#in any direction or helping me with my furniture and luggage

[fingertipsmp3]

You know what it is. She says the right things, but never does the right things

[cerinefalls]

‎

𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝐵𝑒𝒹

An Izuku Midoriya x Reader

Summary: On the way back to UA after a weekend of field training, the bus breaks down. Luckily for classes 1A and 1B, Vlad was able to find you rooms! Unluckily for everyone, it was not a big hotel. Time to share, and your roommate was... you guessed it; Izuku Midoriya! Good thing, too, because you're not feeling too good.

Other Parts: Shoto Todoroki

Content: SFW, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Suggestive Themes

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You wandered down the halls near aimlessly as you searched for your room. It shouldn't have been so hard to find a room in a hotel, but unfortunately for you, this place had no order. Room 412 should've been right between 410 and 414, but in its place was room 416. Was your room even located on the fourth floor? You were unsure at this point.

"Four twelve... four twelve... four twelve... It should be here, but these aren't in numerical order. Maybe if I retrace my steps, I'll see that I missed something! No, these aren't in order either. Are villains trying to disorient us? Maybe I'm thinking too hard... " You overheard a familiar voice muttering down the hall. It was nearing you, but you couldn't point out exactly who it was.

As you continued down the dimly lit hallway, the voice gradually got louder. Soon, it sounded like it was right in front of you. It was right in front of you! You bumped into the source of the sound and nearly fell backward. That was an oddly soft wall you'd run into.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you, I swear! Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I-" Now you knew who it was. Who else went on and on that way? It had to be Deku.

"No- I'm fine, Midoriya." You brushed off whatever initial shock you'd felt and stood up straight again. "You said 412?" The room. That was your room, and if he'd seen it, you needed to know where.

"What? Oh, the woman at the desk told me to look for room 412, but I can't find it anywhere." Izuku replied to you without hesitation. His brain was running at full capacity at all times, after all.

"She did? That's my room too. Can we look together?" You'd been grouped with Midoriya? That was unexpected. You'd expected someone like him to end up with Bakugo or Todoroki, but it looked like he was stuck with you. You didn't know him too well, but he probably didn't mind.

"Yeah! This must be a test." He nodded, accepting your offer. Was he always thinking about hero work? That looked like what the hero course did to them all.

The two of you spent minute after minute hauling luggage around the fourth floor. After a while, Izuku offered to take your bags for you. You declined- but were starting to wish you hadn't. Double-checking, triple-checking- nothing provided results, and it was beginning to tire you.

"Maybe it's on another floor?" You pitched your idea to the now pacing and muttering mess of a boy. He'd hardly heard you through his thick thought bubble.

"Of course! If all of these are out of order, there's no telling how disorienting the next floors are. It must be somewhere else!" Had he seriously not considered that before? You hesitated to tell him because you thought he'd already checked the other floors. Then again, this wouldn't be the first time someone had to suggest something obvious to him.

Izuku led you to the elevator and pressed the button to move down a floor. One floor at a time, that's how you'd do it. The wait was long, and Midoriya appeared lost in thought the entire time. Soon, the quiet elevator ride lowered you to the third floor.

"Alright, let's check around here for the-"

"I found it!" Midoriya interrupted you with his outburst from slightly down the hall. Sure enough, on the 3rd floor, 412 was sat between 310 and 314. It made you wonder what happened to room 312.

Never mind any of your questions or concerns, it was time to sit! Finally, after all that time training, you got to sit on a sturdy piece of furniture. The odd circumstances didn't even cross your mind as you rushed past Izuku and onto the red couch that sat against the wall in the front of your hotel room.

"You're smart," Midoriya smiled wide as he shut the door behind you. After the click of the lock settled your arrangement, he too sat on the couch at the separate end. "So it... looks like we're going to be spending the night here. I'm glad Class B's teacher was able to find us rooms." He nodded to himself.

"Me too." You nodded, stretching out. As you finished your relieving movement and turned to Izuku, you were met with an intense stare. He stopped when he noticed you looking, though. "What?" You questioned.

"Oh- nothing! It's just... your side. It's scratched," He mentioned. Right! that cut you'd gotten during practice. You'd forgotten all about it when the bus broke down. It wasn't bleeding anymore, and the pain had gone away. "Is it bad?" Izuku sounded concerned.

"No! Just a silly surface wound. I'm sure it'll be fine once we get to recovery girl." You responded fine, but Izuku did not seem to agree with you. He looked worried, face sporting a frown.

"You should really make sure it gets cleaned and patched up." He stood up and walked towards the bathroom, opening the door and disappearing inside. For a while. you wondered why. What was he doing in there? All that rustling and banging had to mean something.

"They didn't really have bandages, so I-" Eventually, your questions were answered. Izuku exited the bathroom with a first-aid kit and... other things.

"Bandages? I'm not bleeding." You tilted your head a few times, trying to see what he'd come up with. Deku was surely one to know how to wrap wounds, so it couldn't have been anything outrageous.

"You were! It's important to keep it sealed, even if you aren't bleeding anymore." The reason this green-haired boy was panicking was unannounced to you, but in midst of his worry, he made a good point. Who knew what lurked in this hotel? An infection was the last thing you needed.

"Well... alright, Midoriya. How do you plan on helping this, though?" You asked, agreeing to let him help you. Izuku smiled wryly before pulling from behind him a... roll of toilet paper?

"The toiletries here aren't soft and crumbly. They're sort of like... paper. This can make a good temporary bandage when used correctly." His smile was unsure- almost as if he wanted you to fact-check him. You nodded to say you trusted him, but as for the quality of his information? Well, nobody knows.

"Okay... and how do you expect to get that to stick?" You could ask Sero- but, other than that, all options looked to be off the table.

"The first aid kit doesn't have gauze, but it does have some tape left! Skin-safe, of course!" His smile looked more sure now. It faded as he began to put together his makeshift bandaging. He looked focused as he wiped your skin clean with alcohol pads and waved them dry.

He seemed focussed- not on the process- but on keeping you comfortable. Izuku knew he had the ability to hurt you if he wasn't careful, because even though you'd felt fine before, you flinched each time he pressed around the cuts. They were not completely healed, after all.

"Normally, I'd tell you to go take a shower..." He spoke under his breath, tape holder securely between his teeth as he tore pieces to use. "But, because of how these are... I know it'll hurt if you do." Midoriya gently secured a large, doubled-over section of toilet paper to your side. He was right to say the texture was that of paper because you would surely hate to wipe with what he'd placed on you.

"But, shouldn't I shower anyway? We were training, and..." You tried to finish your sentence, but you couldn't quite bring yourself to when you noticed Izuku lost in thought. He was staring at your waist, your top moved with one of his hands as the other carefully ran across the 'bandaging' he'd just applied.

"Might need another layer..." He mumbled, not paying all too much attention to what you said- until you called him, that is.

"Izuku?" You leaned as close to eye level with him as you could and it startled him.

"Oh- sorry!" Whether it was his name or the sharp eye contact that drew his attention was unknown. What you did know was that he'd quickly backed away from you, unhanding your clothes and swiping your side a bit as he stumbled backward on the couch. You tried not to let him know it'd hurt, but you couldn't help the instinctual jolt away from him that followed. "Did I- oh no, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just scared I was making you uncomfortable and then you looked at me and you said my name and I got scared and..." He... was... mumbling to himself again.

"Midoriya, it's fine. I was just-" You attempted to calm him down, but he was too far gone. It appeared his stunt of focus was interrupted by his feeling of embarrassment. Maybe you should try his first name again? "...Izuku?" It worked! His muttering paused and he looked up at you. His expression was unreadable for a moment.

"You said it again..." He sat up and paused, clearly trying to deduce something. Was that seriously all it took to calm him down?

"Said... what?" You questioned, holding a hand to the throbbing pain on your midsection. He had a harder hit than you thought he would- especially for an accident. He must've really sought to keep a light hand before.

"My... name. I'm sorry if that sounds odd! It's just..." He looked away from you, not without glancing at the hand you held to your side. "Ever since Kacchan and I got to UA... Well, I guess I didn't realize people knew my name." That was true. Bakugo had given Izuku that nickname, and it spread like a rash. Midoriya was strong to have flipped it to be his hero name. Ever since then, no one had called him by anything but Deku or Midoriya.

"I hope I'm not crossing any lines by using it- it just seemed to capture your attention." Your response was direct and apologetic.

"It's not that," Midoriya shook his head. "I have no problem with it! It's just... new." He mustered another smile and met your eyes again. You quickly moved your hand but you knew he'd seen it. Your intention wasn't to make him feel bad! It just hurt, was all.

"Well, Izuku... how about we go to sleep? It's getting late," You tested him. His smile formed more properly this time!

"Yes, but I really should add another layer or two to that. I wouldn't want it to tear in your sleep." He was calm enough to say that without flustering himself. Perhaps the same focus he had earlier had returned? No, that wasn't it.

The look in his eyes as he carefully followed the same process he had before matched the look there was during training today. He wasn't just focused on helping you- he was in a hero's mindset. It would've been endearing had you not known about his crippling hero complex.

Nevermind that.

Once Izuku had finished putting a more cushiony layer over your midriff, he backed away to view what he'd done. He seemed proud of himself. Rightfully so! Because he'd truly done his best in this endeavor.

"This doesn't hurt, does it?" He moved the hand he'd used to hold up your top down to your waist, his second hand doing the same on the opposite side. Midoriya applied a gentle amount of pressure with both hands, and shockingly, it didn't hurt at all!

"Wow... it... doesn't-" You shook your head and looked down at his hands. It was a bit interesting- looking at him. He still resembled an entirely different state of mind as he sat there tending to you. After a couple more squeezes, though, your own mind wandered.

You attempted to fight it by taking a more literal view of things. You looked first at his arms. They were freckled splotchily. It was an interesting pattern in contrast to the multitude of horizontal scars on his hands. His hands... you couldn't quite see them. The fabric of your shirt had completely fallen over top of them as he continued to pressure check. This method of literal examination only worked for as long as you could focus on it, though. Once Izuku began gently dragging his hands up and down your midsection to check for sturdiness, that strategy was less effective.

"It's not slipping... I think you're good for tonight. Let me know... if it... gets..." As Midoriya lifted his head to make proper eye contact while he spoke, he noticed an all-too-familiar expression on your face. Heat had risen to your cheeks, and you were clearly averting your eyes from his own. Had he made you... nervous? He wasn't sure, but it seemed you were timid in comparison to earlier. Izuku slowly removed his hands from under your shirt and placed them on your knees, watching you closely. "Are you alright?" He asked, voice saturated in concern.

"I'm fine! Nothing's wrong." You brushed off his concern, though you were still twiddling around. "You said it seems alright?" You aimed to change the subject. It was time for bed anyway! Midoriya had to be exhausted from today's training, after all.

"Yes... I applied about as much pressure as a mattress would and you didn't flinch. I think you'll be alright to sleep," He nodded. Would you be able to get him back to his usual mindset any time soon? It was beginning to get uncomfortable– usually, Deku was the one getting flustered, but right now he was calm and you were the one stumbling over yourself.

All you could do was nod. Eventually, Midoriya backed away from you to allow you to change. It was just the break you needed. You walked into the bedroom with your bag and pulled out your bedclothes. You were met with a shock when you turned to put them on, though.

"That can't be right..." You said that louder than you'd meant to. Who wouldn't, though? This was a room for two people, wasn't it?

"Is everything okay in here?" Midoriya was approaching, but you didn't hear him entirely. You wished he'd knocked when he entered, though. Izuku walked in on you with your shirt hanging from your neck. You rushed to put it back on, slipping it onto your arms as he stepped forward.

"Only... one?" He questioned. It seemed he hadn't noticed you. It wasn't surprising because the two of you were confused about the same thing. Be it some twist of fate, or some odd plot device– the sight in front of you was absurd. There was only one bed.

"I'm sure this is a mistake. I mean, our room was on the wrong floor," You mentioned.

"You're right... but, I don't think we can do anything about it." Midoriya was shifting from foot to foot behind you. "I should sleep on the couch! You're injured, and I don't want you to get hurt any more than you are." The way he spoke was not that of his usual self. He still sounded like he was thinking tactically as opposed to how he normally would.

"No! I mean- no. Izuku, you can stay in here." You looked at the bed once again. There may have only been one- but it was huge! No reason for him to sleep on the couch at all. "Even so, what if I do get hurt? I'd rather you be here to help me." Were you doubting his toilet paper bandages?

...You were. You were doubting his toilet paper bandages.

"I-" Had you finally choked him up? Gotten at least some Midoriya-like response? You had! For once, you managed to make him think about the situation. You didn't know why, but for some reason, you were pleased by it.

"You..?" You prodded.

"Well! I suppose you may be right..." He was looking away from you now, rocking back and forth. You'd gotten him just as nervous as he'd had you. Midoriya was clearly trying to rationalize what you'd said. You were correct- his creation was his creation. If it tore or fell off, he would have to be the one to replace it. So it was settled. Midoriya would sleep on one end, you on the other.

You attempted to change your clothes once Izuku had left but soon noticed that would be more difficult than planned. When you attempted to lift your arms over your head, you felt a painful sting around you. You could hear his pacing around come to a stop when you audibly expressed distress. You'd just gotten your shirt off fine! Why was the wound hurting now?

Things began to make sense over time, though. You'd encountered a villain with no flashy or visible quirk– but they'd hit you with something unique to them. That kitty had claws, and it was looking like they'd hit you with a concealed weapon.

"Are you okay!?" Izuku rushed in soon after you'd realized what was going on. He sounded remarkably worried. Perhaps your cry of pain was louder than you'd thought...

"I'm fine... I think." You had to sit down. The more time that passed, the more painful things became. "I don't think that villain I fought had a mutant quirk..." You huffed, eyes watery. It was only downhill from here.

"Really? Did I jot it down wrong? What's happening?" He was frantic in his efforts to gather information. Midoriya sat down on the side of you that wasn't injured to avoid hurting you.

"The more... I move..." You were slowly growing out of breath. Were you panicking yourself? It felt as though maybe the venomous scratches raked harder with the rise and fall of your chest. "I don't know... I was fine until I tried to move my arms... maybe I did it too fast?"

"Oh no this is bad... the only time I've seen a quirk like this was..." No need to type out all of his panic-filled sentences. Long story short, he felt a bit responsible for your pain. You hadn't started hurting until he tried to fix it, after all.

"Izuku, I don't care." You began to steady your breathing so that you could talk to him properly, though you still sounded strained. "I just want to go to sleep, and I won't be able to get there on my own." If he really felt he was at fault, he'd likely oblige to helping you. You at least hoped he would, because the pain you felt only got worse when you attempted to care for yourself.

"Are you sure?" He sounded worried again now; not for you, but his skills. It was much like the worry he'd harbored while bandaging you. If he was not careful now, he could really hurt you. His ceaseless trembling made his unease all the more clear, and you all the more impatient.

"Hey- just think of it how you did last time. You know... like you're being a hero?" You mentioned his earlier attitude, and almost like a lightbulb had been lit, he changed his demeanor.

"I was acting like that? I'm sorry- I didn't notice." He stood up and stepped in front of you. "But, if it helped... I guess I could do it again." Izuku was visibly trying to switch attitudes again. It did not take long. Soon, he was mumbling things he noticed about the quirk's effect on you while looking for a place to start. Now, you felt the same hands that'd helped wrap you on your sides once again. This time, though, he was focused on your clothes.

"That's your pajama shirt over there, right?" He asked, voice wary. For a second you were unsure why.

"Yes, that's the one. Could you bring it to me?" You replied simply. If you kept a work-based mindset, it would help him maintain one as well.

"Of course! But, well... I guess what I'm trying to say here is that you shouldn't put it on on your own..." Though he was attempting to remain professional, he couldn't help the tint that covered his cheeks. This was embarrassing. "I'll look away! Only one of us needs to see for me to help you, right?" He was starting to let the fear seep through his voice. You brushed it off to save his pride.

You just nodded, assuming it'd work. It did work! Though you couldn't focus the entire time. Izuku ran his hands down the sides of your top, grabbing the bottom hem gently. He did his best not to bump into you or cause you to move more than you had to, knowing it'd be painful.

It was hard to get your arms up, but you did it for as long as you could while Midoriya slid off your day clothes and neatly fixed your bed shirt atop of you. Once he'd let it down, he helped you bring your arms down and laid you on the bed.

"I promise to stay close so you can call me if you need to. Only if you want to, that is! I don't know how long the effects of that quirk will last, so..." Whatever the effects were. It was a bit hard to tell. As you laid still, the pain from before began to subside. Sure enough, you were just fine to lay on the bed. Neither side of you caused trouble–

That is until you chose to remove the bottoms you'd been wearing. It was a tad warm with another person in bed, and you were under the covers anyhow. It shouldn't have mattered! Sadly for you, though, the last bit of stretch you needed to move them past your hips was too much for your body to handle. Perhaps the bend in your midsection was what caused the quirk to activate? Every time you moved your core, venomous stings prickled throughout your body. Izuku felt the sheets rustling and turned over to check on you.

"Are you alright?" He asked, sitting up on his forearm to look over you. You stopped moving, a wise decision, and cleared your throat to respond to him.

"Well, I was trying to get comfortable, and..." Your sentence trailed as you began to think this was nothing worth troubling him with. "It's nothing, Izuku. Just a little pain."

"Well, how can I help?" He sounded once again concerned, and you could feel him sitting up behind you.

"No ways you'd want to! Don't worry about it, really." You insisted, but he insisted harder. It took quite some time, but eventually, he broke you into telling him the issue. Midoriya was clearly rattled, but he also dispensed a strange look of determination. He did tell you he would be there to help you, and he was determined to live up to his word. A hero may be put in uncomfortable situations after all.

After a long list of questions asking for consent to help you with your... specific problem, he raised enough courage to scoot behind you and begin his assistance. What happened next nearly stunned you. Izuku did his best not to move you as he gently slid his left hand beneath your hips. He felt around for a moment, and you could almost hear him panicking when he couldn't find the top seem of your pants. He decided it'd be best to find the top using his other hand, and so shortly after you found his right hand slinking fingers around your waist and traveling down to your thigh.

Your face burned as he continued to feel around for your clothes. Eventually, he found what he thought to be the hook he was looking for. As he pulled and you shifted backward into  him to stop the fabric from moving, he realized he'd picked the wrong thing.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to- oh this is bad. I'm so so sorry, I didn't know that was there and I-" Boy was he good at talking. You shushed him quickly, though, feeling well enough to use your own hand to guid his down to where your bottoms really were. You attempted not to squirm as he carefully pulled them past your thighs and got them off of your feet.

"Thank you." You smiled, sporting a grateful expression. The both of you were thankful it was dark, because each of you had blushed faces due to what'd happened under the covers.

"You're very welcome." Deku sounded distant when he replied. He attempted to act as normal as possible, but the air in the room was thick enough to suffocate you. Today was eventful to say the very least.

"Hey, Izuku?" You called him, hoping you could surface his mind.

"Oh- yes?" He sounded attentive enough.

"Let's.. go to bed, yeah?"

"That... is a great idea."

In the stoic silence of your room you eventually found yourself drifting into sleep. Izuku hadn't moved his hands from around your waist when he brought them up from your legs. You were glad, because had he made any sudden movements in his startled state he would've done more harm than good. It wasn't like the position of his hands was uncomfortable, either. Soon enough, both of you were unconscious. It would be a shame if someone walked in that night... oh well. Not like they could find the room.

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[littlemarvelfics]

Get Lost

Pairing: Bucky and Reader 

Word Count: 1.2k 

Warnings: none

A/N: Maybe I’m back? I’m still not sure but I had to participate in @syntheticavenger​‘s  writing challenge. I love love all of your work and tbh reading your work has really gotten me back into writing. I knew if I kept looking at this, I would never post it so any mistakes are all mine. Y’all can follow @littlemarvelfics-notifs​ to be updated when I write something new. I’m definitely open to any and all requests! 

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How It Started

Looking up from your phone, you glanced up and down the busy city street. Your new apartment building should be right in front of you. Instead, all you saw was an empty lot. You tried to get the attention of someone passing by but you didn’t have any luck. You groaned and threw your head back. 

“It is not humanly possible for one person to have this many things go wrong in one day!” you shouted to the sky, unconcerned with any looks you were getting. 

“Excuse me, miss?” a voice questioned. 

Your head snapped back down and you came face to face with a pair of stunning blue eyes and a kind smile.

“You look like you could use some help,” he continued. 

“I could,” you mumbled, eyeing the stranger suspiciously. “Everyone else has ignored my pleas for help. What are you up to?” 

The stranger looked down and chuckled before meeting your eye again. 

“Maybe I’m from a different time,” he responded simply with a shrug of his shoulder. “I’m Bucky.” 

You responded with your name and shook his outstretched hand. 

“What seems to be the problem?” 

“Everything,” you replied. “The airline lost my luggage so I have a single pair of clean underwear and a toothbrush to my name until they find it. I spent 30 minutes trying to find a taxi, when I finally got one, I gave them my new address. They dropped me here. In front of a lot. But considering I don’t have any belongings, maybe the lot will be fine!” 

“Alright, one thing at a time. The airline has your information and they’ll get you your bags. I don’t know how much help I’ll be with the underwear but I can point you in the direction of a store. What’s the address of your place?” 

You rattled off your address, hoping it wasn’t too far from where you were.  

“You’re in luck,” Bucky said with a smile. “That’s my building and you’re only two blocks away. I can walk you there if you’d like.” 

“That would be incredible,” you sighed, your shoulders sagging with relief. 

Bucky started off in the direction of the building and you followed next to him closely. The two of you fell into an easy conversation, making quick work of the two blocks you had to travel. As Bucky neared the building and slower, you couldn’t help but be disappointed. He was incredibly charming and cute, a longer walk with him would’ve been perfect. 

Pausing to point out a shop across the street where you could get the necessities until your bags came. He then held open the front door of the building for you, smiling as you brushed against him. You stopped in the lobby and turned to face him. 

“I think I’ve got it from here. Thank you so much for your help Bucky.” 

“No problem doll, I’m in apartment 302 if you need anything.” 

“302,” you repeated. “What are the chances that’s in the vicinity of apartment 303?” 

“Right next door,” he said with a smile. “You probably have plans for your first night in the city-” 

“No plans!” you interrupted quickly.. 

“Then maybe you’d wanna order a pizza? Watch a movie or something.” 

“That sounds amazing actually,” you replied with a smile. 

“Great! I’ve got a few errands to run but you can come over around 7?” 

“I’ll see you then,” you said, turning to go up the stairs. 

After making it successfully into your apartment, you leaned against the closed door and smiled. You might not have any furniture or clothes but maybe you didn’t have the worst luck afterall. 

How It’s Going

Bucky groaned as he reached out to your side of the bed, the chill of the morning air hitting him when his arm met an empty bed. Opening his eyes, he glanced around the hotel room, hoping to see you on the balcony or hear you in the shower but it was silent and you were nowhere to be found. Bucky flipped to his side and found a folded sheet of paper addressed to him in your handwriting. Grabbing it, he read the quickly scrawled out message. 

“Left for breakfast, be back soon.” 

Bucky let out a scoff and rolled his eyes. 

“This isn’t going to end well,” he mumbled to himself. 

It had been two, almost three years since he met you on the street in Brooklyn and the first thing Bucky learned about you-- the circumstance of your first meeting wasn’t unusual. Your terrible sense of direction paired with your refusal to depend on technology made you chronically late and lost. You were even late to Bucky’s proposal when a closed street had you turned around for 45 minutes. On the day of your wedding, he made Wanda follow you closely to make sure you wouldn’t get lost on your way to the ceremony-- even if you had been to the chapel multiple times. 

Bucky picked up his phone and made sure he didn’t have any missed calls before pulling himself out of bed and heading to the balcony. The eiffel tower loomed in the distance, the sun shining down on the city. Two days into your honeymoon and he never wanted to leave. He was pulled from his thoughts when his phone started ringing, your picture flashing on the screen. He accepted the call but before he could say anything, you started talking. 

“This is not my fault.” 

“Uh huh,” Bucky replied sceptically. “Who’s fault is it?” 

“Did you know that everything is in French here?” you questioned. 

“In Paris, France? Yes, the thought had crossed my mind.” 

“You can make fun of me later, just come help me!” 

“Use your phone!” Bucky said, chuckling. 

“But it would be so much more romantic if my husband came to save me,” you countered. 

“Alright Mrs. Barnes, do you see a street sign or a store around?” 

You rattled off a few places you could see, including the hotel you thought was yours but upon further inspection, you realized it wasn’t even close. 

Bucky switched you over to speaker phone and looked up the hotel you were standing in front of. He sighed when he realized where you were. 

“Down the street, Y/N, you are quite literally down the street,” he said with a sigh. 

“Then it should be easy for you to find me!” you said cheerfully. “Bye!” 

Bucky hung up the phone and quickly threw on his jeans, boots and a henley that still smelled like you from the night before when you wore it to bed. He jogged down to the lobby and made his way down the busy street, slowing when he spotted you leaning against a building, paper bag in your hand. 

“Mrs. Barnes!” he called out, knowing he would never get tired of referring to you with his last name. 

Your head whipped up, grinning when you spotted Bucky. 

“Hello husband,” you chirped, greeting him with a kiss. “I bought you a croissant.” 

“You could have woken me up, you know,” he said, slinging his arm around your shoulders, guiding you back to the hotel. 

“Ah, but this is so much more fun! What better way to celebrate our marriage than to recreate the moment we first met!” 

Bucky stopped and turned to look at you. 

“Hold on, did you know the hotel was right down the street?” 

“Maybe, maybe not,” you mused. 

“Got dressed for nothin’”, he mumbled, continuing the walk. 

“And after a croissant, we can have fun getting undressed again,” you replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Bucky smiled, kissing your head. He knew he would find you anytime you got lost.

[certifiedskywalker]

Regret Me - Sharon Carter

Zemo warned you that Madripoor was a lawless place, a den of pirates and thieves. The last time you saw Sharon Carter, she was neither a pirate nor a thief, save for the fact that she had stolen your heart long before. Turned out, she kept it as her favorite treasure.

WARNING: a n g s t

“Hopefully you can make something here work.”

“Hopefully? You got a whole damn shopping mall,” Sam quipped as he stepped up to one of the clothing racks Sharon pulled out. The blonde shrugged and leaned up against the nearest wall, dark eyes full of waiting. While Sam scanned through the array of options and Bucky looked on with disinterest, you fixed your attention on Sharon.

There were the faintest hints of a smile on her lips. Small lines, the dip of her dimples, deepened slightly at the corners of her mouth. When was the last time you saw Sharon Carter smile? When was the last time you saw Sharon Carter at all? Too long ago.

It was before the Blip, but after your stay on The Raft. When Steve broke you, Sam, and Wanda out, you decided to run your own way for a while. Your path led you back to Sharon, her apartment, or what was left of it. She was packing, stuffing what she could into luggage. In your mind, there was a dull, dim echo of your name falling from her lips and...

“Y/N?”

...not saying goodbye.

“Y/N?”

Sharon’s eyes were on you when you managed to pull yourself from your faded memories. You quickly averted your gaze and shook your head slightly in the hopes of clearing it; though, your muddled recollections remained and hung in your mind like storm clouds ready to release a downpour. When you looked back up at Sharon, her posture was straightened. She no longer leaned against the wall and there was worry perched in her furrowed brows.

“Sorry, what?” You asked, scratching at the back of your neck. Every nerve ending of your body itched to move, to run away and hide, but where? Sharon’s home, her new world, was so, terribly unfamiliar to you. It made the want to disappear into the home you remembered with her all the more painful to bear.

“I have choices that might be more your style,” she replied, slim arms crossed over her chest. You forced your eyes to remain trained on hers, despite how you longed to take in the full sight of her. “You interested?”

Sharon was always strong, it was one of the many things that initially drew you to her. But there was something in how she carried herself, how she looked at you in that moment, that made her seem invincible. Perhaps it was the all-black outfit, how it fit like a uniform but was entirely removed from her days as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative. She looked ready for a fight or a party, and you felt that she would be happy with either.

You nodded at her question before you let yourself dwell on the allure of her confidence. Sharon’s lips quirked up in a full smile and she turned around, flicked her hand behind her to entreat you to follow. You glanced at Sam and Bucky, only for the latter to stare warily back at you. Glints in Bucky’s eyes revealed the same nervousness that tightened your chest.

Be careful.

You dipped your head, a wordless concession before you trailed after Sharon. The sound of her heels as they clicked against the hardwood floor matched the quickened pace of your heartbeat. To distract yourself from the alarmingly swift rush of blood through your body, you glanced around the channels of the apartment. Despite the lavish level of living the sleek modern furniture and expensive, most likely original, works of art, Sharon’s house did not feel like a home. It was bare bones.

The hallways you passed through were stark. Where old apartment in D.C. was decorated with her and he friend’s smiling faces, plants, and life, this High Town suite was lifeless, pictureless. The only thing that lived inside its walls was Sharon, but even then you weren’t entirely certain that she was living as she once was.

When she glanced over her shoulder, to check to see if you followed her, her dark eyes brightened. For a moment, she looked like she did before you both ran away. You had run in separate directions after Steve took Bucky to Wakanda. When Sharon smiled softly at you, you struggled to remember why you didn’t go with her.

“Like I said, some of this might be your style,” she said as she walked into what you assumed was her bedroom. Sheets on the queen-sized mattress were without a wrinkle, without a touch. “But, it’s been a while since I last...since I’ve seen you.”

“Yeah,” you said as Sharon walked over to a large set of closet doors. “I missed you.”

Sharon paused at your words. Her hands settled on the handles of the closet before they tightened. Knuckles, strained, turned white, but when she turned her head to face you, Sharon wore a smile. No longer were her eyes bright; in fact, they mirrored the blank, white walls of her apartment. The sight made your stomach twist.

“I’m flattered.”

Before you had a proper chance to react to the coldness of her tone, Sharon threw open the closet doors. Racks of silk slip dresses, pressed suits, and formal robes, all in clashing patterns, hung in troves. Some were sleek and monochrome, while others were borderline floral, a jungle stitched into fabric. Once you accumulated to the colorful assault before you, you glanced over at Sharon. Her smile had dropped, but her gaze remained trained on you.

“Your personal wardrobe?”

She shrugged. “Pick out what you like.”

You opened your mouth to reply, to ask why she seemed so frigid, when she turned her back to you, busied with her phone. It had been years, you told yourself, and she was still trying to help. Times were hard and clearly changed her, but she was still Sharon to the core. She was still the Sharon you once loved, the one you gave up everything for.

You frowned as you looked back to the closet. Idly, you searched through the hangers. As you flicked through each fanciful piece of clothing, your eyes landed on a simple shirt and jacket. The tags stuck out of the collars and caught your attention. They were both in your size.

You pulled the jacket from the rack and thumbed the tag to read it more clearly. “This is in my size, in your closet?”

“Yeah, that,” at the sound of her voice, you glanced up at the blonde. She eyed the jacket in your hands and nodded. “I saw it, a while back. Thought of you.”

Her dark eyes flickered up to hold your gaze. She watched you, carefully, read every microexpression you could not help but show. You almost felt her calculating. She had wanted you to find the jacket, to ask about the size.

“Sharon.”

“Try it on.”

You sighed and shook your head to clear it of all the things you longed to say. “I don’t think it will do us any good. Maybe I should go and-”

“Please.”

Never in your life had you heard Sharon Carter beg, not for anything. She took what she wanted, whether it was a job, a bullet, or your heart. She made it so easier for you to fall for her because you knew she was already prepared to catch you. When you were caught at the airport in Berlin, held in The Raft, you thought only of her. The moment you were free, you ran to her only to run away. Why?

“Please.”

You cut through the memory to the fear. What was the why: because you would run to her every time if given the chance, and that scared you. You got caught but she would look at you with all the want in the world. She would be ready to meet you in the middle as you made your way back to her. Sharon deserved better. Despite how everything else around you had changed, that fact had not.

“Okay,” you conceded, unable to deny the pained look in Sharon’s expression. You had caused her too much hurt to bring about anymore. As you stepped over to the full-length mirror propped up against the wall, you caught Sharon’s reflection behind yours. Her eyes were glued to you as you slipped the jacket over your shoulders.

Unable to deny how it fit so well, you admired the look of your reflection. As your gaze traveled up, you caught Sharon’s eyes in the mirror. You turned on your heels to face her and saw that the ache that she once wore had morphed. Her eyes drank in your form but her expression was blank. Even as she stepped towards you with hands extended out towards the lapels of the jacket, you could not read her. She was always a good spy.

Wordlessly, Sharon reached out and adjusted how the jacket sat on your frame. A whiff of her perfume, rose-like florals with hints of something more bitter, filled your nose. The smell was enough to throw you back into the memory of the last time you saw her, your not-goodbye.

"It fits, really well,” you said in the hopes of grounding you back to reality, to that moment. “You've really made a life for yourself,”

"I have.” Sharon brushed her hands along the lapels to flatten them out. She pulled away, met your eyes, and, suddenly, you could read her. "You could've come with, helped me."

"I..."

"This life could have been ours,” she pressed. “After I stole the shield and wings. I wanted you to, I asked you to. Do you even remember?”

"There was a lot going on. The team was..." You trailed off at the thought of the Avengers and let your eyes fall from Sharon’s. At least you were all alive back then.

"We were both wanted criminals, branded traitors,” Sharon continued, denying your excuse. “Why...why didn't you come with me?"

Your heart ached at her question, her tone. The confidence you saw, you admired only a few precious minutes before faded into the quivering bottom lip of insecurity. Sharon wasn't invincible, despite all her trying to be. You were her weak point, just as she was yours.

"I was scared...I didn't want you to regret me, me coming with."

“Regret you? Y/N,” her eyes widened, “I loved you, I needed you.”

You shook your head and gestured to the sleek room around you. “You don’t need anyone, Sharon. Look at what you’ve built for yourself.”

“I wanted to build it with you,” she said as her hands grabbed yours. You glanced down at your joined hands then back up at her face. The pain was there again. It hung in her dark eyes and downturned lips.

“I wanted that too,” you admitted, “but we...we were on the run, and if I got caught-”

“You wouldn’t have, I wouldn’t let you,” she interrupted.

“That’s my point. You would risk your life for me and I would have risked it all for you, then we would both be lost. We might both regret it, us.”

You slipped one of your hands from her and reached up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face. Sharon leaned towards your touch for only a moment. Then, as you tucked the hair behind her ear, she thought better of it. Her eyes met yours, held your gaze with an intensity that refreshed the image of her strength in your eyes.

“I regret having to miss you.”

“I did too.”

Sharon nodded and swallowed hard before she added, “I mean, we didn’t even really say goodbye.”

“I didn’t want to think we had to, I guess. We are here, so…”

“We are here,” she echoed. For a long moment, you and Sharon stared into the other’s eyes. You swore you saw her lips twitch up slightly, an almost smile, but it didn’t last. It melted away as she began to lean towards you.

She pressed her lips to your forehead. It was a gentle kiss, only the smallest reminder of what you and Sharon used to be. Though, it was enough to make your heart swell and dull the soreness of your heart. When Sharon pulled away, you saw that, perhaps, it did the same for her too. She seemed less grim, more like she was when you, Sam, Bucky, and Zemo first ran into her: confident and new.

“So, no goodbyes. Only, ‘see you laters’.”

“Only ‘see you laters’,” you agreed. Sharon nodded and stepped away from you. She started towards her bedroom door and, for a second, you thought she was going to leave you alone. Just as you were about to resign yourself to your thoughts, your regrets, Sharon glanced over her shoulder. She smiled.

“C’mon, we got a party to go to.”

[nugnthopkns]

dance me to the end of love (iii)

word count: 4.3k

warnings: fem!oc, cursing, potential percy jackson & the olympians spoilers, alcohol consumption, motion sickness and vomiting

series masterpost: here

a/n: this took me a hot sec to finish but here it is! there's a dumb little latin joke in here but that's just because i'm a nerd lmao

Ryan is certainly giving Bette a run for her money in the best friend department.

Magdalene has no intentions of usurping her best friend, but Ryan is quickly becoming the person she talks to most frequently. It started on social media but quickly moved to regular texting, both of them being twenty-five and capable of communicating through more normal channels. The text thread between them isn’t indicative of their newfound friendship – it looks like they’ve been friends since high school. At any given moment at least three conversations are going on, and Magdalene regularly sends him random updates throughout the day. Ryan likes hearing about any interesting artefacts she encounters at work so she keeps mental notes to tell him during their frequent phone calls.

Despite talking to him almost constantly, Magdalene hasn’t seen Ryan since they grabbed lunch at Barn Owl nearly two weeks ago. The lake house trip is a couple days out, and she’s been busy trying to get all her ducks in a row. At work, the current project is coming to an end and Magdalene will be sad to see it go – it’s the first thing she’s been on from start to finish. She’s got a neighbour coming to spend time with Caligula while she’s away so he doesn’t get too upset. Though the days are passing by in a haze as she tries to get ready, Magdalene is excited to get away for a little bit. It’s been a few years since she’s left Denver for more than a night, electing to skip on Bette’s previous vacation invites, and it will be nice to slow down. Life is moving at a comfortable pace, but having some time to pause and breathe will keep Magdalene from feeling too overwhelmed.

Halfway through her last day of work, Magdalene gets a text from Ryan that makes her nearly double over in laughter.

Julius Caesar walks into a bar and says to the bartender “I’ll have a Martinus please!” The bartender replies “Don’t you mean a Martini?” Caesar shakes his head and says “If I wanted double I would have said so.”

It takes her a minute to catch her breath, which piques June’s curiosity. Magdalene recites the joke and her boss rolls her eyes and shakes her head, but does let out a chuckle.

June didn’t think it was funny, but I did. Thank you for making today infinitely better. You riding with us tomorrow?

Magdalene tucks her phone back into her purse, determined to remain focused for the last few hours, and misses the reply telling her that Ryan won’t be riding with Bette, Tyson, and herself, but rather with Cale and his girlfriend to leave enough space for all the gear getting brought. She doesn’t see it until she’s walking across the parking lot to her car and it fills her with a sadness that doesn’t make much sense. He’ll be there for the entire week, so does it matter that he’ll be in a different car for the four hour drive? Magdalene has a sinking suspicion about why she’s upset, but she pushes it down. There’s no space in your life for a relationship right now, she reminds herself as she unlocks the door to her apartment. Caligula is waiting patiently at the door and distracts her thoughts from the handsome man with the kind smile that’s been all she can think about recently.

The cat is incredibly perceptive and knows the regular routine is going to change, making him particularly clingy. He follows Magdalene as she finishes packing, meowing and begging for pets, and she considers bailing on her friends. Caligula has mild separation anxiety and Magdalene doesn’t go away often partly because of it – though another reason is her homebody nature. Only the thought of seeing Ryan keeps her from hanging all her clothes back up.

“Don’t worry little boots,” she coos, “I won’t be gone long. Maria is going to check on you while I’m away, and I’ll be home before you know it.”

It seems ridiculous to speak to her pet as though it’s a child, but Magdalene knows Caligula comprehends what she’s saying. He’s always been smart, and the two of them share a bond that’s hard to explain. She picks him up, puts him in the pocket of her hoodie, and they spend the rest of the night packing and dancing along to the radio.

☼☼☼☼

Bette forgot to mention that the road to the lake house is winding, and Magdalene spends the entire ride with her head between her knees. Motion sickness is something that unfortunately plagues her during journeys longer than a couple of hours and she wishes she would have thought to take anti-nausea medication before leaving the house. Tyson tries to crack a joke about her being a bad passenger, but his girlfriend swats his arm and passes her friend a water bottle with a concerned smile. The two of them speak in hushed tones, almost certainly for Magdalene's benefit, and she does her best not to throw up on the floor of Tyson’s car. After what feels like two decades the vehicle rolls to a stop at the end of a gravel path.

“Mags, we’re here,” Bette says softly, praying that her friend will begin to feel better after stretching her legs and feeling firm ground underneath her.

There’s an unintelligible groan from Magdalene, but she rises out of the car and stumbles into the house. Tyson and Bette insist that she rest and they’ll handle the unloading of the car, so she crawls into one of the empty beds and falls asleep as soon as her head touches the pillow. It’s a dreamless slumber, one fuelled by the pure exhaustion of battling illness while travelling, and when she awakes hours later Magdalene feels oddly refreshed. Her energy level is still relatively low, but she knows that intaking food won’t be an issue.

Padding down the stairs as quiet as possible in an effort to not break the peaceful atmosphere, Magdalene is met with a quiet house. She’s utterly confused – she didn’t sleep long enough to miss dinner and judging by the way the sun is low in the final car full of people should be arriving any minute. For a moment she thinks the group left her in the mountains alone, but then the sound of a trunk closing breaks the silence.

“I fucking told you bro, you should have let me drive!”

Ryan’s voice echoes in Magdalene's ears and her heart skips a beat. She didn’t realize how much she had missed him or how excited she is to see him. Despite everything inside of her saying she should run into his arms Magdalene stays put in the kitchen, running the tap to get a glass of water. She focuses on the mountain on the other end of the lake, framing the setting sun and creating a postcard ready photo. The camera app on her phone is open and angles for the best shot are found. Ryan tumbles through the door a second later, arms filled to the brim with luggage and bags of food.

He drops them the second he sees her, running up behind her and lifting her off the ground. “Mags! Cale almost hit a deer!”

The shock of Ryan’s onslaught of affection catches her off guard, and Magdalene shakes her hand, forcing the picture to turn out as nothing but a blur.

“No hello?” She laughs as Ryan lets her feet touch down on the wooden floor. “It’s the least you could give me after destroying my chance of getting a National Geographic worthy picture.”

He smiles but doesn’t let his hands drop from their perch on her waist. “There’s six more days for you to nail it. I’ll even help if you ask.”

Other bodies enter the house then, causing Magdalene to slink away from Ryan’s touch even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. They’re simply friends, and she doesn’t want Bette to get any ideas. The last thing Magdalene needs on her plate right now is her best friend forcing her to paint a custom denim jacket with Ryan’s number across the back. “I can’t believe you almost hit a deer,” Tyson sighs in disbelief.

“It wasn’t even close,” Cale grumbles, picking up his bags and stomping off to find a place to claim as his own the next couple of days. A petite redhead follows after him, giving a small wave to those in the kitchen before scurrying away. When she asks, Ryan tells Magdalene the girl’s name is Livy, and that she’s Cale’s girlfriend from back home.

Everyone shrugs at his moodiness and disperses. Bette and Tyson stay in the kitchen to make dinner, Ryan goes to claim the final room, and Magdalene slips outside to sit on the patio furniture. The sun has dropped drastically in the past five minutes, causing the air to chill. She wraps her arms tighter around her legs and watches a pair of birds fly over the lake below. It’s so peaceful, a complete one-eighty from the insanity of her life in Denver, and Magdalene thinks about never leaving. She knows it’s impossible, but as she closes her eyes and listens to the quiet laughter of her friends inside the idea seems like a pretty good one.

The sliding door creaks open and Ryan goes through as quietly as possible. He tosses a sweater in Magdalene’s direction as he walks over, plopping down beside her on the small couch.

“Thanks,” she mumbles, slipping the fabric over her head. “I didn’t realize how cold it had actually gotten.”

He smiles in response and shuffles his body a little closer to create extra warmth. Magdalene leans into him, trying to appear casual even though her heart is beating rapidly, and pulls on the strings of the sweater Ryan gave her.

“So, are you excited for this week?”

It’s more awkward than she thought it would be – seeing him in person again, especially since they’ve been texting almost constantly, and the words kind of stick in her throat.

“Honestly? Now that I’m here I am, but I was a little leery about taking time off,” Ryan explains, detailing how he’s trying to improve some aspects of his two-way play and is worried his progress will plateau. Magdalene understands and shares her own worries about taking time off work even if her boss encouraged it.

After catching up quickly and running out of things to say, the pair of them sit in silence watching the sun set until they’re called inside for dinner. It’s nice to just exist, especially with Ryan beside her, and Magdalene feels her heart sink as they separate and he goes to make sure Cale isn’t actually mad at him.

☼☼☼☼

It storms the first two days at the lake house, forcing everyone to stay inside. Tyson complains about how he has less time to drive the boat that came with the property but the others take it in stride. Magdalene spends most of the time reading for pleasure, something she hasn’t been able to do much of the past few years, and Ryan joins her for large chunks of the time. It turns out that he too is an avid reader, and the two of them discuss their favourite novels and series while the other four play board games.

“So you’re telling me you wish Annabeth would have joined the Hunters of Artemis?” Magdalene shrieks in shock, almost knocking the wine out of her glass as her arms flail in disbelief.

“I think it made sense for her to,” Ryan defends.

“But she’s perfect for Percy!”

He sticks to his guns. “I’m not saying she isn’t. I just think that at the time the offer was presented it was the most logical choice. You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about what would have happened if she did.”

She ducks her head in defeat because she had imagined it, on many occasions in fact. When reading the series for the first time in middle school Magdalene had desperately hoped Annabeth would choose the Hunters over Camp Half-Blood, gaining the family she herself never was privy to. They return to reading quietly beside each other, occasionally knocking elbows when trying to turn a page.

Tuesday brings sunshine and clear skies, which means Tyson is trying to corral everyone into the boat as soon as they’re up. Magdalene tries her hardest to get out of it but her pleas fall on deaf ears.

“You’ll be fine, stop being such a wimp,” Cale jests. She knows that he’s just anxious to soak up some sun, but the words hurt more than Magdalene would have liked them to.

Livy swats her boyfriend across the chest. “Enough! If she doesn’t want to come she doesn’t have to.” The smaller girl sends her a kind smile before speaking low enough that only Magdalene can hear her. “I know your book is just getting good and you look like the kind of person who needs alone time to function properly. Enjoy yourself.”

Seemingly excused from the day’s festivities, Magdalene gives a sheepish wave before climbing the small hill to the house. Ryan meets her halfway and is appalled when he hears of her plans.

“Nope, I don’t think so. You’re not leaving me alone to be the ultimate third wheel!”

He has her off the ground and over his shoulder in a millisecond, jogging lightly to catch up with the rest of the group. Magdalene’s laugh bounces off the tree lined shore, and she’s too busy having fun shrieking at Ryan to complain about being forced to spend all day on a boat away from her book. Tyson peels away from the dock before she can regret tagging along, and Bette tugs Magdalene to the bow.

The two girls chat quietly, giggling and sipping on the mimosas they made earlier. Magdalene isn’t a huge day drinker, but Bette makes sure there’s more orange juice than champagne to make her feel less guilty. Livy joins them a while later after becoming sick of the boys and their shenanigans. It’s nice to hang out with a group of girls that aren’t competing for the top spot in a class, Magdalene decides, and she revels in the stories they tell of going to hockey games and babysitting the children of players so they can catch a break. Twinges of jealousy creep up at the wonderful family dynamic the Avalanche seem to have, but she stomachs them. She reminds herself that other people deserve to have support systems and excuses herself from the conversation.

Magdalene slides into the free space beside Ryan, and without thinking he wraps an arm around her shoulder. It feels so natural that she wonders if it’s how he greets all his friends, but the looks of shock and Tyson and Cale’s faces say otherwise. After a bit more cruising they find a small bay to anchor in for a while. The sun had climbed to the middle of the sky and is unbearably warm, leaving everyone no choice but to jump into the water to cool off. Magdalene does her best to float peacefully a short distance away from the group but is somehow brought into a splashing war because the teams aren’t equal.

Eventually the constant barrage of water chills her to the bone, and Magdalene swims back to the boat. She watches from the sidelines and cheers for her old teammates with a towel wrapped snugly around her. Ryan breaks from the group too, insisting it isn’t fair to have teams on unequal strength. Once dry, he picks up the baseball cap he brought and places it delicately on Magdalene’s head.

“Your cheeks are starting to go pink and I don’t want you to burn,” he explains, passing her a bottle of sunscreen as well.

“Thanks Ry.”

They muse about the idyllic beauty of the scene in front of them until everyone rejoins them. For reasons unbeknownst to Magdalene Tyson is in a rush to get back to the house, which leads to him driving very fast and a little erratically. The contents of her stomach threaten to come up but she holds them down, tightening her grip on the leather seat. A wave crests and Tyson hits it head on, causing the boat to lurch and rock. Magdalene knows it’s going to happen before it does and leans over the side to save a mess from being created. All the alcohol and food she’d consumed throughout the day is no longer in her body, and heat creeps up the back of her neck. She’s embarrassed – what twenty-five year old gets sea sick?

“Are you okay?” Ryan asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice.

She tries to smile but it comes out more like a grimace. “I just, uh, get motion sick really easily.” Bette passes her a water bottle and she drinks it quickly, eager to get the taste out of her mouth.

Ryan lets Magdalene curl into his side the rest of the way home, and rubs comforting circles on her back to ease her discomfort, doing his best to ignore the stares from his friends.

☼☼☼☼

The trip comes to an end much more quickly than Magdalene would have liked. Tomorrow morning they’ll pack up and drive back to Denver, returning to their normal hectic schedules. Cale and Livy are heading back to Alberta for the rest of the summer, and Bette and Tyson will be going for a visit as well. She’s heard Ryan mention going home in passing, which most likely means he doesn’t have plans to stay. Magdalene will be all alone in Colorado, but she’s used to it. The only issue being friends with professional athletes is that they leave. She’s been dealing with the loss since Bette and Tyson got together years ago – having them around as her support system most of the year and then them disappearing for a couple of months.

Not wanting to think about how soon she’ll be alone, Magdalene heads outside and starts a campfire. It’s a skill she picked up as a kid and it has come in handy over the years. The newspaper crinkles under the flame from the lighter, and soon the kindling is burning well. Everyone else is still inside, cleaning up from dinner and preparing for one last night in paradise. She places a few blocks of wood in the fire pit once there’s a good enough flame and curls up in a chair, lost in thought about what comes next. There’s rustling from somewhere behind her but she pays it no mind, assuming it’s a small animal wandering through the forest.

“Can I offer you some company?” a voice says softly, waiting for a response. The movement wasn’t a raccoon but in fact Ryan, and Magdalene gestures at the chair beside her with a smile.

He passes her a glass of white wine, which she takes with an appreciative hum. They sit in silence for a moment, admiring the beauty of the setting sun. “I’m going to miss it,” Ryan sighs, leaning back in his chair and extending his legs.

She nods. “Me too. It’s so quiet up here. Denver gets too loud sometimes.”

“Tell me about it. I’m not just going to miss the lake though, it’s also lounging around and not having to worry about hockey. And you.”

The ending comes out rushed, and Magdalene isn’t sure she heard him correctly. “Me?”

Ryan looks at her like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Yes you. Why wouldn’t I? You’re funny, smart, and catch all of my West Wing references. There’s no one who gets me quite like you, even back home.”

It takes her by surprise. They’ve only known each other for a few months, and only really started associating after the party at Bette and Tyson’s. There has to be somebody who knows him better than she does. When she voices her opinion Ryan just scoffs, saying that people treat him as one-dimensional because he plays hockey. Somehow the conversation shifts to Magdalene, and when she lets it slip she gets lonely in Denver without her friends, Ryan asks the question she’s been dreading.

“So why don’t you get a boyfriend?”

“I can’t just get a boyfriend because my friends are gone,” she laughs, but there’s an edge to it, like she’s unsure of where this will go and how to question the follow ups.

He rolls his eyes. “I know that, but like, I don’t know, wouldn’t it be nice to not be alone all the time?”

It would be, Magdalene thinks, but she just shrugs. “I guess I’m not looking for a relationship right now. I just finished school and for the first time in a long time I can focus on myself.” She leaves out the part where Ryan gives her butterflies and that if he asked she’d probably jump headfirst into a relationship with him.

The topic is dropped then because Tyson comes out of the house screaming about the night is going to be wild because it’s their last together for a while. Magdalene and Ryan share a look of mild panic, but both of them are itching to have fun with friends so they raise their glasses in salute before finishing them in one gulp.

Magdalene drinks more than she should and wakes in the morning with a killer hangover. It seems that no one else is better off though, all stumbling around looking for Advil and coffee like it’s going to be their last meal. Packing up takes a bit longer than expected, but they’re still out before the official checkout time. There’s a bit of discourse on who Magdalene will travel home with. Bette wants her in Tyson’s car, no doubt to talk about how close her and Ryan seem to be, but Cale offers to bring her with them. His reasoning is that Ryan is driving him and Livy directly to the airport, and having the front seat could be good for her motion sickness. It’s ultimately Magdalene’s choice and the idea of having more time with Ryan before he leaves is too enticing to pass up. She bids her other friends goodbye, promising to come over for dinner before they fly out, and climbs into the cab of Cale’s truck.

Once again she’s a less than ideal passenger, but this time it’s because she sleeps the entire way back to Denver. The drinking took it out of her and coupled with the queasiness in her stomach from the winding roads sleep is the only thing that makes sense. So much for extra time with Ryan she thinks as she wakes up in the airport parking lot.

“Sleeping beauty has risen!” Ryan chuckles, “Why don’t you get out and stretch your legs for a sec? We have the parking spot for another fifteen minutes.”

Magdalene does as suggested because truthfully her joints are a little stiff, and finds Cale and Livy grabbing their bags from the back. She hugs them goodbye and wishes them safe travels, which Cale returns with a warning not to get into too much trouble before heading for the entrance. Once both of them are safely inside the confines of the airport, Ryan and Magdalene get back in the vehicle and finish the last leg of the trip.

She directs Ryan to her apartment complex, and he mentions that he’s never been in this area of the city. “That’s because you have no need to be around a bunch of university kids,” she laughs. Once they pull into the parking lot, he offers to help her take up her bag. It’s only a small suitcase Magdalene could definitely handle herself, but she wants him to come up, to prolong her time with him.

Magdalene’s keys jingle in the lock as the door opens. Ryan follows her in and shuts the door carefully, not wanting to disrupt the aura of peace that permeates the space. From what he can tell, the average size apartment is the perfect reflection of Magdalene – packed full of books and plants and feels very put together despite the owner being only twenty-five. After their shoes find a home on the boot rack and the coats they brought for the drive home are hung in the closet she leads Ryan into the living room. There’s a soft purring by his feet, and Ryan looks down to see an animal. He never pegged Magdalene as someone to keep pets.

“Who’s this?” he asks, bending down to pet the small white cat.

“That’s Caligula.”

A puzzled look graces Ryan’s features. “Who?”

“Caligula,” Madalene giggles. “You can call him little boots if you’d like. He’ll respond.” She picks up the animal when it comes to her and scratches gently behind its ear.

“Why would you name your cat something dumb like Caligula, and why does it respond to little boots?”

It’s then the woman realizes that not everyone understands the reference. “Caligula was the third emperor of Rome,” she explains, “But his real name was Gaius. He gained the nickname Caligula as a child and it just stuck. It translates to little boots in Latin.”

Ryan is in awe of Magdalene for what feels like the millionth time. Of course someone as smart as her would have a crazy name for a pet and have the knowledge to back it up. He feels his chest tighten with affection but he wills it away. She isn’t looking for anything right now, he reminds himself. Magdalene’s self-professed inability to reciprocate his feelings is frustrating, but Ryan knows he’d wait forever for her.

☼☼☼☼

additional notes: catch some extra content here!

taglist: @scrunchmakar @marcoscandellas @toplinetommy @ricohenrique @lovethepreds @cutiesara23 @hockeyallthetime @stlbluesbrat21 (add yourself to the taglist!)

[sashi-ya]

{+18} – Cherry Blossom & Tangerines – Trafalgar Law x Y/n – Part 2

Modern AU. Living in Seoul, Sk. Trip to Jeju Do (Island). Everybody is alive. No spoilers. Female reader. No physical descriptions. Everybody is +18, canon ages. Chopper is human.

Tw: anxiety, fear of flying. No further tw warnings. Mostly SFW. Nami x Vivi & and some ZoSan.

A/N: The AU is inspired on Jeju Island, SK. I've made some research on cute places from there, such as touristic attractions and coffee shops. Even though, it may not be 100% accurate, so keep in mind is mostly inspired♥

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31059467

Word Count: 4K

» List of parts: {P1} {P2} {P3} {P4} {P5} {P6}«

Chapter 2. “Law?!...” I said surprised. “Y/n-ya?...” he asked, also surprised, but before I could say anything else, Luffy came running through the aisle and hugged Law, and I came to the conclusion that he was, indeed, Zoro and Luffy’s friend.

I moved my stuff out of the way, and after he got rid of Luffy, Law helped me to put my backpack on the overhead locker and then sat next to me.

I remained silent for a little bit, waiting perhaps for him to talk, but he didn’t. The flight attendant announced the takeoff was about to happen, so we fasten our seatbelts as the plane started moving. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, and I could see how he seemed a little bit nervous. I thought it was my imagination, but when the plane gathered a little more speed through the runway, he began to breathe faster.

I couldn’t keep my mouth shut and I had to ask, “Law, are you ok? Are you feeling bad?”. He directed his gaze at me with blushing cheeks, and after a few seconds, he said “Y-Yes. I just tend to get a little nervous during the take off, but I’m… ok”. Poor thing, he was trying to cover his heavy breathing… “Don’t worry, it's completely normal, would you like me to hold your hand? You can squeeze it as much as you can”, I said kindly, keeping my cool just for him to see how it wasn’t a big deal, and nothing to get embarrassed of. I placed my hand, palm up, over the armrest that separated our seats and waited for him to hold it. He doubted a little bit, but he finally did it, first softly, still ashamed, but then firmly. “Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon, try to focus on your breathing”, I guided him, with a calm speech, and looking directly into his deep grey eyes, smiling kindly. He slowly calmed his respiratory frequency, and a few minutes after the plane was already flying at cruise level, he sweetly let go of my hand. Our palms were a little sweaty, but I couldn’t care less.

“T-Th- Thanks…” He said, looking at the floor. “Don’t worry, you saved me three times the other day, now I owe you only two” I said, winking an eye at him. Law smiled a little, but kept looking at the floor. I was about to point out the fact that he was Zoro’s friend when Nami peaked through our seat backs saying “Oi Torao, you finally decided to come with us!! You normally don’t go anywhere, I’m glad you separated from your books for good!... Oh, and you two must know each other, right Y/n?” she said pointing at us, “Both of you study at the same U and are becoming doctors soon”. Vivi who was next to Nami began to giggle covering his mouth. Suddenly I realized that both of my friends already knew who Law was, and began to suspect that for some reason they wanted to perhaps pair us up.

“I know him from other circumstances”, I said smirking at them, but with an underhand expression of “I’m gonna kill both of you for not telling me”. Law smiled at them, but didn’t say much, and the girls returned to their seats.

“So, your surname must be Trafalgar, right? I thought you were a Donquixote…”, I asked him. “Yeah, is a long story…”, he said with no emotion at all, and I realized it wasn’t a good topic, so I changed the curse of the conversation. “Oh, you were the one who was complemented by Dr. Marco? You are amazing, doc!”.

“Uhum, but I’m not that good. Dr. Phoenix is just an amazing teacher”, he replied. “Indeed, he is”, I said. The small talk came to an end when the flight attendant offered us something to drink. I opted for a glass of plain water, and so did Law. He then grabbed a manga from his little bag, and began to read. “Maybe he doesn’t wanna talk to me…” I thought, put my air pods on and turned on the music. Some minutes after I regretted not having any sleep last night, as my eyes were trying to close...

The voice of the captain announced over the speakers that we will be arriving on Jeju Island in a few minutes. I was being lazy to open my eyes, as I felt extremely comfy sleeping in that position… until I realized I had my head - and almost the right side of my body - over Law’s shoulder. “Oh my… I’m sorry!” I said gaining composure and sitting properly on my spot. Law gave me a smile with kind eyes, and said “Don’t worry, I was asleep too, I used your head as a pillow, I didn’t want to wake you up, though”. Behind us a few laughs from the girls were heard, and I asked, confused, “You… what?. But the landing was already happening and the cabin crew asked us to prepare, so I decided to shut my mouth. I gazed at Law to see if he needed any help with the landing, but he didn’t seem as scared as he was with the taking off.

We all descended the plane, waited for our luggage and headed to the car rental picking point. I’ve booked three cars, so we distributed perfectly on each one. Franky picked the blue Hyundai Venue. Usopp, Chopper and Brook went with him. Law chose a yellow Hyundai Sonata, of course he would, he looks so cool… Zoro, Sanji, and of course Luffy followed him. I chose the white Tucson, for me and the girls.

We left the airport and drove through the streets of Jeju, admiring the beauty of the cherry blossom trees and the yellow flowers on the side of the road. Law’s car was behind us, and sometimes I spied through the rear mirror, just to see his face fully concentrated on the road.

I asked Nami to put the GPS for me, because our Airbnb was a little bit remote from the center and I was afraid of getting lost. The girls and I sang the whole drive to the songs the radio was playing.

We finally reached the house. It was just as the photos, a white two-story house, big enough for all of us. The beach was next to our patio, the typical style of grey rocks of Jeju Do garnished the entrance and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore with a few seagulls squawking made the whole atmosphere unique.

I gave the entrance code to Robin and she opened the door. Luffy entered first running excited and went directly to the garden to see the beach. We followed him, pretty excited too. Inside, the house had a minimalistic style, everything was white and the floor and furniture was made of light wood.

There were four rooms, so the guys distributed in two of them, Robin and I went to another and we let Nami and Vivi have a room for them. We took turns to use the shower and got ready to explore the island right away.

Sanji suggested that we should go first to Dongmun traditional market to buy fresh ingredients for him to cook for us. He became a professional chef a few years ago and works with his father Zeff, on his well-known restaurant, “The Baratie”. His cooking skills are heavenly, and he loves to cook for us, so we agreed immediately.

We arrived after a 10 minute drive, the market was extremely busy, the food stalls offered a variety of typical korean dishes, kimbap, tteokbokki, tteokgalbi and fresh and canned ingredients, such as typical fishes from the island and the famous kimchi.

Luffy, as always, drove by the smell of the delicious food, ran desperately inside and tasted every single sample the sellers offered to him. Nami, Vivi and I, decided to try the famed tangerines of the island. Nami, who is an expert on tangerines, would give us the final verdict on if they are good as people say. The juicy mandarin slices we tried were exquisite, the sweetness mixed with a little bit of tartness made us want to buy bags of them.

I saw Law approaching us, he had separated from Zoro’s group who were trying the variety of Sojus. I called him with a big smile and some tangerine slices on my hands, “Law!! Come here, you should try this!”. He came closer also with a little grin. I stood on tiptoes and said, “Open your mouth!” and without any shame I offered him a big juicy slice of mandarin. He opened his mouth surprised, but accepted the fruit and while taking it, his lips softly touched the point of my fingers. It felt almost as if he was kissing them, or for a moment I wished it was the case… A little drop of juice ran from his mouth through the commissure of his lips, so I immediately rubbed my thumb over it to clean it. He fixed his eyes on mine, and for a few seconds it seemed as if the rest of the world stopped existing around us. He swallowed up the fruit and thanked me still without taking his gaze off me. The moment broke when the old lady at the tangerine selling stall asked us if we wanted a box or a bag for the fruits. I turned to her, and saw Nami and Vivi looking at the lady wanting her to shut her mouth. My cheeks thanked the interruption, though, because they couldn’t get any more flushed.

“A box would be great, thanks!” I told the seller. Law carried the box himself, and we reunited with the rest of the group.

Sanji had already gathered everything he needed, Zoro had bought his alcohol provision for the next few days, Luffy had his face completely stuffed with some meat, Franky had a cola on his hands, Brook a milkshake, Robin a bag of tangerine tea, Chopper of course some candy cotton on both of his hands and Usopp was eating some type of ramyon. We left the market and headed to our temporary house to leave the provisions and decide the plans for the afternoon and night.

“I want to go to Bomnal Cafe, I heard they serve delicious pastries! Can we go there?” suggested Chopper. “We can go there for the afternoon, and then have a picnic with a bonfire at the beach for the night. What do you think, guys?”, I proposed. “BONFIRE! BONFIRE! Sanji, you could also make some barbecue!!” screamed Luffy, excited, and everyone agreed that it would be a great idea.

Some of us headed to the coffee shop, while Sanji, Zoro, Law, Usopp and Franky stayed at home to prepare everything for the night.

The little coffee shop had a minimalistic, all white and grey, and maybe a little vintage atmosphere. We ordered a few pastries, puddings and lattes that tasted exquisite. We sat by a big window that let us admire the beauty of a little garden with cherry trees and a little pond with some fishies swimming peacefully. We were making stories for Instagram, taking photos, having fun. “Oi, Y/n, pose for me!” said Nami and took a photo of me with her iPhone. I didn’t have time to pose properly, so it was a pretty casual photo of me drinking a matcha latte. Brook insisted on me posting it, because he said it was cute. Chopper and the girls agreed with him, so I uploaded it to my Instagram.

Suddenly, a new notification popped up on my screen, “@DrHeartSteeler liked and commented on your photo”. “Hey guys, do you know who is @DrHeart…” I was asking them while opening the notification and realized it was no other than Law. “@DrHeartSteeler > Beautiful… place. Can you bring me one of those when you come back home?”. I hadn’t had the chance to say anything else when my friends began to make a fuss about the comment. “WHEN YOU COME BACK HOME?, Torao what the fuck?” said Nami laughing out loud. Chopper who was a little innocent, started asking why everyone was laughing, and it only fanned up the flames that were blushing my cheeks. “Yohoho… I guess you have to bring him “home” a matcha latte, Y/n, he probably misses you already…” mocked me Brook. Robin, who is the most mature of all of us, simply laughed and looked at me with kind eyes.

“Stop it guys, he is just asking for a latte…” I said, fanning my face with my hand. “Oh, yes, of course. He wasn’t even following your account. Before we left home, he asked Vivi for your user, right babe?…” said Nami and Vivi nodded with her mouth full of chocolate cake. I didn’t want to show the excitement I was feeling on my insides, so I simply replied that he probably wanted to follow me because he was already following everybody in the group. We decided to come back before the sun set, so we could see it on the beach and after buying Law his tea, and some pastries for the guys we left the pretty tea room and drove home.

“Guys, we are home! we brought you some pastries!!” I said, while carrying the papers bags, and Law’s latte on the other hand. Everyone came running to me and grabbed the bags, while Law, who was sitting on the couch reading, looked at me above his manga, as if he was waiting for me to say something. I tried to act cool, so I said “And oh, uhm, Law your matcha Latte. I hope it’s the right size for you”. He smiled at me, left the book on the armchair and stood up. He walked towards me slowly, I didn’t know if he was trying to be sexy or it was just how he was… Because he certainly was, only using black with yellow spots, swim shorts and a yellow open shirt, that let me admire his tattooed chest and abs.

“Thanks, Y/n-ya. When I saw your picture, I craved for…” he made a little pause, and continued while grabbing the plastic cup, “some matcha latte”. Well, now I crave... you… I thought. I gave him a look from head to toe, and said smirking “It’s nothing, now I only owe you only one favor, so, you tell me if you need something more”. “Mh... I’ll keep it in mind”, he said with his low sexy voice and a little side smirk. I smiled at him and went upstairs.

I threw myself on the bed and sighed loudly. My heart was racing, my lower parts were feeling funny and the sexual tension I’ve just experienced was too much to handle for me. “How hot he is, damn it”, I expressed out loud covering my eyes. “Who is hot, Y/n?” asked Zoro, who apparently was entering my bedroom to ask me something. I almost had a heart attack, but calmed myself down and asked him what he needed. He told me that we were getting ready to go to the beach to prepare the picnic and watch the sunset and if I could bring some blankets. I told him ok and he left my room laughing.

“I came here to rest, and I’m getting more stressed than during finals”, I thought, annoyed, while gathering for a few blankets and pillows to bring to the beach. I headed downstairs. Everybody has already left the house and I could see them walking towards the beach from our patio. I was about to leave and closed the door trying not to throw the blankets I had in my hand, when someone scared the hell out of me. “Oi, you almost let me locked in..., let me help you with that”, said Law who was still inside. “God… Law, you scared me… what are you doing? I thought I was alone…”. “Sanji forgot the salt shaker, I returned to bring it to him”, he calmly answered. “Oh, I see… Well let’s go” I said, still breathing fast from getting scared, and handed him a few blankets to help me carry them.

The chilly sea breeze kissed our cheeks, and the sound of the beach began to fill my ears. I was wearing a long silky dress that danced with the wind, as well as my hair. The sun was going down, everything was golden. Oranges, violets, reds, were the colours that tinted the clouds above the sea. Law was walking right by my side, and both were admiring the beauty of the evening lights that bathed the cliffs. I decided to stop, and take a picture with my analog camera, and as I did, Law kept walking a few steps more until he realized I had stopped. He turned around and looked at me, just when I pressed the shutter. “I’m sorry, I… didn’t know…” Law excused himself for appearing in the photo, but I wasn’t mad at all. I gave him a smile and told him, “It’s ok, you are part of the trip, I’ll give you a copy when I develop the film if you want”. “Thanks…”, he said, and we kept on walking admiring the beauty of the sun setting.

We finally arrived at where everybody else was. Law gave the salt to Sanji and helped him with the barbecue. I started to set up the blankets with the girls and told Brook to play some music with his guitar. The boys had already put up the bonfire and some torchlights that lit up our night.

The night was lovely, it was a little cold, but a few beers after I was dancing with the girls barefoot on the sand to “A lovely night” from the movie Lalaland. Suddenly, Robin said to me “Hey, Y/n… it seems that Torao-kun can’t take his eyes off from you tonight”. “Huh?” I told Robin, confused. She pointed to where the boys were cooking and I turned my face to them. Law was indeed looking at me, with a beer in his hand. I smiled gazing at him over my shoulder, and he did too. I turned back at the girls and kept on dancing covering my mouth, giggling a little. Vivi, Nami and Robin also giggled and gave me a complicit smile.

“Dinner is ready, everybody! “announced Sanji and we gathered all around the grill to receive the plates that surprisingly Zoro helped Sanji to serve. I guess alcohol and food made them somehow get along, at least for a few hours. I wonder when they are going to stop the fighting and begin the kissing… fufufu…

The brochettes were heavenly, we ate them sitting around the bonfire while singing “Binks no Sake”, one of Brooks classics. He is the musician of the group, and even started his professional career a few years ago as “Soul King”. He is such a talented guy.

As the night passed Law and I sometimes interlocked eyes, or exchanged little smiles. I took some more photos during the picnic and we kept on dancing until 3 am, when we decided to raise camps and head to our beds.

I was exhausted, yet, the idea of stalking Law on Instagram was on my head and didn’t let me sleep. I covered myself completely with the sheets and searched for his user on my phone. He has no more than 5 photos posted. One of them was with Luffy and Zoro, after training, another one of him and Rosinante -he called him “Cora-san” on the image caption, how cute - when he was a little boy. The rest of the photos were with some friends dressed up as pirates for Halloween and in the comment section they called themselves the “Heart pirates”, ha-ha funny.

I suspired whenever I zoomed the photos over his eyes. I was starting to like this man, way too much... I tossed and turned in bed trying to fall asleep, but I simply couldn’t, so I thought drinking some tea would help me. I went downstairs, trying not to wake anybody up and got to the kitchen. From the big glass door that looked at the beach I saw how the moonlight lit up the waves crashing on the cliffs and the whole kitchen. The scenery and the chamomile tea were slowly fading away the image of Law’s eyes, until I felt someone placing a hand over my shoulder. I slightly gazed at it, and it only took me a few seconds to know it was the tattooed hand of the guy who was keeping me awake. He was wearing black shorts, and a loose white shirt. His hair was more disheveled than ever. What is it with this guy that looks so good no matter what he looks?...

“I see I’m not the only one who can’t sleep”, Law whispered. “Yeah, I’m exhausted but somehow I can’t fall asleep… I guess it must be the bed, I don’t know. Do you want some tea?”, I offered him. “Yes, that would be great”, he accepted.

I was turning on the electric kettle when we heard some noises coming from the living room. I looked at Law and both of us peaked through the kitchen entrance to see what was going on…

“Shitty cook… we shouldn’t….”, “What? are you afraid, idiot Marimo?”. Sanji and Zoro seemed a little drunk and were somehow hugging and walking at the same time. At first I thought they were trying to help each other to go upstairs, so I started walking towards them to help. I couldn’t walk any further because immediately Law grabbed me by my waist, and pulled me back into the kitchen covering my mouth. “Shh… just wait”, he whispered into my ear and let go of me. What I saw next was something we’ve all been waiting for. Finally, Zoro and Sanji accepted how much they loved each other, and went upstairs kissing as two teenagers in love.

I opened my mouth and looked at Law with a surprised expression, that soon turned into a happy face. I started making little jumps in my place. “I knew it!!” I said and Law giggled almost without making any sound. With the excitement I didn’t notice how near we were from each other, until Law softly caressed my face with one of his soft hands. He, of course had the hands of a surgeon, long fingers, soft skin, perfectly cut nails. “Why don’t we do the same as them?” he asked me, and I gasped and stood still in front of him. He slowly approached his face to mine until the point of our noses were almost touching. I got lost into his grey eyes, my mouth was ready to receive his lips. The sweet torture of the moments before a first kiss, I wished I could make it last as much as I could, but at the same time, I wanted him to kiss me, passionately, now, right now.

My eyes probably showed how desperately I was for him to kiss me, that he smirked and finally planted his luscious lips against mine. He explored my mouth with his tongue, with no modesty at all, and as we were passionately kissing he lifted me up and sited me over the kitchen counter.

Without stopping the kissing, I open my legs to allow him to come further and as he did, he slid a hand to my sex…

Part 3

PT1

[teawaffles]

It Happened One Night: Chapter 2

The country house Mycroft had introduced them to was a little smaller than the nobles’ mansions they’d been to thus far, but it was an elegant villa, one which exuded a sense of history.

Its exterior was built in the Gothic style, with stone foundations. Planted in the vast gardens was a sea of flora in exquisite colour schemes, delighting the eye of any onlooker. [1]

Of course, the interior didn’t disappoint either: it was richly decorated, with intricately crafted furniture in every room; and hanging from the walls were portraits of the mansion’s owners, as well as landscapes painted by renowned artists. As Sherlock and company were here as guests, they were restricted in the number of rooms allowed for use, but the sheer number of luxury items that greeted them was still far greater than what any ordinary person could ever hope to obtain.

Their lives had literally been turned around.

Turned around…… and yet.

“——Booored……”

In the room he had picked himself, Sherlock looked out the window, gazing at the tranquil garden flooded with gentle sunlight.

It had been three days since they’d moved in, and Sherlock had already grown weary of this lavish lifestyle.

He only took care of the plants in the garden insomuch that they wouldn’t wither, but otherwise he had no interest in the flowers themselves. Moreover, he had already tired of gazing upon the decorations and furniture and paintings in the house. The underground wine cellar aroused some interest, but as an invited guest, helping himself to the liquor as he pleased was evidently a breach of etiquette.

In the end, there wasn’t much to do in this mansion.

As John had suggested, requests from clients were reaching him by mail in the meantime, but they had all been simple cases, solvable just by reading the letters. Couldn’t one difficult case come in sometime? Sherlock sighed heavily as he wrote down the solutions in his replies.

His boredom was plain as day. John, who was seated across him, spoke up in a soft voice.

“Sherlock. We just got tangled up in a big incident a while back, so isn’t it a good thing to take a break for once?”

“Y’know, John, just one day of rest is enough for me. If I don’t get the right level of stimulation, my brain will get all mouldy.”

“What an absurd……”

Just then, the door opened.

“Sherlock, John-kun, I’ve made some tea.”

Miss Hudson walked in bearing a silver tray. On top of it were some nicely baked biscuits, and black tea in teacups with simple designs. As they’d been given permission to use the kitchens, she had been devoting her spare time to baking.

“Thank you, Miss Hudson.”

“Thanks—”

The two of them each took a biscuit from the tray on the table, and munched on it.

“How is it? I’m quite proud of them myself,” she asked.

John nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s very delicious. Right, Sherlock?”

“Oh, it’s good, yeah,” he replied, deadpan.

Miss Hudson shook her head sadly.

“……Well now. If you’re this bored, why don’t you head down to one of the nearby villages? Seeing as there’s such fine weather too.”

Sherlock sent his gaze out the window yet again.

“That’s true……. And if an interesting case pops up, it would be just my luck.”

“Don’t say something so troubling — we’ve worked hard for this peace and quiet.”

John was familiar with Sherlock’s character, but this level of addiction to his work was nothing short of astounding. Miss Hudson, clearly worried by the detective’s words, placed a hand on John’s shoulder.

“John-kun, with Sherlock in this state, I’m worried he’ll get up to no good. Just in case, could you tag along with him?”

“Certainly; leave it to me. It’ll also be a perfect opportunity to get some exercise.”

“What’re you both taking me for……?” Sherlock grumbled — he’d been half-joking, and was surprised to find his words being taken seriously.

Then, with Miss Hudson taking care of the house, the two men set off.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

The Cotswolds was a region 200 kilometres west of London, renowned for its rustic charm, with its rolling hills carpeted in verdant grass.

From where they were, they could see flocks of white sheep and tiny villages dotting the vast green landscape. The village buildings were constructed from limestone: in the northeast of the Cotswolds, it was the colour of honey; in the central region, it was golden-yellow; in the southwest, it turned white instead.

Walking along a path which cut through some pastures, Sherlock and John arrived at the village nearest to the mansion.

A small stream meandered through the village, and built along it was a series of stone houses. It looked right out of a picture book.

Their hearts healed by the idyllic scene before them, the two men headed to the centre of the village, in a bid to find some boredom-busting information. There, they found a two-storey inn. When he noticed that a section of the first floor had been converted into a pub, Sherlock broke into a grin.

“Oi, John. Let’s have a pint to pass the time.”

John shot him a dubious look.

“Sherlock. Drinking during the day isn’t something I approve of.”

“It’ll be fine. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a vacation anyway — why not let loose for a bit?”

“And who was it who said he’d had enough of resting just now……?”

This was a fine example of what it meant to do an about-turn.

But it wasn’t the first time Sherlock had done something on a whim. John reluctantly followed him into the inn.

As expected for a country pub in the daytime, there were only a handful of customers seated quietly inside — it was nothing like the bustle of the city. At the counter was a tall man, who looked like he was running the business alone.

The two men sat at the bar. Sherlock ordered beer, while John chose some light snacks. As their orders were served up, Sherlock took a swig, then directed a question to the owner.

“Hey. Isn’t there anything interesting going on around here?”

At this vague question, the pub owner rubbed his chin.

“Anything interesting, huh. Well there is, but it’s a family matter. Are you two tourists?”

John spoke up. “No, it’s complicated…… For various reasons, we’re staying in the residence of a nearby landowner for the time being.”

“Hmm, so you’re a close friend of this noble?”

“That’s not it either…… This man here is the detective Sherlock Holmes, and I’m his assistant.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of you. So you’re that Holmes. Must’ve been tough comin’ all the way out here.”

It seemed he had little interest in celebrities: hearing Sherlock’s name didn’t stir up much of a reaction.

Sherlock stared into his beer glass.

“By the way, you said something just now about a ‘family matter’?”

It seemed he had remembered what the owner said earlier, about there being something interesting. Then, the owner’s voice turned slightly cheery.

“Actually, my daughter’s in London now, and she’s getting married. She’s bringing her fiancé here the evening after tomorrow. I’ve met him just once before, but he’s a solid chap. I was kinda worried she’d get on with some weird fellow, so I’m relieved.”

“Congratulations — you must be proud.”

At John’s words, the owner rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Thanks. I’m also planning a wedding celebration that night, with some friends from the nearby villages.”

Sherlock hummed in reply. It wasn’t clear if he was interested or not.

“But the second floor is used as an inn, right? Wouldn’t the noise invite complaints?”

“Not to worry: there’s only one person staying upstairs now, and I’ve already gotten his agreement. Anyway, it’s pretty rare for outsiders to come to a small village like this. I still run the inn for formality’s sake, but most of my income comes from this pub.”

“But there is one person here.”

“Yeah, a guy who just arrived a while ago. It seems he’s an obscure painter; he said he wanted a quiet place to concentrate on his art and stimulate his creativity, so he’s rented a room for around ten days.”

That number startled John.

“That’s quite a long stay.”

“The rooms are all empty anyway, so I don’t mind at all. Also, instead of an atelier, well…… can you see it from here?”

The owner pointed at something beyond the window. A little ways from the inn, at the end of a patch of exposed, blackened earth, stood a small shed.

When the two men caught sight of the shed and nodded, the pub owner continued.

“It was originally a stable, but got remodelled into a storage shed. This guy said it was easy to concentrate there, so he moved lots of bulky luggage into the shed via carriage, and now he spends most of his day cooped up inside.”

“Something seems off. What happened to his original belongings?”

“There weren’t many to begin with, so now they’ve been moved to an empty room on the second floor. The others in the village don’t really like him, but he pays his bills on time, so I’ve nothing to say to that. And there weren’t many things in the shed in the first place, so he’s not causing me any trouble.”

Just as the owner finished speaking, the shed door opened, and they saw a man walk out alone.

Sherlock spoke up.

“Is, that the artist?”

“Yeah, his name is Rheos. I think he’s from around France.” [2]

Rheos was a pale, lanky young man dressed in awfully shabby clothes: he truly looked like an artist detached from reality. His shoulder-length hair hid most of his features, but his quick steps revealed the strength in his legs. He was carrying a large, dirty case under his arm.

“…………”

Sherlock stared with inscrutable eyes as he tried to figure out where Rheos was going, but quickly turned back to the barkeep.

“So, is he using this place as a base, and travelling around the area to paint landscapes?”

The owner shook his head.

“I thought so too at first, but apparently he practises by referencing works from famous artists.”

“Hmm, you said earlier that he always coops himself up in that shed. I thought he’d go out during the day if he’s painting scenery.”

“He’s an odd one, that’s for sure. But anyway, I’m the one who took him in, and he hasn’t caused any problems so far. I say it’s up to him where and how he wants to paint. ——By the way, Mr Detective—”

He leaned over to Sherlock a little.

“What is it?”

“From your detective work, I’m sure you’ve seen many strange cases, now haven’t you? If you’re willing, why not tell us about one or two at the dinner party?”

The owner broke into a wide grin, but on the contrary, Sherlock’s face twitched. To be honest, it was simply awkward to attend a complete stranger’s wedding party. Hence he decided to gently turn down the offer.

“……Umm, thank you for the invitation, but——”

“——Hmm? How about it? It’s my precious daughter’s wedding, y’know. I’ll do anything to make things even a little more exciting.”

However, contrary to his expectations, the pub owner seemed adamant that Sherlock regale the guests with stories from his detective work. The strength of his insistence had flustered Sherlock for a moment, but eventually, he clapped his partner’s shoulder beside him.

“In that case, John here can go. After all, he’s witnessed many of the strange things I’ve encountered up close.”

“Huh? What’re you saying, Sherlock!?”

Realising that he was being offered up instead, John panicked. As much as he wanted to congratulate the happy couple on their marriage, he didn’t want to be sent out to speak before a whole bunch of strangers.

“You’re always complaining about this and that — only now do you appreciate me? It’s not fair!”

“No need to be humble. I can personally guarantee your ability as a storyteller.”

“No, hold on just a——”

“——Oh, so you’ll be speaking in place of him, eh?”

Unfortunately for John, the owner had now set his sights on him.

“U-Uh, I……”

John put both hands before him in an effort to convey that he wouldn’t be joining the party, but in the face of the pub owner’s blinding smile, he realised all resistance would only be futile.

“Alright. I shall attend……”

“Thank you. As a further token of my thanks, have some slightly more expensive beer on the house.”

Now in a great mood, the owner took two bottles of beer from the shelves behind him.

Having been forced into speaking in public about their cases — a fine mess indeed — John was downright depressed. Sherlock patted him on the shoulder.

“Sorry. If I were to talk instead, it would just sound like I’m bragging. Do you want to get some practice in while you can?” suggested Sherlock, with a half-smile.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

John shot him a reproachful glare.

Footnotes:

[1] To give you a sense of how the house might look like, here are some examples of Victorian Gothic houses: The Guardian

[2] Rheos (pronounced ray-oh-s) is honestly my best guess at his name… (In the book it’s written as レオス). Rheos is also a real name!

[clouditae]

First Love | 17

Yoongi x reader | 18+ | college au | tattoo artist au | angst | fluff | smut | swearing 

Word: 2.9k

You first saw him in the multi-purpose room. Later learn his name, and on your third year, as he becomes your neighbor, you discover his lifestyle. Knowing your crush on him was nothing but that, you wanted to find the courage to look for love. Asking your friend for help, you’re pointed in the direction of the expert. Your neighbor, Min Yoongi

Chapter Index

“I still can’t believe this is our last year,” Ari says, heaving her final luggage out of her trunk. “Finally,” she mutters, closing the trunk and pulling out the handle from its secure place. She looks to you and grins. “Let’s unpack.” The two of you make your way towards the building where your new room awaits. 

You haven’t seen Ari since she finished her finals earlier than you. Helping her pack her belongings and putting it in her car, she left for the summer. Through calls and texts she told you she spent half her summer with her family and the other half with Hoseok. Now that you finally get to see her again, you immediately notice how short her hair is. Her hair was past her shoulders when she left just a few months ago, and now it’s barely touching her shoulders. Someone as beautiful as Ari can pull anything off it seems. 

As the two of you make your way towards the dorm building, you head up the same set of stairs that you’ve been taking since you moved into the dorms three years ago. This time, thankfully, Ari let you pick where to live, and you chose the second floor closer to the exit door where you can easily leave if you’re in a hurry. And you’re nowhere near Yoongi. He’s always stayed on the third floor, so you took that chance to pick the second floor and the side wing where you will never see him unless you’re forced to.

When you reach the second floor, Ari presses her ID to the scanner, hearing a click and pulls the door open for you. As you enter the building, a group of people are chatting at the far end of the hallway, several bags of what looks to be trash on the floor. Your guess is they finished packing. You wish you were them right now instead of going up and down the stairs. Sadly it’s not and as you pass the first five doors, you reach your room. 

Since you were last here, everyone had to use their key to get inside their dorm, but over the summer the dorms were updated and now you use your IDs to get inside your rooms. Pressing your ID to the scanner, you wait for the door to slowly unlock before you enter your messy room. Boxes and luggage everywhere. 

“Home sweet home,” Ari sighs, entering the room after you and heading for her bed to toss her suitcase along with the rest of the pile. Just like the last dorm, everything is basically the same. One bed next to the door, a desk at the end of the bed with another bed on the other side of the desk, and the second desk between said furniture and the sink. The only difference is while your bed was to your right in your old room, the bed is now to your left with the mirror closets and bathroom to the right. “I wonder what room Hoseok is in. Maybe the same as last semester?” Ari questions, beginning her long journey of unpacking. 

“He hasn’t told you yet?” you ask her, placing your items on your bed to start your unpacking. 

“Just like you, Hoseok never picks the room,” Ari laughs, creating a pile of her shirts and pants on the bed as she pulls out a light pink top, folding it neatly and puts it at the top of her stack. 

You hum in response, spending the rest of the time unpacking and helping Ari decorate the room a bit. By the time the two of you finished, Ari’s phone chimes, her music fading and screen lighting up for a brief second. You watch as she hangs the final strand of hanging lights to the hook on the wall before jumping off her bed and grabbing her phone off her desk. She reads the message. 

“Seems like Hoseok is done packing and wants to see our room,” she tells you, typing away on her phone. “I’ll have him meet me by the stairs on this floor.” She locks her screen and looks to you. “See you in a bit.” You follow her towards the door, watching her open it as the door across from yours opens as well. As the door opens fully you can see two figures exiting their room. One figure you wish to never see again, but the world won’t give you that. “Hoseok?” Ari says in complete shock. 

He looks up to lock eyes with his girlfriend. “Hey,” he laughs. “What a coincidence.” 

“Yeah. It’s really weird,” Ari chuckles, but you can feel the discomfort in her tone as she continues her talk with Hoseok. 

Their conversation dies out as your eyes stick to him like glue. You haven’t seen him in months, but you can see the little details on what’s changed with him. He has an undercut, his hair brushing along the tips of his ears and brows. His face looks more fuller and on his neck, just sticking out from under his black t-shirt is ink. He has a new tattoo–you wonder if it’s a part of his sleeve. Your eyes travel back up and you see that he’s staring at you. You’re the first to look away. 

“I’ll see you later,” he tells Hoseok, voice gruff as you hear his footsteps disappear. 

You’ve missed him. You hate the fact that you’ve missed him, but you do. So much that you constantly had to distract yourself over the summer because if you were alone with your thoughts for even one second, your thoughts would travel to him. From his dark eyes, down to the feeling of his hand when he touched you. You hate yourself. 

“So this is your room?” Hoseok asks, bringing you out of your thoughts. You look towards him, watching as he steps closer to Ari, wrapping his arms around her to hug her, but to mainly see inside your room. 

You chuckle, “Would you like to come in?”

He grins, glancing your way as he releases Ari and opens his arms for you to walk into. He wraps his arms around you as he hugs you tightly. “I’ve missed you, my second best friend.” 

Rubbing his back, you giggle, “Me too.” Releasing your grip from one another, you step aside for Hoseok to enter your room and for Ari to close the door behind the three of you. “How was your vacation?” 

“Amazing. Spent a lot of time with my love and my family. We went to Disneyland.” His focus is on the lights draped against the wall. “I should do this, but I don’t think Yoongi would like it,” he sighs, shaking his head. 

“You went to Disneyland? Was it fun?” you ask him as he takes a seat on Ari’s bed. 

“Hell yeah!” He snaps his fingers in realization. “That reminds me–I got you something while we were there.” Hopping off the bed, Hoseok jogs towards the door. “Be right back,” he calls, opening the door and exiting the room. 

“Are you okay?” Ari asks.

You look to her and smile the best you can. “What luck.” 

“I didn’t know they would be across from us,” she explains, looking at you with a worried look.

You shake your head. “I know,” you mumble and let out a sigh. “At least we won’t be hearing him when he’s alone with a girl,” you chuckle, but you only feel a sting in your chest. 

Why couldn’t you be far away from him? Why is he always right there but never within your reach?

A knock comes at the door. Ari walks over to it and opens the door to reveal Hoseok standing on the other side with a sheepish smile on his face. “I left my ID and my phone inside.”

You laugh loudly, remembering the first day you met him a year ago.

Ari and Hoseok left about an hour ago, the two deciding to go out for dinner. You are currently waiting for Hanbin to come pick you up for your own dinner date he has planned for the two of you. As you double check to make sure your attempt at doing makeup looks good enough, your phone rings, vibrating loudly on your desk. 

Walking over to it from your little make up station at the sink, you see an unfamiliar number. You frown, picking up the phone and pressing the answer button, bringing it to your ear. “Hello?”

“Hello,” the disembodied voice begins, her tone light and customer service like, “I’m looking for Y/N. Is she available?” 

You take a seat at your desk. “This is her,” you say, glancing at the clock on your desk. Hanbin should be here in twenty minutes. 

“Hello, Y/N, my name is Allison from Sun’s Crossing. I’m calling to let you know you’ve been selected to join the summer internship program next year,” she informs you. She continues to talk, but you can’t hear anything besides the rapid beating of your heart. You got accepted. You’re going to be an intern for Sun’s Crossing in New York. 

At the beginning of summer, you confessed to Hanbin about wanting to apply to be an intern but you felt as if you didn’t have enough to catch any company’s attention. Hanbin saw otherwise and pestered you for days to apply for a few internships “because you’re going to get into several and you gotta be prepared to pick the best one” as he put it. You were reluctant to apply because that would mean a year of not being with him–being separated, but that didn’t stop him from telling you to apply. He planned on taking an internship as well, but in California. The two of you will still be together and after it’s all over you two will be working your dream jobs and living in a nice little apartment. It gave you hope, and now that hope is coming true. 

“Hello? Y/N?”

“I-I’m here,” you tell her, shaking your head of all thoughts of the dream coming true. “Can you repeat that?”

The woman chuckles on the other end. “We will be sending you more information on the internship and what is to be expected through email in the upcoming months. Congratulations again.” 

“Thank you so much–goodbye,” you rush, hanging up the phone. You immediately start looking for Hanbin’s number when a knock interrupts your search. Placing your phone on the desk, you get up from your seat and make your way towards the door. When you turn the handle and pull, Hanbin stands on the other side panting. “Hanbin–”

“I got in,” he interrupts. He smiles widely as he repeats, “I got in, Y/N.” 

You smile back. “I got in, too. We did it.” You watch as his eyes go wide before he rushes towards you, lifting you into the air as you giggle and the door closes. 

When the door closes, everything happens rather quickly. A simple congratulations kiss ends up being more than that. Now your nails are digging into Hanbin’s bare back as he thrusts into you, him holding your complete weight as your back hits the door every now and then. You choke back a moan as he hits the right spot, your head hitting the door rather loudly as you feel your orgasm get closer. 

“I’m close,” you rush in a whisper. You’ll never understand Hanbin’s strength, but he picks up his speed and thrusts into you faster and harder. He sends you over the edge before you could even cry a word. You moan lowly into his shoulder as he rides you out, his own euphoria coming soon after. 

He holds you as the two of you pant heavily. “So much for a nice dinner,” he chuckles, the both of you leaning back to lock eyes. “You in the mood to just grab a burger? I’m guessing the restaurants are closing now.” 

You let out an exhausted laugh. “Yeah.” He sets you down slowly, holding onto your waist as you get the feeling back in your legs before the two of you clean up, get dressed and head out for a very late dinner. 

“Ugh,” Ari groans, running a hand through her short hair in frustration. “I’m done with school.”

“It’s barely the first day,” Hoseok states, taking a fry and popping it into his mouth. “You can’t be done when all we’ve had are introductions and go over the syllabus.” 

“Because just listening to them talk about the syllabus and hearing all these assignments that are coming up too fast is already stressing me out. I just want to graduate already and be a forensic linguist!” She tosses her hands up in the air in defeat.

You shake your head. “We’re almost done. This is our last school year and then we’re off doing what we do best.” 

“Yeah,” Hoseok agrees, placing his hand on his girlfriend’s back and rubbing it soothingly. “You’ll be yelling ”objection“ and I’ll be dancing in court to prove your point.” Ari laughs at his statement, earning a small relief from Hoseok as he takes another bite. It’s amazing how he knows her like the back of his own hand. 

“We’re almost done,” she repeats, sitting up straight and finally digging into her plate of Chinese food.

After a few minutes go by of random conversations, Ari looks to you with curious eyes. She smirks. “Have you two said the three words yet?”

You almost choke on your chicken as you roughly swallow the chewed pieces. “Three words?”

“I love you,” Hoseok chimes, twisting the cap to your water bottle off and handing it to you. 

You gratefully take the bottle and chug the water to wash down whatever got caught in your throat. “I haven’t,” you confess, twisting the cap back on. 

“Do you feel like you’re ready for it?” Ari questions, taking another bite out of her food acting as if you weren’t just choking on your food because of her. “Has he said it?”

You shake your head. “No he hasn’t said it yet.”

“But do you feel like you’re ready?” It’s Hoseok’s turn to ask, obviously interested in your unknown love life. 

You’re quiet for a moment, thinking. Are you ready to say those words? You do have feelings for him, and it is something you’ve never felt before. So, are you ready to be the first one to say it? Are you ready to say those three words that can change someone’s life?

It’s scary–it really is, but–

“Yeah, I think I am ready,” you tell them, feeling your heart race. 

The day goes on, the professors you meet today do the bare minimum. No one is ready to start the new semester with a lecture or homework just yet. So, as your final class of the day ends, you pack up your belongings and put them in your backpack. Several students are already saying goodbye to one another after having known each other for a while or just meeting now. 

With everything put away, you slip on your backpack and make your way out of the room, meeting the warm, night sky. You follow a group of people making their way towards the bus stop. A few other classes have just finished as groups of people leave different rooms, all making their way in different directions. As you make your way across campus, there are a few students still scattered across the grounds, several students sitting at the tables close to the food court. Instead of following the group up towards the first bus stop close to the library, you head down towards the second bus stop closer to the Student Union building.

By the time you get to the second stop, you notice the shuttle’s back lights turning on. You speed walk towards the vehicle, just making it in time as the driver closes the doors. Showing your ID, you make your way towards an empty spot in the middle, taking the window seat. Pulling out your earphones from your backpack, you plug it into your phone and place the buds in your ears. As a song plays, you take in a deep breath. The conversation you had earlier with Ari and Hoseok comes to mind. 

You’ll see him tomorrow during your small break between classes, and during that break you’ll tell him. Sure it’s not romantic or anything, but if you feel it, you’re supposed to just go for it right? You smack your palms against your warming cheeks. You’re nervous, but you can do it. 

I can do it. 

The following day you go through the usual introductions to the class, go over the syllabus, and leave for the day. As time gets closer and closer to you meeting Hanbin for lunch, your heart races and your nerves are on edge. When your professor says his goodbyes, you put your notebook and pencil away, and follow the group out the room. Checking your phone to make sure there were no other texts sent from him, you make your way towards the meeting spot where Hanbin should be waiting with your order from the Greek stand. 

When you reach the outdoor seating area, your eyes scan the umbrella area, looking for a familiar face. Before you can unlock your phone and begin searching for your boyfriend’s contact name, you can hear him calling for you. You look around again and find him standing at the far back next to his reserved table. He waves when he notices your eyes are on him. You smile and make your way down the steps and towards him. 

You’re going to do it. 

This is it. 

Tell him.

“Hey,” he says, beaming before leaning down and planting a kiss on your lips. 

Tell him.

“I–” the words catch in your throat.

[barashikki-dialoversoc]

02. Deceived

Word Count:  2056

Warnings: intimidation, deception, slight non-consensual touching

~~~~~

The ride to the new home was a long one. Bara found herself reading nearly an entire novel before the car came to a final halt. When she did look up, the view in front of her left her in awe. 

A large and old-looking mansion. Not to mention there were some rosebeds in the front that showed they wound around the back. The place was tall and long, indicating that if Bara wanted to be by herself away from the guardian’s other kids, she thankfully could. 

Bara got out of the car and retrieved what she still had with her since leaving the old apartment. While some objects she did take, most of the furniture would be donated to those in need. All that was on her was clothes, small furniture items from her bedroom, photos of her family, and the family scarf given to her by her parents. 

Walking up to the front door with her school bag, a backpack, and her suitcase was a bit of a struggle, and even more so when she attempted to knock on the door. 

It only took one knock and the door swung open. Gratitude filled Bara as she was thankful for someone helping her with moving in. But upon entering and taking a deep breather did she realize no one was there. 

She turned her head left to right to see if anyone was around. There was no one. 

“Uh… Hello?” 

She entered a bit more and adjusted her bags near the base of the stairs. Already she felt the doom of having to haul her luggage even more up if her room wasn’t on the ground floor. 

Even when trying to figure out where people were, she still found herself in awe of the mansion. Sure, it was dreary, but it was still an amazing feat to have a home like this in Japan. It was a sure sign of wealth if someone had this much land and such a large home with intricate detail. 

As she observed the surroundings, she did pick up on footsteps coming from her left. She turned her head to see who it was. 

There in front of her was a tall man with glasses. He was well dressed and had his violet-black locks neatly kept. The glare he sent at her wasn’t pleasant, but Bara knew not to let it unnerve her. 

“And who are you?” he asked rather coldly. 

“I’m Bara Shikki. I was told that a Mr Togo Sakamaki was going to take me in with his other children since I no longer have a guardian.” Bara held her tongue, refraining from asking if the male before her was one of the siblings mentioned. She didn’t want to possibly upset him more. 

The male sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That man did it again…” He was quick to snap up and look over at Bara. “Follow me this instant. The man that ‘took you in’ did not inform us of you arriving.”

Bara was quick to listen and follow him. Only one question came up as she followed. “I do have quite a bit of things. Is there anywhere you want me to take it once done?”

He looked at her slightly as they walked, Bara slightly behind him. “No need. Your bags have already been taken care of.”

Bara gave a glance back at where she sat her stuff to see it was now gone. Was there a butler or maid that fast around here?

She was directed into a living room, the only one already there being a blond laying on the couch. The room was better lit than the grand entrance and seemed cozier as well. 

“Take a seat, Miss Shikki. I will gather my other brothers and an explanation will be given to why you’re here.” The male next to her stated. 

“But… I thought it was just a guardian thing? What else could it be?” Bara asked. She was confused about what he meant. 

He only glanced at her in irritation. “Sit down. What you were told was merely a way to get you willingly to our home.”

The last comment sent a chill though Bara, but the tone also made her meek and quietly obedient. Something was off, and now knowing she was merely given a temptation to come to this place made her even more nervous. 

Soon enough, four other males joined the first two. The one that Bara had interacted with most taking lead again in speaking. 

“We have a new guest, Miss Bara Shikki. It seems she was sent here by that man and will be staying with us from now on. Be kind and do not kill her.”

The color in her face paled. 

Kill?

What in the world was going on?

She waited for a quiet moment when no one was speaking to bring up her first question. “Excuse me… But may I learn your guys’ names? I’d like to address you properly when living here with you guys. 

At this point, the brothers in the room were tired of having to listen to the other telling them behave. 

In an instant, the two redheads were surrounding Bara on both of her sides. The longer haired one seemed to linger more over her. The one who wa more true to a redhead simple tried to pull her closer to him. 

“You only need to address me as Yours Truly. Nothing else,” the shorter haired one spoke as he yanked on Bara’s shoulder to pull her even closer. 

“Oh come on, Ayato. Tell her your real name,” the auburn spoke. 

Although he wasn’t any better as he continued to tangle his arms around Bara’s torso. One even began to attempt to slip between her legs, but Bara did her best to keep them pressed together.

“Laito is mine, Little Bitch,” he seemed to almost purr it into Bara’s ear. It was even enough for a chill to run through her, mainly from never having dealt with such interactions before.

Not expecting it, even from herself, Bara jumped forward out of the armrest she was sitting in and ran a few steps away from the two brothers. Her eyes darted to them at a moment to make sure they didn’t jump on her again.

“Do not get into my personal space like that!” Bara tried to keep her voice at a reasonable level, but it still came out somewhat squeaky due to her panic.

A sound of someone scoffing came from behind her. When Bara went to look, it was the white-haired male. While he didn’t say anything else, Bara had a good guess on his name from Laito calling it earlier. But she was quickly pulled from her thoughts as the blond on the couch made a comment.

“Don’t be noisy. It’s bothersome.” No other comment came from him. It seemed some of these brothers didn’t want to answer a simple question.

“I’m… sorry. I didn’t intend to be so loud.” Bara went to shift slightly, but found herself bumping into yet another person.

This time it was the shortest of them all. And while he was the smallest, he still gave off an intimidating energy, despite holding an innocent expression on his face. His wide eyes were studying Bara and his arms around his teddy bear seemed to grip the bear tighter. With no response coming from Bara’s still form, he neared closer with his face, being only a few centimeters from hers. His nostrils flared as he took in a few breaths.

“You smell sweet… almost like the flower you’re named after.” His voice was soft, despite the edge he was still putting Bara on.

It took her a moment to process it, but Bara soon registered his words. “Uh… thank.. you.”

“Hey, Kanato, you have to share with us~” Laito spoke from his area near the armrest, although Bara could sense he was about to move closer.

The seemingly innocent male in front of Bara seemed to have a switch flipped inside of him as his soft expression turned to one of frustration. She swore she could’ve seen a vein almost appear on his face from the aggression he immediately began to stew.

“Kanato…”

“Why should I share when you and Ayato were already all over her? Huh?!” He was loud enough to make Bara cover her ears. Never had she heard someone scream so loud, well, save a baby screaming for food or a nap when out and about with its mother or father.

“Inside voices… I shouldn’t have to remind you of this.” The male with glasses was very annoyed, not liking how his brothers acted.

Bara bit her lip as she debated speaking, but she had to at least know the name of the one who had been kindest to her. “Excuse me, but what is your name?” She kept her head in the direction of who seemed to be the eldest.

He looked back at her in the eyes. Despite his somewhat scary demeanor, he seemed to not mind sharing his name without some other intent behind it. “Reiji.”

Bara thanked him before going on to question her circumstances.

“Why am I here if it isn’t to simply have a new guardian?” The ‘kill’ comment was also bothering her, but she knew she had to pace her questions out.

“You’re our new plaything, isn't it obvious?” Laito commented as he tried to near Bara again, but she moved away and behind Kanato, trying to shield herself away from the pervert.

Little did she know a simple action like that did not go unnoticed by the purple-haired male. It didn’t show in his stature, but he would still stand his ground from his brother.

“You’re the next sacrifice to us. That man sent you here for one reason or another, either for enjoyment or for one of his ridiculous plans. In a few days time, you may find there’s one of us you’d rather stick to. I’d choose wisely by then.”

“And… The kill thing from earlier? You guys aren’t serial killers or something, are you?” If she was living with serial killers, she would truly be done for. Dread only began to fill her once again.

“We aren’t those, but can easily crush you with one fist.” It was the white-haired male who spoke up. 

Bara took note of how he gritted his teeth, seeing how his cuspids were a lot longer and sharper than the standard healthy cuspid tooth. She then began to see if anyone else would show their teeth to see if it was something they all had.

Although the thought was stopped immediately when she felt a steel grip on her arm yank her to the front of Kanato. A small yelp left her lips from the surprise yank and pinching of her flesh between Kanato’s fingers. The male pulled her close to him, this time with bodies closer as well. His breath ghosted over her neck as one hand went to pull away her scarf to expose the flesh.

Were they…?

“Your scent is too sweet. I want to taste it.” His words were quiet and almost missed by Bara.

“Huh?” She tried to pull away, but the boy wouldn’t let her. All the information and actions performed so far were only frightening her more. What didn’t help was that two of the brothers had left, mainly due to the annoyance of their siblings. “What do you mean by that?”

“You’re merely a human, you’ll learn in time to watch yourself,” Reiji commented. 

“Kanato, Laito, Ayato, if any of you kill another, you will get by far, the worst punishment I can throw out yet.” That was his last comment before leaving the room.

While still gripped by Kanato, Bara zoned out into her own mind as the three remaining brothers began to argue over who would have her, mainly on how Kanato didn’t want to share and how Ayato wanted first dibs. 

She was human, they were something higher.

The smallest of them all had inhuman strength.

Another had sharp teeth.

They had to be demons.

No, vampires.

She was deceived. 

She wasn’t going to a positive and loving home.

Bara was sent to be a treat for some supernatural beings.

[wolfs-hunt1]

Soaring Love 1

Pairing: Severus Snape x reader

Word count: 1937

Warnings: none so far, sorry for any typo

A/N: For so long I’ve been wanting to write HP fanfic, but i’ve been puting it off. Well not anymore. I’m starting with this fandom that i love so much, so bare with me for a bit XD

A/N 2: AU Right after the marauder's era, when Severus started teaching, but more modern-ish times, he started teaching at 21, they're 25 in this (so everyone is overage and legal)

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

As the new teacher at Hogwarts, you were invited to arrive a few weeks earlier so that you could get your bearings of the castle before it was filled with students.

And so that's what you did. You packed all your stuff from your small apartment, did an expansion spells in your bag, and a shrinking spell in all of your furniture, books, and clothes so they could all fit in it, and grabbed your broom, ready to fly to Hogwarts two weeks earlier.

You waited for the night, before flying away, less any muggle would notice, and once you were in the air, you flew as high as you could to get concealed by the low hanging clouds. The weather was relatively warm that you only needed a leather jacket to cut off the wind, and lights underneath you guided you until all you could see again was the inky darkness of the water.

You had been sent a letter from Dumbledor to be the new flying teacher, and you couldn't be more ecstatic about it. Flying was your passion, you could literally spend hours atop a broom just chilling and you would be happy about it. Aside from that, you would also be helping Madam Pomfrey at the hospital wing, just as an extra hand.

It took only a couple of hours to reach Hogsmead, and so you decided to stop for a butterbeer, or something a bit stronger before getting up to the castle. You walked inside and leaned your broom across the wall. You approached the bar and took a seat, being greeted by a smiling witch.

"Good night, dear, what will you have tonight?"

"I'll have butterbeer for starters, and maybe something to eat?"

"I'll get you some warm broth I got cooking, I don't remember seeing your face around?"

"I'm new, I'll be teaching up at the school, so I came a few days before the start of the term."

"Well, welcome to Hogsmeade, and I hope to see you more often, I'm Rosmerta. "

"(Y/L). Nice to meet you." she slid a mug of butterbeer your way and a bowl of steaming soup, followed by a shot glass of fire-whiskey, that you don't remember having ordered.

You confused face prompted a laugh from Rosmerta. "It's on the house, don't you worry." and she wandered off to tend to some of the tables. Well, you weren't about to waste it, so you picked up the glass, and doing a little toast to yourself you downed the contents of the glass feeling it burn your throat all the way down. A full warm stomach later and a couple more butterbeer and you were ready to climb the path up to the castle.

It was starting to be a bit late, around 11 pm, but you could still see some lights up on the castle, so at least there would be someone to point you in the right direction of your room. Getting to the great door, you knock, waiting for a bit untill the old wood cracks and opens ever so slowly, the light from the inside spiling in a straight beam on the cobblestone outside.

"Who is it?" an uninviting voice calls, before its owner sticks his head outside, and you can see the scowl the man is wearing.

"Hi. I'm (Y/N), the new teacher." this makes the man force a smile up to his lips instantly, and open more the door, bowing to you and inviting you in.

"I'm so sorry professor, we were not expecting you until the morning. I'm Filch, and this is Mrs. Norris." with this you notice the scruffy cat at his feet, looking very intently at you almost as if it was expecting you to do something incriminatory.

"I ended up traveling a few hours sooner, fewer muggles to see me fly on my broom. I hope it's not a problem, if the room isn't ready, I can go back to The Three Broomsticks and get a room there for the night…"

"No, no, not a problem at all, the elves will get it set up in a moment… you… didn't bring anything besides your broom?" he asks, searching for any luggage you might have been carrying.

"Oh don't worry, I have everything I need right here." you say, patting your bag. Filch visibly sags in releaved to hear this, obviously not wanting to haul heavy trunks up the stairs at this time of the night.

He takes you up some flights of stairs and then through some tapestries hiding secret doors, and then up some more stairs, this one smaller, making you have to walk behind him and not side by side. By the looks of it, you were in one of the towers of the castle, or at least you climbed enough stairs for it.

"Here it is, your room. Anything you need will be delivered by the elves, breakfast will be served tomorrow in the kitchen, since we're so few just yet, but if you need help finding it, just call for an elf, they will be more than happy to lead the way." Filch didn't even wait for you to thank him, he was already out the door and climbing down the stone steps.

You looked around the room, it was spacious, and had an archway in the middle, leading to an open bedroom, and a small door on the corner of it, that once opened revealed a small cozy bathroom. The entire space was completely empty besides a king-sized four-poster in the bedroom and a fireplace opposite it.

"Perfect." you whispered out loud. This way you could decorate the room to your liking with everything you had brought. You noticed the bed was freshly made, and a few more blankets were at the end of it. Despite being summer, you did notice the chill there was in the room, so you were thankful for the elf that left you an extra blanket.

you took off your jacket, and threw it onto the bed, making then your way to the bathroom to take a warm shower before turning in for the night. You acioed your toiletries out of your handbag and started to carefully lay them on the stone counter, just the basics for tonight. You could unpack all the rest tomorrow and over the next few weeks.

The shower wasn't anything too big, but it was spacious enough that you didn't hit your elbows on the walls. And despite the water being freezing when you turned it first, it was only a matter of seconds before the temperature evened out to allow a nice relaxing soak.

You didn't stay too long in the shower though, you were tired after all, and the couple of more fire-whiskeys Madame Rosmerta had goaded you to drink with her were making themselves felt. So you turned off the shower, toweled off, and got into your comfortable pair of pajamas, falling asleep a few minutes after getting the bed covers neatly around you.

It was barely any light outside when you wake up, groggily, a flash of pain shooting up your leg making you groan into the pillow uncomfortably. You pat your hand to the other side of the bed, trying to find your wand and once you feel your fingertips brushing over the wooden surface you grip it tightly, and call for your bag, making the small thing shoot from his place near the door into your hands.

You rummage the inside furiously trying to find a particular flask of the pain soothing potion or even of the balm for minor bruises you carried with you, the potion bottle appeared faster, and so you downed the contents of it as fast as you could, laying back down on the now cold pillow and waiting for it to take effect.

After some deep breaths you could feel the dull pain turning to a more manageable ache, and after a while more you didn't felt it at all, allowing you to get up and go get dressed, despite the early hours. You had attended Hogwarts a few years ago, but since your parents moved around so much, you only stayed for one year, having moved to another country right after. So getting acquainted with the castle was in order before all the students arrived.

You made the bed and grabbed your bag, you could unpack after exploring around a bit and having had breakfast. You pocketed your wand, and made your way to the door, having to squint at the little light streaming from the windows on the spiral staircase.

Your bedroom must have been on the sixth floor, or even seventh because of the number of twists and turns you had to climb down with the changing stairs working against you, but eventually you did reach the ground floor, near the doors to the great hall, that were closed at the moment. You dared a glance at your wristwatch and noticed that you had wasted more time trying to find your way down that you had wished to admit and was now 7:40, almost time for breakfast.

So now you had to find the kitchens so you could have breakfast with the rest of the faculty. Walking around and climbing down some stairs you found yourself in the lower parts of the castle, the dungeons, where a damp cold was rapidly creeping up to you and making you shiver and be thankful that you had brought your jacket down with you.

You did remember this part of the castle vividly since you spent so much time down here for potions and your common room. So the dark cold corridors weren't a problem to navigate, and the soft scent of sweet-smelling apple pie lead you right to a portrait of a fruit bowl, which was slightly opened and you could hear more noises coming from the inside.

You slowly walk over the portrait threshold and see right away some familiar faces, Dumbledore was talking to McGonagal, and you did notice that Flitwick was standing on the seat so he could reach the pastry plate in the middle of the wide table. Despite having only studied for a year at Hogwarts, their faces were some you wouldn't forget. That and the fact Dumbledore interview you for the position of flying professor. But there was a new face you didn't recognize.

He was draped in all black from head to toe, and his long hair reached the top of his shoulders, his long face was pulled into a half sneer, making his face wrinkle, but despite that, he still looked young.

"Ah, (Y/N), welcome. I hope you had a nice trip here?" Dumbledor asked with a soft and soothing voice.

"Good morning, everyone. Yes, I had a safe trip, flying over was no problem at all, and Mr. Filch took me in last night when I arrived."

"Well, we're not all here at school yet, but we can start with the introductions, although, I believe you are just one year younger than Severus here, so you two must have met already?" he's pointing to the dark-haired male, that was now looking pointedly at you, almost looking bored.

"I don't think I did, I'm (Y/N). Nice to meet you."

"Snape. Severus Snape." he doesn't look away from you, but you can feel that if he could he would be anywhere else than in this particular place. Guess this is going to be a complicated start of the year with him giving you suck a cold shouler right from the begining.

Part 2

[let-it-raines]

your wonder under summer skies (14/18)

Summer in Storybrooke, Maine means one thing for its residents: tourist season. This year, for Emma Swan and Killian Jones, it means relationships ending and friendships changing all the while they attempt to figure out just what their relationship is. It’s somewhere straddling the line between friends and lovers, and there’s no guarantee of a soft landing if they fall into new territory.

Rating: Mature

ao3: beginning | current

tumblr:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 

-/-

This place is decidedly more cabin in the woods than Killian was expecting. Well, if the cabin in the woods was a bloody large cabin made for groups of people in Maine looking for a weekend away from their regular lives. When he looked at the link Anna sent him when they were planning this trip, he didn’t look past the specifics of price and how many bedrooms there were.

So when he pulled up and saw the two-story cabin with its wraparound porch and large, floor-to-ceiling windows nestled near a lake, he was a little taken aback. Mostly, though, he doesn’t understand how the owners of this place decided to make every wall wood paneling and for each damn piece of furniture to be made out of a log or pine or something that looks like it’ll put a splinter in his ass when he sits down.

Hell, he’s pretty sure that he’s going to turn the corner and there’s going to be animal heads hanging from the walls.

At least there’s sunshine and clear water and all of the food and alcohol that a man could ask for.

Or, well, that could be asked for by a joint bachelor and bachelorette party that Elsa and Liam wanted, the both of them insisting that they needed a weekend away and that it should be nothing like the beach…so naturally they’re spending it on a lake.

Anna seemed to think it was all a brilliant idea, and since she is so keen on planning things, he figured he’d let her do it instead of getting into arguments over it. Or, well, he might have been distracted when she called to talk about the trip because Emma was on her knees in front of him, and he wasn’t paying attention to anything other than the feel of her.

“Why do I feel like every time I turn a corner, a deer’s antlers or something are going to poke me in the eye?”

Killian chuckles and turns to Emma next to him. She’s got a large duffle bag hanging over her shoulder, and he doesn’t know what she packed, but it must be all of the contents of her closet.

“Because you probably will.”

“Okay,” Anna shouts as everyone keeps walking through the front door, chatting and dragging in suitcases and looking around, “I have had all of the bedrooms labeled. Elsa and Liam get the master, obviously. Mary Margaret and David have bedroom one on the first floor, and Kris and I will take bedroom two, which shares that bathroom. Will and Belle, bedroom three, which is at the end of the hall just down that way. Ariel and Eric, you have bedroom four, which is right at the top of the stairs and will share a bathroom with Ruby and Mulan’s room, which is bedroom five. The final room is, like, basically the attic. Emma and Killian, you guys get that one. It may or may not be the kids’ room, so don’t be surprised if there are bunk beds up there.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Killian mutters. “Bunk beds? We’re twenty-eight. We don’t get our own regular beds?”

“Do any of the couples here want to give up their private rooms with big beds to go sleep in the attic in bunk beds so that Killian can have a queen mattress?” “For fuck’s sake,” Killian laughs, rolling his eyes at Anna, “the beds are fine. I simply wasn’t aware Emma and I were going to be punished for not having significant others.”

“Yeah,” Emma joins in, “we should get compensated in, like, first choice of food tonight.” “I think Elsa and I get that,” Liam says. “You two will be fine. I’m sure the beds will be comfortable, but Emma, lass, as someone who lives with Killian, you might want earplugs. He snores.”

“Liar.”

Liam shrugs, bright smile on his face. “Have some mercy on the poor girl, Killian. Try not to be too loud.”

Killian opens his mouth to keep protesting, but then he snaps it shut. There’s no point. He doesn’t snore, and Emma knows that. Why should he care if everyone else thinks he snores? He’s sure that half of the people in this room do anyways.

This is Liam’s weekend.

If he reminds himself that enough, maybe he won’t try to pick at everything Liam says and does, and they can all have a good time like they’re supposed to.

Even if he does have to sleep in a damn bunk bed.

Emma elbows his side. “I have ear plugs, but that was mostly because I was scared I’d have to sleep next to David and Mary Margaret.”

“Please don’t put that image in my head.”

“We’re in a cabin full of couples, KJ. How is the image not in your head?”

Killian groans and tilts his head back, and Emma laughs, nudging him again before adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go put our stuff up. My legs are stiff from the drive, and I’m ready to go hiking.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Anna squeals, “I have sunscreen and bug spray for everyone who forgot it. I’ll leave it in the kitchen. Let’s all meet up in half an hour, okay?”

“Anna is…very organized,” Emma sighs as everyone begins walking in different directions looking for their bedrooms. “I feel like she’s a very intense version of Mary Margaret.” “That’s exactly who she is,” Elsa laughs, walking next to Emma up the stairs, which leads them to a hallway with more wood paneling and more large, paneled windows. There are no animal heads yet, though, so Killian would count that as a win. “I think she wants everything to be so perfect for me that she’s taking it overboard. Plus, she’s used to working with all of these extravagant people, so this is kind of out of her wheelhouse. You’re just lucky my cousins couldn’t come this weekend, because that would make it even worse.”

“She’s doing a great job. With this and the wedding. I mean, the wood paneling here is a little much, but this is beautiful.” “Hey, I could have helped plan this,” Killian protests.

Liam, Elsa, and Emma all laugh at him.

“What?”

“If I was a betting man, I’d say the only thing you planned was the food and the alcohol.”

“And to that,” Killian laughs, “I’d say you were right. If I had gotten my say, I would have found a place with one more bedroom so that Emma and I weren’t sleeping in bunk beds while everyone else got normal rooms.”

“I mean, technically,” Elsa says, “I think there’s another bed in David and Mary Margaret’s room, but I think you two might be safer upstairs.”

They get to the end of the hallway where the master bedroom is, and Elsa and Liam tell them that they’ll see them in a few minutes before walking inside while he and Emma turn to find the spiral staircase that leads up to the attic. It’s beautiful, but it’s not exactly convenient when carrying luggage, but he and Emma manage to get their stuff upstairs without any kind of disaster.

“Those stairs would be horrible if you’re drunk. I feel dizzy just getting up here.”

“Aye,” he sighs, dropping his bag and looking around the room.

It’s small, just a set of chairs, a dresser with a television, and then, indeed, a set of bunk beds covered in red plaid bedding. In the center of the room is a round window, and when Killian looks out it, he has a direct view of the lake and all of the surrounding hills and trees.

He imagines none of the other rooms have a view like that.

“Wow,” Emma whistles, “a view like that will almost make you think the lake is better than the beach.”

“Never,” he laughs, looking at her to his side. “I like my salt water and my sand too much to ever give it up, but it is stunning.”

“I can’t wait to get to explore it. It’s so damn nice not to be working this weekend. I haven’t had an actual, multiple-day break in months, and I’m taking full advantage of it.”

Killian nods as he keeps looking out the window. He sees two people walk out onto the deck, and he believes it’s Ruby and Mulan. It’s hard to tell from here, but then one of them walks a little further out and he recognizes Ruby’s red shirt. They must be ready to go already. He needs to change into a different pair of shoes.

Turning around, Killian moves to grab his bag only to see the last seconds of Emma pulling down a sports bra. She’s in nothing but a pair of black shorts and a white sports bra, and dammit if she doesn’t drive him mad like this.

He’s grown to know the curves of her body more intimately than he ever thought he would, and that’s how he knows that she’s been running more this summer and that places where she was once soft are the slightest bit more firm and how he knows the way her skin has changed from a creamy white to a shade or two darker, all of her freckles showing up more and more.

It’s how he knows that if that’s all she’s wearing today, he’s going to struggle holding it together in front of all of their friends.

He doesn’t know what to do when it comes to Emma any longer.

He wants her all the damn time, but his traitorous mind keeps telling him that he wants her in a way that he hasn’t had her: where there are no rules or implications or anything even closely relating to the friends with benefits situation they’ve got going on.

Where Killian can get it out of his mind that Emma kisses him in greeting now, how she intertwines their fingers, how she finds a way to touch him even when they’re not alone. It’s subconscious, he thinks. She’s not doing it on purpose, not seeking him out like she would a boyfriend, but it’s still happening.

(It matters not he is also guilty of doing the same things.)

It’s messing with his mind, with his heart, with everything.

And all he knows is that he feels like he’s betraying her because what Killian feels for Emma is far more than friendship, and he has no idea how to deal with that without mucking it up.

Especially because he can’t seem to stop being with her.

Their first rule was to keep the friendship at the center of everything, to make sure that neither of them messed it up, and the more time that passes, the more time that he thinks he’s barreling them toward disaster.

But he can’t stop.

“You gonna just keep staring at me like that?” Emma teases as she ties a jacket around her hips.

“I don’t believe I was staring.”

She chuckles and saunters toward him until she’s standing toe to toe with him. Killian glances away from her face, but that only leads his gaze toward the top of her breasts and the freckle that seems to be calling him.

Not now, not now, not now.

“Oh, you definitely were.” Emma presses up on her toes and runs her lips across his jaw. God, this is another one of the things about her that drives him mad, and he has to focus all of his attention on his breathing to keep himself from becoming too aroused. “Later,” she whispers. “I really do want to go on this hike, and I’m not going to let you distract me, Jones.” “I thought you were the one distracting me.”

“Eh, it goes both ways.”

And then she’s pulling away with this bright, kind smile on her face, and he has no idea how she can go from seductive to friendly all within the span of five minutes.

“See you downstairs. I need to get Ruby to braid my hair, so I’m going to go ahead and go.”

“She’s out on the deck with Mulan.”

Emma nods, grabs her phone, and then walks out the door.

This weekend is going to be bloody torturous.

-/-

If Killian had to guess, he would say that David and Liam have gotten them lost somewhere in the middle of the woods despite the fact that they’re all following a trail.

Or, well, supposed to be following a trail.

At one point, Anna and Elsa got distracted by this flower bush, and once they veered off the path to look at it, wondering if they could get Elsa’s florist to change her bouquet arrangement, they all started veering on and off the path, especially since there are twelve of them out here on a trail that really only allows two people to walk side by side.

If someone had brought alcohol on the hike, he imagines at least half the group would be lying dead in a ditch by now.

Honestly, Will usually has a flask on him, but as far as Killian knows, he hasn’t pulled it out yet.

Damn.

Killian ignores David and Liam arguing and keeps looking ahead. Emma and Mary Margaret are directly in front of him, now leading the group, and he tries to focus on the ground instead of the way Emma’s ass is nearly on display from the way her shorts are riding up. She hasn’t paid him much attention since they started the hike, and he’s never been so thankful to be left alone, if only for a little while.

He hasn’t been able to run all week, and this is exactly what he needed, even if the quietness of nature is cancelled out by everyone talking.

“I’m not kidding,” Ruby chuckles. “It’s awful. I mean, I get it, these are teenagers who are getting away from their parents for a little while, but do they have to make out in booths that I have to clean? There are so many places they could go, places where I don’t have to look at them while I’m trying to do my job.”

“We’ve made out in those booths.”

“That’s different, and you know it.” “Why? Because you’re the one who is getting a little action?”

“Exactly.”

“Granny’s is a fucking popular make out spot,” Will adds in. “There’s the hallway that connects to the B and B, which has seen more action than Killian has all summer.”

“Oi,” Killian scoffs, turning around to stare Will down, “mind your own bloody business.”

“Sorry, mate. I couldn’t resist.”

“You know who I keep seeing there?” Will continues. “Neal Cassidy. I know he’s dating Tamara, but damn, you’d think they could go to one of their places every once in awhile.”

Killian cringes, nearly faltering in his step, and he finally looks up to Emma, who is simply continuing to walk.

Good. That’s good.

She told him that she was over Neal, that she’s letting it go, but you don’t love someone for that long and have them break your heart and not be affected when someone is talking about them.

“Will, shut up,” Belle hisses.

“Why do I need to – oh fuck,” he mutters. “I’m sorry, Emma. Please ignore me and that bloody wanker.”

“It’s fine,” Emma shouts back, not turning around. “Neal has nothing to do with me anymore. He can do what he wants as long as I don’t have to look at him while I’m eating my onion rings.”

“I’d never make you do that,” Ruby tells her. “I’ll kick him out.”

“Can you even do that?”

“Eh, I can try.”

“Look,” David interrupts, and they all stop to stare where he’s pointing. “There’s that damn split tree. That’s where we were supposed to be going.”

“How do you even know that?” Liam grumbles.

“Because I noticed it on the way up. We’ve been here before, so it we turn that way, it should take us back to the house.”

“Can’t we use our phones to check where we are?” Killian asks only to have both Liam and David glare at him. “Okay, okay,” he backtracks, holding his hands up, “I guess we’re not using technology to make our lives easier.”

By the time they’re back at the house, Killian’s skin has been kissed by the sun, his feet ache, and his stomach is growling with hunger. He could really go for a nap, but Kris offers to cook burgers for everyone down by the lake, so everyone grabs their swimsuits and some drinks and heads down to where the grill is.

Killian settles into one of the lounge chairs that’s set up down there, a bottle of water in hand, and leans back, wondering if napping outside would be possible, but then Liam starts blaring music over some speakers and he knows the nap is never going to happen.

“Hey,” Emma says as she plops down in the chair next to him, “why do you look like you’re about to fall asleep?”

“Because I desperately want to.”

“How are you tired?”

“Because, unlike someone, I drove us up here and could not nap in the car.”

Emma shrugs and curls her legs up in the chair before taking a long sip of her water.  “You make a good point, KJ. Do you think I’d get my hand slapped away if I went and got the bag of barbecue chips off the table before all the other food was ready?”

“Depends on if the picnic table guardian is looking over it or not.” Emma laughs and leans forward, looking over at the table. “David seems to be occupied staring at the grill being all macho man with Kris. I’ll be right back.”

And then she’s jogging over to the table, slowing down right before she gets there, and then grabbing the big bag of barbecue crisps before springing back over to him and sitting back down in her seat, dropping the crisps between them. David looks over at them, and Killian swears that he sees his eyes narrow, like he knows Emma took the crisps off the table.

“Sneaky, love.”

“I try. I don’t know why he does that at any event. It’s like he gets some weird high off of making sure no one gets too food, but the worst part is definitely the fact that he watches to see if people throw any uneaten food away.”

“It is rather odd, isn’t it?”

“It’s the worst is what it is.”

She leans over between them and opens the bag, grabbing a crisp and taking what he swears is the loudest bite in existence. David is likely about to look over at them and give them hell for it. The man is going to make a great father one day.

If only because he can monitor food better than anyone else in existence.

Killian leans back in his chair and settles down into it, closing his eyes. He stretches out his arm, his hand laying against the arm of the chair, and after a few moments of relative silence, he feels Emma’s fingers tracing over his forearm in soothing patterns that have a shiver running down his spin and settling in his stomach.

It feels so natural for her to do this, for him to let her do this, and he should stop it.

But he can’t, not now.

Soon. He’ll figure it out.

Soon.

“I’ve always liked this tattoo the best.”

“Hmm?”

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” She traces the words inked into his skin as she says them out loud. “I don’t know. I just feel like it’s so fitting to have them mixed in with your scars.”

Killian fights with himself to keep his eyes closed, to keep himself from looking into Emma’s eyes. Not a lot of people get such unfiltered access to his scars, and yet here she is in the open tracing them and talking about them and yet again making him feel like maybe they’re not too bad.

“I mean,” she continues, “I like all of your tattoos. They always make me want to get more than my buttercup, but I really like this one.”

“Aye,” he sighs, deciding that just for today, he can let everything be. This is a good moment, and he’s not going to let his mind ruin it. Instead he’ll let Emma run her fingers over his hand and let her hold onto him for a few moments. “I am fond of that one as well. I am also fond of yours, though it is rather small.”

“What? Do you want me to get a giant one?”

“You should get one that covers your entire back.” “Shut up,” Emma laughs, digging her nails into him. “I am obviously not doing that. I don’t know what I’ll do, or if I ever will. I think I’ll just stick to liking yours.”

“I like that plan. Do you think if I eat a crisp that David will hear it?”

“He hasn’t noticed me yet.” “Ah, but you have better luck than me.” “Guess you’ll have to try your luck to see.”

Killian slowly opens one eye, then the next, before moving his arm away to reach into the bag. He takes one bite, eyeing David who still has his back turned, before eating a few more. He thinks that maybe he’ll get away with it until David turns around.

“Jones, put the damn chips back on the table before I burn your food.”

“Sorry,” Emma says to him, shrugging, but he can tell that she’s not sorry at all.

“I think I’ll survive, love.”

When the food is finished cooking, everyone settles around tables and in chairs, eating and drinking and laughing. And it’s nice, a nicer time than Killian has had in awhile if he’s honest with himself. But then the night falls, crickets finding their places in the surrounding trees and a breeze wafting through the campground, causing a chill to travel down his spine as his skin pebbles with goosebumps.

There is a fire going, though, and plenty of alcohol being passed around to warm him, but really, the alcohol might not be the best idea right now, especially since Mary Margaret and Ruby tend to like to play games when they’re halfway to drunk.

Mary Margaret said something about how they needed to play a shower game. It was tradition, but Elsa and Liam hadn’t wanted that. Then Ruby stood up from the bench she was sitting on and declared that they would play Truth or Dare like the grown adults they are. They love their games, though, and, well, Ruby does know how to turn the game into something that is rather more adult than what he played when he was a lad. This is nothing new. They tend to do this at every party they have, but he never knows if it’s going to be tame or not.

So far Elsa has had to share some intimate details about the first time she slept with Liam, which Killian truly did not need to hear about, Liam has chugged down half a bottle of ketchup, Will has jumped into the lake, Mary Margaret has had to answer what the one thing she’d change about David would be, which resulted in a hushed argument, and Ruby has run to the neighboring house and asked them for condoms.

She came back with an entire box.

So, now it’s Ruby scanning the semi-circle they’re sitting in looking for her next victim, because, really, of all the people here, the last person he’d want to have pick out whatever form of torture this is would be Ruby Lucas.

His one glass of rum has not numbed him enough for this.

“Emma,” Ruby finally says, and Killian swears he hears half the group let out sighs of relief.

“I hate you,” Emma mutters, flipping Ruby off.

“Oh, no you don’t. You love me, and I’m going to be really nice to you by telling you that if you pick ‘truth,’ I’m going to ask you about the guy who gave you that hickey last week.”

Killian’s cheeks immediately heat, and he swallows, pushing the thought down. He hadn’t meant to do that. It had been an accident because they are not teenagers and don’t usually leave marks, and he didn’t even know it happened until Emma had sent him a picture the next day.

Shit.

At least Emma’s a damn good liar since it’s not like anyone is actually forcing them to do this.

It’s the spirit of it all.

“Dare, you asshole.”

There are a few whistles from around the group, and Killian already knows there are going to be a few follow-up questions to Ruby’s words later.

“I dare you to…kiss Jones. Killian, not Liam. And none of that on the cheek shit. You two have so much chemistry, and I need to see it. I feel like everyone here needs to see it.”

“Oh my God,” he hears Emma murmur next to him at the same time that he has that exact thought. The whistles increase, some hollering too, and he swears that everyone here but he, Emma, and David are drunk off their asses. “Ruby, no. Pick something else. Like, something normal that non-tipsy you would pick.” “You chose ‘dare.’”

“Because you were going to ask me something I didn’t want to talk about. I don’t want to kiss Killian.” She turns back to him and winces. “No offense.”

“None taken,” he mumbles, knowing she’s trying to save face.

“Why not? He’s super hot. I mean, I know you think he’s hot. You’ve said it before, and you guys kind of have that ‘will they, won’t they’ thing going on, which I have been saying all summer. We actually have all talked about getting a betting pool as to when you’ll finally get together, especially since you and the dumbass are no longer a thing. So, come on, it won’t be that bad. You’ve got to uphold the integrity of truth or dare.”

Emma’s lips part, and Killian knows she has a retort on her tongue. She always does.

But then she’s turning and leaning over her chair until she’s grabbing the collar of his t-shirt and pulling his mouth to hers.

Fuck.

Her lips press into his, soft and warm as they always are, but it takes him a minute to fully close his eyes and appreciate how she feels against him. Eyes are on them, whistles ringing out around the group, and Killian swears he sees flashes of camera lights as Emma sucks on his bottom lip and his hands thread into her hair, pulling her closer.

And for one, miniscule second, he forgets about the people around him and the warring thoughts he’s been fighting for weeks now, and he lets himself revel in how damn good it feels to kiss Emma Swan.

But then it’s over.

They part, gasping for breath, and Killian’s grip tightens on the back of Emma’s head as her forehead rests warmly against his.

Strangely, all he can focus on is the fact that she smells like sunscreen.

“Well, hot damn,” Ruby sighs, and Killian finally drops his hand from Emma’s hair, “I feel like I need a glass of water now. Anyone else?”

There’s a murmur of voices, but Killian ignores them, focusing on the way Emma is blinking at him with a smirk painted on her lips. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?” “No, that wasn’t bad at all.”

“Emma, it’s your turn,” Ruby reminds her. “Feel free to do your worst to me.”

“Trust me, I plan to.”

In the blink of an eye, things go back to normal. The attention is back on the game, not on him, not on Emma, and no one says anything else about the kiss.

Apparently everyone cares about it a lot less than he thought they would.

But it was all part of a game. It wasn’t real.

None of it has been.

And he has no idea how much longer he’s going to be okay with that. He also has no idea how he could make any of it real, even if Emma wanted that, because he’s got no fucking clue how to do this.

His brain doesn’t seem to be conjuring up any ideas either.

Shit.

Eventually, the game dies down, everyone quieting and forming their own circles and conversations, and while Killian tries to stay for a little while, when the opportunity to sneak out and go to bed presents itself, he takes it.

-/-

-/-

tag list: @qualitycoffeethings​ @mrtinski​ @klynn-stormz​ @scarletslippers​ @jonirobinson64​ @snowbellewells​ @therealstartraveller776​ @thejollyroger-writer​ @sherifemma​ @galadriel26​ @galaxyzxstark​ @idristardis​ @karenfrommisthaven​ @teamhook​ @spartanguard​ @searchingwardrobes​ @jamif​ @shireness-says​ @ultimiflos​ @nikkiemms​ @resident-of-storybrooke​ @onepunintendid​ @bluewildcatfanatic​ @superchocovian​ @killianswannn​ @carpedzem​ @captainkillianswanjones​ @mayquita​ @mariakov81​ @jennjenn615​ @onceuponaprincessworld​ @a-faekindagirl​ @scientificapricot​ @xellewoods​ @ultraluckycatnd​ @stahlop​ @kmomof4​ @tiganasummertree​ @singersdd​ @tornadoamy​ @cluttermind​ @lfh1226-linda​ @andiirivera​ @elizabeethan​ @captain-emmajones​ @csalltheway​ @itsfabianadocarmo​

[jokertrap-ran]

(未定事件簿) 莫弈 SR [松雪童话] [Tears of Themis] Mo Yi SR [Snowy Pine Fairytales] Card Story Translations (Part 1)

*Tears of Themis Masterlist / Mo Yi’s Masterlist / Mobile Masterlist *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Check out Chapter 1 of Mo Yi’s Private Story here!

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / SMS 

Location: Country Villa

MC: It nothing but snow as far as the eye could see the entire way here. This place’s snow really does make it live up to its name. It looks very simple and minimalistic, but it really brings out the vibe of the place.

MC: And this villa’s been completely furnished with wooden furniture.

Mo Yi and I were currently stood inside a magnificent villa. I surveyed the furnishings around us, unconsciously breathing out a sigh of appreciation.

MC: This is all thanks to you, Dr. Mo! And of course, your generous friend who was willing to lend us his villa!

Mo Yi: It’s great that you like it. I’ll pass your gratitude on to him.

MC: Yeah! It’s brilliant that we can spend Christmas here!

Mo Yi: Let’s go look around later and pick up a suitable Christmas tree along the way.

MC: Sure, sure! I can’t wait!!

The place we are in right now isn’t Stellis City, but the outskirts of another City, located a couple hundred kilometers away from it.

Mo Yi was here to attend a seminar on Child Psychology, and had invited me to come along with him.

And as to the reason why, well, we’ll have to go back to a month prior.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

MC: Looks like the snow has already stopped, Dr. Mo.

Mo Yi: You don’t sound very happy about that. Do you find it sad that it has?

MC: Quite. Stellis City doesn’t see much snow and we’ve only gotten some light snowfall this time too.

MC: I want to see a heavier snowfall. Better yet, one so heavy that I can build a snowman.

Mo Yi: Judging from this year’s weather forecast, it’ll be quite hard to make snowmen in Stellis City.

Mo Yi: But perhaps it may be possible somewhere else.

MC: Where?

Mo Yi: I will be out of town next month for a seminar. That place has snow all-year-round regardless of winter hits; I’m sure it’ll be to your liking.

Mo Yi: The date where the seminar’s taking place happens to be close to Christmas, so you can spend it over there. Just treat it as a short vacation.

Mo Yi: How about it? Interested to check it out?

MC: A white Christmas sounds pretty nice!

MC: Let’s go check it out together, Dr. Mo!

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

And that was how I came here together with him.

After the seminar, he had enlisted the help of his friend, who had managed to provide us with an unused villa where we could spend Christmas at.

After putting my luggage aside, I hurried out the door to see the snow.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Location: Country Woods

MC: So, there's actually this big of a pine forest near the villa!

Mo Yi: From what I know of it, there are many different species of pine growing here, and it's very famous for how scenic the snow-capped pine trees are.

Mo Yi pointed to one of the big trees to the side. I looked all around, only to see trees with ramrod straight trunks and layered canopy of leaves, stacking atop one another like layers of a pyramid.

Pure white snow was dusted in between the green of the leaves, making it an absolutely beautiful sight to behold.

Mo Yi: Of course, the same species of pine that's often used as Christmas trees are also among these trees here.

I raised my eyes. The spectacular sea of trees before me was all I could see. The many different varieties of pine were all shaped differently, each standing tall and unique, making them an absolutely breath-taking sight to behold.

However, As someone who doesn't research much into Christmas trees, I didn't actually know where I should even start looking…

MC: Dr. Mo? Um, are there any conditions when it comes to choosing a Christmas tree? Like, how big or small it should be? It's color? Or maybe something related to its shape and the like?

MC: All these trees look almost the same in my eyes...

Mo Yi: There aren't any particular conditions to speak of, but generally speaking, the larger the base of the tree and the lusher its leaves, the better it'll look once it's decorated.

Mo Yi: But this is merely a suggestion. It’s a Christmas tree especially for you after all, so you can just choose whichever one that catches your fancy.

Heeding his words, I walked into the Forest, closely surveying the trees it had to offer.

MC: Hmm, this one’s way too big and this one’s still not green enough...

MC: Ah, ahh―! What is that!?

Suddenly, something flashed before my eyes; it kind of looked like a shadow,  zipping through the line of trees.

The next moment, I felt a weight land atop my head.

???: Squeak, squeaaak―—

Mo Yi: ……

I tried reaching up to touch whatever it was, only for my hand to brush against something small, furry and so very warm...

Mo Yi: There’s no need to be afraid. It’s just a squirrel.

MC: A… A squirrel?

As if answering Mo Yi, the squirrel jumped a couple of times on my head, as if trying to prove its presence there.

Mo Yi: Don't move; I'll get it down for you.

Mo Yi: Come, slowly. Come here.

Those words of his weren’t directed at me, but to the squirrel on my head.

There seemed to be some sort of magical property to his voice, for I felt the weight lift off my head, as if something had just jumped down from it right after.

He carefully ran his hands through my hair. It was only after he had ascertained that I was unharmed, that his countenance returned back to his usual self.

Mo Yi: Great, looks like you’re not injured either.

I heaved a sigh of relief before I finally had the mind to look at the little "culprit". Turns out, it really was a squirrel; a tan-colored one.

It was currently perched atop Mo Yi's palm, it's sparkling black eyes glancing left and right, sizing us, strangers, up.

MC: It’s really a squirrel… It really scared me when it leapt out like that earlier.

MC: But it's actually pretty cute, now that I’ve gotten a closer look at it.

Mo Yi: Look, it's wearing a ribbon on its neck. Seems like it’s a pet.

Mo Yi: Maybe it ran off?

MC: You're right… The owner of this squirrel must be quite worried upon finding it gone. Dr. Mo, let's bring it with us and search for its owner as soon as possible.

Mo Yi: Yes, it hasn't gotten much snow onto it's pelt, so it probably hasn't been long since it ran out on its owner. The owner might be nearby, for all we know.

Thus, we proceeded to try finding its owner nearby. However, we didn't manage more than a couple of steps before a voice yelled at us to halt.

???: Stop right there, both of you! Return Demon King back to me.

I curiously turned my head to see a little boy around the age of 10 vehemently glaring at us.

His round face was flushed from the cold, and even though he still possessed the innocence of childhood, it was tinged with the indifference and annoyance he expressed.

Little Boy: Hey, did you not hear me? Hurry and return Demon King to me.

MC: D-Demon King?

Mo Yi: Is Demon King it’s name, little buddy?

Mo Yi smiled, pointing towards the squirrel on his shoulder.

MC: (It's obviously a squirrel, yet it's called "Demon King"; is this what they call gap moe…?)

Demon King: Squeak, squeak―—

Upon seeing the little boy, the docile squirrel suddenly bounded down as quick as lightning, burrowing itself into the gap of his coat.

The boy reached out to pat the squirrel on its head, his eyes softening as he did.

Little Boy: Demon King's answering you; it says yes.

MC: (He’s… Translating what the squirrel’s saying?)

I pondered over it as I surveyed the area, yet I didn't see any adults that might be his parents around the premises.

MC: (Appearing in the snowy mountains with only a squirrel in tow? He's really no ordinary kid.)

MC: What’s your name, little buddy? Can you tell us where your home is? We’ll send you back.

Little Boy: ……

He shot me a look before turning and running off without even so much as a reply.

MC: ...Dr. Mo, there’s nothing but snow everywhere, and I’m kind of worried about him being all alone out here, so let’s follow him.

Mo Yi: Okay, let’s follow his footsteps so that we don’t lose him.

We headed in the same direction that the boy fled, chasing after him; but he was too fast for us, so all we could do was to resign ourselves to watch his retreating back.

The squirrel named "Demon King" perched upon his shoulder, occasionally turning back to look at us, seemingly watching this "race" with great interest.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

We took a good many turns before a small village appeared before our eyes.

The houses of the village were scattered throughout the snowy grounds of the pine forest, but the little boy had disappeared without a trace.

Mo Yi: He might be a villager from here.

Mo Yi: I've previously heard my friend mention that there was a village called "Snowy Pine" near the snowy mountains. Looks like this is the place.

MC: Snowy Pine Village? So it really does exist.

Just as he had said that, I spotted a road sign that stated "Snowy Pine Village"; I suppose it also served as a nameplate for the entrance of the village.

MC: Logically speaking, that kid won't be facing any danger now that he's back in the village...

MC: But we should still go into the village and check for ourselves, just to be safe.

I looked around inside of the village. It seemed very quiet, with not many people pedestrians out on the streets.

MC: We don't know which house he went into, and it's not like we can just go around house-to-house knocking on their doors either…

Mo Yi: This village isn't big, so the villagers should probably know each other quite well. So, you don't really have to be worrying his safety.

Mo Yi: But since we're already here, how about we do some stuff you want to do and go back a little later?

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Location: Country Woods

Mo Yi: But since we're already here, how about we do some stuff you want to do and go back a little later?

MC: Huh?

Mo Yi: While chasing after the child earlier, I saw that there was a small open-space area by the road which should be very suitable for building snowmen.

Mo Yi: Haven't you always wanted to build a snowman?

Just now? I was completely focused on the little boy earlier that I didn't pay any attention to my surroundings at all…

MC: I won't forgive myself if I miss out on an opportunity to build a snowman! Let's head over there and take a look!

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

We followed the path we took to come here and backtracked until we arrived at the location where Mo Yi was talking about.

It was an open space where the snow had piled on thick, the pure white snow sparkling brightly under the sun's rays.

MC: Awesome! I want to build a gigantic snowman!!

Stepping into the soft snow, my mood immediately shifted into one of giddy excitement.

I rubbed my palms together in anticipation, only to see that Mo Yi had already gotten a step ahead of me. He reached out, grabbed a handful of snow, and lifted it up.

Mo Yi: It's such a rare opportunity, so let's build one together.

I saw him undo the buttons on his windbreaker, letting it hang to the ground as he started to shape a ball of snow in his hands rather seriously.

His expression was one of utter focus. He was so intent on what he was doing that he failed to notice that the hem of his clothes was dragging on the snow.

MC: Dr. Mo, your clothes—!

Mo Yi: It's fine. You'll lose the fun of playing in the snow if you're too conscious about whether or not you're getting your clothes dirty.

Saying so, he patted a complete snowball into shape.

Mo Yi: We should pile the base on like this first, add another freshly rolled ball up on it… And it’ll slowly start taking shape.

Mo Yi: Hurry and come on here, (Y/n).

MC: Dr. Mo...

Mo Yi: What? You aren't coming?

MC: I suddenly feel like you're not really being your usual self, but when I think more about it, I realize that you aren't actually all that different from before.

Mo Yi: Hm? And how am I to understand that?

MC: Building a snowman doesn’t look like an activity you’d participate in, but if you think of it as creating a work of art...

MC: Then, building a snowman suits someone like you to a T!

Mo Yi: How about you, then? Are you willing to make a "work of art" together with me?

MC: It would be my pleasure!

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

After working on it in full swing for a while, all the snowman was missing was a nose “to dot the eyes of a painted dragon in”, as the saying goes.

I found a pinecone in the pine forest nearby and brought it back while Mo Yi worked on placing the finishing touches onto the snowman.

MC: Dr. Mo...

His pale forehead was slightly beaded with sweat, his usually neat and untouched hair hanging in slight disarray.

A stray strand fell in front of his forehead, but he was so fixated on fixing up the snowman’s facial features that he appeared to have not noticed it at all.

MC: (He's really quite different from his usual self when he's like this…)

MC: (But it must be rather uncomfortable, since it's rather easy for the stray strand of hair to get in the way of his sight.)

With that in mind, I instinctively reached out towards him, helping him push the stray strand of hair, tucking it back to the side.

Mo Yi: …….!

Mo Yi's hand froze in its movements upon feeling my touch.

MC: Okay, it won't be getting into your eyes anymore now.

Mo Yi: You...

Faced with his warm, gentle gaze, I suddenly realized what I had just done.

MC: Sorry, Dr. Mo, I just—

Just, what? It was as if I was tongue-tied, unable to continue the rest of my sentence no matter much time passed.

Mo Yi: Thank you, I never noticed that my hair had mussed itself up.

MC: You're welcome...

I had thought that I'd tide over the embarrassment of what had just transpired with that, but never would I have thought...

Mo Yi: Still, why is your face so red?

MC: !!!

▷Choice: It's because I was active

MC: It’s probably because I was running around quite a bit searching for the pinecone just now, so my temperature shot up...

Mo Yi: Tie your scarf tighter around your neck, least you catch a cold after sweating and being exposed to the cold winds.

MC: Y-Yes, it's a little cold...

Mo Yi: Pass me the pinecone, I'll put it on the snowman.

Mo Yi had finally stopped “digging” into the matter, and I inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.

But his earlier question, paired with that look he gave me had deeply imprinted itself in my mind, and I... Pretty much knew what he was hoping for. But, it's just that…

I just didn’t know how to answer him.

Mo Yi: Some things are just like building a snowman; do it one step at a time, there's no need to rush.

Mo Yi: I'll patiently wait for you, until you find the right pinecone that best fits this snowman.

MC: Yeah, okay.

▷Choice: It’s just the different lighting

The gears in my head started turning at breakneck speed, finally coming up with an answer that even I thought flawless.

MC: My face is red? ...Actually, your face is actually a little red too.

MC: I think it’s because the light reflects off a snowy ground differently, so our skin tones appear different from usual.

Mo Yi: The lighting? That sounds reasonable enough, but I’ve never witnessed anything like this happening before.

MC: It’s probably because...

MC: (I can’t keep up this lie anymore no matter how I try to fib...)

I lowered my eyes, avoiding those golden eyes of his that one would easily find themselves absorbed by.

The hope within those eyes of his… I saw it; I did, but I haven't yet thought about how I should go around answering it…

Mo Yi: I’m guessing that your temperature increased because you were running around looking for pinecones back in the forest just now.

Mo Yi: Tie your scarf tighter around your neck, least you catch a cold after sweating and being exposed to the cold winds.

In my panic, Mo Yi had found the most appropriate explanation for me. I inwardly let out a sigh of relief.

MC: Yeah, that seems to be the case.

Mo Yi: Pass me the pinecone, I'll put it on the snowman.

After “settling” the pinecones on the snowman’s round head, our creation was finally brought to a successful completion.

MC: It’s finished! You have most of the credit for this snowman!

Mo Yi: Rather than comparing who contributed more to it, I’d rather call it a collective masterpiece.

MC: I honestly never thought that you’d be willing to play around with me like that. I thought you’d think me childish for wanting to do that.

Mo Yi: I don’t think it’s childish at all. Plus… I’m not just playing along with you, I’m also very happy about this, personally.

Mo Yi’s expression turned serious.

Mo Yi: We also had heavy snowfall back in my country, and building snowmen was one of the things that children enjoyed.

MC: So… Did you build them with your little friends back then too?

Mo Yi: Yes, I suppose I have.

MC: You suppose?

Mo Yi: I didn’t have many friends of the same age who were able to play with me when I was young.

Mo Yi: Laughing from the bottom of my heart while building a snowman, that was also a somewhat rare luxury for me back then.

Mo Yi: Hence, every chance I get to enjoy the simple things, like building a snowman, is a precious and treasured experience of mine.

MC: Is that so...

MC: Then let’s retain this snowman forever!

Saying so, I took out my phone and sought for the right angle, snapping a photo of our “collective masterpiece”, I immediately sent him a copy.

MC: I’ve sent it to you, Dr. Mo. I’ve snapped quite a few pictures of it, so you can pick and see which one is to your liking.

He looked at the picture, laughing lightly.

Mo Yi: Thank you, I’ll treasure it.

After that, we ended up building many other things aside from the snowman. For example, small houses, little animals, and the like…

The snow completely relieved me of the stress that I had in my life.  This was also a very precious experience to me, just like how it was to him.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

It was only until we got closer to the villa that we saw the little boy from before again.

The only difference was that he appeared very frantic, as if he’d just met some trouble.

MC: What’s wrong, little buddy? Did something happen again?

Little Boy: Demon King! I can't find Demon King! Can you guys help me find him?

MC: Demon King… Did it run off again?

Little Boy: Yeah, but it’s not the same this time! It's never disappeared for so long, and I’ve looked everywhere, but I can’t find him...

Little Boy: Demon King doesn’t hate you guys, so could you help me find it?

Mo Yi bent down to meet the boy’s eye-level.

Mo Yi: First, don’t panic. You’re much more familiar with it than us, so could you bring us to the places it always goes off to play?

Little Boy: No, I can’t go.

Little Boy: My granny has a bad leg, so I can’t go too far…

The little boy hung his head, his voice so filed with grief that he looked was on the verge of tears.

Little Boy: Demon King can’t be without me, else it’d get itself hurt...

MC: ...Don’t cry, little buddy. We’ll agree to help you find it.

The boy appeared to have grasped onto a glimmer of hope after hearing what I’d said.

He reached into his pocket and produced an old wooden whistle, hoarsely passing it to me.

Little Boy: Blow on this whistle and call Demon King by it’s name; he’ll come then. 

I took the whistle from him, nodding my head in attention. Mo Yi stood at one side, patiently asking the boy questions.

Mo Yi: Then, do you know where it likes to go? For example, where should we go, so that we can meet it?

The boy thought for a while before pointing behind our villa.

Little Boy: Demon King and I often go behind this big house to play.

Little Boy: Just bring it to Snowy Pine Village when you find it! Gran and I live right there!

Mo Yi gently patted his head.

Mo Yi: Got it. We’ll help you look for Demon King, so hurry on back and look after your grandmother.

Little Boy: Okay, it’s a promise then! My house is the one right in front; I’ll be waiting for you!

The boy pointed to us where his house was located before hurriedly running back. However, he hadn’t taken more than two steps before he turned back again and shouted.

Little Boy: You must bring Demon King back, okay?

MC: Got it!

The boy finally left for real this time after receiving affirmation from me. Watching his retreating figure, I still felt a little worried.

MC: Dr. Mo, he said that he had to take care of his grandmother...

Mo Yi: Are you trying to say that he’s a child that’s been left behind?

MC: Yes. Based on what he said, it’s possible that there’s only him and an elderly member of the family back home.

Mo Yi: Let’s go look for Demon King first. We’ll still have to go to his house and have a look after we’ve found it.

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

Location: Country Woods

After parting with the boy, the both of us headed into the forest to look for Demon King. This particular forest was very dense, and adding on the fact that it was snowing, it made it very hard for us to distinguish one thing from another.

In the end, as unfamiliar with the forest as we were, we spent half the day searching, yet we didn’t see so much as a squirrel’s shadow.

MC: Demon King―— Demon King―—

I held the small whistle tightly in my grip, blowing and yelling out its name at the same time; but no matter how many times I tried, there wasn’t a single response.

MC: We’ve already searched everywhere; just where has it gone…

Mo Yi: Pass it to me, let me try.

Saying so, Mo Yi smoothly took the whistle from my hands and gently blew on it.

And with this, that was how the melodious, yet crisp sound of a whistle reverberated through the snowy pine forest at a pace that was neither too fast, nor too slow.

Once, twice… Another moment passed, but Demon King never appeared, making me feel even more worried.

MC: Dr. Mo, is Demon King… not here yet?

Mo Yi: Let’s wait for a little while more. I believe he’ll come.

After another whistle, I noticed a cluster of pine branches shaking, and part of the snow that had rested on the branches falling along with it.

MC: Doc…

Mo Yi placed his index finger in front of his lips, signaling for me to not make a sound, probably so that I wouldn’t spook our little visitor.

I waited with bated breath. A few seconds later, a small figure emerged from among the trees, only to disappear just as quickly a split-second later.

MC: ……

I was attempting to look for it when Mo Yi’s voice sounded by my ear right at the same time.

Mo Yi: Look, (Y/n)——

☆⋅⋆…⋅─────────── ⋆⋅✾⋅⋆ ───────────⋅…⋆⋅☆

I turned around at the sound, only to see a small squirrel squatted on his hand, boldly looking back and forth.

Said squirrel wore a familiar-looking red ribbon around its neck. No way, isn’t that Demon King!?

MC: Oh! Demon King! That's great—

Demon King: Squeak, squeak, squeak!

Before the sound of my words had faded away, a small clump of snow suddenly fell from the pine branches that it had disturbed earlier with a muffled “thump”.

Demon King immediately stood up, ever-so vigilantly, as if it was going to flee yet again.

MC: Don't—

Just as I was stuck as to what the best course of action would be, Mo Yi acted quickly, swiftly calming Demon King down.

Mo Yi: It's okay, don't be scared. It's me, I won't hurt you.

Mo Yi: You friend has waited very long for you; he told us to come bring you back home in his stead.

Mo Yi: How about coming back together with us if you've had your share of fun, hm?

MC: (He's… Talking to the squirrel?)

───⋅𝕿𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊…⋆⋅☆

[realitytvpros]

Total Drama Homecoming EP 1: No Case Like Home (2/2)

While Total Drama Island’s former contestants catch up at a party, a special guest appears with the offer of a lifetime.

word count: 6741

A shot focused set in the lobby of a hotel. The main door opens, as Courtney, Gwen, Trent, Heather, Alejandro, and Cody enter. They all have their various luggage with them, and the group is heading towards the check-in counter. The shot zooms out to reveal the size of the room, as well as the lavish furniture and framed artwork. Everyone apart from Heather and Alejandro is visibly stunned by the grand scale of the building, causing them to stop.

ALEJANDRO: Here we are, gang. Thoughts?

GWEN: [in awe] Holy SHIT, this hotel is huge.

Alejandro smirks at her response.

HEATHER: [jerks her head in Cody’s direction] Watch it, Gwen; there’s children here.

CODY: [somewhat offended] Hey! For the record, I’m four days older than you!

HEATHER: [smiling] Ew, don’t remind me.

Courtney, who has been admiring the lobby ahead of them, twirls around to face Heather and Alejandro.

COURTNEY: You guys completely outdid yourselves. Everything’s so beautiful!

TRENT: [nodding] For real. I’m kinda scared about the bill though. A hotel-stay as cool as this must’ve cost a lot.

ALEJANDRO: No worries, my friend. Heather and I have the price completely covered; consider this trip as a treat on us.

CODY: Wow, it pays to know rich people.

GWEN: [jokingly] Alejandro and Heather? Doing nice things for nothing in return? Gross. If you two get any sweeter I’ll throw up.

HEATHER: What can I say? Being a CEO has its financial perks. Not to mention winning brings out the best in a person.

COURTNEY: Isn’t that the truth!

Heather and Courtney share a smile before Heather turns towards Alejandro.

HEATHER: I’ll go check us in. Alejandro, you watch my luggage and behave yourself. Got it?

Alejandro raises a hand to his chin, pretending to consider the idea.

ALEJANDRO: Hmm, I’m not so sure about that second part. However, just for you, I’ll do my best, mi alma.

HEATHER: [smiling as she crosses her arms] Good. That’s what I like to hear. Come on, Court.

As Courtney and Heather walk away off-screen, Alejandro playfully blows a kiss after Heather. Gwen, who is standing behind him, turns around and pretends to gag, causing Trent and Cody to suppress a laugh. Alejandro looks back over his shoulder and sees this, before turning back around, his smile unaltered.

ALEJANDRO: [facing Heather’s direction] Laugh all you want, friends. Just know at the end of the day, I am the lucky one with such a powerful woman in my life.

TRENT: Sure man, whatever helps you sleep at night.

ALEJANDRO: [smug] Correction: Heather helps me sleep at night. What with her combing her fingers through my hair as I drift off in her arms-

GWEN: [smiling] Oh my god, we get it, congrats on finding your best friend hot. Just stop talking before I ACTUALLY get nauseous.

CODY: Save that energy for the party tonight, Gwen, ‘cause it’s gonna be SICK!

Cody raises finger-guns to Gwen’s dismay. Trent raises a hand to his face to stop his smirk, and Alejandro watches in amusement.

GWEN: ...You win, Cody. That was singlehandedly worse than anything lover-boy here could say.

CODY: [proud] It’s an honor.

ALEJANDRO: [smirking] Well, now, let’s not be so hasty. I can still go on about how anyone can get lost in Heather’s beautiful eyes-

GWEN: [covering her ears with her hands] Make it stop!

Flash to a shot of the outside of the hotel. More and more former contestants can be seen meeting up outside the building and entering together. As they open the door, it changes to a shot of the hotel’s lobby from the inside. A montage starts as they check-in and take their luggage to their rooms, exploring the building at their own pace. Notable events include Courtney narrowing her eyes as she spots Duncan in the hallway, Katie and Sadie bouncing with excitement when they see an unsuspecting Justin before rushing him for selfies, and Lindsay excitedly posing for Sierra’s camera, with Izzy happily photobombing in the background.

The shot changes to an outside view of the top of the hotel, where it transitions from late afternoon to night time, the moon high in the sky. Flash to the hotel’s convention room, where a raging party is going on with all of the former cast. There are several plates of food and drinks scattered around the room, and loud dance music is playing over the speakers. In front of the dance floor is a stage, where Trent and Justin are currently manning the deejay booth. Some former contestants are dancing on the open dance floor, while others are off to the sides and chatting with one another. 

The camera pans out to the door to the room, where Ezekiel cracks the door open and enters. Looking around, he appears relieved and walks towards the group. He finds Beth near the dance floor and taps her on the shoulder. She turns around, eyes widening.

BETH: Holy moly, Zeke, is that you?

Ezekiel nods, and Beth hugs him.

BETH: I’m so glad you made it! And- oh wow, you look so healthy! Your skin isn’t green anymore!

Beth pulls back and looks him up and down, jaw hanging open. Ezekiel nods again, a shy smile on his face. Beth raises her eyebrows, but before she can say anything, Ezekiel raises his hands.

EZEKIEL: [signing] Thank you.

BETH: [gasps] You speak sign language? Wait, can you understand me right now? Or should I sign too?

Beth raises her hands.

BETH: [signing excitedly] Hello! You’re welcome.

Beth falters, frowning.

BETH: [sheepish] Sorry, I’m kind of rusty; the last time I practiced was June.

As she tries to sign the word, “sorry”, Ezekiel pulls out his phone, opens a notepad app, and types something. He then shows the phone to Beth.

BETH: [reading aloud] I can hear you when you talk. I just can’t talk out loud. I can write if you want, eh?

Beth looks back at him.

BETH: No, no, you can still sign if it’s easier! I need the practice. It’ll come in handy for when I go back as a camp counselor.

Ezekiel shrugs and starts signing about how excited he is to be here as Beth tries to follow along, her brows furrowing in concentration.

Pan over to Tyler, who’s weaving through the tables, with red cups full of punch in his hands. His foot lands on a stray napkin and he trips, but a nearby Alejandro is quick to catch him, Tyler’s torso hovering over his lap. Tyler opens his eyes, surprised he didn’t spill anything, as he carefully rights himself.

TYLER: Woah, thanks for saving me, Alejandro!

ALEJANDRO: [fondly] Ah, Tyler. Still as clumsy now as you were then, huh?

TYLER: I think it’s more bad luck than anything else.

As Tyler straightens himself up, he suddenly notices Alejandro is sitting in a wheelchair.

TYLER: [concerned] Aw, man, don’t tell me I was a dick and landed on your legs. You good?

ALEJANDRO: [dismissive hand wave] I’m fine. It’s not as if I’m made of paper.

TYLER: [somewhat flustered] Well, yeah, you’re not. I mean, I saw you back on All-Stars, and you’ve got the most wicked upper body ever, hands down, with you walking on your hands everywhere! Not to say that’s all you got, ‘cause like, you’re MORE than just really cool arm strength, but uh- pretty awesome, y’know?

Alejandro smiles.

ALEJANDRO: I must say I’m rather flattered by your words. But I offer you my condolences that you watched that season. It was far from my best performance.

TYLER: Well, I thought you did pretty good. I know good arms when I see them.

ALEJANDRO: [raises an eyebrow] And how often do you see such good arms?

Tyler thinks about it, raising a red cup to his chin in thought. The punch inside sloshes warily.

TYLER: Kinda a lot. There’s all kinds of buff guys showing up to the gym for me to train.

ALEJANDRO: [in mild disbelief] You? A trainer? Please sit down, I’d love to hear how this came to be.

Tyler sits in a nearby chair, now eye-level with Alejandro. He is still holding both cups, and when Alejandro curiously reaches out for one, he reflexively hands it to him as he begins talking.

TYLER: Lindsay’s makeup business started bringing in enough for me to take a break from working at dad’s car shop, so I went for it. Totally beats being ragged on by the old man for using the wrong wrench. But it’s probably not as cool as whatever you’re doing.

ALEJANDRO: [taking a sip] Don’t sell yourself short; those are wonderful accomplishments. It certainly sounds more interesting than my linguistics lectures.

Tyler stares blankly at Alejandro.

TYLER: The pasta?

ALEJANDRO: Hah! I wish. The study of languages.

TYLER: Ohh, cool! I always wanted to learn another language, but it never happened. Flashcards didn’t do anything and 9th grade Spanish sucked.

ALEJANDRO: It is a wonderful skill to have. If you like, I could tutor you.

TYLER: [excited] For real bro?

ALEJANDRO: [taking another sip] Of course. You said you liked Japanese game shows before, didn’t you? We could start our lessons there. It’s challenging at first, but if we start slow, I’m sure you could-

Alejandro pauses, looking at Tyler. Tyler looks like he’s about to cry with glee.

TYLER: [voice cracking] You remember that?

ALEJANDRO: Why wouldn’t I? You weren’t ever easy to forget.

Tyler gently presses a hand to his forehead, composing himself. Alejandro finishes his drink as he waits.

TYLER: …Dude, you’re the best. It’s kinda funny we’re talking about this now. Last week when Lindsay and I got back from France, we almost missed-

Tyler pauses, then slaps his palm to his forehead.

TYLER: Aww, dang, Lindsay! I left her waiting! I told her I’d grab her some punch and come right back. Sorry bro, I gotta get going.

ALEJANDRO: [handing Tyler the cup back] No worries, Tyler. We’ll catch up later. I’m glad I got to see you again.

TYLER: Yeah, man. You too!

As Alejandro rolls away, Tyler smiles, before realizing that he’s now holding an empty cup. He sighs and turns around, heading back the way he came.

While Tyler fills up the cup with punch again at a snack table, the camera pans over to Noah, Cody, and Heather, who are sitting closeby, watching the others dance and interact. The three of them are at a table, with drinks in front of them.

HEATHER: Check out those lovebirds.

She discreetly points at Geoff, who is slow dancing with Bridgette. Noah rolls his eyes.

NOAH: Wow, who would’ve seen that coming?

HEATHER: [scoffs] Like they didn’t spend their whole time flirting for the world to see.

CODY: Wasn’t that what you and Alejandro were doing?

HEATHER: No, THAT was a strategic move on my end. Besides, we’re not like that anymore. 

NOAH: I could’ve sworn you two were engaged.

HEATHER: [nonchalantly] For a few months, sure. I didn’t want to go through with it, and he didn’t either. But we still love each other, so we worked it out and became each other’s platonic partner. Simple as that.

NOAH: Huh.

CODY: I don’t get it, but go off.

HEATHER: [shrugging] You don't have to get it. It’s what makes us happy.

NOAH: [smirking] Weird way of saying best friend with benefits, right?

HEATHER: [smug] Oh shut up, you MARRIED your best friend.

Noah furrows his eyebrows and looks away, his face heating as he takes a swig of punch. Cody chuckles and sighs.

CODY: I think I’m kinda happy for them. Must be nice not being single.

HEATHER: It’s not like relationships are a walk in the park. Remember the last time you wanted a girlfriend?

CODY: [frowning] It’s not like that with Sierra anymore.

HEATHER: [sipping punch] I know; that’s good. Your first serious relationship shouldn’t be your last. Don’t look at Noah, either. He’s an outlier and shouldn’t be included.

CODY: [turning to Noah] Hold on, how’s Owen your first? What about that race show? With you and Emma?

NOAH: That lasted for a week. She’s done with dudes. 

CODY: But you really seemed into each other?

NOAH: It’s an industry secret: when you play up romance for the cameras, the producers play favorites. Heck, Little Miss Fanblogs pretty much carried you in World Tour.

CODY: [dejected] Oh.

Noah senses Cody’s bad mood and pats him on the shoulder.

NOAH: Keep trying, dork. Someone’s gotta find your bread pants cute someday.

CODY: Big talk for the guy who kissed my ear!

NOAH: Doesn’t count: I was ASLEEP.

CODY: That’s bull and you know it!

HEATHER: [smiling] Congrats to you two nerds for being the first kiss of the show. How does that feel?

NOAH: [raising his cup] Don't make me dump this on you.

HEATHER: Try it; I’ll sue you and Cody for what it’s worth.

CODY: What? What did I do?!

HEATHER: You’re collateral, duh.

NOAH: Cody, keep up.

HEATHER: Wasn’t it obvious?

Cody stands up, exasperated.

CODY: Screw you both. I’m gonna go get my groove on.

Cody walks away in a huff, taking his soda with him. Heather watches him go, amused, while Noah calls after him.

NOAH: Don’t be like that, you know I wouldn’t let Heather screw you over completely!

HEATHER: [turns to Noah] You two fight like an old married couple.

NOAH: [raising his cup] Don’t test me.

The shot follows Cody as he walks towards the dance floor, passing by other contestants, his arms crossed grumpily. From the distance, Sierra, holding a pen and notepad, waves at him. He stops for a second, waves back, and continues walking the way he was going. Rather than follow him, the camera zooms in on Sierra. 

Sierra turns back to Eva and Izzy. Katie and Sadie are on either side of Sierra, each holding a small plate of snacks. Izzy’s resting her elbow on Eva’s shoulder.

SIERRA: [pointing with her pen at them] So tell me: who do you think is the HOTTEST guy here?

EVA: They’re all ugly. Next question.

SADIE: Wow! Super bold.

KATIE: [frowning] But kinda harsh… What about Justin?

SADIE: Or Alejandro?

EVA: Did I stutter?

IZZY: C’mon, talking about boys all night is SO predictable! Hit me with a curveball! I can totally vouch for who I thought would’ve died by now.

SIERRA: Sorry Izz, but this is what the old fans are asking for. Everyone’s dying to know who’s the hunkiest of the hunks! Like for instance, what do you think of Geoff and Brody-

IZZY: [shaking her head] Blah. Boring. Wouldn’t it be more fun to see what we’ve been up to? Last year, I got stuck in a tree for a week with only my shoelaces and a jar of peanut butter.

EVA: We watched a documentary on squirrels.

IZZY: I got to live the squirrel life! Well, until the neighbors called the fire marshal.

KATIE: Aww, I love squirrels!

Sierra, despite writing this down, frowns slightly.

SIERRA: [sighs] I dunno. I aim to please, but you two make a compelling point. 

Sierra taps her pen against her notepad, the corners of her mouth pulled back in thought. She looks back up at them.

SIERRA: Tell you what: let’s change tracks and get a little more personal. How’s your relationship? How did Eva and Izzy come to be?

IZZY: Super terrific! Okay, okay, get this: this whole time, we’ve been going to the same shrink! The first time I drove myself there, I hit her motorcycle in the parking lot. Small world, am I right?

EVA: [smiling slightly] She tagged along to my boxing practices to make up for it and things fell into place from there.

IZZY: Spoiler alert: Eva’s HOT! Especially when she knocks out dudes in one hit!

Eva blushes as Izzy laughs. Katie and Sadie both raise their hands to their faces at that.

KATIE & SADIE: Awww!

SIERRA: So adorable! Any plans for the future?

EVA: Right now we’re fiancées. Still got some time before we have to plan the wedding.

SADIE: [excited] Oh my god, if you need a bridesmaid I am TOTES interested!

KATIE: [gasps] Like, me too! Do you have any theme ideas?

IZZY: Sure! We‘re having the whole ceremony skydiving!

Sierra finishes jotting down notes and raises her eyebrows, while Katie and Sadie’s eyes widen.

KATIE: Skydiving?

EVA: [nonchalantly] It builds character for the marriage.

IZZY: [hyped] I wanna feel a RUSH both physically and emotionally! Just need to make sure the vows are short enough, y’know?

SADIE: Um…

SIERRA: [curious] Will your guests be aware of this? And who are you inviting?

EVA: [smiling] Not a whole lot of people. We’re keeping it a surprise so they can’t back out.

IZZY: [shrugging] Owen and Noah are gonna be there, for sure, though. They had us at theirs! Gotta return the favor. And maybe Lindsay and Tyler too. Also, if you guys wanna come, I’ll totally save a spot in the plane for ya.

The offer hangs awkwardly in the air as Katie and Sadie share a glance, both looking pale. Sierra intervenes for them.

SIERRA: [smiling] Oh, look, they’re playing your song, Katie! How about we take a dance break?

Katie and Sadie smile, relieved. Izzy nods.

IZZY: Sure! [turns to Eva] I’m in the mood for some punch first, you?

EVA: When am I not?

Izzy giggles as she holds Eva’s hand and pulls her offscreen, the two heading towards the drinks. Sierra turns to smile at Katie and Sadie.

SIERRA: Wow! That was way better than any TD glow-up article! Wait, does Owen still have a fear of flying? I gotta go ask them!

KATIE: Oh? Sure.

As Sierra runs off behind them with her notepad and pen, Katie and Sadie finish their snacks and turn towards the dance floor, walking together.

SADIE: [nervous] Do you think they were serious?

KATIE: OMG, I hope not. No offense to them, but I’m gonna stick to weddings where I don’t have to jump out of a plane.

SADIE: For real! Our wedding is gonna be totally 100% on super solid ground.

KATIE: Yeah! Nothing but grass under us the whole time!

Katie and Sadie nod, then both look away from each other for a moment, visibly thinking.

KATIE: [pensive] Ummm …can the beach count as super solid ground?

SADIE: [looking at Katie and blushing] I was just thinking that too! Sand totally counts as solid ground!

KATIE: [eyes wide] Oh my gosh; are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Katie and Sadie grab each other's hands and jump up and down.

KATIE & SADIE: EEEEE! WE’RE GONNA HAVE A BEACH WEDDING!

As Katie and Sadie hug each other, Bridgette walks past them, smiling at their enthusiasm. She sits down at a table, where Gwen is standing nearby, leaning against the wall. Gwen is holding a drink, her arms crossed as she stares off at the room.

BRIDGETTE: Hey. Didn’t think I’d see you here.

GWEN: Hey yourself. Courtney helped plan this; I kind of had to come.

BRIDGETTE: Well, I’m glad you’re here, even if parties aren’t your thing. It’s been too long.

Gwen nods at that, but doesn’t say anything else. Bridgette looks over at her tense figure.

BRIDGETTE: Gwen? Everything okay?

GWEN: Yeah, no, it’s just-

Gwen sighs, then rubs her arm with her free hand.

GWEN: I didn’t think I was ready to see him again.

BRIDGETTE: Who? Duncan?

GWEN: [shaky] He’s the human embodiment of every dumb thing I ever did. It’s like I’m one of Pavlov’s stupid dogs.

BRIDGETTE: [stands up] Hey, hey, come here.

Bridgette hugs Gwen, rubbing her back gently. Gwen leans into the hug.

BRIDGETTE: We can have a good night tonight without letting the past haunt us. You’re worth more than that, okay?

GWEN: I guess.

BRIDGETTE: [playfully stern] I’m not letting you go unless I hear a ‘totally.’

GWEN: [smiling weakly] I’m NOT doing that. You can’t make me.

BRIDGETTE: Believe me, we’ll be here all night if we have to.

GWEN: [rolling her eyes] Is this a symptom of your trimester? Smothering your friends to death?

BRIDGETTE: Gwendolyn, I’m waiting.

Gwen breaks into laughter.

GWEN: Dammit, you got me. Yes, Bridgette, you’re totally right and tubular and gnarly and all that.

Bridgette laughs as she lets go.

BRIDGETTE: [smiling] Tubular?

GWEN: What, is that for surfer chicks only?

BRIDGETTE: I never thought you knew surfer lingo.

GWEN: [shrugging] This week’s been full of surprises, Bridge. Maybe I’ll even take up surfing with you.

BRIDGETTE: You, out in the sun all day? You’d look just like a flamingo.

Gwen laughs, joined by Bridgette’s laughter. The camera zooms out to show the back of Duncan’s head in the frame. He’s too far away to hear their conversation, but he finds himself staring at the duo anyways. Suddenly, he’s scooped up into a bear hug by Owen.

OWEN: Duncan! Oh man, I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure! Your hair totally threw me off.

DUNCAN: [patting his arm] Sorry dude, still looking for that perfect green dye. The stuff I used to get went out of business years ago.

Owen puts Duncan back on the ground.

OWEN: Oh, you should ask Gwen what she buys. She’s pretty much an expert.

DUNCAN: Yeah, um. That.

Duncan spares one last look at Gwen before turning towards Owen.

DUNCAN: Listen, Owen, you can keep a secret, right?

Owen taps his fingers nervously together.

OWEN: Gee, I dunno. Secrets aren’t really my forte, hahah. One time Noah and I got invited to his cousin’s wedding, and we had to replace her shower curtain after-

DUNCAN: [waving his hand] Lemme rephrase that. You can give good advice, right?

OWEN: I can try!

Duncan nods and pauses, thinking of what he wants to say.

DUNCAN: Say you got a friend who doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings-

OWEN: Ooh, who is it?

Justin, who is holding a drink and standing behind Duncan, speaks up.

JUSTIN: [eavesdropping] Is it me? Because let’s be honest, I can totally fulfill that role.

DUNCAN: [jumping slightly] Christ, when did you-

Duncan scowls, before continuing.

DUNCAN: [sighs] Alright. Pretend JUSTIN usually couldn’t care less about anyone, and life’s totally rocking for him as a lone wolf. All of a sudden, he’s got this old, petty drama shit coming back that he’s gotta deal with. Is starting a fight worth it?

Owen rubs his chin in thought.

OWEN: ...Why do you want to fight them?

DUNCAN: [defensively] It’s not me, Owen. Pretend it’s Justin.

JUSTIN: Hmm, I don’t know. A physical confrontation isn’t my style. I can’t risk anyone taking a shot at my face.

OWEN: Yeah, you don’t have to fight if you don’t want to. Can't you talk it out?

DUNCAN: [crosses his arms] No way in hell. Ain’t happening.

OWEN: Why not?

DUNCAN: His reputation, dude. He’s not gonna get all vulnerable and soft now.

JUSTIN: Truth. The world of modeling is a vicious one.

OWEN: Sure, but, you’re not modeling right now. It doesn’t have to be like that. Maybe you could try and ask them if there’s anything you can do to fix it?

JUSTIN: Or give them some space. Mama always said the greatest gift you can give is breathing room. On that note, ciao.

Justin walks off, back towards the stage. Duncan rolls his eyes.

DUNCAN: [sighs] You know what? Forget I said anything. This conversation never happened.

OWEN: [rubbing the back of his neck] Okay.

Duncan stares at the ground for a moment, before looking back up with a smile.

DUNCAN: So, I got pockets; you got pockets. Wanna see who can smuggle out more food?

OWEN: [opening his pockets] I’ve been waiting for this day to come.

DUNCAN: Oh it’s ON.

Duncan and Owen race towards the nearest snack table, running in front of the stage as they do so. The camera stops in front of the stage and pans up to Trent, Harold, and Justin, who are onstage manning the deejay booth. Trent lifts his head up and moves one of his headphones off of his ear briefly.

TRENT: You guys see something just now?

HAROLD: [arms crossed] Only someone breaking my heart.

TRENT: For the last time, I’m NOT playing J-pop.

HAROLD: And there he goes again, breaking it some more.

Justin mimics a tear rolling down his cheek in solidarity. Trent rolls his eyes and turns back to the booth.

TRENT: Sorry, Harold. If I could, I would, but rules are rules.

HAROLD: What? What rules?

TRENT: On the ride here, Courtney said I gotta specifically ignore your requests.

JUSTIN: Ouch. Tragic.

HAROLD: [raising his hands] Seriously? Trent, I had a whole frickin’ playlist for tonight! God!

TRENT: [raising his hands defensively] Hey, if you wanna argue why we should be listening to your Caramel-whatever right now, you should take it up with her.

HAROLD: Okay, first of all, Caramelldansen is a Swedish song that was popularized by Japanese fans. And second, maybe I will.

Harold stands up, storming off the stage.

TRENT: Good luck. Don’t die.

JUSTIN: Watch out, Harold; lawyers can be vicious.

The camera follows Harold looking for Courtney, as he passes DJ, Geoff, Leshawna, and Lindsay on the dance floor. The four of them are dancing together, when suddenly Lindsay stops and runs over to a nearby sign, something catching her eye.

LINDSAY: Oh my gosh, they have an indoor AND an outdoor pool? Guys, we should SO go swimming!

DJ: A pool? Wouldn’t it be closed by now?

GEOFF: Night’s still young, dude! We can always sneak in.

LINDSAY: I think the lights are still on. That means it’s open, right?

LESHAWNA: Good idea, girl! I’ll go get our swimsuits if you want.

LINDSAY: Oh, wait here for a second! I’ll go get my flip-flops; they totally match my new bikini! 

Lindsay turns, but then pauses, and then turns back around.

LINDSAY: Um, I think I left them in the car.

LESHAWNA: [holding her car keys] Lemme tag along with you then. You guys okay with that?

DJ: Sure! We’ll hang back and wait. Stay safe!

LESHAWNA: Will do.

Lindsay and Leshawna slip out of the convention room and walk through the lobby, making their way to the front doors. Leshawna looks around curiously, turning her head. The lobby is completely empty apart from them.

LESHAWNA: [to herself] Ain’t there supposed to be someone at the front desk here? Or for that matter, anyone at all?

Lindsay pulls on the front door, but it won’t budge.

LINDSAY: [confused] Is the door broken? Can doors break?

LESHAWNA: Did you push?

LINDSAY: I’ll try that!

Lindsay pushes on the front door, to no success. Leshawna comes to her aid, but to her shock, realizes she can’t open it either.

LESHAWNA: [pushing harder] The hell? Aren’t they supposed to keep the front doors open?

COURTNEY: I saw you two leave; is everything okay?

Courtney is peering out of the convention room, looking at them.

LESHAWNA: These doors are locked and I don’t see a soul in sight. Is that normal to you?

COURTNEY: That can’t be right. This place is five-stars; they’re SUPPOSED to have someone here at all times!

Courtney walks up to the front desk and rings the bell there. She waits for a moment and rings it again impatiently. Nothing happens.

LINDSAY: Maybe they’re asleep? Working people have to sleep too sometimes.

COURTNEY: [ringing the bell] Not on my watch!

Courtney continues to ring the bell, to no response. Leshawna shakes her head.

LESHAWNA: Something fishy’s going on. I don’t trust it.

LINDSAY: [worried] Oh no, are we trapped?

COURTNEY: [annoyed] We’re not trapped. Just a whole bunch of idiot employees slacking off. Come on, Alejandro knows this place better than me. He’ll know what to do.

The three slip back into the convention room, spotting Alejandro among the rest of the group. Right as they make their way towards him, the music stops abruptly. Everyone stops what they’re doing in response.

ALEJANDRO: [looking up] Huh?

HAROLD: Did we blow a fuse?

DUNCAN: Boo.

Murmuring fills the room, and Trent raises his hands to get their attention.

TRENT: Guys, it’s cool. I can hop over to acoustics instead.

GEOFF: [raising his cup as a toast] Alright dude! The party goes on!

CODY: [clapping] Yeah, Trent!

Everyone claps politely as Trent takes out his guitar from underneath the deejay booth.

TRENT: So who’s up for a little Wonderwall?

Before anyone can react, the lights in the room go out, leaving them in total darkness. DJ screams.

NOAH: Wow, great hotel, guys.

GWEN: What the hell’s going on right now?

COURTNEY: [bewildered] Alejandro, did you plan any of this?

ALEJANDRO: Don’t look at me like that, I’m just as lost as you.

LINDSAY: How are you looking? I can’t see anything!

TYLER: [grimacing] You’re stepping on my foot, babe.

As murmuring and complaining starts again, a faint, slow clapping sound can be heard. Heather hears this and shushes everyone. The room falls quiet, as the clapping grows louder.

JUSTIN: [furrowing his eyebrows] Ew, I hope that’s not what I think it is.

HEATHER: [urgent] Shh! Whatever it is, it’s coming this way!

The clapping only grows louder, now clearly coming from behind the curtains onstage. DJ grabs Geoff’s arm out of fear, as does Lindsay to Tyler. Noah grabs Owen’s hand, and Gwen curls an arm protectively around Bridgette. Eva defensively stands in front of Izzy, Ezekiel and Cody both look nauseous, and Harold readies himself into a karate stance. 

Finally, the curtains are thrown back, as Chris McLean emerges with a giant smile. He continues his slow clap, now echoing through the room. He’s wearing a white suit with a blue button-up underneath.

CHRIS: [cheery, raising his arms] Congrats, campers! Awesome party you got going on! Sucks it ended, but great seeing you all together again, huh? Just like old times.

Everyone gasps. Trent and Justin stumble back a bit. Heather points at him like she’s seen a ghost.

HEATHER: [furious] Motherfucker, you’re supposed to be in prison!

CHRIS: Oh yeah. I was, wasn’t I? Thanks again for that, by the way. Real nice of you. NOT.

KATIE: [trembling in Sadie’s arms] Oh god, this can’t be real!

SADIE: Please say it’s not real!

CHRIS: I can assure you that this is all real. Just as real as Chef always being my main man. Nothing gets the heart pumping like a little prison escape, right?

DUNCAN: [begrudgingly] Wow.

COURTNEY: [pulling out her phone] Don’t bother with him! They arrested you once, McLean, and they’ll arrest you again!

CHRIS: [smug] Go for it, Court.

Everyone watches tensely as Courtney dials 911 and waits. She pales as the call doesn’t go through, and hurriedly tries again. Once again, the call doesn’t reach through. Panic sets across her face as she continues to try again. Chris crosses his arms smugly at the sight.

CHRIS: Try harder; maybe you’ll break through the data jammer next time.

HAROLD: [in disbelief] YOU jammed the entire hotel’s Wi-Fi signals?

CHRIS: Nah, that was Chef’s idea. All I did was send everyone home and locked the place up for them. And look, now we’re all bunkered down together! Wicked.

LINDSAY: [bewildered] But how? You don’t work here.

CHRIS: [finger guns] Indeed I don’t! But you know what does? Anesthetic.

Leshawna, Courtney, and Lindsay gasp.

COURTNEY: [horrified] You drugged everyone in the hotel?

LINDSAY: [in disbelief] Even the other guests?

LESHAWNA: [disgusted] What in god’s name is wrong with you?

Eva steps forward, cracking her knuckles.

EVA: You better let us go before I beat your ass, Chris!

Chris nonchalantly whips out a taser gun from his pocket. He tosses it in the air and catches it.

CHRIS: Word of advice: I wouldn’t try that if I were you.

Duncan scoffs, despite looking somewhat nervous.

DUNCAN: Seriously dude, you think I can’t handle a pathetic taser?

Chris shrugs and points the gun in his direction and fires. DJ and Duncan both duck instinctively, but the taser doesn’t appear to be aimed at them. Instead, it hits a plate of hot dogs behind them. On contact, the hot dogs explode across the table, now burnt beyond recognition. Owen yelps at the sight, grabbing an equally shocked Noah. Duncan sees the charred remains and looks almost sick.

CHRIS: That settles that. On that note, Chef’s got pepper spray, and BELIEVE me: you do NOT want things to come down to that. Dunno what these three court-happy complainers have been telling you, but I kinda don’t want to come down to killing you guys. Wouldn’t make for good TV.

CODY: [panicked] How’d you even find us here?

CHRIS: Heard through the grapevine that SOMEONE’S got the old cast together for one last season and I wasn’t invited. Say it with me, bros: NOT. COOL.

Everyone looks more confused than scared at that statement.

TRENT: What last season? What are you talking about?

SIERRA: Yeah! Total Drama hasn’t produced anything for years!

CHRIS: You think I’m seriously gonna go back to jail without throwing one last shebang? If the producers aren’t gonna save me with another season, then I’LL make one! How hard can it be?

ALEJANDRO: And pray tell, just HOW are you going to do that?

CHRIS: [annoyed] Duh, everything I need is right here. We’ll set up challenges, get a confessional going, and you guys can compete with each other again. Chef’s got access to all the cameras in the building, and with some editing, we can make the episodes local. Then, we broadcast them for the world to see, and the public adores it. Stinks I don’t have my interns doing the grunt work, but that’s what you get on short notice.

BRIDGETTE: [nervous] So what, are we supposed to be the contestants again?

CHRIS: Pretty much, yeah. Why else would I keep you guys hostage? Audiences LOVED seeing you guys get hurt back on Wawanakwa! Nostalgia sells, dudes!

Everyone tenses up at this. The realization that they’re alone with Chris McLean and being held as hostages is finally sinking in.

BETH: Are you gonna kill us?

DJ: [frantic] I DON’T WANT TO DIE!

CHRIS: Woah, woah, easy there, champ. I’m not gonna kill you. Murder is OFF the table right now. Suuuper bad for ratings. You can get eliminated, yes, but my body count’s way too high to afford any deaths.

HEATHER: Let me get this straight, you’re holding us captive JUST so we can play along for a new season?

GWEN: Just WHAT makes you think any of us are gonna go along with that?

CHRIS: [pretending to think over it] I dunno, hmmm, what about a grand total prize of FIVE MILLION DOLLARS?

A collective gasp is heard.

TYLER: No way!

JUSTIN: He’s lying!

CHRIS: [singsong] Oh, Chef?

A large white screen lowers itself behind Chris from the ceiling, as an overhead projector flickers on. The screen shows a live camera feed of Chef, who is lying down on a king-sized hotel bed, wearing a fluffy bathrobe, green clay mask, and slippers. Next to him on the bed is a decorated travel suitcase, and when Chef opens it up for the camera to see, it is filled to the brim with stacks of genuine dollar bills. Upon seeing the money, everyone’s eyes widen.

IZZY: Oooh!

SADIE: Oh my god!

COURTNEY: Hold on! How do we know you’re not going to use us and take off with the money again?

The projector turns off. Chris puts his hands on his hips.

CHRIS: Alright, look, if I get arrested before the season ends, then we BOTH go empty-handed. The cops are just gonna take the money away from you as evidence, and your awesome win is gonna be for nothing.

HEATHER: [arms crossed] Gee, doesn’t that sound familiar?

CHRIS: BUT as long as you guys are here with me, I know the police won’t try anything. Surprise surprise, since you’re hostages, they don’t want you dead either. Sooo, that’s where you come in! Be good little players and keep the cops off my back for as long as possible, and I’ll hand off the cash to the lucky finalist who wins. Got it?

Everyone’s quiet for a moment, processing the proposition. Courtney looks nervously at Gwen, Heather locks eyes with Alejandro, and Justin and Trent glance at each other. Slowly, some of them look less tense as they consider the idea.

IZZY: [rubbing her hands together] Sure! Sounds good to me! I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to be a human shield.

NOAH: Of course you would.

CODY: [hesitant] Five million does sound pretty cool.

HAROLD: [shrugging] The dance studio could use the funds.

Ezekiel nods as he considers the money.

GEOFF: Uh, question, bro. Bridgette’s got a bun in the oven. How’s that gonna work?

Chris raises his eyebrows, just now noticing Bridgette’s pregnancy.

CHRIS: Huh? Oh? Ohhh. Wow, yikes. Hmm.

Chris raises a hand to his chin, thinking it over. Bridgette looks uneasy watching him.

CHRIS: Well, I can’t have anything happening to you in that case, huh? Audiences would HATE to see you get hurt.

Chris claps his hands together.

CHRIS: Tell you what! I’ll take you out of the competition as a contestant and make you an intern instead! You still have a shot at the money, but instead of participating, you get to help me edit episodes and set up challenges. If you stink then you’re kicked from the competition. Deal?

Bridgette rubs the back of her neck, thinking.

BRIDGETTE: [pensively] I mean... I guess it’s for the best. 

Bridgette sighs and nods.

BRIDGETTE: Deal. But no funny business, Chris.

CHRIS: [mock salutes] Scout’s honor.

CODY: [raising his hand] Uh, what about Alejandro?

ALEJANDRO: [scoffs] Oh please. You think I would pick a hotel that wasn’t wheelchair accessible? I can manage myself just fine, Cody.

HEATHER: Hello, have you seen his arm strength?

TYLER: [raising his hand] I have!

CODY: [defensively] No, cause I have TASTE and I skipped that season.

Courtney nods at that while Gwen rolls her eyes.

CHRIS: Yawn. Anyone else wanna waste my time and complain, or are we done here? Cause if I were you, I’d wanna get some shut-eye. We got a lot of stuff to do if we’re gonna do this right. Sweet dreams, campers!

Everyone hesitates but agrees to this, slowly filing out of the convention room. The camera follows as they mumble among themselves.

DJ: [wiping away tears] How do we know he’s not gonna kill us in our sleep? Oh, I wish I was back home with my mommas. They’d know what to do.

IZZY: [patting DJ on the back] It’s okay, Deej! Killing everyone in one night would be the boring way out. And you know how much Chris hates boring stuff.

SIERRA: Somehow, that’s oddly reassuring.

GWEN: [threading her fingers through her hair] But we don’t know that for sure! Ugh, I can’t believe we’re trapped in here with a criminal!

Duncan coughs. Gwen and Courtney both ignore it.

GEOFF: [smiling weakly] Hey, dudes, it doesn’t have to be all bad. Think of it this way: we get to hang out for a while all together again! Just like on Wawanakwa! You remember how fun that summer was, right?

TRENT: Uh, no offense, but I’ve been trying to suppress this show from my mind for the past ten years.

EVA: Agree.

OWEN: [hopeful] I think Geoff’s right. Who knows? Maybe this won’t be so scary after all! We got each other!

LESHAWNA: [sighs] Big guy’s got a point. Right now we’re all together in one piece at a gorgeous hotel. It could be worse.

Various mumbled agreements are heard, but most of the contestants look unsettled. As they all leave, the shot changes back to Chris, who is facing away, watching them go. Chris then turns around towards a camera behind him.

CHRIS: [pointing at the camera] When will Courtney and Gwen acknowledge their beef with Duncan? How will Lindsay fare without her flip-flops? And what will our first challenge be? Hunker down and find out the answers to some of these and MORE on Total! Drama! Homecoming!

Chris laughs, turns on his heel, and walks out of frame.

CHRIS: [smiling] Man, it’s great to be back.

Credits roll.

A/N: i can only write for chris and it shows 🤪 also if you want closure on the shower curtain line then once again PLEASE go read this amazing fic 🥺🥺 anyways tysm for reading!! feedback is more than appreciated!!

[storiesbymads]

EIGHTEEN ( joe liebgott . )

Y/N met Joe a few days after she graduated from high school. loosely based off the one direction song.

warnings: none but it gets kinda sad @ the end ig

wc: 4.3k

Graduation was days away and Y/N could feel the air escaping her lungs just thinking about it. She had been dreaming about this day for the past twelve years and it was actually happening. Although, now that it was here, the moment felt bittersweet. She was about to leave all the childhood friends she’d made for a junior college across the country in San Francisco. It was almost too surreal for her to handle. A week from now, she’d be somewhat situated in an apartment she’d only seen once without her parents or really anyone that she knew. She would be starting her life.

The last few days of senior year could not have gone by any slower. Final exams had been the week prior so the classes she was attending were really just excuses for all of her classmates and teachers to get emotional about the time they’d spent together. Y/N counted down the minutes until she could finally get out of there. While some of the girls she’d come to know as her best friends were allowing themselves to shed a tear or two and give close to a million hugs to people they’d shared maybe a conversation with in their time there, Y/N kept finding herself in her daydreams about what her new life was going to be like.

“I cannot believe it’s our last day of high school,” her friend Annabelle said. There were about twelve girls all scrunched up at one lunchroom table in an already overcrowded lunchroom. Thankfully, the number had dwindled slightly over the years and now Y/N at least had enough room to put her elbows on the table when she was eating.

“I know! I’m gonna miss you girls so much,” another girl named Cecile said. Y/N swore she saw the slightest hint of a tear in her eye as she said it. Y/N took a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich without another word.

The amount of nerves surrounding her as she stood on the small auditorium stage astounded her. She attended a small school with her graduating class maxing out around 200 and yet the room felt like it was about to explode. All of the classmates around her were decked out in the signature royal blue of their highschool with bright smiles and hazy eyes from the brightly flashing cameras. Y/N fidgeted with the tassel on her cap as she waited for the ceremony to begin. A few of her friends were sitting a few feet away from her. The deafening heartbeat in her ears stopped her from being able to hear what they were talking about. It wasn’t until one of them nudged her ribs that she realized the lights had dimmed slightly and everything was starting.

The announcer’s speech, thankfully, hadn’t lasted longer than a few minutes and the graduates had started making their way across the stage. Before Y/N knew it, she was walking across the stage and shaking hands with the principal and various other administrators she’d come to know over the years. Her legs were numb and she was surprised--and very grateful--that she made it across the stage without so much as tripping. She even silently thanked her mother beforehand for discouraging her from wearing the three-inch pair of heels in her closet.

“The Class of 1936! Congratulations!” her principal announced as a wave of blue filled the air. There were graduation caps everywhere across the auditorium. It was going to be extremely difficult to tell whose was whose at the end of the day but that didn’t stop a single student from completing the tradition. One student’s cap even managed to land in the rafters for a few seconds before coming down.

It was difficult to locate her parents in the crowd in the moments after. Everything seemed to be simultaneously happening in slow motion and hyper speed since her first step across the stage. She spotted the top of her mother’s head across the room and rushed over to meet them. Both of her parents had been leaning up against the wall near the exit speaking to another couple until they noticed her semi-running towards them. Her father pulled her into a tight hug and made a comment about an eyelash messing with his eye the entire ceremony. She gave her mother a soft smile when he finally let her go. Her parents gave a small goodbye to the couple next to them and joined hands with their daughter on the way out of the highschool for seemingly the last time in their lives.

The sound of her alarm clock buzzing at 6:30 in the morning caused a loud groan to fall from Y/N’s lips as she begrudgingly pulled herself from the warmth of her duvet and into her adjoining bathroom to start her day. It was moving day. Well, technically. Most of her furniture had been shipped out to her apartment a few days prior but today was the official moving date. She had to be at the train station by 8:00 with the last of her belongings. Judging by the fact that Y/N was brushing her teeth with her eyes still very much closed, it was evident that she was very much regretting choosing the earliest departure time to San Francisco available.

Her two suitcases were packed and stacked next to the front door of her parents’ home and she kept glancing at them during the entire duration of breakfast. In her mind, she was going over every item that she needed to bring and checking the mental checklist she’d gone over about twenty times over the past two days. She knew it was overly redundant but she couldn’t bear the thought of forgetting something and not being able to retrieve it until the next major holiday. It was unlikely, though, that she would forget something as her childhood bedroom was practically barren save for the twin bed and the wire coat hangers in her closet.

“Honey, if you look at those suitcases one more time,” her mother lightly scolded. She was glad her daughter was so excited for something but she was still slightly bitter to the thought of her daughter leaving home so soon after graduation.

“I’m sorry! I can’t help it,” she sighed. The plate of eggs and bacon had barely been eaten--mostly just moved around with a fork--and was growing colder by the minute. Y/N knew she wouldn’t be able to eat with the amount of nerves building up in her stomach. She spared a final glance at the luggage

“Your mother’s right,” her father sighed and blew the steam off of his cup of coffee. Y/N was surprised to see the newspaper usually tightly clutched within her father’s fingers nowhere in sight.

“So, what’re your plans for the day?” Y/N asked after a few moments of silence. She had completely given up on her plate of food and had pushed it further towards the center of the table.

“Oh, you know. Mope around the house wishing our baby were still here with us,” her mother said dramatically, pretending to wipe a tear from her face.

“Very funny.”

“She’s not joking,” her father chuckled into his mug. It was odd to see him this way. Both of his hands were tightly wrapped around the white porcelain and he still had his reading glasses on rather than the contacts she was so accustomed to seeing. Come to think of it, her mother looked quite strange, too. She was still in her evening robe and had made no effort to remove the curlers from her hair.

“Are you not accompanying me to the train station?” Y/N asked. She watched her parents share knowing glances before they each turned towards her.

“Your father thinks it’s best if we say our goodbyes here. He knows I’ll cry like a banshee if we do it in public and he wants to spare you the embarrassment,” her mother said.

“Oh,” Y/N mumbled and glanced down at her fingers fiddling with the hem of the tablecloth. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Oh Honey-”

“We can come with you if you want!”

“No, no. Dad’s right. Plus, if you start crying I’m sure to start crying and then where would we be,” Y/N allowed an airy laugh to brush past her lips at the thought of her and her parents all crying and smushed together in a dysfunctional group hug.

Due to the fact that Y/N had taken probably the longest nap in her life on the train, her legs felt as stiff as the concrete beneath her feet as she tried (and failed) to make her way out of the station in a normal looking way. Every step looked more like a waddle combined with the luggage that felt ten times heavier getting off than getting on settled on either one of her shoulders.

“Need some help with that, doll?” One of the various taxi-cab drivers asked. It took her a second to locate which one was addressing her but it was easy enough to identify him when she noticed him quickly approaching her with a hand out.

“Uh,” she mumbled. “Yeah-Yes. That’d be great, thank you.”

“Just doing my job,” he sent her a wink as he helped her load the luggage into the trunk of the bright yellow vehicle. Y/N allowed herself to take in the appearance of the man as she got into the backseat and told him her destination. He was quite skinny but that didn’t take away from the overall build of him. In fact, it seemed to make her more attracted to him. His lips seemed to be plastered in a permanent smirk and his hair was way too perfect for him to just have thrown some gel in it and called it a day. It was good enough to land him a hair modeling gig, in her opinion.

“How long will you be staying?” the driver asked and made eye contact with her through the rear-view. His eyes had a mischievous glint to them.

“I don’t look like a regular to you?” she asked with mock offense.

“With that accent? Not a chance, dollface,” he said. They retained eye contact for a few more seconds before his sight flickered back to the road in front of him. Y/N was thankful for the added background noise of the radio at that point.

“You’re actually taking me to my new place,” Y/N said after a few moments of awkwards silence. She found herself fiddling with a slightly ripped piece of leather on the seat beneath her. She felt his eyes on her but by the time she looked back up at the mirror his eyes were focused on the road once more.

“How do you know I’m not a creepy stalker? Now I know where you live,” he joked as he reached a red light. She was able to get a good look at his eyes in the mirror now. The sunlight coming in from the windshield allowed her to notice the swirl of chocolate in his irises. Multiple car honks behind them startled the driver into pressing on the gas a little too quickly, startling Y/N and almost causing her to faceplant into the back of the seat.

“Sorry about that, doll,” he muttered and adjusted how he was sitting ever so slightly and allowed one of his hands to rest on the center console rather than the wheel.

“So, are you?” she asked.

“What?” his eyebrows scrunched together and his grip on the wheel tightened.

“Are you a stalker?” Y/N allowed herself to relax into the seats more. She didn’t really care if he was a stalker. She just never wanted him to stop talking.

“You’ll be glad to know that I am not, Miss…” he voice trailed off, obviously asking for her name.

“Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Joe Liebgott. Nice to make your acquaintance, dollface,” he sent her another wink through the mirror. Y/N felt her heart sink slightly when she noticed her apartment building only a few feet away.

By the time Joe had found a parking spot in front of the building, Y/N could feel her heart all the way in the souls of her feet. She had no idea why she was reacting this way. She had only known this man for, what, twenty minutes? And their one striking conversation had been about whether or not he was a stalker. She had no right to get this attached to him.

“You know,” he started. “I could give you a tour of the city if you’d like. You know, since you’re new and all.” He flashed her a million-dollar smile as he handed her the two pieces of luggage from the trunk.

“I think I would really enjoy that, Joe.” Her heart was beating so fast it could have jumped right out of her chest and made it back to her parents’ house before she was able to get inside her new apartment.

“Great,” he said. He opened up the passenger side of the cab so that he could reach into the glove box. He pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket and began scribbling on the blank side of the receipt he had just pulled out of the compartment before handing the small piece of paper to her. In very messy handwriting, she noticed he had written Joe (not a stalker, he promises) followed by a phone number and a smiley face below all of it.

“I’ll make sure to call you, Not-a-stalker-Joe.” Y/N’s face had heated up an extreme amount and she hoped that Joe wouldn’t think anything of it.

A few days passed before Y/N worked up the courage to actually call Joe. Maybe it was the fact that it was eleven o’clock at night. She always had been braver when she was tired. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t been able to get the cab driver out of her mind since he dropped her off at her place. Especially at night when she was alone with her thoughts. He got her head spinning and her heart racing without even being in the same room as her. She could only imagine what it would be like when she took him up on that tour offer.

“Hi, is this Joe?” she asked as politely as she could. She regretted calling the second he picked up.

“Depends…” his voice was raspier than it had been a few days ago. There was a possibility that Y/N had woken him up. “Who is this?”

“Y/N,” she said. Her nerves were skyrocketing at this point. The past week or so had not been easy on her heart.

“Who’s the stalker now?” he chuckled lightly into the phone. She heard rustling from the other side and assumed he was moving around on his bed. Having the phone by the bed seemed like a smart idea to her and she wondered why she hadn’t thought of moving hers there.

“You gave me your number, you know,” she said, twirling the cord around her finger.

“For a tour of the city. Not a late night rendezvous,” he said.

“I’m sorry. I can call again in the morning.” Her face was burning with embarrassment; the pressure managed to trail all the way down her spine, it seemed.

“No, doll, don’t worry about it. It had been a pretty boring night anyway,” Joe sighed. Y/N could imagine him running his hand through his hair. Then the image of running her hands through his hair popped into her mind.

“So, about that tour?” she asked. She really hoped she wasn’t being too forward. He was the one that offered.

“You up for it? Tomorrow’s my off day so you called just in time,” he said.

Y/N was barely able to sleep an hour that night. She didn’t know if it was the nerves (it was) or if it was the seemingly endless downpour of rain outside. After her fifth wake up, she decided trying to sleep was a lost cause. She slipped out of bed and out of her bedroom into the open concept of the rest of her apartment. The clock on the wall beside her stove let her know that it was edging on 4:15. Somehow, she managed to turn on her coffee pot and actually make herself some in her zombie-like state. She felt the liquid warm her right down to the tips of her toes.

Around 7am Y/N was beginning to regret skipping out on anymore sleep. Her eyes were droopy and she could barely keep them open long enough to read more than a paragraph on the morning paper. She figured this would be as good a time as any to start getting ready. She probably should’ve worked out a better plan with Joe before hanging up last night; she had zero percent of a clue as to when he would be picking her up that morning.

Y/N’s shower lasted longer than usual due to her starting the whole ordeal by just standing under the hot water with her eyes closed for about ten minutes. She’d even let her mind wander to thinking about Joe being in said shower with her but quickly shook the thought away as she began applying her coconut scented body wash. By the time she was finished, the originally scalding water was beginning to grow cold and Y/N was practically shivering trying to push the hot-water knob past its limit.

She decided to fix herself a third cup of coffee after getting dressed to aid her in doing her makeup in a way that wouldn’t make her look like a raccoon. A few years ago she had tried to do a Smokey eye after about three hours of sleep and she was not going for a recreation of that this morning.

9am was beginning to roll around when she heard a knock on her door.

“Morning, doll,” Joe said when she opened the door. He had his hair slicked back and a collared shirt left unbuttoned about three buttons.

“How’d you know which apartment was mine?” She chuckled lightly. She could have sworn he hadn’t followed her up to her door the previous day but she could’ve been wrong.

“I watched from my car to make sure you got in okay. I was really hoping I remembered which door it was and didn’t go knocking on some old lady’s door,” he said and ran one of his hands through the gelled hair. Y/n glanced over the balcony of the complex to see the bright yellow taxi parked in the exact spot it was in yesterday.

“That was very sweet of you, Joe,” both of them had a slight red tint to their faces as they made their way down the stairs and to the taxi. He opened the door for her before jogging around the front of the car to get in himself.

“The best tour of your life begins now,” he said before starting the car up.

“So how old did you say you were?” Joe asked after about twenty minutes of awkward silence.

“18. You?” Y/N said. She really hoped he wasn’t 37 or something or this whole ordeal would have gotten really awkward really fast.

“21,” he said and turned down the radio knob ever so slightly. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about how nice his fingers looked. “Now our first stop…”

It had been months since Y/N had first met Joe but she swore it felt like the pair had known each other forever. She felt more comfortable around him than anyone else she had ever met. They went on one or two more dates after their tour before Joe asked her to be his girlfriend. Everything between them was moving incredibly fast for Y/N’s usual tastes but she couldn’t be happier at the given moment. Joe made her feel alive. Her fingertips burned with every touch and her insides were practically doing backflips any time he complimented her or so much as held eye contact with her.

“Good morning doll face,” Joe said with his raspy morning voice that Y/N adored more than anything. She groaned with displeasure at being roused from her sleep but she gave him a soft smile when she finally opened her eyes. Joe was running his fingertips lightly across Y/N’s bare back as the thin sheets of his bed covered their lower halves. Her hand moved from being placed at the top of his abdomen to gently stroking his jaw. There was the faintest of stubble growing in and she would never tell him how much she really loved it.

“Morning, handsome,” she mumbled into his chest. She began trailing kisses from his chest up to his collarbone and back down again. Joe used his free hand to stop her antics and pull her face up to kiss his lips this time. In a few short moments, Joe was able to flip the pair of them to where he was resting over Y/N with one of his hands beside Y/N’s shoulder to support his weight and the other securely positioned on her jaw.

“That was a very good way to wake up,” she said and ran her thumb across his slightly swollen lips. He let out a soft laugh before poking her in the side and laying down on the bed beside her.

“I think I’m going to go get a shower. Care to join me?” He asked with a smirk. They had showered together before but it had never ended with them cleaner than when they entered.

“Not today, baby,” she said, which earned a very over exaggerated groan from Joe as he forced himself out of bed and into the connected bathroom.

She, too, pulled herself out of the bed and grabbed Joe’s button up off of the floor and buttoned it up just enough to cover all the necessities. She heard the creak of the hot water knob as she exited the bedroom to make herself some much needed coffee. Neither had gotten the recommended 8 hours of sleep and she was wondering how Joe was able to be so animated about everything already.

Their one-year anniversary came around faster than anything that Y/N had ever experienced. One day she was living in her parents home desperate to graduate from high school and now she was living in her boyfriend’s apartment (unbeknownst to her parents) and celebrating a whole year of dating. And it had been the most magical year of Y/N’s life.

“More wine?” Joe asked her as he pulled himself off of the couch. Y/N whined slightly as her side was hit with a gust of cold wind.

“Yes, please,” she said and handed up her empty wine glass.

“You got it, doll,” he sent her a wink and went into the kitchen to fill both their glasses. Y/N couldn’t help but watch him the whole time. She never thought that she’d be this head over heels for a man— especially this far along in a relationship. Before Joe, the longest she’d had a boyfriend had been about two months and they barely even talked during that time.

Joe glanced over at her from the kitchen just barely making eye contact with her before Y/N shifted her gaze to the record player in the corner of the room near the small television. It had been playing static for about an hour now but the both of them were too comfortable to care enough about flipping it.

“I love you, Joe,” Y/N said after a few more moments of silence. There was a loud crash in the kitchen that caused her to surge up from her seat and rush over. Before she was able to bend down to clean up any of the broken glass, though, Joe pulled her in by the hips to smash his lips against hers.

“Say it again,” he said when he pulled away with the biggest grin Y/N had ever seen.

“I love you, Joe.”

“I love you, Y/N/N. So much,” he pulled her in for another kiss, sidestepping around the broken wine glass to set her on the kitchen counter and placing himself between her thighs. His hands trailed from her hips to rest on the sides of her knees.

Almost four years had passed since then. Joe was set to leave for boot camp this afternoon and Y/N was barely functioning at this point. He had become such an integral part of her life since she arrived in San Francisco. She had no idea what she would do if he didn’t come back to her. Hell, she barely had a clue what she would do if he did come back to her. She knew nothing would be the same after all of this.

“I’ll write to you whenever I get the chance, baby doll. I promise,” he mumbled into her hair. Y/N had not left his side once in the past week and she didn’t plan on leaving it until he was on that train.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Joey,” she said.

“I know. I’m gonna miss you too.”

“I’ve loved you since I was 18 years old, Joe. I’m 22 now and somehow I love you more and more each day. Promise me you’ll come home to me,” she said. There were tears beginning to leak out of the corners of her eyes. He wiped one away with the pad of his thumb.

“I promise to try as hard as I can to come home to you, baby doll,” he said and pressed another kiss to her hair.

[ink-and-flame]

Kinktober Day 5: Nukklebust Productions Presents

Kinktober Day 5 Prompts: Kneeling ~ Triple penetration ~ Video (being recorded) Fandom: Original (Auchendale Archives) Tags: exophilia, m/f, slight f/f, orgy, triple penetration, kneeling, video recording, pornography, group sex, anal plug, sex toys, Pairing:GoblinM/HumanF, GoblinM/ElfF, HumanF/ElfF

[Authors Note: This is purely self indulgent smut that I have written for my own personal enjoyment and it is loosely based on a dream I had a few weeks ago. I was torn between putting this in Warcraft or not and I decided to put it in the Auchendale universe so I can use Ember since I kind of fell in love with her, which was unintentional since I made her on a whim. Vyzzie was borrowed from a friend with permission.]

The owners of The Scarlet Eclipse had some very firm rules on photography and video being taken in the club. The top rule was that in general it wasnt allowed. This was to help enforce privacy rules and ensure that the people who came to the club felt safe. The exception to the rule was, of course, pornography. The owners had a relationship with a few directors in the industry and allowed some of their rooms to be used for photo shoots and film shoots as long as nothing got out of hand and it was kept quiet. The location was never allowed to be revealed. 

There were limitations of course, no large productions, and only so many rooms could be rented out for this purpose. The club still needed to cater to its own clientele of course, and it opened up the opportunity for people to explore their own exhibitionist and voyeuristic fetishes. Once it became known, it was an open secret around the club. Privacy was still respected, but the owners invested in a remodel that turned a couple of the rooms into permanent filming areas. They could be accessed through a special door and from the outside and the area could be locked down if needed.

When not in use by professionals, the owners allowed club members to book the rooms for a fee and they would get a copy of the finished product for their own personal enjoyment. Some allowed their amateur films to be released online, most kept them private. VIP members of the club were allowed to use these areas for free with enough prior notice. As it was, there was a waiting list, and sometimes it could take a few months to gain access to one of the rooms, especially if you needed a specific one. 

The club owners had made it easy to check the availability of the rooms online, and there was a link to the waiting list. Anyone already on it could also check their place in the queue. Vyzzie had been checking every day for the last few weeks to see if his request had been bumped up in the queue. He had paid extra and used his friends VIP access to cut in line as much as he could. He was eager to do the scene and had been making preparations for almost two months now. The preparations had to be changed multiple times already as people had backed out and Vyz knew the longer it took the harder it would be to do.

Thankfully his friend had promised not to back out and had even suggested bringing someone along so she wasn’t the only female in the scene. It meant they could do much more with what they had left and the plans for the scene had begun to change. It was shaping up to be one of his better ideas, he just had to make sure the people still on board stayed on board. 

The idea had come about after a wild night with two chicks he didn’t really know well. He ended up getting kind of close to one of them and she had expressed a desire to have another threesome but with two guys instead. He knew someone that would be interested and it had been fun, but then they got to thinking, why not invite more people, and the idea developed into something that Vyz was quite eager for, as was his new friend Ember. 

Vyzzie had promised that he would only invite people she trusted, and Ember offered to bring her elf friend from the first time. It was shaping up to be quite a scene and once it was settled the negotiations began and everything was put in place with an understanding of what was expected of everyone. Simple color codes would be used instead of safe words so that everyone could be on the same page and no one got lost or confused.

When the day finally came Vyz could barely contain his excitement. He had gone over the details with Ember so many times that they both decided to share control of the situation. It also lead to copious amounts of sex between the two of them as every time they discussed it the conversation would inevitably arouse one or both of them. They had pretty much fucked on every surface in Vyzzie’s apartment, including his roommate's bed. That one he wasn’t particularly proud of when it was discovered and he had to do a lot of apologizing to make up for it. 

With Ember in tow and some luggage Vyz arrived at the club a few hours before the filming was going to start. This was pretty standard to give them time to set up, and get everyone ready. He was practically vibrating with excitement the goblin looking up at his human companion with mischievous violet eyes. 

“Ok, so it’s gonna be an hour before the others show up. I thought we could get everything set up and go over the negotiations one last time. Make sure nothin essential god missed.” Vyz opened the door to the main room and dropped off his bags before peeking into the equipment room off to the side. It housed all the recording equipment, back up servers, everything they needed but it was empty. “Ok looks like the crew ain’t here yet. S’fine, gives us a bit more time.”

Ember moved around the room checking things out and setting her luggage near the back wall and out of the way. She could change later. For now the room needed some work. The bed would be plenty large enough for all of them, not much else in the room would make it into the shot, but it was still worth it to spruce up the room and make it look nice. Despite what they were going to be doing, Ember wanted it to have a soft feeling and she began digging through the chests full of props and accessories to see how they could alter the look and feel of the room.

“Whatcha got there dollface?” Vyz had slipped up behind Ember, placing a hand on her ass and peering into the chest she was digging through. 

“I was hoping to find something to help the room look less plain and sterile. The bed is nice, its a good size. The furniture all matches and it looks ok. Has a bit of a hotel feel which might be on purpose, but I was kind of hoping for something a little different?” She looked at him and rolled her eyes when she felt him rubbing her ass. “You are getting awfully friendly there Vyzzie.”

“Yer my friend.” He quipped and pinched her. “Don’t worry. I remember. No attachments. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the benefits package.” Smirking he dug through the chest with a free hand, black claws catching on some fabric. “I trust your taste. I know we were only at your place once, but I liked it. Lots of lights, colors. Had that weird gothic rainbow vibe going. You got a unique style Em, that is for sure.”

“How about we change the lamps, throw up some lights on the wall, drape some fabric around and soften the whole room up a bit. Considering what we are going to be doing, it will be a really interesting contrast I think.” Ember pulled some sheer fabric from the chest and began draping it on the headboard.

“I like how you think. Let the room be soft, the actions hard.” Vyz helped change out the room decor to match her vision. It was getting close to when the others should start arriving. “Hey, uh.. Emmy? You know if you aren’t sure about this or need to change some stuff I will understand. You know that right?”

Ember laughed. “Emmy?” She stepped over to Vyz, running a hand through his dark blue hair. “Yeah Vyz. I know. I wouldn’t have agreed to this if I didn’t trust you.”

“I will make sure your boundaries ain’t crossed. I know ya got some hang ups and all that. Don’t want there to be any pressure in the moment to do anything you ain’t sure of. I know how it gets once a scene starts and ya get caught up in it. Don’t want that ta happen here.”

Ember nodded. “That is why I brought a precaution. I really don’t like anal, and I won’t be able to relax if I worry that it might happen, even accidentally. So I brought a plug with me to help. If something is already there that I am comfortable with, then nothing else can go in and I can relax. I know it sounds counter intuitive and it took me a long time to get to a point where I can even use it, but it actually helps and functions in a way that lets me maintain control over it.”

“Not weird, makes a lot of sense actually. You control its size, when you use it, and it prevents anyone you are with from just having an ‘oops’ moment or doin the whole ‘it's better to ask forgiveness than permission’ nonsense. I hear ya, I support it. Need any help or just some privacy?” 

“I can go put it in myself, wont take me too long I prepared myself for it but didn’t want to have it in all day. Give me a few minutes to get ready if you want to finish the room?”

“Sure, no problem, I can get it done.” Vyz went back to putting the finishing touches on the room when the crew arrived. 

They began setting up the cameras at the goblins' instruction and made sure all the equipment was well hidden so as to not ruin the scene. There would only be so many angles shot and the final product would time some time to edit and put together into something polished and finished, ready for release, but Vyz was fine with waiting. 

He had initially thought to hire a scene director, someone to keep everyone on track, but instead chose to work through the scenario with everyone, set a basic structure, and then just let things happen naturally. He wanted it to be real, visceral, and that wouldn't happen if there was a script or strict direction to follow. 

Ember came back into the room with nothing but a mask and some thigh high socks on. The masquerade mask was small, simple, and not too bulky. It would stay on easily, and leave her mouth and nose free. The thigh highs were a request from Vyz. The only other things she had on was special body make up that would hide her tattoos and dried down so it wouldn’t smear. She had practiced with it before, going through an intense sex scene to see how well it held up to sweat and other body fluids along with friction. It held up well enough that she was confident in being filmed. She knew her tattoos were recognizable enough that she just wasn’t willing to risk it since Vyz made it clear this wasn’t going to stay private.

The muscular goblin let out a low whistle when he saw Ember. The thigh high socks were perfect. A soft looking material, black, and they hugged her thighs in a way that made it clear they wouldn’t move. The mask was black with silver accents and it made her look elegant. “Damn, you sure do make a pretty picture there Em. So uh, when is Vela gonna arrive?”

“She should have already been here. I told her she needed to get here early to get ready. I hope everything is ok. Let me text her real fast.” Heading back to her bags to grab her phone Ember didn’t notice the door opening again.

The rest of the goblins arrived as a group. Vyz greeting his friends and acquaintances with a smile. “Glad ta see ya made it boys. Ember is in the back finishin up and we are just waitin on Velasara. I think you only met Ember though” Vyz commented to his friend. 

Coming back out Ember paused to see a room full of goblins standing around. All eyes were suddenly on her and never before had she felt more like prey. The moment passed quickly but it was hard to shake as a few sets of eyes lingered. 

“Here lemme introduce you. Ember you already know Krazz from the party. Those two are Riznik and Viznik, twins if it wasn’t obvious, and that is Zorblix.” Vyz finished the introductions.

“Just Blix.” 

Ember nodded and waved. “I would appreciate it if my name wasn’t used during filming, if it is all the same.”

“Sure thing, not a problem. Anyone else?” Vyz knew that both women would be in masks, but he wasn’t sure about anyone else.”

“I’m good with not using names. We all wearing masks or just the girls?” Krazz rolled his shoulders  and looked for a place to set down his bag. “I brought one with me just in case. No offence but I am not sure I want to be recognized.”

“We can just avoid names entirely if it helps. I can’t imagine there is gonna to be much talkin” Vyz chimed in, his accent sounding much thicker in comparison to his friend. 

“I don’t really give a shit either way. Not my first rodeo, so it is all fine with me.” Blix moved off to the back of the room and began stripping. 

There was a knock interrupting the conversation and the door slowly opened. “Hello? I am sorry I am late.” Vela stepped in looking a bit frazzled. “Sorry got caught up and it took me some time to get everything together. I hope I didn’t put us too far behind?” 

“Nah, yer good, we ain’t even started.” Vyz waved the lithe elf over and gestured to the back. “Go get ready and we can do a final run through and just make sure everyone is on the same page before we begin.” Vyz moved back to the recording room and spoke to the staff there, making sure that they would be ready to go as soon as the group finished their preparations. 

While Vyzzie was busy, the rest of the goblins stripped and got ready for the scene. The twins were engaged in a bout of rock paper scissors to decide who got which girl to start as they wanted some separation to start. Krazz slipped on his own mask, looking a bit like a corvid with the beak design. It was a little flashy for porn, but it went well with Ember's mask. He hoped that he would get a shot with the human at some point as he had been attracted to her since they met at a party Vyz had invited him to. 

Blix was busy strapping on his harness and cock ring. Fully prepared for taking over should the others struggle with any part of the scene. Of all of them he had the most experience performing for the camera,  he knew the best angles, how to position himself, and all the tricks needed to not blow his load too quickly. Considering how hot the girls were in this scene, those were some tricks he was going to have to utilize. 

Velasara came back looking an almost striking opposite of Ember. Her thigh highs were white with ruffles, her mask had white feathers and delicate gold filigree. She was taller than Ember with a lithe and delicate frame and soft features. Comparatively her body was a bit more slender when compared to Ember's more generous curves. The contrast made the pair enticing to look upon and the goblins in the room struggled to remain professional. 

Ember leaned up and tugged Vela down to whisper in a long ear. The tittering laugh from the elf filld the room as both women seemed quite amused about something. It made Vyz a little suspicious and he hoped that this wasn’t going to be something he needed to worry about later. 

“Ok, so here is the scene. I figure it will be easier if we don’t all start at first. I was thinking the girls could have a solo scene together or with one other person involved, then we can introduce some others, or if we are worried about time, then maybe we all just start? Opinions?” Vyz was looking around at the people gathered and realized how this looked. He hadn’t meant to only invite goblins, that was how it worked out. With all the cancellations and rescheduling, this was the group he ended up with and looking at it objectively, this would probably end up in a fetish category when released, even if there wasn’t a ton of kink involved. 

“Well are you looking to build a plot or not? Like do we want to have dialog, a wisp of a story, or just get to the fucking already?” Ember asked as she leaned into Vela

“Good question, uh, any thoughts, I know we ain’t got a ton of time. I booked us for the rest of the day, but gettin shots set up can eat into that, and we don’t really have a script. I kinda wanted this ta feel natural, a bit more amateur and spontaneous.” Vyz admitted.

“Eh, speaking as the one with experience here. Neither are going to work. It is too late to try and fudge a script and just jumpin in is going to get someone injured. I say let the girls warm each other up, that should also warm the rest of us up and get the mood set. I can tell first timers when I see em and there are some nervous faces in this group.” Blix walked up to Vyz and gestured to the setting. “Plus, with a setting like this, it just screams lesbian porno. So why not start that way? Then we transition into the spit roasting, the group sex, multiple penetration shots, all of that.” He shrugged and his eyes widened. “Oh, condoms? We doing condoms or creampies?”

“Creampies” Vyz interjected. “That is why this took so long. Everyone had to test clean and have alternative forms of birth control. We can switch to condoms if anyone is still uncomfortable with sloppy seconds or had some questionable interactions since getting tested.”

“Ok so it seems like we are ready. Vela, after you.” Ember gestured to the bed and smiled as her elvish friend climbed up on the bed. Ember followed staying on her hands and knees while Vela got situated. 

“What the fuck is that?” Blix blurted out and both girls fell into hysterical laughter. 

It took several moments for them to calm down enough for Ember to speak. “I have some hangups where anal sex is involved. I felt the only way I would be able to relax is to ensure that it couldn’t happen, even accidentally. Thus, an anal plug.”

“Ok, yeah, I get it, makes perfect sense. What I meant, was why is it flashing like a rave?”

Ember fell over laughing again and just shook her head, it took her a bit to compose herself. “Look, it is a thing with me. I never do anything even halfway normal. You see my  hair. My house look like a goth and a unicorn got into a fight. I like bright shiny things and honestly with the lights on it shouldn’t even be that noticeable or a distraction. I set it to slow strobe and match the lights hanging on the wall above the bed.”

“Ok, alright. One more question. Where did you get it and how much?” Blix was laughing and shrugging at the stares he was getting. “What? I wanna add one to my collection ok?”

“Let's talk after. I can give you all the details.” Ember slid up next to Vela and gave her friend a gentle kiss. 

Both women were clearly nervous to start and Vyz knew that the first several minutes of footage probably wouldn’t be used. Watching them slowly explore each other was a different kind of arousing entirely, and it was difficult not to get caught up in the moment and just be content with watching. The slide of their bodies together, the soft moans, the way the colors of their limited clothing contrasted, it was a truly beautiful sight. One that Vyz was loathe to interrupt, but knew he would have to if they were going to get to the point of the scene. 

The others held back waiting for Vyz to give the signal, It was hard not to be entranced, watching the women together. Especially once it was clear that they forgot where they were and were simply focused on the pleasure. Vyz held off a bit longer, watching with a slow smile as the women rocked slowly together at first, then sped up. The sound of their shared orgasm rang through the room snapping the goblins out of the spell they had been under. 

Ember lay next to Vela, her breathing slowing to normal as they nuzzled and kissed each other. Hands still exploring as they enjoyed the afterglow of their shared pleasure. Ember would have to remember this, maybe invite Vela over sometime to just see how things might work out between them. Up until this moment Ember was certain her elvish friend was straight, maybe that was not the case now and it was something worth exploring, only later. 

The bed shifted slightly as Vyz hopped up on the bed, crawling over to Ember and nipping her shoulder and neck. Pulling her gently and slowly to another part of the bed. The only way this would work was with a bit more space between the woman. Krazz was next on the bed, slipping up next to Vela and stroking over her sides and hip, his hands slipping up to her breast, fingertips teasing over her nipple. 

Riz and Blix joined Krazz by the elf, all of their touches light. Wanting to start slow, ease into it. Viz, was the last to join, slipping up next to Ember and Vyz, nuzzling at the human’s ample chest. Everything was slow to start, no one wanting to be the first to break the soft moment that had somehow been created. Vyz was the first to lose his battle with desire and pushed Ember onto her stomach, slipping a pillow under her hips and angling her face away from him. 

It was simply impossible to resist her, the scent of her, the sight of her, Vyzzie buried his face against her nether lips and pushed his tongue in, tasting her depths. Lips crooked up in a half smile at the sound of her moans suddenly being muffled. He didn’t have to look to know what had just happened and he was excited at how much Ember seemed to be enjoying it. Cutting his oral exploration short, Vyzzie lifted up and angled himself behind her, pushing his hard cock against her slick opening. She was so wet, so much wetter than he had expected and found it was far easier to slide in that usual. 

While the flashing light was a bit of a distraction, Vyz found it easier and easier to ignore the deeper he slid into Ember until he was balls deep and groaning. His claws dug into her skin as his control slipped for just a moment and he had to pause before thrusting. His ears twitched at the sounds coming from the other end of the bed and he risked a glance over at the elf. The sight was almost enough for him to lose it right there and he had to snap his gaze back down to Ember. 

Vela was up on her knees, Riding Riz, with Blix behind her, and Krazz standing with a firm grip on her head as he thrust into her mouth. Blix was still gently preparing her with some lube and a finger while he encouraged Riz with a quiet voice to keep a slow pace and to gently stimulate her clit. Blix knew that increasing the elfs pleasure was going to keep her relaxed and make penetration much easier. The extra lube helped as well and he wanted to make sure that she was fully ready before even attempting penetration. His experience was why he was the one handling preparing her and subsequently the one to be granted the pleasure of having her that way. 

Viz was careful, his hands resting on Ember’s head more than holding it as he thrust into her mouth. He was originally going to let her set the pace, and at first he did, but found that it just felt too good and he could not resist the urge to move his hips. He was focused, entirely on her and how it felt to be so far in her mouth and pushing into her throat. The feeling was unlike any other he had experienced, as this was his first time really trying anything with a human. He had a preference for orcish women, but now he wasn’t so sure that would be the case going forward. There was something softer, sweeter, more delicate about a human and he was eager to have his turn with the elf as well. 

Ember’s eyes rolled back in her head as Vyz snapped his hips forward hitting that spot so deep that only he ever seemed to hit just right. The feel of someone both in her throat and fucking her was becoming overwhelming. It was everything she had wanted from this experience and a little more. She could tell Viz was going easy on her, and she tried to encourage him when he began thrusting into her mouth. Closing her eyes she swallowed around him, letting her throat constrict around the head of his cock making him moan. It clearly worked to erode at his control as his hips snapped forward suddenly. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, his expression was one of slight concern. She just nodded, hoping he understood. 

It was pure heaven when Viz finally took the hint that she could handle it and threaded his fingers tighter in her hair, getting a good grip and tugging as he pushed his cock deeper into her throat. She was no longer giving him a blowjob, he was fucking her face, and her moans got louder and louder as she drew closer to release. The feel of her friend fucking her so hard and deep, his balls slapping against her clit as his sharp claws left little pinpricks of pain in her hips increased the sense of euphoria washing over her. Ember slipped into a more relaxed state, letting her body go slightly limp so that she could more easily be penetrated by both goblins. Soon her nose was pressed into the dark curls above Viz’s shaft as she felt his cock swell in her throat. A loud sharp moan from above her and the sudden heat in her throat let her know the goblin had reached climax.

Rope after rope of cum was pumped into her throat as Viz pulled out, some of his seed coating her mouth and lips, some hitting the mask as he fell back panting, clearly worried that he was choking her. With her airway free Ember could be better heard as she also reached climax almost the same time as Vyz did inside of her. The combined pleasure of dual penetration and stimulation was more than enough to send Ember over the edge hard. Vyz hunched over her back as he found his own release. 

Vela was on edge as well with Krazz thrusting more firmly into her mouth while Blix had slowly pushed inside of her. The feeling over all her holes being filled was one she had never thought she would enjoy and was now worried she would become addicted to. Somehow Riz and Blix found a Rhythm that kept almost constant stimulation within her, an almost overwhelming sensation as she was filled beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Surprisingly Vela was the first to reach release, easily, as Riz had continued stimulating her clit while she rode him. Since they were not closed to finished, the goblins did not stop and continued to fuck the elf right through her first orgasm. 

Blix helped Riz by taking over the clitoral stimulation so the other goblin could get a better grip on the elf to thrust deeper and faster up into her. Krazz kept his movements slow, despite wanting to just let go. He wanted to keep an eye on her to ensure that she remained ok, and he wanted to draw this out as much as possible. Vela was well on her way towards a second orgasm when Riz thrust up hard into her with a loud cry, his body shaking slightly as he emptied his seed inside of her. He could tell that Blix would probably be next and helped by reaching up and teasing Vela’s nipples to see if he could send the elf over the edge again.

Vela came almost at the same time as Blix who had snarled as he finally came, almost biting her and stopping himself at the last minute as he just pressed his forehead against her back and rode out his own pleasure while pumping his cum deep inside of her. The contractions of her body milking him for every drop he had as his grip on her remained tight. Krazz was the last to release, finally letting himself go and speeding up, pushing almost his full length into her throat with a loud cry. He almost fell over from the intense pleasure as he had unintentionally edged himself for the last bit of it. 

Carefully the goblins pulled out of their partners and all that could be heard was the sound of light panting and breathing normalizing. Vyz was the first one to speak. “Ok swap? Who wants to swap.”

Krazz raised his hand. “I call your position.” The others laughed at how quickly he responded. 

Blix shook his head. “I am good where I am if there are no complaints?” 

“Nah, I’m good, I’ll swap.” Riz offered. “Unless you want to stay with Ember Vyz?”

“That would put you and your brother on the same girl, that ok?”

“I don’t care, as long as our balls don’t touch it ain’t gay right?” Viz offered as a joke, he new that gay wasn’t the problem in that scenario, but it wouldn’t be the first time they had shared.

Ember lost it a little bit at that and then so did Vela. The boys had to wait for the giggling to die down before new positions could be achieved. Krazz rolled Ember onto her side, moving the pillow. 

“This ok?” He asked before positioning her leg up on his shoulder. 

Ember nodded and tilted her head up at Vyzzie. She had expected him to take a turn with Vela, and maybe he would, the night was young and there was no reason that they wouldn’t swap positions a few more times, especially with some of the ideas Vyz had shared with her during planning. He was smiling at her, stroking her hair away from her mask and carefully wiping the cum from it. Ember realized, from the look in his eyes that they might need to have a conversation later. It was clear an attachment might be forming and she just wasn’t ready for another relationship. Something she hoped wouldn’t ruin the friendship they already had. Glancing down she could see the eager look in Krazz’s eyes as he gazed down at her, positioning himself against her cum soaked folds. Ok, strike that, maybe a conversation with Vyz could happen after she got him and Krazz alone sometime and had them fuck her absolutely senseless. She had a feeling this was going to be a bit of a wild ride and while she still could she glanced over to see Vela being re positioned, clear glee on her friends face, even with the mask there was no missing that expression. 

The night was filled with the sounds of moans as the group quickly forgot the cameras and worked on trying as many different positions and combinations as they could before eventually collapsing in and exhausted heap and snuggling up together before the staff gently reminded them that closing time was less than an hour away. 

Overall, the experience had been one that wouldn’t be easily forgotten and new friends had been made from the most unlikely of scenarios. They all agreed that this was something they would like to try again, maybe with a script and more elaborate costumes, but that was a conversation for a later date when everyone was clean and well rested.

[randombtsprincessa]

Babesitter

All Rights Reserved. 

Author: Randombtsprincessa

Characters: Jeon Jungkook x Reader (2nd POV)

Words: 8.4k

Genre: Smut

Summary: The man babysitting your brother might just be the best homecoming present ever...

Warning: Ditzy Parents, Jungkook being cute with kids, Mentions of a sex toy, Borderline Sexting, Kitchen Blowjobs, first time Deep throating, Commando parties,  playing under the dinner table, Oral and fingering, Graphic smut scene, Protected Sex, Dom! Kook

A/N: Happy Birthday, Jungkook, you rabbit that I grudgingly love.

The smooth purr of the car stopped abruptly with your father cutting off the engine, turning to grin at you in the shotgun seat.

“Welcome home, darling. Excited?”

You couldn’t help but grin back at the man. It had been months since you’d seen him last, too busy with graduating your outrageously expensive university to be able to come home for visits. The edges of your old man’s hair were losing their sheen, turning with age yet he was as always beaming and bright.

Time had been very lenient with your father; his looks and his business.

“Yes dad,” you said, enthusiasm pooling into your voice.

You may be an adult now, but you knew your father still saw you as his first-born toddler.

“That’s good, um…” he paused, looking blankly behind him at the suitcases mounted in the backseat, seemingly calculating the number of them with the addition of boxes in the trunk lot.

“Why don’t we go inside first, see your mother, then we can figure out what to do with your luggage?”

You nodded, sliding out of the car after your father as he locked the car, opening the side door of the garage to let you both in.

 Heading in, your mother was already waiting for you in the kitchen hallway, an anticipatory smile on her face, breaking out into a squeal at the sight of you.

“Y/N,” she simpered, soft hands cupping your face to pull you in for a hug, your own arms returning the affection automatically.

If your dad was handsome, your mother was beautiful. You knew it must have something to do with them marrying at a very young age, but your parents were in love and you supposed that was enough for them both.

They were the reason why men and sometimes, even women, turned heads to look at you, cooing over your looks but you were nothing if not wary of those compliments.

No, you were going to be mindful and with a head, you’d decided.

No matter that your beauty had gotten you out of several tight holes before.

“Where’s Y/B/N?” You asked, looking up the staircase, wondering if you were going to be accosted with too much laughter and thundering footsteps any second.

“He’s out with his babysitter. We thought we should let you settle in a bit before he pounces on you. He’s missed you.” Your mother patted your face, eyes soon moving away from you towards the living room.

“I’ll get your luggage.” Your dad said, leaving and very soon your mother was gone too, manicured fingers dialing numbers that would occupy her for as long as she wanted.

Well, at least it was a nice homecoming.

You soon ascended the stairs, treading the familiar path to your bedroom, for now a little sparse as you had more or less moved out for university. You critically eyed the stripped bed; you would be placing out the new blue butterfly bed clothes you’d bought last month; that would feel heavenly.

Below, the bustle of your father getting some mover to come over on the phone with your mother chirping in the background was abruptly cut off with a loud crow of laughter and you lightened immediately. A smile tugged at your lips as you closed the door to your room, taking the stairs back down to go meet your younger brother.

Your mother had her front to you in the entrance hall, speaking to a tall, broad backed man who hunched slightly, his hands within reach of the small bundle of excitement gripping onto his long fingers.

You wondered if it was a mover before shaking away the thought. No, your father would deal with that and your brother wouldn’t be so clingy to him.

Even as your rounded the corner to the living room, your brother turned his big, wide eyes to the new arrival, comically screeching when he saw it was you.

“Y/Nie!” He screamed loudly, making your mother and the man jump as you bent down to accept the bouncing boy in your arms.

“Y/B/N, you’ve grown taller.” You smiled large, affection pouring out of your pores as the boy smiled toothily.

“I did, I am a whole 2 feet and…” he trailed off, eyes dropping slightly as he thought of the exact number before giving up, kicking his legs in disappointment before sparking up again.

“Y/N, this is Jungkook! He’s your friend and now he’s my friend too! He babysits me! I like him.” He reached out a stubby small finger to point and you followed it to look at the man, who was beaming in your direction.

You squinted at him, the big front teeth that poked into his lips flaring remembrance of a similar smile, of childhood sand pit meets, of shared lunchboxes before the inevitable parting of ways in high school.

“Jungkook…wait, Jeon Jungkook?”                                                                        

Your brother was the one who answer, a keening ‘yes’ echoing around you even before the man could open his mouth.

“Yes, Y/N, he’s grown now, isn’t he?” Your mother gushed from behind him. “I was surprised when Y/B/N recognized him, but then we’re friends with his family and Jungkook has been such a help.”

Of course Y/B/N recognized him. The Jeon family was a close friend of your father’s family and you’d been more or less the only kids who saw each other in any form of regularity.

You didn’t remember if you’d ever been genuinely fond of the boy himself and vice versa but he was still your first kindergarten and school friend and he’d been more than enough nice to you.

“Oh now, Mrs. Y/L/N, I haven’t grown that much.” Jungkook scratched his cheek, your mother waving a hand.

“Nonsense, if you were cute then, you’re handsome now. Y/N would agree, wouldn’t you?” Your mother and Jungkook both turned to you and you froze before stammering.

“Uh…yeah, he’s cool.” You coughed.

Jungkook watched you for a second before grinning again. “You’re one to talk, Y/N. You used to be a small brat hanging about the trees with me and now look at you. You’re beautiful.”

You blinked. Did he just indirectly insult you when you’d offered him a compliment? What in the world…

Your brother suddenly stretched himself away from you. “Mom, look at what Jungkook Hyung bought me.” He rushed forward to grab your mother’s hand, dragging her away as they left you and Jungkook alone.

There was a considerable silence as you kept your eye pointed towards the coffee table.

“So…hi,” Jungkook pulled your attention to him.

“Hi,” you replied simply.

Jungkook puffed out his cheeks a little, the light catching onto a small indented scar. You remembered that scar; it had been during middle school, a small mishap in the computer room. Jungkook’s prowess in beating people up had spiked when he’d walked out of the altercation with only that scar.

“So, how was that university of yours?” he asked.

“It was fine. Overpriced as hell, but it was worth it; they actually used the money for what they said they would instead of it going up in flames.” You joked.

“Must’ve been fun, living alone for a bit,” he prompted.

You shrugged. “I missed my family but you know how it is.”

Jungkook nodded. “My mom wouldn’t let me go out of the state. I finished in the city college. The money does go up in flames here.”

There was another pause before he snapped his fingers as if remembering something.

“So, your mom said you had stuff to unpack. You need help with that?”

You swung back a little. “Oh, you don’t need to do that. Thanks though,”                  ��         

Jungkook shook his head. “I want to help. We can catch up a bit and your dad won’t need to call someone who’ll take ages to do stuff. I mean, how much could it be?”

You bit into your lip, your eyes roving over his sincere posture. He was right. It wasn’t much and movers would only create more hassle.

You settled into a soft smile.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”

Jungkook responded with his own grin, familiar bunny teeth poking out. “I’ll be here bright and early tomorrow.” He nodded at you just as your brother and mom came back, his attention diverting to them.

Jungkook arrived the next day, just as bright and early as he’d promised, leaving you to gape at him a little in his black t-shirt and sweats.

“I’m all ready, captain! Lead the way,” he mocked you a salute as you absent-mindedly waved him inside, guiding him up to your bedroom.

“I wasn’t expecting you to actually show up.” You admitted before opening the door, in your own way apologizing for being clumsy with details.

Jungkook smiled kindly at you, entering your space while casting an inquisitive look around. “It’s fine. Moving is harrying, I know. Man, I haven’t been up here since we were, what, 13, I think.” He slid his hands into his pockets then turned to you.

You rubbed your palms, wondering if your family was bound to come back from their morning workout soon. You hoped not. Your mother had a tendency to hover. She would also wake Y/B/N up.

“Ok, so I already did my clothes and most accessories. I just need help with the furniture covers and old stuff that I’m going to need to sort out and give away.” You pointed to the last three boxes stacked in front of your closet and he nodded, moving to pick them up and placing them on the bed and the other on the desk.

For the next few minutes, both of you busied yourselves with emptying the boxes, Jungkook sorting out a few things and asking your opinion whether you still wanted them or not.

“So, Jungkook, how did you become my brother’s babysitter?” You asked casually as you tossed a photo into the disposal box.

“I met Y/B/N at the store. He’d run off from your mother.” He said, matter-of-factly, making you let out the tiniest snort. “I don’t even know how but he recognized me. I brought him back here but Y/B/N wouldn’t let go so your mom and I had to improvise that I would come back the next day. Well, I wasn’t planning to…but I showed up anyway, for friendship’s sake and well…now here I am,”

“I’m sorry you had to be roped in like that.” You laughed.

“Nah, it’s good. Your parents actually pay me good money for the kid and he’s not all too bad. Kind of reminds me of you, if I’m being honest. Only now, I’m better equipped to handle that kind of behavior. It’s good fun after college.”

“How was your college experience?”

“Okay-ish…I mean, I didn’t go to a fancy ass place but it was a decent exposure. If I need something done at least I can do it myself. How about yourself? Any good stories to tell…?”

You paused, peering up at him suspiciously. “Are you asking me about my love life Jungkook?”

For his part, he looked sheepish, grinning pleasantly as he threw you a wink over his shoulder. “I wasn’t specifically aiming, but now that you mention it…”

“Whoa! Hold it, there…how did we go from unpacking to that?”

“You started it, Y/N.”

You had to let out a smile at the childish remark before reigning it in. “Well, I’m sorry to say but I think my sex life is definitely as exciting as yours probably is.”

Jungkook looked at you, an eyebrow rising to his frumpy hairline. “What makes you think so?” he looked back as he asked the question, softly trailing away before he broke out into a chortle, seemingly amused. “Actually, I think I do ok, compared to you.”

You frowned, turning around completely with your hands on your hips, “What does that mean?”

Warm brown eyes met yours, holding eye contact as Jungkook slowly reached into his box, lifting something that colored your cheeks in mortification. Jungkook continued eyeing you in awkward humor as he tapped the still packaged small blue vibe, complete with its warranty attached to it.

“I’m done with my pile. I was just wondering where you want me to put this.”

“Oh my god,” you gripped the edge of your desk, “put it away!” you ignored the subtle inflection on the word put, trying not to let the handsome curve of his lips embarrass you.

“Gladly, do you have an underwear drawer it needs to go into?” He, of course, spared no subtlety on his words.

You snarled, marching up to him and grabbing the damned package, tossing it to the floor. “I think we’re done here.”

Jungkook’s smirk vanished, as he raised his hands up to surrender and slowly moved to exit your room, propelled every few meters by your shoves.

“Thank you for all your help.” You said curtly, the innocence dripping from his doe eyes blinking up at you thawing you mildly.

“Sure…do you mind if I ask you something?” He laid a hand on the banister.

“Uh…go ahead,”

“Why haven’t you opened the thing? Was it an accidental drunk buy you forgot, or a prank from a friend or something?”

You recoiled slightly. “Why are you asking me about that?”

“I’m curious.”

“Well, it’s just…it was an impulse from when I was still with my ex. We broke up before Valentine’s so it just stayed where it was.” You mumbled, your ears heating at the look Jungkook gave you.

“That’s pitiful for a guy. He definitely didn’t treat you right if you needed to buy that.” He sympathized.

You waited to see if he was going to add on a taunt at the end but he continued to stare at you. “Well, I’m sure I do well on my own, thanks for the concern.”

“Anytime,” Jungkook seemed to understand your dismissal, opening the front door before pausing; the low light of the pale sun hitting his face and exemplifying his cheekbones as he gave you one last cheeky grin.

“I could do much better though. You wouldn’t need a vibrator at all.”

You blinked too fast, trying to process what he’d said as Jungkook winked again, none of the innocence from before visible as he finally pulled the door shut after him, leaving you to gape at the hardwood.

It was two days later that your parents decided to take your brother for an exclusive aquarium trip, with you staying behind out of simple boredom as you switched through the movie selection on your Netflix.

Your family being absent meant you hadn’t heard from Jungkook since the day he had wildly changed your notions of him being an innocent, oversized bunny. No, the quick smirks, eyebrow quirking and all that cheesy wording had managed to find an irritating place into you…specifically your unmentionables.

You grunted as you pushed the laptop away. You weren’t usually the type to get hot and bothered over looks, a connection sought which was why all your exes were just that – exes. Yet, you couldn’t deny the sticky feeling in your thighs, rubbing them over the satin silk of your bed sheets providing zero relief.

A small ‘bing’ lit your dark room as your phone screen lit up, a text notification from an unknown number distracting you as you swiped to open it, immediately dreading the words on them.

[10:34 PM] Unknown: I can’t stop thinking about that little thing I found in the box.

You knew; you knew it was him but you put your thumbs to the keyboard and typed.

[10:34 PM] You: Who’s this?

You trapped the edge of your nail between your teeth, watching the ticks turn blue before bubbles appeared on his side.

[10:35 PM] Unknown: Who else did you have fishing things out of your luggage?

Touché…

[10:35 PM] You: How did you get my number?

You hastily saved his number as he replied.

[10:35 PM] Jungkook: I have my sources…so, what did you do with it?

[10:36 PM] You: I threw it out.

[10:36 PM] Jungkook: Liar…it’s still in your room. Maybe in that underwear drawer I asked about…or were you using it already?

You rolled your eyes, trying not to glance at the package that nestled in the folds of your squashy chair. You’d have felt guilty, however the way Jungkook put it he was enjoying the tease.

[10:37 PM] You: You wish Jungkook.

It took a minute for him to reply, as if he was thinking through what he was going to say to you.

[10:38 PM] Jungkook: I do actually...

If you were a better person, you’d have dropped the conversation right there. You’d tell him that it was inappropriate for you to be doing this with him, that whatever attraction you’d garnered for him after seeing him after a long time was just nothing that needed to be acted upon. You’d probably forget and try to move on.

However, you were none of these things. No, you weren’t going to deny yourself the smirk that was brought to your lips, the satisfaction that he was the one to reach out first, clearly interested and all too willing.

Another pop-up message brought your attention back to the text.

[10:39 PM] Jungkook: Hope I didn’t offend you…honestly I’m a little jealous of it even if you say you didn’t use it.

[10:39 PM] You: Is that so?

[10:40 PM] Jungkook: I meant it when I said I could do so much better. You wouldn’t need that vibe at all, I promise.

[10:40 PM] Jungkook: That’s all about you talking, though, isn’t it? Why should I believe you?

You leant back on your comfortable pillows, trying not to let your fingers drift over your body as you waited for a reply. Seconds passed as the ticks remained blue…turning to a whole minute, then two…worrying you that maybe you had taken the tease too far, offended him in turn. After all, a guy never liked having his so called sexual prowess questioned.

You had just about given up on getting a reply when a sudden bing rang again.

[10:44 PM] Jungkook: Don’t believe me now, I wouldn’t blame you…but I don’t want you questioning me again once I’ve made you come enough times that you forget your name. It’s just a matter of when. Have sweet dreams tonight.

You opened your mouth, a loud ‘huh’ escaping you involuntarily. This just seemed like the kind of text a boy would send before hightailing it out of your way. You rolled your eyes hard at the corny ‘make you forget your name’ line even though it made your stomach clench, imagining his face hovering over you, the long fingers that had expertly moved in your things, moving in a very different way…all for you.

“Damn it,” you whispered, your fingers dropping the phone on your nightstand as you began to wiggle out of your pajama shorts, seeking a much needed relief from the heavy feeling in your thighs.

The text conversation had all but left your mind, leaving a haze of delight on your mind for the next few days as you strolled through the mall near your home.

Jungkook had come over for your brother a few times but had never let his gaze settle on you for longer than necessary. You didn’t know if it was to rile you up or because he didn’t want your mother and brother to feel suspicious of the changed dynamic between two childhood friends.

All you knew was that the retail therapy you were currently engaging in was definitely not due to the test he was putting you through. Nope, not at all…

Loud boisterous laughter echoed around you from school kids enjoying a break, teen girls walking around buried in the latest gossip or some who were out with their parents, seeming mellower. All familiar sights; calming and serene as you stopped in front of a store, looking critically at the black cut dress on the mannequin.

Now that was something you could wear…

You glanced at your purse, feeling your card burning as it pleaded to be put to use but you’d come with no intentions of buying…

You glanced at the dress again.

“Y/N, wow, hey,”

You turned on your spot, seeing three boys approach you, the tallest of the trio to have addressed you. You looked over them in confusion before stopping, eyes twitching barely as you caught Jeon Jungkook, reaching you last, hands in his pockets again but no hint of his innocent doe eyes anywhere.

No, his eyes were hooded, peering at you with his head tilted back just slightly, as if you were an antique he was evaluating.

You looked away quickly, turning your attention to the tall boy who’d called at you, your mind sifting through memories.

“Taehyung,” you smiled, looking beside him, “and Jimin; wow you guys grew up too.”

The man gave you a wide grin, looking at Jimin. “I wouldn’t say that about this one; you didn’t hang with us in high school but trust me, he hasn’t grown an inch since the 11th grade.”

Seeing Jimin’s smile falter before he scowled and smacked Taehyung’s shoulder made you laugh, not looking at Jungkook when he didn’t even greet you. “Yah, I’m not that short, you asshole.”

“Whatever you say, short stack,” Taehyung turned to you. “Are you back here for good then?”

You nodded. “Yep, well settled and everything.”

“That’s good; we finished our degrees a while ago so we’re already working. Tae here is the receptionist at the art gallery and I’m the assistant dance teacher at the studio. You should stop by someday.” Jimin offered.

“Oh my god, that’s amazing you guys, you really did great.” You batted your lashes just so.

Were you flirting? Not exactly, but that didn’t mean that you couldn’t be just extra nice to people you’d known a long time ago. Unless of course you were trying to show Jungkook that you could help yourself just as easily.

You glanced one last time at Jungkook, seeing his eyes on you for the whole time, unblinking and hard.

“Well guys, I’ve got to run, but I will definitely call on you.” You returned their waves as you gracefully slid between them, finally pulling the big gun.

“Oh and Jimin, don’t worry, I’m sure you grew up big.” You winked, taking pleasure when Jimin went bright red and Taehyung actually choked. You didn’t glance at Jungkook as you turned and strutted away.

Check and mate, sucker.

It was when you were in the car, of course that Jungkook made his own move. The call was accepted hesitantly, wondering what he had to say.

“I hope you had fun, beautiful, laying it on so thick for my buddies.”

You raised your eyebrows. “What, now you’re jealous of your friends too? You know, you should really do something about that.”

“Oh I will, don’t you worry. I made a promise, after all. Stay home tonight.”

Jungkook hung up abruptly, leaving you staring to the front in dawning apprehension.

You didn’t know how you’d end up like this, you really didn’t.

You’d followed Jungkook’s instruction, staying in; it wasn’t like you really had somewhere pressing to be. Your father and mother were at home, your brother was home and then Jungkook had been at home too, watching the Toy Story series with your brother while holding a conversation with your parents about sports and his hobbies simultaneously.

You’d sat on the farthest armchair, your legs folded underneath you as you’d stared at Jungkook from your periphery. He had entered the room, taking his place next to your brother without much attention given to you aside from a too cheerful ‘hey Y/N’, deeply interested in whatever your mother was saying.

You felt pathetic, eyeing him in hopes that he would, you don’t know, would do something, anything, give some sort of indication that the game he was playing with you was going to be continued to something tonight.

Finally, you’d huffed, getting to your feet to go to the kitchen, your back turned to the entrance to quench your thirst when you’d felt fingers slinking up your free arm, head whipping about to catch Jungkook leaning to your ear.

“Frustrated, are we?”

“No, why?” you’d replied too quickly, his chuckle vibrating against the thrum of your own pulse. He turned you gently, your eyes meeting his. He dipped his head a little.

“You can say it, Y/N. I don’t mind. I wouldn’t lie and tell you that I haven’t been hard ever since I walked in to see you in these shorts. Really bold, wearing those when you knew I’d be here.”

You couldn’t help it. Your eyes flew to the crotch of his jeans, making him snort.

“God, you’re so eager.” He pushed himself against you, knee knocking against your own to get it out of his way as he let you feel his own eagerness. Sure enough, he was sporting a semi that was only hardening against your hot pink shorts.

“What should we do about that, hmm?”

You only stared over his shoulder, praying that no one would walk in to see you pressed up against the sink, Jungkook completely wedged between your legs as he whispered filth in your ear. Your fingers tightened against the edge of the counter.

“Come here.” he said suddenly, pulling you to the island, eyes moving to the kitchen entrance as well as he pushed you down to your knees, out of the sight of anyone who would come in.

“What are you doing?” You hissed up at him, watching his finger drift to his zipper as he tugged it down.

“Letting you take care of my problem. Isn’t that what you wanted?” he smirked down at you, one eyebrow raised in challenge as he waited, to see if you would refute and back out.

The hell you would…

“Oh right, of course, someone like you would need your dick sucked to feel validated.”

You enjoyed the split second in which his eyes narrowed, lips turning down in annoyance before your hands were moving, slipping to his belt buckle and undoing it, the ends falling away to let you open the button, your mouth dropping open.

Jungkook had gone commando.

“I see you like sucking dick to make a man feel validated as well.” Jungkook retorted, his voice clipped but you could feel the proud smirk aimed at you when his dick, now good and hard fell out almost immediately when you spread his jeans a bit.

He placed his palms on the island, his tall frame hunkering so that his shaft lined up with your lips.

“Only you,” you whispered before pressing a soft kiss to the head, the length bobbing a little as it twitched in reaction.

“I don’t know about you, beautiful but we’ve got to hurry this up. Your family is still out there.” He breathed eyes now wide as he watched you while his ears stayed outside.

You hummed in reply; your eyes on him as you opened your mouth slowly, placing him on your tongue. It tasted salty and while the head itself stretched the seal of your mouth, you knew it was only because of lack of practice. You trusted Jungkook to be careful.

You close your eyes when the contact became too much, the weight of Jungkook’s gaze only beating that of his cock that now lay snug in the crevice of your mouth.

“Fuck, baby, you haven’t used your mouth much, have you?” he asked finally.

You pop him out immediately, turning a scowl up at him but he chuckled reassuringly. “I’m not being an ass. I’m just grateful you’re letting me do this.”

“I’m not letting you do anything. I’m doing this because I want to do this.” You said. You diverted attention to his length in your hand, stroking up from the base, feeling his veins come to bulge before a translucent drip appeared at the tip.

“Fuck then, that’s just hotter.” He let out a low groan when you suck him in again, letting him in as much as you could before the passage of your throat constricted.

“Ah fuck,” he hissed, one hand rubbing at his thigh before landing on your head. “I really want to let you do this on your own but we don’t have much time, Y/N.” He warned again.

You glanced around the corner before up at him. “Then you do it.”

Jungkook’s eyes flew open, wide at you. “Say what?”

You smirked, encasing his wrist to shift his hand in your hair, curling his fingers to grasp a bunch. “You do it.”

Jungkook waited a full second, eyes studying your expression before returning a wicked smirk of his own. “Jesus, you’re nasty.”

His hold tightened in your hair, your mouth pushed open roughly as he shoved himself in your mouth again, stopping when he felt you clamp on him.

“Can I deep throat you? Would you be ok with that?” he asked. His voice had gone low, husky and barely choked.

You whimpered around him, knowing it would be rough for a while but nodding anyway.

“I’ll be gentle, just hit my leg if it gets too much.” He promised, giving you a chance to prepare as he pulled out completely.

You took in a deep breath, before loosening your jaw and letting your mouth open. Jungkook, as promised, went slow, pushing in till your limit, eyes fixed on your face as he maintained eye contact, all the while pressing forward, past the set of your teeth, your uvula and then slipping into the cavern of your throat.

You choked, making him pull out immediately as you pumped him, the saliva coating him making it easier as he grunted. “Good, you’re doing so well, Y/N. Again…?” he questioned and you almost cried at how considerate he was being.

After a second try, both of you deemed that it was ok for him to start ferociously pumping himself into your mouth. Low grunts filled the space between you as he hunched over you, hand alternating between clutching your hair to stroking it as he praised you in his broken, melodious voice.

“Fucking hell, you feel so good…”

“I can’t wait to feel your pussy.”

“I’m going to make you cum so good on my tongue for this.”

“You nasty girl, you get off on this, don’t you? Any chance that someone will come in to see a sweet girl getting mouth fucked in the kitchen.”

It was this last statement that made you swallow, and Jungkook finally threw his head back, grunts letting way to a soft whine as he finally came, flooding your throat with his come. He muttered a few words that went unnoticed by you as he pulled away almost immediately, letting you settle back.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, I should’ve warned you.”

You shook your head to show him it was fine as you felt the semen that hadn’t seeped down your throat already pool into your mouth. You stood up on shaky legs, turning on the sink faucet to rinse your mouth and flush out…fluids.

“Hyung!” Jungkook and you both jumped, turning to see a glum looking Y/B/N frowning at Jungkook.

“I’ve been waiting for you for the last fifteen minutes! The movie is nearly ending. Come on!” he crooned with all the tenacity of a child. You were very sure it was longer than fifteen minutes, but you would be loathing confirming it.

“Oh yeah, sorry, we got to talking and didn’t realize. I’m coming!” His voice, previously deep and dripping with lust had gone high, one that he used on your brother only. He went to scoop up the boy, tickling his side as they disappeared from the kitchen, the only remainder of your depravity being the scorching look Jungkook tossed you before turning the corner.

“Mrs. Jeon invited you over for dinner tonight!” Your mother gushed.

You choked on the apple you were slowly chewing, your eyes flying up from the KKT chat to your mother, her hair curled freshly. “I met up with her at our salon and she told me to pass on the news! Isn’t she sweet?”

Or, this is Jungkook’s newest game…

You nodded, not answering as you switched chats to Jungkook’s, foregoing the previous sexy ones and sending new one.

[11:23 AM] You: Dinner at your house…? Ring any bells…?

You watched your mother flutter about in the kitchen a little, opening and closing cabinets before settling on cereals for snacks as Jungkook replied.

[11:26 AM] Jungkook: Uh…yeah, she’s told your mom, didn’t she? She’s been nagging me to put on my best impression forward. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d already done it.

You snorted. You had to agree he’d placed some very good impressions forward.

[11:27 AM] You: So, what do we do?

[11:28 AM] Jungkook: You get all dolled up for me and ready by 8, I’m going to give you a ride to my place and then back ;)

[11:28 AM] You: Classy, Jeon

[11:30 AM] Jungkook: Calm down beautiful, it’s just a dinner. I’ll see you at 8.

Sighing at the impromptu sweetness from him, you got to your feet, tossing the apple core into the trash. “I’m going to prepare for this dinner party.” You told your mother, dropping a kiss to her head when she started about taking you to her salon.

It was as you climbed up to your room that the idea struck you like a bolt. You smiled slowly, deviously.

Jungkook wouldn’t know what hit him.

You were certainly right about Jungkook being thunderstruck when he picked you up. Looking just a notch more dressed up in a tight black shirt and jacket, hands in pockets he chewed the inside of his cheek when you opened the door, leaning against the doorjamb – not being sexy.

Jungkook turned to look at you with an expectant grin before his eyes drooped and jaw slackened as his eyes drifted down your body almost inappropriately.

“Fuck,” you heard his whisper as you called to let your parents know you were leaving and to have fun.

“Your parents are going to be gone again?” He asked, looking deliberately at your face.

You took his proffered hand, swinging it between yourselves as he led you to his car in the driveway. “You know how they are; they have the same interests as Y/B/N. It’s the planetarium tonight. My dad paid to book it for mom and him for the whole night.”

Jungkook looked deep in thought as both of you slid in and he began driving back to his place, his eyes fixed straight ahead until he covered the short distance between your houses.

“So, what have you told your parents?” you asked, running a palm down the skirt of the black dress you’d decided to buy at the mall after all.

“Not much,” he smirked as he knocked on his door.”Your mother spoke enough.”

You’d only managed to let out a reassigned groan as the door opened, revealing a familiar but now older Mrs. Jeon.

“Y/N! Come in, come in, ah, this is so lovely.” She wrapped a delicate armed hug around you as his father made an entrance too, standing beside Jungkook.

You tried to not to let your pained grin show through, catching Jungkook hiding a smile behind his hand as his mother ushered you to the dinner table.

“Supper’s all ready, dear. Here, sit next to Jungkook.” She dumped you on the chair beside Jungkook as both parents took the ends of the table, a server, looking hired for this very purpose began announcing the dishes as he piled them on.

“You said it’s ‘just a dinner’.” You hissed to Jungkook.

“Ah, what can I say? My mother is worse compared to yours. Just go with it. You’ll enjoy this dinner, I promise.” He said, keeping his voice low as he sipped from his water goblet.

You shot him a suspicious look at his promise but it wasn’t until main course that you found out what he was talking about.

The server, his name was Clark as you asked kindly, was plating the delicate pasta when Jungkook barely nudged your knee.

You glanced at him, shifting in your seat to give him more space before he nudged you again, a little harder.

You looked at him, picking up your fork again to see him facing his father, nodding as he muttered about the recent scandal of coaches.

You turned to your food, smiling demurely at Mrs. Jeon talking about how men never changed when a large, warm palm encased your knee, jerking it to the right.

Your fingers stilled, body stiffening as you felt Jungkook’s thumb stroke soothing circles inside your leg. You settled your body back, nearly slumping into the chair, allowing Jungkook more ground as he paused in his conversation with his father to give you a look, hints of amusement glinting deep in his eyes.

He was going to keep his promise and make you enjoy tonight. Who were you to stand in his way?

Straightening, you placed your free hand on his, inching it further up under the skirt as you squirmed, trying to let the dress slink up without anyone noticing.

Jungkook seemed satisfied, helping you by hooking his pinky into the seam of the hem, edging it up till the tip of his fingers brushed your pelvic join, the bare skin where he should’ve felt fabric catching his attention.

He stopped, you noticed him taking a deep breath before turning to his mother, answering her about her latest shopping endeavors, fingers left vague near where you wanted him.

You rolled your eyes, taking the initiative even as you arched just so, pressing your heat against his hand insistently. Jungkook’s eyes shot to yours, narrowing in warning, moving his hand out of your skirt as his palm moved to cup your mound over the slick material of the dress, squeezing deliciously.

He let his thumb brush over the seam of your slit once before he was pulling away completely, bringing that particular thumb up to brush against his lips, expressionless as he emptied his glass.

“Are you done, Y/N? I should really take you home.” The last statement was aimed at his mother.

“Yes, yes of course, do give your parents my best, Y/N. I will see you again very soon, this time with your parents.” Mrs. Jeon waved a hand for Clark to collect your and Jungkook’s plate as she stood up.

“Get back to dinner, mom. I’m driving her back.” Jungkook said, leaving no room for arguments as his hand, that damn hand cupped your elbow, guiding you out of his house and back to the car, shoving you into the passenger seat and climbing into the driver’s.

“What’s your problem? I wanted to take another serving of the pasta.” You grumbled as he stopped abruptly, a little ahead of the road turning to you.

“Show me,” it was a command.

“Show you what?”

“Beautiful, not right now; I want you to show me what you plan to get out of tonight’s game.”

You stared at him for a second, feeling his eyes turn pointedly to the way your skirt had ridden up your thighs. You let your finger hesitantly lower to the hem, raising it barely to give him a peek at what he wanted.

“That’ll do.” He softly whispered, revving the engine again as he turned to your street, slipping into the empty driveway.

“Would you like to come in?” you asked, trying to play coy but giving up pretenses midway when you see him unlatching his seatbelt, eyes already on you.

“Duh,” he laughed, exiting the car after you.

“I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m glad your parents are going to be out.” He muttered, standing too close to you as you unlocked the door with the spare key, switching on the porch lights.

“Why is that?” you murmured absently.

Jungkook pushed you against the front door, grinning confidently. “Because you’re going to be loud tonight, I’d rather the kid not hear that.”

You snickered, feeling his hands delve into the coat he’s placed over your shoulder, crumpling and throwing it on the couch.

“Is this the part where you make me come so many times that I, what did you say, oh right, ‘forget my own name’?” you teased.

Jungkook walked you further into the house, his fingers undoing cufflinks at his wrist as he eyed you lazily.

“Yes,” he gripped the back of your neck, “We made a deal that you wouldn’t be questioning me after that.”

“Yeah whatever,” you grabbed the lapel of his shirt, fisting it as you pulled him down to you, lips meeting in a fiery kiss that burned hotter at pent up tension exploding around you and Jungkook.

You never actually managed to reach your bedroom, Jungkook deeming it proper to push you up and over the armrest of your favorite couch. Your back arched uncomfortable as you maneuvered yourself while he undid his shirt completely and let it flutter to the floor.

“It’s a very pretty dress. You were eyeing this at the store that day, weren’t you?” he asked, running soft fingers up your legs, hooking under your knees.

“You saw?” Surprise made you prop yourself to stare at him.

“I saw you since the moment you entered the store, Y/N. Tae and Jimin noticed you later and I had to follow.”

“Wow, stalker much?”

“Stalker who is going to be doing this,”

Jungkook pulled your legs up, sliding to the floor fluidly. Latching them over his shoulders, he yanked you towards him by the waist, all the while eyes boring into you defiantly.

“Do you want to stop?” he asked.

What were you going to do, say yes?

“No.”

“Good,”

Jungkook turned his eyes lower, finally focusing on the skin you had deliberately left uncovered for him to explore.

“This dress you’re wearing is so pretty, I don’t want to rip it.” He said. You hummed appreciatively, raising your legs together so he could push off the tight skirt and away before returning their position on his shoulders.

Jungkook pressed his fingers to your core, spreading the lips apart a little so he could flourish his tongue across the swell of your nub, a pause left at the edges to dig in the pink muscle.

You sighed, relaxing in his ministration as he slaved away, increasing and decreasing the pressure he used, the harder strokes he applied to your clit and entrance, jolting your fingers and torso till you were clutching at his hair, trying to press him closer.

“I promised you’d be coming on my tongue and fingers for the kitchen, didn’t I?”

You didn’t have to glance his way to know he was peering up at you with his smug lips glistening and curved. “Well, then get to it,” You encouraged.

The man took it as a challenge, delving back into you with a growl that vibrated through your folds, sparking delectable heat in the depths of your abdomen. A definite warning that he would get what he wanted from your body soon.

Jungkook seemed to be able to tell you were close too, migrating to gently place distracting kitten licks to your now hardened clit, middle finger easing in till it was buried to his knuckles into you.

You grunted, jerking into a ball, your knee slipping off as he clicked his tongue, repositioning your leg, holding it tightly in his free hand as he increased the force of his suckles.

The single finger turned to two, then three curling cleverly into your walls as they sought and found the sweet spot within your writhing body.

The come hither motions of his fingers made you convulse, earning a low groan of approval from Jungkook as he detached his lips from your folds, standing with his fingers lodged deep in you. He maintained lazy motions, stretching out your small orgasm.

“Fuck, beautiful, you good?” Jungkook pulled you upward gently, hands moving to your back, rubbing out any knots that may have formed.

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m good.” You reassured before tapping his chin, running your thumb to wipe away the remnants of your arousal from his lips.

“I still remember my name, you know.”

“Not a problem, I’m not done with you yet.”

Jungkook spun you, fingers unclasping the hook and pulling the zipper down till the dress hung loosely around your frame. He bunched the material in his fists, slowly but firmly pushing the stretchy fabric down till it pooled at your ankles before being shoved away somewhere. Splaying large hands across your shoulder, he was pushing you right back over the armrest again, this time on your front.

The plush fabric of the sofa brushed cold against your nipples, hardening them further as you ground your chest into the material, looking for friction. Shame was long forgotten as Jungkook realized what you were doing, bending till his mouth was at your ear.

“Does that feel good? Do you want me to make you come like this, using one of the cushions to grind against your pretty clit? Or do you want my cock in you, pumping till you can’t stand?”

You whimpered, reaching back for his hand. He gave it willingly, letting you guide it so you could press it blatantly to your throbbing mound. You felt him fumbling a bit, getting out of the rest of his clothes and put on the condom.

“Your cock, please,”

“Good girl,” He removed his hand, letting it rest on your ass first, curving with your flesh, kneading it gently before settling on your hips as with the other he ran the head over your tight seam, pushing forward till the tip nestled just inside you, your wall contracting to pull him in further.

“Fuck, beautiful, I can feel you trying to suck me in. Are you being greedy?”

You turned your head to look at him in annoyance. “You really want to play games right now?” you snarled.

Jungkook laughed, deep and freely as he plunged forward, your sentence stuttering out as you felt him settle so deep in you, you could feel him.

You were full of him.

“Oh my - fuck,” You whined in surprise, Jungkook brushing away hair so he could whisper again. “I was being gentle, Y/N.”

“Don’t be; please, Jungkook, don’t be gentle.” You answered, tilting your head to allow him to trail open mouthed hot kisses, sucking into the curve of your shoulder.

“As you wish,”

Jungkook braced himself on his forearms on either side of you, mouth landing on your back as he increased his pace and the strength of his thrusts. His cock, girth and length hit the deepest spots in you, stretching you out in ways your exes had never even managed.

The vibrator fell away from your conscience. You were so tossing it out after tonight.

Jungkook grunted behind you, his thighs, toned and tight pressed against the curve of your ass. Raising himself with one hand, he gripped onto your wrist, pulling it up and around your head, pushing you back against his chest as he cupped a full breast, tweaking at a nipple.

“Fuck I want them in my mouth.” He hissed, slowing and stopping abruptly as he pulled out, leaving you to take in huge gulps of breaths.

Jungkook moved so fast he might as well have been a blur. He moved the discarded clothes to cover the sofa and sat on them, the hand holding your wrist guiding you to sit on top of him.

Both of you hissed as he went deeper into you before stilling. Jungkook pressed his forehead against yours, eye closing and throat bobbing as he swallowed.

“I want to make you cum.” You whispered bravely, making his eyes fly open as he gaped up at you.

“Go ahead.” He grinned, letting his hands rest comfortably at your waist as you braced yours on his shoulder, raising yourself up and then down, the sofa letting out a puff sound that made you both chuckle lazily.

You close your eyes, tossing your head back as you tried to set the same pace he had, feeling his length brush over your spot over and over in this position, your warmth convulsing as the signs of another impending orgasm brewed on your horizon.

Jungkook hissed. “Fuck, baby, just like that,” he glanced down, thumb slicking in his mouth as he rubbed it over you clit, stimulating you further, as you rode him hard. His hands kneaded your tits, swollen lips trapping a peak in to his mouth, suckling while his head nuzzled against the soft flesh.

You could feel his satisfied smile like this as you tightened further.

Jungkook finally pulled away with a wet pop, his pants increasing as he cupped your face. “I’m going to cum baby. Where do you want it?”

You whined in heat, mind running hazily as you brought his hands down to your chest. “Here, here, come here,” you breathed loudly.

Jungkook cursed, standing suddenly with you like you weighed nothing before turning around to dump you unceremoniously on the sofa, parting your legs till he was pounding inside again, hair sweaty and sticking to his forehead while the heel of his palm dug in your clit. His hips were angled perfectly, battering against your sweet spot until you were screaming, screaming his name, any nonsense that flooded your brain.

You never registered Jungkook pulling away with a furious growl, his large palm jerking over his member roughly until he was releasing all over you, some of his seed landing where you’d wanted him and the other going god knows where.

Oh god…

Jungkook let out a slow exhale, hands landing on the backrest as he leant his weight on it. “Clean up duty,” he muttered pathetically as you lay sprawled out, well sated and oxytocin high.

“It can wait, we have the whole night.” You soothed. Jungkook eyed you fondly as your hand ran warmly over his sweat slick chest.

“At least let me clean you up.” He fetched his boxers while disposing of the rubber - hopefully hiding it well, and running it over your thighs, even swiping at the flyaway strands on his release. “So, I kind of know we did this backwards, but how about I take you out sometime?”

You laughed. “It’s my turn to be babysitted huh?”

Jungkook shrugged, grinning as he held out his hands, helping you stand so you could move to your bedroom.

“So, I still remember my name.”

Jungkook only rolled his eyes, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Maybe we can christen the vibe this time.”

Damn.