#bye everyone good luck with everything...

[ghostingal0ng]

fuck it im recovering

[gingerteafairy]

more rodrick fics please!!

yesss, i was missing him (i always go back to my default crush)

rodrick heffley x emo!reader

summary: Rodrick never really believed in love at first sight—until he saw you. Just another girl he’d never noticed in college, walking by in a Green Day shirt.

tags n warnings: fluff, a bit suggestive. word count: 1.3k masterlist

“Oh, I…” The words slipped out before he could think, and you stopped, pulling out one of your earbuds.

“What?”

“That band… uh… band. Green Day.” He pointed awkwardly at your shirt, trying to play it cool but failing miserably. “You're... American Idiot.”

“Am I?” you teased, the silly wordplay catching him completely off guard.

Rodrick blinked, his brain short-circuiting for a second. “No! I mean… no, you’re not an idiot.” He ran a hand through his hair, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “The band. The album. It’s… really good. It's my favorite. Wake me up when september ends, you know what they say.”

You let out a quiet laugh and tugged at the hem of your shirt, glancing at the design as if only now remembering what you were wearing. “Yeah…”

Rodrick stood there, scrambling for something else to say, but before he could, you were already saying goodbye.

“Bye, Rodrick.”

He blinked, stunned. You knew his name?

“Bye.” He waved, a little slow on the uptake, watching as you disappeared down the hallway. When it finally hit him, he groaned under his breath. “American Idiot? What the hell is wrong with me?”

Rodrick sighed, pressing his forehead against the wall and rubbing his face. He had never really noticed you before. Okay, maybe he’d seen your cool shirts every now and then. But now he realized just how pretty you were. How much of a total idiot he looked like around you. Love at first sight? He didn’t know. But he did know one thing—he needed to run into you again.

And that’s exactly what started happening—with suspicious frequency.

Rodrick suddenly had a newfound interest in your class schedule. The subject? Who cared? The important thing was that you were there. He started bumping into you in the hallways, always keeping an eye on your shirt, waiting for the perfect opening to start a conversation.

After that first encounter, you became an unlocked character in his universe. Now, he saw you everywhere—and for a brief moment, he wondered if you had been invisible to everyone else, just like he was. A part of him kind of hoped you were. Because, let’s be honest—Rodrick Heffley could be pretty possessive over relationships that only existed in his head.

You wore different outfits in the following days, but he couldn’t shake the image of that Green Day shirt, your earbuds in, and that distant, almost dreamy look in your eyes. That was the moment everything changed. The preppy, pink-clad popular girls lost all appeal.

“This is how I’m gonna talk to her.” Rodrick tossed his drumsticks in the air, determined. He was standing at the college entrance, waiting for you, ready to comment on whatever band shirt you had on today. "I'll ask for her favorite songs and make a playlist so we could hear together when i ask her to be Mrs. Heffley."

Ben raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “So your new thing is emo girls with dead fish eyes?”

Rodrick pointed a drumstick like a sword. “Do not disrespect her like that.” He spun it between his fingers before tucking it into his pocket. “She’s not emo. She’s simply a woman of deep, complex emotions, expressed through music—”

“Emo.” Ben chuckled, making Rodrick roll his eyes.

The truth was, Rodrick Heffley was tired of pretending to be an untouchable rockstar. Lately, all he really wanted was a girlfriend to walk around with, be stupidly in love with, and eat ice cream with. But no one seemed interested in him—especially not the popular girls. Over time, they all started feeling boring, shallow. Sure, they were good for ice cream and other… needs. But nothing more than that.

“There she is. Wish me luck.”

Rodrick cracked his knuckles, his heart hammering in his chest. You walked through the college gates the same way you always did—beautifully bored.

Linkin Park.

Rodrick grinned. This was it. Now or never.

The smile he gave was almost worthy of a horror movie villain—so wide and sudden that it startled anyone passing by. Realizing his mistake, Rodrick quickly straightened up, trying to soften his expression into something more charming. As you approached, he took a step forward, purposely blocking your path, a forced smile on his lips.

“Hey.” He crossed his arms in an attempt to look suave, but he made sure to keep his drumsticks strategically visible, as if they were an essential part of his charm.

You pulled out your earbuds and let out a quiet laugh. “Hey. How you doin?”

Rodrick smirked smugly. “Name five songs from that band.” He tilted his head, winking at you with a teasing challenge.

It was supposed to be a brilliant moment. But instead of the countless reactions he had rehearsed in his head, you frowned slightly, glancing around, visibly caught off guard.

His brain crashed.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry, that was so dumb.” He waved his hands frantically, running a hand through his messy hair. “Shit, just ignore everything I said and pretend I don’t exist while I jump off that window.”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “No, it’s fine. It was just so out of nowhere.” Taking a deep breath, you listed effortlessly, “What I’ve Done, Crawling, New Divide, Papercut, In the End. God, I love Mike Shinoda’s rap parts.”

Rodrick’s eyes lit up. He barely held back from jumping with excitement.

“You know Mike Shinoda?” His voice came out a little too high-pitched, betraying his enthusiasm. “Dude, I am obsessed with those raps. Like, In the End basically shaped my entire personality!”

You laughed, tucking your earbuds into your bag. “He was the father of edgy teenagers—along with gore animes.”

Rodrick placed a hand over his heart, dramatically. “Exactly! Finally, someone who gets it.”

Your gaze shifted to his shirt, your eyes scanning over the band’s name. “And this band… Loded Diper…”

“It’s mine. It’s… my band.” He admitted, scratching his head a little. “The name sounds so dumb now, but I swear it was badass in high school.”

“I think it’s a requirement for rock bands to have weird names.” You joked, surprising him even more. So you had a sense of humor too?

“Yeah, like Metallica.” He rolled his eyes. “It’s basically the same thing as a rap group calling themselves Raptalia.”

“Or U2. Like… what does that have to do with me?” You laughed, and he did too, his chuckles gradually blending into something softer, more real, as they melted into a lazy smile. 

Rodrick straightened up, puffing out his chest with pride. “But yeah, Loded Diper. No need to look it up to guess who the drummer is.”

You smiled, shaking your head. “That’s actually really cool, Rodrick.” You watched as he slid his drumsticks into his pocket. “You should invite me to a show.”

Rodrick nearly tripped over himself. “Of course I will. You’re basically my VIP fan. Exclusive backstage access. Full access to the drummer, be my guest.” He tried to sound confident, but his voice cracked slightly at the end.

“Are you flirting with me, Rodrick?” You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. 

He blinked, hesitating. “I don’t know… is it working?” He leaned in slightly, his nervousness slipping into his voice.

“Yes.” You shrugged, amused. “Or maybe I just have a thing for drummers.”

Rodrick froze.

"Uh… well… I guess it's kinda… common." He nodded awkwardly, swallowing hard. "Not that I'm undermining you! Actually, it’s really cool."  

"Maybe I’ll steal your shirt." You smirked, tossing your hair back as you started walking away. "I look good in black."  

Rodrick stood there, stunned, watching you disappear down the hallway. “Oh, dear God. Help me.” He muttered, leaning against the wall for support.  

"So, how'd it go with your Avril Lavigne knockoff?" Ben teased, stepping up beside Rodrick, who now looked like he had actual hearts in his eyes.  

“Damn whoever invented emo girls.” He whined, dramatically gazing up at the sky.

[writingwithciara]

could be -jack hughes-

summary: y/n and jack are as inseparable as real best friends should be. so much so that even though they're not dating, she is considered a 'wag' anyway

word count: 4.6k

pairing: jack hughes x reader

notes: jack is just precious and so wholesome istg.

masterlist

growing up, jack was always taught to treat women with respect. he was also told that he should pay special attention to the girl in his life that meant the world to him.

and that's what he did with y/n. she was his best friend & had been since the 6th grade. ever since they met, they were completely inseparable.

even when jack went straight from high school to being a professional hockey player, y/n went with him. she figured she could take a gap year then enroll in school in jersey once she found one that was right for her.

it was obvious to everyone that their close friendship bordered on a real relationship but nobody could be bothered to bring it up. especially not when they saw how much they both cared about the friendship and would do nothing to jeopardize it.

jack's rookie season in the nhl was not as great as he expected it to be. he lost more games than he could count and felt like he wasn't living up to his full potential. but he was reminded every night when he came home that no matter how bad he played, he would always have his favorite girl cheering him on.

and given how close they were, most people had a feeling that something or someone would come along and cause a rift in their friendship. and when jack got his first girlfriend since going pro, they were all proven wrong. turns out that the girlfriend didn't like how close he and y/n had been and she gave him an ultimatum. of course he chose y/n, leading people to believe that there was definitely something going on between the pair.

and no matter how many times people put that idea out there, they always shut the thought down and insisted they were always going to be just friends.

but those closest to them knew that was most certainly not true.

everything they did was something an average couple would do. they could deny it all they wanted but it was clear they were destined to be together.

----------

"hey, y/n. are you coming to the game tonight?"

"do you want me to come?"

"always." jack smiled, but immediately became concerned when she didn't smile back. "of course i want you there. do you think i don't?"

"i was just messing with you, jack. of course i'll be there."

"okay good." he kissed the top of her head and smiled. "you almost gave me a heart attack. i can't play without you there."

"no need to worry, darling. i've never intentionally missed a game since the second half of your rookie season and i'm not going to start now."

"i know. i don't know why i thought you weren't coming tonight though."

"you'd miss me too much if i wasn't there." y/n smirked.

"you know me too well." jack chuckled and grabbed his gear. "i'm late for practice. but i'll for sure see you later tonight, right?"

"absolutely. wouldn't miss it." y/n walked with jack to the door. he looked at her bracelet and smiled.

"you're gonna need a whole new bracelet if we win tonight."

"you mean after you win tonight?" y/n smiled and moved the bracelet around. "who picks out the charm this time?"

"i believe it's jesper's turn again."

"oh, sweet. i love the charms he picks."

"what about mine?"

"i love them even more than jesper's. you know that."

"yeah, i know." jack smiled again and grabbed his keys. "alright. see you in a few hours."

"bye." y/n shut the door and examined her bracelet again. jack had bought it for her after he scored his first career goal and told her that every time his team won, he would buy her another charm because he considered her to be his personal good luck charm. after the 10th win, his teammates started taking turns picking out the charms, as they not only believed that y/n was jack's good luck charm, but theirs as well. they never lost when she attended a game so the belief stuck.

a few hours later, y/n grabbed her jack hughes jersey, put on her black jeans and slipped on her red converse. she threw her hair up in a messy bun and didn't bother with any makeup since she never really wore it much anyway.

before she got in the car, she sent a text to both jack and luke, wishing them good luck on the game. luke's reply was just a thumbs up while jack's reply was an entire paragraph. y/n left it open and drove to the arena. when she arrived, she put her phone in her purse, completely forgetting to respond to jack's text.

in the locker room, luke was finishing adjusting his skates when jack sat next to him.

"y/n left me on read, luke. do you think she's okay? what if something happened to her on the way here?"

"i'm sure she's fine. she's the most careful driver i know." he finished lacing the right skate and pulled the left one tighter. "have you tried calling?"

"no. we never call before games. it's a rule."

"you might have to break a rule every now and then."

"okay, fine." jack pulled his phone out and quickly dialed y/n's number. it went to voicemail and jack sighed. "right to voicemail, luke. this is not good."

"relax, jack. she probably just turned her phone to do not disturb so she could focus entirely on the game tonight."

"okay. maybe you're right." jack stood up. "thanks, bro."

"no problem." luke chuckled. "you gotta learn to never doubt me."

"yeah, yeah. whatever." jack rolled his eyes and grabbed his stick. "we got a game to win."

as the boys came out onto the ice, y/n's gaze immediately landed on jack. he looked at her and smiled, thankful that nothing happened to her on the way to the game. he skated around and that's when the thought hit him.

she didn't respond to his pre-game text like she normally did.

the game went on like it normally would, but with jack distracted, he wasn't playing his best. y/n watched as jack took a hit at the end of 1st period. it never should've happened and she was beginning to worry.

she pulled out her phone and went to send him a text, knowing he was gonna check his phone during the break. and that's when she realized she never replied to the paragraph he sent before the game. she felt guilty, as if she was the reason jack was having a bad game.

she typed as fast as her fingers could go, rattling off an extra long apology text, hoping it would make up for earlier.

and when jack was back out on the ice for the second period, he seemed to be playing a lot better than before. the text seemed to have worked.

halfway through the last period, the devils were up by 2. as jack scored, he turned to look at y/n. when he saw her, he smiled.

he was distracted and the other team knew it. so they took this opportunity to slam him in the boards as hard as possible, taking jack out for the last 10 minutes of the game.

as the ref escorted jack off the ice, y/n hurried out of her seat and down to the tunnel. she rushed to the medic's office and watched as he did his routine checkup on jack. when he was finished, he turned to y/n.

"take good care of this one. he's showing signs of a possible concussion and he may be out for a game or two. we have to make sure he'll be okay."

"don't worry. i'll make sure he's fine." y/n smiled as the medic walked out of the room.

"that was a terrible game." jack shook his head slowly. "i screwed up."

"no you didn't, jack. you played great." y/n squeezed his shoulder softly and smiled.

"you and i both know i didn't. i was a mess in the first half of the game and-"

"i know. it was my fault. i should've answered your text."

"what? no. that's not why i wasn't focused. okay well maybe a bit. but i wasn't mad. i was scared. the last text i got from you before the game was that you were on your way here. and when you didn't reply to my text, i thought something bad happened to you. i wouldn't know what to do without you."

"don't worry. i'm right here."

"good." jack looked up at her and smiled. neither of them knew why they began to lean in but when their lips were about to touch, luke walked into the room, causing them both to jump apart. luckily luke didn't see anything.

"hey. we won the game but i wanted to come see you. how are you doing?"

"i'm alright. might have a concussion and may have to sit out for a game or two. but i'm fine."

"do you need me to stay tonight and keep an eye on you?"

"no thanks, luke. i appreciate the offer but y/n is gonna be there. she lives with me, remember?"

"right. are you sure there's not another reason she's living with you? like, say, maybe you guys are more than friends?" luke raised his eyebrow.

"oh yeah. i sleep with jack every night and he's sooo good. and oh my god. the size is just-" y/n smirked when luke interrupted her.

"i was kidding. i really didn't need to know any details. gross." he shook his head and left the room. jack couldn't help ut laugh at his brothers reaction.

"you know he's gonna tell the rest of the team, right?"

"let them believe what they want. only we know the truth." she winked at him and grabbed his stuff. "now let's get going. i hear my bed calling me."

"you're so dramatic." he chuckled and followed his best friend out to her car. "it's a good thing i got a ride here with luke this morning."

"yes it is. now you can be my little passenger princess this time, instead of the other way around."

"ha. ha. very funny."

"i know i am." y/n smiled and started driving back to their apartment. "how's the head feeling?"

"little rough. but i'll be fine, i promise. you don't need to worry." jack reached over the center console and squeezed her leg gently.

"i always worry about you." y/n kept her eyes on the road but when jack moved his hand, she felt like her leg was on fire.

"i know. and i appreciate it. a lot." jack smiled and got out of the car when she parked. he hurried over to her door and opened it for her.

"thanks, jack. but i could've done that on my own."

"i'm showing my appreciation."

"jack, there are other ways to show your appreciation." y/n smiled and walked to their door. jack was frozen in his spot as he watched her walk inside. before the door shut, he rushed in behind her.

"hold up. just wait a second." he sat down on the couch and looked at y/n. "what other ways can i show my appreciation?"

"by getting me a new charm for my bracelet since your team won." y/n smirked. "did you think i meant something else?"

"what? no. of course not." jack shook his head rapidly, causing y/n to continue smirking.

"oh my gosh. you totally did!"

"well, i kinda thought that we could talk about what almost happened back in the medic's office before luke walked in."

"jack, it was a slip up. heat of the moment situation. it never should've happened."

"it didn't happen. but i agree. heat of the moment." jack sighed and looked at her. "you're my best friend and i love you. but what didn't happen is not going to change us, right?"

"of course not." y/n smiled and headed to her room. jack watched her close the door and let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

it was going to change everything.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

over the course of the next few weeks, the dynamic between y/n and jack had shifted. everyone noticed immediately but it took jack and y/n a little longer to catch on.

it wasn't drastic enough where y/n felt like she had to move out. but she no longer felt like jack wanted to spend every minute with her like he normally had in the past.

his attitude changed and he slowly became less of the happy guy he always was, and more of a moody one instead. he was getting into fights more often than not & he was bringing girls home with him almost every night.

he would ignore y/n when she would greet him and each time he did, y/n felt like he was chipping away a piece of her heart. it was starting to become an issue for her and she didn't know what to do.

until an 'angel' knocked on the apartment door one afternoon.

y/n was home alone, getting ready for the last regular season game, when she heard the knock. she got up and looked through the peephole.

"nico? what are you doing here? shouldn't you be at the arena practicing for the big game?"

"i should be. but i think we need to talk."

"what about?" she held the door and looked at her friend. "what's going on? is everything okay?"

"with me? yeah. with jack? no."

"what do you mean?"

"you've noticed the changes recently, yes?"

"of course. i notice a lot." she shook her head. "what about his changes?"

"it's messing with his playing."

"meaning?"

"he used to be the best player on the team but for the last 4 weeks, he's been different. his points haven't gone up and his skill level has declined. he still ranks fairly high in the league but it's nowhere near where he deserves to be." he sighed. "i need to know what happened between you guys."

"why do you assume something happened?"

"because i know you guys better than you think i do. and the dynamic between you has shifted since he got the concussion a month ago. so what happened? did jack say something to upset you, or vice versa?"

"no. at least, i don't think so. and to be honest, i have no idea what really happened. the night he got the concussion, we came home and things were fine. but when i woke up the next morning, it was like the jack hughes i know and love was replaced by someone else."

"so jack is the only one to know why he's been acting so weird?"

"i guess so." y/n looked at her phone. "you should get going. the team's gonna need their captain before the game."

"yeah, you're right." he went to walk away but stopped. "are you coming to the game?"

"yeah. i'll be there. there's just something i need to do first. see you later." she shut the door slowly and walked into jack's room. it looked pretty much like it always did. it was a little bit messier than normal but that's how jack tended to keep it.

as she was about to walk out, she saw a gift on the floor by his bed. there was a tag attached to it that had her name printed neatly on it in jack's handwriting. she picked it up and took it with her to the car. she needed an explanation and was determined to get one, even if jack didn't want to give it to her.

when she parked at the arena, she climbed out of her car and ran inside quickly. there was still a little while before the game started but the fans were already filing into their seats. the team was skating around the ice doing their warm ups but jack was nowhere to be found. and neither was nico.

y/n was about to send nico a text, telling him she had arrived, but when she looked up, jack and nico were skating onto the ice. nico waved when he noticed her but jack hadn't seen her yet so she would have to wait to talk to him.

the first half of the game was brutal for the devils. they were down by 3 at the end of the second period, not having scored a single goal yet, and they were looking at a complete shutout,

y/n watched the team skate off the ice and sent a text to nico, letting him know she was on her way down to the locker rom to talk to jack. she couldn't wait another second.

as she got to the room, the rest of the team was walking out slowly. nico was last and he stopped her.

"um, just a heads up but he's not in a great mood and he's blaming himself for what's happened so far in the game. hopefully you can work your magic on him like you always do."

"yeah, hopefully. good luck out there." she smiled and stood in the doorway to the locker room. jack was pacing back and forth with his head down so he didn't notice her and he was mumbling to himself. she knocked lightly on the door to get his attention. "jack?"

"huh?" his head shot up and they made eye contact. "w-what are you doing here?"

"i came to see my best friend play kick some ass and make it to the playoffs tonight."

"that's not gonna happen so you can go home if you want. i don't want to disappoint you when we lose."

"you're not going to lose, jack." she took a step into the room and the air felt thick.

"we haven't scored once this game and there's 20 minutes left. i highly doubt we're coming back from this." he shook his head. "and it's all my fault."

"no it's not. it's a team game, jack. it doesn't depend on just one person. you know that."

"if i hadn't played so badly this last month, we'd already be guaranteed a playoff spot. but this game is the make or break one."

"what's gotten into you? where's the best friend who is always full of spirit and determination? the one who never wants to give up, no matter how hard a task may be?"

"he's a total mess who can't get his shit together. he's lost hope for a lot of things in his life and he doesn't know how to get back to his normal self again."

"when did things change?" y/n took a seat beside him on the bench. "was it before or after the concussion?"

"the same night." he sighed. "i felt the change after we got home."

"was it something i did that maybe upset you?" y/n looked at him but he didn't answer. "jack, please talk to me. i want to help you in anyway that i can."

"do you really think that our almost kiss was just a slip up? a heat of the moment thing?"

"what?"

"just tell me the truth, please?"

"i've known you since the 6th grade and not once did i ever think about kissing you. you've been my best friend since i met you so yeah. it was a heat of the moment thing." y/n looked up to find jack staring at her.

"i feel the same way. or at least i thought i did." he sighed. "i had never thought about kissing you before and have had no romantic feelings towards you since we became friends. but that night, when you didn't answer my pre-game text, i was scared something happened to you. and you already know that. but as i was freaking out, i started thinking about why i was reacting that way. i realized that i never wanted to experience life without you. and then when i saw you and saw that you were alright, my heart nearly exploded with happiness. i thought i lost you but you were there, in front of me, and these brand new feelings became overwhelming for me." jack took another breath. "that night when you told me it was a slip up, it hit me that you didn't feel the same way about me. so i started giving you space because it felt like what was best and i realize now that it was a mistake to do that. because without you by my side, i fell apart real fast. i screwed up by almost kissing you and if it was possible, i would turn back time and stop myself. i never intended for things to end up this way. and i am so sorry i disappointed you."

"you could never disappoint me, jack. you're my favorite person in the entire world. and yes, i thought it was a slip up that night because i had never thought about kissing you before. but when you were giving me that 'space', it gave me time to think about what almost happened and i have come to the realization that it wasn't a heat of the moment situation. i realized that i can't live my life without you. truthfully, i love you jack. i never really thought about it before but now i know."

"so all that space was a dumb idea, huh?"

"of course, dummy. but maybe things can be different now. we can get back to how things were before the concussion." y/n took his hand. "but with an added bonus of love."

"that sounds like a good idea." he went to kiss her but she stopped him.

"wait. i almost forgot the main reason i cam back here."

"what's that?"

"i found this in your room." she pulled the gift out from her purse and handed it to him. he turned it around in his hands and smiled. "what is it?"

"as ridiculous as this might sound, it's a book." he let out a chuckle.

"a book?"

"yeah. but not just any book." he smiled. "this book is special and i was intending to give it to you for your birthday but i didn't know if things would be back to normal or not." he looked up at her. "go ahead. open it."

y/n carefully unwrapped the book and stared at the cover. a little cartoon version of herself with jack stared up at her with the title my best friend written in shiny silver letters. she flipped through the book and smiled with every page she read. it was a story book of her life, before and after she met jack. it was illustrated so perfectly and each hidden detail throughout the book made her eyes water. "jack , i love this so much."

"i figured you would. but i'm glad you do." he looked at her. "did you see what was taped to the back cover?"

"no." she flipped to the back cover and taped to the inside was a little swan charm. y/n carefully pulled it off and smiled. "seriously, jack. you didn't have to do this."

"well i wanted to. i needed to show you how much you mean to me but with everything you've ever done for me, the book and the charm are not going to be enough."

"jack, they're more than enough. they're perfect." she looked at him. "you're perfect."

neither of them hesitated to place their lips together. they fit perfectly together, just like everyone knew they would. jack held y/n's face as he deepened the kiss. her hands held his wrists as they slowly pulled apart.

"okay, my team is waiting for me. i've got a game to win." he stood up quickly. "i love you."

"i love you too. now go out there before they start to worry." y/n laughed as jack rushed out to the ice. she slid the book back in her purse and made her way back to her seat just in time for the final period to start.

30 seconds in, jack scored a goal and the fans went nuts. his teammates all hugged him and nico looked up to where y/n was sitting, knowing she really did work her magic on him.

there was 5 minutes left in the game when nico passed the puck to jack, who scored another goal, putting the game at 3-2 for nashville.

with 2 minutes left, it was looking like they were going to lose. but luck must've been on their side because curtis somehow got the puck to jack. he took it and sped down to the other end of the rink, shooting it right into the net to tie the game.

and when the buzzer went off to signal the end of the game, everyone on the team was excited. they were congratulating jack as they made their way to the bench.

"whatever you're doing, keep it up. that was an excellent third period." curtis high-fived him and walked down the tunnel. both jack and nico shared a look and their eyes went to y/n in the stands. she waved to them and they smiled.

"she must've worked her magic real hard on you to get such a turn around like that."

"yeah. something like that." jack smirked and took a drink from his water bottle before spraying some down the back and front of his jersey. he knew he was a great player but even he was impressed with how fast he shifted the game.

overtime started not long after their conversation and even though nashville was playing hard, new jersey was playing harder. their team dynamic was so much stronger than it was before.

with the clock ticking down and jack with the puck, the win was in sight. but the nashville players were not letting it go that easily. all the players on the ice chased jack and nearly cornered him. one slammed him into the side, causing him to lose his balance and fall. they all looked for the puck, believing that he would've given up the possession when he hit the ice.

but he did that before he went down. he passed the puck to jesper, who was not being defended. luckily nobody saw that pass. jesper took off back towards the nashville net and hit the puck as hard as he could, sending it flying towards the goal.

everyone watched with baited breath as the puck moved faster and faster towards the net. when it hit the back and the buzzer went off, everyone cheered. the devils were going to the playoffs.

y/n made her way down to the tunnel to wait for the team. nico had a feeling that's what she would be doing so he made sure jack was at the end of the line.

as they passed by, y/n congratulated the guys on the big win and continued to wait for jack. when she saw him, she couldn't help but throw herself into his arms. he was shocked but he held her tightly.

"that was incredible, jack. i told you you were going to win."

"i couldn't have done it without you and our talk."

"well, you could've. but i'm gonna take the credit where i can get it." she smiled. "go get changed so we can go home and celebrate."

"yes ma'am."

things were going to be okay. they were gonna make sure of it.

[traveler-at-heart]

Doctor's In - Part 15

Summary: You rebuild your relationship with Wanda, one date at a time.

A/N: Hey, I guess I owe Team Wanda some fluff after everything hehe. Enjoy!

There’s excitement going around the hospital.

After having to push the xenotransplant one week, it seems like everything’s finally ready to go.

Though you’re excited for very different reasons.

Wanda’s finally coming back to Boston and you can’t wait to see her. You’ve been texting every day, sometimes calling whenever you have a minute.

It feels like when you started dating, and everything was new and magical. Your heart practically skips a beat when you get a call from her.

“Hey, gorgeous” you greet.

“Hello” Wanda says.

“Hi, good morning” Yelena answers and you glare.

“Not you. Sorry, Wands. Gimme a sec” you find an empty room. “There. How’s it going?”

“I’m doing good. Packing for tomorrow. And it looks like I’ll stay for a bit longer so we can definitely have dinner if you’re up for it” she says, and you make a little dance. “You still there?”

“Yes! And yes, let’s have dinner. I’ll ask around for some restaurants”

Maybe Strange or Christine can suggest a nice place for a date.

A date with Wanda! You’re so excited.

“Actually… do you mind if I plan it? You planned our first date and I’d really like to do it this time”

“Well, if you’re sure. I know you’re busy with work and traveling so I don’t mind”

“I got it, no worries” she says. “See you soon. Good luck on that big surgery”

“Just observing, but thanks either way”

“Bye”

“Bye, Wands”

You leave the room with a big smile, and Yelena hums.

“Did you have phone sex?”

“Gross. You’re one to talk, with your girlfriend Kate”

“That’s none of your business. And she’s not my girlfriend”

“Because you haven’t asked her yet” Natasha joins you.

“Long distance is too complicated” Yelena sighs, pushing the elevator button. She then turns to you. “No offense”

“Hey, Wanda and I are just talking. There’s no relationship right now”

“Right, which is why she sent you flowers and you’re texting and calling all day” Yelena mocks. She gets off on the second floor, as she has to check on some of your patients.

“What about you? Ready for the transplant?” you ask Natasha.

“Yeah, I’ll have to do post op which means less time on my research” she mumbles, clearly upset.

“Want help? I can stick around”

“I don’t want you to get in any trouble” Natasha says, avoiding your eyes.

“Hey, you’re my colleague and friend and there’s nothing wrong with helping you out. If that’s an issue in a relationship, then maybe I shouldn’t be in it”

Yes, you had barely survived. But every day you got up and made an effort to move on. This month had made it clear that you let work, and then your relationship be the driving force behind your life.

But now you want your happiness to be about doing what you love, and having someone who supports you as much as you support them.

“Are we friends now?” Natasha teases.

“Well, would you like to be? I mean, shit. I was an asshole to you, don’t feel like you have to say yes just because…”

“You know, when you ask someone a question, you should let them answer” she says. “Yeah, I’d like to be friends”

“Ok, cool. Wanna hang out sometime?”

“Let’s scrub in for now” she jokes and you nod, remembering why you’re here.

You follow her to the OR, full of doctors and nurses.

There are also cameras broadcasting to medical facilities around the world.

“Nice day to make history, everyone” Melina looks around the room. “Let’s begin”

Everyone nods, and there’s silence as the woman asks for a scalpel.

You interrupt that silence with a sneeze.

When you open your eyes everyone’s looking at you.

“Sorry. I must have a bit of dust on my nose” you say, embarrassed.

“No worries, Doctor Y/L/N” Melina says without looking up. “But get out of the OR”

“What? But, it’s nothing…”

“Let’s hope it isn’t” she says, glaring. “Now out”

—

A Covid and influenza test, general bloodwork, and chest X-ray later, Yelena comes by to check on you.

“How you doing?”

“Great. I love being locked up in a quarantine room while I get probbed and swapped everywhere. Would you like to add a colonoscopy while we’re at it?”

“Hey, you get a discount if you want one”

“Really? It’s not even free for the head of a department?” you ramble. “Ok, not the point! Yelena, I’m fine”

“You have a slight fever and a runny nose. It’s just a cold”

“Ok, let me out”

“Sure. But you can’t work. You have to go home”

“I’m fine” you say, but sneeze after that.

“Go home, rest. We’ve got this” Yelena unlocks the room for you.

“What? You gonna follow me around to sanitize anything I touch on my way out?” you challenge. Yelena lifts up a spray as if it were a gun, shrugging her shoulders.

“Maybe. Now, nice and easy. No sudden moves. Straight to the exit”

“I hate you”

—

It was hard saying goodbye to the kids. Even if their grandma and uncle were there to look after them, Billy and Tommy hugged Wanda a bit longer and waved until she went through airport security.

If it wasn’t for the fact that she’d see you that evening, Wanda would have decided to stay home, dream job be damned.

But now she’s in a middle of an editorial meeting, where Wendy Lawson’s team is looking at her sketches, making observations and pointing out changes. Wanda’s pleased to notice their feedback is mostly positive.

“It was so hard to find the right person” Wendy says when they’re talking over lunch. “But then I got a sneak peek at your new book and thought the art was beautiful”

“Thank you. I’m really proud of it” Wanda nods, remembering how much love and care went into it.

“And that story is so cute and funny. Those are the hardest ones to write”

“Actually, I was mumbling in my sleep and my girlfriend wrote it all down” Wanda smiles at the memory. “I really have to thank her”

“Oh, I have to meet her!” Wendy says, excited. Wanda nods, but doesn’t really know if the term girlfriend is accurate at this time.

Actually, she’s not sure if you should call each other friends or what.

“Wendy, can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me two things” the woman jokes, making Wanda smile.

“I know you wrote crime novels before switching to children stories… and you were a best selling author in the genre. Were you scared to make the change, or did you get any pushback?”

“I mean, my publisher reminded me how much better the money is before making the switch. And he told me I could try, but he also forgot how many of my adult readers have children. So it was a success” Wendy looks at Wanda with those piercing blue eyes. “Are you writing a murder mystery?”

“No, nothing like that” Wanda laughs. She doesn’t even like crime movies. “I was thinking about something… like a trilogy for young adults. Something that maybe my kids could read when they’re older too”

“Oh, that sounds fun! Tell you what, work on a draft and if you need any help to get traction, I’ll be more than happy to speak to some people”

“That means the world to me, thank you” Wanda smiles, excited at the idea of working in something new.

She’s still thinking about it while working, but the rest of the meetings keep her busy and she completely misses your call.

“Hey, Wands” you say on the voicemail. “I’m a little sick. Or a lot. I mean it’s just a cold, but I’m no fun right now, runny nose and constant sneezing considered. I’m so sorry because I was dying to see you but I gotta stay home. I’ll make it up to you, I promise”

Wanda’s never seen you get sick. Injured, yes. But not even so much as a sneeze after plowing snow early morning.

“Would you like a ride to the hotel?” Wendy’s assistant offers when they’re done with the meetings.

“Oh, I was actually going to stop by a friend’s house. She’s sick and I wanted to check on her”

Great, you told Wendy she’s your girlfriend, now you’re a friend. If Wanda keeps this up, you’re gonna end up being a distant cousin.

“I can drive you, no problem” the woman says.

Wanda’s grateful, even when Wendy’s assistant agrees to stop by to get some stuff at the grocery.

Since Wanda has no idea if you have any food (and knowing you, there’s probably nothing), she gets the basic stuff to make some soup and other things.

“Wow, that’s a fancy place”

“Yeah” Wanda agrees as they park outside, looking at the huge building with security. She hopes they let her in or she’ll be stuck with her luggage and the stuff she bought in the middle of the street.

Luckily, you do answer when the guard calls for you and you let Wanda in.

Her heart beats faster while the elevator goes up, and when the doors open she has to force herself to step outside. She’s struggling with all the stuff in her hands, so she’s caught off guard when you finally open.

“Wanda?” you say between coughs. “I thought it was the food I ordered”

You try to laugh, but it turns into a coughing fit.

“Hey, how are you? Sorry I couldn’t stop by sooner. Had a lot of meetings” Wanda apologizes.

You are wearing a hoodie, your nose is red and it looks like you were in the middle of a medicine induced nap.

“As much as I want to see you, I don’t want you getting sick. So you should probably…”

Wanda rolls her eyes, walking past you.

“I have two kids. Whatever it is you caught, I’m immune”

“Oh, immune, wow” you mock. “According to Yelena’s thourough testing, it’s nothing more than a cold”

“See? It’s fine” Wanda insists. “I couldn’t possibly leave you alone while you’re sick, detka”

“Thank you” you mutter, hugging her. Honestly, you rarely get sick but when you do, you absolutely hate it.

“No need to thank me” Wanda wants to sink in your arms and never let go, but she notices how warm you are. “You have a fever. Take a shower, and I’ll make some food for us”

“I don’t wanna shower” you complain, still clinging to her. “I wanna cuddle”

“Later” Wanda promises, butterflies dancing in her stomach at the idea of spending an evening in your arms.

You finally let go, and she feels a little guilty at how excited she is to take care of you.

While you shower, she opens the fridge, surprised to find there’s a lot of groceries and stuff to cook.

For a second, Wanda thinks you might have someone over that cooks because there’s no way…

While preparing everything for the soup, she glances around the penthouse. It’s luxurious and it’s clear you haven’t added anything to the decoration, except for the Polaroids in the fridge. There’s one with Yelena, and others with Kate and Natasha that are obviously from the gala you attended together.

The first drawing Billy made for you is also on the side of the fridge. You always kept it in your wallet, for good luck.

Of course, there’s nothing else of yours around, as all your stuff is in Wanda’s house.

Wanda feels overwhelmed by guilt when she realises she forced you to leave your home behind overnight.

“Hey” you come back, looking a bit better. “You didn’t have to cook, I ordered Chinese”

“Chinese? You’re supposed to be eating stuff like soup, my darling”

“I love your soup” you watch over Wanda’s shoulder as she stirs everything in the pot, your hand on her waist.

All your talk about going slow has gone out the window. You feel like shit and having Wanda here is the only thing that will make it all better.

“So, I noticed there’s a lot of stuff in the fridge…” Wanda tries to sound casual. But she’s dying to know if you’ve had someone over… like a date that cooks and spends the evenings with you.

“Yeah, I cook now” you smile, going back to sit at the counter. You let out a laugh at her shocked expression. “Nothing fancy. Pasta, easiest version of chicken parmesan. My roast beef is pretty fucking good, though”

“How?”

“Learned by watching the best” you smile adoringly at her. “But also, a lot of sleepless nights and YouTube tutorials”

“That’s fair. Will you cook for me one day?”

“Of course. Have to return the favor somehow, shouldn’t I? Unless you have other ideas” you tease as she hands you the  bowl of soup.

“Hm. I can think of a few” she looks down at your lips.

“Too bad I’m sick”

“Yes, too bad” Wanda smiles, knowing you’re messing with her.

You eat together, Wanda telling you about the book release happening soon and how amazing Wendy is. You smile at her enthusiasm, happy that she’s got so much going on for her.

“How are the kids?” you ask at one point.

“They enjoy being spoiled by their grandma” Wanda says, and that makes you smile. Though it goes away a second later.

“I didn’t mean to… make everything so hard for you. And hurt them. I’m sorry, Wanda”

“Hey, look at me” she asks, taking your face in her hands. “You didn’t… it’s fine. We’re fixing it, little by little. Right? We got this”

“Right” you lean your forehead against hers, wishing you could kiss her. But you’re not about to get her sick, and even if she was the one wanting to close the distance, you abruptly turn your head away, sneezing. “Ah, shit”

“Come on, let’s watch a movie” she says, smiling as you pout. “Wow, can you steal this couch? It’s so comfy”

“I know, I love it. Maybe I should have put it in my contract” you sink in it, and Wanda lets you rest on her legs, her hands going through your hair.

“What were you watching?”

“Dick Van Dyke show” you say. “The episode where Laura does the pool trick. I just love their faces, considering it was unscripted”

“What? No, that can’t be right” Wanda says. It’s one of her favorite shows, she would know.

“Uh, yeah!” you say like it’s obvious. “Mary Tyler Moore was supposed to pretend to do it, then they’d switch the angle of the camera to a stand in. But she pulled it off. You can totally see it in their faces”

“Ok, now I need to watch this. I can’t believe it” Wanda says, frowning as she rewinds the episode.

“Wanna bet dinner at a fancy place that I’m right?”

“Oh, you are so on” she laughs, smiling as you keep your head on her lap.

—

You’re driving to the airport in record time. An emergency surgery delayed you -not by much- but you’ll be damned if you don’t make the most of the time you get with Wanda.

Darcy’s calling and you press a button on the command center without taking your eyes off the road.

“Lesbian emergency services, how may I assist you?”

“Riddle me this, you big lesbo. Why did I bother with planning the sapphic parent trap if you’re not coming back anytime soon?”

“Good morning to you too, friend”

“I’m gonna kill Barnes. You have to come back”

“And I will. For Carol’s wedding. No sooner. I do appreciate you putting in the effort, though” you smile. “Here I was thinking you didn’t like Wanda, and you’re trying to get us back together”

“I don’t like her, but as I said, I’m going to kill Barnes” Darcy raises her voice, probably so Bucky can hear her. “So, what do you have planned for today?”

“Picking her up from the airport and then she has work. Will meet for dinner”

“Nice. Well, I hope she bangs you so hard you turn into a useless lesbian and she makes you come back to Westview”

“Aw, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me”

You’re about to say bye when Darcy clears her throat.

“Listen… I know I joke about you getting back together with Wanda. And honestly? I do want you to come back here and work with me again. But she said and did some nasty shit, Y/N. Don’t forgive her because you feel like you have to. At least make her work for it a bit? It’s nearly impossible with how whipped you’ve always been, but… couldn’t hurt to try”

“You’re right. For what is worth, I miss you too. And you’re my best friend”

“I know. I’m awesome” Darcy says, making you laugh. “Bye”

She hangs up, and you pause the music, wanting a bit of silence to consider her words.

“Hey, gorgeous” you say as Wanda waits for you, looking all cute with her little suitcase. “Want a ride?”

“Someone’s picking me up already” she follows along and you take her stuff.

“Well lucky them. Come here” you pull her for a hug, kissing her cheek. “Hey, thanks for taking care of me. I’m sorry we couldn’t go out”

“Anything for you, detka” she pulls apart, looking at your lips.

“Come on, you must be starving”

Not that you don’t want to kiss her but a part of you wants it to be special.

Another part of you really enjoys teasing Wanda.

“When did you buy a fancy car?” Wanda says when you reach the Corvette.

“Didn’t. It’s a loan. But hey, it’s a cool car and I might get one for myself” you say, putting her things in the trunk. You miss the way a girl glances at you, smiling.

“Oh, good” Wanda glares at her. By the time you open the passenger door, she doesn’t miss the chance to kiss that spot in your jaw that makes you weak. “Thank you, darling”

“M-my pleasure”

Wanda likes teasing you too.

“How are Jenny and Zach?” she asks once you’re waiting for your food.

“They’re good. I’m happy that my mother’s little outburst was enough to convince their father to leave her”

“You mean…”

“Something that happened when she picked up Jenny that time she ran away, doesn’t matter” you look away, trying to forget how much it actually hurt.

“What did she do? Why didn’t I know?” Wanda insists, reaching for your hand across the table.

“Doesn’t matter, honestly”

“It matters to me” she says, and her frown only softens when you bring her hand to your lips.

“Can I ask how are things with your mom?” you say, curious about the mysterious Mrs. Maximoff. Of course Darcy had told you about the woman, but you knew your friend could blow things out of proportion for a good story.

“Well… we haven’t really spoken about the elephant in the room. To be honest, I’m not sure what’s really going with her. I know she came back because Pietro told her we needed some help. It just feels weird to me, that she has taken over everything. Like no time has passed, and I’m a teenager again while she bosses us around”

“Lovingly, I hope”

“Of course. She’s a very strong, stubborn woman”

“Ah. I see now. You got it from her”

“I am not stubborn!” she kicks you under the table, and you laugh.

You keep talking about work, especifically her meetings with Wendy Lawson and her team.

Noticing it’s almost time for her to go, you ask for the check.

“Be right back” Wanda says, going to the bathroom to check her hair isn’t a mess after taking an early flight.

You’re replying to one of Yelena’s texts when a familiar voice greets you.

“Y/N, hey!”

“Laura. How are you?” you recognise the bartender. “Good to see you”

“All those ladies have missed you at the club. I was begining to think you found a better place to hang”

“No, after that last time I definitely stopped getting drunk. I still owe you that coffee for helping me out, though”

“Yes, you do. But looks like your date’s back. See ya around” Laura waves goodbye.

Oh, shit.

When you turn around, Wanda is looking at you, tilting her head in that way that activates your fight or flight response.

Run, run, run.

“Wands, what are you doing?” you say when she begins to dial a number.

“Cancelling our reservation”

“Hey, come on” you throw some money at the table, going after her. “I didn’t hook up with anyone, I just liked to go and drink”

“You’re taking me to that club tonight” Wanda stops in her tracks, pulling you by the collar of your shirt until you’re inches apart. “So that all those girls know that you’re not going anymore because you’re taken”

You nod dumbly, leaning forward. But Wanda doesn’t let you kiss her, pinching your cheek and then smiling.

“Good girl”

—

You’re not sure this is a good idea.

Either Wanda gets jealous and you fight. Or she gets extremely jealous and you fuck in the bathroom of the club.

That’s not bad per se, but you really wanted to take things easy.

As you wait for her in the lobby of the hotel, you’re thinking of arguments to persuade her to go to dinner instead. Or a movie. Anything.

“There you are”

Any coherent thought goes out the window when you see what she’s wearing. A short red leather dress, with nearly matching thights. Her hair is completely straight, and frames her beautiful face, lips standing out because of the darker shade of lipstick.

“Let’s just go back to my place and I’ll cook for you”

And eat you out, you wanna add.

But Wanda’s already shaking her head no.

“It’s been forever since I’ve gone to a bar. I’m looking forward to it” she places her hand around your arm. “Come on, now”

You open the car door for her, and play some music to take your mind off of Wanda looking like a whole meal in that sinful dress.

“Huh. I was just listening to that song. Why are you smiling?” she adds when you almost let out a laugh.

“You’ve been using my account this whole time, babe. So, whenever you’re listening to something, I listen too”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because” you shrug your shoulders. “I liked it. It was like being able to know a bit about your day. Like say, at noon, I knew you were driving to pick up the kids. And I could picture you listening to The Carpenters on the way there. The real struggle was to stop Yelena from messing with it. Can’t tell you how many times she begged me to stop playing Norah Jones”

“I did get a little too into her, I guess” Wanda jokes, but it’s still overwhelming. To think about all the ways in which you tried to stay connected to her life.

“What’s wrong? Did you change your mind? We can go get some food…” you pull over, worried about her sudden silence.

“I love you” Wanda interrupts, looking at you. She keeps going when you stay quiet. “I know, we said to take things slow but I don’t care. I love you so much and I need you to know that”

Without saying anything, you reach for her across the car, pulling her in for a kiss that takes her breath away.

It’s passionate and needy and rushed, but it also feels perfect. You missed her so damn much and it was stupid to wait this long to kiss Wanda again.

“I love you too, you know that” you say when you pull apart, making her smile.

“Ok, then. Let’s go”

“Back to my place”

“To the club” she insists and you groan.

“It’s nothing special. It’s just full of drunk people dancing and fighting. Sometimes. Ok, I did the fighting”

“It will be fun, I promise” Wanda squeezes your hand and you nod, knowing you’ll do what she asks.

Once you reach the club, you notice it’s not as crowded as other days. Hopefully, that means it will be a bit less likely to get into trouble, as it often happened when you came by to get drunk and flirt around.

“What’s the deal with that Laura girl?” Wanda asks when she nods your way and you smile.

“She may have saved me from getting my ass kicked once or twice. You know how I get sometimes”

“You’re trouble, aren’t you?”

You nod, looking around and ordering a beer for you and a glass of wine for Wanda. You notice she stands closer to you when a girl stops by and taps your shoulder.

“Remember me?”

No, not really.

“How’s it going?” you greet, placing your arm around Wanda’s waist.

“You owe me a drink”

“Oh, of course! Order anything, I’ll ask Laura to put it on my tab” you agree, hoping that’s it.

“If you don’t wanna buy me a drink we could dance”

“Here” Wanda gives her the glass of wine. “Since you enjoy getting hand-me-downs so much”

“Excuse me?”

“Oookaaay” you drag Wanda away, stepping into the dance floor. “Let’s just dance”

And you do, for a little while. You feel Wanda grinding against you and it takes every ounce of self control to stay there, instead of dragging her to the bathroom to have your way with her.

“Are you thristy?” she says against your ear and you gulp.

“Yeah”

“Let’s get something to drink”

Let’s get out of here, you want to plead, but she’s in control and all you can do is hope she gets tired of playing with you soon.

“Can we get a round of shots?” Wanda leans against the bar, her dress riding up. You blush as you get a peak at her beautiful legs but also place yourself behind her so no one else sees her.

Wanda laughs, rubbing her ass against your front and you think you might collapse any minute now.

You’re about to ask her once again to please just leave when she hands you a shot of tequila.

“Truth or dare”

“Truth” you down the shot.

“What did you think of me when you first saw me?”

“Now that’s what I call a MILF” you admit, making her laugh.

“You wanna fuck me?” she says, pulling you by the shirt, her lips touching yours as she speaks.

“I have fucked you before” you remind her.

“But you still want to do it”

“Of course I do. The day I say I’m not in the mood just shoot me, because it means I’ve gone insane”

Wanda rolls her eyes, taking a shot and pulling you in for a messy kiss. Her lips travel down to your neck, and you feel her biting down with enough strenght to leave a bruise.

“I dare you to fuck me in the back of your car” she says when you stop for air.

“It’s a really small backseat”

“Is that a no?”

“I never said no” you smile, kissing her again. This time she grabs the belt loop of your pants, pulling you to the exit.

“Hurry or I’ll have to do it myself and you’ll only be able to watch”

“Wanda” you groan, tired of the teasing.

Unfortunately, someone stops you by the door.

“You never called me” a girl that you absolutely don’t even remember stands in front of you.

“She’s taken. Move”

“Make me”

“Alright!” Wanda begins to remove her earrings, so you carry her over your shoulders, making a quick exit.

“Put me down, I wanna show her who you belong to”

“Hey, just calm…”

It’s a stupid idea, looking back. Of course the sudden shift and the movement make Wanda sick, so the minute you set her down, she bends over and pukes.

“It’s ok” you ease her, rubbing her back. When she’s done, she drops all her weight against you, and you have to carry her to the car.

Wanda only wakes up when you’re taking off her shoes, and she looks around the room, disoriented.

“Did we…? How was it, did you like it?”

“Baby” you laugh, watching her adorable expression. “Just put on some pajamas and drink water. You’ll feel better”

She listens, taking your hand to stand up and walk to the master bathroom. On the way there, she pulls down the dress, wearing nothing but matching red underwear and her thights.

You’re not strong enough to resist this.

Wanda takes a toothbrush that you left out for her, and by the time she cleans up, she’s feeling a little bit better.

You’re in bed, wearing a tank top and shorts. Wanda’s previous observation was right. You have been spending more time at the gym; your muscles look a lot more toned. She allows herself to admire you, as your eyes are closed. Wanda doesn’t know if you’re asleep or not, but that doesn’t matter at all right now.

The redhead takes you by surprise, climbing on top of your lap and kissing you.

“Hey, slow down”

“Come on, I’ve missed you” she pleads.

“I’ve missed you too. But you had too much to drink and it wouldn’t be right, darling. Don’t wanna take advantage”

“I want you to take advantage. Don’t you wanna taste me?”

“Wanda” you sigh, knowing that if she keeps going you’ll have a hard time controlling yourself.

“I want your fingers deep inside me, it’s been over a month and nothing works, not like your hand… or your cock”

“Wanda” you repeat, this time with a more stern tone. The woman smiles as she lifts her top, and you have seriously missed those two.

You flip her over, so she’s on her back. Wanda moans as you kiss down her neck, rubbing her back while your lips travel lower and lower…

“Wands?” you look up, to find her fast asleep. You have to hold back a laugh when you see her snoring.

After covering her, you kiss her forehead and leave to stay in the guest bedroom.

“Sleep well, love of my life”

—

Time goes by slowly. You really don’t want anything to interfere with your date with Wanda.

A nice dinner with her is all you need right now. Hell, you even agreed she could stay at your place, seeing as the last two times she ended up sleeping there anyway.

Nothing happened, though. This time you think it might.

You hope it might.

Wanda left you all hot and bothered last time, wearing that dress and saying those dirty things while showing you those perfect, beautiful breasts that you love to bite and…

“Someone’s asking for you in the ER” Nurse Roman says, making you snap out of your thoughts.

“Thanks”

You have no idea who that might be, until you pull the curtain and find Wendy Lawson in a hospital bed.

“Detka, hi” Wanda says, joining you a second later.

“Hi, love. Is everything ok?” you look between Wanda and the other woman.

“Wendy fell and we were just worried”

“Honestly, it’s nothing. I’m an old broad” Wendy says, clearly ashamed and not wanting to make a fuss. You can tell there’s some blood on her elbow.

“May I?” you approach, putting on a pair of gloves. “It’s a scratch. Wanna tell me where you hurt yourself? Head?”

“No, just the elbow and my wrist. The elbow feels a little numb, that’s all. It’s probably nothing”

“You fell with your arm stretched before you, to prevent the fall, huh?” you say, touching and bending Wendy’s arm. “It’s an injury of soft tissue on the elbow, but I’d like to confirm nothing’s wrong on your wrist with an X-ray if that’s ok with you?”

“Like I said, it’s probably nothing…”

“Miss Lawson, worse comes to worst, it’s in fact nothing and we get to keep your X-ray along with the other ones from famous people. There’s an available spot on our wall next to Matt Damon”

“Well, alright. Wanda was right. You are very charming”

“Oh, what else did she say about me?” you turn to look at her, excited when you notice Wanda is blushing. “We definitely need to talk more, Miss Lawson. For now, nurse Lorne will take you to get the X-ray”

You vaguely hear Ed tell Wendy that he is a huge fan of her work. But your mind is elsewhere, pulling Wanda into an empty on call room.

“Hi” she laughs when you kiss her cheeks, nose, neck and even behind her ear.

“Missed you” you say, finally kissing her lips. She places a hand on your cheek and you corner her against the door. Wanda lets out a sigh as you dart your tongue out, and one of your hands squeeze her breast. “Missed those too”

“Bet you did” she laughs.

“Hey, you’re the one that flashed me and then proceeded to pass out”

“Stop, I’m so embarrassed about last week” she hides her face in the crook of your neck.

“Come on, I’m joking” you kiss her temple. “It was fun going out. But now we are going someplace fancy where I can spoil you. Agreed?”

“I don’t deserve that” she tries to joke, but you can tell she means part of it.

“You do” you kiss her again, this time slower, until you break apart. Your eyes are closed, and you smile. “I love you”

“Me too, detka”

“Come on, looks like Wendy’s results are ready” you say when Lorne pages you.

Yelena lets out a loud laugh when you leave the room with Wanda and you roll your eyes.

“Not like you’re not having phone sex with Bishop when it’s a slow day” you shut her up.

“Y/N” someone else calls for you as you walk down the hallway, and you turn to find Valkyrie, smiling at you. “Hey, wanna have lunch today?“

“Yeah, we never got around to speaking about that project” you agree. “Oh, sorry about my manners. This is my girlfriend, Wanda. Wanda, meet Valkyrie”

Wanda tries to keep herself from dancing around at the mention of the word girlfriend. Instead she shakes Valkyrie’s hand.

“Were you at the gala? With that pregnant woman” Val says, confused.

“It’s kind of a long story, but yes. Pleased to meet you. Don’t let me keep you longer, I can find Wendy and head out”

“Nonesense. It won’t take more than a couple of minutes. Be right back, Val”

The woman nods and you walk with Wanda to find Wendy.

After you confirm it’s nothing serious, you prescribe some painkillers and insist that the woman can call you on your personal number with any questions.

“Thank you, and it’s a pleasure to finally meet you”

“Likewise. Wanda’s so happy that she gets to work with you”

You walk them out and smile when Wanda kisses your cheek.

“I’ll wait for you at the penthouse?”

“Yeah, sounds good. Be there as soon as I finish my shift”

Just a couple more hours.

Ed comes back making a dance, showing you Wendy’s X-ray.

“Can I pleeease keep it?”

“Fine. If someone asks, you stole it. And you can’t sing any of the songs from Waitress for the rest of the week”

“Deal!”

—

Today of all days. You’re late. Not excessively, but enough to go over the speed limit and say goodbye to the idea of a shower before heading out.

“Hi, wanted to check if I can move a reservation by half an hour?” you remember to call the restaurant. Even if Wanda made the reservation, you don’t want to lose the spot because of your tardiness.

“We don’t have any reservations under that name” the hostess says after a second.

“How about Wanda Maximoff?”

“No, nothing either”

Well, damn. Did she get the day wrong? You’re about to ask to be put on the waitlist as it’s a busy restaurant when the elevetor doors open and you spot a couple of candles lighting up the penthouse.

“Alright, sorry for the trouble” you hang up, walking inside and looking for Wanda.

She’s waiting by the terrace, a soft smile as you take it all in. There are candles, roses and something that smells amazing.

“I thought we were going out”

“This is better” Wanda greets you with a kiss. “You like it?”

“I love it but I wanted you to relax and just have fun, you didn’t have to do all this”

“Would it make you feel better if I tell you I ordered the food instead of cooking?” Wanda smiles when you pull her by the waist.

“Did you really?”

“Yeah”

“Then alright. Thank you, love”

You hurry to shower and by the time you’re out, Wanda’s looking out the night sky, smiling as she sips from her glass of wine.

“Nice view” she comments and you hum, looking at her instead of the buildings and parks around you.

“The best”

“Penthouse, an expensive car, a big city… it’s very different from Westview” Wanda sighs.

“It’s also very lonely” you admit. “It’s nice, but it’s not home”

“It’s not home without you either” she admits, sighing. You kiss her temple, pulling her to the small table that’s on the terrace.

“How was lunch with Val?” she asks after eating in silence for a bit.

“Nice. We met at the gala; she works at Doctors Without Borders. I was curious about a thing or two they do there”

“That sounds interesting”

“Yeah, I always wanted to do it. Never had a chance to, with student debt right out of college and once that was settled I was offered the position as Head of Trauma so…”

“Do you want to do it now?” Wanda asks. You can tell a part of her is anxious. About you leaving again, about changing everything now that you’re fixing things.

“One day. But I’d ask you about it first. See how things might work. Or when the kids go to college, we could both travel to wherever it is they send me. Would you like that?”

“Yeah” Wanda nods, her heart skipping a beat once she notices you’re planning for a future together, like you used to do before.

Before she screwed up.

“Tell me something you’ve always wanted to do” you ask with a smile, kissing the back of her hand.

“Like? In general?” Wanda hums as you nod, waiting for her to answer. “Well, this is something I’ve been thinking since my mother came back. She was telling the kids some Sokovian tales and I thought… when people hear about our country they only think about a small place that was destroyed by a war. But we’re so much more than that. I was thinking maybe I should write a book about legends and tales from my childhood”

“That would be great, actually. It could be fun to travel back there and do some research” you mention, thinking back to your conversation with Val.

As the evening continues, Wanda remembers about the ring she found. Ultimately, she had decided to not tell you she knew about it.

If and when you decided to propose, it should be because you felt like you were ready, not because Wanda knew and you felt pressured to do it.

Honestly? Wanda even thought it would be better if she proposed to you. You had already proven to be committed to your life together. It was Wanda’s turn.

“What’s got you so smiley all of the sudden?” you notice she’s staring at you.

“I just… love you so much” she admits.

“Come here” you pull her up and into your lap. “You were right, this is better than a restaurant. I can have you here all night if I want to”

“Not all night” she stutters when you leave a trail of wet kisses down her throat, squeezing her ass as your hands travel lower.

“Yes, absolutely all night. I got two months of pent up energy and my beautiful girlfriend all to myself”

“Wait” she laughs when you stand up, carrying her to the bedroom.

“Wanna do it in the balcony for the world to see?” you joke, walking inside.

“No, but I did have a speech planned about how I want to make it up to you for hurting you”

“Cool, I’d love to hear it… after I make you come at least three times”

Wanda’s about to protest when you push the door to the bedroom open. Unlike other times, you’re not that gentle with your movements, throwing her in the bed and falling right on top of her, desperate to continue kissing her.

And you are right, intimacy had always been such a huge part of your relationship, even with a crowded house. Wanda can’t believe she managed to spend two months without your touch.

“You said nothing worked… so you tried to fuck yourself without me? How many fingers, Wanda? Two? Three?”

“The toy… the one we…”

“So needy” you whisper hotly against her ear. “And yet you couldn’t come, huh?”

“I want to…” she gasps for air when you pull her pants down.

“I don’t really wanna hear anything leave those lips of yours unless it’s my name, got it, princess?”

Maybe later you’ll have time for a more romantic exchange. But now? You really need to taste her.

“Hey!” she protests when you rip her panties instead of taking them off. You smile, sinking yourself in her center and you moan at the first taste.

It seems impossible, but it’s so much better than you remember.

Wanda’s hands anchor her by pulling your hair until your nose nudges her clit, and you both moan when you feel her shaking, legs closing around your head.

“Give me a minute” she asks when you go up her body, kissing and leaving traces of her own arousal.

“Nah. You had two months. I’m fucking you all night” you surprise her by flipping her body, and she ends up face down, head pressed against the pillow. You pull her ass in the air, spanking her, albeit gently. “Unless you want me to stop”

“Keep going” she pleads, embarassed at the way her arousal is running down her thighs.

“That’s it. Good girl” you say when you place two fingers before her and she sucks them greedily. “Nice to see you still remember how to use your mouth, babe”

“Y/N” she sighs, hiding her face in the pillow.

“I wanna hear you” you remind her, entering her easily. She’s so wet there’s no resistance, not even when you add a third finger.

Your fingers and mouth move in tandem, and  Wanda’s so worked up that it doesn’t take a lot for her to come again.

The only reason you show mercy is because her legs are shaking and she can’t hold herself up any longer.

“Five minute break” you kiss behind her ear. “Then you’re riding my face”

A mix of a moan and a laugh leaves Wanda’s lips.

It’s gonna be a long, great night.

—

The last time she woke up this late, you were home.

Months ago, when things were ok.

And now, as Wanda opens her eyes, looking out the window, it feels like that again.

She grabs your clothes, like she always does and walks up to the kitchen.

“Breakfast is almost ready” you say over your shoulder. “Coffee?”

“Mhm” she nods. Before you can reach out and pour her a cup, she pulls you down to kiss you. She nudges her nose against yours, smiling. “Morning”

“Fucked all night looks good on you” you tease, making her roll her eyes.

“I’m sleepy. Feels like I ran a marathon”

“Poor Wanda, getting orgasm after orgasm” you whisper against her ear when you place a plate with french toast and eggs in front of her.

“You’re mean”

“You’re delicious” you say back, kissing her. “Now, eat. Gotta get ready for round two”

“You’ll be the death of me” she says, blushing.

“I’m just saying, your flight doesn’t leave until noon. Don’t you want to try the jacuzzi?”

“Tempting” she says, smiling.

The sight of her wearing your clothes, and having breakfast with adorable bed hair and a relaxed expression makes your heart soar.

“Hey… I was thinking. Why don’t the kids join you next time?” you propose, looking at your plate, afraid of Wanda’s reaction.

Her words stuck with you. You knew she was upset and didn’t mean it. You knew you were good to the kids and they loved you.

But maybe it’s too soon to see them again.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Wanda picks up on your mood.

“Nothing. It was stupid, forget I mentioned it…” you shake your head.

Wanda stands up and sits on your lap.

“I think that’s a fantastic idea” she says, her hands cupping your cheeks gently to make you look up. “But be prepared because they’ll be hyper verbal”

“I can live with that” you smile.

“And we’ll probably not have a moment to… you know” she plays with the collar of your shirt, raising her eyebrows.

“Then we better make the most of our time right now” you pick her up, and Wanda laughs. “You were done with breakfast, right?”

“Well, I actually had some toast left on my plate”

“Here” you offer her a bite and then take one for yourself. “And off we go”

Needless to say, Wanda almost missed her flight.

[bambambwi]

High School Romance?

( choi seunghyun x reader )

──────────────────────

At school, you were always the center of attention whether you liked it or not. Your striking looks and family’s influence made sure of that. With your parents owning multiple businesses and funding school events, your name carried weight in every hallway.

Most students adored you, either out of genuine admiration or strategic flattery but not everyone saw you as the golden girl. To some, you were nothing more than a spoiled rich kid who had everything handed to her. They whispered behind your back, assuming your life was effortless, your friendships shallow, and your confidence just arrogance in disguise.

But they didn’t know you. Not really.

Academics, though? That was a different story. Despite your efforts, your grades barely clung to passing. You tried, you really did, but your reputation as a "privileged" student often overshadowed the hours you spent in study halls.

You didn’t have many friends. Sure, there were a few people you talked to here and there but none of them compared to how close you were to Choi Seunghyun. He was the one person who treated you like a person andnot the girl with money. With him, you could laugh, vent, and not worry about living up to some perfect image.

Every project, upcoming test, and school event, you always attended with him. He was always there for you, and you were too. You shared a bond that nobody else could understand, a comfort in knowing that no matter how chaotic things got, you’d have each other to lean on.

──────────────────────

Today was your birthday, but you couldn’t bring yourself to feel excited about it. With the upcoming exams looming over you, the day felt more like another thing to stress about rather than something to celebrate. You had your breakfast and left for school without saying a word to your parents. Not even a simple bye. Yes, that was how it went today. 

Once your driver dropped you off at school, you lingered outside for a few minutes, scanning the crowd until your eyes landed on seunghyun. You quickly caught up to him, your footsteps falling in sync as you walked side by side.

"How’s your day going so far, birthday girl?" he asked, a playful grin tugging at his lips.

"Hey, c'mon, the day just started!” you said, tugging your books closer to your chest.

You walked into class and stood by your desk, glancing down at it. A sigh escaped your lips. "Not again.." you muttered, picking up a tissue to wipe away the drawings scrawled across your table. Noticing your struggle, seunghyun gave you a sympathetic look and motioned for you to switch tables. He knew you’d rather avoid cleaning the scribbles off your desk today.

During class, the teacher mentioned the upcoming dance, and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes, a wave of unenthusiasm washing over you. Every year, you attended the dance with a boy, and each time, it ended in disaster. This time, you made a choice, not to go.

After school, you were walking down the hallway with Seunghyun, casually chatting, when a boy from another class suddenly interrupted you. With a confident smile, he asked if you would go to the dance with him but to his unfortunate luck, you politely declined.

"He was good-looking, I would’ve taken it" seunghyun said, walking at a slower pace beside you.

"These parties always end up in disaster. I’ve made up my mind not to go" you said, crossing your arms as you walked.

seunghyun let out a chuckle. "Is that so?"

You groaned at his response and, hoping to change the subject, asked, "Don't you have training today?"

He obviously noticed your attempt to change the topic, brushing it off with a smirk. "Yes, I do. Already missing me?"

You gasped at his tease, giving him a playful smirk before walking out of the school gate. 

Later at home you were sprawled out on your bed, scrolling through your phone after the intense tutoring session you had just endured. Your mind was still buzzing from the long hours of studying and as you scrolled mindlessly, a message from seunghyun popped up on your screen.

"How’s the brain after that tutoring marathon? Need a break?"

You couldn’t help but smile. Even after everything, seunghyun knew how to lighten the mood.

‘’Meet me outside at the usual spot’’

You immediately sat up, grabbing your jacket and rushing down the stairs, completely ignoring the maid calling out your name in protest. You were determined to meet him, but then, the rain hit suddenly and by the time you reached him, you were completely drenched.

"Ah, you're completely drenched. C’mon now..” he said, moving closer to you and holding his umbrella over both of you.

"Hey, I didn’t know it was going to rain!” you said, not noticing the people behind him.

"I hope you don’t mind that a few of my friends tagged along" he said, a hint of hesitation in his voice. You nodded in response, showing you weren’t bothered by it.

He dragged you into an empty room, the darkness greeting you as you stepped inside.

“seunghyun, what is—"

Before you could finish your sentence, he slipped a party hat onto your head, and his friends entered, holding a cake and singing happy birthday.

You were completely flustered, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture but, as the cake was set down and the laughter filled the room, you couldn’t help but smile. In the end, you ended up having a great time with seunghyun and his friends, the surprise turning into a memory you’d cherish.

──────────────────────

As the days passed, closing in on the dance, seunghyun watched you turn down every boy who asked you to be their date. It stirred an unfamiliar feeling inside him. He tried to brush it off, but the thought of you rejecting them, especially him, kept replaying in his mind. No, I shouldn’t be having these thoughts. She’s my friend. I’m her friend.

It was bothering him more than he expected. His friends started noticing it during training, the way his focus kept drifting, the tension in his movements. They shot him curious glances, sensing something was off, but seunghyun kept brushing it off, not ready to confront what was brewing inside him.

He would linger around his phone, staring at your texts longer than usual, even though you hadn’t messaged. He’d find himself scrolling through old conversations, rereading your words as if they held some deeper meaning he couldn't quite figure out. I really like you but is it worth risking it? Do you even like me back? I cant.

At some point, he ended up breaking down about it alone. He couldn’t help it. He liked you a lot. But he didn’t know what to do. You were the closest thing he had to a true friend, and the thought of ruining that terrified him.

Just a day before the dance, you were in the library, studying alongside him. Out of boredom, you casually asked, "Do you have anyone to go with to the dance?" The question caught him off guard, making him drop his pencil as he paused to think for a moment.

"No, I don’t.” he finally answered, his voice a little quieter than usual.

"You know, since my parents are in charge of this year’s dance, I’m obviously being forced to go.’’ you said, hesitating for a moment. "So, I was wondering..would you go with me instead?"

That one question gave him butterflies. Are you really asking him? Trying to hide his excitement, he replied nonchalantly, “Sure.’’  but deep down, he wanted to jump around in pure joy.

On the night of the dance, seunghyun walked up to your house, adjusting his tie and holding a bouquet of roses. This isn’t a real date... Why did I even bring these? he thought, ringing the doorbell and patiently waiting for someone to answer. The door swung open, and your maid, upon seeing seunghyun, called out for you.

You ran down the staircase, clutching your purse, and as soon as seunghyun saw you, his breath caught. Was it just tonight, or were you somehow even more beautiful today? His eyes were completely focused on you, unable to look away.

You said your goodbyes to the maid, rushing out the door before snapping your fingers to get seunghyun’s attention. Out of embarrassment, he kept his hands behind his back, hiding the bouquet of roses he had bought just for you.

"Aw, seunghyun, you bought me flowers? You’re adorable!"

That compliment made him want to crawl into a corner and hide, his face flushing a deep shade of red.

You took the roses from his hand, smiling as you walked toward the car. As you both got into the car, the drive to the venue was filled with an almost uncomfortable silence, but not an unpleasant one. seunghyun kept glancing at you, his fingers nervously tapping against his leg, while you couldn’t help but admire the roses in your hands.

Once you arrived, you both got out of the car. seunghyun turned to you and held out his hand, offering it with a small, reassuring smile. You hesitated for a moment, then placed your hand in his as you walked toward the entrance, his grip warm and comforting.

Inside, the entire venue was bathed in soft lights and adorned with beautiful decorations. The atmosphere felt magical, a stark contrast to the chaotic dances of previous years.

"Wow... it's completely different from last year's dance" you said, looking around in awe.

seunghyun turned to look at you, ready to respond, but was immediately struck by your beauty. The lights reflected off your features, making your eyes sparkle, and for a moment, he forgot what he was going to say. He quickly turned away, brushing it off with a nervous chuckle, hoping you hadn’t noticed his reaction.

He watched as you walked further in, disappearing into the crowd. seunghyun stood back, observing everyone around him, lost in the music and lights. His focus was interrupted when a woman, holding a drink, approached him.

"Are you seunghyun?" she asked, her eyes scanning him curiously.

Taking a moment to recognize the lady, seunghyun smiled politely. "Ah, you must be y/n’s mother. Nice to meet you" he said, giving a slight bow.

"You look charming today" she said with a smile. "Did you come alone? y/n didn’t tag along?"

"Oh no, I did come with her" he said quickly, hoping not to leave a bad impression on your mom. "She went to get drinks."

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, a loud scream interrupted him. His heart skipped a beat as he immediately turned toward the source of the sound. His eyes widened in shock as he froze, seeing you drenched in punch. Your mom immediately rushed to the scene, scolding the group responsible for the mess as you ran outside, tears streaming down your face. Without thinking, seunghyun followed you, his heart racing as he tried to catch up.

Grabbing onto your wrist, seunghyun pulled you back, stopping you from running. He gently tugged you closer, wrapping his arms around you in a comforting hug.

"It’s okay" he whispered, his voice soft but steady, "I’ve got you."

"I want to go home" you mumbled, burying your head against his chest.

seunghyun didn’t hesitate. He gently pulled away, unbuttoning his suit jacket and wrapping it around you to keep you warm. "Let’s get you home then" he said softly, his hand resting on your shoulder as he guided you to your car.

He drove you home, walking you all the way to your front door. You stood in front of it, taking off his jacket, ready to hand it back.

"Keep it" he said quietly, his voice soft yet firm.

"But—"

Before you could protest, seunghyun gently cupped your face with one hand, his other hand brushing against yours. He leaned in, giving you a sudden, tender kiss.

"Keep it with you” he whispered after pulling away, his eyes soft and sincere.

You looked at him, confusion evident on your face as you absentmindedly rubbed your thumb over your lips, still lost in the moment.

"I've liked you a lot for some time now" he said, facing away from you, his voice almost hesitant. "And it's becoming impossible to bottle it up."

He took a deep breath, turning back to face you, his eyes soft but vulnerable. "And I totally understand if you don’t feel the same... I won’t bother you."

You stood there, frozen, trying to process what he had just said. The words echoed in your mind, and for a moment, everything around you seemed to blur.

“seunghyun..’’ you whispered, your voice trembling slightly. You stepped closer, your heart pounding in your chest. "I—"

Before you could finish, he turned to leave, a pained expression crossing his face as he took a step back.

"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything’’ he mumbled, his voice breaking.

But you couldn’t let him walk away. Without thinking, you grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned around, eyes wide with surprise as you stood there, a small, uncertain smile playing on your lips.

"I like you too" you confessed softly, your cheeks flushing with the admission. "I’ve just been too scared to say it."

He let out a chuckle, glancing down at his shoes, clearly trying to hide his relief and the smile tugging at his lips.

"Guess it’s getting late” he said, his voice quieter now as he leaned in just a little closer to you. "I’ll text you?"

You playfully hit him softly in the chest, looking up at him with a mischievous smile. "You better do” you teased, your heart still racing from the moment.

With a final smile, you turned and began walking back toward your door, giving him a playful wave over your shoulder. "Goodnight!”

As the door closed behind you, you leaned against it for a moment, tugging onto his jacket, the warmth of it reminding you of the night. You smiled to yourself, feeling the butterflies flutter in your chest, before heading inside.

[kettlefire]

It's not you, it's me. (DPxDC)

Long post, but short plot info or progression wise!

Danny loves his parents, don't get him wrong. They weren't perfect by any means, but they tried. As hard as it was for him to come to terms with, it's okay. Really.

It's okay that Jazz had been the one to raise him. It's okay that his parents talked about wanting to rip him apart during mealtime. It's okay they didn't notice the way ghostly things attached to Danny. It's okay that they never paid enough attention to put his secret together.

It's okay because they weren't bad parents. Not as bad as they could be. Yes, they could be a little reckless. Yes, they had their problems. But the good times were there.

Saturday morning fudge cooking with Jack. Late night self-defense class with Maddie. Tinkering in the lab with both of them. Even the normal embarrassing moments were good.

Because his parents are awesome. They are absolutely cool, and they did their best. As best as they could.

That's why it hurt so much to leave.

It hurt to leave Amity Park, but it hurt more to leave his family. He felt it deep in his core, the pain of having to separate from those he loves. Those he needed to protect.

But it was time. If Danny wanted to protect them, he needed to leave. So, he did. He almost didn't say goodbye. Almost didn't want to face it all.

His friends were easy to say goodbye to, but it still hurt just as much. Sam and Tucker, they understood why he had to go. Same with Jazz. There were talks about other ideas and plans so that Danny didn't need to leave. But he had to. There was no other option.

But Danny needed to tell his parents everything. Tell them about his accident, tell them that he was Phantom. He couldn't just say bye and leave with no explanation. So he bit the bullet and did it.

It went well. Better than good, it was amazing. And Danny wished he could stick around to see the changes in his parents' work because of it.

Danny has cried enough times this past week than he was sure he cried his whole life. He had his fill, he doubt he could cry again soon.

For everyone's safety, Danny Fenton left Amity Park. Phantom had vanished from the streets. Amity Park was safe. The Anti-Ecto laws, the GIW, all of it. They wouldn't target Amity Park anymore.

It was a lot of work to get the other ghosts on board. But after Clockwork confirmed everything, it all set into motions. The world was free of ghosts, but Danny wasn't sure how long the others could stay away.

He needed a plan, needed to get the government to understand ghosts. But there was nothing Danny could truly do. He was just a kid.

He is just a kid. Just a kid leaving in a small apartment right by a place nicknames crime alley. But Danny liked it. Gotham had enough noise and ambient ectoplasm to keep him safe. It would be hard for anyone to find him.

He was safe. Safe for once. But Danny knew it wouldn't last long.

The problem here? Danny was all alone. He didn't have his team to contact. Didn't have Sam or Jazz to tell him that a plan was downright stupid. Didn't have Tucker to back up the stupid plans that could actually work.

That's how he ended up in space.

Danny loves space, and he wished he was visiting in better circumstances. Thankfully, the vacuum of space had no impact on Danny's ghost form. It was harder than he expected to find what he was looking for.

God, Danny wished Tucker was here. The techno-nerd was a wiz with the computer. Amazing at hacking and tracking in a way Danny couldn't understand.

But Danny didn't have Tucker. He didn't have anyone right now. He couldn't have anyone right now.

Even so, Danny found it. Found the secret space base for the Justice League. It was a struggle, but he found it. And for once, his luck was on his side.

The whole team was there. Well, the main ones you see on the news and in the paper. All sitting around a giant table, a whole meeting was happening.

Danny took one shuddering breath in before phasing into the Watchtower invisibly. He was honestly surprised when no alarms went off. No defenses were triggered. He made a mental note to give them some ghost detection equipment if things go well.

Except things didn't go well. At least not the way Danny had been hoping.

He silently made his way to the table, standing a bit of a distance from them. Just in case he needed to run. His eyes jumped between the different heroes.

Danny steeled his nerves, at least tried to. He stood directly across from Batman, in the perfect spot to be noticed instantly. Then he dropped his invisibility.

All eyes were on him in an instance. Danny never felt so terrified in his life. Not like this. His attempt at steeling his nerves failed immediately.

Maybe the anxiety and fear was clear on his face. Maybe it's because he is a child, despite glowing and being someplace he shouldn't be. But Danny vaguely heard a soft, gentle voice speak to him.

He couldn't make it out, not really. His ears were filled with the sounds of his rushing ectoplasm. A tremble settled in his hands, and Danny knew he needed to hurry up. He needed to speak before he lost all his cool.

"I... Sorry, I know I shouldn't be here... But, uh, my name's Phantom... And I... I..."

The words stumbled and spilled from Danny in a less than elegant and confident way. The shaking in his hands got worse the more he tried to speak. His voice shaky and waivering, even when he tried to sound strong.

And Danny couldn't pull his gaze away from Batman. The cape crusader stood unmoving, unphased, and completely silent. The other heroes had a mixed of expression, but Danny couldn't read Batman.

That unnerved the teen so much. In that moment, he regretted ever coming here. He regretted leaving Amity Park. He regretted telling his parents. He regretted ever stepping foot in that damn portal to begin with.

Then something snap inside of Danny. The dam that was holding everything in just suddenly broke. In a split second, his vision grew blurry with tears.

Even though he didn't need to breathe, his breathing started to pick up. Fast and short. He could feel the phantom feeling of a heart beating rapidly in his chest. Or maybe it was his core warning him of the sudden wave of emotions rocking through him.

"I... I... Help."

The single word, the single plea, spilled from Danny in a pathetic whimper. Before he suddenly dropped to his knees. He curled in on himself. Arms wrapped tightly around himself, head bowed and white hair curtaining his face. Tears fell fast down his cheeks, leaving droplets on the floor, as choked sobs left him.

In that moment, Danny didn't feel like a hero. Didn't feel like Phantom. Didn't feel like the ghostly hero that was in charge of fixing everything.

In that moment, Danny felt like a scared little kid. A kid who was given too much too fast, with no real guidance. A kid that had to grow up fast and had people depending on him. A kid who was exhausted and terrified. A kid that wanted nothing more than to run home. To be wrapped up in a Jack Fenton Bear Hug. To feel his mother's hand combing through his hair as she whispered gentle reassuring words to him.

In the end, Danny Fenton was still just a kid. And it seemed the Justice League could see that.

Danny couldn't focus on the words he heard spoken around him. He couldn't focus on the moments either. He couldn't focus on anything.

Until suddenly, arms were wrapped around him in a gentle and warm embrace. He felt something draped over his back. Danny blinked the blurriness in his vision just enough to make out who was in front of him.

Batman. The hero that scared Danny the most seconds ago.

Except this time, even through the cowl, Batman looked softer. The man looked human and understanding. It made Danny's mind flash to his parents once again. Which only made him cry harder.

A glowing kid was wrapped up in Batman's arms, the two kneeling on the ground. Batman's cape wrapped around the trembling, sobbing form. The kid clinging to Batman like a lifeline. The rest of the Justice League stood around the two.

Nobody quite knowing what the hell they were supposed to do. Or what was really going on.

All those heroes needed to know was simple enough. There was a kid who went through all this trouble to end up in the Watchtower. A kid that's so hurt and exhausted, pleading for help. And helping was the Justice League's specialty.

[bubybubsters]

You know my name? (chp. 2)

summary: in which reader is an avid studier and all she does is listen to music, study, eat, and sleep. what happens when she suddenly becomes attracted to a friend of a friend, a football player no less… not just any footballer, the quarterback that every girl fawns over

a/n: GUYS HOLY SHIT I DID NOT EXPECT THIS MUCH SUPPORT THANK YOU!!

This part has writing so be careful!!

part one - series masterlist - next part

The walk to the grocery store feels long without your usual friends to accompany you but it’s a good thing you're here since you’re in desperate need of some chocolate. The second day of your period has always been the worst and this time is no exception. Grabbing the last thing on your list, flower food, you head to the checkout lanes. What did Feyre say? Cashier 9… You shrug and head to the lane, glancing at your phone. 

You have a few notifications that you should probably respond to. What’s Lucien even texting you about?

“Did ya find everything okay, ma’am?” The cashier asks, voice ringing a faint bell in your head. 

Raising your head you murmur, “Yeah, than-” 

Shit. It’s Azriel. 

You’re going to kill Feyre.

The cashier blinks. “Oh. Y/n, it’s you.”

Huh? “You know my name?!!” The words slip out before you can stop them, a hand immediately coming up to cover your mouth. 

“Yeah your friends date mine.” Azriel smiles. “It’s almost like we’re meant to be.”

HUH?? 

You smile hesitantly, heart beating wildly. “Yeah, def.”

Def? Seriously? Who even says that??

Azriel’s smile stretches until it takes over his whole face. He glances down at your basket, grabbing things and scanning them to put into a bag. 

“Ya have a sweet craving tonight?”

You blush, glancing at the mound of chocolate in your bag as you hand over 30 dollars. “Yeah I suppose.”

He grins, passing you the receipt. “No worries. I don’t judge, specially since I got a sweet tooth myself.”

You smile. “Oh cool. Well good night and good luck on your game tomorrow!”

“Yeah thanks, night Y/n!”

Your cheeks feel on fire as you sling the bag over your shoulder and practically sprint from the store.

a/n: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE REBLOGGING!! It means a lot and i likely wouldn’t have this much support without yall so lots of thanks! also im sleepy and the writing was only checked once

taglist (something/45): @casiopea55 @andrewgarfield2022 @the-onlyy-angie @portkeytomyworld

ask to be added or removed from the taglist

i sleep now bye

[boybandbaby]

Start Over (Evan Buckley x Fem!Reader)

word count: 2233

warnings/tags: exes to lovers, alcohol, being half naked, flirting, tears, as always if i missed anything let me know

note: do yall prefer when writers add summaries or without?

─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ───

You’re stood outside Buck’s apartment in a warm colored dress, heels in your hand and jacket lost somewhere at the reception.

It’s been four months since the breakup and you haven't been to his apartment since you came by to collect your things three months ago.

You’ve knocked twice already and a third time would only make you feel more sad and pathetic. Your cousin’s beautiful but extravagant wedding had only added to the months of heartbreak.

Buck was supposed to be there at your side tonight. Instead of dancing with your family and having a good time, you answered too many questions about where Buck was or how he was doing. You lied to everyone stating that he just couldn’t make it due to work.

Only your close family knew that you weren’t together anymore. You wanted to keep it that way. But what you really wanted was to be with Buck, back in his beefy arms and kissing his pretty lips.

After your third drink and no luck warming up in crisp the fall air, you’d made the slightly drunken decision to see him. Though you lost your jacket, you still had the important items in your purse including your phone. With sloppy thumbs, you’d called an Uber and landed at Buck’s apartment.

It’s two am and you’re not sure why you thought he would be up or even home. He’d either be at work or out with friends and family or worse, on a date.

You shake the thought from your head and take a deep breath. Pulling out your phone and opening the Uber app again, you feel tears in your eyes. You should’ve called him first instead of showing up. Would he have even answered or wanted to see you?

Your bare feet stick to the hallway floor, grounding you as you sway. You’re able to use this as an excuse as to why you haven’t left his doorstep yet.

You hear two noises at the same time, the sound of the Uber app notifying you that a driver has accepted your ride request and another chime signaling someone has exited the elevator on your current floor.

You’re already embarrassed and don’t want one of Buck’s neighbors seeing you camped outside his apartment. You finally find the strength to pull yourself away from his door, telling yourself you don’t get a second chance with him.

“Y/n?” His voice is slurred and his cheeks are flushed. He’s stumbling as quietly as he can towards you and his door. “Are you okay?”

“Are you?” You point to his shirt. It’s wet around the neck line and chest. You’re not sure if it’s sweat, alcohol or both.

He looks down, laughs, one of your favorite things about him, and runs his hands over his wet shirt. “Yeah, too many shots, I think.” He hiccups and burps.

“I was just leaving, I’m s-sorry for showing up like this.” You apologetically smile and wave bye as you begin to pass him.

“Hey, don’t go.” His fingers brush your bare arms. “You look really pretty. How was the wedding?”

“You remember?” Your hand covers his as he holds onto your bicep.

“Yeah, of course. I still had it in my calendar. I kind of spiraled when I got the notification this morning.” He shrugs. “Do you want to come in? Sober up, warm up? Are you hungry?”

“Yes please, to all three.” You nod and let your hand fall.

Buck's hand caresses your arm, down to your fingers and grabs the heels from your hands like he always used to on date nights. He searches his pockets for his keys and jingles them around his pointer finger when he does.

“Please excuse the mess.” He fumbles to open the door and ushers you in.

“Wow, so messy Buckley.” You laugh, looking around the familiar apartment.

“I think I still have a shirt or two of yours if you want to get changed. You know where everything’s at.” He sets your heels down by the door and locks it behind him.

“I thought you returned everything back to me?” You turn to him, rubbing your arms up and down as he flicks the kitchen light on.

“Did you? I seem to be missing the bracelet I got you for Valentine’s Day last year.” He raises a brow before pulling out a pot and filling it with water.

“That was a gift! That was not going to be returned to you and please don’t tell me you have the black shirt with the embroidered frog on it from that one trip to the zoo." You defend.

“I do.” He smirks.

“I’ve been looking for that everywhere!” You gasp, laughing as you approach him in the kitchen.

“I figured once you couldn’t find it you’d come back and we’d work things out.” He reveals.

“You always could’ve dropped it off at my apartment if you wanted to see me so bad.” You nudge his shoulder.

“I didn’t think you’d want to see me.” His tone is not joking anymore and he quiets down. The apartment is quiet save for the traffic outside and the slow rising boil of the water on the stove.

“I would’ve.” You admit.

“You could have it back?" He says, voice lifting at the end.

You can tell he doesn't want you to have it back by the way he offers it. “No, no. You keep it.”

“What are you going to wear then?”

“This.” You look down at your dress.

“As pretty as you look in that it’s not practical to sleep in.”

“When have I ever been practical.” You both laugh.

“I miss this, I miss us.” He admits.

“Me too.” You sigh. You're not ready to dive into your breakup. At least not yet. “Hey, can I use your shower?”

“Yeah, of course. You need any help in there or?”

“Real cute, Buckley. You can help me up the stairs to get my shirt.”

Buck nods and sets the box of pasta down on the counter. His hands find your hips as he helps you up the steps. “You sit.”

He rummages through his drawer before tossing the shirt to you and a pair of sock. “Do you want a pair of sweats or something?”

“No, this is good. Thanks, Buck.” You’re not moving to head back down stairs so he sits beside you. “New bed set?”

“Yeah. Story is too long and gross to discuss.” He shrugs. It’s too embarrassing he thinks. He made himself so sick the first couple of weeks apart, he had no choice but to throw away the bed set. It was one you’d bought him anyway and it hurt to much to sleep in.

“It’s okay if I stay the night, right?” You hope he says yes. Cuddling with him would make everything okay again even just for the night.

Buck normally would be a gentleman and offer you the bed while he took the couch but he misses you too much. He does turn his back as you strip out of your dress and stays that way when you're ready to head downstairs.

Buck stands two steps below you as you hold onto his shoulders. You guys guide each other back downstairs and he helps you start the shower. “Food should be done by the time you get out. We’ll eat then sleep?” You nod and smile up at him as you sit on the toilet seat. “Call me if you need anything okay?”

You nod and wait for him to exit before peeling the towel off of your body and then your undergarments. You step into the warm water and rinse everything from the night and past 4 months away.

Buck settles in the kitchen, stirring the noodles as the water boils. He hopes this isn’t a one night event and that you’ll leave his life after this. He sees it in your eyes though. You long for him the way he does for you. He feels it in the way you're still comfortable around him and the way you don't hold any malice after your rough breakup.

You’d both ended things as they just got too hard. Busy schedules, too many fights, not enough time spent together creating good memories. He thinks that things can be different this time. He knows the mistakes and how he can try to help prevent them this time.

You’re out before he realizes, padding towards him. He can’t keep his eyes off your bare legs as you approach the kitchen and sit at the counter.

He begins to drain the noodles. “Do you want something to drink?” He calls out.

“Can we share?” You answer his question with a question. He laughs and nods.

“You gonna come and help me carry these up?"

“I’m half naked.” You point out.

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” He smiles.

“Fine but no peeking.” You hop off the stool and attempt to pull your shirt down.

Buck has already served two bowls of pasta and the biggest cup of water he could find. He stabs the pasta with forks and hands you a bowl. “You go up first mister. I don’t need you looking at my butt.”

“How am I going to make sure you don’t fall?” He cheekily states.

“I’ll hold onto you with my free hand.”

“Okay, fine, that works.” He grumbles, you having bested him.

You hold onto his waistband as you follow him up the steps. He turns around as you run under the covers to cover your legs. He really is a gentleman.

You both sit in silence as you eat, sharing small glances and giggling when you meet each other’s eyes. It’s almost as if you’d never broken up.

You yawn and place your half eaten bowl onto the nightstand. Buck holds the cup of water to your lips and watches the way you gulp the liquid down. You wipe your chin with the back of your hand. “Can we cuddle?”

“Of course.” He smiles and sets the bowl and cup on the nightstand, quickly. He's just as eager to be in your arms as you are his.

You shuffle under the covers as he stands to undress. The damp shirt is pulled from his body and he shuffles out of his jeans. It’s not long before he’s under the covers with you.

His heart is pounding the more he realizes he’s going to be this close to you again. You’re already turned to face his side and watching his every move.

“Goodnight, y/n.” He whispers.

“Night Buck, thank you for letting me in.” You whisper back.

“Thank you for coming by.” He smiles.

Your hands find his under the covers and you give them a quick squeeze.

His eyes squeeze shut as he can feel your breath on his face. It's a mix of alcohol and pasta sauce, matching his. He's straining himself so he doesn’t try to kiss you. He’s wanted to kiss you the moment he saw you at his doorstep. Your eyes are open and you watch to see if he’s sleeping. He’s not and you can tell by the way his eyelids twitch.

“Buck?” You mumble.

“Mhm?” He hums back.

“I miss you.” You confess. “A lot.”

He opens one eye, “yeah? I miss you too.”

“Do you even think we could be together again?” Your voice is small and it breaks his heart but your words give him hope.

“I do.”

“What do I need to do to make things work again?” You bring his knuckles to your lips.

“I think we need to work together to make things work this time." He emphasizes the we. He doesn't want you blaming yourself for the fallout.

“I’m sorry I didn’t try harder.” You sigh, words coming out wobbly.

“I’m sorry I didn’t communicate better.” He supplies.

“I know I made a lot of mistakes. I don’t want to do that again.” You cry.

“We both made a lot of mistakes but if we’re both willing to not make them again, I think we could work.”

“I think so too." He wipes the tear from your cheek and traces his finger down to your lips.

"Can I kiss you now?" He shyly asks. You laugh all watery and snotty while nodding. Buck pulls you into him. You're both hot under the covers as your bodies mold together. The kiss is hard and desperate but it's perfect. You lay quietly in each other's arm until you both fall asleep. By then it's nearly 4 in the morning and you're knocked out cold.

You're both so slumped that you don't hear the key in the lock downstairs. “Buck, you forgot your damn phone in my car.” Eddie calls out, closing the door behind him. The apartment is quiet as he enters and he shoves his key in his pocket.

He trudges up the stairs to bother a sleeping Buck but freezes in his tracks when he sees you two curled up with each other. His eyes widen and he wonders how this came about considering Buck didn’t have his phone.

He settles on the idea that you’d come to see Buck on your own. His worries from last night of his broken hearted best friend are gone as he sees that he’s right where he’s supposed to be. With you.

─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ───

[xxstarsssxx]

I've decided to recovery, good bye and good luck with everything everyone <3

[jiniretracha]

ꕤ 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 '𝟐𝟒 - 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟑 ꕤ

Song Mingi x fem!reader: riding

summary: CEO!Mingi is a little mean to his assistant, only you don't know the only thing he wants is your attention.

warnings: smut, protected sex, sex on a chair (?)

word count: 1.4k

kinktober masterlist // masterlist // ko-fi

Being assistant to CEO Mingi was not an easy task. 

He was mean and was loaded with work that he gave to you to sort it out for him. He wasn’t mean to you only. It was everyone around him. The Human Resources staff, executives, the administrators, janitors, the people working at the desk, everybody. 

But one thing that Song Mingi was not was ugly. 

Oh no. Most certainly that man was ethereally beautiful. It was out of this world. He was out of this world.

But well, his attitude and personality threw everything out of the window. 

It was one specific evening where everything changed. 

You were typing away furiously on your computer, angry because it was way past your horary and Song Mingi had dropped a huge ass pile of paperwork that he wanted before it was his time to leave… which was in like fifteen minutes and you were nowhere near done. 

One of your coworkers, Sohee, walked over to your desk with a frown.

“You’re still here, Y/N?” she asked you. “Don’t you leave at six?” Sohee asked, checking her wristwatch in case she got it wrong.

“Yeah, but… Mr. Song left me all these papers” you told her, refraining from calling him names. You couldn’t risk somebody hearing you calling him those things and get yourself fired. 

Sohee hummed. “That’s bad… and unprofessional” she commented.

“Yeah, well. What can I do?” you shrugged. “He pays me well”

Sohee chuckled and shook her head. “Want me to help you out?” she asked you.

“I’d love to, but you have to go home to your husband. And I don’t have no one waiting for me at home so I’ll be fine. Don’t worry” you said with a sigh, grabbing the paper you had just finished with and putting it on the pile on your right. 

Sohee smiled and nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you next week, hm?” she said.

“Yeah, bye Hee!” you smiled back at her.

“Bye, Y/N. Good luck”

You let out a tired sigh and continued typing for another five minutes. 

All of a sudden, the door of Song Mingi's office opened with a thud and you jumped in your seat. 

“Ms Y/L/N?” he asked.

You stood up on shaky legs. “Yes, Mr Song?” 

“Come to my office, now” he said, curling two fingers in a come here manner. 

You nodded and quickly made your way through the empty hall towards his office. You closed the door behind you and walked towards his desk with fidgety hands. 

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you finish your paperwork?” he asked you with calm. But you knew that calm had a short life. 

“N-no…” you stammered. “I was just finishing it. I think I only have ten pages left or so-”

“Come here” he interrupted you.

Your lips fell shut and you frowned. “Um… excuse me, sir?” you asked slowly.

“Are you deaf?” he asked you. “I said, come here” he stated and you hated to admit, but your underwear started getting wet from the way he was talking to you.

You swallowed and walked slowly towards him, coming to stand next to his desk.

Mingi stared at you and patted his thigh, making your eyes widen. “Sit down”

Your feet slowly made their way towards him and he surprised you by grabbing your hips and making you sit on his thighs.

You gasped and grabbed his shoulders. “Mr-”

“Mingi… call me Mingi” he said. His eyes held a softness that you had never thought he had in him. “Is this okay? You can slap me across the face and report me-”

“No, no, no, um… I’m just confused” you chuckled, getting shy all of a sudden. Could you blame me?, you asked yourself. 

Mingi exhaled, glad that you weren’t going to reject him.

Mingi, ever since you were appointed to be his assistant, started developing a huge ass crush on you. He’d call you in his office and ask you to bring him in the stupidest things ever, just so he could stare at your pretty face for a couple of minutes. 

Now he had you in his lap, and he couldn’t really think of a moment in which he got as hard as he got in such a short amount of time. 

“Well… why am I here, Mingi?” you asked slowly. 

“Because I want you… Y/N” he said, his nose running over the crook of your neck, making you shiver all over and bite back a moan. 

His hands slowly made their way up your skirt, testing his limits. And when he found none, he took the opportunity to pull your underwear to the side so he could start rubbing you. 

You arched your back violently and moaned. 

“Mingi…” you whimpered. 

“Yeah, baby, I’m right here” he whispered, brushing his lips over yours before covering your mouth with his in a deep, fiery kiss. 

You kissed him back, framing his face in your hands as you rolled your hips over his fingers while your tongue curled around his. 

He pulled away with a groan and then bit your lip, tugging on it lightly. “Fuck, baby, I’m gonna need you to sit on my cock”

“Yeah, fuck” you nodded, lifting your hips so he could unbutton his dress pants and take out his shaft.

Once he pulled himself out, he grabbed a condom from his wallet and rolled it on. You bit your lip as you stared hungrily at his cock, while he jerked himself off for measure. 

“Come sit on it, jagiya” he whispered hotly, grabbing your hips.

You straddled him once again in his chair and felt him probe at your entrance. 

You slid down on him, taking him entirely, making both of you moan.

“Shit, you’re so tight and wet, love” he groaned, lifting your hips up and slamming you down back. His tip hit your cervix with that position and every single thrust made you moan and roll your eyes back to the back of his head. 

“Mingi!” you whimpered, your mouth hanging open as he continued to slam your hips down on him. You regained your senses and started rolling your hips, creating a friction with your clit and his pelvis that made your toes curl inside your shoes. 

“Yeah, scream my name, babe” he said, his hands coming to rip off your blouse and pull down your bra, so he could mouth at your tits.

He sucked on one of your nipples as he groped the other one. Your fingers carded through his hair and pulled on it, making him groan against your chest. 

You clenched around him as you felt him bite at your sensitive skin. 

“Jagiya, are you close?” he whispered hotly against your skin, dragging his tongue up his way to your neck.

You nodded, feeling dumb  already at how good he was hitting your cervix and how he kept sucking at your skin, leaving dark marks all over your body. 

His fingers started playing with your clit and you let out a high pitched moan. “Yeah, Mingi, fuck I’m close!” you almost screamed out.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck come for me” he urged you. 

You clenched around him as you felt the familiar coiling on your stomach. With one last flick at your clit, you soaked his entire length with your orgasm, feeling it spurt out and stain his dress pants that you probably ruined. 

He let out a moan and grabbed your hips, slamming you down once and filled the condom with his seed, painting it white. 

Mingi panted against your neck while you both tried to recollect your senses back again. 

Once you came back to life almost, he pulled your head back by your hair, his eyes searching your face. He left a kiss to your lips, making your heart slam against your ribcage uncontrollably.

“Let me take you out” he whispered against your lips.

You opened your eyes and smiled at him, rubbing your nose against his.

“Of course… Mr. Song” 

Your boss chuckled and then you frowned.

“Wait… you gave me that pile of paperwork just so you could get me alone?”

The sheepish look he gave you, spoke more than a thousand works.

── .✦

taglist: @annhearttihaehe // @frequentlykit // @alexisfeliz // @jeonginsleftcheek // @yaorzu-blog // @jisunglyricist // @leeknowinggg // @ka0ila // @minghaosimp // @lixies-favorite-cookie // @yn-x-them // @chrizrizz // @madkati // @starzystay // @pancake-freckle // @velvetmoonlght // @regardsto-hell // @jaiuneamesolitaiire // @bangchansbeanie

i apologise if i can't tag u :(

[deesseshesca]

PAC : How will your pregnancy go ? (18+)

Just reminder ... that ... I AINT THE ONE !

PERSONAL READING (SALE) (LINK)

FIRE TO THE MOON

FUTURE LOVE + SEX DOUALA = 40$ (2for1)

DOWN TO MY CORE

CHARACTER UPDAPTE + LORE DUMP = 40$ (2for1)

PILE 1

SONG : THAT GUY - Tyler the Creator

P H Y S I C A L

Chariot, 3 pentacles (reverse)

First thing, first Pile 1,you don’t understand the impact that your pile had on me. When you are going to be pregnant you are still going to achieve everything you set for yourself with great happiness. You are going to be so lucky pregnant, you have no idea. Everyone that will rub your stomach, if you allow it, will whisk a bit of luck their way. All this because you understood a very important soul lesson from the very beginning of the journey. Your breast is going to be so full, y’all may jump 2 cups bigger but Lord are they going to be extremely sensitive. Your nipples are always going to be hard. Y’all we suffer from extreme hunger (that’s what I call it) like if you don’t eat, you will actually lose your mind. The uber better not be late because you will blow up their phone with no shame. The craving are so weird and are not just in the privacy of your house, you will have the audacity to ask restaurants to fix their dishes to your weird liking. If a restaurant refuses to change, then you are leaving and throwing a fit in your car until the next food stop. You guys may develop asthma in your pregnancy or have frequent asthma attacks. When I make a list of everything that’s going to happen to you, you may look at your screen with a stank face. The reality is you are not going against your body. You know it is useless. You know there's a price to pay for everything and you are ready to pay the price necessary for your ultimate miracle. You don’t hate your body nor do you get mad at yourself for reacting. There's no such a thing as over-sensitivity or over-reacting, there's no such thing as too intense or moody or even too horny. Everything is good to create the greatest gift given to you. You don’t waste your time comparing, hating or sad, you prefer finding innovative ways to deal with your sensitive tits, your food cravings and bad breathing habits. Breaking any obstacles in our way, achieving so much and radiating love every step of the way. 

L I F E S T Y L E 

Devil (reverse), knight of wands 

You have an extremely cut-throat energy with people around you. You won’t mind blocking anyone that does not understand your boundaries. No warning, they fuck up, bye bye. People that didn't support you during pregnancy but are trying to find their way in when the baby is born … are going to hit a closed door. You don’t play this game. From day one, any older person trying to come in and tell you what's up better be ready to be disrespected because you don’t need people's opinion to weigh you down in the most vulnerable moment of your life. The midwife wants to get smart, not only is her access revoked but if you have time you may press charges ( as you should because there are too many mean nurses in this world). Your man is even scared of you as he should. He eats too loud, looks at you the wrong way or even eats something that makes you sick … the lethal tone is coming out. Your tone is so soft but your words actually annihilate. I heard : You: ‘’ Can you please chew even louder maybe then I will found my 14 reasons since you are my 13 one ?’’ all in a calm tone and a killer gaze. 

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2) Wanna know the love story the universe has for you? 💫 In 8 parts, I spill all: first meet, first kiss, confession, sexy time, and more. Don’t miss out! 👀💖 (LINK)

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PILE 2

SONG : Tranquility - Jack Harlow

A completely reading was necessary for you guys. Don't worry, Chérie d'Amour is nothing bad.

Full of love reading

PILE 3

SONG: Hello,Hi - Little Smiz

P H Y S I C A L

8 swords, page of swords (reverse)  

You're going to find out you're pregnant with a sneaky link. You know damn well, they ain't ready for the commitment and so is you. So you are not mad. You are not even stressed when you are going to find out because you know you have options and it’s not really a baby until you choose it to be. You are going to announce it to them and they are going to have a panic attack and still be extremely polite and kind with you while telling you they can’t be a father.  Which you know … you just wanted to tell them. I have a vision of someone sitting in the dark and actually analysing what your life has become. Then suddenly a change of perspective which is weird because you never been nothing but pessimistic in you life. I hear the script of Alice in Wonderland: ‘’ They can always paint them red

What an odd thing to say’’. 

You are going to keep the baby. Is important to note that your finances are excellent, you have your degree, you have your own car, like you are set. The reality is you have been set. The only thing stopping you is yourself and you are going to realize that once again when you are starting to live your dream life. The only reason you are stuck in the same place is because you don’t want to leave. You are like a chain animal. Is not because you cut the chain that they will actually leave. I see you moving, changing jobs, everythings happening quickly and nothing is chaotic. Which makes sense since you have had the plan. You know what to do but you refuse to take the leap for yourself but you did for your child. You will meet somebody new that’s going to be your dream partner. The fact that you are pregnant is a blessing and not a burden. They are going to jump quickly in the father role. Y’all may not live together at first because you will have signed the lease before meeting them but I see an organized agenda regarding the baby. They will stay over for weeks to take care of the baby. The baby will forever know them as their dad. Y’all are going to have an amazing and active sex life. He’s going to put you to sleep. You guys will often fuck twice a day. 

L I F E S T Y L E 

8 pentacles, Hierophant

The reason for why you're having your dream life after a baby or while pregnant is because you are the one late. Life has been waiting for you to make a move. The perfect friend group, the perfect job, the perfect partner, they all came because you made the final decision and followed through with it. So all your blessings are going to fall upon your life at once. You have unlocked a door that’s been waiting for you. That’s why everything goes extremely smoothly. Also there's no self doubt coming from you since you are so focused on creating the perfect cocoon for your bundle of joy. Self doubt breaks the flow of blessings. All’s well that ends well ( tout est bien qui finit bien). 

PREVIOUS READING

2) Wanna know the love story the universe has for you? 💫 In 8 parts, I spill all: first meet, first kiss, confession, sexy time, and more. Don’t miss out! 👀💖 (LINK)

3) For ALL DECEMBER get 2 readings for the price of 1 : LINK

[cllightning81]

Favour

Summary : You need help during a race weekend and after asking everyone you could, Liam suggests you ask Max an old friend

Pairing/s: Max Fewtrell x Engineer!Single Mum!Reader, Paul Aron x Engineer!Reader (Platonic)

Appearances : Bryan Bozzi, Liam Lawson, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Oliver Oakes

Warning/s : Mention of death

Word Count : 5.3k

Masterlist

Max Fewtrell Masterlist

Tag List

Being a race engineer was hard enough as it is, but being a race engineer with a little baby was even harder. Normally, you were able to find someone within Hitech to watch your baby girl -Aurora- but this week everyone was a little bit more busy than normal 

“You know if I wasn’t racing I’d watch Rory” Paul smiled, waving his hands at the baby in your arms 

“I know you would, Paul, but we’re on pole today, and we’re going to convert it to a win” You smiled, rubbing his shoulder 

“I want to top the championship again” You nodded with a proud smile 

“We’re going to get you there” You nodded, placing Rory down on the office floor. Going over the data from last year and the last race with Paul was not as easy as it looked because he was always getting distracted by the smallest things, including Rory, who was playing with her toys. 

It was an hour later when you were walking through the F1 paddock to meet up with Bryan, who you were helping slightly with his new role within Ferrari. Sat in the Ferrari meeting room with Rory in a sling as you talked Bryan through some basic information he’d need to know for this race about the race engineering side of things. 

“You don’t fancy babysitting, do you?” You asked Bryan as you walked out of the Ferrari garage 

“Sorry I’ve still got my performance coach jobs to do” You nodded 

“Was worth a shot anyway” You sighed 

“Hey Y/N” Liam smiled instantly, going to play with Rory like the biggest child he was. 

“Hey there, sweets. Hey, what are you saying today, hmm?” Liam asked Aurora 

“She’s asking if her favourite non-biological uncle wants to babysit her?” You asked with a smile

“Sorry Y/N/N VCARBS got me on standby cause Yuki isn’t feeling the best after his crash yesterday” You sighed with a nod 

“Well good luck if that happens” You smiled, rubbing his shoulder. Liam was your first driver when you joined Hitech, but at that point, you were still on probation and starting to learn everything. 

“Max is in the Mclaren garage though” He shrugged, and you smiled 

“Liam Lawson, you are the best. I really hope you get that seat, but I’ll keep the rest of my opinions to myself” You hugged him as he said bye to Aurora. Walking back to the F2 paddock, you searched out the old phone number you hadn’t used in a very long time. 

You and Max used to be close because he was good friends with Liam and used to hang around the Hitech garage and being the same age it was easy to get along with him. 

You sat Aurora down on a play mat in the meeting room as you sat to work on quick information before qualifying for the day. Paul walked in a couple of minutes later, sitting down opposite you with his elbows on the table and head resting on his hands 

“Hello there, Mr Aron” You looked at him, and he smiled 

“There’s a guy here to see you” He smirked, and you frowned 

“A guy? Does this guy have a name?” You asked, glancing at Aurora to make sure she’s okay. 

“Max. That’s all he said, but it’s Norris’ friend Max. I can’t remember his last name” He shrugged, getting up and walking out

“Paul” you called, and he stuck his head in through the door 

“Tell him where I am? He knows his way about” You asked with a polite smile 

“Only cause I’ve got to listen to you” You chuckled, turning back to the data finishing up the report you were writing for Paul. There was a knock on the door, and you turned to look at it. A smile grew on your face as you spotted Max waving him in as Aurora waved her hands at the new figure. 

“Hey stranger” He smiled, and you chuckled a little 

“I’m not the stranger. You’re the one that doesn’t visit” 

“Touche” Max nodded, and you motioned him to sit down, to which he sat down next to you 

“Still focused on data, I see” You nodded

“You know I’m a sucker for some good data” You shrugged, and he nodded 

“So how are you doing?” He asked 

“Stressed but happy, I guess” You shrugged 

“How about you? Saw you’ve gained quite a few followers on twitch” You smiled, and he nodded 

“Yeah. Taking a break from racing was really the thing that I needed, and I’m glad I did it” You smiled 

“I’m glad to hear you’re doing better” You nodded as Aurora clapped her hands. You looked down at her, picking her up 

“This little cutie, why you’re stressed?” He asked as Rory grabbed his finger 

“Yeah she’s also the massive favour I need” You bit your lip, and he nodded 

“Need a babysitter?” He asked, and you nodded 

“You’re totally free to say no. I know you’ve never actually met her in person and just seen pictures on instagram, but if you could, I would be so grateful and would pay you back however you wanted” You sighed 

“Can I?” He asked, holding his arms out, and you nodded, handing her over 

“She likes attention, so as long as she’s got that she’s the happiest baby ever” you explained, and he nodded 

“I’m sorry about your boyfriend. I just know he would have been the greatest dad” You nodded with a sigh 

“She looks so much like him sometimes it hurts” Max placed a hand on your knee, gently caressing it 

“Sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up” You placed your hand on top of his gently, holding his hand 

“Do you need a babysitter all weekend?” You nodded 

“Unfortunately. I can normally find someone within the team or someone that I know, but unfortunately I’m not able to this weekend” Max nodded 

“Then I’ll watch her all weekend if you need” He smiled, and you hugged him 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you” You smiled, letting out a breath 

“But I’m taking her to the Mclaren garage tomorrow” You chuckled 

“Forget about your own past then and go to your future” You joked, and he jokingly shoved you away 

“But honestly, whatever you want in return I’ll do it” You sat back, rubbing your face in relief 

“Go on a date with me” He whispered, and you looked at him

“What?” You asked 

“I’ve been wanting to ask you for years and now that you’re due me something in return I feel like now is the perfect time to ask” He hummed with a slight smirk hidden underneath a smile 

“Fine. On Sunday as payment” You nodded, and he smiled, looking at the wall 

“You need to get ready for qualifying. I’ll wait in here with this cutie” He smiled 

“Aurora or Rory. I think you probably already knew that though” Max nodded 

“I did. I follow you on instagram and check up on you every so often” You chuckled, getting up kissing Rory’s head 

“Thank you again, Max. If she needs her diaper changed there’s diapers in my office. Same place that it used to be. She’s been fed, so she’ll be fine until after qualifying. Any other worries, please just text me. Don’t even think about crossing the pit lane” Max nodded 

“Please don’t worry about her. I promise she’ll be okay in my care. Are you okay if I call LN over, though?” He asked, and you nodded 

“Yeah it’s fine” You smiled, grabbing your pass and walking out of the meeting room. You let out a breath, knowing that you could do your job without worrying about Rory. 

And that’s what you did. Paul had a good qualifying session for both the sprint and feature race. Once that was over, you quickly rushed back to the meeting room. Max was sitting on the floor with Rory, who was giggling at him as she pulled on his beard. You chuckled, sitting down at the desk as Max looked up at you 

“She’s a little cutie, but she’s also a trouble child” You nodded with a laugh 

“Did I forget to mention that part?” You joked 

“Do you need me to stay until after the debrief?” Max asked 

“That would be really helpful, but I’m not sure that’s allowed” you replied, and he nodded 

“What if I take her for a walk? Is she due a nap?” He asked, and you nodded 

“Actually that would be really helpful. If I put her in the pram, would you be okay with taking her for a walk?” You asked 

“I wouldn’t have offered it if it wasn’t okay. I can walk her over to the F1 paddock, and you can get her from there when you’re done for the day” He suggested 

“Thank you again, Max. I really appreciate this just being sprung on you after us not talking for ages”

“For this little troublesome cutie I’d do it more often if you needed” You chuckled 

“Trust me, you won’t be saying that by Sunday night” You smiled, grabbing her pram from the side of the room before building it and putting her in it. You gave her her binkie before turning to Max. 

“Okay she should be good until I’m finished for the day” You smiled, and he nodded, walking with her just as everyone started filling the room. After debriefing, you packed up Rory’s toys and your own stuff before walking over to the F1 paddock and over to the Mclaren garage. 

“Hey Y/N” Oscar smiled, standing at his car 

“Hey Oscar. Have you seen Max?” You asked, and he pointed towards Lando’s side of the garage

“Thanks” You walked over and into the garage, smiling at the mechanics that you knew 

“There she is” Max smiled gently, rocking the pram 

“Hey babysitting, looking good on you” you joked, looking into the pram

“She makes it easy” You laughed as he let you take the pram 

“Thank you again. I’ll text you later with my meeting times and all that kind of thing” Max nodded 

“See you tomorrow” You walked out of the Mclaren garage, ready for the best sleep of your week. 

When the next day rolled around and you were walking into the F2 paddock, you knew that Rory was going to be in safe hands and that you just had to be ready for the race ahead. 

Max was standing outside the Hitech garage leaning against one of the walls, talking to one of the mechanics he knew as Rory played with our hands strapped to your chest 

“Hey Y/N” Max smiled as you walked over 

“Hey there, Mr Babysitter” you joked

“Is the nugget ready for her big day with lots of affection?” Max asked, and you nodded 

“She sure is, but I’m gonna keep her for the morning if that’s okay” Max nodded 

“Of course it is. Want me there?” He asked 

“If you don’t mind sitting on the floor with her again” Max shook his head 

“Would be my pleasure” You smiled, leading him inside and to the meeting room that was going to be used for the day. Setting up Rory’s stuff on the floor before setting her on the floor beside Max 

“Thank you again Max” You smiled, and he nodded. Sitting down to do morning brief, Paul walked in, instantly going over to Aurora

“Hey maiustus (sweets)” Paul smiled, squishing her cheeks

“Paul please sit down, the whole team is just waiting on you” You complained and he sat down going over yesterday’s data and things that had to be done today to get a good finish in the sprint. 

Once all the other members of the team had finally left, you turned around to Rory. Paul was still sitting next to you as he scrolled through his phone, definitely avoiding his trainer but not wanting to admit it. Rory reached her arms up with a giggle as you picked her up 

“Hey little troublemaker” You kissed her head as you got up from the seat, Max, stretching his back as you chuckled at him 

“I know I said she needs attention to be happy, but you don’t have to sit on the floor with her” You smiled as he got up 

“Easier to get down to her level rather than bring her up to mine” He shrugged 

“She likes sitting on the table” you shrugged, closing the meeting room door and pulling the blinds down so that no one could see in as you heard Paul whine 

“Thought you were hiding me, but I just saw the time” You laughed, ruffling his hair as you sat down again 

“You really need to go start your warm up and do media though Paul” You sighed, feeding Rory as Paul groaned, getting up 

“Only cause I wanna win” You laughed as Max stood awkwardly 

“You can sit Fewtrell” You chuckled at his face. Poor guy was uncomfortable even being in the same room as you fed Aurora. 

“I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable” He frowned, and you shrugged 

“I’ve been doing this for the past four months with strangers. We’re not strangers. Therefore, I don’t care” you replied, looking up at him as he sat down. 

A little while later, Aurora was finished feeding, burped, and had her diaper changed before you handed her over to Max for the day who was taking her over to the Mclaren motorhome. You explained where everything in her bag was kept along with how to warm some milk up in case she needed it. Max assured you multiple times that she would be okay and that you could just come to the Mclaren garage to get her at the end of the day. 

Throughout the day, Max was subject to some teasing from Lando about his babysitting as Lando knew about his crush on you and had for many years. 

Once the race and debrief were done, you were finally able to leave the F2 paddock with Paul trailing behind you because he didn’t want to be alone again. In reality, he was hiding from the ice bath he was meant to be in, but he’d never admit that to anyone. 

“Hey Y/L/N” Andrea Stella smiled as you walked over to the Mclaren garage 

“Hey. I’m looking for Lando. Well I’m assuming he’s with Lando” You shrugged 

“Oh he’s in the hospitality with Max and a random child?” He frowned, and you nodded 

“Perfect. That’s my second born” you joked, nudging your head in Paul’s direction. Andrea laughed 

“I’m on three or so now” He joked, and you laughed 

“They learn to listen any better any time?” You asked, and he shook his head with a laugh 

“No. Never” You laughed, shaking your head 

“Damn it. Well I’m gonna find my baby and her newest babysitters” You walked off to the Mclaren hospitality with Paul trailing behind you, scrolling through his phone. You walked inside, looking about as Paul instantly walked over to Rory, picking her up off the table. You followed him over, rolling your eyes as Paul picked up his role with Rory. 

At this point, Paul was like Rory’s big brother, and there was nothing you could do to stop how much he actually loved your little girl. You took another picture as you leaned against the chair Max was sitting in, smiling at Lando, and Oscar was sitting opposite him. 

“Hey. Looked like a good race” Max smiled up at you as you nodded 

“Hey. It was a very good race considering the pit stop errors” You shrugged, and he nodded 

“How was Aurora?” You asked him, looking over at Paul and Aurora

“Think I’ve got a bald spot in my beard now. However, apart from that, she was an angel” Max shrugged, showing you a picture of Rory sitting in Lando’s car. You chuckled 

“If she looked tiny in the F2 cars, she looked even smaller in that F1 car” You chuckled, and he laughed 

“You in a rush out of here?” Max asked, and you shook your head 

“Nope. I do need to stop by and see Liam, though. Wish him luck for tomorrow” You shrugged, and Max pulled out the seat next to him, and you sat down

“Still wouldn’t move up to F1?” Oscar asked, and you looked over at Rory and Paul, who were sat on the floor 

“I think if Paul was to move up, then I would, but only with Paul, he actually listens to me” You glared at Max, who shrugged 

“I wasn’t your driver. I was just there to annoy you” Max shrugged, and you rolled your eyes. Over the next half an hour, you spoke with Lando, Max, and Oscar, but Lando and Oscar soon had to go get ready for qualifying, so it was just you and Max. Paul was rocking Aurora to sleep as you watched him with a tilt of your head. 

“I keep losing my daughter to my driver” You chuckled, getting up

“Same time tomorrow?” Max asked, and you nodded

“Only if you’re still okay with looking after her for another day” You rested a hand on the back of his seat. Max was doing you a favour, and you didn’t want to push him to do something he wasn’t completely comfortable with. 

“Yeah, of course I’m okay with it. Actually I’m more than okay with it because I get something out of this as well” He smiled looking up at you to the outside world it looked like he was deadly in love but to yourself it just looked like Max was happy.

Sunday was always a busy day. However, this weekend just felt like it was an even busier day. Sat in your office, Aurora sat in her pram asleep as you sat with your headphones in going over some basic work you didn’t hear Max come in. 

He stood next to you, gently pushing a piece of hair out of your face as you sat back in your seat, looking up at him when you felt his presence standing next to you. You smiled up to him, taking your headphones off 

“Morning” He smiled, taking the pen out of your hand and placing it down on the table 

“Hey. Didn’t hear you come in” You hummed, looking up at him after following his actions with the pen 

“That’s because you were so caught up in your work that you didn’t hear anything, including Paul” You frowned, looking at the time. You hadn’t missed any meetings or events that you were due to be at. 

“It’s fine he just wanted to see if you wanted anything to eat” You nodded slightly 

“I had breakfast before coming here” You looked at the time again as Max sat down next to you 

“I’m gonna take Aurora a walk around the paddock then into Mclaren, and I was thinking that you could always come watch the F1 race with me from there?” He offered, and you nodded 

“I quite like the sound of that” You smiled, tilting your head slightly 

“And I was thinking about our date” He started, and you quickly interrupted him 

“Can we do it back home? My flight out of here is tonight, and I can’t get it changed unless I pay for it and after” You paused, glancing over at Rory 

“Let me worry about that. I’m the one that asked you out on the date, so I’ll worry about that” He smiled, gently resting his hand on top of yours. 

“So how’s the little darling today?” He asked, looking over at Aurora’s pram. 

“She’s quite sleepy today, so bonus for you, I guess. However, it's just because she’s starting to teeth, so she might get a little fussy or bite you” You shrugged, and he nodded, getting up just as Paul and his trainer walked in Paul was clearly in a mood about something as you raised your eyebrows. 

Max played with your hair as he stood behind you, and you couldn’t help but smile a little. He used to do that when Liam was your driver a few years ago. It’s like to this day even after limited contact, he still knew when you were hiding your stress 

“He won’t let me have a chocolate bagel” Paul huffed, throwing himself down on the chair Max was previously in as you looked at his trainer who shrugged 

“Too many carbs before a race. Especially when it’s half an hour away. I suggested alternatives, but that wasn’t good enough” The man just shrugged before turning and walking out the room, clearly not wanting to have this fight again

“Paul, we've been over this. You can’t come expecting me to solve your carb problem. I’ve already snuck you enough this weekend as it is. Why don’t you have a smoothie? I know you’re just bored, which is why you’re eating” Paul gave you a look as if you’d just suggested murdering his whole family. 

“You can get me and Max one while you’re there” you suggested, knowing that Paul would do anything for anyone else if offered the opportunity, so Paul got up and left the room again. You looked up at Max the top of your head resting against his stomach 

“I know I asked you on a date and agreed to babysit your child, but have I ever told you how good you look doing your job?” He asked, and you raised a brow thinking about it 

“I believe you may have back when I was a taken woman” You shrugged with a slight smirk 

“You’re trouble, you know that?” He asked as you tilted your head to the side a little, turning around to fully face him 

“Me? Never? That’s all Aurora, and she doesn’t even get it from me” you joked, and he laughed, looking down at you. You couldn’t help but smile up at him. 

“How long does it take for Paul to get some smoothies?” Max asked, and you shrugged

“No idea? In a rush to go somewhere?” You questioned, and he shook his head 

“No. Was just wondering” You nodded, turning back to the data, and he sighed, sitting down 

“You’re not going to stop, are you?” He questioned 

“Nope. I am not. I need to get this finished before the race starts” You sighed as he moved your hands away from the laptop and shut the lid, forcing you to look at him 

“If I was to kiss you right now, would it stop stressing out about the data?” He asked as your eyes widened

“What did you just ask?” You questioned 

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that out loud. I didn’t mean to say that out loud” He panicked as you turned to fully face him, leaning forward in your seat 

You looked into his eyes, trying to see any kind of emotion behind them to make sure what he was saying was actually true. You got up out of your seat, taking his hand and giving him a slight pull-up as you did. Max stood up, standing in front of you 

“Sorry. I really didn’t mean to say that” You leaned up, pressing your lips against his with a slight smile. Max froze for a second before kissing you back. One hand resting on the small of your back as the other stayed in your own. 

“Ew” Paul groaned loudly before there were a couple of thuds and the door slamming. You pulled back, looking over Max’s shoulder to see Paul covering his eyes outside. You couldn’t help but laugh a little 

“I get a life for the moment, and that’s how he reacts” Max laughed as you rested your head on his shoulder as he rested his own on your head. You waved Paul in through the window as Max rubbed your back. You couldn’t help but laugh a little again as Paul walked back in carefully 

“Warning next time, come on. With Rora in here as well?!” He exclaimed. You rolled your eyes as he picked Aurora, shielding her face from who knows what. Only he’ll ever know because it’s not a question that you were planning on asking him anytime soon. 

“I got your normal and for Max, I just guessed” Paul pointed towards the smoothies on the table 

“Thank you. Now, will you please put Rory back down and go warm up. I promise you can cuddle her after the race. Promise” You smiled, and he nodded, placing her down and walking out as you sat back down, turning to look at Max 

“Well if Paul’s away getting ready, I guess I have to let you get ready” He smiled, looking into the pram at Aurora. 

“Same as yesterday, but I’ve left a bottle in her bag. You just need to warm it up a little bit” you explained, and he nodded slightly 

“How do I do that?” He asked, and you chuckled, walking over 

“So take the plastic cover off ,obviously, then just put it in the microwave for like thirty seconds but make sure that it’s lukewarm on the inside of your wrist” Max’s head quickly turned around at that and you rolled your eyes with a laugh 

“It’s just formula, Max. Don’t worry, I just pre-made it for you” Max nodded, picking up her blanket and placing it over the handle of the pram. 

“Okay. We should be okay. If need be, I can text you, yeah?” He asked, and you nodded 

“Of course you can. Oh, and in the diaper bag next to her bottle there’s a little something for you” You smiled, leaning into the pram and pressing a kiss to Aurora’s head. 

“We’ll be good,” Max nodded with some kind of fake courage. You smiled 

“Be good for Maxie hmm” You kissed the babies head before standing up again and taking the few steps over to Max, who smiled down at you as you rested your chin on his chest 

“Don’t worry. Go do your job. We’ll be watching, or I will. The little muffin will probably be sleeping” You grinned, standing up on your tiptoes just a little to kiss him. You grabbed your computer before walking out of your office and out to the garage. 

“Did you get my email?” Oliver asked, and you nodded 

“I did. Congratulations. You’ll do good in F1” You smiled, shaking his hand as a congratulations 

“Thank you. There will be an email coming your way soon, no doubt” You couldn’t help but frown at that as Oliver walked away. Getting everything set up for Paul’s race both in the garage and the pit wall before the pre race mechanical stuff happened while you just sat there waiting.

Max did keep sending you pictures throughout the race that you couldn’t help but smile at when the notification kept coming through. Paul’s race went brilliantly as good as it could possibly get as Paul won. After the podium, you got yourself changed out of the wet Hitech uniform as Paul decided to pour the last of the champagne over your head during the pictures.

 You packed up everything after the debrief and headed over to the Mclaren hospitality again. It currently felt like you were never away from that place. As you walked through the paddock, you couldn’t help but still wonder what Oliver meant by there will be an email for you soon. It really did worry you a bit. 

You smiled at the woman standing outside the hospitality before walking in and spotting Max sitting in the corner with Aurora asleep in his arms all cuddled up. You couldn’t help but smile as you sat down on the couch next to him 

“Oh how I wish I could fall asleep like that” You sighed, and he chuckled 

“She’s been out for about twenty minutes. I gave her her bottle and she just fell asleep” You nodded 

“Sounds about right” You smiled, looking down at her. Her cheek pressed against Max’s chest as her tiny hand held onto one of his fingers. You couldn’t help but take a picture as you watched them. 

“Race went really well” Max grinned as you looked at him 

“It went really well. I’m so proud” you beamed. Eyes flicking down to Aurora 

“Do you want me to take her? She’s okay if you want to put her down in the pram” You frowned, knowing how easy it is to get a dead arm while holding her 

“She’s okay. I’m actually enjoying the cuddles rather than her pulling my beard out” You chuckled, caressing her cheek. 

“You still want to stay to watch the race?” He asked, tilting his head so he could see you better

“Yeah that would be nice” You grinned, getting more comfortable on the couch, knowing that Max wasn’t planning on moving to watch the race by the way he was sitting. Max smiled down at you, looking at your emails 

“Oliver said there’d be an email coming my way soon. Now I can’t stop looking at my emails” You sighed 

“Oliver Oakes?” Max questioned, and you nodded 

“Any idea what it was about?” Max asked, and you shook your head 

“Honestly, I have no idea. As long as I’m not being fired” You shrugged, and he nodded 

“I’d comfort you, but your daughter has stolen both my hands” You laughed 

“There’s worse ways for you to have your hands stolen” you replied 

“Guess that’s true” He smiled 

You sat for the next two hours with Max in the Mclaren hospitality watching the Formula One race. It was an experience you’d never actually forget. Not even just because you were sitting in the F1 paddock but because Max’s reactions to something so tiny were so large. 

As you were walking out the paddock with Aurora in her pram, Max walked next to you while Lando and Oscar trailed behind Max, turned his head to look at you

“I sent you an email during the race with the details for our date and for after it” You frowned 

“After it?” You asked, and he nodded 

“Got you on the flight with Lando and I so you could spend another night here” He explained 

“You didn’t have to do that” you replied 

“I know I didn’t have to, but I saw the perfect place for a date here. Couldn’t let it go to waste” He smiled

Coming Soon

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GOOD LUCK, BABE! #4 ⋆ 정국

what happens when you leave everything behind, only to be faced with it again years later? eunbi is convinced she was given another shot at keeping all she ever wanted, but it’s difficult when that all is her childhood best friend who doesn’t want to do anything with her anymore. how to earn his trust back?

☾ pairing: non idol!jk x fem!oc

☾ genre: childhood friends to strangers, friends to lovers, angst, fluff, smut

☾ word count: 21.8k

☾ warnings: huhhhh. Angst! jeongguk being a pain in the ass for no reason. well sorta kinda! lots of cute fun moments with the group. until jeongguk comes and ruins it all. (no but i love him). unserious banter until it gets serious, again. pov switch! angst angst angst. mentions of blood!!! fluff if you squint. jealousy if you squint, like, really hard.

☾ author’s note: HELLOOOO first of all happy (late) birthday namjoonie <3 second of all IM FINALLY HERE!!! and this chapter is so long omfg. i got carried away and realised way too late. was too deep in! hope you can enjoy, i love love them sm, its worth getting to the end!

ps: if you read this, lmk what u enjoy more between eunbi’s pov and jk’s pov. it wont change the way i write the story, im just curious!! okay bye <3

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four ⋆ good 4 u

Sleep doesn’t find Eunbi that night. Her mind runs from it, busy searching for something else, grasping for answers to questions that don’t have one. And if they do exist, they get lost in a haze of sadness. Anger. Helplessness. Sadness again.

When Dahye joins her in their shared tent, Eunbi’s eyes are hollow, devoid of any emotion. Her ears still ring with a distant noise, struggling to pick up her friend’s passionate reassurances. Still, she lets herself be held, and comforted by words her brain can’t quite grasp, head resting on Dahye’s chest, a gentle hand running through her hair. For a moment, feeling the soft rhythm of her friend’s breath, she clings to the comfort of her presence, hoping it might anchor her in some way, keep her from completely drifting away.

But everything she has been trying to shut out comes crashing down on her fragile figure the moment she feels Dahye’s arms grow weaker around her, and her breaths getting heavier as sleep takes her. Silent tears trace a path down her cheeks, while loud, screaming thoughts make her head throb and keep her awake all night. She regrets being here; regrets naively hoping things could be mended so easily; regrets the way she stayed quiet the first moment she laid eyes on Jeongguk after all those years; knows it’s her fault.

By morning, the sun having climbed its way in the sky for a couple hours already and its rays forcing themselves in their shelter with unwanted light, she can sense Dahye subtly stir under her. Immediately, Eunbi shuts her eyes closed, feigning deep slumber. Instead, her very awake ears perk when she can feel fussing, Dahye sitting up and ultimately shaking the seemingly unconscious girl’s shoulder, “Bibi?”

If all goes wrong, at least Eunbi could win an Oscar for her performance, the way her eyelids flutter open, slow and heavy, only after rubbing them, and a big yawn escapes her mouth. That wasn’t too fake after all, her body weary with the all-nighter. Dahye doesn’t notice, her smile soft, “Did you sleep well? Are you feeling a bit better?”

Eunbi simply nods, her expression void. She barely registers the other girl mentioning something about washing up, and breakfast, “I’ll leave you some time. But if you’re not out by the time I’m done in the bathroom, I’m dragging your ass out.” Just like that, she slips out of the tent.

Left alone once again with silence, Eunbi listens to the faint noises outside— the muffled voices of her roommate greeting Hoseok and Yoongi. At that, the urge to cry returns, and she feels tears sting at her bottom lashes, threatening to spill. But this time, she holds them back. She knows she can’t let herself break down, not now. Not with everyone outside, and especially not with Jeongguk. Still, she doesn’t think the sorrow written all over her features will go unnoticed.

She feels like an outsider, an intruder trespassing on sacred ground. As if the moment she steps out, all eyes will be on her miserable figure, stripping her bare, judging her poor choices, the ones that lead Jeongguk to spit venom in her face hours ago. Making it clear that she doesn't belong there, that she will never be part of what they already have. Of what Jeongguk has built after her.

Last night, she tried to blame him. She wanted to be angry at him, to turn her hurt into something tangible, something outside of herself. But she couldn't. In the end, she could only turn the anger inward, could only blame herself. Being called a bitch by the best person she's ever known, in front of her university friends, was a brutal wake up call. A reminder of how far she has fallen.

The weight of those thoughts paralyses her for a long moment, while a squeaky, high-pitched voice in the back of her brain screams at her to move, if only to avoid the pitying glance she might receive when Dahye returns. Still, her body protests, limbs heavy and muscles tight from the lack of sleep in the small, uncomfortable place.

With a deep breath that quivers in her chest, she forces herself up. For a second, her hand hesitating at the tent’s entrance and hovering over the zipper, she contemplates hiding in here forever, away from the discomfort. But she knows better. The world outside is waiting, and no amount of hesitation will make it disappear. Quickly throwing on a light pink crewneck over her pyjama shorts, she steps out.

Cool air brushes against her skin in a tender manner, gently welcoming her and seemingly easing her nerves. Before she’s forced to acknowledge the others, she moves quickly, her flip flops clad feet making their way to the small wash station. She hopes the freezing water she repeatedly splashes on her face will cleanse away the fog of the sleepless night, and wishes it could also wash away the weight pressing down on her chest. In the mirror, she convinces herself the dark circles under her eyes aren’t that dark after all, and that the unsettling smile she’s practising is convincing enough to finally join Dahye outside.

The makeshift breakfast setup is simple: a few snacks, some bread, fruit. Namjoon, Taehyung and Aera have also joined the small gathering, making it seven of them now, while the others seem to still be asleep in their tents. Eunbi can hear the casual chatter of the group, the way their voices blend together in an easy rhythm that feels foreign to her now.

With her head down, she picks at the small offerings, not really tasting anything, her appetite almost nonexistent. She almost misses Yoongi’s voice beside her, “Did the creams work?”

Eunbi startles slightly, her gaze darting to the older boy, who wears a sweet grin on his lips. She nods, mirroring his smile timidly. Yoongi makes a show of inspecting her nose as he leans closer, without going over the invisible boundary, his eyes squinting with exaggerated seriousness as he impersonates a doctor’s authority, ���Yes, yes. They definitely worked. My patient looks so much better now.” His voice mocks a solemn tone, and it makes the girl heartily giggle.

She’s surprised to see this side of the boy, and she briefly wonders if he’s putting on this act just for her sake, because the misery on her features is that obvious even to him, who left the campfire way before the incident had happened. Either way, it works— she feels herself relax, if only a little, sinking back into her chair with a bit more ease.

Then, Aera asks her about the hoodie she’s wearing, going on about how it compliments her complexion perfectly and Dahye chimes in, explaining how it had originally belonged to her, but after the other girl borrowed it once she decided it looked so much better on her friend that she insisted Eunbi kept it. The recalling of those times keep her distracted, the smile on her face growing bigger as Namjoon makes sure she’s refilling her stomach properly, insisting that she needs her strength for the day’s activities, the worry in his furrowed brows making her feel part of something again.

Just as she begins to think she might make it through this, she senses a shift in the atmosphere. Besides her, Dahye tenses, and Aera clears her throat. Eunbi doesn’t have to look up to know why. Jeongguk has joined them. She can feel his presence like a dark cloud hanging over her, suffocating.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, her eyes lift to meet his. His gaze is sharp, eyes shadowed by dark circles that suggest he’s had as restless a night as she has. There’s no trace of warmth, no hint of the familiarity they used to share. Just cold, hard resentment. For a fleeting second, she wills herself to desperately search his face for any sign that she hasn’t lost everything, that there’s still something worth saving. But he quickly diverts his eyes, turning his attention to the others and slipping easily into their conversation. Once again, she feels like a stranger intruding on his world.

As the group’s attention shifts to the boy, Eunbi finds herself spiralling back into her thoughts, struggling to grasp onto anything solid, anything that makes sense. She knows how this will play out: both of them only pretending the other doesn’t exist, but making it clear that same presence is despised, the petty glares and spiteful comments building until one of them finally snaps, just like last night.

To some extent, she understands his frustration. After all, she’s the unwanted guest at his birthday, a painful reminder of a past he’d rather forget. But understanding doesn’t make it hurt any less. She wasn’t expecting to be openly degraded, with such hatred in his face; to feel small and unwelcome in a place that feels as much hers as his. What can she do? It’s not as if she can just get up and disappear. She’s there, he’s there, and they’re stuck in this awkward dance.

He hasn’t tried to make it any less awkward. Her attempts at being civil have been outright dismissed, and the memory of it fills her with the same rage that bubbled up last night. And as she observes him, it only intensifies. She feels herself cycling through the five stages of grief at an inhumane speed and without following its original order, having skipped straight to depression and now bouncing back to anger. When Jeongguk’s eyes meet hers again, the smile he had been giving Jimin fades instantly. She hates that look.

All that heaviness from last night feels like it has been sucked out of her chest, suddenly devoid of any of the previous gloom that had led her to sad tears streaming her cheeks and impending guilt putting her at fault. Nothing’s left, except this tight, burning knot. It’s not sadness anymore, it’s a hot, fierce feeling coiling in her stomach.

It’s Hoseok who breaks the spell, demanding all of their attention on him, his voice taking on a loud and excited tone. Eunbi struggles to make sense of his words through the fog of anger, her slowed down thought process only registering them when the collective holler that follows fully snaps her out of her trance and pulls her back to the present. The first, opening activity of the trip would be trekking. She doesn’t even bother to fake enthusiasm.

It’s only the second day at the campsite, and Eunbi already has a list long enough to fill an entire notebook of reasons why she never should have come. First of all, whatever fragile hope she had about making things right with Jeongguk has probably died a quick death only in those first few hours. And the rest of the trip? It’s packed with outdoor activities that she wouldn’t really proclaim herself a fan of. Did she even consider that before agreeing to this? The small kid still living inside her most likely saw the words “Jeongguk” and “birthday” and hit yes without a second thought. Not paying any mind to the fact that the two of them are no longer those kids in Busan.

When she glances back at said Busan boy, the previous negativity is washed off his face and instead, his eyes are bright and animated, geeking about today’s trek. Her chest tightens, again. It stings. He looks exactly the way he always has, like the Jeongguk she knows, except she’s not the reason for that look on his face, anymore.

It makes her think. Overthink. Weigh her options. Trying to map out the safest way to move around this minefield. Just moments ago, the sight of him had her blood boiling, the fire in his eyes igniting a stronger spark in her own. But she’s also aware her current position doesn’t paint her as the one entitled to put all the blame on him. Especially when this is supposed to be his trip, a way to celebrate with the people he’s building a new life with. She was never part of the equation, and she gets it. A wrong combination led to unwanted results, and now neither of them know how to find the right pieces and put them back together. None of the numbers are adding up.

She doesn’t feel like letting her resentment take over, at least not here and now; last night only went to show emotions are definitely not needed to decode the problem. She’ll carry them quietly, maybe even figure out some kind of solution along the way. Discover different sequences of calculations that could make sense.

For now, she’s set on ignoring him and making sure her presence is ignored back; avoiding a problem and avoiding creating one. Is this the stage of acceptance? If that’s what it can be called, she welcomes it with a long, liberating breath, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Dahye.

Except, several more huffs follow, and Dahye is there to endure all of them: when they’re back in the tent, Eunbi slapping on some concealer to cover her dark circles, then trying to disguise her pallid complexion with blush, ending up groaning and turning to her concerned friend with drawn up eyebrows, “Did I overdo it?”; as she’s zipping up her white tennis skort; rummaging her bag for ages only to slip on the most basic black oversized t-shirt; taking forever to tie her Converses.

Dahye stalls. She’s aware they’re late, can sense it in the way Hoseok is subtly raising his voice outside to make himself heard, “It’s not like we’re totally late on our schedule. Take your sweet time, guys!” He’s sarcastic, if his shaky laughter is anything to go by.

She also knows she doesn’t want to be eaten alive by her best friend, knows better not to rush her right now. She’s had enough experience living with her. So she stays quiet, puts up with her friend’s small crisis and lets her deal with it on her own. Only when it seems like she’s over with it, Dahye calmly asks Eunbi if she feels like she’s ready to go. The answer is uncertain, but Dahye grasps on that small percentuality of sureness and exits the tent either way, before Hoseok turns out to be the one eating her alive.

When they finally step out to join the group, Eunbi releases one last dramatic sigh, and the prolonged sound of it translates into Dahye’s right eyelid twitching. She tries composedly, at first, “Bibi, will you stop doing that?”

”Doing what?”

”Sighing like you’re a damn war veteran!” Her exasperation draws a few chuckles from their friends, including a sneaky giggle from Jimin, observing the interaction and getting Dahye’s attention in the process.

Eunbi mutters a small sorry, the apology dismissed by her now distracted friend, seemingly having forgotten the whole ordeal in a matter of seconds. The other girl seizes the moment to vent, “I’m just getting more stressed by the minute about this whole thing. I told you I shouldn’t have come. What if, I don’t know— I get hurt?” Her eyebrows are raised, dramatic act on, pout displayed, “I’ll blame you.”

Dahye is clearly unimpressed, rolling her eyes amusedly at Eunbi’s efforts, “Bi, you’ll be okay. Just fine.” She faces the shorter one now, hands on her shoulders like a mother sending her child off to summer camp. Well, technically she is about to do that, “Why don’t you try mingling with the others? Let’s pretend I don’t exist. Yeah!”

Dahye’s convincing nods are comically mirrored by Eunbi shaking her head, the desperation on her features going ignored by her taller friend. The last thing she wants right now is exactly mingling with the others. Dahye goes on dissimulating, “Stick next to Namjoon. He, huh— he knows about this kinda stuff. I guess? I’ll catch up with Jimin, okay? Bye, babe!”

Eunbi’s childish protests fall on deaf ears as the other girl slips away. Her one anchor, gone. Not even her best pleading tactics have worked. The muffled curses under her breath are vile, and she wishes Jimin would just make a move on her friend already. Maybe then, all of this would make sense.

Still, she merges with the others. It’s hard to find her place in there, especially with the insecurities plaguing her mind, as everyone splits off into their little duos and trios. Taehyung and Seokjin try to pull her into their usual, weird hypothetical debates, “Let’s say you have a penis. Would you still jack off if when you came your semen was just one big sperm, and afterward you'd have to fight it?”

Despite herself, she enjoys the distraction. Trekking is not so bad when you desperately need your brain to unplug. The trail is not too far from the campsite, circling it and making it ideal for them to wander without getting lost. The summer air is warm, and heavy with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the earthy aroma of sun-warmed pine needles.

With the path gradually climbing uphill, the initially dense forest begins to thin, and with it Eunbi’s thoughts follow, loosening with each step. She’s not sure if it’s the silly joy filling her when colourful butterflies flutter past, or the brief interaction she entertains with a small chipmunk darting across the way, but there’s something calming about the rhythm of it all. The green all around her takes over her spiralling mind.

Eventually, Dahye’s suggestion turns out to be a good one, and soon Eunbi finds herself covering most part of the walk with Namjoon by her side, who’s a walking encyclopedia on the local fauna. His easy conversation and gentle humour slowly start to chip away at the tension in her shoulders. He’s good company— listens well, comes up with just the right responses, and somehow makes her feel less like she’s tagging along and more like she belongs.

Time slips away when being this disconnected to the chaos of the city but so connected to this bubble of green and quiet. Sharing that with her friends doesn’t make her worry about the clock, though. She laughs loudly, and speaks comfortably. And just like that, she’s unaware of the first two hours that go by with walking and chatting, this last part ceasing gradually when the path becomes steeper and more rugged, their breaths getting heavier with each large step. But the effort is worth it when they reach the summit and are rewarded with a breathtaking view. Eunbi’s eyes light up at the sight, even more so when she spots the perfect rock to plop down on and gulp water from her flask.

Before she can, it takes a few other seconds for her eyes to cover the whole scene, and when they do she notices Jeongguk. He’s sitting next to Iseul, his clothes similar to the ones Eunbi is wearing, just colour inverted with a white oversized t-shirt and black gym shorts. He doesn’t seem to be aware of her presence, yet. He’s laughing at something on the girl’s phone. Eunbi silently scoffs.

The attention is brought on her and Namjoon the moment the latter greets his friend, who acts as if she doesn’t exist. Eunbi is not any less of an actor, pretending to be much more interested in the panorama rather than the conversation the two men are having.

While her companion takes some pictures of the scenery, Eunbi drinks as much water as needed to feel hydrated without needing to go to the bathroom in the next 10 seconds. The walk is still long, and the campsite still far. For that reason, and totally not because she can’t stand the sight of Jeongguk sitting next to the short haired girl giggling about one of their inside jokes, she announces, “I’m ready to go again.”

Namjoon looks a bit taken aback, “Already?”

”Yeah. Let’s go.”

”You sure you don’t wanna rest?” Eunbi only shakes her head, fixing the backpack on her shoulders. The taller boy chuckles, “And here I thought you hated trekking.”

Eunbi lets out a genuine laugh. It’s refreshing to hear, even if she can feel the interaction being followed attentively by a pair of curious eyes, and when she gives in and looks their way, they immediately focus on the trees behind her. Whatever.

Just as she starts walking to follow behind Namjoon, her foot trips on a rock and she stumbles. Her first instinct, accompanied by a loud squeal, is to grab Namjoon’s shoulders for support, and luckily the boy promptly catches her. From the corner of her eye, she swears she sees Jeongguk nearly leaping to his feet. His hand twitches before he forces it back to his lap.

”Are you okay?” Namjoon’s eyes are wide with concern, hands steady on her forearms as he checks her foot with his gaze for any sprain, “Wait, your shoe is untied.”

He swiftly drops on his knee and works on the laces of her shoes, delicately inspecting her ankle in the process. Eunbi looks down at him, and she feels her cheeks flare slightly, both because of the embarrassment and the action feeling a little too intimate. She diverts her eyes, and her gaze automatically lands on Jeongguk. His face is immediately wiped from what, for a split second, looked like fright. Worry. He’s back to indifference, looking behind his shoulders, and she figures she must have imagined it.

”Can you walk?” Namjoon’s voice pulls her back, his figure now standing tall in front of her. She nods, shaking off the overwhelment, and assures she’s okay. Namjoon doesn’t believe her until she’s forced to take a walking test, going back and forth for one minute before he’s fully convinced she hasn’t twisted her ankle or anything.

When they set off again, laughter bubbles up between them as Namjoon cheekily makes fun of her squeal and her clumsiness, and Eunbi lightly shoves him. She’s glad she’s going through this with him; it’s making them closer and she finds they have so much more in common than she initially thought.

For a moment, she regrets not even sitting down for a second to rest, her feet protesting in her old Converses, but she quickly realises the other alternative and prefers having her legs hurt over being in the presence of Jeongguk, surrounded by quiet, and nature, and all the possible existent reasons to be kind to each other. Which they’re not really planning on doing, right now.

Even more with Iseul there. Eunbi doesn’t know why, but something about the girl rubs her the wrong way. It’s not like they ever got a chance to bond, but it feels like Iseul hasn’t even tried. They don’t have anything against each other, but the way she’s sticking to Jeongguk’s side after yesterday’s fiasco brings Eunbi to not really contemplate the possibility of them getting closer either.

The trail descends into a different path of the forest, this one denser and cooler, providing the duo with a break from the midday heat. Their pace is slower, and the talking quiets down too in favour of soaking in the tranquillity that surrounds them. Eunbi feels herself recover from the previous slip and sighs, this time contentedly.

The peace doesn’t last for long. Behind her shoulders, her ears pick up hurried footsteps, the cracking of the leaves stronger under them, the unmistakable sound of someone catching up. Eunbi doesn’t need to turn around to know who it is, she can sense his presence like an itch she can’t scratch. Jeongguk reaches her, his voice almost touching her neck, “Can you move out of the way?”

There’s plenty of space. Hell, the path could fit five trucks. Her eyes close momentarily, searching for all the strength she needs to resist the provocation. She steps aside, set on not paying him too much mind. She doesn’t want to be affected by his tone. She’s decided to let him be, and think what he wants of her.

Jeongguk doesn’t seem too fond of the silence he’s met with, though. Was probably expecting her witty impulses to react. But she ignores him. He walks past her, but it looks like his initial aim at surpassing her goes forgotten. His steps are shorter, not covering big distances anymore and keeping him at an arm’s length from her, Iseul beside him oblivious to the tension.

He looks back after Eunbi thought he would limit himself to the snappy tone, but she was wrong, obviously, the glint in his eyes daring her to respond, “Wow, you’re really slow.”

Eunbi tries not to snap, she really tries. Thinks of brushing the comment with a simple dismissing chuckle, pretending it doesn’t make her hand twitch. Her tongue poke her inner cheek. But it’s like the minimal sight of him gets her burning with annoyance.

“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t aware this was a marathon. Good luck winning!” Is this enough of a bitch answer? She hopes so, the smile that accompanies it deathly sarcastic. She just doesn’t want to deal with Jeongguk after last night. Fears the resentment is still too alive for her to handle it better.

Of course, he doesn’t back down from a good childish banter, though, “You’re still slow.”

”Well, I’m trekking.”

”And you’re seriously wearing Converses to do that.” His eyes fall to her feet with a delighted scoff. He’s unbelievable.

”So sorry I couldn’t afford trekking shoes.” The concern is clearly faked, and she hopes she just imagined Jeongguk rolling his eyes subtly.

”That’s why you’re slow.” He has the audacity to raise his eyebrows and shrug at Eunbi’s speechless state, the argument resulting in the dumbest interaction she’s had in days, leaving her pissed nonetheless.

Jeongguk rewinds his fast paced walk, not really considering poor Iseul trying to keep up with him. Both her and Namjoon are left disoriented with the meaningless bickering they found themselves spectators of, but they wisely stay silent to prevent stirring the pot further.

Eunbi, however, doesn’t even notice the sudden quiet, the thoughts screaming in her brain making up for it. She feels completely blindsided. All those times she tried to make even the smallest kind of conversation with him, she was ignored. Her smiles, kind requests and efforts to maintain a friendly demeanour— completely fucking dismissed. And now, just when she’d decided the best thing she could do for both of them was to back off, to give them each the space they needed to avoid any further animosity, what does he do? He searches for it. Purposefully searches for it, as if he wants to provoke some kind of reaction out of her. She’s so fed up. What’s his deal? Why seek out conflict when they were finally starting to find some semblance of peace in their indifference? It’s infuriating. She can’t help the small growl of frustration that escapes her lips. God, what an asshole.

A small scoff from Namjoon pulls her out of her daze, and she glances his way, her face a picture of confusion and irritation. The boy shakes his head, a faint, amused smile playing on his lips, “He can be, sometimes.”

It’s only then that she realises she must have muttered her last thought out loud. She laughs softly at her slip, sheepishly brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “Sorry about that. We’re just… not exactly on good terms, right now.”

Namjoon is silent as her admission hangs in the air, unpressured. Instead, he just nods, his eyes reflecting a quiet empathy, inviting but not intrusive. He’s giving her the choice, whether she wishes to open up or carry that baggage on her own. It’s not like he’s oblivious to the tension between her and Jeongguk; the whole group would agree it has been evident ever since Eunbi joined. But neither she nor Jeongguk offered any explanations, so there was no choice but to adapt to the hostility. Dahye had only once hinted at the fact that they’d known each other for a long time, letting it slip casually, much to Eunbi’s silent dismay, but beyond that, no other details were ever shared.

Eunbi hesitates. She trusts Namjoon, the way she trusts the others, really— would vomit all her feelings on his t-shirt right now. But it wouldn’t feel right to give only her side of the story, knowing Jeongguk has lived in the dark about certain truths for years. He probably harbours his own complicated feelings, ones he’s kept close to his chest for a long time, feelings that would be overshadowed by her own if she spoke out of turn. She doesn’t think it’s her place to say what happened.

The silence stretches on, and Eunbi is more conflicted with each passing second. Her eyes drift to the figure of Jeongguk moving farther away, his silhouette becoming smaller with every step until he rounds a corner and disappears from view. With him goes the moment, the possibility of Namjoon ever knowing what happened, at least from her. He seems to accept this, doesn’t push her to speak, and she appreciates it when he shifts the conversation, making a light-hearted comment about the trees and their unusual shapes. She smiles.

The afternoon sun beats down on them, making the air thick and sticky. Time drags on, more hours roll by, the trail winding endlessly through the woods. They find spots to sit now and then, taking short breaks to catch their breath. But the further they trek, the more Eunbi grows frustrated. Her calves ache, muscles burning from the climb, and she has to stop every so often to rub at them, cursing under her breath. Namjoon forces himself to not laugh at that, instead keeping his usual calm and patient, assuring her with a grin that they’re almost there. Though she’s pretty sure he’s just saying that to keep her spirits up.

Eventually, their slow pace brings them closer to some of the others who had lagged behind. They all wear the same weary expressions, the exhaustion etched into their features. They try to relieve some of it by distracting themselves from the thought of their feet hurting, one of them starting a game of Guess the Song by humming the melody. It quickly dissolves into a mess of off-key notes and missed beats, their tired brains unable to keep up, and it’s not long before they’re all laughing. The kind of belly laughs that make your sides ache.

Eunbi finds herself genuinely enjoying the moment, forgetting all about asking to sit down every five minutes, even catching herself humming along. She discovers Taehyung has quite a talent for singing, and notices how blatantly obvious Aera’s crush on him is.

By the time they finally reach the campsite, Eunbi feels a wave of relief wash over her, so strong it nearly brings tears to her eyes. The sun has started its descent, casting a golden glow over the clearing, and the heat of the day is beginning to be replaced by a cool, refreshing breeze that lifts the hair from her sweaty neck. She falls into step beside Dahye, who has reappeared after what feels like hours spent with Jimin. They don’t need words; they walk side by side in silence, until the shorter one bumps her shoulder lightly against Dahye’s, a knowing smile on her lips.

“Shut up,” the taller one rolls her eyes at the unspoken tease, though the grin on her face suggests she’s anything but annoyed.

Eunbi’s hands are immediately up in the air, mocking innocence, ”Didn’t say a single word.”

”Sure, you didn’t.” Dahye retorts, but her tone is playful. “Anyways, the others want to hit the lake before dinner. You in?”

”I’ll pass. I need a nap. I’m dead tired from all this. When I catch Hoseok, I swear.” Eunbi’s voice is half-joking, half-serious, her narrowed eyes suggesting she may be even a bit too serious, and Dahye just laughs.

They part ways, Eunbi disappearing in her tent and relishing the thought of a few quiet moments to herself. As much as she loves the company, sometimes it drains her. Sometimes, she just needs a moment to breathe, be with her own self and nobody else. Especially given the amount of times her sanity has been tested during the first two days of this trip.

Sleep comes to her easily, pulling her under as soon as her head hits the small, makeshift pillow. The muffled sounds of her friends outside — splashes from the lake, bursts of laughter — soothe her into a deep, much-needed, dreamless rest.

When she stirs awake, the sun has already dipped below the horizon, and she can feel the noises from the group much closer now. The air is filled with the mouth-watering aroma of roasting meat and vegetables, and it’s said delicious smell that puts her five senses to operate again. Her stomach grumbling wakes her before Dahye can, the tent flaps open just as her friend was about to poke her head inside.

Eunbi blinks awake groggily, stumbling out bleary-eyed, and Dahye mercilessly laughs at her still half-asleep face, “You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

”Fuck you.”

The teasing is playful, and Eunbi cheekily grins as her friend giggles. She wraps a hoodie around her shoulders to ward off the growing chill and keep some of the warmth from the nap, then makes her way to the fire where the others are gathered. When they take in her sleep-dazed state, they don’t miss a beat and start poking fun at her, pulling her hood up over her head or sneakily tickling her sides until she’s laughing despite herself. The laughter feels good, like a release, and she finds herself slowly waking up, becoming more aware, more present.

A large campfire crackles in the centre of the group, its flames dancing in the cool evening air, Yoongi and Seokjin in charge of dinner. Someone’s turned on a portable speaker, and soft music drifts through the campsite, blending with the sounds of laughter and the sizzle of food. Eunbi sits back, letting the warmth of the fire seep into her skin, content to simply listen, to watch the way the firelight plays across everyone’s faces.

It’s almost too easy to relax into the peaceful rhythm of the evening, her still vulnerable brain unwinding the tension she wasn’t aware of from her shoulders. The heat of the fire, the hum of laughter, and the quiet murmur of conversation blend together, creating a cocoon of comfort she hadn’t realised she needed. It’s as she starts letting herself be taken over by that familiar, soothing calm — the same one she’d found in her tent — that a faint alarm goes off in her brain. Its tiny beep only grows louder until it’s impossible to ignore. Something’s off. Her contentment feels misplaced. Like she’s forgotten a crucial detail that’s only now creeping back into her awareness.

The realisation slams into her like a wave, jolting her fully awake, the moment her gaze lands on Jeongguk. Suddenly, everything snaps back into sharp focus. His face, illuminated by the flickering firelight, is a stark reminder of the reality she had temporarily escaped. The events of the past few days come rushing back. Right, quick recap: she’s on Jeongguk’s birthday trip. Jeongguk, who can’t stand the sight of her. Jeongguk, who had called her a bitch last night. How could she almost forget that minor detail?

So here she is, in the middle of the woods, surrounded by friends and food, but all she can focus on is Jeongguk. The one person here who probably wishes she wasn’t. No sense dwelling on it now, though. She’s there, there’s no going back. Her only aim is to make it through the night. Make it through the night without repeating yesterday, or making things even worse. For that to happen, she just has to ignore the object of her epiphany like she has been trying to ever since the stressful day started. She hopes he’ll be smart enough to do the same.

It seems like it when dinner goes by without any notable tension, which is a small miracle in itself. Jeongguk seems just as engrossed by the food as she is, its hot, comforting and delicious taste being a welcome distraction, especially with that distinct smoky flavour from being cooked over the open fire. Everyone is too busy devouring their meals to talk much, but their sparkling eyes speak with gratitude for their hyungs’ magic hands. Eunbi uses the unusual quiet to gaze up at the sky, the stars slowly coming out to dot its darkening blue.

Though, peace never lasts long with this group. Jimin breaks the silence as he cracks open a beer bottle with a grin that spells mischief, “Let’s play a game.”

Taehyung, already leaning back in his chair with a lazy smile, nods, chiming in, “Since we’ve got alcohol, how about Never Have I Ever?”

”Just don’t ask stupid questions because you want to get drunk,” Dahye warns, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Her comment earns a round of laughter, easing the tension that had settled during the quiet, their voices soon overtaking the crackling of the fire once again.

Jimin hands the beer bottles, making sure everyone has one as he sits back with a teasing glint in his gaze. He locks eyes with Dahye, challenging her, “Okay, I got the perfect one, then. Never have I ever… pooped.”

The absurdity of the statement catches the others off guard, and they all erupt in silly chuckles, taking a sip. Except for Dahye, who sits there with a perfectly straight face. Jimin raises an eyebrow, expectantly waiting for her to drink, but she just shrugs, “Girls don’t poop.”

The girls echo her sentiment with mock seriousness, filling the camp with sarcastic agreements and playful banter, while a debate kicks off between Dahye and Jimin about the biological impossibility of her assertion. It’s cut short when Iseul eagerly starts smacking Jeongguk’s thigh by her side, her excitement palpable and getting everyone’s attention in the process, “Ooh, I got one! Never have I ever stolen something.”

Most of the group drinks at that, Yoongi snorting blatantly, and Iseul frowns in disappointment, expecting a different outcome. Dahye chuckles, “Babe, everyone’s stolen at some point. That was too easy. It’s okay, let’s just keep going. Jeongguk, your turn.”

Next to Iseul, Jeongguk seems to think for a moment, then he grins, “Never have I ever… rode a motorcycle.” He gulps down a big sip from his bottle.

”Are you looking to get drunk tonight, Ggukie?” It’s his best friend teasing him with wiggling eyebrows, and the younger just shrugs with a lazy smirk.

Eunbi drinks too, at that. Now that she thinks of it, the first and only time she was on a bike, Jeongguk was taking her home and she was holding her arms tight around his torso, his helmet secured under her chin and his jacket wrapped around her body. That’s the last nice gesture she’s seen from him, and the thought stirs something complicated in her chest. She glances at him without meaning to, catching his eye for just a second before they both look away.

Hoseok is quick with another question, “Never have I ever gone skinny-dipping.”

Only Seokjin and Sora drink, and the group teases them with a long, exaggerated holler. The two love birds share a sheepish smile, their faces turning a soft shade of pink under the firelight.

”We should all do that right now.” It’s Taehyung proposing it, his tone half-serious, half-challenging.

Dahye pulls a face, “The thought alone is making me want to vomit.” She mutters, and the laughter that follows becomes the soundtrack of their night for what feels like hours, the game stretching on with each question getting weirder and more personal.

The beer flows freely, and Eunbi finds herself relaxing more than she expected, her body sinking comfortably into her chair. She laughs at Hoseok’s ridiculous question about eating bugs and groans at Jimin recalling the time he laughed so hard he pissed his pants as an adult, sipping on her bottle as the group continues to tease one another.

The loop restarts for the nth time, Iseul piping up again, “Never have I ever sneaked out.”

Surprisingly, only Namjoon, Jeongguk and Eunbi drink this time. The reaction is immediate, the group’s interest piqued, Dahye curiously turning to her friend, “When was that, Bibi?”

Eunbi doesn’t register the implications of her light giggle, nor the way her eyes soften as she gets caught up in the memory, “Back when I was in middle school.” Young and restless, desperate for the thrill. Besides her forever best friend.

Always a bit more noisy than he should be, Hoseok chimes in, “Were you with anyone?”

She chuckles, the answer coming to her lips almost instinctively, “Oh, I was with—“ Her gaze flickers to Jeongguk, and suddenly the smile drops from her face. Right. She always seems to forget where they stand now. It’s like the kid inside her is still desperately clinging to those moments, fighting to have him back, to drag him into her orbit.

Jeongguk lets out a small scoff, barely audible over the crackling fire, but she catches it. His expression is closed off, guarded. Eunbi clears her throat, “Huh, it doesn’t matter.”

The air grows thick with tension, the silence that follows almost deafening. Some of them understand the awkwardness, sensing the history that neither Eunbi nor Jeongguk ever fully explained. Others, like Hoseok, are a little clueless. He turns to the other boy, grinning like a cat who caught the canary, “Ooh, Ggukie, you drank too, right? Who was it with?”

Jeongguk shrugs, a dark, unamused smirk spreading across his lips. His eyes don’t leave Eunbi, his tone sarcastic but cold, “Apparently, it doesn’t matter.”

The affronted girl narrows her eyes, trying to mask the sting of his tone. The jab hits deeper than she’d like to admit, even more when they both know exactly why she said that. Why she had to say it. Unspeakable words are plastered on their wounded expressions, but she looks down at her hands before her heart betrays her, fighting its way up her throat to scream them all out.

It’s ironic how the questions that follow feel like one stab after the other, almost purposefully touching a raw nerve from the past, memories she’d rather not revisit now. Never have I ever used someone else’s toothbrush. Never have I ever climbed out a window. It’s small, silly moments that she knows — hopes — Jeongguk remembers too. And she can’t help but search for that sign of recognition in his face. Or anything, at this point. The slightest spark in his eyes. The imperceptible jolt of his hand. She wants to tell him. It matters. It matters. It matters.

But does it matter to him now? Did every single piece of the puzzle get lost in the storm? Did Jeongguk always feel so unreachable? Were his eyes always so devoid of light when he looked at her? She misses stargazing.

When the weight on her heart becomes too much to bear, the weariness from the day and the effects of the sleepless night tangling with the complicated emotions she’s feeling and translating into frustrated tears welling up in her eyes, she gets up muttering a half-hearted excuse about being tired and heads for her tent.

Inside, focusing on the fabric ceiling rather than both her heart and brain exceptionally teaming up only to scream at her to find a way to escape from all this (maybe steal Namjoon’s car keys, or swim her way back to the city), she wills her eyes to close and begs whatever god who might be listening to spare her from more misery. Just for tomorrow. Please.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The divinities Eunbi tried to reach with her desperate pleas must have been terribly busy last night, because tomorrow is here and it’s charged with even more tension and hostility than she thought they could ever harbour for one another.

Today’s activity is canoeing, and with the surprisingly adequate amount of sleep she managed to get, her first approach is even optimistic. She’s decided to start off with the positive mindset that things couldn’t possibly get any worse. Sat in the small two-person canoe, she’s determined to steer the day in a better direction, to navigate the rough waters of their fraught relationship. Even if a new wave of something worse than what already happened is aimed directly at her, she’d be able to handle it.

Only thing she didn’t exactly consider was the counterpart of the clash possibly not sharing the same intentions as hers. Which is exactly what is happening, Jeongguk never backing down from stirring the pot further only to obtain a rank, grisly soup made with pettiness and resentment, spoon-feeding it to her with every chance he gets. Though she can still say she’s tasted worse from him, the bitterness lingers, coating her tongue like bile.

The setting for their little showdown is picturesque, almost mockingly so. The river glimmers under the afternoon sun, its surface reflecting a golden hue that dances across the water, and the hills in the distance are bathed in a soft, amber glow. Nature itself is trying to soothe the tension, yet it only seems to amplify the dissonance. The universe must be testing her. Can you handle this one, Bee?

The group naturally splits off into pairs, reflecting yesterday’s layout, with Eunbi and Namjoon finding themselves navigating together, just as Dahye is with Jimin, and Jeongguk with Iseul. It starts off peacefully enough. They glide slowly along the river, their paddles dipping gently into the water, the only sound the quiet murmurs of conversation and the occasional splash.

Eunbi allows herself to relax. She chuckles at Namjoon’s poor attempts at taking aesthetically pleasing pictures of her, then shows him how it’s done when she points the camera at him, sealing the moment with a lovely shot of her friend enveloped in an ochre light, his dimples sheepishly showing. She grazes the cold water with her finger, getting lost in the simple way it dances with her movements. She closes her eyes and tilts her face up to the sun, letting its warmth seep into her skin.

Though she should have anticipated the serenity being almost surreal, and should have considered herself deranged to even think it could continue like that. She’s pulled out of her moment when the water beside her canoe suddenly churns with agitation.

What she sees on her right is a sight that throws all the optimism and positivity from this morning right in the bin, and replaces it with the effects of Jeongguk’s wicked soup. Said chef shoots past her at an unnecessary, almost reckless speed for what’s supposed to be a leisurely excursion among friends. His canoe slices through the water with aggressive precision, sending ripples crashing against Eunbi’s boat. See, she would keep her composure in any other situation; would continue straight on her path of ignoring him, no matter how unsuccessful the previous attempts had been. She’s afraid she’ll keep failing, though.

And it’s really just because when she sees how he’s paddling with a furious intensity, his muscles straining with effort while Iseul is squealing and screaming in front of him, her hands gripping the sides of the boat as she begs him to slow down, it’s clear Jeongguk is doing it on purpose. Acting out another one of his plans to get a reaction out of her, not caring how down things could go at that point. Why should she, then? It’s when his eyes lock onto hers as he passes, daring to push all her buttons, that she finds her answer.

Eunbi’s blood boils. She’s speechless with the immaturity, but best believe she’s coming on ten times stronger with it. She just can’t wrap her mind around the fact that it seems the more she tries to interact with him, the more she gets pushed away; but the more she keeps her distance, the more he seeks for her reaction. What is he trying to prove? What is he aiming to get out of her? Eunbi doesn’t exactly have time to entertain the moral, rational part of her brain and puzzle over his motives, her own childishness busying her with gripping the paddles tight, her knuckles turning white as she channels all her frustration into rowing. She puts all the strength she can muster to try and catch up to Jeongguk without popping a vein. Namjoon notices the sudden shift in pace, even if minimal with Eunbi’s laughable efforts at moving faster, nonetheless startled by the abrupt burst of energy.

”Bi, what are you—“

”Joon, help me overtake Gguk.” It’s said through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes, fixated only on the target ahead. Namjoon is disoriented. Does she even realise the use of the nickname? It doesn’t look like that as she keeps going undeterred, even with her companion initially not collaborating, too confused to settle on what to do. Eventually, he sighs and grips his own paddle, deciding to help his friend in whatever battle she’s waging. He glances back to see just how far Jeongguk has gotten and shakes his head.

”You two are literal kids, you do know that?” Namjoon mutters, his comment going ignored.

Jeongguk, meanwhile, senses them closing in. A competitive glint flashes in his eyes. He doubles down, paddling harder, sending more water splashing in every direction. Eunbi isn't far behind, and for a moment it feels like they’re the only two on the river, locked in this ridiculous race. They’re both too stubborn to back down, too caught up in their own challenge to notice how idiotic they look.

Namjoon sighs again, raising his voice over the chaos, “Guys, seriously, this is getting out of hand.”

Iseul echoes his concern, a nervous edge to her voice, “Yeah, Joon’s right. Please, Ggukkie? We’re getting too far away from the others. It’s going to be a nightmare rowing back!”

Her whines go unnoticed by Jeongguk, who keeps his gaze straight on Eunbi as she has managed to catch up and is now beside him, mirroring that same flame in her orbs. He distractly acknowledges the two innocent spectators, “I just wanted to go and see… that thing over there.” He calls back, voice strained as he keeps his eyes locked on his rival. He doesn’t even know what he’s pointing at— there’s nothing but more water and distant trees.

”Oh, that… thing,” Eunbi adds, equally unconvincing. They exchange a glance, both wearing narrowed eyes and gritted teeth, determined not to be the first to admit defeat.

Their canoes race neck and neck, the water splashing around them as if reflecting the tension in the air. It’s a childish competition, one that speaks to their unresolved feelings, both wanting to interact, to be noticed by the other, but neither willing to show it’s because they care.

And mostly, it’s messy. Definitely not what two people should be attempting to do on their first time canoeing. On one side, their inexperience comes handy as it doesn’t completely isolate them from the starting point, but it still shouldn’t be happening. And it becomes more and more frantic as shown by their drawn faces and clumsy movements. A disaster of any kind should have been predicted at any second from that only.

It happens when Jeongguk leans too far over the edge, his canoe wobbling dangerously. Iseul lets out a high-pitched scream, gripping the sides of the boat. Eunbi’s heart leaps into her throat, all thoughts of their petty race forgotten in an instant.

“Gguk, careful!” She shouts, her voice thick with concern. Without thinking, she reaches out with her paddle, trying to steady his canoe from a distance. For a moment, everything else falls away— the tension, the bickering, the hurt. All she sees is him, about to fall, and her instinct to protect him kicks in.

Jeongguk manages to regain his balance just in time, his canoe righting itself with a lurch. Everything pauses. He lets out a breath of relief, a small, surprised chuckle escaping his lips. Eunbi exhales too, a soft, almost involuntary smile forming on her face. It lasts a second, but it feels like more when they share a look different from all the others. Relief. I’m glad you’re safe. Recognition. Thank you. Stillness.

But then reality snaps back into place. They both realise what they’re doing, and their expressions harden almost simultaneously. Eunbi quickly looks away, her face flushing with embarrassment. Jeongguk mutters, self-reproaching, “God, this is so stupid.”

The brief moment of softness vanishes the instant Eunbi catches his words, and she snaps, her voice rising childishly with indignation, “You started this!”

Jeongguk scoffs, “Me? You’re the one who wanted to overtake me!”

“You were the one paddling like a maniac!”

“I literally almost fell in the water because of you.”

Eunbi’s eyes get unbelievably wider with disbelief, a sarcastic laugh escaping her, “Oh, that was not because of me. That’s because you are incompetent.”

“Don’t throw big words at me now.”

“Sorry, I’ll lower my vocabulary down for you to understand.”

The childish bickering stretches on for astonishingly long minutes, the volume of their voices rising over the gentle sounds of the river. Namjoon, who had been rowing quietly, finally has enough. With a frustrated sigh, he takes the paddles and makes it his own solo mission to row back toward the others by himself, muttering under his breath, “I can’t believe I have to do this.”

His comment is mostly drowned out by the relentless sparring between Eunbi and Jeongguk, who are too engrossed in their argument to notice that Namjoon is now paddling alone, their strained voices echoing across the water. Jeongguk even goes as far as to row his canoe back behind his hyung’s just so he can have the last word in. It’s ridiculous, really— a silly argument born from a place neither of them is willing to acknowledge.

“Wow, that’s real mature of you, Eunbi. What’s next, you gonna stick your tongue out at me?”

She bristles, her cheeks flushing with the effort the rage is taking out of her, “I might as well if you keep acting like a dick!”

Jeongguk sneers, “Oh, please. I’m not the one who started this whole stupid race.”

Eunbi is aware the more she keeps it going, the more she’ll fall right into his trap but she fears she’s already too deep to back down now, “You were showing off!”

“And you were just so jealous you couldn’t stand it.”

“Enough! Both of you!” It’s Namjoon who finally snaps, his voice cutting through the chaos like a whip. He gives the oars a decisive pull, the canoe cutting through the water with renewed force. His voice is stern, and much different from the calm tone Eunbi has grown accustomed to, his patience had clearly worn thin, “I can’t believe I’m stuck in the middle of this… whatever this is. My ears are bleeding. If you two want to sort out whatever childish feud you’re having, do it on dry land. And away from me.”

The sudden authority in the older guy’s voice silences them both, and the quiet that falls upon them is as much a blessing as deafening. There’s a beat of awkward tension as they both realise how ridiculous they must look. Two grown adults behaving like squabbling children and shut down by their yelling, frustrated father. The reality of the situation finally starts to sink in. They’re too far from the rest of the group, their petty race having pulled them far off, all because of their stubbornness and bruised egos.

What follows is what should have surrounded them right from the beginning, stillness only interrupted by the flushing of the water as it gets caressed by their paddles rowing back to their initial position. Eunbi’s face burns with embarrassment, and with the realisation of how low she’s stooped. The urge to apologise to Namjoon itches at the back of her throat, but pride prevents her from doing it in front of Jeongguk.

No one dares add a word, not even a breath too loud, the tension lingering but now tinged with a sense of shame. Other than the rhythmic splash of their oars and the distant laughter of their friends, the only sound that can be occasionally heard is Namjoon’s bewildered scoffs and muttered comments. The other two know better than to cut the thin thread they’re all clutching onto.

But the chop comes, and it’s Iseul’s voice breaking the silence, soft and tentative, “You know, we’re all here to have fun. Can we just… try to get along for a little while?”

Eunbi has to bite her tongue. Otherwise, she fears any words that might leave her lips could permanently push Iseul away from the already slim possibility of them becoming friends. She keeps her eyes closed, a long exhale escaping her lips, irritation flaring up at the simplicity of the comment. As if it hadn’t already crossed her mind that they should be getting along. What a genius idea, truly.

Jeongguk seems to notice the tense silence that follows, especially the tightness in Eunbi’s expression and how Iseul’s well-meaning comment has only added fuel to the fire. He turns to his companion and offers her a reassuring smile, even if it feels a bit forced, “It’s okay, Isu. Let’s just head back.” His tone is gentle, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere, the nod that accompanies it recognising her effort, as well as its effective uselessness.

Taking in Jeongguk’s unnecessary, oversweet tone towards the other girl involuntarily causes Eunbi to scoff audibly, the sound loud and deliberate, followed by nothing. She keeps her gaze fixed on the water, refusing to look at either of them. But she feels Jeongguk’s narrowed eyes on her, “What now?”

”Nothing,” Eunbi mutters, the sarcasm in her tone cutting through the air. “Just love how you can turn on the charm when it suits you.”

Jeongguk’s jaw tightens for what feels like the nth time, fearing a possible cramp soon affecting the muscles of his mouth, but he keeps his response measured, “I’m just trying to not make this worse.”

A fake coo follows, Eunbi’s voice mockingly replicating his sudden calmness, “Oh, how nice of you, Ggukkie.”

“For the love of God, will you two drop it? Please?” Namjoon’s frustrated groan interrupts once again the bickering from stretching on, his patience truly at its limit. He increases the pace of his rowing, as if trying to physically distance himself from the scene.

The uncomfortable silence lingers for the rest of the paddling back, and it stretches on endlessly, mirroring the distance they’ve travelled in their pointless, self-inflicted race. If it isn’t the consequences of their own stupid actions. Eunbi dips her paddle in the water with more intention, fixating on the ripples spread out from each stroke, refusing to meet Namjoon’s annoyed gaze. She’s ashamed of the way she’s let her emotions and bottled up feelings rule a situation that could have been easily avoided, though she stubbornly refuses to fully acknowledge it, let alone admit that she might be in the wrong.

Still, Eunbi uses the time it gets to reach the shore to work on her breathing, counting every pause between her exhales, willing to free her mind from the chaotic flow of thoughts before she regrets letting them cling to her like a shadow and cause a bigger scene. The sight of the land approaching should bring some relief, but instead it only amplifies the sense of urgency gnawing at her. The moment the canoe nudges against the land, the sun beginning its descent, bathing the landscape in a warm light, Eunbi wastes no time making herself aware of her surroundings, as she’s already on her feet, moving with a speed that betrays her desperation to escape the tension that’s been suffocating her.

She’s unsteady as she steps out, the ground feeling oddly solid beneath her after the wobbly rhythm of the canoe. Namjoon notices her haste and instinctively reaches out to steady her, but she’s stepping away, her shoes sinking into the damp shore.

”I’m going back to the campsite,” Eunbi says, her voice clipped, the words barely more than a whisper after the raw shouting followed by complete muteness.

Namjoon, still seated, frowns as he looks up at her. Concern clouds his features, and he’s quick to offer, “Wait for me, I’ll take you back.”

Eunbi shakes her head, her refusal as gentle as it is resolute. A tight-lipped smile plays on her lips, though it doesn’t reach her eyes, “You should stay and enjoy the rest of the day.”

There’s a sheepish, unspoken apology written in her eyes, a fleeting look of regret that she’s too proud to voice. She unconsciously scrunches her nose, a telltale sign of her lingering embarrassment, and doesn’t even register Namjoon’s nod as she turns to start walking, eager to put distance between herself and the situation, but mostly from Jeongguk’s attentive eyes still throwing jabs her way.

As she walks back to the tents, Eunbi’s mind is already racing ahead to dinner. It’s been her biggest concern for a while now, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach, an instinctive dread that tonight will go as badly as she fears. Dinner always seems to bring out the worst in them, the frustration of the day simmering just below the surface until it boils over and erupts in sharp words and bitter exchanges. She can feel that exact feeling brewing dangerously in her stomach, but she knows she’d rather suppress it than have it consume her completely only for more pieces of her heart to break.

Dropping onto one of the deck chairs around the campsite, she waits for it to dissipate with her knees up to her chest. It’s hard at first, the sudden quiet too loud and overwhelming her with the pent up exasperation from today. It only fuels that part of her that still hasn’t moved on from the very first night, the one that set the tone for everything that followed, who harbours anger and spite for what Jeongguk had spat in her face with apparently no remorse. She wants to get back at him, to make him regret those words, to hurt him as much as he’s hurt her. But the bigger, remaining part of her knows she’s already done enough of that.

Would it even be worthy? What would she gain from it? Would getting back at Jeongguk truly bring her any peace, or would it only deepen the rift between them? She knows the answer, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow. Normally, she wouldn’t let any other person get away so easily with such a comment, but with Jeongguk, she’s aware he has lived with worse feelings for years, and that probably isn’t even the worst of what his heart holds. She’s not ready to wake that monster. Doesn’t know if she’s prepared to confront the truth behind the look he gives her. Doesn’t want to know if that truth is dictated by resentment, or if it’s all that’s left of her in Jeongguk’s view. Because if she’s honest with herself, no matter how angry she is, she can’t deny that she understands why he feels this way. And that understanding, more than anything, is what terrifies her the most.

Hours slip by in a blur, Eunbi stilling on her chair and giving space for her thoughts to unleash before it’s too late to put a collar back on again. The sun continues its descent, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, and when it dips down the horizon, the campfire that has been just a pile of logs earlier is now crackling with life, its warmth spreading through the group as they gather for dinner. The smell of grilled food wafts through the air, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest and the cool breeze.

It’s a comforting atmosphere, one that’s filled with laughter and easy conversation, but Eunbi is yet to be shaken out her trance to realise none of what she fears is reflecting in the reality surrounding her. Only when Dahye finds a spot on the seat next to hers and launches into a breathless retelling of apparently the craziest experience she’s had so far during the trip earlier at the river, Eunbi reconnects with the present, and disconnects from the almost maniac way she’s been analysing her thoughts alone all evening.

As she follows Dahye’s lips moving, acknowledging her with small nods and chuckles that the storytelling gets out of her, she finds she’s been making one huge mistake all this while. She’s always been so wrapped up in her own fears, her need to control the narrative and anticipate the next emotional blow, that she’s missed the simple reality of what’s unfolding around her. The night easily moves forward without the weight of her expectations pressing down on it.

Maybe she doesn’t have to anticipate every move, every subtle shift in the atmosphere. Maybe she doesn’t have to keep trying to predict what Jeongguk might say or how the night might fall apart. For the first time, she lets herself be present— really present. She lets herself feel the warmth of the fire, hear the laughter of her friends without reading too much into it, lets herself stop preparing for a storm that isn’t coming.

There’s a quiet revelation in that. Tonight, she doesn’t want to brace herself for another argument or another disappointment. She can simply allow the peace of the moment to wash over her, instead of waiting for the worse. And by the time the stars are twinkling overhead and her tummy is full, she allows herself to let go of the anger and just be.

It’s when they start another one of their games that she fully lets her guard down and doesn’t focus on anything in particular, just how genuine her laughs resound in her own ears. Once again, it’s Jimin suggesting it, eyes twinkling, “How about a story-telling challenge? We each say one line and keep the story going around the circle.”

Eunbi chuckles and nods, feeling a flicker of excitement at the idea. It’s been a while since she’s done something as silly and spontaneous. They all shuffle closer, forming a tight circle around the fire, the flickering flames dancing in their eyes. Taehyung starts them off, his voice solemn as he leans in, “Once upon a time, in a forest much like this one, there was a squirrel who could sing opera.”

It’s impossible to keep straight faces at first, but they all try. The mock-seriousness in Taehyung’s tone only makes it funnier, and the story takes off from there, spiralling into absurdity. Hoseok follows up, voice filled with faux sorrow, “And this squirrel, right? He had a tragic backstory. He lost his most precious acorn in a dramatic flood.”

The more the tale escalates, the more their giggles can’t be stopped, with the squirrel also being a secret agent for a woodland spy network side by side with his best friend, a tap-dancing raccoon who dreamed of opening a dance studio in the big city. Seokjin adds that the talented animal was also training to perform in a world-renowned animal talent show, but was being sabotaged by a jealous porcupine who could juggle flaming pinecones.

Yoongi, usually the voice of reason, surprisingly leans into the layers of idiocy rather than trying to steer it back to some semblance of order, “The porcupine is actually being helped by an evil ninja rabbit who only speaks in riddles.” His voice carries a playful tone, and Eunbi can’t help but reflect his same look on her own face— unforced, genuine.

The fire crackles louder in response, almost as if laughing along with them and cheering them on. By the time the story comes back around to Jimin, he leans in with a grin caught up in the fun, “And then! The raccoon finally achieves his dream of opening a dance school in the city where all the animals can learn tap-dancing and perform in the biggest talent show ever.”

There’s a beat of silence before they all burst out laughing again, though this time it’s mixed with good-natured teasing. Namjoon chuckles and shakes his head, “Okay, now you’re just projecting.“

Hoseok, grinning from ear to ear, chimes in, “Yeah, come on, you’re turning this into your own personal dream story.”

Taehyung, never missing a beat, adds, “Next thing you know, you’ll have the raccoon choreographing the whole animal kingdom.”

The teasing banter continues, the group’s laughter bouncing off the trees. But Eunbi, still a little out of sync with their inside jokes, blinks in confusion, “Wait, what? What do you mean, reflecting yourself?”

The laughter fades, and Jimin turns to her, a bit of a sheepish grin on his face, “Oh, it’s just… I’ve always loved dancing. It’s been a silly dream of mine to— you know, maybe open a dance studio when I’m older.”

Eunbi’s eyes widen, genuine surprise lighting her features, “Wow, I had no idea. That’s so cool, Jimin! Seriously, I didn’t know that about you.”

There’s a brief, awkward pause, in which Jimin’s smile softens at her reaction, but before he can say anything more, Jeongguk scoffs audibly. The sound cuts through the moment like a sharp blade. He’s leaning back, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowing at Eunbi with something between disdain and frustration but his tone unbothered, “That’s basic Jimin knowledge. Everyone knows that.”

Once again, Eunbi couldn’t have anticipated Jeongguk being on a completely different agenda. She should have known, she’s aware of that. But she hadn’t wanted to. She only wanted to go by the foolish belief that tonight would be different. That just for one evening they could coexist in the same space, be civil, even share a laugh.

It was a naive hope. And now, standing crosshairs of Jeongguk’s fiery glaze, not only with the glow of the flames, she realises just how mistaken she’s been. How stupid it was of her to think Jeongguk wouldn’t jump at the possibility of adding fuel to the fire. Because, right now, she finds herself utterly unprepared to read his clenched jaw, contrasting with the careless, almost indifferent posture he tries to maintain. She struggles to predict how it might develop if she uses a slightly different tone, or takes more time to respond.

She doesn’t remember moving around Jeongguk ever being this difficult. The physical closeness forced upon them by this trip only makes the emotional distance between them more glaring. They might be sitting around the same campfire, but it’s clear from the way he bristles at her every word, every gesture, that in Jeongguk’s mind, she’s universes away. And it’s exactly where he wants her to stay. No spaceship will bring her back. There’s nowhere she can land on his planet.

Eunbi’s exhaustion reaches its breaking point. She’s tired of pretending she’s okay with this. Fed up with letting remorse gnaw at her insides and reduce her to a punching bag for his barely-contained rage. Willing to take every fist thrown her way, rendering her vulnerable to his every attempt at breaking her down. Though what she feels is not resentment. It’s pure, bone-deep weariness. She doesn’t want to take this tug of war any further. If letting go of the idea of fixing things between them is what he wants, she’ll give him that.

With a sigh, she lowers her gaze to her hands for a moment, her fingers twitching unconsciously. Time and time again, she’s the reason why the group can’t go a few hours without being drawn into their venomous war.

Her eyes glisten with shame and helplessness as she looks back up, her voice reflecting anything but that weakness, its sharp and snappy tone overtaking the crackling fire, “What is your problem?”

Differently from the silence that stretched on after the unnecessary jab caught her by surprise, each second going by the ticks of a bomb ready to explode and wipe out the frivolity of the night, Jeongguk doesn’t hesitate. Doesn’t even give her the courtesy of pretending to think it over. His response comes swiftly, harshly, as if he’s been waiting for the question all night, “My problem? My problem is that you’re here.”

Eunbi can’t help but scoff. It’s not meant to be arrogant, nor mocking. It’s almost an instinctive reaction, a defence mechanism against the disbelief that rises in her throat. Her words drip with sarcasm, though her voice remains calm, “Oh, I’m sorry I wanted to do something nice for you with the others.”

Jeongguk’s gaze is steady, unwavering, and his next words land like a punch to the gut, “Well, you shouldn’t have. You shouldn’t be here.”

Though she can say she’s gotten better at enduring, it still stings. None of that shows on her face, unflinching, neutral. A biting smile tugs at her lips, though it doesn’t reach her eyes, “Trust me, I know.”

There’s a pause— one brief, agonising moment where she thinks maybe, just maybe, this is still part of their aimless bickering that has been going on the past two days, a spat that will blow over.

But then Jeongguk speaks again, and his voice is so distant it’s even hard to hear him clearly, “I hope you do. You don’t belong here.”

Silence stretches on, the fire crackling softly the only sound between them. She’s sure everyone has stopped breathing, their exhales stuck up in their throat, afraid of releasing them, of stepping foot into something that doesn’t concern them.

Jeongguk’s eyes never leave hers, the coldness in them piercing through the thin veil of pretence they’ve both been clinging to. He doesn’t stop there, his voice deathly quiet, “Not with me. Not with the others. Can’t you see that?”

Eunbi’s heart lurches. She thinks she would prefer being called every name in the book. Have Jeongguk spit at her for all the pain she put him through. Say anything he wants about her being an awful person. But he knows just how to twist the knife. Still knows how to read her every faltering step, the doubts behind her eyes, the insecurities plaguing her mind. Surely, he also still knows how to be the one feeding her the desperate acceptance she needs, the assurance that none of her fears are true. So many times Jeongguk was there to swear she’s loved; that she wouldn’t be left alone ever again.

But now, he decides to use all that knowledge to spin it against her, to push all the right buttons that he knows will hurt her most. She doesn’t belong here. It’s what her mind has whispered to her over and over again since she stepped foot in his sacred circle, an outsider next to Dahye. She has been good at ignoring those hushed tones, to convince herself they’re lies. That these people are her friends, and they all see her as part of the group. That her fears were unfounded.

The proof her haunting thoughts have been right all along is in front of her though, and it presses down on her chest. It’s too much— too raw, too real. She should have seen it coming, but she’s still speechless. Her throat tight, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Though she refuses to let them fall for eleven pairs of eyes to watch. For his eyes to glow with satisfaction.

Eunbi manages to laugh bitterly, though the sound is hollow, “Right. Well, thanks for making it clear.” With her hands trembling slightly, hiding it by clenching them into fists at her sides, she pushes herself to her feet, “I’ll go now. Enjoy your night. Asshole.”

Her voice wavering on the last word, Eunbi turns and walks away from the fire, the warmth of it barely touching her anymore. She doesn’t let herself falter as she heads toward her tent, her footsteps hurried, the chill of the night settling in around her.

And as she shields herself from the outside world, its sounds accompanied by the group’s muttered voices escalating with agitation, words she won’t try to register, she doesn’t bother giving herself a headache trying to hold the tears in. This time, she lets them spill over freely, each one carrying the weight of every single one of her fears. She keeps the sobs in her chest, whimpering with the signals of panic taking over. And now more than ever, she really wishes she just wasn’t here.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

When it comes to this time of the year, Jeongguk inevitably becomes the worst version of himself. It’s a cruel irony that it all resurfaces right as his birthday approaches. It’s been that way for years now. In the beginning, when he was still in Busan, he found it hard to blow the candles on his cake without his shoulders feeling heavy, his eyes involuntarily searching for someone that was no longer there; with the unanswered questions dulling the sounds around, leaving him desensitised to the love so blatantly in front of him.

It took him a while to accept it, even with a missing spot unfilled. Jeongguk has never been good with changes. Has always lived by an unwavering, straight path on which he walked confidently, jumping over the cracks on the ground and ignoring any turns. The only deviation he allowed was the one that led him to Seoul. It was a long wait before the stoplight turned green, his own doubts plaguing him even with his parents’ encouragement; and when it did, he crossed the road alone reluctantly, glancing back more than once.

Jeongguk found that this lane was a little less preserved and far less predictable than the one he took his very first steps on. It was full of bumps, a lot of them causing him to trip and fall face first into the concrete. So many dead ends that forced him to make a choice, left or right. But on those same streets, he also recognised elements from the previous block: his love for filmography, the very reason he came to the capital; his mom’s goodnight tune, even over the phone; his thick Busan accent, instantly mirrored into Jimin’s own; the creeping dread as his birthday approached.

There are things he never fully got over, and every year, when August rushes to an end and September looms, he becomes highly aware of it. But over time, he’s learned to live with it. The questions that once consumed him have no answers, and he came to terms with the fact that he couldn’t help what happened. What he’s always had control over, however, was the small key to an even smaller room in his brain, where with great effort he locked Eunbi away once he turned 17.

She tried to break free multiple times, banging on the door and begging to be let out. Jeongguk even had to get maintenance on the lock. Eventually she quieted down, and only ever stirred whenever she knew September was coming from the little calendar she had hung up in the cramped space.

Jeongguk learned to handle it. The memories were still alive, but they didn’t hurt him the way they used to. They felt distant, resurfacing only when he himself noticed the final days of August being crossed on his own calendar. Using a red marker to draw those lines, his fingers still tingled with something close to familiar uneasiness. Sometimes, if it managed to spread to his whole body, it would overtake him, and in the days leading up to his birthday he’d snap more easily, feel more irritated.

But he’d gotten better at controlling it. Last year, his first time turning a year older in a place that wasn’t Busan, he didn’t even feel it. It might have been all the new, shiny people surrounding him in the small flat he was renting with Jimin, the fresh adrenaline from making sure he was feeding his friends with a fun time clouding every other thought. Back in that room, Eunbi peacefully slept through the entirety of it. Even forgot to wish him a happy birthday.

With the real Eunbi physically standing in front of him, all of Jeongguk’s efforts to keep her locked away shattered in one, insignificant instant. It only took a snap of the little-version-of-her in his brain for every wall he’d meticulously built to come crashing down. The door he had so carefully sealed off was now flung open, and little Eunbi burst through, running wild, mingling with thoughts she had no business messing with and wreaking havoc on all those parts of his mind that had been closed off, at least until that moment.

Behind her, an unstoppable flood of emotions he’d long buried surged in, filling his mind until it couldn’t hold any more. It spread to his chest, his heart straining under the weight of everything he didn’t want to feel. Little Eunbi, with her hair still short, worn bermudas, and a t-shirt stained with yellow paint, revelled in the chaos she was causing. She jumped and skipped back and forth between his brain and his heart, completely at ease, her presence so familiar yet entirely out of place. She seemed to enjoy every second of it.

And Jeongguk grew more and more unnerved by that. Little Eunbi was different from the Eunbi that avoided his gaze and awkwardly bowed. The latter had her hair longer, with short bangs softly brushing over her brows, her hands neatly manicured and her clothes spotless. She stood there, straight and put-together, a polished version of the girl who once got dirt all over herself and laughed too loud.

But what probably made him madder was that the more Eunbi started to find her place within the group, the more that seemingly dead part of her began to re-emerge, inching its way back into his life. It was like watching a ghost regain its form, piece by piece. The Eunbi he thought he had locked away was starting to blur with the present Eunbi, and every time she laughed it reminded him of how easy things had once been between them, back when her presence hadn’t been a thorn in his side but a constant comfort. Now, that sound twisted something deep in his chest, something he had long buried under layers of hurt and distance.

What frustrated him even more was that Eunbi seemed completely oblivious to it all. The way she eased into the group, gaining their acceptance, was infuriating. It was as if the distance between them meant nothing to her, as if she could waltz back into his life without consequence. The more they welcomed her, the more that old familiarity surfaced. She was becoming Eunbi again— the Eunbi who had once mattered. And that thought made his stomach churn.

It twisted even further when he found himself unconsciously reading into her every move. His knowledge of her, the way she used to be, crept into his mind without his consent, and he began to analyse her behaviour, picking apart her words and actions. It was almost instinctive, the way he could still understand her, still anticipate her moods. It only ended up poisoning him, because he soon realised those smiles — those little moments of reconnection to the past — were never directed at him. He could recognise her in the eyes of his friends, but never in his own.

Did she even care about what had happened between them? Did she think she could simply move on like none of it had affected him? Did she ever realise how deep those cracks still ran, or was he the only one haunted by the weight of their past?

At first, he forced the frustration to only translate into indifference. Bitter coldness. Not paying her presence too much mind, but still making sure she could feel his resentment dangerously tipping over the edge, and threatening to trip at any minute.

But the combination of his birthday approaching and Eunbi wandering around his space as if nothing ever happened caused the explosion. The rancorous version of himself, the one he thought he managed to successfully bury, now fought its way to the surface and dragged him back to square one: a freshly 16 years old Jeongguk with a freshly broken trust.

The intensity of those emotions hit him like a tidal wave, the kind that leaves you breathless, unable to distinguish between up and down. It wasn’t just anger. It was cold betrayal, and the sight of her, standing there so effortlessly among his friends on his birthday trip, made his skin prickle with irritation. Eunbi had slid into their plans with such ease, as if she belonged, and it was ironic considering she hadn’t even wanted to be in the same car as him.

Jeongguk only needed that last, littlest drop to fall, and with it, every ounce of restraint he had left evaporated. The thin thread of control he’d been clinging to snapped. He had thought he’d moved on, convinced himself that enough time had passed for him to handle her presence with maturity.

But he was wrong. Time hadn’t healed him like he’d hoped. Instead, it had just let the bitterness fester until now. He couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t hold himself back. The more he watched her fit in so naturally, laughing at someone’s joke or sharing a quiet moment by the fire, the more the frustration swelled in his chest. It was infuriating that she could act so unfazed, go up to him with a smile he has always recognised too well as if nothing ever was.

He didn’t even realise how tight the grip on his own emotions had been, until they were flooding out of him all at once. Jeongguk felt the words rising in his throat before he could stop them, the resentment spilling over like poison. And now he can feel the control slipping, the pain rushing to the surface like a dam had burst inside him. It’s almost addicting, even when his mind screams at him to stop, to take a breath. But his heart, the part of him still broken from all that time ago, drives him forward.

He needs her to feel it, needs it to be reflected in her eyes. This is what he’d been holding back for so long. This is the pain she’d left him with, and now he’s finally giving it back to her, forcing her to carry some of the weight. He isn’t the only one hurting anymore.

Each word that leaves his mouth is laced with venom, and he watches, wavering between satisfaction and regret, as they hit their target. Her eyes always widen slightly, the smallest flinch in her expression betraying her shock. For a second, he thinks he sees the cracks forming—tiny fissures in that calm, polished exterior she’d put on.

But the more he watches her crumble, the more he feels the bitter taste of victory sour in his mouth. There’s a part of him that hates what he’s doing. Hates that he has become the kind of person who lashes out like this, who takes pleasure in someone else’s pain. Especially hers. It’s like he’s caught in this vicious cycle of wanting to keep his distance but also wanting her attention. And the only way to get that is by hurting her before he himself can process his own hurt through different lenses.

Jeongguk knows he’s being unfair, but something in him can’t let it go. He‘s still simmering with unresolved anger, but there’s also a gnawing guilt, a nagging voice in his head telling him he’s pushing her too far, too hard. Last night, her eyes glossy with tears, he felt the pang that usually followed unleashing his poisonous words hit harder in his chest. He had picked his script with purpose, knowing exactly where to aim, only to shoot hard and leave her lifeless. She fought through the end to get her breaths out, until she couldn’t. Jeongguk waited for the sense of triumph to wash over him, but it never did.

Instead, her fragile figure retreating only after a weak attempt at returning even the smallest amount of the hurt she felt, Jeongguk still felt heavy. Heavy with remorse and guilt. Heavy with the pressure reflected in his friends’ eyes. And he couldn’t handle that. He stood up shortly after Eunbi left, his brain refusing to internalise Dahye’s affront and the group’s deafening silence.

Hours later, Jeongguk lies wide awake, his eyes staring into the void of the tent. He hasn’t been able to keep them shut for more than a minute, his mind a battlefield. He finds it’s impossible to resonate between the insatiable desire for revenge and the exhaustion rendering him numb to any possibility of feeding that need. There’s a part of him that just wants peace.

Glancing to his side, Jimin and Taehyung sleep soundly in the cramped space, blissfully unaware of the storm raging inside him. Neither of them had wanted to dive too deep into what happened, the spat words, the irrational rage constantly taking over their younger friend and keeping him stuck between fight and flight with no escape. Jimin only offered a soft pat on the shoulder and his warmest smile, “It’ll be okay, Jeonggukkie. Let’s just sleep now, hm?”

Jeongguk wishes it could have been as simple as Jimin made it sound. For his friends, it was. They both fell asleep without trouble, and Jeongguk is grateful for that. At least two out of three of them were getting the rest they deserved. Still, he’s careful not to wake them while he quietly slips out of the tent.

The early morning air is crisp, biting at his skin, but the sensation is grounding. Dawn is just beginning to break, soft light spilling over the horizon and casting everything in a faint glow. The quiet sounds of nature surround him, and though they don’t quite ease the weight in his chest, they provide a temporary lull. It’s the cool air caressing his face and threading through his hair that brings some sort of order.

His thoughts start to settle. They don’t feel like a stadium of shouting voices anymore. The yells quiet down and he’s able to sift through them now, picking each one apart, giving himself the space to breathe. It’s not perfect, but it’s better. He feels like he can move past this— if not for his own sake, then for the sake of the others.

Still, there’s one thought that refuses to be silenced. One question that lingers just beneath the surface, gnawing at the edges of his justified anger. It’s persistent, creeping into his mind with every inhale. Why does hurting her hurt him too?

It seems like the simplest of questions, but Jeongguk refuses to accept what appears to be the answer. It sits there, plain as day, yet he pushes it away. He doesn’t want to keep dissecting it, turning it over and over in his mind, trying to find any other plausible way out, but he can’t help himself. His thoughts spiral, stretching the minutes into what feels like eternity, until he loses track of time altogether. He zones out so deeply that when he finally snaps back, it’s only because the quiet sound of a tent zipper reaches his ears, followed by Hoseok’s hesitant head poking out.

Jeongguk blinks, suddenly aware that he’s been sitting in the same spot, on the same chair, staring at the same patch of dirt for who knows how long. Hours, at least. His body feels stiff, his mind trapped in an endless loop. He wonders if he’s lost his ability to pull himself out of this mental prison, if this is it. He’s stuck. His birthday is less than 24 hours away, and he’s more miserable than he’s been in months.

His chest tightens when he sees Hoseok walking toward him. Panic rises swiftly, because Hoseok had witnessed last night’s disaster. They all had. His hands clench into fists, his orbs trembling as doubt swarms his mind. Did he ruin the entire trip for everyone? Is the tension in the air his fault? Is he the cause of the awkward silence that lingered after he tore Eunbi apart with his words? Do they hate—

“Jeonggukkie? You okay?”

The softness in Hoseok’s tone almost makes Jeongguk flinch. It’s so gentle, filled with concern, and for a moment he questions everything he’s been telling himself. If Hoseok hated him, if any of them did, he wouldn’t be standing here now, looking at him with such care in his eyes.

Jeongguk only nods in response, the tension in his shoulders unwinding just a little as his older friend’s face softens into a sweet smile. There’s no judgement, no condemnation. Just quiet understanding. He waits in the lingering silence as Hoseok moves to freshen up. The moment he returns, settling into one of the chairs nearby, Jeongguk feels a sudden urge to speak clawing at his throat. He knows if he doesn’t start talking, the weight of the trap of his own mind will tighten around him again. So he talks, talks and talks about anything that doesn’t resemble the doom he was slipping into.

He’s a fugitive from his thoughts, and he keeps running even when more of the others join the small circle in the middle of the campsite. None of them seem to look at Jeongguk differently, the jokes flowing naturally as small laughs fill the quiet morning. It’s as if everything is as it should be, and he feels himself ease back into composure. Though, the guilt still lingers, heavy and unshakable. He ignores it.

The sun climbs higher in the sky, casting light above them and providing Jeongguk with warmth that he stores in his chest. He gets more of that from his friends’ smiles and the excitement flowing energetically out of them as Hoseok explains they’ll be cycling today, crossing scenic paths that round the campsite.

He watches as they all gather, geeking about today’s activity and stuffing their faces with as much food as they can get their hands on. The topic soon shifts to his birthday, which Jeongguk is particularly dreading. They’re already planning to get him wasted tonight, and the boy chuckles softly, though his laughter is hesitant, distracted.

His gaze keeps drifting to the one tent that hasn’t opened yet, the only place that remains closed off to the rest of the group. The only two people missing from their little circle haven’t joined yet, and it’s hard for Jeongguk to ignore that. To ignore her.

With more minutes going by and the tent unmoving, remaining still and almost mocking in its silence, he finds it even harder to focus on the laughter and the lightness of the morning. The world outside his head seems to move on without him, blissfully unaware of the turmoil inside him. On one side, he’s relieved that the attention has shifted away from him, that the day can unfold even without him being fully present. But that same realisation makes him feel like he’s teetering on the edge, dangerously close to falling back into the prison of his own thoughts.

Oblivious to it, his inner struggle is written all over his face, clear as day to anyone who cares enough to look. And Jimin notices right away. He doesn’t say anything at first, just reaches out to gently caress Jeongguk’s shoulder, the touch so light that the brown haired boy startles slightly before meeting his friend’s gaze. Jimin’s face is soft, a sweet smile tugging at his lips as he tilts his head, “Something on your mind?”

His tone is gentle, almost knowing. Jeongguk shakes his head, brushing off the concern, but his eyes flicker, and his own body betrays him when he instinctively turns once again to check for any movement from the tent. The subtle action doesn’t go unnoticed by the blonde, who hums and makes the other boy sigh wearily, an excuse ready on his lips, “I just haven’t had much sleep.”

“Why don’t you go call Eunbi and Dahye? They probably won’t get to have breakfast if we’re leaving soon.” Jimin’s suggestion comes with caution but it strikes a chord.

Jeongguk stares at his friend, though it feels more like he’s staring through him. The words hang in the air as he zones out, weighing his options. He doesn’t want them to miss breakfast, sure. And part of him just wants to check on them, to make sure they’re okay. Breathing, alive. Yeah, that’s it.

But a question lingers: is he ready to face Eunbi so directly? The task sounds simple enough—just call them over, remind them they’ll have to leave soon for the day’s plans. But the weight of last night still clings to him. What if he hasn’t recovered from the poison he spat? What if that anger rises up, unprovoked, and spills out again? Worse, what if he can’t say anything at all? Or what if Eunbi sees him and returns all the evil, even stronger and sharper? What if she hits back harder and he’s left bleeding on the ground?

The furious speed at which his thoughts churn makes Jeongguk’s head spin, a relentless loop that threatens to overtake him, before the weight on his lap pulls him back. He glances down to see a plate of food resting there—some leftovers from breakfast. When he looks back at his friend, Jimin’s gaze is comforting, “You could bring them this and check if they’re okay with leaving in 30 minutes, hm?”

Jimin is crouching beside him, eyes soft but knowing, not pushing or pressing for anything, but somehow encouraging him all the same. The reassurance he finds in his gaze is enough for Jeongguk. His rushed thought process slows down, and he has room to realise he was only letting irrational panic speak. There��s no reason why any of those scenarios and possible outcomes could roll out only from calling his friends (well, his friend and… Eunbi) over for breakfast.

Jeongguk nods as he stands, his movements stiff at first, his hands clutching the plate tightly. Even with the knowledge he doesn’t have to necessarily address Eunbi, each step toward the tent feels like he’s carrying the weight of the world. The ground beneath him crunches softly, and his heart unreasonably picks up. The idea of simply facing her makes him sick to his stomach. He doesn’t want to accept it, but it’s guilt that’s causing that.

He’s so consumed by trying to chase away his own thoughts he doesn’t immediately register he’s close enough now that he can see the outline of the closed tent flap. It takes him even more to discern the sounds coming from inside. At first, it’s just a faint noise—muffled, almost unintelligible.

But as he draws closer, it becomes clearer. His steps falter. Another second goes by before he places it, and then it hits him like a punch to the gut. Eunbi is crying.

Jeongguk’s body tenses. No, she’s sobbing. It feels like someone’s wrapped a hand around his heart and squeezed. Her words are barely comprehensible, choked-out syllables and pleading whispers. He can make out enough to know that she’s begging, almost desperately, for Dahye to take her away from here.

Jeongguk freezes, paralyzed by the intensity of each of her desperate gasps. The world around him fades. The raw sound of her pain consumes him, and it cuts through him in ways he didn’t anticipate. He had wanted this, hadn’t he? He had wanted to hurt her, to see her broken, see her exactly like this. He had succeeded. He thought it would somehow bring him peace, make things right. Then why does each sob that escapes her build a shattering pressure in his chest?

It all ended up feeling wrong. As if he’s the one falling apart, the one who can’t catch his breath. Her grief echoes in him, breaking pieces inside he thought were long buried. There’s that gnawing guilt, eating away at the anger he had used to justify everything.

With the cries growing louder in his ears, he finds an answer as to why it hurts to hurt her. And it’s a persistent whisper he can no longer ignore.

Jeongguk struggles. He struggles to process it all, his senses slow. He doesn’t know whether to walk away or step closer. His head is screaming at him to move, to do something, but his body won’t listen.

It takes him another moment to realise that Dahye is moving inside the tent, her voice low and soothing as she tries to comfort Eunbi. Then, the tent flap rustles, and Dahye steps out. The moment her eyes land on him, her expression shifts, hardening with disappointment that sends a new wave of guilt crashing into him.

“You really fucked up this time.” She doesn’t bother to hide what seemed to only paint her features seconds ago. Jeongguk is left momentarily stunned, even more with her shoulder brushing against his as she walks past him. It’s suddenly too fast, and he can’t bring himself to respond, can’t find the words to defend himself or apologise.

His gaze falls down in an attempt to regain control over his actions, but as he searches for something, anything, to ground him he notices that the tent is left slightly open. Through the small gap, he can only see darkness and make out the quiet sniffles coming from Eunbi. His body stills, the sound only worsening the mess of thoughts crashing into each other.

One realisation sends a fresh wave of panic through him. Eunbi can see him. She knows he’s there, standing. Doing nothing, even while she cries. The jolt rushes all through his muscles this time, travelling from his brain, and it’s enough to finally get him to move.

Jeongguk takes a shaky step back, only to turn around fast when he’s met with a possibility he doesn’t want to confront. If he sees her face — red, tear-streaked, her eyes swollen from crying — he doubts he’d be able to handle it. Handle the sight of the pain that he caused. He’s sure he’d lose whatever fragile control he has left. He’s already on the brink of breaking just from hearing her. Seeing her like that would undo him completely.

As he retreats, the weight of everything he’s done settles in. He wonders if they’ve reached a point of no coming back. The hurt is too deep, the damage too irreversible. And for the first time, even the foolish kid inside him, the one that still craves for his Dal, wonders if they’ll ever be able to find their way back to each other. The bridge between them feels burned, reduced to ashes, and he’s terrified that there’s no rebuilding it. It’s falling apart for good.

It’s impossible for Jeongguk to keep the dread eating at his insides from showing on his face. It betrays him, every ounce of regret etched plainly across his features. He reluctantly lifts up his gaze. Especially when he’s met with Jimin’s concerned one, the pity there making his stomach twist even tighter, and Dahye’s flaring eyes cutting through him like daggers.

Eunbi steps out shortly after. She moves quietly, almost too quietly, as if she’s trying to blend and disappear into the air. He can immediately tell that she’s made an effort to mask the misery, the makeup she’s wearing is heavier than usual. Too much in places that don’t need it. A shield against him.

But he refuses to let himself look at her for too long. His eyes flit away before he’s forced to see too much. Before the truths he runs from hit him square in the face, before he’s able to discern the words that should be spoken but remain unsaid.

Once again, he lets his doubts speak louder than reason. He convinces himself that all of his friends are against him, that they’re watching him with eyes full of judgement. They’re at his throat, ready to pounce, ready to pin all the blame on him. He can almost feel their fingers pointing in his direction, like they’ve already made up their minds. He’s the guilty one. He’s the tainted, selfish asshole who ruins everything.

That’s why Jeongguk cycles slowly, deliberately hanging back, lagging behind the rest of the group. He can’t bear to meet their eyes, to force himself into their light-hearted mood. He doesn’t feel like belonging there, right now. It feels like he’s on the outside looking in, like he’s forgotten what it means to just feel at peace.

So, he keeps his distance. It’s easier to stay where it’s quiet. Where he doesn’t have to put up an act or force himself to be present. The silence feels more like a refuge than loneliness, a momentary escape from the relentless noise in his mind.

In front of him, Eunbi cycles just as slowly. They’re both drifting behind the group, caught in their own separate orbits, not really blending with the others. Jeongguk unconsciously fixates on the steady rhythm of her bike wheels, the way they spin effortlessly, guiding her along the path. It’s a repeated, ceaseless action that serves as a temporary anchor to avoid sinking under.

Without meaning to, he finds himself mimicking their speed, gradually inching closer to her, his bike mirroring the pace of her wheels. The space between them narrows, and when he notices it, he pulls back slightly. Only to repeat the same motion moments later, closing the gap again. And again. It’s like he’s automatically attracted to the movement, which unintentionally draws him to her.

It’s Eunbi’s weary sigh cutting through the soft hum of the tires against the ground that snaps him out of that mindless trance, the one that had briefly distracted him from the darker thoughts creeping at the edges of his brain, “Can you stop doing that?”

Her voice, edged with irritation, breaks through the fog in his head. Jeongguk stills, confused, not even realising what she meant. He hums questioningly, his brows furrowing.

“I’m not in the mood for a race,” she mutters, not even looking back at him, her tone flat but tinged with weariness.

Jeongguk blinks, caught off guard, and he feels a flash of defensiveness rise up before he can stop it, “I— I wasn’t—”

“Whatever.” She cuts him off, sounding more tired than angry, “I just feel... anxious knowing you’re— there. Behind me. Please, just go ahead.”

The words strike him harder than they should, hitting him in a place he doesn’t want to acknowledge. They settle deep, mingling with guilt and frustration. Her voice, so casual yet heavy with discomfort, only stirs up the irrational anger that always seems to bubble up whenever they interact, the same one that brought them to this breaking point.

Before he can stop himself, he bites back, “Oh, now you’re the one feeling anxious.”

Eunbi’s shoulders stiffen, and her words shake with fatigue, begging once again, “Please, I don’t wanna start this again.”

“We’re not starting anything,” Jeongguk snaps back, his tone biting despite himself. Even he doesn’t believe it. It always feels like they’re on the verge of starting something, like every word is a match waiting to spark.

This time, she whips her head to look at him over her shoulder, her voice rising as her patience thins, “Oh, really? Then what is th—”

The words die in her throat as her bike catches on something, and in an instant, she’s thrown forward. She’s sent tumbling on the ground, her body skidding against the rocky surface, the harsh sound of scraping skin filling the air as her hands and knees are victim to the fall.

Jeongguk’s heart drops. The fragile tension between them shatters, and his breath catches in his throat. He doesn’t think—he just reacts. “Dal!”

Before he knows it, panic overtakes him and he’s off his bike in a flash, letting it crash behind him as he rushes to her side. His voice shakes when he kneels beside her, the name escaping him again, raw and urgent.

Eunbi is sprawled on the ground, dirt smudged across her skin, her hands trembling as they try to push her own body up. Jeongguk immediately detects the blood seeping from the cuts on her knees, then scans through her face contorted in pain. He searches her whole body for more wounds with wide, desperate eyes and he notices her palms are also bleeding.

His hands hover uselessly, unsure where to touch or how to help without hurting her more. His heart is racing, pounding in his chest as the sight of her like this rips through him. It feels like the ground has been yanked out from beneath his feet.

When he speaks again, his voice is rough with fright, “Are you okay?” It’s the first thing he manages to blurt out, while helping her turn on her back. But it’s a stupid question—he can see she’s not okay. He can see the ache written all over her features, more blood dripping from her cuts.

Eunbi doesn’t respond immediately. Her breath comes out in sharp, shaky gasps. Jeongguk can see the shock of it all settling into her body and he watches as she tries to pull herself together, her face pale. Eunbi mutters, her voice small but strained, attempting to sit up in slow movements, “I’m fine.”

Jeongguk feels himself spiralling. The terror in her eyes is reflected in his, but it seems to hit him ten times stronger than what the bruised girl has to deal with right now. His orbs widen impossibly more as the seconds go by, and when her eyes seem to mist over with tears he can’t help his own palms from framing her face and searching for possible scratches he couldn’t spot with his attentive gaze, then grasps her arms.

This isn’t how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to make her feel the hurt he carried, make her understand how deep his pain went. But now, as he looks at her, all he can think is how wrong that is. The sight of her suffering doesn’t give him any satisfaction. Only a pang deep in his chest, something ugly that he doesn’t know how to deal with.

“I’m fine,” Eunbi repeats again, this time with a little more conviction, a small, forced smile barely reaching her lips. But Jeongguk can see right through it. He hopes she can feel the intention seeping from his contact, his hold rough but warm over her goosebumps-covered skin.

The rushed moment gives no space for the resentment they had grown accustomed to these past days, and it wraps them up in a bubble from which the present is locked out. They’re outside Jeongguk’s porch, and Eunbi just fell on her hands and knees trying to learn how to roller skate. Her best friend sits beside her, taking care of her pain.

Even with their friends now hovering above them, throwing concerned questions at her, Jeongguk’s entire focus is on Eunbi. He follows her every slight movement, every shift of her body as she tries to mask the discomfort. His eyes study the way her face scrunches in pain, his heart aching in time with her every wince. And every time she looks at him, silently seeking reassurance, he’s right there, offering it in the softening of his gaze.

As the group’s voices become a chaotic hum around them, Eunbi’s low murmur slips past the noise, meant only for him, “Gguk. Maybe I don’t feel so fine.”

Her sheepish smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and the worry in her eyebrows betrays her light-hearted attempt. Jeongguk doesn’t hesitate. He immediately reacts, delicately leading her upper body down again. Seated on his heels, he lays her head on his lap and keeps her eyes on his face, his voice soothing, “It’s okay, Bee. Look at me. You’re going to be fine.”

Eunbi nods, trying to will herself into trusting him, but Jeongguk sees the uncertainty etched into every line of her face. Her eyes, wide with panic, keep darting down to her legs, where Namjoon holds them up steady, and Dahye works carefully to clean her wounds. There’s terror in her eyes every time she follows the blood trickling down her skin and notices how it keeps flowing out furiously. Jeongguk knows that look all too well. He’s seen it before, is aware of how blood unsettles her, how easily fear grips her in moments like these.

He acts instinctively, gently covering her eyes with one of his hands, the thumb subtly caressing her forehead, “Don’t look, Dal. Close your eyes, hm?”

Jeongguk can feel the hesitancy radiating from the group, their confusion practically tangible as they watch the scene unfold. They’ve seen him and Eunbi at each other’s throats, and now this tenderness feels foreign. But to him, it’s more familiar than any of the anger he���s harboured towards her. It’s like something pulling at the edges of his consciousness, reminding him of how it always has been, and should have been.

He refuses to linger on that thought now. Rational explanations and consequences can wait for later. Right now, all he cares about is making sure Eunbi is okay.

Her fall wasn’t severe, not by any medical standard, but the sight of her pale face and the cold sweat clinging to her skin keeps his nerves taut. He can't relax, not when he can still feel the tremble in her body and see the fright in her eyes. The panic washing over her features only makes him grip her a little tighter.

Namjoon breaks through the haze of Jeongguk’s focus, his voice concerned as he lowers Eunbi’s legs gently to the ground. “I need a shirt or something. Tissues won’t be enough here.”

It seems more as if he’s muttering to himself than anyone else, because he instantly moves to search in his backpack. Jeongguk is quicker, reacting without hesitation, still making sure Eunbi is shielded from the view of her knee scratched and raw with blood, “There’s one in my backpack. You can rip it if you need to.”

Namjoon pauses for a moment, looking at Jeongguk with doubt and something else he can’t quite place. But after a beat, he nods, unzipping the bag and pulling out the t-shirt.

The older boy calls Eunbi’s attention on him, and Jeongguk’s hand reluctantly slips away from her face, settling in her hair instead. Namjoon’s tone is gentle, keeping the girl grounded, “Okay Bi. I’m going to press very hard now. It’ll hurt a bit, but I need to stop the bleeding. You okay?”

Eunbi nods, her expression tight with fear but determined to stay calm. She focuses solely on Namjoon’s face, deliberately avoiding the sight of her knee, where blood continues to drip down, relentless and vivid against her skin. The second Namjoon applies pressure, she lets out a sharp squeal, her brows knitting together as soft whimpers follow, each sound striking Jeongguk with a deep sense of helplessness.

And it’s more than he can bear. Without thinking, he reaches for Namjoon’s wrist, halting his movement, his voice tight and edged with a protectiveness he can’t suppress, “Yo, you’re hurting her. Don’t press so hard.”

The other boy meets his eyes, a small scoff escaping his lips without going unnoticed, his expression steady, “I’m studying to be a doctor. I think I know what I’m doing.”

“You’re studying to be a vet, that’s not a fucking doctor.” The comment slips past him before he can do anything about it, sharper than intended, fueled by frustration and anxiety. The unnecessary weight of his words reflect in the surprised reactions from his friends and the slight arch of Namjoon’s brow.

“Bibi kinda looks like a deer. I’d say it’s quite appropriate,” Dahye’s voice slices through the small, sudden moment of tension, and it’s sweet but tinged with humour, her light-hearted tone meant to ease some of her friend’s nerves. Eunbi chuckles, light and genuine, for the first time that morning. She searches for the taller girl’s gaze and finds her crouching next to Jeongguk, close to her.

Jeongguk notices the shift in her immediately, the way her features relax, the calm that briefly washes over her. He scrutinises every subtle change, searching for the girl he’d spent years knowing. But as he looks down at her, still resting in his lap, her gaze lingering on Dahye before quickly finding his and then returning to Namjoon, he spots something that twists in his gut.

There’s a shift in her eyes. Uncertainty. It all comes rushing back. It’s not just the physical pain that’s pulling her away. The brief connection they had shared slips through his fingers. It’s like a switch has been flipped, and they’re back where they always end up, strangers that know everything about the other, even when they’re this close. The softness in her eyes is not directed at him, and it’s then replaced by doubt. The image causes an obnoxious alarm to go off in his head. He doesn’t know how to restore the moment. Doesn’t want it to end.

Frantic, he keeps combing his fingers through her hair, desperate to hold onto any remains. His movements are absentminded, mechanical almost, as if he’s afraid to let go completely. Then, the need to hear her voice becomes almost overwhelming, and his words come out soft, tentative, “You okay?”

When she only nods, he frowns. It does little to ease his mounting anxiety.

Namjoon resumes his work diligently, and Eunbi eventually sits up, the warmth of her body now gone from Jeongguk’s lap. It only leads him to further seek for a way to bridge the gap, forcing a gentle smile, “Dal, it’s not even bleeding anymore. See?”

“Oh god, is she dying? She’s gonna bleed out.” It’s Hoseok’s dramatic outburst shattering the moment and Jeongguk’s every possible attempt at mending it, as the boy crouches down to inspect the stained shirt wrapped around Eunbi’s leg with a grimace.

Eunbi, who had just started to calm down, now feels her breath quicken. She instinctively looks at Jeongguk, her eyes pleading for reassurance, but before he can offer his comfort, Hoseok’s over-the-top concern strikes again, “Bi, what’s your blood type? Just in case we might need to give you a blood transfusion.”

“What? Is he serious?” Her eyes widen in disbelief as she searches for the bloodstain but finds Jeongguk quickly pulling her shoulder to keep her still, “He’s just—”

"Actually, I once watched a tutorial on YouTube on how to do that. It’s not that hard. We just need to find someone with your same blood type and you’re set." Jimin’s sudden comment adds to the absurdity, and Jeongguk groans, his frustration mingling with the ridiculousness of the situation.

”You two, shut up and help me clean these,” rolling her eyes, Dahye puts an end to the foolish interaction and urges them to take care of the cuts on Eunbi’s palms, still unattended. Hoseok tries, he does, but he feels like facing blood this close will probably result in him fainting. He doesn’t think having another person on the verge of passing out would help. So, he calls for Taehyung to take over while he just resolves by trying to distract Eunbi, “I was just kidding, doesn’t look so bad. Where did you get this top, by the way?”

Jeongguk hesitates. He can’t focus on the banter. His anxiety is slowly eating at his insides, and he knows he should let go of whatever bubble he found himself trapped into. Should burst it with the slightest nudge of his finger, the mocking plop! sound eventually bringing him back to the present and making the sounds clearer, closer. But he can’t. He’s feverish as Eunbi seems to avoid his gaze further, only offering small smiles when he attempts to comfort her like he did while she was laying on his legs, her eyes trained on his and seemingly the only thing able to keep her stable. The chaos makes his head spin, but what’s worse is the feeling that she’s slipping away, again. Even if it was just an illusion to begin with.

Deep in the spiral of his thoughts, it takes him a moment to notice that Eunbi is being helped up by Namjoon, and that she’s holding onto his forearms while taking small, hesitant steps without applying too much pressure on the bruised knee. Namjoon hums in concern, then looks behind his shoulders, “Hey, my bike has a seat behind. I’m taking Eunbi back to the campsite.”

The words snap Jeongguk out of his daze, making him stand up and instantly pulling him back from whatever other mental trap he had fallen right into. Even if it seems to be too late now, Eunbi restoring the wall between them brick by brick, his heart kicks into overdrive, and before he even knows what he’s doing, he blurts out with more urgency than necessary, “I’ll come with you!”

The response is immediate, and not in the way he expects. All eyes land on him, doubtful, surprised. He can feel the shift in the air, a tension settling around him as his friends exchange glances, unsure of where this sudden burst of energy came from. The awkwardness of the moment seeps into his skin, and Jeongguk clears his throat, feeling the heat rise to his face, “I’ll— I’ll help take Eunbi’s bike back.”

Dahye pats him on the shoulder reassuringly, and Jeongguk is momentarily taken aback considering their earlier interaction and how she had looked at him with murderous intents. This time, she sports a soft smile, “Don’t worry, Gguk. I’ll do it.”

Jeongguk opens his mouth to argue, but Namjoon cuts in, his expression equally puzzled by the younger’s outburst, “Yeah, man. You should stay here and enjoy the day. It’s your birthday, after all.”

“But—“

”You did enough already, Gguk. Stay with the others, we’ll take care of her.” After throwing him a convincing nod, Dahye is already pulling Eunbi’s bike up and steadying it, quickly collecting her own that had stopped not too far away.

Jeongguk frantically searches for Eunbi’s gaze, for any sign that he should push further, that she needs him with her. But as they lock eyes, the weight of his earlier actions come crashing down on him, like a bucket of cold water. He let himself get carried away in a distant fantasy that doesn’t belong in his reality, that shouldn’t have unfolded in their present. It only led him to try and force his way into a situation where he wasn’t needed. No, where he wasn’t wanted. The thought stings more than he cares to admit.

He seeks for confirmation either way, hanging on the last remaining thin thread, the name slipping from his tongue again, tentative, “Are you sure, Bee?”

Eunbi hesitates, her arms wrapping around her figure, shielding herself from him. She also seems to be realising the unfamiliarity of the moment, of his sweet tone, his eyes never once hardening when they land on her. And it’s weird, because she should be accepting this version of him with much more ease. But instead, she finds support in their distance right now, and she lowers her gaze, “Yes, Jeongguk. I don’t want to bother you further.”

A small gasp fights its way up his throat, but he stops it. He tries to argue, stuttering, “You— You’re not— Whatever. Huh, call if anything happens?”

His eyes are still trained on Eunbi, but she doesn’t react. Dahye chuckles softly to try and soothe the air, “Hey, she’s okay. It’s just a few scratches. Right, Bibi?”

The oddly silent girl nods, her head up again and now meeting Jeongguk with confidence, firmly holding his gaze, the smallest remains of whatever they got caught into scattered to the ground. He mirrors her nodding, attempting to smooth some of her certainty in himself, failing, “Huh— okay. I’m just— okay. I’ll see you later, then.”

Later comes, and Jeongguk barely sees Eunbi. The night grows louder, he’s surrounded by friends, their energy infectious as they prepare for his birthday, now just a few hours away. They’re bubbling with excitement, eyes bright with anticipation, instilling that nervous buzz that always hits him just before midnight. Jeongguk smiles along with them, but his heart isn’t quite in it.

Despite the laughter and the way the campfire crackles as they pass around bottles of alcohol, Jeongguk feels distant, like he's watching it all through a fog. His friends are trying, he can tell. They’re making every effort to keep him distracted, to drown out the noise in his head with their joy. Jokes fly around the fire, and every few minutes someone checks the time, gasping excitedly as midnight draws nearer. It’s sweet, thoughtful, and he genuinely appreciates it. But no matter how much he tries to focus on them, on the present moment, his mind keeps drifting. His eyes wander, searching for Eunbi.

She’s always just out of sight. There, but not fully. Lingering at the edges, sticking close to Dahye. Laughing quietly, but never wholly engaging with the group like she usually would, despite everything. It’s just enough to not raise suspicion, but it’s clear she’s retreating. Closing herself off from the rest of them, from him.

Jeongguk tells himself he’s reading too much into it. That she’s probably still finding it hard to recover from the earlier incident, her bruises still visible. But he also knows this feeling too well. He felt it after that ride on his motorcycle, Eunbi seeking for something in his eyes, the moment so tender but broken in an instant. He’s acquainted with the slow drift, the wall quietly being rebuilt between them. Taller, sturdier.

The campfire crackles, and his friends’ voices rise around him, but he’s only half there. Jeongguk wishes he could stop his mind from racing, wishes he could just fall into the rhythm of the celebration like everyone else.

And then midnight comes. With it, a burst of chaos. His friends spring to life, hoisting him up into the air, passing him between them like a beloved trophy. Their spark is contagious, and for a moment, Jeongguk lets himself be burnt by it. The joy, the love surrounding him. They sing him happy birthday, off-key and loud, pouring drinks and making ridiculous toasts. He allows himself to be showered by that affection. It’s not perfect, but it’s enough.

As the hours drag on, the celebration settles into a steady hum. They stay by the fire, some leaning into one another, others still joking around, the alcohol loosening their tongues. The earlier buzz mellows into something softer, more intimate, and Jeongguk feels himself unwind, even a little. He laughs more freely now, the weight of the night starting to lift as he becomes wrapped up in their warmth.

Eventually, exhaustion begins to creep in. One by one, his friends start to peel away, calling it a night and retreating to their tents with promises to continue the celebration tomorrow. They ruffle Jeongguk’s hair, poking at him one last time before bidding him goodnight, the warmth of their presence lingering even as they disappear. Jimin and Taehyung make sure he’s okay before heading to their tent, only after throwing final teases laced with affection at him. Jeongguk sports a boyish grin as he watches them go.

Then it’s just him, the fire crackling softly and the bright stars above him. They whisper something to him, but he can’t decipher it. It makes his skin prickle with the chill and his eyelids shut heavier, slower with every flutter. He doesn’t hear his thoughts so strongly, now. Maybe he chooses not to. He’s been dealing with them all day long, seeking for even one of the millions to lighten him with something he actually needs. Does he even know what he needs? The ache in his heart that refuses to settle hints at a negative answer.

Jeongguk knows there’s something he wants, though. He badly wants these first hours of his birthday to be blessed by a certain someone’s wishes. He completely lost sight of her in the earlier chaos. Didn’t get to check if a smile, even a forced one, was painting her lips when midnight struck.

Perhaps it’s the universe pitying him, reserving him with a gift that could or could not change his misery. But he soon realises he’s not alone when a soft clearing of a throat breaks the silence.

He turns and finds Eunbi standing there, hesitant. She visibly struggles with what to do, her legs refusing to bring her closer to him but her brain willing to, sheepishly taking the seat next to him, “Um. Happy birthday, I guess.”

Jeongguk recognises it instantly, the way she says it, her subtle, small, playful smile not lost on him. It mirrors the same tone he’d used when he had blurted it out awkwardly at her own birthday not too long ago, the first time they’d really spoken one-on-one. A small chuckle escapes him, unsure but undeniably warm, “Huh. Thanks.”

And then there’s silence. It stretches between them, heavy but not uncomfortable, like there’s something waiting beneath it, something unspoken. The two are deep in their thoughts, words they want to say hovering on the tip of their tongues, but neither quite ready to let them loose. The crackling of the fire fills the space, the occasional pop of embers the only sound as they sit side by side, both not used to the feeling.

Jeongguk hesitates, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. “Do you… feel better?”

Eunbi hums.

“That’s good.”

“Yeah.”

It goes quiet again, air thick and pregnant with everything left unsaid. Jeongguk hesitates, his mind swirling with the urge to say something, anything, but the fear of breaking whatever fragile truce they have keeps him quiet. He wants to ask her if she’s okay — really okay — but the words feel inadequate.

Eventually, it’s Eunbi who takes a deep breath, as if drawing in strength from the fire, from the quiet of the night around them, “I— I feel like… we should talk. Do— do you want to?”

Jeongguk’s chest tightens, his heart pounding, but then he nods.

“Yeah.”

[interstellarrisa]

My Hero Academia Quirk ideas

──★ ˙🍓 ̟ !!

Gravity Manipulation

This is pretty straightforward, with this quirk gravity can be manipulated to your will. Yours and others. You can easily make things weigh tons then they used to, or nothing. Some cool things that can be done with this is flying, make everything collapse under its own weight, and keep people from moving by making them weigh a ton or weigh nothing.

Strengths: Easily be able to manipulate a law of physics to your will. Gravity is capable of holding galaxies together so imagine all the things you can do. Changing the trajectory of asteroids in space and crashing them down on your opponents.

Weakness: Getting dizzy and sluggish. Feeling weightless or really heavy which makes moving difficult.

Quirk Cancellation:

Although it's not a flashy one it's insanely overpowered once you think of it. The ability to cancel any quirk that comes in contact with you. Imagine Shigaraki using his decay on you and it's just not working or Dabi using his flames on you and they just dissipate once they come in contact with you. Basically quirks don't work on you. All for one trying to steal it? Nope, doesn't work. Toga drinking your blood, Twice copying you or Overhaul doing his lil thing? CANCELED. It's like Dazai's ability from bsd, boring but insanely op.

Strength: Nothing works on you no matter how dangerous or powerful it's rendered useless in front of you making them have to rely on their physical bodies to beat you.

Weakness: To defeat an opponent you'd have to put your body on the line and turn it into a physical fight. The aftereffect of some quirks might be a bit troublesome for you. Only works on emitter and transformation type quirks and some mutant types. For example Shoji, you can't take away his already existing extra arms but stop him from making more.

Quirk Manipulation

Manipulating peoples quirks against them. This is inspired by water bending in ATLA where they use their opponents water against them. If someone uses their power on you, you can just use it back on them. Like Todoroki attacking you with his ice. You can just take that ice and swing it right back at him. Making their quirks fail on them. Sounds real fun. I just realized that it's kind of similar to Quirk Cancellation... Well you can just combine those two quirks ig... (also similar to Monoma's too...)

Strengths: Basically having every single quirk because you can manipulate others. Making their strong attacks reflect back on them or just go to waste. They'll overuse their quirk which can lead to tiring themselves out.

Weakness: Fighting against people who are more experienced with the quirk and know how to use it and have developed it. Even if you can just use their power against them they're more experienced with that power.

That's all for now!! Bye and good luck shifting everyone!!

[fictionalwh0ree]

Hey could you write a fiction where billie and reader have only recently got into a relationship. Both Claudia and fineas are a bit cautious with as at first because of billie previous not so good relationships. But one day finease and Claudia pass billies bedroom door and see both the reader and billie laughing and cuddling over something and they can't help but smile! They've never seen billie look so happy and comfortable in a relationship before. Thank you sm!! :)

new perspective- billie eilish

summary: billie has had bad luck with relationships in the past, until you. however, when she introduces you to her family, they are all skeptical, worried that she'll get hurt again. one evening changes this forever. word count: 1.7k warnings: none

the celebrity lifestyle was something you’d been practically thrown into. one day you were living at home with your parents, nobody knowing who you were, and the next you were living in la alone without being able to step out and not get recognized. of course, the life had its perks. one of your favourite was the parties thrown out in hollywood. for you, there had been no feeling better than that feeling of excitement as you stood outside a large mansion that was bustling with life. at one of these parties, you’d met billie eilish. you were both drunk as hell, but hit it off. you’d spent nearly two hours speaking to each other, and quickly exchanged socials. your conversation had been full of flirty comments from both sides, you knew this wasn’t just a friendly interaction. you could tell from the look of lust emanating from her blue eyes as she looked up at you. it wasn’t long before you’d found yourselves in an empty room, hands all over each other as you made out.

before it went further, your other friends were pounding on the door, ready to leave. you left the room, waving bye to billie shyly. she waved back, a red tint to her cheeks as she bit her lips. your friends begged you to tell them who was behind the door, but you kept it to yourself. despite how fast you’d gone with the girl, you really enjoyed talking to her and were hoping it’d go further. you feared telling your friends would jinx it. and maybe you were right, because the next morning you woke up to a text from an unknown number. she asked if you were feeling okay, then when you said you were a little hungover, she offered to pick you up and take you to get her certified hangover cure, smoothies. you agreed, excited to see the girl you had clicked with.

from then on, you’d become practically inseparable. you’d go everywhere together, so it was no surprise that two short months later, you were exclusive. billie had never really moved that fast with anyone before, but she chalked it up to that lesbian experience everyone talked about. she had told her family about you from day one, but you didn’t meet them until you’d made it official.

when billie had told her parents that you were her girlfriend, they were supportive, but shocked, advising her that it was okay to take it slow. she assured them that she was happy with the pace you two were moving at, that it really felt right. but they’d heard that before. the whole family was skeptical.

when you met them, you were polite and had done everything right. they all agreed that you were likeable and truthfully, they felt more at ease. for the first two weeks, they were extra observant, listening for any arguments or complaints, making sure their little girl was okay. then, disaster struck. two different gossip magazines had your face slapped on the cover. the first one hollywood’s biggest party girls, the second one y/n y//l/n spotted out with dominic fike. of course, billie’s parents had seen them. they’d taken them home, showing claudia and finneas, who then sat down and had a talk with billie. billie had defended you completely, saying there was nothing wrong with enjoying a couple parties, that the magazine was exaggerating, and that the last couple you’d gone to had been with her. as for dominic, she knew about your friendship. she had met him on his own and been around the two of you at once. she knew for certain it was platonic. however, claudia and finneas were still suspicious.

the energy was tense, but honestly, it always had been. they tried to be nice, but you could tell they didn’t like you being around her very much. despite that, you were always nice to them. billie had told them off for it before and she always invited you over, even when her family was around.

i really like her you guys. if you don’t like it, you’re just gonna have to deal with it, she’d told them over and over.

one evening, she invited finneas and claudia over for dinner at 6:30. you’d been at billie’s house for two days at that point, you had a whole drawer in her closet, a toothbrush, and a towel at her place. you’d both woken up early that morning and were exhausted by five pm. you’d agreed on taking a nap, seeing as you’d be ordering in later. you both slept for about an hour before you woke up again. you shook billie awake, reminding her of your upcoming plans. she tried tugging you back to sleep, but you reminded her that you had to get ready, the two of you were still in pyjamas. when you went to open your drawer in her closet, all your clothes were dirty.

“billie, all my clothes here are dirty,” you shouted out.

“you can borrow something of mine,” she said, still lying in bed.

“okay,” you said, sifting through her clothes.

you had an idea then. you looked through the depths of her closet, finding clothes that were completely mismatched and not your style before throwing them on.

“is this okay?” you said, coming out of her closet with a wide smile.

she looked up from her phone before bursting out laughing.

“it’s perfect,” she said with her own smile before getting up off the bed to hug you.

“really? because i picked something out for you. i think you’re really gonna like it,” you said.

“oh seriously? lets see it,” she said.

you picked out another atrocity and handed it to her with an innocent smile. she smiled back, her eyebrows furrowed together.

meanwhile, finneas and claudia had arrived early and had used a spare key to get in seeing as billie wasn’t picking up the phone or answering to the knocks at the door. they put their stuff down before looking around the house. they’d split up as they searched the top floor. as finneas walked past billie’s room, he suddenly heard her laugh. he stopped in his tracks, glancing into the room. from where he was, he could see the mirror that sat in the corner of the room. in its reflection, he could see you and billie messing around in her walk-in. he whispered claudia’s name and she ran over, the two of them peeking in to see the mirror. they watched as you added more and more accessories to each others outfits, laughing harder in harder.

soon, you moved back into the bedroom hand in hand, standing in front of the very mirror finneas and claudia had been using to spy on you. they backed away a little, fearing that they’d been caught, but the two of you were in your own little bubble. they watched as you hugged billie from behind, resting your head on her shoulder. they watched as you two stared at each other fondly through the mirror. they looked over at each other, both having recognized the look you two shared. they looked at each other the same way.

“okay, come on. we have to change for real, fin and claudia will be here soon,” billie said after a moment, unwrapping herself from your arms but not letting go of your hand.

“you’re not wearing this?” you joked as she pulled you towards the closet.

the last thing finneas and claudia were able to see before you went into the room and closed the door was the way you looked at her. they could see the love in your eyes as you looked at your girlfriend, they could even sense it in your smile. as they stepped away from the door, finneas felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over him. he suddenly trusted you a lot more, knowing now that you would never do anything to hurt his baby sister. at the same time, he felt like a real asshole for the way he’d been treating you. he had never seen billie this way before; so happy, so comfortable with someone. finneas looked over at claudia, raising his eyebrows.

“we were so wrong about her,” claudia said with a laugh.

“yeah,” finneas agreed.

they headed down to the living room before he sent billie a text, notifying her of his arrival. they sat on the couch and two minutes later, the two of you were coming down the stairs. they stood up as you finally reached the main floor. billie jogged to them, hugging her brother, then claudia, as you walked over. when you finally reached the couple, you sent them a small wave.

“hey,” you said shyly, knowing what they thought of you.

what came next, you didn’t expect. finneas leaned forward and gave you a hug, a bright smile on his face. you were beyond confused as you looked at billie with furrowed brows. you’d never gotten so much as a handshake from them since those two articles came out. billie shrugged, but smiled. you hugged finneas back, smiling at him as you let go. claudia embraced you next. they both wore stupid smiles on their faces as you looked over at your girlfriend.

“bil, can we have a minute?” finneas said.

“uh- yeah. sure,” she said, moving to the kitchen.

“y/n, listen, we were wrong about you,” finneas started.

“yeah, we are so sorry,” claudia added, “we were total assholes.”

“oh no, its okay,” you assured quickly.

“no no, its not okay. we shouldn’t have made assumptions. its just… billie doesn’t have the best luck relationships,” finneas said.

“no seriously, i understand. those articles were seriously poorly times,” you said lightheartedly.

“i see how happy you make billie. i’m glad she has someone like you in her life,” finneas said with a genuine smile.

“thank you, it means a lot,” you smiled back.

“now lets go order some food, i’m starving!” claudia said.

the four of you shared a remarkable evening, and you couldn’t help but feel like you were finally part of the family.

[afrothunderxx96]

My Comissions are close + Extra Info.

Yeah as the tittle says my comissions for now they are closed, I will not be accepting any new requests until further notice.

And also there is something I need to say and get off me right now:

I hate myself, I hate my art, I hate seeing myself online, I hate looking at my avatar I am going to (metaphorically) let myself die

I know I dont really hate myself or my art, I just hate what it represents to me right now and I need to sepparate myself from it. I cant bring myself to work on my projects or even be motivated enough to make a small doodle. And on top of that my personal life is falling apart and im trying to hold everything together I cant hold up this vale that everything is good for me. I'm cracking, I'm dying, I'm metamorphosizing I need a break from myself and everyons expectations. I need to focus on some other things right now.

With that said I want to truly take a break from everything including my presence.

So I will leave the internet for a while, I wont be answering any questions, DMs or requests that are sent to me.

I'm sorry if I talked to some of you recently and that now I am just leaving out of the blue, from the bottom of my heart I am sorry if this makes you sad. I just want to leave and and not worry about being online.

With that said, I wish you guys the best of luck and we'll see sooner or later. Bye bye for now.