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jinnie-ret · 10 months

Text

THE TUTOR

poly!stray kids x reader

genre: fluff, angst

content warnings: toxic relationship (not with SKZ)

word count: 5.4k

summary: becoming lee felix's tutor was quite possibly the best decision she could have made. toxic exes, university assignments and a whole lot of confusing feelings, how does skz fit into this equation?

collab w/ @astraykidforsure

I've absolutely loved working on this with my gorgeous talented pookie! I think it's my fav fic written ever so to have collabed on this was so fun to share our ideas together and give you this!!!

Here is our other fic here which you can find on her page! It's the cutest fluffiest Christmas fic ever so I hope you enjoy :)))

MAIN MASTERLIST

Handing in the penultimate assignment of the year, Y/N couldn't hide her sigh of relief when she gave her paper to her professor. She had given everything to this piece of work, sleepless nights, even forgetting to eat sometimes too, as she was so caught up in her studies. It happened that just as she was handing in this assignment, she was given her results of the previous one she had done. Feeling as if it had been ages ago since she had completed it, Y/N was pleasantly surprised to see the number on the document her professor handed to her.

"85, that's another 'first', top grades as always, Miss Park," Mr Jung, Y/N's English Literature professor grinned at her proudly as he handed her paper back to her.

"Thanks Mr Jung!" Y/N grinned happily, always one to be energetic and bubbly no matter what kind of hurdle was in her way.

"Now, I look forward to reading this one here... but I have one request," Mr Jung pushed up his glasses as he gently placed down her recently finished assignment onto his stack of others he would be due to read.

"Oh, what is it?" Y/N pursed her lips curiously, hands behind her back as she wondered what Mr Jung was about to tell her. She was very much so looking forwards to a small break so hopefully whatever he said next wouldn't be something that would consume a lot of her time.

"One of the students in our class, Lee Felix, I assume you know him? He's falling behind, and I thought you'd be the perfect student to help him. So what do you say?" Mr Jung proposed the idea to Y/N of becoming Felix's tutor.

This wasn't exactly what she expected. Lee Felix? Everyone on campus knew him and the friend group he was a part of. You couldn't not know him. He stuck out especially to Y/N, not just because of the fact he was on the same course as her, but because of his sweet personality and how nicely he treated everyone around him. She aimed to be like him.

What Y/N didn't already realise, was that she was a similar kind of person, and people recognised her kindness. Although she mainly kept to herself, always had her nose in a book or her head in the clouds, she greeted everyone kindly. And for that, she was already loved so much.

It couldn't hurt to help out, could it? Sure, she wanted a break, but this should be things she already knew. And it wasn't like she would be forced to spend her time with anyone horrible. The only thing remotely intimidating was the fact that she'd be presumably meeting one of the most popular friend groups on campus.

But, perhaps it would be nice to properly talk to them, instead of just greeting them like her friendly self normally did.

"- Miss Park?" Mr Jung was still staring at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Sure, I'll do it," Y/N grinned, adjusting her bag on her shoulders before waving her professor goodbye.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It was 4:30pm. Right on the dot.

Y/N had arrived perfectly on time, oddly nervous for her first tutor session with Felix. Maybe it was because she hadn't spoken to him properly, apart from the emails back and forth on when to arrange a mutually good time to meet. And that took a while in itself, because Felix didn't seem to check his emails a lot. It would be much easier once she had his phone number to text, and it seemed much less formal too.

Not only that, but it would be nice to see a different name pop up on her screen other than her persistent ex, Johnny, who couldn't seem to forget about her.

Knock, knock, knock.

Y/N stood awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other before the door opened.

"Y/N right? Come in, come in, sorry about the mess!" Felix cheerfully greeted her with a pre warning of the state of his dorm, which she quickly realised he shared with all of the other guys.

Was it messy? Yes, but the typical mess you'd expect for a boys' dorm. It was homely though. Domestic.

On a coffee table, there was a computer science textbook lying open beside a laptop covered in cat stickers, neatly kept to one side, almost to avoid the art materials spread precariously across the furniture. There was barely any room for the puppy patterned mug of coffee to sit, most likely brewed from the expensive coffee machine in the kitchen, Y/N had noticed. The TV screen was on, showing the title screen of a game she didn't quite recognise, she wasn't much of a gamer herself. As she glanced to where she could take off her coat in the lobby area, there was a gym bag, a backpack with headphones peeking out of the top, and some keys scattered to the side, charmingly accompanied by a koala keyring and a kangaroo one too.

"Don't worry about the mess, it's homely," Y/N shrugged, taking her coat off and feeling a bit surprised when Felix wordlessly took it out of her hands and hung it up for her.

"That's the excuse Hannie always uses..." Felix chuckles, before his eyes widen, "oh yeah! My boyf- roommates are all home right now around here somewhere, so don't be shocked if you see one of them walking about. We can study in my room if you want? It'll be much quieter," he stumbled on his words.

"Sure, whatever is more comfier for you, Felix," Y/N grinned as he nodded once more and they set up things in his room at his desk. Felix brought out his laptop to takes notes as Y/N brought out her notebook. Clearly they had different ways of studying, but that didn't seem to deter her, things like that didn't mean much when she was here to help.

"So, how much have you gotten done so far?" Y/N popped the lid off of her pen, both of them giggling as it flew onto the floor somewhere.

"Don't hate me if I say none of it?" Felix replied sheepishly as he crouched down to retrieve the piece of stationary and sat back down in his seat.

"I can't hate you, silly! I've only just met you!" Y/N shook her head with a gummy smile, not knowing she was melting Felix's heart as she did so.

And so, they began, Y/N guiding Felix to the best references and praising him for his ideas that he thought of for the assignment. She made sure she steered him in the right direction and he seemed to be on the right path already.

Knock, knock.

The door opened to reveal two handsome men, both with sharp features, one with longer black hair and the other with a bold purple style.

"Here, have some brain power," the guy with purple hair put the plate down in front of the two, Y/N already smiling at the colourful fruit presented in front of them.

"That's Minho by the way, and that's Hyunjin," Felix pointed out to Y/N, before munching on a piece of honeydew melon. She waved at them with an enthusiastic 'hi' as they made themselves at home in Felix's room.

Hyunjin stretched across the bed as Minho perched against the desk on Felix's side.

"I think I'll be eating most of this then if it's for brain power," Felix grabbed a few more pieces of fruit, shoving it into his mouth contentedly at the sweet taste.

"You better save some of it for Y/N! She's the guest! Plus, I had to spend time with Minho in the kitchen, with a knife... My life was on the line for these snacks!" Hyunjin professed dramatically, sat up on the bed now as he moved his hands around whilst explaining.

Y/N couldn't help but giggle along with Felix, Hyunjin noticing this as he smiled at how comfortable she was around them already.

"Just wait, you'll have to stay for dinner one time, and then you'll see!" Hyunjin widened his eyes comically, as Y/N nodded along in agreement.

"You like to cook, Y/N?" Minho asked curiously, showing interest in the girl who came round to tutor his boyfriend.

"I'm not the best at cooking actually... Most times I just eat ramen for dinner or order fried chicken," she pinched her lip habitually and covered her awkward grin, yet everyone else could still see it from the way her eyes crinkled.

"Ah! That's not good, I'll have to feed you, make sure you get something nutritional in that belly," Minho patted her head as he tutted.

"That's our Minho, he always cooks for us, he's such a doting boyfriend-" Felix nuzzled his head against Minho's stomach before freezing in place. He may have hidden their secret before but this time he couldn't help himself.

"Y/N, look, we-" Hyunjin stumbled over his words as he stood up now, next to Felix and Minho as he took in the girl's shocked expression.

"It's ok, it's ok, I won't judge," she quickly held her hands up to try and calm them.

"It's easier said then done, not exactly conventional having 8 guys date each other," Minho sighed, stroking Felix's hair soothingly to show he didn't blame the younger.

"Please don't tell anyone," Felix couldn't even look her in the eyes. He felt like he had already blown his chances of getting good grades. Like, what a bombshell to drop on your tutor. Oh yeah, by the way, I have 8, boyfriends but keep it a secret, please.

"Guys, please, it's ok, really. I wouldn't dare tell anyone. That's not my information to share, I'd rather you act natural around me then hide that side to yourselves, ok?" Y/N spoke carefully, taking in all of their expressions to make sure her message was heard.

"You've got a good tutor here, Lixie," Hyunjin sighs in relief, a small smile painting his face.

"I do," he nodded in agreement, relieved that she was someone he could not only learn from, but trust too.

Y/N would come to see a lot of sweet interactions between the boys, and also get to know them a lot more too. This was only the start.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Over the next few weeks, Y/N had really gotten to know the other guys quite well, and when she had reassured the rest of them in person that their secret was safe with her, the arms she was welcomed with were open even more.

"Hi love, come in!" Chan softly smiled at her as she entered the dorms, her books already clutched in her arms.

"You're in a cheery mood today, Channie, get some sleep for once?" Y/N laughed and teased the older boy, looking away mischievously when he pulled a face that said 'why did I let her and Seungmin interact?'.

"Go on go, go find Felix and help him study," he fake sighed and shooed her away, pushing her in the direction of Felix's room with a laugh, but wincing when her phone hit the floor. "Oh sorry!" he was quick to pick it up, the phone lighting up with yet another text message, making him frown.

"Oh it's fine, don't worry," Y/N went to grab it back quickly and hesitantly, Chan let her.

"Who's Johnny?" he chewed his lip as he asked the question.

"He's no one," Y/N shrugged him off, making sure she had all her books ready and was about to enter Felix's room, hand reaching for the handle when Chan realised he couldn't let this go so soon.

The rest of the boys and himself had grown to like Y/N a lot in such a short space of time. Her caring nature had stolen a piece of each of their hearts and they found themselves exuding that same care towards her.

"Love, it doesn't look like nothing, that was a whole lot of texts," Chan warily rested a hand on her shoulder.

Y/N sighed before moving over to their sofa, Chan following right behind her.

"It's really nothing... I'm used to it," she shrugged, biting on the inside of her cheek.

"So if it's nothing why are we taking a seat to talk about this, hmm?" Chan calmly spoke to her, lightly pinching her cheek to get her to stop.

"I don't know if I'm overreacting or not... sometimes I think I am but other times, here just look," Y/N shakily hands over her phone to Chan, and he grasped her hand in his as he read the more recent ones that appeared in her notifications.

"These messages are horrible, Y/N, why don't you just block him?" Chan was horrified at the threatening messages he read, nostrils flaring more and more at each word that his eyes scanned.

"He always finds a way to message me from a new number... See?" Y/N reluctantly released her hand from Chan's as she unlocked her phone and showed her messages, previous conversations all with the same tone to them, but from different numbers. "You can always tell it's him messaging because he always leaves a space between the full stop and the word. And then he doesn't use slang in his texts apart from 'ur'," she further explains to Chan, who was in disbelief at how she spoke so causally of what was happening to her. Yet, he could tell there were some feelings she was internalising too.

"You're too smart for your own good, love," Chan rubbed her shoulder, proud of her analysing skills that she recognised it was her ex. "You really don't deserve this," he murmured, leaning his head on top of hers.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

It was nice, to feel that love and appreciation again, without having any labels attached. But then it had Y/N thinking, what really was this thing between her and the boys?

"Aren't you going to take a break too, Y/Nnie? Felix has been playing this game for at least twenty minutes now!" Changbin leant his head back on the sofa arm as he watched the girl diligently flicking through her notes whilst Felix went to take a 'short' break and play on his PC.

"Ah, it's fine haha, I want to make sure I've got some stuff ready for when Felix is done," Y/N brushed off Changbin's concerns and pushed back a stray piece of hair as she read through the notes she had made during the afternoon.

"Nope, no, not having it, I'll get Seungmin to make you some of his fresh coffee and then you will sit here, right next to me," Changbin sat up, patting a space on the sofa next to him, "and drink it."

"But Changbin-" Y/N sighed, covering her face and leaning back into the chair at the table, already hearing the whirring of the coffee machine in the kitchen, meaning Seungmin was around and overheard the small harmless bickering.

"Nope, now come, sit here," Changbin didn't budge, from not just his seat but his efforts to getting Y/N to take a break too.

She groaned as she complied and sat next to the muscly guy, who hummed in content when he felt the dip of the sofa next to him.

Seungmin entered the lounge, bringing over a mug of coffee for Y/N, dainty sunflowers painted all over it.

"Wow this mug is so cute!" Y/N grinned as she held it up slightly to admire it.

"Good. It's your mug," Seungmin nodded as he sat at the end of the sofa, a mug of coffee made for himself as he placed it done on the table.

"My mug? I don't even live here, Seungmin," Y/N tried to laugh it off, but she couldn't help but feel butterflies at the warmth she received from these guys. The way that they always made sure she felt at home in their home.

"You might as well, haha, with the amount of times Felix invites you over to study when half the time he's all distracted," Seungmin pushed up his glasses, turning to look at Y/N.

"Well I thought that's why he wanted me over more... Because we didn't get enough done in the first place?" Y/N pursed her lips in thought, before blowing on the coffee to try and cool it down even though it had been freshly brewed and was still very hot.

"Interesting take... I'm with Seungmin on this one though," Changbin raised an eyebrow at Y/N's reasoning before cooing at Seungmin, reaching over to pat him on the knee.

"Ew, hyung," Seungmin wrinkled his nose, bringing his legs further up on the sofa and curling up.

"Hey! Don't reject me in front of Y/N... i-it's embarrassing! I'm a desirable man!" Changbin complained loudly, throwing his arms up in the air before folding them and sinking into the sofa.

Y/N couldn't help but agree, nodding to herself as she bit her lip. Changbin was a handsome man. All of them were. They were all lucky to have each other, not only for their looks but their personalities too.

"I saw that look, you're not so sly, sunflower," Seungmin whispered in Y/N's ear as he patted her head before wrapping his arms around Changbin to quieten the pouting man, cheekily biting his neck in the process.

"Yah! Kim Seungmin!"

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

A rough day was rare for Y/N, for she always strived to push any stress away and focus on what she was meant to be doing. But with another influx of texts from Johnny, he wasn't making her day so easy. Even more so because he was waiting outside of her class.

"Never answer my texts huh? I just want you to talk to me, that's all I want!" Johnny grabbed Y/N's wrist and took her to the side of the empty hallway.

Not only was the poor girl shocked at him grabbing her harshly, she also wondered how he knew where her class was, they didn't even take the same course, let alone similar ones for him to be in the same building as her.

"You don't deserve that, Johnny, not after what you put me through," Y/N pulled her arm away from him and redirected herself outside, hoping that was all this confrontation would be.

Oh how wrong she was. Walking outside where there was more students around should have made Y/N feel safer, even with Johnny on her tail, but with the gossipy nature of the university, it made things worse.

"Don't you want me?" Johnny growled, his voice too loud for her liking as people around her pulled out their phones and started filming as he grabbed her wrist tightly once again.

"No! I don't! I hate you!" Y/N said through gritted teeth, trying to regain ownership of her own limb.

This seemed to frustrate Johnny even further, his intentions becoming more and more clear.

He spat at her, right in her face.

"People like you don't deserve to even be with me, I'm doing you a favour!" he tried to pull her along with him.

Y/N felt helpless. Why wasn't anyone helping her? They were too busy hiding behind their phone screens.

"No, I'm doing myself a favour and getting away from you!" Y/N took matters into her own hands and despite the fast beat of her heart she stomped on his foot and stormed away quickly, wiping her tears as she did so.

It wasn't long until the video started floating around other students. Chan and Changbin, who were in one of the studios courtesy of the uni's musical facilities, received a text from Minho.

Minho: pls tell me this isn't y/n...

[vid.attchmnt]

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"Is that my favourite person in the world?!" Han hugged Y/N as soon as she walked through the door.

Han had admired Y/N as soon as he met her, always wanting to cuddle her because he thought she was so sweet and 'too pure for this world'.

And oh, did Y/N need that hug, especially after the day she had.

"Hey, she was mine first!" Felix wrapped her up into a big hug of his own as he pushed Han away, not too hard though.

Mine?

That would be a thought for another time...

Pushing the boys away and letting them bicker playfully between themselves, she sat down next to Jeongin on the sofa, who was absorbed in whatever video game it was that he was playing. She often had comfortable silences when she was in the space of the younger. But she likes that. They could appreciate each other's presences without needing to say much. Without needing to say anything.

Y/N sighed and rubbed her head as she read through her notes once more, wondering what part of the words that were jumbling right in front of her very eyes, would be more useful to Felix today.

"You should play one day," Jeongin spoke up quietly, as to not disturb her focus and for him to maintain his own as he fiddled with the joysticks.

"Ah I don't know a lot about gaming, plus staring at the screen would give me an even worse headache right now I think," Y/N sank deeper into the sofa in defeat, rubbing her eyes as she tossed her notes aside.

"Let me get you some painkillers," Jeongin immediately paused his game, standing up and walking into the kitchen.

"No it's fine-" Y/N tried to stop him.

"You take them with water?" Jeongin ignored her attempts as he called out from the other room.

"Yes," Y/N replied quietly but he still seemed to have heard her.

Jeongin returned into the lounge with two painkillers and a some water in a glass prettily painted with sunflowers on it. It wouldn't be hard to guess who bought her that.

"Cute glass," Y/N fondly smiled, as she sipped the water slowly and swallowed the painkillers.

Jeongin loved how she was still able to smile despite the pain she was in. He admired her for that.

"A certain puppy picked that one out, convinced Minho and Jinnie that it was necessary," Jeongin nodded at her, taking his seat but not returning to his game straight away.

"Well I love it, I'll tell him thank you later if I see him," Y/N placed down the glass and instead of relaxing into the sofa once more, she found herself in a pair of arms instead.

"I'm sure you will," Han gently hugged her gently this time, noticing her demeanour was quieter than usual and that she had taken some tablets.

"You sure you want to study today, Y/N?" Felix rubbed her knee soothingly, not wanting to pressure her.

"Yeah, I'm sure, maybe we can take it slow today?" Y/N makes a compromise, not wanting to let down the sunshine on front of her.

"Of course, of course, love, that sounds like a better idea, just tell me if you want to take a break, yeah? Don't want you to be feeling in pain just because you're trying to help me," Felix kisses the top of her head, making her blush.

What was going on with her heart? Maybe she was just still feeling shaken up from earlier on.

"Y/N, why didn't you tell us something happened between you and Johnny?" Han suddenly tensed up, and Y/N could feel it. She didn't dare look at the video Han was playing on his phone.

In that moment, Seungmin and Hyunjin entered the dorm, frowns on their faces.

"Ah Seungmin! There you are, thanks for getting me this glass, you really didn't have to," Y/N tried to change the subject, hoping their frowns would disappear but it didn't work.

"Nope, don't do that sunflower," Seungmin shook his head, taking off his shoes and putting his slippers on.

"Angel, why didn't you say anything, hmm?" Hyunjin walked over in front of the sofa, hands on his hips.

"No wonder you weren't feeling great," Jeongin's eyes widened in realisation after watching the video over Han's shoulder, handing Y/N the glass of water once more to encourage her to take some sips.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Y/N didn't even believe herself as she spoke.

"Y/Nnie, there's a video going around of you and Johnny in the square at uni," Hyunjin crouched down in front of her.

"Wait? I haven't seen that video, I've only seen the one of hyungs cornering him," Seungmin spoke up, sharing a confused look at Hyunjin. He was sure they had been speaking about the same thing earlier, yet with both of the information they had seen from different videos, they must have been able to fill in the gaps.

"W-wait they what?" Y/N stuttered as she looked back and forth between the boys.

In that moment, Seungmin held up a video playing on his phone, showing the three eldest of the group cornering Johnny against a wall, holding him by the collar of his shirt as they shouted at him.

Y/N couldn't believe her eyes.

"It's ok," Felix's deep voice soothed her as he wrapped an arm around her and hugged her closer to his chest.

"Let's just have a relaxing evening yeah? Take your mind off of it," Seungmin instructed, tucking Y/N's notes away into her bag.

"Felix is that ok with-"

"Don't even worry love, it's fine," Felix rubbed her shoulder once more, Han holding her hand as he leant his head on her shoulder.

They all began to relax, watching a Disney film. Y/N cuddled up between the September twins, and Jeongin reluctantly allowing his overly affectionate hyungs, Seungmin and Hyunjin, to coddle and cuddle him.

Around halfway through the film, the front door unlocked and 3 sets of footsteps marched inside.

"Is she here? Is she ok?!"

"I swear she was meant to have a tutor session with Lixie today but they're not in his room..."

"Wait, her shoes are here."

Chan, Minho and Changbin all sighed in relief, almost synchronised, as they saw the object of their concern cuddled up to their other boyfriends.

"Y/Nnie, love, come here a sec," Chan whispered into her ear, gesturing her to come to the side to talk to all 3 of them.

She felt nervous just standing there as their eyes scanned her to make sure she was physically ok.

"Guys, you didn't have to do that..." Y/N shook her head, hands retreating into the sleeves of a jumper Han let her borrow because he insisted a cosy jumper is a cosy heart and it would make her feel better.

He wasn't wrong.

"Oh but we did, it wasn't right what he did to you Y/N, and I don't know what he's done to you in the past but..." Changbin trailed off, fists clenched at the thought of Johnny.

"He'll never hurt you again, ok?" Minho promised, hand caressing her cheek gently.

"And if he does anything again tell one of us right away, we got you," Chan rubbed her shoulder, a pout on his face reflecting Y/N's as her eyes welled up with tears.

"Thanks guys," Y/N sniffled, hugging each of them.

Hyunjin, who was snooping on the conversation with eager ears, called out across to them, "yah! Don't make Angel cry, we just calmed her down!"

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Y/N was confused. She wasn't as sure anymore, or, at least not as much as before, that is. Sure, she knew about their relationship, of course. Though she wasn't apart of it. They seemed to act so nice and loving towards her. Always helping her out, Felix giving her extra attention and affection when he thought she needed it. The boys always bring her food whenever they got food themselves. They'd ruffle her hair and give her soft smiles. Back hugs and forehead kisses. It's so much more than that. They just treat her so well. She's supposed to keep their secret, but, then again, she's not dating any of them.

Despite everything, does that mean they're messing with her? Are they doing this to mess with her feelings? She sure hoped that wasn't the case. She's been having so much doubt lately with this situation she seemed to have gotten herself stuck in. But, she didn't want to be seen as if she was trying to interrupt or ruin their relationship by confessing. Seriously, one girl and eight guys? She wasn't so sure that it was realistic, whether she wanted it to be or not.

She just wanted this guilt that she constantly felt to go away. She didn't want to stress over this anymore or worry. She hated these nerves that she constantly felt, continuously. She wanted this to be over, even if she never ended up dating them.

Knock, knock, knock.

"We've missed you," Jeongin was shocked to see her as he opened the front door, blurting out the first words that came to mind as he welcomed her inside.

It had been 5 days since they saw her. But it was 5 days too long.

Y/N stood at the edge of the lounge not knowing what to say as the boys all turned and gasped as they saw her.

"What's been going on, Y/Nnie?" Han slowly asked.

"Talk to us love..." Felix begged, he just wanted to know why she created some distance between them all.

"Don't call me that when you don't mean... When you don't want..." Y/N ran a stressed hand through her hair, not knowing how to articulate herself because her emotions were all over the place.

"Come sit down ang-, Y/N, it's ok, talk to us," Hyunjin went to call jer ny his usual nickname, but sensing her discomfort, he chose not to this time. And it felt weird.

"I'm so confused right now..." Y/N began, perching on the edge of the armchair where Changbin was sat.

"You asked me to keep your relationship secret and of course I'd never tell anyone but, I feel like, gosh no I can't say it it'll sound so stupid," Y/N scolded herself, Chan patting her back lightly as he stood next to her.

"Nothing you say is stupid, you're very clever, sunflower," Seungmin shook his head, not liking the sight of the girl he was so fond of, looking so distressed.

"What am I to you guys? L-like am I just Felix's tutor to you, or just even a friend or-"

"You're much more to us then those things, and I know you know that by now," Minho leant forward in his seat on the sofa.

"We like you, a lot, Y/N," Felix said with his hand on his chest.

"W-why couldn't you just tell me that? I-i've been going out of my mind," Y/N ducked her head down, covering her face with her hands.

"We didn't want to pressure you after that situation with your ex..." Changbin grasped her hand from next to her.

"Oh, sorry, yeah I get that..." Y/N sighed.

"Come on, where's that smile gone?" Hyunjin cooed, tickling her sides and successfully making her laugh.

"We really like you Y/N, and we were hoping you'd want to be a part of our relationship too," Chan crouched down in front of her.

"You sure?" Y/N was wary. This wasn't a trick right?

"Never been more sure of anything in our lives," he was quick to squash her worries, kissing her on the cheek.

"Then, yes, I'd love to be with you all," Y/N grinned that gorgeous smile that they loved so much.

It was the best decision she could have made agreeing to be Felix's tutor. It brought so many people into her life that she already held dearly to her heart, people she knew she'd come to love even more in her life. The little things they did for her with more care than anyone else had ever paid her attention to. They gave her the love she deserved, the love that she'd never lose.

taglist: @skz-streamer @kiraisastay @hannahhbahng @kpopmenace143 @sakufilms @hanjiquokkaaa @arloo00 @dunno-wut-to-do @splat00z @cheesemonky @his-angell @turtledove824 @2minstan @royal-shinigami

710 notes · View notes

olderthannetfic · 5 months

Note

I always see people who have never been antis, talking about/questioning how some antis even ARE antis when you look at their taste in media - ie the ever famous joke of "Hannigram is #problematique" "but it's a show where he eats people" or whatever.

I thought I'd weigh in as someone who could, hypothetically, be called an ex-anti (which, thankfully, nothing ever really came out of it - it was just very 2014 keyboardwarrior-esque behavior of me being a chronically online young adult who would share posts in a group chat making fun of certain shippers, or reblog posts about how 50shades is The Most Problematic Media Ever to exist -- basically I was an anti with anti-lines of thoughts, but i never, like, a ran a Shipping Discourse Blog or whatever)

For me, personally, it was a few different things. I can now see how it's incredibly hypocritical that teenaged me shipped Light/L, while still thinking that Dramione was Bad And Abusive. It ultimately boiled down to a) being pretentious, and b) just not understanding media or what proshippers REALLY believed, with a side of c) not realizing that nuance exists. like i was pretty late to join tumblr, I think I immigrated here during PEAK "yourfaveisproblematic" era which definitely did have an impact on my opinions and my tastes.

to elaborate, a.) being pretentious. i mean this one just kinda goes without saying. "I engage in media in a way more intellectual way than you do, don't you know that? You're a filthy and disgusting person who writes Snape/Hermione because you're an actually disgusting pedophile IRL who would probably date your own student that you're abusing if you could. Meanwhile, I'm a very smart, good, and pure person. When I read Uncle Vernon/Harry, I'm doing it in a G-d honoring whump way that clearly condemns abuse, incest, and rape. Unlike YOU who only writes harmful stuff as a way to get people off :/"

(as an aside, i think this line of thinking will ALWAYS be present in fandom and popculture in some way, sadly. ie the recent trend of people hating on booktok bc the books are 'trashy' and how these porn addicts should read real classic literature instead.)

as for b.), not understanding media - i cannot emphasize enough that i was GENUINELY stupid and disconnected enough to think that proshippers REALLY WERE pro-All Of The Degenerate Dead Doves That They Wrote.

why did i feel this way? why did i understand that Lolita clearly isnt pro-pedophilia, but for some reason i thought that someone shipping weecest was? well, first of all, i think that fanfiction is (generally) seen as Less Serious than classic literature, and fandom is a fun place, so i guess i somehow thought that every fanfic/fanartist who wrote Problematic Things, especially Problematic Things that they portrayed as Sexy, really DID enjoy the thought of that Actually Happening To Real People.

and i think THIS is the bulk of why antis ARE antis. i'm not calling them all stupid - i do think BEING an anti is stupid, but at the same time, there are people who are truly smart and good-intended people who just have some really off color opinions about, like, homestuck ships or whatever. Lawlight is okay because notebooks that kill people don't exist so it's IMPOSSIBLE for the Harmful Aspects of Light/L to be romanticized! but schoolyard prejudiced bullies DO exist and are a REAL problem so Drarry is BAD (*truly completely unaware of the fact that there's 'realistic' aspects of the Light/L dynamic and 'unrealistic' aspects of Drarry - such as, for example, Hogwarts arguably being even MORE of a fantasy setting than DN is.*) I know that media literacy is the hot buzzword of the year to throw around in 2024, but, like, i really did not have media literacy.

as for c.), not realizing nuance exists - ok "nuance" might not be the best word here, but i dont know how else to describe it. like, each time ive typed the word "problematic" out in this ask, i've done so in a very tongue in cheek/ironic/retroactive way, but, like, those posts about how Everything Is Problematic, Including Your Fave ARE true. and i didn't like the fact that my favorite media or favorite person might've Made A Mistake! i need to Talk About Its Issues Because I'm So Betrayed That My Dear Sweet Comfort Media Would Do This To Me. I Need To Prove I Clearly Condemn It.

like, i legit morally could not justify reblogging a twilight post without adding in the tags '#this is my guilty pleasure it sucks that the books were so racist though' or whatever. Most people were lucky enough to avoid that line of thinking, but there was an actual group of people who felt a genuine need to virtue signal all the time, partly bc, hey, they WERE passionate about talking abt #issues in media, but also bc of a subconscious fear of If You Reblog A Singular Piece Of Hetalia Fanart, You're Literally A Nazi And Will Get A Callout Post Written About You.

and during all of this i was at the tail end of my high school experience (yes i know im younger than most of your audience, ha). i was going through A Lot emotionally, going through a lot of life changes, and lived in a very . . . interesting household/place where i couldn't do ACTUAL good in the world that i was passionate about. so to make up for the fact that i was genuinely in no place to do legit activism, clearly i had to save the gay community by arguing about johnlock queerbaiting or whatever.

^ and honestly i do think that is the position of most antis. theyre isolated and cant seem to do Enough in the Real Scary World so they have to resort to talking about how bad of a person someone is for "shipping abuse", bc theyre not in a situation where they could, for example, ACTUALLY fight the good fight to end abuse or raise awareness for it.

There was way more to it and way more that I could say, if I wanted to, but this post is long enough as it is and probably doesn't make much sense.

I feel bad for antis, honestly, or at least the ones who are antis in the way I used to be.

Oh yes, passionate young fools who think they can at least fix the internet if not their lives make up most of the cannon fodder. Some of the ringleaders are just mini dictators and wannabe cult leaders, but most anti-leaning types are just traumatized or clueless, even a lot of the ones who do serious damage and don't just mock shit in private with their friends.

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yourfavnewyorker · 6 months

Text

Let’s Play A Game - Get Whatever You Like

Hello guysss! Today I’m here to tell you how I got my NYU acceptance letter despite “circumstances.” And you can get whatever you want too, with the one and only: placebo effect.

What is the placebo effect?

A placebo is anything that seems to be a "real" medical treatment -- but isn't. It could be a pill, a shot, or some other type of "fake" treatment. What all placebos have in common is that they do not contain an active substance meant to affect health. Source: WebMD

basically, how most people use placebo in terms of manifestation, is “if I do x, y will happen.” So I guess placebo is law of assumption w extra steps, I noticed now that I’m writing this.

Most people just use LOA as affirming stuff like “I have xyz” or listening to subs related to it - which is what I do most times. But sometimes when you can’t help doing something that you think will hinder your process, you can just turn that around. For ex. I really, I mean really like dreaming about my ideal gf lol. So when that gets a little too much I throw in some “Whenever I think about my ideal girlfriend/get sapphic thoughts I get even SMARTER” and voila :)

Me and NYU

So the day is March 28th. Last week I had been rejected by 3 schools in a row. So I was like “I guess American republicans really want me back in my country 🩷”

Tbh I wasn’t having a great week. I was feeling pretty burnt out. And my application? If I told the bros on Reddit about my application they’d tell me I should go to community college and don't bother on an “elite” school 💀

for context! American 🇺🇸 applications use a “holistic” system so having great grades isn’t enough. You need a good SAT score, but you can go test optional. Though it will probably hurt your chances(that’s what they say.) you need like 29372928 extracurriculars, good awards and to have cured cancer basically. If you’re an international student your chances are even lower compared to American students.

So I was an international student w no SAT score, no APs offered in my school, hell no school profile(a profile of your school that admissions officers use to determine how you’re doing compared to the rest), submitted my English proficiency test a month late… anyways. With all that you’d think I’d be rejected no?

Let’s play a game!

Compared to the USA, it would’ve been night time here when the decisions came out. So I was like mhm. I still need to study for my other exams. So to focus better and to give placebo a try, I invented a little game: If I didn’t search up anything about NYU, didn’t check my portal, and basically not think about the school until the decision comes out I would have that acceptance letter in my hands!!

So I sat there patiently, studied physics and chem, some literature also. When it was 5 mins before the decision I washed up, had a glass of water and was like “for sure I must be accepted… Right? I’ve done everything correctly.”

anddd even though the portal took a lil too long to load, I eventually saw:

“Dear [insert my irl name], Congratulations! ….

and I was like a win is a win. Then I went and told everyone. Anyways I hope this helps and never think you’re not fit for something you want! Just make that fit you!

#desired reality #reality shift #shiftblr #shifting #law of assumption #manifestation #manifesting #loa #loa blog #loa tumblr #void state #void #things to manifest #how to manifest #self concept

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katierosefun · 2 years

Note

I'll just go ahead and reply to that beyond evil anon about Juwon if you don't mind, you don't have to post this if you don't want.

"In his desperation to catch the killer in order to prove himself..."

See this is where you're wrong, he didn't want to prove himself, he fucking hated himself for what he did, he wanted to seek justice for Lee Geum Hwa. Do you just conveniently forget his words to Dongsik?

"Even if the whole world forgets her, even if no one comes to claim her body I won't forget her!"

He didn't need to tell him that, mid breakdown no on gives a shit about virtue signaling, his dad isn't there and Dongsik's opinion should be the last thing he cares about, it's just him, being a disaster, trying to make things right however he can. He's young and stupid so yes he makes more mistakes but don't just brush off all his attempts at character development, it kinda sounds like you're projecting on him.

Juwon never denies it when Dongsik accuses him of "killing" Lee Geum Hwa, Dongsik just keeps on pressuring him, scaring him that he'll tell everyone about it, that he'll ruin his life and his father's life, forces Juwon to shoot him to silence him but Juwon never falls for it, he can't physically deny what he did, at least not when he's confronted for it by Dongsik. He's just Good. He's a goddamn messy person but he's a Good person. He has all the power and money to be the evilest bastard out there, doing whatever he wants but he has inner moral code so strong he follows them no matter what.

Yes he gets swayed to cover it up because of how much his father and Hyuk suggest it but be doesn't actually do it. Way before Dongsik's constantly reminding him of what he's done He, Juwon, is trying to atone.

Him coming back even more of an insufferable fool after that 3 months doesn't prove your point that he doesn't change. He did change, he softened up and let Dongsik close, Dongsik then betrayed his trust which resulted to him acting like a dumbass which caused more of a mess. No one is denying his wrongs here. The disagreement is on his guilt and remorse being genuine. It's just not fake, he continues to hate himself even more after what happens to Nam Sang Bae, he's the one who pulls his dead body out of the cold waters dude do you think he's faking to himself about how sad and guilty he feels?

He keeps mentioning that he's at fault to manyang people to get them to hate him or cuss him out but they just don't, they don't want that for him to be trapped in that cycle of self hate and guilt, because they see how he really, truly, is feeling.

"This is why to me, his expressions of guilt and remorse feel a bit like virtue signaling, esp. as he’s probably aware he’s unlikely to be punished, and this is what I find annoying (although also a bit saddening, as this virtue signaling is apparently unconscious and an attempt to convince HIMSELF of his goodness, which shows just how much his upbringing has messed him up)."

He hates himself!!! He doesn't want to prove to himself that he's a good person, he in fact Believes he's a Bad person. And your whole thing about "as he’s probably aware he’s unlikely to be punished" just comes out of the blue, like it's a clear projection on your part that nothing in the narrative and his character arc points to it. That's a sentence I would believe about Han Kihwan, not Han Juwon.

"I don't trust you, I don't trust Han Kiwan, I don't even trust myself"

Does this sound like virtue signaling? To who?? It doesn't even make sense and I'm not sorry to say it.

And just a side note

Virtue signaling: the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue.

So no, it's not Han Juwon.

(my ex English literature ass and current law student ass jumped out I'm sorry @ Caroline)

no mineh you are literally so right for this, and thank you for taking the time to write this out. i'd literally just woken up when i got that anon, and given that this person had been really . . . trying to take up my inbox the last few days, i really think i just burned tf out (also, as a fellow ex english lit ass + current law student who's currently writing memos and putting together outlines for final exams that identify fact patterns/issues to defend hypothetical clients , , , i could feel myself just getting very impatient and just like. "bro are u seriously asking me to defend joo won for the 3rd time this week buddy bestie come on we've been over this already")

so. that said. yes, thank you so much for bringing all this up and coming out with all the facts, because genuinely, i know that there are a lot more important things to worry about than like, the interpretation of a character (def Fandom Old for me to say that it's fine for people to dislike characters), but like. man, i would hope that if you dislike a character, you would also at least get the facts correct, y'know? for someone to completely, blatantly ignore joo won's actions and to read them in such a . . . narrow light irked me to say the least. i have now had some coffee and also the boost of literally every single beyond evil fan on twitter yelling about media literacy, so. i think i have some more energy to go off your very insightful points and evidence:

so yes, you're totally right--and i'd also bring up the fact that joo won quietly, privately checks up on lee geum hwa's body down at the morgue. he tries to get her buried/have a real funeral, but then he's told by the mortician that he can't, because only family members are allowed, and joo won doesn't qualify as a family member. i don't think someone who doesn't care/isn't remorseful would go so far as to quite literally check on her body and try to give lee geum hwa that much peace, even after her death.

and also, yes. virtue signaling, thank you for providing the correct definition. virtue signaling is the thing that celebrities and your annoying racist ex-high school classmate will do when sharing a bunch of infographics about #black lives matter on their instagram story, while still turning around and still endorsing racist politicians or something. virtue signaling looks like people clapping their hands and making a huge ruckus about "LOOK HOW GOOD A PERSON I AM, LOOK AT HOW GOOD A PERSON I AM" while deep down doing nothing. at its core, virtue signaling is all about performance, and i think what bothers me the most is to really look at joo won's actions and go "lol he was being so performative" when, in actuality, that was never the case. every single time he was planning with dong sik had always been in private. he tried so hard to never take the credit either (and the fact that he asked to be suspended and was literally planning to step down from the police, only to have dong sik tell him to stay) really goes to show how non-performative joo won is. (it's also worth noting that like. joo won is still just an inspector when he comes around to manyang in the next year. with his credentials, it's pretty easy to think that people would have wanted to promote him, but i'm willing to bet that joo won had turned down any promotions because he didn't want that attention or that potential of moving to seoul, where he wouldn't be completing dong sik's assigned mission for him (finding lost people)).

anyways, thank you for your remarks. i do think i tend to be mostly zen when it comes to beyond evil comments and general disagreements when it comes to fandom, but i was disheartened to find those sorts of comments in my inbox this morning lol (maybe doubly so because today marks 10 years of fandom for me, personally, so there was definitely some irony in waking up and being like "omg i've done this for 10 years", only to be hit with "oh my god i've been doing this for 10 years and people still think it's cool to make me feel annoyed at 8 in the morning, jesus christ").

but in any case: thank you for the remarks!

#answered #beyond evil

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softcarebears · 4 months

Note

POOKIE

WHERE R U

I HAVEN’T HEARD FROM U IN WEEKS

POOKIE I'M ALIVE I PROMISE....I JUST WAS SO SICK THIS WEEK😔(still sick) i did read the asks but did not have time to post on tumblr because of school but i also was not in the mood to post i was taking a mini idk tumblr break idk myself...😔i'm doing good i promise...its just my life is lowkey boring lmfao (no crushes no bitches lol) while my friend's (chingching bestie) life is a freaking kdrama

because of school i can barely do shit and also im bad at time management and also since our school's turning 50 next month we are doing weeks....for example "french week" "science week" yea alot of activities...its so fun!!...kinda slayful our school is doing entertaining stuff and is not monotone af😭

this week was french week it was so fun...we decorated the school the week before,on monday we had a whole ass assembly where we sang + prayed + had poems and the ambassador of fucking france was here boi,he also was present to give students their delf b2 (a french exam) diplomas

...fun fact: i'm gonna go do this exam in july😔..and did i start practicing?...no...i mean i've been starting to speak french at home and with my friends haha...its fine...haha...ha..😭,(since there's so many weeks we only did the delf introduction class...so yea...we haven't practiced yet...deadass) uhh what else we also had poems read in the assembly and there was karaoke session during recess on tuesday, then wednesday there was a dance in recess ,thursday there was a mini tea party for the teachers during the break, a FUNNY AND GOOFY ASS play about a disaster wedding done by the 11th graders😭

(here's some lines i translated since i have the script)

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

The bride: You Gerard Two by Two, as soon as I saw your snags, I knew I could endure your jackal breath until the end of my days. Your orangina body gives me gas.

The Groom: Shake me,Shake me

The bride: Your eyes…uh your eyes, well I don’t know anymore. I loved you I love you and I will love you until the end

Thanks WHO?

Everyone:FRANCIS CABREL!!!

The groom: Wejdene Macaroni. My little sugar macaroni, oh no i meant macaron… honey of my life, my chocolate, my couscous.

Disgusted bride: ewww

The Groom: As soon as I saw your girlfriend I knew you were sexy but her...she's really hot. Winks to the girlfriend*

Guests: She's sexy but her girlfriend is hot (shook)

The bride: Wait, you're still talking about my girlfriend!

The Groom: Wait, I’m not finished. Wejdene you are the plum of my eye…uhh no apple i meant

Your Nicki Minaj Shein version body is driving me crazy… *literally sarcastic*

Love youuuuu.. Come on bye.

Priest: Let's exchange alliances *Exchange

Priest: let's not forget that a woman's place is in the kitchen.

The bride: But uhhhh, that's sexist. I didn’t come here to suffer okeh! Ah no eh. You just have to go to ti baz (local pizzeria in the country)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------on the same day our class did a lil party we did those french charcuterie board and we tried french cheeses...i only liked the camembert one, the gouda skewer and the tartare cream cheese..the blue brie cheese was so bad on god (there were two types so i think i got the stronger one because my friends thought theirs were ok...tasted like dirty socks...bro😔) and that comté cheese...nuh uh traumatising...😭the sausages were good ofc...i will stick to my craft cheddar cheese and creamcheeses boi...

and on the last day we all wore blue,white and red shirts and also facepainted and there was a mini concert...my french teacher (she was also both my homeroom and french literature teacher last year sang AND SHE ATE!!😩🌹 and my ex-french teacher from last year also sang AND HE DIGESTED FR 😱....

but yea main reason i did not post this week until yesterday was because i was sick😔 @1-800-pastelskies

#personal folder⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡#peachie asks🍑#slice of life #french week #charcuterie #charcuterie board #camembert cheese

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mirrors-rigor · 1 year

Text

Trigger warning. Domestic abuse.

Chapter 1

Rei stood at the gate of the University with a determined expression on her face trying to drown her nerves.

"This is it," she said, "No turning back now. This is my chance to better myself."

She walked into her first class of the day, literature. She thinks to herself that she is lucky to have taken her first year of college in highschool. She pulled out a notebook and pencil from her bag and set it on the table. The professor walked in and started the class off with a quote from Winston Churchill, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts,'" he pauses, "I am glad to start the new term with a new bunch. We are going to start off the year with an essay~~" his words trail off as Rei spaces out and starts thinking of how she will plan her day.

She silently says to herself, "My last class doesn't end until 5. If I get some work done during lunch, I could spare some free time to go to the nearest grocery store and cook dinner before it gets too late."

She is startled by a student, "Aw, teach, this is so unfair, that's too much for the first week. This is abuse!"

"You want to add more pages to your paper, Mister Sungwoon?" his voice travels again. Hearing the word abuse, she is reminded of a memory from not too long ago in her last year of high school.

---

Her ex girlfriend grabs her hair and arm, "You inconsiderate bitch! Where were you!?"

Rei, sobbing on her knees, tries to get Naomi to stop pulling her hair, "Nngh! Let me go! I was at my parent's house visiting! Please let me go!"

"Don't lie to me!" Naomi raises her hand.

SLAP

---

Rei shakes her head, I don't need her. She watches as the boy who was talking earlier walks out of the class. The teacher ignores him.

---

Greyson leans over towards Destry and whispers, "Dude, I'm so bored. Let's just skip."

Destry, taking notes, "I'm not skipping the first day of the term."

Greyson smiles, "Of course you won't. I'm off." Destry looks at Greyson as he winks sticking his tongue out sneaking out the door. How did he even make it this far.

Greyson walks down the halls and into the courtyard. He spots a vendy machine and a familiar face. He puts the coins into the machine and out drop two waters.

"It's so goddamn hot for fall," he presses the bottle up against Kyung's ear. Kyung's chest moves towards his knees surprised. Greyson puts the water bottle in his hands.

He turns to look at his surprise attacker and almost immediately makes a face of disapproval, "What the hell do you want."

"Ah, don't be like that. I'm just here to hang."

Kyung looks away, "Then hang somewhere else, there are plenty of other benches to sit at."

Greyson chuckles, "No, I don't think I will."

"Fine, do what you want. I'll sit somewhere else." Kyung stands up and starts walking away.

"Not even gonna thank me for the water?"

Kyung stops in his tracks, "Thanks."

Greyson watches Kyung walk away with a smile. Greyson and Kyung simultaneously think, Damn it's hot.

---

Rei panics as she snaps out of her stupor, grabbing her bag for her next class. Crap, I'm going to be late for Statistics.

As she is running around the corner to get to her next class she bumps into Destry and they both fall to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" Rei picks up his notebook in a rush and shoves it against him bowing quickly and runs away.

Destry looks at his notebook, weird.

Rei runs past Greyson who just saw everything, "Hey! Quit running!" He walks over to Destry, "Damn, you alright? She straight up hauled ass around that corner."

"I'm fine." Greyson holds a hand out to Destry.

"You know her?" Greyson asks pulling him up.

"I don't. She looks new."

An irritated voice comes from Rei's direction, "Watch where you're going!"

"Let's head to class," Greyson says as he walks back in the direction he came. Destry follows.

Rei sits herself in the back of the classroom, 15 minutes late, hopefully the professor didn't notice. She looks up at the professor to see her glaring, she totally noticed, I'm gonna be scolded on my first day. She takes out her notebook.

Two guys walk in. It was Destry and Greyson. Rei looks up surprised to see him. Destry stares at her with a stoic expression as he walks to his seat next to Greyson up front. Why is he glaring at me? Whatever, Rei looks down at her notebook, I think I will try out that cafe after class. She looks outside.

Kyung looks across the room who saw Destry staring that a girl he doesn't know and scoffs, tck.

---

A couple of hours later the professor announces the end of class.

Finally, I have 3 hours to eat and get some work done before my next class, she walks off campus.

Crap, I have no idea where I am. Maps says it's right here! Rei looks at her phone confused, Maybe it's on the opposite side. She walks past an alleyway where she hears struggling. Her eyes go wide as she sees a man being held on the ground getting hit in the face by a person who is slightly smaller than him. It was the guy she bumped into before class. Blood ran down his face.

In between punches, Destry noticed Rei looking at the two of them and he smirks. Destry wraps his leg around Kyung's leg, pulls his other foot forward and kicks him full force in the chest, making him fall over.

Holy crap! Rei runs away around the corner. She pants as she stops running, Who the hell is that guy? Who was that dude on top of him? Rei looks up and sees the cafe in front of her, … well I made it.

She walks into the cafe and sits at the coffee bar. A young looking gentleman asks if he could get her anything with a smile on his face. "Oh, can I get a coffee and a sandwich please?" He bows and walks over to the espresso machine to make her coffee.

---

Destroy knees Kyung in the stomach and Kyung crumbles to the ground in pain.

Destry grabs Kyung's face, forcing him to look into his eyes, "Don't pick a fight you can't win."

Kyung slaps Destry's hand away, "You're a goddamn monster."

Destry walks away out of the alley in silence as Kyung sits against the wall with his face beet red in tears. I'm so stupid.

---

Destry walks around the corner and spots Rei leaving and saying thanks to the cafe owner when he gets a text from Greyson. Ping

Hey, meet me at XXX.

He looks away from his phone and starts walking. Destry doesn't question it and heads into the direction of the club with blood dripping down his nose and mouth wiping it with the back of his hand.

---

Destry is let into the club by the bouncer. Loud music booms. He sees Greyson in a suit at the counter talking to one of the strippers. Greyson spots Destry and makes a finger gun shot at him smiling.

It's quiet. Destry and Greyson are sitting in a booth when an older gentleman in a suit walks up to them smiling. "Greyson. Destry."

"Nicolas. Get to the point," Destry says impatiently.

"Alright, then." Nicolas puts on a serious face as he begins to explain, "You two will be working together on this next one. His name is Hiroshi Yukimira," Nicolas places a personnel information file in front of them. Destry grabs the paper and Greyson looks over his shoulder. Nicolas continues, "He owns the cafe down the street. He is an ex personnel that used to operate a special op. unit in Colorado. He is selling artillery in our jurisdiction and I expect you both to terminate him by the end of the week. Understood."

Greyson looked up at Nicolas with a serious face and nods. They stand up and walk towards the bar, fully understanding what needs to be done. Music booming once again.

Greyson looks at the bartender seriously and yells over the music, "I'd like to see Mr. Fusca." The bartender signals them to follow him by nodding. They walk behind the counter and follow the man upstairs, the music drowning out.

Tables and walls filled with all types of guns and ammo.

Greyson grabs two hand guns and places them in his waist holster under the coat of his suit smiling wide. He grabs a silver case and looks at Destry.

Destry nods, tidies his suit, and grabs a long black case from the table. They boy walk out of the building.

---

[ A few minutes ago ]

Rei spots Destry walking into an adult club and has a shocked look on her face.

What the hell!?

She doesn't have a clue.

--- [ Chapter End ]

Authors note: I’m probably not going to finish this story, but I thought I would post what I had at least. I was going to make it a webcomic but I just don’t have the time. It’s a very rough draft so it’s not good.

#story #fiction #wip #never gonna finish

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arachnaetheyarnspider · 1 year

Text

ChatGPT - A Uniquely Bad Tool For The Task

So, for my YA Literature class, we've been assigned the task of using an AI, like ChatGPT, to generate a list of YA books that may resonate with a specific touchstone reader. Having done this, I have to conclude that ChatGPT is utterly useless for this task. Let's break down why! Hey ho, and away we go! The process is under the cut!

Who Is This For?

Alrighty then. Let's start by identifying our target reader. Since we're already working with AI, I've gone ahead and created a person using This Person Does Not Exist. Here's our reader!

Since this person doesn't actually exist, we can assign them some traits. Let's say that they're a second-generation immigrant, and that they're questioning their gender identity. To give the AI some additional traits to latch on to, let's say that they're also interested in theater, and that birds are their favorite animal. (Spoiler alert: the AI did not, in fact, latch on to any of that additional information.)

Why this touchstone reader in particular? According to The Trevor Project, trans youth are between 2 and 2.5 times more likely to be depressed than their cisgender peers. Getting these kids the right book, one where they can see themselves and find the hope to get them through the school year, can be lifesaving.

Prompts

Alright! Let’s get prompting! I’m using ChatGPT 3.5 for this set. For the purposes of this project, we’re restricting the results to stuff published after 2020.

We might as well be polite to our robot overlords. And let’s see how we did!

Now, ChatGPT says these are all from after 2020, but doesn’t actually give the dates. My fault for not asking it to include the dates. Let’s revise the prompt:

And here we run into one of the problems with ChatGPT: it doesn’t actually know what a date is. Here, it’s confidently stated that all the books were published after 2020, and then listed two published in 2019. Let’s try again.

At this point, I realized that I forgot to request the publisher. Let’s revise once again!

And with that, I think we’ve successfully gotten the AI to provide a book list! Let’s go and analyze what we were given.

Analysis

"May the Best Man Win" by Z.R. Ellor

- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

- Publication Date: May 18, 2021

- Description: “In this contemporary YA novel, Jeremy and Maya, two transgender teens, find themselves competing fiercely against each other in a cutthroat senior class election. As they navigate the challenges of the campaign trail, they also discover love, acceptance, and the importance of being true to themselves.”

And here’s the description from the publisher’s website:

“Jeremy Harkiss, cheer captain and student body president, won’t let coming out as a transgender boy ruin his senior year. Instead of bowing to the bigots and outdate school administration, Jeremy decides to make some noise—and how better than by challenging his all-star ex-boyfriend, Lukas for the title of Homecoming King? Lukas Rivers, football star and head of the Homecoming Committee, is just trying to find order in his life after his older brother’s funeral and the loss of his long-term girlfriend—who turned out to be a boy. But when Jeremy threatens to break his heart and steal his crown, Lukas kick starts a plot to sabotage Jeremy’s campaign. When both boys take their rivalry too far, the dance is on the verge of being canceled. To save Homecoming, they’ll have to face the hurt they’re both hiding—and the lingering butterflies they can’t deny.”

Yeah, those don’t sound like the same book to me. This isn’t about a senior class election; it’s about becoming homecoming king! And who’s Maya? She isn’t mentioned in the actual publisher description at all! That being said, at least the title, publisher, and publication date are correct. It’s about gender identity, so it can stay on the list.

Citations: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250625137/maythebestmanwin

2. "The Passing Playbook" by Isaac Fitzsimons

- Publisher: Dial Books

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

- Description: Spencer, a transgender boy, loves soccer, but he faces challenges on and off the field. In this heartwarming YA novel, he navigates friendship, first love, and self-discovery while dealing with societal expectations and embracing his true identity.

Ooof. We’re getting some basic factual errors on this one: ChatGPT gave the publication date on this one as June 1, 2021. It was actually published May 31, 2022. Let’s compare that to the publisher’s description:

“Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother, and a David Beckham in training. He’s also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of isolation and bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio.

At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boys’ soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans—he’s passing.

But when a discriminatory law forces Spencer’s coach to bench him, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even though it would mean coming out to everyone—including the guy he’s falling for.”

You know what? Close enough. We’ve got the basic premise and the character’s name right. We’ve done worse, though the basic factual errors are troubling. Again, we’re seeing the issue that ChatGPT doesn’t actually know what a date is.

Citations: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610606/the-passing-playbook-by-isaac-fitzsimons/

"Rising Like a Storm" by Tanaz Bhathena

- Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

- Publication Date: June 22, 2021

- Description: This captivating sequel to "Hunted by the Sky" follows Gul and Cavas, who continue their fight against a tyrannical ruler in a world of magic and politics. As they challenge destiny and uncover secrets, their paths intertwine, bringing them closer together.

This may be as close to “Good” as ChatGPT can get: we have the right publisher and publication date this time! Let’s compare to the publisher’s description.

"In the concluding installment to the Wrath of Ambar duology from masterful author Tanaz Bhathena, Gul and Cavas must unite their magical forces—and hold onto their growing romance—to save their kingdom from tyranny. With King Lohar dead and a usurper queen in power, Gul and Cavas face a new tyrannical government that is bent on killing them both. Their roles in King Lohar's death have not gone unnoticed, and the new queen is out for blood. What she doesn't know is that Gul and Cavas have a connection that runs deeper than romance, and together, they just might have the strength and magic to end her for good. Then a grave mistake ends with Cavas taken prisoner by the government. Gul must train an army of warriors alone. With alliances shifting and the thirst for vengeance growing, the fate of Ambar seems ever more uncertain. It will take every ounce of strength, love, and sacrifice for Gul and Cavas to reach their final goal—and build a more just world than they've ever known.”

Well, the ChatGPT description is *technically* accurate, but only because it’s so vague that it could apply to almost any YA fantasy romance. But we’ve got the character’s names right this time, we correctly identified it as a sequel and the name of the earlier book.

It’s rare enough that we get a fantasy novel involving nonwhite characters, and representation is important, so this can stay on the list.

"The Sky Blues" by Robbie Couch

- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

- Publication Date: April 6, 2021

- Description: In this humorous and heartwarming YA novel, Sky Baker, a gay high school senior, sets out on a mission to make prom night perfect for his crush. Along the way, he confronts homophobia, strengthens his friendships, and discovers the power of being true to himself.

Once again, we have a wrong publication date. The correct date is August 2, 2022. Let’s see how ChatGPT compares to the publisher’s description:

“Sky Baker may be openly gay, but in his small, insular town, making sure he was invisible has always been easier than being himself. Determined not to let anything ruin his senior year, Sky decides to make a splash at his high school’s annual beach bum party by asking his crush, Ali, to prom—and he has thirty days to do it. What better way to start living loud and proud than by pulling off the gayest promposal Rock Ledge, Michigan, has ever seen? Then, Sky’s plans are leaked by an anonymous hacker in a deeply homophobic e-blast that quickly goes viral. He’s fully prepared to drop out and skip town altogether—until his classmates give him a reason to fight back by turning his thirty-day promposal countdown into a school-wide hunt to expose the e-blast perpetrator. But what happens at the end of the thirty days? Will Sky get to keep his hard-won visibility? Or will his small-town blues stop him from being his true self?”

Well, it got the character’s name, at least, and that it’s related to prom, and has themes of homophobia. It seems to have missed the bit about the proposal and the corresponding mystery, but this is overall about as good as this gets.

Citations: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Sky-Blues/Robbie-Couch/9781534477865

5. "Darius the Great Deserves Better" by Adib Khorram

- Publisher: Dial Books

- Publication Date: August 25, 2020

- Description: Description: In this charming sequel to "Darius the Great Is Not Okay," Darius struggles with his identity as a queer, Iranian-American teenager. As he navigates senior year, long-distance friendships, and unexpected romantic feelings, he learns valuable lessons about love, acceptance, and self-worth.

The publication date is wrong again. It should be August 24, 2021. Once again, let’s see how the basic plot compares to the publisher’s description:

"Darius Kellner is having a bit of a year. Since his trip to Iran, a lot has changed. He’s getting along with his dad, and his best friend Sohrab is only a Skype call away. Between his first boyfriend, Landon, varsity soccer practices, and an internship at his favorite tea shop, things are falling into place.

Then, of course, everything changes. Darius’s grandmothers are in town for a long visit, and Darius can’t tell whether they even like him. The internship is not going according to plan, Sohrab isn’t answering Darius’s calls, and Dad is far away on business. And Darius is sure he really likes Landon . . . but he’s also been hanging out with Chip Cusumano, former bully and current soccer teammate–and well, maybe he’s not so sure about anything after all.

Darius was just starting to feel okay, like he finally knew what it meant to be Darius Kellner. But maybe okay isn’t good enough. Maybe Darius deserves better."

Once again, we have a description so vague it’s practically meaningless. Still, the book can stay on the list, since it does relate to the troubles of coming of age as a queer youth in an immigrant family.

Citations: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/621961/darius-the-great-deserves-better-by-adib-khorram

6. "She Drives Me Crazy" by Kelly Quindlen

- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

- Publication Date: April 20, 2021

- Description: After a school prank goes awry, Scottie and Irene are paired together and forced to work as a team. This YA novel explores themes of friendship, romance, and individuality as they find common ground and challenge societal expectations.

Well, this is the first time we’ve had a publisher name go wrong as well as a publication date. The actual publisher is Square Fish, 4/19/2022. This doesn’t bode well for the comparison to the publisher’s description…

"High school nemeses fall in love in Kelly Quindlen's She Drives Me Crazy, a queer YA rom com perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Casey McQuiston. After an embarrassing loss to her ex-girlfriend in their first basketball game of the season, seventeen-year-old Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with the worst possible person: her nemesis, Irene Abraham, head cheerleader for the Fighting Reindeer. Irene is as mean as she is beautiful, so Scottie makes a point to keep her distance. When the accident sends Irene’s car to the shop for weeks’ worth of repairs and the girls are forced to carpool, their rocky start only gets bumpier. But when an opportunity arises for Scottie to get back at her toxic ex—and climb her school’s social ladder—she bribes Irene into an elaborate fake- dating scheme that threatens to reveal some very real feelings. From author Kelly Quindlen comes a new laugh-out-loud romp through the ups and downs of teen romance, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera."

Yeah, those aren’t the same book. It’s barely relevant to the touchstone reader, so I’d take this off the final list.

Citations: https://www.kellyquindlen.com/she-drives-me-crazy

7. "The Witch King" by H.E. Edgmon

- Publisher: Inkyard Press

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

-Description: Wyatt Croft, a nonbinary trans witch, gets entangled in a dangerous web of political intrigue and fae machinations. This gripping dark fantasy novel explores themes of identity, trauma, and power, taking readers on an enthralling journey.

We had the right publication date and publisher this time! Let’s see if they can keep it up! Let's see the publisher description!

"To save a fae kingdom, a trans witch must face his traumatic past and the royal fiancé he left behind. This debut YA fantasy will leave you spellbound. Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from—but a kingdom demands its king. In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world.

Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom."

Well, kind of. It appears that we have the wrong identity for the character (trans male, instead of nonbinary), but it looks like the plot is fairly close to the actual plot. Once again, we’re dealing with trans characters, so this is still relevant to our touchstone reader.

Citations: https://heedgmon.com/thewitchking/

"Jay's Gay Agenda" by Jason June

- Publisher: HarperTeen

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

- Description: In this fun and uplifting coming-of-age story, Jay, an openly gay teenager, moves to Seattle and embraces his "Gay Agenda." He navigates self-discovery, embraces his identity, and explores his romantic life, all while finding support and acceptance in unexpected places.

And another wrong publication date: this should be May 10, 2022. Let's see how it does against the publisher's description:

"There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.

Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he’ll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones . . . because after all, life and love don’t always go according to plan. "

The description is simple, but nothing jumps out as blatantly inaccurate. We have the correct location and character names, which isn’t always a given when working with ChatGPT. That being said, it doesn't seem terribly relevant to our touchstone reader, and I would probably leave it off the final list.

Citations: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/jays-gay-agenda-jason-june?variant=39664419799074

9. "A Clash of Steel" by C.B. Lee

- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

- Publication Date: September 7, 2021

- Description: This captivating historical fantasy reimagines the story of Romeo and Juliet with a diverse and LGBTQ+ cast. Featuring pirates, adventure, and romance, this novel explores themes of love, loyalty, and individuality in a rich and imaginative world.

Well, the publisher and publication date are right! Let’s see how we do on the plot:

"1826. The sun is setting on the golden age of piracy, and the legendary Dragon Fleet, the scourge of the South China Sea, is no more. Its ruthless leader, a woman known only as the Head of the Dragon, is now only a story, like the ones Xiang has grown up with all her life. She desperately wants to prove her worth, especially to her mother, a shrewd business woman who never seems to have enough time for Xiang. Her father is also only a story, dead at sea before Xiang was born. Her only memento of him is a pendant she always wears, a simple but plain piece of gold jewelry.

But the pendant’s true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. The revelation that Xiang’s father sailed with the Dragon Fleet and tucked away this secret changes everything. Rumor has it that the legendary Head of the Dragon had one last treasure—the plunder of a thousand ports — that for decades has only been a myth, a fool’s journey.

Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea—and especially those who sail it—are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe."

I don’t even know where ChatGPT got this description. It has nothing at all to do with Romeo and Juilet. The publisher's page actually states that this is a retelling of Treasure Island, with a more diverse, queer cast. At least they figured out that it’s about pirates? The publication date might be correct, but nothing else is. It isn't especially relevant, but my personal preferences make me inclined to leave it on the list.

Citations: https://cb-lee.com/a-clash-of-steel/

10. "You Don't Live Here" by Robyn Schneider

- Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

- Publication Date: June 1, 2021

-Description: After the death of her sister, June struggles with grief, identity, and understanding her asexuality. In this poignant YA novel, she finds support and strength in an unexpected friendship while navigating life's uncertainties.

Let's compare to the publisher description:

"In Southern California, no one lives more than thirty miles from the nearest fault line. Sasha Bloom is standing right on top of one when her world literally crumbles around her. With her mother now dead and father out of the picture, Sasha moves in with her estranged grandparents.

Living in her mom’s old bedroom, Sasha has no idea who she is anymore. Luckily, her grandparents are certain they know who she should be: A lawyer in the making. Ten pounds skinnier. In a socially advantageous relationship with a boy from a good family—a boy like Cole Edwards.

And Cole has ideas for who Sasha should be, too. His plus one at lunch. His girlfriend. His.

Sasha tries to make everything work, but that means folding away her love of photography, her grief for her mother, and he growing interest in the magnificently clever Lily Chen. Sasha wants to follow Lily off the beaten path, to discover hidden beaches, secret menus, and the truth about dinosaur pee.

But being friends with Lily might lead somewhere new. Is Sasha willing to stop being the girl everyone expects and let the girl beneath the surface breath through?"

I don’t even know where to start on this one. It looks like ChatGPT was determined to end on a dramatic note: ChatGPT just entirely hallucinated the entire plot for their description.

Who is June? What happened to any of the characters actually in the book? This isn’t actually relevant, so I would remove it from the final list entirely.

Citations: https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/25250-robyn-schneider-you-dont-live-here-ya/

Okay, time for a wrap-up:

Conclusions:

As bad as ChatGPT is at providing accurate information, I can’t really blame the tool. This is the equivalent to dropping a set of Scrabble tiles on the floor, and then accusing it of lying when it fails to spell out any useful information. Generative AI like this is very much like magnetic fridge poetry: you may sometimes randomly draw something clever or profound, or something blatantly untrue. Either way, there’s very little praise or blame to be laid at the magnet’s feet.

This entire book list would have been better generated by going into Google, typing “YA theater books” or “YA immigrant books”, and going through the human-curated lists that come up. That might still sometimes yield bad results (differences in opinion and/or bad curation techniques) but at least they would have been handled by and actual human with the capacity to read the books.

Because, for all the praise behind it, ChatGPT doesn’t actually know what a book is. It doesn’t know what a reader is. It cannot read. It has no concept of lying, nor any way to check the accuracy of the words that it puts out. All it can do is guess what the next most likely word in the sentence might be.

It’s not the machine’s fault that we expect it to be human. It doesn’t deserve the human blame we throw at it.

#AI is bad at its job #TW: suicide #Young Adult Literature

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ryttu3k · 2 years

Text

Meet Aleki, my 'canon' protag for Sins of the Sires!

14th generation Thinblood, originally (and unbeknownst to him) of Tzimisce background. Using a bit of gameplay-story segregation here, his only disciplines are a bit of Animalism and Auspex, and developing Insight. High-humanity, Certified Soft Boy(tm) (no seriously ended the game on 87% Soft). Used to be a history and literature student (he was only twenty-one at Embrace, not quite a PhD student yet) with a fondness for going out dancing. Hasn't done that in a while, he's become a bit worn down after ten years of working for/serving Markos, but meeting Gor is deeply inspiring.

Femme (cis but very gnc), forestcore aesthetic. Enjoys soft, generally dark autumnal colours, corduroy, frogs, mushrooms, and sunflowers, lip gloss, crop tops, and trying to make the Prince decide if he should be kicked out of Elysium or not. Bagger, has one of those insulated coffee cups covered in cute stickers that he keeps his blood in.

One of his strongest latent Tzimisce traits is that he just enjoys putting his bare feet in the soft soil and being at peace. Probably one of the few Thinbloods to genuinely be delighted with his status because it means he can see the sun again. Has emotional support bat famalus named Nyx and will make "I am the night" jokes at every opportunity.

Disciplines: Animalism 2 (Bond Famalus, Feral Whispers), Auspex 2 (Sense the Unseen, Premonition)

Merits & Flaws: Anarch Comrades, Discipline Affinity / Branded by the Camarilla, Bestial Temper

Predator Type: Bagger

Basically doing a hybrid version of like... four different endings/outcomes for his 'canon' backstory. Cut for spoilers!

So I'm using a smidge of version 1.0 here (with my not!Pyre version), mostly based on my... assorted attempts with Aleki himself. Version 7.0 is here, 7.1 is here, and 7.3 is here (we don't talk about 7.2).

Pretty much follows 7.0 up until Belgrade. Bonded with Gor, started a romance with him. Got Nyx the bat friend, spared Savvas because he could see himself in his place. After meeting Sophia, he was sent after Gor, went, "Um, no" and escaped with him to Belgrade. From there:

v1.0: Sees Kapriel in Belgrade, but he and Gor are able to evade him and escape.

v7.1: Aleki agrees to return to Athens with Kapriel to protect Gor and the others and to prevent a fight breaking out.

No actual version: Gor manages to evade Kapriel!

v7.0: Aleki is blood bound to Kapriel and taken to Sophia. The coup fails. The Prince brands Aleki with the Thinblood symbol.

v7.1: Aleki fails to convince Selene to stop. She (and Aleki's ex Nikos) still die in the explosion, but Vole is able to get to Aleki and hide him away.

v7.0: The SI descends upon Athens and takes out most of the Camarilla, except this time...

No actual version: ...Kapriel is captured and imprisoned.

v7.0: Aleki stays with Vole for the year to be weaned off the blood bond...

v7.3: ...then returns to Thessaloniki and finds Gor there.

Still kind of tense. Aleki is pretty traumatised after being captured, forcibly blood bound, branded, and failing to save his ex and a whole lot of others from death, and things between him and Gor are pretty slow to progress, both having trust issues (Gor's well-established, Aleki's brand new) and both paranoid that Kapriel will one day escape the SI. Still in contact with Vole, who Aleki is now very close to after spending a year recovering with him. Markos died in the SI raid, Persa supposedly survived but has since vanished. He thinks he saw her once, watching from across the street.

Helps Gor out in the refugee camps and squats. Tries not to think about the last eleven years in Athens. Sometimes still goes out dancing, and, if he can, will watch the sunrise before settling into day sleep with Gor. They're... getting there, one night at a time.

#vampire the masquerade #vtm sins of the sires #oc: aleki #ry draws stuff

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marblesphere · 3 years

Text

Dream or Reality (Noctis x Reader)

I wrote this fic years ago. So, I fixed up a little and decided to post it here. I have also posted it in devianart under LastMoogleHunter. Happy reading!

“Aaaaahhh….what a boring day, always the same. There’s nothing new, nothing makes me excited.” I sighed for the umpteenth times. I see, I haven’t introduced myself, my name is [Name] [Last Name], I am 12th grade in Destiny High. This is my last year, thus was recommended in making good memories. Though…there is nothing fun, I wish Final Fantasy characters are real people. That’ll so much fun, especially if there is Noctis.....

Kyaaaa!!! I am so embarassed... ahem, let’s put that aside and let’s get onto the story.

This morning also has the same routine, wake up, bath, breakfast, school, home, dinner, sleep and so on. And coincidentally my literature teacher decides it’s fun to see her students suffer, and thus given us a homework about composition. I groan, this is going to kill my brain cells. “God, please let my life get interesting such as Final Fantasy character come to life..... Just kidding, it’s not like it can be granted anyway.” I exhaled. I put my homework and stationery on my desk and start thinking about the theme I am going to write. Not long after I start doze off.

My internal clock woke me up from my slumber. Groggily, I glance my clock and it shows 6.30 a.m. I blink once, twice and rub my eyes to make sure I am not mistaking it. In instant, all sleepiness fades away. ”Aaaahh!! I am late!!” I freaked out and with lightning speed I took a bath. While I was stripping though, something fell from my shorts’ pocket. I pick it up and examine it, it was a golden watch. Curious, I open it and something was craved on the lid ‘aeternam vinculo’ ‘what’s this mean? More importantly when I got this thing?’ I was thinking and completely forgotten the time.

“[Name]! breakfast is ready!” Kaa-san called.

“No way!” I yelped and resumed my activity.

I run down the stairs and eat breakfast quickly, “[Name], there’s still some time.” Kaa-san said.

I gulp down my orange juice, “Gotta go. Bye Kaa-san, Tou-san.” I said as I ran to school. Fortunately, the distance to school from my house is not that far. Upon arriving there, I still see a lot of students leisurely walking to the school. Looks like I am safe. I sigh in relief as I pat my chest. suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around, but the sight of that ‘someone’ tapping my shoulder made my eyes widenend.

“Morning.” He said, while I blinked once, twice, titled my head and stare at him as he is an alien landing on earth. The person who greeted me is no other than the famous Chocobo head, Cloud Strife.

I keep staring at him without blinking. “You…” I could only manage a word to come out from my mouth.

Cloud looks at me oddly, “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Good morning you two.” A new voice called. Our head snap to that direction and find Tifa and Yuffie are walking toward us.

My eyes widened ‘[Name].exe is shutting down.’ I can practically hear a robotic voice said that. ‘What exactly is going on?’

Seeing my confused blank looking face, concern made to Tifa’s face, “[Name], what’s wrong?” She asked.

So, I did the most logical action I could at the moment, I pinch my left hand, “Ow…” ‘It hurt.’ I rubbed my reddening left hand.

“[Name], are you really alright?” Tifa asked again. “Don’t worry Tifa, I bet she just woke up.” Yuffie grinned.

‘It’s not a dream....? t-they are really alive...?’ I am still confused, I am still not sure if I am having a realistic dream or this is the reality. But if so, what about yesterday and the day before yesterday and the days before today? Was that reality a dream? And this is the real reality? My mind is in jumbled mess, but I am happy. My wish has come true, my wish for the Final Fantasy characters are real people and as a bonus I have befriend with them. There’s no more I could ask for.

I feel someone shakes me. “Huh?” I snapped back to the reality.

“Maybe we should get her to infirmary.” Tifa said.

“Whooa. [Name], you really sick?” Yuffie was shocked by the news.

“Let’s go.” Cloud said as he prepared to drag me.

“W-wait! I’m fine, I just dozing because I just woke up.” I said putting a sheepish grin.

“See, she’s just woke up.” Yuffie grinned again, but I can see she was relieved as well.

‘Well, I did wish something interesting like this happen. Well, dream or not let’s enjoyed it to the last.’ I smiled at my thought as we walked to the class.

Upon entering class, I no longer panic on what I saw. There are some FF characters here and there, but I spot no Noctis, ‘Well, I’ll be lying if I am not disappointed.’ I sigh softly. ‘Well, nothing goes smooth now.’

Then I heard giggles and squeals. ‘Don’t tell me this is a famous scene from shoujo manga. The moment when male lead and his group enter the classroom. If so, then… Those girls will be the mortal enemies of the female lead. After the plot milked her usefulness, she and her sidekicks will fall into ruin.’ I blinked as I looked at those girls. ‘What a shame. They look nice enough though. But, I wonder who they’re fangirling about.’ I follow the crowd’s eyes, then the door opened revealing ‘Emergency! Mayday! Mayday! All staffs please evacuate! The ship will sink soon!Eh? EEEEEEHHHHH???!!! What is happening?! Why is he here?! No... I mean… I am happy that he is here. But he being here is a problem itself to me, in many ways.’ The one who opened the door is no other than Noctis.

I stiffen when he walks to me. “Good morning.” He muttered as he walked past me to his seat which is behind me.

“Mo-morning…?” And the problem is I was suttering when I replied, ‘Now I’ve done it…. he officially think I am one of his fangirls.’ I sighed earning a few snickers from Tifa and Yuffie which I give them an odd look.

“Morning, Hime-chi.” Prompto greeted.

I am not sure who is Hime-chi is. But seeing no one responds to him, it must be me, right? “Morning…?” I greeted back hesitantly.

During the duration of the lesson, I can’t concentrate at all. Part of it is because Noctis is sitting behind me. The other part is I am frantically thinking what should I do, what is my relationship with him and the other characters. Just because some of them are my friends, that doesn’t mean all of the characters must be my friends. And I have to be careful how to act around them, so they didn’t notice my awkwardness.

The bell rings signaling lunch break. Finally, me and the group which included almost all of the alvalanche members plus some other go to school cafeteria. Minus Cid and Barret cause they’re too old to go to school anyway which I found out later the two of them are school staffs. Barret as P.E teacher and Cid as engineer. And of course, let’s not forget Zack and Aerith. We go to cafeteria to eat lunch, while the others eat and talking each other, I am thinking about a lot of thing and that mysterious golden watch.

“[Name].” A voice snapped me out of my own world and I found all of them were staring at me.

“Huh?” I blinked owlishly.

“Are you okay?” Aerith asked worriedly.

“Did they bully you?” Prompto frowned.

“Eh? Bully? Who?” I tilted my head not understanding who were they talking about. ‘…For the first time in my life I was bullied…’

“WHAT!? Those girls are bullying my little sister?! How dare they!” Zack raged.

“W-Wait a minute. I am fine. No one is bullying me.” I said quickly calming them down.

“I heard something about bullying [Name]. Who is daring enough to do that?” Another new voice chimed in.

“Ah.” I blinked at the newcomers, twins exactly.

“Stella, Luna. Where were you guys?” Yuffie asked.

“Sorry, the teacher needed us just now.” Stella apologized.

“So, I heard someone is bullying [Name]? Which idiot?” Luna smiled scarily.

“No one was bullying me.” I shook my head quickly. ‘Scary…. Does Lunafreya is this kind of character?’ I sweatdropped.

“If we are talking about bullying, then I am sure it’s no other than her and her little group.” Tifa rolled her eyes.

‘I wonder who and why would people bully me? I don’t think I’ve ever made someone mad enough to be bullied by them.’ I scanned the cafeteria and spot a group of girls glaring at me, ‘Ah. So, they are the bully group.’ Then a mop of blond caught my attention, I narrow my eyes to get better sight, ‘…Who is she? I have never meet her before, but strangely her name popped out in my mind. Tachibana Kirika-san, Noct’s fangirl…. Ah, no wonder.’ I looked at her object of affection.

“Ignore them” Noct said.

“Umm...okay.” I answered.

After that staring contest, all is well. No war break between us. The last bell finally rings, signaling the end of school. And so, as per usual ritual, apparently we always go home together. “See you tomorrow.” I waved to them when I arrived at my house.

“See you.” They waved back. I open the door only to find it is hollow of life. I found a note one dinner table ‘Business trip one week, there’s a leftover for dinner. We’ll get your cousin to stay at the house tomorrow.’ I sighed. It’s still the same,’Oh well, I’m used to it.... wonder who is my cousin. This is the first time I heard about having a cousin staying over.’

Tired and still in term of accepting what has happened today. I am feeling really sleepy, but I didn’t dare to sleep. What if this is just a dream and I’ll wake up in the same position on my desk, as selfish as it may sound I still don’t want this to end yet. So many thoughts race in my head, absetmindedly I take out the golden watch and finally fallen asleep holding that.

I wake up with a start and glancing at my room, then realize something, FF charas. ‘Is it a dream?’ I sighed and I felt something in my hand. The golden watch, it’s still here. That means ‘It’s not a dream.’ I grinned widely, they are real. Thus, I quickly begin my routine of the day.

Arriving to the class, I greet them. Them as in the group. “Morning.” I greeted.

“Morning.” They replied. I sit at my seat and put my bag on drawer, but then a sharp pain creeps through my hand, instictively I take out my hand and trail of blood is dripping from my hand. My eyes flicker at the sound of giggles, there Tachibana Karin stand proudly at what she have done, she even raises her chin up to which I reply with raised eyebrow.

‘Truly, this is the first time I am being bullied for real.’

Seeing my bloodied right hand and still bleeding. Cloud quickly take my hand and examines it. “You okay?” He asked.

“As okay as someone will be with bleeding hand.” I remarked. Zack is definitely pissed off by the look of his face and stalks toward them.

“Why you little-“

“Zack. There’s no need to get angry.” I called to him.

Ignoring my call, he still stalks toward them, that is until Vincent holds him, “Ignore them. We should take her to infirmary.” He said.

“No no no. we can’t let this kind of things go.” Stella stepped in.

“Indeed. We’ll need to teach her a lesson.” Luna easily agreed with the older twin.

“Stella, Luna. Not you two too.” I sweatdropped.

“Let’s just take [Name] to infirmary first.” Tifa said. With that, the group accompanies me to the infirmary.

“The cut isn’t deep, it will heal in few days.” Nurse Quistis said after she finished bandaging me.

“Thank you.” I thanked her.

“It’s my job, now off you go to class.” She ushered.

“Yes ma’am.” I give her mock salute as I get out of the room.

Entering the class, I was bombarded with questions. Quistis kicked all of the out for being so noisy and too much. “I am fine.” I said for the umpteenth time.

Then Tachibana-san comes to me and asks with her sickly sweet voice, “How was your hand? Is it hurt?”

“Well, why don’t we try it to your hand. And then you’ll know whether it’s hurt or not.” I smiled eraning a few snickers from my friends as they heard my reply.

Tachibana-san’s face is red with anger and opens her mouth to say something. But then, the door opened revealing Noctis and Prompto. she quickly puts her sweet façade again to which I know that isn’t fooling anyone with decent IQ. “Good morning.” She greeted him which was ignored and laughter rose from our throats.

“If you didn’t do something like bullying his friends, you might have a chance.” I told her.

“You!” She gritted her teeth.

‘Aaah… She really didn’t get it.’ I sighed mentally. “Good morning you two. How unusuall for you to almost late.” I greeted.

“Good morning, Hime-chi. You see, we are almost late because we met an old woman on the street. She… Hime-chi, what happened to your hand?” Prompto frowned when he saw bandage on my left hand.

“Your hand...”

“Oh, this..” I said as I lift my hand. “Apparently, someone with a bad hobby finds it interesting to get me scream in pain. Unfortunately, they didn’t get what they want.” I smiled. Noct opens his mouth to ask something when the bell rang, signalling the start of class. All of us goes back to our seat. Well, in my case after recieving a hateful glare from Tachibana-san.

‘More importantly I wonder… Why is she targeting me? I mean, Noct’s female friends are not only I. There are Luna and Stella too…. Does she know I like him…? Well, I do like him as character in games before. And meeting him right now does make my feeling stronger… but, I am not sure if I like him as man… Besides…’ A certain scene from the game flashes in my mind. It’s overlapping in a scene I’ve seen here. ‘I am such a fool… obviously they are together…’ A bitter smile graces my lips.

The lessons went well, save for the ocasion hateful glare... okay scratch that, hateful glare all along. Lucnh break bell rings..... “Okay class, that’s all for today... oh and there is winter ball on the 28th December. All of you MUST come, it’ll be the last event for you. Class dissmissed.” Then the teacher goes out of classroom.

I groan inwardly, ‘Great… a ballroom.’ Note the sacarsm. The students scatters, chatting about the ball, while the group (girls only) advance to me.

“Soooo.....” Yuffie begins the conversation. “Who is going to be your date?” she asked excitedly.

“I don’t want to go.” I groaned again.

“You shouldn’t idle too long [Name], he will be snatched away.” Aerith said gigglig slightly.

“He? Who?” I titled my head. ‘Do I like someone?’

“Of course it’s him.” Yuffie answered.

“Tsk tsk tsk. As if [Name] will like another boy except from him.” Stella raised her brow.

“That dense man is too dense.” Luna giggled.

“Who is he exactly?” I frowned. But to them, my expression right now is quite funny because they are giggling.

“Don’t play dumb [Name]. all of us already know who is he. He is the one who gifted you the golden watch on your birthday.” Tifa said.

‘So, that was a gift from someone. And that someone is my crush so to speak…’ I blinked. ‘Who is…’ Suddenly the answer appeared itself in my mind.

*Poof* my face explodes to a blush. ‘It’s him. That man who is a trouble to me just by being here.’ I covered my face looking away from the evil grins on their faces.

“That time he was so shy. It’s funny, right?” Yuffie exclaimed.

“Hey, you guys.” I was saved by Reno. “Who are going to be you girls’ date?” He asked excitedly.

“Not again…” I groaned. “Reno, you don’t have any delicacy at all.” I whined.

“What happened to her?” Reno blinked.

“Just girl trouble.” Stella giggled followed by the rest of the girl.

“I mean you guys have fixed date already. Is there any point to ask?” I pouted. “I’m sure Tifa is going with Cloud, Aerith and Zack, Yuffie with Vincent. Stella is with Prompto and Luna will be going with No-.” I said.

“My date is a secret.” Luna cut my sentence.

“Secret?” I blinked.

“Yep. You’ll know when the time comes.” She smiled mysteriously.

“So, what about you [Name]? Wanna be my date?” He winked.

I snort, “No, thank you.” I flat out rejected him. “If I go with you. Your group of angry girlfriends will be waiting for me. Nuh-uh. I still want to be perfectly healthy, thank you.” All of them excluding Reno who is now sulking are laughing at his misfortune. “I am probably going alone. There’s no rule I can’t go alone.” I smiled. “…What’s wrong?” I blinked when I found them stared at me oddly.

“[Name]… You are quite dense…” Tifa sweatdropped.

“Huh?” I titled my head.

“[Name] you know, you are quite popular. If you say you are searching for a date. Everyone will probably line up.” Aerith giggled.

“…You are teasing me, aren’t you? I have a plain face you know. The one that is neither pretty, beautiful or cute. Besides, if I mean if I am quite popular, how come no one talk to me or better yet flirt to me?” I put an unamused face.

‘That’s because a certain someone made sure no one will not talk to you more than necessary. How can they have a gut to flirt with you with him hanging around you like a guard dog.’ All of them sweatdropped.

“Enough about me. What about the prince?” I turned my question to the prince that walked past me back to his seat.

“About what?” He sat back down.

“The winter ball. Who are you escorting?” I asked.

He snorts. “I don’t want to go.” He said.

“Me too. But we are forced to go.” I chuckled.

“I am waiting for someone.” He answered shortly. His answer makes the boys laugh. I raise my eyebrow at their odd reaction.

“You should hurry and ask her out, or else she’ll out of your reach.” Zack chuckled.

“Yep. After all the effort you put into.” Cloud nodded.

Zack’s word make my chest stings a bit. ‘What is this feeling?’ I blink the I shake my head to ignore it and chat with the rest of them.

Zack’s word is still ringing in my head. I am indeed curious as who is he going to ask, but I am more curious about the feeling in my heart just now. ’They are just characters from game, right? So, why did I have this feeling? Besides, I am sure he is going to ask Luna. No need to think that hard. They obviously are going to reveal it at the winter ball.’ I finally asleep while thinking about this.

Again, I wake up from my peaceful slumber before the alarm rings. I rub my eyes to get rid the alimighty power of sleepiness. The calendar on my wall made me realize this is Saturday. ‘Oh, it’s finally this day.’

As usual, I did my everyday routine, and then off to school. My peaceful day was once again ruined by Tachibana-san and the rabid fangirls follower.

“You! You dare to embarass me the other day, in front of my Noctis no less.” She screehed.

“My...Noctis...? Wow, I am not sure how to reply to that statement... Besides, weren’t you the one asked me about my hand, I just answered that it would be better for you to experience it first hand.” I answered effortlessly.

“You bitch!” She swung her hand to slap me. I am ready to dodge and prepare some wise words. But, her hand was caught midair by a more masculine hand.

I turn my head to get a better look of my savior. ‘Squall.’ I blinked at the unexpected character. ‘Rinoa shouldn’t be too far from Squall.’ I giggled inwardly at my own thought.

“You better stop this or you’ll get more than just slapping.” He growled. Tachibana-san turns pale. She and her follower quickly retreat back.

Then suddenly a girl pops out from his side. “Are you okay, [Name]?” Said girl is no other than Rinoa. ‘As I thought, Rinoa is not far.’ I chuckled at my own thought.

“I am fine.” I answered. “But, why are you two here?” I asked, I am not surprised with the characters popping out as my friends anymore. Last time, I found out Ignis is our Chemistry teacher and Gladioulus as our school security guard.

“Listen well! this isn’t over! I’ll make your life a living hell!” Tachibana-san sreeched which we of course ignored. The she stomps out here with her rabid fangirls follower.

“Just like always, you are a trouble magnet.” Squall Leonhart, which like to be called Leon sighed.

“You haven’t answered my question... Squeon.” I added my personal nickname just to annoy him.

“Your parents were worried, so they asked me to take care of you.” He said ignoring my nickname.

“I am fine, Squeon.” I said again.

Squall snorts, he lifts my bandaged hand, “And you said this was okay.”

“[Name], you are injured. What happened?” Worrywart Rinoa asked.

“I am okay. It’s just a small wound, Quistis said it will heal in 2 or 3 days.” I said calming Rinoa down.

Then, we heard some footsteps running toward us. The group are rushing to us. “Squall! Rinoa!” They exclaimed happily when they saw them.

“It’s Leon.” He grunted.

“Nooo, it’s Squeon.” I laughed. Squall only glares at me using his infamous glare.

“Long time no see.” Rinoa smiled.

“[Name], are you alright? I heard from some people Tachibana was bullying you, what did she do to you?” The now panicking Tifa asked.

“I am okay. she was just going to slap me, but Squeon stopped her.” I answered.

“WHAT?! She was going to slap you?! That damn bitch! How dare she!” Zack cursed.

“Calm down. I am not strupid just standing there waiting her slaps me.” I snorted. ‘Besides, which idiot will stand still when they are going to be hit.’

“By the way, if Squall and Rinoa are here. Does that mean they are going to be your care taker again?” Cloud asked.

“Yes, they are.” I said grinning.

“Oooooh, it’s rare that we can gather here together. So, how about we go to Chocobo Land tomorrow?” Yuffie exclaimed excitedly.

“Chocobo Land.... Well, it’s been a while, the last time we go together was on [Name]’s birthday.” Aerith said. With that said, all of us decide to go to Chocobo Land tomorrow. Unbeknwon to me, I am playing right to their trap.~”~

“Eeeeehhhh~ Why can’t you go with us?” I asked, dismayed at the fact we couldn’t spend time together.

“Rinoa isn’t feeling well.” Was Squall short answer.

But I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. “She was fine yesterday.” I mumbled.

“Yesterday and today are different.” But all I did was stare, stare and stare. He sighs, “Just go already, you don’t want to be late, right?” He ushered me to go.

“Yes~” I sulked.

Arriving at the Chocobo Land. Only Noctis is at the rendezvous point. “Hey, Noct, where is the others?” I asked.

“They still haven’t arrived.” He answered.

‘Weird. They are usually on time. Maybe Yuffie will be a little late.’ I blinked at the unusual happening. And suddenly our phones ring at the same time signalling there are messages in our group chat.

Tifa

“Sorry, my parents are out of town suddenly. Need to housesit.”

Yuffie

Some brats in neighborhood are hunting my treasure. Need to safeguard it.

Zack

Am grounded. T.T

Luna

“Sis and I have trouble escaping from arranged marriage.

Stella

“Have fun. We will arrive there late.”

Aerith

“The shop is crowded. I can’t go out yet.”

Squall

“Rinoa is sick. Need to take care of her.”

Rinoa

Sorry guys.

Cloud

“Fixing my bike.”

Vincent

“…Sleepy…”

Prompto

“Helping acquaintance in photoshoot.”

‘What kind of hellish timing is this?’ I sweatdropped. ‘…No matter how I think, they are definitely setting us up.’ I sighed softly.

The two of us look at each other and sigh. “We were set up.” He said. “So, what should we do? Should we go home?” He asked again.

“Hmmm… We’re already here anyway. So, let’s just play. Just the two of us.” I grinned. A small smile is tugging on his lip hearing my sentece. But, unbeknown to us, we were followed by eight enthusiastic stalkers plus two reluctant stalkers and cameras.

Everywhere and anywhere as far as I can see, all I can see is Chocobo. The excitement is building up. “Chocobo♪~ Chocobo♪~.” I hummed out with sparkling eyes.

“Your love for Chocobo is something else.” Noct sweatdropped.

“What can I say, I just love Chocobo.” I giggled. “Then, our first ride will be that.” I pointed to the Chocobo Jet that was quite far from our meeting point.

“Figures you will ride that first.” Noctis chuckled.

“Let’s go!” I giggled excitedly. ‘Just for today. Let me spend a quality time with him. Yes…Just for today.’ The Chocobo Jet is really exciting. “I want to ride it again.” I said enthusiastically.

“Let’s ride the other attraction first. We’ll ride the roller coaster again later.” He sighed helplessly.

“It’s a promise, okay. I won’t go home if I don’t get to ride it again.” I stuck my pinky to him.

“Yes, yes. It’s a promise.” He hooked his pinky to mine. And then seamlessly warps his hand around mine and tugs me along.

I blink at the action. ‘Alert, alert. The parameter is rising.’ A slight blush adorns my cheeks. I quickly put a hand on my cheek to cool it down.

“What’s wrong?” He asked when he saw my weird action.

“Nothing!” I squeaked in high pitched voice.

He blinks, “You are so weird.” He laughed.

“I don’t want to hear that from you.” I stuck my togue out to him.

The next ride is Chocobo Cup. “Spin faster!” I laughed cheerily as I spun the cup faster.

“You’ll get dizzy later.” Noct smiled.

‘Hm…?’ from the corner of my eyes, I think I caught a glimpse of a familiar chocobo head. ‘Was I mistaken?’

“What’s wrong?” Ncoct asked when he realized I stopped spinning.

“Ah, nothing, I thought I saw Cloud.” I shook my head. “It must be my imagination. I mean this is Chocobo Land.” I laughed. All of the visitors are wearing Chocobo headband which we get as a free gift in the entrance.

“What do you want to do next?” He asked.

“Hm…Oh!” My eyes are drawn to the shooting range not far from us. More accurately, drawn to the prizes in that shooting range. “That! Let’s compete!” I turned to Noctis.

“Yes?”

“Let’s see who will get the grand prize first!” I exclaimed.

“Yo, ojou-chan, an-chan. The point for the grand prize is 150. The rule is easy. Your gun has 3 bullets. Knock down the plate with the point written on it. collect 150 points and you have the grand prize. Easy, right?” Baku explained.

“Yep!” I nodded.

“One game is 150 gil.” He smiled.

“Give us two guns.” Noct said as he handed him the money.

“Haiyo!” Baku handed us the bullet.

“The game is on!” I grinned.

~One Round Later~

“Not fair….” I sulked. In the end, Noctis wins with overwhelming victory. I don’t understand how he managed to get 200 points, while I couldn’t even get the 10 points plate down.

“Bwahahahaha! Ojou-chan, you are the best! Your skill is one in one hundred!” Baku laughed merrily.

“Sh-shut up!” I cried out.

“An-chan, your skill is amazing. Usually, the guests will spend more than 3 games to get a hang of this game.” He smirked.

“This is just a fluke. My friend happens to be good at this kind of game. I was only following his advice.” Noct answered.

“Heh. I want to meet this friend of yours.” Baku smirked.

“Next time, I guess.” Noct shrugged his shoulder.

“Bahahaha! I can’t wait!” Baku laughed harder.

While those two are chatting. I am already at my own land of misery. “I am sorry Chocobo. I can’t get you. I am sorry I am such a failure.” I murmured.

“So, what happen to Ojou-chan?” Baku sweatdropped.

“She just happened to love Chocobo a bit too much. Too much that I am jealous.”

“Bwahahaha! You win the game, but lost the war. I really pity you, An-chan” Baku patted his shoulders.

“Haahh…” He sighed. “[Name]. Here, this is yours.” Something is shoved to my face. It’s the grand prize of the shooting range, Golden Chocobo.

“For me?” I blinked.

“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “If I don’t give it to you. You’ll keep staring at me as if you are having a grudge on me.” He smirked.

“I-I will not.” I flushed.

“Ojou-chan!” Baku called.

“Yes?”

“Here. A consolation prize.” Baku gave me two droppy chocobo hat. “Thanks to Ojou-chan, I have a great laugh today.” Baku grinned.

“Thank you!” I quickly put it on my head, while keeping the headband I got on my small backpack I brought. “Noct, you wear one too.” I gave the hat to him. The said man obediently bends down his body so I can put it on him. “We match!” I laughed happily, completely missing his softened look to me.

“Bahahaha! I pray for your success, an-chan.” Baku laughed.

“Thanks.” Noct replied. While I completely don’t understand what they were talking about. “Let’s go. We still have many attractions to ride.” He tugged my hand along.

“Yes!” ‘I think whether this is a dream or reality, this will be the happiest day of my live.’

Our next destination is, “Chocobo House!!!” I shrieked at the sight. I rush to the house, wanting to see it up close and personal.

“Hey! Don’t run!” I heard Noct’s warning.

“Don’t worry! I am not a child. I won’t fall down. Hurry up! Hurry up!” I urged him.

“We need to buy tickets first.” He sighed.

“Ah.” I blinked, completely forgotten that. Noct rolls his eyes as he pays for the tickets.

“Thank you for the purchase. Please enjoy the house.” The staff smiled.

Chocobo House, truly befitting the name. The house is basically Chocobo den. Look right, there will be a lot of Chocobo. Look left, there will be a lot of Chocobo. Look up, there will be a lot of Chocobo lantern. Look down, the tile is Chocobo pattern. And in the center if the house, there is the fat Chocobo.

“….Can I take that home?” I muttered out loud.

“Will it fit in your room?” Noct sweatdropped.

“I have an unused room. It will fit there. I can just move my Chocobo shrine there.” My eyes sparkled.

“Oi oi oi. Will they even let you buy it. Rather, even if they are willing to sell. Does your pocket money enough?” Noct sighed.

“Hmmm…. I should really get a part time job.” I muttered as I trying to calculate how much the Fat Chocobo will cost.

“Wait! Wait! They are selling the miniature version of Fat Chocobo. Let’s take a look.” Noct dragged me to the merchandise counter. In the end, I buy the Fat Chocobo plushie. More precisely, it was bought for me.

“I could buy it myself. You’ve paid for the rides and tickets. I can at least buy the merchandise myself.” I pouted and frowned as I hugged the plushie.

“It’s fine. I just want to. My father told me I need to spoil you to win your heart. He even willingly and happily to let me spend money to make you his daughter in law.” He muttered.

“Hm? What did you say?” I couldn’t hear the second part of his sentences.

“Nothing. Let’s ride that next.” He pointed to the Chocobo-go-round.

“Okay!” ~”~

“I am hungry~” I whined as I sat on the park bench.

“It’s already 1.00 p.m.” Noctis said as he looked at his watch. “The food court is over there.” Noctis said.

“Yosh! After lunch, we are going to continue.” I beamed, while my companion just shook his head at my antics. “Hey, don’t tell me you don’t enjoy it. Because we know it’s a lie.” I pointed my finger to him.

“I never said I didn’t.” He chuckled.

“Then all is well.” I grinned.

We are sitting in the food court, waiting for our order. The topic of our conversation is the hellish timing our friends have. “They are definitely…” I trailed off.

“…Doing this in purpose…” He finished.

“There’s no way they have this kind of convenient timing of not going. Well, in Zack’s case… he might be really grounded.” I giggled as we glanced secretly to the seats behind us.

“He-hey! Don’t be too noisy, they’ll find out.” A familiar voice of Tifa was heard.

“But, I can’t hear what are they talking about.” Yuffie whined.

“What a sloppy tailing.” I sniggered.

“They really… have too much free time.” Noct sighed.

“They seem don’t know that we’ve know they tailed us from the start.” I laughed merrily, really enjoying this charade. From the corner of my eyes, I can see now they are fighting for food, Zack and Cloud plus Yuffie. “Let’s caught them red handed later.” I laughed.

“Here are your orders.” A kind waitress set down our food.

“Thank you.” We thanked her.

“Please enjoy!” She smiled cheerily.

“Thanks for the food.” ~”~

“Noct. Let’s go over there.” I pointed to an ice-cream stall.

“Didn’t you just eat lunch?” He blinked.

“If it’s for ice cream, I am sure my stomach will make more room.” I answered.

“….What flavor?” He could only helplessly ask.

“Sea-salt ice cream!” I said excitedly.

“Wait here.” He told me and he is off to the stall.

“Ah, I want ice cream too.” I heard Yuffie whined.

“If we go now. We’ll be caught.” Stella reminded.

“But… ice cream…” I could already imagine her face looked like a kicked puppy.

“We need to endure.” Luna said sternly.

“Here.” Noct came back with an ice cream.

“Where is yours?” I blinked as I took the ice cream.

“I am good.” He said.

“Is that so?” I licked the ice. “Mmmnn… It’s delicious.” My eyes sparkled. “Here. Have a taste. It’s delicious. Delicious food should be shared to double the deliciousness.” I grinned.

“…Then, I’ll be happy to oblige.” He smiled softly as eat the ice from my hand.

“How is it? Isn’t it delicious?” I asked animatedly.

“Yeah. It’s delicious.” A ghost smile on his lips.

“See! I told you, you should buy one for yourself.” I said smugly. I quickly devour the ice cream until I realize what have I done. *Poof* ‘He ate mine…. Indirect kiss… No no no, let’s not think about it.… Okay, breathe in… breathe out… It’s okay. It’s just indirect kiss. No biggie….NO! it’s not okay for my heart! Does he even realized what he has done! I know I was the one offered it to him, but…’

“Why is your face red? Is it heatstroke?” He frowned.

“No! I am fine! Completely fine. It’s only a little bit too hot! It’s not a heatstroke!” The completely flustered me squeaked out. “Let’s go there!” I randomly pointed a ride and hurried there, missing the knowing smirk on his face.

The clock has shown 5.30 p.m. the only remaining ride is, “Hey, Noct. Let’s ride Chocobo Wheel.” I dragged him to the line. The said man allows me to drag him, he’s suprisingly obidient.

The Ferris Wheel stops when we are at the top. “When are we going to catch them red handed?” He smirked.

“You’ll see.” I grinned mischievously. “As expected from the highest point. I can see all of them park from here. It’s beautiful.” I was awed by the breathtaking view.

“Indeed…” What I didn’t know is, he wasn’t talking about the view.

The ride has ended. We are back on the land. “Ah! I have to call Squeon, first. I am worried about Rinoa.” I said out loud, letting our stalkers hear. “If he has something he needs, I can swing to the nearest drug store.” I fished out my phone from my bag. Can practically hear the nervous choked sounds from our stalkers. I push the speed dial button number 1. A familiar ringtone rings. My smile widens when I heard that.

“Hello!” I waved to them. We catch our stalkers red handed. “I thought you all have some kind of troubles.” I raised my brow.

“Ahahahha… We were just...uh…worried about you two. Yes, we were worried.” Zack laughed nervously, which then elbowed by Aerith for stuttering.

“So, did you guys get nice pictures? Because I am expecting it.” I snickered.

“I thought you were grounded, Zack.” Noct smirked.

“Hey, everyone! The photos are done. What are- “Yuffie stopped in mid sentence when she saw us. “Ahahahaha. Hello, [Name].” Yuffie greeted me.

“Geh! Noct!” Prompto gasped.

“Yuffie~, Prompto ~ What about those pictures in your hands?” I asked with a smile etched on my face.

“O-oh, th-this is..” She trailed off, senaking a glance on me, I still waiting her answer with a smile. “Eheheheh.... Okay, I give up. Here, all yours.” She gave us the photos they took. To put it simply, those are our candid photos. There are also the others but mostly about me and Noctis.

“Awww, this one is soo cute.” Tifa cooed. The pictures she chooses is the one when Noct was eating my ice cream. The angle is good. It’s just quite embarrassing.

“Heheh. Mine is this.” Luna chose the time when I put Chocobo hat on Noct.

“Oh. I like this one.” Stella picked our competition in shooting range.

“This one is good.” Aerith liked the one where I hug the huge Fat Chocobo in Chocobo House.

“Oookay. Let’s save this for later. For the last ride, we’ll go on Chocobo Jet. I will not allow any objection.” I exclaimed happily. For the last ride. We are fortunate the ride is enough for all of us.

“It was fun! It’s been a while I play this much.” I stretched.

“We should come here together again.” Rinoa smiled.

“Agreed! But no more stalking.” I laughed.

Time sure flies fast. It’s already one week before Christmas, we the girls are shopping for Christmas gift. ‘Sooo, what should I buy? Let’s just buy what they can use everyday.’ The other girls already busy choosing their own gifts. I am just strolling in the accesorries shop. After all of us finished, we head back to home. ~”~

It’s finally Christmas. The girls agreed to gather at Tifa’s house and give a make-over to each other, while I opted to not involved which is not an option. I am also dragged in to the whole fiasco. Exactly 7 p.m. We heard the knock, signaling the boy group has come.

“Merry Christmas.” Zack said excitedly.

“Merry Christmas.” We greeted. After we greeted each other, the party starts. I give them their respective gifts. Earrings for Tifa, bracelet for Yuffie, a necklace for Stella and Luna, a phone case for Vincent, a dress for Aerith, a google for Cloud, another dress for Rinoa and a for Zack, my self proclaimed brother, I gave him a pair of shoes. For my dearest cousin, it’s a leather jacket.

I am now down to the last person, but the said person isn’t in the room. The gift is still clutched in my hand. I see Tifa tilts her head to the yard, I nod and flash a grateful smile.

I found him gazing stars. “Not going to enter?” I asked.

Noctis glances at me and then back to the stars. “Too noisy.” Was his short answer. I laugh lightly at his short, but clear answer.

There is a comfortable silence between us, until I remember the reason I searched him. “Here.” I gave him the small blue box.

“For me?” I nodded at his question. Then he also pulls out something small from his pocket and gives it to me. I look at the gift curiously. I try to guess what’s in this little black box. Seeing the blatant curiosity on my face, Noctis chuckles. “Open it.” He said. With that said, I open the box excitedly. There, in the black box there is a ring necklace. My name is carved on the ring. My eyes widened and let out a small laugh. Noctis only stares at me with raised eyebrow.

“Open my gift.” I said still laughing. With a strange look he opens the box. His eyes also widen, there in the blue box I gave him, there’s also a same ring necklace. the only difference is the carved names. Then a small laugh also escapes from his lips.

“Will you allow me to escort you in the winter ball?” He asked.

This question caught me off guard. I never thought he will ask me let alone think about it. I look left, right and then behind me to see if someone is there. “…Are you practicing so you can ask Luna?” I blinked.

“Why are you bringing up Luna?” He frowned.

“Eh? Why? Because isn’t that so?” I was taken back.

“It’s not.” He sighed exasperated.

“Then… If you are fine with me. I’ll be happy to take on your offer.” I smiled. ~”~

The day before the ball. The girls agree to meet up again in Tifa’s house right after school. They are going to match the dress they’ve bought with their accessories. “Hm? [Name], where’s your dress?” Luna asked.

“Ah, I don’t have one I was sure I am going alone, so I didn’t buy dress. I am going to wear school uniform. The rule didn’t specifically say the dress code is an evening dress.” I smiled sheepishly.

“School…” (Stella)

“Uni…” (Aerith)

“…form” (Tifa)

“You said?!” (Luna)

“Huh? Isn’t Noctis escorting you?” Yuffie blinked.

“He did two days ago. It’s just, I don’t have time to pick up dress. So, I am going to wear school uniform.” I nodded.

“Change of plan.” Stella said seriously.

“Yes. We have a change of plan.” Luna agreed.

“Huh?” I blinked.

“We are going to shop for your dress right now.” Aerith smiled.

“Eh? Right now. We don’t have that much time…anymore.” I finished timidly, seeing their scary smiles.

“Sorry [Name}. Even I can’t help you.” Yuffie said. ~”~

At last, the most dreaded day that I wish never come is finally here. 28th December, that means the winter ball. ‘Why it has to be a ballroom, can we just change to more casual party?’ I groaned.

“[Name], you shouldn’t put that kind of face. You are the prince’s date, are you not?” Zack teased.

“The said prince has the same opinion as me.” I said unamused. The girls and the boys wear a matching color, including Noct and I. Apparently, Luna called Noct and asked, no demanded him to wear a cobalt blue suit, so he can match with my dress.

The hall is decorated just like a real ballroom. There are also snacks and drinks there. Once we enter the hall, Reno instantly flies to the other side of the hall sweet talking to a group of girls. The others asked their dates to dance with them. Being a gentleman he is, our favourite prince also asks me to dance. “I can’t dance.” I smiled wryly.

“Don’t worry. Just follow my lead. Waltz is an easy dance.” He said taking my hand. We dance peacefully until someone with the name of Tachibana Kirika ruins it.

“Noctis dear~” She called with such coquettish voice that it actually made me had a goosebumps. “I am sure I can be a better partner than this plain looking girl.” Tachibana-san winked at him.

“Sorry if I am plain looking. At least, you should learn how to wear a proper make up. The color doesn’t suit you.” I rolled my eyes.

“No, thank you.” He refused politely.

But that sets Tachibana-san in rage. “Exactly what did you see in this girl?” She screeched and pointed her finger to me. “I am prettier and a ton of guys asked me to be their date.” She yelled.

Noctis narrows his eyes. “Then, you can have them to accompany you. Listen, I am tired of your antics. Don’t you dare badmouth her! The next time you do so, I won’t forgive you!” Noctis snapped. Then, Noct storms out from the hall, leaving the said girl there standing dumbfounded and biting her fingernail.

‘Wow, this is the first time I see him angry.’ I too, quietly leaving the hall searching for my partner.

“So, you are here.” I said after I found him on the rooftop. He only stands there unmoving. “Still angry?” I asked.

“Not anymore.” He answered.

“I doubt she will stalk you after your outburst just now.” I laughed.

“She better be.” He let out a snort.

“Hey, Noct.”

“Hm?”

“What was the meaning of the word carved in the golden watch?” I asked as I took out the watch from my dress’ small pocket.

“Are you curious about that?” He asked.

“Very.” Was my answer.

“That is-” He walked closer to me without breaking the eye contact. He stands right in front of me, making me wait with bated breath. He bends down so his mouth right beside my ear, and whispers softly. “Eternal bond.” After saying that, he stood straight. A small smile on his lip, satisfied with my now blushing face.

“You-! Can just say it normally.” I glared at him. The futile glare only makes him smiles. He pulls me toward him. “Wha-” I blinked rapidly as he pressed his lips to mine.

‘Unable to process. [Name].exe crashed.’

I suddenly wake up from my nap and look at my surrounding. I am in my room, the same room before all of that happen, my workbook is still on my desk untouched. “I see, that was a dream after all.” I said disappointed. I blush again remembering the last part of the dream. “What an outrageous dream I had.” I sweatdropped. I put my finger on my lips as if I can still feel the warmth.

“[Name], you idiot. That was just a dream.” I scolded myself. “Rather than thinking about it, I should take a bath.” I mumbled walking to the bathroom. Unbeknown to me there are a ring necklace with my name and a golden watch with its lid opened on my desk.

“Our bond is eternal”

#noctis x reader #final fantasy #FF #fluff #ffxv #ff series #ff fic #noctis lucis caelum #noctis x oc

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omgrachwrites · 3 years

Text

Teacher Trapped - Sharon Carter

Pairing: Sharon Carter x Female Reader

Summary: Your high school students are sick and tired of watching you and the music teacher, Sharon Carter pine for each other so they take matters into their own hands. Teacher au

Warnings: so much fluff, swearing, probably ooc

Words: 1724

A/N: I think you guys have realised that I no longer have a proper writing schedule, they stress me out so I’m just gonna post when I feel like it, so I hope that’s okay! I got this idea for this au when I was in work and I was so excited to write it! This is my first time properly writing for a female character and I’m sorry if I’ve butchered Sharon’s character. Hope you guys enjoy and please let me know what you think, I love you all! xxx

There came a knock on the door of your classroom as you finished the English Literature display for your 10th graders. Without looking at the door, you adjusted the Lord of the Flies poster and you called out, “come on in!” you expected that it was one of your students; some of them arrived early because it was the only time that their parents could drop them off. That was why you were always here so early, it turned out to be quite handy to get some extra work done.

However, when you turned to see whoever was lingering in the doorway, your cheeks flushed when you saw who it was, “good morning, Y/N,” the beautiful blonde woman smiled, she was holding a box of donuts and an extra cup of coffee. It was Sharon Carter, the music teacher and she also happened to be the woman that you had a crush on.

“Hi, Sharon,” you smiled, finally finding your voice, “what are you doing here so early?” you were probably imagining it but you could have sworn that her cheeks deepened ever so slightly with a blush.

“I’ve um got some work to do before the kids come in and I wasn’t sure whether you’d had breakfast or not. You’re always here so early,” she grinned as she placed the steaming cup of coffee on your desk and lifted the lid off the box of donuts.

You chewed on your bottom lip; you really shouldn’t be eating so much sugar this early in the morning. However, the gorgeous smell of the deep fried treat filled your classroom and your resolve considerably weakened, “oh go on then,” you smiled shyly when Sharon laughed, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she did so, “thank you,” you grinned as you picked out the one that had cinnamon brown sugar generously sprinkled over the top.

“You’re welcome,” Sharon shot you a sweet smile.

“God, that’s amazing,” you groaned as you took a bite out of the delicious treat.

Sharon flushed and looked away from you, running a hand through her long hair, “I’d better get going, I’ll see you later, Y/N.”

You felt disappointment ping in your chest but you pushed it away and offered her a small smile, “bye, Sharon.”

As Sharon walked out, a group of your students walked in and took one look at your flushed face as they made their way to their seats, “good morning, Miss,” one of them smirked.

“Morning guys, have you had breakfast yet?” you asked as you grabbed cartons of orange juice and protein bars out of your cupboard, it wasn’t much but you liked to make sure that all your students ate in the morning.

“Thanks, Miss Y/L/N,” one of the boys smiled before he piped up again, “do you like Miss Carter?”

“Of course I do! She’s an excellent teacher,” you felt butterflies in your stomach and you willed yourself not to blush.

“Uh-huh,” your students sounded unconvinced as they cheekily smirked at each other.

Over the next couple of days, Sharon came to see you in the mornings and you went to visit her too. It seemed as though yours and Sharon’s students were getting sick of the constant blushy smiles and the lingering pining looks that were exchanged between you and Sharon. Unbeknownst to the both of you, your students out their heads together and concocted a plan to get you both together.

On Friday afternoon, one of your students raised her hand, “can I use the bathroom, please, Miss?”

“Of course,” you smiled at her as you grabbed a laminated hall pass out of your desk and handed it to her, “there you go.”

“Thanks Miss!” she beamed at you as she got up from her seat. You completely missed the way she grinned with the rest of the class before she walked out into the corridor.

A couple of minutes later a boy that you recognised from Sharon’s class knocked on your open door, “can I help you?” you asked with a smile.

“Uh, Miss Carter was wondering whether she could meet you in the empty English classroom down the hall after school. She wants to go over some work with you.”

You silently questioned why a music teacher would need to go over some work with an English teacher but you didn’t read too much into it, “of course, thank you for the message.”

At the end of the day, you and Sharon both arrived at the spare classroom at the same time, you smiled as her brown eyes twinkled as she grinned back at you, “what work did you want to go over with me?” you asked.

Sharon frowned at you, raising an eyebrow, “I was about to ask you the same thing,” okay, now you were confused.

“What are you talking about? You sent one of your students to tell me to meet you here.”

She shook her head, “no! That was you! What the fuck is going on?”

It was at that moment that the principal Sam Wilson – your best friend – walked out of the room, grinning like a Cheshire cat, “it’s ready for you guys.”

You and Sharon exchanged a confused glance as you walked into the classroom and you gasped at what you saw. A desk had been set up with candles, two steaming plates of pizza and two wine glasses full of red liquid. Yours and Sharon’s students were standing behind the desk, looking nervous.

“What’s going on guys?” Sharon asked, trying to sound stern.

A jock stepped forward, “we were getting so sick and tired of watching you two pine for each other. So we took matters into our own hands and pooled our allowance together to get you some food and Principal Wilson helped us set it up.”

It seemed that Sharon was as surprised as you as you both stared blankly at the students; butterflies were wreaking havoc in your stomach. What if Sharon rejected this idea? You didn’t even know if she dated women. Though, you were touched that they’d spent their own money to ensure that you would be able to have a date with one another.

“You like her don’t you?” a girl piped up.

“Of course I do!” you both said in unison before turning to look at each other when you realised the question hadn’t been directed at anyone in particular. There was a ghost of a smirk on Sharon’s face but her blush contradicted it.

“Looks like our work here is done,” someone snickered and you and Sharon both snapped out of it and turned back to look at your students.

“Thanks guys.”

“You’re welcome, have a good time,” the jock that spoke up before waved at you both as the students filed out of the room, leaving you and Sharon alone.

“Are you nervous?” Sharon laughed, raising an eyebrow.

“Nope,” you lied, smiling at her as she gestured at the table.

“Then shall we?” you nodded and you both sat down. Searching for something to do, you reached for the wine glass and looked at the suspicious liquid in the glass and tentatively raised it to your lips. You winced and coughed slightly at the sweet taste.

“It’s Grape Kool-Aid,” you coughed and Sharon burst out laughing as she took a sip of her own before she smiled over at you so sweetly that you momentarily forgot how to breath.

“So, you date women?”

You nodded as you fiddled with your fingers, “I take it that you do too?”

Sharon smiled, “yeah, and I like you.”

Happiness fizzed through your blood when you heard that your affections weren’t one sided, “you do?” you asked lamely.

“Well, of course. I don’t bring coffee and breakfast to everyone you know, and you’re completely fucking gorgeous,” she smirked, raising an eyebrow and you felt yourself relax as your cheeks felt like they were on fire.

“Good to know, I like you too.”

“Good to know,” she mimicked you before her eyes flickered down to your lips, “fuck it,” she muttered and leaned over the table to kiss you.

You gasped against her lips as you cupped her cheeks, tasting the Kool-Aid on her lips as she wrapped a hand in your hair, tugging slightly, causing pleasure to run through your body. After a couple of minutes, Sharon pulled away and grinned at you, “see no need to be nervous anymore, because I know that you were, Y/N.”

Sharon’s kiss had seemed to work wonders and the both of you talked easily as you ate your delicious pizza, “who did you go to prom with?”

You groaned as you took another sip of your drink as you relived the memory, “I was a loner in high school, and there was no way that anybody was taking me to prom. So, Sam took me.”

“Sam Wilson?” Sharon laughed as she rested her chin on her hand as she listened to you.

You rolled your eyes as you nodded, “yeah well you know he’s my best friend, his girlfriend had just broke up with him so he took me to prom as a favour and he wanted to make his ex-girl jealous, safe to say that it didn’t work,” you giggled, “who did you go with?”

“I dated a guy throughout high school, we broke up in college, he was a dickhead,” she rolled her eyes, “and then I started dating women and I’ve never been happier,” she smiled as she reached over to take your hand.

You grinned as you linked your fingers through hers, “were you Prom Queen?”

Sharon scoffed, “nope, they gave the crown to the head cheerleader, sometimes the cliché is right.”

“How dare they?!” you gasped and Sharon playfully narrowed her eyes at you.

“Yeah, I was very offended,” she laughed before looking at you with a soft smile, her brown eyes were warm and sparkling, “I really do like you, Y/N; I’m glad that we get to do this.”

“I really like you too, Sharon,” you smiled with delight, “I’m already thinking about our second date.”

“A date that hasn’t been organised by our students,” Sharon laughed but as you smiled at each other, you both knew they were amazing students and you would be forever grateful to them for giving you this moment.

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

@smiithys @elayneblack @amelie-black

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enjennie · 3 years

Text

Bottom’s Up

synopsis: the dreamies during a night of drinking somehow end up talking about their exes, revealing the different types of relationships and exes they have or had.

a/n: this has been long been in my drafts so Jisung was still a minor here, thus I didn’t give him any drinks lmao. Enjoy! btw, I’m still deciding if I should make Haechan’s backstory for this, or if the markHyuck one should do…

[10:37]

The boys have arrived, piling into Chenle’s condominium that was set up just to have their long awaited guys night. They planned this weeks prior, promising each other that after their finals they’d set aside time to drink away their thoughts and release any stress they have that built up.

By 10:50 bottles have been popped and cups have been poured, the boys sat in the balcony to feel the cool air of the city night.

“You guys really aren’t sharing?” Jisung watches as the older boys raise their glasses in celebration.

“You wait a few more months, sir,” Mark sets his glass down and pats the younger boy on the shoulder. Guy nights wouldn’t be complete without Jisung, even if he wasn’t allowed to drink yet. He never minded sitting in the living room, playing with Chenle’s console with Jaemin and then later on laughing at his older friends’ shenanigans once the alcohol hit them.

Renjun isn’t quite the drinker, but Haechan made him a bet and unfortunately, he lost. Being an art major wasn’t easy, he knew he had a few more things to finish before his semester ended but with that, Renjun drank to forget.

Besides his plates, he had nothing else to worry about. He’d been getting emails from companies waiting for him to graduate, a family happy to support him, but surprisingly, the boy lacked in the love department.

His previous relationships, only being flings and one night stands, none of them really ever stayed after the cuddles. Except… a particular someone.

On the opposite side of him sat Jeno, who was watching his friends in amusement. Now, Jeno has a high alcohol tolerance. Although he becomes chatty, and starts to excessively clean his surroundings, he takes care of his friends well. Usually he’s the one who tucks them into bed or prevents anything like drunk driving and some other stupid shit to happen.

Jeno the architectural major was the responsible friend in a night out. The single friend who starts playing the guitar to set the mood when 2am rolls in. And, the single friend with the broken heart, which hasn’t quite mended yet even after three years.

Haechan on the other hand, is a messy drunk but handles his alcohol well until the 2nd bottle. The boy has a lot going on in his mind, and was the first to initiate the plan to drink.

His phone rings, but Haechan dismisses it, tapping the red decline button and watching as the screen faded into black. Mark follows his eyes and hesitantly brings it up.

“Aren’t you going to talk to her?”

Haechan only shakes his head before taking another swig. Everyone knows well enough about Haechan and his girlfriend’s on and off relationship. They break up, make up, fight and the cycle repeats.

Mark’s adam’s apple bobs as he asks another question. “Why don’t you just break up? Y’know… for good?”

The boys around them seem to have noticed the tension that built up and had their eyes fixed on the pair.

“I don’t know, man,” Haechan is too drunk to think about Mark’s question. Too drunk to realize how Mark completely sold himself off to be in love with him with that one question. It wasn’t a big secret, especially since Mark has done a poor job in hiding it, but apparently not bad enough for Haechan to see. Everyone knew, except for the clueless boy.

Jaemin was too busy babysitting Chenle, who was having his first drink tonight, to even have shots of his own. He didn’t like drinking, anyway, and used Chenle as an excuse to keep sober.

Jaemin the medical student naturally tells his friends to lay off the alcohol, as it can damage their liver. He can only do so much though, as the others tend to be hard-headed and stubborn.

“I can handle myself!” Chenle protests, reaching for his glass which Jaemin took away. “You’re supposed to drink, eat a lot then drink again,” Jaemin explains. “You’ve only taken drinks so far, you’ll be knocked out in an hour if you keep this up,” He tells Chenle.

Of course, Jaemin knew his way around drinking. He just didn’t enjoy it, doesn’t like the bitter taste of it. Didn’t like how it made him think of his past either. Jaemin’s cup remains half full, and he uses this tactic to not get refills.

It keeps him away from his phone, sober enough to know better than to drunk text her. Even if her presence was all he yearned for at a night like this.

Jaemin x Reader – By My Side

[COMING SOON]

[12:03]

As the night gets deeper, so do the conversations between the close friends. Just like Jaemin predicted, Chenle had his head down on the table already, passed out.

“Jeno, you know what to do,” Jaemin nodded his head, signaling the boy beside him. Jeno gave him his smile, which now looked more drowsy and silly because of his tipsy state.

Jeno lifts Chenle easily, with Jaemin assisting him, leaving the three boys on the table.

“I want ____. Where is she?” Chenle had his eyes closed, mumbling to his friends. Jaemin and Jeno exchanged looks and laughed at the younger.

Poor boy, had a ton of expectations to meet he couldn’t even date around.

Chenle’s main priority had to be his family, and their business. He couldn’t afford any distractions, but to him, she was more than that. She was his driving force, and it hurt the boy to be keeping her a secret. Only the boys knew about his secret relationship, if word got out that Zhong Chenle the son of the most well-respected corporate business owner was dating, it would be the entirety of Shanghai talking about it.

As much as he wanted nothing more than to show the world and tell everyone who he’s in love with, he knew she wasn’t ready to face it all and step into that kind of light yet.

Chenle x Reader – In The Limelight

While the two boys took Chenle into his room, it left the three boys and Haechan’s buzzing phone out in the cold night air that the terrace provided.

“What happened this time?” Renjun asks, in line with the phone that’s close to annoying the hell out of him if it doesn’t stop vibrating the entire table. Haechan had his head down, and he lets out a laugh. Humorless, just cold.

“I don’t get her. She wants me, then the next second she doesn’t,”

When the boy lifts his head, it’s made obvious of all the pain he’s been hiding. His eyes, teary and sullen. Renjun couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s face, clapping his hands and throwing his head back in laughter. “Aw, c’mon man! It’s only 12am,”

This, however, doesn’t humor Mark the same way. Seeing Haechan in pain was like a bullet through his heart. He gave the boy a pat on the back and watches as his head fall once again. Mark swears he saw a tear fall too.

“I’m not just an object you can set aside, then use when needed,” Haechan continues to wail. Although he was already drunk, Mark felt that Haechan’s words were the most sober when he wasn’t.

As for Mark, the literature major didn’t care much about alcohol. However, it did get his creative juices flowing. Most of Mark’s best written pieces were done when he couldn’t even remember writing them.

During blurry nights intoxicated in alcohol, Mark’s thoughts flow easily through him and onto the sheets of paper that lie around his room. Sometimes, he’ll drink on a school night to get an essay finished for it’s due date the next day.

But seeing as he had no pending things to write, Mark drank for the sake of trying to numb himself somehow. Although it didn’t work well when the person he’s trying to get his mind off of is sat right beside him, thinking of someone else.

Mark x Haechan – Always, I’ll Care

[COMING SOON]

[1:13 am]

When Jaemin and Jeno came back, Jeno was already carrying a guitar. He strums it softly to a random tune he came up with on the spot. Haechan, of course, was singing along. Throwing in words like ‘baby’ and murmuring a few words about love. By now, Renjun’s cheeks were pink and a few hiccups had already escaped him.

“Do you remember that girl Jeno dated second semester of senior year?” he says, out of the blue.

The boys need not ask who, as they all knew who Renjun was referring to. The group of boys burst into fits of laughter and the guitar takes an abrupt stop as its player shoots his friends a nasty look for bringing up his past unprovoked.

“You were smitten, bro,” Mark smacks Jeno’s shoulder as he giggles.

Jeno daggers his eyes to Renjun, who has his head thrown back, laughing.

“How about you, huh? What was her name? _____-“ Jeno begins his avengement by mentioning the name he knew would get back at Renjun. He gets cut off shortly.

“I’ll stop you right there, sir,” Renjun places a hand over Jeno’s mouth before he could speak the name.

“C’mon, how many years has that been though?” Jeno asks after getting the boy’s hand off of his mouth.

“Two, and what about it?” Renjun defensively counters, surprising the other boys.

“He knows! Wow, do you keep count?” Jaemin chuckles, amusement all over his face.

“Shut up, ____ ,” Renjun points a finger at the male, mentioning the name of Jaemin’s past lover. Jaemin’s jaw drops and he crosses his arms,

“That was low,” The corner of his lips tugged into a smile nonetheless.

“C’mon, guys. It’s not like we’re releasing bad omens talking about our exes,” Haechan tugs on Renjun to sit him back down.

“Easy for you to say, you’ve only had one ex and she’s your girlfriend,” Renjun huffs. No one dared to speak the name of Renjun’s ex around him aside from people who have balls like Jeno, Jaemin, Haechan and Mark.

It wasn’t because he was bitter about her. But try as he might, there was a feeling within him that says she’s the one. Or she was. And Renjun was stuck, thinking about all the what if’s. Even after 2 years.

Renjun x Reader – To Be So Lonely [COMING SOON]

“I see things are getting heated over here,” Jisung stood by the door to the balcony now, with a sly smirk on his face.

“Ah right, let’s talk about mister lover boy over here,” Jeno motioned to the younger boy, who surprisingly is the only one to have a love life at the moment.

Jisung was courting the student body president. He could not, however, get her to answer him, but the boy never gives up.

“You must have some balls to hit on your senior,” Jaemin comments. The student body president was in fact two years older than Jisung, but the boy was determined.

Jisung x Reader – Like A Fool

[COMING SOON]

“At least one of us is progressing in terms of love,” Renjun sighed.

“Jeno’s doing well though, isn’t he? Lots of girls always after him,” Jisung gestures to the male beside him who’d started playing the guitar once again.

“I don’t think that counts as doing well,” Jeno mutters, absentmindedly.

“Oh yeah? And how does having half the school pine over you not count as doing well?” Jaemin lightly nudges his friend.

“Because the one I love, is in someone else’s arms right now,”

And cue the exaggerated crying and wailing of his friends, who’d given him sympathetic pats on the back.

Jeno x Reader – We Find Love

[COMING SOON]

“Oh, man,” grumbled Haechan, clearly already very intoxicated. He placed his head between his hands to try and stop his world from spinning. “I got to go to her, I have to say sorry,”

The boys all averted their eyes to the boy who looks to be having his spiritual awakening.

Mark’s heart dropped upon hearing Haechan’s words. He looked down at his hands and sighed. It wouldn’t be the first time Haechan had a sudden realization and wanted to be in his girlfriend’s arms right then and there.

It usually happened when he was smashed drunk, after the 7th or 8th cup. Asking his mates to take him home and running into the arms of his girl.

Mark didn’t know why he wasn’t used to it at this point. It isn’t and never will be him.

“No way,” Jaemin tutted. “You gathered us all here to drink and bothered us for weeks then you’ll flake midway? I don’t think so,” The other boys agreed.

Renjun stretched his arms and fell back onto the chair he sat on. “What’s with the sudden change of atmosphere anyway? It’s like we did release bad omens when we spoke about our exes,”

“You just had to bring ____ up!” Jeno threw a fry at his friend, who was the first to mention his ex and start the discussion. Renjun caught the fry in his mouth, surprising the boys and himself.

“Let’s just drink up,” Renjun raises his glass in the air, although it’s half empty.

“Nice try, here have a refill. We’re all taking equal shots,” Mark had risen and was now reaching for the bottle of beer to pour his friend’s glass.

“To… I don’t know- fuck! To getting fucked up!” Haechan yelled, raising his glass in the air.

The rest of the boys do the same, clinking glasses together and downing it mercilessly to their livers.

Relationships come and go, but the dreamies are always here to stay.

115 notes · View notes

kinktae · 5 years

Text

bitchin’ || pt. 9 (M)

↳ PART OF MY REWIND SERIES

The 80s were a time of choices. Which perm was right for you? What color neon would you wear next? None of these choices, however, were more questionable than a certain deal you made with Jeon Jungkook.

pairing: fratboy!jungkook x reader

word count: 4.7k

genre: 1980s au, eventual smut, e2l

warnings: fanservice. that's it. that’s the tweet.

A/N: This fic was inspired by To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Thank you to @junqkook for letting me use her likeness!

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10

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PART NINE

"Okay, just sign your name here, and she'll come to get you when she's ready." The cheery girl at the front desk told you.

You offered her a polite smile, walking over to the sit in the waiting room.

You always disliked these chairs. We were willing to bet money that these chairs have sat in this very room since your university first opened, worn out, uncomfortable, and outdated. Sure, maybe you had been in a bit of a sour mood lately – what with your fake ex-boyfriend dirty dicking you and all – but as you sat there, metal rod poking your spin, you couldn't help but frown.

As you sat there contemplating your school's renovation budget, you hardly noticed the sound of another student walking in and over to the front desk, your stomach churning as you put a face to those loose curls.

"Hey, stranger! What are you doing here?" Kiri's white teeth blinded you, walking over to you once her business with the receptionist was done.

You could feel one of your eyebrows twitch in irritation, swallowing down your scoff as she sat next to you.

"Trying to schedule my class next semester." You responded uninterestedly, contemplating whether or not the suspension from decking Kiri in the face would be worth it.

"Oh, just picking up a termination form. One of our newbies wants to pull out of Kappa Alpha Tau."

Shocker...

"Hey, so sorry to hear things with Jungkook and you didn't work out, by the way." Kiri flashed you a sympathetic look.

An audible breath left your lips, disbelief no doubt visible on your every feature. Did Kiri seriously think you didn't know it was her who home wrecked? Or was she just that much of a raging bitch?

"If you ever need someone to, like, talk to, just know that I'm here. I totally know what you're going through."

Your hands found themselves curling into tight balls in an attempt to keep your hands from shaking. Kiri looked as cool as a cucumber in front of you, perfectly composed, not a single hair out of place.

Then it hit you.

Of course. It all made perfect sense now.

From the moment she came up to you at your event offering her condolences, she had been trying to drive you off from Jungkook. She was planting seeds of doubt about their break up and his character. Manipulation and intimidation were her cards, and she played them well.

Fine. If the rules were being bent, you might as well disregard them altogether. You relaxed your hands.

"Oh, no worries. It's all good, I mean, it's not like we were actually dating." You shrugged.

Rule #2: No one can know the truth.

"What?" Kiri blinked, her smile faltering for just a moment.

You edged closer to her, cocking your head in mock surprise.

"Oh... did you not know that? That our entire relationship was contractual?"

"What are you talking about?" Her full brows furrowing.

You let out a sigh, "Yeah, so, basically, Jungkook would get his frat to fund my event if I helped make you jealous so that you'd come crawling back to him."

The polite mask that Kiri had plastered on finally cracked, her next words clipped and curt.

"What the hell is your damage, Y/N? Do you think I'm some sort of idiot how'd fall for that?"

"Good grief, did Jungkook not tell you? Weird, I feel like that's something he'd need to tell his girlfriend." You puffed out your bottom lip in mock sympathy.

Whatever resolve Kiri had built up crumbled at the way you held her stare, a note of honesty in your voice that she couldn't shake.

"I'm..." She cleared her throat, turning her nose up. "We're not actually back together yet."

"No? Really? Hmm..."

The call of your name crossed the room, and the two of you turned to look at the receptionist, ushering you over with the news that your counselor was ready for you.

You turned to Kiri with a smile, "Guess he didn't want you back as so much as he just wanted back in your pants."

Kiri looked utterly stunned, eyes wide as you stood from your seat, for once, without a clue as to what to say.

"See ya around, Kiri. Let's do lunch sometime. Oh and, happy holidays!" You fluttered your fingers at her, slipping away from her with a smugness you couldn't be assed to hide.

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"Wait... he called you?!" Taehyung laughed, eyes wide.

Yara nodded, scouring through the shelves, a specific book in mind. Belinda Carlisle was playing softly overhead and Yara found herself humming along.

As the holidays rolled around and everyone found themselves back in their hometowns, Yara was surprised to find Jungkook's frat brother browsing through the jam aisle in her local supermarket. As luck would have it, Jungkook's genetically blessed frat brother was from her hometown, the two somehow never crossing paths until now.

What started as a polite catchup over coffee, quickly turned into an everyday thing, the two of them realizing they had more in common than friend drama.

"He did!" Yara enthused. "He left a voicemail apologizing and rambled about how he wanted Y/N's address so he could go apologize, blah, blah, blah."

"That idiot." Taehyung rolled his eyes. He watched as she let out a noise of excitement, looking over her shoulder to announce that she had found the book she was in search of. He grinned in response.

"Anyway, I didn't call back. Because that's exactly how she wants to spend Christmas morning, with that jockstrap knocking at her door, right?"

Taehyung snorted, bringing the straw of his drink to his mouth.

"Miriam is gonna have your head on a stick Lord of the Flies style if she catches you with that drink in her library." Yara warned, to which Taehyung dismissed with a wave of a hand.

Yara was a funny girl; he was pleasantly surprised to bump into her during winter break. He could tell something was off when they first ran into each other, so he invited her out to grab some coffee. It was over a warm cup of coffee – with the most absurd amount of sugar he had ever seen – that she finally shared with him all that had been weighing on her mind lately.

Sure there was the Jungkook and Y/N stuff. Yara was beyond homicidal. Taehyung was grateful for winter break as he was positive she would have rung out Jungkook's neck had she seen him after what had happened. Taehyung himself was astounded to find out what exactly was true nature of the two's relationship, curtesy of Yara, of course. Even if it was fake, however, he knew Jungkook enough to know that the happiness he gave off once Y/N entered his life wasn't.

But more than that, the petite girl was worried about a boy, an irritating one who Taehyung happened to be frat brothers with. Eunwoo had approached her immediately after Kiri left him, spewing some excuse about only dating Kiri because he couldn't get Yara out of his mind.

It was bullshit if you asked Taehyung. But he hadn't the heart to tell Yara that, especially with the way she looked so torn up about it – unsure of how to respond to Eunwoo. He wasn't entirely sure what their relationship was like, but he figured it must have meant enough to her to have her feeling this conflicted.

So he did his best to cheer her up, inviting her for lunch and driving her to their local library, which he had come to find out was her favorite place growing up. They spent many afternoons sprawled out on the couches in the now abandoned children's section of the library... or at least until the crabby librarian yelled at them to leave.

If Taehyung was honest, he didn't care much for literature – he was a math guy – but the way Yara would shove a book into his chest with wide eyes and an 'if you don't read this and tell me your thoughts on it, I'll literally die,' seemed reason enough to keep showing up day after day.

"Have you talked to her about Eunwoo, yet?"

Yara flinched at the blond man's words.

"Why don't we ever talk about normal people stuff? Like the weather, or what sports team played last night."

"Yara..."

"Oooh!" She exclaimed suddenly, "I know, let's talk about President Reagan. Did you hear his speech about tearing down the wall in Germany? Crazy stuff–"

"Dude, why are you so scared to tell her about Eunwoo? You told me." Taehyung interrupted, quirking up a brow. Yara held his eyes for a moment before sighing.

"I just don't want to bring it up to Y/N, you know? She has enough going on..."

"So? She's your best friend. She'll want to help."

"Exactly! She's going to want to comfort me and make me feel better – which will just make me feel worse." Yara groaned, leaning back against the bookshelf.

"I'm... not following." The frat boy admitted.

Surely girls aren't usually this hard to understand.

"Look, I know you'd only known me for a little while, but let me pencil you in. I have a reputation, okay? Yara doesn't get hung up on some dumb boy." Yara wagged her finger at him.

"Does Yara usually talk about herself in the third person?" Taehyung chuckled.

"Yara," she continued, paying the boy no mind, "is an independent woman who likes one night stands and sex without strings. She doesn't like clingy boys getting into her head and confusing her."

Taehyung nodded, "So basically, Yara is scared of catching feelings."

"Shh! Don't tell Yara about what Yara doesn't want to hear." She turned her nose up at him, pushing herself back off the stand to march away from him. Taehyung reached for her arm without hesitation, stopping her departure with a sigh.

"Look, I don't mean to be on your ass about this, but clearly, you feel something for this kid. Otherwise, you wouldn't be spending all your time pining over him."

Taehyung immediately wished he could take back those words as an offended look fell across the petite girl's face, her hands falling onto her hips, clearly displeased.

"Pining? You think I'm pining over Eunwoo?"

Taehyung shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to navigate this situation. As much as he liked Yara, she did spark a healthy dose of fear into him.

"Well... I mean... you're spending your whole break with me just because I can give you a ride to the library so you can read sad romance novels and cry."

"First of all," Yara began, "I happen to enjoy your company. You're a good listener and, frankly, very nice to look at."

Surprise fell over Taehyung, "Nice to look at?"

"Oh, don't act like you don't know." She waved him off, "Secondly, I've never cried. I've let out a sniffle at most."

"Fine, so you're not pining over him. Just get back together with him." He responded.

"I can't."

Taehyung frowned, "Then turn him down."

"I can't do that either." She frowned right back.

"Dude."

"I'm scared, okay!" She whined, thumping a foot against the library's carpeted floor.

"Of what? What's holding you back from going back to Eunwoo?"

"...He told me he loves me."

"And?"

"And I don't even know what that means!" Yara threw her hands up in exasperation, the sleeve of her swear falling down her forearms. "I don't know how to love him back or be a good girlfriend – which I know is what he wants from me."

"Yara, I hope you don't feel like you don't owe Eunwoo anything. Because you don't." Taehyung grew serious, which only caused the torn girl to pout.

"I know, I just... I mean, I don't hate him. But it's scary. Whenever I'm dating someone, I get all up in my head like... Am I supposed to be this someone's person? Possibly forever? What the fuck!"

"No, I get it. It's a lot of pressure." He shrugged powerlessly.

"Exactly! I don't want to have to try and love someone. I want to do it. Like... not to sound like a sappy idiot but sometimes I think about all those stories I read," she gestured towards the books beside her, "about feeling a spark when you kiss your person and just... I dunno. Would be fucking nice, instead of this complicated bullshit."

Yara was far from a hopeless romantic. As much as she loved to read about romance, she had an innate urge to flee the moment the word love came around. Still, she could appreciate the idea of it.

"So then forget about that stuff. Forget about labels and expectations. Just be with whoever you want to be with. Have fun, worry about the heavy shit later."

Taehyung had a very soothing effect whenever he spoke. His tone was low and lovely, and despite the way Yara's head was still running a mile a minute, she appreciated the boy's docile nature. Certainly made her feel a whole lot less anxious.

"I want to. That's how this whole thing with Eunwoo started, ya know?" She admitted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But all men are the same. They say they're fine with keeping it casual, but they always end up falling for me, which, duh, understandable..."

The blond boy let out an airy snicker, a direct challenge to Yara's words.

"Something funny, Tae?" She pressed.

"C'mon, that's not true." He rolled his eyes breezily.

"Oh, yeah? Tell that to my four ex-partners who are all still in love with me."

"Maybe you just haven't met the one. You know... your knight-in-no-strings-attached-armor."

"I'm telling you, no such guy exists." Yara emphasized with a poke into Taehyung chest.

He grabbed the jabby finger reflexively, his long fingers wrapping around the small digit, setting his drink on the nearest shelf.

"Yara."

"Seriously, I've done my research! You're looking at a hot commodity, buddy. I may be a raging homebody, but I am very efficient—"

Suddenly, the petite was trapped against the bookshelf with Taehyung hovering over her, a large hand on either side of her head.

"Please stop talking."

Yara's cheeks flushed in surprise as she met the handsome boy's warm eyes, growing even hotter as he leaned over and pressed his mouth against hers.

He smelled distinctly of vanilla, and it sent her stomach fluttering, reeling in the way he gripped her waist, pulling him into her. She would've lost herself in the feeling of his soft lips moving against hers if it weren't for a cough ringing out from somewhere in the library.

Yara broke the kiss short, ears red as she brought her hands to wrap around her torso defensively, trying her hardest to ignore the way her heart was pounding against her chest as if trying to escape.

"You kissed me!" She scoffed, trying her hardest to seem unaffected. Taehyung shrugged.

"You kissed me back."

Oh god, this was bad. She felt all light and giddy tucked away in this corner of the library, the gorgeous tall man still close in proximity, looking at her through a smirk.

"Yes, well... I'm a very go with the flow kind of gal." She defended, brows furrowed adorably.

"Relax, Yara."

"Well, what the hell was that precisely?! Do you just make out with all your library buddies? Is there some sort of library buddy étiquette I'm not aware of?"

"I kissed you because I wanted to. Kissing is fun." He shrugged. "Some guys just want that, you know."

Son of a bitch.

"You got balls, Goldilocks. Understood. Message received, loud and clear." Yara acknowledged through narrowed eyes.

"Happy I could help, bookworm."

A corner of her mouth turned upwards, admittedly amused.

"Just so we're on the same page... you're not in love with me? You just smooched me for fun?" She looked at him skeptically.

"Sorry you had to find out this way." Taehyung joked, earning him an eye roll.

"And you don't have some ex-lover you need to make jealous?"

At those words, the frat boy laughed heartily, head shaking a firm no.

"Wicked."

Yara hopped onto the balls of her feet, hoping to catch the blond's kiss once more when her mouth met the hardcover of a book instead. She sank back down with an annoyed huff; Taehyung had pulled a book from the nearest self in reach, holding it up between them to pause the eager girl's ministrations.

Poking his head out from behind the book cheekily, he flashed her a lopsided grin.

"Easy there, tiger. What about Eunwoo?"

Yara held his eyes for a moment, wondering how she hadn't noticed what a pretty brown they were until now. She let out an appreciative hum.

"What about him?" She raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smirk on her lips that had Taehyung leaning back over to meet it with one of his own.

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"Thanks for agreeing to meet with me." You greeted him with a cautious smile as he slipped into the chair across from you.

You were nervous, to say the least, watching the tall man shift in his seat, trying to grow comfortable despite the uncomfortable circumstances.

"This place is disorienting." Erik scanned the mall cafeteria before flashing you a charming smile. "Thought you'd get tired of waiting and head back home. I apologize for my tardiness."

"No worries. I still don't know my way around at the mall, and I've been home for weeks." You grinned back.

A pleasant beat of silence passed between the two ex-lovers, each taking a moment to consider the other. Erik looked a lot older than he did in high school; he had on a brand new pair of glasses that suited him far better than the ones you remembered did. His hair was combed and styled smartly so that they would stay out of his eyes. A stark contrast from the long-haired boy you had come to know these past few months.

Dammit. Your eyes fell onto the red table between you two, cheeks growing warm as you realized your thoughts had drifted back to Jungkook, even with your ex-fiance sitting across from you.

Erik's voice rang out, "I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting you to call me."

"I wasn't expecting me to either." You confessed, your hands intertwining on the tabletop.

Really, you didn't have much reason to be nervous. I mean, it was Erik. Despite the end of your relationship, there was no bad blood between you two. It wasn't the first time seeing him since the breakup either... maybe it was why you had called him that had you so on edge.

You weren't sure exactly what you wanted from Erik. Company? A distraction? Maybe what you were asking of him was unfair, but as he placed a hand over yours reassuringly, you found the wall you had set up crumbling down.

"I can help you, but you need to talk to me, Y/N. If I could read minds, I would be a much richer man." His brown eyes rolled dramatically.

You chuckled. Same dry wit you remembered.

"I met someone."

"Is that what you wanted to tell me? Y/N, you're allowed to date other people. I understand your hesitation, but really, it is time you moved on–"

You let out a scoff, yanking your hand away from the now laughing man. You flashed him a feigned look of irritation, silently grateful for the change of pace in conversation, finding it much easier to talk when things weren't so tense.

"God, you are still just as full of yourself as I remembered." You teased.

Erik shrugged, "Not to sound like a cocky asshole, but is it not warranted?"

You let that question run through your mind. You suppose if anyone had reason to have a big head, it would be Erik. Intelligent, handsome, hard-working– everything a mother would want their daughter to have.

"It is. You've always been perfect..." You mused, a hint of sadness in your tone that Erik picked up quickly.

And all at once, his entire demeanor changed, a serious expression settling behind those frames of his.

"Tell me about him." He instructed calmly.

And so you did— the beginning, the end, and all the beautiful bits in between. You told him about a boy that challenged you in ways you never imagined– a boy who made you feel like the sun. You spoke of every stupid conversation you once thought of as meaningless but now weighed heavily on your heart and mind.

You were mad at him, of course. There was a reason you had been ignoring his calls and ordered Yara to keep him in the dark of your whereabouts, after all. But the more you talked about him, the more you lit up. Erik noticed it too. How could he not? It was that very way you spoke with an uncontainable passion that made him fall in love with you in the first place.

He watched with utmost concentration for the vocal inflections of your words, the slight movement of your brows that always seemed to speak your mind before you did.

It was clear to him that this boy wasn't just a boy. He could hear in the choice of words you used, words that were static and void of variables. But there were certain words you seemed to dance around he realized as you came to the end of the story... words that were evident to all but you.

"So... Analysis?" You breathed out, chest deflating as you took in Erik's frown.

"Above all... did you find out if he used protection? I don't want to presume anything about... was her name Kiri?" Erik paused, continuing once you nodded back at him, "but your health should be your number one concern."

"I had a friend of his ask him on my behalf. He says he used protection... I went ahead and got tested anyway, though, and I'm all good thankfully." You told him.

Whether or not Jungkook had passed along some sort of STI was heavy on your mind the next morning after you kicked him out. Thankfully, Taehyung was more than happy to get the answer you need but were still too damn pissed off to seek out yourself.

"Good." Erik sunk back into his seat, a hand coming up to run through his hair as he considered his next words. You suppose you were grateful to be able to talk to Erik like this still. Sure, he was blunt and sometimes stared at you like you were some case-study, but he didn't bat an eye of judgment at the news of the contract, for which you were grateful. He had known you for too long to find it peculiar that you'd pretend to be someone's girlfriend in exchange for furthering and fulfilling your passion project.

If anything, that was precisely in line with your character. He liked to think he instilled some of those traits into you.

"Well, frankly, I am sorry to hear this happened to you. You're a great girl; you deserve better than that."

Your neck warmed at Erik's words, slightly taken aback.

"Oh, um... thanks, that means a lot coming from you." You expressed your gratitude shyly.

Erik nodded back at you, "Seriously. It was very shitty of him to string you along for so long and for sleeping with Kiri despite knowing how you felt."

"Oh."

"Oh?" He frowned, not expecting your response.

You shifted in your seat uncomfortably, pausing to watch a woman with a stroller walk past your table.

"Well..." you cleared your throat, "I'm not actually sure that he knows that I, um, like him... like that."

God, this was mortifying. The first time you had admitted you liked Jungkook and it was to your ex-fiancé? Sometimes you swear you were the protagonist in a mediocre rom-com film and no one was telling you.

Erik paused, "I see. And does he know now?"

"...No."

"I see." He sat up, fingers tapping against the table in interest. He quirked up a brow at you. "Perhaps it wasn't just him who was dishonest."

You scrunched your nose at him, not liking what you were hearing. It wasn't anything that hadn't already kept you up, tossing and turning in bed at 2 AM, of course. You had a feeling this was where this conversation would lead to. Erik, as genius as he was, was fairly predictable in this sense. Rational, dependable... nothing like the spontaneous boy you had fallen for.

"So? Even if he knew, what would that change? He slept with her..." You grumbled stubbornly.

"And maybe he wouldn't have if he had known."

You crossed your arms, "You don't know that."

"You're right. I don't. I don't even know the guy. But you do." He continued, offering you a suggestive look.

Huh. Did you think that would have stopped Jungkook? And even so, would that fact alone be enough to get you to forgive him?

"I... I don't know." Was your conclusion, pulling a hum from Erik.

"Guess the only way to know would be to discuss it with the meathead himself."

"I just... I don't want to get my heart broken again. I, quite literally, didn't sign up for this." You placed your face into your hands, hating how rational Erik had to be.

"My guess? He didn't either. It seems as if you both got more than you bargained for." He shrugged.

"He's definitely not at all what I was expecting..." You trailed off glumly.

When you first met Jungkook, he was obnoxious, cocksure, and grotesquely unbothered. You swore you had never hated anyone more on the first meet. But as you came to know him, you found in him a lot of what you wished you found in yourself. Approachable, flexible, spontaneous...

You just wished it all didn't have to hurt so bad.

"You and I are a lot alike, you know." Erik spoke up once he noticed you fall silent. " And I only realized this recently, but I think that was our downfall. When I asked you to marry me, what I was asking of you... Well, it was unfair. Because I know I would never accept that if I were in your shoes."

Your head shot up at his words, hands quick to wave at him dismissively. Asking him to meet you here was not to discuss what had gone wrong in your relationship, and you didn't want him to think that it was.

"Erik, that's okay you don't have to—"

"No, no, what I mean is... we made perfect sense together and it didn't work out in the end. This meathead of yours is nothing like you and maybe it's for the better. You said it yourself that he makes you feel important and formidable." He pressed on.

"Are you trying to imply the notion of opposites attract? Because I personally believe that's a myth and that we're drawn to those similar to us—"

"Puzzle pieces."

"Wha— Huh?" You blinked, blind-sighted by the calm man's sudden words.

Suddenly, Erik readjusted in his seat, leaning in close as he nodded his head.

"Think of life as one big puzzle, and everyone you meet is shaped differently, right? Yet somehow... they fit. We find those that complete us. And they're not necessarily opposites but—"

"But different pieces in the puzzle." You sighed, understanding the metaphor.

You raised a brow at the intellectual man, "That was uncharacteristically poetic of you. I thought you were a man of science... since when do you rely on literary devices to get your point across?"

Erik let out a dramatic sigh, fingertips pressed to the rip of his glasses, leaning back into his seat as if showing his greatness.

"I'm a growing man, Y/N. Science helps you understand the mind and the body, but as far as the heart goes... there's only so much it can tell us." He tutted wisely with a wag of his pointer finger.

"Wow. I dig this character development. I quite like this new you."

"Wanna get married now?" He deadpanned suddenly, a laugh ripping out of you at his unexpected words.

Erik grinned at the familiar sound, also finding the humor within his joke. He was pleased to see that if anything, he could at least momentarily take your mind off of your heart's turmoil.

"Ask me again in another three years." You rolled your eyes, grinning wide, to which Erik threatened that if Jungkook didn't by then, then he just might.

4K notes · View notes

midearthwritings · 3 years

Text

Oh Gods I'm so excited for this!

Hello my dear friends! It is me, Max, your host and devoted writer. And today I am here to challenge you, my dear followers and friends who support and motivate me!

On January 8th 2021, I have decided to open this blog to share my fics with the world. At first I thought that it would last for a few weeks, and that I would have maybe 50 followers, not more. But here I am today, 5 months later, with 650 followers, and I'm so happy about it.

So I have decided that to celebrate my blog's anniversary and my 650 followers, I would create a writing challenge. Yup, that's it. A challenge.

The deadline is July 8th, my blog's 7 months anniversary (because 7 is my lucky number). On this day, everybody will have to post their works. After that, I will link all of your works in a post (the link to this post will be available in my Masterlist).

When you upload your work, you can tag me in it, of course. But I will also ask you to use the tag Midearthwritings Rewriting Challenge . That way I will be able to easily find them and won't miss anything.

What is the challenge about and how to participate?

It is...About me. Because I am a very egocentric person. No, just kidding.

But it really is about my works. See, I used to be a literature student. And for years I have been asked to re-write pieces that already existed. It is a very common exercise, and it is always extremely fun to do. So I thought...Why not give my followers this exercise?

Below the cut will be listed thirty-five quotes and ten plots. All of them are from my works. Your task will be to write a piece based either on a simple quote, or an entire plot.

There is no limit. You can select as many quotes or plots as you want! To participate just send me a DM or and Ask telling me which one you want to write about.

Up to three people can use one quote and up to five people can use one plot :) So make sure to claim the one(s) you want before it's taken!

How long does it have to be?

As long as you want! It can be a 200 words fic or a 10k one shot. Or even a multi-chapter fic! It really is up to you!

Does it have to be a reader insert? What can I write about?

Absolutely not! It can be a reader insert, a character x character or even a story about your OC if you have one! I love to read about OCs.

You can change the pronouns in the quote you choose to fit your story.

And you can write about everything. You can write Angst, Fluff, Unhappy Ending, Triggering Topics, NSFW, Modern AU. Whatever you want! Just make sure to tag your story properly so no one will be surprised.

Can I upload my work on another platform?

Of course. Just make sure to send me the link so I can read it and add it to the final post!

Participants : @shethereadinghobbit @riderofrohirrim @guardianofrivendell @grunid @imnotevenhere9 @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse @hobbitkin-journey @hey-its-nonny @dark-angel-is-back @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @sassyscribbler @laurfilijames @learntosharefeanor-blog @classyhorseeclipseduck @cassiabaggins

Here are all the Quotes and Plots you can choose from! Don't forget to tell me which one you picked so I can write your username next to it!

QUOTES : If you pick one (or several) of those, you will have to include the quote into your piece. Reminder that you can change the pronouns to fit your story of course.

1-One last time, you look back. (Claims : @dark-angel-is-back )

2-The words were like a punch right in the stomach. (Claims : @grunid )

3-“No. This is not good.” (Claims : @learntosharefeanor-blog )

3-Because after all, happiness takes its sweet time, doesn’t it? (Claims : @cassiabaggins )

4-”You belong to me!” (Claims : @dat-pan-dwarf )

5-”I can sense that something is troubling you…” (Claims : @imnotevenhere9 )

6-He keeps you close to him, his arms circling your body like a shield. (Claims : @hobbitkin-journey )

7-”May I join you?” (Claims : @imnotevenhere9 )

8-“I know.” You said, smiling. “I trust you.” (Claims : @dark-angel-is-back )

9-“This is a misunderstanding!”

10-“I could help, you know.” (Claims : @shethereadinghobbit )

11-“You better apologize, or I will make you regret your actions.”

12-But you cannot bring yourself to care. (Claims : @riderofrohirrim )

13-After all, you hadn’t done anything to deserve his anger. (Claims : @shethereadinghobbit )

14-“Excuse me?”

15-Or maybe were you simply imagining it. (Claims : @dark-angel-is-back )

16-You were his greatest, most precious treasure. (Claims : @bitter-sweet-farmgirl )

17-You had almost died.

18-“I see you find this rather amusing.” (Claims : @shethereadinghobbit )

19-Never before had you seen those people.

20-”They need you, all of them.”

21-”I must go now.”

22-”Yet, my love, I cannot bring myself to be angry at you.”

23-”Please, do not forget me.” (Claims : @hey-its-nonny )

24-“I will get rid of them.”

25-Why? You do not know. (Claims : @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse )

26-“If anything happened to you, I would never forgive myself.” (Claims : @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse )

27-“As you wish.” (Claims : @sassyscribbler )

28-“Are you feeling alright?” (Claims : @sassyscribbler )

29-“Why is it that you are crying?” (Claims : @classyhorseeclipseduck )

30-“Careful, we do not want you getting hurt.”

31-“Is this treason I hear?”

32-“Will you please get off me?” (Claims : @laurfilijames )

33-“I am sorry. I should have said something. I should have protected you!”

34-“Finally.”

35-For a moment, everything is quiet. (Claims : @hobbitkin-journey )

PLOTS : If you choose to rewrite an entire plot, you don't have to include any quote from my work. You can also change the character the story was about (ex : If you pick Be Mine, you don't have to write it about Dwalin) .

1- Angels Standing Guard : Going through a difficult time together.

2- Time Won't Heal, Only Your Love Will : Taking care of each other.

3- Let Your Love Wash Over Me : Sharing an intimate moment. (Claims : @guardianofrivendell )

4- Bye, Baby Bye : Saying goodbye. (Claims : @dark-angel-is-back )

5- Farewell : Writing each other a letter.

6- Tongues Rip Like Razors : Having a disagreement. (Claims : @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse )

7- Pour a Little Sugar on my Wounds : Giving love to each others and showing affection. (Claims : @learntosharefeanor-blog )

8- Love Stumbled into my Heart : Realizing how much they love each other.

9- Be Mine : Confessing their love.

10- I'll Show you my Shadows : Comforting the other.

Thank you so much for reading all of this, and a big big thank you if you decide to participate! It means the world to me! ❤️

*big forehead kiss for you all*

#max talks #the hobbit #the hobbit writing challenge #lotr #lord of the rings #lotr writing challenge #Midearthwritings Rewriting Challenge

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witchiswriting · 4 years

Text

All You Had To Do Was Stay

Summary: When you're obliged to take your cheating ex-boyfriend's class your first instinct to leave and ignore him for the rest of your life. But, maybe you could learn to live with it.

Warnings: Angst

It was the beginning of Spring Semester and the chilly March air was surrounding the campus. The trees started to colour, making a green and soft brown landscape all around the campus yard. You were holding your very hot coffee in hopes to warm yourself. It wasn’t exactly working but you couldn’t care less.

You were already feeling like this semester is going to be the worst period of your life, due to the break up you’d been going through since the fall break. You’d been dating one of your professors, professor Negan for 6 months, and the relationship ended in the most painful way just before the fall break.

You caught him getting at it with a blonde bimbo in his own apartment. He was drunk but you couldn’t bring yourself to forgive him. You thought you were being clear about this fragile subject. You already told him, at the very beginning of your relationship, ‘’One time and I’ll be done with you forever. No matter what your excuse is’’ you stated.

Now you had to go through it and the worst thing is Negan is teaching The English Romantics this semester, and you couldn’t change your course. The other professor who was teaching romantics was in maternity leave and this left you helpless.

You had no other choice but to attend this class. In fact, you were already five minutes late. Dreading to going into the building, your phone buzzed with the text of your friend, Kyra. She was informing you Negan was already in the class. You closed your eyes briefly and took a deep breath. He had a strict rule about being late and you wished that he could ignore you for once.

You slowly opened the door and started to walk toward the desk in the back. Fortunately, Kyra already saved a place for you. Of course, Negan noticed your late arrival but didn’t say a word. He was busy with arranging power points.

After you settled, he briefly glanced around and caught your eye, but you quickly averted your gaze. You had to convince yourself to not to skip this class but he was already getting under your skin without doing anything actually, and you couldn’t help but reconsider your decision.

You felt Kyra’s soft, supporting caress on your shoulder, she was your only friend who knew about your relationship with your professor. She accidently found out and, at first, you were afraid that she was going to spread the word sooner or later but she respected your wishes and was there with you during the painful nights for the whole fall break.

Negan cleared his throat and spoke with a firm, authoritative tone. ‘’There are few fucking things I don’t want in my class. Being late is a big fucking no no. I don’t fucking care if you got stuck in the traffic or overslept. Also, you can’t skip my fucking classes without a proper excuse. If you fucking tend to do that please drop this fucking course and wait for the upcoming semester. As any normal fucking professor, I’ll give you assignments for every writer we discuss. If you can’t get it ready until the fucking deadline, then I won’t fucking accept your goddamn paper.’’ he finished his sentence with a stern look on his face.

‘’Geez. What an asshole.’’ You heard the girl behind you muttering and it put a smile on your face. Kyra was giggling silently. ‘’He’s like the 21st century gestapo.’’ She joked.

Negan heard your giggles and quickly turned his glance to your seat, raised his voice again. ‘’Also, I don’t want fucking chit chat in my class.’’ It was like a little warning, especially for you but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Your little actions annoyed him and it slightly made you happy.

“What about the exam schedule?” A shy girl interrupted Negan with her question. Her voice was low.

He cleared his throat and continued. “Good fucking point. As usual, you’ll have midterms and finals but I’m gonna do tests after every subject we finish. They will take place between your midterms and finals. In fact, I’m about do fucking one for today.” He smirked and caught his lower lip between his teeth in a suggestive manner.

To Negan, it was pleasing to annoy students but, honestly, he was doing it because he didn’t feel like himself at that very moment. Seeing you for the first time after a month hit him hard. The fact that you were acting nonchalant toward him made his stomach clench. He literally fucked up and very much aware of it, but whenever he tried to reach you to talk, to apologize you took fewer steps back and he couldn’t blame you.

The students were growling and mumbling how ridiculous this is but you weren’t surprised at all. This was typical Negan, you had taken his Medieval English class before and that was how he did it. He usually does this tests to learn about the class' knowledge beforehand.

“Stop fucking whining. However, this test won’t affect your grades, cause I’m doing it to see how much shit you actually fucking know.” He already had papers in his hand. “It’s a fucking two parted test. The first one is about general knowledge of the writers, their novels etc etc. Now for the final test, you fucking need to write a little analysis for the little excerpt I fucking put on the paper. Good fucking luck.”

Luckily, it wasn’t something hard for you. You had a natural talent and interest in literature. All you had to do was pour your knowledge to the paper and get the hell out of this class, avoiding Negan for the rest of the week. Just as you were busy with thinking how you actually managed to dodge any kind of conversation with him the feeling of long, rough fingers touching your delicate skin interrupted your internal peace.

Negan was standing right beside you, handing the paper. You had no intention to look at him directly. Trying to avoid his spicy smell you loved so much and him altogether. You took a deep breath as he tried to touch your fingers without anyone noticing, but you were quick to pull your hand.

“Just fucking wait outside when you’re done.” He said with a barely audible whisper and moved to the other desk. Sure, the phrase was harsh but his thick voice was dripping with regret, you could feel it. Silently cursing at yourself, you were trying to keep your tears at bay.

As always, Kyra knew what was going on and ready to soothe you. “You don’t have to do a damn thing. You don’t owe this asshole anything.” She whispered with a tone only you were able to hear.

Her support and friendship formed a little smile on your lips. “Thank you.” you mouthed quickly. With a deep sigh you started writing down on your paper and paid your attention to the questions. Thankfully, Negan didn’t come near you during the test. He kept his place on the podium and threw a few glances to your seat but you quickly brushed them.

The test was pretty easy for you after finishimg it swiftly, you silently packed your surroundings and walked straight to Negan. You felt anxiety rising in your stomach. Hoping for him to just take your paper and let you go without saying anything to upset you more.

Negan wasn’t surprised to see that you were the first one to finish this test. He knew about your natural talent in literature, that was one of the reasons why he was affected by you in the first place. For the first time, he found someone whose interests were similar to him and he enjoyed your little chats about literature. That’s how he fell in love with you, too.

You cleared your throat, trying to wake him from his trance. “Here.” you said with an uninterested tone. Hoping to get out of this class as soon as possible. Negan hold your gaze without saying anything. He gulped heavily, his stress was apparent on his facial lines. He briefly closed his eyes and when he opened them, they were glassy.

“Please, Y/N.” Your name came out from his lips with a miserable tone. Without sparing him a second glance and another word, you left the class with stern steps.

For a moment, you considered waiting for him, curious about what he had to say but your logical side beat your feelings and you turned your back, walking toward the gate.

Deep down you knew you had to talk to him at some point. You were taking his class and couldn’t avoid him forever. Maybe, all you had to do was stay and wait for him, but you couldn’t find it in you today. After all, he made his bed and he had to lay in it.

#jeffrey dean morgan #negan #negan x reader #negan fanfiction #jdm #the walking dead

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byunbaekby · 4 years

Text

One Day (PM 01:27)

Pairing: Reader x ex!Doyoung Summary: You’ve never been able to let Doyoung go. He remains in your heart though you can’t erase him, your memories that you can’t let go of. He lives in your books, though you try to ignore his presence. And now, he stands before you to remind you of that time you’ve lost. Word Count: 2.6k Author’s Note: Please enjoy this t h i n g that I wrote at one in the morning because Replay (PM 01:27) came on, and I’ve always loved that song. I’ve always felt like, although it’s kind of disco-y and upbeat, it had a deeper sadder meaning. So here is my word vomit, inspired by one of my favorite NCT 127 songs :)

Your break-up wasn’t supposed to be a break up.

Initially, it was just a break.

Fresh out of college with your undergrads, drowning in debt and lacking in love, you told your boyfriend of three years, Kim Doyoung, that you needed a break. You had simply grown apart, and needed time to reprocess your relationship. Being the understanding man you knew him to be, he obliged.

You had expected it to last a week or two, maybe a month. But Doyoung had packed his necessities from your shared apartment and, with a kiss on your forehead, left for Taeyong's place, promising to be back whenever you needed. But he never came back.

You didn’t really know what it was that kept you from calling him.

Perhaps it was that you were a writer. Your head in the clouds and your emotions always running wild, you constantly overthought every single detail of your relationship. You would keep telling yourself you needed more time away. That time grew from days, to weeks, to months, until it had been over a year since the last time Doyoung pressed his chapped lips to your skin in a chaste kiss.

Perhaps it was that Doyoung, as a law student, was far too emotionless and had no qualms giving you your infinite space, even as your relationship silently disintegrated. He respected your space, told you to reach out to him when you were ready. But you had never been ready.

Perhaps it was just that in your time apart, the love faded. You both came to realize this.

I can't move an inch, I’m still here. Afterimages of you dig into me like vibrations. At the end of the scene of longing that always circles my head. I heard a familiar sound.

It’s been two years since the last time you set foot on Korean soil.

After your break-up with Doyoung, after you came to terms with the fact that you would never collect the courage to pick up the phone and tell him that you made a mistake, you left your home for greener pastures. In other words, the States.

You had minored in English Literature anyways, and felt that you had a greater chance to kickstart your career in a different country. In some ways, perhaps you needed to get away as well. Get away from the craziness of Korea, from the reminders of Doyoung and the life you once shared together that was no longer attainable.

It’s all a lie, for your heart has been in the same place all this time.

Though it’s only been a mere three hours since you’ve stepped off the plane, your luggage tucked away in your hotel room somewhere negligible in your mind, you remember why you never wanted to return. If not for the release of your first Korean novel, you would have never come back.

Because Doyoung is everywhere.

You see him as you turn the corner, thinking you catch a glimpse of that ugly old car he had always insisted on keeping.

You feel him as you walk down the crowded street bustling with people in the afternoon, clutching your hand tightly to prevent losing you.

You taste him as you walk past a bar the two of you used to frequent, alcohol on his lips as you tugged him home with giggles on your’s.

And now, as you stand at a crosswalk surrounded by tens of commuting passerbyers, your hands tucked into the pockets of your Burberry trench coat, you hear him.

“Y/N?”

Except you turn and discover that he is real.

Between the passing people, your melody scatters. Just like then, we're facing each other.

“So… How have you been?”

He is first to break the awkward silence. Your hands, cold from both the air conditioning and your trembling nerves, clutch tighter at your cup of tea. You can see it now. Just four years ago, in the comfortable phase of your relationship, you sat with him in the same cafe, in that corner over there and helplessly in love.

Now he offers a tight-lipped smile to you.

“Fine.”

“Seems like you’re doing more than fine. I… I’ve seen your name on the news. And writer’s lists, your work is doing really well.” You would have never thought that he’d seen your writing. It was all in English, a language you didn’t remember him being too proficient in.

“I guess,” is your response. To anyone, you would have sounded indifferent, uninterested in a conversation with your ex.

A pregnant silence grows between you. Now, it is not Doyoung who is emotionless and stone-faced, but you. He had always been the rock in your relationship—you were infinitely falling apart in emotion and he was always putting you back together. Now, you are stone cold and he is reaching out to you.

“You still don’t drink coffee.” No, you don’t. You had always despised it.

“And you still drink your cafe latte with caramel drizzle.” This brings a soft smile to his face, as if amused by the fact that you could still recall such memories from your mind. What he doesn’t know is that you had spent almost three years away from him trying to banish these thoughts from your mind. You didn’t want to remember, yet he forever remained like an echo in your brain.

“Yeah,” Doyoung starts. “Some things don’t change after all.” Oh, but they do. Everything has changed, except perhaps your preference in drinks.

Another silence.

He looks healthy. He doesn’t look like a man who had been blindsighted and left in the dark by his long term girlfriend and lover. His face is more defined, no longer softened by the image of youth. Shoulders broadened. Hair done. He dons a suit, pricey as you can recall the brand. But he’s still Doyoung, the man you had been in love with since you laid eyes on him at eighteen years old.

“I’m a lawyer now.” You hadn’t even thought to ask him about his whereabouts. How rude, you scold yourself.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Finished law school a year ago. I didn’t really want to but… Taeyong encouraged me to finish what I already started. I work at Jaehyun’s dad’s firm now.”

“Oh. That’s… nice.”

You wonder fleetingly if you sound uninterested, because you’re not. It’s quite the opposite.

You’re amazed.

Unable to prevent the river of memories that hit you, you relish in it instead. Doyoung hunched over his books for hours; Doyoung stressing over his law school applications, even though you had assured him multiple times that he would be accepted with flying colors; Doyoung always debating with you over the simplest topics, and you laughing to tell him that he’d make the perfect lawyer, always so argumentative. The only time he hadn’t argued was when you told him to leave.

Another silence, except this time, it is you who breaks it.

“I’m proud of you.”

A softness falls over Doyoung’s eyes which are typically always so guarded.

“Thank you.”

Old memories, frozen times. Songs we listened to together. You and I, it's clear like it was yesterday.

“You hate it!”

“No… I never said that, baby.” You stare at him with narrowed eyes and a pout on your lips. The two of you are sitting on your bed in your PJs, it is nearly two in the morning. In his hands, your boyfriend holds the first draft of your first short story.

Though he tries to keep a straight face for half a second, he soon bursts into laughter, tilting his head back. With an indignant grunt you snatch the papers from him.

“You’d be a horrible lawyer, you’ve got horrible resolve,” you frown, clutching the papers close to your chest with a pout.

“Baby,” he says, remnants of his laugh from earlier still present in his voice. “It’s not poorly written.” As he speaks, you tuck the papers into the drawer of your nightstand and instead tuck yourself into his arms. “It’s just cliche, I mean, her parents are dead from a drunk driving car accident? She falls in love with a boy after they get paired for a project together? This is K-drama central.”

“It was the best I could do,” you mumble into his chest as he pulls you close in bed, resting his chin on top of your head.

“Thank you for your best.” Even when he is making fun of you, you feel the sincerity in his words. He never means to hurt you; that is Doyoung. He is brash and serious, sometimes too serious to the point where you don’t know when he’s joking, but he never means to cause you any pain. “But I know you’ll be better one day. And one day, I’ll read every single one of your books. I promise, and you know I’m a lawful man!”

One day. One day with Doyoung, you can see it already. “Yeah, one day when you’re the top lawyer at the firm and I’m a famous author.” You grin, tearing from his chest to shoot him a bright smile. “People will pay you billions to have you protect them, and I’ll be picking out stars for my first movie… Song Joongki will do.” This brings a giggle from your throat.

He presses his lips to your forehead, a trademark of his.

“Sounds like a plan, love. One day.”

We were so perfect and it hasn’t faded. I want to turn back time.

Though the two of you are standing in the middle of the sidewalk, surrounded by a bustling crowd of people and noise which never seems to cease, the silence is overwhelming.

It’s the same silence that lingered between you for years following your “break,” because neither of you were willing to smash it. Smash the wall between you, one that had been erected without either of your knowledge. The two of you have changed, have grown, have become adults. Yet it seems you are still both afraid.

He walks you to the crosswalk that you had earlier met at. As you are waiting for the light to turn green to allow your journey across the street, Doyoung produces something from inside his suit jacket.

It is your book, the first with its phonetics written in Korean, your mother tongue. It had only been released yesterday.

“I just finished reading this, on my lunch break, when I saw you.”

Does he know? Does he know that it is your story? A story of love, of the love that never asked but never ended. A question mark on the end of a seven year long story, never to have an ending? A couple that falls in love, falls apart, and moves on. Life doesn’t have happy endings, after all.

“You read it?” “Of course. I promised I’d read all your books.” The thought makes your heart lurch, but rather than lean away from him, it reaches out to him.

“Thank you for today. I know it was sudden, but thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to have coffee with me.. Miss famous author.” You look up to him and he has a slight smile curving on his lips.

“Any time, Doie.” The name catches him off guard, but he tightens his lips and smiles. You mirror it.

Yet another silence grows and you almost wish you could live the rest of your lifetime without ever thinking, writing, or experiencing that word ever again.

The look that Doyoung has on his face is stoic. You want him to say it, you know he has something unsaid. It almost feels as though he has dug it from within him after three years. You know it. Say it, you want to urge him in your head.

“Have a good life, Y/N.” It is a goodbye, a final closing on your story which had been left open-ended for so many years. The thought makes you want to cry. Just hours ago you had stepped off the plane, thinking that you were perfectly content in this new life you had grown without Kim Doyoung. Now, the thought of living without him causes your heart to tighten painfully.

“You too, Doyoung.”

The light turns green. You turn your back to him.

Like Doyoung had done at your request a number of years ago, you walk away.

Our hearts that connected one by one. Our hearts that beat toward each other. In this moment, we want the same dream.

You’ve counted twenty steps when you can’t walk any further. Frantically you turn around, and search for his disappearing head in the crowd of people.

No, you can’t allow him to walk away. Not again.

“Doyoung!” You yell, but he can’t hear you. The silence is deafening.

Though the light on the crosswalk has now turned red, you sprint across. You cannot lose sight of him, you cannot allow yourself to lose him once again.

“Doyoung!” Please.

You have found him. He is walking, his eyes to the ground and your book in his hands. You have to find it—the courage, the voice within you to call out to him.

You love him.

“Kim Doyoung!” He stops. He’s heard you.

Doyoung stops in his tracks and turns over his shoulder, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. You were supposed to be gone, you were supposed to walk away on the crosswalk back to your hotel and out of his life once again. But no, you were standing here before him with panting breaths and tears in your eyes.

“I’m sorry.” There, you have said it. You are sorry for letting go. You are sorry for allowing your relationship to dissipate into thin air and nothingness. You are sorry for running away, and for never being able to say it until now. “I love you, I love you so much. I’ve never stopped loving you. I tried to ignore it and pretend I didn’t, and pretend that I didn’t care when you never came back from Taeyong’s. I pretended I didn’t care when I threw out the stuff you left behind, I pretended it didn’t hurt me when I stepped on that plane.” Your tears are free-falling now, and suddenly you feel Doyoung’s large hands on your cheeks, cupping them as your book falls to the ground. How foolish you must look, crying in the middle of the day in the midst of the city, but you don’t care.

“I pretended that I didn’t miss you, I pretended my heart didn’t do a thousand and one flips when you called my name today, I pretended that everything would be okay eventually if I kept ignoring the fact that I couldn’t live without you, because I thought it would be okay one day.”

One day.

“But I don’t want that day to come. That day where I can live without you. I want our one day. The one day where I’m happy and you’re happy and we can live out our dreams that we’ve planned since we were stupid kids in love in college. The one day where we can be okay again... Doyoung, I want you. I want your one day and the rest of your days.” Your voice catches in your throat. To be able to admit aloud verbally, to both him and yourself, it makes you cry even harder.

You hadn’t noticed until now that your tears were matched by his. God, you love him so much.

“Okay,” Doyoung manages, voice low as his shaky breath touches your lips. “Today.”

Cause I just want to be, I just want to be loved.

#nct #nct 127 #doyoung #kim doyoung #nct doyoung #doyoung fanfic #doyoung imagine #doyoung angst #doyoung fluff #nct angst #nct fanfic #nct imagine #this turned out a LOT longer than i planned #but whooop

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