#also thanks for the warm welcome on the previous post!! how do i reply to reblog tags help

[roe-and-memory]

heres a newer lightning sketch, i used him as my muse for an expressions practice

[kingofbodyrolls]

Friendcation (m) | myg | two

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Chapter summary: When you get a flat tire, you think it’s bad luck, but when you fall flat on your ass and Yoongi offers to massage the pain away, has your luck finally turned? 😜

Pairing: Yoongi x reader (female)

Other characters: Jimin, Jungkook, Taehyung, Namjoon, Hoseok and Seokjin.

Genre/AU: best friends to friend with benefits to lovers, non idol!au, camping!au, roadtrip!au, mechanic!Yoongi, humor, slight angst, smut and fluff

Rating: mature/explicit/R18 (This is mature/explicit content, so minors, please do not interact.)

Disclaimer: I do not own BTS or know them personally and this work of fiction is purely fictional and for entertainment purposes only. The actions and personalities described in the story do not reflect those of BTS— it’s just fiction. Also, if you would kindly read the tags/warnings before reading, that would be lovely: and if you don’t like whatever is described in the tags, just hit return and find something else to read. Thank you 🌸

Status: completed!

Word Count: 12,7K

Warnings: more pent up sexual feelings, second hand embarrassment, feelings, very tiny angst, smut; oral (female), moaning (yes it is a warning for this chapter), Yoongi fixing a flat tire. Author’s note: I didn’t plan to include smut in this chapter, first in chapter three, but here we are 😆 I just couldn’t help myself when I wrote the second to last section! I hope you enjoy it 😍

Taglist: @idkjustlovingbts @constancelayon @wobblewobble822 @ktownshizzle @moonchild1 @ultimatefangirl0 @baechugff @jimintaemin @parapiop7 @fckkntired @iluvfndms @citypop-princess @tarahardcore @bergandysam @massivelyfullenthusiast *strikethrough means tumblr isn't letting me tag you :(

It’s been cross posted to AO3 if you prefer to read there.

As the July sun blazed overhead, you and your friends embarked on the familiar ritual of packing up your camping gear in Busan. 

Beads of sweat formed on your foreheads as you disassembled the tent, the fabric warm to the touch. The scent of sunscreen lingered in the air, a reminder of the fun days spent at the beach. 

Amid the hustle and bustle of folding tents and stowing away supplies, a bittersweet feeling washed over you. Leaving Busan meant saying goodbye to a place filled with cherished memories, but it also meant welcoming new adventures and destinations. 

As you secured the last strap on the van’s roof rack, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation for what lay ahead.

During the drive to your next destination, Changwon, the memories of the ‘Never Have I Ever’ game played a few days ago kept swirling in your mind. You couldn’t help but wonder about the intriguing responses, especially Yoongi’s question about having sex at work. It piqued your curiosity. 

As the van rumbled down the highway, you turned to your friends seated in the back, a mischievous glint in your eye. 

“Hey, guys, remember that game of ’Never Have I Ever’?” Your voice carried a playful tone, drawing their attention.

Jimin, who was busy fiddling with his phone, looked up with a grin, Jungkook and Taehyung exchanged sly glances, while Yoongi, who was behind the wheel, shot a quick glance at you through the rearview mirror. The anticipation in the air was palpable.

“Yeah,” Jimin replied, his interest piqued. “What about it?”

A sly smile played on your lips as you leaned back in your seat, ready to stir up some conversation. 

“I’ve been wondering about the answers you gave. Especially that question about having sex at work… How exactly does one do that?” you asked, your tone filled with intrigue and a hint of teasing.

Jimin chuckled, leaning forward in his seat, eager to share. “Well,” he began, his eyes dancing with mischief, “it’s all about finding the right time and place. You see, when you’re working late in the office, and the tension is high because of deadlines or a demanding boss, that’s when things can get interesting.” 

Jungkook chimed in, his playful grin widening. “Exactly. And sometimes, there’s an empty conference room, and you steal a few passionate moments there.”

Taehyung, ever the storyteller, leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Or picture this: the office party is in full swing, everyone’s a little tipsy, and you sneak away to a quiet corner. The thrill of doing something taboo can be a huge turn-on.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at their vivid descriptions. “Sounds like you guys have it all figured out,” you teased.

“Was it with a coworker?” you asked, leaning in with genuine curiosity. “Wasn’t it weird and uncomfortable after?” Your interest was piqued, especially in the dynamics that followed such encounters.

Jungkook leaned in, his eyes sparkling with the memory. “For me, it happened during a photoshoot,” he began, his voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. 

“It was one of the make-up artists. We clicked instantly, you know? Working long hours together, sharing laughs, and all that. So one day, things just... happened,” he chuckled, his cheeks faintly tinged with a rosy hue.

As he continued, his expression turned more serious, yet reassuring. “I’ve seen her afterward, not in that context, just at work,” he explained. 

“And honestly, it wasn’t weird at all. We talked it out, agreed that our working relationship was too important to let something like that get in the way.” He paused, his comforting smile returning. “So, no, I don’t think it’s weird. It’s all about how you handle it, I guess.”

His words carried a sense of wisdom beyond his years, and you couldn’t help but appreciate the candidness with which he shared his experiences.

You turned your head to Jimin, curiosity piqued. “Jimin, I’ve never heard this story before,” you said, a hint of amazement in your voice. Jimin simply shrugged, wearing a sly grin. “No biggie, just had a little rendezvous with my boss in her office.”

Your eyes widened at this unexpected revelation, but before you could react, Jungkook and Taehyung burst into laughter, their excitement palpable. Jungkook playfully nudged Jimin, teasingly exclaiming, “Jimin, you sly dog! Tell us more!”

“Gross, Jimin,” you teased, wrinkling your nose in exaggerated disgust. 

“Is that even legal?”Jimin chuckled, unfazed by your reaction. “We’re all adults here, and honestly, the company didn’t seem to give a damn,” he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

“Gosh, I’m surrounded by a bunch of grown fuckboys!" you exclaimed, playfully covering your eyes with your hands, as if shielding yourself from the collective mischief of your friends. Their laughter filled the air, and the camper van was filled with an infectious energy that made you all feel like carefree teenagers on a wild adventure.

“Hey, I’m not a fuckboy!” Yoongi protested, his mock offense causing you all to burst into laughter.

Taehyung, never one to miss an opportunity for teasing, chimed in from the back seat, “Are you even getting any action, Yoongi?”

“Well,” Yoongi retorted with a smirk, “I’m not celibate!”

There were snickers from the back seat, and Jimin couldn’t resist prodding further, pushing his eyebrows up and winking mischievously. “What about you, ___? Never had an office fuck?”

You groaned at the mere thought, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment. 

“God no!” you exclaimed, nearly shrieking. “That’s a level of drama I can happily live without.”

“I bet you get a lot of action with your vibrator, right?” 

Taehyung’s question was directed at you, and it made your cheeks turn a shade of red that rivaled a ripe tomato. You weren’t a prude by any means, but openly discussing your sexual life with your close friends, especially in such a candid way, was still somewhat uncharted territory. You had talked about it with Jimin before, sure, but with the other guys, it was a whole new level of awkward.

“That’s for me to know and you to... wonder about,” you quipped with a playful wink, crossing your arms beneath your chest. As you did, you couldn’t help but notice how Yoongi’s gaze momentarily lingered on your breasts before returning to the road.

“She totally does!” Jungkook exclaimed, and both he and Taehyung erupted into laughter. Jimin just chuckled knowingly; after all, he was the one who had gifted you the damn thing. You used the vibrator to get your mind off Yoongi, so, yes, you had your fair share of fun with it.

Yoongi kept his eyes on the road, but a subtle smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He found the subject slightly amusing, and he couldn’t help but steal occasional glances at you. 

He enjoyed seeing your cheeks flush with embarrassment and the way you pouted in response to the teasing banter. 

“Can we talk about something else, please?” you say in a sour voice, slightly irritated by the subject.

Jimin, ever the peacemaker, quickly chimes in, “Sure thing! Let’s talk about our plans for Changwon. Any must-see places or activities?”

As you arrive at your next destination in Changwon, a picturesque camping spot by the ocean, the anticipation of setting up camp fills the air. The soothing sound of waves crashing nearby adds to the tranquil atmosphere.

While you and the others begin unpacking and setting up the campsite, you notice Taehyung approaching Jungkook and Jimin with a hopeful expression. He speaks up, his tone almost pleading, “Guys, can we change the sleeping arrangement again?”

Jimin chuckles, clearly aware of Taehyung’s motives. 

Jungkook, always up for adventure, flashes a mischievous smile and nods in agreement. “Why not? I haven’t tried sleeping in the van yet. Let’s switch it up,” he declares, promptly gathering his belongings and tossing them into the van.

For a fleeting moment, curiosity nags at the back of your mind, making you wonder why Taehyung suddenly wants to change the sleeping arrangements. 

His request is not entirely unexpected, given his penchant for mixing things up, but there’s a subtle curiosity tugging at your thoughts. You steal a brief glance at Taehyung, who’s now helping Jungkook load his things into the van, a sly smile playing on his lips. 

You’ve known Taehyung long enough to recognize that look, but you decide not to dwell too long on it. 

The sun hangs low in the afternoon sky, casting a warm, golden hue over your group. With appetites awakened by the salty sea breeze, you and your friends unanimously agree to visit the bustling local fish market. 

As you step into the lively marketplace, the air is filled with the pungent scent of freshly caught seafood mingling with the excited chatter of vendors and shoppers. The vibrant array of colorful stalls and the sounds of fishmongers calling out their catches surround you. You can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation and camaraderie as you navigate the maze of stalls, each of your friends pointing out their seafood preferences. The lively banter, laughter, and occasional friendly debates about the perfect catch for dinner add to the lively atmosphere. 

With every step, the rich tapestry of sights, sounds, and shared excitement draws you all closer, making the simple act of buying fish for dinner a memorable and heartwarming experience.

As the sun begins to set, casting a warm, amber glow across the campsite, the enticing aroma of sizzling fish fills the air. Yoongi and Taehyung, the resident culinary experts of your group, work their magic over the crackling campfire. 

The flames dance and cast playful shadows as they flip and season the fish, their laughter and easy camaraderie creating an enchanting atmosphere. Meanwhile, you, Jimin, and Jungkook find yourselves lounging comfortably by the campfire’s side, the fire’s soft crackle a soothing backdrop to your conversation. 

The twilight sky above is painted with hues of orange and pink, and the gentle sea breeze rustles the leaves in the nearby trees.

Amidst the cozy ambiance, Jungkook’s voice is infused with excitement as he proposes a plan for tomorrow. His eyes light up as he describes the local Cherry Blossom festival, where the trees are said to burst into a breathtaking display of pink and white blooms. 

You can’t help but be captivated by his enthusiasm, and a shared sense of anticipation washes over your group. You eagerly agree to his suggestion, imagining the serene beauty of cherry blossoms. 

To cap off the evening, you indulge in the mouthwatering dinner masterfully crafted by Yoongi and Taehyung, savoring every bite of the freshly grilled fish. As the satisfying flavors linger on your palate, you bid your friends goodnight and retire to your sleeping quarters, the day’s adventures and the promise of tomorrow’s cherry blossoms still echoing in your mind.

The following morning, you’re roused from slumber by the soothing symphony of splashing water and the mirthful echoes of laughter. 

Intrigued, you venture outside, where you discover Jungkook and Taehyung diligently tending to the laundry. To your chagrin, they are playfully inspecting your underwear, their mischievous giggles dancing through the air. 

A crimson blush creeps across your cheeks as you grapple with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.

“Why are you washing my underwear?” In response, they simply dissolve into more laughter, their mischievous whistles serenading your frustration as they hang one of your panties up to dry.

“Why would you wear something delicate like this while camping, of all things? Don’t you want to be more comfortable?" His bewilderment adds a layer of humor to the situation, making you reconsider your choice of undergarments amidst the camping adventure.

Jimin and Yoongi exchange glances, their eyes filled with amusement as they observe the unfolding scene.

“I am perfectly comfortable in my lacy underwear, thank you very much!” you declare defiantly, snatching the rest of your freshly washed undergarments from Taehyung and Jungkook. 

With an air of determination, you hang them up yourself, your actions echoing your unapologetic confidence.

Jungkook snickers mischievously, casting a knowing glance at Yoongi.

“Don’t tell me you’re wearing those to seduce someone,” he teases, clearly trying to bait you. 

With a sly grin, he stirs the pot, well aware of your feelings for Yoongi. It’s a playful jab aimed at riling you up, and he’s not holding back. 

“No,” you reply with unwavering confidence, “I’m wearing them for me.” Your response carries a hint of defiance, a subtle assertion that your choices are entirely your own, not influenced by anyone else’s expectations or opinions.

Jimin playfully teases, “Aw, it must be tough for ___ and Yoongi, having to endure three long months without any... relief.” 

He shoots a mischievous glance at Yoongi, waiting to see his reaction. The atmosphere in the group is charged with a mixture of humor and anticipation, and all eyes are on Yoongi to gauge his response.

With a sense of frustration and embarrassment boiling inside you, you lash out, "Why is everything always about sex? It’s like this trip has turned you all into a bunch of horny teenagers!” Your words carry a mix of exasperation and humor, and your outburst breaks the tension, causing your friends to burst into laughter.

Jungkook chimes in with a playful glint in his eye, “Well, they could always help each other out,” accompanied by a suggestive wink. 

Your face flushes crimson, and you wish you could just disappear into the ground. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch what might be a subtle blush on Yoongi’s cheeks, but your own embarrassment consumes your attention too fully to be certain.

Taehyung shrugs nonchalantly. “We’re just being guys, you know? It happens. Aren’t you feeling a bit... horny too?” he teases, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.

You quickly change the subject, determined to put an end to the awkward conversation. “I think it’s time to head to the Cherry Blossom festival,” you suggest, a glimmer of excitement in your eyes. 

“Let’s not waste any more time. Come on, everyone,” Yoongi encourages, his voice filled with enthusiasm as he rallies the group.

As you step into the Cherry Blossom festival, a breathtaking sea of pink engulfs your senses. The delicate petals of the cherry blossoms flutter in the gentle breeze, creating a mesmerizing pink canopy that feels like something out of a dream. The air is filled with a faint, sweet fragrance that adds to the enchantment of the moment. 

The beauty of the scene is almost overwhelming, and you can’t help but feel a deep sense of appreciation for nature’s artistry. The soft, rosy hues of the blossoms against the clear blue sky create a picture-perfect backdrop that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale.

Your group is equally captivated, and you decide to capture this magical day in photographs. First, you all gather for a group photo, with the cherry blossoms as your backdrop. The smiles on your faces reflect the joy and wonder you feel at being surrounded by such natural beauty. Then, you take turns photographing each other amidst the blossoms. You frame shots that showcase the individuality and personality of each person, making sure to include the vibrant pink blossoms as a stunning backdrop. 

The laughter and camaraderie among your friends make the experience even more memorable. These photographs will serve as cherished mementos of a day filled with beauty and friendship, a reminder of the remarkable moments you’ve shared in the midst of nature’s splendor.

After a day filled with the enchantment of cherry blossoms and the joy of friendship, you all decide to wind down with a delightful meal at a local restaurant. 

The day’s adventures have left you with a heartwarming sense of contentment. As you step into the cozy local restaurant, the aroma of delectable dishes fills the air, teasing your senses and making your stomach rumble with anticipation. 

The ambiance is inviting, with warm lighting and the comforting hum of chatter from other diners.

You find a table together, and the atmosphere is instantly filled with laughter and stories of the day’s highlights. The restaurant’s menu offers a tantalizing array of local specialties, and you all eagerly explore the culinary delights on offer. 

The dishes that arrive at your table are a symphony of flavors, each one a testament to the region’s culinary prowess. You savor every bite, the taste of the food mingling with the happiness of being surrounded by your best friends.

As the meal draws to a close, you can’t help but think that this day, with its cherry blossoms and heartwarming dinner, has been nothing short of magical. The anticipation of a restful night’s sleep settles in, but you know that the memories of this day will stay with you for a lifetime.

With satisfied stomachs and hearts full of laughter, you make your way back to the campsite. 

The evening sky is painted with hues of deep orange and soft purple as the sun bids adieu for the day. As you arrive, a sense of tranquility washes over you, and you realize that the night is just beginning to reveal its charms. 

Eager to extend the enchantment of the day, you and your friends decide to kindle a campfire. The crackling flames dance to their own melody, casting flickering shadows that playfully chase one another across the forest floor. The warmth of the fire draws you in, its glow reflecting the camaraderie you all share.

A cooler stocked with chilled beers stands nearby, beckoning you to unwind and continue the festivities. You reach for a bottle, the condensation cool against your hand, and the first sip is like a soothing sigh that complements the serenity of the campfire. 

As you sit around the fire, stories and anecdotes flow like the gentle babble of a nearby stream. The night air is crisp, and the symphony of chirping crickets provides the perfect background score to your laughter and conversations.

The stars above twinkle brightly, as if they too are part of your circle, and you can’t help but feel a profound sense of contentment. The world may be vast and full of uncertainties, but in this moment, by the campfire’s warm embrace, you are exactly where you’re meant to be.

Jungkook, with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, turns to Jimin and Taehyung, his voice carrying an unspoken plea. “Do any of you want to switch sleeping places with me?” he asks, his tone hopeful. 

Taehyung chuckles, his laughter carrying a mysterious undertone that leaves you intrigued, “No thank you”. 

Jimin, on the other hand, remains silent, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the fire’s glow.

A sense of intrigue swirls within the circle as you begin to sense that there’s more to this situation than meets the eye. 

You steal a glance at Yoongi, hoping for some clue, but his stoic expression gives nothing away. In the midst of this silent exchange, you can’t help but feel like an outsider, yearning to unravel the enigma that seems to bind your friends together.

As you watch the flickering flames, you’re left with an undeniable curiosity, a desire to understand what lies beneath the surface of your friends’ unspoken words.

Your voice carries a hint of curiosity and a playful pout as you question Jungkook’s sudden desire to switch sleeping arrangements. With a furrowed brow, you inquire, “Why don’t you want to sleep in the van anymore, Kookie? It’s only been one day.” 

Your genuine wonderment laces your words, as you genuinely try to fathom why he would prefer the tent over the cozy confines of the van, which had offered you all a sense of comfort and security.

The firelight dances in your eyes as you lock gazes with Jungkook, your expression reflecting a mix of amusement and intrigue. It’s not just about the logistics of sleeping arrangements; it’s about understanding the underlying reasons and motivations of your friends. 

The campfire’s crackling cadence seems to mirror the anticipation in the air as you wait for Jungkook’s response, eager to unravel the mystery behind his choice.

Silence envelops the group as they exchange subtle glances, each seemingly holding a piece of a hidden puzzle. 

Frustration simmers beneath the surface, and you can’t help but let it rise to the forefront. With a surge of emotion, you break the silence, your voice carrying an edge of exasperation, “What?” 

The word resonates with a mix of curiosity and impatience, urging your friends to divulge the secret they seem to be guarding. Your declaration hangs in the air, a challenge for them to finally share what’s on their minds.

Yoongi and Jimin exchange resigned glances, their silence hinting at an unspoken truth. You venture a guess, your voice carrying a tinge of hurt, “Is it because I snore?” 

The words hang heavy in the air, revealing your vulnerability. Jungkook hesitates for a moment, then starts to confirm your suspicion, “No, well, yes, you do snore.” 

His confession is met with icy glares from both Yoongi and Jimin, who seem eager to shield you from any embarrassment.

Frustration creeps into your voice as you press for answers, demanding, “What is it then?” 

Your determination to uncover the truth adds an air of suspense to the conversation.

Suddenly, Taehyung’s voice shatters the tranquility of the evening, his exclamation sharp and forceful, like a thunderclap. 

“God, woman! You fucking moan in your sleep!” 

He punctuates his words with wild, flailing gestures, as if attempting to physically expel the shocking revelation from the air. 

The sheer unexpectedness of his outburst left you gaping, your mouth forming a perfect ’O’ of astonishment. Dumbfounded and utterly caught off guard, you felt a blazing rush of embarrassment coursing through your veins, your body tingling with warmth, and your face flushed a deep crimson. 

Overwhelmed by the situation, you instinctively cover your mouth with a trembling hand, as though to shield yourself from the embarrassment that threatens to consume you. 

With furtive glances, you scanned the faces of the men in your group, only to find fleeting eyes, a collective attempt to evade the discomfort that now hung heavily in the air. It was as though an unspoken agreement had fallen over the group, tacitly declaring that this subject was not one they wanted to delve into any further. 

The silence that follows is thick and palpable, saturated with a shared sense of unease, leaving everyone grappling with the intimate and unexpected revelation.

“I moan in my sleep?” you stammer, your voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and mortification. 

Your gaze darts anxiously around the circle of your closest friends, desperately seeking any sign that this confession was nothing more than a cruel joke or a misunderstanding. 

The weight of your realization bore down on you like a ton of bricks, and you couldn’t help but wonder if every single one of them had been privy to your most private and vulnerable moments. The sheer embarrassment of the situation threatens to swallow you whole, and you wish the ground would open up and swallow you.

“Sometimes you sound like something that came straight out of a porno,” Jimin chimed in casually, his tone laced with playful teasing. 

Your eyes widened in shock, and your face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. 

The words hit you like a freight train, and you could hardly believe he had just said that out loud. 

Utterly mortified, you bury your burning face in your hands, overwhelmed by the sheer embarrassment of the moment. This was undoubtedly one of the most awkward and cringe-worthy situations you’d ever found yourself in.

“I don’t understand how Yoongi hyung manages to sleep in that van with you,” Taehyung chimed in, a hint of laughter in his voice but genuine curiosity shining through. 

You let out a groan of embarrassment, your face still buried in your hands, when you suddenly feel the reassuring touch of Yoongi’s hand on your shoulder. 

“It’s really not that bad, honestly,” he said, his voice calm and comforting. The warmth of his hand and the support in his words easing some of your mortification, but you couldn’t help but wish the ground would swallow you whole still.

“But it is! Apparently, I sound like I’m having sex while I’m sleeping, and you’ve all heard it!” 

You hiss in frustration, a jumble of emotions swirling within you—sadness, anger, and utter embarrassment. Yoongi’s hand continues to rub your shoulder in soothing circles, his presence a comforting anchor amidst the storm of your embarrassment and frustration.

As you feel Yoongi’s reassuring hands on your shoulder, you gradually begin to relax. His comforting presence helps ease the embarrassment that has overwhelmed you. 

“Don’t let it bother you,” Yoongi remarks casually, his shrug implying that to him, they were just harmless noises. It was clear that the situation didn’t seem to faze him at all, unlike the others.

Jungkook couldn’t contain his laughter as he continued, “At first, I thought she was masturbating! I was so confused!” 

The others, except Yoongi, joined in, their chuckles filling the air. 

You couldn’t help but feel a mix of exasperation and amusement at their teasing, realizing that they were trying to lighten the mood after the initial embarrassment. Frustration bubbling inside you, you finally speak up, “If you all have a problem with it, I think you should sleep in the tent!”

Your voice carries a hint of anger, but Jimin, ever the peacemaker, chuckles softly and replies, “I really don’t mind,” as he gives an indifferent shrug.

“I don’t have a problem either,” Yoongi says nonchalantly, his words sinking in like a soothing balm. 

“I think your noises are sorta cute.” 

Your face flushes an even deeper shade of red, and your mind races with questions. 

What does he mean by ‘cute’? 

The ambiguity leaves you intrigued and flustered all at once.

“Alright, then. I’ll sleep in the van with Yoongi and ___, and Jungkook and Taehyung, please be mature about this,” Jimin says firmly, leveling a stern gaze at them, daring them to challenge his decision.

As the night envelops the campsite, you lay there with a heavy and embarrassing heart.

Restlessly, you toss and turn in your bed, the weight of the day’s revelations making it impossible to find solace in sleep. The whispers of embarrassment and insecurity haunt your restless mind, leaving you in a state of sleepless torment.

The following day, you embark on a mission into town, a touch of determination in your stride. Your goal? To purchase earplugs for each of your friends, a thoughtful gesture to spare them from the nightly symphony of your sounds. 

As you select the earplugs, you can’t help but wonder if this small act of consideration will help you regain some of your lost dignity and comfort in the company of your friends.

As you stroll through the Art Village later, you can’t help but marvel at the kaleidoscope of colors that surround you. Vibrant buildings painted in every hue imaginable line the streets, creating a whimsical and picturesque backdrop for your day. 

Taehyung, with his keen eye for photography, eagerly captures the essence of the village, ensuring that your memories are forever preserved in the form of vivid snapshots. You all pose for pictures together, your smiles reflecting the joy of this shared experience.

At Taehyung’s request, you also venture into the Art Museum, where you’re greeted by a world of creativity and imagination. Each piece of art tells a unique story, and you find yourself drawn into the intricate details and vibrant colors that bring the canvases to life. 

On the following day, your group decides to split up, each sub-group pursuing their unique interests. 

Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook are eager to explore the enchanting world of cinema by visiting an open film set. Their faces light up with excitement as they step onto the hallowed ground where movie magic comes to life. The intricate set pieces and behind-the-scenes glimpses of filmmaking inspire awe and ignite their creative spirits.

Meanwhile, you and Yoongi opt for a more serene and leisurely pace, immersing yourselves in the tranquil beauty of nature. 

Your day begins at a pristine lake, where the waters glisten under the gentle caress of the sun. Surrounded by the calming embrace of nature, you both take in the serenity of the scene, finding solace in the rippling reflections on the water’s surface.

From there, you venture to the Junam Reservoir, a place where time seems to stand still. 

Yoongi, ever the observer, finds solace in watching the graceful dance of birds soaring through the endless azure sky. The harmony between Yoongi and the natural world around him is truly a sight to behold, a testament to the profound beauty of simplicity and tranquility.

As you sit by the reservoir, you can’t help but be captivated by the elegance of the moment. It’s an image of nature’s artistry, with Yoongi at its center, offering a different kind of beauty—one that transcends words and resonates deep within your soul. 

You don’t know which is more beautiful, the sight of the birds or Yoongi himself.

Upon your return to the campsite, a shared sense of contentment and camaraderie envelops your group. 

The day’s adventures have left you all feeling rejuvenated, the bonds of friendship growing stronger with every moment spent together. As you gather around the campfire, the crackling flames casting dancing shadows on your faces, you engage in lively conversation about your respective experiences.

With the warmth of the fire as a backdrop, you collectively decide that tomorrow is the perfect time to embark on a new adventure. The anticipation of exploring the next city on your journey sparks excitement in each of you. Ideas and plans for what to see and do in the upcoming destination fill the air, igniting a shared sense of wanderlust.

In this moment, your friendcation feels like a beautiful tapestry, woven from the threads of laughter, adventure, and the unbreakable bonds that connect you all. 

The promise of new experiences and the thrill of discovery infuses your discussions with a sense of purpose and anticipation, making the decision to move on to the next city a unanimous and exciting one.

As you prepare dinner together, the aroma of a delicious meal fills the air, a testament to the harmony and teamwork that define your journey. The campfire becomes the heart of your campsite, where stories are shared, laughter rings out, and dreams of the adventures to come light up your eyes. 

Under the gentle morning sun, its warm rays casting a golden glow on your group, you gather around Holly, ready to embark on the next leg of your journey. The atmosphere is charged with anticipation and excitement, each of you fueled by the promise of new experiences waiting in Jinju.

As you load up the van, it becomes a symbolic vessel of your shared adventure, carrying not only your belongings but also the countless memories you’ve created so far. 

The engine roars to life, and you feel a rush of exhilaration as you hit the road once more, the open road stretching out before you like an invitation to the unknown. The drive to Jinju is filled with moments of camaraderie and shared laughter, as Holly becomes a haven of conversation and connection. 

You discuss the sights you’re eager to see in the new city, swapping stories of past travels and adventures along the way. 

The drive to your next destination is a breeze, guided by Yoongi’s skilled hand at the wheel. With the precision of a seasoned traveler, he navigates the roads and effortlessly leads you to a picturesque campground nestled in the heart of Jinju’s natural beauty. 

As you arrive at the campground, a sense of familiarity washes over you. Setting up camp has become second nature during this journey, a well-practiced routine that you and your friends execute with graceful efficiency. In no time, tents are pitched, the campfire crackles to life, and Holly is neatly parked, blending seamlessly into the tranquil surroundings. 

The scent of nature fills the air, intermingling with the anticipation of the adventures yet to come. Each time you assemble your temporary home, it’s as if you’re building a sanctuary of shared memories, a place where laughter, stories, and heartfelt moments come to life. The campground is your canvas, and together you paint it with the vibrant hues of friendship and camaraderie.

With the sun’s rays gently warming your faces, you embark on a leisurely walk into the heart of Jinju. The charming town greets you with open arms, its streets bustling with life and the tantalizing aroma of breakfast wafting from cozy cafes. 

Your destination isn’t just a place to satisfy your hunger but a chance to immerse yourselves in the local culture. As you step into one of the quaint cafes, the air is filled with the comforting scent of freshly brewed coffee and the delightful aroma of pastries. The clinking of cups and the hum of conversations form a symphony that welcomes you into this charming establishment. 

You take a seat, savoring each sip of your morning brew and indulging in a hearty breakfast, filling not just your stomachs but also your hearts with contentment.

Afterward, the excitement of the day ahead lures you to the roller skating rink, a place where fun and adventure await. 

As you arrive at the roller skating rink, the anticipation of trying something entirely new courses through your veins. With each of you lacing up a pair of skates, the world transforms into a playground of possibilities. 

The skates clasp onto your feet, a curious blend of excitement and nervousness bubbling within.

With wobbly legs and unsteady steps, you gingerly take your first strides onto the smooth rink. 

The sensation of gliding, the wheels beneath your feet, is a revelation, and the laughter is infectious. 

You’re no seasoned skater, but that only adds to the thrill of the experience. As you make your initial, somewhat unsteady strides on the roller rink, Jungkook’s effortless grace on skates stands out like a beacon of skill. He glides around the rink with the finesse of a seasoned skater, effortlessly twirling and weaving, as though he was born with wheels on his feet.

His laughter harmonizes with the rhythmic sound of his skates cutting through the smooth surface.

Your friends, too, navigate the rink with varying degrees of grace, and the atmosphere is a delightful mix of cheers and friendly teasing. A mischievous grin tugs at Jungkook’s lips as he watches your tentative movements. 

“She’s like Bambi on ice!” he exclaims, punctuating his words with a light-hearted laugh. 

His taunting, though playful, only fuels your determination to master the art of roller skating. Despite it being his first time on skates, Jungkook’s innate talent shines through. His adaptability to new challenges is nothing short of infuriating, yet you can’t help but admire his ability to conquer new terrain effortlessly.

As you teeter on your skates, struggling to maintain your balance, the vast expanse of the roller rink seems like an insurmountable challenge. 

Each step feels precarious, and you clutch onto the side of the rink, desperately seeking stability. Your friends, caught up in their own laughter and playful antics, continue to circle the rink with ease, their mirth echoing in the air. 

Amidst your unsteady attempts, Yoongi’s attentive gaze doesn’t go unnoticed. 

He skates gracefully toward you, a silent guardian amidst the joyful chaos. His dark eyes, filled with a blend of concern and determination, meet yours as he approaches.

Without a word, Yoongi extends his hand, a lifeline amidst the rolling chaos. His fingers, calloused from his mechanic’s work yet gentle in their touch, brush against your palm as you accept his offer. The warmth of his grip sends a reassuring current through you, steadying your wobbly stance.

“Watch closely,” Yoongi’s voice resonates with a blend of confidence and warmth, inviting you to observe his movements with undivided attention. His skates seem to effortlessly glide across the rink, a testament to his innate grace and the mastery he holds over the roller skates. 

With each fluid motion, he propels himself forward and then effortlessly returns to your side, bridging the gap between your uncertainties and his expertise.

As he demonstrates the art of skating, his actions become a mesmerizing performance, leaving no room for doubt that he’s a master of this craft. 

His feet create a delicate dance with the smooth surface of the rink, a ballet of balance and control. With precision, he showcases the subtle nuances of turning and gliding, his movements both graceful and precise. 

But what truly sets Yoongi apart is his unwavering patience. 

As he returns to your side, he offers a reassuring smile, his dark eyes filled with encouragement. “Now, it’s your turn,” he says, his voice a gentle reminder that you’re not alone in this endeavor.

With meticulous care, he guides you through the basics of roller skating while holding your hand. He shows you how to shift your weight, find your center of gravity, and maintain balance. 

Each step is accompanied by his steady guidance, making the process feel less daunting and more like a shared adventure. When it’s time to learn how to break, Yoongi’s guidance is equally invaluable. 

He demonstrates the technique, emphasizing control and finesse. As he patiently assists you in mastering this essential skill, his presence becomes your anchor, turning uncertainty into a sense of accomplishment.

With every lap, you grow more confident, finding your rhythm in the mesmerizing dance of wheels and floor. The joy of discovering a new skill, even if it involves a fair share of stumbles, fills the air with an electrifying energy.

“I think I can try by myself,” you declare, a newfound determination glinting in your eyes as you release Yoongi’s hand. With a cautious yet adventurous spirit, you set out on your own, your heart racing with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

As you take those initial strides, the rink beneath you seems to come alive. The sensation of movement, the cool breeze brushing against your cheeks, and the rhythmic sound of your skates against the smooth surface all merge into a thrilling symphony of sensations. 

Your first solo swirl might be a modest one, but it feels like a monumental achievement.

A triumphant smile creeps across your face, a testament to your burgeoning confidence. The laughter and cheers of your friends fade into the background as you revel in this small victory, savoring the feeling of independence and accomplishment. 

Each subsequent swirl becomes smoother, your body adapting to the unfamiliar motion with every passing second.

Your heart swells with pride as you skate around the rink, each movement carrying a newfound sense of freedom and exhilaration. 

The fear and hesitation that once held you back have given way to a sense of empowerment and liberation. And as you continue to skate, you steal a quick glance at Yoongi. His face bears a mixture of admiration and encouragement, mirroring the pride that surges within you. 

“That’s it, you’re a natural,” Yoongi smiles warmly, his eyes reflecting genuine admiration. 

You can’t help but playfully roll your eyes at his comment, well aware that your roller skating skills are far from what most people would consider ‘natural’. But in this moment, you’ll gladly accept his compliment, not for the accuracy of the statement, but for the warmth and encouragement it carries.

The other guys burst into applause, their cheers echoing throughout the roller skating rink. Their skates create a playful symphony of clicks and clacks as they circle around you, celebrating your progress while throwing in a few teasing comments here and there.

Jungkook can’t resist a playful jab, calling out, “Look at her go! Our very own roller skating superstar.” 

He effortlessly glides past, performing a twirl that leaves you in awe of his agility. Taehyung adds to the fun, mimicking your initial wobbles with exaggerated gestures, causing everyone to burst into laughter. “Don’t worry, we’ve all been there,” he reassures you with a wink, making you feel less alone in your roller skating journey.

Jimin joins in, executing a series of quick spins before skating backward in a mockingly dramatic fashion. “You’re doing great, ___! Just remember, it’s all about the style,” he advises with a grin.

The playful banter and camaraderie among your friends make this roller skating adventure even more memorable. Despite the initial challenges, you can’t help but smile and laugh along with them, grateful for the support and lightheartedness that defines your friendship.

You dedicate several joyful hours to roller skating, ensuring to take short breaks in between to catch your breath and share a few light-hearted moments with your friends. 

Your own roller skating skills may still be a work in progress, but the smiles and laughter you share with Yoongi, Jimin, Jungkook, and Taehyung more than make up for any wobbles or missteps. They skate with effortless grace and confidence, performing dazzling moves that leave you in awe.

Jimin effortlessly glides past you, executing intricate spins and turns, as if he’s been roller skating all his life. His finesse on wheels is nothing short of impressive, and he even offers a few tips to help you improve your technique.

Jungkook showcases his agility, weaving in and out of the group with remarkable speed. His daring tricks and maneuvers earn cheers and applause from everyone around, including you.

Taehyung’s fluidity on roller skates is a sight to behold, and he effortlessly combines style and grace. His movements seem almost dance-like, adding an artistic touch to the experience.

After your roller skating adventure, you return to your campsite and decide to cap off the day with a cozy campfire by the van. 

The warm crackling flames cast dancing shadows across your group, creating an intimate and inviting atmosphere. 

Sitting in a circle, you all gather around the fire, sharing stories and laughter as you prepare and enjoy a delicious dinner together. The aroma of the food mixes with the scent of the burning wood, creating a mouthwatering ambiance that heightens your senses.

With full stomachs and hearts warmed by the camaraderie, you reach for some cold beers, their refreshing taste a perfect complement to the flickering firelight. 

The clinking of bottles and jovial chatter fill the air, adding to the sense of togetherness that defines your friendcation.

Under the star-studded night sky, you share tales of your adventures, reminisce about funny moments, and dream about the destinations yet to be explored. The campfire becomes a hub of storytelling, where the bonds of friendship grow even stronger.

As the night wears on and the fire’s embers begin to fade, you all gradually retire to your sleeping arrangements, carrying with you the warmth of the campfire and the memories of yet another unforgettable day on your journey together.

Your anticipation builds as you embark on the scenic journey towards a picturesque campground nestled near the tranquil Pyeongsari Park, its beauty whispered by the stories of those who have ventured here before. 

The road weaves through lush landscapes, revealing glimpses of nature’s grandeur as you draw nearer to your destination. The air is alive with the melodies of birdsong, and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze is your soundtrack. The promise of the crystal-clear lake, its waters mirroring the azure sky, fills you with a sense of serenity and excitement.

The tranquil hum of the van’s engine fills the air as you journey towards the campground. The serene surroundings lull you into a state of peaceful contemplation, the anticipation of a day filled with outdoor adventures bubbling beneath the surface.

Then, suddenly, the tranquility is shattered as Holly encounters an unexpected pothole. 

Your heart leaps into your throat, and instinctively, you reach out for the handles, gripping them tightly for balance. 

The van shudders and dips, sending a jolt of adrenaline through your veins.

Beside you, Yoongi emits a low groan of frustration, his skilled hands deftly maneuvering the van to the side of the road. 

It’s a testament to his expertise as a driver that he’s able to bring the vehicle under control with such ease, his calm demeanor a reassuring presence in the midst of the unexpected turbulence. As the van comes to a halt by the roadside, you exchange glances with your friends, a mixture of relief and curiosity in their eyes. 

“What just happened?” 

You and the group in the back seat collectively exclaim, your voices tinged with a mixture of fear and bewilderment, the unexpected jolt still reverberating through your bodies.

“Damn it. Blew a tire,” Yoongi curses, his voice tinged with irritation. He pounds the steering wheel in frustration, but then exhales deeply, regaining his composure in an instant.

“Are you kidding me?” Taehyung exclaims nervously from the back, his voice tinged with anxiety.

“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” Jungkook adds, his gaze fixed on the seemingly endless stretch of road outside the window.

“Relax,” Yoongi says, his voice calm as he tries to reassure everyone. “I know a garage not far from here,” he adds, reaching for his phone and dialing a number (thankfully, there’s service here).

While Yoongi is on the phone, a heavy silence blankets the van. All of you sit in anticipation, allowing him the space to make the necessary arrangements. His voice carries a tone of determination as he orders a new tire, arranging for it to be delivered to your remote location in the middle of nowhere.

“They’ll be here in about an hour or so,” Yoongi informs your group, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe we should get out and stretch our legs?” he suggests, aware that it’s not ideal to remain cooped up in the car while it’s parked on the side of the road. His proposal breaks the tension that had settled in the van.

As you all step out of the van, the minutes seem to drag on endlessly. 

You wander around the parked van, stretching your legs and trying to make the most of the situation. While you and your friends wait anxiously for the new tire to arrive, Yoongi takes charge, using a jack to lift the van in the back. 

With practiced ease, he untightens the bolts and removes the flat tire, expertly preparing for the replacement. The sense of anticipation lingers in the air as you watch him, all of you eager to hit the road again.

At long last, a car comes into view and pulls up beside your stranded van. 

Two men step out, and there’s a warm exchange of greetings between them and Yoongi. 

You can’t help but wonder if there’s some history between them, perhaps a mechanic’s camaraderie. The sight of the new tire being wheeled out and handed over to Yoongi fills you with a sense of relief and anticipation, knowing that you’ll soon be back on the road. 

It’s a brief moment of connection with these strangers who’ve come to your rescue, and you can’t help but appreciate their help in this unexpected predicament.

With the flat tire loaded into their car, the two helpful strangers bid their farewells and drive off, leaving your group standing there on the side of the road. You watch their car disappear into the distance, grateful for their assistance, and ready to continue your adventure with a renewed sense of camaraderie among your friends.

As you stand there, watching Yoongi work with swift and precise movements, your attention is drawn to the focused determination in his eyes. 

Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead under the sun’s warm embrace, and his muscles flex subtly as he tightens the bolts with the torque wrench. It’s as if you’re witnessing a master at his craft, his competence both captivating and alluring. 

Unbeknownst to him, your thoughts wander into forbidden territory. You find yourself admiring his strong hands and the way he effortlessly handles the task at hand. It’s a moment of vulnerability, a secret desire that surfaces as you imagine those hands on you, tracing patterns of warmth and comfort. 

You quickly snap yourself out of the daydream, cheeks flushing with embarrassment, and focus on the sight of the new tire perfectly in place. 

But deep down, a lingering sense of longing remains.

“All done.” 

Yoongi’s voice snaps you out of your momentary reverie, and you quickly refocus on the task at hand. The sound of the van gently settling back onto the ground punctuates his announcement. It’s as if the world around you has synchronized with his words, reminding you of the reality you share with your friends.

As you shift your gaze from Yoongi’s work to the now-complete task, a sense of admiration washes over you. 

You appreciate not just his mechanical prowess but also the way he effortlessly handles life’s challenges. His competence and unwavering dedication have always been a part of what draws you to him. 

With the van ready to roll again, you push aside your lingering thoughts and offer a genuine smile, grateful for Yoongi’s quick and effective resolution to the situation. 

The collective sighs of relief fill the air, almost like a harmonious symphony of gratitude and anticipation. Each member of your group, relieved to be back on the road and one step closer to your destination. 

As you all settle back into the van, there’s a renewed sense of camaraderie and adventure in the air. The shared experience of overcoming an unexpected obstacle has brought your group closer together, reinforcing the bonds of friendship that have been growing stronger with every passing day of your friendcation.

With the van’s engine revving back to life, you exchange smiles and knowing glances with your friends, a silent acknowledgment of the shared memories being created on this unforgettable journey. 

As the wheels start turning once more, you can’t help but wonder what other surprises and adventures await you on the road ahead.

As you approach the campground, the earthy scents of the surrounding woods welcome you, and you catch sight of a meandering river reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun. The campground, bathed in the warm, fading light, beckons you like a hidden oasis.

As the sun dips below the horizon, you swiftly pitch the tent, arrange your campfire, and prepare a delightful dinner under the twilight sky. Savoring your meal, you all retire to your sleeping arrangements for the night.

With the break of dawn, a humble breakfast fuels your day, followed by a refreshing lake-side shower. Soon, you’re on your way to Jirisan National Park, immersing yourselves in its splendor, indulging in prepared snacks amid nature’s wonders. 

As the day wears on, you venture towards the majestic Chiri-san mountain. With afternoon rays painting the sky, you secure a campsite, anticipation in the air. Tomorrow promises a thrilling ascent to the mountain’s zenith, igniting excitement among your group.

Dawn breaks, and you greet the day with renewed vigor, eager to conquer the breathtaking mountain ahead. 

Your backpacks brim with sustenance for the ascent, and you slip into sturdy hiking gear, lacing up your trusty boots. The anticipation of reaching the summit fuels your determination.

As the group readies themselves, you embark on your mountain adventure. Side by side with Jungkook leading the way, your enthusiasm propels you forward. Behind you, Jimin, Taehyung, and Yoongi follow, forming a close-knit trail of camaraderie and anticipation.

The narrow trail winds its way through the rugged terrain, offering just enough space for two or three people to stride alongside each other.

As you trek through the rocky trail, a comfortable silence envelops your group. 

The crunch of rocks and the gentle rustling of grass provide a soothing soundtrack to your hike. Suddenly, Jungkook glances over his shoulder, his eyes dancing with mischief as he turns to you.

“You know,” he says, his voice a conspiratorial whisper, “Yoongi hyung is totally checking out your ass.” 

His mischievous smirk grows, and a subtle laugh escapes his lips, adding a playful undertone to his observation. 

A warm blush creeps up your cheeks, a mixture of embarrassment and amusement dancing across your face. The sight of Jungkook’s laughter only deepens the hue of your blush, and the shared moment of teasing adds a playful, lighthearted energy to the hike.

“What’s so funny up there?” Taehyung’s voice breaks the silence from behind, and you take a moment to collect yourself before responding, your tone teasing yet good-humored.

“Nothing!” Your voice comes out a bit louder than you intended, and you feel a rush of embarrassment. Avoiding eye contact, you continue walking, hoping to change the subject.

Time seems to blur as you climb, and when the mountaintop finally greets you, exhaustion washes over you like a wave. 

Collapsing onto the ground, you’re struck by an insatiable hunger. Your hands reach for your water bottle, desperate for some relief, and you gulp down the refreshing liquid. 

Your companions do the same, their faces marked by exhaustion and satisfaction. With a grumbling stomach and the scent of adventure in the air, you eagerly unpack your carefully prepared feast. The spread includes delectable Kimbap sandwiches, spicy Gochujang pasta, and tangy Kimchi Bibimmyeon. 

As you all dig into the hearty meal, the camaraderie of the moment and the breathtaking view from the mountain peak enhance the flavors, making every bite a savory delight.

As you all savor the flavors of your mountain-top meal, a sense of serenity washes over the group. Jimin, his eyes reflecting the tranquility of the moment, takes a deep breath and exhales, his voice carrying the weight of relief, “This is really nice. It’s just what I needed to destress.” 

The collective nods of agreement ripple through your group, a silent acknowledgment that this journey has been a balm for all your souls.

“I’m genuinely going to miss this,” Jungkook laments with a playful pout, his enthusiasm almost causing him to inhale his food.

“Yeah, you know what? I think I’ll sleep in the tent tonight with Jungkook and Taehyung, just to make the most of our last days,” Jimin announces, playfully patting Jungkook on the shoulder, which causes him to choke on his food, leading to a fit of coughing.

Taehyung gazes at Jungkook with concern, gently patting his back. “I’m okay,” Jungkook manages to say between his coughs, and Taehyung quickly offers him a sip of water.

As the evening sun casts long shadows, you begin your descent from the mountain top, cherishing the last moments of this breathtaking adventure.

The trail is treacherous, and your feet struggle for purchase. Suddenly, you slip on loose rocks, landing hard on your ass. 

Pain shoots through you, and you let out an involuntary cry. Jimin and Jungkook rush to your side, their concern evident. 

“Are you hurt?” Yoongi’s penetrating gaze scans your body, causing a warm flush to spread across your cheeks.

“I-I’m okay, I think…” you groan through the pain. 

“Fuck, you’re not okay.” Jimin’s face tightens with worry as he runs a hand through his slightly damp hair, contemplating what to do next.

You attempt to stand up, but the pain in your backside intensifies. 

“Shit, my ass hurts,” you groan once more, attempting to massage the discomfort away.

“And DON’T crack any anal jokes right now!” you quip with a voice that’s both pained and playful, fully aware of the absurdity of the situation. 

It must look comical.

Jungkook bursts into uncontrollable laughter, doubling over and clutching his stomach. Taehyung isn’t far behind, struggling to contain his own laughter. Jimin chuckles, rolling his eyes at your remark. Yoongi watches in amazement, wondering how you manage to find humor even in such a situation.

“We’re almost at Holly. Can you manage the rest of the walk?” Jimin asks, concern evident in his eyes as he notices your discomfort.

You shake your head, exhaling a heavy sigh, your pain evident.

“I can carry her,” Jungkook offers, his laughter still lingering in his voice as he steps forward, ready to help despite the humor of the situation.

“No, I’ll do it,” Yoongi insists, his voice soft and reassuring as he steps closer, his touch comforting against your back.

“You don’t have to, Yoon,” you protest with a slight pout as you attempt to rise, but a sharp surge of pain shoots through your spine, causing you to wince and falter.

“You can’t even stand up. I’ll give you a piggyback ride. Come on,” he strides ahead, crouches down, and extends his hand for you to climb onto his back.

You reluctantly climb onto his warm, sturdy back, and sink your weight onto him. 

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you nestle your head into the curve of his neck and rest your chin there. His neck feels soft, and you’re enveloped in the soothing scent of cinnamon and vanilla, likely from his body wash. His long, black hair gently brushes against your cheeks as he carries you down the mountain.

As the rest of the group follows you and Yoongi down, their voices become a distant hum in the background. 

Your mind, however, is consumed by thoughts of Yoongi. His body radiates warmth, and you’re attuned to the rhythmic thud of his heartbeat against your chest pressed to his back. His hands securely cradle you beneath your ass, providing a reassuring and comfortable seat for your descent.

After nearly 45 minutes, you finally reach the van. Jungkook quickly finds a chair and pulls it out for you, and with gentle care, Yoongi lowers you into it. 

You can’t help but groan once more as your sore ass meets the chair’s surface.

Taehyung anxiously glances around at the rest of the group. “Should we take her to see a doctor?” he suggests, concern etched across his face.

You dismiss Taehyung’s suggestion with a grimace of pain. 

“Nah, Tae. I don’t think anything’s broken. It just feels sore, like it’s my muscles that’s hurting,” you explain, wincing as you settle back into the chair.

“Anything you need, just tell us and we’ll get it for you,” Yoongi says, sinking into the chair beside you with a tired sigh, his eyes filled with concern.

“Hey, I’m not that heavy!” you jest, playfully tapping his chest, a hint of flirtation in your voice, which makes Yoongi’s cheeks flush slightly.

“No, but you’re not exactly a feather,” he smirks, his eyes sparkling with humor, and then bursts into laughter, the sound echoing through the serene mountain surroundings.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re calling me fat,” you grump playfully, a mischievous glint in your eye, and then break into laughter. Joking about your body feels comfortable because you’re confident in your own skin.

As you begin to rise, ready to inquire about any leftover food, Yoongi’s hand gently reaches over, resting on your arm, halting your movement. “Sit,” he commands with a firm, yet gentle tone. His intense gaze holds your attention, compelling you to obey and settle back into your seat.

Jimin arrives with a plate of food and a cold beer, presenting them to you with a warm smile.

You eagerly accept, ready to savor the flavors and unwind. Jungkook, ever the thoughtful one, has kindled a campfire, not for warmth on this balmy summer day but to add to the cozy ambiance of your gathering. 

As you recline, indulging in the comfort of your friends’ attentive gestures, you savor the food and beer. Though you’ve only had two beers, their numbing effect gradually eases the discomfort in your aching muscles.

Feeling the weariness settling in, you let out a big yawn and stretch your arms and back. 

“I’m exhausted,” you declare, preparing to retire for the night. “Goodnight, everyone.” With a wave, you rise from your chair and make your way into the van. 

However, before stepping inside, you turn to Yoongi, who’s engrossed in his beer. In a drowsy tone, you ask, “Hey, Yoongi, is it alright if I sleep downstairs? You can take the top bunk then.”

Yoongi merely nods in agreement as you close the van door behind you.

Your eyelids grow heavy, and sleep claims you swiftly. It’s always easy to drift into slumber when the comforting backdrop is the sound of your friends’ voices and laughter.

Sometime after you’ve drifted into slumber, a faint creaking sound rouses you from your sleep. 

You slowly open your eyes to find Yoongi standing there, not far from where you rest. 

“I’m sorry I woke you up,” he murmurs, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. You respond softly, “It’s okay.”

“Are you alright?” he inquires, taking a seat beside you on the bed. His concern is evident in his eyes.

You instinctively move closer to him, craving the comfort of his warmth. “I’m just sore. My butt hurts,” you admit, your voice filled with exhaustion. “I wish I could massage it, maybe it would help,” you add, almost mumbling in your drowsiness.

“I could massage it for you?” 

His offer hangs in the air, sparking a bolt of electricity within you, and you suddenly feel wide awake. 

You’re left speechless, unsure of how to respond to his unexpected proposal. “Yoon, you really don’t have to,” you say with a casual shrug, attempting to downplay your discomfort, even though you secretly acknowledge that a massage would provide much-needed relief. 

It’s just a bit odd, considering he’s your best friend – and someone you have a crush on, no less.

“You mentioned it might help, and honestly, it’s a shame you can’t walk properly just because you fell on your ass. If it were for some other reason, you might even feel proud of it,” he remarks casually. 

You chuckle at his comment, but then it slowly sinks in, and you begin to wonder if he just insinuated what you think he did.

“Can I remove your duvet?” he asks softly, waiting for your consent. When you nod in agreement, he gently pulls the duvet down, letting it rest at your bare feet.

You’re relieved you’re wearing shorts; otherwise, this would be even more embarrassing. 

The nervousness courses through your body like wildfire as you anticipate his touch. When his warm hands finally make contact with your ass cheeks, it feels like a surge of electricity, making your entire body tingle. His fingers tenderly grasp your cheeks, starting with a gentle massage.

You can’t help but acknowledge the soreness, but beneath it all, an overwhelming surge of desire courses through you. The level of intimacy, even with a close friend, feels like uncharted territory.

“Is the pressure alright?” he inquires, his voice weary yet steady, sending shivers down your spine.

You nod, your voice failing you in the presence of his incredible touch. The warmth of his hands sends waves of desire coursing through your body.

You feel the desire building in the pit of your stomach, a raging fire ignited by something as innocent as a massage. 

You blame it on months of a dry spell, but deep down, you know it’s mainly because it’s Yoongi. 

A rush of warmth engulfs your entire body, and you struggle to stifle the moans that threaten to escape your lips. Overwhelmed by a flood of arousal, you can’t help but notice the growing dampness between your thighs, praying silently that Yoongi remains oblivious to your heightened desire.

“Lift your ass for me,” he instructs nonchalantly.

Your voice quivers as you ask, “What did you say?” The air between you two crackles with tension, and you can’t deny the anticipation building within you.

“Lift your ass, then I can massage it better.” 

A shiver runs down your spine at his words, and your heart races as desire courses through your veins. 

You swallow hard, trying to find your voice as you reluctantly obey, lifting your ass hesitantly. 

The anticipation is almost unbearable. Then he gently slaps one of your ass cheeks and a moan escapes your mouth. 

Fuck. 

Your mind races with a mix of desire, fear, and curiosity. You can’t deny the undeniable attraction between you and Yoongi, and in this moment, you’re willing to explore it further.

“Good girl,” the air thickens as Yoongi’s chuckle washes over you, sending shivers down your spine. 

The vulnerability of your position heightens the intensity of the moment. Your cheeks burn as you realize just how intimate, sexual and daring this has become. 

His skilled hands explore your inner thigh, where your ass cheek meets your thigh, sending electrifying waves of pleasure through your body. You struggle to stifle your moans, your hand muffling the sounds of your building arousal. 

Every touch feels like a tantalizing ticklishness and ecstasy, making it harder to maintain control.

His skillful hands continue to work their magic on your sensitive flesh, expertly teasing and tantalizing your senses. Each stroke and caress sends shivers of pleasure down your spine. The contrast between his gentle touch and the underlying hint of roughness drives you wild, igniting a fiery desire within you.

“You like it?”

Your incoherent moans are all the answer he needs, and a mischievous smirk tugs at his lips. 

He continues his skilled ministrations, taking you to new heights of ecstasy with each passing moment. The pleasure coursing through your body is almost overwhelming, and you find yourself losing control.

“I like all those pretty noises too.” 

The sensation of his finger tracing down from the top of your ass to your clothed folds is electrifying, making you quiver with pleasure. His words send a jolt of heat through you, and you struggle to form a coherent response as your desire intensifies. 

“You’re so wet already.” 

Your thoughts become a tangled mess, and your body betrays you, craving his touch even more.

“Fuck!” Desire courses through you, overpowering your inhibitions. 

You can’t hold back any longer, surrendering to the overwhelming sensations. Your exclamation is a raw expression of your primal need for him, and you grind your ass against his hands, seeking more of his intoxicating touch.

“I want you, Yoon,” your voice is a desperate plea, filled with raw desire. You arch your back, shaking your ass teasingly as you offer yourself to him. The intensity of your need is palpable, and your words hang in the air, heavy with longing.

His fingers trace the edges of your shorts, and you shiver in anticipation, “Can I take off your shorts?”

When you let out a breathy ‘yes’ he finally takes action, and it’s swift and electrifying. 

Your shorts slide down, revealing your longing and your vulnerability. The intensity of his gaze, the way his fingers caress your lacy panties, sends a thrill through you. You feel exposed, vulnerable, yet incredibly aroused. 

The delicate fabric barely covering your cheeks makes it possible for him to run his fingers down your exposed cheeks, and you can’t help but moan softly as his touch ignites your desire.

“Damn, you’ve soaked through your panties, babe.” 

His words, combined with the sensation of your panties being pushed aside, make your body quiver with need. The way he calls you ‘babe’ sends a shiver down your spine, and when your glistening arousal is exposed to him, your desire intensifies. 

You can’t help but arch your back and moan louder, craving more of his touch.

“Can I take them off?” 

Your anticipation is building as he asks to remove your panties. You bite your lip in a mix of nervousness and excitement, then give a soft, breathless ‘yes’. With gentle but deliberate movements, he eases your panties down to your knees, then lifts you slightly to remove both your panties and shorts, tossing them aside. 

The act is executed with a combination of care and desire, intensifying the sensual atmosphere between you two.

“Damn you look so good,” he murmurs, his lips parting slightly as he traces a finger from your clit to your wet folds, capturing a glistening bead of your arousal on his digit. His hunger and appreciation for your beauty are palpable.

“Can I taste you, babe?” he inquires, desire dripping from his voice like honey. His fervent longing is impossible to miss, making your anticipation rise as you eagerly await his next move.

“God, yes.” 

You gasp breathlessly, your voice trembling with a potent mixture of desire and anticipation, granting him unspoken permission to fulfill your shared cravings.

He sensually swirls his tongue around his own finger, savoring the intimate essence of your desire. “You taste so good,” he purrs, smoldering with a potent mix of hunger and affection.

With each sultry, expert stroke of his tongue, pleasure courses through you like electricity. 

You gasp, your back arching as your fingers dig into the sheets, overwhelmed by the sensations he’s unleashing upon you. The van seems to spin as he works his magic, and all that exists is the electrifying connection between you and him. 

As his tongue explores your intimate depths, it’s as if you’ve entered a realm of ecstasy. His relentless, skilled movements leave you trembling and moaning, lost in a whirlwind of sensations. 

Every flick and swirl sends shockwaves of pleasure radiating through your body, and you can’t help but arch your back, offering yourself more fully.

“Fuck, Yoongi, I’m close already,” you gasp, your voice laced with urgency and desire. 

Waves of pleasure are crashing over you, threatening to pull you under. Your words hang in the air, a plea and declaration of your impending release, leaving the tension palpable as you teeter on the brink of ecstasy. 

As Yoongi continues his tantalizing assault, his mouth working wonders on your sensitive areas, his skilled fingers descend to your throbbing clit. With deft, teasing strokes, he sends electric pulses of pleasure coursing through your body. 

Your breath hitches, and your back arches involuntarily, every nerve ending on high alert as you drown in the overwhelming sensation of his dual stimulation.

Ecstasy courses through you like a tidal wave as Yoongi’s expert ministrations send you spiraling into a powerful orgasm. 

Your body quivers with pleasure, and your voice escapes in a fervent moan, his name an impassioned cry on your lips. The intensity of the moment washes over you, leaving you breathless and sated in its wake.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of your orgasm, you slowly crawl away from Yoongi’s tantalizing touch and collapse onto the bed, your body still tingling with aftershocks. The sensation lingers, leaving you breathless and flushed as you try to catch your trembling breath.

Yoongi sits back on his knees, his eyes never leaving your flushed and trembling form. He seductively licks his fingers clean of your essence, savoring the taste with a hunger that mirrors your own desires, a wicked smile playing at the corners of his lips.

“You are so pretty, babe,” he whispers with a mixture of affection and desire, his eyes locked onto yours. You let out a soft laugh, rolling onto your back so you can fully admire his flushed face, glistening with your essence and slick around his mouth.

“I–,” Your voice falters as a surge of emotions washes over you, rendering you momentarily speechless.

“I like you too, babe.” 

Yoongi’s words hang in the air, and you find yourself both surprised and touched by his confession. With a soft smile, you reply, “I’ve felt the same way, Yoongi, for longer than I can remember.” 

His gentle touch on your arm reassures you that this moment is real and filled with genuine affection.

As you beckon him closer, he leans down, and your lips meet in a passionate and heated kiss. The intensity of your lust deepens, expressing the desires and emotions that have been hidden for so long.

In the dimly lit van, your voices barely above a whisper, you express your longing for his touch, “It’s not that I don’t want you, Yoon, I’m just so damn tired. Will you cuddle with me?” you ask him pleadingly and you are thankful that he says yes. 

The desire is there, but the exhaustion has taken its toll. Yoongi’s agreement to cuddle becomes a lifeline in the darkness, and even though you can feel his erection, you both seek solace in each other’s arms, sharing an unspoken understanding of the moment’s limitations.

As the soft morning light filters into the van, you find yourself nestled in the warmth of Yoongi’s embrace. His tender kiss on your temple greets you, and in that moment, the world outside seems to fade away. 

“Morning, pretty,” he murmurs, his affectionate voice like a soothing melody. You respond with a gentle chuckle, feeling grateful for the serenity of the morning.

Being the early birds has its perks; you and Yoongi share a quiet moment, shielded from the prying eyes of the others. 

It’s a secret, an intimacy between the two of you, and there’s a thrilling allure to keeping it hidden. 

The morning hush adds to the mystique of the moment, as if the world is conspiring to let you savor this precious time alone.

Yoongi whips up a breakfast feast, skillfully crafting a meal that not only nourishes your body but warms your heart. The aroma of sizzling food fills the air. His culinary talents shine as he presents a delicious spread, a testament to his care and consideration for all of you.

As the rays of dawn kiss the campsite, Jungkook, Jimin, and Taehyung emerge from their slumber, their youthful energy replenished with the new day. With contented smiles and sleepy greetings, they join the gathering, completing the close-knit camaraderie that makes your mornings together so special.

“Already whipped up breakfast? Thanks, Yoongi,” Jungkook remarks, his eyes lighting up as he indulges in a piece of the sizzling Yachaejeon from the campfire. His mouth full but his heart fuller, he can’t help but express his satisfaction with a beaming smile.

Jimin gazes at you, noticing your proximity to Yoongi. 

There’s a faint inkling of something, a connection perhaps, but he’s not entirely certain. He decides to keep his observations to himself for now, choosing to watch and learn more before drawing any conclusions.

“Are you all ready to head back home today?” You inquire with a tinge of melancholy in your voice, savoring the delicious pancakes Yoongi prepared for breakfast.

Jimin’s response is tinged with reluctance and a touch of grumpiness as he sighs, “No, unfortunately. We’re out of vacation days.”

As breakfast concludes, you all work together efficiently, swiftly dismantling the tent and organizing your belongings back into the van.

The drive to Daegu is bittersweet, a mix of laughter and nostalgia filling the van as you approach the train station. Your heart heavy with the impending farewells, you make sure the journey is filled with cherished memories, savoring each moment before you reach your destination.

As you arrive in Daegu, the weight of impending goodbyes settles upon you like an anchor, tugging at your hearts. 

The camaraderie and laughter you’ve shared over the past weeks have created a tapestry of unforgettable memories. With a heavy sigh, you begin the inevitable parting of ways, starting with Taehyung. He, with his own journey ahead wanting to visit his parent’s farm, heads towards the bus stop to catch his ride, and you bid him farewell with warm hugs, cherishing the bond that brought you all together.

The farewells continue, and your embrace with Jungkook is filled with shared memories and unspoken sentiments. He lifts you off your feet, symbolizing the weight of parting. 

Then, as you hug Jimin, his whisper in your ear stirs a rush of emotions, “Something happened with Yoongi, didn’t it?”

His knowing words about what transpired between you and Yoongi make your heart race, “Thought so.” 

With a teasing wink, he hints at the passion that unfolded, causing your cheeks to blaze even brighter, “I heard noises, other than you moaning.” 

As Jungkook and Jimin bid farewell to Yoongi, the air is charged with secrets and the bittersweet taste of parting.

“Hope you have a good time alone for the next month before Joonie, Hobi and Jin join you.”

Jimin’s teasing remark lingers in the air, a reminder of the impending month of solitude before the arrival of Joonie, Hobi, and Jin. His mischievous tone hints at the adventures and challenges that lie ahead. As he and Jungkook disappear into the train station, the weight of anticipation and uncertainty settles in your chest, making you wonder what the future holds.

Author’s note(2): Thank you so much for reading! 🌸 I appreciate every like, comment and reblog, and please don’t be afraid to let me know what you think;  your kind words makes me extremely happy 💜

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[jfleamont]

How about Revolver?

Hello! Thank you so much and sorry for the wait :) This one's twice as long as the others, and it's also a sequel to the previous microfic, Thistle, as requested by a lovely anon. Here it is!

Revolver - 1380 Words

Lily doesn’t want to admit it, but James was right.

It doesn’t even take her long to find out what he was hiding - three weeks to be exact - and in hindsight, she should have known. I mean, look at that head of hair, she thinks as she watches him soar above the pitch; she wouldn’t be surprised if it was hiding his antlers.

He knows she’s watching him practise, he’s used to it by now. She spends a lot of her time watching him, and he has welcomed the attention enthusiastically: she observes him at dinner as he talks with his friends, and he catches her staring while he works on the patrol schedule.

There is also that time at Hogsmeade, when she sees him leave the post office. He’s beautiful, as always, the strong wind blowing through his hair, and for a moment she wonders if she should go up to him and kiss him there and then, not because she wants to extort information from him, but purely because she wants to. It turns out that she doesn’t need to: James looks around and finds her right away. Her back is leaning on the wall of a back alley, a book in her hand that she is pretending to read. He doesn’t smile at her; he simply marches up to her, a determined look, and grabs her face between his hands. 

This is the story of their first kiss. Both of their noses are cold, but his hands are deliciously warm as he holds her. She sighs into the kiss; she’s never felt this weightless. Her hands are everywhere: his hair, his shoulders, on his chest underneath his coat. She only wants him, and she has him, but it’s not enough. It will never be enough.

James pulls away slowly. “Sorry,” he says, but he’s not. His eyes are still closed - she knows because she’s looking at him now - and he’s resting his forehead on hers. He’s not apologising for the kiss (they both knew it was bound to happen); this game they’re both playing, he’s just lost it. She’d try to guess the secret, and he’d play hard to get. That was the unspoken rule.

She pecks him again. “Do your nicknames have anything to do with this?”

He throws his head back, laughing. “Merlin, I didn’t stand a chance, did I?”

James’ hands leave her face; he runs his fingers through her hair, trying to make it look more presentable and he stands up straight in an effort to sober up. He puts more distance between them, and neither of them looks very happy about it.

“You didn’t exactly make it hard. This was the final piece of the puzzle, so thanks for the help,” she says as she pushes off the wall.

He looks happy, even proud of her. “So what is it? What’s my secret, Lily?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tell the lads I won, okay?” she replies as she starts walking away, leaving him behind. His laugh echoes in the alley, and she resists the urge to look back. She doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction, not after realising that James and his friends were stupid enough to risk their lives to become Animagi.

══════════════════

It hadn’t been her first thought, naturally. She knew they left the dormitories every full moon, but she supposed they were just waiting for Remus near the Whomping Willow, hidden under James’ cloak. The breakthrough, however, had happened during a Transfiguration class: they had been taking a mock exam, and McGonagall had turned into her Animagus form halfway through, silently walking among the students as if she was ready to catch a mouse, and then it dawned on her. None of the students in the Gryffindor tower had rodents as pets, but Lily was sure to have seen one in the common room just a few weeks before.

══════════════════

She’s made peace with it now. She’s not angry, not anymore. She’s impressed, surprised and yes, still a bit scared, but she understands now that he was trying to protect his friends. And her, too. She’s worked hard for her Head Girl position, and being involved in something this illegal is the last thing she wants. He knows this, but he also knows that her curiosity has no limits, so he gives her the option to walk away. 

She’s in too deep. She doesn’t have a choice.

So now Lily is sitting in the stands, waiting for James to get off that stupid broom. She wants to tell him off for choosing such obvious nicknames (and terrible ones… Honestly, Prongs? Really?), and then she wants to snog him senseless and make him forget who he is. It’s only been a day after their first kiss, but it feels like an eternity, and she’s never been less patient in her life. She also has half a mind to ask him to transform in front of her, but that’s a terrible idea. Probably. Maybe not.

The sound of his voice echoes around the Quidditch pitch, and he orders the team to dismount from their broomsticks and put everything back. Lily feels a certain anticipation; this is it, this is what she’s been waiting for. 

She sees him flying towards her; he stops right in front of her, hovering a couple of feet above and she has to crane her neck to look at him.

She narrows her eyes, studying him. “I didn’t know deers could fly.”

He puts a hand on his heart in feigned outrage. “I am no common deer, you heathen! I’m a stag, the king of the forest.”

“Is that so?”

He lowers his broom and gets off, but almost trips as he closes the distance between them. She can’t contain the snort that escapes, and James looks even more offended than before. “Don’t worry, keep hurting my pride, I don’t mind.”

“Oh, poor you,” she tells him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He reacts immediately, placing his hands on her waist and squeezing gently. It comes naturally to them, it’s like they’ve been doing this their whole lives.

“I fly better than I walk,” he says, his mouth dangerously close to hers, a teasing smile on his lips. She thinks she has a million things she needs to ask him, but they all seem rather trivial right now.

She doesn’t know who kisses who first - she likes to think it was her - but she isn’t too fussed about winning when James Potter is holding her like that, when she can feel his broad shoulders underneath the uniform, when he’s kissing her like his life depends on it, open mouthed and hungry and raw. She doesn’t know how long they stay like that; soon she’s out of breath and he is too. 

“Go out with me, Lily,” he asks as he kisses the side of her mouth. He peppers kisses on her lips, her jaw, the tip of her nose as he repeats the question over and over. She giggles, trying to push him away but he doesn’t give up.

“Yes, yes, I’ll go out with you! Now go take a shower, or you’ll be late for the party.”

James finally stops and takes a step back, satisfied with the answer. “Right… Remind me again why I told Marlene I’d be in charge of the music?”

“Because you told her she has shit music taste. You dug your own grave, James.”

He winces, running a hand through his hair. “You’re not going to help me here, are you?”

Lily shrugs, and starts walking towards the stairs, James at her heels. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t. All I have here at Hogwarts is that Jackson 5 record. That, and Revolver.”

“I was thinking of something more recent, you know? Like the new album by Queen, the one that came out a few weeks ago. News of the World, I think.”

“And you already bought it, of course,” Lily turns to reply to him, but notices he has stopped at the top of the stairs. “Wait, aren’t you coming?”

“It’s faster if I fly down there. Want a lift?”

Well, she should say no, she hates flying. But she doesn’t want to say goodbye yet.

“I do, actually.”

[luckydreams218]

Hidden in Darkness Chapter 2

Hello hello!

Thank you for taking a look at my writing! :D

Just a small heads up: I am by no means a professional writer, I just enjoy creative writing as a hobby and a fun pass time. I don’t do a lot of proof-reading and don’t usually plan my chapters either, I just write whatever I’m feeling on a given day. I apologize if my writing may be a bit messy, sloppy, choppy, not flow-y, etc., but I hope that you can enjoy reading regardless! I am still actively working on this series and will be posting new content as I finish (which may be on the slow end, so please be patient). Thank you again for your interest!

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Word Count: 3,887

Chapter II: The View from the Other Side

Ares’s favorite thing about Hallow’s Eve so far were the ornately decorated pumpkins, lanterns, and leaves that were strung and placed all throughout the village. Even though this was his first, and likely only, Hallow’s Eve, it created a warm and welcoming atmosphere that he felt drawn to. He could almost consider living here if things weren’t so bland otherwise. All the angels, angelites, dragonlings, and elves that he’d met alongside Mimi and Aki seemed to him to be one-dimensional. They all behaved the same way, said the same things, never picked a fight, all seemed to be subdued in some sense. It was unnerving to say the least. Yes, they were all nice, but overly so. Like they weren’t thinking straight or hardly even thought at all. He had kept an eye on Mimi and Aki to see how they’d respond, and neither seemed to bat an eye. He should’ve known they wouldn’t think anything was suspicious, after all, they’d spent their entire lives growing up here. They probably didn’t know anything else. The only people who didn’t act like zombies were children like Mimi and Aki and people that were younger than them. It seemed to him that around the human equivalent of twenty or so was where they started to stop thinking straight. Given that Mimi and Aki seemed close to his age, and he was roughly eighteen in human years, he didn’t like what that implied about his new companions.

If it was any consolation, the items he received while visiting door to door were neat. He had received homemade chocolates that were the best chocolates he’d ever tasted by far. Velvety and sweet and creamy in the middle. He also had been given a hand-painted maple leaf imbued with spells so it wouldn’t dry or tear. He was intrigued by its delicate beauty.

A sudden gasp from Aki and Mimi stopped him in his tracks and snapped him out of his thoughts. He followed their gaze to three young children, two elves and an angelite, who were hurling stones into the windows and at the door of the elder angel he had spoken with earlier.

“Hey! They’re throwing rocks at Mr. Stellarwings’s home!”  Aki whispered quickly to Mimi. Mr… Stellarwings? Ares thought for a moment, feeling like he’d heard the name from somewhere.

“Tell me something I don’t know. What do you think we should do?” Mimi whispered back.

“I don’t know. Do you have any ideas?” Aki asked, sounding more frantic.

Mimi paused as a wide smirk crossed her face. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have an idea.”

“And that is?”

“We scare them out of their wits,” Mimi replied.

“Great, how?” Aki asked.

Mimi’s grin grew wider as she looked over directly at Ares. “We’ve got a demon on our side.”

~~~~

Ares crouched low, cautiously watching the children from behind a rock that jutted out from the side of the house. After Mimi asked him with an excited grin to scare the kids, he couldn’t find it in himself to turn her down. He never would have agreed to something like this otherwise. He was waiting for just the right moment, the perfect opportunity to catch them off guard. He never liked scaring people using his appearance. Sure, he was a demon, and demons are to be feared and all that, but Ares really wanted to make new friends. And it is ridiculously hard to do that when everyone he meets simply screams and runs away. Well, except for Mimi. He was grateful that she didn’t turn him away because of his appearance and really wanted to get to know her better, too.

A rock whizzed right over his head, nearly smacking his right wing had he not been paying attention. He seized his opportunity and jumped up onto the rock, crouching on all fours to keep his balance, a feral snarl on his lips.

“What makes you think it’s okay to throw rocks at someone else’s home? Didn’t anyone teach you to respect your elders?” Ares growled sharply, extending both wings out long for emphasis. The two elves cowered before him, one male one female, both hiding behind their angelite companion. Who showed no fear whatsoever.

“Get out of here now, all of you, before something more terrible comes your way!” Ares threatened, bearing his fangs. The angelite rolled his eyes and sighed.

“That’s a pretty lame demon illusion. Who do you think you are? The Squadron or something? You’re not the boss of us, so get lost!” The snarky angelite retorted with confidence. When Ares didn’t budge, he threw a rock straight at Ares’s head with only moments for Ares to react and dodge.

“Did you just throw a rock at me?!” Ares snarled, more with shock and disbelief than true anger.

“Yeah and I’ll do it again! Now leave us alone!” The angelite shouted back, launching another rock at Ares. This time Ares saw it coming and caught it with one hand, furious. He was normally pretty patient, but outright insolence infuriated him more than anything else. He was used to being kicked around, but to be disrespected by a kid no more than twelve in appearance pushed him over the edge.

“Oh you did not just throw another one. That was your biggest mistake yet,” Ares growled, clenching his fist with the rock inside, reducing it to molten liquid that oozed from between his fingers. This scared the bratty angelite enough to make him scream and run away. The other two followed him, crossing a nearby bridge in their escape. One of the elves lost sight of where they were going, however, and crashed into a large torch that marked the end of the bridge.

Ares saw everything happen in sudden slow motion. The torch started plummeting toward the wooden bridge where the two elf children were, inching its way closer to the wood until the bridge was suddenly a blaze of orange. Smoke and heat were everywhere and flames rose up all around, eating away at the fibers of the bridge. Without hesitation, Ares dove into the flames, grabbing the two children by their shirts and setting them down on the other side. He used magic to extinguish the flames clinging to their clothes, leaving them unscathed. Then he turned to the bridge. Using a great amount of magic energy, he motioned with his hands for the flames to condense inward and lift into the air. He created a large fireball hovering just above the bridge. Then, in one swift motion, he clapped his hands together and spread them out wide, causing the fireball to implode suddenly and disperse into the air without a trace. The bridge was no longer on fire and looked to be intact.

Everything was silent for the next few seconds. It appeared as though nothing had happened at all except that the wooden pole for the torch was broken and lying on the bridge, completely extinguished. The children looked on in awe, stunned into silence and unsure whether or not to be afraid or overjoyed.

It was only then that Ares noticed the crowd of people that had formed around the bridge, curious about all the commotion. Their only expression was complete fear.

An angel shouted from not far away. “I’d know that magic anywhere! That’s hellfire magic! Only a demon can use it in such a powerful way! That’s no demon illusion, that really is a demon!” Silence. And then a scream. And then total chaos broke out.

Ares hovered, frozen in place, with no idea what to do next. He looked down at Mimi and Aki for advice. All he needed to see was Mimi mouthing the word run with a panicked expression and he was off, following Aki who had already made a run for it. He paused to make sure Mimi was keeping up behind him, and she grabbed his wrist as she passed, dragging him along behind one of the nearby homes.

Ares leaned his back against the stone wall, gasping for breath as Mimi and Aki breathed heavily beside him. Ares took a moment to observe Mimi more closely while he gathered his thoughts. Her mousy brown hair was done up in two long pigtails that fell down to her thighs. She had fair skin, cocoa brown eyes, and a kind smile. It was this kindness that he could sense when they first met. Meeting new people wasn’t something Ares was good at, but with a sense of kindness, it became easier for him to try.

“What now?” Mimi finally whispered, breaking the silence and snapping Ares out of his thoughts.

“I don’t know. They probably called the Squadron by now which means we’re in trouble. I think our best bet is to get out of here. And fast,” Aki replied.

Ares couldn’t help but feel a wave of guilt. “I’m so sorry, this is all my fault. This never would’ve happened if I hadn’t been so careless,” he muttered.

“What are you talking about? You saved those kids back there and fixed the bridge. The villagers are just stupid if they can’t see how cool you are,” Mimi assured him. He grinned a little. She called me cool.

“It still doesn’t change the fact that if I had never shown up here in the first place, none of this would’ve happened to you two. And now you’re in danger because of my dumb mistake,” Ares sighed, knowing full well this was his fault.

“I won’t let you take the blame for this! If anything, blame Mistvale Peak and how all the people here are so dead set in their ways that they can’t recognize a nice demon when they see one,” Mimi argued, raising her voice enough to elicit a shh from Aki.

A door slammed open suddenly, causing the stone to vibrate as it collided with the rocky surface. “Mimizuko Mininozuka, what is the meaning of all this commotion?!”

“M-Mom… I can explain everything, I swear,” Mimi stammered as her mother approached from the back door. She had the same eyes as Mimi’s, dark brown hair done up in a bun, but a face that appeared cold and distant, unlike Mimi’s. She came closer with a menacing stride, disappointment on her face as she regarded her daughter.

“Wait! Don’t punish her, please, this isn’t her fault!” Ares jumped in, putting himself between Mimi and her mother. He could hear Mimi whisper faintly behind him, “Ares, don’t…”, but he wouldn’t move. The least he could do was spare her from whatever punishment she was about to receive. To his surprise, however, Mimi’s mother’s jaw dropped and she observed Ares with a hint of shock and recognition.

“You can’t be…” she muttered, almost to herself. “Quickly, come in, all three of you. It’ll be safer inside.” Mimi did as she was told, Aki following behind, Ares trailing in last. Once inside, Mimi’s mother darted quickly around the room, shutting doors and closing blinds until almost no light filtered in from outside. The only light was a small torch glowing just above the door in which they entered.

Mimi, Aki, and Ares remained dead silent as Mimi’s mother returned to face them. “Young man, your face is unmistakable. Is your mother, by any chance, Serenity Stellarwings?”

The name hit like a ton of bricks. Serenity Stellarwings. It had been so long since he’d heard his mother’s true name that he’d almost forgotten it.

“Yes, Serenity Stellarwings is my mother,” Ares replied with slight reluctance.

“Wait, Mom, you know Ares’s mother?” Mimi asked in disbelief.

“She and I were friends growing up. I haven’t seen her in a long time…” Mimi’s mother answered, seeming lost in a trance.

“Hold on. This makes no sense. Is this Serenity Stellarwings related to the Mr. Stellarwings here in Mistvale? Because Mr. Stellarwings is an angel, which likely means Serenity Stellarwings is an angel, so then how is Ares…?” Aki questioned slowly.

“Serenity is an angel. I’m a half-breed. Half demon half angel,” Ares replied stiffly. He never liked sharing this because he always got weird looks as a result. That and it dug up more of his past than he cared to remember.

“Mr. Stellarwings is Serenity’s father,” Mimi’s mother elaborated, filling in the gaps. So that’s why he was trying to talk to me like he knew me earlier, Ares realized.

“But then why do you look so much like a demon and not like an angel at all?” Aki asked.

“That’s something I’ve always wondered about myself. I never got horns, and my tail tip is significantly more blunt than most pure demons, but aside from that…” Ares trailed off, wondering whether to tell them about his wings.

A sudden loud knock came from what must’ve been the front of the house. “Nitanya Mininozuka, this is Nero of the Squadron of Mistvale Peak. I just wanted to inform you that there have been reports of a demon on the loose in this village. We are on the lookout for the creature as we speak. If you see anything, please report it to us immediately,” a thundering masculine voice rang out.

“Of course, Nero, thank you for your service. I will keep an eye out,” Nitanya replied nonchalantly. She paused for a few moments, listening for fading footsteps or wingbeats, and once she was sure he was gone, turned and looked Ares dead in the eye.

“Listen, Ares, you must get out of here immediately. Get as far away from this place as you can. The Squadron is a group of elite, highly-trained angels that will hunt you down day or night. They won’t follow you beyond the mist border, however, because they can’t. You do not want to get caught by them. Angels are unable to kill other living beings without tainting their minds. While they will not resort to killing you, they will torture you and make your life a living hell,” Nitanya explained, pointing at the back door. “If you go out that door and follow the path that leads to the right, you’ll be at the mist border in no time.”

“Why are you helping me?” Ares asked, still in disbelief as he made his way toward the door.

“Because I don’t want to see anything happen to my best friend’s son. Now go!” Nitanya replied with more care and kindness than he had seen from her the whole time.

“Wait! If he’s going, then I’m going with him,” Mimi declared, beating Ares to the door. Ares froze. He knew a conflict was coming and didn’t want to be in the middle of it.

“Are you insane? Mimizuko Mininozuka, absolutely not! You will stay here where it’s safe while I clear all this up. Am I understood?”

“No!! I will not just sit here and stay caged in this house forever! I’m tired of you telling me what I can and can’t do, where I can and can’t go. I just met Ares, but if he leaves, I’ll likely never see him again. I want to get to know him better and that’s why I’m going with him whether you like it or not!!” Mimi exploded suddenly, throwing the door open and bolting down the rocky path to the right.

“Young lady, you get back here this instant! You are grounded until further notice!!” Mimi’s mother shouted after her, stopping a little ways down the path. Ares waited in utter shock, but Mimi didn’t come back. Eventually Mimi’s mother returned to the doorway and looked at Ares. “It seems she’s serious this time. She’s tried to run away before, but she usually comes back by now. I suppose her father and I haven’t been the most lenient with her. It’s only fair that she go and see the world, perhaps earn her own wings as an angelite should.”

“I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for-”

“Don’t blame yourself. I had it coming. What’s the phrase? If you cling to something too tightly… ah never mind, that’s not important. You need to leave now if you’re going to make it out. So please, all I ask is that you take care of my little girl. Make sure she doesn’t get herself into too much trouble,” Nitanya cut him off lightly.

She must have seen the dumbfounded look on Ares’s face and continued. “Serenity was always a reliable friend, I trust her son will be the same for my daughter. No need to worry about me. I’ll be fine knowing she has a companion out there with her. Now go, I mean it,” she finished, shoving Ares out the door and shutting it behind her. Ares winced at the sound of the door slamming into place and, without any more hesitation, ran along the path where Mimi had gone. It just occurred to him that Aki was missing and hadn’t come back out along with him and Mimi. Where’d she go? He shook off the thought quickly, only thinking about escape for his own survival. The pathway narrowed as it wound down the side of one of the peaks, a smooth cliff face to his right and an extreme dropoff to his left. He finally saw Mimi down where a pink mist formed a thick barrier that he couldn’t see through. She had cast off the cardboard wings, but still wore her bright, ribbony outfit.

“There you are. I was waiting for you. I would think you’d want to not get caught,” Mimi snapped at him.

“Sorry, I was a little hung up,” Ares replied, pausing to catch his breath. “What’d you do with your wings?”

“I threw them over. The passage is too narrow for them. And besides, I’ll earn my own wings once I cross this barrier soon enough,” Mimi declared.

“Alright, then let’s go,” Ares stated, taking a step through the mist.

“Wait!” Mimi called suddenly. She stared at the barrier with a look of fright, suddenly hesitant.

“What’s wrong?” Ares asked, starting to worry he was taking too long. He began to feel worried about her, however, when he noticed that her eyes were starting to glaze over like the rest of the villagers he’d met. A reflection of the pink mist danced in her eyes while she seemed to consider turning back.

“Mimi! It’s too late to turn back now! Come on, we’ve gotta get a move on!” A shout came from afar. Aki finally came into view dressed in a simple turquoise skirt and grass green top. She must’ve gone to change out of her costume.

“But…” Mimi mumbled, any dimension to her voice gone. This scared Ares the most out of all that had happened so far.

“Mimi, it’s the spell of the mist. You know this! If you stay in its grasp for too long, it takes control of your mind until you never want to leave its borders. But it’s just a silly spell! It doesn’t mean anything! You have to fight it!” Aki shouted, grabbing her friend’s hands. “I’m gonna count to five. One. Two. Five!”

Aki pulled Mimi out beyond the pink mist suddenly, giving Mimi no time to react. Ares followed, crossing the magical border to see the forest beyond that spread out along the base of the mountain. A desert of sand extended almost endlessly to the left, while the trees and forestry extended almost endlessly to the right. In the line where the two biomes met, a few sparse trees dotted the sandy landscape, appearing to barely be holding on. Ares turned to Mimi and Aki, making sure they were okay. It had really scared him to see Mimi suddenly become what he had hoped would never come to pass.

Mimi blinked slowly, clearing her eyes and gazing around. Aki had stepped back to give her room once she was beyond the mist. When Mimi met Ares’s gaze, the hazy pink that swirled in her eyes vanished and she glanced about, almost unsure of what was going on.

“Is this it? Did I actually cross the border?” She asked almost in shock.

“Welcome to the other side. The view is great, isn’t it?” Aki replied calmly, a knowing grin on her face.

“Whoa look at all the trees!! Is that what a forest really looks like? And the sand. It’s absolutely incredible,” Mimi gasped, taking it all in. Ares sighed with relief. She was back to normal.

“Thank you both for risking so much and helping me get away. I really owe you big time,” Ares said appreciatively.

“Of course! You don’t owe us a thing, we’re happy to help out a friend!” Mimi grinned, giving a bright smile. Ares jolted and his heart skipped a beat. Startled by the feeling, he shook his head and tried to brush it off. “Something wrong?” Mimi asked.

“You consider me… a friend?” Ares replied in shock.

“Well yeah, why wouldn’t we be? We spent the whole day together and you’re really a lot of fun to be around! I’d absolutely consider you a friend,” Mimi said delightedly. Ares was stunned but overjoyed. A friend? Finally a friend? I’m not dreaming, right? He thought.

“The same goes for me. I’d like to be friends. You know, I definitely misjudged you before. You’re not so bad for a demon,” Aki added.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ares asked, offended.

“It means she likes you. She just doesn’t want to say it,” Mimi teased.

“It’s not that I don’t want to say it, it’s just that I’m really bad at saying it. There’s a difference,” Aki huffed defensively. Hearing that, Ares just laughed. “What’s so funny?” Aki growled.

“It’s been so long since I’ve had people I could call friends, I’d almost forgotten how nice it is. Thank you again. I really mean it,” he replied honestly, letting his feelings show just a little. He wouldn’t let himself get too attached just yet, but he finally allowed himself to call them friends. When he glanced over at Mimi, she suddenly averted her gaze, her cheeks bright red. Curious by this, Ares looked a little closer to confirm what he saw, but once Mimi had turned away he couldn’t tell. Weird. I’m not seeing things am I?

“We should still try to get away from the border, just in case the Squadron manages to follow us through,” Aki said warily. “Come on, follow me.”

She began to lead the way down the path that narrowed until it was barely able to be walked upon. Ares took to the air at that point, keeping an eye on Aki and Mimi in case either slipped and fell. From the sky, he could see just how steep the cliff really was, and while heights never bothered him, he feared for Aki and Mimi. Aki finally stopped at a little cutout in the rock face that allowed for more room to stand.

“In here,” she directed, pointing at the rock face.

“You’re kidding, right? Aki you know that’s just a wall of rock?” Mimi asked critically.

“No it’s not,” Aki chanted playfully, taking a step forward and walking right through the rock face. Ares and Mimi exchanged glances in disbelief and followed behind, taking a step into the darkness.

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

I hope you enjoyed!! <3

Thank you again for reading and have an awesome day!

-- Lucky

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[cherrysung]

dom antics

pairing: boyfriend!jeno x reader

genre: smut / slight fluff

warnings: soft dom!jeno, very slight degration, praising, fingering, oral (f. receiving), riding, unprotected sex (stay safe!)

prompts: none.

summary: a pleasant twist is always openly welcomed, but with your boyfriend’s inevitable nature, how will you present the idea?

requested by anon.

word count: 1.6k

note: anon I’m so sorry I’ve taken so long, this is most likely schedule because I’m on a short break to get my life together. when this is posted though, I hope this is what you wanted and I truly hope you enjoy it! and thank you for waiting! ps. I’m unable to add a “read more” option until a bug with my blog gets fixed.

cherrysung’s navigation

Eyes that creased exactly into moon crescents and a smile that made everyone want to squeeze his cheeks were not enough to fool you anymore, but they were small characteristics that also made you fall hopelessly in the beginning. Now you knew, those were meant to be seen, sure—but not what happened behind closed doors—not what happened to you, behind closed doors.

Jeno was far from being the sweet soul everyone thought he was, but at least some of his kindness managed to shine within the endless torture he’d sometimes put you through. Just for his amusement.

Your legs thrashed chaotically and unstoppably on the bed, you still had not even reached your first orgasm, but your boyfriend already had you feeling so riled up with his constant, teasing touches.

“Babygirl, we haven’t even gotten started,” Jeno chuckled with a hint of surprise in his voice. All he had been doing was mischievously kiss and suck at your neck for several minutes while his hands caressed your sides. You now laid on the soft mattress all at his mercy, legs still kicking desperately in annoyance at his lack of touches where it actually mattered—between your thighs. Soaked, and dripping, between your thighs.

“You have been teasing for so long.” You simply stated, rolling your eyes when he once again lowered his head to your neck, slightly wet lips pressing soothing pecks on your sensitive skin.

He continued to suck purples, reds and blues all around your neck and collarbones, occasionally shifting lower in the direction of your bare chest but never fully reaching your hard nipples. All because he felt like it.

You whined once again, back arching until your chest was pressed against his own, and Jeno could only smile at your impatience. He might be hard on you, constantly tricking you into believing you’d be finally receiving a different treatment other than the colorful masterpieces he never failed to leave on your neck, only to then later edge you to extreme heights that had you reaching the sky and touching the bright stars while tears streamed down your face at his unmerciful ministrations.

Still, even with the wet mascara staining your hot cheeks and your body constantly jumping at the oversensitivity while your lips spilled nonsense, there was always a small action of his paired with the rest of his ruthless movements that very slightly balanced everything. As a result, a special and unique moment was created.

“Use your words or I’ll carry on doing this until I force the begging out of you. What sounds better?”

You whined—again—and you had lost track of how many times you had already pathetically attempted to move his hands somewhere else; yet, they always returned to their previous position on your waist.

“P-Please Jeno, touch me! I’m so d-desperate for you to touch me.” The words left your lips in stutters, absolutely drowned in impatience you no longer cared how ridiculous you might sound.

Your boyfriend smiled, and there it was again, the eye creasing smile that had made you fall in love with him. Had it not made an appearance during the current situation, your cheeks would’ve immediately been painted pink and your hands would’ve quickly moved on their own to cup the boy’s face and lovingly press your lips against his. Right now, though, all you wanted to do was slap the look away.

“Yes, princess? Touch you? Where do you want me to touch you? Show me.” He cooed adorably, body still hovering over yours as he lovingly pecked your cheeks and forehead.

You nodded, gently taking his bigger hand in yours and guiding downwards; down, down, down, until it was innocently resting over your warm heat, barely convered by your sheer, lace underwear. Silently, you moved his remaining hand up to your lonely tit before locking eyes with him, the gaze enough to let him know just how much you wanted this.

He wasted no time in tearing the fabric off your pussy, but you were too far drunk on his touches to muster out any complaints. Instead, you whimpered more, absolutely impatient after being teased for so long.

“You’ll have to shut up if you even remotely want any of this, you know?” He whispered sinfully in your ear, fingers running up and down through your wet folds playfully. “My pretty, little slut.”

Jeno plunged two fingers into your hole with no warning whatsoever, setting a fast pace right away that had your legs thrashing around the sheets once again and both your hands covering your mouth to stop any sounds of pleasure from spilling. He curled, and caressed your sweet spot; he knew all your weaknesses and favorite places better than you ever could.

Your back continuously arched off the bed, clit occasionally rubbing against his wrist every time you raised your hips. His free hand left your breast, instead replacing it with yours before taking hold of your legs and wrapping them around his neck. In no time your boyfriend was diving into your pussy, tongue swirling around or llicking at your sensitive nub and folds that shined with your juices, all while a third finger was added into your clenching walls.

“J-Jeno, I’m going to cum.” You whimpered, unable to remain quiet any longer as you pinched at your nipples in ecstasy.

“Nonsense.” He replied, a whine leaving you when all ministrations came to a halt. He moved his face away from your cunt, all for you to admire the light sheen of your wetness on his chin and pink lips. “You’ll cum with my dick.”

You nodded desperately, if it weren’t for the current scenario he would’ve surely laughed at how impatient you were for his cock. Yet, he didn’t, because he was just as excited to fuck you deep into the mattress and tell you how good of a girl you are. Right?

A thought that had been on your mind for a few weeks now struck you once again, and you fiddled with your fingers nervously as you scanned over the boy who was currently undressing himself.

He must’ve noticed your sudden state of daze, hand gently guiding your chin so your eyes would stare back at him. “What’s wrong?”

You blinked once, twice; eyes immediately looking elsewhere before you confessed, “could I try riding you today? If you aren’t fine with the idea then we can just forget it though—”

“Let’s do it.”

“Really?” Your eyes locked with his brown orbs, the slight nod of his head and the smile that adorned his lips enough to assure you.

Soon, you were straddling Jeno, his hands gripping at your waist as you lowered yourself down onto his angry cock, the tip red and swollen as precum ran down the sides.

Moans left the two of you as you took all of him, a groan falling off his lips once he was fully settled deep inside your warm walls, the feeling heavenly and like none other he had felt before. Now, he wondered why he hadn’t asked you for this any earlier.

“Baby, you take my dick so well. So full of it. Good fucking girl.” He gritted out, lips gingerly kissing at your neck before nuzzling his face into your tits.

You began moving ever so slightly, slowly moving up and down his dick to test the waters. You had no idea what you were doing, but it felt incredible for the both of you. The tip of his dick kissed at your sweet spot with no problem, eliciting whimpers that rumbled from your chest and shocks of shivers that ran down your spine.

Jeno continued to suck on one of your nipples, your movements becoming faster and faster by the minute, and in no time—you were bouncing on your boyfriend’s dick as if you had been doing it for years.

“Fuck!” He groaned, letting you take full control of the pace while the bed creaked loudly, the sound of skin slapping and your unholy sounds the only thing that echoed between the four walls you were in. “You are doing so well, baby, so so good.”

He could only bask in the feeling of his cock sliding against your slick walls, constantly reaching the deepest parts of your heat deliciously as it clenched around his throbbing shaft.

“J-Jeno, I won't last much longer—”

He caressed your sides gently before thrusting up into your hole, and you wordlessly thanked him with a passionate kiss as the burning in your thighs gradually went away. Jeno pulled you closer to his body, loving the feeling of your tits bouncing against his chest before bringing one hand to your clit, rubbing quick circular motions and eventually prompting your much awaited release after so much teasing.

His hands held your shaking body tenderly, rubbing at your back soothingly as his movements abruptly stopped and ropes of his cum filled your hole, the white substance trickling down your thighs not too much long after.

He sighed, hips slightly grinding into you while you rested your face limply on his shoulder, pressing light kisses on your cheeks as the both of you came down from your highs.

“You should ride me more often.” Jeno smiled, carefully moving your body off his member and laying you down on the fluffy sheets. He threw on some new underwear and sweats and returned from the bathroom with a warm washcloth to clean the dried juices from your thighs.

You smiled back at him, eyes threatening to flutter close as you jumped at the oversensitivity whenever the cloth got too near your heat. “Really? I thought you wouldn’t like the idea since you always like being in control.”

“Correction—I’m still in control, that’s why I’m letting you fuck me.”

“Of course.” You snorted, watching him get rid of the cloth before joining you on the bed, immediately snuggling up to him and resting your cheek on his bare chest.

“We should probably take a shower soon.” He whispered, fingers running through your hair.

“Later. I know what a shower together usually means, you pervert.”

“You know it. I love you.”

[matbarzyy]

17 with Tito please!!

A/N: Trying to clean out my inbox from all the requests I got last time I posted a prompt list, hope you like it <3 The prompt was “I’ll feel better if you let me walk you home.”

Word count: 1702

.

“Is that your daughter?” Anthony noticed your lockscreen when you checked your one last time before putting it away in your purse.

“Um, yeah,” you nodded, feeling your chest tighten a little.

Jumping into the subject right at the start of the date wasn’t what you had expected. You hadn’t made it a secret that you were a single mom to a beautiful and smart two years old little girl, so Anthony knew what he was getting into when he asked you out, but you were still nervous about it. He was a year younger than you, and while that wasn’t much you also knew he probably had other things on his mind than taking care of a child. It was understandable, of course, but you were tired of having expectations when it came to men you were dating. If they weren’t ready to deal with the fact you had made a priority of your daughter, then you weren’t interested.

“Millie, right?” Anthony smiled, seemingly more curious about her than other men you’d met so far.

“Yes, she’s two,” you returned the expression but tried not to jump into too many details. “Still small but an absolute ray of sunshine.”

“She looks cute,” he complimented although he had only caught a glimpse of her.

You tried not to let yourself get too excited when he kept on talking and asked you more about her, but he seemed genuine and you both laughed together so much that you couldn’t help but let yourself get your hopes up. It was your first date in months that wasn’t an absolute disaster. Granted, you already had a few friends in common so you knew he had to be a decent person, but he was already more than you had hoped for.

It helped that you lived close to each other too, as you soon found out because he had walked to the restaurant too. It was still warm enough to stroll around the city without losing the tips of your fingers, so you were both making the most of it.

Two glasses of wine later, you were just about to order dessert and the date was going so well all of your stress had worn off. You were talking comfortably, most of the awkwardness made you laugh as you got over it, and Anthony was genuinely funny without ever making a misplaced comment. It was all too good to be true, but after the last three years of your life and the struggles you went through, you felt like you deserved this.

Everything wasn’t perfect, but it was nowhere near as disastrous as your previous dates and you felt like you could breathe again. Maybe your love life wasn’t completely hopeless, and maybe not all men were a nightmare to deal with.

“I can’t believe you think an apple pie is better than a brownie,” Anthony shook his head with a teasing smile, starting up a new debate on desserts now that you were both trying to pick.

“The brownie doesn’t even come close to the second place,” you had already worked out the hierarchy of the desserts on the menu in your head and the brownie was all the way down with the carrot cake.

“But it comes with ice cream!” He argued like that point would fix everything, so you laughed wholeheartedly and kept on going.

“Ice cream is for warm sunny days,” you stated, sure that it would get a reaction out of him, and his huff was just what you had expected.

“This statement is wrong in so many ways.” He rolled his eyes, tone still playful.

“Enlighten me,” you chuckled, leaning the side of your head against your hand. Your smile fell a second later when your phone rang, stopping him from replying. “I’m sorry, I have to take that,”

“It’s okay,” he nodded, leaning back in his chair and pretending to look at the menu again to give you a moment.

“Please don’t be an emergency,” you muttered to yourself but Anthony still caught it before you picked up. “Hello?”

You didn’t move from your seat as you listened to what your niece had to say. You let out some okays here and there as she talked, and Anthony watched the way your face fell a little bit more with every second that passed.

“I’m so sorry,” you bit your bottom lip. “I really have to go,”

“Hey, it’s fine,” he frowned at the look on your face. “Is she okay, what happened?”

“She’s sick, apparently got a fever and all that fun stuff,” you put your jacket on and grabbed your purse. “My sixteen years old niece is watching her and she doesn’t know what to do,”

“Let’s go then,” he nodded, abandoning the idea of eating dessert and standing up too.

You walked back to the front of the restaurant together, a waiter had already spotted you and was coming forward so that you could pay. You expected to take care of the bill, being the reason the date was ending early, but Anthony stopped you from reaching into your bag and handed his card to the waiter.

“I got it,”

“Thank you,” You replied quietly, not wanting to argue because it was bad enough already that you had to leave. “I’m really sorry I had to cut this short.”

“The night isn’t over, come on, I’ll walk you back.” Anthony didn’t let his mood go down and your eyes almost bulged out of your head.

“You don’t have to do that, it’s getting cold,” you felt awful for ruining the night, the last thing you needed was to make him walk further to get home.

“It’s late and it’s dark, I’ll feel better if you let me walk you home.” He held the door of the restaurant open for you and you ducked your head as you walked past, heat rushing to your cheeks.

“Thank you,”

You were quiet as you walked, a little hurried to get to your daughter fast although you weren’t in a rush to leave Anthony. Having him close was nice despite how uncomfortable you now were due to your family emergency.

His hand bumped against yours, once, twice. The third time, you knew it wasn’t an accident, so you looked up at him to find him stealing a glance at you too. A smile etched on his face and he linked your fingers while you went giddy all over.

“So,” he broke the silence. “How many dumb guys have ruined dates for you just because you have a daughter?”

“That obvious, uh?” You stared at your feet again, but the way his thumb rubbed over the back of your hand comforted you.

You wished you still had the confidence you used to have before you got pregnant. As much as it had taught you, there were still times when you regretted how easy it used to be for you to believe you were worth something on the dating scene. You had learned a lot with Millie, but you also stopped progressing in other aspects of your life.

“A little,” Anthony admitted and kept on walking at your pace. He could tell you were in a rush to check everything was okay at home, so he didn’t want to slow you down despite wishing the date could have lasted longer. “I knew about her when we met, I wouldn’t have asked you out if it bothered me,”

“Well, I used to assume that when I got asked on dates, but turns out it was too big of an assumption.” You chuckled dryly, making his heart squeeze.

Anthony felt for you in that moment. It was unfair that they had treated you that way for something you weren’t hiding. He could tell you were happy to have you daughter and you clearly loved her more than anything, but he could also see the shame you carried being a young single mother.

It wasn’t right that you were constantly receiving negative reactions for being the parent that stayed. You were the one trying your best to give your daughter the best life you possibly could, and Anthony couldn’t do anything but admire that.

The idea of being with you in the long run and possibly becoming important in Millie’s life had been on his mind for a long time before the date. It was a lot of responsibilities to take, but at the end of the day he had refused to pressure himself because of it. You were great and he wanted to get to know you, it was that simple. Only time could tell where the two would end up, and going out with you on a few dates didn’t mean he had to commit to anything immediately. He also knew that if you were the right person for him then he was ready to commit to it all.

“That’s me,” you eventually slowed in front of a building and came to a stop, unsure of what else to say. You hated how uncomfortable you were, the two of you had just clicked when you met up at the restaurant and yet you were stuck in an awkward silence now.

Anthony welcomed the interruption; he didn’t want to keep on overthinking things. “I know tonight didn’t end the way you hoped it would,” he said because that much was obvious, getting you to look up at him rather than anywhere else on the street for the first time since you had begun walking. “But I had a great time, and it’d be nice if we could go out again soon,”

“I-” you had prepared yourself to utter another apology, but his words took you by surprise and your chest went tight with nervousness. “Yes, I’d like that,” you breathed out faster than you should have and Anthony’s smile spread across his face, making his blue eyes brighten even in the darkness of the night. “I’m not sure when I’m free yet but, um-”

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled softly. The way you were fumbling for words and tried to hide your grin was endearing. “Just text me when you know, yeah?”

“I will.”

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[meltwonu]

| 🎃 𝕸𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖍 🎃 |

↪ ✦ spells ✦

this chapter pairing; wizard!hoshi x reader

genre&warnings; wizard!hoshi, softdom!hoshi, oral(fem receiving), virgin!reader, fingering, good ‘ol lighthearted fucking😩, squirting.

notes; lets be real hoshi with magical abilities would be chaos kjdfhkdf🥴 also I know, I know, I wish I could hyperlink the previous chapters into each post but tumb1r rly seems to fuckin hate my account and hides my posts from tags for no reason as it is and RLY hates it when I start hyperlinking posts with the same links so I'll just try to keep my series masterlist updated from here on out!! you can also find my monster mash fics with the hashtag monstermash!svt on my blog!🎃💕 Thank you as always for your continued interest and see you tomorrow~! 👻 

word count; ~2800

chapters; 1 - 2 - 3 - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x

boy you put your spell on me, there’s something about you;

‘cause even in the sleepless nights, i’m thinkin’ about you.

well i think it’s magic with you,

oh i think it’s magic.

yeah i think it’s magic with you.

You’ve known Soonyoung since the two of you were kids.

He played with you in the lavender fields and kept you company on rainy nights when the thunder scared you out of your wits.

Soonyoung lived in a cottage on the outskirts of the town now that the two of you were adults and he preferred to keep to himself; all things considered.

The townspeople weren’t really too fond of Soonyoung’s kind -- rumours of the magical beings causing havoc and destruction more prevalent than anything else. 

And for that reason alone, you most often offered to help Soonyoung gather necessities from the town and in trade, he would let you hang around his cottage while he would work on restoring old spell books. He almost never actually cast any spells or showed you anything he could do with his magic, but you were patient and understanding of his uncommon situation. 

And not only do you know Soonyoung, but you liked Soonyoung.

Even though he seemed quite oblivious to the fact.

You shake your head in thought, picking out a few more apples and adding them to your basket before you start the long walk towards Soonyoung’s cottage.

You soon see the smoke billowing from the chimney of Soonyoung cottage; jogging up the steps as you fish for the spare key he’d given you.

When you enter, the smell of cinnamon and old books welcomes you in like it’s your own and you immediately head for the kitchen to start setting aside the groceries you’d gotten. “Soonyoung!? Where are you?” You yell, giving it a second for him to respond. You’re met with silence, confusion written all over your features.

It was quite unlike Soonyoung to be missing when he knew you were coming.

You look around the kitchen, finding a warm kettle filled with tea. He must’ve just stepped out for a second.

Shaking your head, you reach for a cup on the countertop, fixing yourself a cup of tea as you wait for Soonyoung to come back from wherever he had gone. You take a sip, sighing in contentment at the warmness that floods your system.

You quickly down the rest of the cup, setting it back onto the counter as you make your way towards his bedroom in hopes of finding him.

“Soonyoung? Where are you?” An odd feeling washes over you the further you walk into his house, unable to find a single hint of where he could be. He was almost always in the living area or the kitchen when you came by.

 You knock on his bedroom door as you call out his name again; still not getting a reply back even when you slowly pry the door open.

He’s nowhere to be found, so you take a seat on top of his bed, brows furrowed. Where on earth?

You decide to lay down for a second, removing your shoes and outer clothes before resting your head on the pillow.

Surely Soonyoung wouldn’t mind, seeing as he’s not even here.

Your eyelids feel heavier than usual; yawning loudly as you get comfortable.

When you wake up, you don’t know how much time has pass or if time has passed at all.

All you know is that it’s unbearably hot.

“Wh--what…” You mumble, sitting up as you wipe the sweat from your brow. A soft moan floats out of your mouth, body filled with a certain warmth you only knew when you were thinking about Soonyoung late at night.

“What is going on…”

You clench your jaw, hiking your dress further and further up until you can run your fingertips over your clothed cunt; finding yourself already soaking through the material as it sticks to you like a second skin. “What---”

A sharp door slam knocks you out of your confusion as you hurriedly push your dress down. You hear Soonyoung yelling your name a second later, biting your lip to keep in the noises that threaten to spill from your mouth.

What was going on!?

Soonyoung comes to view as he steps into the doorway; a crimson blush on his cheeks when he finds you in his bed.

“What did you do?” He whispers, barely loud enough for you to catch it.

“S--Soonyoung…” You whimper, unable to keep your voice straight as another gush of wetness pools in your panties. “I--s--something’s weird…”

“Did---did you drink… the tea in the k-kettle…” You nod shakily, tears pooling in your eyes. “I---was I not s-supposed to?”

Soonyoung exhales harshly as he steps into the bedroom, closing it behind him as he sits across from you on the bed. “How much did you drink of it?”

“A--a cup…?”

“A whole cup?”

“Y-yeah…”

Soonyoung grimaces, “That was… an aphrodisiac. I--I used my magic to make it stronger, I didn’t think---I didn’t think it’d work…”

Fuck.

You let out a small mewl, thighs rubbing together underneath your dress. “Why were you m-making that, S-Soonyoung?”

A blush coats his cheeks, suddenly embarrassed. Why exactly?

“No reason, I just---I got curious. I wasn’t… expecting you so early so I stepped out to get more herbs from Minghao’s garden. I was supposed to have it set away before you came.”

A tense silence falls over the two of you, neither of you making a move. Soonyoung clears his voice a few moments later, “I---I might be able to undo it with a spell but I’m not sure if it’ll work. I never tried it before and---and I don’t really know how to fix this, if I’m being honest.”

This time it’s your turn to blush, desperation clear on your features when you lock eyes with the said male.

“Can---can you h-help me… Soonyoung?”

He feels his cock throb in his pants, hands balling up into fists in his lap. “I--I can’t do that to you. You don’t even see me that way and I… I’ll go through the spell books, there has to be---”

“God, please! Soonyoung, I need you! Please, I-if it’s… If it means anything to you, I--I do like you…”

He clenches his jaw, taking in your blown out pupils and flushed cheeks. “You… like me?”

“I--yes… For a while now, actually.”

“And you didn’t say anything?” He asks, fingertips itching to strip himself of his clothes. “I guess I shouldn’t pry. I didn’t say anything either, did I sweetheart?”

Sweetheart.

Your heart pangs in your chest at the sudden pet name, thighs clamping together harder when his voice drops an octave. “Soonyoung, please…”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

This wasn’t necessarily Soonyoung’s ideal situation when it came to telling you his feelings.

He would’ve much preferred something romantic and not you accidentally downing one of his experiments.

“Ah, Soon---Soonyoung, more, m-more!” Your hips buck up, trying to get him to go faster. He slowly flicks at your clit with his tongue, using his hands to keep your body firm against the sheets. “Stop moving, or I’ll stop, sweetheart.” A choked cry bubbles past your lips, fingers itching to lock into his soft hair. He senses your urges, lips settling into a grin when he stops to look up at you.

“Say, you’re always complaining I never show you any of my magic.” He starts, “I’ll show you something really cool.”

He mumbles words you can’t seem to catch and in an instant, you feel your arms pinned to your sides and a pressure on your hips that keeps you still. “I didn’t think I’d need to use that spell quite like this but…” Soonyoung chuckles under his breath, leaning back down as he goes back to flicking your clit with his tongue.

“But---but Soonyoung… Please… Your f-fingers…”

“Oh? Do you want me to use my fingers while I make you feel good with my tongue?” You nod, licking your chapped lips when he stares up at you from between your legs. You had to get him to do more somehow.

“Y-yeah… I--I use my fingers all the time when I’m thinking about y-you…” That should do it.

Soonyoung goes rigid, cock throbbing against the sheets underneath him. “You… what?” You whimper, struggling against the invisible spell that binds you to the bed. “Mmhmm… I’d--I’d show you but I can’t… So you have to…” He shakes his head, bringing his fingers to his mouth before he wraps his lips around them. He makes sure they’re significantly wet before he positions two at your entrance.

“You really got me there, huh, sweetheart?”

A high pitched whine falls from your lips when he starts to sink in his digits; your wetness making it easy for him to sink them knuckle deep on the first try. “Oh, god! Soonyoung!” He’s mildly shocked at how wet you are and how tight your pussy is around his fingers, but he quickly finds a pace you like as he starts thrusting his fingers inside of you. “So you think about me? What exactly do you think about?”

He curls his fingers, watching your lips part in a silent scream when he grazes against your g-spot. “Sweetheart, I asked you a question. I expect a response, okay?”

“I---s--sometimes it’s just, mmh, like---like this… With your fingers deep inside me, making me feel so g-good… But--but sometimes, ah, I--it’s me on your l-lap…” You pause, abdomen tightening with each passing second. “You’re usually really s-sweet in my imagination but…”

“But?”

“But some--ngh, sometimes you… punish me t-too… when I go through your things without your p-permission… Mmh, and---and sometimes you use your magic, just like thi--this to keep me in my place... Oh, god, Soonyoung please, I’m so close!”

He grits his teeth, thumb on your clit in an instant. “Oh? So you want me to use my magic to make you feel good? Okay.” Grinning, he focuses some of his energy into the pad of his thumb; rubbing harsh circles on the swollen nub as you cry out. 

It felt like electricity was coursing through your body, tingles going up and down your spine as you cum hard on his fingers. Soonyoung’s name rolls off of your tongue and he can’t help but watch and think how pretty you were when you were cumming.

“Cute.”

Soonyoung recites a spell in the midst of your orgasm and you feel your body go slack when the invisible restraints finally free you. He sits up, slowly pulling his fingers from inside of you and he brings them to his mouth, licking off your wetness as you watch him through teary eyes.

“Soonyoung, I’m still…”

“I know, baby.”

He repositions himself between your legs, spreading your legs wide. “If it hurts---”

You groan loudly, reaching down as you hold yourself open for him. “Soonyoung, I bet you could just slide right in with how soaking wet I am… Look at me...” He shoots you an amazed look as he freezes momentarily.

“I---what did that aphrodisiac do to you, baby?” Soonyoung wraps a hand around his cock, spreading the precum down his shaft as he positions himself at your entrance. “Seriously though, just tell me if it hurts, okay?” You nod in return; letting your arms rest at your side again.

Soonyoung slowly inches his cock into your tight cunt, a groan on his lips at how tightly you were already clenching around him. “Oh, fuck…” He whispers.

He bottoms out in a single motion, slow and steady. The head of his cock taps against your g-spot and you find yourself chasing another orgasm as he lets you get used to his size.

“Please, move!” You cry, squirming underneath him. He tsk’s you in return, leaning over as he grips your thighs. “Baby, don’t make me bind you again. You’re doing so well for me already.” He draws his hips back before thrusting in, starting a moderate pace when he notes that you’d already gotten used to him. 

“You’re so wet for me, baby. Is it the aphrodisiac or is it me?” Soonyoung jokes. Although he, too, can feel himself already on the edge just as quickly. He wouldn’t tell you now, but he thought about you quite often too.

“Maybe I should’ve taken some with you.”

“Ngh, we’d be at it like r-rabbits…”

“Wouldn’t that be fun? On a night like All Hallow’s Eve, when my powers are much stronger. Imagine how good I could make you feel then, hmm?”

You let out a sob; pussy clenched hard around his cock as you feel yourself on the brink of another orgasm. “N-no, ‘cause I---I already know I’m gon--gonna need more after this… My body’s still so h-hot…”

Soonyoung takes pity, leaning over you as he kisses your tear-stained cheek. “I’ll work you through it, baby. Don’t worry.” The two of you fall into a silence; only the sounds of your moans, his soft breaths, and the snap of his hips bouncing off of the walls of his bedroom. He can feel you get immensely tight around him as he grips your thighs a little harder.

“Oh, Soon--Soonyoung I--”

“It’s okay, baby. Go on.”

This time when you cum, the pressure feels ten times as strong as the first time. You can hear ringing in your ears as your back bows off of the bed and you can vaguely feel Soonyoung’s cock forced out of your pussy in the midst of your orgasm. Tears wet your eyelashes as you cry out his name in a jumbled fashion; body rigid against the sheets.

“Oh--shit, baby…” Soonyoung watches as you squirt all over him and the sheets underneath you; hand wrapped around his cock as he watches your face contort in pleasure. He gulps, bringing his cock back towards you as he runs it through your folds until it nudges against your overly sensitive clit. “Such a good girl for me. You’re doing so well, baby.”

He taps the head of his cock against your swollen clit, watching as your body jolts with every tap. “Soonyoung…”

“How are you feeling?” He asks, jerking himself off over your body as your hazy eyes meet his. “A little better… But…” You trail off, watching him thrust up into his own closed fist. “You look so good...” He hums in response, tightening his fist.

“I’m so close, baby…”

“Make yourself feel good too, Soonyoung… Wanna see you make a mess on me~” You spur him on; filthy words on your lips as you watch his brows furrow. “And I’m still gonna want more too~ But I wanna see you get me nice and messy first~”

He lets out a groan, cock throbbing in his hold as he cums; streaks of cum hitting your lower abdomen. “Ngh, baby…” You mewl, fingertips already running through the warm liquid as you bring it back to your mouth.

You lick off the salty substance, immediately going in for more as Soonyoung’s own fuzzy eyes focus on your movements. “What--what are you d-doing?”

“Cleaning~” You quip, popping the cum soaked fingers into your mouth as you moan.

“God, did that aphrodisiac turn you into a succubus? You’re insatiable!” He feels his eye twice as he starts to come down from his high; using his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow.

You giggle cutely, licking your lips. “Are those even real? And for the record, maybe you shouldn’t have made the aphrodisiac in the first place for your little experiments and then maybe you shouldn’t have made it even more powerful with your spells!”

Soonyoung can only grimace in return; It kind of was his fault for leaving it unattended.

“I know, I’m sorry, baby. I promise I’ll make it up to you, okay? And no more weird experiments left out on the stovetop, I promise.”

Grinning, you lean up, ignoring the soaking mess underneath you and the cum drying on your abdomen as you push Soonyoung over until he lays on his back. He gulps as he watches you straddle his hips. 

“You’re gonna make it up to me all night though, right, Soonyoung?”

[blossom-hwa]

Put Your Arms Around Me (I’ll Be Warm For Days) - DAEYEOL

so I once swore I'd never write a vampire fic yet here I am breaking that promise because I saw this post explaining that once you rescind your welcome to a vampire they are obligated to leave and then this just happened

god I already feel embarrassed just queuing this I'm so sorry

Pairing: Daeyeol x gender neutral!reader

Genre: fluff, vampire!au

Triggers: mentions of biting like once? it never gets described

Word Count: 3k

In your arms, Daeyeol feels just a little more human.

Golden Child Masterlist

Spinning in the pouring rain, dreary gray clouds lining the sky with not a hint of sky in between, your laughter rings radiant in the air as Daeyeol watches from under the apartment overhang, umbrella closed by his side. A small smile lifts the corners of his lips, a smile that he no longer tries to hide – you know how feels. And though you haven’t given him a reply just yet, it’s a blessing nonetheless not to have to hide the love in his expression whenever he sees you free, happy, alive.

“Daeyeol!” You come running up, shoes squelching through streets already covered in a layer of water. Even as cold rain splashes and hits his skin, his smile widens as your wet face appears in his line of vision. “Come on, you stupid baby – just for a few minutes!”

“You’re calling me a stupid baby?” He scoffs in mock indignity, pulling you out of the rain. “I’m several centuries older than you, thank you very much, and I have more degrees than you will ever earn in your life –”

A wet hand hits his arm and your laughter rings again, music in Daeyeol’s ears. “And yet you’re still afraid of a little rain,” you tease, hand wrapping around his wrist. “How is it that you’re the immortal who’ll never get sick or tired but you’re also the one waiting out the downpour?”

“How is it that you’re the human who’ll definitely get sick and sniffly but you’re also the one dancing out in said downpour?” Daeyeol counters, shrugging off his coat. The chill strikes his bare arms but he ignores it, placing it over your shoulders. “You need a hot shower or you’re going to be sick all day tomorrow.”

“Hey, just a few minutes.” You beam at him, pulling the coat around you more securely. “Come on, please?”

He can’t say no. He never could, not when faced with you. Even though Daeyeol is a centuries old vampire and has seen enough of the world to make him lose faith in humanity multiple times (once quite recently), the sparkle in your eyes never fails to remind him that there’s still kindness, there’s still good, there’s still love in the world that might just prevail over all the bad. So he follows you into the rain and watches you spin under the showering droplets, arms held out wide (his coat is definitely going to need a long wash), and even as the cold air begins to seep into his already cold skin, he finds warmth in your laugh, warmth in your smile, warmth even in your chilly hand as it wraps around his fingers and forces him to spin around once too.

What wouldn’t he give to pull you closer, to bring your body right up against his so he can press a kiss to your rainy forehead, staring into your eyes as you gaze back with the same love that he holds for you? What wouldn’t he give to sway you gently in the downpour, water soaking your clothes as he wraps his arms around your waist and rests his head on your shoulder and simply stays there, soaking in the love of someone he cares for with all that is left of his heart?

But with no reciprocation must come restraint, and after centuries of life (or death, depending on how he thinks of it), he’s well-versed in the skill. Daeyeol loves you and you know this, but he’s also made it clear that he will never pressure you into an answer, will never force himself onto you no matter how long he must wait. He’s lived for centuries. He can wait a little longer for a reply to his confession, be it favorable or unfavorable, as long as you allow him to stay by your side.

You twirl around, eyes squinted nearly shut with laughter. A few feet away from Daeyeol, you stop and turn back to him with a look simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar, unfamiliar in that he hasn’t seen it on your face, but familiar in that he has seen it on his when Joochan drew that portrait of him staring at an off-canvas you, the softest glint of love in his eyes.

Love.

Real love.

But this time in your eyes, not his.

Daeyeol’s breath stutters in his throat. Hope rises in his chest, makes him feel an artificial warmth in his cold face and if he were still human his heart would be fluttering, pounding, racing as he returns your gaze –

But the look disappears in a second, replaced by a much more familiar expression of simple joy and laughter as you tromp through the puddles to brush a wet clump of hair out of Daeyeol’s face. Your fingers, though cold, send warm tingles up his spine. “It’s not fun if you just stand there and let the rain pour all over you, you know,” you reproach, eyes sparkling.

Cold disappointment eats through the previous warmth in his chest but Daeyeol swallows it down. He was probably seeing things, probably projecting his feelings onto you in a way that wasn’t real. And even if he wasn’t, just because you feel similarly doesn’t mean you’re ready to say it just yet. No sense in hoping or probing.

Daeyeol allows his lips to tilt in a little pout. “I just don’t want you to get sick,” he says, braving a hand to uselessly wipe rain off your face. “Come on, it’s been a few minutes. You need a shower and I need to cook dinner.”

You grumble a little but the reminder of warm food convinces you to escape the rain. Daeyeol lingers behind slightly as you head into the apartment lobby, gazing wistfully at your back.

No. He shakes his head. This is enough. All of it is enough. It is enough that you allow him to stay, enough that you welcome him into your apartment every day even if you rescind the invitation at night. It is enough that you accept his feelings even if you need more time for an answer, treasuring the heart he’s entrusted you even if you’re not yet ready to offer your own. Because even though you’re the only one for him, the only one who’s made him wish his heart could beat not just for life but for love since he was turned so many centuries ago, the only thing that matters to Daeyeol is your comfort and your happiness.

For as long as a genuine smile remains etched on your face, Daeyeol can find peace in your joy.

. . . . .

His hair is still slightly damp from the shower when the clock strikes midnight several hours later and Daeyeol looks up from his perch on the couch, frowning over his glasses at the two clock hands that signal his time to leave.

You look up too, squinting over your laptop at the clock. Daeyeol takes the moment to focus on the way your eyes still shine through the tiredness on your face. It’s a far cry from the rainy exuberance you wore a few hours ago, but it’s just as beautiful in a quieter, softer way.

A smile spreads over his lips, wide but a little sad, too. With this stolen moment of silent admiration comes the knowledge that it’s time for you to rescind your welcome, for him to make the lonely walk up one floor to his own apartment, for him to slide between cold sheets that won’t grow warm because his blood doesn’t flow and attempt to sleep while imagining you in his embrace. The next day will come sooner the faster he falls asleep, Daeyeol knows, and the sooner the next day comes the sooner he gets to see you, but that doesn’t seem to compute when all he wants is to feel your warmth by his side.

“I should go,” he says quietly, closing his literature textbook as he stands.

You nod, yawning. The urge to walk over and kiss your forehead is almost overwhelming but Daeyeol resists, only reaching out to pat your head softly as he passes by. “Mm, it’s late.”

Do you lean into his touch? Daeyeol doesn’t know. You’re always careful with your actions, careful in a way Daeyeol wishes you weren’t however much he understands, but this time when Daeyeol touches your face, he can’t help but hope you might have leaned in slightly, just slightly, even if it was unintentional.

“Goodnight, then.” He stops at the door to put on his shoes.

“Goodnight, Daeyeol.” You smile, though your eyes glint with a little something that looks like a mix of worry and… excitement? “Sweet dreams.”

He lingers a moment longer, debating whether or not to ask you if something’s wrong. Worry isn’t exactly characteristic in your expression, and even less so is the mixture of anxious excitement burning softly in your eyes. But he stops himself. It’s late, after all, and if you still look the same way in the morning, he can ask then when you aren’t so tired. His other shoe goes on and he swings open the door, glancing back one last time as you wave from the table.

One foot out the door, then the other. Daeyeol begins to close the door.

Then his eyes widen and he swings it back open before he can even comprehend his brief thought.

You don’t look surprised when he stumbles back into the apartment, clutching the doorknob so hard he knows it’ll break between his fingers if he doesn’t loosen his grip soon. If anything, a little smile curves your lips, shy and anticipating but gleeful, too, excited and glinting with a warmth that Daeyeol recognizes from Joochan’s portrait –

“You didn’t rescind your invitation," he breathes. “Did you –” he swallows, not wanting to consider the painful possibility but forcing it through his mouth even as hope blooms vibrant and full in his chest – “did you forget?”

The second it takes for you to open your mouth is excruciating, but his patience is rewarded when shake your head and smile. “No,” you reply, standing up. Daeyeol can barely breathe as you step forward, closer, eyes sparkling. “I didn’t.”

You’re close, so close that Daeyeol would barely need to move to slide an arm around you, to pull you into his chest and bury his face in your shoulder the way he wanted to so badly in the rain. He could lift his head, press soft kisses to your neck and jaw and cheek, moving towards your forehead and nose and then your lips –

Two warm arms wrap around his waist and Daeyeol stops breathing for real. Your body presses into his and Daeyeol winces slightly, wondering how you’ll react when you feel the distinct lack of a heartbeat beneath his shirt. But you don’t so much as flinch, only look up with a slightly uncertain expression when Daeyeol goes rigid beneath your touch. “Is this okay?” you ask, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes,” Daeyeol replies, voice slightly choked for breath. “Yes, it’s everything I’ve – just –” He swallows. “Is this what you want? It’s not… not just because of how I feel, is it?”

At that, your expression relaxes, worry melting into exasperated affection. “Of course not,” you murmur, arms tightening around his body. Daeyeol almost gasps at the muted warmth that seeps through his shirt, rushing up his skin. “I trust you. I should’ve trusted you a long time ago, really. You’ve only ever treated me with love and care. You’ve never done anything remotely threatening to me and…” You lift your head from his skin and look at him with shining eyes. “I don’t believe you ever will.”

He moves, then, arms curving around your waist with maybe a bit too much strength but he grants himself a brief reprieve from years of constant restraint, allows himself to bring you close, close, closer as he tucks himself into your warmth, closing his eyes in bliss as your breath tickles his skin. “You had every right not to trust me,” he corrects you, murmuring into your ear. “I don’t blame you. When a vampire shows up in your life and you catch him feeding, of all things…”

“Still, Daeyeol.” His name takes a new nuance, spoken from your lips with love. “You’ve never done anything to me or anyone, really, not on purpose. You’ve only been loving and gentle and kind, and I trust you enough to give you my love.”

To give you my love. Besides his name from your voice and your laugh, Daeyeol has never heard anything lovelier to his ears. “I’ll treasure it,” he promises, pressing a soft kiss to your neck. He delights in the little shiver that races up your spine. “Forever.”

“As I treasure yours.” You pull back, smiling wide. “Do you want to stay the night?”

. . . . .

Somehow, Daeyeol ends up in your room, sitting on the bed uncertainly as he waits for you to come out of the bathroom. He doesn’t really know what to do – actually, what will you be okay with him doing? Will you allow him to curl into your warmth the way he yearns to, or will you want to maintain some space?

Your voice startles him out of his thoughts. “Daeyeol, I’m not going to bite,” you say, looking slightly amused as you reach around him to pull open the blankets. “That’s your job. Come on, get in or I’ll make you get up to turn off the lights instead.”

Like a child, Daeyeol slides between the sheets, letting you drop them back over him before switching off the lights. The room descends into darkness lit only by a sliver of the moon through the window as you settle into bed next to him, pulling the blankets over you both.

An arm slips under him and Daeyeol almost forgets how to breathe again when you bring yourself closer under the blankets, resting your head against his chest. “Is this okay?” you whisper, voice tickling his skin.

It’s okay. More than okay. Much more than okay. So Daeyeol just nods, pushing away the urge to take off his shirt and feel your warmth directly on his skin rather than through his clothes. It’s your first night in the same bed. You’d probably be uncomfortable. “Yes.”

“Liar.” You shift in the bed, the moon illuminating your face just enough that Daeyeol can see the eyebrow you’ve raised. “Am I making you uncomfortable? I can stop if you want.”

Daeyeol shakes his head as best he can. “No, no. I just…”

“Hm?”

To hell with it. Daeyeol swallows. “When I’m not around you, I feel cold,” he says. For heaven’s sake, if he was a human, his cheeks would be burning. “But when I am, I finally feel warm. And I…” He sighs. “I’d rather feel your warmth directly, rather than through my clothes.”

“… So you want to take off your shirt.”

His ears would also be red. “Yes. But if you’re uncomfortable –”

“No, it’s fine.” Your eyes look a little shy but it’s too dark for Daeyeol to really tell. “Come on, make yourself comfortable. I’m fine with it.”

“Are you sure? I –”

“Daeyeol.” You look up to face him fully as you smile wide. “Yes. I’m sure.”

The shirt falls to the floor and you pull yourself close once more. Daeyeol sighs as your warmth seeps through his skin, sending pleasant tingles all throughout his body as he curls into you, closing his eyes in delight. “Thank you,” he murmurs against your neck.

“Of course.” You shift slightly and Daeyeol blinks, ready to adjust to whatever position you find yourself in, but you only level your face with his, smiling brighter than the stars peeking through the window. “Do you mind…?”

It takes Daeyeol a moment to understand what you’re asking but when he does, he doesn’t bother giving you a verbal answer in favor of kissing you, eyes fluttering shut in bliss as you press back. His arm falls to your waist, curving over your body and bringing you closer as his other hand rises to caress your cheek. You sigh into his lips, your own fingers reaching up to tangle softly through his hair.

You break away for air, then kiss once, twice, three times more before it feels okay to stop. Daeyeol blinks slowly when you pull away the last time. His hand is still on your cheek and he rubs absentminded circles on your skin, soaking in the way you lean into his touch, and in that moment, he knows he could spend centuries waiting for your lips if it meant he would feel them, warm against his own, just once in a millennium.

“I love you,” you whisper, breath soft against his bare skin. Your eyes are fluttering shut but you keep them open, barely, just enough for Daeyeol to see the loveliness of your gaze before you close them fully for sleep.

He curls in closer to press a quiet kiss to your forehead. You don’t flinch from his cold touch, only sigh briefly before allowing your lips to curve sweetly, gently, as your eyes close. “I love you too,” he murmurs, kissing you softly one last time before settling into your touch.

Your skin bleeds heat into his, makes him feel a little more whole, a little more full, a little less like a blank, immortal vessel for the first time in centuries. It makes him feel as though his heart could beat again, could pump blood through his dead veins and turn him human once more. But even then, even if it can’t, it’s okay. As long as Daeyeol has you, as long as he can love you fully and feel the warmth of your affection in return, he’ll be happy, happier than he ever thought possible since the day he was turned.

Daeyeol smiles, pulling the blankets more securely around you as your breath evens into sleep.

He already feels warmer.

If you enjoyed, please don’t forget to reblog and leave a comment to tell me what you thought! Thank you for reading and have a lovely day <3

(1 reblog = 1 prayer for Daeyeol to keep this warmth :D he deserves it)

[rafael-silva]

hold me close, closer: a tarlos fic

After working the same rough and hectic shift, Carlos and TK share a calming bath to wash away the day’s tension and stress. Being in each other’s arms eases their worries and uplifts their spirits.

@larrytothemoonandback prompted: tk and carlos + sharing a bath

emotional hurt/comfort, light angst, comfort, fluff, cuddles, kisses, carlos reyes needs a hug, softness, really there are so many kisses 

2.3k | on ao3

*****

It had been a long, hectic shift for Carlos and TK.

A never-ending shift of one call after another, as TK dubbed it in one of the few texts he had managed to send Carlos in between blaring bells.

And it appeared from Carlos’s reply of tell me about it that he was going through the same thing.

They had met on a few calls scattered over the hours, and every time, the other man looked slightly more tired and drained. Still, though, they’d give each other small smiles that held the promise of going home to each other when their frantic shifts would finally come to an end.

After returning to the firehouse from their final call, TK robotically made his way to the showers, while chanting hallelujah over and over in his head as he stepped under the warm spray of water.

TK absolutely loved his job, his found family, but some days it would get so exhausting to the point where TK’s knees shake, threatening to give out on him. He holds on, proceeding to also robotically change into his civvies and throw his backpack over his shoulder.

He tells everyone good night as he makes his way towards the Uber, sighing as he drops against the backseat. He then unlocks his phone to send Carlos a message.

TK: Hi, babe. Just moved from the station heading home. Can’t wait to see you.

TK slips the phone back into his pocket and sits in silence until the car pulls up to the condo.

TK whispers something along the lines of thank you to the driver, stumbling up the porch stairs and to the front door, pushing his key into the keyhole. The condo is dark, the missing Camaro from the driveway was TK’s first clue that his boyfriend wasn’t home yet.

He flicks on a light, toeing his shoes off near the door and drops his keys into the bowl sitting on a table near the door. His phone pings in his pocket as he’s walking into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

He fishes out his phone to see a new text from Carlos.

Carlos: Hey, baby. Can’t wait to see you, too. I just need to finish some paperwork before I get out of here. I’ll be home as soon as I can.

TK: Just arrived home. Take your time, baby. I’ll be waiting for you.

TK sighs again, walking—or more like dragging his feet—up the stairs and into their bedroom. He falls backwards against the bed, closing his eyes as his body collides with the soft mattress, a much-needed sensation after the day he’s had.

He feels bad that he’s finally home and can relax while Carlos is still at the station, working. In hindsight, TK had wished he had gone to the station to meet Carlos there and then they’d go home together.

TK nods to himself, making up his mind. He grabs his phone to text Carlos again.

TK: Let me know when you’re on the way.

He lies back on the bed, scrolling mindlessly through his Instagram and loses track of time. He’s liking a post here and then when a notification from Carlos pops up at the top of his screen.

Carlos: Heading out now.

TK gets to his feet then and steps into the bathroom, turning on the tap in the bathtub and pushes the drain-stopper down. He quickly retrieves Carlos’s favorite candles, some vanilla scented, others lavender, from the bedroom and sets them carefully around the space, lighting each one as the tub fills with hot water. He also grabs the organic mint-scented body wash he and Carlos share and drizzles a good amount in the water, watching it foam up.

TK is looking forward to taking care of Carlos, after the long day they’ve endured. He’s also doing it for himself if he’s also being honest, because he can feel the aches already setting in his muscles and the warm water definitely helps there. But taking care of Carlos is his priority. Besides, that always help him feel better, too.

And TK knows Carlos always appreciates a good bath.

Looking around the bathroom, the paramedic nods, satisfied with the setup.

He hears keys rattling, followed by his name being called a few minutes later.

Downstairs, Carlos discards his keys into the bowl with TK’s and places his wallet next to it. He stretches his neck, moving his head backwards and then side to side until some of the tension there eases.

“Up here!”

Carlos looks in the direction of TK’s voice, and notices the hallway and bedroom lights are switched on. He wills his tired legs to ascend the stairs, and then steps into the bedroom, eyes immediately searching for TK. When they don’t find his boyfriend, he realizes the other man must be in the bathroom.

Before joining him, Carlos unpins his badge from his uniform shirt and removes his belt, unclipping his service weapon as he goes. He crouches in front of the bottom section of his closet, sliding the door over to reveal his safe. He punches in the code, the lock clicking and Carlos places the items inside before locking the safe.

He groans when his knee cracks as he gets to his feet, kicking off his shoes and wasting no time in heading to the bathroom. He just really wants—and needs—to see TK, to hold him, to kiss him.

The sight he’s met with makes his tired face light up and tugs the corner of his lips upwards.

“Welcome home, babe,” TK smiles from his place, now lying in the tub with his arms resting on either side of the marble.

“What’s the occasion?” Carlos asks with an amused lifted eyebrow.

TK shrugs. “Do I need a reason to pamper my boyfriend?”

A blush colors Carlos’s cheeks as his smile widens.

“Care to join me?” TK extends a hand towards Carlos.

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Carlos expresses, hands already working to unbutton and remove his shirt, followed by his undershirt and pants.

As soon as he kicks his boxer-briefs away, he takes TK’s offered hand, holding on to it as he lowers himself into the warm water, sitting between TK’s legs. Moments like these and sharing a bath with TK, always reminds Carlos how grateful he is that he picked a condo with a bathtub big enough to comfortably fit two adults.

Carlos lets out a satisfied sigh as soon as his body is immersed, closing his eyes as he falls back against TK’s chest.

He hears TK chuckle from behind and feels the younger man’s arms go around his waist, effectively pulling him even closer into his hold.

“Besides, we’ve both had incredibly long shifts, I think we deserve this,” TK adds.

“Hm,” Carlos agrees.

“You deserve this, babe. You’ve been working so hard lately.”

Carlos blindly finds TK’s arms with a hand and gives him a squeeze where it lands on an arm.

“I got you, baby,” TK promises.

“You always do,” Carlos responds, dropping his head against TK’s shoulder.

TK moves his head and brushes a soft kiss to Carlos’s temple, feeling the officer gravitate towards his touch.

Comfortable silence settles between them for a while, both of them enjoying finally being in each other’s arms and letting the water wash the day’s troubles away.

“Thank you for this, Ty,” Carlos whispers. “I really needed it.”

TK nods, nuzzling his face against the back of Carlos’s head. “Of course, baby. Anything I can do to help. Do you wanna talk about it?”

Carlos shakes his head after a moment of thought. “Maybe later. Right now, this is all I need.”

“Okay,” TK replies.

“Couldn’t wait to get home to you,” Carlos speaks after a moment.

“Couldn’t wait to have you right here,” TK responds, pressing a sweet kiss to Carlos’s shoulder.

To Carlos’s very tense shoulder.

TK pulls his arms from around Carlos, and the slightly bigger man lets out a disappointed sound at the loss of TK’s touch.

“Just for a minute,” TK reassures his boyfriend. “You’re gonna like this, trust me.”

Carlos trusts TK with his life, but he also already misses TK’s warmth.

However, TK’s assessment of Carlos liking whatever he planned is proven right soon enough, as TK gently uses his thumbs to massage and rub at the heavy knots sitting in Carlos’s muscles.

TK smiles at the heavy groan Carlos breathes out, knowing it’s helping his boyfriend.

“That’s it,” TK whispers. “Let me take care of you.”

Carlos wishes he could turn around and kiss TK in this moment, but between the warm water and TK’s tender ministration, he feels his bones and muscles turning into jelly.

TK pushes down slightly harder, loosening up the worst of the tension he finds, feeling satisfied himself when Carlos sags back against him, clearly feeling a little better.

“That…God, Ty, I needed that, so much.”

“Yeah, I could tell,” TK chuckles. “Are you feeling better?”

“Much,” Carlos nods.

Before returning to their previous position, TK cups some water into his palms and places them over Carlos’s head, letting the water run through the officer’s hair and down his neck. Carlos seems to be onboard with this, as well, because he’s tilting his head backwards a little in TK’s direction.

TK takes the hint and repeats the action a few more times, until Carlos’s hair is damp. TK then slowly cards his fingers through Carlos’s soft curls, the product he applied that morning long gone now.

With a kiss to Carlos’s neck, TK’s arms return to Carlos’s middle, wrapping around him and holding him close once again.

“We both have a day off coming up soon, we can do whatever you want,” TK says.

“Just wanna spend it with you.”

“We can most definitely do that. We can sleep in, have late breakfast in bed, lots of cuddles and oh! We can bake,” TK plans, almost giggling at the idea of baking. It’s one of his favorite things to do with Carlos in their downtime. He mostly sits on the counter while Carlos does most of the baking, but TK also sometimes helps with the batter.

“Sounds perfect, baby,” Carlos smiles, closing his eyes and resting his head back against TK’s shoulder. “Brownies or cookies?”

“Hmm,” TK contemplates for a few seconds. “Cookies, chocolate chip cookies.”

“My specialty,” Carlos replies.

They really are Carlos’s specialty. TK remembers taking a batch of chocolate chip cookies into work one day for everyone, and the crew had gone absolutely mad over them. The huge tupperware container was empty in a matter of minutes.

TK smiles at the memory, remembering not only his team’s joy for the delicious cookies, but also Carlos’s delight and pride when TK told him what had gone down.

The water starts cooling a few minutes later, both men feeling it and a shiver runs through Carlos’s body.

“I think it’s time to get out,” TK’s the first to say. “We can order in and watch a feel-good movie.”

“As tempting and comforting as that sounds, I don’t think I can really rely on my legs to carry me right now,” Carlos chuckles.

TK giggles along and helps Carlos into a sitting position.

“Come on, I’ll help,” the paramedic says, making sure Carlos’s grip on both sides of the marble is secure before stepping out of tub and grabbing a towel, wrapping it around his waist. He prepares a towel for Carlos before moving back towards him, holding out a hand to the officer.

Carlos takes TK’s hand but instead of using it to pull himself up, he pulls TK closer to him. And this time he does kiss TK, closing the distance between them by capturing TK’s lips with his own.

TK, albeit a little surprised, immediately opens up to Carlos, deepening their passionate kiss. His other hand instantly travels to the nape of Carlos’s neck, settling there and he gives Carlos an encouraging squeeze. They pour everything into the kiss, their worry for each other, their concern, their relief for the other’s safety. The kiss has infinite layers to it, and Carlos and TK visit each and every one of them.

Eventually the need for air to wins and they separate. They don’t pull back completely, their foreheads still touching, each of them breathing a little heavily with identical kiss-swollen lips. They breathe each other in, taking it all in.

“Lets get into something comfortable and continue this on the couch,” Carlos whispers into the small space between them.

TK nods and with another light kiss to Carlos’s mouth, he pulls back. He hands Carlos the towel when he’s out of the tub, and they make their way back into their bedroom.

They find themselves nestled against each other on the couch once they’re dressed in comfortable t-shirts and sweats (TK had also grabbed Carlos’s old police academy hoodie on their way down, knowing he’ll be wanting to slip into it later during the night) with Carlos flipping through Netflix.

TK is lying between the officer’s legs, an arm draped over Carlos’s thigh with his back against his chest, his other arm is placed over the one Carlos has wrapped around TK.

“Here,” Carlos says as he hands TK the remote control. “Pick a movie.”

They sit in silence as TK scrolls through the list, Carlos watching him with a fond smile decorating his face.

“Hey,” Carlos whispers.

TK turns to face him, his features filled to the brim with love and affection.

“I love you, Ty.”

A big smile spreads on TK’s face, his green eyes turning soft. “I love you too, ‘Los.”

He leans in, claiming Carlos’s lips in a tender kiss.

They settle back when they pull apart, Carlos planting a kiss to TK’s head.

He inhales the scent that is all TK, and he feels comfort brewing in his gut, he feels safe, he feels whole. He feels lighter as the worries of the day seep away.

Lying on the couch, with TK in his arms, Carlos is home.

And when TK nuzzles his body backwards and moves closer into Carlos’s hold, Carlos knows in his heart that TK is home, too.

[strayinvelvet]

still at it

work is starting to pile and you kind of expected your boyfriend to support you, not annoy you

pairing: han jisung x reader

genre: fluff, implied enemies-to-lovers

wc: 1.3k

warning: swearing :(

a/n: happy hearts day, cuties! part of @districtninewriters​ dear skz, with love. this took so long mainly because of the recent news, yea. i’m so nervous about this i really hope i did the prompt and project some justice. phew (っ＾▿＾)💨. enjoyyy (ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ ♥

“You’re insufferable.”

You rolled your eyes at the neon yellow post-it note placed on your office desk. It’s still early in the morning and you have a long eventful day ahead of you which is why you tried to get to work as early as possible. 

The busy days have officially started for your company.  Your partner company is planning to launch a new collection in their fast-growing fashion brand in Berlin and your company, being the most sought out marketing team in the industry, is tasked to implement the most appropriate marketing and advertising plan for the collection. Even the people working for you are already on their desks working on what they are assigned to do. Some are having coffee while some are already writing papers that are nearing their deadline. In conclusion, everybody looked busy and none of them looked suspicious enough to be part of this very eye catching note thing.

Rolling your eyes once again, you sat at your table and picked up the surprise note. Truthfully, even at first glance, you already know the person behind it. How could you forget this one of a kind handwriting, the one you so hated to see back when you were in high school. Han Jisung. That little shit is still going at it.

You folded it in half before placing it in between the pages of your planner. As if on cue, your secretary knocked on your office door asking for permission to enter. As soon as she entered your office, she immediately briefed you of your schedule for today. Meetings, briefings and scheduling of future meetings and partnerships. Exciting. You’re starting to regret all of your life choices.

“Oh and by the way, is this yours?” she showed another yellow note, “this was stuck on your office door.” You sighed. Just how many of these did he make? “Leave it on my table and then meet me at the meeting hall for the first meeting,” you gestured towards your table. “Will do.” with that, she left you to do your own stuff. 

“And annoying.”

Yep, he’s one of the decisions you’re starting to regret (maybe not but you like exaggerating). You’re not gonna lie, at this time of the year, you expected little notes that would inspire you, make your heart sing love songs, or rush the blood to your cheeks. These notes, however,  only made your blood boil. You swore that when you see him once you’re back from Berlin, he’s going to get it. You kept the note the same way you did to the previous ones. Goodness, if only he wasn’t a major player of your partner company. 

You reached for your phone and dialed his phone number and true enough he answered just after two rings, “Are you fucking for real?”

You heard him laugh at the other line before asking your question, “Shouldn’t you be planning our marketing strategy?”

“I am and your lovely notes are helping me big time, seriously. And shouldn’t you be working on the collection’s designs instead of this bullshit?”

“Hey, I am currently approving those that are outstanding. I’m not like you who-”

You know he’s gonna bully you, you just know. So, you quickly ended the call before anymore bullshit comes out of his mouth. With your nth eye roll for the day, you stood up to attend your first agenda.

Hours passed and the series of formal business stuff is starting to get to you. Your butt is sore from sitting all day, plus your muscles are in dire need of a stretch. The last meeting of the day has just been adjourned minutes ago and you and your secretary are taking your time to breathe in your office. "Miss Y/n, your trip to Berlin is in two days. Have you packed?” well until your secretary went to business mode real quick. 

“Kim, please, give me a minute,” you laughed but answered her question nonetheless, “Yes, I have and oh, can you try to squeeze in my schedule for the first four days so I could have the last two to myself?”

“That would drain you,” she answered confusingly. She’s not wrong, tho. You contemplated for a while but honestly, you wanted to explore Berlin too and you can’t do that by sitting in a meeting room for a week. “Better than seeing Berlin through a floor-to-ceiling window glass pane.”

Kim nodded, "I will update your schedule. Maybe you should bring your boyfriend over," she suggested which also suggests that she doesn’t know who the notes are from. “It’s a business trip, Kim. And I don’t know if i should agree or disagree with that.”

You both laughed lightly before Kim left you to fix your schedule per your request. You, on the other hand, are willing to give everything just to lay on your bed or have a warm shower. Whatever door is nearer to your entrance. So you left as fast as you arrived at this building just to feel the comfort of your home.

The apartment you were greeted with is not the same apartment you left. You left yours with unfolded clothes everywhere, full trash bin and sink and a disorganized living room. You tend to be messy when you’re ridiculously busy. But this, the place in front of you, is like a whole different scene. Every corner is squeaky clean from the shoe organizer to the kitchen. The apartment lights are also set to dim with candle lights and all but enough to see everything. Soon after, the smell of delicious food wafted through your nose. 

The hints are giving you an idea of what is going on.

You went to the kitchen only to see a romantic dinner set up complete with those fancy utensils, fancy food, candles and wine, and of course, a yellow note.

“But i’m willing to suffer for you. Happy valentines, baby”

This dork, you thought while smiling like a goof (which you tried to hide). 

“Han Jisung!” you called him. His head peeped through the doors of your bedroom with a big grin on his face. “Were you surprised?”

You couldn’t contain the smile anymore and so you let it out, “come here.” You gestured to him to come over with your arms hanging in the air as if waiting for him to come nearer so you could wrap it around his neck. He came out with a bouquet of fresh daisies in his hand which he had to place on top of the dining table in order to accept your cuddle invitation. Jisung kissed your forehead before securely wrapping his arms on your waist. “Did you like it?”

“Aside from being partly annoyed, yes actually,” you tightened your arms around his neck so you could pull him down to give him a proper kiss. This wasn’t part of your relaxation plan but you are glad to welcome him in your routine, as always. The kiss was starting to get heated when you pulled away from him and loosened your grip, making him look at you with a questioning gaze.

“Thank you for cleaning my apartment and all this.”

“Anything for you, my love,” he kissed your cheek, “and I also did almost half of your work in Berlin so you could relax a little,” then he kissed your other cheek. For some reason, he has to accompany each of his sentences with a kiss. But nevertheless, it still made you giggle. “I’m not thanking you for the notes, though- wait, am i really insufferable?” You looked at him like you’ve just been betrayed. Out of all people, he had the audacity to tell you you’re the insufferable one?

He smiled, “no baby,” he pecked your lips before continuing, “ you just annoy me sometimes.”

“So you just had to annoy me first?” you asked with a smirk forming on your lips.

He shrugged, “guess I’m still at it.” This time, he accompanied his replies with a brush to your stray hair with his fingers just so he could look at you properly. You squished his chubby cheeks together, forming a pout in his already adorable face.

“Yeah,” you pecked the pout you forced, “I guess we’re still at it.”

end.

yayyy omg this may or may not be from an e2l au that is currently sitting in my drafts hmm 

[randomfandomimagine]

Love’s Worth Running To. Chapter 5: Hero Work

Pairing: Barry Allen x Stephanie Williams (OFC)

Fandom: Justice League / DCEU

.

⬅ PREVIOUS CHAPTER • CHAPTER INDEX • NEXT CHAPTER ➡

AO3

A/N: Another chapter! I think this one as very interesting stuff, and it’s finally starting to move on to my favorite part of the story, I can’t wait to post the few next chapters!

Also, and as always, remember to give this some love! Please reblog and leave feedback if you’re liking it, it would help me out a lot and it’d mean the world to me!! 🙏 Thank you so much to everyone that’s supporting this series 🥰💜

With the excuse that she needs to face it sooner or later, Stephanie starts trying out her powers. She promises herself that it means nothing, only a way to ensure they won’t become something dangerous because she can’t control them. It doesn’t mean she will recklessly go out trying to be Wonder Woman. But the improvised hero outfit still lays on the ground. She hasn’t put it away. Keeps glancing at it.

Meanwhile, as her eyes are fixed on the costume, a light crackle of electricity hovers over her palm. Stephanie sighs and focuses her attention on it, watching how the small force field slowly grows. The semi-transparent sphere, at first as small as marble, has reached the size of a football ball now.

Stephanie tells herself that big progress has been made, as at least she is now in control of it even if the force field isn’t big enough to really protect anyone. Its surface is also irregular and unstable. She grits her teeth, frowning in confusion, but the very best she can do is maintain the current state of the force field.

“Ah!” Stephanie suddenly yelps when her phone buzzes. The force field in her hand crackles, creating a mild disturbance in the air, before completely fading.

Promising to keep working on her newfound abilities after checking her phone, she picks the device up and looks at the screen. Her heart halts in anticipation as she reads the text. It’s from Ben.

While it isn’t the person she was expecting, it still warms her heart that Ben is reaching out and checking on her. For that reason, she proceeds to read the message and a small smile finds its way to her lips when she does.

Good morning, Stephanie! How are you feeling? I hope you’re well and recovered. There is no rush to return to work, but I must insist that you rest and properly look after yourself. I’m your boss, so you have to do as I say.

Best regards, Ben.

Stephanie chuckles, endeared by his thoughtful message and amused by the fact that he signed it like he would a written letter... despite the fact that the phone already showcases the sender. Grinning, she starts typing to reply to him.

You may be the man in charge for the project, but shall I remind you that you’re not my boss?

Best regards, Stephanie.

However, and despite the lighthearted interaction, a void settles in her chest.

For a moment, Stephanie had hoped it was Barry contacting her, only to remember that she had been ignoring his many calls and messages. He has probably given up on talking to her, figuring she will do so when she feels comfortable with it. And she misses him. For that reason, she dials his number while Ben types back.

Barry takes a few rings to answer, but when he does his warm and familiar voice is filled with excitement. It makes Stephanie smile as soon as she hears it.

“Steph?!” He answers. “Oh my gosh, hi! How are you feeling?”

“Hi, Barry” The girl can’t stop smiling now, while at the same time wondering how she had survived so many days without him. “I’m feeling better, thank you”

“That’s great, I’m so glad to hear it!” He sighed from the other end, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Um… did you need anything? Or did you just call to chat?”

“Well…” Stephanie awkwardly chuckles, feeling embarrassed for isolating herself. But now that she has her powers mostly under control after that long week, she feels like she can talk to him again. “Actually, I wanted to apologize… I know I’ve been very distant, but…”

“Hey, no” He gently interrupts her. “Steph, you don’t have to apologize, don’t say a word. I understand that you needed some time, anyone would after what you went through!”

Stephanie pauses for a moment while the nerves suddenly stir in her stomach. In the end, noticing his silence as well, she pipes up once more.

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Barry”

“I’m always gonna worry about you”

She smiles to herself, knowing that he means that in the best way possible. The nerves disappear, replaced with a wave of warmth that fills her. Suddenly, all those negative emotions she has been experiencing for days are gone. All thanks to his magic.

“Listen, I’m in a hurry. I’m so sorry, I really can’t talk more” Barry mumbles. “But, uh... how ‘bout we meet this evening? I’ll take it easy on you, I promise, I just want to hang out with you for a bit”

“Sure” Stephanie chuckles. “I’d love that”

“Cool!” She hears him happily chuckle as well. “Pick you up at 7?”

“Yeah, see you later” And Stephanie hangs up, unable to erase the smile from her face.

_

When Barry arrives to the place of reunion, he heaves a big sigh. The sky suddenly looks bluer, the birds are singing louder and the sun shines brighter. Everything is okay.

“There you are” Clark pats his shoulder, warning him of the team’s presence. They had been waiting for him. “How can a speedster like you be late?”

“Right, sorry about that” Barry grins instead of taking his words as a scolding.

“You look happy…” Diana tells Barry, kindly nudging him a little.

“Yeah, well” The boy suddenly feels slightly flustered by everyone’s gazes on him. “I talked to Steph”

“Your friend?” Bruce pipes up, the hint of a smile peeking in the corner of his lips. “We told you she just needed some time”

“She doing okay?” Arthur asked, frowning slightly in concern.

“Yeah, she’s fine… she’s fine” Barry sighs like that again, feeling lighter. “Phew, it was such a relief”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, Barry” Victor gravely tells him. “But we have work to do”

“You’re right, I know” The boy nods to himself. “I’m ready, let’s go”

The silence settles for a moment. Overlooking the city from their high spot at the top of the skyscraper, the six pensively observe the atmosphere beneath their feet. There is the usual busy sound of traffic, of the crowd’s murmuring and the occasional ambulance or police cars sirens in the distance. Other than that, there are no signs of an imminent threat.

“What are we doing here again?” Arthur pipes up. “Everything seems calm”

“Too calm” Bruce grimly replies, glancing at the rest. “I know something’s wrong”

“I can feel it too” Victor adds. “The electric devices feel erratic, like a virus is slowly poisoning the city”

“What we can do about it?” Diana stares at the cyborg, whose eyes are fixed on the city underneath.

“Can you do something to stop that virus?” Barry suggests to him. “Get into their systems or something?”

“I can’t” Victor gravely says, locking eyes with the speedster. “That’s how I know something’s wrong”

“I can feel it too” Clark admits. There are no traces of his usual smile. “Maybe it’s just an intuition, but-”

Before he can even finish his sentence, a loud ruckus startles them all. Something has changed right under their field of vision. An automated train, moving on its own and filled with thousands of innocent passengers, is violently wavering and making the people inside it scream and panic. It moves at a vertiginous speed. More strange noises ensure that the train isn’t the only electronic device malfunctioning there.

“You wouldn’t be doing that, by any chance?” Barry asks Victor, who slowly shakes his head.

As on cue, everyone moves at his denial. The six seem synchronized as they throw themselves down the rooftop. Diana uses her lasso to soar through the air, Bruce glides with his cape and Barry speeds leaving behind a faint blue tail. Clark flies, followed by Victor with his propellers, and Arthur throws his trident and rides it like a surf board.

In the blink of an eye, the six have landed on top of the train. More panicked screams fill the interior with the loud thud of their landing. They struggle to maintain balance in the speeding train. Moving quickly, Clark tears the metallic top of the train open and so everyone drops to the inside.

“Please stay calm” He kindly says to the terrorized passengers.

“We’re here to help” Bruce assures them with his deep voice.

“We’re saved!” A blond woman exclaims. “It’s Superman!”

“And Wonder Woman!”

“And The Batman!”

Although a warm welcome, the Justice League focuses on the mission ahead: saving those people. They exchange quick glances between them and get to work. There is no time to lose.

“Barry” Bruce lowly tells him. “Get rid of all the electronic devices as soon as possible”

“Before they overheat and explode” Victor urges him, his red eye seeming to recognize the extent of the danger they present. “They’re malfunctioning just like the train”

“Copy that!” And with that, the speedster is gone in the blink of an eye. With shocked gasps, the people find that their phones, tablets and any other electronic devices are taken from them. Some explode as soon as they’re thrown out the window, causing an even further outrage.

“I’ll try to stop the train” Victor closes his eyes, focusing his mind on the electric system.

“I’ll do that too” Clark nods, helping the cyborg by flying to the front of the vehicle. As soon as he disappears, the train produces a strident creaking as it drags along the rails. Carefully. Very slowly, it starts losing speed. He can’t risk harming the people inside with a violent halt.

“We’ll get the people safely off” Diana taps Bruce, who doesn’t lose one second to go with her.

“And I’ll help you out” Arthur throws his trident to the doors, breaking through them to allow them an exit.

Soon after, Barry has returned and instantly goes with Diana, Bruce and Arthur to help them move the passengers out of the speeding train. Clark seems to continue his part of the rescue, because it loses speed by the second. Slow and safely.

While Arthur breaks open all the doors he can to create more exits, the rest gets ahold of as many people as possible. The train hasn’t quite stopped yet. Bruce carries three grown men, using his grappling hook to swing to safety. Diana has picked up a group of four children while Barry puts their parents to safety. Perhaps they can’t quite understand and solve what is happening in the city yet, but in the meantime they can always protect the people.

_

Seven o’clock can’t come soon enough. Time passes slowly, and Stephanie’s eyes keep landing on the discarded outfit on the ground. She bites her lip. Knowing she is meeting Barry later seems to fill her with courage. Hope. Maybe she can be like their heroes, like Wonder Woman and Superman. At the very least, she can try.

“Maybe I’ll just try it on…” She mumbles, trying to get rid of her impatient energy, and as though they outfit would have changed sizes during those few days she hasn’t touched it.

Telling herself that it’s only a way to stay distracted and busy while she waits for Barry to arrive, although that isn’t for two more hours, Stephanie gets changed. The tight leggings slip on easily, like a second skin, like they’re the right thing to wear. After she puts on the tank top as well, she stands before the mirror once more. The same sense of excitement and wonder settle in her stomach, taking the form of butterflies that take flight inside it.

The look is almost complete. Just when she is applying the eye shadow like the other day, a sound interrupts her. Several police cars pass by her apartment at top speed, illuminating the streets with their blue light. A test. A call to adventure. Will she answer?

“I can do it” She whispers to herself. “I want to help, I can do it”

Anxious as the police cars wail in the distance, Stephanie nods in resolution. After such a long time of inactivity, her muscles complain at the sudden energy bursts. Ignoring the light aching of her body, Stephanie runs. She leaves her apartment, leaves behind her building and runs in the direction the police cars took. After days if inactivity, she feels alive again. Her lungs urgently fill with air, her heart begins beating so fast that it throbs in her ears.

Stephanie doesn’t stop running, chasing the call to heroism and smiling widely.

_

She gasps for air as she watches the scene before her in confusion. The streets are total chaos. Even the few policemen that have stayed seem to have lost their minds. All the people, from ordinary bystanders, to service workers that have left their establishments, are running aimlessly and screaming in a panic.

“HEEEELP!!! He will kill us all!!” A shrieking voice gathers her attention upwards. A man is teetering at the very edge of a ledge, at the top of a building. He seems about to jump. Stephanie can’t get there in time to save him. Where is the Justice League when you need it?!

Trying to make herself audible among the shouting of the panicked people around her, she focuses on the man whose life is in immediate danger.

“Stay where you are!” She shouts at him, but he only dedicates her an absent glance.

Stephanie frantically looks around, searching for something that can help her. Nothing of use is in sight. What can she do? An idea suddenly pops up in her brain. Wiggling her fingers, she tries to create a force field around herself. If it’s stable enough, maybe it can lift her off the ground and transport her to him.

But it’s all for naught. It’s too late. Her heart skips a beat.

The man has walked off the ledge.

“NO!” Stephanie screams, so violently that she hurts her throat.

On an instinct, she reaches out in his direction despite the big distance that separates them. Her head fills with uneasy thoughts, all of which are focused on helping him. Saving him! Her first attempt can’t end like that, she needs to do something!

Just as the man is about to step into the air and commence a free fall of several stories high, a bubble creates around him. The man gasps, suspended in the air by a wavering force field.

Realizing it is her doing, Stephanie clenches her jaw and focuses all her might on it. Although it quakes with her effort, the bubble carefully glides downwards until it touches the pavement. As soon as it does, the man looks around in a daze and begins to walk away.

Stephanie finds that such small deed was too great for her. All her energies abandon her and she suddenly falls to the ground. She sits there helplessly. Her heart has recovered that unforgiving pace and she breathes heavily again, even worse than after her dash.

In a daze, feeling how her brain slowly fills with fog, Stephanie watches the scene. Two men are fighting close to her, shouting as they’re convinced the other is a threat. A woman and her baby run aimlessly, wailing as each make more noise than the previous. All around her reigns absolute chaos. Panic. Terror. The reason? She doesn’t know. She doesn’t understand.

A man runs for his life, anxiously looking over his shoulder as though something or someone is chasing him. Stephanie can’t see anything behind the man. Just as he passes her by, she weakly holds on to the leg of his pants.

“Sir, sir!!” She calls out, trying to get through to him. Fighting his panic, he nervously turns to her. “What is happening?!”

“T-The scarecrow!” The man gulps. “We’re all going to die!”

And with that her breaks free from her grasp with one simple jerking motion and continues on his escape from an invisible foe.

Stephanie frowns under her eye mask. There are no signs of any scarecrow, and even if it was… what would a scarecrow be doing in a city? Why would an inanimate object be a threat? These people seem to be frightened of an imaginary foe. The only thing different aside from the panicked people is a strange ambiance. Although slightly similar to the way her force fields change the air, this once it feels heavy. There is a mild odor of something burning, like popcorn that has been on the microwave for too long.

But… there is no fire. Stephanie suddenly gets an urge to leave. She makes to stand up, but she remains too weak to move. Anguish overcomes her. Something is happening in that place, something that she cannot comprehend but that is starting to take over her too.

She doesn’t know what, but something is wrong. Something is about to happen. Something bad. Something terrible. She can’t stop thinking about it. A feeling of dread overpowers any other rational thoughts. Now Stephanie understands how all those people feel. Panicked She does too.

Her eyes frantically travel all around her, expecting hidden enemies in every corner. Her powers are useless, even if she could use them. She can’t protect herself, or anyone else.

Static-like void fills her brain, causing her to push her hands against her ears when it feels like her head is about to explode. Her temples throb. Her heart thumps. Her breathing quickens.

Just as she feels herself about to completely lose control, a figure appears in front of her as though it has fallen from the heavens. Stephanie yelps and whimpers, shielding her face with her hands and leaning backwards to get away.

“Hey” A deep dark voice approaches her. “You okay?”

Stephanie dares to peek through her fingers, only becoming more frightened when she actually sees the person… the… creature? It looks like a man, but her panicked mind can only see an enormous bat standing on two legs with its wings wide open.

“Ah!” She screams, so the figure folds the wings and cautiously approaches her. She still doesn’t trust him. “Please don’t hurt me!”

He can hurt her. He will. Anyone can. Anyone will.

“I’m not going to hurt you” He slowly crouches down to be at eye level with her. She can see his worried brown eyes through the mask that covers his features. “Look at me”

“You’re… you’re…” The world seems to spin around her, and Stephanie is out of breath. “You’re The Batman”

“That’s right, I’m here to help” He reminds her, offering her his hand. “What’s going on?”

Stephanie gulps as he pulls her to her feet. It comes to her attention that he looks her up and down, reminding her of the outfit she’s wearing. A hero… she failed. The reason why she went there on the first place was because she wanted to help those people, but… reality becomes a little more stable as she realizes… not even the police stuck around.

“Can you hear me?” The Batman tries again. “What is happening?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know” All her thoughts are scrambled, too fast to stop as they slip through her lips. “Something… is wrong… I can’t explain it...”

A sudden urge to cry causes her to stare at him, begging for help. Maybe he knows what strange occurrence takes place in that street, or how to stop it, or how to end it. He doesn’t seem to, but his eyes are filled with compassion.

“I assume you wanted to help, but you can go” He tells her, supporting her as she feels herself swaying. “Don’t worry, everything will be alright”

Stephanie slowly nods, taking a deep breath and making an effort to fight through that strange trance of terror. No one has attacked her yet, despite her irrational conviction that they would.

“Go, get to safety” The Batman insists, gently letting go of her. “I’ll take care of this”

She opens her mouth. To warn him. He doesn’t know. Since he has just arrived, he has no idea what he will soon experience. But Stephanie can’t speak up. She barely has the strength to stand.

Stumbling and in a daze, she takes a step. She needs to get away from there, breathe a different air. Clean air, not contaminated with whatever is hurting her so. For that reason, she takes another step. And then another. Little by little, she gets away from there. The safety of her home has never felt so distant.

_

When she wakes up, Stephanie can barely remember how she clumsily plopped on the bed and fell asleep. She had nightmares that are impossible to remember. The fact that she is still wearing her hero outfit is proof that it really happened. She still feels feverish and exhausted from her attempt. Something out of the ordinary was happening there. She can only hope The Batman helped those people, and that he himself was safe after all of that.

Remembering she is supposed to meet Barry when he texts her a quick ‘omw’ that lets her know he will arrive soon, Stephanie gets up. She gets changed and stumbles through her own house as though the ground is shaking under her feet.

Her mind seems to clear up as the minutes pass. When she is done getting ready, she goes to the door where she is supposed to meet Barry. He isn’t there yet. At least, her thoughts feel more coherent and ordered now.

Even after that strange effect has passed, adark feeling stays with Stephanie, like a black cloud that stays with her. At first she assumed it was the rare burst of adrenaline traveling through her veins. Now she’s not so sure. Her heart hasn’t stopped beating erratically ever since then, and although there is no more danger she feels on edge. Frightened. She wonders if she really wasn’t as brave as she though she was, or that she abused her still recovering body too much, or if the experience was too harrowing to easily leave behind. Whatever the case, a sudden presence forces her away from those thoughts.

“Hi!” Barry jumps into place in front of her, bearing a wide grin that seems to brighten up the subtle darkness that has clouded her heart. “I’m here”

“You’re late again” The girl only says, even if she’s already smiling. Barry’s feeling has a healing effect that cures her lingering restlessness.

“I know, I’m so sorry” He dramatically sighs, although he does look a little tired. “Busy day”

“What did you do today?” Stephanie asks, trying to start a conversation while at the same time distract herself from her unease.

“Uh….. you know...” Barry shrugs. “Run around, do some errands, save the world…”

Stephanie laughs out loud at his joke, and he grins widely in return. However, the gesture vanishes from his face immediately after. He is staring at her with his brow knitted in concern.

“Steph, you look pale…” He whispers, rubbing her arm. “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah” She chuckles, internally panicking at the mere thought of him finding out about her powers and her little adventure. “I just… went for a walk to kill time… Guess I’m a little tired”

Barry pauses. She can almost see the wheels turning in his head. He is about to tell her that she should rest and take it easy, but he doesn’t. Instead, he dedicates her his best encouraging smile.

“I’m gonna spoil you today” His hand lingers on her arm. “You’re still recovering and you deserve to be spoiled”

“So it was a trap” Stephanie smirks, playfully rolling her eyes at him. “I should have known”

“There’s no escaping now” Barry offers her his arm, which she links with his. He then playfully arches his eyebrows. “Shall we?”

The pair smile at each other as they begin to walk. Barry immediately goes on about what they can do. They can get some snacks and take a little walk. Since she’s been locked inside for so long he wants her to get some air, but he’s stern on letting her rest, so maybe they should sit at a terrace. She doesn’t care what the plan is, she’s just happy to be with him. His presence is reassuring, silently reminding Stephanie that there is nothing to fear.

_

It has returned. That feeling of dread, of imminent danger. It isn’t nearly as strong as before, it merely feels like a shadow of its former self. Nonetheless, it is barely enough to make even breathing exhausting. Stephanie can’t focus.

Night is slowly falling as the sky turns a slightly darker shade of blue. It has orange and purple tinges as the last traces of the sunset erase from the horizon. The early night breeze envelops them, gentle like a caress.

Barry has been talking almost all evening, but Stephanie is no longer answering him. She is absently playing with the paper that the hot dogs they ate came in.

“What do you say?” Barry is saying then, but she’s not listening. “Steph?”

Stephanie is so out of it that she can’t answer. She grits her teeth, trying not to wince, when her temples begin throbbing. Her entire body is giving her signals. All she wants to do is rest. Sleep. Sleep for a really long time.

“Steph” He sternly calls her, taking her free hand when she feebly leans on him. “W-What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…” She gulps, avoiding his gaze as she lowers her head in the hopes that the stillness can level her dizziness. “Just got a bit light-headed”

“You sure you’re okay?” When she doesn’t answer, he continues. His voice carries a hint of panic. “You’re still recovering, maybe you should have stayed-”

“I’m okay” She rushes to say, trying her best to smile at him. “Just a bit tired”

“Steph, you almost died not that long ago” Barry gravely says, subtly sinking his fingers into her arm. “And you don’t look so good”

“Barry” She begins to say, tiredly tilting her head as she peers at him. Her vision blurs, but she tries to fight through her unwell. “I’m just… a bit weak…”

He doesn’t reply, only furrowing his brow and feeling a pang of concern in his chest. He had been scared enough to find her after the accident, it only makes it worse to see her in that state still. He doesn’t think he could take the idea of her not being alright.

“And…” Stephanie gulps, wobbling slightly. “V-Very dizzy…”

Barry wraps an arm around her. His heart is racing in unease. Just as he supports her, Stephanie falters. The breath hitches in his throat as he tightens his hold on her and presses her against his side.

“Steph?!” His voice breaks as the concern completely takes over him.

For a few seconds she doesn’t reply, only limply lying against him. Memories of finding her after the accident return to Barry, and he grimaces at the mental image. Luckily, she reacts in time to pull him out of those dark thoughts.

“I’m… okay…” She tells him in a daze, voice weak.

Still firmly holding on to her, he presses his free hand against her forehead. Stephanie’s skin feels warm, confirming his suspicions that she was still sick.

“I’m taking you home” Barry states. “No buts, you need to rest”

Stephanie babbles, opening and closing her mouth. If only he knew the true reason behind her state. But he can never know. In any case, she doesn’t feel lucid enough to speak. The mere idea that she has a secret identity feels far too surreal at the moment, even to herself.

“Can you walk?” Barry tenderly moves the hair away from her face, trying to take a good look at her. She only shakes her head, frowning as she tiredly puts her head on his shoulder. “Okay, up you go”

Straining a little, he grunts as he sweeps her off the floor and into his arms. Stephanie suddenly feels incredibly safe and comfortable in his embrace, and the deep unwell lessen slightly.

“You’re strong…” She chuckles, and she briefly wonders why she’s tilted to the side even though her head is still resting against his shoulder.

“See? You’re clearly delirious” They peer at each other for a moment.

The slight motion of picking her head off his shoulder sends a wave of vertigo through her. She whimpers, closing her eyes tight and gingerly resting her head on his shoulder again. Then, a sudden change of position startles her. When she opens her eyes, they are already at her place. Baffled, she feebly glances around. A moment ago they were… and now… she must be really delirious...

“We’re here” Barry carries her inside. “Do I need to take you to the hospital?”

“No, I just…” She starts to say, but her voice then becomes urgent. “Put me down”

Confused, Barry does as she says. When she is on her feet again, Stephanie presses her hands over her mouth. The wave of nausea soon passes, much to her relief. However, everything else does too.

Barry exclaims as he throw himself forward to catch her. Stephanie drops down, falling limply to the ground. His arms break her fall and he nervously scoops her into them again.

“Oh my gosh…” He mumbles as he rushes her to the bed. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh…”

He shakily sighs to himself as he carefully lies her down. The girl’s arms stay locked around his neck even when he lets go of her. Barry stops to intently watch her. She now looks peaceful, as though she badly needed that rest. She’s resting, he tells himself. Yeah, just resting. Her chest softly moves up and down with her calm breathing.

“She’s okay” Barry assures himself, although he begins pacing up and down her room.

Thousands of terrible thoughts battle in his brain. She’s sick again. She hasn’t recovered. She’s dying. The accident was too much for her, she will never fully recover.

“Okay, calm down, Barry” He takes a deep breath, even if he still paces. “She’s fine, she’s gonna be alright”

He tells himself that all those thoughts are lies. They are just fears, not reality. Interrupting himself, Barry stops and looks at her again. Stephanie lies motionlessly in the bed. She is still pale, but she doesn’t look terribly sick. He sighs and resumes his pacing.

“She’s not as bad as she was in the hospital” Barry whispers, trying not to wake her. “She looked much worse then. Besides, Steph’s strong, she’ll be fine, she’ll be-”

Barry’s phone rings, startling him so much that he yelps and jumps in place.

“H-Hello?”

“Barry?”

The boy finally quits his pacing for good. His hand flies to his forehead. He had totally forgotten he was supposed to return to the Batcave after being with Steph. Things had seemed to gotten worse. After their rescue on the train, panic had seemed to reign on the streets for several hours. There was no explanation, but they knew it had something to do with the rest of strange events. And maybe a villain was behind it all.

But now… Stephanie needs him. She is sick. Now he can’t leave her.

“Bruce! I’m so sorry” Barry rapidly says. “I know I should be there, but Steph got really sick and…”

“Is she alright?”

“Y-Yeah, yeah… I think so…”

“And you?”

“I’m fine, I just got scared…” He sighs, settling his nerves. “Really freaking scared”

“So you can’t make it?” Bruce asks him, but at least Barry is relieved that there is no anger or annoyance in his voice.

“I’m afraid not… I’m really sorry, I just…”

“I understand” The man replies. “But we have to check that out”

“Sure, yeah!” Barry nervously ruffles his own hair. “You guys be careful out there, okay?”

“We will” Bruce gently says. “Take care of your friend”

“Yeah” The boy absently hangs up, turning to her once more. She is now lying over her side, having turned slightly in her sleep.

Barry watches her, wondering how he can contain such an immense amount of fondness for her. Just the sight of her pale face was enough to break his heart. If he could, he would hold her tight and never let go, protect her from everything.

When he slowly walks closer to her, a board of the wooden floor creaks. Barry freezes, but it’s too late. Stephanie groggily turns around, opening her eyes moving her head to look around her.

“Barry?” She mumbles, looking around, disoriented. “What…?”

What is Barry doing there with her? However, she quickly forgets about him when her eyes fall on the window. It’s almost dawn. An alarm blasts in her head as her usual routine occupies all her thoughts. She needs to get ready!

"I gotta go to work!" Stephanie makes to stand from the bed, but Barry is faster. He pushes her by the shoulders and forces her to lie down again.

"What?” He exclaims, feeling that anguish that he had just gotten rid of creeping up again. “Are you… are you serious?"

"Barry, I’m gonna be late! Our investigation is very important, it will help so many-"

“Oh my gosh, Steph!” He exclaims, in a surprisingly loud and exasperated voice that instantly silences her in astonishment. “Can you stop thinking about everyone else and take care of yourself for one minute?! Don’t you remember what happened to you?!”

And suddenly, with his words, Stephanie does remember. The accident, the hospital, the heroic attempt, the inexplicable dread in the air… Everything. She relaxes, forgetting about work. She now remembers she hasn’t gone to the lab in a week. But it’s too late for Barry.

Stephanie gawks at him, having no words to retaliate. His sudden outburst is so unexpected that she is utterly speechless. A second after he finishes his sentence, however, his eyes widen in surprise as well. They silently stare at each other.

“I’m so sorry” He utters, averting his gaze in shame. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you, I just…”

“You’re right… I just got a little disoriented” Stephanie reaches out to delicately take his hand, which he reluctantly allows. “I’m going to lie down, okay?”

The boy nods his head, and he doesn’t move at first even as she insists. When Stephanie tugs at his fingers, he starts to move slowly. Barry turns, hesitantly facing her. Stephanie only pulls a little harder, inviting to sit with her as she returns to her previous spot. Exhaling all the anguish in a shaky breath, Barry joins her in the bed.

No more words are spoken for several seconds. Stephanie doesn’t let go of Barry’s hand. His eyes are watery. Even as he looks away again, she knows, and that is why she tugs at him until they’re both lying down. Resting on their sides, they’re now facing each other. They just rest there for a moment, letting all the tension in the air to vanish and lingering on their positions until Stephanie’s soft voice breaks the silence.

“Are you okay, Barry?”

“Yeah...” He takes a deep breath in. “Just a little shaky”

“I’m sorry…” She mutters, and her hand is delicately pressing against his cheek before she can stop herself. “I really hate to worry you”

“You can’t scare me like that again, okay? Ever” Barry replies, taking her hand off his face and clutching it between both his palms. “Just when I thought you were out of danger you faint on me like that and…”

“I’m okay, Barry” Stephanie assures, chuckling a little when his eyes fall upon hers in a skeptical manner. “I’m better now, really, I just need some rest”

“I can assure you, you’re getting some rest” Remnants of that exasperated tone linger in his voice. “I’m making sure you get some sleep even if I have to lie all day here with you!”

“Is that a threat?” She tenderly smiles, and the callback causes Barry to chuckle.

He pauses, taking a moment to sigh and calm himself.

“Are you really feeling okay?” He lovingly presses her hand against his chest. His heart is drumming underneath it. “Don’t lie to me, Steph, I’ll know”

“I am, I promise” Stephanie snuggles closer to him, embracing his warmth and comforting presence. “Just a little tired”

“What happened to you?” He whispers in concern, even if his arm automatically falls over her frame. “I thought you had rested a lot, that you were recovered. Did I overdo it today? I really tried to…”

“No, no, it’s not that” The girl locks eyes with him, biting her lip as she wonders if she should tell him. In the end she partially does, thinking that he doesn’t need to know the true reason behind her little adventure. “When I went for that walk earlier I… I don’t know… Something affected me… It was like the air was contaminated… It made me feel scared and horrible”

“What was it?”

“I have no idea… I just know there’s something strange going on in this city”

“Yeah, I know…” Barry somberly mutters. After a brief pause, he feels his shoulders relaxing the closer she is. “Try to get some sleep, okay? I’ll watch over you”

Stephanie breathes in, just at the same time that Barry does, and peacefully exhales with him. She hasn’t been feeling safe ever since that awful experience from before. Now, next to Barry and enveloped by his arms, she feels the safest she’s ever been.

Tag list: @scared-to-be-lonely345​​ / @ocfairygodmother​ // Ask to be added to be notified when I post for this series!!

[darkheart-brightsmile]

You Called Me Sweet

Barson (pre-relationship kind of) drabble, very mild angst, slightly fluffy, using the prompt - "H-how long have you been standing there?"

WC: 1277

***

“H-how long have you been standing there?” he asked, his face burning when he turned to the look at the door and saw her stood in the doorway, leaning to one side, arms folded across her chest, a small smile on her face. She looked as lovely as she always did.

“Long enough.” she shrugged, stepping into his inner sanctum, “you really went to bat for me, huh?”

He threw his phone down violently on his desk, growling some Spanish words she didn’t catch under his breath before stalking back and forth, his mind racing.

“We’re partners, ‘Liv. I’m not going to let anyone threaten you like that. If Buchanan thinks he’s going to hold me to ransom he’s got another thing coming. Slimy arrogant bastard!” Rafael spat, his eyes burning, his fists clenched at his side.

“In all the years I’ve known him, he’s always been like that. It’s why he’s a defence attorney. He doesn’t care about anything except his own reputation and having his clients found not guilty - no matter the cost to others.” she replied, sounding exhausted and unsurprised at this antics.

“That’s not acceptable, I’m not allowing that to happen.” he said firmly, slamming a hand on the desk.

“Raf, I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself.” she sighed, shaking her head.

“That’s not the point. He can’t make wild accusations just to try and torpedo our case. And threatening you, there’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. Does he really think your squad isn’t loyal to you? And that you don’t conduct yourself without complete integrity?” replied Rafael, his voice getting angrier and louder, echoing through the room.

“I think he’s betting that he can distract enough from his client to win. It’s not a new strategy, Rafael. We’ve seen it a million times. And sometimes it works, Buchanan is bluffing but a cop has cut a corner, and he gets what he wants.” she shrugged, stepping towards his desk and resting her hands on the back of the chair positioned opposite it.

“It’s infuriating!” he spat, his eyes blazing bright.

“I know it is. But please don’t worry about me. Worry about Rachel, and this case, and getting her the justice that she deserves.” she smiled gently, secretly touched that Rafael was defending her so vigorously.

“I’m always going to worry about you, ‘Liv. That’s what best friends do.” he gave her that half grin that made her knees go weak if she was honest. This time there was also something about his tone of voice that made her breath catch.

“Would it make you feel better if I take a step back and let Fin and Amanda take over?” she asked quietly, focussing on her own hands, and not his face, “they’ve been just as involved as I have. If we did that, would it help your case?”

“I can’t ask you to do that.” replied Rafael sighing and shaking his head.

“Would it help the case?” she repeated more firmly, looking up quickly and staring him down.

“Probably. I know I’d feel a lot better if Buchanan isn’t anywhere near you. I trust you but I would rather not have this hanging over us.” he grumbled, running his hands through his hair – a trademark sign of his uncertainty about the situation.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. If you’re free tomorrow, we can all meet, make sure this case is a solid as it can be, and that we win. And I will keep well away from it.”

“Are you micromanaging me?” he chuckled, tilting his head to watch her more closely.

“Just a little. But it’s only for your own good.” she smiled.

“I thought I was the one who was protecting you?” he replied again, moving from behind his desk to perch on the side, arms folded across his chest.

“Who said we can’t protect each other? Isn’t that how partners work?” she asked gently, her eyes warm and fixed on his.

“Very true.” he chuckled.

“For the record I think it’s very sweet that you want to defend my honour.”

“I don’t think anyone has described me as anything remotely akin to ‘sweet’ before.” he snorted, resting his hands on the edge of the desk, gripping the surface tightly, hesitance filling him as he was sure if she complimented him anymore, he would lose his mind.

“Well, you are, Rafael Barba.” she said quietly, as she stepped forwards, a slight blush gracing her lovely cheeks, “thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” he replied as smoothly as he could when she was stood so close, practically between his legs, her perfume wafting through the tiny amount of air between them.

She moved to press a kiss to his cheek, her hand coming up to clutch his shoulder as she did. In response he moved a hand to her waist, savouring the warmth of her body detectable through her thin blouse, one finger slipped under the fabric, and he could touch her skin. He gulped and closed his eyes and breathed her in, the feel of her lips on his now rough cheek, her fingers delicately curled into his shirt, her scent – subtle and powerful all at once. She was heaven.

“You want to get a drink?” she whispered; her face impossibly close to his.

“No.” he murmured, his hand tightening on her waist, the other coming up to stroke her cheek.

She blushed and looked down, sighing, “Dinner?”

“No.” he shook his head, pulling her closer so her free hand landed on his chest to steady herself, his thumb now tracing the line of her jaw, his eyes nearly black as he refused to look away from her.

For a second, she knew this wasn’t a good idea, it was a terrible idea. They prided themselves that despite their close bond, they had never allowed it to go further than that. But as he caressed her skin and stared at her as if she was the only person in the world, she knew that there was a reason she wasn’t pulling away.

He saw the flicker in her eyes as she had her lightning bolt realisation, and suddenly, their lips were locked together. She had never been kissed like this, passionate but gentle, he was sweet; he was confident, and loving, and so fucking sexy. His hands had moved to her lower back, desperately trying to clutch her closer, as if he desired their bodies to meld into one. And then when she felt his groan vibrate through her body she smiled into the kiss, and he pulled back.

“I’m curious what Buchanan accused me of now.” she whispered across his cheek, her lips nuzzling his face, Rafael leaning into it, rejoicing that this phenomenal woman was finally this close to him.

“Ironically, he accused you of being romantically involved with someone in the NYPD and you not disclosing.” he murmured across her skin, his lips tasting the sweet curve of her throat now and she sank into his body.

She looked shocked for a second before she burst out laughing and rested her forehead to his, breathing in deeply and relishing this new intimacy between them.

“Think we all need some irony in our lives, don’t we? Besides, technically you don’t work for the NYPD.” she replied, pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead.

“A technicality that I’m incredibly thankful for right now. Honestly, Olivia, I can live without irony if I can have you.” he replied smoothly and she smiled brilliantly, before touching her lips to his again. It turned out Buchanan had been right, though neither of them ever told him that.

***

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I don't think I've missed anyone on the tag list, charming daughter has hidden my phone and it was saved on there and I'm using my laptop to post! I've also started tagging anyone who has liked or reblogged previous drabbles - if you don't want to be included I won't take offence - just let me know! :D

[bjy-on-ao3]

(1/2) Heyy, thanks for your reply, and sorry it took me a while to put my request together but here it is: Reader is a shy naiad/nymph who often attends Dionysus' parties, one day he throws a party for Ares, perhaps post-victory celebration. Ares is still in war mode (when is he not lol) and his mood is affecting the other party-goers, so much so that it starts disrupting the party (fights breaking out and what not). Dio wants people to start having fun again so he coaxes reader into helping ares uhhhh 'destress', maybe makes her drink a little ambrosia/wine to loosen up(two birds one stone y'know, he gets reader out of their shell as well). Of course *Dio* joins in the 'festivities' too bc can't be letting ares have all the fun dkkd.

(As usual, you can find the AO3 version of all my uploads [and some things I don’t post here to tumblr] via my Masterlist blog page.)

I’ve wanted to attempt this request for a while now, but I needed some study into certain parts of it I wasn’t familiar with. I hope y’all enjoy the fic nonetheless and my bits of inexperience in certain portions don’t show overmuch!

(Note: There is no Ares/Dionysus in this fic & this is featuring the characters from the Hades game, if that weren't clear already.)

Summary

During a post-war celebration, the God of War gets a bit out of control, making tempers run hot. With Ares’ bloodlust infecting the party and threatening to ruin it by becoming a brawl, Dionysus enlists Reader’s aid to help his brother wind down. Though he isn’t one to be left out of the fun either.

Tags/Warnings

Alcohol, Anal Fingering, Anal S*x, Biting, Blood, Creampie, Double Penetration, Drunk S*x, Hand Jobs, Nymph Reader, One Shot, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Reader-Insert, Rough S*x, Shameless Smut, Slight Breathplay, Stomach Bulge, Threesome, Vaginal S*x, Voyeurism

Party Foul (Ares/F! Reader/Dionysus)

The sound of raised voices and angry snarls sent you fleeing from the area most folks had gathered to celebrate. Though it was a fete held by a local town in honor of some glorious conquest of war, the atmosphere had been light and jovial to start. However, it hadn’t been long until several of the Olympian gods deigned to grace the celebration with their presence, many with small groups of followers of their own. Mostly, the gods only added to the cheerful mood, the victorious soldiers feeling even more invigorated and honored by their presence. Yet the presence of one god stoked a fire in the blood of many present, whether soldier or laborer or homemaker. Already high on the chaos and strife from previous battles laid to rest, Ares, god of war, brought with him a mood that was electric and infectious. His revel in the bloodshed had boosted his mood, working him into something close to a frenzy. A frenzy that seeped out among the crowd, even after he had left the immediate area. It made them quibble and quarrel amongst one another, escalating until those unaffected began to cautiously distance themselves, lest they be caught up in an impromptu fistfight or worse. Arriving in tow with one of the attending gods, as was common among your fellow nymphs, you had been reluctant, but still secretly excited to enjoy the celebration. You were more than willing to enjoy the captivating atmosphere of good humor and greater cheer, even if you weren’t quite so unphased as your brethren. But as the mood of the hour had grown sour and bitter, voices raised, several men had started physical fights. You had quickly balked and ran. Your flight had taken you to one of the small surrounding buildings, breathing a deep sigh of relief once the angry voices and shouts faded to something far more faint. Stopping, listening for a time, you willed your stammering heart to slow, at least until the sound of sandals drew your attention. You cast a wary glance over your shoulder, ready to run again before recognizing the broad figure behind you. Turning to face the god whom you had accompanied to the party, you opened your mouth to speak, only for him to cut you off. “Ah, perfect timing!” Dionysus’ smooth voice boomed. “C’mere, babe, I could use a little help.” “I-What is it, my Lord?” you asked, thrown off by how laid back he sounded, despite the faint ruckus not far off. You hadn’t spoken to him too much personally, his attention often taken by those more willing to vie for it. “You’re having a good time, yeah? I mean, before all… that,” he trailed off with a lazy gesture of his hand, showing his distaste for the brutish behaviour that had stirred up. “Oh, yes! Before that, absolutely,” you answered, nodding. “Fantastic! What do you say to livening things up a little then?” You couldn’t hold back the furrow of your brow. “Ah, it seems like the city folk have taken it upon themselves to do just that already… Not that I mean to say no, my Lord!” you added quickly. Dionysus grimaced at the reminder of the ongoing brawl growing nearby. “That’s.. Not quite the mood I’m looking for. That’s why I need a little help to cool things down,” he continued, the sour look quickly swept away. “Follow me babe; I promise it’ll be a good time.” “Alright,” you agreed with another acknowledging nod, thinking you would rather be further away from the fighting anyhow. “Great, this way then,” Dionysus gestured once more, this time the gesture more welcoming, an insistence for you to follow him. You followed quietly, giving a few idle glances around the building as he led you through it, down a long hall and to a secluded room. It seemed to be some kind of lavishly decorated bedroom or lounge, littered with chaises and sturdy chairs. Several sconces peppered the wall, giving it a warm, golden glow and leaving nary a corner of the room cast into darkness. On several tables sat platters of breads and cheese, eggs, fruit, and even one of various meats, flanked with several chalices and vessels of what you assumed wine and other spirits. Dionysus stopped at the

door, giving you a gentle push into the room while he waited before the doorway. “Wait here for a minute, babe, I’ll be right back,” he assured you with a grin. Uncertain exactly what it was Dionysus required of you - given who you were dealing with, you had ideas, of course, but one could never be completely sure - you did as you were told. You settled yourself on the edge of one chaise, eyeing one of the more impressive looking vessels on the tables. You decided against having a taste from it, deeming it better to just wait until Dionysus returned. After a few minutes that dragged on, the sound of footsteps drew near once more - this time more than just one set, the additional footsteps heavier than the first. Dionysus reappeared in the doorway, stepping into the room, followed by another man who could only be another god, judging by the broad breadth of his shoulders and chest and the fearsome, bloody red eyes that fell on you. You recognized him instantly - the god of chaos and war was hard to forget, after all - and most you knew gave him a wide berth. It wasn’t so much that he was unpredictable that concerned most people, rather that his fondness for war and violence was exceptionally predictable. You suppressed the urge to rise from your seat and make some hasty excuse to retreat, not fond of the wild-eyed excitement painted on the new god’s face that seemed barely held under control, or the nearly tangible aura around him that made your skin prickle. Despite being dressed in less warlike attire than the armor he often wore and was well known for, Ares was still large and imposing. The addition of several blades remaining strapped or tied here and there did little to dull that impression. You looked to Dionysus, seeking distraction from Ares’ entrance, wondering what business he had that involved you and also required Ares. “What was it you needed my help for again, Lord Dionysus?” you piped up as you watched him coax Ares into reposing on another chaise some distance away. Walking back to you, Dionysus eyed you for a second, and then his eyes flickered back to his brother, who seemed a bit more mild, though still impatient and worked up. “You saw the scuffle outside, yeah, babe?” he asked easily, seeming hardly put off by Ares’ frightening aura. You nodded silently, feeling as if he wasn’t quite done speaking. “Old Ares over there got a bit overexcited, and it’s really killing the mood,” Dionysus complained, tone dipping slightly in annoyance at the idea of a ruined mood, heaving a small sigh. “He could stand to… wind down, if you catch my meaning.” You weren’t dull, and catch his meaning you did quickly, looking to Ares. “Oh,” you said quietly, feeling more apprehension rise. Ares was appealing enough, you couldn’t deny that, but he was also nearly as frightful. “What do you say, babe? Think you can convince him to relax?” As carefree as Dionysus sounded, he still seemed aware of your worry, too. “If you’re feelin’ nervous, I’ve got a little something that might just help you out.” He reached for one of the more ornate vessels on the table before pouring some of the liquid into a goblet. The liquid was a rich, royal purple, some kind of wine that seemed to smoke faintly, though the scent that wafted from it was heady and sweet. “I promised it’d be a good time, right? Just drink this and trust me, babe.” Fickle though most gods were, from your experience Dionysus was trustworthy enough for his words to be reassuring. The wine in the cup would no doubt deal away with any lingering uncertainties as well. You considered the cup for a moment more, giving a second half-nod and reaching to take it from Dionysus’ hold. You drained it quickly, far quicker than you might have under normal circumstances. Now was not the time to sip and recline. You needed whatever aid that wine might offer. For several passing, heavy moments, your nerves remained. But a warm, gentle buzz crept up, drowning your concerns out until they were naught but an indistinct drone in the back of your head. A warmth starting in your

cheeks spread down your neck and chest, leaving you suddenly less stiff, less concerned by Ares’ menace. The prospect of helping him ‘relax’, as Dionysus had so casually suggested, became less frightening by the second. As if he could tell how quickly his special wine had taken effect - you guessed it was more likely he knew how potent it was - Dionysus grinned. He extended a hand to help you to your feet, and you took it without a second thought. In the past, you had heard alcohol referred to as ‘liquid courage’, though you imagined that was regarding mortal drink. You didn’t think any mortal wine could have so put you at ease quite so speedily as what you had just drank. Yet, despite the potency of the alcohol, you were easily able to remain steady on your feet, even without Dionysus’ help. “Well, go on, babe,” Dionysus urged you nonchalantly. “Don’t want this party to go downhill anymore, do we?” With a gentle shake of your head, you released Dionysus’ hand, and swept past him, towards Ares from where he watched with vague interest. The warmth and confidence granted to you spread further, growing strong, whisking away the last tatters of your nerves and leaving a need to please behind. You noted that even though Ares showed some interest, he seemed restless, as if he would much rather be out among the ruckus he had unintentionally - you assumed - incited. “I’ve been told you're in need of some relaxation, my Lord,” you said in a tone you hoped was alluring. Ares scrutinized you for a silent moment from his seat, sipping something from a goblet of his own. Though the scent that drifted from his was far more potent and acrid. “Is that so?” Ares’ speech was much more calm and composed than you had expected, a striking contrast to the roiling expression in his eyes. His sharp gaze flicked to Dionysus where you had left him. He had settled onto another of the many chaises, indulging in his own drink already and looking as if he wasn’t paying you any further mind. “Very well,” Cutting red eyes turned back to you, and a shiver of anxiety you had thought drowned in wine shot through you. But you pushed the feeling away, calling on the courage bestowed on you by that same drink. “But first, off with those,” Ares demanded, gesturing with a nod of his head to your clothing. Quick to obey, your fingers flashed to your belt, undoing it and tossing it aside. Your fingers shook a little, yet you didn’t feel as if fear or worry were the cause now. Next came your tunic, pulled over your head as gracefully as you could manage, left to join your belt. At last, only your breast band remained, and you doubted it was exempt from Ares’ command. So if came off, too, leaving you stark nude in front of him. Were it not for the potency of the draught Dionysus had given you, you were sure your stripping would have been a clumsy mess, but even with your trembling touch, it had felt easy. “Now, come here, then,” the tone of Ares’ voice hardly changed, remaining thunderous and even, as if you had little effect on him. You moved until you were within reach, and Ares closed the rest of the distance between you, grabbing you by the wrist and thigh and pulling you onto his lap. Even in your pleasant haze, the sudden, unsettled motion struck you, and you sat still for a few seconds, trying not to blink owlishly at him. A ghost of a grin curled Ares’ lips, and he waited expectantly. Large, hard hands lingered on your skin. They shifted, and you flinched reflexively, and Ares’ smile showed a slight flash of teeth, as if he was enjoying the tension, however brief. “Don’t keep the man waiting, babe,” drifted Dionysus’ voice from his chaise. Apparently, he was paying more attention it had initially appeared. Shaking yourself out of your surprised stupor, you licked your lips and tried to relax again. You bent forward, planting your hands firmly on the front of Ares’ tunic and crushing your lip to his. The taste of whatever sharp, potent liquid he had been drinking met you head on, mingling with something pleasantly earthy and overwhelming the

lingering sweetness from the wine Dionysus had plied you with. There was a soft clunk as he set down his drink somewhere nearby, and his reaction was swift, pushing roughly back into the kiss and nipping harshly at your lower lip. One hand tangled in your hair, his grip stinging, preventing you from retreating. The other wasn’t to be left idle, sweeping over your form, grabbing rough handfuls of your ass or thighs or chest as it wandered. A cruel, full bite to your lip made you hiss and gasp, opening the seal of your lips well wide enough for Ares to thrust his tongue between them. When it twined itself with yours, it was as fierce as his kiss, waging a battle rather than taking part in what was for many a sensual dance. The hand roaming your body shifted to the small of your back, pushing your hips down into his, ensuring you felt the fruits of your effort to entice him, already straining beneath his clothes, hard and hot even through them. Ares pulled away, allowing you to catch your breath and taste blood as it trickled from your savaged bottom lip. Your tongue slipped out once more, re-wetting your lips and gathering the stray beads of blood. Something like amusement had overtaken Ares’ wild-eyed gaze. “What an obedient little nymph you have brought, brother,” he said smoothly, clearly addressing Dionysus, though his attention remained fixed on you, taking a more thorough measure of your form spread across his lap. Something you couldn’t quite place flashed through the cutting red for an instant before he spoke again, and you couldn’t contain another shiver. “How much can such a fragile creature handle, I wonder,” he mused, the hand that had captured your head sliding down and lightly skimming over your neck briefly. Another shudder wracked you, less noticeable this time, and your breath caught in your chest. “Come now, nymph, let us see.” Quickly, Ares was on you again, leaning forward in his seat, pressing you more insistently into his lap before the same hand dug into your hair again, pulling and directing until you were bent back at his mercy. As before, Ares didn’t try to be soft or considerate, nipping at your lips again and wrestling your tongue into writhing submission. The warm, encouraging strength of the brew Dionysus had supplied made the lines between arousal and fear bubbling beneath the surface warp and twist, and you weren’t sure which was surging from the less than gentle treatment. Small moans and gasps previously smothered by Ares’ mouth and tongue broke free when he moved away again, licking his lips. He didn’t waste time, though, moving down your throat just as aggressively as he had kissed you. Sharp bites and soon-to-be bruises left a burning path across your jaw and throat. A deep, satisfied hum rolled through Ares when he was met with hisses and groans in response. Though his actions were careless and painful, there was pleasure in them, too, stoking a growing heat in you as if each touch of his lips and teeth and tongue infused you with the excited heat of bloodlust that filled the war god. You rolled your body toward his harsh attentions, bare core grinding against the eager hardness tucked beneath his clothes. A dark laugh tickled your skin, and you cracked your eyes open to spy an amused expression gracing Ares’ face. They snapped shut again to absorb the myriad mix of pain and pleasure as he assaulted your skin all over again. Somehow, his mouth on your skin felt so hot, even though you were sure your entire body was already aflame. So caught up in Ares’ attentions, you paid no mind to what had become of Dionysus. He lay eyeing the entire spectacle while he reclined languidly on his own chaise. Had you realized, it would have come as no surprise that the hedonistic god was fond of watching. And for a time, Dionysus was content to do just that - watch - his eyes glued to your reactions from his brother’s touch. But it wasn’t long before looking alone wasn’t enough, and his hand drifted to his lap, palming an erection of his own and stroking it through the fabric. Ares withdrew

again, allowing another short reprieve from his onslaught of mouth and hand. You followed him, moving your hands from his chest to his lap. A tiny part of you urged you to trace the outline of his erection beneath his clothes, to take your time. Yet another, far louder, more sensible part suggested that Ares wouldn’t likely take too kindly to a light and teasing touch. You abandoned the notion, ignoring the dull sting of the marks Ares had bit and sucked into your skin. You pushed his lappets away instead, and his cock stood free and stiff before you, almost as imposing as its owner. Rather than taking the time to admire him, you wrapped a hand around his thick cock, rewarded with a deep, primal sound. Ares’ head tilted back for a moment, basking in your hand slipping up and down his length. You squeezed a little harder as you stroked him, and Ares groaned; a husky, growling noise that went straight to your cunt. You didn’t hear the footsteps approaching closer and closer behind you, nor did you catch the motion sweeping toward you. You only realized Dionysus’ suddenly much closer present when Ares tipped his head forward and cast his eyes past you. A brief glimpse of annoyance flitted across his face, quickly erased as you continued to fondle his cock. “Inviting yourself to join in, brother?” Ares asked, and part of you was almost disappointed to hear how collected and smooth his tone sounded, as if you weren’t touching him at all, nor as if he had set upon you like a wild beast before that. Your pace slowed, but didn’t stop as you twisted as far as you could to look back over your shoulder. You found Dionysus standing in front of Ares’ chaise, his own excitement easily noticeable beneath his flowing tunic. “Can’t very well resist a show like this,” Dionysus excused shamelessly with a shrug. Something told you this was hardly the first time he had intruded on someone else’s carnal moments. Or perhaps his eternally relaxed attitude only gave off that sense. “You’ll just have to learn to share.” Your glance flicked from one to the other, expecting Ares to look more irritated at Dionysus’ casual decree, but he seemed to brush it off with a short, dismissive hum. His focus returned to you, deciding you more worthy of his time. He swiped your hand away from his cock, shifting you in his lap with both hands. You barely registered the sound of rustling of cloth behind you, completely distracted as Ares positioned you properly over him. He didn’t bother taking his time easing himself inside, jerking your hips down and bucking his upward. You stiffened immediately, biting your abused lip at the sudden stretching, aching sting as he filled you completely. You clawed at the fabric of the chaise, taking a deep, quivering breath. Fortunately, the wine and, somehow, Ares’ rough handling had left you limber and wet enough that the stretch of Ares’ cock wasn’t entirely uncomfortable. Yet still, you couldn’t restrain a pained whimper and a shorter, gasping breath when he shifted, lifting you up and forcing you back down. “Aah, Lord Ares, it- I-I can’t--” Your words were cut short by a whine, and your eyes shot down, avoiding Ares’ cruel crimson ones, again attempting to relax, focusing on the pleasure beneath the pain. You swallowed hard, and your cunt constricted, despite the burning ache, at the sight of the bulge in your lower belly. You hadn’t missed Ares’ considerable endowment when you had been touching him beforehand, but the sight of him so noticeably buried in you was a little frightening, and somehow even more arousing. “What troubles you so, nymph?” you tore your gaze away from the lewd sight it was fixed on to meet Ares’ eyes when he spoke. The cut of his voice was derisive, almost cruel, and a leer adorned his lips. “Surely you can handle this,” he added. He lifted and lowered you again, harder, and his smirk grew just a little when you winced and a gasping ‘ah’ burst from your lips. Somehow it was no shock a god entangled in violence and war would enjoy some pain, even in play. Dionysus’ familiar voice

floated to you before you could answer, smooth as honey, and almost soothing. “Easy, babe, you’re doing great.” His words were an intimate whisper, and if Ares could hear, he didn’t care to acknowledge them, only spearing you on his cock all over again, settling into a slow, rough pace. “Gotta relax, let it all go,” Dionysus urged you, and the tickle of his breath sent a pleasant chill down your spine, making your cunt squeeze down on Ares’ length again. Dionysus’ hands splayed across the bare skin of your back, feeling almost cold on your overheated skin. He smoothed around your torso until a breast filled each large palm, his thumbs rubbing lightly over your nipples. The sensation was a welcome contrast to the sting of Ares’ brutal fucking. Though the pain didn’t seem as bad as it had been - whether you were becoming used to it, or the pleasure Dionysus added muted it, you weren’t sure. Ares’ hands, meanwhile, remained steadfast on your hips, content to hold them in a grip tight enough to surely bruise. Each new time you sank down on his dick, your breath escaped in a gasp or breathless groan. The sounds you made morphed into something steadily more erotic, breathier and wanton. Ares’ voice drifted out, too, though in rumbling grunt when he buried himself completely inside you. Coming down on his length again, another hardness met you, from your backside this time, your ass sliding against it as Ares continued to fuck you. A fleeting glance back told you was Dionysus, proudly nude having decided completely discarding his long tunic was the best course of action. Your lapse in attention earned you more punishment from Ares, though, and he took the chance to lean forward and bite down on your neck sharply. Your hands flexed again, digging into whatever it was they had settled on now - you weren’t concerned with what, be it cloth or flesh or anything else. Your head snapped around, meeting entertained, self-satisfied red. Dionysus’ erection drew back and one hand lifted away. After several more thrusts, something hard, but smaller and more pliant prodded at your ass. Coated in something tacky and slick, what you assumed was one of Dionysus’ fingers searched briefly before finding your asshole and rubbing against it in small, gentle circles. An extra hard thrust from Ares made you tense and whimper, though your body clenched around him again. Still near your throat, Ares’ mouth closed over your skin again, biting and sucking greedily. Dionysus’ finger abandoned the lazy circles, pressing lightly against your puckered hole, steadily forward, careful despite Ares’ jarring pace. When the digit finally slipped through the ring of muscle, you hissed, a new discomfort striking you for an instant, in combination with Ares’ harshness. But whatever coated Dionysus’ finger had made the penetration only uncomfortable for a brief moment, and when he eased his finger in and out, the discomfort shifted to the back of your mind, replaced by the increased sense of fullness. Alongside it, a bubbling tension was awakening in your core, spurred on by the treatment of both gods, boiling low and tightening further ever-so-slowly. A second thick finger joined the first, and you became more used to the newest intrusion, taking in the swell of sensations enveloping you. Dionysus’ pace shifted to match Ares’ in speed, but it remained careful and otherwise languid. The hand he had left on your tits though became notably rougher, though, from excitement, rather than pleasure in pain. Ares’ grip on your hips wavered, no longer needing to so forcefully direct you. The ministrations from both had worked you into a wild heat that encouraged you to rock and grind against him and back onto Dionysus’ fingers. You couldn’t decide which your body craved more. All you knew was you needed both. Any remaining tension had been completely sapped away, along with all coherency you had possessed. An unbidden whine broke free when Dionysus withdrew his fingers, turning halfway into a gasp and then a moan when Ares paired a hard thrust with an even harder

bite on the junction of your neck and shoulder. You had little time to protest or miss any of the sensations before the hotter, harder touch of Dionysus’ cock returned, coated in the same thick, slick substance as his fingers. He aligned himself with your ass, as smooth and relaxed as before. “Better take a deep breath, babe,” Dionysus purred in your ear, both of his hands shifting to cut your rear. He pushed forward as you impaled yourself on Ares once more, his entrance mindful and slow; the opposite of his brother’s entirely. You drew a sharp breath, not from Dionysus’ warning, but simply from the way each inch added more and more to what you had already believed to be a fullness that threatened to split you wide. By the time Dionysus, too, was sheathed inside of you, the fullness bordered on overwhelming, and your breathing faltered again, your mind so completely scrambled. Your head fell back and your lips opened in an ‘oh’ of pleasure, dull pain, and a plethora of other intense, mixed feelings. You tried to rock into them both, to meet each thrust, though when their paces aligned, you could do little but writhe and moan, as if all sense had been wrung from you. Dionysus mouthed at your ear playfully, tongue curling across the shell. “Mm, you’re doing great, babe,” he praised in a husky whisper you almost didn’t catch, so caught up in everything. But catch them you did, and they sent another shudder coursing through you, your body squeezing both gods desperately and drawing more erotic sounds from them both. Another growling, low moan from Ares. A breathy, hedonistic groan from Dionysus. They only added to the mounting maelstrom of arousal and heat. Your heart quickened when one of Ares’ hands abandoned your hips and splayed around your throat loosely. His lips brushed your ear, and as he spoke, he squeezed, just enough to make your heart beat even faster and your breath come a bit more shallow. “Enjoying yourself, are you, nymph?” he growled cheekily. “I might have expected as much from one of my dear brother’s little harlots.” Had you been more sober, clear minded, Ares’ words, sounding nearly a slight, might have made you flush hot with humiliation. Instead, they worked only to heighten your desire, flowing into everything else. You had no mind left for embarrassment. All that remained were the mind-numbing sensations surrounding you and filling you. Ares’ voice dropped away, his pace picking up, his hips bucking harder into yours. Even Dionysus behind you thrust a little faster, harder, his own peaking arousal just as plain as Ares’. You weren’t immune to the welling up of pleasure, either, your belly churning and tight with a winding heat that was nigh unbearable. It grew and grew each time you were filled, and you wanted to scream instead of moan, cry instead of gasp. The thick intrusions, the wandering and groping and squeezing hands, and the greedy, hot tongues and teeth. It all came together in the perfect storm of mindless, primal passion. You came before either of them, giving into whatever wanton shout or cry wanted to escape, your muscles clenching frantically. When first the tense coil of heat burst, you were set awash with that heat, searing and intense, as if lightning struck. Your orgasm rose and fell, only to be dragged out by Ares’ and Dionysus’ unceasing pace, thrusting into your heat unrelentingly. The end of one orgasm blended into the beginning of another, and hot, overwhelmed tears brimmed in your eyes before breaking away. On either side of your face, each god lingered. Dionysus whispered more sultry words of praise and encouragement, placing sloppy kisses on your temple and cheek. Ares nipped your jaw and licked at the salty trail of your tears, as it was an exquisite taste that delighted him. Ares’ hips rolled into you harder than ever before, pace becoming wild and erratic. With a final sharp thrust, Ares’ release filled your cunt, hot and thick, accompanied by a savage bite to your neck that left the warm, sticky feeling of blood in its wake. When he pulled back, a bit of

blood smeared on his lips and teeth, he looked even more warlike and intimidating than to start. But something in his expression seemed sated, calm almost - or at least as calm as a god of such chaos could be. Dionysus, despite joining in later, took little longer to reach his own climax, and with a grinding thrust, he, too, coated your insides with his cum. A drawn-out, erotic moan followed in the wake of his orgasm, and he lay his head on your shoulder, his hair sticking to your overheated, sweat-slicked skin. After a moment of silence, Ares reclined back more comfortably, though didn’t bother to lift you off his length. Dionysus pulled away, withdrawing leisurely with a sound of contentment. Feeling exhausted and sore, you chanced collapsing against Ares’ chest, and to your surprise, the war god allowed it. You ignored the warm, wet feeling seeping down your thighs, too tired to truly care. “There. Don’t we all feel better now?” asked Dionysus cheerily, hardly sounded tired or winded at all. He paused to listen in silence, searching for the previous ruckus. “Certainly sounds a bit quieter out there now.” “Perhaps,” Ares drawled, and he didn’t sound very taxed either. It seemed you were the only one so tired. “I may yet have more use for your nymph before the night is done,” Ares decided, and you jumped reflexively when his fingers curled in your hair and massaged absently, in a gesture that could almost be confused for affectionate. Dionysus hummed acknowledgement. “Well, I’ll be back in a bit then. Try not to have too much more fun while I’m gone.” You heard rather than saw Dionysus redress and depart, too tired to bother looking. Your mind wandered to what other uses Ares might have for you, as he had stated. Did Dionysus have similar intentions in mind for the evening, too? Whatever the case, this wouldn’t be a night you would soon forget.

[a-detraque-barista]

Unfixable

Cat Izuku x Reader

Genre: fluff and angst, gender neutral reader

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Hello honey buns! Here is Cat Izuku for the fourth day of Izumonth. Announcement post here. @birds-have-teeth​

“Y/n please...I’m sorry!” tears poured out of his eyes like waterfalls. “I’m sorry okay?! I shouldn’t have left you! Just let me explain ple-”

You kept looking forward trying to ignore his apologizes but a few tears still escaped. Traitorous bastards. This was the last thing you wanted to do right now. You’ve been trying to move on from him for months after he left you for Ochako. 

“Look! It’s just like you said! You left me! You can’t fix this Midoriya,” you stopped speed walking to turn to him. You have never called him by his surname since the two of you first met and you knew how much it hurt him to hear you say it.

Knowing exactly what happened will help to understand the situation.

⇉      ⇉      ⇉

You were standing outside of the only hybrid adoption center in your area. You’ve been wanting to adopt a hybrid for years now. You wanted to give them a good home and all the things they could ever ask for. You’ve heard how they’ve been mistreated and it makes you sick to your stomach. How can anyone be so cruel to hybrids? They’re people too, not only pets for humans to use to fill the hole in their hearts.

Reassuring yourself, you walked into the clean and refurbished shelter to be greeted by the smiling lady at the front desk. 

“Hello, how can I help you today?”

“Hi, I’m looking to adopt a hybrid today,” you shyly came closer to the counter and quietly explained your purpose here.

“Oh! Well, I’ll call someone down to walk you through.”

You thanked her and waited for one of the staff members to walk you through the shelter. You’re pretty sure he said his name was Todoroki. It seemed he was a hybrid himself. Maybe he was a calico? Either way, it must mean he was over 18 years old because hybrids can only get jobs and live by themselves after their eighteenth birthday. 

Once he noticed you leaving glances at some of the hybrids in particular he would tell you their names and their backstories of how they ended up at the center.  

They all seemed sad but none of them stood out. Until you passed a mop of green hair sitting in the corner. You stopped. His one wall was covered in posters and photos of someone you didn’t recognize. His blonde bangs were sticking almost straight up but his eyes were like caves. The man’s arms were concerningly muscular and he was wearing a blue, red, yellow, and white costume. On some of the posters, it read in big yellow letters All Might. It must be from a show, you thought.

Todoroki had finally noticed that you were no longer following him so he turned around to see who you were staring at. He got nervous as to why you were staring at him. The particular hybrid had an unfair and tragic past, he knew the criticizing looks and glances the hybrid has received. 

“His tail was taken off by his previous owner,” Todoroki said solemnly.

What?

You hadn’t even noticed until he said something. Poor thing. Why would someone do that to him?

“What’s his name?” your question caught Todoroki off guard. You must’ve been the first person to ever ask his name after knowing about his tail.

“Izuku Midoriya. Cat type is a tabby, he’s going to turn 18 in a few months,” Todoroki seemed excited to tell you the details about the cute cat hybrid. You couldn’t tell if it was because Todoroki himself was a cat hybrid or if he cared for the one behind the glass. 

“Izuku, huh.” you smiled a bit, now knowing which hybrid you were going to take home. “I know who I’m want to take home.”

The half red half white-haired cat smiled and led you back to the front counter to have you start signing paperwork. While you were filling out the documents he went back to let Izuku know that he was being adopted and to pack his things. 

It warmed your heart to see the smile on his face when he came from around the corner. Todoroki helped you put his bags in the trunk of your car before waving you and Izuku off.

Your new cat companion was very shy and quiet at first, you almost thought his face was naturally flushed until he fell asleep on your lap one day. His freckles were no longer masked by the dark red hue that normally covered his cheeks. He snored softly, tired from binge-watching your guys’ new favorite anime. His head ended up in your lap because he began to doze off and you offered the space of your thighs as a pillow.

Now it’s been three months and you’re planning for Izuku’s birthday next week. The poor baby never had a celebration for his birthday before. So you wanted to do the best you could for him.

You even had plans to meet with Todoroki to ask if he knew what Izuku liked and if he would like to come as well. Knowing Todoroki had been talking to Izuku ever since you bought your green-haired friend a phone, had you thinking maybe he could help with the party plans.

Izuku had just woken up while you were getting ready to leave, "Y/n-san, where are you going?" His voice was rough and thick with sleep as he poked his head up from under the covers.

"Just going to talk to Todoroki about something. Need anything while I'm out?" you were halfway out of the bedroom door when you turned around to face him.

He was silent for a few long seconds before replying, "No." And quickly ducking his messy head of hair back underneath the blankets.

You were slightly worried as to why he was acting strangely. Maybe he was still out of it since he just woke up. So you brushed it off and headed out to talk to your other feline friend.

“He could be jealous,” Todoroki explained as he took a bite of his ice cream.

“Jealous? What for?”

“Midoriya might not like the idea of his favorite person in the world going out with another hybrid, and a cat one at that. Which must mean that he’s already pretty attached to you even only after a few months.”

You never thought of it that way. You still weren’t completely aware of some of the attributes that hybrids had. You supposed it did make sense how Izuku could get jealous. But you wanted him to tell you when he was upset and not just pretend like he wasn’t. Your eyes were downcasted onto your hands that were wrapped around the beverage you decided to get from the cafe’s menu.

“So you wanted to talk about Midoriya’s party right?” Todoroki could feel your mood so he decided to change the subject.

"Oh yeah. Is there anything you can remember that Izuku specifically likes that I can include in the party?"

"Hm," he took a second to think of what the tabby could want at his party. "Definitely something that has to do with All Might. It's his favorite hero from an anime he loves to watch. I can never remember the name of it, however. So most likely anything that has to do with heroes will suffice."

Typing all of this into the notes on your phone, you smile. Thank god you had Todoroki to help you with this because you were at a total loss. You knew Izuku loved All Might but you weren't sure if you should've headed in that direction. You set your phone down to smile at him before taking a sip of your drink.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Also, I wanted to mention that an acquaintance of Midoriya’s would like to know if she can come to the party. She's been coming to the shelter non-stop after she heard Midoriya got adopted. She would come by about once every couple of months to see Midoriya so she wouldn't be so lonely. Though, she never thought of adopting him," Todoroki had just finished his ice cream while he explained who wanted to come to the party.

It almost felt like he was warning you, or at least hinting at something. If she visited him so rarely then why does she suddenly want to be involved with him? Todoroki was trying to study your emotions but you weren’t really showing much.

“If Izuku wants her to come then I’ll invite her,” you sighed. You didn’t like the thought of someone like that around Izuku but it wasn’t your place to say who he can and can’t be friends with.

Todoroki stayed silent as he respected your decision.

⇉      ⇉      ⇉

Today was Izuku’s birthday. He was finally turning 18 which meant he could get a job and help pay for things like groceries and such so you wouldn’t have to spend so much money. He felt happy knowing that his first birthday in his new home was going to be with you. You made him so filled with he felt like his heart melts whenever you’re near. 

The only thing he wasn’t looking forward to was the fact that Ochako was now coming to his party. Yes, he said he wanted her to be there but he was still jealous and upset when you had asked him. So thinking it would make you jealous he lied and said he would love for her to come. 

But that wasn’t going to stop him from having fun with you, Todoroki, and his new friend, Iida. He met him through you because Iida was the hybrid of your best friend’s. Iida was a bird hybrid, though, he couldn’t remember what kind. 

You had woken Izuku up with breakfast in bed and smothering his face in kisses. Before the party, he opened up his present from you to see you had gotten him a bed set, pajamas, and posters, all with the theme of All Might. You also got him the whole anime on DVD so he could watch it anytime.

Izuku had even begun to cry when he was finished with unwrapping them all. This led him to tackle you into a hug and look up at you with tears in his eyes. He must’ve thanked you a thousand times before letting go and putting on his new pajamas. 

The party was going smoothly. Games were played, both party and video versions. Snacks were displayed on the kitchen tables, the All Might cake turned out wonderfully, and everyone was having fun.

Until Ochako decided to have a moment alone with Izuku while everyone was leaving and you were cleaning up. 

"Are you happy here, Midoriya-chan?" Ochako looked him directly in the eyes and asked.

"W-well yeah," his voice shook but that was caused by the fact that this was the first conversation he's ever had with a girl besides you.

"Hm," she hummed as she raised a brow. "Come live with me."

"Wha-What?!"

"Live with me. You're 18 now and neither of you are happy living together. So it would only make sense."

"What do you mean neither?" his voice was no longer shaking but it dropped two octaves.

"Well, you're not happy cause she doesn't give you everything you could ever want. I mean look at this house. It is so below your requirements." She took his hands and held them. "And she's not happy because you're deformed."

Deformed. The word left a bad taste in Izuku’s mouth as he's been called that countless times. Did you really think he was deformed? 

"But...but Y/n-san never brought my tail before…" tears flooded his vision as he stared intensely at the ground.

"Just because someone doesn't say it, doesn't mean they're not thinking it." Ochako sighed. "Haven't you seen how much she hangs around Todoroki? It's quite obvious who they like more," this cause Izuku to become both enraged and heartbroken.

How could he be so blind?

"So...what do you say?"

⇉      ⇉      ⇉

Izuku was quiet for the rest of the night. He didn't even say good night and he went to sleep in the guest bedroom. You wondered if it had to do with when he spoke to Ochako. But Izuku wouldn't give you the chance to ask because once you entered the same room he was in, he left immediately. He stopped replying to the texts you sent to check up on him. Hopefully, he would open up to you soon

"Maybe I should go live with Ochako-san," this came out of the blue as you had just gotten home from work to see him by the door with a bag by his side

"Is that what you want?"

There was a pause before he slowly nodded. Your eyes began to burn with tears while you looked to the ceiling to stop them from falling.

"I," you sniffed before reluctantly focusing your sight on your beloved Izuku. "I understand."

With that, he was up and out of your life. He blocked you on his phone and so did Ochako. Izuku would only briefly speak with Todoroki if at all. 

So why he was here now asking for forgiveness was beyond you.

"I think you should run back to Ochako. She might need you."

[ga-yuu]

~Kurama~Main Story Chapter 15~Part 2

I made a small mistake in my previous posts. I know that Kurama calls Yoshino his toy in his main story but it was not until this chapter, Before this, he kept calling her prisoner. So I have to go back and edit my posts.

Warning!! Sexual content below!! (Because Kurama just finds any reasons to make out with Yoshino.)

Part 1

*

*

*

---------Part 4---------

Kurama: "I don't understand. But I approve of the way you think."

(Eh?)

He looked straight at me and my cheeks heated up when he touched it.

Kurama: "Include that as a 'Thank you' too."

Yoshino(blushing): "......Thank you."

(The way I think is completely different from Kurama.)

(There were times when I thought there was no way to bridge that gap....)

The depth of the ditch remains the same, but the bridge was built there today by Kurama.

(So now, I wanna cross the other side.)

Yoshino: "I still want to know more about Kurama. Because I want to know you for who you are, not just as a demon or an enemy."

As the cherry blossoms quietly fall, I remember as if it were yesterday what I said to him that night.

-------FLASHBACK---------

Yoshino: “Instead of having wings that can fly you to your destination like Kurama, or the power to kill an enemy with a single blow. Humans value their beliefs and the bonds they have with those around them. Isn’t that why you didn’t take Yoshitsune’s life right away, because you knew that? Because if he really wanted his soul, Kurama could have taken it without question.”

Kurama: “I don’t get it. I don’t understand you.”

Yoshino: “I want to understand Kurama.”

Kurama: “…………….Shut up now.”

Kurama: “I must have been mistaken in thinking you were in any way interesting. Understanding is an emotion that does not contribute strength. Will you still be able to think like that when you’re overtaken?”

------FLASHBACK ENDS-----

(I know I offended Kurama at the time with those words, but I want to tell him straight again.)

Kurama: "You want to understand me, huh?"

Yoshino: "Yes. Can I?"

Kurama reaches for me with a speed so gentle as the petals fall.

The gesture seems like he was giving me a chance to run away, but----

(If I want to run away, it's probably now or never.)

(But that means, Kurama and I can still have a close yet distant relationship. But....)

(I won't run away.)

Kurama's fingers finally touch my cheeks.

I put my hand on his, with an impulse that came from the bottom of my heart.

Kurama: "....... All right. But you have to pay me."

Yoshino: "Pay you? What do you want?"

Kurama: "It's not something you should do. I'm going to do something to you."

(Ah)

He pulls me close and sets his teeth on my neck.

Yoshino(blushing): "Ohh...."

Just before I felt a strong pain, his tongue slithered over the spot.

Yoshino(blushing): "Ku...rama..."

Kurama: "Don't move."

Yoshino(blushing): "But....Mmm.....Ahh...."

His lips gently slide down to my exposed breasts.

Kurama: "The face you're making right now is not bad, I'll give you that."

(Is this what I have to pay....?)

Yoshino(blushing): "Mmm....that..should be ahhh....enough...!!"

Kurama: "No. Don't look away."

As if to cut off my feeble words of resistance, a strong look was screwed into the depths of my eyes.

(I feel...hot...)

His long fingertips pull my kimono further down from my shoulders.

My body shivered in the open air.

Yoshino(blushing): "...But, in...place like this...."

Kurama: "Does the location matter?"

Yoshino(blushing): "I mean...It's just...!!!"

When I realized that I had implicitly affirmed the act itself, my body burned with shame.

Kurama: "From the very beginning, I put up a barrier to prevent anyone from interrupting our time together. No one will ever see it."

Yoshino(blushing): "Even if you say that...."

(Embarrassing things are EMBARRASSING!)

Kurama: "What does it matter if someone sees us? All you have to do is think about me and writhe in agony at the stimulation I give you."

-------Part 5------

Kurama: "All you have to do is think about me and writhe in agony at the stimulation I give you.

Yoshino: "....Hmmm.....Ahhh......"

His lips start to peck the soft skin that I usually cover.

(Why can't I resist....?)

The tip of his red tongue slowly goes down, as his fingers kept opening my kimono.

As I realized on the verge of revealing myself to the point of no return-----

Yoshino(tomato red): "No! No more....."

I grabbed his hand desperately and Kurama stopped moving.

Kurama: "Still not surrendering? Well, for now, I'm satisfied. This is a better way of satisfying my hunger for battle. Keep up the good work and relieve me of my boredom."

Yoshino: "Again, you're just being selfish...."

Kurama: "I know."

Kurama continues as if he has just thought of something.

Kurama: "Oh, by the way, after last night's party, I said I had reservations about your treatment....I've decided now."

Yoshino: "And that is?"

Kurama: "From now on you're my toy.....Entertain me to the fullest instead of Tamamo."

Suddenly, his words were accompanied by another memory....

------FLASHBACK-----

Kurama: "I don’t know about you, but know one thing. Yoshino, from this day on, you are my prisoner."

-----FLASHBACK ENDS-----

(I feel like I've come a long way even though not much time has passed since then.)

Yoshino: "From a prisoner to a toy....I don't know if that's an upgrade or a downgrade."

Kurama: "Rejoice, because I've become more pleased with you than ever."

(I really can't help it, but Kurama is so arrogant....)

Kurama respects the person as much as the value he acknowledges.

Knowing this, I could no longer see Kurama, who smiled arrogantly, as just another tyrant.

..................

Ten days after that incident, we were at Heikichiro-san's house......

Heikichiro: "Welcome, Yoshino-san."

Yoshino: "Thank you for having me. You suddenly said we were going out, so it was to Heikichiro-san's. house, huh."

Kurama: "You're right. Sit down quickly."

Kurama points to the floor of the hut, where the sun has set.

Heikichiro-san, who seemed to be used to his attitude, offered me a cushion.

Yoshino: "Why did you bring me here, Kurama? Heikichiro-san's check-up was over three days ago."

(Kurama must have been by his side to keep an eye on him, right?)

Kurama: "I know. Because today is----"

Heikichiro: "His order has been completed."

(Oh)

Kurama(glaring cutely): "Don't interrupt me."

Kurama glares at Heikichiro-san.

Kurama: "But I'll give you credit for completing it by not killing you."

Heikichiro: "I'm honored. Also, thanks to you, I'm very confident in my work."

(Kurama......I knew your attitude towards Heikichiro-san was different from that of the other humans.)

Even if Yoshitsune-sama and the others are exceptional, they are clearly not treated in the same way as the servants and retainers of the mansion.

Yoshino: "Congratulations!

(Umm, but.)

Yoshino: "But, why am I here?"

Kurama: "You said you wanted to know about me, remember? "

Yoshino: "Ohh..."

Kurama: "What? You forgot.....?"

Kurama looks at him as if he is looking at me in shock, and I shake my head in panic.

(Of course, I remember that, silly.)

Yoshino: "And you remembered it too!" (They're literally flirting in front of that old man.)

Kurama: "I've told you before, I'm not the type who goes back on my words after I made a promise."

(He did. Once Kurama said it, he never said it differently.)

My heart starts to feel warm.

Yoshino: "Thank you, Kurama."

Kurama: "You don't have to thank me."

Kurama scooped up my chin with his fingertips and intertwined our eyes.

Kurama: "In the first place, this work would have been unfinished if you had not helped Heikichiro. So I'll give you the opportunity to see the brilliance of what you have protected."

~~~~ "I Won't Ever Be Kind to You." (Normal Story)~~~~

Kurama: "In the first place, this work would have been unfinished if you had not helped Heikichiro. So I'll give you the opportunity to see the brilliance of what you have protected."

(I know it sounds pompous, but it's frustrating,.....and I'm very happy.)

Kurama looks at me with a smile on his face and calls out to Heikichiro-san with a sour look on his face.

Kurama: "Come on, get it out. You know I don't like to wait."

Heikichiro: ".......Yes."

Heikichiro-san, looking very nervous indeed, placed the paulownia box gently in front of us.

Heikichiro: "Here."

(Woah!)

The moment the lid is opened, I gasp at the silvery glow.

Kurama: "Wow...."

Inside the box was an ornament in the shape of a bird's wing.

Yoshino: "It's beautiful, but what is it?"

Heikichiro: "It's called a crown. It's almost like the ones worn by royalty in foreign countries but I've never seen a real one before."

Yoshino: "Is that what you ordered Kurama?"

Kurama: "I only ordered him to make what I would like."

Heikichiro: "I looked at him and after a lot of thought....I came up with this."

(Yeah, when you say "Royal Crown" it sounds like a perfect fit for Kurama.)

Heikichiro: "I knew at once what I wanted to make, but for a long time I was struggling with deciding on the designs. The designs of the pair of wings on either side of the crown were changed and are placed in the middle....after I had fallen and been rescued."

(That means...)

Yoshino: "----You mean, they're Kurama's wings?"

Heikichiro(blushing): "Yeah."

Kurama: "My wings are the color of darkness. There is no resemblance."

Heikichiro-san gave a wry smile to Kurama who looked confused.

Heikichiro: "Well, what you see is not always what you get. At least this is how dazzling your wings were to me that day."

Kurama: "......"

His eyebrows twitching, Kurama takes the crown from him and looks at it suspiciously.

The silver decorations on the wings glittered brightly in the light of the candle.

Kurama: "I don't understand. Yoshino, explain to me." (My baby Kurama is trying his best!)

(Huh, me?)

I suddenly panicked and then thought for a moment, before replying.

Yoshino: "I don't know if my explanation will work, but....The emotions you're feeling at the moment can change the whole landscape around you. It's like when you feel sad, you'll feel the sky looks gloomy. Or when you're happy, you can hear the birds and the trees buzzing."

Kurama: "Hmmm..."

Looks like I have to come up with another analogy-----

Yoshino: "It's the same as....when you fall in love with someone, the other person might seem beautiful to you."

Kurama: "I don't understand that either."

(You have said that before.)

Kurama: ".....Have you never been in love?"

(You've lived for centuries and never once?)

Kurama: "What good is love to me? If you just want to spit out your lust, there are many ways to do it."

Heikichiro: "Certainly, it is of no use. But love is a precious thing. It can change people in amazing ways."

He had a warm look in his eyes as if he was reminiscing about the past.

Kurama: "No matter how precious it is, it's no use if we'll rot in solitude, as you are now."

Yoshino: "Wait, you're a bit----"

He raised one hand to block my protest and Kurama turns to Heikichiro-san.

Kurama: "But the crown you've made is....magnificent."

Heikichiro-san and I both caught our breath at the sound of his voice, which quietly melted in the night.

Kurama: "Do humans make something as brilliant as this because it contains incomprehensible emotions?"

Yoshino: "Kurama...."

(Is Kurama trying to come to terms with human emotions....?)

Kurama asks himself a question but didn't let us answer it.

Kurama: "I like this. This crown is mine and I will pay you as much as you want. I will also reward you by allowing you to continue to create shiny items like these in your few remaining years."

Heikichiro(smiling): "Haha...thank you very much."

Hekichiro-san smiled with relief, tears quietly welling up in the back of his eyes.

....................

It's midnight, and we rushed back to the Rebel Mansion----

It was already dark and there were barely any people, so we flew back home.

I looked up at Kurama who was walking by my side, in the quiet garden.

Yoshino: "Are you not going to hide your wings, Kurama?"

Kurama(smiling): "Why should I? No one is awake at this time."

The sliver crown in his hand shined brightly in the moonlight.

(He looks very happy. He seems to love it very much.)

Yoshino: "Don't you want another box to keep it safely?"

Kurama: "I won't be able to see it shine under the moonlight if it's inside the box."

The simple paulownia box that Heikichiro-san had prepared for us had long since been thrown away. (#RIPpaulowina)

(It's very beautiful, indeed.)

Suddenly a simple question comes to my mind and I ask.

Yoshino: "But crowns are for wearing, aren't they? Are you going to put it on?"

Kurama: "What are you talking about? If I wear it, how can I see it myself? (Don't you have mirrors?)

(Oh...)

Yoshino: "What a shame. I was curious as to how Kurama will look like wearing that crown."

Kurama: "Really?"

Kurama stares at me for a moment.

Kurama: "Yoshino."

Yoshino: "Hm?"

Kurama: "Come here."

Suddenly, Kurama sits down under a tree and invites me in.

As I approached him, he handed me the crown.

Kurama: "Put it on."

Yoshino: "!"

Kurama: "Don't make me repeat the same thing over and over again."

I kneeled in front of Kurama in a hurry.

I boldly reached out and touched his jet-black hair, which was the same color as his wings.

Yoshino: "Okay...."

Running my fingertips through his soft hair, I gently adjust the crown.

Kurama: "...................."

Kurama's slight tilt of his head made me nervous for no reason.

(I'm way more....nervous than I thought.)

The silver of the moonbeams, the elegance of his black hair.

It doesn't detract in the slightest from the intensity of the blood-red eyes.

Yoshino(blushing): "....It's done."

Kurama: "Now, come closer."

(Ohh!!)

While I was admiring him, he pulled me by the waist and I found myself riding on his lap.

Yoshino(blushing): "What do you want!!?"

Kurama: "Don't squeak."

He puts his finger on my lips and my cheeks heat up.

(Why are you acting like it's my fault....)

But any small complaint is swallowed up by the glint in Kurama's eyes as he moves closer.

Kurama: "----In this distance, I can see my reflection in your eyes." (Get a mirror! For god sake....also there's a huge pond in the garden. Look at that. Don't stare into my eyes....you make me nervous!!)

Yoshino(blushing): "Ah..."

(You want me to act as your mirror?)

Kurama: "Don't move."

Kurama stroked the nape of my neck as if I was a kitten.

Kurama: "Good. If you keep staying like that, I won't do anything."

(Eehh...)

Yoshino: "I'm glad you won't do anything, but.....can I at least get off your lap?"

Kurama: "Not possible. Now be quiet or I won't keep my promise."

Yoshino: "Fine."

(This position is embarrassing, but it's better than playing his games, right?)

I relaxed and entrusted my body to Kurama.

(.....I'm still feeling restless.)

Yoshino(blushing): "How long should I stay still like this?"

Kurama: "Till I'm satisfied."

Yoshino(blushing): ".....Will Kurama be satisfied if we stick together like this?"

Kurama: "I just do it on a whim. But, it feels good it's with you."

Yoshino: "Liar! How can 'the Kurama' be committed to someone?"

Kurama: "You insolent little puss."

I giggled lightly, as Kurama glares at me.

Kurama: "But, it's true....I never thought I would feel good talking to a little human girl, before."

(......It's not fair when he suddenly says something so sweet.)

Kurama: "But, you're always treating me like a toy."

Kurama: "Toys will always be toys. But there are also special toys."

His mischievous long fingers followed my cheek and went down to tickle my throat.

Kurama: "No matter how much I play with you and make you cry, you always look straight at me in the eyes. .....I'm strangely intrigued by that."

He whispers to me in a seductive low voice and it made my body heat up.

(If I think about the meaning of what he just said.....it's dangerous.)

Yoshino(blushing): "Ah....."

I felt Kurama's face slowly approaching under the moonlight.

The approaching red eyes made me forget how to move and I unintentionally closed my eyes in time.

Then I felt a soft touch on my eyelids.....

(That was....)

By the time I realized that the kiss on my eyelids was over, I opened my eyes in confusion.

Kurama(Pikachu meme face): "..................."

(Why are you surprised? This is what you always do, right?)

Before the heat of the kiss could sink in, I noticed that Kurama's eyes widened in surprise.

Yoshino(blushing): "Kurama....?"

Kurama: "Shut up."

In the depths of his red eyes, which were unusually downcast, some great impulse flickered like a flame. (This scene is so great. I wouldn't mind if they go to the room and make out.)

Kurama: "-----Why didn't you resist? It's boring if you don't resist."

Yoshino(blushing): "Whaaa----"

Kurama stands up and turns his back to me.

Kurama: "Your room is just around the corner. I won't have to babysit you for today anymore."

Kurama left without saying anymore or even looking back.

(What the hell....was that right now?)

(It was like that night. The way he touched me and kissed me today was genuinely caring.)

A step later, the shock catches up with me and I slump to the ground.

And I could also hear my heart beating faster.

Chapter 16

[love-we-write]

Eccedentesiast

Character: RichyxMC (ambiguous platonic or romantic)  Genre: Hurt/Comfort? Friendship/Romance? Unbeta-ed mess is for certain Words: 4,188  Summary: Richy is used to being known to be able to bring a little bit of comical sunshine to everybody’s gloom. He’s just not used to letting anyone know that he’s burning behind that light. But then, you appeared in his life.  Potential T/W: mentions of panic attacks   A/N: Done in conjunction with the Duskwood Secret Santa event~! Dear @anatomical-myocardium, Merry Christmas to you~! Sorry this took so long to post, I swear my laptop crashes on me at the most inconvenient time sometimes. I hope I did this justice as a gift to you, and I hope you like it, just as I absolutely love your gift to me~! Have a safe and happy Christmas~!  ❤️ ❤️

And with a renewed vow to write anything and everything that I want to write without minding if it’s a game, or an anime, or an anime game, or Kpop, here we go~!  ❤️ ❤️

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Richy is most known by his friends and all the Duskwood residents for his carefree nature, and he is very much aware of this. 

With his small group of friends, he has been the joker of the group longer than memory can serve, always light-hearted with that small touch of dry humor to help liven up the mood. From their weekly battle of Doodle Friends to their catch up session at Aurora’s, all seven of them look to Richy to brighten their days with his quick-witted comebacks and his lame jokes that gets even Lily - ever the serious one - to chuckle.

At his job, his bright personality makes him one of the select few who could talk to Alfie without unnerving the boy, and from greeting old ladies who pass by his shop to chatting away with his customers while he repairs their cars, everyone does not have qualms to admit that Richy’s easy-going nature is his most admirable trait, a warm relaxing ray of sunshine that comes out and give others a bit of cheer on their gloomy days.

Richy knows that his ability to not take things too seriously gives comfort to his friends. 

Richy knows this, knows it in the way Jessy thanks him for being there for her when she is frustrated with how Dan is treating her affections, knows it in the way Thomas looks at him silently yet gratefully when he brought them to Aurora’s and filled them with a copious amount of beers and stupid jokes for a self-proclaimed “pity party” after Thomas’ fight with Hannah. 

He knows it during the wake of Hannah’s absence when Thomas is on the verge of breaking down, and when Jessy fought with Cleo over how to handle the investigation, Lilly had reached out to him in the middle of the night,  quiet words of “I feel like you’re the only one keeping this group together,” mumbled into the phone in between sniffles.

Richy knows he is most known for his easy-going personality, and he is used to it. 

He is also used to that horrible feeling of uselessness constantly haunting him in the deep dark solace of his mind. That sinking in his stomach, the heaviness settling in his core as he contemplates whether he has anything worthwhile at all anything good to offer to this world, the constant feeling that he doesn’t have anything at all. It is a dark void spanning the crevasse of his mind that comes up in his solitude, whispering that he is not good enough, that he does not deserve grief and his fear is only going to burden his loved ones.

Because who is he to voice out his sadness and anguish when everybody else has so much on their plate already? Who is he to want to cry at Jessy to look at him, just LOOK AT HIM WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR YOU when she is heartbroken herself. What right does he have to voice out his grief, his guilt at being the first one to come to Hannah’s house but still unable to save her anyway? What right does he have to say these things, when he only had lost a friend while Thomas lost a girlfriend and Lilly a sister? 

What right does he have?

So, Richy does what he does best. He smiles. He jokes. And he hides. He stopped trying to figure out the line inside him where his smile ends and his fear starts. To him, they all bleed together.

Richy is used to being known to be able to bring a little bit of comical sunshine to everybody’s gloom. He’s just not used to letting anyone know that he’s burning behind the light.   

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 But then, you appeared in his life. You with your contagious kindness, you who are the one person who does not have any personal stakes with Hannah in this investigation but still decided to help out of the sheer good in your heart. 

Richy sometimes thought that you were highly naive when you said that them getting your number and bringing you in this group must have meant that there is something that you could do instead of just seeing it as it is; an ominous invitation from an unknown hacker. However, that thought of your naivete is blown out of the water when he witnessed your bright-eyed curiosity and your sharp perception. 

‘You like Jessy, don’t you?’ you had texted him out of the blue during one of your conversations when during the first few days after you appeared in their lives.

Richy swore he almost dropped his phone in his coffee when he read your text. No one has ever picked up on his one-sided affections towards Jessy, not even their group, not even Jessy herself who has been his close friend. 

He has always been wary of you when Thomas first invited you in. A stranger whose number was given to them by another stranger seemed to Richy like a well-timed disaster waiting to explode in their faces. Richy liked to think of himself as neutral when it comes to matters of your involvement; skeptical enough to not be desperate as Thomas but to the point of hostility that Lilly has shown. 

But with your eagle-eyed intuition, Richy realized he had to be extra careful with himself around you.

‘Uh, gotta go. Coffee’s about ready and I need that caffeine injection for my sanity, in case some more shit happens around here, haha,’ he had typed quickly, adding in several emojis in succession for some good measure. He puts the phone face down almost immediately, as if that would help distract him from your reply, and busies himself with work.

‘That’s okay. Coffee sounds like a great idea. The next time you want to subtly avoid having uncomfortable conversations about yourself, I have a list of ideas :D,’ was your reply to him when he checked his phone during his break. 

Mirth bubbles up in Richy, a feeling of familiarity and comfort fizzing up in him like downing cold soda on a hot summer day. Richy chuckles towards his phone, seeing as you really did provide him with a list of excuses to make to get out of conversation, each item sillier than the previous one.

Your entrance into his and the way Richy felt you seeing through to him feels like a breath of fresh air.

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‘Richy, hi.’ 

 Richy smiles, looking at his phone vibrated on the countertop as he is pouring his third cup of coffee for the day. Seems like the weekend is as good as any for him to gather his thoughts to himself, to compartmentalize his feelings away from the crowd, but the texts from you over the days is a welcome distraction. 

From asking him about Jennifer Manson, to asking him about the phone call he made on the day of Hannah’s disappearance, to random conversation about your favorite movies or music, messages from you have become something he looks forward to daily. He found himself slowly thinking more and more of you; whether you are okay, what you have been doing among other things

‘Now, what more information does my lady seek from me?’ he types quickly, anticipating as the three dots beside your name blinks back at him. 

‘Good sir, is it such a crime if I just want to inquire about your day? :(’

Richy would be lying if he said that his heart did not skip a few beats over those words.

‘Our previous conversations would indicate that you always would have things to ask me after you know about how my day went, so out you go. :D’

It feels nice to see you playing along with his jokes.

‘Cleo told me you fought with your dad?’

Ah.

Not information about Hannah’s disappearance then. Which, to him, is much much easier to divulge.

‘That girl is going to get into trouble one day over how much she’s eavesdropping.’

‘I know. But more importantly, are you okay?’

Are you okay? Wow, Richy thinks as he stares at his idle phone. A simple question, but look at how he is struggling to answer. So he quickly typed in.

‘I’m okay, don’t worry, haha. Listen, the cat outside my apartment is literally meowing my window panes down, I better go check up on it before it eats itself,’ Richy began typing his response, as if him staring down the digitized letters will give him some form of epiphany over what the best course of action is. 

Excuse #12 from that ridiculous list that you gave him from weeks ago. From feeding non-existent stray cats outside his house to a car needing their tires changed, it quickly became an inside understanding between the two of you that this is a signal that he does not want to talk about it. 

But, inside, he wants to talk about it. Wants to talk to you about how this fight is a series of continuous disagreements between him and his father over how to run the family’s garage. Wants to talk about how this garage is not what he envisioned doing in his adult year, that he has no interest whatsoever in running the family’s business. How he had wanted to be a photographer, but was forced to run the garage by his dad to continue the family business. 

And how each time his father berates him over the losses their garage suffered due to the new competing garage in town, he feels a slight vendetta to bring up that he is never interested in what happens in this garage but is only doing it for his father.

He has long perfected the art of hiding anything of him that isn’t polished and brightened, so when you picked it up immediately, he felt flustered. Flustered because he doesn’t know what to do when faced with the idea of someone perceptive as you catching his vulnerabilities that he is ashamed of. But, also flustered with the fact that he feels a small sense of comfort that someone took time to notice the small things about him, and that deep inside, he feels some small part of him wanting to reach back out.

For now, he just added a bunch of cheerful emojis for good measure and hits send.

He wants to talk about it. He wants to.

‘You know, I don’t expect you to exhaust that list so quickly. I would have thought it’d be good for at least 2-3 months.’ came your reply.

‘I worry about you, Richy.’

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And it is true, you are worried for him. It has been close to three weeks since you first got added into this strange group, and if truth be told, you would never have thought that you’d be as invested as you are now. You could not deny that Jessy and Richy were two of the friends you never thought that you would care for as much as you did. You know that Jake had warned you over the group, and you ARE a bit more wary of some more than others, but you did not expect your trust to go wholeheartedly to this small trio that you have formed with Jessy and Richy. 

Jessy is the sweetest girl you have ever met in the world, always kind. She has this effect around people that made them feel cared for, and you are thankful how she had welcomed you and helped you out when everyone else seems to think you are the kidnapper.She wears her heart on a sleeve, and she trusts easily, but she means well. And Richy…

Richy is an enigma. On surface level, it seems that he is a bright ray of sunshine, all lighthearted jokes and wit, a perfect comedic complement to Jessy’s more emotional tendencies, but you notice the things that made Richy much more complex than he lets on.

You see his calm and composed nature when he is the one to suggest the group to think more critically in the case of your appearance and Hannah’s disappearance, how he calmed everyone down and brought their spirits up. But you also see his aversion to talking about how he himself feels.

Even though he does not show it, you know the incident with Hannah affected him just as much as it had affected everybody else. You see the sprinkle of emotions he has shown, from Jessy who told you how quiet he had been on the day his garage was spray painted with the sign of the raven, to his deprecating jokes about himself when you asked about the phone call he had made to Hannah on the day of her disappearance. 

You see that sliver of fear, that glimpse of guilt over those short moments, but come any closer and you could miss it with how subtly and skillfully he averts to more cheerful topics.

But that’s the thing. You worry for him. Jessy goes to the both of you for comfort while Dan goes to Jessy. Lilly has her family, Cleo goes to Thomas and Thomas’s grief is acknowledged and heard by all of them.

But who listens to Richy? Who gives Richy their shoulder for him to grief? Who lift up his spirits the way he does to you? For now, all you can do is put your phone close to your ear, Richy’s number dialing in the background. 

‘I worry about you, Richy.’

‘It gets better, I promise you. You don’t have to be alone. I’m here for you,’ you added under your previous text. It goes unanswered and your calls only gets redirected to voicemail. So all you can do is hold your phone close to you, placing your lips on its receiver, only able to hope that it goes to him, that his cheeks or his forehead feels the warmth as a sign that you are here for him.

Miles away, in Duskwood, Richy only stares in his phone longingly, wanting to call you. 

‘I’m here for you.’ your text that had him feeling hopeful, comforted and flustered him all the same.

It has been a long time since someone sees through him so transparently, heck, the void in him has bled together with his façade so much that even he himself cannot see through the layers of sunshine to where his dark insecurities start. He has crafted so many walls, perfected so many smiles that it even fooled Jessy, the person most close to him here in Duskwood. Perhaps at some point, maybe he even fooled himself.

And yet, here you are. Effortlessly breaking through those walls like it’s paper, unblinded by the fake shine he puts on, and sees the darkness in him for what it is. He has to laugh at that as he leaned his forehead on his phone, somehow feeling a sense of comfort just in doing that. What have you done to him? 

Perhaps one day he can begin to talk about it.

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 That day came sooner that he thought it would be. That night in December, it snowed heavily in Duskwood. Angry snow fell down in a furious blizzard, gusts of wind wailing outside in anguish, doors and window panes shaking almost in fear. Sometimes, the wailing picks up speed and bangs on the window with a scream.

Inside, Richy is just as furious, just as anguished as the blizzard outside. The man without a face seems hell-bent in getting them to stop finding Hannah and to obtain your location. Richy would bend over backwards and go to hell twice before letting your location fall in its hands. And with the search not showing any signs of stopping, so did the threats to them.

Today, it took the threat to another level when it involved their families as well. Richy had woken up with a call from his father. He had expected the call to be his father picking up another fight with him, but the urgency in his father’s voice and the manic sobbing of his mother in the background struck a cold chord in him.

It turned out that his family house has been vandalized with the signs of the raven, only this time it is worse than the one did in the garage. The windows were splashed with red paint, with papers jammed in their mailbox full of threatening letters of ‘give me her’ and ‘Richy, you’re next’. It took him a good two hours to scrub the windows clean, and then another hour to comfort his mother that this is just a prank pulled by some reckless vandals, to clean up the papers from the mailbox and throw them in the trash.

But, deep inside he knows it. This is not a prank. This is a threat to him. To them.

Duskwood is a small town. People will talk and come tomorrow, his friends will find out. He needs time. He needs time to sort out his thoughts. Time to properly compartmentalize.

He needs time to sort out through his guilt of not being able to protect his family from being terrorized from the man without a face. There is the fury with the fact that it has been established that the man without a face is someone within their circle, given how much they know about your presence.

He needs time.

There is the fear that you, being the lynch pin to all that the man without a face wanted from them, will be burdened more. He needs time to sort through the fear that he could not protect you, and even though it is for the best interest of your safety that none of them knows where you are, you are still all alone having to pick up after these seven dysfunctional people and no one to protect you.

Then, there is the confusion, the stress, the angry sadness that this is a game that he has to continue to play with his friends. The betrayal that one of them, one of his close friends is responsible for this, that they could have the balls to laugh with him, smile with him and turn around and do this to him. 

He needs time to sort through this anger and he doesn’t have the courage to face them and continue playing this game tomorrow, not when all he wanted to do is lash out at each one of them and threaten them and ohgodheneedstimeheneedstime-- 

In the solace of his room in his family home, Richy feels his thoughts become as white as the blizzard of snow outside. He hears his breath quickens, a voiceless wail stuck in his throat and he feels the shivers in his spine like the doors trembling in front of the wind.

Heneedstimeohgodpleasegivehimabitoftime----

And like a lifeline, his phone besides him rang and vibrated and he clutched it to him like a lifeline. Like a miracle in December, he sees that it’s your name. Somewhere in his blank white thoughts, he hears a small chuckle and how impeccable your timing is.

He answers and your voice in his ears sounded like a buoy thrown to him that is flailing about.

“Richy, I had a bad feeling about something. Is everyone okay?” and Richy hears himself laugh at that, a horrible mixture of a broken laugh and a hiccup and a helpless wail, all mixed up to become a horrible wounded noise.

Over on your side of the phone, your heart picked up pace when you heard that choked laughter from Richy. It is horrible and it is scary and you would never want to hear it from anyone again, least of all not Richy. He is having a panic attack.

“Richy, are you okay?! Richy, listen to me. Breathe with me, sweetheart. Breathe in, breathe out,” deep inside you tried to stay calm because that is what he needs, but even you feel like being on the verge of tears listening to this man - who has cheered you up so much - break down in front of you.

After he seemed to have calmed down, you tried again.

“Richy, what’s wrong? Please talk to me. You deserve to not be alone in this Richy. I see you. I see you smiling to get everyone to smile. You listened to me and you lifted up my mood when Jessy was attacked, and when I received threats over Lilly’s video. Let me do the same to you, yeah? Tell me what’s wrong?”

And to Richy, who has clutched onto your voice like a lifeline, who wants to share everything with you, just burst like a dam. Everything that he has kept secret from his friends, the sadness behind his smile, everything that he has even kept from himself and just swept under the rug and pushed into a closet at the back of his mind. Everything burst right there in front of you, from his guilt to not being able to stop Hannah’s kidnapping and Jessy’s attack, to him feeling unworthy of being sad compared to others, to his fear when he saw the sign of the raven in his garage and now on his home, his fury at knowing one of his friends are doing this, to his fear for Jessy, his fear for you. 

He hated everything. He hated himself.

You told him that he is strong, that you admired him so much, but he needs to see that he deserves to be comforted just as much as he has comforted everyone else. 

In that snowstorm-clad night, the winds wept and wept, but beneath its howl, you can hear the intermittent wail of a broken man as Richy cried, and cried, and cried. 

As he lets out everything, the blank white fog of his mind begins to clear and gain color. It started from the reds of fury, to the blacks of fear and the blues of guilt, but then your voice came in, and slowly the pinks of comfort, the yellows of hope and the purples of peace began melting through. 

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[EPILOGUE]

Both you and Richy sat over the phone for over 3 hours just talking about nothing and everything after his outburst. 

He seems to have gained his color back, his cheerful self almost back as he cracked his lame stories about gangster seagulls eating his sandwich once in his travels. Richy feels like this time, his color - albeit still a little faded - is much more genuine than the blacks filtered from a rose-colored glass that he has shown before. Your laughter as you listen to his story and object to its credibility, slowly made those faded colors in his mind more vibrant.

“Thank you for listening to me, for um… taking care of me,” he begins a bit meekly after he finishes his story. He’s not so used to being listened to, not at this vulnerable a level and definitely he is not used to being taken care of.

“You did the same to me when Jessy was attacked. And you would have done the same for me again, I’m sure of it,” your voice sounded like a smile would, and God, would he give up everything to see that smile in person. He laughs to himself internally. How has this person made him so whipped for her in such a manner?

“I’m planning on going to Duskwood soon,” you had said out of the blue, bringing him back from his reverie.

“Absolutely not. In case you forgot my magnificent show of tears just now, the man without a face is threatening us to get to you. You coming here is the absolute worst thing to do,” Richy snorted, a mock indignant and wounded tone from him that made you chuckle.

“Well, how bad can it be? If we keep my arrival a secret from the rest of them, and spend the days, just you, me and Jessy, it wouldn’t hurt, would it? Someone needs to go there and give you a hug and take care of you,” you had replied back shortly, almost giving no thought to what you had said.

“Oh my, my lady, are you flirting with me?” Richy’s exaggerated gasp brought you back to reality, and his implication had your heart skipping beats.

“Well I mean… um…” you stuttered, and Richy swore your hesitance and stuttering made his heart soar just a little bit more in hope. But pursuing it is for another time.

“W-Well, someone needs to stop you from being such an eccedentesiast!” you had blurted out, extremely grateful that the distance makes it unable for him to see your bright red hot face.

His laughter after that sounds like the most genuine you have heard from him so far, and he might have said something along the lines of “nooo use small words, your idiot here doesn’t understand what that means,” but you couldn’t remember clearly. All you remembered was you thinking that you would give almost anything to protect that genuine tinkling laughter of his.