#bUT I'LL SIT ON IT & MAYBE MAKE INTEREST CHECK POST FOR HER LATER ]

[lunaetis]

[ so ... i still want to add guizhong after full 8 hours of sleep. i might ... consider it. perhaps. maybe. ]

[horseshoegirl]

Damn Those Dog Tags: Part 15 - Have You Ever Seen The Rain

📖I need to make two apologies. First, I am so sorry for the long delay. While work was beating my ass, I actually received a rude comment on my Wattpad account for the last chapter that triggered a horrible writer's block. It was taken care of, and it didn't bother me at the time, but I didn't realize how much it affected me until I started to write. Then I decided to use it for inspiration!

Secondly, I'm so sorry for what is about to unfold. This one was planned from the get-go (which is also probably why I struggled because this is the one chapter I dreaded having to write).

(I'll be running from the pitchforks as they come, Woot Woot!)

❗️+18, strong language, godmother reader/original female character, Mentions of an original child, Shitty family dynamics, Angst, verbal fights, sexist implications, one slap across the face, and Jake being Hangman.

#6k words

Part 14 | Masterlist | Part 16

The story behind how you started ego-checking some of the cocksure pilots at Hard Deck is less interesting than one might think.

It all started with a game. 

You weren't kidding when you told Jake you were a library, loving geek who'd rather spend her time deep in the stacks. That was the plot of your entire post-secondary experience. You didn't know how to flirt. You stayed clear of frat parties and cliquey groups. And if a guy tried to flirt with you, you ran for the freaking hills without a backward glance.

You only decided to take that bartending job in building H's damp, dark basement because you were dead-ass broke. But the thing about being a bartender on a University campus, there were moments when you had nothing but time on your hands.

You had to get creative.

Looking back, you would blame the writer-orientated part of your mind that decided to create that little game of making up stories for the people who regularly visited the miserable bar.

The quiet girl, always sitting in the back corner, cramming for a test or writing a paper. Did she like the ambience, or was she avoiding the library? Or was she trying to work up the nerve to ask out one of the bussers, waiting for the perfect meet cute?

Maybe the nerds who gathered every Friday at the arcade-style game consoles playing Pac-Man needed to leave their dorm because Friday nights tended to be the one night everyone liked to party.

Those popular girls sitting around a table with their $5 cocktails, lowcut tanktops, and jean shorts, always on their phones gossiping over the latest social media post from their favourite celebrities. Did they have Regina George in their ranks? Which one was sleeping with the other's boyfriend? How much blackmail did they have on each other?

Which one would murder the other first?

That little game you invented for yourself got you out of your shell. It also made it easier to deal with the persistent football jocks who'd try to flirt with you for a free shot.

Ridley would always get a kick out of it whenever you told her. You'd always imagined her curling up in a ball and kicking her feet back and forth while she squealed in laughter over the phone.

"Be a character in one of your freaking stories. Or better yet, act it out! You're a damn writer, Lizzie."

She was right. So you did. 

You'd never forget the laughter of that football jock when your rejection of his flirting attempts to weasel a free drink out of you resulted in his childish reply of, "Well, nobody's perfect, Sweetheart, least of all you."

"I never said I was," you had said with a smile.

You must have said something right because a few minutes later, Penny was introducing herself and chatting you up, asking if you wanted a better job bartending.

You were all too happy to leave. But nothing could have prepared you for the hotshot, ego-driven, and stupidly horny Top Gun pilots who frequented the Hard Deck. 

Between remembering their drink order or what side of the room they tended to gravitate towards, you needed more than your little guessing game to figure out their tells. You did pick up little things about them, though.

The WSOs were the kindest; ironically, they stood out in the crowds. Always a kind smile, never a bad thing to say about anyone.

The female pilots were always badass. At least, you thought so. Strong. Always commandeering the room the second they walked in. Always nice, no question about it. But mess with them; you got schooled hard.

They were the literal definition behind the saying, 'Do no harm, but take no shit.'

And with each new group that came in, the male pilots, the single flyers you had called them, paled compared to those jocks. They never changed. A pair constantly vied for first place with each new group that came through the Top Gun program.

Always a pair of males. Women always knew there was more at stake than a freaking trophy.

Those guys talked to you. Well... properly flirted at you.

That's where your little game came in handy. Picking out the little things about them, letting your mind do the creative parts next. It's how you turned Jake down so quickly that first time.

But the guy currently approaching the bar? He did not fit the bill of any regular customer you had seen in a while.

Tourists came and went without question. They stood out like a pack of flies, unsure where to go, with friendly faces and always asking what the best places were. They tipped great, and they never returned.

This guy? 

Not a tourist.

He was from out of town. The plaid shirt, jeans and cowboy boots were unusual for a California bar. It was also how he gaped at the walls and ceiling, taking in all the Navy memorabilia Penny had collected over the years. If you hadn't been paying attention, you could have sworn there was a look of distaste on his face with each new item he saw.

But what irked you was the sense of familiarity you couldn't place while looking at him. Blonde hair and a sharp face. Something in how he carried that toothpick between his teeth, not in the way god forbid fucking Tyler had, but as if it was a piece of grass. Also, in the way he walked.

Then he openly leered at a woman's ass as she walked by, and it all made sense.

Ah, a Wham, Bam, Thank You, Mam.

He sat in the empty chair directly in front of you, still watching the women's retreating form. You didn't want to serve him, but a tiny part of you hoped your assumption had been wrong.

It had been a while since you had to rebuff flirty advances; the newer pilots going through the Top Gun Program hardly said anything to you except smile and relay their order.

You suspected Jake was behind it.

"What can I get you?" you smiled at the guy. He slowly pulled his eyes away with a sly grin. The second he caught sight of your face, his mouth stretched even wider as he leaned forward on the bar.

"Your number and the name of a good hotel."

You should have known better. 

If it looked like a duck, it quacked like a duck too.

Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, you straightened the line of shot glasses under the bar, not once looking up as you answered him. "Well, I can answer one out of two of those questions, but I'm afraid the only hotels around here are resorts. There is a bed and breakfast about ten minutes down the road that will give you a good deal."

"Will they give me a good deal if I mention your name?"

"Only my friends know my name, and you are simply a customer sitting at my bar wanting a drink?" you raised your eyebrow, tapping your finger against the bar.

He made a show of thinking about it, rocking his shoulders back and forth. He finally nodded, leaning forward to answer you.

"Whiskey. Straight."

You recognized his accent as you reached beneath the bar to grab the bottle. It was more pronounced and slightly more profound, but without a doubt, he sounded like Jake.

Good old southern Texas Charm.

Normally you'd engage in small talk, but you wanted nothing more than to leave this asshole alone. Thinking he'd leave it be after you poured him his drink, you slid the glass forward, then made your way over to the other side of the bar.

The words he called out after you made you stop in your tracks.

"You must get attention all the time. Having your pick of the litter each year."

You whipped around, offended. " Are you calling me easy?!"

He shrugged. "I'm just saying a good-looking woman like yourself, in this place... you clearly aren't sticking around because of the pay."

Oh, you wanted this guy gone. That could have been one of the most double-standard comments you had ever received. Old Liz would have sputtered, maybe run into the back fridge and asked one of the other bartenders to handle it.

You now? No chance in hell. If he were going to give it, you would give it right back. You weren't going to play the boyfriend card. You could fight your own battles, and something told you even if you told him you had a boyfriend, he'd think you were lying. He seemed like the type that wouldn't take no for an answer.

"You've got some nerve." You crossed your arms, matching back to him from the other side of the bar. "Let's get one thing straight. I'm not here because I'm looking for attention or have trouble finding a date. You've spent all of two minutes sitting at this bar, talking shit, while I've been fighting the urge to point out your confusion regarding basic anatomy." 

He raised his eyebrows at your reply. "My confusion?" 

You leaned forward, resting your arms upon the bar, eyeing him sourly. "Is your mouth your asshole, or are you just one?" 

It was one of the more cruder remarks you had ever responded with. But this guy was trying to go for gold. Unphased, he leaned back in his chair, throwing his hands up. "Hey, no need to be aggressive. You should take it as a compliment. I never called you anything derogatory." 

You huffed, pushing yourself away from him, rolling your eyes. "Calling me good-looking, then proceeding to say I'm only working here because it's 'easy to access' is still calling a woman a slut. You don't need to say the word to imply the meaning." 

You ripped the dishrag from your shoulder, running it under the tap, muttering more to yourself, "There's no way that shit works on women."

"It does on the women back home," he answered you.

"Oh, so are you staying? Don't tell me you're a new pilot at Top Gun."

They'll beat that attitude right out of you.

"Oh, I'm just passing through. I figured I'd scout out the area. I heard this was a Navy bar. Don't understand what all the fuss is about." 

You didn't answer him. Opening your mouth only led to him replying, and the quicker he finished his drink, the faster he'd leave. He took your silence as a means to continue. 

"Still playing hard to get?" 

"You ask me a question. I might choose not to answer." 

"Wow. Subtle." 

You turned, a hand on your hip. "You can't honestly expect me to speak to you, a complete stranger, after the way you just undermined my job because I'm not giving to your attempts. There is nothing to get." 

He smiled, holding out his hand. "George Seresin. There, not a stranger."

Well, shit.

You wanted to hang your mouth open like a fish. You were staring down Jake's brother.

Now you understood Jake's reaction to Janet's warning. His anxious behaviour in the back of his truck. His lost-in-thought stares or the way he couldn't stop looking at you and Sadie when he came home from work this week.

George Seresin was a very unwelcome, uninvited and long-awaited guest.

Something snapped in your stomach, a twinge of weariness that Jake didn't confide in you. Then again, your slight disappointment was overshadowed by something greater.

Clearly, you were fated to ego-check both Seresin brothers while standing behind this bar. Because the idea came without warning, without doubt, or any sense of hesitancy. 

George Seresin was at the Hard Deck.

He was right in front of you, trying to flirt with you without any idea who you were. 

And he was sitting in the best spot in the entire place.

It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

You stepped backwards, turning to lean up against the bar. As you did with Jake all those months ago, you took the rag and started to wipe.

"So let me get this straight," you said, dragging the damp cloth around his glass, not once looking up. "I tell you my name in some effort to prove we are not strangers. I'm supposed to forget about your 'comments,' so you can use that good old Texas charm to woo me into your bed with a promise of a good time?"

You finally looked up, George only staring back at you with a heated smoulder.

"Something tells me none of those loose cannons cannot even promise you a good time. A quick roll in the sheets before they let some brass monkey in a fancy suit tell them where to shoot. You look like you could let loose for once in your life."

You froze, losing your grip on the rag and fingers twitching. Scanning Jake’s brother, you leaned against the bar, resting your weight on your elbows, throwing the fabric over your shoulder as you got inside his bubble. You never once broke eye contact as you pinned him down.

George bought it, hook, line and sinker. He was so focused on you and your face that he was oblivious to everything and everyone around him, including how your hand slowly reached up toward the rope hanging from the top of the bar.

The second he looked at your lips, you tugged.

Cheers and music flooded the Hard Deck when everyone heard the distinct ring of the barbell. You guessed the song right away, old habits dying hard.  Slow Ride, its distinct beat letting you know Jake was here and he had seen the whole thing.

George reeled back, shocked as a few people came up and slapped him on the back, thanking him. You laughed softly at his reaction, pushing yourself away to help the few customers you knew who would take advantage of the free drink.

You had never rang the bell for someone like him. George Seresin would be the only exception.

"What the hell just happened?" he called after you. You didn't bother turning around, flinging your hand to gesture over your head, "Read the sign!"

George followed the direction of your hand, landing on the piece of wood dangling by the silver chain.

You disrespect a lady, the navy, or you put your cell phone on the bar, you buy a round.

You had already helped a few customers when he managed to tear his eyes away to glare at you heatedly. You turned to face him with a gleeful grin. Instead of asking him which one he thought you rang him out for, you started teasingly singing along to the chorus.

You hadn't done that in a while. It felt good.

"What did he do to warrant that?" 

You smiled up at Jake as he approached the bar. He never took his eyes off you as he leaned on his elbow against the top of the bar beside George. 

"What do you think?" you laughed at him.

Jake smirked. "I'd say he didn't take no for an answer."

"He did a little more than that. Tell him to put his cell phone on the bar, and he'd get three out of three."

"Ouch," Jake dramatically drawled. He finally turned his head, nodding once in his brother's direction. "Hi, Georgie." 

You stiffed a giggle. 

George huffed, jutting his chin out in your direction. "This one is trouble."

"Don't I know it," Jake said, looking back at you. "Pulled the same trick on me the first time I met her. Only she didn't ring the bell. Guess I did something right, considering she let me come back."

George glanced between you and Jake several times, and you could see the gears grinding in his head. 

"Hi," you beamed at him, walking over and holding out your hand. "Elizabeth Beck. Your brother's girlfriend. I guess we aren't strangers after all."

George stared down at your hand, then gritting his teeth, knocking back another gulp of whiskey. He spat out his following words with the glass still to his lips, "So you are real. Jake, there's no way you're dating her."

 You didn't try to hide the snark from your voice as you lowered your hand. "You thought I was imaginary? Sorry to disappoint."

George still chose to ignore you. "What's the matter, little brother? Need your girlfriend to speak for you?"

Jake stiffened, and it took everything in you not to ring the bell once more. Cause you knew if you did, Jake would be the one to help throw George out, and you didn't know what repercussions he could face.

"At least he has a girlfriend," you scoffed. "I can't imagine you've ever had a meaningful relationship with how you treat women."

You spied his empty whiskey glass, grabbing it firmly.

"Wham."

Sliding it across the bar's smooth surface, you caught it in the palm of your other hand.

"Bam."

Reaching into the pocket of your apron with your free hand, you slapped his bill down in front of him, rounds and all, attempting your best version of a Texan accent.

"Thank you, Mam."

Not wanting to waste more time on him, you turned to Jake, slightly worried. Some of you didn't know how to act around Jake when he was like this. When he was so... Hangman.

You gently touched his wrist, murmuring softly, "I'll see you in a half hour?"

He twisted his arm in your grasp, sliding his hand down so he could gently squeeze yours. But his eyes screamed a different, intense, unsettling story. As if he was assessing you for any threat.

"Sure."

You tried not to let it bother you, his non-chalent reply. Trying not to frown, you let go of his wrist to serve another customer, calling out as you walked away, "It was nice meeting you, Georgie!"

Jake watched you go with a slight turn of his head, proud you one-upped his brother but wishing you didn't leave him alone.

He knew why George was here. What he wanted him to do. No amount of smirk, cockiness, or even Hangman, could save Jake from this. George was the grave reminder that no matter where the Navy sent him, whether in California or on the other side of the world, there was no end to the metaphorical leash the 'hell bringer' had on both of his sons. 

George scraped his chair back to stand. "Come on, little brother," he gruffed out, tossing his credit card onto the bar. "We need to have a chat."

—-

With Ridley's Jean jacket in hand and your bag, you placed them on the bar as you greeted Jimmy after finishing your shift. "Can you watch these for a second, Jimmy? I'm just going to the bathroom before I find Jake. We're going to pick Sadie up from Penny's and take her out for dinner."

The older man smiled. "She's feeling better?"

You nodded. "Mild concussion. She was okay after a few days and back at school. Bummed about not being able to play in soccer playoffs, though. Hence the trip."

"That girl loves her soccer. What a shame."

"Jake's is making it easier on her. I don't know what I would do without him."

He tilted his head towards the bathroom hall with a knowing grin. "Go get ready for your date."

You blushed, walking away, calling over your shoulder, "It's not a date!"

After freshening yourself up, you took a few moments to stare at yourself in the bathroom mirror. You saw the famous callsign board hanging on the wall behind you. You scanned the names from the mirror, looking for Jake's, doing a double take when you couldn’t find it. You turned, properly facing the wall.  

Like the sign in the bar, it was a piece of wood with the words engraved into the top, “Ladies Beware: Navigate the Hard Deck with Care!” and underneath that, “Pilots who fly solo.” Several metal slots were glued to the surface, designed so she could easily slide plastic slate with a pilot’s callsign into place. 

You recognized a few, even Rooster's, though his was listed way further down, out of harm’s way. But Jake's was nowhere to be found. 

Then you realized - Penny had taken his name off.

She didn't do that for a lot of people. You could only recall one other instance when she removed a pilot's callsign from that board. She prided herself on it, so much so she never removed Maverick's at the top of the list, even after they got back together.

You needed to tell Jake. 

With a hint of a smile, you eagerly walked out of the bathroom to find him. He was standing with George at the pool table, the elder Seresin brother lining up a shot as he spoke. As you approached them, you honed in on Jake, realizing he looked uncomfortable. Stiff, shoulders square, and his fists were clenched tight.

The closer you got, the more you heard of their conversation, and when you heard Sadie's name fall from George's mouth, you froze. Hearing him utter her name, especially in that hardened tone, was a punch to the gut. The urge to hide behind one of the support pillars in the middle of the room at the last second was too great to ignore, and you made yourself as small as possible. 

You had stumbled upon a conversation you weren’t supposed to hear. George’s voice accompanied the sound of the eight-ball scattering the balls across the table. 

"Come on, man," he said, his tone laced with arrogance. "Think about it. She threw her whole life away for her niece. She's tied down now, and you deserve someone who can give you more than that."

Jake remained silent. George continued, encouraged by his lack of protest. "You're a Navy pilot, for crying out loud. You could have anyone you want. Why settle for a girl with so much baggage?"

You weren’t stupid. You knew enough about George to realize he was the golden child, the favourite used to getting his way. George would only see you as Jake’s attempt to one-up him on something. 

“You know why I'm here,” you heard him say firmly. “Dad doesn’t approve. He wants you to know if you continue on with her, you will never be welcomed back home.”

You swallowed hard, a knot forming in your stomach. There would never be a time when you asked Jake to choose you over his family, even with what you knew. You wanted to go out there, but this was Jake’s battle. Storming out to threaten anything but a kick to the balls was out of the question. 

But when Jake finally spoke, his words were like shards of ice piercing your skin.

"Yeah, you're right."

A strangled noise escaped from you, a sound of raw pain and disbelief. You clapped your hands over your mouth, trying to muffle the sob threatening to escape. George’s reply triggered the blood rushing through your ears, the pain in your forearm from your nails biting hard into the skin. 

“You know I am,” he laughed, another clack of the pool balls sounding out. “

There was only one way you saw this - Jake played you like he played those other bartenders. 

You couldn’t hide any longer. You pushed yourself away from the pillar, swerving around to confront them. 

“So Sadie and I were just a game to you?” 

Jake turned sharply, shock in his eyes. “Liz,” he held his hands out in front of him. “It’s not what…” 

“Not what?” you said heatedly, tears streaming from your eyes. “I heard plenty!” 

He opened his mouth to say something, but the words died in his throat, confronted with your beat red face and tears. You were not supposed to hear all that. 

The shock on his face was not enough to erase the sting of his words.

"Come on, Liz. You don't understand... it's..."

"What's there to understand, Jake?" you interjected, your voice seething with a volatile mix of pain and anger. "That I'm just another one of your bartenders?"

“Liz, don’t.” 

“Enlighten me, Jake.” You crossed your arms. “Tell me all the reasons why. That bringing me flowers wasn’t a game. That getting close to my niece wasn’t a game. Asking me to give you a chance, taking me out on a date.”

 You sobbed. “Taking me up in that damn plane.” 

The thought was erupt, tearing itself from the deepest part of your mind. You couldn’t help it, the words spilling out in blinded anger. “Was my grief an opportunity for you to get into my pants? Telling me it would be alright so you could leave me high and dry? Telling me it was going to be okay?” 

There was a sudden shift in his expression, his gaze hardening. As if a switch had been flipped, the warm, understanding man you knew disappeared, replaced by a stranger draped in defensiveness and sarcasm.

"Oh, excuse me," he declared. "I didn't realize I was your knight in shining armour, rushing to your rescue the second you need all your problems fixed. The girl who never had a relationship, thinking a man would solve all her issues."

The words hit you like a physical blow, your knees nearly buckling beneath you. Jake's harsh gaze didn't match his usual soft and protective demeanour. It was like looking at a stranger, someone you didn't recognize. The man before you was not the Jake you'd fallen for.

This man reminded you of your father. 

Was this his plan all along? You racked your mind, searching for any indication this had been coming. But what only stood out was Rooster's words echoing in your head where you found none. 

Did you really only add your name to the list of women Hangman had pursued?

Because here and now, those months of working through the trauma of losing Ridley didn't matter. 

Was anything about this past year even worth it? The moments you worked through when you would avoid anyone mentioning her because acknowledging her in the past tense was too much. Avoiding the things that reminded you of her. Till helped you through it.  

She would know what to say right now. She would be the one beating his ass with verbiage and scathing remarks. She would nail the moment and get it right. 

It hit you, the hidden weight of how desperately you missed her. 

Suddenly, you were that girl again, starting her first shift in that basement bar, wondering what to say to the students who saw you as a mere bookworm with no character or class - because you couldn't compare to the girl sitting in the corner writing her paper, actually having the courage to ask that busboy out. 

Or the geeks in the corner cheering as hard as they did when they beat their high score on the console, uncaring of strange looks. Or that girl, finally standing up to her 'so-called friends' when one had been spreading rumours and crude remarks about her to the others behind her back. 

He really did leave you out to dry. 

"Stay the fuck away from my niece," you managed to gasp through your tears. "And stay the fuck away from me."

You wanted to believe your assumption that Jake was merely putting on a front. Hangman, his alternate self, was his attempt at protecting himself. 

You had a hard time doing so.

There, plain as day, across his face was the most condensing grin you had ever seen as he dramatically drawled out slowly, "No fucking problem, sweetheart."

You didn't believe in thinking about everything you regretted throughout your life. Ridley was the only exception; if you had done more, moved back home after school, or gone to the police the day you kicked Tyler out, maybe she'd still be here. You couldn't change what had happened in your life, so spending time thinking about it in the present wouldn't do you much good. 

So it was no surprise to you when you followed through with your knee-deep reaction, your hand coming up out of nowhere, open and firm, slapping Jake hard enough across the side of his face, his head turning with the force of it.

You knew you shouldn't have. You weren't a violent person by any means. Next to Tyler, you never had raised a hand to anyone. You were too hurt to care you just slapped him.

That should have scared you shitless.

Rather than voice the obvious, you remained silent, allowing every repressed thought, every buried emotion to resurface.

Ridley - dead. 

Sadie - hurt. 

Tyler - lurking. 

Bradley - damaging.

It was all too much.

George's figure stood out from behind Jake amongst your blurry vision, tears creating a vignette in your line of sight. You tore past Jake, sticking your finger out only to push George square in his chest. He stepped back at the force, hand shooting out to balance himself against the pool table.

Jake wouldn't have done that had George not shown up. Had he not played with Jake's emotions.

"You need a fucking ego check and to grow the fuck up," you seethed at him. "I don't know whose got your balls on a very tight leash, but you have no right to go around and fucking up other people's relationships."

George didn't answer you, taking his hand off the table to stand properly. You pressed him again. "Does it give you some sick fucking pleasure to hurt your brother? Dad loves me best, so I'm going to remind everyone just cause I can?"

George was still avoiding your heated glare, fixating on his football ring, twisting the piece of metal back and forth. It only pissed you off further.

"My eyes are over here, Jackass! Have the decency to look me in the fucking eyes when I'm talking to you."

If nobody had been watching when you slapped Jake, you clearly had their attention now. Even with the music blasting from the speakers, every conversation in the Hard deck had gone quiet. You could feel everyone's eyes on you, but you couldn't care less.

You were too far gone.

George slowly cocked his head to face you. Your breath was harsh, your body jolting with each gasp as you gave in to the anger. "My sister died, and I took in my niece. What's so fucking wrong about that? That I threw my life away, that I have no future?" 

He shifted on his feet, about to transfer the pool stick into his other hand, when you reached out and snatched it out of his grasp, tossing it behind you with a clack. 

"You're damn right I did! That's what you do for people you love. I would sacrifice my entire life so she could have hers. And I would do it again in a fucking heartbeat. I will stay on the other side of that bar for the rest of my so-called miserable life, getting catcalled and dealing with assholes like you if it gives her the best shot with the shitty hand she's dealt. You, George Seresin, have no right to judge the choices I've made in my life." 

Your breathing was harsh, ribs aching with effort. Every vein, every pore, was consumed with pure white rage. And yet, you still found yourself growling out, "You have no right judging your brothers either." 

Even after breaking your heart, you still stood up for Jake. 

"He risks his life every single time he goes up in that jet just so the whole world can fucking survive. So you can go on day in and day out and let your father control what you want to do with your life. So you can gallant around letting someone who has lived their life decide what you do with the rest of yours? So Jake’s here for you to bully and control every time he comes home? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

The burning sensation in your cheeks mirrored the fire in your eyes, unshed tears making them shine brighter. The salty sting of tears blurring your vision did little to diminish the searing gaze you levelled at George.

"My sister believed everyone deserved a chance. That people cared, regardless of what they did or who they were. I had forgotten that until my niece invited Jake to a barbeque, till she invited him on a hike because he was being treated differently. Despite what I heard and everyone telling me otherwise, listing off why I shouldn’t. That he will hurt me and my niece, and I still gave him a chance.”  

Squaring your shoulders and balling your hands to fists at your side, you take a step forward, a dangerous glint in your eyes. You lean towards him, your face close enough to feel his breath, your jaw clenched and muscles tight.  

"You are the first person ever to prove my sister wrong,” your voice is dangerously low, underlying anger accompanying each word. “You sure as hell don't deserve that sentiment." 

As you stepped away, George lifted his head to glance around the room, everyone's eyes pinning him down. The older Top Gun instructors had stood at their tables and chairs, arms crossed. Some of the current students in the program also stood, the others sending him the most scathing glares they could manage. Even some regulars who weren't aviators were casting him a scornful glance.

You spun, ready to leave him in embarrassment and escape this literal fucking mess, when you caught Jake's bewildered gaze, his mouth hanging open in slight shock.

You weren't sure whether it was that look or the dying embers of your outburst that made you spin back around to snarl, "So, leave your brother the fuck alone! Live your own goddamn life without judging others for the choices they make! Cause you sure as hell don't know what it means to sacrifice something for those you love. If you need an example, look around this goddamn room."

Jake reached for your wrist as you charged toward the front door. The second you felt his touch, you shook your hand loose, a wrenching sob tearing through your chest.

"Don't fucking touch me!"

You didn't bother seeing his reaction to your remark, rushing to grab your bag and Ridley's jean jacket off the bar.

The skin around your wrist burned from his touch, the rough callouses once a comfort but now felt like coarse sandpaper. You wanted to get under a shower or jump in the sea, hoping to remove the feeling of every memory, kiss, and word.

God, you let him touch you. Do things with you.

You were going to throw up.

God forbid you didn't want to walk home. But you needed to go, be anywhere but here, and you didn't have your car. Barely keeping it together as you took off toward the door, you had half a mind to look up to watch where you were going, deaf to Jake's shouts of your name.

There was Bradley, sitting in the first booth by the door. His brow furrowed as you made your way over to him, probably having witnessed the ordeal. You were too upset even to question why he wasn't marching across the bar, ready to knock Jake to next Sunday.

It had been weeks since the fight, with no communication in between. But it was a distant memory compared to this. 

It didn't matter what he implied. It didn't matter what happened in your hallway.

It didn't matter.

It didn't matter.

It didn't matter.

You just needed your friend.

With each step you took toward him, your shame only grew greater. You couldn't even look him in the eye when you stopped, standing next to his side of the booth, hugging yourself tighter.

"Can you take me home, Bradley? I don't want to be here anymore."

Bradley's opportunity to act smug had finally arrived. But he didn't do anything other than frown. Standing up from his booth, he threw a few bills onto the table before blocking everyone's view of you. He placed a comforting hand on your back, gently pressing you forward as he uttered quietly, "Of course I can, Liz."

You kept your head down as you stepped towards the door, but Bradley, so willing to help you without so much of an 'I told you so,' made whatever resolve you had, crumble. Your knees wobbled, and your heart dropped into your stomach. You fell, and Bradley's arm whipped out, gripping your hip and pulling you tight to his side to support your weight.

Burying your head into Bradley's shoulder, you hid your face. You didn't want to see the looks of everyone in the Hard Deck, whether pity, concern, or applause, as another wave of tears wrecked your body.

Closing your eyes seemed better than reliving the truth.

And because you kept them shut, you didn't see George place a hand on Jake's shoulder, preventing him from going after you. Nor did you see the look of devastation wreck his face; the weight of every wrong decision he had ever made coming back to haunt him. 

Whether Jake turned on a dime to punch George square in the jaw, you heard none of it. You hadn't even bothered to turn back to look as Bradley carried you out the front door.

.... So... Who is going to pitchfork me first? 👀

Tag List:

@blue-aconite @tinytotontheoversizedpony @djs8891 @caitsymichelle13 @startrekfangirl2233

@mayhemmanaged @ereardon @dempy @shanimallina87 @teacupsandtopgun @daggerspare-standingby

@phantomxoxo @formulapierre @eli2447 @fulla02 @blckgrl-sunflower @mizzzpink @ohgodnotagainn

@bubblegumbeautyqueen @sarahsmi13s @desert-fern @lynnestra44 @memoriesat30 @penwieldingdreamer @mxlanciia

@bradleybeachbabe @bobby-r2d2-floyd @lavenderbradshaw @roosters-girl @lovinglyeternal @kmc1989 @gigisimsonmars @dakotakazansky

@keyrani @craftytrashprincess @hisredheadedgoddess28 @abzidabzy @memeorydotcom @vicsnook

Part 16 - In the Blood coming soon

Wickett ;)

[theamityelf]

Can't I know more of DD Makoto dynamic with Hajime, Fuyuhiko, and Chiaki? Does Komaeda still got DD or not? How would his dynamic with DD Makoto in both case?

I think I'll say for now that Nagito doesn't get despair disease, specifically because Junko considers them really similar and doesn't want to do the same thing twice. Like, I think an argument can be made that she gave Nagito despair disease in canon as just a proxy because he was the closest thing she had to Makoto (in her view). But here, in her eyes, Nagito is way more useful healthy, and Makoto is way more useful diseased.

Nagito would almost certainly want to be among those caring for the ill, and I think he would have a real appreciation for the implications of everyone's symptoms. "I see. I'm sure they would all hate to see themselves like this. A despair capable of overcoming such strong personalities? I'm so excited to see it defeated!"

That said, I think Hajime, Fuyuhiko, Mikan, etc. would not want Nagito around the sick ones. Nagito would be in a very particular place where he wants to make himself useful at the hospital but everyone is aware that it could be really dangerous to leave someone so interested in the killing game alone with any of the ill (especially Ibuki).

And I think the result of this is that Nagito and Hajime would both spend a lot of time around Makoto together. (More on that later!)

I'm deciding whether Chiaki would be there, because in canon she is among those quarantined at the motel, but I do think she would be really good at handling diseased Makoto, just because she's so good at taking everything in stride and just calmly going, "Stop that." And I like to imagine diseased Makoto causally yanking out her game cartridge while she's playing it and her huffing with the most irritation anyone has ever seen from her. So I think I will loop her in with them.

I think Fuyuhiko would be constantly annoyed by diseased Makoto; they would be in constant conflict, and it would be really funny. Earlier in the killing game, I imagine Fuyuhiko would toss threats and barbs at Makoto kind of a lot, and Makoto would just take it and move on with whatever he's saying or doing, but now Fuyuhiko (through whatever means; there's no telling who's still alive at this point) has undergone some character development, and he cares about the people here, and as comeuppance for his past behavior, he's left to get explosively mad at a Makoto who will deliberately provoke him. Just chasing Makoto through the hospital threatening to murder him if he doesn't sit down and eat his food!

Whereas Hajime I think would be a little reflective about it. I think seeing Makoto in a state of poor health and acting really out of character would make him realize how close they've become and how much he's come to care about and rely on Makoto. I'm imagining some introspective moments where he's just like, "The real Makoto isn't like this at all. The real Makoto would be encouraging me not to give up."

(Honestly, since there's no telling what the cast looks like at this point in the story until I actively plot all that out, I could see some of the characters who are dead at this point in canon choosing to help out, or even taking the place of Akane or Ibuki as diseased, but for the purposes of this post we'll ignore that.)

Maybe the group organizes in such a way where Mikan cycles between patients to check on and Fuyuhiko, Chiaki, Nagito, and Hajime watch whichever two patients she isn't with. So, for example, Mikan is checking on Akane, so Fuyuhiko and Chiaki are with Ibuki and Nagito and Hajime are with Makoto. Mikan moves on to check on Ibuki, so Fuyuhiko and Chiaki go to sit with Akane. Mikan goes to check on Makoto, so Nagito and Hajime go to check on Ibuki. It just kind of cycles like that.

They split up differently when one or more of the caretakers need to rest, so sometimes Hajime, Chiaki, or Fuyuhiko have to watch someone alone, but Nagito is never watching anyone alone. He's not allowed. (Officially. He'll sneak in if he can.)

Nagito and Hajime have very different reactions to diseased Makoto. Like I said, seeing Makoto like this makes Hajime feel strongly how much he likes regular Makoto, so he's pretty upset each time this Makoto acts rude and contrary, but he's also committed to helping him. Whereas Nagito is thinking of it more in terms of what can be learned about what kind of person Makoto is, that this is the version of himself that the despair disease creates, and he's deeply curious as to how the disease works and whether one of the infected can overcome its effects. He's watching the patients very closely to see what they'll do. He's smiling and acting relatively normal, and he's encouraging Hajime to stay positive, but he's also kind of willing Makoto to prove himself, in even these circumstances. He'd be messing with Makoto a bunch.

When it's revealed that Mikan had the Remembering Disease and, as I mentioned in the other post, attempted to kill Makoto, Nagito just consumes the idea that Makoto overcame despair, both by not killing anyone under its effects like Mikan did and by successfully evading Mikan. He might clap.

[truly-morgan]

Judging the My Candy Love redesign

[Long Post!!]

So I've been replaying Amour Sucré (or My Candy Love for my English folks) and got curious about what the redesign looked like. I've played the game in the past from 2012-2014 ish, ended up deleting my accounts in 2016-ish and then finally came back like, a week or two ago.

I know the design for some has changed quite a lot, but it's been so long since I last played it without the redesign so I'll check that out!

So this post will be me judging all the characters that have had redesign (and bonus with either even older design or first concept). Maybe later on I'll make a post about the reaction spirits, but for now, it's only the design with the neutral poses.

I won't be adding some of the outfits that are added later on in Episodes if they weren't in a previous version (just so I don't end up with too many outfits for some character). This will also include "one time" used outfits, like the track suit for example.

Also am doing this in alphabetical order just because it's easier for me.

Aunty Agatha

I'll say, the new design didn't change much, I'll put aunty in the "Just updated the art style" folder (since it is what happened to many). Though, I think the wings were a bit more interesting in the older version, a bit more detailed. Now they look more like cracked stones.

And... we won't talk about the older design. The overall design is the same, but the art style was... not it. Changing the wand for a heart though is an interesting choice that I like. The wings were also cool, although I do feel like the details in them are a bit hard to see, but it could be the quality of the picture too.

Alexy

I'll be totally honest, I prefer the older design for Alexy. I think the shirt was more interesting, the pants were cooler (I'd legit want them), I also like the pose a lot for some reason. I don't know why, but I feel like the collar of his new shirt and his headphone just sit a bit weird and awkwardly on his neck.

I am sure the older design would look just as good in the new art style as it did before. I don't know if it's a question of animation of not, but am certain it could have worked.

Armin

Another "Updated Art Style" character, Armin looks just as good as he did before in my opinion. I'd argue that I would probably have left a bit more spikiness to the hair on his neck (same for Alexy obviously). This is really the only critic I have, the hair looks really smooth. Probably not my favourite outfit of all the characters, but I like it.

Ambre

Nothing changed much for Ambre in the newer version, although I think it is a bit more detailed for some parts and the proportions are better too. I also think the frills of the shirt look better, and I personally prefer the newer colours.

Although I do think the jeans have lost in details though (but I guess it is more hidden most of the time).

And I know concept art is just concept art but... Damn. I have lots of difficulties sometimes with the pre-2011 design. Interesting how her overall outfit didn't change since her concept tho.

Boris

Okay, this teacher was never my fav, but boy does he look WAY better now. I feel like part of why I found him a bit creepy was the design, somehow (I remember really not liking him). This is totally an "updated new art style" that was really needed.

For one, his proportions are way better and his muscle are GOOD, keep it up, my man! No more yaoi hand and giant rose either, just big muscle that looks more real >:)

No more nips tho :'3

Capucine

Another "Updated to new art style". I also like the new version though, I think it looks pretty cute.

Though I'll say I did like the stray strand of hair from the previous version, and something about her expression gives me another vibe. A bit more... I don't know, sneaky? Like she's hiding something? Maybe it's the shading on her forehead that gives me this impression.

Castiel

Again, "updated to new art style". I really like how it came out tho, he looks good. Without a surprise, Castiel has been my fav since I first started playing it >:3. Anyway, now let's do by outfits to be more precise

Pre-EP 17: The T-shirt and necklace are fine (tho I do prefer the red of the previous one), but the pants and leather (?) jacket is... not it. His pants have the same problems as Amber, no more detail, but now also weirdly baggy. I feel like the newer style is more soft/round, but am really not into that jacket, the wrinkles on the jacket just don't feel right.

Post-EP 17: I really like it, That's a pretty fine update. On this one, the pants also look pretty fine! This outfit is actually something I'd probably wear too if I had it. It's a good update, better than the pre-17 one.

And the 2010 one... Let's say I'm not made that it's only stayed like this for a year and the 2011 one came out. They feel like a placeholder because the gap between the two is just too big.

Charlotte

"Update to new art style", I also think they fixed up some proportion issues. Charlotte has such a big head in the pre-updated one, it surprised me when I changed the picture. Like, most characters weren't too bad, but her and Debrah's heads are so big XD. They also fixed her broken wrist!

And honestly, she's another character for whom the design hasn't changed since 2010, it actually very accurate. Also, I'll say that Charlotte 2010's drawing is probably the only one I think looks good pre-2011 :').

ChiNoMimi

I think her updated sprites look cuter than before, look at her smile :D. Also, I think her pose has a better silhouette than before (not that with her wings it would be hard to guess who she is.). I also think the colours are a bit prettier.

Also, looking at the years, you can tell which character is more important to the story or not, because, Like Tata and Boris, she was updated quite late compared to some others.

Dajan

God, if a character needed re-spriting, it was this man. There's so much to say about Dajan

1] What the fuck was the deal with his jersey?!? Like, I get it, clothing gets wrinkled when you play sports, but not like THAT.

2] His hair sure is a glow-up. Before it was just a black flat colour, now we can see more detail in it. Love it.

3] This basketball looks way more like a ball than the previous one. Like, line one the old one gives me the impression that it's not a sphere somehow TToTT.

Dake

Wow, a character I can spot some changes! Although I will not lie, I do not get why they got rid of the orange shirt, I think it was looking good personally, fits him pretty well.

He looks more like a pretty boy now, although I assume it was always supposed to be like that. I prefer his new hair too. Pretty much the same, but I think it was drawn better this time.

Also those muscles sure look more like muscle than they did before, good for him!

Also, dunno why I noticed it now, but for some reason, he's not wearing his necklace in the older surfing sprite like he does now.

Debrah

As much as I hate her, I think the updated version did her pretty well. No more big head!! Now we had more proportioned. Also, I feel like her eyes look even more half-lidded than before and just had this feeling of her being bitchy. (yes, I am very biased).

I like what they did with her top, making the back shinier and making the patterns on it way more visible than before. I really like it.

Tho I do miss the high boots, I think they could have looked nice (even if the reason is likely that they are hidden most of the time by the text box).

I overall really like the new sprits and it all looked better.

Iris

An update to new style character. Tho I feel like somehow, her expression looks a bit blank than it was before? I just think it's kinda... flat. Do like the hair it looks a bit more realistic in a way, and the braid is a little bit more detailed.

I do miss the chocker tho, I think it went well with her personally.

The 2010 concept must have been good since it did stay similar to it. Tho am nearly surprised the legs changed when now they take away some details. Even if am not too keen on the furr of the shorts, I do like purple and black leggings/stockings. Iris really gives me Halloween vibes.

Jade

So, I don't know why, but I prefer the older one for Jade? Maybe it's the pose? the somewhat close-up? I don't know, there's just something about it that I prefer. But he still looks really nice and pretty?

I do miss the weird belt that doesn't seem to serve anything do, added something to the big green expend of his apron.

Also, funny how Jade seems to be the only character for whom the character seems so close to us.

Kentin

The overall design didn't change, but oh boy did my man Kentin needed this update xD Especially his first sprite, sure we see him only in EP 1 (and then later I believe) and it shows that it was the 2010 style.

Ken: Honestly he looks so much cuter than before. I know he's supposed to be the "haha ugly nerd who gets hot", but looks at him, he's so cute. Give him a better wardrobe and tada, he'd be absolutely fucking adorable. Though I nearly wish they got rid of that calculator, who goes around with a calculator on their hips TToTT.

Kentin: His older sprite has such a weird face. I feel like it's the angle that made it so he needed to look from the side, but it could have been better. He overall looks much better than before. But his right hand! Why is his right hand so awkwardly posed, close your finger dude xD

Kim

Honestly, Kim stayed pretty much the same, there's really not much I can say about her. I do like the updated colours a little bit more tho. Love how for her they managed to keep the same vibe from the early 2010's to right now.

Leigh

The overall design hasn't changed too much. Tho I feel like some of the folds and frills look a little bit less detailed than before (but the character is also "less close" than before to see it I guess. I do wonder too what it the thing at his thighs. Is it mirrors? Is it supposed to be a hole that shows something under it? Now that I try to look at it more closely am so confused.

Also bonus, I am pretty sure the one with fabrics is the old sprite that welcomed us at the clothing store.

Li

Even if the whole design of Li is pretty much the same, I do like the newer version a bit more. We kinda lose in silhouette, sure, but something about the newer version seems a bit better than the other one.

And you can tell the older one followed more the concept, but am happy they fixed the forehead. somehow it looks so big and strange.

Louis

The updated art style didn't change much. But oh boy did our man Louis need it. He went from... a bit rough old man, to your nice and gentle grandpa. I like that they kept the little rainbows on his vest, it's goes really well with him. It's a nice sigh seeing him in the bazar.

Philippe and Lucia

Nothing changed too much, very much just an updated version. But the update did them good I think. They weren't bad, but obviously, now they fit the other character better. The colours look a little bit better (especially the green jacket), but that's my opinion. The hair looks also better in my opinion. Very similar, but it's still a little bit better in my opinion.

Lysandre

The updated to new art style is very similar, but the little changes made make it that I do prefer the updated the new version.

I like the turquoise/green undertone that they gave to his coat, I feel it goes a little bit better with the other turquoise details of his outfits.. I like how the head is slightly tilted, fits him pretty well, and gives him an even bigger vibe of "lost in thoughts". And the silver is shinier and has more details too and I like it.

Also, I lied above when I said Charlotte is the only older drawing I like. I think Lysandre's older version is pretty good too, better even. Maybe it's helpful that it is very similar to his rendered version.

M. Fraizer

I'm not really surprised that M. Fraizer looks didn't change too much. I do prefer the newer version though. The lighter hair and shirt fit him a little bit better I think. The haircut looks a little bit better too (and the highlights sure help this).

Melody

I think Melody looks really pretty in her new updated style. The necklace/chocker being a bit loser looks a bit better I think, fits her character a little bit more. Also, like other characters that have them, the frills looks better now.

Dunno, I just like the newer one better.

Mme Shermansky

I'm legit surprised by what she looked like before?!? I had completely forgotten just how... simplistic her design looked like. Sure, she's not often seen, but even Mr Fraizer and Boris had more details than her.

Everything looks better honestly, like the little bit of hair before her ears, love the new belts too. The colour is a little bit better in my opinion too, and goes well with the overall look.

Nathaniel

Aside from the pose, nothing changed much in the many outfits Nathaniel as had (and I believe there's another one!). I think the pose looks better, especially for the non-clipboard poses, because it looks a bit less awkward. I also think the slightly more bright colour is better than the previous one.

Past: I think the overall colours looked better, a bit less dull. I do like the new pattern on his sweater (is that the name) although it does give me "old person patterns". Also like the jean, a pretty casual look for who Nathaniel is at the start of the game.

Pre-EP 18: Like the other one, prefer the colours for this one, a little bit more saturated. A good small detail that is changed is the tie being fully tied. Goes better with the image he has, especially at the start, but also with what his father wants him to look like.

Post-EP 18: Pretty similar honestly, Though it does look a little bit better in the newer version. This actually has to be my fav HSL Nathaniel look (because I've seen the other one and to me it's just... meh). I really like this one.

And the 2010 is... I still don't like the art style. Although I also note that the tie was fully done. I wonder who decided to undo it a little bit.

Nina

The updated style seems to mostly fix proportion in my opinion. Like others, the frills of the dress looks better than before, so does the corset (although I feel it does because its has more place to be right now).

Overall, I really like her look overall, really pretty.

Peggy

Can I start first with: For some reason, Peggy gives me SNK vibes. Dunno if it's the green dress with the huge ass recording box.

Not much changed in this update, but I think it's alright, nothing seems bad in my opinion. I do prefer the news haircut, Looks a bit more fluffy and flowy.

But I also have to ask: Where did the freckles go TToTT Bring back the frickles, they were cute QwQ

Rosalya

Nothing changed too much for Rosalya, but what did are things I quite like. I like that the edge of the dress is a bit more discreet. Love the wrinkles being a little bit less big, giving the impression that the dress is more satin than before. The golden detailing being shinier is also a nice touch. She's just pretty.

Violette

Like a lot of the characters, not much changed, but I overall do enjoy the new design. I like the grey looking a little bit lighter, fits her better in my opinion.

Love the texture on the art folder, it's not too much, but I do prefer it a little bit more than the older one. Though I do have to say, I do like the paper sticking out of it from the older one, it added a feeling of it being pretty filled.

Overall, aside from something her and there (and Alexy) I quite like the newer version of the character, I think they all look good and more fresh.

[russellsppttemplates]

Stomp your foot (Charles Leclerc)

Y/N is trying her best to get Ferrari where they deserve to be, and despite some disagreements and bad strategies, one that is unknowingly working for her is making a certain driver fall for her

Note: english is not my first language. It was requested through a comment from a career mention on New around here and I thought about picking it up. Also, are you happy about this as a stand alone? Do you want a part 2...? Update: part 2 can be read in Dance with me

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can! (I'm posting twice today because my sleep has been all over the place and I might as well take advantage of it)

Tw: Ferrari's season, curse words

Since you could remember, the answer to 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' had been 'I want to be the person that sits in front of the screens and makes the drivers win with their tips' and later, once you had gotten the hang of the word, 'I want to be a race strategist'. You studied engineering in university and always applied to every summer job that was related to F1, wether it was just volunteering in the paddock or, in later years when as your knowledge grew, some teams, like Ferrari, had offered the opportunity for you to be in the factory with the engineers that stayed back there during the races so you could experience some of the thrill and what it was like. "So, Y/N", Tom said as he sat next to you as you admired the screens and all the information in there, "You've been my desk buddy for 5 races now, and I still don't know how you got interested in this whole thing", he finished. When you arrived, Tom as the person they had told you to follow as he was available to explain things to you as the race happened without troubling too much and so far he had been amazing at all the things he had taught you and all the questions he had answered, no matter how stupid they sounded in your head. "My family would watch the Grand Prix together after lunch on Sunday and I used to borrow my cousin's laptop and draw graphs on the screen and pretend they were stats from the race, and I'd give guesses to the screen and get really happy when they would make the same call I did", you commented earning a chuckle from Tom, "who knows, maybe one day you'll sit there with then", Tom smiled as he watched the pitwall appear on the screen as the team got all in their respective places to begin the race. Grabbing your notepad, you waited for the decisions to be made by the team before questioning Tom about why they had done it that way and what they hoped the car would achieve with every change they made. When you finished your degree, Tom had told you about a spot in the engineering team at Ferrari and you submitted your CV, knowing that you would have a handful of other CVs competing with yours, but still feeling confident enough about yourself. Still, you couldn't help the squeal that left your lips when you got a call from the head of the engineering team saying you had been the one to get the spot. That was two years ago, and you had made it to the team that travelled to races at the beggining of this season.

"Y/N, could you get here, please? There's an issue with Carlos' DRS, we've checked and it's not mechanic, the whole system functions, but if you press the button on the wheel it doesn't open", Anthony, one of the mechanics said. You hopped off of the cabinet you had been sitting in and grabbed your laptop, "Have you checked the hydraulic system too? The other day it was Charles' car that was doing that", you forwarded as they nodded, "That's fine too, we've tested it", prompting you to connect the car cable to your laptop to see what it was about. After opening and closing a few tabs and checking some of the car parts, you finally found what seemed to be the problem, "look here, let me just adjust that", you changed the settings before you called back, "Anthony, press the DRS button for me again, please" you asked as you say the part open and then close like it was supposed to, "Thanks, Y/N", the mechanic smiled back before you smiled back and headed to where you were, filling some paperwork about the change you had done and the problem you had encountered for future reference. You were about to take it to one of your superiors when Xavier, Charles' race engineer and a big support since you had arrived in the team, "Y/N, the woman of the hour", the spaniard said as you looked at him, your eyebrows creasing at his statement, "I'm just going to bring this back to Mattia so he can archive them", you tried to justify before he said, "you can leave them there, there are going to be a few more alterations so you're really saving us time, and allow me to talk to you about this", Xavier smiled as you set the folder down, "you really are scaring me, just so you know, I can only hope you don't relish on people's bad being", earning a chuckle. "I don't, don't worry. I was talking with the team and Mattia, and we think that you are ready to try the pit wall for the strategist place" he said non chalantly like he wasn't making your dream come true. Like the little Y/N inside you wasn't ecstatic right now. "We thought that starting this weekend would be good, you'll get used to it all during free practice and qualifying, and since Charles is taking penalties for the engine change anyway, we're thinking that Friday and Saturday are good for you to dip your toes in. And since there's a lot to do on that race it will be interesting to see what we can come up with when we have you there", he smiled as he patted your back, "Thank you so much for the opportunitiy", you managed to squeak out before Xavier turned around and you did a little celebratory dance.

Arriving in the garage on race day, you felt confident about the day until the weather seemed to be playing tricks on you, "they say it's going to be better by the time the race starts", someone said as they saw your less than amused expression as you looked at the grey sky. During your lunch break, Carlos and Charles came up to you, "Y/N, Xavi was just telling me and Charles how you're the new strategist for us, and that you really helped yesterday with my finish", Carlos began as they sat in the table next to you, "Oh, it's really a team effort, and maybe it's just my beginners luck, and you guys are very good drivers, so it wasn't too hard that you finished where you finished", you said honestly. "Oh, ever so modest Y/N", Charles said, "you've been a key part of our team, I'm very happy to know that you're reaching your full potential", the monégasque finished and as you were about to thank them both, the drivers were called for the parade, bidding you goodbye.

The race had been going pretty well, Charles managing to gain two spots on the grid and Carlos was doing a good job in maintaining his position, "should we get Carlos in? I think it would be a good time for that, he seems to have the pace and Max's tyres are looking a bit worse for wear, he's going to need to change soon", Mattia said, "if we could get the advance now he could race for a podium for sure, and maybe even P1 if we can get a fast pit stop too", you agreed as everyone nodded their head, the intent being sent to Carlos over the radio. As you heard the car beside you, you turned on your seat to see the mechanics, flashing them a thumbs up after they had done an incredible job on that pit stop. A bit further into the race, Xavi saw that Charles had a possibility to gain a few more positions and since you seemed to be up for it, he discussed his plan with you, "from this here I think it would be good enough, he has the pace", you reasoned as Xavi turned on his radio, "Charles, you have Alonso and Ocon in front of you, and we think you should try and pass them, the car looks good and the breaks too so when you feel like you can go through...!", Xavi said as you both waited for him, slightly holding your breath as he passed each car. With Carlos on the podium and Charles gaining 10 positions from where he started, the team were happy with the results, some of the developments they had done over the weekend bringing the car forward in its competitiveness, and as the guys got their media duties over, you came back from the bathroom and joined the rest of the team, "here's the rookie. C'mon Xavier, how did she do today?", Carlos asked as he poked your arm, "really good today, she helped a lot, and I think the boss was impressed too", Xavier winked at you as Charles joined, "I hear congratulations are in order, I have a new strategist on my side", Charles beamed as he drank some water, "here's to an amazing season", he high-fived you as he spoke. And little did he know how much of a season it was going to be.

Sunday at Silverstone had been all over the place. You had been officially been promoted to strategist and Mattia had assigned you to Xavi so you could both look at Charles' race closely and, despite being happy that Carlos got his first F1 win, you were disappointed. Disappointed in yourself, your efforts and the team, you celebrated with Carlos for a bit before retiring to the engineers room in the hospitality, and Tom, who had been at the race that weekend, pulled a chair next to him, "I was about to leave, do you want to be alone?", he asked, "I feel like shit and I don't want to spread it around, so do it at your own risk", you stated. Hugging you from your shoulders, Tom squeezed your body in his embrace, "you did amazing out there, don't ever doubt it. And, don't tell them I said that, but you can stomp your foot harder next time, you know what you're doing and they're just failing to see it", Tom said before he left. You were alone in a room full of desks and chairs, screens with the race data on them mocking you and the ideas you forwarded that hadn't been heard or considered when you heard the door open, "Sorry, I just needed a little time alone, I'll be right out", you said as you looked up to see who it was. Charles Leclerc, who in your mind thought would be the last person to want to see you, "I'll be out", you said as you grabbed your closed notebook. "Stay", Charles said, "only if you want to though, but if you want to stay, you can", he saved it quickly, looking at you. You knew you looked broken, but obviously he took it even harder. Sitting next to you in a spinning chair, Charles switched the monitor off, "Xavi told me about what you wanted to do, it's a shame they didn't listen", Charles tried to navigate around you and the orders the pitwall had given him, always knowing how to win and loose in a team sport, "today was hard, in many ways, but we'll come back stronger, I know it. You'll come back stronger", you said and before you knew it your hand had travelled to his, squeezing his fingers in yours as you looked at his beautiful eyes, "I don't care how I'm going to do it, Charles, but next weekend I'm getting you a podium", you looked at him in hopes of bringing some of his spirit back, your words having an understandable result given the circumstances.

The day after Silverstone, everyone was at Maranello for meetings and media duties, and as you passed through the drivers when you went to get coffee, they both waved as usual and Carlos noticed how Charles' stare took a few seconds longer than it used to, "are you fond of your new strategist, Charles Leclerc?", he asked his team mate as he watched how the monégasque driver's eyes followed you as long as the clear windows allowed, "what? Y/N? She's really nice, I've always liked her, and so do you", he tried playing it cool and Carlos could only laugh at his attempt. "Really? You want me to believe it? Just like that, hm?", he teased and Charles gave up on his act, "Well, she's always been around, and she's very beautiful, and smart and kind and... yeah, I like her", Charles tried to put it, "I don't really know what this is but yeah, maybe it's just a silly crush", he mumbled the last part before heading back to the front of the camera to resume the video they were there to film, Carlos smiling knowingly that it wasn't a silly crush in the slightest.

Everything had been going well until Carlos car started releasing smoke, his panicked "No" ringing through the pitwall until they figured out what had happened, ending up with a DNF. Everyone turned to Charles as he seemed to hold his position very well, he had done no mistakes that could cost him the place drop and the strategies you had come up with with Xavier working brilliantly, "You cannot imagine what I'm doing with the pedals", Charles said through the radio and a quick look at the data showed that there may be something going on with the car but, unlike Carlos', Charles' car seemed to be able to handle the last three laps. Taking a breath in, you jotted your thoughts down on the notebook and showed them to Xavi as he transmitted them back to Charles. "Carlos is out which sucks, but I'll be damned if that red car is not the first one to cross that checkered flag", you mumbled to yourself, "one day, we're going to have a peaceful race, one day", you finished as you closed your eyes briefly before looking back t the data, Xavier and the rest not daring to tell you anything as they saw your focused face. "And P1!", Xavier's voice could be heard from space, you thought, as you turned and gave him a hug before Charles confessed how he was scared he was going to loose everything so close to the end, "See? This is what you get when you do as I say!", you screamed out of enthusiasm, forgetting that your finger was still opening the channel to Charles' radio, everyone else hissing at your voice volume. But you really didn't care, the adrenaline on your body not allowing you to do so, "I'm sorry Charles, I hope your eardrum is still intact after this! Amazing drive, well done! There were no flaws", you said after Xavier gestured you to, "again, sorry for the scream!".

You were in a phonecall with your mother when the drivers arrived back for the podium celebrations and when she was done congratulating you and the team you looked at one of the TVs already showing Lewis on the podium, making you run there so you could see Charles receive his P1 trophy, clapping enthusiastically until he noticed you, wetting your head with a good amount of the bottles' content.

You had been helping around the debrief when Charles joined back at the garage, "Y/N! Congratulations to you too!", he said as he neared you, hugging you while he lifted your body off the floor, "you were incredible too Charles! Seemless, absolutely seemless, we were just there backing you up, hopefully it's forward from here on!", you squealed as he finally put you down.

To say that you had fallen hard for the monégasque would be a simple truth. Who wouldn't, right? Especially with the time you spent together, wether it was at the factory, in the race weekends or the dinners the team arranged so everyone could be together outside of work environment. But, at the end, you were a race strategists trying to progress in your career and risking an unrequited confession that could affect your job and workplace was not something you were about to let on, no matter how giddy his contagious smile made you feel. "Loosen up Y/N, we're going to dinner tonight, the team booked a whole restaurant so you better dress your best because tonight, were celebrating". While Charles left, you stayed behind to work with some of the mechanics and engineers around Carlos' car, noticing already how some bits could be fixed now to prevent further damage until it could be handled properly back at the factory.

Arriving at the restaurant, you looked around before you found someone to bring you to the room where the team would have dinner, Charles and Carlos the first people by the door, "I'm not the last one, am I?", you said as you greeted them, "I was so focused back at the garage that I had to get ready quickly to be here on time", you said as you noticed that some people were missing, "Xavi is still getting ready I'm sure, he takes a lot of time", Carlos joked as Charles chuckled, turning slightly as he grabbed you a drink from the bar section, "this is really nice, here", he offered with a smile, "Thank you, to many more races with you and Carlos on the podium", you said as the three of you toasted, your eyes never leaving Charles' as you drank the liquid. You took your jacket off given the difference of temperatures in the room compared to the outside, "You have something in here, let me get it", Charles said trying to swat it away before realising it was on your skin, "Oh, I think it's the product they use for the stickers, it's better with a napkin", Charles said as he grabbed the napkin from the counter as he silently asked for permission before his paper covered hand cleaned the product out of your skin, "Thanks, Charles! I swear I showered before coming here", you chuckled, looking at the place the ink had stayed in your arm, "I'm sure you did, you smell really nice", the driver replied with a beautiful smile on his face, cheeks pink at his admission as you were saved by Carlos, "since I can't celebrate a race finish today, we celebrate the good strategy because it was on point this afternoon, thanks to Y/N over here, cheers!", he said as he toasted your glass with his once again.

"But everyone else who put on the hard tyre is having trouble and some have even come back to change it, I don't think this is a good idea, and he said he was okay with the medium", you said as you looked at the graphs on the screen in front of you and the notes you had taken about the teams that started struggling as soon as they changed into that tyre compound. And it was the last thing you wanted to hear when the rest of the team decided to still go with it, confident that they could change the results around. Huffing as you looked at the pit stop, you never wanted to be wrong like that exact moment, and since you were someone who liked to be right, it said something, but still accepting your place in the hierarchy. As Charles' car got back to the race, it was clear the pace was decreasing and since it had been consistent through the weekend, you had to bite your tongue as to not say something you might regret.

The look on Charles' face was terrible, and it made everything hurt inside you. He was doing so well that weekend up until the tyre decision and, when he looked at you in the pitwall, you shivered at his empty stare at you. You had been spending even more time together, especially during that weekend and the previous night you had even stayed behind in the hotel restaurant just the two of you as you talked about everything and anything.

The debrief was hard, questions being thrown around as everyone kept their interventions clean and polite, but anyone around could sense the tension in the room, and Carlos noticed how even Charles tapped his fingers on the table incessantly when you were speaking, his admission on how your voice helped calm him down seemingly gone.

After you referred some of the data you had gathered to the rest of the team, you were dismissed from the room as you were needed elsewhere and the race engineers wanted to talk to the drivers. "It's just that it makes no sense why you did it, but now we have the break and we can figure out a few more things after gettinb some rest", Charles said, "knowing Y/N, she's probably writing stuff at her laptop already", Xavi said as he scratched the back of his head, "she was right you know?", he said and Charles and Carlos looked at him, frowning at their race engineers, "she was the only one to say that you should keep the same compound, and at the time it didn't seem like the best idea, but in hindsight it's always clearer", he tempted before excusing himself.

You were sitting in one of the rooms when the door opened, revealing a very tired Charles, "Hey, may I come in?", he inquired with the best smile he could have put out there, "If you're coming in to punch me, can I tell you first how I bruise really easily? And how I'm taking this pretty hard too?", you tried to bring some humour to the situation, knowing that throwing a fit or crying wouldn't actually get it solved right now. Charles chuckled as he closed the door behind him, sitting in one of the chairs next to you, "So, tough day at the office today?", he began, trying to get you out of the bad mood, "yeah, and I'm sure you're even worse. Thank goodness we're going on summer break because I would be ruined if we had a race next weekend", you let out, eyes closed as you took a breather, "going anywhere special?", Charles asked as you looked back at him, "I'm planning on staying a few days in Ibiza, my friend is going to join me there later for a weekend too and then I'm back at the factory. You?", you asked him as you closed the notebook, "I'm doing Italy with some friends and Ibiza with my family too", he said before someone knocked on the door, saying they were doing to start tidying things, "you should come and spend a day with us", Charles smiled as he got up with you, winking cutely at you before making his way out of the room.

Part 2

[heedmywarnings]

My dear creation

(Wow new sagau fic)

The ignorance never bothered you, your family members neglected you. You were merely a black lamb in a crowd of white sheeps. You are the shadow of what light your family illuminates in their grace.

You grew up fast, you were just two hundred years old when you mastered the Art of Creation, five hundred thirty when you learned to conduct Celestial magic. You were a child, but to mortals you are a God.

One fateful day, you enjoyed the ambiance of your little room 'till someone knocked at your door, "Come in" you said, curious to might who was the first person in your life to knock at your door.

It was your sister. During the creation of a new world, the Gods and people rebelled against her cruel tyranny. It was too perfect for your sister to throw away so she gave it to you, wondering hoe messed up you could make the world in its already messed up state.

Oh how ecstatic you were, you asked your sister if she wa serious for maybe twenty times before she dismissed herself, unable to hold the urge to roll her eyes at you. But you didn't care.

You descended to the world to that was give to you, and oh dear... it was bad. Fires, chaos, and blood. Mortals and Gods fighting for the throne all stopped when they saw your light radiate throughout the entirety of Teyvat, this wasn't the cruel light your sister raided, instead, a warm and gentle light caressed their faces.

They quickly deduced, a God, not their creator, but a God who they can truly devote themselves to has descended onto the grounds of Teyvat. But you were a bit late, seven Gods had already made their seat on the throne. Fighting for a seat to be an Archon, how interesting.

Regardless of the brutal ending of a war you had just witnessed, you had assisted the people of Teyvat rebuild their homes. Small hust turned to small villages, to larger villages, and to a city. Which brings modern Teyvat.

Watching from afar, it excites you knowing that this was your doing. Teyvat continues to prosper, Fontaine creates gadgets and wares that would spread across the nations.

You were sitting on a little hill watching the seven nations strive, when suddenly two golden stars lit the night sky, it glided past you, taking your attention away from the cities.

Oh how it piqued your curiosity, what is a falling star doing in Teyvat? Maybe it's the first time you saw one, but a golden one? And theirs two as well. Eh, maybe it's just a rare occurrence, later on, you hoped that you checked it out sooner.

"The God.. took away my sister" you heard Aether say, though you are not there physically, you embraced Aether from the back, your warming precense making Aether curios of the sudden change of temperature, but it was not an unwelcome feeling. He hopes that this feeling will stay with him to the stary and to the end of his journey.

Author's note

Ujsushsh, sorry for not posting part eight of my other sagau series, I've been braindead and writing what my brain thought of to post on Tumblr. I only have a few days left 'till I have f2f class, and I am not mentally prepared D: (quite literally forgot the multiplication table, division, fraction and all sorts of the math concepts) I'll try to stay updated as much as you can and your comments never fail to put a smile on my face ;)

10/25/22 update

Why the fuck do I have one tag in this post💀

[funderberker-thefrog]

It's almost 3am and I can't sleep so I have decided to give y'all an update of my Hollow Knight playthrough (please don't spoil anything to me or anything I'll cry). I've advanced a lot since the last time I posted (I think I was barely on False Knight/Hornet back then) but I still feel like there's a lot more to go oof.

I've got the dream nail and I am close to the first 100 essence the guy told me to collect! yay!

Myla is infected:( She didn't attack me last time I checked up on her, but I'll just leave her be. I hope you're better soon my friend.

I love the Mantis Lords. As in, I had a hard time (even though I didn't try them right after getting the mantis claw bc I couldn't get through the platforming – which i got quite easily later), specially when they threw the blade thingy at me with the lower pattern, but i like the guys a lot. Their theme was neat and idk i think they're pretty cool guys and I love that they've accepted me. I wish I could dream nail them, like I guess I technically could've done that during the fight but I was busy, uh, trying to not get killed and stuff.

Easiest (took me the least tries) bosses so far: Gruzzmother (fun fact, I actually beat her before the false knight! i as super lost since i didn't have the compass and ended up there by chance), Dung defender (funny guy. also, why does dung need to be defended? maybe I'll never know), Broken Vessel and the Fluke thingy.

I have rescued a little over half of the grubs! I love the happy noise they make when they see me coming to the rescue and also when I go visit them! My precious little things. Also, I have lots of charms now, according to Salubra there's only 15 more to go and I'll have her blessing. Additionally, I've upgraded my nail twice already:)

The deepnest was wild lmao. As in, I love creepy stuff so I loved it but like it also made my skin crawl i guess, specially the noises the bugs do when they "come back" to life thanks to the parasite stuff (I have the Hunter's diary btw!!). Really an interesting place and I saved Zote down there, too:D Oh and I met the Midwife?, except I never actually talked to her bc I reflex hit her and later had to google "hollow mask deepnest masked character from the walls".

As another fun fact, I found Nosk earlier today. Like, technically I just got to Kindom's Edge recently, but I went back bc I wanted to review certain areas and things I had marked on my map bc I found them funny (to see if I could investigate now that I have more abilities).

So, I find the breakable wall and I try to explore as much of the area. Eventually I reach the part in which I start seeing myself and I just kept going. It was definitely eerie (which I love) but as I was trying to find my way around, I was a bit afraid thinking something along the notes of "This other me scares me a little, I feel like at some point I will actually run into him and he's going to absolutely fucking wreck me". And I swear I had no idea if that was really where the whole thing was going (I've just played enough videogames to distrust shadow/clone selves) but yeah. that's exactly what happened😭 I didn't really try to beat him, though. I decided to just keep him in mind for later.

And, oh, I found the Godhome, too? But I just looked around a little (there where things marking the bosses I have defeated) and decided to go back bc I had a big big feeling I'm not supposed to be there yet.

At last, I finally rescued Bretta!! I had seen her from afar before but i didn't have the means to reach her yet. After some battling with the later section of the platforming, I finally got to meet her and I love her!!! And she's??? got a crush on me????? I'm. She's so cute. If I sit on the bench beside her at dirtmouth she blushes. blushes¡!!!!! And I read her thoughts and she's like oh my saviour besides me. And I go to her room and there's a plushie of me and and the written story. She's adorable I wanna hug her so bad:(

And I feel like that's all, perhaps? I woke up a dreamer at the distant village and the crossroad is infected now but that's it. anyways. I feel like i might be able to finally sleep after this:)

[xpeachesncream]

it takes two | one shot (myg)

summary: min yoongi was the one who came to understand you and took you for you. but, when boundaries start getting crossed and priorities begin to change, you start to question if your relationship with your bestfriend is strong enough to make it through.

pairing: athlete!reader x athlete!myg

genre: bestfriends to lovers au, basketball au | fluff, angst, smut

words: 12.3k

warnings: cussing, mature language/implied sexual content, protected AND unprotected sex (later on), slight breast play, oral (f. receiving), fingering, multiple orgasms, missionary, riding/straddling, mentions of alcohol consumption, dancing, mention of marijuana, sex on the beach kinda?, some heavy angst, insecurities, crying, injuries (like a cut/ankle sprain), yoongi is just kind of an idiot at one point

note: heavily inspired by the movie love and basketball. unedited for the most part, pls excuse any spelling/grammar errors.

tags: @ggukkieland​ @miinoongi​ @bluesharksandfish​ @unicornbabylover​

⏏︎ now playing: triggered - jhené aiko ; sorry enough - chris brown

First Quarter: 6th Grade

You didn't really have a lot of friends in elementary school. Any, actually. Hell, the girls in your class purposely ignored you because you acted different. Dressed different. Enjoyed the shit boys liked, like playing ball and video games. You couldn't relate to their gel pens, Lisa Frank folders, cute binder stickers and bracelet charms. None of that shit was you. But you didn't care, you were fine by yourself. Nobody to please, nobody to care for.

The only person that came to understand you was Min Yoongi and that's because you played basketball with him and his friends during daycare. At first, it came as a surprise because truthfully, you felt like Yoongi only let you play because he felt bad for you. Which, okay, whatever— so be it. But, after the last round during a game of two versus two, you found yourself on the ground, huge gash on the knee from chasing after the ball before it could go out of bounds.

"Ouch! Crap!" You groaned as you sat up and checked out your knee. Yoongi walks towards you and crouches down, examining the bloody gash.

"Come on." He says, holding out a hand to help lift you up. He swings your arm over his shoulder, already knowing that any sudden movements to your knee can make the wound sting. He takes his time and walks with you as you hop on one leg towards the office, not really saying much. Yoongi wasn't the most talkative in class. He hung out with two or three other boys in your class on the daily, but they were quiet. Weren't much troublemakers, didn't cause ruckus like the other boys did. But, he was still popular among the girls because he was a little cutiepie. You remember walking into the bathroom, hearing Angie and her friends tease her about her crush on Yoongi. Then, the following week, one of her friends also ended up crushing on Yoongi and they bickered [weirdly] in the bathroom about it.

Getting to the office, he sits you down on the bench before approaching the office admin to grab some bandaids and ice for you.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Min?" Mrs. Yao comes over to greet him.

"Y/N's hurt. Can I get a bag of ice and a bandaid for her, please?" Mrs. Yao looks over her shoulder and does a head tilt before sighing. She knew you weren't like the girls in your class, always getting hurt one way or another, being more hardheaded and stubborn than the usual. She grabs a bag of ice and hands the supplies over to Yoongi before placing her hands on her hips.

"You think you can take care of Miss Y/N, or do you need me to help?" He shakes his head.

"I got it, thank you Mrs. Yao." He politely says, giving her a small toothless smile. You silently watch as he walks over, crouching down once again to tend to your wounds. "I don't think this will hurt, but stay still so I can put this bandaid on." He says softly as he spreads the small Neosporin packet across your wound. He wipes his finger down on his pants before removing the back of the bandaid and pressing it against your knee. "There. You should keep the ice on it so it doesn't bruise and stuff." He stands.

"Thank you." He nods as he watches you stand and slightly limp before you adjust your steps to the right pressure. He follows you out, coming back to your side with his hands in his pockets.

"Why don't you act like the other girls?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow at you.

"What? Not liking all the girly stuff that they like?"

"Sure, or you playing basketball. You know girls are usually like cheerleaders and cheer the guys on instead."

"Well, I don't wanna be a cheerleader. I just would rather play. What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, it's just weird to see."

"You're weird." You snapped back.

"How am I weird?"

"You shoot weird."

"And you don't? I shoot better than you." He furrows his brows.

"No you don't."

"Fine, wanna play one more time? Unless you're a wuss and can't play cause of your knee." You rolled your eyes at the sudden change of events.

"I'll play you, I'm not a wuss. Unless you're afraid to lose to a girl." You taunt him as you both walk back to the court.

"Whatever, I'm not afraid cause I won't lose." He grabs the ball and checks it in. "My ball first."

"Sure, if you think that'll help."

And that's how Yoongi lost to you, busted knee and everything. From there, it was history. You became inseparable, Yoongi becoming a large part of your days and vice versa. His parents eventually became close to yours after the numerous times you both have been dropped off to hang out, or catching rides home after school. Yoongi lived in a nearby neighborhood, only being a good 7 minute walk, to be exact.

Second Quarter: High School, Senior Year

In high school, it became a little different. Yoongi grew up, played varsity basketball and became a fucking jock even though he claimed he would never. Yeah, bullshit. You too, played on the girls varsity basketball team, and surprisingly, you two kept each other close. It was a blessing and a curse though, because you couldn't see your life without Yoongi. He's been there since the 6th grade. However, girls took note of that shit. Trying to use you as their way in to Yoongi's heart, or pants, or both. You made it very clear though that you weren't interested in being a fucking messenger. Girls thought you were mean, but really, they just couldn't handle you. Hence, why you really couldn't relate and be one of them.

Yoongi was still the only person who could understand you and handle you, bad attitude and all. Tomboy habits and all. Not wanting to make friends and all.

"Jesus fucking christ, the day just started." Yoongi says as he watches you toss your duffle bag and backpack aggressively in the back seat of his car. "What's your deal?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired." You slump in his passenger seat after buckling your seat belt.

"Chill, don't start your day like this."

"Whatever, dad." You rolled your eyes, causing him to let out a pathetic chuckle.

"Are you coming to my game later?"

"Yeah, if I'm not too tired from practice."

"Y/N, I always make it to your games even if I'm tired."

"Do you?"

"The fuck? Yes I do. When haven't I?" His tone raises with yours. "Don't try and justify your shit by coming up with lies."

"Yeah, yeah bighead. You'll have plenty of cheerleaders there for you."

"Yeah and?" He smirks. "You're the one I'll be looking for though." He caresses your chin, making you smack his hand away while he laughs loudly.

"You're stupid." You groan as you sink lower in his seat. The rest of the ride to school, you shut your eyes and enjoy the peace before you're having to walk down those annoying, congested hallways.

People rave a lot about senior year, but it honestly hasn't felt special to you. Maybe because you kept the same routine since freshmen year, or maybe you really just didn't care as much as everyone else did about how "special" it was. You've always been locked in to basketball even if your mom wasn't a big fan of it. She wished you were more into cute, girly shit, like makeup, shopping, manis and pedis and dresses and heels, but she came to accept this was the way it was going to be. Especially because your dad was your biggest fan. You came to love basketball, more than just a side hobby. You joined the varsity team and practiced day in and day out. When basketball wasn't in season, you'd play with Yoongi at the park or sign up for camps and tournaments. You just wanted to keep bettering yourself so that you could play in college and get into the league post-grad. Yoongi was the same, and he may or may not have influenced your passion for ball. Either way, he was always supporting you and cheering for you even if the other females hated it.

His ex for sure hated the relationship you had with him even though you really steered clear when she was around. Wasn't your fucking problem or responsibility to take care of her insecurities. Same with his flings.

"Hey, so later, yeah?" He asks in between throwing nods and smiles to girls passing by.

"Mhm." You hum. "You gonna be free for lunch later?"

"I don't know. I know where to find you though if I am."

"Have a good day, punk."

"You too, bub. See you in English." He turns on his heel, walking towards his friends, aka his team members. Aka his jock ass group. Aka the ones females flock to.

Namjoon, Jimin, Eunwoo, Lucas.

They were all pretty boys who knew they were pretty boys and used that to their advantage to make big asshole moves. You hated that Yoonks got pulled in from time to time, but shit, it wasn't your life, you were only a small part of his. Sometimes, they also pulled in the football boys, Jungkook and Seokjin. Even the baseball boys, Hoseok and Taehyung. It was all a huge pretty boy, jock, asshole group in the making outside. A big fucking party for a lot of the girls at school, though.

So even if Yoongi was really the only one in your life, you weren't the only one in his. It is, what it is. As long as he doesn't go switching up on you, then whatever, so be it.

The first half of your classes go by quick, being that you enjoyed your chemistry, french and english classes. You had your english class with Yoongi, Namjoon and Hoseok. You had gotten to know Namjoon and Hoseok a little through it, and it was enough to know that they weren't all that bad. At least in this classroom setting.

"You two going to prom together?" Namjoon asks, making Yoongi snort.

"No, what the hell?" Yoongi responds.

"You guys can have fun at prom." You roll your eyes.

"You're really not gonna go?" Joon bites on the end of his pencil.

"No? The fuck I look like?"

"Y/N, I know it'd be weird as fuck to see you in a dress, but it's senior year. You didn't go last year, did you?" Namjoon asks from Yoongi's other side.

"Really, Namjoon?" You give him a look as if it could state the obvious.

"Well shit, I don't know. I know it's not your thing but can't really say I would have noticed either way." Hoseok laughs, causing you to throw your pen at his head before flicking him off.

"Miss Y/N!" Mrs. Maxwell calls you out mid-movie, eyes wide and in disbelief at how you're acting.

"What?! He started it." You slumped back in your seat and let out a sigh.

"Not another word." She says sternly.

"Not another word." You mock her under your breath.

"Aye, stop. You and that attitude boutta get in some trouble the last weeks of senior year." Yoongi puts his hand on your wrist, causing you to shake your head and click your teeth.

"Anyway, you should go." Hoseok whispers as he leans over on the table to look at you.

"No. Besides, with what date?"

"Take the basketball." Joon snickers.

"You're a complete dumbass, Namjoon. Stop talking." You snap.

"Maybe they're right, bub. It's senior year and it's coming to an end quick. I'd hate for you to regret it." Yoongi turns to you and says lowly.

"You know that won't happen." But really, part of you did feel a little bad. You knew it wasn't your scene, and you really didn't care what people thought of you when it came down to it. However, you always wondered what it would be like if someone liked you. If someone wanted you. Crushed on you so hard that they couldn't keep their hands off of you, couldn't stop thinking of you. Your first love. To feel pleasure, pain. Mixture of emotions simply by being in love. You wondered what it would be like to lose your virginity and have good, good sex. Besides, you were a human with needs. But the only person you have ever been close to was Yoongi. For the most part, you didn't see him that way because you knew he definitely didn't. But, you also couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to take your relationship to that point. If it was anyone, he would be the one you'd have feelings for. He would be your first kiss, your first everything. Because Yoongi was comfort and security for you.

But you valued your friendship more than anything.

"Just saying, think about it." He follows up.

"Think about getting an expensive dress and painful ass heals to wear for one night, just to dance around in 'em and take one professional pic with a date? Maybe get railed if I'm lucky?" You playfully wiggle your eyebrows making Yoongi shake his head.

"Don't be such a party pooper for once."

"Mmm. Great reasoning. Really convincing me here." You laugh it off even though in all honesty, you were thinking about it.

The bell rings and thank god it's finally lunch because you were fucking starving. Appetite and attitude on na-na, no doubt. You silently part ways with Yoongi to stop by your locker and grab your lunch. You make your way to the rowdy ass cafeteria, quickly scanning the room to catch a sight of Yoongi. You see him sitting on top of one of the lunch tables with Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin and Taehyung sitting around him. Clearly, Yoongi wasn't free today.

"Wassup baby? Wanna trade that ball in for me?" Jimin says as you pass by their table to make your way outside to the bleachers. You flick him off before rolling your eyes and pretending to gag.

"Fuck off, Park." The group laughs except for Yoongi.

"Wonder if she's got that bad attitude in bed, too." Yoongi doesn't hesitate to smack Jimin upside the head because yeah, no matter what, he was gonna protect you as much as possible. "Owwww, I'm just kidding Yoongi."

"Don't let me hear you say that shit around me ever again."

"Fuck, I'm sorry. It was just a joke." Jimin winces as he rubs the back of his head.

"Damn Min Yoonks, why don't you take her ass to prom if it's like that?" Taehyung says, chewed up food coming into full view as he smacks loudly.

"Why don't you learn how to close your mouth first?" Yoongi spits back.

"Y/N is really rubbing off on you."

"It's manners, idiot. You should've been learned that." Namjoon says, laughing.

"But foreel, why won't you take her? You both are close, you've never seen her that way?" Hoseok asks making Yoongi shake his head in response.

"She's my bestfriend. I value her just the way she is, no more no less."

"Ah, you must have thought about it at least once." Yoongi keeps silent. Luckily, the group easily gets distracted and starts paying attention to Seokjin and Jungkook coming over as they talk about the dates they've scored for prom.

Yoongi has thought about it. Still does. Just like he is for you, you're the only one who understands him and takes him for who he is. You know the real him besides basketball player Yoongi. You're the only one who keeps it real. But he would rather keep it this way than ruin things between you and him. He'd hate to fuck up with you because he knows he can fuck up, there's no hiding from it. He'd never forgive himself if he lost you.

Practice is hell today for you and fuck, you really wanna just go home and lay down for the rest of the evening. Coach had you all running suicides and conditioning drills on the courts outside and pulling scrimmages against each other left and right. Let's not forget how coach is always on your ass right before a game too. Hell, she catches an attitude way worse than you before game time and after a loss. You wanted to avoid that at all costs. But, to avoid taking the bus home and instead hitching a ride with Yoongi, you throw on a hoodie and haul your ass to the gym in some nike slippers. You take a seat on a free end at one of the bleachers, holding Spalding in between your legs with your duffle next to you on the floor. The game is off to a start in about 5 minutes, Yoongi catches sight of you on the bleachers and nods. You give him a small smile as a gesture of good luck, which he reciprocates.

The game starts off intensely, both teams scoring closely even with the boys putting straight pressure. Towards the end of the first half, Yoongi and Eunwoo are the leading scorers, putting their team up by 10. Halftime is a bunch of hoo-haa, with cheerleaders in their itty bitty skirts, trying to shake their asses as they cheer for the boys. The boys don't even hide the fact that their ogling, and it's clear as day they all want some pussy. Quite frankly, they walk around thinking they deserve it cause of how hard they try to pull some wins and put the school on the map. Student government comes up for a bit too, pulling some kind of skit to weirdly promote prom. It makes you cringe and in all honesty, it makes you not wanna go even more, but it is your senior year. If you can snag a date, then maybe.

"Hey." Terra [not a cheerleader but still a pretty, popular chick] plops next to you with a smirk on her face. Immediately, you want no part in it because you already know what she's trying to do.

"Hi?"

"I'm just gonna cut straight to it. Do you know if Yoongi is seeing anyone?"

"How the hell would I know, Terra?" You furrow your brows at her.

"Because you're close to him, aren't you?"

"And? Doesn't mean I'm telling people his business. Besides, he's not obligated to tell me everything just cause we're close." She rolls her eyes.

"Whatever. Look, can you do me a favor and give this to him?" She tries handing you a little ass piece of paper folded neatly with a pink heart decorated on the front.

"Why don't you give it to him yourself?"

"That's no fun." You scoff and roll your eyes. Really, miss girl? "Be a doll for once, yeah?" She winks and slips the note in between your wrist and Spalding so it stays put. You take the note and eye it, letting out a deep sigh as you shove it into your pocket. You weren't in the mood to be extra rude today so you'll give it to him later when he drives you home.

The game finally finishes with Yoongi making a final three, the boys keeping their lead up by 10. Everyone cheers and showers the boys with love after the team has finished shaking hands and high-fiving their opponents. You stick around until the crowd dies down, watching Yoongi flirt with Terra as you swing your duffle bag strap onto your shoulder before slowly heading down the bleachers.

"Hey bighead, good game today." You lightly punch him against the chest.

"I knew you'd come."

"Shut up. I'll be at your car."

"For what?"

"Cause you're taking me home, punk."

"No please?"

"Please." He shakes his head and chuckles before you part ways to let him gather his things in the locker room. When you finally catch sight of his teeny head coming towards you from the gym, you hear him unlock his car to let you in while he continues to walk over.

"Fuuuuuck." He says, throwing his things in the back before buckling his seat belt and switching the gear into drive.

"You have fan mail." Yoongi looks over and sees you clutching the note Terra gave you.

"What's that, a condom?"

"You're sick. It's from Terra."

"Who's that again?" You make a face at him.

"You were just telling her sweet nothings earlier after the game?"

"Oh, Terra with the tig o' bitties. Got it." He shakes his head. "I wasn't telling her sweet nothings."

"Right. You're an absolute dipshit, you know?" You prop up a leg on the seat while you unfold the letter.

"Give it!" You move it away from his grasp and begin to read it out loud.

"Yoongi, you're honestly so hot. If you don't have a date for prom, I just want you to know that I'm free, and I promise I'll give you a good time if you take me." You cackle. "Boy, what the fuck is this? Ew."

"Shut up." He blushes before laughing along with you.

"Look at her, writing her coochie out on paper."

"She isn't."

"Oh, really? Pfft." You softly scoff. "So, are you taking her or what?"

"I don't know? Maybe, damn. What about you?"

"What about me, fool? I told you I'd think about it."

"Go with Jimin. He still doesn't have a date." He hates to say it with how much of an asshole Jimin can be, but if it meant you'd be at your senior prom then Yoongi will let it pass. He'll make sure Jimin doesn't try any slick shit.

"Ew, god no."

"Look, I'll make sure he doesn't go overboard. I promise."

"Why do you want me there so badly, Yoongi?"

"Because it's our last year in high school together and I'd really like to celebrate with you somehow." You sigh heavily.

"Fair enough. Let me sit on it."

"Better hurry and stop keeping that seat warm."

"Don't rush me." You punch his arm, causing a groan to erupt from him.

- - -

Really, you'd rather be anywhere than at prom with Park Jimin holding onto your waist the way he is for the pictures you're taking with him, Yoongi and the rest of their group and dates. After all the pictures and fake smiles, you feel him slowly slip his hand down your dress to try and get a grip on your ass, but before you could do so, you're grabbing his wrist with full pressure and making him wince.

"Don't you fucking dare or else I'll cut your dick off and throw it in a blender."

"Aish, ah, fuck! Okay, I'm kidding, let me go!" He whines lowly. You let go of his wrist after one more good squeeze, causing him to wiggle his hand to get the feeling back.

"Get me some punch, will you? My mouth is dry."

"You know, I might know something else that can help." Jimin wiggles his eyebrows as he continues to hold onto his wrist.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

"Or not. I'll be back." He accepts defeat by smiling from ear to ear before walking off. You sit off to the side, the heels a huge pain in the ass on top of Jimin already being a huge pain in the ass. You lean over on your knees, completely forgetting you have a short dress on, causing boys passing by to whistle and eye at the easy access.

"The fuck are you looking at? Keep it moving." Yoongi says pushing the guys forward before shooting you a look. "Y/N, really?"

"Shit sorry, I forgot. I'm not used to this." You sit up and adjust your dress before rubbing your arms at how self-conscious you suddenly [and unexpectedly] feel.

"Are you having fun at least?" He sits next to you, manspreading on the seat in the navy suit he has on.

"Mmm, sure." You slightly smile at him. "What about you? You actually took Terra, huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty fun." He chuckles. "Don't lie, I saw you dancing a bit earlier."

"That's when the alcohol hadn't worn off yet." You snort, remembering Seokjin's older brother giving the group alcohol after all the parents were done taking their pictures of you all. Yoongi laughs along with you before he looks over and simply stares at you, hair all done, makeup done perfectly without it being too much. You in a dress.

"You look beautiful tonight, bub."

"You don't look too bad yourself, bubby." You blush before Jimin interrupts the moment with your cup of punch.

"Here, princess."

"You better not be trying anything slick, punkass." Yoongi says.

"Mm, don't worry. I haven't been able to." You kick his shin as you chug your punch, causing him to cough and choke on his own words. "I'd like to peacefully have this slow dance with you at least, damn." You swallow the last bits of punch before you're taking Jimin's hand to the floor. Yoongi watches as you two make your way to the dance floor for a slow dance, slightly regretting that he didn't just ask you to dance.

"Let's dance, babe." Terra's baby voice comes out as she pulls him up from the seat to find a spot on the dance floor. Yoongi is honestly tired of having to keep up with Terra's energy and her clingy ass, but nonetheless, he was happy you were around for prom.

He was really happy you were around for prom, even though you hated this shit more than anything.

He had you in full view ahead, and so did you. He couldn't help but direct his attention towards you and keep his eyes on you. Fuck, he has never seen anyone so beautiful until you walked through Seokjin's doors with Jimin. Look, let's get this straight. Even though you had your own way of expressing yourself, he always loved your natural beauty, your natural glow. He loved watching you on the court and how happy it made you to play ball. He remembers every accomplishment, every milestone you've reached. How you've grown tremendously as a ball player. He would never admit it to you in person, but he definitely admires how you push yourself and how you always do what you can to improve. Hell, you might just be the better player between the both of you. And when you catch him looking over, he doesn't even try and hide it. He doesn't even care that he's still holding onto Terra and slow dancing with her.

Something within you flips. You feel that shit in the pit of your stomach, at the heat of your core.

But, you brush it off and break eye contact first, even if he doesn't stop staring. This couldn't happen, no. This was your bestfriend. You weren't gonna let the things you felt get in the way of that.

Nope.

Suddenly, the song changes to something more upbeat and twerkable, Jimin taking the opportunity to spin you around and grind on you. You really need a distraction anyway, something to rid you of those god awful thoughts about your bestfriend, so you let him and you have fun with it. Everyone around you is having fun anyway, and fuck, you wouldn't have to do this ever again so fuck it.

"Let me get a dance with my bestfriend." Yoongi says to Jimin.

"Go dance with your date!"

"Shut up and switch for a second!" Yoongi says, pushing him off of you so he could get behind and dance with you.

"Yoonks, what the hell?" You laugh.

"Go with it, bub. It's fucking senior year, we're graduating soon." You go with his movements, having the time of your life with everyone around you as prom quickly comes to a close.

When you get into Jimin's car, you knock off your heels as he continues to talk nonstop about the night. Jimin was a cutie but god, you could not stand his mindset for the life of you. You were grateful he had agreed to take you to prom, but damn. Prom was done and all you wanted was some peace and quiet.

"I hope you had fun with me tonight." You give him a toothless smile before slipping your heels back on.

"I did, thank you for taking me. Really." He smiles from ear to ear before leaning over near your seat.

"Can I get just one good smooch for the night?" You look at him before you smirk and lean over near his lips.

"Sure." You whisper.

"Oh fuck, this is actually happening."

"Close your eyes, I know you don't fucking kiss with your eyes open. What are you doing?"

"Right. Sorry." He closes his eyes and puckers his lips. You lean in a little closer, feeling his breath against your lips.

Then you flick his nose.

"Ouch!"

"Peace out, Park." You throw open his door to step out and shut it behind you to quietly walk into your house.

The lights are off and your parents are already tucked into the room for the night, leaving you a note on the fridge reminding you to make sure all the doors are locked before retreating to your room. You do as you're reminded before quietly shutting your door and tossing your heels to the side. You let the pins down from your hair, ruffling it around a bit and relieving any pressure on your head. Before turning away from your dresser, you notice a letter from the one university you had been waiting on. You had been waiting to hear back from Stanford for the longest time, and quite frankly, you had been upset you hadn't heard especially when their scouts were at your game awhile ago.

You had broken down to your parents, to Yoongi, automatically assuming the worst when you heard that other people had already been accepted and scouted for Stanford. Suddenly, you found yourself working harder and harder because you felt like you were lacking in so many areas. You felt low, and like your dream was running miles and miles away from you. Faster than you could keep up.

You take the letter in your hand, but don't want to open it because you don't feel ballsy enough [surprisingly]. You call up Yoongi, not caring that he could possibly be in the middle of getting his dick wet.

"Sup?"

"Are you busy?"

"I was just about to walk into my house."

"Oh, nevermind."

"Need me to come by?"

"I got a letter from Stanford."

"Shit, I'll be there in 2 mins."

And in 2 minutes, he surely was knocking at your window. You slide it up enough for him to climb in, Yoongi still in his prom get-up as well.

"Here." You instantly hand him the letter.

"What, why me? It should be you."

"I can't, I really can't." He sighs.

"Are you sure you won't regret this?"

"No, bub. Please." You sit on the bed and fiddle with your fingers as you watch him rip the envelope open and tear out the letter. You can't even keep your eyes on him as he reads the letter and starts backing away from you.

"Shit."

"What? What?!" You stand, trying your best to keep your tone low. He covers his mouth, causing you to pinch his bicep at how dramatic he was being. "Just say it!"

"You're not going." Your heart sinks, but before you could process it, Yoongi speaks up again. "To any other college because Stanford wants you."

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" You whisper and shove him.

"Congrats, bubby. Guess we'll be together in college too." Your eyes widen.

"Y-you're going? T-to Stanford?" He smiles and nods.

"Yeah, I am."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Look, I just wanted to give you your space. That's all. I found out before you went all cry baby on me."

"Shut up." You say before laughing and jumping into his arms, throwing your legs around his torso while he swings you around. As he sets you back down onto your bedroom floor, your hands linger around his neck, gently tugging on the hair that rested there. He keeps you close, his hands resting around your waist as your chests are still touching. You honestly have no idea what takes over you— perhaps all the feelings you felt tonight at prom taking over, or feeling overjoyed from finally hearing back from Stanford, you couldn't decide. But you crash your lips against his, immediately pulling back after you realized you've just kissed your bestfriend.

You just had your first fucking kiss through accidental causes.

Well, shit.

Was it accidental or no?

Mind is going off on a tangent.

"Woah. I'm so sorry, Yoonks, I—" He doesn't allow for any space between you two, keeping your body flush against his as his lips crash onto yours again to cut you off. To be quite honest, things are moving fast and the kiss deepens quick. You follow his motions, gaining some rhythm as your tongue dances along with his in the [now] wet, sloppy kiss.

"Wait, Y/N." He pulls away as the moment intensifies. "A-are you sure you wanna keep going? To be honest, I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself back and I know you haven't exactly—" He knows it would be your first time and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. I mean, sure, he loved you. You were special to him. But he wanted to make sure your first time was also special, whether it be him or whoever else.

"Please. I want this. I wanna do this with you."

By the looks of tonight, it seems like it's meant to be him.

You press your lips back onto his with the same intensity and start to unbutton his shirt when you feel his hands hike up your dress. He gently pushes you on the bed, crawling over to you as he kicks off his shoes and finishes ripping off his shirt and tie. He slowly removes the straps of your dress down your shoulders and undoes the zipper on the side before slipping it down and leave you in your panties.

You had no bra on.

Yoongi's eyes widen when he realizes such, your cheeks heating up while you watch him stare down your body. You begin to feel incredibly self-conscious so you cover your chest with an arm. Yoongi senses your uneasiness, your confidence shooting down below zero.

"You're beautiful, bub. Don't." He says, gently tugging your arm away and letting it fall limply to the side. You simply nod and let him take the reigns because you had no idea what the fuck you were doing. So many emotions were flooding your mind— you were nervous, you were scared, you were shy, you felt lost and too innocent under Yoongi, even if he knew you like the back of his hand.

And because of that, he could pick up on it with the way your body continued to tense up. He shook off his pants, leaving on his boxers until you were ready for him. Cause fuck, he was ready for you, but he had to take this slow. He had to take care of you.

He lowers himself onto you after the two of you have climbed under the sheets, lowering his head against your neck to press light, feathery kisses along the surface. You felt the tingles shoot down your spine every time his lips made contact, causing you to softly gasp and arch your back at how sensitive you were already feeling.

"If you ever feel uncomfortable, just tell me to stop okay?" He says lowly. You nod in response, Yoongi taking it as leverage to plant a kiss on your lips before moving down to your breasts. He keeps his eyes on you, making sure you don't seem uncomfortable in the slightest bit. But you don't, and it's indicated in the way you bite your bottom lip and arch your back at the way his tongue wraps around your hardened bud. He does the same on the other breast before peppering kisses down your stomach and abdomen.

"Yoongi." You slightly gasp, shy at how unusually close he is to your lady friend.

"What's wrong? Want me to stop?" His thumbs gently caressed your thighs as his head hovered over your pelvis. You shake your head and nervously swallow before speaking once more.

"I-I'm just scared, what if you don't like—"

"Shh." He shushes you. "You're everything to me, you know that. You don't have to change just so I could enjoy you in bed. I'll take good care of you, bub. I promise."

"O-okay." He nods, placing a kiss over your clothed clit before pulling them down to get lost within your sheets. He swipes a finger down your folds, causing your breathing to hitch slightly. You watch as he slowly inserts the same digit inside of you, biting onto his bottom lip watching your facial expressions turn from uncertainty to straight pleasure. "Another." You moan.

"You sure?"

"Yes, please." He inserts another digit, curling his fingers upward as he starts to finger fuck you at a steady pace.

"Shit, you're so wet Y/N." He says lowly before lowering his mouth onto you to get a taste and tease your clit. You gasp at the overwhelming sensation, feeling the pleasure bubbling in your core and you had no idea how to deal with it. He picks up his pace while tonguing your clit and sucking at the right pressure until suddenly, you short circuit and tremble under his grip. You purse your lips together to prevent yourself from moaning too loud with your parents at the other end of the hall [jesus fucking christ], knuckles turning white as you grip the sheets tightly.

Your first orgasm came and washed over you quick.

"Did you just—" He removes his digits from inside of you, drooling at your cum accumulating all over his fingers.

"Holy fuck." You whisper as you regulate your breathing, twitching when Yoongi places a quick kiss on your pussy before coming back up to you.

"How was that?"

"So good. Wanna feel you." You whine, tugging him down towards you.

"I got you, bubby." He says, kissing your jaw, cheek, nose and lips. He reaches over into his pants on the floor, grabbing a condom out of his pocket. You furrow your brow and chuckle, confused if this was something he always did.

"You just carry that around?"

"The guys and I split on a box and carried one each for tonight. Just in case."

"Total fucking assholes." He chuckles.

"Better safe than not, right?" He rips it open with his teeth, spitting the wrapper out onto the floor before rolling it down his cock. He was perfectly thick and long, and it made you a nervous wreck all over again thinking about how this could feel. "Ready? I'll go slow." You nod. You immediately felt immense pressure when you felt Yoongi dip his body and slowly enter you. You winced, Yoongi immediately pausing until you tapped his arm to continue. And so he does, and you continue to breathe through it until he bottoms out and lets out a soft groan against your neck. "Fuck, you're so tight bub. God, you're gonna make me cum quick." He slowly pumps in and out, steadying his pace when he feels you buck your hips up to go along with his motions.

The pleasure skyrocketed; You shut your eyes, letting yourself be in this moment. Feel this moment.

He picks it up a little faster, careful not to bang your headboard against the wall. His forehead is pressed against yours, watching as you let out soft whimpers against his lips.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Yoongi-Yoongi—" You whispered. "You're gonna make me—" It was becoming overwhelming, your clit rubbing against him as he steadied his pace and continued to fuck into you. He nods, pressing a kiss against your forehead.

"Yeah, that's it. Let go. It's okay." And that was enough for you to reach your second orgasm tonight. Quick, but fuck. Yoongi made you feel so good, and you wouldn't want it any other way. You shut your eyes as you hurdled over the edge, mouth open with silent, inaudible moans being released. "So fucking pretty." Yoongi says as he feels himself reaching his high with the way your walls pulsated against his cock.

God. So, so good.

He holds onto the headboard and quickly fucks into you until he's spilling his seed in the condom, muffled moans being released against the crook of your neck. It takes a moment before Yoongi raises his head, your hands running through his black hair while he presses a tender kiss against your lips. He slowly removes himself, wrapping the condom in a tissue before tossing it into your trash can. He plops next to you and welcomes you into his arms, caressing you to soothe you from your first time.

"You okay?"

"More than okay." You say, the both of you trying to savor the moment before trying to navigate where to go from here.

What now?

Third Quarter: College, Junior Year (Present)

You bent down, hands resting against your knees as you tried to catch your breath during the timeout Coach Chu had called with 5.2 seconds literally left on the clock. He laid out the play he wanted you and the team to pull off in order to gain the win over Berkeley.

It had to be executed perfectly. No flaws.

Coach Chu had been riding your ass since you were a freshman. But, over the years, you've learned how to work through his tough love and turn it into positives, bettering yourself on and off the floor. It paid off, and he saw the fire in you, finally moving you up to starting point guard right before the season ended. Some team members hated it at first, but eventually, grew to work with it as well.

The plan was to have you come down into the paint and lay up the ball or take a shot at the very last second to avoid Berkeley from getting another chance at scoring. Sometimes you hated the pressure, but you've also learned that a big part of playing ball was thriving under pressure.

Your team closes up the huddle before you and your teammates are heading back out onto the floor to try and get this win. You shake off the nerves, bouncing the ball out of bounds until you check it in with your teammate. After that— it was like a blur. Shit happened so quick, you couldn't even process it. You passed the ball and dashed over to the other side of the court while your teammate put up a screen. You rose your hand as you ran into the paint, adrenaline rushing through your veins as you awkwardly lay up the ball in the position you were in and stumble onto the ground from losing your footing. You turn your head as the buzzer went off, noticing that the ball had bounced off the rim.

You missed a fucking lay up.

How could you miss a fucking lay up?

"Fuck!" You cry as you sit up and smack the floor.

"Aye, it's all good girl! Ain't a big deal! You win some, you lose some! We still got a ways to go!" Your teammate [roommate, and closest college friend] Clarice said as she helped you up. She was right, but every loss to you was a big loss no matter what. Coach was for sure gonna drill you about this too, and you were already mentally preparing.

"Thanks." You mumble. You look out at the disappointed crowd slowly dispersing, wishing you could still catch a familiar face in the crowd.

But, Yoongi hadn't been to your game in years. So you thought. You never caught him if he ever stepped foot into your game.

Your head hung low as the familiar feeling of pain and loneliness came rushing back while you headed to the locker room. Too bad you didn't see him hiding out on the side of the bleachers with Lucas.

"Y/N, a word." Coach Chu says, leading you into his office.

Fuck, here we go.

You shut the door behind you and stand awkwardly in front of his desk, fiddling with your fingers.

"Look, I just want to say that you put on hell of a show tonight, win or lose. We still have plenty of games left, plenty of opportunities to lock in play-offs. Alright? Don't be upset."

"Thanks Coach." You give him a tiny smile.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I think so."

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing coach, just been a hectic couple of weeks." In which, it was no lie. You crammed for test after test, project after project. You barely had any time to breathe this year.

"Well, my door is always open if you need to chat." You nod. "I'll see you at practice. Enjoy your night."

"Thanks again." You say as you exit his office and get yourself showered and into comfier clothes.

Meanwhile, Yoongi heads back to his dorm room alongside Lucas, hands dug deep into his pockets while his head hung low.

"You ever gonna talk to her?"

"I don't know." He sighs. "Pretty sure I fucked up any chance of that."

"Look, dude. You haven't really been the same since you and Y/N fell out." Yoongi stays silent as they slowly climb the steps up to their room. "Why are you just gonna leave it like this? It's been so long already. Doesn't it bother you?"

"Positive she doesn't want me around." Lucas shakes his head.

"You haven't even tried. You just gave up and that shit is cold, to be honest. I know Y/N always held it down for you, I would have expected you to do the same." The words cut through Yoongi so deep, he doesn't even know how to respond and leaves it at that.

As you heavily dragged your body back to the dorms and took your sweet ol' time, your mind began to wander back to Yoongi as well. After he had taken your virginity that night, things took a turn for the worst.

He treated you differently, created this distance that allowed you to grow farther and farther apart from each other until he was no longer in your grasp and vice versa.

You went from Yoongi being a part of your every day to nothing. And fuck, did it hurt you. You cried and cried, until you were so tired of crying. You had to pick yourself up and keep it moving no matter what. Life waits for nobody.

You reminisce on those days of debating over who could really be considered the greatest. Although, you did pay your respects to the bigs, the greats— Kobe, Magic, MJ, Lebron— you paid respect where it was rightfully due. However, Derrick Rose at his prime? Rajon Rondo? Chris Paul?

Hell, even Baron Davis, Monte Ellis. Rookie Steph Curry? Shiiit. They were it for you, and Yoongi used to dog your ass on how unrealistic you were being.

That was all gone.

He must be having a ball watching Steph climb up those charts now, though. You wonder what he would say to you.

The days of going to basketball games, to each other's basketball games, to ordering hella pizza and creating chaos in either house over the dunk contest during the NBA All Star Week or yelling all around the living room and jumping on couches during the NBA playoff season and championship games— All gone.

If you knew this would drastically change you and Yoongi, you would have never let that night happen. You continued to put on your brave face, your thick, tough skin even though deep down, it took everything in you to suppress the hurt, betrayal and confusion. Even after all these years.

He meant everything to you. Did you not to him? You could never understand until this day. How could he dispose of you so, so quickly?

You see him on campus and quickly break any eye contact, or run the opposite way. You were tired of doing this even though you felt like you needed closure. Some explanation. You deserved it. But you weren't gonna initiate that. Even if Yoongi did, you don't even know if things could ever go back to the way it was. He promised he would never hurt you, but he has. He still is hurting you. The wounds— it cut deep. Deeper than he could ever imagine.

"Hello?" You smile, hearing your dad on the other line.

"Hey dad."

"Hey baby! How was your game? I'm sorry I couldn't catch it tonight, work kept me behind." You sigh.

"Eh, it's probably good you didn't. Didn't turn out so well." He picks up on how your voice cracks ever so slightly, enough to indicate that you were trying your hardest not to break down about your performance. "I missed the winning shot."

"Oh sweetheart, you'll get 'em next time. You always do. You still have a couple of games left don't you?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't change the fact that I played shitty as hell tonight."

"There's always room for improvement, only way to go is up from here right?" He says softly, making you smile. "You'll get 'em next time, I have no doubt. You always know how to better yourself even when I think you've already reached your highest potential."

"Thanks Dad. You always were my number one fan."

"I still am." He chuckles. "How's everything else? School?"

"Fine." He always has to stop himself from asking about Yoongi, even to ask if there's been the slightest change to your relationship.

"You sure?"

"Course." You lie.

"Alright, well you know me and your mom are here for you if you need anything."

"I know."

"I'll let you go and get some rest, alright? Don't be so hard on yourself."

"Mmm, I'll try." You chuckle. "I love you."

"Love you too. And hey, baby?"

"Yeah?"

"Always remember that you deserve everything good in this world. If someone can't handle you at your worse, they sure as hell don't deserve you at your best."

"Thank you." You smile as if your dad can see you through the phone before hanging up and unlocking your dorm door.

"Sigma Nu party going on tonight, wanna come and slide through?" Clarice asks as she watches you toss your duffle aside.

"I'm tired, not in the mood."

"So aren't I, but I think we both need it. Come on girl, just for a little." You sigh. Clarice had also been there by your side since you both were freshmen recruits. One day, she came into the room and found you a crying mess, causing her to wrap her arms around you and craddle you until you calmed down. You had spilled the beans about Min Yoongi, especially when he quickly became the talk of the campus as a ladies man and one of the best freshmen recruits Stanford has ever seen. You hated it, but a part of you still found yourself happy that he was getting the recognition he deserved as a ball player.

He wasn't the tallest, or the biggest, but boy had heart and played every game like it was his last. You had been his number one fan, and even though you hated him, that fact would never change.

Anyways, without Clarice, you weren't sure where you'd be. Definitely not here because you'd be too busy running away from your past and all the issues that came with it.

Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and say it. You would be stupid enough to not go to your first choice just because of a stupid boy.

"Fine, fine. I'm leaving as soon as someone wants to start acting up and getting all crazy though."

"Deal." She chuckles. You've learned how to dress up a little more— and by a little we mean baggy sweats, a crop tight fitting tee and chapstick. No way in hell you'd get dolled up for a party. Out of the years you've already been here, you probably went to two parties. One being the party Coach Chu threw at his house for a record-breaking season. The other was a legit party that you stepped foot in for all of 2 seconds before you figured it was time to head home, especially after seeing Yoongi hugged up with some chick and disgustingly tonguing her down while groping her ass.

Shit, you were never gonna get used to it.

The frat house is fucking packed and wreaks of weed even down the corner. You and Clarice push your way through, greeting people who were acknowledging your presence and waving at your other teammates that were also present.

"More basketball babes have arrived, let's go!" One of the frat guys cheers as you and Clarice make your way to the kitchen where all the alcohol is laid out.

"One shot?" She asks as she already has her hand wrapped around the Svedka handle.

"One and done." You tell her. You shouldn't have let her pour the shot though because now, you're stuck with nasty ass vodka near the halfway mark of the cup. "Clarice, what the fuck is this?"

"It's called savoring our one."

"You're fucked up." You joked as you tap your cup against hers and take the shot in three chugs. "Really fucked up." You wince.

"Come, lets go see what the other girls are up to and hang out for a bit." You follow her lead to the corner of the living room, chatting it up with your team before dancing around in the little corner you all occupied— keeping as far away as possible from sloppy and messy dudes.

You turned to eye the crowd at some point, catching Yoongi coming down the stairs, a female following from behind holding his hand. Then, they disappear to the outside of the house. You swallow the lump in your throat, the room feeling hotter than it already was.

Why he still had this affect on you, you had no idea.

Clarice and your teammates are too busy cracking jokes that they don't realize you've slipped away to get some air. You're finding that the crowd has come bigger in the short amount of time you've been here and navigating through it has become difficult. You're having to bob, weave and shove your way out, letting out a sigh the closer you get to the front of the house. You're also really glad you've been able to steer clear from—

"Shit, my bad." You unintentionally bump into someone making your way to the front from the side of the house due to you keeping your head low.

"Y/N?" You whip your head around to see Yoongi raising a brow, dropping his arm from the same chick's shoulders.

"Hi." You give him a fake, tight-lipped smile and rush your way to the front of the house. Thank god you finally make it because you were starting to feel claustrophobic, even being outside. However, you weren't prepared for Yoongi to come after you and grab your wrist the way he did.

"Wait, I didn't expect you to be here." Out of defense, you quickly snatch your wrist away from his grip and furrow your brows at him.

"Yeah, and now I'm leaving."

"Why, hang out for a bit—"

"And what, Yoongi? Watch you be the life of the party? Watch you walk around all fine and dandy like shit never happened between us?" You feel the tears welling up on your bottom lids, but you promised yourself you would never cry over him again. You refuse to. He had already taken up so much of you that you refuse to give him any more.

"Is that what you really think?" He says, the hurt apparent in his expression. To be frank, no. Yoongi really, really never meant to hurt you. And just like he had mentioned before, he would never forgive himself if he ever hurt you. He hasn't forgiven himself. He hasn't forgiven himself for how he let you slip out of his grasp when it was his own fault for pushing aside his feelings for you. He thought the world of you, the only woman who kept it real with him and stuck by him through the highest of highs, lowest of lows. There was no one as special as you, no one who could ever be as special as you, no matter how many times he tried to sink his dick into other females.

No one was real like you.

But, he was also conflicted because of that. He felt like he couldn't give you the love you rightfully deserved, he didn't think he could love you properly. He had so much to learn and he didn't wanna hurt you in the process. It sounds so fucking stupid [because it is] that he thought distancing himself was better than just being honest. He was a dumbass high schooler, he didn't know any better. But, he never meant to make you feel special for one night, then run from it. You were always special to him. You had always been. You always will be. And these past years hurt like a bitch, but he coudn't find the words to explain. Eventually, he just believed he would do less damage if you both remained distant this way.

Although, he longed for you. He really needed you just as you needed him. He always has, always will.

So when the two of you bump into each other tonight, he felt like maybe, it was a sign. Maybe it was time to stop being childish.

God, he missed your face.

God, he was a fucking asshole.

"No, I'm not doing this shit." You shake your head. "Just— continue to stay away from me, okay? I'm better off without you." The words sting you, but it doesn't sting you as much as it stings Yoongi. You glare at him once more before you turn on your heel and begin walking down the street to head back to your dorm.

"Y/N! Wait up!" Clarice calls for you, eyeing Yoongi as she passes him to catch up with you down the street. "Hey, hey. You okay?" She swings her arm around you when she catches you silently crying to yourself. "What did he do, Y/N?"

"He fucking exists, that's what." You groan. "Ugh, fuck! I'm not supposed to be crying over his dumbass, I'm better than this Clarice— Why the fuck am I crying over it?" You break down, crouching down to your knees, causing Clarice to hover over you and pull you into a hug.

"Maybe you just need to let it out and stop forcing yourself to not feel anything."

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." You bawled into your arms. "I hate him so much." She caressed your back. "But he still finds a way to mean so much to me."

"I think it's time for you two to talk."

"I can't. It's just better this way."

"Are you sure? Because look at you, Y/N. You're a mess, and this hasn't even been the first time you broke down about him. As much as you want to believe that you're fine without him, you're not. He was your bestfriend and I think you need him more than you even know yourself."

"He's doing fine without me."

"You don't know that, baby. Dudes are annoying as fuck because they can literally go on about their day and mask that shit well. If he's ready, let him explain. Hear him out. You both may be misunderstanding the entire situation." It takes you a good minute before you can finally gather yourself and make it back to your dorm room with Clarice.

She was right.

But you were so angry more than anything. You were angry and you weren't sure how you could get past it.

He left your side. 

And so the next day, you go about your day in class, staying quieter than usual during practice. For the most part, Coach Chu was always on your ass because of how vocal you were and how much you caught an attitude when things didn’t go the way you'd like it to. So, to see you this quiet, almost sullen even, concerns him. But, he already pressed you once and he wasn't gonna do it again to avoid irritating you any further.

You run the usual conditioning drills, practicing play by play before a final scrimmage game for the night. You push yourself hard like you always do, almost coming out of practice dry heaving from how tired you are. It was your bad habit though, you wouldn't quit until you got it right. Until you felt right. And unfortunately, it's another one of those nights where you feel unsatisfied with your performance. So, you take it upon yourself to continue practicing in the empty gym that was set to close within the next hour. You're tired out of your mind, and you know this is probably a bad idea, but you can't shake off the feeling of dissatisfaction. To you, that was the next worst thing. Right behind Yoongi.

You begin to work on your three pointers, lay ups and shots out of range before you start to play a scrimmage game with yourself.

"I'll play you." You suddenly hear, the sweat beads dripping down your forehead at this point. You watch Yoongi as he drops his water bottle off at the side of the court before walking over to you.

"Go away."

"Afraid you'll lose?"

"No, I just don't wanna play your ass." You shot up the ball, only for it to bounce off the backboard and land in Yoongi's hand.

"Ball up. Let's play till 10."

"Why the hell do you wanna play me, Yoongi? Don't you have a random chick to bone?"

"I'm clearly standing right in front of you aren't I? Quit fucking talking and play." He aggressively passes you the ball to check it in, you following suit, making the ball damn near bounce off of his chest with how hard you pass it back. He knew exactly how to rile you up.

You get into the zone quickly, trying to find some kind of redemption for the way you had been feeling lately. Redemption, validation, way to take the edge off— anything, really. It was only until the first person scored to 10, but Yoongi was putting up one hell of a fight, jet black hair parted down the middle and matted to his forehead from the sweat building up. You take the lead, sitting at 8 while Yoongi sat at a sad 6 points.

"Ball." You call out as you scored a layup, ramming yourself against the padded wall with the force you had put up.

"That's 10."

"Ball, Yoongi." You huffed and puffed.

"Stop, don't overwork yourself. You just got—"

"Suddenly you care? Stop being a pussy and pass me the goddamn ball." He furrows his brows as he passes you the ball, crouching down to meet you at eye level to try and guard you. You run towards the right of the court, pulling a pump fake before you pivot to get away from Yoongi's guard. You pivot hard and drive it up to the basket, only to fall on the wrong footing and twist your ankle on the way down. "Ouch, fuck!"

"Shit, Y/N!" Yoongi comes to your side, hand supporting your back as the other is on your ankle.

"I'm fine, leave me—"

"Stop being so fucking stubborn and let me help you." He says angrily. You don't say anything else while you fix your position on the floor. "Can you wiggle it at least?"

"Y-yeah." You wince as you wiggle your foot and roll it around a couple of times. Phew, at least this shit wasn't gone for good. But Coach Chu still wouldn't be happy to hear you sprained your ankle releasing your anger on Yoongi during a dumb game. Yoongi helps you stand, arm around your waist as he throws your arm around his neck and holds you steady by the wrist.

"Try walking on it."

"I can, but it hurts a little." Yoongi sighs.

"You just sprained it. Let's go get you some ice or something at the nursing center before going back to your dorm." You silently nod as you hang onto Yoongi for extra support, careful not to make the situation any worse than it already is. He has you sit on the chair within the nursing center, the nurse coming over to wrap your ankle nicely before giving you crutches and some instant hot compress to pop onto it. She orders for security to drive you two over to the dorm building in their go-cart so that you wouldn't have to do much walking on your foot while you focused on healing.

Yoongi doesn't leave your side, even after you've walked into your dark, empty dorm room, not really knowing where Clarice is at right now [possibly library]. He shuts your door and sits you on the edge of your bed, setting your crutches near your bed side and your instant hot compress.

"You need anything else?" Your head hangs low as you slightly chuckle and shake your head.

"Why are you doing this?" You ask him lowly before looking back up at him, tears clouding your vision. "Hm? Why, Yoongi?"

"You're hurt, why wouldn't I—"

"Hmm." You hum. "I'm hurt? So where the fuck were you after prom night? When I was hurt then, where the fuck have you been?" You began to cry.

"Y/N." His tongue swipes over his lips before he sighs. "I'm sorry." He says, close to a whisper.

"Are you? Because I don't think you really understand how bad you hurt me." You aggressively wipe away your tears while continuing to look at him, his body language soft and full of regret. "You didn't care about me."

"How could you say that? I cared—" He sighs as his head drops for a second. "I care about you more than you know."

"If you did then why the fuck was it so easy for you to drop me the way you did?!" You yelled. "You just don't do that to the people you care about, especially if it’s your bestfriend."

"Look, you're right. I have no excuse for the way I acted, and if I could turn back time to re-do it, I would. But I can't, and the only thing I can do is apologize and do my best to make it up to you." His bottom lip trembles as he steps closer to you, a small frown forming at the corners of his mouth.

"Yoongi." You cried. "I did everything for you, I stuck by you through everything, even during the times you didn't deserve that shit from me. But I stayed! I stood by you because you meant everything to me and god—" You groaned. "I needed you. I needed you and you weren't there! I fucking hate you for doing this shit to me but part of me will always have love for you no matter how fucked up the situation is. I will always drop everything for you. I will always care about you, and it's so unfair." It broke Yoongi's heart and he didn't know what to say, but he wraps his arms around you anyway, keeping you in a tight hug against his chest. He's surprised that you let him, even more surprised at how he feels your body soften under his touch.

"Fuck, I'm so, so sorry bub." He says lowly as he presses a kiss on top of your head. "I'm so sorry."

"Please don't ever go again." You cry against his chest.

"No, I'm not. I'm gonna be right here." He says hugging you tighter. "You're the only one who's ever understood me, who's ever kept it real with me. I don't deserve you, but I know damn sure I'll work hard to make up for letting you go in the first place." He places another kiss on top of your head. "I'm right here. Not going anywhere. I'm so sorry."

- - -

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

"THE STANFORD BOYS TAKE THE CHAMPIONSHIP!" The commentator screams into his mic, Yoongi running a lap around the court before he's cheering loudly with his teammates and joining the group hug. You run down the bleachers, dashing straight into Yoongi's arms while he swings you around.

"That's what I'm fucking talking about!" You squeal and giggle as Yoongi places you back down and plants multiple kisses around your face, hands resting on the small of your back.

"Let's get out of here." He whispers in your ear.

"I'll wait at your car, bighead." You wink, causing him to smile that gummy smile of his that you adore more than life itself.

There's obviously a huge party going on tonight to celebrate this huge achievement, but Yoongi says he doesn't wanna join for once. He's happy, yeah. But the way he wants to celebrate is in peace. After so long, he feels like he can finally say he's content with where his life is at and where it's going. He drives over to the nearest beach, backing into a space so the both of you could sit in the back and try catching all the shooting stars up above. Yoongi leans against the side of the trunk, allowing you to lay your head on his lap while you curled up beside him listening to the waves slowly crash against the sand.

"Saw one." He says, looking up at the sky.

"You're a punk, no you didn't."

"What?" He laughs. "How are you about to say that? I caught it with my own two eyes."

"Oop! I saw one!"

"Now that's a lie. I was looking up too."

"Shut up." You laugh, causing Yoongi to tickle you along the sides before he stops and plants a kiss on your lips. It's silent for a minute while the two of you take in the night view— The sky and ocean coming together as one, forming a view that seemed endless.

"Hey."

"Hm?" You hum as Yoongi's fingers gently brush through your hair.

"You know I love you right?"

"Ew with the sappy shit, Min Yoongi." He laughs.

"Seriously."

"I know." You smile up at him. "I love you too."

"Come here." He says softly, tugging you upwards. You sit up, allowing Yoongi to press his lips against yours. He pulls you in by your shirt, having you straddle his lap while he grips onto your hips and immediately grinds against you. You let out a small moan feeling how quickly he hardened, his cock hitting you in the right places as you continue to grind on him. "Fuck, wanna feel you babygirl."

"Here?"

"Yeah." He chuckles and bites onto his bottom lip.

"What, all of a sudden you're scared?"

"Fuck off." You fire back, releasing his hardened member from its confines as you stroke him gently. He tilts his head back in pleasure before tugging your shorts and panties to the side, enough for him to cop a feel of how wet you are.

"Baby's all wet."

"What're you gonna do about it?" You whisper against his lips, biting onto his bottom lip and pulling back slightly. He hisses at the sensation before he moves your hand from his cock and takes control. He pushes you upward, positioning you enough to line up with your entrance.

"Take this shit off."

"Yoongi, we're in public."

"So, you're all talk and no play."

"I hate you."

"Nobody's here." He groans. "Just take off your shorts, pleeease." He begs as he slowly strokes himself. You toss aside your shorts, Yoongi immediately hooking his finger at the bottom of your panties and tugging it aside in order to push himself into you. He does enough before he lets you do the rest of the work and sink down on his length, a gasp leaving your throat as you take all of him in. He grips your hips tightly, setting the pace as he groans into your neck, your fingers tangled in his hair resting at the nape of his neck.

"Shit, babe." You moan as you tilt your head back.

"Fuck, you always ride me so well." He presses light kisses against your neck before he's nipping at the surface.

"Godddd why do you feel so good?" You whimper.

"You like how I feel inside of you?" You nod. "Yeah? Like how my cock fills you up?"

"Never gonna get tired of it." You moan, Yoongi making you pick up the pace aggressively. Besides the waves crashing, the lewd noises of skin slapping against skin fills the car, along with your soft moans and Yoongi's groans. Your clit is constantly rubbing against him, causing the pleasure to build so quickly it becomes overwhelming. You try to hold off as much as you can but—

"My pretty baby. All I fucking need." He almost growls, the words enough to send you over the edge. You let out a loud moan, not even caring for the houses nearby as your orgasm hits hard and ripples throughout your body, sending aftershocks. Yoongi continues to have you ride him fast and hard, the overwhelming sensation causing a hint of pain to mix with more pleasure until  you feel him feel you up. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He groans as his nails dig into your skin, giving two good thrusts upwards into you to help ride out his high. You both sit in the position for a minute, trying to come back down from your highs. Yoongi gives you a delicate peck on the lips, smiling into the kiss before he pulls away. "Swear you're all I need."

"See, I don't know if I could say the same." He smacks your ass as you hike up and off of him to put on your shorts.

"Take it back."

"I'm kidding." You blush.

"My ride or die. Are you with me?"

"Always have been. Are you?"

"You know I am."

"Good. You know it takes two." He smiles before pulling you into another hug and pressing a kiss against your temple.

[lizwontcry]

This is for @hanilecter who asked for "how about some angry post-betrayal smut?💖" Welllll this turned into a holiday party with some smut thrown in set somewhere between phone sex and dick pic-gate (depressing that that's what we get to define their relationship by now). Apologies for not sticking to the time period but I hope you'll dig it regardless.

The company "holiday party" is held at Logan and Marcia's apartment in the city this year. Marcia hired a party planner and it does look rather festive. Roman's plan is to have two drinks maximum, track down Shiv and annoy her into calling him some filthy names, and then get the fuck out of there and meet Tabitha at one of her annoying tall blonde people parties. She said she'd accompany him to the Waystar party but he figures he's subjected her to enough Roy family drama for a while.

Besides, he may or may not be looking forward to seeing someone else at this party tonight. Someone who may or may not have recently verbally abused him into an orgasm. Twice.

Roman does the rounds when he shows up (20 minutes late, to his father's annoyance). He kisses Marcia's cheek, shakes Tom's hand and tells Shiv she looks like a carrot that was aborted from its mother's roots, listens to Connor tell him about doing a podcast about... something he doesn't give a shit about, accidentally walks into a corner where Kendall is sticking his tongue down Naomi's throat.

Now he's checking out what food the evening has to offer. An attractive (what else) blonde is loading up her plate with more caviar than Roman has ever seen in his life.

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I like caviar as much as the next guy, but that's... you're gonna have diarrhea for like six months," Roman can't help but say. He's always so good at first impressions.

The blonde wrinkles her nose. It's a cute nose, though. "Thank you for the helpful tip. I just really fucking love caviar, okay? And I've been eating the bullshit food at my college's cafeteria for three months so excuse me if I'd like to enjoy the good stuff for tonight."

"Fair enough," Roman says, nodding. "I'm Roman, by the way."

"Katherine," she says, maneuvering her plate so she could shake his hand. "Hey, can you please grab me a beer? We can maybe sit down and you can watch me eat this."

"What a tempting invitation," Roman says. "Yeah, I'll grab you one."

He finds an Amstel Light in the kitchen and brings it over to Katherine. Watching her eat the caviar is as disgusting as he thought it would be but somehow also... charming. And hot.

"Hey, you look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?" Roman asks, taking a sip of his own beer.

"No, I don't think so. Maybe you just want to, like, want to know me," Katherine says, and he swears she winks at him. Well, okay. Perhaps he can sit here and chat with her for a little while longer--

"Katie? I've been looking all over for you, who are you talking--"

Roman and Gerri lock eyes, and Roman knows he's made a classic fuck-up, yet again.

"Oh, I'm pretending to flirt with Roman, Mom. Apparently he forgot that he's met me at least 12 times, and then somehow assumed that I didn't know who he was. What a fucking idiot," Katherine says, looking at him like the complete moron he is.

"Huh," Gerri says, giving Roman a look that makes him want to melt into the floor. "That's interesting."

"Yeah, I think he was about one sentence away from inviting me to an exciting game of Seven Minutes in Heaven."

"Now, wait a minute here--"

"Roman. Go away. I'll find you in a few minutes--we need to talk about those expense reports you sent me today."

"Oooh, Romie's in troubbbleee," Katherine sings cheerfully.

"Bitch," Roman mutters as he walks the fuck away.

Gerri finds him ten minutes later in the kitchen, stealing a bite of the apple pie that hasn't been served yet. Gerri grabs him by his tie and drags him into the nearest bathroom, where she slams the door and locks it. He has no idea what's happening but he's sure as fuck looking forward to finding out.

"So that's how you think you're going to get my attention? By flirting with my youngest daughter? What the hell is wrong with you, Roman?"

"Ger, come on, I swear I didn't know it was your daughter, I haven't seen her in so long, and what is she even doing in college, she's like 30--"

She pushes him against the linen closet. Roman decides now is not the best time to tell her how hot she looks in her green dress tonight and that one of her buttons has come undone and he can see right down to her dark blue bra. Especially when she starts to unbuckle his pants with extreme speed.

"Uh, Ger--"

"Shut the fuck up, Roman. You are a disgusting degenerate freak, aren't you? If I didn't find you when I did, you would have tried to take her home with you, right? You would, because you're a repugnant pile of rat shit."

He can't really respond because Gerri's hands is reaching into his pants now, and he gasps as her warm, stern hand wraps itself around his dick. And, uh, she really seems to know what she's doing as she strokes him not-so-gently.

She pushes him again and then kisses him hard, biting his lip in the process. Fuck. Fucking fuck. He is moaning like a... something that moans a lot.

"You're an obnoxious piece of shit, Roman. You're... repugnant. How do you even show your face at your father's party when you know you're just going to disappoint everyone?"

And... that does it. He comes all over her hand because he's just a gross moron. She nods in satisfaction and then finds a towel on the rack. After she washes her hands, she cleans him up gently, making him gasp a little from how good it feels to be tended to after being called every terrible name she can think of on the spot.

"Well. Hopefully that will teach you to stay away from my daughter."

"I don't know, Ger. I think that taught me I need to flirt with her at least once a day, maybe more."

She glares at him, but he can tell it's all for show. He won't tell her that, of course.

"I'm leaving now. Stay in here for five more minutes."

"You got it, boss," he says in a British accent for some reason.

"Idiot," she says, and then leaves.

Maybe he will stay for a while longer, after all.

[emachinescat]

Febuwhump Day 13: Won't regain consciousness (unfinished, to be completed tomorrow!)

Fandom: Psych

So I'm still running a bit behind with Febuwhump, but I'm making it my goal to post whatever I do have written every day. The full story for Day 13 (possibly made up of multiple chapters, or maybe just a lengthy one-shot, unsure at this point) is going to fulfill a request for @justanotherdutch-asiangirl here on Tumblr. Also, if you recognize the name of the drug lord, I basically genderbent and borrowed it from The Magnus Archives. And the SEAL who saves Shawn is loosely based on Thomas Magnum from the Magnum P.I. reboot, just because that show's my newest hyperfixation lol. :) Anyway, like yesterday, if there are any errors, I'll fix them tomorrow when I post the whole story. And yes, Shawn *is* in a coma, even if the story doesn't say it yet, so it still counts for this prompt! Hopefully I'll find the time to get fully caught up on Febuwhump soon and won't fall farther behind! Life is a lot right now, so we'll see! Either way, I plan to post the full fic (or chapter 1, at least) on AO3 and share it here tomorrow, so stay tuned if you're interested!

Juliet

On a normal day, the drive from San Francisco to Santa Barbara took exactly four hours and fifty-five minutes. Today, it took Juliet O’Hara just under three and a half.

She’d been in court when Lassiter had called, waiting to testify in a trial for a murder case that she’d spent weeks cracking. When she’d checked the screen and seen her former partner’s ID, she’d slid the vibrating phone back into her purse. He had to be calling about dinner plans later that evening.

Juliet had actually convinced him to go on a double date with her and Shawn, a task that had been months in the making. She’d had to swear on the lives of her grandmother and both of her cats that Shawn would behave himself to get him to agree.

Five minutes later, her phone went off again. Rolling her eyes, Juliet undid the snap on her bag and peeked inside. Still Lassiter. What in the world was so important that he was trying to call her when he knew she was about to testify? Part of her worried that he was trying to back out of dinner, so she closed her purse and refocused on the trial. Like she would let him go back on his word now. If they just spend a little more time together outside of work, Juliet thought, maybe they can finally get over their pride and admit they’re friends. It was a long shot, but these were the two most important men in her life, and she was tired of being stuck in the middle all the time.

Not even a minute after, he called again. The old man sitting next to her shot her a disapproving look as she dug into her purse, ignored the call, and then tapped out a quick text: WHAT? I’m in court.

Almost instantly, her phone buzzed again. Emergency. Call me now.

Gut twisting over on itself, heart hammering against her ribcage, she managed to type. About to testify. Can it wait?

It took less than thirty seconds for him to respond, but it felt like thirty minutes. She could barely unlock her screen when she got the notification, her fingers trembling and palms sweaty. She could feel her fight or flight instincts swelling inside of her, the inescapable need to do something, to get up, to leave, to call Lassiter then and there. But she maintained her composure, outwardly at least, and waited for the return text with all the patience of a high schooler at 2:45 on the day before summer break.

When she saw Lassiter’s response, her blood turned to ice in her veins. She was on her feet before she’d registered she was moving, and when the judge demanded an explanation, she stammered something about a family emergency and nearly tripped over her own feet racing to the exit.

No. It’s Shawn.

No other information, but Juliet knew that whatever had happened, it was bad. The only time Lassiter had ever called Shawn by his first name had been when he was in trouble. The Garth Longmore nightmare came immediately to mind.

She’d dialed before she’d even left the courthouse, and Lassiter picked up on the first ring. She rushed outside, away from prying ears, and demanded, sans greeting, “Is he okay?”

The short but heavy hesitation brought tears to her eyes. She already knew the answer. No way would Lassiter interrupt such an important trial just to change dinner plans or tattle on Shawn for some stupid prank.

Finally, Lassiter had answered, voice thick with an emotion Juliet couldn’t quite place, “He’s alive.” The way he said it didn’t inspire much hope or confidence. The tears crested, spilling down her cheeks in silent streams.

“What happened?”

Another pause, this one shorter but just as weighted. “It’s a long story. I don’t even know all of it myself. I’ll tell you what I can in a minute, but you probably need to square things with your trial first and head this way.”

If someone had taken a carving knife and hollowed out Juliet’s chest, it would have hurt less than Lassiter’s words. She choked on a sob, chest so tight it made her head spin. Get it together, she ordered herself, recognizing all too well the beginnings of a panic attack. She could break down later. Right now, she had to get to Santa Barbara. She had to get to Shawn.

So she had called Karen, who had already spoken to Lassiter, though she claimed to know nothing more than Juliet did at this point. Juliet couldn’t tell if she was telling the truth, but she hadn’t pressed, especially when the chief told her to go, that she would take care of everything else and be on her own way to Santa Barbara as soon as she could. Juliet had tried to book a flight, but there were none that left soon enough, so she’d decided to drive.

For the first half hour of the trip, she’d talked to Lassiter, who had filled her in, more gently than Juliet had ever thought possible. From what he said, Shawn and Gus had been working on a private case. Shawn had come to the station poking around for information a couple of times, but they had been promptly shooed off. The man they were asking about had ties to vicious drug lord Nicholas Orsinov, and they had been told in no uncertain terms that if they kept pushing this dangerous matter, they wouldn’t see another SBPD case for the next two years.

As usual, Shawn hadn’t listened, not to Lassiter, not to Gus, not to his dad, all who told him to back off and refused to help. About two hours ago, the SBPD had gotten a call about a John Doe that had been spotted in the waves about a hundred feet from shore. By pure luck, the guy who found him was an ex-Navy SEAL and had managed to get the man to shore. The John Doe, of course, had been Shawn.

“The guy who found him’s a real hero,” Lassiter said seriously. “Realized Shawn still had a pulse, got him to shore using his surfboard as a stretcher, then called 911 and performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. Even came to the hospital to check up on him later.”

“But what the hell happened?” Juliet demanded, her whole body numb except for the swelling nausea in her gut.

“Best we can tell, Shawn decided to keep poking into Orsinov on his own, even after we told him to leave it alone, to find some other way to solve his case. Either Orsinov himself or some of his goons must have caught him, and decided to tie up any loose ends.” A pause. “I’d bet just about anything that it wasn’t Orsinov himself. He’s too smart to have left anything to chance. So that’s something to be grateful for, O’Hara. It could have been a bullet between the eyes, and there’s no coming back from that.”

As usual, Lassiter’s pep talks sucked. Even in her state of shock, with the swirling tide of grief and fury and terror pounding madly against her defenses, widening the cracks in her armor and threatening to tear her down from the inside, Juliet had enough awareness to realize that Lassiter wasn’t telling her everything.

“Look, O’Hara,” he said, discomfort clear in his voice. For a moment, Juliet felt sorry for him; this kind of emotional conversation was way outside of his wheelhouse. But they had been partners – were still partners, even if Lassiter was now chief and Juliet lived five hours away – and he had been the one to ID Shawn at the hospital, and she knew that he would never have delegated this phone call to anyone else, that Juliet needed to hear this from him. “You’re on the road, and you’re already upset enough. I really think it would be best–”

“I really think it would be best if you told me the truth,” Juliet snarled. She took a deep breath. It felt like her heart had been replaced by a lead weight. “I’m sorry, Carlton. But please, I need to know.”

[karlajoyner]

Stole My heart (Owen Patrick Joyner x Reader)

A/n: Hey guys so there’s this imagine let me know if I should make a part 2? Possibly a smut? I don’t know let me know! Also let me know if I should post these on wattpad too!!!

Warnings: None

————

"Owen seriously if someone catches us I'm gonna kill you"

"No ones gonna catch us. They're filming a scene" He mumbled leaving a trail of kisses down my neck.

"That's what you said last time"

"They didn't catch us" He said pushing my shirt down my shoulder.

"Yeah but they almost did- wait. Are you? Owen" I scolded pushing him away.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"What do you mean what? The makeup department will literally kill me if I show up with another hickey. Then their gonna interrogate me like they did last time since there are limited people I see daily" I groaned.

"They're not gonna kill you y/n. Relax"

"I can't relax. Now that we landed a season 2 the chances of us getting caught are much higher now. Plus my character has such a bigger part now" I spoke pacing back and forth in the dimly lit room. Julie's room set to be exact.

"I know. But you can't let that get to you now. You did amazing the first season and your gonna kill it this season. And if we get caught then oh well"

"Oh well? Oh well. Owen I already told you I don't want anyone to know about us until-"

"Until we're sure it's not gonna effect our worth ethic. I know" He muttered sitting down on the bed. I sighed realizing he was upset. It was never my intention to date my co-star. Let alone fall in love with him. But after spending countless of hours on set and off set with him there was no denying the chemistry. And what to everyone seemed like an amazing friendship was actually something more.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I wish things could be different but-"

"But this is your first big part. I get it" he said moving to sit me on his lap.

"I'll back off. We'll just have to keep sneaking around"

"Owen-"

"No harm. No foul. If this is what I have to do to be with you I'll do it" He said kissing the spot he had previously been sucking on.

"And I'd do it again" He whispered kissing my skin once more.

"And again" Another kiss.

"And again" He spoke finally meeting my lips. The kiss last longer than the ones shared previously. It was much more passionate on both ends. The risk of getting caught high.

"Owen" I giggled as he flipped us over on the bed.

"Yes?" He questioned as his fingers made their way up my shirt.

"Baby" I moaned as his hands cupped my left boob.

"Mmm" He muttered against my lips.

"We've got to get back on set soon. I have a scene with Jer" I panted pulling away.

"Don't do it"

"Owen" I warned.

"Fine" He groaned getting off me.

"But for the record if they did know we were dating I would not give my approval for the stupid kissing scene" He said kicking the ground like a little kid. Referring to the fact that my character became Reggies love interest this season.

"Be careful there babe the jealousy is peeking through. Just be lucky he's married and they cut it down from a whole make out scene" I teased checking myself in the full length mirror.

"Yeah yeah. God the unholy things I would've done to you in that bed" He whispered in my ear as his hands explored my body.

"Don't temp me Joyner" I said a smirk making it's way onto his face.

"I'm here!" I called running onto set.

"Finally! Where were you?" Charlie asked exasperatedly standing beside Kenny who was looking at script at hand.

"We don't have time to interrogate her Charlie we've got to get this scene filmed if we wanna stick to schedule. Y/n next time be on set 5 minutes before"

"Yes Kenny. Sorry I was um was distracted. Lost track of time" I said noticing Owen had walking onto set casually going to talk to Mads and Savannah.

"Okay so this scene your gonna walk in on cue to your mark. Find Luke sitting on the couch playing his guitar. Sentimental talk. Confess your undying love for Reggie. Then Jers gonna come in tell y/c/n he loves her too. But he can't be with her because he had this girlfriend back in 95 who he never officially broke up with. Then he says screw it. You kiss. End scene"

"Oh the kiss. That's this scene?" I asked finding Owen who was deeply in conversation.

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"No, no I'm ready" I said not expecting to have to do this in front of my secret boyfriend right now.

I sighed going to stand on my beginning mark. I watched as Charlie did the same.

The lights dimming in the studio to replicate nightfall.

"And action!" Kenny yelled.

I opened the barn like doors walking in slowly.

"Oh Luke. I didn't know you were here sorry I'll go-"

"No. No it's okay. I was just messing around. What's up?"

"I was looking for Reggie"

"Looking for Reggie? Oh he's with Alex and Willie. He should be back soon"

"Then I'll just go. Thanks I guess"

"Wait. Can I play you something?" Charlie questioned taking a hold of my wrist.

"Um sure. Why not?" I asked sitting down next to him. I listened as he began strumming his guitar to a familiar tune. A small smile forming on my lips.

"That was great Luke. Did you write that? Maybe about someone whose name rhymes with Judy" I spoke in a teasing matter.

"No. Actually Reggie wrote it. About someone who name rhymes with yours" He said a blush forming on my face.

"Okay. I get what your saying" I said playfully rolling my eyes.

"Good. I thought I'd have to follow up with home is where my horse is" He said making me giggle.

"How could I possibly tell a ghost who died 25 years ago that I'm completely head over heels for him?"

"Maybe the same way your telling a ghost who died 25 years ago right now" Charlie said jokingly bumping my shoulder.

"Right... I just- I don't want to get rejected by a ghost. It's one thing when they're alive but if the dead doesn't want me I think that's saying something"

"Y/n, Reggies in love with you. He'd be thrilled if you showed any romantic interest in him. At least more than you already do" He teased me once again.

"Thanks Luke. I just hope he doesn't freak out on me like last time"

"Last time?"

"Yeah last time I brought up relationships in a topic he got all weird and left. So I just never did it again"

"Oh. Look y/c/n back in 95 we had a decent following and a ton of girls following after us" A strange look forming on Charlie's face.

"Okayyy" I stretched out the word.

"And Reggie. You know him he uh well he's a fl-" Charlie words were cut off.

On cue Jeremy strolled into the studio set as Charlie and I sat facing each other stiffly.

I stifled a giggle knowing this would later be edited so it'd look like Jer flashed in out of nowhere.

"Y/c/n? Luke?"

"Oh Reggie. Hi" I stood up continuing the scene.

"Hey. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be home"

"I was. Julie invited me over for a bit and I thought I'd say hi before I uh left. I though maybe we could talk for a bit"

"Oh. Okay yeah" He slightly smiled before turning to the brunette beside me.

"And what are you still doing here?" Jeremy asked looking at Charlie.

"Hey, I was just leaving man. She's all yours" Charlie smirked at us before walking off set.

Jer and I paused until his footsteps could no longer be heard before continuing.

"So um what did you want to talk about?"

"Just um stuff" I said standing still in my spot.

"What stuff?" He asked coming to stand in front of me.

"Luke. He played me your song" I said picking up the piece of paper with chicken scratch from the coffe table.

"Lifer Girl?" I finally read the title before looking up into his brown eyes.

"Uh yeah. I'm still working on the name. Did you like it?"

"I loved it. This lifer girl. She's one lucky girl. Do I know her?"

"Of course you do. Your practically the same person" he said a piece of my hair falling to the front of my face. I nervously played with my fingers as he pushed the strand behind my ears.

"Oh. Can you tell me about her?"

"Well she's funny and makes me feel happy when I'm around her. She's really smart and her grades skyrocket compared to what mine use to be. And she's beautiful, drop dead gorgeous" He whispered tilting my head up with his fingers.

For a moment I looked up into his brown eyes wishing. Longing for them to be someone else's. I felt his finger leave my chin before he turned away dramatically.

"I shouldn't"

"Shouldn't?" I asked curiously.

"I can't"

"Can't? Why not?" I questioned once more.

"Y/c/n there's something I need to tell you"

"What is it Reg?"

"Back in 1995 you know before we died. I uh-"

"You what?" I asked urging him to continue.

"I had a girlfriend and well then we died. So we never officially broke up" Jer said.

"Oh" I mumbled backing away from him.

"I get it"

"No wait y/c/-"

"No Reggie it's okay. Your still in love with her. Of course you are. God how could I be so stupid to think that you'd actually love me. Let alone like m-" My eyes widened as I felt him crash his lips into mine completely going off script. Which wasn't uncommon. But it was supposed to be a short kiss. There were lines that were missing.

Slowly I pretended to sink into the kiss. Pulling away after a couple of seconds amongst hearing the word.

"Cut!" Kenny yelled Jeremy finally letting me go.

"That was amazing! Spectacular! Great improve Jer! We're done with this scene!" He called out to us. But all I could focus on was the look plastered on Owens face. He was hurt. But not because of the kiss. But because of the fact that he couldn't do that. Not out in public anyways.

"Yeah great going Jer" I commented to the boy in front of me.

"Thanks y/n. You did great too" He said getting near me.

"But if I were you I'd go talk to your boyfriend before he bursts" He whispered in my ear leaving me wide eyed.

"H-how'd you?"

"Know? Please everyone knows. I mean you guys aren't great at hiding things. There's actually a poll between Kenny and Charlie. Whichever one of you slips up firsts. My bets on Owen" He chuckled.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously"

“Who was the first one to know"

"Sonya in makeup. The first hickey you showed up with only matched with the timeframe that you and Owen had been together. Clearly not getting lunch like you had said you were"

"That long?" I asked.

"Yup" He spoke popping his p.

"Just don't tell anyone I told you. Carolynn insisted I put you out of your misery"

"Thanks. I think" He smiled at me before walking away.

A grin began to form on my face as I made my way toward the blonde who was leaning against a wall twirling one of his drumsticks in his left hand.

"Hey. Great scene back there" He commented as I now stood in front of him.

"Thanks. You know Jers a good kisser and all but I think your better" I spoke aloud noticing Savannah's and Madison's head whipping towards us.

"What?" He asked making sure he heard right.

"You heard me Joyner" I spoke giggling at his shocked reaction.

"Now shut up and kiss me would you?" He tilted his head to be extra sure. Something I adored about him.

He always wanted to make sure I was certain about these things. I simply nodded feeling his arms wrap around me bringing his lips to meet mine.

I smiled into the kiss as he turned us around pushing me up against the wall. I giggled upon hearing clapping around us from the cast and crew.

"Finally!" I heard Savannah shout.

"Keep it PG kids!" Kenny shouted laughter following.

"You owe me 20 Gillespie!" He yelled again followed by a groan by presumably Charlie. I finally pulled away first leaving Owen in shock.

"I'm gonna need you to come back to reality lover boy" I said rubbing my thumb against his cheek.

"What made you change your mind?" He asked keeping a tight hold on my waist.

"Let's just say you have Carolynn to thank for that. Apparently everyone knew"

"What? How?"

"I guess we weren't as good at keeping a secret as we thought"

"How long?"

"First hickey"

“That long?"

"That's what I said" I laughed as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"You two are so cute"

"Thanks Mads" I smiled at the girl.

Finally able to wrap my arms around the boy who had stolen my heart without any warning.

[floreleine]

That GM prequel fic - part 3: Florence's POV

Part 1 (Madeleine, <1k, G)

Part 2 (Scarlet, 1k, G)

Ships: Floreleine & ScarletMay

Hiding the entire fic under the readmore this time for Part 1+2 spoiler reasons! This one's also rated G (or T if we're going for swear words and alcohol consumption I guess), a little over 1k words.

There will be at least 1 more part of this, and then I might post a revised and possibly longer version to ao3.

Bc idk where to put this in the fic itself yet, quick setting overview: they're not sitting around a table but instead Florence and Madeleine are sitting on a small couch, Scarlet is next to Madeleine on a wobbly kitchen chair and Anna May is sitting opposite them on a barstool at the kitchen aisle.

That night, the librarians plus Scarlet (and minus Baby, who is sleeping in the next room under a security camera that both Madeleine and Scarlet insist on checking every other minute) are sitting in the kitchen together for dinner and a drink.

Or five drinks in Anna May's case, as she downs the first one in one go and hasn't let go of the Whiskey bottle since. Florence can't blame her, really - if Madeleine had run off with some guy, no matter how early in their relationship, only to return a year later with tears and a baby... She has no idea what she'd be doing right now.

Madeleine and Scarlet are talking about the child right now, sharing child-caring advice - Florence is fairly certain that Madeleine has her knowledge from books and only from books, but she seems to have picked out sound advice from all that she has read at least - and Florence has to smile fondly at how Madeleine is glowing at the prospect of having a child in the library.

Scarlet is careful in her replies, not wanting to commit to anything, her eyes shifting back to Anna May whenever she doesn't think that the others are looking.

'She's afraid she'll kick her out after all,' Florence thinks with a quiet sigh. 'Can't blame her, Anna knows how to hold a grudge, and with how she is drinking right now... It isn't her friendliest appearance'.

Still, she thinks that they will work it out. They better. It's been a while since she has seen Anna May have an emotional reaction to just about anything, and it can't be healthy to keep it all locked inside, pushing all chances of happiness away.

Madeleine must have heard her sigh, and she leans back against Florence's side. Florence squeezes her arm, content to have her by her side, glad that they, at least, don't have to worry about their relationship status. Being with Madeleine always relaxes her, makes her feel like everything is alright in the world.

Madeleine presses a kiss to her chin and, after checking that both Scarlet and Anna May are looking down at their glasses, nods in the direction of the door. 'Should we give those two some privacy?'

Florence tilts her head for a moment to consider, then shakes her head, nodding at Anna May, and Madeleine winces a little. Yes, Anna is barely keeping it together now, who knows what she may say or rather shout if they left them alone... Anna May should get a chance to cool down, before she ends up saying something she doesn't mean and would regret.

As if on cue, Anna May throws back the rest of the Whiskey in her glass in one gulp and loudly brings it down on the kitchen counter as if to dispel the silence that has fallen.

"Fuck."

Madeleine looks like she wants to remind her about cursing with children in the house again, but Florence squeezes her arm to stop her. They don't need to irritate Anna May even more right now.

"I'm sorry," Scarlet says immediately. Florence doesn't think that she is apologizing for anything in particular, just for the situation in general, for present and past.

Anna May gets up and turns around, putting her glass in the sink and turning on the water, but then just leaning against it with her hands holding onto the metal edge and her knuckles turning white.

Florence is trying to decide whether to step in or not when Scarlet speaks up again in a shaky voice. "I can - I can leave, I don't have to -" she gets up, clearly ready to bolt, and Anna May flinches, but she doesn't turn back around.

"No-one's" leaving, Florence says at the same time as Madeleine says "No, don't be silly!" They share a smile, and then Madeleine squeezes her hand before getting up and walking over to Madeleine. "Come on, let me show you everything. You can sleep in the room with Samantha, me and Florence aren't really using it much anyway."

Florence watches them go with a soft smile. Madeleine always knows what to do, what to say. She's so grateful to have her.

Once the other two have left, Florence goes up to Anna May and slams the still-running tap down, making her jump.

"Stop wasting water and get a hold of yourself, Anna!"

Anna May whirls around, clearly ready to fight, but Florence just throws her a deadpan look and she deflates.

"Fuck, I don't know what to do." She slurs her words a little, but not as much as Florence would have expected after that much alcohol.

"Right now? You are going to drink some water so you will not be terribly hungover tomorrow. And tomorrow, you have got to think about whether you want that woman and her kid to stick around or not."

Anna May flinches a little, but when Florence sighs and pours her a glass of water, she takes it without protest and gulps most of it down in one go.

"I dun' want her to leave," she then murmurs, staring down at the glass in her hands. "She left me once, I don't want her to leave me again."

Florence sighs and pulls her into a hug. "Bloody hell, Anna, why did you never say anything? You must have been fucking heartbroken, and all you told us was that you gave dating one last chance."

Anna May half-laughs, half-sobs and clings to Florence like a lifeline. "Don't know. Didn't want to be weak. Didn't want it to be real."

"Oh, Anna," Florence sighs and squeezes her tightly. Then she takes a step back and fixes her with a hard look. "You've got to tell her that, you know that, Anna May? She is going to run away just to give you space while you are not talking to her because you're afraid she might run anyway."

Anna May sighs and grimaces a little, but nods. "I - tomorrow. I'll tell her tomorrow, before I can chicken out." she sighs. "I mean, it's not like I know whether she'd want to - whether she still-" she sighs. "She only left me because he didn't want to share, but maybe by now she's just over me."

Florence shrugs. "I can't look in her head, Anna, but from the way she looks at you... I think you guys will figure it out."

Anna May nods uncertainty, then frowns again. "And you'd be fine with it, if she's staying here... Indefinitely? I mean, she has a - kid -" she adds with a somewhat perplexed expression on her face, making Florence laugh. She's half of a mind to say 'congrats, you're a step-mom!' but stops herself at the last second. There will be time for that kind of joke when the peace between Anna May and that Scarlet isn't quite so fragile anymore. "Exactly," she instead replies. "So you know Madeleine will be mad at you forever if you let them get away."

Anna May snorts. "She did seem quite... taken by the kid."

Florence nods, frowning a little herself now. "She's always wanted kids, she just accepted that it isn't sensible in our line of work, and that I am not interested in them anyway. Seeing her with Samantha, now I'm wondering..."

"You did nothing wrong," Anna May reassures her. "And fuck, can you imagine having two kids around? It will be bad enough, trying to protect the one from everybody."

Florence sighs and nods. "I suppose. But I'm sure we'll manage. ...are you going to be alright now, or do I have to hide the Whiskey?"

"I'm not a drunk," Anna May replies a little offended, and Florence grins.

"I know you're not, but you sure made a great impression of one earlier!"

Anna May groans, and then she turns back to the counter to refill her waterglass. "Fuck, I'll be so dead tomorrow."

"Sleep in, then. Me 'n Madeleine will make sure Scarlet won't take off before you're awake and had your talk with her."

Anna May nods sharply. Florence smiles and squeezes her arm. "Well, get some sleep. I'll check on Scarlet and Madeleine."

~

Anna May nods again, and Florence sees her lean back against the counter with a deep sigh while she is leaving the kitchen. She really hopes that Anna May will take her advice to heart. Some heartbreak can't be avoided- but the one between her and Scarlet doesn't seem quite so inevitable.

Part 4

@phoenixhalliwell @thesevenwondersofawitch another update, hope you liked it!

If anyone else wants to be tagged for this series, lmk! Not tagging my usual GM tag list in every fic update as that would just be spammy.

Taking prompts!

[twoidiotwriters1]

Written In The Stars CLXIII (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: Ever since I heard that song I knew it was about Merry and I had to use it

P.S. I just realized I’ve been using “flickered” instead of “flicked” as the past version of “flick” and if u didn’t notice or don’t know the difference that’s great, if you did I’m sorry but it will continue to appear up until the seventh book bc I already edited half of it and I can’t be bothered to check the whole thing, I’m not a native speaker anyway lmao -Danny

Words: 4,467

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘Just For A Moment’ -from HSMTMTS

Chapter Twenty-Five: The King’s Lecture.

Katie returned looking good as new but she couldn't remember anything about what had happened to her, which deeply troubled Harry. 

Still, for the first time in the whole year, his mind was preoccupied with a different problem.

Once everyone knew about Mel and Erick's breakup, unknown to Harry and her, there was only one relevant topic of conversation: Their obvious mutual pining.

It was clear that the friendship between them was strong, she'd showed interest in no one but the boy who lived. They would see Mel walking through the corridors next to Harry, joking and laughing with him, sharing their notes in the common room and even sitting under trees with Ron and Hermione as their only company. Slowly, people who were there to see them during their fourth year were completely sure that they would make it official in no time.

Mel remained firm on not dating him, still, if he were to ask about her feelings she wasn't going to lie, maybe that way once the war was over they'd be able to be together, only time would tell.

"You know," She said when Ron walked out of the boys' bathroom, pale as a ghost. "If you keep throwing up like that you won't be able to cover even a single goal post—"

"That's not making me feel better!" He grimaced. "It's awful, last year we got lucky but this time—"

"Our practice will pay up. You're a brilliant Keeper an I'm an excellent Beater, just take a good luck at this," She flexed her arms, they weren't that impressive but she was quite proud of the discipline she'd exhibited that year, "we'll be okay. What's important is that even after all this we'll still have friends, right?"

"I s'pose..."

"I think that we haven't been grateful enough, you know? Harry let us be part of his team, even if we weren't the best choices. He trusts us—"

Her throat closed abruptly, Mel stumbled over and crashed against Ron.

"Mel!" He held her in place. "Is it a panic attack?"

It couldn't be, she was a bit anxious about their next Quidditch match but there was no reason to panic and she knew it!

Something tugged at the back of her mind and she instantly knew what was happening. It'd been a while, but Mel allowed Harry to guide her:

He was kneeling next to Snape, their Professor was hovering over Malfoy, who was dying. Harry communicated what he needed. Her hands closed tightly around Ron's arm and she grounded herself back into her body.

"I-It's Harry," She coughed. "I think—He did something... terrible... give me your potions book, I left mine in the tower..."

She described all to Ron while dragging him back to the common room, the boy was confused and completely against the idea of Harry hurting Malfoy in such a brutal way. He hated him, but he would never try to kill him!

When they reached the portrait Harry ran into them, he was covered in water and blood, and he was panting.

"I need the book. Quick—give it to me..."

Mel handed it to him, Ron tried to interrogate him.

"But what about the Half-Blood —"

"I'll explain later!"

Harry ran upstairs and entered the tower, a second later they saw him ran out holding his backpack with shaky hands, Ron looked at her gravely.

"I don't think we can help," Mel said before he could even ask. "Snape caught him red-handed... he was too scared to close his mind..."

"What do we do?"

"We wait."

Harry got punished for his actions, he wasn't going to be able to play the last match against Ravenclaw, but that didn't matter compared to what had happened.

Mel wasn't going to admit it because it was tactless, to say the least, but she thought that Harry sort of deserved the detention. If it weren't for his need to act first ask second, things wouldn't have gone so wrong.

"I told you there was something wrong with that Prince person. And I was right, wasn't I?"

"No, I don't think you were," said Harry stubbornly.

"Harry, how can you still stick up for that book when that spell —"

"Will you stop harping on about the book! The Prince only copied it out! It's not like he was advising anyone to use it! For all we know, he was making a note of something that had been used against him!"

"I don't believe this," said Hermione. "You're actually defending—"

"I'm not defending what I did! I wish I hadn't done it, and not just because I've got about a dozen detentions. You know I wouldn't've used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can't blame the Prince, he hadn't written 'try this out, it's really good' — he was just making notes for himself, wasn't he, not for anyone else..."

"Are you telling me that you're going to go back — ?"

"And get the book? Yeah, I am," said Harry. "Listen, without the Prince I'd never have won the Felix Felicis. I'd never have known how to save Ron from poisoning, I'd never have —"

"— got a reputation for Potions brilliance you don't deserve," said Hermione.

"Give it a rest, Hermione! By the sound of it, Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad Harry had something good up his sleeve!" Ginny intervened.

"Well, of course I'm glad Harry wasn't cursed! But you can't call that Sectumsempra spell good, Ginny, look where it's landed him! And I'd have thought, seeing what this has done to your chances in the match —"

"Oh, don't start acting as though you understand Quidditch, you'll only embarrass yourself."

"I think," Mel spoke up, and all of them stopped to listen. "I think, Hermione, that you're being childish."

Hermione's eyes blazed with anger. "You're only saying that because you were also cheating—"

"I wasn't," The girl stood up with imposing air, she'd merely spoken a bit louder but Hermione shrank back in her spot as soon as she moved. "With or without the book, Harry's abilities with potions were always decent, it was Snape who was bullying him into failure."

The girl felt a pleasant tug of energy as she watched her friends silently look up at her, staring and clinging to every word that came out of her mouth. She wondered if this is how it felt to be a real Dumbledore.

Then the thought that she was a real Dumbledore occurred to her. She was strong and deserved to be treated with the same respect others had for the Headmaster. The only difference was that she was never going to use her power to bend things at her will.

"Harry's remembered the bezoar and won the Felix Felicis by following a few tips. I know you always appreciate it when Erick gives you advice — You don't consider that cheating, do you?"

Hermione scowled at her, but she didn't reply.

"You don't, even though you didn't come up with it on your own and you still got to be top of the class for years. Harry's right, the Prince could've seen the spell somewhere and wrote it down so he wouldn't forget, but he never forced him to attack Malfoy."

Hermione opened her mouth, but Mel wasn't going to let her continue.

"You didn't feel how scared he was," She scowled. "Harry said he's sorry and he got punished for it, and trust me, the nightmares that'll come after this will be more than enough to keep him from trying that again."

Instead of sitting down, Mel grabbed her bag and hung it over her shoulder, exiting the room with a firm step.

Erick used his brand new power over Faustus and Griffin to keep them from attacking Harry. As the Headboy, Slytherins were inclined to listen to him even if they didn't want to, so even though Harry got a few nasty looks the next morning, at least he was intact.

When they walked out of the Great Hall, Harry gently seized her wrist and guided her away from the crowd.

"Are you mad at me?"

"I can only get angry at your reckless behaviour so many times in life," The girl raised a brow. "I'm just thankful it didn't end worse."

"I'm sorry you argued with Hermione."

"She'll forgive me," Mel smiled. "Once she realizes I was right."

Harry grinned, in an instinctive motion, he held her hand entirely and intertwined their fingers, squeezing a bit. Before she could even register what he was doing, Harry leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"Good luck," He said. "We hadn't done this in a while, I thought I might as well do it now that I'm not playing."

"I—Yeah, okay," She almost confessed her feelings right there and then. "Thank you, Captain. We're going to need it."

"I'll see you later..."

She walked towards the main entrance unaware of the curious eyes following her and muttering about the scene they'd just witnessed. Right now, it felt that the odds were leaning towards a Harry-Mel relationship happening really soon.

She was so distressed over the wild butterflies in her stomach that she didn't notice the figure next to her walking at the same pace.

"You know," Erick began. "I really should mind my own business, but what the hell is taking you so long?"

Mel looked up at him and stopped. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Harry," He rolled his eyes. "I thought that you would melt at his feet right away and yet here you are, single and yearning."

"You're a bit too cynic for your own good, you know that?" Mel frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"I promised I'd come to see you play," He raised a brow. "Am I right, though? Has he asked you to get back together? You guys used to be great—As soon as you started dating the fighting stopped, which is quite the opposite to what happened when we started dating—"

"You came to watch my game?" Mel asked in genuine surprise, deciding to ignore the rest.

"What, can't I support my friends?" He teased. "I mean, we broke things off but I never said I wanted to stop talking to you?"

"I never said that either," The girl replied promptly. He hadn't been able to spend a lot of time with his friends since he'd been studying for his N.E.W.T.S, it was nice to see him out of the library for a change. "Thank you for coming."

"I really do hope you win, I'm looking forward to my last school party..." He smiled.

"Look at you, attending parties," Mel teased.

"Well, the year's almost over and I find myself missing the lions' chaotic fun... I have to experience it while I still can."

"I still don't get why I'm the one playing seeker," Ginny sighed.

"Because you're smaller than Harry and I, which makes you the same size as Cho and that's an advantage. I'm much too tall and –let's face it– bigger than Cho. You're the best option."

"But you have a Firebolt!"

"Which I'll use wisely to fly around the field and throw bludgers as fast as I can," Mel assured her.

Ginny complained under her breath, then added. "Harry must be miserable right now, he really wanted to play..."

"I'm not saying it's his fault, but he certainly needed the scolding..."

"You should be on his side," She smirked. "You're his best friend."

"I'm his friend, not his admirer," Mel snorted.

"And that's all you want to be?"

Mel stopped and looked at her, Ginny had an odd expression on her face.

"What do you mean?"

Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but Katie was faster.

"Okay everyone, gather 'round!"

Katie, being the oldest teammate playing for Gryffindor, stood up to give the speech usually the Captain was supposed to deliver.

"I'm glad I got to play with all of you," She said. " Oliver would've been proud of this team as much as Harry is, and that's the highest compliment I can give you."

"That's very sweet, Katie," Mel smiled.

"Let's have fun!" Ginny exclaimed encouragingly.

The team erupted into cheers and happily ran out of the dressing room. Ginny stopped for a moment in front of her.

"Whatever you decide, Mellow," She said. "Just remember to put yourself first. Love yourself first."

The redhead pulled her in for a tight hug that she returned, a bit taken by surprise by her words. Only Mel and Ron remained, they exchanged a look.

"If we lose because of me," He told her, "kill me."

Mel laughed, it came out louder than expected, perhaps she was more nervous than she thought.

"If we lose, I think we should give Harry the opportunity to kill us himself."

Having no Captain her teammates' silently chose her as the backup, maybe they thought that since she'd been spending lots of time with Harry she'd know more about his tactics, and in a way she did. Ron also knew them, but he was looking rather greenish and unwilling to speak.

Mel suddenly had a newfound respect for Captains, they had to keep an eye on everything at all times. Luckily for her, Harry had done a great job, her teammates knew what to do by themselves and Ron was slowly gaining back his normal colour, by the time the game was at its highest, most interesting point, Mel was feeling pretty much like last year: utterly unstoppable.

Ron stopped one goal after another, the Chasers were wonderful and Jimmy was simply amazing. Everything was going so well that by the time Ginny caught the snitch, the euphoria was overwhelmingly good.

Dumbledore handed the Cup to Mel and she quickly passed it over to the Weasleys, they were the real stars of the game. Ginny and Ron were carried back to the castle, both beaming with pride.

Erick followed them back to the tower, Hermione forgot she was mad at Mel, she hugged her and congratulated her on the way she'd handled the team. When Mel said she had no idea why the others had picked her as Captain, Hermione looked at her with her characteristic exasperation.

"You've changed, Mel. Ever since you became an animagus you have this energy... it's really powerful—and they remember what you did to Cormac when he got on your nerves."

Mel did feel powerful, but knowing that the others could feel it too was shocking. She quickly forgot all about it though, Harry arrived then and as soon as he saw Ron and Erick his face lit up. Mel caught sight of Ginny rushing past the crowd to get to Harry, the same excited expression as her brother illuminating her face. They hugged tightly, Ginny started to talk about the match animatedly and pointed to where Hermione and she were standing.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Hermione asked.

Mel stared at her, she didn't even bother to ask how she knew what she was thinking.

"One day I will. Right now we should just enjoy the party."

"You think he'll wait that long?" Hermione grinned, both girls looked back at the dark-haired boy, who was waving at them enthusiastically.

"What about Ron?" She grinned, grabbing Hermione's hand and guiding her towards the boys. "Bet five galleons you end up snogging him tonight."

Hermione chortled.

"I don't have five galleons! And I know better than to bet against you—there are no dares you can't win."

Mel didn't know how did she manage to act like everything was fine for the rest of the term. Only divine intervention could've been responsible for such a thing; that and a strong will. She considered it a particularly cruel joke that Erick had been the real-life prince she'd been waiting for her whole life, yet once she had him she realized the secretive, mysterious type wasn't at all what she wanted.

She wanted Harry.

Of course, that would never matter if they didn't kill Voldemort.

Great, now she was depressed.

"Look at that!" Hermione's angry voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Look at the picture!"

"So?" Harry asked without much interest.

"Her name was Eileen Prince. Prince, Harry."

Ron handed the picture to Mel, who examined it sleepily. Harry burst out laughing.

"No way!"

"What?"

"You think she was the Half-Blood..? Oh, come on."

"Well, why not? Harry, there aren't any real princes in the Wizarding world! It's either a nickname, a made-up title somebody's given themselves, or it could be their actual name, couldn't it? No, listen! If, say, her father was a wizard whose surname was Prince, and her mother was a Muggle, then that would make her a 'half-blood Prince'!"

"Yeah, very ingenious, Hermione..."

"But it would! Maybe she was proud of being half a Prince! Mel, help me with this!"

"Well," She passed the picture back to Ron and sat up. "If you can prove Eileen was a student around the same time Harry's book was printed, I'll believe you."

"Listen, I can tell it's not a girl," Harry shook his head with amusement. "I can just tell."

"The truth is that you don't think a girl would have been clever enough," Hermione retorted.

"How can I have hung round with you for years and not think girls are clever?" Harry frowned. "It's the way he writes, I just know the Prince was a bloke, I can tell. Well, unless Eileen had the same terrible handwriting Mel has."

Mel showed him her middle finger, Harry laughed again.

"This girl hasn't got anything to do with it. Where did you get this anyway?"

"The library. There's a whole collection of old Prophets up there. Well, I'm going to find out more about Eileen Prince if I can."

"Enjoy yourself," said Harry. "Tell Erick we say hi..."

"I will," said Hermione, standing up abruptly and rushing over to the portrait. "And the first place I'll look, by the way, is records of old Potions awards!"

Mel let out a short sigh and fell back on the couch, her legs hanging from the armrest.

"She's just never got over you outperforming her in Potions," said Ron.

"You don't think I'm mad, wanting that book back, do you?"

"'Course not! He was a genius, the Prince. Anyway... without his bezoar tip... I wouldn't be here to discuss it, would I?"

"I'm pretty sure I would've known it, I pay attention in class unlike you two," Mel said sleepily. "But carry on, King..."

"I mean, I'm not saying that spell Harry used on Malfoy was great—"

"Nor am I!"

"But he healed all right, didn't he? Back on his feet in no time."

"Yeah, thanks to Snape..."

"You still got detention with Snape this Saturday?"

"Yeah, and the Saturday after that, and the Saturday after that... And he's hinting now that if I don't get all the boxes done by the end of term, we'll carry on next year."

"That's a tragedy," She yawned. "And here I was thinking Draco had gotten the worse deal!" Harry threw a cushion at her face. "Ouch! Can't I take a nap in peace!"

"If you want to sleep then shut up," He replied.

Mel mumbled an insult and turned around, she must've been really tired, because next thing she remembers is meeting Ron's blue eyes staring down at her with amusement.

"Feeling better?" He grinned.

"What time is it?" She asked groggily.

"Hasn't been that long, about twenty minutes since you passed out — Harry left to see Dumbledore."

"What?" She sat up. "And he didn't tell me?"

Ron sat down next to her, nudging her shoulder so they could fit better on the couch.

"You finished your lessons, right? You don't need to go. Besides, you looked exhausted so he didn't want to wake you."

"And you woke me up anyway?" Mel smiled. "I didn't know you liked the sound of my voice that much."

"You wish," He snorted. "No, I woke you to see if you'd like to play chess."

"You know I'm terrible at it."

"C'mon, how are you going to get better if you don't practice?"

"You just like winning."

Ron smirked. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy teaching you."

Two minutes later they were ready to play.

"So," He started, moving one of his pieces. "You and Harry are back to being good friends and all, but you still like him, don't you?"

"Nosy much," She scoffed. "We're just friends."

He shifted awkwardly in his place. "I don't want you to start arguing again like you did last year..."

"That's not gonna happen this time."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Not that I'm wishing that to happen! But you guys are so weird..."

Mel sighed heavily, Ron was the only one in the group that didn't know her history with Harry, perhaps it was time to tell him.

"Two years ago Harry broke up with me," She said, pushing her pawn forward. "That's why we stopped talking."

Ron's brain seemed to explode at the revelation.

"You... but you never... you... kissed?"

"Yes?" Mel raised a brow.

"Wow... It makes sense now," Ron said. "You being all gross and touchy and then yelling at each other over stupid stuff — You were angry because he'd broken up with you!"

"Sort of."

"But you dated my brother!" Ron continued in a loud voice. "So you couldn't have liked Harry that much, could you?"

"Would you calm yourself down?"

"You hid all that for two years? How are you not dead?"

Mel frowned, but she was starting to feel the urge to giggle.

"I suppose I'm a strong lady."

"Bet you are," Ron shook his head. "Blimey..."

"Harry never told you about it?"

"Well, you know how it is," The boy shrugged. "Us blokes don't speak about feelings much, do we? I asked him once why he was snogging Cho when I thought he'd liked you for years... He said that it was time to move on, but he didn't look happy—Harry was still into you."

"You saw it with your magical ability to notice these kinds of things?" Mel teased.

"I knew because he would look at you like he wanted to keep you locked away in his trunk... but he doesn't look at you that way now."

"How romantic," She joked, but there was an icky feeling in her chest. "How does he look at me now?"

"Well, like he's in love," He shrugged again.

Mel watched him carefully, Ron was no longer a lanky little boy, a tad insecure still, but now he was young a man, and he was her brother. He'd always been understanding with her, she wondered why she hadn't tried to talk to him about this before.

"Harry and I are friends... but I do have feelings for him," She admitted shyly.

"Knew it," He moved his knight. "Still think it's gross."

Mel snorted, Ron's knight obliterated her pawn.

"...You think it's a good idea?" She questioned. "With the lifeline and all... I don't know what to do."

Ron scratched his ear. "Dunno, if it makes you happy then why is it bad?"

"I just know that it has been a hard couple of years, but I don't regret ever falling for Harry..." She groaned, "still, what your sister told me the other day, about choosing myself... if I were to do that then I would have to stay away from him."

"I love my sister," Ron stared at her sternly. "But she's dead wrong. You can choose yourself and Harry. That's what you've been doing all this time, isn't it? Well, except these last few months you dated Erick, I guess..."

"Even then I was choosing him, in a way..." Mel sighed. "I'm scared I'll mess it up, Ron."

"C'mon Mel, Harry's a good bloke! Anyway, if he knows what's good for him he won't upset my best friend."

"Your best friend? What about Hermione?" She teased. "Is she not your best friend?"

"Well," Ron grinned, "she's something."

"Of course," Mel laughed.

After a brutal defeat (Mel lost three times in a row), talking about the Quidditch final, homework, and the weirdest dreams they'd had that week, Hermione walked into the common room along with Erick. He was a fan of spending his afternoons in the tower lately, said the sunny view was a nice change.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Just stuff," Mel sent a knowing grin towards Ron. "Harry got a note from Dumbledore, have you seen him?"

"Ohh!" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. "You think... you think he found a new... you know..."

Erick frowned, they hadn't told him about the Horcruxes. Mel didn't have the chance to tell him about her adventure with Harry all those weeks ago.

"Maybe," Mel shrugged, "we have to wait and see..."

Just as she was finishing her sentence Harry walked through the portrait with a strange look on his face.

"What does he want?" Hermione took a better look at their friend. "Harry, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," He walked past them in a hurry and went upstairs, the group fell silent until he came back. "I've got to be quick, Dumbledore thinks I'm getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen, he found one. So we're going to get it right now, but when I was on my way to his office I ran into Professor Trelawney and she said something about entering the room of Requirement and hearing someone shouting in joy, a man. You see what this means?"

They stared at him in silent confusion, Harry didn't wait for a reply.

"Dumbledore won't be here tonight, so Malfoy's going to have another clear shot at whatever he's up to. No, listen to me! I know it was Malfoy celebrating in the Room of Requirement. Here — You've got to watch him and you've got to watch Snape too. Use anyone else who you can rustle up from the D.A., those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore says he's put extra protection in the school, but if Snape's involved, he'll know what Dumbledore's protection is, and how to avoid it — but he won't be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?"

"Harry —"

"I haven't got time to argue," Harry groaned. "Take this as well —"

"Thanks," Ron looked down at his hand. "Er — why do I need socks?"

"You need what's wrapped in them, it's the Felix Felicis. Mel, I think it'd be great if you get yours too. Share it between yourselves. I'd better go, Dumbledore's waiting —"

"No!" said Hermione, looking down at the potion with horror. "We don't want it, you take it, who knows what you're going to be facing?"

"Hermione's right," Mel said, she'd memorized Harry's instructions and was trying to think of how many people she could gather without making a fuss. "You'll be risking your life out there —"

"I'll be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore," Harry told her, brushing the subject aside. "I want to know you lot are okay... Don't look like that, I'll see you later..."

He didn't give Mel another chance to speak.

Next Chapter —>

Taglist.

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[bingeblogging]

Since my last post ended up being more of a PSA to all SA victims, let me continue to share my out-of-pocket and out-of-character week...I'm here 2 weeks later on 1/26:

Tuesday:

So yeah, to summarize, I probably snapped with this guy from bumble for one whole day knowing like nothing about him. We make plans to get "tipsy and watch movies" on Saturday but I playfully suggest going over that night and I end up packing an overnight bag and staying over. We drink a white claw, prob 3 shits of Tito's, mess around, we go all the way, unfortunately a few times where I was coerced and pressured to do so. I've called him out on it via snap, he tried to call me twice but I didn't wanna talk. We chalked it down to miscommunication and whatnot. Whatever, I'm over it.

Wednesday:

I get 4 hours of sleep, somehow make it to work right on time, because he just needed "5 mins". I let him do his thing for 5 mins and finish. After getting to work my coworker/friend, let's call her Violet, wants to know everything. I eventually text her paragraphs of my night in great detail, and she eventually helps me come to terms that this was r word. The situation hasn't set in and I was talking about it like it was some interesting experience or funny story.

Later on, I visited my grandma as I usually do on Wednesday nights. I had covid the previous week so I wasn't able to see her. I stayed for a bit and met up to see this guy I haven't seen in like 5 years. He was who I lost my virginity to and overall had a weird relationship with, where went on dates and would fool around but didn't have a defined relationship. I hit him up a couple weeks ago asking if he wanted to have that sort of thing again. He was didn't think it would be beneficial for either of us and he said sex doesn't fulfill him in thatw ay anymore. And I feel the same. Idk why I asked when I'm the last person to wanna have sex.

We decided to meet at a park and sat in the backseat of his car. He used to have a Mercedes suv and now this was just a small black car so a lot smaller than the last time we were in a backseat together. Spent some time catching up, not anything super significant has happened to either of us since last seeing each other. Except he had a girlfriend late 2022 and I guess they've been on-and-off and thinking about getting back together. Eventually he leans in and says "get over here" and we start making out. He stops and apologizes because it just doesn't seem right to him. We talk longer about what type of relationship we'd have. Basically neither of us have to do anything we don't want to, just casual and whatever. We kiss again and he stops. He feels like he's taking a step backwards to the past. Which makes sense. We talk a bit more, hug and leave. I texted him later saying we could just talk, hang, vent and do whatever friends do. And that ot seems he still has things to work out with his ex so maybe this isn't needed, so we can just the past in the past and walk away, but I'll always be a friend. I haven't heard from him after that and it's been a week. I'm good though, like I'm at peace with that. I think I was just bored and curious and craving what we had then.

Thursday:

So Thursday morning at work I started to break down thinking about Tuesday's events, just out of nowhere really. And when I stopped I would start again. Luckily I'm at a table in our lobby facing a window to look for cars pulling up to check appointments in. I'd just wipe my tears and pull myself together enough to greet the clients and put up their sheet, sit back down and cry, rinse and repeat. That was the only time really. I almost stepped away into one of the offices where my other coworker/friend, lets call her Archer, was working in. But I got through it.

That evening, I went over to Violet's house to smoke 🍁. My first official time. She invited this guy she went for drinks with, we'll call him Bo. She wasn't feeling him but they still talked and she said she wanted me to meet him because he's hilarious. He couldn't make it that night BUT we went over to his place on Friday night, which I'll explain more in depth. So Violet teaches me how to hold, light and smoke out of a pipe. Talking about and reading messages with the boys we met on dating apps and the guy she's been wishy washy about. I eventually leave a couple hours later and she actually GIVES me a pipe and some weed she ground up for me. I smoked a few times over the weekend and honestly, I didn't feel really any different? Maybe more giggly?

After I left, I texted this guy I've been texting the past couple weeks. A current college security guard and aspiring police officer. We've been trying to get me to come over to his place and I said I would tonight if it didn't get too late. It took me about 35 mins and he had a nice big apartment. Kinda awkward but handsome and I chalked it up to nerves. Didn't go all the way but got oretty close. Just a lot of grinding. I eventually said I should get going, I wasn't sure what he was thinking and I thought he probably wanted it to be over. It was an awkward goodbye because he was just looking at his phone leaning on his counter. I was like, "okay bye?" And hugged him because it was like ??? I sat in his apartment complex parking lot and sent voice notes to Violet about the night. I drove the 30 mins home and didn't hear from him. Once I got home I snapped him asking if he was good because it seemed awkward when I left. The next morning he said he wasn't feeling it, and I asked if it was anything I was doing. Which led to the conclusion that it was a bunch of miscommunication, because i would ask what he wanted and he wasn't really voicing anything, just going along with things. I felt I was doing a lot with changing things up but he said he felt he was doing a lot of the work with eating me out, using his hands, kissing my neck, etc. It was insinuated that we'd meet up again, but -

UPDATE: as of today, January 26, he ignored me for a week and said he was going through stuff, etc. But I was honest and said sex doesn't fulfill me and I feel used and I want a genuine connection. He said he gets it and says we shouldn't meet. It's true though, my experiences haven't been well and I'm convinced none of the guys I'm talking to want anything to do with me that doesn't involve sex. Whateverrr.

Friday:

Me and Violet went over to Bo's house, drank shots and passed around a joint or two. Played darts, had fun and hung out with a Nicki minaj megamix playing on his TV in the background.

Saturday:

First day I spent by myself all week

Sunday:

Bo asked if I wanted to "smoke and netflix". Of course I knew what could happen but I guess I was just numb to it idk. He's egyptian and has an accent which just charms me to the max too. Lol I went over there later, after like 30 mins in the taco bell drive thru. This was the second time seeing Bo and I didn't really know him still. But I was just on a roll with hanging out with guys I didn't know all that week so why not I guess. He puts on "Don't Look Up" and I saw it was over 2 hours and I'm like "idk if we'll finish this" and he agreed. We share a joint and he asks to cuddle so I do, o feel kinda weird has he's tracing his fingers over my arm because again, only hung out once, and he went out with Violet so I was thinking "is he just getting at me because she wasn't feeling him?" But whateverrr. I think he asked if I'm hooking up rn with people and I said I'm not usually the type to just hook up or at least not right away. Like we can make out and play around and stuff. And he says something like "yeah, we can make out..." and it just happens. He was pretty stoned so I don't think he was really in the mood or maybe respected what I said about not hooking up right away. He said "tonight I want to make you happy" and he eats me out for a while 👀 I did go down on him before. I didn't finish, I feel like it'll take a while. Butttt I did get pretty wet. He was flicking his tongue in the right way and also had his fingers in me and I felt me squirting on them. I announced I was squirting because he kinda hesitated and later said he was confused and didn't know but once he knew he said it was hot 👀 He also said later that he didn't mind eating me out for a while because my 🐱 is too hot 👀

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Soooo last night (1/25/22) I go over there again...BTW he lives with his ex. They're married but separated and he had the house for the night. He asked if I wanted to come smoke with him later, and my mood lately has just been why not so yeah lol. We start by sharing a joint. Bo also smokes cigarettes, but you'd never guess. He's one of those really clean smokers. Throughout the night we go out on his porch 3 times for him to smoke. Usually I'd be like, gross, and I'm still never gonna smoke cigarettes, but being around my grandma a lot, secondhand smoke doesn't bother me too much. I kinda taste the sour taste in his mouth when we kiss but it's not too offputting. He shows me how to smoke from a bong, kinda nice, but i prefer when he rolls a blunt. You dont have to light it too much. I wanna get some rolling paper one of these days, smoking from the pipe is kinda convenient but the joint experience is kinda nice lol.

His wifi was acting weird so his TV wasn't connecting. No Netflix tonight, just hood rat music on his phone lol. We start with making out, things progress to 69, he finishes in my mouth. Nbd. Clean up, smoke break. The second time, we go all the way. He wears a condom, like a respectful king. He finishes. Clean up, smoke break. Third time, we start making out and he wants me to cum but at this point I'm dry and not feelin it. I say I don't have to cum and it's ok. GIRLS DONT DO THIS. YOU DESERVE AN ORGASM AND DONT SHAME YOURSELF OR LET ANOTHER PERSON SHAME YOU ON HOW LONG IT'LL TAKE FOR YOU TO FINISH. He asked if I was sure and I said it would take...he says "forever?" And I just say a while, longer than like 5 seconds. Because do guys not realize this??? Ugh. Anyways I'm grinding on top of him, getting really wet. He asks if I'm gonna cum for him and I say I'm gonna try. He eventually is moaning a lot and asks me to choke him 😏 which was hot to hear because a bit before we were talking about what we were into, and I mentioned choking. He said he would get kinda concerned when I led his hand to my neck and wondered if I was hurting, and I said I'd tap him or let him know somehow if I was hurting lol. So I pick up the pace, just getting wetter but not more stimulated ??? I'm watching him pant and get more turned on, eventually he says shit over and over and I keep going until he finishes. I wish that did it for me. But I slowed down the pace and just got off him. Helped him clean up, got dressed for the third time, sat out in his screen room for the 3rd cigarette smoke break because he asked and I was in no rush, then we hug goodbye and we don't text the whole night. He texts me 3 separate messages this morning "good morning hun" "I hope you have a good day today" "last night was so hot actually!!" And I just replied "thank you, I hope you do too" because I was really feeling like nothing because I would like to also have an orgasm and I literally gave this guy 3 orgasms in 3 different ways. I'm all about communication but being passive aggressive is usually my first move lol...if we hang again (I'll give it at least one more shot) I'm gonna remind him of those 3 orgasms and the fact that I had zeroooo. I guess I worry that I won't get there. Ugh whatever. I'm a mess. The fun part is that Bo and I have this little secret that we agreed to not share with Violet. She's going through hell and Friday night we all took shots, smoked, and ate pizza hut at her place while her ex was out...he lightly rubbed my back and there were moments where I saw him stop himself from touching me because Violet was there hehe. Dirty little secret I guess 😏

Forgot what it was called when you do the same thing over and over expecting different results.....insanity all 2022 🥴😵‍💫🤪

[deliverydefresas]

moving step by step (together)

second and last thing i posted on wp that i haven't posted here ((i think)) feel free to ignore if you've read this on wattpad already, as i'm just posting it in case i need to refer to it later.

(not proofread. it never is)

prompt(?): domestic!simbar deciding to move in together (toanothercountry)

When her day began, she didn't imagine it'd end up the way it did. In fact, to Ámbar the day felt like an endless nightmare.

Between her washing machine breaking, one of her kitchen cloths accidentally catching on fire when she was making her breakfast, her car not starting and thus being late to her first class, forgetting an important paper at home and losing 1/5 of her grade for one of the toughest classes in her semester; Ámbar just wanted to call it a day and forget she even had to endure it.

"The professor told me he'd let me turn it the paper, as long as I added 10,000 words more; and hear this: he won't give me the 20% of the grade, but a 15%, tops." She still needed to get her laundry done, so she'd opted to come by Simón's loft (and Nico and Pedro's too) when her classes had ended. While she waited for it to be done, she'd grabbed a glass of wine while venting her boyfriend's ears off. "So now I need to find something to write about that's worth 1000 words of coherency, otherwise I'll be lucky to even have a 10%. And God knows I need it."

Simón kissed her head sympathetically, adjusting her head - previously leaning on his shoulder- a little bit closer to his neck. "You will, little gem. You're the smartest one in your class, I'm sure you'll find something and, it's penultimate semester, you can do it."

She groaned, "I wish it were as easy as that." He kissed her cheek this time, and she snuggled into him a bit more, needing his support to make her feel less stressed. "Enough of me, how was your day?"

He chuckled, "not as interesting as yours, I'm afraid. Did a little songwriting, had a video-call with a magazine, changed my sheets..." he winked at her, making her laugh.

"Aw, do you want me to give you a gold start? Maybe I should call your mom, tell her her little boy is a nice young man who makes his own bed." Simón leaned in to bite her cheek, causing her to and almost spill her wine all over the couch, and to prevent this, the red liquid ended up on her shirt. Technically, it was one of his, since today's clothes had been thrown in the washer with the rest of the laundry, but still, spilling wine on her clothes wasn't nice. "Simón!" she scoffed him, which only made him laugh at her. He told her to grab another of his old shirts, while he refilled her glass.

She stood up then, cursing him all the way to his room to grab one of the 'pajama' shirts he kept in his top drawer. Ámbar heard him call to her once she had put it on; "hey, is tacos okay with you for dinner? Or do you want me to order you something else?"

"What are the guys having?" she questioned, to prepare herself in case the others ordered less than what their stomachs wanted to eat, and later lead them to steal her food.

"Pedro's staying at Delfi's and Nico is out with his fling, so nothing." Simón answered her, entering his room with his cellphone at hand.

"Then the usual." She told him simply, her boyfriend nodded. "Hey, can I use your laptop to check my e-mail? My phone died."

Simón nodded again. "Sure. Hello? I would like to order two pastor gringas..." he left the room again, not before pointing at his desk, where his laptop was sitting on. She quickly turned it on, taking it to the living room to wait for Simón to finish the call.

Her boyfriend was one of those people who didn't put a password on the device itself, but on the archives in it (which were mostly lyrics, tracks, and unreleased songs), so it didn't take long until she had the browser opened.

Ámbar tried to ignore whatever Simón had open in his last tab, but the images displayed caught her attention.

No, it wasn't porn, nor was it anything compromising. At least not in that way.

Her boyfriend had a Real Estate website open, showing apartments in sale. However, that wasn't what surprised her – he'd talked about finding his own place before-, but that all the options listed Mexico City as their location.

He'd never mentioned moving back to Mexico. They'd planned vacations to his hometown Cancún, sure, but somehow in all their talks about the future she'd had assumed their plans took place in Buenos Aires, close to her family instead of his. She could deal with him going on tour for weeks – she didn't bear months as well as she did weeks, and for this he always flew her in- but to live in two different countries? How was their relationship supposed to work in that scenario? Would it even work out? Sure, she was almost over with her degree, but-

"Little gem," her eyes snapped from the screen to where Simón was standing, by the kitchen's door, "I ordered you an almond horchata, is that okay?" she kept staring at him. "What? Is my laptop giving you problems? Your mail?"

She sighed. "No, I actually haven't opened my mail yet." He gave her a confused look.

"Then what's it? You've been staring at the screen for at least two minutes."

"When were you planning on telling me you're moving to Mexico?"

His mouth shut, his eyes showed surprise and an underlying regret. "Uh... soon?"

"So it's true, then? You're moving there?" Ámbar didn't want her voice to sound as hurt as it did, but she couldn't conceal it, either. After all, this was her boyfriend, the guy she was in love with, and who she'd loved for years now... to imagine him living so far away from her, it hurt her deeply.

To find out like this, instead of from his own mouth, was like salt to the wound. Her already shitty day was turning for the worse.

Simón sighed, his demeanor showing he was ashamed of it. "It's an option." He pursed his lips slightly, walking over to the couch, taking the device off her lap to turn her body towards him. "I was planning on talking to you about this sooner than later, I promise."

"When? When you had already bought it? Or when I had to say goodbye at the airport?" she couldn't help but dab at him, her temper was talking for her right then, "and what do you mean with 'it's an option'? You're looking for a place already, surely it's more than simple 'option'."

Simón let out a sigh, a sign he wasn't sure how to explain it to her, "I- have you noticed how most of our label meetings have been taking place in México?" She nodded, it was hard not to. The boys and him didn't really leave the city unless they absolutely had to, which could be summed up in three reasons: touring, vacations, and meetings. She'd always frown a little when those meetings took place, because she couldn't really understand why they had to leave when their label had offices in BsAs, but never really dared to ask Simón, afraid she'd come out as clingy for not wanting him to leave her for a couple days.

"I just assumed all the 'important' people chose to meet there instead of flying down here."

He scratched his nape. "It's a little bigger than that. Their HQ has always been up there, and their offices here have worked on a smaller scale for years; however, they've wanted all their more... 'recognizable' artists to be closer for a while now."

"So, they're making you move there?"

"Yes and no. They've been nagging us since the beginning to move to Mexico City, but it's only now we've – well, I've- considered it as an option."

"Why? Don't Pedro and Nico want, too?"

Simón grimaced. "They've already been considering it for a couple of years." Oh. Now that she thought about it, Delfina had hinted multiple times over the months 'the possibility' of working in another country. She'd always assumed she meant taking international jobs for a short period while Pedro was out on tour too, but now she guessed she'd meant for her to imagine that possibility, too.

It seemed like she'd assumed lots of things, and it stung to know she'd been in the dark far longer than everyone else. Even Delfi – who'd been dating Pedro a considerably less time than she'd been with Simón- knew of this before her.

Which made her ask him once again. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because you're still in uni, little gem, and I didn't want to move somewhere else while you were here; I still don't. I had a plan, honestly; I was going to wait until you neared graduation to slowly get you used to the idea, and, well, I also wanted to wait in case we didn't work out." She pursed her lips as she was still mad, but knew he had a point. He always did.

"You could've talked to me sooner, though. We could've planned this way sooner, make it easier for both." Ámbar sighed out, trying to get her anger out with it.

"I know, I get it now, and I'm very sorry." He apologized sincerely, grabbing one of her hands to kiss it. "This in no way is me telling you I'm moving tomorrow and leaving you here, little gem, I'd never do that. Hell, I don't even think I could. It's just..."

"An option." She finished for him, sighing again. "I guess I- I don't know, maybe I could start looking at internships in CDMX? When- when would this take place anyway? And I have to talk to my mo-" her eyes widened, "God, my mom! What do I tell her if we go? She'll be all alone here!" Her voice sounded panicky even to her.

"Hey, it's okay, there's no hurry. We've already postponed this for years with the boys, another year or so won't change anything, in fact, we'll need all we can get to get papers and stuff in check. And your mom can always come with us if you're worried about her, no biggie." He told her, as if the three of them moving countries wasn't a big deal, or, y'know, extremely expensive.

"Do you seriously want my mom living with us, Simón?" she snapped at him, and immediately felt bad to do so. He was just trying to help her and then here she was, bitching on his offers. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just... overwhelmed, sorry." He shrugged it off.

"I was actually thinking of you two getting your own apartment but since you're oh so kindly offering to live together..." Her eyes widened once more, shocked. She hadn't realized she'd implied that. "... I guess we can either buy or rent one for ourselves and rent another for your mom."

"That's not what- I mean it's not necessary. An apartment for my mom and I would be okay if she even agrees to move."

Her boyfriend started pouting. "Are you saying you don't want to move in with me?"

"No, no, that's not what I mean-" she stopped talking once she saw a teasing grin on his face. "You're messing with me."

He shook his head, silently laughing as he reached out to sit her on his lap, hugging her waist tightly. "I'm not. I'm actually happy you asked me to move with you, so I don't have to when the time comes."

"I didn't ask you." She felt the need to point it out. "You just assumed I did."

"Because you assumed we'd live together. It's okay; if it were up to me I'd be living with you in a heartbeat, I've thought about it for a while."

She gulped. "You have?"

"Yeah, but since I'm living with two dudes and you're living with your mom... it just isn't viable." That got her thinking.

"Why haven't you gotten your own apartment yet? Any of you?"

Simón shrugged, leaning into their coffee table to grab their glasses. "Rent is cheaper when you divide into three, and all of us have been saving up to get our own pads for when we moved to CDMX."

"It was never a matter of 'if', was it? It was always a 'when' you moved." She already knew the answer, of course, so she didn't wait for him to answer. "What took you so long to do so? I'm sure you could've done so years ago, and now you're waiting for Delfi and I, I guess, but before? What held you back?"

He pondered it for a minute, didn't speak immediately. "Something always came up. At first, we didn't have enough money saved, then Nico's mom had an accident, Pedro wanting to stay until his little sister finished high school... then you. My guess is the universe was waiting for us to meet to let me leave the city." She couldn't help but laugh at this.

"You're such a corny guy."

"Only for you, little gem, only for you." Ámbar took a sip of her wine before snuggling closer to his chest, earning her a kiss on her hair. "So, are we doing this?"

She pushed the anxiety of the unknown to the back of her mind, she knew that if she overthought about it she'd find reasons not to. Instead, she took a deep breath, intoxicating herself with the smell of soap and lotion that lingered on her boyfriend all the time.

"Yeah," she sighed, "but we're doing this together."

"Together," he repeated, giving her hand another kiss. "I like the sound of that."

[luna-memoria]

Reposting because my hand slipped and deleted the whole friggin' post ahhhhh

Anyways have this KaiAo police AU I've had lying around for months.

..

Honestly, Aoko didn't expect Kaitou KID to turn up despite having agreed to.

She'd been sitting in the corner Starbucks of the street near her house for the past ten minutes, which was precisely twenty minutes before her agreed meeting time with KID. She figured it'll be a good idea to check out the place for any suspicious activity, despite being quite sure the person in question wouldn't pull anything funny for the sake of his silly honor or something, but that idea seemed pretty extra when a man holding a cup of hot chocolate call strolling up next to her. The name on his cup said 'Katsuki', a name that put a smirk on her face.

"There's still quite some time before one o'clock, you know," she said, scanning the man thoroughly.

"Now now. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to let a lovely lady wait, would it?" commented the man - Kaitou KID - with a slightly apologetic tone. "I didn't make you wait long, did I?"

She shook her head, amused. "I just arrived earlier than you. Please take a seat."

"So. Anything you're interested in knowing?" he asked first thing upon plopping down into his seat. A grin. "I'm pretty certain this isn't just a normal date to ask about my life in the past four years, Aoko-chan~~"

Aoko gave him her best glare, but chose to say nothing. She was an adult, for crying out loud. Not that same high school student who gets pissed at every little thing KID does to get a reaction out of her. Yes, she can handle this maturely��like an adult.

"You can say there's something I want to ask you," she said, fingers fumbling as they wrapped around her paper cup and brought it up to her face. Yes, the fresh scent of coffee was exactly what needed to keep her sane and cool. She eyed his attire. It was one of his more casual 'disguises', if she could even call it one. He wore a fine dark green jacket over a black turtleneck and jeans, accompanied by glasses and a cap. She wanted to make some kind of statement, something to make fun of his disguise, but it somehow did a good job of securing his identity, so it didn't seem right to say such a thing. Maybe it had something to do with experience of using the same freaking disguise for years without fail.

Too immersed in thought, she didn't realize her intense gaze placed on the thief before her. He had to wave to get her out of her brief daze.

"Is that cup of yours gonna be hauled at me if I say something that upsets you?" he asked with a pointed finger.

She smirked. "Depends. Are you gonna say something that will upset me?"

"Well, I hardly know what will upset you, Nakamori-san." He shrugged.

"Lies," she offered. "I'd hate those, when I had to go through all this trouble to contact you for this date."

His eyes darted up at her, she noticed, no thanks to the thick shades casted on his face by the cap. Reading people was what Aoko considered to be her talent, an ability she gained in hopes of becoming more understanding of her best friend who always tried to fool her with some stupid 'poker face'-

No. This was not a good time to think of him of all people. She was on an important mission right now, which, even if the police force didn't know, might have something to do with the criminal group they've been investigating for months but failed to get any leads on. This… this was a good chance for her to shine, and possibly clear up the business she had with KID, from her high school years. Even if she knew she had next to zero chance of ever capturing him, she wanted to know his secret- the mystery behind his persona. He was not just some thief who seemed attention or money, and her experiences with criminals so far told her that some had stories behind their actions.

She wanted to know the story that made KID decide to keep on his facade for so many years.

"You can rest assured then. I wouldn't come all the way here to lie to you."

"Then I expect you will answer whatever questions I have with honesty."

"You sound like a mom talking to her child, if I'm being honest."

She glared.

"Okay, okay. Ask away. I'll give you whatever info I can give."

Now, that asked for a direct question. "What is your motive for returning?"

He frowned. "Pardon?"

"There's a reason for your return, I'm sure. After disappearing for four whole years. I want to know that reason."

"And here I thought you were going to ask me something related to the… well, object of your investigations."

"That'll be for later."

"If you say so," he said, leaning back and stretching his legs lazily as he took a sip of his drink. "I was just there to work, which I can't see why you would interest yourself in."

"I want to know."

"…I'm sure you've noticed that I've stopped with those dazzling heists of mine?"

"Yes. I probably wouldn't have learnt of your return if I didn't run into you at the crime scene the other day."

"I was on duty, collecting data for someone."

"As in?"

"My employer."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "That does not answer my question."

"I told you I'd answer what I could. The name of my employer is one of the things I couldn't disclose to anyone. Don't most jobs have this common rule saying 'keep each client's info secret' or something?"

"Fine then. What were you doing then? I suppose you are allowed to tell me the events of your job?"

"You know what politicians love the most, Nakamori-san?"

"What?" she narrowed her eyes, surprised by the sudden turn of conversation. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's the best description I can give you regarding my activities near your job site."

"Wait. You're not telling me you now work to collect blackmail for politicians, are you?!" Aoko exclaimed in a sharp whisper, self-conscious of the few stares they were starting to earn from the surrounding customers. She wondered if she should have picked a more private space after all, but who knew when the suspicious character from back then at the crime scene was gonna make his return? She didn't know if the person - whoever he was - was a threat at all, but she had a bad feeling that something bad was happening in due time, and she didn't want to risk anything.

"You think so highly of me, Nakamori-san," he said, tone tainted with sarcasm. "I hardly think politicians would trust a thief like me to do their dirty work - if they could even afford my services in the first place." Noting how Aoko didn't respond, he continued. "I was in the bar that night. I don't know if you police inspectors know this, but there was a meeting between two gun smugglers - Kurosawa and Kaizaki - last night somewhere in Shibuya."

Aoko nodded. "I think I've heard something of the sort."

"I happen to know this Kurosawa always meets up with his lover in this bar, and he always tells her everything - and I mean it when I say everything." KID produced a feather in his hands all of a sudden, fiddling with it in a way Aoko thought she recognized. Maybe all magicians have that habit, she thought. "My quest was to record everything and send it to my employer, which was a fairly simple task, as the guy completely lost his cautiousness with that woman."

He paused briefly, fingers still playing with the feather. "It's funny how easy it was get that info with just a woman. To think that man was considered one of the hardest criminals to track down…" Aoko raised an eyebrow at his out-of-the-place sentence, but cleared her throat preparing for her next question.

"I see. From what I understand, you're being paid to gather info about someone who happens to be one of the most difficult criminals around."

"You can say that."

"What are you, doing that kind of thing?"

"I'm fairly sure there was a character like that in that favorite detective series of yours, wasn't there?" KID remarked with a smile, his grip on the feather tightened. He turned his gaze back to Aoko, which made her shy away as a result.

"And how would you know what detective series I like?"

"Oh? I was fairly certain, you seem like the type to read Holmes."

"Never mind that. It's none of your concern."

"You are correct, but I thought you may be the one to be concerned, seeing I'm talking about the very man the great detective called the worst man in London."

"I believe you are talking about The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton," she replied. "It's one of my favorite stories in the series."

"So I guess that adds to the list of things I know about you, hm?"

"The tiny list of things you know about me," she snarled.

"Fine, fine, geesh. You're still as fiery as I remember, Nakamori-san, except that you're a police detective now. Should I call you Inspector Nakamori for the nostalgia-"

"Don't. Don't mention my father, he's not supposed to be involved in all this mess after everything you've put him through over the years."

"That's… fair." He didn't say anything besides that, and the sudden silence spooked Aoko a little, since KID was always joking and making cheesy remarks every chance he could when they interacted. Seeing him at a loss of words didn't feel as good as she'd thought it would be.

Deciding to steer the conversation back on it's original direction, Aoko spoke first, breaking the brief silence. "So. Milverton, huh? I never thought a day would come where I'd associate the great Kaitou KID with a character like him."

A Cheshire grin spread across the thief's face once again, and Aoko almost smacked herself for feeling the slightest bit of relief. That relief was gone instantly though as he purred, "Great Kaitou KI-"

KID paused his tracks, noting Aoko's expression. His face sunk (at the loss of a chance to mess with her, probably).

"Well, I don't think this Milverton character is deserving of all this hate you put in. In fact, I think he's pretty smart, using secrets of other people to make money…"

"Like you apparently do now? Is that why you compared yourself to him?"

"I'm not all bad, Nakamori-san, contrast to your belief. Sure I sell secrets, but not the kind your character would be interested in. I'd collect that if I were paparazzi…" He stopped, like the mere thought of that scared him (or excited him, she couldn't really tell.) "… But the information I come across usually results in the deforming of illegal groups, arrests of smugglers and so. You can call me a spy… or something along the lines of that."

"As if you'd be so noble," she scoffed, more out of habit than actual scorn. It has never affected him much before when she did it in high school, so why would he be bothered by it now?

Her assumptions were proved wrong however, as KID lowered his face, bitterness fading back into his voice.

"Perhaps I've always been, it's just that you refuse to see it for yourself, Nakamori-san."

That… was out of the blue. Aoko didn't know what she could say to respond - an acknowledgement? That probably wouldn't help much in a situation as awkward as the one before her, so she just spat what the usual, fiery her would say.

"I know exactly what I see."

"If you insist." He hopped off his comfy spot on the couch, grabbing his keys and coffee cup from the table. Aoko knew for sure her words caused discomfort in him, but there wasn't anything she could do to stop him.

There goes her chance to gather more information.

What was she going to do to track down a new lead?

"Wait! I'm not done with my questions yet-!"

He eyed her sideways, "there's always next time."

She was almost certain he was going to leave, but no, not yet.

Much to her surprise, KID stopped by her and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear. "Oh, and Nakamori-san? Not all spies have noble intentions. Thought you had the right to know, seeing that there's one like that right in your department."

He pulled away, a fake smile visible on his face. "And that'll be all for today! I look forward to your next date together, Aoko-chan!" he exclaimed cheerily, giving her a small salute as he skipped out of the cafe.

It took her a whole minute to precess his words, and the conclusion she got wasn't one she liked.