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promise-you-doie · 5 months

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J. Jaehyun | Coming Home

After hitting a dead end in your job search, you reluctantly return home to stay with your mom. However, fate has other plans as you unexpectedly cross paths with an old flame. Sparks fly as you navigate the complexities of past feelings and present circumstances, reigniting a passionate connection that refuses to be ignored.

Jaehyun x reader (Exes to lovers)

6k words

Fluff, Angst, Suggestive.

Playlist

As a little girl, you had this idyllic vision of what your adult life would be like. You thought by the time you entered your 20s, you would have graduated from college and easily walked into your dream career. But now, as an adult, you're confronted with the harsh realities of life. You only have $300 to your name, a coupon for a free pizza from your go-to pizza place, and a tech degree that seems to be of no use. To make matters worse, you've ruined your credit during your college years, and you've just ended a three-year relationship. It feels like everything is against you, and the only choice you have is to go back to your hometown to stay with your mom until you get back on your feet.

Leaving Los Angeles was hard enough, but landing in Connecticut felt like a blow to your pride. Everything looks the same as when you left, and the people haven't changed much either. You want to drop down to your knees and cry when you realize that this is where you're going to be for the next few months of your life. But you still have some dignity left in you, so you grab your luggage and try to compose yourself as you walk towards the pickup section to wait for your mom.

Blinking back tears, you inhale a deep breath and pull out your phone. You wait patiently as your phone searches for service in the area. When the service finally sets in, your phone blows up with 70 different alerts: two calls from your best friend, Joy, and three text messages from her telling you to have a safe trip and to keep your head up.

Six missed calls from your ex-boyfriend and seven text messages from him begging you to talk to him.

51 emails from the various job search sites that you signed up with and one singular text message from your mom.

Mom: Hey! I won't be able to make it. But don't worry, I'll have Jaehyun come pick you up. Can't wait to see you!

As if on cue, a familiar black 2015 Toyota Corolla pulls up right in front of you, and none other than Jung Jaehyun gets out of the car.

"This has to be a joke." You breathe, your shoulders raising as you do so.

He smirks the second he lays eyes on you, "Wow you haven't aged a bit."

You wish you could say the same about him, he'd grown a lot more mature since you last saw him. He wasn't the 18-year-old boy you were once head over heels for. He was way taller; he grew his hair out, and you could tell that he started hitting the gym.

"Why are you here?" You look up at him with folded arms.

He doesn't take you seriously. He never did. "Sorry, I'm late." He chuckles and takes your suitcase from beside you to load it in the back of his car.

Once he finishes his first task, he walks back around to open the door for you, gesturing to the passenger seat with both arms and a smile that you wish you could hate.

"I'm not getting in the car, Jaehyun." You remain in your spot, arms still folded over your chest.

"No?" He asks condescendingly.

You repeat, "No." Firm on your feet.

"Well, I guess. I'll see you there then." You watch him close the door and walk to the driver's side without sparing you a look. He starts the car and drives away, leaving you with two options.

You could chase after him and embarrass yourself, or you could remain stubborn and just call an Uber.

You choose to chase the car after realizing that the phone that you would use to call an Uber was sitting in the back of his trunk.

He watches you run after him from his rearview mirror; he slows down but refuses to stop until you were banging on the side of the window, begging him to stop. He got a thrill out of this, and you could tell.

"Did you change your mind?" He teases

Physically, Jaehyun was a completely different person; he grew up, well, you'll admit that. But personality-wise? He hadn't changed at all. He was still the same sarcastic asshole you met in high school.

You mutter, "I don't have my phone." As you slide into the passenger seat, out of breath. You subtly look around, taking notice that the car still smells the same way you remembered it; it was just cleaner now. Sooner or later, your eyes dart to the back seat, and Jaehyun chuckles when you do.

"So what's L. A like?" He asks suddenly, one hand on the steering wheel and the other draped over his thigh.

"It's fun and different. My boyfriend helped to introduce me to a lot of new things." You purposely mention your (ex) boyfriend just to see his reaction.

To your dismay, his reaction is as simple as none. He only asks, "How will long-distance work out for you? It didn't seem to work with us."

"We'll do fine." You say, trying to sound confident.

The car falls silent for a few moments before he starts up a new conversation. "I'm glad you're back."

The statement seems taunting, even if you know that's not how he means it. You always dreamt of moving away to a big city where no one knew who you were, and now that you're back home, it just feels like you are a failure.

"I'm not staying for long." You gaze out of the window.

"Since you're back in town, we should hang out sometime," he suggests, sneaking glances at you.

"I didn't come back to see you."

"Suit yourself, but remember I'm always just a phone call away."

As you step into the familiar house, you can't help but notice that everything looks the same. Though your mom has rearranged some things, the overall feel is still the same. She's standing at the counter, wearing her favorite white robe and sipping on a glass of wine. Even she looks the same, and you can't help but wonder if the past five years have been stuck in time.

Your thoughts are interrupted when Jaehyun speaks up from behind you, offering to take the bags upstairs. You're about to protest when your mom pulls you into a warm hug, rocking you back and forth. "Oh, my baby, I missed you so much," she coos, holding your face in her hands. "Have you been skipping meals?" She asks, eyeing you closely. When you shake your head, she mutters disapprovingly, "I hope you didn't start one of those stupid L.A diets." You hear Jaehyun snicker from behind you, but you can't break free from your mom's grip to glare at him.

"No, mom." You mutter shamefully like a middle schooler who just got through a scolding.

"We've got to fatten you up." She pinches your cheeks before she lets you go. Oh, you and Jaehyun should go try out the taco place down the street." Your mom swings her index finger between you and your ex-boyfriend. "They opened it up after you left. It's amazing, and the staff there is amazing, too."

You open your mouth to speak, but Jaehyun beats you to it. "I think she'd rather the tacos in L.A" he says as he stands beside your mom, looking down on you in a way that feels degrading. The only thing you can do is wonder when they got so close.

Your mom has always liked Jaehyun, but it seemed like she adopted him after you left. If you look close enough, you might find similarities in their facial features.

"Jaehyun probably has other things to do. Why don't we just go instead? It's been a while since it was just you and me." You waltz over and loop your arm around your mom's right arm. Opposite side of where Jaehyun was standing

"Or we could all go out together." Suggests, Jaehyun with a grin so big you could see his dimples.

Your mom's face glows at the thought as she pushes you aside. "That sounds like a wonderful Idea."

"How was your flight?" Joy's voice comes through the speaker of your phone while you prop it up against your old desk. You slide back in your seat to start your face care while simultaneously talking to her.

"Long, it should be illegal for infants to fly on a plane." You mutter, slapping the moisturizer on your face and rubbing it in circles along your cheeks.

Joy gets closer to the camera just to say, "That's harsh," but she doesn't bother to try to hide her laugh.

"Okay maybe not illegal, but there should at least be a secluded area for parents flying with newborns, or you know… just kids who still cry." You drag out the last part when you get closer to the mirror and run your index finger along the new pimple you have growing in.

"Like a daycare?" Joy asks

"That wasn't what I was thinking, but that works too."

"Okay enough about that, have you seen him yet?" Joy whispers against the speaker of her own phone and thankfully so because just as soon as she mentions him Jaehyun comes walking into your room without a notice or a knock.

"Dinners ready." He stops at the entrance of your room but gets closer when he sees that you're on the phone. Close enough for him to show up on your camera screen and wave his hand around. "Hi, Joy." He smiles tauntingly.

"I have to go," you mutter and hang up the call before either of them can get another word in. Turning in your seat to ask "Why are you here?" for the second time today.

His smile doesn't falter, and he doesn't back away, either. "What? You don't want to see me?" he teases.

"I don't," you murmur, pushing him away with the palm of your hand and rolling your eyes. You stand up when he backs up, but his eyes remain on you. You hate that you didn't hate it, and you hate that you don't hate him.

You always thought you would be angry if you ever saw him again, you expected that you'd shed a few tears even. But all of that was furthest from the truth because now that you saw him again you were only reminded of the love you kept harbored away for him.

You were gonna be fine, as long as you kept your distance.

"You invited him over for dinner?" You quietly mutter to your mom, hoping that Jaehyun won't hear you.

"Don't be like that, he came over all the time while you were gone. That's not gonna change because of a little breakup."

"But Mom." You whine.

She hears none of it as she continues setting the table and praising Jaehyun for how helpful he was compared to her own child. You grimace at the statement before plopping down at the table with your arms crossed.

Jaehyun takes the seat across from you, and your mom takes the one adjacent. "Isn't this wonderful? It's been so long since I've seen the two of you together." She smiles and clamps her hands together.

"Is he going to come over every night?" You ask, wiping the smile off of your mom's face. You've always been a fan of your mom's cooking, but now you were picking at the rice and mixing it around. Your spoon clinks against the bottom of the glass plate before you go to take a spoonful.

Sucking in a hiss when your mom smacks your arm, "Why don't you be nice?"

"I was just asking." You whine once more but pull your lips into a thin line when you realize that no matter what, she's going to take his side and Jaehyun's enjoying it.

"You know the carnival is opening tomorrow." Your mom starts again, "You guys should go out and have fun. It's summer, and you're still young."

"I can't. I have to…" You look around for any excuse that won't get you slapped for a second time. "Unpack."

Your efforts count for nothing as your mom slaps you again on the arm. "Oh, don't be stubborn." She laughs. "Jaehyun, you aren't busy, right?"

"No, mam." He smiles, specifically at you.

"And neither are you," she says when she looks at you. "So it's settled; you can pick her up tomorrow." Your mom claps her hands together with a bright smile.

"No, I really can't." You wave your hand around.

"Well, you don't have a job, do you?" is all your mom has to say to make you lower your chin and shake your head. "Then I don't see why not."

"Besides, you could use a picker-upper since you broke up with that little boyfriend of yours." She adds unsolicited. You want to hide, curl up into a ball, and just vanish, disappear, and go anywhere but here.

"You broke up?" Jaehyun pipes up with a smirk.

You scramble to defend yourself, but the best you can come up with is, "We're just taking a little break."and that's all you get to say before your mom interrupts.

"Say, Jaehyun, don't you have that pan I let you borrow? I think I might need it for tomorrow night's dinner."

He nods, "Yeah, I can bring it tomorrow if you'd like."

"No, you might forget. Y/n, why don't you ride with him and bring the pan back."

The mention of your name makes you choke on your food, "What?"

"That'll give you guys some time to catch up." If you didn't know any better, you would think she was doing this on purpose. But you did know better and knew she was doing this on purpose.

"But it's late, and he has bad eyesight." You point, searching for any way that you could to get her to change her mind. Retracting when you see the way he's looking at you. "I mean, it's never safe to drive at night."

"That's more of a reason for you to go. I wouldn't want him stranded on the side of the road." says your mom.

"What about me?"

"If you're ready, we can go now." She ignores you when Jaehyun stands up in his chair.

"Yes, you two get going. I'll clean this up." Your mother hurries you out of your seat, pushing you along with Jaehyun to the door. You don't even get to say anything before she's waving and slamming the door in your face, locking you out of the house with your pajamas, bunny slippers, and your ex.

"You coming?" Jaehyun yells, standing on the passenger side of his black car.

You look at the door once and let out a long, deep sigh as you stomp to his car, sliding past him and into the passenger seat, but not without rolling your eyes.

"If you keep rolling your eyes, they're going to get stuck in the back of your head," Jaehyun teases before closing the car door.

He gets into the car shortly after and starts it immediately. You hope to keep the car ride quiet, but Jaehyun has other plans as he starts returning to his place. "I see long distance isn't your strong suit."

Naturally, you want to roll your eyes. You notice it's just a common occurrence when you are around him. "I already told you were working things out; I just didn't wanna hold him back."

You turn to him when you hear a small laugh. "Working things out," he repeats. "How come I didn't get that option?"

"You didn't deserve it."

"So you really love him, huh?" He glances over to see your reaction, and based on your facial expressions alone, he knows he's right.

He knows the answer, but you're not as sure. Is it possible for you to love two men at once?

"I don't wanna talk about this tonight, Jaehyun." You sigh and gaze out of the window. Per your request, he remains quiet for the rest of the ride. But now that you're sitting in complete silence, all you have to do is think. Think about the feelings and emotions you thought you had left in the past.

What would things be like if you had never ended things with Jaehyun? Would you have met your ex? Would you be conflicted right now sitting in the passenger seat of your ex's car while thinking about your other ex?

"Are you coming in?" Jaehyun asks, holding his apartment door open for you.

You prop up against the wall behind you and fold your arms. "No, I'll stand right here," you say, but swiftly run behind him when you hear someone else leave their apartment. The last thing you needed was someone else to see you standing outside his door, whether they knew you or not.

"Hi, Johnny." Jaehyun turns to wave at the neighbor against your wishes, smiling at you when you glare at him. "Don't worry, he's not gonna bite you."

Your only response is another glare; he simply smiles while you walk past him and into his apartment.

This seems to be the nature of your relationship: You're hot-headed and easily irritated, while Jaehyun is sarcastic and loves to get under your skin. It's always been like this, and there was just no telling how the two of you ever managed to fall in love.

Jaehyun stands behind you when you scan his living area. It's exactly what you'd expect from a man, and especially Jaehyun. There's a couch and some small decor here and there, but it feels cold and bare for the most part.

It's almost hard to believe that this is where he spends most of his time.

You keep your thoughts to yourself and follow him into the kitchen, where you continue to look around.

"Seems like you and my mom got close," you speak, hoping to distract him from how you are inspecting everything in his apartment.

Jaehyun answers, "Yeah, I guess you could say that." His head dips into the cabinets under the counter, searching for the pan that brought him here in the first place.

You raise your hands to each arm and sigh, "So was that on purpose… or?"

"She was the closest thing I could get to you." He says casually, as if everyone's heard that before.

You, on the other hand, aren't as casual about the subject as he is. You drop your arms to your side and start looking around again for a sudden change of conversation, which Jaehyun misses with his head still tucked under the cabinets.

"I like what you've done with the place; it's cozy." You lie, and you're glad he isn't looking at you because you know he can tell that you are with just a glance.

You forgot that he could also tell when you were nervous. He's always been able to read you like a children's book, and he always used that against you.

"It wasn't as easy for me to jump into another relationship as fast as you did." He stands up with the pan in his hand. The look he gives you makes your face feel hot; you begin choking over words.

"I- I don't wanna talk about this."

"I do." He slides the pan back when you reach for it but closes the distance between you. He gets so close that you have to crane your neck to look up at him. He's so close that you're scared he might hear the beat of your heart. He's so close that you could just kiss him. "I missed you, Y/n. More than you could ever imagine."

You admit you still have feelings for Jaehyun but won't act on them. After all, you're a firm believer in "Control your actions, not your emotions," but he's only getting closer and closer.

You start to rethink your philosophies when you breathe in the scent of his cologne. Your skin feels hot and you don't know how long you plan on holding back from him.

It's going to happen sooner or later, so why not sooner? You think as you allow him to take the last step needed to close the space between you.

When his lips connect with yours, you wrap your arms around his neck to pull him closer, and suddenly, he lifts you up by the back of your thighs to carry you back to his bedroom.

The bright yellow light beaming over your closed eyelids wakes you up from your deep slumber. The arm wrapped tightly around your abdomen causes your eyes to nearly bulge out of your head.

Your clothes sprawled on the floor is enough evidence to prove that last night wasn't just a dream. Being pretty much naked in nothing but one of his T-shirts is just the icing on top.

You really slept with your ex.

"Jaehyun," you whisper, gently tapping his arm, which is more than enough to wake him up.

He groans, "Good Morning" as he starts to lay kisses all over the back of your shoulders. And if possible, his hold on you just gets tighter as he pulls you back towards him.

"I have to go home."

"Sure thing, baby." He says, laying one kiss on the back of your head and another on your cheek. With that, he rolls off the bed and begins getting dressed, smiling like an idiot while he does so.

You choose to ignore it; for once, he wasn't acting like an asshole, and you just need some quietness while you take the time to collect your clothes from around the floor.

However, when you reach the car, your thoughts spew like a waterfall. "We can't do that again." You don't give him time to respond, to neither agree nor disagree, before you go on a tangent that lasts the entire 12-minute car ride.

"Okay," Jaehyun responds after pulling into the driveway of your childhood home.

He's never really been much of a talker; if anything, he just liked to say simple things that he knew would piss you off. You're certain this has to be one of them. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop your blood from growing hot.

"okay?" You repeat with squinted eyes. "I just told you I never wanted to see or talk to you again and just go 'okay?"

"What do you want me to say?" He almost laughs, and that just riles you up more.

"Anything else? Did you even mean everything you said yesterday, or were you just looking for sex?" He doesn't say anything at first. He looks away and gazes out the window for what feels like half an hour but is only 8 seconds.

"I don't know." He shrugs

"You don't know?" You repeat him yet again.

"Well, do you want me to tell you the truth?" He asks calm as ever, completely opposite to you.

"No, I don't." You murmur, stomping out of his car and slamming the door behind you.

Jaehyun lets you get to your porch before he rolls his passenger seat window down and shouts, "I'll pick you up at two." When you turn around, you're met with a dimpled smile and his crescent eyes.

If you weren't already so angry, you would've matched his smile, and for a second, you almost do.

He always knew how to make you mad and how to make you laugh. That's why you fell in love with each other, and it only took a special set of dimples to remind you of that.

The sun is still young at 2 p.m., well, 1:51 p.m., to be exact. You were coming to terms with the fact that you had slept with your ex and that you'd been counting the seconds, waiting for two o'clock to come.

The knock at the door sends you rushing down the steps, nearly tripping over your own feet. You barely contain your smile when you see Jaehyun standing on the other side of the door.

"You're early," you scoff, walking past him and closing the door behind you. Jaehyun does nothing but smile at you, reaching for your hand to pull you closer to him as he guides you to his car.

He leaves a kiss on your cheek and mumbles, "I couldn't wait to see you." To which you roll your eyes in an attempt to hide the way your lips turn up into a subtle smile.

The wind from outside seeps into the car as he drives through the highway, one hand interlocked with yours and the other on the steering wheel. He glances at you a few times and, after the third time, says, "You know this is a date, right?"

You turn your head towards the window and pretend like you can't hear him. Only for him to roll both windows up and repeat, "You know this is a date, right?"

"I didn't agree to a date." You retort, "I'm only here cause my mom forced me to."

"Is that why you're still holding my hand?" He asks, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

You shift in your seat, but you don't dare to let go of his hand. If anything, your grasp on him just gets tighter, and you go back to looking out the window. "My hand is cold, and yours is warm," you murmur.

Your answer warrants him to bring your hand up to his lips and leave a chaste kiss or a few. He does that often throughout the evening, randomly pulling you closer to him just to leave kisses on your cheek or forehead.

It feels like high school all over again. Jaehyun's still staring at you like a lovesick fool, and you still get butterflies in the pit of your stomach when you make eye contact. "This isn't a date," you state suddenly.

The warm breeze, carrying the scent of summer, gently tousles your hair as you gaze up at your ex. "And I meant what I said. After this, I don't wanna see you again." The air is filled with the sounds of young teens cheering and laughing, their voices blending into a joyful cacophony.

Jaehyun uses his index finger to move the hair out of your face and push it behind your ear. "Okay," he says softly, with his hand still lingering on your cheek. His thumb softly grazes your lower lip.

You breathe, "I'm serious, Jae." But the use of his nickname and the way you look at him tells him you're anything but serious.

"I know." He says, switching his focus between your eyes and your lips. He kisses you, but you take the initiative to pull him closer by the nape of his neck, feeling the heat of his body transform onto yours.

The feeling is all too familiar,‌ like euphoric bliss or, rather, a certain type of high you don't ever want to come down from. "I missed you." You slur against his lips, arms still tied around him so he can't go anywhere.

"I know." is all he says before he leans in to kiss you again.

The car is pretty silent other than the small taps of the raindrops on the windows and the music playing on his car radio at the lowest volume. Occasionally, you can hear vibrations from your phone.

Jaehyun's hand is firmly wrapped around yours, and it's been like that for the past hour. He pulls you right back every time you try to slip away. "So what about Sicheng? How is he?" you ask, resting your head against the back of the seat.

"He's married now," Jaehyun answers. The tips of his lips turn upwards into a smile when he sees your widened eyes.

"To whom?"

"I don't know her name." He looks off to the side as if to think. "They got married a year ago."

"I would've never thought." The car falls silent again, and just as soon as it does, your phone buzzes for probably the hundredth time of the night.

Jaehyun lets your hand go just long enough for you to check your messages.

There are over 20 missed calls from Joy and one text from her telling you to call her ASAP.

Then, there are three messages from your ex begging you to call him. His contact is still saved as "my love." It's been like that since you first got together, and you hadn't thought of changing it after you broke up.

Well, it's more like you couldn't bring yourself to do it. If you were to change his name and block him, things would be real for you. And you were desperately clinging on to hope. Maybe things will work out; you'll go back to L.A and be with him again.

"Are you okay?" Jaehyun pulls you out of your thoughts, sliding his hand into yours and interlocking your fingers.

"Yeah," you shake your head and lock your phone.

You have no idea what tomorrow might bring, but for tonight, you just want to sit with Jaehyun, even if it is just for tonight.

"Hello." It's probably 6 am if you had to guess. Birds are singing right outside of your window, and the sun isn't all the way up yet.

You sit up in your bed with one hand holding your phone to your ear and the other moving your hair out of your face. "Why didn't you call me back?" Joy's voice echoes through the speaker of your phone.

"Maybe because I was asleep?" You snap back, eyes barely open.

"I got you a job." That's enough to have you leaping off your bed with your eyes jumping out of the socket.

"Say, sike." You chirp. "Please don't say sike."

"I'm serious; I told them you were out of town, but you can start next month." She explains, calm as ever.

"Joy, you are amazing." You exclaim into the phone. "Have I ever told you you're the bestest best friend in the entire world?"

"You've mentioned it a few times." You don't have to see her to know that she's smirking. "I have to go now. I just wanted to tell you about the job. I'll call you back later."

She doesn't give you time to say anything else before the call is dropped. You throw your phone down and plop down on your bed. You can't help but smile, thinking about how things are gonna go back to normal.

However, when you feel your phone vibrate against your side and you read Jaehyun's name ‌off your screen, your smile fades. You were so excited about going back to L.A that you forgot about him.

For the next few days, you do your best to forget about everything and just spend time with Jaehyun, whether it be chatting in his car or even helping him redecorate his sad and cold jail ce- apartment.

"What's the catch?" Jaehyun asks suddenly, his index finger twirling in your hair. You shift your ‌ head against his chest to look at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been acting really weird lately," he explains, "You're all clingy now. Which I like, but it also feels too good to be true." You can see a shift in the way he looks at you and in the tone of his voice. "It feels like you might try to leave me again."

"I'm just trying to make up for lost time." You're too afraid to tell him that your time with him is limited. Too afraid of his reaction and of your own emotions.

"You don't have to lie to me." He sits up against the headboard of his bed, and you do the same thing. "I knew this was only temporary, and I know I shouldn't have let my feelings get involved again." Jaehyun takes a deep breath before continuing, "But I love you. I think I always will."

When you don't say anything, he keeps going. "Let's try again." He says.

"Jaehyun-" He cuts you off with a kiss, not wanting to hear ‌your rejection.

"We can move to L.A together." He speaks against your lips, "And we can find an apartment. I'll get a job, I'll sell my car if I have to."

His determination makes you giggle, and soon enough, he starts laughing with you."I thought you hated the city."

"I do. But you love the city, and I love you,"

"I didn't know you were such a romantic." You beam, butterflies erupting as he reaches to move the hair out of your face and behind your ear.

"But we'll have to move my son out too. I'm not asking you to play stepmom, but I do want to be in his life." Jaehyun speaks casually, but your jaw is growing heavy, and the butterflies are starting to feel like poison or mini daggers hitting your gut all at once.

You only manage to squeak "What?" Even though there are so many questions, you want to ask.

"I'm kidding." He breaks into a laugh, but you're still left confused and slightly heartbroken.

"That's not funny, Jae." You whine when he pulls you in to leave a kiss on your forehead.

"It's hilarious, baby."

You jump up off the bed the second your phone begins to vibrate, running to the door and checking the doorway to make sure Jaehyun is occupied before you slowly and softly close the door to answer the call.

"Hello?" You breathe into your phone speaker as you tiptoe back to the bed.

"Hello? Girl, why are you whispering." Joy asks, "Where are you?"

You don't have to answer that question because Jaehyun answers that question for you when he busts through the door to ask "Do you want take out or should we cook tonight?"

"Take out." You answer, covering your phone mic.

Still, your best friend hears everything, "Who is that?" She questions.

"Okay, do you want Pizza or Chinese food?" Jaehyun asks, leaning in between the doorway.

"Y/n, that better not be who I think it is." Joy scolds from her end of the line.

You answer Jaehyun to ignore Joy. "I don't know, you choose," you say urgently, anything to get him out of the room.

"I know how you are, baby. I don't want to get you something that you don't feel like eating," Jaehyun explains, walking further into the room.

The closer he gets, the louder your heart beats and the more your best friend yells at you. "Baby?" She barks through the speaker and right into your ear.

You rush to hit the mute button, but with your eyes focused on Jaehyun, you slip up and accidentally put your best friend on speaker phone. "Y/n, you better answer me right now."

When her voice rings through the room, your heart stops beating altogether. For the second time this month, you want to vanish, disappear into thin air, and cease to exist.

"Hi, Joy." Jaehyun greets with a large grin that shows his dimples on full display.

Joy only responds in a monotone, "Jaehyun." You rush to say, "I'll do a plain cheese pizza." Once again, you are just trying to get him out of the room.

"Sure thing, baby." He cooes, with a kiss to your cheek. Soon enough he's out of the room and you're alone again. With a deafening silence.

"Things happened." You hesitantly speak.

"Things like what?" Your clothes slipped off, and you fell into his bed?" You hear a sigh immediately after she snaps, and you're too afraid to say anything else. "What about—"" I don't wanna talk about him," you interject.

"Okay, but does he know you're coming back?" Joy asks, referring to Jaehyun. When you don't answer, she gets worried. "You are coming back, right?"

"Of course I'm coming back. I just haven't told him yet." You trail off on the last part.

She doesn't say anything for a long while, and neither do you. You sit in your own disappointment, you didn't need her to tell you that you messed up because you already knew that.

"Y/n, I'm only saying this because I love you…" It doesn't take a genius to know that what's coming next is about to hurt. "You're being really stupid right now."

That hurt a lot more than you thought it would. "Wow, thanks, Joy."

"Listen, I don't want you to get hurt again."

"I'm not, he's changed, and things are different now." You explain although you're not even sure you believe it yourself.

"Then why haven't you told him yet?" She asks, but you don't answer. "You're going to give him the chance to break you again?"

"He's not," you cry, pulling against the ends of Jaehyun's oversized shirt, which you stole out of his drawer to wear.

Joy can hear the tone of your voice soften, so she softens hers as well, but it doesn't change the gravity of her words. "Do you remember how long it took for-" "Please don't mention him." You interrupt her, already knowing who she's about to bring up.

"Look I'll figure things out, but for now I just wanna be happy." You continue, "I think I deserve that."

"You do, Y/n. You deserve nothing but happiness, and if he makes you happy, then don't let me get in your way. but don't forget who you have waiting for you in California with open arms." Joy attests

"I know you're just looking out for me, but I don't know if I can go back to him knowing what I did while I was here."

"You know better than I do that he'd never judge you." And you did. You knew that very well. Your ex never made you feel insignificant or anything of the sort. He never shamed you or made you feel guilty for anything. But that didn't change the fact that you would judge yourself.

"I just need time to think about everything." You say, almost in a whisper.

"I trust that you'll do the right thing." Joy reassures, "I'm gonna go now. I love you."

"I love you too." You say before hanging up the phone and throwing it on the other side of the bed. The call leaves you feeling nothing but confused, and Jaehyun notices it the second he walks into the room.

Your subtle pout and the way you're holding the pillow to your chest tell him exactly how you're feeling. "What's wrong?" He takes the seat beside you, tugging at your waist so you can scoot closer to him.

"Did you mean what you said about moving to L.A.?" You ask first. Your hand rests over his when he reaches to stroke your cheek.

"I wouldn't play about that Y/n"

You take a deep breath when you get the answer you want. "Joy got me a job, and they want me to start next month."

"What? That's amazing, baby." He cooes, grabbing each of your hands. "We're going to L.A"

He reacted way differently than you imagined he would; the look on his face tells you he's sincere, and the flutter in your heart makes you hope that he really is. You don't think you can take another heartbreak, not from him.

As you stand in your old room, the brown paper box at your feet, you can't help but feel a strong sense of nostalgia wash over you. You take in every detail: the way the sunlight filters through the window, casting a warm glow on everything in the room; the creaking sound of the wooden floorboards under your feet, each one carrying a memory of its own; and the scent of your old perfume that still lingers in the air, like a faint echo of a bygone era.

This time, as you prepare to leave, it feels different. It feels like you're saying goodbye for good, and the thought of leaving this place forever fills you with a deep sense of loss. When you first arrived in Connecticut, you couldn't wait to leave, but now you find yourself wishing you could stay just a little bit longer so you could relive the memories of your past, which you hold so dear.

However, you know that the real reason you're dreading going back is that you don't want to face your ex. The thought of telling him that you're now in a relationship with the man you used to cry to him about fills you with anxiety. You're unsure of how he'll react, and the mere prospect of facing him makes your heart race with fear.

The more you think about it, the more you realize that things are not looking good for you. You're caught between your love for your new partner and your fear of the unknown.

Suddenly, your mom yells from downstairs, "Y/n, someone is here for you." You don't pay much attention to the hesitation in her voice, too lost in thought. You wish you had because when you reach the bottom of the stairs and look up, Doyoung, your ex, is standing right across from you with a saddened smile and a black duffle bag. Your heart skips a beat as you see him. You hadn't expected him to be here, but now that he is, you don't know how to react. You mutter, "What are you doing here?" As you wrap your arms around yourself, unsure of what to do next.

Part 2

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stormblessed95 · 2 months

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Watching Are You Sure?! EP 1

A reminder of how I do these reaction posts as I watch things. I just write my reactions and thoughts down literally as a happen. Think more of a bullet point format. I'll include links when I can to videos, thanks to the people who twt who upload clips. And at the end, I'll do a better wrap up of all my opinions. I hope everyone enjoyed the show so far!!

The episode starts with Jimin showing up right before JKs GMA performance and interview, July 14th 2023.

Them meeting up and talking about how he has his performance in NY on GMA later. Jimin saying that he hadn't seen him in a while, their schedules kept them SO BUSY 😭😭 this trip was so good for them. And the way he caressed JKs throat and told him to rest his voice and take care of it since it had been hurting. 🥺 So many soft touches too as soon as they were able to see each other again. And we didn't even get to see their actual reunion.

JK packing up his hotel room and talking about how he never traveled so freely before. They are so sweet and so busy and I'm so glad they were able to carve out even just a few weekends for time to themselves. And the way when the staff was talking to them about plans and who would drive etc, JK said he would drive and was just sitting there talking about traffic while they were holding hands interlocked resting in Jimins lap 😭 that's so??!!

Then fighting over the AC in the car in efforts to take care of the other is so cute. Jimin wanting to make sure JKs throat stayed okay, JK not wanting Jimin to get sick. They baby the heck out of each other. And Jimin watching his GMA performance on his phone 🥰 JKs cute smile while Jimin was jamming out to his music 🥺

"JungJi" new ship name alert?! Lmao!

JK ordering for the table 💜

The absolute bickering over who is a bad driver/bad at parking. The get out. Lmao the way they absolutely irritate each other on purpose is amazing and soooo best friends/might as well be married behavior 😂🤣

When they went shopping together and JK said they should buy the same shorts together 😍🥰 matchy matchy always!!

And an ARMY recognized them and saying hello and they were so cutely excited about it. "We've still got it." 😍🥺🥰

JK ordering for them again at the brewery 🥰 and I love that they went to an LGBTQ friendly brewery for one of their first hang out spots. Some ARMYs went and talked to the people working and said they everyone said Jikook were super polite, no one had recognized them and they kept to themselves a bit and just had some phones/go pros for recording.

The way that they also started talking about how this was their trip before military service. And how JK started bonking Jimin over the head with his camera when he mentioned it. Jimin was giggling but you KNOW that they was emotional from it too. This was when they were thinking there was still a chance they would be separated for 2 years. I know they were anxious to get to cherish this time spent together. I know it meant SO much to them both and probably so much to JK that Jimin traveled all this way and made it happen.

The way that JKs kayak tipped over immediately and Jimin just was cackling as he continued to paddle away and the staff were fishing JK out of the lake 🤣🤣🤣 just for JK to furiously row up on him and be like "you have your phone?? Tip over!!" 🤣🤣 They are so funny and cute! And Jimin taking a photo of his baby 💜 the way Jimin spent the whole time on the water just laughing and smiling fondly at everything JK would do. It's so freaking sweet. They just really had so much fun together being silly and goofy.

Not Jimin giving JK the "you come here often?" Pick up line and the immediate roleplay they both get into 😅🤣😂 they really can't go too long without at least a little bit of flirting lol

We know there was a getaway cabin with a 2 bed option but Jikook picked the one with just one bed. Lmfao good for them. Hey BH, we know you have no issues with filming the members while they sleep, even while they share the bed. How come we got zero footage of Jikook sharing the bed? 😂😂

Jimin being like "JK, you are a good cook 🥺" and Jungkook just immediately getting to work on cooking them dinner 🥺💜 although when Jimin asked for a taste, why did JK feed him from his FINGER?! Lmfao and what the hell was the noise he made when Jimin licked his finger 😂🤣 half moan, half laugh? I don't even know lmao

And the way he ran to go feed Jimin a piece of the chicken because he was proud of how his cooking was turning out. Sooo cute. Jimin accidentally dropped a piece of chicken and acted like he committed a great offence 😭😂 the way they spilt dinner duties though was so cutely domestic.

JK speaking directly to the camera to speak to the viewers. Man has done too many hours long live streams. Lmao he is too used to just chatting with ARMYs 🤣😂 that was adorable and Jimin thought so too. And the way Jimin goes "I miss V" and JK immediately is like "let's call him!" Anything to make Jimin smile! But they clearly cut so much of that convo, BH, give me my members loving each other istg I miss them too much. And don't even get me started on the yoonminkook conversation. I genuinely almost teared up. I miss BTS so much 😭 their laughter is healing

Jimin getting a stomach bug 😭😭 my poor baby. And the screen just going black while Jikook cuddle?? The give us minimal Audio and a black screen and then they cut away entirely and we KNOW they are cuddling. Lmfao TF BH!! We know they cuddle, where is my fanservice?! And JK turned over at some point and elbowed Jimin in the nose. You KNOW they were all up in each other's business on that bed for that to happen 😂😂😂

And my poor Jimmie... He feels so bad 😭😭 JK is taking such sweet care of him though.

JK outside stacking rocks while Jimin rests is giving me Yumi vibes. Lmfao I love him (and her!) SO MUCH! The way he prayed after too for a good trip with Jimin. The rock tower is also (correct me here if needed) a way to pray for someone's health and well-being. My poor sick Jiminie. Yumi also used the rock towers as ways to pray and communicate with her Gods.

Wrap up thoughts?

Not much I haven't already said honestly. Lol but just more emphasis on how special this trip is, both to Jikook themselves and for us to have it shared with us. This IS comfort TV. They bring each other such peace and happiness. They both banter and tease and have such fun. They both baby the heck out of the other. JK taking care of a sick Jimin was soooo nice seeing. The way Jimin wasn't feeling good, but rallied in order to have a good time for their weekend away.

It's also interesting that so much of this is honestly filmed from GoPro. They have some staff and crew there, but from what I've seen it's a smaller number than normally goes to film these shows and they are left alone with just installed cameras fairly often. That's extra nice for them. 💜

I am and forever will be salty about all the cuts. The Tae face time was cut short, the cuddling was cut, so much was cut. Which duh, I get why. But I still want more 😂 looking forward to the behinds to see if we get anything more. That black screen cut from them cuddling though was 👀👀😂😂

JK was such a good leader and took charge so much so far this trip. It was cool to see, Jimin ALSO thought so! The way he was speak for both of them, drove them around, ordered food and drinks for them, gave dinner prep instructions. Gave Jimin his medicine.... I'm not saying it's hyung behavior.... But... Lol also I did notice that there was a pretty even split of address between him calling Jimin hyung, or just by his name. Along with all the little random bits of flirting sprinkled through the episode lol so cute..

Hope you guys enjoyed it!! And thanks for reading all my random thoughts! Onto episode 2!

#jikook #kookmin #jikook are you sure #jikook travel show #are you sure?! episode 1

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weenwrites · 2 months

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Can you write Optimus, Ratchet, and Predaking with an s/o who has idiopathic Hypersomnia? (It's a sleep disorder that makes someone incredibly sleepy all the time, and no matter how much they sleep, they're always tired and are incredibly hard to wake up.)

[ Please do not repost, plagiarize, or use my writing for AI! Translating my work with proper credit is acceptable, but please ask first! ]

Optimus

If you need a gentle reminder here and there to take any prescribed medicine, he quickly adapts to reminding you. His own sense of time is rather accurate, so he usually doesn't rely on a clock to know when you remind you. If you have a timer of your own to ensure that you'll definitely remember, he'll remind you a little early each time without fail.

And ever since you've told him more about your condition, he's tried to make the base more accommodating for whenever you need to take a brief rest. The couch isn't the most comfortable, given that it's rather old and worn, so he keeps cushions, blankets, and whatever else you might need to make it more comfortable somewhere within reach.

Additionally, the reason the base is made more accommodating is because at times you have to wait for him to escort you home whenever he's out on a mission or for reconnaissance. Granted, the groundbridge is also an option, and he does request for Ratchet to bridge you back to your home at times, but you've noticed that there are periods where the team cuts back on groundbridge usage due to an energon shortage. During these times, Optimus usually escorts you back to your home early and so you don't have to wait, but in the event where you are left waiting, the couch is much more comfortable than it was when you first arrived. He's sorry to make you wait, but he's grateful for your patience.

Ratchet

Whenever you start feeling tired at the base, he's got the couch ready for you with a few pillows and blankets and he's ready to tell everyone else to keep quiet for you just as he begins to work quieter if he can. However, in the event where the main area of the base is too loud, he's moved you and the couch to his habsuite before. It's further from all the noise and its quieter there.

He'll consistently remind you to take any prescribed medication and go to bed on time every night, since he's seen in a health article that it's good to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. So if he sees that you're still active on your phone, you'd best believe he'll be on your case, telling you to go to sleep (unless he knows that you're busy with something important that night).

If your condition prevented you from obtaining a driver's license, or whenever you feel too fatigued to drive yourself someplace to do an important task or go home, he'll of course be your go-to driver as long as he's available. You'll also be doing him a service since he rarely leaves the base, so don't you dare try to assure him that you're awake enough to try and drive yourself around. As a driver you understand how important it is to remain awake and alert 24/7 on the road.

Predaking

Initially he wasn't even aware that your condition was considered abnormal. He already thought that it was strange that humans had to rest so frequently, so he hadn't thought much of your fatigue until you explained more about your condition to him. Though once or twice, he may have gotten a little concerned when it took a little more than a gentle nudge to wake you up, but it's due to his limited understanding of humans.

Whenever you take brief naps aboard the Nemesis, he's always sure to bring you to the quietest and most secluded areas of the ship so you can rest in peace. Of course it's rather hard, given the fact that the engine's whirring can be heard from every corner of the vessel, but he still tries. As such, the other vehicons around the ship quickly catch onto the message he spells out with a low warning growl and his flayed fangs, regardless of whether they see you sleeping beneath all those blankets or not.

If he hadn't been ordered to keep his identity a secret from other humans, nothing would stop him from flying you wherever you need to go whenever you're too tired. But all he can really do for you is try and help you get some rest in peace, or remind you to take your medication but he feels it isn't enough. At times like these, he's embarrassed of his own powerlessness. At the very least he can request a groundbridge to transport you home, but he wishes he could do that himself instead.

#tfp imagines #tfp headcanons #tfp x reader #tfp optimus prime #optimus prime x reader #tfp ratchet #ratchet x reader #tfp predaking #predaking x reader #x reader #reader insert #self insert #weenwrites

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dungeonofthedragon · 3 months

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It's Disability Pride Month! I've already made a post spotlighting disabled creators. Now, let's have a post of accessibility aids for use within your gaming worlds!

Blades in the Dark: Mobility Equipment by Aurelia

Cost: PWYW

A collection of mobility items for Blades in the Dark, from a disabled creator. Two items for every playbook- well worth checking out!

Combat Wheelchair (5E) by Mark Thompson

Cost: free! Link is to google drive.

Here it is- the by now famous Combat Wheelchair! One of the best known mobility aids created for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons.

Fate Accessibility Toolkit by Evil Hat

Cost: $7.50

This toolkit provides tools for representing disabilities within Fate games, as well as advice for supporting players with disabilities at your table. It was put together by a team of disabled creatives, so you know this was made with love and from real people's experiences.

Homebrew Disability Systems for 5E by harpoon_gun

Cost: PWYW

Highly rated set of mechanics for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, brought to you by a disabled creator. Useful for both NPCs and player characters.

Service Monsters (5E) by PsychHound

Cost: PWYW

Service monsters to aid your disabled characters in 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons! There are multiple options to choose from (including guide, medical alert and autism support monsters), each with unique traits supporting their role. There are also a bunch of backstory ideas, to inspire the story of how your service monster came to be in your service!

(PsychHound has also created trauma mechanics and mechanics for autism and ADHD! The latter is informed by his own experiences as an autistic social worker.)

We Are Still Here by Ennis Rook Bashe

Cost: PWYW

Mobility aids and medications suitable for use in Apocalypse World and many other Powered by the Apocalypse games. Very highly rated by the Itch community!

#disability pride month #accessible ttrpg #blades in the dark #dungeons and dragons #powered by the apocalypse #fate rpg

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russellsppttemplates · 5 months

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Hii🫶🏻 So for the blurb night I was thinking about a wedding planning with Lance. He wants to take part in everything even if it means staying up late after a race night just to decide the flowers and cakes and sets absolutely no budget as he wants the teader to have absolutely the best day🥺 like imagine going to cake tasting eith them and choosing the menu. Uhh, to be a wag😩

"Please, Lance. We have to pick a cake! We have already been to so many bakeries and we are running out of time and offers - not to mention the money I'm sure this is costing despite you telling me it doesn't matter", you sighed.

"I just want to make sure you have the best day ever and you have all you've dreamed of", Lance said as he sat at the table with you after he alerted the bakeshop owner you had arrived for the tasting.

"Lance, I love you, and you know I'm not lying when I say this - my dream is spending the rest of my life with you, and yes, I want us to have our perfect day and for that we need to make decisions!", you hissed slightly.

"I have a feeling you'll like these a lot", Lance winked as the owner started bringing out the different cakes, explaining what was in each one of them before letting you take a bite.

"Vanilla is always a safe option, I feel like that's something everyone likes", you reasoned as you tasted the sponge, "but red velvet has been my favourite", you tapped the plate.

"Did you like this", he checked the label, "fresh lemon one? I think it tastes nice and with the wine and champagne we picked out it would be a nice contrast", Lance offered.

"I did - I'm torn between these two", you pouted.

"Is there something I can help you with?", the older man said as he approached the table, noticing you were already discussing options.

"Actually, yes - would you be able to make a cake with two flavours? We really like these two and perhaps there's a way to make it happen", your soon to be husband said.

"Yes, we can do different layers, but that would have a different price point than the ones we discussed earlier, let me just get the price table for you", he said.

"No need for that - we've settled on it then", Lance stated.

The owner went back to the counter to gather the forms so you could make the order while Lance took another bite of the cake, "before you go at me, it's what we both wanted and now we'll have a great cake - that's all I care about", Lance smiled, knowing the thoughts going on your mind.

"You're lucky you're charming like that", you teased, kicking his chin playfully and smiling at him.

"I'm home, I'm home!", Lance said as he walked through the door, leaving his backpack on the floor along with his shoes before he met you in the dining room table, "hey love", he kissed the top of your head and sat down after he greeted your mother, his mother and his sister.

"You didn't have to rush home like that - wasn't there traffic?", you wondered.

"I took a short cut - I didn't want to you to this alone", Lance said as he looked at the different arrangements.

"Hey, little brother, Hi! You've greeted me so I'm sure you noticed your fiancée wasn't alone", Chloe lightly swatted the nape of his neck as everyone laughed.

"So these are the ones we decided on after the Monaco GP", you pointed to the five options you and Lance picked out in your hotel bed over some room service after the race, "and they also sent those two - I think they're new and they thought we should consider them".

"I really like the idea of the dry flowers for your bouquet and the bracelet things for the girls and for the guys to have one in the pocket as well", Lance noted as he looked at the arrangements up close.

"It's called a corsage and a boutonniere", Chloe teased.

"As I was saying", he sent her a side eye, "maybe we could match them to the tables so it doesn't look to different", he checked, "what was your idea?".

"I like your idea, Lance, perhaps this one here?", you mother held the arrangement she recalled would be the most similar to the dried flowers you had already picked out. Lance had been on FaceTime for that meeting since the team needed him for Testing, so he knew some details but not all of them.

"Yes, I think so, maybe with those because they also have the purple and brick red tones", you agreed.

"I also like the idea of having some of the little flowers on my suit if that's okay", Lance mused as he picked a few of the loose ones on the table, fiddling with an elastic as he made a quick accessory for him, "does this boutonniere look nice?", he pointed it at his sister as he made fun of the word.

(Thank you for sending this in ✨️)

#lance stroll blurb #inês writes blurbs #f1 blurb #f1 x reader

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reniberries · 10 months

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BARRACUDA . toji fushiguro

when your search for a job falls short for what feels like the millionth time in a row, you’re just about ready to give up until an odd proposition makes itself known to you.

chapter warnings: underground fighter!toji fushiguro, swearing, hurtful thoughts, lewd comments from men, mentions of drinking alcohol, smoking and drugs, attempted theft

total wc: 3.0k

— CHAPTER ONE . desperate measures

At this point, you wholeheartedly believed that the world was playing some kind of sick and twisted game on you.

It laughed at you, dangling the one thing you truly desired right in front of your face, only to snatch it away at the very last second, like taking a child’s favourite toy from them just as they’ve picked it up.

You were the child, so full of excitement and hope at the idea of starting new, being able to pick yourself off the ground, and the world was the adult who’d come into the room and decided you were undeserving of the toy in front of you. It picked up all that you desired, and placed it on top of a shelf that you were too small to get to.

Try as you might, you simply could not reach it. Well, metaphorically anyway.

In this moment, that’s exactly how you felt, clambering across the couch to reach your phone that had lit up with the notification of an unknown caller. Like every time before, you allowed yourself to feel excited. As though this was the very moment things would start to fall into place, and all the bad memories of the past would fade away as you paved the way for your new life.

And yet, you were let down, again.

The way your face immediately falls alerts your roommate, Sherri, to the conclusion of the phone call, hearing a repeatedly distinctive phrase that she knew you’d come to despise over time.

“I regret to inform you, but…” you’d hung up before the man on the other side had enough time to finish his sentence. The exasperated sigh you released from between your lips held a heartbroken tone, and all you could do was shake your head when Sherri quietly asks if you’re okay.

It hadn’t always been like this. Three months ago you were more than content working a few hours every week as a waitress in a small but well-known restaurant called ‘Alexie’s’, where you’d actually met Sherri, and although the management wasn’t the best at times, and you were sure the chef had a stick shoved further up his ass then you could’ve imagined, it was still something.

The job had given you something to do when you weren’t attending your nursing classes, or writing essays, and it worked like a charm at taking your mind away from your personal life when things went wrong.

Sure, some customers were complete and utter dickheads, expecting five star service and for you to wait on them hand and foot, but the majority of people were nice and the pay was more than worth dealing with some crappy person coming in and demanding you seat them and their eighteen other friends immediately, despite being fully booked.

You were heartbroken when the owner had set up a staff meeting to inform you and everyone else that the restaurant was unable to stay open.

Things had never been this bad before, and honestly, there wasn’t much you weren’t willing to do if it guaranteed you a job. Not when the cost of living had skyrocketed and all but royally fucked you over.

Sherri had been an angel throughout this situation you’d found yourself in, though you were slightly jealous the day she came back from an interview with the local supermarket, telling you how they’d happily hired her on the spot. She had been your rock to stick on while your life turned completely upside down, even going as far as offering to cover next months rent.

But you still needed to feed yourself each week, still needed to pay for the bus fare on your way into college, and even worse, you still needed to pay back the money you owed to your parents.

If moving back into your parents house was an option, you might’ve resorted to it considering how desperate things had become. But that wasn’t an option, and it never would be.

You couldn’t allow that to happen.

Not only was it impossible, seeing as they were living in an entirely different country, but you’d intentionally created that distance in order to get as far away from them as possible. Moving halfway across the world in order to escape them and their overbearing ruling that they held over your head was the first thing you’d done after graduating high school, and you weren’t about to go back on the promise you’d made to them that day.

Telling your mother and father that they would never see you again should’ve been heartbreaking. You should’ve been crying or screaming at them, and maybe, in a perfect world, they would have told you to stay, or that they didn’t want you to leave.

But again, the world was seldom perfect, and after the past few months, you truly were finding that fact out for yourself.

It was Sherri’s sweet voice that snapped you out of your daydream, still clutching your phone to your ear as you kneeled on the couch. “Why don’t we go out tonight? It might make you feel better.��

You let out another sigh, ready to shoot her offer down even though the suggestion was extremely tempting after the dreaded phone call, “Sherri, I can barely afford the bus right now, I can’t—”

She grinned before interrupting you, a sly look that you couldn’t decide if you liked or not.

“You really think I’d suggest that if I didn’t have a plan?” She raised a questioning eyebrow up at your form, “Lukah’s working tonight, do you know what that means?”

With a shrug, you settled back into the couch and pulled a blanket over your knees, staring back at your roommate and waiting for her to continue.

She leaned towards you from the opposite end, “free drinks!” She exclaimed, and moved her hands around as if her point had been obvious from the start.

“Didn’t he just start a new job though? We’ll end up getting him fired if he’s caught giving out free drinks,” Sherri giggled as if you’d said the funniest thing, and then her expression began to shift into something slightly more serious.

She hesitated to reply, and when Sherri got quiet, it could only mean trouble. “Well, the place he started working at, it's not exactly in the most... uh," it was if she was struggling to find the right words to say without scaring you away. "...Desirable of places, so he doesn't think his boss will care much," she finished with.

An eyebrow raised as you stared at her, wordlessly asking the short girl to elaborate. "It's in the Jujutsu District."

Ah, you thought, that would explain why she'd been slightly more reluctant to tell you.

The Jujutsu District was pretty notorious throughout the city, and especially with the younger population seeing as a large majority of clubs and bars could be found spread out around the area. You'd been a couple times, mainly to the small pubs that laid just on the outskirts, as most locals were well aware that it was smarter to stay clear of the place. It was no secret that the kinds of deals that typically went on out there were far from legal, though even the police had deemed the place a 'no-go zone' and were rarely seen patrolling anywhere near it.

But even you couldn't say no to a few free drinks after being so down on luck, and so, within a few seconds of dubiously nodding your head in agreement with Sherri, she was yanking on your arms to pull you away from the couch and into her room.

And within an hour and a half, the two of you had made your way out of the apartment hand-in-hand.

The club was filled to the brim, drenching you in a light sheen of sweat that glistened across your skin. Music blared in through your ears from every direction and created a dull ache that stretched across your forehead. You couldn't put your finger on the name of the song that was currently playing, although it brought an odd sense of déjà vu along with it.

Truthfully, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t like going out with your friends. There was something so exciting about getting ready for the club and dancing the night away, smearing shimmery eyeshadow across your lids and lining them with a distinctive wing of eyeliner. The clothing you’d thrown on hugged every inch of your body, but it was hard to care about your slight discomfort when the edge of a glass was lifted to your mouth, lips lined and covered in a colour so signature to your look.

Lukah was a godsend, sneaking both you and Sherri drinks over the counter every time either of you walked up to the bar, and just like Sherri had said, it didn't seem like his manager couldn't give two shits.

Sherri grabbed your wrist after you placed the shot glass back down on the bar, void of whatever liquor Lukah had offered the two of you. Leading you over to the sea of bodies on the dance floor, you could barely hear your roommate when she said "c'mon, my favourite song just came on!"

It was borderline provocative the way you and Sherri danced together. Her back was pressed to the front of your body, arms lifted and wrapped around your neck, and the way your hips swung against each other to the beat of the music was enough to gain more than a little attention from the boys that littered around the dance floor.

Neither of you bothered to entertain those who tried to approach either of you. Either, they came on way too cocky for their own good, or were sporting some serious baby face, and that was enough for you to shake your head, waiting for them to do the walk of shame back to their friends.

One man had come up to Sherri and asked for her number, only to continue bothering her even after she'd told him no multiple times. After the third decline and narrowly avoiding his grabby hands heading for her hand, Sherri twisted her head around and planted a delicate kiss on the corner of your mouth, exclaiming loudly that she "couldn't wait to get home and get you alone," and that was enough for him to briskly walk away.

It was no surprise honestly, as not only did you look and feel beautiful, but Sherri looked like a supermodel in her little black dress and heels. Plus, you could admit that the male attention did help a little in lightening the mood you'd been in before the two of you left the house.

"Do you wanna get another drink?" Sherri shouted over the music.

You shook your head, "I'm gonna get some air, I'll meet you at the bar." She gave you quizzical look, as to question why. You lifted your hand out in front of you, a white lighter and pack of Marlboro Gold's held within it.

Making your way outside was much more difficult of a task than you had expected, shoving your way through the endless amounts of bodies that had filled the club, probably knocking a drink or vape out from someones grasp as you went on your way.

The cold November air caused a shiver to crawl its way over your barely clothed body after you exited the building, and it felt heavenly as it washed away the sweat that had started accumulating across your skin. A flicker of light shone against your eyes, along with the sound of flint sparking from the lighter held in your right hand and a deep inhale.

Several bodies littered outside of the club, some clearly had the same idea as you, cigarettes clutched between their two fingers as they chatted away to their friends, others were still waiting in line to be let in, ID's held out for the large bouncer to take a look at, and there was even a couple who'd clearly had too much to drink, snogging away in a corner as if they weren't in the company of others.

It was quite a surreal feeling, as you leant against the cold brick wall, bringing your hand up to your face to take another inhale of the stick held in them. Three hours ago, you'd almost been reduced to tears, feeling like the world truly had it out for you, yet now, you couldn't help but enjoy the dizzy feeling crawling up your spine, making you sway slightly.

Your problems hadn’t been solved with the sip of an alcoholic drink, far from it in fact. They would still be there to plague your thoughts tomorrow morning, even as you battled the headache you knew was coming, but at least in this very moment, as you let the tipsy feeling encompass your body, you could relax.

That feeling didn't last for long.

Just as you'd closed your eyes, smoke pillowing out from your parted lips, you felt a violent tug on the bag attached to your shoulder.

The stranger takes another pull on your right arm, causing you to drop the half-smoked cigarette onto the floor and the burgundy handbag falls out of your grasp.

“Hey!” Your voice is slightly slurred, an effect of the alcohol you’d consumed minutes prior, however the anger and small hint of fear is clearly heard in your words. It takes you a few seconds to register the tall man running away from you, clad in dark jeans and a hoodie pulled over his head, and your bag clutched in his hands.

Before you even realise what you’re doing, you start running after him. “Hey, jackass!” You repeat, “give me pack my purse!”

Your voice echoes through the street, yet it seems like everyone around you is too far gone to even notice or care.

Discomfort surrounds the heels of your feet, but it doesn’t stop you from giving up the chase as the man turns left into a dark alleyway. You’d chastise yourself later for the self preservation you seemed to lack in that very moment, completely ignorant to the dangerous connotations of following a strange man into a secluded area such as this, in the middle of the night. But that purse has everything you owned at the minute, your phone, wallet and any small amount of cash you currently had, and you couldn’t just let it slip from your arms.

He twists his head to look at you, as if shocked to see that you were actually following him.

It was at this moment that someone stepped out in front of him, and as soon as the thief got closer to the mysterious stranger, they threw their arms out and shoved him down to the ground.

Your bag went flying from his hands and onto the pavement.

Even from where you were standing, you could hear the thief’s harsh intakes of breath, winded from how hard he had hit the ground, and your saviour stepped over the man’s body.

He picked up your bag from the ground, slowly making his way over to you.

Finally, it dawned on you that while he had saved you from losing quite literally everything you owned, that didn’t make him any less dangerous than the man who’d stolen from you in the beginning, and as he stepped towards you, panic started to make its way up your spine.

“Don’t come any closer!” You screamed at him. His steps faltered, but he didn’t stop moving, “I have a knife!” You didn’t, and it was probably pretty obvious that you’d lied as his eyes raked over your body, searching for anything that remotely resembled a weapon.

You could hear him release a small laugh as he came even closer, holding out your purse for you to take. “I believe this is yours?”

Gingerly, your hands clasped around the strap, pulling it towards your chest and releasing a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” you said, and began to quickly check that everything was still left inside, untouched.

He watched as you did so, a dark, thin eyebrow raised in questioning.

It was here, as the moonlight lit up his face, that you got a good look at your saviour. He was tall, big enough to feel imposing as he stood several feet away from you, with long black hair that cascaded down his back in a way that made you slightly jealous. He looked down at you with some of the most alluring brown eyes you’d ever seen, almost hazel with the way the street lamps highlighted his face from behind you.

A kind smile lulled you into a false sense of security as he opened his mouth to speak. “What kind of idiot runs after a guy like that in the middle of the night?” His tone was teasing, coinciding with the smirk he wore.

“Well,” you snorted sarcastically, “everything I own is in this bag. If I’d let him take it, I wouldn’t have anything left.” Maybe you should’ve been slightly nicer to the man that had just saved your life’s savings, but at the moment you couldn’t take any chances, not when you were so obviously isolated from the main street that was littered with drunks, druggies and the like.

He laughed at your comment, but shrugged and held out his hands, as if to say ‘there you go’.

You let out an awkward cough, trying to fill the silence. “I’m, uh… gonna go now, my friend is waiting for me back at the club,” you held out a thumb to point behind you, as if he’d know exactly where you’d meant despite the several buildings behind you filled with dancing strangers.

He nodded without saying anything else, and you took that as permission to make your leave.

Just as you’d turned your back on him, started to make your way back towards the club, his voice rung out again and stopped you in your tracks.

“Maybe I could help you out.”

authors note: so, the first chapter of barracuda is officially finished! this is the largest piece of writing i’ve done in a very long time and while i’m probably being overly critical, i do think at some point i will go back and edit it once the series is finished! but, let me know how you feel about this and if you liked it! i am very excited to see where this story goes. reni xx

#reniberries ❤︎#barracuda #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen au #jujustsu kaisen x reader #jjk #jjk au #jjk x reader #toji fushiguro #toji fushigro x reader #jjk toji #toji fushiguro smut #toji x reader

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caswarrenart · 2 years

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I know a lot of artists are antsy about art theft right now (myself included, I literally just had a terrible nightmare about fighting the physical manifestation of AI, The Mitchells vs The Machines style…). I can’t claim that any of these things can prevent it. But here’s a few things I’ve found useful:

Opening a free account on Pixsy.com. This website does a decent job at letting me know when my images have been reposted. 99% of the time, the results are just Tumblr-copying zombie websites that just repost everything that is already here. But, it’s sensitive enough that it alerted me when my old college posted my work. They were harmlessly using my stuff as an example of alumni work- but I was glad to be in the know, AND they had mistakenly credited my deadname, so I was able to reach out and correct that. I would have never have seen it otherwise. The website has subscription options, but you can ignore them and still use the monitoring services it provides.

Reverse image searching my most widely shared pieces on haveibeentrained.com. This website checks to see if your work has been fed to AI.

Looking up legal takedown letters and referencing them to draft a generic letter for my own use. This takes a bit of the stress off what is already a stressful and often time-consuming ordeal. Taking time to craft a Very Scary, Legally Threatening, Yet Coldly Professional Memo has been worth it.

Remaining careful about what and how I post online. My living depends on sharing my work, so I have to post it. I’ve learned through trial and error how to post lower resolution images that still look good, but aren’t easily used for anything beyond the intended post, and of course, strategic watermarking. Never, ever post full res, print quality stuff for the general public. Half the time it ends up looking unflattering on social media anyways, cause the files get crunched for being large. I try to downsize my images, while set to bicubic smoothening, to head that off. Look up the optimal image resolutions and proportions for individual sites before posting your web versions. For some work, cropping the piece, or posting chunks of detail shots instead of a full view, is a more protective measure.

Look out for other artists! Reach out when in doubt. Don’t steal from others. Learn the difference between theft, and a study/master copy/fanart/inspiration. Don’t assume that all posted art has the same intended purpose as a “how to” instructional like 5 Minute Crafts. Ask permission. Artists are often helpful and supportive towards people who want to study their work! And, the best tip-offs I’ve received have all been from other people who were watching my back. Thank you to everybody who keeps an eye out for my work, and who have been thoughtful enough to reach out to me when they see theft happening 💖 y’all are the real MVPs. All we have is each other.

#cas posts #art theft #ai art #art #intellectual property #artificial art #artificial intelligence #artificialart #lensa app #lensa #stable diffusion #laion #laion database #large scale artificial intelligence open network #stolen art

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a-d-nox · 6 months

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celtic astrology: hazel

date range: august 5th to september 1st

advice

hazel people need a more basic diet because acidic diets long term tend to harm them and their growth.

animal

the salmon; wise and powerful.

deity

fionn mac cumhaill, the leader of the war band; filled with valor and honor. knowledgeable, wise, and prophetic.

hazel attributes

tough, supple, flexible, wise, magical vibes, determined, charming, charismatic. reliable, well-organized, planner, artistic, creative, dramatic, loyal, noble, trustworthy, nervous, tends to have a lot of self-doubt, tends to need a cheerleader in life, etc.

hazel attributes distinguished with western astrology signs

a leo hazel person is dramatic, bold, creative, proud, self-confident, a leader, responsible, fearless, inspiring, motivated, magnetic, sporty, competitive, a know-it-all, affectionate, passionate, dramatic, often disappointed in love, loyal, devoted, warm, generous, enjoys parties, etc.

a virgo hazel person is a person of action, conscientious, hardworking, service oriented, concerned about others, organized, good in a crisis, creative, less confident, enjoys flair, has great style, trendsetter, flamboyant, conservative, elegant, graceful, warm, caring, perfectionist, sensitive, nitpicky, emotional pampered, devoted, appreciative, alert, intelligent, detail oriented, know-it-all, fussy, etc.

relationship with other celtic tree people

hazel people tend to work best and closely with oak and ash people.

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more celtic astrology

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices

#astrology #astro community #astro placements #astro chart #natal chart #astrology tumblr #astrology chart #natal astrology #astrology readings #astro notes #astro observations #astroblr #astrology blog #celtic mythology #celtic #hazel

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rofromsinnoh · 2 months

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hi rotomblr!

about me!

my pronouns are xe/they, i'm an adult, and i currently live in the heart of sinnoh! i have several mental disabilities that impact how i function physically, including autism, ADHD, OCD, and major depression. my dream is to one day be a pokemon professor, and i’m currently enrolled in eterna city university of pokemon studies studying pokemon biology and regional mythology! i love meeting new people! i actually made this blog to make new friends! it's a lot easier for me to make friends online than it is in person

my pokemon currently with me:

bunke the cinderace: my very first partner! he helps me do daily tasks around the house and takes care of the rest of the team when i am resting (which is a lot). why is his name bunke? it's a long story.

max the jolteon: max is my official service pokemon. i take him with me in all public outings. he looks for signs of meltdowns, provides emotional support (i love to stim with his fur), and alerts me to when i need to sit down and eat something. he's pretty calm for a jolteon because he uses his excess energy to basically power my house lol

sharkboy the quaquaval: sharkboy is trained to help around the house, but he much prefers to dance with me when i have the energy. when i don't, he exercises with bunke (his best friend).

my pokemon back at home:

toothpaste the togekiss: toothpaste basically carries my mental state. she helps me work through depressive episodes and calms down anxiety attacks. she rarely ever leaves the house even after years of trying.

frank the quagsire: frank provides deep pressure therapy and is by far the best hugger on the team. she's pretty lazy, preferring to nap with me. her and toothpaste are a bonded pair

(ooc under the cut)

OOC

my main blog is @autistic-skeletons

this is NOT a faller account, but it is me roleplaying as if i was in the pokemon world. this is basically me coping with my reality, so on my blog the pokemon world is disability friendly. the energy thing isn't a character thing, i deal with it every day in real life, so if i am slow to post or answer that's why. the background of my sona and their pokemon was kept vague on purpose so people can ask about xir life and how they met their pokemon!

i have lots of stories to tell, so please interact!!

pelipper mail is ON, everything else is OFF. sapient pokemon are allowed and encouraged to interact! this character belives in legendaries.

all ooc messages will be formatted like this: [[ooc message]]

tags i'll use (will be updated)

#speaking : textposts made in character. this does NOT include answering asks

#ooc speaking : textposts made by me, this DOES include answering asks directed to me

#ooc reblog : reblogging ask games, interact signals, and the like

#reblogs : reblogs that are in character or are just standard art/post reblogs

#answering : answering asks in character

#lore answer : answering asks that reveal lore about my character

#lore dump : textposts about the character's lore

#questions i asked : reblogs of answers to questions i asked

posts featuring the pokemon will be formatted like #bunke the cinderace

CURRENT ARC: #college arc

ALL ooc tags will be formatted like this: #[[ooc message]]

character ref:

their eyebrows are meant to be white and their eyes are grey, the picrew just didn’t have those options. hidden behind the bangs is a right eyebrow slit with a piercing. picrew link: https://picrew.me/share?cd=B0bO949JFZ#google_vignette

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theunbearableweightofpedropascal · 10 months

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Be my Baby ch. 6

Warnings: (angst)

A/N: Sorry in advance.

Word Count: 3.9k

A few days after your beloved pizza party you finally met another member from the army photo. Santiago Garcia walked into the garage with an air about him that alerted you how well-acquainted he was with women. He was absolutely beautiful but he was the exact man you prided yourself on staying away from. Though being in a situationship with a married man wasn’t much better.

“Hi, welcome to Miller’s Motors how may I help you?” Your customer service voice and smile instantly take over.

“I mean I wouldn’t mind just hanging out here with you until one of those jackasses come out here.” His dazzling smile is working overtime while he leans on the counter and you can’t help the laugh that emitted from you.

“Okay, Mr. Garcia suit yourself.” Back on your ‘work’ computer, you opened the Twitter tab again and continued scrolling.

“Just how attached to Catfish are you or are you still looking at other options?” While Santi frames his question as flirty, he wants to see how you feel about Frankie.

“Catfish?” Unsure of how you should answer you counter his question with one of your own.

“It’s his callsign from our army days. Mine is Pope, Will is Ironhead, and Frankie is Catfish.” All the tidbits you find out about Frankie make him so much more interesting.

“Okay but why is he Catfish? And what about Benny?” The other callsigns seem to align with personality, except for Frankie’s.

“Well he always had trouble growing his beard and he had a reputation with the ladies at training camp, thus the birth of Catfish.” You can’t say you’re surprised by Frankie’s past discretions, he had to learn that from somewhere. “As for Benny he came much later so we never really thought about it.”

“Well, what about Goldilocks? I think that suits him, especially because he would go into someone's house and eat their food without a second thought.” Your analysis of Benny’s callsign has Santiago burst into laughter at how right you are.

“And he definitely would talk about how bad the food is after scarfing it all down.” The both of you are now loudly laughing in the empty lobby like you’ve known each other for years.

“Pope step away from my receptionist.” William is the first through the door and he playfully narrows his eyes at Santi from behind you.

“Benny we found a callsign for you, how does Goldilocks sound?” At the mention of the name, you and Santi laugh in remembrance of your jokes. Despite the inside joke, Benny looks pleased.

“How is it that I’ve known you asshole’s years and she’s the one to come up with a callsign for me?” Benny’s large arms swarm around you to hug you in appreciation.

“I mean we had some names but you wouldn’t like it.” William nudges Frankie in jest with a smirk plastered on his face.

“You know for such a quiet man you are so sassy.” Your words cause a roar of laughter from the group of men and you take that as your cue to take a nice long lunch break.

……..

“Bitch,” Hearing the drawn-out exemplative from your best friend over the phone brought a smile to your face. Either you were going to hear the juiciest gossip or Dante just proposed, “If you could see this fucking ring I have on right now.”

“Finally, I’ve been waiting 40 days and 40 nights for this.” There was no one rooting for Ronnie's happiness as much as you.

“Before we even get into this wedding stuff you’re gonna be my Maid of Honor right?” The sentence tumbled out so quickly that if you listen so well you might’ve missed it.

“Of course, what cake do you think you’re gonna get?” You take a bite of your caser salad while you listen to her rattle off her top 5 flavors. With a simple hum every couple of seconds while she gets all her excited rambles out.

“Shit, let me call my parents so they think they’re the first people I called.” A goofy smile graces your face at the fact that you were the first person she called.

“Okay, text me when you’re gonna be free for a sleepover so we can go through the actual details. Love you.” You end your sentence with an exaggerated kiss that she would hear on the other end.

“It’ll probably be Friday or Saturday but I’ll know for sure by tonight. Love you bye.” Her exaggerated kiss was the last thing you heard before the line cut out.

It’s been about an hour and a half since you left for your lunch break and Ameilia has been keeping you company intermittently. A slightly disappointed sigh leaves your lips when you’ve taken the last bite of your salad realizing you’ll have to get back to work. When you leave your cash on the table you make sure you tip a little extra since Ameilia snuck you two pieces of berry pie.

Upon re-entering the lobby you find Santiago behind the front, seemingly taking your place for the long break. He’s focused completely on the computer in front of him and by the time you round the corner, it’s too late for him to close the window.

“Plenty of Fish? I took you as more of a Tinder kind of guy.” The side eye you receive from him makes it hard for you to cover your smile.

Before he can say a smart comeback the phone blares and you set your pie on the counter to answer.

“Miller’s Brother Automotive, how may I help you?” The cheeriness of your voice makes you grimace.

“Hello, this is Nurse Lauren calling from Lake Montessori. I’ve been trying to get ahold of Rosie’s father Fransico Morales and he listed this number as his work contact.”

“Of course, he’s in the garage can you hold for a moment?” Without waiting for her answer you head to the garage to summon Frankie.

“The nurse for your daughter’s school is on the phone asking for you.” As soon as he hears it’s about Rosie he’s walking faster than you to get back to the phone.

“Hello, this is Fransico Morales.” You can see the tension in his shoulders trying to figure out why the school is calling him. Both you and Santi scroll through his dating profile while he talks on the phone.

After presumably finding the reason for the call his shoulders deflate and he utters a faint “Jesus,”

“I see, I can be there in about 15 minutes.” There’s a slight pause before he says, “Take care.”

When the phone hits the hook he heaves an irritated sigh before turning to you and Santi. “Apparently Rosie’s stomach was bugging her since she got to school and she ended up throwing up on the playground. Maria was the one to drop her off and they tried calling her but she wasn’t picking up.”

“So she knew she was sick when she dropped her off?” Irritation is written all over Santiago’s face and voice.

“Seems that way because there’s no way Rosie wouldn’t say anything. So fucking irresponsible.” Frankie grits the last sentence out before heading to the back to wash his hands properly. When he comes back out with clean hands and a more patient face he stops by you.

“We should be back in like 15 minutes.” He slightly bends to kiss your forehead before heading out the front door. Santiago wolf-whistles when it’s just the two of you but you roll your eyes.

After 5 minutes Will and Benny come inside to ask what happened and there’s no time wasted by Santiago to fill them in. You head to the break room to see what would be helpful to a sick kid. Luckily Benny has a collection of tea and you take out peppermint and some sugar.

You pop your head out only to see them huddled together and gossiping like school girls.

“Hey, are there any pillows or blankets in the back offices?” Each of them turns to you with wide eyes before Benny tells you he has some in his office. When you come back out you place the brown blanket on the sofa closet to the garage door and prop the pillow on the armrest.

The guys can’t help but watch and exchange looks as you make the area cozy for Rosie. You beat them to it. Looking at the time you head back into the break room to heat water for the tea. By the time you come back out with the steaming tea, Frankie is laying Rosie down on the sofa and the guys are circling her.

“I made some peppermint tea and I think I have some cough drops in my purse.” As you carefully place the cup down on the table in front of her Frankie watches you in awe. Rosie’s tired brown eyes steal a glance at you and you nearly melt. Even though her little face is sickly pale she’s the cutest kid you’ve ever seen.

“Thank you,” after he shows his gratitude he turns back to his daughter and continues running his hands through her curls.

“And if you feel up for it I have an extra piece of berry pie.” Her downcast eyes widen at the mention of pie and it almost livens her chubby face.

“Really?” She perks up on the sofa and tries to remove the blanket before Frankie settles her.

“After you drink some tea and lay down kay?” She pouts at his words but obliges and lays back down.

With all the guys personally checking in on Rosie you head back to your desk and check your purse for those cough drops. There are about three but that should be good enough, plus they’re the ones that taste like candy. You lay them out on your desk before looking up to find Frankie in front of you. He leans across the table with that look in his eye, the one that makes your tummy flutter.

“I meant it when I said thank you back there. I appreciate you so much, Hermosa.” He places his warm hand over yours.

“Never a problem Catfish.” You let your eyes fall back on the desk and remember to ask him, “It’s fine that I give these to Rosie right?”

He laughs at your genuine sweet nature before answering, “Yes, and if it’s not too much would you mind checking on her, I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to.”

“Like I said never a problem.” You give him your biggest smile, making it a point to scrunch your face.

The two of you share a moment before he releases your hand to head back out to the garage. Coincidentally you find the guys staring at you with smirks plastered on their faces. They say their last comforting words to Rosie and trail after Frankie.

Since two of the three cars were going to be ready in an hour you called to let the customers know. You peer over to find Rosie drinking her tea and you grab the first cough drop before heading over.

“How’s your tea?” You take a seat in the chair next to the sofa.

“It’s good but I like more sugar.” Her direct answer has you nodding your head in faux contemplation.

“If you finish that cup I promise to make your next one extra sugary.” She smiles at your bargain and begins tipping the cup back to drink more. “You don’t have to get it all now sweetie but I love the enthusiasm.”

“What’s your name?” You tell her your name and she says it a couple of times while nodding. You return the question to her as if you didn’t already know.

“I’m Rosie. So are you my Daddy’s friend?” The tilt of her voice makes you think she’s teasing you.

“Yes, I am why?” You put a tilt in your voice similar to her.

“You’re really pretty to be his friend.” She tries to hide her smile behind the mug.

“Thank you, Rosie, I think you’re really pretty too.” Her giggles warm your heart and you almost forget the reason you came over here. “I brought you a cough drop but I promise it tastes like candy.”

“Thank you, I don’t think I feel as bad anymore so can I have that piece of pie now?” Her puppy dog eyes resemble her father’s so much that you don’t think you can deny her.

“Alright finish that tea, but not too fast, and I’ll get it ready.” You make your way back to collect the pieces of pie from your desk and bring it to the break room. Each piece is placed on a paper plate and you grab two plastic forks from the box on the counter.

When you come out of the break room Rosie is criss-cross applesauce on the couch pleasantly waiting for the pie. A huge smile breaks out across her face when you place hers in front of her and she thanks you immediately. Neither of you wastes time digging into your respective slices.

A few minutes pass before the tell-tale bell rings above the door and a customer walks in. You leave your half-eaten slice to go back to the desk and greet them. She gives you her last name and you bring up her paperwork in the system.

“Okay let me check in and it shouldn’t be long. Please take a seat anywhere and I’ll get back to you.” On your way towards the garage, Rosie smiles big at you with purple smeared around her mouth. You wave back before going through the door.

“Who’s working on Monroe’s Honda?” You call out to the four men in the area, and Benny’s head pops up from the hood. “She just arrived and I wanted to know how much longer.”

“I was literally about to come inside I’m just running my third check to make sure.” He heads back to the car and you leave to head back but Frankie saddles up next to you.

“How’s my baby? I have about 10 minutes left on this car before I’m done.” You are tempted to answer for yourself but you know what he means.

“Tearing down that berry pie like it’s going out of style.” His laugh sounds full and boisterous and you’re glad after how irate he was when he went to pick up Rosie.

The waiting area is the same as you left it and you let Mrs. Monroe know her car is just about ready. As you turn around you almost bump into Rosie who’s holding her now empty plate in her small hands.

“I finished and I couldn’t find the trash.” You shouldn’t be surprised at her manners since Frankie is her father but you tell her to follow you. She rounds the desk behind you and you point out the trash can under your desk. “If you want you can have the rest of my pie.”

Rosie still places her plate in the trash but she thanks you before running back off to her corner. Benny slides through the door and checks out Mrs. Monroe so you head back over to Rosie.

Before you can sit in your seat she tells you, “I have to tinkle.” And just as quickly as you sat down you’re right back up and guiding her to the bathroom in the back. You wait in the hallway while she finishes up her business. The moment she opens the door you double-check that she’s washed her hands. Thankfully Rosie provides her slightly damp hands for your approval.

“What’s your favorite color? Mine is all of them, I can’t pick one.” Her charming voice fills the empty hallway you two walk down.

“I used to love all the colors too, but now I really love purple.” You look down at her to smile while giving your answer and she slips her slightly damp hand in yours.

“Purple is really pretty but so is the rainbow and cheetah.” You didn’t have the heart to correct her on cheetah being a pattern.

When you two re-enter the lobby the both of you are so engrossed in conversation that you miss the tension unfolding while you’ve been away. Frankie stands in front of a stunning woman with dark brown hair who’s seething in anger. But she’s not the only one, Frankie’s irritation is coming off his body in waves.

Clarity alludes you the more you look between them, there’s a familiarity. It doesn’t take long for the pieces to fall into place when Rosie raises her other hand to wave at the woman before yelling out, “Hi Mommy.” Two sets of eyes land on you and you’ve never felt more out of place in your life. Suddenly being swallowed by the earth sounded delightful.

“Who the hell is this?” Her sharp but alluring voice cuts through the air and you finally allow yourself to fully take her in. This is Frankie’s wife. You can’t help but notice her polished appearance, her hair looks freshly blown out and her French-tipped nails only add to the form-fitting dress she’s wearing.

“I’m the receptionist, I just took Rosie to the bathroom.” You try and keep your voice level, not wanting to escalate the situation in front of Rosie.

“I’m gone for a couple of hours and you pawn our daughter off to some receptionist?” Though she kept her voice down you end up hearing every word.

As much as you’d heard about her you still weren’t prepared to see her, part of you was pretending as long as you couldn’t see her she didn’t exist.

“A couple of hours?” Frankie pauses at that to give her the nastiest look you’ve ever seen cross his face. “You dropped our daughter off knowing she was sick so you could-” He stops himself to gesture at her clearly put-together outfit.

“I didn’t know she was sick, how was I supposed to know she would throw up all over the place.” From Frankie’s face, it’s clear he wants to say something but with Rsoie here he holds himself back.

“But I told you I didn’t feel good Mommy, you told me it would pass.” The silence that followed her innocent statement scared you, and you weren’t the one Frankie had his eyes set on.

Shaking yourself out of your stunned stupor you gently coax Rosie to go see her Uncle’s in the garage. For the first time since you’ve worked here, you close the door behind you. The guys take notice and you simply tell them, “Frankie’s wife is here.” Confused faces instead turn into silent understanding and they pause their routine for closing.

…………

“Maria,” In all their years of marriage she’d never heard this tone of voice. “Are you fucking crazy?” The lack of yelling made it even worse, not that he ever really raised his voice.

“Look Francisco, I had a meeting and it didn’t sound serious so I still dropped her off. Okay? I’m sorry.” Maria places her hands on her husband's biceps but he backs away from her touch.

“You are unbelievable, they couldn’t get in contact with you for 5 hours. How long could this meeting have possibly been?” It was one thing for her to disregard him but for her to do it to their daughter was something unforgivable. But there was only one reason she would be so careless, and her outfit told him everything.

“Tell me you weren’t meeting with Chris, tell me you didn’t drop our daughter off so you could run off with your boyfriend.”

“I-,” A panicked expression crosses her face and Frankie doesn’t allow for any more of her excuses.

“I’m done. Putting a man before our child is in-fucking-sane.” He can’t recognize the woman in front of him, and he understands how she felt during his addiction. The person he met at the altar is gone.

“I agree. The open marriage thing has gone too far and I’m ready to close it okay?” At this point even she can see her marriage crumbling before her and despite previous thoughts, she’s not ready to let go.

“I’m not talking about closing the marriage, I want a divorce.” The distinction in his voice before he turns and heads to the garage fills her with desperation. Maria follows closely behind him as he opens the door. She stays in the door way silently watching and waiting for another chance to talk.

You are gently rubbing Rosie’s head while she sleeps soundly in a makeshift bed of two chairs. The way Frankie’s face lights up when he looks at you makes her skin crawl. But it gets worse when your eyes meet his there’s no denying there is something between you.

She thinks back to how Frankie told her Benny introduced him to the girl he was seeing. She supposes it makes sense you are beautiful and you seem caring. As much as she wanted to throw the rules in his face she knew she had no leg to stand on. At this point, she had nothing else to lose and Rosie was asleep so it would only be fair to warn you.

From the doorway she makes herself known and Frankie rolls his eyes, hoping that ignoring her will make her go away. One look around the room and she can see how outnumbered she is. The men who once welcomed her with open arms now disdainfully glance at her.

“I’m not sure how well he’s hidden it but he’s a drug addict and his PTSD will always send him right back down the cocaine rabbit hole. Save yourself from the endless baggage.” Maria threw her last card on the table and from the way Francisco froze, it had the desired impact.

No one could have predicted that would come out of her mouth. Your eyes widen at the sudden intake of information and you seek out Frankie’s eyes but he’s turned away from you. Seconds feel like minutes and no one else has said a word. What could be said to follow something so cruel?

All you want to do is tell Frankie that you don’t think less of him, but that’s a private conversation. And unlike some people, you understand the need for privacy and tact.

“It’s time for you to go.” William steps in to shield Frankie who keeps his eyes locked on the ground.

While Maria struts away like she didn’t ruin what little comfort Frankie had, tears begin to rim his eyes. As if his shame wasn’t bad enough it had to happen in front of you. There was no telling how you would feel about him now and he wouldn’t blame you.

Benny and Santiago circle Frankie whispering about something you can’t hear. You stand to approach him but Will’s chest fills your vision. His eyes are cast down in a way that you can tell you’re being shut out of this private moment.

“I don’t think now is a good time sweets,” His hand rests on your shoulder before squeezing in what you think is reassurance.

“Could you tell him I don’t think any less of him? And to call me when he’s ready please?” Your voice cracks as you try to keep it together because you’re the last person who should be crying.

Will feels terrible about making you go but it’s too late and you’re already out the door with your sniffles following. When the door closes again Frankie knows you’ve left and his shoulders begin shaking. The only reason he’s still standing is because of the three men holding him up. Thankfully Rosie’s cold keeps her knocked out so she misses her father’s breakdown.

@harriedandharassed @emilianamason

#triple frontier fic #triple frontier smut #frankie morales smut #frankie morales x f!reader #frankie morales x reader #frankie morales #frankie morales x you

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