#also it turns out that TODAY it has been seven years since i posted him on toyhouse. i mean he's maybe a week older than that but like

[sn0wbat]

he's all ears :3

[claymoresword]

The Queen And Her Knight | Chp: 7

Alicent Hightower x Knight Fem!Reader

Summary: Alicent Hightower against her better judgement, falls in love with her sworn protector. Can she bear to fight her feelings or will she finally just give in?

Wordcount: 4.2k

Pairing: Alicent x Reader

Warnings: power imbalance, angst, fluff, smut, fingering, g!p reader, dialogue heavy, mentions of alcoholism

Note: you asked and after a year i finally delivered! this one definitely moves the plot forward but i also managed to get carried away with the smut somehow lol. if you wish to skip it just keep a lookout for the asterisks

enjoy!

Taglist: @blackbirdv98 @flaiire1805 @alicentfangirl @memarrymilf @thegayassbit-ch @vantestark @hauntedfictionland @livinginafantasysposts @baddie-on-a-mission-xx @evolutionsglory @darthtargnister @dxrewclf @rozmrazaradelfinow @wlwfanfictionss @karsonromanoff

You hold up the crown for all to see. The aged relic is a circlet of valyrian steel, set with blood-red rubies. Although only few remained, the squared cut gemstones were still a captivating sight to regard nonetheless.

The crown was once worn by Aegon The Conqueror – it seems fitting that it now be passed down to his namesake. 

The dragon pit is engulfed in trepidation enough to stifle, as you gently place the crown upon Aegon's head.

It fits like a glove. A reassuring and altogether unsettling prospect.

“Let the Seven bear witness, Aegon Targaryen, is the true heir to the Iron Throne.” A declaration that rattles the silence. Your voice travels far, it ricochets off the towering walls and high ceilings.

You watched as the High Septon assisted the King back onto his feet before bowing at him in respect. 

Your hand firmly resting on the hilt of your sword as you incline your head the same way when Aegon glances at you.

As he shifts his stare toward his mother, Alicent performs a curtsey. Followed by the same from Helaena. 

Aemond holds his older brother's gaze for a moment before inclining his head in respect as well.

“All hail His Grace, Aegon, Second Of His Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord Of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.” The High Septon announces as Aegon turns to face the mass of people watching the ceremony.

“Aegon the king!” You call out, and soon the crowd erupts, loud bursts of shouts and claps, all celebrating their new king.

═══════════════════════════════════════════

While you stood in the dowager queen's bedchambers, your expression twists incredulously as Alicent endlessly fusses at your breastplate. Soon, moving behind you to fasten your white cloak.

“Your Grace, I can manage this on my own, truly.” You insist once more, feeling rather queer. A queen should not be tending to you, in fact it ought to be the opposite. 

Alicent remains determined, and stubborn.

“Hush.” She scolds, and you say nothing else.

“There we are.” She says, smoothing out your green tunic. After accepting the post as Lord Commander, you have since abandoned your own house colors. 

Even the breastplate you have chosen for today was a foreign one, no longer the golden kraken, now intricately carved with the sigil of House Hightower instead. 

Uncanny as it may be, you could not deny that it was beautifully made, and generally easier on the eyes compared to your old armor, it also fits far more comfortably.

You catch Alicent's eyes upon you, now suddenly feeling exposed, by the way she was observing your frame. 

Shameless and brazen; you can't help the way it stirs something within you.

“Alicent.” You snatch her attention abruptly, forcing back your amusement.

“Hm?” The dowager queen replies, lost for a moment. It seems she only realizes she has been caught when your eyes meet. A visible blush rapidly creeps up to her face in a way that makes your heart flutter.

“You seem to be eyeing me like a meal to devour.” You point out, causing Alicent to avert her gaze entirely from embarrassment.

Gods, how desperately you wish to kiss her right now.

“You look exceptional in green,” The queen utters, her hand slips up your forearm.

In truth, her admittance doesn't surprise you. 

Fascinating how she can be transparent one moment and entirely unreadable the next. 

This notion alone draws you in beyond reason. With Alicent, you are always acting on pure desire and instinct. 

She has completely enchanted you.

“Is that right?” You ask regardless, moving closer.

Alicent nods, her bottom lip set in between her teeth. The sight of her like this always drove you mad with the urge to ravage her here and now. 

The older woman instinctively slips her arms around your neck. It takes all of your control to only place a hand on the small of her back and nowhere else, trailing tender kisses along her jaw.

“Do you enjoy seeing me in armor, Your Grace?” You whisper. 

As you part her hair away from her neck, you allow your lips to meet the shell of her ear. Relishing in the way Alicent trembles at your touch.

“I do, very much.” She answers, and as you pull away, Alicent does quite the opposite, leaning in to capture your lips with her own. 

Open-mouthed and eager, she kisses you with enough fervor and passion to leave you aching for more.

You can hardly help the way your hand slips lower to squeeze her rear, pulling her flush against your groin.

Alicent gasps into your mouth at the sensation, now feeling the bulge in your breeches. 

She kisses you once more before pulling away, nuzzling her face into the crook of your neck to hide her flushed expression.

“Lord Commander.. you are being terribly indecent.” The queen's tone betrays a playfulness, one that exhilarates you.

“I cannot help it, my queen. You drive me half-mad with want.” You remark, as your hand slides up her back in a languid manner.

Alicent exhales against your neck. She pulls you in even closer, welcoming your touch.

“Be safe today.. return to me in one piece.” The other woman utters, you meet her brown eyes, warm and enticing.

“If the Gods will it, I shall.” Your response is likely less than reassuring, but the dowager queen does not say anything to confront this.

Alicent merely occupies herself by tracing along your features delicately with her thumb. Your eyes flutter shut for a moment, unable to hide the smirk that tugs at the corners of your mouth, basking in the attention she is giving you.

“Kiss me again.” You ask, and the queen moves to do exactly that, but a knock on the door causes Alicent to abruptly pull away, resuming a proximity.

The suddenness of her action nearly knocks the wind out of you and your smile quickly dissipates. 

It aches, in truth, having to sneak around like this. You mislike feeling like a dirty secret– the queen's mistress.

Or perhaps her whore.

“Come.” Alicent calls, she composes herself as she straightens out her gown. A heartbeat before her father enters.

Alicent's demeanor shifts in a way you have been privy to in the past. It appears effortless the way her expression sets impassively, her hands clasped firmly over her stomach.

Now she is queen Alicent, again. No longer the woman you had been kissing just moments prior.

Otto has his jaw tightened in a similar fashion, studying you in a way that forces you to shift uncomfortably, despite yourself. “Lord Commander, it is time for us to depart.” He finally utters.

You nod, reaching for your sword belt. “Very good, m’lord.” 

As you fastened the belt upon yourself, you observed as Alicent retrieved what appears to be a piece of parchment from her bedside table. The dowager hands it over to her father, whispering something to him that is intelligible to your ears. 

Even as you move slightly closer under the guise of arming your steel, you are still unable to make out the sudden, and evidently secretive conversation being had between them.

You vow to sate your curiousity and confront Alicent about this later; after you have successfully delivered terms to princess Rhaenyra.

═══════════════════════════════════════════

Your arrival at Dragonstone was expectedly greeted with nothing but asperity– the threat of blood shed felt imminent as you stood on the bridge.

Your army, alongside Otto's, staring down the few men who remain loyal to the Rogue Prince.

Rhaenyra Targaryen has evidently fashioned these men to act as her newly appointed Queensguard.

The notion of an agonizing death looms over all of you as her large dragon remained perched a few feet away. 

Syrax is silent– as if she possessed the capacity to understand the situation at hand.

You could sense the ground beneath you rumble every time the dragon took a breath, sending a never ending chill down your spine.

“You all are traitors to the realm.” Queen Rhaenyra declares, her late father's golden crown perched upon her head.

“King Aegon Targaryen, second of his name, in his wisdom and desire for peace, is offering terms. Confess Aegon as king and swear obeisance before the Iron Throne.” Otto pauses, and Rhaenyra only acknowledges the statement with a scowl, before a hardened expression takes over her features once more.

You observed as Daemon scoffed. His grip on his steel continued to advise you to keep a firm hold on your own sword.

“In exchange, His Grace will confirm your possession of Dragonstone. It will pass to your true born son Jacaerys upon your death.” The Hand offers, generous in any other circumstance– if it was not Rhaenyra's birthright that has been stolen from her.

“Lucerys will be confirmed as the legitimate heir to Driftmark, and all the lands and holding of house Velaryon.”

“Your sons by prince Daemon, will also be given places of high honor at court. Aegon the younger as the king's squire, Viserys as his cupbearer. Finally, the king in his good grace will pardon any knight or Lord who conspired against his ascent.” Otto finishes, and the rogue prince is quick to retaliate.

“I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken usurper cunt of a king.” Daemon sneers, yet you notice Otto's resolve, he remains unfazed, confident.

One you utterly lacked, in truth. You kept an eye on a second dragon, red and much larger than Syrax, orbiting the sky.

“Aegon Targaryen sits the Iron Throne. He wears the conqueror's crown, wields the conqueror's sword, has the conqueror's name. He was anointed by a Septon of the Faith before the eyes of thousands. Every single symbol of legitimacy belongs to him.” Otto claims, unwavering.

This works to agitate Rhaenyra enough, her Lord husband appears more than prepared to behead any one of you currently standing before him.

“Then there is Stark, Tully, Baratheon. Houses who have also received and are at present, considering generous terms from their king.” The Hand adds salt to an already gaping wound.

“Stark, Tully and Baratheon have all sworn allegiance to me. As have your House, y/n.” Rhaenyra states, addressing you directly, taking you by surprise for a moment before you found the sense to meet her hard stare.

As you remain silent, Rhaenyra continues.

“I understand if you don't recall, you were still suckling at your mother's teats when your father bent the knee.” The Targaryen remarks, whether intended as a jab to your pride, it matters not, as you refuse to feel it.

“But he swore his allegiance to me, nonetheless.”

You shift your weight from one foot to another, hand resting on the pommel of your sword. “I am not here on my father's behalf.” You respond curtly.

“Then who are you here for?” Daemon inquires, he quickly continues before you can conjure a reply.

“Are you so cunt-stricken by that whore you call your queen that you are willing to abandon a sworn oath? Where is your honor?” He taunts, and this time you do feel it, like a lance to the gut.

You open your mouth to respond, but Otto quickly interjects before things get the chance to escalate further.

“Grand Maester.” He calls, extending his arm. Maester Orwyle then passes him a piece of parchment, the same one that you had witnessed Alicent give to her father in her bedchambers.

Your confusion sets in once more as Otto bravely advances forward, passing the same parchment to Rhaenyra.

The queen, in her fury, snatches it from Otto, unfolding it to discover its contents. 

It was only then you noticed that it was not a letter– rather, an illustration. A page torn from a book.

“What the fuck is this?” Daemon curses, ironically sharing your sentiment.

Rhaenyra remained silent as she stared at the page in her hands, her expression still unreadable.

“Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you once had for each other. She eagerly awaits your answer.” Otto utters, and your face falls once you recognize the tears that escaped Rhaenyra's eyes. 

A sinking feeling that you've been trying to set aside all day, re-emerges, inexplicably, you reach for your sword.

“She can have her answer now stuffed in her father's mouth, along with his withered cock. Let's end this mummer's farce.” The rogue prince hisses, as he unsheathes his steel, you immediately do the same. 

In the next few moments the noise of metal scraping against scabbard charges the air as the rest of your soldiers along with Daemon's draw their weapons.

“Ser Erryk, bring me Lord Hightower so I may take the pleasure of killing him myself.” The prince consort's command is broken by the sound of Syrax shrieking, flailing her body violently.

You flinch, but do your best to ignore the incessant pounding in your chest as you gripped your sword tighter.

Then, by a miracle, Rhaenyra subdues her uncle with a single word. “No.” She declares, Daemon is forced to set down his sword. He does it begrudgingly, and you slowly do the same.

“King's Landing will have my answer on the morrow.” The queen utters sharply before turning away, disappearing through her guards.

You stand frozen in place. 

Somehow, no blood was spilled today. The simple prospect of Alicent's care for Rhaenyra seemed enough for the Targaryen to forsake her own claim to the throne.

It appears you shall return to Alicent safely, as she asked. You should be relieved, and yet you feel nothing of the sort. 

The thought of the dowager queen welcoming you home, with a warm embrace, doesn't fill you with a sense of joy like it usually would.

It only makes you ill.

═══════════════════════════════════════════

Since returning to the Red Keep you had chosen to keep away, sequestered in your quarters. Only your thoughts and a flagon of strongwine to keep you company.

You realize that you ought to visit Alicent, assure her of your safety, but still, you couldn't bear it, not today. 

Endlessly replaying the moment in your head, Otto's words pollute your thoughts.

Alicent has not forgotten the love she once held for Rhaenyra, that much is evident.

So where does that leave you? 

You are no longer certain you even possess a space in Alicent's life, let alone in her heart.

She loves Rhaenyra, and you are only a mistress.

You wipe away your tears, it is no use crying, you are simply mourning a fantasy. Queen Alicent is beyond your reach, she always has been.

As you continued to lose the battle to your anxieties, you fail to hear the main door of your bedchambers creaking as it gets pushed open.

Alicent catches you throwing your head back as you emptied the contents of your goblet. Her expression displaying palpable concern as she approaches you.

“Why are you drinking?” She inquires, and you scramble to your feet, perplexed in the way she somehow managed to enter your chambers without you realizing it.

“Your Grace.” You address her, inclining your head as you propped your hand against the back of the chair.

Alicent appears taken aback by your formality, nonetheless she moves to touch your cheek, but halts immediately when she notices the way you recoiled.

“What is the matter?” The older woman asks carefully, studying you with such concern that it weakens your very being.

How could she possibly place you above Rhaenyra Targaryen?

“I was convinced that I was going to die at Dragonstone.” Your voice breaks.

“But you did not, thank the Gods.” Alicent utters in relief, she grabs your arm, still unaware of your true grievance.

“The only reason my men and I were spared was because Rhaenyra commanded it as such.” You state, pausing for a moment to steady your breathing. 

“and, she only did so because of you.” You accuse, and Alicent straightens her back, retracting her hand once more.

You mourn her touch, but force yourself to look into her eyes as you await a response.

When nothing comes, you decide to speak again.

“Do you love her?” You ask boldly, prepared for any response, but the one Alicent gives you is barely anything at all.

“I–” She stutters after a prolonged silence, and you scoff, moving past her to sit on the edge of your bed.

Alicent takes large strides after you, eager to explain herself. 

“Rhaenyra and I, we were children together, we did everything together. She was my closest friend.” The dowager queen starts as she moves to stand directly in front of you.

“Perhaps I was in love, at one point. But that was an entirely different lifetime, y/n. A life I do not even recognize.” She admits, and you finally look up at her.

Alicent tentatively wipes away the tear that managed to escape your eye. 

Despite yourself, your lips meet the palm of her hand as you hold it close to your face.

The dowager queen smiles.

“I am in love with you. Only you.” Alicent reassures, and your heart soars. Whether it is a lie to spare your feelings or a vulnerable truth, you are still thankful she cares enough to utter the words.

For now, that is enough.

“I love you too, so much.” You respond, still gazing up at her.

Alicent's auburn locks fell loosely down her shoulders like liquid fire. Her white nightdress, although modestly crafted, still managed to highlight every delicate curve and dip of her body.

She looks utterly breathtaking. 

The queen snaps you out of your trance when she leans down to meet your lips with her own. A searing kiss that immediately leaves you breathless.

Alicent whimpers softly as your tongue enters her mouth, overcome with an urge to feel her, you place a firm hand on her waist, guiding her to straddle your lap.

The dowager does so with no protest, her knees quickly settling in between your hips on the bed. 

Her core snug against your clothed groin, she feels so warm, so intoxicating.

*

Alicent grinds against your lap instinctively, causing you groan into the kiss. The queen seemingly overtaken with desires of her own, pulls away to begin trailing open mouthed kisses from the shell of your ear, down to your neck.

Your breathing quickens.

“Fuck– I cannot believe how perfect you are.” You say, and Alicent leans back to look at you. She does so comfortably with your firm hand supporting her.

“I am far from it,” She argues, and you are quick to shake your head in disagreement, guiding her close once more by the nape of her neck.

“You have no idea how ready I am to commit treason just to prove you wrong, my queen.” You remark, and the sound of Alicent's giggle fills you with hope for the first time in days, before she connects your lips once more.

**

As the kiss deepens your hand wanders the dowager's frame, almost like second nature, you slip it underneath her nightgown, feeling goosebumps form on her thighs from your touch.

You squeezed her rear, indecently causing Alicent to grind on your lap once more. Swallowing her gasp of pleasure as she does so. 

“Y/n..” She utters against your lips, urging you on.

Soon you glide your hand towards her inner thigh, inching even closer to her core. “Can I?” Your ask is met with an eager nod. Alicent kisses you again, harsh and wanting.

“Touch me.” She says, and you do just that, finding your way to her sex. You begin to add pressure with your palm, causing Alicent's hips to buck against your touch.

She is dripping for you already– meeting your touch desperately. As you continue to move your hand against her sex, Alicent's gasps and mewls grow louder, she results in burying her face into the crook of your neck.

“Gods–” You marvel, kissing her shoulder before prodding a finger at her entrance. 

The queen grips your shoulder tighter, nodding profusely as words continue to fail her. 

You take it as permission to enter her. Doing so with two fingers, your breath hitches at the feeling of her walls contracting deliciously against your digits.

You would kill to feel her do the same around your cock.

“Yes, oh, Gods–” Alicent pants as you continue to pump in and out of her. Less than a minute has passed and it seems she is on the verge of release already, muttering incoherently against your ear.

She squeezes your fingers once more, pulling an involuntary groan from you, she is so wet you can feel her dripping down your hand, causing you to nearly soil your breeches.

“Come, come for me, beautiful..” You coax curving your fingers inside of Alicent, and that is all it took for her to fall apart completely.

She climaxes around your fingers with a cry, the sight of her writhing on top of you was truly the most captivating thing you have ever witnessed. You cock pulses with need, straining painfully against the fabric of your breeches.

Alicent's chest is heaving violently as she meets your gaze once more, her eyes dark amidst her pleasure. 

“Thank you, for that.” She mutters before kissing you deeply, and you can't help but chuckle.

“No, my love, I should be thanking you.” You insist, and Alicent cares not to argue at this moment. Her lips meet the base of your jaw, a confidence overcomes her when she touches your breasts before moving her hand further south, squeezing your cock.

She gapes at the sensation, with a look of palpable arousal that again, nearly causes you to finish right then and there.

“You are so hard..” Alicent remarks in awe, squeezing you harder, earning a guttural noise from yourself.

“Yes, all because of you.” You confer, and the dowager bites her lip to mask her delight.

The sight drove you mad, as it always does. Quickly grabbing hold of her nightdress, Alicent allows you to lift it over her head.

You toss the garment carelessly across the room. Alicent moans anew as your mouth makes contact with her bare and sensitive breasts. You begin licking and sucking as though your life depended on it.

Another shudder of pleasure nearly immobilizes the Alicent before she grips a fistful of your locks, harshly pulling your head back.

She ground her hips again, her weeping sex pressing down on your hard cock.

“Please, I want to feel it inside me. I want to feel all of you.” Alicent pleads, and the prospect alone makes you lightheaded.

You don't plan to deny either of you the pleasure any longer.

Alicent lets out a yelp in surprise as you flip your positions, placing her flat on her back as you quickly remove your tunic, finally fumbling with the laces of your breeches before removing them as well.

The queen's stare falls onto the large shaft in between your legs, she reaches out to touch your cock, but you quickly grab ahold of her hand, pinning it against the bed as you settle on top of her.

Alicent whines in protest, arching her back helplessly, causing your breasts to press up against her own.

“Please,” The dowager queen begs once more, and you smirk with a sense of triumph, in this moment, you truly believe that Alicent is yours to worship and love entirely.

“So impatient.” You tease, placing a chaste kiss against her cheek.

If Alicent aimed to respond, she was not given the opportunity to, as you thrust your hips forward, skillfully sheathing yourself inside of her. 

Alicent releases a strangled moan at the sensation, whimpering like a maiden as she grows accustomed to your size. Her nails dig into your back, she lifts her leg to wrap around your waist, inevitably pulling you even deeper inside of her as you begin to move your hips once more.

“Fuck– oh my Gods..” Alicent curses, motivating you to move harder against her, with every stroke, her cunt welcomes your cock eagerly. Squeezing your girth in a way you've never experienced before.

Alicent eagerly intertwines your hands, the intimate noises of your coupling filling the room. 

You groan with every thrust, feeling dangerously close to your release, you kiss her once before speaking.

“Alicent, I– I won't last much longer.” You admit, and Alicent moans at your words, anxious to witness your release.

“Don't hold back, darling.” She coaxes, letting her leg fall away from your waist, you pump inside of her again and then once more before pulling out.

Alicent continues to hold your hand as your entire body tenses, she watches your strained expression as you reach your peak.

She gasps as your seed spills onto her belly. 

Your breathing grows erratic as you ride out the shockwaves from your release. 

The feeling of Alicent's soothing hand caressing your forearm manages to coax you back to reality.

Alicent chuckles lightly as you collapse next to her, attempting to gain your bearings. 

The queen turns to face you, placing a lingering kiss on your stomach, before doing the same on your chest. 

You smile weakly, threading your fingers through her auburn locks, still feeling as though you are in a dream.

One you never wish to wake from.

“I love you..” You declare, just above a whisper.

Alicent beams, her thumb tracing across your bottom lip. “I love you too, y/n.”

[bradleybeachbabe]

Ok so there is a serious shortage of Tim Bradford stuff on tumblr and the gasp i gusped when i saw you were taking requests was very big.

So how about him being his usual hard and grumpy self and his pregnant wife coming to the station angry about something and him turning into a big softie. Like she’s almost scolding him about something and the others staring like ‚who is this man?‘. Obviously Angela knows what’s up but the rookie are like 🫨

Thanks so much!!💗

here you go anon <3 hope i did you justice on this! also i really enjoyed writing this!

warnings: pregnancy, not beta read

a/n: i haven’t posted in blurbs in forever, so please bare with me on this!

you have been angry at the slightest things lately, whether it being how hot it is outside, not being able to put on your shoes, not having your favorite ice cream in your freezer, etc. the list could go on, and yet it could be to the fact that you’re seven months and half pregnant, because ever since you entered your third trimester the slightest things have been making you angry. and now you’re even angrier than you have been throughout your third trimester, and it’s all because the air conditioning has decided to stop working in your house, so with that being said you have decided to head down to the station to tell tim, your husband, all about it.

when you arrived at the station, you were lucky enough that you didn’t have to wait in the front lobby of the station for tim to come out and talk to you. the officer who was working at the front desk knew who you were, so you were able to just go to the back where all of the officers’ desks are, to find tim.

when you entered the back, you were lucky enough to find tim sitting at his desk, talking to angela about whatever. when you were walking over to where his desk was, angela spotted you.

“looks like you got some company,” angela nodded her head toward your direction.

tim turned his head and saw you waddling towards him.

“i’m gonna give you two some privacy,” angela said as she left tim’s desk and walked over to where john, lucy, and jackson were standing.

“who’s that?” jackson quipped when angela approached.

“tim’s wife, y/n,” angela answered.

“tim has a wife?” lucy, john, and jackson all asked at the time.

“yeah, they have been married for about three years now. and of course, they are now expecting their first baby in a few months.”

“wow, i did not know that,” lucy said.

“yeah, tim tends to keep his work and personal life separate,” angela said.

“hmm…now i’m wondering why she showed up to talk to tim,” lucy said.

“honestly, whatever it is, it’s gonna look good on his end,” angela smirked as she took a sip of her coffee.

“what are you doing here?” tim asked with a confused tone when you approached his desk. “is everything okay? is the baby okay?” he added.

“no, everything is not okay. the bright side is, that the baby is okay.”

“well, what’s wrong then?” tim asked.

“what’s wrong is that the air conditioning has stopped working at the house, and now i’m super hot, sweaty, i'm upset, and especially angry because of that,” you explained.

tim just looked at you with soft eyes. he felt bad for you. he hated seeing you angry and upset. he knew how irritated you could get whenever you’re hot.

“i can try and fix it when i get home later today,” tim stated.

“what time will you be home?” you questioned him.

“maybe around five, it all just depends if i can get all this paperwork done before that time.”

“oh,” you frowned.

tim sighed, “you want me to leave work right now, so then i can fix the air conditioning? don’t you?”

“please.”

you already knew what tim’s answer was gonna be. he wasn’t gonna, ‘no’ or anything like that. plus, if he did, most likely he would end up sleeping on the couch for the night.

“okay, i’ll leave right now,” tim said. “let me go inform sergeant grey that i’m gonna leave early.”

tim got up from his seat at his desk to head to sergeant grey office. and when he did get up, he quickly kissed your temple, and quickly laid one of his hands on your bump, before he walked off.

while you were waiting for tim to get back from sergeant grey’s office, you saw out of the corner of your eye, angela and by the looks of it, three rookies standing with her. the three rookies had shocking looks on their faces while angela couldn’t help herself from smirking. you already knew why angela had that smirk on her face. she already knew that tim has a huge soft side, and that soft side is only reserved for you, and your baby who is gonna be born in a few months. on the other hand, the rookies didn’t know tim’s soft side at all, so of course all of them had shocking looks on their faces.

“sergeant grey is okay with me going home early today,” tim said as he approached you.

“did he ask why you’re going home early today?”

“yes,” tim nodded his head.

“did he think your reason for leaving early was kinda odd and crazy,” you asked.

“yeah,” tim nodded. “but luckily he isn’t giving me a hard time about this,” he added.

“well, that’s good then.”

tim turned off his computer and pushed his desk car in, and you two walked out hand in hand with each other.

“told ya,” angela said as she walked off. while lucy, john, and jackson were still standing there with shocking looks on their faces, trying to gather the pieces together that tim has a soft side.

blurb night!

[cryptidghostgirl]

Make You Wish Chapter Four -- Vox

Pairing: Alastor x Reader

Warnings: I don't think there are any for this chapter? Correct me if I am wrong.

Word Count: 1,225

Previous Part: Chapter Three -- A Reunion

Master Lists 

Hazbin Hotel Master List 

Make You Wish Master List

A/N I wasn't planning on posting this until tomorrow, but it seems to have some rather excited fans so here is chapter four (and the fourth thing I'm publishing today. We're very done for the day. I am tried and have actual work to do.) Also guys, I'm screaming. I accidentally deleted the whole things right before I was gonna post it. Thankfully I had a draft from when it was almost done save but like, god that sucked.

On the screen was Vox, seated behind a desk.

"Top of the hour and we're discussing a certain has-been how has been spotted cavorting around town after a seven year absence." Vox was saying, a poorly drawn image of Alastor displayed on the screen to his left.

Y/n saw Alastor's ear twitch with irritation.

"Yeah." she sighed, folding her arms across her chest, "Vox has gone kinda crazy since you left. I told you, things got tough."

"Did anybody miss him? Did anybody notice? More on tonight's program." Vox said through the TV, shuffling a stack of papers.

Alastor changed the channel with another flick of his finger.

"Hun, don't worry yourself with it." Y/n advised, "He's still gonna be there tomorrow."

The new channel showed a talk-show set up, Vox-2-Nite, where Vox was both host and guest.

"So, the old Radio Demon is back in town." host Vox was saying to himself as guest.

"Why is he hanging around?" guest Vox asked, taking a sip from a mug that had 'fuck Alastor' written on the side.

"Al." Y/n warned, sensing her friends irritation growing.

"What does that mean for your family?" Host Vox asked before Alastor changed the channel again.

Vox was on the screen again, before a bright red curtain.

"Well, handily, I've got good news." he was saying theatrically, "He's a loser, a fossil, and I don't mean to sound hostel-"

Alastor changed the channel again. This time to one of Vox's mega church broadcasts. Vox stood in the center of the screen wearing a pope's hat with an inverted cross on it.

"But the demon is a coward!" he announced, his words matching the previous channels sentiments perfectly.

"Jesus, V." Y/n asked, eyes wide, "How many channels are you running this on?"

"You can take that as gospel. Pulling my viewers? Impossible. I'm visual, he's barely audible."

"Y/n." Alastor hummed, his eyes still fixed on the screen.

"Yeah?"

"You wont mind if I handle this quickly. We can have our little chat after, I promise. It wont take more than a moment."

"I don't know, Al..." Y/n sighed, crossing her arms and tapping her foot slightly, "This isn't good for you, letting him get under your skin like this."

Alastor changed the channel again. A cooking show appeared and Vox was standing before the oven, singing along to the music playing in the background.

"But he should've stayed away! While he hid in radio, we pivoted to video!"

Vox on screen turned to the oven as he sang, opening it and pulling out a deer's head on a plate. Y/n bristled at the site, her horns growing just the tiniest bit longer, her teeth just the smallest bit sharper.

"And now his medium is getting bloody rare!"

"Al?" Y/n asked sharply.

"Yes, darling?"

"I lied." Y/n turned to face him, "He took this shit musical. Rip him a new one."

"Oh!" Millie exclaimed, excitedly grabbing onto Moxxie's arm, "We're gonna get a show!"

Alastor's grin widened at Y/n's words, if that was even possible. He stuck his hand out to the side, his microphone materializing in his grasp.

"Lucky for me, I've got the best voice this side of the divide on my side." he noted, shooting Y/n a look.

Her eyes flashed red.

"You flatter me."

Alastor brought his microphone to his mouth, suddenly exceedingly calm. The imps present in the room watched in shock as his ears flattened along his head.

"Salutations, good to be back on the air!" he announced into the device, "Yes I know it's been a while since someone with style treated hell to a broadcast. Sinners rejoice!"

Vox's brow furrowed on the TV screen as he inched up close to the camera.

"What a dated voice." Vox shot back, clearly listening to Alastor's broadcast on the set of his cooking show.

"Instead of a clout chasing, mediocre, video podcast." Alastor continued, not showing any sign he had noticed the TV demon's insult, "Is Vox insecure, pursuing allure? Flitting between this fad and that, is nothing working?"

"Ignore his chirping!" Vox commanded from the TV.

Y/n laughed and, turning to face Alastor, realized the man held a hand out to her. With a smile, she took it and he spun her into his arms as he spoke. The music echoed through the office as Alastor raised the volume on the TV once again.

"Every day he's got a new format."

Alastor spun Y/n back out again as the pair began dancing.

"You're looking at the future!" Vox yelled back, "He's the shit that comes before that!"

As Alastor spun Y/n back into his arms, she laid one of her hands on top of his holding the microphone and pulled it closer to her face.

"Is Vox as strong as he purports, or is it based on his support?" she sang in a clear voice, Blitzo, Millie, and Moxxie's eyes widening with recognition at the sound, "He'd be powerless without the other Vees."

"That's true!" Alastor noted, pulling the microphone back to himself as Y/n let go of his hand and he spun her back out again.

"It can't be..." Moxxie muttered under his breath.

"Holy shit!" Millie cut him off, excitement creeping into her voice, "There's no way, Y/n is the guest star?"

"The fuck are you two talking about?" Blitzo asked, turning to Millie and Moxxie as they watched the couple continue to dance.

"Well, Sir," Moxxie began, fiddling with the cuffs of his jacket, "back before the Radio Demon went missing, he used to bring guests onto the show on occasion. There was one guest he never named during his broadcasts however. She mostly just sang songs and chatted with him but, she sounded an awful lot like Y/n did just now."

"You don't say." Blitzo hummed, his arms crossed as he turned back to Y/n and Alastor, "So much for little miss 'oh, my life has been so boring. You'd probably just fall asleep if I started talking about it!' She is so gonna get it later."

Alastor let go of Y/n's hand and leaned into the microphone, beginning to sing as well, using the music emanating from the TV as a base.

"And here's the sugar on the cream: he asked me to join his team!"

"Hold on!" Vox yelled.

"I said no and now he's pissy, that's the tea!" Alastor finished, ignoring the demon once again.

"You old timey prick!" Vox exclaimed, his face glitching slightly as Y/n wandered back over to Alastor.

She leaned an elbow on his shoulder, tilting her head to the side in amusement as they watched Vox struggle.

"I'll show you suffering!"

"Aww, the TV is buffering." Y/n said, leaning into the microphone, her voice dripping with sickly sweet pity.

"I'll destroy yoo-o-u-u" Vox exclaimed as his technical difficulties seemed to grow worse.

Alastor and Y/n exchanged a wicked pair of smiles as the TV flickered out. Shadows crept from the edges of the room, encircling their feet. Alastor held an arm out to Y/n once again which she took with a smile. In a flash of darkness, they were gone.

"What the fuck was that?" Loona asked, stalking into the room.

----

Next Part -> Chapter Five -- The Conversation

[hellisharchive]

・﹒・ comatose dreams [1]

Summary: After suffering from a fatal car crash, you had become comatose and had no hope of waking up anytime soon. You didn't know that, however, you thought you had died. After finding yourself in Hell, you wind up landing a job with Vox as your boss. You both fall quickly and deeply, but true love doesn't always work out.

Warnings: 18+, mentions of sex, masturbation, slight StaticMoth,

Notes: This fanfic is inspired by this lovely post by @timeslugarts! I would suggest reading it for a full summary, however if you want to go in blind, then don't!

﹒Stepping Stones﹒

An entire year working for VoxTech, what was your job, you ask? Well, you started out as a simple camera operator, then worked your way up to personal assistant, and you've had a crush on the television man for a good year now. Unfortunately, Vox always seemed so out of reach, so out of your league, you never even tried to even flirt with him and hoping he'd notice. He was an Overlord, one of the Vees, you were probably seen as nothing to him. Which hurt to think about, but was true nonetheless. So, you worked and went through your days with all your feelings festering inside you, ready to burst.

"Vox, you have a meeting with Vel and Val at three pm today to discuss potential strategies with Alastor returning, would you like to cancel?" You watched him as he adjusted his bowtie, ensuring that his outfit was perfect as always. He also had a tendency to cancel his meetings, but to the chagrin of his partners since he arrengaed them in the first place, but you still forced him to attend at least some.

"No, I know if I don't they'll be on my ass about it later" Turning from the mirror, he looked at you with a bored expression before putting on one of his smiles that you thought would be fake, but it was genuine. From working with him, you've learned to identify what smiles are real and ones that aren't.

"What? Do you really want to be alone with me THAT badly?" His smile then moved to a smirk, causing you get flustered and fumble with the tablet you were holding. Shit. Was that the first time he flirted with you? Vox chuckled as you regained your bearings, clearing your throat, you tried to remain professional.

"Well no sir, I was just uh, caught off guard by your uh...assumption" You coughed as he started to walk out of the room, knowing you'll diligently follow, and you did. You shut the door behind you and followed him as he made his way to his head of operations. He didn't tell you where he was going, but you knew his route every single day, that is- if he does, you'll still follow him wherever he went. You'll always be loyal to him and him only.

"Well, let's hope I don't have to calm Valentino down again today after yesterday..." He scowled just thinking about it. Yesterday, Val had yet again another temper tantrum and you watched as your boss did his thing. It was something you've grown accustomed to with your time as the tv man's personal assistant, they both fucked with no strings attached. Sure, they weren't together, but it still squandered you telling the truth about your feelings even further.

"Hopefully not, sir" You spoke as he entered his main control room, where he could spy on everyone and everything. He mainly has been monitoring the hotel and Alastor, even when the Radio Demon was gone for seven years, he never stopped bringing him up. The deer Overlord has only been back for a few months and he was the only thing Vox brought up for entire days sometimes. You didn't mind it though, it was pretty entertaining to witness. Sitting down in his chair, you grabbed yours and sat next to him as he observed everyone, trying to find Alastor roaming around. He checked the hotel first but couldn't find him with his scope of range. Time passes as he does his daily checking and observing, replying to emails, and the like. You busy yourself with checking his schedules and any business opportunities. You didn't realize that he stopped speaking until his sudden voice breaking the silence startled you.

"Do you think he'll ever take me seriously?" He spoke oddly quiet, his usual self gone as you swore you heard the faintest crackle in his voice. Looking up from your tablet, you saw that his head was down, looking at his lap with his hands fiddling each other as a sign of nerves. Sighing, you stood up and walked in front of him. Gently setting your hand on his shoulder, it caused him to look up with a face similar to a sad puppy. Smiling softly, with your other free hand, you placed it on his other shoulder.

"I know one day he will, sir. Trust me, you'll beat him and be the strongest overlord in Hell" You almost said "with me by your side" but refrained, knowing it was best not to mention that at all to him. This was about cheering him up, not entertaining your stupid fantasies. But, you saw as a digital blush faintly appear on his screen made your heart leap. You? A measly assistant managed to make THE Vox blush? You two were entranced, the feeling of leaning closer overwhelmed you as you both slowly inched closer and closer. What were you doing? You both were about six inches apart as he placed a hand over yours, now smiling devilishly as he chuckled.

"Of course I will, I just need someone by my side to do it" Did he...? You didn't have to fully process what he meant by that as you saw Vox's screen change to an incoming call with a ring. The moment ended as you cleared your throat and pulled away, taking your hands off his shoulders like they became fire. Of course- Valentino.

"Are you fucking-" He scowled as he transmitted the video call to one of his many screens, showing a very scandalously clad moth lounging on his bed, smoking and turning the screen into red before dissipating.

"Hey Voxy~ I need a fuck and I need it now. Angel Dust won't return my calls" Now, you weren't the biggest fan of Valentino, despite Vox also not being the best. But even as a sinner, you still did not agree with how that man treated others, especially his main star. Hearing the fact that he was demanding sex from your boss made your blood boil, yet you remained calm and neutral.

"Not now Val, find one of your other whores to fuck, I'm not in the mood" He didn't try to hide is displeasure as he held a very pissed off face staring at the pimp. Usually Vox never denied having sex with Valentino, so the sudden anger surpised you. Valentino just sighed, leaning closer to the camera. You weren't sure if he could see you, you hoped he didn't.

"You aren't fucking anyone else, right baby?" The question gave you whiplash despite not being the receiver. The moth sounded innocuous when you knew very well he manipulated Vox along with others. You knew his game.

"Fuck off Val" The tv Overlord than hung up, growling as he pushed out of his chair and started to walk towards the middle of the room. Following him, he headed back into the rest of the tower and back to his room. Before you could step in, he stood in the doorway, preventing your access.

"Don't bother me, do whatever the fuck you want for the next few hours, I don't care" and just like that, he slammed the door in your face. What the hell just happened? Taking a deep breath in, you mull over what you could possibly do when you decide to just take a walk. You needed some time outside the tower every once a while, so a walk would be perfect. Not wanting to head out in your work attire, you head to your room which was right next to Vox's (easier to be his assistant with you so close) and change. As you walked by your boss' door, you heard him panting and immediately flushed, walking away quickly as it felt wrong to hear him masturbate. You did walk in on him one time by pure accident and even to to this day he still teases you over it and makes fun of you. As you passed by, you could have sworn you heard him moan out your name, but he couldn't have. Right? Your ears were just playing tricks on you. Rushing past, opting to ignore it entirely, you went on your walk.

[nofingjustaninchident]

i saw ur requests are open and i got excited 😵

would u be willing to write a jason grace x apollo!reader one shot? specifically one that’s kinda angsty but has a happy ending?? maybe the reader gets really hurt on a quest with Jason and he’s genuinely scared but she ends up being okay in the end? i’m not sure what other details but i’d love to see what you do with this (if you want!!!)

:0)

we’ll be a fine line, we’ll be alright.

content: jason grace x apollo!reader

warning: bad BAD writing, angst but then it’s fluff, blood, almost dying experience, octavian’s still alive, cursing, post Blood of Olympus

a/n: hello! this is my first request and i wanted to post it before the other stuff i’m working on (especially cause i can’t finish any of the shit i’m working on). this is kind of fast paced but don’t blame me, it’s 12am in brazil right now so.. yea. also, i kinda diverted from the whole hurt in quest thing, i’m sorry! i didn’t have enough ideas for a whole quest. but i hope you enjoy! oh and this is placed after the first book of TOA

⛧° 。 ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆༺♱༻⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ 。°⛧

Sure, a heartbreak did hurt. But have you been stabbed by Imperial Gold? Dude. Brotha.

Sure, it was a normal thing for you to argue with Octavian. Hell, it was. normal thing for everyone who’s sane to do. This scrawny boy was just… a piece of shit. Yeah. And the worst part? You’re related. He’s one of the “legacies”, whatever that is. That stupid roman dipshit.

And today was no different. You two were arguing about some trivial shit, as always, but things escalated quickly. Soon you two were sparring (how was a mystery, since you didn’t even know that thing knew how to hold a sword) and it was quite fun.

You see, you got to camp Half-Blood when you were just seven. Since then you’ve been trained all year, since you didn’t have any other family - besides the godly side of it, duh - and Octavian was… well, Octavian. You were much better than him.

The whole problem is that Octavian likes to play dirty. So eventually he makes you trip and fall and he leaves gashes around your arms and legs. But with imperial gold it was sort of painful.

Till one of those times came again, but this time he didn’t leave a gash or a scratch. He stabbed you right in your stomach.

“Oh, gods!” He said, with fake concern. “I’m so sorry, cousin! My bad. I should go looking for your boyfriend, right? But… i didn’t see nothing. Bye!” The blond said with a devilish grin and left.

You knew you needed help. You were applying pressure to the wound, trying to use your healing powers to at least slow down the bleeding.

You tried to get up to look for help, but it was almost impossible. Even with that, you had to. ‘Oh, come on,’ you thought, ‘i’ve faced Kronos, Gaea and Annabeth mad at me. I’m not gonna die for a stupid legacy.’

And that’s exactly what made you move your body towards the via principalis, where you knew someone was gonna help you.

When you got there, the first person you saw was - thanks the gods -, Reyna. When the praetor looked at you, her face was horrified.

“y/n? What-“ She began, but you cut her off.

“I-i’ll explain later. Just… medical cabin. Please.” You begged, your words barely above a whisper.

Reyna nodded and helped you lean on her for support, as she walked you towards the medical cabin. You didn’t know the name of the boy who was currently there, but he looked as horrified as Reyna.

“Oh gods. Oh, my gods.” The boy said and you smiled, trying to fight back the urge to pass out.

“Ha, thanks. I thought it was bad.” You half joked as Reyna and the unkown boy put you on a vacant stretcher. When you were laid down, you looked up at Reyna with pleading eyes. “Bring Jason here, please?”

“Of course. I’ll go find him. The brunette said and left the medical cabin.

“Ok. uh… care to tell what happened with you?” The boy asked and you turned your gaze back to him.

“Got stabbed by imperial gold. What’s your name?” She asked, but the look in the boy’s face didn’t seemed to register the question.

“My gods… i’ll do my best to help you.” He said and grabbed a bottle of nectar, pouring it to your mouth. “Ok, i need to-“

Before he could finish, a certain blonde boy barges past the doors, looking around the medical cabin, desperately trying to find you.

When his gaze fell into you, he rushed to your side, grabbing your hand. His eyes were glossy behind his glasses and she knew he already wanted to cry.

“Y/n, what…? What happened? Are you okay? Who did this?” He asked, and she tried to laugh, but the pain was becoming unbearable. You couldn’t even talk anymore, as the only thing that came out of your mouth was a whiny breath. “It’s okay, i’m here with you, hm? I won’t leave.”

He kissed your forehead and you squeezed his hand softly just before you felt a tear fall in your cheek. That was the last thing you heard or saw before passing out.

⛧° 。 ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆༺♱༻⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ 。°⛧

Jason is desperate. He’s beyond worried about you.

He knows what imperial gold does to someone. Gods, he was stabbed by imperial gold before. And if she wasn’t treated in the right way… he didn’t even want to think about it.

But other than that, he needed to know who did this. He was going to kill this person with his bare hands.

It had been two days since you blacked out and you hadn’t woken up yet. He was starting to get even more worried, but he hadn’t left your side for one second. You couldn’t even go back to Camp Half-Blood (obvi), so your closest friends and family came to visit.

Will had cried his eyes out when he saw her there. Nico had to comfort him as his pupils leaked salty water. Lester/Apollo was back from his quest with Meg, and he also came to visit his daughter. The man was very… emotional, let’s say that.

But on the third day you were finally beginning to wake up. Of course, Jason was there.

“Hey, honey… you’re back, hm?” He asked, caressing you hair as you smiled, trying to reassure him. It still hurt as hell, but it could be worse. You could be dead.

“Hey…” She mumbled, her voice a little smudgy. “How long was it out?”

“A few days. But you’re back now, that’s what matters the most.” He said as he gave you a soft kiss on the lips. It was no tongue, just affection. He was showing you he was there for you.

“I feel fine. Like, not fine, but definitely better.” She said, as she pulled away from him.

“Yeah, i imagined. But, baby, i need you to tell me something.” Jason said, still holding your hand softly.

You nodded, waiting for him to elaborate.

“Who did this to you?” He asked, and you felt him squeezing your hand tighter. His voice was also harsher, as if he was restraining himself from killing someone.

“It was… it was Octavian.” She said, in a whisper-like tone. His face hardened immediately as he got up and went to the boy that was standing at the door.

“I need you to call Reyna and Frank. Tell them it’s an emergency.” He said and the boy quickly left.

Jason rushed back to your side. “I swear i’m gonna kill that son of a bitch.” He muttered.

When you were about to answer, Reyna and Frank rushed past the door, both looking worried. Behind Frank, there were a few other people - Will, Nico, Hazel, Annabeth, Piper, Leo and Percy -, all looking worried.

“You’re alive!” Will shouted and rushed to your side, tears welling up his eyes again.

“What, you thought that a little stab was going to kill me? Please.” She scoffed and Will laughed.

“So, who did this?” Reyna asked, also going to your side and stroking your shoulder softly.

“The most stupid, idiotic, son of a bitch augur that we ever had.” Jason said through gritted teeth.

“Octavian did that? I knew he was annoying, but at this level?” Percy asked, his face contorted in a mix of anger and disbelief.

“Mhm. We were sparring but… he likes to play dirty, i guess.”

“I’m gonna murder him.” Will groaned.

“Get in line.” Jason, Percy and Nico said at the same time.

You chuckled a bit, even if it hurt. Cause you knew, with that family right there, everything was gonna be fine.

a/n pt2: so… i like it but i don’t but i do. u get that? yea. i don’t know, i think i could do better, but i kinda liked it. I was going to make octavian’s trial and all but it would be too fucking long, so i gave up. that’s it for today, sorry that it took so long!

[fatesmono]

valentines day with yoongi

✮⋆˙ warning : some language + i haven’t written in half a year so.

✮⋆˙ this is an “x reader” so yk insert gender <3

✮⋆˙a.n : so todays valentine’s day (its the 13th at 11:59 posting this, great job me :3). so happy valentines i guess. i’m spending it celebrating jaehyun's birthday and writing abt my husband who’s in the war. i haven’t written in like, six years (six months) so pls go easy on me 

✮⋆˙enjoy loves <3333 happy valentines day !!

i never liked valentine’s day. it was always a stupid ass holiday if i do say so myself. am i saying that bc i never had a good valentine ? …maybe so, why are you so nosy ?? anyways, that was before i met him, min yoongi. i never met a man who says he hates a holiday so much but also goes all out for it. our first valentines last year i expected him to not really get me anything or like a bouquet of flowers since it wasn’t that much…i got a bouquet alright, like seven of them (he had said he didn’t know which one i would like so he just got me all of the ones he thought i would want), plus a shit ton of chocolate and just little things like one of his hoodies and this ring i had been eyeing for like months beforehand. so much for “valentines day isn’t really my thing” right ? all men do is lie, even min yoongi.

okay but anyways, here we are now, a year later. i wanna prove myself this year, i refuse to be out-valentines’d by him, no matter what that takes. now just one problem, he’s rich, i work at a coffee shop. shit, i know right ? but we will make it work i don’t care. 

so have i had this planned out for the last two months like a gta heist ? yes. but i NEED this day to go perfect. did it ? NO. NO IT DIDNT. first the necklace i got him with his name won’t be ready until the 17th, and then the kiss hoodie i was working on for him GETS BLEACHED SPILLED ON HIM, curtesy of our cat, johnny, and then; if it wasn’t going awful anyway, the cupcakes i made for him burned. and i’m going to his studio as we speak…this is my thirteenth reason. so right now all we have is his favorite flowers, a bleached hoodie with my kisses and a book of poems i wrote for him, sigh. SIGH. and if it didn’t help, he already gave me half of my gift before he left and it’s ten times better. A ROSE GOLD NECKLACE, he got me a rose gold encrusted with the sun because “i’m the sun to his moon”, he makes me wanna bash my head sometimes from how sweet he is. 

so getting to his studio, the definition of “shaking in my little boots”. i can hear him practicing his music from outside his studio, it’s like walking into beethoven working on smth if beethoven was your 30 year old idol boyfriend for a kpop group, if that makes sense, which is doesn’t so. anyways, i put in the code for his studio (it’s our anniversary, excuse me while i cry.) and quietly walk in to not disturb him, which isn’t that hard since he has tunnel vision as he invented it, and quietly tap his shoulder gently to get his attention. he turns around, taking off his headphones and noticing me with a small smile on his face, which might as well have been a kiss from him then and then. 

“hey love, happy valentine’s day, what are you doing here ?”, god why does he have to have such a perfect voice; it’s like he doesn’t even have to try. i go on to give him to give him his gift and try to explain that i had much more to give him and i knew it wasn’t enough to give and- and he cuts me off. good job if i do say so myself because the yapping i do, i could win a medal. 

“honey honey, this is perfect…you didn’t even have to get me anything, and you wrote me poems…that’s like writing me a song, this means the world to me. you remembered my favorite flowers, and this hoodie..i don’t think i’ve ever gotten a gift like this from anyone before, not even the guys. thank you so much…”, and my heart just turns into a puddle then and there. all my worries gone in a second, how does he do it ? he really should’ve become a therapist in another life, but i guess he does that with his music. but anyways, did i expect him to like the gift ? absolutely not. i did try to pay for dinner that night and he still didn’t let me do it, saying it was “an extra gift” as if i needed anymore gifts. remind me next to try and not outgift a rich idol who’s secret love language is definitely gift giving. 

i’m still getting next years gifts ready anyways. i’m so winning next year, i don't care.

[livwritesstuff]

You are such a creative person. I have almost finished all of "plant a seed" and the way you've written the characters and their thoughts and manurism is just *chef's kiss* dreamy.

Also, your droplets from the Steddie dad life brightens my day.

THANK YOU!!! Holy moly you are too sweet.

This series and this community have definitely been a bright spot in my life and I'm always so happy to hear that it's doing the same for other folks too <3

Have a double post today for being such a lovely soul

(in the form of a deleted flashback from plant a seed)

In retrospect, signing Robbie up for karate classes might have been a mistake.

Perhaps the bigger mistake, though, was signing the five-year-old up for karate classes a month before Robin and Nancy came over for their annual ironic watch of WWE’s Wrestlemania, or so Steve ponders as he watches Robbie swing her fists in Moe’s direction.

Moe, their ever-unshakable seven-year-old, is unfazed.

“Robbie,” Steve warns her. Robbie ignores him and aims several more punches at Moe, “Amelia Robin, we talked about this.”

“I wanna wrestle!” Robbie whines, crossing her arms and stomping a sneaker-clad foot so her shoe lit up.

“You can’t just start swinging at people and call it wrestling.”

Robbie glares at him for a moment, clearly weighing her desire to exercise whatever she’s learning in karate with the consequences it would come with. She uncrosses her arms and closes her fists, looking at them thoughtfully. As Robbie fidgets with her fingers, Steve knows what’s coming, and when she eventually unfolds one of the middle ones, he just stares at her, eyebrows raised.

“Stairs,” he finally says, tipping his head in the direction of the designated ‘time-out’ spot at the bottom of the stairs.

As Robbie is trudging over to the stairs and plopping herself down on the bottom step, Eddie walks into the living room. He gets one look at his daughter pouting in time-out and says, “How? We’ve been home for five minutes?”

“She flipped Papa the bird,” Moe supplies.

“Which I blame you for, by the way,” Steve adds, giving his husband a pointed look, “Since you’re the one with the bright idea to teach that shit to them.”

Eddie feigns a bow, then points at Robbie.

“Not cool, girlie. We had a deal, did we not? No more making me look bad in front of Papa?”

Robbie shrugs, but behind the wall of curls she let fall in front of her face, Steve could just barely see the way her pout was turning into a smile, even against her will.

Eddie turned to face Steve again.

“Moe was sent to the principal’s office today,” he said.

“Why?” Steve asked.

“Well, according to her teacher, she shared her crackers with her friend during snack time, which apparently means she has to share with the whole class.”

Steve furrowed his eyebrows.

“Yeah, I dunno,” Eddie shook his head, “But according to her, Moe said ‘no, I’m seven, and this is the real world, not Communist Russia.’”

“And her teacher didn’t like that?” Steve asked sarcastically.

“No, she did not,” he replied, “And she really didn’t like when I said that I don’t think she’s wrong.”

“Another banner day for the Harrington family."

[solarwynd]

https://www.tumblr.com/solarwynd/746878765847773184/i-actually-wish-armys-would-try-to-get-that-1

I honestly think you guys are over thinking it. Maybe it’s because I used to have this mindset so in a way I can understand where they’re coming from. Not denying there’s not a lot of Armys who hate jimins guts but a large chunk of them put him on this pedestal for the other members and think if jimin can do it then so can the rest. It’s about trying to ot7ify everything to them. They made the same posts when Jungkook got that billion but it felt almost unrealistic because Jungkook was the only member at the time who was able to do it and their logic was because he has “GP”. None of this true, he might’ve gained some fans but not nearly enough for him to completely detach from bts’s core fandom. Also how he was able to achieve that billion comes in question, he needed his song merged as well as tons of promotions to get that billion. It’s unrealistic like I said so even with them trying to still ot7ify his moment, they had to also address no other member was getting that much push. They also couldn’t talk about it because again it’s addressing the elephant in the room. Now that jimin got it, it seems more doable to them because he only needed one version and in retrospect his was more organic. There wasn’t any foul play and it was heavily carried by fan support.

Mmm no I don’t think I am. Armys might have made a few similar posts when JK hit 1B but you cannot tell me it was any where near the extent that they’ve been doing it for Jimin today. Most armys barely even let him getting that 1B marinate before trying to shift the attention off of him and planning on breaking his record with TH. Them OT7-ing things after Jimin achieves something is not out of genuine army type behavior. Jimin motivates armys (especially these heavily biased ones) to work harder because they get a sense of overwhelming entitlement after he achieves a milestone.

It’s like a birthday party where a toddler is throwing a tantrum watching the other toddler get a cake despite it not being their birthday. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with also wanting your bias to reach goals but there is so much underlying animosity whenever Jimin reaches his that there’s no denying they feel some type of way about it.

“Also how he was able to achieve that billion comes in question, he needed his song merged as well as tons of promotions to get that billion. It’s unrealistic like I said so even with them trying to still ot7ify his moment, they had to also address no other member was getting that much push. They also couldn’t talk about it because again it’s addressing the elephant in the room.”

I mean I definitely agree with you on this cause before Seven held that record it was Flowers by MC, another song payola-ed out the ass. But LC was still gaining streams at an extremely fast and consistent rate. There’s no way they’re figuring it’s more doable after seeing LC achieve 1B because LC is an anomaly. Yes it did well despite being sabotaged and only having 1 version, but no one is streaming hyung line’s music like that and never have. The highest streamed song between the 4 of them is The Astronaut at 375M and it’s going on 2 years since that was released.

No one had any complaint when JK hit 1B with seven because again he’s the common ground for everybody in that fandom. They held multiple streaming parties for him well before he hit 1B while armys pulled that stunt this morning for Jimin. They would’ve been completely content had jimin taken two more years to reach 1B. There was no sense of urgency and they actively worked against us at every turn. Everytime you look in these daily spotify chart updates QRTS and LC is above newer songs, they’re pissed/shady. The bulk of armys haven’t been genuinely happy for Jimin achieving something since he initially got that #1 on hot100 and even that has obviously soured over time. OT7-ness cannot exist in a space where armys get upset whenever a specific member is doing well.

[sillyguy99]

* don't look now, but i lost my shoe.

(Undertale Sans x Reader)

Chapter One: * what's with these homies, dissin' my girl?

[Index | Next]

Notice:

(This story is nearly 5 years old, and though it doesn't show my best work, I decided to post it, just because I stopped it at chapter 18, when there were only 2 more chapters left to finish it. So... I'm gonna give it another shot – making minor edits to make the plot less dramatic and angsty, lol.)

(***Also, since Tumblr has a more limited format: italic texts are from you, the reader, and bold texts are from others.)

• • • • •

You've changed.

The best thing your boss did was to give you that warning.

You shouldn't keep working for the law if you're just gonna be a traitor.

How am I a traitor?

You work 9 to 5, sometimes 8 to 6, for the benefit of monsters.

Now, all of a sudden, our sex life goes down the drain.

I haven't slept with you since you got that promotion, and that was two whole months ago.

I'm supposed to be your husband, but you've left me in the dry.

I'm tired.

And I refuse to sleep with someone who won't support me in my new job.

Or should I remind you said I wasn't a real detective?

That my degree's 'worth shit', simply because of the field I'm working in these days?

               The rest is an ongoing, fruitless conversation you can't bother yourself with.

               Through reading those texts for what has to be the twentieth time today, you sigh, hiccup, and close your eyes tight, lifting your face slightly to avoid letting tears fall. 

               Barely two hours are left until he comes home to drop off your child, and the mere thought that you have to sleep with him five hours after that makes your stomach twist and churn. You don't want to imagine him naked: panting, heavy, and on top of you again, doing whatever he pleases with little regards to your own limits. Nausea takes over – violent, making you open your eyes and suppress a gag.

               You really, really don't want anything to do with him anymore.

               Yet, he insists you should remain married until your child reaches their eighteenth birthday.

               “At least wait until they're grown up,” he said. “Cuz what's six more years? Be honest with me.” Then, he chuckled. “As ugly as you frown when you see me, I doubt you hate me that much.”

               That had been a year ago.

               Would you really have to wait five more years until your freedom?

               The thought sends chills down your spine.

               While he was a good father, that adjective didn't really fit next to husband. 

               At the beginning of your marriage, yes – he was the best spouse you could ask for.

               Now?

               You'd rather eat drywall than have to spend a single second near him – without your child around, of course.

               With your newest agreement, it felt more as if your husband were a client, his payment being not making your life hell, and your service what he claimed was something a wife should be willing to give twenty-four seven.

               You shake your head and search for a distraction amongst the people surrounding the bar, aware you can only end up worse if you continue to dwell on the subject. The air presses down on you hot and heavy, a feeling that only increases the more time you stay seated without doing anything for your growing aches. Your sole companion is your mind when you realize you're too overcome with emotions to talk to someone without scaring them off. Chatter drowns out coherent thinking and sensory overload begins to show by how difficult breathing becomes. Seeking an escape route, you hold the bartender back with a raised hand and an 'excuse me'. Then, you ask him for some bottled water – the only kind he could touch willingly. Small embers flutter around the air as he turns around, leaving you alone with burning cheeks and a pounding headache. 

               Groaning, you pinch the bridge of your nose and blink through your blurry vision. Then, you adjust your glasses – despite knowing the excess shots have pretty much screwed you over already. The hour marked on your phone surfaces a sigh. How fast time seems to be going makes you notice you currently only have around an hour left before your husband arrives with your child. They would be staying with you while he went off to work, and the least you wanted was to look washed up for his arrival.

               "need somethin' else, pal?"

               You jolt at the new voice, deep and hearty.

               Reluctantly, you cast your gaze up to see a skeleton monster standing behind the counter, now glossy with polish. His face is tough to make out with the blurriness, yet you can tell he's looking at you. From the way he stands behind the counter and the stuffy look his suit gives off with its pristine and exaggerated formality, you figure he's a new employee. His newbie appearance doesn't erase the warm and welcoming aura most bartenders appear to carry by default, however. Instead, it makes his smile and words more genuine in his approach.

               It takes you a while to respond aside from shaking your head – mind hazy and disoriented. You thank him and sweep the water bottle off the counter, then turn the lid open, breathe in deep, and take a series of long, greedy gulps. Finally, you set it back down, more than half of it already gone.

               One more screw up, and you were out of your job at the law department for good.

               It doesn't help that you're currently hanging out at a place strictly and utterly forbidden by your boss: a hole-in-the-wall bar and grill establishment open to all, kept family-friendly during the day and becoming more daring during the night. It has been long since you ever drank alcohol of any sort, and it's beginning to show. You can hardly sit without tumbling pitifully to the side.

               “hey.”

               You're snapped back toward reality through the feeling of someone resting their arms over the counter, facing you and waiting for your return. 

               You frown and look up from the water bottle to see the same skeleton – his previous stuffy appearance appearing more natural now that he's taken off his tie and left two of the shirt's buttons unfastened.

               "i’m no expert on humans, but you look like you could use someone to talk to."

               You feel hazy again.

               And whether due to the drinks or the heat, you're not too certain of.

               But – right now – you're positive about one thing. 

               “U- Um…”

               As you wipe a tear off your cheek and burst out half a sob and half a laugh, you realize you really could use someone to talk to.

               “Thank you.”

[teaberrii]

Chapter Seven: Let's Play Pretend

Alhaitham has the looks and the smarts. He will also be the stand-in CEO for his grandfather's company for a year.

But, he's been mysteriously cursed to turn into a cat every night since his eighteenth birthday… until he meets you, an employee at his grandfather's company, who rescues him as a cat and changes him back with one kiss.

Alhaitham/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on AO3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

Your heart is racing when the four of you sit down for pizza that evening.

You haven't got a chance to speak to Alhaitham alone. You’ve decided to help him, but you need a plan. How are you going to sell your romance to your family? It’s not like you can suddenly come out and say you’re dating. Not after that encounter between him and your mother in the hallway. There’s also Lumine. She’d be dying to know the entire story. You have to make sure your stories are aligned and—

“So, what do you do, Alhaitham?” Lumine asks, grabbing her third slice of cheese pizza.

You and Alhaitham exchange a look as if wondering the same thing. Should he tell your family he’s your CEO? Well, you have an answer to that. You gently kick his foot underneath the table without taking your eyes off him. Your lips are in a neat line as you slightly shake your head, trying not to make it obvious.

“I’m a scholar at Akademiya,” Alhaitham says, picking up on your cues.

“Oh, really? Were you also a student there?”

Your mother's eyes almost shine when she hears about Alhaitham's career.

“Yes.”

“Ooh, I bet you were a top student,” Lumine says. "You look the type."

He glances at you, and his lips curve into a subtle smile. “I was Valedictorian.”

You almost drop your pizza. So, not only did this guy graduate a year earlier than everyone else, but he was also Valedictorian. You’re almost annoyed at his achievements. Can this man please have some flaws for you to poke fun at?

“Whoa! I guess you love to study then,” Lumine says.

“Rather than studying, I love researching,” Alhaitham says. “It gives me a sense of purpose.”

Your mother looks at you. “Did you hear that? Research gives him a sense of purpose.”

“I heard him loud and clear."

Alhaitham looks from you to your mother as Lumine says, “Mom wanted Sis to go to graduate school, but that didn’t happen.”

“We fought a lot before,” you add. “But, we’re okay now. Right, mom?”

“She was always stubborn, but I guess I can say I'm proud of her now.”

"You guess? Even after I won Best Screenwriter at the Best Hit Awards this year?"

The small smile between you and your mother doesn’t go unnoticed by Alhaitham. If he could, he would add that your mother should be proud of you. If that meeting he attended that day with your manager was anything to go by, how you talk about your ideas and how you bring them to life is inspiring. 

He grabs a slice of pepperoni pizza. “My parents were the opposite.”

This gets your attention. “You mean… your parents didn’t want you to pursue higher education?”

“It was expensive,” Alhaitham explains. “Even though I was on a scholarship, they still encouraged me to find work instead.”

Lumine puts down her glass of juice. “That’s unheard of.”

“...Did they have a reason why?”

Alhaitham looks at you, and you look away as if he’ll catch the curiosity and interest in your eyes. Well, too late. He’s already seen it.

“They thought I would make more if I went in other fields,” Alhaitham says.

“How did you convince them?”

Unbeknownst to you, Lumine and your mother glance at each other at your question.

"I told them research is the start and the building blocks for many inventions we see today. In the end, I made a deal with them to give me two years to prove my research would bring monetary results."

“I guess you succeeded,” you say. “It must’ve been rewarding.”

Alhaitham smiles. “It was.”

You hold his stare for a second too long. Then, you pour yourself more juice. “You did choose a very lucrative field. Technology will only continue to evolve. With the way it’s going right now… it’s scary but exciting.”

“Scary… but exciting.” He puts his elbows on the table, not taking his eyes off of you. “Care to elaborate?”

You put down your pizza. “There’s been a lot of talk on how it’ll replace writers in the future. With how people are talking about it, it does sound scary.”

“Yet you don’t sound worried.”

“I don’t think you can ever replace human connection,” you say, looking at him. “Regardless of what you’re writing about, it requires some kind of research. Whether that research is analyzing human interaction to write better dialogue or interviewing someone for a news article, all technology can do right now is string together words to make a sentence. But, whether it accomplishes your goal is another thing.”

“You make a good point,” Alhaitham says. “In terms of your work, would the ultimate question be: does this sentence sound human enough?”

"Regardless if it's written by a person or not, you can always tweak writing to make it better or clearer." You wipe your hand on a napkin. "Still, it's interesting to see what technology can offer. I suppose it's more of how you work with it than against it."

"That's a reality some people have difficulty accepting."

"Well, it opens more doors, but we have to be cautious about how it's being used and how we respond to it."

Alhaitham chuckles softly. "...As in, take what it says with a grain of salt?"

"Is that really a problem with technology, though?" 

"Or is that a problem with human nature?"

You laugh. "Some people will believe anything they see on the Internet regardless if it's posted by a person."

When you and Alhaitham stop to eat some pizza, you notice that your mother and Lumine are staring at both of you. It��s also then that you realize that only you and Alhaitham have been talking the entire time.

You finish your pizza and wipe your hands with a napkin. “Um, let’s talk about something else.”

“Oh, no, please keep going,” Lumine encourages. “That was very… enlightening.”

“It was as if we weren’t even here,” your mother adds jokingly.

Someone's phone buzzes, but it doesn't take long for everyone to realize it's yours. Then, finally, you see an unknown number on your screen. A little suspicious, but you open the message anyway. That's when you see the familiar words: Destiny awaits…

“What the…”

“Is someone looking for you?” Lumine asks.

You show your phone to your mother. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Ah… I signed you up for the matchmaking party.”

“What?! Why?”

Your mother wipes her hands on the napkin. “What do you mean why? You know why.”

“I can’t believe you’d just sign me up like that!”

“Don’t think of it as a matchmaking party. It’s just a place to relax and have a little fun chatting with people.”

“Strangers, you mean,” you deadpan. “You should know I’m not one of those people who talk to strangers for entertainment.”

Lumine laughs. “Yeah. Sis barely likes to talk to people.” You give her a look, and she innocently looks away.

“You’ve been so busy with your work and the move,” your mother says, “I thought you’d like to relax a little.”

You and Alhaitham glance at each other. “W-well… I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t? Don’t tell me you’re busy that day. I know you aren’t.”

That’s when you decide to risk it all.

You calmly put your hand on top of Alhaitham’s. “Actually, I am. I’m going on a date with Alhaitham that day.”

Silence.

Your heart races a hundred miles per minute until you feel Alhaitham hold your hand. You look at him, and he smiles.

“Is that true?” your mother asks him, eyes wide.

He'll probably play along, but there's still a seed of doubt. However, it instantly vanishes when he says, "It's true."

Why is he still holding your hand?

Lumine squeals. "Holy moly! Are you two... dating? Why didn’t you say something?! When did it start? How did it happen?”

“...Actually, we aren’t dating.” You glance at Alhaitham. He’s so calm that it almost scares you. “Not yet, at least.”

“Who asked who out first?” Lumine probes.

Alhaitham holds your hand tighter, and you feel the heat rush to your cheeks. You hope it’s not as red as you think it is.

"Me," Alhaitham continues. "I asked her out a few days ago… but she didn't give me an answer. So I suppose"—he looks you in the eyes—"I can take this as a yes to my offer."

Lumine tilts her head. “Offer? That’s a funny way of putting it.”

“Anyway,” you quickly say, “We aren’t exactly dating. We’re just… getting to know each other.”

“Well, who am I to break up a budding relationship?”

Your mother doesn't sound as enthusiastic as you thought she would. Is she onto you?

She stands with her empty plate. “I’m hoping to see a lot of pictures.”

“...Pictures?”

Your mother smiles at you. “It’s your first date in such a long time, dear! You must take a lot of pictures for us.”

“Why?”

Lumine claps her hands together. “Yes, I agree! It’s time for you to get dolled up, Sis!”

“Hang on a minute… I still don’t understand why I have to take pictures for you on a date.”

“...Leave it to me.” You immediately turn to Alhaitham. “I, too, would like to commemorate the occasion.”

He would like… to what?

“Wonderful!” your mother exclaims. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. It’s been so long since she dressed up.”

“Wha—”

“Ooh, this is so exciting!” Lumine giggles. “I bet Aether would get a kick out of this.”

This is not how you're expecting things to go. 

Once dinner ends and the table is cleared, your mother and Lumine are at the door, preparing to leave. "Don't tell me you're staying over, Alhaitham."

"No," you quickly say. "There's something I have to talk to him about."

Lumine looks from you to Alhaitham. "What is it?"

"Something that's only between him and me."

"Fiiineee..."

Your mother opens the door. "Well, have fun that day, you two."

“Don’t forget about the pictures!” Lumine adds cheerfully.

“We’ll see about that,” you mutter.

Alhaitham takes your hand. “...We won’t.”

Lumine starts hitting her mother's shoulder, unable to contain her feelings, as she quietly squeals. "Hey, Sis. You better take good care of him!"

“And what if he turns out to be a psychopath?” you deadpan.

"Eh… I doubt it. He passes the vibe test."

“And what kind of test is that?”

Lumine smiles. “A test that determines if I like the person or not.”

“Very reassuring.”

“I’m flattered,” Alhaitham says with a small smile.

Your mother looks over her shoulder. “Well, we’re off. Call us if you need anything, dear.”

Just before Lumine closes the door, she peeks into your apartment. “Don't have too much fun!”

◆◆◆

That late evening, you and Alhaitham are staring at each other. He made his kitty transformation out of your line of sight. You're awfully curious about the process, but you respect his wishes to keep that scene private. He’s lying on his tummy on your couch. You’re sitting on the floor with your elbows on the cushions. You scratch him behind the ears, and he leans into your touch. Clearly, he’s enjoying the little massage.

“What if I just left you like this?” you ask jokingly.

Alhaitham narrows his eyes, and his quiet meow leaves you smiling. Then, you put your chin on your hand so you're at eye-level with him.

“...Well, I guess we only have one shot at this.”

Alhaitham puts his head on his front paws and slowly scoots closer until his nose barely touches yours. Then, his tail swishes upwards, and his eyes go wide.

“You sure like to take your time, Catman.”

Catman? There’s another new nickname. He went from Pervert to Catboy to Catman. Well, it’s… an improvement, he supposes. Then, Alhaitham leans forward and lightly kisses your nose.

One second.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Nothing happens.

What’s going on? 

You hear your phone buzz. So, you stand and walk toward the counter to check it. It’s a message from Collei, an old friend from school, and she’s asking you if you’d be interested in attending a school reunion at the end of the month.

From across the room, Alhaitham is staring at you. Is it just him, or do you look a little troubled? Now, he’s curious. Who messaged you? He jumps onto the floor and walks toward you. Even when he’s sitting in front of you, you’re still paying attention to whoever is on the other end.

Alhaitham circles around your feet, making sure to brush against your leg. When he doesn't get a response, he frowns. Is that person really that important? You nearly trip over him when you start walking and look down to see him staring at you with wide, innocent eyes.

“That was uncalled for."

Alhaitham meows. You give him a deadpan look, and he returns it with a subtle, mischievous smile. You sigh and put your phone on the table.

“Looks like that time was a fluke."

Is it, though? Alhaitham has doubts. So, he jumps into your arms. Then, he puts a paw on your collarbone and leans close to you. You think you understand what he's getting at. So you put him on the sofa and watch him clean his face with a paw.

“Well, here goes nothing… again.”

You lean down just as Alhaitham looks up. His lips touch yours, and…

Poof.

You quickly spin around just as he grabs one of his folded clothes to cover himself up.

“Very interesting…”

“Let’s talk after you put some clothes on,” you sigh, your face turning slightly red.

You’re sitting on the couch when Alhaitham comes out fully clothed from the washroom. You meet each other’s eyes. “Welcome back, Catman.”

“Looks like it wasn’t a fluke after all.” Alhaitham sits on the couch adjacent to you. “...But it looks like you have to kiss me for it to work.”

“I guess whether you get to live as a cat or a human for the night is in my hands,” you joke. You stand and put a hand on your hip. “So, you better behave yourself.”

Alhaitham smiles slightly. “Could you resist, though?”

“...What are you saying?”

“I don’t think you’d be able to resist a kiss,” he says, standing.

You scoff. “Someone’s got an ego.” Still, you look at him with a mischievous look in your eyes. “Should we find out?”

Alhaitham holds your stare. “I don’t think this was part of our deal.”

“Natural curiosity. Might as well have some fun while we’re doing this.”

Your phone buzzes again. You and Alhaitham look at it, and he’s expecting you to pick it up, but you don’t.

“...Not going to answer it?” he asks.

“I’ll look at it later,” you sigh. Then, quietly, “It’s not like I know what to say right now.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Fine.”

He clearly knows it's not, but he doesn’t ask further.

“Alright, Catman, we got an answer tonight. You ready to go home?”

You walk him to the door, but just before he leaves, he turns around and says, “I hope you’ll look forward to our date.”

You wave a hand dismissively. "We don't have to go on a date. Just take a few pictures at some popular places, and then we're done."

“Who’s the one who said we should have some fun while doing this?”

“Well… that’s…”

Alhaitham leans closer to you. “...So, you only want to have fun while kissing?”

“That is not what I meant."

Alhaitham puts his hand around your head and gently pulls you closer so that his forehead almost touches yours. “We have to make it convincing, don’t we? That’s the point.”

You hear your heart hammer once, and then you quickly pull back. “...Well, I have some high expectations.”

“Do you?”

You don’t. You’ve never really cared what you were doing on dates. It always came down to how the other person made you feel while together.

“I’m good with whatever.”

“...Are you sure?”

You refuse to look away. You don’t want him to know that he’s making you nervous. “...Yeah… why?”

He leans slightly closer. “Then, we can spend the day experimenting.” 

“Wha… what are you saying?!”

Alhaitham leans upright. “Is something wrong?”

"You only turn into a cat at night. So how can we experiment during the day?"

You know you messed up when you see his lips curve into a small smirk. "I meant we can go to different places and try things together."

…Oh. Of course.

The silence is too loud for you to bear.

You awkwardly clear your throat. “Great idea.”

“Your idea also sounds nice, though.”

You frown. "Don't make me kick you out.”

“But I’d be human,” Alhaitham continues. “...If you’re okay with that.”

You point to his condo across from yours. “Goodnight, Catman.”

Alhaitham chuckles. “Goodnight… Batwoman.”

Your deadpan look doesn’t change when you close the door on him.

Chapter Eight

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @seirenspinel @lxry-chxn @sakiimeo @ashtree-and-the-cats @ceylestia @forsh4dow @deathkat657 @kalpie @elernity @sentieence @chichibleeps @sunsethw4 @hjjks @tanspostsblog @nqctre @just-simping-over-genshin @uchihaeirin

[myeuphoricmindset]

Haunted by you | Eddie Munson

Summary | Eddie Munson's ghost is haunting the house recently occupied by Daisy Morgan. Having been deceased for years, Eddie becomes visible only to her. As she adjusts to sharing her living space with an otherworldly presence, their relationship develops into a compelling yet forbidden romance between the living and the dead. But, how could that ever truly work?

Pairing | Eddie Munson x OC

Warnings/Tags | 18+ only, Strained parent relationships with significant focus on maternal issues, Themes of feeling unwanted and abandoned are central, Cheating -though not involving Eddie Munson or the main character, alcohol and drug use, Profanity, Sexual content, and Mental health themes.

Fic Notes | This fic is set after the events of Stranger Things season 4. Seven years have passed, and everyone has moved forward since the defeat of Vecna and the closure of The Upside Down. This story won't revolve around Vecna or The Upside Down. While there might be occasional appearances by other Stranger Things characters, the narrative centers on normal life, void of supernatural plots except for Eddie's ghostly presence.

I don't have a fixed posting schedule, but I'll aim for weekly updates. I might post more frequently, but I'm keeping the dates flexible for my mental well-being. Rest assured, I won't leave this fic unfinished.

Word count | 4k

Read on ao3

August 1993

Embedded within our very DNA is the innate longing for maternal love and acceptance. When that love is withheld over time, our minds adapt, convincing us that we can do without it. However, a persistent yearning for that inherent love remains, a constant reminder of the void that's meant to be filled.

Even in death, Daisy’s mother couldn't find it within herself to love her daughter.  Grace’s final moments weren't filled with apologies or declarations of affection for Daisy; instead, there was only a will assigning property to her. 

With a chuckle, Daisy twirls the keys around her finger, amused by Grace's belief that a house could mend the chasm in her heart.  It’s a testament to how detached she was from what love between a mother and child should be.

For the past six months, Daisy has been stuck in limbo, her presence tethered to this seemingly senseless house following her mother’s passing. Today, at long last, she clasps the keys in her hand—a significant stride towards ending this dreadful chapter of her life. Whether driven by resentment or anger, Daisy raises her middle finger to the sky, smiling with satisfaction as she bids farewell to Grace. 

In the parking lot, a few passersby cast concerned glances her way as Daisy releases a breath. It's not just any breath; it's a sigh that unburdens her from a lifetime of pain. The ache will persist, but it no longer shackles her to Grace; now, her mother can only haunt her dreams. And she will take that as a win. 

A huge smile is plastered on her face as she walks to her car and calls her realtor. The line rings twice before she hears his eager voice on the other end. 

"Hello, Ms. Morgan."

"Walter, it's all set. You can move forward with putting up the for-sale sign. I'll send over the necessary paperwork soon. ” Daisy says. 

"Absolutely, ma'am. Sounds great.”

“Oh, I’ve also turned on the electricity under my name while we work on getting it sold.”

“Wonderful. I'll arrange an open house for next weekend." 

This house holds no appeal for her; it seems Grace hoped to tether herself to Daisy through the property. The faster it’s sold then the faster she can move on with her life. 

"Thank you, and please, call me Daisy."

"Certainly," he replies apologetically. 

She gives him a kind smile, almost as if he could perceive it through the phone, and says goodbye.

Music blares as Daisy speeds out of the lawyer's parking lot. Her sunglasses shield her eyes from the summer sun, her brown hair wiping in the wind, and her engagement ring glimmers brilliantly as her hand tightens on the steering wheel.

Things are finally looking up.

She planned to stop by the bridal store and try on her dress for the last fitting, but she could do that tomorrow. She just wants to relax at home with Nick and watch Pretty Woman. Maybe even recreate the bath scene, singing Prince while drowning in bubbles. That’s a perfect night.  

*

The apartment's lights are on even though her fiancé isn't due back until seven. 

"Nick?" Daisy's voice echoes through the apartment as she opens the fridge, her mind set on preparing dinner. A craving for pasta, rigatoni specifically, with grilled chicken, mushrooms, and onions fills her thoughts, her stomach voicing its approval with a rumble. Unfortunately,  they are completely out of chicken and pasta. Wonderful, just wonderful. 

Luckily, their apartment lies within walking distance of one of Nick's favorite Chinese restaurants. The prospect of takeout lifts Daisy's spirits as she heads to their bedroom to ask Nick if he wants his usual Kung Pao chicken. 

The sound of the shower greets her before she enters the room. 

"Nic—" Her words halt as her gaze falls upon the disheveled bed.

What in the world? The comforter hangs askew and pillows litter the floor in disarray. It’s an absolute mess and she could have sworn she made the bed this morning like she always does. 

Before she can call Nick's name once more, noises emanate from the bathroom. Daisy cautiously pushes the bathroom door open. The sight before her is surreal: Nick and his coworker Mia are in the shower together. His hand rests on her thigh, the same hand that's wiped away Daisy's tears. His lips pressed against her neck, the same lips that proposed to Daisy. Mia's moans fill the air, reminiscent of the sounds Daisy herself has made. Her mouth goes sour at the sight.

Daisy remains rooted in place as if observing the scene from outside her body. 

This can’t be happening. 

Time slows as Nick becomes aware of her presence, the shower door flinging open, Mia futilely reaching for a towel, and Daisy retreating.

Nick's voice calls after her as she assembles a small bag. She can't answer, gripped by a numbing shock. The room's movements feel surreal, and Daisy navigates it like a phantom, a silent specter swallowed by her own detachment.

Pushing the front door open, the summer air snaps her back to reality as she approaches her car. Nick's voice recedes as she leaves him standing, towel wrapped around his waist and their shared future at his feet, symbolized by a single apartment key.  

“Daisy!”

Betrayal is no stranger to Daisy, but it doesn't blunt the pain of misplaced trust. A sense of foolishness washes over her, as Nick held the secrets of her past, her vulnerabilities, her fears. Tonight he reinforced her sense of being an unwanted burden.

It’s too much to bear. She has to get the hell out of here. 

*

Hawkins lies eighty miles from Indianapolis. Unintentionally, Daisy found herself heading north on Interstate 65, steering aimlessly while her thoughts were lost on autopilot. At some point during the drive, Daisy stopped for gas and picked up McDonald’s despite lacking any appetite. She mechanically consumed it, then pulled over on the highway only to throw it all up. All of this occurred while she was in a haze, unable to recall the process. She moved through these actions like a mere shell of herself. Reaching a new city without a memory of the journey ignited a surge of panic within her. 

Daisy wasn’t just in Hawkins, Indiana; she found herself parked outside her mother’s house, now her very own. Mixed emotions surged within her as her hands tightened around the steering wheel, her focus unwavering on the imposing iron gate adorned with the “Morgan” insignia.

She will never admit that she'd memorized the route to her mother's house. A house she never intended to visit. It was always decided after the accident that she would never contact Grace again, but it gave Daisy a sense of control knowing where her mother was and not doing a damn thing about it.

Until now. 

She would have driven to Sloan's place, relying on her childhood best friend's kindness to give her a place to stay while she figured out what to do next. Sloan had always been there, a constant pillar of support. But, tonight was not the night to ask for support. Sloan happened to be attending a significant work event with her girlfriend, Robin at her side. Months ahead of time, she had planned a stay at a luxurious hotel for this very evening. Even on a subconscious level, Daisy understood that intruding upon their special night wasn’t an option, even when her own life was unraveling at the seams.

Left with no other options, Daisy finds herself in an unexpected predicament—having to accept help from her mother, the last thing she ever wanted. Daisy understands her mother's presumed satisfaction in the afterlife, and it's a painful realization. Even though the house was hers, the idea of depending on Grace’s help for her own well-being bothered her, making her upset. She was meant to sell the home and ever step foot on the property.

It felt like her mother had won, even though the game ended when Grace died. But Daisy reminded herself that the stay isn't indefinite; it's just a temporary solution until she figures out her next step. 

Her hand trembles as she inputs 0527 on the keypad. Time seems to freeze for a moment, and Daisy holds her breath. The tension snaps as the gate loudly creaks open, breaking the silence.

The driveway stretches, winding its way around towering trees and clusters of flowering bushes. Daisy remembers the land from before the house was built—a trailer park with families that got wiped out by a natural disaster in ‘86. Grace saw the chance, bought the land, and replaced the trailers with a mansion. The families from the Forest Hills were paid to leave, a deal they took because their homes were falling apart. They didn't have many options and didn't want to end up homeless. Most of them did not have insurance to take care of their homes and Grace paid more than they could ever offer. 

One person with too much money took over a place that used to be home to many families. Instead of helping them rebuild, Grace paid them to go away. Daisy wonders about those families and the kids who used to play here; their laughter once echoed between the trees and now it’s silent. Hopefully, they managed to reconstruct their lives using the resources she provided.

As the sun set, its light bathed the house, creating a gentle radiance along its edges. The home stands on a grand scale, boasting windows that envelop both the lower and upper levels. Despite only being built seven years ago, Grace held a deep appreciation for history and it shows in the architecture. The Victorian-style home was crafted in a manner that exudes the aura of centuries past.

The focal point, the entryway, is crowned with two grand wooden front doors, standing tall and imposing, their well-worn elegance inviting all who visit. Ironically, Daisy can only assume that visitors to the house were few and far between during Grace's time.

Effortlessly, the key slipped into the lock, and upon entering, Daisy’s bag dropped onto the wooden floors, the sound reverberating through the expansive, vacant house. 

"Hello?" Daisy's voice echoed through the space, although she knew well that no one would answer.

Still, she waited for a reply that never came—only the structural creaks and the soft hum of air circulating through the vents persisted. It was eerie, but at least she was not on the streets and the house itself was undeniably beautiful and fully furnished. Daisy had to admit that Grace possessed a talent for home decor. An artist at heart, Grace's creative vision shone through, not just in her painted canvases but also in the ambiance of her house.

Daisy admired the exquisite crown moldings that decorate the ceilings, intricate panels adorn the walls, and ornate chandeliers cast a warm, gentle glow. It was inviting even if she didn’t feel welcome. 

Stained glass windows, with their kaleidoscope of hues, scatter fragments of sunset light. The grand staircase, an artful masterpiece that anchors the foyer, leads to the upper floor, its handcrafted banisters a tangible testament to the commitment to the minutiae.

All of it was stunning. It’s hard to believe that Grace was living in this while Daisy endured nights on a couch, lacking a proper bedroom, in a family that seemed indifferent to her presence.

She debated unpacking her bag but was overwhelmed by the day's events. She wanted to take the edge off, to forget. She figured Grace might have left some wine in the kitchen. Grace was rarely without alcohol nearby.

The kitchen was pristine. The house staff, paid ahead of time, had maintained the house and yard even after her death. They hoped to impress a new owner. Daisy wondered what they'd think when they saw the for sale sign at the end of the weekend. She couldn't worry about that now; it might push her over the edge with all that’s on her mind.

Daisy tossed half-empty wine bottles into the trash and found a corked bottle on the rack. She wiped the dust off a Pinot Noir named Goldeneye.

Never heard of it, but it’ll do. 

 “Aha,” Daisy muttered with satisfaction as the cork popped.

Holding the bottle, she walked to the living room. Taking a hefty sip, she hoped the wine would numb her. The smoky black cherry flavor lingered on her tongue. The house was quiet. Daisy kicked off her shoes, drank some more, and collapsed onto the couch.

"Fuck," Daisy muttered, looking around at her situation. Emotions surged, and she used the wine to drown them.

“Fuck!” She shouts into the emptiness, fighting tears.

Amidst denial and disbelief, laughter bubbled up, an unexpected reaction to her turmoil. Could this really be happening? Maybe it was a terrible nightmare, and she'd wake up soon. She gulped down more wine, trying to steady herself. She pinched her arm, in a desperate attempt to wake up, but the pain was real. She choked back a sob with alcohol.

No, Daisy told herself, forcing herself off the couch. Sulking wasn't the solution. What did she need now? Besides wine, music. Daisy searches the living room and it doesn’t take long for her eyes to spot the record player sitting pretty on the oak table behind the couch. The vinyls are displayed perfectly on a shelf. Daisy’s fingers brush the stack until she comes across Tell Mama by Etta James. 

With steady hands, Daisy placed the needle down in the record, and the resulting music gently cradled her frayed nerves. She’s thankful she paid to have the electricity turned on or she would have been sitting in the dark. 

For the first time in hours, a smile graced her lips as she raised the half-empty bottle, playfully spinning around the room.

“Sing it, Etta,” 

The house came alive with echoes of the music. It felt different, there was a shift in the air. 

But a sudden whiff of smoke caught her attention, and she slowed down. She frowned, puzzled.

Was that the smell of cigarettes?

It couldn't be. Chalking it up to the wine's effect, Daisy walked to the window and opened it, welcoming a draft of fresh air. She was beginning to feel hot and that was a sign that she’s had too much too quickly.  

Examining the bottle in her hand, she was met with a shocking sight that widened her eyes—within its brown-tinted glass, a man leaned against the wall, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on his lips. 

The sight paralyzed her momentarily, her scream of terror overpowering the music before the bottle crashed to the floor.

Dizziness engulfs the room, and she clings to the couch for stability. Her gaze shifts to the spilled wine staining the wooden floor, and then swiftly looks up to find the man. 

But, he's gone.

"Who's there?!" Daisy's voice trembles as she retreats toward the kitchen, tripping over her own feet in her haste.

The music persists, accompanied by the lingering scent of smoke. Daisy snatches the phone off the hook, her fingers fumbling with the buttons as she struggles to dial 911.

"Get out now! I'm calling the police!" Daisy's voice wavers as she shouts, her unease palpable.

As she waits for the line to ring, Daisy stretches the phone cord to its limit as she reaches for a kitchen knife.

There is no ringing. The line is dead.

Daisy's heart sinks, and her face slumps as she presses the numbers again in frustration. 

No. She forgot to set up a new landline under her name.

“No!” Daisy's exclamation filled the room. 

A voice emerged from behind Daisy, “You can see me?”

Daisy spun around, stumbling backward. The same man stood over her with a confused look—a figure both captivating and haunting.

He was taller than Daisy, lean and lanky in build. His dark, tousled curly hair framed his face, the locks falling gracefully over his forehead and partially obscuring his eyes. Those deep brown eyes gazed down at Daisy with curiosity.

“Get back!” Her knife trembled as it rose toward him. “Get out of my house!”

His lips curled up as he leaned down, his face mere inches from the knife's tip. His gaze shifted from the knife to Daisy's widened eyes. 

“You’re in my house, sweetheart.”

Without hesitation, Daisy thrust the knife into his neck.

A gasp escapes her lips as she realizes what she had just done.

But there is no blood, no cry of pain from him. The knife left no mark.

The man straightened, appearing unaffected and unperturbed. His fingers brush over his neck, and he examined them. A laugh erupted from him as he confirmed his lack of harm. The sound of his laughter startles Daisy. She struggles to comprehend how the knife had passed through him as if he were air. 

“Impressive, but you have to try harder than that,” He remarked.

Daisy recoiled, her veins flooded with an icy rush, as he moved through her and vanished.

Through her... he had walked through her as if he were the wind rustling the leaves in the trees.

What the actual fuck is going on? 

Gasping for air, Daisy struggles to catch her breath, her attempt to regain composure falling short. Her chest feels constricted, as though it might collapse under the weight of her racing heart, while her head continues to spin with disorientation.

This is it. She’s going to die.

In the same house as Grace? Hell no. The thought of that alone has Daisy scrambling to her feet. 

Her eyes dart around, and he is nowhere to be found. A surge of adrenaline has her running to the front door. There is a phone in her car. She just needs to make it there and call 911. I’ve got this, she thought. 

Daisy didn’t turn around once she made it out the door. She’s seen too many scary movies and they never survive when they slow down to check their back. 

She closes the car door with a strong thud, locking it forcefully. Her phone is in the glove compartment, rarely used. It’s a new addition, and she isn't entirely used to having a phone on the go.

With shaky fingers, she dials 911. The operator's voice on the other end is a lifeline, reassuring and guiding her. The calm instructions provided a semblance of order amidst the panic that threatened to engulf her.

Dispatch is en route to her location and that helped Daisy breathe a little easier. Following the operator's directions, Daisy remained in the safety of her car. 

She settled into the driver's seat, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of the intruder who had shattered her sense of security while she waited for the police to arrive. The absence of the man did little to quell her unease; if anything, the tension remained palpable, coiled within her like a tightly wound spring.

Time seemed to stretch as she waited, every passing second laden with apprehension.

The flashing lights of the approaching police vehicles pierced the darkness, casting an eerie glow on the scene. Relief mingled with lingering fear as Daisy watched the law enforcement officers spring into action. Even though the immediate threat might have dissipated, the aftershocks of the intrusion still reverberated through her, leaving her on edge.

As the officers began their investigation, Daisy recounted the harrowing encounter, her voice shaky but resolute. She cooperated with their questioning, hoping that their presence would help dispel the lingering shadows that had taken hold of her mind.

However, the man who had broken into her home remained elusive. Even though the immediate danger had passed, Daisy couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched, which kept her on edge.

As the investigation reached its conclusion, Daisy's version of events started to unravel. No signs of forced entry, no trace of an intruder—her story seemed to be falling apart.

Doubt crept in, exacerbated by the officers' questioning of her sobriety due to the spilled wine and the discarded bottles. Frustration surged within her. They didn’t believe her. Of course they didn’t. 

Internally, Daisy wrestled with the wild scenarios her mind had conjured in the heat of panic, like the memory of stabbing the man who simply walked away unharmed and how he disappeared in thin air. She kept these details to herself, focusing on the central truth: she had indeed seen a man, an intruder.

“Perhaps the alcohol took its toll and played tricks on your perception. We've all been there before, Ma’am. It's understandable,” the officer offered, his tone laced with a well-intentioned reassurance.

“No, that's not what happened!” Daisy's frustration surged forth. Her voice held a mixture of anger and determination. “I had maybe half a bottle. I’m not intoxicated. I saw a man, and he was in my house.”

A glance exchanged between the officers told Daisy all that she needed to know, and now her patience is wearing thin.

This day had tested her resilience. Her emotions teetered on the edge of tears, a precipice she was desperate to avoid.

Hold it together, Daisy. Tears will only add to their assumption that you’re insane. 

“We're here to help, Ms. Morgan. Let us accompany you inside,” The officer suggested kindly. “It's getting late and about to rain.”

Walking back inside, Daisy's thoughts were a whirlwind of disbelief and vulnerability. As she stepped in, the house no longer felt safe. The officers' presence was comforting, yet it couldn't hide the truth: Her space had been invaded, not just by a stranger but also by doubts that made her question her reality.

“We've checked your home thoroughly. There is no one here. I can promise you that. Now, If you come across anything else suspicious or unusual then give me a call. Here is my card.”

The officer hands over the card, offering well wishes for the evening, then heads towards their car and drives away.

Daisy lingers in the doorway as rain begins to fall. She wonders if she’s losing her sanity—could she have imagined everything? Doubt sneaks into her thoughts like an unwelcome intruder, picking at her beliefs. Yet, the uncomfortable sensation in her gut persists, a reminder that things aren’t right. Her emotions converge, forming a bubble of anger in her chest. She’s tired of looking like a fool. 

With a forceful slam, the door shuts behind Daisy as she enters the living room, her steps heavy and furious. She scans the room, finding it empty and shrouded in silence. The music has stopped, leaving only the wine stains as the only reminder. She scowls, her eyes fixed on the red-stained wood.

“Where are you?” Daisy’s voice reverberates through the room in a shout.

No response.

“Show yourself! I know you’re here.”

Silence. Total silence. Daisy’s face glistens with dampness, and she wipes her cheeks with the back of her hand. The tears, once contained, now break free like a dam bursting open.

Daisy pulls out her cell phone, her vision blurred by tears and sobs catching in her throat. With shaky fingers, she dials ten digits, and amidst the ringing, she eases down the wall, finding herself on the floor. Even though she doesn’t expect an answer, hearing Sloan’s voicemail gives her a small sense of comfort.

“Yeah, you reached Sloan. Leave a message and maybe I’ll get back to you.”

A loud beep sounds, and Daisy takes a moment to collect herself. “Sloan,” her voice quivers, “I need you. Please call me back when you can.” 

Daisy draws her knees close to her chest, enveloping them with her arms as she lowers her head. This, she acknowledges, is her lowest point. Here it is, the culmination of losing her fiancé and her sanity, all within a single night. 

Daisy’s attention is grabbed by a heavy sigh, causing her to look up. Everything in her freezes. There he sits, on the counter’s edge opposite her, absently twisting the ring on his finger. 

“You know, there’s something about a girl crying,” he murmurs, drawing a breath before slapping a hand over his chest, “It just tears me up.” 

Though his words carry a genuine tone, his eyes hold an elusive expression she can’t quite place. Daisy remains frozen, her gaze locked on him.

Their eyes meet, and he speaks softly, “You’re killing me, Daisy. And I’m already dead.”

Chapter two coming soon

Masterlist

Taglist:

@eddiemunson4life420 @boxofsmittens @sweet-villain @all-time-otaku @enam3l @steveoswhore

[loveharlow]

SEVEN - FAIRYTALE

CHAPTER SYNOPSIS; [4.5k] JJ and Y/N are finally showing some sort of regret for their actions and it's only a matter of time before this whole spat of their comes to an end, not without proper apologies of course.

CHAPTER WARNING(S); swearing, mutual pining, mild angst, avoidance, the reader has an older sister because I said so and wanted to up the word count, FLUFF (it's been so long since y'all saw this word, I know I know)

A/N; ONE MORE CHAPTER!! Also, Ik the whole sister thing came out of nowhere but I feel like we needed an outside perspective other than the pogues and the sibling trope is just *chef's kiss*, so...

*If you have your settings on dark mode, the text may appear black for you. i don't know why and I have tried to fix this. Sorry.

series masterlist

“MORNIN’ POOL PRINCESS.” John B croaked as I entered the kitchen where he and Kie were perched at the counter. Giving him a heads up as a greeting as I rubbed the sleep out of my left eye. I sat myself next to Kiara and she nudged my shoulder in acknowledgement.

Once my eyes didn’t feel as stiff or dry, I blinked them open as a yawn escaped my throat. “Are we still on for today?” I asked tiredly, resting my chin in the palms of my hands while my elbows rested on the marble countertop. 

“Actually, no.”

Directing my gaze to the messy-haired brunette boy sipping on a mug of coffee, my eyebrows brought themselves together in confusion. “I thought-”

“Apparently, Sarah forgot to buy the tickets.” John B interrupted, seemingly annoyed at his girlfriend's lack of proper planning skills. 

“And we can’t buy the tickets now because they’re sold out, so.” Kie added, scrolling through her messages on her phone. 

“We’re just gonna go to the beach later today.” John B proclaimed. “There’s one not too far from here but we heard it’s way too crowded during the day.” 

I nodded in agreement as the three of us fell into a somewhat comfortable silence — Kie paying little mind as she texted who I presumed to be Mariana from the black hair in the contact picture. Yes, I’m being nosey. Cope. Then there was John B who looked to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed but was trying his best not to show it. I was starting to wonder if it had anything to do with what Sarah mentioned the other day, about them being in a tough place recently.

After a few moments passed, I lifted myself from the bar stool and trotted over to the fridge, grabbing the half-full carton of orange juice and pouring myself a glass. “I think I’m gonna head back into the room. See you.” I muttered before dragging my limp and tired frame back into my shared room with JJ.

Entering the room, I immediately noted the empty bed — lopsided pillows and covers thrown to the side. 

“Oh,” I heard to my left, whipping my head to a certain blonde staring at me — phone in hand as he looked up. “There you are.”

I gave a slight ‘hm’ in response and rounded the bed to my side, picking up my phone from the nightstand and looking through my notifications. “Yeah, I was talking to JB and Kie. We’re supposed to go to the beach later.”

Now it was his turn to give a small ‘hm’ in response.

The tension between us was still clear as day but not as thick anymore. There was no more burning anger or crippling confusion, at least from my perspective anyway. It was just…odd.

I made no moves to look up at him and continued catching up on what I had missed over night — random twitter posts, group text messages, story mentions.

“Can we talk?” And there it is.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I said there was no more burning anger, I’m still upset. I just no longer want to sock him in the balls.

Side-eyeing him, I shrugged. “We just did.” He let out a long, defeated sigh — a tell-tale sign he was about to say something. Something I most likely did not want to hear. So, before he could speak, I did. “I’m gonna call Adele.” I said shortly, plopping down on the mattress with my back to him.

Adele is my sister, older by 4 years. She's always one of the first people I turn to and she knew all about my situation with JJ, more than Kiara, save for a few minor major and recent details.

“I’ll, uh, give you some space then.” He muttered before the sound of the bedroom door was heard opening then closing shut, my deep breath leaving my chest. I’d talk to JJ eventually but I needed to sort my words out and clear my head first. We both clearly saw where speaking from the top of our heads has gotten us thus far.

Clicking on her contact, the phone rang before I heard a voice on the other line. 

“Hey! How’s the trip-”

“I need your help on something.”

“SHE HATES ME.” JJ whined, throwing himself onto the mattress of Pope and Kie’s shared bed. Pope had just left the shower, throwing a hoodie over his head as he examined himself in the mirror. The bathroom door was wide-open, allowing the two boys to communicate freely in separate parts of the bedroom.

“She does not. You’re just dramatic, and get your nasty ass feet off the pillows.” Pope reprimanded.

JJ groaned and sat up properly on the mattress, a childish pout plastered on his face. “What am I going to do? She won’t talk to me, Pope. She’s probably venting to Adele about me as we speak, which would suck because Adele would kick my ass-”

“I won’t deny that.”

JJ and Adele had an almost brother-sister bond because of how long JJ and I had been friends. They annoy each other and tease one another but it’s all love at the end of the day. However, during their teasing and play fighting, JJ discovered Adele held a considerable amount of strength and refuses to get on her bad side to this day.

“For one,” Pope continued on. “Y/N could never hate you.” He assured as he exited the bathroom, sitting himself next to JJ on the bed, facing him. 

“I don’t know man. This is different.” The blonde boy sighed. Pope proceeded to pull JJ's legs onto his own lap, patting his calf before speaking,

“Okay, well I am now your therapist for the day. Talk to me.”

JJ sighed as he adjusted the cap on his head, moving his hands to rub on the thighs of shorts nervously. “Okay, uhh, how do I start-”

“From the beginning. From whatever happened between you two that started this whole mess.”

“Alright, okay. Uh, it was that kegger about a year ago.” He began, easily recalling the chaos filled night. "We were drunk and I was coming onto her and she wasn’t pushing me away, she was into it. Things sort of went from there I guess?”

“Went from there?”

“I don’t know, man. We made out for a couple hours, felt up on each other-”

“Hours?”

“Pope. You’re supposed to be listening, man.”

“Right. Sorry.” The boy held his hands up in mock surrender, a silent signal for the blonde to continue his story.

“Anyway,” JJ dismissed. “We had agreed that it was a one time thing, that it wouldn’t happen again because we thought it was best for the group. But, I don’t know, I just couldn’t do it. Stay away from her, I mean. I tried Pope, I really did. But that girl just does something to me.” He admitted, vulnerability shining through his features. “We let it go too far one time. Just one time-”

“Woah, woah,” Pope interrupted, eyes going wide in what he might hear as a response. “What do you mean exactly when you say you let it ‘go too far’?”

…

“JJ…”

The blonde averted his eyes and scratched the top of his baseball cap. “It was only once. I swear.”

“JJ.” Pope turned to fully face his long time friend. “Did you and Y/N sleep together?” The blonde slowly nodded his head and Pope threw his back with a disappointed groan. “Well, this whole thing makes a whole lot more sense now! Dude! What the hell? When?”

“A couple months back, around 6 months ago maybe? We didn’t mean for it to happen. That’s not to say I regret it.”

“Well, I can’t tell you much, JJ.” The boy admitted solemnly. “What I can tell you is that no matter how strongly she feels about you, no matter how much she loves you — in a romantic way or not, she’s not gonna wait around forever. We both know that Y/N is caring and patient but every one has their breaking point. If she feels like you’re taking her kindness for a weakness, she won’t hesitate to leave. You know that. And she seems to have given you more chances than I expect she would if it were anyone else.”

JJ nodded shamefully in agreement, biting the inside of his cheek in contemplation.

“So, I’ll give you this-” Pope started up once again. “An ultimatum — either you tell her how you feel by the end of today-” He paused to raise his phone in the hand that remained mainly out of sight during their conversation, revealing the device unlocked and recording. “-Or I’ll just let her listen to our entire conversation.”

JJ's eyes went wide, his frame shooting up in the bed in a swift and desperate attempt to get the phone — only for Pope to draw his arm back out of reach and quickly stand from the bed.

“Pope-”

“Make a choice, JJ.” He taunted, ending the recording but still edging away from the frantic blonde who was now up and on his feet, closing the space between the two.

“Pope, c’mon man.”

“Time’s ticking…”

“Okay! Okay, I’ll do it just fucking delete it!” JJ exclaimed, now standing inches away from Pope after his last futile attempt to gain control over the situation.

“I will once you tell her!” Pope proclaimed, pocketing his phone in his shorts. Crossing his arms over his chest and looking his friend in the eyes, Pope raised his eyebrows. “Better get to writing, my friend. You have a love confession to make.” He teased.

“GUYS! SUN’S SETTING!” Sarah’s voice bellowed through the house. I had just finished tying  the strings on my bikini top, still letting my sister’s words ring around in my head. 

“Life goes on. Either you keep trying or let him go, but it’s up to you.”

Talking to her really did help to weigh my options, observe my situation. We aren’t in highschool anymore. We’re adults and it’s time we acted like it. Whatever happened to JJ and I in the long run, I’d just have to accept it.

So, grabbing my beach tote and slinging it over my shoulder, adjusting the sunglasses atop my head — I left the room to join the others out in the foyer. 

“Always the last one down.” John B teased.

“Always loud and wrong.” I shot back playfully, reaching the bottom of the stairs and plucking the backwards baseball cap on top of his head. 

“Alright,” Sarah began. “The beach is about 45 minutes away. You guys wanna stop to get food or no?”

Everyone agreed that we would and we headed out of the house to pile into the car. 

About halfway there, we stopped at a drive-thru to eat something quick and continued on to the beach, the boys covering their ears as us girls sang at the top of our lungs to the radio with the sole purpose to annoy them.

“UGH THIS IS MAKING ME HOMESICK. I MISS OUR BEACHES BACK HOME.” Sarah groaned as she walked at the forefront of the group, our feet digging into the warm, damp sand as we made our way closer to the shore.

“Is this a good spot to set up the chairs?” John B asked, to which we all nodded and unfolded the lawn chairs we brought with us, digging the legs of them into the sand.

The beach was dark and calm, with only two other groups of people, that we could see anyway. Sitting down, John B cracked open the beers and passed them around the group and things pretty much took off from there.

Cracked a few jokes, shared some laughs, now we were playing never have I ever. 

“Okay, Okay,” Kie spoke through laughs. “Never Have I Ever… kissed more than one person in twenty-four hours.” 

“Okay, that’s not even fair!” John B defended as the group broke out into laughter. “It was 9th grade…”

“They were twins!” Kiara croaked out through her hearty laughs, a hand placed on her stomach as she practically fell out, making us all laugh harder.

In the midst of our carelessness, none of us had noticed one of the girls from the other group on the beach had made her way over, tapping JJ on the shoulder as she approached behind his chair.

“Hey…” She said flirtatiously, shifting her weight and twirling a strand of her brunette hair. She looked about our age — her slim frame adorned in a bikini that barely covered much, sand stuck to her thighs and her hair damp from the water. Our group fell into a stunned, awkward silence due to the intrusion. “You from around here?”

“Uh, no. I’m not.” He answered hesitantly, whipping his head from her to us — to me? We all cut our staring and fell back into chatter, meaningless as we tried to talk while also eavesdropping. 

It couldn't have been more than two minutes before the girl was walking back to her respective group, where her friends were watching and giggling as she made her way back. JJ turned back around in his chair, his cheeks blown as if he was holding back a laugh.

“She’s gonna call someone but it’s not gonna be me. I pray she isn’t bold enough to send a nude as a first text or something.”

“You gave her the wrong number?” John B added, his expression one of surprise. JJ nodded and leaned back in his chair, sipping on the nearly empty beer in his hand. “JJ? Turning down women? Guys, I think hell has finally frozen over.”

“Ha, ha.” He retorted. “I’ve actually been chilling for a little while, if you haven't noticed.” He glared at his friends. “And she’s not my type.” He said flatly, staring directly at me with no indication that he was trying to hide it.

I felt my cheeks grow hot and I was not going to let him know that he was getting to me, not after everything that happened in the last few days. What is up with him anyway? So, sitting my beer on the ground, I got up from my chair and shimmied out of my shorts to reveal my bikini bottom.

“I’m gonna go for a swim.” I announced, getting hums of acknowledgement before heading off on my own. Reaching the edge of the water, the waves hit my toes before receding back. The water was cool, not too cold. It prompted me to go further, just until the water hit right under my chest.

My thoughts were running a muck in my mind, clouding my brain with every thought I’d set aside. I took two handfuls of the cool, salt water and splashed it on my face. Surprisingly, it helped. 

My nerves jumped for a second when I felt two cold hands on my shoulders, whipping around with a yelp to face Kiara who was holding back a laugh with her hands up in surrender. “Kie! What the hell?”

“Relax.” She drawled. “I was just coming over to see how you were doing.” I crossed my arms over my chest to rub my forearms which were growing slightly cold due to the water that got splashed on them and Kie ran her hands through the water waiting on me to speak.

“I’m doing better, I guess.” 

“Anything new about you and JJ?”

“There is no ‘me and JJ'. So, no. Nothing new.”

The brunette girl scoffed and looked off to the side. “Jeez, y’know I miss when you would look at that boy like he hung the stars in the sky himself. Now, everything is so…negative.”

I shrugged and drew my lips into a thin line, pushing my eyebrows up for a quick second. “Yeah well, shit happens. Things change.”

“Things like what? C’mon, don’t leave me out of the loop. I was the first groupie.” She pleaded like a begging puppy. I groaned, but ultimately decided to confide in her. She practically knew everything anyway.

“We got into a small argument last night and I talked to Adele about it earlier and I’ve just been going over what she said.”

“Well, what did she say?”

“That I have to make a choice, basically. A whole bunch of shit about entering the adult world and learning to make hard decisions, for better or for worse.”

“Your sister’s always right, somehow.” Kie stated, me nodding in agreement. 

“I just-”

“Mind if I steal her for a moment?” A raspy voice spoke from behind Kie, her turning and me peering over her shoulder to find the topic of conversation standing nervously. 

Before I could respond myself, Kiara was speaking for me. “Yeah, go ahead.” She said, turning back to me and wiggling her fingers as I glared at her before she headed towards the shore. I turned my back to face JJ, staring at the moon that I didn’t even know had risen.

“Can you look at me?” He sounds so desperate that I couldn’t help but turn around to meet his eyes. He couldn’t be more than a ruler’s length away from me, the moonlight illuminating on his hair, making his blonde strands shine even more than they normally do.

I had a feeling that the pogues were watching from the beach but I knew they couldn’t hear a thing. 

“So…you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yeah, I uh,” JJ stuttered, playing with the water around him and taking a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize.” My demeanor fell, my hard expression faltering. “Actually apologize. For everything. Everything I said and did. And everything I didn’t say and didn’t do.”

“JJ…”

“Just let me do this. Please?” He pleaded, hands opened and eyes wide. I sighed and nodded for him to go on. He brought his hands in front of him, wringing them together as a nervous tick. “The first night when we kissed, I was happy. Happy because I liked you for so long but I didn’t think you felt the same way and that night showed me something different. It showed me that there was a chance. But it was like when morning came, all of the guilt came with it. I thought about how what happened would have destroyed our friendship and caused problems within the group so that’s why I made that deal — that it was a one-time thing.”

He looked up to stop the tears falling that were brimming in his waterline.

“But I knew from that moment that it was a lie. I could try and try to get myself away from you but it would never work. But I didn’t want to put that on you. The same guilt that I had settled myself with, I didn’t want that for you. So, I tried. But anytime either of us got too close to one another it was game over, really. And the one time that we…” He lowered his gaze directly in line with mine, a silent agreement that we both knew the night he was referring to.

“Look, I know you don’t want to hear a timeline of events that you’ve lived through so I’ll just get on with it.” He urged himself. “When you started to ask questions, about what we were and what was going on, I never had an answer for you. Because I knew what I wanted but I wasn’t sure if I was what you needed. I would get caught up in my own thoughts and reservations that I would scare myself out of giving you the answer you wanted. It was always on the tip of my tongue, just like it is now.”

He waded closer, barely any space between us now as his voice lowered to just above a whisper. 

“I love you. Possibly more than I love anyone else I’ve ever known. And I’ve been an asshole, I know that. I put you through hell because of my own insecurities and I won’t blame you if you can’t forgive me. But you needed to know that. You need to know that I love you and I have for quite a while now and I’m ready to say it, to own it. And I’m prepared for however you react because I know that I waited too long to do this.”

By this point, hot tears had gathered in my own eyes. JJ and I were close so I had seen him at what I had presumed was his worst. But I was wrong. This, this, was his lowest point. He was vulnerable and open and honest — all the things he hated to be in the public eye and even in front of the people we call friends and family. So, I knew that everything he had said came from a place he buried deep within himself.

I’d be lying to myself if I sat here and said that these last 2 days hadn’t been hell. Not because JJ put me through it, but because it felt like we were drifting apart. JJ had been my rock for years — my shoulder to cry on without judgment. Even with our ups and downs, he would always be there. Thinking about what Adele said earlier, about making decisions and being an adult.

This was the time for that. I won’t ignore what we’ve been through recently but he was right — we needed to own up to it.

“It’s not all on you,” I started, reaching out to put one of my hands over both of his. “I was stupid.” His face fell and I could tell he was going to try and reassure me but I looked at him and shook my head, a signal to let me finish. “I was and I cannot put that on you and I won’t let you take all the blame for what’s happened. I won’t let you do that to yourself.”

I pursed my lips together before speaking again. “When things started, at the kegger, I was relieved. Because I had gone back and forth about my feelings for you for years. And I thought that you had realized you felt something for me too. So yeah, the morning after that night crushed me a little bit. It knocked down almost every single piece of hope I gained. And every time you came back, that hope would keep building and get knocked again. And at some point, I realized what I was doing to myself. I was hurting myself by loving you. That’s why I started to ask questions. Because I needed to know. To know if it was worth it.”

My hands traveled up his arms to link together behind his neck. “And I won’t lie to you. I was starting to think that it wasn’t. I started to think that you’re JJ and you ‘don’t do relationships’. That thought brought me the comfort I needed at night to sleep. Because I couldn’t think of any other reasonable reason why my best friend didn't feel like my bestfriend. I’ll admit, I still don’t fully understand where we went wrong, the miscommunications, any of it. But I think we can get there — get to a point of understanding.”

JJ's hands unlinked from one another and went to my waist, his forehead falling against mine. “I want to try this. But we both have to want this, JJ. And we both have to try.”

I felt him nod against me, his head craning up to place a kiss on my forehead. “I swear to you, I’ll do my best. I want this. I do. And I’ll prove it to you, only if you let me.”

We stood wordlessly in each other’s arms for a few passing moments, at some point my head dropped to rest on his chest as his arms encircled me in an embrace. I wasn’t crazy or delusional. I knew this didn’t erase anything we had said or done to each other in the past 2 days, before that even. It would take time, and maybe a lot of it. But if we saw some kind of worth or value in working towards doing better, for ourselves and one another, then this was a moment to be cherished.

Because it’s a starting point. A good one. A better one. And this time, I didn’t have to convince myself of anything. I didn’t have to draw from context clues or body language to plead my case, to find some kind of saving grace. It was all here — laid out and in the open. He loved me and I loved him.

After a while, I lifted my head away from him to look up and meet his eyes. “I know you’re probably sick of hearing this but at least this will be the last time.” I half-joked. “What are we?”

And he just looked down at me with the most adoring expression I had ever seen. One of his hands came up from its place under the water on my waist to cup my cheek, drops of water dripping down as his thumb caressed my face.

“Well, I was hoping this meant that I could call you my girlfriend.” 

Then I tried my best to bite back a smile as my cheeks grew hot, the heat crawling up to my ears. “I think..” I started nervously, biting the inside of my bottom lip. “I think I’d like that.”

“Yeah?” A boyish smile broke out onto his face. 

“Yeah…” I whispered. Both of our pupils were blown wide and I felt this overwhelming rush of a feeling I couldn’t quite place but it felt...good. Really good. “Before we head back though…” I started with a mischievous glint in my eyes. “I’d like to put in my first official girlfriend request.”

His eyebrows arched in curiosity, and I’m pretty sure I saw some amusement in there. “Oh yeah? What?”

Wrapping my legs around his waist under the waist, I gazed into his eyes, my gaze only shifting for a second to look at his lips that were slightly parted. “Kiss me.” I whispered.

“Well, you didn’t have to ask for that.” Was all he said before he was leaning forward so his lips could meet mine, his hands trailing down to hold my thighs and pull me more into him. When I started to pay attention to my surroundings, I could hear the whoops and cheers of our obnoxiously loud friends all the way from the shore.

“Whoo!”

“It’s about time!”

I could feel JJ smile into the kiss at their antics, prompting one to spread on my own face, breaking the kiss but we made no moves to create space between one another. “They’re ridiculous.” JJ laughed.

“Gotta love ‘em for it.” I assured, moving my face back so we could look at each other normally.

“NOW BRING YOUR ASSES BACK OVER HERE SO WE CAN PLAY TRUTH OR DARE!” Kie bellowed from the beach.

“We should probably-”

“Yeah.” But the blonde made no moves to put me down, turning around and walking us both back to shore as the waves moved around us. 

And as we came back into clear view of our friends, our people. The night felt right. And I felt happy and warm. Content. 

Whatever happens from here, at least we gave it a fair chance. 

But right now? I couldn’t be any happier.

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Notes: Cassian Andor/Reader, everyone lives au, post-rebellion, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, disabled reader, domestic fluff

CW: PTSD, chronic illness, disability, implied sexual intimacy, mention of alcohol

Ao3 Link

★★★★★★★★

You were surprised when you woke to find Cassian gone, a note on the counter to let you know he had to go off-world for something unexpected. But that he’d be home tonight, tomorrow at the latest.

“This doesn’t sound good,” you say to yourself before the patio door opens behind you and you find that Cassian has left Kay behind.

“You’re awake,” Kay says. “Arseven and I were tending to the garden. The berries along the fence should be ripe soon—”

You cut the droid off “Where is he?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“He doesn’t want you involved.”

“And he left you home, what, to take care of me?”

Arseven comes through the patio door carrying a basket of fresh vegetables, which she hands to Kay before tapping your leg with one of her little arms, whistling and beeping: I take care of you.

Your heart is beating faster now and you pour yourself a glass of water if only to have something to do with your hands.

“Cassian said I wouldn’t be welcome where he’s going,” Kay says in his usual dry tone. “But I’m not particularly welcome on this planet either, am I?”

Like most days, Kay is wearing a scarf. This one is woven cotton, red and black—something you’d picked up at a local market. You’d given Kay his first scarf not long after you’d started dating Cassian. It was a way for him to signal his independence to the galaxy. To let folks know he wasn’t a danger to them.

“Where is he?” you ask again. “Do I need to be worried?”

You realize Cassian’s jacket—the one with the Rebellion starbird on the shoulder—is hanging on the hook by the door. Where it’s supposed to be. But he never hangs it there. It’s always slung over a chair or the back of the couch. You reach into the pockets of the jacket and pull out his com device.

You hold it up for Kay to see. “What the hell is going on?” you ask.

Arseven chirps at Kay, whistles low. Share why.

“You, too, Seven?”

“She only knows what I’m going to tell you,” Kay says. “A childhood friend of his asked for help. He didn’t know this person was even alive and is worried that it may be a trap. But he felt he had to try.”

“And you let him go?”

“I told him it was a bad idea.”

You feel tears in your eyes. Cassian has told you so many times that he’s not a soldier anymore. Not a spy. Recently you’ve realized he doesn’t even carry a blaster anymore—not most of the time. You go to the garage and punch in the code on the weapons locker, finding it nearly empty. Where could he be that he can’t bring Kay or his com but needs to be heavily armed? Cassian has seen some of the most lawless places in the galaxy, and your heart hurts to think that that’s the kind of place where he might be right now.

“Do you need a hug?” Kay asks.

You turn to the droid, almost as if to check that this is the same K-X droid you’ve been sharing your life with for the past several years. He’s holding his arms out, and it seems so unusual, this posture.

“Since when do you do hugging?”

“Cassian said I had to.”

But you do need a hug, so you let Kay wrap his metal arms around you.

“Can you contact him?”

“Cassian is currently out of range.”

You take a deep breath in, slowly let it out.

Arseven lets out a series of whistles and beeps. Need an activity.

“You’re right,” you say. “There’s something I need to finish, and today is a better day than most to get it done.”

Seven is already rolling into your office—a room that you and Cassian had recently transformed into a space that could almost also serve as something of a studio. Your sewing machine is out on one of the tables, and when you get to it, Seven is already pulling the pieces of your project from a drawer.

“When he does get home,” you tell Seven, “I’m going to be so angry with him. I’m already angry. But it will be worse for him, won’t it? Whatever he’s doing…it sounds overwhelming. Maybe it will be nice for him to have something soft, something that brings back good memories.”

Seven projects the photo of the stuffed bantha, one exactly like the one his mother had given him when he was young, a toy he kept into his adulthood, before things got…complicated. The events that transpired between when he left home and when he joined the rebellion weren’t something he ever really talked about with you. But a few months back, after a few glasses of wine, Cassian saw the toy in an old holofilm, his breath hitching slightly as he said he’d had the same one, that he kept it on a shelf in his room even after he outgrew plush toys.

Arseven pats one of her tiny arms on your materials and chirps: Perfect replica.

“I don’t know about that, Seven,” you said, holding the yet-to-be stuffed toy in you hands, your fingers aching to know if this was the right fabric to choose. Is it too soft? Not soft enough? “It’s not perfect. But it might be close.”

*

You were startled awake by the sound of someone pounding on your door, your heart already racing when you sat straight up on the sofa. You’d been reading a book last you remembered, maybe resting your eyes a little. And now it sounded like there was a tornado in the hallway outside your apartment.

“I’m coming,” you yelled, easing yourself off the couch as quickly as you could despite the stiff ache in your joints.

When you opened the door, you found Cassian looking disheveled in a hoodie and jeans. He swept you into his arms, kissed your forehead, squeezing you tight as he said, “Thank kriff, I was so worried.”

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“Last night you told me you were feeling strange,” he said. “So when you weren’t answering your com—it’s not like you. I couldn’t stop thinking that maybe you were hurt…or that maybe something—”

“Slow down,” you told him. He released his grip, perhaps just now realizing how tightly he was holding you, giving you the space to take his face in your hands. You swept his messy hair out from out of his eyes. “Look at me. I’m okay. My com link has just been acting up, remember?”

“I remember now.” He pressed his forehead to yours and sighed.

It had only been nine months or so since you’d met Cassian, and there were times when this kind of intensity was a lot for you. But today you didn’t mind. And you lead him to the sofa where you wrapped a blanket around the both of you, cuddling into his chest.

“I just need a new com device,” you said. “And I’m going to get one after I finish work tomorrow.

You sat in the quiet for a while, the sound of children playing outside your building the only thing you could hear other than his heartbeat.

“You get dizzy when you panic,” he said. “When I was on Coruscant for work last month—”

Your anxiety had spiraled after a difficult doctor’s visit followed by a bumpy cab ride home and you’d ended up fainting in your kitchen. It had only been for a second but the way you’d crashed into a chair had left a nasty bruise on your hip.

“I can’t control it. When my body starts in that direction, I just have to try not to fall.”

“I know it’s not your fault,” he said. “I know what it’s like. But I have Kay.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “My heart, I never want you to be hurt and alone ever again.”

“You know, I’ve been alone for a long time, Cass.”

“Not anymore,” he whispered.

He kissed you softly, cradling your jaw in his hand. Something unwound in you as you threaded your fingers through his soft hair, a letting go of trepidation, somehow knowing that if there had ever been any turning back from falling hard for this man, that offramp was no longer an option.

“I never thought I’d let myself get this close to someone again.” Cassian said.

“I’m glad you did,” you replied.

“I should explain.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to,” he said, stroking your cheek. “There were a lot of times that I should have been there for people. People who cared about me even when I was at my worst.” His voice was low and he took a deep breath as he almost unconsciously began to caress your sore back. And then he laughed—a familiar laugh not of joy but discomfort. “I think sometimes about how my mother wouldn’t even turn the heat on unless I was home to make sure she did. And there were a lot of times when I wasn’t home.”

You laid your head back down on his chest and he wrapped both arms around you. Neither of you was particularly good at this kind of conversation. So you listened to the steady beat of his heart as he kissed the top of your head.

“It’s terrifying, isn’t it?” you asked.

“What is?”

“This closeness. How you’ve allowed me to really know you, and to have you. But I know some of the things you did during the war. I try not to think about it but there are definitely beings out there who wish you harm. You might have Kay, but every time you go off-planet I worry that something—”

“Listen to me, my heart” he said. “There is no one in this galaxy that could keep me from coming home to you. Do you understand me?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“I will make it that simple.”

When you saw the look in his eyes, you believed him.

*

It’s after dark when you hear Cassian’s landspeeder pull into the garage, the back door clicking shut, a bag dropping with some weight to the floor. You’re in your office cleaning up, but Cassian is apologizing while he’s still in the kitchen, an ache in his voice apparent as he calls your name.

“I know you’re upset with me,” he says, “but I’m ready to make it up to you, if you’ll allow it.”

You’re standing in the hallway when he sees you, stopping abruptly, beginning his nervous habit of running a hand through his hair only to find he’s tied it back. Even in the dim evening light, you spot an oil stain on the henley he’s wearing, a tear on the sleeve near his elbow that, upon further scrutiny, looks like a blaster burn.

“You were shot at today,” you say.

He rolls up the sleeve and peels back a bacta patch to reveal a small wound that’s mostly healed. “Just a graze,” he says. “My heart, I promise, it’s over.”

“Don’t,” you say. “Not tonight.”

Cassian nods, averting his eyes, eventually saying softly, “I understand.”

“No,” you say, shaking your head. “Come here.”

He sweeps you into his arms, kissing your hair, your cheek, your neck as he cradles your head against his shoulder. “If there had been any other way.”

“I know.” It’s hard to be angry when you’ve also spent your whole day afraid for him, and now he’s here, holding you tight, an injury perhaps his own natural consequence.

“Where’s Kay?”

“You know how he gets when he has to keep secrets from me—I sent him and Seven on an errand. He’ll be back soon, but you should let him know you’re home if you haven’t already.”

“Right,” he says. “Let me go get my com.”

You settle into the sofa, doing your best to hold back tears. As hard as this is for you, you don’t know what it’s like to have everyone you love taken away from you over and over and over again. To feel like you are responsible for this loss. Cassian has done so much work to heal over the last ten years. But he’s still a man. Whatever he did today, he is carrying it and so much more with him right now.

When he sits next to you on the sofa, he has a blanket with him—it looks like the one he usually keeps for you on his U-Wing.

“You took your own ship today?”

“No,” he says. “But I know how much you love that blanket, I thought you might like one for the house. So I made a stop on the way back, found that artist’s stall.”

He’s pulling you toward him, the blanket wrapped around the both of you when he sees what you’ve set on the living room table for him to find.

“Where did you get that?” he asks, almost panicked for a split second before remembering where he is

“The toy?” you ask, “I made it. It’s not exactly the same, but—”

He reaches for it, taking it in both hands, his fingers running carefully over the different fabrics, the little button eyes.

“Thought you might need a nice memory tonight,” you said. “Even if I’m angry. I know this probably wasn’t an easy day for you.”

“You made this today?” He asks, not taking his eyes off of the plush bantha in his hands.

“I started it a while back,” you said. “But I needed a project today, so I finished it.”

He has tears in his eyes when he looks at you and asks, “I know today was hell for you. Why are you so good to me?”

“Cassian,” you say, “even on our worst days, you’re still everything to me.”

“This is…so much,” he says, struggling for words. “This means…just so much.”

“We’ll talk about today when you’re ready. Right now—”

“Right now I hope you’ll just let me take care of you,” he says, kissing your forehead. “Have you eaten?”

“I thought we could order something when you got home.”

“Okay,” he says, putting the little bantha back on the table. “I’m here. And I don’t care if you want dumplings from Tatooine. You will have them.”

*

Cassian had come to know your kitchen as well as he knew his in the last few months and was now sautéing vegetables on your stove, having insisted on making you dinner. You’d been a bit surprised the first time he’d cooked for you—he hadn’t seemed like the kind of man who would know how to follow a recipe, let alone work without one. He’d made a quick trip to the local grocer and come back with ingredients for one of your favorite comfort meals.

“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” you called from your cozy spot on the couch. “I don’t think I’ve even done dishes this week.”

“It’s taken care of,” he said. “After scaring you like that it’s the least I can do. Your neighbors probably think I’m a maniac.”

“They can think what they want. I know who you are.”

He added the vegetables to a large pan, which he then placed in the oven before joining you on the sofa.

“You do, don’t you?” he said.

You took Cassian’s jaw in your hand, caressing his short beard. And he leaned in, resting his forehead against yours for just a moment before kissing you, delicately at first, his lips capturing yours like a promise, before the kiss deepened with a hunger you felt as well, a need to be as physically close as possible to this man.

You ran your hands along the hem of Cassian’s shirt, soon letting your fingers wander over the warm skin of his stomach.

“Right now?” he asked.

“If you want to,” you said. “How long do we have before dinner?”

“Long enough.”

He stood, then pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the sofa and you threw your arms around his neck as you both started down the hall, discarding items of clothing as you went, finally in you bedroom, throwing back the covers and sliding into the sheets together.

“My heart,” Cassian said, his warm brown eyes almost sparkling as he looked at you, almost like he could see your every desire. “I love you so much. And it does frighten me. But I need you to know that there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

“I know,” you said, lacing your fingers through his hair. “I love you, too, Cassian. More than anything.”

*

When you wake, for a split second you’re on the edge of panic, sitting straight up as you come out of a nightmare with the gut feeling that you’ve found yourself in an empty bed again, Cassian gone, perhaps never coming back.

But then he’s there, his hand gentle on your shoulder as he eases you back into bed. “I’m right here,” he says.

“What?” you ask, still foggy from sleep.

“You were calling my name,” Cassian says, his sleepy eyes looking straight into yours. He pulls you close. “You feel feverish. Were you having a nightmare?”

“It’s a blur,” you say, “but…you were gone again.”

“I’m so sorry, my heart.” He kisses your forehead. “Yesterday…it won’t ever happen again.”

“Can you promise that?”

“I think so.”

“Okay,” You say. “That’s good enough for now.”

When Cassian kisses you, sweet and soft, a calm washes over you and you let yourself melt into him, snuggling back under the sheets as he holds you close.

“Did you find your friend, Cassian?”

“Yes,” he says. “I did.”

“Is he safe now?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“But I’d rather focus on you now,” Cassian says, pressing another gentle kiss to your lips. “I am yours. All day. Whatever you want to do.”

This, of course, is a hint that he’s not ready to tell you about his friend, or what happened the day before. Your tuck his hair behind his ear, smoothing out his bedhead, caressing his face before running your fingertips over his shoulders and along his bicep. Recently he’d had a feather tattooed along the inside of his left arm, covering an old injury. It was a feather from a bird native to Kenari—a bird that was likely extinct now along with most creatures from the planet where your husband was born. He is a survivor, and with that, you know, comes a heavy burden.

“I'm just so glad you’re here,” you say.

“So am I, my heart,” He says, easing your head onto his shoulder, kissing your forehead. “The weather has been so nice lately. Do you want to take a picnic to the park? Maybe see what’s going on downtown? I think the waffle cart is open on weekends now.”

“That sounds perfect,” you say, even though a part of you wants to stay in bed with Cassian all day, your bodies close and unshared with the rest of the world.

But soon you’ve found the same grassy spot where Cassian proposed to you all those years ago. It’s early fall in your quadrant of Ralltiir, and it’s hard not to notice the butterflies that are everywhere, stopping in your city briefly on their journey south for the winter. One has perched on Cassian’s knee, and he’s frozen in place so as not to disturb it as it flexes its wings open and closed. You offer the butterfly your finger and it quickly climbs on. You bring it closer to your face so you can better see its colors.

“Is there a creature in the world that doesn’t trust you?” Cassian asks.

“You should have met the tooka-cat when I first took him in,” you tell him as the butterfly takes off into the wind. “He hid in the cupboard under the sink for two weeks. Wanted nothing to do with me.”

“But he came around,” he says.

“So did you.”

You lean into Cassian’s embrace as he tips your chin toward him, kissing you like you’re not in a crowded park. Like it’s the first night he kissed you, just inside the doorway of your old apartment, already perhaps knowing this would be the first kiss of so, so many down the years. With your arms around his neck you run your thumb along your wedding ring, thinking only of how complete your life feels with this man in it, even on the days when he exhausts you.

When he rests his forehead against yours, whisps of his hair tickling your cheeks, he says, “My heart, from the moment you let me in, there was no turning back from you.”

“You’re an extraordinary man, Cassian Andor,” you say. “And you owe me a dessert waffle.”

“I owe you so much more,” he says, rising to his feet and then helping you up off the ground. “But if what you want right now is a waffle, I can make that happen.”

With his arm around your waist, you make your way to your favorite waffle cart, parked just down the street. As you’re about to get in line, Cassian kisses your temple, whispers in your ear, “Thank you for being my home.”

And before you can reply, he captures your lips with his, the smile in his eyes also present in his kiss, and you throw your arms around his neck laughing, the smell of sugar in the air, knowing that whatever unfinished business Cassian is dealing with, whatever lead him to take off without warning yesterday—it will be all right. It might take some time to sort out, but you’ve both seen each other through hard things before. One more hard thing won’t break you.

★★★★★★★★

Thank you so much for reading! I really wanted to write something that somehow incorporated some of the elements we have from the first 5 episodes of Andor. I’m sure episode 6 will break my headcanon again, but that’s fine.I’ll just…edit. I hope this fic makes you feel seen and loved!

I have a taglist now! Sign up here if you want to be tagged in future fics. (And choose if you only want to be tagged for certain characters.) In the meantime, I’m tagging my taglist as well as some folks who have been reblogging my fics. Love y’all!

@writingbylee @waterpancakeao3  @zinzinina @princessxkenobi @aerynwrites@belfry-bat @phoenixhalliwell @r1-sw-lover @laserbrains @darthanakn @lovedbyth3sun @usernamesarebitches @maul-ologue  @operation-spot @writeforfandoms @akgracemk @littlemousedroid @strwrs @saveatruckrideoptimusprime @galaxtic-writings @mintpurplemnm @multifandom-fic-rec-blog @septimaseverinafavfanfic @feyredarling92 @againstacecilia @elasticreality @zombiedixon89 @forresway @diaryofkali @alistocats @favficss @themandadolorian

[smolwritingchick]

The Bangtan Gal Chapter 49- Distressed

Chapter Summary: Jen briefly goes home to see her family but things go downhill when sasaengs decide to follow her and crash her sister’s big performance

Words: 10,000+

Genre: Some angst due to drama that occurs but ends in Major Jungkook fluff!

-------

"You know...I always ask myself if this was even worth it."

"Jennie, things are going to be just fine. There are tons of idols and even your favorite celebs that have gone through this. It will be okay, I promise."

"Will it? I just...I just feel like as I continue to get famous, it'll cause more strain like this in my relationship with my family. This stuff cannot happen again. That was too wild. People could've gotten hurt, Hobi."

'A few days earlier'

ARMY were going insane on Twitter and Tumblr about Jennie's alleged ultimate male sasaeng from South Korea.

One of the popular BTS fan Twitter accounts started a thread, posting various photos to show proof:

'Why we need to protect Jennie from @/MissBangtansHusband !!!!!'

'This guy has been obsessed with her since debut and it's absurd to read all the disturbing comments he's made about her. This guy cannot be around our Miss Bangtan. ARMY, we need to stop him at all costs!'

'He is delusional and needs some serious help. He actually is claiming that he's planning an arranged marriage with her and already has a wedding ring for her.'

'And he claims that she'll be the future mother of his kids. Can someone take one for the team and kick him in the balls?'

'He's made disgusting sexual comments about her on his social media, and always tries to follow her whenever he can. HE WAS ON THE SAME PLANE AS HER COMING TO AMERICA! But thankfully ARMY managed to block his way, pissing him off.'

'He fetishes her and it's so revolting. He even tried to find out where her family lives, which is super scary, tag big hit so they can try to do something! Protect her!'

'And guys, he has tickets to one of the Red Bullet American shows. So, we all need to be extra alert. Like if you can try to take his ticket and rip it up, do that!'

"Welcome back, boo!"

"Oh, so you're not acting professional, today?" Jennie teased as she hugged Diana, outside the airport. 

How long has it been since she had seen her manager? Diana always had a variation of personalities. Her professional one was when she was in manager mode, concentrated on work, never playing around and always serious. But when she's not working, she turns into her joyful nature, where she's more talkative, laughs a lot, and looks happier.

She was offered to work with Big Hit and focus on managing BTS whenever any of the members arrived in America, handling any business in the US. Jennie was thrilled and was looking forward to Diana meeting the boys. Maybe that will be when she can just remain her outgoing self.

Jen always thought she was too serious and it was always a surprise to see Diana so lively when she's not invested in her work. She can almost guarantee that when Diana meets BTS, she'll be as goofy as them. She also had a feeling she'd be the closest with Taehyung and Hobi.

Jen studied Diana with a smile. She looked the same, tall, and curvy but had a new curly weave on her head. It framed her face well. Diana would always be picky about the best brands of hair. She also looked muscular, thanks to working out with her husband.

To this day, Jen is still amazed that three kids came out of her. A three year old girl and two boys who were seven and ten.

When they were in the car, Diana made her way to Jennie's house, driving through the streets of Philly. They caught up in the car, with Miss Bangtan telling her goofy stories about the members, the prank war and even about the Shin incident a few days after filming Yaman TV.

"Now if I were you, I would've punched him. But you did well, you handled it well. I'm extremely proud of you. Don't let no man disrespect you." Diana praised. 

She showed Jennie her phone, to display recent pictures of her kids when they were at a red light.

"They're getting so big. And cuter." Jennie gushed.

"They miss you. Next time you're back up here for the Red Bullet tour, you must come to our house so you can see them. They always ask about you. Darius still has a big crush on you. I dunno what it is about you but he's always asking, 'Is Jennie coming back soon?'"

"Aw." Miss Bangtan let out a laugh. "What can I say? I have that special charm."

"I think it's because you actually listen to his absurdity about becoming a WWE wrestler. Why do you keep hyping him up? He always changes his mind about things."

"Hey, that's our future WWE Champion, you're talking about."

"I can't stand you." Diana laughed.

Abruptly, Keyshia Cole's Got to Get My Heart Back, came on the radio, causing them to get excited. The two of them would always sing R&B throwbacks from the likes of Fantasia, Mary J Blige and much more when they were together. Jen always asked Diana why she hadn't pursued singing because her vocals were powerful, but was told that she preferred to sing for fun and liked working as a manager.

"I'll sing the first verse," Jennie called dibs.

"Nope. You always want to shy away from the second verse. I'll do the first one. You do the second. I want to hear you use them lungs. I know you can sing those high notes."

"Why!?" She complained

"End of discussion!" She sternly shouted, causing Jennie to roll her eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me, little girl. I know Miss Bangtan has pipes. Show me."

"I know." Diana started to sing heartily.

"Where I." Jen focused on the background vocals.

"Went wrong."

"When I."

"...loved you, more than I loved myself. I would have done anything for you. Aye, aye, aye, aye."

Jennie smiled softly as she listened to her sing. She missed this. It's been so long and it brought back fun memories of the car rides they would share, over the years.

"And I learned..." Diana continued the verse.

"When I."

"Realized."

"You didn't love."

"Me the way that I loved you but now I know. It hurts inside."

"Aye, aye, aye, aye."

"Aye, aye...aye. Got to get my heart back to..."

"The way it..."

"Used to love."

"The way it..."

"Used to be."

"And the way it..."

"Used to feel."

"Before I..."

"Fell in love." They sang collectively, as they swayed in their seats while Diana continued to drive.

"Fell in love with you. Got to get my heart back to. The way it. Used to love. The way it. Used to be. And the way it. Used to feel. Before I fell in love. Fell in love with you."

She turned to Jennie and shouted, "Sing!"

Shooting her a playful annoyed look, Jennie sang out, "All I want is true love."

"Okay!" Diana nodded as she continued to listen, causing Jen to crack a smile.

"Couldn't tolerate no more."

"Sing it!"

"Loving someone who couldn't learn to love somebody else. That's why my heart ain't been the same, aye, aye."

"Come through!"

Jennie managed to suppress her laughter as she proceeded to sing. She missed it when Diana hyped her up when it came to singing and dancing. She hoped that she'd never change.

"I see right now. Where it's heading down."

"Let him know!"

"The same road, I've seen before. But no one told me that it would hurt this way." Miss Bangtan continued before successfully singing strongly, "And my life wouldn't be the same~."

Diana nodded in approval and smiled brightly as she heard the high note. Jennie progressed a lot with her vocals and she was so proud to hear the improvement.

"That's why I gotta get my heart back to...The way it used to love! The way it used to be! The way it used to feel before I fell in love. Fell in love with you."

"Good, now handle the rap." Diana instantly requested.

"Bruh!" Jen widened her eyes. She thought she would take care of the rap.

"Rap!"

Thinking about all the rapping lessons Yoongi taught her so far, Jen used that to her advantage as she effortlessly rapped, "You ain't gotta lie. You see me lookin' fly. You want me on your arm. Well, I ain't got the time. I've seen it all baby, I've been around the world and it's a cold game everywhere around the world. I've seen n*ggas get crossed up cause they the realist. And all the realist n*ggas in the streets ain't got no feelings. It comes from being neglected and I'm so alone. I'm in my own zone, tryna get my heart back."

"Yes! Now that is what I'm talking about." She praised. "Finally! Major improvement. I'm a pleased manager. Your singing has gotten so much better. And your rapping is up there. Wow, I'm impressed. What are they teaching you down in SK?"

"Everything. Tiring, but worth it."

"Keep it up, I'm so proud of you."

"That means a lot, coming from you."

"You know, you've grown a lot since SongStress. Big Hit is a great company for you. I'm looking forward to seeing what else BTS will do in the future."

Arriving home, Jennie immediately was welcomed by her mom, who ran up to her, to hug her tightly.

"My baby!" Her mom screamed.

"Ow, not too tight!" Jen exclaimed as she was attacked with kisses all over her face. "Aw, Mom! That's enough! Come on!"

"I missed you, so much! I'm so glad you're here!"

"I'm glad I'm here, too. Nothing like home."

"Ah, there she is." Her dad embraced her. "How you doing, kiddo?"

"I'm a little jetlagged but I'm fine." She sat down on the couch, sighing in contentment as the soft fabric felt nice against her back.

"How are the boys? Any comebacks soon?" Her mom asked

"Yep! We have a Japanese comeback. Once I leave here, I'll be going straight to Japan so we can film. And then soon we'll be back in Seoul for the Dope comeback. I'm excited for that. We have big things planned."

"Oh my gosh, make sure you send me the live stream links! I cannot wait! Look at you, going to Japan and all that. The eight of you are getting bigger. Doesn't that scare you?"

"A little, but as long as I touch people with my vocals and dancing, that's all that matters to me. I'm content."

"Oh, tell her about the Korean foods." Her dad spoke up.

"Oh yeah!" Her mom beamed. "We've been trying out different kinds of Korean Food. I'm very impressed at how delicious it is. Your father is struggling to use the chopsticks, though."

Jennie couldn't help but laugh as she imagined her dad dropping the food and misusing the chopsticks.

"All right, let's not get into all that, hon. Anyway, how's working at Bighit? You're not overdoing it, are you?"

"Not really. We're just tired from the schedules. Although I'm a morning person, it still is tiring to always wake up so early," Jen answered. "And with the comeback, some of us are a little irritable, making sure everything is top notch. But I'm not overworking myself. I'm eating, I'm staying hydrated, and I'm trying to get enough sleep. I'm fine. I won't drop down from exhaustion like that day, I promise."

"You better not. I always worry. So, any boys, yet?" Her dad grinned.

"You always ask me this. Is this going to be a trend, where every time I come here, you'll ask me that?" She giggled

"Well, you're a beautiful girl, I'm kind of surprised no one has swept you off your feet yet."

"Yeah, well patience is a virtue. No boys yet."

"There's no rush, you'll find someone." Her dad turned to her mom and smiled, holding her hand. Jennie watched them as a small smile came across her face.

"I've been meaning to ask this," she spoke up, making her parents give her their attention. "How did you two get together, anyway?"

"He was stalking me."

"She was stalking me."

Her parents teased each other before smiling tenderly.

"Your father had a big crush on me."

"You liked me too, admit it."

"Oh, be quiet. We met in high school. I had an English class with your dad and worked on a project. He was so talkative. We became close afterward and ended up being best friends. I didn't like him at first but he liked me. It was so obvious. During our junior year, he asked me to prom and I said yes. A beautiful night it was. He looked handsome. Had that big afro, too. It was where we had our first kiss. He was so charming, I couldn't resist and then we started dating."

"Who knew the love of my life was my best friend." Her father mentioned

"That's...really cute. Cheesy cute. Like a movie, sort of." Jen added.

"Who knows, maybe the love of your life will be your best friend." Her dad suggested

Jen shrugged. "Doubt that. I don't think I'll be dating anytime soon. No one wants me."

"That's precisely what I said when your grandmother proposed that. And look what happened. So, you never know, your lover might be right in front of you. Could be watching you, just waiting for the right moment. Don't be so quick to assume no one likes you. A young man could be admiring you when you're not looking. Try to pay attention to how guys make you feel. If your heart flutters or if you smile often at one specific guy than the others."

"I was in denial for a while when your father told me he liked me." Her mom spoke. "But I kept thinking about him and realized, this man makes me happy and I'm in love with him, too." She added, kissing her husband

"Ew." Jennie cringed. "Love is weird. Too mushy. Ain't happening."

"You won't be saying that when you start dating~! Being in love with someone as special as your best friend, for instance, it's a powerful feeling. Being with your father brings so much joy to my heart. Nothing has changed since we started dating. Jennie, when you start dating, you'll be smooching-"

"Mom! Stop, no, hush! I don't want to hear it!" She covered her ears while they laughed at her. "Where's V and 'Lani?"

"Upstairs, probably with their headphones in as usual. Those two will end up deaf before they're 25."

"Guess I'll surprise them." Jen got off the couch and went right upstairs.

As she would usually do when she was younger, she barged right into their room, causing her sisters to look at the door. Seeing Alani resting on her bed, Jen jumped right on top of her.

"Cannonball!"

Alani let out a loud groan while Vienna laughed. "Really!?"

"Hi! Hi! Did you miss me!? Did you miss me!?" The idol tried to annoy her as she held onto her tightly.

"V! Get her off!"

"Hahaha, nope!" Vienna cackled.

"Oh, mah God!"

After she was done giving out her love to Alani, Jen went straight to Vienna, jumping on top of her, in her bed, to do the same.

"Lani help!"

"No, since you didn't help me, I won't help you. You're on your own."

After Jen was done, she settled on Vienna's bed. 

"We missed you, JW. How's Seoul?" Vienna asked.

"To tell you the truth, I'm tired but I'm loving every second of working at Big Hit. So, I can't really complain. I'm just glad I get a couple of days to chill, hang with you, all."

"You're breaking out." Vienna checked out her face.

"I know. Teenage problems."

"I think it's the smarties." Alani joked.

"It's not the smarties!" Jennie exclaimed. "Don't blame the smarties!"

"So touchy."

"How's college for you guys, right now?"

"Oh, are you gonna tell her?" Alani asked Vienna in a scolding tone.

"Look, it's not as bad as it seems." Vienna tried to defend herself

"Oh, it was bad. Very serious."

"Uh, what happened?" Jen raised a brow.

"Well..." Vienna hesitated. "There was this guy and we hooked up and uh, well, there wasn't any protection and I kind of...had a little pregnancy scare, but my acting class went well, I got an A after the semester ended." She tried to laugh it off

It took a few seconds for her statement to register in Jennie's head before she started to freak out and worry. "Wait, what? What!? Huh!?"

Vienna laughed nervously. "Shh, shh, shh, it's okay, things are fine."

"That was exactly my reaction, Jen. I was so mad at her." Alani added, shaking her head.

"How in the heck, why?!"

"Relax, relax, it's okay, Jennie." Vienna tried to calm her down. "I'm fine. It was just a scare. Don't tell mom and dad, let's keep it between us. We're taking it to the grave. Just uh, make sure when you start becoming sexually active, just use protection, mkay? Mkay. So! The weather is so nice, today, is it?"

"Absurd. Fix it, Jesus." Alani rolled her eyes.

"Goodness, V. I'm glad you're okay. Just chill for a while, all right?" Jen sighed. "How are you and your boyfriend, Lani?"

"Oh, we're fine. Trying to keep it as private as possible. He's very sweet."

"They're so cringeworthy, together. Like ugh, it makes me want to throw up." Vienna complained

"Well, once you start dating instead of hooking up, you'll understand why doing cute things like holding hands and going on dates is fun."

Vienna turned to Jennie. "Dating advice, don't date. Just hook up."

"Don't listen to her. Find a good guy and date him."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Um, yes."

"Um, no."

"Stay away from these fuck boys, Jennie. They're slick."

"You know, speaking of fuck boys..." Jen spoke up and told them about the Shin incident, causing both sisters to laugh out loud at how she shut him down.

"I'm weak! I wish I could've seen his face. That's what he gets." Alani cackled.

"I know right? Oh yeah, there are some BTS fans at Drexel. ARMY, right? They asked us questions if we were your sister." Vienna added. "It was funny. I got some new followers on Instagram, too. Very enthusiastic fans."

"Really? That's interesting. I just hope they don't bombard you." Jen started to ponder about negative scenarios

"Nah, it was fine. If we do have a problem, we'll let you know. But I kind of like having all these new followers. I get so many likes and comments. I feel like a celeb. I'm Insta famous."

Alani sighed and shook her head. "I swear, she is such a social media, hoe."

Vienna laughed. "She's just jealous, Jen. I can see it on her face. Not my fault I got over 80K followers and counting."

"I have my Instagram on private, that's why I only have 300+ followers." Alani asserted. "And Jennie has over what? 1 million?"

"So far, yeah." Jen nodded.

"I'm so happy you're here to support me in my play tomorrow night." Vienna beamed. 

She managed to audition and snag the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera as Christine Daae. She was so happy that she cried when she saw the audition results. 

"I am sincerely appreciative that you were able to take some time off to come see me," she went on. "I know how busy you are with BTS. And that you can't always make it to family events or whatever, but I just want you to know that I am excited that you are here. The play is going to be so much fun, tomorrow. And it's going to be even better knowing that you will be in the audience watching me."

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it." Jen gave her a tight hug.

"Oh, so, what about me? I'm going to be in the audience too!" Alani exclaimed, causing the two of them to laugh. They gestured for her to come over to join in on the hug as they sat on Vienna's bed.

"College is so expensive," Vienna complained.

"You're telling me. Thankfully these scholarships are helping but still. It is a hassle for our parents to be paying both of our tuitions for Drexel. We're really not trying to take out loans. We're trying to keep that to a minimum and as a last resort."

Jennie watched them discuss the college expenses. 'I'll see what I can do about that.' She thought to herself. Maybe she could help pay by saving up.

"So, how's Jungkook?" Vienna smirked.

"Huh? Oh, he's fine. The guys are fine, too. Kook is still goofy as ever, sending me all these memes. I think it was a mistake to get him into Dubsmash, though. He makes so many videos, I just want to smack him with a pillow, sometimes."

"Ahahaha, as expected."

--------

The next day, a group of sasaengs on Twitter started tweeting about the location of where Vienna's play was going to be and that Jennie would be there. ARMY began to go nuts on Twitter once again, complaining about their antics and worrying about Jennie's safety because the sasaengs were planning to sneak in to try to find her.

Their plan was for Jen to notice them, and to get pictures and an autograph, completely ignoring the fact that this was not the time or place for something like this and that this night was completely dedicated to her sister.

Anti-fans of BTS decided to spread it around so that avid Jennie fans could also try to find her and see what kind of chaos would occur.

That night, Jen and her family managed to get to the theater early, taking pictures with Vienna, already in costume. Jen posted the photo on Twitter, to show that she and her family were in good spirits, looking forward to the show.

Once seated near the front row of the theater, Jennie sat in between Alani and Diana, who came to support, as they keenly watched Vienna in action. When Vienna was singing Phantom of the Opera in the first act, Jennie had dropped her jaw and turned to Alani who chuckled at her expression.

"I know. She has pipes." She whispered as Vienna continued the high note.

Jennie was so overjoyed to see her at her best. The role was meant for her. 

Promptly, Jennie couldn't help but hear noises coming from outside of the auditorium, occasionally distracting audience members. They would look back, curiously, to see what was going on and where the noise was coming from.

"BTS! BTS! BTS!"

Feeling her stomach drop, Jennie slowly closed her eyes and exhaled.

'Don't do this to me...please don't do this to me, now...please don't do this.' Jennie thought as the butterflies in her stomach got worse.

No BTS fans would be here of all places, would they?

They know better, right?

They wouldn't try to crash the show to try to find Miss Bangtan, would they?

This was not the time or place for this.

Alani glanced at Jennie and then Diana as they were fearing for the worse. 

Opening her eyes, Jennie looked at the stage to see Vienna, clearly annoyed at what she figured was going on.

Vienna shook her head at Jennie and scoffed, mouthing, 'Are you kidding me?'

Shooting her an apologetic expression, Jennie mouthed, 'I didn't know, I'm sorry.'

The only response she received from her sister was rolling her eyes as she waited for her turn to say her part.

"Those aren't who I think they are, right?" Their mom whispered to Alani and Jennie.

"I really hope not," Alani murmured.

Before they knew it, the sasaengs managed to get through the doors and came running into the auditorium, yelling and screaming with their cameras and phones, trying to find where Jennie was. The loud disturbance startled audience members as some got out of their seats, and murmured amongst themselves.

The lights instantly came on as the show came to a halt, thanks to the ruckus.

Embarrassment wasn't even the best word to describe how Jennie was feeling as she watched the turmoil in front of her. The sasaengs yelled and screamed for her, causing a mess in the auditorium.

Standing up from her seat, Jennie felt her face be on fire from humiliation. She wanted to crawl into a hole as she began to apologize to everyone, "I am so sorry. I'm so sorry." 

Some audience members, figuring out that Jennie was the one that these overly excited people wanted to see, began to give her dirty looks.

"THERE SHE IS!" An overly excited fan screamed as the large group of BTS fans and a large handful of Sasaengs followed her.

"Whoa! Whoa! What the heck is this?!" Jennie exclaimed as she watched the fans surround her. 

Fear was evident on her face because she didn't expect something like this to happen to her. To be mobbed by all these people.

A sasaeng tried to grab Jennie, who happened to be her ultimate Sasaeng but Alani pushed his hand away before he could touch her. 

"Are you fucking kidding me? Get the hell out of here! Don't touch my sister!" She pulled Jennie back, protectively. 

Some of the audience members filmed, took photos of the chaos and some even left because it was too much for them to handle. Security guards and even the campus police came swarming in to get these uninvited guests out of the theater while the actors, including Vienna, went backstage. The sasaengs were well aware that Jennie was extremely upset but they didn't care. They just wanted her to notice them.

"Why? Why would you do this?" Jennie yelled at them, getting pissed off.

"We need to get you out of here, now." Diana grabbed her as the campus police began to make quick work of getting the sasaengs out of the theatre.

Backstage, in Vienna's dressing room, Jen and her family were waiting for her. The tension was thick as Jen couldn't even speak to anyone because she was bewildered at the fact that this occurred. And she could only imagine what Vienna was feeling, right now.

"Baby..." Her mom tried to talk to her but Jen shook her head, cueing her to stop her efforts.

Suddenly, Vienna barged into the room, eyes red from crying as she marched right up to the person that the sasaengs were screaming for.

"Are you serious!?" She shouted in fury.

"Hey, hey, hey, let's relax." Their dad intervened.

"No, I'm not going to relax! How can I relax after what just happened!?"

Jennie hesitated as she tried to calm her down, "Look, I know this looks bad-"

"Bad? Bad!? This isn't bad. This is not even close to bad. This is absolutely horrible and humiliating!"

"V-"

"No, you've done enough, Jennie! Listen to me. This was one of the biggest nights of my life. This is one special day for me and it's ruined! You and your stupid crazy fans, this is so unfair and this is all your fault! I don't deserve this! I busted my ass to get where I'm at in acting. This didn't happen overnight! I have gone through so much to get this far. And you just had to ruin everything."

"That's not my fault!" Jennie asserted. "I can't control the millions of fans I have as a member of BTS. And don't generalize all ARMY as stupid and crazy, that is not fair. I came all the way from Korea to see you and support you, to see what you do best. Took time out of MY schedule to come see you. I'm missing dance practices and rapping lessons to be here to support you because you are my sister and I love you."

"Heh, yeah, well sometimes I wish you didn't even bother because of scenarios like this." Vienna retorted bitterly. 

Her statement came out harsher than she intended, as she saw the pain in her little sister's face.

"Are you serious...?" Jen's voice was filled with hurt.

"Yes, JW! My campus had people from big companies here, trying to scout upcoming actors. And you ruined it! I could've gotten an internship. Paid or not, or an audition for some type of role! Now, I'm not gonna get that callback!"

"That's enough, Vienna!" Alani exclaimed.

"No! She already has her dream!" She snapped and turned back to Jennie. "Mom and Dad are kicking out money so my dream can be a reality but you don't understand that because you aren't in college! You don't understand that because you're never here, anymore. You're just an idol in K-Pop, now."

"Why are you saying that as if being an idol is something so simple?" Jen questioned.

"Because it is! You don't understand the hard work that I have to go through. All those sleepless nights studying and rehearsing my lines. Making sure everything is 110%. I didn't get the lead role that easily, but I did it. This is such a competitive field, Jennie. You have no idea."

"No idea? So, you think K-pop is all fun and games? All fun and games for a black girl? Is that what you think? Is this what you're telling me? That I have nothing to be tired of? That I have nothing to worry about? That I can just relax and not have a care in the world?"

"All you do is learn dances and sing! That's it, and you get to go to all these fancy award shows and TV shows. You have nothing to worry about-"

Getting aggravated herself, Jennie snapped back, "Do you not understand how long we practice? How early we have to get up for schedules? How hard we work? How exhausted I am? I am tired. I am so tired. My body is aching, right now. I'm exhausted and BTS has a Japanese comeback very soon, but what can I do? Take a day off? No, I can't do that. I can't just say screw it and take a break. I didn't have to come here, but I wanted to because you are my sister. Because I know you wanted me here to support you because I know you would do the same for me. K-Pop is not all fun and games."

"Do you understand how much hate I get?" She proceeded in frustration. "Not for just being a girl with all guys in a group, not because some of the females claim they'll kill me since I'm in BTS, but for my skin? My dirty skin as they call it? The beauty standards, there? For my hair? That I don't look like the perfect ideal type? Half of these bitches want to be me. I'm not letting their ignorant comments discourage me and stop me from doing what I'm doing. I honestly just don't give an F what they think, now. Being in K-Pop is exhausting. I can't sugarcoat it. I have to deal with being miles away from my family and making sure that my performance is more than 110%. I got guys fetishizing me and wanting to hook up with me because I'm a foreigner. I got crazy fans that are obsessed with me and that hate me and want me to leave BTS, every single day."

Vienna crossed her arms and huffed as she continued to listen to her little sister's rant.

"Do you know how left out I feel, sometimes? Because I'm the only American, in the group? That I usually have no other person to relate to in K-Pop? I have to order all my hair products from America. They don't have the stuff for my hair there. They don't have the make up I use there. They don't have my color, there. Don't tell me I have nothing to worry about. I have a ton but I'm still here and I'm still standing."

Everyone in the room was glancing back and forth from Jennie to Vienna, unable to speak as they watched them clash.

"There's a lot of people that love me, and that love will always overcome all the hate I get. And something like this, that just happened, won't stop you from acting." She appended. "I'm sorry this happened. I truly am sorry. But don't let this ruin your dream."

Vienna scowled, unamused and unfazed by her little sister's speech. "Oh, you're sorry? Wow, she's sorry. So, can you bring those people back? Can you give me a spot in one of those companies? An audition? No, you can't, so sorry isn't going to cut it. And second of all, don't give me that guilt trip. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you decided to do K-Pop. Shit happens."

Jennie shook her head and scoffed. "You are such a bitch!"

"You're a bitch!" Vienna yelled back. "You're so high and mighty."

"I am not!"

"You are! Especially when you broke our damn TV!"

"Oh my God!" Jennie exasperated. "Let it go! Do you know how many years ago that was!? You still on that stupid ass TV?!"

"Enough!" Alani shouted, getting in between them.

"No, it's not enough, Lani! It's the truth!" Vienna shouted back.

"You're only saying this because you're pissy, right now! I know a lot of crap just happened, but let's just calm the frick down!" Alani shouted back, getting angrier.

Diana and their parents watched helplessly at the confrontation in front of them.

"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't go to Seoul!" Vienna yelled at Jennie. "If you would have never gotten into K-Pop we wouldn't be in this mess! This wouldn't have happened if Mom and Dad decided not to let you attend that Big Hit Audition! If they would've said no to you, this wouldn't have happened! If Big Hit had rejected you and not let you be the Bangtan Girl, this would not have happened! This would not have happened if you decided to stay at SongStress! If you would've stayed, this would've been prevented!"

"And do nothing?! Let them use me?! Let them mistreat me?!" Jen shouted back. "And let my life be a living hell under Hailey's doing? No. I wasn't going to do that and that's a selfish thing to say! I cannot believe you!"

"I can't believe you! You know what? You don't have to visit me, anymore. I don't want you to visit me. I'm done with this, I'm done with you!"

"Are you being for real, right now?"

"I am being for real! I don't want nothing to do with you." She walked past Jen, roughly bumping her shoulder against her as she left.

"Hey! V! Vienna! Oh, mah God, this girl..." Alani rolled her eyes. "JW, don't listen to her. She doesn't mean it. She's being petty, right now. It's not your fault, okay? Don't sweat it. It was just a mistake. There should've been more security for a scenario like this. Don't let her words make you regret being in BTS." She explained as she ran off to find her.

Jennie exhaled and turned to her parents. 

"You all right, kiddo?" Her dad asked with a sigh.

"No. I think I'm gonna go to Japan. We have a music video to shoot. I gotta go, anyway."

"Are you sure?" Diana asked and received a nod from her.

"Jennifer, don't leave, you still have a couple more days, here." Her mom frowned.

"No, I really should go. I'll visit again, soon. I'm sorry for...all this. I never meant to put you all in danger."

"Look, you two will make up tomorrow, I'm sure. Stay the rest of the few days you're here for."

"Mom, I want to go. Don't try to change my mind."

When outside the theatre, Jennie, Alani, their parents and Diana were all in the car. Vienna decided to stay with her friends. Jen sat in the back, sitting by the window while Alani and Diana sat next to her.

"Give her some time, okay?" Alani spoke up. "I'll try to talk to her. It's not your fault. We say a lot of angry stuff when we're in our feelings, and make it worse than we intend it to be."

"Hon, unfortunately, things like this happen with a lot of artists and celebs. Those people chose to do what they did, and they were in the wrong. Not you. You are not responsible for the fans and they should know better. There's always going to be bad apples in the bunch." Diana added. "I'm just glad you're safe and you didn't get hurt."

Jen nodded at their words. They made her feel a little better. But it was short lived when the sasaengs found the car and tried mobbing them.

"I'm tired of this!" Jennie shouted and unbuckled her seatbelt, losing her composure.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Her dad exclaimed.

"Not a good idea, stay in the car, Jennie," Diana warned.

"I have campus police on the phone," Alani announced with her phone up to her ear, giving out details of the situation.

Pressing the button to bring down her window, the sasaengs scream happily and continue to film and take pictures.

"Are you friggin kidding me? You've already done enough, can y'all just go home? You already ruined my night. Like why would you do this to me and my family? To all those people in attendance to see their loved ones on stage? That's not cool." Jen snapped at them

One female sasaeng just giggled at her and continued to film.

"Yo, stop filming me!"

"JW, JW, JW, don't." Alani pressed the button to roll up the window before she could try to push their cameras out of her face. "Don't do that. Not worth it."

"No, if you think I'm going to sit here and let them do this to me, invading my personal space, harassing me and my loved ones, then no. I'm going to call them out."

"The campus police are on their way to get these fans out of here-"

"They're not my fans! Stop calling sasaengs, fans!" She screamed as she slapped her hands together. Her sudden outburst caused everyone in the car to flinch. "They're a bunch of obsessed people that will do anything to get attention from their idols. Even if that means hurting them! They're a bunch of crazy humans just like Baekhyun said when they crashed his brother's wedding! This is some bullshit, I am not happy!"

Putting back down the window, Jennie turned to the sasaengs. "I'm tired of this! I hate when my life is being disturbed like this! I don't like being followed like this! Let me rest and hang out with my family and friends after working hard in BTS. That is it. But no, these animals wanna come up in here and crash my sister's play!" She shouted while she was still being filmed.

"Did you get that on film? You wanted my attention, right? What do you gain from this?" She asked the sasaengs. "Was this supposed to make me love you more? Because it doesn't. Y'all acting like a bunch of animals, ruining my sister's moment. How big do you feel, right now?"

"Jennie, they're filming!" Alani put back up the window

"I don't give a fuck, they ruined everything!" Jennie slapped her hands together again out of frustration. "Let everyone see how distressed, I am, right now. All because of these sasaengs. They're the cause of this. I wanna go home. I wanna go home, now. I don't even want to be here, anymore."

Once the campus police got involved, Jen and her family managed to leave without being followed, as they were still on edge of the unpleasant affair.

Later that night, in her room, Jennie told Namjoon everything that happened, and he gave her words of wisdom, knowing the best words to say. The rest of the members found out and felt bummed that she had to go through that. She was already mentally preparing for these K-Pop news sites to have articles about what had happened, bumming down her mood, even more.

This was beyond embarrassing.

The next morning, she sighed in annoyance at the article about the incident on ALLKPOP.

'BTS Sasaengs ruin Jennie's older sister's play'

She skimmed through the article and cringed as she remembered the incident.

'It looks like certain BTS fans couldn't contain their excitement over finding out BTS' Jennie would be attending her sister's play.'

'Allegedly the sasaeng fans worked together to sneak in.'

'They had no respect for the audience and actors on stage.'

'Not only that, the play didn't even get to the second act.'

She feared for the worst. She assumed Big Hit was going to scold her, punish her, or even worse. She even thought she was going to get scolded for being unprofessional but surprisingly, people online were praising her and agreeing with everything she said about the sasaengs. They showed compassion, which was the complete opposite reaction she was thinking of because of all the stereotypes netizens named her.

She just wished she handled her emotions better but sometimes you just need to let it all out, and she felt much better after giving them a piece of her mind. She wanted to do more. She wanted to cuss them out, but they got the message.

At least she hoped.

Some sasaengs left sickening messages for her on her Instagram page:

'Awwwww, our munchkin is so cute when she's mad~'

'That was only the beginning, Jennie, we love you~! Do we have your attention now?'

'We're going to make your life a living hell until you remember us.'

'I found it so cute to see her so scared.'

'My feelings are hurt that she lashed out at us for wanting to see her. If she has an attitude with us again, I don't know what we'll do the next time.'

She discovered that she was trending on Twitter, as fans showed anger at the sasaengs that crashed the play and showed support for their beloved Miss Bangtan.

'These immature disrespectful pieces of shit need to go!'

'On behalf of ARMY, I am truly sorry that you had to go through this.'

'Those aren't fans! They're Sasaengs! REAL ARMY would NEVER do this! No respect at all! I am SO sorry, Jennie!'

'These people are scary.'

'These Sasaengs are disgusting. Creepy AF, they had no right to do this'

'I want to punch all those Sasaengs that caused Jennie and her family harm'

'All for attention...this is crossing the line.'

'These BTS Sasaengs are giving ARMY a bad reputation. This isn't fair. They need to stop. They're insane!'

'I'm glad you lashed out at them and put them in their place!'

ARMY even began putting apology comments on Vienna's Instagram page and even Jen's page. 

JRE even tweeted a series of tweets, 'Really now? When you're a fan, you appreciate from afar, not stalk her when she's trying to support her family.'

'I know you love BTS, but stalking Jennie at her sister's play doesn't mean you're a fan. I don't blame her for being pissed, I'm pissed too.'

'These Sasaengs are really feeling some type of way that Jennie lashed out at them? F yo feelings! Jennie had time today! Hang in there, Miss Bangtan'

After showering, she decided to feed ARMY with a selfie since she kept seeing various tweets about posting something to let them know that she was okay. 

Crouching down in front of her mirror, she placed her phone in front of her face, to block her red eyes and sad expression. Snapping the selfie, she broke her silence with a tweet.

'Distressed...#JENNIE'

Which caused ARMY to react sadly to the tweet. And of course, those with sharp eyes, peeped at part of her eye, revealing how puffy and red it was from crying. 

She had a terrible night's sleep and would wake up throughout the night, thinking about what happened. Fearing neglect. Like those around her would shun her.

Abandonment is her greatest fear. Last night, she had nightmares about her family wanting nothing to do with her, BTS kicking her out of the group and the rest of her friends snubbing her. Shaking the negative thoughts out of her head, she stood up. Before she could gather up her things to pack, her phone buzzed.

Jungkook: Please tell me that you're okay. [7:33 A.M]

Jungkook...

For some reason, she suddenly felt happy that she saw his text. But she couldn't bring herself to text back as she went back to packing.

Ding!

Jungkook: Jennie... [7:35 A.M]

She let out a sigh and tossed her phone back on the bed, resuming her packing.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Jungkook: I know you're reading these messages, baby girl [7:36 A.M]

Jungkook: Please don't ignore me [7:36 A.M]

Jungkook: Do I need to send you memes? [7:36 A.M]

Jungkook: Okay, you asked for it! [7:36 A.M]

Suddenly, he started spamming her with various memes of himself, which caused her to start laughing.

Jennie: LOL STOP!! HAHAHA [7:37 A.M]

Jungkook: You answered! I want you to smile! Everything will be OK! Is your family safe? [7:37 A.M]

Jennie: Yes. Thanks for checking on me [7:37 A.M]

After replying to the other members, Namjoon messaged her.

Namjoon: Hey, don't worry about what happened. Big Hit is taking care of it. [7:44 A.M]

Jennie: I'm not getting fired, am I? [7:44 A.M]

Namjoon: Lol, no, Jennie. You can stop freaking out about that. You're not in trouble. They just want you to calm down and lay low for a while. They want you to work on controlling your emotions. [7:44 A.M]

Jennie: Are you sure, that's all? [7:45 A.M]

Namjoon: YES [7:45 A.M]

Jennie: Praise Jesus! [7:45 A.M]

Namjoon: Aish, I worry about you sometimes. [7:45 A.M]

Jennie: Feeling is mutual, Joon. [7:45 A.M]

After getting her stuff together, she received another message from Jungkook.

Jungkook: Do you know what we should eat when you come to Japan? [7:50 A.M]

Jennie: What? [7:50 A.M]

In response, Jungkook sent her his Ice Cream and Cake dubsmash video which caused her to laugh loudly.

"This guy is ridiculous, yo..." She started texting back.

Jennie: JEON JUNGKOOK UNINSTALL DUBSMASH! UNINSTALL IT RIGHT NOW! [7:51 A.M]

Jungkook: Never!! [7:51 A.M]

While waiting until it was time to go, Taehyung facetimed her. When she answered, she saw him in bed, which looked like he was in a hotel room.

"Wow! Look at that bare face!" She praised.

His boxy grin caused her to chuckle as he happily greeted her. "I just wanted to call because I miss you and wanted to see your face."

"Well, I miss you too and I'm happy you called."

"You've been crying, haven't you?" He frowned, taking a good look at her face.

"I tried not to make it that obvious but I guess my eyes are still a little puffy, even after the shower I took."

"I hate seeing you cry. I just want to see you happy."

"I'm feeling much better thanks to you and the guys sending those messages. It'll just take some time to heal from what happened. And I dunno when the heck my sister is going to talk to me, again."

"Who are you talking to!?" Jimin shouted in the background.

"Jennie!" Tae announced.

"JENNIE~!" Jimin jumped on the bed to try to get in the video. "We have smarties for you!! Yoongi had ordered some a few days ago!"

"Oh snap, really?" Her eyes lit up. "Awesome! Thanks, guys!"

"And then we'll cuddle with you! Maknae Line cuddles!"

That statement made Jen smile. "Sounds like a plan."

-----

In Japan, Jennie checked in and found out that she was sharing a hotel room with Jimin. When she got into her room, she saw Hobi, who was waiting for her.

"You're here." He said in a laidback voice, relieved as he embraced her.

"Yeah, safe flight."

"How are you feeling?" He smiled sadly

She shrugged and set her bag down. "You know...I always ask myself if this was even worth it."

He frowned at her statement. "Jennie, things are going to be just fine. There are tons of idols and even your favorite celebs that have gone through this. It will be okay, I promise."

"Will it? I just...I just feel like as I continue to get famous, it'll cause more strain like this in my relationship with my family. This stuff cannot happen, again. That was too wild. People could've gotten hurt, Hobi."

He cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "I know. We're going to get through this. For now, just relax."

"Thanks, Hobi." She hugged him again as he placed a hand on the back of her head.

"Everything will be all right with your sister. Siblings fight."

Once he left, Jen chilled on the bed until Jimin and Tae entered the room.

"Ennie!" They shouted. 

Jennie instantly got up from her bed as Jimin ran up to her. He jumped right on her, wrapping his legs around her waist and arms around her neck as she fell on her back, on the bed with a groan.

"Jimin!" She complained while Tae laughed. 

Jimin wouldn't let go as he held onto her like a Koala bear, no matter how much she struggled.

As promised, Jimin and Taehyung goofed around and did everything to cheer her up, which worked because she couldn't stop laughing at them. When she wanted to paint her nails, Tae offered to do them for her, as he carefully made sure to paint on the nails and not on her skin.

"Tae, it's not that serious." She laughed. "If you get it on my skin, it's fine, I'll clean it up."

After he was done, he kept blowing on the nails so they could dry quicker, while Jimin entertained her with goofy stories about the pranks they've done since she's been gone.

As time went on, she started to ponder about Jungkook. And for some odd reason, she really wanted to see him and wondered where he was.

"What's wrong?" Jimin asked

"Nothing. I just miss Jungkook. I wish he was here." She replied.

Her statement caused him to grin widely. "Oh really?"

Taehyung found himself glancing at the fellow 95 Liner, grinning with him as he watched Jimin take out his phone to text Jungkook, who had finished taking a shower after going to the gym. 

Five minutes later, they heard a series of knocks at the door as Jimin went to the door. Once he opened it slightly, he shut it right in Jungkook's face, laughing out loud.

"Hyung!" The Golden Maknae shouted, in annoyance.

After messing with him, Jimin finally opened the door to let him in. When Jungkook strolled in, his eyes landed right on Jennie as he sighed out of relief that she was okay.

"Kookie!" She beamed, getting off the bed.

Jimin smiled to himself as he saw her smile brightly at Jungkook. He locked eyes with Taehyung and nodded knowingly as the both of them made their way to the door.

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Jennie asked, watching them leave.

"Jin wants us for something. We'll be right back." Jimin excused himself with Tae as they left the 97 Liners alone.

The Golden Maknae turned his attention back to Jennie, smiling softly. Walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around him for a tight hug. She felt him circle his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

"I missed you. Please, let's just stay like this for a while. I really need this." She sighed into his chest as he continued to hold her. 

There was something about his hugs that soothed her the most out of the rest of the members. And strangely, she yearned to be with him the most, right now. They stayed like that for a few moments while Jungkook placed his chin on top of her head, standing there in comfortable silence.

"Are you all right?" He whispered.

Jennie wanted to lie and tell him that she was fine.

That everything was okay.

But it wasn't.

She was hurting.

And she couldn't lie to him.

"No...I'm not all right. I haven't felt like this in a long time and everything hurts." Her voice started to get shaky as she slowly pulled away from him. She shook her head and turned around. "I feel like crap. I feel like everything I do is wrong. Like, I get into fights with my siblings all the time, but this right here...it was the worst one and I feel terrible about everything."

Grabbing her hand, Jungkook made her sit down on the bed with him. "Tell me everything that you're feeling."

"I feel like everything is my fault and I'm the one to blame. All I wanted was to support my sister but I ended up making things worse. I tried to call, text her, everything. She won't talk to me. She's ignoring me. My family can't even get her to talk to me. It's like she doesn't want anything to do with me. She told me she never wanted me to visit, anymore and that this situation wouldn't have happened if I didn't audition for Big Hit. That hurts more than I ever imagined. We're in two different time zones. Different paths in life. I made time for her to support her in her play. But some unwanted overly excited so-called fans crashed it."

She winced as she remembered every single detail. "It was so embarrassing, Kook. I have never in my life experienced something like this. It was the slowest ten minutes of my life, watching them yell and scream for me. Interrupting the play, causing an uproar in the audience as they try to figure out what was going on. All the security and campus police trying to calm things down. It...it was not a pleasant sight. And then I saw my sister...I've never seen so much disgust in her face since she told me all the bad hookups she's dealt with."

She felt her eyes burning from the tears starting to develop as Jungkook's eyes softened. "I screwed up, Kook. It's my fault, I got too excited, I was the one who tweeted about the play. I posted a picture of the pamphlet. It had the location, the time, everything. I wasn't thinking. And I guess some Sasaengs did their research and started spreading everything around. It's times like this where it's like, I'm not just a regular girl, anymore. I'm not just some girl who can walk into town with no care. I'm an idol. A member of BTS. We're getting way more popular, now. And I can't just...do stuff like that without expecting fans to follow me, everywhere."

"I am not a normal teenager, anymore..." She acknowledged. "I gave that up to be here. Living with seven guys, away from my family at a young age, in a different country for K-POP? Not a normal teen life. But I knew what I was doing that day when I signed that contract. No matter how irritable we may get with each other or how exhausting dance practice is and the long hours of work that we do, I don't regret a thing. Big Hit gave me a second chance to perform. Ever since I left SongStress, I still wanted to perform."

"But I hate that people can't respect my privacy. Just let me see my family in peace," she exclaimed. "I hardly see them since I'm so busy over here. You guys have more of an advantage to see your family because you're in the country they live in. But I don't have that. You guys do. Ugh and then I got so mad that I lashed out at those sasaengs. I don't want people to think of me like, oh she's ghetto, or something. Or oh, she has anger problems. I don't get angry that easily. I just got so fed up."

"If I have a problem with you, I'm going to speak about it." She went on. "And if I don't like what you're doing around me, I'm going to say something. I wasn't going to let them harass me and my family. This has been a rough couple of days. I have never felt so crappy until now. Me dropping on the floor back at dance practice for overworking myself and going to the hospital with a concussion doesn't even compare to what I'm feeling, right now."

They lay down on the bed, resting their heads on the pillows. Unable to hold it in, she started crying which caused Jungkook's heart to ache as he watched the tears go down her face.

"So, this is the con of being famous. I'm so stupid...the hell was I thinking?" She sobbed, covering her face.

'What should I do to make you stop crying? I hate seeing you like this.' Jungkook thought to himself.

Out of instinct, he decided to wrap his arms around her, holding her tightly as she cried on his white shirt. He started to softly sing Lost Stars, which is an upcoming cover he wanted to work on soon when they weren't so busy with promotions.

"Please, don't see. Just a boy caught up in dreams and fantasies. Please, see me...reaching out for someone I can't see. Take my hand, let's see where we wake up tomorrow. Best laid plans sometimes are just a one night stand..." He sang as her crying began to stop while she occasionally sniffed.

"I'll be damned, Cupid's demanding back his arrow. So, let's get drunk on, our tears and God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young. It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run. Searching for meaning. But are we all lost stars, trying to light up the dark?"

He noticed her snuggling up against him, calming down as she closed her eyes. His voice was so soothing to her that it made her calm down after the first few words. His vocals were mesmerizing and she couldn't help but start to fall asleep as he proceeded to sing,

"Who are we? Just a speck of dust within the galaxy? Woe is me. If we're not careful turns into reality. But don't you dare let our best memories bring you sorrow. Yesterday I saw a lion kiss a deer. Turn the page, maybe we'll find a brand new ending. Where we're dancing in our tears and God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young. It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run. Searching for meaning. But are we all lost stars..."

Jungkook stopped singing and looked down to see her asleep. He kissed her forehead and tightened his grasp around her waist.

"Give your sister some time," he whispered. "I know how it feels to have a bad fight with your sibling. Everything will be okay, you'll make up soon. Your sister loves you."

His arms around her gave Jennie a sense of peace as she felt warm all over and felt safe. With the warmth of his body caressing her skin, she moved on top of him and snuggled against his chest. Jungkook grabbed the covers and pulled them up to her back, as he looked up at the ceiling.

The next morning, Jennie felt a steady heartbeat against her as she stirred in her sleep. She didn't want to move because she felt cozy and warm but she knew she would have to wake up sooner or later because of schedules. 

Her heart started to feel weird again as she looked at the sleeping Maknae, that was under her. His mouth was open slightly and his bed hair was all over the place.

She thought he looked cute.

She briefly watched him sleep before pushing some of his hair from his face. 

"Why do I always feel at peace whenever I'm with you?" She murmured to herself in wonder. 

She had a terrible few days but felt at ease after what he did to comfort her. She had almost forgotten why she was sad. Cheek against his chest, she idly placed her fingertips on his chest. Her mind was telling her to get up but she wanted to stay in this position longer.

She enjoyed the warmth.

She felt safe and secure.

All worries out the window.

Moving up to give him a forehead kiss, she managed to get out of bed without waking him up. Gathering her clothes and toiletries, she took a quick shower. After her shower, she walked out of the room in dark blue jeans and a simple black bra. Taking the towel off her head, her wet hair stuck to her body.

She was so occupied on her phone, checking out messages, that she had forgotten to put on her tank top, which was lying on the back of a chair. Her attention to her tank top lessened when Angelina facetimed her while having her earbuds in her ears.

"Hey, girl!"

"Ooh, girl! You looking like a snack! Damn! Watch all these boys get ready to risk it all if they ever see you like this. If I was a guy, I wouldn't want you to leave my sight. Have you all to myself! You wouldn't be leaving the bed for a while, that's a promise!" Angelina teased her in good fun as they shared a laugh.

"I swear, you and your dirty mind, stop gassing me, I just got out of the shower." Jennie laughed.

"Ahahaha! Just messing! But I'm serious, you always look like a snack. And have you been working out? You're looking so toned!"

Jungkook, who started to wake up, noticed her walking around, in her bra. 

Seeing her like that caused him to blush. Working out with him had been paying off tremendously because he noticed how toned her arms were.

'Wow...' He thought to himself. He tried his best not to stare as he averted his eyes. 

Jen was oblivious that he was awake as she continued her conversation with her friend.

"Angelina, I was not going to punch anyone, you are so violent, I swear." She chuckled. Jennie ended up stretching as she put one arm up in the air, while the other held her phone.

Unable to resist as he continued to stare, Jungkook raised his eyebrows for half a second while he studied her.

He started to remember the time when she gave him a massage in her room and she felt fidgety and nervous around him because he was shirtless. And now here he was when the tables were turned once again. He shouldn't be staring but he just couldn't help it. She looked beautiful even if she had just woken up, showered and was bare faced.

Watching her with a lingering gaze, the Golden Maknae had gently bit his bottom lip, while she moved any hair sticking to her face. Frustrated with himself, he tried to shake any thoughts away from his head while sitting up. 

Standing in front of a dresser, she wrapped up her conversation with Angelina. Meanwhile, Jungkook found himself getting out of bed. He wanted to walk to the bathroom but somehow, his feet found themselves slowly walking up behind her.

Jen noticed his presence when one of his hands was placed on the table, blocking her left side. 

"Did I wake you up?" She chuckled as she turned around, to look up at him. "Sorry if I did. I just wanted to shower, early. Speaking of showering, where'd I put that shirt..." She murmured to herself, placing a hand on his chest to gently move him out of her way, to hunt for it.

She didn't get far because as she walked past him, he gently grabbed her hand, in a firm grip, to stop her. Turning around, she observed him as he looked down at the floor before raising his head. He gave her a look that she wasn't familiar with and his intense eye contact caused her to resist looking away.

"Everything okay, Kookie? You need something?"

"Yeah, I kind of do." He answered in a low voice as he found himself slowly inching closer to her.

They both heard a card being inserted into the door as Jungkook quickly pulled away. 

Jimin and Jin walked in since Jin needed something that Jimin had but the two of them stopped when they saw the 97 Liners.

"WHAT-IS-THIS!?" Jin yelled, gawking in horror at Jennie who was still damp from the shower with only her jeans and bra.

Jungkook's hair was messy and the bedsheets were all over the place, making the oldest member take things the wrong way. Jimin started giggling at the display, undoubtedly pleased at what was happening, and was happy they spent the night together. 

Jungkook pressed his lips together, bothered about them walking in and Jin panicking for the 20th time. It was like every time he had the confidence to try to make a move something always happened.

"Whoa, why are you so loud, this morning? What's your deal?" Jennie exclaimed, looking confused.

"You two are too young for this!"

"Too young for what?" She raised a brow at his overreaction.

"This!" He pointed to the messy bed. "This is not the way to make someone feel better! There are other ways to comfort someone! And put your shirt on!"

Jen grabbed her tank top and put it on, before explaining, "You need to calm down, Jin, I just got out of the shower! And I think you have the wrong idea. We just slept together."

Jin let out a yell while Jimin laughed harder. Jin had assumed that Jungkook found an adult way to comfort Jennie last night because of what he saw from the messy bed. But that wasn't the case. Jimin knew that too but liked seeing Jin's reactions toward situations like this. He wanted to enjoy it while it lasted before he worked on his plan.

Jennie winced when Jin started going after Jungkook, hitting on him and grabbing him. Jin had kicked him out of the room, dragging him back to the hotel room they shared.

"So...Jennie, how was he?" Jimin teased, wanting to see if she would get flustered.

"Boy, whatchu' talking about?"

"I mean, you two are young, hormones are raging, so you two must've relieved some stress."

"Oh, Lord..." She felt her face heating up. "Cut it out! We didn't do anything, we just slept together!"

"Yeah, I can tell. Was he manly? Are you sore?"

"Ji-friggin-min! Boy, if you don't!" She smacked him upside his head.

[chimini3]

MAKEUP THE BREAK UP

Park Jimin | Chapter 4

SERIES MASTERLIST

Pairing: Park Jimin x OC

Synopsis: What happens when Park Jimin's biggest what if comes back into his life? His friendly neighbor, childhood best friend, high school lover, and now his makeup artist?! Amidst the 2020 outbreak, the last thing he needed was Seong Areum making his heart skip a beat and fill his stomach with air. What will he do when unspoken words threaten to slip past his tongue? Would he take the chance of ruining a healing past? Or would he let her slip away once more and let himself get lost in the lights?

Note/Warning: Messy Timeline with real events (once again), not beta read, chapters are going to get shorter now since I’m only writing a few chapters ahead from the ones getting released. I’m posting the next chapter on weekends to slow it down and give me time to finish more chapters :))

Word Count: 2.3k words

A Welcomed Fever Dream

Behind The Scenes of BigHit’s Group Photo

(For better context on the events happening in the following chapters, please refer to the link above)

[2020] Late January

“Everything can change at any moment, suddenly and forever.” - Paul Auster

That was a quote I read from a book Namjoon left unattended on the desk of the BTS waiting room.

I was growing fidgety as I waited for the other members. Most of us had barely slept last night just from the excitement for today’s photoshoot, though it was also partly due to remnants of jetlag and our bodies refusing to rest after extensive Map of The Soul: 7 promotions.

We were all working hard to achieve the goals we had set for the album, though we still wanted to do it moderately and planned to work harder in the last weeks of January to compensate for a break for a late celebration of the Lunar New Year in February. We all had planned personal trips for that week just to spend mentally healing and perhaps fit in a trip back to Busan.

Cue the 5th of February 2020 and it would be BigHit Entertainment’s 15th anniversary, a milestone worth celebrating as the company managed to reach for the stars despite everything it had gone through. It was also time to celebrate the newest addition to our small yet happy company family since TXT was only over a month away from their one-year anniversary since their debut, and from what we can tell they were doing great.

So it was decided for us to do a cute family photo shoot with all BTS and TXT members and the oldest of BigHit artists, Lee Hyun. We also planned on going for dinner after the photo shoot, but we hadn’t confirmed if the rest of the artists and staff were free for the rest of the day.

I stood up from my seat at the corner of the room as a few staff members looked in my direction though I only took my phone to place inside my front pocket before taking steps to leave the waiting room.

“Ya, where are you going?” Namjoon asked as I turned back to look at him sitting beside Hobi with makeup artist noonas touching up their hair.

“I’ll just check up on Lee Hyun Hyung’s waiting room.”

“Wait for me—“

Jin added though I already took a step out of the room as soon as I explained my leave. I laughed and looked back at Jin groaning at me before I went through the hallways of the warehouse in which our photoshoot was taking place.

We had three sets for the day so we expected it to go through smoothly despite the volume of members in the photoshoot. We were always used to just being the seven of us, but now we had Lee Hyun hyung and five TXT members that had to all cooperate for the shoot. Yet at the same time, I was filled with excitement as this is time spent getting to know old and new artists. Lee Hyun hyung has always been a good friend of ours since before our debut and we’d met TXT around the studio and backstage of our tours in the past year, so it wasn’t at all going to be awkward.

I opened a door that had Lee Hyun’s name on it and went through a small corridor as a cameraman followed behind me. I could see a glimpse of the solo artist standing in the center of his room with a staff member fixing his clothes whilst simultaneously adding more pieces of clothing over his black turtleneck.

“Wow! You look so…”

I didn’t finish my statement as I couldn’t stop my cheeks from rising. Lee Hyun greeted me with a handshake as I took a look around his waiting room. It was only a little smaller than ours but a lot more spacious considering a soloist doesn’t have members and their own makeup artists working around.

“I’m not even fully dressed yet! You can’t judge my look right now!” Lee Hyun had a smile on his face though I made no move to leave the room and wait for him to get fully dressed.

As far as I can tell, he still had a white button-up to put on and a dark gray suit jacket on top of his turtleneck and jewelry. His clothes were hung on a rack to make sure no wrinkles appeared before he wore them and there was a box of glasses and jewelry sitting on the sofa, similar to the boxes staff gave me to choose my jewelry. However, I opted to go for a cleaner look for the first set.

I wore a fully black attire. Chelsea boots, fitted pants, a fully buttoned-up suit jacket with a black button-up as my undershirt, and a sparkly black tie that I thought of putting on at the last minute as it caught my eye as soon as the staff brought in options that could spice up our planned outfits. My neck, hands, and wrist were bare, and the only jewelry I had was the earrings I had on my ears. Like I said I wanted to be clean, and my full black attire puts emphasis on my blonde shadow roots.

I sat backward on one of the empty chairs in front of the mirror before watching Lee Hyun get suited up.

“I’ve never seen you dressed like this. It’s amazing and weird.” I teased with a smile on my face as it was meant in goodwill. Lee Hyun was just someone I wasn’t used to wearing such formally dark attires.

“Why? Is it like looking into a mirror?” He teased back and I couldn’t help but laugh.

It has been a long time since I’ve seen the artist, though we regularly kept in touch. He is one of the few artists I can tease and not feel as though I have disrespected them in any way. That is just on how much we’ve known each other and gained respect towards each other through the years.

“Are you going to put some glasses on?” I asked as both our eyes settled on the box of glasses on the sofa.

“I don’t know yet… I don’t think glasses will fit me.”

“Try them out! You just need to find glasses that will fit your head shape.”

I walked towards the box and picked out a few that I thought Lee Hyun would fit the most, though I wasn’t forcing him to wear them for the photoshoot.

I set the glasses aside beside him before going back to the chair I sat on and we continued exchanging jokes and jumped from topic to topic.

“Didn’t you have much longer hair?” I said just in time as Jin walked into the room with his unfinished attire.

I knew he wouldn’t be able to wait to join us. After all, Lee Hyun was Jin’s fishing buddy. Most probably his only fishing buddy considering none of us willingly went on a fishing trip with him.

“Ooh, are you a composer? More like a conductor. You look stunning.” Jin teased.

“Composer or Conductor?”

The more I thought about it, Lee Hyun did look like someone who would lead all BigHit members to perform a choir or something like that.

“It’s like I’m wearing my dad’s clothes.” Lee Hyun looked at himself in the mirror as Jin fiddled with something in his ear.

“Is that a clip-on?” I asked as a metallic ring looped around his Conch.

“Yeah.” Lee Hyun nodded.

Maybe I should get a conch ring.

“Ah hyung, are you free tonight?” I asked as I was reminded of the dinner we planned.

“Why? Are you taking me out on a date?” Lee Hyun joked as we laughed along with the staff letting out a chuckle under their masks.

“Seriously though.”

“Yeah, I am. Why?”

“We were planning on going out for dinner after this. With TXT and the staff.” Jin explained as the eldest formed an o shape with his mouth before nodding.

“You know, I’ve never properly met them before. Dinner would be nice.” Lee Hyun smiled.

“Let’s not get too drunk though? We need to act professional.”

“We are professional, Jin ah.”

We chuckled as we knew deep down that we were most definitely not the most professional people out there.

“Ten minutes.” A man spoke at the doorway of the waiting room.

“You look professional though. Clothes really do make a man.” I said while I stood up after seeing a makeup artist point to me before gesturing for me to come to the BTS waiting room.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.” Lee Hyun said before we laughed and parted ways.

It always felt great reconnecting and talking about light subjects that weren't heavily focused on work.

I walked on our first set of the day. It was an all-white floor and background with white steps and shapes for us to lean or sit on. It wasn’t anything special though it definitely made our black attires pop out from the white backdrop.

The five TXT members were already on set lined up as if they were about to formally greet us like they did the first time we met, though thankfully that didn’t happen and only bows and words of greetings happened.

I leaned on one of the white center block pieces, only a few paces away from Hobi, Taehyung, Yoongi, and Namjoon as the TXT members mostly stayed on the other side of the set. We were now only waiting for three other members to start the shoot.

Jungkook was still waiting for his shoes to arrive. Apparently, he called for his pair of Prada Chunky Sole Combat Boots instead of the planned more formal look of Oxford shoes, Loafers, or my personal favorite… Chelsea boots. But we’ll let him do whatever he wishes.

Jin and Lee Hyun were most probably still busy chatting and getting the layers of their attire all sorted, so we still had a few minutes to touch up our makeup and get a feel of the set, or as much of a feel as we could get as the set was filled with staff, cameramen, security, stylists, and makeup artists.

However, once everyone was ready and on set, everything was bound to be smooth sailing.

Except for a few bumps and loose hats…

After a slight camera adjustment we were forced to pose with a look to the side and I might've not seen it happen but when a manager called to stop the photoshoot for a touch-up, I couldn’t help but look around for the person who needed it especially in the middle of the shoot.

Jungkook to my right was ducking in his position to tie up a loosened lace of his boots. Hobi to my left was fixing his suit jacket and cleaning up a piece of lint he saw. TXT’s Taehyun to the left behind me was comfortably resting his hand in his pocket whilst sparring a glimpse at Beomgyu behind to the right of me.

“Can someone pin Beomgyu’s hat to his head properly?” The camera director sounded a bit annoyed as his momentum of photos had to stop abruptly as I turned to look at Beomgyu behind the space in between me and Jungkook.

He was crouched down on the floor to pick up his black Brenton Sailor hat that had seemingly fallen off his head during the shoot. He stood up straight with a cringed smile on his face though sending apologies to us and the staff.

I smiled at him to reassure him that it was no problem at all before I turned back to face the camera. Little did I know that what I was about to see would make me believe in that quote Paul Auster wrote.

It was her.

Not once had she crossed my mind in the seven years we had split. Perhaps being an idol left no room for such thoughts.

She was different, but I know her eyes when I see them.

Doe dark brown eyes that always shined and made my insides curl more than the workout I’ve done in my debut days.

She carried a packet of black hairpins as I removed my legs from her path in between the props to reach the TXT member behind me. Another makeup artist followed behind her with an unplugged though already heated straightening iron.

She had her dark hair kept in one big braid that ran behind her neck to her back and a striped white and blue sweater over a pair of dark jeans. She wore a thin white mask though it was a bit too big for her face so it laid lower down her nose and made the mole right on the side of her nose bridge visible to confirm that it really was her.

Why did I feel the need to take note of every detail about her? I don’t know.

But her walking past me with a scent so unfamiliar yet similar felt surreal. Like a fever dream that wasn’t unwelcomed though uncalled for.

“The pins don’t hurt, do they?”

I can hear her faint voice speak to the younger member before getting drowned out by the chatter around us. I’ve never wanted to yell shut up to a whole room before, but I shouldn’t, it was unreasonable.

I clearly hadn’t expected this. I mean, who would?

The last time I heard of her name was when my parents informed me that she and her whole family had moved to the States. It wasn’t as if it was that big of a deal before either. I merely shrugged at my parents before replying something along the lines of “good for her” before I excused myself since I didn’t particularly feel like eating dinner when it was already closing into my debut and abs were needed to perform a routine.

I hadn’t thought much of it. The news even came as a relief to me.

At least, we broke up face-to-face instead of having a long-distance relationship. I don’t think 17-year-old me would do well in that. I’d probably hurt her more than I already did by prioritizing my passion over her. The fact that we were bound to break up anyway comforted me through all these years.

So the question lies on what the hell was she doing here?!