#he'd rather save the seat and let you go ahead so he can watch while youre ordering in case ppl try anyth funny

[seiwas]

i think abt megumi all the time 🥲

[cottoncandy-cult]

Christmas

Sayuri smiled as she walked around the mall, her tiny hand resting in Koko's as Mitsuya and Inui followed the pair with several bags on their arms. It was a month til Christmas and Koko was able to convince Izana to let him take the youngest blonde gift shopping. She had been saving up money from all her chores and little odd jobs, of course Koko had helped her budget and "Negotiate" raises whenever she took on new jobs around the base. She wanted to get all of her friends and family members something, the 3 male's switching turns whenever she wanted to go and get their gifts. "I bet you're looking forward to the Christmas party, huh Say?" Mitsuya grinned, it would be her first Christmas with the group, and quite a few of them had gone out of their way to get special gifts for her since she does a lot of work for everyone, and she had practically become their mascot. She kept the base rather low stress, always genuinely happy to see them and help in some way. It had been easy for her to make a place for herself amidst the group of misfits, something that her siblings were glad for it as it made it easier to keep an eye on her and keep her safe. Of course, they had many rooms that were off-limits and kept locked, these were rooms meant only for certain forms of business. Drugs, weapons, just about anything illegal or "adult-ish" was handled in these rooms.

Thankfully these rooms were located in a sort of sub-basement, making them easy to hide. Especially since Sayuri had already been told to not go in the basement to begin with, not that she wanted to as the dark made her nervous. "Yeah, I can't wait for the big dinner. Kaku said he was gonna get food from a bunch of places and Taiju said he'd bring stuff." The little girl skipped along beside the ravenette of the group, tilting her head some as she daydreamed about all the food they'd get to try at the party. The small group of men laughed, she was like a little black hole and at this point they're sure it all has to dissolve into pure energy. "Your brothers are excited, since it'll be your first party with us. Hope you can keep up with the fun." Mitsuya patted her head as he chuckled, today she wore her hair down and had on some thick red winter leggings. Her outfit was cute but still took heat into consideration, such as her white skirt with the white fur lining the bottom and inside of it. To tie the look together she had on a black long-sleeved shirt and thick white jacket that hung down to the middle part of her shins as well as her usual boots. "I can't wait to see how it goes, I heard Hanma and Ran talking about all kinds of games and movies. Plus, the new rec room is supposed to officially be ready for use that day, right?"

Sayuri looked up at Inui who came to walk on her open side, the blonde man had been the one to handle the scheduling and communication with the workers who were fixing up and enhancing the rec room. "Mhm, thanks to Koko's investments and some of the other's businesses we run we were able to afford some special modifications." Inui chuckled, of course he didn't bother to clarify if he meant business like Taiju's restaurant he's been running from the shadows or the various illegal jobs they undertook. The walking group finally arrived at the food court, they looked around at the different small restaurants that lined the inside of the area and the handful of food courts that sat between the restaurants and the seating area. "What do you want for lunch Say? We'll go ahead and grab yours so you can eat and think about what shops to go by next while we get ours." Koko chuckled to himself, watching the smaller girl gaze around the food area in thought. After a few moments she motioned to a specific one. "I like their Teriyaki Beef and Stir-fried veggies on rice. So, I'll go with that, especially since it's served nice and warm." The little girl giggled, walking with Koko inside as Inui and Mitsuya went and got them a table and figured out where they wanted to eat for lunch.

-

Sayuri smiled from her place in the back seat of Shinichiro's van, Mikey and Izana had gone ahead earlier in the day to make sure the party was ready. Emma giggled at the little girl's excited look from her spot in the passenger seat. In the back of the van was a massive pile of presents, the little girl had spent the night before wrapping, bagging and tagging all of her gifts for everyone. That year had been profitable for the group as a whole, so the gift exchange was on one of the larger ends of what their usual Christmas party was like. It started off with just the original friend group wanting to give their friends gifts, but it soon became a way to strengthen ties and promote trust. This one in particular was special because it was Sayuri's first Christmas with them, the group of siblings had already celebrated earlier that morning with their grandpa. They had a special breakfast, opened their gifts and played some games. Around noon Izana and Mikey headed to the base to help prepare for the party, and now that the sun was about an hour from setting the other half of the group was making their way over. "I can't wait to see the tree; Koko was saying in the group chat that it was the best one yet! What about you big sis?" Sayuri kicked her feet in excitement, looking forward towards her elder sister. "Personally, I'm excited for the food, I'm glad we skipped lunch." Emma smiled as she checked her lipstick in the mirror, the girls wore similar Christmas dresses. Sayuri's was light bule with silver fluff on the collar and bottom of the skirt. Emma's was emerald green with white fluff, both were long sleeves and came down to their knees. Sayuri wore white knee high stalkings and her black boots to help keep her warm, while Emma's stalkings had been the same green of her dress but with a white snowflake pattern. "Personally, I just can't wait to get all these gifts inside and get settled, it's a good thing Wakasa and Draken volunteered to help us bring everything inside." Shinichiro chuckled from his place behind the wheel, he knew they'd probably be bringing home quite a few gifts after this little venture. Some members, like Koko, had taken advantage of the holiday to get their hard-working little girl special gifts. Of course, she was already paid like an adult janitor for helping keep the more commonly used rooms clean, on top of what the individual members give her when she does little things for them.

Like the tips she gets when bringing everyone snacks and drinks, or when she brings someone something they forgot in another room during a meeting. She may have been their little sister, but Mikey was generous in paying her wages because she takes her work seriously. When she cleans and organizes, it's spotless. When you ask for something specifically, she makes sure you have exactly what you asked for or she'll make you aware of the fact that they're out of that item before informing you of what she saw was available. Izana had been worried about the little girl though, he doubted their mother did anything for the little girl for things like Christmas and he was fearful of overwhelming her. Izana was a worrier after all, he feared her desire to earn everything stemmed from her feeling like she doesn't deserve things otherwise. Mikey always tells him that he's overthinking, the younger blonde believing that if it gets too extreme then they'll get some family counseling, but he saw nothing wrong in her wanting to earn things over just asking for everything at someone else's expense. The shorter blonde believed that over time with them, her mindset would start to adjust and relax. That they simply had to give her time, let her learn and cope as she pleases and only intervene when they feel its growing to be unhealthy.

"Hey Emma, can you text Draken to let him know we're here. I'll pull up to the front so we can start unloading, you just go on inside alright Say?" Shinichiro chuckled as they pulled into a spot in front of the building, Emma had begun typing away on her phone when their oldest brother initially asked. "Alright, first thing I'm gonna do is get something to eat." Sayuri smiled, unbuckling her seatbelt as she grabbed her purse and hopped out of the van. Snow crunched under her boots as she made her way around the front of the van and to the door, the little girl taking a moment to hold it open for her 2 large friends. Draken locked the door open so they could come in and out without a hassle, meanwhile Sayuri made her way inside and towards the massive room being used for the party. She had heard once from Koko that the building was previously a hotel, everyone had their own room in the building just in case they couldn't make it home one night. Because of that they had a sort of ball room on the ground floor, it was attached to the bar that the men would often unwind in. Say made her way towards the ballroom, following the directions she was initially given by Draken when they passed each other. Though she could have found it given how loud the talking and music was, plus the bright lights that lined the doorway was practically an advertisement. When Sayuri entered the room, she noticed how warm it was, looking around a moment before she spotted a rather large fireplace against the far wall.

The main lights were off, but with the fireplace and all the Christmas tree lights strung up everywhere it was rather easy to see. There were many couches clustered together, tables surrounded by chairs sat on the wall opposite of the massive Christmas tree that sat surrounded by gifts. Next to it was another table loaded with food, everyone had been scattered around the room. Many comfortable in seats with their friends and stuffing their faces. Sayuri made her way towards the food table, looking for her brothers in the process. "Hey, you finally made it." Mikey had snuck behind her, scooping the little girl up with a chuckle. "Mhm, I was gonna get something to eat and come find you and Zana." She giggled, letting him carry her over to the table so she short girl could actually see everything available. "Alright, well you pick what you want, and I'll fix it for you. Izana is sitting on the couch closest to the Christmas tree." Mikey smiled as she looked over the food, nodding her head. She told him what she was craving after looking over the table, letting Mikey set her down as she went wandering off towards the Christmas tree. It was a massive one, definitely fake given its size but it made it easier to fit the large pile of presents under it. A pile only growing now that her presents were being unloaded.

Moments like this made her glad she saved her money from all her working, she wanted to make her first Christmas as fun as possible. The tree was so colorful, it was absolutely coated in glitter. Something that made her giggle, she felt bad for whoever had to take it apart after the holidays. Noticing Izana sitting with Kakucho the little girl rushed over, she was noticed quickly and Izana had a relieved smile while beckoning her over. "Hey Say, you finally make it?" Kakucho chuckled, watching the little girl climb into the spot next to Izana. "Mhm, I met up with Mikey when I went to get food. He sent me over here while he fixed his plate." She giggled, watching her sister and Draken bring in the last of the presents with the help of a wagon. "We open gifts at midnight, til then we have a bunch of stuff going. Once everyone is settled, we'll be projecting a movie on the wall back there, but the rec room is also opened up. Mitsuye has a fighting game tournament going, the pool table and ping pong are going, air hockey, even some board games are set out. So, after you eat why don't you run around and go see everyone?" Izana smiled, running his fingers through his hair. He was just glad to see she was excited and ready to go, he still planned to watch over her though. Something bothered him, he felt like she was hiding a lot of stuff from them even still. He sometimes felt that she played up her childishness to keep people from asking questions, he knew what this looked like. Afterall, he too was a child forced to grow up fast. He played along about his age for manipulation, it made survival easier. But her circumstances are different from what his were, so he couldn't tell if she was protecting herself or just trying to make everyone else happy. Either way, he had seen the edges of her mask a few times. Even if his brothers thought he was overreacting, he knew there was something going on with her. Something none of them seemed to be aware enough of to actually bring up. Before Izana could be further swallowed by his thoughts Mikey had arrived, setting a tray with food on it on Sayuri's lap before sitting comfortably on her other side. For now, he would have to simply watch over her, at least until he had more to go off of or she felt comfortable enough to come clean. Whatever came first. So for now, he would simply bide his time and make sure she enjoyed her first real Christmas with her new found family.

[halfway-happyyy]

Soft Alexander things:

Possesses an actual heart of gold.

Feeling a wee bit under the weather today? Oh, he’s got you covered. Literally. He empties out the blanket cupboard at the end of the hallway, searching for the one he knows you love the most. He’ll call his mom with a list of your symptoms (even if he knows its just a cold) and report back a half an hour later with her coveted chicken noodle soup recipe. “We’ll get you feeling better in no time, kid.”

He loves a good, roaring fire. He’ll build one out in the back yard, even if it’s only just him who sits around it. Eventually you’ll humor the elder Swede and join him around the blazing fire, settling into the warmth of his lap as you do so.

Thunder and lightning. He knows how much you adore the sound and scent of rain showers, so he checks the weather ahead of time and sets up wicker chairs and blankets on the front porch so that you can watch as close as you can without getting wet.

He knows how much your dog Milo detests thunderstorms, so he checks the weather ahead of time and makes sure to cuddle the pup extra hard when one rolls in. “It’s okay, Milo… papa’s got you. You’re safe with me.”

Every now and then, he loves being the little spoon, which makes your heart sing louder than you could ever express.

Went a little too hard at wine night with your best friend? You hesitate to pick up the phone to call him. He'd just flown home from a shoot two nights ago… but he picks up on the second ring. Tells you he'll be there in a half an hour. When he rolls up, he gets out of the car to help you to your side. He's already got a bucket in the front seat in case you wretch on the way home. Which you do. Multiple times. He's got your window cracked half way, the chill of the wind as he speeds home helps to calm the roiling, chardonnay-induced waves in your stomach. When the car finally glides to a halt, he rushes around to your side of the door to help you out of it and into the house. He scoops you up into his arms and makes a beeline for the washroom, where he settles you gently against the porcelain bowl. “I'm right here, kid… better out than in.” He ties your hair into a sloppy bun and rubs your back in soothing circles until the sun greets you a couple of hours later.

When you eventually stir the next morning and your head feels like it's splitting in two, he'll have already set a glass of ice water and two extra strength Tylenol on the wooden counter next to you.

Has saved every single birthday card and Christmas card your grandparents have ever given him. “I love them so much, kid… Way too important to ever throw away.”

Laughs at his own jokes consistently. Even if they're terrible. To the point that it has now become equally as (if not more so) funny to you. After his laughter has subsided, he'll often turn to you, expression deadpan, and murmur, “it must be difficult dating someone so hilarious.”

For an entire year after Alexander landed the part of Tarzan, your ringtone for him whenever he called was Baltimora's 'Tarzan Boy'. Oh oh oh Oh OH oh oh oH oh OH...

Designates a pocket in his favourite suitcase to love letters you've written him. “I pull them out when I’m in my trailer and missing you too much.”

Lives for live concerts and outdoor music festivals. He especially likes that he can be anyone he wants when he attends. His six-foot four figure disappears easily in large crowd, where it can't really do that anywhere else.

Sweden. He has accepted (and is gracious) for the way in which the US has welcomed him so kindly, but no matter how far away he roams, Sweden will always be home to him.

Knows when you need a really good cuddle. Can sense it the moment you step through the door after a long day. He listens for the familiar sound of your keys in the glass dish in the front foyer. He'll watch you trod up the stairs to your room and wait about ten minutes while he finishes up dinner. He appears in the doorway of your room silently; regards your figure splayed out on the bed. He won't ask you what's wrong- that can be discussed later. For now, he'll just lay down beside you, curling his much larger body around yours and pressing reassuring kisses to the nape of your neck.

Sings in the shower. Musical performances run every morning and include anything from Frank Sinatra to ABBA to the latest Adele tune.  

Cooking. He doesn’t get to do it nearly as often as he’d like, but he really enjoys it when he does. Where you prefer to bake (cakes, breads, pies) he has a natural talent for throwing foods and flavours together and having them taste wonderfully. He’s also been known to host dinner parties; friends and family from Sweden, or costars, you name it, they’ve probably taken a seat at your dining table.

Has no problem having real, live pythons draped around his shoulders but that ridiculously tiny house spider in the corner of the bathroom this morning? He practically put a pricetag on its head for you.

On nights when the sky is impossibly clear, he'll drive you down to a spot so that you guys can watch the stars swim across the inky night sky together. He could go on for hours about astronomy if you let him (and you do) because you love the sound of his voice, and the passion with which he speaks. After a while, he'll sling an arm around your shoulders and kiss your cheek. "There's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be right now, than here with you, kid."

[yarasun]

La Douleur Exquise 2; l.jn

• Word Count: 11.8K

• Summary: For you so loved him deeply, but all he needed from you was to satisfy his venereal desires. Lee Jeno was the painful yet ethereal lust, while Na Jaemin was your salvation. To love Lee Jeno was to endure in agony, but what could you do when his own bestfriend made you feel what true love is?

• Author's Note: This is my second one shot under the "Heir / Heiress AU". This part will mention Na Jaemin a little more, but I assure you it still revolves and is associated with Jeno and the reader's relationship. Please do go back to part one before jumping to this. Special credits to the Kdrama "The Inheritors" where I got the business school idea from and also credits to the owner of the photo used as the cover. I hope you guys Lee Donghyuck's Illicit Desire, the first book of this series. Enjoy!

La Douleur Exquise 1

"How does it feel to have Jaemin's hands all over you? Were you that desperate for attention that you had to sashay Jaemin in front of me?" Jeno growled as he bit marks onto your skin. It's been a week since his message and you've been avoiding him as much as possible. Ignoring his phone calls, and keeping him on read, this enraged Jeno even more, he was restless and he managed to get ahold of you today. As you were passing by, he grabbed your arm and pulled you into an empty classroom. He pulled you closer towards him and you could feel the anger radiate from his body. But you couldn't understand why. Jeno had no rights, and according to him, there were no strings attached to this little relationship of yours.

"Jeno." You whimpered as he placed kisses all over your neck. It was rough and full of lust, but you loved it, you indulged in all the things Jeno did to you, for he was worth all that pain. Lee Jeno was worthy enough to shatter your already damaged heart. He could do anything to you and you would never complain, for Lee Jeno was the epitome of a collision between heaven and hell. He could destroy you with his words of rejection, yet he could patch those wounds by his wet kisses.

"Baby, you are mine. Only mine." He says and pulls away from you. His eyes scanned your features thoroughly. A playful smile crept up his lips and he touched your foreheads together, his eyes staring deeply into your dark ones. "Please stay baby. I need you." Jeno whispers and you hum in response. He didn't have to tell you twice. Despite the numerous tears that stained your pillow and the countless times you had to cover your mouth for your cries to be unheard, you'd still go back to Lee Jeno. Only Lee Jeno could hurt you this way, it was an agonizing desire that burned your soul, leaving it in ashes. Yet, it was still him you see yourself falling for over and over again.

Unaware of the certain someone that stared from afar, you shared yet another rough kiss with Jeno.

"We should get going Jeno. You've skipped too many classes this month." You said and Jeno groans. He hated when you acted strict with him, Jeno did not like being told what to do. He was reckless and unruly, not even Seo Yun nor his friends could suppress that part of him. Although he might not act that way as much as before, Lee Jeno still had his reputations of ruining events and properties. Last year's gala preparations were held back due to the big fight that happened between him and Sunwoo. It ended with Jeno getting a bruised lip, Sunwoo had to get a cast since Jeno pushed him too hard and he stumbled into a pile of arranged chairs and hitting his arm against the tables. Both students were not able to participate the gala. Walking out the classroom, you immediately went to your locker to grab a few books and jogging your way to class. It was 10 minutes before the bell rang but you had to cross over to the opposite building for your class.

"I expected you to be smarter than that." Jaemin said the moment you took your seat beside him. Confused, you frowned at him and crossed your arms over your chest.

He looks over at you and combed his black hair with his fingers. "You always go back to Lee Jeno, despite the pain he brings you. How much more until you realize you and him would never work out princess?" He says and your heart froze at what he said. Na Jaemin was right, he always was. But you loved Jeno, and despite knowing that it was wrong, you couldn't help it, you already fell for Jeno. You fell and still continue falling into this bottomless pit of darkness, unsure what lies ahead.

"Jaemin-" Before you could finish your sentence, the sound of the school's speakers blared through the entire school. "Students in Class 4A to 4C, your subject teachers are unable to meet with you, so all of you are free to leave the school campus early for today." Professor Kim's voice rung in your ears.

"I just wished you'd realize that he could never love you the way I do. And, I do genuinely hope you'd change your point of view and give me a chance. But I guess not." He said and stood up to exit the classroom. With the blink of an eyes, Jaemin was gone, and what he said to you stuck like glue.

Na Jaemin liked you? What a turn of events.

___

"Tell me. Do you really like her?" Jaemin asks as Jeno types vigorously on his phone, his eyebrow raised at Jaemin's question but spared him no look at all. "Jeno, you can't always expect for her to be there to fulfill your sexual desires. Y/N is not some toy you play around with." Renjun butts in, his glasses drooping from his face as he scribbles roughly on his notes.

The group decided to stay in their hangout spot for a few hours before actually going home. Since Jeno had been ignoring his friend, Jaemin thought this was the perfect opportunity to confront him about you. And Renjun was onboard this plan too. Although you and Renjun never talk, it didn't take a genius to notice the way Jeno has been mistreating you. He knew you were a good person, you ranked above the 20 places during exams, and you were also classmates in one subject.

"Who?" Jeno asks clearly annoyed with the two interrogating him. Deep inside he crossed his fingers that Donghyuck would just shut his mouth about the situation, for Donghyuck was always a pain in the ass to talk to, let alone have a debate with. "Look, I don't know if you're stupid or heartless, but Jeno, Renjun is right." Well it seemed like the gods hated him. Donghyuck speaks up, leaning back on his chair and blowing a puff of breath.

"So, will you just keep telling me all these things, while I am clearly dumbfounded as to who you guys are talking about?" Jeno spits out, slamming his phone on the table.

"Y/N!" Both Jisung and Chenle shouts, piqued at the tension inside the room. It seems that Jaemin, Renjun and Donghyuck were not the only ones that knew about your little relationship with Jeno, the younger ones were always observant about every little detail. If only it were possible, Jeno would've just dived into the gateway to the underworld. He'd rather die in the hands of Cerberus, or even Hades himself than to discuss about what was going on between you and him to his friends.

Jaemin closed his notebook and stared intently at Jeno, "Do you really like Y/N or not?" He asked. His voice dropped an octave lower, which shocked the others at the sudden change of tone. Jaemin was never the one to be too serious about anything, he looked at things in such a cheerful perspective, but now, it seemed all the jokes drained out of his body. Jaemin was grim, and it scared his friends, especially Lee Jeno.

"No. I don't." He answered and from there, it was as if someone had poured gasoline on the already burning flames of rage in Jaemin's system. "Then why do you still mess around with her?" Donghyuck asked, setting his pen on the table and looking up at Jeno.

"Because she's naïve. She thinks we can have this happily ever after despite knowing I'll be engaged to Seo Yun after all this." That was the last strand, Jaemin lunges towards Jeno, grabbing his collar and giving him one hard punch on his face. Everyone was taken aback by his sudden action, except for Jeno, he smirked at his friend in a daring and playful way.

"Did Na Jaemin fall in love for that cheap trash that I hook around with? Do you really enjoy picking up my leftovers? You're pathetic." Jeno taunts and before Jaemin could send another blow, Jisung pulls him away. Chenle and Donghyuck held onto Jeno, trapping him in order to avoid him pouncing on Jaemin. Meanwhile, Jisung hugged Jaemin tightly, stripping him of any way to reach Jeno.

"Jeno stop it. Jaemin calm down." Renjun steps in, his hands on both Jeno and Jaemin's chest. Despite his smaller frame compared to the others, the group fears Huang Renjun for he was always the one that kept everyone in line, especially at things like this

"This is stupid. You're dumb enough to freaking play around with feelings, yet it was wrong of Jaemin to pounce on you like that. I get that neither of you agree on the ways you feel for Y/N, but will you really cause another ruckus just for her?" Renjun says, dropping his hand to his sides while the members slowly loosened their grips on the two boys. Glaring at Jeno, Jaemin grabs his bag and leaves the room before the others could stop him. Lee Jeno was heartless, and he hated that. He could never look at his friend the same way ever again. He despised Lee Jeno, and he hoped you'd hear him out.

As soon as Jaemin walked out the room, a devilish grin played on Jeno's lip. He's always known about the feelings of affection Jaemin had for you, but he was selfish. He liked playing with you, he relished in the thought of how easy it was to fool you, to simply use you for his own selfish gains. Seeing his best friend fall head over heels for you was like the cherry on top his favorite milkshake. He savored the idea of Na Jaemin going out of his way to save you from him.

"Jeno. Please stop. Not only are you hurting her, Jaemin is in pain by simply watching Y/N act stupid for you. And soon enough, your father and Seo Yun might find out about it. Her father will lose his job." Donghyuck says, his arm patting Jeno's shoulder.

Renjun sighed beside Jeno and took off his glasses, setting it on the table. "Are you that heartless? To strip away a family's source of income just so you can satisfy your sexual desires?" Renjun asked while packing his bag. Jisung and Chenle were simply listening to the conversation while they shared a can of soda.

Jeno rolled his eyes at their remarks, but he couldn't help but think, was he really that bad? Maybe he was, but he would never admit his fault, for his pride was one of the things he valued too much. Grabbing his bag and keys, he exited the room and headed to the school's parking lot. A drift around the streets of Seoul would clear his mind, he thought.

Fisting his black hair, Jaemin opens the door to his car and places his bag in the backseat. He was infuriated with the words that spilled out of Jeno's mouth; it drove him crazy. He never knew that his own friend was capable of saying such bleak claims. He understood that Jeno needed you to calm him down, but to the extent of calling you trash and treating you like you were less of a human; it was irrelevant.

"What's got you thinking so deep hm?" Your voice, it was a soothing and a warm melody to Jaemin's ears. Looking up, your eyes connect with each other's and it was as if all of his problems drained out of his body. You've always been his source of relaxation; with you he was calm and collected. Therefore, he refers to you as his lifeline. He depends on you to maintain his serenity. And you were always successful in doing so, for a simple smile from you had always worked effectively on Na Jaemin.

At a loss for words, Jaemin simply grabs your arm and pulls you into his embrace. He was warm and soft, you wrapped your arms on his torso as he wraps one hand on your waist and the other on the back of your head, pushing your head deeper into his blazer. It was a comforting gesture, an escape to all the stress you've been through the past few weeks. "I need you princess." He whispers.

Pulling away from him, you stare up into his eyes and smiled softly, "I'm here Jaemin. You can talk to me." You said and he pulls you into another embrace. A few more minutes passed and the two of you remained in the same position until you pulled away since you had to head home, in which Jaemin offered to drive you back.

___

Your eyes were burning due to the lack of sleep, so you opted to put away your notebooks and get ready for bed. Glancing at the clock, it showed 2:13 a.m. therefore, you really needed to be in bed. You sighed and stood up from the table to walk towards your bed. Your phone buzzed from your table so you grabbed it and placed the covers over your body. Surely, your father was asleep in the room opposite from yours so he wouldn't really mind if you were still awake at this hour.

"Baby. Can we talk tomorrow?" It was a message from Jeno. Shaking your head, you left him on read and tucked yourself in your bed, drifting off into a deep, and much needed slumber.

You woke up to the sound of your alarm, and you scrambled out of bed to prepare breakfast for your father. He usually woke up later than you since his shift started around 10 am. As you grabbed your phone, a notification displayed on your screen. "Meet me at the school's fountain by 7." It was another message from Lee Jeno.

You settled the device on the table and walked out your room to prepare. As soon as you were done, you knocked on the door of your father's room and bid him goodbye, with a matching kiss on his cheeks. Then, you exited the apartment to head to school.

"I didn't think you'd show up baby." His voice greeted you as soon as you took a step towards him. He pulls you into a tight embrace and you realized how much you missed Jeno acting soft with you. For the past few months, he was always on edge. Maybe it was due to the stress that was gaining on him, knowing he'd have to take over the company as soon as he graduated.

Families like Lee Jeno's and his friends, it was never that simple. Sure, they had privileges and everything they wanted, was always served on silver platters. But that would never change the fact that they experience tremendous amounts of pressure and high expectations from the people around them. Every one of them was bound to be successful, if not, they'd be humiliated and could even be the cause of the possible downfall of their family businesses. Which is the reason why you've always had high respects for students like Lee Jeno and his friends.

Especially Lee Donghyuck. He was an heir to the second biggest medicinal company all over South Korea. Of course, the biggest belonged to his best friend, or according to Na Jaemin, his girlfriend? It was a risky decision if you do say so yourself. But who were you to judge, you were also risking yourself for a wretched relationship? Huang Renjun owned the school and his mother also owns one of the best boutiques in China. Na Jaemin's family owned a bunch of hotels throughout Asia, which actually makes him one of the richest in their group. Zhong Chenle was the grandson of one of China's wealthiest entrepreneurs and even his mother opened up her own company, in which Chenle might inherit. Park Jisung's family owns one of the best dance studios in Seoul and he is a choreographer in the industry. Overall, the Dreamies were a group of wealthy, successful and well-known individuals throughout the country.

"I would always be at your beck and call, Jeno. It'll always be that way." You whispered and he hugged you tighter. You could feel his body heat radiate and it warmed you up. Jeno always had 2 sides to him; the rough and lustful one, but there was also the soft and fuzzy Jeno. He always confused you with his ever-changing approach.

"Baby, I have to attend a business gala with Seo Yun tonight. But can I count for you to be at Mark's party tomorrow night?" He asked, his chin atop your head. For the first time in months, Jeno actually felt comfortable and welcoming.

You pulled away and stared at him, "I'll try Jeno." And yet again, he flashes another beautiful smile. Jeno was sensuous, his well-proportioned body, toned abs that could be visible through his white shirt, and his sharp jawline that highlights his features.

Indeed, Jeno had the charisma of a Greek god, he was astonishing. Lee Jeno possessed the radiating beauty of the sun god Apollo but he was cursed with Ares' wrath and temper. He was an explosion caused by the collision of heaven and hell, he wreaks havoc in his wake and does not look back on those he hurt. Jeno was a whole chapter from the Greek mythology, but he could never be the whole book, for he tore pages off himself since the day his sister fled. He was missing himself, and that was the reason why he needed you. He needed you to fill in his gaping holes.

___

He's been there for weeks. Every time you walked by to head to your locker, he was always there with his head hung low and his hood covered his features, but you knew well enough who he was. Lee Jeno, he was the new heir to the Corsair Realty, one of the biggest real estate companies in South Korea. Supposedly, it was his sister that as to take over their company, but rumor has it that she fled the country to pursue her own career. It was simply a mere conclusion, but maybe that was the reason why you've seen Jeno mope around for the past weeks.

"Are you alright?" Your voice was even softer than it usually was and that made Jeno peek up, his head raising slightly as one eye stared at you. He seemed intimidating, even with just one of his eyes glued on you. You felt bad for the guy and decided that you might come up and talk to him.

As far as you knew, Lee Jeno was a part of the Dreamies. They're a small group of students in your school that had the titles of "wealthiest" and "most privileged" students. The group consisted of seven members, and they were very picky, refusing other people to join their group, wherein only the seven of them could be worthy of being a Dreamie. Somewhat, a clique if you do say so yourself.

The Dreamies were significantly popular, not only in the school but also throughout the country. For all the members were heirs of some of the biggest industries in South Korea. Mark Lee, he was the Canadian boy with jet black hair and adorable smile. He was the oldest amongst the group, being born in 1999. Mark was a senior in your school, and one of the highest achievers in their grade. His family owns a manufacturing company in both South Korea and Canada, which is the sole reason why he might leave the country after their graduation, for he will take over the company in Canada.

Next, Huang Renjun. Renjun was probably one, if not, the most well-known student in the school for his family owned the school itself. Aside from that, he originally came from China, and his mother owns one of the best boutiques there. Renjun was the smallest amongst their group, yet he was one of the most intimidating, for he always walked around the school with his sharp stares and burning gazes. It was not often to see Huang Renjun smile, unless he was with his friends. He sported this blonde hair with soft streaks of rainbow colors in pastel at the tips of it. Along with Na Jaemin and Lee Donghyuck, the three of them are some of the smartest students in your grade.

Na Jaemin, he was beautiful, like some prince charming ripped from the pages of a fairy tale. Unlike Renjun, Jaemin was always spotted smiling and greeting everyone who greeted him. He was adorable and always had this positive vibe around him. Jaemin loved to joke with his friends and make those around him laugh. He was known to be the angel of their group for he was clingy and loved to shower his friends with soft affection.

Lee Donghyuck was like a collision between Huang Renjun and Na Jaemin. He could be as frigid and sassy as Renjun yet, he had the same positive vibe just like Na Jaemin. He had such contrasting personalities, nevertheless, his friends seem to get along with him well. Maybe that was why Donghyuck stood out from his friends, all of them stood out. However, Lee Donghyuck always had this bright vibe around him, which is why he was named "Sunshine Hyuck". Aside from his playful persona, Lee Donghyuck was the smartest amongst them, which was another reason he could be easily identified amid their friend group.

Zhong Chenle was well known as the wealthiest member. He was the grandson of one of the most successful and well-off entrepreneurs in China, and his mother owned one of the largest manufacturing company in the country. Chenle was adorable, his vibes were like strawberries and marshmallows. Besides his cute and childish persona, he was often called as the "Dolphin" due to his high-pitched screams and laughs, which you only ever heard whenever he was with his friends.

Park Jisung, he was prodigious. At such a young age, he held the title of "Nation's Best Dancer" in Korea. Well, that was no surprise since his family owned one, if not the best dance studio in Seoul. Both his parents were preeminent dancers, including Jisung himself. At the age of 14, he started teaching small groups and choreographed a bunch of performances that were absolutely phenomenal.

And last but not the least was this gorgeous man I front of you. Lee Jeno. He was often distinguished as the troublemaker in the group. Jeno possessed this bad boy vibe, which suited him well - that you could never deny. Unlike his friends, he was supposedly the only one amongst them that was not an heir, and he never wanted to be. He believed that the responsibilities and expectations that came with it was not something he would enjoy. Jeno was wild, recalcitrant and he never likes the idea of people telling him what to do. He wants to do whatever he likes without any second thoughts and without the criticism weighing down on his back. But all that changed when his sister fled the country, leaving Jeno to inherit the company.

"Why are you here?" He asked, his voice was deep and hoarse - it sounded as if he was in pain. Trapped inside the mazes of his thoughts, running around, unable to find a way out, yet Jeno would never disclose that thought to his friends. He was afraid of being judged.

You smiled bitterly and extended your arm forward, offering him a cup of coffee that you bought for Heio's. IT has always crossed your mind to approach him for you felt the need to ask him if he was alright, and today seemed like a good day to do so. So, you stopped over at Heio's and ordered a caramel milkshake and some Vanilla latte, something sweet for Lee Jeno. You didn't even know if he liked coffee, but it was worth a shot.

He takes a swift glance at the cup extended towards him and narrows his eyes at you, "What is this?" He asked, clearly still confused and maybe annoyed as to why you initiated a conversation with him in the first place.

"A Vanilla latte, I figured maybe if you were not a big fan of coffee, this was something a little less strong." You answered, yet with such dulcet and baffled voice, it almost sounded like a question. Jeno brings his eyes back to the cup in your hands, and slowly reaches out for it, mumbling a thank you.

"I'll ask again, why are you here?" He asked as he took a small sip from the cup, his thin pink lips slowly leaving the cup. You took the time to stare at Lee Jeno and his enthralling features. Sharp jawline, soft pink lips and cat like eyes that disappears into thin slits whenever he smiled. He was agonizingly beautiful, like a fallen star that ripped through the sky and landed in earth. He was bewitching, however, don't let his charms blind you, for Jeno was never innocent in the first place. He was often distinguished as the troublemaker of the group.

Jeno often got into fights, and most of them end up to be a physical fight, and he has to be sent home to treat his wounds. Now, you were never classmates with Jeno, however Jaemin and Renjun were in some of your classes. With no intention to pry, you'd accidentally read the message from Donghyuck in their group messages with the quote, "He's done it again. Jeno is all bruised and was sent home." And by the end of the day, word has already spread about another fight that Lee Jeno took participation in.

"I've seen you here a lot more lately, and I knew something was wrong. So, I decided to come up and talk with you." You muttered, fiddling with your fingers for the way Lee Jeno stared at you made you feel so small. He had such a powerful and intimidating gaze, maybe that was why his friends never got in his way whenever they had arguments.

As mentioned, if Mark was not around, Huang Renjun tends to be the one to watch over the group, keeping each other in line, yet none of them had a say whenever Jeno wanted to do something that was against their will. Lee Jeno had the aura of an alpha; he was born to lead and protect his friends. However, he never acknowledged it, for despite his powerful demeanor, Jeno always had a soft spot for his friends, he could never bear the thought of having a huge fight with any of the members. For he believed, they were the only ones that could truly go with his pace.

That was until he met you, when his heart set ablaze for the first time.

"Look, thanks for your concern, but I don't need it." He answered and stood up. That was the first time you got to fully indulge in Lee Jeno's full attributes. He stood tall and proud, he resembled a young deity, and his presence was holy and powerful. Lee Jeno was ravishing, you could definitely understand why the school hallways were packed every time his group walks by the corridors. They were full of visuals, all of them were graced with such beauty that radiated gorgeously off their bodies.

And with that, Jeno left you wondering to yourself why your heart was drumming against your chest. What was this feeling? And why did you feel like this just because of Lee Jeno? Unconsciously, a smile crept up our lips as his large figure disappeared from your view. Shrugging off the weird feeling, you stood up and left the spot, heading to your classroom in time for the first class of the day.

It's been weeks since you first talked with Jeno and you still saw him by the bench beside the school's fountain, and he still had that disappointed and tired look etched on his face. "You're here again." You said as you handed him another steaming cup of vanilla latte. Jeno peeked up to meet your gaze and slowly grabbed the cup of coffee from your hand.

"You're here too." He says and moves slightly to make some space for you. You smiled slightly and took your seat beside him. He attaches his lips to the cup and takes a small sip of the latte, his eyes fluttering as the sweet taste burns his tracks and sets his body in flames. He wasn't able to get enough rest for the past months and he really needed that energy to boost him up.

"Why do you always show up here huh?" He asks, moving his head slightly to take in your features. Long black hair, soft lips and scattered freckles on your face. You had an innocent look and he never wanted to be the one to stain that part of you. Since that day you first came up to him, he was never able to get your image off his mind, it's like you were there to remind him that despite the hell he was treading, there would always be a light at the end, and that light could possibly be you.

"It just seems like you need company." You said and Jeno chuckled, it was the first time you ever heard him laugh near you. Like said before, Lee Jeno only enjoys with his friends, without them he walks around the school with such dangerous vibes, it seemed as if he held the gates to Tartarus in his hands.

"Well thanks a lot for that, but I can manage." He says, his fingers grazing the rim of the cup softly, as if his mind was drowning deeply in his own thoughts. You smiled bitterly and stared up the sky, letting the bright rays of the sunlight caress your skin.

"You know, if you're in deep pain, it's never wrong to tell your friends or someone about it. Keeping it to yourself just adds a weight on your shoulders." You said and Jeno stops midway, his finger leaving the rim of the cup and he stared up at you.

"I know that, but I would never let my friends carry that burden on their shoulders. It's my problem, and I couldn't be selfish by dragging them into it." He says firmly, his voice an octave deeper than before.

"If they really treated you as a good friend, despite how heavy that is, they will share that burden with you without complaint. Because friends will always be there to pick you up in your darkest times." You smiled at him and stood up from your spot. It was almost time for your class and you couldn't be late.

"Hey, is there a possibility that you could be that friend?" He asked and you looked back at him, flashing him your brightest smile and a small nod, before you finally disappeared from his view.

___

A bitter smile crept up your lips as you reminisced the moments of when your friendship started with Lee Jeno. Both of you were so naïve back then, none of you would've ever thought that he would be the cause of your affliction and that he would be the one to play with your emotions. How you wish you never looked back at him and flashed that smile of yours a year ago.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket and you fished it out to check the notification. It was a message from Na Jaemin.

"Hey princess, are you going to the party tomorrow?" Jaemin usually arrived in school at around 8 am so he probably is on his way so you typed up a reply and headed into the library. Finals were coming closer than you imagined and Jaemin decided to help you out by studying with you for the next few weeks.

"I might. It depends though." And with that, you walked all the way to the library, when you arrived it was quiet, most of the students usually arrive in school around 8 or 9 am, it pretty much depended on the schedules. But you favored heading to school early just so that it's less crowded and you could study in peace for at least an hour before others started piling in.

You took out your notebook and a book based on your topics, rewriting some terms and highlighting them, going over the notes a few times before moving on the next ones. Due to the number of lessons you had to go through, you totally lost track of time until Jaemin's name and picture popped on your phone's screen. It was an incoming call from Na Jaemin himself.

"I'm in the library, where can I find you princess?" He asked and you gave him directions to where you were seated. In less than a few seconds, Jaemin arrived with his heartwarming smile and took a seat beside you, settling his stationaries on the table.

Both of you went through the lessons a few times and helped each other in certain topics where one was confused in. Overall, it was very effective tactic since Jaemin was pretty smart and you both could learn a lot form each other. Checking the time, it was almost 9 and your classes were about to start, however Jaemin's one was at 9:30 so you decided to head out first and meet up with him after class.

As you were taking down notes, Renjun's cellphone buzzed and unconsciously, your eyes trailed on the notification. It seemed to be a message from Donghyuck.

"They're at it again. Jaemin and Jeno, in the room. I need help! Jisung and Chenle are in class." Renjun knew you read it and he glanced at you; your face depicted the emotions you were feeling. Horrified and in utter shock.

"Professor may we be excused? It's urgent." Renjun speaks up and the professor nods his head quickly. He didn't question him further for he knew who Huang Renjun was, and aside that, Renjun was not one to lie, when he says it's urgent, it is. And with that, Renjun grabs your hand and pulls you out of the classroom.

"I know only you can calm Jeno down, as soon as we arrive, you need to be on his side. We'll handle Jaemin." He says both of you zip through the never-ending hallway. After a few minutes, we arrived in front of a classroom with a sign that says "Authorized Persons Only, Dreamies Territory". Renjun gave me one last reassuring nod and he turns the knob to open the door.

"Damn it. I told you to stay away from her. You bring her nothing but pain!" You could hear Jaemin's once angelic voice turn into this intimidating growl as he grabbed Jeno's collar.

Jeno was smirking, a few stains of blood decorated his lips and Jaemin has a cut on the side of his eyebrow, probably due to the rings on Jeno's fingers when he punched him. Snapping out of your reverie, you rushed towards Jeno and pushed him away from Jaemin.

"Stop it. Jaemin that's enough." Renjun's voice echoes in the room as he tugged on Jaemin's arm while Donghyuck acted as a boundary between the two boys, his palms on both their chests. You could feel the anger radiate from both their bodies, never have you imagined that they could go to such lengths due to an argument.

"Donghyuck, get Jaemin out of here." Renjun ordered the younger boy and he nodded, dragging Jaemin out of the room, leaving you, Jeno and Renjun in the tensed room. Renjun glances at you and Jeno, your hands were in Jeno's larger ones as you stared up at his eyes.

"Will you be able to handle Jeno?" The boy asked and you nodded. With that, he left you with Jeno as he ran after the two boys. Turning back at Jeno, you cupped his cheeks and forced him to look at you. His hair was all messed up and his lips had blood on it, yet he still gave you a proud smile.

"I'm here Jeno. Breathe and talk to me." You whispered and he pulled you into a tight embrace, his chin rests on top of your head and he breathes in heavily, shaking slightly in the process. The scenario played out once more in your mind and what Jaemin said the moment you came in. Who could they be talking about? You?

"Baby, you mean so much to me. I need you." He murmurs in your hair and you closed your eyes, indulging in Jeno's words, despite knowing not 100% of it was true. Jeno could never feel that way for you, for you were simply his form of pleasure, the one who he relies on to boost his ego and make him feel better about himself. You were the one he needed to fill those holes, but you alone, isn't enough for him to be truly satisfied. You could never be enough for Lee Jeno, you were something temporary, easily replaceable.

You simply hummed in response and pulled away from him. Caressing his bruised lip, you look around the room, in search for a first aid kit. Jeno points to a shelf beside the television set and you walk over towards it, grabbing the kit and settling it on the bar table. Jeno walked towards the stool and took a seat, facing you.

You cleaned up his bruises and simply stared at him for a couple seconds. He was agonizingly beautiful. Like flowing lava, it was mesmerizing and elegant looking, yet when you touch it, it burns and leaves a mark. Lee Jeno was exactly like that; you knew it since the day you came up to him. How you wished you avoid getting in his business back then, you could've spared yourself from one excruciating heartbreak.

___

Your phone buzzed as you walked out the classroom, you weren't able to focus well in classes due to the incident with Jeno and Jaemin. The scenario just kept playing in your mind like a broken tape record, you were eager to find out what was the cause of their argument. However, you respected their privacy, so you had to tone down the curiosity and focus, even just 20%.

"I'll meet you at the school's parking lot. Wait for me by my car, I'll just drop off some of my things." It was Jaemin, both of you agreed to meet up after classes since he really wanted to go shopping with you. Since it was Mark's party tomorrow and Saturday, you obliged.

You made your way out to the parking lot and caught a glimpse of the blue Lexus in the front row. Another thing about the Dreamies, most of their cars have privileges too. It was well known that the Dreamies had their desired parking spot in the school, which was always up front. Jeno's Mercedes, Jaemin's Lexus, Donghyuck's Porsche, Renjun's Jaguar and Chenle's Bugatti were always the spotlight of the parking lot. Meanwhile, Jisung gets dropped off in his Bentley, however, after this school year, his parents are allowing him to drive for himself.

You stood in front of Jaemin's car as you flipped through some notes while waiting for him. It didn't take him long, after a few minutes, the sound of the car clicking snapped you out of your reverie and you saw Jaemin walk up to you with a soft smile on his lips. "Hi princess." He greets, grabbing your hands and intertwining your fingers together.

"Ready to go?" He asked and you nodded softly, he smiles and lets go of your hand, allowing you to walk to the passenger seat and getting in the car. He jogs over to the driver's and gets in, closing the door and revving the coupe to life. He steps on the gas pedal and pulls out of the school campus, driving off into the main road.

Jaemin was warm, he was always that way. He had this comforting vibe that engulfed you, it was as if he was always there to give you a hug. Once again, it crossed your mind, why couldn't you have fallen for Na Jaemin instead? Why did it have to be Lee Jeno and his devilish aura? You felt a hand graze your and intertwining your fingers. You look beside you to be faced with Jaemin's heartwarming smile.

"What's on your mind princess?" He asked, his gaze back on the road. Jaemin was an amazing driver, he drives fast yet in a smooth way. Unlike Jeno, who treats the road like a race track, zooming past all the cars and obstacles on the way, after the car ride every car ride, you were cursed with a throbbing pain in your head. But, Jeno enjoyed the idea of fast cars and screeching tires, he dwelled in the fantasies of being able to test the limits of his Mercedes.

"Nothing." You simply replied and leaned comfortably in his seats as he places soft kisses on the back of your hand, calming your chaotic mind. As the car ride continued, your mind wandered off once more, the argument between Jeno and Jaemin.

Who could they be talking about? Seo Yun? But, Jaemin was never close with Seo Yun, he thought of her as someone who smooches off the Dreamies and gains fame by being Jeno's girlfriend. She would often ask Jeno to accompany her shopping, and it would always end up with him spending a couple hundred thousand on her. A gold digger, as deemed by Na Jaemin himself.

___

The trip to the mall was not bad. Aside from you and Jaemin arguing half the time that you would pay for the numerous bags of clothes that he picked out for you, it was definitely a fun experience. He dragged you into a bunch of the most luxurious brands and picked out a bunch of different clothes for you. You felt bad so you offered to pay, however Jaemin insisted that it was his gift for you. And Jaemin didn't take no for an answer.

So, you entered the apartment with 3 bags in your hands, and Jaemin following behind with a few more. "Good evening sir." Jaemin greeted your father as he settled the bags on the table. Your father stood up to greet him and initiated small talks with the boy. You smiled at the sight of them getting along as you tidied the table, and placing the takeout orders of food that Jaemin bought for dinner.

"Please enjoy the food. I have to leave. I'll see you again soon sir. Y/N, I'll pick you up tomorrow." Jaemin bid goodbye and left the apartment. You turned to your father who had a questioning look on his face. He sat down on the chair and waved at you to join him.

"Is he your boyfriend?" He asked and you laughed, shaking your head in response. Your father knew Jaemin and his social status as the heir to the largest string of hotels in Asia. He had high respects for the younger boy, for he saw the generosity, kindness and humbleness that Na Jaemin possessed. Your father had an adoration for Jaemin, saying how he would've liked to have a son like him. Which was the reason why he loved to tease you with him.

"Does Lee Jeno still make your heart flutter?" He asked out of the blue and your lips formed a straight line. Unable to find the proper words to answer him, you opted to simply shut your mouth. Knowing the answer well, your father nodded and decided to just eat and let you rest.

You sat on your bed, your mind wandering off to Lee Jeno. He was divine, holy. Possessing such celestial glow that only he could sport well. Jeno was your heaven and your hell. He brought you into nirvana, where you could lose all your problems, and forget about everything that bothered you. Jeno gives you that illusion of being in utopia, as if everything was perfect and set in the right tracks. However, Jeno was hell at the same time. He dragged you down into this never-ending pit of flames that scorched your skin slowly, but surely. With every kiss you shared, and every breathy moan that escaped your lips, you knew well enough you have sinned, and there was no way you could be forgiven. For it was the devil who you sold your heart to.

Sighing, you stood up once more to pick up the bags that were on your bedroom floor. Unboxing the clothes from the bags, you settled them on the bed and scanned all the different outfits that Jaemin bought for you. There was plenty of options to choose from, he liked the idea of spoiling you, in which ended up with your wardrobe full from the numerous designer brand outfits that Jaemin purchased specially for you.

You adjusted the skirt on your waist and lifted your head to look at the mirror. You were wearing a simple semi-see-through long sleeved polo tucked into a black skirt, paired with a pair of black boots and a black ribbon hung loosely on your neck. Jaemin really wanted you to wear this outfit for the party tomorrow so you tried it on to see how it would fit, and it suited you in a chic way. Smiling at your reflection, you turned around to undress and hung the outfit on your rack to prepare for tomorrow's party.

"Hey Princess, get some sleep. I'll pick you up at 4 tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Baby, I can't pick you up since I have somewhere to go before the party, but I'll see you there? Night."

Your phone buzzed from your table, you grabbed it and checked the notifications. It was a message from Jaemin, and there was one from Jeno too. A coincidence, you thought. Typing in your replies, you settle the phone back on the table and slipped into your covers, falling asleep almost instantly.

___

Slipping your black boots on, you stood up and stared at yourself in the mirror. A smile crept up your lips as you twirled around, you looked livelier in the outfit Jaemin picked. A few minutes later, a knock was heard at the door and you walked out the room to answer the door.

As soon as you swung the door open, Jaemin's beautiful smile greeted you. He was wearing a gray t-shirt, black ripped jeans and he had a black denim jacket over it. It looked like a simple outfit, yet the cost was not as cheap as it looked, for Jaemin's clothes were all from top tier designers.

"You look spectacular princess. It hurts my heart." He teases and kisses your cheek, grabbing your hand and pulling you out into the hallway. Intertwining your fingers, both of you walk down the stairs of the building and head to his car.

"Do you like the outfit that I picked out for you princess?" He asked as soon as he pulled out of the basement's parking lot. Jaemin's eyes fixated on the road as maneuvers the car into the main road. He grabbed your hand and places it on the gear, covering it with his larger ones.

"It's really pretty." You answered and a proud smile was prominent on his lips. The car ride was comfortable and quiet, aside from the small talks between you and Jaemin. Most of the time you were just staring out into the horizon as his Lexus LC500 zips around Seoul, the tall buildings and other vehicles passing by in a blur.

Soon enough, Jaemin pulled up in front of a large gateway, it was painted black and there was an obvious carving of the word "Lee" on the metal gate. A man came up to Jaemin's window as he rolled it down. "Na Jaemin." Was all Jaemin said and the man nodded, giving a signal and the gates opened, allowing entrance for Jaemin's car to enter. So, this was Mark Lee's house?

"I thought Mark lived in an apartment?" You asked as Jaemin found a parking space, slowly backing into the empty spot. There were a heck ton of cars around. Afterall, half the school was invited. This was somewhat a farewell party to send Mark off since he would be leaving the country to supervise their company in Canada for a few months.

"Well yes, but specially for this farewell party, his parents allowed him to use their house as the hosting venue. But his parents are not home. They went for a meeting in America, leaving the house all to Mark's care while they're gone." Jaemin explains, and finally turns off the engine. Unclicking the seatbelts, Jaemin exits the car and jogs over to your door, opening it and extending his hand out to you.

Jaemin was a gentleman, he was respectable and an angel. Whenever you were with him, it was as if a cloud was coating you, for he was too soft and fuzzy. He always made you feel comfortable and you never had to hide your true identity from Jaemin, for he accepted all of you without judgement. He made you feel like you were worth the world, he treated you like you were someone special, and not just some low tier student that got a scholarship from the father of you were hooking up with.

Once again, he grabs your hand and laced your fingers together, and walking into Mark's colossal home. From the parking lot, there was a concrete path that led you into a spacious garden filled with different types of flowers and plants. In the middle of the garden, there was a water fountain and a little swing. Following the path, it led you into the mansion's patio. It was decorated with a bar and some islands that scattered all over the place. There was also a grill that served some barbecued menus with a few matching waiters and waitresses ready to serve the partygoers. Up ahead, there was a sliding glass door that served as an entrance to the house itself. You were pretty sure that the loud music came from the house, it blared through the speakers all over the mansion as everyone swung their bodies from side to side, having the time of their lives.

"Hey Jaemin. I see you brought Y/N with you." It was Donghyuck, it sounded as if he was not too pleased with seeing you here. He had his fingers intertwined with a smaller girl with beach waves and soft caramel skin. Was she the best friend and girlfriend of Donghyuck that Jaemin talked about? She was really pretty, and she had a matching friendly smile that complimented her innocent beauty.

"Yeah, I thought it was unfair if I was the only one that showed up without a date. So, I brought her here." Jaemin answered, patting the elder's back and continuing with their conversation. Your eyes wandered around Mark Lee's house, aweing the intricate designs that adorned the surroundings.

"It's beautiful right?" Donghyuck's girlfriend speaks up as she pointed to a cabinet made entirely with glass. Your eyes sparkled as it scanned the contents of the furniture. There were pictures, medals and certificates well organized and displayed.

"Those are Mark's achievements. There are numerous pictures of him and the Dreamies displayed on that cabinet. It's really adorable." She said and you smiled at her. Mark Lee was very smart; he was often used as an example of a model student in the school. During their graduation, Mark left the stage with countless amounts of medals that hung on his neck. That was what made their group even more special, aside from their wealth, good physiques and charming looks, the Dreamies were blessed with knowledge above normal. Neither of them dropped from the top 30 in the rankings of the school.

"Their friendship is incredible indeed." You answered and she nods, a pretty smile ghosting over her lips. You felt a tug on your arm and you tilt your head up slightly to look at Jaemin, he was smiling at you and adoring your features.

"Would you like anything princess?" He asked and you nodded. He then left you to fetch a bottle of beer and some red wine for you. You were not a big fan of alcohol, the smell of it irked you, it made your head hurt and you could never handle it bitter and nasty smell. A few minutes later, Jaemin comes back with 2 bottles of Sapporo's space barley and Silver Oak Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Settling the bottles on the bar table, he then pulls out 2 beer glasses and 2 wine glasses. He passes a bottle of Sapporo to Donghyuck and pops the wine open, pouring you and Hyuck's girlfriend a glass each.

The 4 of you conversed with random topics, enjoying yourselves and keeping each other busy, trying to pass the time. It was your first time to attend such a high-class party with your own schoolmates, so you didn't really know how to keep yourself busy. Luckily for you, Jaemin, Donghyuck and his girlfriend was around to keep you company. A few more minutes pass by and you noticed a figure from afar.

Lee Jeno. He was wearing a striped polo and a pair of ripped jeans. Beside him, Seo Yun had her arms wrapped on Jeno's, she was wearing a red dress that complimented her snow-white skin. Han Seo Yun was bewitching. She had long black hair that reached around 5 inches below her shoulder, skin that was as white as snow, lips as red as cherries and a perfect facial structure. She could oppose Aphrodite's title as the Greek goddess of beauty, for Seo Yun's features were unlike any other. She was an amazing match for Jeno, she was someone that you could never stand against, for Seo Yun was nigh on perfect.

Jeno and Seo Yun were well known figures in the real estate industries. Their families hold huge titles from their company, and thus making them one of the most powerful couple in school. Aside from Seo Yun's family owning a small real estate company, her mother was one of the most influential lawyers in the country. Which made her a rival of Park Jisung's little crush.

"He makes your heart go crazy huh?" Donghyuck's girlfriend says softly, a soft smile on her delicate features. You laugh and nodded your head slightly, unable to find any excuse of why you were staring intently and Lee Jeno and the girl that clung onto his arm.

"Yeah, he does in a way that it causes an excruciating pain in my chest." You admitted and she reaches out to place her hand on yours, giving it a gentles squeeze. You knew about Donghyuck's girlfriend. She was the heiress of the largest medicinal company in the country. Lee Donghyuck's family following behind. Their relationship was inspiring and risky, yet you loved the thought of how they were willing to throw everything just for it to work out. You admired the strength that they possessed, you wished you had something similar. The courage to be able to tell Jeno how you truly looked at him, how you truly felt about him. Maybe, just maybe it could work out between the both of you.

"Have you ever considered telling him how you feel? I know both of you are best friends, so what scares you?" She asked, pulling out the question you dreaded the most; what scared you? Maybe the fact that you were already expecting his rejection. Or it could be that you knew deep inside that those feelings could never be reciprocated, for you would never be enough for someone like Lee Jeno. You belonged in cramped kitchens, scrubbing the grease off the dishes and old worn out clothes. Meanwhile, Jeno belonged in mansions, fancy business parties and tuxedos. You were from opposite worlds, and you could never be together, it was impossible.

"It's useless, he belongs with Seo Yun. They're a better match, and I could never be selfish to take him away." You answered, a bitter smile on your lips. She rubbed soothing circles on your hand and simply squeezed them softly, feeling pity for you.

Both of you took another glance at the couple who was now kissing and pulling each other closer by another bar table. Your heart clenched at the sight of them, however, you had no choice but to smile the pain away. For you and Jeno could never be together.

La Douleur Exquise.

It is the exquisite pain of wanting someone that you know you can never have. You knew very well Lee Jeno could never be yours, yet you still have this strong desire of wanting him in your arms. To have him in your embrace, and make him feel protected. To lace his lips with your kisses whenever he needed it. You didn't bother about that throbbing pain in your chest whenever you whispered "I love you" to him and he nods in return. You always ignored the shattering of your heart whenever he'd tell you, "Baby, don't hurt yourself by loving me. It's not worth it." For loving Lee Jeno was painful yet you loved that pain that came along with him.

You felt warm hands cover your eyes and slowly guide your face away from the scene. Na Jaemin, you knew it was him. Retracting his hands, he smiles at you and places a chaste kiss on your lips, letting it linger for a second before pulling away. Kissing Na Jaemin was soft, fluffy and welcoming. It was not rough and breathtaking like Jeno, it didn't leave you breathless and begging for more. It didn't feel like Lee Jeno's and that alone made you disappointed. For only Lee Jeno could have that effect in your life, only he could send you high and could bring thrill into your damned soul. Nothing else, and no one could ever change that.

"I'll be right back princess. Wait for me?" He said and stood up to leave, your eyes trailed to where he was heading towards, Lee Jeno. You suddenly felt hot, not intimately, but the kind of hot that made you anxious and scared of another possible argument between the two friends. You stood up but before you could leave, Donghyuck's hand grips on your wrist and pulls you back, "Look sweetheart, I suggest you stay. You don’t want to hear whatever they have to talk about." He says, slightly loosening his hold on you.

"I do, and I need to be there in case another argument erupts." You answered, pulling your hand back and quickly following after the two boys. They were walking off to a more isolated place where there was no one around and you quietly crept up behind them, making sure not to make even a single whimper.

"You ask to see her in this party, but why are you here shoving your tongue down Seo Yun's throat? How heartless can you be?" Jaemin's voice snapped, changing his tone into a more intimidating tone. Jeno stuffed his hands in his pocket and leaned back slightly, clearly too lazy to answer his friend.

"Honestly Jaemin, why do you care? She's just a third-tier student, while you're a part of the highest-tier, so why are you stooping down to such levels just because of Y/N?" The words that left Jeno's mouth stabbed you like a cold knife. Thrusting it in and out over and over again. He was right, you were a measly third-tier student, so why were you foolish enough to think that they could ever accept you as an equal?

You heard a low grunt escape Jeno's lips when his mouth came in contact with Jaemin's fist. "Well Jeno, because unlike you, I actually love Y/N. I don't treat her like some toy in order to boost my ego and to tell me that I am worthy. I don't use Y/N the way you do, for I actually treat her as a princess. Something you would never understand." You heard Jeno chuckle at the remarks and stare intently at Jaemin.

"Why bother liking some trash? She has nothing to offer you Jaemin, not even her innocence. She's just some form of pleasure that you could get rid of easily. So why bother picking up the trash that I scatter around?" Jeno answered smugly, his finger grazing the bruise that showed up from the punch.

"I don't care about whatever you took from her Jeno. I accept her for whatever she is and that will never change. So please, stop using her. She's had enough, if you can't appreciate whatever she has, then tell her and leave her alone. I'll be the one to pick up her broken pieces." Jaemin said, and that made Jeno throw his head back in annoyance.

"Never imagined that the nation's ideal boyfriend would fall in love with someone who scrubs grease off plates at my father's company. She's pathetic, and you associating yourself with her, makes you pathetic too." That was the last strand, your tears flowed from your cheeks in hot droplets. You never knew how Jeno looked down on you, for he made it seem like he treated you in a way that made you think that you were of sentimental value to him. But, in the end, you ended up fooling yourself and causing yourself pain. You brought this upon yourself.

Hearing your soft whimpers, the two boys whipped their heads at your direction, Jeno's eyes widening in horror. Jaemin rushes over to you and crouches down to meet your eyes. "Princess, I told you to wait for me." He said and wipes your teary cheeks with his thumb. You look over his shoulders to glance at Jeno, who's expression remained unchanged.

"At least now I know that I've been lied to and used for the past year." You spat and turned your heel, walking away from the place. Jaemin hurried beside you and spun you around, his hands wrapped around your waist and your face inches away. You could feel his hot breath fanning your cheeks and your cheeks heated up from the proximity.

"Princess, I love you. That's all you need to know." He said before sealing your lips together in a passionate kiss. Your head was spinning at the scenario yet for some unknown reason, you found serenity in it. It was as if your body felt lighter and the world spun in a slower motion.

From your peripheral view, you could see Lee Jeno in the distance. His hands still stuffed in his pockets, eyebrows knitted together and a wave of rage passed his eyes. He seemed angry, pissed at the whole situation that laid out before him. But why would he feel that way? You believed that he simply looked at you as some tool, a trash that he scatters around.

___

It's been a year since Mark Lee’s party, and it’s been a year since you last spoke to Lee Jeno. He was now the heir of their real estate company. He was officially engaged to Seo Yun a few months after the graduation. You remembered that day well, it was the day you finally knew you needed to let go of Jeno and move on. That very same day was also when Jaemin asked you to be his girlfriend.

From then on, everything started falling into place. Na Jaemin took over their company, granting him the title of CEO. You graduated as the 7th rank in the whole school and with your saved-up money from the past years, you were able to secure a spot where you built a mini café. It was a small and manageable business that your father really enjoyed.

With the support of Jaemin and his friends, the business was booming and you were able to upgrade the café, and purchase a small house for your father. It was an amazing year for you, and with Jaemin as your loving and supportive boyfriend, you couldn’t have it any other way.

Your phone buzzed as you were walking, on your way to visit Jaemin at his office in one of their main hotels. You fished the phone for your bag and checked to see the notification. It was a message from Jaemin.

“Hey princess, there was an urgent meeting that I needed to attend. If you arrive sooner, simply tell the secretary to escort you to my office, I’ll get back as soon as possible.” You smiled at the message and typed in a reply, then shoving the phone back in your bag and took a turn into the nearby mall's entrance. You decided to order some coffee for Jaemin and a caramel milkshake for you.

As you were walking to your booth after placing your order, you bumped into a hard chest. Saying you’re sorry, you look up to be met with the guy that broke your heart a year ago. He didn't look so well, the glow that he once possessed somehow vanished, he no longer looked like a young deity.

"Jeno." You whispered and smiled bitterly at him. He grabs your wrist and guides you to an empty booth, taking a seat opposite from you. "I didn't think I'd meet you here." His voice sounded that of a broken man's plea. He had dark circles and bag under his eyes, and his face screamed tired.

"I just stopped by to get some coffee." You said softly. You and Jeno left off on bad terms, but you've always taught yourself never to hold grudges, therefore you've longed forgiven Lee Jeno, even though he never apologized. That day that you said yes to Jaemin, was the day you also forgave your first love.

"How are things between you and Jaemin? Is he treating you well?" He asked carefully, you noticed his fingers fumbling with one another, probably uncomfortable or anxious at the whole situation. You smiled at the thought of all Jaemin has done for you. You couldn't have asked for anything more.

"The best I've been treated so far, he makes me feel special." You said openly and you noticed the glimpse of pain and disappointment that washed over his eyes. But why? Why did those emotions pass his face? He was the one that made it clear that he didn't need anyone like you. Jeno reached out for your hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Baby, I missed you." He whispered and those words struck your heart, causing another ache that you tried desperately to forget since the past year. Yes, you accepted Jaemin's affection and got together with him. You loved him, and you were sure of that. However, you would never deny, Jeno entered your mind every once in a while. And whenever that happened, you shut yourself away from Jaemin, not wanting him to see you breakdown once more for the boy that ripped your heart into shred, rendering it almost impossible to fix.

"No Jeno, you don't. You simply miss the feeling of me being there for you. You miss the feeling of having someone by your side and someone that would fight for you. You miss having someone whom you could leave wet kisses and marks on. You miss the pleasure that lingers in your body when our tongues dance in harmony, but you don't miss me. You made that awfully clear when you spat those piercing words at Jaemin, telling him I was worthless and just some girl you hook up with."

With that, you stood up and grabbed your order from the take-out counter, not sparing a second to look back at the man whose eyes glistened in tears that were threatening to fall. For in all honesty, Lee Jeno did love you, and it was no lie that he missed you as each day passed by.

He would give up everything for you to listen to him. For Lee Jeno loved you, yet his own pride and ego won him over that night, he was too full of himself that he couldn't bring himself to admit that he truly loved you. It pissed him off seeing you and his best friend act all touchy and he hated the fact that he was not the one beside you. Therefore, he used Seo Yun to make you jealous, to garner your attention, but instead it was Jaemin that confronted him. His anger got the best of him, in which resulted him to spit out lies about you, and his feelings that were bottled in his chest.

That look on your face when you overheard their conversation, shattered his heart. Lee Jeno could never handle it whenever he saw you crying, and he went ballistic knowing it was him that caused those precious tears of yours. He wanted to run to you, and cradle you in his arms, but his own best friend beat him to that. That look of yours when Jaemin ran up to you, it was that look that made him realize, at that moment, he had lost you for real.

He lost his best friend, the only one that understood him, and the only one who could be there for him in his times of need. And that happened, because he was too stupid, scared and because he could not control his ego. He lost his one true love due to his stupidity, and that thought haunted him, and still continues to do so up until this day.

His eyes followed your figure that walked out of the café with such confidence and power, it made his heart hurt. You never possessed such vibe whenever you were with him, you used to be so shy and innocent, but it seemed that Jaemin really did take good care of you. You blossomed into this powerful and inspiring woman that he looked up to. So, with teary eyes and an aching heart, Jeno stood up and sighed, his eyes still trailing after you as your figure finally disappeared from his view. Stuffing his hands in his slacks, he exits the restaurant, burying the pain he felt deep inside his chest, and cracked a bitter smile.

Lee Jeno walked away from the café, trying desperately to forget about the throbbing in his chest, the feeling of a thousand knives piercing through his organ as thoughts of you replayed in his mind like that of a broken recorded tape. Your smiles, your twinkling eyes, and plump lips. He knew it'd take him years to recover from this emotion that he tried dreadfully to bury.

La Douleur Exquise; the exquisite pain of wanting someone that he knew he could never have.

~The End~

[iwoulddieforkeanureeves]

Fortune Favors the Kind (John Wick x Reader)

This is like a Mentor!John x Young!Reader, requested by @depressed-comics

You never thought you'd be stuck under the thumb of the Russian Mafia, but your father made some pretty bad decisions, and had used you as collateral to try to spare his own life. So they took you when you were young, and had been training you ever since, trying to make you an assassin that could rival that of the Baba Yaga. They took everything from you, you had no semblance of a normal life, you were stripped of your empathy and emotions for others. The only things you could ever think about were death and destruction.

Those who had trained you in combat, weapons, and espionage had deemed you fit to start. It was only fitting that your first mission began on your eighteenth birthday. Most eighteen year olds would be hanging out with their friends, maybe getting a tattoo, not using the guise of an escort to assassinate a high profile drug lord with debts to the Mafia. Once you had gotten him alone in his room and put a bullet in his head, something clicked as you watched the life drain from his eyes. Your training failed you as you lingered rather than flee the scene. You had never killed anyone before. All of those years of being told to not feel anything, you couldn't help but let emotion wash over you as his blood began to seep into the bedsheets. Shock gripped you as a tear rolled down your check and you gasped as you heard the door crash behind you, before you could react two burly guards grabbed you roughly. You were still in a haze as you began to struggle meekly against the guards, with one swift motion one of them hit you in the temple with his pistol and your consciousness faded.

~

You awoke hours later, your head was pounding and you could feel that you were tied down to a chair. There was duct tape covering your mouth. You slowly opened your eyes, blinking to adjust them to the light. There was a single bulb above you, illuminating your figure. You could see the rough outlines of men that loomed just out of the light. Your training kicked in as you began counting silhouettes and formulating a plan to get out. One of the men stepped forward, you were confused as you realized he was one of the higher-ups in the Mafia's chain. Viggo's eldest son.

He shook his head softly as he approached you, "Oh little белладонна, you had so much promise..." He ran his hand down your face, before gripping your jaw hard, "But you showed weakness, you know my father will not be happy." He said, his tone still soft. "You will be punished."

You cursed inwardly, this must have been some test, and you had failed. Your mind was racing, you meant nothing to these people, so your punishment would most likely be torture or death. Or both. You inhaled sharply as another figure came out of the shadows and slapped you harshly across the face, and another came with a knife to slash you across your collarbone. You dug your nails into the wood of the chair as you saw the brother pull out a revolver, you were sure this was the end. But before he could raise the gun to you, you saw the door to the room fly open as a tall looming man came in, using the body of a guard as a human shield as he began mowing down the men in the room. Within an instant you recognized him, the Baba Yaga himself. Your heart was beating a mile a minute as you heard the sounds of bullets flying above you. You began trying to free yourself from your bonds as you prayed he wouldn't kill you too.

~

When John was infiltrating the safe house Iosef was being kept in, he did not expect to find a young girl strapped down to a chair being interrogated by one of the Tarasov children. He began taking down the men in the room, he didn't have time to reload as he was being approached by more guards, so he threw his weapon, smacking a man right between his eyes and sending him to the ground. He began fighting hand to hand. He observed his opponents and his surroundings. He was slightly outnumbered, there were still four men and the brother, and he had already been worn out. He was reminded by the dull pain in his lower abdomen as he began deflecting punches and flipping men on their backs.

He kept this on for a while, but he felt he was getting into a nasty situation, as he was being pinned to the ground with a knife dangerously close to him. Before he even realized what was happening, the scared little girl from before came back into action. You let out a yell as you jumped up, flipping both you and the chair back onto one of the guards, shattering the wood and freeing your limbs. Lightning fast after you had pulled that maneuver, you had grabbed a gun from the ground. The man who had John pinned looked behind him could only see the barrel of your pistol before you shot him. You slowly stood up and kicked the man's body off of John's.

John sat up and looked at you, then back to the corpse that had been a threat to his life just moments earlier. He looked back up at you, and just stared for a moment. You were so young, he definitely pegged you as a hostage of some sort, let alone someone with training. The thought of it made him angry, you were just a kid. No child should have to live the life of an assassin. John wordlessly stood up and brushed the dirt off of himself. "We should get out of here." He stated simply, and began walking towards the door. "I'm John, by the way." He grunted.

You followed. "(Y/N)." You said softly, still a bit in awe that you were spared by the greatest assassin you'd ever heard of. You knew you should fear him, but you trusted him. After all, without him you'd probably be dead in a ditch. You took the lead in guiding you and John out of the safehouse after he had killed Iosef. You knew the layout of the building incredibly well, as this was where most of your training took place.

~

You were sitting in the passenger seat of John's car now, you started silently ahead as he put the car into gear and began driving. Before long, he was the first to break the silence. "Why were you down there?" He asked, his voice gravely and rough but his tone was soft and inquisitive.

You looked at him before looking back down at your feet. "They were training me to be the perfect assassin, but when they sent me out on a mission I showed emotion and didn't live up to their expectations." You explained, your voice barely above a whisper as you stared out of the window.

John gripped the steering wheel, "You're just a child." He said, his voice becoming more strained, "Why were you down there, before that mission?" He looked at you, besides the large gash on your chest, you looked like an average teenage girl. He couldn't imagine how you had gotten ties to one of the deepest rings of the Mafia. The same one he was in before he had went into retirement.

You began to shake as you thought of your despicable excuse for a father, tears clouding up your vision. "My father, he..." you paused, taking a deep breath to steady yourself, "He has his debts, and instead of fixing them himself he decided to pawn my life to save his own. But they just killed him anyways." You let out a dry laugh, running your fingers through your hair.

John felt even more angry than before, how could anyone give away their own flesh and blood? Let alone give them right into the hands of a ruthless crime organization. "It sounds like he deserved it." John mumbled, looking out at the road ahead of him. His mind began to wander as you didn't speak up again. He thought of Helen, his heart sank as he imagined her smiling face. They had always talked about having children together, and she had always wanted a little girl. He couldn't imagine just throwing away something like that. John pulled up to his home, and put the car into park.

He got out and opened your door for you, "Let's get you cleaned up."

~

You winced as John gingerly dabbed antiseptic onto the large gash across your chest. It was strange seeing this man who had a reputation for being incredibly deadly and focused be so gentle and kind. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts." He said, continuing to clean the wound.

You looked around, seeing the empty dog crate and all of the photos of John and Helen together, but yet the house was eerily quiet. You had heard of John leaving the business, and about his wife. You looked back down at him as his eyes were focused on your wounds, you felt so bad that everything had been taken from him. His voice broke your train of thought, "(Y/N), do you have any other family?" He asked as he stood up, finished with your first aid.

He knew the answer before you even said it, no. He knew looking at you that you were like him, no more family, everyone who loved you was long gone by now. He knew what he had to do, what Helen would've wanted him to do. "You can stay with me, if you'd like." He offered.

You were stunned, you had never been treated with as much kindness as John was giving you right now. "Seriously?" You asked meekly, and he nodded. You couldn't help but smile, "That'd be really kind, thank you John." You said.

John smiled and nodded. He never thought he'd be anyone's mentor, or father, or anything of the sort. But he knew he had to help you, he didn't want to world to keep screwing innocent people over. He was going to help you, and take you under his wing, whether it be trying his best to give you a normal life, or teaching you everything he knows about life as an underground assassin. He would do it, he finally had a chance to create something positive out of all the shitty things fate had thrown at him. To do something that would make Helen proud.

Fortune may favor the bold, fortune may favor the brave, but it also occasionally favors the kind.

Part 2: https://iwoulddieforkeanureeves.tumblr.com/post/185667051574/after-john-finished-up-his-business-with-the

[lifeisdabubbles-undersalmondean]

La Pomme ~ Chapter 10

Pairing: Sam x OC (eventual Dean x OC and Dean x Castiel. And I mean eventual.)

Series summary: George is a casual French-Mistake-universe Supernatural fan living in no-COVID 2020, who's life is upended when she's suddenly launched between realities, two years into the boys' past (S13E22). What begins as an insane, immersive fan experience turns into more when Jack goes missing and George offers up her AU information to help track him down. Soon it's discovered that she and Sam may actually have history. But that's impossible, right?

Word Count: 4,500

Warnings: {smut, fluff, angst, show level violence, swearing, mentions of suicide} ***Detailed warnings will be tagged for specific chapters.

A/N: Following the events of my prequel Paradise and second story From My Eyes Off. Reading those first gives context but isn’t necessary to start this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About 4 hours later, George stirred awake as she began getting hit in the face with the bright morning sun. She was surprised to find Sam driving, with Dean passed out next to him. Castiel looked like he hadn't moved an inch since she'd closed her eyes and she smiled at his resolve. When she finally shifted, she noticed a large unfamiliar, tan jacket laying across her lap.

Reaching up to lightly touch Sam on the shoulder, gently alerting him to her presence, she whispered, "What time is it?"

"Hey, morning. A little after six. You doing OK? Need to pee?" He teased gently and she smiled.

"I'm alright at the moment, though I wouldn't turn down a chance to stretch my legs." She sat up in her seat, stretching as much as she could without invading Cas' space. Sam watched in the rear view as she crossed her arms above her head and arched her back for a stretch. He caught himself admiring the way the fabric of her shirt lifted up just enough for him to catch a fleeting glimpse of the skin on her waist. There was more bright ink peeking out from the top of her khakis, he noticed. She released the stretch much too soon in his opinion and then leaned over to pick up the jacket that had fallen off of her lap. She held it up questioningly to Sam and he adjusted himself in his seat, clearing his throat.

"Oh, that's, uh-mine." He stuttered, reaching back and taking it from her outstretched hands. "The backseat can get cold."

"Mm," She smiled and nodded appreciatively. "Thanks. How long have you been driving?"

"Just about 3 hours. I could use a stretch myself; I think there's a rest stop ahead a few miles." She nodded lazily, still brushing off the sleep, and looked over at Cas.

"You been keeping a weather eye out, Castiel?" She asked teasingly.

"Yes ma'am. Can never be too careful with these two." As nervous as she made him, he actually liked George. She eagerly included him in conversation and car games, which he wasn't used to. He also enjoyed her attempts to banter with him and he was getting better at deciphering them and even participating.

"Good man." She patted his shoulder appreciatively.

Cas nodded in solidarity, then he raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively. George smiled and raised both her eyebrows in response, waiting for him to speak. Based on his expression, she assumed he wanted to ask her a question. When he didn't speak, she raised her eyebrows more to encourage him. He darted his eyes to Sam; his face dropped quickly.

George followed his gaze to Sam and was startled at the daggers he was staring at Cas. She asked, "What? What's with the eyes?"

When Sam noticed her looking, he dropped his angry face and shrugged, "Nothin'? No eyes." Cas shrugged awkwardly in agreement. George looked between the two of them skeptically. She knew what she saw.

Narrowing her eyes, she demanded, "What?"

"Nothing," Cas stated with an incredibly unconvincing tone. George's head whipped to look at Sam as he rolled his eyes at Cas before he could stop himself.

She was annoyed now, "Seriously, guys-what?! Do I have a zit? Was I drooling in my sleep or-?" Her face fell suddenly and she winced, "Did I say something embarrassing?" She'd had partners mention her sleep talking once or twice and she'd been having a strangely vivid dream about Sam just before the sunshine woke her up. Considering the content, she prayed she hadn't said anything.

At her question, Cas and Sam exchanged a confused look. They both shook their heads as Sam answered, "Nope, no drooling, no talking. And no zits," he ended with a smirk.

George looked relieved for a moment and then frowned, "Then what? Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked Cas and then looked at Sam, "And why are you trying to keep him quiet?"

Sam pulled an innocent face, "I'm not-"

"Save it, dude! I saw you," George laughed at his innocent-little-brother face. "What's goin' on?"

Cas folded, "We were just wonder-"

Sam cut him off with a "No!" so loud that Dean startled awake with a snort.

"The hell?" Dean grumbled. Sam sighed defeatedly. He knew it was too late to stop the inevitable now, but he'd really tried. This was going to be painful.

"I believe your thug brother is threatening Castiel into keeping secrets," George stated annoyedly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Dean responded with a confused, "Huh?"

Castiel explained, defensively, "I was just trying to ask George if she's a 'Deangirl' or a 'Samgirl'."

George's eyes went wide. Large, angry red splotches began to appear on her pale cheeks and a sweat broke out on her brow. Sam gripped the steering wheel tightly, clenching his jaw and looking mortified.

Dean let out a loud, "Ha!" Chuckling, he sat up right and murmured, "Definitely glad I got woken up for this."

"What?" Cas huffed, seeing everyone's reactions. "I know you said we weren't supposed to say anything when she woke up, but you two were having a lively discussion about it earlier and I j-"

George choked on nothing and sputtered, "The two of you were having a lively discussion about wheth-" Dean and Sam both pulled the same innocent expression, though Dean couldn't hide his glee.

Sam cut her off with a stutter, "We weren't-It-it wasn't exactly-there was no-"

Dean shook his head, cutting him off with a matter-of-fact, "We were just trying to explain to Cas more about the reality you came from-with the show and everything? Naturally the subject of the fans came up..."

"They weren't sure which 'girl' designation you fell into. I didn't see what the issue was with just politely asking?"

"It's not a polite question, Cas!" George snapped in humiliation.

"Oh…" He frowned, "why not?"

"Because!" She explained fully.

"There are just some things you don't ask a woman, Cas," Dean offered with a bemused chuckle.

Cas' brows furrowed, looking curiously at George, "Does this question somehow relate to your age or menstrual cycle?"

"Sweet Jesus," George laughed to keep from crying in embarrassment, hiding her face behind her hands. She knew this was how Cas was but she wasn't prepared to experience his naivete in real life. The Kegel comments she could handle but this was beyond.

Sam desperately tried to re-rail the train wreck that was happening, "Cas, what Dean meant to say was, there are some things you shouldn't ask people. Humans, in general. Private things."

"Mortifying things," George groaned from behind her hands.

Cas was still confused, "And asking someone whether they're a 'Samgirl' or a 'Deangirl' is private?"

George dropped her hands and nodded emphatically, "In the context of our current situation, yes!"

"Why?"

"Because!" When he looked at her with a patient expression on his face she realized he'd need more than that. "Because… because…" she looked to Sam and Dean for help but neither one offered any. "Ugh, because it's the same as asking... 'Hey, Cas, if you had to, who would you rather sleep with, Dean or Sam?'"

"Don't answer that," Dean said slowly, with a frown.

"Not so amusing now, is it?" George smirked triumphantly at him.

"Well, I don't sleep but if you're saying I have to, then I guess I'd rather not-sleep with Sam," Castiel determined, after some thought.

"What?!" Came a half offended, half surprised echo from the front.

George's eyes lit up with far too much glee, "Oooooh?"

"Yes, definitely Sam," He nodded, more sure than before. Seeing their expressions - George's filled with joy, Dean's slightly hurt, and Sam pleasantly shocked - he explained, "Dean is an angry sleeper. The risk of getting shot is high. Sleeping-or not-with Sam would be far safer."

"Oooh, darn!" George laughed disappointedly at Cas' unexpected-yet-entirely-expected literal interpretation. The brothers looked relieved and also mildly amused.

Cas was lost, "I fail to understand what this has to do with-"

Dean 'ughed' deeply before explaining, "It's about sex, Cas." Sam cringed, eyes focused on the road. George groaned painfully and turtled her head inside her shirt as much as possible. "You essentially asked George which one of us she'd rather have sex with. Which-while incredibly entertaining for me-is a personal question," he finished uncharacteristically kindly.

George peeked her eyes out, surprised to see the sincere look on Dean's face, "Hmm, that actually wasn't as bad as I thou-"

Sam cut her off with a quiet, knowing, "Wait for it."

Just as George made eye contact with Dean he added, "I mean, it's none of our business how much sex George wants to have with Sam."

"And there it is," Sam finished knowingly with a frustrated eye roll.

"Ass!" George shrieked and punched Dean in the shoulder before retreating back into her shirt. Dean laughed heartily, flinching a bit.

"So, anyway," Sam began helpfully, trying to change the subject. "I'm kinda curious how much the show-the one of us, in-in your reality-how much it matches up with our real lives?"

George slowly came out of her shirt, blinking quickly, and thought for a moment, "Uhm, well I don't really know. I mean I've watched the show but like I said before, I wasn't the biggest fan in terms of… for lack of a better term, 'the lore' of it. I know bits and pieces here and there, but I'm by no means an expert."

"But you don't have the books?" Dean followed up curiously.

"The books are in the show, but I'm pretty sure they aren't published in… my 'real life'-who knows what the hell that is anymore. If I understand correctly, each book was supposed to equate to one episode in a season of the TV show. The published books stopped when Dean went to hell right?" Dean grumbled a yes and George continued, "OK, for the TV show that's the end of season three."

"How many seasons are there?" Dean asked curiously.

"Uhh, I think fifteen, so far?" Had it been canceled? She couldn't remember.

"Fifteen?! People have been watching our lives for-" Dean cut off and took a breath. "I can't decide if I'm annoyed that people are watching our boring ass lives for that long or that our lives are dramatic enough to be a television show for that long."

"What season did we come to your reality?" Sam wondered. Dean 'ughed' loudly at the memory.

With an amused shake of her head, she answered, "Season six, I think? Such a great episode! That whole season was pretty solid, actually. A great combination of funny yet emotionally gripping. I think that was also Cas and Meg kissing-" She looked at Cas earnestly and interjected into her own rambling, "That was awesome-and the posse magnet episode-which, btw, of course, people made shirts of that." For once in this conversation Dean looked happy, giving Sam a pleased expression, which garnered an eyeroll.

"If I'm not mistaken that was also the season with soul-" she was about to say "soulless Sam" but her heart twinged and she realized she couldn't be so flippant with the fandom created monikers anymore. These were no longer just characters, they were, inexplicably, very real people whom she now knew.

And cared about, she heard a tiny voice add.

"Er, it covered Sam's time after hell…without a soul," She grimaced a bit in sympathy, not knowing how best to fill in the blanks.

Sam's face went from startled to shame on a small delay. Further confirmation that she knew of the million awful things he'd done, he grimaced. If she knew everything it could not bode well. The thought filled him with a surprising amount of disappointment.

She'd seen the look on his face and quickly added with a hopeful smile, "And it also covered the time after you got your soul back! Which included the French Mistake!"

"The French Mistake?" Castiel asked.

"The one when they came to my reality!" George grinned and Dean made a yuck face. "You guys had so much great chemistry that episode. Making fun of their names and the alpacas, it was golden. Can't say enough about how hilarious that episode was. I was surprised by the dialogue about their tension on set because that's actually always been rumored to be true. It seems weird that they'd talk about it if it was true, though, so who knows what to think?" The men in the car certainly didn't but they nodded politely and let her ramble. "So, either it's all just stupid rumors and they find it funny or-HOLD ON!" Suddenly her face fell and she looked at Sam in shock upon realizing, "Did you sleep with Jared's wife?"

Three pairs of eyes were boring into Sam and he shrunk down in his seat, looking stunned and stuttering, "Er-I-Uh-You-you know abou-"

"You had sex with fake Ruby?!" Dean was beyond indignant.

"Who's Jared?" Cas asked.

Sam looked mortified and George instantly felt bad about starting them down this path. She hadn't meant to embarrass him, she just failed to think before she spoke sometimes. Especially after realizations like that. Obviously, this whole "Supernatural is real" had more ramifications than she'd realized.

Making a mental note to maybe ask him about it later, she quickly changed the subject, "They were filming the French Mistake when we lost Misha." Frowning sadly, she patted Castiel's knee, "I want you to know I was devastated about that. Misha was my favorite Castiel."

Castiel looked confused, glancing at Sam and Dean, "Thank you?" She smiled and squeezed his knee gently before letting go. "So, in your reality, I'm dead?" Castiel asked with a contemplative look.

"Well…" She paused, trying to think of how to explain it so he would understand, "you're not-er Castiel is not. But the actor who played the vessel you're currently inhabiting is."

"Jimmy Novak?" Castiel confirmed and George nodded a bit.

"That sounds right," She agreed; she'd only seen the episode once so she couldn't be sure. "When Misha died tragically in that horrible stabbing 'accident,' the writers were just going to write Castiel out of the show but the fandom fired upon them with the white hot rage of a Deastiel shipper left unsatisfied," Her eyes were wide with emphasis; Sam snickered, Dean huffed and Castiel was oblivious, "so they quickly brought you back in a new vessel a couple episodes later." {author's note: yes I prefer 'Deastiel', it makes the most sense for the mashup of both their names IMO and it's my story}

The three men considered the scenario for a minute. Sam seemed unsure, Dean wondered what the new actor looked like, and Cas paused, then nodded, "Well, I suppose that makes sense. If I could find another vessel willing and able to hold me I'd want to still be around to help." George smiled at his loyalty. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed MishaCas. The replacement actor was fine but to her, the chemistry was never the same.

George said absentmindedly, "As far as I can tell-though my knowledge is obviously limited-most of the rest of the story line from the show has been the same here? Castiel's the only major difference I recognize."

After a long, pregnant pause, Dean asked tentatively, "So… exactly, how much do you know about us?"

George squinted a little at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well… like, do they show everything?"

George smirked and shook her head, "It's basic cable not HBO. Maybe a handful of shirtless scenes but nothing Game of Thrones graphic. The focus of the show is the supernatural-is you guys, hunting and saving and all that, so not really a lot of romantic, naked stuff. The focus of the fandom, on the other hand? Well that's a very different story," She cracked with a chuckle.

The next nine or so hours of their car ride passed fairly uneventfully as George rambled about the show, asking them questions and comparing notes about their lives. Dean took over driving after a pitstop and as the hours turned into nearly day(s), everyone-including Cas-started getting a little punchy, not to mention ripe. Nice, fun friendly games of I-Spy or the license plate game had dissolved into butt-hurt bickering and the silence that returned to the car for the last two hours had been welcomed by everyone.

Finally, though, George caught a road sign for Reno, Nevada - 30 miles and decided she couldn't take it anymore. She was sore, tired, tired of wearing a bra, in desperate need of a shower-or three, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep silently farting and blaming it on Cas. Luckily for her, he remained his usual indifferent self but Dean certainly seemed to be getting suspicious of the smells emanating from the back. She also made the startling realization that she had no change of clothes with her during one of her earlier daydreams about a long hot bath. Hopefully she'd made enough headway with Dean for him not to be too pissed when she mentioned it.

"Hey, I have a fun new game we could try." George paused to allow the three grumpuses to groan in unison before continuing, "it's called let's stop in a real town-say Reno!-and get some actual food and maybe a hotel room for some actual sleep for the first time in 24 hours! Any takers?" She tried to keep her expectations low. "Dean, I bet Reno has great pie."

"You know what George?" Dean began in a mock angry voice, pausing for dramatic effect. "They have some damn good pie in Reno. Remember that one place just off the 659, Sammy? That pie was orgasmic! What was that place called…"

"Brown Cub Diner?" George offered.

"That's it! How'd you know?"

"I'm from Carson City; I grew up around here. Brown Cub Diner is famous in our area. Have you tried their pancakes? They have a special sweet cream batter and those flapjacks just melt in your mouth." She saw Dean's reaction and could almost taste the hot, bubbly bath water and nice soft warm (flat!) mattress. She pressed on, "I think we're only about 30 minutes from there?"

"Ya know Dean, we have been driving for about 24 hours. Obviously, we need to get to Jack but we're of no use to him if we're sore and exhausted. Wouldn't be such a bad idea to take a break, get some good food, take a shower," he gave an exaggerated, unpleasant smell look in George's direction and she swatted his shoulder, "and recharge before hitting the road for the last stretch?" George could have kissed Sam for the assist, even if he did use it as an excuse to call her funky. Rude.

"Fine," Dean huffed and everyone, well Sam and George, Cas was pretty indifferent, celebrated with high fives. "But we're getting pie-and pancakes-first!"

"Uh, if I could just interject one quick additional favor?" George asked, causing Dean to let out a low exasperated, yet questioning growl. "I literally only have the clothes on my back and seeing as how there also happens to be a Target just off the freeway on Sparks Blvd coming up in 2 miles," she pointed to the excellently timed street sign they were passing, "then perhaps we could make a super quick stop so that I could get a change of clothes or two?" It all came out in one breath and she stopped to catch her next. "Pretty please?"

Dean remained silent as he drove the next two miles and George was starting to feel deflated. But when he pulled off the Sparks Blvd exit, she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind for a thank you hug, causing him to swerve slightly and curse before gently sloughing her off. They arrived at Target and Dean parked toward the back, keeping his baby away from any other riff raff cars. Turning off the engine, he then produced a wallet from his back pocket. He dug out a small stack of $20s and handed it to her.

"We typically like to pay for things, Sticky Fingers." Dean began.

"With all your stolen money?" She asked cheekily, because she just couldn't help herself either. He was the quintessential big brother and it set her little sister mode on 11 every time.

He paused and gave her a squinted stare before continuing, "In and out in 30 minutes; those flapjacks are calling my name!"

She thanked Dean for the cash, promising to pay him back before realizing how impossible that was, and the three boys decided to wait in the car while she ran in.

Heading first for the toiletries for some personal essentials, she then doubled back toward the front where she picked up a generic pair of tennies-comfort and function seemed more important than style in her current situation-and a packet of white socks. Next she grabbed up two half-decent bras and a pack of underwear before crossing over to the racks of outerwear. She'd tried to work out in the car how many items she'd need and to keep things conservative she figured a two-three pair of pants and the same amount of plain shirts would suffice. She'd finally settled on two pairs of dark denim boot cut jeans and one pair of black cotton joggers, along with two fitted, v-neck, long sleeved t-shirts, one in navy, one in maroon, a black sleeveless undershirt, and couldn't help grabbing an oversized pink and black madres plaid button down. She also grabbed a black pull over hoodie with the Friends logo, since she knew that the redwoods could get pretty cold and she was stoked that Friends was still a thing in this reality. Lastly, she grabbed a pair of plain, flowy black PJ pants and a large men's pale blue v-neck tee for sleeping, and made her way toward the register.

As she waited in line with her cart, spacing out about whether or not she grabbed too much or not enough of each clothing item, she caught a glimpse of something familiar out of the corner of her eye. Three lanes away from her a short, chubby woman with mousy, short brown and graying hair, wearing a familiar pale green jacket was also checking out. From behind, the woman looked exactly like George's mother and she felt whiplashed back to her reality.

"Mom?" Her voice came out scratchy and quiet as she involuntarily called out to the woman. Part of her felt compelled to scream out, run over and grab her into a hug, listen happily as her mom comfortingly told George that everything was OK and she'd just been dreaming. But she was frozen in place by shock. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the woman-her mother! She was sure of it!-finish her transaction and head for the front door. George looked back at her cart and the money in her hand. She debated with herself for half a second before abandoning the shopping cart and bolting after the pale green jacket that had exited the store and disappeared from her sight. She made chase, stopping at the edge of the sidewalk in front of the store and frantically searching the parking lot for the woman.

When George finally spotted her unloading her purchases into a car she didn't recognize, George's stomach dropped. She could now see her face and it was very clear that the lovely middle eastern woman was not her mother. Tears began welling up in George's eyes, her face flushed red from emotion, and she walked over to lean on the building, trying to get a hold of herself.

Her mind was racing and she was trying to catch her breath in her panicked state. She had gotten so swept up in the adventure and insanity of this dreamlike experience that she'd forgotten about her actual life for the past 24 hours. But now that she thought about her old, boring normal life-a life where she wasn't crazy; where she wasn't feeling this constant, strange, unshakable feeling of inaccessible deja vu; where she wasn't carpooling with an angel to go rescue someone from potential death; where she wasn't conversing with Sam and Dean motherfucking Winchester-she wanted to run. All knowledge of how difficult and far-from-perfect her real life had been were forgotten in the moment. She glanced over toward the back of the parking lot where she could still see the Impala parked where she'd left it, then pulled the money out of her pocket, counting through it - $300.

As fate would have it, she spotted a taxi dropping a couple off near the corner of the building and jogged over.

"Are you taking fares?" She bent over to ask the driver as the couple walked away.

"Where you going?"

"Carson City?" George almost hoped the woman would turn her down.

"That's nearly 40 miles away, it's gonna be over $100?" The driver responded, questioningly. George shot one last guilty look back at the Impala before climbing into the back.

"Let's go." She crouched down low in her seat as they exited the parking lot and tried to ignore the intense guilt-nausea building in the pit of her stomach.