#and why is she answering her phone on the work floor!

[xlostinthedreamfics]

Sugar Rush (Wooyoung Fic) !PREVIEW!

Note: I've been itching to write something like this for a while, and once I saw those Wooyoung Arena pictures, I just knew I had to. I wouldn't be a true tease if I didn't just start with a little preview of what is to come. I hope you love slow burns as much as me because I am excited for this one.

Summary: Tired of the poking and prying of those around you in regards to your love life, pushed you to find an escort hiring service where Jung Wooyoung would teach you more than you know.

Whoever said money can’t buy you happiness might have been right, but money could also make you less miserable to an extent. Being brought up in a household where you were constantly setting goals, working to meet those expectations, and continuing to aim for greater lengths in terms of success has brought you to where you are now, sitting in the nicest penthouse in the city. Your space is as large as can be, surrounded by windows to see the world beneath, but still feeling like a princess locked away in a tower, completely and utterly alone. Sure, your wealth has brought you plenty of opportunities, experiences to travel, and invitations to parties of the highest honors. If you’re someone on the outside looking in, this life is ideal; it’s a life worth sacrificing so much for. But, what if you sacrificed everything in your life to get here, and all you can think about when you’re at the top is how high of a fall it will be when you jump? 

Being a young CEO in this day and age comes with its benefits; you decide when you feel like trying, and today was exactly that. You lay in your king-size bed, surrounded by pillows stuffed with the finest duck feathers your assistant could find. The bed was cold, your sheets rubbing against your skin, causing shivers to dance down your back. It was the day of preparations for the yearly award ceremony at your company, a gathering where you would win yet another award, where you would have to give yet another speech on how much of your life you have committed to your work. The applause and the praises fill the venue where your closest colleagues and employees celebrate, but go eerily silent as soon as you step foot inside your home. The dribbling of the water from the faucet continuously hits the sink floor as you stare into your fridge now, trying to fuel yourself up with something before putting in some effort to get ready for the day. The eggs began to blur together as you spaced out, the sound of your phone making you jump, as you shut the fridge hastily. You glanced at your assistant’s name on the caller ID, swiping to answer, “Hey.”

“So we have your dress ready for tomorrow, I’m booking makeup and hair to arrive at around 3 pm to get you looking fabulous for your special day!” You could tell she was smiling on the other end; she loved events like this because she could dress you up like her doll, and you’d allow it. You knew nothing about makeup, fashion, hair, or shoes; all you knew was how to run your company, and that’s it. You didn’t have time to think about anything else. “It would’ve been amazing if we had a date for you, there’s a matching suit that goes with the dress that would just look killer on a handsome man. Perhaps you’ve had luck on those dating apps?” Her questions pricked at you like a daily non-relaxing acupuncture session. She loved to pry, to know your inner workings, especially in things you were so naive about, like dating, love, and sex. As soon as you got into college, the only thing you were rubbing between your two fingers was the pages on the books piled up on your desk, aiming to become valedictorian, and you did. Although when you looked out into the crowd during your speech, you weren’t greeted with applauding parents, but two empty chairs. Your parents had businesses of their own in completely different countries, and sometimes you wondered why they stayed married when they saw each other only a few times a year. It all came down to money; they were richer together than apart. 

“I’m not going into the office, can you reschedule my meetings for today?” You sighed into your phone, your assistant agreeing right away. She was used to these days of yours, which were noticebly becoming more frequent. You lay on your bed for a few more hours, your stomach not even bothering to grumble once since you skipped breakfast, almost as if it were exhausted along with you. You pulled your laptop that was sitting on your nightstand onto your lap, the bright screen making you squint. As soon as you unlocked it, you were bombarded with work emails, quickly closing them out and logging into the anonymous rich under 30 forum you were a part of. You liked to skim through the posts sometimes, trying to find normalcy among people in a similar situation to you. How to Dress for Your Success, Best Botox Clinics in the city, Using Your Business LP to save on taxes. You sighed, continuing to scroll until you stopped at a post from a few days ago, with only a few reactions and comments. You weren’t sure how you missed it, but you clicked it anyway: Rent a Boyfriend.

The posts from a few women raved about a website where you could hire escorts to come with you to public events, family affairs, or just on days when you need some company. 

LindaLety: I hired Choi San for an event for work, and he was so humble, so sweet, and had the best manners. Worth the money! 

Glamx98: Jeong Yunho is the epitome of beauty and grace. He treated me so well when he accompanied me to my family reunion and went along with my story so my family could stop asking about my love life. 

They included pictures along with long descriptions of what their experience was, raving about how professional and high-quality the service was. You clicked onto the website, an introductory page with the purpose of the escorts and their rules, which did make you feel a bit better since you’ve only heard weird things about these websites, but this one seemed promising. You clicked over to the array of people, stating their name, how long they’ve worked for this company, and some of their hobbies or fun facts. You saw the guys mentioned in the forum, completely booked out. “Damn.” You mumbled under your breath, hoping maybe one of them would be available as a date for your work event tomorrow. 

You continued to scroll, stopping at a man who was different from the rest. He had tattoos on his arms, his hair a bold, blonde color with streaks of baby blue peeking through. His low-rise jeans and cropped tee were stealing the show, posing as if he were rockstar in a band. His dark eyes made you tingle as you scrolled through his pictures. Jung Wooyoung. You liked that he was different, bold, daring, weird, some may say. Totally not your type, not a guy you would go for, but it’d be kind of fun to show up to the ceremony with him. His colorful exterior may have others double-take and raise an eyebrow, stirring interest in you, which is always good for business. You clicked on his availability, hoping, although it was a short notice, that maybe he would be available. The screen of the laptop twinkled in your eye as you smiled; Friday was open and available to book. You immediately confirmed, typing in your payment information, gaining access to a chat between you and Wooyoung. You drafted up a quick message on what the reason for the booking was, what the event was for, and asked for his measurements since you could get a suit ready for him. He responded rather quickly.

Wooyoung: Hi there, thank you for choosing me for this. I’ve attached my measurements, sizes, excited to see what you dress me in. I love color, or I could also do something simpler. Looking forward to meeting you, Ms. Y/N.

You felt your heart race as you came to realize what you had done, the excitement filling with dread as you slammed your laptop shut. You never thought you would be in this type of situation, hiring a date for an event to receive an award as a successful CEO. You trusted in the forum before, it never led you astray, so maybe this could work out? You could avoid the pressing and prying into your personal life, maybe gain some confidence to better propel you into the dating scene. Your computer dinged despite it being shut. You opened it up again, the chat between you and Wooyoung popping open again. 

Wooyoung: Providing my phone number as well so you can send me the details for tomorrow’s event, addresses, times, etc. See you tomorrow!

[ceyanabbiolo]

PHOTOGRAPH // M.S [05]

Summary: Daphne Denoire, a 21-year-old, returns to Boston to after 3 years—but working for her brother’s best friend, Matthew Sturniolo, wasn’t part of the plan. He’s a 26-year-old multimillionaire. She’s the girl he was never supposed to feel this way about. With secrets between them and boundaries set, how far will they go for a love they never saw coming?

Warnings: slightly suggestive.

wc: 3025

Chapter 5: Welcome to LA, London girl

The music was loud—bass thumping, lights strobing in the dark haze of the rooftop lounge. I leaned back against the velvet couch, a drink in one hand, the other casually resting on the leg of the girl tucked beside me. 

Her name? Honestly, I didn’t catch it the first time, and I wasn’t planning on asking again.

She laughed at something I barely said, leaning in closer, her perfume sweet and cloying, mixing with the sharp scent of tequila in the air. Her hand grazed my jaw, and I let her kiss me.

It wasn’t deep, not yet. Just enough to keep her interested. My friends were scattered around the space, half-drunk and loud, calling out shots and talking about L.A. like it was the only place on earth worth being. Someone had already started rolling a blunt in the corner. Typical Friday night.

It was definitely different from the gala's and events I usually attend with family.

I pulled back slightly and looked down at the girl beside me. She was pretty—tan skin, dark eyes, blonde hair, and that confident look that said she was used to attention. I wasn’t thinking much. Just here for a good time. The kind of distraction I didn’t have to think twice about.

Her hand slid under the hem of my shirt, and I chuckled lowly, letting her move in closer. My mouth found hers again, this time slower, deeper.

She was starting to get bolder, and so was I. 

I was here for a fun time, so why not. 

Her hands roamed more freely now, fingertips teasing the edge of my belt like she was testing how far I’d let her go. I didn’t stop her.

I pulled back slightly, catching her eyes with a lazy grin. “Upstairs?” I asked, my voice low, already knowing the answer.

She didn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”

She stood, smoothing down her dress, and reached for my hand. I let her lead the way through the crowd—shoulders brushing past half-drunk bodies, music still thumping behind us. A few people turned as we passed, nodding, like they’d seen this story play out a hundred times.

We got to the stairs and started up, the sound from the party fading with each step.

We made it to one of the guest rooms, the door shutting behind us with a soft click.

Things moved fast after that—clothes carelessly dropped, kisses turning heated. There wasn’t much talking, just instinct and impulse. We fell into the sheets like two people chasing distraction, not meaning.

It wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t tender. Just something to fill the silence, I didn’t want to sit with and by the time it was over, the room was silent with just silence pants here and there. 

I lay back against the pillow, the girl beside me already drifting off.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, screen lighting up in the dim room. I reached over, half-expecting it to be one of the guys.

But it wasn’t.

Daphne: Hi Matt, just wanted to double-check What time should I be at the airport tomorrow? 

I stared at the message for a second, then smirked a little to myself. Right—L.A. trip.

I quietly typed out a reply:

Matthew: 10:30. Don’t worry about getting there I’ll pick you up

A minute later, I got a reply. 

Daphne: Sounds good :) 

I smiled to myself, almost knowing how she sounded if she said that. 

I put the phone down on the nightstand, running a hand through my hair as I sat up slowly. The soft sheets rustled beneath me, and the girl stirred beside me, blinking up through heavy lashes.

“Hey,” I said, grabbing my shirt from the floor. “I’m gonna head out.”

She propped herself up on one elbow, nodding lazily. “Yeah, that’s cool.”

No questions. No clinginess. Just like I liked it.

I pulled on my clothes, grabbed my keys and phone, and glanced back for a second. She was putting her clothes back on as well.

I’d said bye to a few friends, then rode back to my place to crash for the night.

The next morning, I woke up with a dull headache pounding behind my eyes, but I ignored it. Nothing a cold shower couldn’t fix.

After a few minutes under the water, I felt more like myself. My suitcases were already packed from the day before, resting by the front door with my assistants. I threw on a clean hoodie, black jeans, grabbed everything, and headed out.

When the car pulled up to Aurora’s house, I told the driver I’d step out and help her with her luggage.

I walked up to the front door and knocked. It didn’t take long before she appeared, already dressed and ready, wearing a burgundy sweater that suited her perfectly. She looked calm but prepared.

I couldn’t help but think she looked pretty, more so than usual.

She opened the door and gave me a small smile. “Ready to go?” I asked, flashing a smile. “Yeah, just about,” she said, grabbing her bag.

I nodded and stepped inside to help her with the luggage. “Looks like you packed light,” I teased. She shrugged, her eyes briefly darting away. “Kept it simple.” I grabbed her luggage along with a bulky camera bag and carried them outside. She locked the door behind us, and soon we were settled into the car.

The drive to the airport was quiet, the kind of silence filled with unspoken thoughts. Once we arrived, navigated through check-in, security lines, and all the usual airport chaos, we finally found ourselves with a moment to breathe and actually talk.

She glanced around and said, “I’m gonna head to that café over there to get a drink.”

I nodded. “Sure, we’ve got like half an hour before boarding anyway.”

We walked together toward the café, the buzz of the airport fading a bit as we grabbed some coffee and settled into the small moment of calm before the flight.

She stepped up to the counter first, glancing at the menu before speaking softly, “I’ll have an iced matcha latte...and a croissant, please.”

She hesitated, about to add something else, when I quickly cut in, “Make that two croissants—and a bottle of apple juice for me.”

Before she could protest, I pulled out my card and paid for both orders.

Daphne’s eyes flicked to me. 

“Matt,” she sighed, a hint of frustration crossing her face. “You didn’t have to do that...”

I smiled reassuringly. “It’s no big deal. Consider it a welcome gift for the trip.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but the tension eased as she accepted the gesture, reluctantly grateful.

When our orders arrived, Daphne took her iced matcha latte and croissant with a small smile. “Thanks again,” she said quietly, glancing up at me.

I eyed her drink and teased, “That’s not straight matcha, right? It’s got milk and stuff in it?”

She nodded, a bit defensive but still shy. “Yeah, it’s got milk and sweetener. Plus, it tastes good.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why do you like that green drink anyway?”

She smiled softly. “It’s good... and refreshing.”

I smirked. “Sounds like you’re a health nut.”

She laughed lightly. “I promise it’s not really healthy with all the sugar they put in.”

Then she held out the cup. “Want to try a sip?”

I grinned and took a sip, letting the cool, slightly sweet flavour settle on me. I clicked my tongue, trying to understand the hype.

Honestly, I wasn’t feeling it. But she was watching me with that expectant smile, so I just shrugged and said, “I like it.”

She giggled, shaking her head. “No, you don’t.” “Caught me,” I said, laughing it off. 

We kept chatting quietly until the boarding call echoed through the terminal.

DAPHNE

Landing in LAX felt so unreal for someone like me—someone who’d never even set foot there before.

You know what else felt unreal? Flying business class. I almost died when Matt took us to the business class lounge. I had never been in business; the closest I’ve gotten was an upgrade to premium economy once. 

The entire drive to the hotel, I couldn’t stop staring out the window, taking everything in.

Boston had its charm—red bricks, history, cozy bookstores and coffee shops—but LA? LA felt fast, shiny, and full of possibility.

LA felt like a different world compared to Boston. The air was warmer, and the buildings looked sleek and modern—like I had stepped onto a movie set. Even the people walking around seemed different, dressed effortlessly cool, like they belonged in magazines. 

Still, I think I preferred London somehow. 

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, my camera bag on my lap, and tried not to let it all overwhelm me.

When the car finally pulled into the hotel’s driveway, my eyes widened all over again.

It was one of those tall, sleek glass buildings with a luxury logo I’d only ever seen online or in fashion magazines. A valet opened the door, and I stepped out, clutching my bag tightly as Matt casually rounded the car like he did this every day. He handed the keys to the valet and turned toward me.

“You good?” he asked, noticing the way I was looking up at the building.

“Yeah,” I said, a little breathless. “It’s just… really nice.”

He gave a lopsided grin. “Only the best. You’re on the clock, remember? Company card.”

I followed him through the spinning doors, and the lobby hit me like a scene from a movie—marble floors, a massive chandelier, front desk staff in pressed uniforms, and soft music playing somewhere overhead.

We checked in quickly—Matt handled everything, of course—and soon a bellhop was helping with our bags as we were led to the elevators.

Our rooms were next to each other on one of the higher floors. When I walked into mine, I was met with floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the city. The sunlight spilled across the white sheets and minimalistic decor like something from a luxury Airbnb.

I turned back to Matt, who stood in the hallway with a hand still on his door.

“You settle in,” he said. “I’ve got a meeting in like an hour, but after that, I can give you a rundown of the schedule, alright?” 

“Okay,” I nodded, still slightly dazed. “Thanks, Matt.”

He winked. “Welcome to LA, London girl.” 

I felt my cheeks warm as he shut the door behind him. Ugh. Why did his voice have to sound so nice? And why did he look even better under California lighting? The slight stubble on his jaw was doing more than it should have. I let out a quiet sigh and turned away from the door, telling myself to chill out.

Once I was alone, I changed into a soft set of pajamas and collapsed onto the bed, sinking into the comfort of it. I was absolutely exhausted from the flight, but my body buzzed with a strange, restless energy. Maybe it was the new city, or maybe it was the thought of being here—with Matt, technically working, yet also completely out of my comfort zone.

After laying there for a while, staring at the ceiling and debating whether or not to nap, I made up my mind. I couldn’t just waste my first afternoon in Los Angeles by hiding in a hotel room. I slipped on a hoodie and some sneakers, grabbed my camera (because of course), and decided to go on a quick walk.

Outside, the air felt different. Warmer, lighter—like the whole city had this effortless glow to it. Palm trees lined the streets and the late afternoon sun dipped golden shadows across the pavement. I wandered for a bit, turning down a stretch of shops that looked like something out of a high-fashion editorial.

Then I saw it.

A jewelry store tucked between two designer boutiques, glass displays catching the light and throwing sparkles across the sidewalk. My eyes were immediately drawn to the front window. Inside, on velvet stands, were rings so intricate and delicate they looked like they belonged in a fairytale. One in particular caught my attention—rose gold with a small cluster of diamonds shaped like a tiny flower.

I stood there for a long moment, hands in my hoodie pocket, just admiring it.

Not that I’d ever buy something like that for myself. But still. It was pretty to look at. And maybe… just maybe… a girl could dream.

By the time I walked back into the hotel lobby, my feet aching slightly from all the wandering, I froze at the sight of Matt. He was standing near the check-in desk, one hand raking through his hair, the other holding his phone to his ear. His brows were furrowed, and his voice—low but tense—carried just enough for me to hear snippets.

“I’ve called twice and she’s not in the room—yeah, can you check if—”, he sees me, “never mind.”

Relief visibly washed over his face, tension in his shoulders dropping the second our eyes met.

“There you are,” he said, hanging up the call and slipping his phone into his pocket.

I blinked. “What… why do you look like that? What’s going on?”

Matt walked over quickly, not angry, but definitely still wound up. “You didn’t answer your phone. And when I called the room, no one picked up. I thought something happened.”

I pulled my phone out of my hoodie pocket and winced. Two missed calls. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even feel it vibrate. I just went for a quick walk. I thought I had time before you got back.”

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I just—when I didn’t see you in the room and your phone wasn’t answering, I… I got worried.”

I looked up at him, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. “I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

“You didn’t,” he said quickly, then amended, “Okay, maybe a little. Just… let me know next time, alright? Noah would kill me”

I nodded, heart thudding a little too loud in my chest. “My bad”

We took the elevator up in silence, the air slightly thick with whatever had just passed between us downstairs. When the doors slid open, Matt glanced over at me and nodded toward his room.

“Come in for a second,” he said casually, fishing out the key card.

I trailed behind him, stepping into the sleek, modern suite. It smelled like expensive cologne and something faintly woodsy—unmistakably him. I stood near the door for a moment, taking in the room: the king-size bed still unmade, a leather duffle bag resting on the bench, a few of his things scattered on the desk.

It was messy in a lived-in way, like he didn’t care much about appearances when it was just him. Though it was funny, because we just got here.

“So,” he started, walking to the window and pulling back the curtains halfway. “This week’s going to be packed. We’ve got that big campaign shoot on Monday, fittings on Tuesday. You’ll be on-site for most of it, and I’ll have my assistant give you a list of what the clients are expecting.”

I nodded, trying to stay focused. Really, I was, but my eyes drifted—upward, toward his jaw, then lower.

A purplish mark, just barely visible at the side of his neck, above the collar of his shirt. My breath caught for a second, and I had to blink to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.

A hickey.

Matt stopped mid-sentence, his brow furrowing slightly when he caught the distant look on my face.

“You good?” he asked, tilting his head a little. “You spaced out.”

I blinked quickly and forced a small smile, tearing my gaze away from the mark on his neck.

“Yeah—yeah, sorry,” I said, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just tired, I think.”

He looked at me for a second longer, like he wasn’t fully buying it, but he didn’t press.

“Alright,” he said slowly, then added with a small smirk, “Hope I wasn’t boring you already.”

I shook my head quickly. “No, you weren’t. I’m just… still adjusting to the time difference, I guess.”

“Fair,” he nodded, still eyeing me. “Lemme grab you the schedule anyway.”

As he turned to rummage through a folder on the desk, I couldn’t help glancing at his neck again, the question silently pressing at the back of my mind— Who gave it to him?

Oh my… does he have a girlfriend? Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he? He’s handsome as hell, would be a shame if he was gatekeeping himself. 

I folded my arms, shifting my weight from one foot to the other as I looked away, pretending to study the artwork on the hotel wall instead of spiraling inside my head. My stomach twisted for reasons I didn’t want to name.

Stop it, Daphne. 

He turned back around, totally casual, holding out a printed itinerary. “Here’s what the week’s looking like. You don’t have to come to everything, but I highlighted the shoots you’ll need to be at.”

I took it from him quietly, eyes scanning the page even though the words barely registered.

“Thanks,” I said, my voice softer than I intended.

He must’ve sensed something, because he stepped a little closer. “You okay?”

I nodded quickly, too quickly. “Yeah, just tired like I said.”

He studied me again, brow slightly raised, and I knew he could tell something was off—but thankfully, he let it go.

“Alright, well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “get some rest, sweetheart. Tomorrow’s a long day.”

Gosh, he needs to stop calling me that. 

“Right,” I murmured, giving him a tight smile. “See you in the morning.”

I turned to leave, heart heavier than it had been five minutes ago—trying not to wonder who she was, or why it even mattered. 

Matthew Sturniolo was just my boss, nothing else and I had to make that clear to myself.

READ ALL RELEASED CHAPTERS NOW!

[a/n: thank you for all the support so far! I love you all. mwah, like and reblog!] –ceyana

Tags: @oopsiedaisydeer @ribbonlovergirl @mattsfrenchtoast @lm-a-mirrorball @cholejhunter @urlocallera @kingofeverythingmb @idkwhatimdoinghereeeeeee @malox12 @sturnslux3 @carrielovesmatt @vanillakissesxx @sagesturns @enviedparty101 @kiarasmaybank @mattscore @fmg05 @ed1tssturnn @kenah-sturniolo @tropicfessed @courta13 @meatballlover10 @ellssturn @idkwhatthisis2009 @mattspillowprincess @chrissturniolodailysluts

[rhynestonez]

BLIND DATE

Thunderbolts! Bucky x Reader

One shot!!

——————————————

The kettle whistled just as your inbox hit fifty-two unread emails. You tapped the keyboard with the back of your knuckle to keep the screen from going dark, then shuffled to the kitchen on socked feet. Your apartment was small but clean, tucked in a corner of the city just far enough from downtown to be quiet in the mornings.

You poured the water over the tea bag and let the steam brush against your face, savoring the quiet before the day began.

This was your ritual. Mornings before work were sacred: tea, toast, and an hour of pretending your life didn’t feel like one long act of reinvention. You were still learning how to exist in this version of the world. Civilians. Schedules. Rent. Grocery lists. Online banking.

You sat at the tiny kitchen table with your tea and flicked on the small radio you’d found at a secondhand store. Soft jazz drifted through the room, low and soothing. Tahoe—your mutt of a rescue dog—let out a snore from the living room rug, one paw twitching in a dream.

The phone rang.

You squinted at the screen.

Yelena.

You hesitated. The last time she called without texting first, you ended up on a five-hour road trip that included one federal crime and a strawberry milkshake.

You answered anyway.

“What now?” you said, voice dry but fond.

“I have news,” Yelena said brightly. You could hear her walking—boots on tile, maybe a gym or base. “You remember what I said last week?”

“Vaguely. Something about exploding dye packs and how I need to ‘get laid before I rot into my couch.’”

“Exactly. I found you a date.”

You paused. “You what?”

“I’m doing you a favor,” she said smoothly. “He’s tall. Quiet. Kind of broody but not in a weird way. You’ll like him.”

“Yelena—”

“He’ll meet you for dinner. You need a reason to leave that apartment that isn’t dog food and your sad little grocery lists.”

“I’m hanging up.”

“You’re not. Check your calendar for Thursday. Seven o’clock. Maison d’Étoile. Wear something that makes you feel pretty. But not desperate.”

The line clicked off.

You stared at your phone like it had betrayed you.

Maison d’Étoile?

You turned your head slowly to look at Tahoe. He snored again.

“This is a bad idea,” you said to no one.

But you marked the date anyway.

——-

Yelena found him in the weight room at the compound, methodically benching something he couldn’t feel.

“You free Thursday night?” she asked without preamble.

Bucky didn’t look up. “Why?”

“I found you a date.”

He sat up slowly. Wiped the back of his neck with a towel. “Not interested.”

“Liar-” she said, plopping down on the bench opposite his. “You brood. You sulk. You pretend to read whole books without turning pages. It’s sad. It’s tragic. It’s boring.”

“I don’t need—”

“Just dinner,” she said, holding up her hands like she was negotiating with a wild animal. “A quiet place. No expectations.”

He frowned. “Who is she?”

“Someone with actual social skills. Good heart. Bad sense of humor.”

Bucky raised a brow.

“She’s good people,” Yelena said more quietly. “You’ll like her. You’ve got similar scars.”

That made him pause.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor for a long moment. He hadn’t gone on a real date in… hell, decades? He wasn’t sure he even remembered how.

But part of him—some small, quiet part that hadn’t been completely ironed out by years of guilt—was tired of the same four walls. The same nights alone. The same version of himself over and over again.

So he nodded once.

Yelena smirked. “Perfect. I’ll text you the details.”

“And the name?”

She stood. “Why ruin the surprise?”

⸻

Thursday lingered in your mind like a splinter.

You didn’t do much dating. Honestly, you didn’t do much of anything outside of work and taking care of Tahoe. Life had become quiet out of necessity, and you were still learning how to live without always looking over your shoulder.

But now, Yelena had thrown a wrench in your carefully maintained solitude.

You tried not to obsess over it—but you still found yourself staring into your closet longer than usual every morning, eyeing a dress you hadn’t worn in over a year. You still caught yourself drifting in the grocery store, wondering what kind of wine you’d order if it came to that. You still Googled the menu of Maison d’Étoile, trying to decipher what “compressed melon” even meant.

Work was a good distraction—on paper. You had a solid job at a modest repair shop, one of the few places in the city where nobody asked too many questions about your past. You’d earned that trust. Machines didn’t care who you used to be; they just needed you to keep them running.

That Tuesday, you spent most of your shift bent over a busted air conditioning unit while the ceiling fan above you clunked like it might come crashing down any minute.

“You good?” your coworker Marco asked, holding out a bottle of water.

You sat back on your heels, grease smudged across your cheek. “Yeah. Just… lost in thought.”

He raised a brow. “Hot date?”

You stared at him. “What?”

“You’ve been twitchy since Monday. You check your phone like it owes you money.”

You took the water and chugged half of it. “You’re hallucinating.”

“Sure,” he said, and walked off, humming.

You shook your head, but couldn’t help glancing at your phone again. Just to check the time. Just in case.

⸻

Bucky didn’t own a lot of clothes. That had never really been a problem before.

He stared at his open closet Wednesday evening, arms crossed over his chest, lips drawn in a tight line. A few shirts hung stiffly on plastic hangers. A black jacket that had seen better days. One suit—probably from the Stark funeral. He wasn’t even sure it still fit.

Yelena had said “something nice.”

He sighed and pulled the jacket out anyway.

In the other room, the apartment was dark except for the soft glow of a single lamp. He lived simply. Quietly. The compound offered him space, but he preferred the silence of his own place when he could get it. Somewhere without constant movement. Without people trying to look him in the eye too long.

He didn’t think about dates anymore. It had been so long since someone had looked at him without a mission behind their smile.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, ran his hand through his hair. Still tied back from training earlier. He stared at the wall for a long time.

Then finally reached for his phone and typed a message to Yelena.

“You sure this isn’t a setup?”

She replied a minute later.

“You’ll thank me. Wear black. It’s classic. Don’t brush your hair like a caveman.”

He smiled, despite himself.

⸻

Thursday arrived too fast and not fast enough.

You got home from work at five. Took a too-hot shower. Stared at your reflection for fifteen minutes, wrapped in a towel, while Tahoe sat near your feet like a judgmental parent.

“Don’t look at me like that,” you muttered.

You tried on four outfits before settling on the one you’d originally rejected that morning. It was flattering. Not too flashy. It made you feel almost like yourself, if your ‘self’ didn’t still flinch when people asked where you were from.

At 6:45, you were locking the door and walking Tahoe one last time before grabbing your keys and whispering “Please don’t be a creep..” to no one.

⸻

Maison d’Étoile smelled like lemon zest, soft wine, and impossible wealth.

The hostess greeted you with a smile as you stepped inside, the warmth of the restaurant cocooning you from the cool night outside. You nervously pulled at the sleeves of your jacket.

“Reservation for…?” she asked.

“Belova.” you said.

The woman’s eyes lit with recognition. “Right this way.”

You were led through the main dining area to a quieter section, slightly removed behind an archway framed with frosted glass and tall plants. The table was small—intimate, even. Just two chairs. A soft candle flickered in the center. There were three forks. Three.

You sat down and tried not to fidget.

The room was packed, but it didn’t feel lively. The energy was hushed, formal. Forks clinked against plates with eerie precision. No one raised their voice. It was beautiful—and utterly foreign.

Your phone buzzed.

You sighed and picked it up. “Yes, Yelena. I’m at the restaurant.”

“Is he there yet?”

“No-” you whispered, fiddling with the middle fork. “Listen, this place is way too fancy for me, I’m nervous and I don’t know which fork to kill myself with—”

You heard footsteps.

You looked up.

A man entered the alcove. Tall. Dressed in all black, jacket snug at the shoulders. His hair was tied back in a low knot. His expression unreadable.

He was handsome. Too handsome.

Your throat went dry.

He stopped at the table, eyes meeting yours.

You nodded dumbly. “Uhm- hi.” Hanging up the phone while Yelena was mid sentence. Placing it face down on the table.

He smiled and sat down across from you. “I’m Bucky.”

You blinked. Then gave him your name, and repeats it back.

Good lord.

Before you could speak, he opened the menu and flipped it casually. “So… have you decided which fork you’re gonna kill yourself with?”

You froze.

Then deadpanned. “You heard that.”

He glanced up. Smirked. “Kinda hard not to.”

You looked down, mortified. You were this close to crawling under the table.

Then decided to roll with it.

“I don’t know. This big one’s looking like the winner.” you said, picking it up and twirling it in mock consideration.

He chuckled.

You exhaled. Maybe this wouldn’t be a total disaster.

You tried to look at the menu. You really did.

But everything on it read like a spell book. Compressed melon with balsamic pearls. Duck à l’orange espuma. Wagyu tartare with charcoal salt.

You were hungry. And anxious. Your stomach growled loud enough that Bucky glanced up from his own menu, brow raised.

You dropped your own with a sigh, pressing your hand to your stomach like it would silence it.

“Jesus-” you muttered. “I don’t even know how to pronounce half of this stuff.”

Bucky leaned forward slightly, one elbow resting casually against the pristine white cloth. “Thank god because-” he said while throwing down the menu. “Me neither.”

You met his eyes. He looked relieved too. The quiet tension between you broke like a cracked window finally letting in air.

“Yelena has the weirdest taste, I mean where did she even find this place.” you said.

“She definitely does,” he replied. “Told me to wear black and not brush my hair like a caveman.”

You smiled. “What’d you say to that?”

“I brushed it like a soldier-“ he deadpanned. “But, she said that didn’t count.”

You laughed, genuinely this time. Something about the way he spoke—it wasn’t self-deprecating, just dry. Controlled. But he was trying. You both were.

The conversation drifted naturally after that. You told him about your work—fixing air conditioners, broken vents, the satisfaction of rebuilding things with your hands. It felt good to talk about something real, something ordinary. You avoided the heavy stuff at first, but it came out in pieces. How you and Yelena grew up together. The Red Room. How you escaped. Lived off the grid for years. Tried to build a life again from pieces.

You kept it light. You even joked about teaching yourself to cook with only one pan and a stolen can opener.

But Bucky didn’t laugh at the wrong parts. He nodded. He listened. Eyes focused entirely on you like it wasn’t just polite—it mattered.

When you finally paused, fiddling with your napkin, he spoke. “I know Yelena through a friend-“ he said, quietly. “She’s got a talent for dragging people out of their caves.”

You smiled softly. “Guess we’re the cave people now, huh?”

He smirked. “You more than me. At least I showed up wearing socks.”

You were mid-sip of water and nearly choked. “Oh my god—”

He laughed, and it was that low, surprised kind of laugh that felt unplanned.

“Y’know, you seem familiar,” you said slowly, after recovering. “I think I read about you once. Wait—oh my god. Weren’t you a congressman?”

That made him sit back slightly, head tilting.

You grinned, pointing. “I knew I recognized your voice.”

He shrugged, amused. “Didn’t last long. Turns out the government isn’t great at handling people like me.”

“No one is.” you said gently.

The mood shifted a little. Still warm, but heavier. The candle flickered.

Then your stomach growled again, louder this time.

You froze.

He gave you a look that was almost fond.

“I’m so sorry.” you said, voice tight. “This is… this is a nightmare.”

Bucky stood.

You blinked up at him. “What’re you doing?”

“Let’s get outta here-” he said. “We’re both starving. And I’m not about to spend two hours pretending this foam on a plate is food.”

You didn’t hesitate. Not really. You stood and grabbed your small jacket—but the second you stepped outside, the cold slapped you in the face.

“Jesus Christ.” you muttered, wrapping your arms around yourself. The dress hadn’t felt short until now.

Without a word, Bucky shrugged out of his coat and draped it over your shoulders.

You opened your mouth to argue, but he just gave you a look—one that said, Don’t even try.

It smelled like him. Clean, warm, something faintly herbal. You pulled it tighter.

You walked side by side, your heels tapping against the sidewalk as the wind sliced between buildings. The city buzzed around you—horns, conversations, the smell of street food in the distance.

He glanced at you. “So. What do you want? Greasy burger? Fried something?”

“Something I can pronounce,” you said firmly. “And eat with my hands.”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

The fast food place was nearly empty. Just a few kids in the corner booth and a teenager behind the counter who couldn’t care less.

You ordered without overthinking. Fries. A burger. A milkshake, even.

You took the booth by the window. Bucky slid in across from you.

He watched you tear open a packet of ketchup like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Now this-” you said, holding up a fry triumphantly “this is food.”

He nodded solemnly. “It’s got texture. Integrity.”

“And a heart attack’s worth of sodium.” you added.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

You laughed. He smiled wider than he had all night.

Between bites, the conversation deepened. You talked more about normal things—bad roommates, weird neighbors, that one time you locked yourself out in the snow and had to break in with a hairpin and a spoon. He listened. He offered stories of his own—sharper, more guarded, but real. Moments with Sam. Late-night walks when he couldn’t sleep. Learning how to shop for groceries without a mission plan.

There were pauses, but none of them awkward. Just space to breathe.

When the food was gone and your cup was almost empty, he reached for a napkin. Scribbled something down.

You looked up as he slid it toward you.

His number.

he said quietly.

“I uh- I had a good time.”

You took it. Smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”

He walked you to your car. Said goodnight with a soft look, one that lingered even after he turned away and headed for his own.

You sat in your car for a long time, hands on the wheel, eyes on the napkin.

You leaned back, smiling like an idiot.

And muttered to yourself, “I definitely owe Yelena for this one.”

[lokh]

i dont know if i can finish this movie

[ivyues]

Sibling Bonds: Stray Kids x Member's sister Scenarios

Bang Chan (Seungmin’s sister)

Chris plopped down beside Seungmin on the practice room floor, immediately draping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him into a side hug. He rested his chin on Seungmin’s shoulder, swaying them side to side like an over-affectionate puppy.

Seungmin sighed, unimpressed. “What do you want?”

Chris pouted. “Can’t I just love my favorite dongsaeng?”

Seungmin deadpanned. “Hyung, if you think this is gonna make me buy you food, it’s not working.”

Chris grinned but didn’t deny it. “Okay, fine. I need to talk to you.”

Seungmin hummed in response, still scrolling. “We are talking.”

Chris huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s about… Y/N.”

That got Seungmin’s attention. He glanced up, one brow raised before giving Chris an irritated look. “Hyung, don’t think I haven’t seen the two of you throwing heart eyes at each other. It’s honestly disgusting.”

Chris groaned, already regretting this. “I just— I like her. But I don’t want you to think I’m overstepping. Like, I’m older, I’m your leader, and I don’t want it to seem like I can just… take what I want.”

Seungmin blinked before letting out an amused chuckle. “Hyung, she’s an adult. She can make her own choices. I don’t have any say in who she dates.”

“I know, but—”

“And I can’t really do anything if she’s into old men.”

Chris’ jaw dropped. “What—?!”

Seungmin shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean, you are basically a grandfather. Maybe she likes the ‘experienced’ type.”

Chris groaned, burying his face in his hands as Seungmin laughed. “You’re insufferable.”

Seungmin grinned. “Look, if she likes you and you like her, then just go for it. But don’t come crying to me when she realizes she doesn’t want to date a grandpa.”

Chris scowled. “I love you too, Seungmin.”

Seungmin smirked, unlocking his phone again. “You’re welcome.”

Lee Know (I.N’s sister)

The engine purred as Minho shifted gears, rolling smoothly out of the driveway. The sun was bright, the morning air crisp, and a whole day of plans stretched ahead of him and Jeongin. It wasn’t often that they had time to hang out as just the two of them, so today was supposed to be chill.

Jeongin, sitting in the passenger seat, tapped away at his phone, only glancing up occasionally at the road ahead. That is, until something caught his attention.

In the corner of the passenger seat, nestled between the seat and the door, was a very familiar-looking scrunchie.

His brows furrowed before he reached out and plucked it up between two fingers like it was evidence in a crime scene. “Uh, hyung,” Jeongin said, his tone shifting. “Why is my sister’s scrunchie here?”

Minho didn’t even flinch. “Because she apparently left it,” he said, voice casual as ever, eyes still on the road. He wasn’t about to act guilty over something as harmless as a scrunchie.

Jeongin narrowed his eyes. “When?”

“Last time I drove her,” Minho answered smoothly. Not a lie.

Jeongin leaned back, arms crossed. “So, how often is she in your car, exactly?”

Minho’s lips twitched slightly. “We’ve been dating for a while now. I thought you were cool with it.”

Jeongin scoffed. “I am. But as her brother, I have to make sure you’re treating her right.”

Minho finally turned his head slightly, giving Jeongin an unimpressed look. “You do realize I’m older than you, right?”

Jeongin didn’t back down, only tilting his chin up. “And? That just means I have to watch you even more.”

Minho rolled his eyes, refocusing on the road, but his fingers subtly flexed on the steering wheel. He wasn’t worried about Jeongin’s protective streak – if anything, it was amusing.

Casually, he flicked his gaze up to the rearview mirror. And that’s when he saw it.

In the footwell of the backseat behind Jeongin, barely visible but there nonetheless, was a top. Your top. His fingers tightened just slightly on the wheel as he swallowed, keeping his expression carefully neutral.

The last time he had driven with you… well, let’s just say things had gotten a little heated before you had finally gone inside. And apparently, not all of your clothing had made it back with you.

His foot pressed just a tad heavier on the gas pedal. Maybe if they got to their destination fast enough, your brother wouldn’t have any reason to look back.

Changbin (Han’s sister)

Changbin tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the half-finished lyrics in front of him. The dim glow of the studio lights flickered against the desk, and the faint hum of an unfinished beat filled the space. Across from him, Han lounged back in his chair, spinning lazily.

“I feel like we should go for something love-related,” Changbin murmured, rubbing his temple. “Like... the excitement of a first date or something.”

Han suddenly sat up straight, eyes widening as if a light bulb had just flicked on above his head. His lips curled into a slow, mischievous grin, and he clapped his hands together with excitement.

“Oh! Oh! Wait, I just got the best idea ever!”

Changbin immediately looked suspicious. “Why do I feel like I'm about to regret this?”

Han practically bounced in his seat. “No, listen! My sister!”

Changbin blinked. “What about her?”

“You should take her on a date!" Han exclaimed, looking way too pleased with himself. “It's perfect!”

Changbin nearly dropped his pen. “What? No. Why?”

Han was already on a roll, his brain working a mile a minute. “It makes so much sense! She hasn’t dated in forever, and she’s been totally unmotivated to put herself out there. She just needs a little push.”

“And that push is me?” Changbin asked incredulously.

Han nodded enthusiastically. “Dude, think about it. You're my best friend, you're cool, responsible, buff—”

“Why do you keep mentioning that?”

“Because it's a selling point!" Han waved his hands around dramatically before grinning wider. “And besides—you're hot, and she's hot! It just makes sense!”

Changbin groaned. “Han, that is not how matchmaking works.”

“Sure it is! Attraction is key,” Han shot back. “Look, she deserves someone awesome, and you’re awesome. Plus, it’d be so fun to play matchmaker. Imagine if it works out? You’d be part of the family!”

Changbin hesitated. “What if it's weird?”

“Only if you make it weird,” Han said with a smug grin. Before Changbin could argue, Han was already whipping out his phone. His fingers flew across the screen, his grin growing wider by the second.

“Wait, what are you—”

Han: Hey, sis. You have a date. No, you don’t get a choice. Be ready tomorrow at 5.

Changbin’s jaw dropped. “Did you seriously just—”

Han locked his phone and leaned back with a satisfied sigh. “Too late to back out now. You, my friend, are officially dating my sister.”

Changbin groaned, running a hand down his face. “I think she'd like to have a saying in the matter too.”

“Look, you're already talking like a responsible boyfriend,” Han pointed out, absolutely beaming. “You guys will thank me at your wedding.”

Hyunjin (Bang Chan’s sister)

(A/N: this are 2 seperate scenarios that are not connected / have different vibes!)

Hyunjin and you stood near the door of the dorm, ready to head out for your long-awaited date. The relationship was still in its early days, the kind where every little moment felt both exciting and slightly uncertain as you both navigated the newness of it all.

Hyunjin laced his fingers with yours, flashing you a soft smile as you turned back towards the living area. “We’re heading out now,” you announced. “Bye, guys!”

Goodbyes rang out from the dorm – some genuine, some exaggerated just to be annoying.

Just as you were pulling the door closed behind you, your brother’s voice suddenly boomed through the room:

“Have fun, DON'T FORGET TO USE PROTECTION!”

Your breath hitched, fingers freezing on the doorknob. But before you could even react, the door shut completely.

Hyunjin stood frozen beside you, his eyes wide, mouth slightly open in shock. Meanwhile, your face heated up in embarrassment.

-----

The familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as you sat across from Chan, absentmindedly stirring your drink. Your brother had practically dragged you out of your apartment, insisting you needed a break from sulking indoors. And honestly? He wasn’t wrong.

“You know,” Chan started, eyeing you over his cup, “I get that you and Hyunjin fought, but locking yourself away isn’t going to fix anything.”

You sighed, staring at the swirling foam in your cup. “I’m not locking myself away,” you muttered.

Chan raised an eyebrow. “You’ve ignored every invite to go out, haven't been responding to messages, and, according to Felix, your social battery is at negative levels.”

You huffed. Felix always had a way of exaggerating.

Chan gave you a knowing look, and you averted your eyes. He didn't push, though. He knew. Of course, he knew. He always knew. Hyunjin was one of his closest friends. And you? You were his little sister. Of course, he noticed how off things had been between you and Hyunjin lately. He didn't bring it up, though, and you were grateful.

Instead, he started talking about something else—his music, the group’s upcoming schedules, something funny Felix had done the other day. You listened, grateful for the distraction, even managing a small smile.

And then Chan’s eyes flickered to your wrist, his words pausing for just a second.

Your bracelet.

You hadn’t even realized you were wearing it until now. It had become almost second nature to have it on—Hyunjin’s gift, the one he had stressed over for weeks, secretly asking Chan for advice on what you'd like best. You had loved it from the moment he gave it to you. It was delicate but strong, simple but elegant, just like the way he saw you.

Chan didn’t say anything right away, but the corners of his lips lifted slightly. “Still wearing it, huh?”

Your fingers automatically traced over the cool metal. “Of course,” you admitted softly.

(A/N: I remembered this scene of a yt image i watched like 5 years ago)

Han (Hyunjin’s sister)

The last thing you expected when Hyunjin invited you to meet some of his group members was to see Han Jisung again.

You had harbored a tiny, innocent crush on him back in their trainee days. Something about his energy, his dorky yet endearing personality, and his talent had always drawn you in. But back then, your brother and Han weren’t exactly close. Their clashing personalities made sure of that.

During that time, you had gone abroad to study, spending years away from your brother and his now-bandmates. 

So, naturally, when Hyunjin casually mentioned that some of his members were coming over to his parent’s house to eat, you didn’t think much of it. You certainly didn’t expect your stomach to twist in nervous excitement when you saw Han standing there in the doorway, looking just as surprised as you felt.

“Oh… uh, hey,” he greeted, his voice an octave higher than normal. His hand went up in a small, awkward wave.

“Hey, Han,” you said with a polite smile, ignoring the slight flutter in your chest.

From that moment on, it was obvious.

You weren’t sure if Hyunjin was oblivious or just ignoring it, but Han’s eyes kept finding you. Every time you laughed at something, his gaze softened. Every time you looked away, you caught him sneaking glances. Every time you spoke, his attention was solely on you.

It was adorable.

You could practically see the wheels turning in his head, trying to think of something to say to you but chickening out at the last second. His usual confidence when performing was nowhere to be found.

“So, uh— you, um, still paint?” he blurted out at one point, catching you off guard.

You blinked. “Yeah, I do.”

“I— I remember Hyunjin used to complain about you taking all his art supplies,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were, uh… really good.”

A warm feeling bloomed in your chest. He remembered?

“Thanks,” you said, grinning.

His face turned a little pink, and he quickly shoved a bite of food into his mouth to avoid saying something dumb.

Hyunjin finally seemed to catch on, because he suddenly narrowed his eyes at Han. “What’s wrong with you?”

Han choked. “N-Nothing! Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. Totally fine.”

Felix (Changbin’s sister)

Soft music played in the background as you and Felix stood side by side in the kitchen, carefully decorating a fresh batch of cupcakes. The warm scent of vanilla and chocolate filled the air, making the cozy space feel even more inviting. Felix hummed along to the song, his hands steady as he piped little swirls of frosting onto each cupcake.

“You’re really good at this,” you commented, watching his concentrated expression.

Felix glanced at you with a small, proud smile. “I’ve had practice. Baking is kinda relaxing, you know?”

You nodded, adding sprinkles to a cupcake he had just finished. “It is. And more fun when I have you as my partner.”

Felix’s ears tinged pink at your words, but he grinned nonetheless. “Of course! We’re the ultimate baking duo.”

Just as he finished decorating the last cupcake, the sound of the front door opening caught your attention. A moment later, Changbin stepped into the kitchen, pausing when he saw the two of you.

Felix, ever the affectionate one, turned to him with a bright smile. “Hyung! You’re home.”

Changbin stopped, taking in the scene – the neat rows of cupcakes, Felix’s gentle smile directed at you, and the way you both naturally moved around each other. His lips twitched as if he was trying to suppress a smile, but it was obvious he found the moment endearing.

“You two really are something else,” he said, shaking his head.

Felix chuckled, holding up a cupcake. “We made these! Want to try one?”

Changbin sighed but stepped forward, picking one up. He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully while you and Felix watched expectantly. After a moment, he nodded. “Not bad.”

Felix pumped his fist in the air. “Success!”

Changbin finally let a small smile slip through. “Alright, alright. Just don’t make the kitchen a disaster zone.”

You and Felix exchanged glances before turning back to Changbin with innocent looks. “Of course not,” Felix said sweetly.

Seungmin (Lee Know’s sister)

(A/N: I also wrote this series -> X)

The afternoon sun reflected off the rippling pool water as you sat on the edge, lazily kicking your feet in the cool blue. The guys were spending some of their free time in a rented house and you visited them for the day. What they didn’t know is that the house had a pool. Therefore, you were perfectly content staying dry.

Seungmin, however, had other plans.

He waded towards the edge where you sat, tilting his head with a smirk. “Enjoying yourself?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. But before you could react, his hands were on your back, and before you could protest—

Splash!

Cold water rushed around you as you resurfaced with a gasp, pushing your soaked hair out of your face while your wet t-shirt stuck to your body.

“Seungmin!” you shrieked, glaring at him.

He was standing at the edge now, arms crossed, grinning triumphantly. “That was satisfying,” he mused. “You should’ve seen your face.”

“Oh, I’ll show you a face—” you started swimming towards him, ready for revenge.

But before you could reach him, Seungmin felt a solid push against his bag.

He barely had time to register what was happening before he was tumbling forward.

Another Splash!

For a moment, everything was silent – until Seungmin resurfaced, coughing slightly, his eyes widening when he saw Lee Know still standing at the edge.

He hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t even moved after pushing him.

“…I think I’m gonna stay here for a while,” he muttered to himself, slowly walking to the middle of the pool—just to be safe.

Because, well… Lee Know couldn’t swim. And that meant as long as Seungmin stayed in the water, he had at least one layer of protection.

From the edge of the pool, Lee Know’s stare didn’t waver.

Seungmin gulped. Yeah. Definitely staying in here for a while.

I.N (Felix’s sister)

“You know, I love you guys and all, but I feel like I’ve been abandoned,” Felix said dramatically, flopping onto the couch in the dorm’s common area. “Ever since you two started dating, it’s like I don’t have a sister anymore. My poor heart.”

You rolled your eyes, but a pang of guilt hit you. Ever since you and Jeongin had started dating, you hadn't spent as much time with your brother as you used to. Of course, he was joking – his tone made that clear – but there was truth in his words. And Felix, for all his mischief, had always been one of the people closest to you.

“Fine,” you sighed, crossing your arms. “How about a day out? You, me, and Innie.”

“Oh?" Jeongin perked up from where he was sitting beside you. “That actually sounds fun.”

Felix gasped, delighted, and clapped his hands together. “A date with my two favorite people? Say less!”

That was how the three of you ended up spending the day together. Surprisingly, it wasn’t awkward at all. You had worried Felix would feel like a third wheel, or that the dynamic would feel forced, but instead, it just felt right. The three of you effortlessly fell into an easy rhythm – eating street food, teasing each other, dragging Felix away from every bakery he tried to enter, and even stopping by a claw machine.

But the highlight of the day? The photo booth.

“We have to!” Felix insisted, already pulling you and Jeongin inside. “For memories.”

You all squeezed into the small space, laughing as you tried to fit into the frame. The first photo was a normal one, just the three of you smiling. The second? Felix did a peace sign while Jeongin grinned, and you attempted a cute pose. By the third, chaos had ensued – Felix making a goofy face, I.N pretending to push him away, and you caught in the middle, laughing uncontrollably.

When the strip of photos printed out, you couldn’t stop smiling. It was perfect.

Later that night, while lying in bed, you stared at your phone screen, now set with the photo from the booth. A warm feeling spread through your chest. Felix wasn’t losing you, and you weren’t losing him. If anything, you were just gaining more memories together – ones that included Jeongin as well.

masterlist

[niwaart]

FAMILY WITHOUT LIGHT

[#part1 #part2 #part3]

Dick panicked, he gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip.

《This number is unreachable, please try again later.》

Dick let out a scream of anger and impatience, he had been trying to call Y/N for over 5 hours, just to get an answer. Why did she leave the house?… All this happened when he was in his Nightwing costume doing a normal nighttime mission after tying up criminals, a newspaper with Bruce’s picture caught his attention, Dick wondered what new drama the journalists were talking about this time, as soon as he grabbed the newspaper he felt like the air was being sucked out of him. It took him over a minute to process what was being said…

##Bruce Wayne and Y/N Wayne divorced after more than 15 years.##

No... that's a lie, just another rumor, it can't be true, maybe Bruce doesn't care about Y/N but Y/N wouldn't leave the house... after all he saw her love for Damian and Tim, and how she cared for them... so this is just a rumor... right?....

Dick took the newspaper with him and quickly ran to his apartment... He needed to make sure.. He had to get to his apartment to call Y/N.. She would tell him the truth, reassure him, tell him that everything was okay.... As soon as he got to his apartment window, he opened it and entered after entering the access code. His dog Haley approached him, he gave her a few pats before he reached his phone and called Y/N... But she didn't answer his calls.... He tried and tried and tried... But no answer... Could it be true?... Did Y/N leave the house?... Why?....

He was going to call Bruce but he was mad at him for not stopping Y/N from leaving and that he might be the reason Y/N left. So he decided to call Alfred who immediately answered, "Mr. Dick, how may I help you?" "Hello Alfred... Sorry to bother you now... The thing is... I..." Dick hesitated... He was afraid to hear the answer...

“I just called Y/N and she didn’t answer… so I was wondering if everything was okay…” Dick answered, praying with all his might that there was an excuse other than the divorce… “Oh… Mr. Dick… I don’t know how to tell you this… but… Y/N and Bruce have been divorced for three months now…” Alfred’s answer was like a knife slicing into his chest… well maybe deep down he knew the divorce was real… but… three months ago?… and no one told him?… “How… why?… why the divorce, and why didn’t anyone tell me?” Dick’s voice was muffled, he tried not to cry, he tried to control himself a little… “I’m sorry Mr. Dick… it was such a shock to everyone that I forgot to tell you… as for the divorce, Y/N chose that herself… unfortunately…” Alfred’s voice was filled with pain, making it even harder for Dick to hold back his tears… Y/N had left them… she had left them…

Dick hung up the phone after thanking Alfred and collapsed on the floor crying… His dog Haley was beside him trying to comfort him… But it didn’t work… It took Dick maybe half an hour to calm himself down… He tried to take deep breaths in and out… Then he hugged his dog Haley who had already settled happily in his lap. Dick was sitting on the floor leaning his head on the bed behind him while looking at the ceiling of his apartment. He couldn’t help but remember all the memories with Y/N. Dick may not have said it out loud before, but he considered Y/N as his mother… She always took care of him, he still remembers the first time he came to Wayne Manor after his parents died, he was full of anger and wanted revenge, Bruce was trying to channel his anger in a good way to fight the bad guys, but Y/N allowed him to vent his anger, by crying and getting all his feelings out and not holding them in, he remembers that he was mean to her at first, thinking that she was trying to be his mother, but after a while, it turned out that she was just trying to help him, she helped him decorate his parents' grave, buy new things, and when he fought with Bruce she took his side… and even now she still against Bruce and side with Damian, he loved the stories she told, she helped him and encouraged him to speak his mind and thoughts and not hold them in… even when he had a big fight with Bruce and decided to leave the house to be independent… She called him every night, asking him how he was, and if he tried to lie she would know and ask him to tell the truth, which he actually couldn't resistance, so he was always honest with her, Dick was used to being a leader and a good big brother, everyone depended on him… and Y/N was the one he could count on, she was the light of his life, she was family, until recently she used to call him and check on him, now he knew why she hadn't called in three months… He sighed and looked down to see that Haley was asleep, he picked her up and put her in her bed. Even if Y/N had left the house, she still loved them, he was sure, maybe if he went back to Gotham and talked to her he would understand, yeah, maybe she had left the house, but she wouldn't leave them, she still loved them. He was sure

In Gotham... specifically at Wayne Manor, Tim was suffering from a headache and back pain, he was lying in his bed... well maybe not his bed, but in Y/N's bed and room. His work and the pile of papers were almost competing with the towering mountains... when did paperwork become so stressful and tiring? He didn't remember this ever being a problem for him, he wouldn't lie to himself, he knew that Y/N's departure was the reason for the work to be doubled, the sleep to be less, and the pain to be more, Y/N used to do almost all the work for him, so he could rest, but now he couldn't balance his sleeping time, eating, doing all the work, solving cases, and becoming Red Robin, it was too much, Y/N was managing it so well, she did his work, made sure he ate and drank enough before she literally dragged him from the Batcave to the palace to sleep against his will, she always carried him like a baby, he always wondered how she could carry him so easily, okay he'd admit that when he first came to the palace he was a very skinny baby, but he grew up and became muscular, maybe not like Dick or Jason but he sure wasn't light, anyway that didn't concern him now... The problem here is that he hasn't slept in... two days? He doesn't know, maybe it's been three days... He hates that Y/N used to carry him to his room and stay by his side until he fell asleep, and he hated that she knew that sometimes he pretended to sleep, so she wouldn't leave until Tim was completely asleep... Sometimes Tim couldn't sleep easily, like when there was a mission or a case on his mind but Y/N carried him to his room before he could finish it, so he would complain and sometimes beg Y/N to finish the case, that it wouldn't take long, but Y/N always refused... And he couldn't sleep because of the case that consumed his mind, so Y/N would sometimes tell him stories... And it worked to make him sleep... He wondered if Y/N's stories were real, because they didn't seem imaginary at all, her stories were strangely realistic, to the point that all Tim's attention was only on the story until he fell asleep. And so Tim became forced to sleep because of Y/N, food and water, when he should take a break and when he should finish the case, Y/N was organizing his life, he didn't remember getting tired or exhausted from this organization, on the contrary, he was getting enough sleep and food to renew his energy, and even after he came back from his break he would come back with more energy and his solving of cases was at an amazingly higher rate than before, it was very useful, Y/N was the only one who knew how to organize him amazingly with all the work he had. But Y/N wasn't just organizing his life, she even hid his mistakes. Sometimes he would come back from missions with some wounds. Tim didn't like to say that he was injured, it made him weak, and he didn't want to be weak, but Y/N would discover every wound he had, even if it was hidden. The good thing was that she never told Bruce about the injuries, and if the injuries were serious, she would make an excuse for Tim not to go on the next mission. She would cover up all his failures and mistakes in silence... and he was grateful to her. He still remembered when Damian first came and took the Robin costume from him, she would comfort him and stay by his side and tell him that Robin wasn't the one wearing the costume, Robin was the one who protected the children of this city.

It really helped him… he remembered when he asked her advice about his new costume and name, and she encouraged him… she was proud of him, he saw it in her eyes, and when Batman disappeared and everyone thought he was dead and Dick was about to put him in Arkham, Y/N was the first to protest and the first to hit Dick… well that problem was solved a while ago and Y/N was so mad at Dick, it took Dick over three weeks to try to get her to forgive him… it was funny to Tim. She got mad for him. For him… he missed her… she was his whole life, now he couldn’t sleep or work, even his appetite was gone… he could barely survive on coffee now. That’s why he moved into her room a few weeks after she left, he wouldn’t say he slept well, but at least he did, now her scent, her warmth, even her voice and her look at him were gone. When he moved into her room he had a fight with Damian about it, that was the first and last fight they had since Y/N left. Damian wouldn't like it if Tim was the one taking over Y/N's room, and it was a long, tiring fight, in which Damian gave in for the first time ever, letting Tim sleep in Y/N's room. Tim knew very well why Damian was angry, that he missed Y/N too, Damian had changed dramatically after her departure, he barely spoke inside the house, and even on missions he didn't have the same enthusiasm as usual, and he didn't blame Damian for that, he missed her himself... but he had to thank his position as CEO of WE for that which helped him see Y/N a lot, he had multiple meetings with Y/N's family company under the pretext of resuming relations again, just to see Y/N, and one of the meetings was always cancelled due to circumstances, whether from his side or Y/N's, and the first meeting that finally happened was last night, and after more than three months he saw Y/N again, when she entered the meeting room she automatically patted him on the head and asked him how he was and that his appearance looked bad and he should eat and sleep well... Tim was silent, he felt a lump in his throat, if there weren't other people in the room he would have collapsed and hugged her and asked her to come back, but he remained silent looking down Trying to breathe slowly, after the meeting ended he wanted to catch up with her, and talk to her alone and tell her that he needed her back, he hadn't slept in a long time, but because of some old businessmen that Tim was planning to throw out who blocked his way with some questions, invitations and failed offers that caused Tim to be late to catch up with Y/N, but it's okay, he will have another meeting with her, and he will ask her to go home.

Tim sighed as he tried to sleep for the sixth time and was about to fall asleep this time but the knocking on the door woke him up. He grumbled and cursed under his breath at the person at the door unless that person was Alfred, Tim got up lazily and opened the door to be surprised by Damian standing at the door... "Oh? Damian? What's wrong?" Tim noticed Damian's eyes were puffy from crying, he wasn't surprised, ever since Y/N left Damian had been crying a lot, not that anyone would tell him that was obvious. "I want you to find me two people, they're from my school, and they call Y/N my aunt." Damian said calmly without any arrogance. Tim looked at him in confusion for a while, could it be that Damian was after Y/N now? "And before you say anything I know that you're trying to get Y/N back through the meetings you request from her family's company." Damian continued crossing his arms. Tim tensed for a moment, he didn't know that it was obvious, then sighed in surrender. "Okay, come in."

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[mind-empty-just-fictional-people]

I would love to see jack abbott with a sunshine reader i adore the grumpy sunshine dynamic.

Like Dana, she gets hit. She debates on telling him, but maybe robby lets it slip to Jack, and he ofc freaks out (i mean, the guy carries an ultrasound machine in a go bag)

His Rock

main masterlist | the pitt masterlist

pairing: dr. jack abbott x female nurse!reader

rating: PG-13

word count: 1.4k

warnings: violence (reader gets punched)

author’s note: thank you so much for the request! sorry for the part that’s so similar to the show. hope this was worth the wait!

The first date you had with Dr. Jack Abbott was at a nice restaurant. You two hit it off instantly, and no one in the world could make him laugh the way you did. Something about your energy really complemented his. You would be chipper and fun and full of life, while he’d be groaning about the amount of patients he had on his plate. You were never too chipper for him, though. You were just chipper enough. You knew when to be serious and when he needed a good laugh to brighten his day.

You remembered the first time he lost a patient while you two were together. You sat with him on the roof after his shift as he contemplated life. You held his hand and kissed it gently as you both sat in silence for what felt like hours.

“Thank you,” was all he said before he stood up, helped you stand up, and you both drove your separate ways home.

There were also times when you weren’t chipper. Then it was up to him to cheer you up, though he wasn’t as talented at it as you were. But he was there for you, and that’s all that mattered. Through ups and downs, he was always there, and before you knew it two years flew by.

**

You felt your phone buzz in your pocket when you realized something. Jack was late for his shift. He was supposed to be there ten minutes ago. You pulled out your phone and saw a text from Langdon, something about getting a drink with a few of the doctors after work. You replied with an excited “yes” before you texted your boyfriend.

You asked him why he was late, and he simply replied with “traffic”. Your heart stopped racing when you read the text. He was fine.

When he finally did enter The Pitt, you were there to greet him with a big smile and a tight hug.

“Good morning,” you all but squealed.

“It’s seven in the afternoon,” he grumbled. 

“But you just woke up, so for you it’s morning,” you reasoned. “I love you.” You got on your tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I love you, too,” he replied

**

“Why not?” a patient asked you the next day. He had been trying to get you to go on a date with him for the past two hours and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

“Because, like I’ve said many times now, I have a boyfriend,” you repeated slowly.

He completely ignored your reason and continued to ask you out again. You simply rolled your eyes at him with a scoff.

**

You were outside taking a much-needed (very quick) breather when someone came up behind you.

“Hey, nurse,” the man snarled before punching you square in the face with his right hand. You fell to the floor in pain, blood gushing from your nose.

“Fuck,” you exclaimed.

After lying there for a moment, you picked yourself up carefully off the pavement and headed inside.

When Robby saw you, he came rushing over.

“Oh my god,” he exclaimed, seeing the blood on your face. “Grab some ice,” he told Mateo, who hurried to do so. Robby ran up to you and held your face in his gloved hands so he could get a good look at your face. “What happened?”

“Just got punched, I’m fine,” you said. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“Come sit down.” He guided you to a chair nearby and got down to your level so he could examine the injury. “Can you go get Ahmad, please, Dana?” he asked her before she nodded and left.

“I’m fine, Robby, really,” you persisted.

“Did you hit your head?”

“Yeah, I think so,” you answered honestly. “But I didn’t black out or anything, just a bloody nose.”

“I’m gonna apply pressure,” Perlah said before pressing a cloth to your nose.

“Okay, okay,” you winced. “I’ve got it.” You replaced her hand with your own.

“Any trouble seeing? Any double vision?” Robby asked you. “What about a headache?” 

“No trouble seeing, I‘ve got a bit of a headache, yeah,” you said.

“I’m gonna grab you new scrubs,” Nurse Kim said, and she left to do so.

“You’re gonna need a room,” Robby said.

“C’mon, Robby, I don’t need a room, I’m fine!”

A nurse ran to go and prep a room.

“Follow my finger,” Robby instructed, holding his pointer finger in front of your face. “Right, left, up, down. EOM is intact.”

“Who did this?” Ahmad asked you. 

“Just a pissed off patient but he split so just forget it,” you said, sounding on the verge of tears.

“Hell no! I want a name,” he persisted.

“Harrison Elliot,” you admitted.

“The asshole that was hitting on you?” Mateo asked, and you nodded.

“I’m calling the cops,” Ahmad said as he left.

Robby pulled out his flashlight and waved it in front of your eyes. “Pupils are equal and reactive,” he said. He shone the light up your nostrils before saying, “No septal hematoma. Tell me when it’s sore.” He began applying light pressure to your face, starting at the cheekbones and heading for your nose.

As he got closer to your nose, you gasped in pain and asked him to stop. 

“Tender at the nasion. CT head and maxillofacial,” Robby said.

“I’ll give them a heads up,” Mohan said before she left as well.

Dana began wiping the blood off your face and neck as you asked Robby, “Is that really necessary?”

“You have at least one facial fracture,” Robby said. “With the headache and the fall, I want to rule out anything intracranial.”

“I’m fine,” you assured him, but he just shook his head with a small smile. 

“Want me to call Jack?” Robby asked.

“Hell no, I don’t want to worry him.”

“I think he has every right to worry about you if he wants.”

“Don’t call him, Robby,” you said, and he nodded.

**

“Jack’s gonna be worried,” Robby commented when he visited your room.

“I’ll just tell him I bumped into a door, he’ll believe that, right?”

“Sure,” Robby scoffed. “CT results came back, you’re free to get back to work… or go home.”

“I don’t wanna go home,” you said.

“You still haven’t called him?”

“He’s probably asleep, I don’t wanna wake him up.”

“If it were me, I’d wanna get woken up,” he told you, knowing Abbott and therefore knowing he would want to know you were hurt. “You aren’t burdening him, just give him a call.”

“That poor man needs his sleep, believe me,” you laughed a little.

“For once in your life, don’t be chipper about a situation and call your boyfriend.

“Fine,” you sighed. 

You didn’t end up calling him, but Robby figured as much.

**

The whole day changed when there was a rush of emergency patients due to a fire nearby. Night staff was called in early, which meant you would have to face Jack sooner than you thought.

“Abbott! So happy to see you,” Robby exclaimed when he saw him.

“How many burn victims so far?” he asked.

“Not sure yet. And I thought today’s big event was gonna be that meathead punching Y/n.” When Robby realized what he said, he watched as Abbott’s eyes practically bulged out of his skull. 

“What?” Jack exclaimed loudly. “Where is she?”

“I’m right here,” you sighed from behind him. “And I hoped Robby wouldn’t tell you.”

“Oh my god,” he muttered when he saw your bruised face. “Baby, what…” he trailed off as he traced his thumb down your cheek and cupped your face in his hands. Carefully, he kissed you deeply before he muttered, “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine, I promise,” you told him as he looked at you with such worry that it made your heart hurt.

“You don’t look fine,” he whispered.

“Excuse you, I always look fine,” you chuckled, teasing him. That did it, that made him crack the smallest of smiles.

“See, now there you go making me all happy when you know damn well I should be mad about this.”

“Aw, you love me.”

“I do love you,” Abbott said before he leaned down and kissed you again. “And it’s because I love you, I’m gonna make sure you get the proper care you need. CT scan?”

“Already got one, I really am fine,” you said.

“Okay.” He smiled and kissed you a third time, causing you to smile wider.

[writersdrug]

no thoughts just waitress!reader showing up for shifts like nothings wrong after the date situation

just keeping it calm and professional. working her shifts efficiently and no longer bantering/flirting with ghost, who would rather reader melt down and tear into him than putting up the walls around herself hehe

Ok I'm combining some asks here that had some different ideas - I got so many of you guys demanding reparation for making reader cry 😭 here's the comfort chapter! (Still a tad angsty at the beginning)

Ghost had finished your tips for you that night. He had half a mind to slide a hundred in your payout folder as an apology for ruining your date... but what good would that do? That would make you quit for good, if you hadn't already.

He lays in his bed, eyes stuck to the ceiling, still in his jeans and black shirt. He wishes he could snuff out the guilt that sits heavily in his gut. He wonders what you're doing - probably crying, possibly making a half-assed voodoo doll of himself and stabbing his chest with a dull steak knife, because that's all he feels right now.

He gets up early the next day after a rough three hours of sleep. He lumbers down the stairs to the office - Price is there, sorting out cash and working on the next supply order. He looks at Simon, who's rubbing his eyes and looking worse for wear.

"Mornin'." Price says, turning back to the monitor. Ghost grunts in response, dropping himself onto the couch behind Price. His head aches from the lack of sleep, thoughts circling in his mind about how to apologize to you. He can imagine you won't want to talk to him - or, if you do, it'll most likely be profanities wedged between insults. He'd love for you to berate him right now, and make him feel like he got what he deserved.

Price sighs. "You sleep alright?"

"I've had better."

"Nightmare?"

"... yea, somethin' like that."

Price huffs. "I'm workin' front of house today." He says, grabbing the bag of tips and standing up. "Goin' down to drop these in the safe, then I'll help you stock up."

Simon opens his eyes, looking at Price with confusion. "You?"

Price nods. "Dove called out sick. Sounded like she's got the lurgy."

That delivers the final blow to Simon. He knows you're not sick - you're avoiding him now. All plans to apologize are now out the window, and the more time passes, the harder it'll be to do it.

"You've only got yourself to blame, Simon." Price says, heading down to the restaurant floor.

He curses under his breath as Price leaves. How he heard about what happened - he could only assume it had been from Soap. He drops his arm over his face and groans. He wants to call out himself, but then they might as well shut down the entire pub for the day.

Should he try phoning you? Would you answer, let alone allow him to get more than five words out? What would he say? "Sorry I ruined your date, I was jealous tha' ya got a life outside of the pub." There is no variation of an apology that feels like it would be enough. He made you cry, for fucks sake. That was a punishment in and of itself, but he still had to own up to what he'd done.

He sighs loudly; his body feels heavy as he drags himself off the couch, trudging down the stairs. He still has a bar to run.

It had to have been the longest shift of Simon's life, and he even wrapped things up a bit earlier than usual. He didn't have the gift of your incessant chatting or being able to tease you to make the time pass. Price was a solid companion in front of house, but there was hardly a conversation to be held - even with the usual bar crowd. The patrons had a look of confusion for the majority of the night, wondering why Soap wasn't popping his head out of the kitchen to chat every once in a while - and why the hell the owner was serving tables, and not the chipper, spunky waitress.

When Simon had locked up for the night, he noticed your bike was no longer in the alley. Johnny must have dropped it off on the way back to his place.

Today isn't much different - at least, not for Simon. He's still suffering from a lack of sleep, he's irritable (he had a spat with Johnny in the morning, over something he can't even remember), and his work ethic is suffering. He's not worried about slicing bar fruit; it'll give him something to do later, when he needs it. Maybe the rush will kick him back into shape.

He stares at the dishes on the edge of the bar - they're all in need of a good polish, but he finds himself stuck on staring at the bar fridge. There's nothing else he needs to stock up on - it's packed completely full with wine, champagne, and cans of beer. He gently kicks the side of it with his boot. He should be checking the to-go boxes, helping Soap with setting up the condiments and soups, making sure the tables all had full salt and pepper shakers. That's what you would be doing. But, you're not here, and neither is Price. He can only hope tonight isn't as busy as the previous night, otherwise he'll have to close some tables. Which would make customers mad. Which would make Price mad. Which would-

Suddenly, he hears three loud bangs against the back door. He freezes, the sound triggering a Pavlovian response. He immediately looks up to the kitchen window - Soap opens the door, and you come jogging inside. You greet him with a smile. He asks how you're feeling, and you say "much better".

He doesn't know what to do with himself, but he just stands there like an idiot as you hang your bag and jacket on a hook. Stands there as you push your way into the restaurant, barely sparing him a glance as you scurry by him. Stands there as you run up the stairs, two at a time, diving nose-first into your chores so you can avoid Simon.

He can't speak. Should he? What can he say? "I'm sorry," for starters, but it isn't that simple. He thought you might have quit, and was preparing his heart for the worst. But now, here you are, running back and forth through the pub and setting up your tables - and it feels like you've never been farther away from him.

In all honesty, you can't bring yourself to talk to him either. You're feeling just as ashamed with your behavior two nights ago as he is about his own. Why the fuck would you expect someone - let alone your boss - to do your chores so that you could run off and have fun on a date? Not only that, but you'd made a scene; you felt like you had half-assed the ice bins in your scramble to get them cleaned, and then you sobbed in the middle of the restaurant. The cherry on top, however, was when you called Price yesterday and told him you had a cold, calling out of your shift. It was a cowardly thing to do, and you could tell he wasn't buying your story.

But: bills need to be paid, rent is due, and you can't lose this job. So you sucked it up and came in today - Simon is easy enough to ignore, separated from you by the bar.

At first, the quiet bartender was relieved that you had showed up for your shift - he wouldn't have searched for a new waitress if you had quit, instead choosing to deal with the consequences of his actions. But he's quickly getting more and more irritated with the silent treatment you're serving. You only talk to him when necessary: a simple "thanks" when you grab your drinks and run them to your tables. You busy yourself between rolling silverware, (over)stocking napkins and condiments, and even going so far as to spray the menus down and scrub them with a rag. You spend more time in the kitchen with Soap; each peal of laughter shared between the two of you is another arrow in Simon's chest. He's stuck behind the bar, listening to woes spilling from drunken lips, forced to watch you flit around and pretend he doesn't exist.

You can't keep this up forever.

Still, you do for most of the night. Even when your shift is coming to an end, the kitchen closed while you close the tabs for your remaining tables, you don't cave and sit at the bar with Simon. You sit at the farthest table from him, the farthest chair, in fact, skimming over your tip receipts - and talking to Soap (who was only able to sit with you since you had helped him knock out his tasks).

Simon's never been as angry with Soap as he is now - and the worst part is he knows it's not justified. He's watching from behind the bar, polishing glasses so hard they might wane into cups. He wants to talk to you. He will talk to you before the night is over. He doesn't expect forgiveness, but he expects that you'll at least let him offer an apology.

One of the regulars at the bar looks to whatever Simon is glaring at, chuckling quietly when he sees you. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Stuff it, Mike." Simon grumbles.

Meanwhile, you walk back from closing out your last table, plopping back in the booth with Soap. "What are you doing after this?"

"Sleepin'." he replies instantly, tossing back an onion ring. "Been dealin' with a grumpy bawbag since early this mornin', and I'm beat."

You glance over at the bar; Simon's back is facing you as he organizes the beer glasses. You really should apologize to him... you just couldn't figure out when the right time would be. He'd still be working by the time your shift ends, and you don't even know if he wants to speak to you at this point.

"Is he mad at me?" you ask, tapping your pen on the table.

Soap sighs. "I'm not goin' t' be the middle man, Bonnie." he says, looking at you intently. "If ye feel like somethin' needs to be said, go talk to 'im."

You groan, leaning back against the seat. "It's not that simple."

"Why not?"

"It just isn't! He's already pissed at me, and he probably thinks I'm a slacker. What good is an apology?"

"Ye won't know 'til ye talk to 'im, hmm?"

"What if he fires me?"

Johnny barks with laughter, and you frown. "I'm being serious."

"He'd never fire ye." he says, getting up out of the booth. He stretches both arms above his head and lets out a grunt. "In fact, he was throwin' a fit yesterday n' today 'fore ye came in. Bitch took it out on me."

You winced. "I'm sorry-"

"Save it fer 'im." Soap interjected. He left you at the booth with the onion rings and your tips, disappearing into the kitchen. You huff, hunching back over your tips and scribbling through them.

Deep down, you know Soap is right. If anything, you could just apologize to Simon. If he chooses to be grumpy about it, so be it. You've got tough skin... still, you can't stand the thought of him being upset with you - not because of your work ethic, but because you liked him. A lot. And you wanted him to like you back, even if it was in the most platonic way.

But that didn't change anything. An apology was due, and you were going to give him one before you left tonight.

You grabbed an onion ring and popped it in your mouth, grimacing when you realized they were cold. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Simon making his was across the floor to your booth.

Great. Guess the apology is coming now.

He stops at the edge of the table, wiping his hands in a rag. You pretend to punch numbers into your phone's calculator, but they're all random - you just want to look like you're busy.

"May I sit?" he asks, tucking the rag into his back pocket.

You mumble out a "sure", still not looking at him. You hear his large frame slide into the seat across from you, polyester squeaking underneath his weight. You continue to do random equations on your calculator, letting a thick blanket of tension settle between the two of you. You can feel his stare burning into your head, his arms folded over his chest... and you notice that his mask is in his hand. You finally look up at him.

It's not the first time you've seen his face - you've caught glimpses of it when he smokes in the alley, or when he eats whatever Soap throws under the warmer for you and Simon. But this time, he's not taking it off to be convenient. And, dear god, you're just now paying attention to how scarred, rugged, and handsome he is - but now's not the time for those kinds of thoughts. You feel like he's reaching out an olive branch, showing a possible vulnerable side to himself. So, you place your pen on the table and lean back.

He stays quiet for a moment longer, trying to figure out how to start this. He wants to make sure that you know he's here to apologize, not to ask for forgiveness. From his silence, you assume he's waiting for you to go first.

"I'm sorry about Tuesday night." you say, eyes dropping to the table. Simon's astounded that you're the one apologizing, but you continue. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, and I'm sorry for trying to dump my job on you."

He feels worse, now. Was that even possible? He was expecting anger, insults - a detailed, frustrated explanation of what you did last night since you did not go on that date. But you're the one saying sorry? You think you're to blame for all of this unspoken aggression? Oh, you really do confuse him, sometimes...

"You don't need t' be sorry, luv." he says, gazing at you with a softness you'd never seen before, not in his brown eyes, at least.

"No, I do." you say, nearly pleading with him to let you be apologetic. "I was being a brat, and whether you usually do the ice bins or not, I shouldn't have expected you would do them without asking." You push your pen on the table, doing your best to convey your feelings. "And yeah, I was late for my date, but... well, he sounded like a dick, anyways."

Simon chuckles, watching you stare at the table. "Well, I owe you an apology, too. I jus'..." he sighed heavily, running a hand down his jaw. "I don' even know. Guess I was bein' lazy, or... I got jealous tha' you've got a life outside of this pub. Feels like you belong here."

He immediately regrets saying that - it sounds way too possessive and... just straight up weird. But you smile, taking comfort in the fact that he still wants you here. That this was the whole reason behind the mess.

"Soap called you a bitch. Said you were an asshole all day."

Simon scoffs. "Yea... 'm pretty sure Price would tell ya the same. And he wants ya back, too. Couldn't stand waitin' on tables, he was tryin' t' trade places with me all night."

You laugh. The world seems alright again - not perfect, but good enough. It might take a night of sleeping the tension away before you're fully back to your normal self, but this is a leap in the right direction. You look at Simon, into his brown, steady eyes, as they stare right back at you.

He breaks the silence. "I really am sorry for ruinin' your date."

You smile softly. "Thank you, Simon. I forgive you."

And just like that, the weight of his guilt is lifted away. The lingering sourness remains, a reminder that he had made you cry. But you had forgiven him, which was more than he was hoping to get tonight.

"Are we better?" you ask timidly.

He nods once. "Better."

You smile - you slowly slide your stack of receipts to him, biting your lip. "Cool - can I have my money?"

Just like that, his smirk drops - but you know it's all in good humor. He huffs, snatching the stack from the table and scoots his way out of the booth. "Always got money on the mind, eh?"

"I've always got rent on my mind." you retort, following after him with the bowl of onion rings. You plant yourself at your usual spot on the end of the bar, right near the POS where Simon cashes out your tips. He tries to hurry up, assuming you want to dip and go home after such an intense conversation. He slides the mask back over his face and punches his code in, trying to edit your tips into the system as quickly as he can.

"Simon?"

"Hm?" his response is instant, turning around to look back at you. You've got your phone on the bartop, and your back and jacket on the unoccupied seat next to you.

"Can I stay for a drink?"

He's melting on the inside, only held together by his own skin. He sets your receipts down and opts to do them later, right before whenever you decide to leave. He won't miss on an opportunity to have you stay longer.

"Course, luv. What's it gonna be?"

"You know how to make a cosmo?"

He chuckles, grabbing a glass from the shelf behind him. "Sure do."

[baambied]

꣑ৎ 𝑫𝑰𝑫 𝑰 𝑫𝑶 𝑮𝑶𝑶𝑫?

❝ VI ❞⠀

cw. nsfw oral (reader!receiving) clit play vi cums untouched m.list basically vi discovering she has a praise kink

dom!vi × subfem!reader

vi stood by the kitchen counter, slowly cutting the carrots you sweetly asked her to do..tonight you two decided to just stay in and help eachother cook....you didn't cook much - if anything vi was the one who liked wiping things up in the kitchen...she's good chef ..yes - but an easily distracted one, she'd get distracted by you or random stuff on her phone causing some things to be slightly burnt but still very edible.

she's watching the meat cook on the stove? no problem! but she would slowly get distracted by her phone and eventually walking to the living room while watching random tiktoks and gets confused by the burning smell lingering from the kitchen (soon realizing she hadn't watched the food and you two had to order take out instead)

"are you almost done?" your soft voice called out to your girlfriend, you were finally done with chopping potatoes and onions and decided to finally check on vi who was given the job to chop the carrots.

"uhhh just- uh about done yeah!" vi spoke as she quickly cut the last carrot wanting to impress you with her 'amazing' cooking cutting skills, placing both hands on her hips with a smile as she looked down at her masterpiece.

you peered over her shoulder observing her work..pursing your lips as you eyed the perfectly cut pieces of carrots on the cutting board, vi's blue powder eyes eyed your reaction with anticipation, small cocky smirk on her face - she knew cutting vegetables was never something you enjoyed.. you never could get the sizes correct..

you breathed out, mind going back to the potatos and onions you had just got done with realizing you cut yours way to big, your hand softly caresses vi's lower back, your mouth leaning to vi's ear.

"you did so good baby, this all looks delicious" you spoke with a soft smile before walking away completely missing vi's suddenly wide eyes and red flustered cheeks in result of your words, her lips pressing together hardly as her face was put in a small frown..her stomach having a huge pit of butterflies that seemed to come out of nowhere..

what the fuck?

vi head whipped to your figure by the stove, mixing around the broth as you added seasonings in it, you then go back to pick up your knife to dice some of the vegetables you had just cut...small focused pout on your face as you began to dice them to make them smaller sizes like vi's carrots.

usually vi would smile and tease at you for your actions but her eyebrows stayed frowned as she turned back to look at the carrots on the cutting board.

the tingling sensation didn't leave her chest and the butterflies in her stomach continued flapping around... she thought about your words - how such a small sentence could have a big affect on her....

and why did she like it so much..

second time was when she came home after a long day at the gym, throwing her gym back on couch and groaning at her sore limbs, rolling her shoulders back as she slammed her body against the couch with a sigh.

"baby?" vi's tired voice called out for you as she listened to any sound of you throughout the apartment, she began to smile once she heard your feet pattering against the floor as you ran into the living room

"vi?- oh you're back so early!" you exclaimed as you went behind the couch and gave her backside a hug over it "how was the gym?" you questioned kissing her neck.

vi groaned as she turned her head towards you, eyes flickered over your face before she answered back "good..i guess - I'm so fucking sore though"

you smiled at vi and stood up straight, your hands on her shoulders as you began to pressed down and massaged them causing vi to let out a deep groan "hmmm - that feels good.." vi groaned out putting her head forward.

"bet you were so good at the gym, hm? - that's why you're all sore huh?"

vi could feel her cheeks flush up at your words, freckled face going red... her stomach suddenly getting all bubbly as she swallowed thickly..she didn't know if it was because of her sore muscles, stressed body she couldn't help but feel pent up at your choice of words..and the way you said it..so...seductively?? or was that vi's brain tricking her...

it was such a simple sentence but it left her body with a pleasant tingly sensation

ignoring the pulsing in her boxers she swallowed

"ye-yeah - was a long day.."

the time she was sure she liked being praised was when she was going down on you one day, vi was stressed due to her work and wanted to relax..but it seemed like everything she did made her even more tense and she couldn't understand why...she just wanted to feel good and relax...

which lead her to eventually have her head between your legs, her tongue slowly lapping at your slick,wet cunt , her bandaged hands tightly gripping her thighs letting out soft moans whenever she heard you whine in pleasure.

her movement growing faster as her lips sucked your clit roughly - she wanted to feel your cum on her tongue..she wanted to swallow you whole if she could

"hmm - v-vi- fuck!" you moaned out as both hands pulled at her hair causing her to let out a groan at your actions, she roughly slapped a hand on your thigh causing you to yelp and flinch

her head moving up and down, side to side on your clit with her tongue out..blue half lidded eyes staring up at you... her hips sometimes buckling on the bed to ease the pulsing between her own thighs.

her boxers were definitely wet with her own slick, she could feel herself clenching around absolutely nothing which only caused her to groan even further, she then leaned back causing you to whine at the lost of contact between her lips and your wet cunt, she moved her hand off your thigh and around..

her fingers now on your pussy, one finger slowly swiping through your wet, sticky folds causing you to gasp as your hips twitched..it was almost like vi was entranced, her eyes staring at your cunt as her finger slowly swiped through it her mouth agaped at the sight

"vi-vi please.." you whined out, buckling your hips "hm fuck - please vi"

vi's fingers stop at your clit, she began softly circling it with the pads on her fingers causing you to let out a moan as you spread your legs wider.

vi's head leaned back down as her tounge then develed in you cunt, she could feel your slick walls around her pink muscle, she could feel you clenching around her

"hm f-fuck! vi feels so good- i- I'm so close please.." you choked out, your hand moving towards your own breast,massaging them as your thumbs touched your nipples "y-youre so..good - so good for me.." your breathed out to vi

"you're - fuck! - making me feel so good baby...you're so good.."

it seemed your words flickered something in vi, her cheeks flushing redder at your sudden praise, her hips buckling harder on the bed beneath her when she felt her own pussy clench, wanting attention more than anything

vi moaned out against your cunt, moving her hand that was rubbing at your clit faster, while keeping her tongue still inside you pulsing hole..she wanted - no..needed you to cum on her tongue

"fuck! - I'm gonna!"you let out a loud, pitched moan as you could feel yourself cum undone on vi's tongue , your whole body twitching as your hips buckled in vi's face.....what you didn't notice was vi's own hips buckling on the bed, twitching for few seconds than stopping, her moving her hand on your hip to squeeze it for comfort at she felt you cum in her mouth...feeling herself cum untouched in her boxers

as you both calmed down, vi removed her mouth from your cunt, licking you up before leaning her head on her lower stomach, cheek pressed up against you, she could hear you breath hardly as you came down from your high..she could still feel her hips twitch as she also came down from hers..her eyes closed and both hands caressing your hips..

she wanted to ask

had to ask

"did - ...did i do good?" vi muttered out..embarrassment taking over her body as soon as those words left her mouth before she could say anything else your voice was heard

"you always do so good for me...the only one who can make me feel this good" you breathed out in response

the tingly sensation was back in vi's stomach as she heard your praise..cheeks pink as she closed her eyes, softly kissing your lower stomach in response.

[vanteguccir]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤMIDNIGHT COMPANY * CHRIS STURNIOLO

SUMMARY　::　while filming a car video, the triplets witness a girl - Y/N - arguing with her boyfriend. When he smashes her phone and leaves her alone at midnight in the middle of a random parking lot, Chris steps in.

FEATURING　Chris Sturniolo x reader　REQUESTED?　yes.

WARNINGS　::　toxic relationship, yelling, fighting, being hurt physically and emotionally, manipulation, panicking.

AUTHOR'S NOTE　::　that is my work, I DON'T authorize any form of plagiarism; copy, "inspiration" or translation! | english isn't my first language, so I'm sorry if there's any grammar error.

Y/N didn't meant for things to end up like that.

She really didn't.

She was just walking alongside her boyfriend through the Target aisles, her eyes darting nervously between the shelves and the floor.

But she should know better. He had already been irritated when they left the apartment - something about her taking too long to get ready - and now, every move she made felt like a mistake.

"Stick close." Her boyfriend had muttered, his voice low but firm. His eyes darted around the store, scanning the aisles of brightly colored products with an air of impatience. "I don’t want to spend all night in here."

Y/N nodded quickly, her throat dry.

"Okay."

They made their way down the main aisle, her boyfriend grabbing a few items and putting them into the cart with little regard. It was always like that; he made the decisions, and she just agreed and moved on.

He paused at the end of that same aisle, scanning the shelves with a discerning eye. She lingered a few steps behind, observing.

He grabbed a box of granola bars from the shelf, tossing it into the cart with a louder thud. She winced at the sound, her stomach knotting with unease.

"Why are you standing there? Do you see the cereal we get?" He asked, his tone clipped.

Her throat tightened. She scanned the shelves frantically, her eyes moving over the rows of colorful boxes. She wasn’t sure if it was the green box or the blue one.

"Um, I think..." She started, reaching hesitantly toward one of the options.

"Don’t think. Look." He snapped, already sounding exasperated.

Her hand faltered, and she pulled it back. Her heart was pounding, and her palms had grown clammy against the leather strap of her purse. She wanted to go home.

They turned into the household goods section, where shelves were lined with glass containers, picture frames, and other fragile items. Her boyfriend stopped abruptly, examining a set of drinking glasses with a critical eye.

"Do you think these match the ones we already have?" He asked, holding up a box with pretty crystal wine glasses.

Y/N hesitated, unsure if he wanted an answer or was just thinking out loud.

"I-I think so."

Her boyfriend sighed, setting the box down with a clatter.

"You’re not even paying attention."

"I am." She said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper, desperately searching for his free hand. "I promise."

"Whatever." He muttered, letting her squeeze his fingers once before dropping hers, moving on.

Y/N quickly followed, trying to stay out of his way, her eyes fixed on his tall figure, crossing her hands in front of her body and forcing her brain to pay more attention to anything he touched or pointed out. She couldn't risk him thinking that she didn't care.

As she passed by one of the shelves, her purse brushed against a precariously balanced display of small vases. Time seemed to slow as the first vase teetered, then fell, hitting the shelf below it and sending a chain reaction through the display.

Crash!

The sound was deafening. Glass shattered across the floor, the pieces glinting under the white lights. Y/N froze, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at the mess, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest.

"Oh my god. Are you serious?" Her boyfriend hissed under his breath.

She dropped to her knees instinctively, trembling as she tried to gather the pieces with her bare hands.

"I’m sorry." She whispered, her voice trembling and desperate.

"You're fucking nbelievable." He muttered under his breath, loud enough for her to hear.

She stopped for a moment, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She wasn’t crying because of the spilled glasses. It wasn’t even about the moment itself. It was about the weight of knowing that every mistake she made was a reason for him to get tired of her. To leave her.

"I’m sorry." She whispered, again and again, the words tumbling out of her mouth as though they might undo the damage. "I’m so s-sorry."

But it wasn’t just an apology. It was an instinctive response, born from the fear of making him feel any sort of negative emotion at all. She knew that he wouldn’t brush this off, wouldn’t laugh, and say it was no big deal. He would be mad, and she couldn't let him get mad at her. Not again.

She desperately wanted to shrink herself down into something more digestible for him at that moment. Something he could chew up, spit out, and discard - like gum.

A woman at the end of the aisle glanced over, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. A man on the opposite side peeked around the corner, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.

Y/N’s face burned with humiliation. She felt their stares on her, for sure, full of judgment. Her hands fumbled over the shards, shaking too hard to pick them up properly.

Her boyfriend crouched down beside her, his expression now unusually calm. His hand landed on her shoulder, but the grip was firm, bordering on painful.

"Y/N, honey, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself."

"I’m sorry." She whispered again, the tears on her eyes starting to burn her orbs with the force she used to stop the drops from escaping. She couldn’t let him see her break. She’d learned the hard way that crying only made him angrier.

"Stop it." He said more firmly, moving his hand through her arm, grabbing her wrist and pulling her hand away from the glass. He looked up at the people looking back at them and forced a polite, almost apologetic smile. "She’s... a little clumsy. Always has been. Right, honey? I know you didn’t mean to. You can’t help it, can you?"

Y/N stiffened, her stomach churning. She forced her head to move up and down, the movement coming out almost robotic.

"You’re just... distracted. All the time." He continued, his smile cold and tight. "That’s why these things happen. You can’t focus."

She wanted to argue, to tell him that she wasn’t some careless mess, but the words died in her throat. What good would it do?

"Here." He said, taking an empty cardboard box near them and shoving the pieces to the side with it, taking it all out of the way. "There. Fixed. See?"

She nodded, swallowing hard.

"Now, get up."

She stood, her knees wobbling slightly as she adjusted the strap of her purse. He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her skin.

"It’s okay." He continued, speaking louder now so the others could hear. "She just gets a little overwhelmed sometimes. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of this."

The man at the end of the aisle nodded, giving her boyfriend a small, understanding smile. The woman pursed her lips and turned away, muttering something about how 'accidents happen'.

"Let’s go." He said through clenched teeth as he started walking toward the exit.

"But-"

"No." His voice was low, but the warning was clear. He smiled tightly at the few remaining onlookers as he dragged her past them.

Her face burned with humiliation, but she kept quiet, her eyes glued to the floor. His grip tightened when her feet seemed to disobey her brain, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.

The automatic doors slid open, and the cool night air rushed over her, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her head. Her boyfriend’s pace didn’t slow, his hand still gripping her skin as he led her toward the parking lot.

Her heart was pounding, her thoughts spiraling into chaos. She felt like a child being scolded, small and powerless, her voice locked somewhere deep inside her throat.

When they reached the car, he finally let go of her arm, shoving her away as if she were a piece of garbage. She stumbled slightly, catching herself against the side of the car, waiting for whatever came next.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

From the other side of their spot in the parking lot, the triplets were parked, their van slightly away from the main entrance. It was Wednesday night, and they were filming their weekly video, the interior of the van alive with yells and laughter.

"... No, seriously, people do that sometimes." Chris said, turning slightly towards Matt while trying to prove his point. "Patches O'Houlihan, he did that."

Matt scoffed, looking at him with an 'are you serious?' look.

"From Dodgeball? The fictional character?" He laughed incredulously, looking at Nick through the rearview, ready for another weird thing to come out of Chris's mouth.

Nick's attention, however, wasn’t on him - or them, for that matter. It was on the world outside. He always had a habit of scanning his surroundings, probably in a way of caring for himself and his brothers.

As Chris kept going, earning a loud groan from Matt, Nick’s eyes caught movement across the parking lot, almost exactly in front of their van. Near one of the parked cars, a couple stood in the golden glow of a streetlamp.

Nick’s stomach twisted. Something about the way the guy loomed over the girl, his gestures sharp and erratic, immediately set off alarm bells. The girl was visibly distressed, her arms crossed over her chest, her posture shrinking with every second.

Without thinking, Nick leaned forward and slapped Chris on the shoulder, interrupting him.

"Nick, what the-" Chris began, turning sharply, his annoyance evident.

"Shut up." Nick hissed, his voice low but firm, cutting through Chris’s protest. He nodded toward the couple. "Look."

Chris frowned but followed Nick’s gaze, his expression shifting from irritation to curiosity and then to concern. Matt, who had been in the middle of adjusting his hoodie, leaned closer to the windshield.

"What’s going on?" Matt asked, his voice quieter now.

Nick didn’t answer, instead reaching for the button to lower his window, easing it down. A faint, angry voice carried into the van, growing clearer as the man’s yelling intensified.

"... do you even understand how embarrassing you are?"

The girl stood frozen, her arms clutching her sides as though trying to hold herself together. Her head was bowed, her hair shielding her face from the world. She didn’t respond, didn’t dare to look up, and that only seemed to fuel his anger.

"What the fuck?" Matt muttered, leaning forward slightly to get a better look, his eyes glued to the scene.

"You think I’m joking?" He snapped, stepping closer to her. "You think I enjoy having every pair of eyes in that store on me because you can’t manage to walk without causing a damn scene?" The man continued, stepping closer to her.

Her response was so soft that it barely reached the triplets’ ears.

"I’m sorry..."

"Sorry?" The man laughed bitterly. "You’re always sorry. You’re sorry when you spill coffee, you’re sorry when you trip over your own feet, and now you’re sorry for knocking over half a shelf like a goddamn child?"

The girl flinched at his words, biting her bottom lip while taking a small - almost imperceptible - step back.

Chris tensed after watching her reaction, his jaw tightening.

"This guy’s a piece of-"

"Chris, shush." Matt snapped, his voice low.

"I told you before, didn’t I? Stop acting like a fool every time we’re out in public. This is for your own good." The man spat.

"I didn’t mean to-" She started, but he cut her off quickly.

"Shut up!" He barked, his voice echoing across the lot. She shrank back, her body trembling. "You know better than to talk back to me." He growled, taking another step closer.

"I wasn’t-"

"Stop talking!" He barked, his voice echoing across the empty lot probably louder than intended. "Every time you open your mouth, you make it worse. Do you even understand that? Or are you too stupid to figure it out?"

Tears accumulated inside her eyeballs, shining below the lights.

"Look, I’ll call an Uber, okay?" Y/N murmured, her voice cracking. "You can go home and calm down. Please."

"Oh, you’ll call an Uber? Sure, let’s waste more of my money on your screw-ups." The man’s laugh was sharp and bitter.

She reached into her purse, her hands shaking as she pulled out her phone, unlocking it and trying to search for tha app, being harshly interrupted when the man snatched the device from her grip with such force that she stumbled.

Chris shifted uncomfortably, his fists clenched on his lap.

"Do we step in?"

"I don't think we should, not right now." Nick whispered.

"Give it back. Please, baby." She asked, her voice weak, trembling.

"Why? So you can text your little friends about what a terrible boyfriend I am?" He sneered, holding the phone high above his head.

Y/N's mouth dropped open, her wet eyes widening as if he had just committed the worst crime.

"Baby, please." She begged, her tears now falling freely, causing her voice to break. "I would never ever do that. I love you so much, you know that, right?"

He ignored her. With a single, violent motion, he hurled the phone to the ground. The sound of glass and plastic shattering against the pavement echoed in the silence.

She recoiled as though the blow had landed on her instead of the device, a squeak involuntarily escaping from her mouth. Her arms wrapped tighter around herself as she stared at the broken pieces. Her whole life, broken.

"Should've had taken that shit from you sooner." The man spat, shaking his head. "Pathetic. Can’t do anything right."

Matt and Nick exchanged horrified glances through the rearview, Chris's face pale by their side.

"P-please, don't leave me here, baby. I love you, I'm so sorry." The girl begged, gluing her hands in a praying gesture in front of her body. "I promise I'll do better."

"I can't even look at your face right now." The man shook his head. "I need some time, okay?" He didn't wait for an answer before storming off to the driver-side of his car, slamming the door and speeding out of the lot, tires screeching against the asphalt.

Y/N stood frozen, her trembling figure illuminated by the lights and the moon.

Chris didn’t think. One second, he was staring at her, and the next, his hand was on the van door handle, yanking it open.

"Chris!" Matt hissed from the driver’s seat. "What are you doing?"

"Chris- what the fuck?!" Nick added, his voice urgent but not loud enough to stop him.

But Chris couldn’t wait. He couldn’t sit there any longer, watching this girl suffer alone.

He bolted from the van, the cool night air hitting him like a slap, but he barely noticed. His long strides carried him across the parking lot, his heart pounding not from his pace but from pure urgency.

"Oh my god, he's crazy!" Matt’s groan echoed from behind him, but it was distant, like background noise.

He didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop.

The closer he got, the more his stomach churned. Her face was streaked with tears, her cheeks blotchy and raw from crying. But she wasn’t just crying. She was panicking. He could see it in the way her hands trembled uncontrollably, and in the way her breath came in short, sharp gasps.

Chris slowed as he approached her, not wanting to startle her. She was staring at the exit of the parking lot, her wide, unfocused and tear-filled eyes locked on the gate arm as though it was the only thing anchoring her to the ground.

"Hey." He said softly, his voice gentle but firm.

She flinched, her head snapping up, and her gaze locked on him as she took a step back. For a moment, she looked utterly terrified, and Chris's throat tightened.

He quickly held his hands up, palms out, trying to show her he wasn’t a threat.

"Hey, hey, it’s okay." He said quickly. "I just... I saw what happened, and I wanted to check if you’re okay."

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Instead, a fresh wave of tears spilled down her cheeks. She shook her head, taking another step back, her back almost hitting the metal post of the streetlight.

"You don’t have to be scared." Chris said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "I’m not going to hurt you, I swear. I just want to help."

She looked at him again, her watery eyes studying his face as though trying to figure out if he was lying.

Chris took a cautious step closer, keeping his movements slow.

"You’re shaking." He said gently. "It's freezing out here. Can I... can I give you my hoodie?"

She blinked at him, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Why?" She croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because it’s cold, and you’re upset, and I’d feel better if you weren’t standing out here like this." Chris said honestly, shrugging off his hoodie - ignoring how the hairs on his arm fully stood up with the cold air - and holding it out to her.

She hesitated, her eyes darting from his face to the piece of clothing, then back again.

"It’s okay." Chris reassured her. "You don’t have to take it, but I promise it’s clean. And warm."

After what felt like an eternity, she slowly reached out and took the hoodie from him. Her hands were trembling so much that she almost dropped it, but she managed to pull it to her chest, pressing it against her covered skin.

"Thank you." She mumbled, her voice shaky.

Chris exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

"Of course. What’s your name?" He asked in a soft tone. "I'm Chris."

She blinked her eyes at him, frowning, clearly surprised by the question.

"Y-Y/N." She said hesitantly.

"Y/N." He repeated, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "It’s really nice to meet you... Um, do you want to sit down? You look like you need a second."

She looked around the parking lot again before nodding slowly, and Chris gestured to the curb nearby. He waited until she sat down before taking a seat a few feet away, giving her space but staying close enough that she wouldn’t feel alone.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I’m fine." She finally said - even though it wasn't what Chris was expecting to hear, her voice cutting through the silence, hoarse and shaky.

Chris tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowing.

"I don’t think you are."

"I am." She insisted, but her voice cracked on the words, betraying her.

Chris turned his face slightly to the side to meet her eyes, curving his upper body, trying to make himself seem less imposing.

"I know you don’t know me. Well, only my name now." He said softly. "But I can tell you’re not fine. And that’s okay. You don’t have to be. Not after that."

She bit her lower lip hard, and for a second, Chris thought she might break down again. But instead, she straightened her spine, her trembling hands wiping at her tear-streaked face.

"It's not as bad as it looked. He was just angry." She said quietly, almost as if she was saying that to herself. "It’s not his fault. I... I messed up."

Chris’s heart sank at her words.

"You didn’t mess up." He said firmly, his voice laced with conviction.

She shook her head, her hands gripping the fabric of his hoodie tightly.

"I did. I dropped something, broke it, actually. It was stupid, and it drew attention to us, and... and he doesn’t like that. He was just trying to make me understand."

Chris stared at her, his chest tightening painfully.

"That’s not okay." He said softly. "No one should treat you like that, no matter what happened."

"You don’t understand." She said, her voice rising slightly as she hugged herself tighter. "He just... he gets frustrated sometimes, but it’s because he cares. He doesn’t mean to be mean."

Chris’s jaw clenched, a mix of anger and sadness boiling inside him.

"Love isn’t supposed to be like that, Y/N." He said gently. "It’s not supposed to hurt you and leave you standing in a parking lot crying, shaking, and alone."

Her eyes filled with fresh tears again, and she looked away, staring at the ground as if she couldn’t bear to meet his gaze.

"You don’t know him." She whispered, shaking her head vehemently.

Chris wanted to scream, to grab her shoulders, and shake her until she understood that what she was describing wasn’t love. It was control, manipulation, and abuse. But even though he had never helped a victim of a toxic and abusive relationship before, he knew he should keep his voice calm, so he did it, maintaining his tone soft and steady.

"You’re right." He said. "I don’t know him. But I know what I saw, and I can only imagine what it feels like to have someone make you think you’re the problem when you’re not."

Her head whipped toward him, her eyes narrowing.

"You don’t know anything about me."

Chris held up his hands.

"You’re right again. I don’t. But I’m not here to judge you. I’m here because I want to help. No strings, no expectations. Just... let me help. I can't leave you alone here for the rest of the night."

She shook her head again, her hands trembling as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this. It isn't fair to him. He’d be so heartbroken if he knew."

Chris watched her for a second too long.

"But you deserve to talk to someone." He finally said. "You deserve to feel safe."

"I am safe!" She snapped, her voice ringing out in the empty parking lot. The declaration sounded hollow, as if she was trying to convince herself more than him.

Chris took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second.

"I just want to help you." He said, his tone pleading. "Do you have someone you can call? A family member, a friend? You can use my phone-"

Her reaction was immediate and panicked. She shook her head furiously, her eyes wide with fear as her body tightened, seeming ready to stand up and run.

"No! No, I can’t call anyone."

"Why not?" Chris asked gently, though his heart was racing, his eyes traveling quickly to his car where his brothers were before going back to Y/N. "They’d want to help you, just like I do."

"I said no!" She cried, her voice cracking. Her breathing was shallow and quick now, teetering on the edge of hyperventilation. "You don’t understand. I can’t just call someone. And you... you need to go. God, you shouldn’t even be here."

Chris frowned, his brows knitting together.

"Please, I’m just trying to-"

"You don’t get it." She interrupted, her voice hushed but frantic. She glanced around the parking lot as though expecting her boyfriend to be there somewhere, watching them. "He’s going to come back. And if he sees you here, if he thinks... you need to leave. Now."

Chris’s stomach dropped at the sheer terror in her voice.

"Y/N, he won't hurt you in any type of way while I'm here with you. I can promise you that." He moved a bit closer again, careful not to make any sudden movement. "Let me do something for you. Anything, please."

"You can’t." She whispered, her voice barely audible. "No one can. Please, just go. He’s going to be here soon, and I-I can’t let him see you."

She was holding onto that story like it was a lifeline, but the way her hands trembled and her breath hitched betrayed her doubt.

"What if he doesn’t?" Chris asked gently. "What if he’s not coming back tonight?"

Her face fell for a brief moment before she quickly masked it, straightening up.

"He will." She said, though there was no conviction in her tone. "He always does."

Chris nodded, looking around dismissively.

"Okay. Maybe he will. But just in case... maybe you could let me help you. You don’t have to trust me, I get that. I'm a stranger. But let me offer you something. A safe place to wait."

"I don’t have anywhere to go." She admitted, her voice so quiet it was almost lost in the night air. "Just our house. And I don't think I should go back there now."

Chris’s heart twisted at her words and how uncertain they sound, but he kept his expression neutral, careful not to show pity.

"Okay." He said softly. "Then maybe you can just... talk to me. You don’t have to get in my car. We can sit out here. I’ll stay right here in the open where you can see me."

She hesitated, her eyes darting to the ground.

"Why do you care so much?"

Chris crossed his legs above the pavement, relaxing his posture further.

"Because I know what it’s like to feel like you’re on your own." He said simply. "And because I don’t think anyone should have to go through something like this alone. You don’t deserve that."

She hesitated, her gaze watching her hands above her thighs.

"I won’t call the police unless you want me to." Chris added. "I won’t push you to do anything you don't want to do. But you don’t have to deal with this alone."

Her lip quivered, and she closed her eyes tightly, her voice barely a whisper.

"I don’t even know what I’d do."

Chris’s heart ached for her, but he kept his tone steady.

"How about this." He said. "I’ll stay with you until you figure that out. If you want, I can take you to a hotel, or I can help you find somewhere else to stay for the night. But whatever you decide, I’m not going to leave you here."

She was silent for a long time, her shoulders rising and falling with each shaky breath. Finally, she nodded, just once.

"Okay." She said.

Chris exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.

"Okay." He echoed.

For the first time that night, she looked at him fully, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and cautious hope.

He opened his widest smile in response, leaning back slightly with his palms against the curb behind his back and glancing up at the sky.

"You know." He started, his tone casual. "This isn’t exactly the way I imagined spending my Wednesday night."

Her eyes scanned his face carefully, frowning, feeling like she was the one to destroy his day - or night.

"What do you mean?" She asked hesitantly, her voice hoarse.

Chris shrugged, being careful not to mention his career. He didn't want to overwhelm her.

"Well, usually on Wednesdays, I’m sitting in my van with my brothers, arguing over who gets to pick the fast-food spot. We’re probably debating something ridiculous, too."

That earned him the smallest, almost imperceptible twitch of her lips. It wasn’t quite a smile, but it was something. It encouraged Chris to continue.

"My brothers are idiots, by the way." He said, his tone light. "Don’t tell them I said that, though. They'll get big heads thinking I actually pay attention to their nonsense."

Her brow rose slightly, curiosity tugging at the edges of her expression, her body instinctively leaning towards him.

"What are they like?"

Chris chuckled, throwing his head to the side, laying his cheek against his shoulder and looking at her eyes.

"They're amazing. Weird, but amazing. They're so funny in their individual way, always making me laugh so hard that sometimes I feel like I could pass out."

This time, she let out a soft, breathy laugh, and Chris felt a flicker of warmth in his chest. It was small, but it was progress.

"You’re close with them?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." Chris said, nodding. "It’s hard not to be when you all live and do everything together. But they’re good guys. Annoying as hell, but good."

She looked down at her hands, her fingers fidgeting with the frayed edge of his hoodie sleeve.

"Must be nice." She murmured.

Chris’s smile faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly.

"It is." He admitted. "But, you know, we fight sometimes. Like, really fight. Last week, Matt threw a punch at me because I wouldn’t stop talking during his game."

Her lips twitched again, and this time, it was a small, shy smile.

"What were you saying?" She asked, her voice soft but carrying a hint of amusement.

"Oh, some random shit. Can’t even remember now. Probably something embarrassing, knowing me." Chris grinned. "Matt said I was ruining his concentration, but honestly, I think he just doesn’t appreciate my brain work."

She shook her head slightly, her smile lingering.

"You’re ridiculous." She said softly, almost reflexively, but as soon as the words left her mouth, her expression shifted. Her body tensed up, her shoulders pulling in as her eyes darted to him in alarm. "I didn’t mean-"

"Guilty as charged." Chris smoothly interrupted her, opening a smirk while looking at her, trying to express through his eyes that it was okay. "But, hey, if ridiculous is what it takes to make you laugh, then I’m all in."

Her looked down again at the pavement, scraping her shoes over the small rocks.

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"For what?" Chris asked, his voice gentle.

"For... keeping me company." She said, her gaze fixed on her lap. "I don’t feel... as bad right now."

Chris felt a lump in his throat but pushed it down, keeping his tone light.

"Anytime." He said. "I’ve got a whole arsenal of dumb stories and good jokes if you need them."

She looked at him then, her eyes softer than before.

"You’re really nice." She said, pressing her lips in a fine line.

Chris shrugged, a faint blush creeping up his neck.

"I just don’t like seeing people hurt." He said honestly. "And, I don’t know, you seem like someone who deserves a lot better than... all this."

Her eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, Chris thought she might start crying again. Instead, she took a deep breath and nodded.

"Thanks." She said again, her voice steadier this time.

Chris gave her a warm smile.

"No problem. Now, how do you feel about bad puns? Because I’ve got a killer one about a duck and a lawyer."

Her laughter filled the cold night air, causing a large smile to stretch across Chris's lips. He would do everything in his power to help this girl.

© vanteguccir

[criminalamnesia]

Traitor part 8

ALL PARTS CAN BE FOUND HERE

here it is everyone :)) took me forever but it’s finally here! now I can disappear in peace lol. I’ll proofread everything later, but I hope this lives up to everyone’s expectations. thank you all for the love you’ve given this series. I hope this gives you some closure.

let me know if you want any drabbles from the series <3

thank you again!

after kyle finally leaves you alone, you slink back against the door, shutting your eyes so tightly stars dot your vision.

it never ends, does it?

apologies. worry. sympathy. pity.

it was in each of their eyes— the one-four-one. each of them trying to mask their pity for you behind sickening sympathy. you were exhausted of that look— not just from them, but from everyone you had walked past or looked at since everything had happened.

you open your eyes, scanning the room. what once had been a haven had become a hell. shattered glass sprinkled the floor near the mirror. clothes were still strewn about. you hadn’t bothered picking up what had been disturbed.

you’d be gone too soon for it to matter.

your phone rings then, the screen lighting up in the dimly lit room. you let the ring tone play for a second longer before you’re moving, reaching for the device on your nightstand.

it’s kate, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

“hello?” you say as you answer the call.

“it’s kate,” comes the woman’s familiar voice through the speaker. “im on my way to base. should be there by tomorrow.”

you startle, eyebrows raising in confusion. “you’re coming here? why?”

you hear her sigh. “we can talk about it tomorrow. I need to meet with john, anyways. two birds, one stone and all that.” she tells you.

“can you at least tell me if the paper work is all set for my transfer?” you ask.

she doesn’t answer for a moment, and then:

“we’ll talk about it tomorrow, sergeant. get some rest. you sound like you need it.”

you hear a click, and then the line goes dead. you furrow your brows as you look down at the phone in your hand.

why on earth would she come all the way here just to talk?

your mind is moving a mile a minute, and suddenly, it clicks.

laswell is coming here to do damage control.

you huff a mirthless laugh, dropping your phone as your hands come up to run through your hair.

you weren’t being reassigned. you were being discharged.

but was it at her insistence, or someone else’s?

you whip around, wrenching open the door and storming down the hall to price’s office. those you pass in the hallway give you bewildered stares, and suddenly you’re aware that you’re still in that damned robe, but you’re on a mission.

and when you start something, you see it through.

you don’t bother knocking as you reach price’s door. instead, you barge into the office, effectively interrupting an argument between price and simon. their voices die off, heads turning to appraise who had barged in.

price’s eyes widen at the sight of you, but simon’s face is as unreadable as always. the door clicks shut behind you, and you stalk towards the two men, your fists clenched as you seethe.

“you motherfuckers,” you hurl the words at them, “you fucking knew. you knew.”

“love, what are you talkin’ about?” price questions, his brows furrowed as he turns to you.

“laswell,” you say, and price’s eyes widen. he knows. and now he knows you know.

“whatever she told you—”

“she didn’t tell me shit,” you huff. “I figured it out. why the fuck else would she come here just to talk? she’s playing fucking babysitter, isn’t she?”

price doesn’t speak. your gaze flits to simon’s.

“I’m sure you were rooting for this outcome, weren’t you? couldn’t finish me off in that fucking room, but hey, this is just as good, isn’t it? sending me back to fucking nothing.”

“this job is my life,” you turn your attention back to the captain. “and you fuckers just can’t stop ruining it, can you?” your voice is raising, and tears prick the corners of your eyes. you’re becoming hysteric.

“all because of a fucking lie!” you’re yelling now, jabbing a finger into the chest of your former captain.

“calm down,” the sound of simon’s rough baritone leads your head to snap toward him. your eyes are wide, fury and terror blazing in them.

and he expects you to let loose. scream and hit and scream some more. but you don’t.

you stand there and you stare at him with those wide eyes. the rest of the room— hell, the world falls away— and it’s just him and you.

like it was on patrol during countless nights, your bare fingers dancing over his gloved hands as you prattled on about a show you liked.

on countless nights curled up in his bed, your back to him, pressed so close he could feel the beat of your heart in his own chest. his arms wrapped around you, one of your fingers lazily tracing the ink on his forearm. no words spoken, yet so much said.

in the field, when you and johnny bicker over comms and he takes your side. when you take a bullet to the shoulder and he holds pressure on it until evac arrives.

when he makes eye contact with you as you pin kyle to the training mat, finally able to overcome his strength. when price tells him you’re the rat and he doesn’t want to believe it.

it’s just him and you. a lieutenant and his sergeant. but it’s more than that.

it’s a deep understanding of this job being your life. of losing everything and everyone you hold dear. of finding family again in this team, and doing whatever it takes to keep that family safe.

and he fully realizes, then, what you have been condemned to.

what they condemned you to.

what he condemned you to.

he breaks from his thoughts as you slam your fist into his jaw.

price’s eyes widen, his feet carrying him forward to intervene, but simon waves him off as he cradles a hand to his jaw.

“let ‘em,” he grunts out, and price looks bewildered, but he nods. he takes a step back, his hands falling to his sides, and he lets you strike again.

“fuck you,” you seethe, and despite your best efforts, your voice cracks. emotion seeps in, and your eyes are wet as you swipe a leg out from under him, forcing him to his knees.

he falls with no grace, knees hitting the concrete floor with a dull thud. you’d cringe if this were any other circumstance.

instead, you deliver another blow, cracking his nose with the force of it. blood sprays out and wets your robe.

“ghost—” price begins from somewhere off to the side, but simon just shakes his head.

“fuck you, simon! fuck you!” you scream at him, and your fists are flying blindly as tears cloud your eyes.

and he just takes the hits. you subconsciously register the sound of the office door squeaking as it opens and quickly closes. price didn’t want to be a bystander any longer, it seems.

but he still didn’t jump in. was it because of ghost’s insistence? or because your captain didn’t want to watch one of his soldiers finally snap?

you finally stop yourself when blood drips from your knuckles. unsurprisingly, they’ve split again. there’s no doubt in your mind that there will be little scars between each of them once they’ve healed.

more to add to the reminder of everything. god, at this point you knew you’d never forget it even if you wanted to. even if you tried to. even if you did for a brief moment, those little white lines— discolored and jagged skin in the place of what should be smooth and unmarred, would be your reminder.

blood pools on the floor, a mix of yours and simon’s. you pay it no mind as you wipe the backs of your hands on your completely ruined robe. good— now you had a great excuse to throw the damned thing away.

you would’ve thrown it away anyways.

you bring your hands to your eyes, wiping away tears that had freed themselves their cage. you see simon clearly then, his face bloodied and yet still beautiful in that way of his. his nose is obviously broken. lacerations above his eye and on his cheekbones.

his eyes are staring back you, the icy blue of them never more intense than now.

you heave in your breaths as you look at him. his split lip cracks further as he opens his mouth.

“done?”

and you don’t have anything left to give, so you nod. then you slump to your knees, down onto his level, and you don’t look away from what you’ve done.

it’s no different than what you did to the doctor, or to countless enemies in the field. but, at the same time, it is different.

because it’s him, and he let you do this. he could have easily stopped you. he’d shown his strength against you numerous times on the sparring mat, picking you up and tossing you around with ease.

and yet he didn’t stop you.

“why?” you ask him, and it’s a loaded question. your voice is a watery tremble, and the word comes out as a whisper, but he doesn’t shy away.

he shrugs. “you needed it.”

he’s focusing on one aspect of the question— on why he let you hit him. you open your mouth to respond, but he surprises you by speaking again.

“least I could do,” he says.

you close your mouth, your chapped lips pressed into a thin line. why is he doing this now? saying this now? what changed?

“is it your fault, then? that I’m being discharged?” you find yourself asking, and you’re not sure if you want to know the answer.

maybe you just want a reason to hate him more.

“no,” he says, and you know he means it.

he never lied to you, regardless of any pain it may have saved. it was one of the things you had loved about him.

he sighs. “I didn’t want you to go.”

that surprises you. simon was never one to freely speak on his feelings. he had opened up to you during your relationship, but it was as if there was always an invisible line he could never cross. never did he utter the complete truth to his thoughts or feelings. and you had accepted that— because that is who he was.

and you would take him with all his walls if it just meant that you could have him.

“I don’t want you to.” he corrects himself.

the room falls silent around you. the part of you that still holds love for him yearns for his embrace at this moment. but you push that side of you down. you will not go crawling back, not after what happened.

“you’ve been an asshole,” you say, and he gives a curt nod.

“probably.” he concedes. “but I wouldn’ take anythin’ back. I told you, I meant what I said.”

“is that supposed to make me feel better?” you ask. god, he has a horrible way with words.

“no,” he tells you. “nothin’ I can say can do that.”

you snort. you fall back on you haunches, your hands in your lap as you look at him.

“I am never going to forgive you,” you tell him, words full of so much hurt.

he nods again. “I know. I don’ blame you. don’ expect you to, neither.”

“but I’m…” he starts, and his lips crease in a frown. “im sorry.”

you just look at him. perhaps you had wanted an apology at one moment in time, but now? now none of it mattered.

“I hope so,” you tell him. you move to stand, and he remains still. he hasn’t moved an inch since you’d finished your assault.

“I hope you feel this way for the rest of your lonely life. I hope that you never forget what you did to me, and I hope that it keeps you up at night. because I can tell you with certainty that I will never forget. and I hope the others remember, too. I hope it tears you all apart from the inside. that it follows you around for the rest of your career.”

you breathe in, then out. “and I hope no one ever gives you the chances I did,” your voice is soft. “because I would never wish what you did to me on the next person you think you love.”

his face conveys no emotion other than the small frown still on his lips. his eyes, so cold, have softened the tiniest bit. you used to love when you could bring out that softness inside of him. when it was just the two of you, your hand in his, his eyes on you.

those memories would suffocate you if you let them. what could’ve been will suffocate you. you refuse to let it.

you turn and stalk towards the door, not bothering to spare him another glance. you open it, stepping out into the hallway, coming face-to-face with the rest of the one-four-one.

their eyes are all wide as they take you in. your bloodied hands and robe. the dried tear streaks on your cheeks. you pull the door shut behind you before you speak.

“i don’t care to speak to kate,” you say to price, your eyes meeting his. “fuck her for not giving me a chance. and fuck you for laying down like a damn dog and not fighting for your fucking team.”

you turn to johnny next. “you shove your sorries up your ass, mactavish. I don’t want your sympathy, and I don’t want your pity. I hope your regret eats you alive.”

finally, kyle. “and you,” you glare at him. “if anyone other than simon should’ve defended me, it should’ve been you. I met you first, kyle. you were my closest friend, my brother. and you turned out to be just another fucking lap dog.”

you shake your head, blinking away hot tears. “I want you to get me temporary housing and a car because that’s the least you owe me, after ruining my life. and I don’t want to hear from any of you ever again. if I do, I guarantee you I will not show you the mercy you think you showed me when you had me tied up in that chair.”

none of them spoke, and you didn’t give them a chance to as you pushed past them, heading back toward your room to change.

a yellow cab retrieves you from base the next morning before kate arrives. it’s still dark outside when you leave the shelter that had once been home. rain pours down around you, a raging storm hanging overhead as it had all night prior. perhaps it was a reflection of your mood. you liked to think that it was.

you toss your duffle bag into the trunk, shutting it before climbing into the back seat. you hadn’t bothered to pack anything other than a few pairs of clothes you’d recovered from the floor of your room. everything else could be trashed, especially anything the boys had given you.

the driver doesn’t speak— price had given him all the information he needed— and paid him— before he’d fetched you. it seems your final outburst— and beating simon to a pulp— had finally put some urgency in his movements.

none of them had seen you off, per your request. you thought it was the least they could do for you after continuously disrespecting your boundaries.

(unbeknownst to you, simon had watched you leave through a window.)

the driver turned up the music— some pop song you didn’t know the name of— and you slumped in your seat, your head turned toward the window as you watched the rain race down it.

you found yourself drifting off quickly, and you didn’t try to fight it. you’re finally free of that place and the men you thought were your family. free of the anxiety of seeing them around every corner. free of the hate that sparked in your heart every time you heard their voices.

you sleep, and for the first time since before everything, it’s peaceful.

you wake to the taxi driver talking to you.

“we’re here,” he says, knocking on the glass separating the front and back seats. “can you get out now? I gotta get home. it’s my wife’s birthday.”

you blink the sleep from your eyes, nodding before you even register what he’s saying. “sorry,” you mumble as you fumble with the seat belt.

you slip from the car, your boots splashing in a muddy puddle. you grimace as the murky water seeps in, wetting your socks.

you trudge around to the back of the car, opening the trunk and retrieving your bag. you’ve just shut the trunk and stepped back when the car is driving off, kicking up mud that further dirties your boots and jeans.

you pay it little mind as you look at the small cottage before you.

nestled between some trees, it’s beautiful. a shingled roof. light blue paneled siding. a small front porch with a rocking chair and a bench swing. a beautiful dark blue door.

your favorite flowers live in the flower beds surrounding what you can see of the house. it makes you wonder if its a simple coincidence or if simon or price planned it.

how long have they known that you would have to come here? that you would have no where else to go except for where they put you?

you vowed that this house would just be temporary. you would get away from it as soon as possible, putting the rest of the one-four-one behind you. you didn’t want any of them knowing where to find you.

the rain slows to a sad drizzle. drops prick your skin as you make no effort to avoid puddles, splashing carelessly to the front door. you can hear birds beginning to chirp, slipping out of their hiding places as the sun’s rays begin to illuminate the earth once more.

a new beginning, you think.

you reach a hand toward the door knob, twisting it open and pushing inside. it’s a cozy little place with wood floors and a brick fireplace. it’s furnished, but there’s no personality to it. it clearly hasn’t been somebody’s home.

the door clicks shut behind you as you toe off your boots and drop your duffle by the door. as you nudge your boots out of the way with a foot, you notice an envelope on the floor.

eyebrows scrunched in confusion, you lean down and scoop it up. your name is written on the front in a scrawl you don’t recognize.

who else knows you’re here?

perhaps you’ll need to leave sooner than you thought.

you push your thumb under the seam, ripping it open with little finesse. inside is a typed letter. it’s an offer, you realize. a job offer.

its got an american stamp on it, and its signed by a phillip graves.

a new beginning indeed.

[luvoooenha]

Lucky charm!

Pairing- Boyfriend! Jake x Girlfriend! Y/N

Summary- Jake, the top soccer player at UNI, always relied on Y/N’s support—until a huge argument left him distracted before a big game. Without her in the stands, he struggled to play, missing shots and worrying his team. Realizing how much he needed her, a teammate called Y/N, who debated but ultimately showed up, looking her best. The moment Jake saw her, his focus returned, and he played like himself again. After the game, they made up, proving that Y/N was truly his lucky charm.

Warnings- FLUFF, FLUFF, FLUFF, anger, angst, arguments, happy couple… (jokes! Not really)

Word count- 1.8k

plsplsplsplsplspls dont copyyy my work!

“You don’t get it, Y/N!” Jake’s voice was sharp, frustration thick in every word.

“Then explain it to me, Jake! Because right now, it feels like I’m the only one trying.” Y/N’s arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her voice shaking between anger and hurt.

Jake let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through his hair. “You think I don’t care? That I don’t appreciate you?”

Y/N exhaled sharply. “Jake, I’ve been to every single game, every late-night practice, every stupid press conference where they ask you the same questions. And not once have I ever complained.” Her voice broke slightly, but she pushed on. “But the second I bring up how I feel, I’m the bad guy?”

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. The look in her eyes—raw and filled with unshed tears—made his chest tighten.

“I can’t keep doing this if you don’t want me here, Jake.”

His stomach twisted. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. But his stupid pride got in the way, and instead of telling her the truth—that he needed her more than anything—he muttered, “Maybe it’s better that way.”

The second the words left his lips, he wanted to take them back.

Y/N’s face fell, her jaw tightening as she nodded slowly. “Okay.”

And just like that, she turned and walked away.

Jake stood frozen, watching her disappear into the night.

He had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

-

The silence between them was louder than anything Jake had ever experienced.

Y/N hadn’t texted. Hadn’t called. Hadn’t shown up to practice.

Jake told himself he was fine. That he could focus better without distractions. But when game day rolled around, it hit him like a freight train.

He jogged onto the field, scanning the stands on instinct. But the seat where she always sat—third row, left side, just behind the team bench—was empty.

His stomach clenched.

He tried to shake it off as the game started, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. His passes were off. His speed felt sluggish. Every shot he took either hit the post, went wide, or was blocked by the keeper.

The frustration built with every mistake, weighing him down like lead.

The final whistle blew, and UNI had lost. Jake barely heard the post-game speech from his coach, too busy replaying every missed opportunity in his head.

When he got back to the locker room, he didn’t even bother taking off his cleats right away. He just sat there, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor.

Jay, his closest teammate, nudged him. “Dude. What’s going on?”

Jake exhaled slowly. “Nothing. Just an off day.”

Jay scoffed. “Nah, man. This is more than that. I’ve never seen you play like this.” He paused. “It’s Y/N, isn’t it?”

Jake didn’t answer.

Jay sighed. “Look, I don’t know what happened, but it’s obvious you’re a wreck without her.”

Jake clenched his jaw. “She’s probably better off.”

Jay rolled his eyes. “Yeah? Then why do you keep looking for her in the stands?”

Jake said nothing.

Jay grabbed his phone. “I’m texting her.”

Jake should’ve stopped him. Should’ve told him to leave it alone.

But he didn’t.

Y/N sat on her bed, knees pulled to her chest, as she mindlessly scrolled through her camera roll. Each swipe brought a new memory, a new reminder of everything she and Jake had been before it all fell apart.

There was a photo of him grinning at her during one of their late-night study sessions, his notes forgotten as he balanced a pencil between his nose and upper lip, trying to make her laugh. She had rolled her eyes at the time, but she could still remember the way her stomach had fluttered when he looked at her like she was the best part of his world.

Another picture—Jake, covered in sweat but grinning like a fool after a big win, his arm slung lazily around her shoulders. She had been laughing, caught mid-cheer, his jersey draped over her like a second skin. She had been so proud of him. She always was.

And then, one of her favorites—a candid shot of them from a lazy Sunday morning. Jake, shirtless and half-asleep, stealing bites of her breakfast as she swatted at his hand, laughing at his shamelessness. His hair had been a mess, his eyes still heavy with sleep, but he had looked at her like she was the only thing that mattered.

Y/N’s chest ached.

She missed him. More than she wanted to admit.

Her fingers hovered over his contact, the familiar urge to text him creeping in. But then, like a cruel reminder, his words echoed in her head.

"Maybe it’s better that way."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, locking her phone. If that was what he wanted, then fine. She wouldn’t be the one to break first.

But then, as if the universe was laughing at her stubbornness, her phone buzzed.

Jay: Jake’s a mess. He needs you. Badly.

Her heart clenched.

She should ignore it. He was the one who pushed her away. He was the one who made her feel like she didn’t matter.

But… if that were true, why was he struggling so much?

Y/N exhaled slowly, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes betrayed her, filled with something she wasn’t ready to name yet.

She could walk away. Let Jake figure this out on his own. Prove to herself that she didn’t need him as much as he needed her.

But that was a lie.

Because no matter how angry or hurt she was… she still loved him.

And she wasn’t sure she ever wouldn’t.

With a resigned sigh, she grabbed her jacket and touched up her makeup.

If she was going, she was going to make an entrance.

She headed out the door, her heart pounding.

Jake needed her.

And whether she liked it or not… she needed him too.

-

Jake jogged onto the field, his mind clouded with doubt.

His body felt heavy, his nerves shot. The last few games had been a disaster, and the weight of failure clung to him like a storm he couldn’t outrun. He tried to shake it off, stretching his arms and bouncing on his feet, but nothing felt right.

Then, instinctively, he looked toward the stands.

And everything stopped.

His breath hitched. His heart stuttered.

Y/N was there.

Sitting in her usual spot—third row, left side, just behind the team bench.

Jake blinked, half-convinced he was imagining it. But no, it was real. She was real.

And damn, she looked good.

Her hair was styled just the way he liked, her makeup subtle but stunning. She wore his favorite shade, the one he always said made her eyes stand out, and even from across the field, he could see the way her lips curved in something between challenge and amusement.

She came.

A rush of energy shot through his veins, the kind he hadn’t felt since before she left. His pulse pounded, but this time, it wasn’t from nerves—it was from something deeper, something electric.

His lucky charm had returned.

And just like that, everything clicked back into place.

The whistle blew, and Jake was unstoppable.

Every pass was precise, every shot powerful. He weaved through defenders with the confidence he’d been missing, his movements sharp and deliberate. The frustration that had been drowning him for days melted away, replaced by pure instinct.

And every time he scored, he didn’t look at the scoreboard. He didn’t look at his teammates.

He looked at her.

Y/N sat there, arms crossed, trying to look unimpressed. But he saw the way her lips twitched, the way her fingers tapped against her thigh. She was proud of him—he knew it.

By the final whistle, UNI had secured the win. The crowd erupted in cheers, his teammates swarming him with congratulations, but Jake barely acknowledged any of it.

His eyes were locked on her.

Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the stands, pushing past the crowd. Y/N had already started making her way down toward the field, and when she stopped in front of him, they just stood there, staring at each other.

For the first time in days, Jake could breathe again.

“I was an idiot.” His voice was breathless, raw. “I didn’t mean any of it, Y/N. I was just—” He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-damp hair. “I was scared. Of how much I need you.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed. “Yeah? I figured, considering how hard you flopped without me.”

Jake huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “I deserved that.”

“Damn right, you did.”

A small smile tugged at her lips, but Jake didn’t miss the way her tough exterior wavered, the way her eyes softened just slightly.

He took a step closer. “Y/N, I mean it. I never should’ve pushed you away.” His voice dropped to something quieter, more vulnerable. “You’re everything to me.”

She sighed, finally uncrossing her arms. “Jake… you can’t shut me out when things get hard. That’s not how this works.”

“I know,” he admitted, his gaze never leaving hers. “And I won’t. Ever again.”

Y/N studied him for a long moment, and then, finally, she sighed in defeat. “You’re lucky I like you, Sim.”

Relief crashed over him, and before she could say anything else, he closed the distance, wrapping his arms arowund her and pulling her in tight.

She hesitated for half a second before melting into him, her arms circling his waist.

Jake buried his face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of her perfume, and everything felt right again. “I missed you,” he murmured.

“I know,” she teased, voice muffled against his jersey. “I could tell from your embarrassing game stats.”

He chuckled, pulling back just enough to look at her. “Guess I need you to keep me in check.”

“Clearly.”

Jake reached up, brushing his thumb over her cheek, his voice softer now. “So… does this mean you’ll be at the next game?”

Y/N smirked. “As long as you keep winning.”

He grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead before whispering, “Then I guess I have no choice.”

Because she wasn’t just his biggest supporter.

She was his lucky charm.

-

OMG TYSM FOR 500 NOTES! (I didn't even think this was good...)

isa note! - lallalala first story!!! lalalall so excited! lalalalalla

taglist~ @firstclassjaylee

if wanted to be tag plspslplspsls let me know! 💗

© luvoooenha on tumblr 2024-2025. please don’t copy, repost, or translate my works! feedback and reblogs are appreciated :)

[ittybittyfanblog]

Error 404: (Self-Aware!AU, Sylus Edition) – Pt. 2

Summary: A LADS self-aware!AU featuring Sylus and a–less–oblivious player. That’s it, that’s the plot. A/N: Ok, I’ve decided to make this by series, so this one’s just going to be purely Sylus. I hope nobody minds the specific names/places/etc. I wanted to create a personality for the “player” and add a bit of backstory work (loosely based on yours truly lol) for the sake of storytelling, but there won't be any distinct description of the player’s physical appearance <3 Tags: player!reader x sylus, fem!reader x sylus, reader x lads, self-aware!au, suggestive language, bouts of delusion

Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4 - Pt. 5 - Pt. 6 - Pt. 7 - Pt. 8 - Pt. 9 - Pt. 10 - Epilogue

Riiiiing– RiiiNGGGGG––

...

“Huh… whazat—?” 

A shrill—earsplitting, headache-inducing, completely fucking loud—noise wakes you up rather rudely from your peaceful slumber at… Jesus Christ, what time is it? 

You blink your bleary eyes open, once… twice—fuck, all you know that it’s too goddamn early for all this ruckus. Groaning, you clumsily try to find the source of the unexpected wake-up call. Quite literally in this case. 

Your hand bumps the vibrating phone straight off the edge of the mattress—along with the charger cord still attached to it—and you cuss up a storm when you hear it clatter on the hardwood floor.

The ringing finally stops, and you’re perfectly content to leave it there and fall back to sleep when, not even ten seconds later, the blasted thing rings back to life, taunting you awake. 

Angrily, you wrestle against the threadbare blanket wrapped around your body like a warm cocoon, pushing yourself out of bed with all the rage of a sleep-deprived insomniac who’s been up til the buttcrack of dawn to grab your—huh, relatively intact—phone off the ground, while the charger cable swings haphazardly from the weight of the power brick on its tail end.  

Without checking the caller, you swipe right to answer. “What?” 

“Don’t use that tone on me, young lady,” Your mother grouses on the other end of the line. “It’s almost noon! Did you just wake up?” 

Barely five hours of sleep. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you shut your eyes and sigh. “No, mom. Sorry, just had a late night,” you clear your throat in an attempt to sound more composed. “What’s up?” 

“Oh, dear. Is it because of work again?” Something akin to sympathy replaces the sternness in her voice, and you dread the all-too-familiar spiel that comes next. “You know, honey, there’s a job opening for a– what was it again? I have to double check, but it’s where your Auntie Helen works. You know your Auntie Helen—” 

“Mom,” you interrupt, before she could go off on a tangent. “Work is fine, don’t worry. Why d’you call?” 

“Should I need a reason to call my daughter who's living by her lonesome, a country away from—” 

“Mom!” 

“Oh, alright,” she finally relents, sounding slightly exasperated. “Were you able to book me and Jodie the roundtrip flight to Orlando? Your cousin’s wedding is barely a month away and I want all the documents ready by now, sweetie.” 

Shit. “Ah— yeah. I’ll email you the flight itinerary in a bit, I’m just–” you catch sight of your protruding hamper, innocuous but an eyesore nonetheless, right by the doorway of your humble studio unit. “I mean, I just left the condo. To do errands and stuff. I’ll send the details to you when I get back home, okay?” 

“Okay, honey,” she sighs. “You stay safe outside now. Don’t talk to strangers.” 

“I am a perfectly responsible adult—” The call disconnects. “Hello? Great.” 

You rub away the remnants of sleep from your eyes, fully aware that your day’s already started, despite your reluctance. Might as well get a head start on today’s agenda.

First thing’s first– brunch. Oh, it’s almost one. Lunch, then. I could maybe grab a hotdog from the corner store before heading to Landers. Oh wait, laundry. Gotta pass by the laundromat downstairs, too. Ugh, c’mon, chop-chop. 

Just as you’re about to stand up from your supine position on the floor, another ping! pulls your attention back to your phone. “Mom, I swear–” 

Ah, you’re finally awake. You’ve had a very long night, kitten. Take it easy for the day – make sure to get enough rest between errands.

I’ll know if you don’t.  

Your heart skips a beat.

Oh! Um. That’s… new. 

… Apparently another one on the growing list of “new features” from the latest update. It doesn't sound like an invitation for you to open the game, strangely enough. It's not a call to action to claim your daily stamina, nor a prompt for you to check your Galaxy Explorer rewards. 

It’s nothing more than a greeting, really. Just one that’s particularly targeted at you, with unnerving accuracy.

You recall the weird (?) events from last night, and the now-erratic beating of your heart suddenly picks up a notch. From the unexpected dialogues to the outrageous amount of dias you’ve somehow ended up with—something you still think is some kind of glitch in the system—you can’t shake the feeling that you’re living out the plot of a Black Mirror episode, as fucking dumb as that sounds. 

Not to mention during Quality Time, Sylus_v2.0 (as you so lovingly dub this version of him in your mind) had been acting more aware of you.

And you’re not talking about the pre-programmed glances that you usually get. No– it’s like he actually hears you. 

He doesn’t say anything. But whenever you make a comment, or utter something under your breath, he reacts with a huff or a hum—depending on the context. If it’s a slew of expletives aimed at your boss, the reaction you’re met with is one of amusement. A snort; sometimes a quiet laugh, if you’re lucky. When you say something self-deprecating, however, it elicits the heavier sighs, the sharp clicks of the tongue. 

At one point, you heard him make a low sound of dissent, something close to a... growl, almost, after making a casual joke about being just another cog in the machine and how offing yourself wouldn’t really matter in the grand scheme of late capitalism. As you oft do. 

Your eyes met, and for a split second, it felt like you weren’t looking at just pixels. His gaze weighed heavy on you—almost accusatory. 

It made you feel… naked, somehow. Perceived. 

You recall how quickly you averted your eyes from his, face flushing hotly from a feeling you couldn’t put into words. 

Bone-tired from last night’s (morning) overtime, you didn’t have the time to look up the news on this recent version update—although you really don’t remember any notifications in-game—so you quickly Google, “sylus acting sentient in rcent update loveamd Deepspace???” on your phone browser.

You scroll down for a bit, but none of the search results yield any relevancy, nor are they in any way similar to your current… predicament. 

(Okay, so calling it a predicament is a little unfair. You’re not exactly complaining about anything per se. No complaints from you. At all.)

Deciding that you’d do a deeper dive on Twitter (X) at a later time instead—probably tonight when you do your daily login—you briefly press the side button to lock your phone… not without a final peek at the banner notification from Sylus. 

You press your lips together in an effort to hold back the stupid giggle bubbling up your throat. 

Unfortunately, all the self-control in the world can’t help you and your need to have the last word—from what even—so you ask aloud, to no one except the person you've deluded yourself into thinking is a valid recipient of your one-sided conversation: 

“... Yeah? And what if I don’t?” 

You’re not really waiting for a response (or were you?), but the nervous flutter in your stomach betrays the impatience you're trying to mask with casual indifference. It��s small, unassuming—but there. 

Impatient for what, exactly, you’re not sure. But maybe, just maybe—

Feeling a bit braver now, are we? How bold. Care to say that to my face, sweetheart?

Oh. 

Oh.

An inhuman noise escapes your throat, embarrassingly loud, almost a keen, and you fumble with the device in your hand; the new banner notification still in full view—taunting you. 

You don’t know what to think, you don’t know how to feel. You–

Spring up, like an agitated jack-in-a-box, and the sudden rush of blood in your head leaves you dizzy. You’re a molotov cocktail of emotions; one more bombshell surprise and you might just blow. 

“I’m– later, okay? Uh,” Whew, girl, keep it together. “I need–I need to go.” You almost stumble as you speed walk towards the bathroom.

-

-

-

If you didn’t switch your phone to silent, didn’t make the conscious effort to ignore any incoming messages, notifications, and whatever else, in a rush to get dressed and go about your day as if it's just like any other weekend—nope, nothing unusual here—you would’ve seen one last cheeky reply:

Of course, sweetie. You take care now. 

Don’t talk to strangers. X

Endnote: This one's pretty short, but I’m world-building, trust. 

Thanks for reading! 

[kaidasdesires]

“Your Eyes Only.” : Heeseung

☾ grouping: Heeseung x afab reader

☾ rating: 18+, explicit content

☾ wc: 7.6k

☾ content warnings: aphrodisiac, altered state, y/n feels like she's been drugged, explicit sex, wax play, light choking and hair pulling, brief oral

☾ summary: Heeseung calls y/n to the studio to show her a new song he's working on. He thinks y/n is as beautiful as a piece of art and wants to show her what that looks like to him.

Or, Heeseung is a siren and uses his voice to seduce y/n and show her how good he can make her feel.

☾ author note: This story is fiction and does not reflect the personalities or desires of those it is written about. This story has some scenes that may be uncomfortable for some readers, read at your own discretion.

☾ taglist: @who-tf-soddhi , @imnotyizhuo , @deobitifull , @ochaluver , @jakeswifez , @helenngxz , @enhalusional , @d-dilemma , @heerinnie , @qeeun-didi , @capri-cuntz , @strxwbloody , @jungwonloverr , @b3tt7boop , @zara2318 , @simbabyj , @gnvi-eve , @babygirlskz98 , @nshmrarki , @50-husbands , @peonywon , @moonpri , @binneulton , @leeheeso , @roslayy , @tunafishyfishylike , @fancypeacepersona , @irenic-max , comment below to be added! <3

It had been a few weeks since the night you got drunk and Jungwon told you everything. Jungwon had still tried to avoid the conversation when he could so you didn’t get much more information out of him. However, as you predicted, nothing had changed. Even with the confession, all of the boys continued to act the same. Sure maybe a little more handsy or flirty than before but nothing crazy. 

It was late in the evening, you had just gotten out of the shower, the steam clinging to your skin as you reached for your phone. A notification lit up the screen, and your heart skipped a beat as you saw the sender's name: Heeseung.

Hey, are you awake?

You cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. It was unusual for Heeseung to text you in the evening like this. He was usually busy with practice or working on new music.

I’m awake. You okay? 

As you waited for his response, you dried your hair, a towel wrapped around your head. Your mind raced, contemplating why he would be texting you like this suddenly and at this hour.

A moment later, your phone buzzed again.

Can you come to the studio? 

A slight pang of nervousness hit you. Heeseung didn’t answer you if he was okay and normally his messages weren’t so short. Your hair was dry enough so you quickly changed into a tank top with a cardigan and leggings. 

I’m on the way. 

You texted him back, a sense of urgency hitting you as you left your house and locked the door behind you. The walk was only about 10 minutes and you quickly stopped by the convenience store to get some snacks and coffee for Heeseung. You knew he would appreciate the gesture, as he often spent long nights in the studio working on his music.

Once you got to the building you rang the doorbell and Heeseung buzzed you in. You headed to the elevator and quickly hit the close door button behind you. As you waited for the elevator to arrive on the right floor you thought briefly about how you could cheer Heeseung up if he was having a hard time. Maybe these snacks would help. 

You headed down the hallway to the studio door and when you knocked Heeseung let you in. 

“Hey!” You said a little bit out of breath from your walk and carrying things. When you sat down on the little couch you noticed that Heeseung was alone in the studio. “Where is everyone? Is everything okay Heeseung?” You asked concern in your voice was evident.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I just wanted you to hear something I was working on before I showed it to the rest of the guys.” He responded, closing the door behind you. 

“Oh!” You nodded before giving him a sweet smile. “It must be something important to you. I’d be honored.” 

He smiled back. His eyes trailed to the bags you brought with you. “What’s this?” He questioned. 

“I brought you some coffee and snacks. I was honestly a little worried Hee, you don’t typically text me this late at night.” You responded, pulling the snacks and a canned coffee drink out of the bag. 

The studio was a bit cramped. A small couch, a desk that held the music mixing equipment and Heeseung’s computer, a swivel chair, and then the mixing booth. Heeseung sat on the swivel chair in front of you. He took the coffee drink, popped the tab with one hand, and took a sip. 

“I’m just fine. Better now that you're here though.” He said. When you met his eyes he was eyeing you up and down before he took another sip. 

You couldn’t help but blush as his eyes trailed down your body. Your tank top was exposing your chest more than normal but you had just grabbed something that wouldn’t stick to your damp post-shower body. 

Heeseung stood up and pulled a lighter out of his desk before using it to light a few candles around the studio. Heeseung preferred it to be dark when he sang or was working on writing something. You remember he had mentioned before that he didn’t care for artificial light either which is why he opted for candles instead. 

“I hope you like it, I wrote it with someone I like in mind,” Heeseung said, a smirk on his face even though he wasn’t looking at you. 

“I don’t think you’ve ever shown me something I don’t like Heeseung.” You complimented him in response. Then you sat back on the couch getting more comfortable while Heeseung went into the booth and put on his headphones. You assumed his comment wasn’t about you. He started the music and your ears were met with a slow sensual beat. You closed your eyes and listened as Heeseung sang. 

My body is burning up because of you

My heart thirsts because of you

Like a fever, fever, fever, fever

His voice was so beautiful that it seeped into your ears like warm honey. The smell from the candles only heightened your senses as you listened. The smell was something like cedar, a comforting woody smell but with a hint of cinnamon. It was a nice smell. You wished that you could smell this sort of scent all the time. 

I want to embracе you

I want to embrace you

Push me away but my firе still burns

Turn to ash but the flame still rises

You opened your eyes to find that Heeseung was looking right at you as if he was singing to you. You blushed, not realizing he had been watching you. A second after your eyes met his you felt your head spin. You leaned forward and clutched onto the couch to help stabilize yourself. You weren’t the type to suddenly get dizzy like this. Maybe the smell from the candles was getting to you. Heeseung continued to sing, the melodic tune washing over you. He was still watching you but he didn’t seem concerned. 

Like a fever, fever, fever

I want to ache for you

I want to ache for you

Your body started feeling hot and tingly. You were worried you were getting sick suddenly, but you didn’t feel bad per se, just a burning sensation against your skin and a bit dizzy. If it wasn’t so sudden you argue that it felt kind of nice in a way. You lifted your head back up, and everything seemed to be moving a little bit slower than before. You looked back to Heeseung, he was still looking at you, watching you. 

Don't stop 

Yes, all day, all day burn me

Please stop 

My sun, stop baby, oh baby

I beg you, do something, anything

His voice was like fire in your veins, every note he sang you felt like an electric pulse through your body. You felt an overwhelming feeling of desire, a craving for touch and closeness. You pulled off your cardigan, the heat becoming too much for you to handle. 

You didn’t notice when Heeseung had stopped singing and exited the booth. You were still trying to understand why you suddenly felt so weird. He sat beside you and gently patted your head. His hand coming down to rest on the back of your neck. 

“It’s okay, you’ll get used to it soon.” He said, once again glancing over your more exposed skin. “It’s not too much is it darling?” he asked looking at the goosebumps raised on your arms. 

“Heeseung– what– what did you do?” you asked, head still spinning. The sudden pet name almost manages to go over your head. You wanted him to be closer, touching you, anything to help ground you. You grabbed onto his sleeve hoping it would help the feeling. 

“I know Jungwon told you about us. But I noticed that nobody has had the guts to make a move on you yet. Unsurprising really.” He replied, insinuating that the other boys were weak or scared. “This is… just part of who I am. But you're okay, don’t be afraid.” 

“You drugged me?” you asked, feeling even hotter now. That was the only thing that made sense in this situation. Or did it? How could he have possibly drugged you when all he did was light candles and sing to you?

Heeseung laughed before he placed a hand on your chin and pulled your face up to look at him. “I would never do that pretty girl. Don’t you remember what I said? I told you not to worry and that none of us would ever hurt you.” He reassured you, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk. 

That voice you had heard in your head at first the other night had been him. Now you felt crazy. A little scared and surprised by the way you couldn’t but help want Heeseung to kiss you. He was so close and you wanted more. 

“Come here, you can sit in my lap until I'm done working on this.” He spoke up, obviously aware that you didn’t want to let him go considering you still had a death grip on his sleeve. The older boy pulled your arm gently to get you to let him go before he grabbed both your hands and helped you onto your feet. Your knees threatened to buckle below you as you followed him to the chair.

This wasn’t something you normally would ever do. Of course, you found Heeseung handsome but he was always so calm and mature. You never dared hit on him because all his flirting seemed like just something he’d say to make someone feel good. You were sure he had someone he was seeing or that he wasn’t interested in you. But then again you felt that way about all the boys before Jungwon’s confession. Why would they be interested in you when they could have any girl they wanted? 

Heeseung guided you to the chair with care before he sat down. At first, you went to sit in his lap with your back pressed against his chest but he stopped you. 

“Turn around.” He said, gently turning you by the waist. His tone was somehow soft but firm at the same time. You knew he wouldn’t tolerate any pushback you gave him, so you obliged his demand. Then he guided you to staddle him and sit in his lap. You wrapped your arms around his neck and adjusted your hips which resulted in a quiet grunt from the older boy. You couldn’t help but press your face into the crook of his neck. Normally you wouldn’t be this bold but you just wanted to be touching him. The smell of his cologne only fueled the heat you felt as you breathed against his neck.  

After a minute of listening to Heeseung clicking on his keyboard, he instead opted for filling the room with the sound of his humming. The vibrations against your face and the sound so much closer to you made you want more of him. Why was his singing making you feel this way? 

You felt worked up, and hot. You just wanted him to touch you. It was almost subconscious when you made the slightest shift against Heeseungs hips.

He responded with a quiet “mmm.”, not giving you the response you had hoped for. 

You pressed your lips against his neck, giving him a few small kisses. Maybe that would get him to react.

Again, there was almost no response from the older boy. Instead, he just continued to hum. 

Your pussy was starting to throb. This whole thing confused you. You didn’t understand why you were so ungodly horny. You didn’t understand why your body was reacting this way. You sat there, contemplating between letting the feeling overtake you or maintaining the image Heeseung had always seen you as. At most, the boys had only ever seen you making out with a guy or in your bathing suit, besides the other night, nothing of this level of intimacy had happened between any of you. You were sure they saw you as a bit modest and shy, which wasn't necessarily true, but that's all you ever showed them.

You pushed your forehead into Heeseung’s collarbone in defeat before using your hips to grind into him. 

“Oh, what’s this?” Heeseung teased as he stopped typing and placed his hand on the small of your back, his thumb rubbing small circles on your skin where your tank top had risen on its own. 

You huffed a bit. You were desperate for him to do something at this point, but he wasn’t giving you anything. But you were too stubborn to blatantly give up your still somewhat respectable appearance. You did the same action again, except this time, you could feel that he was getting hard underneath you. 

“Darling, I’m not done yet.” he cooed, trying to act like your actions weren’t getting to him. 

You couldn’t help but let out the smallest little whine. You felt him smile, probably a cocky one. Nonetheless, he continued with his humming and typing while you continued slowly grinding against him. His cock twitched in his sweatpants begging for more friction. You obliged, tightening your arms around his shoulders to get more leverage as you pushed harder against him. 

This earned you another quiet grunt, followed by the sound of Heeseung’s laptop being shut suddenly. The noise caused you to jump. 

“You’re lucky y/n,” he said, his voice much darker than before. “You’re lucky that I'm going to go easy on you since I’m the first.” 

You felt his hand slide up your back and his fingers tangle into your hair before he tugged your head back suddenly. You squeaked, not expecting the sudden action nor the pain tingling across your scalp. 

He looked over your face. It was red, flushed with desire. Your eyes were glossy and round, begging him for more. Mouth slightly parted as you processed his actions. He smirked. 

“Look at you, so pretty and desperate for me already” Heeseung whispered, leaning into your ear “I should make you ride me right here like this.” 

His hot breath tickled against you and sent shivers down your spine. His sudden change in demeanor was intoxicating and his words made you only want more. 

Instead, Heeseung reached both hands under your ass and lifted you and himself from the chair before moving you to the couch. You clung onto him, not wanting to lose the feeling of his body against yours. He kept you on his lap, but this was more comfortable for the both of you than the swivel chair. 

You looked at him, he too looked a little bit flushed and needy, not that he would admit that. 

He reached up to grab the nape of your neck, and he finally gave you the attention you had wanted. He pulled you to him and kissed you. His kiss was much harder than the kiss at the party but it was still slow and drawn out. He kissed you passionately like he was savoring every single movement. 

His hands found your lower back again but slowly started to push up the fabric. Then they roamed over your sides leaving trails of tingling heat behind them. The kiss deepened as Heeseung’s tongue licked its way into your mouth and you started to rut against him again. 

“Fuck,’ He cursed as your clothed pussy rubbed against him. You could tell he was holding back because of the way his fingers pressed deeply into your sides, almost as if he was trying to ground himself. 

You pulled away from him, briefly taking over the lead to reach your fingers under the hem of his shirt and pull it off. You looked over him, his muscles and toned body surprising you. You hadn’t expected his body to be so nice. 

“Your turn.” He said after giving you a second to look him over. He lifted your shirt slowly over your head, keeping eye contact with you the entire time until he threw your shirt onto the floor.

Then his hands roamed the softness of your exposed body fingers gliding over your sides and under your breasts. He pulled you back down into the kiss before slowly kissing along your jawline and onto your neck. He sucked and bit on your neck not hard enough to leave any lasting marks but enough to elicit quiet whimpers from you. You ran your fingers through his hair earning a hum of satisfaction. As he continued to kiss your neck, you felt his hand travel up your back until it reached your bra, and in one smooth motion, he unclasped it. 

Heeseung pulled back from you, still maintaining eye contact with you. “Can I see you, darling?” He asked, not wanting to do anything that you were uncomfortable with. 

You nodded and let the bra fall off your shoulders and into your lap exposing your breasts. Your nipples hardened quickly at the change in temperature earning a smirk from the older boy who was already admiring you. 

“Wow y/n, you’re beautiful.” He whispered, reaching out to knead the soft mounds in his hands. You blushed, suddenly feeling shy and exposed. 

“Such a pretty girl.” He continued with his compliments, now taking your nipples in between his fingers. He played with them for a minute, rubbing them and pinching them causing you to shiver at the feeling. 

He looked over your features once more, and seeing that you maybe felt a little shy or nervous he started to hum again. This time humming quietly while he leaned down to suck on your nipples. The vibrations and the sound cause that dizzying hot feeling to overtake you again. He continued like this for a minute, swapping between his fingers and his mouth before he gently pushed you over to where you were lying back on the couch. 

You watched him as he stood up and pulled down his pants. Leaving him in just his underwear. His cock was hard and his underwear was wet where he had already begun to leak. He didn’t seem embarrassed by this and it only made you more aroused, knowing that he was just as worked up as you were. 

“Please.” The words came out of your mouth before you could stop them. 

“Hmm? Please what darling?” Heeseung replied, leaning down over you and reaching his fingers into the band of your leggings. He kissed down your stomach as he slowly pulled your leggings down. He continued to hum between the kisses, the humming keeping you intoxicated and warm. 

He pulled your leggings off, leaving you exposed except for your panties. You were so hot, but also the tiniest bit cold since his body wasn’t touching yours anymore.

“Have you figured it out yet?” Heeseung asked, stepping away from you momentarily to the other side of the room. 

You couldn’t see where he had gone since he had disappeared behind your line of sight. 

You weren’t sure exactly what he was asking, your mind consumed with just wanting him to fuck you already. “Hee,” you whined, “want you.” The second part came out much quieter than his nickname.

“Oh, I know you do pretty. But you just need to wait a little while longer. There was a pause before he continued.”You know how much I love to make art right?” He asked, voice now coming back closer to you. 

You could only nod in response. 

“Close your eyes.” He demanded gently. You did what he asked, shifting your thighs back and forth to give yourself some sort of friction, the heat and need unbearable between your legs. 

“You’re so breathtaking y/n, that I can’t help but use you as a canvas.” He said, a smirk evident in his voice. 

It was hot. Incredibly hot as it trickled down your chest, in between your breasts, and towards your belly button. You yelped, surprised by the sudden pain that quickly turned into pleasure. 

And again, burning hot down your thighs, trickling over the edges towards the couch. You fidgeted, unable to hold back the surprised squeaks every time the feeling came. 

You opened your eyes to see Heeseung standing over you, the pine and cinnamon candle that he lit earlier in hand. The red wax left hot trails across your body. He tipped the candle again, watching your face as the wax trickled inwards on your thighs towards your heat. He enjoyed watching your face squeeze up in pain followed by a wave of pleasure. 

He continued this for a while, trickling hot wax across sensitive parts of your body while admiring you. By the time he was done, red wax that almost looked like a pattern of lightning or tree branches covered your body. 

“There, now that I’ve painted my beautiful canvas, it is also up to me to ruin it.” He said, voice laced with a darkness that you hadn’t anticipated. 

He placed the candle back on the table before inviting himself between your legs. He was quick to pull off your panties, not giving you a chance to be shy or nervous. It was obvious he couldn’t hold back anymore. 

He admired your pussy. Using one finger to trace between your folds and tease your clit before running back down. 

You gasped, begging him for more without asking. 

He slipped one finger in with no resistance, and then a second. He was lacking the same patience he had had for hours beforehand. His eyes were full of a hungry lust. 

You mewled as his fingers pressed into you, the feeling relieving your aching heat just a little bit. “Ah– Heeseung,” you moaned quietly. 

He curled his fingers as he pumped them in and out of you, reaching for the spot he knew would have you squirming under him. He leaned forward over you, took one hand, and wrapped it around your throat. He didn’t squeeze enough to really choke you, but enough to make sure your attention was solely focused on him. 

“Tell me what you want darling.” He said, speeding up his movements and purposefully hitting the sensitive spot over and over. His dark eyes peered into yours as he waited. 

You moaned as your body tensed up to his touch, both hands coming up to grab onto his arm that was still around your throat. You could barely catch your breath with the way your body was tensing up, hips arching off the couch, but you knew he wouldn’t give you any mercy until you gave him what he wanted. 

“Heeseung–ah– please,” you whined, little gasps coming out between each thrust of his fingers. 

“Ah, so pretty for me honey, but not enough.” he cooed, fingers continuing their assault. 

“Nngh– please Heeseung, please fuck me,” you begged, tears pricking at your eyes. 

He chuckled, slowing his fingers down and watching you as you panted. He released his hand from your neck before pulling his fingers out and sticking them into his mouth to clean them off. 

“Good girl,” he praised, “I thought you'd never ask. All this time you’ve been trying to keep this side of you hidden from me. But look at how good you are, listening to me and doing what I ask. Do any of the other boys know you’re such a slut darling?” 

His words overwhelmed you. Sure you weren’t a virgin, but you’d never done anything with the boys. Gotten off to the idea of fucking them before sure, but that was a secret that you kept to yourself. You never wanted to risk harming them by getting caught or hurting the bond that you had with them. 

You shook your head, giving Heeseung an honest answer. 

“I’m so lucky, getting you all to myself like this, even if it's just for a little while.” Heeseung smiled, the dark glint of desire ever present in his eyes. He pulled away from you again, standing up to take off his underwear. You watched as his cock hit the skin of his stomach. You found yourself surprised once again, his cock was bigger than you anticipated. 

He pumped his length in his hand, running a finger over the head to smear the pre cum along his shaft. He looked so good like this.

With a sudden wave of desire and determination to earn more praise you sat up and replaced Heeseungs hands with your own. You stroked him a few times before leaning over and kitten-licking the top. You didn’t hear any reaction from Heeseung, so you decided to push it further. You took a deep breath before taking him into your mouth. When you sunk down on him you finally looked up at him through your eyelashes. 

“Fuck–ah fuck,” Heeseung groaned as you took him into your mouth. You had caught him off guard and were rewarded by his surprised reaction. It took him a second to compose himself, his eyes opening to meet yours. He watched you for a moment as you bobbed up and down on his cock slowly. You could tell he was savoring the view and the feeling of your mouth on him.

Then he reached forward to run his fingers through your hair, an affectionate action before his fingers tightened around the strands and pushed you farther down onto his length. 

“You’re so pretty like this y/n,” Heeseung cooed as he held you down on his cock, far enough down that you felt your throat starting to spasm around him.

You tried your best to not gag as he held you down. Tears welled in your eyes as you looked up at him. His words were gentle, but his actions were stern and dominant. 

“You’re so good darling, showing me how badly you want to please me. But,” he paused before pushing you all the way down onto his length till your nose hit his stomach, “I don’t think you could handle it.” He whispered, before releasing you completely. 

You choked as you pulled off of him, followed by a gasp for air and a few tears running across your cheeks. You hadn't been prepared to deep-throat him like that, but the action turned you on tremendously. How his words were so sweet but his actions only made you want to egg him on. To see how rough he would get with you. 

Heeseung interrupted your thoughts as he leaned over to kiss your forehead before laying you back on the couch. He got on top of you and your heat clenched around nothing as you felt his cock slide against you. 

“I’ve been wanting this for a long time y/n,’ Heeseung whispered into your neck as you felt him reach down. He ran his cock up and down your folds, sliding easily because of how wet you were. 

You gasped at the feelings before reaching up to grab onto his shoulders. 

He teased you like this for a moment, watching you carefully in between leaving kisses on your neck and jaw. 

“Tell me you want me darling,” Heeseung urged, pushing the tip against your entrance. 

“God– please Heeseung, I want you… so bad Hee,” you begged, raising your hips in an effort to coax him into you. 

With your consent, the older boy groaned, slowly pushing himself into you. He rested a hand on your cheek as he did so, watching carefully for any indication of pain. 

You leaned your head back, mouth parted in a silent moan as he bottomed out before slowly pulling back out and repeating. 

He continued to fuck you slowly, leaning down to kiss you passionately as he thrust into you. Your fingers entangled into his hair, tugging gently which earned you a moan from Heeseung between kisses. Your tongues fought for dominance, and occasionally Heeseung took your bottom lip in between his teeth. 

After a minute of this, Heeseung dipped his head back into your neck before speeding up his thrusts. He fucked into you faster and harder and you wrapped your arms around his shoulders. His thrusts brought out continuous strings of lewd moans from you. 

You opened your eyes in surprise when you felt Heeseungs hand press over your mouth. “Your noises are so beautiful darling, and I so badly want to hear them. In fact, I wish all the boys could hear you moaning for me baby. I wish everyone in this building knew who you belonged to tonight,” he paused, taking a moment to peer into your eyes. “But I can’t have you letting the whole building know what we are doing in here hmm? That might get me in a bit of trouble.” He finished his thought with a quick raise of his eyebrow. 

You could only nod in response as he continued his motions, a spring of tension coiling in your stomach with every thrust. 

With his hand still over your mouth, you could only listen to the sound of his panting and quiet grunts. His voice was still beautiful even in this situation. 

“Oh, by the way,” Heeseung spoke again suddenly, “I’m a siren.” 

He removed his hand from your mouth and instead moved to pull your legs up to your chest so he could get a deeper angle. Gasps and whines left you in quick succession, this position only tightening the coil in your stomach further. 

You were having trouble processing what Heeseung had just said to you and of course it was hard to believe any of what Jungwon had said was real but the new information gave you clarity on what made you feel so aroused tonight. Heeseung’s voice. It intoxicated you and consumed you and it was all at Heeseung’s will. 

You moaned quietly at the idea of this. How he could get you so worked up with just his voice. 

After a moment, Heeseung reached down in between the two of you and his fingers found your clit. He rubbed small circles as he continued to fuck into you harshly. 

You dug your nails into his back and began to tremble from the overwhelming stimulation. You knew it wouldn’t take you that long to cum considering how worked up you had been. Heeseung knew this too. 

“You know what that means?” He asked, sweat causing his hair to stick to his forehead slightly. 

You shook your head, giving him a curious look in response. 

“It means,” He smirked. “From now on, every time you hear my voice. You’ll be reminded of this moment. You’ll be reminded of how good I made you feel, and how desperate you were for me. How you trembled underneath my fingers darling.” 

The idea of this sent you into a spiral of arousal, you heard Heeseung singing all the time. He practically never stopped singing. How would you ever be able to sit in on any of their practices or concerts? Heat rushed to your core at the images and scenarios in your head. You whimpered, a small pathetic noise of desperation. 

“Heeseung,” you moaned as his fingers and thrusts continued. You felt his cock twitch inside of you, the sound of you calling his name obviously getting to him. 

You couldn’t hold back much longer and you knew he couldn’t either. His thrusts were becoming a bit sloppy and rushed. 

His eyes met yours again, neither of you saying anything for a moment before you spoke up. Your orgasm was approaching quickly now. 

“Heeseung, please, please don’t stop.” You begged, your head rolling back again as you allowed yourself to be consumed by the feeling of him fucking you. 

He picked up speed with determination and he leaned down once more kissing the side of your jaw and then your ear. 

“You’re so pretty y/n, I know you want to cum for me.” He said, his voice though not singing, sent that dizzy wave of overwhelming arousal over you again. 

“Hee—hee, please.” You cried as you were thrown desperately toward the edge, the coil so tight you could barely breathe. 

“Cum for me. Cum nice and hard for me darling. Show me how good you feel.” He all but commanded into your ear, his thrusts and fingers maintaining a slower but consistent speed and motion. 

And you did. Unsure if it was from his voice or at your own will but you came hard. You came so hard that no sound escaped your lips, you were breathless, air stolen by the waves of pleasure as they cascaded over you. Heeseung fucked you through your orgasm and kept fucking you until you shook from overstimulation. Once he finally pulled his hand away from between you he was able to focus on his own climax. 

His pace quickened, and your body still clenched around him, overstimulation causing tears to brim at your eyes. 

“Heeseung,” you moaned, and it was lewd. You sounded almost straight from a porno and that was all he needed. 

“Fuck—,” he cursed, surprised by what you had just done. His thrusts became uneven and frantic before he pulled out and came over your stomach. His quiet groans alone were almost enough to get you fired up again. 

Your head was floaty as you watched him come down from his own high. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed happily. Then his eyes met yours and he looked so much different than before. He looked at you endearingly and lovingly, any sadistic dominance gone from his eyes. 

He was quick to get up, grab tissues, and wipe you off. You looked down and saw the wax that still covered your body. That was going to be a pain to clean up but it was so worth it. 

Heeseung helped you back into your clothes before he got back into his own clothes and settled back onto the couch sitting beside you. 

There was now somewhat of an awkward silence as you didn’t know what to expect next. You honestly just anticipated that you would go home from here and it would be just like a one-night stand of sorts. 

You fiddled with your fingers in your lap, a slight twinge of disappointment at the ideas your head was creating. 

Heeseung grabbed your hand and laced his fingers in between yours. 

“Y/n, I’m sorry. For being so quiet that is.” He said, obviously having sensed your anxiety. “I’m just honestly speechless. You’re so beautiful and I feel lucky to know you and get to experience and share a friendship and… this…with you.” His other hand motioned vaguely not sure what to consider your relationship at this moment in time. 

You couldn’t help but smile at his words and nod in agreement. 

The older boy took your hand and pulled you up. He grabbed your cardigan and helped you slip it on before leading you to the door and turning off the lights. 

“Let’s go.” He said, hand still entangled in yours. 

He grabbed a sweatshirt from a hook by the door and slipped it on pulling up the hood over his head. Then he pulled out two black masks from the pocket and handed one to you before putting on the other one. He looked over to you, his eyes showing a big smile.

“Where are we going?” You asked, having enough comprehension skills to realize that he was taking you somewhere and that’s why you both needed to have your identities covered a bit. 

“Home of course,” Heeseung replied, pulling you out the door and closing it behind him. He led you towards the elevator. 

“Oh—, Home?” You questioned. It wasn’t often that you went over to the dorms so late at night. Did he mean back to your place? The boys never came over to your place either and it definitely wasn’t in good shape for any guests.

“Mhmm.” He replied as the elevator doors closed. He was still holding your hand tightly, almost as if he was worried you might not want to come with him. 

Truth be told, you were still feeling the post orgasm high and you didn’t really care where you went right now as long as it was with him.

He continued leading you outside of the building and when you made it outside he turned to head towards the dorms. 

“The dorms?” You questioned. Obviously, you knew this was the likely answer but it somehow still surprised you. 

“Yep!” Heeseung replied, not giving you anything more than short answers that way you couldn’t argue or try to change his mind. 

“But Heeseung, uhm… why?” You asked. It was late, and coming over just to hang out wasn’t really the best idea. You’d need to leave soon before you got too sleepy. 

He chuckled, his fingers squeezing yours for a moment. “I’m not going to just let you go home after that y/n. I’m not a fuck boy.” 

“Well, I didn’t say that.” You replied, whacking him on the shoulder with your free hand. He laughed again and you wished you could see his smile instead of the mask. 

The rest of the short walk was quiet except for the various sounds of isolated cars or chit-chat of other people walking around. The city truly never slept around here. 

Heeseung unlocked the door when you arrived, finally releasing your hand before pushing open the door. The dorm was quiet except for the TV in the living room which was playing some sort of anime. You slipped off your shoes and cardigan welcoming the comforting warmth of the dorm. 

Heeseung went into the kitchen to grab you both some water. As you waited you noticed that Jake had fallen asleep on the couch. You smiled and walked over to turn off the lamp that was shining in his face. 

When you turned back around you jumped, surprised to be somewhat face to face with Jungwon. He was wearing a tank top and sweatpants. His muscular arms caught you a bit off guard as he normally never wore exposing clothes like that. 

“J-Jungwon!” You whispered, trying not to wake up Jake. 

“What are you doing here so late?” Jungwon asked, his brows furrowed a bit. 

“Oh- I was just-,” you stammered.

Obviously, you weren’t going to tell Jungwon what you had been doing. But coming up with something else was impossible, your brain wasn’t awake enough to come up with anything quick enough. 

“She came with me,” Heeseung spoke suddenly from behind you once again causing you to jump. 

Jungwon looked at Heeseung, and then to you, and then back to Heeseung. Then Jungwon looked back at you and your skin prickled as you watched him eye you from top to bottom. The look in his eyes changed, but to what you couldn’t tell. His eyes stopped on your chest briefly before he nodded and his facial expression went back to normal. You flushed, Jungwon didn’t normally steal glances at you so obviously like that. 

“Ah,” he paused his tone unreadable, “That’s good. I was worried about you y/n, showing up late like this.” 

“Don’t worry,” Heeseung replied, “She’s safe with me Jungwon.” 

Jungwon nodded again before walking away and into the kitchen himself. Heeseung handed you a glass of water before he took your hand again and pulled to towards his bedroom. 

You were surprised, however, when Heeseung stopped and pulled you into the bathroom. 

“I’ll grab you some clothes of mine you can wear to sleep in. I can shower with you if you want, or you can shower by yourself if you’d be more comfortable,” he said before turning to head towards his bedroom, “Oh, and use whatever shampoo or body wash you want, everyone has different tastes so there’s a few to choose from.” 

You nodded and closed the door behind him. Processing everything that was going on was overwhelming but the idea of staying in the dorm made you feel a little giddy inside. You took a few sips from the glass of water before sitting it down on the counter. 

Heeseung’s knock brought you out of your thoughts as he slowly opened the door. In his hand were some sweatpants and a T-shirt. He smiled at you before setting them down on the counter beside the glass of water.

“Do you want me to shower with you?” He asked. Heeseung’s eyes also trailed your bare skin. “You might need some help getting all that off.” He continued pointing to your chest. 

You looked down and suddenly your face started to burn. How the fuck did you forget the wax! It’s not that Jungwon was looking at your tits but instead, he was looking at the wax that covered your chest and cleavage in tiny trails. 

You looked back at Heeseung, the mischievous look on his face told you that he knew exactly what you were thinking about right now. But it was too late now, there was nothing you could do about it. 

“I think that would be nice actually. Thank you, Hee.” You replied. 

Heeseung was happy to help. He helped you undress and got the water going for you so you could get in and enjoy it for a moment while he brushed his teeth and undressed himself. 

You let the warm water trail down your body washing away any other stress and anxiety you had about the situation. 

When Heeseung joined you couldn’t help but admire him once more. The way his bronze skin glistened in the water as it cascaded over him. The older boy took your hand and placed it on his chest.

“Don’t be afraid.” He said quietly. You tilted your head confused but when you looked up and met his eyes you saw they were now bright blue with small slits in them. The blue color was so bright it reminded you of glaciers as they floated in the ocean. His skin twitched under your fingertips as small silvery blue scales pushed through his skin in various places the water was hitting. 

“Oh—wow.” You responded, shocked by what you were seeing. 

You looked up again and saw small spikey fins that had grown out from the tips his ears. Everything else about him stayed the same. 

“Heeseung. You’re stunning.” You said, blown away by what you were seeing. When he released your hand you noticed that his fingers had become webbed too, obviously to help him swim if he was in the water. 

He smiled. “You’re not scared right?” 

“No not at all just… do you... have a tail fin?” You questioned, giving him an innocent but curious look. 

The older boy laughed. “Of course I do. I can just control it better than my scales and fins. It would be quite awkward if I just grew a tail and fell over right now wouldn’t it?” He responded, chuckling again at the image he had created in his head. 

You laughed with him at the scenario. 

Then he helped you wash and made sure to get all of the wax off your body before also helping you wash your hair. You allowed yourself to be pampered by him even just briefly. You wondered if you’d ever get to see his tail and watch him swim. 

After you both finished washing, Heeseung helped you towel dry your hair and get into his clothes before he took you along into his bedroom.

You chuckled as you watched the older boy flop onto the bed and tuck himself under the covers. 

“Well,  come here darling.” He said, patting the bed beside him and holding up the covers for you to get in. 

You got into the bed with him and he opened his arms for you to get comfortable and lay on his chest. You were surprised by how quickly his siren features disappeared after getting out of the water and drying off. It was silent for a moment besides the sound of his heartbeat in your ear

“Are you sure this is okay?” You said, breaking the silence. 

“What? Cuddling with me?” He questioned you. 

“Well, just all of it.” You replied anxiously. 

His arms tightened around you. 

“Don’t worry to much y/n. Do what makes you happiest and we will all be happy. You should know that I will— well, we all will do everything in our power to keep you happy.” He replied, his tone a lot more serious now. You could tell he was being genuine. 

You nodded, before leaning up to give Heeseung a kiss. Even though it was dark you could tell he was blushing by your sudden action. 

When you laid back on his chest, he began to hum once again. Except this time, instead of arousal you just felt warm and fuzzy. His humming enveloped you in a soft blanket of safety and comfort. You felt loved and appreciated and beautiful in his arms, and you weren’t sure you’d ever want to leave them. 

The warm cozy feeling Heeseung was creating for you was quick to whisk you to sleep but before you drifted off you wondered briefly how you had gotten so lucky to be sought after by this group of boys. You wondered if this was a dream and if you’d wake up soon. You wondered if you’d figure out what monsters the other boys were, and secretly you hoped you’d find out just like you did with Heeseung tonight. 

☾ author note: thank you for reading! this chapter is arguably the tamest out of them all so please look forward to whats to come next! can you guess who is what monster?

chapter two

chapter directory

[cloudtransprncy]

One Night Only - Directors Cut

Jennie Kim X Male Reader | 8k words

One night. That’s all you ever get. By morning, she’ll be gone. You’ll tell yourself this was the last time. You’ll both know it’s not.

AN: Ya’ll might remember this if you followed me last year. Spent the last few weeks reworking it—call it the director’s cut. Also Jennie is still my ult and so her coming back into the light is great.

Consequence. The word sits heavy in your mind as you watch the city from your hotel window. Thirty floors below, New York keeps moving. Never stops.

You flick ash from your cigarette. Every choice has weight. You know this. You called her anyway.

Jennie's mouth is on yours, soft and demanding at once. She tastes like cherry lip gloss and expensive gin, sweet and sharp. Her full lips part against yours, tongue sliding against your bottom lip. Her fingers pull at your hair, just rough enough to send shivers down your spine. Between kisses she breathes, "This is stupid," but her body presses closer, breasts pushing against your chest, hips finding yours.

Commitment. You've spent years avoiding that word. Being tied down always felt wrong. You need movement, new cities, different faces. Maybe that's why things fell apart—she saw what you couldn't admit. You'd always choose the road over staying still.

Her skin burns under your hands, smooth and impossibly soft. When you slide your palm down the curve of her waist to the flare of her hip, she sighs against your neck, her breath hot on your skin. "I've missed this," she says quietly, like she's admitting something she shouldn't. You back her against the wall, pinning her with your body. She arches into you, head tilting back in invitation. You feel her pulse jump beneath your lips when you kiss her throat, right at that spot that always makes her grip your shoulders tighter.

The hotel room is all clean lines and empty space. King bed with white sheets. Bathroom with too many mirrors. Mini-fridge you've already raided. View of the city that probably costs extra. Your record label covers it, so you don't care.

As a kid, you'd search for Virgo in the night sky. Stars were constant when nothing else was. Jennie's like that. No matter how far you go, you always circle back to her.

In the half-dark, her eyes catch the light from outside. She's always seen through you, always known the parts you try to hide from everyone else.

---

She'll come. She always does.

You know she's with someone else now—an actor with a jawline made for billboards. In her world of flashbulbs and red carpets, he makes sense. But you were there first, and somehow, you're still not gone.

It's been a year since you ended things, if you can call it an ending. When you call, she answers. When she texts, you drop everything. Some connections don't break clean.

Stop. Go. Stop. Go.

A day between Chicago and Toronto shows up in your tour schedule. When you hear she's in New York for some event, changing your plans feels inevitable.

At sunset, you text her from your hotel room. The message is simple: Here for the night. Room 3045.

She replies with just a question mark. Your conversations have become this—shorthand that only works because you share history.

"I'm in the city for one night," you say when you call her. The silence on her end isn't hesitation; it's calculation. Background noise filters through the phone—glasses clinking, people talking.

"I got a room, for me and you" you add. "One night only." You hang up knowing she'll decide whether to come. You also know what that decision will be.

The knock comes at 12:17. Three quick taps.

When you open the door, your breath catches in your throat. Jennie leans against the frame, champagne glass dangling between her fingers, but it's her body that has your full attention. Her black dress hugs every curve like it was painted on, stopping mid-thigh to reveal legs that seem endless. The material stretches tight across her hips, then tapers at her waist before swelling to accommodate her breasts. The neckline dips just low enough to make your mouth go dry.

"Started without me?" you nod toward her drink, trying to sound casual while your pulse hammers in your ears.

"Needed something to get me here," she says, her lips curving into that smile that's haunted you for months. Her eyes are dark and knowing, lined with perfect black wings that make them look even more dangerous.

Jennie walks in like she owns the place, hips swaying with each step. Those knee-high socks hug her calves, leading up to a thin garter belt that disappears beneath her dress—a promise of what waits underneath. Her skin glows warm and golden against the black fabric. Her dark hair tumbles in loose waves past her shoulders, the kind of perfectly tousled look that makes your fingers itch to grab it.

Her perfume wraps around you—roses with something darker underneath, expensive and intoxicating. The scent that's followed you to hotel rooms across the country, lingering on your sheets and clothes long after she's gone.

She finishes her drink and sets the glass down with deliberate slowness. Her red-painted nails catch the light as her hand moves to your chest. "We shouldn't keep doing this," she says, but her fingers are already working your shirt buttons, knuckles brushing against your skin with each one. Her touch leaves heat trails down your torso. "It's not fair."

"When has anything been fair?" you ask. Her mouth curves into the smile that's always meant trouble.

"Never," she agrees, pressing her hand against your chest. "So we might as well take what we can get."

When she kisses you, it feels like she's taking something back, something she left with you months ago. Tonight, in this room, she's not the girl from magazine covers or someone's girlfriend. She's yours again, temporarily.

"It's been a while," she whispers against your mouth.

"Too long," you admit.

The door clicks shut behind her. You have until sunrise.

Something electric sparks between you the moment the door clicks shut. The air feels different - charged with memory and want. Your bodies remember each other before your minds can catch up.

You're on the couch in minutes, her weight settling into your lap like she belongs there. This kiss is different from the ones you remember - hungrier, more desperate. Her tongue slides against yours, and you taste gin and desire. Her body presses against yours, soft in all the places you've missed.

Your hands find her curves through the thin fabric of her dress. You squeeze her ass, pulling her closer until there's nothing between you but clothing. She moans into your mouth when you press your hardness against her. You can feel her heat even through layers of fabric.

Jennie breaks the kiss, a thin strand of saliva connecting your lips for a second before it breaks. Her eyes are dark pools reflecting the city lights outside. They hold yours with an intensity that makes your throat tight.

"I've missed this, Owen," she whispers. Her voice is rough at the edges. She grinds against you, slow and deliberate, the friction making your breath catch. Her fingers tighten in your hair, pulling you back to her mouth. This kiss is deeper, messier, with teeth and tongue and need.

Your hands slide under her dress, finding warm skin. The sound she makes when you touch her bare thighs shoots straight to your groin. You push the fabric higher, revealing more of her, inch by inch. Her breathing quickens as her hips roll against yours. Her nipples are hard points pressing through the fabric, rubbing against your chest.

She lifts her arms as you pull the dress over her head. You toss it aside, forgotten before it hits the floor.

Moonlight spills through the windows, painting her skin silver. She's all smooth curves and shadows in the half-light. Her body is a map you once knew by heart - the slight curve of her waist, the fullness of her breasts, the dip of her collarbone. You take it all in again, relearning her.

Your hands can't stay still. You need to touch every inch of her, remind yourself that she's real. Her skin is impossibly soft under your fingertips, warm and alive. Each touch makes her shift against you, seeking more pressure, more contact.

The sounds she makes are better than any song you've written. Small gasps when you squeeze her thighs. A sharp intake of breath when your thumb grazes her nipple. Low hums of pleasure when you find a spot she likes. Each sound builds on the last, creating a rhythm that guides your hands.

You need to taste her. Starting at her collarbone, you press your lips to her skin. Salt and sweetness and expensive perfume fill your senses. She sighs, her head falling back to give you better access. You work your way across her shoulder, down her arm, learning the texture of her skin with your mouth.

When you reach her breast, you feel her whole body tense in anticipation. The skin here is softer, more delicate. You circle her nipple with your tongue, feeling it harden further. Your hand finds her other breast, thumb rolling over the stiff peak.

"Oh my god," she moans when you take her nipple into your mouth. Her back arches, pushing more of her into your face. The taste of her skin goes straight to your head like strong liquor. Her chest rises and falls rapidly with each breath.

Your free hand slides down her stomach, fingers spread wide to feel as much of her as possible. You trace the edge of her panties, feeling the lace against your fingertips. She rocks against your hand, seeking more pressure. You cup her between her legs, feeling the heat and dampness through the thin fabric. Jennie gasps, her thighs trembling as you press your palm firmly against her covered pussy.

"Fuck," she breathes, grinding down on your hand. Her fingers tighten in your hair, pulling hard enough to make your scalp tingle. The slight pain only makes you harder.

You move to her neck, dragging your teeth along the sensitive skin below her ear. When you bite down - not hard enough to mark, but enough to make her feel it - she whimpers, her whole body shuddering. Your thumb makes slow circles against her covered clit while your teeth work at her neck, finding the spots that make her grip your shoulders.

"I forgot how good you feel," you say against her skin, your voice rough with wanting.

"I want to feel you too," she says, eyes locked on yours. Her pupils are blown wide with desire. Her hand traces up your arm, across your shoulder, around to your back. Her nails dig into your skin, leaving trails of sensation. She tugs at your shirt, impatient now. You let her pull it over your head.

Her hands are everywhere at once, exploring your chest, your shoulders, your back. Her touch starts gentle but quickly turns hungry. She leans down to kiss your neck, her lips hot against your pulse point. Her teeth graze your skin, just hard enough to make you hiss.

As her mouth works its way down your chest, a thought flickers through your mind - does she do this with him? Does she make these same sounds, move in these same ways? The thought knifes through the pleasure for a split second before her touch pulls you back.

Nothing exists outside this room. Not her boyfriend. Not your tour. Just her hands on your skin and her breath in your ear.

"Fuck! I need your dick in my mouth," Jennie says, her voice thick with desire. She slides from your lap in one fluid motion, her body moving with practiced grace. She settles between your legs, her knees pressed against the hotel carpet, thighs spread slightly apart. Her hair falls forward, framing her face as she looks up at you through her lashes.

In the half-light, she's a vision – lips parted and swollen from kissing, chest flushed and rising with quick breaths, her breasts full and nipples still hard from your attention. The garter and stockings against her bare skin create a contrast that makes your mouth go dry.

She runs her hands up your thighs, fingers pressing into your muscles. Her red nails stand out against your skin as she hooks her fingers into the waistband of your sweatpants. There's something almost reverential in how she tugs them down – slowly at first, then with growing urgency. Her eyes never leave yours, even as she licks her lower lip in anticipation.

The fabric slides past your hips, and your cock springs free, hard and aching. A small smile plays at the corner of her mouth as she takes you in. She leans closer, her breath warm against your sensitive skin. When she finally looks up at you, her eyes are dark pools of hunger and something deeper – a look that's always been reserved just for you.

"You can have it tonight," you say, your voice rough as her hands wrap around your cock.

"All of it?" Jennie asks with a smile that's pure trouble. Her eyes don't leave yours. You nod, unable to form words.

She leans closer, parts her lips, and lets a strand of spit fall onto the tip. The warm wetness makes you twitch. She uses her fingers to spread it down your length, coating you. Her hand starts moving in slow strokes that make your breath catch.

Jennie sweeps her hair to one side, giving you a clear view. She doesn't break eye contact as she moves closer. Her breath hits you first, warm against sensitive skin. Then her tongue, wet and soft, circles the head of your cock. Your hands grip the couch cushions.

When she takes you into her mouth, the heat is shocking. Her lips stretch around you as she slides down, taking you deeper than you expected. Her tongue works against the underside, finding spots that make your thighs tense. The wet sounds fill the quiet room.

She pulls back, only keeping the tip in her mouth. Her tongue swirls around it, teasing the sensitive spot just underneath. Then she moves down again, a little deeper this time. The rhythm is maddening – not enough to get you there, just enough to keep you desperate for more.

Jennie pulls off completely, her hand still working you in slow strokes. She looks up, studying your reaction. Her free hand moves to your balls, cupping them gently, then rolling them between her fingers. The touch is unexpectedly tender compared to the hunger in her eyes.

"You like that?" she asks, knowing the answer. Her thumb traces circles at the base of your cock while her other hand continues its exploration. "You always did."

She leans down and runs her tongue from base to tip in one long, wet stroke. Then does it again on the underside, where you're most sensitive. Your hips lift off the couch involuntarily. She smiles at your reaction, clearly enjoying the power she has over you.

Jennie takes her time, alternating between her mouth and her hands. Sometimes she focuses just on the head, sucking gently while her hand works the shaft. Other times she takes you deep, then pulls back to circle the tip with her tongue. There's no pattern to follow, nothing to prepare you for what comes next.

Her hand slides lower, massaging your balls again before moving even further back. The unexpected pressure makes your whole body tense. She watches your reaction with dark, knowing eyes.

"Hold my hair," she says, pulling off for a moment. She grabs your hands and places them on either side of her head. "I want you to watch."

With your hands holding her hair back, you have a perfect view of her face, of her lips as they stretch around you again. She takes you deeper this time, her eyes watering slightly at the corners. The sight alone nearly pushes you over the edge.

She pulls off but keeps stroking you with her hand, tight and slick with spit. With her hair pulled back, you can see everything – her flushed cheeks, her bare shoulders, the tops of her breasts rising and falling with each breath. She looks like something from a dream you've had too many times.

"You just can't stay away, can you?" she says, her voice low and teasing. Her hand never stops moving on you. "Always calling me back. Always wanting one more night."

She takes you back into her mouth, just the tip, sucking hard before releasing you with a pop.

"You think about this when you're with other girls?" She speeds up her strokes, twisting her wrist in a way that makes your vision blur. "Bet you do. Bet none of them do it like I do."

Her words hit something deep inside you – a truth you don't want to admit. You tighten your grip on her hair, pulling just enough to make her eyes flash. She smiles, knowing she's struck a nerve.

"That's why you keep coming back," she continues, dropping her head to lick a slow circle around the base of your cock. She moves lower, taking one of your balls into her mouth, sucking gently while her hand keeps working your shaft. The dual sensation makes your legs shake.

When she looks up again, there's challenge in her eyes. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Before you can answer, she takes you deep into her mouth again, all the way until you hit the back of her throat. She holds there, swallowing around you, her eyes never leaving yours. The sensation is overwhelming – wet heat and pressure and the sight of her taking all of you.

"Fuck," is all you can manage, and she hums in satisfaction around you.

Jennie works you with perfect focus. Sometimes she takes you deep, her nose nearly touching your stomach, staying there until she needs to breathe. Other times she pulls back to use her hand with her mouth, twisting her wrist in a way that makes spots dance behind your eyes.

Every few strokes she pulls off completely, gathering more spit, making everything wetter, messier. Saliva coats your cock and her chin now, catching the dim light. It should be gross but it's the hottest thing you've ever seen.

Time stretches and blurs. It could be minutes or hours. There's just Jennie's mouth, her hands, the heat building at the base of your spine.

She changes her approach, focusing just on the head, sucking harder while her hand works the shaft in quick, tight strokes. The new sensation makes your leg muscles jump. You feel yourself getting close.

"Fuck, Jennie, I'm—" you try to warn her, reaching to pull her head back. You want to make this last, to feel more of her tonight.

She slaps your hand away, hard enough to sting.

"You're giving this to me now," she says, voice raspy from having you in her throat. "And you're giving me more later." Her tone leaves no room for argument.

Jennie doubles down, moving with new determination. One hand squeezes the base while her mouth works the rest. Her other hand slides between your legs, fingernails lightly scratching your inner thigh. The unexpected touch makes you gasp.

She takes you deeper again, moaning around you like she's enjoying this as much as you are. The vibration, the suction, the sight of her – it all becomes too much.

The orgasm hits you like a punch. Your vision blurs at the edges as waves of pleasure roll through you. Jennie doesn't pull away, keeping perfect suction as you come. She swallows around you, the motion extending your pleasure until you're gripping her shoulders to stay upright.

She keeps going until you're too sensitive, until you have to gently push at her shoulders. Only then does she finally release you, looking up with satisfaction in her eyes. A small drop of white clings to her bottom lip before her tongue darts out to catch it.

She reaches for your discarded shirt and wipes her mouth and hands, casual as if she'd just finished a meal. The sight of her using your clothes like this only adds to the intimacy.

Jennie rises to her feet in one fluid motion, her body unfolding before you. She's petite but perfectly proportioned - slim waist, delicate shoulders, toned legs that seem to go on forever despite her height. Standing there in just her knee-high socks and garter, her small, perky breasts catch the dim light. Her skin has a golden glow against the darkness of the room.

She steps between your legs, looking down at you with hooded eyes. Her slender fingers reach for your chin, tilting your face up to meet hers. The gesture is possessive, almost commanding. She leans down, her straight dark hair falling forward to frame both your faces, creating a private world. Her lips find yours, softer now but still hungry. You taste yourself on her tongue, salt and skin.

"I'm not done with you," she whispers against your lips. "You brought me here. We're gonna make the most of it." Her fingertips trace your jawline before she steps back, grabbing your hand to pull you toward the bed.

As you follow her across the room, the city sounds filter through the windows – car horns, distant music, the constant hum of life that never stops. The soft lighting catches on her skin, giving it a warm glow that makes you want to touch her all over again.

As you follow her across the room, the city sounds filter through the windows – car horns, distant music, the constant hum of life that never stops. The soft lighting catches on her skin, giving it a warm glow that makes you want to touch her all over again.

Jennie moves onto the bed with natural grace. The curve of her spine draws your eye down to where her waist narrows before flaring into her hips. The small black thong she still wears cuts across her skin, the thin fabric disappearing between her cheeks in a way that makes your mouth go dry.

She positions herself in the center of the bed, her movements deliberate and unhurried. She folds her legs into a 'W' shape, showcasing their length despite her petite frame. The knee-high socks create a striking contrast against her bare thighs. The entire pose is an invitation you could never refuse.

Her hands begin to move across her own body, touching herself with slow confidence. She traces circles around her small breasts, fingers dancing across her skin with a self-assurance that's hypnotic to watch. In the dim light, every movement feels like it's meant just for you.

You notice how different she looks now compared to when she arrived at your door. Her carefully applied makeup is smudged around her eyes. Her hair, once smooth and perfect, is wild from your hands. She looks beautifully undone, more real somehow, and even more stunning for it.

She runs a finger across her lips, still swollen from taking you in her mouth. Then trails it down her neck and over her chest, drawing your eye along the path.

"Come here," she says, her voice low but commanding. She rolls onto her back, her body a landscape of curves and shadows in the half-light.

Though still wearing her thong, the thin black fabric does little to hide what's underneath. As you move closer to the bed, she hooks her thumbs into the waistband and slides it down her legs with deliberate slowness. The last barrier between you disappears as she kicks it aside.

With the same unhurried confidence, Jennie reaches down and uses her fingers to part herself. The gesture is both vulnerable and bold – showing you exactly what you've been missing all these months. Even in the dim light, you can see how wet she is, glistening with want.

You climb onto the bed, feeling the expensive sheets against your palms. The fabric is cool and smooth, a stark contrast to the heat building between you. The mattress gives slightly under your weight as you move between her legs.

Jennie is breathtaking beneath you. Her skin has a slight sheen in the low light, catching the glow from the bedside lamp. Her dark hair fans out against the white pillows, framing a face that's haunted your dreams for months. Her chest rises and falls with quickening breaths, her small breasts topped with hardened nipples that beg for your touch.

But you're not rushing this. Not after all these months apart.

You start at her ankles, where the knee-high socks still cling to her calves. Your lips press against the delicate bone there, feeling her pulse beneath the skin. She watches you through half-lidded eyes as you work your way higher, placing open-mouthed kisses up her calf.

When you reach the top of her sock, you peel it down slowly, revealing more of her skin inch by inch. The newly exposed flesh gets special attention – your lips, your tongue, even the gentle scrape of teeth that makes her shiver.

"What are you doing?" she asks, but there's no impatience in her voice, just wonder.

"Appreciating the view," you murmur against her knee. "Been thinking about this body for months."

You move to her other leg, giving it the same treatment – slow, deliberate kisses that make her skin prickle with goosebumps. Your hands slide up her thighs as your mouth follows, feeling the muscles tense and relax under your touch.

Her inner thighs are softer, more sensitive. When your tongue traces the crease where leg meets hip, she gasps, her fingers flexing against the sheets. The scent of her arousal is stronger here, making your mouth water.

You detour, moving up to kiss her stomach, the dip of her navel, the subtle ridges of her ribs. Each breath she takes makes her abdomen rise and fall beneath your lips. You work your way to her breasts, taking your time with each one – circling the nipple with your tongue before sucking it into your mouth, feeling it harden further.

"Owen," she sighs, arching into your touch.

Your hands never stop moving, exploring every inch of her like you're memorizing her by touch alone. The curve of her hip, the dip of her waist, the softness of her sides – all of it perfect, all of it Jennie.

You make your way back down, leaving a trail of kisses from her sternum to her stomach. Her breathing quickens as you move lower, anticipation making her shift restlessly beneath you. When you reach the neat strip of dark hair between her legs, you pause, looking up to meet her eyes.

"You're fucking beautiful," you say, your voice rougher than intended.

Her eyes soften for just a moment before that familiar challenge returns. "Are you going to stare all night, or are you going to do something about it?"

You answer by settling between her legs, pushing her thighs wider. You can't help but stare at the view before you. There's something almost reverent in how you look at her – taking in every detail, every curve and shadow. Her thighs part further, an invitation that needs no words. Between her legs, you notice she's not completely bare – a neat, dark landing strip of hair points down like an arrow, the contrast of it against her skin making your mouth water.

The scent of her hits you first – warm and musky and distinctly Jennie. You breathe her in, letting it flood your senses and cloud your thoughts. Nothing exists but this bed, this woman, this moment.

You lower your head slowly, maintaining eye contact until the last possible second. The first broad stroke of your tongue makes her gasp. You take your time, exploring her with long, flat licks that cover her entirely. Her taste is familiar yet new – sweet and tangy and addictive. You could drown here and die happy.

"Fuck," she breathes, her hips already lifting slightly to meet your mouth.

You switch to softer, more focused touches, tracing her folds with the tip of your tongue. Each pass draws different sounds from her – soft sighs that gradually build to more urgent moans. You map her with your mouth, relearning what makes her breath catch, what makes her thighs shake.

When you find her clit, you circle it slowly, teasingly, not giving her the direct pressure you know she craves. Her fingers find your hair, tightening in frustration.

"Don't tease me," she warns, but there's no real threat in her voice – just desire strained to its breaking point.

You smile against her before giving in, wrapping your lips around her clit and sucking gently. The reaction is immediate – her back arches off the bed, a strangled curse falling from her lips.

Your free hand slides up her body, finding the toned plane of her stomach. You press down firmly, holding her in place as your mouth works against her. The contrast of your hand on her abs while your tongue explores her most sensitive areas makes her writhe beneath you.

She's getting wetter, her arousal coating your chin as you work. You move your tongue in circles, then switch to quick flicks across her clit that make her thighs tremble. Each change in pressure or rhythm pulls new sounds from her throat.

"Oh god, right there," she gasps when you find a particularly sensitive spot.

You slip a finger inside her, feeling her heat clench around you immediately. She's impossibly tight and wet, her body welcoming the intrusion. You curl your finger to find that spot that always drove her crazy. When you find it, her whole body jerks like she's been shocked.

"Right there," she gasps. "Don't stop."

You add a second finger, stretching her gently while continuing to work her clit with your mouth. The combination makes her hips buck wildly against your face. Her hands tighten in your hair, pulling almost painfully.

With each thrust of your fingers, you quicken the tempo, driving deeper into her. Her muscles clench around you rhythmically, like she's trying to pull you further in. Your tongue never stops its assault on her clit, alternating between broad strokes and focused attention.

"Owen," she moans, her voice breaking. "I'm so close."

You pull back just enough to look up at her, your fingers still working inside her. "You still think about this when you're with him?" The question slips out before you can stop it. Your thumb replaces your tongue, circling her clit as you watch her face.

She glares down at you, but her body betrays her, clenching around your fingers. "You're such a dick."

"But you're here anyway," you say, curling your fingers against that spot that makes her whole body jerk. "In my bed, not his."

Her breath catches. "Shut up."

You lower your head again, sucking her clit between your lips while adding a third finger. The stretch makes her gasp, her back arching. You can feel her getting closer – her thighs tensing, her breathing becoming irregular. Her entire body is flushed with heat, a thin sheen of sweat making her skin glow in the dim light.

You establish a relentless rhythm – fingers pumping while your tongue works her clit. The wet sounds of your movements fill the room, mixing with her increasingly desperate moans.

Just as she's about to peak, you ease back, slowing down just enough to keep her on the edge.

"Tell me you missed this," you say against her inner thigh, your breath hot on her wet skin.

"Don't stop," she pleads, hips lifting to chase your mouth.

You stay just out of reach. "Tell me no one does this like I do."

Her hands tighten in your hair, trying to force you back down. "I hate you," she says, but there's no conviction in it.

"No, you don't." You circle her entrance with your fingers, teasing but not pushing in. "Say it, Jennie."

She fights it for a moment, pride warring with desire. Then breaks. "No one does it like you do. Now please—" her voice cracks with need, "please don't stop."

The desperation in her voice sends heat through your entire body. You give her what she wants, diving back in with renewed hunger. Your tongue circles her clit rapidly while your fingers press firmly against that sweet spot inside her. The dual sensations push her toward the edge fast.

Her legs wrap around your head, thighs clamping against your ears as her body tenses. Your free hand reaches up to find her breast, pinching her nipple between your fingers. The added stimulation makes her cry out, her voice cracking with pleasure.

"Owen," she warns, her voice tight and strained. "I'm gonna—"

"Come for me," you command, increasing the pressure, the speed, giving her exactly what she needs.

Her breathing turns ragged, her moans more frantic. The muscles in her stomach tense under your hand as her body coils tight, ready to snap. Her inner walls clench rhythmically around your fingers, the first tremors of her orgasm beginning.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh—" Her words dissolve into a broken cry as it hits her. Her back arches high off the bed, her body going rigid. Her thighs shake violently around your head as waves of pleasure crash through her.

"Oh my God!" The words tear from her throat as her fingers pull painfully at your hair. Her body convulses beneath your mouth, wave after wave of pleasure washing over her. "You're so good at that, Owen."

She bites her lower lip hard, her neck straining as her hips jerk uncontrollably against your face. You don't let up, working her through the peak, extending her pleasure until she's gasping and writhing from the intensity.

The aftershocks ripple through her body like tremors, her skin flushed and damp with sweat. Only when she weakly pushes at your head, too sensitive to take any more, do you finally ease back. You place one last gentle kiss against her before resting your cheek on her inner thigh, looking up at her wrecked expression.

Her chest heaves as she tries to catch her breath, her eyes closed, lips parted. She looks utterly spent, flushed and beautiful in her satisfaction.

After a moment, Jennie gathers herself, her breathing slowly returning to normal. She looks down at you, her gaze dropping to your obvious arousal. Without a word, she reaches forward and spits on it, her saliva glistening as she begins to stroke you. You groan at the contact, your body responding instantly to her touch. You don't let up, working her through the orgasm, only easing the pressure when her hand pushes weakly against your head, oversensitive.

You place one last gentle kiss against her before resting your cheek on her inner thigh, looking up at her flushed face. Her chest heaves as she tries to catch her breath, her eyes closed, lips parted. She looks wrecked in the best possible way.

After a moment, Jennie gathers herself, her breathing slowly returning to normal. She looks up at you, a predatory gleam replacing the post-orgasm haze in her eyes. Without warning, she reaches for your cock and spits on it, her saliva mixing with the wetness still coating her lips from going down on you earlier.

"Now," she says, voice raspy and demanding, "I'm going to fuck you."

She doesn't wait for your response, just straddles your hips and positions herself above you. Her thighs flex as she hovers, teasing you with the heat of her center just inches away from where you need it.

"Tell me how bad you want this," she demands, one hand flat against your chest for balance.

"Just get on my dick already," you growl, grabbing her hips to pull her down.

She resists, maintaining control. "Say please," she taunts, her eyes challenging you.

You nearly laugh. "Fuck you."

"That's the idea," she says with a wicked smile, then finally sinks down in one swift movement, taking you to the hilt.

"Jesus fucking Christ," you hiss as her heat surrounds you. She's impossibly tight after her orgasm, still pulsing slightly from the aftershocks.

"You're so fucking big," she gasps, adjusting to the stretch. There's no sweetness in her voice – just raw appreciation for how you fill her.

Jennie starts to move, not with gentle rises and falls but with demanding, forceful motions. Her thighs flex powerfully as she lifts herself almost completely off before slamming back down. Each drop makes a slapping sound that fills the room, punctuated by her sharp gasps.

The sight of her riding you is mesmerizing. Her small breasts bounce with each movement, nipples hard and dark against her golden skin. Her stomach muscles visibly tighten with each rise and fall, showing off the definition in her abs that she works so hard for. Her hair, now completely wild from your hands, whips around her shoulders as she moves.

"Touch my tits," she commands, grabbing your hands and placing them on her chest.

You squeeze roughly, pinching her nipples the way you remember she likes. Her head falls back, exposing the elegant column of her throat, a string of curses falling from her lips.

"Fucking hell, your cock feels so good," she says, grinding down hard. "Tell me you've missed this pussy."

"Every fucking day," you admit, thrusting up to meet her movements. The force of it nearly bounces her off you, but she adjusts her balance, her strong thighs gripping your sides.

She leans forward, her hands braced on your chest. The new angle lets her grind her clit against your pubic bone with each thrust. Her nails dig into your skin, leaving crescent marks that burn. Her face hovers above yours, her hair creating a curtain around you both. Sweat beads along her hairline, one drop sliding down her temple to her jaw.

"No one fucks me like you do," she admits, the words sounding torn from her. "No one."

With a surge of need, you move between her thighs, pressing her into the mattress. Her legs wrap around your waist, drawing you closer. Your eyes lock as you drive into her, taking control of the pace.

"Fuck, I missed this tight pussy," you growl, watching her eyes flash at your words.

"Shut up and fuck me harder," she snaps back, digging her heels into your lower back.

You slam into her, setting a brutal pace that has the headboard cracking against the wall. Each thrust jolts her body up the bed, her hair splaying across the pillows like spilled ink. Her small breasts bounce with the impact, nipples hard and begging for attention.

Your hands move to her waist, fingers nearly meeting around her small frame. The contrast of your large hands against her tiny waist makes your head spin. You can feel her hip bones under your thumbs, the delicate architecture of her body beneath your palms.

"Like that? This how you want it?" Your voice is rough, almost unrecognizable with need.

"Yes—don't fucking stop," she gasps, her nails raking down your back hard enough to leave welts.

You lean down, capturing her mouth in a bruising kiss. Your tongues battle for dominance as your bodies slam together. The taste of her—sweet with a hint of salt from her sweat—fills your senses. You break away to trail bites down her neck, leaving marks that will remind her of this night long after you're gone.

She arches into you, offering more of herself. You take advantage, moving to her shoulder, then her arm, leaving a trail of bites and kisses along her skin. The salt of her sweat makes your head spin. When you reach the sensitive skin of her inner arm, she lets out a surprised gasp that turns into a deep moan.

"Oh fuck, don't stop," she pants as you run your tongue along the delicate skin of her armpit, tasting the most primal part of her.

In this position, you can see everything—her face contorting with each thrust, the way her stomach muscles tighten when you hit deep, how her lips part on silent screams when you find the perfect angle. Her hair sticks to her temples with sweat, dark strands clinging to her flushed skin.

Sweat makes your bodies slide together, the hotel room filling with the obscene sounds of skin slapping against skin. You grip her thigh, pushing it higher, opening her wider. The position stretches her leg up toward her chest, showing off the flexibility from her years of dance training.

"Harder," she demands, her voice breaking as you comply. "Fucking wreck me."

You reach down, gripping her jaw, forcing her to look at you as you pound into her. Her eyes are wild, pupils blown with arousal. "This what you came here for? This what you needed?"

Her breathing changes, becoming more ragged. You recognize the signs—she's close again. You adjust your position slightly, hitting that spot inside her that you know drives her wild.

"There!" she cries out, her nails digging crescents into your shoulders.

You maintain the angle, the rhythm, watching her face as pleasure builds. Her eyes are squeezed shut, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. Her body tenses beneath you, on the edge but not quite there.

"Let go," you urge, your thumb finding her clit. "Come for me again."

She shakes her head. "Not yet—not without you."

Something snaps in you at her words. Without warning, you pull out completely and flip her over in one rough motion. She gasps, surprised by the sudden movement as you manhandle her onto her hands and knees. Your hand lands hard on her ass, leaving a bright red handprint on her skin.

"Fuck!" she cries out, more in arousal than pain.

You grab a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back as you position yourself behind her. Sweat drips down your chest, landing on her back as you line yourself up. You can hear her panting, waiting, her thighs trembling slightly in anticipation.

"This what you want?" you growl against her ear, your chest pressed to her back, cock teasing her entrance.

"Yes," she hisses. "Give it to me."

You slam into her without further warning, burying yourself to the hilt in one brutal thrust. The sound she makes is primal—half scream, half moan. Her arms nearly buckle under the force, but you hold her up with your grip on her hair.

"Fuck!" she cries out, her fingers clawing at the sheets.

You establish a punishing rhythm, each thrust making her entire body jerk forward. Her hair is wrapped tight around your fist like a leash, forcing her back to arch at a severe angle. Sweat makes your bodies slide together, your skin slapping against hers with obscene wet sounds. The musky scent of sex fills the air, heavy and intoxicating.

"Look at you taking it," you say, giving her ass another sharp slap that leaves a fresh handprint. "Always said you were made for this."

She looks back over her shoulder, her face a perfect picture of pleasure-pain, mascara smudged at the corners of her eyes. "Fuck you," she pants, but pushes back harder against you, contradicting her words.

The sight of her is overwhelming – her narrow waist flaring out to perfectly rounded hips, the elegant curve of her spine dipping then rising, her hair tangled in your fist. From this angle, you can see everything – the way her back hollows out, how her ass bounces against your hips, the glistening evidence of her arousal coating you both.

You lean forward, running your free hand up her side to roughly grab her breast. The position pushes you deeper, making her gasp. Your fingers find her nipple, pinching hard as you maintain your relentless pace.

"Oh god," she moans, her arms shaking from supporting her weight. "Don't stop."

Her body is covered in a fine sheen of sweat, making her skin glow in the dim light. You can see the muscles in her back shifting beneath her skin with each impact, the way her shoulder blades move as she braces against your thrusts.

"Owen," she warns, voice strained with need. "I'm so close."

Her words push you closer to the edge. You increase your pace, chasing both her pleasure and your own. Each thrust now has purpose, driving deeper, harder. You can feel the pressure building at the base of your spine, your control slipping with every sound she makes.

"I'm close too," you admit, rhythm becoming erratic. "I'm gonna cum."

Her body tenses beneath you, muscles tightening as she approaches her peak. You can feel it building—the way she clenches around you, the trembling in her thighs, her increasingly desperate sounds.

"Oh my God, Owen!" she cries out, her voice breaking on your name. "Fill me up!"

Her orgasm crashes through her—you feel it in the way her body convulses, in how she rhythmically tightens around you, in the broken sounds that escape her throat. The sensation of her pulsing around you pushes you over the edge.

Your release hits with an intensity that whites out your vision—powerful, overwhelming, unstoppable. You empty yourself inside her, every pulse accompanied by a wave of pleasure so intense it borders on pain. Her body milks you, drawing out every last sensation until you're both trembling from the force of it.

As the intensity fades, you collapse beside her on the bed, pulling her close against you. Your arm wraps around her waist as you press gentle kisses to her neck and shoulder. Her body still trembles with small aftershocks, her breathing gradually slowing to normal.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. The only sounds in the room are your labored breathing and the distant city noise filtering through the windows. Sweat cools on your skin, making you shiver slightly. Despite the roughness of what just happened, she turns toward you with unexpected tenderness, her small hand coming up to cup your cheek.

She presses her forehead against yours, eyes closed, just breathing you in. A small, almost inaudible snort escapes her as she tries to catch her breath – a startlingly human sound that cuts through the haze of post-sex euphoria. It makes her seem more real somehow, more Jennie than the polished celebrity the world knows.

Her chest still rises and falls rapidly, her heartbeat a quick rhythm you can feel where your bodies press together. Her fingers trace idle patterns on your skin, moving from your chest to your shoulder and back again. It's these quiet moments that always feel more dangerous than the sex – this gentle intimacy that makes you think of what could have been.

"Shit," she finally whispers, a small laugh bubbling up. She looks slightly dazed, her makeup completely ruined, hair a tangled mess. "I forgot how good we are at that."

You brush a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. The gesture is too tender for what this is supposed to be, but you can't help yourself. "Some things you don't forget."

She looks into your eyes and you see a complex mix of satisfaction and something deeper—a longing that mirrors your own. Her hair sticks to her face in damp strands, her skin flushed and glowing in the dim light. Even like this—especially like this—she's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen.

As she lies in your arms, her breathing gradually steadying, you can't help but think about what might have been between you in another life—one where you could stay instead of always leaving. One where "one night only" wasn't all you ever had.

---

Hours later, once you’re sure she’s asleep, you slip out of the bed. The sheets make a soft sound as you untangle yourself from her limbs. She doesn't stir.

The hotel room feels different at 3 AM. Quieter. The luxury that seemed impressive earlier now feels hollow, just expensive emptiness. You find your sweatpants on the floor where she pulled them off you hours ago.

The balcony door slides open with a whisper. Thirty floors up, the city spreads out like someone spilled light across black velvet. You light a cigarette, cupping your hand against the wind even though there's no one here to see the brief flare of your lighter.

Inside, Jennie sleeps. Her small body barely disturbs the white sheets. In the dim light filtering from the bathroom, you can see the marks you left on her neck, her shoulders. Evidence that you were here. That this happened.

She belongs to someone else now. The thought should bother you more than it does. Maybe you're just used to it - this pattern of coming together briefly, then separating again. Maybe you've convinced yourself it's better this way.

You take a deep drag, feeling the burn in your lungs. It's cold out here in just sweatpants, but the chill feels necessary after the heat of her body against yours for hours.

You've never been good at staying. It's not a point of pride, just a fact, like your height or the sound of your voice. Commitment feels like drowning to you, always has. You've tried to explain this to her before. She said she understood, but the way she looked at you afterward told a different story.

Below, taxis crawl along streets like yellow insects. People spill out of late-night bars, laughing too loud. The city that never sleeps. You'll be gone from it tomorrow. Another show, another hotel room indistinguishable from this one.

You wonder if her boyfriend knows where she is tonight. If he senses something when she slips back into their shared life tomorrow. If he can somehow smell you on her skin despite the shower she'll take before going home.

The cigarette burns down to your fingers. You flick it over the edge, watching its orange tip tumble into darkness.

Jennie knows you better than anyone. This is the thought that keeps you up at night in cities whose names you sometimes forget. She knows your body, your sounds, the things that make you come undone. Worse, she knows the parts of yourself you try to hide from everyone else.

A melody forms in your head. Something slow and hazy, like smoke curling off a cigarette. Words follow naturally - about being in town just for one night. About needing her. About the room you got for just the two of you.

You mouth the words silently, testing how they feel:

I'm in town for one night,

one night only

I came around to put it down, for one night only

Your fans will think it's just another song about sex. They won't know about the way Jennie looked at you when she came. How her body felt like coming home. How you're already planning when you can see her again, even as you tell yourself this was the last time.

Just one night

Got a room for me and you, for one night only

You wanna ride for a lifetime, this is one night only

The song takes shape in your mind, already feeling like a hit. Your producer will love it. Your label will push it. No one will know it's about her. No one except Jennie, if she ever hears it.

The city is turning blue at the edges when you finally go back inside. Morning approaching. Soon you'll have to leave for the airport, for the next city, the next crowd.

Jennie hasn't moved. You slide in beside her, your skin cold from the night air. She makes a small sound in her sleep and shifts toward your body heat, instinctively seeking you out. Her hand finds your chest, rests over your heart.

You wonder what she'd say if you asked her to come with you to Toronto. You won't ask. You both know the routine by now.

One night only. It's never enough. It's all you can handle.

END.

[uncuredturkeybacon]

𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 || 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚡 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

in which this is the end

She drives you home with one hand on the wheel and the other never letting go of yours.

You’re quiet in the car—not because there’s nothing to say, but because everything has already been said.

You’re engaged.

And somehow the world hasn’t stopped turning.

The first call is to your closest friend.

You barely say hello before you hear, “Did she do it?!”

You laugh through tears. “She did.”

Screams. Actual screams. You hold the phone away from your ear as Paige grins behind the wheel.

The second call is Paige’s.

She FaceTimes Nika, KK and Azzi from the couch while you’re curled into her side, your head on her shoulder, ring catching the afternoon light.

Azzi starts sobbing immediately.

Nika just nods like she knew.

“You guys are gross,” she says.

But her smile doesn’t fade for hours.

The texts come in waves.

Your people.

Her teammates.

The group chat explodes.

KK sends confetti emojis. Geno sends a picture of a bottle of wine with the caption finally. Your aunt texts, I’m crying at work. Your old chef mentor just replies, She better deserve you.

She does.

God, she does.

You keep the engagement offline.

Not because it’s a secret.

Because it’s sacred.

It’s just for now.

Just for you.

The world can wait.

You start planning that same night.

Not for a big ceremony.

Not for a hundred guests or a designer gown.

You want intimacy.

You want to hear her vows without a microphone.

You want to feel her hand in yours without a spotlight.

You want a wedding that feels like an exhale.

Paige offers to plan the whole thing.

You say no.

“I want to plan it with you,” you tell her. “Because I want us to build it together. Even this.”

She nods.

And from then on, every spare moment is yours.

You tour a small vineyard just outside the city.

Paige squeezes your hand as you walk the rows of vines, golden light falling over everything.

“This,” you say.

She doesn’t even ask why.

Because she feels it too.

She picks a suit.

Cream-colored. Soft lapels. No tie.

You run your hands along her collar the moment she tries it on.

“Damn,” you whisper. “I’m in trouble.”

She smirks. “You’re the one marrying me.”

You grin. “That’s exactly why I’m in trouble.”

Your dress is simple.

Light fabric. No corset. No lace.

Just something that breathes with you.

That lets you dance.

That lets you feel like yourself.

You cry when you put it on.

Not because it’s perfect.

But because it’s right.

One night, two weeks before the wedding, you sit on the floor together writing your vows.

You don't share them.

But she looks at you, pen in hand, and says, “You know... every time I think I couldn’t love you more, you prove me wrong.”

You reach over, brush your fingers through her hair.

“Then I’m going to keep trying. Every day we get.”

She kisses your wrist, right where the pulse beats strong.

And you both write the rest of your hearts onto paper.

Together.

The vineyard sleeps under a silver sky.

You’re staying in a tiny guesthouse tucked between the vines. The walls smell like lavender and old books. The windows creak softly in the wind.

The wedding is tomorrow.

And Paige is sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing one of your hoodies and a look you’ve never seen before.

A mix of nerves and awe.

“You okay?” you ask, brushing a hand down her leg as you pass by.

She doesn’t answer immediately.

Just watches you set down two mugs of tea on the nightstand. Honey chamomile. The same kind you made her the first time she stayed the night, long before either of you called this love.

You sit beside her.

She leans in.

“I keep thinking,” she says softly, “what if I forget to say the right thing?”

You smile. “You won’t.”

“But what if I cry in the middle? Or trip? Or say your middle name wrong?”

“You definitely will.”

She laughs. “You're not helping.”

You take her hand.

“Hey.”

She looks at you.

“You could stand there and read me the ingredients on a cereal box and I’d still marry you.”

She exhales. Shaky. Grateful.

You lean in, rest your forehead against hers.

“Tomorrow isn’t about being perfect,” you whisper. “It’s about being real. And I’ve never been more sure of anything than I am about you.”

She wraps her arms around you then.

And holds you like she’s saying thank you without words.

Later, you both lie on the floor.

Backs pressed against the rug. Lights off. Only the glow of the moon washing through the windows.

“Do you remember the night I asked you if you wanted company?” she asks.

You smile in the dark. “Your famous Thai food and chaos text.”

“I was scared,” she says. “You didn’t know that. But I was terrified I was too late. That someone else had already seen you the way I had.”

You turn your head toward her. “You weren’t late.”

“I was just in time.”

You nod. “You were exactly in time.”

Silence again.

But full.

Brimming.

You reach for her hand.

She laces your fingers together without a word.

At some point, she whispers, “Can I tell you something I’ve never said out loud?”

You nod, even though she can’t see you.

“Sometimes I still wake up thinking this is temporary. That you’ll be gone. That I imagined you.”

Your chest tightens.

“Then I reach out,” she continues, “and there you are. Real. Warm. Breathing. And every time, I promise myself I won’t take another second for granted.”

You squeeze her hand.

“You don’t,” you whisper.

“I try not to.”

“You don’t have to try,” you say. “You already love me like time is made of glass.”

You feel her breath catch.

And then she turns toward you.

Pulls you into her chest.

And for a long time, neither of you speak.

You just hold each other.

Letting the night be quiet.

Letting it hold you both before the morning opens everything.

You wake before the sun.

The light hasn’t touched the sky yet, but you’re wide awake, heart pounding like it’s running toward something. Your room is quiet. Paige isn’t here—by choice. You decided the night before to sleep separately, not out of superstition but to feel the moment when you see her again. Fresh. New. Yours.

You roll over and stare at the ceiling.

Today, you marry her.

Today, you promise everything—with no timeline, no guarantees, just love.

You exhale slowly.

And begin.

By 8:00 a.m., your people arrive.

Your best friend brings coffee. Another friend brings a small speaker and plays your “soft mornings” playlist while doing your hair. Your cousin quietly unpacks your dress and steams it, hands trembling just a little because she can’t stop crying every time she looks at you.

You sit by the window while someone curls strands of your hair around their fingers.

No one talks about the illness today.

No one talks about time.

They just talk about love.

About how they knew it would be her.

About how you started glowing the moment she walked into your life.

You laugh.

You cry.

You sip too-hot coffee from a chipped mug and say, “I feel like I’m floating.”

Your best friend smiles. “Then we’ll hold you down until she lifts you higher.”

Across the vineyard, Paige is getting ready too.

Azzi is tying her tie—yes, she changed her mind and went with a soft beige tie after all.

Nika is ironing the hem of her suit jacket.

KK keeps pacing.

“She’s going to pass out,” she mumbles.

“She’s going to cry,” Azzi mutters back.

“I’m already crying,” Paige says, holding her phone in one hand, reading a note she saved weeks ago.

Things I’ll say if I can’t get through my vows without sobbing.

1. I love you more than your banana bread. 2. You are the only one who makes me want forever—even if forever is shorter than it should be. 3. You are the bravest thing that ever happened to me. 4. Yes. Always, yes.

She snaps it shut and stands.

Hands shaking.

Voice steady.

“Let’s do this,” she whispers.

Back in your room, you stand in front of the mirror.

Your dress hangs soft and light around your body.

Your heart feels like it’s beating against your ribs, like it’s trying to get to her before your feet do.

Your friend steps forward and gently clips your necklace.

The same one Paige gave you the night she said “I love you” for the first time.

You look at yourself.

Eyes wide. Lips trembling. Chest full of everything.

“I’m scared,” you whisper.

Your friend smiles through her tears.

“That’s how you know it’s real.”

You nod.

And then the knock comes.

Soft. Intentional.

The coordinator opens the door.

“They’re ready for you.”

You step outside.

The wind is gentle.

The light is gold.

Your hands are cold, but your heart is burning.

And somewhere, just beyond the vineyard rows—

She’s waiting.

You step out from behind the vineyard trellis, and for a second—just a second—everything stops.

The sky has turned that exact shade of honey it only holds right before sunset. The rows of grapevines stretch out like open arms, and the soft hum of strings plays from somewhere hidden behind the altar.

But none of that matters.

Because you see her.

And she sees you.

Paige stands at the end of the aisle, under the arch you both chose, her suit kissed by golden light, hands clasped tight in front of her, like she’s praying and shaking and flying all at once.

When her eyes land on you, they don’t blink.

Her breath catches.

You see her whisper something to herself.

There she is.

You take one step forward.

Your knees are trembling.

Your heartbeat is too loud in your ears, and for a terrifying moment, you don’t know if you’ll make it the whole way without falling apart.

But then she smiles.

Soft. Disbelieving. Like she’s never seen anything so holy.

And you forget fear.

You walk.

Not fast. Not slow.

You walk like time has bent itself around this moment.

Like nothing before and nothing after could possibly compare.

The breeze picks up as you pass the first row of chairs—your friends, your people, all of them rising to their feet. Some are already crying. Some are smiling through tears. One of your friends whispers, “Oh my God,” like she’s seeing something divine.

But you don’t look at any of them.

You only look at her.

Paige’s eyes never leave yours.

You see it all in them.

The memory of your first conversation over curry.

The quiet nights.

The broken plate.

The diagnosis.

The fear.

The yes.

The yes.

She swallows hard as you near.

One hand lifts—like she’s reaching without thinking.

You reach back.

The moment your fingers touch, the crowd disappears.

There’s only her.

Only you.

Only this.

“You came,” she whispers.

You laugh through your tears.

“I always was.”

She takes your hand fully now, steps forward, gently presses her forehead to yours.

“Hi,” she murmurs.

“Hi,” you breathe back.

And together, with fingers laced and tears already falling, you turn to face the one person standing at the arch—your officiant, your friend—who says, voice steady, “Are we ready?”

You and Paige look at each other.

Smiling.

Breaking.

Becoming.

And you both say, together,

“We are.”

The wind quiets.

The crowd stills.

Even the sun seems to pause, lingering in the golden sky like it knows this moment matters.

You and Paige stand beneath the arch—hands still joined, eyes full of what words could never contain.

The officiant speaks softly.

“We are gathered here not just to witness a marriage, but to honor a choice. A choice to love boldly, presently, completely—regardless of how many days are ahead. This is not about forever in time, but forever in devotion. In choosing. In staying.”

You squeeze Paige’s hand.

She squeezes back.

Then the officiant nods toward her.

“Paige,” they say. “Your vows.”

She turns to you.

And for a second, she doesn’t speak.

She just stares—eyes glistening, jaw trembling.

And then, in a voice that breaks halfway through the first word.

“I never expected it to be you.”

She smiles through the tears.

“Not because I didn’t believe in love. But because I didn’t believe love could look like this. So quiet. So steady. So brave.”

You bite your lip.

“I thought I knew what strength was,” she continues. “I thought it was scoring in the fourth quarter, pushing through pain, carrying the weight of pressure. But then I met you.”

She steps a little closer.

“And strength became something else entirely. It became waking up with a diagnosis and still smiling at me. It became letting me see you on the hard days. It became writing letters you thought I’d never read. Loving me even when you were scared. Letting me love you even when I was.”

Her voice cracks.

She breathes.

And keeps going.

“I don’t know how much time we have. But I do know this—every second with you has already been a lifetime I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

She reaches for your cheek, brushes away a tear.

“I vow to make joy louder than fear. I vow to make coffee, even if I burn it. I vow to remind you every day that you are not your illness, and you never will be.”

You’re sobbing now.

So is she.

“I vow to stay. As long as I’m allowed. And then longer still—in photos, in stories, in every recipe you taught me, and every breath that carries your name.”

She lets out a shaking breath.

“I love you. And I always will. Still.”

There is no applause.

Just silence.

And then the officiant turns to you.

You nod.

And begin.

“You were supposed to be a customer.”

The crowd chuckles softly.

Paige smiles, crying.

“You sat at my counter and asked for comfort food. I didn’t know then that you’d become it. That you’d sit across from me for so many days that you’d start to feel like home.”

You pause. Blink away the tears.

“I never thought I’d fall in love with someone like you—so focused, so public, so big. But then you laughed at my burnt cookies, cried when you read poetry badly, and showed up with Thai food and hope on the night I couldn’t move.”

Your voice shakes.

“I didn’t know how to let someone stay. But you made it feel safe.”

She’s sobbing.

You step closer, hands shaking in hers.

“I don’t have forever to give you. I wish I did. But what I do have is this. I vow to live every moment with you like it’s the only one that matters. I vow to kiss you like time is folding around us. I vow to let you carry the weight with me—even when I pretend I’m fine. I vow to say ‘I love you’ every morning, even if one day I can’t say much else. And when I can’t say anything anymore…”

You take a trembling breath.

“…I vow that my love will still be here. In the songs you hum. In the recipes we wrote. In the way you breathe in the sunlight and remember that we chose each other.”

A pause.

“I choose you. Still. Always. Yes.”

The officiant steps back, eyes full.

And simply says…

“With these vows, you are already bound. But if your hearts are ready—go ahead and seal it with a kiss.”

You don’t wait.

Neither does she.

You crash into each other with the softest, fiercest kiss—tears on your cheeks, laughter in your mouths, promises on your lips.

Your people cheer.

The sun sinks behind you.

And just like that—

You are wives.

The crowd fades.

The music swells.

But all you feel is her hand in yours.

You and Paige walk back up the aisle to cheers and flower petals and laughter—but it all blurs. She squeezes your hand so tightly, you think maybe it’s the only thing anchoring her to the earth.

When you reach the edge of the vineyard, just past the last row of chairs, she tugs you aside.

Around the corner.

Away from everyone.

Just for a minute.

And then she wraps her arms around your waist, lifts you off the ground, and spins.

You laugh into her neck, still crying, still stunned.

“We did it,” you whisper.

“We did,” she murmurs back. “And you—you were…”

You pull back slightly.

“What?” you ask, smiling.

She cups your face.

“You were the most beautiful thing this world has ever seen.”

You laugh, lips trembling.

“So were you.”

The sun sinks low.

Dinner is soft and loud all at once—clinking glasses, candlelight, warm food, warm eyes.

Toasts are made.

Nika starts hers by saying, “You both are a disaster. But you’re our disaster.”

Your friend reads a line from your favorite poem.

Azzi just raises her glass and says, “To the both of you.”

You look at Paige.

She’s already looking at you.

You reach for her hand under the table.

Later, long after the cake is cut, someone plays your song—the one she danced to in your kitchen the first time she tried to cook for you. The one that makes you cry in the car when it rains.

She stands, holds out her hand.

“May I?”

You nod.

She leads you into the grass, just past the lights, where the shadows are soft and the stars are just beginning to breathe.

You dance barefoot.

Slowly.

No one else joins.

It’s yours.

Only yours.

She rests her forehead to yours.

“I think the universe made you out of everything I needed,” she whispers.

You close your eyes.

“I think the universe gave me you right on time.”

You both cry, swaying under the sky.

Not from sadness.

From fullness.

From wonder.

That night, she carries you over the threshold of the guesthouse, even though you laugh and say she’ll hurt her back.

She says, “I’ll carry you forever if I have to.”

You believe her.

You change into soft clothes—nothing fancy, just you and her, bare feet and quiet sighs.

You brush your teeth beside her and keep catching her looking at you in the mirror like she still can’t believe you said yes.

She wraps her arms around you from behind and whispers, “I love my wife.”

You breathe out a laugh.

You whisper it back.

And when you lie down beside her, pressed together beneath the sheets, legs tangled and fingers tracing rings you haven’t taken off since the ceremony—

You whisper one more thing into the stillness.

“Thank you.”

She pulls you closer.

“For what?” she asks.

“For choosing me,” you whisper. “Even when time doesn’t.”

She kisses your knuckles.

“No matter how much time we get,” she says, “this night will live forever in me.”

And then she kisses you like the vow still lives on her tongue.

And you fall asleep in her arms.

Married.

Still.

It’s been months.

The world hasn’t stopped.

It’s just… slower now.

You and Paige live in rhythms now. Not plans.

You take mornings as they come—some with sunshine, some with numb hands and aching joints, some with tears before coffee.

She never flinches.

She just holds you like the world is still good.

Because with her—it is.

Your body betrays you more often now.

Some days you can’t button your own shirt.

Some days your legs tremble too long after standing.

But Paige learns with you.

She learns how to tie your laces.

She learns how to hold your arm without making it feel like pity.

She learns how to look at you like you’re still you.

And she says, almost daily, “You’re more you now than ever.”

You cook less now.

She tries more.

Sometimes it’s beautiful. Sometimes it’s chaos.

Once, she confused salt and sugar and served you the saltiest pancakes known to mankind.

You ate every bite.

She cried when you told her they were “aggressively unique.”

Then you both laughed until you forgot what pain even felt like.

You still take pictures.

Every morning, just like she asked.

Hair a mess, eyes tired, sun sometimes not even up yet.

She says every photo looks like a love letter.

You say she’s biased.

But maybe she’s right.

Some days, you write.

When your fingers let you.

You keep a journal on the windowsill.

One line a day. No pressure.

She danced with me in the kitchen again.

Today the pain wasn’t louder than her laugh.

She still looks at me like I hung the stars.

You never talked about the countdown again.

Not in numbers.

You just talk about today.

And sometimes tomorrow.

But mostly just now.

It’s been a year.

The doctor calls it progression.

You call it redefining.

You walk slower. Rest more. Your speech has softened, slurred on long days.

But you’re still here.

You’re still.

Paige learns new ways to care for you without making it feel like sacrifice.

She reads to you when your voice gives out.

She paints your nails on days when your hands ache.

She kisses your scars like they’re sacred.

Like they’re proof you’re still fighting.

You don’t go out as much.

But friends come over.

They bring food and flowers and sit on the floor like they always have.

They cry less now.

You all laugh more.

Once, someone said, “You’re teaching us how to live.”

You said, “I’m just learning how to stay.”

And every night, before bed, Paige tucks you in.

Sometimes with a kiss.

Sometimes with silence.

Sometimes with tears.

But always with love.

You rest your head on her chest and whisper, “Another day.”

She holds you tighter.

“Another day,” she repeats. “Still.”

You haven’t been to a game in months.

Not since the symptoms worsened.

Not since travel started taking more from you than it gave.

But when Paige comes home with that look in her eyes—wide, teary, stubborn—you know she’s already decided.

“We’re going to the arena,” she says softly, kneeling beside your chair. “Just one more time.”

You open your mouth to argue, but she shakes her head.

“I want to give you this.”

You press your forehead to hers.

She’s trembling.

So are you.

But you nod.

Because this love has always been about the one more.

The team pulls every string.

The Wings staff reserves a private suite just for you. No cameras. No crowd. Just glass windows and soft lighting and space for Paige to come to you when it’s over.

Your friends help you dress.

A soft jersey over your shoulders. The one with her number on it. The one she signed months ago, when neither of you could say why.

You hold it together until the drive to the arena.

Then Paige reaches across the console, threads your fingers together, and says,

“This one’s for you.”

The crowd is loud.

The lights are bright.

But none of it touches you.

All you see is her.

Number 5. Your wife. Your heart.

She walks out for warmups and glances up at the suite. You’re already there, hands curled in your lap, eyes on her.

When she sees you, she smiles.

Big. Unapologetic. Like you are the sun breaking through the roof.

She taps her chest.

Then points at you.

You mouth, I love you.

She mouths, Forever.

The game starts.

And Paige plays like the clock doesn’t matter.

She weaves through defenders like they’re mist.

She shoots like the basket owes her something.

She flies.

The arena chants her name.

But every time she scores, she looks up.

Not at the scoreboard.

At you.

Fourth quarter. Tie game. Final seconds.

Ball in her hands.

She could pass.

She doesn’t.

She takes the shot.

Swish.

Buzzer.

The crowd erupts.

You don’t hear it.

Because your ears are full of your heartbeat.

Of her name.

Of the weight of this moment.

She did it.

For you.

After the court clears, she sprints up the tunnel.

Still in her jersey.

Still catching her breath.

Your door opens.

She falls to her knees beside your chair.

And you see it—right there in her eyes.

She knows.

So do you.

This was your last game.

Your last adventure.

You smile anyway.

Because what a damn goodbye.

She buries her face in your lap, crying hard now, breath hitching.

You run your hand through her hair, slow, unsteady.

“You were amazing,” you whisper.

She lifts her head.

“You were here,” she says. “That’s what made it everything.”

You pull her close.

“You gave me a life inside a year.”

She nods, broken and shining.

“You gave me every lifetime,” she whispers.

And in that moment, the ending feels less like a goodbye.

And more like a thank you.

—

The house is warm.

Afternoon sun spills across the living room floor in long golden lines. Somewhere outside, wind chimes tinkle softly in the breeze. Inside, crayons are scattered across the kitchen table, a pink plastic tiara lies abandoned on the floor, and a little girl—six years old, with tangled curls and wide eyes—climbs into her mother’s lap, thoughtful.

“Mama,” she says. “Can I ask something?”

Paige Bueckers looks down at her daughter, smiles. “Always.”

“Why is my name Y/N?”

Paige stills.

Just for a second.

A blink. A breath. A flicker of time folding in.

But it’s enough.

Emily—her wife—watches from the hallway, her smile softening, her heart already bracing.

Paige swallows.

Her hands, rough from coaching and gardening and life, wrap gently around their daughter’s smaller ones.

She could lie.

She could say the name just sounded beautiful.

She could say it came to her in a dream.

But instead, she says the truth.

“There was a girl I loved,” Paige begins, her voice steady. “Before you were born. Before even Mommy.”

Little Y/N tilts her head. “Like a girlfriend?”

Paige smiles. “Yes. A long time ago. She was my first great love.”

“What was she like?”

Paige’s eyes glaze, just slightly—like she’s not looking at the room anymore.

“She was... brave. The kind of brave that doesn’t need to shout about it. She made people feel safe just by being near. She cooked like it was magic. She laughed with her whole body. And she had this way of looking at you like you were the only thing in the world that made sense.”

Y/N blinks, leaning in. “What happened?”

Paige hesitates. Then continues, voice gentler now.

“She got sick. Really sick. And we didn’t have much time.”

Y/N frowns. “Did she die?”

“Yes, baby,” Paige says, brushing hair back from her daughter’s forehead. “She did. But before she did, she gave me everything. A year that felt like a lifetime. A love that I still feel, even now.”

“Was she sad?”

“Sometimes. But mostly she was kind. And funny. And so, so full of love. She made every day count.”

Y/N stares at her hands for a moment.

“So... I’m named after her?”

Paige nods.

“Because I wanted to remember. Because she deserved to be remembered. And because when you were born, I looked at you and thought—of course. There you are.”

Y/N’s lip wobbles. “I wish I could meet her.”

Paige swallows a lump in her throat.

“I think... in a way, you already have.”

Y/N wraps her arms around Paige’s waist and holds her tight.

Then, a moment later—because she’s six, and that’s what six-year-olds do—she wriggles out of the hug and runs off to play with a cape around her shoulders and mismatched socks on her feet.

Paige watches her go.

And lets the silence return.

Emily steps into the room.

She doesn’t speak.

She just walks up behind Paige and places her hands gently on her shoulders.

Paige leans back into her without looking.

“I didn’t think it would hit me like that,” she murmurs. “It’s been so long.”

Emily presses a kiss into her hair.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”

Paige finally turns her head.

Her eyes are glassy. Distant. But not broken.

“She was everything,” she says.

“I know.”

“She’s still in here,” Paige says, pressing a palm to her heart. “Even now.”

Emily nods, kneeling beside her.

“I don’t want to forget her,” Paige whispers.

Emily cups her cheek.

“You never could.”

They stay like that for a while—quiet, held.

And outside, their daughter runs in circles, laughing loud enough to echo.

A name carried forward.

A love still breathing in the spaces between.

Still.

Always.

It had been years.

Paige had stopped counting a long time ago—not because she forgot, but because time began to feel less like something that passed, and more like something she carried.

She kept your memory in quiet places. In the music she played while cooking Sunday breakfast. In the old Polaroid stuck to the back of her journal. In the small ceramic spoon rest you made that still sat by the stove. She didn’t bring you up every day, not out of denial, but reverence.

She had a family now. A beautiful one. Emily was sunlight—kind in the mornings, steady at night. And their daughter, Y/N, was this wide-eyed, wild thing who asked hard questions and loved the moon.

They had a good life.

But grief doesn’t disappear.

It settles.

It takes up residence in the softest corners of joy.

And that’s where it lived now, years later, when Paige opened a box labeled “Kitchen (Keep)” and found the old recipe binder.

She hadn’t touched it in years. Not because she forgot it existed, but because she always knew exactly where it was. She just wasn’t ready. Until now.

It still smelled faintly like rosemary and something sweeter.

She opened it slowly, running her fingers over the familiar cover, smudged with butter, penciled-in substitutions, faded ink.

And then, tucked between the page for your lemon ginger soup and the notes for your banana bread, she saw the envelope.

Her name.

In your handwriting.

And underneath it, smaller, almost as if you’d written it at the last second…

If it’s been a while—read this.

She sat down on the floor, legs folding under her like she was twenty again. Her fingers trembled, but not from fear.

She opened it.

And you began.

Hi, my love.

If you’re reading this, it means I’m not beside you anymore.

And God, I wish I was.

I wish I could reach over and squeeze your hand the way I always did when I couldn’t find the words. I wish I could make you coffee with way too much cinnamon like I did that one time you teased me about seasonal flavors. I wish I could look you in the eyes and tell you, again and again, how proud I am of you. How grateful. How lucky.

But I can’t.

So I’m writing it down, hoping these words hold weight long after I’m gone.

I never imagined a love like the one we built. Not because I didn’t believe in love—but because I didn’t think it could live this quietly. This fiercely. This gently.

You taught me how to be held without shame. How to laugh even when my body hurt. How to sit in silence without needing to fill it. You showed me what it meant to live—not just exist, but live with both hands open.

You were my favorite place to land.

I know the days after me were hard.

I know the air must have felt heavier without my laugh in the kitchen or my voice beside yours in the early morning light. I know that for a while, everything probably tasted a little like salt—grief in the back of your throat, even when you tried to swallow joy.

But I also know you.

And I know you stayed soft. Stayed bright. Stayed Paige. Even when it hurt.

Thank you for that.

If you ever doubted whether you could love again—know this…

I want you to.

I want you to find warmth again. A lap to rest your head. A person to carry your tired. A laugh that stitched your heart back together.

I wanted you to have someone who loved you the way I did—openly, endlessly, and without apology.

To the one who gets to love you, if you’re reading over her shoulder—I hope you know how grateful I am.

Thank you for holding her through the storms I didn’t live to see.

Thank you for loving my girl.

And to the child you got to have…

I never got to meet you. But you carry a piece of me. And I hope when you run through the house yelling about butterflies or astronauts or peanut butter toast, your mama sees the way your smile curls and knows I’m not gone. Not really.

Paige, my heart, I need you to remember something.

You didn’t fail me.

Not once. Not ever.

You loved me through the hardest year of our lives.

You held me when my hands couldn’t hold you back.

You stayed, even as the days grew shorter.

You gave me a thousand lifetimes in one.

And when I closed my eyes for the last time, it was your voice I carried with me.

You are my safe place.

My home.

Still.

So if you’re crying now, that’s okay.

But after you cry—go make something. Paint. Sing. Cook something ridiculous with too much garlic. Take your kid to the lake and tell them the story about the time you burnt the toast and I pretended it was intentional. Let them laugh. Let them know.

Let them know I loved you with everything I had.

Let them know I left this world full.

And when you whisper into the night, when the stars are quiet and the house is sleeping, and you say my name like a secret—

I’ll be there.

I’ll always be there.

Still.

Always.

Yours, 

Y/N.

Paige didn’t move for a long time after finishing.

Her chest ached. Not like it used to. Not hollow. Not breaking.

Just full.

Full of you.

Full of the life you lived together.

Full of the love that never ended—only changed shape.

She looked up.

Outside, Emily was laughing in the garden. Little Y/N danced through the grass, barefoot and fearless.

Paige stood slowly, folded the letter back into its envelope, and held it against her chest.

“I miss you,” she whispered into the quiet room.

Then she walked outside.

To the life she built because you taught her how.

Still.

Always.