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#almost every night this week on another goodbye tour since i go home tomorrow so i will probably drink a little more.
heyyyharry · 3 years
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Happier
(inspired by happier by Olivia Rodrigo)
Word count: 2.4k
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I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go So find someone great, but don't find no one better I hope you're happy, but don't be happier
Part 1: Drivers License
Part 2: Deja Vu
A/N: I edited the original lyrics to match the POV :)
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Harry had come up with a thousand scenarios of how this day would play out. Actually, he’d been thinking of this day since the moment he’d received the news. He didn’t dare to hope that she’d say yes to coming back for a sequel. He’d been sure that they would write her character off, give a lame excuse for how his love interest could not make a return and make his character forget about her completely to move on with a new girl in town. It would have been great if it was that easy in real life. Once someone was written off the script, they were gone for good. Real-life relationships were not that simple. Goodbye didn’t mean ‘never see you again’. You would still share the same friend circle and social bubbles, and it was worse when you two worked in the same industry. Harry didn’t know how he’d lasted a year without running into her, not since the Grammys.
“Didn’t you two date?”
“No.” Harry shook his head, but his eyes stayed glued on Y/N from across the room. She wasn’t looking his way, too busy saying hello to everyone else. “No,” he repeated, more to himself than to his co-star. “We didn’t.”
“But she wrote an entire album about you,” said the other twin. What was her name again? Lulu?
“Luna!” cried her sister, Lex. “You can’t ask him that!”
“No, it’s okay,” Harry said with a tight smile, slightly annoyed by the blonde twins, but he didn’t want to seem like an ass on the first day of filming. “And I don’t know if it was for me. You should ask Y/N.”
“Ask me what?”
Harry flinched when he looked up and saw Y/N padding towards them. She hugged the twins, who seemed way too excited. Harry guessed they were Y/N’s fans. They gave off crazy fangirl vibes, probably just pretending not to know the drama to interrogate him. He couldn’t blame them for assuming he was the villain and definitely could not blame Y/N for portraying him as one. It was more important that he knew who he was and how much he had changed since his last relationship. Maybe they could finally be friends.
“Were they bothering you?” Y/N asked him once the twins had left.
Harry nodded. “They’re your friends?”
“Oh, I met them last year on tour. I’m surprised you don’t know them. They were on Disney.”
“I don’t watch Disney,” Harry admitted with a smile. “Well, not today’s Disney.”
“Understandable.” Y/N nodded and bit her lip. She seemed guarded with her straight back and hands hidden behind her. She eyed him up and down, quite subtle yet noticeable. “How have you been?”
“Pretty good,” he said, nodding slowly. “You?”
“Yeah, but mostly tired because of tour.”
“You’re done?”
“Yup, last night was the last show.”
“Nice.”
Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Nice?”
Harry blinked. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No.” Y/N giggled. “You still sound very...you.”
“Well, shouldn’t I?”
“Yeah, you should. But it’s been a year so…I mean, you haven’t changed much.”
“Right,” he said lowly, his eyes falling to his feet. Harry supposed he should say something else, perhaps bringing up another random topic to discuss, but all he could think about was what had happened between them. Things had been messy, hadn’t they? How could they go back to before that? Before her first song about him. Before he’d chosen someone else over her.
Or he could talk about her new relationship. She’d been in a happy relationship for almost six months, right? No wait, hadn’t they broke up two weeks ago? He wasn’t sure because he hadn’t been catching up. If they’d broken up, he’d sound like an ass to even mention her ex’s name. He should just stay quiet.
“I’ll see you later?” she said, gesturing at her stylist who was waiting by the door.
Harry could ask her right now -- the reason she’d agreed to film the sequel to their first movie together. He’d heard from a very reliable source that she’d specifically asked her agent to decline any project that he was in. So did this mean they were good? That she didn’t hate him anymore? He could have gathered his courage and got the answer right then…
“Yeah, see you.”
...but he didn’t.
And so she gave him a smile and a little wave, then happily returned to her stylist.
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“See you tomorrow, Y/N!”
“See you, Annie!” Y/N said as she put the rest of her things into her tote bag. Her new driver had got her schedule mixed up, and so she had to wait here for another half an hour. She was in no rush. It had been a light first day, and she’d had a fun time getting to know the new cast members and catching up with old friends.
She sat on the sofa in the lobby, legs crossed, texting her best friend about her day. She’d purposely left out the short off-screen conversation with Harry, and her best friend didn’t even bother to ask. In their world, he didn’t exist, and his name was censored in every conversation like a curse word that was even worse than ‘cunt’. Nevertheless, she didn’t hate him anymore. She was doing just fine on her own, being busy with her career, and she’d been in a happy relationship after her fall out with him.
She and the guy, a model, had broken up two weeks ago due to long distance and some differences that they could not change. They had ended on good terms and decided to stay friends. They said you could only stay friends with your ex when you still had feelings for each other, or you had never loved each other that much in the first place. For her, it was probably the latter. Her previous relationship had been more platonic than romantic, apparently. So she had nothing but the best to say about him.
As she was going through her camera roll, just reminiscing about the past, she heard footsteps approaching and looked up to find Harry. He offered a smile and gestured to the spot beside her on the sofa. “May I sit here? My ride is late.”
“Yeah, sure.” She hurriedly scooted over.
“Good job today,” he said. “You were great.”
“Thanks, so were you.” She smiled, and they both looked away at the same time. This was so awkward. She hated small talk. She’d never had to have small talk with Harry. Conversations with him used to be so easy and natural and silly. Whatever this was, it wasn’t them.
“Can we just be normal?”
At first, Y/N thought she’d been the one who’d said it, so when she realised it’d been Harry, she was speechless.
He swallowed and sat a bit straighter, still not looking at her. “I don’t want us to be weird and awkward.”
“Okay,” she said.
He cleared his throat. “Wanna try again?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Okay, not to sound like an ass but when Joey kept forgetting his lines, I was so pissed off, I could throw a chair at the wall.”
“Right?!” exclaimed Y/N, feeling free to have finally broken out of her shell. “Like, he doesn’t even have many lines. I know he’s new but damn...you can’t get far if you don’t learn your goddamn lines.”
Harry shook with laughter. “Oh God, we sound like dicks, don’t we?”
“Maybe.” Y/N laughed, covering her mouth. “But you know what? We can’t be nice in this industry. It’s impossible.”
“Shhh, if someone heard this, we would be into big trouble.”
“Oh please, I’ve had worse articles written about me than ‘Y/N speaks facts about her lazy co-star’.”
Harry tossed his head back and cackled. “The worst one I’ve got this week was ‘Harry Styles hates therapists.’”
“What?!” Y/N gasped. “No way! That’s so stupid!”
“Right?” Harry rolled his eyes. “I could get all my therapists to speak up for me but I’m kinda immune to bullshit now.”
“Therapists? Like plural?”
“Yeah, one in every city.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah.”
Y/N rubbed her hands onto her legs. “Rough year?”
Harry’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he leaned back. “You have no idea.” Then he swept his hair out of his eyes, sucked in a breath, and finally looked at her. “I wish I could have talked to you, though.”
She bit her tongue, knowing what she was about to say next would disappoint her best friend so much, but she had to. “So do I.”
Harry looked taken aback before his lips curled into a smile. “It’s silly, isn’t it? I haven’t talked to you in a year, and I feel like I know everything that’s happened to you except that I don’t.”
What he’d just said might make no sense for most people, but Y/N knew exactly what he meant. She nodded and wetted her lip. “You only know as much as everyone else does.”
“Yeah, I got updates on you from the news and our friends.”
“Same.” Y/N smiled back. “I hate how they write articles about your new haircut but not mine.”
“I like your new hair colour.”
“Thanks. I like your new car.”
Then they both burst out laughing. It was fun and also a little bit strange that Y/N didn’t feel the same anxiety talking to him as she used to. It must be because they had grown and were now meeting again as better people.
“Damn, my ride's here,” Y/N said as she read the text from her driver. “I gotta go now.”
“Oh, okay.” Harry stood up and followed Y/N to the entrance. “Hey, just wondering--”
“Yeah?”
“Am I...am I still blocked?” He looked a bit flustered as she tilted her head and squinted her eyes. “On your phone. Because I remember you having my number blocked--”
“I unblocked you on your birthday.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.” Y/N shrugged. “I should’ve sent you a happy birthday text but...I didn’t want your girlfriend to get the wrong ideas.”
“My ex.”
“Yeah, I know.”
They smiled at each other one last time before saying goodbye. Y/N knew it was silly, but she was hoping he would go after her.
Ding.
A notification popped up when she was in the car. She was almost home, and it was from Harry’s number. He’d sent her a link with a message that said, “Hope you like it :)”.
Curious, she tapped on it and was directed to an audio file titled ‘Track 5’. The upload date was last year. About two weeks after their short conversation at the Grammys.
Hurriedly, she fumbled inside her bag for her iPods and put it on before she pressed play.
“Hey, Jeff, I couldn’t sleep so I wrote this song. Listen and let me know if it should go on the album.”
Then came the piano intro. It sounded good, so Y/N wondered how it hadn’t ended up on his last album.
But when he started to sing...
We ended a while ago Your friends are mine, you know, I know You've moved on, found someone new One more guy who brings out the better in you
And I thought my heart was detached From all the sunlight of our past But he’s so nice, he’s so funny Does he mean you forgot about me?
Oh, I hope you're happy But not like how you were with me I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go So find someone great, but don't find no one better I hope you're happy, but don't be happier
And does he tell you you’re the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen? An eternal love bullshit he might not even mean Remember when you were with me I meant it when you heard it first from me
And now I'm pickin' him apart Like cuttin' him down will make you miss my wretched heart But he’s charming, he looks kind He probably gives you butterflies
I hope you're happy But not like how you were with me I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go So find someone great, but don't find no one better
I hope you're happy I wish you all the best, really Say you love him, baby Just not like you loved me And think of me fondly when your hands are on him I hope you're happy, but don't be happier
The song was for her. He’d written it when her new relationship had gone public. Y/N sat there, staring blankly ahead until the honking of a car tore open her inner peace, and reality came crashing back in. The driver dropped her off at her house. Instead of going inside, she stood on her front steps and replayed the song one more time. When it ended, she decided to text him: Why didn’t this make it to the album?
She didn’t know where he was now, but it showed ‘typing’ in less than a second, as if he’d been waiting in their chat since he’d sent that link.
You would’ve hated me, Y/N.
True, she replied. Still, I would’ve loved the song lowkey. And added, I love it btw.
He took so long to type that it was driving her crazy. She flopped down on the concrete stair with her phone clutched in her hands, her heart thundering against her ribcage. Anxiety popped like a balloon when his message appeared: Were you happier?
She reread it again and again.
No.
I wasn’t either, he responded. I kept getting deja vu.
Ha, nice reference.
That song is my guilty pleasure. Love listening to you roasting me on loop.
That last message made Y/N bury her face into her palm and giggle like a fool. She thought for a second and wrote: I could come roast you in person now if that’s what you prefer. I think we’ve never had a proper roasting.
Can we meet, Y/N? Or are you busy now?
No, not busy.
Great, I’ll pick you up.
Just tell me where, she responded with a smile on her face. I got my drivers license now :)
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annenhypen · 3 years
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Falling
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jay x reader
high school au! strangers to friends to lovers au!
word count: 2.8k
writer’s note: this is the longest work i have written so far and I ENJOYED WRITING IT SO MUCH! I really want to write drabbles for this pairing if this does well!!! let me know what you guys think.
tags: @gratefulmaria @azeugirdor @eggbutnotyolk @jungwon-luv-bot-pt3
Before Meeting Him
You and your boyfriend, Daniel, had a steady relationship. Growing up together and ending up going to the same schools, it was like you guys were destined to be together. You were best friends until one day he asked you out and decided to change your title to his “girlfriend”.
You were seated next to him in the first period as he turned his head to face you.
“I heard there’s a new transfer student in our class” he informed you, causing your eyebrows to shoot up. Students rarely changed schools in the beginning of the senior year, so you got curious about the new presence in your class.
He entered the classroom on his first day, dressed in a black hoodie in contrast to his bleached hair but matching his black jeans. Every clothing he put on that day was black except for the four silver rings he put on his hands. He stood next to your teacher and introduced himself to the class. Despite his dark style, he introduced himself with a bright smile that caught your attention for a little too long. Jay. His name fits his appearance you thought. You watched him walk to the only empty seat in the classroom which was the seat in front of your boyfriend who was sitting next to you. You looked away when he made eye contact with you, catching you staring at him.
Meeting Him
Turns out that Jay was not just your classmate. He was also the son of the family who moved in next door. You were surprised to see him open the door when your mother sent you to give your new neighbors a welcome gift, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. You collected yourself and smiled brightly, holding out the plate filled with cookies in front of you.
“Hello, I am Y/N. I live next door and my mother sent these for you to say welcome to our neighborhood.” you explained, finally looking at his eyes. He smiled back at you, taking the plate out of your hands.
“Thank you so much, it’s very nice of her and you. I am Jay. I am pretty sure we are classmates as well.” he answered. You nodded at him.
“I’ll see you in class then” you said and took one step back to go back to your house. You saw him wave a goodbye at you before turning around.
An Offer
Many things were unpredictable in your life. For example, you never expected your relationship with Daniel to come to an end so quickly but it did. You also did not expect your long term friendship with your -now- ex boyfriend to get ruined, following your break-up. You were still seated next to each other in class but you rarely talked. He never texted you about anything other than your classes. It was a hard time for both of you. You were sad because losing a friend who has been there all along was not easy to take it in.
“I am going to assign all of you into study groups today. I am expecting you guys to meet outside of class to encourage each other to study for the upcoming exams” announced your homeroom teacher on the third Friday of your senior year, causing your classmates to whine to voice their complaints out. You opened your notebook as you waited for your name to be called.
“Ruby, Luke, Y/N, Jay and Daniel, you guys are Team B” you heard your teacher added after checking his journal.
Here’s how these “study groups” worked: every group member had to do their best and get a good grade on the exams. After the exams week, the average grade for each team was calculated by your teacher and the team with the highest average score received a prize in return. This way, your teacher made sure everyone helped each other to increase the average grade for their teams.
“Make sure to exchange phone numbers and make a group chat to discuss your study plans and meetings” your teacher suggested.
You pulled out a loose-leaf and tapped on Jay’s shoulder who was seating in front of Daniel. He looked back with a questioning expression.
“Write your phone number down and pass the paper to Ruby” you confided and he nodded back at you before taking the paper from your hands. You took the paper back after Ruby and Luke wrote their numbers down. Of course you did not have to ask for Daniel’s number.
“I’ll create a group chat after school, we can discuss the details there” you reported, gaining a nod from every member of your study group.
You were a competitive student. Your grades were always above average and these study group contests made you even more ambitious. As nerdy as it sounded, you wanted to make sure everyone in your team performed well on the upcoming exams.
You knew Ruby was a bright student. Daniel studied regularly as well. Luke was okay as far as you knew. However, you did not know about Jay’s academics. You were determined to learn about it and help him if he needed your help.
“Hey Jay, do you want to walk home together after school?” you asked, smiling politely. He turned to you in surprise and took a look at Daniel’s face. He smirked at Daniel’s clenched jaw and accepted your offer.
Plans
You saw Jay playing with his phone in front of the school gates when you exited the school building. He was wearing his leather jacket, making you look like a child next to him with your fluffy pastel pink cardigan and white outfit. He put his phone into his back pocket when you reached his side.
“You ready?” he questioned looking down at your face. You looked so short compared to his tall figure. You felt intimidated by his eyes and chose to look down at your shoes before nodding your head.
“So… How are you?” he asked, breaking the dead silence as you walked side by side.
“I’m good. I should ask you how you are. Were you able to get used to living here?” you asked, feeling, less nervous as you walked.
“Yes… Actually, I couldn't explore much since I don’t have many friends around here and I usually just go to school and return home during the week” he explained and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. I probably sound like a loser, he thought. You thought for a little before speaking again.
“Hey, I can show you around this weekend if you want? I didn’t have anything planned anyway. Also, this is like the last weekend we can enjoy before studying for the exams. That is… if you want to, of course… I get it if you don’t-“ your rambling got interrupted by Jay’s little chuckle. Cute, he thought.
“I would like that,” he answered. You couldn’t help but smile at his acceptance of your invitation.
“This is kind of random but do you like pancakes?” you asked out of nowhere.
“Who doesn’t like pancakes?” he answered your question with another question causing you to chuckle. I already like this guy, you thought.
“Alright, then we can go to this local diner I know for breakfast tomorrow and start our little tour afterwards” you suggested while looking at him to wait for his answer.
“Alright, sounds like a plan” he concluded. Jay couldn’t help but think how much he wanted this “little tour” of yours to be an actual date.
Getting to Know Him
“Oh you should meet Mr. Bubbles” you insisted as you watched Jay take another bite of his blueberry pancakes. You wanted to introduce your fat Scottish fold to your new friend who apparently loves cats.
“I would love to…But unfortunately, I am allergic to cats” he replied, looking a little sad. You felt the need to comfort him inside you.
“Don’t be so sad! I can just show him to you through the window of my room” you suggested. You heard his small chuckle before nodding at your direction.
From this morning, you learned that Jay is not as intimidating as he looked from outside. He moved to your town from Seattle because of his father’s job. He was good at subjects like English and History but he said he could use some help with Math. His favorite genre of music was Rock and he took dance classes back in Seattle. He was interested in fashion and he liked cats. He had an easygoing personality and a pretty smile- wait, a big smile you meant.
In addition, Jay learned that you liked many more things other than studying: you enjoyed watching romantic comedies the most but one of your common interests was that both of you liked watching anime. You also liked cooking even though you were not as experimental as Jay when you entered the kitchen. Jay was stunned when he learned your favorite rock band: ONE OK ROCK because that was his favorite band too. He was surprised to find similarities between you two when you looked so different from outside. He also learned how much he liked your laugh and how hard he wanted to try to make you laugh more often to just listen to your laugh.
Not so long after, you paid the check and headed to your next destination.
“We’re going to the beach, I hope you know how to ride a bike” you chimed while walking backwards in front of Jay.
“Of course I know how to ride a bike! Who do you think I am?” he fought back right before you tripped on something and almost fell on your butt. He reached forward to catch you by your waist, saving you from both: the pain and the embarrassment of falling in front of Jay.
You both went silent when you were chest to chest. You looked up to Jay’s face while holding your breath. You looked at his eyes and he stared back at yours. You saw his eyes flicker to your lips and that was the signal you got before pulling away from his hold.
“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I’m so clumsy” you mumbled looking down at your feet, continuing to walk next to Jay. He strolled next to you but he did not miss the pink shade on your cheeks before looking ahead.
***
Oh my god Y/N! Get your shit together! What is wrong with you, you just spent a single day with the guy! You told yourself that night, laying down on your bed when you came back from your day with Jay.
Okay, he was attractive, funny and nice to you. He also was a good listener and he was talkative as well. You felt comfortable spending time with him and you felt bad when you said goodbye to him in front of your house before you got in. You sighed before rubbing your eyes and tried to fall asleep without thinking about your cute, hot, funny and sweet classmate.
Study Group
You opened the gates of the coffee shop you were supposed to meet with your study mates 10 minutes later than your agreed meeting time. You hurried your way upstairs where it was more quiet than downstairs and you saw your group members sitting on a table in the left corner of the room. You apologized for being late when you reach their table and took the only empty seat next to Daniel, across from Jay.
You opened your backpack to take your materials out when you realized a cup of coffee was pushed in front of you. You looked up to see Jay grinning at you. He went back to taking notes on his notebook when you reached for the cup to take a sip from it. You realized it was a latte with unsweetened vanilla. Your usual order. He remembered your order from the coffee shop you went on your little tour right before you went to see the local art gallery. You looked at his face to see him watching your reaction. You gave him a small smile while mouthing "thank you" and he returned your smile with a little nod.
Confession
It was right before the Christmas break started when Jay came to terms with his feelings for you. Between the walks you took home together, the shared snacks between classes, the laughs shared during the lunch periods, and the times he snuck into your room to watch your favorite anime together at night when you were both supposed to be sleeping, he fell for you.
Jay was a straightforward guy. If he feels something, he might as well tell you about it. Worst case scenario: you would kindly reject him and he would move on. So he grabbed his phone from his nightstand and texted you.
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You grabbed your cardigan from your closet and opened the gates of the kitchen which looked at the backyard as quiet as possible to not wake your parents up. You saw Jay putting his hands in his pockets while waiting for you in the middle of your backyard. His back was facing you so you thought you could have a little fun.
You reached him while tiptoeing silently and grabbed his waist from behind.
“BOO!” you whisper screamed. He jumped and pushed you away while you tried to hold your laugh, but failed miserably. He watched you laugh while he shook his head in disbelief.
“I knew it! You’re still scared of the ghosts” you accused him, stepping forward and putting your pointing finger on his chest. He watched you having fun with an amusing smile plastered on his face. He reached for your waist with his both hands while still looking at you with the same amused smile.
“Why do I even like you?” he muttered in disbelief. You froze. He watched your surprised expression and realized what he just blurted out.
“What?” you asked looking down at his chest because looking into his eyes was very hard at that moment. Jay took a deep breath before continuing.
“I thought I was pretty obvious” he said casually. Your heart was beating so fast that you got scared that Jay might have heard its banging on your chest. You bowed your head down and your forehead touched Jay’s chest. You were shy.
“Ilikeyoutoo” you mumbled so fast, Jay almost couldn’t catch it. Cute, he thought and you felt his lips press on your forehead. You hugged his waist while he nuzzled his nose in the crook of your neck under the light of the stars.
Secrecy
Ever since you started going on dates with Jay, it was during the Christmas break. You went to cute cafes to drink hot chocolate, went ice skating, and did all the holiday activities together. One thing you didn’t talk about was how you were going to act when you got back to school. So you started sneaking around instinctively.
It was another study group meeting before the upcoming exams. You were seated between Ruby and Jay at one of the tables in your local library’s study hall when you felt Jay’s hand grabbing yours under the table. You turned to look at his face but he shrugged his shoulders like he didn’t care. You intertwined your hand with his and put them on top of your thigh. He rubbed his thumb on the back of your hand as both of you continued reading your textbooks.
When you were done with studying for History, you had to grab another book from the aisle where English textbooks were put. You got up, letting go of Jay’s hand in the process and went to the English books section. You searched through the bookshelves to find the book you needed. As you were focused on reading the names of various textbooks, you felt a small kiss pressed on the exposed skin of the back of your neck. Your breath caught in the back of your throat when you turned around to see Jay smirking at you.
“They could have seen us” you whispered to him, slapping his arm.
Not So Secretive
Jay entered the class, playing with the straps of his backpack when he saw you sitting on your seat while playing with your phone. He reached his seat to find Daniel sitting on it.
“Why are you sitting here?” questioned Jay, tilting his head to the empty seat next to you where Daniel seated every day except for that day. Daniel let a sigh before looking up at Jay.
“Don’t you want to sit next to your girlfriend?” he asked, already knowing the answer to the question.
Jay did not respond before sitting next to you. You turned your head to see who was seating next to you in surprise before he leaned forward to plant a sloppy kiss on your cheek in front of your classmates.
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tchallasbabymama · 3 years
Text
Troubled Waters Prologue
Hey y’all! Some of you may have seen this already, but I took it down and reworked it a little bit. Check out my masterlist to read my other stories, and let me know if you want to be tagged in anything. Enjoy!
Word count: 1,723
Aziza [a-zee-za] noun: A benevolent magical species with moderate stature, pointed ears, colorful wings, and deep brown skin that always has a slight glow. They enjoy music, dancing, and frolicking with human children. They also have a propensity for plant magic and hunting and tend to dwell in or around the rainforest.
Long before humans ever stepped foot in Wakanda, the aziza were appointed guardians of the land by the panther goddess, Bast. Aziza lived in harmony with the other magical beings, with a few exceptions, and the queen of the aziza ruled over all of Wakanda. That is until these strange, magicless creatures stumbled into the forest one day and were immediately accosted by some of the more malevolent beings that inhabited the land. Several aziza sprang into action to protect the newcomers and were able to stop the evil obambo from possessing them and driving them mad. When the heroic team of aziza brought the defenseless humans to the queen, she welcomed them into her kingdom with open arms and gave them their own plot of land that was locked between her forest and a dangerous mountain range.
When left to their own devices, the humans began to fight with each other over resources and the right to rule. Queen Ani grew tired of the fighting and called on Bast to help end the constant wars. The goddess instructed her to find a man named Bashenga and bring him to her garden. Apparently, her favorite flower had a strange effect on humans. To all the other beings under her rule, the flower simply acted as an ointment of sorts, but it made humans powerful. Queen Ani followed Bast’s instructions and ground up the petals for Bashenga to consume. She buried him in the rich soil, and when he emerged minutes later, he was a new man. He was a leader, a champion, a king.
Humans and magical beings lived in harmony in isolation from the outside world for centuries until a strange thing started happening on the continent. People were disappearing from the western coast, and when the queen of the aziza heard about it, she brought it to the human king’s attention. King Amir refused to help out of fear of exposing his kingdom to the world, and Queen Onara became incensed. She couldn’t believe he was turning his back on his own kind. The queen wanted nothing more to do with him and his cowardly people, so she called on Bast again. The goddess made another realm within Wakanda for the magical creatures to live in. Onara assumed it would be difficult to get the other species on board, but, as it turned out, most of them were eager to get away from the humans. It seemed the only ones that actually liked them were the aziza, but that quickly changed upon hearing of their negligence. A few even chose to travel to the new world in disguise to help the humans that had been taken. The aziza operatives did their best to help them, but there were just too many for them to save. Their numbers were few, but they were able to perform small acts of magic to help where they could.
Over the years, magical creatures became a thing of the past to the Wakandans. They became bedtime stories and folk tales, but nobody truly believed in their existence anymore except for the children the aziza would occasionally visit when they felt like being playful.
————
One sunny afternoon, a little aziza was playing down by the river when she sneezed, and her surroundings changed. Everything looked almost the same but slightly less vibrant despite the bold greens and blues around her. She turned around and couldn’t see her village in the distance, but instead, she saw a boy about her age splashing in the water.
She emerged from behind the bushes and called out to him, “Sawubona!”
The boy looked up, and his eyebrows furrowed. He was sure he had been alone.
“Um, mholweni...ungubani?”
“I’m Nia. Who are you?”
“You speak Xhosa?”
“I speak a bunch of languages,” she giggled. “You speak Zulu?”
“Yeah. I bet I speak more languages than you,” he challenged her.
Nia’s face scrunched up as she counted up all the languages she knew.
“I speak thirteen so far, but I’m only eight,” she shrugged.
“Wow, thirteen?! I can only speak five.” He looked dejected, and she hated seeing the look on his face, so she quickly changed the subject.
“Can I swim with you?”
“Sure, but...where did you come from?” the boy asked as he looked around. “You just sort of came out of nowhere.”
Nia was young, but she knew she was in the human realm. She had visited plenty of times with her ubaba and knew it well. She just wasn’t sure how she got there this time. However, she knew not to tell him exactly what she was, so the little aziza tucked her ears under her colorful headband as she stepped closer and tried to think of a good explanation.
“My ubaba says I’m sneaky like that,” she shrugged. “Want to play tag?”
“You’re it!” he yelled as he splashed her and swam away as fast as he could. She cut her eyes at him and wiggled out of her clothes before jumping in after him. She quickly caught up to him, much to his surprise, but he stopped when it was his turn to chase her. The boy noticed something strange on her back as she swam away, and he grew concerned.
“What happened?”
Nia quickly turned around, confused by the tone of his voice, “To what?”
“To you. The scars,” he pointed to her back.
“Oh,” Nia had to think fast again. “It’s just a really big birthmark.”
“Really? That’s so cool! It looks like two wings,” he mused before his eyes lit up and he gasped loudly. “What if you can fly?”
“I wish,” she said with a certain sadness to her voice that confused him. He noticed the heaviness in her eyes and decided to lighten to mood a little by splashing her in her face. It worked, and they were off again.
The two of them spent the afternoon splashing away in the river, laughs echoing loudly as they played until a deep voice called out, and the boy froze.
“T’Challa!”
“Coming, baba!” he yelled back before turning to his new friend, who had just figured out that she had been playing with the Crown Prince of Wakanda this whole time. “I have to go. I’m not supposed to be out here.”
Nia’s face deflated until she looked at the shadows and realized too much time had passed since she left home. She nodded solemnly, and they swam to shore. They begrudgingly got dressed in silence until T’Challa spoke up.
“Can I see you again? I had fun today… I don’t get to have fun often,” he looked at the ground, and she hugged him tight to make him smile.
“I can come back tomorrow,” Nia said, making his face light up.
“Deal!”
The two kids said their goodbyes, and Nia watched as T’Challa ran through the trees towards the disembodied voice. She turned around to leave the same way she came and jumped at the sight of her father.
“Did you have fun?” he asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Nia nodded enthusiastically, “I made a friend!”
“I saw,” he chuckled. “How’d you get over on this side?”
“I sneezed,” Nia shrugged as she grabbed her ubaba’s hand, and they shimmered back over to the magic realm. That night, he began to teach her how to clear her mind and travel between the realms intentionally. Nia took to it quickly, and she was excited to explore the human realm, her mother’s realm, more than ever before.
Amare, an aziza, and Celeste, a human, met and fell in love while he was stationed in New York for his first tour as a secret operative. When Amare heard about what the human Wakandans had allowed to happen to their kin, he jumped at the chance to make a difference. It was a dangerous job, dealing with humans and the occasional fae, but he loved it. Almost immediately, he met and fell in love with Celeste, a vivacious and opinionated brown-skinned beauty from Harlem. They lived together for two blissful years before they found out they were expecting a child. Celeste was over the moon, but Amare couldn’t help but worry. There had been very few half-human, half aziza babies over the years, but they always took a massive toll on human mothers. Amare knew then that he might have to say goodbye to the love of his life. Sadly, he was right. The baby’s higher need for energy to fuel her growing magic drained her mother dry, and Celeste was even too weak to push. She didn’t survive the cesarean.
Amare brought his baby girl back home to Wakanda, and they lived in a small home near the rainforest on the outskirts of the Border province that he had enchanted to straddle both realms. He raised Nia the same as any other aziza child, but they often traveled to the human realm so she could be among her people. Before popping over to the other side, he’d always cast a glamour spell to hide his wings, making them lay flush against his back so that they looked like intricate tattoos. Nia was always jealous of her dad’s bright orange wings since she never got hers, just the giant wing-shaped scars that covered her back. She always felt a little broken, like she wasn’t as good as the other aziza kids, so when she met T’Challa she was excited to have her first human friend. Or so she thought.
Nia went back to the river the next day and waited for T’Challa. She waited and waited, but he was nowhere to be found. She tried again every day for a week, but he never showed. His absence started to weigh on her, and Amare hated to see his little girl look so sad. After day seven, he put a stop to it and Nia eventually gave up on her so-called friend. However, the pain of his abandonment never really went away.
Next Chapter
Taglist: @maddeningmayhem, @theblulife, @motheroffae, @love-mesome-me, @toni9, @bribrisback, @impremenior, @ljstraightnochaser
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lost-in-the-80s · 4 years
Text
Fake Date
Pairing: Dave Mustaine x fem!reader
Words: 1,965k
Summary: You and Dave have been friends with benefits since forever, but to help Junior out, you guys agree on pretending to be a couple, going on a double date with him. (smut)
A/N: I’m not sure if this is good or not because it has been in my drafts for a while, but anyway, I hope you guys like it :)
Warnings: Mature content (f i n g e r s)
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“You want us to do what!?” Y/N asked, her eyes widened while Dave choked on his beer beside her.
“Just for one night, it will be just one hour, two in max.” Junior tried to defend his plan.
“No way!” Dave managed to say, still trying to calm down.
“I swear it’s the only time you’ll have to do it!”
“Why do you want us to do it so bad?” She asked, getting up and walking towards the ginger’s kitchen to get something to eat.
“Ah, you don’t understand.” Junior sighed. 
“Then explain,” Dave instructed. 
“Every time Julie comes around Y/N’s here, she confronted me about it and I told her she had nothing to worry about, but she wouldn’t listen to me, so I told her that she shouldn’t be worried because the two of you were dating.” He gesticulated with his hands, trying to make them understand his point.
“You said what?” Both of them said at the same time. 
“Then she got all excited about it and said that we should go on a double date, and I tried, I swear that I tried to make her change her mind, but she fucking wants to do it.” He sighed, looking at the ground.
“If we do this, you’re gonna owe us big time!” Dave said, pointing his finger at the blonde. 
“Exactly,” Y/N shouted from the kitchen. 
“Come on, it’s not as if you guys had never kissed each other.” 
It was true, and to be honest, the two of them had done many more things than just kissing. Y/N and Dave knew each other way before Megadeth, they met in 1980, and even though they were just friends, in the beginning, the sexual tension between them had always been out of the roof, so it didn’t take them too long to engage in a “friends with benefits” kind of relationship.
And even though both of them hated to admit, what they felt for each other stopped being just attraction a long time ago. Now they’d sleep together after sex, cuddling against each other and talking sweet nothings while doing it. Sometimes, they’d be doing something random, like talking, and then would start kissing, even in front of others. When one was sick, the other moved mountains to help, and they had even got into fights with strangers for each other, but the two of them were too proud to ever say anything about it. 
And as Dave liked to think: “You don’t have a problem if you pretend it doesn’t exist.” 
That was his excuse when Junior talked to him about Y/N a few weeks before the date. He thought the metaphor wasn’t the best, but he understood his friend, Dave always hated complicated things, mainly because he knew he was complicated himself, and he feared that if they spoke up about it, it would become complicated and it wouldn’t work out anymore. 
And so here they were, Junior and Julie sat on a bench in front of Dave in a restaurant, all of them waiting for Y/N, who, as per usual, was late. The ginger played anxiously with the ring in his finger while he silently thought about how weird it would be for them to pretend that they were a normal couple. 
Wait, a normal couple? His conscience teased him. 
We are a couple…. I think? I mean, we hadn't seen anyone else for almost a year now… He tried to defend himself.
Then why are you so fucking worried? His mind fought back, but he had no time to reply because the center of his thoughts entered the place. 
She was wearing a leather skirt and a white button-up shirt, with lots of opened buttons, revealing a lot of her skin and making it obvious that she wasn’t wearing any bra. She walked elegantly on her high heels until she reached the table, a warm smile on her lips. 
Fuck, it’s almost as if she's teasing me. Dave thought to himself as he got up, adjusting his jeans to try to make his now-forming bulge less visible. 
“Hey, baby.” She leaned in, giving his lips a quick kiss before she turned towards the other couple. “Hey guys, how are you?”
“Hey, Y/N! We’re good.” Junior answered, giving her a quick side hug before moving out of the way so that Julie and Y/N could hug. 
“I loved your necklace.” Julie complimented, smiling before they all sat down, Y/N sitting next to Dave.
“Ah, thank you! It’s my favorite one. Dave gave me some years ago” She smiled, touching the golden accessory that she never took off.
“I’m sorry for dragging you guys here with us. It’s just that, we saw each other just twice?” Anne looked at Y/N, who only nodded in response. “And I really wanted to get to know you better.” 
“Oh, it’s fine! Dave and I were actually thinking about going out tonight anyway.” She touched his thigh, asking for support on her story.
“Yeah, we try to always go out on Fridays.” 
“That’s a nice tradition! For how long have you guys been together?” 
Dave cleared his throat before answering. “Little more than a year. We were just friends before.” 
“Aw, so it started with a friendship? That’s so sweet!” 
A waiter showed up, asking what they wanted to eat. 
“I’ll have spaghetti,” Junior said, handing his menu to the man in front of him. 
“And for the lady?” The man asked, looking at her.
“I’ll have this chicken salad, please.” 
The man nodded, turning towards the other two. 
“Steak and fries,” Dave looked towards Y/N. “for you too right?” 
She nodded. 
“Two steaks with fries then.”
“Anything to drink?”
“Yes, bring us two cokes, please.” She handed him their menu before resting her back on the bench, feeling Dave’s fingers slightly playing with her shoulder as his arm rested on the back of the bench.
They knew each other well enough to ask for each other, in fact, they had the same tastes and thoughts on basically everything, and this similarity was the main reason for their feelings towards each other. 
“And who spoke up first?” Julie asked.
“It was me,” Dave answered, making a small pause to find a story to fill in.
“We went to a party, got drunk and ended up spilling our guts.” She finished for him. 
Pretty believable, coming from the two of us. He thought.
Soon the food arrived and they all started eating, talking about Megadeth and how excited they were to go on a second tour together, but as soon as the food was over, Y/N felt Dave’s hand resting on her thigh. It stayed there for a good while and she was almost sure that he had done it on reflex, but then his hand started to travel upwards, making her give him a glare, to which he just smirked. 
Dave’s hands wandered underneath her skirt, finding her panties very easily. He ran his calloused fingertips against its fabric, seeing how a mix of despair and lust filled her eyes.
“And how did you two met?” Y/N asked, hoping that they would spend time enough talking, knowing that she would be too distracted to talk back for a while.
“Oh yeah, I was at this record shop…” 
She kept on talking, but Y/N stopped listening to anything as soon as Dave slid her panties to the side and started running his finger up and down in between her folds, feeling how it soon started to get wet. 
She sighed slowly, but upended her legs further, giving him better access. 
“You know those things you put money inside? Damn, I forgot the name.” Julie asked, rubbing her forehead to try to remember. 
“Cash register?” Y/N managed to say before one of Dave’s fingers entered her core, going slowly in and out of her, making her bite her bottom lip.
“Yes! Cash register!” Julie giggled, keeping on telling her story. “I couldn’t open it, and then David came and helped me, we started talking, and look at us now.” She smiled, looking tenderly to the blonde beside her.
“That’s a very good story,” Y/N answered quickly, one of her hands gripping on the table as it got difficult for her to talk normally.
“You know, Julie, Y/N used to work at a record shop too! Why don’t you tell Julie some stories?” Dave asked, his smirk growing as he inserted another finger inside of her, making her close her eyes tightly while her mouth opened slightly.
“Really?” Julie asked, looking really interested. 
“Ye-Yeah! For an… for a year or so.”
As soon as she started talking, Dave curled his fingers inside of her, causing her a lot of concentration to finish her quote. 
“Which record shop?”
Dave found her sweet spot, hitting it with his finger a few times, making her legs close tightly on reflex.
“Hm… which one?” She grabbed his free hand on top of the table, gripping tight at it.
“Yeah.”
“The na-… one with… I- I don’t remember the name.”
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Julie said before taking a sip of her water.
Dave hit her g-spot a few more times, making her close her eyes as she felt her walls clenching for the orgasm that was about to hit her, but he removed his finger before she could reach her climax, making her give him a mortal glare. 
“Wow, it’s getting late!” Julie said, looking at the watch. “I should go, I have to work tomorrow.” She smiled. 
“Yeah, let’s go. I’ll drive you home.” Junior smiled, getting up. 
“What do you think, love? Let’s go too?” Dave asked.
“Yeah, sure!” 
All of them got up going towards the cashier to pay, and when the others weren’t looking anymore, Dave sucked his fingers clean before turning towards Y/N and whispering in her ear. “God, I love dessert.” 
She smirked, before looking down and realizing that he had a very noticeable bone inside his pants, and so she realized that he wouldn’t leave her hanging after all. 
Exiting the place, Junior turned towards Dave. “Will you come with us, or….”
“I’ll spend the night at Y/N’s, don’t worry.” 
They all said their goodbyes and Junior opened the passenger door for Julie, closing it when she entered the car before walking back to his friends. “I know exactly what you were doing.” 
Y/N shrugged before Dave got a cigarette from his jacket's pocket while saying: “I couldn’t help it. Sorry mate!” 
Junior rolled his eyes, but went back to his car, turning on the engine and leaving the parking lot. 
“That was not nice of you.” She turned towards him, taking the cigarette from his lips and bringing it to hers.
“Are you sure? ‘Cause, it was damn nice to me.” He smirked, both hands circling her waist to bring her closer to him. 
She put the cigarette in between her fingers, blowing out some smoke on his face, seeing the lust that sparkled in his eyes. 
Leaning in, she whispered in his ear: “You won’t find it so nice when you’re the one being teased.” 
Her words making a shiver ran down his spine. “Are you going to tease me?” He asked near her ear.
“Oh, I will…” Her voice an octave lower, soft like velvet. “But you won’t know when, or where, you’ll just realize it when it’s already done.” 
He smirked, taking the cigarette from her hand and taking a long drag of it,  he looked up, blowing the smoke away before leaning in and kissing her. Her hands finding the back of his neck while their tongues started a battle against each other. 
“How about we finish this in my place?” She asked when they pulled apart, taking the cigarette to her lips again.
“Sounds like a plan.” He smirked.
Tag list: @roger-taylors-car @slashscowboyboots​ @ginny-rose-sixx​ @bigdaddylars​ @dynamitebabe​ @tuffduff​ @mitchgrassified​ @gamsbeans​ @i-wont-be-caged​
Add yourself to my tag list :)
Thanks for reading <3
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rogue-durin-16 · 4 years
Text
THINGS NEVER GO AS PLANNED (Part II/VII)
"candy floss"
Summary: After Fred's death, George and Y/n lean on each other to carry on. This wasn't the most brilliant idea, though; George was pretty much in love with the girl, and Y/n— well, she had been dating Fred prior to the Battle of Hogwarts.
Pairing: George Weasley x Reader
Genre: angst
Tags:
Suggested by: @crispykittywitch
Things never go as planned: @sarcasticallywitty15 @beautyschoo1dropout @s1ut4georgeweasley @leovaldez37 @missmulti @weasleywh0r3s
Permanent taglist: @elia-the-bibliophile @randomparanoid @karlthecat15722 @thebutchersdaughtersblog
Warnings: grief, feels, brief mention of Fred x Reader ig?
A/N: I decided to name the parts bc why the fuck not so keep an eye on the titles 👀. This story is based off this convo and these headcanons. If you wanna be tagged in the next parts tell me, and enjoy <3
Prologue :the aftermath
Part I : sleepless nights
Part III: shock therapy
Part IV: wrong name
Part V: the perfect excuse
Part VI: the downfall
Part VII: apart
Epilogue: I still love you
Rogue-durin-16 masterlist
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The moment the last group of customers decided it was time to call it a day and exited the shop, I left the till counter and grabbed my wand from my pocket, instantly turning the sign in the door so it could be read from outside 'closed'.
A sigh escaped my lips as I leaned against the multicolored wooden rail.
I was drained.
The shop helped our minds to get distracted and stray from the grief, yes, but it was also exhausting.
We had been subconsciously overworking ourselves to the point where it was borderline self-destructive.
It didn't help that I was throwing myself into comforting George, either. I could not be blamed for doing that, though; he was broken.
A part of me, the rational one, knew he would pick up the pieces and build himself up again, it would just take a lot of time.
There was another part of me, though, that depressed, drained part, that was beginning to think he would never heal by himself —maybe he wouldn't heal at all— but still held onto the hope that, if I tried hard enough, I would be able to mend what had been broken in him.
A terrible idea, really, because I started to dismiss in its entirety my own miserable, damaged state.
And George, ever the caring, sensible one, would have noticed that; he would have made me realize I was not doing nearly as well as I thought, he would have talked some sense into me, but he wouldn't— he couldn't, because George was lost in an ocean of grief, trying so hard not to drown that he wasn't able to notice I was trying to aid him from my very own sinking boat.
It also seemed to be working; he was more animated, slept more soundly, and his smile was a bit brighter even —at least the one he had for me.
"Rough day?" My eyes, which I didn't know I had closed, fluttered open at George's voice.
"Very."
He walked to me with a tinge of guilt in his face. "You know we can switch places, right?" I had been working as the public face of the shop since we had reopened, and George had taken on the task of doing the paperwork and shippings instead, showing up from time to time to help me and to let people know there was still a Weasley running the business.
I had been the one to suggest this, since I knew George had compromised with reopening only because of me, and he was clearly not ready to put up a sociable, positive attitude for dozens of people every day.
"Nah, it's fine like this." I assured him with a reassuring smile.
He measured me with his eyes for a second; I couldn't really tell if he saw through me or not. "So I was preparing the today's shippings," he rocked a tiny purple basket I quickly recognised in front of me. "I found this in the back of the stockroom."
"Are those—?"
"Candy floss cupcakes, yes." A year and a half ago we had bought five baskets of candy floss cupcakes from Honeydukes per George's request in order to unsuccessfully try and implement them.
"Are they even edible anymore?" I couldn't help but laugh.
"I hope so?" He chuckled too, tearing the film covering the sweets. "Thought we might as well finish them."
My eyes travelled from the basket to him and viceversa before stating, "well I'm hungry so..."
"Same here." He was the first one to pull out a pastel colored cupcake, though he handed it to me. "Wanna get food poisoning together?" Laughing, I gave him a nod as he grabbed his own cupcake. "At the count of three?"
"One"
"Two"
"Three." We said in unison right before taking a bite of our respective madeleines.
I frowned at its surprisingly good flavour. "Am I delirious or are they actually edible?"
"Dunno," he shoved the rest of his cupcake into his mouth with a shrug. "maybe we're just starving."
"Go big or go home, I guess." I finished my cupcake before leaning on the basket to pick another one. My head snapped up with my brow quirked when I heard a soft chuckle. "What?"
"Nothing." George shook his head, motioning at the stairs. "Shall we sit down?" I followed his lead, sitting on the stairs and waiting for him, who had stepped towards the drinks aisle to grab a couple of juice bottles, to do the same.
We stayed there, eating and drinking in a comfortable silence until the basket was empty and our eyelids threatened to shut.
"I think we should head back to the flat." He spoke, leaving the half empty juice aside so he could stretch.
"I'm gonna learn how to cook." I stated, getting up. "We can't get by based on most likely expired sweets and whatever is in the Leaky Cauldron menu."
"Aight." He mimicked my actions, picking up the stuff we left on the stairs. "We will learn the basics tomorrow." He got behind me and began to gently push in the flat's direction. "But now we're gonna get some sleep, miss."
I would be lying if I said my heartbeat didn't pick up when his hands landed on my shoulder blades and made their way to rub both my arms reassuringly.
I would be lying if I denied I leaned back when he did that, letting myself get closer to his chest.
And I would definitely be lying if I said I didn't crave going back to my room so I could cuddle him all night.
One Week Later
"—right in the cauldron, love." I pointed at the cauldron besides me, giving a sweet smile to the kid in front of me, visibly going to be sick thanks to the free sample of Skiving Snackboxes.
"Y/n!" I spun around at the loud calling of my name above the shop's racket. I was able to discern a long, red mane flowing fast towards my position right on time for the owner to wrap her arms around me.
"Glad to see you too, Ginny." I laughed, trying not to lose balance due to her enthusiasm. "How come you're here?" I questioned, pulling away.
"We heard you were open." Harry walked up to me, appearing from behind the girl, "And thought we'd pay a visit to our friends, right?" Ginny nodded, looking around while Harry gave me a quick, yet comforting hug. "Where's George?"
I motioned up to the small office, redirecting the couple's eyes to the second floor. "Doing paperwork—AH!" I jolted when a pair of hands tickled my sides, my head snapping to see the towering ginger standing behind me. "Speaking of the devil."
"I thought I saw Gin through the window," George explained, his hands lingering on my waist for long enough to his sister to stare, before pulling Ginny into a tight hug. "And came down to check if she was distracting my employee."
"You got her all bored here, mate." Harry pointed out, a light joking tone in his voice.
"And you're the one supposed to help with that?" George rolled his eyes dramatically. "Pfft... What a world we live in." With the said, he gave the boy a side hug. I heard Harry murmur an 'We missed you' before they pulled away with a pat on the shoulder.
My gaze landed on the youngest Weasley, whose welled up eyes were trained on her older brother's half smile. I only averted my eyes and waited for her to discreetly wipe away the unspilled tears while Harry and George catched up.
By the letters she had sent me, I reckoned the last time she had been near George, he had been lifeless; seeing a glimpse of who was once one of the most cheerful, funny and charismatic people in her life, was probably poignant to Ginny.
I hadn't realized she had moved closer until I didn't hear her soft voice. "Thank you." I offered her a confused smile, though deep down I knew what she meant.
Two Days Later
George was having one of those days.
We both knew it was coming soon; it had to happen sooner rather than later, since he had been in a surprisingly good mood for almost a week. I suspected seeing Harry and Ginny had brought back the events of the Second of May.
I suggested to close the shop for the day, since he was unable to move out of bed; he refused to do so, but I convinced him to stay in the flat and rest —it was Tuesday, anyway; I wouldn't have to handle many customers.
Due to that, when I saw Hermione, Ron, Bill and Fleur entered the shop, it was understandable that I hadn't become the happiest person in the world.
I greeted them, there were hugs, kisses, and even a joke or two, and when Bill asked about George, I excused him without giving much detail.
They understood.
Fleur was the one to restart the conversation, lightening a bit before requesting a tour for the shop, since she had not yet been there.
It was when we reached the love potions that Hermione, using the fact that Fleur was very much interested in the product, held my hand and pulled me aside.
"So... how are you doing?" The frown in her face, the fact that she was whispering, the squeeze her hand gave mine, let me know she had read me the moment her eyes met mines.
I sighed with a shrug.
"You can tell me." Could I? "No one's asking you to put on a happy face, Y/n." The girl assured me, her eyes digging into mines. "It's not just George, we all lost—" she shook her head at her own words before correcting herself. "you lost him too."
I lost him too.
I bit my lower lip to stop it from quivering.
The memory of Fred's broken smile as his corpse laid on the stretcher, that memory that haunted my dreams, appeared vividly before my eyes.
My lips started to burn with the ghost of that kiss he gave me before we split up, him with Percy and me with George; it hadn't been meant to be a goodbye kiss. It was meant to be a good luck kiss.
I covered my mouth to muffle a sob, and Hermione's arms were quick to be wrapped around me, reassuringly rubbing my back.
GEORGE'S P. O. V.
I saw them entering from Y/n's balcony; I wasn't emotionally ready to face them all at the same time, but when I didn't see them exit, I figured Y/n hadn't been able to dismiss them.
I decided I owed to them all to bite the bullet, so I threw on a shirt and the first trousers I grabbed, cleaned up a bit and left the flat.
With a deep breath, I made it to the second floor and mentally prepared myself to go down to the first one.
As I began to climb down, though, I noticed Hermione and Y/n talking in private, closer than the others to the stairs.
I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but all my senses were automatically focused on Y/n whenever we were in the same room; she just stole me away from reality.
"You lost him too."
Hermione's words visibly triggered something on Y/n.
'Something', as if I didn't know what they had triggered, as if I didn't know what— who was on her mind.
I guess he was always on her mind, though.
What was left of my heart shattered in a million pieces when she broke down to tears —for several reasons—. "I miss him." She whispered in Hermione's shoulder. "I miss him so much."
If I had any tears left, I would have cried my eyes out right there. Had I been so selfish that I had disregarded how she was feeling? So blinded by the light and love and warmth she was constantly giving me that I had forgotten about her grief? Was I that bad of a person, that I would have rather live in the illusion that she had not lost the boy she was dating?
My mind told me I didn't want any of those questions answered.
"George!" As Ron yelled my name in surprise, Hermione and Y/n pulled away, the latter rubbing her eyes while both of my brothers jogged upstairs to hug me. "Ginny told us you're open—"
"But Y/n said you weren't feeling well." Bill finished, squeezing my shoulder. "We only stayed a little longer for Fleur to see the shop."
"Yeah, we'll come back tomorrow," Ron assured me. "So you can rest and..."
My brother's voice sounded further and further with each word; I felt myself drifting off, getting lost in my own mind and gravitating towards the same thought over and over.
She deserves better.
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sope-and-shine · 4 years
Text
The Right of a King: Pt. 1
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-> SFW // Soulmate!AU // fluff, angst // mummy!Namjoon -> Pairing: Namjoon x Reader -> Word Count: 15.1k  -> Summary: Life as the night guard for your local high-end museum was supposed to be simple and easy. The most dangerous part of your job was only supposed to be the middle-aged patrons who insisted they get a discount for a line being too long. Nowhere in your contract did it say you’d be taking care of a 1,000 year old king that had been mummified. Thankfully, for you he’s harmless, but the storm that comes with him is not as welcoming. -> Warning(s): mild language, brief crude humor, Namjoon is kind of a jerk but he gets better...kinda, also a bit of a misogynist, technology abuse RIP the museum equipment, Jimin IS that salesman that uses his charm to steal your money - but will anyone complain? no.  
A/N: This whole fic is a BEAST i sWEAR! I am however really excited to share this fic with everyone! This was originally for a collab that never got to happen -RIP - but I liked the idea too much to just throw her away!
I do want to give a huge shout out to @sakuraguks-main​ for beta reading this as well as my squad for their constant encouragement throughout the writing process.
Now if you excuse me, I need to get back to writing part 2 
Masterlist
* * *
“Just the lunch box and the banana milk this time?” 
“Uh…” You look up from your wallet to view your items on the counter. It was just one prepackaged lunch and a few banana milks, much less than you usually buy on your routine dinner stop. You don’t want to buy too much, but you’d need something for later in the morning too. 
You settle for grabbing a few bags of chips off the rack next to you and set them on the counter, “I’ll take those too.”  
He nods and rings them up, bagging them while you pay with your card. He grabs your receipt and tucks it in the bag, handing them to you as you slide your wallet back into your bag, “Have a good evening, (Y/n)!”
You nod, “Thank you! See you tomorrow, Gyu!” You wave to him as you exit the convenience store and step back into the bustling city.  
Stopping for food is always a must for you before every shift with it being smack in the middle of your route. If you were to spend 10:00p.m. to 8a.m. by yourself with no food, you would probably go insane. It wasn’t like you couldn’t bring them from home, but it was much more convenient to stop on your way there. Occasionally, you’ll attempt to pull back on your snack intake, but Gyu never makes it easy on you when you do. He just makes it another typical day for you.
Wake up at 2:30, take a shower, do your school work, get ready for work, leave the house, stop to buy food from Gyu, and then arrive at the grand entrance to the Seoul Museum of History and Art.
The building itself is 4 stories high - not including the lower level storage it sits on top of - and 1 city block in length and width. It’s exterior is grand and extravagant with 3 large pillars that encase the 4 doorways that lead into the lobby. A large staircase greets you at the sidewalk, flower beds decorating the front along the brick railing on either side of the stairs. You never take the stairs on your way in, choosing to take the ramp hidden in the flowers up to the entrance instead. You’d have enough problems walking around the entire museum, adding more stairs to the mix would only ruin your mood.
Thankfully, Jin is always there to greet you on your way in. He never fails to brighten your day when you see him. Dressed sharp in a white button down tucked into fitted black dress pants with a grey suit jacket on top, he stands with his hands together in front of him and a large welcoming smile. His hair is parted just off center, not losing shape even as he nods to the patron in front of him.
You wait for him to finish his conversation before you greet him, “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Worldwide Handsome himself.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.” Jin chuckles. He lets his shoulders relax, moving his neck from side to side before looking at his watch. He looks impressed, “Wow, you’re earlier than usual.”
You shrug, “Yeah, Hoseok said he needed to talk to me about the exhibit pieces that are coming in.” 
“Say no more,” Jin raises his hands in front of him and shakes his head, “I’ve heard all I need to.”
“Yeah, I know how you feel,” You laugh. You shake your head and sigh, “I should get going so I can get ready to clear the last minute rush.”
“Don’t work too hard, night guard.” He gives you a mock salute and you turn away, waving goodbye to him as you continue down the corridor into a sea of people.
Most people would think a museum wouldn’t be so popular, but your crowds never seemed to dwindle. You suppose you’d have Yoongi to thank for that. He ran the museum so smoothly it was almost like clockwork. Doors opened at 9 and they closed at 9, new exhibits rotate in and out every 7 ½ months to the day, and employees were put through severe background checks and training just to make sure they’d be competent enough to work in his museum. Everyone that works in the museum was handpicked by Yoongi himself, and everyone chosen contributes everything they have to be here.
You pass by the gift shop, spying Jimin at the counter helping a few kids pick out candies. He notices you passing and smiles, giving you a quick wave that you return before he gives his attention to the children in front of him.
You continue on down the hall, passing the cafe and the restrooms. The walls begin to lose their decor the farther you go, becoming planer and planer until you reach the break room doors. 
“He was like, ‘do you think toys for cavemen were any different from present day? Like that shit must be wild bro’ and then they all started laughing at me when I said they didn’t have a Toys R Us, so yeah, they were different from now.” Jeongguk says as you enter the room. His impeccable timing for ‘strange conversation’ never ceases to amaze you every time you walk through the door.
Jeongguk’s a great guy, always very respectful and eager to learn more, but he’s been working as a tour guide in the museum for about a year now and he still hasn’t seemed to pick up on anything. You’re pretty sure Yoongi only hired him to keep the single ladies coming back. It was hard to correct someone with such a cute, bunny smile and such remarkable enthusiasm in the work place.
“Do you think it was an inside joke?” He proceeds to ask, his attention trained on Johnny who stands at the locker to the right of yours.
The man in question can’t stop himself from giving the younger a disappointed frown, “Dude...you’re the joke…”
Jeongguk tilts his head in confusion and you jump into the conversation, “I’m sure they’re just being teenagers, Guk. I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” You turn to briefly glare at your locker mate as you open it, turning your frown into a smile when you face Jeongguk again, “Tomorrow is another day!”
“You’re right!” He closes his locker and throws his bag over his shoulder, his confidence already returning, “I’ll learn everything I can about cavemen toys and come back tomorrow prepared to tell all of my tours about them!”
He leaves before you can say anything back, off to do whatever it is he usually does after work. You don’t mind though, it’s a little hard to understand the college sophomore anyways. At least with him leaving you can relax before your shift starts.
Johnny sighs next to you, “You mother him too much.”
“I don’t mother him. I just don’t want to explain to him what they’re actually talking about.” You argue, placing your bags on the hooks in your locker. You take off your overcoat and replace it with your black security jacket, fixing the collar, “Besides, he’ll figure it out by this weekend and then he won’t make eye contact with either one of us for the next week.”
“Whatever you say.” He pulls out a lint roller and hands it to you before closing his locker, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Waving behind you with the roller in hand, you say, “Have a good night!” You hear the door open and close behind you, leaving you alone in the room to sort yourself out. 
You make quick work to de-lint your black work pants, setting the roller at the top of your locker. Then you take the bags you set down and pull them over to the table at the center of the room, leaving your locker open while you take out your food to be refrigerated. When you have everything you need, you place the leftover snacks back on the hook and shut the door. 
The door opens on your way to the fridge, Hoseok walking in with a folder in his hands. He looks up from whatever he’s reading and his eyes widen in surprise, “You’re here!”
You open the fridge, “Yeah, you told me to come in a little early.” You set your bag on the top shelf, close the door, and turn to him, “You wanted to talk to me about tomorrow?”
“Right.” He approaches the table and sets his stuff down, sorting through a few papers before he pulls one from his stack. He extends it to you,  “This is all the information about who we’ll be meeting with tomorrow. It has times, names, and a manifest.”
“Everything is the same from the texts you sent me, right?” You ask, eyes skimming over the sheet for anything new.
“Yes! Each artifact was individually packed, so we should only have 12 new pieces coming in tomorrow.” 
“Okay, so we just need to keep an eye on what they bring in.” You say, more to yourself than to him. You take a moment to let the information sink in, nodding in understanding when you’re sure you have it all down. You look back up to Hoseok who’s already discarding his security jacket, “Did you have any luck on new night guard help?”
“Ah-...no,” Hoseok sets his jacket over the back of the chair in front of him. He’d been searching for new help ever since Chanyeol left, leaving you to run the night shift alone. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t ideal for a museum in the middle of the city. You knew that and so did Hoseok. “I’ve been working on it, but it’s been hard with the new arrivals. Besides, you know how Yoongi is when he’s hiring new employees.”
You nod, knowing exactly how anal the museum director could truly be, “Yeah, I know. Just keep me updated though?” 
You don’t really mind working by yourself, but you could only go so many days without a single day off. Thankfully, Hoseok was understanding of this, “I will! I’ll work something out, I promise!”
“Thank you,” You smile. You grab your bag off the table and hoist it over your shoulder, “I’m gonna go clock in and see about ushering the night crowd out.” 
“Hyuk should be starting on level 1.” He informs you. 
“I’ll take level 4 then.” You bid Hoseok goodbye and head across the hall to the security room, setting your stuff down in your chair and clocking in at the main computer. You take a moment to check the camera’s, looking for the most populated areas to look out for and which exhibits you could close as you go through.
This was something you did everyday. You’d find the unpopulated areas first so you could sweep the rooms and lock the exhibits behind you. One by one, you make sure to clear the floor before you move to the next level.
The third level is much busier than the other levels, having had the most change to it’s layout since the new exhibit was brought in 2 weeks prior. Families make their way to the stairs while couples try to catch one last look at exhibits they missed in favor for another.
Walking into the Ancient Dynasties Exhibit, you nod to the partons that you pass on their way out, stopping by the occasional straggler to let them know it’s time to go. You rarely ever have problems with getting someone to leave - maybe once or twice you’ve had to get physical with someone or call the police to escort them out of the museum - but the number of times is so small you could count them on one hand. There’s only one person you have to repeatedly kick out of the exhibit, and he’s worse than any patron you’ve ever dealt with.
“Taehyung, I need you to leave.” You tell him, approaching him from behind. His green, 3 piece suit is only slightly wrinkled from his work throughout the day, his jacket discarded and set off to his side.
The bubbly curator turns his head over his shoulder, dirty blonde locks still kept in a perfect side-sweep thanks to his “very essential” hair gel. His smile is almost a tease as he says, “Just a few more minutes.”
You cross your arms and sigh, “I’m counting.”
The saying “Just a few more minutes” has lost all meaning with Taehyung. You haven’t believed him since your third day of working together. He’s never been good at leaving his exhibits, wanting to take pride in his work. Despite having the ability to take pictures of the area as it’s curator, he insists on committing them all to memory. In hindsight, it’s very endearing. However, his wants tend to put you behind your own schedule.
He turns back around and you take a seat next to him on the bench. You take an obligatory look around the section he sits in, glancing over each artifact that decorates the walls. From tapestries or writing displays that hang on the walls, to small podiums with items far more fragile encased in glass. In front of you - roped off and on a placed on a small stage - is a large sarcophagus covered in gold with two lit candle placed beside it. Behind it is a wall of flowers, all apparently favorites from when the King was alive. 
“Have I told you about Namjoon hyung?” He asks, referencing the mummy in front of you.
King Kim Namjoon of the Kim Dynasty. The only king of Korea to be mummified. Of all the exhibits you’ve been through with Taehyung, this one was his favorite. You could really say he’s obsessed with the dead King! Even with 6 more exhibits to his name. Taehyung spent almost all of his time in this section.
“I think I could talk about this guy in my sleep!” You laugh, nudging his side playfully, “And should you really be calling him ‘hyung’? If anything, he’s an ‘ahjussi’ to you.”
“Yes, but I know so much about him that he feels like a hyung to me!” He argues with a certain admiration in his eyes, “I’ve spent years waiting for this moment to have him in one of my exhibits, and now he’s right at my fingertips!”
He really isn’t exaggerating either. Before the king arrived, Taehyung would show you continuous updates about his uncovering and the updates on how his body was kept. The day his exhibit was approved, you thought he was going to explode. Of all the curators and all of the possible museums, he got King Namjoon. Anyone who didn’t know would’ve thought he won the lottery. In a way, he did.
“His exhibit here is a permanent one, Tae. He’s not going anywhere, so you don’t have to worry about him leaving anytime soon.” You assure him, placing a hand on his arm. Your smile turns into a grin, “What I am worried about is you leaving soon. Get out of my museum before I go find Yoongi.”
“I’m not afraid of Yoongi.” You raise an eyebrow at him and his shoulders drop, “Okay, so maybe I’m terrified of Yoongi, but that’s not important right now!”
You give his shoulder a light nudge, “Go home, Taehyung. The rest of your hyung will be here tomorrow.” You tease.
He sighs and leans his head back, “You say that like he didn’t arrive all put together. He’s a mummy, not Frankenstein.”
You hit his arm, “Get out of here.”
“Okay!” He stands up and turns to you with a boxy grin, “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t work too hard.”
“I never do.” You wave him off, watching him saunter out of the exhibit with a little jump in his step. Even after 14 hours on the clock of rounding the museum to look at his works, he’s still running like he just woke up. Some days you wish you could be as happy with your job as Taehyung is, but how many people truly loved working the night shift in a dark, quiet museum?
* * *
“Alright, let’s make this fast and efficient everyone!” Yoongi barks, walking up to the loading dock where you and Hoseok stand on opposite sides of the doors. He eyes the unloading crew unlocking the truck and sends them a warning glare, “It’s a full moon tonight, and I will not be out at 3am like last time.”
“You need to relax, Yoongi,” Hoseok warns him, still standing across from you, “It’s just a few small pieces and then we’ll be out of here before your ‘witching hour’ is here.”
Hoseok wiggles his fingers for a “spooky emphasis” and you stifle a chuckle. Yoongi is not as amused, “Laugh all you want, but at least I won’t be dead.”
“Is that a threat? Can I file an HR complaint?” Hoseok asks.
Yoongi sighs, “Just do your job while they unload so we can leave.”
You offer a teasing grin and a nod, “Yes sir~”
Yoongi walks away and Taehyung replaces him, standing next to you instead of in the way of the workers. He rolls back and forth on his feet, watching happily as if he were a child at Christmas.
“Did I tell you what’s coming today?” He asks.
You roll your eyes, “I’m sure you may have mentioned it here or there.”
Of course, you know what was coming in. Your job is to protect it with your life. Hoseok gave you the run down via text on your last 5 shifts and again today as soon as you walked through the doors. More paintings, a chair, a dusty old book, and the shining jewel of the King’s tomb.
“His lover’s necklace!” Taehyung beams, “According to what we know, this necklace was used by the King to find his soulmate. We believe that because he didn’t take a queen, he never found his other half.”
You shrug, “Maybe he wasn’t really looking.”
“Maybe...maybe not. Most historians believe he mummified himself so when fate brings his soulmate to him, he’d wake again and they’d spend eternity together.” He turns to you and flicks your forehead, “You would know if you actually paid attention to me.”
You push him back, “Well, excuse me if I can’t listen to you talk about his majesty for more than 10 minutes a week.”
Taehyung rolls his eyes and turns back to the movers. His annoyance quickly turns to excitement as he catches sight on the last box being carried in, “Is that the necklace?”
“Uh…” The man carrying the box looks at the label on the side, nodding to Taehyung in confirmation, “Yes sir.”
“Oh! Follow me!” Taehyung grabs your arm and pulls you after him. You turn your head back to Hoseok for help but he’s already waving you off while he closes the loading doors. You both follow the crew member to the table where a few other small items are being opened already, waiting long enough for the man to open the box for you. You can’t see the inside of the crate with Taehyung in your way, but he gets the first look at whatever dingy piece of jewelry is inside. He flails in excitement, “Look at this!”
Taehyung rushes forward, pushing the man helping him out of the way to reach into the box. When he turns around, he holds a smaller box in his hand, “It’s right here!”
“That’s another box…” You point out, eyes narrowed in irritation.
“It’s not just another box!” He argues. He undoes the latch and pulls the lid back towards him, revealing the most beautiful necklace you’ve ever seen. A delicate string of silver stones bedazzled with small fuschia gems all laced together with a golden band weaving under and over. It glistens in the shine of the storage room work lights, drawing you in with every hypnotizing twinkle. 
Taehyung smiles knowingly, enjoying your sudden engrossment in the artifact, “Isn’t it gorgeous?”
You nod, wanting nothing more than to reach out and touch the delicate jewel. It takes a surprising amount of restraint from you just to pull away, “It’s definitely pretty.”
Yoongi claps his hands from the table beside you, “Let’s get these up to the Ancient Dynasties exhibit and in their places so we can get out of here.”
Everyone takes a box and begins to move upstairs, you and Hoseok helping the men with the old chair to ensure it doesn’t get stuck on anything. With the few items left to be brought into the exhibit, it didn’t take long at all for everything to be settled into their rightful places. 
“Perfect! It’s all perfect!” Taehyung cheers, clapping his hands and squeezing them together. His excitement for this event was unmatched, and you know that in the morning when you see him next, he’ll be bouncing up and down just as he is now.
Hoseok nods to you, “Let’s lock them up.”
“Right.” You pull out your keyring and begin the process of going case to case while Hoseok sets their alarms after you. You make it all the way around the room until you stand in front of the necklace again. It’s beauty draws you in, having never seen something like this before. Many would think it too bulky and busy for someone to wear everyday, but a part of you could see it’s appeal.
A part of you wouldn’t mind wearing it at all. 
Taehyung walks over to where you stand locking the cases and audibly gasps behind you, “Fix it!”
You jump, “Fix what?”
“The necklace! It’s not straight!” He points at the case and you turn your attention back to the object beneath the glass. Staring at with a clearer mind, it is indeed tilted just slightly to the left. If you were to just glance at it, you probably would have never noticed. But nothing could get past a perfectionist like Taehyung, “We have to fix it now!”
“Okay!” To appease the overly attentive curator, you unlock the case and adjust the necklace yourself. You pull the delicate string of stone and gem into place, locking it back up when you’re done. It glimmers in the corner of your eye as you turn back to Taehyung, “Better?”
He grins, knowing fully well that you’re more than annoyed with him, “Perfect.”
“Alright, now that we’re all done, everyone needs to leave so I can go home.” Yoongi announces.
Hoseok chuckles, “You really don’t want to be up past midnight do you?”
“I don’t care about being up past midnight. I don’t want to be out past midnight.” The older man grumbles, most likely cursing the other in the back of his mind, “There’s a difference.”
“Sure there is.” Hoseok teases, making Yoongi glare at him even harder than before. He turns to the movers and waves for them to follow him, “Gentlemen, let me show you back to your truck. We wouldn’t want the grump over here to bite your head off.”
The group follows after Hoseok and so does Yoongi, “You’re so lucky you’re my friend, Hoseok, or I would fire you so fast.”
Hoseok only laughs at his loose threat, “Well, if you’d like to take the bus then be my guest.”
They all leave the exhibit and you turn to Taehyung who still stands in front of the case admiring the necklace inside, “So, I’ll see you early tomorrow, Tae?”
He turns back to you and gives you a large, reassuring smile, “Bright and early.” 
“Go and get some rest for your big day then.” You say, placing a hand on his back and nudging him towards the door.
You watch him leave the exhibit, laughing at the way he dances to the music playing in his head. You take the responsibility of closing the gate, glancing over the exhibits contents between the bars before following Taehyung yourself. You say goodbye to Yoongi and Hoseok at the front door, ensuring the door gets locked behind them before getting to your own duties that were halted because of the shipment.
---
It’s later in the evening when you finally get to make your rounds through the empty halls of the museum. You’d checked every camera in the building twice, filling out your night paperwork as well as the visitor log for Hoseok to look over in the morning as you went. All you really had to do was roam the halls every now and then, keeping an eye on the monitors for anything suspicious.
The night shift was never quite as tiring as the day shift. Your interaction with patrons or real people was always far below what Hoseok and the dayshift would have to deal with - that was part of the reason you chose to take over the night shift. It was a bit more time consuming with just you, but hopefully Hoseok will find someone to replace Chanyeol before the New Year.
You hear a faint bang down the corridor and you pause. You’ve heard bumps like this before, mostly when it would rain and the tree by the ramp outside would hit the window. Rain wasn’t on the forecast for the evening, but that had never stopped it before. Not so easily scared, you continue on down the hall, stopping at the end of the hall when you hear it again.
“What the fuck…?” You say to yourself, a slight shake in your voice. The bang sounds again and you reach for your flashlight, it being the only protection against intruders. 
In the three years you’ve worked as a security guard, you’ve never had a break in. Even before you, there had never once been an attempt by anyone to steal anything. In reality, the alarms should’ve gone off by now if someone had made their way into the museum. That meant that someone was smart enough to get past the security system, or you were going crazy.
You really hope you’re going crazy.
You make your way down the hallway, following the bumps and bangs into the Ancient Dynasties exhibit. The gate is locked - it hasn’t been unlocked since you left the room at midnight - but the noise isn’t one easily mistaken. 
Against your better judgement you unlock the gate, stepping in and leaving the gate cracked behind you. If you needed a quick escape, then you wanted to be able to yank it closed as well. The noises cease as soon as you’re completely past the gate, sending an ominous chill up your spine. At a glance, nothing in the room seems out of place. Nothing looks to have been moved or damaged, but that does little to settle your unease.
“This is normal...everything is normal.” You say to yourself, trying to trick yourself into having the courage to move forward.
You spot the necklace in it’s spot close to the sarcophagus. It’s glass remains intact, just like every other item within the exhibit’s walls. It would make sense for someone to come after it considering it’s value, yet there it remains untouched.
“So where did the banging come fr-Agh!” You scream as the sarcophagus lid bursts open, falling to the floor in front of it and ripping the ropes connected to the wall right out.  
Inside the now open casket, the ancient king covered in tattered, dusty cloth rolls his head. You can see his mouth move from underneath the dirt as he yawns. His arms raise to stretch in front of him, the mummy taking one step out of his box.
You can only stand in shock as you watch what happens in front of you. You had to be dreaming. There was no way you were actually awake witnessing a dead king coming to life in front of you. This had to be some sort of sick joke from Yoongi for calling him short. Maybe Johnny for calling him out in front of that group of fourth graders. Someone has to be messing with you. 
The mummy turns his head to you and your breath hitches. You’ve never wanted to have seen The Mummy so much in one moment than this one, wishing you knew what exactly to do in this situation. You wish your feet would move, but they’re planted so firmly to the ground that they feel more like cement than limbs.
The monster before you takes a step in your direction, and you scream. You will yourself to move back, but you can’t stop yourself from stumbling over your own feet. You trip and land on your bottom, your body not even registering the pain as you attempt to scoot back away from the danger that continues to follow after you.
Every step he takes is another scream that releases from your lungs, your fear getting the best of you. It isn’t until your back hits the large display case that helps to divide the room that you realize you have nowhere else to go. You turn your head away, preparing yourself for whatever is about to come.
But nothing does.
You take a peek at the tall being before you and notice that he’s stopped moving, towering over your cowering form with his head tilted. His mouth opens and sounds come out, but his speech is muffled by the bandages. He seems to realize this though as his bandaged hands fly to his face.
You watch him pat around his face and neck until he finds a loose cloth, pulling it out and beginning the process of unwrapping his face. You watch in horror, unsure if the image before you will haunt you forever or not. To see what’s left of a 1,000 year old decomposed body that’s been “preserved” was something you never thought you would ever have to bear witness to. Hopefully, your therapist for this experience will understand.
If you get that far.
However, you weren’t expecting to see a full head of healthy brown hair appear as he went, nor did you expect to see healthy, tanned skin be freed from the confines as well. Brown eyes meet yours and a smile is uncovered, “Hello.” 
“Hi...” You blink rapidly, hoping if you do it enough times your vision will clear, but the man in front of you still half-covered in gauze doesn’t disappear. You shake your head, “Am I awake?”
“You are as awake as I am.” He says with a pleasant smile.
“That’s not a very reassuring answer...” You can’t help but stare at him in awe and wonder just how this was happening. Of course, Taehyung had told you countless times about this supposed curse or whatever it was, but you thought it was all just a hoax your ancestors believed in. There is no possible way that you are actually awake and experiencing reincarnation or rebirth or whatever this is firsthand.
“Ow!” You feel a pinch on your calf, pulling you from your thoughts and back to the matter at hand. Or more specifically, the person before you. 
“Well, did you feel that?” He asks. In your dazed state, you hadn’t noticed the man bend to your level and reach out to pinch you with rag covered fingers. The dust and mold leave a stain on your work pants and you can’t help but frown in disgust, “Yeah. Yeah, unfortunately I did.”
“You must be frightened and confused. Allow me to introduce myself-” He bows his head to you from where he kneels on the floor, “-I am King Kim Namjoon of Korea.” He looks back up and smiles bright, showcasing his dimples, “It is my pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” 
You tilt your head in confusion at his choice of words, “I’m sorry, you’ve been waiting for me? I don’t understand.”
“Are you not aware of our bond?” He asks, tilting his own head to the side.
Of course you know about his bond, it’s all that Taehyung has ever told you about! His necklace was gifted by the moon goddess so that when his soulmate touches it, he’ll wake up and they’l-
It takes you a moment to realize that he believes you to be his long lost soulmate, and you’re ready to spiral into another frenzy when you do, “No…” 
Soulmates aren’t real. Nobody just walks around and bumps into their soulmate on the street. They don’t hear their voice in the back of their heads. They don’t wait over 1,000 years to be matched with a fucking dead guy.
“No.” You repeat, more confident in yourself. 
“I understand you may be confused as to what this all must mean, but I’ll explain it to you-” Namjoon tries to reach out to you again, but you’re quick to push him away this time.
You stand from the floor in a rush and take two steps towards the center of the room where the two display cases separate and show a clear path to the exhibit’s only exit, “No, you won’t. Please return to your box.” 
He stands up after you but stops when he sees you step back again, “But we’re destined to be together!”
“Destiny isn’t real! This-” You gesture with both hands from you to him, “-isn’t real!”
“Our bond is as real as you and I!” He argues. You can feel the want and passion dripping from his voice. It isn’t hard to tell how much he truly believes you’re his soulmate, but he’s dead wrong - no pun intended. “I’ve spent so long waiting for you.”
“Nope.” It didn’t matter how many times he flashes you that lovestruck look. Soulmates weren’t real, and whatever is going on in front of you isn’t real either, “This isn’t happening.” You turn away from him, resorting to pacing out your frustrations instead of voicing them. 
Namjoon watches you with a disappointed frown and slumped shoulders, “Well, this isn’t how this was supposed to happen.” He mumbles.
You attempt to calm your breathing, pleading with your rationale to find some way - any way - to explain what’s happening. The whole interaction felt like a crazy fever dream that manifested on the worst day of a cold. They’re always weird, but they’re never this realistic. 
You turn back around to address the not-so-dead king and yelp when you see him pulling at his wrap, “What are you doing?!” You ask as he tugs and pulls at the rotten fabric.
Namjoon looks up, pausing his ministrations to give you an answer, “I’m removing these incessant wrappings.”
He returns to his unwrapping, leaving you to watch him as he goes. He wasn’t naked - thankfully - but you weren’t prepared for him to immediately unwrap himself. In all honesty, you wanted him to wrap himself back up and return to his box. Fortunately for you, under his wrappings he wears a loose white shirt and loose tan pants, his shoes long forgotten. 
When he finally frees himself, he takes a moment to look around the room. His gaze trails over the walls, “What is this place? Why are we not in my tomb?”
“You’re in a museum.” You explain, watching closely to gauge his reaction. In a way, he wasn’t really that old in retrospect, but you doubt he’d seen a museum before.
He turns to look at you, just as confused as you expected him to be, “What is that?”
You shrug, “It’s a place where people go to see old things and art.”
Namjoon breaks into a smile, a red tint coloring his cheeks, “I wouldn’t say I’m art.”
“I didn’t.” You say, causing Namjoon’s face to drop just the slightest.
He’s quick to mask his disappointment with a polite smile. Turning to the side of the case he stands on, he looks back to the exhibit around him. He looks up and his eyes trail over the lights above him, “What dynasty is this?” He asks. 
“Uh...the capitalist dynasty?” You reply, unsure of what you would call this era of time. Namjoon looks confused and you sigh, “You’re in the 21st century.”
“Fascinating…” He takes a long look over the glass case a few feet in front of him - the one that holds the crown made for his queen - before he moves forward, reaches out, and swipes a hand over top of it, collecting a thin sheen of dust on his fingertips.
“Don’t do that!” You rush forward and grab his wrist, pulling it away in fear of the alarm going off. Anybody who even got too close to it should set it off, yet no siren wails at his touch. The alarms had been set by Hoseok himself, so they have to be broken if neither of you were setting it off, “What…?”
“Can I have my arm back, or is this a new rude custom I’m unaware of?” Namjoon asks, staring at the place on his wrist your hand holds hostage. 
“No, just-...” You release his arm and take a breath as a poor attempt to remain calm, “-just don’t touch anything.”
“We’ll need to touch the case to get your necklace so we can return to my home together.�� He says as if what he suggested was completely normal for him.
You’re once again taken aback by his words, unsure if you heard him correctly or not, “I’m sorry?” You ask.
“We’re soulmates,” He explains, “It’s only natural for you to come live with me, so we can spend our days together.”
“We will not be going anywhere together!” You tell him. You step forward and grab him by the shoulders, turning him around so he faces his sarcophagus. You attempt to push him, “You will be staying here in your box, and you’re going to go back to sleep.”
Namjoon fights against your attempts, digging his feet into the hardwood floor beneath him. He scowls at the realization of what you’re trying to do, “Did you not hear what I said earlier? You are my destined lover. That’s how this is supposed to work!”
“And I told you that destiny isn’t real!” You argue, now using your shoulder to push all of your weight against him.
Namjoon turns to face you, causing you to lose your balance and fall forward. Namjoon grabs your arms before you can fall to the floor, using this opportunity to hold you close, “Is my life not enough proof for you?”
Dark brown eyes bore into your own, his sincerity written all over his features. You can tell he’s hurt, but you can’t help but continue to fight against him, “I don’t know! I’m still trying to process everything that’s happening right now!” 
“As soon as we leave, I will explain everything to you in much greater detail.” He says, now offering a smile. However, leaving with him is the last thing you wish to do.
You push away from him and take a few steps back towards the exhibit's entrance, “We are not leaving.”
“I am a king, I have wealth beyond your wildest dreams! I can take care of you and it is my job to do so.” He reaches out and takes you by your wrist, “We’re going!”
“I don’t even know you!” You yell, pulling your arm away from him once more and stepping closer towards the exit behind you.
Namjoon looks annoyed, but he takes a deep breath before he continues to try and pursued you, “Why don’t you allow us to get to know each other then? At least tell me your name.”
“Just-” You pause, unsure of what you should even do. You take a few more steps back and he follows, “Stay there!” You demand, raising a finger to him. He does as told - whether he wishes to or not - and allows you to take a few more steps back until you catch sight of the gate in your peripherals. As long as he stays where he is, you could slip out without him, “Good.”
Namjoon, however, takes offense to you keeping your distance from him. This was no way to treat a king, especially ‘your’ king nonetheless, “Do not speak to me as if I am a child! I am a king, may I remind you.”
“You may. But may I also remind you that your rule ended over 1,000 years ago and you no longer hold any power.” You say, watching the frown on his features deepen into a scowl. With every minute that passes, his calm exterior continues to break, showing you his true nature. You take this moment of weakness against him and reach for his exhibit key on your belt, “I, however, am in charge of this museum after hours, so you have to listen to me.”
“I am a man-” He tries to argue, but you’re quick to shut his misogyny down.
“-And I am a woman,” You retort, thumbing through the labeled keys. Hoseok always made fun of you for trying to organize them, but it looks like the jokes on him. Not that he would really believe you if you told him. 
“Your man card doesn’t work in this age, so try something else, your highness~” You tease.
Namjoon crosses his arms over his chest and glares, “You have quite the tongue when you’re not screaming.”
“Thank you, I get it from my grandmother. Now-” You slip through the crack you left in the gate and pull it close, pulling his key from it’s retractable clip and locking him in, “-go back to sleep.”
He blinks a few times before he moves towards you. He places his hands on the bars and pulls at them, but they don’t budge under him. His eyes widen in shock and he turns to you, “Did you just lock me in here?”
“I did.” You nod, smug smile and all.
“Unlock it. Now.” He demands, tightening his hold on the bars.
“Hm…” You pretend to contemplate his request, tapping a finger against your chin before you come to a fake decision, “No.” 
“You insolent girl!” Namjoon yells, banging his fists against the gate that holds him.
You step back with wide eyes, stunned by his sudden outburst. You knew you were making him angry, but not this angry, “Wow, that’s one way to talk to your apparent soulmate.”
“I’ve been pleasant long enough! It’s time for you to accept the truth and let. Me. Out!” He demands.
You shake your head, “I don’t think I will.”
“You’re being unreasonable.” He huffs. 
Staring at him through the bars, you take in his features. He’s angry, that much is clear. But there’s something else about him that just seems more hurt than anything. You don’t want to feel bad for him, but you have to give him credit where it’s due.
You release an exasperated sigh, “Look, I’m sorry, okay? This is probably hard for you and...a fever dream for me-” Fever dream is perhaps the most lax way to describe this experience, “-but I think your necklace chose the wrong person.”
Namjoon stiffens and he almost looks offended at your assumption, “The moon goddess is never wrong.”
“Well, this time she is,” You insist.
“So what do you expect me to do?” He asks.
You shrug, “I’d prefer it if you went back into your box.”
“You want me to live my life in a box? After I’ve already spent so much time in it?!” He asks.
“Yes! No...I-” You’re unsure of what to say. On one hand, you feel a bit guilty asking him to return to a box he’s spent 1,000 years in. He died once, believing that when he woke he’d be greeted by his one true love. Instead he woke up to you screaming at him. 
But on the other hand, he was supposed to be dead. 
You sigh, “I don’t know what I want, but I can’t deal with-...” You raise your hands, grasping at the air before gesturing to him, “-this.”
The king looks offended, but he holds his tongue. Instead he crosses his arms and straightens his posture, “Well, I will not be going back in that box.”
“Wha-?” You cut yourself off, in disbelief of this man’s stubbornness. You huff, “Then go find your palace or wherever you lived before!”
He shakes his head, “I won’t leave if you refuse to leave with me.”
“Then you better get used to your view, because this is all you’ll be seeing!” You state, finally having enough of him. You turn on your heel and begin to walk away, something you should have done when you first came up to the exhibit.
“You’ll come to realize that our intertwined fates will not go away just because you wish them to!” He calls after you, his voice echoing off the walls around you, “And then you’ll be crawling back to me!”
When you continue walking and refuse to answer him, he yells again, “At least let me explore!”
“Not happening!” You call over your shoulder.
“This is humiliating! You can’t do this!” You hear him rattling the gate again, but you pay him no mind. “Come back here, you insolent child!”
You bypass every other exhibit that you were supposed to check, instead rushing back to the safety of your office. Once you’re in you bolt the door behind you, just in case anything else in the building decided it needed to come to life as well. You drop yourself in your office chair and take a moment to yourself, giving yourself time to take in all of the events that just transpired.
The mummy from the new exhibit just came to life, you were somehow able to talk to him without passing out, he thinks you’re his soulmate, and now he’s upset with you because you locked him in his exhibit that he shouldn’t be freely roaming in. 
You turn to your monitor and switch through feeds until you find Namjoon’s exhibit. He’s still standing by the closed gate, his hands slipped through the bars to try and fiddle with the lock. His posture that he once held with you is lacking, not as pristine as it was before. You can’t help but watch him with pity as his attempts to get out continue to fail.
But you can’t bring yourself to go back before the night ends.
30 minutes before the morning shift was due to come in, you use the intercom to tell Namjoon he’d have to return to his sarcophagus for the day. You couldn’t hear him, but you didn’t need a microphone to know he was not only confused but also very unhappy about that. You managed to convince him by informing him they would take him away to rot in a cell without you if he didn’t, and that seemed to kick him into gear. 
Thankfully, he didn’t need your help making it back to his bed or putting the cover on top. You were not about to go down to his exhibit. Especially when the room itself looked completely untouched on the camera. The ropes that had been torn from the wall were back in their place as if nothing had ever happened, and the wrappings the King decided to discard were nowhere to be seen.
After that, you sat and waited for the morning shift to come and take over for you. You said good morning to all of your coworkers, and then you left. You went home and you went to bed, but waking again didn’t feel like a new experience. The looming feeling of knowing what awaits when you get to work again haunts you until your once again clearing the exhibits for the night. 
You make it to the exhibit that has weighed you down for the past 12 hours and you hesitate to step inside. Clearing the room and locking it up will start the night, and then you’re left with the chances of seeing him again. Seeing him again means that everything you saw last night wasn’t a joke, and that you really have a living mummy in your museum.
What’s worse is he thinks you're his true love. 
You come across Taehyung, once again sitting on the bench in front of the king’s sarcophagus. He wears a loose white button down and a pair of black dress pants, balancing a sketch pad on his thigh. He attempts to draw the exhibits main attraction with the altar that took weeks to create. If only he knew the object of his affections was alive and well only 15 feet away from him.
“Having fun there?” You ask, sitting next to the fashionable curator.
He takes a moment to answer, defining a line on his paper before he acknowledges you, “I always do when I’m here with Namjoon-hyung.” You roll your eyes at his use of ‘hyung’ and he chuckles. He turns his attention back to his paper, “Did you have a good rest of your night?”
You feel every bone in your body tense at the mention of the previous night. Last night was almost an out of body experience for you, and there was no real way to describe what you went through.
You shrug, “It was okay, same old same old.”
“That’s good! I’m glad you’re doing well here on your own at night.” He looks up from his shading and sets his pencil down, his expression becoming somber, “It must be hard without Chanyeol.”
“Yeah, it can be...” Working without Chanyeol really wasn’t any worse than working together. The only thing is now your new coworker is a 1,000 year old un-dead guy, but that’s a little much to explain, “But it’s fine! It really isn’t that strenuous on me at all.”
He smiles at your response and turns to look at his drawing, “I guess I’m holding you up aren’t I?” 
You want to tell him more than anything that today you want him to stay just a little longer. Today is the day you want to hear all about every exhibit in the museum. More than anything, you just don’t want to face Namjoon alone, but no one would believe you if you told them the truth. So instead, you hum in agreement.
“Alright, I’ll get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Once again, you watch him pack up and dance his way out of the exhibit. Only today you follow close behind, locking the king’s exhibit and rushing to the next - much more normal - exhibit.
 ---
It’s surreal to watch Namjoon through a screen. Sure, seeing him the other night was an experience, but to see that your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you is another trip entirely! With Namjoon truly existing, that leads you to really question his claims. You did touch the necklace, but so had plenty of others. Not to mention, it took him almost 3 hours after you’d touched it to wake up, so who’s to say that Taehyung isn’t his true soulmate? Even Yoongi could be!
Anyone but you.
He’s much more different now that he’s ‘chilled out’ from last night’s events. He’s no longer pacing back and forth or banging on his exhibit’s gate - though he has tried to pull it open once or twice. Now, he just sits on the bench where you had sat with Taehyung, only he sits facing away from his final resting place. 
He looks to be in deep thought, as if he’s contemplating something as he stares ahead of him. You like him better this way, calm and quiet instead of trying too hard to convince you to run away with him. This king you could babysit until he fell back asleep as he should’ve been in the first place.
With him seemingly content, you allow yourself to work on other things you’d normally do throughout the night. You mainly focus on the online coursework you didn’t get done due to the distraction on the screen in front of you, organizing your office in between assignments. You don’t really pay any mind to your cameras until you catch movement coming from Namjoon’s.
On the screen, he appears to be waving his arms and yelling, resembling those people you see on TV when someone gets injured. You can’t help but sigh. You’ve been putting off your rounds just so you wouldn’t have to go by his exhibit for him to accost you, now you didn’t have a choice but to go see what was troubling him before he broke something.
You grab your flashlight and tuck it into its place on your belt clip, leaving the safety of your office to see what his majesty so desperately needs from you. It must be desperate if he’s yelling for the entire city to hear. You quicken your pace to get there faster, hopefully before anybody besides you has the chance to hear his cries.
“Soulmate!” He yells, his voice clear as day as you reach level 3, “Come here! I demand your presence!” 
“If you don’t stop yelling for everyone to hear you, then I’m going to turn around and leave you alone!” You yell back, assuming he hears you when the yelling doesn’t continue. You make it to the gate of his exhibit and find him waiting for you with his arms crossed, no longer as relaxed as he was when the night began. 
“What?” You ask, stopping in front of him.
He doesn’t give you the pleasure of knowing right away. Instead, he looks you up and down with a hard glare, “You didn’t bring me food.”
“That’s what you’re yelling about?” You ask in disbelief.
Namjoon takes offense to your indifference, “Yes! For your information, I am very hungry for someone who hasn’t eaten in over 1,000 years.”
In hindsight, you’d most likely be a little angry too if you hadn’t eaten in so long as well - though it’s not really an excuse for his behavior last night. But explaining why an unconscious guy was chilling on the floor of a locked exhibit with security footage showing him coming out of the sarcophagus would not be fun for anyone involved. 
“I’ll be right back.” You leave him to run back to the break room, grabbing the prepackaged lunch you had bought for yourself, a pair of disposable chopsticks, and a banana milk that you kept stashed behind Hoseok’s forgotten lunchbox before heading back up. 
Namjoon gives you a strange look when you come back, his eyes trained on the box in your hand, “What is that?”
“It was my lunch, but you probably need this more than me.” You look for the key to his exhibit on your belt, sifting through until you find the right label and pull it up to unlock the gate. You pause before turning the lock, “Move back to the case.”
“Really?” Namjoon asks, his eyes narrowed in a glare. You return your own glare until he finally gives in and takes the steps back to the case as you asked him to, “Happy?”
You nod and turn the lock over, opening the gate and slipping inside with the food you brought for him. You hand him the lunchbox and the milk before you reach into your back pocket for the chopsticks, “Sorry if it’s not what you’re used to, but this is all I’ve got-”
“-There’s no need.” He raises a hand to stop you - an action that irks you to no end - and sits on the floor with the food you’ve given him. You watch as he struggles with the tape that holds it together, holding back your laughter when he manages to get it off the box and stuck to his fingers instead. He seems to relax when he rubs it off on the floor, but his next challenge comes when he opens the packet of chopsticks and there’s only one inside, “What this?!”
“I’m going to assume you’ve never seen this before.” You bend down to his level to take the chopsticks from him, holding each one and pulling them apart to create two, perfectly good chopsticks. You bite back a laugh when you see the amazement written across Namjoon’s face, “Pretty cool, yeah?”
“Very…” He says. You hand him the chopsticks, watching with amusement as he tries to fit them back together. One drops and he fumbles to catch it before he realizes you’re still watching him, quickly using the utensils to shove food in his mouth as a distraction. 
“Here.” Not wanting him to embarrass himself further, you take his banana milk and open it for him, setting it beside him while he eats. He takes a moment to take a sip and his eyes widen in surprise.
“What is this?” He asks, holding the bottle close to his face to inspect the label.
You shrug, “It’s just banana milk.” 
“Well, it tastes fantastic!” He tilts his head back and chugs the rest of it, wiping his mouth before turning back to you with the same expression of a puppy ready to play, “Is there more?”
“Uh…” You hesitate to answer, afraid he’ll try to boss you around again, “Yeah, we do.”
“Bring me-!” He stops when he sees your expression sour. Instead, he clears his throat and bows his head, “If you wouldn’t mind, could I please have another?”
“Sure thing.” You smile, and he smiles back. It wasn’t much, but it felt like an understanding after the fiasco that happened the night before. 
So, you rush back while he continues eating, grabbing two more banana milks and a bag of chips for you to munch on yourself. When you come back, you’re not surprised to see that he’s finished his food and left the box laying on the floor with the empty milk container. You want to be upset with him for just leaving his trash lying around, but it’s hard to be mad at him when he’s trying so hard to work the kiosk.
“This infernal contraption doesn’t work!” He yells, hitting the top of it as if that would somehow make it work. Of course, he’s not the only person to try this - you’ve seen many middle aged men try to do the same thing when you close - but it would only prove to break if he didn’t dial it back.
“Don’t do that!” You rush to his side and push his hands away, blocking him from touching the kiosk any more. “You can’t just hit things and expect them to work. That’s not how people solve their problems.”
“Well, it doesn’t have a mouth, so how am I supposed to talk to it?” He questions.
“Okay…” You heave a sigh and grab the headphones that rest on the kiosk’s base, a pair for you and a pair for Namjoon. You place yours on your head and then move to place Namjoon’s over his ears. He flinches away from your touch and you pull back a bit, “It’s okay, I’m just going to show you how this works.”
He relaxes, bowing his head so you can place the headphones over his ears. Once they’re well adjusted, you tap the screen of the kiosk to bring it to life. You read through the options designed for the exhibit, choosing to let it read through information about Namjoon himself.
“The Kim Dynasty-” The woman’s voice fills both of your ears, scaring Namjoon so much that he jumps back and his headphones clang to the floor.
His scared expression is priceless, eyes wide and hands raised to defend himself. You laugh, picking up his headphones and extending them to him, “That’s supposed to happen.”
“How is it doing that? Is there a woman trapped in each of these?” He asks, eyeing the other kiosks that line the wall beside the one you share.
You shake your head, “It’s called a recording. They made a copy of her voice and put it in here so the people that come here can learn more about you.”
“Oh…” He accepts your answer and the headphones in your hand, “I see the moon goddess has been very busy.”
“Here.” You grab his hand and fix it so his pointer finger sticks out, guiding his hand so it presses lightly against the glass to select a different option. A new section of Namjoon’s life begins to play and Namjoon seems impressed by the ‘power’ he holds in one appendage. “This is called a touch-screen. You just have to tap the buttons on the screen and it’ll change.”
He nods, staring intently at the screen before him. He tilts his head and taps the little home button at the top left, surprised when the screen changes from a video to the screen it started on. He smiles, his dimples popping out as he chooses another option, “This is amazing!”
His smile is infectious, as well as his eagerness to learn more about the technology in front of him, “I’ll just leave you to play with that for a bit, I have a job to do.”
“Yes! Okay.” He waves you off, paying more attention to the kiosk than to you. 
You lock the gate behind you when you leave, though it doesn’t seem like Namjoon even took notice of either action. Even after you rush through your duties to come back to him sooner, he’s still playing with the same kiosk with a child’s enthusiasm.
“You’re really enjoying yourself.” You muse, standing off to the side behind him.
Namjoon nods, his fingers still dancing across the screen, “This technology is amazing! If only we had this in my dynasty. I can only imagine the advantages we would have had.”
You nod in agreement, “Yeah, it definitely comes in handy. Though, a lot of people believe it’s made us weaker as a society.”
“I can see why. Everything I could ever want to know about myself is right here at my fingertips,” He says, scrolling through the different options he could look through. He comes across a picture of himself and grimaces, “I wish they would have used a different portrait.”
You chuckle in amusement, “Well, if you’re not having my trouble, then I‘m going to get back to my office.” You go to leave the room again when Namjoon grabs you by the arm.
“Wait!” He yells, pulling you back to him. It takes him a second to realize what he did before he let’s go, “Sorry!” 
“It’s fine.” You mumble. 
“I just-...” The king pauses, taking a moment to collect himself, “I wanted to know if I could look at more exhibits tomorrow?”
His eyes look down into yours, so hopeful for a good answer. You’re unsure, “I don’t know…” You want to say yes to him, but there’s so much at stake if you were to let him walk around on his own. Granted, he couldn’t trip the alarms, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t break anything. 
“I won’t touch anything, I swear!” He promises, both of his hands reaching out to take your own. He holds them to his chest, lightly cradling against the fabric of his shirt as he begs you, “I just don’t want to spend the rest of my time sitting in this room when there’s so much more around me.”
That gets you.
If there was one thing you could understand, it was being somewhere new with so much knowledge that you just had to know more. For someone like Namjoon, this was more than that. He had a whole world to try to come to terms with, and he was standing in the best place to do so. If you denied him that, then would you be able to deal with it?
“Tomorrow.” You say, “I’ll let you explore the museum tomorrow.”
Namjoon’s eyes light up and it looks like a weight is lifted right off of his shoulders. He doesn’t hesitate to bow to you, “Thank you, soulmate.”
“It’s not the whole museum!” You add quickly, “And my name is (Y/n).” He seems unhappy at first, but he does eventually nod to give his thanks where it was due. You give a polite bow back, “You’re welcome.”
The next night comes all too quickly for you. Leaving him alone to explore was more than nerve wracking. You were probably out of your mind for even considering letting him out on his own, let alone trusting him in the first place. Sitting in your office you’d check the camera’s every few minutes just to be sure he was still in the hall, or you’d pinpoint his last location and make your final round of the museum according to how he’d walk through the halls.
That first night, Namjoon only went through his exhibit and the rest of level 3. Occasionally you’d catch him playing with a water fountain on the camera’s in front of the bathroom. Another time you caught him turning towards a planter and you quickly changed screens, reminding yourself to open a bathroom for him for the next night. 
As two more nights pass, you notice his want to get closer to the exhibits than to just sit on the outside. More often than not, you caught him with his face pressed against the metal bars trying to get a closer look at everything. It wasn’t hard to tell that he wanted to be in the room with the art itself, but a part of you is still worried to let him have that extra inch.
It’s only on the 5th night when Taehyung takes notice of your woes that you change your mind.
“What’s wrong?” He asks, leaning over himself on the bench to look at you. You sit with your hands in your lap just staring at Namjoon in front of you, wondering if you can really trust him to continue keeping his word. You don’t notice Taehyung, nor do you hear his question. He rolls his eyes and taps your knee twice, “Hey!”
“Huh?” You blink away your thoughts and turn your attention to him. Unaware of what he asked, you tilt your head in confusion, “What?”
Taehyung hums to himself and nods, “I’m right, something is wrong with you.”
“What do you mean something’s wrong with me?” You ask defensively.
Taehyung sighs and shows you his watch, showing you that it’s 5 minutes past weekday closing time, “This is the longest you’ve let me sit here rambling to myself. 10 minutes past our normal time!”
You shake your head, content to push him away, “I’m just a bit distracted, that’s all.”
“By what? Is it a work problem? Family troubles? You can tell me, I’ll listen!” He assures you. 
You have no doubt in your mind that he will listen to you, but how do you explain your situation is the real problem at hand. There were only so many excuses in the world, and if you weren’t careful you might get yourself fired just for using a bad analogy.
You weigh your options and sigh, “My niece - she’s really little and way too rambunctious to come here - really wants to come and see the art on display. I want her to come see where I work because I know she likes the art, but I know my sister is worried about her breaking something or causing a scene.”
“Hmm...I see.” Taehyung hums, not showing any sign of suspicion against you. He really thinks about your ‘concern’ before he comes to a conclusion. “I think she should come and see.”
“Really?” You ask.
He nods, “Yeah! It’s best to let children experience art and it’s creativity for themselves! Even young children have an eye for art, and those who truly appreciate it only want to see it up close to see every detail.”
“I guess that does make sense…” Thinking about it, he does have a point. Namjoon may be from a different moment in time, but he’s still a grown adult. 
Taehyung seems to sense your uncertainty and places a calming hand on your knee, “Art isn’t meant to be viewed from afar. It’s made to make us feel emotion.” He explains, “Even the most unlikely of patrons can find something that makes them appreciate art.” 
Even after your talk is finished and you’ve left Namjoon’s exhibit unlocked for him to let himself out, you’re still debating your next course of action. There’s a big risk in letting him roam through the exhibits, but you can’t in good conscience let him sit around doing nothing forever.
You find Namjoon on level 4, his face pressed against the bars of the Apparel Through the Ages exhibit. You sneak up behind him and clear your throat, “Good evening, your highness.”
Namjoon stumbles back, not expecting you to be there. It’s amusing to watch him scramble into a more respectable position with his hands behind his back. He glances your way, “Have you come around already?”
“No, I haven’t,” You say. You pull at the keys on your belt and jingle them, “I’ve come to open an exhibit for you.”
“What?” He’s surprised, “Will you really?” 
“Someone told me that those who appreciate art want to take in all the details they can.” It didn’t take a genius to see that Namjoon wants to see more than he can see at the exhibit’s gates. An old soul like his could probably use some new perspective, “You choose the exhibit and I’ll unlock it.”
“Any of them?” He asks.
You nod, “Just lead the way.”
The light in his eyes that you saw the night before comes back and it relaxes you for some reason. Even as he takes your wrist to lead you down the hall to the exhibit he wants to see, it’s as if he’s two different people. It’s almost confusing how quickly his demeanor changes with you. When he doesn’t get what he wants, he becomes a child. Yet the moment you offer something new - something for him to learn about - it’s as if he’s just a child at heart. 
When you open the Animal Kingdom exhibit on level 2 for him you’re thrown for another loop. He only gives you a simple thanks and walks away, leaving you to question if he’s just inherently an asshole or if he’s just petty. Even as you come back around from your rounds to close up for the night, he still seems to flip back and forth with his own personality and his thanks.
You go home that morning confused and on a mission. You throw the notion of sleep out the window and settle onto your couch with a cup of coffee and your laptop, determined to know more about this so-called King that intends to ruin your life little by little. 
A simple Google search brings you many results, ranging in portraits and newspaper articles to biographies written by renowned historians. You click on the first link available, taking you to a page drowning in photos and art. It would seem that even in life, Namjoon enjoyed surrounding himself with art. 
His portraits were absolutely breathtaking - you could understand his disappointment now that you’ve seen more than just the one - and the pictures they showcase of his palace are surrounded in flowers and gorgeous statement pieces littered across the grounds. It’s surprising to read that they’ve remained there for so long without any disturbances. You would have thought they’d taken one or two lawn pieces like they had taken Namjoon, yet they remain in their home without any signs of distress to them. 
You take another long sip of coffee and move onto another page, checking out a more informative website. This one goes into detail about his life as a prince and as a king. You discover that he became king at the young age of 17 when his parents sadly passed away during an ambush to the throne. Apparently, he changed over half of the Kingdom’s laws the very next day and saw to every change in policy himself. It only took him 3 months to get the people of his kingdom to trust in him and his guidance, which - according to the article - was a big feat for his time.
You’re surprised to read about his contributions to his people. He strongly encouraged his people to progress forward and bring him their concerns, he housed over 30 children in his home at one time because they had no homes to go to and he even had a sort of sanctuary for animals to be cared for under his watch. He oversaw their historians writing, ensuring that they put every detail on paper. Even his failures were written down under his careful eye, despite his power to erase them from future generations
This Namjoon was so kind and caring. He was so well educated and well-spoken, and he was loved by all of his people for his generosity and understanding nature. How is it that a man who was known for being so kind, could be the same man who bossed you around and demanded that you spend the rest of your life with him?
How is it that a guy who sounds so sweet on paper can be a total dick in real life?
* * *
After hours of research with no sleep and a cold shower to wake you up, you find yourself standing in front of Namjoon with a copy of The Little Prince tucked on top of the food you’ve brought him for the night.
Namjoon accepts the food, taking the boxed lunch with one hand so he can pick up the book with the other. He inspects it carefully, flipping it over a few times to look it over, “What’s this?”
“I did a little research on you, your highness. According to historians and the internet, you were quite the avid reader.” You’d read a lot about Namjoon, and every website you visited gave you list upon list of books read by him when he was still alive and well. They all spoke of his fascination for fantasy novels and those with deeper meanings behind them. The Little Prince seemed like a no brainer to you when it came to more relevant novels to fit his tastes. “I figured you might get bored sooner or later, so I brought you something to pass the time until you fall asleep again.”
“You know that’s not how the enchantment works, yes?” He asks.
You think about it for a moment before you reply, “No, I don’t know that. Do you?”
“I-” Namjoon is at a loss for your teasing words. Instead he frowns and turns his nose,“It doesn’t matter if I’ve seen it happen! I trust the moon goddess!”
“Mhmm, whatever you say~” You laugh, much to his annoyance. Namjoon sits down to eat his food and you take that as a sign for you to continue doing your job, “Enjoy your book and your food.”
You go to leave, but the king calls after you, “Can’t you stay here? Keep me company?”
You pause. His company wasn’t terrible, but you don’t want to stay and risk giving him a sense of false hope. He was still over 1,000 years old, and you were still a broke college student trying to pay her way through life. You’ve never been the type to play with someone’s emotions, and you weren’t going to start now. 
“That’s not in my job description.” You say. You almost regret your choice when you see his sad expression, but you steel yourself, “Have a good night.”
You leave him, not coming back until you’re making a lap on your rounds. And there - sitting against one of the large display cases - sits Namjoon with the book held loosely in his hands, his face holding a look of pure concentration and a ghost of a smile. He looks so peaceful and content sitting cross-legged on the hard wood of his exhibit, you almost feel bad for asking him to return to his sarcophagus. But that night he goes willingly.
And you can’t help but notice the glow of the necklace on your way out.
---
“Hey-!” You turn your head away from the water fountain, hearing Jimin’s voice call down the already noisy hall. You spy him at the entrance of the gift shop, but his attention is on a girl passing by who’s turned to look at him as well. He holds a box in his hand, but you can’t see what’s inside from where you stand. “Have you seen our new merchandise that just came in?”
“Uh...no, I haven’t.” The girl seems slightly uncomfortable. Either from his approach from the gift shop for her to buy something, or just from a guy who looks like Jimin approaching her - you don’t know which. 
You walk closer to the gift shop, curious yourself about the mystery box in Jimin’s hands.
“This - my lovely lady - is our newest piece of jewelry.” He opens the box and you catch a glimmer of silver and fuschia, “The necklace of King Kim Namjoon’s lost lover.”
Her face lights up initially when she sees it, but then her face drops and she shakes her head, “Oh, no, thank you.”
“You don’t want to buy it?” He asks. Jimin pouts and you can feel the immediate distress coming off the poor girl he’s talking to. 
“It’s pretty, but it’s a little expensive…” She tries to explain her situation - whether it’s true or not - but Jimin is relentless.
He looks around the hall to make sure no one is too close to listen - all but you anyways - and gets closer to her, “But don’t you know the legend behind the necklace?”
“Of course I do! King Kim Namjoon’s soulmate is supposed to wear this necklace.” She says.
“Yes, but that’s not all!” Jimin makes a point of string into her eyes, unwilling to break their eye contact, “Legend says he prayed to the moon goddess herself to find his true love and she gifted him with her own special moonstone to guide his other half to him!”
He moves closer, so that the two are almost shoulder to shoulder just so he can give her a closer view of the product, “These pink stones are pieces of the King’s soulmate's heart, and they’ll glow brightest when his lover wears his necklace by his side!” 
“Wow...that’s so romantic.” You can see her resolve breaking, and you almost feel bad for her that Jimin is the clerk on duty today.
“Do you want to know the best part?” He asks, his smile reaching his cheeks and his eyes full of mischief that resemble love almost too closely. She nods enthusiastically and Jimin brings the box closer so she can see, “This gold string that holds it altogether represents their connection to each other. It’s a bond that can’t be broken by anything in the universe.” 
He carelessly throws an arm over her shoulder, just light enough to be seen as friendly. Though, it would seem the small trick is already working it’s magic on the poor thing. He squeezes her shoulder, “A lot of people believe that wearing this necklace will bring you closer to finding your own true love, so they package them with their own prayers to the moon goddess in hopes she’ll grant them eternal love as well.”
“Really?!” She asks. She looks to him as if he holds the whole universe in his hands, having been swayed by the blonde’s charm.
“Yeah!”
Just like that, you watch him lead her back to the counter and then wave her and her new treasure goodbye, holding a sticky note close to his heart. 
“Should you really be lying like that?”You ask from the store’s entrance. You’re more than disappointed to see yet another girl fall for the man’s charms
Jimin shrugs, “I didn’t lie. I just stretched the truth.” 
You walk up to the counter and snatch the note out of his hand, “Stretching the truth sounds a lot like lying.” 
“Don’t you have a monitor to watch somewhere?” He teases. You hand him the paper back and he sticks it in his pocket, bending below the counter to grab another.
You can’t help but think about what he said, and the legend behind the real necklace. You’ve heard a lot about the real thing, but all of it usually went in one ear and out the other as myth for you. Now that you know it’s real and far from a hoax, you have so much more that you need to know.  
Jimin pops back up with a stack of necklaces in his arms and sets them on the counter in front of you, pulling out a sheet of tags that go with them. You take the sheet from his hand and peel one off, handing it to him, “Can I ask you a question? About the necklace?”
“Sure, but Taehyung is the expert around here.” He says, accepting your sticker to place on the box in front of him.
“You think I don’t know that?” You laugh. You look down and peel off another one, “Is all of what you said about the necklace itself true? About the real necklace?”
“According to Taehyung it is!” He nods, not even sparing you a glance, “The moon goddess gave the King a necklace so powerful that only he and his lover could tear the bond if they chose to, but they never got the chance to meet.”
You hand him another sticker, but you stare into space as you do, “That’s...really sad.” You can’t help but think of the pain Namjoon had to go through knowing his soulmate would be by his side, but not knowing it wouldn’t be in his first lifetime. Not only that, but to wake up and then be met with someone who doesn’t even want to be his soulmate? You can’t help but think about how you’d act towards him if the roles were reversed and he were in your shoes.
You’d be devastated.
“It is.” He takes the sticker from you with one hand and flicks your forehead with the other. You flinch and pull back with your hand rubbing the spot he hit while he just smirks at you, “You would know if you ever listened to Taehyung.”
“Yeah.” You don’t even register your response before handing the sticker sheet back to Jimin and pushing off the counter, “Thanks Jimin! Have a good night, okay? Don’t call me at 2am like last week.”
“No promises~” He sings, going back to his work in front of him.
Later that night when you’re handing Namjoon his dinner, you sit with him to eat yours as well. The look Namjoon gives you as you calmly open your dinner across from him is almost too good to ignore.
“What are you doing?” He asks, slowly unboxing his own lunch.
You pay him no mind as you break apart your chopsticks to start eating, “You wanted me to keep you company, remember? Or is my presence no longer appreciated?” You pick up a clump of rice and turn your attention to him, eyebrow raised.
Namjoon is quick to shake his head and get started on his own food, “Of course it is!” 
You both eat in awkward silence, neither of you quite sure how to start a normal conversation. You’ve only ever made polite talk with him, and he only ever seemed to anger you no matter what he said. The only time you were ever civil was when you would show him something new.
Namjoon swallows his food and clears his throat, “Where would you like me to escort you tonight, my lady?”
You shake your head, “First of all, don’t call me ‘your lady’ or anything else other than my name.” You warn him, pointing at the tag on your jacket. He nods and you continue with your rant, “Second, I have some rounds to do, so you can join me tonight as long as you don’t bother me too much. Understood?”
“Yes, my la-” You narrow your eyes at him and he corrects himself, “(Y/n).”
The two of you finish your food quickly with some small talk made here and there. When you’ve cleaned up, you allow Namjoon to lead you to another exhibit he’s yet to see. All the way on level 1, he wants to see art he’s more familiar with.
“So, you said you asked the moon goddess for a chance to meet your soulmate?” You ask one you’re inside the museum.
“Indeed,” Namjoon nods, listening to you as he takes in the art around him, “I prayed to her one night on a full moon and I begged her to send me a lover. Someone I could confide in and care for, and would do the same for me.”
You tilt your head in confusion, “And instead she gave you the necklace?”
“No, she gave you a way to find me.” He says, a genuine look of happiness on his face. 
“Still-“ You feel a heat rising in your face and you can’t help but turn away from him out of embarrassment. Your eyes land on a painting of a couple and you feel the knife dig just a little deeper, “-you asked her for someone to rule by your side as your equal and she let fate tear you apart.”
He shrugs, “Maybe we weren’t meant to meet before now.”
His calm exterior bothers you. If you had asked for what he had, you’d be livid! He made a promise and that promise was misguided! 
“How can you be so calm?” You ask, allowing your thoughts to be heard.
Namjoon stops to look at a picture of a cherry blossom in the winter, it’s petals covered in frost. He smiles, “You said you read about me from one of your current books. The internet? What do they tell you of me?”
You chuckle at his misunderstanding of what the internet truly is, “Well, the internet told me that you were a very generous and beloved king. They said you were intelligent and caring.”
He chuckles, “I’m flattered.” He looks to you with an amused smile and you elbow his side carefully, causing him to laugh, “I’m only joking!”
You roll your eyes, “Oh, sure.”
Moving on to the next painting, he follows after you, “What else did your book tell you?”
“Well, it told me about your love for the arts.” You remember the extensive biography you’d found during your research. You didn’t read it in its entirety, but you did skim through it, “I read that you would host a festival every year?”
“Yes! Just something special during the summer seasons to enlighten everyone.” He has a far away look in his eye as he recalls the fond memories of his past life, and you can only begin to wonder what a day in his life would have been like, “I’d import goods from everywhere just to have the best for my people.”
“It would seem you’re truly generous, your majesty~” You tease.
“Namjoon.” He corrects you. You give him a quizzical stare and he only smiles in return, “If I’m to call you by your more common title, then you should feel free to use mine. I am attempting to woo you after all.”
“Right.” You smile awkwardly, remembering that you were actually trying to give him a chance. You’d actually been comfortable for once, that you hadn’t even noticed just how easy it had become to talk to him.
“And to really answer your question of why I am as calm as I am,” He pauses in front of a portrait of a town under the night sky, his attention trained on the light orb in the background of the painting. “The moon goddess is lonely herself by nature, so separated from our world. Just like this portrait, we see her, but we pay her no mind.” 
You stand beside him and take your own, clear look at the picture. If you would have looked at it on your own, your main focus would have been on the town and the people in the foreground. You would have glanced at the moon, but the orb and her stars were painted so faint compared to the rest of the picture.
“She came to me - and perhaps it was out of boredom for her own happiness - but she made me a promise. Promises are something I don’t take lightly.” He says. His words are spoken like a true king, but you can’t help but wonder if he himself truly means what he says. 
Namjoon turns to you with a peaceful smile, “Fate works in mysterious ways, and sometimes it’s best for us to wait and see what it brings.”
He’s ready to move on and you both bask in a new found silence as you continue to walk through the exhibit, stopping occasionally at a portrait here and there. Though at every painting you stop, you can’t help but look at the man next to you.
This was the man described in everything you read. This was King Kim Namjoon at his finest, and you were privileged enough to be there.
“Did you really house orphaned children?” You ask out of the blue.
He blinks at first, registering your sudden outburst. Though, when he does realize what you’ve asked, he smiles fondly, “I did. Of all the people we should take care of, our children and our elderly are most important!” 
His words are filled with passion, and you can tell he really cares about the people he’s talking about, “Our elders have shaped our generation, and we shape the generations after us. It’s only fair that we see they’re well taken care of.”
There’s a part of you that truly wishes to see what he was like as a ruler for yourself. You smile, “Well, I guess the internet doesn’t lie.”
“I suppose it doesn’t, though I’m probably not the correct person to ask.” He sheepishly admits, a light blush dusting his cheeks.
You nod in understanding. He really didn’t know much about this era or it’s advancements besides the kiosks in his exhibit. It takes you a moment, but you think of the perfect exhibit to introduce him to the 21st century. 
You take his hand in yours - effectively catching him off guard - and you pull him in the direction of the exit, “Well, allow me to educate you about the world I live in.”
Namjoon doesn’t even attempt to hide his blush this time around. He only nods and allows himself to follow you, “Please.”
You lead him out of the more classic featured art section and into the Modern Art Exhibit. This exhibit starts very tame, sticking to photography and modern painting styles before it morphs into free form art sculptures in the connecting rooms.
One sculpture is made of metal and it’s shape reminds you of a round mushroom. It's definitely interesting, but you don’t necessarily understand it’s appeal. It would seem Namjoon is confused as well.
“This is art?” He asks, his head tilted to the side as he follows his distorted reflection.
“It is.” You assure him. You had a feeling he wouldn’t get it either, you just wanted to show him what he was missing. You sigh, “I don’t really understand it either so don’t fe-”
“It’s so intriguing.” Namjoon says, cutting you off. 
“I’m sorry?” You ask, slightly confused.
“The structure and the colors, they’re so complimentary to the other! I don’t want to look away.” His entire being is completely enraptured with the piece in front of him. It’s so simple, yet his eye contact doesn’t break from his reflection. “I feel as though I am in a trance.”
You squeeze his hand - not even caring that your hands are still connected, “Well, there’s much more of this to see.”
A look of pure joy and elation blossoms on Namjoon’s face and you feel a faint flutter in your heart. You’d never noticed how bright his eyes shine until now, nor did you notice just how cute his dimples really were.
Are you really falling for him?
~ Read: Part 2 ~
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mae-gi-writes · 4 years
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Last Minute Love | Eric (The Boyz)
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Requested by anon! It’s only on the eve of Eric’s departure that you realize you have feelings for him.
genre: friends to lovers au, fluff
-----
It was somewhat of a miracle that you'd managed to catch Eric just before his flight to Los Angeles. With his busy schedule going back and forth between places, he had accustomed himself to life on the road, to a home that moved each and every single time depending on which country he was touring.
And seeing him happy had never made you happier.
When he'd called you up a few weeks ago to announce - in his flurry of excitement - that he was finally visiting home, you couldn't help the squeal that fell out of your mouth, excitement bubbling up from your throat as your mind races to the countless amount of time you'e have to spend with him. A few special days that you'd hold on to in his absence.
The weeks had flown. It was impossible to discern where the time had gone, but every day since Eric's arrival had been complete bliss. Small trips to the bubble tea shop by the corner, chatting too loudly in the movie theatre, pillow fights amidst video game competitions... you had appreciated them all and yet, it didn't feel enough. It never felt enough where Eric was concerned.
Needless to say, the eve of his departure had done nothing to mend the slow tear of stitches holding your heart together. As you sat together with your group of friends on the beach where you had built a small campfire, your shoulders gently brushing Eric's every time he moved, you were greatly aware of the incessant tingling up and down your arms and his scent -- a mixture of freshly washed sheets tinged with a sweeter indescribable smell -- that wrapped around you like a comforting embrace. It was one that you'd miss dearly once he was gone and almost out of instinct, you couldn't help yourself from snuggling a little closer.
He probably felt your inner turmoil, for he laid a hand behind your back, leaning into you so that his chest pressed against your shoulder blade. You pinked, hoping that the darkness wouldn't give way to the rush of heat spreading across your cheeks, before you felt the softest caress down your backside.
In truth, Eric had been a little flirtier than usual this time. His teasing had been a little more playful, his grin a little more charming, the look in his eyes filled with a tenderness that wasn't there before. Though you were confused at his intentions, you had allowed yourself to ease into the banter, flirting back and forth until it was clear that there was something between you two.
"Do you know when's your next break?" One of your friends asked as he tipped back his beer.
Eric shook his head, "can't say. I'll be completely swamped with promotions and prepping our comeback when I return."
"Don't forget us once you make a name for yourself," another friend joked.
"I might if you keep pestering me to hook you up with celebrities," Eric shoots back with a grin.
"Seriously Ryan, you gotta play within your own league..."
You couldn't, for the life of you, focus as the conversation moved away to another topic, suddenly overwhelmed by a clog of emotion in your throat. Not knowing when you'll see Eric next was a thought that made something in your heart squeeze in pain.
"Y/N?" Eric's soft alto brought you out of your bubble, fluttering your eyes up to meet his, "you okay?"
"Fine," you muttered and looked down so that you could blink away the tears rapidly accumulating at the corner of your eyes.
His hand, warm and big and soothing, rubbed at your back comfortingly.
Clamping your teeth down onto your lower lip, you only nestled a little closer to him in response. He shifted then, turning his head until his lips brushed against your temple as goosebumps ran along your arms at his touch. It wasn't a kiss per se, just a tentative brush or skin against skin. You shivered though, not used to Eric being so affectionate.
Maybe it was something to do with the night itself, you somehow felt a little more comfortable to show him that you were going to miss him deeply.
"I'm going to miss you," your words were softer than a whisper itself. You were surprised that they reached Eric's ears, who curled his arm around your waist to hug you close.
"I'm never too far," he mumbled against your temple, before leaning away slightly to catch your gaze, "you know that, right?"
"It's not the same."
"I know," and then he tugged you closer still, not caring about the curious eyes following his every move, the diminishing distance between your bodies that would probably entice a few rounds of mischievous comments the day after.
The walk back to your house had been different. It had felt different, even when you were usually so comfortable in his presence. His hand would keep brushing against yours as you chatted quietly into the night, until his fingers finally laced themselves with yours before squeezing softly, a tender reminder that he was still here, right now at this very moment.
Your head tilted up towards his, a silent question swimming in your dark pupils that he answered with a question of his own as he held your gaze with an intensity that rendered you weak at the knees.
"What time's your flight tomorrow?" You asked once you had reached your front door.
Eric's eyes were darker than night, the moon dancing across the planes of his face as he murmured, "seven in the evening."
"I'll be there."
"You better," he chuckled while playing with your fingers. Silence enveloped you soon after, broken only by the hum of cicadas and the gentle howl of a cooling breeze.
"So, I guess that's my cue to go to bed," you tried joking, except that your chuckles came out empty, almost like someone had just gutted you in the stomach.
"Y/N, I--" Eric's hand suddenly latched onto your wrist, pulling you into him and gazing at you with soft orbs, "I'm glad we got to hang out a lot."
"Me too," a smile graces your face, "me too, Eric."
"I wish I could've stayed longer."
"Then stay," you stepped closer to him.
Eric laughed, breaths intermingling as he dipped his head to gaze at you, "I wish."
Though you weren't sure who moved first, no sooner were you thinking of ways to make this last longer that his arms had already woven around your middle, caging you in a hug that you didn't hesitate to reciprocate for fear that he might just disappear at any given moment. His nose brushed along your cheek and as you tilted your head upwards, your breath stilled at the closeness between your bodies, time stopping on its axis as you spared a glance at his lips before quickly flitting your eyes back up to his face.
You wondered briefly what it would feel like, to kiss him.
But as far as friendship went, your cowardliness had made you retract from his hold with a promise that you'd see him off tomorrow at the edge of your mouth. Regret sat in the pit of your stomach as scenarios vividly haunted your mind that night, but you did your best to bat them away as you knew that it wouldn't bring you anything to dwell on what hadn’t happened.
"Got everything?" You asked once you'd arrived at the security gates, eyes scanning his belongings one last time so as to ignore the quench of tension in your abdomen.
"Think so," Eric threw you a small smile and your insides tingled. A knot formed in your stomach. 
Your other friends were already taking turns bidding him a goodbye, hugs and laughter being shared as they made Eric promise to come back as soon as he possibly could. And then it was your turn, the moment that you'd claimed to be mentally prepared for no matter what happened. 
As Eric turned to you, your friends backed away to give you some privacy after sending you mischievous smirks, and it reassured you that they understood the inner turmoil bubbling in your stomach even when you were bound to get an earful from them as soon as you'd leave the airport.
"Well, I guess this is it," Eric's words were enough to bring tears to the corner of your eyes. You looked away, fisting your hands on your shirt to grasp for some kind of emotional restraint. 
He probably saw it, for his face softened. He reached for your arm, "come here."
And you did. You allowed yourself to get a whiff of him and allowed yourself to feel his warmth, his heartbeat against yours one last time while tears gently fell down your cheeks and stained his shirt wet.
"Keep in touch, okay?" Your words came out choked, lips trembling when you tilted your face up to look at him while trying to trace his features into memory.
He nodded and leaned down to press the softest of kisses on your cheek. Your heart stuttered, your body reacting on its own as you returned the kiss to his cheek but only reaching his jaw.
Eric's inhale was poignant. A few beats of silence passed as your gazes locked. His hand unconsciously reached up to cup your cheek, thumb tracing over your lower lip.
Swallowing hard, you were about to break away before it got too intimate when he dipped his head so that his mouth was a hair's distance away from yours.
Time stopped. Warm chocolate met dark maroon. You bit onto your lower lip, heard Eric swallow.
Oh fuck it, your mind screamed. 
Your body closed the distance between your lips to kiss him fully on the mouth.
It was short, a mere peck, and when you pulled away Eric didn't waste time to press a hand to your back to tug you in once more. His mouth pressed another kiss and almost instantly you turned as pliant as a leaf in his arms, lips moving against his as though it was the most natural thing to do with someone you had never even considered more than a friend.
Only when you parted did he allow himself to murmur out a soft, "wow."
A soft trickle of laughter erupted from your chest despite the serious situation, "what?"
He answered by cupping your cheeks, pulling you in for another kiss that caused butterflies to flutter through your stomach and tickle your heart with ecstasy.
"Wait for me?" He whispered against your mouth. His thumb traced patterns along your cheek. Yours bunched onto his shirt, desperate for this moment to last forever.
You dipped your head into a nod, "I will," you bit your lip, "if you'll come back to me."
"I'll always come back for you," Eric murmured before giving you one last final hug as another kiss imprinted on your forehead, a final goodbye with the promise that you would see more of him in the coming future.
You knew he'd come back. And one day, it would be for good.
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softiee-babyy · 3 years
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IN MY BLOOD
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Summary: The one where Y/N cheats on Shawn. And he gets really devastated and heartbroken. Shawn starts drinking a lot and starts sleeping with any random model every night to ease/ ignore his pain.
1.2k words.
P.S. This is my first time writing a fic on here. So pardon any mistakes. ❤
Finally, a sense of relief rushed through me as my world tour was finally over. I felt really relaxed cause at last now I’ll be getting more time to spend with my beautiful girlfriend y/n. As I was on my way to our shared apartment I started missing her more and more by every minute that passed. I wanted to see her, feel her, touch her, tease her, caress her and please her. Alas! The car stopped in front the huge multi story building in whose apartment me and y/n live. To say I was excited would be an understatement, I was feeling like kid whose parent bought him to a huge toy store and gave him the permission to buy anything. I exchanged pleasantries with the receptionist at the front of the lobby and patiently waited for an elevator. As I stepped in the elevator and it’s doors started closing a feeling a nervousness and excitement rushed through me, it’s been six months since I’ve seen my baby y/n . This is gonna be a surprise foe her, as I didn’t told her that I’m coming back today, I’m eagerly waiting to see her reaction to this surprise. Finally, the elevator stopped at the 27th floor and steeped out of it and started making my way to our apartment through the hallway.  I slowly inserted the key into the keyhole of our doorknob. I smoothly opened the door, and yelled “ I’M BACK HOME Y/N”
I expected her to run towards me as soon as she would’ve have heard this, but I didn’t saw her coming towards me at all. Instead I heard some noises, not normal sounds, those were of someone moaning, and those moans aren’t of someone else, they’re of y/n- I know this cause I could recognize her voice even from miles away- “Don’t worry shawn nothing’s wrong, she might just be pleasuring herself” my subconscious mind is telling me this . I don’t  know what to do, maybe she’s just enjoying herself, but what if she’s doing what a part of my mind is telling me that she’s doing. I finally mustered up some courage and made my way to our bedroom. I slowly turned the doorknob and braced myself for whatever’s gonna happen next. The door slowly opened to reveal me a sight which was more than heartbreaking for me. At first, I thought this is just an illusion and none of this is true but, There she was, my pretty y/n fucking another man on our bed, on which we used to make so much love and memories. She clearly hadn’t noticed me till now, cause if she would’ve, she’d clearly be jumping off that man and explaining to me the reasons of why she did, what she did.
Finally, her filthy little eyes-whom once were the most prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen- met mine. She did exactly what I thought she’d do, she jumped off of him, grabbed her clothes and started walking towards me with her head hanged low. She looked up at me with her teary eyes but she didn’t say anything instead she started crying, I almost got tempted to forgive her and wrap my arms around her tiny body, cause I can’t see her in pain. But I kept telling myself  that “it’s her fault”, “you did nothing wrong”, “she should be sorry” to keep me from losing my composure. Finally she spoke something, more like she whispered something, “Shawn I-“ , I quickly cut her off by saying ,”Save it”. She starts sobbing more harder and to be honest it kinda hurt me to see her like this, but it’s her fault, she bought this upon herself. “Shawn atleast please listen to me once”, she spoke in her tiny voice, “No I won’t, cause you’re the one who broke my trust, you cheated on me, and expect me to listen to you huh?” , “Shawn I had reasons”, “What reasons? Wasn’t I enough for you?” I firmly asked this question to her, but she didn’t answer, she just kept whimpering her sobbing. “Do not ever show me your dirty face ever again, we’re over, everything we had between us is over, I trusted and loved you with all my heart, but I never expected you to do something like this to me. I hope you enjoyed playing with my feelings. Have a great life ahead, but don’t expect me to be in it. Goodbye Y/N!” It took every ounce of strength that I had in me to say those words and to leave her fragile body sobbing on the doorway with that stranger still lying on our bed and walk out the room and apartment without ever looking back.
I walked out the building in pure rage, I was raged not because of y/n but because I started thinking myself as a lower person to that mediocre man whom y/n was cheating on me with. Thousands of questions were running through my mind and my blood was boiling. I don’t know what I was doing my body was not in control of my mind, I started running on the road ,to god knows where, I didn’t cared about any vehicles hitting me, cause the only thought that was going through my mind were about y/n. I almost got hit by a car but I didn’t cared, I kept on running, and screaming y/n’s name. Some fans noticed me and started running behind me, I somehow dodged them. But then suddenly I saw camera lights flashing at me, and there I saw dozens of paps surrounding me and taking pictures of me, asking me non-sense questions, I was not ready to answer any of them, so I pushed them all away. I don’t care what the headlines tomorrow are gonna be tomorrow, I just want to escape the terrible thing that I witnessed right now, I just wanna run away from this pain.
My mind was not working, my body was not in my control, and my heart was gone numb. I’m now at my house, I don’t know what to do, I’m just laying on my couch being all surrounded by alcoholic bottles, and thinking about how the love of my life betrayed me.
It’s been 3 weeks since y/n cheated on me, everyday felt the same, everything was blurry, y/n had called & texted me countless amount of time but I didn’t answered it, cause I didn’t had the strength to. All that my days were consisted of was drinking and hooking up with random models, it didn’t ease the pain but it most definitely made me ignore it. It still felt like a bad nightmare, but I had to accept the harsh reality. I still remember the day when I first met y/n. She accidently spilled her coffee on me and bought me a shirt in spite of me telling her no multiple times. Her cheekiness & down to earth nature attracted me towards her the most. And I was certain that it was love at first sight at least for me.
All thoughts about y/n were clouding my mind when the sound of my mobile phone’s ringtone interrupted my thought process. And It was who I expected it to be. MISS Y/N Y/L/N. I was confused on whether to pick up the call or decline it. After a few seconds of thinking, I finally decided to pick up the call.
Y/N: Hello, shawn…
 Hey! Thank you so much for reading this. I hope u liked it. Pardon my mistakes. Also sorry for the cliffhanger, but the rest of the story will be revealed in the next part 😊
p.s. send me some fic ideas/requests...
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hanniiesuckle17 · 4 years
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Anything But Normal
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A/n: this was such cute Idea I hope I did it justice. It’s been a while since I’ve written a comedy piece. There are probably spelling errors I’ll go back and fix them later. also I love Jon Favreau as Happy so I had to put him in. (i swear he is one of my favorite actors) btw this is not edited (i’ll come back and do that eventually)
Requested by: @tokiokiedokie​
Warnings: Cussing,(come on it's me guys), partial nudity.
Member: Han Jisung
Summary: When Y/n’s best friend goes through a drastic change he starts keeping secrets. Secrets that include him being New York’s one and only friendly neighborhood spiderman. Shit hits the fan when his new secret life is exposed and she gets dragged into it.
Genre: Spiderman!au, romance, comedy, friends to lovers!au, little bit of angst
There are only three things that truly matter in life. Good friends, good pizza, and a good story. So far I had two of those at the moment. Sadly I was lacking a good story. Our school newspaper had been quite dry despite my efforts to discover new and intriguing stories. 
“Stop sulking and eat.” My best friend said, shoving a piece of cheese pizza in my face. Jisung laughed when I bit the end before returning to look at my laptop. We were at our usual pizza place seated next to the window with the big bright red neon sign lighting up our faces. The sun set over the New York skyline making the moment almost perfect. If only I was writing an exciting article. Instead, I was putting together a riveting look into the school’s menu changes. 
“You know I invited you because I thought you were going to be good company.”
“Please. You invited me because Felix was busy with a stupid Lego project and no one else will eat pizza with you.”
“Whatever.”
Jisung and I weren’t the most popular people in our senior class. To be frank, Jisung was my only friend. So going out and eating pizza every other day at ten o’clock at night was often the highlight of my week. Having had enough of the lack of attention Jisung slammed my laptop closed and removed it from the already small table. “Hey! I didn’t save!” 
“That’s what Google Docs is for.”
He was right. I needed to stop working. I had been slaving over that stupid and boring article all week. He didn’t have to be such an ass though. “You are such a teenager.” I scoffed, watching him shovel yet another slice of pizza down his throat. “Oh, and you are such an adult!” The mocking tone of his voice threatened a laugh. 
“I swear you are God’s punishment for enjoying sex. Everyone’s libido just disappears when you are around.”
“Hey don’t ruin our date. I was considering sleeping with you tonight.”
He laughed when I threatened to smack him. It had been like this for as long as I could remember. Just me and Jisung. My parents had been friends with his before they passed away in a car accident. Now Jisung lived with his Aunt May and his Uncle Ben a few blocks away from me. 
I remember after the crash I would wake to a tap on my window to see an eight year old Jisung on my fire escape. Not wanting to bother his Aunt with his nightmares, Jisung had run all the way to my apartment and climbed the fire escape to my room on the sixth floor. I would open the window and let him sleep in my bed. My eight year old brain used to think maybe my bed was like force field keeping away the bad dreams about his parents.
“Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?” Jisung asked bringing me out of my thoughts. 
“Mr. Finoli asked me to take pictures of the science field trip so I’m going with you guys. Why?” A look of realization crossed Jisung’s face making him freeze. “Did you forget to ask May to sign your permission slip?”
“I forgot to ask May to sign my-...you can be a real ass sometimes, you know that?”
Laughing I pulled a ten out of my wallet and left it on the table. “Come on, you’ve gotta get your slip signed, dummy.” “I can pay, it’s no problem.” He said watching me pack up my stuff. “Nah, you can get the next one.” Bellies full of pizza, we left Tony’s Pizzeria and headed in the direction of Jisung’s apartment, his arm draped over my shoulder and talking my ear off about some random experiment they had done in Physics that day. 
The next day I woke up bright and early to meet the class at the New York Museum of Science. Camera bag on my shoulder and camera around my neck I stood outside the museum with about ten other students and two teachers. My tired eyes brightened when I saw Jisung step out from the subway, May right behind him.
I laughed as he wiped a kiss from his cheek before waving goodbye to her. His dyed blonde hair was messy and blew slightly in the wind. Jisung waved when he saw me and jogged over. His hoodie lazily hung off his shoulder and his shirt and jeans were somewhat wrinkled. “Don’t you look nice?” I couldn’t help but chuckle at his appearance. 
“Shut up.”
He laughed throwing an arm around my shoulder, leading me closer to the group. Soon the tour began and I busied myself with taking photos of the group for the paper and yearbook. Jisung followed the group, only half-listening to the teacher as he looked at other random exhibits. 
At around one in the afternoon, the group moved outside to have lunch on the steps. I sat off to the side with Jisung, his legs spread out across the stairs and his elbow rested on the step above us. It was refreshing to be next to him talking about absolutely nothing. Even if he stole my food. 
Eventually, we were all called back to resume the tour. I angled a shot of two students looking at a bug exhibit, but just as I took the picture Jisung jumped in the frame throwing up a peace sign and crossing his eyes. “Hey! Stop hitting me!” He yelled as I smacked his shoulder over and over again. “Look I’m just innocently observing the exhibit. Leave me alone crazy woman!”
Sighing, I pushed him away and resumed taking photos. As the group was moving onto the next room I noticed Jisung was missing. It wasn’t unlike him to wander off into a room he wasn’t supposed to just to look at probably like some DNA model or some other weird science shit. I could never get over the fact Jisung was super into science when he gave zero fucks about his other classes. 
“Jisung?”
“Ji?”
“Ji, we are moving on,” I said looking for him. My eyes landed on a semi-open door marked ‘Lab’. He wouldn’t. He did. Just as I started to walk towards the door, he exited with a goofy smile on his face. “Y/n! Dude, they have all these cool spiders and test tubes in there it was so cool! One of them bit me!” Like an excited three-year-old, he showed me his wrist where he indeed had a red spider bite. 
“Ooooooh! Take a picture!” 
He shoved my camera into my hands and held up his arm pointing to the spider bite making the dopiest smile. Knowing he wouldn’t shut up until I complied, I took the picture. 
“Let’s catch up with the group,” I said taking his hand and dragging him back to the class. When we reached the group a teacher looked over at us his brows furrowing. “Excuse me, Miss L/n, is your friend okay?” He pointed to Jisung, a concerned expression on his face.
“Jisung? There are certainly things wrong with him but he’s oka-”
My words stopped when I turned to look at my best friend next to me. “Ji- Oh my god! Ji are you okay?” His face had obviously paled and he looked dizzy. A thin layer of sweat lay on his forehead. 
“Hell yeah. I’m doing fine, baby.” His voice sounded drowsy.
“Miss L/n he is not alright. Does he have anyone who can come get him.” The teacher said pulling out his phone. I shook my head. May worked in the day and his Uncle Ben was on a business trip. “No, they are working.” 
He sighed and turned to me. Jisung was clearly getting worse by the second and was wobbling a little. “What about you? Can you take him home?” Jisung laughed and wrapped his arms around me loosely. “Fuck yeah, I’d her take me home.” 
“I have a test in my last period.”
“I’ll write you a pass and send it to your teacher. Take him home please.”
Nodding he typed something on his phone and returned to the group who had started to move once again. “Okay Ji, let’s get you back to May’s.” Slowly we started moving to the exit. Before we made it to the doors, Jisung practically turned green. He pushed away from me and burst towards the nearest restroom. 
“Jisung!” 
Ignoring the looks and yells I followed Jisung into the restroom and looked for the stall he was in. “Hey, lady get out of here!” A man standing at the urinal screamed. 
“Oh please. Get over yourself.”
“Ji?”
Following the coughing and gagging sounds, I pushed the final stall door open. Jisung sat on the floor his mop of blonde hair hanging over the toilet. I crouched next to him and rubbed his back gently. “Oh god, I hate puking.”
“Jisung everyone hates puking.”
“Yeah well.....your face likes puking.”
“Nice comeback.”
Feeling too terrible to respond, he just threw up the contents of his stomach again. When he seemed able to stand the two of us made our way outside and down the subway. Jisung leaned most of his weight on me as I slid my metro pass through the scanner. How I managed to get him through the turnstile and onto the metro I have no clue. Thankfully there was once last seat free for Jisung to sit down in. 
“Y/n, I don’t feel good.” 
“I know,” I said softly as he rested his head against my stomach. The train turned sharply making me hold onto the strap, not wanting to fall into Jisung. Soft whines and groans came from him every now and then. This was the worst I had ever seen Jisung. 
I listened to the stations being called out as I ran my fingers through his hair, hoping that would calm him down a little. We were only four stops away but more people were getting on the train. Jisung looked up at me a sick expression on his face. It changed when he looked at the passengers boarding the car. 
“Here, Ma’am. You can take my seat.”
“Thank you so much, young man.” An older woman said taking his seat as he got up. “Jisung, you feel terrible. Are you okay to stand?” He shrugged latching onto the strap next to mine, his face paling again. “I’ll be fine, it’s only four stops.”
Jisung’s eyes started to droop as the train started up again. His body began to act heavier than it was so he resorted to leaning on me and nestling his head between my neck and shoulder. I did my best to make sure he didn’t fall over.
“You two are very cute together.” The old lady said with a smile.
“Oh- we aren’t--” 
“You better hold onto a good man like that, sweetie. Handsome and kind. Those are hard to come by.”
Before I could respond we turned again, and I had to keep Jisung from falling in this poor nice old lady’s lap. I felt his skin burning against mine. Could this train not go any faster. Soon enough our stop came. I said bye to the old woman and helped Jisung get off the train and up the subway stairs. 
“Come on, Ji. We are almost there and we both know I cannot carry your ass.” 
Eventually, I made it up the stairs of his apartment building to the fourth floor and managed to drag him to his door. “Jisung, where’s your key?” Trying not to hurt his head I propped him up on the door frame. He laughed when I started searching through his pockets.  
“Y/n if you wanted to cop a feel just ask. That tickles.” 
“Jisung where are your fucking keys?” 
“Back pocket.” He said drowsily. I sighed and reached behind him. My hands searched through his jean pockets for the cold metal keys. “Having fun back there, because I’m sure enjoying it.” 
I suppressed the urge to punch him in the stomach out of fear he would vomit all over me. Finally finding his keys, I unlocked the door and threw my stuff inside, before lugging him in as well. Jisung leaned on the couch while I put my stuff on the table.
“Y/n it’s burning up in here.” 
“Jisung, you just have a temperature.”
“It burns like fucking hell! It’s too hot!”
Before I could stop him Jisung was shedding layers like a snake. He tossed his shirt somewhere in the small living room. He was sweating like crazy, his blonde hair sticking to his forehead. “Ji, come on let’s get you in the shower.” I started running a cold shower for him before rushing back to the living room to call May. It would only be a couple hours until she got home, but I should still let her know what’s going on.
While Jisung was in the shower, I grabbed some medicine from the cabinet. I had absolutely no fucking idea how to treat a spider bite. Antibiotics? Hearing the shower turn off I knocked before entering. Jisung had a towel wrapped around his waist and was leaning his head against the wall. “Y/n...”
“I’m right here, Jisung.” Cautiously I led him to his room and watched him collapse onto his double bed. Rummaging through his drawers I found some mostly clean sweatpants. “Ji, do you even do laundry?” 
“Y/n, I feel a little too fucking sick to do chores now.”
“I know. I know.” He slipped on the sweatpants and let me dry his hair. I wrapped his arms, covering the bite so it wouldn’t get more infected then it already probably was. Jisung’s temperature flipped like crazy. One minute he was burning up and the next he was freezing. 
A sigh of relief left my chest when I heard May call out in the apartment. “Y/n thank you so much for taking care of him.” She gave me a short hug before running to go get more meds. She would know better than I would, being an ER nurse. “Ji, do you want me to stay? I can call my parents and tell them I’m staying the night.” He slowly shook his head.
“No, it’s okay.” 
“I can stay really-”
“Y/n, I’ll be fine. You can go home.” 
He gave me a half-assed smile and squeezed my hand. There was no arguing with Jisung sick or not so I gathered my things and left. May promised to keep me updated and I told her I would have my phone next to me.
The walk back to my apartment seemed longer than usual. I couldn’t stop thinking about Jisung. When I got home, my parents greeted me before telling me they would be working tonight. My dad was a cop and my mom worked at a hospital downtown. It was rare they were even home, to begin with. Exhausted from taking care of Jisung, I rolled onto my bed and fell asleep.
This boy really texted me at five the morning telling me to meet him at his locker three hours later. If he wasn’t still sick I would for sure have throttled him. Except for the fact that Jisung didn’t look sick. Not at all. He looked perfectly healthy as he walked down the hall towards me. In fact, he looked...really....good. It pissed me off. 
“Aren’t you supposed to be sick?”
“Yeah, I got better.”
Jisung opened his locker like it was any other day and got his books. “What did you want to talk about?” He sighed and looked over at me. There was something different about him. Did his jaw always look like that? No. No jaw looks like that. 
“So this morning I woke up and like I felt completely fine. In fact, I felt the best I have in years. And this weird thing happened to me on the subway-”
Jisung’s words were interrupted by the sound of his locker closing, only the entire row of metal lockers rattled as his shut. “The fuck? Did we have an earthquake or something?” I asked looking around. “What? No. New York isn’t on a fault line.” Shrugging it off I turned back to Jisung.
“You were saying?” He seemed distracted now, looking at his closed locker. “Ummm.... I wanted to thank you for yesterday.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. “Ji, you don’t need to thank me. I’ll always take care of you if you need me.” As I pulled away his hands stayed on my waist, which wasn’t totally out of the norm. Jisung was always a really touchy and flirty person. It drove me crazy sometimes, knowing that it was just his personality and not him acting on something else. 
“So this weird thing happened on my way to school this morning. My hand-” Again Jisung was interrupted. This time by the bell ringing for homeroom. “Hey Jisung, I’ve gotta go, but you can tell me at lunch right?” He nodded, his expression becoming more uneasy. As I turned his grip on my waist stopped me.
“Ji, I know you wanna tell me now but I have to go!” I said with a laugh. A nervous breathy laugh escaped his lips as he tried to pull away from me. “Well, you know how hard it is for me to keep my hands off of you.” Arching an eyebrow I chose to ignore his weird behavior and walked off to my homeroom. 
When the lunch bell finally rang I took my food outside to where Ji and I normally ate. However, he was nowhere in sight. As if he could read my thoughts, my phone notified me of a text from Jisung.
Lix asked me to help him with some Chem work. Sry I can’t eat with you :(
I sent him a quick reply saying it was okay. It wasn’t the first time I had eaten alone and it surely wouldn’t be the last. To no surprise, Chaeyoung and one of her friends walked by. “Have you seen that kid? What’s his name? Jihyun?” She said in her shrill voice. It was hard not to hear her conversation even from twenty feet away.
“No, I think his name is Jisung. Han Jisung. He is in my physics class. Kind of a dweeb if you ask me.” 
“Well, that dweeb filled out. He was probably just a late bloomer, but like all of a sudden, he got really hot. Have you seen his arms and his chest? Oh my god! A girl could die.” 
The girls laughed and continued to objectify my best friend. They were right. Jisung had seemed to have had a huge glow up overnight. His lanky form did seem more toned and his arms were much more muscular than I remembered. 
“Can you believe he still hangs out with that new junkie girl? Like, please. He could get any girl he wants now. Why stay friends with that waste of space?” 
“That bitch is so full of herself. Literally, no one even likes her.” Chaeyoung said laughing. Having heard enough, I got up and decided to go to my next class early. It didn’t necessarily bother me what she had said. Chaeyoung always liked to mess with me.
All my classes seemed slower than usual and Jisung was answering my texts. At this point in the day, we would probably be having a meme war or a stupid conversation ignoring our teachers, but my phone was silent. Not a single notification. 
By the end of the day, I was feeling totally depressed. English was my last class and thank god I had it with Jisung. No doubt he would be late though. He rarely ever showed up on time to class. But, as I walked through the classroom door I did a double-take seeing my best friend in his usual seat right beside mine. 
He gave me an innocent smile. This was strange. Jisung was never early. He looked...normal. I mean other than the physical overnight puberty storm. He slouched in his chair his long legs spilling into the aisle, not that he cared, and he twirled a pen between his long slender fingers. 
“Yo, wassup, cutie?” He said as I sat down. “You seem to be the talk of the school.” He shrugged and shuffled through some physics work he had on his desk. “You jealous?” That stupid smirk appeared on his mouth. “No. Just confused.”
“Okay, class. Settle down. We are going to be returning to our analysis of Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility.” 
I busied myself with taking thorough notes knowing Jisung would just fall asleep again or just play a random game on his phone. The teacher droned on making a seemingly not boring book a complete snooze fest. The lecture continued without end threatening to send me to sleep as well. Out of habit, I looked over at Jisung, except he was not asleep. Jisung was wide awake and he appeared to be listening intently. 
As if he sensed I was looking at him he turned and smiled at me before returning his attention to the front of the classroom. This was too weird. Where was my Jisung? Maybe he was still sick. That could explain the weird behavior, right? 
The harsh sound of the release bell brought me out of my thoughts. Jisung was already packing up his stuff. “Hey, you wanna stop by Tony’s on the way home? You can buy me a slice!” I said latching onto his arm. The girls were right. Jisung had filled out. Feeling myself starting to blush, I let go and looked back up at my best friend. 
“I can’t. I’ve gotta run some errands fro May and then Uncle Ben asked me to pick up dinner and some other stuff.”
“I can come with you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll text you later!” 
Without another word, Jisung raced out of the classroom. I knew Jisung pretty well and it was clear he didn’t want me around today. Alone-again- I rode the subway back to my apartment to be greeted by an empty living room. My mom had left a note on the counter leaving me money for dinner and saying Jisung was welcome to come over. “Yeah, well he’s too busy,” I said to no one in particular. 
It got dark pretty quick. All my homework was finished. I even managed to submit the stupid article on lunch menus. Eventually, I had nothing to do but stare at my ceiling. The news was getting pretty boring. After the whole Avenger’s fiasco, things had quieted down, and no interesting stories were in sight. By 11:30 I had given up hope Jisung was going to text let alone call so I did the next best thing. 
“Hi, May! Is Jisung busy?” 
“Hi, sweetie! Jisung got home about an hour ago. He said he was out with Felix. Should I tell him to call you?”
“No, no. It’s fine. You don’t have to tell him. I’ll talk to him later.”
“Okay, honey. Goodnight!”
Han Jisung you filthy little liar. If he didn’t want to hang out with me he should have just said so. Deciding I had finally had enough of this awful day I curled up under my covers and fell asleep.
Months had now passed and Jisung had started acting normal again. Well as normal as Jisung could be anyway. Our near daily trips to Tony’s had decreased to only twice a week and Jisung always seemed to be busy after school, though he made sure to text me back for fear of facing my wrath. 
“What do you think of this Spiderman guy?” I asked typing away on my laptop. Jisung lounged across my bed, the Saturday afternoon light casting a warm glow over his face.  He looked up from his place beside me. “Uhh...I don’t know. What do you think of him?”
“He seems a little childish and amateur, but he is a great story. Vigilante helping out downtown New York? That’s gold.”
“Childish? What do you mean childish? He’s professional as fuck. I heard he stopped a bank robbery the other day.”
“Yeah, and they found the criminals hanging from a lampost by their underwear.”
Jisung laughed and ran a hand through his blonde hair before looking up at the ceiling. “You’ve been talking about Spiderman a lot lately. What do you have a crush on him?” I scoffed, fingers flying across my keyboard. “Please. I don’t date children. Besides, I just think he is a great story.”
“You wanna order takeout?” Jisung asked reaching over me to get my phone. My dad was on duty and my mom was on call so Jisung had come over to keep me company. I did my best to pretend I didn’t notice how amazing he smelled as he leaned over me. “You know you should really stop eating junk food. You are what you eat.” I said distracting myself from how close he was.
“Well then if we are what we eat, I guess I would be fast, cheap, and easy.” 
Jisung winked at me, making my eyes roll. Jisung had grown at home in his new body and somehow he got even cockier than he was before. He groaned at my lack of response and instead let his head rest in my lap, giving him a good view of my screen. “Play with my hair, bitch.”
“Excuse me, dick. I’m working.” He laughed and unlocked my phone. I often wondered why he liked just sitting with me. I think I remembered him telling me once that he liked the sound of me typing. He said it had sort of a rhythm that only belonged to me. How he could pick up on that I had no clue. Like he had superhearing. 
“I ordered sushi. Don’t worry, I’ll pay.” Jisung said, adjusting his body slightly so he wasn’t at an awkward angle. I smiled continuing to write about our masked arachnid hero. “Please tell me you got boba too.” I sighed suddenly craving the sweet drink.
“Of course, baby. I’ve got you.” 
There was a moment of silence. Any minute now Jisung was going to break it. The boy couldn’t go three minutes without talking. “Do you think Spiderman is hot?” Jisung blurted out. 
“Jisung...do we need to have a talk?”
“What- no! Oh, what- no! I mean like do you think he’s hot?”
“The guy wears a mask; how am I supposed to know?”
He shrugged and played on my phone. “I don’t know. What do you think he looks like?” With Jisung’s mind, he wasn’t going to drop this until he got an answer. Saving my work, I closed my laptop and moved it onto the side table. “He’s probably like thirteen. I’m mean he is skinny enough to be a pre-teen.”
“No, like his face.”
“You are weirdly obsessed with this you know.”
“Answer the question already. I’m getting bored.”
I thought for a minute, my hand unconsciously moving to run through his blonde locks. What would spiderman look like? “He is probably just some random white dude. Dark hair, blue eyes maybe?”
He nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. The topic changed after that. Jisung told me about spending time with his Uncle earlier that day and we talked about his weird physics experiments. Soon enough, the food came and Jisung paid for it like he said he would. We spent the next several hours sitting in my bed eating sushi, drinking boba, and watching a drama Jisung insisted I ‘needed to see or my brain would explode out of my ears from being lame’.
After several episodes, my room was obscenely dark and my parents had yet to come home. My back rested against Jisung’s chest letting me feel the vibration of his laughs. “Hey, it’s late. You should probably head home.” He smiled when I made no attempt at moving or letting him up. “Do you want me to stay?” “Yes  please.”  He chuckled and pulled out his phone, calling his uncle and letting him know. 
Soon I began to grow tired, my head slumping back onto his shoulder. He poked my side, trying to wake me up. “Hey, go change for bed.” Sleepily, I nodded and shuffled out of bed to sift through my closet for a nightshirt. Jisung moved around getting comfortable while I changed. 
As I walked back over to the bed Jisung shut my laptop and placed it on my nightstand. When I climbed back into my bed he pulled me on top of him, wrapping his arms around my waist. It had been quite a while since Jisung had stayed over. It felt so nice just to be next to him, feeling the warmth radiating off his bare chest. The sound of his heartbeat lulled me to sleep. 
Jisung’s ringtone blared in my small room quickly waking me up. “Ji-” I said shoving my head under the covers. “I got it. Go back to sleep.” A quick glance at my clock told me it was two am. Who the hell was calling Jisung at two am? Jisung reached over me and grabbed his phone off the stand. He tried not to move a lot because my head still lay on his arm. “Hello?”
“Happy? What’s wrong?”
“Jisung tell the Disney dwarf to hang up. I wanna go back to sleep.” I whined, drowsily. Snuggling back into his chest, I reluctantly listened to him sleepily talk on the phone, Jisung not being fully awake himself. “Where am I? I’m at Y/n’s.....Yes....Yes, you can add the location to the list.” I felt Jisung run a hand through his fluffy hair and sigh.
“Mr. Stark said what? Yeah, yeah I have it in my bag....What now?....She���s gonna kill me....I can be there in ten.” Jisung hung up and started to get out of bed. “Woah, where the hell are you going? I need my personal space heater.” Jisung let out a tired laugh as he slipped his baggy shirt back on and rummaged through his bag looking for something. 
“I’m really sorry, but I have to go.”
“Jisung who the fuck is calling you at two am? What is so important that you have to leave?” I asked still not really awake and comprehensive. “Uhhh....my....internship.”
“Your what?”
“My internship.”
“Your what?” 
“My internship.” 
“Yeah-Ji- you keep saying ‘your internship’ like my half-asleep half murderous mind will understand what your saying.”
 “I got an internship with Stark Industries. They have uh... a problem....with some of the...code that I wrote....last week.” 
Jisung started slipping his socks back on as I stared at him in confusion. “When did you get an internship with freaking Tony Stark -You work with Ironman?!” He laughed and started searching for his shoes. 
“Y/n, go back to sleep. I’ll see you on Monday.” Then he left. I was alone once again in my room. A random siren went off in the distance and I just sat in bed. Suddenly, the police scanner on my dresser crackled to life. My dad had given it to me for my birthday a few years ago. 
We have a 647g Disorderly Conduct at 284 Hickom Av.
647g? Why bother calling that in at this time of night? That was just loitering. Sighing, I got up and walked over to turn the radio off. Another voice coming through stopped me. 
Disregard suspect has left the premise with another group of guys. Headed south down Hickom. 
South down Hickom street? What had my dad said earlier this week? Something about several high arms deals going down near there. If I could catch one in the act this would be a great story! Throwing on some pants and slipping on my sneakers, I grabbed my camera and put on my jacket. “Finally a great story!” 
Hickom Avenue was maybe about ten minutes away. The streets were pretty dark at two am, but it didn’t really bother me. My curiosity overpowered any fear I should have. My eyes scanned the area looking for any sign of the guys the scanner mentioned. Just as I was about to cross in front of an alley I saw them. Quickly I doubled back and pressed against the wall. 
“If I’m paying 4k for some lightsaber shit, I’d better get a demonstration, man.”
Carefully I peeked around the corner. Seven men stood in the hallway. Three were next to this heavy-duty van with blacked-out windows. This was definitely an arms deal if I had ever seen one. Which....to be fair...I hadn’t. But it was pretty clear. 
A guy with muscles bigger than my head pulled out a large weapon with green glowing lights. Quickly I pulled out my camera and started snapping pictures. They proceeded to fire this huge light cannon around the alley. Holy shit. This thing was powerful.
“Okay, you got a deal. I’ll take four-”
Let’s dance the night away,
Let’s  dance the night away,
Yeaaaahh
One, Two, Three! Let’s go!
“Fuck,” I whispered ripping my phone out of my pocket and struggling to turn it off. “Turn off, come on.” Finally, I silenced the phone and turned to see if they had heard. Instead my eyes met a broad chest only a couple inches away. 
Okay....think, think, think. Too busy panicking. Can’t think. Uhhhhhh......fuck. I followed my first instinct and threw a punch at the guy’s nose. His head did not recoil like it was supposed to. He just simply cracked his neck and glared down at me.
Okay.....instincts bad.
Before I knew it I was struggling against the man’s grip as he dragged me into the alley. “We’ve got a visitor.” He said throwing me onto the ground in front of all the other men. They sneered and inched closer clearly quite upset I had interrupted their little party. 
“Make that two. Hey, how are you guys doing?” 
All heads turned to the roof of the liquor store we were next to. My eyes widened. There was Spiderman. Complete with the red and blue suit and cocky childish attitude. “Who the fuck are you?” The buff guy, who now had his foot digging into my stomach, said.
“Bro....Come on. I’m Spiderman. You know. I shoot webs and kick ass.” 
“Isn’t he that guy from YouTube that did the flip on that building?”
“OH MY GOD, THAT WAS ONE TIME!”
The man scoffed and pressed further onto my stomach, making me wince slightly. “Scram, Arachne Boy.” The men around me laughed at I assumed the leader’s joke. The hero sighed and shook his head.
“See now I have to beat you up. You can’t just make fun of my name. That shit hurts, bro.”
“What the fu-” Before he could finish his sentence a web shot and grabbed onto his face and flung him into the side of the building. Soon a fight broke out. Trying to remove myself from the situation I crawled away as Spiderman fought all the men. 
“Ah!” 
A strong hand grabbed the back of my neck and hoisted me off the ground. “You aren’t getting away that easy, little girl.” The man sneered. A huge welt was on the side of his face from Spiderman’s attack. My airway’s started to close as he squeezed tighter. My hands tried to pull his fingers away and slapping at any place I could reach. Meanwhile, the last thing I would hear before I died would be Spiderman yelling something about Naruto running a dude into the next Millenium. 
As the edges of my vision started to fade, I heard another voice come closer. “Get your fucking mutant hands off her!” It screamed. I was dropped to the ground. Air filled my lungs as I took huge gasps. Looking up I saw Spiderman taking on the huge monstrosity of a man with nothing but his own two hands. 
“I was told never to play with guns. But I think today might be the exception.”
A web shot out of his fingertips and pulled the weird contraption into his hands. A bright light emitted and fired at the man, blasting him into the building wall. Within seconds Spiderman had wrapped up the villain in a little cocoon of sticky webs, keeping him secure. A quick look around told me he had already done the same to the others. 
The boy in the red suit danced around like a weirdo, while I sat on the ground. “Go Spidey! Go Spidey! Hell yeah! I made all of you my bitches!” I coughed still trying to get air back into my lungs. The white eyes on his mask widened. It must be some pretty advanced tech in that suit.
“Holy shit- Are you okay, Y/n...........I mean...wait-...random citizen I don’t know who means nothing to me personally. Are you okay?”
His voice weirdly got lower halfway through his sentence. Dazed, I looked back up at him. He offered me a hand up and gratefully I took it. “Thanks for helping back there,” I said, voice coming out a bit sore. He shrugged and puffed out his chest. 
“Yeah, I did kick some serious ass didn’t I?”
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my camera and started to walk away. “Wait! Where are you going?” He swung from a lamppost and landed in front of me the suit’s eyes widening and shrinking again. His suit must have facial readers or something. 
“I’m going home. I’ve got my story; I’m done.”
“Hey it’s not safe. Let me take you home. What would your friends say if you weren’t at school tomorrow?” 
Spiderman continued to follow me as if he were a lost puppy. I laughed when he almost tripped over a trashcan. “Okay, one- how do you know I’m a student? And two- I don’t really have any friends. People don’t like me at school.” He stopped in his tracks. 
“What do you mean- Are you getting bullied at school?” His words stopped me. He sounded genuinely concerned. By now we were halfway to my apartment. I simply stared at him as the old streetlights flickered and struggled to light up the sidewalks we were on.
“A couple people bother me, but I just ignore them. Look I’m gonna go home. Thanks for back there. You were a real hero.” 
He looked between me and my hand as I stuck it out for him to shake. Slowly he took it, his grip firm, but cautious. “You know, usually heroes get a thank you kiss for rescuing such a gorgeous girl.” I scoffed and pulled my hand away. 
“Sorry, Spidey. I’m not interested in cocky little shits who run around wearing masks.”
“Yeah well, you’d be surprised. What is your type? Bet, I’m still it.”
My eyes lit up thinking about him. “I guess I’m more of the boy next door type. They say you always fall for your best friend right?”
He blinked as if he was processing my words. What I thinking? A horny fourteen-year-old boy wouldn’t understand. “Night, Spidey. Thanks for the save.” Not letting him say another word, I headed back to my apartment. My apartment was still empty when I returned. My parents wouldn’t be back until after I left for school in a few hours. Reluctantly I went back to my bed, missing the space where Jisung lay only a few hours earlier. It was harder to fall asleep without him next to me.
My legs carried me as quickly as they could. I ignored the crazy looks from people on the street as I raced to May’s apartment. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I burst through the building’s main entrance. Knowing the elevator would take too long and it was probably broken again, I took the stairs up to the fourth floor. 
The door was unlocked when I ran into the apartment. “May? May!” I called, looking for her in the living room. Hearing small cries I turned to find her exiting the kitchen. With open arms, I let her hug me and cry into my shoulder. 
We sat in the kitchen in silence. Occasionally one of our cries would slip, but the emptiness would return. He wasn’t answering any of my calls. I was beginning to worry. May said they were together. Where was he? It had been hours since May had called me. The sound of the door opening made us both stand from our seats. 
Jisung walked in with heavy shoulders and blood on his forehead and smeared across his shirt. He had dried tears staining his cheeks. I had seen the footage of the shooting on the news with May, but the sight of Jisung standing before us made my heart break. 
I held myself back as May went to her nephew. They needed each other. I could wait. Whispers between the two were shared, most likely about her husband. She had already gotten a call, but hearing it from Jisung seemed important to her. After a moment she excused herself, saying something about wanting to go to bed. 
The two of us stood in silence. I had no idea how to comfort him. How could you comfort someone who just watched their uncle die? Jisung started to slowly move towards his room. Wordlessly, I followed. 
After I closed his door, I turned to find him staring at the walls small cries coming from his form. There were pictures of him and his uncle all over his room. Jisung sighed when I wrapped my arms around him from behind. He turned around so he could hold me to his chest. Hot tears fell against my neck as he cried. 
It felt like hours before he calmed down. Gently I led him over to the bed and sat him down. All he could do was stare at his hands as I grabbed a clean shirt from his closet and a wet cloth from the bathroom. There was no fight from him as I lifted the bloodied shirt from his body and put it in the hamper. 
Carefully, I lifted his chin and gently started cleaning the blood away from his face. I tried not to wipe away the tears that slowly ran down his cheeks. He looked broken-and tired like he hadn’t slept even before today’s events. My heart shattered when he finally looked me in the eye. 
“I’m not ready for this.” He whispered, more tears falling. 
Wrapping my arms around him, I let the clean shirt fall to the floor. “I know...” I tried to keep tears from falling from my own eyes. I concentrated on running my fingers through his hair and how tightly he held onto my waist. “You’re never going to be ready for it.” He cried even harder, making me want to scream for him. 
Slowly, I laid back onto his bed, holding him on top of my chest. “No one is ever ready for what you are going through,” I whispered. His body shook from crying and he buried his nose into my neck, holding onto me as if I were the only tether keeping him from floating away. “But, you are so strong. We aren’t faced with challenges we can’t overcome.” His breathing started to steady as my hand traced patterns on this bare skin of his back. “Sometimes I wish I was normal,” He whispered.
“Ji, you are anything but normal. And that’s okay. But for now...you can just be here. I’ll be with you. When you’re ready you can do whatever you need to. But...just stay here for now.”
He nodded and held onto me even tighter. I listened to his breath, gently rubbing his back and playing with his hair. When I knew he was asleep, I let myself do the same. Tomorrow would be another day. I would most likely have to leave and let Jisung and May grieve, but for now, I could be with him. Hopefully, that was enough. 
Early the next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. Jisung’s covers were loosely wrapped around me and his window was cracked open, letting a strip of sunlight in. Slowly, I sat up and rubbed my head. It was quite unusual for him to be up this early. Well, it was quite unusual for me to be up this early, but it was like my body had a sensor for when he was gone. I pulled my phone from the table and started to text him.
The sound of the window opening caused my attention to turn. I froze as I saw Jisung climbing through the window. “What the fuck!” He froze when he saw me. My eyes widened, taking the sight in. Jisung was standing before me wearing a familiar red and blue suit, a mask in his hand. 
“Y/n, I can explain...”
Was Jisung Spiderman? Was my best friend Spiderman? Holy shit! “Okay explain!” He simply stared at me, eyes wide. His hand came to scratch the back of his neck. His eyes avoided mine as my arms crossed my chest. 
“Jisung, might I suggest explanation protocol #38 for Miss L/n?”
“Oh my God! Friday, shut up! You aren’t helping.”
I watched as Jisung said to the AI apparently in his suit before he tossed the mask onto his desk. “You have an explanation protocol for me?” The look on his face showed that he knew he was in trouble. 
“See the thing is...I’m not Spiderman-...” He stopped when I glared at him. “Okay, I am Spiderman. This is my internship with Mr.Stark.” Without hesitation, I got up from his bed and started slapping his arm.
“This doesn’t even hurt, does it? You have superstrength. Oh my god, I’m going to fucking murder you.” An aggravated sigh left my chest. “So this whole entire time you have been swinging around the city saving people and doing flips on buildings and I was none the wiser?” I said turning back to him.
“That was one time! But...yes.” He stood awkwardly in his own room. “Look, I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” He gulped when my stern gaze turned back on him. “So, anything you ask I’ll answer.” 
“Who else knows?”
“Mr. Stark, Happy- the guy who is my supervisor-, and Felix.”
“FELIX?”
He flinched as my voice raised. Taking a breath, I calmly sat back down on his bed. He watched as I crossed my legs and turned off the sound on my phone. No way was I gonna let my parents interrupt this conversation. “How did you become like...this...” I asked pointing to his clearly toned physique.
“At first I thought it was just like another puberty thing. But, like puberty doesn't make me shoot webs out of my hands. I think it was that spider from the lab.”
“So do-...are all your...bodily fluids...like...webs? Like do you shoot webs out of everywhere or-”
“You wanna find out?” Jisung said with a smirk, coming closer. I did not hesitate to slap him. 
“You couldn’t think of a better name though? Spiderman, really? You couldn’t come up with something more aggressive?”
“Well, I mean...like - spiders are cool, okay!”
I could tell he was uncomfortable. Usually, Jisung always stood up straight and had some sort of a smile or smirk on his face, but he was truly nervous. He watched me expectantly, waiting to answer whatever questions I asked next.
“So when you said you were away on a company retreat for the weekend. That was actually you who was fighting Captain America and all that shit in Prauge?”
“Yes.”
“When you left that night, did you go to the arms deal?”
“Yes.”
“So, it was you who saved me.”
“Your welcome.”
“Don’t push it.”
Nervously, he let out a laugh. No matter how many questions I asked...he was still my best friend. I was proud of him. He was doing so much good. Don’t get me wrong I was still very pissed at him for not telling me. “You owe me pizza at Tony’s for the rest of the fucking year.” A sigh of relief left his chest and he wrapped me in a hug. 
“That’s fine by me. I’m honestly surprised you didn’t ask about the whole crush thing.” I pulled away to see that fucking smirk on his mouth. “I think it’s cute you’re in love with me.” He tugged me closer to his body, gripping my waist.
“Who says I’m in love with you?”
“Me.”
“You’re an asshole- you say a lot of stupid shit.”
“I’m an asshole, not a liar. There’s a difference.”
My breath caught in my throat when I saw his eyes glance down to my lips. I could practically feel my heartbeat pulsing through my entire body. It was true and he knew it. I was in love with him. “Well....what are you going do about it? Prick...” I said in a shaky breath. He let out a soft laugh, his eyes lighting up. 
“Kiss you....bitch.”
My heart went crazy as he pressed his lips to mine. Closing my eyes, I melted into his touch. This was definitely the craziest two days of my entire life. I never would have imagined I would have to comfort my best friend, find out he was a superhero running around New York, and then have him kiss me in his bedroom.
Jisung smiled as I kissed him back, draping my arms around his neck and threading my fingers through his blonde hair. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought kissing Jisung would be like this. Without his mouth leaving mine he pushed me up against the wall of his bedroom. He sighed when my teeth caught his bottom lip.
“Fuck...do you know how long I’ve thought about this?” He asked before returning to my lips. 
“Kissing me?”
“To be honest I’ve been thinking about more than that since I was thirteen.”
Ignoring my scoff, Jisung continued to attack my lips like he had found water for the first time after walking in a desert. His hands slid under my legs, making me shriek when he picked me up. In one swift motion, he turned around and threw me onto his bed, before hovering over me. “I love you,” He whispered, before placing a soft kiss on my lips. Slowly, he moved down to my neck, my hands running through his soft hair. Impatiently, I pulled him back to my lips. 
Our little makeout session was interrupted by the sound of Jisung’s phone ringing. He sighed and dropped his head onto my shoulder. “I have to get that,” He sighed and pushed himself off the bed, walking over to pick up his phone. My eyes couldn’t help but rake over him. Now, I could freely ogle how gorgeous his body was. I bit my lip, looking at the lines of his broad shoulders go down to his slim waist.
“Happy, now is not a good time.”
“Yes....among other things...” A blush flooded his cheeks as he looked back at me still laying on his bed. 
“Can’t Mr. Stark send someone else?”
“I’m not just going to up and leave.”
Getting bored, I got up and wrapped my arms around him. He tried to look over at me, but I just buried my face in his chest. Patiently, I waited for him to finished the call with Happy. Finally, he threw the phone onto his bed and kissed me again. “Do you have to go?” I asked against his lips. He pulled away another smirk filling his face.
“You want to go to Berlin for a week?”
“What?”
“Mr. Stark needs me in Berlin. Something about S.H.I.E.L.D and an Avenger thing. But, there is no way May will let me go. Especially after yesterday.”
“Why am I going?”
“Happy said I could take you with me, you know to convince May to let me go.”
I laughed and kissed him again. “Sure. I’ll go to Berlin with you.” He laughed and spun me around the room. “However, you are gonna be the one to tell my dad that we are going alone with no chaperone to a country where the drinking age is sixteen.” 
“Fuck.”
“Good luck, Ji.”
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joheun-saram · 4 years
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To Make A Power Couple (knj) | 05
Chapter 5: 30 under 30
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Summary- After a bout of long distance our couple reunites for a weekend where they are both invited to the Forbes 30 under 30 celebration.
word count- 13k 😅
pairing- idol!namjoon x ceo!reader
rating- R
genre- series, slow burn, fluff, smut, strangers2lovers, angst (😱)
warnings- alcohol consumption, softdom!Joon, oral sex (f. receiving), orgasm denial, explicit sex, hints towards depressive mindset, overworking
a.n- new chapter? NEW CHAPTER! AND THERE’S ANGST?! I would like to point out that the Namjoon’s struggles in this chapter are in no way meant to reflect the real Namjoon’s thoughts. This is a fictional character. I use writing as an outlet to work through my own issues so the only headspace they accurately reflect is my own at times. If you relate, or need someone to talk to you, my messages are open - I’m here for you!
Thank you so much for the love you all have given this series so far! I’m loving writing this! Also, I’m still simping for this couple and writing the last two scenes was heartbreaking.
s/o to @moccahobi​ for beta reading! ily!
Feedback much appreciated! 💕
taglist - @beach-bitch-bitch-beach​, @sscheherazadee, @rjsmochii​, @jinjccns, @joyful-jimin @sideblogger​ @agustdpeach @diamonddia-mond
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“So how much do I have to bribe Sejin to let us be in the same room for the Forbes thing?” You settled in bed, wearing one of your boyfriend’s t-shirts, as you Facetimed him a few countries away, his scent making you feel closer to him. To say his comeback had him busy was an understatement. Since the night you two had agreed on labeling your relationship, you only had a few weeks together to cuddle, visit your favorite places, and argue philosophies of the books you were reading, before being thrown into a long-distance relationship. First, your investor meetings had you traveling from San Francisco to Seoul every few weeks and then he set out on the Asian leg of his promotions and mini-tour. The days that you were in the same city were spent staying in bed and ordering take-out (mostly jjajangmyeon to satisfy Namjoon’s cravings), alternating between his apartment and yours.
“Literally nothing? Obviously we’re in the same room! He’s not gonna stop me from staying with my girlfriend who I haven’t seen in like two months.” He looked tired, his brows creased as he massaged his shoulder. Your heart panged wishing you could be there to massage it for him.
“Oh. But what if we get caught?” This was not a new concern. Since day one, you had to ensure that all your dates were private, pretending you both were single at events you were obligated to attend. He had an image to portray and although it sometimes weighed on you that you always had a group of friends with you whenever you went out in public and that you couldn’t hold hands during your outings, you respected him too much to tarnish his career.
“By who? The room service guy?” He rolled his eyes as he now started to punch his shoulders.
“Yes, or fans who hack the security system. I remember some One Direction fans doing that.” You pretended as if some of those fans were not your old university friends. You don’t talk to them anymore, but you have to admit it was hilarious seeing a group of coders hunched over their computers to get access to grainy pictures of Harry Styles walking in the hallways.
“You are so paranoid. We’ll be fine, baby. Trust me.” He dismissed you with a huff as he finally let go of his shoulders and moved on to removing his makeup.
“Also, I didn’t know you told your company.” You both had decided to wait to tell BigHit about your relationship until you were done with this long-distance leg, opting to go in together to announce it. Neither of you wanted to go public so you assumed the meeting was going to be quick and painless.
“I told people who needed to know. Hyung included.” He shrugged.
“Aww, I was looking forward to sneaking around some more!” You joked as he carried his phone to the bathroom to wash his face.
“You’re annoying.” He whined as he put on copious amounts of skincare before dropping on his hotel bed like a brick. Looking at his bare face, his dark circles and tired eyes were much more evident. Tonight’s show must have been really hard on him.
“Aw, do you miss me, baby?” You cooed, hoping to make him laugh. You wanted to hug him, cuddle with him as the little spoon as you usually did when he had a hard day, but all you could do at the moment was make jokes and hope that was enough. Shit, you missed him.
“I always miss you. Phone sex sucks.” He sighed, making himself comfortable among the pillows.
“I knew it! You only like me for the sex.” Just give me one laugh Namjoon, come on. A chuckle, anything!
“Yes and your sexy brain, pretty girl.” He laughed lightly as he stared at you through the screen, the longing in his eyes mirroring yours.
“Hey! That’s my line!” You giggled, relieved to see the crease between his brows finally disappear.
“Fuck! Three more days!” He said excitedly, shaking the phone in his hand making him look more like a crazed anime character with his new pink hair and lopsided glasses than your boyfriend.
“Three more days!” you squealed.
----------------------------------
Your body ached from the thirteen-hour flight as you walked through the lobby of the Metropolitan Detroit hotel with Siwon. Grateful for how organized Namjoon’s company was, you seamlessly checked in and made your way to your suite, dropping off your stuff before meeting Siwon at his to go over the weekend itinerary. Even though you knew he was still in the air since the boys and his flight wasn’t due to land for another five hours, you texted him your safe arrival.
Over the past four months since the gala, Jiyoung’s hard work had started to pay off. You were no longer an unknown entity controlling a company; you were now an “influencer entrepreneur”. Your personal social media, now closely tied to the company, showcasing not only usual photos of you at museums and galleries (courtesy of Namjoon’s camera) but photos of you in boardrooms and speaking at events (courtesy of Siwon’s camera). You had significantly surpassed your corporate accounts in followers over a month ago, with a steady stream coming in after your interview in a fashion magazine of all things (apparently your “street style” was deemed a breath of fresh air for businesswomen) and another stream coming in when you were invited to this year’s class of Forbes 30 under 30. 
Although you usually didn’t care for flashy awards such as this, Jiyoung had worked overtime on your nomination and the fact that you were one of the ten people invited from Korea made you pretty happy. The coverage and clout that came with your invite had made you a role model for young female entrepreneurs and that was something you were actually proud of. When you started out there were barely any female mentors and you wanted to change that, give back to other young women running their own ventures. You were excited to meet women around your age who you could relate to this weekend. This was one of the first years that there were this many women invited, making up almost 40%, and your extroverted self was buzzing. Of course, an added bonus was that out of the ten winners from Korea, one was your boyfriend and six were his bandmates, who were slowly but surely becoming your close friends as well. You had been looking forward to this weekend since it was announced a month ago.
Arriving at Siwon’s room you ordered some lunch and planned out the weekend. Tonight was a free night where you could explore the city and the pre-festival activities, although to be honest after almost two months apart, the only thing you’d be exploring tonight was your boyfriend. Tomorrow would be a brunch meet for all the winners followed by a gala in the evening filled with dancing, dinner, and drinks. Then the next day was the festival, which you were still undecided about wanting to attend or not.
“Honestly, it’s up to you. It seems pretty useless to attend if you want to hang out with Namjoon instead.” Siwon offered as you both started on a pro-con list for reasons to attend.
“I don’t know. What if there are some big clients we could get?” Although you missed him dearly, there was no way you could forgive yourself if you let your heart cloud your judgment.
“Yes, we can definitely teach Detroit some English.” Siwon rolled his eyes. “Most of the companies here are tech companies, too small for our caliber. Take a break. This month’s been tough.”
As much as you wanted to disagree with Siwon, he wasn’t wrong. This past month has probably been the toughest month for you in terms of deadlines and stress in the past two years. With the added pressure of maintaining a public persona, your days at the office had stretched from the usual ten hours to sixteen. Most of the time you would be holed up at your desk going through proposals or stuck in meetings with your board as you planned strategies after strategies for expansion into Japan only to get shut down and asked to reassess by one or multiple of them. On top of that, your evenings were booked with conferences where you were invited to speak, given your new spotlight. Most times when you reached home you barely had the energy to change as you fell into bed, falling asleep under ten minutes, usually with Namjoon on the phone as he went through similar motions. You were stressed. Even this short trip was cutting into your time and although you had made good use of the plane’s wifi to work, there was still one proposal that you would have to finish sometime this weekend. Suddenly, the idea of not going to the festival was looking better, so you relent to Siwon as you bid him goodbye and make your way back to your room.
After a quick shower, you decided to work on the proposal before Namjoon arrived but soon as you sat on the desk typing away, the exhaustion of the day caught up with you, and with your head on the table, you drifted to a dreamless sleep.           
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Namjoon hadn’t been this excited in a long while. He could barely focus on the conversation in the car as he followed the little blue dot on his phone that was showing the way to the hotel. He had texted you as soon as he landed but you hadn’t responded and he was getting a bit antsy.
“Namjoon! Are you paying attention? Hey! I’m talking to you!” He begrudgingly looked up from his phone to see Jin pouting at him annoyed that he missed his comment. He rolled his eyes at him as he launched into a rant about him never listening to his stories. How Jin had this much energy after a twelve-hour flight was lost on him.  
“Let him be. He’s just excited to see Y/N.” Yoongi spoke, not even bothering to open his eyes. Although Namjoon was glad that Yoongi had his back, he wished he hadn’t said anything because suddenly everyone forgot about their long flight and started cooing. He felt himself get annoyed as their teasing increased but he couldn’t help the goofy grin that made its way to his face. He couldn’t be mad at them, they all had people at home they were missing, and he was lucky that unlike them he could get a break from missing you and actually hold you in his arms. He wouldn’t tell you but initially, his company had decided to send in their regrets for this event but he may or may not have convinced them to move the shoot for their new music video that was taking place in Los Angeles to next week so they could be here this weekend. If he had to just see you through his screen for another month he was going to go crazy. If it was up to him he would not leave your side at all the next three days.
Namjoon had to restrain himself from sprinting to his room as soon as he was handed the key card. He barely noticed a few of his members following him as he opened the door to spy you hunched over the desk in the corner of the large room, your laptop displaying multiple pictures of your friends and the both of you together. He figured you were asleep but he couldn’t wait to gently wake you up as he usually did, instead opting for screaming a loud “baby” and running to hug your sleeping form.
What he didn’t expect was for you to wake up so startled that you scream and elbow him in the ribs making him stumble backward till his butt met the floor, much to the entertainment of Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook who were cackling in the background.
“Oh my god! Joon?” He could see your face go from confusion to recognition and then into one of the most beautiful smiles he had seen as your puffy eyes go wide. “Joonie!”
You launched yourself from your chair into his arms as you collapsed on top of him in something between a hug and a cuddle as both of you fell to the floor erupting in giggles. Your scent enveloped him and he could feel himself getting delirious. He didn’t know whether it was the long flight or the long-distance but his heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest. He hadn’t been this happy in a long while.
“I missed you!” He exclaimed as he peppered aggressive pecks on top of your head, his arms around your shoulders tightening, making you squirm and laugh. Above you the maknaes squealed a chorus of “cute!”, cooing loudly.
“I missed you more!” You countered, grinning into his chest, before attempting to get up only to be pulled in tighter after Namjoon’s whine. “Babe, we have the whole weekend!”
“Hey! We missed her too! I want a hug!” Jimin mock yelled at Namjoon, who was now sitting up with you on his lap, still not letting you go.
“No. Get your own Y/N.” He pouts, placing a kiss to your shoulder as you giggle. You hadn’t seen this cute clingy side before and you were sure you had heart eyes. Ignoring his whining you managed to wriggle yourself out of his grip and stood up, greeting the boys. You barely talked for five minutes before Namjoon got impatient again and suggested “as their leader” they go rest after the long flight. You all made plans to meet up for dinner and drinks later that night to properly catch up.
You waved bye to the boys as Namjoon pushed them out the door, ignoring their groans. As soon as the door was closed, he grabbed you by the waist, his lips crashing into yours. The kiss was hungry, all tongues, teeth, and desperation. Your arms went around his neck, fingers pulling at his hair as his hands moved lower, groping your ass in an attempt to pull you even closer, grinding against you and making you moan into the kiss. Soon Namjoon was pinning you against the wall, his hands roaming all over your body as yours do on his.
“Missed my pretty girl,” Namjoon says after a few minutes, beaming and panting, his forehead against yours, his hand caressing your sides. Hearing your favorite nickname makes you melt. Even though his heart is beating a mile a minute, heat encasing his body, he hasn’t felt this relaxed in months. Just being in your presence puts him at ease.
“I really missed you.” You reach up to kiss him again, slower this time allowing yourself to relish him after being deprived for so long. He returns the kiss just as tenderly, making your heart melt in your chest as he cups your face, thumbs running over your cheeks. Even though things had started heated, this is what you truly missed, just being in each other's presence.
When you break the kiss, he lifts you up bridal style as you squeal, your arms automatically going around his neck. He grins at you, making you feel the same butterflies you had when you first met him as you poke his dimples, and he carries you to the bed, gently placing you among the pillows before kissing you again.
He was on top of you as you kissed, and you had almost forgotten what it felt to have him there with you as your tongues wrestled, his weight cushioning you to the mattress. Your hands reached the hem of his shirt, pulling it upwards till he sat on his knees to remove it, looking at you with his signature smirk as you ran your hands up his body, feeling the contours of his muscles, enjoying the way his chest flexed under them. That is until his smirk turned into one of the biggest yawns you had ever witnessed.
“Am I boring you, Joonie?” You saw his face flush as he looked at you sheepishly before leaning back over you and kissing your lips before moving on to your jaw.
“I read somewhere that yawns are just your brain's way of getting more oxygen” He whispered while gently kissing your neck, making you moan, as his hands moved under your shirt, roaming over your chest. “And all my blood’s somewhere else now so it makes sense” He kissed your ear, making you giggle.
“Wow your dirty talk sure has gotten scientific.” You couldn’t hold back your laughter as you processed what he had just said, your moans turning into cackles. He nipped at your ear as he leaned up to look at you, a goofy grin on his face.
“I’m out of practice!” He shrugged and pretended to glare at you but it only lasted a few seconds before he started laughing again because this time it was you who was yawning. Somehow the earlier sexual tension fades into comfort as you both get caught into a yawn loop.
“Maybe we should just nap first” you suggest pulling him back to you as you peck his lips.
“I do feel like I do better when I’m well-rested.” He lays on his side pulling you into him, one arm under your head and one around your waist. You hum in approval as you cozy up into him. You kiss as you slowly doze off, the adrenaline of your reunion wearing off into a soft glow of contentment.
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“Y/N! You have to call me oppa. We’re close enough! Stop calling me Mr. Seokjin!” You rolled your eyes as Jin yelled from the couch across from you. You had hung out with him quite a few times and every time he got drunk he insisted on making you call him by the term of endearment. You didn’t mind the term, in fact you called all your older male friends by it since moving to Korea, but riling up Jin till he started rapping was too funny an opportunity to pass up. 
“I can just call you Jin instead if you hate Mr Seokjin?” you smirked as the room around you burst into giggles. You were sitting on the couch in Hoseok’s room, leaning into Namjoon, his arm around your shoulders as he sipped his beer, shaking his head at your antics. After you and Namjoon had become official, you had made it a goal of yours to get to know most of his friends, as he had with yours. Before being separated, you would go out for dinners with your combined friends, and hearing them say they missed you warmed your heart. 
The first time you had had drinks together you had introduced them to King’s cup, one of your favorite drinking games from university, and their penchant for petty competitiveness and gross punishments made the game and you a regular occurrence whenever a few of you had free time together. In fact, Jungkook was so into it that he brought a deck of cards on tour to carry on the tradition, even though you had shown him multiple apps that could do the same. The same deck of cards was the one sprawled around the cup filled with Taehyung’s strawberry daiquiri, Siwon’s IPA, and Yoongi’s whiskey on the coffee table. No one was looking forward to pulling the next king card. 
The room was a bit crowded, filled with people. Although dinner was just you and the boys catching up, everyone had decided to invite the boys’ stylists and managers, as well as Siwon, for drinks. Hoseok had lost the game of rock, paper, scissors so he was made the begrudging host. 
“I’m older than you. You can’t call me just Jin!” he pouted, red cheeks puffed and arms crossed across his chest.
“Yeah by five months!” This is how this argument always went. It was pretty much scripted at this point, as evident by Taehyung who was gleefully mouthing the words before they even came out of your mouths. He’ll argue that Yoongi still called him hyung, you’d retort that’s because Jin forced him and that he was dumb for following through, Yoongi would then interrupt saying that he was still one month older than you and you’d rile up Jin more by calling Yoongi oppa the rest of the night while he would complain about you disrespecting Korean culture and you’d annoy him by telling him that he was disrespecting Canadian culture by not letting you use just his first name. You’d finally relent after seeing him stew only to pick up the same argument the next time you all drank together.
“Stop arguing and pick a card!” Hoseok whined, his sweet demeanor slowly phasing into his zombie persona with each sip of his drink. You loved hanging out with him but the man could not handle his alcohol. Namjoon kind of felt bad that Hobi was the host. He would normally offer him his bed once he inevitably passed out but Namjoon had other plans for his bed once this party was over.
Jin obliged as he picked up a card, careful not to break the circle lest he was forced to down his concoction of mini bar liquor and fruit punch. He picks up a jack, requiring him to start a game of Never Have I Ever.
“Alright, never have I ever disrespected Kim Seokjin.” He said smugly, looking straight at you egging you on to drink. You oblige by raising your glass to him before sipping your drink. To Jin’s annoyance, almost everyone else did that same thing, causing him to grumble.
“Okay that was a boring waste of a question,” Jimin states, rolling his eyes, already drunk sitting on the couch’s arm next to Namjoon. “Let’s make the couples here uncomfortable. Never have I ever had sex in public.”
Surprisingly, Namjoon, you and a stylist are the only ones that drink, making Jimin scream a loud “Kinky!” and prompting Sejin to start his lecture on being careful in the public eye since you were pretty known now and the press would have a field day. Before he can get into the full swing of his chiding, you decide to save you and Namjoon by protesting that you didn’t even hold his hand in public, let alone do anything else, and suddenly the whole atmosphere in the room changed. All eyes went from Namjoon to the stylist, with him glaring at Jimin and her awkwardly downing her drink before leaving. Confused and drunk, you don’t hesitate to ask what’s wrong in the silence that ensues, till it finally dawns on you. That’s the ex he worked with. Oh.
Namjoon could see the gears turning in your head as you put two and two together. He was going to kill Jimin and then himself. Why didn’t he think before taking a sip? He wanted tonight to end with you in his arms, not with you mad at him over something that happened two years ago. However, before he could think of how to make it up to you - maybe he could get you flowers or that whiskey you really like - you laugh, breaking the tension in the room.
“It’s okay guys, everyone has exes!” Still giggling you sip your drink while Jimin apologizes, waving him off. “Why would I get mad at this?”
That caused the room to return back to normal, people resuming the game and enjoying their drinks, but Namjoon was still confused. He knew you were a pretty rational person, but he had just told the whole room of your friends that he fucked his ex in public when you confirmed that he wouldn’t even hold your hand. Surely, he wasn’t wrong to assume that you would be at least a little peeved, but here you were laughing along at Jungkook’s stupid jokes without batting an eyelid. Before he could dwell too long on it, it was your turn to pull a card - pulling a king and effectively ending the game.
“Ewwww. I hate this. Ugh. Is this punishment for introducing you all to this game?” You scrunch your nose sniffing the liquid in the cup as the whole group chants “chug!”. Before you can put it to your lips, Namjoon grabs the cup from you.
“Allow me.” He says as he chugs the drink, almost in one shot, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and barely concealing the shiver that runs through him at the disgusting taste. Half the crowd boos as the other half coos at the chivalrous gesture. You can’t help smiling sweetly at him as he grimaces, and putting your arms around his waist pulling him in an embrace, exclaiming an overly exaggerated “My hero!”.
“Anything for my girl!” He says as he returns your hug and cups your face. “But you gotta suffer the taste with me!”
You’re not one for public displays of affection but you let him pull you into a sloppy kiss, almost forgetting your surroundings as he deepens it, his hand gripping your waist, his tongue tasting mostly of fake strawberry flavoring. Before you can get too carried away, you are interrupted by Yoongi, poking you both and wedging himself between you when you separate.
“Stop being gross! Some of us are single!” He says, making himself comfortable with an annoyed look on his face. 
“Awww hyung! They are so cute! Let them be gross!” A drunk Taehyung exclaims, clapping gleefully from the floor where he’s laying in Jungkook’s lap.
“Yeah! Rapmon hyung and Y/N noona are OTP!” Jungkook says as he sips his wine, almost dribbling it down his chin.
“Nobody says OTP anymore, kid.” Yoongi drawls but refuses to move from his position. “Plus I’m the one responsible for this okay? Your OTP would be nothing without me.” He looks smug as he finishes his sentence, sipping his drink and shrugging his shoulders. Namjoon and you exchange a smirk at his remark and proceed to hug your grumpy friend tightly from both sides much to his over the top protests. Namjoon was truly grateful Yoongi had given him the courage to speak to you that night. He can’t even begin to explain the impact you have made on his life. As he looked at you tipsy and giggling, now arguing with Yoongi over which Kanye album was the best, he felt his heart blossom. You were beautiful and he was in love with you. He was sure you weren’t there yet but he promised himself that before this trip was over he was going to tell you without chickening out at the last moment like the last four times. 
The party comes to an end soon after. Hoseok almost passes out after his third nursed drink and Sejin has the right mind to kick everyone out while Namjoon and Jimin help Hoseok to his bed, your heart warming as your equally drunk boyfriend forces him to brush his teeth and get into bed. Once Hoseok is firmly tucked in, Namjoon turns to you and squats.
“Get on!” He smiles looking at your direction.
“Joon we’re like two doors down. Get up!” You giggle tipsily at his offer to piggyback you.
“I wanna carry you!” He pouts against your protests, finally giving up on the piggyback after asking three times and instead draping you over his shoulder as you squeal. 
“You’re gonna hurt your shoulder!” You scream but your protests go unheard, even as you take the opportunity to smack his butt from your position, a smack that he returns with a warning to behave, but you’re feeling drunk and cheeky as you continue to smack him, even going so far to rap to the beat that you’re making as he unlocks the door to your room.
He tosses you on the bed, pinning your arms above your head before you can wrap them around him and smirks at you, his eyes full of mischief.
“See, I was going to apologize for my ex but you had to go and be a brat.” He kisses you breathless as he takes both your hands in one of his while the other moves under your shirt, raising goosebumps where it caresses your stomach.
“Apologize for what?” You pant as he breaks the kiss, and he can see the confusion on your face.
“You’re not mad?” Now it’s his turn to be confused. He was sure you were mad. He would’ve been mad. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t still thinking about it since the awkward incident.
“That you had sex with your ex-girlfriend while you were dating her?” You do a dramatic gasp as you giggle at his dumbfounded expression.
“Yeah… and told our friends about it.” He looks at you sheepishly, his earlier dominant persona fading into your soft boyfriend. His hand loosens its grip on yours as he searches your eyes for any signs of hurt, his eyebrows scrunched.
“Joon you fuck too good to have been a virgin when we met.” You lift one hand to poke at the crease between his brows as you laugh and he holds your wrist, still gauging your expression.
“You’re not mad? Or… jealous?”
“Pfft. I know I fucking rock your world better than she ever did.” You try your best to do a hair flip from where you lay under him, failing miserably and making him laugh, his head coming to rest on your shoulder.
“That you do, baby. That you do.” He pecks your shoulder as he moves to your neck, kissing up to your jaw before crashing his lips onto yours. As your hands go to his hair, he brings them back over your head, breaking your kiss but not before pulling your lower lip with his teeth, coaxing a moan from you. “But you’re still getting spanked for being a brat.”
You feel his deep voice reverberate through to your core as you look at the lust in his eyes and feel yourself getting wetter. He kisses you again, his arm hooking under your waist as he sits up pulling you with him, making you gasp at the sudden movement, your arms going around his neck. Your heart’s beating a mile a minute as you make out in his lap, grinding slowly. Even after months of being together you still can’t get used to how easily his switch to this persona turns you to putty. You whimper as his hands find your ass, his fingers groping the muscle hard enough to bruise.
“Get naked.” If you were wet before, you’re dripping now as he moves you off his lap, sitting on the edge of the bed, his legs spread and leaning on his elbows. You decide to make a show of it, jumping off the bed and slowly peeling off the layers. You smile over your shoulder as you rid yourself of your bra, watching him smile, eyes hooded, from where he watches relaxed. Your hands find the waistband of your jeans, slowly unbuttoning them and shimmying out of them, swaying your hips as you do. You’re sure you would find this strip tease embarrassing if it weren’t for how his hungry eyes drink in every expanse of new skin exposed. You bend down to give him a view of your ass as you pull your panties off, a thread of your slick following them as they reach the floor, making him groan loudly. “Fuck. I love your ass.”
You drape yourself on his lap, the material of his jeans on your bare skin making you shiver in excitement as he gently caresses your behind. “Since you love rapping so much, how about you rap that song from earlier, hmm?” he says as he lands a loud smack without warning making you jump at the contact. The sharp pain quickly ebbs into pleasure as he soothes the heated skin under his big palm. “What’s your safeword?”
“Rap monster.” That is not your safeword, but your drunk self thinks it’s the funniest joke as you giggle looking up at him to see his face crack into the smallest of smiles before reverting back to a stern look as he glares at you.
“Seems like someone doesn’t want to cum tonight.” He smacks you again, harder this time making you gasp before you’re apologizing at his threat. Namjoon watches your skin bloom red as he tries to maintain his composure. Trust you to make jokes even when he’s spanking you, and trust him for finding it funny.
“Sunflower! It’s sunflower!” you yell as his hand lands yet again on your ass.
“Good girl. Let’s hear that rap then.” You’re not even sure what song you’re mumbling as his hand rains on your behind, each spank making you wetter till you’re dripping down your thighs and whimpering in his hold.
“Fuck so wet for me.” He hisses as his fingers trace your swollen folds making you jump and mewl as he lightly caresses your throbbing clit. He leans down to kiss your red cheeks as he guides you off his lap and on to the bed and lies on top of you, smiling brightly as he cups your face to kiss you, slow and deep. “You did so well, baby. You’re really into ASAP nowadays aren’t you?”
“You really need some variation in the playlists you send me.” You quip, chuckling as you gently guide his face back to yours, kissing him again, his tongue intertwining with yours. As he leans on one elbow, his other hand makes its way down your body, stopping briefly to tweak each nipple and making you moan before he reaches the apex of your thighs. His fingers dip in you slightly gathering your arousal before starting to circle your clit as he starts kissing your neck, suckling the spot he knows makes you go crazy. It’s like your whole body’s on fire as he finds a rhythm, driving you quickly towards the edge, your mind turning blank as eyes squeeze shut and your lips moan his name. You’re so close and he can feel it by how your nails dig into his shoulders, making him hiss, but before you can cum he moves his hand away, bringing his fingers to his lips to clean them as he watches you glare at him with a whine.
“You really think I’ll forget your little joke earlier?” He whispers in your ear, his voice deeper than usual, as he nips on it before sitting up between your legs and unceremoniously stripping himself of his shirt and jeans. The sight of the bulge in his boxers makes your walls clench around nothing as you stare at him open-mouthed. Enjoying your reaction, he places one of your legs on his shoulders, the back of your knee fitting perfectly next to his neck as he moves back towards you, his clothed length pressing against your core as he kisses you again roughly, making you whimper as his hands dig into your sides. Your leg burns as he licks and kisses down your jaw towards your chest, his lips taking a nipple and rolling it around with his tongue. You’re sure he can feel your wetness seep through his boxers as he grinds into you agonizingly slow. He nips at your chest and you moan as your back arches off the bed into him.
He continues his slow kisses down your body turning you into a writhing mess under him. You think you’re going to lose your mind by the time he gets past your hip bone and places a chaste kiss on the top of your mound before moving on to your thigh, nibbling at the sensitive skin and paying no attention to your dripping core making a mess of the sheets.
“Joon please…” you beg, rolling your hips to entice him as he pays you no mind, placing an arm over your hips to halt your motion and continues to mark your other thigh. When he’s fully satisfied by his work, he places his forearms under your thighs and pulls to close to his face, licking a stripe from your entrance to your clit, and it’s like you’ve been electrocuted; your earlier orgasm picking back up as your back arches off the bed, the moan emitting from you barely sounding like yourself. You clasp a hand over your mouth in shock as he continues licking you, his tongue expertly flicking at your clit before he adds two fingers inside you, the digits slipping in easily, making your walls clench around them. He hooks his fingers and you try to grind against him to no success as his arm pushes your hips into the bed. He relishes your moans as your hand moves from your mouth to grasp at the sheets, the sensation too overwhelming as your eyes close shut. 
“Are you close baby? You’re not allowed to cum till I tell you.” He feels your walls tighten around his fingers as he thrusts faster and a chant of please rolls off your tongue, your hand twisting in your hair. It’s like every cell in your body is alight from your toes to your scalp, tingling as you get closer, your eyes welling up with pleasure. But once again before you can come undone, his fingers slow down to a snail’s pace, his mouth moving away. The frustration builds in you as a few tears escape and your fists punch the mattress.
He chuckles lightly as he sees you pout under him as, your hair a mess, your lips swollen and red from where you’ve bitten them. God, even glaring at him like you’re gonna kill him, you look adorable. Deciding he’s taught you a lesson, he pulls his dick out of his boxers, his tip swollen and weeping with precum, and lines it towards your entrance, teasing you further and gathering your juices.
Your eyes roll back with pleasure as he replaces his fingers with his cock, filling you to the hilt in one swift motion. The stretch combined with his teasing makes your head hazy and you can hear him groan above you as he puts both your legs in the air together, holding them against his chest with one arm as he thrusts into you slow and hard. You feel so much tighter in this position and he has to bite his lip to ensure he doesn’t cum immediately. You can feel every vein and ridge as he moves slowly and deliberately and even at this pace you are getting close.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck Joonie… please can I cum? Please I’m so close!” You don’t care that you’re yelling, you’re desperate for release, the earlier tension returning tenfold. You vow to break up with him if he denies you one more time. Fortunately for your relationship, he increases his pace, making you see stars.
“Hold it just a little bit longer baby.” His pace doesn’t falter and you’re writhing against him, a babble of incoherent pleas escaping your lips as your hands try to grab on to his forearm. Your legs are shaking and he can feel your walls tighten harder around him. He increases his speed as your pleas get louder.
“Okay baby. Cum for me.” At his command, your vision goes black and it’s like your body is one big nerve ending, pleasure zipping through you making you cry out his name as you spasm in his hold. He fucks you through your orgasm, pace not faltering, till you go limp, your breath coming out in loud pants as he praises you. “That’s my girl. Good job, baby.”
Without changing his speed, he releases your legs, pushing them to your chest as he leans down and kisses you. The new angle hitting your g-spot as you whine in his mouth at the oversensitivity, but instead of slowing down, he picks up his pace yet again, his fingers coming to trace your sensitive clit, making your head buzz with the overwhelming sensation.
“I can’t… Joon,” you whine as he fucks you hard, panting above you and you can tell he’s close.
“Do you want to use your safeword?” He looks at you with concern, slowing down and closely reading your expression. As you tell him no his hips snap into you again, his fingers working faster on your clit as the pain morphs to pleasure. He’s chasing his release, his movements becoming sloppy.
“Cum again baby. I know you can do it. Come on, that’s it” And soon you’re cumming again, screaming as tears fall down your face and your walls clench around him coaxing him to orgasm. He grunts loudly, moaning your name multiple times, as he cums, painting your walls with his seed. His breath is heavy as he pulls out and watches his cum dribble out of you, using two fingers to push it back in before he collapses on the bed next to you.
He brings his fingers up to your lips and you happily suck on them before he pulls them out and kisses you gently, his hand smoothing your hair. He then puts his arm under your head as he cuddles you into his chest, his other arm pulling your waist into him and his legs over yours. You’ve never felt safer or more comfortable than you do tangled up in him.
“Are you okay?” He asks as he gently caresses your cheek, wiping your runny mascara with his thumb, kissing you once again.
“Holy fuck. That was-” Your voice is hoarse from your screaming and you have to clear your throat a couple of times before you can speak clearly. “That was amazing.”
“Phew! The suspense was killing me!” He laughs as you playfully swat at his chest before pulling his lips on yours again. “Shower?”
“Yes. But this time you really have to carry me.” You raise your hands grabbing at the air as he stands up.
“I got you, pretty girl.” He grins widely, his eyes scrunched together, as he kisses your forehead, picking you off the bed and carrying you to the bathroom. 
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Namjoon looked at you from across the room as you chatted with a group of women with a cup of coffee, your breakfast untouched, totally distracted from the guy who was telling him about some app he had made for producers to make it easier to find samples. He rarely got to see you in your professional element. In fact, the only time he had seen you was during the gala and he felt an unparalleled surge of pride. The way you carried yourself was so different than when you were with him. It wasn’t that you weren’t relaxed, it was just effortless - the way you seemed to answer each question with confident authority, the way you gave advice to people who were probably much older than you, and especially the way you tried to engage the quieter people of the group in conversations. It reminded him of why you had caught his eye the first time he met you, and why he was so unbelievably whipped for you. Your duality of being goofy and sexy when you were alone to being this serious vat of knowledge and experience when networking made him weak in the knees.
“So do you think you would use it?” The founder of the sampling app, Lee Seungmin, asked Namjoon. Seungmin was one of the other people invited from Korea, and seemed pretty adamant on selling his product to Namjoon. It took all of his energy to rip his gaze away from you.
“I’m sorry I missed that. What did you ask?” Namjoon asked politely, looking at the shorter, much chubbier man dressed in slacks and a shirt with his company logo on it.
“Wouldn’t blame you. She’s really hot, eh?” Seungmin jokes, making Namjoon choke on his coffee. Although he knows that this guy isn’t privy to your relationship, it makes him a little annoyed at his comment. Who was he to dare objectify you?
“Yes, but I don’t think they invite people here for their looks.” He couldn’t help how curt his tone was effectively shutting him up and making him move away to talk to someone else at the table. Namjoon would feel bad if he didn’t overhear him start the conversation about you with the next guy. Rolling his eyes, he went back to his lunch, talking to Hoseok and Yoongi instead, wishing this brunch went by faster than it did. He was getting sick of people trying to suck up to him or sell him something. Someone even had the audacity to ask him to pose with their product so they could put it on their website. He politely declined, but the thinly veiled attempts at using him and his members for clout were starting to get on his nerves. He could feel himself getting stressed, much like he did when he had to pretend to be perfect for the media, and falling back into the headspace of last month - cloudy, annoyed, and frustrated.
He was relieved when you both arrived back at the room. You held his arm for support as you leaned down to take off your heels, sighing in relief as your feet met the flat ground.
“God, I hate heels!” You exclaimed as you walked over, dropping your blazer on the ground and plopped on the couch, stretching your feet. Namjoon picked your jacket off the floor, draping it on one of the chairs as he situated himself on the other end of the sofa, putting your legs on his lap.
“Since when do you wear heels?” He asks, as he gently runs his hands over your legs, covered with a pair of navy pants.
“Too often nowadays.” You sigh with your eyes closed, and he can’t help frowning at how tired you looked, even though it’s barely past 2 pm.
“You okay, babe? Want a foot massage?” He doesn’t wait for your answer as he starts massaging your feet, smiling as you relax further into the couch.
“Shit. That feels good!” You moan as you relax. “You know they don’t give Grammys for best boyfriends, right?”
“I’m offended you think I’m doing this for something as dumb as a Grammy.” He chuckles, but he knows you well enough to know that you’re avoiding the topic. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just stressed about work. Don’t worry about it.” At that you pull your legs from under his hands, walking over to grab your laptop before sitting on the couch again to start working, eyebrows furrowed as soon as you open the your laptop. Namjoon knows he shouldn’t take your dismissal to heart, but he can’t help be taken aback by your lack of openness. You always told him what was on your mind and he felt his heart ache that you didn’t want to share what was wrong. He couldn’t fully blame you. He hadn’t told you about his stresses this past month either, but unlike him, you hadn’t even noticed he was stressed. It made him a little wary, bringing his thoughts back to last night and your reaction, or lack thereof, to meeting his ex. As much as it hurt him, maybe he was right after all. You didn’t love him yet. He sighed as he got up to grab his book, hoping that he could change that before leaving you tomorrow night.
After a few hours of work, you started to feel bad for ignoring Namjoon. He had been nothing but doting this whole trip and you hated yourself for having to finish this proposal this weekend. Feeling your brain turn to mush anyways, you stretched as you walked over to your suitcase, watching your boyfriend who seemed to be engrossed in his book. You felt guilty for avoiding his questions earlier but you could see how stressed he had been from work - in fact, Jungkook had told you as much over text last week when he shared that Namjoon had collapsed during rehearsals. You knew how empathetic he was, he would do everything in his power to make sure you were feeling good, so how could you burden him with your stresses when he had so many of his own. Sure this last month had been hell and you were barely functioning but if you told him that, you know he would worry about you, and you would rather bottle everything up than have him worry.
Reaching into your suitcase, you took out his favorite packet of ramen, hiding it behind your back as you moved over to stand in front of him.
“I got you a present.” You bent down till you were face to face as he looked up at you with a smile and kissed him gently.
“I think you’ve already given me this present.” He said as he cupped your face and kissed you again, lingering longer.
You laugh as you straighten up and pull the ramen from behind your back, watching his eyes go wide in excitement as he grabs it, his dimples poking his cheeks as he hugs you. You knew he always missed home when on tour even if it was just an Asian tour, and his ramen cravings were the top priority when he arrived back to Korea. You hoped this would cheer him up as you grabbed the packet and walked over to the kettle, starting the water.
“Speaking of presents, I was saving this for tomorrow, but now I’m excited.” He says before grabbing the slim velvet box from his bag and walking over to you, wrapping you in a back hug as you pour the seasoning from the packet into the cup of dry ramen. He puts the box in front you and opens it, making it now your turn to go wide-eyed.
Inside the box is a necklace with the most delicate gold chain holding a pendant shaped like a gold slice of pizza with pepperoni made of small rubies. It would seem tacky if it didn’t look so intricate. No one had given you a gift that was so you, and it made you speechless.
“I know it’s cheesy but I saw it in Tokyo and it reminded me of our first date, but if you don’t like it I can take it back and I’m sure I can return it, I mean they gave me a gift receipt and everything.” Namjoon knew he was rambling but you were eerily quiet and the fact that he couldn’t see your face made him uneasy. 
“It’s perfect,” you whisper as you turn around, your eyes glistening as you wrap your arms around his neck. He was alarmed. You never got emotional, even when you both watched Up together you barely showed any signs of being moved while he was sobbing. 
“It was meant to be for our 100 day anniversary next week but I thought I’d give it early.” He pressed his forehead to yours, drinking in your smile as he held you tighter.
“I’m literally the worst girlfriend. I forgot about that.” You frowned as you looked away before you looked back at him, your eyes wide. “Oh my god! I only got you ramen! What the fuck is wrong with me?!”
“Y/N… Relax. I didn’t get you a present for you to get me one. Plus I know you’re nothing without your calendar app. I swear you’d forget to eat without it.” He laughed trying to reassure you as he kissed your frown away. “If anything it’s Siwon’s fault for not programming it in there.”
“I don’t deserve you.” You sigh as you hug him tightly, making Namjoon’s heart swoon as you ask him to put the necklace on you. He does so, kissing the nape of your neck where he clasps it and telling you that you deserve the world. You wanted to tell him you loved him before you chickened out again but before the words could make it out of your lips his were against them.
Later that night, he feels even happier as he sees you wear it to the gala. Even though he knows he can’t hold your hand, the fact that you have a symbol of his love for you around your neck makes him giddy.
--------------------------------
“Joon, seriously. I have to get this done.” You giggle as he kisses your neck, moving the strap of your tank to the side as he continues lavishing you in kisses. Namjoon was impatient. He had spent the whole night watching you from afar. He’d be damned if he had to wait any longer to have you in his arms. Work can go to hell.
To say that Namjoon hated the gala would be an understatement. First, you and Yoongi ended up unintentionally matching, and he found himself irrationally jealous at the fact that his stylist didn’t choose the Louis Vitton outfit for him so he could match with you. Second, even though all the attendees were placed on tables according to country, you had decided to sit next to none other than Lee Seungmin, the creep checking you out at brunch, who wasted no opportunity to shamelessly flirt with you, even going so far as to put his hand on your thigh a couple of times. The number of times you politely rejected him for him not to get the hint made Namjoon’s blood boil, so much so that Jin had to poke him to relax his face lest the photographers captured his reaction. And lastly, when he had to watch you dance with some old men as you were too polite to refuse, while they leered at you. Through it all, Namjoon could just watch helplessly as you seemed more uncomfortable. Now that you were both back to your room and in your pajamas, he just wanted to hold you before all the jealousy and insecurity of the night caught up with him. He knew if he kissed your neck enough, you’d soon comply.
“Do it later. We only have till tomorrow. Let’s watch a movie together?” He gives you another kiss that makes your breath hitch, a soft moan escaping your lips. Before you can get too carried away, you move his head away from you, sighing and gathering all your self-control. If you didn’t finish this proposal today you’d be in big trouble - like losing a multimillion-dollar contract big trouble. As much as you wanted to just forget work existed, you had to take a two-hour reality check on this trip.
“I can’t do that. Please understand.” You looked at him softly, but Namjoon couldn’t help getting annoyed. Didn’t you yearn for him like he did at that gala? Were you happy to be hit on by those creeps?
“Are you seriously being like this right now?” He scoffed, pulling away from you, eyebrows knitted together. Namjoon couldn’t understand why you had to work right now. You had been apart for so long, didn’t you want to spend as much time with him as he wanted to with you?
“Like what? I told you I need to have this done by tomorrow.” He could hear the familiar edge in your voice. You were starting to get annoyed.
“Do you know how much groveling I had to do to get this weekend together and you’re going to waste it on stupid work?” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. You didn’t know he “groveled”, as far as you were aware this was part of his schedule. Why was he being so difficult all of a sudden? It’s not like you had a choice. Does he think you would seriously spend time away from him if you didn’t have to?
“Are you seriously mad at me for taking two hours, two hours, out of three days to finish some work?”
“Yes because these three days are all we get together for the next month.” Namjoon knew he was being stupid, two hours were not a big deal, but at the moment he couldn’t help but feel abandoned like somehow the scales in the relationship had tipped where the balance of affection was off. He cared so much for you, why couldn’t you feel the same?
“Oh don’t be dramatic. I will be done soon.” You snapped, your attention turning back to the screen. If Namjoon was going to throw a tantrum there was no reason for you to indulge him.
“Don’t dismiss me like that. You’re the boss, just tell the people to wait. Or delay it.” He walked closer to you, shutting your laptop, standing with his arms crossed. He wanted your full attention, and he was going to demand it. He hated how condescending you were being.
“Are you kidding me? I can’t do that. This is for a client.” You stand up facing him, anger flowing through you, indignation plastered on your features. Even though he was significantly taller than you, your glare could have made anyone feel small.
“Just do it later and apologize.” Namjoon knew he was being stubborn, but the reason for the fight was forgotten, he just wanted you to admit that you were wrong. As childish as it seemed, he wanted to win. 
“What the fuck? I have a whole company that I need to pay, I can’t just skip shit.”
“Oh don’t give me that bullshit. Missing one deadline won’t make you miss payroll - you’re not a struggling small company anymore.” That hit a nerve, he could see it in your eyes as they flared with anger. He would feel bad for making you angry if he weren’t so happy to get a reaction.
“The fucking hypocrisy. Sure Namjoon, have RM miss a concert. It’s okay you’re not a struggling small band anymore!” You poked him in the chest as you moved closer. He hadn’t seen this side of you before. You had never been angry with him before. You had never fought like this before. Your anger only seemed to fuel his. He had no control over his schedule, you did. Why couldn’t you understand that fundamental difference?
“That is not the same thing. You are overworking yourself for no reason.” He was talking with his hands, you knew he only acted like that when he was pissed, but you were not going to have any of this petty behavior. For all his bull and bluster about being a feminist, he’s going to pull this shit on you? His job is great and not stressful or busy but when it comes to you he’s going to pull the overworking card? When he literally collapsed during rehearsal last week and hid it from you? You were livid.
“You’re going to talk to me about overworking?” You laughed sarcastically, your eyes burning. “Oh is it not the same thing because it's my job and not yours?” 
“You know that’s not what I meant. Whatever. Fuck this. Enjoy writing your proposal!” Namjoon couldn’t argue anymore. He felt his anger rising to a point where he knew he was going to say something he regretted if he hadn’t already. Using his one remaining rational brain cell, he walked out of the room, not before maliciously slamming the door behind him.
“I will!” you screamed into the empty room, panting with anger as you picked up the water bottle on your desk and threw it across the room, tears in your eyes.
--------------------------------------
Y/N: Have you seen Namjoon? He’s not responding.
Yoongi: Isn’t he with you?
Y/N: No.
Yoongi: What happened?
Y/N: Nothing, we just had an argument and I haven’t seen him. It’s been two hours.
Yoongi: Okay don’t worry. We’ll find him.
Y/N: Thanks Yoongs
Yoongi: Where are you?
Yoongi: Hello?
Yoongi: Namjoon. Answer your phone.
Yoongi: Y/N is really worried about you
Yoongi: Listen Namjoon if you don’t answer in the next five minutes, I’m reporting you missing
Yoongi: Enjoy that press 
Namjoon: Stop calling me. I’m fine.
Yoongi: No. Where the fuck are you?
Namjoon: I’m just on the roof.
Namjoon: Please don’t come here. I just want to be alone.
Yoongi: Are you okay? Y/N told me you guys had a fight
Namjoon: I’ll be fine. Don’t tell her where I am.
Yoongi: Okay. Text me if you need a friend.
Namjoon: Thanks hyung.
Yoongi: He’s on the roof. He said he’s fine, but not to tell you.
Y/N: Thanks friend
Yoongi: You should go find him
Y/N: He doesn’t want me, there he made that clear
Yoongi: I’ve known him and lived with him for a decade, trust me. He needs you.
Y/N: Okay, but if we break up it’s on you.
Yoongi: Just go find him Y/N.
--------------------------------------
Namjoon rubbed his face as he sat on the rooftop of the hotel, his back against the railing. Replying to Yoongi he tossed his phone aside. He’d been sitting here for the past couple of hours his anger dissipating into guilt far too quick. Dried tears streaked his face as he tried to gather the courage to go back to the room. 
He was scared. The image of your angry face as he dismissed your work popping in his head. He didn’t know why he did that. He respected what you did, but he felt like a hypocrite. All his exes he dismissed when they asked him to take care of himself and not overwork. All the times they came to his studio to force him to leave, only to have the same look of anger that you gave him. He laughed bitterly as he pulled his legs to his chest.
At the edge of the guilt, he could feel it again, the same feeling he’d had since the comeback started, a sort of brain slush. Like a haze shackling him in place. He had felt it many times before but it was never this strong, this force of unproductivity, making him want to forget everything and hide. The stress of this comeback wasn’t any different than other ones. He always made it a priority to write new music in between promotions and shows but his creative block from four months ago was back and nastier. He could feel it gnaw at his neurons, forcing him to stay awake for hours after he should be in bed staring at a blank Ableton file. Usually, he could trick his mind out of this fog by working harder, but lately, it was like it was getting thicker seeping into every aspect of his life, painting his vision sepia, making every movement robotic. 
He remembers when encouraging messages from ARMY would make him happy, excited to make more music for them but nowadays it just made him feel guilty. He wasn’t doing enough for them, he couldn’t even string together a series of 808s without it sounding like a gimmick or worse like plagiarism. Last week he had fucked up so bad that his body shook from the memory. He had stayed up all night in some sick form of self-harm, scrolling through hate comments on Twitter then Reddit. He was never sadder to know multiple languages because even if the characters were different the messages were the same. He was a shitty musician, too overhyped by fans, his awards were bought by his company, his dances sucked, he tried too hard, and of course that he was too ugly to be an idol. His rational side would argue that these messages were meant to hurt him, his friends and you would comfort him by telling him they were lies, but he never told anyone about this habit, and his rational side often lost out. If anyone asked why he did this he would say to fuel another song, but he knew the real reason - he just couldn’t stop. So he stayed up all night till his eyes were dry and scratchy from staring at the screen, and had three espresso shots before the show even though he hated espresso, his body eventually giving out during rehearsals. He got quite a few lectures about that. A leader’s job is to set a good example. You have been doing this for so long, be a professional play in your limits. But there were no limits, not when it literally took a mantra of just “power through it” to get out of bed and shower.
He had been hoping this weekend would solve everything - that seeing you would solve everything. As he sat on the roof, the first few drops of rain falling on him, he curled in further into himself. It wasn’t your responsibility to make him happy, clear the fog, but you had done it the first day. His mind felt clear but it was gone too soon. He didn’t know when it happened but he could see it after a while that you didn’t feel the same way he did. You didn’t crave to be next to him like he did, speaking affirmations in his ear as he did in yours. Hell, even when you saw his ex for the first time, you barely reacted. Maybe it was the way you were so adamant that he not leave any marks because you might not be able to cover them this weekend, or the way you made sure to not sit next to him at the gala even when you were seated on the same table by some stroke of luck. You didn’t love him like he did, and he would be happy with scraps, but he couldn’t afford to miss you more than he did. He laughed again, cackling maniacally, as he realized where he was: a rooftop in the middle of a downpour, just because you once said rooftops had magical healing powers. There was nothing healing about being alone looking at lights shining in offices no one was in - it was lonely.
He was so desperate to feel anything other than this fog that even anger was a better option. Maybe he wanted you to put him out of his misery, leave him as he was sure you would eventually before he burdened you with more of his fucked up life before he relied on you further just to have his legs cut out from under him. He sighed, shivering even though the rain was warm, resting his head on his knees. Could he survive if you left him tonight, justly so?
“Joon…?” You call out as you reach the rooftop, searching for him through the rain.
“I told hyung not to tell you. I wanna be alone” You barely hear him mumble from the corner and you make your way over to the dark figure. He’s hunched in on himself, his arms around his knees, his face in his hands and it breaks your heart. Your boyfriend is a tall, broad man who can easily throw you across the room if he wants to, but at this moment, he looks small, almost tiny. It takes everything in you to not just go and wrap him in your arms. 
“Namjoon, what are you doing?” You squat in front of him, resting your hands on his arms. You wouldn’t usually push him like this when he seems distraught, you knew he didn’t respond too well to direct conflict but you needed him to let you in, your inherent need to fix going into hyperdrive. When he refuses to look at you, you cup his face and pull it up firmly to look into his eyes. He looks like he’s been crying and it makes your eyes well up. “Look at me. Why are you driving me away?”
With nowhere to run, all he can see is your face, your eyes puffy, red-rimmed and glassy, your nose a dusty pink. He made you cry. He made the person he was supposed to take care of cry because he got pissy over something she couldn’t control, something he was guilty of as well. All his guilt bit at his chest again and he hated himself. You didn’t deserve this. You should leave him. Why were you here in the rain trying to comfort him when he was such a useless asshole?
“Fuck... I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” His voice sounded hoarse and broken, and he knew all the apologies in the world wouldn’t make him worthy of forgiveness. He wished you’d just leave and let him wallow in the rain by himself - he deserved that. Tears filled his eyes and he hoped the rain would ensure they were invisible.
“Hey, hey. Baby, it’s okay.” You kissed him on the forehead, settling on your knees in front of him. His eyes were wide as he looked at you, his hands on top of yours, gripping your hands a little too tight.
“I… don’t know why I picked a fight.” He averted his gaze, not having the courage to look at you.
“It’s okay.” You move your hands to the back of his neck as he places his on your shoulders, opening his legs wide enough for you to move closer, your forehead against his as you caress the hair on his nape. 
“No, it’s not. Fuck! It’s like when I saw you yesterday I could finally breathe! I’ve felt so numb these few months but when I saw you, it’s like I could finally be happy.” He cups your face. He knows he needs to be honest but he doesn't know where to start.
“Joonie…”
“And then I could feel it escape again. I felt it. My head getting cloudy like I was slowly going underwater, and I don’t know… I just… I can’t ask you to be responsible for my happiness. It’s not fair to you. I can’t. I can’t.” He knows he’s not making any sense but his chest feels tight and he can’t fight his tears anymore as they mix with the raindrops on his cheeks. He can feel himself hyperventilating. He doesn’t know why he can’t tell you this without breaking down. What was wrong with him? Maybe that’s why you didn’t love him. Maybe that’s why you never got jealous because you knew he wasn’t worth it. How could he support you when he could barely stand by himself. He was so fucked up. 
“Joonie. It’s okay. Just breathe, okay? You’re okay.” You cradle his head against your chest, kissing the top of his head.
“I can’t lose you Y/N. I can’t be the jealous idiot that I always am and lose you.” He’s clawing at your sweater, pulling you closer than you are, making your eyes well up at his desperation. Why does he think he’s going to lose you? As far as you knew you had never given him any indication of that. You loved him and you couldn’t imagine a future without him.
“Namjoon. Look at me. It’s going to take more than a stupid fight to drive me away.” You pull his face away from your sweater and hold his gaze, his eyes red and still full of tears. The image breaks your heart but you hope you can convey your honesty to him.
“No, but you shouldn’t be with me. I’m fucked up, you know. You deserve better.” His actions speak otherwise as he holds your upper arms in both his hands tight enough to bruise as if you would disappear if he let go.
“Where is this coming from? Namjoon you’re not fucked up, you’re human. I don’t care how fucked up you think you are. I love you.” You look deep into his eyes, urging him to believe you. You had been trying to tell him you loved him all day but you always chickened out, but not now. You needed him to know that you were here for him. You were dying to know what started this, why he felt this way, but you needed him to realize that you had no plans of leaving.
“You… love me?” His voice was almost inaudible as his bottom lip quivered.
“Of course I love you. I love you - good parts and bad parts. I love 100% of you.” You kissed him gently, wiping at his face with your thumbs.
“Why?”
“Cause you’re you. You make me happy, even when you make me mad you make me happy.” You put your forehead against his again as the rain picked up, pelting the both of you. “Just don’t run away from me, please?”
“I don't deserve you. Fuck. I love you so much it scares me.” He kisses you at that, rough and full of yearning. It’s like the first kiss you shared this weekend and it makes your heart ache. Did he feel this way when he saw you again yesterday? Like he didn’t deserve you? You wished you could go into his head and learn all his worries - this did not seem like only work stress to you.
“Hey. I’m scared too okay? It just means it’s real.”
“How do you do that? How do you sound so sure all the time?” His head is on your shoulder as you caress his hair. It seems as if all the energy has been drained from his body as his grip on you loosens and you feel his weight lean on you.
“Because I believe in us. We’re Rapmon hyung and Y/N noona. We’re OTP, remember?” You lift his face and smile at him as he musters a small one of his own, as you kiss him again. “Let’s get out of the rain, okay baby?”
You both are drenched from the rain when you get back to your room, and you lead Namjoon to the bathroom. He just stands there, eyes glassy as you start a bath and grab a towel, drying the rain on his body. Once the bath is full and bubbly, you undress him and guide him in, discarding your own own clothes before climbing in behind him.
“I always sit behind you when we bathe.” He says, voice barely audible.
“Let me wash your hair, is that okay?” you say tentatively, kissing the back of his neck as he nods.
Suddenly, his head snaps up as he speaks loudly, a slight panic in his voice. “I have to use the special shampoo so the colour doesn’t fade.”
“Yeah. I have it right here.” You smile as he relaxes and you foam the shampoo on his pink hair, massaging his scalp gently. You take your time, washing it out before moving onto the conditioner, letting it sit as you massage his shoulders. You hear him sniff as you work at the knots. As you’re washing the conditioner off his hair, he turns at the waist, bringing one hand to your cheek as he looks at you. You realize he was still crying as your own eyes threaten to fill with tears.
“Thank you, Y/N. I… I know I don’t deserve this. Thank you.”
“Shh… I love you Joonie. You deserve this and more.” You kiss him gently on each cheek and then on the lips. You are not sure how to make him believe this but you hope he can see how much you love him as you wipe his tears. Namjoon’s never been this vulnerable with you, never given up this much control, and if you’re being honest it scares you seeing him this way. In a way, you feel helpless. You’re a fixer and there’s just no immediate way to make him feel better, you just have to make sure he knows you’re here for him. 
After you get dressed, he lays in bed as you do his skincare routine for him, running your fingers over his face gently. Namjoon hasn’t felt this way with someone before, so raw but soothed at the same time. He never shows his negative emotions to anyone. Right now it feels like his emotions are a livewire, but the way you gently tap the serums on to his skin, making sure not to miss a spot, he realizes how wrong he was. All the ways he convinced himself you didn’t love him were wrong. You don’t show love through jealousy or possession or even words. This is how you show love - in the quiet of your room making sure that he doesn’t go to sleep drenched from the rain, or skip his eye cream so his eyes aren't too puffy in the morning or at breakfast when you always cut the crust off his bread because he once mentioned he doesn’t like it. He opens his eyes as you say all done and sees you smiling softly at him, some of his confidence coming back. He smiles at you even though it’s difficult, and pulls you to his chest. As you lay on his bare chest for a while, feeling how tightly his arms wrap around you, an idea pops into your head.
“I want to come with you to LA.” You usually don’t make such impulsive decisions, but you could feel that he was not ready to be separated and you were definitely not ready to leave him, but you didn’t want to make him feel like he didn't have a choice so you add, “Is that okay?”
“What about your work?” He asks softly and you can hear his heart beat faster as he awaits an answer.
“I work from home all the time. It’ll be fine.” You rise up slightly to look at him, your chin resting on his chest, making sure to look him in the eyes. “I want to be with you.”
For the first time that night, you see him smile wide enough that his dimples poke through his cheeks and you’re sure you’ve made the right decision.
“I love you, Y/N. Thank you.” He pulls you further so you are fully lying on top of him and as you tell him you love him again, you feel his breath even out, both of you falling into a much need sleep.
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anna-justice · 4 years
Text
Light My Fire - 1
Summary: Millie Halstead is just a girl finally coming home, Blake Gallo is just a boy looking for one. *Blake Gallo x OC Halstead/UPSTEAD 
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1 - It’s the Wind
...
O’Hare was buzzing with it’s normal chaotic energy, the business of traveling near the holidays lost on no one. Millie Halstead raced down her terminal, barely phased by the craziness. She couldn’t contain her smile as she saw a familiar redhead standing at baggage claim, she was home. 
“Mildred.” Will said, holding his arms open.
Millie rolled her eyes, “William.” They both laughed before embracing, it had been six months since they had seen each other last. “I missed you.” She said, pulling away.
Will reached out and grabbed his sister’s bag off the floor where she had dropped it. “I missed you too.” He nodded towards the doors, “Let’s get out of here.” 
The two siblings navigated the sea of people out of the airport and headed for Will’s car, which was conveniently (not) located at the far end of the parking garage. When they finally got there, Millie was out of breath, thankful that her brother had decided to take her bag. 
“This is weird.” She said, sliding into the passenger seat. 
“What is?”
Millie shrugged, “Being home.” She watched the city fly by out the window.
Will laughed at his sister’s dramatics, “Mill, this isn’t the first time you’ve come home…”
“Yeah, I know.” She said, glaring at him. “This is just the first time I’ve come home for good.” She peeked at her brother and watched his face go from very confused to shocked, she grinned.
“What?” Will asked, “You decided to take the job here?” Millie nodded, her heart swelling at her older brother’s joy. “The Halsteads,” He sighed, “All back together again.”
Millie laughed, “Looks like it.”
“Seattle not as fun as it used to be?” Will teased. 
She watched the buildings go by, it was similar in some ways to Seattle, but Seattle would never be Chicago. “Seattle is beautiful and I will always love it there, but it’s too far away…” She explained. Millie had attended the University of Washington for biology (specializing under a professor in marine biology), and she would forever say that it was one of the best decisions she had ever made. She had just finished an expedition in the pacific, working with an organization called OCEARCH for shark conservation. When she got back to land, there was a job offer for her from the Shedd Aquarium. 
As amazing as it was to live at sea, Millie missed her family and the decision to move back was a no-brainer. “I’m glad you're back, for good.” Will said, smiling.
“Yeah, me too.” She agreed. 
A few minutes later, Will pulled into the parking lot of the district. “I’ve got night shift tonight, so you are Jay’s problem until tomorrow.” Will joked, putting the car in park. “I’ll leave your stuff at my apartment and you can come grab it later.” 
Millie nodded, “Thanks Will.” She said, pushing the door open. “I’ll see you later.” Will waved before she shut the door, turning to make her way up the concrete steps. 
The 21st district was just how she remembered it, hectic and full of life. “Millie Halstead.” She heard and her head snapped up, meeting her favorite desk sergeants eyes. “Look at you.” She said, rounding the massive desk and wrapping her in a hug.
“Hi Sergeant Platt.” She said, smiling. 
Trudy pulled away, giving the much younger girl a fake stern look. “What have I told you? You aren’t your brother.”
Millie nodded, laughing. “You’re right. It’s good to see you, Trudy.”
“You too, it’s been too long since I’ve seen my favorite Halstead.” Trudy said quietly, “I’ll buzz you up.” 
“Thanks!” Millie threw over her shoulder, before walking up the stairs. She was a lot younger than her brothers, a product of a time where Pat and Jane were happy again. Her mom died when she was still in middle school and Trudy had become a sort of mother figure afterwards. Jay had been in intelligence for a long time and before that he was still at the 21st, she spent a lot of late nights with the resident desk sergeant when she wanted to be anywhere but home. 
She pushed the metal gate open and ascended the marble staircase to the bullpen. As room as she reached the top, her brother jumped up from his desk to greet her. Millie grinned, running past him and embracing his partner who was waiting for her with open arms. “Hey Mill.” Hailey said, hugging the girl tightly.
“Hey Hailes.” She replied. 
Someone cleared their throat behind her, Millie pulled away and rolled her eyes. “Hi Jay.” She said, walking over to hug her brother. 
“If it isn't baby Halstead?” Kevin asked, walking out of the interrogation room. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Hey Kev.” She said before going to hug Kim. “Hey.”
Kim gave her a kind smile. “Hi Mill, how are you?”
Millie grinned, she had some news to share. “I’m great.” 
The members of intelligence had become her family over the years, most of them had attended her high school graduation, Hailey flew out with Jay and Will to watch her walk in Washington. They had all been there for her every step of the way. Like when Jay was shot, Kim sat in the hospital on facetime with her for almost two days while he was in and out of surgery. 
“Hey kid.” Adam said, ruffling her hair. Millie faked a punch and Adam jumped back putting his hands up in surrender. “Woah-wee, did you get taller? I think she got taller.” He said pointing at her.
Millie backed away from Adam, “Shut up.” She turned her attention back to Hailey, leaning against her desk next to her. “So, do you still have that extra room?” She asked and Jay’s eyebrows shot up.
Hailey grinned, “Yeah, it’s been empty since Vanessa left.”
“You feel like having a roommate again?” Millie asked.
“Only if it’s you.” Hailey said, wrapping her arm around the younger girl. 
“Wait.” Jay said, moving his crossed arms to slightly point at his little sister. “Does this mean you are moving back?” Jay asked, his voice getting higher and more excited as he went.
Millie nodded, “Yeah. I took the job,” She took a step forward, almost like she was presenting herself to the room. “You are looking at the Shedd Aquarium’s new resident shark biologist!” 
The room erupted with claps, Jay coming to stand beside her. “I’m so proud of you.” He said quietly before hugging her once again. As much as Millie loved Will, she and Jay had always been closer. Jay was the token middle child, she always hated the way their dad treated him, but they bonded growing up. They were closer in age and even as a kid Jay had a slight hero complex, so when he enlisted Millie was anything but surprised. She was ten when he left, Will had already been gone for a while, he was in New York, but Jay leaving hit her much harder.
When their mom got sick he came home, but he wasn’t the same. Something in him had changed, he was still her Jay: loving, protective, responsible...but there was a darkness that he brought with him. There were many times that year before their mom died that she would sit outside of his bedroom door in the middle of the night, listening to him thrash around. She would stay until she knew he had fallen back asleep and then sneak back to her room. 
He left again for another tour after she died, that was the hardest. Pat was always distant, but after Jane died he wasn’t much of a father at all. Will visited, but he was living a new life far away so when he did come home, the time was short and few and far between. 
Jay joined the force after his second tour, telling Millie that he was home for good. She moved in with him for her last two years of high school, with little interference from their father. They were happy, Jay was pulled into a unit, where he met Antonio Dawson and Millie got a few more people to call family. She even babysat Eva and Diego sometimes. 
Choosing to go to Seattle for college was a hard decision, but she got a full scholarship and she had Jay’s full support, how could she not take it? That was the last time that she lived in Chicago, so Jay was ecstatic that she was back for good. “Let’s go get coffee, I’ve got some time and we need to catch up.” Jay said, grabbing his coat off his chair. 
“Sounds great.” Millie said. 
Jay looked at his partner, “Hailey?”
“I’m good, have fun.” She said, waving them off.
Jay nodded and Millie waved goodbye as they disappeared down stairs to the drive-by. “So…” Millie said as she hopped into the passenger seat of the truck. 
“So?” Jay asked.
Millie sighed, her brother was so dense sometimes. “Hailey…”
Jay laughed, “Yeah, what about her?”
“Jay. In the past two weeks you have called me three times about her.” 
Jay took a deep breath, he didn’t know how, but Millie could always see right through him, no matter how good the lie was. “And? She’s my partner.”
Millie laughed, “I know that excuse works for everyone else, but it doesn’t work for me.” She shifted in her seat to face him, “Plus, you called me about what to get her for Christmas, what I thought her favorite scent was and if asking her to go shopping with you was too much. Those aren’t really partner things Jay.” 
Jay thought long and hard, trying to find something to say. “I hate it when you are right.”
“That must be why you are so grumpy all the time.” Millie teased.
They reached the local coffee shop, ordering quickly (and of course Jay still got Hailey a cup). Even though the walk from the building to the truck was brief, Millie still shivered. “Cold?” Jay asked, smirking.
“You know, after living in Washington for five years, you’d think I’d be used to Chicago winters.” She said, sighing at the heat in the truck.
Jay shook his head, “It’s the wind.”
They rode in comfortable silence for a little while before Millie spoke up. “I was thinking...maybe we could go to Mom and Dad’s grave later? It’s been a while since we cleaned it.”
Jay nodded immediately, “I took tomorrow off, we could go in the morning after Will gets off shift.” He looked at his sister for approval..
“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Millie said, taking a breath. She sipped her hot drink, watching the building fly by. 
“Hey Mill.” Jay said, grabbing her attention. “I’m really glad you’re home.”
Millie smiled softly, “Yeah, me too.”
A/N: I am SO so excited for this story. I’ve been toying with the idea for a while now and I have finally have the time to write it! I know the backstory is a little jacked, but with a new character and timeline, I needed it to make sense. Also, I can’t decide if this is a fire or pd story, so let’s just call it both! Thanks for reading! <3
P.S. Comment to be added to the tag list!
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soundofseventeen · 4 years
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Worldwide (Joshua Hong)
Hello! This is one that was requested by our lovely haley!! Mild throwback to our rusher days!! Have a lovely day everyone!! 💛💚
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You sat on your couch, knees pulled up to your chest, staring at the package. You shouldn’t have this. You knew you should just put it back and then forget about it until Joshua got back again. But, your eyes kept staring at it, expecting it to burst into flames or open itself or do something. 
Things with Joshua lately had been… rough. You knew you loved him, and you knew he loved you, but it had been a rough patch for you two. You both knew this relationship wouldn’t be easy. When was dating an idol an easy thing to do? You got to watch him flirt with fans and say sweet things to them, but you always reminded yourself that at the end of the day, he was looking at you. He came back to you. 
But you also knew that he was tired, trying to juggle a growing career and a getting serious relationship. You knew the guilt he felt at not always being able to be there for you, no matter how much you reassured him that you understood he couldn’t always physically be there. 
While you understood, you still couldn’t help the hurt that you felt. You always saw your friends out with their partners, giggling and swinging their hands, smiles on both of their faces. You couldn’t really do that either, even when Joshua was around. He kept the skinship to an extreme minimum when you two were out, not wanting to expose anything about you two. 
You really loved Joshua, and he really loved you, but you knew you were both tired. You had this rock in the pit of your stomach, wrapped in fear that the end may be soon. 
He had just gotten back from tour, one that had been really long for both of you. You two had a weird air, Joshua giving you a tight hug before leaving and promising to be back soon. Once he got home, he basically dropped off his stuff, and then immediately had to go back to Pledis for some work emergency. He gave you a quick kiss, saying he needed to talk to you when he got back. 
You made it through most of the tour okay, but Joshua saying he needed to talk to you now? Terrified you. Considering he barely contacted you during the tour? You kept telling yourself he was busy, he had a lot to focus on while on tour. But now you were wondering if that was intentional? Did Joshua not need you? Was this tour a test to see if your relationship was something worth fighting for? Did he determine that he had to make your worst fear come true? 
So you distracted yourself until he came home. You cleaned your kitchen. You vacuumed. You read a couple webtoons online. You then decided to start unpacking his stuff, something you debated for a while. Because if he was going to break up with you, he would want to take his stuff with him, right? But why would he bring his stuff here if he was planning that? 
You had just started unpacking when you found the package. It was a simple brown package, with twine holding it together. As you picked it up, you saw your initials on the tag, causing you to furrow your eyebrows at it. 
And now you were in your living room. Staring at the package. Wondering what it was. 
If Joshua wanted to give it to you, he probably wanted to be here to give it to you. But man, your curiosity was killing you. Was it a good thing? Or was it a goodbye thing?
You jumped as your phone rang, seeing Joshua was calling you. 
“Hey.” You answered, hearing Joshua sigh. 
“Listen, I’m so sorry. I might be a little later than I planned…” 
“Really?” You asked, pouting. 
“I’m so sorry. Please go to sleep, we can talk in the morning, okay? Just get some good rest.” 
“Joshua…”
“Hey, I am coming home tonight. I promise.” He said, you letting out a sigh. “I love you.” 
“I love you too.” You muttered, Joshua sighing himself again. 
“Get some rest.” You both hung up the phone, your eyes going back to the package. You shook your head, reasoning that you would have to wait until the morning to find out. You got up, changed into pajamas and got ready for bed. You sat in bed for about 10 minutes, before you got back up, walking towards the living room. You sat on the couch, pulling the package onto your lap. You took a deep breath, opening the side of the package and pulling the contents out. 
It was… letters. A bunch of letters. A small stack of letters. Each one with your name on it. There was nothing else on any of the envelopes, just your name. 
You made a quick decision, making yourself some tea and grabbing a blanket, settling into the couch, picking up the top letter, slowly opening the envelope. 
*
Dear Y/N, 
Hey uh. How’s it going? How was your day? I’m not really sure why I’m doing this. I could just call you right now, but I thought I would try this? I don’t know, this is probably silly. But I guess it’s romantic, huh? Anyway, we just took off this morning. I always hate the look on your face when we have to leave for tour, but today it seemed so much worse. I guess that’s part of the reason I’m doing this. I really hope you have so much fun until we get back. So much fun that you have more stories to tell than I do. 
God, this was a dumb idea. xJoshua
*
Hey Y/N, 
It’s been a few days since we left now, and I just found the first letter in my bag. I still feel silly doing this, but oh well. Maybe you’ll think it’s cute or something. I’ve been thinking about you a lot the last few days. We found this dog while going to get coffee yesterday morning and I took a picture with him to show you later. I almost sent it to you, but then I remembered the time difference and didn’t want to chance waking you up. I did get the picture of you at our favorite restaurant. It made me smile from ear to ear that you ordered my favorite dish there instead of yours although your friend ratted you out and told me you also ordered your favorite to take home haha. At least you’re eating well while I’m gone! We have our first concert tonight, don’t worry, I’ll take your necklace on stage with me. It is my lucky charm, after all. 
This is still dumb. xJoshua. I’m not writing another one.
*
Y/N my own true love who I love more than Jeonghan Hello Y/N, 
So Jeonghan found my other letters. He is now making me write more of these because HE thought it was adorable. Also, excuse the crossed out part. I only have so much paper and I refuse to let Jeonghan win like this. We’re in another new town this morning, some of the guys want to go to a carnival later. I’m still debating on going or not. We don’t have the concert until tomorrow night, but traveling is tiring and I kind of want to sit by the pool for a while (yes, I’m at a pool, are you jealous? ;) ) I know if you were here, you would tell me to go with them. Just to get your voice out of my head for a bit I might go. Remember when we went to that fair? You were so cute trying to win me that stuffed tiger. I kept telling you that I was supposed to win you something since I took you on the date, but you just stuck your tongue out at me and told me to shut up. I’m pretty sure that was the day I knew I loved you. 
Ugh, I can’t show you these ever. xJoshua
PS. I went to the fair. I won you a tiger. Suck it. <3 (It’s pink) 
*
Dear Y/N, 
I’m sorry I called so late last night. I guess my timezone math was still a little off. I just needed to hear the sound of your voice for a bit. At least I got to kind of tuck you in, right? Even if it was on the phone. I’m starting to get into a habit of doing this. I still feel silly, but it’s getting easier, I think? Hosh hasn’t come back from DK and Jeonghan’s room yet, so I’m just in our room by myself right now. The moon is huge tonight. You would probably spend an hour trying to get a picture of it. I just tried, it’s not great but it’s a decent picture? No it’s bad never mind I even cracked the window open in your honor. It’s so weird. Remember how I always complained about you wanting to have the window open at night? I never understood how you slept with the cold air and the traffic noise, but it’s actually helping now. It’s not great since you’re not here to cuddle with, but it makes me think of you. Hosh usually shuts the window at some point in the night though. I promise when I come back, I’ll let you keep the window open every night if you want. 
Of course, I’m never actually showing you this, so we shall see. xJoshua
*
Hey Y/N, 
You are not going to believe this! You remember that old hand lotion you used to have? The one that smelled like honey? The one that when you ran out and we went to the store to get more and they told you it was seasonal and you cried? I FOUND IT. We were in a shop and I smelled it, so I asked the girl working about it and she showed it to me. It was a different little tube than the one you had, but I swear it’s the exact same scent. I can already picture how excited you’ll be when I give it to you. I’m half tempted to just mail that to you, but I also want to keep it with me until I get back. Then I can see your face when you smell it. I miss you a lot. More than you think. 
Only a couple more weeks. Then I’ll be home. xJoshua 
*
Y/N, 
A carat asked about you today. I was not prepared at all for that. I mean, yeah, they know about you and everything, but I was not prepared to be asked about you. They didn’t ask anything bad, just that they wanted to know how you were and if I missed you while on tour. Kind of a weird question to ask at a fanmeet but whatever I guess? I told them you were doing well and that I was looking forward to being able to see you in 2 weeks. I at least hope you’re doing well. I’m sorry we keep missing each other this week. Between my schedule and yours… We just can’t line up at all, huh? God, this almost feels worse now that I’m almost home, you know? Like, we’re so, so close but still so far away. I can’t believe I didn’t notice how distanced we’ve been. I don’t know how. You were always there for me when I needed you and now that I can’t come see you after a long day… I don’t know. You know I’m yours, right? No matter where I go or who I meet even the fans you constantly point out as pretty, which I don’t know why you keep doing that to yourself because I still stop breathing when I see you or what happens, you’re my one and only. If anything this tour just made me realize that whether it’s Paris or London or Tokyo all places I want to take you, by the way, I’m going to think about you worldwide. 
I can’t wait to see you. I can’t wait to catch you and never let go. xJoshua
P.S. That carat earlier also told me about this candy store and I may have bought you different flavors of that one candy bar you like. I hope they taste good. 
*
Y/N! 
I’m home now well, at Pledis but I felt like these needed a conclusion. Not sure why, because I’m still not sure you’re ever going to get them. But it felt weird to just… end? So I gotta write this I guess. I managed to get the next few days off because some guys are going home for family and such, and I intend to annoy the living hell out of you. I gotta make up for lost time, right? Hopefully we can pick up right where we left off. I plan to get those spicy noodles you love on the way home. That will be a good start to our days together. I can’t wait to remind you just how much I love you. I’ll even listen to you read those gross cheesy books you like to read I don’t know if you know this but you make the cutest face when you find something cute you read and it makes my heart just U W U We’re getting called into a meeting now, but I’ll be home in a few hours. I love you. 
Maybe these letters weren’t a terrible idea. You still might not get them. xJoshua
*
Joshua smiled to himself, picking up the envelopes with folded paper inside. He glanced at you, sound asleep on the couch, the last letter barely hanging from your hand. He looked over your face, examining softly. You looked tired. He wished you had just gone to bed, but he also knew that he probably gave you reason to be afraid of him wanting to have a discussion with you. 
He carefully took the letter out of your hand, chuckling a bit as you kept a hold on it. He got it eventually, shaking his head and he put it back in its envelope and tossing it on the table with the others. Joshua then stood up, stretching his arms over his head a bit before reaching down to pick you up. He was going to let you keep sleeping, but he might as well move you to your bed so you wouldn’t hurt in the morning. 
As he was part way down the hall, he heard you start to mumble. He stopped walking, looking at you with your eyes still closed. 
“..Shua?” You mumbled, Joshua chuckling again. 
“I’m here.” He whispered, not sure if you had actually woken up or if you were talking in your sleep. 
“Is it morning?” You mumbled, Joshua smiling at you. 
“Not quite, but almost.” He said, finally getting to your room. He carefully opened the door, leaving it open as he walked in. 
“What are you doing here?” You asked, eyes starting to blink open a bit. 
“I’m done with work for the day.” He said, pulling back the covers and laying you down, pulling the covers back and tucking you in. He sighed, thinking about how he had waited to do that for so long. 
“Mhm.” You said, your eyes falling again. Joshua just smirked, brushing some of the hair from your face before getting up to get ready for bed himself. Once he was ready, he walked to the other side of the bed, crawling in himself and letting himself relax. He felt you poke his arm, causing him to turn his head. You were looking at him, eyebrows slightly together. 
“How was the tour?” You asked, Joshua just smiling at you. 
“It was great, but we can talk about it in the morning, okay?” He said, turning to face you. “Get some sleep.” 
“What time do you go in tomorrow?” You mumbled. 
“Didn’t you read the last letter?” He asked, you shrugging. 
“I fell asleep at the start of it.” You said, snuggling a bit into your pillow. 
“I have off the next couple days.” He grinned as your eyes widened, head picking up a bit. “Yeah, you’re stuck with me now.” He laughed, you letting your head rest again. 
“Oh my.” You said, a slight smile on your face. You snuggled into Joshua a bit, which he happily accepted. “So, did you miss me?” Joshua placed a kiss on your head, holding onto you. 
“You know I thought about you worldwide.”
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luvidzy · 4 years
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muses | x.mh
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☆ tct summer collection masterlist
☆ genre: fluff
☆ pairing: xu minghao x reader
☆ summary: while spending your summer in a small town where your grandma lives, you meet another artist and photographer named minghao
☆ word count: 5.5k
Crystal blue waves lapped onto the golden shore, nearly drenching your toes in the water. You stared out at the large lake that your grandmother’s home town resided beside. Despite the fact that you had come here basically every summer since you were born, you never got tired of the lake. The ever-flowing motion of its waters, the endless squawks from seagulls flying overhead, and most importantly the people that surrounded the lake.
You smiled as you took out your phone, eager to take a picture that you could use as a reference for a painting or mural later. But for right now, you were plenty content roaming the familiar streets, letting the inspiration and sunlight soak in.
You found yourself walking to the local ice cream parlor, a cute little restaurant that had been around since the 60s. You walked in, letting the AC cool you down as you made your way to the counter.
“Y/N! Hello darling, what can I get you?” Mr. Han, the man that ran the parlor, smiled at you as you walked up. Mr. Han had run this shop since you could remember, always eager to serve you whatever ice cream you desired as a child.
“Hi, Mr. Han. The usual, if you don’t mind,” you replied, handing him the exact amount of money. You had ordered this treat so many times that you knew exactly the cost. Mr. Han smiled before moving behind the counter to prepare your usual ice cream order. Once the ice cream treat was safely in your hands, you waved Mr. Han goodbye before stepping out and heading to the pier.
Not many people frequented the pier, mostly fishermen or couples who just wanted to sit. You liked to come here to sketch and take photos, but also to just relax. It was a quiet place for you to think, uninterrupted except for your own thoughts. You made your way to the pier, ice cream already gone, but stopped when you noticed something, or someone, unusual.
Your grandma’s home town was small, so over the years you had been here you had met and were acquainted with all of the residents. Your grandma hadn’t mentioned any new people moving in, so your curiosity was piqued when you noticed an unfamiliar boy sitting at the edge of the pier, where you usually sat when you visited. As you moved closer, you noticed that the boy was holding a camera and was looking down at what you assumed to be a photo he just took.
“That’s a pretty photo,” you commented, leaning down slightly. The boy jumped ever so slightly, pressing his camera to his chest as you turned to face you. You were stunned at how attractive this new boy was. His skin was smooth, and he wore round glasses that made his sparkling eyes even bigger. His hair framed his face and he somehow managed to look both innocent and mature at once. You smiled at you straightened up.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I just haven’t seen you around before. Mind if I sit?” you asked. The boy gave a curt nod, scooching over slightly so you could plop down beside him, your feet dangling over the lake. 
“Anyway, that was a beautiful photo. This is one of the prettiest spots to take them, in my opinion,” you said, staring out at the lake. From the pier, you could see the sun hit the water, causing it to shimmer with its every move.
“Thank you. I just stumbled upon this place, but it’s gorgeous,” the boy finally spoke. You hummed in agreement before turning to him and placing your hand out.
“My name is Y/N,” you said. The boy smiled, reaching one hand out to shake yours. His handshake was firm, but his hands were warm and soft.
“Nice to meet you, Y/N. My name is Minghao,” he said. You smiled. A cute name for a cute face.
“Hope I’m not intruding by asking, but do you live around here? You said I was unfamiliar,” Minghao asked. You smiled.
“Only in the summers. My grandma lives here, and I’ve been coming to spend summer with her since I was a baby. I know pretty much everyone in this town, but you looked new,” Minghao nodded.
“I see. Well, I’m just here for the summer as well. I go to college in the city, a couple of hours from here, and some of my friends thought it would be fun to go somewhere new over the summer for ‘inspiration’.” You giggled at his air quotes.
“Well, you chose the right town. This place has never let me down on the creativity and inspiration front. It may be small, but this place is overflowing with character,” you chirped, smiling warmly. You began to ramble on about your favorite areas of the town, from the ice cream parlor to the campgrounds, to the trolley service, to the hidden waterfalls in the forest.
You were so busy rambling that you didn’t notice how Minghao was staring at you, eyes glossy as you took in your features. He may have just met you, but you were already captivating him. From the way you flung your arms around wildly to emphasize your feelings, to the way you would laugh when remembering a funny memory at a certain place, it felt like it was impossible for Minghao to take his eyes off of you. He didn’t even hear when you stopped talking and turned to him, waiting for an answer.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that last bit,” Minghao said, blinking a couple of times to bring himself back to reality. You smiled, rolling your eyes playfully.
“I asked if you wanted me to show you around tomorrow? I can show you some great places to take photos if you want,” you offered. Minghao nodded almost instantly.
“That sounds wonderful. Can I bring my friends along?” he asked, almost regretting the question the minute it escaped his mouth. 
“Of course, the more the merrier. We can meet at my grandma’s house. Here, give me your phone.” Minghao was quick to relinquish his phone to you, watching as you typed in your contact name and number.
“Text me and I’ll give you the address and the time,” you stated before standing up.
“I should get back home, it’s my night to make dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow, Hao!” you exclaimed, smiling as you waved before rushing down the pier and out of sight. Minghao watched you leave, smiling to himself, and then proceeded to look back out to the lake, camera ready to take more pictures.
The next afternoon, you said goodbye to your grandma as you locked the door behind you. Minghao and his friends weren’t there yet, but you didn’t mind. You took this moment as an opportunity to take in the fresh air, the smell of the lake wafting from a distance away.  
“Y/N!” You turned towards the voice, smiling when you saw Minghao and a few new faces walking towards you.
“Hey, guys!” You exclaimed, waving at them. The group of boys stopped in front of you, all smiling at you warmly.
“These are my friends, Jun, Vernon, Chan, and Seungkwan.” He said, pointing to each boy as they were introduced. You waved to each of them, before introducing yourself.
“You guys ready to start your tour?” you asked. The boys nodded eagerly, prompting you to begin to walk down the sidewalk and towards the town. You made small talk with the boys, telling them little stories about your childhood summers spent in the town. Within a couple of minutes, you were standing in front of your first destination.
“Welcome to younger Y/N’s favorite spot: the candy store.” You smiled, opening the door. The candy shop was old fashioned in almost every way. The walls were painted a pastel pink color with cream accents and lined high with jars of different candies, along with center tables that also housed different candies and bags for holding the candies. A little bell rang as you stepped in, alerting Mrs. Dalton of your presence.
“Y/N! Lovely to see you dear!” Mrs. Dalton greeted from behind the counter. You gave her a soft smile and a wave before looking to the boys.
“Feel free to look around and buy anything you like. Some of the candies are common candy like the Reeses, but stuff like the salt-water taffy is all handmade by the Daltons!” you explained, gesturing to different things. The boys were instantly drawn to the candies, and you smiled as you watched them walk around, Minghao with his camera out and ready. You walked up to the counter and smiled at Mrs. Dalton.
“Do you have any of those homemade lollipops?” You asked. Mrs. Dalton gave you a sly smirk, before pulling a blue and white swirled lollipop out of a jar from behind the counter.
“Mr. Dalton made the blue ones just for you, dear.” You melted at the kindness of the older couple before handing Mrs. Dalton 5 dollars.
“Keep the change, Mrs. Dalton. And tell your husband thank you,” you said. The older woman smiled, and you turned your attention back to the boys, licking your lollipop. They were walking around, picking up and examining different sweets. You made eye contact with Minghao as he picked up a saltwater taffy, giving you a warm smile as he placed it in his bag.
After the boys bought some sweets, you exited the candy shop before heading to your next destination. Even though you had been there the day before, you still loved the ice cream parlor more than anything. You knew the minute you offered to show Minghao and his friends around that you needed to bring them to Han’s. Entering in for the second time that week, you smiled at Mr. Han.
“I’m back!” You joked, causing the man to laugh.
“This certainly is a very welcome and pleasant surprise. Can I get you the usual?”
“Sure. I’m gonna pay for these guys too.” You said, motioning to the 5 boys behind you. After giving their orders and paying, you got your ice cream and went to sit in one of the booths.
“This place is adorable,” Seungkwan commented, staring at the decor of the ice cream parlor as he ate his ice cream. You nodded, taking a bite of your treat. 
“This decor is the original decor from the 60s. My grandma said it has hardly changed since it was made.” You explained. Minghao had his camera out, taking different photos. That was when your attention was drawn to one of your favorite things.
“Jun, do you have a quarter?” you asked. Jun nodded, fishing the coin out of his pocket. With a bounce in your step, you made your way to the old fashioned jukebox that the parlor had. After depositing the change and selecting Island In the Sun by Weezer, you began to bop to the song, soon dragging Jun and Chan out to dance with you. The two laughed as you began to twist around, dragging them along with your dance moves. When the song finished, you laughed and smiled going back to the booth, unaware of Minghao’s fond gaze on you as you slid back into the booth next to him. 
With your ice cream finished, you guys headed out again, this time to a nearby trolly station. Walking into the small building, you greeted the worker with a smile, before asking for 6 tickets that would take you guys to the campgrounds. With a smile and a wave, you led the guys outside to where one of the trolleys was parked on the street waiting.
“Heya John! Is it just us?” you asked, boarding the red vehicle. John nodded, giving you a big grin.
“Yep! Just you guys,” John said. You sat down, the boys following suit before the trolley began its journey to the campgrounds. They weren’t too far away, but the trolly took the scenic route. This allowed you to point things out, sticking your hand out the window and pointing at different things here and there. It also gave Minghao an opportunity to take more photos. Fifteen minutes later you were in the forest, with the campgrounds sign in view.
“Thank you!” you called as John drove away, before leading the boys into the campgrounds and to a trail.
“I saved my favorite place for last,” you said, eyes sparkling as you led them farther from the campsite. After a bit of walking, you made a sharp turn into a small hidden lake in the forest, complete with a rushing waterfall.
“Damn, this is beautiful!” Vernon said, mouth slightly agape. You nodded before you set your small backpack down. With a swift movement, you took off your top to reveal a swimsuit underneath, before jumping into the lake.
When you emerged from the surface, you smiled at the guys and waved.
“Come on, the water’s great!” you exclaimed, splashing around a little bit. With no need for further coaxing, the boys set their stuff down and jumped in. Minghao waited a bit, using his camera to take photos of the scenery. You swam over to where he stood on the shore, pouting up at him.
“Come on, Hao. Before I have to pull you in,” you joked, splashing his legs a bit. Minghao smiled at you.
“Alright, alright. I’m coming.” You cheered as Minghao put the camera down before jumping in right next to you, splashing you completely. You rubbed your eyes as Minghao laughed.
“Oh, you are so on, Hao.” You and Hao laughed together as you splashed one another. Soon the other boys joined in, leaving you at the mercy of the 5 new boys that you had grown fond of in just a day.
After drying off, your group made its way back to town. You made your way back to your house, smiling at the group of boys.
“And that was my tour of the town. What did you think?” you asked, walking backward down the street. The boys smiled, raving on about their favorite parts of the town. Minghao smiled at you as you laughed at the boy's excitement.
“You weren’t kidding when you said this town never failed in the inspiration department. Thanks for showing us around,” Minghao said with a sincere expression. You flushed ever so slightly before nodding to him lightly.
“Anytime. I hope we can meet up again and hang out? I have an endless list of things we can do if you ever get bored,” you said. Minghao smiled.
“I’d like that.” Before you knew it, you were at the front door of your grandma’s house. Waving goodbye to the boys, you entered your house, letting out a breath as you felt your heart race. Shaking your head, you pushed the thoughts of Minghao and his smile out of your head.
When Minghao got back to the small cottage that they were staying in, he laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling. For some reason, he couldn’t get you out of his head. His heart was flipping slightly, and the thought of your laugh and smile made him smile a little bit. It was a weird feeling for him. He hadn’t felt this way before. Forcing the thoughts out of his head, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The next day he decided to go off alone. He loved his friends, but he wanted to find someplace quiet where he could sketch with his earbuds in and not be disturbed. After walking around the town for a bit, he found a park. Considering it was early, there weren’t any kids around. Spotting the swings, he walked over and sat down, letting his feet stabilize him. Pulling out his sketchbook and headphones, he looked up for something to draw.
The park had a surprisingly good view, with a few trees blocking the large lake in the distance. It was beautiful, and Minghao began sketching, letting his music flood his ears.
You had woken up earlier than usual with the feeling and need to get out of the house and do something. So, with your iPad and phone in your hands, you headed into town to find a nice place to sit and edit some photos you had taken recently. You were originally heading to a small cafe in town when you saw Minghao in a nearby park, sitting on the swings. With a small smile, you made your way over, tapping him on the shoulder.
He snapped his head to where you had tapped, smiling when he saw you staring down at him.
“Hey! What brings you here?” you asked, moving to sit in the swing next to him. He motioned down to his sketchbook. You leaned in for a moment, looking at the drawing. Your eyes scanned the carefully drawn lines, admiring the messy beauty that Minghao was creating.
“It’s beautiful,” you breathed, eyes stuck to the sketchbook. Minghao inhaled a little bit, heart beating. Why were your compliments making him feel this way? He held his breath until you moved away and flashed him a smile.
“Well, I hope I’m not bothering you. I was going to go to the cafe to edit some photos, but I’ll keep you company if you want,” you offered. Minghao felt himself nod before he could stop himself. You smiled happily, taking out your iPad and stylus to begin editing the photos you had taken. Minghao watched you delicately zoom in and photoshop clutter out of the photo. He stared down at his earbuds before holding one out.
“Wanna listen?” You looked down at his hands and smiled, accepting the earbud. You wiped it down a little bit, earning a chuckle from Minghao, before putting it in your ear. With music playing in both of your ears, each of you got back to work on your projects, enjoying the comfortable silence. 
After two hours of working, you and Minghao parted ways with a smile and a promise to see each other again soon. You smiled at your shoes as you walked, feeling giddy for a reason that was still foreign to you. All you knew was that you liked Minghao’s presence, and it made you happy. Minghao did the same thing as he walked the opposite direction, staring down at his sketchbook, happier with his work than he had ever been before.
Another week passed without seeing Minghao. You texted a bit, checking in and asking about his projects, but other than that you hadn’t seen him. It wasn’t until you walked into the local bookshop that you saw Minghao again. You were going to look for some new books to read when you noticed Minghao pursuing the fiction section. With a smile, you approached him.
“Finding anything good?” Minghao turned to look at you, a smile on his face.
“We keep running into each other it seems. And no, I haven’t found anything particularly good,” he said, motioning towards the shelves. He was stationed in front of the classic literature section. You smiled as you scanned the titles before pulling out Pride and Prejudice.
“Have you read this book yet?” you asked, handing it to him. He looked at the cover before shaking his head.
“Nope. I’ve heard of it before though.” 
“I highly recommend it. It is one of my favorite books of all time,” you said. Minghao smiled, clutching it to his chest.
“Then I guess I’ll have to read it,” he said. You gave him a wide smile before searching the shelves and pulling out a couple of titles that you liked. With books in hand, you and Minghao paid for your books and exited the store. You walked down the sidewalk together, bags in hand. You talked aimlessly, Minghao sharing stories about his friends and their chaos and you sharing stories about your college friends. It felt so natural to just talk to one another this way, and before you knew it, you were at the street where you needed to part.
“It was nice seeing you, Minghao!” you said, smiling at him.
“And it was nice seeing you. Text me later!” he said. With a wave and a nod, you walked away, head fuzzy and heart leaping with joy. Minghao smiled to himself and he walked away, his heart warm.
Another week went by with little conversation between you and Minghao. That was until you finally got the guts to ask if he wanted to read together at the cafe in town. After agreeing on a date and time, you and Minghao met up at the cafe with your choice of book. Minghao smiled as he sat down with his coffee, Pride and Prejudice in hand. You sat across from him, your book in hand along with your coffee. You both fell into a comfortable silence, flipping pages of your book every couple of minutes.
After a while, you started sneaking glances at Minghao. He looked good with his glasses perched on his nose, sharp eyes gliding along the words written in the book. His hair fell ever so slightly onto his forehead, and every so often he would take a sip of his coffee without looking up. For some reason seeing him like this made you feel weird. Like you wanted to vomit but in a good way. And that’s when it hit you, like a truck going full speed.
You were falling for Minghao.
You anxiously looked down at your book, suddenly feeling very flushed and nervous. You took a couple of deep breaths, hoping that you could calm down your suddenly beating heart and pumping blood. 
Minghao was also sneaking peeks at you from across the table. He loved the way you muttered under your breath about the plot or the characters. Every now and then you would reach for your coffee, hand grabbing towards it before you finally found and lifted it. Occasionally you would brush your hair out of your face, allowing Minghao to see your entire face. Watching you and all your habits made him smile. His heart jumped and he wanted nothing more than to watch you do that all the time. And that is when it hit Minghao, like a car hitting a bug.
He was falling for you.
He inhaled sharply at the realization before shaking his head and looking back at his book. He resisted the urge to look at you now and again, afraid that his heart might burst if he looked at you anymore. 
After an hour of reading in silence, you and Minghao both decided to stop reading, though you didn’t tell each other that the reason was that you were both too distracted by the other to get any actual reading done. Books in hand, you and Minghao made your way to the pier where you had met. The sun was still high in the sky but the pier was relatively empty, save for a few fishermen. 
You and Minghao walked to the end, sitting down so your feet were hanging over the water. Neither of you talked, both afraid that any words you said would come out an incoherent jumbled mess. Besides, the silence wasn’t awkward, in fact, it was quite nice. For someone like Minghao, it was rare to meet someone who he felt comfortable not talking with. He usually felt obligated to keep up a conversation, but with you, he felt at ease just sitting and admiring the view. 
You both sat there for a moment, lost in your own thoughts and hyperaware that you were sitting next to someone so beautiful and amazing. Minghao went to set his hand down but recoiled quickly when he placed his large hand on top of yours. You both flushed, looking away to hide your obvious embarrassment and leaping hearts. Before the situation could get any more awkward, you leaped up from your spot, book in hand.
“I should probably go. My grandma is probably waiting for me. I’ll see you later, Hao,” you said, trying not to fumble over your words before rushing down the pier and back home. Minghao stared at you as you left, mind completely overrun with thoughts of you. 
That night you couldn’t sleep. You tossed and turned in the guest bedroom you were inhabiting for the summer, but no matter what, you couldn’t sleep. Your mind was awake, racing with ideas, and your hands were itching for you to make something. As the morning birds began chirping and the soft sunlight began breaking over the horizon, you gave up on sleep.
You walked into the kitchen, made yourself a coffee, and went to the garage. The garage was home to your art supplies over the summer, storing your chalks, paints, easels, and everything in between. Taking your bucket full of different chalks, you and your coffee made your way to the backyard. The backyard of the house had a large slab of concrete where the porch was supposed to be, but your grandma never used it so it remained empty. You tied your hair out of your face before getting to work.
Honestly, you didn’t have a plan for the piece of art you were making. Usually, you sketched something out first, but your brain was controlling your hands at this point, making wide strokes and small strokes, forming a piece of art almost mindlessly. Between sips of coffee and the sun rising, your hands slowly became stained with different colors of chalk. 
After a couple of hours of work, you finally stared down at your art and your eyes widened. You hadn’t realized earlier, but the strokes of chalk in various shades of pastel pink, blue, and yellow had come together to form an image of a familiar boy on the pier. You blushed as you stared down at it, before brushing it off. Minghao wouldn’t ever see it anyway, so what was the problem?
You jumped slightly as your phone rang. Retrieving the device from your back pocket, you sighed as you attempted to press the answer button without getting chalk on your phone.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Y/N?” Minghao’s voice rang clear through the phone. You froze, eyes stuck on the chalk drawing in front of you.
“Uh, hey Hao. What’s up?” you asked. 
“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. I was gonna go through the photos and I’d love to get your opinion on them,” Hao said. You smiled to yourself, feeling your heart jump a little bit in your chest.
“I’d love to. Give me a couple of minutes, I just got done doing a mural so I need to wash up.” You explained, staring down at the mess of chalk on your clothes and skin. Hao laughed.
“No problem. I’d love to see the mural sometime.” You froze again, your brain rebooting as you tried to figure out what to say next.
“Uh yeah, okay. Send me the address and I’ll be there soon,” you said before hanging up. You let out a large sigh, trying to regain your breath and thoughts. You were about to head inside when the mural caught your eye again. Eyeing it for a few seconds, you pulled up your phone camera and took a photo of it.
After you showered and got yourself presentable (which took way more time than it should have), you were on your way to the cottage. It was a fifteen-minute walk from your grandma’s house, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t spend a majority of the walk stressing about seeing Minghao. 
It was weird. Before, everything had been fine. You’d texted like friends who had known each other for ages, you felt at ease with him even when it was silent, and overall you felt comfortable in his presence. All of that was still true, but somehow it all felt different knowing that you liked him.
You forced yourself to stop overthinking as you approached the cottage door. Vernon answered the door, asking you how you’d been. You made small talk, telling him about your latest baking adventures and some new art projects. You didn’t bring up the mural. Vernon kept talking with you while he led you to Minghao’s room. He left after guiding you, giving you a wink which only made you more nervous.
Gently pushing the door open, you spotted Minghao sitting on the floor in casual clothing, back against the edge of the bed and glasses once again perched on his nose. His laptop was sitting on his lap and his slender fingers were clicking away at the keys and mousepad. He looked up as he heard the door open, smiling softly as he noticed it was you.
“Hey! Come here, I wanna show you some photos,” he said, patting the carpet next to him. You quickly scrambled to sit next to him, aware of the way his arm pressed against yours when you looked at his computer screen. The screen was covered with photos of different parts of town, from the pier to the candy shop. You smile as you observe each photo, Minghao clicking through them.
“Hao, these are gorgeous,” you said, stunned by how beautiful the photos were. He smiled.
“Thanks.” He continued to click and it wasn’t until he clicked forward and quickly clicked back that you sent him a questioning gaze.
“What’s the matter?” The photo that you had seen for a second looked like just another photo of the scenery the town had to offer, but the look on Minghao’s face made it seem like it was a crime.
“Nothing. Those photos aren’t finished anyway.” He said, quickly, but before he could stop you, you reached over and clicked the next arrow. Your eyes widened at the sight you were met with.
It was you. The photo was of you at the candy shop, holding the blue and white swirl lollipop and smiling like there wasn’t a care in the world. You had never thought you could look so beautiful, but the way Minghao captured you made it look like you were an angel. You unconsciously pressed the forward arrow again, revealing more photos of you from throughout the trip. A photo of you dancing with Chan and Jun at the ice cream parlor. A photo of you laughing as you ate your ice cream. A photo of you at the window of the trolley, hair blowing, and a content smile on your face. A few photos of you as you led them through the forest and last but not least some photos of you in the secret lake, the water sparkling around you, but you seemingly sparkling more.
“Hao…” You were speechless. These photos were stunning, but why had Minghao chosen you as a muse?
“I hope you don’t mind. You just looked so carefree that day. Everywhere we went you had a smile on your face and you looked like an angel. I figured it would be a missed opportunity to not take some photos of you. Originally I was only gonna take some at the candy store, but I loved you in those photos so much that I had to take more,” Hao explained, his voice tense from nerves. You stared at him, shocked. He thought you were beautiful? You smiled softly at him.
“Well, I guess we are both each other’s muses,” you said. Minghao furrowed his brows in confusion while you pulled your phone out. You quickly pulled up your mural from this morning and showed it to him. His eyes sparkled as he took in the chalk mural that you had made. It was so intricate, yet stylistic. He was drawn in different shades of pastel, almost like a stained glass window made of chalk.
“I couldn’t sleep last night cause my brain was itching to do something. I woke up and started to make this mural, but I wasn’t really thinking about it when I made it. My brain just drew the lines the way my heart wanted them to be. It wasn’t until I was finished I realized that it was you,” you explained, face heating up as you tried to explain yourself to him. He looked up from the phone to you, before smiling.
“Well, this makes me less nervous to tell you that I like you. I think I’ve liked you since we first met, but I didn’t realize till we were at the coffee shop,” Minghao admitted. You let out a small chuckle.
“I like you too, Minghao. Maybe tonight, we can go on a proper date?” You asked. Minghao nodded happily.
“I’d like that very much,” he said. You smiled as you felt his arms wrap around your shoulders, bringing you in close. You cuddled into his chest, feeling weightless. The nervousness that was there before was gone, leaving only the content feeling of love in its place.
This town had never left you dry for inspiration, and you think that this town finally brought you your forever muse.
140 notes · View notes
moral-turpitudes · 4 years
Text
Unfinished Business: Part 2
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Trigger Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Mentions of past abuse, Blood, Fighting, Swearing, etc. 
Characters: Thomas Shelby x Reader
+ random character/group I made up (Romboldi & The Black Hats)
Word Count: 3,548
Summary: Y/n’s secret gets out and the gang scrambles to put an end to the Black Hats. But one thing is for certain, nothing is more terrifying than when the hunter becomes the hunted.
Requested by: @msbzowy​ 
Part 1 | Part 2 
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Y/n took a deep breath before walking into the meeting room with Tommy, her hand slightly clamming up in his. Despite their love for her, she couldn’t shake the thoughts from her head about them possibly hating her.
Walking through the mahogany doors, the frenzied conversations stopped, as all eyes landed on Y/n.
Polly gasped and she immediately walked over to her, enveloping her in a huge hug. Ada followed, complimenting her new look as she made her way to her.
“What the fuck y/n you’re supposed to be ruling New York by now!” Arthur said rather loudly, coming over and pulling her into a rough embrace.
“Nice to see you too Arthur.” She said chuckling as she made her rounds around the room.
John handed her a shot and gave her a hug, with Finn and Michael joining in shortly after. She knocked the shot back and made her way over to a pregnant Esme and scowling Linda.
“Nice to see you both! Gosh I’ve missed you!” She said gently hugging Esme and awkwardly hugging Linda. She never did like her too much as Y/n noticed early on in their relationship.
After exchanging pleasantries she waltzed back over to Tommy, taking a seat by him and lacing their hands together. Polly smirked, her eyebrow raised at he interaction.
“So tell me y/n...how is New York?” She asked, taking a sip of her tea.
“Oh it’s...well it’s New York. Crowded, loud, cars everywhere. But there’s sky-high buildings that are being built, it’s amazing to see. She said taking her hand from Tommy’s and placing it in her lap.
“Do you like it more than Small Heath?” She asked.
“God no. I grew up here Poll. This is home.” She said, leaning back in the chair.
“Oi! Y/n, not to be so forward but what the hell are you back in this shit hole for?” He asked, handing her a glass full of whiskey. She smiled and took a sip, looking at Tommy.
“Is it alright if I tell them?” She asked, knowing Tommy usually handled the tough conversations.
“Go ahead love.” He said. Her heart jumped at the nickname, it’s been so long since she’d heard it.
Taking a swig of whiskey, she stood up and walked towards the head of the table slowly.
“So, I know last time we parted ways a bit harshly. But all past feelings aside, I actually came here on business...and it involves everyone here...” She said looking down at her drink in her hand.
“That doesn’t sound good. What kind?” Michael asked.
“Uh, Mafia business. Mr. Romboldi....of the Black Hats.” She said taking another sip of her drink.
“God them fuckers again? How the hell did ya get involved with those rats? He already blew our shit up last time!” Arthur said, his brows furrowing.
She looked nervously at Thomas, and he just quickly nodded for her to continue, all emotion leaving his face.
“Well, you all know how I can’t just sit around, so I went job searching when I got there. Not long after, I noticed how dangerous it was being there on my own. I was almost attacked a couple times...” She said brushing a stray hair out of her face. Gently steering the conversation away from that subject.
“Anyways...I needed protection, and plus, I had skills that other jobs didn’t need so I went to the source of why I left. I decided I’d work for the Black Hats but not to betray anyone, just to get money coming in, get some protection, and maybe some information over time. They don’t know I’m actually Y/n Y/l/n. I’ve been working undercover. I’ve been using an alias, faking an accent, and using fake papers to get my bearings in the gang. And I’m now their contract killer.” She said knocking back the last of the drink. She let the first half of the news sink in, walking towards Tommy, placing a hand on the back of his chair.
“Holy shit. Really?” John asked.
“Yeah. I’ve killed people all over the country to earn that spot. I’m not proud of how I got it, but I had to do what I had to do.” She said looking away, out the window at the people milling about.
“Oi! Bet they gave ya a nickname like one of them spies aye?” Arthur asked jokingly.
Y/n chuckled and nodded her head.
“It’s dumb but I liked it at the time. They called me Quick Shot.” She said chuckling.
“I got it on a mission when I was sniping for his men one night. The people that were on the list came up and I took them out quick, no one really knew where the shots came from but I was gone before they could find out.” She said.
“Damn.” John mumbled.
“But you’re back here though dear...why? Why does this involve us?” She asked concerned. Polly could always steer the conversations back to the problems at hand. Often times she had the most sense of the group.
Y/n walked away from Tommy and over to the whiskey and poured another glass as she spoke.
“As we all know, the last deal went sour to say the least, so he wants something else. He told me he wants Tommy’s gin. He wants to distribute it in America, and to get stocks and shit. So...he sent me here to persuade Tommy to pay full price for them running it back. He won’t be lowballed again. Over my two years there, I’ve unfortunately gotten to know how he works, and if he comes after one person he comes after the rest just the same. If Tommy refuses, he will most likely kill me and him, as well as anyone in relation to the Peaky Blinders.” She said sternly.
“My god...” Polly said, sipping her tea as she looked at Tommy. His face still the same. But y/n could practically see the gears turning in his head again, another plan in the works.
“So they don’t know you have history with us?” Ada asked.
“No. And if they find out, you might as well kiss me goodbye. They may be stupid but they can sense someone who’s faking. I honestly don’t know how I’ve made it this long if I’m honest.” She said sitting back by Tommy, sighing and rubbing her temple. The drinks going to her head slightly.
Tommy shuffled in his seat and got up, standing behind her chair, speaking sternly.
“I’ve made a plan. It must be followed exactly as I say. No exceptions.” He said, Ada rolled her eyes bracing herself for whatever wild plan was about to spew from his mouth.
“Y/n is going to call Mr. Romboldi from a pay phone to tell him I accept the offer. When they get here in a weeks time, we’re going to meet them in Charlie’s yard. I’m going to order crates to be shipped there with my fucking gin, and you all will stand by while I negotiate. To help Y/n stay out of their grasp, we’re going to place her on sniper duty. If they ask about her, don’t tell them anything, act like you’ve never met her.” He said.
“And what if word gets out? You know it travels around here.” Linda said.
“Then you’ll just have to keep your trap shut so it doesn’t. Not until this business is dealt with. I’m sure you can manage.” Y/n said annoyed. Linda glared at her. She was always a chatty one.
Tommy smirked, and looked down at his watch.
“Y/n?” Tommy asked.
“Yes?” She said looking at him, her eyes boring into his.
“You’re going to go to the pay phone tomorrow like we discussed, but try to keep it simple. I don’t want him asking too many questions.” He said.
“Alright. What time?”
“Noon”. He said, walking over and pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
“Okay.” She said, before making conversation with Ada and Arthur. Her laugh filling the room as she joked around just like old times.
Meanwhile, Tommy looked out the window, the plans rolling around in his head amongst the scraping of the tunnels that plagued his mind every day. A mix of dread and happiness filling his bones. As much as he was happy to see y/n back, he couldn’t stand people being out to get her and his family. And he couldn’t bear losing her again, especially to those men. He hated that they forced her to do certain things and now that she was back home, he wasn’t going to let that happen again. He knocked back his shot, the liquid streaming down his throat attempting to numb the pain he felt as he processed what happened over the last 2 hours. Just 2 hours ago he was coming back from a meeting with Johnny Dogs. Just 2 hours ago he was out taking care of things around the shops. Just 2 hours ago his life was half empty. The only things in it at the time were his family and the sounds of shovels scraping through the tunnels, consuming his mind. But then as if a prayer was answered by some god he didn’t believe in, there she was at his doorstep. And he was determined this time to not repeat the past.
“You okay?” Y/n asked, walking over to him. Her red heels clicking along the wooden floors. He sighed and turned around to face her, his tired eyes meeting hers as he felt himself relax a bit at her presence.
“How about we get out of here?” Tommy asked, taking her hand in his.
“Are we going to your place?” She asked. He nodded and she smirked, seeing his lips turn up in a slight smile.
“Everyone be ready by noon tomorrow. I’m heading home.” He said, taking y/n’s hand and pulling her out with him. Everyone sat there for a moment and Polly smirked.
“Are they seeing each other again? After what he did?” Ada asked her.
“I’m sure of it. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder and I think that’s true for them. He never wanted her to go Ada. He told me after she left that he regretted it but I told him whats done is done. But you know him....he’s never been one to let things go.” She said taking a drag from her cigarette.
“Who would’ve known Tommy Shelby had a heart.” She said chuckling.
The rest of them laughed as they went about their business. All of them wary about what the next week would hold.
Meanwhile, back at Tommy’s estate, he gave Y/n a quick tour around, before leading her up to his bedroom.
Her eyes widening at the huge room and lavish king bed.
“Wow. You really went all out here aye?” She said smiling, running her hands along the cotton sheets. He caught her hand, and took it, turning her around so she was facing him. He smiled slightly as he brought his lips to hers. She kissed back, dragging both of them onto the plush mattress, feverish kisses being placed on her neck by the one she thought she’d never see again. They continued their escapades, their worries for tomorrow quickly slipping away as the daylight faded around them.
The next morning Y/n awoke to the sound of Tommy’s light snores, feeling his arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace. She wondered how long it had been since he’s slept decently, knowing all too well how his thoughts kept him up at night.
She let him sleep though, quietly getting up to wrap her bare body in one of Tommy’s robes as she made her way to the master bathroom. She went in and cleaned up, slowly coming to as the hot water dropped over her skin. When she got out she dug through her suit case to find a black dress and light sweater and decided that would work for the day’s activities. She quickly tensed though at the thought of conversing with Mr. Romboldi in an hours time.
As she put her last bit of makeup on, she heard Thomas get up and walk to towards the bathroom.
“Good morning love.” He said, kissing her cheek. She smiled and touched it, still in disbelief that she was here with him. She hated that’s she was bitter before, but now she’s grated to be there.
“Morning. How’d you sleep?” Y/n asked.
“Better. Better than I have in 2 years.” He said. She smiled and turned to hug his bare form. He had a genuine smile on his face as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Tommy Shelby, I never knew such a smile existed.” She said. He chuckled as he stepped away preparing the bath.
“Are you going to go call him?” He said glancing at the clock on the wall.
“Yes. I’ll go to the shop as soon as it’s done and report what I hear.” She said gathering her things.
“Alright. If you need help call me. I love you.” He said.
“Love you too.” She said before heading into his room and out into the luxurious hallway. She took a deep breath as she got in one of the cars and drove to the payphone in town. She put the coins in the slot, waiting for the operator to answer.
The phone crackled as she held the metal device up to her ear. “Hello how may I help you today?” The operator asked.
“Hi. I’d like to place a call to 5023. New York.” She said. Then waited for the dreaded rough voice of the man who took her in, yet whore’d her out to his enemies.
“I was expecting to hear from you dear. How is that shit hole treating ya?” He asked.
“Fine. Nothing beats New York, sir.” She said in her fake accent.
“Did you accomplish what I sent you there for?” He asked.
“Yes. He will pay the full price for our services. You are to meet him at the place you went last time. I think he called it Charlie’s yard?” She asked, acting like she didn’t know where it was.
“Yes, I’ll never forget that dump. Tell him we’ll be there Monday. I’m boarding the ship in an hour. We’ll meet them at noon. Good job miss Anderson.” He said.
“Alright, I’ll pass that along to him. Thank you Mr. Romboldi.” She said.
“You’ll be back here in no time, don’t worry. We can’t afford to loose our best shooter to a grimy razor gang, plus, I have some new men who’d love to meet you.” He said, an evil tone lacing his voice towards the end as he egged on the conversation.
“Goodbye. See you when I get back.” She said hanging up. Not waiting for a reply. She took a deep breath and shook the thought of giving herself to more random men out of her head and got back in the car, looking out at the busy streets as she neared the shop.
She immediately went in and said hi to Ada and Polly who smirked at her, knowing full well she stayed the night with Tommy.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Polly asked.
“Just reporting to Tommy, is he here?” She asked glancing around.
“Not yet, but you can wait around here. I want all the details.” She said smirking.
Y/n smirked and sat down in a chair near Ada.
“Yes we fucked, what more do you want me to say?” She said taking a cigarette out of her pocket, Polly reaching out to light it.
Ada smirked “Well are you all dating or not? He hasn’t been with anyone since ya left for gods sake!” She said excitedly. Y/n’s eyes widened a bit in shock. Thomas Shelby not fucking around was something she’d never thought she’d hear.
“Well we definitely made up for lost time, but I don’t know if I’d call it dating. Hell, I just came back yesterday but I felt like I’ve never left. What do I make of that?” She asked.
“I think you should ask him. I’m sure he’s already said he loves ya. I can see it between you two.” Polly said. Y/n smiled remembering earlier at his house.
“Alright, I will.” Y/n said, watching the door, waiting for him to burst through.
Not 5 minutes later he did, walking straight into his office, his face expressionless as usual.
“Guess that’s my cue.” Y/n said sighing and reluctantly getting up.
“Good luck my dear.” Polly said before turning back to her work.
Y/n walked to the closed door before her and knocked three times, just as she did all those years ago.
“Come in.” Tommy said, his desk strewn with papers.
Tommy glanced up from his papers and motioned for her to shut the door. He quickly shuffled some of the papers away and sat up, his eyes on her as she took a seat in the leather chair.
“How did it go?” He asked taking a cigarette out of his metal case. Rubbing it on his lips before lighting it.
“Okay...I told him you’d accepted his offer and that you’d meet at Charlie’s yard on Monday at noon.” She said looking away from him.
He studied her movements, the way she fiddled with her hands, her eyes avoiding him, her brow furrowed with worry.
“What else did he say y/n?” He asked quietly.
She looked down as she spoke, tears threatening to fall.
“He said that I’d be back in no time. Meaning he probably wants me back any day now. He doesn’t know I’d be there with you all so I could just stay here as planned, but I don’t want them to find out I’m here. He said he had new men who’d love to meet me.” She said with a disgusted look on her face.
Tommy sighed and took a drag of his cigarette.
“I’m not letting them take you back, y/n. You don’t have to worry about that.” He said looking into her eyes.
“Well once his men find out I’m not back, he’s going to get word of it.” She said quickly wiping a stray tear from her face.
“If they do, we’ll just have to kill them then.” He said.
“What about the men back there? I’m not whoring myself out. I’m not doing that again. He’s a sick man.” She said as more tears fell. She hated doing things for her boss but it was a comply or be killed type of situation back then.
“You won’t have to do that anymore. You’re a blinder do you understand?” He said getting up and walking over to her. She got up and he pulled her into a hug, her cries muffling as she rested her head on his chest.
“I won’t let them hurt you. You’re safe here. Do you hear me? You won’t have to do that, I’m not ever sending you away again.” He said.
Once she calmed down, she looked up at him, his ocean eyes staring back at her.
“I love you...y/n I really do.” He said.
Y/n nodded and smiled. “I love you too.”
Later that night she got home late after joining the gang at the Garrison. Tommy was in the bathroom taking a shower while she was getting undressed and putting on a nightgown. She only had a finite amount of clothes, so luckily she was able to find the time to shop earlier during the day.
“I thought you’d be sleeping y/n.” He said as y/n sat up in bed reading one of Tommy’s books.
“I can’t, I have something on my mind.” She said, turning the pages.
“What is it?” He asked, getting in bed beside her. Kissing her shoulder as he watched her skim the book.
“Polly and Ada asked about us today. And Ada asked if we were together again...” she said, her heart racing as she spoke.
“Do you want to be together?” He asked. She took a moment to think, mad that she was so bitter before, but she decided to let those feelings go to make way for new ones. New beginnings perhaps.
“Yeah, I’d like to. Only if you promise to not boot me out again.” She said looking at him.
“Then we’re together then. And I’ve told you before love, I’m never making that mistake again.” He said kissing her shoulder before lying down. She smiled and closed the book, lying down and cuddling into his side for the night.
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Over the next few days, they grew in their trust and in their relationship more. And when they weren’t dealing with the matters at hand, they decided to tell the family, which wasn’t much as they all expected it.
Y/n looked around the room at all of them, finally feeling okay with herself and with who was in her life, and by her side. But she couldn’t shake the nerves of her past, as she still had to deal with them when they got there.
Monday came around rather quickly though, much to everyone’s dismay. Her stomach lurched as she got a phone call at her new desk at the shop.
“Shelby Company Limited.” She said nicely.
“Tell y/n y/l/n we have a surprise for her. Courtesy of Mr. Romboldi.” He said and then hung up.
Her stomach lurched again, but in fear. She got up quickly, her face paling as she steadied herself at her desk, walking with shaking hands to Tommy’s office. It was an hour before noon. An hour before she had to get to her position.
She barged in frantically not caring that Tommy was in the middle of discussing the plans for today with Arthur and the boys.
“Hello y/n. What is it?” He said putting his cigarette out and sitting back in his chair with an annoyed look on his face.
“T-they know. Thomas they know my name. They know I’m here.” She said fear dancing wildly in her eyes.
Within seconds the boys grabbed their weapons and their caps and headed out the door to Charlie’s yard. Thomas on the other hand stayed behind.
“What happened y/n?” He asked gathering his things.
“I um, I got a call a few minutes ago. And he said tell y/n y/l/n we have a surprise for her. Courtesy of Mr. Romboldi.” She said her hands shaking.
Thomas paced around while checking the rounds in his gun. He pulled out a sniper rifle and loaded it as y/n stood there.
He quickly shoved the gun into y/n’s hands and stared at her.
“Y/n. Hey. Listen to me. I’m not letting him get you. I’m taking you to the rooftop overlooking Charlie’s yard ok? They won’t notice you. You’re going to go there and stay there unless we need you on the ground ok? Just take care of the men around us.” He said.
“Okay...” she said and followed him out to the car. He stepped on the gas, booking it there. It was easier for her to keep calm when she was hunting down other people, but it was terrifying knowing she’s become one of the hunted.
As they sped down the dirt covered streets they parked outside of an abandoned 3 story building. He quickly looked around and led her up to the roof to where she could see clearly. The wind nipping at her neck slightly as she adjusted her position and steadied her breathing. She could see John and Arthur standing guard below holding two suitcases and Michael, Finn, and Isiah on the opposite side waiting. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tommy walk out into the middle of the area, checking his watch. As if on cue, a black dingy car pulled up as 5 men climbed out including Mr. Romboldi. They each had either a handgun or machine gun with them, along with a lone black suitcase.
She saw as Mr. Romboldi came near Tommy, sitting the briefcase on an old wooden table and opening it, revealing what looked to be a lot of money inside.
“I’m not here to take your money Mr. Romboldi, I’m here to give you your gin and your payment for your troubles.” He said as Arthur and John brought over the suitcases.
Mr. Romboldi smirked and lit a cigar. The smoke rising into the air.
“It’s not for you Mr. Shelby. It’s for y/n y/l/n.” He said.
“That name doesn’t sound familiar.” Tommy said, lighting a cigarette as he stared blankly.
“Are you sure? It sounds an awful lot like someone who we have workin’ for us by the same first name. You thought you could fool us y/n?” He said, loudly yelling the last part and looking around the rooftops.
Y/n quickly ducked down before he could look over towards the building she was perched on. Steadying her breathing as she waited.
Mr. Romboldi continued to ramble on.
“We know she’s here because she hasn’t came back to our headquarters, and my men are very fond of her. They’d know when a pretty girl like that goes missing.” He said. Still loud enough that she could hear.
Tommy blankly stared as he shook his head again, denying he knew her.
“Look, the only way we found out for sure was because one of them, a certain man she was seein’ mentioned her not visiting him. He was ya know...scheduled to see her one night this past week if you know what I mean...” He said chuckling.
“And he brought it up to my men and they contacted me while I was on that shitty boat. Now....I know we have a deal, and I’m accepting your payment this time, but I also have a deal of my own ya hear?” He said.
“I hear you. What’s the deal?” Tommy asked.
“You give me the money and the gin, and I pay you for y/n. She’s the best I’ve got in more ways than one despite her foolin’ us and I know she’s here. We researched into her little background and couldn’t find nothin’ on a fuckin’ Y/n Anderson.” He said taking another puff of his cigar.
“That’s unfortunate.” He said, growing tired of him talking. He motioned for Arthur and John to go as he sat up a bit.
“You ain’t leavin’ not with out giving me my girl.” He said. Her stomach turned over how he talked about her. Like she was some piece of meat ready for the wolves.
Tommy smirked and leaned in closer to him, one of Mr. Romboldis men pointing a gun at Tommy and walking near him until the barrel touched his temple.
He paid the gun little mind and continued.
“If she’s your girl...then why was she in my bed then aye?” He said, as he watched the older mans face grow red with anger.
“You bastard! I knew it. You can come on out y/n we have a ship to fuckin' catch.” He said yelling.
“I know for a fact that she wouldn’t want be with you. You’re just in a filthy razor gang!” He said. Tommy attempted to get up but not before the man clicked the gun a bit causing him to stop.
John and Arthur raised theirs as the other men stood guarding their boss, not getting a chance to reach for their guns. Arthur started beating one of them while John threw some punches and disarmed the other.
Y/n slowly raised her head up a little, just enough that she could get a clear shot.
Mr. Romboldi got up and took all the suitcases and walked to the car as Tommy tried to grab the mans arm to disarm him. He shot the gun, the bullet flying through the air at a random spot, hitting a building nearby.
Y/n aimed for the guys who were getting too rough with John and Arthur and quickly shot two bullets, each of them striking them in the head.
It gradually got more quiet as two of the 5 were dead. But Tommy still struggled with the man who held him at gunpoint taking a slew of punches to the face and chest. Michael, Finn, and Isiah fought the other two, giving her just enough time to find an opening to kill one of the men. She shot striking the man going after Finn, hitting him in the chest. The other guy soon ran over to Tommy, attempting to help the other man attack him. Tommy pinned one down laying punches on his face as blood sprayed up onto his dress shirt.
Y/n didn’t hesitate though, instead she shot the man who was about to attack him from behind.
As she took a moment to get her bearings, she saw Mr. Romboldi grab a machine gun out of his car, aiming right for Tommy who was slowly getting up after beating the guy to death. He unfortunately didn’t notice her boss aiming at him.
Before Tommy could pull out his own gun, he saw a shot hit the guys head. The once ruthless, balding, red-faced mafia leader from New York lying lifeless on the cold pavement as he bled out.
Tommy looked up and saw y/n. The smoke from the rifle still floating off the gun and into the air. He had never been so happy to be staring at the barrel of a gun, or more so the person behind it.
Without thinking, y/n got up and ran down the stairs and into the open area and ran straight to Tommy, not caring about the blood and dirt caking her shoes as she did so. He welcomed her with a warm embrace, as she looked up and examined his face, he was bleeding from his temple and his lip, but other than that he seemed fine. Despite his injured lip, she kissed him for a moment before he stopped her and looked down at her.
“Thank you, y/n.” He said.
She just nodded and embraced him again. Happy that she had the man that she loved back in her arms, and a job she loved to go to everyday. As crazy as it was, she wouldn’t trade this life for the world, no matter the cost.
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do you love me? ~ machine gun kelly
word count: 1837
request?: yes!
@kellysimagines “Can you make one where the reader and colson have been togethet for  7 years and she is pregnant and they had a girl again and he already had casie  and he is kinda distant first she thinks its because she doesnt feel beautigul or that they had another girl but later she confronts him and they have a small fight and he leaves and later  he comes back and i am feeding the baby and he explains that he is scared to not be around as much as when casie was little because he is busy with new music again and i comfort him and he promises to take a couple of weeks off and its all cute?“
description: after the birth of your daughter, you start to notice that colson is growing distant from you and the baby
pairing: machine gun kelly x female!reader
warnings: swearing
masterlist
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The closing of your front door woke you, alerting you that Colson had left for the day to go to the studio. You sighed heavily as you sat up in your bed, peaking out the window to watch him get into his car and drive away.
Yet another morning where he left without waking you, like he once did.
Ever since the birth of your daughter, Kennedy, Colson had been distant. You were puzzled as to what made him like this. While you were pregnant, he was so loving and doted on you the whole time, even when you told him you didn’t need to. When he found out you were having another daughter he nearly started crying with joy.
Colson took as much time off as possible to spend time with you and Kennedy in the hospital. Casie came to visit to see her baby sister, very obviously excited that she had a little sister to help raise and to one day do sisterly things with. Everything was perfect until you and Kennedy were discharged to go home.
Suddenly, Colson was throwing himself into his work again. He’d leave early in the morning to meet up with his band to record new songs and wouldn’t come home till late at night. When he did come home, he rarely spent time with you and could barely even look Kennedy’s way. The only time the three of you really did anything as a family was when Casie would come over and insisted on doing something as a family.
As if noticing your despair, Kennedy started cooing in her crib next to your bed, announcing that she was awake. You smiled and picked up your baby girl, sitting her up on your lap and letting her take in her surroundings. She was finally reaching an age where she loved to look at everything and everything always amazes her, no matter how often she had seen them.
Looking down at your beautiful baby girl, who had Colson’s bright blue eyes, you started to feel angry. Why the fuck is he ignoring us? Why is he acting this way? He was so excited to have another baby, and now he’s acting like this?
You pick up your phone and send Colson a quick text: “thanks for waking me up and letting me know you were going to work. i guess i’ll see you tonight maybe”
After sending the text, you decide to set your phone to silent and throw it aside. You pick up your baby girl and hold her in your arms. “We’re gonna go pick up your big sister, we’re gonna get out of this house and we’re gonna forget about your daddy and his mood swing.”
You called Casie’s mom to make sure it was okay to pick her up before dressing Kennedy in her cutest outfit and loading her into the car. Casie excitedly ran to the car and jumped into the backseat.
“Dad’s not with you?” she asked, although she didn’t seem all that upset by it.
“He’s gone to work. I figured we could have a girls day. Take your baby sis for a walk around the park. What do you think?”
“I’d love that!”
The three of you walked around the park. Casie took off for the playground the minute she saw it. You reminded her to stay close enough that you could see her as you placed Kennedy into a baby swing.
The sound of your precious little girl giggling as you pushed her on the swing and the sight of your step daughter playing with the friend she made on the playground brightened your day. You had almost forgotten all about why you had been so miserable, until your phone started playing Colson’s ringtone in your pocket. You rolled your eyes, debating on if you should let it go to voicemail, but figured you should answer.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Colson asked.
You rolled your eyes again. “Wow, it’s really nice to hear from you too, honey.”
“I’m serious, (Y/N). I came home and you’re not here. You didn’t tell me you were planning on leaving, and you took Kennedy with you? Is she okay?”
“Don’t pretend you care now, Colson,” you hissed. “You haven’t given two shits about our daughter ever since we came home from the hospital. Also, don’t act as if I can’t take care of Kennedy. We’re at the park with Casie. Kennedy is having the time of her life. We’ll see you when we get home.”
You hung up before Colson could say anything else. All your anger was starting to bubble back up, but you were quickly distracted again by Kennedy’s cooing. Her swing had stopped moving, and she was not happy about it.
Another hour or so passed before you collected Casie and headed home. As you neared her mom’s house, Casie asked, “I’m not coming over for the night?”
“Not tonight, kiddo,” you told her. “But we can ask your dad and see if he’ll take a day off tomorrow and you can come over.”
“Is everything okay with you and dad?” she asked.
You looked into the rearview mirror at Casie’s concerned face. You couldn’t help but shoot her a small smile. She really was too smart for her own good.
“We just have to talk about some stuff is all,” you explained to her. “I think your dad is just feeling some pressure or something with the new baby. It’s been a long time since he’s had someone as small as Kennedy to take care of.”
Casie looked at her sleeping sister and smiled. “He’ll get used to it again soon. He just needs to actually take time off work.”
You’re telling me.
You said goodbye as Casie left and started in the direction of your and Colson’s house. You were shocked to see that Colson’s car was still in the driveway, meaning he was actually home for once.
You walked into the house, balancing Kennedy’s carrier on one arm as you took off your coat and shoes. The minute the door closed, a flustered looking Colson appeared. He immediately approached you, looking down at his sleeping daughter.
“God, I was going out of mind waiting for you,” he said. “I was so worried.”
“I told you, I had it handled,” you tell him, turning slightly so he couldn’t take Kennedy from you. “What are you doing home? I figured you’d be at the studio all day.”
“I didn’t go to the studio. I just went out for the morning,” Colson responded. “Look, will you just let me see my daughter? I haven’t gotten a moment with her in so long.”
“Oh, so now you want to spend time with Kennedy?!” you snap, finally done with his shit. “You’ve been acting like we don’t exist for weeks! You only spend time with us when Casie wants it. You leave in the mornings before I wake up, you come home late enough that I’m already in bed or even asleep. We’re not husband and wife anymore, Colson. We’re barely even existing together at this point.”
Colson turned away, running his hand through his hair. Tears started to well up in your eyes. You moved into the house so you could put Kennedy’s carrier down.
“Do you even love me anymore?” you ask, your voice cracking.
“Of course I do,” Colson responded, but he still wasn’t looking at you.
“Is it because we had another girl?”
“No!” When he turned his face was a light shade of pink, signalling that he was mad. Usually, you backed off in moments like this to let Colson cool down, but you were too pissed off to drop the subject.
“Then what is it?! Why have you been avoiding us?!”
He didn’t respond. He was looking away again, his hands balled into fists beside him. After a long, tense moment, he grabbed his car keys and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. You were so angry that you didn’t even care where he was going.
You snapped out of your anger when you heard Kennedy starting to cry. You quickly took her out of her carrier and rocked her in your arms, shushing her until she finally lulled herself back to sleep.
You sat down with the baby girl still in your arms and everything started to hit you. Finally, you let your tears flow freely down your face.
~~~~~~
Hours later, Colson still hadn’t returned. You weren’t sure what to do. Should you call him? Text him? Apologize for the fight?
No, you were not in the wrong for this. You had every right to be angry with what Colson was doing.
You were giving Kennedy her bottle, still sat on the couch, when you heard the door open and close. Colson appeared in the doorway of the living room. His eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks pink and obviously tear stained.
His eyes drifted to Kennedy. “Can I take her?”
Without saying a word, you held Kennedy’s bottle and Kennedy out to Colson. He took her in his arms and gave the protesting baby her bottle back. He sat down next to you, looking down at Kennedy with a look in his eyes you had seen many times before: unconditional love.
“She looks so much like you,” he noted.
“She has your eyes,” you told him. “What’s wrong, baby?”
There was tears welling in his eyes again. You wiped them away as they began to fall.
“I was absent throughout so much of Casie’s childhood,” he explained. “My career took off and I was always touring or recording. I missed so many milestones and I constantly kick myself for it still. I was so excited when you found out you were pregnant, and even more so to have another beautiful baby girl to spoil. But the fact that my new album is set to come out in a few months and I’ll be expected to tour again after it’s released...I’m so scared I’ll miss Kennedy’s milestones, too. And you’ll resent me for it, then I’ll lose the both of you.”
You put your head on Colson’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around him. “I’d never resent you for doing your job, Colson. You’ll never lose me or Kennedy. I know how much you love making music, and I know you love the two of us, and Casie.”
Colson rested his head against yours. You both looked down at your beautiful baby girl, who was finished feeding and asleep yet again.
“I’m going to take time off when this album is finished,” Colson said. “I won’t tour right away, I’ll come home and spend so much time with you and Kennedy you’ll both get sick of me.”
You giggled. “We could never be sick of you.”
Colson cupped your chin so you’d face him and placed a tender kiss to your lips. “I love you so much.”
You smile. “I love you, too, Colson.”
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“Nice To Meet You Too”-Connor Murphy X Reader (Soulmate AU)
Word Count: 4,164
A/N: Hey everyone! It’s been a hot minute but here’s my second fic, I made the reader gender neutral so more people could enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who reads this and everyone who read my last fic, it is very much appreciated! Hope you have an amazing day! :) 
Everyone was born with a tattoo on their inner left wrist with the first words their soulmate would ever say to them. These tattoos would disappear after the words had been said. Some people just had a simple “Hello!”s or “Excuse me!”s and nothing else, others had things such as totals from various purchases and what not but you were lucky, yours included your soulmate’s name. It read, “Uh, I’m Connor, nice to meet you too.” Connor. It was a lovely name but there were also a lot of people named Connor which led to you constantly getting your hopes up.  You always went out of your way to introduce yourself to people named Connor and probably looked a little insane while doing so.  A few of your friends had met their soulmates in elementary school but as high school went on more and more people were meeting their partners for life while you were still alone. You became a little discouraged but knew that yours was out there and you were going to meet them eventually. Then came some of the best and worst news of your life. You were moving out of state at the end of junior year a couple of weeks after school got out. You were partially overjoyed because you had already interacted with every single Connor in your area but it also meant you were leaving your home of almost eighteen years. Your junior year went by faster than you would have liked and the time came to say goodbye to your childhood best friend Quinn. They came over to help your family pack as they were like the second child your parents never had and once the last box was put into the U-HAUL truck the two of you broke down crying and gave one another the biggest hug.
 Once the breakdown was finished you gave each other one last tear-filled smile before you got into the front seat of your parents’ car and pulled out of the driveway of your childhood home. As you were sitting in the passenger seat with your earbuds in you though of Quinn and how you met. The two of you were in the same preschool, on the first day during playtime you were sitting alone and they came up and declared you two were going to be best friends for forever and the rest was history. You were indeed best friends and were almost never seen without the other. You soon became sad so decided to try and think of something else. You knew Quinn was going to be okay because they had recently met their soulmate so they weren’t going to be alone during this transition period for the two of you. You, on the other hand, were not so sure how you were going to cope. Sure facetime was a thing that existed but it definitely wasn’t the same as Quinn just busting into your house at random times and your parents just being okay with it. You slowly fell into a dreamless sleep for the majority of the rest of the trip.
 When you woke up again your mom informed you that you were just about two hours from your new home. You got out at the gas station you were currently stopped at and went to the bathroom and got a few snacks for you and your mom to share. You started to stare out the window and soon your thoughts went to your soulmate, Connor. You hoped that you were going to get to meet him soon as this was currently the only thing keeping you going. You finally arrived at your new house about an hour before sunset. You and your parents began to unload everything from the U-HAUL truck. It took a lot longer without Quinn and you ended up having to finish in the dark. While your dad was returning the truck you and your mom decided to unpack the necessities then leave the rest for tomorrow. When your dad came back the three of you decided to get something to eat and just drive around the town. 
You got food from Mcdonalds and took in the sights of your new home. It was a nice town, not too big or small, it looked like there were a lot of things to do and places to eat. The last stop on your sightseeing tour was the town’s high school. It looked a lot bigger than your previous school and you thought that building was hard to navigate so you could tell this was going to be a nightmare. On your way home you noticed a park right by your house. You could tell just by looking at it that it would be the perfect place to walk to at 3 AM when you couldn't fall asleep and just wanted to forget about all your troubles. Once you got home you found the box with your sleeping bag and pillow in it and found your new room. You set up your sleeping bag in your empty room, your furniture wasn’t supposed to arrive for a few days so you were stuck sleeping on the floor for the time being. You stared up at the textured ceiling and tried to fall asleep because you knew tomorrow was going to be filled with loads of unpacking but for some reason, you just couldn’t so you were going to call Quinn to just check in but decided against it since you remembered they were hanging out with their soulmate tonight. So you did what you always did when Quinn wasn’t available, imagine what your soulmate looked like. You really didn’t care what ‘Connor’ looked like it was just fun to try and put a face to a name. Slowly you fell into a dreamless sleep.
Your mother came into your room at about 8:30 so you could start unpacking. You finished the living room, kitchen, and bathroom before lunchtime.  You finished doing the rest of your house just before dinner time. You stood in your room, it was painted a nice light grey and you had hung up some of your posters and pictures and strung up your lights which made you feel more at home. Your dad called upstairs to tell you that he had picked up dinner on his way home from work. While the three of you were eating he talked about his new job, he was a lawyer and had gotten an amazing opportunity at a pretty well-known law firm, which is why you guys moved. He told you about his new office and some dick named Larry he worked with. Once dinner was finished the three of you talked for a couple of hours about how everyone was feeling about the move, as the conversation was winding down you felt yourself growing tired, you bid your parents goodnight went upstairs to bed. Thoughts of how you were going to arrange your room filled your head, the furniture was supposed to arrive the next afternoon and you couldn’t wait to finally finish setting up your room. That night you had a weird beauty and the beast-esque dream filled with talking furniture. 
The furniture truck arrived around 12:30 that afternoon and you finished setting up your room at about 3, you decided to facetime Quinn to show them your new room. They helped you decide where to put a couple small things then after that the two of you just caught up, they told you all about how amazing their soulmate was and you couldn’t help but feel a small pang of jealousy, they asked about ‘Connor’ and you told them you hadn’t found him yet. You lied and told them your mom was calling so you could stop talking about soulmates cause it was making you upset.  After you got off the phone you and your mom decided to get lunch at a locally owned diner which made you feel a lot better about not finding Connor yet, before you went home you stopped at the grocery store and picked up somethings so you could begin making food in your own kitchen. Once you got home you decided to take a nap until dinner was ready. You woke up around 5:15 and saw that Quinn had sent you a message so you responded and told them about your lunch, just as you hit send on your message you heard your dad come in and your mom called up to you to tell you dinner was ready. Dinner was good and your dad said work was good which made you feel like maybe this move was a good thing. 
The next morning your mom barged into your room and told you to get up and get ready to go tour your new school. You begrudgingly got up and dressed, you then went downstairs to meet your mom. The two of you headed out to her car and on the way put you grabbed some fruit so you wouldn’t be cranky during the tour. Once you arrived and found the main office you met your principal and she gave you your schedule and then introduced you to your tour guide, Alana Beck. She was very pretty and you could tell she was smart just by looking at her. Once your principal set you loose so the tour could actually begin Alana became much more talkative, not in a bad way, of course, it was nice to not have to worry about keeping the conversation going. As the tour progressed you felt your anxiety melting away, the building actually wasn’t that hard to navigate and your classes were easy enough to find. You and Alana found your way back to the principal’s office but before you went in Alana gave you her number that way if you had any questions about anything you could always text her. It was nice to know you already knew someone at school and wouldn’t be going in with a completely clean slate. You went into the office and said good-bye to Alana and your new principal. You walked out of that building feeling oddly calm. You and your mom went out to breakfast and you got one of your favorite diner foods. Your mom dropped you off at home after breakfast because she had to go to her first day at her new job.
 You decided to walk down to that little park you saw on your drive around the town. You put in your earbuds and started walking. It took a little while for you to find it but you did eventually. When you arrived you saw that there was another person there. They were sitting on the swingset. You decided to walk around the block to try and avoid human contact at all costs. When you looped back around to the park you saw the tall figure still sitting on a swing. You were tempted to take another lap around the block but there was a feeling in your gut telling you not to. So you didn’t. You decided to just sit on the farthest swing from the person. You decided to sneak a peek. They had wavy brown hair that reached their shoulders and were wearing all black, just like you. You chuckled to yourself, maybe a little too loudly cause the person turned and looked at you. FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! Why did I have to fucking do that! It wasn’t even that funny!” you thought to yourself. They continued to look at you. “Wow, they’re pretty. WAIT, not the time you idiot! Holy shit what do I do? Should I say something?! I should say something. Right?” before you could even contemplate what to do you felt yourself opening your mouth and saying “Sorry, I just noticed we’re both wearing black and thought it was kinda funny. Anyways, I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”, you awkwardly stuck your hand out for them to shake. 
They hesitantly took it and said, “Uh, I’m Connor, nice to meet you too.” You swore you died right then and there, you could not believe your ears. The two of you just realized what happened and said “Holy shit” in perfect unison. 
“HOLY SHIT!” you squealed. You ran over to Connor and gave him a gigantic hug, you could tell you scared him with this sudden physical contact but eventually hugged back just as tight as you. At some point, you had started crying out of pure happiness because OH MY GOSH you just met your soulmate! The two of you eventually pulled apart and you just looked at him and soaked in his beauty. You noticed that half of his left eye was a rich dark brown while the other half and eye were a light blue. You noticed how angular his face was and how nice his lips were. 
“Soooooo,” he said in a very dragged out manner. “What do we do now?” 
“I don’t know I’ve never met my soulmate before,” you say, hoping to lighten the tension. “I guess get to know each other if that’s cool with you.” 
“Yeah sounds good. What do you want to know?”
“Why have I never seen you before?”
“I just moved here a couple of days ago with my parents. My dad got a good job opportunity at some law firm around here so we moved.”
“Wait is your last name L/N?”
“Yeah? How’d you know?” you asked, suddenly growing very aware of the fact you and Connor were alone in the park.
“Holy Shit, calm the fuck down. I’m not a creep I swear,” he said getting kind of angry with you, you guessed your internal freakout was showing on the outside. “My dad works at that law firm and mentioned something about a new hire.” 
“Oh okay. Sorry for freaking out dude. It was just kinda weird that someone I just met knew my last name regardless if we were soulmates or not.” you said in a very sincere manner, you really didn’t want to mess up your relationship in the very beginning.
“It's all good, don't worry about it,” he says, tension leaving his body. “My last name is Murphy if you were wondering.”
“Well nice to finally meet you, Connor Murphy.”
“Nice to finally meet you too Y/N L/N.”
You and Connor sat in the park until dusk just talking about anything and everything. He told you about his family and how school was hell for him and you told him how anxious you felt moving here. Maybe it was because you were soulmates but the two of you just felt so comfortable around each other already. Before you left he gave you his phone number and you gave him a promise to text him. On the walk home, you felt as if you were walking on air. You quickly whipped out your phone and texted Quinn telling them all about Connor. They let you rant over text about him for most of your walk home, they were so happy for you. You decided to text Connor before you went into your house. As you were walking in the front door he texted you back and you had a gigantic dopey grin on your face. Your parents stopped talking as you walked into the living room, your mom asked, “What’s got you so happy?”
“Oh nothing,” you said over dramatically. “Just met my soulmate that’s all. No biggie,” you said shrugging your shoulders and biting your lip in an attempt to hold back your smile. 
“Oh my gosh honey!” your mother said practically jumping over the couch to reach you. “When? How? Where? What does he look like?” she asked, barely breathing while doing so. You wanted to keep them in suspense for a little bit but decided against it as you didn’t want your mother bursting a blood vessel.
“Earlier today. After you dropped me off and went to work I decided to walk to that little park not that far from here and that's where I met him,” you said suddenly feeling shy about the whole thing, you weren't a fan of being bombarded with all these questions from your mother. Once you satisfied your mom with adequate answers you went up to your room and continued to text Connor. The two of you were planning your first date, well more like Connor was planning your first date because you didn’t know anything to do. Connor suggested getting dinner and seeing a movie in the town next to yours and you thought that was a lovely idea. The date was set for Saturday which was still a few days away from now lucky for you because it meant you had a couple of days to figure out your outfit and get advice from Quinn. You and Connor were texting for hours before you looked at the clock on your nightstand and realized that it was four in the morning, you bid Connor goodnight and went to bed with a stupid grin on your face.
When you woke up you immediately texted Quinn to tell them about your plans for this weekend. They were so happy for you and they agreed to help you pick out an outfit. You were on facetime for hours modeling different outfit choices before you picked one, it was casual but still looked like you were making an effort. Once the outfit situation was figured out you started talking about the actual date, you started freaking out a little bit because ‘oh my god’ what if he didn’t like you but Quinn was quick to reassure you that he was literally your soulmate and you two were meant to be together. You spent the next few days texting Connor and waiting for Saturday.
Finally, after much anticipation, Saturday arrived! You could barely sleep the previous night you were so excited. It was like the night before going on a big field trip in elementary school, you had your clothes laid out and made sure literally everything was perfect. You woke up early to get ready, you showered, did a face mask and painted your nails to kill time while waiting for Connor to pick you up. Once the time that was decided upon rolled around you saw a black truck pull up in front of your house. You didn’t even need the text saying he was here to know that it was Connor’s. You said goodbye to your parents and practically ran out to Connor’s truck. Once you reached it Connor told you to wait while he got out and opened the door for you with a blush on his face. He quickly went around to the driver's side and got in, he reached into the back seat and pulled out flowers which you found very sweet. “Ah so chivalry isn’t dead,” you said while laughing lightly.
“No it isn’t,” he said while smiling. The drive over was filled with the sound of a playlist Connor made, conversation was scarce as both of you were scared to mess this up. You pulled up to the restaurant and Connor quickly got out and opened the door for you again. You thanked him and fixed your disheveled outfit. The restaurant was a nice little diner with an ice cream place attached to it when you walked in Connor got the two of you a booth. The booth was in the back corner of the restaurant, the seats were a little worn down but still comfortable. Once the two of you got settled in, a nice middle-aged woman came over and got your drink orders, you guys looked over your menus and silently decided what you were going to get to eat. You decided you had enough of this awkward silence and started a conversation. 
“Soooo, how was your day Connor?” 
After that, the ice was broken and conversation between you two came naturally. You talked about things such as your favorite TV shows, movies, and books. The service was fast and soon after placing your order the food came and it was pretty good. Once your waitress dropped off the check at your booth Connor insisted on paying much to your dismay, after that two of you got some ice cream before heading to the movie theatre. This time Connor let you have the AUX Cord and you played some stuff from your favorite artist, he had only heard a couple of their songs so he asked you about them which resulted in you rambling about them for almost the entire 15-minute car ride to the movie theatre. Once you were done you had realized how long you’d been talking and started apologizing and blushing immensely. Connor only laughed and told you it was fine with a huge smile on his face, what he didn’t tell you is that he found it extremely cute. Once you arrived at the theatre you bought your tickets and headed in. Although you two just ate dinner you decide to get some stuff from the snack bar. After getting your snacks you found your theatre and settled into the somewhat uncomfy seats just in time for the previews to start. Neither of you were particularly interested in the movie but you still watched it nonetheless. About halfway through the movie Connor “smoothly” put his arm around your shoulders and you leaned your head into him. Now neither of you wanted the movie to end now but alas it had to, on your way out you grabbed Connor’s hand and didn’t let go until you had to to be able to get in the car but once you clicked your seat belts Connor reached across the center console and put his hand out for you to hold if you wanted to, and you wanted to. On the way home you talked about the movie then somehow you got on the topic of soulmate tattoos. 
“Do you know how insane I went going out of my way to introduce myself to every single person named Connor?” you say while laughing. “I literally introduced myself to every single one of them in my old town and even the surrounding counties!” 
“I’m sorry my parents named me something so basic I’ll be sure to scold them for it,” he says while pretending to be serious. 
“I think I’ll have to fight them when I meet them!” you say still laughing. This is what cracks him and he begins to laugh with you. 
“Oh my god please do!” he says with a gigantic smile on his face.
After that, the two of you calm down but still have dumb grins on your faces.
“How did you feel walking around with the stupid thing I said to you on your wrist for seventeen years?” 
“It was comforting knowing my soulmate was an emo piece of shit like me,” he says with a grin.
“Hey! I’m not emo! I just happen to like the color black,” you say pouting.
“Okay whatever helps you sleep at night sunshine,” he says with an overdramatic eye roll. After that, the two of you fell into a comfortable silence which was nothing like the one on the ride over. Sooner than you would’ve liked Connor pulled up in front of your house.
 “Here we are”
“Yup,” you say, not wanting to get out just yet. “Thank you for tonight I had a really amazing time.”
“Of course,” he says, turning to look at you. Once he does so a small smile appears on his pretty face. You decided this would be a good note to leave on, you reluctantly let go of his hand and began to collect your things. You look at Connor and don’t know what possesses you but you give him a kiss on the cheek.
“I’ll text you tomorrow, okay?” you ask, your cheeks on fire from what you had just done.
“Mhm, sounds good,” he says, barely above a whisper. Face beat red, he puts his hand up to the place you had just kissed. “Good night Y/N.”
“Good night Connor,” you say while opening the door of his truck. You shut the door and smile at him and walk up to your front door. You wave at him to let him know you got in okay and as a final goodbye for the night. Your parents were out for the night so you didn’t have to deal with your mom’s bombardment of questions about the date until breakfast the following morning. You went upstairs and changed into your pajamas, still smiling. You texted Quinn and let them know how perfect the date went, making sure to let them know every single detail. That night you dreamed of Connor, your future together and how happy you were to meet him. 
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