#corporate au

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Eddie hated this and he'd just started.

See, he was so proud when he made it, when he got his first office job. He saw what decades of physical labor did to Wayne's back, his hands, and he wanted to make his uncle proud. So he kept applying and applying and getting ignored and rejected and finally, finally he got a job in a pretty large corporate. Not exactly something prestigious, but hey, it had potential. The experience counted and all that.

He thought maybe workplaces would be different, that the good ol' high school dynamic would fuck off, but no. He was sitting at his desk, trying to fill in paperwork after a taxing phone call, but all he could focus on was whispering from the neighboring cubicle that was ostentatiously loud. He didn't know who sat there yet, the guy had been on vacation for the two weeks Eddie was in the company. From the stuff he was hearing, he was getting introduced anyway and not exactly the way he'd have liked to be.

"Can you believe they actually let him work here?" It was Carol, of course it was, the office gossip and mean girl knockoff. "I mean, he doesn't even look decent! Did you see that hair?" Okay, that hurt. He actually pulled his hair into a neat bun every morning, but you can't please some people. "And he has tattoos, what would our customers think if they actually met him, plus you should have heard the rumors about his past-!"

But just as he was about to slam down the pile of paperwork and either take an extended smoke break or gently ask Carol to go fuck a polar bear, he heard another voice. Bored and wonderfully bitchy.

"That's absolutely fascinating, Carol. Please tell me more, what could this guy possibly have done? It must be something juicy. Did he perhaps fuck his boss during the Christmas party and then lie about it to his boyfriend of five years? Oh wait no. That was you. Silly me."

Eddie had to bite his pencil to stay quiet, but his whole chest hurt by trying to keep the snickering in. And then the offended gasp. "I- you promised you wouldn't-!"

"I didn't promise shit, Carol. You just came to me, cried your eyes out - bad move by the way, invest in some waterproof mascara for god's sake, mascara in wrinkles doesn't good on anyone, and yes, you do have wrinkles - and tried to play the victim. Except I heard your small proposition to the guy before so it didn't really work out. But it's fine, you know," and oooh, the tone was smug, so bored, Eddie loved this guy already, "Tommy saw you as well and had a good time with Nicole to get even. So there's nothing to worry about. Now tell me, what did this horrible Eddie Munson do to summon wrath of such a righteous woman such as yourself?"

Eddie heard a sharp sound as Carol got up from the desk. "Fuck you, Steve Harrington," she spat out and sped past Eddie's seat. He just gave her a small salute.

When the sound of high heels faded, Eddie leaned over the cubicle wall and knocked to draw the guy's attention. And yeah, maybe he was a little bit biased because he'd just obliterated a textbook definition of a shrew, but this Steve was fucking gorgeous, light brown eyes looking at him, a smug smirk tugging at his lips.

"Oh hi," said Steve and offered his hand, shaking Eddie's. "Sorry for that. I'm Steve Harrington and whatever deepest, darkest secrets you're hiding, I don't care, I'm pretty sure I've heard them all. What did you do? Shave your head in school? Join a cult? Cut dolls apart and chant hail Satan?"

That had Eddie laughing again, but he still had an introduction to make. A proper one. "Nice to meet you, Steve. Eddie Munson, and I'm worse than your darkest nightmares. I sometimes wear socks in sandals."

Steve's eyebrow twitched. "Oh, Carol was right, you are a monster!" he muttered. "Speaking of monsters..." His head leaned to the side, towards Carol who was angrily carrying her coffee mug, her mascara running again.

Before he could catch himself, Eddie leaned over the wall and whispered as loudly as he could muster. "Can you believe some people wear dotted dresses with stripes on their stockings? We can't all be born with taste, I guess...tragic."

And again, maybe Eddie was just biased, but Steve's laughter was so pretty that it actually made dealing with Carol's bullshit worth it.

[ylieke]

Melkor in his ultimate corporate form~

[valleydean]

All the girls are together.

A Ghost Story

Raise the Black

Castiel Novak's Office, This is Dean

[priderock-inc]

Welcome to Pride Rock Incorporated!

Welcome to Pride Rock Incorporated: a human!AU of The Lion King where the circle of business never ends, and the only thing getting trampled is the competition.

Featuring:

Mufasa, the charismatic CEO, whose roars in board meetings are the only things louder than his impeccable tie collection.

Scar, the ambitious VP, whose scheming mind is as sharp as his wardrobe, turning every boardroom into a stage for his dramatic power plays.

Sarabi, Mufasa's efficient secretary, who handles the chaos with grace, effortlessly managing schedules and reigning over the office like the queen she is.

Zazu, the slightly uptight chief advisor, who embodies punctuality and protocol, bringing order one morning report at a time.

Rafiki, the mysterious head of HR, who weaves the threads of office harmony with a touch of enigmatic wisdom.

Timon and Pumbaa, the happy and hapless IT duo, bug-squashers extraordinaire whose motto is "Hakuna Ma-data" until the server crashes yet again.

Simba, Mufasa's curious 7-year-old with a penchant for exploring, who turns the office into his personal playground and treats every memo as a canvas for crayon masterpieces.

And more!

Questions or requests for headcanons or fics are always welcome (:

Confession time: This entire escapade originated from a series I'm crafting on AO3, in which Scar turns up the charm dial to eleven and flirts incessantly with Zazu while Zazu fails spectacularly in his attempt to remain unflustered.

WIP list that you may feel free to bother me about actually finishing:

-karaoke night -Simba and Nala coming after school and discovering The Graveyard (janitor's closet) -Business lunch with HathiCorp -Subsequent hotel shenaniganry -Scar's foray into Shenzi's makeup channel -Team-building exercise at the rock wall

[thesleepyskipper]

too sweet ♥️♥️♥️

So this Hozier song got completely stuck in my brain as being so perfectly Alex and I had to write an entire fic about it so here it is! Hope you enjoy! ♥️

[sighingsiren-tales]

You Knew better pt. 3

4.6k

I know, it’s quite late. But the 10 hr work shifts, sorority events and school keep me occupied. I will probably go back and edit later but I wanted you guys to have something to read lol.

Enjoy

                                                          ______

You were catapulted back; Pushed back onto the bed with the force of a man starved. Your lust slams into you in ways you couldn’t begin to describe. The dark, hooded and lustful stare he was giving you from across the king-sized bed was driving you mad; Your body arches for him, between your thighs tingles incessantly with the anticipation of his lips, his tongue, his...oh god. He crawls over you quickly, dropping his body over yours within seconds. Both hands went underneath both of your thighs, pulling you towards him, dragging your body against the sheets as you tug on his midnight-colored strands of hair. 

This was selfish; You weren’t even thinking about this in the reciprocal way that you should have been. You were tipsy and you wanted him to satisfy you in a way that you knew that only he could; For once, you were not worried about his satisfaction. 

Let's see how long that lasts. 

You want him to wear you out, for him to make you come over and over again before the heart crushing reality that you had grown accustomed to sets in. You had let him your bed for selfish reasons, but he would stay there for reasons that were way closer to the sense of attachment you had for him than you ever wanted them to be. But the moment that he had grunted your name, setting your lower stomach ablaze whilst pushing his erection into your barely clothed sex, you were pulled from all rationality 

“Jaehyun, baby, lower”. 

He broke the kiss with an oddly satisfying wet sound and leaned down towards your ear. God, how were the small things driving you so wild? 

“You’re never this direct with me kitten” He panted in your ear, groaning when you rubbed your hand over his erection firmly before popping open the top button of his slacks. 

“You’re taking too long” You whine. 

He pulls back to look at you; Pretty as a picture. The way he stares at you, the way you know you have all of his attention and, if you may be so bold, all of him for the night; It fills you with pride and confidence. Beckoning him forward, you speak. 

“I did not bring you here for foreplay”. 

Waking up was equally frustrating as it was refreshing; You would have felt well rested from the night if it wasn’t for the dream that you had waking up in a cold sweat. This is unbelievable. Must the man torture you in your sleep as well? 

The dream felt so real or, rather, the memory was more vivid than you could handle. It touched parts of you that you didn’t want to rouse at the moment; His hands, his voice, his hair, his fingers: they all seemed just within your grasp, just within your reach and it physically pained you to know that you had to basically put his ass in jail. You flexed your thighs then relaxed them, the sensation traveling straight to your core and causing an involuntary yet beautiful sound to leave your throat. You flung yourself back onto your assortment of pillows. 

The calm lasted for about a minute before a knock came. You look up just in time to see Jaehyun open the door and peek his head in. 

“Are you okay? I heard you make a... sound”. 

You nodded. 

It was silent for a moment as you both stood on opposite sides of the room. 

“May I come in? "The way his hair fell into his eyes as he looked up at you with those beautiful Hershey colored irises. You hate to admit it, but it melted you instantly, much to your dismay. 

And so, you did as the script said and nodded your head. His eyes seem to lighten and his shoulders lift as he walks into your space. He took a few hesitant steps to the foot of the bed, lingering there although you saw his dominant foot hesitate to take another step. 

You sat up straighter, watching the man with actual interest. He was quiet, seemingly more interested with the designs of the quilt on your bed. 

You allow him a few more moments of silence. 

“Jaehyun, you asked to come in to stare at my bed?” You questioned. 

You lean over and drink the cup of water by your bedside as you wait for his answer. 

Your throat was suddenly very dry. 

The water could not seem to quench it. 

Your dream is in front of you. How are you going to handle this? Your brain cannot seem to think. Your heart, all too eager. When he turns, you sneak a mint, holding it on your tongue for anticipation of where this could go. 

Where he could ask for it to go.

Where he would ask for it to go. 

At that action, you already knew what you wanted.

You curse yourself, only slightly, but bitterly. Was it always going to be him? Can one be angry and elated? He clears his throat and disrupts the thoughts; He is very good at disruptive behavior. 

“I…” he raises his gaze. 

He cannot seem to form words for a moment; He just stands there, looking at you. Finally, words find him. 

“I wanted to talk to you”.

You reign in your desire and push forth your skepticism. You raise a brow. 

“Talk then”. 

He lets out a breath. 

“Thank you for letting me crash here. I appreciate you and the place to stay for the night”. 

You smile at the genuine thanks; A peak of his personality, a flash of his former self. The ease is a cool river. 

“Any time Jae”. 

Silence once more. 

Has it been a minute yet? His gaze is at you, then at his pocket, then the quilt and, when he thinks you’re not looking, his gaze is back on you. 

You allow him the peace of checking your messages, though you have no new ones, to make sure your gaze does not unnerve him. The small concession in favor of his comfort slowly poisons you as you realize how far you have fallen. 

“There is something else, I can tell”.

A pause. 

“Say it now, or forever hold your peace”.

The awkward attempt at a joke goes into thin air; Your lungs cannot seem to take in enough air. 

“I'm not good with talking or emotions, at all” His speech is choppy. He pauses every so often, presumably to find the words to say. 

You do not allow him the grace; Let him find the words. You would no longer supply them or the avenue; Only bear witness to what he considers a display of emotion, whatever that may be. 

His voice is soft. 

“I know…I know I’m not your favorite person right now. I just want you to know that I feel for you in ways I’ve never had with another girl-woman. I don’t know if what I’m about to say is smart, but I think it is impossible for me to leave you alone”.

Your heart can hardly contain itself but, before it rises too high, he makes a noise of frustration. 

“I’m not good with all these fuckin’ words” it’s said after a laugh of annoyance, you presume. 

You look up for a moment and he is fumbling before you: something he rarely does. His hands are in his pockets, in his hair, his gaze is not steadily on you but, the moments where it is, you can feel it. Your heart barely gives you the time. 

Should you be honest? You look back at him. 

“I do not mind telling you, I am a hair short of terrified of what will happen if I give you permission to show me with action what you cannot with words. I’m giving you the easy way out, again”. 

He looks up, face hopeful and his eyes bright.

“I know it doesn’t look good on my part but, please?”. 

It is truly disgusting how quickly you melt; Your heart soothes the emotion with desire. 

You made a noise, shifting in your bed uneasily. 

“And how am I supposed to do this? If I let you and you just fuck me over further, what am I to do then?” You ask aloud, fidgeting with the covers.

You weren’t entirely ready for that reality.

But you couldn’t quite bear the current one. 

What you were ready for is your happily ever after, not another failure masquerading as a prince. You sigh heavily, shaking your head as if to shake off all the bad thoughts. 

“I do not want to fuck you over. Please believe that”.

Your heart is in your ears. Honesty is the best policy, right?

“I just…I want you to be real with me”.

“Then let me show you” He was quick to respond, even going as far as to take a step closer. 

Was the confidence surge a red flag? You were not sure. But you know how your body reacts to it; It is like clockwork. Diffusion is the next step. 

“You couldn’t do this in the afternoon?” You complain, exasperated, with an ever so slight smile on your face.

A smile graces his lips. He shakes his head “no”. 

Mumbling a “couldn’t wait”. 

The smile you exchange is his green light; He took it as a chance to walk over to you, sitting on the bed. 

His hands reach for yours. 

“I really couldn’t wait”. 

You watch him watch you, the tension growing by the millisecond as you hold up his gaze. It is a strange thing you put yourself through. An odd thing that you know you cannot resist. 

Does your body crave him? Do you? Is there truly a difference anymore? What did it matter when he was pleading with you, so awkward in front of you, stumbling to find what to say? Against your better judgment, you were giving permission. 

It seemed to happen slowly, each movement a bloom of blush across your cheeks or a shift of a gaze or his touch. You place your hand next to his thigh, leaning forward ever so slightly. But he leaned in more, letting his fingers caress the expanse of your bare skin. He pulls the covers back from the corner neatly as you lean closer, swinging your legs under you and sitting up on your knees. His hands went to your back, soft and unhurried while your own rested on his shoulders, then his neck. He was pulling you closer and you allowed it, all while you maintained eye contact and my God did it tantalize you in ways that no human language could accurately describe. You were so close, so so close. His lips, his kiss and most importantly, him, they were all moments away and all you had to do was say: 

“Yes”. 

And there it went. 

He pulled you close, finally letting the gap close as his lips met yours. His lips never took control of yours, gentle, sweet and almost begging for guidance in a way. He was letting you lead the kiss; his hands didn’t wander, and his actions didn’t stray. You let your hands frame his face, tilting his head back and kissing his lips as much as you wanted. 

It was a sweet, short eternity before he broke it, watching you above him before he slowly maneuvered himself on the bed. You felt the anticipation burn, letting him gently unfurl your legs out from under you as he laid you down. He didn’t let his body touch yours, instead caressing your own body. He stayed quiet for some time, letting his fingers memorize you. It was actually enough to become a bit embarrassing since he never really did things like this; Things that made you feel in ways that weren’t entirely sexual. Those sexual brushes were seemingly electrified by those underlying feelings. 

“Jaehyun, what are you doing?” You ask softly.

That was the moment his gaze snapped up to you, his fingers still. His eyes seem dark, but that hesitant aura still surrounded him. He leaned down, laying down on the bed and hooking his arms underneath your legs. Your eyes widen ever so slightly.

“I’m showing you that I’m not doing this for myself anymore”. 

Watching as his fingers move deftly to the inside the waistband of your shorts, he tugs on them. 

“May I?” He asked, accompanied with a boyish smile. 

You nodded, for you were in fear of using your voice and making a fool out of yourself.

He pulls the material down your legs effortlessly, throwing them over to some forgotten corner of your room. He laid down entirely on his stomach, watching you with hooded eyes before he moved his gaze to the apex of your thighs. 

He kissed the inside of your right thigh, once, then twice before throwing your right leg over his shoulder. He kissed your left one next, taking his time with the skin there. He looks up again, asking for confirmation with his eyes. 

You nodded. 

He shakes his head softly. 

“Say it”. 

You want to huff but don’t. Instead, you simply say: “Please”. 

And it began. 

The second his soft lips touch your clit, your back arches ever so slightly, your fingers tangle themselves in his hair and your leg lifts. He chuckled at the reaction, licking his way down your slit and back to your clit, this time French kissing it. The movements of his tongue were fluid, curling and flattening so effortlessly that you could’ve swore he had taken a class on this. You let out a few light moans before he let his tongue make figure eights around your clit. You inhaled sharply, crying out and grabbing at the sheets. He pushed your legs apart gently, now kissing the area around your entrance. Each kiss was slow, deliberate and it killed you in the best way possible. He let a lone finger swipe across, collecting your wetness gingerly as he moved it up and down while kissing your clit. He let one finger slide inside of you, the sensation was a tease. It was nothing compared to his length, to his girth but in this moment was just enough. Your hips roll tentatively, feeling him out. He curled his finger, making you whine for him more. 

Opening your eyes- you weren’t entirely sure when you had closed them- you saw Jaehyun looking at you from in between your legs. He looked you over, making sure to keep his eyes on you; You watched him as he pumped a finger in and out of you as slowly as he could. When you take your bottom lip between your teeth, his motion is swift, he raises up from his space and comes to hover over you. One moment his nose is softly rubbing against yours and the next, he’s kissing you. You heard him moan the moment he kissed you. You curled your leg around him so that he could keep moving his two fingers in and out of you. You felt yourself moaning and mewling into his mouth, arching up into the messy kiss as he wrapped a single arm around your waist, holding you close. You broke the kiss, nuzzling your head into the crook of his neck and letting out mewls of his name. You suppress a moan by kissing his neck and he rewards you with one of his own. 

“I love when you do that” His voice is clouded over by lust. 

Pulling back, to look into his eyes you surprise yourself with the way you reached up and let your fingers dance across the expanse of his jaw. 

His eyes widened ever so slightly at you touching him so tenderly, but he quickly remembered the reason why he was there and continues to continue his ministrations. You attempt to withhold a whine as he thumbs your clit. 

“You don’t normally say things like that”. 

He pauses, taking a moment before moving your hair away from your face. 

“You’re gonna cum for me” he speaks softly. 

You are not sure if you did a good job of hiding the disappointment on your face; He didn’t fall prey to the air of confession, but you suppose that his reaction gave you your answer. 

When you look away, he tilts your head back up, pressing against your clit harder. 

“I can see the disappointment in your eyes. I wasn’t finished” he declares.

Your heart perks up. 

He leans closer as your heart pounds in your chest and in your ears. 

“Your eyes are lowered and you’re looking at me like you could eat me” His thumb slowly swipes across your bottom lip. 

“Those pretty eyes are telling me all the things that you won’t let yourself say or do "He curls both fingers making you grasp onto him tightly, a gasp escaping your lips.

“Your hips move to meet my fingers, you’re grabbing onto my arms, kissing my neck while you try your hardest to hold it together”.

Did he seriously notice all that? 

“Jaehyun, a bit more”. 

He leans in just a bit closer. 

“You tighten when I do this” He curls his fingers softly. 

 “Oh god, you have to hit right there”.

He chuckles.

“I know kitten. The point is, I know you”  

A pause 

“Right now, though, I don’t think that’s important anymore”. 

He bites his lip. 

“What is important is the fact that I love when you kiss my neck”. 

He does?

“I can listen to you moan my name all day long and get hard each and every time”. 

You were about to do it again. 

“To make you forget the world and focus on one thing only is a blessing to me”. 

“J-Jaehyun”.

“I know, kitten” 

You grip onto his shoulders while you feel euphoria wash over your body. It was wave after wave of pleasure, and you weren’t too sure you could handle its intensity. You open your eyes whilst riding the curtails of your orgasm and find Jaehyun looking right at you. You gripped onto his shirt as the last waves passed but he remained silent, watching you with dark eyes. 

“Feel good?” He asks. 

You nodded, leaning  back against the pillows. It took a moment before he did anything but, eventually, he sat on top of the quilt with you, letting you rest your head on his shoulders. 

But even through your pleasure haze, you could see his erection clearly in those borrowed sweatpants. You let your gaze flicker downward and he caught your eyes trailing over his crotch. He shook his head, simply offering you an adorable smile. 

Instead, he wraps an arm around you and pulls you back down to the bed. 

You weren’t sure when you drifted off to sleep but when you awoke, you heard the water running in the bathroom. Stretching out your muscles, you look around your bedroom and accurately deduce who was in the shower. Your mind went to earlier in the day; His ministrations, his fingers, his tongue. Clenching your thighs, you decide that you need to take your mind away from that. Getting up from your bed with the intention of getting a snack, you stop by the bathroom door for a moment. You could hear him from your spot against the bathroom door. 

It took seconds for you to realize what he was doing; The moans, the intake of breath and the low whines you heard from him. Should you? You had a thought of going into the bathroom, surprising him and starting what would definitely be an amazing sex session. 

But you thought of your relationship to the situation and how, if you went in there and asked him to fuck you silly, you would never see if he’s serious about treating you properly. So, despite every fiber in your being, you resign, opting to walk away. 

Then you hear a soft moan. 

A very soft but very audible “kitten”. 

Your eyes went wide as you froze in place, not really knowing what to say or do as you inadvertently listened to him finish. You kind of just stood there, looking like an absolute fool as he came out of the bathroom, toweling his hair. His eyes connected with yours and, uncharacteristically, a flush of color flooded his cheeks. 

“I know you heard that”. 

You nod once, at a loss for words as you take a few steps forward. 

“You said my name” You whisper, your voice barely carrying in the quiet apartment. 

“Technically” He began, taking a step towards you and wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you forward. “I said your nickname”. 

His towel was damp and the only thing separating you two. 

It was so quiet and you weren’t sure what it was that you could do about this situation while not fucking up a potential connection you could have with him. 

You couldn’t stop your reaction; You were in front of him before you could realize it, raising yourself up on your tiptoes while you wrap both arms around his neck. Sighing rather loudly, he wraps his arms around you and nuzzles himself in your neck. 

You will yourself to say what was on your mind as you let him hold you. 

“Jaehyun”. 

“Mm?”

You swallow. 

“What do you want from me?” The words were a soft whisper, burning in your throat as you realized what you had asked.

He sighs, pulling you closer to him but offering no other response. You let him have a few moments of silence, but you weren’t having it last longer than a minute. 

“Jaehyun” You repeat sternly. 

The man says nothing, opting to hold you tighter instead. You push him off, only to find that he won’t meet your eyes. 

You feel your chest constrict. 

“So that’s it? You get drunk, mess with my emotions and then that’s it?” The pain in your heart is palpable as you watch his quiet form. 

He offered nothing for a few moments. You chuckle dryly, sniffing to try to hold back the tears.

It was only when you began to storm off in the direction of your bedroom that he showed any reaction, grabbing your hand. 

“Don’t go” The words were out of his mouth in a rush before he could stop himself. 

You felt the tears well up in your eyes the moment he said that; Every emotion that he has either pleasured you with or forced you to experience came to the surface. 

Inhaling sharply and exhaling slowly, you pull your hand from his grip. 

“I…I care about you”. 

You shake your head. 

“Not enough” You counter to which he was very quiet. 

Not even bothering to look his way, you shut your eyes quietly as your bitter work stared you in the face. 

This could not go on. 

He is not the man you thought he was. 

With the last amount of strength you had, you addressed the man behind you.

“Leave”. 

It was quiet for a moment as both of you just let the demand hang in the air. Inhaling sharply, you mentally prepare yourself for his reaction as you turn to face him. Hardening your gaze, you looked towards the man in front of you with a new sense of malice, something you hoped you would never have to do. 

You’re going to have to force yourself to stay away from Jaehyun. 

“I-”

You shake your head. 

“No. I’m happy you’re no longer hungover; Get dressed and get out. If you’re not gone within the next 20 minutes, Johnny will show you out”.

He scoffed but the sharpness in your gaze made him reconsider whatever the hell he was about to say next. He remained quiet as he went to retrieve his belongings. You couldn’t bear to watch it so, you did the only thing you could and retreated to your room. You were two steps in before you realized that your sanctuary had been contaminated with him as well. Rage surged through your veins as you remembered the preceding morning. You stripped the bed angrily, and ball up the sheets in your arms, taking everything off you take it over the washing machine. 

You ignore the hurt in his face as you brush past him to throw it in the wash. 

“Actually” You spun around, surprisingly disappointed and simultaneously relieved to find that he was a good 2 feet away from you. 

Your words die in your throat. You can do nothing but laugh bitterly at the situation. 

“Never mind” you mumble. 

You slam the washer closed after affording him a glare. You turn back to the task at hand. 

Seeing those hands that caressed your skin not too long ago, those eyes that held you captive for so long and those lips that spoke lies you wanted to believe oh so bad; The helplessness and the inferiority of a high schooler returned with a staggering vengeance. 

God, have you truly changed so little? 

No. 

You couldn’t have changed so little. The tears sprang to your eyes before you could say anything. The hope that you held onto that candle flame you held for him dimmed greatly; In that moment you promised yourself you would do anything to make sure that flame went out and stayed out. You allow the hope you have to come to the surface: The hope that he would hold you and tell you that it was only you that he wanted, that it was only you that he wanted to love and hold; You let it swell into a great big frozen balloon. Then, before you can question it, you smash it.

You intend on using the shards to sever any remaining ties between you and the man in front of you. 

You deserved more than being a simple physical release or comfort but as a partner. You begin to scan your memories with lightning speed, reminding yourself of the past opportunities that you squandered for Jaehyun. 

His voice as he called to you was distorted, the bass didn’t reverberate through you like it once did and you simply didn’t feel the slight dizziness of intoxication that his presence so often provided. It was no longer a game and, at once, it seemed as if you had broken the matrix. Here you stood watching as Jaehyun took a step towards you, feeling nothing but cold anger.

“You…you’re not going to say anything?” His voice low, quiet. 

What had made him so special before? You ponder, lost in thought at your own question as you faced him. You suppose he received an answer through his own assumptions, deciding to pass you by quietly to gather the little things he has left. You stood in perpetual silence, only deciding to move once he pulled his shirt over his head. Your destination: Your phone. 

Heading over to your bedroom, with a quick tap of your fingers. 

You: (4:46)- You busy? 

A few moments later:

Johnny (4:50)- Nah, you need me for something? 

You: (4:51)-Badly. Had a really ruff day. 

Johnny: (4:53)- Say less, be over in 30.

“Leave the door unlocked please”. 

Doyoung’s eyes blazed with a fire that you had clearly stoked behind them before he barked out a vicious laugh. 

“Johnny?”.

You do not respond. 

You do not have the energy for it, you simply shrug, deciding that you weren’t going to engage in the endless game. You’d rather bury your sorrows in Johnny’s neck as you whispered for him to go deeper. Healthy? No. Effective? Maybe. Pleasurable? Hell yeah.

“I’ll see you later?”. 

You set your mouth into a line and nod. 

“See you at work”. 

Jaehyun grips his jacket, scratching the soft material of the couch whilst doing so and messing up the tastefully placed blanket. Only when you heard the door slam shut did you both relish in and dread the silence.  

[ginacookiecpunk]

*gossiping sounds*

[bittersweet-in-boston]

First of my fics for the ShrinkyClinksDoubleBang2023 — huge thanks to @heckalecki for the amazing art, come see it in chapter 1!

Also fills squares for @steverogersbingo — E4/Already Married, E5/Wanda Maximoff, A3/Steve vs. Late-Stage Capitalism, and D4/Gags

[prompt-of-the-day]

Dialogue: #059

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but I guarantee you your boss will want to see me."

"I don't care what you want to guarantee me, not even the King of England is getting past me without an appointment, so book one and come back later."

"I'll get you fired!"

"I'm a nepo baby, darling, no one is firing anyone and I'm not leaving until I want to leave. Bye bye."

[undreaming-fanfiction]

The office was boring.

Boring. Booooring. Borrrring. BoOoRrRINg. No matter how Eddie spelled it, it still sucked. Everyone so prim, so proper, so focused. And yeah, Eddie was over the moon that he had a stable and fairly well paying job, don't get him wrong, but he'd always had a rebellious streak and now he really, REALLY felt the urge to shake things up.

It started innocently enough, with a 1 dollar goggly eye sticker sheet in the display window of the local stationery shop. So sue Eddie, he liked ridiculous crap, no doubt inherited from Wayne Munson and his mug empire. So Eddie bought the sticker sheet and the next day, he secretly stuck a pair of goggly eyes onto Nancy Wheeler's webcam. He really wanted to see if there was anything else to her than the painfully annoying drive and perfection.

He got his wish when Nancy was preparing for her Zoom call and Robin Buckley snuck behind her, pressing a finger against her lips. "Shhhh. Not a word. You're being watched," she whispered and pointed at the webcam.

That was when Eddie learned Nancy had the cutest snort laugh and that Robin grew an even cuter shade of pink when she heard it. Two birds, one stone and all that .

He decided to keep his identity as the goggly eye bandit a secret. No one knew where and when he'd strike.

Meeting invites? If you looked closely enough, you'd see a small goggly eye stuck in the g of the word meeting.

Forgotten lunch in the kitchen fridge? One goggly eye per day, growing like mold.

A directive against use of goggly eyes? Of course there would be a NO spelled out of goggly eyes.

The office became a beautiful, goggly eye-infested place. Not boring anymore, not when the team lead found his stack of business cards gogglified.

But then.

THEN.

Someone started to add puffy cartoon-ish lips to his goggly eyes. Eddie couldn't believe it - his rebellion was being rebelled against. Or co-rebelled. His mockery was being mocked. And the worst part was - no one knew it was him so he couldn't complain anywhere. What would he say to the HR? That he voluntarily took upon himself the responsibilities of the office gogglifier position and someone has been encroaching on his territory? 

But that wasn't the end of Eddie's suffering, oh no. Because in his anger, he got sloppy - on Friday he came home, slammed his backpack on the desk...and the goggly eye sheet was gone. He searched for it frantically, retracing his steps, praying he hadn't done the only possible thing - leave it on the pile of paperwork on his desk. He couldn't even begin to imagine what the repercussions would be when he came back to the office on Monday. He was certain he was fucked.

Except...not?

Monday came and Eddie rushed to the office, throwing himself onto the pile of papers on his desk and digging, digging...and finding nothing.

Huh. Maybe he lost it outside? Maybe he accidentally threw it out?

As he moved his chair to start his work day, he noticed an envelope on his work seat, labelled - "FAO Mr. Munson". Probably another directive, notice or something.

Nope. It was his goggly eye sheet. Along with a horrendous lip sticker and a note that said I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU.

You might think that this was the biggest shock of that week for Eddie, but you'd be wrong.

The real shock came the same day, when he attended a joint team meeting in which the office pretty boy, Steve Harrington, was presenting, making notes on the whiteboard, and, after an agonizing half an hour, Eddie finally realized why the handwriting seemed so familiar. Because there was a small twirl in the Os that Harrington wrote and the puffy lip bandit note burned in Eddie's pocket, tempting him to take it out and confirm his suspicions.

As everyone started leaving the conference room, Eddie still stared at the whiteboard, wondering if this was it, if he finally found his arch nemesis.

Harrington just motioned towards Eddie's company badge and touched it, briefly pressing the plastic into Eddie's chest. "Looking nice there, Munson." He winked at Eddie and left.

Eddie's confusion very quickly dissipated when he noticed that the fucker stuck a puffy lip thingy onto his picture in the badge. His lips curled into an evil smile as he exited the conference room.

This meant war.

[craftyfaecreature]

My fan art for Chapter 8 of The Golden Thread Around Your Neck Whispered Visions of My Undoing by MarsBar2019 on A03.

Caleb's view of the Marquet sunset from the balcony plunge pool of their fancy hotel room in Ank'Harel. And Essek's view of Caleb.

[valleydean]

First Sentence Game

tagged by @wanderingcas

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written less than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

1. Heavyweight

Dean’s right eyelid was starting to swell.

2. Till Death

The sun had already dipped below the forest outside of town when Castiel got the call.

3. Raise the Black

The foremast was cracked, its splintering wood resembling jagged teeth.

4. Redux

The alarm was turned off before Dean even knew he was awake.

5. Good Bones

“I’m sure it’s nothing, but company policy states I have to warn you: this place is supposedly haunted,” the realtor had told them during the tour.

6. A Ghost Story

It’s not that Dean didn’t believe in ghosts.

7. Departure Strategy

“I’ve laid out the necessary materials, Ms. Baker.  You understand that protocol forbids me from doing anything further to aid you in your departure?”

8. Angel of Light

The wooden wheel gave one last, dying scream as the jail wagon lurched to a halt.

9. The Shawnee Trail

Getting into the house had been easy.

10. Castiel Novak’s Office, This is Dean

It’s no secret that Dean Winchester is bad at his job.

Tagging: @doctorprofessorsong @you-cant-spell-subtext-without @friendofcarlotta @ltleflrt and anyone else who wants to do it idk lol

[priderock-inc]

Any Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed headcanons for the AU???

Absolutely!

They're the janitorial team at Pride Rock Inc. They do a pretty good job, if not for the fact that they occasionally leave behind more mess than they pick up.

They have a great rapport with Scar. He's the one who got them their jobs in the first place, and manages to smooth-talk their continued employment whenever they pull off a particularly spectacular cleaning mishap.

Ed has a pretty amazing knowledge of solvents. Despite this (or perhaps because of this), he never says anything and communicates solely by giggling and pointing.

Banzai loves to gossip and will often eavesdrop on company meetings.

Shenzi is perpetually giving Scar makeup tips, eyeliner especially, and nags him to try them out. Zazu really wishes she wouldn't.

Thanks for the ask!

[lookformyvoice]

Corporate Affair : 1

Jungkook didn't think presentations could surprise him anymore. That is until he witnessed the presentation of his new team member. (nsfw) (ft. Park Jimin)

━ jungkook x female!oc

━ 3.3k words.

━ 18+

━ smut, fluff, slow burn, corporate au, workplace romance au

━ warning/s: explicit sexual content

A/n: Hey, everyone! Here is the first chapter to Corporate Affair. It's been at least one and a half years since I have jotted down some fiction and not going to lie, my brain was so dead in the creative sense that from gathering words, ideas to even willpower, everything was an Achilles heel for me, haha. But anyways, I’m getting into writing again, though slowly. But better something than nothing. 

I genuinely hope readers find this story interesting ('cause I'm doubting this so much). It's going to be a slow burn so if you're looking for some immediate relief, this ain't it lol.

And, my rant ends here. Peace out!

Masterlist I Next

Jungkook can't resist it. He simply can't. It’s quite a momentary action, won’t even take that long honestly but he couldn’t risk it in case the feeling escalates and he has to take more than a second to recompose himself. After all, a moment or two change everything when one’s behind the wheel.

But alas, he gave in. Gave in to the sheer annoyance coursing through his veins as soon as he saw a familiar caller ID flashing on his car screen. And he, gasp, rolled his eyes so deep it’s a wonder they didn’t get stuck in there.

"It hasn't even been two weeks since you left," Jungkook's right hand swiftly handled the wheel as the other rested on his lap. "Why-” The interrogatory word came out too harsh and he really wouldn’t have allowed his tone to be like that any other time but this person had really crossed a line here. “-have you called me five times already?"

"Aww, you're keeping a count, huh?" Jimin's cooing proved to one of the million reasons why Jungkook can't stand his colleague/friend (Or so he says). “I just want to make sure you are not missing me.”

“Oh, rest assured, nobody’s missing you. Not even Tae-” Jungkook’s retort was interrupted when he heard laughter from the the other end. “Hyung? You there?”

It took one more ‘hyung’ from Jungkook for the said man to return, “Sorry, man. So, what was it? Yeah, I didn’t want you to miss m-” 

"If you don't have anything important to say, I'm hanging up."

"Yah, the four times I called-"

"Five."

Jimin groaned, "Yeah, yeah. Well, was any of it for non-work purposes?"

"It’s never just work with you, hyung. It’s all meshed in, so yeah, there was both-" Jungkook halted to a pause when the loud noises interrupted him again.

He waited for it to die down and focused entirely on the road ahead him. In moments, Jimin returned. "And... Sorry, what were we talking about again?"

Jungkook didn't bother reminding him, it was the usual bantering anyways. "You seem to be having fun over there."

He felt Jimin smile from the other end, "Man, it's fucking amazing. Tokyo is wow. The whole team went out for drinking yesterday and there was this bar with the most amazing sushi. And then we went out for karaoke too. I got home at two, can you believe it? I didn't think I had it in me anymore but looks like I still got it."

The younger man sighed at Jimin's jolly tone, "Hyung, you're in a superior's capacity there. Shouldn't you be behaving a bit responsibly?" And he lightly tilted the steering to the right which had the Mercedes glide into the underground parking lot.

"Ugh, shut up. It was my welcoming party, well, a super-delayed one but they really insisted on throwing one so I couldn't just not go. And unlike some people, I happen to enjoy mingling with people." That felt like a dig at Jungkook and he was sure it was meant to be one. "And my colleagues don't seem to mind my company either."

"Why would they mind it? They’re currying favours by spending more time with you, if it wasn't that obvious already. Plus, if their boss himself is slacking around, it gives them more the excuse when they fuck up themselves later-"  

"Yah, dongsaeng-ah," Jimin emphasized the word to remind the sharp-tongued maknae of the age gap between them that the latter never gave two fucks about. "I didn't call to have you bite my ears off. Just reminding that the new member is joining today."

Silence followed, which was unusual since Jungkook always had a comeback to literally anything and everything Jimin said. "Jungkook-ah, you there?"

"Yeah, yeah. I was just parking the car."

Jimin rolled his eyes at the non-committal response. As if Jungkook needed to be so focused during something as mundane as parking a car considering how good he was at driving, "Yeah, well, the new member is coming-"

"I heard that. And I remember it too." Jungkook finally put the car at rest and leaned back on his seat.

Jungkook and Jimin worked at one of the top multinational consulting firms, Maverick & Park but in different teams. Today there was a new team member joining Jimin's Conflict Resolution and Negotiations team (Or CRN team, as was the lingo at the firm) but he was away in Japan for a three-months project. And hence, along with looking after Jimin's team, Jungkook was also to oversee the new consultant's onboarding and so forth.

"Just make sure to give a good welcome, okay. It's bad enough her actual team leader isn't there for that." .

A crease formed on Jungkook’s forehead when he heard this. Jimin had mentioned her in literally all five calls he had made since he had left and Jungkook really wondered why he is so insistent on it. Not only was Jungkook obviously going to make sure the new team member settles in well- it was his fucking job after all- but also that this continuous persistence for being a good host was baffling to Jungkook considering how commonplace the event of onboarding a new consultant was. 

So he voiced his thoughts, "There isn’t any need to feel bad, hyung, you aren't playing hooky over there or something. You’re there for work after all." Jimin felt slightly allayed with the maknae's words. It didn't last long. "Or at least I hope you are."

The older ignored the last comment, "Yeah but you know how important she is. Everyone wanted her on their team but damn, I guess the best one won."

"There are basically just three conflict resolution teams at our branch. Barely an everyone."

"Tsk! You're such a party-pooper. Whatever. Just make sure to-"

"I said I will." Jungkook checked himself in the car's mirror before glancing at his watch, "Is there anything else other than the obvious? 'Cause I gotta run and-"

Ugh, he’s such a brat, "Yeah, fine. That was it." Just as he was about to end the call he heard Jungkook's words,

"And get some sleep. Geez."

A smile formed on Jimin’s lips. "Alright. Bye then."

He’s a cute brat though.

A week later, Jungkook was running a glance through his mailbox before one of his personal reminders on his other desktop screen reminded him of the meeting he had with the CRN team at 1:20pm. He checked the Rolex strapped on his wrist and got off the swivel chair before strutting out of his office. He languidly paced towards the conference room as he utilized this ten-minutes window not only to give his body a much-needed break from the 90-degreed posture he had sat in for the past hour but also to mentally revise the meeting’s agenda. And just then he spotted a certain figure entering the meeting room round the corner.

Lee Areum. Jungkook recognised the figure with ease, having grown used to it in the past few days. The consultant because of whom Jungkook had been subjected to Jimin’s torturous calls every morning. But after she joined, he realized Jimin wasn’t the only one obsessed with making her the subject of their conversation. Jungkook’s own Strategy and Intelligence team (SnI) and the rest of the divisions on the 23rd and 24th floor were all whispering about her so much that it came to even Jungkook’s notice, who mostly stayed aloof at work.

The attention Lee Areum was getting wasn’t exactly surprising though. Considering how close-knitted the Korean community is, a mere fresher joining work made news too. But apart from the obvious novelty, Lee Areum herself, as a person, wasn’t exactly that inconspicuous either. Her tied-up raven hair, where most Korean female employees chose to leave theirs open and her stylish attire, that impressively stood out from most of the already-fashionable crowd at Maverick & Park- all this definitely physically set her apart.

But there was more too. Lee Areum’s mannerisms- how she spoke, walked and even something as bare minimum as the way she stood, it all felt different. Charming even, as some had put it. And all this had led many to believe that she probably belonged to a wealthy family but there was no way to confirm it. Lee is a terribly ordinary last name to get any useful leads from and when asked directly, Lee Areum had denied the rumour outright, which confirmed the suspicions of many. Well, she obviously can’t admit it, you know. They are supposed to keep these kinds of things a secret. Is what the employees-turned-sherlock-holmes had reasoned.

Then why the fuck would you ask her anyways? Were Jungkook’s thoughts when this had reached his ears. Yeah, Jungkook wasn’t a big fan of the gossip flying around around Lee Areum. This was such a routine thing at the firm that he knew within a few weeks, people will find a new target and all this talk will have dust sitting over it. The only thing that Jungkook cared about was that as long as this Lee Areum's being different didn’t pose any issue, there was no need to be interested in anything other than her professional life.

What Jungkook didn’t know was that his nonchalant attitude, which surely wasn’t wrong, was going to come and bite his ass in precisely six minutes.

Fuck! Jungkook desperately and (hopefully) subtly squirmed in his chair as he mentally praised whoever that came up with the idea of dimming down the lights during a presentation. Though this didn't help his situation at all, it at least promised some privacy against his junior colleagues. Oh god. He winced as he ran the word through his mind since it held far great importance than one could imagine, especially at this moment. 

After all, how mortifying would it be if these hoobaes get to know that their interim team leader- Jeon Jungkook, one of the most impressive consultants at the Seoul branch, got a fucking boner in the middle of a presentation.

And if that wasn't enough, the cherry on top was that he got hard because of the presentation. 

Fucking shit! Jungkook kept chanting similar vulgar incantations in his mind and shifted in his chair from time to time but that was it. What else could he do anyways? Running out was impossible, his dick was too hard to do anything of that sort, plus the walk to the restroom would be terribly embarrassing. And the other alternative? Getting off. Yeah, so you get it, he really had no option but just to remain engulfed in this... this confusing state of reverie where he was panicking so hard at the situation he was in but also loved the ripples spreading through his body.

Oh god. This wave was stronger, so much that Jungkook had to bring his fingers near his mouth to seal it in the most inconspicuous way possible in order to avoid any lewd noises escaping his lips. Shit, shit. Shit! 

This wasn’t on the agenda. Oh, this so wasn’t. You know what was? Choi Heejin giving updates about her soon-to-be-finished report on a deal she had recently closed. Do Jinhyeok and Son Seokmin informing of the recent developments in their respective cases. Jungkook asking them the necessary questions about their progress and them asking him doubts that he would be glad to resolve. Both the parties contributing amicably to maintain the quality of the projects. This was on the agenda. Not getting hard at the most inappropriate time like some horny teenager. And who the fuck gets hard during a godforsaken presentation!? A presentation!?

Anyways.

Don't blame Jungkook for this entirely though because this wasn’t something that happened involuntarily. Not as if Jungkook’s dick just went ‘Top of the morning to ya!’ and sprang up. No. There was an instigation, and it was when Nam Doyun and the latest addition to the CRN team, Lee Areum started off their presentation on the case they had been jointly assigned to work on. Doyun’s part was nothing out of unexpected plus Jungkook was working with him for the past few weeks already, so he was familiar with the guy.

Lee Areum though. Daaaaamn. This literally went off in his mind in under fifteen seconds of her speaking. She was explaining how she and Doyun were planning on undertaking the case and it was clear (quite expected too) that their research and planning was fantastic. The project seemed like it would sail through in the smoothest way possible. And the pair seemed to make an exceptionally compatible team in spite of having met each other just a few days ago. 

But the number of studied observations Jungkook made decreased with time as he listened to Lee Areum and then went down to none as his focus began centering around the alluring person in front of him. His eyes felt a pull, a freaking pull, towards her and the already dimmed down surroundings somehow dulled further as if next to her, everything else was so worthless that it could and should only fade away because really, staying in her shadows was the only way anything could ever coexist with her.

What is it? Is it her intricately woven speech that makes the statistics she is mentioning sound like a ballad? Or is it the utter lack of filler words while she speaks? Is it her eyes? How they make you feel as if she could convince you to jump off a cliff the moment you stared into them? Or was it her confidence? Oh god, why does she look at me like she’s staring at my freaking soul? Okay, got it. The eyes and the confidence for sure. But was that all? Oh no.

What had really intrigued Jungkook was actually a very commonplace detail. Everybody has it more or less. But as someone who appreciates the magic of sounds, Jungkook found Lee Areum’s voice to be the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in an office setting. It’s not as if he hadn’t heard her talk before, she did participate by giving inputs during meetings but consultants usually had considerable autonomy while on projects so unless it was for those meetings, he didn’t have as many opportunities to take notice of it. 

Turns out, not listening to her enough beforehand had turned out to be the lethal mistake that led to his demise. He hadn't heard her speak at length before especially not with her being the only object of his attention and fuck, how had he missed her beautiful, deep voice? She wasn't a full-blown contralto, no, the lightness lacing her tone made sure she wasn't, but she wasn't a mezzo either. Her voice lied somewhere in between and oh god, what he wouldn’t give to just hear her serenade him for his entire life as she writhed beneath him.

He drew a sharp breath as he painted that scenario in his head. She would never be quiet, she’ll never hold back her moans. She seemed too confident for that. Huh. Would she even concede me the control then? Damn! Oh god, will she ride me? She will, won’t she? Of course she will, what was I thinking? Someone like her will never stay under, hell no. Jungkook’s brows furrowed and with a clenched jaw he imagined her rising and then slapping hard on his lap. Fuck, she'll keep bouncing, huh, always meeting my eyes and never shy away. And she’ll moan lusty nothings into the air and- Oh wait. Team leader. Fuck, I want her to say team leader while she fucks me and uses me to make herself feel good. Say it again and again, in that deep voice of hers-

"Team Leader?"

Yes, say it. Exactly like that-

"Team Leader Jeon?"

Jungkook broke out of his trance and his head snapped to the voice that had called out to him, "Huh? Oh, yes, Miss Choi?"

Heejin smiled awkwardly at the wide-eyed, whiplashed Jungkook, "Uh, Miss Lee asked if there are any questions since the presentation's over."

It took him some seconds to understand what was going on and everything that had faded away earlier firmly reclaimed their position. Everything came back to him accompanied with the horrifying realization of the shit he had just pulled Or hadn't... yet. And as if that self-realization wasn’t enough, the awkward glances of his team members just left a sinking feeling in his heart. 

And to top it all, Lee Areum just stood there in the front as she stared at him with sheer disbelief and his heart dropped. Nobody knew he was hard, including her, but there was a good reason why Lee Areum seemed so distressed. Everyone knew how important the first presentation at a new place was in terms of setting a precedence and so he knew exactly what ran through her head. That she sucked so bad her team leader zoned out during her bare five-minutes long talk. If she couldn’t keep him engaged for such little time, who's to say the clients will be at all convinced by the ideas she is pitching them.  If, at all, they give her enough attention to even be convinced.

Oh, no, no, no. Goddammit! Jungkook knew the word will spread out fast about his reaction to her and everyone will consider it to be the ultimate judgement because bosses are apparently always fucking right and since this seemed much more gossip-worthy than just thinking that Jungkook was actually spacing out.

But fuck all that, he would come out clear and clarify the incident himself in case the hell unleashes but the last thing he wanted was for someone as capable as her to think low of herself,

"Yes, of course.” He replied while composing himself. “That was- Miss Lee, it was a great presentation." She nodded but he saw her gulp hard and realized she probably thought he said it just for the sake of it. "It was. The research was on-point but your reasoning on how to handle the conflict between the clients was excellent. I noticed the inputs from your previous experience with mergers and I’m sure they’d help you immensely on this case."

Jungkook watched her lips part in awe, probably surprised that he had indeed paid attention but he wasn't going to stop just there. He felt extremely guilty for letting her feel, even for a second, that she wasn't good. If she felt so but just in case she did, "But most importantly, your presentation style is commendable. It keeps one intrigued till they very end and I am sure your clients won't be able to resist your power either. I can see why team leader Park spoke so highly of you. Keep it up."

Everything went silent for a while, it wasn’t just Areum who was in shock, the rest of the team was too as they didn't expect the esteemed Jeon Jungkook, who mostly kept to himself, to be so vocal about Areum's performance. But they were glad their teammate did well and they voiced it to her, chirping loud compliments as Areum bowed politely to all of them.

And now, for the most important thing. “All right, then. That wraps up the meeting. Mr. Nam and Miss Lee, all the best on your case, we hope you have a safe flight on Monday. Others too, great work. Hoping to see the paperwork completed as per the deadlines.” They (again) loudly thanked him for his words and Jungkook was convinced Jimin’s influence was the reason why the entire CRN team was so loud. “Now scram. I have to go over some stuff here.”

In between bowing and wishing goodbyes, Jungkook felt an attractive dark gaze focused on him and when he faced it, its owner smiled softly before bowing lightly again and then finally departing which is when Jungkook realized something.

Lee Areum had done a lot of things to him today- had his dick riled up under a minute or so, made him out to be an almost-laughingstock in front of his colleagues, instigated panic and guilt, and had him break out of his ‘man-of-a-few-words’ persona to profoundly compliment her.

All of this was so unexpected but even when combined, it came nowhere near to what he felt when she smiled at him just now.

Ahem, alright. Jungkook dismissed his elevated heartbeat quickly. No time for this. He sighed loudly and began typing on his phone to push his schedule by fifteen minutes before going quiet in his chair as he waited for the still raging storm to die down.

Damn, He somehow had an instinct, these three months are not gonna be easy.

Masterlist l Next

[sighingsiren-tales]

You Knew Better (pt2) (Original post accidently deleted!)

S/o to the WONDERFUL human who let me know that it deleted!

I never meant to delete this series! If you guys can get the likes back to the 350+ it was before it deleted, I’ll post pt.3 by the end of this holiday weekend!

~

4.7k 

~

“Huh, looks like it was fate that wanted us to talk” Jaehyun mumbles as you desperately push the help button on the elevator. 

You turn around to face him only to find that his expression was one of absolute amusement. 

“Oh, so this is a game to you?” You question harshly. 

“Nope” He spoke smugly before taking a step forward. 

“But it does give us an opportunity to talk”. 

“I don’t want to talk Jaehyun, I want to get out of the fucking elevator” You deadpanned, causing him to chuckle slightly. 

“Well, since you have nothing better to do other than wait on the fire department, why don’t you tell me exactly why you’re ignoring me?” He spoke, voice soft and sweet. 

Rolling your eyes, you resist the urge to childishly stomp your foot in annoyance. 

“Again, with this?” You ask exasperatedly. 

“You’re like a dog with a bone” No sooner than the words left your mouth he chuckles, the sound emanating from deep in his chest. 

“Trust me, you have no idea” He quips. 

Your hope that he doesn't speak again is dashed within minutes.

“You still haven’t answered my question” He spoke again after a few moments of silence. 

You gave him a slight glance over your shoulder before turning your attention back to the elevator’s help button.

“Is this because of high school?”

You give him a death glare in response. You don’t even bother to answer him, opting for fishing your phone out of your pocket and dialing Johnny instead.  You place it to your ear, ignoring Jaehyun’s comments as you wait for the rings to subside. 

“Helllloooo” 

“Jay, I got stuck in a fucking elevator”. 

“You’re kidding”. 

Ignoring Jaehyun’s existence, you click the facetime call button and wait a mere 3 seconds before he answers. He looks around at your surroundings in awe first before looking at your face. 

“And you’re alone?”. 

“Of course not,” Jaehyun scoffs, leaning up against a corner of the elevator with a smug look on his face. 

Johnny’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he began to mouth the words “Is that?”. You barely let him ask before nodding. He lets out a chuckle, running a hand through his hair before flopping onto his bed. 

“Your life is a damn k-drama”. 

You groan. 

“Tell me about it”. 

“Want me to come rescues you?”. 

You scoff.

“Just call the damn fire department so I can get out of here”. 

Johnny chuckles before promising you that he would do as you asked. You nod, saying your goodbyes before hanging up. 

“Aww so sweet” Jaehyun comments

“Please shut up” You ask before scrolling through your phone in an attempt to block him out. 

“Are you going to talk to me now?” He asks.

You sigh, forcing your eyes to stay glued to your screen. 

“Are you going to stop pretending like we both don’t know how this ends?” 

Your words hang in the air for a second. 

“Oh? And how does it end?”. 

A pause, and a bitter chuckle.

“You get your nut and I’m left alone. Been there done that and have to say, thanks but no thanks” You struggle to keep your voice level as you scroll past a cat video on Instagram.  

You feel his fingers enclose around the upper part of your arm. 

“It won’t be like that this time”. 

You scoff at his words, shaking your head at his “vow”. 

“I don’t know what is with you and Johnny lying to me when I know the truth” You counter.  

Within seconds, Jaehyun’s hand was around the screen of your phone and the next thing you knew, your phone was up in the air, above his head as you were left looking at where it had once been. You sigh heavily before turning to face him, but the rage that assaulted you was more than enough to put a crack in the mask of calm, cool and collected that you had created. You jump for the phone only for Jaehyun to move it at the last second so that it was just beyond your reach. You huff as you reach for it again, not realizing how close you and Jaehyun were until his other hand snuck up to grab your chin and force your eyes to meet his. His gaze was stern, something you don’t normally see with him. 

“Don’t ever compare Johnny and I”. 

“If the shoe fits” You snort, crossing your arms over your chest. 

Before you knew it, Jaehyun was directly in your face; Your arms drop. 

“You think so, huh? So then” He leans closer, causing you to step back. 

“Tell me”.

Another step forward. Another step back. 

“Does he fuck like me?” 

Don’t react.

“Does he remember to hold your hips in place when you’re about to cum?”

Don’t. 

“Or” His finger twirled a single curl around. 

“Can he dig you out like I can?”

You push back on his shoulders before he can finish speaking. Missing no opportunity, you lean down and grab the phone that had fallen from his hand when he stumbled backwards, thanking yourself for getting a case. Before you can even unlock it, he grabs it back. 

“Jaehyun” You hiss.

He gives you no response and instead decides to tuck the phone into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. You huff, not caring that he had finally got some emotion from you seeing as you were too annoyed by this point.

“What is it? What is it about me that makes it so goddamned fun to fuck with? I’m pretty sure you have other girls just waiting outside your door, legs open and willing. So why me?” You ranted, your voice rising a bit the longer your sentence went on. 

“I don’t know why it’s so hard for you to realize that I actually like you” He shot back, turning up his nose in annoyance. 

You bark out a humorless laugh at his statement before offering a retort. 

“Why? Why is it so hard for me to realize that? It’s you! It’s your goddamn fault!”. 

“That was years ago. In high school-”

“And college, freshman and sophomore year” You chime in, causing him to purse his lips and pause before continuing. 

“I was a stupid kid. I didn’t know any better and it was a mistake” He counters, taking a step forward. 

“A stupid kid? You fucked me over again just a few months ago!” You exclaim, to which he was absolutely silent. 

“I’m not about to be the bitch that gets played for a twelfth time. I’d rather save the shattered remains of my pride and myself from looking stupid yet again because of you” You continue, your words coming out harshly. 

He says nothing but you could see his jaw clench clearly. 

“Now” You spoke, straightening your clothing and leveling your gaze with his. 

“Give. Me. My. God. Damn. Phone”. 

Jaehyun made no moves to look away from you, his gaze holding up under the intensity of your own. 

“Make me”.

The next few seconds were a quick succession of movements. He rushes forwards, his hands cradling your face rather roughly as his fingertips nip the nape of your neck. He pulls you towards him with a strength you didn’t know he possessed, his lips finding yours easily and kissing you roughly. You find yourself enjoying the intensity of the kiss which was no doubt a result of the intense emotion and thick sexual tension. You let your fingertips grip the collar of his shirt, pulling him down rather roughly as you nipped at his lip. 

Fuck his shirt, you think as you tug on it.

I hope it rips. 

His kiss becomes bruising, his lips never allowing a breath to come out of yours as he kisses you over and over and over again. His fingers tighten around the expanse of your neck, then relax and you feel an inaudible gasp leave your lips at the feel of it. In a matter of seconds, you snap yourself back into reality, breaking the kiss and moving over to a different corner of the elevator. 

It is silent; Dead silence, save for the harsh pants coming from you both.

It takes a few moments before he speaks again.

“Why?” His question fades into nothingness.

You let out a shuddering breath, looking over at him quickly before shaking your head. 

“I should be asking you that” You retort.

Sighing, you take off your heels and slide down to sit on the floor of the elevator; You’re tired of standing.

“Why can’t you just listen to me?” He asks quietly before joining you on the floor. 

“Why do you have a problem with commitment?” you snap back which, as you expected, results in silence. 

“Have you ever thought that maybe I just don’t want to commit to you?” He asked, his tone inquisitive although his words stung a bit. 

You let out a bitter chuckle before looking over at him. 

“You know, I’ve thought about that. I thought that maybe it was just me” You pause in order to turn and face him fully, mainly so you could see his reaction.

“Then I remind myself of every single time that you’ve come back to me, from high school till now. And I wonder” You pause to make eye contact with him.

“What is it about me that you can’t stay away from but can’t stay with?”. 

The sentence lingers in the air and Jaehyun offers nothing to refute that. You scoff before looking at your phone, scrolling through random posts before his voice breaks the silence. 

“I was stupid back then; immature and impressionable. I’m sorry” His voice was soft and, for once, not argumentative. 

You were rendered speechless; What could you say to that? 

Was it genuine? 

Was it another ploy? 

Did you really want to waste time figuring it out? What would happen if he was serious? Did he mean it? 

“But” his voice cuts through your thoughts. 

“What happened at the company retreat was different. It wasn’t just another one-night stand”. 

Pulling your lip balm out your pocket, you huff.  His response was definitely disappointing. 

“Could’ve fooled me” you mutter bitterly. 

“Maybe when you accept the fact that I’m not trying to fool you, this would work”. 

You give a humorless chuckle. 

“Look at your track record and tell me I wouldn’t be stupid for trusting you again” You spoke, daring him to challenge you. 

He chews on his lip quietly, not bothering to offer a response. 

You scoff for the umpteenth time.

“Why am I entertaining this?” You mutter more to yourself than to Jaehyun. 

You threw your lip balm back into your purse rather bitterly as the smallest hope that Jaehyun could’ve actually been taking you seriously dissolved into disappointment. The second that you looked up from your bag, there was Jaehyun. 

 Right in front of you, with his hands on the slope of your neck pulling you to meet his lips. You want to resist but, will you? Shit, can you?

Why do you keep doing this dance knowing how it ends and know that your heart will end up on the cutting room floor?

Your resolve isn’t hardened by the time your mouth opens up underneath. He kisses you in a way that he has never kissed you before; He moves his lips softly and unhurriedly, as if he was savoring the moment. The way his hands cradled your neck and jawline was almost tender and you were finding it more and more difficult to breathe as his lips met yours again and again and again. You let your hand rise and fall so many times, the desire to touch him, combating with your hurt fiercely. You clench them into fists at your sides for a moment before he readjusts his hands, letting one cradle your jawline as the other wraps around your waist. 

Fuck it. 

You let your hands clutch at the sides of his shirt tightly, finally kissing him back as you grip at his suit jacket; Anything higher or more intimate and you ran the risk of not being able to stop yourself. 

Jaehyun broke the kiss, brushing a few stray curls away from your face as he stared deeply into your eyes. 

“You can’t tell me there wasn’t any emotion in that”

You couldn’t even respond; Your own feelings and thoughts were working a mile a minute whilst your words were currently on lunch break. 

As if the universe decided enough was enough, you feel the elevator shake slightly. That shake was more than enough to cause you two to break apart. You push away from him quickly although your eyes are fixated on the swollen pink plane of his lips. You touch a thumb to your own briefly before fixing your clothes. Clearing your throat, you both stand in an awkward silence until it came time for the elevator to finally descend, the fire department being the welcome committee as the doors opened. You bow to them deeply, thanking them for their help. After answering a few brief questions and reassuring the paramedics that you were fine, you were pulled into a hug and the scent of the person trapping you? Unmistakable Johnny. You let out a chuckle as you gladly hug him back, wrapping your arms around his midsection. 

“You okay princess?” He whispers to which you nod and pull him closer. 

When you pull away from the hug, Johnny palms frame your face, and he gives you a quick kiss on the lips. It was short and sweet, barely there. But, for some reason, it still causes you to feel terrible. Should you though? You and Jaehyun weren’t together and never were. 

 But then again neither were you and Johnny. You could feel eyes watching you, a specific pair. You know immediately who it is but refuse to turn around. Instead, you smile at the worried look in Johnny’s eyes. 

“Worried about me?” You tease before he pulls you in by wrapping a single arm around your waist. 

“Of course,” he spoke, pulling you to his side. 

For a split second you look up and Jaehyun’s eyes connect with yours immediately; You can see his eyes search yours for a split second before that concern was masked. He simply straightens his suit jacket and gives a quick wink before turning his attention back to the fire department.

“Wanna head home now?” Johnny asked quietly. 

“Yours or mine?” You asked, a bit distractedly. 

“Mine” He pulled you a bit closer as you walked towards the exit. 

The thought didn’t fill you with excitement the way it normally did, and you shook your head ‘no’. He seemed confused, immediately stopping and turning around to face you fully. He lifted your face up, moving it from side to side as if he was inspecting you. 

“Are you okay, honestly?” He asked, concern quite evident in his voice. 

You nod once. 

“I just need to be in my own bed right now” You mumbled, fumbling around in your purse for your keys. 

The kiss was finally taking effect. Johnny looked like he was mulling something over in that melon of his, looking you over once, then twice before nodding curtly.

“Let me know if you need anything?” He phrased it like a question, but you knew it was a silent command. 

Nodding, you decide to make polite small talk, as well as crack a few jokes, as you and Johnny make your way to your car. The drive to drop him off was pretty funny although all together uneventful and, when you finally drop off the aforementioned man to his doorstep, you let out a huge sigh of relief.

 It was good to know you were finally alone with your thoughts and, no matter how hard you tried, your thoughts kept drifting back to Jaehyun. What he had said in the elevator, how he had kissed you, how he looked at you. The nagging thought that it wasn’t just him wanting to get his dick wet was a bit alarming as well as foreign and you were still trying to decide if it was a good change or not. What caused that change for that matter? Those thoughts followed you from your car to your front door to your couch where you plopped down unceremoniously. You huff at the day you had before slightly scolding yourself. Why is it that Jaehyun could just say some words, and, like that, you were hooked once more? Why did you give him such power when you knew he wasn’t worthy of it? He didn’t care and you know he didn’t so why was this even a conversation that you were having with yourself? Some part of you hoped that, like in the movies,  Jaehyun would show up at your door, professing his true love for you and telling you that you were all he wanted. But, as an hour stretched on into two, there was no Jaehyun and no movie worthy speech. So, you did as anyone else would and continued the remainder of your night, showering extra-long and getting yourself ready for bed. By the time 10 o'clock rolled around, you were setting your tea by your bedside, and pulling back the blanket to get underneath when your phone rang. Glancing at the number, which was unrecognizable to you, you picked up the phone. 

“Hello?”. 

“Fuck, you even sound pretty over the phone”. 

Even through the slurred words, you could tell it was Jaehyun calling you. 

You sigh heavily although a part of you wondered if you would get your happily ever after, after all. 

“Jaehyun, why have you been drinking? and who’s phone are you calling me from?”. 

“I borrowed it. It’s Taeyong’s phone. I miss you. I keep thinking about the elevator in you-I mean, you in the elevator and I-”.

“Jaehyun stop” you cut him off right there; You had to. 

You had been thinking about precisely what he was about to tell you since it happened, and you really didn’t need to think about it more. 

“Can I come stay with you for tonight? I promise I won’t be loud, and I won't be annoying. It’s just, your house is so close to where I am, and your house has something mine doesn’t” He slurred. 

You pursed your lips together.

“Yeah? What’s that?”. 

“You”. 

That answer had your stomach flipping around constantly as you wondered what to say, though you hoped that would be his answer.

“So quiet. Are you thinking?”.

“Jaehyun”. 

“My love?”. 

“Kindly stay the fuck out of my head”. 

You heard him giggle adorably to which you find a sliver of a smile making its way onto your lips. 

“Hey, if I can’t be in your head can I be in your bed?”. 

Moment ruined. Way to go Jaehyun. 

“No” You maintained. 

“Why not? I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to be around you until I sleep, and plus, I don’t want to be alone right now”. 

“Jaehyun, that’s not my problem-”

“Kitten. Please”. 

Silence. 

Dead silence.

You hadn’t heard anyone call you that name since High school sophomore year. Come to think of it, that was actually how you were introduced to Jaehyun. Your best friend at the time, Ten, had given you the nickname and introduced you to him as such, in lieu of your real name. It was a nickname that held a special place in your heart. Your resolve weakened almost immediately. 

“Please just don’t say no to me right now. I can’t go home like this. Please”.

You huffed once more, flipping the blanket up in frustration as you told him what he so desperately wanted to hear: that he could stay with you, given he goes home in the morning. 

“Thank you so much”. 

Brushing off his drunken thank you, you told him your address, staying on the phone with him as his uber came, per his wishes, while you made his makeshift bed on the couch. You placed two pillows on the couch, with a thick blanket and set up 2 Advil's and an ice-cold glass of water that you knew he would need in the morning.  

“You’re so beautiful. Like, your face is so pretty and then your body is pretty too. But in different ways”. 

You rolled your eyes, a slight chuckle actually escaping you.

“You’re just a drunken goddamn mess, aren’t you?”. 

He goes on: “I think I could kiss you all day if you’d let me. Then fuck you all night, again, if you’d let me”

He rambled on as you found some sweatpants your brother left here that you wore from time to time. By the time you were done setting up, Jaehyun was singing that he was “5 minutes away”. 

“Hey, can I ask you something?”. 

Good grief.

“Go ahead”. 

“Who was your first love?”. 

You froze.

 You were not expecting that question. 

“Another time Jaehyun” You promised, hoping that you wouldn’t have to keep it he started to ramble drunkenly again. 

It was only a matter of minutes before Jaehyun was ringing the doorbell like a maniac, unlike a sane person who would have just announced their presence over the phone. You rolled your eyes at his eagerness and, although some part of you loved it, you knew it was just because he was drunk.  You walk over to the door just the slightest bit irritated. Throwing it open, you sassed “Yes, wake up my whole goddamn neighborhood”. 

It took you a few moments before you registered what Jaehyun was wearing: a simple black button up which conveniently had the first few missing and black distressed jeans. You looked him over once more before your gaze went up to his face, to which he smiled. Not boyishly though, seductively. You moved aside so he could step in and, when he did, you closed and locked the door behind him. Before he could speak, you did. 

“Go shower. You need to sober up” you commanded. 

To which he gave a mock salute. 

“Yes ma’am”. 

You direct him to the bathroom telling him where everything is before taking his clothes from him through a crack in the bathroom door so that you could wash them for him to wear tomorrow. All the while, you contemplated just why the fuck you were doing this. What drew you in so much and why? You sat there contemplating before your mind wandered over the nickname, he had called you. It took you back, way back. 

“Ten!” you shrieked as he bought you over to meet some of his older and attractive friends. 

“It’ll be fine, stop worrying” Ten brushed off your slight anxiety. 

You knew who his friends were, there were the popular, attractive older kids who didn’t seem to have a flaw on them. By the time you got 2 fingers of his off your wrist, you were already at the lunch table. 

“Ayo Ten!” You looked over just in time to see someone clap Ten on the shoulder, smiling at him brightly before his gaze shifted over to you. 

You felt your eyes widen as your heart rate sped up ever so slightly. You were young; You didn’t come into your own yet and you were not that confident in yourself as of yet, so seeing a boy who was so breathtakingly handsome stunned you into silence.

“Oh, right, this is-” Ten paused to look back at you. 

Taking one look at your form, he rolled his eyes and tapped your chin. 

“Close your mouth Kitten”. 

Taking yourself from your embarrassing state, you hit Ten on the shoulder. 

“Fuck you” You mumbled. 

The handsome boy approached you holding out his hand with a bright smile. 

“Nice to meet you Kitten, I’m Jaehyun” You were about to reach out and take his hand before you realized what he called you. 

“My names’ not a kitten” you mumble, causing both of them to laugh. 

“I’m done” you heard a voice whisper in your ear, completely taking you from your memory and causing you to shriek slightly.

Spinning around, you found that you were now trapped between your washing machine and a wet Jaehyun. 

“Jaehyun-” You barely got his name out before he cut you off.

“That’s not how I want you to say my name” He whispered in your ear. 

His hands come down to rest on either side of you, atop the washing machine. 

He didn’t touch you, but he let his head hang a bit lower. 

“I want you to say my name the way I know you say Johnny’s” His own statement seemed to irritate him as he made a “tch” sound. 

“Johnny” He hissed. 

“Jaehyun, it’s late. Do you have to play with me right now?” You asked, utterly exhausted. 

In an instant, he pulled you against him, eliminating any and all space between your bodies. 

“I’m not playing with you”. 

“Jaehyun. Let go, I’m tired” You were not in the mood for his mind games. 

“No”.

He pulled away from the hug, lifting you unceremoniously and sitting you atop the washer so that he could look you in your eyes. 

“What do I have to do to get you to believe that I’m serious about how I feel about you?”. 

Startled by his words it took you a minute for you to actually think about it. The look in his eyes was unlike one that you had ever seen from him before and while you knew there was liquor in his system, the part of you that wanted to believe him was strong. However, as you said before, you were not about to be the bitch that got played for the umpteenth time. You needed something that would bother both you and him to prove he was serious. 

“Sleep on the couch. All night. Don’t touch me, don’t come into my room until I wake up” You dictated, the words out of your mouth before you could stop them. 

Sighing, the man in front of you nodded before backing away from you. Before you could get off the washer though, he spoke up, his voice quiet and hesitant. 

“I... I know I’m still a little drunk and I promise to honor what you want but can I…”

He’s quiet. You refuse to meet his eyes, busying yourself with the tiling of the floor.

“Could I kiss you?”.

You looked up from the floor to his face; The absolute innocent and pleading look in his eye was something he couldn’t fake, or so you’d like to believe. Letting out a small sigh, you hop down from atop the washing machine and walk over to where he stood, letting your hands frame his face. You pause, watching his eyes for any sly glint. You find none. 

His fingers wrap around your wrists, keeping your hands where they were.

You lean in, and so does he. 

The kiss was soft and somehow familiar, his lips meeting yours again and again as his hands slowly made their way to rest where they may; One on your lower back and the other on your hip. You tiptoed to continue the kiss, letting the last few seconds linger for a bit longer before you broke it. When you came down from your tiptoes, Jaehyun took your face in his hands and kissed you once more, deeply but only for a moment. The short encounter left you shell shocked. 

“I’m sorry. You’re just… so pretty” Jaehyun spoke sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. 

You nodded, clearing your throat before walking out from the washing room and into the living room, wordlessly showing him your couch. You watch as he walks over to it, quietly might you add, before heading over to your bedroom. You stop yourself at the door, closing your eyes and inhaling deeply before speaking. 

“Goodnight Jaehyun”. 

“Sleep well Kitten”. 

It was only when you closed the door that you remembered why that kiss felt so familiar; That’s how Jaehyun had kissed you on the night of the company retreat.

[romkole]

CORPORATE AU!

Daemon isn't pleased when his brother sends his daughter to be his intern. He has spent last fifteen years abroad, not bothering with family meetings and social calls.

Yet, Rhaenyra is everything his brother isn't, and Daemon finds himself charmed by her. He knows for sure, he won't let her go now.