixed. "Do you remember that? When you had to borrow his clothes? Ripped his shirt? God you looked so fucking ridiculous."

Ravi gave a small laugh and burped. "I guess I did, yeah. Got the placement though."

"Do you enjoy it?" Steven asked intently.

"The placement? Yeah, it's amazing. Absolutely amazing."

Steven shook his head. "I mean this," he stopped rubbing Ravi's gut to gently pat it to make his point. "Getting big, being big." He paused, and then in a voice even lower, so that Ravi had to strain to hear: "I like it." Ravi didn't know if Steven meant his own small belly, or Ravi's far larger one.

Ravi waited before replying, turning the idea over in his head. Steven continued to rub his gut in large, wide circles, applying just the gentlest of pressure. Finally Ravi nodded. "I like it," he was quiet now too. "I like that I'm bigger than all our friends, and take up more room than anyone else we know." Steven nodded, and his hand moved to Ravi's lower gut. Ravi could feel his cock growing hard in his underwear, and was aware that Steven must have noticed, since his trousers were wide open. "And I like the way it makes me feel more mature. More like a man." Steven's hand actually brushed Ravi's hard cock through his pants, and Ravi grew even more aroused, despite his own embarrassment.

Steven nodded. "A man. That's exactly what's happening Ravi. You're becoming a real man." He'd stopped rubbing Ravi's belly now and his hand was resting on the bottom of his gut, Ravi's hard-on pressing directly into it. Steven used his pinky finger to hook into Ravi's waistband and he spidered his hand in. "Just like Tony," Steven whispered in Ravi's ear as he gripped the fat man's cock. Ravi shuddered and his eyes rolled back.

While gently playing with Ravi, Steven slid Ravi's trousers and pants down to his knees, struggling a little due to how tight they were. He moved down in between Ravi's legs, pinned in by Ravi's lardy thighs. He deftly moved Ravi's cock from his hand to his mouth. Ravi couldn't stop himself moaning, his voice ringing around the small house, and if he could form coherent thoughts he'd have been thankful Jason wasn't in. Between his full gut and Steven's administrations, Ravi had never been so overwhelmed by sensations in his life and he found himself trembling. It wasn't long before he finished, pumping down Steven's throat, his loud moan turning into a long, rattling belch, and he was left a quivering, beached whale on the sofa, a fine sheen of sweat covering his hairy, dark skin.

Steven took his hand and helped to heave him to his feet. The seat was low, and it took Ravi some time to build up enough strength to shakily stand up. Steven kissed him, leaning past his taut centre, and led him by the hand to his bedroom. Once there, Ravi collapsed onto the bed and Steven helped him wriggle the rest of the way out of his constricting clothes. Still too tired to do anything, Ravi shuffled across the bed to make room for Steven, and Steven nestled into his fleshy side as they fell asleep.

Chapter 6: The Offer

Ravi woke up to find the bed empty, Steven having left at some point in the night. He cautiously moved to his room, careful to avoid Jason, and changed his clothes. He headed down to the kitchen, surprised how hungry he was after eating so much last night.

"Morning," Jason said, eating a large bowl of cereal shirtless. Ravi noticed the way Jason's belly folded over his waistline when he sat down, and the thickness that had accumulated across his torso.

"Morning," Ravi replied. "Have you seen Steven this morning? He, uhh, wasn't in his room when I checked."

Jason paused. "He went out. Listen, did something happen? He seemed really upset."

"What? No, nothing hap- I mean, nothing that would- I don't think I did anything to upset him." Ravi was bewildered. Did Steven regret it? Hadn't he initiated last night?

"I don't know what's happened, and I don't want to get involved, but you need to be careful how you talk to Steven, okay?" Jason sighed. "I knew this would end up happening at some point."

"What? What do you mean? Why do I have to be careful with Steven? What did you know would happen?"

Jason rubbed his temples and forced a smile. "Look, I'm not getting involved. Steven isn't here. He seemed upset. I've passed on all of the information I have, I've done my part." He sighed again and turned back to his cereal, clearly not wanting to carry on the conversation.

Ravi nodded and stayed quiet. He put some toast in the toaster and cracked some eggs into a frying pan, starting off his first round of breakfast. He'd gotten into the habit of treating himself to two or three breakfasts at the weekend, having grown used to eating at home and then again once he was at the office. He sent Steven a text while he waited. I'd like to speak to you. Sorry I missed you this morning.

Three breakfasts later (he really was surprised by hungry he was after last night, but there was a hollowness in his stomach that demanded to be filled), he sat playing video games with Jason, a table of snacks piled high in front of them. Ravi was losing badly, unable to concentrate, and constantly looking at his phone. He had to resist the urge not to text Steven again, best to wait for him to text back first. Still, he typed and retyped various messages before deleting them.

"Do you fancy a beer? We should start thinking about sorting dinner really," Jason said as the evening set in, struggling into a standing position. Ravi was impressed. Two lunches and plenty of snacks later, Jason had kept up admirably with him, and his dad bod had bloated up into a proper beer belly, and his t-shirt had ridden up to reveal a small sliver of belly. Ravi knew that far more of his own mammoth gut was showing, having not upgraded his casual wardrobe nearly as often as his work one, and thought that perhaps it was time to go shopping. Probably worth getting a couple of sizes too big in fact, since he was starting to admit to himself that his weight gain wasn't going to slow down any time soon.

A heavy dinner and several beers later, Jason sat groaning, holding his tight belly, while Ravi continued to graze on snacks and what was left of the mammoth dinner. Ravi let out a burp and picked up his phone, putting it straight back down when he didn't see anything on it.

"Stop it," Jason snapped, his eyes still closed.

"What?" Ravi asked. "I'm not doing anything."

"Checking your phone every 30 seconds. You've been doing it all day. It's really fucking annoying. What are you waiting for?" Jason had opened his eyes, but struggled to sit up straight.

Ravi was quiet for a while. "Steven won't talk to me. Something, ah… something happened last night."

Jason sighed. "Fuck. You guys had a fight?"

Ravi shook his head. "No, no, not a fight. We sort of had a… a moment, I guess."

Jason sighed again and rubbed his forehead. "Look, he probably doesn't want me to say anything, but this needs getting sorted sooner or later, and he's been getting worse recently." He looked Ravi in the eyes. "Steven's basically in love with you. Everyone else can tell. Even more recently for some reason."

"What?" Ravi asked. "No he's not. He's my mate. We're just mates. He's not in love with me."

"Yes he is! He just doesn't want to do anything because you're straight and he knows nothing can happen."

"No I'm not," Ravi said.

"Not what?" Jason asked.

"Straight. I'm literally not straight. You guys all know that," Ravi explained.

"Of course you are. You've had girlfriends. You fancy women," Jason looked at Ravi like he was mad.

"I mean, that would be a part of being bi, yeah. But I've had boyfriends. I went out with a guy in sixth form for like 2 years."

Jason sighed. "But none of us actually knew you in sixth form, did we? And you haven't done anything since to imply you're bi? Like mention it? Or sleep with a guy?"

"Ah. Right," Ravi said. "So Steven…"

"Thinks you're straight and that he has no chance with you," Jason finished for him. "Does he? Have a chance? Would you go out with him?"

Ravi turned the question over in his mind. "I think so. I don't know. It's weird. I've not really thought of him that way before this year, but maybe? Probably, even."

"Listen, I'm not getting involved, yeah? But just be careful. We're living together next year too and I don't want it to be awkward." Jason moved back to rubbing his tight stomach.

Ravi nodded and struggled up to grab some more food, thinking hard about what Jason had told him.

-

Ravi would have almost been impressed with how well Steven was avoiding him, if it weren't so annoying. He hadn't seen him in almost a week now, with Steven leaving the house early and coming back late.

At the office, Ravi was surprised to find that Tony barely mentioned what had happened the previous Friday. Oh, he'd mentioned the dinner party alright, said that Sam had liked him, wanted to invite him round again, but nothing about the way he'd pushed Ravi past his limits, both physically and sexually. Ravi got the impression Tony almost found it normal. Perhaps it was, to him.

Midweek, Ravi got called into the office of the company's CEO for a meeting. The tall, gaunt man motioned for him to sit, which Ravi did gingerly, wincing as he heard the chair creak beneath him. He adjusted his clothes to check that there wasn't any hairy fat spilling out anywhere, as was becoming all too common.

"I've heard some good things about you this year. Incredible things actually. Tony says you're brilliant, and you uhh," his eyes moved up and down Ravi's body, taking it in, "clearly fit into his team quite well."

Ravi thanked him and willed his stomach not to rumble.

"I understand you're finishing a placement here later this month, and then you'll finish your final year of university?" the thin man continued. Ravi nodded. "In which case we'd like to offer you a job once you've graduated. You'll find we can be very generous in terms of pay and incentives. Company car, private health insurance, gym membersh-" he cut himself off, "well, my point is, we can afford to be competitive, and we want you. I don't want your answer now, but do think about it won't you?"

He motioned that Ravi could leave, and the two shook hands. Ravi left buzzing, not even upset by the spot of mustard he noticed on his shirt as he left. He grabbed a small plate of a selection of donuts, and slid his phone out of his tight pocket. He sent a quick, excited text to some friends and family to tell them what had happened before steeling himself to text Steven.

Hey man! Haven't seen you this week! I got a job offer at my placement! They're really keen. I'd like to talk to you tonight. Will you be at the house?

He put his phone down before it buzzed almost immediately. A text from Steven simply read Okay. Ravi breathed a sigh of relief and fished a bar of chocolate from his drawer.

-

"Steven, hi," Ravi panted. He'd rushed home, and his shirt was damp with sweat, sticking to the curves of his body.

"Hey Ravi," Steven said quietly.

"I'm going out actually," Jason announced, collecting his things in a hurry. "I've got a date. Or something. I think. Whatever." He made his way to the door. "I'll be back later. Or tomorrow. Whatever works really." The door slammed behind him.

"I'm sorry," Steven started.

"What for?" Ravi asked.

"Last week. It wasn't right. I shouldn't have- look, I'm just sorry, okay." Steven wouldn't look at Ravi.

"I still don't know what for though, I'm not mad or annoyed or regret anything," Ravi insisted.

"You were drunk, I shouldn't have."

"No I wasn't," Ravi said.

"Then I was! I was too drunk and I acted stupid and I'm sorry," Steven said, his voice getting louder. "We're living together next year and we should just forget it happened."

"I don't think we can just forget what happened Steven. I don't want to." Ravi moved towards Steven, trying to catch his eye.

"So what? We talk about it and then make friends again and then I go back to… look, you're straight and I know that and it's fine but that doesn't mean it's easy for me." Steven's voice wavered.

"This shit again," Ravi said, exasperated. "I'm not straight. I've never said I'm straight."

This caught Steven off-guard and he actually looked up to look at Ravi. "You're literally straight. You've had sex with loads of girls."

"Yes!" Ravi agreed. "I also got a blowjob off my housemate last week and then spooned with him all night! I'm bisexual."

Steven looked away. "It still doesn't matter. We shouldn't have done it."

"Why?" Ravi pressed. "I enjoyed it! I don't understand why you think you have to be miserable about it."

"Because it's not the same!" Steven shouted. "Because I've been in fucking love with you for three years and you liked the fact that I gave you a blowjob. Because you've never thought about me that way until Friday. It wouldn't work."

Ravi sat down next to Steven on the sofa, who had to shift to make room for him. "You're right," be admitted. "I've not particularly thought about you like that. You're hot, don't get me wrong, but you're a mate." Steven sighed quietly. "I don't see why we can't try though. I like you, you like me, we're both living together, we might as well enjoy it."

"What if we fuck it up?" Steven asked. "What if it all goes wrong and it's awkward all of next year?"

Ravi spread his hands out in front of him. "I don't know. But I imagine we might sort of be in that situation already, right? You've avoided me all week, we're fighting now. If we went out for a few months it's not like we'd be making anything worse." Steven didn't move, but Ravi could feel his body become less tense. "Besides," he continued, trying to gauge Steven's mood, "imagine how fat I'd be this time next year if I had someone to fatten me up."

Steven looked up, tears in his eyes. "Don't make fun of me."

"Make fun of you? I'm the fat arse here. I'm right though, aren't I?" Ravi asked.

Steven nodded. "How did you know?"

Ravi shook his gut. "I think at this point the only people interested in me are into fat guys."

Steven started to smile, tears still in his eyes, and shook his head. "I liked you before you gained weight."

"But it's a bonus though, right?"

Steven laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, a bonus." He wiped his eyes and his smile grew. "So what do we do now?"

"Dinner?" Ravi suggested. "You stuff me until I can't move, and then we end up in your bed, if I remember correctly."

Steven nodded and wiped tears from his eyes. "Yeah. Sounds good."

Ravi reached up to wipe more tears from Steven's eyes, and then leant in to kiss him. Steven leaned in, pressing against Ravi's soft body. Ravi fell back, pulling Steven with him until Ravi was spread out on the sofa, his body spilling over the side, with Steven laying above him.

"Right then," Steven said after a while. "You stay there. I'll order some food."

Epilogue - The Second First Day

Ravi was once again sat in Heather's office.

"Sorry we have to go through all this! I know you already know so much about the company, it's just that a lot of its different as an employee, with payroll and everything."

Ravi just smiled and nodded, feeling the way the fat around his face bunched up and moved even with this small gesture. He wondered what Heather thought of how his body had changed over the past year. While he'd put on roughly the same amount of weight in his last year of university as he had during his placement year, it wasn't as noticeable, and most people just saw a fat man these days, but Ravi knew there was no way to ignore over a hundred pounds gained in a year. His gut had maintained its large, spherical shape, but the last hundred pounds had all been soft, creamy fat, layering underneath his skin, and his gut had lost its former firmness and started to droop further and further down.

He spent almost two hours with Heather, signing forms, reading policies, and he was absolutely ravenous. Ravi struggled to think of the last time he'd spent two hours while awake without eating anything at all. Certainly not within the last hundred pounds, and probably, he thought, thinking back, not since he'd first started his placement, almost two years ago.

Finally, Heather put all the paperwork in a folder and smiled. "Right, I'm going to put all this away. Welcome back Ravi, it's good to see you. You've got a meeting with Tony now - you can make your own way there, can't you? Same office as last year." She looked Ravi up and down as he struggled to stand. "This elevator's out of order on this side of the building by the way, but the one in reception's working."

Ravi grinned and thanked her. Stairs were not realistically an option at this point. Even walking along the corridor to reception felt something of a chore, building up the sheer momentum to get going requiring more force than for most people.

Ravi greeted a few people he knew, and went by the kitchen to pick up some snacks, before going over the Tony's office.

"Bloody hell lad! Look at the size of you! Not started a diet then I see," Tony walked around the desk to shake his hand.

Ravi looked down at the two enormous guts as they shook hands, watching the fat ripple, and could see Tony doing the same. He couldn't possibly be- no, that didn't make sense. But then, it did look-

Tony said it out loud first. "Here, how much are you weighing these days? You're almost looking bigger than me."

Ravi looked up at Tony to see his face nervous, clearly not wanting to hear the answer. He wasn't almost looking bigger than Tony at all. He looked a fair bit bigger. "I was 422 pounds at graduation about 6 weeks ago. Steven wanted to see how much I'd put on at uni. So I guess more than that? 430 at least, maybe 440?"

"Bloody hell." Ravi wasn't used to seeing Tony lost for words. "You reckon you've put on that much since then?"

Ravi shrugged, a little embarrassed. "Maybe. At the rate I've been growing, I've put on at least two pounds a week, probably three some weeks." Ravi had never really thought about it. No wonder Steven was always saying he was like something out of one of the gainer stories he loved so much. "To be honest, I was a little nervous I'd come back and you'd make me feel tiny, Tony."

Tony whistled. "No worries about that lad. No, Sam was just happy he got me to 400 pounds, I haven't really put on any weight this year. Half a stone maybe."

Ravi sat in silence for a while before speaking. "So that means that I weigh-"

"About two stone more than me. Jesus lad. I'll have to start eating more to catch up with you, I can't have one of my engineers outweighing me."

Ravi grinned. "Don't worry, I'll lend you some of my old shirts."

Tony grumbled something about cheeky children and sat down at his desk, gesturing Ravi towards the seat opposite. "All the green chairs in the office are reinforced, should be fine. Some of them still have arms on though, I've asked facilities to get it sorted, Tom got stuck in one last week. He's up to about 25 stone and all I reckon, I'll be having to worry about keeping up with him as well soon enough. Right then."

As Tony talked through some of the upcoming projects he wanted Ravi to work on, Ravi looked down at himself, shocked that he was now bigger than the man he'd looked up to for so long. He traced a finger along the huge arc of his body, constrained and held in shape by his tight shirt.

-

"How was the first day back?" Steven called from the kitchen in their new flat, the smell of dinner drifting through to Ravi.

"Great thanks, yeah! Dinner smells good!" Ravi called back.

Steven turned round as Ravi entered the kitchen and grinned. "Still plenty of food in the office?"

"God yeah. I think Tony's been stockpiling in anticipation of me arriving," he joked.

Steven laughed and stroked Ravi's gut. "That makes sense, I know I would. You're still hungry though?"

Ravi nodded. "Starving. I'll just have a quick sandwich before dinner. How was your day? Settling in a bit more?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, starting to get the hang of everything a bit more now, not quite so lost," he said before sighing. "I tell you what though, you never said how exhausting it is carrying around all this extra weight," he continued, rubbing his own gut. He'd gained alongside Ravi the last year and now sported his own soft, heavy ball gut.

Ravi laughed and joined Steven in stroking his gut. "First off, all I do is complain about how tired I am. Secondly, what do you know about being fat? You put on a little weight and all of a sudden you're king of the gainers."

"Oi, it's not just a little weight. I'm fatter than Jason now." This was true, despite Jason putting on weight himself last year. The three of them had made for quite the house of porkers by the end of their final year. "And 70 pounds in a year is a lot for most normal people. I could be almost 350 pounds this time next year," Steven continued.

"Well I'm glad you've got someone to aspire to and show you how it's done," Ravi said, slapping his gut and kissing Steven. "And it won't take you anything like a year to get to 350. Tony and Sam have invited us to go for a dinner party this weekend. Tony says Sam wants to make it a regular thing. You remember that time I went round?"

"Oh god, how could I forget?" Steven looked down at his belly and dug his fingers in to the flab, imagining himself even fatter. "What do you think? What if I ended up over 400 pounds, like you?"

Ravi smiled and kissed Steven, rubbing his gut. "Mhhmm, I think I could live with that. We might have to get Jason to move back in with us though, get someone under 300 pounds to help us round the flat. Especially if I keep on gaining at this rate. I'm fatter than Tony now!"

"What, really? Has he lost weight?" Steven asked.

Ravi shook his head, sending his jowls shaking. "Nope. Basically the same weight. I'm just bigger now."

"Oh my god, how does that feel? I remember when you came in after the interview saying how big he was."

"Incredible. Really amazing actually. I feel absolutely huge. I think he was a bit jealous actually," Ravi said, thinking back to their meeting.

"Well," Steven said, "at least he's got such a great role model."

[margarethx]

There is a strange man standing at Sam's door.

Pale, with long hair and beginnings of a thin beard; his eyes covered by a baseball cap, but glinting in the shadows in a way that suggests he's sober, or at least alert.

He stands in an ostensibly relaxed pose.

He still looks like he's one abrupt sound away from bolting.

He knocked on the door instead of ringing the bell, as if he knew Sam was home and close enough to hear the noise muffled slightly by the glove covering his hand.

There's no one around at this hour and the entrance to Sam's house is obscured from the street by a few bushes and trashcans pulled out for the garbage men to collect in the morning. If someone broke inside, no one would be able to tell if they weren't already looking directly into Sam's small garden. Which, likely, no one does.

Sam also doesn't have any friends who visit him at home and both sides of his close family live a few states away. He tries his best to keep in touch with them, but if he disappeared from the radar for a couple of days, maybe even weeks, no one would be alarmed. So... if the stranger at his door harms him, it'll take a long time for anyone to notice. Maybe a couple of people at the VA will have some questions after the weekend, but his schedule is not regular enough for anyone to think something's off when he's not there the next Monday.

With all that in mind, Sam pushes away from the peephole he's been peering through for the last minute to unlock the door.

The man outside looks a bit lost. In need of assistance. And Sam's spent way too many years risking his life to save others to back down now, just because he's what... scared? Sam's not scared. He fought with literal helicopters and won such duel multiple times. A strange man with no fashion sense visiting his home is nothing compared to that.

The guy's probably homeless, simply trying his luck in a safer neighbourhood. It's better if Sam's the one to open his door instead of some weirdo down the street, who'll chase him away with a gun.

Sam is, technically speaking, a weirdo with a gun tucked into the waistline of his sweatpants, though he's not planning on using it. And if he'll have to, he won't be excited about that. Which is a key difference in his eyes.

Sam's a couple of years removed from the initial fear and PTSD fuelled paranoia that haunted him after leaving the Air Force. He did the work. Went through therapy. Read the books. Pushed himself to go out there; to mingle with people without succumbing to the need to crawl under the nearest table at the first louder noise.

He's not removed enough, however, to answer the door completely unarmed. Which is how he ends up here. With a gun concealed on his back, opening his home for a random man, whose intentions might range from simply asking Sam for something like directions to the nearby cemetery, to making sure Sam's the one who ends up there within the next week.

The hinges screech a little as he pushes the door, which is by design. Because of the lingering paranoia of course, not because he forgot to buy a new can of WD-40 for a fifth month in a row.

The man at his porch looks up, as if alarmed by the noise. He seems surprised that Sam answered, but he smiles pleasantly right away. If Sam was listening to his aforementioned paranoia, he'd say that the smile was too quick, almost too pleasant, and too calculated to seem genuine. But he really tries to get better and not assume the worst these days.

"Hello? How can I help you?", he asks, trying to match the energy and sound just kind enough for the ghost of his mother to not appear with her disapproving face in his next dream.

The man hesitates a little, giving Sam a second to take a proper look at him.

What's most striking about him is the bulky built. Broad shoulders and strong legs, paired with a - probably - flat stomach. It's difficult to see with all the layers of clothing the guy's wearing, but overall, he seems like a naturally muscular person hidden under an ill-fitting jacket and too-baggy jeans.

There's some underlying stiffness to his pose - something that Sam's already noticed at first glance, but which is all the more evident now that he can see the full silhouette of the man

If Sam had more time to assess his guest, he's probably dwell on the fact that his face looks disturbingly familiar. Or on the fact that said face, along with the rest of the body, is very much Sam's type. But he does not have that time, so he cuts this line of thinking as quickly as it forms in his brain.

"I've...," answers the man, finally. "I know it'll sound weird, but I..." He pauses once more, looking down at his palms, as if he's a student trying to cheat by reading the answers of the inside of his hand. "A guy I met recently goes to the VA. The one you work at," the man clarifies unnecessarily. "And I've heard that you've helped a couple of his friends before, so I thought that... well."

He stops talking, losing steam by the end. Speaking seems to be taking a toll on him and he stops even looking at Sam by the end of his vague explanation.

It's enough, however, to calm Sam's nerves. He unclenches his jaw and all the other muscles his body readied for a fight that never came and the immediate relief almost startles an embarrassing moan out of him. He didn't even realize how tense he was. He hopes that the guy didn't notice too.

"It's okay, man. I get it," he replies with a smile.

And he does get it. He's been there. He knows how it feels to finally take a step in the new direction. To try staying neutral or cynical because of misplaced self-preservation instincts, but feeling the hope already filling your chest anyway.

The man lifts his head and shoots a shy smile Sam's way.

"I hoped you would," he says. "My friend said a couple of his old buddies from the army been to your groups and it helped. So I... I wanted to check for myself.

Sam's smile becomes much more genuine.

"Glad to hear that," he replies honestly. It's always good to know that his efforts actually affect the people who struggle the same way that he did. He's curious which vets his guest is referring to, but he stops himself from asking. It's not relevant right now. "And you'd like to join one of my groups too?"

The answering nod is a little unsure, but Sam can work with that.

"I'll give you some pamphlets and the schedule for my next three meetings," he offers, trying to remember where he put the pile of fliers from the VA which littered his coffee table for a few months at one point.

Before he has the time to fully move from the doorstep he's stopped by a strong and sudden grip on his wrist. Very strong. Almost crushing.

The alarm bells in his head blare, his vision narrowing, while his other hand makes a move to his back where a gun is still hidden in his sweatpants.

But then the pressure is gone from Sam's arm and the man is looking right at him, confused, then mortified. Whether he's scared of his own reaction or the gun he must sense in the vicinity, Sam cannot tell.

"I'm so, so sorry! I don't know why I did that, just... Let me..."

He stops. Sam blinks at him.

There're good ten seconds of uncomfortable silence before any of them speaks again.

"It's fine," Sam says, carefully. He wets his lips and the man's eyes track the movement. "Like I said... I get it." He tries to laugh, but it comes out a little strangled. "I don't like sudden movements too."

The guy at the door almost shrinks, his shoulders going up, as if he's trying to cover his face even more. But he seems relieved. Like it's easy to just have someone who understands, when the explanation seems too embarrassing to voice.

"Yeah..."

Sam takes a deep breath, hoping to push through the awkward moment and put the man at ease.

"Like I said, I'll go to take a pamphlet and write down my schedule for you," he says, taking a slow step inside. "I'll be back in a minute." Without waiting for a response he nods as if to silently ask the guy to stay where he is. Then looks for a pen and the fliers almost on autopilot, hoping that his porch won't be empty when he's back.

Or maybe hoping it already is.

When he steps through the door again, the man is still there. Just as shifty as before. As Sam hands him the papers, he opens his mouth, starting another apology, but Sam shushes him right away.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it." He adds a smile for reassurance. "My schedule is right here. If you can't come this month, you can always go in anyway. Ask around and find my office. We'll figure something out."

With a silent "thanks" the man starts to slowly back away from his doorstep. It seems as if he wants to stay, though. To ask for something more, but doesn't know what to say or maybe how to say it. Finally, with a small wave, he exits Sam's lawn. And then he's gone.

It takes Sam another five minutes of contemplative staring at the street to remember that his home address is not public information and neither of his former vets should know where he lives. None of them would know where to look for him outside of the VA.

Before he has the time to have a panic attack about that he finally registers the pain in his arm. He frowns and pulls up his sleeve where a set of dark, angry looking bruises form a shape of a closed palm on his skin.

He locks the door as calmly as possible, using an extra lock he hasn't taken out of the drawer since last year. He pulls the curtains over the windows, grabs his phone, and spends the rest of the day sitting on the floor with a gun between his legs, within reach.

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

Well... I don't even know what this story is xD I just sat down and wrote the first thing that came to my mind. Now I somehow ended up with a plot outline for at least 4-5 chapters. Maybe I'll even write them one day <3

Hope you enjoyed witnessing the birth of my WiP number 2309745.

[PART 2 on tumblr is here]

[Ao3 LINK is here]

[simvanie]

7 Sins Legacy - generation 4 (pride)

While Rohan made an attempt to stop Supriya from walking away, Supriya barely noticed that the musicians had cleared the floor for Suraj, who had taken his place behind the microphone: "Dear friends and colleagues, I would like to make an official public announcement tonight..."

Rohan: I don't get it. You've done more for our campaign in the past weeks than everyone else combined. And we are so close to winning the city's elections, why would you suddenly want to leave?

Supriya: Oh you really want to know? Imagine what will happen to the party when I quit- With all the publicity I've had, it'll be on the front page of the newspapers, and journalists will be lining up because they want to know why. And I'll tell them exactly why they're better off voting for someone other than... you.

Rohan: This job interview is for another political party, isn't it? Tell me, do you actually want to work there? Or is it because you think that you can't get to where you actually want to be in this party, so you've built your walls so high that you've completely closed yourself off from everything that has to do with it. And the only option you think you have left is to run away. Because if so, I hate to break it to you, but you probably won't make yourself happy with that decision.

"...I assume many of you already heard speculations, so it probably won't come as a surprise that the rumors are true. I want you all to know that I've decided to officially retire...."

Supriya: Oh! That's rich coming from someone who has it easy with his influential dad arranging everything for him! And you don't know what is best for me-

Rohan: Please, listen to me. It doesn't mean that I don't agree with you- Everyone deserves an equal chance, but you also have to know that there is a big chance that you'll encounter similar kind of situations somewhere else. Especially in this political world.

Supriya: What do you want then?! Do you want me to stay so I can congratulate you when your dad announces that you will get the position? Because I'm NOT going to do that- Besides, if you agree that everyone deserves an equal chance, WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT?!

" ...and that is why I, along with all our colleagues in the party, have unanimously decided to give the position as party leader to Supriya."

Suraj turned towards Supriya. "If you want it of course. So, what do you say?"

Supriya couldn't believe if she had heard it right and had to take a second while everyone slowly turned their heads towards her. "...Y- yes, yes of course!"

Suraj smiled and gave her a nod before turning his attention back to the public. "Very well, I suggest we leave the technicalities for the transfer until Monday and spend the rest of the night enjoying this gala that my lovely wife helped organizing."

Supriya: Did you- I... I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Rohan: Congratiulations, you deserve it. Supriya: It's- This is amazing... That you did this!!! Oh, you've no idea what this means to me, I could kiss you right now! I-

.... Rohan: ...So why don't you?

For the first time, the feeling that had been slowly creeping up on Supriya since she met Rohan, and that she had been trying to ignore and push away ever since she found out that Rohan was Suraj's son, slipped through the walls she had so carefully built.

Rohan: ....Since I don't think you have to get up early tomorrow morning anymore, what do you say if we, when this gala is over, get some takeout from that new Mexican place near your apartment to celebrate? Supriya: Hm, I'd love that.

[taurusdaylight]

seven days to say i love you

summary. you and jeno can't get enough of spending time together even when you are practically glued to each other's side at any given opportunity. but spending seven days a week for eternity with your favourite person doesn't sound like a bad idea, right?

pairing. college boyfriend! jeno x fem! reader

genre. hockey player! au, college! au, established relationship! au, friends to lovers! au, fluff

word count. 5,108

warnings/tags. none, this is 423% fluff <3 (but please let me know if i did miss out anything!)

a/n. (repost because there was an error... 😔) but hi!! i'm so sorry for the inactivity, i was so busy and couldn't put out my fics like i wanted to. but i'm back with a small something (my first non-jaehyun fic,,) i wrote this a while back and changed like 3/4 of it, and i hope it'll be a fun read!! i also came back to 2.8k notes on jaehyun bolton fic (is that what we're calling it now? yes.) i don’t reply to every comment/reblog/tag because by the time i see them it’s already so late, but i promise i read through and appreciate every single one of them,, thank you a million times!!!!!! i am working on more stuff now that i'm a little more free... so, as jaehyun likes to say, to be continued... :) hope everyone is well!

–

01 MONDAY.

The beginning of the week never failed to come to you in a dreadful manner, as if to make sure that you felt the full force of what most people like to call the Monday blues. Whoever was in charge of making sure that you would experience it, they certainly did not miss you out today as well.

Not that you enjoyed seeing other people suffer, but if there’s one thing that you’re grateful for, it’s the knowledge that you’re probably not the only one who feels this way. Though, the blaring sound of your alarm ringing at seven in the morning is too eerily similar to having someone have a personal vendetta against you, serving as a very unfriendly reminder that it is also the start of the school week. Perhaps, your disdain for Mondays could be attributed to this… but there’s always an exception, right?

Despite your reluctance to attend your morning lecture, you were somehow seated in the lecture theatre by nine, giving you more than enough time to lay out your laptop and the reading materials that you needed for the lesson before it started. 

Your boyfriend, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. Often only going to sleep when the sun is about to rise, Lee Jeno has an unhealthy habit of pulling all-nighters, which causes him to miss his alarm because he’d be so deep in his sleep that he would only be able to hear it after the seventh alarm has gone off, which by then, was most likely the time that he needed to leave his house if he wanted to reach on time. The worst part of this is that he was up all night for the sole reason of wanting to break his record in his mobile games; and he plays so many that even you find it difficult to keep up too. Even when you nagged at him and said that you would complain to his mum, Jeno often dismissed your words as empty threats, still not breaking his bad habit. Reading his text message to you about how he was going to be late again, you could only let out a helpless sigh as you left his message on read.

Jeno announces his appearance by quietly opening the backdoor of the lecture theatre thirty minutes later. He makes his way over to his seat next to you, genuinely appreciating how even though sitting in front is better for your eyesight, you still opted to sit around the last few rows so that it’s easier for him to join the lecture when he comes in late without causing a loud disruption to your peers. 

“Good morning, pretty,” Jeno bends down to whisper in your ear. Removing his crossbody bag, he leaves it in the empty space between you two. Once he settles down, Jeno slides a Venti-sized Hazelnut Latte from Starbucks over to your side of the desk. The rest of the lecture goes by quickly with you and Jeno making silly commentaries about anything and everything.

“Why did you still get me coffee?” you ask Jeno after the lecture had ended, a deep frown etched on your face. “You were already running late, Jeno. You really didn’t have to.” Being late was one thing, and making an additional stop at the café is another, especially because you knew that it was definitely not on the way. 

“Just because,” Jeno replies with a loving smile. The kind of smile where his eyes would curve into beautiful crescents, his pupils almost disappearing because of how wide he is smiling at you. The kind of smile that you’d never get tired of seeing, so much so that you wordlessly lean in to give him a quick peck on the lips to say thank you. 

Perhaps you like Mondays. Mondays with Jeno where you learnt that words left unspoken speak much more volume in expressing one’s heart.

02 TUESDAY.

It’s Tuesday, which means that you and Jeno have some spare time to meet up and study at the café near campus before his hockey practice starts. Study dates with Jeno are admittedly not as productive as you expect them to be, mainly because you often distract each other from getting any actual work done. Because of this, the both of you become public nuisances of some sort, so you had no choice but to study at a café instead of the quiet library. Imagine getting kicked out of the library… that would be an embarrassing sight.

“Jeno, how do you work out the answer to question five? I wasn’t paying attention when Prof taught this...” You look over at Jeno with a sheepish smile, earning a chuckle from him. He isn’t even surprised by your question, guessing that you probably spaced out or dozed off during the lesson.

Without saying a word, Jeno tucks a pencil behind his ear and grabs a piece of rough paper before getting up and shifting to the empty seat next to you, leaving you confused. As if he could read your mind, Jeno speaks again before you could question him. “So that it’ll be easier to explain it to you," he mumbles.

Ironically, the close proximity between the two of you only makes it harder for you to focus, but easier for you to admire his handsome features. Puckered lips, furrowed eyebrows and his gold rimmed glasses slipping down slightly to rest on his nose bridge–Jeno couldn’t look any cuter in this moment as you watch him diligently scribble on the piece of paper. He is seemingly deep in thought about how he should explain this concept to you. Watching how focused Jeno was, you took the chance to lean in, giving him a peck on the cheek before retreating back quickly, chin resting on your palm as your gaze lingers on him, slyly pretending that nothing happened.

“You broke my train of thought!” he grunted. Jeno puts his pencil down and turns to you with an annoyed expression on his face, but swiftly looks back down on the scribbled paper upon making eye contact with you. 

It only dawns on him now that you were staring at him the entire time.

“Don’t do that, you’re distracting me.” His voice is quiet, eyes basically glued to that piece of paper. 

“Sorry, I can’t help it. You’re so handsome and cute.” You pause, seeing a bashful smile appear on his face. “Did you know that a guy is the most attractive when he’s focused?”

“Do you still want my help or not?” Jeno asks with a grimace in his voice.

“Yes, yes, I do. I’m sorry,” you apologise with a small smile. It was difficult to resist the urge of calling him cute again, but you decide not to tease him any further for the sake of his sanity.

“Good. Now pay attention, I need to leave for training soon and if you still don’t get it by then... that’s on you.”

Jeno lied. Even after long hours of training, he still went on FaceTime that night to thoroughly explain the concepts that you were unfamiliar with, not minding that he was practically fighting for his life trying not to fall asleep on you. 

That Tuesday night, you went to sleep with the widest grin on your face. Heart carrying so much love for your boyfriend who coincidentally asked you out for the first time ever on a Tuesday too.

03 WEDNESDAY.

Wednesday's child is full of woe. If there was a sentence that could explain how you feel about this particular day, this would be it. Mid-week crisis should be an actual thing if it wasn’t already one. Not only did Wednesday feel like the longest day of the week, you’d also feel extremely restless, wishing nothing more than for the weekends to come quickly.

Back-to-back seminars for six hours with only a short forty-five minute break in between had to be the most unappealing thing known to mankind, and you’d most certainly file a complaint if it was possible. Then again, this is perhaps part of the university experience. 

However, this still isn’t the most devastating part. What truly makes this a tragedy for you is that Jeno isn't there to accompany you through it all due to conflicting timetables. He also had training again, this time outside of school, which meant that he’d only be free after that.

You’re so used to being around Jeno all the time that you can’t seem to spend even the littlest amount of time away from him even though you pretty much see him almost every day of the week. Talk about being clingy.

The feeling’s mutual for Jeno though. Just like you, he seems to hate the idea of not being by your side too, evident from the numerous messages he sends throughout the day despite knowing that your replies would take longer than usual to come in.

You’re not complaining. Because in one way or another, you feel like that’s his way of being by your side, albeit not physically. It is his text messages of checking up on you and ensuring that you didn’t skip your meals that make this unbearable day a little more bearable. Most of all, you look forward to being on FaceTime with him at night, having him all to yourself after such a long day.

Jeno usually ends training at seven-thirty in the evening, but sometimes it could overrun till eight. Thereafter, he still has to travel home for an hour or so, get dinner and wash up. He hides this from you, but very often he attempts to rush home because he doesn’t want you to stay up too late waiting for him, and because he wants to talk after an entire day of not seeing you.

Jeno makes sure to call before eleven, always starting the conversation by telling you how much he misses you, as if he didn’t already tell you that through text. He goes on to ramble about his day, how he saw the time match the digits of your birthdate and it made him think of you, not forgetting to also ask you how did your day go. Not long after, you’d notice his breaths becoming louder, his speech slightly slurred, and that’s when you know that he’s going to fall asleep soon. Even so, you don’t say anything, simply watching him slowly fall into a deep slumber.

“Good night Jeno,” you whisper softly, careful not to wake him up and taking one last look at how peaceful he looks before ending the call.

04 THURSDAY.

Due to how busy the both of you were, you are grateful for the small gap that Jeno has between classes and practices, just so that you’d still be able to see his face. Once it's about time for him to leave, you get ready to say goodbye to Jeno with a warm hug , when he suddenly stops you by placing his hand over yours.

“Do you want to watch me train?” he asks. “You can say no. But I just thought we could get dinner after so we can spend a little more time together,” Jeno adds, his thumb rubbing small circles against your knuckle. An air of expectancy fills the small booth that the both of you occupy in the reading room as he awaits your answer. 

“I’d love to, Jen.” Flipping his hand over so that you could intertwine your fingers together, you jokingly rush Jeno to pack up his things, telling him how excited you are to finally sit in and watch him train for the first time ever. You’ve only ever heard funny anecdotes of his teammates from him every once in a while, and you’re beyond elated to finally meet the people who bring so much joy into his life.

On the way to the hockey rink, you ask Jeno more about the sport and various positions. You weren’t a sports person but thought that it’d be a good time to know more about it, especially because of Jeno’s immense passion towards hockey.

“So what position do you play?” you glance over at him with curious eyes.

“Centre,” he says, a sense of pride in his voice. Before you could ask him what that position entails, Jeno beats you to it with a rather cheeky explanation. “You just need to know that it’s called centre because I’m supposed to be the centre of your attention.”

True to his words, Jeno remains as the centre of your attention for the entire duration. You’d never admit this to him, but he becomes even more charming than he already is when he’s on the rink. Especially during the friendly match that his team had with a neighbouring school towards the end of practice, his entire demeanour changed so much that you’d think that you were watching an entirely different person.

The way Jeno plays is extremely captivating to watch. You’re not sure how he does it, but you can see him mentally strategizing his next move as the clock ticks. Even down to the last minute of the match, Jeno had not let his guard down, the fire in his eyes so prominent that anyone could see that he was determined to end this with a bang. 

Skating across the rink, Jeno moves at the speed of light, making it hard for his opponents to catch him. He is the ace of the team after all, so it wouldn’t be that easy to mess with him. His eyes follow the puck, set on scoring yet another goal despite their favourable lead. The opponents are in full defence mode too, though it wouldn’t make much of a difference since there's too short of a duration left for them to catch up. Speedily, Jeno intercepts the puck from the opposing team, skating away at high speed, still vigilantly guarding the puck with his stick. With the help of his teammates who effectively block the opponent from getting to Jeno, he manages to catch both your eyes and heart in that moment, making you hold your breath in anticipation as he skilfully shoots the puck into the goal at the very last second.

In the matter of a few minutes, Jeno returns to his usual self, smiling widely and cheering loudly with his teammates to celebrate their victory. And of course, he turns to look at you, giving you a smile that holds some semblance of shyness. It’s fascinating to watch how different he is on and off the rink, but it also reminds you how in love you are with the many sides of him; those you have seen and those that you have yet to uncover.

As promised, Jeno takes you to the burger joint down the alley near your university afterwards. During dinner, he still reenacts the funny incidents that happened during training even though you were present when they occurred. Though, this sweet gesture admittedly warms your heart because it makes you feel even more included in his life, as though he is gradually inviting you to be a part of his world, just as you do the same when talking about your interests and hobbies with him.

Time seems to slow down whenever you’re with him but that’s okay because time is merely a social construct. What matters is that you get to spend time with Jeno, who is now walking you home. With his hand in yours, Jeno slows down his footsteps to match your pace. The atmosphere is filled with shared laughter, along with Sweet Nothing softly playing through Jeno’s airpods, both of you taking one side each. It would have been wired earphones, but a certain someone claims that it gets in the way… of what, he refuses to elaborate. 

It is also a homely moment like this that makes the both of you wish that time could slow down even more as you basked in each other’s comforting presence, sharing the same sentiment of hoping that the walk to your house will last a little longer. Anything to prolong the time that you spend with each other, right?

05 FRIDAY.

Friday may be your favourite day of the week because it is when Jeno is finally free after three consecutive days of training. It is also movie night, where you and Jeno would take turns to go over to each other’s place every Friday evening. 

It was a few weeks into freshman year, when the two of you made this pact after discovering that you were neighbours. How is it possible that you’ve never noticed Jeno before anyway?

Funny enough, it all began with you telling your mum that you made a new friend in college who goes by the name of Jeno. That name clearly rang a bell, prompting her to start narrating her grocery adventures with Jeno’s mother, excitedly telling you how close they were. In her words, “Jeno is a really sweet boy, I’ve been dying to introduce you to him but it slipped my mind so many times!” Gushing about the said boy, she hurried you to invite his family over for dinner, rushing into the kitchen herself to whip a meal up in no time.

The awkwardness of the dinner was enough to kill you from the inside, to say the least. Mothers being mothers, you had to admit that you were amazed at their ability to jump from topic to topic in the span of a few minutes. Together with Jeno’s and your father laughing, they also joined in the conversation from time to time. Meanwhile, you and Jeno sat in silence side by side, and spoke only when necessary.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but can we excuse ourselves? It’s my first time at your house and I was wondering if ____ could show me around.” Jeno asked, giving your mum a polite smile as he glanced sideways at you momentarily.

“Of course! The two of you should get to know each other better. Ah, young lo–”

You cleared your throat, preventing your mum from completing her sentence. “Friendship,” she corrected herself.

Believe it or not, you had no idea how dramatic of a person she was up until this moment, or maybe it’s because there was something about Jeno that reeled in her overflowing sense of, you’re guessing, motherly love? That would also explain why the old ladies at the school cafeteria were so nice to Jeno, constantly giving him extra servings. You didn’t know what to think of Jeno’s suggestion since you’ve only known him for a few weeks, and being alone with him couldn’t be any better after having such an awkward dinner. At that time, however, it seemed like it was the next best alternative that you had.

“Let’s go.” You stood up abruptly to disrupt the conversation so that the adults (specifically, your mum) would not have an opportunity to say anything else to make the atmosphere any weirder than it already was. Jeno trailed behind you like a lost puppy, quickly following you upstairs to your room.

“I’m so sorry, my mum doesn’t think before she speaks sometimes. I hope you don’t mind what she said.” You broke the silence, not knowing where this conversation was going exactly, suddenly regretting speaking at all. You took a quick look at Jeno, who was now leaning against the doorframe, standing quite a distance away from the edge of your bed where you were sitting.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a soft smile while shaking his head lightly.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” you asked, the smile on his face now replaced with a frown as he gave you a quizzical look.  

“You’re still leaning against the door?” you asked again, even though it was meant to be more of a statement rather than a question.

Jeno bursted out laughing, “I thought I was making you uncomfortable!” He raised his hand to rub the nape of his neck. He moved away from the door to sit next to you, still leaving a small space between you two.

“Want to watch The Lion King?” you suggested, mindlessly browsing through Disney Plus.

“Are you kidding me?” 

You creased your eyebrows in confusion. “No... why?”

“I love Lion King!” Jeno said a little too enthusiastically, his eyes widening at how there were so many movies in the world, yet you somehow suggested watching his favourite Disney movie.

With the awkward tension in the atmosphere finally gone, you and Jeno made yourselves comfortable on your bed. Unknowingly, the both of you scooted closer to each other’s side as the movie played. By the time the credits scene started to roll, the both of you were already fast asleep, your legs tangled with each other’s under the sheets. 

And as most people would like to say, the rest is history.

However, Fridays weren’t just reserved for movie nights. Soon enough, Friday nights also turned into sleepover nights, which meant that other than your usual movie marathons, you and Jeno end up doing other things too.

Like now, the two of you just ended a karaoke singing session that you would most probably never have again. It was far too loud in the night for your neighbour’s liking, causing them to lodge a complaint, making you and Jeno permanently cross that out of your sleepover activities. 

Jeno comes up with a better idea of setting up a cosy outdoor blanket fort in your backyard to lay on. The sense of tranquillity is like no other, you and Jeno having a heart-to-heart talk in hushed whispers with crickets chirping in the background.

In the end, you fall asleep first, feeling burnt out from the entire school week. Although Jeno knows that you’re already asleep, he still makes sure to pat your head lightly, pressing a gentle kiss on your forehead. “Good night angel,” he breathes, wrapping his arms around your waist before drifting to sleep.

06 SATURDAY.

Saturdays are without a doubt, the most exciting for you. As a matter of fact, dating Jeno is a thrill in itself; but what makes Saturdays exceptional is Jeno taking you out on proper dates.

You and Jeno have been together for slightly over three years now, yet every date always feels like the first. The butterflies in your stomach? They never go away. 

Initially, going on a date with Jeno seemed to be nerve-wracking to you because he’d always bring you somewhere new. Naturally, you thought it was the suspense of not knowing what he planned that made you feel this way.

Deep down, however, you knew that you simply felt this way because it was… Jeno. 

“Why don’t I have anything to wear?” you shout in exasperation to no one in particular as you rummage through the closet to find a perfect outfit for your date. It feels like Jeno has already seen you in everything that you own, and you’re this close to going on Pinterest for outfit ideas. 

That is, until you hear a text notification sound from your phone. It was a text message from Jeno informing you that he's coming over in five minutes. You give up searching, hastily picking out a white turtleneck, layering an autumn brown velvet overall over it. 

“You look pretty today.” This is the first thing that Jeno says to you when you open the door, once again leaning against the door frame with a mellow smile on his face. You can feel the heat rushing to your cheeks because of his compliment.

And there it is again, the butterflies. Lee Jeno looking as flawless as he could be, a cosmic latte dress shirt tucked with a pair of black pants along with a brown leather jacket draped over his shoulders, coincidentally matching your outfit. To top it off, he’s wearing a beret today too, suddenly making him look cuter. It’s as if he travelled back in time, turning into your Victorian boyfriend. 

“But... why are you dressed like this?” Jeno asks, rudely interrupting your staring session.

“Why? Is there something wrong with my outfit?” you were perplexed by his sudden question. Did he not like it? Should you change out of it? He said you looked pretty though. Besides, what else were you going to wear? You stare intently at Jeno, anxious about what he's going to say next. You hope it isn’t something bad.

“I thought I told you we were going cycling...” He stops mid-sentence, brows raised as he purposefully gives you a once-over again.

The tension in your shoulders disappears upon hearing his words. You roll your eyes at him, pushing his right shoulder lightly. “You’re going to ride a bicycle in a leather jacket?”

“Nevermind, please pretend I never said that.” Jeno makes a sulky expression upon realising that he did not plan out his joke well. But he is also quick to shoot you an endearing smile. “I love your outfit, baby.”

“You’re so lucky you’re cute, Lee Jeno.” And that I love you.

Thank goodness though, you were definitely not prepared to make another mess out of your wardrobe to search for another outfit when you’ve painstakingly organised it ten minutes ago.

In many ways, dates with Jeno always feel like the first. A simple thing, like the slight brush of your shoulders against each other as you’re walking down a random shopping street was sufficient to send your heart racing. Jeno’s hesitation to hold your hand in a crowded amusement park even though he really wants to, but he doesn’t know when is the right time to grab it–you can feel it, he fumbles with his fingers, reaches out every now and then, but pulls back immediately when his fingers accidentally meet yours.

And the memory of today that you can’t seem to forget. It’s spring, so Jeno thought that it’s a perfect time to bring you to a flower field located at the outskirts of the city. He’d once seen you looking at pictures of it on Instagram, making a mental note about it before he went home to do more research that night.

It wasn’t an uncommon thing for Jeno to take pictures of you, but when the both of you arrived, he didn’t stop at all, you swear he probably has a thousand pictures of you just from today.

However, what surprised you more was that when you asked Jeno to pose in front of the daisy fields, he happily did, even though there was still a hint of shyness within him since he wasn’t exactly comfortable with being photographed at times. He even went as far as to ask the other visitors to help take pictures of the both of you together, which was something you usually did. It wasn’t something extravagant, but it sure was endearing, and you’re positive that discovering a new side of Jeno made you giddy. So giddy that you never knew how it was possible for your heart to be swelling with so much love for another person.

Just like how daisies symbolise new beginnings, you hope that it's the same for you and Jeno’s story too. To not have endings, but only new beginnings.

07 SUNDAY.

Being certified homebodies, you and Jeno wholeheartedly enjoy staying in. It is also perhaps an excuse for the both of you to cuddle and nap together. You’d think that by the end of the week, you’ll be tired of seeing Jeno’s face for the seventh time. You joke that you are, but in reality, you could never bring yourself to grow tired of being together with your favourite person.

You usually go over to Jeno’s house in the afternoon, which is the ideal time to take a nap. Sometimes, you prayed that it would rain, so that you’ll have an excuse to steal one of his hoodies. Even so, he lets you take them as and when you want to. What is he supposed to do, say no? Of course not. 

Napping wasn’t supposed to be your favourite hobby, but if it meant that you could enjoy the warmth and comfort of being in Jeno’s embrace, then clearly, any other hobby in the world couldn’t possibly compare to it. Like a baby, you snuggle close to rest your head on Jeno’s chest, putting your arms around his neck, taking in his soft cotton scent. The faint sound of his heartbeat and gentle breathing lulls you to sleep, it is very much like a lullaby on its own. 

The best feeling in the world is to wake up the same way you fell asleep–still in Jeno’s arms. Not wanting to awake him, you slowly loosen your arms from his neck. Carefully, you brush his hair to the side, getting a clearer view of his face as you tenderly caress the mole below his eye, and then his cheek. He has pretty eyelashes, you’ve come to notice.

“Jeno,” you call out softly, in hopes of waking him up, but not wanting to be too loud at the same time. You wanted to let him continue sleeping, but the sky is already dark.

“Jeno, it’s time to wake up,” you try again. The clock on his side table reads half past six in the evening, indicating that it is almost dinnertime. His eyes were still shut, but he let out a groggy sound to let you know that he was awake, mumbling something shortly after. You didn’t quite catch it, but you think that he asked you to let him sleep for another five minutes. Typical Jeno.

“But it’s time for dinner,” you try to sit up, only causing Jeno to hug your waist tighter. You could barely move an inch with the way he was holding you.

“Just five minutes.” You let out a sigh, giving in to him.

“Jeno?” 

He hums in response, which you take as a cue to ask your question. “Would you still love me if I were a worm?”

His eyelids finally flutter open, sleep still evident in his eyes. He appears to be in deep thought about your question before he answers. “Yeah. I’d still love you.”

“Hmm…” You narrow your eyes at him. “That took you a while to answer.”

“I just woke up,” he retorts.

“Fine.” You close your eyes and move closer to Jeno’s body, enjoying how he feels like your personal human pillow.

“Okay but what if there were other cuter worms? Like if I weren’t your ideal worm girlfriend, would you still date me?”

“Baby…”

[chronicbeans]

I’m only asking as a joke, but sure

I see a lot of Yandere home where they lock someone inside.

try that?

OKAY SO LIKE... IDK WHY BUT WHEN I READ THIS IT MADE ME THINK OF THAT ONE GAME... What was it called... THE LAST MONDAY YEAH, THAT'S IT. Idk why but I just thought I'd share because I love that game's dreamcore vibes omg-

Home Locking the Reader up:

TW: Captivity/Isolation/Kidnapping, Manipulation

🏠 So, you would probably be good friends with Wally if you were able to get Home to like you so much. You see, Wally is the main person helping to take care of Home. Others help, sure, but Wally is the main guy. So, if Wally trusts you, Home will, too. Home has had trouble trusting after a few of its past owners' treatment of it.

🏠 Home trusting you is just the first step to the slippery slope of Home deciding to hold you captive. If you want Home to love you enough to do that (which... who would want that...), you need to go out of your way to care for it. You need to do as Wally does, as in, try to find a more accurate way to communicate with it. Onomatopoeia isn't the easiest thing for someone to understand, so you have to find some other form of communication. Wally will happily help, of course! He has been doing so for a while, now! With little success, yes, but it is the thought that counts!

🏠 Home was already thinking of holding Wally hostage. Now that you are also being so kind to it, it will think of keeping you, too. Wally will need a friend, and Home is having a hard time choosing which one of you to keep, so why not both?

🏠 Wally is easy to trick, plus, he lives in Home. You, however, are very smart. It will be much easier to have Wally come and invite you over! With what little communication that the two of them have created, it lets Wally know that it wants you to come over. It'll use an excuse, like only trusting you to help with this or that. Wally's answer, of course, is "Sure, Home! I will go ask them right now!"

🏠 Wally will go an retrieve you, a happy grin on his face, oh so ignorant to what is about to happen. The both of you go to Home, with you helping with whatever task it requested help with. It could be something as big as sweeping the floors to something as small as hanging up a painting Wally made. You have some dinner, before heading to the front door to leave.

🏠 However... as you turn the handle, the door doesn't open. You try again, only to have nothing happen. "Home... Is this a prank? Come on, this isn't funny!" Wally peeks his head in front the dining room, asking "Is something wrong, neighbor?" "The door won't open!"

🏠 Wally walks over, his grin still wide, but his eyes full of panic. He tries to open the door, only to fail, as well. "Home... this isn't funny... Home?" A loud creak resounds through the whole house, before Home's eyes look in at the both of you.

🏠 Both you and Wally look at each other. The last words said between you two that night being "I'm sorry, (Y/N)..." "It's alright, Wally... You didn't know this would happen."

[danieyells]

So the yellow fruit from the tree grew bigger for a bit. Yellow is Vagastrom's color. The tree says it needs more love or it'll die.

Before Towa showed you that the fruit had improved, we saw that Alan and Leo were at odds a little, with Alan not wanting Leo to hack into the victim's social media to try and find a reason for the suicide. When the PC asks Alan for the case file, he's ready to just hand it over when Leo takes it back and says no and leaves.

In that moment Alan and the PC thought he was saying no anyway. He comes back a while later saying they can't give the PC their only copy of the case file, so he made copies for them, which makes total sense. Leo then says to let them know if you find anything.

I think in that moment Alan realized Leo was trying to help both of them and that he could be trusted. Yes, he was very curt and rude about it and didn't explain what he was up to, yes he had previously shown distrust for the PC, but he was quick enough to show his point and be interested in what's going on. I wouldn't be surprised if after the PC left Alan let Leo check the social media accounts for clues.

Now immediately after that the tree gets a bit better and after the gala announcement it gets worse. . .but I don't think that's related to the Gala itself--if anything giving them a reason to work together would have made it grow.

Remember, Sho is very frequently in proximity to someone with the ability to hear through walls. Maybe he told Hyde he was alone, but he didn't count for that Leo might have been listening. Or did he?

I think Leo lost trust in Sho, overhearing him plan something secret with the brother he supposedly hates so much. And that loss of trust made the vagastrom fruit shrink again.

It could just be a general 'they're not working together' thing but Sho wasn't really working with them at that point in the chapter either. If it were just about working together, unless this secret mission happens to be working against Vagastrom, I don't see why it'd cause the tree to regress.

I feel like it's probably a red herring tbh--it's so extremely overt and suspicious to have that conversation happen right at the end like that and for Hyde to straight up say Sho is who he's working with. But I'm ready and willing to be wrong and learn a whole lot! I mean Sho's been here two months! How could he be doing all that much bad! He says himself he's just using Hyde to get ahead, but how is this helping him? What is he even being asked to do? I'm so curious. I'm so excited. I thought there'd be a bigger break between the next chapter but it's another month like usual I AM SO HYPE.

ALSO IT'S BACK TO BEING ON THE LAST THURSDAY AGAIN. WHAT WAS WITH THIS ONE BEING ON A MONDAY.

[pianistbynight]

waning summer days

i cheated and recorded in sections, then spliced them together because i can't get a single clean take. if it's not me making a mistake, it's noise surrounding me. this way, the pressure was lessened and i think i did better (far from "perfect" tho) and it was less frustrating.

thursday | 08/15/24

no piano today. i'm tired. but i did read more of sweet bean paste and continued to work on the databases course. today was a bit chaotic, so i couldn't get 2h of studying in, but if i sleep early, i can maybe hopefully wake up earlier to work on it.

friday | 08/16/24

tried to play piano but then stopped because i got tired sooner than i expected. (also tried out a voice recorder app to record the piano audio instead of my phone camera but didn't like it...too much treble.) i finished 1 subsection of the databases course. caught up with @zzzzzestforlife. listened to some lofi and watched some youtube.

i'm trying to get myself in the mood to prep for the upcoming school year 😮‍💨 i...find myself dreading more and more each coming school year for some reason. ... it's not the work i fear. i know i can do it well but it takes so much of me. and i wonder what i'm doing this for. because i don't have all the stepping stones laid out yet. 😮‍💨 i need to work on that, so i'm going to sleep now so i can have more energy to continue doing this tomorrow. good night.

saturday | 08/17/24

i had a much more ambitious plan originally, but the only solo activity i actually had time and energy for was journaling because coming back to my hometown reminded me of and clarified some memories and opinions i had formed long ago, how they've shaped who i am now... the rest of the time i spent with family with real conversation for the first time in a while, so that was nice.

sunday | 08/18/24

sigh. i have never felt like i belonged in my former hometown and the loneliness is striking much stronger now. i was so tired i couldn't do much today except start filling in the YearCompass because who said the new year had to begin in january lol. i'm glad today was a chill day spent at my temporary home.

i will try to sleep early tonight. hopefully i won't wake up in between and be unable to fall back asleep again.

monday | 08/19/24

today was my first day of passable sleep quality in the last couple days. i woke up later than i expected. yet i still didn't feel like doing anything. i forced myself to do some duolingo for cheap dopamine, and later in the afternoon, i attempted to get through 1 more subsection of the databases course but couldn't focus. instead, i researched how to apply to take courses at another university in my area since there are some interesting courses there that aren't available at the one i attend. at night, i practiced the last bit of the clementi sonata and tried to record the whole thing but couldn't get a good one. i'm too tensed and distracted. i need to practice playing while relaxed, focusing only on what's relevant in the moment.

review U1 japanese, start hiragana practice ✅

work on databases course 🟨

practice piano ✅

tuesday | 08/20/24

fill in the YearCompass bc i'm too tired to journal unprompted and i want to be filled with hope for this school year instead of constantly drained and increasingly discouraged, disappointed, and depressed (why do so many negative things start with "d"? even the saddest songs are in d minor...)

practice playing clementi sonata while relaxed throughout and focused only on what's currently relevant

DATABASES COURSEEE - finish 4/13 subsections ✅ (ended up finishing 2 and starting a 3rd...this is harder than i thought it'd be but it'll be good for me to keep going...)

wednesday | 08/21/24

i don't even remember what happened. probably because i wasn't very productive. i was unusually angry and moody. i tried to record a single clean take and kept failing. i merely inched forward in the databases course. it was a day full of frustrating but necessary interruptions. it was tiring. i can't wait to go home.

thursday | 08/22/24

recorded the clementi sonata in sections...with more time and energy, i probably could've done better. almost 50% through the databases course. feeling a little better today than yesterday but always easily tired. this might be my last summer-themed post for the year as i'm already in an "autumnal mood." 🍂😅 i'll see you later either here or on my sideblog @studentbyday 🙂

[ozmoz]

I knew it!!! Fina needed to tell Carmen. I'm so glad she did because Carmen is currently her best ally. Carmen, mwah <3

Otherwise, Fina is still convinced that Jaime is looking to harm her through Isidro's treatment. Oh, Fina, if only you knew that he has other things to think about... The problem is that by telling Marta, Isidro and Carmen that she doubts the sincerity of Jaime's professional attitude, she could be losing the support or at least the patience of her support system, especially Marta.

At the moment, Marta is doing what's in her best interest, while still trying to help Fina and her dad as much as she can, but she's got lots on her plate and from the preview for Monday, her damage control abilities are tested.

I'm not going to lie, it hurt when Marta said that they could no longer kiss again like they did on Monday's episode... It was the best course of action, for now at least, and they both agreed, relunctantly but they both know it is in everyone's best interest, rationally speaking.

Talking about the preview, it seems to me that it's now inevitable for Jaime to come clean about his tumour and that will be a turning point, not necessarily in Mafin's favour I'm afraid. It'll probably add a layer of guilt to an already very stressed out Marta. I hope that Fina reacts positively once she learns about this because if she keeps pressing on about Jaime, especially to Marta, that will definitely put distance between them... Ahhh... I don't see how we can avoid a long stretch of painful distance between Marta and Fina for at least a few weeks...

Regarding Fina wanting to leave, I don't think she'll do it because:

Isidro may live (yay!!)

we already know she'll be around episode 120 and she'll be close to Marta again so that means that worst case scenario she'd be gone for a few episodes

We still need Isidro to learn about Marta and maybe he'll be the one bringing them back together.

Anyway, it's the weekend now, which means MORE THEORIES TIME!!

[kuni-is-daddy]

imagine scaramouche being ghostface, him killing each and one of your friends and family untill it's just the two of you alone. After you found out that he's been the one killing your friends and family, you could never forgive him or love him again. Until one night after he was done killing someone he comes through your window, covered in blood and everything, you being scared that he's gonna kill you next but he doesn't instead he's like "I did all this for you my love." And it goes to smut, your body and clothes being covered in blood from whenever he would touch you with his bloody hands. (I got the idea from what I'm writing of ghostface scaramouche but I haven't really been writing it much😭 and sorry if it doesn't make sense)

NO KAMI, THE PRODIGAL: "LACRIMOSA"

Yandere/Killer Scaramouche X GN READER

TW: k!lling

SCARA'S KILLIN BUDDY IS CHILDE/TARTAGLIA.

PURE ANGST. 1.2k WORDS

Scara masterlist!

--MINORS DNI---

Yandere scaramouche who gives you a necklace before he leaves for sumeru that you should NEVER take off, that was made by his friend sandrone. Whenever you'd open the pendant, it was a picture of the two of you on your first date and would play a little tune of the song he made for you. "Na..zou...Na....Gah...Sah....lehh...Vall...Esss."

Yandere scaramouche who gave that To SPY on you through the mini recorder inside of it that would work as long as the necklace was tied around your neck, Once untied it would have to be re-tied to activate and connect to his phone during missions in sumeru. The necklace was waterproof- fireproof. Just so many 'proofs' that hearing him babble on about it made you sick You reassured him you'd never take it off.

Yandere scaramouche who would Listen in on his phone as your friends tried to convince you to dump him "No offense y/n but this "scaramooke" you corrected them "scaramouche." "yeah. He sounds like a bozo. Your too pretty to be waiting for like what now? a year for some man that never came back for you." The others joined in "yeah look at his goofy ass hair and how short he is. Like a midget. Bet his dick Small af" "Honestly if he really loved you, he would've kept his word and stayed with you, here in inazuma." How about when he comes back. We say something happened to you, that everyone he loved died to make him regret it all." "He's probably more concerned with his mom being on his ass 24/7 instead of staying for you.

Yandere scaramouche who's heart breaks realizing their is no connection to the necklace, symbolizing you took it off. Hesitantly you did and gave it to your best friend, but you felt worried. You made a promise to never take it off, but its been so long. surely he wouldn't mind if you did once? You handed it to your friend with a sigh of relief. "See y/n you need to live a little. Relax... Say, how about we have a party at your house next monday! It'll relax your nerves from this scaradook guy, I know your parents are always worried but they wont mind!" This time, you laughed at the nickname they gave him.

Yandere scaramouche who would spend his time killing hundreds in the abyss with tartaglia as further motivation to kill your friends. Picturing, Envisioning and fetishizing their lifeless bodys. "Next monday, next monday" He repeated over and over in his head

Since he put on a show for tartaglia, Tartaglia willingly offered to pair up for missions in exchange for him to go to inazuma in time for the party.

"Hey scara.." "What do you want?" "Are you going to hurt y/n?" 'Why the fuck would you even assume that? Actually, why is it even your buisness?" "Because ive seen you kill scara. I know how you are even if you dont admit it. You do stupid things when your in the moment, I know that more then anybody in battle. Watch yourself."

Yandere scaramouche who spys on you from a distance, watching you decorate your house for the party. Missing how you'd undress yourself infront of him. How he could rip those clothes off when he was desperate to fuck you after 'his work'

Yandere scaramouche hesitating for the right time to make the move, realizing your not in the house. When suddenly the app he used to stalk you was working 'was y/n wearing the necklace again?' he checked. "AwW buT guYS. I loVeEe ScAwAmouChe. He'LL coME bacCW soON. I dont nEeD A neW boyFriEND" Your best friend said while wearing the necklace. "FUCK you sCARA YOU SUCK. How about wE FIND HER A BOYFRIEND THEN SEND YOU A PIC OF HER GIVING HIM A KISS. HE'S MUCH BETTER THAN Y-

Yandere scaramouche who busts open and closes the door. Going on a rampage killing all your friends. Bashing heads against the wall. Stabbing and punching. Your best friend reaches for their phone to call 9/11 but gets stabbed in the leg and trembles to the ground.

Yandere scaramouche who is in a high from the mass killing he just did. watching the blood drip all over his body. He hears the doorbell ring and the lock on the door starting to turn. He rushes to the door and stabs the first people he see's...which ends up being your parents. He didnt even mean to kill your parents but he's too far gone now and stacks up the bodys in your bathroom. He picks up your best friends body, Looks at the necklace then repeats what they said. "if he really loved you, he would've kept his word and stayed with you." "I am here now..For my love."

Yandere scaramouche who'd hide behind the door waiting for you to come, Pushing you down to the floor after you shut the door to see your EX-S/o Covered in blood and your best friend dead on the ground, crying and kicking at scaramouche to let you go and that its over while muttering nonsense. "Over? Y/n I did this for you my love. Did you hear how they talked about us?" "B-BUT IT WAS TRUE SCARA. Y-YOU DIDNT EVEN OFFER TO COME BACK FOR ME." "Y/n.." He sighed "I tried telling you. It was complicated. You said you loved me forever baby. what was 1 little year away from you going to change? I still love you as you can see." "Scara your delusional..Let me go.." "You have alot of nerve talking to me like this y/n. After all ive done for you. But look at you baby, Like a fine painting covered in your best friends blood. Give me a kiss."

Yandere scaramouche who pulls you into a kiss but you elbow him in his face then kick him off of you, Stumbling over blood and clothes on the floor while running out of the door. You tried to run but he was ultimately faster than you. "Y/N, LOVE, PLEASE DONT DO THIS, I DONT WANT TO HAVE TO HURT YOU BABY. COME FUCKING BACK TO ME. Y/N!! I swear..YOU FUCKING HUMANS ARE ALL THE SAME. Y/N!!!!!" it was terrifying. You kept running until you bumped into a tall ginger haired man, thinking he was an inazuman local you ranted off. "P-PLEASE YOU HAVE TO HELP ME. MY S/O- I-I MEAN SCARAMOUCHE YOU KNOW HIM RIGHT? SHORT MAN, HE- HE KILLED MY FRIENDS AND-" Little did you know it was childe you bumped into.

Who's last words you heard we're "sorry" before everything turned black.

[allieslittlewritings]

*not my gif <3

Spencer Reid x daughter!reader

Sick Day

Summary: Reader has a cold and Spencer takes care of her

Warnings: Mild sickness, none that I know of

Word Count: ~1.1k

Dread filled your stomach when you woke up and felt the annoyingly familiar feeling of a sore throat and blocked nose.

You tiredly looked at the time on your phone and saw that you were almost late for school.

Begrudgingly, you got out of bed and started to get ready, doing your best to ignore your worsening sickness.

You heard your dad knock on your door and mentally prepared yourself to pretend to be fine.

Spencer was always incredibly attentive when you were sick, sometimes overly so.

Usually it was comforting and nice, but right now you just needed to get ready so you wouldn't be late for school.

You didn't fully register that you hadn't actually said anything yet.

"Sweetheart? Can I come in?" Spencer asked.

"Yes." You prayed he couldn't hear the difference in your voice from your stuffy nose.

He opened your door and entered your room, a plate of food in hand, "I know you're almost late but I made you some breakfast."

He put the plate down on your desk and noticed your frazzled behavior.

Your bed was still unmade. A few random items of clothing were thrown here and there, presumably from when you got dressed, and he noticed the frantic way you tried to make sure you had everything you needed.

"Are you okay? Did you oversleep?"

"Uh, yeah, apparently." You grabbed your hairbrush and started trying to make your hair look more presentable.

It was apparently one of those days where your hair would just not comply.

Spencer saw your breathing get heavier, a tell-tale sign that you were getting frustrated.

"Your hair looks fine," he remarked.

"Fine isn't good enough," you grumbled in response.

Your preoccupation with your hair meant you didn't see the way his eyes narrowed as he studied you a little closer.

It was nearly impossible for you to hide things from him, with his mixture of parental instincts and profiling skills.

"Are you sure you're okay?" It was honestly kind of a trick question, he could tell you weren't.

You swallowed less often than usual, an indication of a sore throat. Your breathing was quiet, and less frequent. And he could in fact hear the tiny change in your voice. He saw the way you paused to think about every little thing, like everything you did took a lot of effort.

You also showed no indication of being about to eat the food he brought you, your tastebuds tended to get weird when you were sick.

"I'm fine." A harshness you rarely displayed was evident in your tone of voice.

"Sweetie, I can tell you're sick," Spencer finally said.

"I'm not sick," you insisted.

"Yes, you are," he said more sternly.

"Why didn't you just tell me, sweetheart?" he asked gentler.

"Why would it matter?" You started heading to the door but your dad stopped you by lightly holding your shoulder.

"You can't go to school if you're sick, you need to rest."

"I'll be fine, just let me go." You shrugged his hand off of your shoulder in annoyance.

"Baby, I'm serious. If you force yourself to go out and sit through hours of school, you'll make your health worse, and you could get other kids sick."

You frustratedly looked at him. "I'm fine," you repeated.

"Come on, odds are you already know everything your teachers would say. And it's Friday, you'll probably be better by Monday."

He wasn't wrong.

But you had it so ingrained in your head that you couldn't miss a day of school. You couldn't honestly explain why.

Spencer was well aware of that thinking pattern of yours, but your health and wellbeing would always matter more.

He noticed you pondering it in your head.

"I don't have work today," he reminded you. "We can have a nice, relaxed day together, it'll be fun."

"Okay," you finally agreed.

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm gonna call the school quickly to let them know you're not going."

Hearing that phrase left a bad taste in your mouth, but you also felt a weight lift from your shoulders knowing you could just rest.

You put your backpack down and got changed into comfier clothes again.

Spencer came back to your room after calling your school.

"I can make you something else to eat if you don't want to eat that." Spencer gestured to your still untouched plate.

You looked over at the food. "I don't want to be wasteful." You looked back at your dad with a twinge of guilt in your expression.

"You won't be, I'll eat it," Spencer assured you.

You nodded your head, not wanting to talk more because of your sore throat.

Spencer picked up the plate from your desk and started exiting your room, with you following behind him.

He made you food that was more appealing to your taste buds at the time and then you both settled comfortably on the couch.

Spencer grabbed a blanket for you and some tissues for your nose.

He let you pick a movie to watch. Unsurprisingly, it was the same one you always wanted to watch.

He didn't mind. Although it wasn't exactly his favorite movie, it was yours. Which automatically meant he loved it, too.

It made him happy to see the awe in your eyes everytime you watched it. The way you quietly mouthed the lines to yourself.

Spencer took your empty plate to the kitchen and came back with some medicine and a glass of water for you.

You quickly drank it and then turned on your favorite show.

While you watched your show, Spencer made your favorite kind of soup. Also the only type of soup he knew how to make.

You ate in silence, except for a few chuckles every now and then at the series you were watching.

Spencer read for a while after you both finished eating, seeing as he'd already watched every episode of your favorite show at least twice, and could recite almost all of them word for word.

You finished the last episode of the season you were on and just sat in silence for a minute.

The sun set and Spencer turned on a few lights before going back to his book.

"Dad?" You said quietly.

"Mhm?" Spencer hummed in response, turning a page.

"Can you read to me, please?"

A soft smile graced Spencer's face, "Of course I can. Anything specific you want me to read?"

You sat up slowly and shook your head.

Spencer held one of his arms open and waited for you to lay down on his chest.

He gently stroked your arm and pulled the blanket further up your body.

Although you didn't care much about the topic of his book, hearing his voice was soothing.

"Dad?" You interrupted him after a bit.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Thank you for taking care of me," you mumbled sleepily.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. That's what I'm here for."

"I love you," you said quietly, cuddling into him further.

"I love you, too."

Your tired eyes finally shut and you fell asleep.

Spencer let you sleep for a while before eventually picking you up and putting you in your bed.

Sick days weren't so terrible when you got to spend them with your dad.

fin. ♡