#i'll do them when i come back from vacation (maybe) but feel free to send

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Eddie has never traveled much. Sure, he'd drive around in his van, sometimes visit Indy, but otherwise he's given up on all the touristy stuff even before he could experience it (as if - an absent mother and a criminal father don't exactly scream VACATION TIME). He finds it silly, all the magnets, postcards. As if one week somewhere else could make a difference.

Enter Steve Harrington, a very dedicated boyfriend with a no bullshit attitude and a payout from yet another government interdimensional (or cross-dimensional?) fuckup. Given how many times he's nearly died, he doesn't exactly feel like saving and investing into his future if it may never come. And so when Eddie's wounds heal, his quiet graduation passes and Hawkins isn't swarmed by monsters for a change, he doesn't ask, simply tells Eddie that his job search will have to wait for 2 weeks or so. He helps him pack a bag, winks at Wayne on his way out (seriously, were they conspiring against him all this time?!) and off to the airport they go.

Eddie has never flown anywhere and boy, is that an experience. After grasping Steve's hand tight enough for his knuckles to go white, he finally relaxes and watches the clouds in child-like awe. Steve is smiling at him from the middle seat, squeezes his hand sometimes. Of course he made sure Eddie would have the window seat. Of course he knows Eddie would find the experience magical.

One uneventful flight and slight migraine scare later, they land, Steve picks up their rented car and drives them both to a small house on the beach. Steve snorts when he sees the separate beds and pushes them together, dropping his own bag on the right mattress. And Eddie just stares, still in disbelief that this is happening, that the local freak and suspected Satanist somehow ended up on a beach vacation with white pillows, so soft it's almost ridiculous, a boyfriend kind (and hot, so goddamn hot!) beyond belief and gentle sound of the waves...

Eddie doesn't really have swimming trunks, Steve didn't really tell him what to pack except that it's going to be mostly warm, but when he tries to apologize to Steve, his boyfriend just laughs, digs in his perfectly organized bag and tosses something black at Eddie's head. When Eddie disentagles it from his face, he finds out it's a pair of trunks with small skulls on them. "Told you, baby," says Steve and presses a gentle kiss into Eddie's cheek. "You don't need to worry about anything this week."

And Eddie doesn't, for the first time in his life he feels absolutely free from everything. When he sees the ocean for the first time, he ends up doing a very undignified splat into the waves and soon finds out that the legends were true, the water is salty and god, it's disgusting. Steve gets them both cheap snorkel masks and they just float next to each other and observe the tiny creatures on the ocean floor. Steve often dives much deeper than Eddie would ever dare to go and brings up small treasures, shells and smooth pebbles. He insists Eddie should only pick the prettiest ones, but Eddie hoards them all. "If they're too heavy when we fly back, I'll just send my bag with you and walk to Hawkins on foot," he says and he might be joking. Might.

In the end, they come back to Hawkins, with Eddie's pale skin slightly red ("I told him he needed sunscreen but did he listen, Wayne? Of course not") and bags full of trinkets that quickly fill the shelves of Eddie and Wayne's new home. Wayne's mug collection grows yet again, he gives a quiet huff of laughter when the boys admit they had a competition to buy the ugliest mug possible, Eddie presents him with a disturbingly realistic seahorse mug and Steve produces a cartoon octopus mug with a sign "SEAS THE DAY". They both groan when Wayne declares it's a tie and proudly displays both.

And if Eddie sneaks to the kitchen during the night to decorate their fridge with a tacky magnet, well, who can blame him? Maybe he'll start a collection too.

[arrowofcarnations]

Fic-O-Ween 2023 Day 6: Rainy Day

Having the time of my life reading everyone's fics on @noots-fic-fests! Y'all are brilliant, just brilliant. Spending a cozy, spicy morning with (genderbent!) Tremzy and Loops today for day six. It was a joy and privilege to write this with the one and only @fruitcoops—thank you times a million for working on this with me while writing a slew of other amazing fics for the fest! Major props to @lumosinlove as always for these characters that we love so dearly.

Title: Come Rain or Come Shine Characters: Remus Lupin/Logan Tremblay Rating: E

[Quick context for this au since it's a bit specific: Coops & O'Knutzy are happily married, retired hockey ladies (and moms!). No cheating or drama here, just some spice between besties on their day off. If you've been in some of the spicy 5SCU threads on the server, this'll be a familiar dynamic. Feel free to skip if this isn't your thing! <3]

It was a lazy Saturday morning, and Logan was taking full advantage of the soft bed and quiet house she was in. Seven o'clock slipped into eight, then eight into nine; it was nearly ten when she finally pulled herself from half-sleep fully into the land of the living, joints popping as she stretched, yawned, and rolled onto her other side to see if the woman next to her was awake yet.

Amber eyes met hers behind a pair of reading glasses that were ever so slightly askew. Remus smiled, greeting her with a soft "Morning." Awake, then.

And she had been for a while, if the laptop perched on her stomach was anything to go by. Logan shuffled under the sheets until she could cozy up to her, head on Remus' pillow and an arm snaking around her middle (almost tipping the computer over in the process—a small price to pay for premium morning-Remus-cuddles).

"Bonjour," Logan said, yawning again. She looked from the screen, which had about a hundred tabs open, back up to Remus' face. "I don't think you understood the 'morning off' thing, Loops."

"This is my morning off," Remus murmured, though she was smiling when she combed through Logan's hair. Her blunt nails scratched at Logan's scalp and sent tingles down her arms.

"Non, non, non, no work."

"It's not work. It's vacation."

"Anything other than laying in bed with me and enjoying our morning is work."

Remus scrutinized her with a playfully critical eye. "You know, something tells me I'll still end up doing work if that happens."

"You're a killjoy, Lupin."

"So my wife tells me, every day."

“No she doesn’t.” Logan lifted her arm to try and nudge the laptop shut, but Remus kept hold of it. Logan sighed. She could tell Remus wasn’t going to be coaxed into going back to sleep, but she was still in bed. There was hope for this morning yet.

“D’accord,” Logan conceded, sitting up to stretch her arms over her head again before dropping a kiss to Remus' cheek and rolling out of bed. She shivered as her toes touched the wood floorboards. “Slippers?”

“Mm, bathroom, maybe?”

Logan headed there, re-emerging after washing up with blessedly warm feet. When she came back into the room, Remus was smiling at her, fond and amused. 

“Quoi?”

“Nothing,” Remus laughed. “You’re, like, so happy about those slippers. I can see it on your face. It’s cute.”

Logan glanced down at them, flexing her toes in their plush cocoon. “They’re warm,” she said simply. “Cold mornings lately.”

“Could put more clothes on, Ms. Tank-Top-Tiny-Boxer-Briefs.”

Logan raised an eyebrow at her. “You want me to put more clothes on?”

Remus didn’t hesitate. “No.”

Logan smiled. Right answer. “I’m making us breakfast and bringing it back in here. Don’t move.”

Making breakfast, in Logan’s mind anyway, meant reheating some of the frittata Leo had made yesterday morning and pulling out the French press. She hummed absently to herself as she did it, watching late-September rain fall steadily outside the kitchen windows.

She checked her phone as the coffee brewed, smiling at the pictures and updates Sirius, Finn and Leo had been sending them from their big aquarium trip with the kids. She replayed the video Finn had sent, then replayed it again, heart squeezing at the missing-tooth-grin of the youngest of the bunch, Juliette, as she posed in front of a passing shark.

The middlest ones had, at some point in the last week, decided it was high time to become a dynamic duo after years of being anything but. Logan had given up on trying to figure out why—as long as they were happy, she was content in her ignorance. They seemed to be having an excellent time mimicking the megalodon’s grin regardless. Helena’s hair had come half-out of her ponytail at some point during the day where she perched on Sirius’ shoulders; beside her, wearing a matching roar, Sam’s shorts matched Leo’s bucket hat. On theme, per usual.

Logan tapped her sugar spoon blindly on the edge of her cup while she scrolled through the text thread. Teddy had clearly decided photos were too cringe for a 14-year-old, if that Captain-caliber scowl said anything. Logan snorted to herself and saved the picture to her phone. That one was going in her scrapbook.

The frittata dish caught her thumb when she went to slip it out of the oven. Logan swore softly to herself, then paused. Nobody else was within earshot. For a moment, thrill overwhelmed pain.

“Fuck!”

Nobody responded. There were no calls of language or Lo-gan or a quick check to make sure the littles were out of earshot.

Logan sighed aloud and smiled to no one in particular, and set about finding a clean dish for their breakfast. One plate would be enough.

“I burned myself,” she announced as she headed back upstairs.

“Why?”

“Reasons.” She stepped out of her slippers at the edge of the bed before clambering up and into Remus’ lap, careful not to bend the little bears’ ears. She set their breakfast aside and pushed her thumb against Remus’ lips. “Right here. Ouch.”

Remus’ lips flirted with a smile. “Poor baby.”

Logan hummed when she took her thumb into her mouth to the first knuckle. Her narrow jaw fit ever so nicely in the bend of Logan’s palm.

“Ouais, now you’re getting the idea,” Logan said, half tease, half encouragement. There were a few things she’d be willing to let her breakfast go cold for—many of them involving Remus’ mouth.

She was a tad disappointed when Remus pulled off with a wet pop. Remus just patted her cheek—unmoved by her best pout, rude—and turned her gaze back to the fifth hotel site Logan had seen that morning alone. 

Logan unceremoniously shut the laptop and pushed it out of reach, ignoring Remus’ protests.

“If you aren’t going to eat me, at least eat Knutty’s cooking.” Logan plopped the plate into Remus’ now-empty lap, then put a steaming mug in her hands. 

Remus looked like she wanted to be annoyed for a second, but a smile won out. “Worrying over me? You sound like your better halves.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Logan nudged Remus’ shin with her foot. “Eat. I know you only had a cup of tea this morning, I saw it in the sink.”

“And toast.” Remus hid her smile in the rim of her coffee mug. “But you didn’t see that one, because I always wash my dishes.”

“What are you trying to imply?”

“How long has it been since Harzy let you two wash a dish, hmm?” A tease gleamed in Remus’ eye as she reached for the frittata.

Logan huffed. “How long have we known Leo?”

“Not long enough.”

“Cheers to that.” She clinked their forks together and Remus laughed, morning-rough but sweet as ever. Logan shuffled over to bump their foreheads; Remus pushed into it a little, nuzzling close.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” Logan rapped her knuckles on the laptop. “What’s all this?”

Remus blinked, but her face gave away nothing. “Family vacation,” she said simply.

Still stubborn, after all these years. She couldn’t fool Logan, though—not back when their friendship was new and green as a spring sapling, budding in arenas and locker rooms and airports, and certainly not now. Not after all they’d shared. Their roots went all the way down to bedrock.

“Loops.”

“What? Between us four and you five, everybody’s schedules, it’s a lot to plan.”

“Rayon de lune.”

Remus paused, sighed, and folded her arms across her chest, over a threadbare t-shirt that Logan was pretty sure had belonged to Leo way back when. “Can we…not? Let’s just enjoy the morning, like you said.”

“D’accord,” Logan agreed, spearing a bite of food and holding it to Remus’ lips in offering. Remus seemed a little surprised at that, like she was expecting Logan to press her on it, but she dropped a grateful kiss to Logan’s temple and took the proffered bite.

No need to push yet; they had time. A whole rainy day together to unwind from a long week of pickups and dropoffs and chauffeuring kids to and from school and activities and friends’ houses. Besides, Remus was always more prone to opening up after a good dose of spoiling.

"Nice shirt."

Remus' lips quirked up at the side. "Thought you might like it."

"Little loose on you, though." Logan jumped at the swift swat to her thigh, just below the hem of her shorts. "Hey!"

"I don't want to hear jack about my tits from you, miss thing," Remus warned. Her arms uncrossed and snaked around Logan's waist to pull her further into her lap (and closer to her sly smirk). Her teeth grazed the strap of Logan's tank top, nearly touching the smudge of a hickey left by a wandering mouth two nights before.

Logan twirled a loose wave at the base of Remus' neck. "That's Mrs. Thing to you."

A quick bite made her hiss. Remus' tongue peeked out beneath her crooked canine tooth. "How about little lady?"

"Yeehaw," Logan whispered through a grin. The frames of Remus' reading glasses were cold on her nose as they giggled into the tiny space between them. She let thick hair fall through her fingers and combed through the nape a few times, then wound a good fistful and pulled until Remus' face was upturned toward her own.

Clear caramel had grown dark near the pupil. Remus smiled lazily. "Howdy."

Logan smiled into the first kiss, then the second, then the third, letting herself linger more with each one until Remus was chasing her mouth. She pulled back, though, earning a frown from the woman under her.

“I’ll give you more,” Logan promised. She ducked to leave a kiss on the elegant curve of Remus’ neck for emphasis, then reached for her glasses, gently taking them off her face and folding them with care. “Un moment.”

“Mm, you better.”

She gathered up their breakfast detritus and set it all on the nightstand. Then she grabbed the laptop to move it out of the way, too. She caught a glimpse of Remus’ background—a photo Logan had taken of her and Sirius at the arena the night Sirius’ number was retired. They stood side by side at center ice on the carpet rolled out for the occasion. Logan knew a much smaller Teddy was clinging to Sirius’s leg just out of frame. Sirius’ gaze was turned upward, no doubt watching BLACK, 12 being lifted to the rafters, expression as openly moved as Logan had ever seen it in such a public space. Remus’ head was turned so she could look at Sirius’ face, watching her with such love and awe that Lo had had to snap a picture.

Remus must have seen something on Logan’s face now as she resettled in her lap, because she tucked Logan’s hair behind her ear and said, “What?”

Logan shook her head, smiling, and cupped Remus’ cheek, rubbing her thumb over the faint silver-white of an old scar. “Tes seins sont magnifiques.”

Remus snorted, but Logan caught the pleased flush blooming on her cheeks before her mouth found that spot again, this time getting her teeth around the tank top strap and easing it off Logan’s shoulder.

Logan sighed and let her head tip in a silent request, leaving more room for Remus to work. The lips on her collarbone parted for a heavy breath as she slid over to the knob of Logan's shoulder and the slope of her neck. Logan felt her pause at every mottled mark mimicking the curve of a mouth. There were plenty to choose from, and a gradient of colors to rival the flag at the front of their house. "Someone had a fun time with you," Remus mused.

"Ouais, lots." Logan gave gentle pressure to the back of her head. "Want to add your name to the list?"

Remus made a quiet noise that would have been a laugh if it wasn't so intrigued. Her fingers trailed up Logan's back, then walked along her ribcage to tug the neckline of her top. Always so delicate, until she wasn't. Arousal dripped through Logan. "Depends. Are you gonna let me see?"

Her thighs were soft and strong and lean when Logan spread her knees another inch; the quick, light touch of tongue to the hinge of her jaw made her stomach go fluttery. "You get to do more than see, clair de lune.”

Remus breathed a smile into the top of her breast before those careful fingers slipped her other strap off and let gravity do the rest. "You need to get more creative," she said. Logan closed her eyes at the slick drag of a mouth to her sternum and beyond, down to where her cleavage was shallow and dimpled by the bedsheets. A nuzzle, and her tank top fell to her hips. A long exhale, and Remus' hand was cupping the round curve of her ass. Logan may have retired from hockey, but there were some things she refused to leave in her early twenties.

“Gonna be hard to find a good spot,” Remus said with faux concern, giving Logan’s ass an indulgent squeeze as she looked her bare torso up and down.

Logan shivered under the weight of that gaze, under its heat, its promise of good things to come. A thumb pressed suddenly into a purple bruise on Logan’s hip just below her tattoo, firmly enough to make her gasp at the pleasure-pain of it.

“You’re already covered, greedy thing,” Remus continued. Logan’s breath stuttered; they both knew how much she liked it when Remus started out like this, putting on an air of casual interest just to make Logan squirm. “Hope you gave back as good as you got.”

“Ouais, I did. Rode Leo’s strap ‘til my legs gave out, then Harz held me up so she could keep going.” She felt heat spark in her gut at the mere memory. Logan’s hands found Remus’ chest, gently pushing her back against the sheets so she could stretch out on top of her and kiss that smirk until they were both breathless.

She kissed one of Remus’ cheeks, then the other, then left a sweet peck on a smattering of summer-sun freckles across her nose that had yet to fade. Pride zinged through her at the hunger she saw in Remus’ eyes as she pulled back.

“Want it like that, Re?”

"I think..." Remus sighed, settling her fingertips in the dip of Logan's spine with a look of such sheer contentment that it made Logan's heart ache. Her gaze was gentle on Logan's face despite the radiant heat. She hummed again; Logan felt a light push to her hip and rolled to accommodate it until they were on their sides, sliding her leg up to fall over Remus' own. A kiss found her in the hollow between them. Remus started to prop herself up on an elbow, but gave up halfway through and laid down once more, shuffling close.

"I think I want what I want," Remus finally finished.

Logan smiled into her full lower lip. "And what do you want?"

"You."

"You have me."

"Hmm. Gonna let me?"

"Let you what?" It was so fun like this. So fun. Back-and-forth built on years of quiet understanding, from the moment Logan let herself cry on Remus' examination table and didn't fear what she might think.

Remus' nose scrunched with happiness. "Have you."

"Like I'd ever say no when you look this good," Logan answered. Remus shivered when she slid a hand beneath her shirt, going pink at the cheeks. Logan needed her; needed her fiercely. Hands and mouth, whatever Remus would spare for her. Their next kiss was rougher and Logan let her hand dig in, bringing Remus closer until her bare chest pressed against worn-soft fabric. She could feel each of Remus' breaths like her own and friction sent pleasure prickling through her belly.

Logan moved down to Remus' neck, pressing all her desire into the soft skin there with sloppy, overlapping kisses that covered every inch within reach. Spurred on by the low sound that tumbled out of Remus' mouth and the feeling of a hand cradling the back of her head, Logan worked on leaving a few good marks of her own. Her palm slid over Remus' breast; she sighed into the hollow of Remus' throat, savoring the perfect handful. The swipe of a thumb across her nipple made Remus gasp and press up against Logan’s fingers and mouth in a silent bid for more.

“Si bon,” Logan mumbled, nibbling at the skin just above the t-shirt hem. Praise was always part of it for both of them, heating the room like a freshly stoked fire. 

“Want me to take you?” Remus' voice came from above her, lower like it always got when she was turned on.

Logan laughed a little because, really, what kind of question was that? “Thought that was obvious.”

“Show me, then.”

Logan redoubled her efforts, the hand under Remus' shirt toying with each breast as she licked a broad stripe from her collarbone to the delicate skin under her jaw. The hand in her hair tightened suddenly; Logan’s breath hitched as Remus pulled her off and up so they were eye to eye. The look on her face made Logan’s stomach swoop.

“No, honey,” Remus tutted. “Show me.”

Heat spiked through Logan with such force it would’ve made her sway if she hadn’t been laying down. She scrambled up onto her knees as Remus moved to sit back against the headboard, watching her. She pushed her boxers and forgotten tank top the rest of the way off her body and knelt again, letting Remus see. Her heart was pounding as she spread her knees a little on the bed, then reached a hand down between her legs, biting back a moan as she dragged her fingertips through the gathering wetness there. She drew in a lungful of the charged air between them, keeping her eyes on Remus as she brought her glistening fingers to her mouth and sucked.

“God,” Remus breathed, fingers twitching like she wanted—needed—to touch. Logan loved it when they looked at her like that. She could feel it on her body like electric kisses, pricking and tickling their way along new-bared skin.

Logan swirled her tongue around her knuckles and pressed in on Remus’ thighs. When she brought them out again, she made sure to let the slickness drag over her lip before reaching down to herself once more.

“Like that.” Remus’ eyes went wide and dark; her hands slid behind Logan’s knees and gripped. “Touch yourself, honey. Get ready for me.”

Get ready for me. How many times had Leo urged the same in her low purr, all while Finn’s quick hands cinched her strap tight? How many times had Logan let them watch her fingers pump in and out before they took her hands away and brought her to the searing edge?

Remus would do that for her. Logan may not even need to ask.

“Don’t come.”

Logan whined low in her throat.

“Don’t,” Remus warned. Logan loved how commanding she could be; the way it snuck up on people who saw her sweet, gentle face and little else.

Logan slowed her hand and watched that face change. Remus’ smile grew sharp at the corners.

“Good girl.”

Logan bit her lip against a groan. That was a phrase she’d never get tired of hearing.

She kept up her steady pace, slipping her fingers out of herself occasionally to rub her clit with teasing pressure, as Remus stripped off her t-shirt at last, tossing it to the floor with her underwear so Logan could finally see all of her. As instructed, she didn’t bring herself off; it took quite a bit of willpower, thank you very much, but she only gave herself enough to bring the cliff’s edge of her orgasm into sight. Remus would make it worth the wait. She always did.

She put up no resistance as Remus coaxed her onto her back. Remus settled on top of her for a moment, leaning down for a brief kiss, but Logan wrapped her legs around her waist, drawing her close and keeping her there.

The fond smile she got for it was as much a reward as whatever would come next. “Hi,” Remus said. “I was headed a little farther south.”

Logan hummed, tucking a strand of tawny, silver-flecked hair behind Remus’ ear with her left hand, then reaching up with her right one to trace the seam of Remus’ lips with wet fingertips. Logan swore she saw the heat she felt as Remus drew them into her mouth reflected back at her in Remus’ eyes.

Logan pushed up on her elbows to kiss her as soon as she was done, sloppy with the sheer force of her need. Remus pulled back and Logan didn’t even have time to complain; in a flash, that clever mouth was sucking a bruise into the sensitive skin just below her breast. Logan knew from the sharp ache of it that she’d picked a spot that had already been marked. That somehow made it hotter.

Between her wives and Remus and Sirius, Logan was never left wanting. Today was no exception. The firmness of Remus’ grip was just right as she pushed Logan’s thighs apart; the first press of her tongue against Logan’s clit, divine. Logan let her head fall back onto the pillow and smiled deliriously at the ceiling. It was like she could still feel the sting of Remus’ teeth on her love-bitten body. You’re already covered, greedy thing. Logan was greedy. She liked to take everything they had for her until they were well and truly sated; she liked to give herself over to them and let them draw every ounce of her pleasure from her like nectar.

Between her legs, Remus groaned against her like she was the only breakfast she’d ever need, and Logan fucking loved that.

She knew better than to expect it all at once; Remus was never the kind to give it up easy, never once passed up the opportunity to overwhelm Logan with honey-sweet arousal before letting her break open. But Remus was still hungry for it, ravenous, moaning softly as she buried her face in Logan's pussy and dug her hands into her thighs. Logan didn't bother closing her mouth. The house was empty, and her breathing certainly wasn't going to calm anytime soon. Better to sink into it now than waste time trying to stifle herself. She'd done enough of that on Thursday, when she rode Leo's strap until two hands clasped over her mouth were all that kept the kids asleep.

Remus' tongue curled and a whine broke in her throat—a thumbpad traced over her hole and Logan's whole body juddered. Slow mornings like this made her sensitive and needy. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," she panted in a tumble of breath. "Gogogo."

"Thought Leo wore you out," Remus mumbled against her.

"She—huh—" A harsh suck made Logan's knee jerk up into the immovable bend of Remus' arm. "She did."

Remus laved a long, broad stripe up her folds that Logan felt all the way in her toes. She flexed her hands on the sheets at the build of it all, only barely managing to raise her head when Remus rested her chin in the crease of her hip. "That's okay," she said, licking some shine off the corner of her mouth. "I'll be gentle."

Something that was half-groan, half-laugh left Logan in a rush, and she flung an arm over her eyes as she flopped back down onto the pillow.

“Diable,” Logan accused. A fingertip was still circling her hole in teasing strokes. Logan sort of wanted to beg for it.

Her eyes were still closed when Remus pressed a sloppy kiss over her tattoo; her smile felt dopey even to herself. “Oui,” Remus replied brightly, then gave her two fingers in one smooth slide.

Logan sighed, long and pleased enough to make her lungs throb the same as where Remus licked over her in teasing, tasting strokes. Her fingers crooked gently, then relaxed; gave a shallow thrust, then rested inside her with only the lightest flex.

“Cap told me you’ve been stressed.”

“Gossips,” Remus said into the crease of her thigh.

“Ouais.” Her hair spun like silk through Logan’s fingertips. “That’s what you get for letting us go on tea dates.”

“Hmm.”

“ ‘S like you and—ah—Harzy at the bookstores.”

Logan groaned at a perfect twist inside her and felt Remus smile. “You two are cute.”

“Of course we are.”

Logan lost herself in sensation for a few long, mind-melting moments as Remus replaced her fingers with her tongue, the short, shallow thrusts combining with a thumb against her clit to push her orgasm from steadily approaching to imminent.

“Was talking to you,” she managed, even as she pushed Remus against her harder with a hand at the back of her head.

Remus pulled off just enough to gasp a “later” before getting back to work. Her free hand was splayed over Logan’s lower belly, warm and protective; her tongue was merciless inside her.

“Merde,” Logan said tightly, whole body tensing under Remus. “Yeah, fuck me like that, fuck me like that, oh.”

Remus gave it to her just as she asked until the shakiness in her legs was one continuous tremor, then shifted so she could move her tongue quick and hard over her clit and bury her fingers deep inside her—three this time, curled just right and definitely less gentle than before. Logan’s shout bounced off the walls, filling the room.

All it took was a few more seconds and a wet, obscene groan against her before her mind went blank as she came hard around Remus' fingers and on her tongue; Remus worked her through it and brought her down easy, fingers stilling but not yet pulling out and kitten licks making her jerk with the last aftershocks.

A barely-there kiss in the sensitive spot where Remus's tongue had just been made her laugh (okay, it was more of a giggle). “Hottie. Thank you for that.”

Logan laughed some more. “Non, thank you.”

"Mmm." The smack of Remus' lips would have made her blush, if she wasn't already so warm. "Want another one?"

Logan rolled her head to the side for a better look and buried her nose in the pillowcase. They had started adding scents to their detergent recently; this week, it seemed, was for light citrus. "Depends," she said, stifling a yawn with a lengthy stretch. "Will you relax if I let you drown in pussy?"

"Literally always."

Hot breath rushed over her clit and inner thighs when she tugged on Remus' hair. "Then get after it, Loops."

The first broad licks made her head go quiet, and filled it with TV static when Remus' tongue tapered to a twitching, teasing point just next to where she needed it. Her fingers gave the occasional there-and-gone pressure that made Logan feel all too desperate. The edge crept up on her, faster than the first. She could already tell it would be harder too, as her hips pushed down to meet Remus' incessant mouth and her fingers ached to pull the sheets around them.

“Re,” Logan said urgently. “Re, merde, kiss me, I’m gonna—”

Remus was on top of her in a second, one arm wedged between them so she could keep touching her, and Logan clenched her hands in Remus' hair instead of the bedding as she pulled her down for a sloppy, breathless kiss.

The angle was awkward, but Remus was well-practiced. Well-versed in Logan, too; enough to know just what to say as she curled a pair of fingers inside her while her thumb moved in slippery but precise circles.

“Allez, Tremzy, you need to come again already? You need to come on my fingers? There you go, there you go.”

"I'm c—I'm coming—I'm—" Logan's vision sparked when it hit. She moaned into Remus' mouth, thighs tight around her waist and trembling, throbbing from her hips to her knees. A brush of Remus' thumb made her jerk with sweet overstimulation. It was the kind Leo liked to dangle in front of her until she was panting and needy, and the kind Finn served up with utmost enthusiasm whenever possible.

But Remus seemed more ready to respect the sanctity of a cozy morning fuck, as she waited for Logan to stop thrashing before slipping her fingers out and and popping them in her mouth. She didn't go far—Logan had barely blinked one eye open before Remus' chin was poking the center of her chest, soft amber eyes gazing at her. "That looked fun."

Logan grinned, still a little sideways. "Your hands should be insured."

"Oh?"

"A million dollars. They're too precious."

Remus' nose crinkled with a smile as she kissed the valley between Logan's breasts. "Only the best for my girls."

Logan coaxed her back up for a much less urgent kiss this time, lazy in her afterglow and wanting to savor every last bit of Remus. She hummed as she let Remus shift them onto their sides and tangle their legs together. Unhurried makeouts in broad daylight were a rarity these days; a few indulgent, loud-as-you-like orgasms before lunch, a damn near miracle. Logan didn’t feel the need to rush a single thing—although she did want to return the favor. Badly.

When they finally parted, she traced a fingertip down the slope of Remus' nose. “Vous êtes si mignon.”

Remus kissed her cheek with a happy sigh. She seemed content just to lie there and make out as the patter of rain on the windowsill lulled them into a cuddle puddle, but…

Logan kissed her once more, gently, then took her plush bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled a little less gently before letting go and watching it spring back into place. Her hand trailed up Remus' inner thigh until she found her target. They both gasped as she dragged her fingers up, up, up with the barest pressure.

They came away glistening. “So wet,” Logan whispered. Remus' hips twitched forward, seeking friction. “Tell me what you want, honey.”

"Oh, I always want things from you," Remus sighed. Her leg slid up to hook around Logan's waist and turned them lazily on their sides; she gave a light shiver when Logan stroked a knuckle over her folds.

Logan pushed her grin into Remus' collarbone. "Greedy."

"From you, okay," Remus scoffed.

"If you wanna keep kissing me..." She left a chaste peck at the tip of Remus' nose, then the dip of her upper lip. "All you have to do is ask."

Remus blinked at her, half-lidded and slow. Her amber eyes had dulled to near-caramel in the drowsy light filtering through the blinds. "And if I want your hands?"

"Then they're yours," Logan whispered into her mouth. Soft muscle gave beneath a squeeze of Remus' inner thigh. Softer hair slid against Logan's palm as she stroked the length of it, all too familiar with the dark blond fuzz that thickened a coarse trail below Remus' bellybutton. Leo's was lighter; Finn hardly had any. She loved her catalog of their bodies, pressed into her mind with time and practice. They used to be so young and stupid and horny. She loved them then, too.

“Can you…” Remus trailed off, licking her already-wet lips. 

Logan kissed the corner of her jaw. “Ouais. What?”

She felt a hand close around her wrist and thought Remus was going to guide her where she most needed the pressure; she quirked an eyebrow as she was guided to hold Remus' waist instead. 

“You know,” Remus said, red cheek hot under Logan’s lips. “The way you…”

Oh. Yes. Logan’s grin felt wild even to herself as she tightened her grip on Remus and rolled onto her back, hauling Remus easily into her lap.

“Like that, baby?” she murmured, reveling in the look on Remus' face, the way her delicate eyelashes fluttered as Logan pressed one palm flat against the small of her back and the other between her legs, urging her to move.

Remus bit her lip, the point of a canine catching on it adorably, as she started up a slow grind against the heel of Logan's hand. Heat pulsed through Logan as she realized she was going to be soaked from her fingertips to her wrist.

She let Remus go for a few indulgent moments before sliding her other hand up Remus' back to cradle the back of her head. She held her close against her as she sat up, then pushed her down onto the bed and crawled on top of her, using her legs to push Remus' knees farther apart as she went.

Remus' eyes were dark as the rainclouds outside and wide as saucers as Logan laid her wet palm over her throat—just a suggestion of pressure. “That’s what you want?” Logan asked, though she had a feeling she’d gotten it right. “Said you want my hands. Didn’t just mean on your pussy, non? All over? The way you like, the way you showed me?"

So many nights drenched in pleasure, drenched in Remus, learning every part of her. If those college years had taught her anything, it was how to study. It was safe to say Remus had been a special subject of hers for quite a while.

Each of Remus' breaths pulsed against her palm in a risefallflex Logan knew like her own. "God, please," Remus whispered. "Take it."

Her first moan buzzed up to Logan's elbow. Every one after that filled her up to overflowing.

Remus' legs pushed in on her and kept her in a close, crushing hold as her lower belly jumped at the quick pumps of Logan's fingers inside her. Only two, only sensation—Logan wasn't here to stretch her. They both loved to be held and held and handled by the strong, beautiful women they loved. The clock had barely scratched eleven in the morning but this day would be excellent no matter what as long as she made Remus come all over them both. 

And Remus, for her part, was batting a thousand. Her lower belly jumped and clenched to the rhythm of her walls around Logan's knuckles. Her thighs bent, buckled, edged on bruising. Logan bent to kiss the arch of her neck, just above the curve of her hand, and felt Remus thrash with it. "Go, go, go, go," Remus groaned on a plea. "God—shit—don't stop, don't make me stop."

"I won't," Logan murmured into the space beneath her ear. She readjusted her slick thumb to slide over Remus' folds; Remus' cry of pleasure drifted into a wandering whine when she sank her teeth into Logan's shoulder. Magic hands pulled and squeezed at her back. Remus made no move to escape the tender hold on her throat.

"Je t'aime," Logan said, shivering as Remus kissed over where she'd bitten. "J'aime te toucher, j'aime la façon dont ton corps se sent sous mes mains." She pressed deep inside her as she said it to emphasize her point. The nuzzle of her nose against Remus' cheek sat at delicious odds with the pulse of tightened pressure on her neck.

Being surrounded by French speakers her entire adult life plus years of being married to one meant it was tough to trip Remus up with any murmured platitude in bed; Logan's chest swelled with pride as she watched Remus' brow knit while she worked it out, body arching into Logan's hold.

"Good job," she said, flexing the hand at Remus' throat again to feel her shudder and clench around her. "Just feel. Just feel me."

“I ca—hnn.”

Logan stroked over the place Remus’ voice broke, each hairline crack in her composure a gift she did not take for granted. Hips rocked down to meet her hand; Remus’ eyes fell half-shut. Logan was utterly entranced by her.

“Feel—“ Remus began, then broke off for a few harsh breaths. “Feel good, feels good, take me, take me.”

Logan kissed her temple and felt a pulse of wet warmth over her knuckles. “Have you.”

“I’m so...” A wheeze siphoned through her clenched teeth and Remus’ brows pitched. Her hips quickened, as did her pulse against Logan’s fingertips—her thighs squeezed for leverage as she arched, caught between the feeling of lift and the urge to sink into it all. Logan knew that feeling intimately.

“Give it to me.”

“Huh?”

“Give it to me,” she repeated. Remus was riding her hand harder, now, but Logan forced herself to keep steady. “I’ll handle it, mon lune. Let me do this for you, ouais?”

She caught a glimpse of a shine in Remus’ eyes before they were scrunched shut. Her back arched again, her head tossed on the pillow, her breaths came hard like she was sprinting for the goal—Logan pressed her thumb to soft flesh and Remus gave a shout that made her grateful the aquarium was several miles away.

“Allez,” Logan ordered, pushing steel into her voice. “Show me. I can feel how close you are.”

Her hips rocked downward two, three, four more times before she came hard with a stuttered gasp that may as well have been a scream. Sudden pressure prompted Logan to pull her fingers out; the rush of wetness onto the sheets felt like a playoff win used to. 

“Yes,” Logan urged. Remus was shaking apart with the force of it, but Logan used her weight to keep her tucked close and safe underneath her. “Yes, yes, yes, good girl.”

A palm gently pressed over where she was still pulsing made Remus sob like she was being pounded through the bed. “Lo—Logan!”

She let go of Remus’s throat and guided her into a kiss by her jaw, drinking in the raw, sweet sounds she made as the erratic grinds against her hand slowed, then stopped.

For all her strength and power, Remus felt like a ragdoll in Logan’s arms as she arranged them into a cuddle. The instant Remus was curled up against her, she pushed her face into the crook of her neck—maybe hiding for a minute. Logan let her. She understood that, too.

She felt the hammer of Remus’s heart soften, felt her breathing slow, and swept her hair off her sweat-damp skin to keep it from sticking to her uncomfortably.

“Loops?” she tried.

A whine, then lips on her collarbone. “No.”

“No?”

“Not done yet.”

Logan glanced down the bed at the significant wet patch Remus had left behind. She was still shaking a little. “Honey, I think you are.”

“No.” Remus rubbed her forehead against Logan’s chest in something that was half a nuzzle, half a head shake. “Gimme…” she shifted so she could press her knee where Logan was, honestly, a little needy again after witnessing that performance. “Lemme—my mouth.”

Logan kissed the side of her head and let her lips linger there. Each of Remus' heavy breaths plastered their chests together in the slick heat. "You're sure?"

"Mhmm."

"Catch your breath first, cherie."

A disgruntled groan made Logan laugh. "I thought you said you'd let me drown in pussy," Remus complained, pulling her face from her hideaway with a little wiggle that rubbed her thigh between Logan's legs. She was flushed and sweaty—gorgeously so. Where's the goal song for this? Logan thought, a tad absurdly. Blunt fingernails scratched down the base of her spine. "Can I at least suck on your tits until then? Please?"

"Hmm." Logan narrowed her eyes in faux contemplation. "You drive a hard bargain, Lupin."

"Knutty told me you made her come just from that. Maybe I want to take a crack at it."

"Gossips, all of you."

"You love it when I use my mouth."

Logan cradled the back of her head lovingly, guiding her down until said mouth bumped up against her nipple. “I do.” Teeth grazed sensitive flesh, raising goosebumps on Logan’s skin. “Knutty didn’t come just from that, but if you want to practice…”

A few perfect minutes were spent with her hands stroking Remus’ hair as each breast was thoroughly loved on. Logan didn’t think she could finish from that alone, but wild horses couldn’t drag her away from the wicked cleverness and earnest worship of Remus Lupin’s mouth. Every press, pull, suck and nibble sent pleasure zinging down to her core.

“Pretty mouth,” Logan murmured, back arching of its own accord as Remus’s tongue swirled around a dusky-pink areola the same way it would between her legs.

Remus hummed, pleased, and kissed her way up her sternum. Her eyes flashed as Logan pulled her the rest of the way up by her hair and kissed her good and filthy. 

“Don’t lose your breath again,” Logan said as they parted. “Gonna ride your face, ouais?”

"Ouais," Remus sighed, nearly accent-less from years of practice. She laid back with a pleased little smirk that made Logan all kinds of warm; confidence, however quiet, had always turned her on. She petted down the length of Logan's legs and gave one asscheek a playful smack, a sweet I love you sting that Logan heard loud and clear. When Logan rose up on her knees and moved forward, she felt the gust of Remus' quickening breath just where she needed her.

"Ready?"

Remus' pink tongue wetted her lip. "You better sit, Tremblay."

"Make it worth my while," Logan challenged. A shark-toothed grin dragged along her inner thigh and left a lilac nibble at the apex. Knowing Remus, a gift for Finn and Leo to find later.

But there was nothing sharp about her when Logan knelt up the rest of the way and lowered herself—no, it was all slick softness, peppered kisses and languid lapping to make her stomach twirl and flip. Remus' tongue darted up to her clit for a cheeky swirl that made Logan curse and grab for the headboard. Fuck, she really couldn't take slow this morning.

“Hnnn, mhm.” Her hips gave an experimental rock; immediately, two hands grabbed her ass and pulled her forward, urging her on.

Something like relief washed over Logan as Remus let her build the pace herself (quick, steady, hat trick in her horizon). She could feel the damp ends of her curls brushing her shoulders as she moved and hoped Remus wasn’t too overheated beneath her—she wasn’t sure Remus would give a shit even if she was. 

Another sharp spank made her hips stutter; Remus gripped her suddenly and held her still as she took back the reins.

For the thousandth time that morning, Logan was thankful for the emptiness of the house as she tipped her head back and moaned at the ceiling. She could feel the first sparks of her orgasm in her gut and gripped the headboard with white knuckles, helpless under the onslaught of Remus eating her pussy like it was her life’s mission.

“Gonna,” she managed to warn her. “Remus, Remus, gonna, I can’t!”

"You fucking better," Remus snarled against her, messy lips and tongue and blazing golden eyes and—

The headboard hit the wall with a SLAM. Logan's elbows shook with the force of catching herself, her legs wavered, her whole body seemed to quake right out from under her and onto Remus' mouth as she came hard enough to make her abs ache. Each breath and noise caught in her arched throat. The low light blurred and flickered. Her chest expanded and imploded all at once; she wanted to break, she wanted to fold, she wanted to fly.

She came down slow and shivery. Remus' tongue pulsed against her in a flat pass. Hardly any stimulation, but merde was it just what she was craving. Her weight stuttered back on her heels and she brought one throbbing hand down to comb through the front of Remus' hair, thick bangs still kinked from Thursday's tight boxer braids.

Remus blinked slowly up at her. She was shiny from nose to chin. Logan ran her finger through it and brought it to her lips. "Do you feel better?"

Happiness and relief flooded Remus' face. "So much. Merci beaucoup, mon beau."

Logan's heart gave a pleased flutter.

She stretched out on top of Remus and kissed her long and slow and sweet—no destination in mind, nowhere else to be. Kissing her just to kiss her, just to breathe in her Remus-scent and taste them both on her tongue.

“Can I do anything else for you?” she asked, petting a hand up and down Remus’ folds gently. Remus usually didn’t want more after a squirting orgasm, but there’d never come a day where Logan didn’t offer.

Her thumb brushed over Remus’ clit; Remus gasped and closed her hand around Logan’s wrist to still her.

“Nonono,” she said, smiling. “I am very, very good.” Her smile turned sly as she added, “You?”

“Non,” Logan snorted. “You’ve worn me out.”

“Really?”

“Hm, for now.” Logan left a smattering of quick kisses across her face, then gave Remus a butt tap. “Allez.”

They stumbled to the bathroom on shaky legs, playfully jostling each other for first-pee dibs. A shower was too much effort; a few damp washcloths later and they were clean enough to throw underwear on and burrow under the blankets again.

Remus pulled her over for a snuggle that Logan didn’t protest in the slightest; she pillowed her head on Remus’ shoulder and threw an arm across her, sighing happily. She felt good—sensitive, wrung out, maybe a little sore later, but head-to-toe good in the way that only sex and hockey seemed to provide. Remus was similarly lax and loose-limbed under her; Logan studied her profile for a few moments and was pleased to see that she was still smiling.

She slipped a hand under Remus’ shirt and laid it over her warm belly. “Remember how we’d all fight over who got to rub the cocoa butter on you when you were pregnant with JuJu?” She traced circles over Remus’ skin just like she did then.

“I was so sick, but I loved that part,” Remus laughed, stretching her arms as far out as they could go. She let them fall into the mattress with a dull sound and stayed splayed over Logan, so close each breath could be shared. She shook her head. “God, that was forever ago.”

Oui, it was. No, baby, not at all. What do you mean? That pregnancy glow is still all over you. If you want, I’ll put another baby in you. “Do you want to talk about it?”

A beautiful, naked woman in her bed, three orgasms for warmup, and all the time in the world, and Logan was asking if she wanted to talk. Fucking eh, her twenty-something-year-old self would be screaming bloody murder.

Remus didn’t…frown, exactly. But she didn’t smile, either. Logan waited patiently with thick honey hair spun between her fingers. “I dunno. It’s—she’s starting kindergarten.”

Logan knew this. She nodded sympathetically anyway.

“I don’t…” Remus took her swollen lower lip between her teeth and worried at it. The tiny crease between her brows deepened. “I don’t know what to feel. I don’t—I don’t want to think about it.”

“But do you want to talk?” Logan asked gently.

“I want to—” Remus’ fingers fluttered as though a keyboard was still under them. “I want to plan the perfect family vacation. I want everyone to be happy, and together.”

“We are happy,” Logan said, kissing Remus’ temple. “We are together. Not right this second, but you know.”

Remus nodded, but she still wasn’t smiling. “No, yeah, I know.”

Years spent struggling to transmute the things she felt most deeply into words meant Logan knew how to wait and how to listen. She’d been on the receiving end of that grace countless times from the people she loved most, including Remus.

She kept tracing nonsense patterns on Remus’s stomach. She waited. She listened.

“I guess I just…I mean, how did you feel when Lena started kindergarten and she and Sammy were out of the house?” Remus’ eyes went suddenly wide. “Oh god, did I not ask you about that at the time?”

“Um…” Now that she mentioned it, Logan wasn’t sure. She remembered sobbing her eyes out when each of the babies lost their newborn scrunch, and getting teary when they moved up to big-kid beds (Sammy got Leo’s legs starting at age four, much to their chagrin), and the internal crisis of seeing a whole small person when she looked at them instead of a smushy lump of love. In a way, kindergarten had been part of all those things.

“I didn’t.” Remus’ mouth turned down in a pout. “Oh, god, Tremzy—”

“No, no,” Logan hushed, pressing her fingers over Remus’ mouth. “No, I was just trying to remember how I felt then. It didn’t really stand out as an event, I don’t think. I was more excited to pick out their backpacks than anything.”

Remus’ eyes darted away.

“But I was still bummed,” Logan added. She folded one of Remus’ hands between her own and squeezed. “And it was still hard. Leo was so upset for the first weeks, not having them home during the day. That was the hard part, for me. But guess what?”

It took a moment, but Remus managed to look up at her. “Hmm?”

“You’ve got the captain with you.” Logan kissed her first knuckle, right over a silver scar from a well-thrown punch a lifetime ago. “She won’t let anything happen.”

The look that passed over Remus’ face made Logan’s chest ache: love and relief at the truth of Logan’s words, and the sadness that had been welling up in her for who knew how long and was finally starting to trickle out.

“Yeah.” Remus’ voice cracked. She ran a hand down her face. Her chin wobbled as she looked plaintively at Logan. “Tremz?”

“Ouais?”

“I’m…”

“I know.” Logan pulled her into a hug, curling her body around her protectively, and felt her grip two handfuls of her shirt. “I know, it’s okay.”

Witnessing Remus cry would never not shatter Logan’s heart into a million tiny pieces, but she knew better than most that sometimes things percolated, and spiraled, and built, and when they finally came out, they didn’t come out pretty. (Remus was still pretty, hitching sobs and runny nose and all.)

“I’ve got you,” Logan murmured. She might not be the right Quebecois hockey lesbian, but dammit she could try.

“She’s so—so big,” Remus sniffled. “When did she get so big? That’s not fair.”

“It’s not.”

“I wanna pick her up and cuddle her again.”

Logan smoothed her palm over Remus’ quivering upper back. “You can still do that. I promise.”

A sob broke over Logan’s collarbone. “But she’s my baby.”

“Loops…” Heartbreak was an old and unwelcome friend. Logan squeezed her tight and bundled the sheets into a little den over them, darkening the room. “Re, she’s always going to be your baby. Even when she’s big and strong like you and Cap. And she’s going to do such good things.”

A sniffle, a watery “mhm,” and then Remus lifted her head to look at her with red-rimmed eyes. She looked wrecked, yes, broken open, but also—lighter. Logan wondered when the thought of Juliette starting school full-time first became a weight on Remus’ shoulders. She was glad she was able to help lift that burden if only a little.

“She’s gonna do great,” Remus said, only a slight waver in her voice now. 

Logan gave her shoulders a squeeze. “She’s gonna do amazing.”

“That school isn’t gonna know what hit ‘em.” 

Remus’ watery smile made Logan smile, too. “Hell no. She’ll be running the place in two weeks flat.”

They stayed like that for a little while longer, both reluctant to leave their self-made sanctuary. Logan got an idea just as Remus’ body finally went lax against hers.

“Next week after dropoff, you and Sirius should come over. We can wallow, or celebrate, or just hang out. Whatever you feel like.”

Remus gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment. "I'll make a casserole."

"Non, you're going to relax."

"Well, I'm going to want to bury my sorrows in tater tots, so..."

Logan laughed, and felt her smile against her bare shoulder. "I'm pretty sure the rest of us can handle some tater tots. Knutty will do your hair. She got some of those new foam rollers you two were talking about, but shhh, it's a secret."

She didn't think Leo would mind a spoiled secret too much—not when it made Remus giggle, and turn, and stretch her strong arms out with a roll of her wrists. "Hmm. Guess I'll have to let her surprise me, then.”

"Ouais."

"Thank you, Lo."

Of all things, Logan wasn't quite prepared for the sincerity in her voice, nor the sugar-soft tenderness in her eyes. Remus' ability to look right into someone's soul would have spooked Logan from the start if she was anyone else in the whole world. Being seen, a light shining under her thick shell, had been Logan's greatest fear for such a long, long time. But it never burned with Remus. Remus saw and did not flinch. A bland 'you're welcome' or nonchalant 'no problem' just wouldn't cut it.

“Anything,” Logan said. “Any time.”

[michaelmyersofficial]

31/03/2024 Sunday Afternoon

I haven't posted in awhile but I do have some general updates. No real news on the disability front. They did send me a letter that I got over the weekend asking me to confirm my details, but I have to call them on Monday since they got my phone number wrong. Other than that, there really hasn't been any movement. My family is returning home from their vacation without me. I don't mind not going because it means I will get to see my brother. On the other hand, it would have been nice to be able to go somewhere else. I really hate where I live. Speaking of visiting my brother- I almost lost the ability to go. They changed my airline tickets without informing me (good thing I checked!) and I would have missed my connecting flight and been stranded in Amsterdam. To be fair, this would have been on the return flight and not the flight to visit, but if I don't have a return flight set up, I wouldn't be able to go anyway. It took 5 hours on customer support to fix it, because they were trying to tell me my only options were to cancel, to pay $800 to change airports, or to wait and take a new flight 4 days later (I wouldn't have a place to stay in that time). None of which worked for me, but since they were the ones who changed the flight I knew they had to find a fix that actually worked. However, after about 4 hours of back and forth I was ready to give up and take the cancellation- even though that meant I probably wouldn't be able to visit my brother, and it's entirely possible I wouldn't get a second chance. Fortunately the last person I talked to come through for me, and got me a new flight that worked. So I am still able to go, but I have to set up seating yet. I also have to buy a suitcase and new headphones, so that will probably be the main mission for the week. I'm pretty close to finishing Sistersong- I'll post an update on that later. But I haven't really gotten anywhere in Red, White, and Royal Blue since my last update. I ended up reading the first volume of Yuri Espoir (recommended by Ena) instead. While I probably won't finish Sistersong today, I should be through it relatively soon. Originally I was going to pick back up in orv, but I promised my brother I'd be reading Eye of the World on the trip over so I might do that next instead. I haven't quite decided. My aunt will be starting her business up in May so I will likely be helping her out with it again this summer. This mostly just gives me something to do, as I am free labour for her and she doesn't have to pay for a laundromat. But it's not difficult to wash and fold laundry. I haven't been able to finish catching up in my games, but I feel like today has been a little more productive than usual on that front, so I do think I'm getting somewhere. I know the Zenless Zone Zero sign ups have started but honestly I'm not sure if I will play it or not. I have a friend who plays nearly every gacha in existence and whales on them too. They started playing Love and Deep Space recently which seemed neat but upon looking into it really isn't free to play friendly and I can't drop money on gacha like they can. Talking about friends- I have a friend who has feelings for me. I honestly am not mad about it or anything, and I'm not seeing anyone, but I really just think they don't understand me very well. Also like, my feelings around romance and love and sex and everything related are not very clear. I tried to explain this to them, but I think they didn't take it very well, either. I think honestly my feelings on these things could be their own post so I won't go into detail, but it's something that could be an issue in dating someone, so I think it's best to be upfront about that. Also more than just that I'm not sure they understand me as a person very well, I think they rely on what they think about me more than what I actually say, and when I say something that contradicts their thoughts, they just ignore it. Maybe I'll make another post talking about this, or about my feelings about romance.

[hellizens]

I've been meaning to type this up for a while now, but am finally getting around to it. So, here's the theory I am going with for the dynamic between Lilith, Lucifer, and Alastor (as well as a few other characters, namely Adam and Sera).

DISCLAIMER: This ONLY applies to MY canon. I will NEVER force this theory on anyone that writes any of the characters involved. If people WANT to play the part, I'll be happy to let them! Otherwise, this will only be played out in my own little headspace.

After falling, Lucifer fell into a deep depression and lost his will to create and dream. Lilith, on the other hand, got stronger. She empowered her fellow demons and, in turn, made Hell a more formidable threat against Heaven.

With the population growing significantly faster, Sera knew there would eventually be a huge war that threatened her domain, and as head seraphim, it's her duty to protect it. Adam, being the first human angel, is consulted for solutions, and he suggests the yearly exterminations. Seeing no other option given their time crunch, Sera reluctantly agreed, but they couldn't just send down an army and slaughter demons whenever they wanted; that could start the war she wanted to prevent.

They had to get rid of the main source of Hell's power to make it work — and that's why Adam makes a deal with Lilith: to stop her empowerment and keep them weak so they can be exterminated and keep Heaven safe, in exchange for a free pass to stay in Heaven whenever and for as long as she likes.

Lilith takes that deal. In the end, she betrays her people (and family) for her own salvation. This is why Lilith began distancing herself from Lucifer; why she kept Charlie away from him as much as possible instead of letting him teach her about his dreams and help her become more powerful. At first, she was all for helping Charlie gain power if it meant getting into Heaven, but once Adam offered her that pass, even at the cost of her people and family, she took it.

The only extra term was that Adam agrees to never hurt Charlie, Lucifer, or the other hellborn during the exterminations. But Adam, being controlling as he is, decided he didn't have to follow that term anymore. Once Charlie began setting up the hotel to try and redeem sinners, all bets were off, and he went against the deal. In the end, it got him killed. Now, with Adam dead, the deal is null and void. Lilith doesn't have leverage to stay in Heaven anymore. If she wants her eternal vacation to continue, she has to go against her family and people again.

Which circles back to Alastor. He acts as her backup plan. He was originally sent there by Lilith not to help, but to hinder; to ensure that Charlie's hotel fails. But there's a problem: even though he doesn't want to admit it, Alastor has begun to care about the people at the hotel, considering them a 'joyful collective to be around.' And even though he almost died against Adam, he still comes back — maybe partially because it's part of his deal, but also because he's grown attached.

This is partially why he fought Adam. He knows Lilith is in heaven. He knows about her deal with Adam. With the first human dead, that deal is gone, and that would force Lilith to come back. This, I think, is when his deal with Charlie will come into play: in exchange for his information about the angels and their weakness, he wants one favor that doesn't involve hurting anyone, at any time he wants. What he'll ask of her, I'm unsure, but I'm positive it'll have something to do with his deal with Lilith.

TL;DR: Lilith makes a deal with Adam to let her enter Heaven in exchange for her no longer empowering Hell and letting the exterminations take place, as long as Charlie, Lucifer, and the hellborn are left alone. Alastor is employed as an extra security measure by Lilith to ensure the hotel fails. Unfortunately, Alastor has Feelings and winds up caring too much about the hotel staff to want them to fail. Adam goes against his deal and dies by Alastor's hand, threatening Lilith's paradise and forcing her to return to Hell.

[bifuriouswaterbender]

WIP Wednesday Game

I missed last week while on vacation, and I have returned wanting to do nothing but write and frankly, that's not an unfair assessment of how my Tuesday went. Honestly not even an exaggeration. Please feel free to send as many requests as you'd like!

As always, credit to @kedreeva

Here’s how it works:

In a reblog (or new post w/ rules attached), post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to post!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post. If you tag me in your post, I will send you an ask request! Also, if you send me an ask, I'll look on your page to see if you'd like one back. This works best when we help each other!

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

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Filenames

Stripping

He's All That

When (Will) Falls in Love

Stevie Harrington Ch 3 [1-2]

Drag King Gareth

For those who always pick Chrissy Woke Up, I promise she'll be back soon! I need to rewatch the last episode before I can keep writing.

Snippet: When (Will) Falls in Love

“It could go horribly,” Will says to Dustin at their lockers after school. “Maybe we won’t have the same taste in movies. Maybe we’ll awkwardly sit in silence the whole time. Maybe he’ll realize I’m not interesting enough to worth dating.”

“And maybe he already knows you and is ready to have a good time,” Dustin says back without even looking his direction. “You’re allowed to enjoy yourself, Will. Not everything needs a plan in case it goes wrong.”

He stares at his history textbook. Dustin’s right. Not everything does. But this feels like it deserves one. “I’ll try to be optimistic.”

“And don’t forget to have fun!” Dustin socks him on the shoulder, grinning. “You’re going on a date, not to a funeral. Try to look excited.”

[pop-punklouis]

Hi Hopeee 💗

Sorry I missed a couple days (oops) been really busy!! Oooh I wanna say I wish I were you (like doing things WAYYY in advance instead of at the last minute) but I can also see how stressful and annoying that tendency can be. Both the extremes suck 😩

Re: shows, I mean, I just think it's ways of trying to cram our brains with content so you have something to do, y'know? And as for stranger things, I see your point about they should've stuck to original lore but I also kinda like all the stuff they brought in, it was a little messy but it also felt huge and in some ways it seemed to tie up with the rest of the lore for me so I quite liked it. Even if it's a little bit of an extreme leap. I need them to make more black mirror and I'll deffo get back to you when I watch midnight mass AND 1899.

Re pasta: I like all kinds of pasta dishes. We make a lot of creamy garlic penne pasta with chicken. We also kinda just modify it a lot sometimes to fit our own cultural tastes and make it spicy. It's just good no matter what.

Masters in film and media sounds so cool! And it's totally okay and valid to not have any really future plans rn, I've been there tons and I still don't really know what I actually wanna do. You deserve a couple months rest! I'm sure you'll find the right fields in it's own time and I hope you find all the opportunities you desire! There's time, and you'll get there 💗 working in an antique sounds like THE life tbh. A small, simple life.

My weeks been okay! Busy with work and other events but also yes, definitely been Christmas shopping and stressing over gifts and them getting here in time rip I should've done this earlier 😩 we did however have our tree decorated since Dec 1st I think? Maybe earlier? Dunno. Hope you've been having a good couple days!

For today's question: if you could pick a color palette (or a bunch of colors) that you feel captures you/your vibe, what would they be? Feel free to include pictures of the colors if you want!

Sending you much love and the bestest vibes 💫

~🌱

no worries bb!!! it’s been such a busy time for me too so i’m just tryna find time relax in the middle of all the holiday season 🤧

re: shows. i think i just really fucking hate the vecna character as a villian he’s so lame and i wish they didn’t try and make it where he was the main dude of the upside down and created all of the monsters we’ve come to know throughout the seasons like mind flayer baby i’m SO sorry they did this to you :/ in my mind stranger things canonically ended after season 2 and these are just bonus seasons for fun fjfkfkfk but yes please can’t wait for you to watch those shows 👐🏼

re: pasta. oooo that sounds super good honestly. i love any kind of pasta that throws chicken in fr i just love chicken. i need to start cooking more. i baked a lot during the pandemic but got away from that too rip

re: degree. yeahhhhh i’ve done so much in my field and nothing has really jumped out at me but i’m a big believer in trusting your own timeline and just trying not to stress too much about the unknown (even though as a capricorn that’s so hard 💀) one day i aspire to be a mountain mama who owns an antique store. truly the only life i want at this point i’m tired of the rest rip but thank you for the words of encouragement it’s very kind of you 💕

godddd christmas shopping is gonna kill me i think lol my whole family just thought we had more time and all of a sudden it’s the week before christmas and we were scrambling to get gifts and paying for expedited shipping so they arrive on time 💀 i feel like the family on home alone the day they leave for vacation but instead. it’s just us trying to christmas shop. and i love that about the tree! do you guys have a fake or real one? this is the first year i’ve ever known us to have a fake one. the real ones were just super expensive this year which made me sad :/ christmas never feels the same if we don’t have the smell of a real tree in our living room 🤧

and oooo i think earthy colors are a big one for me. olive greens. burnt sienna. browns. taupe. but also i love pastels like lavender or powder pink or jade green etc. it’s definitely depending on mood i think lol how about you? ✨👁

and i hope you have a great day yourself babe!! x

[mysteriesofmarcy]

Mystery Monday #12: 🎂 Birthdays! (For realsies this time!)

This week will be a little different. Instead of a specific topic, this post will be answering a specific question that I have.

There have been four birthdays we know about in Amphibia: Anne's birthday started the series (and possibly ended it), Ivy's birthday happened the day after "Croak and Punishment", Wally's birthday happened on The Shut-In!, and Sprig and a random LA resident share a birthday in season 3.

Anne's birthday, obviously, was celebrated by humans with a day off school, a planned party (that never happened), a present from her best friends, and finally a free vacation.

Ivy's birthday was celebrated with a present from a friend of hers and probably some other offscreen things.

Wally's birthday was celebrated with an accordion, a cake, and a dose of 2020.

And finally, Sprig's birthday was going to be celebrated with just a mud crown, but ended up including a trip to the mall, a carnival, a Mexican restaurant, an observatory, and a hot air balloon ride.

Now here's the Mystery:

If Amphibia doesn't do any of the birthday traditions we do, how does that jive with Wally having a cake and Ivy receiving a present from Sprig?

You could chalk this up to just a continuity error caused by certain aspects of the show being written as they went, but if you know me, you know I'm going to try to find a better answer.

For Ivy's birthday, my theory is that Sprig just found the blue moon shell and wanted to give it to Ivy. Perhaps as a reminder of some of the good times they had already had together, perhaps as a reminder to be grateful for the time they had left, i.e. together. Remember too, this was after Sprig had actually fallen in love with Ivy, but before he confessed to her, meaning this may have been a subconscious attempt to win her heart.

As for Wally, maybe he got to the house with the prison windows first, and by the time he asked for food, all the house had left was cake. Or perhaps he got a few ideas from hanging out with Anne trying to capture a photo of the Mossman and decided to celebrate his birthday like a human (or at least a much like a human as he could, considering he was locked up alone all night). And speaking of which, that's probably when Anne learned when Wally's birthday was in the first place. See, that's what I love about writing these posts: I always draw new conclusions while I'm writing them!

And I guess I'll end with an observation on Sprig's birthday(s). I do see elements of the Amphibian birthday coming back into play near the end of the episode, where Sprig places his 11th birthday in his personal top 3. He says one of the top two was the day he was actually born, but there's no way he remembers that. So that's a sign that he actually did do some "reflecting on his life."

And it takes a bit of detective work, but the other one is a sign of reflection as well. Sprig says that birthday #2 is the day when his parents gifted him with his iconic hat. But in Hopping Mall, Sprig says he doesn't even remember his mother. And in After the Rain, Hop Pop reveals that both parents died at the same time. So if Sprig can't remember his mother, and he received his hat from his parents, there's no way he would remember that either. So that's also "reflecting on his life."

And that's... all I have this week. Tune in next time for more questions and answers on Mystery Monday!

And of course, if you have a theory of your own, or an idea for a future Mystery Monday, feel free to comment on this post/ send in an ask or submission!

[extravaguk]

pairing: jungkook x reader

summary: But above all things, the last thing you expected to happen when you came back was to show your tits and get pierced by none other than motherfucking Jeon Jungkook.

Jeon Jungkook. Guk. Gukkie. Jeongukkie.

wordcount: 15k

genre: summer!au, ex high school classmaters, kinda frenemies to lovers, tattoo artist!&piercing artist!jungkook, popular!reader

rated: m (fluff - smut - angst)

warnings: you broke jungkook's heart you bitch!! , oral sex (m&f), protected sex (shocking tbh), CL as your bestie it doesnt get better than that! idk i dont wanna spoil too much

author's note: fucking finally dude!! i've been writing this since february but school was kicking my ass. now that i finished my exams and mercury is in gemini i was able to finish it. if you read this, i hope you enjoy it!

Inkphoria

You've been standing outside the shop re-reading the word for fifteen minutes, although it definitely feels like it has been longer. You're gripping the flyer too tightly, rumpling the paper in your hand until you're pretty much sure it's ruined. It's the first day of June, and it's already too hot. The sun and humid weather are causing beads of sweat to form in your hairline and your white tank top to stick to your skin. Your jean shorts didn't feel this uncomfortable a few hours ago and you're sure the heat is causing your mascara to transfer to your eyelids and lower lashline. You've never needed a slushie and a smoke this bad in forever, even if you knew the later would make your parents lose their shit.

Inkphoria

You read it again. Your brain is trying to guess what font its written in, an excuse to try to steady your heart beat until your nerves ease a little and you can finally gather the courage to step into the damn shop. You've noticed a few people passing by giving you strange looks because maybe it hasn't been fifteen minutes. Perhaps you've been unmoving like an idiot in the middle of the street for longer than you want to admit.

Chaelin's voice echoes inside your head.

'Its not that much of a big deal. It's not even that painful, trust me.'

You wish you could trust your best friend, but your best friend is also the same woman who assured you Cats was the movie of the year. Yes, not 'Cats: The Musical'. 'Cats', the movie.

'And this could be a great start to get out of your comfort zone and start living your life exactly the way you want to, not the way people expect you to. Not the way your family wants you to, not the way Adam wanted you to.'

But although her credibility could sometimes be questionable - like that time she also told you she'd tried marmite and 'honestly, it's not as bad as people make it out to be'-, you also didn't trust anybody in this world as much as you trusted her. She had always been your entire support system, the only one around you who never sugarcoated, who always treated you as an equal, who was always there for you to help you discover yourself and, at the same time, remind you of who you were.

'And it's gonna look so hot, too.'

That's it. Sticking the wrinkled flyer on your back pocket, your feet finally start moving. It doesn't take longer than three strides and you're pushing open the door.

The first thing you notice is that, thankfully, the shop is empty. The second thing you notice is the bright sky blue walls, a green undertone peaking through. Your eyes scan nervously the interior. Frames with tattoo designs and people modeling other different designs decorate the walls, some skateboards also hanging from the ceiling. A few plants in the corner, and two leather couches on either side of the room. Your scanning stops on the counter, where a girl with short, platinium hair and -what you guess is- the eighty percent of her body inked. Face included. She's been looking at you, a smirk tugging at her lips. Her tone is amused when she speaks

"Hi." she says. "You can come closer, you know? We don't bite."

Great. As if you couldn't feel more out of place, apparently you also couldn't look more out of place.

"Sorry." you gulp as you walk forward. "It's my first time doing anything like this."

She laughs this time, but it's not mean. It's not mocking, thank God, and the smile she sends you is as warm as the weather, friendly, luckily helping you calm down a bit. "A virgin, huh? JK's gonna love this." your eyes jump in surprise, but she's fast to wave her hands in front of you. "Just a joke. So, first time getting a tattoo. You have something in mind, honey?"

"Um, no. Not a tattoo. Not yet, I think." you wet your lips, regretting not reaplying chapstick before stepping inside. "A piercing."

"Oh! Cool!" she claps her hands, too excited for your own taste, pulling from under the counter a catalogue. "So, where will it be? Cartilogue? Nose? A lot of people are getting their septums pierced right now, though, so you might-"

"Nipples. Like, one of them."

Her gaze finds yours in surprise, although her face swiftly transforms again into an amiable expression. "Now, that's badass. Alright!" she skims through the pages of the catalogue until she finds the nipple piercing collection. You scratch your head before wiping your forehead sweat-free. "You can pick either barbells or hoops, although barbells heal faster and they don't move around as much. There's different kinds of metal, too. Gold or platinium. If your skin is sensitive, I recommend titanium. It's hypoallergenic and not as problematic."

The blonde keeps talking as you nod your head, a smile making its way into your face while silently thanking her for her easygoing personality. It quickly makes you feel comfortable and stupid for being so terrified of doing this.

Once you decide, settle on the cost and sign the papers, she stands up from the stool she'd been sitting on. "Ok, I'll go tell my coworker. He's been sketching tattoos all morning, it's time he gets to work!" she laughs, but suddenly your smile banishes and your throat shuts down.

"He?" your alarmed tone halts her motions and she looks back at your frightened expression.

He? A he is going to pierce your nipple? You're about to let a random stranger, a HE, see and touch one of your boobs and then pierce a needle through one of your nipples?

"Oh, baby, don't worry. I'd do it myself if I knew how to, but I only do tattoos. Most of our staff are on summer vacation so it's mostly just him and I. If you don't feel comfortable, which is totally understandable, you can wait until september when Minzy comes back and she can do it for you." It's her turn to scratch the back of her head as she adds: "but trust me, we're professionals. He's not a creep or anything like that. He's been doing this for a long time. He won't cross any boundaries."

September? You won't even be here in september. Fuck.

Sure, you could do it when you move back into the city. But this summer was supossed to be the summer. You already decided after your breakup with Adam that there would be no trace of the old you. That it was time to push yourself, to do the things that you've always wanted to do, unapologetically. To find the new you, the real you. To stop being scared.

So after going through you options for a few seconds and taking a deep breath, you make up your mind.

"It's fine. I can do it."

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"JK, sweetheart!"

Jungkook is finishing drawing a Chinese dragon when Mijoo opens the door without knocking. Again. He puts the pen down, rubbing his eyes. It's monday, a slow monday, not much work, and he had hoped it would stay that way until closing time. It's summer and Jungkook hates summer. He hates the heat, he hates being drenched in sweat, and he hates the fact that he can do nothing about it. Because working in the summer is terrible. Summer makes him lazy, makes him want to bathe in a tub full of iced water and not get out until he turns into a raisin and october comes. It makes him irritable. Summer makes him annoyed by people -like Mijoo, even if he loves her to death- and himself.

"I got a girl here who wants a nipple piercing, her first piercing by the way, so get your shit ready and bla bla bla. Straight titanium barbell. Also, don't flirt and don't be creepy. She almost ran away when I told her a male was going to be touching and piercing her tit, be mindful of that. She's too cute, if you want to get her number you should wait until it's done. I think that's it. I'll bring her in in a minute."

Mijoo leaves as fast as she talks, but Jungkook is already used to it. He's already used to the headaches her mouth causes too. He sighs before standing up, tying his too-long raven hair into the best bun he can manage. He washes his hands, sets the table up, sits on the chair and puts the gloves on. He's too busy sterilizing the jewerly when Mijoo comes back with you.

"Alright, my babies. I'll leave you to it." she turns to you. "He'll explain everything, from how the process will be to how to take care of it after it's done." she leaves before saying bye, closing the door behind her, and then he finally turns to you.

Your eyes meet and suddenly everything stops. He almost drops the sterilizing machine, his whole body tensing, going into panic mode as he recognizes you immediatly. His hands shake.

Of course he does. Of course he recognizes his high school crush. The too goody two shoes, too pretentious and too rich, too good for everybody and, most importantly, 'too good for Jeon Jungkook' girl of his high school dreams. Of course he recognizes the girl he had confessed his stupid crush to when he was sixteen. Of course he recognizes the girl who rejected and broke his young and foolish heart when he was a dumb teenager.

It doesn't matter that six years have passed ever since. He still knows every lock of your hair like the palm of his hand. He still remembers the shape of your lips and the exact shade of your eyes. He can still identify the body he fantasized about -and jacked off to- when he was a hormonal teen, now filled in all the right places. Now a grown woman.

Just one look at you after years and years of pining is enough to almost make him faint. And grow a boner under his jeans.

And by the look on your face, your eyes wide and your mouth agape, you recognize him as well.

Dammit.

He schools his features and clears his throat. Forces his body to relax and compose himself, because he's not a teenager anymore. He's also a grown man, who has matured, who now has much more experience with women than he did back then. He had already embarrased himself enough when he was sixteen to be doing it all over again. You're just another attractive girl in a sea of attractive women.

He turns to you. You still haven't said anything. Neither has he.

"Um, you can sit on the table." he manages, motioning to the set up in front of him. He watches you taking doubtful steps until you're sitting down, your eyes avoiding his gaze. He almost forgot you were here to get pierced. Holy shit, you were here to get pierced. To get your nipple pierced.

You're a professional, Jungkook. You can do this, Jungkook. You've seen boobs before, Jungkook. You've pierced nipples before, Jungkook.

Clearing his throat again and forcing his hands to stay by his side, he speaks. "The... The top." your gaze finds his, like a puppy about to get scolded. You look at your top, realization dawning on you. "You don't have to take it off. You can just pull it down."

So you do, pulling the straps of the white tank top down and dragging the fabric down with trembling fingers. No bra. Jungkook gulps as your breasts comes into vision. As perfect as he had imagined years ago. His cock twitches. Round, full, perky and so damn inviting he has to hold himself back from latching onto one nipple with his mouth around it and swirling his tongue over the nub until you're a pretty, moaning, little mess on his piercing tabl-

He closes his eyes for just a second before reminding himself to act like the 23 year old Jungkook he's tried so hard to become. The confident, assured Jungkook he is.

"Okay, this is how it'll go. First I'll clean it and scrub it to get rid of any bacteria." he's so glad he hasn't stuttered yet. 23 year old Jungkook doesn't stutter like 17 year old Jungkook. He's also glad he can pick the alcohol bottle and the surgical scrub without trembling. When he faces you again, you're watching his motions with your lip caught between your teeth. That has him swallowing the lump in his throat.

Making eye contact with him again, you take a deep breath and offer a small nod, so he gets to work. He can show you and himself he's a grown man. A grown man who can pierce a nipple without appearing like it's the first time he's seen a boob in his life. The sooner he does it, the sooner it's over.

Jungkook wets the paper towel with alcohol before carefully wiping over your nub with it. Your back arches, probably from the cold feeling, he guesses. He rubs it a few times before throwing it in the trash can nearby. He avoids looking at how enticing the soft peak is salluting him when he reaches for the marker. He doesn't say anything when he dots it with it, jaw clenched and his dick painfully stiff.

"Lay back." his voice low as he commands, turning away to get the clamp. When he slides closer, he tries to ignore the view: you, with your hair sprawled and your sweaty, shiny skin and your eyes focused on the cieling, nipple fully erect, like the star of one of his most erotic dreams. He extends his free gloved hand before he can stop himself, fingers carefully working the nub until he's sure it's painfully hard. Almost as hard as he is.

You gasp, your back arching again. He stills and looks at you, your cheeks flushed pink. Probably from the heat, he guesses again. Or at least that's what he tells himself. He can't stop himself from wondering how responsive would you be in a different setting, most likely his bed while his teeth play with your breast and his cock dives into-

"You okay?" he studies your face, your eyes not meeting his and instead still focusing on the white ceiling.

"Mhm." you reply with a small voice.

"Relax, alright? It'll be over soon." his voice is as gentle as he can, his fingers mindlessly caressing your breast to try to soothe your nerves. Or maybe it's just because he's a selfish bastard. Whatever it is, he forces himself to bring the clamp to your nipple, securing it around it.

"Take a few deep breaths. This will only take a second of pain and then it will go away." He misses the way your mouth falls open, but he doesn't miss the way your eyes squeeze tight as the needle goes in.

"Ah!" he definitely doesn't miss that either. He goes rigid for a second, because that didn't fucking sound like a cry of painfulness. It's breathy, and whiny, not too loud and, for fucks sake, if that's how you sound when you're getting fucked, he swears to God-

He feels your heartbeat under his hands when he puts the barbell in and then the bandage over it. He takes a look at you, chest moving up and down. And then you take a look at him and what he sees is almost enough to take you right there.

Reddened cheeks, drops of sweat framing your face and those eyes glazed with something he's seen too much in the women he's fucked throughout his life. They're half lidded, mascara adorning your long lashes and almost smudged, looking right through him.

"Jungkook..." and your voice, as you say his name -acknowledging him for the first time since you stepped into his shop, for the first time since you were sixteen-, it's hoarse, almost inaudible, like you just came all over his-

He's on his feet in an instant like he's been burned. "It may bleed for the first week, and it can be really sore. The swelling will eventually come down." he's quickly tidying up the table, a bottle in his hand that he hands to you without looking directly. "Wash it gently with this soap and warm water once per day. Don't touch it. Wear a comfortable...bra. If it gets crusty, clean it with saline. Not alcohol or any other thing you might clean a wound with. The soap I just gave you or saline. Nothing else."

He's pacing around the room as he takes his gloves off and throws them in the trash bin, too agressively maybe, then he keeps rambling, like he's hurriedly trying to make you leave as soon as possible. "Avoid pools and the sea. It takes about six months to a year to heal, so don't... don't touch it, don't play with it or..." he clears his throat, "don't let anyone else play with it. And if it gets infected, come back immediately and I'll take a look at it." which he honestly hopes it won't happen. When he faces you, your top is back on and you're getting off the table.

"Alright, um...I'll do that." clearing your throat, your hand gripping the doorknob. "Thank you."

But right before you can exit the room, Jungkook says your name.

"_____." when you turn around to face him, it takes a few seconds for him to make eye contact from across the room. "It was good to see you."

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"Let me see!"

It's the first thing Chaelin says when she opens the door to her appartment. It's on the second floor, small enough to compare it to most expensive appartments you'd stayed in throughout your life, but big enough for Chaelin, her cat and her -impressive- collection of acrylic nail kits and pairs of high heels. It's also big enough for her to offer you the only guest room until summer is over so you didn't have to, one, stay at your parents' place, and two, find an appartment in a short period of time for a short period of time.

When you left years ago, you did so with the thought of 'never looking back'. You never really expected to return here, of all places. Maybe visit your best friend for a weekend at most, have dinner with your parents on a saturday and then go back to the new life you'd made for yourself on a sunday.

But that was before you'd caught Adam cheating.

Tale as old as time: childhood sweethearts get engaged, move in together, son of a bitch sleeps with the assistand he told his girlfriend not to worry about, and then the brokenhearted girl packs her bags and leaves the cheating bastard begging for her to come back.

You'd be lying if you said you were surprised.

Throughout your life, you'd learned to expect many things, regardless of being sheltered and babied by your family since you were born. Watched too much Maury and Dr.Phil. Too much Gossip Girl to know what the deal with life really is.

So, thankfully, you'd only shed a few tears, mostly because your ego and self steem were slightly triggered. You'd realize long before that your feelings for Adam started to disappear once he popped the question and you said yes. Your love story began as teenagers but soon after graduating, the two of you went on different paths: you'd matured, grown into your twenties while he got stuck at 17 and never stopped acting as such.

So yeah, whatever, break ups are hard. But they're not as hard when the love is gone and the sole reason to stay with your partner is to please your parents. You were also right when you expected your mom to tell you to 'forgive and forget' because 'those things just happen, it's not a big deal, honey'.

But above all things, the last thing you expected to happen when you came back was to show your tits and get pierced by none other than motherfucking Jeon Jungkook.

Jeon Jungkook. Guk. Gukkie. Jeongukkie.

The lanky nerd with braces, glasses and an anime obsession much bigger than his hentai obsession, which is saying a lot. The shy, awkward classmate who'd stuttered his undying crush for you when you were just kids. That one who you had rudely rejected like the bitch you used to be in high school.

But my God, Jeon Jungkook was anything but a kid now.

You were shocked. You were gagged. Couldn't seem to fathom what was happening and what your eyes were seeing. It took you a while to close your mouth when you realized JK was Guk. Gukkie. Jeongukkie.

With messy black hair, a smoldering gaze free of glasses, piercings adorning both ears, and his right eyebrow,, the braces long gone showing perfectly straight - but still bunny like- teeth. The clothes he wore were loose, all black, but it was impossible not to notice the muscles of his back and arms, covered with tattoos from his hands to his forearms. You'd bet there were more of them underneath the fabric.

It was awkward at first. You didn't know what to do, or what to say. Didn't know if he rememberd you. So you chose to stay quiet while your body chose to react like it had never been in the presence of an attractive young man in it's entire life.

And oh, did it react.

He was reluctant, his old timid demeanor peeking through his newly adopted persona. But as soon as those hands came in contact with your skin, your whole body was lit on fire. Like you were 16 and losing your virginity over again and it was the first time a dude touched your boobs.

There shouldn't have been anything erotic about it -besides the fact that your entire breasts were exposed-, it should've been just a professional procedure. But those gloved fingers touched and pinched and suddenly you were too aware of Jeon Jungkook and the way you were starting to sweat profously, not due to the heat of the season.

You tried to distract yourself by looking at the cieling and not at his gorgeous face. Tried to avoid thinking about Jeon Jungkook and how his mouth would feel wrapped around you. Tried not to think about the way your panties were a second skin to your folds, and how tempted you were to grind your hips until you recieved some sort of friction with the jean fabric of your shorts. You wonder if he noticed you squeezing your thighs together. You hope not.

And then the needle happened. You never thought of yourself as a particularly kinky person. Sex with Adam was boring for the most part and you'd lost your libido for a long time. Stopped thinking about sex altogether. But the pain. The pain mixed with his hand rubbing soothing circles on your breast and his voice, as sweet as honey, guiding you through it. It made you reconsider a lot of things you'd once dismissed as 'weird' or 'deviant'

You swear you almost came right on his table.

And then your eyes connected, you made the mistake of calling his name like a satisfied woman who still needed more, and it was all gone. He stood up like a scared cat, gave you a bunch of explanations about the aftercare that you barely grasped without even looking at you and pretty much rushed you to leave.

So you walked, all the way from the tattoo parlor to Chaelin's appartment, mortified, and completely humilliated.

"Are you gonna let me see or not?" your friend says expectantly as you finally sit down after chugging a glass of iced water. You sigh, placing the glass on the table before carefully pulling down your top. "Oh my God, it looks so cool!" she gasps and you can't help a smile while she studies it in amazement. "Did it hurt?"

"Um, I guess." you keep out the part where you almost orgasmed, obviously, stopping her hand from touching when she reaches towards you. "Wait, no. He said something about not touching it for like six months or a year, I don't remember."

At that, Chaelin's eyebrows quirk up. "He? It was a he? Was he cute, at least?"

"You won't believe this..." looking away for a few seconds, you take a deep breath. "It was Jeon Jungkook."

There's a pause, a silence that fills the room when Chaelin's jaw drops. "Jeon Jungkook...pierced your nipple?"

You close your eyes, bracing yourself for what you're a hundred percent sure is coming.

"Ha..." there it is. "Ha ha..." you still know there's more. "Ha ha ha..."

Chaelin laughs hysterically for about God knows how long, while you keep drinking your glass of water unfaced, your mind drifting back to Guk. Gukkie. Jeongukkie, his tattoos and his stupid gloved hands.

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You know he's here.

Everything was cool, you were doing alright, having a great time with your vodka sprite in hand and your cute white bikini on. Chaelin was by your side, the guys were excited to have you back and thankfully, you'd avoided most questions about Adam and they'd avoided digging too deep into the topic. You'd sunbathed the whole afternoon, kept away from the water like he'd told you and ate the Hawaiian pizza Yoongi insisted on ordering despite Namjoon's and Jimin's complaints.

It's at night, when you're a little tipsy and your cheeks are flushed, that you feel it. You'd barely noticed Taehyung disappearing to let in a new guest.

You don't see him, but you feel him.

You're sitting on the pool tile steps, legs dangling and the water baely reaching your belly to make sure it doesn't touch your very sensitive and newly pierced nipple. Your back is facing the sliding glass doors of Hoseok's house, but the moment you hear his voice, smooth but animated as he converses with Taehyung, your body wakes up immediately, back straightening, goosebumps forming on your arms and nipples tightening against the fabric of your two piece.

You don't turn around, instead opting for downing the remaining of your drink and coming to the realization that, of course, Taehyung, social butterfly who'd always got along with everybody and remained friends with most people from high school, still keeps in touch with Jungkook.

You ignore him when he enters the pool, still peering from the corner of your eyes while pretending to be engaged in Chaelin's and Jihyo's conversation. Your mind sabotages you by taking you to that day a week ago at the tattoo parlor.

To the warmth of his hand, to the few strands of hair that his small ponytail couldn't keep together, to the way his eyes focused on such an intimate part of your body, to the endless ink decorating his skin, to-

Great. Now your bottoms are wet and not due to the water.

You don't miss Chaelin supressing a laugh and her not so subtle elbowing. You glance at her in warning and try to keep calm for the next fifteen minutes until Jin proposes moving to the living room to watch a movie.

"I'm gonna stay here for a little longer, guys." you say, after clearing your throat. You needed some time to gather yourself before being in a confined space with Jungkook.

"Are you sure?" Jin stops by your side to place a hand on your shoulder as everybody starts exiting the pool. "It's Mean Girls! You love Mean Girls! You never miss a minute of Mean Girls!"

Rolling your eyes, you wave him dismissively. "I know every dialogue on Mean Girls like the back of my hand, I think I'll be alright, Jin."

When everybody finally leaves, you take a deep breath, covering your face with your hands in an attempt to get him out of your head. Damn Jeon Jungkook and his irresisitble glow up.

"You okay?"

The unexpected voice startles you, a gasp finding its way out of your mouth and causing you to jump on your seat, heartbeat erratic as you instantly recognize who it belongs to. Your hand grasps your chest as if that would do anything to protect yourself against him.

"Shit, don't do that!" you say, the words almost getting stuck in your throat as you see him approaching you, still submerged in the pool. The more he nears you, the less water depth there is and the more visible his torso comes into view. Wich was exactly what you'd been avoiding.

Because Jeon Jungkook was ripped, as you'd imagined when you first encountered him.

Broad shoulders and strong biceps and chiseled abs and veiny forearms. Drenched hair, a full sleeve of tattoos and water dripping from delicious tan skin and all just so very hard. That paired up with a loopsided smile that does nothing but make you shudder.

"Sorry." he doesn't sound apologetic at all when he says that, the smirk adorning his features telling. "You just seemed a little off." you advert your gaze when he pushes his hair back.

"I'm fine, just...just wanted to be by myself."

"Oh" Jungkook's smile disappears. "I can leave, if you want me t-"

"No!" you're not sure where that comes from and neither does he, judging by the look on his face when your eyes find his. Eyebrows raised and mouth slightly parted, he's as surprised as you and there's an awkward silence for a few seconds. "Um, you don't have to. I mean, it's not my house, you can do whatever you want." you sniff and tame your voice, trying to seem cool and collected like you didn't just practically beg him not to go.

Ironic, considering this was exactly what you had been fearing for the past thirty minutes.

And then he smiles. A knowing smile. A smile that says 'you just totally checked me out and now you don't want me to leave'. A smile that you would have never associated with Jeon Jungkook of all people years ago. A smile that makes you want to look away but still keeps you in place.

"Sure." he says, closing the space between the two of you slowly but still leaving enough distance. "So, how's it going?"

You clear your throat, head high and determined not to let this man, or any man for that matter, turn you into a trembling mess. You're still you and you're not easily shaken by the opposite sex. Or at least that's what you helplessly chant in your head.

"Everything's cool. I'm on summer vacation now," a little white lie, "so I decided to-"

"The piercing." he says, the smile never leaving his face. "I meant how's the piercing."

"The pier- right." you almost miss the step he takes forward, all too aware of his height over yours but thankful for the centimeters that being propped on the stairs added to yours. "It's-" you almost, almost miss his knee touching your knee and him slightly separating your legs with his own inch by inch. Or how your thighs open unvoluntarely to welcome him in and how you can barely find coherent words to speak. "It's doing-" or the way his smile disappears and is instead focusing his dark stare fully onto yours.

"It's doing well." you finally say in a whisper, not being able to bring yourself to be louder.

He hums. "May I see it?" Jungkook wets his lips with the tip of his tongue and the action and his voice is enough to make you nod your head, bewitched.

His movements are unhurried, his hand coming up to tentatively come in contact with the flesh of your clavicle. His fingers skim through your skin upwards, his touch is feather-like when it wraps around your throat. You pant, and he stops but he doesn't move away, his eyes still focused on yours, studying you, daring you to pull back, to tell him to back off. But just a simple touch of his and you're fully under his control. It reminds you too much of the day you got that damn piercing.

Your lips are parted and for a moment he stays just like that. His body so close to yours but not close enough, and his hand slightly gripping your neck. Your pussy clenches around nothing and you can't wrap your head around the fact that something so simple sets your entire being alive and leaves you aching.

Then, as slow as he started, his hand travels from the front of your neck to the back, pushing your hair aside to carefully untie the straps of your bikini. He breathes through his nostrils, doesn't make a sound. He seems so collected it's starting to annoy you.

Instead, your breathing is ragged when the top falls down, exposing both your breasts to him. That's when he removes his eyes from yours and his jaw clenches. Your nipples perk up under his gaze, like they remember him and the effect he had on them just a week ago. You're at least glad you're not the only one affected but he seems to be a master at keeping it under wraps.

Then, his hand moves again, leaving goosebumps on your skin as it goes south. Jungkook takes his time, so deliberate you want to scream, until he's cupping your pierced breast, keeping away from the nipple just like he'd advised you a few days prior. You can't look away from his face, from his eyes observing you like you're a full course meal and he's been starving for days. You feel drops of water falling from his hair to your thighs, his thumb caressing your skin so delicately as it faintly nears your still tender nipple. Just nearing it, never touching it.

"Beautiful." his murmur is almost imperceptible and for a moment you think you've imagined it. Your back arches on its own, breast pushed against the palm of his hand, almost like your body is begging him to come closer, to touch you more, to feel you all over. He meets your eyes briefly, gauging your reaction, before going back to your chest. Suddenly, the grip on your breast tightens, fingers ever so softly squeezing your flesh. From your throat comes a mewl, your eyes shut and your legs close around his waist.

"Jungkook, please..." you whisper when you open your eyes. He looks at you, unvertainty written all over his face, lips bruised as if he had been biting on them too hard, gaze as glassy as yours. And just like that, the spell is broken. He blinks and his expression changes completely. Lips forming a straight line and jaw tight. His hand retracts, fixing your bikini top over your breasts before tying it around your neck like it originally was. Meanwhile your eyebrows crunch in confusion. But when you're about to start asking questions, he clears his throat.

"It's healing okay." he steps back, avoiding your eyes. "I'll see you inside."

Jungkook leaves the pool like nothing happened.

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Jungkook is fiddling, fixing the position of his glasses and combing through his straight hair with shaky hands, habits he's tried so hard to get rid of in his sixteen years of existence but still finds impossible to.

He can't help it. He's always been like this: the quiet and awkward kid in class who sits in the back, a misunderstood puppy in a sea of stronger dog breeds that could eat him alive. An outcast. Too geeky for his own good. Notebokes full of Dragon Ball doodles on the margins of the pages, the shelves in his room stacked with Marvel figurines, and a closet filled with outdated clothes that he has been inheriting from his older brother.

He has never been the type to stand out, always being overlooked by people like he's invisible. He doesn't mind though. He'd much rather be ignored than getting picked on by bullies like he used to in elementary school.

He never gets invited to parties. Ever. He's a nobody who barely speaks, and when he does he either stutters or manages to embarrass himself in one way or another. He's seen the look on people's faces when they look at him. Their eyes seem to scream 'weirdo' everytime he gets acknowledged.

So obviously the only reason he was invited to this particular party had a first and last name: Kim Taehyung. The only kid in Jungkook's entire life who didn't look at him in a funny way, the only kid who took the time to entangle in a random conversation with him after class and who seemed geniune enough to make Jungkook feel comfortable.

He's not sure how it happened, since Taehyung mostly hangs out with the cool kids. But somehow it did, and now Jungkook is uncomfortably standing in a living room full of drunk teens, looking directly at you.

You, the one girl Jungkook had been pining on for God knows how long. You, who are obviously too pretty, too popular, and way out of his league. You, with your plaid skirt and your polo shirt and those legs that never seem to end. You, who are sitting with your friends in a couch, drink in hand and visibly tipsy. And yet, he doesn't think he's ever seen anyone pull of the 'drunk-rosy-cheek' look better than you.

He can hear your laugh through the music and he already thinks it sounds better than whoever is playing in the background.

"Come on, Gukkie! Her friends are leaving and she's all by herself now! It's your chance" Taehyung's obviously drunk too because it took Jungkook a while to decypher his exact words. He'd disappeared for a while and now that he's back, he's pushing Jungkook in your direction.

"This was a mistake, Taehyung." Jungkook shakes his hair and steps back, quickly glancing at the front door to prepare his escape. But his new friend's grip on his hoodie keeps him in place.

"Guk, listen. The only thing you have to do, is walk up to her, and say 'hey I think you're, like, really pretty. Just letting you know. Bye!' That's it. Jung- Dude, Guk, seriously, look at me." Taehyung grabs Jungkook's cheeks, squishing them between his hands and forceing him to face him. "You've been crushing hard on her for years, my man. We're graduating and you won't see each other again. What's the worst thing that can happen? Getting rejected?"

Jungkook's eyebrows draw together. "Um, yeah?"

"Exactly! Getting rejected is not the end of the world, bro! It just means keep trying on other girls!" Taehyung releases his hold on Jungkook's cheeks. "I just think you're going to regret not telling your crush she's your crush. Who knows? Maybe in the future you two will get married."

Jungkook snickers, muttering a 'yeah right' under his breath. Still, he can't help the smile that Taehyung's words always seem to pull out of him.

"Now," Taehyung playfully slaps Jungkook before turning him in your direction again. "Go get 'em, tiger!"

"Okay," Mijoo's voice slices through Jungkook's memories. She's sitting on Jungkook's desk, munching on her brownies and looking at her coworker expectantly. "And then what?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair, sits back on his chair, already feeling the effects of Mijoo's baked goods. "And then I walked up to her, like a damn fool, stutter and all. And I say:" he clears his throat, making an effort to do his best teenage Gukkie impression."'Hey, _____, um, so, I think you're beautiful and I've had a crush on you since seventh grade, haha, just wanted to let you know.'"

Mijoo rolls her eyes, still chewing. "And then what?"

"And then she looked me up and down, giggled, fucking giggled, Mijoo, and said 'Who are you, again?'" Mijoo gasps and Jungkook closes his eyes, trying to force that recollecion out of his head.

"What a bitch." she can't help but laugh before apologizing. Jungkook merely shrugs his shoulders and takes another bite of his brownie. "She didn't say anything else?"

"She said something along the lines of:" he clears his throat again, this time, doing an impression of you. "'That's sweet and all but, you and I... we're not the same. And I have a boyfriend, so...' She said that like I didn't know, like I wasn't aware of the school's it couple! Like I was dumb!"

Mijoo nods. "And now you want to fuck her even more than you did in high school."

"I- No! Well, yes. Fuck, of course I want to sleep with her! But I just... can't."

"Why not?"

"Did you hear anything about what I just told you or were you too concentrated trying to get high?"

It's Mijoo's turn to roll her eyes. "I heard everything you just told me. I just don't understand what the problem is. You two were sixteen. Sure, she was a bitch about it, but Lord knows I've been a bitch my entire life and now I'm not anymore." Jungkook raises an eyebrow at that. "Okay, sometimes I can be nice. But the point is..." Mijoo finishes her piece of brownie before getting off of Jungkook's desk. "It's been, what? Nine? Ten years? People change, JK. You're the best example of that. You want to fuck her and she obviously wants to fuck you too. You're both adults." she wipes her hands on her shorts. "I think it's time you fulfill that high school fantasy of yours."

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You've made up your mind.

And by you, it means Chaelin has made up your mind.

It didn't take long to convince you though. That last interaction with Jungkook cause too many emotions stirring within you. It left you hot, it left you bothered, it left you confused. Sure, it also left you a little bit embarrassed like the first time, but above everything else, that interaction with Jungkook left you absolutely livid.

Because who the fuck did Jeon Jungkook, formerly known as Guk, Gukkie, Jungukkie, and currently known as JK, think he was to come near you, speed your heart rate's up, and then runaway like that?

You've spent days thinking about it. About that face, about that body, about those hands and- shit. You're doing it again.

You've spent days trying to push those intrusive thoughts. Spent days trying to bury what happened. You've spent days trying to keep quiet, not telling anyone about it and just wishing that stupid spark of desire simply went away.

But it has just been simply unavoidable. You haven't been able to ignore the sleepless nights with your brain drifting back to that night and forbidding your hand from slipping under your panties. Or the excessive amount of time during the day where images of him suddenly popped in your head and wouldn't go away, even with you squeezing your thighs to try to make the ache go away.

So you ended up ranting and ranting and ranting to the only person you could confide on, who is obviously your best friend. Your best friend, who's too smart for her own good and knows you too well for your liking. Because apparently your moodiness and snappy remarks couldn't go unnoticed.

And after explaining the fiasco over a bottle of wine -and minutes of endless laughing on Chaelin's part because, again, it's Gukkie you two were talking about and, according to her, this was "the most karmic thing I've ever seen"-, she gave you the best advice an older sister could ever give.

"Fuck him."

"I know right? Fuck him!"

"No. I mean, fuck him."

And now here you are. Right inside that room you stepped in weeks ago, confronting the man in question with the same confidence that has always distinguished you from others and trying to act like the fluttering inside your belly wasn't nauseauting.

"A date."

"Yes."

"You want to go on a date with me." this wouldn't be so hard if Jungkook didn't look so delectable in a plain white t-shirt and ripped jeans. You cross your arms over your chest, doing your best to not look down at the exposed skin of a man who obviously worked out a lot and apparently, never skipped leg day. "What's the catch?"

He's sitting on his chair, back resting comfortably and legs spread, narrowing his eyes at you and probably wondering why the girl at the front desk let you in without an appointment. Also, probably wondering if there was a catch to all of this.

"There's no catch. I just want to go to the fair this weekend. I'll ask Taehyung for your number and text you the date and the exact place we'll be meeting. Unless..." your quirk one of your eyebrows. "Unless you're already planning on how you'll chicken out this time."

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Of course, Jungkook says yes to going on a date with his high school crush but spends the following days overthinking every single thing.

He can't help but feel like it's kinda sketchy. What if you're planning your vendetta on him? What if you don't even show up and he ends up there looking like a damn idiot? What if you hate him and are just messing up with him? What if that incident in high school is going to repeat itself?

"If she doesn't show up, you simply move on and never speak to her again. It's that simple. She can't have that much power over you to cry about something like that." Mijoo had said that same day she let you in the tattoo parlor after you'd asked to see Jungkook. Jungkook's coworker hadn't even question you and just motioned you to Jungkook's room with a knowing smile on her face. Later that day, Jungkook had scolded her about it and she'd simply shrugged.

He considers cancelling, eyes reading the 'won't be able to make it, sorry (sad face emoji)' over and over again and fingers hovering over the send button so many times he's lost count. But then he remembers that comment of yours about him chickening out and Jungkook starts seeing red.

How couldn't you understand he's just terrified of you rejecting him one more time? Sure, Jungkook is now an adult who doesn't get butthurt over stuff like that. He's experienced too much after graduating from high school and he's a much stronger individual than his fragile self back was back then.

But something about you just makes him feel so... weak.

He still finds it impossible to concieve where he got the courage to approach you like that at Taehyung's pool, or how he brought himself to touch you for longer than a minute without coming in his pants. He'd enjoyed it too much. Allowing him to see you so exposed, just for him. He'd be so tempted to kiss you right there and then, to run his hands up and down your thighs and fully wrap your legs around him to let you known how much you'd affected him. Once you called his name, it was like he'd finally snapped out of it and backed away like he'd been burned by you. He spent the next twenty minutes trying to keep himself from pulling down his pants and jerking off in his friend's bathroom.

It's terrible. Because he feels like the teenager he used to be when you're around. Shy, insecure and overall a mess. You showing up in his life after so many years and now apparenly being interested in him seems like a dream that he's not sure he wants to keep being in or wake up from before it's too late and he falls back into that tumoltuous longing that will inevitably end up in heartbreak. His heartbreak.

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It's saturday night, he's standing by himself in the crowded fair at the spot. You're fifteen minutes late and he's already about to turn back and dip out. He feels too awkward and the nerves are eating him alive.

You're not going to show up. You're not going to show up and now he feels and looks even dumber than the time he told you he was crushing on you. You're not even going to show up and now he's going to come back home, get drunk by himself and curse your name for-

"Hey!" he turns around to the sound of your voice and sees you running towards him. "Sorry I'm late! I couldn't find my phone and spent like thirty minutes looking for it. Turns out, Sharon Stone, was taking a nap on top of it and I didn't even notice."

"Sharon Stone?"

"Chaelin's cat."

To be honest, he's too surprised to process your explanation right away. He might also be a little speechless because that sky blue sundress looks too good on your skin and your eyelashes are so long, framing your beautiful eyes, and your lips are all glossy and kisseable that it takes him a while to find his own voice.

He clears his throat. "It's alright." scratching the back of his head, he momentarely adverts his gaze from you in an attempt to not get distracted by how soft your hair looks and how much he wants to wrap it around his hands in a ponytail. "Um, where do you want to go first?"

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Almost an hour and a half later, when the sun has already disappeared and you're both surrounded by colorful lights, Jungkook decides to buy the both of you hot dogs and a drink and you both settle down on a bench.

You've been walking all over the fair, going from booth to booth, playing any game in sight Jungkook dared you to -he obviously had a competitive streak-: from the ballon and dart games, to the shooting games, to the bumping cars, to the ball-in-basket one. To say you were having fun was an understatement.

You'd almost regretted setting the date up. You were sure he wouldn't even show up and if he did, you were scared of how awkward things could get between the two of you. And if things were awkward, you were sure it would only take less than thirty minutes for the both of you to part ways and never talk again about such failure of a date.

To your surprise, none of that happened.

The conversation was flowing, both of you acting like you were strangers on their first date getting to know each other, which, to be fair, that's exactly what it felt like. There was a slight banter, teasing each other when one of you lost in whatever game you were playing while the other was obviously winning. There were laughs and a funny feeling in your tummy whenever you'd walk side by side and his arm brushed yours.

There was no stiffness on his shoulders, no mention of the past or your previous encounters, no acknowledgement of the blatant sexual tension you'd experienced before, not an ounce of avoidance whenever your eyes met his and he was even sure of himself enough to place a hand on your lower back or briefly interwine your fingers with his to guide you through the mass of people.

It felt like you'd both unspokenly agreed on making each other feel comfortable enough to have a good time.

"I didn't think you were going to show up, to be honest." you suddenly say, taking a sip of your strawberry juice and thankful to finally let your feet rest for a while.

Jungkook looks at you, hot dog mid air and eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline. "You didn't think I was going to show up? I didn't think you were going to show up." you simply shrug, lowering your gaze seepishly, the beginning of a smile on both your faces. He surprises you by tilting your head in his direction with his forefinger. You watch him watching you, a little dazed, a little lost in how his dark hair messily falls over his forehead and his equally dark eyes study your face, his thumb swiping over your lower lip. "You um... There was ketchup right there." he lies.

"Oh" you say, feeling your face heating up. "Thanks. Red doesn't really match this dress." you manage a smile and tuck a lock of your hair behind your ear.

At that, he eyes your dress for a moment, mouth slightly ajar. He's debating on whether or not to say something but you beat him to it.

"I'm sorry, by the way."

"For being late? I already told you it's fin-"

"No." you shake your head. "For... that time when we were young and I was such a concieted brat." you say, looking away , trying to find anything else that's not his pretty face. "I thought I was a queen bee back then. I was annoying and rude, specially to you. I..." you lick your lips. The cherry glittery gloss was already gone. "I thought it was cute, what you said. There was no reason for me to act like that. I know this doesn't make anything right but..." when you turn to face him again, there's still the same expression on his face. "I'm sorry."

A few seconds go by before it's him who's shaking his head. "It's okay. It was a long time ago, anyway." he smiles at you, although it doesn't reach his eyes and seems sorta forced. You sigh, and he takes your hand. "Let's go to the ferris wheel."

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tell you're tense. You're sitting right beside him in the ferris cabin, your back is all straight, you're facing forward and he believes you haven't blinked for what feels like an eternity. He thinks it has everything to do with your conversation a few minutes ago. You were probably not content with his response but what could Jungkook do? There was really no point in apologizing for something that happened years ago, but at the same time, he didn't want to hold anything against you like a resentful asshole because it was really not who he was. But there was still a little bit of stingyness inside of him and he didn't know how to make it go away.

At the end of the day, here you were, on a date with him that you'd asked for, getting along and asking questions about him and laughing at his jokes and trying to start all over again.

But then the ferris wheel starts moving, and he finally understands why you look so uncomfortable.

It's the way you immediately grip his forearm, nails digging in his skin and he swears he hears the smallest gasp forcing itself out your throat.

"Are you... scared?" he tentatively asks.

You say nothing for a while, not moving an inch. He would laugh if you didn't look so pained about it.

"I don't like small confined spaces nor rollercoasters." you finally say through gritted teeth.

"It's not really that small and ferris wheels are not rollercoasters. " your nails dig deeper and he winces. "Okay, okay. You don't like small confined spaces nor rollercoasters, and that includes ferris wheels. So why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. I've never liked ferris wheels but you seemed excited about it, so..."

There's a silence after that in the environment, neither of you exactly sure of what to say or how to act. Until Jungkook moves one of his hands hands until it's resting on the one who's holding onto him for dear life, fingers caressing yours. The warmth of his hand spreads through yours and although it's almost July and you can already feel your sweaty back staining your dress, it's oddly comforting. What's more comforting even, is him twisting his body towards you and talking with the calmest and most soothing tone you've ever heard.

"Look at me." you do instantly, unwillingly, and kinda wish you hadn't. It's almost as if your body will do anything he says without question. Like he has some sort of power over it to just react however he wants. His eyes bore into yours and suddenly the cab doesn't seem so suffocating. "It's just you and me right now. We're not even on a ferris wheel." the corners of his mouth turn slowly upwards. You zone out the environment, suddenly too aware of him and how close he is and how loud the beating of your heart is to your own ears.

"Jungkook."

You swallow the knot in the back of your throat when he removes his hand from yours. It almost makes you protest, - now realizing you've losened the tight grip on his arm- , before it craddles your face, keeping you in place while bringing his body closer.

"You have to stop saying my name like that."

With his thigh touching your thigh, your whole demeanor melts. When he leans closer, and you feel his breath fanning over your lips, your eyes shut closed.

"Tell me I can-" he starts to say.

"Yes." you finish for him. He doesn't doubt on closing the distance between you two. His lips touch yours and your body shakes in excitement. It's just him lightly skimming your lips with his but it's already too much and at the same time, not enough. It has you deepening it, yourself moving closer when he kisses you again. It has you relaxing against him, the tenseness prior disappearing and making you arch your back when his tongue asks for permission.

But it's exactly then, the moment you open your lips to him, that has you losing your mind.

The sparks fly, traveling from your head to your toes and then settling on the pit of your stomach as soon as the kiss starts to turn desperate and rough. When he nibbles your lips with his teeth, it makes you mewl and whine and your nipples tight against the cotton of your dress. It makes the metal barbell to feel uncomfortable, slightly painful. And when he goes back to being messy and filthy with his tongue tangled with yours, your thighs close on their own.

He forces himself to pull his hand back and bring it down, finding the parting of yd opening them for him. "Wait," you say, your fingers wrapping around his forearm as you try to catch your breath."The ferris-" he shuts you up with another kiss.

"We're not on a ferris wheel." he reminds you, a soft whisper against your mouth. And for whatever reason, you believe him.

≿━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━≾

"He fingered you on the ferris wheel."

"Yes."

"And you came before the ride was over."

You take a small sip of wine, your eyes focusing on the TV where a rerun of the Golden Girls is playing, although, to be fair, lately you haven't been able to pay much attention to anything else but a certain brunet with doe eyes and kisseable lips. "Yes."

She hums, stealing a handful of popcorn from the bowl between your thighs.

"How long did it took? Like five minutes?"

There's a pause in which you clench your jaw, your fingers twitching around the glass in your hand, and then you answer. "Probably less."

There's another pause, and then-

"Ha...Ha ha...Ha ha ha-"

You let her laugh. It's okay. You knew you had it coming.

Chaelin knows the pillow you throw right at her face is also something she had coming.

≿━━━━━━━━━━━━༺❀༻━━━━━━━━━━━━≾

It's not that you're mad.

Jungkook and you had a great time on that fair date, he made you laugh, bought hot dogs and drinks for the two of you and got you off inside the cab of a ferris wheel on record time with those magical, long fingers of his. Technically, there shouldn't be anything to be angry about.

Except it's been a week and you can't stop thinking about him, about wanting more, and about those words that he left you with after the ferris wheel ride ended, when you had tried to return the favor.

'Next time, maybe.'

And there hasn't been a next time.

The thought of texting him or giving him a call to ask for another date is persistent in your mind. It remains while you do the laundry or wash the dishes, while you shower, while you eat or while you spend your days at the beach with Chaelin. There's always the incessant desire to reach out towards your phone, unlock it and dial his number to beg for more.

But you'd never been one to beg, so you resist the urge everytime that feeling starts to creep up on you and it washes over you like a wave. You silence your phone and try to concentrate on making the most out of your summer.

It's one random night, when you're tiredly dragging your feet across Chaelin's apartment's carpet, yawning and ready to succumb to a well needed slumber, that you see your phone screen's lighting up with a message.

Your heart pathetically leaps inside your chest when you read his name.

'you free on saturday?'

You wish you could say you ghosted him, ignored his text and moved on with your life until it was him who begged you for another date. But the truth is you opened it in a matter of seconds and typed 'i'm free, why?' back in a rush with trembling fingers.

So now you're on the passanger seat of his car while he sits on the driver seat, the first saturday night of July, like he's Danny Zuko and you're Sandy Olsson, watching a vintage movie in a drive-in theater which plot you don't give a shit about, even if Jungkook's date plan idea made something inside of you churn with adoration.

And the only reason why you don't give a single damn about the movie playing in front of your eyes, is because you're hot. Way too hot. And the reason and cause is none other than the boy-now-turned-man sitting on your left.

You barely exchanged words when he picked you up, just rode in silence until you got to your destination and you bet he can feel as well as you do the tension in the air.

You've surveyed him a few times from the corner of his eye, noticing him fiddling with the rings around his fingers and shifting in his seat from time to time. And if the sight of his fingers bring memories that you've tried to bury to keep yourself from lunching towards him, a brief glance at his forearms, adorned with ink drawn through his golden flesh -doing a poor job at concieling the veins running underneath- and his skin-tight jeans wrapping those muscled thighs of his is enough to have you be the one squirming in your seat.

A woman can only endure so much, and you come to that realization thirty minutes into the movie.

"I want to suck your cock." you say, a stern expression on your face as you turn your body in his direction.

Jungkook frozes as your voice slides over him. It takes him a couple seconds to look at you, shock widening his eyes and parting his lips.

"Huh?" he manages, his grip on the steering wheel turning his knuckles white.

Without separating your gaze from his, you gather your hair and tie it in a ponytail with the hair tie previously around your wrist. You don't miss the quick glance he sneaks into the curvature of your neck and the valley between your breasts.

Inching forward, closing in on him, you place one of your hands on top of his thigh, the action making his whole body tense. "____..." he whispers your name in a warning that doesn't sound convincing even in his own ears.

You smile, your eyes never wavering from his as your hand inches upwards, slowly caressing over the fabric of his jeans until you finally come across what you were looking for.

His hand flies to your wrist, stilling your movements. "____, this is not-". He starts, but his voice gets stuck inside his throat when you palm his undoubtly growing erection.

"Shh." your shaky breath fans over his cheek and you force yourself on your knees on the passanger seat in a more comortable possition to stop the trembling to reach them.

You fumble with the belt holding his pants in place, then with the button and finally with the zipper. He helps you by lifting his hips to pull his jeans and boxers to his thighs and you have to bite back a mixture between a gasp and a moan at the sight below you. You haven't even seen Jeon Jungkook naked all the way, but the mere sight of his hard cock with pre-cum glistening on his crown is probably the sexiest thing you've ever had the pleasure of appreciating.

It gets sexier when you wrap your hand around the base and his body melts in the driver seat, throwing his head back with his eyes shut. It gets even sexier when you finally lower your head, swirling your tongue over the head before finally engulfing him fully in the wet warmth of your mouth.

"Shit." his voice is tight, uneven as his hand loosely grips your ponytail, as if careful not to accidentally hurt you and break the glorious moment.

Although you wouldn't mind at all. Because the moment your hands are on him, and your tongue is on his shaft, that's the only thing you care about. Your belly is twisting, an undeniable wet spot on your panties as the fabric sticks to your folds, and the more you suck Jungkook, the more you want from him. His earthy taste is addicting and the soft little whimpers he occasionally can't prevent himself from are making you want to milk him until he can't take it no more. There's this desire within you to whorship him and his cock like you had been dreaming for the past weeks.

"This is s-so fucking h-hot." he rasps between ragged breaths, the bobbing of your head, sliding up and down his dick as your hand works the centimeters your mouth can't take is about to make him faint.

"Getting a blowjob?" you joke, your throat starting to feel sore as you kiss his leaking tip.

"N-no." he draws in a rough breath when you take him all of him again. "You giving me a blowjob... T-the f-fact that anyone c-could see us..." he darts a quick glance at your body, your ass up in the air and your dress sliding down, almost exposing you completely. "The fact that-ah! Shit..." he squeezes his eyes when he feels a glob of your spit lubricating him.

There's a sudden need to make you feel the same, to touch your skin and have you shaking the same way you have him. So one of his hands travels from your spine, to your perked ass, finally dragging the cotton of your dress to allow himself to see your thin white panties. "The fact that anyone could see you l-like this," he murmurs, regaining a little bit of control when he squeezes one of your cheeks. "letting t-them see you s-sucking my cock and..." he smirks when he feels you gasping around him, his fingers trapped between your thighs and pushing them inside your heat easily "and letting them see me fingering this pretty little pussy."

Soon after that he's cumming in your mouth while you're cumming around his fingers.

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At first, it's mostly on weekends when you see each other. Weekends of stolen kisses and soft sighs and whispering against each other's lips. Then weekends turn to week days, sitting on grass while sipping on refreshing beverages, drawing each other laughs, elbows touching as you walk around the park side by side because the both of you are too scared to interwine your fingers together.

Jungkook feels content like this: sitting on the sand with you between his thighs, admiring the sunset while nuzzing your neck and inhaling your scent every now. He likes waching you enoying your strawberry ice cream, almost forgetting the chocolate chip one already melting in his hand.

"If you were an ice cream flavor,which one would you be?" you ask him, relaxing against his chest.

"Rocky road."

"Why?"

He shrugs behind you. "Everyone likes rocky road."

You hum, playfully rolling your eyes. "What about me? Which ice cream flavor would I be?"

"Lemon sherbet, in the summer."

"Lemon sherbet? Out of all of the flavours out there, you're rocky road and I'm lemon sherbet?"

"Lemon sherbet, in the summer." he corrects.

"Okay, fine. Why?"

"You're boring and basic."

You gasp, trying to feign outrage but not being able to repress the laugh that escapes your throat. You elbow him, his laugh mixing with yours while taking the time to wrap his arms around your form, the breeze blowing your hair allowing him a spot between your neck and your shoulder. "You're boring and basic, but once you have a taste..." he presses a small kiss on your skin, causing the tiny hairs on the nape of your neck to rise. "Once you have a taste, specially on the hottest day in the middle of summer, you can't stop tasting and licking until there's no more lemon sherbet left."

You suck in on a breath when he craddles your jaw to face him. "It's been my favourite flavor since I was a kid." he kisses you immediately after, his lips swallowing the small whimper now stuck in your throat.

You close your eyes as his tongue opens your mouth, arousal blasting your insides and something much, much deeper that you fear to even name shredding your chest.

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The beginning of august comes faster then you two realize, but what you both do realize is how hard it's becoming to stay away from each other.

It's been thirty days of dates happening almost everyday, sharing high school memories and anecdotes of the time you spent away from each other. Hours of getting to know each other and opening up to each other. From failed relationships to new friendships. Of park dates walking side by side and fingers now interwined because you both realized one day that, fuck it.

It's difficult to sleep when you realize you're starting to catch serious feelings for somebody who was just supposed to be a fling. It's hard to sleep when his face, his voice and his touch and thoughts of missing him when you don't see each other start haunting you at night.

It's hard for Jungkook to focus on work when you're everything that's occupying his mind. Because he has a hundred sketches to make but he's too busy thinking about the hundred different sketches he would make of you.

It's hard not to send him a goodnight text, just like it's hard for him not to reply in a matter of seconds, almost as if he was already waiting to recieve it.

Jungkook thinks of you at night. Of how pretty and absolutely perfect you are for him. Of the taste of your lips, the way your hair feels between his fingers, or the flush on your cheeks when he makes you cum as droplets of sweat accumulate between your breasts. He thinks about your voice. He also thinks about the amount of hours left to be able to listen to it again.

But mostly he thinks about how ridiculous this situation is. Because he was stupidly crushing on you when you were only teenagers, daydreaming about a chance with you. And now his crush is long gone and he's starting to realize that he's falling, and falling fast.

You, too, think of Jungkook at night. Of his ability to bring a smile out of you, to soothe you with just a few words and filling your belly excitement, happiness and feelings you're sure you've never felt before.

Jungkook's managed to imprint himself in your dreams, and you, in his.

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Getting drunk with Jungkook is fun and messy.

It's fun because he lets loose, he stutters a lot like he used to do when he was a teenager and he makes you laugh louder than ever before. It's messy because he has no control over his hands as they explore your body, clumsily taking your clothes off as his mouth laps at the breast he's allowed to touch.

He's more forceful and dominating too, pinning your hands above your head, and commanding you to keep them right there, on the pillows of his bed. When you rebel against it, your fingers finding the hard planes of his chest, he pulls away from you and places them back where he left them. "Don't make me tie you up." he threatens, and your body shudders beneath him.

He sucks, and bites and leaves marks all over your skin, grunting in response to your moans. Creating a path of kisses from your lips to your stomach, his shoulders separating your knees, opening you up only for him. And thankfully, when you reach down to tug at the strands of hair framing his face, he lets you, because he knows you need something to hold on to the moment his tongue eats you up. He leaves his fingertrips on your thighs as he keeps you in place, not allowing you to runaway. Just forcing you to take it as he takes from you.

And when you cum, he doesn't back away. He keeps sucking, and licking and punishing you with his mouth until you're cumming over and ove again, screaming and begging for his cock.

Having Jungkook over you, both completely naked, skin to skin and only sweat in between is more than you could've ever fantazised about. He slurls your name when he puts the condom on. He would do anything to feel you raw, but he also knows he wouldn't be able to last a minute. The sight of you spread open, with your cheeks darkened by a crimson blush and your hair tangled all over his pillow is a picture he wants to keep forever.

He enters you when you call his name, your voice dripping with need. He stretches your warm and wet felsh, slowly easing himself into you at first, until he's fully inside and your bodies are completely in union. A shiver runs down Jungkook's spine when he looks at your contorted face in pleasure, your lips forming an 'O' and your pussy clenching around him.

"Oh, my God." you moan into the dark of Jungkook's room, and even then, he can clearly appreciate every curve of your body lifting off the mattress to connect with his. He lowers himself on his elbows on either side of your head, caging you in and capturing your mouth with his.

"I know, baby." he murmurs. It's hot, in the middle of August but suddenly Jungkook doesn't hate summer as much as he used to. Not with you sharing the heat with him. "It's way beyond what I could ever imagine." You nod hurriedly against his lips, your arms finding their way around his neck as he starts rocking in and out of you.

"It's too good." you cry, when he hits a particular spot that has you rolling your eyes in bliss and gripping his waist tighter with your legs against you. Your fingers thread through his hair, not bothered by the beads of sweat gathered on the nape of his neck.

"Too good..." he agrees, not missing the shiver that's shaking your own frame when he picks up his speed. "You have no idea what I would do t-to fucking feel you with n-no barriers between us," his movements become frantic as his hips slap against yours, his jaw clenched as he keeps talking, "to s-stuff you full of my c-cum over and over again until it won't stop d-dripping."

Jungkook's voice against your ear has you trembling and your orgasm nearing closer, your nails scratching down his back as his thrusts overpower your form. "Would you like that?" he asks with his voice strangled.

"Y-yes. Anything y-you want."

"You'd take all of my cum like a good cum-slut?"

You hate the fact that that's what makes you come undone. The twisting and knotting in the pit of your stomach finally snapping until you're holding on to him like you never want to let him go and he's following soon after.

Because if Guk, Gukkie, Jengukkie was not only able to make you come in less than a few minutes with his fingers or his tongue, but he was also able to make you cum instantly just by calling you a good cum-slut, that means you're fucked. Like, really, really fucked.

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There's a knot in Jungkook's stomach and a suffocating grip around his vocal chords as he caresses your skin. The sun is rising in the distance with the first rays of light entering his room through the window. Your shamphoo is intoxicating him, numbing him and enticing him to bury his nose in the tangled curls pressing against his chest. Your arm is thrown across his stomach, your breathing leavig goosebumps all over his body.

"It's too early. Go back to sleep." you mumble against his heart. He wonders if you can feel it dangerously speeding up.

"I can't." he says, voice struggling to stay balanced. "I have to tell you something."

You hum in response, sleep still interwined with your body, your arm tightening around him. You sigh in content, expecting him to elaborate.

He wets his suddenly dry lips. "I don't want this to end. In fact, ____.... I want more. Need more."

"Jungkook..." your whole body goes rigid right away, untanglling your bodies from each other and sitting up on the mattress.

"No, listen to me." he mimicks your movements, rapidly grabbing your hands to make you look at him. His eyes are expressive, a mixture of fear and hope swirling in his dark irises. "I wake up everyday, and you're the first thing I think of. I go on about my day, and I keep thinking about you, wondering what you're doing and counting down the hours until I get to see you again. I spend every night dreaming about you, and when we'e together, the only thing I can think about is how I wish I could stop time so I don't have to say bye to you the next morning. ____, I-"

"Jungkook, stop please." you shake your head, pushing away from him and in desperate need of air. You press a hand against your chest, beating back the throb of pain while the other curls in a tight fist, the feeling of your fingernails digging into your palm less painful than the ache inside your heart. "This... This wasn't supossed to happen, Jungkook." you start pacing around the room, as if trying to find an exit while avoiding his gaze. "This was just a summer fling. That's all it was, I'm supposed to come back to the city in two weeks and-"

"A summer fling?" a sardonic sneer comes out of him. "Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening again..." he mumbles to himself before rising from the bed. You stop immediately, a shiver quaking through you as his impressive frame intimidates His eyebrows are drawn together and his dark eyes are void of any prior emotion. "You're going back to the city in two weeks? And you didn't care to tell me until now, after I just spilled my guts to you?"

You eyes fill up with uncomfortable tears, reaching one arm towards him. "Jung-"

He flinches, taking one step back. "A summer fling is all I mean to you?"

"Ju- "

"Look me in the eyes, right now, and tell me that's all I mean to you. A summer fling." panic crawls up your throat. There's the need within you to confirm, to stare into his beautiful and stern eyes and tell him that, yes, that's all he is to you. But you've never been a good liar. So nothing comes out. You opt for wrapping your ams around yourself wishing they were his and lowering your eyes to the ground. "I think... I think you should leave."

Those are the last words he says to you, and the last thing you see when you turn around one more time after gathering your clothes, is his back as he looks out the window.

You allow yourself to cry the exact moment you step into Chaelin's apartment. Your friend is sitting on the couch, bowl of cereal in hand and a fresh cup of coffee sitting on the livingroom's table.

"Hey, you're early tod- Baby, what's wrong?"

"Please, don't laugh."

That morning, you lay down for hours on the couch with your head on Chaelin's lap while she softly brushes your hair as you cry, hiccup, fight through the pain in your heart and relate to her as best as you can the latest events.

She doesn't laugh at all.

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"She'll come back." Mijoo's slurred words do nothing to put Jungkook's state at ease that night. He simply shrugs, fingers clenching at his sides, frowing into his drink before gulping down the bitter taste of vodka in one shot. "Seriously, I think she's just afraid. My ex was the same."

"Comparing her to your ex is not the analogy you think it is."

"Ugh, shut up. Things didn't work with my ex because she was a bitch." Jungkook gives Mijoo a pointed look which she responds to by rolling her eyes and sipping on her rum coke. "Your girl is not a bitch. She used to be a bitch. What she did this morning was bitchy, but, like I said, she's just being a pussy. If she only wanted sex with you, she wouldn't have been doing couple stuff with you the entire summer."

"Whatever. I don't care." he lies and Mijoo knows he's lying but decides to drop the subject fo now.

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"We can't keep spending our days smoking weed." Chaelin speaks over Blanche's voice on the TV.

"I know. I'm just sad."

"You have to come back and tell him how you feel."

"I know."

There's a beat of silence before your friend kicks your thigh with her feet.

"I know and I will." you mumble through red eyes and smoke clouds.

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It's September first and it doesn't feel like Jungkook's birthday at all. He's been trying to focus on his work, alternating between isolating in full hermit mode and hanging out with friends to drink away his sorrow. The days have gone by and before he could realize it, he woke up today with over twenty text messages wishing him a happy day and a throbbing hangover.

He dresses up on autopilot. First a cotton shirt, then a pair of jeans and lastly, his Nike's. He doesn't bother tying his sneakers just like he doesn't bother taking a shower. He smokes a cigarette for breakfast, the death stick making him feel nauseaus on an empty stomach. And then he goes to work.

He's been repeating the same routing for the past weeks and he's not thinking of changing it, not even on his bithday.

He spends hours drawing, tattooing and drawing some more between yawns. He ignores texts an phone calls and simply waits until the day is over to go home, go to bed and forget about the fact that you're probably on your way to the city and that he hasn't crossed your mind not even once.

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Inkphoria.

You've been standing outside the shop re-reading the word for fifteen minutes, although it definitely feels like it has been longer. You're gripping cup of ice cream as it melts down your fingers the more you wait. The shop is already empty and it's starting to darken out side, and still you're so hot. Your shorts are heavy and your tank top is sticking to your skin. You didn't even bother to put on any make, although your eyebags definitely needed some concieling and your lashes some dimension to hide the fact that you'd been crying for the last few days.

'You're crazy about him.'

Chaelin's voice echoes inside your head.

You've lost count of how many times your best friend has given your advice, or simply encouraged you to do something you've been too scared to try.

'And he's cazy about you too.'

Chaelin might be wrong about marmite and the movie Cats, but she's definitely now wrong about anything regarding your and Jungkook.

That's it. You briefly close your eyes, inhale a deep breath then release it slowly. You start walking. It doesn't take longer than three strides and you're pushing the door open.

The tattoed blonde looks up from the counter the second you come into view. She smiles at the distance between you two. "You can come closer. I won't bite."

You clear your throat, stalking closer to her. "Is he-"

"He's in the back." she replies before you can finish you question. You close your mouth, clear your throat and nod your head.

"Thanks, Mijoo." she gives you a small wink, her smile easing your nerves like she had three months ago.

She watches you disappear. She shakes he head, her smile meeting her eyes. "I told him so."

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Jungkook ignores the knock on his door at first. It's almost ten and the parlor is about to close. He just has to finish this last fucking sketch so he can grab his shit and go the fuck ho-

Knock knock.

He growls, exhasperation cursing through him. He runs a hand through his messy pile of hair, his rings tangling between the strands, making him wince in pain. "Come in." he grunts under his breath. The door opens. "Mijoo, I really have to finish-"

He stops dead in his tracks as soon as he sees you.

"Hey." you say after a moment of hesitation.

"Hey." he replies and although there's something inside, deep in his chest, shouting at him to stand up, run up to you and kiss your face while he tells you how beautiful you look right now and how happy he is to see that you're still here, he decides against it. "Listen, ____, I'm pretty busy-"

"No, you listen to me." you cut him off abruptly. He looks taken aback and is already opening his mouth to say something, but you're not having it. "Please, just... Let me talk."

Silence looms between the two of you for a while, a staring contest defying each other to back down. When you take one step inside and close the door behind you, he sighs and leans back against his chair.

You move towards him slowly, your lip caught between your lip going through your mind for the speech you'd been preparing the last few days. Your hands are sticky due to the the sugary treat liquifying in your hand. "I know there's no reason you should give me another chance after rejecting you in high school, and there's definitely no reason why you should forgive me for the way I shut you out a few weeks ago. You've been confessing your feelings to me since we were teenagers, and now it's my turn to tell you exactly how I feel about you."

"Jungkook, the truth is... I like you so much. I like you more than I've ever liked anyone. Ever. I said this was just a summer fling, and I was lying. I was lying because there's no way a simple summer fling could make me feel the way you do. There's no way a simple summer fling could make me want not just summer with you, but also fall and winter, and spring and every summer that comes next."

You hadn't realize when your eyes filling up with tears until the sight of him starts blurrying in front of you. His fingers reach yours, his thumb comforting on your skin. "____, it's okay-"

"I'm not done yet." you sniffle, gathering enough courage to continue. "I brought you a lemon sherbet because you said it was your favourite. But you also implied I was your favourite, and I want to keep being you favourite, but now it's already melted and-"

The corners of Jungkook's lips start pulling upward as he tugs you towards him, his heart loudly jumping inside his chest. "Shhh, come here."

He takes the ice cream from your hand and places it on his desk. Then he's helping you onto his lap, your head tucked under his chin and your arms wapping on their own around his neck.

He doesn't care about your sticky fingers or the wet stains of your tears in his shirt. The only thing he cares about is the fact that you're right there, letting him engulf your frame and drown in the scent and warmth he'd misses so much.

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The first day of June has Jungkook sweating and wishing for a haircut. Jungkook usually hates summer. He hates the fact that he has to shower at least twice a day, and the fact that the heat is almost unbearable to sleep in and also the fact that he's easily sunburnt.

This year, however, Jungkook likes summer a little bit more.

"Excuse me, miss. Do you have an appointment?" it's the fact that you're starting to wear those summer dresses he loves so much, and the fact that your skin glows under the sun like glitter, and also the fact that he can lick ice cream off of it whenever he desires.

"I am the appointment." your giggle is almost childlike, playing with Jungkook's heart strings. You shut the door behind you, nearing him. You also seem to always have that flush on your cheeks. Although he likes to think part of it is due to him. He doesn't say anything else as he puts his pencil down and instead turns around in the chair to have you immediately on top of his thighs.

Yeah, he also likes the path your lips trace from his cheek, to his jaw, ending at the juncture between his neck and his shoulder. It still makes his body quaver to this day.

"Let me see." he murmurs against you forhear, his hand already working on unbottoning the front of your dress.

"Mijoo hasn't left yet." you whisper back, your smile impossible to supress and the faint whimper impossible to hide when his fingers expose your breast and tug at the titanium barbell adorning the already hardened nub.

Jungkook loves knowing he was the one to do that, and also the only one to play with it. He doesn't hesitate when he dips his head. "As if we'd ever cared about that." he adds, wrapping your sole point in his mouth.

He fucks you on his studio table with your legs around his waist and his tongue playing with both your breasts, the tattoo sketches long forgotten, scattered on the floor as he whispers against your flesh something that sounds a lot like 'I love you'.

[thatgoblin]

RE Boys Listening to Voicemails/Reading Texts After S/O Reader's Death

I am wholly putting the blame on @abysswhiskey11 for this. Blame them, not me.

Warnings: Death, miscarriage, murder, death from sickness.

Chris

He doesn't do it often, maybe once or twice a year. Usually around the holidays or your birthday.

Chris will find himself a nice drink and sit in his office alone as he goes through the voicemails and texts from you that he's saved over the years.

'Hi, this is Y/N. I had a really fun time the other night and wanted to see if you were up for a second date? Give me a call or shoot me a text if you want to. Bye.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'Hey, it's me. Letting you know that I'm running late a bit, but I'll be there soon. See you in a bit, bye!' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'I know you can't answer and probably won't get this voicemail till you get back to the states, but I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you, a lot.' *giggles softly* 'Didn't think I could miss someone so much before. But uh, we should go to your favorite steak place when you get back. How's that-' END OF VOICEMAIL

'Chris, stop being an ass and pick up. I'm worried about you. It was a stupid argument over a stupid dish. I'm sorry I yelled at you, things at work have been busy as hell and I shouldn't have taken it out on you, please call-' END OF VOICEMAIL

'Hey Baby. I'm stopping by the store before heading home to OUR new place.' *giggles* 'I am making sure to pick up the right wine for tonight as well, so don't worry about that. Just make sure the steaks are ready! Love you!' - END OF VOICEMAIL

*sniffles and shaky breathing* 'I know you won't get this yet, but I'm just having a hard night without you. I miss you so much. I'll be okay, but I just wanted to feel like I was talking to you a bit.' *deep breath* 'I love you. Please come home safely.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'Hey, Claire came by and dropped off some stuff of your parents from her place. Give her a call later about it. Love you!' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'Hey you. I just got done at the doctor's office. Give me a call when you get this. Love you, bye.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

*soft sobbing* 'Chris, please call me. I need you.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'I know you hate getting voicemails, but I can't reach you right now and I'm. . . I'm not doing okay. Call me, please.' *shaky breath* 'It's not looking good, babe.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'Chris. . . I. . .' - END OF VOICEMAIL

'You're in the bathroom of the hospital room right now and you're taking a shower. I just want you to know how much I love you and how much you mean to me. You're the best thing to happen to me Chris Redfield. I love you, Baby.' - END OF VOICEMAIL

Leon

He shouldn't check it as often as he does, but some days are too hard. Leon needs to see your words, to remind him that you weren't a dream.

So on days he's deep in the bottle, he'll pull up your texts to remember some good moments in his life and why he works so hard to keep others from having to go through the same thing.

8/9/2013: 'Hey you. Figured I'd shoot you a quick text. I'm free Friday if you wanna take me up on that offer of dinner. ;)'

8/11/2013: 'We should go out again, soon. It was a lot of fun at that bar. Especially with the karaoke songs. lol'

8/31/2013: *sends a picture of a forest green shirt and a navy shirt* 'Which one do you think will sell my boss on giving me vacation?'

10/7/2013: 'Just picked up dinner and heading over! See you soon! <3'

11/24/2013: 'I know you said you wanted alone time, but I just want to let you know that I'm here for you if you need me. I care a lot about you, Leon and you're not alone.'

11/30/2013: 'Morning handsome. >:)' *sends pic of Leon's rear from behind in his kitchen*

1/20/2014: 'When do you get done with work? I've got some new fun things to show you. Like that thing we talked about the other night for instance.'

2/17/2014: 'Leon please answer the phone. I don't know where you are and I'm freaking out. Please let me know you're okay.'

2/18/2014: 'Can you give me a call when you get this? I haven't heard from you since yesterday morning and I'm trying not to be smothering, but I'm worried. If I don't hear from you by later today I'm calling Helena.'

2/19/2014: 'I know you're dealing with your own demons and issues, but please please please do not shut me out. I don't want to lose you. I love you.'

3/1/2014: 'Hey Babe! So, my coworker Erica said we could use her family's cabin this weekend since you got the time off. What do you say? A little woodsy time? Eh? Eh? :D?'

3/17/2014: 'Running late, trying to go as fast as I can in this stupid traffic. I'll message when I'm home. Love you!'

3/31/2014: 'I know you're on assignment in DC right now and can't take many calls, but I can't wait for you to get home in a few weeks. I went to the doctor today to confirm something and she said it was positive. You wanna be a real Daddy, Leon?' *sends picture of ultrasound*

4/7/2014: 'So far so good! No morning sickness or really anything. Feeling good! How about you, Papa?'

4/29/2014: 'I need pickles. Can you stop by the store on the way home from the office? Please? I love yooooouuuuu!'

5/15/2014: 'Not feeling that great. Gonna lay down for a bit. We'll order out for tonight, just wake me up when you get home. Love you.'

5/16/2014: 'Leon pick up the damn phone. Something's wrong. I'm in a lot of pain. I'm calling an ambulance.'

5/16/2014: 'Please call me. I'm bleeding and the paramedics just got here.'

5/16/2014: 'Leon, your voicemail is full and I need you here. Please.'

5/16/2014: 'I lost her. They have me on fluids and pain meds, but I haven't ever felt this much pain before. Where are you?'

5/16/2014: 'I'm trying to stay awake to wait for you, but I'm so damn tired. I'm in room 112. They know who you are and will let you in. I'm going to shut my eyes for a bit. I love you.'

Carlos

It hits him out of the blue, never on a schedule. The need to see you or hear you, but the phone he had with all your exchanges on it was destroyed on a mission, but there were the little notes you left him.

Carlos can still smell you on them, swears he can hear the pen scratching across the paper of the post it notes as he pulls them out of the wooden box he kept his most cherished possessions in.

Left on his desk at work after two weeks of dating. - 'Hey sexy, cute butt. Wanna bang?'

Found on his bike at work. - 'Tag! You're it!'

Shoved into his jacket pocket. - 'You had one job, Carlos! One job! Toothpaste! Now we're doomed!'

Stuck to the top of a pastry container. - 'Sorry for yelling at you last night. It wasn't your fault and I shouldn't have said half the things I did. I get mean sometimes. I love you and hope you can forgive me. - <3 P.S. I got you chocolate cake from that bakery you love.'

Left on top of his pillow while you were asleep and he came home from a mission. - 'Wake me up when you get home so I can greet you properly, soldier. ;)'

Taped to the fridge. - 'Don't forget to check the security system before you leave. It's being weird with the cameras and doors not chiming. Love you! Rest well! XOXO'

Pinned to his uniform. - 'Freshly cleaned! Now try and keep zombie guts off it as long as possible. I love seeing you in it without the entrails. XOXO.'

Found inside a pair of his dress shoes. - 'Wear these, not boots. We will NOT be allowed inside the restaurant otherwise. Love you!'

Slipped into his lunchbox. - 'I swear to any deity above, Carlos Antonio de Franca Oliveira, if you leave your food containers as work again -> flip over.'

On the other side. - 'You will NEVER get in my backdoor again! You hear me! I love you, have a good day. XOXO'

Taped to the bathroom mirror. - 'Can you call the security system people again? The cameras are down and the door chimes aren't working again. Thank you. :) XOXO'

Stuck to Carlos' chest when he wakes up. - 'I love you, so fucking much it hurts. So don't make me hurt you and pick up your damn boots before I break my neck over them. Thank you! XOXO'

Slid under the front door. - 'Locked out. Open the door. Keypad not working. SOS. It's raining and I'm cold. :('

On the floor of the kitchen, fallen face down with a few spots of blood. - 'Not sure what the hell is going on with the security system, but I double checked the doors and windows cause the cameras are out and the doors aren't chiming again. They're all locked. I'm heading to bed Babe. Wake me up when you get home, I miss you so much! I love you! XOXO.'

Tag List: @abysswhiskey11 @interviewedchicken @cadouboo @lonely-af-fangirl @girl-obsessed-with-things @mmmm----15 @depressedthebluefox @whimsywispsblog @singingsiren98 @parkerschurros @chrissyreid

[thedamageofherdays]

This week's [23-08-2021 - 29-08-2021] reading log is here! I read a lot again this week and I feel like it's a lovely variety of fics. Most fics are Stucky like usual, but there's at least one other ship. I am constantly amazed by the talent people have in this fandom! There was one fic I read on Tumblr that I can't seem to find unfortunately, but when I do I'll make sure to reblog and rec it 💕

Favourites are marked with a 🌻

When life gives you lemons by moonthejedi394 @moonythejedi394 [Stucky, 40k words, Mature] (12/15 chapters available)

Or 13 Terrible Things to Do With Lemons Other Than Making Lemonade

Steve Rogers is a home health nurse. He works for an agency, which assigned him to the aging Winifred Barnes, the one and only Silent Era Hollywood darling. As her needs increased, she requested the agency assign Steve to her full-time. She could pay for it, so she got it. Steve then moved in with her, becoming her caregiver; he cooked, he cleaned, he managed her medications, he made sure she was comfortable.

Winifred's children treated him less than ideally. He was the help, after all. And then Steve had the audacity to go and turn out to be eldest son James Barnes's soulmate. No one saw that coming.

The Masseur and the Assassin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy @buckybarnesdeservestobehappy [Stucky, 17k words, Explicit]

Bucky Barnes needed a vacation from his job. What he found was a happy ending.

The Words Breathe by buckbarnesdeservestobehappy [Stucky, 1k words, Mature]

All Steve has to do is keep his promise. When he doesn’t, Bucky gets mouthy.

Soft by this_wayward_life @wayward-lives [Stucky, 2k words, Explicit]

The last time he'd seen Bucky he'd looked unhealthy, with pallid skin and greasy, lanky hair. Now, Bucky shone; his hair was thick and silky, his skin a deep bronze from spending so much time outside. He was softer, too; the hard muscle that used to cover him was now replaced by soft fat, his body still strong, but in a more mundane way. His thighs were thicker, his ass plumper, and when he'd pulled Steve into the river Steve had noticed the pudge on his stomach.

Seeing Bucky so happy, well-fed and shining, was a bit of a kick in the face. For all the years they'd known each other, he'd never seen Bucky so... care-free. Now that Bucky was putting on weight, his middle soft and his body malleable, it sent a bolt of arousal through Steve every time he noticed the curves of Bucky's body.

Or: Bucky put on a bit of weight in Wakanda, and Steve is Not Coping.

🌻 Revive Another Side of Me by dontcallmebree @iamthe-wo-manwhocan [Stucky, 1k words, Mature]

Steve’s never lived in a world without Bucky, and he’s not living now. It takes them a while, much too long, to get that awaited rest, a little slice of peace after the dust has settled.Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are inseparable, history remembers. But they’re not men of the past quite yet.

🌻 imagine being loved by me by spacebuck @spacebuck [Stucky, 20k words, Explicit]

Just after 1am - a few hours after he posted today’s photo - he hears the tell-tale sound of a twitter message. Bucky grabs his phone, not checking who it’s from as he opens it because it’s probably one of his mutuals yelling at him as per usual. When he actually looks at his phone, though, it’s not Natasha

The ‘verified’ check stares back at him for a long moment before he can even bring himself to process the name on his screen. Steve Rogers is messaging him. Or, he reasons, a very good fake. The handle looks right though, not that Bucky knows. Not that Bucky has Captain’s America’s tweets set up as notifications, or that Bucky’s own display name is set to captain america’s bitch. Not at all.

Hey, the first message says. It’s Steve.

🌻 JB’s Complete Lube Services by dixons_mama @dixons-mama [Stucky, 3k words, Explicit]

People just didn’t approach Captain America and proposition him. Although, sometimes Steve wished they would; even the pinnacle of virtue and justice needed to get dicked down from time to time.

Or, the one where Steve has the hots for a mechanic and decides to be proactive in getting that dick.

If it had to be someone by rainbow_nerds [Stucky, 1k words, Mature]

Bucky had known since he was a child that he didn’t have a choice in who he married, but he’d thought he had more time before the day arrived.

Miscalculations by christywantspizza @christywantspizza [Ransom Drysdale/Reader, 6k words, Explicit]

Ransom tries to get you to sleep with him by less than honorable means. You give him what he wants, just not how he wants it.

How to Seduce a Writer by obsessivereader [Stucky, 2k words, Teen]

What's a determined master strategist going to do when the oblivious writer he's trying to woo keeps missing all the clues?

He doesn’t think it’s because he hadn’t signaled his own interest to Bucky. He’s pretty much done everything short of hitting Bucky over the head with semaphore flags by this point. There’s no way Bucky could’ve missed them. Unless… There’d been that one link he’d stumbled upon when he’d googled ‘how to talk to a writer’. It’d been written by a writer, who’d been candid about how oblivious writers could be, and how someone could go about seducing one. An idea starts to form. It’s ridiculous, but at this point, he’s willing to go with ridiculous, since subtle wasn’t getting him anywhere.

🌻 Pod Bless America by Deisderium @deisderium [Stucky, 6k words, Teen]

Bucky can't believe his favorite podficcer recorded his newest fanfic AU of the show Commandos. He's even more surprised when the customer who busts him listening to fic while he's working in the office supply store turns out to be that podficcer.

* The guy—maybe bi_shield?—took his phone, looked down at the screen, and smiled. "Yeah, that one's mine," he said with no evidence of embarrassment. "It was a good one." He handed the phone back to Bucky.

"I wrote it," Bucky croaked.

take a bite by wearing_tearing [Stucky, 7k words, Mature]

"I’d never let anyone freeze to death.” Steve gives a big sigh and flutters his lashes. “All that blood gone to waste.”

Bucky’s lips turn down and his nose scrunches up a little. “I want to be grossed out, but…”

“But you get it.” Steve gives him a pointed look. “Vampires aren’t the only ones who can appreciate how juicy blood is.”

*

Or: Vampire Steve saves newly-turned werewolf Bucky from a snowstorm.

Leaving the Shield Behind by BuckyAboveEverything [Stucky, 6k words, Teen]

“So, on one hand, we have Steve Rogers - hunk, genius, animal lover. Buys you waffles and overpriced coffee. 100% wholesome all-American boy.”

“And, on the other hand, we have Capsicle – twink, smart-ass, fanboy. Reads your stories and sends you fanart. Possibly a pervert or a serial killer.”

Bucky groaned.

“I am 100% certain I am 0% sure of what to do."

Bucky Barnes, full-time copywriter and free-time fanfic writer, struggles to choose between two equally-attractive suitors, only to find that he doesn’t have to after all.

* Based on a true story *

Cap's Book Corner by Neche [Stucky, 2k words, Teen]

Recluse Author Bucky Barns stumbles into fanboy Steve Rogers bookstore one day...

Cat Nap by galwednesday @galwednesday [Stucky, 8k words, Teen]

Objectively, losing the Bucharest safehouse and its contents was the least of Bucky’s problems. The balding agent he’d seen directing the raid was apparently affiliated with SHIELD, which was a shadowy government agency that made representatives from other shadowy government agencies suddenly remember urgent appointments when Bucky tried to bribe, threaten, and otherwise shake them down for information on what the hell SHIELD might want with a former brainwashed assassin. Dodging SHIELD should be his number one priority.

Subjectively, he wanted his fucking cat back.

at any given moment by honeypuffed [Stucky, 1k words, Teen]

Steve and Bucky find out that everyone thinks they're sleeping together.

Brought to Brightness by eyres [Stucky, 10k words, Teen]

Army veteran Bucky Barnes has fallen in love with Steve, a guy he met online a few months after he returned from Afghanistan. Only problem is, he doesn't know Steve's last name or even what he looks like.

When his sister helps him send his story into MTV's Catfish, he's hoping they can help him meet Steve or, at least, let him move on with his life if Steve isn't real. Little does he know, Steve and Captain America have more in common than just a first name.

🌻 Nokken Wood by leveragehunters @leveragehunters [Stucky, 10k words, Teen]

When Sam's friend needs a house-sitter for his place in the country, Steve jumps at the chance. Six months rent-free to do nothing but draw and paint and wander the countryside, looking for inspiration? It was like a dream. But when he gets lost in a storm and nearly falls into a pond he starts to rethink the whole like a dream aspect of life in the country. And when a red-eyed, sharp-clawed, silver-fanged creature rises out of the darkness, Steve is one hundred percent certain the dream's morphed into a nightmare.

...until it gives him a cup of tea.

(Inspired partly by this prompt a supernatural creature is supposed to scare you but instead it gives you a cup of tea and a blanket because you're having a bad day and you keep coming back and partly by this painting.)

Professional Pride by galwednesday [Stucky, 700 words, Teen]

Bucky is having a very good day, until he turns around and finds himself face-to-face with Captain America.

“Oh shit,” he blurts before he can stop himself, and Captain America blinks at him. “Hey, hi, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Here, at New York’s Pride parade, surrounded by thousands of happy screaming people wearing rainbows and sometimes not much else. What is he doing here? Is he on guard duty or something? Was he just on a mission and happened to be passing by on his way back?

He’s in uniform but with the cowl loose around his neck, so when he rubs the back of his head it fluffs up his matted hair. “I, uh. I saw one of your–temporary tattoos?” Captain fucking America says, like it’s a question.

The A-bridged Guide to Trolling by galwednesday [Stucky, 1k words, Teen]

“I don’t have any money.”

Oh no, now the girl looked upset. Her eyes were huge and her lip was wobbling. Bucky tried to think fast despite the oh shit oh shit oh shit looping through his head.

“That’s okay,” Bucky said gently. “I don’t need money. We can figure out another kind of toll.”

The girl frowned at him. “Like what?”

Bucky scratched his head, trying to think of something a kid was certain to have on hand. “Do you know any jokes?”

(Fantasy AU in which Steve is a hedge witch with a green thumb, Bucky is a bridge troll who's new in town, and knock-knock jokes are a viable form of currency.)

It's a bittersweet ending (if you know what I mean) by relenafanel [Stucky, 1k words, Teen]

“I’ll see you around, Steve,” Bucky answers with a smirk, moving away from the counter with a wink.

Steve watches him go. Bucky’s wearing a pair of skinny jeans coated in something to give the appearance of leather. It’s impossible to not watch him go.

stuck on you by wearing_tearing [Stucky, 5k words, Teen]

“Bucky? You don’t look so hot.”

Bucky makes a tiny little sound in the back of his throat, only to start coughing. Of course he doesn’t look hot. He’s sick and he’s dying and Steve obviously isn’t attracted to him.

Decision-Making in Relationships (Paid Research Opportunity!) by castiowl [Stucky, 8k words, Teen]

Clint looked thoughtfully at the flyer. “I guess your actual roommate wouldn’t be down with it?”

Bucky frowned. “Have you met Steve Rogers?”

no way out but through by hollimichele [Stucky, 9k words, Teen]

Steve never sees it coming.

you got blood on your hands (and i know it's mine) by nighimpossible [Stucky, 3k words, Teen]

Bucky refuses to see Steve after his deprogramming.

Like What You See by daisymondays [Stucky, 8k words, Teen]

For all the time Bucky’s spent fantasizing about meeting Captain America, he’d never imagined it would be while posing nude in front of a drawing class.

🌻 A Real Boy by itsnotbleak [Stucky, 5k words, Teen]

It took the Winter Soldier three weeks to remember that human beings needed to sleep and eat.

It took Steve far too long to realise the Winter Soldier was sleeping in his bed.

Amapola by chaya [Stucky, 830 words, Teen]

Total fluff. Bucky's recovering nicely. Steve's oblivious. Sometimes it's best to set aside subtlety for action.

Knocking Boots With Sugar by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy [Stucky, 4k words, Explicit]

In between summers at college, Steve Rogers wants a new adventure beyond his lonely life in Brooklyn. He ends up in West Texas working on a dude ranch where Bucky Barnes is a long-time employee. When Bucky offers to buy Steve a drink, they end up drunk on tequila and making out in public. For the rest of the summer, they're inseparable. As the summer draws to a close, Steve realizes he doesn't want to leave.

Rogers and Associate by roe87 @jro616 [Stucky, 7k words, Teen]

When they first meet, Bucky is a hooker and Steve is a cop. She's been arrested, but Steve lets her off.

Years pass and they maintain a casual friendship, seeing each other out on the streets most nights.

Though he later makes detective, Steve loses faith in the system and quits his job.

He wants to set up as a private investigator, and he asks Bucky if she'd be his assistant.

Just in time by rainbow_nerds [Stucky, 1k words, Mature]

Bucky knew the apartment he was renting was old fashioned, but walking in the front door and finding himself transported back to 1938 was not on the list of things he had prepared himself for.

🌻 You Like What's in My Head by dontcallmebree [Stucky, 15k words, Explicit] (with art by @kocuria)

Bucky can’t decide if Steve’s a tough nut to crack or incredibly easy. The timbre of his voice, a low and almost amused, “Sure, kid,” when Bucky asks for a drink feels like something gripping him on the back of his neck.

He thinks this might be one of those moments in life he’ll pinpoint in the future and either curse at for dooming himself, or remember fondly with pride.

He’s right. Bucky Barnes blunders through falling in love with Commander Rogers and tries to find a deeper meaning behind the expensive gifts and thorough fucking.

Can I Sit Here? by BuckyFrickenBarnes [Stucky, 962 words, General]

Bucky has unusual methods for getting rid of his writer's block.

Or, Bucky needs that table.

Workplace Romance by BuckyFricken Barnes [Stucky, 1k words, General]

Bucky is under the impression that his boss hates him.

Or,

Steve needs to get better at dealing with his feelings.

🌻 1-800-MAYTAG by Miss Plum @misspluckyplum [Stucky, 1k words, Explicit]

Bucky just wants to get some housework done. It gets out of hand fast. Silly little fluff and smut romp with snarky stucky boys.

Eyes of the Forest by Lordelannette [Stucky, 7k words, Explicit] (2/8 chapters available)

When Omega Bucky Barnes comes to Eagle Lake, it was in search of wolves, a creature that had not been seen in the area for decades.

What he finds instead is Steve Rogers, a handsome, though quiet Alpha who seems to be everywhere in the forest.

[anotherspnfanfic]

Overloaded

Pairing: Dr Dean x nurse reader

Word count: 1584

Warnings: minor injury

Squares filled: Hospital AU for @spndeanbingo and Doctor AU for @supernatural-jackles Tell Me a Story Bingo

Summary: Working too many hours and being short handed leads to a breaking point.

~~~

Gabe pushed the wheelchair off the elevator into the ED. She bit her lip to muffle her whimper as the small bump jostled her foot. “Sorry,” Gabe murmured as he wheeled her towards the nurses station. “Hey, Charlie, you got an open room? She needs an x-ray.”

Charlie turned to see who Gabe was referring to. “Oh, what happened?” she asked, seeing the pain on her friend’s face.

Before either of them could explain, Dean came out of an exam room and spotted her. “My nurses are not supposed to be in wheelchairs. Especially not my favorite one,” he said as he walked over and squatted down to her level. He noticed her puffy eyes as he carefully pulled up the pant leg on her elevated foot. He echoed Charlie’s question, “What happened, sweetheart?”

She rubbed a hand across her forehead as she glanced at the floor. “I missed a step, or maybe two. I landed wrong on my ankle. I'm pretty sure it’s broken. It hurts a lot.”

Dean raised an eyebrow as he stood and moved to take over Gabe’s position. “Okay, let's get you checked out.”

“Exam 4 is open,” Charlie said.

Dean turned to Gabe as he pushed her toward the room. “Can you go grab the portable x-ray and 25 mcg fentanyl, please?”

Once they were in the exam room, Dean offered his hand to help her stand on her good leg. He leaned over and lifted her carefully and then set her on the bed. She tried not to whine as the movement sent pain shooting up her leg. “Damn it. This sucks,” she said.

He situated the bed so she was laid nearly flat and got her foot elevated on a couple pillows. “1-10—how’s the pain?” Dean asked, as he tossed a blanket over her.

“Uhh, about a 6.”

Dean nodded. “Gabe should be back with the pain meds in a minute. So, you missed a step?” he asked as he started to check her vitals.

“Yeah, I was playing with my phone and I missed it,” she explained. He gave her a skeptical look.

Before he could say anything more, Gabe appeared and handed Dean a syringe. “I figured you’d want that first. I’ll be right back with the x-ray.”

Dean finished recording her temp and BP, then pushed the sleeve of her scrubs up her shoulder and cleaned a spot with an alcohol wipe. “Little pinch,” he warned. “Babe, you can maneuver all the stairs in this building backwards, hands full, and with your eyes closed. You sure you just missed it?” he asked.

She broke eye contact as she contemplated her answer carefully, knowing he could tell when she was lying. “No,” she mumbled. “I might have been a little dizzy, too.”

He reached his index finger under her chin to force her eyes to meet his. “Any guesses why you were dizzy?”

She pulled away enough to drop her gaze back down to the bed and shrugged almost imperceptibly. “Low blood sugar, maybe? Probably,” she mumbled the last word. She fiddled with the corner of the blanket almost nervously, not wanting to see the disappointment and concern on his face.

He hummed. “So you didn’t miss a step. You fainted?”

She sighed in defeat. “Yeah.”

“Have you eaten anything since the granola bar I brought you,” he paused to check his watch, “five hours ago?”

She shook her head and pulled the barely-touched bar from her pocket. “I got busy and then I forgot it was there.”

“What about water? Have you been drinking?” he probed. She simply shook her head, still refusing to make eye contact. “So you’re probably dehydrated, too.”

She shrugged.

He sighed. “You really have got to take better care of yourself. I love how much you care for everyone around you, but you have to come first once in a while. Otherwise, you won’t be able to help anyone.”

“I just get so busy that I forget sometimes.”

He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “We are going to work on that.”

Before she could add anything, Gabe pushed the x-ray into the room, and within a few minutes, they had all the images they needed of her ankle.

“Definitely very broken,” Dean stated. “Gabe, can you run a CBC and BMP and then start an IV of normal saline while I go page Sammy, please?”

“You got it, boss.”

“Wait!” she yelled before he could disappear out the door. “Why are you paging Sam?”

He turned back to face her. “Did you hit your head, too? You broke your ankle; we need an ortho consult. That would be Sam.”

She let out a frustrated groan as Dean left.

Gabe patted her shoulder before wrapping the tourniquet around her arm. “Maybe try not falling down the stairs next time.”

She rolled her eyes and looked away from what he was doing. “Oh, my god. Why didn’t I think of that?!”

He finished the blood draw and got the IV set up. Next, he carefully fluffed the pillows under her foot to ensure it was elevated enough. “You are all set. Do you need anything else right now?”

“Not unless you have a time machine.”

“A day do-over? Let’s see.” Gabe snapped his fingers and then spun around. “Damn. It was worth a shot.”

She tried to contain her smile as she rolled her eyes at him. “Thanks for trying, I guess.”

Ten minutes later, she was dozing off when Dean returned with Sam close behind. Dean ran a comforting hand over her head to ensure she was awake.

Sam took a few minutes to read over the x-rays. He turned away from the light board and walked over to the foot of the bed. “Unstable bimalleolar fracture,” he stated as he inspected her ankle. “You just bought yourself surgery and a vacation.”

“No way,” she blurted. “I can’t. We’re already short staffed.”

Sam shrugged. “It’s not exactly optional. Good news, though: the swelling isn’t too bad yet, I happen to be free in 45 minutes, and you haven’t eaten anything in hours. So we can do this today.”

Charlie joined them to give Dean her lab results. He turned to address her. “Just like I thought: mild dehydration and your blood sugar is at 58.” Dean flipped through the info again before handing it over to Sam. “Okay. So I’ll add glucose to her IV and get her up to pre-op.”

“Perfect. Make sure you keep her foot elevated.”

Dean rolled his eyes dramatically. “Do you think this is my first day?”

Sam shrugged. “Just making sure, Jerk.”

“Bitch,” Dean grumbled quietly.

Sam turned his attention back to her. “I’ll see you soon, Shortie. I’ll getcha all fixed up. Sound like a plan?”

She gave him a lazy thumbs up. “Thanks, Gigantor.”

“Can you send Gabe back in here on your way past?” Dean requested. Sam simply nodded as he turned to leave.

Dean returned his focus to her. “How’s the pain now?”

She scrunched up her nose as she considered her answer. “Um, about one and a half.” She laughed at herself.

“That’s good. I see you’re loopy, too.”

She scowled at him. “You’re loopy.”

He just shook his head. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Gabe returned and Dean gave him the med order and asked him to take her up to the OR.

“You’re not coming up?” She pouted.

He shook his head. “I can’t. I’ll be there when you wake up, though, I promise.” He took her hand and placed a quick kiss to her knuckles.

As if on cue, Charlie leaned into the room. “Dean, trauma incoming. MVA car vs pedestrian. Ambo is two minutes out.”

“Okay, I'll be there in a second.” He gave her hand one more squeeze before he turned to leave. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

~

Roughly three hours later, Sam found Dean in the lounge pouring a cup of coffee. He nodded and offered over the now-full cup.

“Thank you.” Sam took a sip of the dark liquid. “We got her all set up in recovery. She should be awake soon.”

“Okay. I’ll head up there in a minute.” Dean took a sip of his own coffee. “Everything went smoothly?”

“I’d have paged you if it hadn’t.”

Dean rolled his eyes.

Sam nodded. “Yes, it went perfectly. It’ll heal up just fine.”

“Thanks, Sammy.”

Wandering into her room, he couldn’t help but smile at how peaceful she looked. He placed his hand softly against her cheek, sweeping his thumb slowly over the skin. She nuzzled into the touch as she lazily opened her eyes. “Hi, sweetheart.”

She gave him a goofy smile. “I like when you call me that.”

“I know you do.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “How do you feel?”

“Sleepy.” She yawned. “And I’m starving. Can you bring me some fries?”

He chuckled. “Well, I’m glad your appetite is back. You get a little more sleep and I’ll bring you fries.”

“And pizza,” she added. Before he could agree, she gasped. “Ice cream!”

“Tell you what: I will get you fries from the cafeteria for you to munch on on the way home and then we can order pizza.”

She pouted as her eyelids started to droop. “What about ice cream?”

His eyebrows scrunched together as he asked, “When do we ever not have ice cream at home?”

“Oh. Yeah. Okay.” She smiled as she finally let herself drift off once more.

~~~

Tags: @deanwasscaredbyacat @babypieandwhiskey @muchamusedaboutnothing @defenderrosetyler @akshi8278 @like-a-bag-of-potatoes

[puckngrind]

Leave Her Wild: chapter 3 - N. MacKinnon

Summary: MacKenzie heads to Washington and cashes in her bet with Nathan.

Warnings: swearing, fluff and stuff

Word count: 2,565 (swear they will get longer)

Series masterlist / Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

Washington.

The two texted back and forth over the week. Mostly randomness with a splash of real life. A friendship was blooming with the text conversation but what else could come of it? Neither one seemed to want to touch the subject. Kenzie wasn't even sure what to make of the attention from Nate. She threw herself into work as she normally would.

MacKenzie spent a few days in Colorado Springs for work but took advantage of her time off by hiking the Garden of the Gods. She was was halfway through Palmers trail when she feels her phone and decides to stop for water and take in the view plus check her phone thinking it was work. She laughs to herself realizing it was in fact not work.

Nate: how’s Colorado Springs?

She snaps a picture of her view and sends it.

Kenzie: gorgeous as always

Nate: holy shit are you hiking alone?

Kenzie snaps a selfie where you can see she’s alone and sends it.

Kenzie: don’t worry not anything too dangerous today. Lol

Nate: ok… not worried. Anyways, thought maybe dinner could be in DC since we will both be there next week.

Kenzie thinks about it and starts walking again. She realizes dinner out of town may in fact make things less awkward.

Kenzie: depends on my schedule but that should work

Nate: good. Enjoy the rest of your hike.

MacKenzie did just that. One thing most people knew about her was she loved adventures and trying new things. She rarely goes to the same vacation spot twice. Always wanting to try new restaurants and really only frequents Gus’s place in Denver. She liked to be free which drove her mother insanely crazy but MacKenzie didn’t seem to care. Her dad was her biggest supporter. Constantly sending her wanderlust Instagram posts after she taught him how. At least her mom had home in Kenzie’s brother, Cameron. Cam was doing everything he was expected to do including recently proposing to his high school sweetheart which Kenzie thought was dumb as seniors in college. His life was his life that was for sure, well and maybe their mother's life too. She couldn't control Kenzie which meant Cam got all of her energy.

The flight to D.C. was a breeze but busy would be an understatement as MacKenzie met her client at the end of the week. The demands were insane in the time frame. She spent almost all weekend in her hotel room working and talking with her team back in Colorado.

Nate: would you want to come to the game? I have tickets.

Kenzie: I would love to but I don’t even know if I can do dinner I’m so swamped

Nate: you need to eat right?

Kenzie: I mean, yeah. I’ll order in

Nate: how about you come to my hotel, we have an amazing restaurant here. You can work and eat

MacKenzie thought it over as she looked out her window. Walking the block and a half to Nathan’s hotel tomorrow night seemed doable. He had a point that she needed to eat and could work while they ate. It would complete their wager from the card game in the same instance. Wondered if Gabe or one of the other players would be around to ensure the dinner happened. MacKenzie thought she wouldn’t have the awkwardness of it feeling like a date this way. Plus, she wanted to try the restaurant out since last time she was in town and another client mentioned it. Mosi was all for the dinner when she called ensuring Kenzie her condo's mail was indeed checked. She thought this was the perfect arrangement and MacKenzie couldn’t find a reason to say no. Thinking Nate would already be at the arena for the game she sent a text.

Kenzie: Yes, to dinner at your hotel if you are still up to it after the game

She starts typing away again and laughs when the ping is almost immediate.

Nate: Perfect. I'll text you when we are back on the bus.

MacKenzie decided to turn the game on while she worked. She normally would have something on as background noise while she worked. She knows she can get lost in work and wanted to make sure she knew to pack up her laptop and such waiting for Nathan's call. She hears his name and looks up to see him score with less than a minute left. The Avalanche was already been leading but that goal ensured their win. She decided to change then couldn’t decide if she should pack up her work yet. “How sure how much time would he take between the game and the bus?” Kenzie asked her reflection. She texted him nice game to see if he would respond. He did a few moments later so she packed up slowly. Kenzie walks down to the street turning to head over to his hotel, humming to herself trying to not over think this very simple dinner. She slows down as she sees the charter bus in front of the hotel. Fuck.

"MAAAAC! Good to see you!" Gabe's voice comes booming out of the bus with some others chiming in as the stepped off the bus. MacKenzie awkwardly smiles at the team and then catches Nathan out the side of her eye. He’s staring at her as he walks down the step.

"Did you walk?" Nathan looks down at MacKenzie puzzled.

"Well, hello. Nice game. And yes. Just two blocks." MacKenzie pulls at her loose curl and then slides her finger down her messenger bag.

"Ready for dinner? I see you brought your work." Nathan taps her bag with his knuckle. MacKenzie nods and follows Nathan into the hotel. She awkwardly stops and he realizes it. “Whatcha doin’ there?” Nate walked back so he was standing in front of Kenzie.

“Isn’t the restaurant that way?” She points in the direction of the sign she stopped next to.

“Yes but they deliver to the room and I’d rather change into sweats and let you work in comfort.” He pulls at his tie. “Less eyes too. Come on.” Nathan placed his hand briefly on MacKenzie’s lower back to lead her to the elevator.

“I normally take the stairs.” MacKenzie looks around Nate for the steps.

“My room is on floor 12 and I just had over 20 minutes of ice time. Can we please take the elevator?” Nathan looked into MacKenzie’s questioning eyes.

“Fine. You have a point.” She smiles but gets lost calculating if that time is high or low for him.

They make their way to Nathan’s room. MacKenzie is surprised how nice it is. She’s not sure what she expected but it wasn’t this. Nathan’s suits neatly hanging up. Sweats sitting in his open luggage next to the closet. She realizes he hasn’t moved from behind her.

“Everything okay?” He moves to grab a pair of shorts and shirt.

“Yeah. Just not what I was expecting. You literally live out of suitcase don’t ya?” She watches him take off his suit coat and gulps at how his shirt is sticking to him.

“Some trips it feels like that. This one we won’t be home until the 26th… then a home stand with a few games on the road… and I’m boring you. Set up wherever you want and I’m gonna go change then will be right back.” He heads to the bathroom shut the door softly.

MacKenzie stares at the uncomfortable looking desk chair in a moment of indecision wanting to be set up so she’s working when Nate returns, she decides the bed was a better option for her to sit. Getting out her laptop Kenzie starts typing as soon as she hears Nate opening the door. He smirks when he sees Kenzie on the bed and moves to the desk to find the menu. She cannot help watching him. His muscles easily seen in the shirt and shorts he picked. He hikes up his pant leg exposing his thigh. Kenzie coughs focusing back on her work again.

"Here it is." Nathan turns around and walks towards MacKenzie handing her the menu. She stares at the menu then her finger lands on a cheeseburger and fries. Nathan moves to the other side of the bed, sitting to call in the order. He hangs up and starts to move.

"You can stay here. That chair is horrible looking." MacKenzie looks over at Nathan and he stops moving then looks down at his feet before swinging them up and adjusting to sit on the bed.

"Thanks." He looks over at her screen. "So what exactly do you do?"

"Simple description... I am a social media consultant." MacKenzie giggles. "Speaking of... your social media..." "Is non-existent." Nathan finishes her statement.

"Yeah, only two posts. That’s shocking for someone your age. Nate, do you know how you could amplify your earnings post career?" MacKenzie moves her computer and shift so look at him. He rubs the back of his neck and rotates on his hip to look at her better.

"Yeah. No, yeah. I get it. Just not my thing but you looked at my socials?" He bites his lip.

"I did after we ran into you at the bar post-game. Would've felt funny giving you my number if you had a girlfriend." MacKenzie admits.

"No girlfriend. So did you say you watched the game?" Nate changes the subject which Kenzie made a mental note of.

"Background noise while working. You can turn the tv on now or just talk to me. You scored." Kenzie looks over at Nathan.

"Empty netter but yeah. Nice win." Nathan says softly. The knock on the door stops their conversation. "Oh, dinner!" Nathan pops up and answers the door.

Dinner was delicious. The two shared backgrounds such as where they were from, college for MacKenzie, boarding school and early days of hockey for Nathan. They were laughing at each other's stories which lead to both laying on their stomachs watching a video for MacKenzie's work on her laptop.

"Kenz... Kenzie. Wake up!" Nathan whispers and MacKenzie's groggy self pops up and lands on Nathan's naked torso.

"Holy fuck!" She yells out. Nathan's hands steady her.

"Hey." Nathan backs up and bends to look her in face. Panic written all over her face. "You okay? We fell asleep talking." He looks at her.

"Why didn't you wake me? What time is it? Fuck. Sorry. I'm on a schedule." MacKenzie pulls away and looks for her bag realizing Nathan plugged her computer in at some point.

"It's 6:30. We just slept. I sleep shirtless and, uh, must've taken it off in my sleep. Sorry, should've put in on before I woke you. Hold on." Nathan moves to the other side of the bed and throws his shirt back on. "Let me call you an uber." He grabs his phone.

"I can walk. I don't have a meeting until noon so I'm fine. Thank you." MacKenzie points to the bathroom and Nathan nods.

She stands in front of the mirror for way too long just looking at herself. Pinches her cheeks and starts ranking her fingers through their loose blonde curls making them manageable enough to put up in a high ponytail. She grabs Nathan’s toothpaste and brushes her teeth with her finger.

“Well, Mac. This will have to do.” She bobs on the balls of her feet to psych herself up. Returning to the room she notices that Nathan had changed and slipped on some shoes. “Whatcha doin’ Nate?”

“I’ll walk with you. I wanted to grab coffee from down the street before we leave for the airport.” He grabs his wallet.

“You don’t have to.” Kenzie whispers as she heads to her bag.

“I don’t, but I wanna.” Nate smiles at her. She notices those soft eyes again. Almost gray but then again blue.

They head out of room to the steps. MacKenzie took a deep breath not realizing she was holding it until they got to the door.

“Why good morning you two!” Gabe’s voice comes from around the corner with a bag and coffee in hand.

“Mornin’” Nate answers and pushes the cross walk button.

“Glad to see you Kenzie.” Gabe nods and starts whistling while heading back to the hotel.

“Don’t mind him.” Nate breaks the silence after crossing the street.

“I’m assuming he’s thinking you got lucky last night.” MacKenzie tries to control her racing heart.

“I’ll talk to him.” Nathan assures her. She stops and looks up at him.

“Did you want to?” She puts her hand on her head not sure she really said it out loud.

“What?” Nathan stops and looks at her confused.

“Did you want to sleep with me?” She looks to see if anyone could hear her.

“No. Well… damnit. Hi. Let me start over.” Nathan looks deep in her eyes and cups her face.

“Go ahead.” She’s not sure if the words actually could be heard or not.

“I like you. You are easy to talk to. In the short time I’ve known you I’m constantly wanting to know more. I’m just bad at dating.”

“Why do you say that?” She moves closer to him without thinking.

“I’m not romantic. Plus my job isn’t the easiest for most of the year to maintain a healthy relationship. Plus, there is those who just want me for what I could give them.” He drops his hand to her hip. She sees his chest rise and fall.

“Who says you aren’t romantic?” MacKenzie questions.

“Every girl I’ve dated.” Nathan grumbles. This makes Kenzie laugh. “Well, they have.”

“I like you too, Nate. You intrigue me.” She feels the heat in her cheeks.

“So to answer your original question, yes. I would very much like to be physical with you but I also want to date you. Like not to fuck it up by…” She stops him by pushing herself to her tip toes to softly kiss his cheek.

“Well, saying all that is a start in how not to fuck it up.” She smiles at him. “Let’s get me back to my hotel then we can visit this whole dating thing when you return to Denver.” She starts walking and he quickly grabs her hand to walk with her.

“Here we are.” He stops at the doors of her hotel. “So, I’ll see you in two weeks, Kenzie.” Nathan drags out the two while contorting his face.

“It’s not that long plus you will be busy and I have this plus another project to finish before then.” She rubs the back of his hand with her thumb realizing how large his hand was in comparison which could crush her hand if he wanted. “Thanks for dinner Nate.”

“Can I?” He starts and gulps. MacKenzie watches his Adam’s apple bob. “Can I kiss you?” He asks with a quiver in his voice. She nods her head yes. Nate brings his hands up to her jaw holding her face up while he leans in pressing his lips to hers. Kenzie kisses him back and cannot remember a first kiss quiet like that. He releases while sucking in a deep breath.

“I…” Kenzie touches her lips.

“Well, see you soon Kenzie.” He kisses her forehead then turns quickly to head back down the street leaving Kenzie wanting more.

[smilingperformer]

Discussing the good and bad of Pokémon Journeys: Part “Rocket Gang”

It is no secret that the handling of Rocket Gang in Journeys is quite different from how the fans and audience have come to know them. Even I have tons to say about how I feel about Rockets in this series, so let's get started!

TLDR; Their handling in this series isn't exactly the best kind as it has removed one of the beloved aspects of them (having own Pokémon they bond very closely with) and is showing less often how they are RIGHTEUS evil, not evil evil. More under the cut, Journeys abverted to JN.

So. How do I begin. Let's start with saying: I am a Rocket Fan. A huge one. Ever since I started watching Pokémon couple years ago during Sun & Moon's first year, I fell in love with these buffoons, and I absolutely adored how the two bonded with their Pokémon and showcased that they're not that different from the brats, just on the villainnous side. Kojiro is a loving and caring man, Musashi has gone through lots of stuff and Nyarth has deep understanding over Pokémon's feelings due to his past experiences. Oh, Sonansu's there too, I love that blue blop so much. Honestly, the main reason I love these four so much is because they're such lovable villains who tend know what is right for their Pokémon, or other Pokémon they manage to bond with. And it was shown really well pre-SM as well.

Like, one of my favourite episodes of all time for Rockets is actually JN019, and it's because of how the Rockets end up helping a Ditto/Metamon who wants to be a proper actor, but thus far tended to fail in transforming into Pokémon perfectly. Musashi, as a actress herself, really bonds with this Metamon, managed to help it perfect the transformation with the help of Kojiro, Nyarth and Sonansu, and despite having the job to pokenap Pokémon... they actually end up helping Metamon to get back its job, to make sure it doesn't have a reputation of a Rocket 'mon. And they do SUCH a good job at acting like they're not intending it.

Like, during this acting performance, they really want to get blasted off! They don't even hide it. They keep provoking Satoshi to use Pikachu's Thunderbolt to blast them off and save Metamon that way. And I just fricking love them for this asjhgsjhgfs.

But aside from this episode, there really hasn't been that many episodes focusing on this aspect of Rockets. Another good episode for them JN is JN024 thou, where Rockets are on vacation and, are NOT on their villainous acts.

They're mere citizens in that episode, enjoying their free time in Sinnoh's Resort Area. And even when the brats come around, they fully ignore their need to capture Pikachu. For Sakaki-sama's orders. Akjhksajfh I just, really love how this ep managed to show that, even if they are part of Rocket Gang, it's merely their job, not who they are fully. They're not like Matori, they're not like Yamato and Kosanji- oh it's Kosaburo. They're merely doing the villainous stuff because they believe it to help make the world better. And when they're not working? They're good citizens. This was such a good episode for them because of this because it really showed that they could easily just be friends with the brats if they weren't on the opposite sides.

They even helped foil Matori's team's plans on kidnapping every single Pokémon in the Resort Area and sajghsjhgf. These four really hate Matori now do they. They're on her side, but they also keep foiling her plans. Even in Sun & Moon they foiled Matori's plans to pokenap Nuikoguma, because they knew their lovely Kiteruguma mom bear would be upset. As I said before: They're villains, but they're not evil evil. They do the evil stuff for their own rightful reasons.

Now that I've discussed the reasons I love Rockets and what I've loved in JN, let's talk about what it is that makes me feel iffy about their handling in JN, one of them being the lack of own permament poketeam.

In the past seasons, Rockets would always catch themselves one of their own 'mon that would willingly join their causes, and end up bonding with them deeply. In JN, this is... pretty much non-existant. We have the recurring 'mon of Kamukame/Chewtle and Morpeko, but the first one appears in such a rare rate, and latter one has been used as a... abuse comedy. When the Morpeko started following Rockets, I had hoped that it would end up bonding with the Rockets and they'd find some common ground, but so far, there's no sign of it, and Morpeko is more like a leech in their base instead of a powerful asset, and like. I feel like this was the show's way of trying to recreate Kiteruguma but with an opposite twist of it eating their rations instead of feeding them like Kiteruguma did, but it's not working as well as Mama Bear's gimmick did. At least in my opinion.

Now let me just say that, I don't really mind the Rocket Gacha machine. I feel like the concept it has is pretty cool, and seeing what kind of Pokémon Rocket Gang has managed to capture for using is super cool to witness. They also have been able to switch up it's results in unique and fun ways and seeing it sometimes fail is kinda fun and relatable to anyone who's played gacha games, sajhgfs. However, it feels like the Gacha completely replaced Rocket Quatret's ability to capture Pokémon of their own and, it hurts my soul to say it.

I think one of the reasons they did this route was due to how in Sun & Moon, Musashi and Kojiro ended up leaving their 'mon behind, due to knowing that they won't like it at the Rocket Head Quarters and leaving the cozy family that is Kiteruguma and Nuikoguma. So, maybe the writers felt like the Quatret would now feel bad about capturing 'mon they would bond closely with after this, and then ending up having to send them to HQ. So in a way, I get the possible intention behind this decision. Yet it still hurts. And I feel like most Rocket Fans feel the same way.

Their writing is pretty much the same throughout the show (which imo is kind of an average, as it doesn't hit the nail the same way I came to love them in Sun & Moon or OS to DP era, or even XY and Best Wishes DA! Arc), so it doesn't make sense for me to recite every single appearance of theirs, but I really have to discuss what irritated me a lot:

So. JN059.

I'll just say it straight away: I did not like how Rockets were written in this episode. At all. While their personality was spot on, their motives and actions weren't. Like... the fact that Grookey/Sarunori was a Rocket 'mon is a unique concept and I honestly like it. However, the way Sarunori ended up switching sides was so bad for me. So bad.

No. I am not one of those who think that Gou stole Sarunori from them and doesn't deserve it. No. That ain't my problem. It's more like the issue in how Rockets weren't allowed to learn more about Sarunori, bond with it, learn that it's not the one to want to join the villanous side and feels happier with Gou. The idea of the story for Rocket 'mon to switch sides is great. Excecution however is not.

Like... this line where Musashi says that Sarunori needs to be sent back to HQ to be re-educated specifically ticks me off in bad way and I hate to feel ticked off like this. And this line is all because they weren't allowed to learn more about Sarunori's motives. Because the plot had to be in one episode. I feel like the motives, Rocket Gang's handling and side switching would have worked better for me, if it was a longer built arc. Sort of like how Mijumaru/Oshawott, Hikozaru/Chimchar and the likes of them were done.

And this hurts more because of JN019 where they WERE allowed to bond and perform an act of helping Metamon get back its job. These buffoons KNOW when the 'mon deserves to go to the non-villainous side. And it's all because of JN019 that I feel so strongly ticked off for this line. "We'll... ...have you re-educated". That's not what they were gonna do with Metamon. Like. God damn it.

Rockets were there when Hikozaru switched teams from Shinji to Satoshi. They came to care for the lil monkey before this switch and after this switch. They KNEW it would be better off with Satoshi, and they kept rooting for it from afar, despite constantly trying to steal it. That's their job. Same with how Nyarth comes to like the Honcho Nyabby, due to its background, and finds peace with knowing that Nyabby will find a happy life with Satoshi. All of these examples are exactly why I strongly dislike how Jn059 handled Rockets, and I so god damn wish they would have ACCEPTED that Saruroni should join Gou, but make it so that they'd have to rescue Sarunori instead of giving it to them just like that. They're not heartless.

Unless this was an act from them. Which I doubt since Nyarth learns about Sarunori wanting to go with Gou late into the episode and then trying to deny it having been said??? Uuuugh. This episode really could have used more build up and different handling with Rockets.

Another option that would have made me like Sarunori's capture was if it had been some other Rockets it escaped from, like Matori Matrix or sudden return of Yamato and Kosaburo, or something else. I LIKE the idea of Sarunori being a Rocket 'mon, so I wouldn't change it. I just don't like that it was OUR beloved Rockets that had to be treating it this way.

Sigh. Now that that's out of the way. What else is there to say. Well. How would I try improving Rockets in JN? Simple: give them their own Pokémon to care for. Make them bond with more than just Chewtle. Let them have Pokémon they can bond with and show their loving side with. It's severely lacking right now and I feel like most Rocket fans are really missing this aspect a lot. Also please don't make them act like they don't understand Pokémon's feelings. They do. I'm glad that Satoshi still knows that Rockets care for Pokémon of their own and wouldn't treat them badly, but it still isn't showcased that well in JN. So I wish it would improve on that. I would also seriously love it if some of their old 'mon from past shows would come up from the Gacha Machine, as I'd imagine them being put inside there as well. It did have tons of Gulpin inside for some reason.... Sakaki, wtf.

Well. I guess there's not much else to talk about regarding Rockets. In short, I love Rockets, but I'm not happy with how they're handled in JN fully and despite there being couple really good episodes for them, and some of the episodes have excellent usage with them (like JN038 where Musashi just casually says "Evening" to Satoshi when he discovers them hiding in bushes, sajhgshfsghjf forever love that moment). I just want better handling with their righteus evil.

So. What's up next? I'm thinking about compiling a post of COTDs and supporting cast next time, which would include the likes of Kikuna, Renji, Sakuragi, family casts etc.

So, thanks for reading if you got this far, hope you enjoyed it despite possibly disagreeing with me, and I hope you'll all have a fantastic day.

Til next time! Aleira, aka Smiling Performer, signing out!

[gryffindor-jedi]

The Night Fox - Chapter 2

Based on @royalhandmaidens Vigilante Commander Fox theory. The story will eventually lead into Foxiyo and a happy au.

Sorry for the really long delay. Also, this chapter doesn't have any Night Fox scenes because there's some important background plot, but the vigilante shall return in the next chapter!

Prologue • Chapter 1

Summary: The Night Fox takes a hiatus, and Fox's life is turned upside down, maybe for the better.

Word count: 1374 words

Two weeks after getting the special armor, which Fox stored in a secure vault, where he looked at it at least once a day but never took it outside the safe, the lower levels of Coruscant had changed dramatically. For more than a week now, there were hardly any kidnappings, street fights, or anything even slightly disorderly. Illegal activity seemed to have disappeared altogether, which should have been a cause for jubilation. Yet, something kept nagging at him, and for the first time after the Chuchi incident, Fox was unable to sleep. He hadn't seen the Pantoran senator since that nightly encounter, mostly because the Senate was apparently handling more urgent matters. Not being in command of the Coruscant Guard should have bothered him, but Fox just felt free. Until today. The lack of nighttime activity was making him feel restless, and that night, Fox started pacing and kept on pacing in the barracks.

“How long have you been up?” Thorn asked.

“Uhm… That depends on when you woke up.” Fox said looking up, startled. Judging by Thorn's expression, he guessed that he had paced the entire night.

“Kriffing show-off! Lousy amateur!” Stone cried out angrily.

“Are you all right?” Thorn asked, his tone surprisingly kind.

“Oh, hey! It's nothing, nothing, just the same stupid Holonet hero that's been on the headlines for almost two weeks now.” Stone answered, slightly abashed.

“Don't be embarrassed Stone, these articles are maddening!” Thire interjected. “I know it shouldn't be bothering me, but this is just so ridiculous. Some Night Fox saves some young girl from being kidnapped, and that girl just happens to be the daughter of Senator Orn Free Taa's aide's brother. Listen to this: The Night Fox has succeeded where the Coruscant Guard has failed. If a single man can stop something so horrendous in one night, then what has the entire Coruscant Guard been doing?”

Fox swallowed, and pressed his hands to his face. He had only announced his chosen name twice – once to a Twi'lek mother and daughter, and to Senator Chuchi. The girl and the woman had seemed very sweet, and he knew that saving the child had been the right thing to do. But what was the right thing to do now? The main reason the Coruscant Guard was unable to prevent these incidents was because their main duty was to escort senators and other high-level officials and dignitaries, which was an infuriating and tiring job. If the Holonet was using the Night Fox as an anti-clone mascot, then something needed to be done. Just as Fox opened his mouth to tell Thorn about the Night Fox, Rys rushed in.

“Commander Fox… Senator Chuchi… needs… you… to come in… for a hearing” panted Rys, out of breath.

“What!” Thorn stood straight up. “If this is a practical joke that you and Jek thought up, then you'll—”

“It's all right.” Fox patted Thorn's shoulder. “I'll be fine. Besides, the vacation was starting to bore me.”

Fox dashed out, putting all his energy into running and not thinking about the charges.

——————————————————————————

“Commander Fox, over here!” Senator Chuchi was waving.

“Where's the hearing? I came as soon as I got the message.” Fox asked, his heart thudding, and his palms clammy.

“The hearing, well, it didn't happen. Basically, what happened was more of a statement by a single senator, who claimed that the Coruscant Guard is not doing enough. So, a vote for a change of management was held, and well, I don't know how to say this, but you have been ordered to temporarily leave the Coruscant Guard headquarters, and relinquish your armor and weapons, by the order of the Supreme Chancellor.” Senator Chuchi said, her voice trembling. “I am so sorry, Fox. They didn't even give me a chance to present my argument.”

Fox just stood silently. He had just lost the closest thing he had to a home. What was he going to do?

“Senators Amidala and Organa have arranged for you to stay at an apartment, with meals delivered to you, until your temporary leave period is over.” Senator Chuchi continued, barely holding back tears.

“Senator Chuchi, Commander Fox, I have good news, great news actually!” Senator Amidala was strolling towards them. “The charges of treason against Commander Fox have been dismissed!”

“Wait, did you just say that the charges have been dismissed?” Fox asked, still stunned.

“Yes. Apparently, the senators believe that a clone is too unintelligent and weak to commit treason. While I don't agree with their reasoning, this means that in six months, you will be reinstated in the Coruscant Guard, with your original rank.” Senator Amidala beamed. “However, you will still need to relinquish your armor and weapons for the time being.”

“I guess I'll go tell Thorn the good news.” Fox let himself chuckle. What a relief! “Although, after six months under Thorn's command, I wonder what shape the Guard will be in, or if it will even exist.”

“Senator Chuchi will pick you up in her speeder and take you to your apartment, after her Senatorial duties are finished.” said Senator Amidala, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

“Sounds good, but I don't want to bother her.” Fox said, his happiness slightly fading.

“Don't worry, it won't be a bother. Your apartment is very close to hers.” Senator Amidala said firmly, in a tone that stopped any further discussion.

——————————————————————————

“Well, looks like I'm in charge now.” Thorn said, haughtily. “You must all obey me!”

“Cut it out, Thorn.” Fox smiled.

“Or else what, He Who Is No Longer Commander? What can you do?” Thire teased.

“Well, you'll see, in about six months.” Fox replied, in an ominous tone.

Stone started laughing, and soon Thorn and Thire were as well. Fox finished pulling off his armor, and gave it to Thorn.

“I'll keep this safe for you.” Thorn assured him. “I'll put it in the vault, unless you would like to?”

“I'd better put it in myself. I am the only one who knows the combination.” Fox said with another smile.

“I know the combination. I just have a tendency to forget it!” Thorn shouted at Fox, as the latter walked towards the vault.

Fox opened the vault, and after checking to see that no one was looking, gently removed the armor that Riyo Chuchi had given him. He placed the armor in his small knapsack, and put his own armor into the vault. He stood there for a few moments, trying to wrap his mind around what had happened.

“I'm here to pick up Commander Fox.” Senator Chuchi was talking to the other troopers. He should probably get to her speeder before someone, probably Thire, says something.

“You sly rascal!” teased Thire. “See you in six months!”

Struggling to keep his face from turning red, and silently cursing, Fox entered the speeder.

——————————————————————————

The apartment was very nice, far nicer than the barracks.

“I hope you like it!” said Senator Chuchi, with an awkward smile. “Here's a comlink to call me, anytime.”

“Thank you very much, Senator.” Fox replied, barely opening his mouth, lest he smile and make a fool of himself.

“Call me Riyo.” said Senator Chuchi, no Riyo, cheerfully. “Good night!”

“Good night!” Fox responded, with a soft smile.

“I hate it when Padméand Mon are right.” Riyo muttered, mentally saving Fox's smile in her memory permanently.

Fox continued smiling, and found an excellent place to hide his knapsack. The food on the table was so much better than any ration bar, the civilian clothing in the closet was comfortable, and the bed was incredibly cozy as well.

He was going to give the Night Fox a night off. So much had happened, and he wanted to analyze every moment. No, he wanted to replay everything that Riyo had said and did. Maybe it wasn't on the same scale as saving innocent civilians from violent criminals, but it still made him smile, and that was enough, at least for tonight.

Tag list: @penguinkiwi, @kris-styx

(send an ask to be added, since I'm having a hard time keeping track based on tags and comments)

[sleepy-frog-sleeping]

oh lol I can send you an ask,, huh so that’s how I do this. damn what could I spam you with. oh. I know.

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.

Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground.

The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black.

Ooh, black and yellow!

Let's shake it up a little.

Barry! Breakfast is ready!

Coming!

Hang on a second.

Hello?

Barry?

Adam?

Can you believe this is happening?

I can't.

I'll pick you up.

Looking sharp.

Use the stairs, Your father paid good money for those.

Sorry. I'm excited.

Here's the graduate.

We're very proud of you, son.

A perfect report card, all B's.

Very proud.

Ma! I got a thing going here.

You got lint on your fuzz.

Ow! That's me!

Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000.

Bye!

Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house!

Hey, Adam.

Hey, Barry.

Is that fuzz gel?

A little. Special day, graduation.

Never thought I'd make it.

Three days grade school, three days high school.

Those were awkward.

Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around The Hive.

You did come back different.

Hi, Barry. Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good.

Hear about Frankie?

Yeah.

You going to the funeral?

No, I'm not going.

Everybody knows, sting someone, you die.

Don't waste it on a squirrel.

Such a hothead.

I guess he could have just gotten out of the way.

I love this incorporating an amusement park into our day.

That's why we don't need vacations.

Boy, quite a bit of pomp under the circumstances.

Well, Adam, today we are men.

We are!

Bee-men.

Amen!

Hallelujah!

Students, faculty, distinguished bees,

please welcome Dean Buzzwell.

Welcome, New Hive City graduating class of 9:15.

That concludes our ceremonies And begins your career at Honex Industries!

Will we pick our job today?

I heard it's just orientation.

Heads up! Here we go.

Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times.

Wonder what it'll be like?

A little scary.

Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco and a part of the Hexagon Group.

This is it!

Wow.

Wow.

We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life to get to the point where you can work for your whole life.

Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to The Hive.

Our top-secret formula is automatically color-corrected, scent-adjusted and bubble-contoured into this soothing sweet syrup with its distinctive golden glow you know as... Honey!

That girl was hot.

She's my cousin!

She is?

Yes, we're all cousins.

Right. You're right.

At Honex, we constantly strive to improve every aspect of bee existence.

These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology.

What do you think he makes?

Not enough.

Here we have our latest advancement, the Krelman.

What does that do?

Catches that little strand of honey that hangs after you pour it.

Saves us millions.

Can anyone work on the Krelman?

Of course. Most bee jobs are small ones.

But bees know that every small job, if it's done well, means a lot.

But choose carefully because you'll stay in the job you pick for the rest of your life.

The same job the rest of your life? I didn't know that.

What's the difference?

You'll be happy to know that bees, as a species, haven't had one day off in 27 million years.

So you'll just work us to death?

We'll sure try.

Wow! That blew my mind!

"What's the difference?"

How can you say that?

One job forever?

That's an insane choice to have to make.

I'm relieved. Now we only have to make one decision in life.

But, Adam, how could they never have told us that?

Why would you question anything? We're bees.

We're the most perfectly functioning society on Earth.

You ever think maybe things work a little too well here?

Like what? Give me one example.

I don't know. But you know what I'm talking about.

Please clear the gate. Royal Nectar Force on approach.

Wait a second. Check it out.

Hey, those are Pollen Jocks!

Wow.

I've never seen them this close.

They know what it's like outside The Hive.

Yeah, but some don't come back.

Hey, Jocks!

Hi, Jocks!

You guys did great!

You're monsters!

You're sky freaks! I love it! I love it!

I wonder where they were.

I don't know.

Their day's not planned.

Outside The Hive, flying who knows where, doing who knows what.

You can't just decide to be a Pollen Jock. You have to be bred for that.

Right.

Look. That's more pollen than you and I will see in a lifetime.

It's just a status symbol.

Bees make too much of it.

Perhaps. Unless you're wearing it and the ladies see you wearing it.

Those ladies?

Aren't they our cousins too?

Distant. Distant.

Look at these two.

Couple of Hive Harrys.

Let's have fun with them.

It must be dangerous being a Pollen Jock.

Yeah. Once a bear pinned me against a mushroom!

He had a paw on my throat, and with the other, he was slapping me!

Oh, my!

I never thought I'd knock him out.

What were you doing during this?

Trying to alert the authorities.

I can autograph that.

A little gusty out there today, wasn't it, comrades?

Yeah. Gusty.

We're hitting a sunflower patch six miles from here tomorrow.

Six miles, huh?

Barry!

A puddle jump for us, but maybe you're not up for it.

Maybe I am.

You are not!

We're going 0900 at J-Gate.

What do you think, buzzy-boy?

Are you bee enough?

I might be. It all depends on what 0900 means.

Hey, Honex!

Dad, you surprised me.

You decide what you're interested in?

Well, there's a lot of choices.

But you only get one.

Do you ever get bored doing the same job every day?

Son, let me tell you about stirring.

You grab that stick, and you just move it around, and you stir it around.

You get yourself into a rhythm.

It's a beautiful thing.

You know, Dad, the more I think about it,

maybe the honey field just isn't right for me.

You were thinking of what, making balloon animals?

That's a bad job for a guy with a stinger.

Janet, your son's not sure he wants to go into honey!

Barry, you are so funny sometimes.

I'm not trying to be funny.

You're not funny! You're going into honey. Our son, the stirrer!

You're gonna be a stirrer?

No one's listening to me!

Wait till you see the sticks I have.

I could say anything right now.

I'm gonna get an ant tattoo!

Let's open some honey and celebrate!

Maybe I'll pierce my thorax. Shave my antennae. Shack up with a grasshopper. Get a gold tooth and call everybody "dawg"!

I'm so proud.

We're starting work today!

Today's the day.

Come on! All the good jobs will be gone.

Yeah, right.

Pollen counting, stunt bee, pouring, stirrer, front desk, hair removal...

Is it still available?

Hang on. Two left!

One of them's yours! Congratulations!

Step to the side.

What'd you get?

Picking crud out. Stellar!

Wow!

Couple of newbies?

Yes, sir! Our first day! We are ready!

Make your choice.

You want to go first?

No, you go.

Oh, my. What's available?

Restroom attendant's open, not for the reason you think.

Any chance of getting the Krelman?

Sure, you're on.

I'm sorry, the Krelman just closed out.

Wax monkey's always open.

The Krelman opened up again.

What happened?

A bee died. Makes an opening. See? He's dead. Another dead one.

Deady. Deadified. Two more dead.

Dead from the neck up. Dead from the neck down. That's life!

Oh, this is so hard!

Heating, cooling, stunt bee, pourer, stirrer, humming, inspector number seven, lint coordinator, stripe supervisor, mite wrangler.

Barry, what do you think I should... Barry?

Barry!

All right, we've got the sunflower patch in quadrant nine...

What happened to you?

Where are you?

I'm going out.

Out? Out where?

Out there.

Oh, no!

I have to, before I go to work for the rest of my life.

You're gonna die! You're crazy! Hello?

Another call coming in.

If anyone's feeling brave, there's a Korean deli on 83rd that gets their roses today.

Hey, guys.

Look at that.

Isn't that the kid we saw yesterday?

Hold it, son, flight deck's restricted.

It's OK, Lou. We're gonna take him up.

Really? Feeling lucky, are you?

Sign here, here. Just initial that.

Thank you.

OK.

You got a rain advisory today, and as you all know, bees cannot fly in rain.

So be careful. As always, watch your brooms, hockey sticks, dogs, birds, bears and bats.

Also, I got a couple of reports of root beer being poured on us.

Murphy's in a home because of it, babbling like a cicada!

That's awful.

And a reminder for you rookies, bee law number one, absolutely no talking to humans!

All right, launch positions!

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!

Black and yellow!

Hello!

You ready for this, hot shot?

Yeah. Yeah, bring it on.

Wind, check.

Antennae, check.

Nectar pack, check.

Wings, check.

Stinger, check.

Scared out of my shorts, check.

OK, ladies,

let's move it out!

Pound those petunias, you striped stem-suckers!

All of you, drain those flowers!

Wow! I'm out!

I can't believe I'm out!

So blue.

I feel so fast and free!

Box kite!

Wow!

Flowers!

This is Blue Leader, We have roses visual.

Bring it around 30 degrees and hold.

Roses!

30 degrees, roger. Bringing it around.

Stand to the side, kid.

It's got a bit of a kick.

That is one nectar collector!

Ever see pollination up close?

No, sir.

I pick up some pollen here, sprinkle it over here. Maybe a dash over there, a pinch on that one.

See that? It's a little bit of magic.

That's amazing. Why do we do that?

That's pollen power. More pollen, more flowers, more nectar, more honey for us.

Cool.

I'm picking up a lot of bright yellow, Could be daisies, Don't we need those?

Copy that visual.

Wait. One of these flowers seems to be on the move.

Say again? You're reporting a moving flower?

Affirmative.

That was on the line!

This is the coolest. What is it?

I don't know, but I'm loving this color.

It smells good.

Not like a flower, but I like it.

Yeah, fuzzy.

Chemical-y.

Careful, guys. It's a little grabby.

My sweet lord of bees!

Candy-brain, get off there!

Problem!

Guys!

This could be bad.

Affirmative.

Very close.

Gonna hurt.

Mama's little boy.

You are way out of position, rookie!

Coming in at you like a missile!

Help me!

I don't think these are flowers.

Should we tell him?

I think he knows.

What is this?!

Match point!

You can start packing up, honey, because you're about to eat it!

Yowser!

Gross.

There's a bee in the car!

Do something!

I'm driving!

Hi, bee.

He's back here!

He's going to sting me!

Nobody move. If you don't move, he won't sting you. Freeze!

He blinked!

Spray him, Granny!

What are you doing?!

Wow... the tension level out here is unbelievable.

I gotta get home.

Can't fly in rain. Can't fly in rain. Can't fly in rain.

Mayday! Mayday! Bee going down!

Ken, could you close the window please?

Ken, could you close the window please?

Check out my new resume. I made it into a fold-out brochure. You see? Folds out.

Oh, no. More humans. I don't need this.

What was that?

Maybe this time. This time. This time. This time! This time! This... Drapes!

That is diabolical.

It's fantastic. It's got all my special skills, even my top-ten favorite movies.

What's number one? Star Wars?

Nah, I don't go for that... kind of stuff.

No wonder we shouldn't talk to them. They're out of their minds.

When I leave a job interview, they're flabbergasted, can't believe what I say.

There's the sun. Maybe that's a way out.

I don't remember the sun having a big 75 on it.

I predicted global warming. I could feel it getting hotter. At first I thought it was just me.

Wait! Stop! Bee!

Stand back. These are winter boots.

Wait!

Don't kill him!

You know I'm allergic to them! This thing could kill me!

Why does his life have less value than yours?

Why does his life have any less value than mine? Is that your statement?

I'm just saying all life has value. You don't know what he's capable of feeling.

My brochure!

There you go, little guy.

I'm not scared of him.It's an allergic thing.

Put that on your resume brochure.

My whole face could puff up.

Make it one of your special skills.

Knocking someone out is also a special skill.

Right. Bye, Vanessa. Thanks.

Vanessa, next week? Yogurt night?

Sure, Ken. You know, whatever.

You could put carob chips on there.

Bye.

Supposed to be less calories.

Bye.

I gotta say something. She saved my life. I gotta say something.

All right, here it goes.

Nah.

What would I say?

I could really get in trouble. It's a bee law. You're not supposed to talk to a human.

I can't believe I'm doing this. I've got to.

Oh, I can't do it. Come on!

No. Yes. No. Do it. I can't.

How should I start it? "You like jazz?" No, that's no good.

Here she comes! Speak, you fool!

Hi!

I'm sorry. You're talking.

Yes, I know.

You're talking!

I'm so sorry.

No, it's OK. It's fine.

I know I'm dreaming. But I don't recall going to bed.

Well, I'm sure this is very disconcerting.

This is a bit of a surprise to me. I mean, you're a bee!

I am. And I'm not supposed to be doing this, but they were all trying to kill me.

And if it wasn't for you... I had to thank you. It's just how I was raised.

That was a little weird. I'm talking with a bee.

Yeah.

I'm talking to a bee. And the bee is talking to me!

I just want to say I'm grateful.

I'll leave now.

Wait! How did you learn to do that?

What?

The talking thing.

Same way you did, I guess. "Mama, Dada, honey." You pick it up.

That's very funny.

Yeah.

Bees are funny. If we didn't laugh, we'd cry with what we have to deal with.

Anyway... Can I... get you something?

Like what?

I don't know. I mean... I don't know. Coffee?

I don't want to put you out.

It's no trouble. It takes two minutes.

It's just coffee.

I hate to impose.

Don't be ridiculous!

Actually, I would love a cup.

Hey, you want rum cake?

I shouldn't.

Have some.

No, I can't.

Come on!

I'm trying to lose a couple micrograms.

Where?

These stripes don't help.

You look great!

I don't know if you know anything about fashion.

Are you all right?

No.

He's making the tie in the cab as they're flying up Madison.

He finally gets there.

He runs up the steps into the church.

The wedding is on.

And he says, "Watermelon?

I thought you said Guatemalan.

Why would I marry a watermelon?"

Is that a bee joke?

That's the kind of stuff we do.

Yeah, different.

So, what are you gonna do, Barry?

About work? I don't know.

I want to do my part for The Hive, but I can't do it the way they want.

I know how you feel.

You do?

Sure.

My parents wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, but I wanted to be a florist.

Really?

My only interest is flowers.

Our new queen was just elected with that same campaign slogan.

Anyway, if you look... There's my hive right there. See it?

You're in Sheep Meadow!

Yes! I'm right off the Turtle Pond!

No way! I know that area. I lost a toe ring there once.

Why do girls put rings on their toes?

Why not?

It's like putting a hat on your knee.

Maybe I'll try that.

You all right, ma'am?

Oh, yeah. Fine.

Just having two cups of coffee!

Anyway, this has been great.

Thanks for the coffee.

Yeah, it's no trouble.

Sorry I couldn't finish it. If I did, I'd be up the rest of my life.

Are you...?

Can I take a piece of this with me?

Sure! Here, have a crumb.

Thanks!

Yeah.

All right. Well, then... I guess I'll see you around. Or not.

OK, Barry.

And thank you so much again... for before.

Oh, that? That was nothing.

Well, not nothing, but... Anyway...

This can't possibly work.

He's all set to go.

We may as well try it.

OK, Dave, pull the chute.

Sounds amazing.

It was amazing!

It was the scariest, happiest moment of my life.

Humans! I can't believe you were with humans!

Giant, scary humans!

What were they like?

Huge and crazy. They talk crazy.

They eat crazy giant things.

They drive crazy.

Do they try and kill you, like on TV?

Some of them. But some of them don't.

How'd you get back?

Poodle.

You did it, and I'm glad. You saw whatever you wanted to see.

You had your "experience." Now you can pick out yourjob and be normal.

Well...

Well?

Well, I met someone.

You did? Was she Bee-ish?

A wasp?! Your parents will kill you!

No, no, no, not a wasp.

Spider?

I'm not attracted to spiders.

I know it's the hottest thing, with the eight legs and all. I can't get by that face.

So who is she?

She's... human.

No, no. That's a bee law. You wouldn't break a bee law.

Her name's Vanessa.

Oh, boy.

She's so nice. And she's a florist!

Oh, no! You're dating a human florist!

We're not dating.

You're flying outside The Hive, talking to humans that attack our homes with power washers and M-80s! One-eighth a stick of dynamite!

She saved my life! And she understands me.

This is over!

Eat this.

This is not over! What was that?

They call it a crumb.

It was so stingin' stripey!

And that's not what they eat.

That's what falls off what they eat!

You know what a Cinnabon is?

No.

It's bread and cinnamon and frosting. They heat it up...

Sit down!

...really hot!

Listen to me!

We are not them! We're us.

There's us and there's them!

Yes, but who can deny the heart that is yearning?

There's no yearning. Stop yearning. Listen to me!

You have got to start thinking bee, my friend. Thinking bee!

Thinking bee.

Thinking bee.

Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee! Thinking bee!

There he is. He's in the pool.

You know what your problem is, Barry?

I gotta start thinking bee?

How much longer will this go on?

It's been three days! Why aren't you working?

I've got a lot of big life decisions to think about.

What life? You have no life!

You have no job. You're barely a bee!

Would it kill you to make a little honey?

Barry, come out. Your father's talking to you.

Martin, would you talk to him?

Barry, I'm talking to you!

You coming?

Got everything?

All set!

Go ahead. I'll catch up.

Don't be too long.

Watch this!

Vanessa!

We're still here.

I told you not to yell at him.

He doesn't respond to yelling!

Then why yell at me?

Because you don't listen!

I'm not listening to this.

Sorry, I've gotta go.

Where are you going?

I'm meeting a friend.

A girl? Is this why you can't decide?

Bye.

I just hope she's Bee-ish.

They have a huge parade of flowers every year in Pasadena?

To be in the Tournament of Roses, that's every florist's dream!

Up on a float, surrounded by flowers, crowds cheering.

A tournament. Do the roses compete in athletic events?

No. All right, I've got one.

How come you don't fly everywhere?

It's exhausting. Why don't you run everywhere? It's faster.

Yeah, OK, I see, I see.

All right, your turn.

TiVo. You can just freeze live TV? That's insane!

You don't have that?

We have Hivo, but it's a disease. It's a horrible, horrible disease.

Oh, my.

Dumb bees!

You must want to sting all those jerks.

We try not to sting. It's usually fatal for us.

So you have to watch your temper.

Very carefully.

You kick a wall, take a walk, write an angry letter and throw it out. Work through it like any emotion: Anger, jealousy, lust.

Oh, my goodness! Are you OK?

Yeah.

What is wrong with you?!

It's a bug.

He's not bothering anybody.

Get out of here, you creep!

What was that? A Pic 'N' Save circular?

Yeah, it was. How did you know?

It felt like about 10 pages. Seventy-five is pretty much our limit.

You've really got that down to a science.

I lost a cousin to Italian Vogue.

I'll bet.

What in the name of Mighty Hercules is this?

How did this get here? cute Bee, Golden Blossom, Ray Liotta Private Select?

Is he that actor?

I never heard of him.

Why is this here?

For people. We eat it.

You don't have enough food of your own?

Well, yes.

How do you get it?

Bees make it.

I know who makes it! And it's hard to make it!

There's heating, cooling, stirring. You need a whole Krelman thing!

It's organic.

It's our-ganic!

It's just honey, Barry.

Just what?!

Bees don't know about this! This is stealing! A lot of stealing!

You've taken our homes, schools,hospitals! This is all we have!

And it's on sale?! I'm getting to the bottom of this.

I'm getting to the bottom of all of this!

Hey, Hector. You almost done?

Almost.

He is here. I sense it.

Well, I guess I'll go home now and just leave this nice honey out, with no one around.

You're busted, box boy!

I knew I heard something.

So you can talk!

I can talk. And now you'll start talking!

Where you getting the sweet stuff? Who's your supplier?

I don't understand.

I thought we were friends.

The last thing we want to do is upset bees!

You're too late! It's ours now!

You, sir, have crossed the wrong sword!

You, sir, will be lunch for my iguana, Ignacio!

Where is the honey coming from? Tell me where!

Honey Farms! It comes from Honey Farms!

Crazy person!

What horrible thing has happened here?

These faces, they never knew what hit them. And now

they're on the road to nowhere!

Just keep still.

What? You're not dead?

Do I look dead? They will wipe anything that moves. Where you headed?

To Honey Farms. I am onto something huge here.

I'm going to Alaska. Moose blood, crazy stuff. Blows your head off!

I'm going to Tacoma.

And you?

He really is dead.

All right.

Uh-oh!

What is that?!

Oh, no!

A wiper! Triple blade!

Triple blade?

Jump on! It's your only chance, bee!

Why does everything have

to be so doggone clean?!

How much do you people need to see?!

Open your eyes!

Stick your head out the window!

From NPR News in Washington,

I'm Carl Kasell.

But don't kill no more bugs!

Bee!

Moose blood guy!!

You hear something?

Like what?

Like tiny screaming.

Turn off the radio.

Whassup, bee boy?

Hey, Blood.

Just a row of honey jars, as far as the eye could see.

Wow!

I assume wherever this truck goes is where they're getting it. I mean, that honey's ours.

Bees hang tight. We're all jammed in.

It's a close community.

Not us, man. We on our own. Every mosquito on his own.

What if you get in trouble?

You a mosquito, you in trouble. Nobody likes us. They just smack. See a mosquito, smack, smack!

At least you're out in the world. You must meet girls.

Mosquito girls try to trade up, get with a moth, dragonfly. Mosquito girl don't want no mosquito.

You got to be kidding me!

Mooseblood's about to leave the building! So long, bee!

Hey, guys!

Mooseblood!

I knew I'd catch y'all down here.

Did you bring your crazy straw?

We throw it in jars, slap a label on it, and it's pretty much pure profit.

What is this place?

A bee's got a brain the size of a pinhead.

They are pinheads!

Pinhead.

Check out the new smoker.

Oh, sweet. That's the one you want. The Thomas 3000!

Smoker?

Ninety puffs a minute, semi-automatic. Twice the nicotine, all the tar. A couple breaths of this knocks them right out.

They make the honey, and we make the money.

"They make the honey, and we make the money"?

Oh, my!

What's going on? Are you OK?

Yeah. It doesn't last too long.

Do you know you're in a fake hive with fake walls?

Our queen was moved here. We had no choice.

This is your queen? That's a man in women's clothes! That's a drag queen!

What is this?

Oh, no!

There's hundreds of them!

Bee honey.

Our honey is being brazenly stolen on a massive scale!

This is worse than anything bears have done! I intend to do something.

Oh, Barry, stop.

Who told you humans are taking our honey? That's a rumor.

Do these look like rumors?

That's a conspiracy theory. These are obviously doctored photos. How did you get mixed up in this?

He's been talking to humans.

What? Talking to humans?!

He has a human girlfriend. And they make out!

Make out? Barry!

We do not.

You wish you could.

Whose side are you on?

The bees!

I dated a cricket once in San Antonio. Those crazy legs kept me up all night.

Barry, this is what you want to do with your life?

I want to do it for all our lives. Nobody works harder than bees!

Dad, I remember you coming home so overworked

your hands were still stirring. You couldn't stop.

I remember that.

What right do they have to our honey?

We live on two cups a year. They put it in lip balm for no reason whatsoever!

Even if it's true, what can one bee do?

Sting them where it really hurts.

In the face! The eye!

That would hurt.

No.

Up the nose? That's a killer.

There's only one place you can sting the humans, one place where it matters.

Hive at Five, The Hive's only full-hour action news source.

No more bee beards!

With Bob Bumble at the anchor desk. Weather with Storm Stinger. Sports with Buzz Larvi. And Jeanette Chung.

Good evening. I'm Bob Bumble.

And I'm Jeanette Ohung.

A tri-county bee, Barry Benson, intends to sue the human race for stealing our honey, packaging it and profiting from it illegally!

Tomorrow night on Bee Larry King, we'll have three former queens here in our studio, discussing their new book, classy Ladies, out this week on Hexagon.

Tonight we're talking to Barry Benson.

Did you ever think, "I'm a kid from The Hive. I can't do this"?

Bees have never been afraid to change the world.

What about Bee Oolumbus? Bee Gandhi? Bejesus?

Where I'm from, we'd never sue humans.

We were thinking of stickball or candy stores.

How old are you?

The bee community is supporting you in this case, which will be the trial of the bee century.

You know, they have a Larry King in the human world too.

It's a common name. Next week...

He looks like you and has a show and suspenders and colored dots...

Next week...

Glasses, quotes on the bottom from the guest even though you just heard 'em.

Bear Week next week! They're scary, hairy and here live.

Always leans forward, pointy shoulders, squinty eyes, very Jewish.

In tennis, you attack at the point of weakness!

It was my grandmother, Ken. She's 81.

Honey, her backhand's a joke!

I'm not gonna take advantage of that?

Quiet, please.

Actual work going on here.

Is that that same bee?

Yes, it is!

I'm helping him sue the human race.

Hello.

Hello, bee.

This is Ken.

Yeah, I remember you. Timberland, size ten and a half. Vibram sole, I believe.

Why does he talk again?

Listen, you better go 'cause we're really busy working.

But it's our yogurt night!

Bye-bye.

Why is yogurt night so difficult?!

You poor thing. You two have been at this for hours!

Yes, and Adam here has been a huge help.

Frosting...

How many sugars?

Just one. I try not to use the competition.

So why are you helping me?

Bees have good qualities. And it takes my mind off the shop. Instead of flowers, people are giving balloon bouquets now.

Those are great, if you're three.

And artificial flowers.

Oh, those just get me psychotic!

Yeah, me too.

Bent stingers, pointless pollination.

Bees must hate those fake things!

Nothing worse than a daffodil that's had work done.

Maybe this could make up for it a little bit.

This lawsuit's a pretty big deal.

I guess.

You sure you want to go through with it?

Am I sure? When I'm done with the humans, they won't be able to say, "Honey, I'm home," without paying a royalty!

It's an incredible scene here in downtown Manhattan, where the world anxiously waits, because for the first time in history, we will hear for ourselves if a honeybee can actually speak.

What have we gotten into here, Barry?

It's pretty big, isn't it?

I can't believe how many humans don't work during the day.

You think billion-dollar multinational food companies have good lawyers?

Everybody needs to stay behind the barricade.

What's the matter?

I don't know, I just got a chill.

Well, if it isn't the bee team.

You boys work on this?

All rise! The Honorable Judge Bumbleton presiding.

All right. Case number 4475,

Superior Court of New York,

Barry Bee Benson v. the Honey Industry is now in session.

Mr. Montgomery, you're representing the five food companies collectively?

A privilege.

Mr. Benson... you're representing all the bees of the world?

I'm kidding. Yes, Your Honor, we're ready to proceed.

Mr. Montgomery, your opening statement, please.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my grandmother was a simple woman. Born on a farm, she believed it was man's divine right to benefit from the bounty of nature God put before us.

If we lived in the topsy-turvy world Mr. Benson imagines, just think of what would it mean.

I would have to negotiate with the silkworm for the elastic in my britches!

Talking bee!

How do we know this isn't some sort of holographic motion-picture-capture Hollywood wizardry?

They could be using laser beams! Robotics! Ventriloquism! Cloning! For all we know, he could be on steroids!

Mr. Benson?

Ladies and gentlemen, there's no trickery here. I'm just an ordinary bee. Honey's pretty important to me. It's important to all bees. We invented it! We make it. And we protect it with our lives.

Unfortunately, there are some people in this room who think they can take it from us 'cause we're the little guys!

I'm hoping that, after this is all over, you'll see how, by taking our honey, you not only take everything we have but everything we are!

I wish he'd dress like that all the time. So nice!

Call your first witness.

So, Mr. Klauss Vanderhayden of Honey Farms, big company you have.

I suppose so.

I see you also own Honeyburton and Honron!

Yes, they provide beekeepers for our farms.

Beekeeper. I find that to be a very disturbing term.

I don't imagine you employ any bee-free-ers, do you?

No.

I couldn't hear you.

No.

No. Because you don't free bees. You keep bees. Not only that, it seems you thought a bear would be an appropriate image for a jar of honey.

They're very lovable creatures. Yogi Bear, Fozzie Bear, Build-A-Bear.

You mean like this?

Bears kill bees!

How'd you like his head crashing through your living room?! Biting into your couch! Spitting out your throw pillows! OK, that's enough. Take him away.

So, Mr. Sting, thank you for being here. Your name intrigues me. Where have I heard it before?

I was with a band called The Police.

But you've never been a police officer, have you?

No, I haven't.

No, you haven't. And so here we have yet another example of bee culture casually stolen by a human for nothing more than a prance-about stage name.

Oh, please.

Have you ever been stung, Mr. Sting? Because I'm feeling a little stung, Sting. Or should I say... Mr. Gordon M. Sumner!

That's not his real name?! You idiots!

Mr. Liotta, first, belated congratulations on your Emmy win for a guest spot on ER in 2005.

Thank you. Thank you.

I see from your resume that you're devilishly handsome with a churning inner turmoil that's ready to blow.

I enjoy what I do. Is that a crime?

Not yet it isn't. But is this what it's come to for you? Exploiting tiny, helpless bees so you don't have to rehearse your part and learn your lines, sir?

Watch it, Benson! I could blow right now!

This isn't a goodfella.

This is a badfella!

Why doesn't someone just step on this creep, and we can all go home?!

Order in this court!

You're all thinking it!

Order! Order, I say!

Say it!

Mr. Liotta, please sit down!

I think it was awfully nice of that bear to pitch in like that. I think the jury's on our side.

Are we doing everything right, legally?

I'm a florist.

Right. Well, here's to a great team.

To a great team!

Well, hello.

Ken!

Hello.

I didn't think you were coming.

No, I was just late I tried to call, but... the battery.

I didn't want all this to go to waste,

so I called Barry. Luckily, he was free.

Oh, that was lucky.

There's a little left. I could heat it up.

Yeah, heat it up, sure, whatever.

So I hear you're quite a tennis player. I'm not much for the game myself. The ball's a little grabby.

That's where I usually sit. Right... there.

Ken, Barry was looking at your resume, and he agreed with me that eating with chopsticks isn't really a special skill.

You think I don't see what you're doing?

I know how hard it is to find the right job. We have that in common.

Do we?

Bees have 100 percent employment, but we do jobs like taking the crud out.

That's just what I was thinking about doing.

Ken, I let Barry borrow your razor for his fuzz. I hope that was all right.

I'm going to drain the old stinger.

Yeah, you do that.

Look at that.

You know, I've just about had it with your little Mind Games.

What's that?

Italian Vogue.

Mamma mia, that's a lot of pages.

A lot of ads.

Remember what Van said, why is your life more valuable than mine?

Funny, I just can't seem to recall that! I think something stinks in here!

I love the smell of flowers.

How do you like the smell of flames?!

Not as much.

Water bug! Not taking sides!

Ken, I'm wearing a Chapstick hat!

This is pathetic!

I've got issues!

Well, well, well, a royal flush!

You're bluffing.

Am I?

Surf's up, dude!

Poo water!

That bowl is gnarly. Except for those dirty yellow rings!

Kenneth! What are you doing?!

You know, I don't even like honey! I don't eat it!

We need to talk! He's just a little bee!

And he happens to be the nicest bee I've met in a long time!

Long time? What are you talking about?! Are there other bugs in your life?

No, but there are other things bugging me in life. And you're one of them!

Fine! Talking bees, no yogurt night...

My nerves are fried from riding on this emotional roller coaster!

Goodbye, Ken.

And for your information, I prefer sugar-free, artificial sweeteners made by man!

I'm sorry about all that.

I know it's got an aftertaste! I like it!

I always felt there was some kind of barrier between Ken and me. I couldn't overcome it.

Oh, well.

Are you OK for the trial?

I believe Mr. Montgomery is about out of ideas.

We would like to call Mr. Barry Benson Bee to the stand.

Good idea! You can really see why he's considered one of the best lawyers...

Yeah.

Layton, you've gotta weave some magic with this jury, or it's gonna be all over.

Don't worry. The only thing I have to do to turn this jury around is to remind them of what they don't like about bees.

You got the tweezers?

Are you allergic?

Only to losing, son. Only to losing.

Mr. Benson Bee, I'll ask you what I think we'd all like to know.

What exactly is your relationship to that woman?

We're friends.

Good friends?

Yes.

How good? Do you live together?

Wait a minute... Are you her little... bedbug?

I've seen a bee documentary or two. From what I understand, doesn't your queen give birth to all the bee children?

Yeah, but...

So those aren't your real parents!

Oh, Barry...

Yes, they are!

Hold me back!

You're an illegitimate bee, aren't you, Benson?

He's denouncing bees!

Don't y'all date your cousins?

Objection!

I'm going to pincushion this guy!

Adam, don't! It's what he wants!

Oh, I'm hit!! Oh, lordy, I am hit!

Order! Order!

The venom! The venom is coursing through my veins! I have been felled by a winged beast of destruction! You see? You can't treat them like equals! They're striped savages! Stinging's the only thing they know! It's their way!

Adam, stay with me.

I can't feel my legs.

What Angel of Mercy will come forward to suck the poison from my heaving buttocks?

I will have order in this court. Order! Order, please!

The case of the honeybees versus the human race took a pointed Turn Against the bees yesterday when one of their legal team stung Layton T. Montgomery.

Hey, buddy.

Hey.

Is there much pain?

Yeah.

I... I blew the whole case, didn't I?

It doesn't matter. What matters is

you're alive. You could have died.

I'd be better off dead. Look at me.

They got it from the cafeteria downstairs, in a tuna sandwich. Look, there's a little celery still on it.

What was it like to sting someone?

I can't explain it. It was all... All adrenaline and then...and then ecstasy!

All right.

You think it was all a trap?

Of course. I'm sorry. I flew us right into this.

What were we thinking? Look at us. We're just a couple of bugs in this world.

What will the humans do to us if they win?

I don't know.

I hear they put the roaches in motels. That doesn't sound so bad.

Adam, they check in, but they don't check out!

Oh, my.

Could you get a nurse to close that window?

Why?

The smoke.

Bees don't smoke.

Right. Bees don't smoke.

Bees don't smoke!

But some bees are smoking.

That's it! That's our case!

It is? It's not over?

Get dressed. I've gotta go somewhere.

Get back to the court and stall. Stall any way you can.

And assuming you've done step correctly, you're ready for the tub.

Mr. Flayman.

Yes? Yes, Your Honor!

Where is the rest of your team?

Well, Your Honor, it's interesting. Bees are trained to fly haphazardly, and as a result, we don't make very good time.

I actually heard a funny story about...

Your Honor, haven't these ridiculous bugs taken up enough of this court's valuable time? How much longer will we allow these absurd shenanigans to go on?

They have presented no compelling evidence to support their charges against my clients, who run legitimate businesses.

I move for a complete dismissal of this entire case!

Mr. Flayman, I'm afraid I'm going to have to consider Mr. Montgomery's motion.

But you can't! We have a terrific case.

Where is your proof?

Where is the evidence?

Show me the smoking gun!

Hold it, Your Honor!

You want a smoking gun? Here is your smoking gun.

What is that?

It's a bee smoker!

What, this? This harmless little contraption? This couldn't hurt a fly, let alone a bee.

Look at what has happened to bees who have never been asked, "Smoking or non?" Is this what nature intended for us? To be forcibly addicted to smoke machines and man-made wooden slat work camps?

Living out our lives as honey slaves to the white man?

What are we gonna do?

He's playing the species card.

Ladies and gentlemen, please, free these bees!

Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees! Free the bees!

The court finds in favor of the bees!

Vanessa, we won!

I knew you could do it! High-five!

you did not just send me the entire script to the bee movie

[marialenikiforov]

Daisuzu short fic💕

Tired of not knowing about Suzue's true feelings, Daisuke plots a way to make Suzue fall for him. It doesn't go as planned.

Suzue had proven to be the most loyal person to Daisuke, someone he could really trust with everything, including his life. Aside from helping him to solve the mess regarding the Kambe family, the girl had saved his life on countless occasions already, sometimes even putting her own life and safety at risk just for him.

Daisuke never considered himself to be someone that believed in romance. He never had a girlfriend during his years at University, his 'love' life revolved around one night stands with several girls he met during his night outs at clubs. However, Suzue made him feel things he never felt before. Having someone that cared that much for him made him feel better than any sex-filled night ever could. It took him some time, but after being away from her for a while due to her vacations Daisuke finally accepted that he had fallen in love with her.

Weird thing love was. Sometimes he felt happy just by seeing her or having her close, but there were also times when he felt annoyed over the smallest things. An example of this was whenever Suzue seemed distant.

Aside from that time when Suzue pulled him under the covers to hide from HEUSC, she was annoyingly 'distant' with him. The two had known for years and yet she continued to call him Daisuke-sama, she continued to act as just an employee when he never treated her like that... or at least not on purpose.

That thought drove him crazy, Suzue was always very polite, very sweet, very caring of him. He loved it, but at the same time made it difficult for him to distinguish her feelings towards him. He knew she cared a lot for him, but did she loved him? Kato thought they were a married couple when Daisuke first introduced him to Suzue. That should mean something, right?

There were times when Suzue was so clingy with him, mostly when he came back from dangerous missions, but there were times when he felt how she kept him at arm's length. He sometimes hated himself for seeming a teenager who had a crush, but everything felt so confusing when it came to Suzue. Then again, he never allowed himself to get this attached to someone before.

Daisuke was deeply lost in his thoughts when a knock on the door of his room followed by a very familiar voice brought him down to Earth.

"Come in."

As the door opened he was able to see the girl that was currently the cause of the mess inside his head and heart. Suzue was dressed in her usual clothes and wore that sweet yet worried expression on her face.

"Daisuke-sama, do you feel all right? You've been in your room since breakfast was over." Suzue said while she approached him.

Daisuke was sitting on a chair close to an open glass door, a cigar on his right hand which he quickly put away since he knew Suzue wasn't too fond of that smell.

"Yes. Just checking in with Kato about the adollium situation." He lied.

"How strange! HEUSC didn't inform me anything about a situation that requires your attention, Daisuke-sama." Suzue said as she furrowed her eyebrows. She could tell that something was off but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "I can help you with anything if you need me. I'll be in the lab doing some research." She announced with a more relaxed expression. She was determined to help him.

Before he could say anything, Suzue had turned and left him alone once again. Daisuke sighed. He needed to know what she felt for him, but how? He tried to think about his previous experiences with girls, or at least the ones from his former classmates.

After some minutes, Daisuke made up his mind and touched his left ear to activate HEUSC.

----

Suzue found herself sitting on a couch directly in front of Daisuke. The music roared loud around them at the rooftop of one of the most exclusive clubs in London. Daisuke was surrounded by girls dressed in provocative dressed and he seemed to enjoy himself.

She felt stupid for thinking that this was some kind of date. When Daisuke asked her to dress nicely she never imagined that she would be left to watch how other girls offered themselves to him. Several men had approached her already offering drinks but she rejected them all. She just wanted to go back home and convince herself that all of it had been some kind of nightmare.

The moment a girl sat on Daisuke's lap, Suzue had enough. She stood up and walked away from the scene. She touched her earring.

"HEUSC, send my car to Daisuke-sama location. I'm going home."

"Understood."

Suzue could feel the tears burning in her eyes already as she made her way to the elevator. She had been a fool, how could she think that Daisuke had finally see her as a woman? She pressed the button and waited impatiently until the doors opened.

What she never expected was that someone else managed to jump inside the elevator with her before the doors closed. She pressed the button for the lobby while ignoring the man in front of her.

"Where are you going?" Daisuke asked.

"Daisuke-sama, with all the respect you deserve... why would you care? You were quite busy a moment before."

Daisuke felt like a bucket of ice-cold water was throw at him. He had messed up badly by trying to make Suzue jealous.

"Suzue I-"

"I'm going home, HEUSC already sent my car. Keep having fun, sir."

Suzue sounded hurt and as much as she tried to hide it Daisuke could tell that she was crying. Her face was visibly red along with her eyes. He tried to get close to her but Suzue pushed him away, which felt like a stab to Daisuke's heart.

How could he possibly think that this was a good idea? He remembered some of his old friends doing it, maybe he should have asked Kato for advice before actually doing it.

"Suzue, please listen to me," Daisuke said visibly guilty.

"I never thought you could be this cruel, Daisuke-sama. Bringing someone who loves you to see how you flirt with all these girls."

He froze. Did Suzue just-?

"You what?"

Suzue finally looked at him as the doors opened. "As if you didn't know already!" She walked outside the elevator and into the lobby of the building. "HEUSC, how long till the car gets here?"

"Five minutes, Suzue-sama."

She grumbled and listened to the familiar sound that Daisuke's shoes made as he ran. Suzue quickly walked out of the building to wait for her car, but once she was outside she felt a hand around one of her wrists.

Daisuke was staring at her, she could see the deep regret in his eyes. He could make her so weak sometimes that she almost forgive him in that instant.

"Why Daisuke-sama? Why?" She asked, unable to contain the tears any longer.

He pulled her for a hug, which she tried to reject at first.

"I was an asshole, Suzue," Daisuke explained as he felt how she slowly let herself be hugged close to his chest. "I never wanted to hurt you. I just-" He sighed and prepared for the worst. "I love you too Suzue. I have loved you for quite some time already, but since I didn't know how you felt about me I thought I could maybe make you jealous if you see me with other women. In... my mind that would make you fell in love with me too... maybe."

Suzue looked up at him. Even with the tears in her eyes, he could tell that she was mad at him. Daisuke thought this was definitely the end, Suzue would quit, she would go back to Japan and Daisuke would be left alone once more. And... with all honesty, he felt like he certainly deserved it.

Suzue pulled away from the hug and Daisuke closed his eyes to prepare himself for a slap on his face. Surprisingly, it never came. Instead, he felt a smack on his arm. When he opened his eyes Suzue was still mad, but at the same time, he could see the smallest glimpse of a smile on her face.

"Making me jealous? What kind of teenager plan is that, Daisuke-sama?" Suzue said in tears. "N-never do something like this again. I can't- I-"

Daisuke gently wiped away the tears from her face with his thumbs. "I won't. I promise I won't hurt you ever again. Please forgive me."

Suzue nodded slowly, feeling how he grabbed her chin with two fingers before kissing her. The two shared a short and quite salty kiss, but it was perfect nonetheless. Their little moment was interrupted by the arrival of Suzue's car.

"Let's go home," Daisuke said softly, opening the passenger door for her. She nodded and got inside with his help. He could tell HEUSC to send his AC Cobra back home by itself later.

As he got on the driver's seat and grabbed Suzue's hand he swore to himself that he will make up to Suzue every single day for hurting her like this. At least his stupid plan had somewhat worked, the two had confessed their feelings towards one another.

*********

Hey Daisuzu gang! I hope you liked this 💕

Has any of you read or watched Jane Eyre? This was kinda inspired by one of my favorite scenes hahaha 👀😁

Again, feel free to ignore this and tell me if you don't want to be included in the tags 🙂

@daisuzuship @innovativestruggles @narcopharmacist @unholysoggytea @riaymei @ieatcrumbs @cow-goes-oof @matchabucks @bluegleeful @levi-is-heicho @kakooshi @kokorokai @darknessrxse @fluffyyagiza @geniusmeemee @sungmnnnn @koalarin @alstroemerie @petiamaximoff38 @hellohellokookie @kannra21 @milcyuw