#day 21 red string

[marvelfilth]

Angel (18+)

Pairing: stripper!Tara Carpenter x f! lawyer!reader

Warnings: no ghostface AU, Tara is 21, R is 27, smut, lap dance, pole dance, alcohol consumption, tipsy driving (pls don't do that), fingering, a bit of degradation and praise

Summary: You need to unwind. Angel gives you more than you could have ever asked for.

Masterlist

You've had a bad month. Scratch that, you've had the worst month of your career. You've lost one of your loyal clients to a rival and your boss chewed you out over it, and, to top it off, you've lost a case you've been working on for the past four months.

You blink back the exhaustion, leaning back on the railing of your office balcony. You've been nursing your whiskey for the past hour, hoping it'll chase away your gnawing thoughts, but to no avail, you're still deep in your head, rethinking every decision that led you to this.

You check your wrist watch, the platinum glistening in the city lights, and decide to finally head home. You finally relax once you're in your car, putting the key in the ignition and driving off, leaving the day behind. You take a familiar route, driving almost on autopilot and humming along to the song on the radio, fingers drumming on the wheel.

You're almost home when you change your mind and make a sharp turn on the next intersection, heading to a place you haven't been to in months.

Two men in the front greet you with identical nods, holding the door open for you, sensual music spilling into the bustling street. Your eyes zero in on the bar, not paying any attention to the stage and the dancers, happy to see a familiar face handling alcohol tonight.

"Tough day?" Amber asks with a sympathetic smile, placing a full glass in front of you.

"Tough month," you sigh, not in the mood for a conversation.

She offers one more smile before turning to another guest, sensing your desire to be left alone. Her eyes take on a new glint, lips slightly pursed in a cute pout as she talks to a clean shaved man. You scoff in your drink and shake your head, ignoring the glare she sends you.

Leaning back against the bar you settle to simply people watch for some time, maybe get a dance or two from a pretty woman.

"You should ask for Angel," Amber says, wiping the counter. You look at her in question, your glass stopping midway to your mouth. "She's new, but she's good. You could use some unwinding and she's the best at it, trust me."

You nod slowly and ask for a refill before leaving her a tip and walking off to a secluded booth in the back of the club, settling back on the couch and trying to find a new face in the sea of dancers you already know well. Out of the corner of your eye you see Felicity, a fiery redhead with no filter. She effortlessly glides on the dancefloor in her nine inch heels, red lingerie catching eyes of gaping men with pockets full of cash. She bends in a sensual move, her thong granting a perfect view of her round ass. You hum when money starts falling in waves, making the floor disappear. She deserves that and more.

She catches your eye, brow raising suggestively, to which you shake your head no.

"Waiting for someone?" A voice whispers right in your ear, sending shivers down your spine. Your head turns to be met with the eyes of a stranger inches away from your own, lips painted blood red and pulled into a smirk.

You swallow, feeling the swell of her breasts against your arm that's resting on the back of the couch, and shake your head tersely, not trusting your voice just yet. She bites her lower lip and pulls away to slowly walk around the couch, making sure to show off her assets.

Almost all of her body is bare, her lacy push up bra making her breasts look good enough to throw handfuls of cash at her feet. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the full globes, then lowers to a dark red triangle of fabric between her legs held by a thin string. She takes her sweet time in caging you against the leather cushions, draping herself over your lap, hands settling on your shoulders.

You take this opportunity to study her features: the slope of her small nose; the freckles dusted all over her upper cheeks; her dark and inviting eyes, eagerly drinking you up with the same vigor; her full lips, painted red and waiting to be claimed.

She takes your whiskey and sips, expertly masking the distaste behind an alluring smile, but you still catch the way her eyes momentarily squeeze in a fleeting grimace, making you bite back a chuckle.

"I'm Angel. What's your name?" She purrs, hips moving to the beat as she plays with the hair at the nape of your neck. You see some men glare at you with jealousy, their jaws grinding. Angel must be fairly popular to grant a reaction like that.

"Does it matter?" You husk, struggling to keep your hands to yourself.

"Mysterious, huh?" She chuckles, arching against your chest, her barely covered breasts almost spilling out right in your face, hips moving in circles against your crotch. "I like that."

You hum, settling back to watch her flexible body roll against your slowly relaxing one, her lower lip pulled between pearly white teeth.

"There you go," she whispers, sliding her palm down your chest, her other hand tangling in your hair, nails scratching your scalp. It feels so good you almost purr. "Tell me what got you so wound up."

You sigh and take another sip of your drink before answering. "Lost my top client."

She hums, her torso moving in a slow hypnotic circle, before leaning back into you to whisper right in your ear. "Their loss."

She pulls back to look you in the eye, the space between you almost crackling with tension.

"Hey Angel," one of the men that's been glaring at you calls out, waving a couple of twenty dollar bills in the air. "Come give me a dance."

She doesn't even look in his direction, but you silently reach for your wallet, taking out three hundred dollar bills and pushing them under the string of her thong. "Stay."

Her eyes widen and she bites her lip before nodding. She throws her head back, hands leaving your shoulder to slide up her waist to cup her breasts, pushing them together inches away from your face. Your heart hammers in your chest, and you have to grip your thighs to keep yourself from touching her. She rises on her knees and changes the position, her back now to your front, ass snugly against your crotch.

You finish your whiskey in one gulp, your breath hitching. Her wavy hair gets in your face and you breathe in the enticing scent of her perfume mixed with the essence of her. She turns her head, looking at you with half lidded eyes. "You like that?"

"I do," you reply, noting the slight blush rising on her cheeks.

"Want to move somewhere private?" She asks, her eager tone cracking the unbothered facade she's been putting on.

You nod and follow her to the other side of the club, Amber sending you thumbs up from behind the bar before going back to flirting with another drunk man, crisp bills filling her pockets.

You're led to a dark hallway that leads to private rooms, anticipation buzzing under your skin. She nods at the security guard, the man looking you up and down before he lets you through. She locks the door and you wander deeper into the room, taking a seat on the velvety couch.

Sensual music starts spilling from the speakers before she turns sharply, a devilish smirk on her lips. She saunters to the pole, hips swaying in tune with the music, eyes never leaving yours as she hooks her leg over the metal and twirls. She closes her eyes, losing herself in the dance, and grips the pole before bending, back arched, the swell of her ass right in front of your face.

You exhale, nearly biting down on your knuckles from the need to turn her around and fuck her right on the floor. "Angel," you breathe out. She faces you and drops to her knees, legs spread as her hips move up and down, arms over her head as she grips the pole. "Yes?"

You pat your lap and without a moment of hesitation she climbs on top of your thighs, taking off her bra. You bite back a moan when her breasts spill out, pinkish nipples begging for your mouth. She takes hold of your neck, her forehead pressed against yours as she rocks her hips on your lap, her breathing labored. She weaves languidly against your tense torso, her lips brushing against your cheek before she pulls away to settle her hands on your chest, nails scratching your white shirt.

"Fuck," you close your eyes, enjoy the press of lithe body, arousal coursing through your veins. She hums, her center flush against your thigh and you feel her wetness smear on the fabric of your slacks. Your fingers clench uselessly at your sides. "You're enjoying this," you state, searching her face for an answer.

"More than you can imagine," she whispers, grinding down on your thigh with intent. Her nipples brush against your chest and she moans quietly, repeating the motion. You unconsciously thrust up, your pelvis connecting with her heat just as she is rolling down, sending pleasure through her body. She grabs your shoulders and your eyes lock. You thrust again, intentionally this time, your palms planted firmly on the couch to add force. Her hips rock, her needy moans filling your ears.

You can't take your eyes off her.

Fuck that, you think, before planting your hands on her hips, directing her movements, and pulling her into a feverish kiss. Her lips are impossibly soft, and her tongue tastes like whiskey and some fruity cocktail she's probably had earlier. Your hands move from her hips to her breasts, squeezing.

"Yes," she moans, greedily pushing against you. "More, please."

You hesitate only for a moment before lowering your mouth to her nipple, sucking it in with hunger you didn't know you possessed. She bites on her knuckles, hiding a loud moan from the guards behind the door. Your fingers itch with the need to tear off her thong and plunge deep into her soaking pussy, claiming the most vulnerable part of the petite brunette.

"How does that feel?" Your teeth graze against the underside of her breast before you take the other nipple in your mouth, tongue sliding on the hardened nub.

"Like I'm about to come," she whimpers, messily humping on your thigh. "Need you inside," she pleads, taking hold of your hand.

You follow her lead, your fingers easily pushing her thong aside and dipping between her slick folds, strands of wetness clinging to your digits. She buckles against your hand in search of friction, and you teasingly circle her clit, pulling a delicious moan out of her lips. "Like that?" You tease, even though you're as affected as she is.

"Yes- fuck, just like that," she whimpers.

"What about the rules, Angel? You gonna tell your boss about this?"

She shakes her head. "No, I promise. Fuck the rules." She desperately clings to your wrist, pressing your palm against her heat.

It's all you need to finally thrust your fingers inside her cunt. She cries out, biting your shoulder to hide the sound, and starts moving her hips up and down, meeting your fingers halfway.

"Such a bad girl you are, Angel. Riding a stranger like a slut," you grunt, fastening your pace. Filthy sounds fill the room as your fingers keep disappearing in her pussy, bringing her closer to the edge. Suddenly, a misplaced spark of jealousy ignites something deep inside your chest. "Do you do this with everyone, Angel? Do you spread your legs for strangers every night?"

"No," she gasps, tilting your face up and bringing you in for a kiss. "Just you," she moans against your lips, "only you."

The fire inside your chest burns. "Good."

Her walls clench around you, mouth wide open as she moans loudly. You force her mouth shut, pressing your palm against her lips, her eyes widening before they roll to the back of her head. Your thumb slides on her clit in tight circles, fingers curling to touch her sweet spot. She bites down on your knuckles, desperately chasing her orgasm, arousal dripping down her thighs. You add a third finger, stretching her tight pussy, and spread them inside.

"Come for me, Angel," you rasp, pushing deep inside. She cries out, squeezing around your fingers as she comes. She curls into you, hiding her face in the slope of your neck. "Good girl," you praise, kissing her temple, your fingers buried inside her wet heat.

There's a loud knock and a gruff voice sounds from behind the door. "Everything alright, Angel?"

She sits up, eyes wide and alert, and looks at the clock near the door. Your private session ended ten minutes ago.

"I- I have to go," she scurries away, putting on her bra on her way to the door.

"Wait," you call out, catching her wrist before she could touch the handle. "Stay, please."

Her eyes flicker to your lips before she throws herself at you, hands around your waist, kissing you with fervor. You press her against the door, trailing kisses all over her neck, wishing you could leave marks for her to remember you by.

There's another knock and a threat to break down the door. Angel pulls away with one last peck before disappearing behind the door.

The rest of the week goes better after that night. You feel like the burden that's been sitting on your shoulders got smaller, granting you more hours of sleep and allowing you to look your boss in the eye without feeling inferior. You can't help but think back on the girl that so easily brought this change on you. Sometimes when you're caught up in paperwork in the late hours of night you catch yourself wishing you were back in that private room, looking at her instead of some boring corporate nonsense. Your fingers squeeze around the pen with need to touch her again, to unravel her, to savor her taste.

On a Friday night you decide to leave the office early and head to the club, but a phone call stops you in your tracks.

"Hey, hope I'm not interrupting."

You smile, always happy to hear from your friend. "You're not, I'm… heading home early."

"Great. Perfect, actually. I know it's a bit last minute, but I was wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner tonight? I'm making your favorite." Sam asks, and you can hear the sound of pans hitting the stove in the background.

"What's the catch, Carpenter?"

She groans, and you can almost see her slouch against the counter. "I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but Tara is studying to be a lawyer, and I thought maybe you could give her some pointers over dinner?"

You blink, surprised by the question. In two years of your friendship with Sam you've never met her younger sister. Even though they're living together, she's never home when you're over, working double shifts to afford tuition, adamantly refusing Sam's offers to help. She likes to complain about it from time to time, but you can see she's proud of the younger girl.

Angel will be there tomorrow, and you're actually excited to finally meet Tara. It doesn't take long for you to decide which way to go. You make a quick stop at a grocery store on your way there, buying Sam's favorite beer and a bottle of wine, thinking about offering her sister an internship. If she's even half as brilliant as Sam you want her on your team once she graduates.

When you finally knock on the door, expecting to see Sam on the other side, you feel wind get knocked out of you when the woman you've been thinking about since you left the club opens it.

"... Angel?"

_______________

Thoughts?

[chosetherose]

Updated as of 6/30

The Eras Tour *Surprise Songs*

Taylor said her goal is to not repeat each show’s surprise songs so I thought it would be fun to track them as the tour goes on! Black strikethrough is included in the main set list. Purple strikethrough are included in the main set list but have been switched up at some show/s. Blue songs Taylor played but might be repeated due to messing up.

Taylor Swift

Tim McGraw (3/17) • Picture to Burn • Teardrops on My Guitar (5/5) • A Place in This World (4/22) • Cold as You (4/23) • The Outside • Tied Together with a Smile • Stay Beautiful• Should’ve Said No (5/19) • Mary’s Song (Oh My My My) • Our Song (3/24) • I’m Only Me When I’m with You (6/30) • Invisible (5/20) • A Perfectly Good Heart

Fearless

Fearless • Fifteen (5/6) • Love Story • Hey Stephen (5/14) • White Horse (3/25) • You Belong With Me • Breathe• Tell Me Why• You’re Not Sorry (4/21) • The Way I Loved You • Forever & Always (5/13) • The Best Day (5/14) • Change • Jump Then Fall (4/2) • Untouchable • Come In With The Rain • Superstar • The Other Side Of The Door (4/28) • You All Over Me (6/3) • Mr. Perfectly Fine (6/16) • We Were Happy • That’s When • Don’t You • Bye Bye Baby • Today was a fairytale (4/22)

Speak Now

Mine (5/7) • Sparks Fly (5/5) • Back To December • Speak Now (4/13, Taylor restarted part of the song but did not confirm it could be played again) • Dear John (6/24) • Mean (4/15) • The Story Of Us (6/17) • Never Grow Up • Enchanted • Better Than Revenge • Innocent• Haunted (6/9) • Last Kiss • Long Live • Ours (3/31) • If This Was A Movie (6/23) • Superman

Red

State Of Grace (3/18) • Red (5/21) • Treacherous (4/13) • I Knew You Were Trouble • All Too Well • 22 • I Almost Do (6/9) • We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together • Stay Stay Stay • The Last Time (6/16) • Holy Ground (5/27) • Sad Beautiful Tragic (3/31) • The Lucky One (4/2) • Everything Has Changed • Starlight • Begin Again (4/23) • The Moment I Knew (6/4) • Come Back… Be Here (5/12) • Girl At Home • Ronan • Better Man (5/19) • Nothing New • Babe • Message In A Bottle • I Bet You Think About Me (4/30) • Forever Winter • Run • The Very First Night • All Too Well – 10 Minute Version

1989

Welcome To New York (5/28) • Blank Space • Style • Out Of The Woods (5/6, Taylor confirmed it might be played again) • All You Had To Do Was Stay • Shake It Off • I Wish You Would (6/2) • Bad Blood • Wildest Dreams • How You Get The Girl (4/30) • This Love (5/13) • I Know Places • Clean (4/1, Taylor confirmed it might be played again, 5/28) • Wonderland (4/21) • You Are In Love • New Romantics

Reputation

…Ready For It? • End Game • I Did Something Bad • Don’t Blame Me • Delicate • Look What You Made Me Do • So It Goes… • Gorgeous (4/29) • Getaway Car (5/26) • King Of My Heart • Dancing With Our Hands Tied • Dress • This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things • Call It What You Want • New Year’s Day

Lover

I Forgot That You Existed • Cruel Summer • Lover • The Man • The Archer • I Think He Knows (5/21) • Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince • Paper Rings (6/23) • Cornelia Street • Death By A Thousand Cuts (4/1, Taylor confirmed it might be played again) • London Boy • Soon You’ll Get Better • False God (5/27) • You Need To Calm Down • Afterglow • Me! • It’s Nice To Have A Friend • Daylight (6/24) • All of the Girls You’ve Loved Before

Folklore

The 1 (replaced IS multiple shows) • Cardigan • The Last Great American Dynasty • Exile with Bon Iver • My Tears Ricochet • Mirrorball (3/17) • Seven (spoken, 6/17) • August • This Is Me Trying (3/18) • Illicit Affairs • Invisible String (replaced by T1 multiple shows) • Mad Woman (4/15) • Epiphany • Betty • Peace • Hoax • The Lakes (6/2)

Evermore

Willow • Champagne Problems • Gold Rush (5/12) • Tis The Damn Season • Tolerate It • No Body, No Crime • Happiness • Dorothea • Coney Island (4/28) • Ivy • Cowboy Like Me (3/25) • Long Story Short • Marjorie • Closure • Evermore (6/30) • Right Where You Left Me •It’s Time To Go

Midnights

On 4/14 Taylor changed the rule: ALL SONGS ON MIDNIGHTS MAY BE REPEATED. I’m adding the dates to the midnights surprise songs but they will remain in black text since they can be repeated.

Lavender Haze • Maroon (5/26) • Anti-Hero • Snow on the Beach (3/24) • You’re on Your Own, Kid (4/14) • Midnight Rain • Question…? (5/20) • Vigilante Shit • Bejeweled • Labyrinth • Karma • Sweet Nothing • Mastermind • The Great War (4/14) • Bigger Than the Whole Sky • Paris • High Infidelity (4/29) • Glitch • Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve (5/7) • Dear Reader • Hits Different (6/4)

Other

I don’t wanna live forever (6/3)

[tonicandjins]

frequent flyers | lee donghyuck

CHARACTERS: haechan | lee donghyuck x fem reader

WORD COUNT: 13k

GENRE: angst, fluff, smut (non-linear) | best friends to strangers

AUTHOR'S NOTE: read with caution. this is written in a non-linear form, so you don't know when it's going to hurt ;) this is a dh x reader version of my markhyuck fic from ao3, but with a different ending

frequent flyers is the third installment from 23 moments with donghyuck

Donghyuck looks beautiful like this: skin glowing under the dainty string lines and lined up lanterns hanging from the high ceilings, lips curled up to genuine smile instead of the usual teasing smirk plastered on his mouth, cheeks tainted in berry red—a single manifestation of the glasses of wine he’s had tonight, eyes round and sincere and everything you’ve ever known.

Zhong Chenle’s mellifluous voice echoes in the banquet, singing to the tune of lover as the newly weds take their first dance (third song in) in the middle of the floor, surrounded by couples and lovers swaying. From your peripheral view, you catch a glimpse of Park Jisung sneaking his phone out and recording the whole thing—after Chenle clearly mentioned no one else aside from the newlyweds’ assigned videographer is allowed to film him.

On other days, you’d love to listen to Chenle’s golden voice, and he knows this because from all the years you’ve known him, you’d supported his career and you’d spend many hours sitting in his studio, listening to him record, or sitting somewhere halfway across the world, watching him write his songs. I can listen to him sing all day, you’d say, but as the night jumps deeper into its darkness, you realize how excruciatingly long his 15-minute medley went by.

You look across the room.

Donghyuck looks enthralling like this: beautiful even after all these years, charming like he’s the day he turned 21, grown, earnest, and at ease. It’s agonizing to look at from where you sit across the room—hands wrapped around her waist, eyes closing as he leans in, drunk, drunk, drunk like the night you’d left him, heart void of you.

You begin to count.

At 27, you’re pretty much done with all kinds of romance the world could offer.

Unlike the person sitting next to you, you prefer to listen to Blushing Youth than watch some high-rated romantic comedy film during your 12-hour flight from Heathrow to Incheon, and while you’ve been moving around for most of your life (having earned your nickname as frequent flyer, credits to Jisung), flying is not one of the things you’re fond of. In fact, it’s not in the long list of strengths you brag about in your LinkedIn bio. You reckon it would truly be embarrassing, to say the least, to ask a stranger to distract you from the sound of the aircraft’s engine running at full power as it takes off from the runway, hence you opt to blast Ahn Jiyoung’s voice right in your eardrums.

It’s odd, people would say, for someone who’s supposedly mastered the art of moving from one country to another to be so terrified of flights, but if people want you to be completely honest, nothing sounds more horrifying than the thought of seeing Lee Donghyuck after years of radio silence.

As pathetic as it sounds, your heart still skips a beat—three, sometimes—at the thought of him.

Donghyuck, who used to be your sun, who had you orbiting around his gravitational pull for years, who used to be so close but not enough to have, who—if you think about it now—might have never been the center of your solar system after all, but maybe just a shooting star passing by.

The plane takes off, roughly and loud like you’d expected, and you catch a glimpse of a scene from Love, Rosie from the person sitting beside you and immediately regret going coach instead of flying business like how you would if your flights last more than ten hours. You hate this film; you hate it because Alex is to Rosie, like how Donghyuck is to you.

Alex and Rosie, like you and Donghyuck, are—were—long-time best friends who used to be inseparable until one day they’re not. Rosie misses her chance. Alex stops yearning, hoping, waiting, and finally decides to get on with his life. It’s a story of a bunch of tangled webs—a messy tumbleweed of missed calls and delayed flights, of long nights and short days, of forgotten promises and faded hope.

The film introduces new people, bids goodbye to old chapters, but in the end it’s Alex and Rosie.

And you wish that’s how your story went. You don’t end up kissing him in your very own hotel with an awe-striking view of the horizon right outside the window.

You bury the thought before you start missing him again. You run out of tracks from Blushing Youth’s discography like how you run dry from thinking about what happens next when your plane lands.

Might as well sleep it off.

A sharp, jabbing pain on your left leg wakes you up from your unscheduled sleep. Hissing, you find Donghyuck sitting on top of your legs.

“I swear to God,” you breathe, kicking your best friend’s weight off your limbs. “I will freaking kill you.”

“Dude, what’s wrong with saying fuck? You’re literally twenty,” Donghyuck replies, moving further so his entire body crushes yours, and you have to pretend that his warmth doesn’t make you feel some type of way, hence you push him as hard as you can until he falls onto the carpeted floor of your room.

He falls with a thump. “Screw you,” he mumbles, mouth forming a pout that you’d gladly smack out of his face—except you’d do it with your very own lips. “It’s almost one in the afternoon. Why are you napping?”

“Good question, Donghyuck,” you start, sitting up and rubbing your eyes while looking for the pair of specs that Donghyuck is already shoving towards your direction; you gladly take it. “Unlike you, I had to work in the café until one in the morning. I hate being rostered in the closing shift, but it pays damn well. Plus, I forgot to do my laundry so I had to throw my clothes in before I slept.

“Overworking again, I see,” he muses, sighing as he scoots to sit cross-legged across you on the bed too tiny for two people.

“The last week of the semester always sucks balls,” you answer, tilting your head in attempts to stretch your stiffened neck and get some kind of relief. “Why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be out there doing something stupid with Na Jaemin?”

“There’s a music festival on Friday,” he starts right away. “Jaemin’s wondering if I’d be interested to go, says he could get us some free passes from the guy he’s hooking up with. Apparently, the guy is DJ-ing.”

You blink. “Which one? Lee Jeno? Or Yoon Sanha?” you ask, genuinely curious because Jaemin is Jaemin and he could never be caught exclusively hooking up with one person.

Donghyuck shrugs. “Does it matter? Is it a yes or a no? That’s the question.”

He begins to fiddle with his fingers, playing with the rings on his long, delicate digits, and you recognize it almost instantly. Donghyuck is nervous. You might have an idea why.

“Is this you finally asking me out, Lee Donghyuck?” you half-joke, scratching your head. Donghyuck looks anywhere but your face. A glimpse of his eyes is all you need, because if the eyes are the windows to one’s soul, then Donghyuck’s are wide open, with no curtains and bare from all layers—at least that’s how they are to you. His eyes are wavering, and though he’s mastered the ability to keep his face tough as steel, those orbs could only do so little when it comes to hiding from you.

So, you smile, reaching out and leaning closer, kneeling until you’re face to face with him. “Only kidding, Hyuck,” you say finally, taking it easy because this conversation is not for one who’s hazy from sleep and one who can’t even look at the other in the eyes. “Of course, I’ll come with you. Who else can you bring anyway?”

Donghyuck looks up, rolling his eyes; he’s back. “You’re not really irreplaceable,” he replies smugly. “Don’t think too highly of yourself.”

You poke your tongue out and reach over your night stand to check your phone; at the same time, Donghyuck starts biting his fingernails. You don’t think twice—like blinking, a habit, natural—and reach out to pull his hand away, mumbling about how he should start working on getting rid of this bad habit of his. Donghyuck’s hand is warmer compared to yours, and he lets out a whine, complaining about your freezing hands, but squeezes you hand back anyway.

You are content with this. You hope Donghyuck is, too.

The lingering touches. The stolen kisses. The piercing glances.

While they all seem fleeting and simple, they mean the most to you. You begin to think if Donghyuck feels the same as he pulls you closer until you’re both back lying on his bed, your cheek resting on top of Donghyuck’s warm, cloth-covered chest. You wonder if he means it, when he says you’re not irreplaceable and that maybe you’re a little too comfortable, a little too satisfied with whatever it is that you have.

On a drunken night, Donghyuck may have asked you once. You remember it and think about it so much that sometimes it felt like a dream.

“How long, Y/N,” he had asked, his voice an octave deeper than usual, gaze a shade darker. “How long until you let yourself just lose it? For once, just—just please, let your feelings consume you.”

You didn’t want to—not then, not now—because it’s going to hurt.

It’s going to hurt because it’s Donghyuck.

It’s Donghyuck who feels like home, whose hands are warm enough for your cold ones, your own little sun. Losing him is the extinction of your solar system.

“Y/N,” he had whined when you didn’t reply, shaking you, pleading. “When are you going to want for more? I want you to ask me for more.”

But Donghyuck had passed out before you had the chance to think of an answer—time frame—and you wonder what your answer would have been if Donghyuck stayed awake for a couple more minutes.

“I guess napping at this time of the day doesn’t sound too bad,” Donghyuck murmurs against your hair, kissing it before relaxing. “Set an alarm for me. 3 pm.”

You hope Donghyuck asks you again, not this time, but you hope the question lingers in his mind a little longer.

He falls asleep to the sound of your breathing.

When the person sitting next to you finally wakes up, you could only sigh in relief.

The aircraft has landed a few minutes ago, and your flight seatmate slept so soundly that it took you a couple of minutes to shake her awake.

The 12-hour flight is a pain in the ass, and you wish you mean that figuratively. Waiting was something that you were once good at, and Renjun often told you he wished he had half the patience you had. If you think about it now and reflect whether you’re as patient and as willing to wait as before, you’d changed vastly. Ridiculous, how one could change so much in a lifetime.

Huang Renjun is standing behind a barricade when you finally reach the arrival area after going through immigration. He’s holding a piece of paper that says WELCOME HOME, Y/N! Renjun doesn’t give you the time to cross the boundary because he attacks you in bone-crushing hug the second he’s allowed to. You almost topple over him, your glasses at risk of either falling out of your face and into the cold, hard ground, or being crushed between your nose and Renjun’s shoulder.

Renjun chants your nickname over and over again, swaying both your bodies left and right as though you weighed nothing. “I’m literally about to combust. My chest has been pounding since I arrived here. You have no idea how much I missed you, and you were taking forever to go through immigration.”

“Oh, Huang Renjun,” you sigh, inhaling his scent and returning the hug. “Some things never change. You’re still the sweetest when you miss people. Absence really makes the heart grow fond.”

Renjun pulls away to get a good look on you. “Y/N, you’re all grown up. I can’t believe you resisted not seeing me in person for four years.”

“You’re just as grown up as I am,” you reply. “We Facetime each other every other day. What are you talking about?”

“It’s never the same,” he mumbles and helps you with your luggage despite it only being one small luggage, a small duffel bag, and your small backpack. He starts nagging as soon as he notices how small your baggage is.

“You were away for literally four years and you think packing three old shirts and a pair of jeans will be enough to get you through your entire trip here?” Renjun gasps. “You’re stupid if you think Chenle and Jisung are allowing you to leave after what we’re all here for. They have an entire month planned out the second you agreed to come home.”

“I didn’t bring only three shirts, for your information. And I did bring a few pairs of trousers and a coat, plus my dress for the wedding,” you defend. “And I can’t extend my trip here. I thought we’ve all got that one settled.”

Renjun laughs, as if what you said is some kind of joke, as he leads you towards the exit of the airport. “You know we would 100%, without hesitation, burn your passport if it means we could make you stay longer, don’t you? I hope you don’t underestimate us like that.”

You chuckle at his empty threat, your chest swelling at the thought of your long-time friends being thrilled of your arrival in Seoul. You wonder how much has changed in the last four years, and you reckon nothing much has when it comes to your friends. You’d left when most of you were twenty-three, and the only person you’d ever seen in person since then was Chenle, who at that time, had business in London so he stayed where you lived instead of a luxurious hotel he could afford.

“We’re heading to Chenle’s place,” Renjun announces as soon as you sit comfortably in the passenger seat of his car. “But he’s still in his studio recording something, so he won’t be around until maybe five.”

“Why are we going to Chenle’s place if he’s not there yet?” you ask. “He didn’t tell me he had work.”

“We’ve all worked around our schedules to meet you today,” Renjun explains as he turns the ignition on and starts backing up. “And everyone knows his home’s passcode. Remember back in college when his stupid fancy condo eventually became everyone’s? That’s still how it is now. Only this time, he owns a penthouse in Gangnam’s most expensive building. What a spoiled brat.”

“He earned it,” you comment.

Renjun hums. An old track from the local radio station plays just as the vehicle exits the airport’s parking area. You hadn’t heard this song in years, but your mouth sings the lyrics as though it’s only been yesterday.

Renjun is amused. “Some things never really change.”

Donghyuck suddenly changes his hair color on Sophomore year in college. You, on the other hand, are about to have an aneurysm.

Na Jaemin makes fun of you, laughs as if your reaction is the most hilarious thing he’s ever seen his entire life. He deems it as the best day of his life.

“Jaemin, am I a fucking joke to you?” you ask. Jaemin doesn’t even bother to answer. “You think this is funny?”

You almost choke on nothing when Donghyuck decides to walk towards the table you’re sharing with Jaemin inside the university’s very own cafeteria. He’s holding a tray of food for lunch. The man himself has a shy smile on his face, evidently aware of the attention that the people around are giving him because of his newly-dyed pink hair, and you can’t really blame anyone if they stared a little longer.

Because Donghyuck is already beautiful, with his shining eyes and glowing skin and a smile that could make the earth stop orbiting around the sun.

But this Donghyuck, Pink Sun as Jaemin had started calling him, he’s something else. You might pass out if you look at him a little longer.

“I told you pink looks amazing on you!” Jaemin exclaims as soon as Donghyuck is close enough.

Donghyuck instantly blushes, but covers it up with a smug smirk across his mouth.

“Careful,” Donghyuck warns. “I don’t want you getting hurt if I reject you.”

Jaemin gasps, “You would never!”

Donghyuck playfully sticks out his tongue on Jaemin and finally, finally, turns towards you. Your breath is caught in a hitch. Donghyuck tilts his head slightly and you’re about to punch himself in the face. 

“What do you think?” the man asks, smiling cheekily. “Do you think I look better blond or pink-haired?”

You swallow. It takes you great power not to pull Donghyuck and kiss him squarely on the mouth.

Blond Donghyuck was a menace in the society. Pink Sun is giving you a heart attack.

But you’re not about to make things too obvious, so you shrug and mutter a small “either is fine.” Jaemin kicks you under the table. Donghyuck sighs, taking out his phone to open its front camera, probably to check himself out as he brushes his fingertips in his hair. 

“You’re cheap, Y/N,” he says, putting his phone down. “I basically burn my scalp to get this hair color and pull it off better than Lee Taeyong ever will, and all I get from you is, ‘either is fine.’”

Jaemin laughs hysterically, taking his phone out as Donghyuck takes the empty seat beside you—like always, because seats beside you are always reserved for him. Donghyuck carefully places the tray of food he got, immediately, your eyes catch the extra drink he has and your heart somersaults because you know it’s for you.

And this is supposed to be normal. Your friends tell you it’s a routine—every day—and you and him do things for each other like second nature. So, why does it make your heart race like this?

Your phone chimes as Donghyuck starts eating.

“We really need to work on your communication skills,” the text message from Jaemin says.

Your comprehension in Korean went from bad to worse, if it’s even possible.

Renjun is currently roasting you for it, while Jisung and Kim Minjeong are arguing about what to eat. You tell them how small the Asian community in London is as compared to other countries. Jaemin announces that Mark Lee just boarded his flight from Vancouver, too, and you cheer, excited to see him as well after all these years. Yoo Jimin calls out Jisung and Minjeong’s bullshit and says she’d already ordered from the nearest restaurant.

How you all end up in Chenle’s penthouse before the owner himself is aware, you have no idea. All you know is that things have not really changed that much.

You feel a little disoriented, your mind still a little hazy from the 12-hour trip, and you hate that the jetlag is hitting you as early as now. You feel like you could fall asleep anytime soon.

Then you hear familiar voices faintly coming from the door, then the door itself being unlocked. You observe from the digital clock above Chenle’s fancy television that it’s only nearly two in the afternoon, so it’s not Chenle who’s coming in.

Donghyuck appears from the door before you realize it, and he takes your breath away before you could even look him in the eyes.

“Sorry, we’re late,” the dark-haired man says, his voice making you feel suffocated, stepping out of his boots because God forbid anyone who steps inside Zhong Chenle’s penthouse wearing the outdoor shoes.

Lee Jeno enters behind him, his eye smile ready to meet you, while Jaemin says they arrived just in time for lunch. All is a blur and everything sounds like white noise, because Donghyuck looks at you in the eyes with the softest gaze, the smallest smile, and suddenly it doesn’t feel so cold in Seoul.

Jeno walks past him and finds his space beside Jaemin. You hear Renjun and Jisung start arguing about another thing. All while Donghyuck stays still from where he stands, about ten feet away from your space, eyes still on you.

When they’re done dancing, Donghyuck walks with her, holding her hand and keeping her close.

He passes by, doesn’t even take a glance to your direction.

Donghyuck looks at you in amusement.

“It was terrible,” you grunt. “The worst day of my life.”

He giggles and pulls you in his arms, kissing the top of your head while you stand in the middle of the room. You’re still dressed in your warm clothes as you’d just arrived from the airport. You sigh in relief because you’ve been waiting for this all weekend.

“Don’t be too dramatic,” he mumbles. “Your cousin’s going to be ballistic if he learns that you called his wedding the worst day of your life.”

“You should’ve gone there with me,” you muse. “They were introducing me to so many people, and my uncle knows I’m shit at socializing, therefore forcing me to hang out with people I barely know is like stabbing me in the eye and asking me how many fingers you’re holding up.”

Donghyuck chuckles. “What could I have done if I were there?”

You smile, burying your face in his warm chest. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Then why’d you need me there?” Donghyuck asks again. You know he’s teasing you now, poking until he gets the answer he wants to hear. And you’re not about to deny Donghyuck of that. Besides, nothing is more satisfying than knowing you could make Donghyuck feel flustered despite of his strong, wild persona. So, you reach up and kiss him on the chin and hug him closer.

“Because nothing is as bad as it seems when you’re around, my love.”

Donghyuck begins to pull away, making you hold onto him tighter, as if your hands would grow cold without touching him. Donghyuck only laughs, allowing you to hug him longer, and you wonder if you could stretch this night out for as long as he can. 

The moment passes by quickly.

“Donghyuck, will you at least listen to me?”

“I’m done, Y/N.”

Renjun announces he’s done cleaning up.

Jaemin doesn’t waste a single second, getting up from his space on the other couch and announces it’s time they really catch up with everyone. It turns out that Jimin herself just got back from Germany yesterday as well, while Minjeong took a week off from work, and all had waited for you to come home before gathering in Chenle’s place.

“Mark’s a piece of shit, just like you,” Jeno comments when asked why the older didn’t take the earliest flight. Apparently, like yourself, Mark couldn’t get a couple of weeks off from work, hence he’d decided to travel a few days before the wedding, which is essentially why you all had a reason to gather once again after all these years.

“Why are you all harassing me and Mark for not being able to take a longer leave from work?” you whine, throwing a cushion towards where Jeno is seated, right beside Jimin. “It’s not like we can help it!”

Minjeong snorts, “You could’ve said you have COVID or something.”

You snicker. “Only you could think of that, Minjeong-ah.”

Jeno talks about his recent flight to Yonagunijima in Okinawa for a business trip. Renjun tells him he’s never gone that far in Japan, his farthest trip being in Osaka; Jeno says he can take him there anytime he gets some free time from work. Jaemin hypes up Jisung’s newly built dance studio and the contract he’d just signed with the biggest entertainment company in Asia, to which Jisung only downplays and says it’s not that big of deal.

You and Donghyuck stay quiet while everyone else talks over one another. He sits at the other end of the same couch you’re sitting on while Jisung occupies the space between you and him. Renjun probably feels the tension, so he cuts it.

“Donghyuck, what have you been up to?” Renjun asks, reaching over for a piece of chocolate you’d stolen from Chenle’s fridge.

Donghyuck shrugs. “Renjun-ah, don’t act like we don’t see each other every weekend.”

Renjun scoffs. “We’re here to catch up. Do you want me to tell them what you’ve been up to myself?”

Donghyuck throws a cushion and misses. “Nothing’s new about me, guys. Nothing that’s interesting enough.” Then, he leans forward and turns to you. “Maybe Y/N has anything to say. I mean, she’s the one who’s been away the longest.”

It takes you aback, the interaction unexpected, and gets you stuttering. “I’m—There’s really nothing, I mean.”

Donghyuck laughs lightly. “Loosen up. You look like you’d rather be elsewhere but here.”

“It’s not like that,” you defend. “It’s just—jetlag.”

“Of course,” Donghyuck nods. “How long was the flight?”

“Twelve hours,” you answer. Renjun does his best, distracting everyone else with a new conversation so you and Donghyuck, you assume, would feel more comfortable rather than have everyone listen to you talking with the person you used to know the best. Jisung tries to subtly leave, pretending like he needs to go to the restroom, and you know it’s a tactic because you also know Jisung like the back of your hand.

Donghyuck immediately moves closer, taking the space Jisung used to sit on, the distance pulling the air out of your lungs.

“And my flight was delayed for a couple of hours because of a storm,” you continue, clearing your voice. “So, fourteen hours in total, plus one hour from Incheon to Gangnam.”

Donghyuck nods. “Well, you fly frequently.”

You nod back. “Not that frequently anymore. Since the pandemic, I’ve been working from home a lot; there was no need to travel after all. Or move to a different country. It turns out we can do everything virtually.”

Donghyuck chuckles, almost sarcastically. “What a shame that the entire world realized suddenly that everything could work virtually.”

You smile, sadly almost. “Yeah. What a shame.”

“I didn’t get the whole thing,” Jisung sighs. “What a shame. The last parts were the best.”

“You know Chenle’s going to kill you if he finds out you took a video, right?”

Jisung nods proudly. “That was the point.”

“Lia, wait,” Donghyuck’s voice echoes—not loud enough to catch anyone else’s attention, but definitely enough for you. You watch him follow Lia out.

You decide you’ve had enough. The wedding’s done now, anyway. There’s nothing left for you here.

Jisung looks at you. “Y/N.”

“Just need some space, Jisung,” you say. “I’m okay.”

“You’re lying,” You gasp, almost dropping your iPad upon Donghyuck’s revelation. “Holy shit, Donghyuck, that’s huge!”

“Never thought I’d hear that in another context but thanks, my love,” Donghyuck replies, a proud smile etched on his mouth. He reaches over and shows you a piece of paper, the confirmation of his participation in a convention in Shanghai a couple of weeks from now. 

“Wait until Jaemin hears this,” You ramble, already on his phone to text said friend about the good news. “He’s going to throw a party for you.”

“You guys are too proud of me,” Donghyuck whines. “What if I end up being such a flop outside my comfort zone? There are going to be so many amazing artists out there. I heard some vocal majors from Konkuk are attending the conference with me, and I am already terrified of them. I can't imagine myself once I'm surrounded by even more talented and more intimidating singers."

You put down your tablet on your desk, sighing as you step closer towards Donghyuck. You’re in the apartment you share with Jimin, and Donghyuck called in earlier to tell you he’s got some great news. Neither of you really have much time to meet these days, with your internship at Seoul's biggest web developer company and the drastic changes in Donghyuck's schedule, it's a little too difficult to hang out in the safety of your apartment.

Donghyuck is evidently taken aback when you suddenly wrap an arm around his neck, tumbling when you pull him closer and kisses the air out of his lungs. You regret closing your eyes when your lips touch, thinking about the way Donghyuck looks like whenever you kiss him like this. Like Donghyuck's all you’ve ever needed. Like all the years of pining and hurting are expressed in a single kiss. Like it's everything you’ve always wanted and more.  

It's not the first time you kiss—you’ve lost count you made out in the back of Jeno’s car two months ago while all your friends are drunk and out of their minds—but it always feels like it is.

Donghyuck's lips are soft, soft, soft, and you can never get enough of the kissing him. The first, featherlight, a little hesitant touch of your lips would be your second favorite part (the favorite is when Donghyuck's licking your mouth and nibbles on your lower lip), and his hands, his delicate hands would always be in your hair, pulling and pressing and touching.

It's perfect. Donghyuck pulls you down with him on your very own bed, letting you sit on his lap.                   

He's kissing you everywhere, your lips, your cheeks, your nose, your neck, your jaw, but he stops when you begin to unbutton his shirt. You look down on him, confused and eager and dazed, and usually, Donghyuck would give in without a single fight, but this time he stops you. 

"What are we doing, Y/N?" Donghyuck lets out, like he's been holding this breath forever and now he's finally exhaling it.

"We're," you start, confused why he’s asking all of a sudden, but you don’t really have an answer to that. "We're—”

"Messing around. Having fun while we can," Donghyuck finishes, quoting your own words the first time you hooked up. "I know. But that was before, right? What about now? What are we doing now?"

Your hands drop on Donghyuck's side. Donghyuck quickly takes both of them in his, giving you a comforting squeeze, as if he's encouraging you to say something. To be brave. To let go. 

"We can't go on like this if you don't answer me, Y/N," Donghyuck says softly. "I know what I want, and you know that it's you. Just you. From the beginning. As long as I live. And you are making me happy right now. But I need to know if this is what you want, too."

"Love, I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want you," you explain, eyes wavering.

"Y/N, listen to me," Donghyuck urges, letting go of one of your hands to hold your face so you could look into each other's eyes. "Tell me now. Tell me now, honestly, if this is something you would want in the long run."

"Donghyuck," You sigh, like you’re begging for Donghyuck to stop asking. But Donghyuck doesn't let his guard down. He keeps his hands on you, waiting.

You want nobody else but Donghyuck, too. From the beginning. For as long as you live. And Donghyuck is making you happy, and you know well that Donghyuck will make you happy in the long run. The last two months of whatever game you’re playing had been fun. There was no agreement on being exclusive, no rules of some sort, and it all fell into place like you and him are supposed to end up like this. You hadn’t put a label on it, but you and Donghyuck are best friends for many years now. You went through growing pains together, survived each one of the flights you frequently took around the world, went to the same college together, and you don’t really see the point of rushing for a label now.

Because you have other things in mind other than what you feel right now. You have codes to master and board directors to impress. Donghyuck has auditions to pass and flights to catch as well, and now, an opportunity in Shanghai. Not to mention you’re both cramming to have the best credentials to get you the best job after graduation. Now is not really the best time.

So, just like many happenstances in your life, you come up with a stupid, stupid answer.

"I—I don't know, Donghyuck," you say nervously. "I mean, you're clearly making me happy. And I don't plan on seeing anyone else, but I haven't really gotten around to think about it."

Donghyuck takes his touch away all of a sudden. You reach out to hold his hands in place back to your face, but he lets go.

"Think about it?" Donghyuck asks, voice shaking. "What is there to think about? It's a simple question, Y/N. Do you want me for a long time or am I just some good fuck for you?"

"Donghyuck, why are you saying that?" you retort, angry now. "I just said you make me happy. And I'm not playing with you. I just—it's—with all the things going on in my life and yours, a relationship is not something I can maintain right now."

"Maintain?" Donghyuck chuckles, pulling his hands away, gently pushing you off his lap and standing away from your bed to put some space between you and him. "Y/N, we've been best friends since we were in high school. Literally nothing has changed for us except we kiss and fuck now. What is there to think about? I really do not understand."

You sigh. The sound of it makes Donghyuck pull away further until he’s picking up his backpack. 

"Donghyuck, wait," You say, but Donghyuck is already out of his room, barefoot, his shoes in his hands.

Barefoot, his shoes in one hand, two bottles of beer on the other, Donghyuck finds you by the pool outside the wedding reception. He sits beside you and mimics the way you rolled the bottom of your dress up to your thighs so it doesn’t get wet and does the same with his expensive trousers.

“What are you doing out here?” you muse, eyes staring blankly at the way your feet look blurred out underwater. “Shouldn’t you be inside getting drunk and having the time of your life?”

Donghyuck chuckles, his cheeks painted like cherries, mouth glazed like strawberries, and hands you the cold bottle of beer. “I’m already drunk. Do you think I’d have the courage to come find you here if I was sober?”

You nod, taking the bottle from his hand. “Good point. Fun party?”

“Jaemin and Jeno never fail to organize the best party,” he stammers. “They used to invite everyone in their shared apartment to play the American games they learned from Johnny-hyung. I can’t believe they’re married now.”

Jaemin and Jeno, the very reason why all of you gathered after all these years, have always been destined for each other, and you know this because you’d seen them start off as nothing and watched them turn to everything. Their wedding had been the sole reason why you’d returned to Seoul.

“I always knew they’d end up together,” you mutter, drinking from the cold bottle. “I used to manifest it. I said it all the time I saw them together.”

Donghyuck giggles. “You used to believe in the law of attraction so much. You manifested everything that’s happened in your life.”

“I did, didn’t I?” you reply, tasting the bitterness coming from the drink, a reminder why you prefer any other drink aside from beer.

It’s quite for a minute until Donghyuck talks.

“Why didn’t you manifest us?” he says suddenly, words a little grumbled. He’s probably had too much to drink already. You hold onto him naturally as his head starts swaying until his head is leaning against your shoulder, close enough to hear each other breathing. “Y/N, why did you never say we’d end up together like this, too? You were so damn good with this law of attraction bullshit. You could’ve manifested our wedding, too.”

Donghyuck is drunk, and drunk Donghyuck is always vulnerable. His tone of voice is enough for you to decide to cut this trip shorter than it already is. A week, you had promised Jeno and Jaemin, you’d leave two days after the wedding. But at this moment, when you’re frozen in place, Donghyuck’s warmth touching your coldness, you begin to ponder if it had been a good idea to come back in Seoul at all.

You love Jeno and Jaemin and would do anything for them in a heartbeat. Therefore, when the couple announced their engagement two months ago, it had been a quick, solid yes, of course, I’ll be there because you wouldn’t miss their wedding for the world, even if it had been exactly four years and two months since the last time you’d breathed the air of Seoul and that you’d rather die than be in a 12-hour flight, you swore you’d be with your friends during such a huge chapter of their lives.

Your schedules were immediately reconstructed, a ticket to Seoul safely tucked in the files in your desk’s drawer, and all your friends from London were already asking you to bring something back from Seoul when your trip is over. It was all set, with the promise of checking in with your teammates from work during your one-week leave, and it was the easiest itinerary you’d ever made. What you failed to prepare, truly, is yourself.

Somehow, you knew this would happen. You knew coming back would mean seeing Donghyuck. And seeing Donghyuck means opening wounds you’re not certain have healed and resuming conversations you’d never wanted to go back to. And this means, at any given time Donghyuck is within your space, you’d be a goner.

Because four years, it turns out, isn’t enough to get over him.

Quite funny, if you think about it now, how after all these years, you’re still orbiting around him.

You clear your throat, no words coming out, and Donghyuck starts to fall asleep against your shoulder.

Your right shoulder feels sore after falling asleep on your side on Chenle’s couch the morning after Jaemin and Jeno’s bachelor party. It was crazy, to say the least, and you’d decided to drink your guts to in hopes of not remembering anything in the morning. It sucks because you’re stupidly hungover and you remember everything.

The group was divided into two. You, Renjun, Donghyuck, and Minjeong were in charge of Jaemin in the other side of the city, courtesy of Jung Jaehyun for sponsoring and personally planning the grand party for his favorite dongsaeng. Meanwhile, Jisung, Chenle, Mark, and Jimin had planned Jeno’s very own party, along with Lee Taeyong who funded the event.

If you’re being completely honest, you’d think that after college, your friends would lose their sparks in setting up amazing parties, but last night proved you wrong.

The alcohol was disgusting, but you like that it made Renjun do things he wouldn’t do sober. Jaemin refused to get shit-faced drunk because his wedding is in two days, his hangovers usually last an entire day—he doesn’t want to show up at his own wedding looking like a zombie. Minjeong, well, she’s Minjeong, so she was just all over the place, nagging and getting drunk. She’s also a snob who thinks so highly of herself despite being the youngest in the group and liked to look down on her older friends all while attempting to stand upright after downing five shots of tequila.

Donghyuck, however, decided to bring his new girlfriend. Her name is Lia. And the only goal last night was to stay as far away as possible.

You knew that the relationship was new because Jisung filled you in before you had all parted ways for the parties, said that Donghyuck started dating her two months ago right around the time Jaemin and Jeno got engaged, Jimin being their bridge because Lia and Jimin have been friends since last year. Apparently, Lia’s been interested with him for years now; she just never had the chance because like you, Donghyuck also disappeared in and out from Seoul for a couple of years until he’d decided to stay here for good two years ago.

You can’t remember how many shots you had and how many cocktails were handed to you last night, but you wish you had more because it was evidently not enough to erase the scenarios from last night. It wasn’t enough to blur out the memories of Donghyuck holding her, kissing her, dancing with her, and just all out being a lovey-dovey boyfriend.

It’s a relief that you got home safely. There was no designated driver because the plan was to really get drunk, so Jaehyun had one of his employees drive everyone to Chenle’s penthouse because it’s the closest. You hope the others returned to Jeno’s place safely, too.

You stay still from where you’re lying down, eyes up on the ceiling, wondering what time it is. There was no plan for today aside from wedding rehearsal at six in the evening to make sure everything’s all set for tomorrow, so you reckon you have the entire day to get rid of your hangover.

You roll over to your side, facing the television, and the clock tells you it’s eleven in the morning. Renjun is snoring away from the other couch, and you remember letting Minjeong sleep on your bed for the night. You’re staring at Renjun’s sleeping form when someone on the carpeted floor suddenly rolls over, allowing you to see their face.

Donghyuck’s sleeping on the floor beside the couch, body parallel to yours so you can see his peaceful sleeping face, mouth slightly agape. He’s now sleeping on his back, head supported by one of the cushions, body covered with his jacket from last night. You remember parting ways with him with him last night. He’d taken a taxi with Lia back to her place while the rest of you went home in Jaehyun’s SUV. You don’t remember him coming back here.

You stare at him for as long as you can, because in the last three days in Seoul, you’d never really gotten the chance to get a good look on him. You and him don’t follow each other from any social media, so the last four years had truly been radio silence from both sides. Donghyuck, at 27, doesn’t look like he’s aged that much, albeit his round cheeks being gone, replaced by prominent cheekbones. It looks like he never bothered to get rid of the constellations forming on his face and neck, too, because they’re still here, just like many things that haven’t changed. Donghyuck used to love dyeing his hair crazy colors, now his hair is just colored naturally. His lips, wonder if they still taste the same.

“He’s going to melt,” Renjun says suddenly, you plop your head back to the couch, guilty for staring too long. Renjun sits up, stretching and laughing at your misery. “And you’re going to have a heart attack if you keep sneaking glances and getting caught. How many times has Jisung caught you in the last 72 hours?”

“Shut up,” you mumble, getting up and stretching as well. “What do you want to eat for breakfast?”

You carefully get off from the couch, making sure you don’t topple on Donghyuck’s sleeping body, draping the blanket over his body, walking towards Chenle’s fancy kitchen. Renjun helps you, rummaging through the fridge, and comes up with a breakfast menu with whatever you had in the kitchen.

Donghyuck wakes up before you and Renjun could finish cooking everything. He’s quiet when he approaches you in the kitchen, softly asking if you could make coffee for him. You don’t say no, of course.

“This is the most disgusting cup of coffee, I’ve had my entire life,” Donghyuck complains, leaning over the counter where you’re working on the opposite side of. “Stop jeopardizing the café’s reputation. You’re not some scientist so stop mixing concoctions from hell just to brag that you’re a part-time barista and a full-time college student. You make me sick. Literally.”

You ignore all of it, of course, eyebrows furrowed as you take another sip of the quote and quote disgusting coffee, trying to figure out what went wrong this time.

“I think it needs a bit more vanilla,” you think out loud.

“I will not join you in this stupid crusade of making your own “Barista’s Special” recipe,” he continues. “And I will tell your manager you’re wasting coffee!”

“Aha!” you exclaim when you think you got it right. “Maybe I need to level the grounds better and add another pump of vanilla. Let me try that. It should taste better.”

Donghyuck chuckles as you move around and attempt to make another cup. “You’ve been saying it should taste better since last week.”

He keeps complaining, but takes the new cup of coffee as soon as you’re done.

Donghyuck drinks.

You wait.

It still tastes disgusting.

“It’s sweet,” Donghyuck comments when he drinks it. You tilt your head. Renjun is finishing up on the scrambled eggs. You hear Minjeong come out of your room.

“Is that a bad thing?” you ask, hopeful.

Donghyuck shakes his head, chuckling. “Better than the ones you made when we were in university.”

“Hey!” you laugh. “I was awarded employee of the month once!”

“That doesn’t erase the fact that you forced me to drink your disgusting concoctions for three weeks straight,” he states, making you laugh even more. “I guess, all these years you’d learned what you were missing.”

“I’ll miss you,” you mumble against Donghyuck’s chest. “The internship will just be for a few months. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Donghyuck kisses the top of your head. “When you come back,” he mutters. “When you come back, I’ll ask you to be my girlfriend.”

You freeze.

“And you’ll say yes. And we’ll graduate together and make a life for both of us.”

You pull away a little so that you’re looking at him face to face. Donghyuck has tears threatening to fall from his eyes. You wipe it off with the sleeves of his jacket you’re wearing.

“I’ll say yes,” you promise. “And we’ll graduate together and make a life for both of us.”

A woman’s voice announces your flight number once again and says the gates are closing in five minutes. Donghyuck kisses you in the mouth—a promise—and tells you he loves you.

“Oh, Donghyuck,” you say. “I love you, too.”

“Come back home to me, yeah?”

“I will.”

Yours and Donghyuck’s favorite restaurant was located two blocks away from his parents’ home. It closed a few years ago when its owner passed away and his children were too heartbroken to keep the business running. It was a staple from your entire high school life, and if you could say it, it defined your standards when it comes to food.

You’d just gotten a call from home that your childhood pet had to be put down because of old age and many diseases, and you called in sick for work—thank God, Johnny was willing to cover for you otherwise the manager would’ve rejected your request to stay at home for the day—and you’re truly not in the mood for anything at all.

You haven’t been home for quite sometime now, the last time being the holidays and you normally just spend a couple of days before heading back to the campus, so everything really sucks. You didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye.

Donghyuck hears this from Jimin, of course, because your roommate called him as soon as she heard you crying from your room. He literally carries you out of your room, says grieving is better when there’s food.

As soon as you see the person standing behind the counter, you recognize the place right away. Although located in a different street now, nearby where you are, the place looks exactly the same from when it did years ago.

“Y/N! Donghyuckie!” the lady behind the counter greets.

“Oh my,” you squeal. “Auntie, I didn’t know you’re back in business! How long has it been?”

The new owner, the late owner’s eldest daughter, smiles at you and tells you they re-opened sometime this year. She tells you to find a seat and confirms she knew your order by heart.

Donghyuck sits across you. “You like it?”

“Why did you not take me here sooner?”

He smiles. “Supposedly on your birthday a couple of weeks from now. But with what happened today, I guess this is the best time.”

“You’re the best.”

It’s Jisung and Chenle who find you and Donghyuck by the pool area hours later. Donghyuck had completely fallen asleep on your shoulder. The younger ones help you and practically carry Donghyuck towards the car.

Jaemin and Jeno have left the venue so they could prepare for their flight the next day. You hadn’t paid much attention to the time when Donghyuck drunkenly approached you. Jisung tells you it’s already two in the morning.

Chenle tells you Donghyuck had broken up with Lia—the reason, he’s uncertain—which is why she stormed off from the reception and Donghyuck decided to drink his ass off while you were wandering around the place. You shrug, acknowledging the news like it doesn’t make your heart race, like it doesn’t give you some sort of hope you didn’t know you had stored, and tell them they should take him home.

Jisung says Donghyuck lives on the other side of the city, so it’s best you all head back to Chenle’s.

Jisung and Chenle share the latter’s bed, and you’re not going to let Donghyuck sleep on the couch after he had complained about his back hurting when he’d fallen asleep on the floor the other day, so it’s only right that you let Jisung and Chenle carry him to your bed.

When you wake up on the couch the next day, Donghyuck’s shoes are no longer by the doorsteps.

His footsteps are loud.

“Donghyuck, this isn’t going to work if you don’t fucking give me a chance to explain!” You scream a few feet behind Donghyuck. 

Donghyuck is running away, and you’re beginning to think that convincing him to go to the gym might not have been the greatest decision because Donghyuck is literally sprinting, like he’s being chased by something so terrifying.

You almost stop. Donghyuck, who always called him home, never ran away from you all these years. Not, it looks like he’d rather be anywhere but where you. Nothing feels worse than that. 

You’d just gotten back from your internship in the US, one more term and you’re graduating. The internship was easily the best thing that’s happened to you this year. They were already thinking of offering you a contract as soon as you graduate. They let you go back home, of course, to complete your degree, and said they’d be willing to keep training you in the states and have you relocate to Europe once you graduate because they’ll be expanding their business out there.

It's also the night of Donghyuck's first showcase, the first show he's headlining along with musicians and artists from different universities. You had promised Donghyuck you’d watch and support him, but things doesn't always go on your favor, because as soon as you’d landed, you were needed back to the campus for an interview for the university’s publishing team because they wanted you to talk about your experience alongside the others who went to the states to complete their internship. It was supposed to be an hour session, but you and everyone in the panel liked the questions they were asking, and somehow you felt like this was a sign that the company in the US could lead to better, brighter things for you.

Hence, you were late. Halfway through the show. Donghyuck got mad, but promised he understood. He asked for some space, at least for the rest of the night. But you wanted to apologize properly, to take him out for dinner even if it's already past midnight, and insisted that you should talk about it. Donghyuck refused, you kept insisting, until the former said something about you being a shitty girlfriend.

It’s a shitty excuse, but you were absolutely fucking tired. You’re still jetlagged from the 16-hour difference, and the entire session with your fellow interns took two hours of your day.

What you had left for the day was so little, and you chose to spend it with Donghyuck, but he decided to be an ass about it.

"I never said anything about being your girlfriend," was your dumb reply, which is why you’re now running after him from the building of Chenle’s condominium.

You pull Donghyuck with force as soon as you catch up with him, and you’re faced with your worst fear.

Donghyuck is crying. He’s never cried before, not because of you. A deep painful breath comes out of your mouth, and it hurts when you breathe, like inhaling a cloud of smoke or being hit by a ball in the back. Donghyuck keeps crying, doesn’t even hide it. He sobs and heaves and he doesn’t wipe his tears.

"Donghyuck, can you just—”

“I’m tired,” Donghyuck sobs. “Y/N, I’m so tired. I sound pathetic and I’m not sure if I’m exhausted from the performance or I’m just done with you.”

“I’m sorry,” is all what you could come up with. 

“This,” Donghyuck says, gesturing the small space between you. “I don’t think it’s worth all of the pain I am feeling right now, Y/N. You’re my best friend. I—I, fuck, I used to think that maybe someday this will all be worth it, but I am tired of waiting for that day. I am drained and you have consumed all of me. I waited for you, and I keep waiting until you finally just—let go and decide you want to be with me and stop playing this never-ending game of friends with benefits bullshit we started. I’m done. What else do you want from me?”

“I—I… Donghyuck,” you stutter. I want you to give me a chance. I want you to give me more time to figure some things out myself. I want you to wait a little longer.

"I rejected Ryujin a week before you came home,” Donghyuck confesses. "When you were in the states, and you suddenly changed your mind about being my girlfriend and told me I should go out and date other people and that I shouldn’t hold myself back, I was angry. I didn’t understand why you were pushing me away so much when I’m here!”

You stay still, crying.

“I’m here,” he repeats. “I’m here and I love you, and I’ve never asked anything in return. And you tell me you love me, but you do things that—that hurt me. Every time I think we’re finally going somewhere, you—you push back and I’m just—I’m sick of it. And Jaemin said I should just move on if you can’t make up your mind because I don’t know if you haven’t realized it but Y/N, we’ve been at it for years.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Jeno and Jaemin set me up with Ryujin,” he continues. “We went to a couple of dates. And then you called me saying you’re coming back home. So, I broke it off before we even got started. I told her it would be unfair if I kept leading her on when I know that I am still ridiculously in love with you. She said it would be alright and that she's giving me all the time and space I need to think about things."

Donghyuck curses and continues, "But I didn't need time and space, Y/N. Because I already knew that all I've ever wanted was you. I didn't need to think. I only needed you."

You don’t know what to say. You’re still holding him by his arm.

“If you're not going to say anything, let me go,” Donghyuck sternly says. You have a feeling it’s not the grip on his arm that Donghyuck is talking about. “Please.”

The single biggest mistake of your life happened on the third street from Chenle’s place, under the broken streetlight, across the ice cream parlor Donghyuck used to work at when he was seventeen. 

You let him go. Donghyuck stops waiting.

The wait from the audience was long enough.

They say your graduation day is going to be one of the happiest moments in your life. It’s not. Not at all.

Not when you’d gotten your diploma on stage and Donghyuck shows you he doesn’t give a fuck by looking everywhere else. Not when it’s picture taking time with your friends and families and he decides to stand on the other side, far, far away from you. Not when his parents ask him to take a picture with you and he shrugs it off and says he’s hungry and that he’s meeting everyone at the restaurant, leaving with his entire family.

Renjun whispers, “Does he even know you’re leaving first thing in the morning?”

You shrug it off, too. “Looks like he has other things to care about.”

Jaemin sighs. “You’re not serious about this, are you? You and Donghyuck better pull your shit together. Both of you already ruined the moment for everyone.”

Renjun eyes him. “It’s not your fault, Y/N. If Donghyuck doesn’t want to listen, then so be it.”

“It’s not Donghyuck’s fault either,” Jaemin defends. “Because he’s been trying to get answers and you wouldn’t give it to him. So, I don’t think it’s his fault that he’s done.”

“We’re not picking sides here, Jaemin,” Jeno says. “Let’s go.”

Jeno and Jaemin sandwiches you in a tight hug.

The next day after the wedding, in the afternoon, the newlyweds are bound to France for their honeymoon. They’re traveling the continent for two weeks (unfortunately, London excluded from their itinerary), and all of you decided to drop them off as if they’re leaving for years. In your case, this may be the last time you’re seeing them for a long time.

“I love you,” Jaemin says as the two very strong and buff men hug you. “I know things have been tough and coming back here took a lot from you, but thank you for making sure you were present during the wedding.”

“I hope this isn’t the last time in another four years that we’d see you in person,” Jeno adds. “We miss you, you know? Please come visit us when you have time.”

“I love you two so much,” you cry, emotional with the way they’re holding you. “Go have fun.”

They bid their goodbyes to everyone else and enter the airport.

“If I don’t get the same treatment when I leave, I’m ghosting everyone,” Mark announces. Jisung laughs. “What? You all acted like they’re going away for two years. They’re coming back in literally and exactly two weeks!”

“Go be unhappy somewhere, hyung,” Donghyuck teases, making everyone laugh as you all walk back to where their cars are parked.

Chenle needs to go back to work, so did Jimin and Jisung, hence they ride all together. Minjeong’s visiting a friend, so she’s riding with Mark and Renjun because they’re all going to the same side of the city. Which means, Donghyuck is driving you back to Chenle’s place.

“Your flight is tomorrow, too, right?” Mark asks. You hum, nodding. “Come visit me in Vancouver sometime soon, too. Or I’ll fly to London.”

“Wow, you have a lot of money to spend on flying around the world multiple times, huh?” you tease.

“Hey, you’re the frequent flyer here,” he comments. “Wonder how many miles you’ve earned and redeemed from all this flying you’ve done in this lifetime.”

You laugh. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mark.”

Renjun and the others bid you goodbye. You’re not really certain why you and Donghyuck silently agreed to watch your friends leave, you and him standing a foot away from each other as they all drive away. For some reason, it feels like the last time.

The first time it happened, you and Donghyuck decide it’s an accident.

You were drunk, and it had been a while for the two of you considering how busy you both have been because of finals coming up. It was convenient, if you say so yourself, to have your best friend right beside you when you were feeling hot and horny. The morning after was settled with a kiss on your forehead—no apologies as discussed, because neither you nor him regretted it anyway, but there’s a promise that nothing changes.

The second time it happened, you and Donghyuck decide it’s not going to be a one-time thing.

“So, to make it clear,” you huff as you quickly get rid of your pants while Donghyuck pulls his shirt off. “This isn’t a one-time thing.”

“I don’t see an issue if it’s not,” he replies, unbuckling his belt and pulling his pants down, pushing you against the wall and kissing you down your neck. “Besides, we’re best friends.”

You lean your head against the wall, thinking if it’s too late to back out, but Donghyuck’s already has his hands all over you—one on your breast and the other on your waist. It’s not really that bad of an idea. Donghyuck is your best friend, and your friendship has withstood time, distance, growing pains, and mostly everything. And perhaps it’s the way you haven’t stopped thinking about your first time together that’s making you feel so, so vulnerable under his touch, but it’s not like anything’s changed since that night. In fact, if you’re being completely honest, it made you feel like you and Donghyuck know each other better now—in ways that other pairs like you don’t.

Hence, whatever thought you had a minute ago, you throw it down the drain and you let Donghyuck (messily, heartedly giggling) carry you by hoisting you up and wrapping your legs around his waist and bring you back to his unmade bed.

Donghyuck knows how to use his tongue, and you’ve kind of always known because all the girls he’s ever slept with talk about him like he’s a god of tongue or something. Donghyuck licks your lips before diving in, as if he’s giving you a taste of what you’re about to have, and he pushes his tongue in, massaging it with yours, and it almost feels like he’s teaching you how to use the muscle in your mouth. You realize how much he likes kissing, because he kisses more than he touches. He kisses you for what felt like hours, and you’re not about to complain about it.

You let him gently drop you on his bed. His warm palms caressing its way from your waist down to the side of your thighs where he knows you like being touched the most (and you’re not certain whether he’d learned this from stories or from the time you and him had sex); Donghyuck keeps his mouth on you as he rubs circles against your hot skin.

The finger he slips between your underwear and right above your clit sends you shivers down your spine. He allows you to catch your breath for a second, moving his mouth from your lips down to your neck, but doesn’t give you enough time to recover because he rubs your clit oh, so gently.

“We’re best friends,” he repeats, murmuring the words against the skin on your neck. “Nothing changes, except now I know where to touch you.”

He does. He touches you everywhere and slips his middle finger in your hole, sighing against your skin when he feels how wet you’ve gotten simply from kissing.

“You’ve always been such a good girl for me,” he whispers, keeping his finger inside, his palm pressed against your clit. “Such a good girl. Wet and ready for me. You really are my best friend.”

“Donghyuck,” you whine. He starts rubbing from inside, moving a single finger in an upward motion, eliciting a moan from you.

“What?” he asks innocently. “You are. You are my best friend. I don’t think everyone can say they let their best friends fuck them when they’re horny. Which makes me the best best friend, too. Because I fuck the brains out of you when you’re horny. Aren’t we the best team the world has ever seen?”

Donghyuck slips another finger in—easily, because nothing can describe how we you are now. He tongues the skin on your collarbone, licking and tasting and smirking all throughout, then he fingers you properly. At this point, your underwear’s stretched from one thigh to the other.

Donghyuck likes to tease you, and you know this because he massages the inside of your hole in a swift upward motion before pulling his fingers out and slowly filling you again. He does this slowly, then fast, then slowly once again. The explicit sound of your wetness makes him chuckle, leaving your collarbones and using his other hand to pull the left cup of your bra down and goes in. He bites and nips and licks and sucks your breast while he fingers you stupid—legs apart, shamelessly wet and fucking ready for him—and you take everything he gives you.

He doesn’t make you cum though, because Donghyuck is Donghyuck. Nobody is more cunning than him.

But he doesn’t make you wait. As soon as he feels you’re about to cum, he slips his fingers out and rids himself off his own underwear, then slipping the last two pieces barely hanging on your body.

He fucks you dumb. Raw. All his glory and skin. You have no other words aside from that.

He doesn’t wait because there’s truly no need to adjust with how wet and ready you fucking are. He’s big, but Donghyuck knows how to fuck well. He knows how to prevent discomfort and he’s done a very good job at proving that to you.

He fucks you missionary, and usually, this isn’t something you’d opt for. You like being fucked hard with no sense of affection and all that bullshit when you’re stressed and in need of some kind of relief. But with Donghyuck, it’s heavenly despite how sinful his hips snap.

He fucks you. Again and again. He makes you cum twice before he pulls out and spills himself on your stomach.

He kisses you, giggles at the way you’re dumbfounded, cleans you up, and lets you sleep on his bed as though nothing has changed.

Because nothing did. Nothing ever will.

“Funny how things have changed so much in the last four years, huh?” Donghyuck asks, eyes on the road.

Donghyuck’s said he’s driving you home. You haven’t been in Seoul in four years, but the route he’s taking is definitely not the way to Chenle’s.

“We’re taking the long way home,” he interjects when he realizes you’re looking at the GPS on his car’s tablet. “There’s, uh, heavy traffic on the usual way because of some road construction. And you’re going back tomorrow. You haven’t really gone around the city, so I figured it’d be a good time.”

You hum, looking at him with a small smile.

“Sure,” you buy. “It feels like only yesterday you were driving a beat-up Hyundai. Now, you’re all fancy.”

He chuckles, turning as his car speeds through the bridge. “Well, many things have changed since you left.”

Donghyuck looks beautiful like this: Seoul’s horizon running like a movie as he drives, smile soft, eyes bright.

“I’m sorry,” you brave up.

It takes you great courage to say it out loud. As best friends, you and Donghyuck had always said “thank you,” and “I love you” openly, and in countless of occasions, these words have healed scratches made around your friendship. Rarely you and him would ever say you’re sorry. The only time you can remember apologizing to him was the night, a few weeks before graduation when you’d just returned from the States after your internship. That sorry barely made up the wounds you’d caused.

At this age, you understand why saying sorry wasn’t normal for you and Donghyuck. You and him were inseparable. You were soulmates—are if you can bravely say it out loud. Your bond is stronger with him than anyone else, and you’d always believed that nothing could ever come between you and him. Like the decisions you’d made, nothing changed until something did. And when things changed, you and him had no idea what to do. Because as far as you can remember, you and Donghyuck remained constant, like a routine, a bible with a comprehensive and cohesive series of stories that’s never changed. So, when feelings got in between—denial and pining and confusion—neither of you had any idea how to handle it.

Donghyuck was bold and brave. You, on the other hand, had no ounce of courage to give it a try.

He only smiles. “A few years too late, don’t you think?”

You nod. “I know. Do you accept my apology?”

“If you buy me ice cream,” he answers.

“Done,” you say, smiling back at him. “I was scared.”

Donghyuck keeps his eyes on the road. “Of?”

“That I’d come back to Seoul and see you married with kids and all.”

“And what’s so scary about that?”

“Because it would mean I’d thrown away all the chances the universe has given me.”

Donghyuck looks ethereal like this: in a suit, smiling as he watches his bride walk down the aisle.

“Take care, yeah?” Renjun whispers as he hugs you.

Mark’s Dad and Mark himself are waiting for you outside. As most of your friends have gone home to their families after graduation, with the exception of Renjun and Jisung who spared some time today just to see you off, Mark volunteered (his dad) to drop you off the airport.

“I will,” you say, burying your face into his chest. “Any word from Donghyuck?”

Renjun pulls away and looks down. You know the answer.

“It’s okay,” you answer, mostly to yourself. “He’ll call me back soon. I’m sure.”

“I hope so,” Renjun mumbles.

The only call you get before you enter the gates is a drunken one. It’s Donghyuck.

“I hate you,” he grits through the device. “And I never want to see you again.”

“I didn’t want to come back,” you confess. Donghyuck keeps his hands on the steering wheel. “Because you’d said you never wanted to see me again.”

“And I sent you messages you never received,” Donghyuck says. It surprises you. “Because your Korean number was no longer active and you’d blocked me from everything at that time.”

You smile, wondering if you had a little bit more understanding—if you had waited a little before deactivating your old number, if you had given it some time—would you and Donghyuck end up together in the end? If Donghyuck hadn’t been drunk the night you left Seoul—if he’d taken a taxi before you boarded the plane, if he’d just said sorry back—would you and him have gotten into a relationship right away?

Regret, just like grief, makes you feel things like this. They make you wonder what could have happened, if it would’ve given you the same, awful outcome, or if it would take you to the happy ending you keep dreaming about.

“Funny how we had many things we couldn’t say despite us being best friends,” he comments. “And you agree that many things have changed in the last four years, right?”

You hum, looking out your window, watching the horizon blur in motion.

“Donghyuck-ah,” you whisper, eyes still on the moving horizon. “The only thing that hasn’t changed for me.”

“What?” he asks.

“You,” you say. “You’re the only one that hasn’t changed for me. You’re still sharp when you need to be, but gentle where people you love need you to be. You’re still beautiful like the day I had realized I loved you. It wasn’t shocking, though. That day. I wasn’t all too shocked that your newly-dyed pink hair was the eureka moment for me. Because I knew all along. It was more like a flick on the wrist rather than a surprise. Like it’s always been there. The pink hair was just a reminder.”

Donghyuck stays quiet.

“And I say this like I’m hoping I could go back to four years ago and try harder to apologize,” you continue, tears already brimming your eyes. “But I guess we needed this, Donghyuck. We needed to grow—sadly—apart. And I feel like, no, I know that I wouldn’t have gotten to know myself better if we didn’t grow apart.”

“Yeah,” he speaks for what seems like a long time. “We were—you were right all along. We couldn’t just risk it all for a relationship. I had offers left and right even before we’d graduated, and you.”

You look at him. Donghyuck’s eyes are carefully still on the road, but his gaze is soft, eyes shining from the tears welling up.

“You were made to see the world,” he says, and it breaks you like glass. “I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I were the reason why you don’t have the life you have now. Because it wouldn’t have worked. I love you, and I just know that at that time, when we were young and all, I wouldn’t have let you go work abroad. The few months you spent in the state for a mere internship already shook our friendship in ways we didn’t expect. What more if we had been in a relationship?”

“Donghyuck,” you sniffle. “I love you. And it hurt. And I’m sorry it us this long. I’m sorry it took me this long.”

“Stop apologizing. Y/N, I would’ve let you go eventually,” he confesses. “Because I love you so much that I’d be willing to let you go if it meant you could soar.”

The sun sets in the horizon the next time you look out your window.

Donghyuck keeps one hand on the wheel and shows you the other, palm up.

You take it with courage.

And you. You look beautiful like this: dressed in white, smiling as you walk towards your groom. You best friend. Donghyuck.

[tarotwithavi]

Hello!

I'm Avi! My hobbies are painting, singing, writing and cooking. My favorite decks are : Tarot of the divine , The wild unknown tarot and Rider waite tarot . If you like my work please leave a review in my ask box!

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you have a grand time looking through my treasure box!

Sending lots of love your way! ♡

Difference between karmic and soulmate relationships

Importance of self-love

Pick a cards ☆

Self concept ♥

Tarot series

1) why are you so special 😻

2) admirable things about you

3) what are you attracting right now

4) why are you the most attractive person in the universe

5) let me hype you up!!

6) what effect do you have on others

7) what do people talk about you behind your back

8) watch me have my glow up in 2023

9) how do men view you?

10) 10 Random things about you or for you?

11) what surprises others about you?

12) the compliments you have been receiving behind your back

13) how do your classmates and teachers view you.

14) why do people fall for you?

15) letter from your shadow side

16) your demons and how you can fight them

17) How your existence makes this world a better place.

18) An appreciation letter for you

19) what is it like to be loved by you?

20) what sets you apart from the crowd?

21) how would you be described as an inspiration?

22) how are you glowing up?

23) what kind of lovers do you attract/are attracting

24) how do you inspire others

25) what makes you hauntingly beautiful?

26) About your beauty/vibe

27) the type of lover you deserve

Spirit guides/ Ancestors 🕊️

1) How do your spirit guides see you?

2) message from your ancestors

Guidance / messages 🫂

1) messages from the fairies 🧚‍♀️

2)short pac ( random messages)

3)short pac2 ( random messages)

4) what new things are coming?

5) random message for you ✨

6) letter from the MOON GODDESS 🌙♥🔮

7) some things you need to know

8) Random things about your 2023

9) Advice and messages from a friend

10) what's coming for you soon?

11) blessings coming to you in the next 30 days

12) Intuitively channelled messages for you

13) messages from Aphrodite

14) messages from the universe

15) messages from your inner child

16) 10 things you need to know right now

Fun readings 🫧

1) some songs for you ♡

2) you are a 10 but

3) which spy × family character are you?

4) describing you in some books quotes

5) how would a writer describe your character in a book?

6) what mythical creature are you? Pt 1

7) which Pokemon would you be and why? Pt1

8) your Christmas gift from the universe

9) you're a 10 because-

Love readings ❣️

1)what do they love about you

2) what's next in love for you

3) how would they describe you in song

4) letter from your future spouse

5) what will your future spouse love about you

6) The destined one for you

7) who is coming into your life in 2023 💞

8) I was enchanted to meet you (fs reading)

9) Love you like a love song baby

10) First date with your future lover.

11) what first impression will your future lover have of you?

12) Random things about your future lover

13) you from the eyes of your future lover / future spouse.

14) random things about your next lover

15) who's crushing on you?

16) what will you find adorable about your future spouse?

17) how will your future spouse act in front of you vs in front of others?

18) what will draw your future spouse to you?

19) Red string of fate : your destined love

20) what will your future spouse find attractive about you?

21) your next relationship

22) you from the eyes of your future lover/future spouse pt2

23) Random messages from your future spouse

24) Letter from your soulmate

25) what kind of lovers do you attract/are attracting

26) your future spouse : personality

27) First date with your future spouse

28) Some random things your future spouse will say to you (poetic edition)

29) some nicknames your future spouse may call you by

30) How will your future spouse/lover show their love?

31) when will you find love? And a little about your person

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Tarot series :

Let me hype you up series ❁

[sinner-sunflower]

A HH Lucifer-centric AU 12/?

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, PART 10, PART 11, PART 13, PART 14, PART 15, PART 16, PART 17, PART 18, PART 19, PART 20, PART 21, PART 22

Fun fact:

I was supposed to include Heaven in this. The og plot was like Heaven was already friendly with them- like Luci's siblings, and they were supposed to be in the meeting back in chapter 4 and 5.

The argument would have been that Heaven is bound to help because Roo won't stop at Hell and it will eventually reach Heaven, making it their problem too.

But obviously I had a change of plans and I think this plot would be better.

A plot fit for a possible sequel, one might say.

Apologies for the shortness of the chapter but thank you still for the constant support! Your likes, reblogs, and comments are the things that give me inspiration to do this every day!

----------------------------------------------------

The good news is the problem has not reached any of the upper rings in his absence. The bad news? Sloth is almost devoured.

Overgrown roots have enveloped the main city's buildings, he can't even see the Goetia territory anymore. The blood-red flowers are still spewing black miasma and he can feel it slightly burn his skin.

Lucifer thinks that this is what real Hell looks like.

This means that everyone is just exerting enough power to keep it at bay but not enough to fully stop it. Lucifer was right in his decision to look for Goodie. Speaking of Goodie- the embodiment of good barely reacts. If she's being burned by the mist, she's doing a pretty good job of not showing it.

Goodie: Oh my. What trouble you are causing, Roo.

A fucking understatement but Lucifer won't argue. This is trouble, but a million times worse.

Lucifer: Let's go.

----------------------------------------------------

At one corner of Sloth, the Sins and the other higher powers of Hell have just finished another round of the sealing ritual. They've been going at it a month straight, there is no end in sight, and they are exhausted. Even Alastor is mostly drained as he is leaning a lot on his cane.

Beelzebub: Fuck! I knew this wasn't going to be easy but what the fuck?!

Someone scoffs.

Vox: Maybe if our dear king is here this would be over. Like, where the fuck is he huh??

Leviathan: Don't forget who you are speaking to, filthy sinner!

Vox: Oh boohoo. If we're all gonna die anyway, why should I be afraid of you? Should've known that absentee of a ruler left us all to rot after damning us here in the first place-

Vox suddenly finds a giant hand wrapped around his throat. It took him a few seconds of reconfiguration before he clearly saw who the fuck-

Vox: Fuckin- gah! Alastor!

Alastor has transformed into a taller, lankier, and more sinister of himself. Eyes turned into radio dials, face, and body adorned with glowing green stitches like a puppet whose master has on a string.

Alastor: Shouldn't frivolous televisions come with a silent setting?

Vox: Fuck! Off!

Alastor: Hahaha! What is the matter, Vox? You seem to have developed the illusion that you are the strongest person in the room. Shall I remind you of what came about your moth friend?

Velvette: You better let him go, old man!

Velvette yelled to back up Vox. She flinches as Alastor turns his head in her direction with a sickening snap of his neck.

Not wanting to back off, she was about to argue more when Carmila stepped in.

Carmila: Velvette! Cease this at once. Do you and the Vees have no self-preservation??

Velvette: Well- I- Vox's right and you lot know it! Great Lucifer called us all here, basically threatened us to help him fix a mess he caused, then fucks off to God knows where leaving us to practically kill ourselves for a mess, again, HE CAUSED!

The Sins and Goetia's have now transformed into their more monstrous forms at hearing the disrespect the lowly sinner said about their King.

Velvette and Vox are saved from near-permanent death by a commanding voice.

Lucifer: Kneel.

Everyone's bodies acted on their own. Their knees bled from the sudden contact on the ground.

None of them could move- try as they might. Their air became heavier, plus with the miasma, a lot of them were gasping for air. Nothing is coming in. They can't breathe. They can't-

They look up to see the King of Hell and an unknown woman. Unknown to most but the Sins very much recognize her as indicated by the widening of their eyes.

Satan: Goodie!

The woman giggles and waves cheerfully as if there wasn't a looming threat in the air.

Goodie: My, my. What big mouths you have~

----------------------------------------------------

What to look forward to in Part 13:

Some talks and reprimanding.

Another round of ritual.

The situation becomes worse.

Lucifer and Goodie's solution.

[destielmonth]

Destiel Month 2023 Prompts

Hello! Destiel Month is back for the third year in a row!

I would like to apologize for the delay in prompts. All of our mods have been quite busy but our hearts are still full with appreciation for these two.

We don't have a calendar this year but we do have 30 whole prompts!

A Quick Reminder - Don't force yourself to create content for all 30 days! This is a fun, stress free event in celebration of Castiel's confession!

How to Participate -

On TUMBLR or TWITTER: Post your piece or link to your piece using the tag #destielmonth or #destielmonth23 OR mention us ( @destielmonth​ ) in your post

On AO3: Add your piece to the collection (Destiel Month 2023) when you create your work

Day 1 - Nicknames

Day 2 - Bonding

Day 3 - Mythology

Day 4 - Rescue Mission

Day 5 - Confession

Day 6 - Moment of True Happiness

Day 7 - Desire

Day 8 - Potions & Magic

Day 9 - The End

Day 10 - Favoritism

Day 11 - Movie / Game Night

Day 12 - Missed Connections

Day 13 - Angels / Demons

Day 14 - Cologne / Scent

Day 15 - Scooby Doo

Day 16 - Book Store / Library

Day 17 - King of Hell

Day 18 - Bubble Bath

Day 19 - Memory Loss / Amnesia

Day 20 - Humanity / Human Kindness

Day 21 - Red String

Day 22 - Badass in Distress

Day 23 - Giving

Day 24 - Accidents Happen

Day 25 - Back Seat

Day 26 - French Mistake / Alternate Reality

Day 27 - Transformations

Day 28 - Apple Pie

Day 29 - Seasonal Depression

Day 30 - Rewards

[ladykailitha]

Royal Pain Part 22

Hey, guys! You know how I said there was still plot to go through? Hehehe...

Corroded Coffin gets the opportunity of a life time.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Meta

***

Eddie had been staring at the phone in his hand for the last twenty minutes in absolute shock.

He typed into the Corroded Coffin group chat: Emergency meeting, meet at the usual in twenty minutes.

The chat instantly blew up, but Eddie refused to answer any of their questions. He went to his room and blew his guitar a kiss. “Sorry, beautiful. I’m not taking you out tonight, but if everything goes to plan, we won’t be in this dump much longer.”

He ran his fingers gently over the strings, smiling at the sound. He dashed out of the apartment, patting his pockets to make sure he had his keys, wallet, and phone.

Eddie was the last to pull up to the garage they rented to practice in as he lived the farthest.

He wiped his hands on his jeans before he hopped out of his van. He paused outside of the door and took a deep breath. He opened the slowly and peaked his head in.

In addition to his band, Eddie wasn’t surprised to see that Mandy and Cecil were there too. He did say it was an emergency and the only reason Gethin wasn’t there was that because he was in Hawkins with their mom for the weekend.

Cecil was a quiet young man with red hair and glasses. He had a cane that he used to help him move around, having had knees that went bad early in his life.

“Right,” Eddie said, again rubbing his hands on his jeans nervously. “So I got a message from Rick at Nightmare Holes about a half hour ago.”

“He’s not firing us, is he?” Brian asked. Cecil squeezed his shoulder.

Eddie held up his hands. “Right right, sorry. Wrong order. Let’s try this again.” He took a deep breath. “I know I used the emergency send up, but it’s not a bad emergency, and it’s not an emergency on Rick’s end either.”

Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

“So who’s good emergency is it?” Jeff asked.

“Well, it’s a bad emergency on Metallica’s part,” Eddie said with a grin. “But it’s good for us.”

“No,” Gareth said. “No fucking way.”

Brian stood up and walked straight up to Eddie and got in his face. “You tell me right now, Edward Lawrence Munson, are we opening for Metallica?”

Eddie pursed his lips to keep at straight face. “I think that rather depends on the consensus of everyone in the band.”

Brian hugged him tightly. “Explain.”

He sat back down to next to Cecil.

“So the band that was supposed to open for Metallica,” Eddie explained, “their bus broke down and it’s going to take three days to fix it. And while they can get the members here in time, they don’t have the time to get all their gear here.”

Suddenly everyone was trying to talk over each other.

Jeff let out a loud piercing whistle. “Shut up and let him finish.”

Eddie cleared his throat and said, “So their manager was calling around all the local metal bars to see if they could recommend a band to sub in for the opener. Rick told him about us and asked if we were free tonight.” He glanced at his watch. “We have twenty minutes to decide before they move on to the next band.”

The room was now deathly quiet and Eddie gulped.

“Right,” Jeff said, “we’ll go around and ask each member of the band for their vote and then if majority says yes, Eddie will call Rick and that we’ll be there. Agreed?”

Everyone nodded.

“I’ll go first,” Eddie said. “I say yes. Of course I do. This has been my dream for years!”

“Brian?” Jeff said after nodding at Eddie’s answer.

Brian twisted his fingers nervously. “I want this as bad as Eddie does. Maybe even more. So, yeah, my answer is yes.” Cecil smiled at him and Brian smiled back.

“Gareth?” Jeff asked.

The youngest of the band was hunched behind his drum kit, making his small frame appear even smaller. “I know that it’s not going to matter, that we’re going to do it anyway. But I don’t want to. I like what we do. I like small crowds, dedicated fans. I know it’s everyone else’s dream. But it’s not mine. I say no.”

Eddie walked over to Gareth and pulled him in a big hug. “That was so brave of you. Thank you for being honest.”

The younger man nodded and squeezed back with all his might.

Jeff cleared his throat. “I want to do it. It was be the chance of a lifetime. A golden opportunity. But I don’t think we’re ready as a band for that type of crowd. Especially since none of our fans are going to be there. The people that are coming tonight expecting this other band and are going to be pretty disappointed when they don’t show.”

Mandy gave his thigh a quick squeeze. “I know I’m not part of the band and really don’t have a say, but I’d like to say something before Jeff casts his vote one way or the other.”

The band nodded. Mandy hadn’t been there since the beginning, but she had been with them the longest. She had seen their up and downs and knew them better than they did.

“I don’t think it’s about not being ready or just liking a dedicated fanbase,” she said gently. “Though I don’t doubt that’s part of it. This could signal the biggest change in your lives full stop. I noticed that Eddie didn’t bring up the money, so I’m assuming it’s a lot.” Eddie nodded. “That’s scary. And I get that. But when I tell you if you don’t do this you’ll regret it, I mean for the rest of your lives.”

Everyone was silent.

“Everyone here likes Metallica,” Mandy continued. “Hell, even I like their music and I am not a not a metal fan. These are your heroes. And you get to be theirs for one night, how epic is that?”

Gareth blinked. “We get to be their heroes?”

Mandy nodded. “Yeah. They’re in a bind. They need an opening act and if you step up, then you’re their hero. You came to their rescue when they needed it. Plus, you’ll get to meet them and not just with a table between you at some signing. Actually meet them.”

Gareth and Jeff exchanged glances. They both nod.

“I change my answer to yes,” Gareth said.

Jeff chewed on his lip for a moment. “Yeah. Okay. Let’s do this.”

Eddie nodded back. “Okay, I’ll give Rick a call.”

He called up the owner of the Nightmare Holes and told them that they would be there and to send over the contract for them to all sign.

Cecil licked his lips. “How much money are we talking about, Ed?”

“Ten thousand,” Eddie said.

Jeff frowned appreciatively. “Not bad for one night’s work.”

“Each.”

They all stare at him not quite comprehending what he just said.

“Each? Each what?” Gareth asked with a furrowed brow.

“Of us,” Eddie clarified. “Ten thousand for each of us.”

“Oh my god,” Brian said, his eyes wide. “Forty thousand dollars for a single night, forty-five minutes of music? That’s insane.”

Eddie shrugged. “The other band was going to get seventy.”

Jeff leaned forward and cocked his head. “Come again?”

“You’re preforming at the biggest venue in Indianapolis, that’s huge crowd,” Eddie explained. “Metallica makes two million. Forty k, is like a drop in the bucket. It is more than a band like us would normally make. About two thousand a concert. But they’re in a bind and are willing to pay a lot.”

Everyone nodded.

“Sound check is in two hours,” he continued. “So we won’t have time to practice. But we’re professionals. We do this shit every weekend. They’ve given us ten VIP tickets to give to loved ones. That’s three tickets for all but one of us. I only have two people I want to invite, so you guys can take the rest.”

Gareth was already on the phone with Gethin. He looked up at Eddie, “He says that he should be able to pick up Wayne on his way out of town.”

God, Eddie loved his friends with every fiber of his being. He just nodded, suddenly overcome with emotion.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket knowing that this was going to be a hard sell. The shop closed at eight and the concert started at seven. He let out a shuddered breath and hit Steve’s contact.

“Hey, honey,” he whispered when Steve picked up. “Is this a bad time?”

“Not at, sunshine,” Steve said brightly. “I just finished up with a client. What’s up?”

“You know that Metallica concert tonight?” Eddie asked, struggling to get the words out.

“Sure!” Steve said. “Dustin and his friends were going.”

Eddie closed his eyes, and pressed his finger and thumb into the lids. “Yeah? You thinking of going?”

“Not really,” Steve said. “It’s sold out, and I figured since I had to work it wasn’t really a big deal.”

“What if I told you I had two tickets to go see them tonight, VIP?” he asked, his lip beginning to quiver. He started to pace back and forth.

“You want me to go with you?” Steve asked slowly, unsure where this was going. “I figured you would take Jeff first before asking me, love. He loves that band.”

Eddie huffed out a watery laugh, chewing on the edge of his thumb. “That’s sweet, baby. No, he’s already going to be there.”

“Oh cool,” Steve said. “I’ll see if I can move things around, but sure if you want me to go with you, I’d be happy to come.”

Eddie breathed out a sigh of relief. “Great, it starts at seven and goes until ten.”

“So I’d have to get off at six to be ready in time?” Steve asked, sounding a little more up beat.

“Sounds about right,” Eddie said. “I think you’ll really like the opening act.”

“Yeah,” Steve said with a smile, “anyone I’ve heard of?”

Eddie laughed freely for the first time. “Yeah, babe, you’ve heard of them.”

“You sure about that?” Steve teased.

“Corroded Coffin.”

Eddie pulled the phone away from his ear as Steve started screaming on the other end.

Once Steve’s volume returned to normal, Eddie put the phone back to his ear.

“That’s so amazing,” Steve was saying. “You’ll have to tell me all about it later, I’ve got to get back to work. But yeah, babe, of course I’ll be there. I rearrange heaven and earth to see you preform on that stage.”

“See you tonight, sweetheart,” Eddie said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Will do.”

Eddie hung up and did a little dance. Everything he ever wanted just fell into place.

***

Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Epilogue

Tag list: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk ​ @renaissan-vvitch @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @thedragonsaunt @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @aizawa-emma @redfreckledwolf @thesuninyaface @bookbinderbitch @yikes-a-bee @littlewildflowerkitten @scheodingers-muppet @archermightbegay @hallucinatedjosten @ellietheasexylibrarian @anne-bennett-cosplayer @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @bestwifehaver @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @oldwitcheshat @nightmareglitter @tinyplanet95 @novelnovella

[footnotesaregreat]

Hua Cheng's Simp Diaries 101

*a list of his simp moments bc you've never seen a man so deeply in love*

1. found and kept xie lian's earring from the first time they met when he was 10

2. plays with it a lot

3. kept the umbrella xie lian gave him when it was raining at his shrine

4. only ate from the offerings at the shrine when he was certain it was xie lian himself who told him to

5. was one of the few people who didn't kneel to pray to xie lian bc it was what he asked

6. he brought fresh flowers to the shrine everyday for xie lian's statue to hold

7. he tied the red string of fate on the finger xie lian had tied his own hair around to protect him in the cave

8. he turned his ashes into a ring which he gave to xie lian

9. told him it was nothing important

10. made him his reason to live because xie lian told him to

11. he built thousands of statues and shrines for xie lian

12. he challenged the 33 gods that ridiculed xie lian beat them in battle and burned down their temples *girlboss*

13. he's been drawing xie lian's picture from when he was a child from the first day that he saved him

14. made a big ass door for the shrine so it'd be better protected

15. when xie lian was blown away by the sandstorm at ban yue pass and accidentally grabbed onto him he only said: gege there you are don't fly away again

16. literally sucked venom out of xie lian's hand and then proceeded to explode the snake that stung him

17. made sure to give xie lian the ferns that did not grow with humans as fertiliser to heal his hand bc he knew he would feel bad about that

18. killed hundreds of ghosts at ban yue pass in seconds before xie lian came down there

19. protected him from the snakes leaving mu qing alone to fight them

20. taught xie lian how to play dice just to hold his hands bc the motherfucker definitely just changed the dice himself

21. he gave xie lian dice that would always bring him to xie lian as long as he wanted to see him

22. when he fought with qianqiu and accidently hurt xie lian he felt so bad

23. eming was crying actual tears

24. he came into the heavenly capital to take xie lian away immediately bc he rolled the dice he gave him and he wanted to see him

25. once he saw how much qianqiu didn’t know about the gilded banquet he took them to qi rong's lair and forced him to tell the whole story so there would be no misunderstandings

26. he built a literal temple in the ghost city for xie lian specifically for the mid autumn festival so he could "make things interesting" for xie lian's "amusement"

27. he lit up 3000 blessings lanterns for xie lian from the temple he made in the ghost city

28. spent billions in gold to get the lanterns

29. *twice*

30. he captured the fetus ghost before xie lian bc he couldn’t let him hurt himself and to do so kissed him in the pretence that they shouldn't have their mouths open

31. brought xie lian back to paradise manor and instantly made him feel so comfortable that he actually let his pain show while removing the needle he'd stepped on

32. he went to puqi village to bring xie lian’s hat back bc he mentioned it while rambling after their first kiss

33. he cleaned puqi shrine and took qi rong out of the house along with the rest of the trash

34. when he saw he xuan come in with qingxuan he threatened him bc he didn't want xie lian involved with the whole thing with he xuan and the wind and water masters

35. got his people to watch over qi rong and lowkey lang ying and guzi and also probably to look after the shrine while they would be away with qingxuan and he xuan

36. when xie lian FINALLY asked for his private communication array password his eyes legit twinkled

37. he purposefully set his password to sth very much embarrassing so that no one but xie lian would dare reach him

38. the only time xie lian actually used it himself was when he was legit imprisoned by jun wu

39. he actually found xie lian's password funny and the poor thing got the validation he wanted for his joke after 800 years of having this password

40. he constantly changed outfits to watch xie lian struggle to keep his eyes off him

41. while qingxuan was in xie lian’s body he wouldn’t hurt him so he punched he xuan into the ground to release his frustration

42. totally sailed across black water's domain with xie lian's dead body in a coffin

43. the worst suffering for him is watching his beloved get trampled and ridiculed which he experienced when xie lian descended and the people turned against him

44. also watched him get stabbed a hundred times

45. and saw him drunk in a graveyard crying and breaking down

46. he thought he hadn't won xie lian over yet but he had even though xie lian himself hadn't realised it yet

47. he made a new donation box for xie lian while shirtless and sweating even though he's a literal ghost and doesn't sweat

48. he pretended to be unconscious even though as mentioned he's a literal ghost just so he could have a laugh and totally freaked out when xie lian attempted to perform cpr *on a literal ghost*

49. proposed to xie lian and for some reason said he was kidding

50. he’d already given xie lian his ring and wore the string of fate (smooth bro)

51. built a coffin to safely cross the sea with xie lian and successfully caused him a boner (erectile dysfunction cured great success)

52. went along with xie lian to the east sea to protect him from black water but still didn't interfere with his choices

53. when xie lian did the soul switch he sucked his power from his body so that he could bring xie lian's soul back and again freaked out when xie lian kissed him to get the powers back

54. he only practices writing with a specific poem that specifically describes the specific feelings he has for xie lian

55. when he lost control of himself he *intensely* kissed xie lian and afterwards he was so worried that he had hurt him

56. he turned into lang ying even though xie lian told him to not be with eachother for now since they would both be busy

57. even though he was with him he sent the litter to carry them

58. had yin yu gather all the ghosts and the clothes while searching for the brocade immortal so that xie lian could work faster

59. he tattooed xie lian's name on his arm but his handwriting is so awful even xie lian himself couldn't tell what was written for the longest time

60. he ignored xie lian telling him to not do all the chores and did them for him while maintaining lang ying's form

61. he refused to change even when it was clear that xie lian had figured it out and was struggling to write whatever he’d asked him

62. he tried to make himself look good when xie lian asked him who is the prettiest, strongest etcetc

63. he was definitely crying tears of joy whenever xie lian picked him up and told him who cute he was

64. he shared his ✨feelings✨ about looking weaker than he is and feeling powerless

65. did not want xie lian to have to protect him but still listened to him and accepted the help

66. went with xie lian to mount tong'lu to protect him and make sure no one messed up with him

67. he told xie lian anything he wanted to know about whatever they encountered at mount tong'lu

68. he changed the bloody rain to red flower petals so he wouldn’t get xie lian wet

69. he brought him under his umbrella and shielded him from the boulders refusing to help anyone else

70. he tied THE FUCKING RED STRING OF FATE to xie lian's finger to make sure the two would always find their way back to each other

71. he quoted a line from the oldest known chinese novella literally meaning "not even death can do us part"

72. he showed xie lian what happened between yin yu and qi ying so he could better understand their situation

73. he was very ok to just hang around inside the mountain and told xie lian that if it was with him he wouldn't mind staying there

74. he heard and comforted xie lian's worries about his guoshi and told him exactly what he needed to hear

75. it later helped xie lian remain calmer when the identity of white no-face was about to be revealed

76. when the rest of their group where being loud he told them to shut the fuck up bc xie lian was sleeping

77. when pei ming was being a little shit and commented on the red string tied on their fingers he covered it with an illusion

78. then he showed it to xie lian who was worried that it was gone completely

79. he said to xie lian: "i know you can’t die, and you’re not afraid to die, but no matter how tough you are, don’t think yourself incapable of getting hurt.”

80. and: “not dying doesn’t mean not getting hurt, and it definitely doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. when you see something strange and dangerous, don’t just touch it. find me. let me take care of it.”

81. when xie lian replied with: “...you too. if there’s something dangerous, you don’t touch, i won’t touch either, alright?” he was downright giddy, giggling, eyes twinkling, hair twirling

82. he built tens of thousands of statues and painted all of his encounters with xie lian throughout the years

83. he also sculpted the two of them boning (my guy was so sexually deprived)

84. he was so so scared when they ended up in the cave bc he didn't want to make xie lian uncomfortable in any way

85. he never wanted to make any kind of move that would frighten xie lian

86. he healed xie lian's frostbite wounds that even xie lian himself hadn't noticed

87. honestly can't separate the moments at this point the man is a ball of affection

88. when xie lian hugged him and showed him that his feelings were reciprocated he said: "your highness, you really will be the death of me." BRO IS LEGIT LIVING IN A SAKUATSU FIC WHAT THE FUCK

89. his eyes would not stop twinkling the whole time xie lian held his hand

90. he was in such a good mood that he didn't even say anything *extremely* insulting to mu qing and feng xin

91. he is just a little bby

92. he loves xie lian so much

93. when xie lian asked him about his ashes he once again said that they were absolutely safe and if the place he kept them was destroyed he wouldn't want to continue existing anyway

94. he basically turned into a ghost for the sole purpose of protecting xie lian and being with him

95. he twirls his little braid and fidgets with the coral pearl from xie lian's earring

96. he KISSED xie lian before they jumped into the kiln and this time without any false pretence of "transferring powers” or performing cpr" *once again on a literal ghost*

97. his spirit stayed in the mortal realm after dying in battle for xie lian and when he saw him told him once again that he will never forget him

98. also referred to xie lian as his beloved

99. also said that he wanted to protect him

100. and that he is his most devoted believer

101. and if his beloved felt bad that he stayed to protect them he would just not tell them

102. very slay of him

103. he was still so young there i-

104. they are the death of me

105. in the form of a literal ball of ghost fire he followed xie lian and did his best to warm him up and protect him even though he couldn't do that in that form

106. when white no-face held him and forced him to stay still while people stabbed xie lian a hundred times he couldn't take it and transformed into a vengeful spirit

107. he found xie lian in yong’an and offered to fight for him again as wu ming

108. while in yong'an he protected xie lian multiple times

109. the best and most beautiful statue of xie lian he built was inside the kiln and ended up being the one that broke xie lian out thanks to the powers he’d transferred to him

110. he continues to give xie lian spiritual powers by sticking his tongue down his throat and xie lian is going for it ofc

111. sent out his people to find the humans xie lian needed for the spiritual array

112. immediately noticed someone extra joined the array and told xie lian to check it out

113. when xie lian had to go to the heavenly capital with jun wu and his guoshi he asked him for a kiss bc staying back to take care of the spirits and the people in the array was just so hard to do without

🎐🍒🔥✨gege✨🔥🍒🎐 at his side

114. when xie lian connected with him through the spiritual communication array he instantly knew sth was wrong bc xie lian would never say his password unless it was an emergency

115. he gave qingxuan spiritual powers to have a way to connect with xie lian and sent help immediately

116. came to the heavenly capital despite knowing that jun wu would find him

117. talked with xie lian's guoshi and even spoke respectfully to him *mostly*

118. he sent he xuan to the array to give qingxuan his fan and transfer powers maybe bc xie lian cares for him or maybe bc he tolerates qingxuan *guess we’ll never know*

119. let's be honest from this point on, even more than the rest, every moment should be added

120. the man is a ball of love

121. he quoted himself while he was evaporating into butterflies because he's just such a poet and a romantic

122. he dies 3 times for xie lian

123. three

124. separate

125. times

126. he came back on the same day they first met

127. he lit another 3000 blessing lanterns for xie lian

128. "they spent eight hundred years running towards each other. this time, it only took an instant to fall into each other’s embrace."

129. he turned puqi shrine into a gay monument to xie lian

130. he left an essence of evil inside xie lian *successfuly caused mu qing and feng xin strokes*

131. he asks xie lian to call him 🧧🥟🗡️✨san lang✨🗡️🥟🧧 bc it means husband so xie lian has been calling him his husband all along

132. he got spoiled by xie lian and tried to bone every chance he got *fair*

133. when someone goes to pray to either one of them, for the prayers to be successful they must pray to both of them *together*

134. treated xie lian to yuanxiao and he finally remembered how it tasted after 800 years

135. he was definitely shaking from happiness when the answers to the riddles from the ghosts wrote "my husband is hua cheng" *even though the ghosts didn't know grammar*

136. when xie lian temporarily lost his memories he followed him everywhere to keep an eye on him

137. it's implied that mu qing and feng xin found him to tell him the situation with xie lian and then he went to find him so maybe he trusts them more now

138. he immediately sent yin yu to capture the creature that ate xie lian's memories

139. he loved every second of making fun of him

140. he made xie lian call him 🧧🥟🗡️✨gege✨🗡️🥟🧧

141. you bet his eye was twinkling the whole time

142. eming is used to taking baths with xie lian but when he went to him while he didn't have his memories hua cheng slapped it *save eming*

143. when he got sick he didn't want xie lian to have to take care of him but they talked about it and agreed to let the other take care of them whenever they needed it

144. when the whole fiasco with xie lian’s statues happened they made statues of hua cheng to keep them company

145. he has given up on learning calligraphy since he can just turn xie lian on and he forgets about everything

146. no one is doing it like them

147. hua cheng is insane for all of this

148. and very valid bc xie lian is gorgeous

if anyone made it here here's some tgcf playlists i'm quite proud of

[sex-storytime]

Builders

*** this story is a reader's request ***

My wife Terri is absolutely gorgeous. She could have made a fortune modeling, but always said it was a waste of her brain. She's 31, brunette - 5'5" tall and has a pair of breasts to die for. They are 34C and perfectly proportioned.

You might wonder why I am waxing lyrical about her in such detail. The reason is that: I still can't believe that I managed to get her for myself. To cut to the chase, we met when she was an innocent 21 year old student and I was an experienced 28 year old successful guy who could jet her off to exotic places and bedeck her with expensive clothes and gifts. She used to be so coy and shy about her good looks and would come running to me at parties when she was being hit upon by just about every red-blooded guy in the place.

The thing is, as she has become more confident over the last few years, she has realised that she is extremely desirable in comparison with her friends. Men always start chatting to her friends and then ask what her name is and ask if she's single etc. Which you can imagine doesn't go down too well.

Good. Because I haven't even begun to start telling you what I witnessed in my back garden last summer. My wife has great tits and she knows it. She spent days wearing men's-cut string-vests and minuscule cheese-cloth 'things' which occasionally covered her breasts just when our neighbours employed a team of hunky young tradesmen to set up scaffolding and repoint and re-paint their house. Terri was playing out her own and my fantasy.

So, we've established that my wife has outstanding breasts. It's not surprising that when we suddenly found ourselves invaded by a band of builders and painters working on our neighbour's house last summer, Terri really came into her own and saw our garden as a stage. They were mainly young, fit guys in their twenties who would invariably have their shirts off for most of the day showing huge amounts of tanned firm pecs and six-pack stomachs -- Sadly, something that I don't have anymore. Of course, I had noticed their behaviour, but I feel Terri had noticed it even more. When I would mention anything concerning these men, she would act ignorant as if she hadn't been aware of them. (I've realised over the years that she is not a very convincing liar).

Now for the record, Terri has never been a keen gardener. So it was odd that she was suddenly out in the garden at every opportunity and if she wasn't sunbathing in a tight-fitting bikini, but she was wandering about and bending over flower-beds in cropped and very flimsy gaping tops. Most of the time she would couple these little revealing tops with an extremely short denim mini skirt. Suffice it to say, there wasn't much concentrated work happening on the neighbour's house. In fact, the only pointing that was going on, was in the direction of my wife's body.

On two occasions I came home from work at around 6.30pm to find her sitting around our garden table in the warm evening sunlight with two or three of these guys. They were all drinking bottles of cold beers which I later found out were supplied by her.

On the second occasion she was wearing her short denim mini skirt, but moreover, she was also wearing a ludicrously revealing top. It was something I'd created with a pair of scissors for her out of a string vest (men's style) and was strictly 'For our Bedroom use only'. I had deliberately made it halter-neck; cutting the sides to gape open -- therefore allowing her breasts to naturally spill out... yet not quite showing her nipples completely. So, I couldn't believe that she had pulled this top out of the drawer and had made a conscious decision to wear it today. She could have worn one of her little bikini tops with it? But no! To add extra insult and excitement, she was reclining back and forth on her chair wearing this special top which allowed unrestricted views of her gorgeous breasts. Okay! She wasn't topless, but... because it was a men's string vest, you could blatantly see her nipples poking through the holes in the fabric.

Oh and by the way, the men had taken their shirts off and were showing their highly toned chest muscles and copious amounts of testosterone. Luckily they were still wearing their jeans.

When I first wandered into this scenario, I was surprised that not one of them seemed at all embarrassed at the delicious state of undress being demonstrated by my wife, and Terri didn't seem to react in any way either. She just casually said, "Hi darling, you're home early."

And carried on soaking up the attention. As the men started to make gestures to leave for the day, I wandered back to the house to start cooking some supper, but I couldn't help over-hearing one of them say to Terri, "Well 'Sexy', we'll see you tomorrow then."

To which she responded with, "You'll probably see a LOT MORE of me tomorrow, as I'm going to have a chill-out day and catch some rays."

I could see their faces light up as they glanced at each other grinning as they walked away.

When Terri joined me in the kitchen I glibly said, "Did they enjoy their drink?"

"I should think they needed it to cool themselves down while they were looking at your breasts?" I replied.

She tried to look puzzled and then eventually looked down at her top and said that I was being boring, stuffy and ridiculous. And that it'd been so hot earlier during the afternoon that, at one stage, she nearly took it off altogether!

I enquired what her plans were for tomorrow. She said that she going shopping in the morning and was going to chill-out in the garden in the afternoon as she had done the bulk of the gardening. "Does chilling-out mean sunbathing?" I said.

She said she might grab some sun before the summer's over.

With a lump in my throat, I then asked her, "And will you be keeping your bikini on or going topless?"

She walked up to me and kissed me by the ear and sexily whispered, "Who knows..? It all depends on how brave I'm feeling and anyway, you know I don't like to have any lines."

I naturally took this to mean that those young guys would be getting a real gorgeous eyeful of her naked breasts tomorrow afternoon.

I couldn't resist saying, "So you're going to get your tits out for the boys, then?"

She walked passed me muttering that "it's her garden, and her body and if they want to look it's their choice!"

With that declaration, I made a point of telling her that I wouldn't be home tomorrow night as I had a strategy meeting in Nottingham which starts at six O'clock, so I planned to stay at the company flat with Frank and John overnight.

My parting comment seemed to go straight over her head, I simply stated, "It's apparently going to be a scorcher tomorrow, so I expect you'll get a bit of a roasting if you're half-naked in the garden?"

She promptly retorted, "It wouldn't bother you if I went over the top would it?"

I shook my head.

"I'll just stop when I've had enough," she said almost purring.

I wasn't sure if she'd got my drift or she was innocently talking about the burn factor of the sun. Anyway, one thing I was sure about was that there was no way I was going to a meeting in Nottingham tomorrow - I was going to secretly find out what her intentions were.

That night in bed while I was caressing her beautiful pussy I asked her whether she fancied any of the guys who were working next door. We would often have 'mind sex' where we would talk each other through different fantasies of her being with another man or other men. We would both get extremely turned on and it would seriously intensify our orgasms. So when she said that she 'had the hots' for at least three of them and wouldn't mind finding out what they had between their legs, I wasn't sure whether it was a bit of sexy talk or if it was for real? There was only one way to find out.

I told her that if she had serious hots for one of them that she should find out, and that it was okay by me. She raised her head and said, "Are you sure?"

This freaked me again because I couldn't tell if it was just another sexy tease. Then again, that's what Terri was - An incredibly sexy tease and the master at it!

I left her in bed the next morning and went to the office. I told my secretary that I would need to leave at 2pm as there was a problem at the house. There wasn't ever a meeting in Nottingham, I just made it up so Terri would feel relaxed to do exactly as she pleased (all part of my plan).

I got to the house at around 2.30pm and parked out of site around the corner. There's an overgrown path which runs along the end of our garden which I decided would be a good starting vantage point. Glancing through the hedge, I could see the men working on the neighbours house, but I couldn't see Terri anywhere. Yet, I did notice the sun-lounger had been set up with one of the small tables alongside.

As I started to check-out and wonder which of the eight to ten guys she thought were rather gorgeous, I noticed one of them nudge another and then nod in the direction of our back door. There she was. My fabulous, majestic wife. Strolling out with a tray of fruit and a chilled bottle of white wine. Thankfully, she WAS wearing a bikini top [albeit a very small white string affair] and she also had a floaty, white lace sarong tied around her hips. With her blonde hair and cool Victoria Beckham style shades, she looked fantastic. She put the fruit in the shade under the sun-lounger and poured herself a large glass of wine, after taking a sip she removed her sarong to reveal the smallest tie-sided bikini thong I'd ever seen. "This must be a new purchase? Ah ha... that's probably what her impromptu shopping trip this morning was all about?" I mused.

She reclined on the lounger and started to apply sun-cream to her legs and shoulders. The guys on the scaffolding had almost stopped working. They were transfixed by my wife's beautiful body, and probably had the words she'd said to them the night before still ringing in their ears.

Terri, at this point, glanced up at the guys and gave them a smile and a little wave. Two of them responded with muted wolf-whistles. (I know that girl's actually like being whistled at), and so with that Terri blushed slightly and sort of blew them a kiss (I think?) and laid back on the lounger. Arching her back to get into a comfortable position - but I would suggest also teasing the guys by allowing a good view of her breasts.

After about ten minutes she rolled over on to her front and started to read her magazine. One of the guys who was in the garden the previous evening shouted down and asked her whether she needed some sun-cream rubbed into her back. She immediately said, "That would be fantastic, are you sure you don't mind?"

He just laughed and said, "Are you crazy Terri? Wild horses and all that."

You can imagine the emotions going through my body as I watch this young, fit guy climb down the ladder and approach my wife. I was shaking with fear and anticipation.

Terri was lying gloriously in-wait. (Like a blonde Cleopatra expecting her man servant.) Suddenly, there was a fit young man touching my, almost naked, wife. He seemed to be enjoying rubbing his hands all over her back and thighs - and she was responding with very complementary sighs. Yet, it was when he started gently rubbing oil into her beautiful bum that I got really aroused. When he'd finished enjoying my wife's bottom, he whispered something in her ear and she nodded. He then untied the string of her bikini top and let the ties slip off to each side. "She's a bit brave," I thought. But, what was strange, was when she then removed the whole top over her head and dropped it onto the patio. I just couldn't believe what a sexy little minx she was being? I then heard her say to her hunky and willing adonis, "I promised my husband that I'd keep my top on as there are so many hunky young men around at the moment, but I hate having white lines, you know what I mean? I generally go topless in the garden, but that's when I can't be over-looked - it's probably best not to today?"

I could just make out that he said back to her, "Terri, just do what feels natural to you, after all, you've got a fantastic body - so why hide it?"

"Thanks for that, and you're not so bad yourself," she sexily answered back.

"I'll tell you, all the guys think you're absolutely gorgeous!"

So with 'Mr Universe' back up on the scaffolding she wrapped her arms around the top of her head and appeared to nod off. Because her bikini thong was so small, from my position [with just a string at the back], it looked as if she was completely naked. And that hadn't gone unnoticed by her adoring audience.

So maybe she was just teasing ME by saying that she'd let them see her breasts. Then I had an idea. I rang the house phone wondering whether she would just leap up to answer it without putting her top on. It'd be her perfect excuse to tease to boys big-time.

The phone started ringing in the dining room - and thankfully she heard it. Her next move pleased me enormously. She grabbed her sarong and held it to her chest and ran into the house to answer it. Of course, I rang off just before she got there, [naturally disguising the call so she wouldn't call me back - which would rather give the game away].

She returned a couple of minutes later with the walk-about phone in her hand and she had side-tied her sarong properly around her like a short strapless dress. Of course, because it was made of white cotton lace, it was extremely see-through. So, as she sexily swaggered back, her glorious unrestrained breasts were gently moving from side-to-side. 'God, she looks amazing!' I thought.

She poured herself another glass of wine and carefully placed both the glass and the phone on the side table. Then to my amazement she casually untied the knot of her sarong at the side and let it slip off her breasts, pausing briefly on her erect nipples, and fall to ground, she then she took quite a few seconds before she gracefully returned her lean, fit body to the sun-lounger in her face-down position. The guys were absolutely goggle-eyed and speechless. And I couldn't believe that ALL of these guys had just seen my wife's perfect breasts, albeit for just a few memorable seconds. All the same, why did she need to be so deliberate and do that? "She really is a proper little minx after all," I muttered to myself.

I heard the gaffer call out that 'tea was up' and saw the troupe of bronzed adonises descend the scaffolding. Terri glanced up to see the vacant builder's structure and promptly turned her body over onto her front. She ran her hands through her hair and rested them above her head leaning her head to the side. She pushed her shades to the top of her head and closed her eyes. "Ah... you clever little babe," I thought. "She's going to pretend to fall asleep, so when all the boys return, they'll get uninterrupted views of her statuesque breasts?"

Surprise, surprise I was correct. Ten minutes later they returned to their working positions [and eight men climbing creaky ladders makes a lot of noise], unsurprisingly, Terri didn't move a muscle. Yet, I'm sure something would've been stirring inside her.

Our young studs were acting like excited schoolkids as if peeping into the girl's changing rooms. One guy even got his glasses out for a clearer view!

For a full 15 minutes Terri allowed them all to ogle her naked breasts before feigning a mild awakening, and then made a contrived gesture of placing her arm across her chest to cover herself up. One of the guys said quite loudly, "Ahhh, sadly the show's over boys!"

Terri looked up at them smiling and quietly said, "Sorry, I must have nodded-off."

Back came the reply, "With a body like that, you can nod-off as many times as you like, Darling."

Another of the men quickly added, "No need to cover up now Terri as we've all been looking at your naked boobs for the last 30 minutes! You’ll get bikini lines!"

Then came her big mistake, she looked up at the boys and said, "It wasn't that long!"

How did she know? She was asleep - wasn't she?

She seemed to overlook her error and smiled back at them again and then slowly and very deliberately slid her arm away from her breasts letting out a little giggle in the process. Then turning towards their view-point, she arched her back, and shouted up to them, "Okay, but as long you don't mind?"

The lads reeled back with astonishment and proceeded to let out a little cheer with a wolf-whistle chorus.

I could tell she was loving all of this. She knows she has a great pair of tits, but has never been brave enough to expose them in this crazy manner until now!

She stood up and wandered back into the house wearing just her white string thong. As she reappeared topless a few minutes later carrying a cool-box they all gave her another soft chorus of whistles. She tried desperately to conceal it, but couldn't help a little smile to herself. Then another comment came from above, "I think you need some oil on those, Terri! If you need a hand, just ask, okay love?"

She seemed to ignore the comment at first, but then retorted with, "Actually, a few of you seem to have very red shoulders... Do you want me to give you some of my suntan oil?"

One of the guys [I'm sure it was 'Mr Gorgeous' - the one she had the hots for], called back with, "You can do us, if one of us can do you?"

Now, this is where her amazingly natural innocence kicks in, because her reply was absolutely mind-blowing! She simply said, "Okay it's a deal, but don't you want me to do all of you?"

Sniggers all round as you can imagine. Again, she hadn't realised her sexy double entendre. Or had she?

You've never seen four guys descend a ladder quicker. Within seconds they were standing in our garden parading their impressive pecs and six-pack stomachs for my Terri. They were told to line up and turn around in Terri's very forceful manner.

Two had faded jeans on their lower bodies, the other two were wearing cropped shorts. From my perspective, it looked like something straight out of a porn-movie. Anyway, Terri stood up, wearing just her minuscule white thong, and proceeded to rub oil into each of their shoulders taking time to feel their firm muscles. I could see on occasions she was allowing her naked breasts to gently brush against their well-oiled backs. In very hot weather, Terri's nipples don't normally get erect, especially when we're on the beach and she's sun-bathing topless... BUT today, they appeared to be pointing out the sun!

The boys naturally turned round all gazing at her perfect swaying breasts and said, "Is it our turn to do you now?"

This is the point that I realised her true intentions her answer was so loaded. "Come round and chill-out with some cold beers when the sun has gone down - And you can do me then."

"Why would she need sun-tan oil when the sun has gone down?" I pondered.

I think the guys were getting the gist as well as they raised their eyebrows almost in unison. And then quickly said, "We're knocking off in about half and hour anyway, so you'd better line 'em up gorgeous!"

"Okay, but wait a mo, I need to call my husband first, um, because he's staying in Nottingham tonight."

I could see them rubbing their hands together with glee. Then suddenly "Shit!" I thought. She's going to ring me!," I ran to the path and ran down it. I had to be as far away as possible from the house so she wouldn't hear my mobile ring.

It rang. It was Terri. I answered immediately. "Hiya!" I said quietly.

"Hi darling, you okay?" she said.

"Yeah, I'm fine, on my way to Nottingham, are you alright? Naked in bed with six hunky men I suppose?" I said jokingly.

"Don't be silly, I'm doing the laundry. The hunky men will come later!" teasingly giggling back.

"Okay, you little minx, have fun. I'll call you later after the meeting has ended, bye!"

She'd done it again! 'The hunky men will come later?' yeah and I wonder where? You horny thing! And you made a point of telling them that I was away in Nottingham for the night. Obvious or what?

I turned my phone off for fear of other calls and quietly walked back to my vantage point. She was still inside the house and on the phone… the way she was giggling I knew she was talking to her sister. Dawn was younger than she was but just as insatiable. Terri put the phone down and I could see her profile in the floor to ceiling bathroom windows. They are frosted, but we normally close the oak Venetian blinds whilst taking a shower. Not today it seems? I don't think the men had noticed her as it was at a pretty obtuse angle from their line of sight.

Anyway, after about ten minutes Dawn appeared…

"Come here, darling." Terri placed her arms around Dawn and drew her close.

Dawn welcomed the warmth and comfort of the embrace. She rested her head on Terri's chest, surprised to hear the other woman's heart beating so quickly. Then when she opened her eyes, she discerned the clear definition of her friend's nipples protruding through the thin material of her tee shirt. Had Terri become turned on by what she had told her?

For her part, Terri had become increasingly horny as the day progressed. The young woman was as tall as Terri, but whereas my wife was all lean and muscular, her sister's body was filled out with a pert, exquisite bust and a rounded firm posterior that was begging to be squeezed. If that wasn't bad enough, Dawn looked even more appealing with just a towel wrapped around her. There was even a moment as they leaned against each other sweating profusely, that Terri would have risked a kiss to drive the builders into a frenzy.

Dragging dawn into view of the garden and raising Dawn's chin with her finger, Terri planted a gentle kiss on her lips. When she met with no resistance, she tenderly sucked upon Dawn's lower lip, drawing it outwards, before releasing it and plunging her tongue deep into the other woman's mouth all for show. The bedroom curtains were wide open and the large picture windows revealed everything and the patio door was open.

As Terri intensified the interrogation of her mouth, Dawn reached out and took hold of her sister’s breast, squeezing and kneading the flesh, feeling the nipple protest against the palm of her hand. She had been just as fascinated with Terri's bigger tits as any of the men who had ogled them in the swimming pool. Pulling the tee shirt free of the denim skirt, Dawn's hand went beneath the flimsy garment and delved into the half-cup bra to extricate the large melon. When she rolled the teat firmly between her thumb and forefinger, it responded by getting even harder and longer.

Terri moaned into her mouth before breaking off their kiss and rolling onto her side. This was there plan! They had hatched this together. This was the moment the builders began nudging each other, still several metres away. They all stopped what they were doing. One by one their hands adjusted themselves in their jeans.

Dawn pushed Terri's tee shirt up out of the way. Taking one of the champagne glasses, she poured some of the sparkling, golden liquid on the exposed breast before clamping her mouth down on it, taking in the nipple and most of the large areola, and began to suck upon it deeply and rhythmically.

In reciprocation, Terri placed her hand under Dawn's dress, running up past the end of her stockings, across the bare flesh of her thighs, until her fingers slipped beneath the panty leg opening and alighted upon a very sodden and shaven pussy.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Terri. "I never get this wet, at least, not this quickly. You really are a horny, little slut, aren't you, Dawn?"

Dawn lifted her head from Terri's breast and said while smiling, "I can be. For the right person." Then rising up to kneel on the bed she lifted her dress up over her head and threw it on the floor, then she unclasped her bra and sent it in the same direction letting her full, firm breasts free. Terri quickly followed suit.

Once naked, Terri wrapped her arms tightly around Dawn, squashing their big breasts together as she pushed the other woman down upon the soft mattress where they kissed passionately, their hands exploring and probing each other's intimate places.

After a few moments, Terri broke off the embrace. She turned 180 degrees, so she could kneel while straddling Dawn's face. Then she leant forward and plunged her hungry mouth into Dawn's pussy, zoning in on her clitoris and darting her tongue across it horizontally. Facing a pussy of her own, Dawn replicated the other woman's actions exactly. Licking then sucking on the clit before using her fingers to expose the inner lips that were already soaked in arousal fluids. Finally, elongating her tongue, she drove it repeatedly deep inside Terri's vaginal opening while her thumb pushed and probed the young woman's engorged clitoris.

It didn't take very long for both to cum, and when they did it was almost simultaneous. Dawn's whole body shuddered in response to the sensations that engulfed her, while Terri moved her hips backwards and forwards, grinding her wet and hairy mound into Dawn's face, greedily extending her own climax.

Dawn might have drifted off into a post-coital sleep, but it appeared Terri was not yet finished. She supposed that was the difference between having sex with a woman rather than a man. A man needed time to recover once he was spent. A woman was ready to go again immediately.

Terri raised herself to her knees on the bed and said. "Come here, you gorgeous creature." Dawn obeyed and both women embraced and began kissing again. Then Terri shifted her position so her pussy, or more precisely, her clitoris, was sitting upon Dawn's upper thigh. She then began to move backwards, then forwards, and Dawn could feel the intense heat being generated by the hot, slippery cunt sliding along her flesh.

Dawn took hold of one of the young woman's impressive breasts and began to manipulate it with the palm of her hand. Then, employing a trick she had learnt from Old Man Hargreaves, she suddenly clamped the nipple between her thumb and forefinger and squeezed on it very tightly, before twisting the nugget sharply to one side. Terri let out a loud moan that Dawn recognised as a mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Oh, you little, fucking slut", Terri exclaimed in delight.

Moving even higher up on Dawn's thigh, Terri positioned herself so that both their pussies were aligned, and their engorged clitorises met. Then holding each other tightly, their big breasts mashed together, their mouths locked in a wet embrace, they began to push against each other, and the effect on such sensitive organs of the body was electrifying. They moved slowly at first, concentrating on maintaining points of contact, pussy to pussy, clit to clit, moaning involuntarily, then gradually their motion got faster, eventually becoming frantic in response to the heat that was building up inside them both.

Terri climaxed first. She unleashed a string of almost unintelligible obscenities through gritted teeth. As she did so, Dawn felt the hot gush of the other woman's squirting arousal fluids strike her pussy and it pushed her over the edge. The two young women collapsed upon the now soaking bed, their limbs still entwined, their bodies luxuriating in the aftermath of their convulsions.

That's when Mr Gorgeous approached the open bedroom door. Dawn rose from the bed and took him by the hand into the kitchen. As they left the dining area, Dawn looked over at Terri and said something to her. Dawn and the builder spoke at length but completely out of earshot. When she rose from her seat he stayed there.

Dawn wrapped her knuckles on the bedroom door, she was initially disappointed to hear no answer from within. She cursed herself for not first phoning the room and checking that Terri would be there before buying the expensive champagne. She was just about to leave when she thought she discerned a shadow cross the tiny pin-prick of light in the door's peephole.

"Are you in there Terri? It's Dawn," she found herself saying, although it felt somewhat redundant given that the person inside would have already seen her through the peephole. "If I caught you at a bad time, I could come back later, or we could meet up in the restaurant and have some lunch."

"Just give me a minute." It was Terri who spoke, although her voice sounded distant because of the thickness of the door.

After what seemed like an unnecessarily long time, the door finally opened, and Dawn was able to step inside still carrying the Bollinger in one hand and the two champagne flutes in the other. She had expected to find Terri just out of bed, perhaps in pajamas, without makeup and her lovely auburn hair disheveled, but she couldn't have been further from the truth.

Terri was wearing a short and tight fitting chemise. It was made of black satin with lace trimmings and had a sexy slit on one side that showed enough of her thigh to suggest she was not wearing panties. The garment struggled to enclose her large breasts and cover her arse. An application of mascara accentuated her naturally long, dark eyelashes and the lipstick she wore was of a light, pink sheen. The woman was dressed for something, but it certainly wasn't sleep.

"Were you expecting me?" asked Dawn.

Terri's response was a silent smile. She took the bottle and glasses from Dawn and placed them on a small desk by the wall. Dawn stepped up behind her and bent to kiss the other woman's neck. As she did so, she reached forward and began to massage one of Terri's full, firm breasts beneath the soft fabric of her chemise. After a moment or two, Terri turned, and they kissed. Dawn slipped her stocking covered leg between those of Terri's until she felt the intense heat of the other woman's mound grind against her thigh.

"Well, well, ladies. What have we here?"

It was Mr Gorgeous. He looked like he was ready to devour them both and behind him, in full view of the incestuous scene were the rest of the work team.

Terri dismounted with an embarrassed smile and led the object of her carnal desires back into the garden as Dawn made herself presentable. My wife had no shame, she grbbed her sheer night-gown and, virtually naked, she pulled on her panties and lay down on the sun lounger, all in full view.

"Come on boys! It's chill-out time!," she announced. With that, it was tools down and then down the ladder in under two minutes.

Suddenly five bronzed hunks were standing over my wife. Their shirts off; their muscles glistening and their eyes firmly focussed on Terri's fabulous body. She handed the cold beers round and the tops were flipped without waiting for the bottle-opener. "Oooh, you're the original big strong boys, aren't you?" Terri cooed at them.

With no hesitation, one of them stated, "He's the biggest..." pointing at 'Mr Gorgeous'.

Terri's head sunk into her shoulders and she looked up mouthing, "I thought you might be." Looking at the guy who pointed, she said, "Exactly how big is he?"

I could just see that he made a 'fisherman type' of gesture.

"Anyway sexy, how come you've put a dress on?" one of them enquired.

She went on to explain that too much sun makes her a bit sore, and that she would usually rub-in some after-sun at this stage.

'Mr Gorgeous looking' then said, "Allow us to assist you... after all, we'd hate you to feel sore tomorrow morning, wouldn't we guys?"

Terri was in her element as she continued to play the tease with these guys. I could hear her explaining that it would mean she'd need to remove her dress for them if they were going to properly cover her in the After-Sun lotion - and that, she was only wearing a very small g-string underneath. One of them immediately said, "It can't be smaller than your bikini bottoms, so why don't you just stand up and let us get started?"

"Huh!" she chuffed, "You wanna bet?" With that, she stood up holding her empty glass and the bottle of After-Sun and asked one of them to pop the cork on the champagne and pour. She took two very big sips from her glass and put her arms above her head. She must have muttered something at this point because three of them immediately encircled her and started undoing the shoe-string ties of her dress. While one was un-lacing her back another was applying the white cream to any exposed areas.

I couldn't help being extremely aroused at this sight, and kept wondering whether she would actually let them rub the After-Sun cream over her breasts... I know she's always been a huge tease, so I assumed she'd be a real bitch and spoil their fun right at the last moment.

I didn't have to wait for long - I needed to shift my position slightly because one the guys was blocking my view. And Christ! My next sight was awesome, seeing Terri's now un-tied dress slowly glide down her sensational body making a sculpted puddle of white cotton at her feet. 'God, she looks amazing!', I thought. And she wasn't joking about the size of her panties either! Her 'g-string' was no more than a 3" equilateral cotton triangle with similar shoe-string sides to her dress. 'Huh... another new purchase?' I mused.

I really didn't think Terri would ever go this far for real. Here I am watching my wife standing with her hands in her hair allowing a group of men run their hands all over her body. And yes after coating and rubbing it in to her stomach they moved up and then paid special attention to her breasts. They took it in turns to stand behind her and cup her beautiful boobs in their hands. I had never seen her nipples so hard! It was also obvious that her legs were getting wider apart the higher they stroked her inner thighs. She began making quite loud sighs of enjoyment whenever they got close to her pussy. I kept saying to myself, "She won't let them remove her knickers... I know she won't. she just won't"

They took it in turns to stand behind her and cup her beautiful breasts in their hands. I had never seen her nipples so hard! It was also obvious that her legs were getting wider apart the higher they stroked her inner thighs. She began making quite loud sighs of enjoyment whenever they got close to her pussy. I kept saying to myself, "She won't let them remove her knickers I know she won't she just won't!"

Then my heart sank as I heard her respond to one of them with, "Yeah! They're not knotted - they're just bows"

"Are you sure Terri?" one of them asked.

"Oh God yeah, no. Hang-on though! Before I'll let you take mine off, you have to take your's off first!"

What an inspired reply?

Within 20 seconds she had five, very fit, naked young men standing before her. From my angle I could only see two of them from a slight side aspect, the other three were facing away from me. Yet, it didn't take much detective work for me to ascertain that 'Mr Gorgeous-Adonis' was obviously hung like a horse by the fixated look on Terri's face.

She smiled at them and then slowly walked back among the circle of men with a very sexy swagger; raised her arms; spun round like a ballerina and said with a wanton voice "I'm all yours boys!"

"Oh my God!" I whispered. "This was it?" I realised that she'd just given full permission to five muscle-bound men to view her beautiful heart-shaped pussy at close quarters. And, of course, there were three others watching from next door. They were running their hands all over her; I saw a hand in-between her legs and then another slide down the front of her knickers. I wanted to stop them, but I knew that if I did, it would be curtains for Terri and me because she would never forgive me for my sordid, deceitful plan. I would look simply stupid and pathetic in her eyes. I had to endure watching them tight-lipped as they carefully un-tied her panties and oh so slowly exposed her pussy.

As her panties fell away two heads moved in to take their place. They were kissing her thighs and stomach, and all around her pussy. She was in sheer ecstasy, she seemed to be bending her knees to get lower down, just as one of them moved directly underneath her - fell to his knees and started using his tongue on her. I know how much she loves it when I go down on her, so this highly charged situation must have been electric Utopia for her! She also seemed to have an impressive penis in each hand and many men's hands running amok over her breasts.

Obviously it was her ultimate pleasure dome, because the next sweated utterance from her lips was, "I've got have sex with one of you now! I need to feel one of you inside me!!"

I then witnessed my beautiful naked wife turn to her left to face 'Mr Gorgeous' and sink her tongue into his mouth. They were locked together for what seemed like an age. (It's strange, but this affected me so much more than her allowing any of them to have their tongues inside her pussy - I suppose it's because kissing passionately is a 'love thing' as opposed to a 'sex thing'?)

Her hands went onto his shoulders forcing him to his knees, she followed him down moments after and straddled his legs. She was inches away from his very impressive cock, 'He was a big boy!' Then she seemed to pause for a couple of seconds as he said something to her.

I heard Terri say, "No. Don't worry, it's much nicer without one!"

She then lowered herself down on top of him and he slid his penis into her waiting pussy. She licked and kissed his lips again in-between some unusually loud noises of extreme pleasure. Being so familiar with her vocal exclamations during sex, it appeared to me that the little hussy came within a minute of riding up and down on this guy. High-pitched extended sighs; her head arched back and then falling forward to nestle on his chest; while her arms flail and feebly enwrap his body. "Yep... that was Terri having an orgasm and a major one at that!"

Bastard! No other man had ever made her climax before me. Then again, I had always encouraged her to explore her own body and be completely open with me about which places and positions were good for her. And to be relaxed about it in front of me! It took a long time, but eventually she managed to achieve orgasms very readily. "All that mental evaluation and manual stimuli and maybe, just maybe, all she really needed was a man with a huge penis?" Of course, it could've been the combination of another man kneeling behind her caressing and stroking her nipples at the same time?

Anyway, while this notion was curdling in my brain, I saw the man of her dreams ejaculate inside her accompanied by some very exaggerated grunts of hedonistic pleasure.

To my surprise, she just gave him a prolonged kiss him on the lips and then swiftly turned round and straddled the guy behind her. She even took the lead and used her hand to gently guide his penis into her. For ten minutes or so she gracefully moved him in and out of her, until he picked her up and repositioned her on the edge of the sun-lounger. With her ankles over his shoulders he proceeded to pound his penis into her. I couldn't actually tell if Terri came again, but he certainly did! And with great ceremony.

I had to keep reminding myself that these men were the builders who would spend half their day watching my gorgeous wife in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her cleavage, or let alone, one of her nipples? And now she is completely naked, lying on her back with her legs splayed apart and her arms draped above her head. Since the second guy came inside her, she'd made no attempt to cover herself up at all. Was one of the other men going to take her? They seemed to hesitate.

Ten or fifteen seconds went by and her legs were still wide open at 90 degrees!

Thankfully, she raised her head. Closing her legs and grasping her crumpled dress to her chest, "Wow! That was lovely!" She said. "C'mon, I fancy a shower. Any of you sexy hunks want to join me and scrub my back? My shower's very big - I'm sure I'll be able to fit you all in!"

"Oh yeah Terri. Two down and three to go!!" snapped one of them back.

There she goes again, I thought. She's the true Queen of the innocent double entendre. I next saw her beautiful naked bum disappear into the house followed by a group of very overexcited men. For the next two hours I had to listen to squeals and laughter; sounds of intense sexual pleasure and lots of splashing of water. By this time the sun had dipped, so I could just make out the shapes of many naked bodies moving about in our bathroom. I did see Terri's naked bum pushed up against the huge frosted-glass window by two of the men at one point, but it was mostly a sound-only show after that.

Still a little shocked, I returned to my car and contemplated on what to do next. I could hardly waltz through the door as I had already said to her that I was in Nottingham only an hour ago. Then again, I didn't want to sleep in the car and staying in a hotel round the corner from my own house was not only extravagant, but also very suspicious. Most of the hotels' staff knew me and Terri from various parties and local weddings we'd attended together. I decided to return to scene of the 'crime' my crime, that is. I should never have set up such an elaborate trap, because I'm the one who's now trapped.

I walked into our back garden, which was now quiet, and immediately saw the bathroom light being switched off. The bedroom light came on (our bedroom!), but also, a few moments later, the kitchen light came on. I had to duck behind a shrub to avoid being spotted. When I peered through the foliage, I could see Terri rushing in wearing her long black chemise which I'd given her last Christmas. Her hair was wet and she looked sensational (and strangely she didn't appear to be wearing the matching panties which go with it!) She was followed by two of the men who were completely naked and dripping wet. She had grabbed two bottles of Champagne from the fridge and handed them to the men, she then reached up to the cupboard to get some glasses. I was incensed, these two men just couldn't keep their hands off her!

She kissed both men with a peck and promptly swooshed out of the kitchen. I could see her running up the stairs carrying at least six glasses. "Six glasses? That means she's entertaining five men!" I thought.

We'd talked and fantasised about her with two men and me watching, but never with FIVE men and me NOT watching!

[theladyofbloodshed]

Chapter 21

Feyre had swept into the red-brick house like a phantom wind. Her visit lasted no more than half an hour – and apparently she had arrived the night before, after Azriel and Cassian had raced off to find her. Her other family was deemed more important than her sisters. While they were cloistered away to hide the damage, they were unimportant. All the visit had done was upset Elain more because it had brought with it confirmation that they could never go home.

Nesta had managed to soothe her when Feyre and Cassian departed. Her head was still in Nesta’s lap, fingers running through the silken strands of dark hair. Elain had stopped crying. It had been replaced with a quiet grief that was worse.

Maybe one day Nesta could grieve for the life she had lost. Maybe she’d have a chance to stop and weep that she’d been tied to a faerie by fate without a choice in the matter.

Not today.

Faintly, she could make out the soft pad of feet through a house that she believed to be empty. Warily, Nesta opened the door a crack. Her heart already knew it wasn’t the shadowsinger – and she hated that she could know that without trying.

A male with a sheet of red, shining hair was walking along the corridor as if he had turned abruptly at the sound of the door. He paused, glancing back towards her.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’

The male – Lucien, he was called – froze.

‘Get out,’ Nesta said through clenched teeth.

He raised his palms in a peace offering that was unwanted. ‘I’ve been granted refuge here.’

‘I don’t care. You stay away. I don’t care what imaginary string you think is tying you to my sister. Forget about it.’

Nesta watched him go with a small amount of pride in her chest that he had so easily scuttled away. That was until dinner when she was pressured to attend. She had tried her best to coax Elain to join them – then when she knew Lucien Vanserra would be seated at the table, she promised to bring Elain’s dinner to her. If Nesta attended the dinner, she could keep eyes on Lucien rather than him skulking off to seek out Elain.

Wearing a long-sleeved, dark blue gown that clung to her curves, Nesta entered the dining room and blocked out the sudden hush and stares.

‘Where did that dress come from?’ Mor breezed towards her, hands pawing at the fine material. ‘I want one.’

Her own dress exposed much of her midriff, back, and chest. The almost-sheer red panels of the skirt flashed her legs. The female may as well have been bare.

‘I assume my mate dug it up somewhere,’ said Feyre.

‘He gets all the credit for clothes and he never tells me where he finds them. He still won’t tell me where he found Feyre’s dress for Starfall. Bastard.’

Nesta hated them all staring at her. Worse still was because this dress had not come from a long-forgotten chest of clothes. No, a male who had decided that he belonged to Nesta had been to a seamstress to have it made for her. If the attention was on her for too long, the others would realise that this was a new gown, designed perfectly for her body.

Mor examined the silver combs in her hair – another gift that had appeared when she refused to leave her rooms. ‘It’s a good thing we’re not the same size – or else I might be tempted to steal the dress.’

She kept her face blank, wishing this inspection would finish. ‘Fortunately for you, I don’t return the sentiment.’

Nesta claimed a seat as Azriel choked on his wine at the other end of the table.

The dinner was fine. Nothing she’d want to repeat in a hurry. Not with the odd, little creature beside her claiming they were the same. Not with Cassian and Morrigan drinking more and growing louder with each glass or sticking their tongues out like urchin children. Regardless of their lack of manners, Nesta followed the volley of conversation back and forth. Only Azriel did not offer anything to it when even the red-haired male contributed to the conversation - until he suggested teaching Feyre to fly. There was a terseness in his tone as Azriel explained that he had learnt later. Nesta felt his pain, felt it as acutely as if the wound had been inflicted upon her. Shadows wreathed his hands as though they were comforting him too.

‘I can show you how to engage your powers, girl,’ said Amren. Nesta did not want to admit that a fire simmered in her blood and constantly pushed at the edges in its desire to be unleashed. ‘Rhysand, when you go the Court of Nightmares, we will go with you.’

‘What?’ Feyre said with a gasp.

‘The Hewn City is a trove of objects of power. There may be opportunities for Nesta to practise. Let the girl get a feel for what something like the wall or the Cauldron might be like.’

‘No,’ rumbled Azriel.

‘Covertly,’ added Amren.

‘That is no place for Nesta,’ he said. The warning was clear enough, but Nesta hated how the eyes in the room flickered between him and her, at the way he’d leapt to protect her.

Feyre cleared her throat. ‘We might need your assistance during the meeting with the High Lords – to provide testimony to other courts and allies of what Hybern is capable of. What was done to you.’

‘No.’

‘You don’t mind fixing the wall or going to the Court of Nightmares, but speaking to people is where you draw your line?’

Nesta’s mouth tightened. She could not relive that night. Could not trot out her story for all to see when it caused her so much grief. ‘No.’

‘Feyre,’ warned Azriel. ‘She does not want to.’

Despite being startled by Azriel’s low, rough tone, Feyre turned back to Nesta. ‘People’s lives might depend on your account of it. The success of this meeting with the High Lords might depend upon it.’

Nesta couldn’t do it. She was back in her bedroom, the first sounds of an intrusion snapping her from the sheets in her sheer panic to get to Elain.

‘Don’t talk down to me. My answer is no.’

Feyre angled her head, nodding sympathetically. ‘I understand that what happened to you was horrible—'

‘You have no idea what it was or was not. None. And I am not going to grovel like one of those Children of the Blessed, begging High Fae who would have gladly killed me as a mortal to help us. I’m not going to tell them that story—my story.’

‘The High Lords might not believe our account, which makes you a valuable witness—’

Nesta shoved her chair back, chucking her napkin on her plate, gravy soaking through the fine linen. A witness. Not a victim. A damn witness.

‘Then it is not my problem if you’re unreliable. I’ll help you with the wall, but I am not going to whore my story around to everyone on your behalf.’

She shot to her feet, colour rising to her ordinarily pale face, and hissed, ‘And if you even dare suggest to Elain that she do such a thing, I will rip out your throat.’

***

All that night, Azriel had stayed awake in the House of Wind. Once the others had departed either to bedrooms in the house or elsewhere in Velaris, he took up his post beside the bedroom door like he had many weeks before. Azriel leant against the wall, shadows blanketing his outstretched legs.

He’d caught the soft murmur of Nesta’s voice as she spoke to Elain but there had been no responses from the sister. The bedroom had been silent for some time. Still, Azriel remained there. Nesta had banished him. Had refused to look at him during dinner, had opted to take the seat at the other end of the table than be anywhere near him. Azriel could not stay away. Knowing she was on the other side of the door soothed him. His mate was close by.

At the sound of her crossing the room, Azriel stilled. If she jerked open the door and found him there, she’d unleash hell.

Careful not to make a sound with his wings, Azriel stood. Shadows veiled him.

It was worse than Nesta opening the door to find him there.

Her crying seeped through to him. Unrestrained, broken tears from a female forced into a world she wanted no part of.

Azriel pressed his hand to the wooden door, wishing he could haul it open and hold his mate.

A day later, Rhys gave the summons that the sisters were to be moved to the town house with immediate effect – and kept far from Lucien Vanserra. Through the grapevine of Feyre then Mor then Cassian, Azriel had discovered that Elain had left the room of her own accord and Lucien had happened across her in the library. How the male could still draw breath after facing a fearsome, protective Nesta, he did not know.

Their belongings were packed quickly and bundled on the roof ready to be winnowed. Azriel knew better than to reach for Nesta to offer to fly her; she dared not even glance his way. That cool indifference was a mask he already wanted to rip away. Instead, Azriel cradled an unresponsive Elain in his arms on the roof. Realising that she would be in Cassian’s arms, Nesta looked as though she’d rather walk off of the roof.

‘Precious cargo,’ crooned Cassian. ‘I’ll carry you gently.’

One of Azriel’s shadows darted at Cassian, stinging him on the neck like a wasp.

Feyre nudged Nesta towards Rhys instead, but neither seemed thrilled at that prospect either. It left Cass with Lucien.

They landed first with Feyre winnowing not a second later. Elain’s hair snagged on the scales of his leathers as he gently put her down.

‘Would you like to see the garden again?’

 Each day, Elain was fading more. At least she had talked to Lucien in the library, but it had been little more than half-riddles and questions from what he’d gathered. If Elain did not heal, it would leave a wound in Nesta that could never be forgotten. Azriel coaxed her around the garden, offering names for flowers or plants that his mother had taught him in lieu of conversation.

Once the others had arrived, he heard the stomp of Nesta’s feet – could recognise the gait. He rushed through the house, abandoning Elain to the flowers.

‘I need a toilet,’ she said, pressing her hand to her mouth.

‘What did you do?’

Azriel pulsed forwards, not caring who or what was in his path. Brother or high lady, he didn’t care.

‘I asked him the same thing,’ said Feyre, crossing her arms. ‘He said he went fast.’

Tempting, so tempting to blast Rhys with all seven of his siphons to see if he enjoyed going fast too. Cassian caught the flare of his temper and cut him off with a wing.

‘She’s terrified of heights, you bastard,’ Azriel snarled. ‘She will never fly again.’

The sounds of her vomiting splattering against the bowl pierced their stalemate.

Rhys was watching him closely, violet eyes flicking from his clenched fists to the bathroom door. Then the brass knob twisted. Nesta’s face was still greenish-pale but her eyes burned like molten ore. It was quicksilver set aflame with one target.

All of her attention was fixed on Rhys.

A burst of shadows tried to stop her, tried to cling to her arms and legs as she powered forwards, silver flames crawling over her body.

‘Nesta,’ Feye snapped, urgency ringing out.

Rhys braced himself, shields going up.

It would be his own damn fault if Nesta slayed him, but the alternative was Keir in command.

Azriel stepped in front of her path. He seized both of her hands, not caring for the sting of her flames, so cold they burnt.  

‘Stop,’ he said, voice low enough that only she might hear.

She’d lose herself to magic. A beautiful, terrible magic that would consume her from the inside out to seek its vengeance.

‘Nesta,’ he murmured, thumbs rubbing the backs of her hands.

She blinked slowly. The burning, molten gaze became normal again and she slid her hands out of his grasp.

Lucien breathed, ‘What are you?’

‘I made it give something back,’ she said with terrifying quiet. ‘I wish to go to my room.’  

 ‘Take the one on the left,’ Feyre said, eyeing her warily. ‘We need to go to the Hewn City in three hours.’

Nesta gave a single nod of acknowledgement then weakly trailed up the stairs – and it took all of Azriel’s strength to remain there rather than follow her.  

***

All of it was useless. The black dress that Amren had stuffed her in, the haughty look she had perfected to skim the Hewn City's faces, the hope that her powers might prove useful in protecting the wall. It was all a useless waste of time.

Amren had walked her through the room of objects, many of them leaping off the shelf to either avoid her or to hurt her. She’d ended up with welts on her arm where a statue had come to life and clung to her before Nesta could produce a shield. Amren didn’t go easy. Said it was her own fault for slow reactions – as if she hadn’t only been taught how to do it the day earlier.

Failure was ringing in her ears even as they returned to Velaris. An argument spilt out between Morrigan and Rhysand then between the latter and Amren. Cassian had been closest to her and swept Nesta behind his wings anticipating an eruption. The mood had remained terse. Elain had appeared rambling about withered hands and crying girls. Lucien had the perfectly splendid idea of a healer seeing to Elain which Feyre whole-heartedly agreed with as if it hadn’t already happened. Madja had already been to see Elain multiple times and found nothing wrong with her.

Nesta had thrashed in the sheets, too hot to settle, to stressed to remain there. If they didn’t use her to whore her story out to the high lords then Feyre would plonk Elain on a chair in front of them all like a spectacle. The delicate girl who traded her sanity for immortality.

Wisps of clouds swirled across the night sky. Even Nesta could admit that the Night Court had a sky to be envious of, as if there were more stars here despite that being impossible. She settled herself in a chair in the lounge and cracked open a window.

‘Nesta.’

The voice was whisper-soft, so tender that she thought that she’d imagined it like a being had carried her name on the wind.

Nesta glanced at the doorway, finding it empty, then pulled her thin blanket tighter around her shoulders. Despite open windows, she was warm – yet couldn’t relinquish the safety of a thin sheet around her shoulders in the living room as she read by candlelight. She turned back to her book although her attention had struggled to stay with it. It had struggled to stay with anything recently. Sleep was not a regular occurrence and the evidence of that became more apparent through her irritable mood and pale complexion.

‘Nesta,’ the low, male voice repeated.

From the shadows, a figure stepped across the threshold. A mist had dusted Azriel’s hair, dampening it which was at odds to the dry, hot summer they were experiencing in Velaris. It seemed that Nesta was not the only one who struggled to sleep.

‘I don’t want you here,’ she said firmly, body coiling tight enough to strike from his presence.

Her words landed like a blade sinking into soft flesh. She’d seen him as the merciless spymaster in the Hewn City that night. That icy exterior hadn’t given anything away. Azriel had looked as though he cared for nothing except pain.

‘I know,’ replied Azriel, voice hoarse. Still, he stepped closer then revealed a book from his leathers. It was bound in pale blue cloth that reminded her of the sea. Carefully, Azriel opened it where the ribbon had held the page then set it before her.

He gave a slight incline of his head, encouraging her to read.

Once a mating bond has been accepted by the female, it is a force that can only be cleaved by death. In such incidences, the male feels the loss significantly and is never the same as a result. Many males have fallen to madness as a result. Although rare, females can overcome their grief and return to a relatively calm life.

‘Are you suggesting I kill you?’

Azriel’s lips quirked at the notion of violence. A scarred finger guided hers further down the text.

Prior to acceptance, the mating bond remains malleable. For some, it can be interpreted as a string tying two souls together and others have reported it as spun metal, unbending and unwilling. Due to the physical nature of it, spell-casters can feel bonds and sever them. It requires the blood from a dying male’s throat and the blood of a birthing female. In addition, the spell must be performed beneath a blood moon beside fresh running water.

Hope flowered in Nesta’s chest. There was a way to sever the tie to Azriel. It was possible… and he’d offered up that information to her freely.

The loss of a mate leaves irreparable damage.

Her eyes shot from the line to him. Her nostrils flared. ‘What sort of damage?’

‘It’s rarely felt by females.’

She straightened her spine, drawing herself taller. Nesta held Azriel’s stare until he relented and gave her the answers she needed.

‘Females can feel like they’ve lost something. Like part of them is missing.’

‘And males?’

He lifted a shoulder. ‘It’s unimportant.’

‘Azriel,’ she snapped, voice cracking through the silent lounge like a whip.

He didn’t balk from her anger – he never had. If Azriel had not been there to block her path earlier, Nesta would have unleashed that silver fire on his high lord for flying her too quickly.

‘Males can be driven to madness. They can remain possessive, be agitated if the female finds love again. They can believe themselves entitled to her.’

Nesta gave a choked laugh. ‘So, I am damned whatever I do.’

He dared to take a step forward. ‘No. I respect your choice. I’d rather cut out my heart than ever hurt you. And I have hurt you. I should have told you. You were mortal and I didn’t believe it could snap. One day, we’d forget each other. You’d grow old and it wouldn’t matter. Then you were brought into our world and I couldn’t tell you after everything had happened. I wanted you to live and this would hurt you again.’ He swallowed, the gulp audible. ‘You were starting to be happy. I couldn’t ruin it.’

It was the most they had talked in days. The temptation to reach out for him, to ease his pain, burnt in her gut.

‘A blood moon isn’t until three months from now. I’ve secured a spell-caster from the Continent who can perform the spell when it’s time.’

‘Is that where you’ve been every night?’

Azriel eased out a breath. He was still stood awkwardly in the room, afraid to come closer or get comfortable. ‘Yes and no. I’ve been trying to find a way into the mortal queens’ castle. This was a side project.’

‘Oh,’ she replied. ‘I thought you were avoiding me.’

‘You don’t want me near you.’

Had she said that? Nesta supposed it was true. She reviled the bond. Despised the notion of fate blindly shackling her to another.

But this was a male who’d left little pastries at her door, had visited a seamstress for new clothes, and returned to a ruined manor to retrieve the last traces of her life.

Nesta wish she could comb through what was real and what was encouraged by a bond. Would he have done any of these things if fate didn’t encourage it?

‘You would really sever the bond?’

A single shadow peered at them as if it had been sent forwards by the others to listen in and report back.

‘I made a promise that I’d protect you,’ he said. Regret flashed on his face. ‘I failed. I’ve researched and there’s no way to reverse what the Cauldron did to you. This is the only way I can conceive of to make things better.’

‘This is atonement?’ demanded Nesta.

‘This is what you want.’

The idea of wrenching something away that could never be replaced was not foreign to her. She had lost her mother, her home twice over. Even if Nesta was unscathed by it, the very thought of causing irreparable damage to Azriel then having to force him to be in her presence was too cruel.

She stood so she could look at him properly. ‘What do you want?’

Her chest felt as if it was caving in as she took in the forlorn expression upon his beautiful face. For her, Azriel would ruin the bond. Whether it was for atonement or a punishment to himself, did not matter. He would be damaged forever as a result.

She didn’t want that.

Azriel was the only one who had tried to make Velaris feel like a home.

She couldn’t hurt him. All of her own research into mating bonds spoke of their joy, their rarity. Accounts spoke of mates dying for the other, going to the edge of the world to save each other. For most, it was a happy match. Two souls destined for the other despite obstacles. They were meant to be a perfect balance. How could she take that from him?

A panicked sob ripped through her.

‘Take that book away. I don’t want to see it.’   

His shadows curled over the book summoning it to him and out of sight.

Nesta’s hands trembled. ‘You’d just sever it like that? You wouldn’t fight? You will never be the same. How can you be willing to do this? You will be happy with this?’

Her head was spinning. The idea of losing that thread tying them together made her chest ache as keenly as if it had already been taken away. Her palm splayed across her ribs as if Nesta could feel the tether to him pulling tighter.

Azriel made to reach for her then thought better of it, the anguish plain to see.

‘You are my mate,’ he said quietly. ‘Your happiness is the most important to me. That’s what it means to have a mate, Nesta. I only want a good life for you.’

‘And I shouldn’t reciprocate that?’ Her voice sounded shrill. How odd that she’d stood on the battlefield then decided to change sides once she’d seen her opponent. ‘How do you think I will feel if I do this and it ruins you?’

Azriel’s lips pursed then he opened them then closed them. His brows bunched together before a warped laugh escaped him.

‘You wanted to sever the bond but now you’re angry with me for finding a way?’

She lifted her chin. ‘Yes.’

The corner of his mouth twitched. A lightness lifted his hazel eyes.

‘Don’t look at me like that. Don’t look so hopeful. I don’t know what I want. We’re running towards a war and I’ve barely caught my breath but all I know is that I feel better near you,’ she said in a hurry before the words could be locked away.

This time, Azriel did find his bravery and took a step closer so there were inches between them. His hair had dried, the ends curling slightly around the sharp planes of his face.  

‘You have three moons to think about it, Nesta. Don’t consider me. This needs to be about you.’

How could Nesta not consider Azriel in this situation? It was surely his decision as much as hers. He had never asked to be her mate – nobody would want that. The repercussions would cause more pain to him than her.

‘What about the alternative?’

At his confusion, Nesta continued, ‘If it isn’t severed?’

‘If it’s left hanging and never accepted?’

‘No. The other one.’

His eyes snapped wide. A soft exhale was released.

‘I told you once that I’d hold you until only the poets remembered us,’ murmured Azriel. He dared to reach out a finger and run it down the length of her arm. ‘I will give you the life you deserve. Ours would be a love that the poets wished they had written.’

Nesta when Azriel finds a way to sever the bond:

[springgirlwaiting4fall]

Beach/Body Insecurities-Being Reassured by Cash Wheeler

Idea and Requested by: @princessmermaid1289

Trigger Warning: The main female character does think negative thoughts about her body.

Please remember all bodies all beautiful

Movies, restaurants, coffee shops were what you thought of for third date locations. A crowded beach on the Carolina Shores in August was not what you would think of. Or a place that you would ever think of agreeing to. Sure you loved laying out in the sun, the sand between your toes, ice cream, and swimming. Having a date see you in your bathing suits made your stomach turn into knots. But it seems like Cash could ask you to go anywhere and you would follow him.

Cash Wheeler is handsome, kind, and funny. He is tall, but doesn’t tower over your tall. Fit with blonde hair and dark hazel eyes. He is an actual professional athlete. It was still hard to believe he was interested in you and this was not some type of prank show with hidden cameras. Its not like you are some Quasimodo. You’ve had boyfriends and other men interested in you. But those guys would say you were cute. Your body could be described as soft and a little jiggly.

You shake those negative thoughts from your head and focused on Cash. He was talking about how in the off season dogs are allowed on he beach and how the two of you should take his bulldog down for the day. Warmth and excitement raced through you as Cash talked about his future and how he planned to include in you.

“That would be great Cash,” you smiled at him. He pulled into a parking spot and turned his truck off.

You tried helping him carry the beach chairs, his book bag, and your bag; but Cash is a gentlemen he insists on doing it himself all while holding our hand. The two of you find a spot on the beach among the crowd of other beach goers. After unfolding both chairs, Cash pulls his shirt off. You have seen him wrestle on tv, seeing him in person however is a whole new experience. He makes your knees weak and mouth go dry. From the corner of your eye you spot a group of women who also notice your date. They are younger than you. One is wearing a “finally 21,” birthday sash over her string bikini. Each one is gorgeous, tall and thin, with thick bust and bottoms. You can’t stop thinking that one of those girls should be here with him.

The birthday girl must think so too, because she saunters over to Cash without even noticing you. Her voice is smooth and confident. “Hey! My friends and I are going to the bar.” She shakes her head to the left where about a mile away there is a bar and restaurant in the sand. “You want to buy me a birthday shot?”

Cash doesn’t even give her a second look, “no thanks.” He grabs your hands and laces his fingers into yours.

Birthday girl looks at your intertwine hands, pouts for a second, before smiling again. “Your sister can hang with us too.”

Cash’s voice is harder now, more firm, his southern politeness is gone. “Listen my girlfriend and I just want to spend the day alone.” He turns his back to her and faces you. The woman stalks away back to her friends. “Sorry about that,” Cash voice is softer and unsure now. “I hope that didn’t freak you out.” His face is red and you want to tell him not worry. You are not surprised by other women hitting on him, but he keeps talking. “I know your not my girlfriend, and this is only our third date, but hopefully not out last.” It hits you that Cash is trying not to freak you out about him referring to you as his girlfriend. Seeing Cash embarrassed is new to you and its adorable.

You look down at your hand that is still holding Cash’s and smile “its okay.”

He clears his throat the red on his face fading away. Both smiling at each other for way too long. Only breaking apart when a mom holding hands with her toddler walks by and the little boy yells out “look mama their holding hands too.” Cash squeezes your hand before letting go. He walks over to his book bag hanging off his chair opens it and pulls out sunscreen.

“I figured we might need some.” He offers the bottle out to you. Cash is only in his pink swimsuit and you still need to undress. You tell him to go first, and have to stop yourself from panting as he rubs his whole body down. “Can you get my back?”

“Sure.” Helping someone apply sunscreen isn’t a big deal, or at least it shouldn’t be. But with Cash it feels intimate. The farthest the two of you have gone is a couple of kisses last week in Cash’s truck after dinner when he was dropping you off at home. And now here you are behind him taking time rubbing lotion on to his neck, over his shoulders, down his back, over his ribs, down right to wear his bathing suit starts. You take longer rubbing in where his tattoos are. You barley recognize your own voice at how sultry it is when you whisper in Cash’s ear your all done. But you do notice the small hair on Cash’s neck raise and that he takes two slow deep breaths before turning around.

“Thanks,” he is waiting for you. Its time for you to get out of your t-shirt and jean shorts. Your mind races with all the negative things you see when you look in the mirror. You slide out of your flip flops and unbutton your shorts. As you bend over to pull them down, you notice that Cash is looking anywhere but at you. You pull your shirt over your head and quickly stuff your clothing into your bag, Why did your roomie insist you wear the high waisted two piece. Now everyone will see how much you miss match with Cash. He finally looks back at you. “Damn,” he flinches at his curse. “Sorry. You look really nice.” Your right arm wraps around your midsection the insecurities in your head are telling you that he is surprised by how bigger you look this close to being naked. (Anybody else who heard Cash would be able to tell he was amazed at how good you looked.) “Do you want some help?” Cash is holding out the sunscreen bottle. The idea of Cash feeling how soft and squishy you are compared to his muscle body makes your stomach turn. You shake your head no. Cash takes your hand that isn’t hiding your stomach and leads you to the water.

The water was cool, but thanks to the blazing sun it feels amazing. The two of you began to go deeper and deeper until you were as far out as the lifeguards allow. With the water going past your shoulders you are able to stop focusing on your body and focus on having fun with Cash. You let the smaller waves wash over you. With the bigger waves Cash and you body surf. It seems like when your with Cash the idea of time disappears and you aren’t sure how long the two of you were swimming for. At one point a wave unexpectedly knocks you under. Before you can really comprehend what was happening Cash’s hand wrap his hands around your waist and pull you up. “You okay?” His face frowning.

Without second guessing yourself you wrap your legs around his. “I’m good.”

Cash holds you in his arms before lightly kissing you, “I really want to kiss you more; but you really should put on sunscreen.” He starts walking towards the beach. When Cash is in knee deep water you tell him he can put you down while laughing. “I could, but I don’t want to.” He carries you until he is standing in front of your chair. Cash gently puts your feet onto the sand, before grabbing his towel. He started drying the top of your head than the end of your hair, neck arms, stomach, back, legs all the way to the top of your feet. Without words he grabs the sunscreen and begins applying it all over you. His hands move gently, his fingers linger over your neck. He drops to his knees to get your lower half, tickling the back of your knees. Cash finishes up by standing up and applying the lotion to your face. “You are beautiful Y/N. Absolutely stunning. I love how your body feels in my hands. You are gorgeous inside and out.” The words make you light headed, because not only did his words sound so sincere, you felt loved. Which is crazy. You cant fall in love with someone on a third date. Or maybe you could? You blink and Cash is standing in front of you, his shirt back on. “Hands up.” You do as he asked and he carefully slides your t-shirt back on. “This is because I have to go to Canada tomorrow. And I wont be able to help put aloe on you until I get back on Sunday. Its not to hide your body. Okay?” You smile and answer Cash with a kiss on his lips.

Together the two of you have an amazing lunch, before sunbathing and taking a nap. After reapplying sunscreen onto each other, Cash and you head back into the water. The two of you stay in the ocean until the lifeguards call everyone out of the water because the sun is setting.

“How about a ride on the ferris wheel or a walk on the boardwalk?” Cash asks as he carries everything back to his truck.

“Not tonight.” This time you take Cash hands into yours. Today was a perfect day and you were proudly holding his hand with your shorts pulled over your wet bathing suit bottoms and your T-shirt stuffed in your bag. “Im pretty tired and you have flight tomorrow. So why don’t we watch a movie at my place instead?”

Cash looks over at you surprised, but excited. “Just you, me, and a movie sounds amazing.” Cash loads the bed of his truck, than opens the car door for you. He gets in on his side and starts to drive back to your place; for snuggling, a movie, and while he didn’t know this yet. Maybe even a bit more than kissing.

[pedripics]

PEDRI in Collaboration with AUDEMARS PIGUET - BARCELONAS GOLDEN BOY

Similarly, Pedri grew up in the mountainous municipality of Tegueste in the Canary Islands, surrounded by natural beauty. Spending hours near the sea playing football with his brother and friends, he has experienced the joys of the planet and its beauty before entering a life of football, fashion and bright lights. But a profound sense of where he has come from remains, and humility and humbleness continue to lead the 21-year-old’s choices.

His recent collaboration with Platano De Canarias, an institutional brand fighting malnutrition through the promotion of bananas, is a testament to that. The banana is the most important crop in the Canary Islands and for decades, the industry has been the protagonist of the economic growth of the archipelago – accounting for 60% of Europe’s banana production.  He is also an ambassador for Kick Out Plastic, a non-profit international campaign fighting for a world free of plastic pollution and climate change.

“Climate change is something that affects us all and should concern us all, especially young people,” Pedri explains. “Sustainability and recycling are part of my daily life because my parents instilled it in me since I was a child. Being from a natural paradise like the Canary Islands, which also lives mainly from tourism, I am very aware of the importance of taking care of nature for all of us.” 

As a 21-year-old with over 13 million followers on Instagram, you might not expect such issues to be on Pedri’s radar. Yet he is acutely aware that he not only has the world at his feet but in his hands — a gift he has no intention of wasting.

Intelligent, humble, and grounded, Pedri represents the younger generation with flying colours. He is a role model to all those who find themselves lucky enough to share his position and an indication that the high-profile figures at the forefront of modern football might just have deeper purposes.

On the pitch, Pedri has been hailed like no other — ‘One of the world’s best’ in the opinion of Barcelona’s manager Xavi Hernández, and ‘The signing of the decade’ according to Marca, Spain’s leading sports news outlet.

Lionel Messi’s final campaign in the famous red and blue hoops of Barça didn’t quite live up to expectations but offered an exciting window into what could be. Pedri was fresh on the scene; quiet, innocent, slight in figure and polite in persona; terrorising defences with a low centre of gravity, immense skill, close control and vision. His personality and playing style drew obvious comparisons to the iconic Argentine with whom he had struck up quite the partnership on the field. By all accounts, Barça’s next messiah was born.

But the story of a wunderkind is rarely so simple. Following his move to Barcelona and The Kopa Trophy win, he played a staggering 73 games and over 4,000 minutes in less than a year and subsequently suffered a string of injuries that would leave him out of the side for months at a time. While he has since returned to the team and reasserted his peerless playmaking form, the issue of over-played, over-pressured, fatigued young players falling victim to a demanding fixture schedule remains a pressing problem with the modern game.

“Professional football is very, very demanding, not only physically but mentally too,” Pedri admits. “I try to face things professionally and prepare myself to always be in optimal condition. That’s why it’s even more annoying when an injury forces you to stop and start all over again.

“In difficult moments, my brother Fer — the person I love the most in this life — is the one who protects me and is always by my side. I like to spend my days off at home with him and my family, watching TV series, playing board games and enjoying their company.

At first glance, Pedri appears to be an ordinary young man, but one who is poised on the brink of greatness. As the bricks for the new Camp Nou are laid one by one, Pedri is quietly constructing his own empire, drawing support from family, friends, and his sheer love for football.

“I am who I am because of my parents,” says Pedri. “They raised me with very clear values: you must be humble and respect everyone. I live my life by a quote from the legend Johan Cruyff, ‘Salid y disfrutad’ which means to ‘go out and enjoy’, and I think that sums up my approach to life.”

[bylerweek2023]

THEME

DESCRIPTIONS ✨️

Hello beloved Bylers!!!

In this post we're gonna explain the themes we've thought for each day of our amazing Byler Week.

But just to make it clear for everyone, this is NOT an imposition. There's no set prompt requirements, so you don't have to use exactly what we're saying here!

(Reminding you that you can post arts, fics, memes, theories, gifs, edits, and everything else you want)

The point here is for you to feel free to use your imagination and enjoy Byler Week with no pressure at all 😌

But if you want some ideas, here they are:

Day 1: 03/20 (Monday)

Theme: "Dungeons and Dragons: Cleradin"

Prompt: This is an opportunity to basically do anything related to DnD and Byler! Aka Fantasy AUs, Cleradin moments, them just playing DnD or really anything!

Day 2: 03/21 (Tuesday)

Theme: "80s films"

Prompt: Take any film from the 80s (or older) and make a Byler AU out of it! (This can be just a scene or even a line!)

Day 3: 03/22 (Wednesday) WILL'S BIRTHDAY!!!

Theme: "Birthdaygate/Byler gates"

Prompt: In honor of Will's birthday, the day's theme is Birthdaygate, but this is a time to bring back your favorite gates! (Flickergate, Eightfifteengate, Mikhailgate, Babygirlgate, etc.)

Day 4: 03/23 (Thursday)

Theme: "Summer Love"

Prompt: Have you had that summer love "experience"? That one person that you've met in a summer camp, on a trip? That person that maybe you'll never see again but will always be on your mind? (What if...)

Day 5: 03/24 (Friday)

Theme: "Secret Identities"

Prompt: A chance to make anything related to secret identities. This includes anything from Masquerades, Superhero/Vigilante AUs, Secret Lives/Jobs, and more!

Day 6: 03/25 (Saturday)

Theme: "Pre-volume two"

Prompt: Channel your inner pre-vol 2 Byler wishes and desires! Motel confessions? Theories about Will's painting? Gas station stops?

Day 7: 03/26 (Sunday)

Theme: "Soulmates"

Prompt: Any soulmate AU you've been obsessed over in the past! Seeing colour for the first time? Countdown? First words on arm? Red strings of fate? Take your pick!

We hope you like the ideas!! Let us know what you think about them!!!

LET'S GO!!!

Reblog to let everyone know about the prompts and don't forget to tag #bylerweek2023 !!!!!

SEE YOU SOON 💙💛

[corporatefrog]

BUFFERING...

NOW LOADING...

╰┈➤ Welcome Back to the Channel!

description: yn is a youtuber attending Garrison university in southpark. They’re learning advanced stats, how to go grocery shopping along, and how to avoid the daily destruction caused by the town’s superheroes and villains.

tags: superhero au, college au, social media au, no beta we die like kenny, comedy,

this fic is COMPLETED! Enjoy the full story now!!

the characters:

yn's building

wendy's building

the heroes

about:

 ๑ no official pairing right now! maybe one will be added later on ?

 ๑ let me know if you'd like to be added to the taglist!!

 ๑ a little fun "what if" that turned into a much longer idea

parts

-> part 1: besties for life -> part 2: calm before the storm -> part 3: the storm -> part 4: patreon bonus content -> part 5: yn and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day -> part 6: settling in -> part 7: house party -> part 8: south park lore -> part 9: who tf are you? -> part 10: a chaotic collab? -> part 11: bath time -> part 12: the interview -> part 13: oh take me, radioactive lake -> part 14: pepe silvia reincarnate -> part 15: red string of CONSPIRACY -> part 16: free ice cream -> part 17: cats out of the bag -> part 18: coffee with chaos -> part 19: merch out the wazoo -> part 20: human kite slander forever -> part 21: regularly scheduled hogwarts au -> part 22: average percy jackson chad -> part 23: super hero ocs -> part 24: blasted in roku city -> part 25: party rocker -> part 26: the internship -> part 27: we have dental -> part 28: colonel mismatch -> part 29: like and subscribe

extras

-> part 3.5: celeb notice! -> part 4.5: greatest conspiracy

teasers

-> [YN, Butters, Tweek, Craig, Stan, and Clyde] -> [YN, Mysterion, Human Kite, Professor Chaos]

A/N: this is based on my Youtuber AU posts! I've never made an edited smau like this so I'm hoping I transition the full writing to this more dialogue centered version!

masterlist

taglist [reply to be added]: @sula0kin @lacuna-at-dawn @anglettecolours @cocolena@sukisprettyface @feverish-dove @sweetadonisbutbetter @hand-writxen@mishstuff@sophtophie @triphovia  @lacunaanonymoused @inkedintothepaper @toodeepintofandoms@mmmaackerel @sillybilly-123@n0tangeliccc

apps used: twinote, memi message, faketube, photonote

[kichiyosh1]

┏♪━･━━･.━･━+☆.━･━･━♬━･━.･┓

KEI'S 500+ WRITING EVENT!!!

┗+☆+━･━･━. ━･･━♬━･━..━+☆+┛

Hello! Thank you so much for 500 followers! To do something special for you guys and as a thank you, I will be writing prompts that are listed down below. You may choose a prompt of your liking and send it to my askbox.

This writing event is also exclusively for Scaramouche/Wanderer.

Have a great day and enjoy♡

Purple indicates scaramouche/wanderer

01. "Pulling on my heart strings"

02. "Why do you think I stayed? It's because of you."

03. "I find red flags attractive."

04. "There are people I want to return to", "What about me? Are you just gonna leave me here?"

05. "Why weren't you there when I woke up?"

06. "We're a couple too you know"

07. "I'm actually a big fan of your body guard"

08. "This was an unexpected reunion"

09. "Get out of my sights" to "How are you still ignoring me when I'm literally right infront of you"

10. "We're not kids anymore, but I'll still hold your hand if you want"

11. "You're famous?!", "I wasn't even trying to be lowkey about it"

12. "Come with me, that's an order"

13. "Don't even think about coming in. Stay out"

14. "I was gone for just a few days?!", "yeah, and I went around half of teyvat trying to find you"

15. "You relieve my nightmares", "You are a nightmare"

16. I said leave!", "...", "are you actually leaving?"

17. "So it's a crime when I do it? The hypocrisy!"

18. "Jit tripping, literally"

19. "Don't you ever get tired?"

20. "You're chances are zero to none"

21. "Why'd you remove my name from your bio?"

22. "Honesty can kill a man"

23. "You're horrible at being discreet", "just be mine already"

24. "Two truths one lie"

25. "No need to get violent, but at the same time go for it"

26. "Dude, do you want a hug or are you trying to leech of my body heat?"

27. "I swear to the tsarista if y/n ends things with me, then its a public execution for all of you!"

28. "Are you jelous yet?", "Just want your attention"

29. "I will not give in to the devils temptation of affection!"

30. "What? I can be his fan too"

31. "Please tell me I did not just accidently unprivate my account"

32. "Shoo! away with you! I already have a lover!", "If you know then why are you shooing me away?!"

33. "Your the only one I need", "The rest of the worle can burn down for all i care"

34. "walk between the lines"

35. "You're cute when you're shy"

36. "Like hell am I gonna believe that zodiac compability shit"

37. "self hurt results to your love"

38. "Should've pulled you down with me"

39. "As long as it's you"

40. "Forgive me, but I'm not against it"

(all of these were ideas that I had ageing away in my drafts so yes I'm using this event as an excuse for them to finally be let free into the world)

[deaddovedec]

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭

Hello and welcome to Dead Dove December 2023! We are a dark holiday-themed Bucky Barnes event. Below, you will find the prompts for each day of December, along with alternate options. This is a no-pressure, for-fun event that offers over 40 prompts to fulfill your dark needs during the holiday season. Please be aware that the prompts on this list contain dark and potentially disturbing themes and may not be suitable for all audiences.

Ao3 Collection

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭

Day 1: "Stocking" Stalking / Trapped

Day 2: Heartwarming / Hidden

Day 3: Ice Skating (Screaming) / Nutcracker / Home

Day 4: Curse / Captivity

Day 5: Jolly / Jugular

Day 6: Blood in The Snow / No Strings Attached

Day 7: Giving Back / First Night / Tis The Season

Day 8: Mistletoe Madness / Stree Free ( Stress Position)

Day 9: Naughty or Nice (Knot or Nice) / Merry

Day 10: Cold as Ice / Secret Surprise

Day 11: Unexpected Gift (Alt: Best/Worst) / Lost

Day 12: Candy Cane / Candlelight / "The Light Goes Out."

Day 13: Tortured / Yule Ritual / The Shadow of the Menorah / FREE DAY

Day 14: Chopping / Silent Night, Lonely Night

Day 15: Wonderland / Snowflakes

Day 16: Tinsel Bondage (Tied) / Strangulation

Day 17: Christmas Lights / Pretty as bulb, aren’t you? My own special little ornament (Christmas Angel).”

Day 18: Forced Celebration / Feast / Fever

Day 19: Twisted Traditions / Train Tracks/ Hanging From the Tree

Day 20: Krumpus / Monster Fucking

Day 21: A Broken Ornament / Winter Solstice / FREE DAY

Day 22: Buried in Bows / Tangled Ribbons

Day 23: What Fun It Is / Holiday Haunting / Horse Drawn

Day 24: The Nightmare Before Christmas / Last Wish

Day 25: All I Want is You / Unwrapping / Presents “Presence”

Day 26: Chains / Cheers / Cannibalism

Day 27: Dark Encounter / Stitches

Day 28: Something Red / Tears

Day 29: Robbed (of senses) / Stockholm Syndrome

Day 30: Masked / Masquerade / Spiked / FREE DAY

Day 31: It’s a New Year, (Again)- Memory Loss / Forgotten

𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭

Deprived

Search & Rescue

Building a (snow) man

Aches & Angels

"Stay with me."

The gift of gunpoint

Chimney

"He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake."

Ao3 Collection ❆ Event Information ❆

Don’t forget to tag us for reblog or add your work to the Ao3 collection! Tag properly and destroy those doves 🕊️

Divider credit ❆ @rookthornesartistry