#also I’m sorry I can’t take Midas seriously

[spiderin-space]

Lots of scene redraw sketches 👀

[grimalkinmessor]

Nine Lives

(This is the first chapter of a fic I'll probably never post, but I wanted out there anyway. I tried my hand at a fix-it then lost inspo, wcyd?)

Tony woke up in an alley. Which was surprising for a few reasons.

One, he was pretty sure he died not that long ago. Like, actually died. Fade to black, tunnel to the light, the whole shebang.Two, even if he had somehow been resurrected, he was sure that his body hadn't been dumped in an alleyway. He would hope that he meant more to Pepper than that, anyway, even dead.

Dead…

However, the most surprising thing about waking up in a dirty alley wasn't the fact that he was alive--it was the fact that he'd woken up without opposable thumbs. Or any thumbs, for that matter. Or fingers. Or, you know, anything that would've indicated that he was human. No, Tony had not woken up in his own body, but rather one with four legs, black fur, and a fucking tail. 

"What in the hell?" Is what Tony meant to say, but instead it rumbled out of his chest as a disturbing yowl. He tried to stand up, but just ended up just toppling over onto his back into something wet.

Shooting up into the air with much more force than normal, Tony instinctively let out another alarmed yowl and scrambled away from the puddle he'd fallen into. Only to run straight into something coarse and yielding. Startled, Tony fell backwards again, but managed to catch himself with more agility than he'd ever known himself to display before. He shook his head, bewildered, and looked up to see that what he'd run into was a backpack. 

A backpack? Just sitting in an alleyway, next to the dumpsters? From the ache starting up in Tony's skull, he could tell it was full of textbooks, so it couldn't have been abandoned. 

Yeah, okay, maybe hyper-fixating on a backpack was just a cheap way to keep from looking too closely at his current situation--seriously, what in the utter, actual hell--but he was going to take it. Fortunately, Tony didn't have to ponder his own shitty diversion tactics for very long, because a loud crash sounded above the alleyway. It spooked him enough that he almost went bolting under the dumpster, but Tony refrained. He started around the other side of the backpack to peek over it at whatever was making the noise. 

His eyes widened at the sight of a familiar red and blue suit stumbling to a stop at the end of the alley. 

"Peter?" Tony blurted out, but it came out as a questioning 'mew'. He rolled his eyes. "Right. No English. Wonderful." He watched carefully as Peter quickly changed out of his suit and into his normal clothes again, then walked over to pick up his bag.

"Oh, thank God, nobody stole it this--oh. Hello there." Peter blinked as he caught sight of Tony peeking over the lip of his bag. He ventured forward slowly, hands up, and crouched in front of his backpack. "Where'd you come from, huh? I haven't seen you before, and I know my strays. Are you friendly, or are you here to pilfer my backpack?" Peter mused, half-joking as he hesitantly reached out towards Tony's head.

"Your things wouldn't get stolen if you wouldn't leave them in alleys, you know," Tony replied as he hopped up on top of Peter's backpack. "I know you probably can't understand me, but honestly kid. And no, don't pet me." He swatted at Peter's hand as it crept towards his newly twitchy ears.

"You're talkative. Most strays just glare at me," Peter continued, head tilted to the side as he sat back on his haunches. "So you're just here to steal my bag then. I mean, it doesn't have any food in it, so I don't think you'd want it." 

"Okay, maybe not the most effective strategy for communication," Tony murmured. "I can't do sign language, kid, I don't have hands anymore. You're gonna have to work with me on this." With that, he hopped from the bag onto Peter's knees. There was a precarious moment where his balance tipped, but steadied himself by pressing his fingers--okay, nope, those were claws, he was drawing blood, stop. He hurriedly lifted his…paws (still ignoring that) and huddled up against Peter's stomach. He folded his legs down, then took a moment to try and figure out how to do the purring thing. It took a few tries, but he eventually got it down.

"Uh," Peter said intelligently. His hands fluttered over Tony's now tiny body indecisively before eventually settling on his back. Tony decided to allow that. "Hi? You don't have a collar, but I'm starting to think you're not a stray. Not if you're this comfortable around humans." His thumb rubbed tentatively at Tony's ribs. "...Were you abandoned?" 

Well. If it convinced Peter to get him out of this Godforsaken alley so he could start working on a way to make himself a real boy again, Tony would roll with it.

He gave a mournful meow, and rolled his eyes when he felt Peter practically melt. The kid was way too soft hearted.

Peter wrapped his arms carefully under Tony's legs and stood up, cradling him in his arms. "Oh, we're not supposed to have pets but...well, maybe I can convince May." Peter finally relented. He grabbed his bag, stuffed his suit inside it, then adjusted his grip on Tony and began to jog out of the alley and down the street. 

"Phase one, complete," Tony mused as he settled in for the walk. Though phase one of what, he didn't really know. He didn't have a plan, really. But that was okay, because Tony didn't like plans anyway. He could wing this. He'd done more with less. Just, you know, not as a cat.

Tony was still going to damn well be the most intelligent cat to ever exist.

•✴️•

After a short argument with Peter's aunt, in which both of them had been nearly reduced to tears, Tony was tucked into a small nest of blanket on the end of Peter's bed with a bowl of Cheerios and a bowl of water set on the floor. 

"Sorry, we didn't have any cat food. I'll get you some tomorrow, buddy. But good news! You get to stay!" Peter flopped down on his bed and nearly upended Tony, who meowed in offense and dug his claws into the comforter. Peter winced as Tony glared at him. "Sorry." He rolled over on his stomach and put his chin in his hands, peering at Tony thoughtfully. "You need a name, don't you?"

"Not really, but since I can't object I feel like you're going to give me one anyway," Tony huffed tiredly. 

Peter grinned, like he'd understood the gist of Tony's lamenting meows, and tipped his head. "Don't worry, I won't bequeath unto you something embarrassing like Sprinkles or Fluffy," He replied imperiously. Before Tony could react, Peter had scooped him out of the blankets and set him on the bed in front of him. Brown eyes studied him for a moment, and the smile slowly dropped off Peter's face. Reaching forward, Peter ran his fingers through a patch of fur on Tony's chest. "It's a perfect circle."

It was a whisper, but as close as he was, Tony had no choice but to hear it. He was considering batting Peter's hand away, because being pet was demeaning, cat body or not, when Peter spoke again.

"Like a tiny arc reactor."

Tony froze. But Peter just shook his head after a moment with a raspy laugh. When he looked at Tony again, his eyes were watery. "Sorry, heh, I-I just see him in everything nowadays. Including, apparently, coincidental markings on stray cats. God, Parker, get it together." Peter ran his hands through his hair and tugged harshly. Tony swatted his hand, no hesitation this time. Then kept swatting, because he felt the need to smack some sense into the kid.

"Ow--Ow! Alright! Geez, you're mean. Those claws are way too sharp." Peter nudged Tony back away from him, out of swatting range, and inspected the nicks on his hand. He huffed in amusement, but it sounded weak. "You look a bit like him, though. You know, for a cat. You even have his beard," Peter noted as he scritched a finger beneath Tony's jaw. Tony bit him. "You act like him too." Peter's smile was wry.

"Because I am him, kid. This isn't rocket science. Actually, this isn't science at all. I'm not really sure what this is."

"I think I'll name you after him too, what do you think?" Peter hummed as he pushed Tony abruptly onto his side to get a pet in and yank his hand away before Tony could register things again enough to scratch him again.  

"Okay, don't shove me, that's rude," Tony scolded as he rolled back to his feet. "And it'd certainly make things less confusing. It'd be a damn sight better than Fluffy."

"Midas," Peter said after a minute, his expression gone soft and tired. "Your name can be Midas. After the modern man himself, hm?" He hummed as he stroked Tony's side again.

This time, Tony was too stunned to protest. 

Peter scooped him up and held him to his chest as he laid back against the headboard. He began idly petting Tony's scruff as he stared at the ceiling. "So, what do cats need? You need a proper bed, and some cat food--"

"Um, no," Tony denied, and dug his new claws into Peter's stomach.

"Ow! Quit it, will you? What, you don't like cat food? Did your previous owners feed you from the table? Are you one of those spoiled kitties?" Peter huffed.

Tony just pushed his claws deeper into the kid's shirt in response. Despite the assault, Peter didn't toss Tony off him. He gently pried the tiny paw off his torso and held them away from him.

"Definitely need to get you a scratching post. Dull these suckers down." Peter smiled, lopsided and tired as he wiggled Tony's paw around a little.

"I'd also like a computer that I can operate without actual fingers, if you plan on buying me things," Tony replied wryly. "It'd be a nice change of pace."

"Yeah, you're right. Declawing is actually a serious problem, I won't do that to you." Peter gave him a soft smile.

Tony felt his ears pin back against his head, something in his chest going warm and gooey. This kid would be the death of him.

[stahlop]

Once Upon A Time 1x13 “What Happened to Frederick” Review

Reviews 1x01 1x02 1x03 1x04 1x05 1x06  1x07 1x08 1x09 1x10 1x11 1x12

So, ignoring the bad title, this was a pretty good episode. We got to find out why Abigail and Charming’s wedding was called off and we also got to see the break up of Kathryn and David’s fake marriage. But now Kathryn is missing. Dun dun dun!!!!!!

Summary: Abigail tells Charming she doesn’t want to marry him and he goes on a quest to free her true love from his golden prison. In Storybrooke, David finally agrees to tell Kathryn about his and Mary Margaret’s affair, but things don’t go as planned.

Opening: Golden Frederick under a gazebo.

Character Observations:

Charming/David: Charming has decided he is not going to marry Abigail so he runs away (I think this is the actual wedding day, but I’m not sure). He does a pretty good job of outrunning George’s guards on horseback, but then he runs into some other people and is kidnapped. So it turns out this episode is about returning things that were once lost. Abigail’s boyfriend was accidently turned into gold by her father so Charming volunteers to go to Lake Nostos to gather water from there that should return her lost love back to human form. It is guarded by a beast and no one has returned. He says it is to put either him or Abigail out of their misery. Should he succeed, Abigail will have Frederick and not be miserable anymore, if he doesn’t, then he will be dead and no longer miserable that Snow doesn’t love him. A woman emerges from the lake, a siren, meant to lead him to his death. She changes into Snow to tempt him. Charming doesn’t want an illusion, he wants the actual Snow, but he kisses her anyway. She, of course, tries to drown him. Dumb Charming. Only thinking with what’s in his pants apparently. Aquatic plants tie him down and eventually he is able to stab the siren while she looks like Snow. Well that’s not creepy or anything. He is then able to get out and bring the water back to Abigail. They break the curse and Charming decides he’s going to find Snow and fight for her. Charming goes to Red’s cottage but Snow isn’t there. He says he will find her and fight for her. Red says Snow went to see him to tell him she loved him. Charming thinks Red is mocking him until he realizes that George must have done something to convince her to make him think she didn’t love him. And Charming is off to find Snow.

David, on the other hand, is a mess. Kathryn has been accepted to law school in Boston and wants to move there. He, of course, goes to talk to Mary Margaret about it (even though she wanted to break up last episode after the Valentine’s Day card fiasco). Mary Margaret tells David he needs to choose, which she has been saying and I’ve been saying for forever! David chooses Mary Margaret. Finally! They make a plan that he will come clean about everything so it will all be out in the open, because honesty is the best policy. And so, of course, David wimps out. He tells her that he’s had trouble connecting and he doesn’t want to screw up her life because of it. Well, technically David, you’re having trouble connecting with your wife because you’re connecting with Mary Margaret instead. And then David makes Mary Margaret think he told Kathryn about the affair when he broke things off with her. Because of his bad decision making (he didn’t want anyone to get hurt), he’s now made the situation worse. At least he’s nice enough to clean off Mary Margaret’s car. I do feel bad for him in this scene though. All he’s wanted since he woke up is Mary Margaret. He may not have gone about being with her the right way, but he honestly thought that he was sparing Kathryn the heartache of him cheating on her by not telling her. But now he doesn’t have Mary Margaret either because she thinks what they have is destructive and not love. So David is now alone and without either woman in his life.

Abigail/Kathryn: Princess Abigail was actually likeable in this episode. She definitely wasn’t the nag with the bad attitude anymore. She arrives for her wedding to Charming, but he has run off. She sends her men to find him and she tells him how she doesn’t want to marry him either. See, Abigail’s love had the unfortunate incident of getting touched by King Midas while he protected him from an attack and turned to Gold. Abigail tried to true love kiss him, but it didn’t work. Maybe because he’s wearing a helmet and you can’t actually touch his lips? Seriously, does no one see the issue here that she can’t actually kiss him because he is completely covered up? I don’t think you can break a love with true love’s kiss if you are kissing their armor. Anyway, Charming goes and gets what’s needed to break the curse and Abigail gets to live her happily ever after with her knight, Frederick.

Kathryn is just trying to get her life back on track.  In the past few months she has found out David didn’t actually leave her but was in a coma, he woke up with no memory of her, and then when his memories did return, he wasn’t the same David she remembered and they had to start working on their marriage. So now she’s decided to go to law school, without discussing it with David whatsoever. I’m sorry, but if someone in a relationship decided to do something that would majorly overhaul their life wouldn’t they talk to their partner about it first? Or am I to believe she applied to law school either before David came out of his coma but after time started moving or shortly after David came out of his coma. Because none of those make sense either. And she decides that they’re going to move to Boston, again without discussion. Is Kathryn really all that shocked when David says he doesn’t want to move? Anyway, so Kathryn is obviously upset that her marriage is dissolving, even though it hasn’t been good in years, so she goes to cry to Regina, who then tells her about David and Mary Margaret, with pictures and everything. Jeez, way to be a friend Regina. And Kathryn agrees that Regina is a horrible friend for not telling her. I’m surprisingly alright with Regina not telling her, it’s the pictures that have me upset. What was she going to do with those? That’s what Kathryn should be asking. Kathryn then decides to confront Mary Margaret, at school, in public. Seriously, you find out your husband is cheating and you confront his mistress in public so that everyone else now knows your husband was cheating? I get that Kathryn was upset, but take a moment. Wait until Mary Margaret is on her way home or something. But then she does take a moment to think things through and realizes that Regina never meant to hurt her *eyeroll*, and that she doesn’t love David. And that David doesn’t love her and has never loved her the way he loves Mary Margaret, as evidenced from the photos. And that their marriage was just an illusion (there’s the parallels to the EF plot). So she’s moving to Boston and left a note for David letting him know she’s leaving and that he and Mary Margaret should be together. Well, that was nice of her. It’s always nice to have your wife’s permission to be with your mistress. But of course, we end with her car empty on the side of the road by the Leaving Storybrooke sign.

Mary Margaret: I feel like Mary Margaret says to herself everyday, “Just when I thought I was out they pull me back in,” because she’s ended her relationship with David how many times now? After the Valentine’s Day card incident I thought she was done with him, but no, here she is, lending an ear about Kathryn wanting to move to Boston and Mary Margaret telling David he needs to be honest and he needs to make a choice. So, he finally chooses Mary Margarent and of course, she’s happy, but she tells David that he needs to tell Kathryn, because if they aren’t honest with others, how can they be honest with each other. Oh, how that will come back to bite her in the ass later on. David calls her to tell her he’s successfully ended his marriage, goes along with Mary Margaret inferring that he was honest about their affair, and then wants to meet her to officially start their relationship fresh. And then she gets confronted by Kathryn and slapped. Mary Margaret is truly conflicted here. She wanted Kathryn to know the truth about them and she wanted David to be the one to tell her because as Kathryn’s husband, he should have been the one to tell her. But knowing that David lied to her and Kathryn makes this situation worse. If David can lie to her as well, what does that make their relationship? Is it any better than his and Kathryn’s who he’s been lying to since he woke up from his coma? Will he eventually cheat on her as well if he can lie to her so easily? As Mary Margaret walks to her car with all these thoughts swirling around, people are gossiping about her, Granny tells her she should be ashamed of herself, and then she sees that someone has written TRAMP on her car and David is trying to clean it off. Mary Margaret can’t listen to David’s lies anymore and tells him that they aren’t in love, whatever they are doing is destructive, and they shouldn’t be together. No offense to Mary Margaret, but what exactly did she think was going to happen when David ended things with Kathryn, even if he did tell her the truth? Kathryn probably still would have slapped her and there still would have been rumors swirling. Maybe not right away, but the second she and David went public. Would they have snuck around for a few months so that it didn’t seem as though they were having an affair while David was still married? I get that Mary Margaret is supposed to be pretty naive, but come on!

Regina: She’s trying to be Kathryn’s friend by doing the only thing she’s good at, manipulation. She tells Kathryn that Sidney took pictures of David and Mary Margaret and that she didn’t tell her about David and Mary Margaret’s affair because she wanted them to work it out. Kathryn thinks she’s a terrible friend. I agree. Later, Kathryn tells her she knows Regina wouldn’t hurt her and asks Regina if she’s ever been in love. Regina says once. Is this the love that Snow supposedly took from her? The man Maleficent referred to as the one Regina was going to marry? When Kathryn explains she wants to find true love and she just wants to be happy, you can see the Evil Queen just wanting to come out and scream at Kathryn for ruining her plans. The range of emotions are just amazing. It’s a mixture of ‘god you’re an idiot’ to ‘oh, my goodness, she’s hugging me, what do I do?’ to ‘I may have a new plan.’ I definitely think that Regina may be the reason for Kathryn’s car being empty on the side of the road. Since she stole the note for David and Mary Margaret, she was the only person who knew Kathryn was leaving.

August: The Stranger finally has a name! August W(ayne) Booth. He finally tells Emma because she says she won’t get a drink with someone whose name she doesn’t know. Emma wants to know if it’s a date and he says yes. Then we see August doing something with the pages of the book. He’s putting them in some sort of solution and rebinding the book back together. So he’s either taking something out or adding something in. He did say he’s a writer, could he be the writer of the storybook? August wants to take Emma to great watering hole and tells her to stop trying to be in control all the time. August and Emma go out to a wishing well in the middle of the forest (literal watering hole). He tries to get her to believe about the legend of the well, which sounds a lot like the waters of Lake Nostos. Things that are lost will be returned to you. Emma thinks he knows a lot for not being from Storybrooke and August thinks she knows too little for being the sheriff. He’s not wrong. He read the plaque that Emma failed to notice. Great detective work there, Emma. But seriously, what is up with August? Why is he there? Who is he connected to? What was he doing with the book? Why is he so interested in Emma?

Emma: Emma is still leary of August. She’s trying to be in control of the situation, but he’s not making it easy. She still thinks he has secrets, and he does, but he’s not revealing them anytime soon. She finds Henry’s storybook after her date to the ‘return what was lost from you’ wishing well and brings it back to Henry. He thinks it’s a sign that things are getting better.

Questions:

Are King George’s guards really that inept with a horse that they can’t jump over a small fallen tree?

Why are they shooting at him with arrows? Doesn’t King George want him and Abigail to get married? Killing him won’t make that happen and hurting him would postpone the wedding even further.

How did Abigail manage to get to Charming, and completely change her clothes in the five minutes it took to find him? 

How does King George’s court now Charming is in love with Snow? I doubt he said anything and I doubt King George said anything.

How does mail get out of Storybrooke? Henry said no one can leave and no one visits, so how does Kathryn’s law school application and acceptance get in and out?

What is up with Boston? Does the curse not know of any other big cities?

Why is Mary Margaret on her phone in the halls of her school. That’s usually very frowned upon unless it’s an emergency. Having your lover tell you he’s ended his marriage so you can be together is not an emergency.

How did Kathryn get into the school? Every school I’ve ever worked at makes you sign in and then the front office will call the teacher to let them know a guest is coming. You can’t just wander the halls. And, if something like that did happen, Mary Margaret would get hauled into the principal’s office and the police called due to the fact that she was assaulted on school property.

Did Regina spread the rumors about Mary Margaret and David? I can’t imagine that Kathryn would. Or was that just the fallout from Kathryn confronting Mary Margaret at the school?

How has Granny not noticed Mary Margaret and David flirting in the diner? Ruby offered for them to sit at the same table last week because of their flirting. Is she truly that blind?

How did Charming know who Red was, where her cottage was, and that she knew Snow? These questions still weren’t answered this episode.

Why was Frederick out by the edge of town? If no one can leave town, what was his purpose there besides needing someone to find Kathryn’s car?

Observations: 

The video game Regina gives Henry is Space Paranoids, which was a video game in the original Tron movie. Edward Kitsis, who is one of the creators of Once Upon a Time, was one of the writers for Tron: Legacy, hence the tie in.

Regina didn’t bury those pictures too far, they were sitting under just a few things on her desk. Not even locked up in a filing cabinet.

Granny is hilarious when Emma is debating going out with August and she says if Emma won’t she will.

How did August even find the wishing well? It’s in the middle of nowhere. Is he exploring the forest?

The siren can read minds because she knew that Charming was in love with someone he couldn’t have.

Even though Valentine’s Day was last week, it’s apparently fall in Storybrooke because of all the leaves on the ground.

Kathryn had an irrational fear of leaving Storybrooke. Was this how the curse made everyone stay?

Regina has the red spray paint can that was used to write Tramp on Mary Margaret’s car in her desk drawer.

The ring of skeleton keys open up all the doors in Storybrooke.

Names:

Frederick means peaceful ruler. Maybe that means he and Abigail got married and had a peaceful rule.

August Wayne Booth: The name August is derived from the word augere which means to increase. If he was adding to the book, then this name definitely fits him. Wayne means wagon, but that didn’t really fit. But if you look up Wayne Booth, you find an author by this name. He was an American Literary Critic who wrote a famous book called “The Rhetoric of Fiction” which coined the term “unreliable narrator”, basically, that you can’t always trust what the narrator is saying since it is from their point of view, and they don’t always know everything.  Hmmmm.

Lake Nostos: Nostos is a theme used in Ancient Greek Literature which includes an epic hero returning home by sea. The Odyssey would be an example of a nostos story. The word nostalgia is derived from the word nostos as well.

This episode answered some long suffering questions. Why did Charming and Abigail call off their wedding? Because Charming rescued her true love and she went off with him. Would David ever leave Kathryn, yes he would, but he would lose Mary Margaret in the process.

Please leave comments and reblog!

@searchingwardrobes @thisonesatellite @justbecauseyoubelievesomething

@laschatzi @profdanglaisstuff @mariakov81

[lilacmoon83]

Dreaming Out Loud

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 110: The Summons, Pt. 2

"It can't be…" Eli uttered, as he stared at the person that had interrupted.

"But she's dead…" Snow said.

"Apparently not," Hades replied, as Queen Ravenna strolled into the castle, her beautiful face marred with an evil smirk.

"Sorry I'm late…" she announced, as shock rippled through the entire chamber. Eli gave the baby back to Snow, as he stepped forward.

"You're not welcome here!" Eli stated firmly.

"Well, hello to you too, husband," Ravenna purred, as she strolled toward them.

"That's far enough," Persephone warned.

"At ease Persephone...I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm here to celebrate this happy occasion," Ravenna countered.

"Seriously lady...you get near my parents and I'll fry you," Emma warned. The Queen smirked.

"Such a spitfire...just like your mother. Hello Snow," Ravenna said, as she directed her attention to her pseudo step-daughter.

"What do you want?" Eli snapped.

"You called the heads of state together so here I am," she responded.

"Your brother Dalben took the Throne when we locked up Arawn," Eli reminded and she smirked.

"Unfortunately, Dalben had a very bad accident and now it falls to me to rule my Kingdom," she informed them.

"An accident...I'm sure," David commented, as his eyes were barely slits as he looked at the woman who had tormented his wife in her alternate childhood. Ravenna smirked.

"I see that no matter what the circumstances...you still found your Prince Charming. Such a spell you weave over people, but I guess that's why they call you the fairest of them all," she said, clearly still jealous of her pseudo step-daughter.

"Look lady...you weren't a part of our lives before and we're going do our best to erase you from our lives now. If I were you...I'd move off to the side and shut the hell up," Emma snapped. Ravenna scoffed.

"So uncouth...you should really give some Princess lessons to your daughter, Snow. Remember our lessons?" Ravenna cooed and Snow shivered. She remembered. She remembered all too clearly. She remembered Ravenna berating her for getting dirty in the gardens and calling her a little freak for talking to birds and animals. She remembered her nails digging into her arm when she would drag her inside. She was positive that she would have done worse if not for her fear of Persephone and Hades. And her father always incited a fight with his wife when it came to her treatment.

"I remember...and I'm never letting you near either of my children," Snow growled. She put a hand to her chest and there was mock hurt on her face.

"Oh, you wound me so, Snow...those are my step-grandchildren, after all," she mused.

"They are nothing to you, because we are no longer married," Eli snapped.

"Lucky for you since my death invalidated our marriage, but unlucky for you, because I assure you that you'll regret casting me out. But congratulations Regina...it seems that between the two of us, Snow has decided I'm the more evil step-mother," Ravenna remarked.

"Well, we both earned the Evil moniker. I'm just choosing to not embrace it anymore. You can have it, but I don't recommend it, lest you wish to find yourself alone and in ruin," Regina advised. Ravenna smirked.

"I'll take my chances…" she hissed, as she looked back at Eli.

"Last chance Eli...I encourage you to make me your Queen again. Things weren't always so bad between us and they can be good now that you're not carrying a torch for Persephone anymore," she said.

"There will never be love between us, Ravenna...and I'm going to take a page from my daughter's book. I won't be marrying anyone that I do not love," he responded. She faked a frown.

"Pity...it will be your funeral," she hissed.

"Stop threatening my father!" Snow blurted out and her mother stepped before her.

"One more threat and you'll return to death," Persephone warned. Ravenna smirked and moved off to the side to stand with the other rulers.

"By all means, All Mighty Goddess...please revere us with your wisdom," she said sarcastically. Persephone steadied herself and took a calming breath.

"Thank you all for coming and enduring the theatrics of a few dissenters that will remain nameless," she began by saying with a steely look at Frollo, Ravenna, and Leopold.

"I am sure you are wondering why you are not only in a new land, but have two sets of memories that make up one life," she continued.

"This new land you are in is the one the original Dark Curse brought my daughter's Kingdom to, as well as several others. Despite being a new and foreign place, it is a good land with many opportunities and advantages," she stated.

"When the curse broke, our family made a life in Storybrooke. That is the town that you will notice as one of your new neighbors," she added.

"I know that with new neighbors brings new borders and that can be scary. But I assure you that each ruler will still be allowed to rule their own Kingdom. As Goddess Supreme of Olympus, I will naturally oversee all the Kingdoms, but I am not one to interfere, unless people are being harmed and my hand is forced," she continued, as she looked at the three troublemakers she had eyed earlier.

"If you are peaceful, then you will have no problem adapting to this new life, which I assure you can be very good in this land. My daughter and I are already discussing educational programs to enrich everyone's knowledge of their new home," she discussed.

"We do not want anyone to fear this new life and we want to introduce you to a land built on liberty and freedom," she added.

"We will have peace and there will be no tolerance for war or oppression. Those that take that path will meet a strong opposition that they will regret challenging," she said, as she saw Anna step forward.

"What about the two sets of memories? How did that happen?" she questioned curiously.

"Yes...and how did we even come to be here in the first place? Many of our Kingdoms were not a part of the original curse," Prince Phillip interjected.

"Yes...a powerful witch from Oz is responsible for casting a spell that enacted time travel, which is expressly forbidden and breaks a law of magic. She sought to change time and create a new life for herself. But it backfired on her and she paid for it with her life," Persephone answered.

"We all seem to remember both lives as a result and when my granddaughter saved us all by reversing her spell, it seems that a new curse united all the realms together and brought us back here," she continued.

"So all this is a side effect of some spell?" King Stefan questioned.

"It would appear so. Our realms are now a part of this realm," she answered.

"And what exactly is this realm?" the Sultan of Agrabah inquired. Persephone took a breath.

"It is known as the Land Without Magic. However, that is obviously untrue to our lands. We remain hidden from those outside our borders and it must remain that way," she said, preparing for the barrage of questions that would come at that.

"Is it because they fear magic?" Elsa asked.

"Partially. But mostly, the people of this land do not believe in magic. They also believe that most of us are nothing more than fictional stories. To discover that we are real would cause many problems. People often fear what they do not understand," Persephone replied.

"So we are trapped here," Stefan surmised.

"No...we are not trapped. We are still assessing what the status of the barriers around the realms is, but no one is trapped. People will be educated on this land and if anyone wants to venture out into the Land Without Magic, that can be presented for discussion," she answered.

"And what happens if they do find out about us? We already have some outsiders in town and we know this land has great technology. What if other outsiders find a way through our barrier?" Midas questioned.

"We will make sure that doesn't happen and as for Circe's followers, we will take measures to make sure they cannot threaten our way of life," she answered. It was a nondescript response, but it was the best she could do on that front at the moment.

"So...there's no going back?" Dorothy asked.

"All the Kingdoms are here now. You'd be going back to a barren place if you were to take a bean and a curse is the only way to return the Kingdoms to our old land. Believe me, the price of another curse is much higher than making what can be a very good life here," Persephone responded and that seemed to put most at ease. For all intents and purposes, while their location may have changed and there were many new things, many things about their lives would remain the same.

"My wife has graciously answered your questions and I can assure you that she has the best interest of all at heart. And while this may be a summons, it is still a celebration as well. There should be music and mingling. And please, take an opportunity to sample some of the food of our new land. I assure you that it will not disappoint," Hades offered, as the meeting dispersed and the musicians they had hired began to play.

"Thank you...I think that was all the questions I could take tonight," she said. He smiled.

"You did beautifully, but there was never any doubt that you would. We may still have a lot to figure out, but most will see that you are right about this new venture in our lives," he assured.

"I'm still worried about them. They're going to be trouble," she lamented, as she looked at Frollo, Leopold, and Ravenna. The three seemed awfully chummy all the sudden and that didn't mean anything good.

"They'll be foolish to do anything now that you rule the heavens, but if they do, we will face them and do what is necessary," he replied.

~*~

David and Kristoff shared a brotherly hug.

"It's so good to see you...both of you," David said, as he hugged Anna as well.

"You too, just a Shepherd," Anna teased. He shook his head.

"You're not going to let that go, are you?" he asked.

"Never," she replied.

"Nice hair cut, by the way," Kristoff mentioned. David smirked.

"You too," he teased, as he slipped his arm around Snow's waist.

"This is my wife Snow, our daughter Emma, and our son, whom we still have to name," David introduced them.

"It's so nice to meet you," Anna gushed, as she surprised Snow with a hug.

"It's wonderful to meet you too, but how do you know each other?" Snow asked curiously.

"Kristoff and I met years ago in the marketplace, both trying to sell goods there, in both realities, actually," David told her.

"But Anna and I met when she was passing through Misthaven. In the original time line, she actually taught me how to sword fight," he added.

"Wow…" Snow said with great interest.

"Yeah...and he kept saying he'd never be anything more than a shepherd, but I knew there was something about him," Anna replied. Snow smiled at her husband.

"You were definitely right," she agreed.

"I'm confused though. How do you have a daughter the same age?" Anna questioned. They chuckled.

"That's a long story, but it goes back to the first curse. We managed to get Emma into a magical wardrobe to escape the curse. We were all frozen in time, while she wasn't," Snow explained.

"So when that woman called you the Savior…" Elsa interjected curiously.

"Yeah...I broke the curse," Emma said.

"And you have magic?" Elsa asked.

"Sure do. True love's magic, actually. I'm still new to it, but I think I'm getting the hang of it," Emma replied, as she demonstrated by poofing a stuffed sheep into existence for her baby brother.

"Aww...it's a little sheep. Look sweetheart," Snow cooed to their infant. Elsa looked amazed by the whole thing.

"And your parents...don't fear your magic?" Elsa asked.

"Fear my magic?" Emma questioned in confusion.

"Of course not...we would never fear Emma. Her magic has saved and protected us," Snow answered.

"Yeah...and she kind of has it because of us. We share true love and that's why she has magic in the first place," David added.

"Are you okay?" Anna asked her sister. Elsa smiled.

"I'm fine...you're very lucky to have such wonderful parents, Emma," the Queen said kindly.

"I am," Emma agreed, as she smiled at them.

"Excuse me," Elsa said politely, as she went to get some air. Anna frowned.

"Is she okay?" Snow asked in concern.

"Yeah...it's just kind of a sad subject for us. You see...our parents feared Elsa's magic, because she couldn't always control it and it can be very destructive if it's unchecked," Anna explained.

"But that's not her fault," David said.

"I agree...but for years, they had her hide it, even from me. Then about three years after they died...it came out and our people feared her. But it wasn't her fault, because she couldn't control it," Anna explained.

"That's awful," Snow said.

"It was...but she learned to control it and we got past it...until…" Anna said, trailing off.

"Until?" David asked.

"Until Elsa found our mother's diary and in her last entry, she wrote that they were going to Misthaven in search of a powerful object they learned of that could take her powers away," Anna replied.

"Take her powers away?" David asked in disbelief.

"I know, it's terrible. Don't get me wrong...they loved us both very much. Their fear just ruled their decisions at times," Anna replied, not really having a good defense for her parents.

"I better go talk to Elsa," she said.

"Wait...maybe I can talk to her. I have magic...I know what it's like," Emma assured. David smiled at his daughter and patted her on the back, as she went to find the uncertain Queen.

"So...what's with the trio of terror over there?" Kristoff asked curiously.

"Oh...that a whole other story," David replied, as they began to explain that situation.

~*~

"Mind if I join you out there?" Emma asked, as she found Elsa in the gardens. Elsa smiled.

"Sure," she replied.

"Look...don't be mad at her, but Anna kind of told us what your parents were doing in Misthaven," Emma said. Elsa smiled.

"Discretion is not Anna's forte," she mused.

"Listen...I know how you feel," Emma assured.

"Sorry Emma, but it doesn't sound like your parents fear you at all and they seem to embrace your magic," Elsa replied.

"They do, but we've had our issues. See...I grew up alone in foster care, except that my grandmother, Persephone, got Morpheus to gift me and my parents with a magical dreamscape that allowed us to be together when we were asleep," Emma explained.

"Really?" Elsa asked. The other blonde nodded.

"Yes...otherwise, I probably would have grown up thinking that they just tossed me out on the side of the road and didn't want me," Emma replied.

"Wow…" Elsa said.

"Yeah...but it was still really rough when I was awake. Most of the foster homes were horrible and there was abuse. I know what it's like to be different. It made me really angry in my teen years and I took it out on my parents," Emma explained.

"Well, they don't seem to hold it against you," the Queen mentioned. Emma smiled.

"No...no matter how many horrible things I said to them or how much I yelled at them, they took it all and never got angry at me for it," Emma said.

"That's wonderful for you, Emma. I loved my parents too, but they were afraid of me," she said sadly.

"Maybe...but we're not afraid and you're not alone anymore," Emma reminded. Elsa smiled slightly.

"Seriously...your sister and brother-in-law know my dad, which means my mom is going to adopt them and you," Emma added, making Elsa chuckle.

"That actually sounds nice," she agreed.

"Come on...let's raid the food table. My step-grandfather did make sure there's a chocolate fountain and I never turn down the opportunity to gorge on junk food," Emma said.

"I adore chocolate," Elsa mentioned. Emma smiled.

"Then we're going to get along really well," she replied, as they went back inside.

~*~

David smiled down at their son, as Snow cradled him and they watched their friends dance. Emma was dancing with Neal, having surprised him that she knew how to ballroom dance, but then he had been reminded that David had gotten the pleasure of teaching her in the dreamscape. They were especially enjoying watching Regina dance with Henry though. She was slowly relaxing and accepting that revenge isn't what would make her happy.

"Why don't you two go dance. We can watch the baby," Persephone suggested, as she prepared to eagerly hold her grandson.

"Oh no...it's my turn," Hades interjected and Snow smiled, as she put him in her step-father's arms. Persephone frowned.

"Excuse me...but I think it's mine," she argued.

"No...you held him last and I haven't held him since this morning," he argued back. David shook his head and took his wife's hand, as led her onto the dance floor.

"At least we'll never be short on babysitters," he mentioned fondly.

"Not with six grandparents," she agreed, as he swept her into the rhythm of the current selection. Snow let the worries temporarily melt away, as he held her close and she rested her head against his shoulder.

~*~

"Yes...and since all the realms are united now, Papa Hades can get you a baby griffin to play with fairly easily," he cooed.

"We are not getting him a griffin," Persephone protested.

"He needs a pet. I had Cerberus…" Hades countered.

"Well, he has Wilby and if we get him anything else, it will be a Unicorn like we did for Snow," she responded. He smirked.

"Or...since you're the Goddess of the heavens now, we could get him a Pegasus," he tempted. She smirked.

"Okay, that's better. A Pegasus it will be," she cooed to him too.

"Seriously? A Pegasus?" Emma asked, as she returned with Elsa and Neal.

"You can have one too, sweetheart. We didn't get to spoil you growing up and we definitely have some gifts to make up for," Persephone replied. Emma smirked.

"That's more like it," she replied.

"I can't believe your grandparents are Persephone and Hades!" Elsa said in amazement. Emma snorted.

"Yeah, it's pretty weird sometimes," she replied, as she noticed the wistful look on the Queen's face.

"I know your parents probably loved you in their way, but they were wrong to make you feel like there was something wrong with you," she said. Elsa nodded.

"I know and I still have resentful feelings toward them at times, but I've mostly forgiven them. They were very misguided, but thought they were doing what was best," she replied.

"Good...because I happen to think your ice magic is wicked cool and I think you're going to find out that my parents will too," Emma said.

"They seem wonderful and it's so incredible that your father knows my sister and Kristoff," Elsa mentioned.

"Yep, which means they're family and so are you. And trust me, once my parents decide to adopt you into their circle, you're family forever," Emma assured. Elsa smiled.

"That sounds nice," she agreed. Unfortunately, that's where the peace and calm ended, as Leroy came running in.

"Terrible news!" he called.

~*~

Detective Landon Griffin had been wandering this strange little town all day and was even more bewildered than before. Especially with what was beyond the town. He was positive that he was in some kind of twilight zone now. Beyond the town, there was forests full of creatures and castles, with carriages that looked to be straight out of fairy tales. If that wasn't strange enough, the town, though seemingly modern, was strange as well. Especially when he happened upon a group of people, who seemed to be discussing how the Princess of the Underworld had just given birth to a demon baby. It was bizarre to say the least. He got his phone out and dialed a friend he still had at the bureau.

"Yeah Zach...it's Landon. Can you do me a favor and ping my phone?" he asked, as he went into the Inn. He decided that he might as well get a room while he was waiting and trying to figure all of this out.

"Yeah...give me a few," his friend said, as the former detective looked around in the lobby on the Inn, which looked like the decor hadn't been updated since the 1980's.

"Damn...what the hell is this place?" he muttered and became frustrated when it seemed like no one was monitoring the front desk. So he wandered around and meandered into the diner side of the establishment. There were a few people eating and it seemed to be open. It also looked like the decor hadn't been updated since the 1980's, but he was hungry and slid into a booth, while he waited.

"Hey Landon...you still there?" his friend Zach asked.

"Yeah…" he answered, as he perused a menu of typical diner items at absurdly cheap 1980's prices. He wasn't even sure how anyone could make a profit with these kinds of prices, let alone keep the doors open at all. It was probably why the decor was so outdated. He just hoped the food was decent.

"Uh...I'm not getting anything on your phone. Where are you?" Zach asked.

"I'm in Maine, near the coast in a really small, weird town," Landon responded.

"Not according to the readings on my end. I'm getting nothing on any towers in Maine," Zach responded. Landon glanced out the window and saw a cell tower in the near distance.

"That's impossible...I'm looking at a cell tower right now," he said in frustration.

"Sorry buddy...but I've got nothing. What's going on?" Zach asked.

"I'm not sure yet...but something really weird. I'll keep you posted," he replied, as he started hearing screams from outside. It managed to attract the attention of the other patrons in the diner and slowly everyone stepped out to see what the commotion was. And he scarcely could believe his eyes at what he was seeing. He watched in abject horror, as a teenaged looking boy in tattered green tinted clothes flew through the air and watched the people scatter in fear. But it wasn't just from him, as a shadowy figure swept through the streets. People ran and screamed and he found himself screaming, as he watched the shadowy creature literally rip something shadowy from a man. The man screamed in agony as he did it and then fell dead to the ground.

"What the hell is this…" he uttered, as he hid under a table on the patio and watched the spectacle with curious horror...

[yanderesleuth]

How Long Does it Take to Make a Video Game? A Sleuth Review

Warning: This is probably going to be one of the most rage-filled Yandere Sim related posts I will ever make on this blog. This will also be the only post where I involve myself in the chaos of the fanbase. I'll try to be as nice as I can, but it will be hard.

Just by looking at the video's title, I'm furious. I'm fuming over the fact that Yandere Dev is pushed to the point of making videos like this.

This is bullshit. Pure bullshit.

No, I'm not one of Yandere Dev's butt buddies, nor do I worship him and the ground he walks on. However, I am a huge fan of Yandere Simulator; I have been following the game for probably 3 years now, and I will continue to do so until it's finished. Therefore, I think my voice counts, just like all of yours.

I am damn near 30, yes, 30, years old and not a lot of things get my attention anymore like Yandere Simulator does. I have watched the game transform from bare-bones to BEAUTIFUL graphics, gameplay, and lore... so much lore. Which means plenty of room for theories. Work like this is definitely not made overnight. 

I appreciate that there are people who are voicing their opinions, and we can all agree to disagree. There IS such a thing called CONSTRUCTIVE criticism... There's a huge difference between this and just being an asshole.

When you are literally harassing the developer, who is clearly doing his best in a mostly one-man show [for the time being], you are seriously a shit person. I'm sorry. This may piss off some of my followers, but if you are guilty of harassing him, you are seriously shit. Have all of you forgot that he is a human too?

I've noticed that over time, people are digging up Yandere Dev's past and is trying to sling his name through the mud. I have a task for you: Try to find ONE person who hasn't done something stupid within their lifetime. I guarantee you that you will spend the rest of your life searching because no such person exists. And trust me, I'm sure half of you would have a hay day with my past. I'm not dismissing anything that anyone has done... but seriously. It's in the past. It's not your place to point fingers unless it literally involves you. Just give it a rest.

Another thing I have a problem with is the younger children who are playing the game. I have a son myself, he will be 9 in July. And I cannot imagine for 5 seconds letting him play Yandere Simulator. Seriously, if you're a parent, watch your kids and monitor what they do! "This game is not for children" has been stated REPEATEDLY. There's no excuse to an 8 year old dismembering a fucking school girl.

And seriously, patience is a virtue. Nobody likes to wait on the game, but come on. There’s PLENTY of other things to occupy our time. Talking shit and harassing the developer is only going to piss him off, and perhaps cancel the game altogether if these asshats keep it up. And trust me... if the game gets cancelled, brace yourself for world war fucking 3, with me as the leader to incite the riots. Let’s not forget all the people willing to donate monthly to his patreon, and people like me who are planning on donating to the kickstarter... paying for a product that was never even finished? 

Seriously. Stop. Grow up. 

I'm going to close with some advice...

You don't like panty shots? Don't do it.

You don't like the Yakuza? Then don't fucking use him.

You don't like Muja or Mida? Then kill the bitches and get it over with. You don't want to kill any of the characters? Then use pacifistic methods. Expel them. Befriend the fuck out of them. Matchmake them until you puke. Bully them to where they won't come to school.

And finally... if you don't like the game, THEN DON'T FUCKING PLAY IT.

Seriously, Jesus Christ, I can't believe I even have to explain this.

Yandere Dev, if you're reading this... I'm so sorry. :(

[thebookishgoddess]

#Project14Lists 2018: Bookish Ships

My first post for the #Project14Lists bookish event is a list of my bookish ships! I know, controversial. Not everyone ships the canon couple, or ships that one character with anyone at all. Nevertheless, we are all here to express our love for books and the couples that our favorite authors have written, not to throw shade or spill the tea on each other’s ships. We are all trash for something, and we must respect each other’s trash (if that makes any sense, haha!)

For today’s list, I will be putting up twelve of my favorite bookish ships and my favorite fanart of them (with credits to the brilliant artists, of course!). There are waaaay too many ships that I love, if I’m being realistic here. But I got lazy after the 12th graphic I had to edit up for this. I’ll be dabbling on my favorite quotes/scenes of the ships and a little reaction to said quote or scene.

Let the fangirling commence!

Cover photo credit: johannathemad

1. Thomas Creswell & Audrey Wadsworth from the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

Favorite Quote/Scene: “You are not mine to take.” He brushed his lips against mine. Softly, so softly I might have imagined them there. My eyes fluttered shut. He could persuade me to build a steamship to the moon when he kissed me. We could orbit the stars together. “You are yours to give.” --Hunting Prince Dracula

Are you bloody kidding me with that? Honestly, Thomas and Audrey is on the top ten of my favorite ships of all time simply because of that scene alone. This scene shows how much Thomas values Audrey as his equal and partner despite all the mayhem they went through. Also because Thomas Cresswell is every girl’s #bookboyfriendgoals because he’s suave af. I WILL SHIP IT TO MY GRAVE.

Art by phantomrin

2. Elias Veturius & Laia of Serra from the Ember Quartet by Sabaa Tahir

Favorite Quote/Scene: Laia is curled in a ball on the other, one hand on her armlet, fast asleep. 

"You are my temple", I murmur as I kneel beside her. "You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release." --A Torch Against the Night

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. Do men like Elias Veturius even exist in the 21st Century? Hells no. Well, maybe, but the probability of one existing is about 1 to a million, so there’s that. I have never been so moved by such a simple statement, especially since that mantra is supposed to be Elias’s mantra to like, what was it? His honor in fighting for the Empire? But when he said that to Laia, it’s the same level of honor and I’m just so emotional about that?? What even?? How dare Sabaa?? 

Art by gabriella.bujdoso

11. Draco Malfoy & Astoria Greengrass from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Favorite Quote/Scene: DRACO: Which is why you need this [time-turner]. I have been holding onto it, barely resisting using it, even though I would sell my soul for another minute with Astoria.

DRACO: You [speaking to his son, Scorpius] know what I loved most about your mother [Astoria]? She could always help me find light in the darkness. She made the world — my world, anyway — less — what was the word you used — “murky.”  

--Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT DRACO MALFOY FOR A HOT MINUTE? This man, who firmly believes himself hopeless soon after the Battle of Hogwarts ended, gets the happiest gift of all by having some girl named Astoria Greengrass see the good in him and love him for who he is. If that isn’t the best trope in a ship, I don’t know what is! We know nothing about Astoria other than the fact that she’s some obscure sister of yet another obscure classmate of Draco’s named Daphne. And yet, she seemed one of the most integral characters to me in Cursed Child when Draco said that he resisted using the time-turner to see his dead wife. 

Let’s not forget how when Scorpius time-traveled to a VoldemortWins!AU that Draco still ends up with Astoria. I think that’s what so beautiful about Draco and Astoria. They’re such a minor couple in the background of Hinny and Romione, but they carry so much history we’ve yet to know thanks to their darling cinnamon roll of a son, Scorpius. Anyone who truly knows me is already knowledgeable of the fact that I cry over this ship on a daily basis. And I’m sorry again that I had to cry and make one heck of a long description for this ship because they’re my ultimate fave *ugly sobs*.

Art by blvnk-art

4. Cress Darnell & Carswell Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Favorite Quote/Scene:

“Captain?“ “Cress.“ She couldn’t not say it, although she realized he was right. It was sort of scary. Much scarier than it had been the first time she’d told him, out in the desert. It was different now. It was real. "I’m in love with you.” He chuckled. “I should hope so, after all that.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her temple. “And I love you too.” --Winter

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT THE ACTUAL FORK I AM SCREECHING OVER THAT. That scene was probably one of the most memorable scenes I’ve read in the last installment of the Lunar Chronicles. Forget how Levana died and all was well. I cannot help but forget this very scene that sets every other couple in the series apart because of how well-written and developed these two were together. Right now, I am super tempted to re-read the Lunar Chronicles, just for the heck of rereading Cresswell (the ship name) all over again. 

Art by vvivaa

5. Tedros & Agatha from The School for Good and Evil series by Soman Chainani

Favorite Quote/Scene: “But you are my queen. No one but you. And I like seeing you wear it. Because as long as you do, I know you still love me. And given our history of miscommunication, physical cues are helpful.” --The Last Ever After

I absolutely adore Tedros and Agatha. I have been rooting for them since day one of this series and I will never stop (even if Soman highkey tore them apart in Quests for Glory, for shame). They’re probably the most realistic couple to me, if there was a better word for it? Miscommunication definitely happens a lot between these two because Tedros can be pretty dense sometimes and Agatha can be quite arrogant. But I always love how they come together in the end to work it out because that’s what most couples do--they fight, but they don’t lose sight of what’s really important to them. Tedros and Agatha physically embodies those kind of relationships and I am absolutely here for it. Soman needs to stop hurting me after Quests for Glory though because Tedros and Agatha being apart up until Crystal of Time physically hurts me askhjsfkhja.

Art by thevioleteuphonia

6. Nina Zenik & Matthias Helvar from the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

Favorite Quote/Scene:

“I am grateful you're alive", he said. "I am grateful that you're beside me. I am grateful that you're eating." 

She rested her head on his shoulder. 

"You're better than waffles, Matthias Helvar." 

A small smile curled the Fjerdan's lips. 

"Let's not say things we don't mean, my love.” --Crooked Kingdom

I AM STILL HIGHKEY MAD FOR WHAT LEIGH DID TO THIS SHIP. I won’t say more, but I will say that this is the most painful ship to have ever sailed and I will never get over it. But also the sweetest and well-crafted because of how much these two characters developed over the course of two books. Granted, Nina and Matthias had their history together before the Dregs, but even without it, Leigh wrote them in a way that makes you believe they really are meant for each other in the end despite all adversity. I’m happy Nina is likely going to get a female love interest in Leigh’s installment on Prince Nikolai’s story, though her being with Matthias will always have a special place in my heart.

Art by nilaffle

7. Lira & Elian Midas from To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Favorite Scene/Quote:

“If you get shot,” Lira says, “I’m going to treat you like you’re incapable of doing the simplest tasks.” 

She cradles her arms around her knees to keep out the cold. 

“See how you like it when I hold out my arm to help you walk, even though you’re not shot in the leg.” 

“I’d be flattered,” I say, “that you would look for an excuse just to hold my hand.” 

“Perhaps I’m just looking for an excuse to shoot you.” --To Kill a Kingdom

I love a good “do I want to kill you or kiss you, it’s interchangeable” trope between couples, and when it comes to Lira and Elian, they pretty much seal the deal on that kind. Lira, the princess siren, is pretty much a cray murderer that takes people’s hearts and Elian is a prince-pirate that’s set to destroy her and kill her for good. I mean, it can’t get any more angst and interesting than that. The way they slowly develop in this standalone is very intriguing because not a lot of authors can pull off a realistic romance fantasy the way Alexandra Christo did. I just absolutely love Lira and Elian, their funny banters and their angst. They’re the kind of ship I would sail forever, really.

Art by silketara

8. Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

There was a clatter as the basilisk fangs cascaded out of Hermione's arms. Running at Ron, she flung them around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Ron threw away the fangs and broomstick he was holding and responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Hermione off her feet. --Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

CONTROVERSY. But seriously, I absolutely adore and love Ron and Hermione together because of their balance as a couple. There are times where Ron will be street smart and there are times (but most of the time) where Hermione will be book smart. Plus, I definitely think they need each other at times to get off their own high horses because we all know Hermione can be a wee bit intense and Ron can be a wee bit ignorant, but that’s the beauty of them balancing each other out. And that particular favorite scene I just showed proved just how far their relationship as more than friends have come. I practically squealed the first time I read their first kiss scene!

Plus, have you seen them in Cursed Child? I know hardly anyone considers it canon, but adult Ron and Hermione are the cutest ship to squeal at in that book--which seems to be one of the very few good things that book had ever produced. 

Art by johannathemad

9. Elain Archeron & Lucien Vanserra from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Favorite Scene/Quote: Lucien’s hands slackened at his sides. His voice broke as he whispered to Elain, “You’re my mate.” --A Court of Mist and Fury

Here we go, y’all. Another controversial ship. Let me just say that I want Elain to be happy, and whether it’s with Azriel or Lucien or by herself, I’m totally down for that. I just simply love the idea of Elain and Lucien together because of how actual smol beans they both are. Elain, our sweet flower girl and Seer with Lucien, our soft and loyal Fae--I mean, honestly. If I’m weak for ships that want to kill each other, I’m also weak for ships that have the softest hearts. I think they both have their own struggles and I definitely think they’ll grow from those struggles together. 

We all know what happened in ACOFAS and how Elain pretty much snubbed Lucien, but I still have high hopes for them. Maas has a plethora of novels coming out for the minor characters of the ACOTAR series, and I’m betting Elain and Lucien will get their moment in one of those novels. I haven’t lost hope yet! I mean, I bought magnetic bookmarks of these two, so it’s pretty clear I want these two to be endgame, haha!

Art by embaileyart

10. Nesta Archeron & Cassian from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas

Favorite Quote/Scene: Cassian grunted in pain, but lifted his bloodied hands - to cup her face. “I have no regrets in my life but this.” His voice shook with every word. “That we did not have time. That I did not have time with you, Nesta.”

She didn’t stop him as he leaned up and kissed her - lightly. As much as he could manage. --A Court of Wings and Ruin

I think the whole, if not all, of the ACOTAR fandom can agree that Nesta and Cassian are endgame through and through. Judging by that intense moment alone as per the scene presented above, I can pretty much say that while they both have a long way to go, the foundation has already been built from there. I mean, come on, people! They were willing to get killed by the King of Hybern if it meant protecting each other. If that isn’t squeal-fangirl factor trying to protect each other from some evil war lord, I don’t know what is!

Art by meabhd

11. America Singer & Maxon Schreave from The Selection series by Kiera Cass

Favorite Quote/Scene: “Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.” --The One

My high school fangirlish heart is exploding with memories of how much I loved America and Maxon back then, and I still do! This single sentence above said by Maxon says so much about how far he and America have come together through the adversities faced during the Selection and the rebellions that came with it from the people of Illea. Their love story is definitely one for the ages. While it’s your typical poor girl marries rich prince story, they’re definitely worth the remarkable development they’ve have over the course of three beautiful books.

Art by marimari999

12. Arin & Kestrel from the The Winner’s Curse trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

Favorite Quote/Scene: She turned to look at him, and he was already looking at her. 

“I’m going to miss you when I wake up,” she whispered, because she realized that she must have fallen asleep under the sun. Arin was too real for her imagination. He was a dream.

“Don’t wake up,” he said. --The Winner’s Crime

I’m in slight tears because I still remember this scene in the second book. The scene wasn’t actually real, but a dream that Kestrel had after months of being separated from Arin by some messed up duty to her country. Y’all have no idea the struggle these two had before they finally got their happily ever after (they did, just a little heads up for any hopefuls wanting to read the trilogy). This scene definitely gave me a sense of the impending tragedy of them being together (and yes, there’s also a forbidden love trope, sign me tf up, amiright), but it was a momentary bliss to everything that’s been happening during the course of when that scene happened. I absolutely adore Kestrel and Arin, and I’m so mad very few people have read of them or the series ahhhh.

Art by taylordraws

Phew! That was a lot of ships and hunting down for their quotes. Admittedly, I had some trouble with looking for scenes/quotes and that’s actually a perfect opportunity for me to start bookmarking my favorite parts of a book.

Aside from the struggles, though, I’d love to hear some of your favorite bookish ships, whether we ship the same thing or not. It’s always interesting to hear someone else’s point of view of ships, especially ones where our ships contradict. Feel free to sound off in the comments below!

[cvenir]

here i am to introduce EIGHT characters that i actually thought i had already introduced lmao set me on fire !! but yay, take a look under the cut! ofc eventually proper bios will hit my pages and their tasks will expand much more on my children! as always, pinterests and songs are linked if u wanna go a lil deeper

just kidding i drafted that when i was aCTUALLY gonna do 8 but thankfully tea says she won’t accept me until i post 2 intros so yOU SHALL RECEIVE 2 RN and 8 later <33333 gotta keep y’all on your toes heh also i wrote niall’s in my journal on the plane so like... it’s not great (literally just bullets of sentence fragments) but wtvr that’s what bios are for amirite

NIALL O'DONOGHUE looks an awful lot like TARON EGERTON. HE is TWENTY-EIGHT and while they're ASTUTE, they have a tendency to get pretty ARDUOUS. You’ve probably seen them around Kola listening to DON'T WANNA FALL IN LOVE by KYLE (ok his pinterest is incredibly unfinished look away)

v conflicting mix of soft and hard

king of suppressing his lowkey intense feelings

kinda awkward around others due to the fact that he spent his entire life reading, writing, and studying –– he rarely interacted with other people as a kid and this mostly continued into his adult life

sweet soft boi has a double masters in medieval and renaissance studies and french and romance philology; he’s working on his phd rn while interviewing to become an assistant professor at kola university

grew up w a single mom (never knew dad) and had no siblings so his childhood was even lonelier :////

so like mad libs = his bff :’(

well mad libs and the shoulder flashlight he invented for late night reading (shoutout to amy santiago)

v soft and passionate heart

loves intellectual discussions like my boi has v strong gemini/virgo/mercury influences –– and a libra (or taurus i haven’t decided yet) venus so waTCH OUT

takes friendship v seriously (love u grant <333 @mcnuggcts )

buttt he can be a giant asshole sorry i don’t make the rules

v organized and particular

and scared of getting close to people bc he’s so used to being alone ugh my son!!

but once you get in there you’ll see he’s a good guy like rlly is he just has a bad temper sometimes and can barely express any emotion but anger half the time :///

ISLA VARGA looks an awful lot like ALEXIS REN. SHE is TWENTY-TWO and while they're SAGACIOUS, they have a tendency to get pretty MACABRE. You’ve probably seen them around Kola listening to COOL GIRL by TOVE LO. 

so i’ve played isla before n i’m v sorry to do this but i feel hella lazy so i’m sORRY but here comes a fucking huge wall of text don’t look at me and don’t feel like u have to read it ://// all the triggers i tagged apply to her; she’s p dark so seriously do not read it if you think she will make you uncomfortable!!

to preface, isla is like the embodiment of all of the seven deadly sins, and i molded her a lot after amy dunne (scary, i know) and april ludgate (mostly amy tho april is just deadpan like she is –– when she’s being herself, that is), as she is an incredible pococurante yet perfectionist who borders on sociopathy

soooo this will make sense later but her real name is actually brigid (father’s surname idk) which she now uses as her middle name

so isla’s dad is a fucking rockstar !!! badass right. she’s half-siblings with hadley ( @ofadorations ) and colby ( @shtbgs ) but she actually never met her mom, something she’s not too pressed about

bc she was cute as a button, family friends decided to get her into the entertainment business as a child star almost as soon as she could walk –– she did it all, acted, modeled, danced, sang, she was literally hollywood’s little starlet and she hated every minute of it. the entertainment business loved who they created, but that girl was never her and it weighed deeply on her psyche.

when she was twelve, she decided to fake her own disappearance because she was fed up with everything –– she cut her hair to her ears, dyed it brown (and has continued to do so ever since) and sneaked her way to nyc hoping no one would recognize her

well someone did, and they happened to be a member of ruthless and organized mobs of the city –– in return for keeping her concealed, she pledged her devotion and became one of their most skilled and lethal honeytraps in the business (WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE BC THEY MADE HER START YOUNG I AM SO SORRY FOR WRITING THIS IT JUST PLAYS HEAVILY INTO HER CHARACTER)

along the way, members inevitably died –– people she was sworn to care for –– many times before her eyes as well, which only lead her to realize she enjoyed witnessing all sorts of death, even those of people she was supposed to “love”. emotion was almost nonexistent in isla’s childhood, a trait that bled into her character development.

she began to idolize the gang and its power, something she now craved. still, isla was doing a great job of portraying herself to those around her as a rosy, meek, baby-doll, when in actuality she was a child full of hate who would soon blossom into a young adult of the same tone. she became even more obsessed with death, fantasizing about it as if her unusual thoughts would make her less afraid when it came for her. 

eventually, as she grew older, she was accepted into the higher ranks of the mob; this couldn’t have made isla more content. the macabre girl was honored that someone else noticed her genius, the way she could predict things, assess situations, manipulate people to do her bidding. it was only right that she was initiated into a society that praised her for such harshness

but, as all things do, her time in the gang ended after ten years and isla did what she does best: disappeared. she’s relocated back close to home, kola california, and it’s only a matter of time before people and the industry realize just who she is

if she’s acting like her true self, she behaves like a negative, eldritch layabout who likes to watch others suffer (sounds extreme, i know). however, she rarely lets anyone see the real her, and instead accepts various facades in a big game –– the darkness is truly her personality, she’s not faking her cold demeanor. this image enables her to mask her true potential and the fact that she is unflaggingly loyal and cares about those she’s close to.

if i had to give her a label, it would probably be the pococurante (which is defined as: an indifferent person. possibly they’re bored, jaded or even been hurt. either way, they tend not to get attached to things and don’t show much enthusiasm, whether that’s on the outside or the inside, too)

on the other hand, she could be accurately summed up as an arcane, as she’s an enigmatic mystery and she prides herself on being a puzzle that several people have failed to solve. there are many sides to her personality; in some aspects, she’s very much an aesthete considering she spends a great deal of her time taking putting together outfits, so she has a very defined fashion sense and typically dresses like a princess half the time, which is very ironic considering her dark personality. she truly is so GLAMOROUS (and this is why i love alexis for her) and she works that mean girl, hard soul aesthetic while serving looks and also able to come across as incredibly sweet, which is perfect for her multiple personas. she’s a stunner, with both her appearance and personality; as much as she is indifferent and would prefer to fly under the radar, wherever she goes people always want to ask questions, making her into this intangible concept that everyone wants to define.

people will recognize parts of her as if they’ve seen here in another life, and because of her ostentatious, puzzling, and spellbinding personality, she’s unforgettable. on the other hand, she’s also something of a virago, due to the fact that she can be incredibly feisty when angered; but it takes quite a lot to actually set off her fuse, as she’s good at controlling which emotions she shares. for the most part, she is incredibly blasé and even-tempered. additionally, she’s is a bit of a picaro because her primary aim with her life at this point is to be independent and liberated from any and all attachments to other people. mostly, though, she’s is nothing more than a girl who’s afraid; of what, she still can’t decide.

all in all, she’s so much of everything that she isn’t quite certain of her own identity. her character is one shrouded in secrets and shadows yet alluring and sensual. but, lbr, most of all she’s just deadass terrifying. one of her defining characteristics is her desire to make things happen for her through her own abilities and determination. obstinate as all get out, she doesn’t like to own up to making mistakes so she tries to prove that she’s almost invincible to them bc she doesn’t wanna let anyone see her vulnerable, or she doesn’t want to let someone down - this refers only to those that she’s actually close to. due to her apathetic nature, all she really wants to do is let most people down – people she finds boring and useless – and have some fun because of it. however, when it comes to people she truly has allowed herself to care about, her deepest desire is for their happiness because they must be pretty damn special for making her give a shit.

still, because of her evasive tendencies, she almost always does ruin things for herself and for others, even when she actually cares. she’s like a double-edged sword; when she finds something worthwhile, she sees so much beauty and potential in it, but she’s got a midas touch. whenever she wants to obtain it or pursue it, her involvement makes everything fall to ashes, and she is afraid of her own influence. despite her tendency to run away, once she latches on and decides to be truly loyal, she’ll be devoted in such an extent that she would undoubtedly kill for them.

she can be a loudmouth whenever she actually decides to speak, constantly fabricating outlandish stories and even going off like a deranged person, but beneath her caustic and frightening exterior, isla is rather pensive. on the occasion that she chooses to offer legitimate advice, it’s usually very elaborate and composed. still, she doesn’t want people to know about capable she is, or how intelligent she can be, so she hides her rare brilliance with a tough exterior and stoic personality.

idk if you can tell but i like diving into the specifics of my character like their star signs and stuff so i searched an amy dunne mbti and tweaked it bc it really helped describe her even further! she’s a intj !

introverted intuition (ni): isla sees everything around her in a world of symbols, of metaphors, and of potential. her narration will continually be littered with predictions, with ideas about how things are going to be and what will result from this or that. despite her brashness that some may assume is impulsivity, she is a planner, anticipating new “problems” and seeking to rectify them with her own twisted brand of justice. she tries to work everything into her overall system of understanding, of her big ideas about how the world works, including her take on her various false identities she possesses for her previous job as an escort but also to mess with the minds of others around her. she’s always disappointed by how the real world is never as good as the way she imagined it; she is perfect and nothing else can catch up with her expectations.

extroverted feeling (fe): despite her aloofness, and rather lack of any sort of emotional bearing, empathy, or any sort of true feeling, isla is conscious of how others’ perceive her, of the image she’s created, and of how key that social perception is to her success, even if it’s just in her own imagination. she restrains her real opinions in order to adapt to her environment, as she’s somewhat of a chameleon, only a few have had a chance to catch the true witch beneath the crown. she’s the mistress of change, easily altering her identities in order to better fit in with new people, should the situation require it. she’s easily devastated when she reveals her real personality to others, as in the past, some that she’s left truly see her have refused to accept her twisted true-self. even though she is wholesomely selfish and self-seeking, isla is very people-focused, and applies most of her intellect and analysis onto general people-based functions, that may she can have the confidence that she has clearly manipulated and analyzed every aspect of her environment, as she needs this to feel in control.

introverted thinking (ti): as mentioned, isla is highly analytical, always trying to see the why of a scenario, what’s behind human behavior, which turns her attention to psychology and manifests in her flair for anticipating the thoughts and actions of those around her; she is so obsessed with understanding why people tick that she looks past her own slighted judgment, as she herself could easily qualify as a sociopath/psychopath. she’s always trying to fit in any new experience, or piece of information, into her pre-established system of facts, and as such is rarely ever surprised. despite her apathy and lack of care for her life or how it progresses, she’s highly organized and loves to make checklists, arrangements for the future, and methodically ticks of her obligations, one by one. while her emotions and feelings are significantly suppressed, and even nonexistent, she makes up for that human trait with a very powerful mind, one that is quick to learn and adept with languages, memorization, and logic. however, she doesn’t want anyone to know just how brilliant and quick she is, as it’s her greatest asset, thus explaining why she chose not to be a member on the intellectual team.

extroverted sensing (se): isla tends to respond her physical environment with fierce analysis, as expressed in her intellectual capabilities. she’s almost incapable of living in the moment, contrary to how people suspect she is, considering she portrays herself as impulsive and cunningly excitable. in reality, though, even when she’s crossed off everything on her checklist, she’s almost incapable of relaxing, or enjoying the world around her, as she doesn’t find things that other people find beautiful. she struggles the most with the physical side of her plans, even though she is a very physical individual. she is very open with her body and indulges with the lusts of the flesh, as she sensuality is at the same level as her wickedness. along with this, isla craves for the environment that houses her figure to be pleasant and organized, and can’t stand when things are out of order.

[msgenevieve447]

Walking in a Straight Line Ch 17 - a little sneak peek

*rubs hands together nervously*

I don't usually do this (although I do love it when other authors do it) but I feel this will hold me accountable to finishing Chapter 17 in a timely fashion. Also, this story is set during Thanksgiving/Christmas, so it feels like as good as time as any.

HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK OF THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY NEVER-ENDING AU WIP.   You can find Chapter Sixteen HERE to refresh your memories because it has been 84 years.  The line of poetry (mis)quoted at the end of this sneaky peek is by John Donne.

~*~

Kathryn’s eyes widen, a sure sign Emma’s actually managed to surprise her for once. “You want two weeks’ vacation time so you can go to England for Christmas and New Year?"

“I know it’s last minute, and I totally understand if it’s not possible-” Her hands hidden behind her back, Emma crosses her fingers as she offers her employer a bright smile. It’s an old habit from her childhood she can’t seem to shake, no matter how many times it’s been proven the gesture doesn’t make a wish come true.   

“That’ll be fine.”

Emma blinks. On the other hand, maybe there was something to finger crossing after all. “Seriously?”

“Why the hell not?” The other woman flashes her a knowing smile as she reaches for the laptop on the desk in front of her. “Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”

Heat prickles at the nape of Emma’s neck. She’s always admired Kathryn’s ability to read people, but it’s never as much fun when that laser sharp gaze is trained on her. “Oh, I-” she begins, then breaks off, because there’s no way to finish that sentence without incriminating herself.   “Thanks. Really, I mean it.”

“Don’t mention it.” To Emma’s relief, her boss quickly returns to her usual brisk self.  “God knows you deserve a break after helping take down your ex, and to be honest, I was thinking of closing up shop for the holidays and taking the kids to Vermont to see Freddy’s parents.”

The passing mention of Walsh invokes the usual internal shudder, but Emma shakes it off, something that gets a little easier every time.  “Sounds nice.”

“Oh, his parents hate me,” Kathryn announces with blatant satisfaction. “Having me there will totally ruin their Christmas, I’m quite sure, so it will be nice.”  She flicks a glance in Emma’s direction. “Shouldn’t you be booking some flights right now?”

A flutter of nervous excitement (it’s not dread, definitely not) uncurls in her belly at the mention of flights, and her smile feels a little pasted on as she takes a step backwards in the direction of her boss’ office door. “Your in-laws still don’t approve of Freddy being a kept man?”

The other woman scoffs, her fingers already flying over her laptop keyboard. “You’d think they’d be grateful their son bagged himself a rich heiress and has the luxury of helping raise their beautiful grandchildren, but there’s no pleasing some people.”  

Back at her own desk, Emma goes through her usual morning routine, flicking through the Midas Bonds database and flagging several new tips that have come in from their usual sources.  If nothing else, it’s a good distraction from the niggling anxiety tugging at her insides.  She should be ecstatic she’s just managed to swing two weeks’ vacation time at very short notice, but instead her head is filled with everything that might go wrong on this trip.

What if they turn out to be terrible travelling companions? How much togetherness so soon in their relationship is too much?  What if she has one of her stupid foster home nightmares while they’re staying at Liam and Annie’s and she wakes the whole house up?  She tries ignoring the most insistent unwelcome thought, but like these things always do, it keeps coming back again and again.

What if Killian’s family doesn't like her?

Emma frowns at her laptop. She’s met Liam only once before, years ago, and they’d got along just fine, but that was during a fleeting trip to Boston and involved nothing more than a drunken dinner at the local bar that had left her with a memorable hangover.  She’s never met his wife, but Killian has already assured her more than once that she and Annie will ‘love each other’. 

Hmmm.

She works steadily for the next two hours, pretending her phone isn’t buzzing with incoming messages, before finally admitting to herself that she’s read the report on a new skip three times without absorbing a single detail.  Taking a deep breath, she picks up her phone and scrolls through four – no, five – texts from Killian.

How did it go with Kathryn?

Perhaps you’re out catching a villain.  I shall be patient.

Swaaaan.  Can we start packing our winter woollies? Don’t leave me in suspense love!

My brother just asked me if I’d mucked up our relationship yet.  Twat. Perhaps we should just go to Paris instead.

Emma, are you there?  Everything alright? :(

Her heart wobbles at the sad emoji at the end of his last text. This morning she’d promised to let him know straight away if Kathryn agreed to her taking some time off, so what the hell is she doing? 

Panicking that things are moving too fast, that’s what she’s doing, she thinks darkly.  She shouldn’t be surprised.  It’s been her MO for so many years, and it seems old habits can be very hard to break.

“I need coffee,” she mutters to herself, then gives herself a mental slap. What she needs is to talk to the sender of those text messages and let him calm her ruffled nerves - something at which he excels - and soon she has her phone pressed to her ear, willing him to pick up.

“So, was I right?”

She blinks.  Not exactly the greeting she was expecting, she has to admit.  “Hello to you, too. Were you right about what?”

His chuckle drifts warmly down the connection. “Were you were out catching a villain this morning?”

The boyish glee in his voice makes her smile. “Sorry to disappoint, but I was chasing down leads from my desk.”

“You haven’t been able to speak with the lovely but stern Kathryn as yet?"

“No, I talked to her earlier,” she admits, then presses her lips together, catching her tongue too late, because now he’ll think-

“Ah. She said no, I take it?” There’s a soft sigh at the other end of the phone line. “I’m sorry, love. I would have asked you sooner, but things between us weren’t quite there -”

Unable to bear the disappointment in his voice a second longer, she cuts him off.  “She said yes.”

Damn it.  Her tone sounds flat, even to her own ears, and she winces. There’s a silence that stretches out for a little too long, making her squirm, then he clears his throat. “Excellent news.  Shall I book the flights?”

Nervous anticipation swoops through the pit of her stomach once again, her fingers tightening around the phone in her hand. “Um, I’m not sure what day my vacation starts yet.”

“Swan.”  That one word is infused with a wealth of gentle emotion, and she feels her eyes blur hotly. “What’s wrong?”

Nothing about this conversation is going how she wants it to go.  “It’s nothing, it’s just - can we talk about flights and stuff tonight?”

“Emma.”  Again, his voice is beyond gentle, and she’s very glad Kathryn’s office door is now shut, because she’s pretty sure her face is flushed to go with her teary eyes. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t feel ready to do, and that includes spending Christmas with a gaggle of Joneses.” 

She can't help her loud sniff, but suddenly she’s smiling. “No, it’s good. I want this. I really want to go.”  Just like that, just like always, his simple words managed to cut through to the heart of the issue without making her feel like an overemotional wreck. She knows she’s still got a lot of self-preservation techniques to unlearn, but as he’s told her more than once, he’s a patient man.  “I don’t know about a gaggle of Joneses, though. Isn’t it just Liam and his family?”

His answering laugh is more of a scoffing sound.  “Considering our erstwhile father’s penchant for philandering, anything’s possible, but I’m fairly confident you’ll only have to deal with one other Jones brother on our Christmas adventure.”   Before she can reply, she hears a muffled sound at the other end, as though he’s covered the phone with his palm, and his next words confirm her deduction.  “Sorry love, duty calls. See you at home?”

“I’ll be there.”

Whoever had stepped into his office must have stepped out again just as quickly, because his voice takes on a sultry tone that has her toes curling in her boots. “With bells on, I hope?”

She grins, snatching a quote from one of the many books piled on his bedside table in their apartment, letting more than a hint of suggestion thread itself through her words. “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Jones.”

Yet another pause, but this time she can almost picture his throat working as he swallows hard. “As long as your bell tolls for me, my darling, I’ll die a happy man.”

  ~*~

[shimmershae]

8, 20, 23, 45, 51 :)

8.  Funny thing, this.  I was actually watching a movie on AMC (I was home recuperating from surgery, pretty much sidelined and on restrictions for over a month, so I was super bored, hahaha) when I saw a promo for the show.  It was of Rick completely falling apart in the aftermath of Judith’s birth when he realized Lori hadn’t made it, only I didn’t realize that at the time so I went on a little internet search.  I found and watched Judith’s birth/Lori’s death scene and my heart went out to her character.  Naturally, I had to find what events had transpired to lead up to such a tragic moment, and I did just that by mainlining all of the show to that point and catching up just in time to join the show live for the Season 5 mid-premiere.  So yeah.  Lori and the pain of Rick and Lori not having enough time was what initially drew me to the show, and some part of me will always mourn for them. But during my binge-watch of the other seasons, I absolutely fell hook, line, and sinker for Carol and Daryl and their bond.  So much so that I started dreaming up stories in my head starring the two of them, hahaha.  Literally every day during my long commute to work I wrote a new chapter in my head.  It was getting to be a huge distraction so I finally decided to purge my imagination (LOL, as if…that only encouraged it to go completely wild) by actually writing the story down and eventually posting it.  I was completely overwhelmed with the initial response to The Wonder That’s Keeping the Stars Apart and it only spurred my crazy brain on to dream up more stories, so there.  I’m afraid you guys are stuck with me for the duration. 

20.  As for ships I surprised myself by liking…totally Michonne and Andrea on the show.  In fanfic, Merle and Andrea are just too much fun to play with, lol. 

23.  Asking me my favorite fic is like asking me to name a favorite child.  It’s impossible because I love so many of them for different reasons.  I’ll try not to list them all, though.  Hmm.  The Wonder That’s Keeping the Stars Apart will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s my firstborn, lol.  I don’t know why, but I love the idea of these two damaged souls learning to love each other in an arranged marriage–in this case, Carol as Daryl’s mail order bride.  Fireworks because it just came so easily, and I loved writing such a simple, sweet moment for the two of them.  Judith and Carl and Enid cuteness was a bonus.  Stupid Cupid because I loved them at the Prison and who doesn’t enjoy a little fake/not fake dating scenario with their faves?  The Breakfast Club because I really enjoyed exploring that aspect of Daryl gaining a family and finding love in the process.  Plus, Caryl meeting as teens is a weakness of mine, too.  The Fox and the Hound because puppies!  LOL.  And the whole next door neighbors falling for each other, Sophia cuteness, and Merle being Merle.  Yours, Mine, and…Ours?  because I have this whole saga written in my head and the sexual tension between Carol and Daryl just keeps ramping up until it explodes, hahaha.  Wherever I’m With Your because it wrote itself and I don’t know.  I’m just proud of it.  And finally, Counting Stars because Daddy Daryl is my absolute favorite, and there’s a whole bunch of him.  Whether it’s writing him with Gracie and Squirrel or Sophia, I just plain love writing this story and cannot wait to get back to it.  Whew.  I best stop here, lol.  Sorry.  I just have a lot of feelngs, hahaha. 

45.  My all-time favorite fanfic, huh?  What an unfair question, lol, because I have many.  Hmm.  I can’t keep it to one.  Sorry.  illuminate the heart, rosemary’s babies, with your broken heart in tow, apartment twelve–all by yours truly.  Other Half by NotLaura.  The Alexandria Junior League by darylsdiva1.  How Carol Got Her Groove Back by Trogdor19.  Playing House by ICanStopAnytime.  ever see you again by whowhatsitwhich.  Love Child by the ramblin rose.   Flutter by The Readers Muse.  Pretty by EleanorK.  The Long Road Home by TinkerBell99.  Faulty Benevolence and Made Different by PrintDust.  Echoes by LouBlue.  the midas light turning your limbs to gold by queenpeletier.  Too many to list by Haitus80.  I could go on and on, but I’ve blathered enough already, lol. 

51.  I love and hate feedback and the interaction with all you lovely readers of mine.  Because the validation is awesome and it makes me feel like a million bucks and spurs my creativity into hyper drive.  But little to no feedback?  It breeds all kinds of doubt and I hate that.  Also, if I can’t at least imagine words coming out of the characters’ mouths, it really takes me out of a fic.  I try my best not to be guilty of that myself.  Sometimes I succeed.  Sometimes I don’t.  And seriously.  This is not a knock on non-native speakers at all, but if it looks like you haven’t at least made an attempt at spelling and punctuation, I’m guilty of immediately x'ing out of the story.  On the positive side, I love how creative and talented the Caryl fandom as a whole is and giving.  I feel like I can literally read about these two in any given situation and be entertained. 

 So.  That was pretty much a book, and I apologize.  But thanks so much for the asks.  Nice distractions.  ;)

[happy-meo]

Masquerade III: The Rules of the Game – Part 7 FINALE (Jungkook x Reader x another BTS member)

One must know the rules of the game, in order to come and play.

!! If you haven’t, please read the first two sagas in this series: MASQUERADE & Masquerade II !! [There will be spoilers if you read this story first.]

Summary: With Club Masquerade’s original hosts “graduating” one at a time, it’s up to the newcomers to pick up the slack and keep the customers happy. And who better to take the reins than the notorious Red Mask’s prodigy, Jeon Jungkook. But things become a bit difficult when you come into the picture, with your desire to do research on the rules of love and dating through your experience with your host. Will Jungkook be able to satisfy your curiosities… or will someone else?

Jungkook x Reader x BTS member [Read on to find out who >:P] (ft. Jimin & Hoseok) CEO au, Host au, Cop!Kook au Fluff, Mild angst, & Smut

Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 (Finale)

A/N: FINALLLYYYY! I PRESENT TO YOU THE LONG-AWAITED (and pretty insanely lengthy) FINALE TO THIS SERIES!! Thanks again for being so patient and supportive during a rough few weeks :) I placed a “Keep Reading” link so as usual if it isn’t opening, shoot me a message ~ Good luck & Enjoy!

          You yawned and rolled over, feeling soft covers encompass your body as you did so. You smiled, silently praising Jungkook for not leaving you without a blanket. But the silent serenity you were experiencing was suddenly disrupted by the feeling of someone else shifting beside you, and a familiar yet unexpected grunt was heard shortly afterwards. Hurriedly, your eyes flew open and your hand had to clasp over your mouth to prevent yourself from screaming.

           There, in front of you, was none other than a shirtless Kim Namjoon.

           Your eyes widened, trying to make sure you were in fact, wide awake. And then, as you tried to piece together the current situation, vague fragments of last night began flitting into your consciousness. Slowly, trying not to make a noise or stir Namjoon awake, you grabbed your phone from the bedside table. Your hands sped across your keyboard angrily.

           Y/N: "WHY AM I IN BED WITH NAMJOON??!"

           Jungkook felt his phone vibrate at his hip as he finished his rep at the gym.

           "Who's that?" Jin grinned as he pulled down the machine to flex his back muscles.

           "Oh, that girl I was telling you about, hyung." Jungkook grinned.

           "The infamous Dark Angel? You're still seeing her outside of the Club?"

           "Well...let's just say we have to?" Jungkook chuckled. "And it seems I keep finding her even if I don't mean to."  

           "Interesting. Must be fate, don't you think?"

           Jungkook snorted. "I don't know about that."

           "Says the kid who once told me that he thought he would hear a bell ring when his soul mate passed by him?" Jin dramatically clutched his chest.

           "Hyung!" Jungkook pushed Jin and the latter stumbled over his own feet at the sheer force. "That was from an anime I watched and I thought it'd be cute..."

           "Aigoo." Jin playfully pinched Jungkook's cheeks. "Our cute little innocent yet not so innocent Kookie ~"

           Jungkook huffed half-heartedly, but shied at the loving attention. "Well either way, I'm not ready for anything serious right now."

           "Jungkook." Jin chuckled. "No one's ever prepared for love to come into their lives."

           Jungkook shook his head at Jin's dramatics and picked his phone back up to respond to you.

           Jungcock: Don't you mean "You're welcome"?

           Y/N: Why did you call him???

           Jungcock: It was a golden opportunity...and you know I'm all about golden :P

           Y/N: You know King Midas loved gold and then he made his own dick gold...along with the rest of his body.

           Y/N: OMG DID YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME ON MY PHONE TOO?

           Jungcock: Yeah, it fits me better, don't you think? :P

           Y/N: I hate you. I'm changing it back.

           Jungcock: IS THIS THE TREATMENT I GET FOR BEING A GOOD FRIEND AND HAVING YOU END UP ON YOUR BELOVED'S BED?

           Y/N: JUNGCOCK! I HAD A FEW DRINKS AND DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER LAST NIGHT...WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE I DID THAT COULD BE EMBARRASSING??

           Y/N: GDI JUNGCOCK DID YOU PROGRAM YOUR NAME TO AUTOCORRECT TO THIS EVERYTIME I ATTEMPT TO TYPE YOUR NAME?

           Jungcock: Bahahaha this is gold! It was so worth hacking your phone as revenge for you stopping the blood flow in my leg with your ginormous, heavy head.

           Y/N: I fixed it, you ass. JungKOOK, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

           Jungkook: You're no fun. And um I don't know. Maybe just roll on top of him and he'll just end up pounding into you. But please take my sweats off before you do anything. I'd rather not know you've vandalized one of my most precious possessions.

           Y/N: This is your favorite sweater?

           Jungkook: Well...they're ALL my favorite sweaters...that's why I buy them, duh?

           Y/N: I seriously dislike you right now. What if I have morning breath? What if I look terrible?

           Jungkook: Y/N. Boys love the disheveled bed head...cause it looks like your post sex look. You'll be fine. And if you flash him before you're forced to talk, you can immobilize him long enough to stick toothpaste down your mouth and come back.

           Y/N: I honestly thought you were going to be sweet and then you went and ruined it.

           Jungkook: Sweet ain't my style, babe. :P

           Y/N: Ugh. Help me. You got me into this mess.

           Jungkook: You "dated" me so you'd be prepared to be IN this mess. Now you're in it so do what feels right!

           Y/N: :( What if he hates it?

           Jungkook: Y/N. This man drove to ANOTHER man's house the middle of the night, carried you (albeit weakly and unsteadily btw) into his car, and took you home despite having another man call him to pick you up. I can guarantee you that if he had NO feelings for you, he would not have bothered. And if he didn't care about you, he would've just left you at my house. But he WAS bothered and he DID show up at my house, so man-to-man, he has feelings and he cares about you.

           Y/N: Does your guy-dar know if he likes me likes me?

           Jungkook: How about you stop interrogating me, get your ass out of bed and make his sorry ass breakfast cause he's probably plastered from carrying your dead weight?

           Y/N: Alright, alright. Wish me luck!            Jungkook: You got this!

           Y/N: You're such an ass...but thank you :)

           "Is she someone I know?" Jin grinned as he endearingly watched Jungkook from the machine he was on. "I'm super curious."

           "Rule #2, hyung." Jungkook stuck his tongue out playfully. "Even if you know the customer's identity, you can't ever reveal them. Maintain secrecy."        

           Jin rolled his eyes. "I don't normally follow Chim's rules 'cause they hardly apply to me, but that one does seem reasonable. Though, I'm curious as to who she is to make you grin so widely like that."

           "She cracks me up is all." Jungkook snorted as he slipped underneath the bar of weights. "Spot me, hyung."

           Jin chuckled and stood right above Jungkook's head, guiding the bar as Jungkook began bench pressing.

           "Hey." Namjoon rubbed his eyes sleepily while you were finishing up breakfast.

           "Hey." You smiled warmly. "Sorry for the trouble last night...I don't know why Jungkook called you."

           Namjoon stared at you in contemplation then patted your cheek gently. "No trouble at all. I felt bad that I missed all those calls from you. I wasn't there when you needed me, so it was the least I could do."

           You blushed. "Breakfast should be ready soon. I know you can't cook."

           Namjoon chuckled. "I can too...if I really put my mind to it."

           "But for the safety of the universe, you shouldn't." You grinned. "Last time I saw you cook, you set something I didn't think was flammable on fire."

           Namjoon snorted. "I don't know how that happened either."

           "Sit tight and I'll bring it out to you."

           Namjoon hummed as he kissed your temple then floated away to his dining room. You grabbed two plates and designed the plates elegantly, wanting to look as professional and as wife-material as possible.

           Before you left the kitchen, you took a quick picture, sending your dish to a few people to gloat about your skills, one of them being Jungkook.

           Jungkook pulled his phone out as he gulped down water when it vibrated once again. He glanced over at Jin who was also occupied with his own phone, and hurriedly snapped a picture of his unimpressed expression as a reply. He accompanied it with a barfing emoji and hurriedly put his phone back into his pocket to continue his workout.

           You scowled at Jungkook's response, but quickly, disregarded his teasing in order to face the reality that you were going to be feeding Namjoon.

           "Sorry if it doesn't taste that good. I had to make do with what you had." You placed the plates on the table, but he grinned widely, his eyes wide with excitement and awe.

           "Wow! This is amazing!" he complimented and clapped his hands together. "I'll eat it well!"

           You watched him with bated breath, waiting for his reaction to the first bite.

           "Mmm!" he hummed and gave you a thumbs up. "Yummy!"

           You relaxed and grinned. "Oh thank goodness."

           He smiled and urged your plate forward, "Eat too."

           You nodded, "I will. I'm glad it turned out okay."

           "It's fantastic. Don't worry about it. I'll eat anything you make."

           You blushed, taking a bite to hide the shy smile surfacing on your face from his comment.

           "Let's go. Let's go. Let's go." Jungkook bounced around your living room excitedly as you finished get ready.

           It was the weekend following your car and thunderstorm incident-- and incidentally, the scheduled triple date with you, Jungkook, Jimin, Receptionist, Hoseok, and Silver. Since Jimin couldn't resist Jungkook's cuteness when he was suggesting the activity, and no one else had any qualms about it, it was set to be in the bowling alley he frequented. You chuckled as Jungkook's childishness surfaced. He was enthusiastically dancing around to music he only heard in his mind, in the middle of your apartment while waiting for you.

           "Alright, I'm ready." You stated and in no time, he was dragging you out in a flurry.

           While he was driving, you found yourself extremely amused by his clearly cheerful mood. He drummed on your leg to the beat of the songs in his "Favorites" playlist and sang along, quite well surprisingly. You smiled as you took in the comfortable and pleasant drive, enjoying the soothing sound of his voice laced with music.

           Then an anime song came on and you groaned.

           "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What is with that groan?" He shut off the music and looked offended.

           "I just don't get the literary value of anime and manhwa is all." You shrugged. "You're always giggling at it with Mr. Park at work too."

           "LITERARY VALUE? There is SO much literary value!"

           "Yeah...with a story about ninjas? Or that pirate that has those super stretchable arms?"

           Jungkook clutched his chest dramatically. "It teaches us to believe in our dreams, Y/N! How could you disrespect that?"

           You rolled your eyes. "There are hardly words in the books though."

           "It's ART." he emphasized. "I'm going to make you read one, and I'll guarantee you'll be a fan."

           You shook your head. "I don't know."

           "Trust me. Reading them has changed my life and shaped me into the man I am today." he stated firmly. "You must read it or even watch one."

           You looked at him, amused. "Like teaching you how to interact with girls?"

           He glared at you. "Kill joy."

           You grabbed his hand before he could pull it away from your leg and intertwined your fingers with his, trying to appease him. "I'm just saying we could have different opinions on literature."

           "And I'm just saying you should try it before you diss it." he retorted.

           "Fair enough." You hummed.

           His face immediately lit up.

           "But give me a few choices and I'll choose which appeals to me the most. I don't trust your opinion of what I'd like."

           He huffed. "Fine."

           "Now, can we get back to jamming to music?"

           "You started it." he pouted as he turned his playlist back on.

           You giggled.

           Once you arrived at the bowling alley, you two stepped out of the car and while you were admiring the large building, Jungkook was grabbing his personal ball and bowling shoes from the back. He reached out for your hand and you took it, like it was the most natural thing in the world. When did you two develop this habit? Had it always been like this?

           "You know, I've been thinking..." you hummed.

           "About how awesome I am?" Jungkook teased.

           You rolled your eyes. "No, stupid. I was wondering if we were the same age?"

           Jungkook hummed. "Does it matter? Why? Want me to call you Noona?"

           Strangely, your body tingled at the sound of him calling you that.

           "No." you smirked. "I was wondering if I should be calling you Opp--"

           Your face slammed into his chest as he spun his body in front of you abruptly.

           "Ow. What the--"

           Jungkook tilted your chin up and his eyes stared at your with a piercingly dangerous glare. "Don't ever call me what you were about to say."

           Your heart began beating rapidly at his darkened irises; it was somewhat alluring and incredibly manly.

           "Oppa?" You pressed, and suddenly, your body was pulled against Jungkook's and his face dangerously close to yours. "Why not?"

           "Just don't." he threatened curtly, then let go, walking ahead of you, leaving you breathless at his invitingly aggressive and dominating aura that had just passed like a whirlwind.

           He turned his head back to you, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming?"

           You snapped out of your thoughts and hurried back to his side, storing the secret word that got Jungkook riled up in the recesses of your mind for future use.

           "Y/N! Jungkook!" The Receptionist beamed as you spotted her in front of the cash register, earning admiring glances from people who passed by her, as per usual. "Glad you made it!"

           "Jimin?" Jungkook questioned.

           "Bathroom." she chuckled. "I was just getting the best alley from this lovely gentleman over here."

           The young staff member behind the counter blushed as she smiled at him. Jungkook snorted and shook his head.

           "Still as charming as ever, Noona."

           The Receptionist grinned and winked at the two of them playfully.

           "Y/N! Kookie!!!" Jimin hurriedly rushed towards them with his arms wide.

           You side stepped from his trajectory so he wasn't able to embrace you, causing Jimin to pout cutely. Embarrassed, he clung onto Jungkook instead.

           "Hyung." Jungkook tried to shake him off. "Your softness is showing."

           "So?" Jimin giggled.

           You smiled as you watched the adorable height difference between the two.

           "Hey! Sorry we're a little late. We had to stop by my apartment to get clothes." Silver arrived shortly after.

           "I don't know why you aren't living together yet." Jimin shook his head. "Hoseok's moving too slow."

           The Receptionist knocked on Jimin's head. "FYI, we don't live together either. You just welcome yourself to my house whenever you want."

           "Eh." Jimin shrugged. "Think of it as investing in 2 homes."

           She rolled her eyes.

           "Have we gotten shoes and stuff yet?" Hoseok hurriedly joined the group with a bright smile.

           "Wh-what size?" the staff member stammered, probably insanely stunned to have so many attractive people in one place.

           "Mmm..." the Receptionist hummed as she leaned over to read the shoe sizes better.

           You walked over and covered her cleavage with your hands nonchalantly. Everyone blinked at you and started cracking up. The Receptionist patted your head endearingly.

           "Thanks Y/N."

           "I told you not to wear that shirt." Jimin teased his girlfriend.

           "That's exactly why I wore it." she grinned.

           Jimin gripped her waist, "They should be for my eyes only."

           "Well your eyes are in the alley too so..." she smirked.

           Jimin chuckled and they kissed sweetly. You averted your eyes awkwardly and hurriedly told the staff member your shoe size. But your sights then landed to Hoseok fixing Silver's hair with the gentlest, most loving look on his face.

           Maybe a triple date was a bad idea.

           You weren't sure how to act when the other two real couples were being lovey-dovey. You glanced around to find Jungkook eye-ing the menu of the snack bar, since he didn't need his own shoes. You grabbed your bowling shoes and hurried over to him, wanting to escape the atmosphere of love you were being surrounded by.

           "Hungry again?" You questioned.

           His eyes continued to scan the list, not needing to see you to recognize your voice.

           "Always."

           You chuckled. "Have you gone out with them before?"

           "Yeah. Awkward, isn't it?" Jungkook snorted as he glanced over at the two couples, still chatting closely with each other. He smiled softly though. "But it's nice."

           "Nice?"

           Jungkook hummed. "Being completely comfortable and in love without another person, and knowing they feel the same."

           You watched Jungkook, slightly taken aback by the gentleness of his tone. He stepped forward and began ordering, his eyes downcast since his cashier was a female. You smiled at him endearingly.

           "Want anything, Y/N?" his head turned and you two locked eyes, surprisingly.

           You didn't mean to get caught staring at him. You blinked and looked away, flustered.

           "Mmm I'm okay..." you mumbled.

           "Make that two." he smiled at the cashier shyly and handed her his card.

           You blushed. "I said I was okay."

           "Yeah, but when you say that, it means 'I don't want you to pay for me, but I'm actually hungry'." he wagged his finger at you. "I know you, Y/N."

           You chuckled, "Thanks."

           "This is where you two were." The others finally joined you.

           "Usually people eat in the middle of their matches." Hoseok commented.

           "Champions eat before their matches." Jungkook teased.

           "Oh? You think you'll win, huh?" Jimin provoked.

           "He has his own ball and everything." You patted the bag proudly. "And if I recall Mr. Park, you weren't so good at games during the company parties."

           Jimin huffed as the others cackled at the true statement.

           "Can you please not call me Mr. Park outside of work, Y/N?"

           "Sorry, habit." You shrugged nonchalantly.

           "Seriously." he shook his head. "Well we'll head over to the end lane over there and get started."

           "Sure thing." You nodded. "We'll be there soon."

           "It's couple teams. We'll combine the final scores together at the end." Silver stated as you and Jungkook arrived with your food. "Hope you two don't mind!"

           You shook your head. "I haven't really played in awhile so it'll even us out."

           "Winning couple chooses a couple for a punishment of their choice!" Jimin called out.

           "You're on!" Jungkook rolled up his sleeves.

           "Oh! Not fair! Put those away!" Hoseok complained.

           "Put what away?" Jungkook smirked as he tensed his forearms teasingly.

           "Your terrifying muscles, you handsome child!" Jimin chuckled as he rubbed the back of Jungkook's neck affectionately.

           "I play better like this." he grinned.

           "Then you HAVE to roll it down!" Jimin tried to pull Jungkook's sleeves down playfully, but the younger curled his arm up to trap Jimin's hands between his bicep and forearm.

           "This kind of a turn on." Jimin wiggled his eyebrows as he squeezed Jungkook's muscles, causing Jungkook to release him and position himself behind you, using you as a shield against Jimin's antics.

           "Now, now." Receptionist stepped in the middle. "Are we all just going to flirt all day or are we going to actually compete?"

           "As you wish, milady ~" Jimin grinned and gestured for her to bowl first. "Start us off."

           "With pleasure." Receptionist smirked, and easily, rolled the bowling ball down the center with a polished posture. Without warning, the bowl crashed in the center, pushing all the pins to the ground with a loud, booming sound.

           "Oh. Did I mention she was on a team in middle school, all through highschool? And played with some pros in college?" Jimin stuck his tongue out.

           "You mean dated ~ some professional bowlers in college?" Hoseok chuckled. "But essentially you could say she played with them."

           Receptionist snorted as she grabbed another ball. "Good one, Hobi."

           Jimin exhaled, "I try to forget she dated anyone but me."

           Receptionist rolled her eyes, "Why? So you could forget how stupid you were all those years?"

           "Hey! You were stupid too!" Jimin complained.

           "You both STILL are!" Hoseok bellowed.

           You, Silver, and Jungkook glanced at each other and giggled at their clearly close friendship.

           When it was Jimin's turn, as everyone predicted, he wasn't as good as he claimed to be. He did manage to hit some pins, but one of his throws always ended up in the gutter or the space between pins. Hoseok, on the other hand, was surprisingly good. Although he was nervous and hesitant walking up the alley, his throws accurately glided straight. Silver was pretty good as well. And as you expected, Jungkook managed to get a spare in his first frame.

           So when it came to your turn, you nervously picked up the ball you had chosen and chucked it as hard as you could across the floor. The others flinched and a few of the strangers nearby glanced over curiously. You bit your lip, irritated, when your ball spiraled into the gutter.

           Jungkook snorted. "Seriously?"

           You glared at him and picked up another ball, determined to hit a few pins this time. You eased up your swing and your ball stayed on the lane so you watched it in anticipation, but right before it reached the pins, it curved back into the gutter.

           Jimin cracked up loudly, "You're worse than ME, Y/N!"

           You grumbled and you could see Jungkook ruffling his hair, a little annoyed.

           "You should've told me you weren't good." he mumbled.

           "I said I haven't played in a while." you hissed.

           "You're bowling like you've never played at all." he commented.

           You curled your fingers angrily, trying to bite your tongue, and sat beside Receptionist instead of Jungkook.

           Everyone continued to progress in the next frame, getting the hang of the game, while you consistently continued feeding your throws into the gutter.

           "You're so generous." Jungkook rolled his eyes as he muttered under his breath.

           "You got something to say Jungkook, huh?" you snapped, having enough of his underhanded comments.

           "You're not doing it right!" Jungkook pointed at you.

           "I'm doing it how I want!" You huffed, angered by his annoying comments.

           "You're not even hitting any pins!"

           "I'll SHOW you hitting pins!"

           "PLEASE. Please show me how you hit pins cause at this rate it's like I'm playing this lane alone with the gutter."

           You glared at him threateningly, but he puffed his chest out defiantly.

           "What? What, shrimp?"

           You growled and kicked his shin before chucking the ball angrily down the lane. You turned to finish expressing your frustration towards him, when you spotted everyone frozen where they were. Jungkook was clinging onto his pained leg with wide eyes as everyone watched your ball slide straightly down the center in shock. You spun around just in time to spot your ball crash accurately into the center pin and knock down all the pins.

           "Oh my god." You gasped excitedly.

           "STRIKE!" Jungkook rushed to you and lifted you up in a warm, proud spinning embrace. "YOU GOT A STRIKE!"

           You laughed loudly as you let him whirl you around, your anger dissipating into thin air.

           "Go piss her off again, Jungkook. She seems to bowl better that way." Jimin commented.

           You glared at him, but your boss merely grinned innocently.  

           When your next turn came, Jungkook skipped happily to retrieve a ball for you and exaggeratedly cleaned it for you. You giggled at his clear change in personality, now that you had a shot to catch up to the others. He then beckoned you to stand in front of him, which you obeyed. He handed you the ball and positioned himself behind you.

           "Do it like this." Jungkook guided your hand and placed his other gently on your shoulder. You relaxed at the softness in his voice compared to the past few rounds. He was really teaching you this time, so you nodded and followed his motion until the ball rolled out of your hands once again. It wasn't as accurate as last time, but it didn't end up in the gutter, which was definitely an improvement. You two grinned at each other, finally having fun with the game.

           However, no matter how greatly you improved in a few frames, Jimin and Receptionist ended up scoring the highest totals combined, thanks to Receptionist bowling a perfect game.

           "Sorry." You frowned, knowing Jungkook wasn't a fan of losing.

           His tensed muscles relaxed, hearing your genuine apology. He shook his head, smiling gently. "No, it's fine. I had fun. It's different playing by myself. I like playing with others."

           You rubbed his back gratefully.

           Just then, Jimin stood in front of you two with that mischievous grin of his, which never, ever meant anything good would come out of his mouth.

           "I choose you two to enact my punishment." he pointed.

           "What do you want us to do?" You blinked.

           "Kiss."

           "What?" Jungkook choked.

           "Kiss." Jimin shrugged. "You've been dating for a while, and you've done it...so do it."

           "R-right here?" Jungkook glanced around.

           "Right over there." Jimin gestured. "Right in front of our lane. Long enough for a good picture."

           Jungkook glanced over at you worriedly, but you nodded in agreement, not seeing the big deal.

           "We did agree to the terms. And we're not chicken enough to back down." You appeased.

           Jungkook chuckled and stood up. "It's just a kiss anyway. I thought you'd make us do worse, hyung."

           "What do you even take me for?" Jimin whined. "I practically raised you!"

           Your eyebrows went up. "Raised him?"

           Receptionist elbowed Jimin threateningly, and he chuckled nervously. "Well, I mean I've just known him for so long...you know."

           You snorted and positioned yourself in front of the alley with Jungkook. The other four were holding their phones up like it was the highlight of the century, embarrassingly hooting and hollering. You glanced up at Jungkook who was staring at you, waiting for you to express that you were okay for him to initiate. You smiled, and he moved forward, closing the distance with one step.

           Your heart raced with his proximity. It was different. Despite having kissed countless of times before, this time, there was no underlying lust, no desire to rip each other's clothes off, no clouded judgments, and no hunger. Unrushed and careful, Jungkook cupped your face. His fingertips grazing your cheeks sent tingles down your entire body, and butterflies to flutter around inside you. You stared at him in the moments of increasing tension, when your faces closed in, when no one dared to break the eye contact or connect lips just yet. Your breath catches in your throat, and you wondered what exactly this new sensation was and why it was happening.

           You glanced down at Jungkook's lips, finding yourself so drawn to them, then back at him. He was still looking at you intently. You shut your eyes and soon felt the familiar shape of his lips press against yours. It was subtly electrifying, and you found yourself saddened when it lasted only fleetingly. Your eyes fluttered open, his hands still caressing your face, and you read his expression of worry and confusion, wondering if that was enough or if...if you wanted more. Your body acted before your mind could think of an answer, and you found yourself parting your lips to capture Jungkook's with your own.

           The kiss wasn't needy. It wasn't even lovingly sweet. It was subtly intense, enough to make your head reel, enough to make you grip his sweater to pull him closer. You couldn't describe it. You couldn't describe how different kissing Jungkook like this was, and frankly, you weren't even sure if it was a good or bad different. It was passionate to a different degree.

           It was Jungkook who broke the heated kiss first; his hands covered yours over his chest, pulling back, eyes wide with astonishment. You stared back at him, stunned as well. It was only the sound of Jimin's voice that brought you two out of your own world.

           "Wow, that was some kiss. Woo!" he teasingly wiped an imaginary tear. "They grow up too fast."

           Jungkook sheepishly blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Shut up, hyung. Come on, Y/N."

           You still were a bit shaken up by the lingering feel of Jungkook's lips against yours, so you had zoned out from everyone's teasing. The feeling of Jungkook's hand in yours redirected you back to the situation and caused your heart to flutter.

           "Thanks for the fun time, you two." Silver hugged you and Jungkook warmly. "Let's definitely do it again next time! Girls versus boys."

           "I'm down." Receptionist smirked. "I'd like to cream Jimin."

           "What happened to always being a team?" Jimin shook his head, amused.

           "You always make ridiculous bets over bowling and use me!" she argued.

           "I'm being resourceful."

           She rolled her eyes. "Alright Mr. Resourceful, let's get home so I can get resourceful with you."

           Jimin smirked, "That sounds like a plan."

           The others groaned with the two cackled.

           "You staying over Hoseok's today?" Jungkook asked Silver.

           "Mhm." she smiled. "I've been wanting to watch 'Train to Busan' so I had to bribe him to watch it with me."

           "Should I ask what the bribe is?" Jungkook teased.

           Silver lightly smacked his shoulder. "It's just food, Jungkook!"

           "With some dessert?" Jungkook playfully wiggled his eyebrows.

           Silver blushed and continued smacking him.

           "Are you going home, Y/N? Or staying over Jungkook's place?" Hoseok questioned.

           "Oh um..." You blushed.

           "We're going to walk around still." Jungkook cut in. "We're still young with no bed time like you guys."

           "What was that?" Hoseok and Jimin lunged onto Jungkook, but the two were easily pulled into headlocks by the younger.

           "You were saying?" Jungkook cackled.

           "Alright, alright. Let's let the kids get on with their date." Silver ushered Jimin and Hoseok away. "Get home safely, okay?"

           "Bye!" You and Jungkook waved.

           "Did you let him know?" Jungkook questioned once they disappeared.

           "Yeah, when we were at the last frame." You replied softly.

           Jungkook yawned and stretched. "Wanna walk around outside then? Namjoon should be here soon."

           "Sure." You nodded.

           It was silent as you two stood outside, staring up at the night sky.

           "That was fun." You broke the ice, though you still felt remnants of jitters from your kiss punishment a few minutes ago.

           "Yeah." Jungkook smiled. "They're all fun to be with."

           "How long have you known them?"

           "Mmm well, I met Jimin and Receptionist first, then later Hoseok and Silver soon after. Maybe over a year now?"

           "Only? Wow. You got close really fast."

           "They made it really easy." Jungkook chuckled as he kicked some stones around. "I mean look how close we got in a few months."

           You smiled. "Yeah. You're right."

           "Y/N," Jungkook started, but a playful beeping interrupted him.

           "Hey." Namjoon pulled up in front of them.

           "Hey!" You grinned then turned to Jungkook. "Were you going to say something?"

           Jungkook shook his head. "Nothing. I forgot already. Get to his house safely." He bent down to peek into the car. "See ya, Namjoon."

           Namjoon smiled and waved. "Have a good night, Jungkook!"

           "You guys too." His eyes flickered between you and Namjoon as you took your seat in the passenger side.

           "See you Monday." You stuck your head out of the car. "Thanks for tonight."

           Jungkook nodded, his lips curling up slightly. "Bye Y/N."

           "Speed racer! Woo!" Namjoon yelled playfully.

           "Noooo! Joon!" You groaned as he revved his engine.

           Jungkook chuckled as he made his way to his car. He turned on his engine and waited until you and Namjoon disappeared. With a big sigh, he pressed the call button in his car.

           "Jungkook?"

           "Hey, can I come over?"

           "Aww yeah, of course. Want me to grab some drinks?"

           "That would be great." Jungkook smiled sadly as he put his car in gear.

           It was Monday morning again, and you hummed happily on your way to work, in high spirits from the fun weekend. However, your mood immediately dropped upon arriving at your office. You froze in front of your cubicle, finding it oddly unoccupied. You blinked and glanced around. Jungkook was always at work earlier than you.

           "Oh, your boyfriend called out for a few days. Apparently, there's a pretty big case he's helping out with." Silver appeared with her arms crossed. "Told me to let you know too."

           "Why didn't he just text me himself?" You furrowed your brow.

           Silver shrugged. "Men."

           "I heard that!" Hoseok yelled from his office.

           Silver giggled and walked away.

           You frowned, your mood shifting with your partner in crime's absence. Hurriedly, you texted him.

           Y/N: Why didn't you tell me?

           Jungkook: That?

           Y/N: You were going to be out?

           Jungkook: It was sudden. Sorry.

           You pouted at his distant tone, but you shook your head, attributing it to him being busy and all. He'd be back in a few days. You surely could give him his space. Glancing over at his side of the desk, you exhaled. When did his presence fill up the room and complete your day?

           But even when Jungkook returned to work a few days later, he was different. He fooled around with you less. He spoke to you less. It felt like when you two had first met, when he was terrified to speak to women.

           "Jungkook." you called.

           "Hm?"

           "You want lunch?" You questioned meekly, wondering why you were so nervous to speak to him nowadays.

           "I'm okay. Not too hungry." he hummed softly.

           You pursed your lips, wondering if you should ask him what was going on, or leave him alone. But before you could say anything, he got up from his chair abruptly.

           "Jimin said he wanted to talk to me." he stated, averting his eyes from you noticeably, a habit you knew he did when he was lying.

           You grabbed his arm. "Jungkook, what's going on? Why're you avoiding me?"

           He pulled his arm out of your grip. "I'm not."

           "You are." You frowned. "You won't talk to me like before."

           "I...I just have a lot on my mind, okay?" he sighed and glanced at you forwardly. You saw a sort of worried, sad look in his eyes that you couldn't exactly pinpoint.

           "Women troubles?" you questioned playfully.

           He exhaled and walked away without another word, leaving you to stare at his large, muscular back, wondering what had caused a rift between you two or if you were just over-thinking.

           "And like...he hasn't even talked to me since bowling!" You complained as Namjoon heated up some leftovers for dinner.

           You had basically been living with Namjoon the past few days. You didn't mean to, but he continuously offered to take you home after work, and well, you hardly felt like leaving him when you were finally together. So the past few nights always ended up with you two locking lips all the way to his apartment, through the door, and onto the nearest surface you two could get comfortable on.

           And tonight was no different.

           You sat at his kitchen counter, simply donning the button up Namjoon had worn when he picked you up.

           "Y/N. Guys don't talk out their problems right away like girls do." Namjoon chuckled.

           "Well...I don't really. I usually find a solution on my own."

           "Okay, then think of Jungkook as doing the same thing." he shrugged. "Why is it bothering you?"

           You hummed, "I guess I just feel like I did something wrong, so I want to solve it if it is the case."

           "That's it?" Namjoon handed you chopsticks.

           "Yeah." You took a bit of the leftovers, starving after a full day of work, and the activities you had just done with Namjoon. "How was your day?"

           "Busy, as usual." Namjoon smiled as he grabbed the plate. "Let's go to the couch."

           "Sure." you grinned, knowing what he meant by that.

           You sat on his lap as you two ate. Well, as you ate more so. Namjoon was busy leaving traces of his lips against the skin of your neck, like he hadn't had enough of you yet. It made you giddy, the thought of him being addicted to you.

           You giggled, "Joon, I'm eating."

           He bit your neck playfully. "So am I."

           "Wanna share?" You smirked playfully, as you purposely left a piece of your food between your lips.

           "Do you have to ask?" he hummed as you shifted to straddle him, getting wet all over again.

           He bit your lip and easily cleaned the remnants of food off.

           "Still hungry?" he whispered against your mouth. Tension was rising between you once more.

           You slowly placed the plate on the coffee table, wanting to keep him waiting for your answer, knowing he was anticipating it.

           "For something else, yes." You licked your lips, and you felt his cock twitch underneath you.

           "Before we do that," he traced your cheeks gently. "I have to tell you something."

           "What?" You glanced up at him. Namjoon never really told you anything first. You would only ever find out things if you questioned him about it.  

           "I'm leaving Seoul in a few days."

           Your heart dropped at the confession, but you weren't surprised. You had a feeling it was going to come soon. Namjoon had stayed longer than you or anyone thought he would. He tilted your chin up and studied your expression closely.

           "I have to go back and finally take over my company." he smiled. "Been on a break for too long."

           You chuckled. "I guess that's kind of important."

           He glossed his thumb over your swollen lips. "I just wanted to tell you in advance that our lessons are going to be ending soon."

           You looked down, not knowing how to react to this news. You knew Namjoon was still watching you intently, waiting for your reply. Your hands slid over his exposed torso, and around his neck.

           "Then shouldn't you make a final assessment?" You whispered as boldly and as flirtatiously as you could.

           Namjoon grinned. "Let's see what you got, babygirl."

           And immediately, you crashed your lips against his, wanting to forget that he was going to be far from you once again, wanting to make each moment you had left with him last.

           Namjoon hurriedly ripped open the only piece of cloth standing between his hands and your bare body.

           "Joon! That's your shirt!" Your eyes widened.

           "I can always buy more." he breathily replied as he connected his lips back against your neck while his hands roamed your breasts and your ass, smoothing over every inch of your skin. You were sure you had soaked his sweatpants at this point, but the bulge that was rubbing against your core showed you that he could care less.

           "Namjoon." You moaned.

           "Hm." he hummed as you leaned back, your body letting him know you wanted his mouth elsewhere. He obliged, closing his mouth around your nipple, sucking and licking with vigor.

           You carded your hands through his hair to push his face closer to your breasts, wanting him to take all of you, to please you the way you knew he could. But then the thought that this might be the last time you would be with him intimately flashed through your mind, and you unlatched yourself from him.

           "Wha--"

           Before he could finish his sentence, you were on your knees and tugging at his sweatpants pleadingly. His eyes turned dark as he lifted himself off the couch so you could pull them down. You admired him as he kicked them away, but you spared no time after, grabbing his length and coating it with his pre-cum. He groaned and threw his head back.

           "I told you I was hungry for something else." You licked your lips as you stared up at him.

           "Do it, baby. I want to see how prettily you take me." he ordered.

           Maintaining eye contact, you took him inside you, swirling your tongue across his veins, then slowly around his tip as you bobbed your head up and down.

           "Ah fuck." he moaned as he clutched your hair to push you forward faster than you were going.

           And you let him, wanting to please him how he wanted, enjoying the way his cock was hitting the back of your throat, filling your mouth up. Imagining him deep inside you elsewhere heightened your burning need. Luckily, Namjoon seemed to be on the same train of thought and he tugged your hair back to pull you away from him. You gasped for air.

           "Lean against the table." he ordered and you scrambled up to get into position, hands gripping the edge of the table. "Legs wide, princess."

           Eagerly, you did so, and in no time, felt his slender fingers enter you. You groaned and tightened your grip to keep you sane. Then he slapped your ass, the stinging stimulating more.

           "Bend over more. I want to see you."

           You leaned over, breasts on the glass table so he could get a better view of your core and the way his fingers disappeared inside you.

           "Beautiful." he hummed. "How wet you are for me."

           "I need you." you whispered.

           "I know, baby. You have to be patient. Let me admire you."

           You whined as he added another finger inside you.

           "Rub your breasts against that cold glass." he ordered.

           "O-okay." you stammered, lifting up a bit so that your nipples lightly grazed the cool surface. Oddly enough, it felt amazingly good. You shivered at the sensation.

           "Rub." he commanded.

           You circled your torso around, stimulating yourself while he pushed his fingers in and out of you, curling them in at random times to hit your g-spot. You bit your lip to prevent yourself from screaming right away.

           "Scream for me, baby girl. You know I love it when you're loud." he whispered as he bit your tender ass, still red from his previous slap.

           "Oh my goodness. That feels so good." You breathed as you continued to circle your nipples against the table.

           "Your nipples are so sensitive." he grinned. "Would you rather my tongue was on them?"

           "Y-yes."

           "Would you rather my tongue be on your nipples or inside you?"

           You felt yourself drench at the thought of both.

           "Should I just do both?" he smirked, feeling the way you had clenched around his fingers at his suggestion. "Or something completely different?"

           "Wha-?"

           Namjoon stood up and went to reach for the lamp to turn off the light, but he ended up pushing it over and causing it to fall, getting unplugged in the process. "Don't worry, it's not glass. I've broken too many."

           You giggled then stopped when you realized that now you were in complete darkness. The hairs on your body stood on edge as you felt a single finger trace your spine.

           "Now," you felt his breath against your ear. "Where should I please you?"

           You shivered as you felt his cock line up against your rear.

           "Here?" he whispered.

           You moaned as you felt him fiddle with your nipple.

           "Here?"

           Then you felt him lick a strip against the side of your neck. "Or would you rather have my tongue?"

           "Any." You stated, more desperately than you had intended, surprised at your own voice.

           "All three it is then."

           In no time, Namjoon's length was drilling inside you, his hands attacking your breasts, and his mouth working your neck roughly. You screamed at the intense pleasure.

           "Scream more, baby."

           "Please don't stop. Keep going. Keep going." You begged.

           Namjoon grunted as he slammed his hips forward, his skin making loud contact with your ass. You were reaching your high slowly as his roughness continued, and you thought you were going to cum, but he suddenly stopped.

           "Namjoon?" you breathed needily, wondering where he was.

           "On the couch."

           The light came on.

           "I wanna see how you look above me." his eyes twinkled as he was placing the lamp back on the table.

           You nodded, watching as his naked figure laid down on his couch with ease, but his hardened length displayed that he was anything but relaxed. Slowly, you walked towards him, enjoying the way his eyes roamed your body as you came closer. You saw him hold his breath as you straddled him, and without warning you sat down quickly, both of you tensing up at the sudden movement.

           "Damn that feels good." he groaned as he gripped your hips. "Lean forward."

           You did so and allowed him to take your breast into his mouth, the other being given attention by his hand. And you pushed yourself into his cock, deeply, and in harsh strokes, pulling out and forcing him to hit you right in your g-spot. He hummed against your nipple before abandoning it to place both hands on your hips so he could buck up into you with leverage. You groaned and kissed him passionately, overwhelmed with all the sensations you were feeling in the moment. He welcomed your lips and reciprocated just as sloppily and roughly.

           Skin against skin. Moan versus moan. Your nails clawed down the expanse of his torso while his, marked your hips. It was all so needy, so raw. And in no time, you were yelling, reaching your high intensely, your body spluttering as he continued to push into you. Soon after you, he came as well.

           You lay against his broad chest, trying to catch your breath, listening to his heart beating rapidly. He stroked your hair softly and kissed the top of your head.

           "That was amazing, Y/N."

           You smiled sadly, but tried to lighten the mood. "Well, I learned from the best."

           He chuckled as he enveloped you in his arms.

           "Goddamit Jungkook. He never answers me!"

           You slammed your phone against your table. You had been trying to reach out to Jungkook the entire day to ask him for advice and just to catch up with him. You missed him in your life and you really needed him, in lieu of Namjoon's impending departure.

           You paced around your apartment, staring at your phone waiting for Jungkook's name to pop up, as you had done the past few days following the bowling date.

           But as usual, it never came.

           You glanced at the time and decided to go to the one place where you knew he couldn't run away from you. Hurriedly, you grabbed your mask and stormed out of your apartment to Club Masquerade.

           "He's free, right?" You panted as you barged into the Club.

           "Uh yeah. His usual room." Receptionist was visibly stunned to see you there.

           "The whole hour, please."

           "Uh sure, but he might not want--"

           "I don't give a crap what he wants." You hissed as you marched towards his usual room.

           Jungkook was lying down, trying to get a nap in before his next client, when the door flung open, startling him.

           "What the--" he sat up frantically. "Y/N, what're you doing here?"

           "I came to buy your fucking time." You growled as you chucked down your card at his feet, and without realizing it, you had grabbed his face and kissed him.

           At first you were both stunned, awkwardly pressing your lips against each other, neither of you moving. Your heart was hammering against your chest, wondering why your body had reacted like this, and terrified that he was going to push you away. But your worries disappeared, when his hands slipped up to cup your cheek and he parted your lips with his to deepen the kiss.

           He broke the kiss a few minutes later and stared at you, waiting for you to explain yourself. You blushed, and averted your eyes.

           "What the hell are you doing here?" he questioned.

           "Why the hell aren't you answering me?"

           "I've been busy!" he retorted.

           "And at work? Why won't you talk to me like before?" You pointed.

           "Cause I'm swamped, Y/N! What do you want me to say?" he yelled.

           "I just want you to be Jungkook again." You frowned as you slammed your hand against his chest lightly. "I miss you."

           His body relaxed at your confession, and he whispered. "Why?"

           "Why, what?"

           "Why do you miss me?"

           You glanced up at him, and he was genuinely questioning you.

           "Cause you're the asshole I'm used to having around." You smiled wryly. "And I'm so pissed off that I feel like I did something to make you distant. I don't want to lose you; you're like my closest friend."

           Jungkook exhaled and looked away. "You won't lose me. You know exactly where to find me."

           "But it's not the same!" You bellowed.

           "Why are you being such a baby?" Jungkook stood up and yelled. "Take your stupid card and go home. You have someone else waiting for you."

           "What the fuck? I'm here for you, Jungkook! Tell me what's happening with you, with us?"

           "You tell ME, Y/N." he bellowed.

           You fell silent.

           "What do you mean?"

           "Please go." he exhaled as he walked to the door.

           "No." You stated defiantly.

           "Get. Out." Jungkook gritted his teeth.

           "I said no." You marched to him, daringly. How was it that you could always be bold when it came to Jungkook?

           "Y/N." he threatened.

           "What, Oppa?" You provoked.

           You saw the edges of his lips twitch. He cracked his neck, visibly irked.

           "I told you not to call me that."

           "Op-pa." You teased, poking his chest rebelliously.

           He grabbed your hand swiftly and pressed you against the wall, with a dangerous, dark expression on his face.

           "Stop, or else."

           "Or else what...Oppa?" you smirked.

           He growled, "You'll regret it."

           "Try me." You challenged. "Op--"

           Before you could finish, he slammed his lips against yours hungrily. You immediately melted into him even though it had been awhile since you were intimate with Jungkook. It felt unfamiliarly familiar. Your hands slid up to his shoulders, but he grabbed and pressed them against the wall harshly. You gasped as he bit your lower lip, his nails digging into your wrist.

           "I told you not to call me that, sweetheart." he hissed.

           You shivered at the impending dark side you had just unleashed, but you wanted to see it, you wanted to feel him. In any way possible, for some reason, you wanted Jungkook to be near you, to be concentrating on only you. You leaned forward and flicked your tongue inside his mouth, causing him to moan at your aggressiveness. But he soon dominated your tongue with his, causing your knees to buckle when his tongue swiped across your lips.

           Then he was gone.

           Your eyes fluttered open to see him staring at you. You suddenly felt very conscious about your disheveled appearance, not having spared time to do your hair and make-up in your hurry to get to the Club.

           "Strip."

           The order hung thick between you two. It was concise, to the point, causing your heart to gallop inside your chest. Nervously, you began removing your clothes until you were only in your mismatched bra and underwear. You saw him smirk as he circled you like a prey.

           "Stop just staring, Jung--"

           "Nochu." he corrected.

           "Sorry." You bit your lip.

           "Why is my staring bothering you?" he hummed.

           "I just...I didn't...well I didn't think this through..." you stated nervously. Why were you losing your cool? Jungkook had already seen you like this countless of times before.

           "Would you like to stop?" he questioned lightly as he pressed butterfly kisses across your shoulders.

           "No." You breathed. "I don't."

           "Then I told you to strip." he hissed as he pulled at the waistband of your panties. "And here you are, still wearing clothes."

           You licked your lips as he stepped away to watch you once again, with lust-filled irises. Heart still racing, you pulled down the straps of your bra and since it was a front clasp, you traced the edge of your breasts until it got to the opening. You glanced over at Jungkook who was leaning against the wall, eyes still fixated on you. Then you clicked the clasp, slowly pulling your arms out and throwing your bra towards Jungkook invitingly. You reveled in the way his eyes ravaged your body, undressing you as you physically did so. Then soon enough, your underwear followed.

           "Now strip me." He ordered.

           You gulped. "Wh-what?"

           He smirked. "Nervous?"

           "No." You tried to sound unfazed as you walked towards him, trying not to think about how attractive you thought his chiseled muscles were for as long as you had known him, trying not to get drawn into the annoying yet alluring little smirk of his, with that irritatingly adorable mole under his lip.

           "Then do it." he challenged.

           Your hands reached out to unbutton his shirt, finding that he was bare already underneath it. You swallowed roughly as you pulled the cloth down his arms, discarding it to the side. Mindlessly, you traced the clearly formed lines on his abdomen, his stomach tensing at the coldness of your fingers against his warm skin.

           He grabbed your hand and moved it to his belt. Licking your lips, you unbuckled his belt and zipped his slacks, leaving him in his boxers. When you reached for them, he stopped your hand.

           "These stay on...for now." he chuckled mischievously. "Lay down over there."

           You nodded and made your way to the sea of pillows to get comfortable. Your mind reeling with anticipation at not knowing what Jungkook was thinking.

           "Follow all my commands and I'll reward you." he whispered as he traced your cheek gently.

           You nodded, your words stuck in your throat at this new, rough and rugged persona you were witnessing.

           Jungkook grabbed a chair and positioned it in front of you, getting a good view of your leaking entrance.

           "Please yourself." he stated.

           "What?" Your eyes widened.

           "Touch yourself." he urged.

           You blushed. "Wh-where?"

           "Lick your fingers." he commanded. "Circle that around your nipple with one hand. The other hand goes inside you."

           Nervously yet excitedly, you obeyed, pleasuring yourself as he had instructed. The fact that you had an audience heightened the stimulation and exhilaration of your actions. You closed your eyes and moaned, imagining that your fingers were Jungkook's, wishing his long, thick fingers could replace yours. But you were too afraid to speak up, and frankly, you also wanted to know what else he had in store.

           "Add another finger."

           The instruction broke your imagination, and your eyes opened to find Jungkook palming himself to the sight of you. You bit your lip and moaned at the vision. You wanted him close. You wanted him to be the one touching you. This was agonizing, yet you obeyed and added another finger inside you. Your thumb played with your clit for the added stimulation you needed.

           "Did I say you could do that with your thumb?" he threatened.

           Your hand stilled at his authoritative tone. You had no idea he had such a commanding presence, but then again, if you hadn't met Nochu first, you surely wouldn't have thought Jungkook was capable of being such a fantastic lover in bed.

           "You're not allowed to cum until I say so." he hissed.

           You whined as you continued to push your fingers inside of you, wanting a release so bad but torn between begging for Jungkook to be the one to bring you that pleasure instead and following what he wanted.

           "Nochu." you breathed.

           "Yes?"

           "I-I need you."

           "Well, babe." he smirked. "You'll just have to be a good girl before I give you your prize. You've disobeyed me so you have to earn it."

           Your body warmed, wanting so bad for him to touch you, to press his body against yours. Then he worsened your need by peeling off his boxers, his deliciously glistening cock springing up. You stared at it hungrily as you imagined your fingers were his length.

           "Want a taste?" he chuckled, noticing your ravenous stare.

           "Please." You breathed, slightly ashamed that you were being so submissive to Jungkook. You had prided yourself in not giving in to him so easily.

           "Since you asked so nicely." he walked over to you and stood closer to your face.

           You flicked your tongue out for a taste, but that was all you got. Jungkook knelt down and kissed you, tasting himself against your tongue. You pushed forward to press yourself against him, but he quickly unlatched himself, returning to his chair.

           "You got your taste, and I got mine."

           "Jungkook please." You were beyond desperate now. "Let me."

           He glanced down at his length. "You want more?"

           "Please." You begged. You no longer cared that he could possibly tease you for this afterwards. You wanted him so bad, it was hurting you. Not being able to touch him without restraints was more agonizing than having restraints on. It was mentally exhausting, and your control was crumbling quickly.

           "Come here then." he beckoned you over smugly as he spread his legs while sitting against the chair. "Crawl."

           You got on all fours and made your way to him shyly.

           "Go ahead." he gestured down to his cock, and you wasted no time, covering his length with your mouth hungrily. He groaned. After you bobbed three times, he pulled your hair up to stop you. You looked at him, desperately.

           "Up." he demanded.

           You stood up, and he did too. Ever so lightly, he caressed your shoulders, your collarbones, and traced a line down your chest to hover right in front of your clit. You held your breath, praying he would finally touch you and ease your raging need. He swiped once against your clit then sucked on his finger.

           And that was your breaking point.

           "I have had enough of your shit, Nochu." You growled as you pushed him roughly down into the chair.

           He smirked. "Are you going to teach me a few things...Noona?"

           Your body tingled at the sound of him calling you that.

           "Two can play at this game, don't you think?" he whispered into the shell of your ear. "I know you got turned on when I called you that."

           "I'm your client." You stated slowly.

           "Yes." he hummed, knowing what you were about to request.

           "So you do everything I request?"

           "I'm contracted to."

           Your heart bounced around inside your chest. "Call me Noona again."

           "Noona." he whispered.

           You straddled him and he grabbed your hips welcomingly.

           "Be submissive for me." You requested.

           "As you wish." he smiled then kissed your lips before changing personas. His voice was now breathy, whiny, and unsure. "Noona...teach me how you like it."

           You had to recollect yourself because the pleading way he had said that truly had you leaking on his lap. Who knew that this would be one of your weaknesses?

           "Like this?" Jungkook inserted a finger into you, and you groaned at finally feeling him inside you.

           "Y-yes. Like that."

           "What do I do now, Noona?"

           You pressed your forehead onto his shoulder, not knowing how much longer you could hold it. "Push in as deep as you can."

           Jungkook did so.

           "Faster."

           "Like this?" Jungkook purposely didn't speed up to keep up the role-play.

           "No." You grabbed his wrist and guided him to the speed you wanted, your entire body was on fire. You knew you could've orgasmed with his finger alone, but you were trying to last longer for your pride. You helped Jungkook push his fingers inside you, watching them disappear and reappear in awe. But you came back to your senses and pulled him out of you.

           "Let Noona help you with this." You stroked his length, causing him to groan roughly.  

           "N-noona..." Jungkook moaned, writhing underneath you.

           "Shh...." You cooed as you lined him up with your entrance. "I'll do all the work. Be a good boy."

           You slowly pushed yourself down, letting him fill you to the brim. Both of you tensed up at finally being in this position.

           "I feel like I'm already going to cum." You confessed, gripping his shoulders.

           "What happened to doing all the work?" Jungkook teased.

           "Shut up. It's cause of all your foreplay." You exhaled, trying to keep your cool so you didn't orgasm right then and there.

           Jungkook chuckled. "And your Noona kink ~"

           "Let's not mention that right now--whoa!"

           Jungkook had lifted you up while he was still inside you and slowly, positioned you both against the pillows.

           "How about I take it from here, baby?" he smirked.

           "I...I won't last long." You covered your face, ashamed.

           Jungkook laughed, "Hey, I'm not the Golden Host for nothing."

           "Fuck you." you glared.

           "With pleasure." he stuck his tongue out as he bucked into you.

           You groaned loudly, trying to reach for any part of his body to keep you sane. Jungkook leaned down and captured your lips to appease you while he steadily drilled into you until your body was shaking uncontrollably from your high. You were a heaving mess as he pulled out of you, still hard. You felt terrible, and was about to offer your assistance when a knock was heard at his door.

           "Y/N?"

           You and Jungkook stared at each other with wide eyes.

           It was Namjoon's voice.

           "What do I do?" you mouthed.

           Jungkook pointed at your naked body and rolled his eyes.

           "Right." You both shuffled around to gather your clothes.

           "Y/N?" he called out again.

           "Uh yeah. Gimme a sec." You winced, knowing that gave a clear indication of what you had been up to.

           "Alright. I can take you home or my place if you want."

           "What's he doing here?" Jungkook questioned.

           "Oh he owns the place." You stated.

           "He WHAT?" Jungkook yelled and you hurriedly covered his mouth. "Then he's MON??"

           "Shhhh!" you hissed.

           "Receptionist told me you were with Nochu." Namjoon continued.

           "Does he know Nochu is me?" Jungkook whispered.

           You shook your head.

           "Oh. Well then, invite him in." Jungkook shrugged and stood up tall, flexing his muscles. "Let's see who's better."

           "No!" You groaned and smacked him. "Help me clean up!"

           Jungkook exhaled and grabbed a few towels, helping you wipe yourself as you threw on your bra and shirt.

           "How's my hair? Do I look like I just got fucked?"

           Jungkook stared at you and laughed. "Yeah, you got fucked pretty good."

           You rolled your eyes and shoved him.

           Suddenly, a phone rang audibly from behind the door.

           "Oh. I gotta take this, Y/N. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? Don't go anywhere. I can take you home."

           You relaxed as you heard his footsteps disappear. Jungkook handed you the rest of your clothes then went to attend to his own.

           "You okay?" you pointed to his bulge.

           "Yeah." he snorted. "But my next client won't be."

           You chuckled. "Bless her soul."

           He smirked. "That impressive, huh?"

           You chucked a pillow at him.

           "So to what did I owe the pleasure of your company?" Jungkook knelt down and helped fix your hair up a bit.  

           You exhaled. "Well one, I wanted things to be okay with us again."

           Jungkook nodded for her to continue.

           "And second, Namjoon told me that he was leaving in a few days."

           Jungkook fell silent for a few seconds.

           "And what does that have to do with me?"

           "I well...I wanted advice. I'm not exactly sure how I'm feeling about it." You bit your lip.

           "Are you sad?"

           "Kind of?"

           "Only kind of?"

           "Well, I kind of knew it was coming..."

           "Well you should still be sad your crush is leaving."

           "He said that my lessons with him had to end...so maybe he doesn't want to see me anymore."

           "Orrr...." Jungkook stared at you intently. "he thinks it's an opportunity for it to not be lessons anymore and for you two be the real thing."

           You studied Jungkook's eyes as he said that, wondering if he was serious or joking, if he was talking about Namjoon or...

           He sighed and ruffled his hair. "Look, my advice would be to just confess to him instead of regretting it again like all those years ago. You need an answer regardless, and the only way you'll know is if you ask. Kind of like how you pushed me to just talk to girls. They're still terrifying, but less so after I just take that first step."

           You smiled, thinking about his progress.

           "Most guys won't know your feelings unless you tell them directly." He patted your head. "So just tell him. We only started pretending to date so you could become more experienced and mature to get Namjoon to take you seriously, right? So now that you are, go and do what you set out to do."

           "Thank you." You grabbed Jungkook's hand gratefully. "Are we okay?"

           Jungkook's lips curled as he squeezed your hand. "Let's end this learning module now, okay? Between us."

           Your heart panged at his words for some reason.

           "I promise I'll answer from now on if you need advice from the male perspective, but let's just be clear about where we stand now. Let's stop with the lessons too."

           You nodded, knowing he was being reasonable. You couldn't start something serious with Namjoon if you were still fooling around with Jungkook on the side. It was time to fly without having him to fall back on and teach you.

           "Friends?" You smiled.

           Jungkook hesitated and nodded. "Sure, friends."

           "Well, I'm gonna go then. He should be done with the call now." You began walking backwards, feeling a little sad parting from him.

           "Good luck." he waved his hand lightly.

           "Jungkook." You whispered, not feeling right calling him by his Club name.

           "Yeah?"

           You outstretched your hand once again, and he took it.

           "Just for the record, you're fine just the way you are."

           "Y/N." Jungkook chuckled, mimicking your tone.

           "Yeah?" You grinned.

           "Just for the record, you're the first person that ever wanted to truly understand me."

           You two smiled at each other gratefully.

           Jungkook squeezed your hand and gestured with his head. "Go. Say what you need to say. Don't be a chicken."

           You nodded. "Thank you for everything."

           "I'm awesome, aren't I?"

           You rolled your eyes, and your hand slowly slipped out of his as you walked out of the room. As the door closed behind you, Jungkook plopped down into his pillows with a big sigh.

           It was done.

           And so, a few days later, you watched silently as Namjoon cleaned up his apartment, packing his car for his departure.

           "Y/N? You okay?" Namjoon crouched down to come face to face with you.

           You were chanting a mantra to gain courage to say the confession that you had kept hidden for years. His apartment was now spotless, and you knew the next time he walked out that door, he would be gone. It was now or never.

           "I like you." You blurted out.

           Namjoon's eyes widened and he blinked a few times. "Pardon?"

           "I like you. I've liked you since we first met and ever since then, I've held onto my crush on you." You stumbled out your unorganized feelings.

           Namjoon studied you for any traces of humor and teasing, but his silence was agonizing to you.            

           In a soft voice, he asked. "And what about now?"

           "What?" You blinked, not quite expecting that response.

           "You said you've liked me since back then, but we're different people than we were back then. How are you sure you like me...what if you just like the idea of me you idealized in the past?"

           You looked down, trying to take his statements in. "How would I be able to tell the difference?"

           "Y/N, here's my last lesson to you." He cupped your cheek. "At times, we mistake love for admiration and often times, people mistake lust for love. Even though we spent so much time together, can you really say that you know the real me enough to love me?"

           You stared at him, surprised. You had never really thought of it. When you looked back on it, most of the times you spent with Namjoon had always led to some sort of physical intimacy, to the point that you began expecting it eagerly when you met him. He taught you things and it filled you with butterflies...but was that because it was him you were doing it with, or because you were learning something new? What exactly did you know about Namjoon? He was a great teacher, sweet, wise, but beyond that, you didn't truly know. Were you really seeing him for him? Or did your eyes have an idealized filter because of your long time one-sided, unrequited crush?

           Namjoon poked your forehead with a smile. "Don't think too hard. Things like this come from your heart. But you know...the fact that you have to think about it already shows that you aren't in love with me currently."

           "Then what was I feeling?"

           "'Like'. Lust." Namjoon caressed your cheek. "You liked learning and I was someone you could learn a lot from. You admired my knowledge, and you lusted after me."

           "How will I be able to tell the difference?"

           "'Like' may turn into love and love almost always contains some sort of lust. They're all very similar, but as I've always said, you have to know yourself best because who else will? What do you think you're feeling? What thought went through your mind when you heard I was leaving?"

           "That I needed to tell you how I felt before you left."

           Namjoon smiled, "Why?"

           You hummed, "Because I didn't want to leave it unsaid like last time."

           Namjoon stepped forward, "And what did you want from me after confessing?"

           You glanced up and realized, surprised at your own response. "Nothing...I just wanted to say it..."

           He grinned. "Sounds to me like you just needed a bit of closure from your past."

           You furrowed your brows.

           "If you loved me, you'd want me to be with you. You'd selfishly want me to like you back. You'd try to make a relationship work between us despite the distance."

           "And what about you?" You worried your lip. "How do you feel about me?"

           "Y/N." Namjoon kissed your forehead. "You are beautiful. Body, mind, and soul. You have been one of the most unique people I've ever been with and known. But for me, I wanted to help you, and I craved physical intimacy that I hadn't had in awhile because I had been so busy. I enjoyed your company thoroughly and I've learned a lot through being with you these few months."

           "But you don't love me." You finished.

           Namjoon smiled. "And you don't love me."

           You looked down. "I guess... not."

           Namjoon grabbed your hand. "But thank you for your feelings back then. Thank you for being a fantastic companion, and for brightening up my stay here in Seoul. I now know that I have to work twice as hard to become cooler like you."

           You chuckled.

           "And Y/N. I really, really do like you. I want to make it clear that I wasn't just attracted to your body." He gave your hand a light squeeze. "But I think we both know that there is someone out there that's better for you than me. Someone I've noticed you have untapped feelings for."

           You raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

           He chuckled. "We're a bit too similar, don't you think? Will we truly ever grow if we stay constant? If we only surround ourselves with people of the same mind? You may have learned a lot from me, but are you truly experiencing everything life has to offer when you're around me? Everything love can show you?"

           You stared up at Namjoon, thinking it through. He was someone that was always out of reach for you. He knew more, he saw more, he was always five steps ahead of you. Thinking ahead, you probably would get tired of running after him, trying to catch up to where he was. You would feel like a burden asking him to teach you constantly and him holding your hand through everything, leading you through life. You would get tired of constantly feeling like there was a barrier you couldn't cross, a pedestal beside him that you needed to reach in order to be with him. You didn't want to live that kind of life, be in that kind of relationship, and you know that Namjoon didn't either.

           You both wanted someone to walk beside you rather than in front or behind you.

           Grinning widely, you realized the meaning behind Namjoon's words.

           "It seems I still have a long way to go in order to understand myself."

           Namjoon ruffled your hair. "You're on your way. And this isn't goodbye. I'm sure our paths will cross again, and I'm sure you'll be more mature and beautiful when we meet next."

           You chuckled. "When that happens, don't you dare fall for me."

           Namjoon snorted. "As long as you don't try to seduce me seriously."

           You giggled.

           "Thanks for everything Y/N."

           "No, thank you Namjoon."

           You smiled as you two hugged one last time, knowing you were about to part ways for a good while once again.

           "Well, see ya around, Y/N." Namjoon stepped back towards the door.

           "Wait! Do you need an umbrella? It's pouring outside!" You worried as you caught sight of the weather outside.

           "Nah." Namjoon chuckled and shook his head as he placed one half of his body outside. "I'd rather feel the rain."

           You giggled.

           "Until next time, Y/N."

           "Bye...Joon." You smiled warmly, feeling lighter and refreshed, finally receiving your closure after all these years.

           A few hours and much contemplation and hesitations later, you stumbled into Club Masquerade, slightly disheveled and mask-less.

           "Is Jungkook in already?" You breathed.

           "Uh yeah, he came early. Out back." The Receptionist blinked. "Y/N...your mask..."

           "You guys are still not open. It'll be okay!" You called out as you scurried to the back to find Jungkook.

           You pushed the door open eagerly to the dressing room and gasped when you walked in on Jungkook throwing his shirt off. He turned and you two locked eyes. Hurriedly, he spun his chest away from you.

           "Y/N! THIS IS A BOY'S CHANGING ROOM!" he bellowed. "What're you doing here?"

           You smiled at his normal reaction to you. You walked forward and wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your face on his back warmly. You felt him relax into your embrace, and you wondered how you never noticed that this had felt like home to you.

           "You okay?" Jungkook questioned worriedly.

           "Mhm."

           "I'm guessing you got rejected?" he hummed.

           "No...not exactly."

           "What does that mean?" he snorted.

           "Hey, you're not flinching or getting flustered!" you grinned.

           Jungkook scoffed. "It's just you."

           "Oh ~" You slid your hand up towards his pectorals. "And if I do this?"

           Jungkook immediately grabbed hold of your hands roughly and pried them off his chest. He whipped around to face you.

           "D-don't do that!" he panicked.

           You giggled. "There you are."

           He exhaled and let go of your hand, but you gripped his tighter. His eyes glanced towards you curiously.

           "I realized that I didn't really like Namjoon all that much." You admitted shyly.

           Jungkook's eyes widened. "Oh?"

           "Yeah. I think I might've just you know...had some unresolved feelings from the past...and well, was kind of horny." You laughed nervously. Your heart bouncing around inside you. "Seems like I still have a lot to learn about my feelings, huh?"

           He chuckled. "You and me both."

           You smiled, calling him. "Jungkook."

           "Yeah?"

           "Do you think it goes from like to lust to love or like to love to lust...or are they all intertwined?"

           Jungkook looked up, thinking. "I don't know... Why can't you have all of them? Why do you think there's an order?"

           "What do you mean?"

           "Well if you love someone, you have to like them, and if you love someone romantically, you should feel lust towards them. Shouldn't you have all of them when you love someone and want to be with them?"

           "And for us." You stepped forward, closing the distance between you and Jungkook boldly. "Which do you think applies?"

           Jungkook looked down at you questioningly.

           "Are we in the 'like' phase or are we in the 'lust' phase?" You blinked up at him. "Do you think it'll ever move forward to a new stage?"

           Jungkook blushed shyly at your forwardness, but his heart was also hammering against his chest.

           "I think..." he intertwined his fingers with yours. "...that we'll just have to see where things lead."

           You chuckled, "Well then, if it's alright with you, I'd like to still see you at Club Masquerade from time to time."

           "I'll make a special slot for my favorite customer." he grinned as he curled your hair behind your ear gently. "But you know..."

           "Hm?" You tilted your head.

           "We can see each other outside of Masquerade too." he averted his eyes. "Since we're friends and all...you know."

           You smirked. "Yes, close friends."

           His cheeks became dusted by a tint of pink.

           "Jungkook." You called again after a few seconds of reveling in the way his thumb grazed the back of your hand.

           "Hm?"

           "You know the rules that you said Red Mask was giving you?"

           "Yeah?"

           "What's the official Rule #1?"

           "Oh you'll like this one." Jungkook grinned. "Don't confuse the 3L's but use the experience to 4L."

           "Which means...?"

           "Which means don't confuse like, love, and lust-- the 3L's-- with each other at work, but use the experience for learning and for life; a play on words with the number 4 and 'for'." Jungkook snorted.

           "How appropriate." You grinned. "And punny."

           Jungkook wiggled his eyebrows and leaned forward, closing in your faces. "How about providing me some clarity between like, love, and lust?"

           "You sure it won't confuse you more?" You smirked as you ghosted over his lips.

           "I'll take the hit." Jungkook grinned before capturing your lips with his.

           Neither of you were sure where this was going or whatever you two were in the present, but you knew that this time, you two were going to take it slow and figure things out together. You weren't anything, but you were also something. And it was okay for the time being that you had no label and no commitment. All that mattered was that you felt something different when you were with him. You and Jungkook still had plenty to learn, but you knew that you two would go through it walking side by side. And maybe, just maybe, you would find your answers in him and with him. Maybe you'll find a sliver of your answer or maybe you won't find it at all. Maybe it would become forever or it could end in just a fling.

           No one ever really knows what the future will hold. But you could certainly choose your present.

           You smiled into the kiss remembering that you two had met because you had only been slightly driving over the speed limit. Was it fate that he was the one patrolling at that time? That he had to make his quota and you were the one he had to crack down on to meet it?

           Who knew the cop that pissed you off would become a significant person in your life?

           No one truly ever knows when their life is going to change. No one knows who's going to waltz into it unexpectedly and alter it forever.

           "Now, if you want me for an hour, you know where to schedule that." Jungkook bit his lip seductively and pulled your waist closer to him. "How about it?"

           You laughed and tapped his still bare chest. "Someone's a little eager, huh?"

           "Says the person who came barging in here to try to catch me naked." he grinned.

           You rolled your eyes. "I have plans unfortunately, but save some energy for me tomorrow."

           Jungkook chuckled. "So you come in here, turn me on, then leave me hanging?"

           "Teasing is my specialty." You cackled, but Jungkook kissed your mouth, taking you by surprise.

           "What a coincidence." he whispered against your neck. "It's mine too."

           "Jungko--"

           Jungkook nipped at the sensitive part of your neck and your legs buckled.

           "Seriously." You exhaled.

            "I just need a few minutes." he hummed onto your skin.

           You smirked and fanned your hand against the expanse of his abdomen. "I can't turn down free service."

           He grinned.

           "But will you really need just a few minutes?" You taunted.

           Jungkook growled and lifted you up easily, slamming you against his locker and roughly biting your lower lip.

           "Watch me." He hissed.

           "She didn't see me right?" Jimin shot his head up from underneath the Receptionist's table.

           "No... you dove in there like shots were being fired." she snorted.

           "I don't want her telling people I used to work here." Then Jimin pointed at his girlfriend. "And you should've told me she and Jungkook met here first!! I'm going to get in serious trouble!"

           "I told you, I have to keep clients' identity private!" she hissed.

           "Well, you didn't tell me. She waltzed in here, mask-less, sooo..." Jimin grinned. "Turn on that monitor."

           "What? Why?"

           "I wanna see my prodigy in action." Jimin giggled.

           "Oh boy." Receptionist rolled her eyes, but did so anyway.

           Jimin sat on her lap and she embraced him from behind warmly as they watched.

           "You think they'll end up being like us?" Jimin hummed.

           "Stupid? And date other people before getting together?" Receptionist grinned.

           "Yeah, pretty much. They kind of remind me of us back then." Jimin leaned into his girlfriend.

           "Lost?" Receptionist giggled.

           "Yeah, for lack of other words at the moment." Jimin shrugged.

           "Babe, we're still pretty lost." she kissed his cheek.

           "But at least we're lost together." Jimin smiled.

           Receptionist cringed, "Oh gosh. Why would you say that?"

           "Love me!" Jimin pouted as he pulled her face into his chest.

           "Who are you? And where did you put my Red Mask?!" Receptionist teased.

           "Oh come now, you really have to get over Red Mask." Jimin grinned. "He's happily taken."

           "Such a dork." she snorted.

           Jimin kissed her lips, "Yeah, but you're stuck with me."

           "I know." she smiled.

           "Oppa, sorry I'm running late. I'll text you my pass code. Let yourself in." You breathed as you rushed out of the Club.

           "I thought you didn't have work today."

           "I ran into a friend suddenly and lost track of time. My bad."

           "It's fine. Just send me your pass code and I'll get started on the meal. You must be hungry."

           "Oh yeah, for sure."

           "Get here safely. Don't rush."

           "Thanks Oppa. See you soon."

           Jin grinned happily as he entered the cozy apartment and placed the groceries on the counter.

           "Wow, I'm surprised it's clean." he giggled. "The true test is her room."

           He waltzed around the apartment and found where your bedroom was.

           "Wahh..." he glanced around at the messy state of the room and shook his head. "Knew it."

           Suddenly, something on your desk caught his eyes and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He slowly approached, praying that his eyes were deceiving him, but as he got closer, he became more certain it was reality.

           "Oh... my gosh..." he gasped as his fingers reached for the familiar looking mask on your desk. The very mask that was well known amongst the hosts as Dark Angel's, the infamous customer who gave the Golden Host Nochu a run for his money and diffused his ego a bit. The same person Jungkook was seeing outside of the Club. It was you...it was you... his --

           "Yes, Tae. Namjoon liked the bathing suit you picked out with the help of your co-workers. And no, I didn't tell him you picked it out! That'd be weird! And NO, I didn't tell him it was Gucci. Just cause it has a G logo on it doesn't make it Gucci, Tae!" You huffed. "Anyways, I'm home now. I'll catch ya later. Mhm, Jin's here. No, you weren't invited. Bye."

           He flinched as the door flew open and your voice rang happily throughout the room, "Hey. Look who finally decided to come out of hiding and visit his precious little sister!"

           Jin dropped the mask and put on his best fake smile to greet you. You walked over to embrace him warmly, happy about the reunion. All the while, he was internally screaming and panicking about this unexpected and unfortunate discovery, calculating whether he would be able to give Jungkook a good punch in the face without hurting himself in the process.

           "Wow. What an honor, getting a call from a Chairman candidate on such a fine, weekend day." Jimin smirked. He pressed his phone to his ear as he leaned against his car suavely. "Yes. Unfortunately, Mr. Jeon truly felt like he wasn't business material and decided to step away from his intern position. Yeah, we all knew that was coming. You would've ended up like that if you didn't meet-- Yessss! Don't worry...I'm taking good care of Y/N. She's doing great as my intern. Uh huh. Yep. Stop being annoying, Yoongi-hyung. She's not even your sister-in-law yet. I'm doing this because I love your girlfriend more. Hm? Oh yes..."

           Jimin grinned as he watched Receptionist step out of her apartment.

           "Y/N seems to be having LOTS~ of fun here in Seoul."

           "Finally got a break, huh?" Jungkook giggled into his phone. "Yeah, I'm on my way to meet you. Mhm, I brought Cloud."

           "How's that girl from the Club?"

           "We're doing good. Nothing's really changed from when we were 'fake' dating." Jungkook snorted.

           "Cause you weren't being 'fake', like I told you three billion times."

           Jungkook rolled his eyes at his friend's comment.

           "Either way, aren't you glad I pushed you to sign up for that open position at Club Masquerade?"

           Jungkook smiled to himself. "Yeah, hyung. I really am."

           "And don't be wishy-washy for too long, Kook-ah. She might slip away from you. I've had that happen to me."

           "Alright, alright. Save the wisdom for another time. I'm almost at the meeting spot. Where are you?"

           "Same! I should be..."

           "Oh? I think I see you?" Jungkook peered just a few steps ahead on the sidewalk at two figures that were about to pass each other.

           "Who-whoa- whoa!" was heard both up ahead and through his phone, confirming that it was indeed his friend in front of him.

           Two figures stumbled as their respective dogs tangled themselves around their owners.

           "Tae!" Jungkook called out.

           The taller figure lifted his head up and grinned, waving his phone excitedly in the air.

           "Kook-ah! You found me!"

           "Nooo my pastry." The woman that had fallen from the entanglement of the leashes frowned, looking at her broken pastry with a heartbroken expression . "I waited so long in line..."

           "Soonshim." Tae sternly looked at his dog, who immediately and obediently ran around to loosen the leash around their legs. "Good boy."

           Tae and Jungkook then proceeded to help the woman up.

           "Oh?" Jungkook pointed, recognizing her. "Aren't you from--?"

           "Mr. Jeon!" the woman bowed, flustered.

           "I was just an interim intern at the company." Jungkook waved his hands, shyly. "Please don't call me that."

           "But you're the CE--"

           Jungkook pressed his finger over his lips with a smile on his face, and the woman blushed, remaining silent.

           "Hehe, Mr. Jeon." Tae cackled as he patted Soonshim lovingly, unaware of their secret exchange. "Sounds funny."

           "She works at the company I used to work at." Jungkook introduced.

           "With Jimin?" Tae smiled.

           "Yeah." Jungkook averted his eyes, knowing the story behind Jimin, the Receptionist, and Tae fairly well.

           "Oh hi there, little guy ~" Tae knelt down to pet the woman's puppy easily. "You just recently adopted him didn't you?"

           "Uh...yeah." the woman blushed. "How'd you know?"

           "He's a fantastic vet." Jungkook smiled. "I met him when my dog, Cloud, got really sick. Then we've been friends ever since."

           "Ah." The woman nodded, intrigued.

           "Oh right, your pastry! Here! I got the same one." Tae pulled out a bag from inside his bag. "My cousin owns that little shop you got the pastry from, so I get perks hehe."

��          Jungkook tilted his head. "You have a cousin??"

           Tae chuckled. "Yeah, doesn't everyone?"

           "Well...no...not if your parents were only children?" Jungkook looked at him, amused.

           Tae hesitated. "Oh...well where I'm from they like to have a lot of kids so I have a lottt of cousins!"

           Tae giggled as he calmed the dogs down, then proceeded to hand the bag over to the woman, "Here, please eat it! I'm sorry for Soonshim being so playful."

           "Oh, I couldn't..."

           Suddenly her stomach growled and she covered her face in embarrassment. Tae laughed, and grabbed her hand, placing the bag in them warmly.

           "I insist. I can get my cousin to make me more anyway."

           "Th-thank you..." the woman bowed, unable to look at Tae's face out of shame.

           "Your puppy is super healthy by the way! Keep taking him on walks frequently." Tae smiled.

           "I will." she glanced up and smiled slightly in return.

           "Well, have a good day, Miss!" Tae waved.

           "Wait! I didn't catch your name!" she called out.

           Tae spun around, grinning as he walked backwards. "Taehyung. Kim Taehyung. You can call me Tae or Tae-Tae! I'm sure we'll meet again, Miss Puppy!"

           "Tae, that's not her name!" Jungkook nudged him and whispered.

           Tae cackled and skipped ahead, nonchalantly. Jungkook bowed to the woman and hurried after his carefree friend, slinging his arm around him warmly.

           "So how many cousins DO you have exactly, Tae?"  

.

.

.

.

SEE YOU IN MASQUERADE IV (COMING EVENTUALLY)

[lilacmoon83]

Once Upon a Snowing

This is one of my own prompts again. Takes place during the missing year. Now that it is known that David is not really James, some conceded nobles try to suggest Charming's marriage to Snow isn't legitimate. Needless to say, this doesn't go over well with Snow. She gets protective and defends her beloved.

Once Upon a Snowing

Picked the Wrong Princess

Charming was starting to quickly remember the things he loathed about royal life. The threat of the Wicked Witch still loomed over them, but that that not stopped them from picking up the pieces and trying to bring prosperity back to a broken kingdom.

That involved being ready to fight when necessary. That part was his area of expertise and he was ready at a moment's notice to defend them.

Unfortunately, it also involved politics and diplomacy. That he gladly left up to Snow. It was the first ball they had thrown since being back and nobles from several kingdoms had flocked to their castle this evening.

The evening had started off quite pleasant. His darling Snow looked radiantly beautiful, as always, in a white ball gown, a color he loved on her. He had even shared a few dances with her and they whispered quietly to each other with smiles. They missed Emma and Henry fiercely, but couldn't help but be overjoyed with the news that Snow was pregnant. It was very early yet and she was not showing so they had decided it would be their secret for now.

But she was glowing and as he chose a non alcoholic drink for her, hoping no one would notice yet, he saw a few noblemen were speaking with her and Regina.

He recognized them as nobles from King Midas' court and he instantly felt uneasy. Since it was now a known fact that he was not James and not raised as a Prince, he had heard plenty of whispers among the aristocracy, especially elder members, of how they believed this made his marriage to Snow illegitimate. Those rumors had actually made Snow angrier than him. He had accepted them for what they were, but she had ranted about their audacity and made it quite clear that no one had better ever dare to suggest that he was anything less than her husband to her or she'd use them for target practice. Snow loved him and he never had to worry about that changing. But it still bothered him when these men blatantly flirted with her and refused to acknowledge his existence.

Of the three men speaking with them, two were older and the third was younger, around his age. He got close enough to hear the conversation, but did not join in. He knew Snow only had eyes for him, but agitation swirled in him, as they fawned all over his wife. He strongly suspected that Midas had put them up to this, probably without Abigail's knowledge. He had embarrassed Midas when he refused to marry Abigail to be with Snow, nevermind that Abigail was happy with Frederick.

"Princess Snow...thank you so much for granting us an audience this fine evening," the elder Lord said, kissing the back of her gloved hand. Snow was polite, but pulled her hand away as quickly as possible without being rude.

"I'm glad you could come. It is our hope that we can restore prosperity to this land," she said formally.

"With you as Queen someday...I do not think there is any doubt," the young man leered, making Regina roll her eyes.

"Princess...this is my son John and he is quite knowledgeable in diplomacy and we have an army available to fight the witch," the Lord stated and Regina had to fight a smile. This was going to be good.

"Are you offering your army's assistance?" Snow asked curiously. The three men exchanged glances and Regina whispered to her.

"I think he's offering his hand," she mumbled and Snow blanched.

"Well, that would be really stupid of him," she mumbled back.

"Your husband was a peasant. You should have probably seen this coming," Regina whispered back.

"My husband is no one's business but mine," Snow hissed back.

"Princess Snow...we don't mean to be bold, but there are concerns among the nobility about your chosen. Some feel deceived, for they would have never granted their permission for your wedding if they had known he was not of noble birth," John said delicately.

"I never asked for anyone's permission nor do I give a damn what they want," Snow snapped back, starting the draw attention. John looked embarrassed and tried to save the situation.

"Your Majesty...I meant no disrespect," he stammered.

"Yes you did. I will say that it does take guts for you to come into my castle and disrespect my husband," she snapped.

"You're making a scene," Regina warned, though she was secretly enjoying it. Snow didn't seem to hear her, as she continued her rant.

"Princess…" John started to say, but he was cut off.

"Do you think this ring on my finger is for decoration? Do you think I give a damn about where he was born?" she asked.

"I…" he stuttered.

"Because if you do, then you don't know me at all. Love is the only thing Charming and I have ever needed," she continued.

"I meant no offense," he stammered.

"Hmm...no you were just hoping I would agree with you. You were hoping this witch had me scared enough to think I needed your useless army to defend us. You were hoping I was some weak, scared little princess. Like I would give some sniveling little weasel like you the time of day, especially when I have a man like my Charming," she hissed.

The whole room was staring by now. David's mouth was ajar, Grumpy and Granny were laughing their asses off, and Regina looked slightly mortified. Everyone else was either staring in bewildered awe or disbelief.

"Finally some action to liven up this place," Grumpy said.

"Mmm...this moron picked the wrong princess," Granny added.

"Your Majesty...there is no need to lose your temper," the elder man chided. Snow raised her chin, giving him her best cold, regal stare.

"I'm so glad you're here to tell me that. I don't know if Midas put you up to this or if you did this on your own, but let's make it this crystal clear for everyone right now. Charming is my husband. He fought for this Kingdom by my side. He is my true love. I'd still be cursed if not for him and you have the audacity to waltz in here thinking the likes of you could do anything to change that?" Snow ranted.

"I think you've made your point," Regina said. She secretly found the whole thing hilarious, as did the dwarves, who made no effort to hide their amusement. Snow felt her husband's presence behind her and turned to him.

"Where's my bow?" she asked.

"Um...probably in the armory," he replied, as he handed the drinks off to a servant. He knew her well enough to know that if he handed it to her, she'd just throw it all over the pompous nobleman. While that would be entertaining, it wouldn't be productive.

"Can you please get it for me?" she asked. He smiled at her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I don't think you need to do that," he replied.

"Oh I do…they can't disrespect you, the man I love like this," she grumbled. He smiled.

"I daresay they won't make that mistake again. They looked mortified," he said. She turned back to glare at them. John looked like was going to wet himself so she took satisfaction in that, at least.

"I...I think we have our answer. I'm so sorry, Princess Snow," John stammered.

"I'm not the one you should apologize to, but I'd rather you'd just leave. Don't let the palace doors hit you on the way out," Snow growled.

"Snow…" he said, as he put his hand on her arm. She turned to him and grabbed him by the collar, before crushing her lips against his.

"Wow...guess I have no reason to be worried," he joked.

"Please tell me you weren't really worried," she pleaded.

"I know you only love me...but they're right. I'm not a real Prince. I'm just a shepherd," he replied.

"Charming...you have never been just anything. You are my husband...my true love...the father of my children...my hero. You may not be a prince by birth...but you are my Prince," Snow insisted.

"I know...but it doesn't surprise me that Midas would try something like this. He's probably still embarrassed by what I did. Men like him don't forget when they've been slighted and with this witch loose, he'd just love to gain control of another Kingdom," he surmised.

"I have not missed the politics that come with ruling a Kingdom," she mentioned. She was seriously missing their lives in Storybrooke right now.

"I miss them too," he agreed, as she looked at him and he took her in his arms.

"I love you…" she whispered. He kissed her hair.

"And I love you, my darling. You leave me in awe of you everyday. I'm the luckiest man in all the realms," he replied. She smiled and kissed him tenderly.

"I'm the lucky one...I don't ever want to imagine my life without you," she said, getting teary. Damn hormones.

"You never have to. Our love is eternal," he promised.

"Do you think they'd miss us if we slipped away?" she asked, biting her bottom lip. He grinned.

"Do we care if they do?" he teased. She smirked and grabbed his arm, as she pulled him along and they ascended the castle stairs with their bed chambers being the intended destination...